When we arrived at Duran Village, the situation was worse than we had imagined.
People were running around in a disorderly manner, and the demons were attacking people by storming into the roofs and even the houses.
This wasn't a battle, but a hunting ground. I instructed the soldiers to protect the villagers, then joined Julian and Hela in dealing with the demons.
The silver lining was that although there were many of them, most of them were small, with only a few medium-sized ones visible.
Thanks to that, we were able to help the villagers escape safely with a small number of soldiers, and Julian, Hela, and I were able to fight easily.
I stabbed the demon's back with my sword as he tried to break down the door, and I opened the door.
“Evacuate now! Hurry!”
I sent the people huddled inside the house out and left them in the care of a nearby soldier.
Except for the occasional medium-sized beast that clashed violently, the beasts were all small, so it wasn't terribly dangerous. However, their sheer number made me increasingly breathless. It was at that moment that I realized that if support was delayed any longer, something big would happen.
Someone blocked my path, piercing the demon's head with a long sword. The moment I saw the brown hair swaying before my eyes, I knew who it was.
"Young Master of Eriant.”
“I apologize for interfering with the battle.”
Shuan apologized before I could say anything. I looked at his forehead and took a deep breath.
“No, it helped this time. Thank you.”
I thanked him and looked around. I saw soldiers I hadn't seen before, perhaps brought by Shuan.
They were certainly sturdy, but somehow there weren't as many as I'd expected. When I looked puzzled, Shuan bit his lower lip in embarrassment.
"While patrolling nearby, I encountered soldiers following Her Highness the Grand Duchess's orders. I was about to lead more soldiers to them, but..."
I thought I knew what was going on. Marquis Eriant's army wasn't following Shuan's orders.
Ari, moreover, was following the orders of Princess Abigail. So, it was clear that this was the limit of the soldiers he could directly control.
But he tried to help us anyway, and actually took action. I decided not to criticize him like I usually do. After all, with his help, we could save more villagers.
“Thank you again. I mean it.”
Shuan's eyes widened as if I'd said something incredibly impressive. But we didn't have time to chat for long. As the demon lunged at us, Shuan and I immediately prepared for battle.
“Then I hope you are safe.”
At my words, Shuan nodded and turned his body back.
I could hear his voice whispering in the wind.
“I will keep the promise you made last time.”
I turned my head toward Shuan. What did I say last time? What did I say to him?
I was always angry at his whims and ignored him. I went into battle without ever remembering what I had said.
I was in the process of defeating the demons one by one.
Whee!
The shrill whistle of the wind echoed through the air, along with the screams of people. The loud flapping of wings sent chills down my spine. Flying demons were a very rare species. They rarely showed up outside the rugged mountains where they usually lived.
The demon slammed its body into a soldier, who was paralyzed with fear.
Julian stepped between the soldier and the flying demon, blocking its beak with his sword. The enraged demon swung its claws instead, causing Julian to stagger momentarily.
“Julian!”
I screamed and rushed towards Julian. But Julian, as if he'd never been attacked, grabbed the flying demon by the scruff of its neck and swung his sword.
The demon's neck was anything but thin. It was completely different from that of a normal bird. Nevertheless, the demon's neck and body were completely separated, and blood spurted into the air.
Julian flung the demons' necks far away. The demons flinched at the sight, then hesitantly retreated and began to run away.
The demons had instincts stronger than those of humans, and they must have realized from watching the fight just now that there was an opponent they could never defeat.
But I could never be relieved, because Julian was holding his right cheek and lowering his head.
“Julian, Julian!”
I ran towards Julian, my soul possessed, frantically. Julian reached out his arm as I ran towards him. I fell into his embrace, feeling his cheek.
“Julian, are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me see.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Show me quickly. Yes? Please.”
When I pleaded, Julian took his hand away from his cheek as if he had no other choice.
Then the white mask fell from his hand and split in two. Julian reached out for the mask in panic, but I couldn't grab it because I had pressed closer, placing my hand on his cheek.
Julian's bare face, hidden until now, was revealed. No magic stone, no scar, no hidden snake, just a handsome face. In the center of his face was a scar, a faint graze from a demonic claw.
“Your face!”
I was shocked to learn that Julian was injured. It was a demonic claw, after all. It could have been poisoning.
“Oh, hurry up and call a doctor...”
I looked around frantically. Only then did I realize everyone was staring at us; many of them murmured at the sight of Julian's face.
“His Highness the Grand Duke of Duchzan’s face is...”
“There’s nothing?”
“It definitely has a monster-like face...”
Julian seemed more embarrassed by the fact that his bare face had been exposed to an unspecified number of people than by his injuries.
His crimson eyes twitched slightly. How many years had it been since he'd taken off his mask in public? Even if the magic stone had vanished, the nightmarish days he'd experienced hadn't vanished with it.
I reached out and pulled Julian's face to my shoulder. Julian clung to me obediently, like a large dog.
“Julian, it’s okay.”
I slowly stroked Julian's broad back.
Julian, who had been absentmindedly holding me, embraced me with both arms. He nuzzled the tip of his nose against the nape of my neck and whispered.
“Push me away.”
The sight of a child whining was uncharacteristic of him, yet simultaneously endearing. I laughed, shaking my body, and Julian, as if sensing my pain, hugged me even tighter.
“Trust only me.”
I walked through the crowd, holding Julian's hand tightly. Through our hands, I could sense Julian's tension and his trust in me. I turned to the crowd and asked.
“Where is the doctor?”
Then, the crowd that had been chattering suddenly quieted down. Perhaps that's why the sound of someone walking could be clearly heard. An old woman with white hair but a straight back stood before us with a bright smile.
"I'm not a doctor, just a herbalist, but I possess a herb that is highly effective at detoxifying the venom of demons. Please grant me the honor of treating Your Highness."
“Please.”
I bowed my head, and the old woman waved us in the direction of her house. There were so many people, yet so little sound, that even I felt nervous.
“Thank you, handsome brother!”
A young voice rang out from the crowd. I quickly turned my head, but the parents were nowhere to be seen, hiding the child.
But I could confirm that these people weren't looking at us with hostility. I looked at them with a smile on my face and then walked forward again.
“Duchzan!”
Another shout was heard.
“Winsley! Winsley!”
“Duchzan! Duchzan!”
Some voices were young, but some voices weren't. Deep voices, high voices, hoarse voices, tearful voices...
Voices of different ages and genders poured out at once, calling out Duchzan and Winsley.
I looked at the people with a bewildered expression. The old woman walking ahead smiled and said.
“You two are the heroes of this town.”
“A hero? I’m not that great.”
“Why? You two saved so many people.”
“I just...”
"Come on, come on. Stop making excuses. Just accept the treatment this old man gives you."
The old woman let us into her home. She introduced herself as a herbalist, and the house smelled of herbs. While she pounded the herbs, I examined Julian's wounds.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
Julian shook his head.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“So, were you very surprised?”
Julian smiled faintly.
“I won’t deny it. But I’m okay because you’re here.”
I sat down next to him, pouting.
"I was surprised, too. I thought you were seriously injured. Now I wonder how I'll ever live without you."
The old woman laughed heartily at my words.
“You are on good terms.”
The old woman applied a mixture of crushed herbs to Julian's cheek. Amazingly, the juice seemed to quickly seep into his skin.
The wound didn't heal immediately, but the bluish aura that had been spreading around the wound subsided.
“It’s very effective, but what kind of herb is it?”
"It's the root of a flower called Julia, which grows only in rugged places. It's difficult to obtain, but once you have it, it doesn't spoil easily, and it's unrivaled for detoxifying the poison of demons. Everything doctors make these days is based on this herb."
“I had no idea. That’s really amazing.”
As I was purely admiring the view, a knock was heard. The old woman stepped outside and opened the door, sending flowers spilling out through the crack. Outside, people were still gathered.
“Duchzan! Duchzan!”
“Winsley! Winsley!”
I continued to shout Duchzan and Winsley's names. I covered my mouth with both hands and laughed heartily.
Why is this work, begun to save myself and those around me, receiving such widespread applause? Could it be such a joy to defy fate and protect someone?
People were running around in a disorderly manner, and the demons were attacking people by storming into the roofs and even the houses.
This wasn't a battle, but a hunting ground. I instructed the soldiers to protect the villagers, then joined Julian and Hela in dealing with the demons.
The silver lining was that although there were many of them, most of them were small, with only a few medium-sized ones visible.
Thanks to that, we were able to help the villagers escape safely with a small number of soldiers, and Julian, Hela, and I were able to fight easily.
I stabbed the demon's back with my sword as he tried to break down the door, and I opened the door.
“Evacuate now! Hurry!”
I sent the people huddled inside the house out and left them in the care of a nearby soldier.
Except for the occasional medium-sized beast that clashed violently, the beasts were all small, so it wasn't terribly dangerous. However, their sheer number made me increasingly breathless. It was at that moment that I realized that if support was delayed any longer, something big would happen.
Someone blocked my path, piercing the demon's head with a long sword. The moment I saw the brown hair swaying before my eyes, I knew who it was.
"Young Master of Eriant.”
“I apologize for interfering with the battle.”
Shuan apologized before I could say anything. I looked at his forehead and took a deep breath.
“No, it helped this time. Thank you.”
I thanked him and looked around. I saw soldiers I hadn't seen before, perhaps brought by Shuan.
They were certainly sturdy, but somehow there weren't as many as I'd expected. When I looked puzzled, Shuan bit his lower lip in embarrassment.
"While patrolling nearby, I encountered soldiers following Her Highness the Grand Duchess's orders. I was about to lead more soldiers to them, but..."
I thought I knew what was going on. Marquis Eriant's army wasn't following Shuan's orders.
Ari, moreover, was following the orders of Princess Abigail. So, it was clear that this was the limit of the soldiers he could directly control.
But he tried to help us anyway, and actually took action. I decided not to criticize him like I usually do. After all, with his help, we could save more villagers.
“Thank you again. I mean it.”
Shuan's eyes widened as if I'd said something incredibly impressive. But we didn't have time to chat for long. As the demon lunged at us, Shuan and I immediately prepared for battle.
“Then I hope you are safe.”
At my words, Shuan nodded and turned his body back.
I could hear his voice whispering in the wind.
“I will keep the promise you made last time.”
I turned my head toward Shuan. What did I say last time? What did I say to him?
I was always angry at his whims and ignored him. I went into battle without ever remembering what I had said.
I was in the process of defeating the demons one by one.
Whee!
The shrill whistle of the wind echoed through the air, along with the screams of people. The loud flapping of wings sent chills down my spine. Flying demons were a very rare species. They rarely showed up outside the rugged mountains where they usually lived.
The demon slammed its body into a soldier, who was paralyzed with fear.
Julian stepped between the soldier and the flying demon, blocking its beak with his sword. The enraged demon swung its claws instead, causing Julian to stagger momentarily.
“Julian!”
I screamed and rushed towards Julian. But Julian, as if he'd never been attacked, grabbed the flying demon by the scruff of its neck and swung his sword.
The demon's neck was anything but thin. It was completely different from that of a normal bird. Nevertheless, the demon's neck and body were completely separated, and blood spurted into the air.
Julian flung the demons' necks far away. The demons flinched at the sight, then hesitantly retreated and began to run away.
The demons had instincts stronger than those of humans, and they must have realized from watching the fight just now that there was an opponent they could never defeat.
But I could never be relieved, because Julian was holding his right cheek and lowering his head.
“Julian, Julian!”
I ran towards Julian, my soul possessed, frantically. Julian reached out his arm as I ran towards him. I fell into his embrace, feeling his cheek.
“Julian, are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me see.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Show me quickly. Yes? Please.”
When I pleaded, Julian took his hand away from his cheek as if he had no other choice.
Then the white mask fell from his hand and split in two. Julian reached out for the mask in panic, but I couldn't grab it because I had pressed closer, placing my hand on his cheek.
Julian's bare face, hidden until now, was revealed. No magic stone, no scar, no hidden snake, just a handsome face. In the center of his face was a scar, a faint graze from a demonic claw.
“Your face!”
I was shocked to learn that Julian was injured. It was a demonic claw, after all. It could have been poisoning.
“Oh, hurry up and call a doctor...”
I looked around frantically. Only then did I realize everyone was staring at us; many of them murmured at the sight of Julian's face.
“His Highness the Grand Duke of Duchzan’s face is...”
“There’s nothing?”
“It definitely has a monster-like face...”
Julian seemed more embarrassed by the fact that his bare face had been exposed to an unspecified number of people than by his injuries.
His crimson eyes twitched slightly. How many years had it been since he'd taken off his mask in public? Even if the magic stone had vanished, the nightmarish days he'd experienced hadn't vanished with it.
I reached out and pulled Julian's face to my shoulder. Julian clung to me obediently, like a large dog.
“Julian, it’s okay.”
I slowly stroked Julian's broad back.
"I'm not blaming you. Even if I did, I'd take care of it all."
“Push me away.”
The sight of a child whining was uncharacteristic of him, yet simultaneously endearing. I laughed, shaking my body, and Julian, as if sensing my pain, hugged me even tighter.
“Trust only me.”
I walked through the crowd, holding Julian's hand tightly. Through our hands, I could sense Julian's tension and his trust in me. I turned to the crowd and asked.
“Where is the doctor?”
Then, the crowd that had been chattering suddenly quieted down. Perhaps that's why the sound of someone walking could be clearly heard. An old woman with white hair but a straight back stood before us with a bright smile.
"I'm not a doctor, just a herbalist, but I possess a herb that is highly effective at detoxifying the venom of demons. Please grant me the honor of treating Your Highness."
“Please.”
I bowed my head, and the old woman waved us in the direction of her house. There were so many people, yet so little sound, that even I felt nervous.
“Thank you, handsome brother!”
A young voice rang out from the crowd. I quickly turned my head, but the parents were nowhere to be seen, hiding the child.
But I could confirm that these people weren't looking at us with hostility. I looked at them with a smile on my face and then walked forward again.
“Duchzan!”
Another shout was heard.
“Winsley! Winsley!”
“Duchzan! Duchzan!”
Some voices were young, but some voices weren't. Deep voices, high voices, hoarse voices, tearful voices...
Voices of different ages and genders poured out at once, calling out Duchzan and Winsley.
I looked at the people with a bewildered expression. The old woman walking ahead smiled and said.
“You two are the heroes of this town.”
“A hero? I’m not that great.”
“Why? You two saved so many people.”
“I just...”
"Come on, come on. Stop making excuses. Just accept the treatment this old man gives you."
The old woman let us into her home. She introduced herself as a herbalist, and the house smelled of herbs. While she pounded the herbs, I examined Julian's wounds.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
Julian shook his head.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“So, were you very surprised?”
Julian smiled faintly.
“I won’t deny it. But I’m okay because you’re here.”
I sat down next to him, pouting.
"I was surprised, too. I thought you were seriously injured. Now I wonder how I'll ever live without you."
The old woman laughed heartily at my words.
“You are on good terms.”
The old woman applied a mixture of crushed herbs to Julian's cheek. Amazingly, the juice seemed to quickly seep into his skin.
The wound didn't heal immediately, but the bluish aura that had been spreading around the wound subsided.
“It’s very effective, but what kind of herb is it?”
"It's the root of a flower called Julia, which grows only in rugged places. It's difficult to obtain, but once you have it, it doesn't spoil easily, and it's unrivaled for detoxifying the poison of demons. Everything doctors make these days is based on this herb."
“I had no idea. That’s really amazing.”
As I was purely admiring the view, a knock was heard. The old woman stepped outside and opened the door, sending flowers spilling out through the crack. Outside, people were still gathered.
“Duchzan! Duchzan!”
“Winsley! Winsley!”
I continued to shout Duchzan and Winsley's names. I covered my mouth with both hands and laughed heartily.
Why is this work, begun to save myself and those around me, receiving such widespread applause? Could it be such a joy to defy fate and protect someone?
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