Chapter 37
‘He’s smiling?’
Given the current situation, there was no clear benefit for Dragul to revive Andrew. And yet, he was smiling. That meant he had something up his sleeve.
And if Dragul wore such a face, then what about Viscount Julio? Sure enough, his expression wasn’t bad either.
Seeing the expressions on both their faces, I could draw one more conclusion. And it wasn’t far off from the scenario I had envisioned on my way here.
“In that case, carry on. I won’t interfere.”
I declared.
Now, it was Dragul and Julio who looked thrown off. They couldn’t figure out what I was thinking.
‘He’s not the issue right now.’
Dragul made the first move. Soon enough, he’d be able to crush these bugs with ease. Once that happened, this bizarre situation would resolve itself.
Dragul began finishing the transmutation circle in earnest.
“It’s… done.”
Looking deeply moved, Dragul gazed at the magic circle. I kept racking my brain, wondering what was behind that expression.
Then, Dragul snapped his fingers. The blood-red magic circle on the ground began to glow ominously, and it flew toward the glass coffin, clinging to it. It didn’t feel like magic—it felt more like a parasite latching on.
“Count Dragul, my son must be brought back to life! That was our agreement!”
“Of course. I will bring your son back to life.”
“A son possessed by you is not a living one. Keep that in mind!”
“I know.”
Despite Julio’s warning, Dragul’s laughter gave him an uneasy feeling.
The blood-red magic circle, which had clung to the coffin, began to writhe like a living creature and seeped into Andrew’s body.
As it was absorbed, Andrew’s body bulged as if boiling from within, then subsided repeatedly. Eventually, everything calmed.
Flash!
In the blink of an eye, Andrew’s eyes shot open inside the coffin. And at that same moment, the coffin shattered.
“Andrew!”
With trembling limbs, Viscount Julio stepped forward to his son.
“Father…!”
The Andrew who emerged from the coffin was clearly not possessed by Dragul. That meant Dragul had, in fact, fulfilled his end of the bargain.
“From this moment on, do not step in front of me again. All forces are to protect me and Andrew!”
Julio’s command had barely left his mouth when soldiers began flooding in from the underground passages around the plaza. They had been lying in wait.
‘At least ten knights. All at least Expert-level.’
It was a force far too large to belong to a mere viscountcy. The total number of soldiers pouring in easily exceeded a hundred.
‘So it was as expected.’
The two had never been true allies—they had only joined hands temporarily out of mutual interest. And Dragul seemed to have anticipated Julio’s betrayal.
But then, why was Dragul still smiling?
“Remember, not everything is as it seems. That much I can tell you—consider it payment for the meal. Kukukuku.”
The old woman’s words resurfaced in my mind. Dragul had foreseen this entire situation.
In other words, everything might have been orchestrated by him from the beginning.
“Viscount Julio! Pull your soldiers back from your son!”
I shouted. But Julio acted as though he didn’t hear me. And then, Dragul snapped his fingers.
A surge of crimson light filled the underground plaza. The light was emanating from Andrew’s body.
As I tried to understand where things had gone wrong, I had no choice but to admit my mistake.
My plan had been to drive a wedge between Julio and Dragul, and then decapitate Dragul while they turned on each other.
That plan had failed.
Viscount Julio had known from the start that Dragul would try to take over his son’s body. And Dragul had known Julio would betray him.
So why did Dragul still revive Andrew? Because even if Julio betrayed him, Dragul was confident it wouldn’t matter.
The underground plaza was collapsing from the explosion of red energy radiating from Andrew’s body.
Of the ten knights, only about three remained after being caught in the blast. Many soldiers were down as well.
Dragul, in contrast, was perfectly fine. And from Andrew’s body, red light continued to surge endlessly.
“You worm… did you think I wouldn’t see through your pathetic plan?”
Chuckling, Dragul stepped toward Julio.
“Do you remember how he died? Do you remember how you got that glass coffin?”
Dragul kept smiling. Julio’s pupils dilated wider than ever.
“You! It was you from the beginning!”
Bony and frail, Julio was of no use in this situation. The remaining knights were frozen in fear before the inhuman monster.
“You did well protecting my body these past three years. Now that you’ve outlived your usefulness, you can die.”
Dragul snapped his fingers toward Viscount Julio. Julio had thought that if he could just escape with Andrew, he might make it to Count Calido’s territory.
Boom!
With an explosion, Dragul launched himself toward Andrew, dagger in hand. If the dagger pierced Andrew’s heart, that body would be his.
A new vessel—one that would grant Dragul power beyond anything he’d ever known.
Thwack! Crash!
Focused solely on Andrew, Dragul was blindsided by a powerful blow to his side. He was sent flying, rolling several times across the floor.
Despite the impact, he sprang to his feet and immediately saw who had interfered.
“…A lowly mercenary dares?”
“I’m a Free Knight.”
Even in this critical moment, I made sure to remind him of my class.
“A knight? What’s the point of distinguishing worms as knights or nobles? Step aside now and I’ll spare your life. Do you really think a half-baked knight who can’t even use Qi can stop my authority?”
I didn’t answer.
I simply raised my sword.
He had no intention of sparing me anyway.
“This is our chance!”
Seeing that I had blocked Dragul, Julio turned and fled without a second glance.
As he escaped with Andrew, I glanced his way but quickly refocused on Dragul.
“I’ll handle him. You chase down that pathetic man. Don’t damage the vessel.”
At Dragul’s order, the vampires with glowing red eyes shot off after Julio. With the lesser vampires gone, only Dragul and I remained in the plaza.
“You’re going to die here, tricked by that man. And still you stand in my way?”
“Duty outweighs emotion.”
“You’re an annoying insect.”
Dragul scowled and snapped his fingers again. Another explosion occurred—but this time the outcome was different.
I had spread Qi throughout my body to form a thin barrier and leapt toward him, evading most of the blast.
“Fine! This time, you have nowhere to run!”
As I charged, Dragul raised his elongated claws.
His swipe was too fast to see, but I evaded by instinct and slashed at his neck with all my strength.
Clang!
He somehow managed to parry with his claws—how he retrieved them so quickly, I didn’t know.
“Ugh…!”
Reeling from the impact, Dragul staggered, then steadied himself and snapped his fingers again.
Boom!
A blast erupted in front of me this time. I dove to the side, avoiding the worst, but still took minor injuries.
‘He’s tricky…’
His mid-air explosions were difficult to deal with.
They required no charge time, no chanting—just a snap of his fingers.
And he could trigger them anywhere at will.
A nasty ability.
If my physical capabilities hadn’t improved after choosing [Fate: Free Knight], I’d already be dead.
‘So I’ve grown…’
I stared at Dragul, who was baring his claws. A simple sword strike wouldn’t finish him.
“A witch once told me—you call humans worms, but weren’t you once human yourself?”
“Ancient history. I don’t even remember.”
I tried to distract him, and he began ranting on his own.
“On the day I was reborn in the blood of my enemies, I transcended humanity.”
“So you became a demon.”
“Don’t mock me with your feeble standards.”
“Big words. But you're just a mosquito who can’t grow stronger without sacrificing others.”
Dragul’s face twisted.
“A half-baked knight like you dares speak so freely!?”
His fury erupted.
I smiled faintly.
Yes, I was a half-baked knight without aura.
But I didn’t hesitate.
Even if I was incomplete as a knight, the life I’d endured in this world was anything but.
I charged—no tricks, no feints, just a straight rush.
Anyone could see it: a man ready to die.
“You mad fool! What grudge do you even have against me!? We’ve never met before! Why risk your life to stop me!? It was Julio who deceived you!”
He was right. But I could always kill Julio later. If Dragul took over Andrew’s body, the mission would only become harder.
When weighing what mattered more, I had to strike the higher priority first.
I ignored the erupting blasts and wrapped my body in Qi.
Though I couldn’t emit Qi from my sword, I had full mastery over Qi. Moving like a flash of light, I reached Dragul.
And at that moment, Lectio in my hand shot toward Dragul’s neck.
“I was waiting for this!”
Dragul grabbed my sword with both hands. Then, he lunged forward with his fangs, aiming for my throat.
Chainmail wouldn’t stop his fangs. He was sure he had me.
That’s when I let go of my sword.
I stepped back with my right foot, squared my stance, and wound up a punch with my right hand.
Thud!
Like kicking an empty pouch, my fist sank into his gut. Dragul’s belly rippled, and he was sent flying like a broken kite.
“Gah…!”
He choked and coughed up blood.
“…I’ll finish this!”
He rose and snapped his fingers again. But by now, I could anticipate his explosions.
I focused all my Qi into speed. Dragul wanted to finish me with long-range bursts. So I just had to outpace his reactions.
Like a shooting star, I dashed toward him, explosions chasing me in a deadly tail.
Bursts aimed at my face hit my back, neck, and shoulders in rapid succession.
Give up flesh to take bone.
I didn’t dodge erratically. I simply closed the gap.
I clenched Lectio, slashed at his neck.
I didn’t notice it—but in that instant, a faint light shimmered across my blade.
Dragul’s claws couldn’t break through that faint light.
They cracked.
And in that moment, Dragul froze.
“This can’t be… Impossible…”
I shook the blood from my blade.
The wounds from his explosion magic were deep.
I’d managed to stem the bleeding, but I was far from okay.
[Quest: Discover the Truth Hidden in Lies – Completed.]
[Reward will now be given.]
‘Finally over…’
It had been a long mission. Tough—but I’d gained much.
As I looked at the mission completion window, I climbed the stairs.
I had sent mercenaries after Julio when he fled the underground plaza. He likely hadn’t gotten far.
But when I reached the surface, I couldn’t help scratching the back of my head.
“Long time no see, Sir Karl!”
Smiling at me, surrounded by a squad of knights, was Godfrey.
He had successfully restrained not only the mercenaries and Julio’s knights—but Julio himself as well.