Grave Keeper of the Fallen Kingdom

In an instant, the atmosphere became cold as if it were covered with thin ice.

Francis and Rayman looked at me with shocked faces, and surprisingly, the village chief and Adeline looked unconcerned.

“… … why did you kill it? my brother.”

‘I thought the fist would fly right away… … .’

With a sigh of relief in my heart, I looked at the village chief.

The village chief also has a gloomy expression, as if he had a premonition of something.

“Your brother did a senseless slaughter.”

“ah… … .”

Her complexion darkened.

It was clear that he already knew something.

“Finally, this day will come.”

“… … .”

Biting her lower lip, she looks at me with determined eyes and says.

“Who did my brother kill? your brother? parents? Or a colleague… … .”

What is he talking about?

“wait a minute! This kid did nothing wrong!”

This time, the village chief ran out without hesitation and blocked the way between me and Adeline and grabbed my left arm.

“Please do not draw your sword.”

I wondered what was going on, so I looked, and without realizing it, my left hand was on top of the handle of the sword.

I think I was afraid of that woman’s fist, so I raised it without even realizing it.

But the sword is not drawn with the left hand.

“Chief! Don’t do this!”

“Adeline! Anyway, you don’t have to pay for the sins of your family.”

“no. If someone’s important person died because of my brother, it’s right that I pay the price too.”

“no. I’d rather not be punished as an old man. Aren’t I the village chief? The villagers’ fault is the same as mine.”

I feel like I’ve become the bad guy at the tearful behavior of the two.

“wren! To kill these people?”

“Say, shooter! I don’t know what’s going on, but think a little more… … .”

Francis and Rayman held me by the arms and stopped me.

Why are they doing this again?

“I will pay the penalty. please kill me Instead, the villagers are not at fault. Only the villagers… … .”

“No. Failed to manage the villagers properly.”

“Stop, stop!”

I couldn’t hear them so I shouted at them.

I didn’t say anything, but they were beating drums and janggu among themselves and making a big fuss.

“I won’t kill you both, so get up.”

Did I look so scary when I was raising two people who were kneeling before I knew it? I even heard the thought.

“I am guilty… , don’t kill me?”

“Yeah, because I’m not a person who likes guilt-by-association in the first place.”

One’s own karma is self-solving.

After all, death does not free him from his guilt.

In the end, everything comes back to karma.

“uh… , uh… … .”

Looking at me, Adeline and the village chief quietly stood up.

“And didn’t I tell you earlier? Joel is asking how his brother is doing.”

“Didn’t you say he was dead?”

“Dead. However, he became a specter and is now waiting for his younger brother. Joel said so. He said that he regretted it after leaving the village behind his brother.”

The two looked at me intently, wondering if it was real even though they were making confused faces.

“I am a gravekeeper. They are living while appeasing the spirits of the dead.”

“A gravekeeper? But why did you kill my brother?”

“Because your brother was suffering. He was almost half mad when he met me. He has already slaughtered countless humans and attacked me as well.”

At those words, the complexion of the two people suddenly darkened again.

“Have you ever been like this before?”

“yes. Would you like to go to town and talk?”

“I see.”

Foreseeing that the story would be a bit long, the village chief led us to his house.

Upon entering the village, the villagers looked at this place with worried eyes.

It seems that everyone in the village has a rough idea of Joel’s condition.

Click.

When we arrived at the village chief’s house, he brought out a simple tea and finished the story.

“I was already aware that Joel’s condition was strange. It started to change little by little after the man with long white hair came.”

“I think that man made my brother that way. I became weird after learning swords from that man.”

So far, it’s the same as Joel’s story.

“The man left and Joel had occasional seizures. I couldn’t stand my excitement and used violence that I had never seen before. He suddenly disappeared from the village, as if he felt it himself.”

“I urgently searched for my brother, but there was no trace. So I was living in the village with resignation, but a man came to visit me. He was from the Empire.”

“In Baran?”

“yes. I was looking for the white-haired man who was carrying a huge greatsword and taught my brother how to do it. Then, they completely devastated our village.”

A man with a huge greatsword from the Empire… … .

Not one or two people use a great sword, and it is not easy to predict.

Moreover, there are so many wishful people of the empire.

“Anyway, at that time, he said he only beat Joel moderately, but didn’t kill him. I haven’t heard from you since then, but this is how you guys came.”

When I heard the story, I thought I knew roughly what had happened.

In addition to the quest to ask about Adeline’s well-being, the quest for the owner of the sword must kill the long-haired white man they say.

However, if there were other people besides me chasing the man, the possibility of failure of the quest seemed sufficient.

‘It’s a quest where you can get all stats +2 and even a sword, but it’s a waste to miss it.’

However, if he didn’t give up on the quest, was it a simple premonition that he would run into the man with the great sword they said?

“What did the villagers say was wrong? Who is that?”

Francis asked, frowning in disapproval.

“He wanted to find the white-haired man somehow. So I rummaged through everything that was relevant.”

“First of all, that’s out of the question and the reason I’m here is to take Adeline with me.”

“really… , Is my brother waiting for me?”

“okay.”

I didn’t give any further explanation.

No matter what I say here, it won’t make any sense.

“great. I will follow you.”

“Adeline.”

The village chief calls her with a worried voice.

“I was thinking of giving up my life. If what he said is really true… , I want to see you.”

“It will be a bit of a long trip. Are you okay though?”

“are you okay.”

Just like before, her will was quite strong.

“don’t worry. If you think this guy is going to do something stupid, this unnie will stop you.”

“What are you talking about? Our shooter is not like that!”

“Okay, I don’t have time. The night will end soon, so I plan to leave right away tomorrow morning, is that okay?”

“Yes, that is enough.”

The village headman also seems to have no choice.

A glance that seemed to already know that she was stubborn.

Upon her acceptance, the work went smoothly.

The next morning we left the village as soon as the sun rose.

“Can I carry some luggage for you?”

“uh? no, it’s okay… … , hmm.”

Rayman, confused by his perception, stuttered.

Already on her back was a bag that was bigger than her body.

“it’s okay. If it’s difficult, the two of you can switch between them in the middle.”

As I walked, I glanced at Adeline.

Then, her status window floated in the air.

[Adeline Holmmels]

– Trait: Toughness

– Strength: 12.1

– Agility: 6.0

– Stamina: 14.3

– Sense: 3.3

Incredibly high strength and stamina.

It was what I was expecting from the first time I saw Joel Holmmels, but it far exceeded my expectations.

And the reason was because of that characteristic of strength.

[Toughness]

# Whenever your body reaches its limit, it will be destroyed and restored, increasing your strength and stamina.

Even Joel didn’t have that trait, but his brother showed strength.

And this was such a boon for me.

‘I never thought I’d find it so easily.’

[Sub Quest – Potter’s Successor]

[Porter wants to find a successor to the porter to succeed him. Find a successor you like.]

[Reward – Strength +2, Stamina +1, Great Strength]

As Potter’s successor, he said that a strong body should be supported in order to learn his strength.

The most important of these are strength and stamina.

I’ve had this in mind since Francis asked me to go to the central north.

If Joel Holmmels’ unusual strength and stamina were inherited by his younger brother, wouldn’t it be possible?

And that prediction was right.

‘A talent of this level would appeal to Potter, right?’

I moved on with a happy heart.

* * *

Ren’s party stopped at a city called Red Pill on the way and rode on the way up to Cormir.

It was convenient to rent a wagon separately, but Francis never tolerated it, so he joined the upstream.

“oh my! i look forward to. Mr. Len Argen.”

Acro, the general manager of this trip.

He recognized Ren and bent over.

The mid-level corps ‘Full Gather’, established in the city of Red Pill, had to go to Cormir to move a large amount of leather and various ornaments, and in the meantime, Ren approached and offered to beat them up.

Acro accepted the offer quite often with the name Ren Argen, and after a background investigation, his mouth was hung up on the words that his skills were at least a senior knight or higher.

‘To think that a high-ranking knight would roll in on his own.’

It takes a really large amount of money to take a high-ranking knight-level fighter as an escort.

Considering the value of the goods, that might be the case, but most of the upsurges do not require a high-ranking article. No, it’s safe to say that it’s almost non-existent.

Most of them are easy to waste money on, so they don’t hire high-ranking knights unless it’s really important.

‘I can safely go on my way up this time.’

To be honest, I had a lot of worries this time because there was a slightly important item called the leather of the stone armor mole.

The leather of the Stone Armor Mole, which is hard but excellent in flexibility and elasticity, and is the best material for leather clothes, is transferred in quite large quantities this time.

It was a good material, but it was a bit ambiguous for those with a high reputation and strong people to aim for.

That’s why this time, after a long meeting, I started convoying only as a knight, but Ren came.

There was no reason to refuse, as it was said that it was enough to drop it down on the way without asking for anything in return.

“yes. I will drop you off in the middle.”

“All right.”

Ren hadn’t even thought that his name would have spread to Redpill.

I tried to show my skills and join, but I never thought I would be able to enter this easily.

Thanks to that, I was able to travel quite comfortably to the vicinity of my destination… .

“It’s an assault!”

… it wasn’t thrown

“Couldn’t the raid have occurred because of me?”

“yes? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Rayman asks Ren’s words out of nowhere.

“no… … .”

Ren smiled and opened the door and looked out.

Early evening starting to get dark little by little.

It’s a bit of an ambiguous point of view to threaten the opponent with an ambush. It was a little too early for the bandits to block the upward movement.

However, if you can definitely subdue your opponent, this is the most appropriate time.

‘If it gets dark in earnest, I can isolate the opponent until the end.’

When the light disappears, people instinctively feel fear.

And the longer that time goes on, the faster you get tired.

Most of these raids are likely to have a special purpose other than looting.

“Ren.”

Acro ran to Ren, who opened the door and looked outside.

“I am waiting for you here.”

Ren left the party inside and went outside to look around.

It was before the sun completely set, so the opponent’s appearance was revealed.

“They are not bandits.”

Ren murmured softly.

A man in black and a mask walks out from between the trees.

“Len Argen? Kuk, Acro has only that level of discernment, so the scale of the guild is still the only one.”

‘Do you know me?’

He looked right at Ren and let out a sneer.

“A senior knight? It’s funny nonsense. Do you think the rumors that started in Brilliant will reach the Red Pill in its entirety?”

Saying that, he looked down at Ren and then moved his gaze to the sword and ring.

“Looks like you got some good magic tools somewhere.”

“It’s fun.”

Ren took out his chohon.

“Yes, at this level, it is not strange to be called a magic tool.”

“Pretending to be relaxed. It is not uncommon to invite one’s own death in vain. Kill them all.”