Chapter 5

During the frantic early years where he fought for his life and the subsequent years of true wandering, Ruon had learned the most essential thing for survival.

It was not a game-related element like skills or stats but rather pure intuition acquired through countless experiences. Except for a few perks, Ruon, who was essentially empty-handed, managed to endure in this harsh otherworld with extreme freedom.

That intuition spoke to him. Tonight would be a long night.

Ruon swung his thick sword through the air several times before shortly stopping to catch his breath. With a grim expression, he looked at the ghoul corpses that filled his surroundings.

'Insane, how many are there exactly?'

There were as many as three packs of ghouls. Ruon, who had initially dealt with ten of them without any trouble, now had to endure various new ghouls relentlessly attacking him, leaving him with wounds everywhere.

Fortunately, it wasn't a big problem. His injuries were not severe enough to hinder his movements, and the most fearsome weapon of the ghouls, the venom, had little effect in the face of Ruon's high health.

Roughly brushing his hand over his wounds, Ruon recalled the location of the grave that Median had told him about.

The communal graveyard had designated burial locations based on the time of death, and the grave of the woman who died (or was killed) relatively recently was located on the southern end of the graveyard.

No longer needing to be cautious, Ruon began to run southward. Occasionally, ghouls would appear and rush at him, but he killed them swiftly and continued without hesitation.

As he continued forward, killing and killing, he was attacked about four times. Finally, Ruon found the tomb where the woman was buried. No, he had no choice but to find it.

"What is that?"

Seeing the grotesque creature with its half-buried body beside the disarrayed grave, Ruon furrowed his brows in surprise.

The monster, with its strange appearance, had its swollen belly wrapped in both hands and remained motionless even in the presence of a stranger.

Despite having acquired extensive knowledge of fantasy through novels and games since childhood, Ruon hesitated for a moment, unable to rush at a monster the likes of he had never seen before.

At that moment, the creature's mouth slowly opened.

"Gooo-oo-oo-oo..."

Starting with a sound that seemed to echo through a cave, the creature's bloated belly suddenly split open, and from within, a tremendous stench accompanied the emergence of two ghouls.

In stark contrast to the beauty of childbirth, it was a horrifying spectacle. Without delay, Ruon grabbed a few of the arrows hanging on his back. In an instant, two arrows were fired, lodging themselves in the foreheads of the newborn ghouls.

Leaving the screaming creatures behind, Ruon quickly prepared a third arrow, but seeing tentacles flying towards him, he swiftly twisted his body.

Thud!

The ground where Ruon had just stood caved in, scattering dust and soil. Within it, the redirected tentacle flew toward Ruon once again.

In the meantime, Ruon quickly switched weapons and forcefully clashed his sword against the tentacle. After a solid exchange of attacks, he realized that the tentacle was much tougher than he had expected. He had to cut it in one strike!

Crack!

Ruon swung his sword with all his strength.

With overwhelming force, he swiftly severed the tentacles.

"Grrrrrrr..."

The monster let out a howl in a higher tone than before. The tentacles that flew towards Ruon were revealed to be extending out of the monster's wide-open belly, directly hit by Ruon's previous attack.

Crack!

This time, not just one but three tentacles came flying at him, leaving him without an escape. Ruon clenched his teeth and moved his whole body with explosive momentum. His blurred sword cut down the tentacles, which came at him from various angles.

After piercing through the writhing tentacles, Ruon quickly blew away the monster's head. As he ruthlessly crushed the fallen monster's head with his foot, a sense of fulfillment spread throughout his body. He had leveled up.

Awakening his senses and investing bonus stats into strength, Ruon licked his lips as he looked at the monster in front of him.

"This is insane."

Although a long-awaited level-up was good news, the shocking sight in front of him left no room for celebration.

A monster that gives birth to ghouls. He had encountered all sorts of monsters so far, but this horrifying creature was the first of its kind. Ruon organized his uneasy thoughts. There was no way such a deranged monster could be born naturally. As Median had worried, it was undoubtedly the work of a witch.

Approaching the tomb of the deceased woman, Ruon saw a mound of unearthed dirt and a partially open coffin inside. As expected, the coffin was empty. The thought of this dreadful monster crawling out from within made Ruon's head ache.

It was hard to comprehend how a once-human woman had been transformed into such an inhuman creature. Of course, whether Median or the witch had anticipated this outcome was unknown. Damn it, even then, this line should never have been crossed.

Putting those thoughts aside, Ruon thoroughly searched the dead monster's body. There were things he had to do for now.

***

"Impressive speed in handling everything. It looks like I was correct to trust you with these affairs."

Median smiled with satisfaction. Ruon didn't like that confident smile, so he threw the object he was holding onto the table.

Ting.

The ring, which had spun around, lost its momentum and fell over.

Medan spoke sharply, annoyed by Ruon's behavior.

"I would appreciate an explanation."

"The deceased woman, who was said to have been killed by the witch, had become a monster that gives birth to ghouls. She buried her body deep in the ground and used tentacles to absorb corpses from the graveyard. The corpses that were drawn in were reborn as ghouls inside her womb."

Hearing the chilling story, Median's face turned pale.

"...You're not lying, right?"

"If you're curious, you can send someone to check the graves. They will receive reports saying that all the coffins are empty."

It was impossible for the monster to create something out of nothing, and the soldier's story of a ghoul resembling their friend came to mind. Ruon had meticulously checked each nearby grave, creating a mess of the graveyard, but that was Median's responsibility to deal with.

"I brought the ring as evidence. It was on the monster's finger."

Ruon shrugged his shoulders.

"Is this not enough?"

Median, who had regained her usual composed expression, looked at Ruon as she called over her maid to take the ring. She had recovered her characteristic calm demeanor in no time.

"It'll do. What do you want as a reward?"

"I'll take gold coins. No gemstones."

Gemstones were often inconvenient when it came to exchanging them. Whether in medieval times or the present, cash was the most reliable form of currency.

"Very well."

Median nodded again, and the maid extended a luxurious-looking leather pouch towards Ruon.

"You can check it if you want."

Ruon immediately put the leather pouch into his pocket.

"I'm sure you've given me enough."

"Is there anything else you want to know about?"

Ruon's eyes gleamed at Median's question.

"I'd like to hear about any credible rumors or legends that are circulating."

"Credible rumors or legends? That's quite broad."

After a moment of thought, Median spoke.

"I'm not interested in fanciful stories. If I had to mention something, there's a rumor that the king will embark on a war of conquest. There would probably be a resistance against the mobilization of noble militias, but that remains to be seen. I don't know if that information will be of any help to you, though."

Median's words could be significant information depending on the listener, but it didn't pique Ruon's interest.

"I see. I'll take my leave then."

"It wasn't useful?"

"It's not something I'm interested in, at least as of now."

"Such a shame."

Median, who was smiling faintly, added.

"I can tell why your face isn't as well-known as your reputation suggests. Excessive fame can hinder a journey, I suppose? Don't worry, I'm not curious as to why you're pursuing rumors or legends, nor do I have any plans to recruit you as one of my guards. So, shall we at least enjoy some leisurely tea?"

Her inference was quite sharp. For the first time, Ruon thought Median was somewhat likable. Well, just a little.

"I appreciate your consideration, but I still can't find a reason to stay here any longer."

"...In that case, I suppose I can't help it. You're free to leave."

Ruon immediately turned around and left the room. Watching him, Median whispered softly.

"You won't be able to hide from the world forever, wyvern-killer."

When he stepped out of the mansion, the bright light tickled Ruon's face. Although he felt like resting at a nearby inn for a few days, he immediately set off.

He didn't know if Median would change her mind and urge her subordinates to bring back the audacious mercenary. She seemed indifferent for the time being, but nobles like her changed their minds a dozen times a day.

Ruon knew he hadn't completely resolved the matter. There was something unresolved between the unknown witch and Median, and the ring he casually handed over might have started a new sequence of events. It felt like a linked quest in a game, so to speak.

If Ruon had accepted Median's recommendation for tea, the next part of the story likely would have naturally unfolded. But his sharp senses, which had been keen since nightfall, suggested that it would be best to finish the commission there, and Ruon trusted his instincts.

In fact, he might have already delved too deep. Dealing with the shortcomings of nobles is utterly useless and only increases the risk to one's life.

'I've leveled up and received my reward, so this should be sufficient.'

Ruon cleared his mind. His conclusion was that this should be remembered as nothing more than the "pathetic story of a woman who turned into a monster by meddling with someone else's husband" incident.

As he organized his thoughts and quickened his pace, Ruon suddenly stopped in his tracks, entranced by the sight before him.

The sunlight, evoking the aged visage of the city of Grungrad, gently touched every corner of the city, revealing the early morning. People who had awakened within were bustling about, each with their own purpose.

Was it because he had faced such dreadful monsters throughout the night? The scenery that had been of no interest in the past few days couldn't be more beautiful now. How could he consider such a magnificent sight mere fragments of data?

It was absurd. Yearning for the tiny, moldy room of his past while leaving behind such a picturesque landscape. The memories of chicken and beer that still appeared in his dreams.

As always, there was no need to feel melancholic with such thoughts.

The endless wandering, with no promise of return.

Ruon shifted his gaze and proceeded forward, facing the sun. Since staying in Grungrad was out of the question, he had to move toward his next destination.