A Betrayed Master Will Not Return

2 – The Nobleman of Arden (2)

Devil Hunter Gellard Mura.

Napoleon was also familiar with his name.

He was once known as one of the strongest Devil Hunters, but three years ago, he disappeared after being defeated by demons, or so she heard.

The fact that such a person was living in this mountainous region was surprising enough for Napoleon, but there was one more fact that shocked her even more.

“Moreover… considering the circumstances, it is clear that Ellie-sama came here to find this man, so how did she find out that he is here?”

Napoleon knew that Ellie’s information gathering abilities surpassed her common sense, but it was still astonishing.

With that in mind, questioning the unknown fact with her own abilities, Napoleon shifted her gaze towards the conversation that was taking place right in front of her, between her master Ellie and Gellard, who were sitting on a rock and talking.

“I have heard of your name, sir, but it is an honor to meet you like this.”

“I no longer hold any titles. I have long forgotten about worldly matters. Now I am just an ordinary hunter, living day by day.”

“For someone like that, your skills are still remarkable. They were beyond what I had heard from rumors.”

“hahahaha, I am grateful to hear that from such a lovely lady.”

With a calm smile, Elli began to tell the story. Gellered, on the other hand, let out a laugh as a writer and then asked her with a serious expression.

“So, what was the story just now? You said you came all the way here to meet me, but how did you know I was here?”

“I can’t tell you the details as they are the secrets of my country. However, I can tell you that I tracked down the extraordinary power that you possess as a noble.”

“I see. If you used that incredible ability to find me, there must be a reason for it, right?”

“You’re quick with your words. If you permit, I will tell you directly.”

With those words, Elli still had a smile, but her expression became even calmer.

“I beg you, on behalf of His Majesty the King. Gellered, will you assist us in defeating that demon, Raphlace?”

“… Raphlace… you mean?”

!

With an authority beyond what he had imagined, Elli made an unexpected request.

Napolea, who was listening to the story, started to be captivated by surprise once again,

and Gellered, the person in question, also began to show a quite astonished expression.

“His Majesty the King… and the eradication of Raphlace?”

The demon Raphlace.

The origin of all demons in this land.

Considered the archenemy of all Devil Hunters in this land.

Until 33 years ago, demons were merely characters in stories and had no physical existence.

But,

On that day, 33 years ago.

The demon known to have crawled out of hell, La Place,

appeared in the city of Borbang in the country of Franz at the same time,

and annihilated the 100,000 citizens who resided there.

Borbang, once a flourishing region, quickly turned into a hell where corpses rotted and trembled.

However, the disaster brought about by La Place was not the end of it.

From that moment on, demons resembling twisted beasts crawled out irregularly from hell, presumed to be La Place’s subordinates, throughout the kingdom.

These demons possessed power and abilities far surpassing ordinary humans.

Due to their attacks, numerous people were killed, families and friends were lost, and the once mighty strength of the Franz kingdom, which had once shaken the absolute monarchy, began to decline significantly.

And…

From that process arose the occupation called Devil Hunter.

Hunters who made a living by subjugating demons with the support of the nation and feudal lords.

Among them, there were quite a few who chose this path simply because it paid well.

However, among those who chose the perilous path of a Devil Hunter, there was one commonality.

Those who had lost precious people to demons.

Not driven by money or fame,

but individuals driven by pure revenge.

They had always been the backbone of Devil Hunters, from the past to the present.

Their goal was still to kill their enemy, La Place, who they believed would still be somewhere in this country.

And among them, in this very place, was a Devil Hunter named Napolaea.

She was no different.

Paying back the enemy who took away her precious family and bringing peace to the souls of the deceased.

That was why she became a Devil Hunter, her lifelong goal.

At this moment, Eli was trying to employ the strongest Devil Hunter who had been in hiding.

It was Gellert Müller.

“If you fulfill this request, I will make sure to pay you back handsomely. I will give you a vast territory, immense wealth, titles, anything you desire.”

“…”

Gellert remained silent for a moment in response to Eli’s words.

However, Napoleon honestly thought that it wouldn’t be easy to convince him.

“But… will it really work? He seems like the kind of person who secluded himself from the world because he disliked it…”

She had a rough idea of what these kinds of experts were like.

High-ranking wizards or wandering clergy,

Or sword masters who refined their swordsmanship alone in the mountains.

These individuals, without exception, were stubborn and considered worldly matters trivial. They were said to show no hesitation in regards to power or wealth.

Moreover, they were difficult to handle, not even batting an eye at absolute authorities like kings or emperors.

In that regard,

Napoleon thought that Gellert Müller, the strongest Devil Hunter in hiding, would be a similar type of person.

Naturally, she thought that he would refuse this persuasion.

“It’s an interesting story, although I’m not particularly interested in wealth or power…”

However.

“There would be no reason to refuse, besides. I was already contemplating returning to the secular world, and above all, it is the command of His Majesty the King.”

‘…Huh?’

Gellard accepted the offer more eagerly than expected.

Napoleon felt an inner sense of bewilderment at this unexpectedly different turn of events, while

Eli, on hearing Gellard’s response, wore a smile tinged with delighted on her lips as she said,

“Thank you. Then, I kindly ask for your cooperation in the future, Sir Gellard.”

“I should be the one asking. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

*

A beauty presenting me with a scouting offer.

Eli Hellat.

A woman clad in a dress reminiscent of a sleek black mourning outfit that accentuated her splendid figure.

Her long silver hair shone with a silky gloss, twinkling,

Eyes as mesmerizingly red as jewels dipped in blood.

And,

Bearing unblemished, translucent, and white skin –

She was more beautiful than any woman I had seen in either my past or current life,

Emanating an aura of beauty that was at once noble and sublime.

Although I did not show it, from the moment I saw her, my heart was automatically seized by a fluttering sensation.

The first person I saw after three years of isolated living.

That she was such a stunning beauty naturally shook my heart to its core.

Had I been the ordinary me, I would have long been blushing, clueless about what to do.

And to me, who was inwardly captivated by her beauty,

This woman named Elielle offered to pay me handsomely should I agree to work under her.

If I were truly a hermit who turned my back on the worldly life, perhaps I would have spoken with indignation, saying something like, ‘Do you think you can buy me with money or power? Are you trying to insult me?’

However,

For the current me, there was absolutely no reason to refuse her proposition to employ me under favorable conditions.

‘Honestly… if it weren’t for circumstances like these, I would’ve clung to her coattails and begged to be taken away on the spot.’

Outwardly, I maintained a semblance of composure while dealing with her.

But, this was simply a result of the behavior naturally filtered through the persona of Gallard that I had adopted.

In reality, speaking with her felt less like conversing as a secluded master and more like a castaway who had desperately encountered another human after isolation.

Three tedious years spent in the dense forest.

Thanks to the knowledge of herbs I picked up from the first part of the game, and the plentiful roaming beasts and demons, food and survival were not a problem.

The issue was that man cannot live by bread alone.

As someone who happened to fall into this fantasy world, after struggling through a life devoid of dreams and hope,

Naturally, I harbored a desire to live happily with wealth and fame like the protagonists of other stories.

However,

To achieve this, I first needed to escape from this accursed forest, which seemed as if some magic prevented any departure.

I tried to escape several times after I had grown perfectly accustomed to this body, gathering water and provisions each time.

But, in the end, after walking straight for days, I would always find myself back where I had first fallen.

The sensation was similar to stubbornly trying to leave the map in a game, only to be returned to the opposite side.

The only flicker of hope was the realization that with each attempt, the time it took to return to the starting point was gradually extending.

Following the acknowledgement that immediate self-escape was impossible,

I chose not to attempt escape, but to diligently refine myself and quietly wait for the right time to come.

For the day when the forest’s exit would open and allow me to walk out.

And today,

As if to meet my expectations,

Within the nearly 2km radius of my magical detection grid, which has vastly improved, the presence of a human—a sensation I had never felt since coming to this world—began to be discernible.

It was evidence that finally, the exit of the forest had opened, and the long-awaited moment of escape had arrived.

On this cue,

I dressed myself as neatly as possible, according to filtering actions and concept, and immediately rushed here.

And now, in this situation,

To find myself accepting the offer from a beautiful woman who claims to be a servant of their king,

Seeking cooperation to defeat Laplace.

Truly ending what was a lengthy and bitterly grueling ordeal.

Ending it in a very good way.

And thus, following Eli and the group, I emerged from the forest.

The darkness enveloped us, yet the open expanse of the wide plain and the stars embroidered above.

And a single carriage waiting for us.

Gazing upon it,

I was seized by a sense of liberation I had never felt before in my life.

“Finally… an escape.”