Chapter 29
At first, I investigated the footprints just to check things out.
In other words, I had no intention of fighting.
If the person had wandered in by chance, I was just planning to identify who they were and move on.
There was no need to expose myself and cause a commotion.
I planned to just observe from nearby, think "Ah, so that's who's here now, better be careful," and then leave.
But who would've thought they'd spot me too?
At this point, I could tell the other person had some real skill.
At minimum, they weren't some random amateur. They were someone who could sense presences.
That thought was confirmed when they charged at me.
The trajectory of their sword was sharp and showed clear signs of refinement.
Unlike me who relied on instinct to wield weapons, this was someone who had been trained with a sword.
Because of that, I had some questions.
'But why is someone like this here?'
Looking at their skill level, they should be working as a knight or an A-Class Adventurer somewhere.
I tried activating "Player's Eye" just to check. By now, using this skill when meeting strangers had become almost habitual.
[Conditions not met!]
[Currently unable to use 'Player's Eye'!]
When I activated it, I saw a skill usage failure message I hadn't seen in a long time.
In other words, the opponent wasn't an Otherworlder, but a native Gaian.
And usually there were two types of Gaians who came to this place.
Either veteran explorers coming to gather something here, or criminals like me.
And looking at their disheveled appearance, they seemed to be the latter.
Someone being chased who fled into this dangerous forest.
I wasn't the only one who saw this forest as a hideout.
Though few actually put that thought into action. But it did happen very rarely.
Even as I was thinking this, the fight continued.
Then they unleashed their trump card, and I blocked it, sending their sword flying into the air.
I had won the battle. Normally things would end there, and I would decide the fate of my opponent.
But they said something strange.
"You're a Manifestor... no, sir Manifestor."
"What?"
"To think I'd meet someone like you in a place like this... Now I understand that strength."
Manifestor. That was a term for those with demon's blood like me. Though usually we're called holders or demon spawn.
Apparently they came to that conclusion after seeing my regeneration speed.
Fast regeneration was one of the characteristics of Manifestors after all.
But that was it.
'Just from that alone?'
That wasn't exclusive to Manifestors.
Fast regeneration could be achieved through magic, holy power, or unique constitutions.
Hadn't they just stretched their arm through some unknown method themselves?
In other words, regeneration alone wasn't enough to make that judgment. Especially just regeneration.
So I decided to play dumb.
"Manifestor? What are you talking about. Are you saying I have demon's blood?"
"Oh my, denying it as expected. I understand. Many Manifestors are rejected by the world because of that power."
Of course, they seemed quite convinced regardless.
They explained that when Manifestors unconsciously use their power, an ominous energy flows from their body.
While normal people usually can't sense it, those trained like themselves can feel it.
Damn, looks like I can't play dumb anymore.
They can sense that? Normal people shouldn't be able to feel it at all.
Moreover, their reaction was quite unusual.
Usually when people discover I'm a Manifestor, they try to kill me or report me.
But they looked at me like they'd discovered someone precious, with an impressed expression. They looked like they might kneel at any moment.
That atmosphere... right, it was like looking at a religious fanatic.
As I stood there dazed for a moment, they continued speaking.
"Let me be direct. Would you consider joining our sect? We would treat you with the utmost respect. Being a Manifestor alone makes you precious, but with skills like yours, we could immediately offer you an executive position."
At this point I lowered my weapon.
Not because I was tempted by their words, but because some dialogue seemed necessary.
That "sect" they just mentioned.
At that point I could tell who they were.
This was that fugitive who had escaped a few days ago. It had seemed unrelated to me, but who would've thought they'd come to this forest... Life really is unpredictable.
I asked them.
"Who are you people?"
"We are Lemegeton."
Taking a saleswoman-like approach with me, she spoke without hiding anything.
"Simply put, we're a sect that worships demons. And we treat Manifestors like yourself with the utmost respect. Because you can communicate directly with the demon lords."
She continued.
"Isn't this world uncomfortable for you to live in? Join us! Together we'll share in their divine power and create our own kingdom!"
Her tone was filled with goodwill as she spoke.
She's trying to literally recruit me like I'm some noble figure. Honestly it was a bit awkward getting treated like this for the first time.
Still, I was somewhat suspicious so I said.
"Sorry, I'm not interested in cults."
Their face turned cold.
"... Is that so."
They muttered blankly.
"Then I'll have to take you by force."
And then they suddenly started doing something strange.
Of course, they weren't strong enough to subdue and take me. They chose a different method.
Suddenly they bit their arm hard and started sprinkling blood on the ground.
Without regeneration like mine, such a wound would be fatal in this forest.
In other words, they were making another gambit.
They drew a pattern with the blood sprinkled on the ground. Like a magic circle.
Questions rose in my mind.
What is that? Blood magic? They can use that too?
That should be classified as black magic.
Even as I was thinking this, the magic continued.
The magic circle made of blood began to glow. With a small crackle of noise, a voice came through from beyond the magic circle.
An ominous demonic energy emanated from the circle.
-Response received.
"This is Ryan."
A chill ran down my spine. Damn, it was a communication method. I can't let them keep talking.
My reaction was immediate. I readied my dagger to throw.
Woong-
As a faint sword energy gathered at the dagger's tip, I threw it at them.
Mana separated from the body quickly loses power, but this distance was enough.
-What's the matter?
"Yes, I found something unusual so I conta-"
Thunk-!
The dagger embedded itself in their forehead. A slightly grotesque scene unfolded before my eyes.
They couldn't finish their sentence and collapsed.
-Ryan? Ryan, what's wrong? Respond.
Even after they collapsed, the voice kept coming through the magic circle. A slightly husky, monotone female voice.
Worried about being discovered, I held my voice and started erasing the magic circle with my foot.
Something this ominous needed to be eliminated quickly.
-I repeat. Respo...
Zzt-zzt-
As I erased the magic circle, the voice from beyond gradually faded.
Only after completely erasing the pattern and waiting until long after the voice had disappeared did I let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew..."
They were quite an unusual person.
Lemegeton? A sect that worships demons?
Maybe it's because Otherworlders, or Users, have been entering this place, but all sorts of strange things seem to be happening lately.
Until now I'd just ignored it since it wasn't related to me.
But seeing their extremely deferential attitude, it seemed this might be related to people like me after all.
'I don't know.'
After thinking for a while, I decided to put the questions aside for now.
I couldn't just keep thinking when there was something right in front of me that needed to be dealt with.
A corpse lying quietly with a dagger in their forehead.
Pursuers would probably search all over for this corpse for a while.
After all, they had the unique status of being a member of an unknown sect.
Just thinking about it was already giving me a headache.
"It's not like I can take this corpse and report it myself..."
At least if the corpse was discovered, the pursuit teams wouldn't have to search around.
As I was pondering this for a moment.
"...Ah!"
Suddenly a brilliant idea popped into my head.
Before long, I was able to put that plan into action.
*
The next day, Im Ha-neul visited Yor's cave after a long time.
And she saw a bizarre combination - Yor's bright smiling face and a corpse with a hole in its forehead.
After hearing Yor's full request, Ha-neul asked him again to confirm what she'd heard.
"So... this person was the fugitive and you caught them?"
"Yeah."
By the way, they'd started speaking casually a few days ago. It was because Ha-neul was slightly older.
So it would be weird if she kept speaking formally.
That's why at Yor's suggestion they started speaking casually... but anyway, that's not the important issue right now.
"And you want me to take this corpse and report it to the guild? Saying I caught them?"
"Yeah."
"Will they believe I had that kind of strength?"
"Who knows."
Haah, Ha-neul let out a sigh.
She was getting a headache too.