I Picked Up the Abandoned Hero

35 – 35. Lord of the Bloody Land

“Funny, it’s definitely not magic, I was confused, but…”

There is a woman sitting on the observatory and enjoying a red cup.

With her eyes closed, red wine wets her red lips.

Even in the morning when the sun rises, the woman fills her glass alone with the moon as her companion in a place where she can see the night sky.

However, it was not the tent of the moonlit night that the woman took as her snack, but the image of an elf and a human, but only demons.

“How absurd. I never thought I would come here without fear like that.”

I felt her strangely irritating magic power, so I checked it out, but sure enough, a half-horse with the same blood as the witch had entered her domain.

A witch of ashes that burns everything.

A creature that the witch left behind and shouldn’t exist.

A woman who used to be the trouble of the world left behind a trouble comparable to herself in the world.

The woman was wondering what decision she should make about this.

It’s annoying to ignore it, and it’s not easy to deal with it.

If I made a mistake, I would have to be prepared to turn the territory into a sea of fire like in the past.

“It’s a big deal, lord!”

“What is it? Don’t be noisy and tell me. However, depending on the content, things that disturbed my sleep don’t just go away.”

Then I opened my eyes to the urgent voice I heard.

The night sky in the morning clears, and the blue light returns.

The woman called the lord flips her dark hair to reveal her fierce red eyes.

Her beauty reminded me of a large, black raven, similar to a human.

“That, that… It is said that the item that was supposed to be on the final auction in two days was stolen by a human.”

The soldier lowered his head in fear and explained calmly.

“…A human?”

“Yes, before bringing it inside the castle. It is said that there was a raid in the process of inspecting the goods.”

And the crow’s eyes sharpened.

Her own territory is her demon territory.

However, it was strange that no one else stole the item that was supposed to be the highlight of the auction.

At least until some demons disguised humans as demons and brought them to the manor with the elves.

If you think about it, it is the first time in a long time that a product has been stolen by a human being.

“It’s amazing, I never thought there would be such lax guards in my estate. So, where is the stolen goods?”

“Still exploring. I activated the barrier of the territory, but because the range is so wide…”

“Tsk, having a large territory is not necessarily a good thing. I get it. You guys take care of the security of the remaining products. I will take responsibility for this after dealing with the brazen thief.”

The woman sighed and rose from her seat.

She said that she had lost her sight for a moment. It was because she did not know that this would happen.

She had been on her nerves for a moment, something she had never experienced in her many years, and who knew that her most important merchandise would be stolen in the meantime?

Of course, she didn’t mind giving away at least one of her products, but that’s how she lost her face.

“Okay, then I’m going to leave.”

She is a woman She is a soldier After leaving, she looked at a certain point.

“…Being a human, it’s been quite a while since a human entered my territory.”

This is the first time humans have entered since the abominable witch.

Of course, compared to the one who burned the territory as if he wanted to fight openly, he was calmer, but that was just as absurd, so he laughed out loud.

I wondered who that human really was, what that identity was, why it was so cherished.

“I think we should have a conversation somewhere.”

She smiled as the woman wiped her blood off her lips.

†††

“Whoah, calm down. For now, don’t even think about taking out the holy sword from here.”

As Arcel shouted, Alfred replied with a smile.

“I’m not saying you stole it, of course, I’m just surprised that someone like you exists here.”

“Ah… Is that so?”

Arsel, who finally understood, sits down again, claiming that he was stabbed by himself.

“But why are humans here other than me? Besides, what did you steal?”

“I didn’t hear that either. Even the soldiers don’t seem to know exactly what they stole…”

All Stella heard was that ‘important items’ were stolen.

Other than that, there was no clue what the humans stole and why.

“If it’s important, maybe it’s the auction house that’s going to be held tonight? Other than that, there is no reason for the lord’s men to move.”

“Auction house?”

The flower of the market, the auction house.

Stella and Arcel listened to the word auction house.

“The auction house you think is right. The auction is held for a total of 3 days. From today until two days later. Perhaps one of the items to be auctioned has been stolen?”

The auction is said to be held at the lord’s castle.

Auctions with various rare items or creatures made this market the biggest market for the demons, and sometimes other races came in addition to the demons.

Of course, there was no precedent for humans as hostiles, and at most they were Dark Elves or monsters with similar intellect to humans.

“But it’s none of our business. It’s a thief, because the lord will take care of it.”

Alfred said he was not interested in the theft and asked to go back.

“…Okay. You are right.”

Arcel was embarrassed, but he decided to follow Alfred’s words.

It bothered him that a human like him was stealing, but he couldn’t be good or bad just because he was human.

This was a matter to be dealt with at the individual level, not the concept of race.

“But is it really okay? If any of the demons noticed that I was human…”

What I was worried about was that I, the same human being, would be misunderstood as a thief.

In the first place, the fact that he was a human would not have been known because he was disguised as a demon.

At that time, there was Alfred, so I just let it go, but that doesn’t mean I can be relieved.

“What would you do if they noticed? I’m not as good as a dwarf, but once I have a grudge, I don’t easily forget it. And when you avenge your grudge, it won’t take your life.”

I’d rather die than give you enough pain.

Alfred’s smile when he said that would have been creepy if it wasn’t for Arcel.

“However, my magic is perfect in the first place, so you can rest assured that I can’t even distinguish human smells, except for a little unusual case like that old grandfather.”

Alfred said to be at peace and tried to return to the carriage.

“For now, let’s believe that statement. That guy.”

Stella also follows Alfred’s opinion.

She has seen Alfred while traveling with Arcel, and although she hates it to the point of terribly, she can never deny his ability.

Above all, it was Alfred who kidnapped the princess without any hesitation, even if a country decided to strengthen its security.

Simply using force to enter from the front, using a disguise to sneak in fair and square, or using teleportation to break in, as if the impenetrable security was overshadowed.

If that Alfred said that, it’s believable.

“Oh, wait.”

“?”

However, that was the idea until Alfred turned around and came back.

“Stay still for a moment.”

“Why Alfred?”

“Gap, what are you doing all of a sudden?”

Alfred was about to climb into the carriage, but when he came back, he suddenly hugged Arcel.

Arsel was already used to this, but Stella, who was watching, did not.

I am very embarrassed and ask why.

But Alfred was smiling brightly and waving at Stella.

“Sorry, unusual cases happen more often than I thought.”

In addition, for the first time, he showed that he was sincerely sorry for Stella.

“What the hell-”

Alfred’s apology to the elf, in a situation where even goosebumps goosebumps, Stella urgently looks around.

Elf eyes are so powerful that they can see even the tiniest particles of magical power.

Of course, that wasn’t always the case, and it was only possible if the elf took some care.

“…You damn demon!”

“Stella?!”

Jjeok-!

Suddenly, the ground is reminiscent of an ant hell, and a huge mouth appears in the center.

Its mouth sucks in everything it touches to devour everything around it.

The impact of this is to the point where even a storm occurs.

“I knew I would fall into this trap…! Kyaaak!”

Stella tried to get out of the dirt somehow, but ended up slipping and being swallowed alive.

“I will definitely curse you!”

Just like that, Stella disappeared.

“Yes, curse me as much as I want so that I can live as long as the elf.”

But she didn’t think of disappearing to devour Alfred and Arcelma who still had their mouths on them.

“…As planned.”

Alfred still smiles.

Perhaps this is what I wanted from the beginning.

“What the hell is that?! Didn’t he suddenly appear out of nowhere and devour Stella!”

Arsel was flying in the sky with Alfred holding him, so he was not swallowed.

Alfred’s gigantic mouth was sucking in everything along with the sand, but Alfred was able to endure it very leisurely thanks to his flight magic.

“That’s the lord’s magic. I guess we are among the suspects in this theft?”

“But how, did I not say that as long as you have your disguise, you will not be found out!”

“The lord, of course, has no choice but to notice that you are human. Besides, if you don’t notice that you’ve only put on some makeup and changed clothes, then you don’t have the right to be a lord.”

Alfred said that he had no intention of fooling the lord’s eyes from the start.

It was impossible to hide in the first place.

There was no place within this manor that the lord could not reach.

Even the place where Alfred and Arcel were now was within the lord’s field of vision from above.

It seems that the lord didn’t even think of hiding the fact that he was human from the beginning, just caring enough that the lord didn’t notice that Arcel was a warrior.

“If it’s just a human, the lord doesn’t care much, but the other demons in the market are hostile to humans, so they have no choice but to capture them or something like that.”

Instead, this time a human theft occurred.

So it seems that they intend to catch and interrogate all humans within the territory.

“You didn’t steal it anyway, so we can go back without minding it.”

“But Stella is missing! I have to go get him right now!”

Arsel intended to jump right in, but Alfred didn’t let go easily.

“It’s dangerous, I don’t know if it’s outside, but this is inside the lord’s territory. I don’t like arguing with that old man in the estate, either? Let’s just say it was a necessary sacrifice.”

However, Alfred seemed satisfied that the intruder had disappeared.

It seems that Stella was quite annoyed.

Perhaps if it wasn’t for the elves, he wouldn’t have been thrown away that much, but Alfred’s hatred of the elves was at its peak.

“Besides, isn’t your friend a dwarf, not a human? You may get a little rough, but you won’t be punished.”

“What if it’s rough…”

“Give me your ear for a second.”

Alfred whispered in Arcel’s ear.

It seems embarrassing when others hear it.

“If so, shouldn’t I go get it even more?!”

Arsel is even more flustered after hearing what he said.

Looking at Arcel, who even her face is red again, she seems to be in a really bad shape.

“Ah, I can’t even die, so why?”

“Yeah, but being subjected to such a thing…”

“I think it’s just being donated blood for a while, don’t creatures like mosquitoes and leeches already exist?”

Stella was taken to the castle where the lord of this territory, a vampire with great power, lived.

According to Alfred, the lord has been drinking human blood as his staple food, and now he is more interested in the blood of other races than humans.

Elves in particular are few in number and have become more limited because of what happened in their homeland.

But if you’re young, fresh, alive, and even clean like Stella, the lord will never let you go.

“Oh, and Stella also has the books I bought from the bookstore. Of course, including the magic book you chose.”

At that time, Arcel remembered a fact he had forgotten.

It was the fact that Stella had all the books she bought at the bookstore.

“What? Why did you give it to that dwarf?”

Very flustered, Alfred asks why Stella has it.

“…Didn’t you force Stella to be a porter?”

But Alfred himself entrusted all the books.

-If you have a conscience, at least lift your luggage. Did you buy a book you want to buy too?

Stella bought a book on the ecology of the forest as an excuse to pass it all over.

-Uh, okay. Give me one time How heavy are a few books?-

The magic book was so thick that it weighed a lot, and Stella, who received the book, was about to fall forward.

“Oops, those books are limited edition, so I can’t get them anywhere else…”

Alfred touches his forehead with belated regret.

Then, as if conflicted, he alternately looks at her mouth, which has swallowed her carriage and Stella.

She opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind after much thought.

“I’ll go and sneak it out. That’s because it won’t take long. Would you like to go back to the castle first?”

“Alfred.”

“Umm… What’s wrong?”

“I think I know what you are thinking.”

“Honestly, isn’t that too obvious?”

Arsel nodded, saying that he seemed to know what Alfred was thinking.

Of course, Stella, who was taken, was thinking of leaving her alone and taking only her books.

In the end, Alfred raised his eyebrows and looked down at the ground.

“Okay, I don’t think the lord of this place will clear his suspicions unless you go there yourself anyway.”

After that, I sighed and immediately glared at the mouth that swallowed Stella.

“…Besides, it seems that if you forcefully break the barrier and go, they will come after you right away.”

Looking at it now, it was already too late to leave the territory peacefully.

The barrier covering the entire territory, not just the castle and market, was activated.

It must have been a measure to prevent thieves from escaping from the territory, and it was not difficult to break it, but it was like declaring war on the owner of the territory.

Alfred rushed into his huge mouth while holding Arcel.