NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85
Deng- Deeng-
It felt like I could hear the sound of a bell ringing from somewhere.
Perhaps it was the sound of my life’s bell tolling.
As soon as I laid eyes on the notice they brought, my mind felt completely blank.
I had thought about this kind of situation before.
Ever since that moment when Dantalion exposed my identity… No, even before that, back when I first came to live in this forest.
It was something I vaguely anticipated.
One day the Knights might invade and come for me. They could sink a blade into my neck and return to the city holding my severed head aloft.
And in front of countless people, they would proclaim that they had eliminated the villain the Empire had overlooked for 13 years. Thus, we have regained stability.
As a child, I often imagined such ominous scenarios and would become frightened.
Far more so than the monsters occasionally descending from the Deep Layer.
The Knights were a far more concrete and threatening enemy to me.
And now, the danger that existed only in my imagination had manifested into reality.
In a form even more dreadful than I had thought.
A bounty of 100 million gold had been placed on my head. This meant that not only the Knights but even Otherworlders could potentially come hunting for me.
Not just a possibility, but something that could be considered almost guaranteed.
Fortunately, unlike when I was a child, my hands weren’t shaking with anxiety.
Perhaps it was because I still couldn’t fully grasp the situation.
One thing was certain, though. My daily life had undeniably crumbled.
“Yor, are you okay?”
“Your face is incredibly pale…”
While lost in thought, I heard their voices in front of me.
It seemed my unease had surfaced on the outside. I could see the concern reflected in their expressions.
I acted like everything was fine and spoke to them.
“Don’t worry, I’m okay. More importantly… aren’t you two in danger?”
“Huh?”
“There was that last line in the notice. It said that if being associated with me is discovered, there would be repercussions.”
Saying it out loud felt strange.
Being disadvantaged for associating with me felt like I was being bullied with some kind of “don’t hang out with that one” warning. The strange part was that this wasn’t just at the school level; it was on a national scale.
“T-that…”
I noticed them hesitating at my words. Just a brief moment of hesitation.
Their reaction didn’t particularly hurt me. It was a natural response.
No matter how you look at it, turning the nation into an enemy is a grave problem.
It would not only make it difficult to operate, but if things went wrong, they could end up imprisoned.
Unlike what I had done to Shin Hanbyeol, it wouldn’t just be a matter of spending a few days locked up; it could mean being stuck there for several years. In severe cases, it might even be decades.
It would effectively be akin to a halt in their lives. So, it was reasonable that they couldn’t answer me easily.
Especially for them, as their livelihoods were directly tied to the game.
“I sighed and spoke to them.”
“Just go back for now.”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“I’ll just stay here. After all, we need to figure this out together.”
“No, I’m saying this because I’m worried about you. I’m fine, so just keep an eye on the situation for me.”
Reluctantly, they returned to where they came from after my persuasion.
I made an effort to ignore them glancing back. I needed time alone to think.
Once they vanished, I began to contemplate alone.
‘What now… what should I do?’
I didn’t know. The situation was so overwhelming that no solutions came to mind.
Should I run away? If I did, where would I go?
Would simply running be enough to escape? They said all the demons under the bounty order had been eliminated, so perhaps my fate wouldn’t be all that different.
What was the Knights’ strength? What are the average levels of Otherworlders now?
Questions rose in my mind, only to ebb away without a clear answer.
As I pondered, a sense of unfairness welled up inside me.
‘Why on earth do I have to go through this…?’
It was a thought I’d had when I fled the Empire as a child.
Is being born with Demon’s Blood truly such a grave sin?
Just because of that blood, I had to endure alone in this forest for over ten years.
And now, they wanted to take away the home I had barely managed to create.
In the end, I had been doomed to die the moment I was born.
“Hah…”
As these negative thoughts swirled in my head, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
It could be a laugh brought on by my ridiculous situation or one fueled by anger.
Regardless of what it was, one thing was clear.
I would not go down without a fight.
Even if I had to battle to the death, or flee somewhere, I absolutely would not retreat easily.
“I found it!”
“It’s a Golden Goblin! Attack!”
Once I sorted out my thoughts to some extent, I heard voices nearby. It was Otherworlders, drawn by the bounty on my head.
They were coming fast, even before burning the Goblin nests down. This notice was a significant event for them.
Without saying a word, I charged at them, plunging my spear. I had no intention of showing mercy, not even at this point.
Pwoof-!
“Gah, cough…!”
“Ah no, warrior!”
“If you die that quickly, who will tank for us!”
One of the Otherworlders fell as my spear pierced their throat. The others’ eyes widened in shock.
They were a group of about six. It was clear they weren’t about to take me on alone, instead opting to team up for their assault.
It didn’t matter what they were planning.
“Alright, let’s have some fun.”
With that, I swung my weapon.
It didn’t take long to send all six of those Otherworlders to their demise.