Becoming a Hunter in a Dark Fantasy - Chapter 91
Only Noblemtl
Episode 91: The Price of Cooperation
“ah?”
Candela, who seemed dazed for a moment, spoke stammeringly.
She was always cheerful and cheerful, but it felt very strange to hear the wish she had kept in a corner of her heart from someone else’s mouth.
“True, are you really saying this with sincerity?”
“Of course. I’ve never lied in my life… … .”
Elwin, who had been trying to cheat naturally, met the eyes of his colleagues who were looking at him with eyes of distrust and changed his words.
“… … It would be a lie if I said that, but I wouldn’t lie even about something like that.”
“That means?”
Candela swallowed hard and asked. It was not like she didn’t know the implications of Elwin’s words.
I just wanted to be assured in more specific terms.
“Please tell me clearly. What do you plan to do with Depicio?”
“… … .”
Then Elwin looked at Candela with a mysterious gaze. A gaze that was clearly observing.
Do gazes have weight?
I felt suffocated and out of breath, as if I was being crushed by a heavy boulder.
“Ugh… … !”
My body flinched in response to the sense of danger. It seemed as if it was telling me that I had to run away from this place right away.
‘… … No. That can’t be possible!’
Kook!
She stabbed me in the thigh with the envelope cleaver on the desk and raised her head stiffly. Drop by drop, bright red blood flowed down like a drop of water and fell to the floor.
Ignoring this, Candela shouted loudly.
“Please, please reply!”
It was an indomitable will. He was determined to hear Elwin’s answer, even if it meant going against his instincts.
“Haha.”
Soon, a satisfied smile appeared on Elwin’s lips.
Candela suddenly thought that with that act she had just ‘passed’ some kind of test.
“That’s exactly what you heard… … but if you really want, I can say it again.”
Elwin opened his mouth.
“Because I’m a Hunter. I can’t just leave a group of ruthless and vicious assassins like Deficio alone.”
Suddenly, a shadow fell over Elwin, and his bright yellow eyes shone brightly.
“We have to clean up those bastards.”
An arrogant declaration to erase Depicio from this world.
Creepy-!
For a moment, everyone present felt their bones chill. They were overwhelmed by the intangible charisma that Elwin was secretly emitting.
Elwin added with a broad smile, whether he knew it or not.
“Candela. If you could help me a little, that time would come sooner.”
That was the answer Candela had been waiting for.
“… … Ka, kahaha.”
Candela burst into a hearty laugh, holding onto her stomach.
Something tickled deep inside me, as if it was tearing through my entire body. I couldn’t hold back this laughter!
It was so much fun! I wonder if I’ve ever been this excited outside of combat.
“Hahahahahaha!”
She had been laughing like that for a while, then she wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes and said.
The red pattern around his eyes curved. Then the corners of his mouth rose, revealing his fangs.
“This is the best~! I really like it!”
Although Candela was not a very bright person, he was excellent at judging the situation objectively.
‘I’m not that smart. I somehow manage to keep the tunnels running, but I’m completely immune to dirty plots and schemes.’
That was something she knew best. Even when she thought about it herself, she was not the type to become a politician or a ruler.
But there was one thing that Candela was proud of.
‘Intuition.’
Candela was a mixed-blood born between a mother from the Elta tribe, a warrior race from the Southern Continent, and a father who was a lizardman. She inherited only the strengths of her parents.
That’s why, despite being a mixed race, he was able to be born with intuition as powerful as that of a select few.
That’s what instinct tells you.
‘I must seize this opportunity… …!’
Maybe now is the only time we can escape Depicio’s clutches!
The Bateville tunnels are barren. The only life that grows in this underground city built underground is damp mushrooms and moss.
I occasionally earned some food by digging up precious gems and minerals from the mine and selling them… … .
It was sold by a hated race in Rampas. No matter how valuable and high quality it was, it was difficult to sell it at a fair price.
Hard work. The reward is far from satisfactory.
The food that could be bought with the meager money was also extremely meager: dried-out wheat and grains, meat with only bones, and dry vegetables and fruits…
They had to survive on such poor food. It was not enough to feed hundreds of people.
-I should be thankful to heaven just for being able to eat and live like this!
The simple-minded Batevil tunnel people were satisfied with it.
Despite being skinny and skinny, their faces were filled with happiness.
Paradoxically, they enjoyed peace because they were unaware of the wide world outside.
‘Be content with what you have.’
Sometimes it’s better to not know the world outside the well.
Because the pain of knowing always begins with comparison with others and longing for what you don’t have.
-……what’s this!
But all of this was unsatisfactory in the eyes of the young Candela, who had been newly appointed ruler of the Bateville Tunnels.
She was famous in the Northern Continent, but she was tricked by the previous ruler of the Batevill Tunnel and became its new ruler.
-That damn old man! He said he’d be able to live a life of luxury, ruling over vast territories and loyal people… …and he was completely scammed?!
The harsh environment of the Batevil tunnels was nothing like the rosy future Candela had dreamed of!
-it’s annoying!
The tunnel that looked like a den of beggars to anyone, and the person who followed along without knowing that he had been tricked.
– Welcome to the Batevil Tunnel, Lady Candela! I have heard many stories from the previous ruler! He is a strong and merciful man!
-Wow, wow~! Captain, there’s a new captain!
– Hehe. Thank you for coming from far away. The labyrinthine paths are very complicated, aren’t they? I’ve warmed up the bath water for you, so please rest comfortably.
… … The tunnel people who are always being eaten like fools but still foolishly laugh and laugh.
-Oh, damn it! This is my life. I can’t help it!
Although Candela complained a lot, he actually liked the people of Batevil.
Otherwise, she would have escaped the tunnel as soon as she realized she had been tricked. She was capable of doing that.
-Precious and delicious food, soft clothes, a comfortable and relaxing daily life… … I will give you all of them. Even if you don’t like it, you are my people from now on… … I will take responsibility for it!
It was the bold ambition of the young Candela.
But ideals are ideals, and reality is reality.
-… … .
She was a strong person, but unfortunately, she did not have the strength to transcend reality… …the power to realize her ideals.
-Candela, if you join hands with us, we will provide you with sufficient resources. Deficio is in dire need of your assistance.
Money was needed to feed and clothe the starving tunnel people and enable them to live decent lives like the Lampas on the surface.
Candela had no choice but to join hands with Depicchio.
With the support of many resources from Deficio, Candela flourished in the tunnels. And through Deficio’s distribution channel, the tunnel residents were able to trade the minerals they had dug up at a fair price.
-Wow! As expected, he’s the boss!
-Oh my! Thank you so much, Candela! … … for giving us a better future.
-I never thought I would be able to see such a developed landscape of my hometown in my time. Thank you, Your Majesty… … .
People were very happy. That alone satisfied Candela.
-What. It’s all thanks to all of you who have worked hard and suffered. Come on, on a happy day like today! Let’s drink!
I wanted to protect that innocent, pure smile for the rest of my life.
-Ha, what do I do now… … .
However, Candela never forgot for a moment that he was always walking on a knife’s edge.
The greedy Depicio would one day throw her and the Batevil Tunnel into the abyss.
-Someday, I will have to cut ties with Depicio cleanly, but I can’t give up the benefits they give me… … .
At the very least, they needed a vendor who could sell their minerals at a fair price. But would such an organization exist other than Depicio?
In this northern continent where fear and hatred towards foreign races still run rampant?
-If it were the Southern Continent, the situation would be much better… … But that doesn’t mean we can take our weak children there.
It was overwhelming. It felt like I was sailing across the ocean in a small boat.
It’s like I’m just wandering around in one place, without a destination…
No matter how much he racked his brain, Candela knew better than anyone that he would never be able to come up with a groundbreaking plan.
“What do you want from me?”
That’s why.
“What can I do for you… …and you can give me what I want in return?”
I absolutely could not miss this golden opportunity! Elwin laughed out loud at Candela’s honest revelation.
Because he liked people who came out confidently like that rather than people who were depressed and discouraged.
“Anything.”
Elwin flicked his fingers lightly.
Exactly!
As soon as a cheerful sound rang out, it seemed as if that was the trigger.
Kkwaddeuk-!
Suddenly, a group of people fell through the ceiling.
Candela, who had reflexively jumped up from her seat in the sudden situation, suddenly swung her sword when she saw a familiar face among them.
“… … You, you!”
“Long time no see?”
Nero met her eyes and smirked. Then he clicked his tongue loudly as if to say, “Tsk!”
“A vicious horned lizard. How tough. You’re still alive. You should have just foolishly gone to find a place to die.”
“Hey, hey, you damn cat thief!”
I don’t know what kind of bad blood there was between the two, but it seemed like sparks were flying from their eyes as they looked at each other.
“Nar.”
“Here it is.”
Elwin, who had received something from Nar, who had been standing behind him, clapped his hands twice.
“Come on. You two, stop fighting and look over here, please.”
Then, Nero, Candela, and the Spero members who had been quietly watching the situation, as well as Yana, turned their gazes towards Elwin.
“Candela. A gift for you. A proof of my friendship, shall we say?”
“What are you talking about… … Huh? You, you guys?!”
Candela’s eyes widened as she noticed the rope reins that Elwin held out and the people tangled up behind them.
“Oh, oh my gosh~!”
“I missed you, Captain! Hehehehe!”
“No… …Why are you guys here? Hey, don’t cry. Don’t cry.”
The young-faced Suin tribe shed tears of relief at the sight of her face.
On the other hand, Candela, who did not know English, was embarrassed and tried to comfort the crying children.
“Huhhh!”
Although they were all tied up, they ran towards her and surrounded her. Then they sobbed as if they were sad.
Mia, who had been lost for a while, finally reunited with her guardian after wandering for a long time and appeared to be asking where she had been.
“Hmm. I think I’ve seen it somewhere.”
Gail, who was watching the scene, felt a strange sense of familiarity.
“iced coffee-!”
Then, Gail opened her eyes wide at the unforgettable scene from that day that came to her mind clearly.
“You guys!”
An angry voice rang out ominously.
“I remember it clearly!”
The number of young people who were pointed out flinched in surprise.
“How dare you… … !”
As Gail trembled and didn’t know what to do, they slowly looked around.
“You useless little kids who call me, a young, energetic person, an uncle!”
“……to?”
The people blinked dumbly at the completely unexpected words.
One of them raised his hand cautiously and said:
“… … Oh, I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s right, sir.”
“What the hell? Say what you just said again.”
“What? Sir?”
“… … .”
Gail, who had been trembling in place, suddenly shouted.
“That’s why! I! It’s okay for me to call myself uncle! But I can’t tolerate others calling me uncle! You little punks-!”
“Ah! Stop that guy! His legs! Grab his legs!”
“Huh? Huh!”
“Ha… … . There’s no one like Thunderbolt.”
Those nearby rushed over to stop Gale from causing a ruckus.
“Eek! Sister! That old man is scary!”
“They just, just hit us!”
“Please save me, sister!”
They were so surprised that they quickly hid behind Candela. With tears welling up in their eyes, they looked like they were trying to somehow squeeze in the mountainous mass.
“You guys? Huh… … . What is this?”
Their true identities(?) were the clumsy assassins of Depicio whom Gale had accidentally encountered in the Nevera Valley while running away.