Chapter 11 -  An Exceptionally Shining Night

Chapter 11 - An Exceptionally Shining Night

"What is this?"

"It shines brightly."

"Pretty."

Yellow, Black, and White each looked at the back of their hand as if possessed.

The stigma engraved on them had the same shape. The light felt somehow warm.

"Let's go out first. Can you stand up?"

"Yes. Are all the wounds okay?"

"I can walk."

All three were out of shape. They looked at each other and let out a dejected laugh.

The strongest yellow stood up, supporting the black one. Hayang also desperately moved her legs, clutching her head, which was dizzy from lack of blood.

Then the landing they were heading for became noisy.

"Vanguard, enter! The stairs are narrow! Stay vigilant!"

With the sound of iron armor rattling, shining knights rushed in with their shields.

"Secure the line of sight!"

"Radiation!"

The knights, who were accustomed to forming formations, could not hide their embarrassment at the sight of the brightening situation.

It was because the corpse of a Chimera, a disaster-class monster, was lying in the not wide space, and only three children were stumbling around.

"What kind of situation is this?"

Among the knights, a man with a deep voice walked out with an aide.

Yellowy, who knows letters well, was able to read his business card right away.

〈 Commander of the Knights Hamilton Anthus 〉

"Article?"

Yellowy was a little relieved when he saw that word. At least they weren't bad people, I thought.

"Three little kids and even all slaves. What happened here Who defeated the Chimera?"

The knight commander's aide approached the three with a stern expression. Hayangyi held back her fear and stepped forward.

"Look, everyone is very hurt. Please treat me..."

"Answer the question!"

The aide shouted loudly. The startled Hayang fell on the spot.

"We knocked it down. It's okay?"

The black guy got nervous and barely answered. The aide snorted.

"Being a lowly slave, he has no manners. Even something like this. Aren't the dark elves the evil Dark Elves?"

Hearing that word made Black's blood boil. But he didn't even have the energy to get angry. He was on the verge of losing consciousness because of his body injuries.

"This is a man with a rare job that lowly slaves like you shouldn't even look at his face properly. Don't lie, you can't answer straight!"

The aide strode towards Black and tried to grab his hair.

Pak!

In an instant, the yellow guy grabbed his arm and pulled it back.

"What? This child, the power..."

He was a yellow-haired man with almost no change in his expression, but he was clearly angry with his brow furrowed.

"You are not a knight."

"What now... Aww!"

As the yellowy twisted his arm, the aide's body spun in the air in an instant and landed on the ground.

Charleuk!

The other knights who witnessed the scene immediately raised their shields and fixed their battle formations. It was clearly recognizing the three as enemies.

"Wait!"

Stepping out in front of them, the knight commander raised his right hand. At his signal, the knights relaxed.

The knight commander walked slowly and stood in front of the yellow.

"Show the back of your hand."

The knight commander immediately snatched the wrist of the yellow man who did not respond.

His eyes widened in amazement as he checked the glowing stigma.

"All these things happen."

His aide woke up and saw stigmata as well.

"All right, Captain. No way."

"It is the mark of a warrior. All three."

"Warrior?"

All three of them were puzzled by the unfamiliar words that came to their ears.

"Heroes are beings chosen by the Goddess to change fate. That proof has been made here and now."

The knight commander turned to the knights and shouted in a loud voice.

"I order you guys! From now on, the main unit will carry out an emergency mission to escort the warriors to the imperial castle! This operation must succeed and is strictly confidential!"

The knights' strong answers came back.

"Holy Knights, heal the warriors immediately! The wound is deep!"

A few knights rushed out of the main unit and started casting healing magic on the three.

Yellow, black, and white were all confused and embarrassed at the sudden and drastic change.

"A warrior, what do you mean?"

"It is literally. You three have been chosen as warriors by the goddess."

"Hey, what kind of escort..."

"From now on, you will go to the imperial castle with us. The treatment will be decided after that."

Upon hearing this, the pupils of the three people widened. Yellowy was the first to protest.

"I'm not going."

"There is no choice. ... Right. I have a problem to solve."

The knight commander bowed his head to the three and asked a question in a low voice.

"Who is your master?"

"What? Why do you ask that?"

"Heroes are beings who will become heroes who will fight for the fate of all countries on the continent in the future. 〈 Slave 〉 written on their nameplate is nonsense. I will terminate the contract with your master."

Hayang was cold and raised his voice.

"Sir, no! I'm not going to break up with my older brother! In the first place, my brother said he couldn't even terminate the slave contract... !"

"Then killing me will be enough."

The knight commander sighed coldly. The three faces hardened.

"What are you talking about... !"

The moment when Black was about to shout something to refute first.

"Guys!"

His voice came from the landing.

***

I ran aimlessly for a while.

The artifact for emergency communication expired in less than a minute.

It was garbage technology. Even though it was bought for two gold coins.

Why are you in such a hurry?

Because of the original setting that when those kids are in danger, they wake up and put my life in danger?

Until now, I thought so.

But not anymore.

Be it the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord Army, the Black Knight, the Lich, the Witchbeast King, or the words written on the wiki.It's been a long time since Lynn.

Right now, I couldn't think of anything other than the one-dimensional wish that the three of them, yellow, black, and white, would be safe.

"Oh, you're a wicker? Hey, the dungeon is now the capital knights..."

"Move!"

〈 Healer Frank 〉 talked to me, but I had no time to deal with him, so I passed him and went straight to the dungeon entrance.

Unlike usual, not a single monster was visible inside, and it was clean. It seemed that the Knights of the Capital had already entered and cleaned up.

I run after their trail. Go down the landing, follow the passage, and go deeper underground.

"How many floors are there?!"

Beyond the 6th floor, the 7th and 8th floors.

A dungeon with more than 10 floors would require an A-class adventurer. It has even been left unattended for over a year. Because of such a risk, the capital must have dispatched a knight corps in a hurry.

Finally, beyond the 9th floor, to the 10th floor. A voice was heard from below. I had a gut feeling that this was the end.

The feeling that there are three of them.

"Guys!"

I shouted as I ran down the stairs.

The prediction was not wrong. There, I saw about 30 knights in heavy armor, yellow, black, and white.

The three were being treated by the Holy Knights for injuries. However, once I confirmed that the three were safe, I was relieved.

"Brother!"

But they weren't very welcoming to me.

Black was about to say something, but a knight stopped in front of him. Looking at his name tag, he knew that he was the knight commander. Also that he is a noble because he has a last name.

"Since he is a slave trader, it is easy to understand. Are you the master of these three?"

Did the knights subjugate the monsters and help the children?

If it's the Imperial Capital Knights, they won't be evil. Rather, the villain here was me, a slave trader.

Before misunderstanding, I had to explain that I was willing to free them.

"Yes, I am the owner now. But it's a forced contract..."

I suddenly ran out of breath and couldn't finish my speech.

When I lowered my head, I saw two spears piercing the place where my lungs were supposed to be.

The knights rushed at me in an instant and threw spears at me.

"Under."

It's a question and answer dance.

I underestimated it.

-Mister!!

Feeling the sound of screams ringing in my ears, I collapsed unsightly.

No matter how much I moved my uvula, I couldn't breathe. I felt my brain, which had lost blood, stop thinking.

―Older brother, older brother!

-Human bastards!!

Someone shook is it white? Not well distinguished.

―Save me right now! Or even a hero or whatever will die right here!

My head is ringing. He could not perceive sight or sound.

―Older brother, older brother... Whoa...

―You, wake up!

Up to here

I came back far, but in the end, it seems I was destined to die as in the original story.

I met these three people as if it was inevitable, and I wonder if it was useless even if I struggled.

The resentment that has hit the bottom so farThe anger of having to die without saying a word also drains away in vain along with the blood.

If there is still one regret left.

Yellow, black, and white.

Lucas, Testia, and Yuri.

I wanted to see how the three of them would grow up a little longer.

— ... Bunny... Thank you...

— ... Don't die... Later...

A voice continues in my ear.

— ... I'll go see you.

After that sentence, consciousness was completely cut off.

***

"Huh."

It was midnight when I opened my eyes.

I was abandoned in the forest near Elend's back gate.

I touched my chest. The armor was pierced, and the wounds had healed slightly, but the pain was still there.

Next to it was a notice along with my bag.

It was an order stating that he had been banished from Elend. The reason was the illegal child slave trade.

I looked around.

Too bad it was quiet.

I focused my mind.

There was no trace of where all three had gone.

"Haha."

I raised my head and looked up at the sky.

〈 Slave Trader Wicker〉

Instead of stars, six letters were shining proudly.

"A fucking slave trader."

13 years have passed.