Chapter 36 Family

  After two more days, Iryoku was finally able to walk with the aid of a cane. His body was weak, but he was slowly recovering, little by little. As his strength returned, he began exploring the town, learning more about the quiet, tattered settlement that had taken him in.

  Now, he sat on a stone at the edge of the village, in front of several small tombs. His face still looked haggard and weary. Letting out a weak sigh, he lowered his gaze to the white rope resting beside him.

  It began to stir.

  A faint glow pulsed along its length as it twitched, slowly rising into the air. Sweat beaded on Iryoku’s forehead as he focused, his breath shallow. The luminous cord slithered like a living thing, a small blade forming at its tip, glinting dangerously.

  With an effort, he raised his left arm. The rope reacted instantly, coiling around it as the glow faded.

  Iryoku exhaled sharply, his body trembling from the exertion. He pushed himself to his feet, leaning on his cane for support, and turned toward Walter’s house.

  But before he could take another step, a feeling of unease gripped him.

  In the distance, armored figures rode into town, their horses pulling two large carriages behind them.

  "By decree of the king, this town must present a tribute of rations, seeds, and gold."

  The commanding voice rang through the village square, spoken by the armored knight who appeared to be the leader of the group.

  Walter and the rest of the townsfolk stood huddled together at the center of town, tension thick in the air.

  "Sir, we have nothing left to spare," Walter, the village chief, spoke with a weary but firm voice. "We already gave our tribute last month."

  The knight's expression darkened. "What? Do you dare defy His Majesty?"

  Maggie and Mark, standing beside Walter, bristled with fury.

  "How dare you come here and demand more?" Mark spat. "Our town has already given too much. And when we begged for help to protect our town, you did nothing!"

  Another villager stepped forward, his voice thick with grief. "That’s right! We lost our children, and you didn’t even care!"

  The crowd grew restless, murmurs of anger and sorrow spreading through the gathered villagers.

  But the knight only looked at them with cold disdain.

  Without hesitation, the ten warriors at his side gripped their weapons, the sharp ring of steel filling the air. The people fell silent, fear creeping into their expressions.

  "Enough!" the knight barked. "You will do as we say, or it will be considered treason."

  With a slow, deliberate motion, he raised his sword, its gleaming edge pointed at the crowd.

  Iryoku stood silently amidst the crowd, his sharp gaze analyzing the situation. Mark and Maggie were capable warriors, but they were outnumbered. The townsfolk—simple villagers—stood no chance against the armored knights.

  Finally, Maggie stepped forward, her expression tense.

  "Okay… we will give you everything we have," she said, her voice steady but reluctant. "But it’s very little."

  The knight commander glanced at his men and gave a small hand gesture, signaling them to lower their weapons. Yet, as Maggie turned away, his eyes followed her, lingering on her form with an unsettling gaze.

  A few minutes passed as the villagers gathered what little food they had left, placing it before the knights in a small, pitiful offering.

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  The commander’s face twisted with disdain.

  "This? This is nothing!" he bellowed, his voice filled with outrage.

  Walter stepped forward, his tone calm yet firm. "This is all we have."

  The commander scoffed, then his lips curled into a cruel grin.

  "Then we’ll take this girl instead," he said, suddenly grabbing Maggie by the arm and yanking her toward him. "My men could use a woman to tend to their needs."

  Maggie’s eyes widened in horror.

  "Let me go!" she screamed, struggling against his grip.

  "Let my wife go!" Mark roared, charging toward the knight.

  One of the soldiers swiftly drew his sword and swung at Mark, but Mark ducked, pivoting on his foot, and sent the knight tumbling to the ground. In the same motion, he grabbed the fallen knight’s sword and turned to strike down the commander holding Maggie.

  But he froze.

  "Drop your weapon," the commander ordered, his voice firm and unwavering. His blade was now pressed against Maggie’s throat.

  Mark's hands clenched around the hilt of the sword, his entire body trembling with rage. Around him, the rest of the knights had their weapons drawn, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

  "You think you can challenge the authority granted to us by Princess Agnes herself?" the commander sneered. "Don’t worry, we’ll return her." His lips curled into a twisted grin as he leaned in, dragging his tongue across Maggie’s cheek. "After a couple of days, of course."

  Maggie’s face contorted in disgust, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  One of the other knights chuckled darkly. "She’s a beauty, Captain. Almost as fine as those three girls we took last time, huh?" His voice was dripping with amusement. "Shame they didn’t listen… but they’re not in this world anymore."

  The words barely left his mouth before a sharp, deafening crack echoed through the air.

  No one moved.

  Then, in a single instant, nine knights collapsed to the ground, their armored bodies hitting the dirt with a heavy clang. Blood pooled beneath them, seeping from thin, precise cuts across their throats.

  Maggie staggered back into Mark’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He held her tightly, his own breath shaking as he took in the carnage before him.

  The only knight left standing was the commander. He was bleeding from multiple shallow cuts across his body—none fatal, but all agonizing.

  Standing before him, cane in hand, was Iryoku.

  His tattered form seemed frail, but the eerie, White glowing cord in his grasp swayed in the air, its blade glinting with fresh blood.

  The knight commander let out a strained breath, his eyes darting to his fallen men before locking onto Iryoku in rage.

  "How dare you attack someone with royal authority!" he bellowed.

  Iryoku said nothing.

  The cord in his hand flicked again—faster than the eye could see. Another cut sliced into the knight’s armor as if it were paper.

  "AGH!" the knight screamed.

  Another flick. Another deep gash.

  "AAAAHHH!"

  Then, without warning, the blade lashed downward, hovering just below the knight’s waist.

  Iryoku’s voice was low and hoarse, filled with exhaustion yet burning with fury.

  "Tell me more… about those three girls."

  The commander’s breath hitched as he felt the cold edge of the weapon hovering over his most vulnerable spot.

  "Tell me how they looked… or I’ll cut your fucking dick off and set it on fire."

  His bloodshot eyes bore into the knight’s, his patience hanging by a thread.

  Sensing the very real threat, the knight stammered, his face pale. "T-Three villagers… sisters… all with black hair… from another settlement. One of them—she bit one of my men—"

  As he continued his shaky description, Iryoku’s expression gradually eased, his manic glare dulling into something distant and weary.

  "Okay… that’s enough," he muttered weakly, turning away.

  The knight exhaled sharply, his body sagging in relief.

  Crack!

  A sickening whip-like sound cut through the air, followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

  The knight collapsed to the ground, clutching his mutilated groin, his cries of agony filling the village square.

  Iryoku, without looking back, walked past Maggie, Mark, and the shocked villagers.

  "I’ll leave the rest to you," he murmured hoarsely.

  Maggie and Mark, still frozen from the rapid turn of events, finally snapped out of their daze. Their expressions hardened.

  Mark picked up the fallen sword. Maggie grabbed a heavy stone.

  Without hesitation, they stepped forward.

  The knight’s screams grew louder.

  Then, they stopped.

  The villagers stood in stunned silence. Fear lingered in their eyes, but… they were safe.

  Walter, wiping the sweat from his brow, let out a weary sigh before addressing the villagers.

  "Quickly, everyone! Gather the bodies and bury them. Take everything from the carriages, then burn them—we can't leave any evidence."

  The townspeople sprang into action. Within hours, the village was peaceful once more. Walter made sure everyone knew what to say if anyone came asking about the knights.

  Now, inside Walter’s house, the atmosphere was entirely different. A large dinner had been prepared—far more than what they had eaten in days. The warmth of the meal and the flickering candlelight brought a rare sense of comfort.

  As they ate, Maggie and Mark both turned to Iryoku, bowing their heads in gratitude.

  "Iryoku… thank you for everything you’ve done for us," Mark said sincerely.

  "Yes, thank you for saving me," Maggie added, her voice filled with emotion.

  Mark's eyes were resolute as he spoke again. "From today onward, I consider you my brother."

  Iryoku blinked in surprise. Then, for the first time since they had met him, his lips curled into a small smile.

  "Thanks… that makes Maggie my sister-in-law, then."

  The three of them—Mark, Maggie, and even Walter—were taken aback. It was the first time they had seen Iryoku smile.

  Mark grinned widely. "That’s great! I never had parents or siblings myself." He clapped Iryoku on the shoulder. "Feels nice to have a little brother."

  Maggie laughed, shaking her head. "I think it's the other way around."