A knock can be heard by the large circle window in Xarth's room naturally it was Ernoul knocking by the window.
Xarth slowly walked towards the window and opened it, Ernoul came in and bowed at him before speaking. "Good evening Hyung-nim." he greeted his new master.
Xarth just smiled and greeted back. "Same to you." before averting his attention from Ernoul. "Now that you're here let's proceed to our mission." Ernoul started to tilt his head, he was confuse to what is the mission his Hyung-nim was talking about.
Xarth just ignored Ernoul's head tilting and threw the spatial bag at him but sadly he didn't catch it as he was quite nervous at that evening. Ernoul slowly crouched down getting the spatial bag on the floor, Xarth patted Ernoul shoulder before standing up. "I'll explain the mission," he added. Ernoul just nodded his head and listened to what Xarth has to say.
"So first will need to go out at the back gate of the manor then we'll ride our horses to go to the Forest of Lila. I'll explain the rest on the way for now wear this robe and mask. Well go out through the window."
Ernoul took the robe and mask off Xarth's hands. And quickly wore it.
They quickly gone down the window using the curtains that were used for blocking the moonlight shinning brightly that night.
Xarth looked throughout his surroundings before quietly going to the Horse stall to meet Bern. Who was there as assign by Xarth.
Bern saw his master sneakily crept they way towards the stall. "Good evening Young master, are you going out now?"
Xarth looked at him and replied. "Yes, don't let anyone know that I'm out this late. I'll come back later in at early morning." he added.
Bern did as he was told and will keep his mouth shut about that matter. "Yes, Young master I'll make sure of it." he promised his Master.
Bern then ran and prepared the horse that Ernoul and Xarth will be using that night.
The horse was quite majestic looking with its white body glowing elegantly underneath the bright moonlight. It was Xarth's horse while Ernoul's horse has a black and muscular body.
'Ho!.. This is the first time I will get to ride a horse, And a really pretty boy at that. Just like his master.'
Oddly enough Xarth horse resemble him.
Xarth took the leash off Bern's hand before walking out the back gate of the manor and casually getting on the horse.
Xarth turned his back. "By the way Bern." he called. "Yes, Young Master?" he asked in a slightly low volume.
"Everything that's happening right now will be kept secret between us here. So I better not hear any talk regarding me going out this late or else your dead." Xarth was just reminding Bern again, since he can't have the Count scolding him if he knew of this. Bern flinched at those savage and vicious words that came out of the Young master's, he just nodded his head as a sign that he'll keep his promise.
Xarth took out his Spare spatial bag and took out the Map of the Forest.
"Okay let's go."
he quietly flick the leash and made their way out of the Mansion. Lee Son was amazed as he can see himself casually riding onto a horse, well not that was his real body. The two started to move through the path heading towards the forest.
Even though it was night time the place was quite bright because of the moon shining brightly on the night sky.
In the novel, the method that Zero used was simply him pulling the Drunken blade out of its platform, but only the readers knows this other method. It was already hinted at the name of the sword 'The Drunken Blade' as its names suggest the sword is a f*cking alcoholic so naturally we will have to satisfy the thirst that it had for almost 1000 years.
Though Lee Son find this suspicious, Why would the author create another method on acquiring the Drunken blade when it's supposed to be for the Mc in the very beginning. He felt like all of this was planned or something.
'By giving the Blade a lot of Wine, I'll be able to obtain it. But just in case I had Bern buy the finest wine in town.' He was determined to get the Blade and return it after to the rightful Owner. So that he could have a good impression for Zero to unable him target Xarth.
Xarth looked at the map, he had marked down the spot where the novel describes where the waterfall was located.
The forest was vast, luminous, and thriving. Its canopy was contested by sycamore, rowan, and hickory, and sparkling light dancing between the branches allowed for a plethora of sprouts to reign the brittle leaves on the ground below.
Silent branches drooped from many trees, and a variety of flowers, which were found in the most quiet places, brightened up the otherwise unvarying forest floor.
A variation of beastly sounds, belonging mostly to large monsters echoed in the air, and were accompanied by the occasional sounds of their ferocious roars.
Xarth and Ernoul were almost at the inner part of the forest when they suddenly heard people talking and quickly slowed down for a minute.
Two people could be heard and seen talking by the side of a large tree. They both wore black robes, by their waist are also long swords and two set up tents on the ground.
"When are we going back?" One of the robed person asked casually.
The other black robed person stomps his feet.
"I don't know dude!" he yelled.
While the other flinches at the sudden unpleasant response. "I was just asking you don't have to be so pissed." he mentioned since he was bothered by his unusual response.
The one who yelled lowered his head down and apologies. "Sorry, I'm just mad at one of the blue claws." he commented while eating the bread they were currently having.
"Why though?" the other robes person asks.
He continues to eat before replying back to his colleague's question. "Because they have a lot of privileged and they never gone out in any mission. Isn't that unfair?" he asked back.
Xarth was listening to the two black-robed men's conversation while also keenly observing their appearance, he could clearly see clear as day a Red claw symbol by their chest Xarth soon realize who were these people.
'Just my luck, why the hell are they here? And what's with the blue claws that they were talking about is it a higher rank than theirs. Hm...' Xarth thinks that they were the ones who survived Zero's wrath.
Xarth then suddenly could feel someone tugging onto his clothes, he looked toward the one pulling his clothes naturally it was Ernoul.
Ernoul then started to speak quietly."Hyung-nim what are we gonna do?" Xarth didn't replied and started to observe more.
"Hm.."
He the started to think what could they do in this situation.
'In Ernoul's level can he take out those dudes? Well, it's worth trying. Their bad guys anyway.'
Ernoul saw Xarth's mouth starting to curl up into a twisted smile, Ernoul started to have a bad feeling on what they were about to do.
Xarth quietly whispered to Ernoul's ear. "Let's take them out and loot them."
Ernoul flinches at what he had heard and quickly looked back at Xarth's face with the same twisted smile still there.
Xarth continued to Whisper to him.
"You go in first and distract them, I'll smack them at the back of their heads."
he said before letting out quiet chuckle. It was like he was recreating one of his favorites scene in martial arts movies he watched not too long ago.
Ernoul nodded his head and took out his wooden sword. Even though it was a wooden sword it can still injure someone because of the one wielding it.
He quickly took off from the trees they were hiding on, Xarth also quietly ran to the other side. Ernoul let out a loud yell to gain the attention of the enemies.
The two black-robed men stood up after hearing the loud yell and swiftly took out their swords and quickly rush toward Ernoul.
*SWOOSH
Somehow Ernoul was doing a good job keeping up with the two robed men.
While he was distracting them, Someone was moving quietly on the back of the enemies naturally it was Xarth. He then waited at the right moment to strike the man closest to him he had a rock for a weapon which is pretty dangerous. If you're really gonna hit em on the head. But Xarth ignored that as these people were enemies.
At that moment Xarth saw the opening that Ernoul gave him, Ernoul pushed the man on the left luckily the man's balance was disrupted.
Xarth rush in and Smack! He had hit the back of the head of the man and has fallen his face first on the ground.
The other robed man looked at his colleague that has fallen, but that was the wrong move to do, that allowed Ernoul to strike.
*SWOOSH
Ernoul rushed at the man whose attention was elsewhere, He raised his sword stabbing him 3 times at every vital spot.
"UGH!!"
The man staggered from the pain and slowly fell on his Ass hitting the ground, Ernoul then swiftly pointed his wooden sword at the man who was sitting on the ground.
The robed man raised his hands stating that he was surrending, Xarth pulled out a rope from his Spatial bag and gave it to Ernoul.
"Tie them up!" he sternly commanded.
"Yes, Hyung-nim."
Ernoul took the rope and tied the two-man by the tree where they were hiding from before.
Xarth looked through the campsite of the two robed men and he could see a bag by the tent, he elegantly walked towards that direction and took it.
He started to open the bag...the bag was filled with gold coins and jewelry.
'Lucky, More money for me!' Xarth started to beam.
Xarth closed the bag and quickly place it inside his Spatial bag, there were also two extra swords by the bag it seems pretty useful, so Xarth also took it with him. Before coming back to where the enemies were tied up.
"Who are you, people?"
Asked frantically by the one of the robed individual.
Xarth slowly approached the man. "Do you think you have any authority here asking questions?" he mentioned. Since he was just stating facts.
The man could see the cold eyes on the person who was wearing a mask, he could feel a great amount of fear from this man.
He just gulped and remained silent.
'Hmm...Good response.' Xarth thought this, since he was feeling like a villain at that time.
Xarth strongly grabs the man's chin and lifted it close to his. "So, I'll be the one asking questions now, Cause I have the authority."
"..." The man's pupils were shaking aggressively as he wants to get away from the person holding onto him.
"What are you doing here?" Xarth asked in a serious tone. He was really just immerse with his villainy.
"....." the robed person kept silent and avoided the man's gaze.
Xarth started to laugh. "Hoho! keeping silence ey. Well, it's a good response if I were in the same position as yours. I would likely do the same, but you shouldn't do that to me." he coldy advised at the person in front of him.
The man looked toward the masked man, his arrogant words made him aware of his position.
"Okay, I will ask again. What are you doing here?
It's a pretty easy question right?" Xarth asked once more while focusing his attention at him.
The man gulped before speaking.
"We were camping here."
'Well, it's obvious. I bet these people are the ones that had escaped the village.' Xarth thoughts started to make sense.
"Oh, I guess that made sense."
Xarth responded in an annoyingly tone.
"What are you planning to do to us?" The robe man anxiously asks since he was cautious at the person in front of him.
"I told you before right you don't have any authority to ask questions."
Xarth replied in a stern voice meanwhile Ernoul was just tilting his head in confusion to why such a Young master like Xarth could talk so savagely.
"..." The robed individual lowered his head and started to have thoughts.
'Damn it! who the hell are these two people!? I've never noticed them. Based on the strength of the other masked dude he's probably a higher-grade swordsman. But the one I'm talking right now...I don't know whether he's a Swordsman or a Mage but the pressure he gives off is different.' he was exaggerating, contrary Xarth was just a good villain actor.
Xarth turned his back since he forgotten something.
"Oh yeah I forgot could you strip?"
The man who was looking at the ground quickly looked toward the masked man.Those words that came out of the man's mouth were like thunder roaring in a stormy night.
The man unconsciously let out a loud Scoff.
"I forgot your hands are tied guess I'll do it." Xarth insisted.
'Ahhh! This dude is a pervert.' He believed he was a pervert. Why would he want to take his clothes?!
Ernoul watches as the Young master took off the robe on the person's body, Xarth only took off their robes because he thought it could be useful for future events.
After he had taken off the two robes from these men he walked majestically to Ernoul and whispered to his Ear.
"Kill them off."
Ernoul flinches at the vicious words that the Young master has ordered him to do, he froze up and stood still as he couldn't move.
Xarth looked at Ernoul whose face was stiff, Xarth immediately understood what the face had meant.
'I guess he's still a kid I know this is reality but I can not help but think that the people here aren't real, because you are all people inside a novel. I wonder if I die here could I return to my own world?'
Xarth erased his thoughts and patted Ernoul shoulder, he took out his spare sword and quickly swung it at the neck of the enemies.
*SLASSSHHHH
*Thud
The head of the two people rolled coldly to the ground.
Ernoul was shocked that the Young Master of a Count household to be so merciless kill two-man without even batting a sweat.
He casually cleaned the blade that was stained with blood and got on upon his horse.
'Hmm...Even killing people I didn't feel anything, I guess I'm stuck up at the thought that this is still inside of a novel.' Xarth ponder this as they made their way to the forest once more.
"Let's go!" Xarth yelled as he flicks the reigns of his horse
"Yes...Hyung-nim." Ernoul quietly replied since he was still a bit shock by the scene he had just witnessed moments earlier.
They proceed to go to the inner part of the forest, on the way they fought off the monster before arriving at the waterfall.
It was late at night, the moonlight was reflecting by the small pound of the waterfall.
The waterfall was Glowing bright blue, it's light even lights up the surroundings of it.
"Woah Hyung-nim what is that?" Ernoul finally calmed down and asked in curiosity to why is the cave glowing that blue weird light.
"Our loot."
Xarth mouth started to crawl up.
'So that's the cave it's much brighter than I had expected. So why has no one has discovered it? Well considering its location I guess no one will find it. It's inside the inner part of the Forest where monsters roam freely. But if Zero had already gone through here all the monsters would have been wiped out.' He was sure by his thoughts that Zero hasn't have been here.
"Loot? What's in there Hyung-nim?"
"You'll see...Let's go."
Ernoul nodded his head they start preparing the items that can be used to climb up Rocks, That Xarth had prepared while Bern was out buying Wine.
'Let's see if my rock climbing skill is still preserved here in the novel.' One of Lee Son's hobbies was rock climbing, he was an office worker where all you do is sit on your ass all day in front a computer or a Notebook. In more simple saying it's his way of taking exercise to keep his body strong at all times.
To be continued...