< Unknown Threat (3) >
That day was also an ordinary day.
I woke up early in the morning, had a meal with my beloved family, and went to the elementary school located within the ‘companies’ residential area.’
“Aaron, good morning~!”
“Oh! Aaron, you’re here? Did you hear the news? This time on Misang Street…”
“You came early again today. As expected, you are a very diligent student.”
There, Aaron was a hugely popular person.
Not only the children who are being educated together, but also the instructors who are hired as teachers.
In fact, that was also natural.
This facility was built and operated entirely by the Hubert Foundation, and most of the parents of the children attending there were employees of the Hubert Company.
‘And I’m the younger brother of the secretary who is the lord’s closest aide.’
In name only, he was a secretary, but in reality he was no different from a second-in-command.
Because the shareholders trusted him that much and gave him that much authority.
A faint, bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Although I was proud to be treated like this thanks to my great older sister, the pressure that came with it was no small amount.
Before coming here, wasn’t he living a life no different from that of the lower classes?
‘Even now, when I think about it, it still doesn’t feel real. That I’m living like this.’
Now, no one could replace Hubert’s position in the commercial world.
It is only natural that Tarak and the surrounding commercial districts have grown to become one of the top in the entire continent, not just the Kingdom of Tulk.
It goes without saying that he not only possessed great wealth, but also had strong political power, so much so that not only the Aonia Counts, where Tarak was located, but also the Tulk Royal Family could not treat him lightly.
‘I’ve heard that people actually like it because it gives them so many benefits.’
Based on this, Hubert Trading Company established a foundation and began investing heavily in this tarak.
Many facilities, including the educational facility that Aaron attends, have been built, and public institutions have also been able to work more comfortably thanks to the foundation’s support.
Meanwhile, the economy grew more active day by day and public safety became stable enough to allow people to roam around in the middle of the night, so the entire city directly benefited from Hubert’s Trading Company.
Given the circumstances, it was no wonder that Aaron was treated so harshly.
Even more so, since there were even rumors going around that he might become the brother-in-law of a merchant.
‘I don’t really feel it. If the other person were an old man, I would agree too… What would my older sister think?’
In fact, he already knew.
That the store owner, Hubert, was the ‘uncle’ who saved them.
At first, I didn’t realize it because it was something I couldn’t even imagine, but seeing the attitude of my older sister, who I had been with my whole life, I couldn’t help but realize it naturally.
He too had to sharpen his wits to survive in extreme environments.
‘Well, it’s probably magic or something.’
Don’t you think that when you start a business, you experience all sorts of things?
It wasn’t that unusual for the owner of a very large company like Hubert’s to disguise his identity for safety reasons.
“I’m back.”
“Oppaaaa!”
“100 million!”
As Aaron returned home from school with his friends, a small girl threw herself into his arms with all her might.
A lively girl who looks to be about six or seven years old.
It was his cousin Rafi.
“I’m going to grandma’s house. Let’s go together!”
“···I have to do my homework first.”
“Hurry up! Hurry up! Grandma said she made some meat cookies! She told me to bring you too. I’m worried because you look so weak and frail!”
“No, I’m not that weak···.”
But in the end, he had no choice but to sigh and walk back outside at his brother’s urging.
Having been in charge of looking after Rafi while his uncle and sister were at work, he could not possibly refuse this little boy’s request.
“Keep on going… You came just in time. The cookies were just baked, so sit over there and wait.”
“yes!”
“I’ll prepare something to drink.”
“Okay, then.”
The two headed to the house of the witch doctor grandmother who lived next door.
This old lady, with her face covered in tattoos, looked scary on the outside, but she was a friendly neighbor who had become friends with her family since they first moved to the city.
Especially since the distance is close, Raphi, who comes here often, treats her like his own grandmother.
“thank you for this food.”
“Woooooooo— Grandma, my lord!”
“Hehehehe… You made a lot, so pack it up when you leave.”
“thank you!”
The old woman and Aaron smiled as Raphi mumbled while stuffing his mouth full of cookies.
A comfortable daily life.
Peaceful days.
Outside, there was a lot of noise about the war with the Immortal King and such, but Tarak… the neighborhood they were in was extremely peaceful, as if even such noise had escaped them.
Even if a great war breaks out, this place will be safe.
This space, which is protected and managed by many people including my uncle and my older sister, will become an absolute fence.
Amidst such unfounded beliefs, the day passed like any other.
and-.
dripping-
“excuse me.”
There was a sudden knock on the door, followed by the voice of a stranger.
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A soft voice that cannot be hidden even by polite speech.
Aaron, who had been standing in the hallway with Raphi to hurry home since it was getting late, carefully opened the door.
“Who are you?”
“Oh, sorry. I need someone urgently.”
What was visible through the crack in the door was a young boy.
At most, maybe Aaron’s age?
A child who looked even younger than him was smiling brightly at the door.
“···If you could tell me the name of the person you are looking for, I might be able to help you.”
But the polite words came out of Aaron’s mouth naturally.
It wasn’t really my intention.
It was just something that came out instinctively without me even realizing it.
“Ah… I don’t know the name.”
The other person, whose words were trailing off, looked at them with narrowed eyes.
A cold gaze that licks the entire body in an instant, like a snake.
Saa—
At the same time, goosebumps ran through Aaron’s body and tension rose.
My mouth dried and cold sweat began to run down my face.
Before they knew it, Raphi was hiding behind him, shivering. An unknown fear and ominousness began to grip them.
“···Ugh, I failed again this time. I’m sure we got a little closer···.”
The boy in front muttered in an annoyed tone, but Aaron couldn’t bring himself to say a word.
Even though I knew that the feelings in those words were not directed at me, I was so overwhelmed by them that I couldn’t open my mouth.
“Aaron? Raphi? Why aren’t you out yet···.”
At that moment, an old woman who had just finished cleaning up in the kitchen came over to see them standing in the hallway.
Her gaze naturally turned to the boy standing in front of the door.
Immediately after that.
Phew—
A wind blew inside the room.
And then, before he knew it, Aaron’s stiff body began to loosen up little by little.
“uh?”
When he came to, he was already sitting blankly, with his back against the wall far from the entrance, holding Raphi in his arms.
Looking at the back of the old woman blocking his way.
“Hmm? How did you know?”
The cold voice of a stranger is heard again.
But the old sorcerer did not answer.
Because I didn’t even have time to say a word right now.
“···Ah, of all places, there’s a great sorcerer. This is troublesome. I don’t want to cause a fuss.”
The unidentified boy seemed troubled.
How should I best resolve the situation now?
Of course, no matter how that decision was made, it was clear that it wouldn’t be very good for others.
But just before that conclusion was reached, the situation changed again.
“Grandma! Are Aaron and Raphi here? Sorry, the kids didn’t come home until late…?”
The moment Aaron heard the voice of his beloved older sister, who was very familiar to him.
“···I found it.”
The corners of the boy’s mouth were split as he looked at her.
Sharp canines visible through the wide open mouth.
A pair of beast-like eyes that began to turn bright red.
The moment he encountered him, Aaron’s mind became dizzy.
My vision was shaking all over the place and there was a ringing in my ears.
As I faced the fear that I could not overcome, the trauma that had been buried deep inside rose to the surface.
“Diana! Take Aaron and Raphi with you…!”
“Ha! I think I’ll miss it···.”
“grandma···!”
A loud noise flowed into his ears and he felt someone moving his body, but he was unable to think anything as he was exposed to the hostile magic.
If the old sorcerer hadn’t written the number down in advance, there would have been permanent damage to his mind.
But thanks to that, I started to come to my senses little by little and was able to briefly recognize the situation.
“no!”
The grandmother, holding Raphi in her arms, collapsed, spitting out blood, along with a scream that sounded like her older sister’s scream.
He couldn’t understand why it happened, but he ran over and hugged them both.
“Haha! Those annoying things are bothering me. But anyways, with this···.”
Then, masses of light appeared out of nowhere and began to scatter a rainbow of colorful light.
A beautifully twinkling halo of light.
At the same time, a warm feeling spread out and Aaron’s mind became a little clearer.
“···Spirit? No, a high elf? Why are you here···”
There was a hint of confusion in the boy’s voice.
But that only lasts for a moment.
He soon regained his composure and cornered the intruder.
‘Sister···.’
In a space where only twilight has descended on all sides.
The boy, holding the old woman and the girl in his arms, stared blankly into the distance.
There, his only sister was lying motionless on the floor.
‘How··· What should I do···!’
My head is stiff and doesn’t work properly.
But even in that state, I could understand the current situation.
The woman who suddenly intervened and stopped the boy wouldn’t be able to last long.
The despair that I thought I had forgotten slowly began to raise its head.
At the same time, the faces of the most handsome men in the world appeared in his mind.
The innocent and serious appearance when we first met, at a time when despair was everyday life.
A cold and charismatic figure who showed up when Raphi and the grocery store were in trouble and solved all their problems.
Lastly, the delicate and intelligent appearance of taking care of them in various ways so that they could settle well in this city.
He knew it was shameless, having only received help so far, but Aaron had no one else on his mind right now.
Aaron, chewing his lips because his tongue was not moving properly, shouted inwardly.
Even though I knew it wouldn’t reach the other person.
‘mister-!’
But then.
A miracle happened that no one could have expected.
Jeez—!
As if in response to his call, the sky cracked.
Kwaaaaang—!
The world came crashing down.
At the same time, the twilight that had covered all directions quickly subsided with the light of dawn.
“uh···?”
Aaron looked up blankly.
The scene of that moment was deeply engraved in his mind.
An angel with wings of light spread wide has descended to the earth.
***
At the center of the chaos is Temiran McClair, a boy in his early teens.
Heinrich frowned as he saw Diana lying unconscious behind him.
‘Yeah, now that I think about it, there’s something that bothers me a little.’
All this time, I naturally thought that what Saint Riesta had sensed was Hela.
The timing and location of the observations were too exquisitely aligned to consider any other possibilities.
‘however···.’
Back then, I didn’t know much about the demon world, so I just assumed it was like that, but now I know for sure.
At that time, Hela, who had only recently been created, was merely a special high-ranking demon, and could not be considered a full-fledged demon lord.
Although he was able to be born as a transcendent being right away thanks to his innate bloodline, he lacked the necessary elements to be called a true demon lord.
In reality, wasn’t it only after some time had passed since you crossed over to the Demon World that you first came under the gaze of the Demon God?
There was nothing more to say, considering the changes that had occurred after defeating the Gorang Duke and absorbing the Abnormal.
“Whew! It’s so annoying that nothing is going right. This f*cking situation can’t be a coincidence… This is why you have to play the tightrope well from the beginning. Isn’t it because you’re losing in the power game of the higher-ups that your actions are leaking out like this?”
This became even more certain when I saw the irreverent attitude of that young boy.
The object the saint had been observing from the beginning was Temiran.
Looking at the exquisiteness of that period, it seems that the appearance of Hela, who was a half-demon queen, was a trigger.
‘···Yes, unlike me who is only a saint in name, Riesta is a true saint. A messenger who conveys the will of the Lord to the world. And we came here to Tarak to follow the words of that saint.’
In other words, this current situation is all due to God’s guidance.
Thinking about it that way, I realized there was one more thing.
At that time, Riesta clearly added that he felt ‘closer to a demon follower than an undead’.
A devil follower, not a devil himself.
If that’s true, then Temiran…
Heinrich, who had quickly gathered his thoughts, spoke softly to the boy with a stern face.
“Temiran McClair. What’s happening in the Demon World right now. Are you involved in that too? So that the Dragon Duke can summon the monster from the abyss?”
“···What? You know that much? How on earth does the Shinsin Sect know the situation in the Demon World?”
“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere. Even the Demon World is no exception.”
“You’re crazy. Were you fanatics always this capable?”
Temiran grumbled with an irritated expression, roughly tossing the back of his head.
It seemed like he had no intention of hiding it now.
Well, considering the timing of the abyss monsters starting to appear in the Demon Realm, I guess they knew that trying to avoid it would be useless.
“Tsk, so you’re really the Lord’s dog after all? I thought you were a pushover since you just kept getting beaten up here and there by the Immortal King. There was a reason why that overly cautious and thorough senior failed.”
“You are mistaken. We never just take it for granted. Thanks to this, humanity is slowly moving away from that threat even at this very moment.”
“You have great confidence, you know.”
By senior, I mean a revolutionary who was a former apostle.
I had some idea since I figured out that he was involved in Temiran’s disappearance, but it seemed like the revolutionary wanted to prepare his successor before getting down to business.
‘I don’t know why he was chosen, though.’
It was unfortunate for the parties involved.
Not only was he kidnapped and turned into a vampire because he was born with some unknown talent, but he was also brainwashed while being held captive for over twenty years.
“···Your god is really diligent. If you had committed a sin and been thrown into the abyss, you would have quietly reflected on it and lived. But in the meantime, you reached out to all directions and shed tears of blood from many people.”
“Right? I think so too. If you’re going to do it, why don’t you do it right? It’s just a waste of time. What’s this? Anyway, that guy needs to work harder himself before he starts ordering others around.”
An answer that is somewhat off the mark.
Heinrich looked at him with narrowed eyes, but the boy’s face was still filled with annoyance.
Well, it was even stranger that he was sane, having been kidnapped and brainwashed since childhood.
“Surrender obediently. If you tell me everything you know, I will spare your life. Your mother is still waiting for you.”
“···Kick, Mother···.”
Heinrich warned, holding out his holy sword, engulfed in brilliant light.
No matter what, the opponent is a vampire.
Even if he was an apostle chosen by God, his compatibility with a saint holding a holy sword was the worst.
If you confront him head-on, he will eventually turn to ashes, and even if you try to escape, it won’t be easy to shake him off with “Great Blessing: Wings of Radiance” and “Blessing: Leap.”
He must know that, which is why he has been making threats like that since a while ago.
‘···As expected, the opponent holding the hostage is tricky. I wish I had noticed it a little sooner.’
Heinrich wasn’t just talking for nothing.
He had been looking for a chance to strike several times since a while ago, but each time he tried, he threatened Diana, who was unconscious behind him.
The moment he gets even the slightest hint of it, he’ll probably move right away.
No matter how great he was, I didn’t have the confidence to save Diana and kill him alone on this street.
‘Yes, Heinrich.’
Heinrich, a saint who used divine powers, was the polar opposite of vampires.
But in this world, there were beings that were the opposite of vampires in a different sense.
for example···.
Or the king of vampires who awakens divinity through the karma of cannibalism.
