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Chapter 17

Mev, who had been walking silently beside him, suddenly spoke. “You’ve armed yourself well.”

“The Tomb Forest isn’t far, after all,” Ian responded calmly, despite her seemingly out-of-place comment.

A mace hung in a leather holder on Ian\'s back. A new longsword was sheathed at his waist, and a dagger was strapped to the other side.

It doesn’t make me look more like a mage, though, thought Ian.

“You really believe the dark mage is in the Tomb Forest,” Mev remarked.

“Yes,” Ian shrugged lightly. “As you’ve seen, the rumors in this town usually have some basis in truth.”

"Yes, much has changed while I was at the border." Mev’s green eyes, staring into the darkness of the village outskirts, seemed to absorb the shadows.

“Life has become harder for the people. Law and order are in disarray, and the nobility has forgotten their duties. It’s different from what I grew up seeing and hearing about,” said Mev.

“You must have been at the border for a long time,” said Ian.

“Longer than I wished. It was necessary.” Mev replied.

Ian began to understand Mev\'s and Philip\'s occasionally naive demeanor. Even as nobles with great abilities, their virtues did not seem like they were suited for the dark ages. They had spent most of their lives at the border and were skilled in combat and tactics yet naive to the ways of the world. Perhaps their readiness to agree with him was because they had no choice but to rely on his judgment.

“When I received the royal command to return due to the impending war, I never imagined things would be this bad,” said Mev.

“Did you think the kingdom was enjoying a period of peace and prosperity?” Ian asked, a bit sarcastically.

“Certainly not. Otherwise, this era wouldn’t be called the dark ages.” Mev responded seriously despite Ian’s barb, and then added, “In that sense, meeting you has been fortunate for me, Ian.”

Ian turned to look at Mev all of a sudden. She was looking at him, too. Her calm green eyes, perhaps because of her red hair or the dim lantern light, made her skin seem even paler.

She looks more like a mage than I do. Shaking off his stray thoughts, Ian replied, “The fortune is mine. I would have had to deal with the dark mage eventually, but thanks to you, I even got paid handsomely for it.”

“Yes. You could have managed it alone,” said Mev.

"Considering you\'ve crossed numerous life-threatening situations alone since that accursed swamp." Mev nodded affirmatively.

Miguel, that guy, what all did he blabber about?

"It’s surprising that your fame hasn’t spread across the entire region of Agel Lan, Ian."

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Ian retorted, "So, what, you called me out here to hear more of my heroic tales?"

"No. As I said, there’s something I want to discuss." Mev turned her body and leaned against a rock at the edge of the village, gazing at the dark wheat fields.

"...I first learned of the dark mage’s existence a few days after receiving the order to return." Her voice continued dryly, like the wind brushing through the wheat field.

"There was much to attend to before returning. I was central to the border defense, so I had to ensure my absence wouldn\'t be felt. During that time, a letter arrived," said Mev.

Ah, so this was what she wanted to talk about. Ian, sighing inwardly, placed the lantern on the rock and stood beside Mev. He wasn’t particularly interested, but she was both his employer and comrade, and he had no more excuses to cut her off.

"...It was a letter from Vernon."

A name Ian had heard on the day they first met.

"And who is Vernon?" Ian asked indifferently.

"My only brother, Vernon Riurel. Head of the Riurel family and the shield guarding the royal family for generations."

A family of knights, both siblings. However, Ian tilted his head, having no recollection of Vernon Riurel from the game. It might be because Vernon wasn’t a key character.

"Strange that the apostle of Tir En guards the frontier while your brother protects the king," said Ian.

However, if that were truly the case, it wouldn\'t be mentioned in such a manner.

"I left because I was an apostle. Had I stayed, I would have remained at the king\'s side and been named the head of our family. Then Vernon wouldn’t have attained what he rightfully deserved. I couldn’t let that happen."

"Ah..." said Ian.

Such profound love for a sibling. Ian nodded.

It wasn\'t hard to imagine how a firstborn deprived of his inheritance by a sister would end up. It was a choice she had to make for her family. Yet, forgoing a comfortable life and power wouldn\'t have been easy. It was indeed a noble sacrifice, especially rare in the dark ages. Perhaps this nobility caught the eye of Tir En.

"The issue was that Vernon knew this. He always wanted to prove to me that he could lead the family, guard the king, and even revive our house. But he never needed to prove anything," said Mev.

"...So, what was written in the letter?" Ian asked.

"That the kingdom was overshadowed by darkness. While the king was obsessed with war preparations, a quiet evil was spreading. Many nobles were involved, perhaps even to the core of the kingdom." Mev paused, carefully reaching into her cloak.

She pulled out a neatly folded letter. As she gazed at it, her eyes seemed to drift into the past.

"May I read it?" Ian, growing impatient, extended his hand.

"You know how to read... Of course, you would," replied Mev.

Mev handed the letter to Ian, who carefully unfolded it. The hastily scrawled handwriting seemed to reflect Vernon\'s character.

"...As you said, he seems to be full of ambition." Ian, curling one side of his lips, spoke, "To use the dark mage as an opportunity to revive the family\'s fortunes..."

The letter elaborated on how Vernon planned to hunt down the dark mage, punish those involved, save the kingdom, and govern their lands, brimming with ambition.

"Does the Riurel family not have its own lands to govern?" Ian asked.

"We have always lived to guard the royal family. To stay close to the king, we had to make sacrifices. Of course, I knew Vernon was dissatisfied with this." Mev\'s voice lowered as she took the letter back.

"I planned to establish our family\'s base in the lands beyond the border once the turmoil there subsided. As a family guarding the borders. So that when I return to the king\'s side, Vernon would govern those lands," said Mev.

"But your brother, perhaps fearing you might overshadow his achievements, didn\'t share any clues with you," said Ian.

"..." Mev faced Ian, acknowledging his insight.

"If I sounded harsh, I apologize," said Ian.

"...No, I\'m just surprised by your perceptiveness. You\'re right on target," replied Mev.

As if it were something significant. Ian just shrugged.

The letter only discussed the existence of the dark mage and Vernon\'s ambitions. The only words left for Mev were that she would be welcomed differently upon arriving at the palace. It was easy to infer what a young lord, grappling with feelings of inadequacy and desire for recognition, might be thinking.

"In the end, your concerns became reality. You personally sought the dark mage, even hiring mercenaries," said Ian.

"I didn\'t plan to at first." Mev\'s breath faltered for a moment, then returned to her usual stoic demeanor. "But I received no reply to my letters. Not even on the day I left, nor to this day."

"Perhaps he\'s been too busy hunting the dark mage." Ian\'s words were skeptical, and Mev shook her head.

"If that were the case, someone from the family should have contacted me. Surely, he must have ordered them not to respond to me until his return," replied Mev.

"Could your letter have fallen into the wrong hands?" Ian asked.

"Unlikely. A long-serving servant of our house was the messenger, and the seal on the letter could only be opened by someone from the Riurel family. Unless someone wanted to turn it into ashes, there\'s no reason to intercept it,” answered Mev.

Indeed, thought Ian.

"How long has it been since you sent the reply?" Ian asked.

"A month. ...And now a week more,” replied Mev.

"Oh...." Ian barely stopped himself from clicking his tongue. The thought that Vernon might already be dead had crossed his mind.

"A month is a very long time. Do you think your brother is still safe?" Ian looked at Mev.

"Maybe not. Perhaps. Probably." Mev\'s calm response contrasted with her evasive gaze, suggesting underlying anxiety.

Mev, appearing to express hope rather than conviction, remarked, "But there\'s still a possibility. He\'s strong, having trained all his life to surpass me."

She then quickly added, without expecting a response from Ian, "Even if he\'s no longer with us, nothing changes. In fact, it makes it more imperative."

"I\'ll start with the dark mage and uncover the whole truth." Mev clenched her fist tightly.

"Hmm..."Ian nodded thoughtfully, now understanding how Mev became The Bleeding Avenger. He realized why she stormed into the castle alone, why she attempted to kill the king, what her unspoken dying words were, and who she sought to avenge even as a specter.

Since Ian had killed the dark mage in the game, Mev likely never managed to find the dark mage. It was probable she didn\'t even know whether Vernon was alive or dead. And whispering the wrong target of vengeance into her madness was not a difficult task for the corrupted nobel of Agel Ran.

She was probably an easy target for them. Ian glanced at Mev, thinking how she was now in his hands, along with a crucial quest that seemed to be a branching point in her destiny. Her fate might hinge on his choices.

"So, you want me to find the dark mage?" Finally, Ian spoke.

Mev slowly shook her head.

"I do wish for that, but it\'s not the only reason I told you this story, Ian." She looked directly at him.

"As you said, a month is a long time. Enough for the traitors to realize Vernon\'s intentions. They will try to hide their true nature now that I am returning." Mev\'s voice was calm and firm.

Ian could sense the turbulent emotions hidden beneath her composed exterior. Her surprisingly youthful face struck him anew. Despite her attire, status, and manner, she looked no older than her early twenties. Even in a world with shorter lifespans, this was not considered old, especially from Ian\'s perspective.

This is, indeed, a real case of the young head of the household, thought Ian.

"If Vernon is no longer in this world, then I have no one I can trust. Even if he were to be alive, nothing would change. He would surely not follow my will," said Mev.

She then took a deep breath and continued, "That\'s why I need a trustworthy ally, Ian."

"...!" Ian\'s brow furrowed.

This was why she had circled around the subject. It was a unilateral request, made after having laid bare her circumstances; she had resorted to the indignity of revealing her own story.

It meant she believed she couldn\'t resolve this alone and saw Ian as the only alternative. Ian wondered how she had come to this conclusion but understood why she chose to reveal it now, rather than in front of Philip and Miguel.

"...And if that ally is already opposing the dark mage, and possesses mental and insightful strength, as well as physical power and wisdom, it would be ideal," said Mev.

As if urging a decision, a quest window popped up in front of Ian. It was a linked quest.

[The Corrupted Ones.]

The objective was to hunt down and punish nobles worshipping darkness. The rewards were gold, stat improvements, and several question marks. It was enticing, but Ian calmly considered his options.

Like with the apostle quest of Lu Solar, he didn\'t intend to be swept along by situations and quests. Especially when he could choose a more convenient and advantageous path. Fortunately, in this case, that choice wasn\'t too difficult.

"I am a mercenary. Mercenaries don\'t move on requests alone," said Ian.

The side in need would inevitably be at a disadvantage, as was the case in this world too. Ian, even by his own assessment, spoke in a voice he deemed cold as he looked into Mev\'s eyes, "Instead, should I understand that you wish to negotiate a new contract under different terms after the current assignment is completed?"

"...!"