[22]
Belmont felt a shiver down his spine.
He was the ruler of the area.
Although his individual strength might have been considered insignificant, he steadily grew his power by gathering monsters of low intelligence under his command.
Low-intelligence monsters were not immune to the vampire's charm.
No monster dared to ignore Belmont, a member of the illustrious family of the night.
Even though he was just a half-vampire who could only use enchantment, his pride was not half of what he was.
Belmont's lineage was that of a noble vampire.
He believed that even though he was currently in hiding, he could leap forward anytime an opportunity arose here.
He had been preparing for that dream.
Therefore, he was confident even when he met that disgusting werewolf a while ago. After all, the werewolf he had in mind was a beast of brute strength and ignorance.
It might be a threat, but it did not inspire fear.
However, this human who grabbed him by the neck was different.
The cold, indifferent eyes.
The expression that suggested he could annihilate Belmont at any moment.
Even monsters most faithful to their desires didn't show such an expression.
'Is he really human?'
Even when Belmont expressed his intention to submit, Ethan seemed indifferent.
Belmont felt an indescribable fear from Ethan's demeanor.
"Shall I absorb it?"
After a moment of pondering, Ethan began to absorb Belmont's mana.
Normally, mana could only be extracted from the dead. But vampires used mana similar to that of the dead.
'Just like in the novel'
There shouldn't be any issue with absorbing it.
Ethan started absorbing the mana. He instinctively knew how to use it without needing to learn.
"Graaah!"
Belmont screamed.
Ethan, with an unchanged expression, focused on absorbing the mana.
'I shouldn't kill him.'
This vampire was still useful, so after absorbing a certain amount, Ethan released his grip on Belmont's neck.
Ethan then slowly approached the unconscious Hugo.
At some point, Hugo's massive frame had shrunk, and the fur covering his entire body had vanished.
'All the broken bones are mended.'
It was a miraculous recovery.
The injury had shattered Hugo's jaw into pieces, a fatal wound for a human. But Hugo, now returned to human form, had all his wounds healed.
'Even the bones seem to have reconnected.'
It was astonishing.
While he had roughly expected it from the original description, witnessing the recovery firsthand was different.
It was hard to make a precise judgment without an X-ray, but externally, there seemed to be no major issues.
'I should wake him up soon.'
After assessing Hugo's condition, Ethan examined the mana he had taken from Belmont.
'It feels somewhat different.'
It was similar yet distinctly different from the mana borrowed from Feon.
― It's dangerous to use it as it is.
Feon's low voice warned, displeased with the murky energy.
"I thought so," Ethan nodded.
― Yes. Since you haven't accumulated mana in the conventional way, you need to absorb it slowly. I will teach you how.
Feon's slightly arrogant tone wasn't unpleasant.
Ethan chuckled and nodded.
"Please do."
It wasn't a bad offer for Ethan either. He wasn't foolish enough to consume an indigestible energy.
"Hey."
Ethan called out to the sprawled Belmont.
Belmont was in a tattered state.
Initially, he wore the attire of a vampire as Ethan imagined, but now he looked like he was wearing rags.
"Y-Yes?"
Terrified, Belmont flinched.
The pride of the noble vampire was long gone, replaced only by fear of Ethan.
"Stay here for a while."
Ethan needed to return to his family anyway.
Masters of the family would easily identify Belmont's nature, and Ethan was not confident he could explain the situation to them.
'I got what I needed.'
His initial goal of obtaining the dead tree had been achieved.
"Now, it's time to start the hunt."
As Ethan looked at Belmont, his body trembled.
"You've been here for a long time, haven't you?"
"Y-Yes. I know everything about this area."
Belmont responded hastily, as if grasping at a lifeline.
But Ethan paid no attention to that.
Instead, he smiled slyly and spoke.
"List all the strong monsters around here."
It was time to reap other rewards.
***
Naid couldn't hide his anxious feelings as he waited for Ethan.
It had already been about two hours since Hugo and Ethan entered the cave.
The sun was starting to set, and the surroundings, already dark because of the dense trees, were becoming even darker.
Naid knew that monsters became more ferocious at night. Because of this, he pondered whether it would be wise to enter the cave now and bring Ethan back.
But Ethan's demeanor before entering the cave had been resolute.
Since Ethan had shown such firm determination, Naid felt he had to wait here.
"…Shall we prepare for camping?"
One of the apprentice knights behind Naid asked.
Naid glanced at the apprentice knight with a cold gaze, then sighed.
"Go ahead and prepare."
The apprentice knights nodded slightly and busily started making preparations.
The apprentice knights who joined Ethan's subjugation squad understood Naid's true nature.
He wasn't just an ordinary butler, but a warrior hiding his strength.
Though they were perceptive enough not to question why Naid was posing as a butler, they showed him utmost respect.
'This ordeal is almost over.'
Naid watched the busy apprentice knights with a bitter smile.
Naid was satisfied with his position as a butler.
A binding position was like wearing uncomfortable clothes.
He preferred the position of an observer from a step behind.
But Ethan wouldn't allow that.
Knowing he had limited cards to play, he had to use every resource at his disposal.
Leaving someone like Naid merely as a butler?
Not a chance.
'The young master has changed a lot.'
Naid, having always watched from the sidelines, could tell.
Ethan was different now.
He could no longer be equated with his past, reckless self.
'There should be no problem.'
The changed Ethan was thorough.
Though he sometimes seemed reckless, he always proved himself.
It would be the same this time as well.
But he couldn't shake off a peculiar sense of unease.
Already, a considerable amount of time had passed, and the ferocious dawn, when monsters would swarm, was fast approaching.
"Naid, over there!"
While Naid was lost in thought, an apprentice knight called out to him.
Naid lifted his head and looked ahead.
From the darkness appeared Ethan and Hugo, who was in a slightly tattered state.
― There's a pretty decent fellow there.
"Indeed."
Ethan responded lightly to Feon's comment as he approached the campsite.
The apprentice knights moved busily but systematically.
They bore the title of apprentice knights, yet, unable to be formally appointed as knights, they handled all the menial tasks within the family.
Consequently, setting up a campsite was second nature to them.
"Stop."
Ethan halted the moving apprentice knights.
They all stopped in unison.
"You've returned safely."
Seeing Ethan return, relief washed over the faces of the apprentice knights.
They had been internally anxious as well.
They had already chosen their path, clinging to an uncertain lifeline. Whether this lifeline was decayed or made of mithril was yet to be determined.
If something went wrong with Ethan before things even started, the apprentice knights would be in a very awkward position.
In this situation, Ethan's safe return naturally brought them great relief.
"We're moving now."
The campsite was almost complete, just needing everyone to settle down and rest.
Yet Ethan's command was to move out.
Gato frowned at Ethan's words.
"Young Master, the sun has already set. Moving without visibility is too dangerous."
When Gato made a reasonable argument, others around him nodded in agreement.
They agreed that Ethan's actions were reckless and impulsive.
"Fine. Then you stay behind."
Ethan spoke nonchalantly and looked around.
"Didn't you all aspire to become knights?"
The atmosphere among the apprentice knights shifted.
Ethan's words struck a nerve.
"I'm aware that moving now is dangerous. Anyone with half a brain knows that. Monsters become more ferocious at night and visibility is poor. Does anyone here not know these basic facts?"
The apprentice knights remained silent, and Ethan continued, scanning the area.
"I didn't come here to waste time catching a few monsters. If we've come this far, we need to achieve something."
"What do you mean by 'achieve something'?"
Gato's eyes changed.
Ethan smirked as he answered.
"Black Ogre."
Gato and the apprentice knights' eyes widened.
"We're going to hunt it."
If they were going to hunt, it might as well be a big one.
***
The Black Ogre.
It could be considered a mutation among ogres.
For humans, ogres were nothing short of a disaster.
Their thick skin was nearly impervious to spears and swords, and their immense strength and ferocity made them difficult for even seasoned warriors to handle.
The same was true for knights.
A knight who couldn't wield mana could barely inflict significant damage on an ogre.
Of course, it wasn't entirely impossible.
Ogres were living creatures, and one could deal damage by targeting their eyes, mouth, and joints relentlessly.
But that approach inevitably resulted in significant casualties.
The Black Ogre.
A rare mutation among ogres.
It was larger, more ferocious, and more savage than regular ogres.
Black Ogres were difficult to deal with, even for knights who had awakened to mana.
Yet Ethan mentioned it so casually.
"The Black Ogre?"
"Yes. I know its location."
"…This is too reckless."
"So, you're not going to do it?"
Ethan smirked, causing the apprentice knights to clench their fists.
Ethan was testing them.
It was dangerous and seemed impossible, but the potential reward was enticing.
Slaying a Black Ogre wasn't quite as prestigious as slaying a dragon, but it was close enough to earn the title of "Slayer."
It was a more significant achievement than killing dozens or hundreds of regular monsters.
Moreover, even the parts of a Black Ogre sold for a high price.
For apprentice knights striving to become full-fledged knights, it was an opportunity too tempting to pass up.
Seeing this desire in the apprentice knights, Ethan smiled silently.
Ethan's subjugation squad was small.
In terms of numbers, it couldn't compare to Morun's subjugation squad.
Thus, they had to rely on quality over quantity.
Regardless, if everything went according to plan, the Black Ogre wouldn't be the end of their harvest.
The Black Ogre was just the beginning.
He was already anticipating the power he would gain from capturing it and the events that would unfold within the family.
"I'll do it."
"I will too."
"I'll join as well."
Following Gato's declaration, all the apprentice knights agreed to hunt the Black Ogre.
They knew it was a poisoned chalice.
They knew the odds were slim.
But human desire was strong enough to crush such dangers.
Hugo, who had been watching in bewilderment, approached Ethan anxiously and whispered.
"Uh… Young Master."
"What?"
Hugo still felt disoriented. His insides churned, and his whole body ached as if it had been shattered.
The worst pain was in his jaw. Even opening his mouth was difficult.
The frustration of not remembering anything was driving him crazy.
But he couldn't worry about that now.
Judging by the situation, it seemed they were about to move to find this Black Ogre, and based on everyone's reactions, it wasn't a simple task.
Suppressing his pain, Hugo asked Ethan in a worried voice, "What is a Black Ogre?"
"Our prey."
Ethan dismissed Hugo's anxiety lightly.
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mew_96
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