novelraw Chapter 98 : Chapter 98
Chapter 98 : Chapter 98
Chapter 98. Evan Has Returned (4)
The Kandahr Tribe, having landed on the eastern coast, was rapidly advancing toward the centrally located capital.
But I, Evan, was heading east, the opposite direction of their advance.
Gallop, gallop.
The eastern territories the Kandahr had passed through were desolate, as if ravaged by a swarm of locusts in a drought.
No trace of greenery remained, and only ruined villages, collapsed homes, littered the landscape.
“Grim. It’s strikingly similar to back then.”
“Are the Kandahr always like this? This isn’t conquest—it’s closer to destruction.”
“They’re creatures who think only of plunder and hunting. They believe taking and being taken is the world’s order.”
To them, a future after conquest didn’t exist.
Their identity was to destroy, trample, and move to the next hunting ground.
“So their advance is fast. They don’t carry supplies separately, replenishing with what they plunder as they go.”
“Yet they went out of their way to Lansed, took prisoners, and secured supplies…”
“They know resistance will be fierce. The Kingdom’s capital has been sacked before.”
Humans learn from past mistakes.
Long ago, the Kingdom suffered the humiliation of losing its capital to barbarians.
Though they quickly reclaimed it, the history of defeat could never be erased. The descendants, bearing that lesson, built the capital’s walls higher and thicker.
“Based on the rebuilt capital I saw in your memories, breaching it would be tough.”
I had never been to the capital myself.
The only time I saw it was in Gaiard’s memories.
Since Gaiard could fly, he could enter the capital from the air.
But if one tried to breach the gates on the ground, they might still be unable to scale those walls.
“They likely expect a prolonged siege. Preparing supplies and even prisoners…”
I could imagine the fate of those taken.
But the thought was too horrific to voice.
Gaiard said indifferently in my stead, “So we should head to the capital to lend a hand. Those weak Kingdom folks can’t possibly beat these cunning bastards.”
I was silent for a moment before speaking quietly.
“I’ll go. But I can’t go empty-handed. We need a game-changer.”
Gaiard narrowed his eyes with interest and asked, “What’s that? And why, of all places, is it at your family’s estate?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
***
After riding for a full day, I finally reached the Lafard estate.
But it was no longer the home I knew.
The fields were burned black, and the houses had collapsed beyond recognition.
The bodies of the dead were scattered in the streets, long since decayed and scavenged by birds and beasts.
Damn it.
Even my family’s Lafard Mansion was now a skeletal ruin, slowly crumbling among the debris.
It looked as if a giant beast had torn it apart, leaving only bones.
Please, let the underground vault be intact…
I headed to the backyard of the ruined mansion.
With familiar hands, I tapped the protruding cornerstone.
Rumble.
The cornerstone slid aside, revealing stairs leading underground.
Damp, dark air faintly seeped out.
A thick layer of dust covered the stairs, with no trace of footprints.
Good. The collateral branches haven’t been here yet. No sane person would come treasure-hunting in this state, unless they were bandits…
Gaiard, watching, said with a bored expression, “A secretive place. Too much for such an ordinary mansion.”
“It’s worth it.”
“What’s hidden to be so tightly guarded?”
Instead of answering, I carefully descended the underground stairs.
Gaiard followed, intrigued.
“Oh?”
Gaiard had seen countless treasures over the centuries, holding immense wealth in his hands.
But now, even he saw something he’d never seen in person hidden here.
Amid a pile of gold coins, a small, mystical orb, the Fire Dragon Orb, glowed brilliantly.
“To hide something like that.”
Gaiard couldn’t hide his interest and stepped closer.
His red eyes fixed on the faintly glowing Fire Dragon Orb.
“To rely on just this secret vault for something so precious? You should’ve at least set a barrier.”
“I did. It just expired.”
“A Time Barrier? Nothing’s more secure than that.”
Now he understood why I came here.
“You knew the barrier expired. That’s why you insisted on coming.”
“Yeah. It’s my family’s treasure. And it’s something that could change the war’s tide.”
The Fire Dragon Orb wasn’t a mere decorative treasure.
Not a gem, but an orb imbued with a dragon’s mana and will, like a living entity.
Thus, dragon orbs were coveted by countless collectors.
And among them, the Fire Dragon Orb had been hidden in the secret underground vault of an island kingdom’s count family.
“Of course, I didn’t expect a war to break out. I just meant to keep it safe.”
“Too precious for that. The orb’s uses are endless. With this…”
At that moment, dust fell from the vault’s ceiling as the ground rumbled.
Gaiard looked up and said quietly, “Someone’s here. Anyone else supposed to come?”
“No. Not at all.”
I quickly grabbed the orb, my eyes darting.
The barbarians wouldn’t return to a ruined estate…
The chance of the barbarians coming back was slim.
That left two possibilities for who could be here.
First, bandits passing through by chance.
Second, those with a clear purpose.
And if the latter, that purpose was likely
the small orb I now held, the Fire Dragon Orb.
At least, that’s what I thought, and if my guess was right, we needed to leave immediately.
“This isn’t a good place to fight. Let’s go.”
“As you wish.”
Hurriedly securing the orb, I climbed the stairs.
Emerging from the underground vault, I was greeted by dry wind and the source of the rumbling noise. Not ragged bandits, but men in pristine, well-ordered armor.
They recognized me as I stepped out.
“Evan Lafard? You’re alive?”
“…”
I stared at them silently.
No matter how I racked my brain, I couldn’t immediately recall who they were.
They might be Duke Theron’s men. Let’s not act rashly.
Keeping that possibility in mind, I was bothered by the subtle wariness I sensed from them.
If they were sent by Duke Theron, they’d have stated their intentions clearly rather than being guarded.
Moreover, “That’s the Fire Dragon Orb!”
As their gazes fixed on the red orb in my hand, I was certain. As expected, the collateral branches!
The Lafard family’s collateral branches had come for the Fire Dragon Orb.
They dared come here.
And unfortunately for them, I had arrived first and taken the orb.
Naturally, the collateral branches had no intention of letting me go easily.
“Hand it over. Do that, and we’ll spare your life.”
One of the mounted men shouted arrogantly.
“You brought dozens here for this? Do you even know what state the country’s in?”
They snorted.
“Of course we do. That’s why we came. To seize it while Duke Heriel is distracted.”
“When we should be uniting, you’re chasing personal gain…”
My voice was low, but it carried a cold, sharp anger.
“I’m glad I came. Really.”
As I muttered without moving, the collateral branch members drew their weapons in unison.
“If you don’t hand it over, you’ll die…”
But their words didn’t finish.
A black shadow flickered behind me, and Gaiard quietly appeared.
At that moment, the collateral branch members instinctively flinched.
“Quite a crowd. Or, given the orb’s value, is this too few?”
At a glance, he was no ordinary figure.
His cold, deep red eyes, a leisurely smile laced with killing intent, and above all, an inhuman aura.
They quickly assessed the situation.
“Of course. You wouldn’t be alone.”
They mistook Gaiard for a bodyguard I’d hired.
Even so, they tried not to lose their bravado.
They had brought skilled knights and mercenaries, prepared for potential clashes with Theron or the barbarians.
“Don’t resist needlessly. You, pale human, if you don’t want a pointless death, scram.”
“What?”
“Leave now, and I’ll reward you handsomely. What do you say? Nothing’s more precious than life, right?”
At those words, Gaiard’s eyes narrowed.
Being dismissed by a collateral family was bad enough, but “pale human” stung even more.
“Can’t I kill them?”
“No.”
“Fine, handle it yourself.”
My voice carried cold, deep anger.
As my aura sharply extended, Gaiard decided he didn’t need to step in.
Then, a playful idea struck him, and with a slight smirk, he tossed a suggestion to me.
“Since you’ll kill them anyway, why not try using the orb’s power?”
He pointed to Venus.
“You could infuse the orb’s power into that sword. It’d only be a fraction, but you could confirm if the orb works.”
Hearing Gaiard’s words, I quietly drew my sword.
Shing!
A chilling metallic sound rang out.
Seeing this, the collateral branch knights and mercenaries judged I was ready to fight, and they immediately raised their weapons, surrounding me.
But I paid them no attention.
In a low, deep voice, I muttered, “Scum like you are useless to the Kingdom even if left alive…”
At the same time, I brought the Fire Dragon Orb to Venus.
Red energy from the orb swirled around the blade.
A massive, wave-like force was absorbed, and the sword was instantly dyed blood-red. As power beyond its limits infused it, Venus vibrated, emitting an eerie hum.
Seeing this, the collateral branch members shouted in a mix of shock and fear.
“Quick, seize it!”
With that cry, knights and mercenaries charged in unison.
But, a blazing torrent of flames erupted from the sword’s tip, engulfing the enemies.