Free Web NovelThe group first arrived at a human settlement zone.
Along the way, they passed all kinds of mamool, but Ian made no attempt to hunt them, leaving Sema puzzled.
...Is he aiming for something even stronger?
Surely he isn't planning to hunt demons, is he?!
The possibility didn't seem entirely impossible.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
Ever since Ian had said he would help him "grow," Sema had prepared himself.
He had expected another relentless round of mamool hunting.
Yet Ian seemed completely uninterested in the monsters. If anything, he spent more time scolding Sema.
"Keep your mask on properly. Don't attract attention."
"Y-Yes, sir."
When they finally reached the settlement zone, Ian ordered everyone to remove their masks.
The area lacked any trace of vitality.
Towering walls and barbed wire separated the zone from the outside world.
Sema felt as though he were walking into a gigantic prison.
The place was eerie beyond words.
The gate stood wide open, but anyone attempting to leave the zone from the inside would be afflicted with a Curse of Death.
As a mage, Sema could recognize the curse woven into the entrance.
He couldn't remove it, but he could identify it.
The curse targeted "all living beings without demonic energy," so the people inside seemed incapable of even contemplating escape through the gate.
Those brave enough to try already lay scattered outside as corpses.
This is horrifying.
Sema knew how fortunate he was.
Because he had met Ian.
Most people either died or encountered something else and ended up...
Like this.
Slaves.
These villages, known as "human settlement zones," existed throughout the continent.
But there was another name people used more often.
"...A slave prison."
Keith spoke quietly.
Every survivor here belonged to demons.
No one stationed guards around their own prison, so not a single sentry stood at the entrance.
The people carrying out their assigned work inside the settlement were startled by the appearance of strangers.
Sema instinctively shrank his neck.
"U-Um... is it really okay for us to just walk in like this? Won't the overseer or some demon notice us?"
"I see. We'll free all the slaves here, lure in the demons, and hunt them instead."
Louise asked with complete certainty.
The fierce young archer who had joined after Sema was becoming more and more like Ian every day.
I knew it! So that's the plan!
No wonder they'd ignored all the mamool on the way.
Sema silently admired Ian's bold strategy.
"No."
Then Ian answered.
...Huh?
Then why had they come here?
Ah, of course. Liberation!
Sema was certain he'd figured it out.
Wasn't Ian always kind, even when he grumbled?
An elderly man leaning on a cane emerged from deeper inside the village, supported by others.
One glance was enough to tell he was terrified.
Sema assumed it was because of Ian's intimidating demeanor.
"Are you the new overseer? It isn't time to present tribute yet, so why have you come...?"
Ian spoke immediately.
"I am Ian Ferentz."
"...?!"
"And this is Keith Moore, the Agent of God."
"...!"
Why is he suddenly showing off his reputation?
Sema was confused.
But having served Ian much longer than Louise, he quickly figured it out.
Ah, he's trying to earn their trust!
Sure enough, the wrinkles on the old man's face loosened with emotion.
His gaze moved back and forth between Ian and Keith.
"Oh! That beautiful face like a young boy's... It truly is Hero Ian!"
"And the handsome platinum-haired knight protecting him is Sir Keith, the Agent of God! Just as the rumors said!"
"Ian and Sir Keith?"
"They've come to save us!"
"Hero, please save us!"
"Please take us to paradise!"
The people erupted into cheers.
Feeling the intensity of their hope, Sema found himself swept up in it as well.
"I-Ian!"
"That's right."
Ian nodded.
Sema's chest swelled with excitement.
"I can't take you to the dungeon."
"...?"
The people who had been cheering froze.
"But I'll solve your problem."
"...?"
"Our problem is that we can't escape the demons! The overseer keeps demanding impossible tributes, and whenever we fail to meet the quotas, he drags people away. He says they're being prepared as special meals..."
The village chief trembled as he clung desperately to Ian.
At that moment, Keith stepped forward.
"I confirmed the banner hanging over this place. Does the Southern Demon Archduke oppress you?"
"Y-Yes! That's right, Sir Keith! We were captured as slaves of the Demon Archduke... We don't even dare think of escaping!"
"He's dead."
"Y-Yes, dead... what?!"
The settlement exploded into murmurs.
The chief looked around at Ian's party, and Sema nodded vigorously.
Keith lacked Ian's uncanny talent for capturing people's hearts, but he was still an incredible knight.
To think he'd checked the banner first.
"You're free."
Ian stated it as a fact.
The chief looked stunned.
"Then... that overseer..."
"He was lining his own pockets. Need help?"
Ian asked again.
The chief had fallen to his ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) knees before him, making Ian look like some absolute ruler.
Why does everything Ian says sound like a devil's temptation?
Sema couldn't understand it.
But the chief's eyes had already gone wild.
"Y-Yes!"
"What do you want me to do?"
"...Tear that overseer bastard apart!"
"He took my daughter, and you're telling me it wasn't because the demons forced him to?!"
"That son of a bitch! I'll kill him!"
The overseer... is human.
Sema swallowed.
Apparently there were humans who currried favor with demons and received a kind of privileged treatment.
Just like the former Pope.
Without thinking, Sema glanced at Keith.
The knight stood there calmly, his expression unreadable.
Then again, Keith wasn't the type to lose control because of emotions.
At least not anymore.
Not after joining Ian.
His loyalty was simply too absolute.
He won't move without orders!
Sema knew nothing about the incident where Keith had imprisoned Ian.
In any case, Ian asked,
"When is the overseer coming?"
"Three days from now! He's due to arrive in three days!"
"Really? We've got time then."
Ian raised a hand while looking over the people gathered around the village chief.
"He's going to die. Besides that, does anyone else have something they want?"
"...?"
What does he want now?
Even Sema was confused.
Then a small child raised his hand.
"...?!"
"W-Wait, Timmy!"
"Go ahead."
"I lost my shoe in the forest. Can you find it too?"
"Timmy!"
The boy's parents hurriedly covered his mouth.
But Ian answered.
"Sure."
"...?!"
...??
"Anyone else?"
The people looked at one another.
Then they all surged forward at once.
Sema genuinely had no idea what Ian was thinking.
Why the shoe?!
Ding!
[Quest]
[Timmy's Shoe (1)]
The "brave" Timmy entered the forest to gather branches and was chased by a house-sized mamool.
While fleeing, he lost one of his shoes.
Timmy told his parents that "a monster picked up the shoe and carried it away," but they refuse to believe him.
Can you find Timmy's shoe?
【Yes / No】
Found a quest chain.
Ian dismissed the notification window floating before him.
This was precisely why he had headed straight for a quest zone instead of grinding mamool.
I'll sweep up every quest with worthwhile rewards and clear them all.
Normally, players grew stronger by completing quests as they traveled.
By the late game, it would be unusual to find quests anywhere.
But Ian had ignored every minor quest and spent his entire previous life focused on defeating Demon Kings.
As a result, at this point in time, the entire continent was practically covered in quests.
And Ian had memorized every worthwhile one.
Quest chains?
The fastest route to power leveling.
Monster hunting had its own advantages.
But when it came to leveling efficiency, it couldn't compare to quests.
And there was equipment to consider as well.
A fully grown Momisia could have outfitted everyone with top-tier gear.
But the Momisia in the dungeon was still growing.
And even a fully grown Momisia can't craft equipment without materials.
Some items in the game could only be obtained through special quests.
Before crossing over to the Demon King's Castle, I'm collecting every item I can get.
Ian made his decision.
