The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel

BOOM! BOOM!

A man was running with all his might through a hail of bombs.

“Hurry!”

A Black man waiting in an Apache shouted as he fired the machine gun mercilessly.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-.

Bullets flew like flashes of light, piercing through the monsters' torsos and felling them.

Thanks to the covering fire, the man safely boarded the helicopter.

“Go, go!”

At the Black man's shout, the Apache took off, aiming its M230 Chain Gun at the enemies.

Dudududududu-.

A shower of 30mm shells poured down.

Following that, Hydra rockets were fired from both wings.

Fwoosh-.

BOOM! BOOM! KABOOM!

After turning the surroundings into a wasteland, it coolly made its escape.

“Phew-.”

The Black man let out a long breath and turned his head to the side.

There, as always, the strongest warrior was leaning against the wall, looking outside.

“Are you hurt?”

K nodded.

Perhaps because it was an answer they always exchanged, it felt perfectly natural.

The Black man asked again.

“Him?”

“Eliminated.”

“He's really dead this time, right?”

“I confirmed his head was blown to bits.”

“That's K for you. This god-awful war will finally be over soon. It's all thanks to you.”

The Black man looked at K with eyes full of respect, then spoke to the pilot.

“Report mission complete.”

“Roger.”

Just as the pilot finished reporting to HQ, aerial monsters appeared ahead.

“What the hell are these things!”

He quickly fired the chain gun.

Dudududududu-.

The creatures scattered in all directions.

It was then that they tried to escape at full speed.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Something was detected on the radar.

“What's this now?”

The pilot's eyes widened as he snapped his head to the side.

Two missiles were flying toward them.

“Why are there missiles…?”

He wore a bewildered expression.

It seemed too late to evade.

“Damn it!”

The moment K also looked in the direction the missiles came from, his face contorted.

Beyond the missiles, two friendly Apaches came into view.

‘Those bastards! I managed to get out alive, and now this…’

KABOOM!

        *        *        *

“Young Master…”

“I want to be alone.”

“…Yes.”

A moment later, the sound of a door quietly closing was heard.

A handsome boy with black hair and skin so pale it looked white leaned against the window and gazed at the sky.

It was a vivid, paint-like blue.

A month had passed since he woke up.

The helicopter he was in had been shot down by friendly fire.

He was engulfed in the explosion without a chance to escape.

He had completed the mission at the risk of his life, only to be met with betrayal.

He swore he would never forgive them, even in death.

But when he opened his eyes, he found himself in a place that looked like it was straight out of a fantasy movie.

At first, he was utterly confused.

But as time passed, he slowly came to accept his situation.

Now, he had more or less adapted.

Arthur Julius.

Not as Kang Tae-soo of Korea, but as the youngest son of the House of Count Julius.

His former, tough self who led Tier 1, America's strongest special forces unit, was nowhere to be found.

The mirror only reflected the image of an incredibly frail 17-year-old boy.

He had pondered endlessly why this had happened, but there was no way to know.

So, he decided to accept reality and live this new life faithfully.

He no longer questioned it.

Instead, he vowed that in this place, he would never be stained by blood.

During his time here, he found out a few things.

The House of Count Julius, which ruled the Grada Territory, was once so renowned that it was called the ‘Spear of the Empire’.

However, after the key figures who had enjoyed the family's golden age left one by one, and even Count Malcolm fell ill and died, the house was now barely maintaining its lineage.

Arthur had two older brothers.

The first showed talent in swordsmanship, while the second was so engrossed in magic that he was practically a recluse who wouldn't leave his room for anything less than a major event.

Both were too young and lacked much to lead the Count's family.

Therefore, the Countess, Madeline, was leading it.

However, as she also had many shortcomings, the Count's family's standing within the empire, as well as its influence on neighboring countries, was not what it used to be.

Aside from those points, it was a peaceful and good place to live.

Above all, since he was the Count's son, no one disturbed him.

Except for one person, Arthur's mother, Madeline.

Coincidentally, the time he woke up was when Arthur had fallen from a tree and hovered between life and death for three days.

Furthermore, he himself was restless and anxious, as everything was unfamiliar and confusing.

It seemed she couldn't get the image of him from that time out of her head, and her worries were immense.

Because of that, once a day, he had to pay his respects to her to confirm that he was okay.

Knock, knock-.

Arthur's attendant, Andrew, gently opened the door and came in.

“Young Master…”

Without a word, he turned and left the room with him.

The Count's office.

Andrew guided Arthur to the office entrance and then stepped aside.

As Arthur entered the office, Madeline greeted him with a lovely smile.

“Welcome!”

As always, she offered him the seat next to her, tapping the chair with her hand as if to tell him to sit.

He wasn't particularly keen on it, but he obediently sat down next to her.

Madeline stroked Arthur's head and asked.

“How's your head? Does it still hurt?”

“It's fine now.”

“Even so, a mother always worries. You must tell me if anything feels even slightly off.”

“Yes.”

Arthur gave a curt reply and stood up from his seat.

Madeline asked with a disappointed expression.

“Leaving already?”

“I'm thinking of starting to take walks from today.”

“Right, you must have felt cooped up being in your room all this time. You must go with Andrew.”

Arthur silently bowed his head and went outside.

Then, he spoke to Andrew, who was waiting outside the door.

“Let's go get some fresh air.”

“Yes.”

Andrew led the way.

Arthur was following him when he sensed a presence from behind, stopped, and looked back.

Madeline was standing at the door, watching him with eyes full of worry.

“Hmph…”

Arthur let out a low groan and started walking again.

A moment later.

Having climbed the castle wall, Arthur looked around.

Across the wide-open plains, houses were clustered together, forming a village, and children were playing excitedly.

Under the warm sunlight, a spring breeze blew gently, wrapping his whole body in its cozy embrace.

‘This is nice.’

Without realizing it, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Andrew, who was beside him, saw this and blurted out without thinking.

“You seem to have changed a lot.”

“...?”

Arthur erased his smile and looked at him.

Andrew quickly bowed.

“I'm sorry.”

He was just looking, yet the man trembled as if he had committed a mortal sin. Arthur wondered why.

“What's wrong? And what do you mean, I've changed a lot?”

“W-well, that is…”

It was then, as Andrew was extremely flustered and didn't know what to do.

From below the castle wall, the sound of someone with ragged breaths running up could be heard.

Arthur turned his head toward the stairs.

A moment later.

“Hah, hah, hah.”

A black-haired man with a sturdy build appeared, dripping with sweat.

It was the eldest son of the Count's family, Wesley Julius.

Seeing Arthur on the wall, he approached, tilting his head as if somewhat surprised.

“What brings you here?”

“Getting some air.”

“Well, I'll be. So, did you greet Mother?”

When Arthur nodded, Wesley looked at Andrew and seemed to ask something with his eyes.

In response, Andrew shook his head with a stiff expression.

Wesley looked back at Arthur.

“Well, maybe getting some fresh air will bring your memories back. But I like the you of now.”

“...?”

Arthur made a puzzled expression.

Wesley gave a meaningful smile, grasped Arthur's shoulder firmly, and continued.

“No matter what happens, you're my little brother.”

Then, after taking a deep breath, he ran along the castle wall.

Arthur watched his retreating back and asked Andrew.

“What did he just ask you?”

“Ah, that…”

“It seems difficult to answer.”

Arthur gazed out at the wider fields beyond the castle.

“Just what kind of person was Arthur Julius?”

“Y-Young Master…”

“Don't feel pressured, just tell me. Who knows, maybe hearing you talk will bring my memory back.”

“But…”

“Why? Is there some reason you can't talk about it?”

“N-No, that's not it.”

Andrew's eyes went wide as he waved his hands in denial.

“Then tell me.”

Arthur sat perched on the battlement and looked at Andrew.

At his continued urging, Andrew had no choice but to start speaking.

“Her Ladyship told me never to speak of it, but…”

“It's fine, I'll pretend I didn't hear it.”

“You really must do that. Otherwise, I'll be kicked out of the castle.”

“I got it.”

When Arthur furrowed his brow slightly, Andrew flinched in surprise and stepped back.

He quickly calmed his startled heart and carefully began to speak.

“The Young Master was…”

Arthur listened silently until he finished, then nodded.

“So that's how it was.”

“Y-Young Master…”

Andrew remained bowed, extremely tense.

If his memory had returned, he didn't know what terrible fate would befall him.

Maybe he'd even be pushed off.

He swallowed a dry gulp and watched his reaction.

But Arthur's reaction was somewhat strange.

He just remained sitting on the wall, still looking outside.

It seemed to have had no effect.

While relieved, he also felt sorry for him.

‘Young Master…’

A complex mix of emotions was plain on Andrew's face.

On the other hand, as Arthur listened to Andrew, his memories, as if by magic, came back one by one.

However, he kept only the necessary memories and buried the rest.

A lecher who lived with wine and women almost daily, and on top of that, a villain of the worst kind who used the power of his status to tyrannize others in all sorts of ways.

In a word, he was utter trash.

How bad must he have been for the territory's people to call him ‘The Scoundrel of Grada’?

The reason Andrew was so wary and afraid of him was also because he had done all sorts of terrible things.

The story about falling from a tree and losing consciousness was also a lie.

The truth was, he had been in a drug-induced stupor.

‘How pathetic.’

It seemed that pretending his memory hadn't returned would be for the best for everyone.

“…It's no use.”

“Don't be disheartened. Your memories will come back someday.”

Arthur gave a bitter smile and looked at Andrew.

“You don't really wish for that, do you?”

“I, I…”

“It's okay. I don't mind being like this.”

“Young Master…”

‘I also prefer how you are now.’

Andrew couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence and swallowed the words.

The two stayed on the castle wall until sunset, then came down.

It was then, as Arthur and Andrew were about to enter the castle.

People came running, terrified.

“Monsters have appeared!”

“They've come down again!”

A Knight guarding the castle entrance blew a horn.

Bwoooooooh-.

A heavy sound echoed throughout the castle.

“What's going on?”

Wesley was the first to appear. Following him, the Knights also gathered one by one.

Wesley listened to the territory's people and gave orders to the Knights.

“We're marching to the western border! Prepare quickly.”

“Sir!”

The Knights' movements became hurried.

‘What?’

According to the memories in his head, the last time monsters appeared in the territory was 100 years ago.

As Arthur tilted his head in confusion, Andrew noticed and quickly said.

“Monsters started appearing the day after the Young Master lost consciousness.”

“Hm.”

It was then that he had a strange, ominous feeling.

Screeeeeech-!

A grotesque cry, chilling enough to give one goosebumps, echoed out.

“This sound…”

As Arthur's face contorted, he remembered the monsters that had invaded Earth.

“Charge!”

Wesley led the Knight Order and charged out.

Watching them ride off into the distance, Arthur's face hardened.

He could never forget.

That day, engraved in his mind.

October 8th, 2030.

Suddenly, a hole opened in the sky, and monstrous creatures descended and attacked the world.

It was the sound those monstrous creatures had made when they shrieked.

‘Don't tell me, here too…’