The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 69

Meanwhile, Aden cast a meaningful glance at Priestess Lunia.

‘This is strange.’

He found something odd about her.

The discomfort he felt had been growing ever since he saw her deal with the bandits.

She was far too strong.

-Dragon Slayer, what’s the problem with that?

‘Because she’s way too superior compared to the usual pilgrims of the Slaughter Cult.’

The pilgrims of the Slaughter Cult, who left the Slaughter Tower to wander the world, were typically lower-ranking priests.

While even the lower-ranking priests of the Slaughter Cult were formidable, their power usually peaked at the Sword Resonance level.

Yet Lunia had effortlessly killed a bandit officer of Sword Resonance level and swept through a gang of trained bandits of Sword Howling level as if they were insects.

Moreover, she used advanced physical enhancement spells with holy magic.

The level of power she displayed was comparable to that of the high-ranking priests of the Slaughter Tower.

Such individuals rarely left the Slaughter Tower, let alone ventured beyond the Wasteland of Death.

‘She’s too young to be a high-ranking priest.’

Judging by her age and behavior, she was clearly a newly minted pilgrim unfamiliar with the ways of the world.

More importantly, if she were a high-ranking priest, Aden would have recognized her.

There was one more thing that bothered him.

‘That priestess is too calm and gentle. Quite sensible, too.’

-…What did you eat wrong, Dragon Slayer? Did you seriously say she’s calm and gentle?

Curse asked in a puzzled voice.

If he had a face, it would have been one of disbelief.

He felt uneasy watching Aden describe Lunia as sensible while she swung a giant morning star and smashed giant spiders, laughing loudly.

‘What I mean is that she’s normal.’

The priests of the Slaughter Cult that Aden remembered were insane.

There was even a widespread saying on the continent:

-The priests of the Slaughter Tower exceed whatever you imagine.

It might sound like an exaggeration, but it was a well-known truth.

They were crazy, insane beyond imagination.

Compared to them, Lunia was sociable and acted within the bounds of common sense.

‘She’s an inexperienced pilgrim with the power of a high-ranking priest, and she’s a sensible Slaughter Cult priest…’

As Aden combined and analyzed her traits, he suddenly thought of a possibility.

‘Could it be… No, it’s not possible.’

However, he quickly dismissed that thought.

As long as the Iron-Blooded Saint was alive, such a possibility didn’t exist.

‘Still…’

There was no harm in keeping an eye on her for now.

* * *

Having passed the giant spider colony, Aden’s party climbed one of the peaks of the dormant volcano.

The crater’s concave terrain had formed a crescent-shaped lake filled with water.

It would have been more impressive if the lake’s water weren’t black.

“We’ve finally arrived! Though this is part of my territory, it’s my first time coming up here!”

“Wow! What a spectacular view! It makes me want to shout out loud, ‘Yay!’”

“…Please restrain yourself, we are in enemy territory.”

Two people expressed their admiration, and Aden preemptively stopped Priestess Lunia from shouting ‘Yay!’

The lake covered two-thirds of the caldera, and the remaining land was forested.

That was the settlement of the Ents, which had become a laboratory for the warlocks.

Ets pointed to the center of the island with a sorrowful voice.

“Normally, you’d see the majestic Ent Tree standing tall there.”

From a distance, they could see the faint outline of a massive tree that had been felled.

Seeing their guardian tree disgracefully cut down, Ets’ leaves drooped in sadness.

Lunia, curious about the leaves, poked and fiddled with them.

Aden enhanced his vision with mana and scanned the Ent settlement.

There were dozens of people in black robes.

They seemed to be the warlocks Ets had mentioned.

And there was a familiar figure among them.

‘It’s confirmed. It’s the Black Knight.’

A knight in black armor sat at the base of the Fairy Tree, which had a diameter exceeding 10 meters.

He was undoubtedly the Black Knight, Dares Clayman, from the Sias Grand Duchy.

Aden frowned and pondered.

‘This is tricky.’

If it were just the warlocks, the current group’s strength would be enough to handle them.

If the warlocks’ abilities and numbers were as Ets had mentioned, they could manage by utilizing the Banshee’s Spirit Shield and the newly enhanced Wraith Subjugation.

Though Lunia and Taion’s attention was worrisome, he could attribute it to the artifact’s additional abilities later.

However, with Dares Clayman involved, the situation changed.

Dares Clayman was one of the semi-master knights known as the three hounds of Sylbeta.

He was more skilled than the Red Knight.

The Red Knight had a fiery and straightforward nature, and his swordsmanship was simple enough for the less skilled Aden to endure.

But the Black Knight, with his calm demeanor, possessed solid swordsmanship.

Even using the Berserk Ability, Aden wasn’t sure he could defeat him.

Mixing the warlocks’ attacks with Dares Clayman’s would exponentially increase the difficulty.

With the current group, it was a sure loss.

‘The best course would be to retreat and bring the entire knight order to confront them…’

The terrain was the problem.

Monster colonies, the encircling peaks, and the poisonous lake surrounding them made the Ent settlement a natural fortress.

Curse’s voice rang out.

-Dragon Slayer, now I understand.

‘What do you mean? Speak clearly if you’re going to say something.’

-I understand why this place is filled with poison.

Curs revealed the truth of the mysterious Forest of Death, a place no one had known.

-This is a basilisk’s nest.

‘A basilisk…?’

Aden’s eyes widened in surprise.

* * *

The basilisk.

It was a high-ranking dragon species, also known as the king of all venomous serpents or the tyrant of poison.

It had the form of a giant snake with a crown-shaped horn on its head, and its entire body was filled with deadly poison.

Its fangs contained venom strong enough to melt gold.

The venom was powerful enough to poison even a Sword Master.

-Also, even after death, its body absorbs the energy of the water, allowing it to eventually resurrect.

However, during its dormancy, it spreads poison into the surrounding water.

When creatures poisoned by the venom die in the water, the basilisk consumes their life force.

Just like this lake.

Hence, Curse had confirmed it upon seeing the lake.

-However, this isolated terrain means it has consumed all the creatures in the lake and is still lacking life force, remaining dormant. So, it instinctively keeps spreading poison. For at least centuries.

Curs surmised that the poison spread, creating the current Forest of Death.

‘Then what about the dark energy?’

-How should I know that?

‘Tch, you always know things halfway.’

Well, the dark energy wasn’t a significant concern.

There were naturally occurring areas of dark energy scattered across the western continent.

‘A basilisk…’

Aden mulled over the word.

He was well aware of the basilisk’s notorious reputation.

It was a rare monster with poison strong enough to affect even a Sword Master, who had resistance to most poisons.

But there was one thing that puzzled him.

‘Basilisks are supposed to live in the unknown southern forests. Why is one nesting in a remote lake in the north?’

As far as Aden knew, basilisks were native to the southern lands.

He was familiar with them, having fought them during a Disaster-Level Monster Wave in the unknown forests.

-I don’t know either. It’s probably similar to how minnows suddenly appear in a puddle.

‘How can you compare a minnow to a basilisk…’

Aden was stunned by Curse’s nonsensical words but then massaged his forehead and organized his thoughts.

‘Anyway, if what he says is true, a basilisk is sleeping here.’

Aden’s face showed a hint of realization.

He spoke to Ets.

“Do you know the locations of all the monster colonies?”

“Yes? Yes! I know.”

“Is that so?”

“Aden Remes, what does that matter now?”

“Kyak! I’m also very curious!”

Ignoring Taion and Lunia’s outbursts, Aden fell into thought.

Monster colonies, the Black Knight, Ets’ information, and the dormant basilisk.

He organized the elements of the current situation in his mind…

‘Wait, how about this?’

Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to him.

Aden clung to that idea and formulated a concrete plan.

He carefully calculated its feasibility.

Eventually, he had an answer.

‘It’s possible.’

He concluded it was worth trying.

“Taion, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a semi-master among them. A very strong one.”

“…!”

Taion, who was eager to slaughter the warlocks, changed his expression.

“What do you mean…!”

“As Ets said, there’s a swordsman who can use Aura Threads.”

Aden deliberately didn’t elaborate on the Black Knight.

He only mentioned an unknown semi-master.

He didn’t want Taion to act unpredictably if he found out that the Sias Grand Duchy was involved, given his close relationship with Dayer Sias.

Taion reflexively turned to Ets, who flinched under his fierce gaze.

“Is that true?”

“Y-Yes! Absolutely!”

“This is outrageous…!”

Taion’s face twisted with frustration.

He immediately understood

how complicated the situation had become.

The presence of a semi-master alone exponentially increased the difficulty of the subjugation.

Aden spoke to the distressed Taion.

“Don’t worry. I have a good plan.”

“Is that true, Aden Remes?”

“But I’ll need your and Priestess Lunia’s help.”

Taion’s face brightened.

“Of course! I’ll do anything to punish them! Thank you, Remes!”

“What about you, Priestess Lunia?”

“I don’t know what it is, but I’m in! Let’s do it!”

Seeing the two enthusiastic people, a bright smile spread across Aden’s face.

“Great? That’s fortunate.”

A shiver ran down Taion’s spine.

That bright smile held a deep meaning, and Taion suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

-Dragon Slayer, your smile is twisted again. What scheme are you planning?

When Curs said such nonsense, things usually went well.

Aden responded to his question.

‘What else? I’m planning to wake the sleepy serpent.’

It would probably be the most tumultuous alarm clock in the world.

* * *

Soon after, Taion faced the source of his foreboding.

Tatadadadak!

Taion was running at full speed, circulating mana throughout his body.

He continued to move his feet, weaving through the black trees.

“Huff, huff!”

Taion panted as if his lungs were about to burst.

For a high-level Sword Aura swordsman, a bit of running wouldn’t make him breathless.

But now, he was panting because he was exerting all his strength.

It was natural.

He would die if he didn’t give his all.

Shushushushushu!

Hundreds of giant spiders chased after Taion in a horde.

-Kisheeeik!

-Kiriiiik!

-Kyaaah!

The giant spiders let out angry cries.

Hundreds of them moved rapidly with their thousands of creepy legs.

The sight of a wave of spiders surging was horror itself.

Taion’s entire body was covered in goosebumps as he ran for his life without looking back.

Strapped to his back was an absurdly large bundle.

Inside that bundle, something that looked like eggs of a creature wriggled within their shells.

They were the eggs of giant spiders.

The spiders had lost their minds and were pursuing him furiously, their compound eyes flipping over in rage at the abductor of their offspring.

In this terrifying chase, Taion shouted in frustration and resentment.

“Aden, you damn bastard!”

Taion Sedus, the eldest son of the Border Count of Sedus and the son of a Sword Master.

He was currently acting as bait to lure the spiders away.