The Soldier Shouted Save

Chapter 18

I looked down at the corpse that had blocked my path.

A giant over 190cm tall.

Scruffy beard.

No doubt about it.

The man who had taken care of Croa and Rian when they had nothing.

The man lying dead on the floor, with a hole in his chest, was none other than Blan, the innkeeper.

‘…Who did this? And why?’

This wasn’t the work of an ordinary robber.

Whoever did this was a professional, someone capable of killing a large man like Blan with a single strike to the heart.

Did Blan have enemies? Was there someone who wanted him dead badly enough to hire an assassin?

‘I need to move quickly.’

Blan might not have been the target.

Perhaps it was someone staying at the inn.

Or worse, the target could be Croa, who possessed divine power even stronger than the elder priests.

‘…Sometimes, extraordinary talent brings disaster.’

I recalled the deadly intrigue at the royal palace, where parents and children alike killed or were killed in their endless struggle for power.

Shaking off the dark thoughts, I tightened my grip on my sword.

―Creak, creak.

The wooden floor creaked noisily under my steps, even though I was walking slowly.

Despite sharpening my senses, all I could detect was the unpleasant stench of blood emanating from Blan’s corpse.

‘Where are all the guests?’

Scanning the empty seats, I headed upstairs.

The staircase seemed unusually long today.

Just as the hallway on the second floor came into view, the shadow cast by the lanterns on the walls suddenly darkened.

―Whoosh!

A sharp gust of wind.

Someone stepped into the moonlight pouring through the window and lunged at me with a dagger.

“Ugh!”

If I hadn’t reacted in time, the blade would have pierced my throat.

―Whack!

I struck the assailant’s jaw with the hilt of my sword and asked, “Who are you?”

“…I am…”

Their eyes gleamed, waiting for the right moment to strike again.

Even with a mask covering their face, I could tell by their eyes they had no intention of answering.

―Whoosh!

With a twist of my wrist, I reversed my sword and slashed across their neck in one swift motion.

Blood sprayed from the cut, splattering across my face.

―Clatter.

So that’s what their plan was.

The dagger of the one who had been waiting to strike from behind fell to the ground.

‘This mark… it’s fake.’

As a habit, I thrust my sword into the chest of the fallen attacker, then bent down to examine the dagger that had rolled away.

A black wolf emblem. Too common.

Mercenary groups using this emblem could be found in nearly every city.

‘Were they cleaning up after their mission?’

Unlike the eerily quiet first floor, the second-floor hallway was a scene of carnage.

Blood flowed from several rooms, the doors left wide open.

‘At least three, maybe five?’

The marks on the doors showed that they had been forced open, yet there were no bodies in the hallway.

It meant the attackers had stormed the rooms simultaneously, leaving no time for anyone to escape.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself as I approached the door at the end of the hall.

‘Croa and Rian’s room is still closed.’

I fought to suppress the rising panic in my chest.

As long as I survived, my siblings had a chance too.

I sharpened my focus and advanced step by step.

One step. Then another.

―Bang!

The doors on both sides of the hallway swung open at the same time.

Two masked men rushed at me, but I didn’t bother dodging their blades.

If I retreated, I’d be dead.

The only way to break free of an ambush was to do something the enemy wouldn’t expect.

―Thud!

Instead of dodging, I thrust my shoulder forward, letting the incoming dagger pierce it.

The familiar sensation of cold steel slicing through flesh.

Ignoring the pain, I shoved my sword deep into one of the attackers.

“G-ghhh…”

His body convulsed as he was skewered like a piece of meat.

“Damn it!”

The second attacker, now frantic, swung his sword wildly.

I used the body impaled on my blade as a shield, throwing it at the second man.

“Urgh…!”

I swiftly withdrew my sword and stabbed again.

Now two corpses lay at my feet.

―Thud.

I yanked my sword free as the two bodies collapsed to the floor, one on top of the other.

“Huff… huff… whew.”

I took deep breaths to replenish the air in my lungs.

It wasn’t over yet.

More masked men emerged from the open doors, one after another.

Two, three… No, five.

There were more than I’d expected, and there could be even more lurking out of sight.

…Could I take them all?

Pushing away the creeping thoughts of doubt, I clenched my teeth.

‘I need to see what’s happening.’

Even if it meant dying in the process.

―Clatter.

I pulled the dagger out of my shoulder and tossed it to the floor.

“Raaahhh!”

With a battle cry, I charged forward, slamming my sword into the first man like a spear.

―Thud.

The more I pushed the blade into him, the more his focus faded.

“One…”

As he collapsed, I counted out loud, but my vision blurred with red.

…Where had I been hit?

Instinctively twisting my body, I swung my sword again.

“Two…”

After taking down the second attacker, I took a step forward, noticing a sword sticking out of my thigh.

“Three…”

But I didn’t stop.

Even as a dagger lodged into my back and my skin ripped open to the point that it dangled, I kept swinging my sword, screaming through the pain.

“Huff… huff…”

My right hand trembled so violently I could barely hold the sword anymore.

―Clatter.

Without hesitation, I reached out with my left hand, grabbed the fallen sword, and kept moving.

“You… crazy bastard!”

What’s the big deal about torn skin and flayed flesh?

A twisted smile crept onto my face at the man’s horrified curse.

I was in critical condition, but despite my injuries, the enemy was the one who feared me now.

‘I just need to kill these two and check the room.’

I was so close.

If I killed the last two men and opened the door to see if Croa and Rian were safe, my task for this lifetime would be complete.

‘Stay focused until the end…’

These weren’t shadows that swallowed people or necromancers controlling armies of skeletons.

These were mere killers. Scum I could easily handle with my own abilities.

Wiping the blood from my eyes with my red-stained hand, I advanced toward the remaining men when a familiar voice called out from behind me.

“What’s this? You’re from the same place as me?”

I turned around to the voice behind me.

It was the man I had seen earlier, speaking with Eris at the church.

The one Eris had called a “warrior.” He stood there, arms crossed, muttering to himself.

“I guess I’ll have to take him too, huh?”

With those words, the warrior’s figure disappeared from in front of me.

“Oh right, I should’ve asked about what kind of perks he had…”

…When had he gotten so close?

His voice suddenly whispered right next to my ear, and it felt like my airways were blocked. I couldn’t breathe.

‘…Did he just punch me in the stomach?’

The warrior withdrew the fist that had been pressed against my abdomen.

An unbearable pain surged through me, my body convulsed, and my legs gave out beneath me.

‘Not yet. Just a little more.’

I tried to push myself up, using my hands to steady my trembling knees.

But it felt as if every organ in my body had burst. I couldn’t move through the violent spasms.

‘…Not yet, move!’

I struggled to lift my head from the ground, desperately forcing my eyes open.

I caught a glimpse of the faces in front of me.

The warrior, the same one who had smiled at Eris at the church.

And the men, now unmasked, panting and wiping sweat from their brows.

‘…Remember.’

I burned their faces into my memory before my world faded into darkness.

—

My blocked nose cleared, and I could breathe again.

Had I gone back in time once more?

I opened my eyes and scanned my surroundings.

‘…Where is this?’

It was dark. Much darker than I had expected.

What point had I returned to this time?

I hastily pressed my palms against the floor and tried to get up.

“Ugh!”

But just as my vision lifted, it dropped again.

My elbow bent at an unnatural angle.

And my thigh… I could see the torn muscles exposed under the skin.

‘…What happened? Why is my body still like this?’

My face hit the floor once more.

At the same time, something that had felt warm began to grow cold, like metal.

‘…The dagger.’

I reached for the dagger that had been strapped to my chest.

A faint, golden light flickered like a dying flame.

It didn’t take long to understand.

The dagger Croa had gifted me was barely holding my life together.

‘So… I’m still in the inn?’

Rather than hoping for a rescue, I thought of a quicker way out.

I could drive the dagger into my throat.

I set the dagger on the ground, prepared to press my chin into it and move on to the “next” life, when I heard footsteps.

“Yes, yes. It’s been taken care of, no problem.”

Someone was still nearby.

The footsteps grew louder, so I quickly crawled and hid the dagger under my body.

“Yeah, I’ve put the saint candidate to sleep, and that annoying newbie who kept running? Handled… What? Perks? Oh, I didn’t check. …You’ll see for yourself in the end, won’t you?”

I glanced toward the voice and saw the warrior who had beaten me. He was sitting on a table, legs propped up, talking to a stone the size of his fist.

When the glowing stone turned black, the warrior scowled.

“Damn it. These bastards are really making me work.”

He stood up from the chair, looking irritated, and glanced around the room.

I shut my eyes, pretending to be unconscious.

“Hey! Bring the brat here, and find me a necromancer!”

I heard someone respond and then the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

―Thud, thud.

The sound of something heavy being dropped next to me followed.

Dust rose from the floor as it hit.

“Damn, these people always ask for so much. Hey, what are you staring at? Hurry up and find me that necromancer!”

“Yes, sir!”

The footsteps retreated, and silence fell over the room.

Coldness settled into my bones.

Had they really put the “saint candidate” to sleep? Could that mean Croa?

As I tried to piece together the situation, I felt a faint breath brush against my cheek.

“…Mister.”

I turned in shock at the familiar voice.

There, lying next to me, her face swollen and bruised, was the young girl from before—Lee Hyerin, the one who had run away from the Moonlight Inn.

Now she lay beside me, dying.

“…Help me.”

Hyerin reached out toward me, her hand trembling.

And then I heard the screeching sound of a chair being pushed back.

“What’s this? You’re still alive?”

It wasn’t just me who had heard Hyerin’s weak plea.

A voice, now full of interest, accompanied the sound of footsteps drawing closer.

“Mom… Please…”

Hyerin tightly shut her eyes, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Without thinking, I reached out to her.

“Kill him.”

The warrior looked down at me, raising an eyebrow as I gripped his ankle.

“What? You’re alive too?”

He lifted his foot.

―Thud!

As his boot slammed into my face, my vision went dark once again.

—

I heard a familiar voice in the distance.

“…Why’d you stop talking?”

My blurry vision gradually cleared, and I shook my head, focusing on the girl in front of me.

“Why’d you stop mid-sentence?”

Lee Hyerin, her round eyes staring up at me.

I rubbed my face, which had just been crushed, and asked her, “…What was I saying?”

“You said something about Save, then just stopped talking.”

I blinked, trying to make sense of the situation.

The restored statue of the goddess. The church.

I had returned again.

I was back when I caught up to Hyerin as she tried to run away after I’d mentioned Save.

“…”

Hyerin, who had been staring at me, suddenly turned her head and pulled her hood down over her face.

I didn’t need to look to know why she was hiding her face.

“There’s a royal palace warrior standing behind me, isn’t there?”

I spoke to Hyerin, whose eyes widened in shock, as I had shared the same fate with her before.

“You’re Korean too, right? Do you like the singer Park Jae-yoon?”

TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES