25-210

EP.210 [Elizabeth’s Sensual Moan Bursts Out Beside Her Beloved Brother.] 

-Fwoooooosh!!! 

‘The greatsword’s blade… it’s going in!’ 

Although Eugene’s greatsword had clashed with the drake’s mana, it not only pierced through the mana but was also slicing through the drake’s thick neck hide. 

And then- 

-Slaaaaash!!! 

He finally decapitated the drake. 

‘This…’ 

Despite landing such an incredible blow, Eugene’s expression looked pensive. 

‘On purpose??’ 

In truth, though the drake had charged in with a showy attack, it wasn’t serious. Instead, it had drawn out Eugene’s full power and guided him to cut its own neck. 

Fsssssssssssssssssh!!!! 

From the neck severed by Eugene Schneider’s greatsword, a jet of dark red blood spurted out. 

At the same time- 

[Heh heh…! That was a splendid attack, son of Sabrina…] 

The drake’s voice echoed through the space. 

“What is this, Drake? What’s going on!” 

Eugene demanded an answer from the drake. The tone of its voice didn’t suggest it had truly died. It felt as if the drake’s body and voice were now separate. 

[I merely left behind a byproduct of my existence. It was a body I had to maintain in this imperfect world. Now that my curiosity has been satisfied, I’ll discard this flesh and return to where I belong. Heh heh…] 

The drake replied in a relaxed voice. 

With the Demon God’s Eye opened, the drake had descended into the world against its will. But since the continent’s demonic energy was still incomplete, it had maintained its body to persist. It wandered, waiting for the fated encounter that explained why it had descended. Through Eugene, the drake found what it sought and was now returning without regret. 

[Cutting down my body and completing your quest will serve as a valuable opportunity for you. So there’s no need to feel used.] 

The drake added another cryptic remark. 

And then, after those words- 

“Huh?” 

Ssssssssssssssssssh…!!! 

Some of the drake’s dead body’s energy entered Eugene Schneider. The vivid visual effect and sensation made Eugene’s eyes go wide. 

[It would be best for you if we never meet again, but I doubt that will be the case. Now, unravel the tangled threads of fate, son of Sabrina.] 

Sssssssssssssss…!! 

And some of the energy drifted into the air like smoke and vanished. 

‘It’s gone, the drake.’ 

The drake thus returned to the abyss. 

Crack crack crack crack! 

Cracks began to form in the darkness surrounding Eugene Schneider. 

-Craaaaaack! 

-Shuaaaaaaaa!! 

With the cracks, the dark space shattered, and the blazing desert sunlight poured in. The binding space the drake had created collapsed. 

“Onii-chan!!!” 

After the intense sunlight filled Eugene’s vision, he heard a cry that was both desperate and ecstatic. 

‘Elizabeth!’ 

It was Elizabeth’s voice. 

Whoooooosh!!! 

Right after hearing Elizabeth, Eugene’s vision cleared, and what filled it was the gradually calming dark red vortex. 

“Onii-chan!!! You’re safe!!” 

Beyond that stood Elizabeth, a mess of tears and snot, and Victoria holding a communication stone linked to the barrier team. 

“Uh, uh! I’m fine, Mage! And Captain Victoria!” 

It was clear that Elizabeth had lost her composure after Eugene was swallowed by the vortex. Victoria now knew the two were siblings, but the others did not. Regardless, Elizabeth, unable to do anything, kept calling for her brother. 

So Eugene raised his hand and answered immediately to calm her. 

“Waaaah! Onii-chan! I was so worried!” 

Hug!! 

But it was useless. As soon as the vortex fully subsided, Elizabeth ran straight into Eugene’s arms and burst into tears. 

“It’s okay, I’m safe, Elizabeth. Look, I even took down the drake.” 

Pat! Pat! Pat! 

“Haaah…! I’m useless! Because I couldn’t properly analyze the enemy, I put you in danger, onii-chan! Waaaah!” 

With no other choice, Eugene comforted Elizabeth as her big brother. 

“I’m glad you’re safe, Captain Eugene.” 

“Yes, thank you for worrying, Captain Victoria.” 

Victoria, having checked the situation in a by-the-book manner, also approached Eugene to express relief. 

“Amazing. You took down the drake by yourself.” 

She looked at the drake’s headless corpse, unable to hide her astonishment. 

“It seems the barrier worked better than expected. As its mana drained rapidly, it made one last desperate move, which allowed us to finish it off.” 

Eugene quickly improvised an explanation for Victoria. 

And so- 

“Hahaha!! Eugene Schneider, the assault leader of the Red Fox Mercenary Band, who took down the drake! What an incredible feat!!” 

Eugene became the mercenary who slew the drake. Ivan, the Red Fox Mercenary Band’s advisor, praised Eugene’s achievement while holding up a large mug. 

The drake was dead. The quest was perfectly cleared. When a quest ends, both the Imperial Knights and the mercenaries hold a victory party. That very night, a grand celebration was held at the drake special quest team’s camp. 

“I tell you! The day Captain Eugene joined our mercenary band, I saw it in his eyes! That man would become someone great! He’d be remembered forever in the mercenary history of the Fedon continent for slaying the drake!” 

Peter, the medic, already quite drunk, joined in Ivan’s praise. 

“Did you, Peter? Didn’t you say he was too young to have even swung a sword properly? Am I remembering wrong~?” 

“Hey! Sophia, if someone hears that, they’ll think I really said it!” 

Sophia, the secular priest, bluntly exposed Peter’s fibs, thinking he was going a bit too far. 

“Come on! Let’s set aside misunderstandings and stories and just enjoy this wonderful day together! Everyone, raise your glasses higher! The drinks and meat are thanks to our brother, Captain Eugene Schneider!” 

“My glass is empty, Ivan! Fill me up~!” 

“Haha! Let’s do it, our beautiful swordswoman Marie!” 

“Thank you, Captain Eugene~! I’ll eat and drink well~!!” 

Heroic tales are what bind a mercenary band together. For such a tale to be born, everyone must do their part, and the hero’s exploits become a source of pride for all. The Red Fox Mercenary Band, who worked hard to maintain the barrier, cheered for their comrade Eugene Schneider, now a hero, and enjoyed the party to the fullest. 

“Is there anything lacking, Captain Jeanne?” 

Victoria checked on Jeanne at the party. The Imperial Knights, of course, were supplying the party provisions. Since the hero was from the Red Fox Mercenary Band, the Knights were even more enthusiastic in their preparations. 

“It’s almost overwhelming how much you’ve prepared.” 

After the quest, Jeanne checked on each member individually. Because magic was involved and the enemy was an extraordinary monster, there could be aftereffects even after the quest. Only after finishing those checks did Jeanne finally join the party. 

“We should be treating you even better, honestly. The drake subjugation was that important. The imperial family was watching this quest very closely.” 

Victoria answered with a warm smile, finding Jeanne’s surprised reaction charming. Victoria knew Jeanne was a noblewoman, but at this moment, Jeanne looked like any other mercenary captain. 

“Did you find anything else in the drake’s remains? Anything we should know?” 

In the Imperial Knights, Vincent checked on the members, while Victoria and Farnese inspected the drake’s corpse. Jeanne, having heard about it, asked cautiously. Officially, the Red Fox Mercenary Band’s role ended with slaying the drake; they had no rights over the corpse. But after such a huge quest, the leaders of both groups had become friends. 

“Nothing special so far from what we’ve found here. I think only a formal investigation by the imperial authorities will reveal anything. However-” 

Victoria answered Jeanne with a neutral expression. There was nothing remarkable so far. 

“It’s still amazing. Even if the drake was rapidly weakening, it’s incredible that Captain Eugene took it down alone.” 

But that was a matter for higher-level discussion; as far as the final battle itself, there were no complications. There were no complicated traces-just one final clash, and Eugene ended the drake in a single blow. Naturally, Victoria was full of questions. 

‘I want to ask too.’ 

Jeanne, who knew Eugene had become a Sword Seeker, felt the same. Jeanne had already told Elizabeth that Eugene wasn’t ready to use his Sword Seeker power at full capacity. Even if he was, the drake was a tough opponent-one a Sword Seeker alone would struggle to defeat. That’s why they’d hidden Eugene’s abilities from the Imperial Knights and focused on Elizabeth’s tactics. Yet Eugene had slain the drake so cleanly and perfectly, all on his own. Jeanne also sensed there was more to it. 

“Captain Eugene is nowhere to be seen.” 

Victoria, ever direct, decided to seek out Eugene herself. 

“Captain Eugene is being cared for by the mage. There’s a lot to check, apparently.” 

Jeanne called for Elizabeth. After Eugene fell victim to the drake’s trick, there was no way Elizabeth would just leave things be; she had to check for any abnormalities. Even if it wasn’t Eugene, it was natural for a mage to do so-but with Eugene, Elizabeth was even more openly devoted. 

“Oh, then it’ll be hard to see him right away.” 

Victoria inadvertently witnessed just how deep Elizabeth’s love for Eugene ran-so intense it even made Victoria’s own boldness falter. When Eugene returned alive, Elizabeth had wept tears and snot. 

Now, monopolizing Eugene, Elizabeth- 

“Haaah…!” 

-let out a seductive moan.