Hard Carried by My Sword-Chapter 68

Chapter 68
Ten days passed. The Storm Caravan was moving smoothly along the road into Rubena.
A few puffs of cloud drifted lazily across the clear sky, and a cool breeze blew, drying the sweat on the horses’ flanks.
Unlike before, nothing threatened the convoy now. The route from Valkas to Rubena ran right alongside the national border where monsters and petty bandits didn’t even dare to approach.
This area was patrolled every other day by the patrols of Valkas, the city known as the Fortress City. Even the most notorious wanted criminals, known for their nerve, wouldn’t come near this stretch.
The powers that lurked in the shadows ultimately only held sway
within
the shadows. Against an army or state authority, their influence could only go so far. This safe zone existed precisely because of that balance.
And naturally, merchants loved this road as all they had to do was follow the well-maintained highway. There were no surprises, no diversions. A trade route that unfolded exactly as planned was always ideal and desired.
However, for adventurers and mercenaries, it was a different story.
“So boring... I’m even sick of saying it’s boring...”
Karen turned away from the window, flopping back with a listless groan. It wasn’t just a day or two—it was ten whole days.
With no danger to handle, she’d barely stepped out of the carriage except for meals, and the scenery rolling past the window was nothing but the same endless plains, sunup to sundown. For people accustomed to an adrenaline-filled life, it was agony.
Well, I’m not much better off,
Leon thought.
Ne suppressed an awkward smile at the sight. It wasn’t like he found this exciting either.
If this had been him a month ago, he might have been worse than Karen, climbing the walls with boredom. He couldn’t exactly swing his sword inside the carriage, and training his Aura control was risky too, with the constant jolting.
To do nothing at all—he’d never realized how torturous that could be until now.
—Do you appreciate how precious I am now? Where else will you find a talking sword that keeps you entertained so you don’t die of boredom?
That fleeting moment of reflection was shattered as El-Cid piped up, practically bragging. Leon’s eyebrow twitched. Anyone overhearing would think this sword was babbling purely for
his
sake.
Sure, he hadn’t been lonely on the road thanks to El-Cid’s chatter, but the smugness killed any urge to say thanks. The truth was, the sword was always just naturally chatty.
Yeah, yeah. Really grateful.
Leon shot back with a blank stare. He’d learned not to rise to the bait—getting worked up just made him more fun to tease. So now, his best defense was ignoring him entirely.
Of course, El-Cid didn’t care at all.
—Exactly! Only the most savage animals fail to show gratitude! Now, where was I? Oh, right—the time I got a personal invitation from a Vampire Lord and marched into his castle all alone?
You’d just gotten to the part where you stepped into the ballroom.
—
Ah
, yes. You see, I knew that invitation was a trap, of course, but I barged in anyway—had to exterminate the whole nest in one sweep, you know? Those sly vampire ladies tried their best to seduce me, but a true hero may indulge yet never be
ensnared
. I kept on walking, resolute.
Vampires were infamous for their many abilities. The classic, bloodsucking, was only the star. There was shape-shifting into bats or beasts, dissolving into mist, and even regenerating wounds like an immortal.
Some abilities were well-known, some more obscure. One of the more famous was seduction.
—The purer the vampire’s bloodline, the more irresistible they are to their sexual counterparts. Every glance, every word, every move of theirs carries a magical energy that unsettles the mind. Hundreds of fools have pledged themselves to the Demon Lord’s army under that spell alone.
Hundreds? That’s not that many, is it?
—What if I told you those ‘fools’ were all commanders, nobles, knights, and mages of renown?
Leon swallowed without meaning to. Normally, seductions were considered a low-tier trick—easy to shake off for anyone with decent mental training. Just enough to catch your eye at best. However, an upper-tier vampire’s seduction was in another league altogether.
—Once you’re caught, you can’t break free so easily—and even if you kill the vampire who cast it, another’s waiting to beguile you. It was a thorn in my side for ages.
That was exactly why he’d walked into the trap by choice. Vampires were perfectly suited for guerrilla warfare, so there was no hope of catching them just by tightening security.
A crisis was an opportunity, and an opportunity a crisis, and Rodrick had taken that wisdom to heart. He marched into the vampires’ fortress alone and slaughtered the overconfident hosts.
The grand fortress where the vampires had gathered had become a barren wasteland where not a single weed grew. Nine-tenths of the high-tier vampires, Lords included, were wiped out. It was then that vampires all but vanished from history.
—A few slipped away, but the Church’s pursuit squad went after them. I doubt any lived out their lives in peace. Never thought I’d see them crawl back three centuries later, though.
Do I stand a chance against them?
—
Hmm
? You’ll be fine.
El-Cid didn’t even hesitate. The reason was simple.
—With the Holy Sword’s light and your Sun Aura, a pureblood vampire is dry straw before a torch. They’d be ashes the moment your light touches them.
Leon had managed to suppress dhampirs easily enough—purebloods would fare even worse. Just a brush of that Aura, and they’d be dust.
The match-up was that hopelessly one-sided. Unless they struck first and killed him in an instant, any actual
fight
was already his win.
I see...
He’d never faced one before, so he’d erred on the side of caution. However, hearing El-Cid spell it out made things make sense.
Underestimating an enemy was dangerous, but overestimating them could be just as bad. He only needed to stay calm and fight as he always did.
Just then, Karen sprang to her feet, vaulting up onto the carriage roof.
“
Ah
! There it is!” she shouted.
Judging by her reaction, Rubena had come into view at last. Leon followed her up.
The roof, reinforced with a metal frame, easily supported them both. Standing balanced on the swaying carriage, Leon and Karen looked out toward the distant walls of Rubena.
They’re pretty tall.
The walls of Rubena weren’t quite on the scale of the ones of the Fortress City, but they were still impressive for a city located near the borders. And if he wasn’t mistaken, the air shimmered faintly around the ramparts.
No sooner had he thought that than El-Cid confirmed it.
—It’s a barrier. They’ve inscribed warding magic into the walls using an enormous amount of silver—meant to repel vampires. Looks like there’s more to it, but I can’t tell exactly what.
A barrier against vampires? That can’t be right.
It didn’t match their assumptions at all. If Count Rubena was the puppet master behind the vampires, why put up a ward against them?
Leon fell silent, shelving that thought for now. It was better to gather more pieces before jumping to conclusions.
“Halt! State your caravan’s business!” a knight called out in a booming voice from the city gate.
The Storm Caravan’s line came to a stop. It was unusual for a knight himself to oversee inspections, but of all days, today was the day.
Arnold clicked his tongue inwardly at the added hassle and stepped forward.
“Greetings. I am Arnold of the Storm Caravan.”
“A pleasure, Mr. Arnold. I am Brad, a senior knight of Rubena County. Storm Caravan...
hmm
? Wait—are you the very caravan our lord requested a special item from?”
The knight’s eyes widened as the pieces clicked together, and Arnold caught on immediately and answered without missing a beat.
“Yes, that’s us. We’ve brought the Count’s item.”
“
Oh
! You’re finally here! The lord has been eagerly awaiting your arrival. He’s asked after you daily—so we took it upon ourselves to handle the gate inspections personally.”
“
Ha
, I hope we didn’t cause you too much trouble,” Arnold bowed his head slightly, choosing his words carefully.
Brad, pleased by his polite demeanor, chuckled in satisfaction and raised one hand high. It was a sign that they’d skip the inspection.
“Inconvenience? Not at all—if anything, you’ve arrived three days earlier than expected. You’ve no need to worry—please, go on through!”
At his signal, the soldiers blocking the gate stepped aside, opening a path wide enough for the wagons to pass. Following that clear path, the Storm Caravan’s convoy entered Rubena’s walls.
As they passed through the gate, Leon felt something brush over him—an energy sweeping over his body. It was different from divine power—likely the barrier’s effect, just as El-Cid had said.
Doesn’t seem to affect me since I’m not a vampire.
Just as silver was only a precious metal to humans, a barrier designed specifically for vampires did nothing to him. Leon quietly took note of this and stepped back inside the carriage. From here on, he’d have to stay subtle.
El-Cid chimed in, —By the way, that knight—he’s not a dhampir or a vampire.
Really?
Thanks to El-Cid, Leon could immediately learn who was and wasn’t a vampire. The entire way to the count’s manor, Leon kept his eyes open but found neither vampire nor Dhampir. Not even one. Given the midday sun overhead, maybe that wasn’t surprising.
Soon, the Storm Caravan’s wagons pulled up in front of the Count’s mansion. That was when Brad said something unexpected.
“Ah, from here on, only the caravan leader and mercenaries or adventurers of B-rank or higher may proceed.”
“Excuse me? Why is that...?” Arnold asked, surprised.
Brad answered, “It is a direct order from the lord himself.”
There was nothing to argue—when the Count commands, one obeys. Arnold simply nodded and complied. Karen, Leon, and the other members of the Steel Claw followed behind, still puzzled.
Arnold had something to deliver personally, sure—but why call in the escorts? With that question in mind, the small group crossed an opulent corridor.
“This way.”
After a few minutes, Brad stopped at the doors to the Count’s receiving room and spoke in a firm voice.
“My lord, the Storm Caravan and its escort have arrived.”
A voice came from the other side of the door.
“Come in.”
“Yes, sir!”
At the voice from beyond the door, Brad bowed once, then immediately pushed the gate wide, leading Arnold’s group inside.
Before a high noble, even breathing must be done with care. Arnold, at the head of the group, dropped to one knee the moment they were ten paces from the Count and lowered his gaze. To stand tall and meet the Count’s eyes would have been enough to get his head cut off on the spot.
Unlike him, Leon risked a sidelong glance at Count Rubena.
Doesn’t look like some sinister mastermind,
he thought.
El-Cid grumbled his agreement, —
Hah
. If only good and evil were so easy to read on a man’s face.
Andrei von Rubena was head of the Rubena family that had ruled the region for generations, as well as the man they suspected as the puppet master behind everything.
He looked every bit his sixty-some years, with half-white hair and a full, well-kept beard. His gentle eyes and the mild smile on his lips didn’t suit the image of a villain at all.
The man’s appearance didn’t matter. Leon probed silently, trying to sense the truth behind the mask.
El-Cid.
—Nope.
Huh?
—That old man isn’t a vampire. He’s just human—pure human. And so are the knights nearby. All of them.
Leon’s eyes widened in shock but with his head bowed, no one noticed his reaction. The Count himself and everyone close to him weren’t vampires at all? Then who was the real enemy lurking in this domain?
Before he could think further, Count Rubena spoke.
“Welcome, Mr. Arnold of the Storm Caravan—and you valiant ones who brought him safely here.”
At the very least, there was no arrogance in his tone. It was the respectful, gracious manner that would flatter anyone and put them at ease.
The Count gestured again, inviting them to raise their heads, and continued in a warm voice.
“Before we speak further, let me first receive my item. Mr. Arnold, you have brought it, I trust?”
“
Ah
, yes! Of course, my lord.”
“I’ll take a look, then.”
Arnold stepped forward and offered a small box with both hands. The Count opened the lid and lifted out the black crystal inside.
When he held it up to the light, its clear, flawless interior shone brilliantly. It was a top-grade black crystal, entirely free of impurities.
“
Ho
! You chose well. I am most pleased.”
With a satisfied chuckle, the Count gestured. A knight standing behind him stepped forward and set down a heavy chest at Arnold’s side. He opened it to reveal a dazzling pile of gold.
“The promised sum—one thousand gold coins. And I shall grant you a further favor: a twenty percent discount on any goods you purchase within my walls. How does that sound?”
Arnold responded with glee, “We are simply grateful for your great generosity, my lord!”
“
Haha
! No need to be so formal about it.”
Chuckling, the Count paused for a moment, then his expression shifted. The air in the room turned grave, filled with the weight and dignity of true nobility.
“Now then, let me get to my point. What I am about to say must never leave this room. Guard your tongues well.” His eyes sharpened as he swept his gaze across them all, lowering his voice as he declared, “Do not be alarmed—but vampires have slipped into Rubena.”
“W-what!?”
Arnold’s astonished exclamation slipped out before he could stop it. The knights around the room glared daggers at him, but the Count paid it no mind.
Such a reaction was only natural. Vampires—creatures so elusive some doubted they even existed—suddenly appearing? Who wouldn’t be shocked?
Count Rubena’s face settled into a somber frown.
“Since discovering this, we have searched day and night for their lairs, but... my knights alone cannot root them out from every hidden corner of the city. Vampires are elusive by nature—my men have never fought monsters like these before, and I fear for them.”
Then, he paused before looking around at Leon and the others.
“I thought I might entrust this task to seasoned mercenaries and adventurers like yourselves. I will personally guarantee payment for your hunt, and we shall provide silver weapons and holy water as needed. What say you?”
None of this made sense. Leon, Karen, and Gustav exchanged uneasy glances, but there was one thing they all understood.
At this moment, there was only one possible answer they could give.