Chapter 17: The Demon Baron (3)

They passed through the massive gates, finally stepping into the castle grounds. Terrified residents and clusters of soldiers came into view. Kadim gently set down the two people he'd been carrying.

A group of soldiers came rushing over in a panic.

“Lord Baron! Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

The soldiers felt relief, yet couldn't hide their unease. All because of that menacing visitor who'd brought the Baron back.

He was a barbarian with an uncommonly massive frame. And judging by the blood covering his entire body, he must've committed some kind of massacre on his way here. If they had to fight this guy, there was no way in hell they could stop him...

Then an even more serious problem erupted right before their eyes.

The soldiers' gazes shifted from the barbarian toward the castle gate.

"Wh-what? Hey! What are you doing up there! Hurry up and lower the portcullis and close the gate!"

Grrrrrnd, clank, clank, clank—

The men on the wall were cranking the wheel for all they were worth, but it was no good. Maybe it was rusted shut from not being used, but the iron gate was stuck solid.

That’s when Adlen’s soldiers saw their opening. One second they were staggering around like zombies, the next they were moving. A weird light flared in their eyes, and they started charging like wild animals.

"KEHEHEHEHEHEK!"

"KEEEEAAAAH!"

Soldiers on the ramparts and watchtowers cried out in horror.

"Enemy troops incoming!"

“The handle seems to be broken! W-We cannot turn it at all, My Lord!”

“Gods… no…”

Baron Molden turned pale and clutched his forehead. Through the gap in the unclosed gate, he could see the frenzied enemy soldiers. The faces of his own soldiers and civilians turned deathly white.

Kadim slowly stepped forward.

If those soldiers broke through, he wouldn't be able to conduct his business inside the castle peacefully. The buff from drinking blood was still active, so he decided to lend a hand.

He planted his feet firmly. His biceps and forearms tensed. Grabbing the portcullis with both hands, he poured his monstrous strength into it and pulled down with everything he had.

Creak, creak, crrrrreeeak—

The portcullis screeched before finally slamming into the ground.

BOOM!

"..."

"..."

The approaching soldiers stopped dead in their tracks like dogs that lost sight of their prey. Not stopping there, Kadim decided to manually close the castle gates as well.

Creeeeaaaak—BOOM!

The massive steel gates, towering like a colossus, were closed shut by the strength of one man alone.

"..."

Everyone inside the castle froze in shock.

"That's... that's impossible..."

"How can someone have that kind of strength...?"

"Is that barbarian even human...?"

A task that would've taken a dozen strong men working a pulley system, he'd finished it effortlessly with his bare hands. It was a superhuman feat that was unthinkable with a human body.

He was already a terrifying presence, but now they couldn't control their emotions. People unconsciously stumbled backward in fear.

Baron Molden let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the merchant.

“Ha, hahaha… I saw it with my own two eyes and I still don’t believe it. Your friend there… what is he? Is he even human?”

Duncan shook his head weakly.

"Honestly, Lord Baron, I'm not sure either..."

***

Molden's inner castle.

This place was called a banquet hall, although it was more akin to a slightly oversized dining room than being one.

The Baron sat at the head of the table and addressed his guests.

“Hahaha! We don’t have much, but please, help yourselves!”

Baron Molden was a man who believed in the old ways of hospitality.

Once a guest entered your home, regardless of the reason, he was to treat them well. Even if these guests had just ruined his plan to kill himself, he couldn’t make an exception. So he broke out the last of his private food stores.

Duncan devoured the salted chicken stew and hot bean soup like a starving ghost. But compared to the barely-salted crap he’d been eating on the road, it was heaven. The second his bowl was empty, he was asking for more.

But Kadim hadn't touched his food.

"You've been under siege for quite some time, haven't you? There’s no way you have a lot of food left.”

The Baron gave a bitter smile.

"Don't worry about it. My household and I can skip a meal or two. I would sooner serve you a slice of my own leg than face the dishonor of a guest leaving my table hungry.”

"..."

It took a second to sink in, but when it did, Duncan froze with soup dripping down his chin. Three wrinkles creased Kadim's forehead.

“Is that why you were trying to get yourself killed out there? ‘Honor’?”

"...Yes. To some extent, that's correct."

“I want the whole story. Why are those soldiers surrounding your castle, and why were you so eager to die, Baron.”

"..."

For some reason, from the moment they met until now, the barbarian had been casually addressing the Baron informally. A couple of soldiers who hadn’t seen his little stunt at the gate bristled and lifted their spears.

“Hey, you bastard! Who do you think you’re talking to, being so rude…”

"Stop. Stand down."

But the Baron had seen what the barbarian could do. He knew threatening a man that strong was pointless. He waved his hands to restrain the soldiers and even sent them outside.

The banquet hall now held only two guests and the castle's lord.

The Baron began to tell them the whole story.

"Haah, this will be a long story. As you can see, Molden has been under siege by Viscount Adlen's forces for four months now. We’re like rats in a trap.”

This land was originally barren and lacked security, so few people lived here. Baron Molden had been appointed lord by imperial decree and resolved to somehow make this place livable.

Decades passed, and the Baron's dedication bore fruit. He cleaned out the bandits and cleared the land, and Molden became a reasonably prosperous and peaceful place. As it was in such a remote location, there was little chance of it being embroiled in conflict, and so the prosperity and peace of Molden seemed as though they would last forever.

But one man's greed and jealousy changed everything.

"Adlen is a nearby territory that originally had somewhat better conditions than Molden. But as Molden gradually developed into a better place to live, their lord grew envious."

Viscount Adlen started spreading vicious lies. He said Baron Molden had made a deal with a demon to make his lands prosper, that he was the ‘Demon Baron.’

At first, nobody bought it. Who was going to believe some baseless frontier gossip? In fact, the people of Molden went out of their way to shut the rumors down to protect their lord’s sake.

But the situation changed recently.

"The Fourth Prince, who was touring the border regions... took a liking to Viscount Adlen's second daughter."

With that tiny connection to the Imperial Family, Viscount Adlen suddenly became the most influential lord in the area. Now his words weren't just empty rumors. The people of Molden still didn't care about the gossip, but others nearby did.

Eventually, the Emperor gave his silent permission for Adlen to punish the ‘ungodly lord’ who’d sided with a demon.

"The reason they didn't summon the Paladins was simple. If they came, the rumors would be exposed as lies, and they'd have to give the Order a substantial cut."

...And so the siege based on false pretenses had continued for four months.

The Baron could no longer stand watching Molden's people suffer. He figured if he died, Adlen would lose his excuse. That’s why he was going to end it all himself today.

But something was strange. Kadim interrupted the Baron.

“How many soldiers does the enemy have in total?”

"About four hundred. Meanwhile, Molden has barely a hundred soldiers..."

“That doesn’t make sense. You’ve been under siege for four months, so broke you’re starving yourselves to feed us. So how can Adlen afford to send out four hundred soldiers and keep them fed for four months with nothing to show for it?”

"..."

Kadim didn't miss the flash of panic in the Baron's eyes.

It was definitely strange. Even with the best supply line in the world, money doesn’t grow on trees. There was no way a fief the size of Adlen’s could afford to keep an army like that in the field for four months unless they were actively trying to go broke.

And those soldiers weren't even in normal condition...

The Baron vaguely deflected, suggesting there must have been covert imperial support. Then he quickly changed the subject.

"Now then, I’ve told you my story, so tell me yours. Who exactly are you, and what business brings you to Molden?"

"...I came to Molden looking for something. Tell me, is there a rock shaped like a fist in the center of this castle?”

"How do you know about that? There is indeed such a rock in the underground chamber beneath the inner castle..."

"Perfect. Guide me there, and I'll finish my business and leave quietly. I have no other purpose."

"That's not possible."

"..."

"The underground chamber is off-limits."

His tone was as decisive as a blade cutting down.

Kadim's eyes narrowed.

"...And why is that?"

"I can't tell outsiders. My apologies."

But he didn't sound apologetic at all. He sounded insulted. The Baron's expression gradually hardened. A strange light flickered in eyes that had held only goodwill before.

Kadim stared quietly at the Baron and the man didn't avoid his gaze. Duncan, startled by the suddenly tense atmosphere, fidgeted nervously.

Right. Things were going too smoothly.

He’d had enough trouble for one day. He didn't want things to get more complicated from here. Kadim leaned back against his chair, then suddenly sprang up like lightning and slammed his hand on the table.

THWACK!

A dagger was driven deep through the thick table.

Pinned under the blade was an insect, cut cleanly in half.

Picking up the still-squirming bug, Kadim spoke in a severe tone.

"You said there are about a hundred soldiers in the castle?"

"..."

"By tomorrow, they'll all end up like this."

Thump—

The Baron felt his heart sink.

“And they can’t run. They’re surrounded. If they hide really well, maybe they’ll last a little while, but not much. They’ll die just like this bug, crushed without ever knowing why. A completely pointless death.”

"..."

"You don't need to explain to me why you are blocking entry. But I'll give you a choice."

"..."

"Choose, Baron. Will you quietly guide me underground, or will you guide me after Molden is stained with innocent blood?"

Tremble—

The Baron's hand shook faintly.

Despite receiving such an outrageous threat, he couldn't laugh it off.

He didn’t really think this man could kill all one hundred of his soldiers. But he knew without a doubt that trying to stop him would be a bloodbath. The power it took to charge through that army, to close that gate, to punch a dagger through solid oak… that wasn’t human.

My mistake. I never should have let a stranger with a hidden agenda walk through my front door.

The Baron squeezed his eyes shut. Things were bad. So bad that he was regretting being a good host.

There was no other option now.

"...Fine. I'll guide you to the underground chamber."

"..."

"But not right now. I have a condition."

The Baron quietly stated his condition and Kadim raised an eyebrow.

"...After you surrender and die, if Viscount Adlen attacks the castle, you want me to help defend it?"

"Exactly. Since Viscount Adlen has lost his justification, he might launch an all-out assault in desperation... After you repel the attack, I'll instruct my chief steward to guide you underground."

"That's ridiculous. Do you really think that's an honorable death?"

"..."

"Leaving everything behind to a complete stranger, abandoning everything and dying like you're running away, do you truly think that's an honorable death?"

The pupils that had never doubted that this was the path of honor trembled violently.

The Baron's gaze slowly fell downward.

Sacrificing oneself for others seems noble at first glance. But it was just dying the easy way out. It’s nothing compared to fighting your enemy to your last breath.

Leaving the cleanup to someone else while you take a pointless dive into the grave? That’s for cowards. The Atalan way is different. For those of who spend their lives soaking their blades in blood out in the dry wasteland, an honorable death is something else entirely.

"..."

Like this insect, still gnawing on thick fingers even after being cut in half.

Arms and legs twisted, ribs crushed, guts spilling out, skull shattered.

It’s facing an enemy that it knows can’t possibly defeat, yet still fighting to the very end before dying.

Kadim gently put the bug down as it finally went still. Then he bared his teeth savagely.

"I have a better idea. Listen up, Baron."

***

And that was that.

The Baron thought it over long and hard but ultimately accepted Kadim's proposal.

"Very well… We’ll do it your way.”

They still had plenty of time before the plan went into motion. Kadim and Duncan left the hall and a servant led them to a guest room in the inner keep.

Since the barbarian insisted on resting on the stone floor, the musty straw bed went to the merchant. Duncan sat on the edge of the bed and finally caught his breath.

Phew, things seemed like they might go south for a moment there... but I'm glad it worked out in the end.

"..."

"But my lord, why did the Baron try to stop us from entering the underground? He doesn't seem like someone who'd refuse a guest's request without good reason..."

The reason was obvious.

Kadim stared at the floor and muttered dryly.

"A demon."

"...Pardon?"

"Baron Molden is hiding a demon in the castle's underground chamber."

Duncan’s face went rigid, as if it were carved from stone.

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