Chapter 62: Who Do We Have Here?

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Who Do We Have Here?

Chapter 62: Who Do We Have Here?

’The more they show me, the more their story just doesn’t add up...’

’Why would bandits who they claim are so skilled leave such valuable intel behind?’ He was referring to the fabric.

If the killers really were instinct-driven, then it was quite absurd to think they were always one step ahead of an entire noble household.

How could he believe men who couldn’t hold it in their pants would be so sly and untraceable?

’This is more reason to have a look around. I have a feeling I can learn a thing or two about the truth if I ask a few questions.’ Osborne secretly glanced about.

’The problem now is how do I get away from this man and his goons...’ he thought.

’Wait...’ Osborne suddenly spotted a wagon filled with manure, being pulled by cattle up the road.

’That could work,’ he said to himself.

He and Sebastian were ahead of the group, with Sebastian in the lead.

The wagon was passing from the right to the left.

He quickened his steps a bit, passing Sebastian.

"Is something the matter, young sir?" Sebastian frowned and picked up his pace to catch up.

"Can’t you see that disgusting thing? I’d rather walk ahead than wait for it to pass." Osborne feigned a revolted expression.

"My apologies. Let’s go ahead then." He led the way.

The two of them walked past just as the wagon temporarily blocked the road as well as the view from behind.

"We should wait here for the others to catch up, young sir..." Sebastian turned around and said.

"...?!?" Only to realise that Osborne was gone.

"Young sir? Young sir?" He tried calling out, only to be met with silence.

"Where’s our boss?" Clawdeth frowned, asking after the dung wagon had finished passing.

"It would appear the young sir saw fit to walk around a bit." Sebastian sighed and said.

"Leave it to us." The four men said without even being told, all scattering.

"We’ll go look for him too," Clawdeth said.

"No..." Sebastian shut her down. "You two will come with me." He said firmly.

"It’d be a hassle to look for all three of you at once. This village has a way of messing with one’s mind, I’m afraid."

"I’m sure your boss wouldn’t want to wait around until you’re fine." He added.

Clawdeth and Gilhound shared a glance before turning to Sebastian and nodding.

"Good. Come with me. I’m sure I can find a suitable establishment in this trash heap where we can wait for the young sir." Sebastian said, before leading them away.

---

Some time later.

Osborne popped back in the middle of the road.

His appearance naturally attracted the bewildered gazes of onlookers.

Not wanting to be found out, he hurriedly ran off.

He stopped within an alley, popping his head out at intervals to make sure the coast was clear.

Just when he thought it was safe to come out—

"W-What are you doing here..." He heard a voice coming from within the alley.

Osborne jerked around, only to see a man resembling a dirty beggar, staring at him in disbelief.

"It’s you?" Osborne was taken aback, because he recognised who it was. How could he not?

His neck-length black hair and crimson eyes were a dead giveaway, not to mention he was someone who had once tried to kill him.

The soldier from the military encampment.

"Vegan?" Osborne said, as if trying to remember his name.

"It’s Vlaric!" Vlaric said, glaring at him.

---

"What are you doing here? Come to destroy me directly now, too–?!" Vlaric shouted.

But Osborne rushed forward and placed a hand against his mouth.

"Keep quiet, will you?" He whispered, his face agitated.

Osborne turned to glance out the alley. Noticing that no one was coming, he inwardly felt relieved.

"Hey! Get your hands off me!" Vlaric slapped his hand away before creating some distance between them.

"To think you’d come all the way here just to finish the job yourself. You noble bastards really are vile to the core."

’The heck is this idiot going on and on about?’ Osborne frowned.

"I don’t have time for this," Osborne said, turning to leave.

"Why you!" Vlaric’s body trembled in anger.

"Do you really think I’d let you leave like this?!" He said, aura beginning to leak out from his body.

"Oh? You’ve awakened?" Osborne turned his head around.

’It’s incomparable to hers, of course... Even Clawdeth is far stronger in comparison... Which means he’s probably a first star aura user.’ Osborne thought to himself.

He was impressed, because he knew not just everyone could awaken because they wanted to. Sometimes, all one needed was the perfect situation to force their bodies into awakening.

"Rotten bastard, after everything you put me through, of course I’d awaken!" Vlaric shouted.

’Must he be so loud though?’

"You made a foolish mistake coming to see me alone." Vlaric gnashed his teeth. "Now I’ll make sure you don’t leave here alive!" He said, before charging at Osborne.

He threw a fist. Osborne crossed his hands in front of him.

Vlaric sneered as his attack connected.

"...."

’He didn’t even budge?!’

"You talk big about gaining revenge, but is this really all you’re capable of?" Osborne looked at him with faint traces of disappointment.

’If I hadn’t used my mana to cushion that hit, he would’ve done some damage,’ he thought to himself.

"Shut up!" Vlaric spun his leg to deliver a kick to his side.

"I allowed you the first strike. I think that’s more than generous enough." Osborne said.

Before his kick could land, Osborne’s fist struck him square in the face.

Vlaric’s head flew backwards.

Not giving him time to react, Osborne tried imitating the boxers he’d seen on Earth.

Moving in and delivering quick blows one after another.

Vlaric, who was already caught off guard, was unable to react in time. Even when he finally regained some semblance of control, the outcome had already been decided.

BAM!

With one final punch, Vlaric fell back, landing on his ass.

"How?!" He stared at Osborne in shock, his face swollen, bruised, and battered.

He remembered how cowardly Osborne had fled from him in the past. Even when the both of them weren’t awakened, he still didn’t dare to clash with him.

He refused to accept the fact that someone like that was now capable of beating him to such a state.

"...?!!!" A chill went down his spine when Osborne delivered another blow, this one stronger than all the others, only to stop inches from his face.

"If you don’t want to be the one who dies here today, you’ll start explaining to me what you mean by I did this to you," Osborne said.

---

After listening to Vlaric, Osborne realised that after he left the camp the platoon was stationed at back then, to avoid falling into trouble, the platoon leader had Vlaric framed and kicked out from the military when he learned of his actions towards Osborne.

At that time, Silas had spoken up for him, begging the platoon leader to change his mind, but the man ended up sending both of them out on similar grounds.

Vlaric and Silas returned here, their hometown. Vlaric had always felt guilty for what happened to them, but not once did Silas use it against him, even comforting him and blaming the platoon leader instead.

The both of them were childhood friends. Even when they had their ups and downs, they always made up in the end.

The days went by perfectly. At a point, Vlaric didn’t even bother with the past.

Well, that was up till the time when things began changing for the worse.

Not long after news of the demons’ retreat filled the kingdom, people within the town suddenly began vanishing time after time again.

At first, it wasn’t noticeable, but the moment Silas’s own sister ended up vanishing as well, things took a turn for the worse.

Silas and Vlaric spared no expense in search of her, hiring all sorts of would-be detectives to find her, but no news of her whereabouts was found. Even then, more people began going missing.

Fed up with the lack of turn-up, Silas himself decided to look for her as well. To save the town, he even began spreading words, trying to gain the attention of others who might come and save the town from this strange occurrence.

When the Baron himself dispatched people to the town, they were ecstatic.

Yet their hopes were crushed when those same people declared it a ruse and nothing more.

At the same time, some of the missing people began turning up one after another.

Yet when asked where they went, they replied with feasible stories.

Soon the rumour of vanishing townsfolk began dying down.

But even then, Silas was still at a loss, since his mother was still yet to be found.

He continued trying to spread the word, in hopes of someone finding her.

One day, he decided to set out to a guild in the next town to try and get their support. Vlaric even joined him, putting up all they owned as collateral.