Playing the Perfect Fox-Eyed Villain Chapter 131

Episode 131. The First Guest (2)

Soldiers who escaped from the northern front were not only unable to enter the system, but were also unable to set foot in the cities where strict discipline was enforced.

Those who deserted the front lines were immediately sentenced to death, so they had no choice but to go into hiding.

What will become of the villages created by those deserters and runaways?

'This will probably be a home for a bandit group.'

But for a garrison of such bandits, the appearance of the village was quite something to behold.

There were also streetlights made of mana stone, and there were also taverns where people could engage in economic activities or spend their leisure time.

The reason why a town like this can exist is because of a being called a 'demon'.

It would be helpful to the city ruler to have a village like this nearby.

Demons and other evil spirits will not come to your city but will head towards it.

Even if it is a city that can block the invasion of demons with the barrier of resonance stones, it would not want to allow a 'demon' to wander around nearby.

Thanks to this, the Empire did not actively eliminate such villages, even though they were against the rules.

Rather, there were cities that supported such villages, so the people here lived in relative peace, except for the occasional invasion of demons.

On the outside… … , it really seemed that way.

“Anyway, come inside! It’s getting late, so we’ll need a place to stay!”

The man who appeared to be the village leader led us to the tavern with a hearty laugh.

'That guy… … .'

I've had a few experiences playing as 'Black Star' here.

'Maybe… … it was Degrid?'

That's probably it.

Because it was similar to the name of the forester in OO Potter, there were rumors at the time that it was a parody.

Anyway, the place he guided me to was a fairly large building even in the village.

“We use this place as a tavern, but we have quite a few rooms, so you could probably stay for a day or so!”

Degrid smiled broadly once again and entered the building he had guided us to first.

“No, are you really going to stay here?”

As Degrid disappeared, Felcor, with an impatient expression, pushed his face in.

Ouch! Shit! That's a surprise. Move your face away.

No matter how much I look at this very luxurious table top, I can't get used to it.

“Didn’t you say they were bandits? No, you knew from the start that these guys were bandits…….”

“Let’s go inside first. It’s getting dark and I don’t want to sleep outside. Besides…….”

furthermore?

Pelkor looked at me with the same eyes.

“If there’s a problem, you handle it. You’re a former knight, aren’t you?”

“No, that’s… Ah… Haa.”

Felcor sighed, lowered his head, and followed me into a building that appeared to be a tavern.

Squeak.

Let's open the door and go inside.

'It's decorated quite well, isn't it?'

It was exactly the same scene as in the original.

A decent table, a bustling atmosphere, and a bar in front.

As if he were the owner, Degrid took out a bottle of what appeared to be alcohol from the display case and drank it down in one gulp.

'It's ugly.'

At that moment, the noble 'Yurien's' aura was disgusting and he tried to draw his sword.

'Please don't cause any accidents.'

I endured it with superhuman self-control.

“Yeah, if I sleep over, I should get paid 100 naira per night. What do you think?”

Degrid, who had already finished drinking, started to play with the empty bottle and asked for money as if it was nothing.

Of course, I have no intention of refusing.

The reason I came here was to spend a day comfortably in bed, not outdoors.

If it's around 100 nar, it's a cheap meal.

“I won’t pay.”

Sleeping indoors in a remote place like this, not even in the city, is quite appealing.

“That sounds good. But you know.”

At that moment, Degrid's mood changed, along with his eyes that seemed to harbor strong hostility.

At the same time, a large number of human presences began to be felt around the building.

'Perhaps it's the presence of other bandits in this garrison.'

“……Tsk.”

Felcor must have felt it too, as he clicked his tongue and looked at me with a look that said, 'Why did you come to a place like this?'

I don't know about that guy, but I 'knew' this when I came here.

When you enter this building, other guys will crawl out… … .

Degrid opened his mouth after keenly grasping the essence of 'Yurien'.

“You’re a soldier, right?”

“Yes.”

In a way, 'closed eyes' also falls into the category of 'soldier', so it's not exactly wrong.

“The guy next to me also seems to be a former knight. I could feel the inflexibility and stuffiness in his gait.”

How amazing is it that you can feel that kind of thing from that guy?

“Are these the guys who came to deal with us?”

“Surely the system would not send people to catch people like you?”

As I drew Degrid's attention with my provocative tone, Felcor, who was beside me, took a stance ready for battle.

Overdoing it… … .

That's not what I came here for.

It is all about exploring the place where 'Yurien and the Higher Demon' fought, and reconfirming the teachings of the 'Sword Saint' through the 'traces' that can be found there.

I don't want to lead a life where I accumulate fatigue through useless fighting.

furthermore.

'I know how to get out of this situation peacefully.'

After taking a deep breath, I recalled the line I had chosen earlier.

“We are also deserters from the northern front.”

slap!

For a moment, Pelkor's head turned towards me.

“…….”

The surrounding air became still and quiet.

Degrid and Pelkor look puzzled.

“You, you… are deserters?”

As I nodded in agreement to Degrid's question, the hostility that had filled the surroundings disappeared.

Even so, doubts will still remain.

Before Degrid could say it out loud, I struck first.

“I was a member of the 3rd Expeditionary Force, which was Lord Zahat’s unit on the Northern Front.”

“……You were part of the 3rd Suppression Unit?”

"yes."

“You mean you deserted from there?”

"yes."

He showed an expression that was beyond shock, but then he nodded.

He knows it too.

I'm talking about how hard they're having to work under the blind warrior Zahat.

The reason I said this is to clear your doubts.

First of all, you need to tell us your affiliation so that we can know that you actually worked there, not just in words.

And that too against the backdrop of the most infamous unit.

That way, I can understand the reason for your desertion.

It drives a wedge into him who still has some doubts.

“The rice was terribly tasteless.”

A serious tone of voice with a hint of humor.

Upon hearing that, Degrid let out a short laugh.

“The food of the 3rd Expeditionary Force is famous… I’ve tried it too, and the honey porridge was better.”

“The story about the feeding station there that was originally a punitive force and had its tongue cut off by the barbarians, making it unable to taste anything, is very famous.”

“Hahaha, that’s right! I’ve heard that story before!”

The doubts were dulled.

To begin with, this place is a small group of people who gathered together based on the fact that they were 'deserters'.

If someone who has been through something similar approaches you, the wall in your heart will likely crumble.

In case a soldier comes to capture you

As a comrade who has had similar experiences.

The perception that changed from one pole to another formed a sense of homogeneity just as quickly as the differences.

furthermore.

“Those damn empire bastards.”

It would be perfect if you could curse the person you harbor a grudge against along with them.

“Oh, I almost got money from my colleague.”

Degrid, who had been laughing, strode out the door and shouted loudly.

“Hey! Everyone, come in! It’s not the soldiers who came to capture us, it’s our comrades!”

Hearing Degrid's voice, this time Felcor looks at me with eyes full of suspicion.

“……Have you really served in the 3rd Expeditionary Force?”

Smile.

I just smiled without saying anything.

Will it be there?

***

I hate useless fights.

This is not something I do out of a 'fighting spirit', it's something I chose purely for my mental health.

“Come on, let’s drink!”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a northern deserter! For the sake of my juniors, I can’t leave without drinking today!”

The problem is that these drinking parties are also one of the factors that harm my 'mental health'.

It might have been okay under normal circumstances.

However, 'Yurien's' extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder was causing him to deny the environment here to the extreme.

‘… … It’s fortunate that it’s at least bearable.’

The experience I had in the game made me feel good that I somehow managed to make things go well.

A sense of accomplishment, like you accomplished something on your own? Something like that.

'At first, I didn't know anything and just beat them all to death.'

Since then, I haven't done such annoying things since I learned the core keywords.

Rather, this situation happened.

“Hahahaha, you big punk! Why did a guy who could snap a demon’s neck desert the army?”

“Ugh, uhh, uhh, that’s right!”

“Who deserted? I was just leaving for a while.”

“Isn’t that called desertion?”

“Poohahahahahahaha!”

At first, Pelkor was reluctant, but soon, befitting his fierce appearance and appearance, he began to clink glasses with other deserters and become their comrades.

The sight of them with their arms around each other and laughing heartily is already the image of a bandit.

You found your calling, man.

It's not awkward at all, you know.

“But, you know. I’ve seen your face somewhere…. You seem strangely familiar.”

The leader of this village, who had been sitting at the same table as me and talking, opened his eyes half-asleep and looked at me.

Muttering, 'I saw it, I saw it.'

It seems that he had heard of 'Yurian's' facial features from somewhere, as he was someone with influence in the unit.

You may have seen it.

“That may be true. The 3rd Expeditionary Force has a very wide reach, so they’ve traveled to many places in the North.”

“Is that so? That… That… That guy who was said to have made great contributions on the Northern Front… He looks similar to that gentleman.”

“Could there really be such a person here?”

Towards that Degrid, I made a fool of myself.

In fact, the system would know about this 'squinty-eyed villain', but Degrid and all the people here are those who fled from the northern front.

Rather, the fact that we know the impression to some extent proves how famous 'Yurien' is.

Contrary to me who wants things to pass quietly, the instinct of 'Yurien' who likes to show off is stirring.

The corners of the mouth move twitching.

Absolutely not me.

“Well, Hibap. If it’s someone like ‘Closed Eyes’, he’ll be praying to the royal family to get rid of his hands and feet!”

“That’s right. Maybe a few fingers are missing by now.”

“Poohahaha, that’s right, that’s right!”

Degrid, who was drinking alcohol continuously, seemed to be in a good mood and kept pouring alcohol into my glass as well.

As I took a sip, the refreshing taste of wine lingered on the tip of my tongue.

The quality didn't seem that good, but I'm not really into drinking, so I wasn't particularly impressed.

“By the way, Hibap… You’re really good at drinking, aren’t you!? I’ve never seen anyone here drink better than me!”

Degrid pours alcohol into my glass as if he were a martial artist who had not had an opponent for a long time.

It's been a while since I've seen someone approach me so openly, so I didn't feel too bad.

The fact that he was a deserter and a bandit gave me a strange feeling.

“Hippup! So, the reason you came here is to stay and live with us?”

“No, it’s not. I have work to do and I have to go to the Florence Gorge.”

“The Florence Canyon? Why in such a dangerous place?”

To gain some insight through the traces of the fight that 'Yurien', not 'me', had.

Since I can't say for sure, I just try to gloss over it.

“Hey, you……brother! I heard something funny!”

Felcor, drunk to the bone, approaches me with a smiling face.

At least, even while drunk, he must have used his brain to change his name from 'Yurien' to 'Hyungssi'.

Although his speech was shorter than usual, I decided to tolerate it since it was because he was drunk.

Right now. Right now.

What if I leave here?

The weight you have to bear will be greater.

“Listening to what these gentlemen have to say, there was a nobleman they recently kidnapped. Well, that bastard said he was a member of the Cryphat family!”

“Puhahaha, how can a member of the Cryphat family walk around alone!?”

Guys who talk and laugh loudly.

Looking at them, I tilted my head.

'A member of the Cryphat family?'

Are you interested?

By any chance, is that Herand? No, that gentleman got beaten up so badly by Orn that he probably won't be leaving the mansion.

“Kuuuu, puhahaha! You’re from the same family as Hyung-ssi! If Hyung-ssi just looks at your face, won’t he know right away that you’re from Cryphat?”

Pelkor, who still seems unaware of his future.

But is this guy crazy? Why is he suddenly talking about family here?

“…….”

In an instant, the bustling tavern becomes extremely quiet, as if a ghost has passed by.

“……What did you say?”

Degrid, who had been pouring a glass of wine in front of me, turned his head to the side and met my gaze.

The expressions of those drinking nearby also changed significantly.

'Is this how it ends up?'

Pelkor, you little shit, let's see when it's over.