9 First Arc (1)

"Noelle," Isaac called calmly while knocking on the door.

He called Noelle once again but was refuted with nothing but silence.

His eyes furrowed and a sense of awareness swept through his body as he swiftly grabbed the spare key from his pocket and opened the door.

As a bodyguard, he knew what things he needed to do, and having a spare of something is one case.

Clang—!

Forcing the door to open, he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary happening inside the room except for the lack of bags that he remembered Noelle brought from this journey.

There was no area he could feel or see that something bad happen. The window on the side of the room was left open, hanging left and right due to the wind.

Isaac surveyed the area before narrowing his eyes at the table, seeing a piece of paper lying in there with a stamp to avoid getting blown by the air. He felt it was intended to be put in there in the first place as if it wanted to be seen in there.

Cautiously walking towards it, he grabbed the paper and upon closer look, it was actually a letter. Soon enough, the answer he was looking for was inside.

/Yes, you. First of all, this is not a suicide note. As you can see, I have to do something that didn't involve you. I have food that could last two weeks if I rationed properly so you don't have to worry about it. I also wasn't planning on entering a ruin if that's what you are worried about. Well, it's not like you are worried.

I have a request to make. Please, for the time being, don't report my disappearance to anyone that is related to my father, Duke Verl. Continue going to school and… be attentive.

I promise this, even though it wouldn't look believable enough. I promised that I will be back to the school institute to handle my dropout form, safely go back to the Duke's land and we'll happily train together with Valen.

I'm serious about this, Isaac. Don't waste your time following me. It's not like I'm lost. It's just that… I have to do this, okay? That kind of feeling… yes, I was feeling it now. Damn it, so embarrassing…

Lastly, please be careful./

Noelle Portnner/

Silently looking at the paper with a frown, Isaac silently walked towards the window while tearing it down before throwing it on the outside.

'You trash… how will I explain this? At least leave some reason behind... this letter is not a reason,' Isaac mused inwardly while clicking his tongue.

He had the urge to report this to Verl.

Deeply, once this kind of situation arises, it was his job to find him but after reading the seriousness of the letter and the sincerity Noelle had put in it, he let it aside and sighed.

'He actually waited for my shift to turn. He knew I would notice him leave if I wasn't resting. That guy…' Musing another thought in his mind, Isaac turned around while formulating an excuse that he could tell the hired mercenaries and knights.

…

"This is the place…"

Standing up in a place where dirt and trees are present, I looked at the land below.

Basically, there is a road that leads to the capital which I knew where the kidnapping of nobles would start.

In this spot, I could see the busy road. If I knew the time is right,  I could just go down and use the trees as a cover.

Putting the bag down, I did a bit of exercise. Throughout the travel, I didn't just idle around, and because of my hard work, the skinny physique I have started to produce some muscles and become more masculine.

Of course, only a bit. It's so damn hard to develop muscles and with how tiring an exercise is, I also couldn't just do it endlessly. When they said it's enough, it is enough.

No need to overexert.

Moving my head to the side, I rummaged through my back and began grabbing my things. A map, the sword, two sets of knives, food, a blanket, two health potions, etc.

'Hmm, just like how things were supposed to go, I would need to wait for the night. Judging by the time of travel, it would be like the exact same scene I saw in the book. The problem is… I wasn't so sure now since Isaac had to convince them to continue their journey due to my presence was gone.'

Stopping my hands from looking inside the bag, I continued, "Well, he has his ways. Besides, they have to trust him since he was my guard. Since he's the kind of main character who has brains, he would probably use this thought of mine or much better than what I was thinking.

'"Anyway, he had to convince them to come to this road as after this, they were supposed to rest in the next city but… it didn't happen,

"It would start there… and I have to be attentive on the carriage they were riding."

Glancing at the sword in the bag, I can't help but muse inwardly, 'I have to prepare myself… To get back to my world, I have to dirty my hands… I'm just an office worker who didn't want this but was forced to… Yes, I just have to think that way. I'll get… used to it,'

Clenching my fist tightly, I clicked my tongue, "I have to go through the original story… I could've made preparation where I could make the whole kingdom—no, the whole continent know that there's danger yet… fuck, I'm really trash,"

I would've brought authorities here or The Justice from the capital to inform them about the situation yet like my previous explanation… they either wouldn't believe me or would think it a joke and charged me a fine.

Unless something happened that forced them to move which I would use.

Besides… there's another reason why I didn't do this line of thought.

"What was happening inside of 'that' place is pretty disturbing…"

Since the enemies I recalled in my head were a bunch of lunatics, they have some sort of ritual or ceremony in that place. It's one of the most important sites of 'them' hence it would be better to destroy the place completely than prolong it for any longer.

'Right… it would stop the event /Rite Of Massacre/ from happening… One of the major events of volume one since the two are intertwined with each other aside from /The Assassination/ /The Hidden Treasure of Eve/ /Ruins Of Disaster/ /Midnight Cries/ and lastly this /Kidnapping Of Nobles/'

The other events or filler chapters I remembered are either minor events that Isaac happened to pass by or was not important but if I was pulling on completing this task, I could also stop the Rite of Massacre from happening which was supposed to happen in the middle part of the novel.

Hitting two birds with one stone, they said.

And if that happens… I knew the original story would change.

"Well, I wasn't planning on maintaining it in the first place. Though I knew problems would arise, it could be manageable, right?"

Having that line of thought, I instinctively flinched as if a hidden omen smacked my head instead.

"There's no need to think for such needless thought for now… Yes, we focused the problem on hand, let the future problems remain in the future,"

When the time comes, let's hope it could be resolved by Isaac. Do his duties as the main character.

…

"Right… I just remember now that Yoper or whatever his name is that convinced everyone to rest in the next city. In the novel, Noelle agreed to him but since I wasn't there, he might be able to do it forcibly. Yes, me, who was a restriction, wasn't there and a Progression 2 Ruiner like him is in the lead. Besides, he built up a good reputation throughout the trip and acquired the trust of the knights. It must be his instinct to create a power hierarchy. Yes, he is quite an annoying fellow,

"…But I guess Isaac will follow. Throughout the day, I could guess his annoyance building up toward Yower. Nevertheless, he must immediately know what his job is after I was gone. Right… whatever their reaction is didn't matter, it's the actions they would do once they are faced with the kidnappers,"

Lying down on a blanket I placed on the floor, I looked at the moon above the sky while muttering under my breath before standing up from my place, instantly preparing the things I needed.

I have the sword on my side. A knife is placed under my trousers on the leg while the other three were on the same belt as the sword. The potions and any more needed items are inside the pouch on the other side.

Carrying the map in my hand, I cast my gaze on the road and immediately made my way there but not directly on it.

The preparation had finally ended.

…

"My brother is gone… Am I supposed to be happy about that?" Lori spoke solemnly as her face showed fear, "How will father react to this… Oh my god, it is my fault, isn't it? I knew we shouldn't have eaten together at the inn…"

Inside the carriage where Noelle previously stayed, Lori was asked by Isaac to come here since it was part of the agreement he had with Noelle.

For almost an hour, Isaac keeps seeing Lori being like this and this time, he can't help but reply, knowing increasingly becoming more nervous as time goes by.

"Hey, that's not the reason why he left,"

"Then… what is the reason if it's not that?"

Isaac looked at the restless child and spoke with a faint smile just to reassure her, "He said he had some business to do and he gave me a task as well which is to protect you,"

Doubtful eyes, Lori replied, "He said that? Noelle Portnner said that? I don't believe it…"

"He said it, in the letter. But his ugly handwriting and trashy words are the same," Isaac paused, "Don't worry, I'll protect you,"

"I see…"

Her hands that were lightly shaking relaxed, and just as everything was going well, the carriage they were riding stopped.

Isaac, who was glancing outside the window, can't help but frown as he couldn't still yet see the city walls. He also knew they have just gotten off the previous city just five minutes earlier so for them to stop, it must've been due to traffic.

That's his first initial thought.

"Is something wrong with the road?" Isaac asked the carriage driver.

"No… the carriage that the Ruiners were riding just stopped. Oh, Yower is moving out. I can't see what was happening in the front since it is blocked by some carriages but he continued walking forward."

"Tell him to go back,"

"I'm sorry sir. I'm just a normal knight and driver with no authority here," The driver apologized.

"What is happening?" Feeling that something was amiss, the nervousness on Lori's face flashed back as she asked.

"It's all right. Everything is all—"

"Ahhhh!"

At that moment, the sound of someone screaming reverberated through the tranquil road, alarming all the carriages and passengers inside it.

"Kiyahhhhhh!"

And in just half a minute, the road had been engulfed with piercing screams that could make everyone curious and afraid.

On the other hand, those who were still in the dark about the current situation were just trying to understand first what was actually happening as they collected their thoughts.