Hiding from The World

The river's gentle current carried fallen leaves from its branches, bobbing them up and down along the journey. The scenery on both sides was adorned with various types of plants. A deer, bending its front body, was seen drinking water from one side of the river.

"I wonder when I'll be here again."

Evler River was seldom visited by people, as it was quite a distance from Burham and adjacent to Duskbloom Woodland. The forest surrounding Duskbloom Woodland was relatively safe, while Duskbloom Woodland itself could only be entered by experts.

There were several villages near Evler River, but the part of the river visited by Bertio was at a distant point to avoid meeting others.

It wasn't that Bertio didn't want to meet people, he didn't want them to be in danger just by interacting with him a little. As happened last time, Rainautz would track his whereabouts using expert trackers. When Bertio spoke to someone, Rainautz would surely send someone to bother that person.

Rainautz did it on purpose, so that no one dared to associate with Bertio, making him always lonely all the time.

"But I do have to go."

Bertio didn't prepare much to travel alone in Duskbloom Woodland. For some time, Bertio intended to disappear from the world by exploring places far from settlements.

To go to Duskbloom Woodland, Bertio just needed to cross Evler River, then continue westward. Duskbloom Woodland had a clear boundary. The forest was filled with fog that was said to never disappear. Strangely, even though it was only in the forest around Duskbloom Woodland, there were no accident cases due to monster attacks that came out of their habitat.

Someone seemed to be cutting down a tree. The sound of axes hitting the trees was heard not too far to the right of Bertio.

"Did they bring their child too?"

There was a light laughter of two children who seemed to be playing around their parents who were working. Although it was not too dangerous to be outside Duskbloom Woodland, the forest still harbored a myriad of dangers, not just from monsters. Many wild animals could threaten them. But, Bertio just shrugged, before continuing to walk lightly towards Duskbloom Woodland.

In the book that merged with the Devourer Card, Bertio unexpectedly found information related to survival in the wild, so he wasn't too worried about it.

"Whoa … Is this the Duskbloom Woodland that Burham people avoid? It is indeed worth being wary of."

Just by looking at it from the outside, Bertio could feel the chilling cold air blowing from Duskbloom Woodland. Its boundary was indeed clearly visible. People could recognize it even if they saw the forest for the first time. There were dense black leafless trees lined up from one end of the forest to the other, as if the same tree was deliberately planted to become a natural boundary.

In addition, of course, fog began to appear among the boundary trees. Honestly, Bertio thought, he felt his courage, which was initially as big as a mountain, had now shrunk to the height of grass. Bertio even hesitated to set foot on that foggy ground.

"Maybe, I need to practice first in the virtual world, at least until I manage to master some basic techniques."

Looking back, shadows of his family appeared again in Bertio's mind. The plan that had led him here was his decision. What's the point of being around a family that doesn't even consider him to exist? Bertio took a deep breath, before exhaling slowly.

"To hell with fate. Why is my life like this?"

While grumbling, the foot that had previously hung without daring to jump landed on the foggy ground with a push of determination. If not now, when? Bertio thought so while walking with steps that felt heavy.

"I want to see what will greet me here. Hopefully, they welcome me warmly…"

In the silence, there was a palpable sense of dread. Perhaps it was due to the thick fog that enveloped the surroundings, limiting visibility. At the very least, Bertio could see clearly up to ten steps around him.

Throughout his journey, Bertio could smell the sweet scent of flowers, yet he saw none around him. The fog indeed originated from a flower that people referred to as the bloomist. It was said that the bloomist never bloomed. From the gaps in the middle where the flower crown converged, a fog was continuously produced. Given their abundance, it was no wonder that Duskbloom Woodland would become a place filled with ceaseless fog.

Bertio usually kept to himself in quiet places. There were only sounds that came from the surrounding nature. The sounds of birds or the rustling of leaves caused by the movement of certain animals should not have startled Bertio. Yet, here he was, walking with full vigilance, and even after half an hour had passed, the distance he had covered was not very far.

It was not his feet that were tired from walking, but rather his eyelids felt more weary than usual. As he walked with his hand always ready to fend off any incoming danger, Bertio rarely blinked, as he was constantly observing his surroundings.

The bushes beside him rustled. Instantly, Bertio faced the direction of the bushes where something was moving behind them as soon as he stopped walking. His eyebrows drew together. His entire focus was directed forward. His hand on the sword hilt gripped even tighter.

His hand slightly pulled back, revealing a bit of his sword blade. That reflexive movement immediately halted because what jumped out of the bushes was not something to be wary of, just a green rabbit munching on grass.

"Phew… I thought it was something else…"

In Duskbloom Woodland, the wind behaved statically, as if being inside a room. Bertio could still feel a faint breeze, but it would not make the branches on the trees move. Thus, the silence there was far more terrifying than the quiet places that Bertio had used as hiding places before. That oppressive atmosphere naturally formed.

Any small sound that occurred due to the activities of the creatures there would be clearly heard within a certain distance. Bertio could even hear the sound of a caterpillar wriggling on the back of a leaf, or a ground rat digging a hole in a place slightly far from where he was.

And, when the activities happening around suddenly stopped, or their sounds became quieter, Bertio could immediately sense a bad premonition.

Like now, the hissing sound was heard moving quickly around the place where Bertio was standing. The friction between the leaves and something that was moving could also be heard accompanying that hissing sound. Then, there was a gust of wind behaving unusually, coming every time that hissing sound was heard.

For a beginner like Bertio, to know what was happening, it was too easy to understand. Anyway, Bertio thought, he had to find a place to hide.

Whatever it was, there must be a dangerous animal or monster, because the creatures living around were cowering in fear.

"Damn. Sure enough, this is Duskbloom Woodland," grumbled Bertio, who was drenched in cold sweat on his back and forehead. The hand gripping the sword hilt was also damp with sweat. His heart could not beat more calmly, which made Bertio increasingly difficult to think.

Instinctively, what Bertio was doing now was moving slowly, then leaning on a tree or something to be used as a support. His trembling body and weak knees honestly showed fear.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. The hissing sound was heard more clearly. Its direction was from behind, more precisely from above slightly under the canopy.

With a stiff neck, Bertio tried to look back.

The silhouette of a long-bodied creature the size of a tree trunk was seen coiling around a tree, its head peeking through the gaps in the leaves, while its two glowing purple eyes were directed at Bertio. It was the most terrifying sight Bertio had ever seen in his life, even more terrifying than Rainautz who always hit him accompanied by foul words.

From today, Bertio thought, Rainautz was no longer terrifying. After seeing a snake of an unreasonable size appear in front of him, Rainautz was just a naughty boy who used his power to oppress the weak.

Bertio had just found a way to become strong, but his life was immediately threatened before he could avenge his grudge.

Anyone who saw this snake, Bertio thought, there was no fool who came to Duskblooom Woodland from the beginning, especially those who were born in Burham. After being here, Bertio felt that the people of Burham were not cowards, but they understood their own limits.

How could there be a snake the size of a tree or even bigger?! Bertio screamed in his heart, while his entire body was completely frozen.

The air in Duskbloom Woodland suddenly felt cold.

As mentioned before, Bertio had to admit, his own words before entering Duskbloom Woodland were true. It was still too early for him to enter this forest. Bertio had recently been training the Surreal Tempering Method. His combat power had indeed increased a lot unexpectedly. He had only trained a few basic fighting techniques, and Bertio could even survive a murder incident using his own power.

But, to face a large and dangerous snake monster in front of him, wasn't that too excessive? Bertio swallowed. There was no choice, he thought, before using all his strength to turn around and run away.

"You've done very well, Miss Hilda. Well, who would have thought, it turns out you have a past like that with the coward Bertio." One corner of his mouth lifted. Rainautz narrowed his eyes full of schemes as he looked at Hilda sitting across the table. "So, where is the body? Can you give it to me?"

As Bertio suspected, thought Hilda, who was trying to stay calm, fearing the whole plan would be exposed. Now was the time for her to do her best to ensure everything went smoothly.

Rainautz might become suspicious if Hilda didn't show any evidence. It shouldn't be hard to give Bertio's body to Rainautz, assuming Hilda really did commit the murder. Even if, for example, the paper she wrote to prove Bertio's death was true, Hilda could still show his body without having to give it to Rainautz.

There was no tangible evidence that could be shown to Rainautz. For a mere corpse, cutting off his finger could be used as evidence, but all of that was not available.

"Unfortunately, you can't have it."

Fortunately, Bertio had provided several reasons that could be used in various situations, and a valuable item of Bertio's own if the situation didn't allow for just a mere excuse.

"Why can't I?"

Of course, Rainautz, who was initially smiling, slowly looked at Hilda coldly. From the bottom of his heart, Rainautz felt something was off, but he couldn't find what was wrong. For now, Rainautz only intended to observe.

As if regretting something, Hilda bowed her head, even though she was reluctant to show respect to someone like Rainautz who was willing to get rid of his own family for ambition.

For this time, Hilda had to do it so that her plan would succeed.

"I apologize, Young Master Rainautz. Because of my anger that has been pent up for several years, I couldn't think, so I gave that man's body to a greatbear."

"Hm … Is that so?"

His expression didn't change. Just a mere statement, how could Rainautz believe it. Even though there was no tangible evidence, he felt his intuition growing stronger, that there was something behind everything he saw and heard. For example, they were secretly working together, he thought.

"I remember, the coward Bertio has a very valuable item for him. Do you happen to have that?"

If his intuition was correct, Bertio wouldn't possibly give his valuable item to someone else. There were many personal items of Bertio's that could be used as evidence that Bertio had indeed been eliminated, but only that item was more trustworthy. Whether Hilda had it or not, Rainautz had thought about what treatment he would give to someone who had betrayed him or what gift he would give to someone who had fulfilled his hopes well.

Who wouldn't be happy to know that someone they hated was treated like greatbear food? But Rainautz needed certainty. If Hilda had that item, then Rainautz would give her a big reward, even treat her very well.

While holding back his anger that could explode at any time, Rainautz watched one of Hilda's hands start to move.

"I don't know what item you mean, but…"

What Hilda had in her hand now was a locket that contained a small family portrait. The locket had a simple design, but it had the Burham land emblem in the middle. It was an item that reminded Bertio of his family, the most valuable item for Bertio, which of course was the item that proved that Hilda had indeed eliminated Bertio as she said.

Rainautz himself wanted that locket, because its owner would automatically become the rightful heir of Lord Hamond. Seeing it, Rainautz couldn't help but feel happy, so he unconsciously stood up and almost jumped for joy.

"Good. Very good! You are indeed reliable, Miss Hilda."

In that small and shabby room, someone laughed loudly. The pedestrians who heard it on the street were surprised, there were still foolish people who acted conspicuously in Darkwatch, a place filled with criminals.