Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight - Chapter 130

————

Chapter 130: The Other Woman (2)

***

Regina Hopper was born as the 98th granddaughter of the Mercenary King.

The Mercenary King, Karl Hopper, was famous for his outstanding skills as well as his lecherousness.

Not only did he change women every day, but he even had ten in his arms at one time.

Because of such a chaotic private life, the Mercenary King had more than a dozen children. His grandchildren were much more numerous.

Unusually, all of the blood relatives who inherited the Mercenary King’s blood had outstanding talents.

Among them, Regina Hopper seemed to have inherited the Mercenary King’s blood especially strongly, showing outstanding talent in swordsmanship from a young age.

She learned faster than others, grew faster, and her class also rose faster.

That’s why Regina Hopper thought she was a genius.

It was at the family gathering she attended when she was 10 years old that this ridiculous illusion was shattered.

Among the blood relatives she met for the first time in her life, there were many geniuses who were far superior to her.

Some had already awakened their aura at the age of 10 or had killed a dozen orcs alone.

Monsterous geniuses who did incredible things without any difficulty.

The Mercenary King favored only them and kept them by his side. And he called them ‘Purebloods’.

Regina was not recognized by the Mercenary King because she could not even reach their ankles, and she had no choice but to wander outside.

“You… .”

When Regina Hopper saw him, Damien was comparable to those monsters.

No, no. None of the pureloods that Regina had seen could match Damien.

How could there be another madman in this world who would ingest two elixirs at the same time and raise his class?

“You dare… ask me to pay the price?”

It wasn’t that she was going to admit defeat.

Damien had just risen from the middle class to the high class.

Moreover, he was in a state of considerable internal injury from his previous act of madness.

Damien is a monster without a doubt. But right now, she was stronger.

“You cheeky brat. I’ll cut off that tongue first.”

Moreover, Regina’s specialty was the quick sword.

The quick sword was disadvantageous in a long battle because its attacks were monotonous.

However, in a short battle, especially in the first attack, it had a power close to a sure-kill.

No matter how great a genius Damien is, he has only just risen to high class.

He would not be able to catch up to the quick sword that Regina had honed throughout her life.

I’ll kill him with a single blow.

Regina drew out her mana to the fullest so that she could cut Damien down at any time.

But why is it?

Even though she was confident of victory, something kept bothering her. Fear seemed to be crawling up her legs slowly.

“You’d better not spew any more nonsense.”

Damien approached her. He fearlessly stepped into Regina’s range.

At that moment, Regina swung her sword. A flash of light cut Damien’s throat.

No, it should have been cut off.

She swung her arm, but the sword did not come off. Regina looked down with a puzzled face.

The sword was still sheathed. And her own wrist was caught in the hilt.

“……Huh?”

She turned her gaze and looked at the arm she had just swung. There was nothing below the wrist.

“W, what did you just…….”

“I cut it off first.”

Damien said nonchalantly and swung his sword into the air. A drop of blood splattered on the ground.

When did he cut it off? No, when did he swing it?

Countless questions came to mind. But she forcibly pushed all the questions back into her memory.

Right now, she needed to fight. Fortunately, Regina had always practiced using the sword with her opposite hand as well.

She couldn’t use it as skillfully as her right hand, but she could still fight to some extent…….

“Your abdomen is open.”

Damien kicked Regina’s abdomen. Her body folded forward as her head turned white.

“Keuk!”

Regina let out a short scream and flew backwards.

“I told you. I will make you pay the price for your trash talk.”

Damien immediately followed after Regina. At that moment, Regina kicked the ground and rushed towards Damien.

A dagger was suddenly clutched in her left hand. Regina tried to stab Damien with the dagger.

Without even flinching, Damien kicked Regina’s shin.

With a cracking sound of bones breaking, her body fell forward.

“Kyaaaak!”

A scream erupted involuntarily. At that moment, Damien kicked Regina in the face.

Her jaw shattered and her teeth were knocked out. Regina clutched her face and trembled.

Damien stared at Regina like that and spat out a word.

“It seems you haven’t paid the full price for your nonsense yet.”

Her spine chilled.

Regina felt the fear of death. She felt like she was really going to die if she kept this up.

“P, please spare me…….”

Regina hurriedly prostrated herself at Damien’s feet.

“L, like this, I’m begging you…… P, please just spare my…… L, life…….”

“Fine. I’ll spare your life.”

Damien nodded calmly. Regina’s face brightened.

“But in return, I’ll take one of your wrists.”

At those words, Regina’s face instantly turned pale.

“B, but you already cut it off.”

She said, showing him her severed wrist. Damien spoke nonchalantly to that action.

“What was cut off during a fight doesn’t count.”

“B, but…… I, if a swordsman loses a wrist, it’s the end……!”

There were ways to regenerate a lost limb, but they were not only difficult but also very expensive.

Crucially, the regenerated part had to be trained all over again from scratch.

That’s why Regina was desperately trying to protect her other wrist.

“P, please…… I’ll pay you! I’ll pay you anything! So, so please…….”

Damien swung his sword. Dawn didn’t emit an aura, but it easily cut off Regina’s wrist.

Regina’s second wrist fell to the ground. Regina didn’t understand the situation for a moment.

“Ah, ah… aaah! Euaaaak!”

Regina screamed. But since she didn’t have either wrist, she couldn’t touch the wound.

“You! You think you’ll get away with this! I… I won’t let you get away with this! I’ll tell grandfather…!”

“Your intellect rivals that of a wilted cabbage. Just remember, I’m the one clutching your lifeline at this moment, lest you forget your place.”

Damien placed Dawn on Regina’s neck. Regina’s face turned pale at the chill aura emitted by Dawn.

“And I don’t know if the Mercenary King will even take care of a blood relative like you who has been abandoned.”

At Damien’s words, Regina made a surprised expression.

“T, that’s also how… .”

“How can I not know? The Mercenary King only keeps the blood relatives he acknowledges by his side. Those who wander around outside like you are nothing but bastards who have not been recognized by the Mercenary King.”

Bastard.

At that insulting word, Regina’s pupils turned red.

But she didn’t know what would happen if she expressed her anger.

“Let me show you one more interesting thing.”

Damien showed Regina a silver necklace in front of her. Regina’s eyes widened when she saw it.

“P-Paladin.. ?”

“Honorary Paladin, to be exact.”

Damien said, picking up the necklace.

“Attacking me and my family is like declaring war on the Church. I don’t think even the Mercenary King would want that, would he?”

For Regina, it was as if even the last hope had disappeared.

“Then get out of here now. Before my patience runs out and I kill you.”

Regina ran away as soon as she heard those words. Damien watched her go for a while.

“Damien!”

Louise ran towards Damien. Louise looked around Damien’s body.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“You saw it, didn’t you? I took care of it so easily. How could I get hurt?”

“But I couldn’t help it.”

Ballad looked at Louise with a surprised face.

“Why are you here… ?”

At Ballad’s words, Louise’s actions stopped. Louise looked back at Ballad with a guilty face.

“T, that’s… .”

Louise confessed all the reasons she came here. Ballad burst out laughing.

“So you suspected me?”

Louise nodded silently, as she had committed a sin.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything either.”

“Y-you forgive me?”

“Of course.”

The two hugged each other tightly. Damien turned away with a disgusted expression.

“By the way, I wonder what the mayor will say. I’ve caused such an accident… .”

Ballad sighed deeply.

He had finally established a relationship with a platinum badge mercenary. It was all ruined because of Ballad.

“Does the mayor know that you’re engaged to your sister-in-law?”

“He knows. Why?”

“Then there’s no need to apologize, is there? The mayor told you to entertain Regina knowing that fact, didn’t he?”

“That’s true, but… I might have to find another job in the future.”

“Then just come to Haksen County.”

Damien said nonchalantly.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The two reacted with confusion.

“Recently, Father was promoted to the title of count, and as a result, we’ll be in need of additional assistance. I believe you would be an ideal candidate to lend a hand.”

“That’s also… I see.”

Ballad scratched the back of his head and said. It seemed that he hadn’t thought of such a simple solution himself.

“But… is that okay?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m worried that you’ll be uncomfortable if I go… .”

Ballad hesitated and said. He seemed to know that Damien didn’t like him.

“…You’re saying strange things. You’re going to be a part of our family soon, so why would I be uncomfortable?”

Damien said with a smile. Ballad made a very surprised expression.

“I ask you to take good care of my older sister in the future.”

At Damien’s words, Ballad nodded with a serious face.

***

Soon after, the city guards arrived. The guards gasped at the charred scene.

“W, what on earth happened… .”

The mayor, who had also come outside, looked around with a dumbfounded face.

“B, Ballad Hugo! What on earth is going on here? Explain yourself immediately!”

“That’s… .”

At the mayor’s words, Ballad told him everything he had seen.

“What, what? To Lady Regina… .”

The mayor shouted, foaming at the mouth.

“This crazy bastard! I told you so! You have to make her feel as good as possible! If you do that, high class will just fall into your hands! Do you understand? High cl… .”

“If you’re talking about high class, I’m here.”

Damien stood behind Ballad. The mayor shut his mouth after seeing Damien’s face.

“Ah, ahahaha… Isn’t that Sir Damien Haksen?”

“You must have made a lot of profit by selling out my brother-in-law until now, but you don’t have anything to say about it.”

Damien said in a sharp tone. That alone made the mayor’s face turn pale.

“Then, brother-in-law, please speak. You don’t have to be so careful… .”

Ballad expressed his intention to submit a resignation letter to the mayor. The mayor was furious after hearing the circumstances, but he soon became quiet.

This was because Damien was standing by Ballad’s side.

Thanks to Damien following him, Ballad was able to sort out the situation comfortably.

“Ballad wants to work for our family?”

Count Haksen was surprised at first, but soon welcomed Ballad.

“Hahaha, that’s good. I was just running out of hands. I can trust you with anything.”

“I will do my best in whatever you entrust me with.”

Ballad said confidently at Count Haksen’s words.

And so, Ballad Hugo joined the House of Haksen. Thanks to this, Louise’s face was filled with smiles for a while.

***

Damien had traveled the long distance from the House of Haksen to Ocean City, but he had no time to rest and was once again preparing to leave the family.

‘I haven’t dealt with Gathdal yet.’

Gathdal would become an important figure in the future, supporting the army as Dorugo’s covenantor.

‘He’s a dangerous man, so I need to be prepared.’

Even at this time, Gathdal was already a genius among geniuses, having risen to the position of Grand Black Magician.

The Grand Black Magician was equivalent to the Master Class in terms of knights.

In other words, it meant that he was a transcendent being who had surpassed the shackles of humanity.

‘I will kill Gathdal and obtain the fragment of Erebos.’

After setting his plan, Damien left for the Almond Country.

***

————