Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 32: Clash

Chapter 32: Clash

Late at night, above the prime location of the Gilan Mansion in the capital city of Steria, the invisible barrier-hidden airship Ifrit was silently moored.

On the deck were Rofus, the members of the “Crimson Wind” excluding Sigil, and armed figures of Vallum.

Each of them peered down at the darkened Gilan Mansion from the deck.

“Sigil, we will definitely rescue you…!”

“Wow, what a huge mansion. Gilan’s living quite the life, huh?”

Hawk muttered with determination in his eyes, while Kay chuckled aggressively with a spear slung around his neck.

“Make sure you all come back without fail.”

“Do I really not have to go? Are you guys okay on your own? Won’t I be a bother to Rofus-san?”

“…You won’t be a burden. Elma, I leave Iz to you.”

Iz, looking unwell, anxiously called out, while Elma, supporting Iz’s shoulder nearby, expressed her concern.

Meanwhile, Dan confidently patted his pumped chest in response.

Amidst this, Rofus extended his magical senses.

From there, Rofus sensed protective magical wards spread throughout the mansion.

And, magic was also detected underground.

There were iron bars, and the same chains that had restrained Vallum.

Likely, an underground dungeon.

With magical sensing, Sigil, who lacked magical power, couldn’t be detected.

However, from the situation, Rofus surmised that Sigil would likely be held there.

“…There’s an underground dungeon. Sigil is probably there.”

Speaking while overlooking the mansion, Rofus’ words prompted nods among the members of the Crimson Wind.

Watching from a slightly further position, Vallum, who had been observing, spoke up.

“…To think we would end up attacking Gilan.”

Vallum looked down at the Gilan Mansion, his expression tense.

It was understandable; Vallum had only just awakened a short while ago.

Having been in a prolonged slumber due to magical depletion, Vallum, feeling impatient with waiting, had been forcibly taken from his lodging by Rofus and brought aboard the airship Ifrit.

And, while their situation had been roughly explained by Rofus, Vallum hadn’t yet come to terms with his feelings.

After all, escaping from the prison tower had already made Vallum a fugitive.

Now, Vallum was counted among those who would attack the Gilan Mansion, along with Rofus, the legitimate son of the Marquis of Lightless.

In fact, the attack on the prison tower had also been orchestrated by Rofus.

Vallum had been forcibly taken out and abducted while unconscious.

In other words, Vallum was just being dragged into everything.

Vallum looked at Rofus with half-lidded eyes.

“Rofus… There may be an issue with my participation in the attack… It could tarnish my father’s honor…”

“Don’t think too hard about it, Vallum. You just have to come down and wreak havoc as you please.”

“You don’t just ask someone to wreak havoc so casually. I was still working to maintain public order as a squire, you know?”

Vallum responded seriously, but Rofus chuckled disdainfully.

“Hah, coming from a criminal who was imprisoned in a noble’s mansion after attacking it, that’s quite something.”

“Wa-wait! No way! I just went there to protest against my father being unjustly captured… Wait, how do you even know that!?”

“I heard it from Sera.”

“Sera…”

Vallum held his head in his hands, crestfallen.

“Your father probably tried to crack down on Gilan and failed. Despite my passing him the crest.”

“…I regret that deeply.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re boiling with anger because our family crest was belittled. Make up for that mistake here.”

With a loud voice, Rofus encouraged the members of the Crimson Wind.

It was surprisingly effective in boosting the spirits of the Crimson Wind, who were gearing up for the attack.

While Kay and Dan raised their voices in excitement, Hawk restrained his excitement and looked at Rofus.

“…Wait, Rofus-san. Our objective is solely to rescue Sigil. Unnecessary combat increases the risk of failure.”

In response to Hawk’s words, Rofus grinned aggressively.

“As perceptive as ever, Hawk. That’s right, your words are correct… but if this turns into a proper battle, well.”

After saying so, Rofus deployed numerous dark balls around the airship.

“I read in some military strategy book that an opening barrage is essential.”

At Rofus’ command, a vast number of dark balls rained down on the Gilan Mansion like a hailstorm.

With a tremendous shock, and clouds of dust rising, the members of the Crimson Wind and Vallum watched in astonishment.

“Hey… S-Sig…”

Hawk, his mouth gaping like a fish seeking food, Rofus chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Sigil is underground. I didn’t unleash enough power to collapse anything below it.”

The Gilan Mansion, under the barrage of dark balls, was in a state close to collapse.

Given it was late at night, security was less than during the day.

Rofus estimated that it would take some time for guards and knights to arrive.

“From here, it’s a speed battle. Rescue your leader quickly, do some cleanup if necessary, and return.”

Rofus extended dark hands from his shadow, grabbing each member.

“Hawk, you’re the vanguard.”

The dark hands grabbed Hawk, who was still dazed, and tossed him from the deck to the ground below.

“Huh? What? …Whoaaa!?”

Screaming as he fell, Hawk was thrown down.

Next, Rofus turned his gaze to Kay and Dan.

Kay and Dan trembled slightly, then turned on their heels and fled like rabbits.

But the dark hands didn’t let them escape.

Closing in on Kay and Dan as they crawled on the ground, the dark hands caught each of their legs and suspended them upside down, capturing them.

“Stop it! You murderers!”

“…I’m gonna die! This height is too much even for my muscles!”

The screaming pair were mercilessly thrown to the ground by the dark hands.

Soon, their screams echoed through the air.

“Hey…”

Elma, who had finally grasped the situation, leaned against the railing with a pale face, peering down at the ground.

On the ground, the estate of Gilan was shrouded in darkness like a black carpet, and the fallen Hawk, Kay, and Dan seemed unharmed.

Though the sound of their voices was barely audible over the wind, Elma realized the three were making noise on the ground.

Elma sighed in relief.

“…There’s no need to panic. They won’t be killed.”

Rofus shrugged as if disappointed with Elma’s reaction.

“I would’ve appreciated some prior explanation though…”

Elma slumped against the railing as if drained of energy.

Iz, too, relaxed as she watched Elma’s reaction, breathing a sigh of relief.

“…That was nerve-wracking. You gave us a scare.”

“Such rude commoners.”

Rofus spat out, then glanced at Vallum.

Vallum had already put his hand on the railing, his expression firm.

“Rofus, please allow me to descend first.”

“Sure, do whatever you want. You’re the leader here.”

After saying so, Rofus extended a dark hand toward Vallum.

Vallum, clutching the railing, took a deep breath.

“I will not allow the honor of my father’s house to be tarnished any further.”

Rofus gave an approving nod, and Vallum grabbed the dark hand.

Soon, Vallum was gently tossed to the ground below, as the dark hand disappeared into Rofus’ shadow.

Elma and Iz watched Vallum as he landed gracefully.

Vallum was determined to resolve the situation at Gilan Mansion, with the aim of preserving his family’s honor.

He would not allow the Marquis of Lightless to be disgraced any further.

And with that determination, Vallum headed toward the Gilan Mansion, the underground dungeon, where Sigil awaited rescue.

And this time, Riruka’s attitude towards Rofus was somewhat off from affection.

Because of that, Elma and Iz found it even harder to understand Riruka.

Elma and Iz exchanged glances.

The anxiety that clung to them wouldn’t dissipate.

Hawk, Kay, and Dan had infiltrated the partially destroyed Gilan Mansion.

The mansion’s floor was dyed in darkness, as if covered with a black carpet.

The darkness that stained the floor spread outside the mansion as well, covering the entire grounds of the Gilan Mansion.

Though the three found the darkness eerie at first glance, it was thanks to this darkness that they were alive.

Thrown from the airship from quite a height, they had fallen to the ground below, but the darkness filling the ground acted as a cushion, leaving them without a scratch.

They couldn’t bring themselves to feel grateful for being saved by Rofus.

It was undoubtedly Rofus who brought forth this darkness, but it was also Rofus who threw them off the airship’s deck.

The three moved forward on the dark floor with complex expressions.

Even though it was late at night, the mansion was swarming with numerous private soldiers, as if prepared in advance.

Despite many private soldiers being caught in the mansion’s collapse, thanks to Rofus’ magic, there were still plenty who survived and were able to move.

Whenever they encountered them in the corridors, the three naturally fought back, but it never escalated into a full-fledged battle.

Dark creatures resembling sword-shaped fish or sea dragons leaped out of the darkness on the floor, attacking the private soldiers one after another, leaving the three with no time to draw their weapons before being annihilated.

“This feels just like those ruins creatures.”

Kay remarked with a grimace on his face.

“Never know when those invincible creatures will turn allies, huh?”

“…I haven’t defeated any enemies. Looks like I’m just along for the ride with Rofus.”

Hawk shrugged, and Dan shook his head quietly.

Hawk tightened his grip on his magitek gun.

“Our goal remains the rescue of Sigil. We’re fortunate to conserve our strength.”

The three continued their search for the passage leading underground.

The surviving private soldiers, as well as Rofus’ shadow familiars, swiftly eliminated any threats.

The mansion echoed with countless screams, resembling a scene from hell.

But even in that hell, there was an end.

Footsteps echoed steadily from the depths of the corridor.

The shadow familiars that swarmed toward the footsteps were instantly shattered into pieces.

The footsteps drew closer, and the darkness covering the floor cracked with a sound like wind slicing through ice.

In the next moment, the darkness shattered like thin ice.

Walking forward was a young man with crimson hair and a crimson coat, with a white ferret scarf around his neck.

His hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

Eric Idea Steria, the “Sword Saint of Crimson Flames,” tasked with guarding the merchant Gilan by the command of his lord, his father.

Facing the three thieves—Hawk, Kay, and Dan—in the corridor, Sword Saint Eric let out a sigh.

“…Are you the ‘Crimson Wind’? I remember seeing your faces on bounty posters. Are you here to assassinate Gilan?”

Eric quietly questioned the three.

Hawk wordlessly aimed his magitek gun at Eric, Kay readied his spear, and Dan poised his warhammer.

“Hey, are we really doing this? This guy’s seriously dangerous, Hawk.”

Kay asked Hawk quietly.

“These are skilled mercenaries hired by Gilan. We’ll have to take them down together. Couldn’t read his swordsmanship at all. Probably can’t escape either.”

Hawk answered with a furrowed brow, keeping his gaze on Eric.

But in the next moment, Eric was behind the three.

The sound of his sword returning to its sheath echoed through the corridor.

Immediately, Dan was covered in numerous cuts, blood spurting out simultaneously.

“Ugh…”

Dan collapsed to his knees.

“Dan!?”

“What!? What!?”

Hawk rushed to Dan’s side, while Kay stared at Eric behind them, bewildered.

Eric tilted his head and said, “Sorry, this sword doesn’t have a peak. So, I just made shallow cuts.”

Hawk glared at Eric as if he were nothing.

“…Quite confident, aren’t you? Why didn’t you just cut all three of us down at once? You could have done it, couldn’t you!?”

“If I had cut all of you down, there wouldn’t be anyone left to carry the wounded back, right?”

Eric shrugged nonchalantly, causing Hawk to furrow his brow, unable to understand his intentions.

“Carry the wounded? Are you planning to let us go…?”

Hawk asked, and Eric shrugged again. “Honestly, I’m not that motivated. If you retreat, I won’t pursue you further.”

Eric locked eyes with Hawk.

“At times, considering the dark magic that assaulted the mansion, it seems you lot have some connection to the Lightless. Whether it’s a temporary alliance or if you’ve always been subordinates, I don’t know. Your superior, the legitimate son of the Lightless Duke, has requested a message to be delivered.”

“A message…?”

A message from Eric to Rofus.

Upon hearing this, Hawk frowned.

“What, nothing major… In response to the magical attacks on the Gilan Mansion following the prison tower incident, we, the Steria side, will turn a blind eye as a special exception. In return, Steria and Lightless want to arrange a meeting for discussion. It’s the intention of Lord Steria,” Eric explained.

Hawk fell silent.

Receiving the message meant acknowledging retreat.

That meant temporarily giving up on rescuing Sigil.

Even if they withdrew now, there was no guarantee of another opportunity to rescue Sigil.

Eric interpreted Hawk’s silence in a different light.

“…A bit long-winded? Essentially, if you convey that we want to talk instead of attacking, that would be good,” Eric said.

Hawk interrupted Eric’s words.

“…No, wait.”

“What is it?”

“We’ll deliver the message. We don’t have any intention of killing Gilan.”

“I see. Then, I’m also relieved. Thanks to you, I might get some more sleep until morning… Well, the bed is under the rubble, though.”

Hawk stared intently at Eric, who smiled in relief.

“We came to rescue our leader. We want to know the location of the underground dungeon. Once we rescue our leader, we’ll leave immediately,” Hawk asserted.

Hawk couldn’t compromise on this.

But Eric’s smile faded.

“Ah, that’s not possible. Gilan made it clear that we must not let him escape.”

“Can’t you do something about that? You said you weren’t motivated!” Hawk pressed on.

“…Hmm, understood, I concede. Seems like you won’t give up,” Eric sighed. “If you have no intention of retreating, then there’s nothing I can do. Don’t hold it against me.”

Hawk looked up with hope in his eyes—then, in the next moment, he felt the heavy presence of death.

A dull-colored blade looming before him.

Before he realized it, metal clashed before Hawk’s eyes, sparks flying.

Eric swung his sword at Hawk’s neck, but someone blocked it with the tip of a spear.

Dan fell, and Kay, holding the spear, turned pale and couldn’t move.

Then who?

Hawk shifted his gaze to the one holding the spear.

There stood a boy with a mix of messy blond hair, whom Rofus had brought on board the airship, named…

“You’re… Vallum, right?” Hawk’s murmur was drowned out as Vallum’s electrified spear repelled Eric’s sword.

“Vallum, huh… Too bad, looks like I won’t be sleeping tonight,” Eric said, as his sword was deflected, narrowing his eyes and exhaling.

Vallum didn’t take his eyes off Eric and spoke only with his voice.

“I don’t know your name, but hurry ahead, Crimson Wind.”

“I’m Hawk. Hurry ahead? Are you sure you can handle it alone?”

“I’m Kay. This big guy’s Dan. You sure you’ll be okay alone?”

Vallum faced Sword Saint Eric without hesitation.

“No problem.”

In response to Vallum’s answer, Hawk and Kay lifted the fallen Dan and hurried forward.

“Sorry, and thanks for the help!”

“We’ll catch up later, for sure!”

Hawk, Kay, and Dan, carrying Dan, passed by Eric without a glance.

Eric couldn’t tear his gaze away from Vallum’s threatening spear.

As Hawk and Kay, carrying Dan, moved ahead, Hawk couldn’t shake off a slight sense of unease about leaving Vallum behind.

“1, 2, 3… 4…”

In Gilan’s bedroom at the Gilan Mansion.

With deafening crashes and impacts, a part of the ceiling collapsed, leaving it exposed.

Moonlight seeped through the hole in the ceiling, illuminating Gilan, curled up and trembling.

Beside him, the assassin wearing a blood-red cap, Redcap, quietly counted numbers.

“…5, 6? Huh, six people. And only three of them have magical power.”

Redcap tilted his head.

“I hope we can have a little fun.”

His eyes, as red as a pool of blood, seemed to reflect the moon hanging in the sky.