Chapter 134

Certainly, Felinoir’s abilities were extraordinary. Absorbing the damage dealt to allies, yet enduring dozens of fatal blows himself… Honestly, just looking at his resilience, it reminds me of the heroes from myths. Combined with his massive size, he looked like a giant statue of a guardian deity.

“Quite nimble for your size! It seems archmages are no less skilled in martial arts than knights!”

“I received basic swordsmanship and combat training from my seniors in the past.”

Honestly, even now, I was dodging by a hair’s breadth. If I could mix in some martial arts to counterattack, the story would be different, but doing so would break the promise I made to myself.

I will face this guy as “Werner,” no matter what. Even if it means dying.

“Kuh…”

Felinoir, unable to bear the increasing pain of his burns, let out a short groan. And most of his subordinates were also writhing in pain, unable to endure it.

Felinoir clearly said he absorbs damage, but he never said he could absorb the pain. However, since it wasn’t certain, I continued to experiment with quick and simple spells. As expected, while they didn’t hinder his movements much, I could see him gritting his teeth or slightly wincing when hit.

But momentary pain wasn’t enough to subdue Felinoir’s subordinates.

Then, I remembered some tabloid I read somewhere that said the greatest pain in the world is being burned alive. So, I used the spell “Hell’s Fire,” developed by Werner. The intense blue flames, fueled by the target’s guilt, were enough to subdue Felinoir’s subordinates.

“As expected… the subordinates of a tiger are tigers themselves.”

They were indeed fitting for the Green Forest Thieves. The power of “Hell’s Fire” varies depending on the target’s guilt. The fact that they burned so fiercely with blue flames meant they felt great guilt for allowing this situation. They were different from the scum who killed Count Holstead’s family.

“One last question. If you surrender now, I’ll extinguish the flames and let you work under me. Do you really not want to walk with me?”

Even as his body was charred, Felinoir didn’t lose his smile. I have no idea how he’s so resilient. In terms of tanking ability alone, he far surpasses Ricardo or Brother Melchior.

“Even if we’re righteous thieves, thieves must live in the shadows. Just as a lion doesn’t graze on grass, thieves don’t receive the nation’s salary.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Even righteous thieves who break the law must be executed. If you employ us, it will cause chaos in the country, and the people will suffer. Didn’t you say you’d save those close to you first? It seems we’re destined to fight like this.”

I despise glorifying villains. But… I wanted to make this man my ally no matter what. Someone so full of romance and righteousness, I wanted to pull him to my side by any means.

“Then, you could secretly cooperate with me…”

“Don’t underestimate the Black Round Table. Such shallow tricks will be exposed quickly. And… using the shadows to deceive the people is something I detest.”

I was wrong. Even if his beliefs were misguided, his conviction shone more purely and brightly than anyone else’s.

“You’re truly the best… It’s a shame we can’t walk together. How great it would have been if we met before you were tainted by this place.”

“I agree. If only you had a bit more flexibility, it would have been great.”

“Isn’t lacking flexibility a mutual trait?”

Felinoir chuckled at my joke. Even if he absorbs damage, enduring the pain of being burned alive dozens of times over must be excruciating.

“You, who pursue romance and reject my offer so righteously…”

“You, who refuse to compromise and thus don’t join hands with someone like me who has fallen into the path of evil…”

“I regret not meeting you before you walked the path of evil, and I will execute you.”

“I will fight, holding onto the hope that there are still righteous people.”

I summoned Armadura. It was my way of showing respect, fighting him with my full power.

“Die, Archmage!”

“…I wish you could have lived, righteous thief.”

I gathered mana at my fingertips as usual. It pained me to kill someone who could have been a great friend.

Felinoir charged at me with a dagger again. With his severe burns, even if he killed me, his death was certain. Did he want to defeat me that badly? Even if it meant his own death? Even if it meant he couldn’t achieve the justice he desired? Was his pride that important?

“Spirit King of Steel, forge a sword that can even kill a god.”

I could have made a longsword, but I deliberately created a dagger that fit my hand. I gripped the dagger and watched as Felinoir charged at me.

“Ha! Did you think you could defeat me with the dagger skills you barely learned, even if you’re an archmage?”

*Stab!*

My dagger pierced through Felinoir’s skin and struck his heart.

“This dagger skill… it’s not the usual movement of a mage…”

Felinoir’s wound was severe. If I had used lightning or fire attribute magic, he would have fallen immediately. But I deliberately used steel attribute magic to create an unbreakable dagger.

“Yeah, this isn’t an archmage’s technique.”

If he wanted to fight so desperately for his pride, even at the cost of his life… I decided to break my oath. If he wanted to defeat the archmage so badly, I wanted to help him win. I guess I couldn’t throw away my life for my own romance or pride like he could. I just wanted to do something for him.

“Congratulations, Felinoir… no, Olrag. You defeated the ‘Archmage.’ And you sadly lost to a coward.”

“Ha… that’s a happy thing. By the way, I have a request.”

“A request… let’s hear it first.”

“I’ve removed the engravings that absorb the shock from my subordinates’ bodies. Since I’m defeated, they won’t be able to beat you. Rather than letting them suffer the pain of burning, send them off peacefully.”

“Alright.”

I could grant such a request.

“Dragon of Steel, pierce my enemies with your fangs.”

The spears I created pierced through Olrag’s subordinates, killing them instantly without pain.

“Thank you.”

“By the way, it’s surprising you’re still so lively even with your heart pierced.”

“I’m just squeezing out my strength. For the boss to die before his subordinates… what could be more ridiculous than that?”

Ha… what a fool. I really hated the fact that I didn’t meet him sooner.

“One last thing…”

Then, the voices of children could be heard from outside.

“Uncle! What’s going on? Were you fighting?”

“We kept hearing strange noises inside!”

“Were you fighting with the new guy? Talk it out!”

Hearing the children’s voices, Olrag groaned and forced himself to stand. Leaning weakly against the iron door, he shouted.

“Kids, this uncle is fine! See, my voice is as strong as ever! What better proof do you need?!!!”

He was forcing his voice, squeezing it out to reassure the children even as he was dying.

“This big boss uncle and the other uncles have to go far away for a bit! So, can you listen to the new guy for just a little while?!!!”

The children hesitated for a moment but agreed after Olrag’s request. Only then did Olrag turn his head towards me with a smile.

“One last thing… take care of those kids. Unlike me, you don’t compromise… you’re the kind of person who saves those in front of you first…”

“Alright, I promise. Anything else?”

“Haa… I’ll say it with gratitude. The Tower Lord of the Earth Magic Tower… he’s one of our Black Round Table… he’s actually… the leader of a massive bandit group… please talk to him well… he’s a foolish human who, like me, took the wrong path…”

“Alright, I’ll do as you said.”

“I wanted to die as a righteous thief… but as you said, I, who compromised with evil… will die as a mere petty thief… what a regret…”

With that, Olrag’s breath ceased. An ordinary person would have died dozens, no, hundreds of times over from such damage, but he endured and left behind a magnificent last word. He was truly a fool, yet an incredible one.

I approached him and closed his eyes.

“Sadly, I have no tears to shed for a member of the Black Round Table.”

I took out a piece of bread from my pocket. It was the piece of bread that the little girl, Amy, had stubbornly given me earlier.

“But… I can leave an offering.”

If sharing bread without hesitation with the poor and hungry is the creed of the Green Forest, then there’s no offering more fitting for him than this piece of bread.