‘Why is he here? Did Karles fail to notice that Haeseong had entered this crypt? Or did something happen to them?’ A few thoughts were swirling in Seth’s mind as he looked at the man warily.

Haeseong was holding a sword called the Black Flame Sword. It was a sleek black obsidian blade. On the hilt, intricate runes glowed.

A perpetual black flame encircled the blade. After defeating each monster, the blade would get stronger by absorbing the essence of the defeated creatures, giving the wielder increased strength, agility, sharpness, reflexes, and so forth. The black flames were bigger than Seth had anticipated, though.

Haeseong looked at the corpses on the ground, raising an eyebrow. Feeling alert, Seth got his staff ready. The moment they made eye contact, Haeseong’s eyes widened as though he were surprised to see him.

“Who are you?”

Seth frowned slightly. “I should be the one asking first. What are you doing here, Melianor’s revered hero?”

Haeseong glanced at the corpses of the Birds of a Feather before he replied. “I was planning to kill them, but it seems like you’re faster than me. They have killed several people and are becoming more daring, so this day was bound to come for them.”

All of a sudden, he smiled. Undoubtedly, his face was more attractive than any celebrity Seth had ever seen on Earth. However, there was something about Haeseong that unnerved him, and Seth felt a chill run down his spine.

‘Why does he want to kill them? The Birds of a Feather should be in prison right now, according to the original plotline in The Summoned Hero, but I changed it so that I could exact revenge on them. I don’t remember them picking a fight with him. He is, after all, the treasured hero, and he is more powerful than them, so they wouldn't do something so stupid.’

Haeseong examined the corpses after putting his sword back in its sheath.

Seeing that Haeseong did not have the intention to fight him, Seth calmed down slightly. ‘Maybe I’m worrying too much. Three months had passed since Haeseong was called to this world. He was still a young high school student who would not kill people arbitrarily. It’s just a little disturbing that he is always serious the entire time.’

Seth took advantage of the moment to walk over and shake Joshua's shoulder.

Joshua groggily opened his eyes and mumbled, “Where am I?”

“We are still in the stone chamber. Let's get out of here quickly.”

After surveying his surroundings in horror, Joshua turned to face Seth with the same look.

Seth looked at him seriously in return. “Do you want to leave or not?”

“Yes, yes!” Joshua stumbled to his feet and tried to stand up right away. “I think I might be having a nightmare. It's only my first quest. What kind of bad luck is this?”

After vomiting, he was weak and dehydrated, so Seth held him up while he walked. Haeseong was still examining the Birds of a Feather corpses.

Before the two of them could leave, Haeseong said, “By the way, would you be up for a quest? I am trying to get people to locate the Lost Library. There is a tome in it, and if we get the relevant information, it can give us advantages over the Demon King.”

Seth stopped in his tracks as he looked at him. ‘The Lost Library... The leader of the Knights of the Order should appoint the members of the team. Agnes was also one of the members of the group. However, if I think about it, it’s in line with his character. Im Haeseong is someone who is wary and distrustful. He wants someone who can work with him covertly because he doesn’t trust the Knights of the Order, which is in charge of placing everyone around him.’

Since Seth was hesitating to reply, Haeseong said again, “There'll be a substantial reward, of course, and in-kind compensation will be provided for any losses.”

‘Haeseong is probably thinking that I’m someone capable of killing B and C-rank adventurers, but in fact, I’m only a D-rank adventurer. I had to rely on artifacts to kill the Birds of a Feather! I won’t be able to survive outside with my current strength.’

Seth replied. “I’ll think about it and give you a reply.”

Haesong tried showing Seth a friendly smile, but it didn’t calm his nerves a bit. “Meet me at Zen Dining Hall at eight in the morning. By the way, shouldn’t I at least know your name?”

“Cain. My name is Cain.”

Haeseong didn’t stop Seth again; Seth was glad they left the place safely.

Joshua, who had been quiet, finally opened his mouth. “Isn’t that the hero? Why is he there?”

“I don’t know either,” Seth replied honestly.

‘Maybe he wanted to use the opportunity to kill the Birds of a Feather and use them to make his sword stronger? No, I shouldn't think too badly of him.’

Upon leaving the abandoned church and walking into the forest, Seth could see some people.

His body was covered in a high-collared tunic and a mantle embroidered with silver threads over his shoulders. Prominently displayed on a ring on his finger was the Silver Skull Guild's ceremonial sigil. His height was average, and he gave off an air of arrogance and confidence. He had red hair arranged in an untidy fashion, dark brown eyes, and an irritating smile.

Wyman, the Silver Skull Guild leader.

Three other members of the Silver Skull Guild stood next to him.

Based on the weapons they were carrying, Seth was able to determine their profession: the woman with the bow should be an archer, the man with the broadsword behind his back should be a warrior, and the other woman with the staff should be a mage.

Wyman looked at Seth and Joshua and scowled instantly. “Where are the others?”

“The Silver Skull Guild's leader?” Joshua looked at Seth for validation as his body shook in fear.

Seth refrained from smiling and paid no attention to Joshua. “They are dead. I shot all of them in the head.”

“What did you say?” Wyman lost his composure and got angrier. Seeing that the two people in front of him had no intention of replying, he signaled his eyes to the people beside him. “Heh, what a pity. I was planning to watch the show and ask what they gain this time.”

His statement solidified that he approved of what the Birds of a Feather had been doing. Then this meant Seth would not feel guilty for killing him.

“Cain!” Joshua was frightened by Seth’s response.

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As the tension escalated, Joshua readied his sword.

“Where’s the S-grade artifact?” Wyman asked.

Seth shrugged nonchalantly as he put his hand behind his back. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

His response only made Wyman angrier.

“Yeah, it’s fine if you don’t talk. I’ll rip your lips until you open your mouth.”

Without hesitation, Seth took out a magic bomb from his space dimension bag. Then he threw it at them right away.

Boom!

The smoke from the explosion cleared within seconds.

Since they were ready, it did not injure them in the slightest. However, that was enough for Seth. The magic bomb only acted as a signal.

Immediately emerging from their hiding places, two people wearing disguises attacked the Silver Skull Guild members. Chaos erupted in the ensuing clash.

Seth knew they were Karles and One.

Karles flung three daggers between his fingers, striking the mage in the back. The mage was caught off guard and did not have time to construct a protective barrier behind her, so she was easily killed.

Bodyguard One quickly blocked the warrior's attack with his black sword before slamming the weapon into his chest.

Regarding the archer, a shadowy maw engulfed half of her body, leaving only her lower half momentarily upright before plunging to the ground. It was similar to when the demon on Ryu's team was killed.

‘Krytys followed me here again?’

In less than a minute, such a scene occurred, which was so gory and unexpected that Wyman lost his balance and collapsed.

He gasped as he took in the sight. “W-Who are you, people? You dare kill my guild members?! Do you know who I am? I’m the Silver Skull Guild’s leader!”

“To be honest, I have no plan on killing you, but since you are here, I might as well do so.” Seth walked closer to him.

‘This is good. I don't want more trouble knocking on my door for the Silver Skull Guild to investigate.’

Wyman immediately pulled out a stone from his pocket and tried to break it. But before he could do so, One sliced his neck cleanly.

Seth glanced at One, but his expression was hidden by the black cloth covering his face. ‘What a good bodyguard!’

The head of Wyman rolled over towards his feet.

Joshua screamed and almost fainted in fear.

In one day, Seth had already taken several lives but he did not feel guilty as he felt that they deserved it. He only brought them judgment.

Watching the one-sided blood massacre, Seth suddenly had a thought. ‘What a boring fight.’

If it was possible, he wanted to meticulously plan to kill them one by one. but at the same time, he did not want to spend too much time taking revenge. His grudge towards them was also not enough that he would spend a long time meticulously making sure they suffered. It was a good thing one of his goals in life had been accomplished.

Seth felt as though he could read Joshua's thoughts as he looked at him in apprehension. ‘Will I be next?’

Karles was assessing Seth, and his expression was peculiar. Maybe Karles was curious about what he had done, but killing people was nothing out of the ordinary for Seth.

Seth instructed his servants calmly, “Clean up the place and throw their bodies away. Including the thieves in the chamber.”

“As you wish, young master.” He replied.

At that moment, another person revealed themselves from behind the tree. It was Jehan, the gardener on Marquess Gilliame’s estate.

He avoided Seth’s eyes and followed One to dispose of the bodies methodically.

Haeseong walked out of the abandoned church and did not say anything when he saw the dead people.

After they left the Black Mist Forest, they parted ways. Joshua immediately ran without looking back, as though he were afraid of Seth chasing him.

Seth would not do so. If he wanted to, he could have killed Joshua to keep him quiet, but he did not believe that Joshua was brave enough to expose the matter.

After that, Seth and his servants arrived at Marquess Gilliame’s estate. Seth felt as though he could now have a peaceful life without having to worry about anything.

After taking a bath, Seth noticed Krytys sunbathing on the windowsill in his bedroom under the evening sun.

“Thank you again, Krytys.” Seth approached the dragon who was pretending to be a cat. Even though he did not need Krytys’ help, he still appreciated it. “But why did you follow me?”

Krytys did not say anything for a moment and looked away. “I can sense your emotions.”

“My emotions?” Seth could not catch what Kyrtys was saying.

‘Do dragons have such traits? In The Summoned Hero, there are only a few dragons. They possess the capacity to breathe fire, cast spells, and soar through the skies. In addition to being highly intelligent animals, dragons are also known for hoarding treasures.’

Seth suddenly had a ridiculous thought as he stood there speechless. ‘Wait- Did Krytys feel close to me after I saved him, and that’s why he formed a bond with me?!’

Before his irrational thoughts got out of control, he pulled himself together.

As he heard no response, Kyrtys flicked his tail. “You were in high spirits, and I was curious what kind of things had made you feel that way.”

‘Now that it reminds me, who is the person Krytys is looking for?’ So Seth voiced his question to him.

“He has many names. Humans usually call him the Son of Heaven,” Krytys muttered solemnly. He watched Seth for a moment before he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Seth jogged through his memories, but the name was not familiar at all. He wanted to ask Krytys more questions, but then he would appear ignorant. ‘He probably doesn’t have any expectation that I know the person he is searching for.’

Since Kyrtys was not willing to talk to him, Seth shut his mouth and went to the luxurious and comfortable bed.

He thought he would not be able to sleep after such an eventful day, but he eventually fell asleep soundly during that peaceful night.

…

The next morning, Seth, Celia, and the twins went to the Legendary Master of Rejuvenation.

Celia was dressed in an azure blue and silver ankle-length robe with delicate embroidery along the hems, a belt with pouches, and brown boots. Her face was covered by a veil, and she wore a lightweight cowl. Her fingerless gloves traced the outline of the book she brought with her.

“Did you stay up all night?” Seth asked.

Her brown hair was a little unkempt, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

Celia smoothed back her hair and laughed dryly. “Is it obvious? I was learning the names of a few common ailments, their symptoms, signs, diagnoses, and treatments.”

“I see.”

There were requirements to be accepted as the Legendary Master of Rejuvenation's apprentice. Candidates needed to be knowledgeable about herbal remedies and natural healing techniques. They also needed to possess a certain amount of magical aptitude and be skilled in a variety of healing arts, such as herbalism, potion-making, and conventional medical procedures. In addition, they had to uphold a strong code of ethics and show sincere commitment.

The examination was divided into two stages— one focused on theoretical knowledge and magical proficiency, and the other on practical skills and application.

The theoretical assessment included an examination of magical theory and principles, a herbology and potion-making test, and a scenario-based assessment of the candidates' ethical considerations in healing.

The practical trials of the exam comprised an emergency healing scenario, a nature attunement and herbology challenge, and a practical test on healing magic.

With a dejected expression, Noel turned to face Celia. “Are you going somewhere, Miss Celia?”

Leon glanced at Celia with the same look. For the past few weeks, the twins have become close to Celia.

Celia smiled as she patted Noel on the head. “It’s not confirmed yet. But I will still come to see you even if I am chosen to be the Legendary Master of Rejuvenation's apprentice.”

Seth stayed silent as he watched the street outside through the carriage’s window. ‘Once she gets accepted, I can ask her to get me an audience with him. Krytys needed to be healed. However, I’ll have to exchange something with the elf beforehand, such as Moonlit Orchid Essence, Sapphire Heartstone, or Starlight Crystals. The rare ingredients are being tested to treat illnesses for which there is currently no known cure.’

He doubted The Legendary Master of Rejuvenation would turn him down if he managed to get his hands on them.