Chapter 106: An Alliance with the Swamp Village...
After a long conversation...
After Nox explained how he had arrived in Mireveil, told the story of his villainesses, recounted his battle against the Saint Gabriel, and explained what Heroes and Heroines were...
The two glasses clinked together one last time.
Rollo finished the contents of his drink and set the wooden cup down on the table.
"So..."
He leaned back in his massive chair.
"...we have a deal."
Nox smiled.
"I’m glad to hear that."
The village chief raised a finger.
"But on one condition."
The demon let out a quiet chuckle.
"There’s always one."
"Of course."
Rollo rested both elbows on the table.
"I want you to help my people."
Nox raised an eyebrow.
"In what way?"
The large man sighed.
"We’ve had a problem for years."
He looked toward the window.
"The Marauders."
Nox slowly leaned back in his chair.
"I’ve heard about them."
Rollo nodded.
"Then you already know they aren’t just ordinary monsters."
"No."
"They’re a damn plague."
The chief picked up the bottle again and refilled both glasses.
"The hunters who survive a fight against them earn the right to wear their masks."
He pointed toward one of the walls.
Hanging from several hooks were numerous dark masks made from elongated skulls.
Every single one looked remarkably similar to the one Nox had obtained through the gacha.
"Each one belonged to a different hunter."
Nox studied the masks.
"Then mine..."
Rollo smiled.
"...is the real thing."
The demon slowly raised his hand.
The Mask of the Marauder emerged from the shadows, floating in front of him for a few seconds.
The chief’s eyes lit up.
"I knew it wasn’t an imitation."
Nox dismissed it back into the darkness.
"I earned it in battle... though not against Marauders."
"I don’t doubt it."
Rollo lifted his glass once more.
"That’s exactly why I’m going to ask you for something."
Nox took a small sip.
"I’m listening."
The chief took a deep breath.
"Help me hunt the Marauder King."
The room fell completely silent.
Nox set his glass down.
"The king?"
Rollo nodded.
"He exists."
"I thought they were just wild creatures."
"They are."
The chief answered.
"But one of them rules the others."
Nox fell into thought.
Rollo continued.
"I’ve fought him before."
The demon looked up.
"And?"
The chief let out a dry laugh.
"I’m only alive because I got lucky."
He pointed to the enormous scar stretching across his chest.
"He gave me this."
Nox examined the mark.
It looked like a wound carved by enormous claws.
"Did you injure him?"
"I did."
Rollo smiled.
"I tore out one of his eyes."
Nox whistled.
"Not bad."
"But it wasn’t enough."
The smile faded.
"Since then, neither of us has gone looking for the other."
The demon crossed his arms.
"And why now?"
"Because you showed up."
Rollo pointed toward Nox’s mask.
"You seem like the kind of opponent he deserves."
Then he pointed at the demon’s black horns.
"And you claim you want to conquer Mireveil."
Nox nodded slowly.
"That’s right."
"Then start by defeating one of its strongest enemies."
The chief placed both hands on the table.
"If you kill the Marauder King..."
He smiled.
"...the entire swamp will know your name."
Nox remained silent for a few moments before smiling.
"Then we have a deal."
Rollo slammed the table enthusiastically.
"That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!"
Their glasses clinked once again.
CLINK.
◇◆◇
Some time passed.
Bottle after bottle of wine gradually disappeared.
Rollo seemed to enjoy the conversation more with every passing minute.
Then Nox asked a question.
"There’s still something I don’t understand."
"What is it?"
"If you want your people to prosper..."
The demon pointed toward the window.
"...why don’t you simply wipe out the Marauders?"
Rollo burst into laughter.
"Because it’s not that simple."
"No?"
"No."
The chief rested his head against one hand.
"They live here too."
Nox frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"This is their home as well."
The demon fell silent, thinking.
"I see."
"We’ve been killing each other for decades."
Rollo continued.
"They attack our hunters, we kill theirs."
He took another drink.
"And in the end, neither side truly wins."
Nox rested both hands on the table.
"Maybe there’s another solution."
Rollo raised an eyebrow.
"Like what?"
"An alliance."
The chief froze.
"...What?"
"I want to speak with them."
Rollo stared at him for several long seconds.
Then he burst into laughter so hard he nearly spilled his wine.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Nox waited patiently.
"That was a good joke."
"I wasn’t joking."
The laughter slowly faded.
The chief narrowed his eyes.
"You’re serious?"
"Completely."
Nox tapped a finger against the table.
"If I want to stand against the gods..."
He looked directly at the chief.
"...I’ll need all of Mireveil."
Rollo remained silent.
"And when I say all of it..."
The demon smiled.
"...I mean the Marauders too."
The chief slowly shook his head.
"No."
"No?"
"You don’t understand how those beasts work."
Rollo finished his wine in a single gulp.
"They’re savage."
"That’s exactly what people said about the Peques."
The chief fell silent.
Nox continued.
"And now they’re my allies."
Rollo let out a quiet snort.
"It’s not the same."
"Why not?"
"Because the Peques are curious."
The chief pointed toward the door.
"The Marauders only know one thing."
"Hm."
"Killing."
Nox remained thoughtful for a moment before smiling.
"Then I’d like to find out for myself."
Rollo studied the demon for several seconds.
Finally, he filled both glasses again.
"You really are..."
He slowly shook his head.
"...the strangest man I’ve ever met."
Nox laughed.
"I hear that a lot."
"Well, I’ll let you try."
He raised his glass once more.
"But listen carefully."
The chief’s voice became completely serious.
"If you fail to convince them..."
He paused for a second.
"...then you’ll have to deal with the Marauder King yourself."
Nox picked up his glass and smiled with complete confidence.
"That sounds like a fair deal."
Their glasses clinked together once more.