Vol. 6: I Will Become A Parvenu
Chapter 8
For starters, he wasnât surrounded by many soldiers wielding iron spears.
Besides, he wasnât wearing his usual steel helmet.
Most importantly, the smell of blood wrapped around his hands was gone.
Efreet had to confirm that the stranger was indeed his contractor.
[Please tell me your name]
Even at the first meeting, Efreet asked for his name, but he had no name to respond with.
Valhail opened his mouth after much thought.
ââ¦â¦Valhail.â
In an instant, a powerful fire leaked from Efreetâs nose.
He referred to Valhail as a contractor, but he was impolite enough to snort in his face.
[That is not your real name]
âThen what is my name?â
With his horns, Efreet scratched his back. He appeared to be debating whether or not to tell him.
âTell me my name.â
When Valhail warned him sternly, Efreet grinned and replied.
[Donât you already know?]
ââ¦â¦â
Valhail had a feeling heâd seen that smile before.
A vague, buried memory surfaced in an instant.
[Should I set fire to that little castle over there?]
Salamander. The spirit of fire followed him around like a puppy.
Salamander, who flashed his teeth, smiled happily as he gazed at Count Crawfordâs castle.
[Itâs going to be a lot of fun. Iâm going to kill them all!]
Then Valhail heard unfamiliar but familiar voices.
âJust give me an order, Your Highness! Iâll leave right away!â
âYour Highness, you must not let a single cheeky thing live!â
The sound of steel striking, the sound of horses rolling in groups on the floor, the cry of enraged horsesâ¦â¦
âYour Highness!â
âYour Highness!â
âYour Highness!â
Valhail closed his eyes as if he had a nightmare then reopened them.
Every sound echoed as he walked through the middle of a battlefield.
Valhailâs spine became chilled every now and then as fragments of memories he didnât know flew into his head.
âFrom where on earth was I looking at the county?â
He remembered looking to the east and estimating the county castle.
The County of Crawford, on the other hand, was located at the western end of the Empire.
Then⦠does that mean he wasnât standing in Empire land?
Valhail squeezes his temples as if taking bitter medicine.
[Please tell me your name]
Efreet nastily pressed him, as if he already knew the extent of his anguish.
Valhail, who was staring at the image of a devil floating in the fireplace, mentioned the name, which he tried to dismiss.
âValhtoâ¦â¦ Heinrich.â
What am I doing, where am I, and who am I?
A toono with no knowledge of anything.
It was a name that someone yelled at him just before that man died. âValhto Heinrich Castaques.â âºâºâºâ¼â»â»â» âI want to see the countessâ archery skills.â
Camilla returned her gaze to Cedric, who was crossing his arms beside her, and then back to the flock of birds flying into the sky.
âGo ahead, shoot the arrow.â
Camilla, despite holding a bow, had no idea how to hit a flying target, let alone hunt.
âItâs not because you canât shoot an arrow, is it?â
ââ¦â¦â
It was never easy to handle hunting bows.
Camilla once learned from Ruben, but Camilla was uninterested in it, so she never pulled a proper bow.
First and foremost, she came to this hunting ground was not for hunting.
This hunting ground is the playground for Camilla and Ruben to perform their own love.
âYouâve been hunting a lot, what a strange thing to do.â
Smirkâ Cedric smiled meaningfully before jumping on the horse and pulling the reins.
âShould I just hit him andâ¦â¦?â
Say that her hand slipped?
Camilla aimed her bow at the back of Cedricâs head in rage.
Her hands, however, truly slipped.
As the left hand clumsily held the bow and the right hand, which was shaking and pulling the bow string, suddenly lost strength, the arrow flew away.
ââ¦â¦?!â
Camillaâs eyes widened dramatically.
âMadam!?â
A startled cry came from next to her.
Everyoneâs astonished eyes were simultaneously staring at Camilla.
âBut I canât kill him like this!â
Camilla, on the other hand, surprised everyone.
If she could, sheâd grab the arrow that was staggering away.
But then something unexpected happened.
Thud!
Cedric leaned back and grabbed the arrow that flew into him with one hand in an instant.
Despite the breathtaking sight, the hunting grounds were deafeningly quiet.
And.
Crack-Â The arrow shaft he was holding in one hand had broken.
âI would have been killed if I hadnât known.â
Cedricâs face, looking back at Camilla, was cold, as if he hadnât previously smiled.
âThough, I wonât be surprised even if I know.â