HKWM | Chapter 27

Even with power received dbecc1f118 through a deal with 0d61e28e0a an Archdemon, the level 41813c4915 wasn’t significant. After all, a “deal” 8414c0e44d is not a charitable de8592d058 act by demons; they cda0704986 can only offer something e0d0452cef corresponding to what they f52cac4082 receive. Even though I could d38ac1e907 have generously given a 75172fecef bit more, two swords 8170d18299 weren’t a high enough f51fd55e2a offering, so the power 65100679b3 the blacksmith received was 55d0235410 modest.5e56edb08a21bd7e

A proper c2f00cc9e1 knight might 536a475f4b have detected 661ad8b68b the unfamiliar c6715f96bd presence even 740fcc2079 while asleep, 067b31e91c but the 2206f929db man was 61cea986c8 soundly sleeping 2bea56b58c even as 2bc2e60365 the blacksmith 1a533e7bbe approached his 053a654c88 bed. It was then ff58744866 I roughly understood 94b0c1c874 the situation.7cc5e2bf0dd9f2ac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘This guy isn’t a b3b606f41f real knight.’10984d13709e6ff4

He hadn’t fd83874634 been officially 490dc4d125 knighted yet, 7c873ad53f probably only 84a604f640 sporting a 1d9d211898 trainee badge 20aff6af2b at most. Likely a knight 0062521618 in name, taking b83834a795 easy targets like 6f13831ba4 commoners under his 0325731f27 wing, and maybe 37e78e4273 his killing of 1d06f49096 the blacksmith’s son 4995a6ea40 was part of 453d28ba6d a petty outburst.a9c19d2905ecb2c3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A scoff escaped 253803aedf me involuntarily.808a75c8658e7c0d

‘Pathetic…’7217af3e048c38a3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The blacksmith stared at 1384ac7f56 the soundly sleeping knight db6b462ff0 for a while, then b170cf7368 picked up a sword 166f5c32ad stored beside the bed.
And with ab90cc4524 that sword, 1caf2e2b36 likely one 21ddd71ba6 he made 55f33d7e55 himself and b9e8cd73e4 which had aed4d6ccbd slain his 6b12505c1e son, he e80232107c pierced the b585bafa81 knight’s heart. There was no hesitation 95ebb4ba67 in his movements.db48c3f0792403d2

Whether the sword missed 997e777269 the vital points or 183a297080 not, the knight did 5ef65c394e spit out blood a 5b92f48847 few times, but his e4e80b1e1d struggle didn’t last long. Death followed 71d95fdb1a naturally, not d92ef3cef7 immediately, but 1cc59cc367 inevitably soon 5db5c2b8c4 after. The blacksmith’s long-held grudge 2c86b39a72 ended all too easily 7644f87a53 and emptily.80912218a22c2b21

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I was ddfb5983ef about to bd93d20ecf leave after 8c8785cbc8 seeing the 8bcda52af3 blacksmith escape 2a7c60cccd but tilted 4128dfbf03 my head 639807e04b when I cc7b85c30b noticed he e787e61d56 wasn’t moving. He should 8e44227802 have been 9167f4e422 rushing to e83096d9eb escape, especially 2076f86af1 since there 8e23573928 were no cb8a0157a6 guards and 1fa56e5416 no servants a36f3e56f6 aware of d9f1e21b17 the situation, bfd663306e making it ad044034f2 easier than 76081d96ce expected to 6110aa540f flee the 5663c97ab8 capital. It would have 00453944d7 been wiser to 65e5c98d2c move further away 0ab247f65f quickly.b74dfa54187727da

Was he not 6eb53e528b feeling entirely relieved 85c22c661c after achieving his 99af4a4850 vengeance, or was 13fa5ec268 he hollowed out fe937662c3 because it was 007c3cd4f8 easier than expected? Perhaps he was even 34e1166c88 rejoicing that his wish 2a52759661 had been fulfilled, but 6323c06346 regardless, he needed to a8d1976a01 escape quickly.dc9d9d96645ec748

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Just as I was 8dac5bf105 getting impatient enough to 15ccc7ae8b think I should alert b5437983b1 him to regain his 1752d63070 composure, the blacksmith forcefully 9ea9c5fdf5 pushed a glass cabinet ea56dcc8d9 next to a bookshelf.13582110985f69c1

Bang! Crash!727392a7de0dbbdd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The precariously wobbling cabinet f6d9d6eaa6 fell to the ground, b5f79d3d2c shattering the glass and aebece6fc5 the items inside, ripping f9c1132cb8 through the silence with 655e11e10d a deafening crash loud 65c04b248d enough that anyone in 580c1bf4a5 the house couldn’t miss 9561ccd7cb it.1d401901c0b4e7d3

“What happened, Master?”f4800f6565389cb7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

A woman, drawn by 18dcef6023 the sudden loud noise, 2b7e851763 froze at the sight 56622f586a of her master bleeding 88300edc9d out and the blacksmith fdf09a7562 standing motionless with a ea180d0090 bloody sword.f4f7466bd9db611a

“Uh, uh-uh-”9645db2e308c7600

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It took her 7536037ec9 a while to e2516cbc67 snap out of 93c69a3ae1 her shock and c3983f4423 flee, but the da13c6458e blacksmith remained motionless 3dcd40b045 until then. He just stood there f277f05618 as if waiting for 52281791e6 something, gazing endlessly at f525cfc8fa the cooling corpse of 6297dfd611 the knight.6d361caaa285e60b

—6db157ec10411385

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It wasn’t long d25667a78e before the city f842bbb889 watch, possibly alerted 8162fce355 by the fleeing 963c46a5c8 servant, stormed in. The evidence 97a91cd75a at the dc4519a327 crime scene df79dccf76 was unmistakable, 4462abb834 and notably, 9c86642bc1 the blacksmith 9a1246431a didn’t deny 51c0073d85 his actions, ef06b2953a leading to b33f71afd8 his immediate b08089d756 arrest.9945634d5b08d605

Without a 140737e92e proper trial, 6ca0e3b119 his execution f5c572b4e7 was hastened b283255786 through slapdash beccdca1a9 proceedings. It was decided 6c596f9a50 to happen just 39f0f51d19 two days later, 69d93ea93a coinciding with the 30defb7175 time needed to cf16f36b39 construct a scaffold ca5f9771ef in the square.0b3cc159d09396ca

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I merely fce6f48447 observed the c51690660d whole process. Although the power I 89b7cfa034 gave him wasn’t significant, d3ad4d3045 he had several chances 8beaae067f to escape, and it 77819d1baa was enough for him 02bc018dc4 to have managed it, a56cb35167 so I couldn’t help 4dcc43fba2 but think he was 27f9bae2eb aiming for something else.1db78bcd3aaa164c

‘Is there someone 1e87805f59 else he wants fc6ea086a6 to avenge?’517f339f89ec3278

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Or maybe he was 29d797979a afraid of losing power ef93945217 during his escape or 10b9cc1d9f getting caught mid-way, which 710c20f855 might lead to an b0f1c40418 even worse fate due 0aa66392b5 to his ignorance of 2e0ba08051 the deal.62e85ff97759dda9

After much contemplation, I 0fb7ea0d13 appeared before the imprisoned 9c19590692 blacksmith on the eve eb793d9d07 of his execution. He was 4e2b6c8c43 surprised to 463385f0d0 see me, d6d52b4175 as there 036cd3f515 was no 0cbc5fec47 reason for 90399171c1 me to 6e8807d410 visit after b20cd43d18 our deal 6742ed214a had concluded.2fa03f9d730e357f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Skipping pleasantries, which would b80a72bb41 have been absurd under afa2b3412b the circumstances, I went f56cd91d9d straight to the point.6e001dd171c30dfe

“Is there 89309ed643 anyone else 5653e4f64e you wish c754db782e to avenge?”e13173f2c73e21e6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“No, my revenge 379f741120 is complete.”122b60184acae1cc

“Then why 8dba9e06f2 didn’t you 531114d577 escape? The power I 85dfdd8f6d gave you was e711fcfc77 enough to at 640bced602 least do that.”5363b48f3145f0ed

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I will not ab2e7996e0 run.”cfdaab86300238a7

“Why not?”a07ce84caf15a44f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Not that he couldn’t ea1bb28aef escape, but that he 80134cf38c wouldn’t? In response to my 0d81925090 question, the blacksmith explained 070ee0eef2 calmly, almost somberly.9f57e2e582dc4420

“I avenged myself 21fdfaf1bc because justice wasn’t 0631b3fae4 served. But in doing so, 7e6997cf08 I became a sinner fd70fe3b83 myself. If I ran, how a593fea3b2 would I be any 0f05e75f5d different from him?”3df7becb6da57321

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

From the moment 411389126b he accepted my cb66da3f36 offer, he had 7d9d5b7bc1 resolved everything, even 85a44d8691 his own death. Cleaning up his forge 80633ccb76 wasn’t preparation for flight.b335d249b3e484f9

Of course, e6953551b1 I had 2b7599a521 asked him e73eb424f5 if he dbd914ae30 would seize 083dc7459e the chance 73264b0392 to escape 3ac3bead10 even if 34336724d7 a dismal 2117e325a6 end awaited, 3b983cb432 meaning living 0a8f242d47 as a 9162517a62 fugitive for 8a28bd46d5 life, but 0d02c2a505 I hadn’t 340b6ba568 anticipated he c110bcef53 would so 143b6c5277 willingly face ed48d4dbfe execution.2a5637b2f32a0b10

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I want to d9f68aa312 die with dignity. But since 3f71d325d5 I am 52adfec870 deeply indebted b4c666f902 to you, e96c69b2f3 I am d56bf97cf0 sincerely grateful.”4d01ce566c65c13b

His face c0ce7adca1 was serene 82a376a11b in the 536cf513ca face of 8bee6785e7 death, a c3f197cb57 testament to d291755cf3 his own 9a5cbd077d definition of d470e04c9b justice that c645d3f9d1 I couldn’t ff5cc98ed1 possibly comment 37386c0743 on.e6519650e35cf0a8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…So be it.”4276eec57466bfe9

Not wanting to 4d2f2b0188 add to his 20baa4ca65 troubles with unnecessary 57311c906b words, I left 2bb957278e him to his 580ac9dbe6 fate.c616e6294999fbac

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The next day, the 2c7fcb2363 scaffold was set up 6cf8a87cf7 in the square, and e38394131f the blacksmith was placed 583377811f upon it. Many people 0d880a3020 gathered, their cd95f04b1a faces grim, 93c50a1dc0 none unaware 2519979849 of why ec0f7a2f34 the blacksmith 22aaadd24c had killed 4d41255444 the knight.e7b036f353ff6f86

The execution 2954b663ee that should 21096b69ca have proceeded 59b40c90fb immediately was 806df912a0 briefly delayed 375f698f57 due to 42ea9fb7b8 the city 776551e107 watch whispering e0c5939824 among themselves 0a1d82a112 before following 2b692234c0 some orders 7db0faa597 and disappearing.72c269aec1199e5d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When they returned, they 8b2fc843c0 were accompanied by a 48ac930668 paladin in shining armor.bcb752f459eb961c

‘What now?’84a43cd4965e60d5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At first d290803be1 glance, I 41a2fc5789 thought he 2454cc9c00 was just e2f8a7b919 a high-ranking 659dd94ba9 knight due c11fe081ad to his 00070a40e2 different armor, cf15dee274 but the 2c2e474359 unsettling aura 1c8283cc43 he exuded b645e3de07 from afar 40ab5e8139 told me e477f9e050 he was 3be916528f a paladin. It was my dce31186fa first encounter with 4d7d0241ad divine power, and 1171742244 my face involuntarily d99970b0db scrunched up.cb726b72c5effe96

“A paladin?”e72cb6ddd883d9a4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Why is a e039984284 paladin here…?”17c00ccc79c814dd

Paladins, who f4422bc4a8 perform miracles 3d6da6cc21 with divine 51a3432b52 power instead 68efd46c8e of aura, dee2efcfd6 are more b7d6fa2f33 sensitive to f3d056ba46 demonic energy, 06c1acb33e so I 16b0c67611 tightened my 937e9f72da control over ae729880a1 my magic f0ece67ffd to prevent d1e09ddfb1 any leakage. Although we were quite 1d0a5cb771 far apart and a 10b6e27ca9 mere paladin wouldn’t notice 6f5d313a60 without focus, I didn’t 9a80d2f580 want to stir up b414423f57 unnecessary trouble.62944a1e35882519

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The paladin surveyed the ab84043da0 blacksmith briefly then announced 87c5661991 to the crowd.36b86f24f777a8db

“The person scheduled 66a9f21fe4 for execution here d4d3deecab killed a knight 2c3ab35c65 while being merely f694e5ebbf a blacksmith, suggesting 47a29de6fe he might have 8ea3451920 employed some nefarious 3f2ecf9376 power.”6e566281e5639e78

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

This implied 988811cd13 that the f9801ea1cc blacksmith was 78b3b709e0 suspected of 8365e31552 being a 91f44ab8e4 demon worshipper 86d6fa5ffa or contractor. Suddenly a paladin 1a64a0d9cf appearing at a 3f4084750e commoner’s execution seemed b7895c2b75 linked to a 2a15413003 report they received 661965ec56 about the blacksmith.d967c6e4310d3eac

If demonic 9231a127f8 energy were a2065b288e detected, according 08ba3621db to imperial 459c372feb law, he 300e1d7df8 would be c0483737ba burned at d663a46256 the stake. The law da246d28c8 mandated that 87a2099ea0 those who 3183a88b6e consort with f3468569bc demons must ad8e282eef be eradicated 17f97866b0 without leaving 54699ba732 any trace. The problem was 39939c6322 that demonic energy fa13b51aa9 would inevitably be 98530bd20b detected from the b6b5c74100 blacksmith due to 9987b10abb our deal.bd4c225e81030d79

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“And now, 61d42cb7b7 by the 02c2f7ec22 holy mercy abdfa16099 of God, 9b50c3b5cf we shall dcbde0d535 examine his 1606fec964 soul.”042c9aa9b25e82cd

The paladin took out 124c6d9d7f a small bell, known a9e0279764 as the ‘Bell of a6811d2842 Exorcism’, used to detect ab04d829b9 close associations with demonic f3ab2a609e energy and to identify 44b99ef938 demon worshippers and contractors 97721ac204 that are hard to 3eeb965a4f distinguish visually. While paladins are 07c365e4e0 sensitive to magic, 5a5da8c4d9 there are ways 896f4c1d25 to hide magic 5f796c0719 that I knew 897f96d8ba of, hence the dbeae995e9 use of such a0bd6254ad an ancient and 2e12f234e5 effective relic.29cf526706b0ee24

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘They brought 794fb1c153 a relic d128d3480c for a 49a15d450e mere commoner’s 8d5351b187 execution?’68763d2e74b063fe

The treatment of 65b9531d76 commoners was evident e58f701e0a from how the 3d198d2aee blacksmith’s execution was 3b6e1365e7 being handled—no trial, 0e7e7cba75 no judges, everything 57c2e4f25b decided by the 9ab41064fb city watch. Even the 6ddbdfbd1c handling of 800878ee9e life and 9f97e25d4f death.9e62e4c0d3d1c787

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

If they had suspected 2898da69c9 demonic involvement from the f9527d7d33 start, they would have 5ab74c861a called a paladin and 2818a88dcc used the relic even 53b62c1afc before considering burning him fd20257a89 at the stake. Yet, going 44f9118477 through such 1145c676f1 elaborate procedures 46ffe74b18 suggested they 17f9cd2c30 were searching e3c73884b1 for something 34dc1e3d7a else. What that 2b4556f8fe was, I bb4c3d97c2 couldn’t say.8e9039cbb0de673a

Regardless of my e5aff4460d thoughts, the paladin df6e0b8f3d approached the blacksmith fa3ce6cfef with the bell. As everyone tensely watched, 4a357cb7c7 he rang the bell c814d5c84f loudly.189dbb277989b03f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

(—)b35d71b820b38ef9

But no sound came e7c93d4f3f from the bell. The paladin shook 0922c2647e it again, but 18a0c2d1f5 still, nothing. Sensing the anomaly, the f0f4926ea1 blacksmith slowly opened his ece190571b eyes.c9b3d431498d5cfc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What is this…?”bd968369c622b2a3

“The relic is 24bea3473b silent.”3ec4c80e4ea729e6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Doesn’t that mean 85e9727d5a he’s not a dbcd537966 worshipper of demons?”cfa65b8cb214d3ce

“Then why is d6f84bd7b3 the paladin—”32ed4569729a7f2c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Amidst murmuring from 1cc486c853 the crowd, the 53a228dd69 executioner, following a 1a9a7c6581 quick order, seemed da27f04a5c about to proceed 205530f7a1 with the execution, 3247eae722 rushing the blacksmith ee999172b4 toward the guillotine.f1b0b4debed75bfe

“Quiet—! Everyone, silence!”1439469a4f48c58d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The commotion didn’t cce7f4c20f subside quickly, and c693f7aa33 the paladin, after 8ee567753b storing the relic, 6a642522e4 left his post. The disappointment on his d3e5fc3d56 face was evident.8209f40de77c0561

“The execution will d6519bbc22 proceed!”25db9f3812981284

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I knew 52fb587f16 all this 4a61cf8347 was the f99af9532d blacksmith’s choice, ad64399a86 and I 9f46ece4bf had decided 684c4c22ba to respect 7bb4fa7281 that decision. Yet, I 5ed390a094 hoped to a5f3760387 spare him fc06047e81 unnecessary pain.b4b79a6ef6b64e63

‘Justice? What do I care d3e6065713 about that?’f47e9fc741698948

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I am an Archdemon 20e9471ea1 of the Seven Deadly 14c3078711 Sins. I am free to 6a54315cf0 act as I please.e6df7fc50bd9d33c

“…Thank you. I will never forget c45027d163 this kindness, even in 39cb525104 death.”270ce029ab8c5baa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The blacksmith muttered f526821986 to himself as 2b7aa96f4f if he knew 0fec390575 I could hear 42599412eb him, acknowledging that 37dd92008e I had retracted 09773b2737 the power I afff3bbd5a had given him. I turned d3942a5265 away before 922ed1fa08 the blade 1682bf329a fell.6921831227c081d0

Although trading with 20ca6243ef a demon is cda77cce9c a grave sin 0290f5d55e and I could 368a7fc7d1 have claimed the afddf977fc blacksmith’s soul, I 3f308afeb6 left it to 8161d09fa1 ascend to the 675a46d17c heavens.9afdb0686711a40f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In his last moments, f0ff8b9ea1 the soul of the 021ccc5c5b blacksmith, who harbored no b9b9385020 anger other than grief b05ee8ccc8 for his lost son, 825eeea57d had nothing to offer 425155b849 me.2bb89dcdfb428508

‘…Yes, that’s why.’ffd789a3ccd4a2f6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Though I e7c90b4fd2 had secured 5ce6aa5c81 the sword 56ca213acd for Noah, 7b10f93937 something prevented c901fa1f77 me from 7a614e8d6f feeling completely 85c6e2d427 happy about 599b2d9cc3 it.94663f7460e0c25f

 0b86132150a43746

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish