The Villain Carries the Holy Sword – Chapter 40.1

Chapter 40.1: The Train Heading Towards Spring (2)

Cain grabbed the hole on the train roof with both hands. It was solid steel, the kind that barely yielded even after being sawed at for a long time.

Clank—

White lightning, every fiber infused with muscle, surged forth, and the hole ripped open like paper. He descended through the enlarged opening.

The pigs in the pen should have been startled, squealing at the top of their lungs, but they were all huddled against the walls, trembling as if terrified.

Cain smiled wryly as he looked at the pigs.

‘Animals are more sensitive.’

He had considered searching for cats like the warrior ‘Unbending’ from his past life, but he hadn’t been able to because of this ‘Winter’ power.

It was strange to see it in action again, but he didn’t forget what he had to do.

Fortunately, the pigs were far away, so the small footprints on the floor were clearly visible.

Cain, unconcerned about the filth staining his shoes, opened the door to the pen.

Next was the storage car. It was obvious that the one he was chasing had slipped through the tightly packed luggage.

‘He’s not a professional yet.’

He wasn’t as stealthy as an assassin.

Still, it was a kid who thought and moved with considerable care.

The distance between the footprints, the handprints on the luggage, the moisture left behind as if from deep breaths in this still chilly place.

Cain deduced his opponent by piecing together these clues.

‘Still, as expected, he’s strong-willed even when still young. What is he trying to do?’

It wouldn’t be terrorism.

Even with limited ability, detonating the stones laid on the railroad tracks would be easier than this.

Assassination seemed most likely.

However, if the guy Cain expected was right, he didn’t think he would do something as nasty as an assassination.

Cain extended his hand while organizing his thoughts.

A few strands of reddish-blond hair were visible between the heavy wooden crates.

Rumble—

At the loud noise of the train, Cain looked out the window, which was like a small gap.

The scenery of low mountains that had been continuing ended, and a desolate canyon stretching to the horizon came into view.

A black steel bridge, the Iron Bridge, connecting such canyons.

Cain looked back and forth between the hair and the Iron Bridge, a shortcut to Count Crowl’s castle, and the corners of his lips rose.

“Is this the branching point, Four Seasons?”

Naturally, there was no answer.

Thinking of the 『Four Seasons』 that silently showed the way, Cain moved to the next car of the train.

“I wonder if you are a puppet or a warrior now.”

With a rough picture forming in his mind, Cain prepared to wield the Sword of Despair, Agweska, at any moment.

Even if Oleciren hated it, this would be the most efficient way.

🔹🔹🔹

Orphil, with a greasy smile, asked Oleciren, who was sitting across from him.

“How is it? Does it suit your taste?”

“It’s more delicious than I thought.”

A haughty reply.

However, her fork continued to move.

The Ironbridge set menu prepared on the Crowl train was quite a formal course meal.

The taste of each dish wasn’t that great, but the presentation was very good.

The main dish they were eating now was made by soaking lamb’s forelegs, no more than 6 months old, in wine, aging them, and then smoking them.

The bone was decorated like an Ironbridge, and under it, a canyon was drawn using yellow pumpkin puree and red beet sauce.

It was perfect for Oleciren’s taste. But deep down, she preferred Arna’s apple pie.

Isoel silently watched Orphil, and Orphil, pleased with Oleciren’s better-than-expected reaction, smiled and said.

“Crowl Count’s Castle employs a number of professional chefs.”

“Chefs?”

It was strange that a count would hire more than one or two chefs.

Orphil pointed at the Ironbridge set menu in front of him with a fork.

“The current lord of the Count’s Castle is very interested in this kind of food. And he wants to turn Crowl into a tourist destination rather than an industrial complex like this in the future.”

“Well, Crowl has the Grand Orwell flowing through it, the canyon is magnificent, and the natural environment is the best in the southern part of the kingdom, so I understand…”

Oleciren frowned for a moment when Orphil wasn’t looking.

As the one who handled the Royal Intelligence Service, she naturally knew a lot about the Seven Great Noble Houses.

The current lord of Crowl is Count Garick Crowl.

It was strange that he, with his large muscles and rough-looking appearance, preferred food and tourism.

Although people’s tastes differ from their appearances, according to the information gathered by the intelligence agency, Garick was exactly as he appeared.

Oleciren met Orphil’s eyes.

The Gypsum Flower, which was in an ambiguous state between life and death in the royal capital, was slightly tainted by Cain’s blackness.

“It seems that Count Garick’s taste has changed a bit.”

Usually, nobles would speak in a roundabout way, but she asked directly.

Predicting each other’s thoughts, taking a step back, and then moving forward was something she could no longer do.

She felt more comfortable acting like Cain.

Orphil, unaware that she would ask so directly, froze slightly.

“The Lord Count Garrick I remember was a tough man.”

She pressured him by revealing her identity as a princess, and Orphil answered after organizing his thoughts.

“Count Garick… wouldn’t like it.”

“If the Count doesn’t like it, how can things proceed at the Count’s Castle?”

“It is possible because ‘that person’ wants it.”

Oleciren noticed that Orphil’s eyes changed subtly the moment he said the words ‘that person’.

She pretended to know nothing and continued speaking while eating.

“Who is ‘that person’?”

“Arian Crowl. She is the mistress of the Count’s Castle. Since she wants it, of course, the Count wouldn’t oppose it either.”

“As far as I know, I heard that the original mistress was a different person. The Count’s deep love for her was a rumor throughout the kingdom, wasn’t it?”

Oleciren smiled.

At that moment, Isoel put down her cutlery and became a little more tense.

This was because whenever Oleciren smiled like that, something big usually happened.

Orphil, with an obviously feigned expression of regret, said.

“That’s right. Lady Mia was a really good person……”

Count Garick Crowl.

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