Chapter 76

Fanfu had been aware, but pretended not to notice.

The head of the household killed a bat-type beastman and, with the help of a man of a certain race, the mother who sought revenge was slain. The next head of the household also challenged the man of that race to a duel in a manner close to coercion and was killed. Then, his father, ignoring the order of the Garuda King, attempted to assassinate the man of that race in the dark and was purged.

Fanfu knew this was the truth, as she had heard it many times. But she was alone now. Even if it was out of resentment, she thought that if she could just kill the man of that race, the root of all her troubles, everything would be fine. If that man had not been there, she would not have lost her family. That was why she challenged him.

But she lost the duel, was spared her life, and only then realized. She was not alone. Joseph, Agatha, Dawi, the attendants of the Moon Goddess, and the people around the sub-shrine had warmly supported her. Joseph said that even if he was criticized behind his back for tainting the duel, it was enough that she was alive, and that fame meant nothing to him. Agatha, who was very strict, explained the facts to her many times, clearly distinguishing right from wrong, and said that staying in this town was for the sake of living, and that she could not move forward without overcoming the shadow of resentment. Dawi was gentle and reliable, the kind of person she imagined her sister would be like.

It was warm.

After a while, she hunted a monster in a village without hunters with Joseph. She went to gather herbs for a sick mother at the request of a child who had spent all their money. Joseph seemed to be in poor health, but he laughed and said it was fine for a short time. Such days continued, and one day, it happened.

Three days ago, in the afternoon, that hunter named Krand was shopping with an unknown woman. They looked happy and content.

Suddenly, an overwhelming passion welled up, making it hard to breathe. Why were you living happily when my parents are dead? And why am I feeling happiness when my parents are dead?

There was no way she could forgive that.

That man was at the harvest festival with the same woman, as if to show off. Their eyes met. Not yet, Fanfu lowered her eyes and suppressed her anger. She couldn't win if she attacked now.

Fanfu was mistaken. The fact that she was defeated in one blow, even by a dishonorable means, and that the head of the household and his son were defeated, made her think that Zangren was superior to her and that she had no choice but to resort to any means.

In Marunova, she couldn't move because of Joseph and the others. Besides, that man didn't stay in Marunova for long, so she couldn't do anything. Outside the city, a white monster that exuded a terrifying power always seemed to be protecting that man. There was no opening. Her frustration only grew. She was worried that the man might leave at any time.

The harvest festival was interrupted by bandits. They weren't particularly formidable, but there were many of them. Everyone temporarily set aside their differences and cooperated. Even though Agatha had taken her curved sword, she could handle the bandits with spirit magic and their crude weapons.

When the bandits were mostly subdued, the temporary cooperative atmosphere remained, and the tension eased slightly. The brief gap after the bandit attack. The white monster was not there. This was the only place left.

Fanfu was no longer restricted by the constraints of society, had no hesitation, and did not even consider her own life. What she had was blind love for her parents. Fanfu's current position was similar to Zangren's in a certain sense. Fanfu lost her clan and place to return when the Garuda King and the Rattana Kingdom killed them. Zangren, on the other hand, had his blessing taken by Hayato, was treated as non-existent by the same summoner, and was sometimes not treated as human in this world, and was treated as a refugee. Although the process and the nature of the events were different, they were both exiled from the society they were supposed to be protected by, and had no society (rules) to protect.

In other words, she had no hesitation in harming her enemy.

It was a betrayal of everyone who had supported her. The method was also cruel and despicable. But Fanfu could not forgive the man who was the root cause of the destruction of her father, mother, and clan. "I'm sorry, Joseph, Dawi, Agatha, and everyone else." Fanfu waited for the man to approach.

Just a little more. The man, who was binding the fallen bandits with ice, was getting closer. While stroking Joseph's back, Fanfu was measuring the distance that she could cover in one step with her ears.

The length of the arm, the length of the sword, the distance of one step. The man was at that critical distance. The woman was in the way, but it couldn't be helped. Her curved sword had been taken by Agatha when she entered the town. Therefore, Fanfu swung the magic curved sword that was right there, trying not to let Joseph notice.

A beggar in front of the gate recited an unfamiliar prayer. Fanfu's sword skills were a perfect copy of Joseph's.

Joseph felt the fatigue in his legs and the weakening of his grip, and ended up sitting down. Even if they were bandits, the long battle was exhausting. He had never felt so old before. As he looked at his weak hands, he muttered those words. Fanfu ran over with a worried look. Her face had lost its severity, and her eyes had become clear. She had remained calm even when she saw the hunter she hated during the harvest festival, with only a slight disturbance. It was time to teach her. There wasn't much time left. As Joseph felt Fanfu's presence behind him while he was rubbing his shoulders, he was thinking about it when it happened.

He didn't want to believe it. His old age, fatigue, and the slight relaxation of his senses after the attack delayed his reaction.

Estia's bewildered face. The magic curved sword that pierced through Estia, penetrated the leather armor, and reached her abdomen. The fire wave that covered her field of vision.

Zangren didn't understand what had happened for a moment.

Although he had been at odds with the attendants of the Moon Goddess, they had cooperated tacitly. In that state