Chapter 40

The Earl of Oobock was running through a hidden passage.

Though he was not as well-trained as his private soldiers, who were accustomed to regular training, the Earl of Oobock had also undergone some training to prepare for emergencies.

The Earl of Oobock was overweight, but compared to other nobles, he was much more in shape.

He was sweating, but he did not slow down, continuing to move forward.

"Sir Oobock... didn't you need to run? The Oobock Manor has the soldiers you recalled from training... and above all, there's the instructor, Roguebottom. There's no way just two of us could break through them!"

One of the two close guard knights spoke to Oobock.

The Earl of Oobock turned his red face towards the guard knight and shouted, spitting as he did so.

"Fool! What can't be done has already happened once!"

"But... it's impossible, no matter what!"

"The losers don't realize it. No matter how many bad cards they draw, they comfort themselves, thinking it's still okay, it's still okay. And so, they fall behind and end up in a miserable state... I am not like those fools! Even if there's only a one percent chance of danger, if it happens a hundred times, it will reach my neck! My life is not so cheap! Even if this escape is unnecessary, I cannot leave my life to the whims of fate and sit and wait!"

In addition to the Earl of Oobock and the two guard knights, a long-haired, bearded man was also present.

This was Hector, a swordsman picked up by the Earl of Oobock.

Usually hunched, Hector now stood straight, his eyes gleaming with determination.

The Earl of Oobock, who had shouted and was now breathing heavily, groaned.

"Sir Oobock... shouting like that will... sap your strength for running..."

The Earl of Oobock glared at the guard knight, as if to say it was his fault.

"Well, it seems we don't need to worry, my lord."

"Hector! What do you mean by that..."

Before the Earl of Oobock could finish, a loud noise, like a large monster running, echoed through the passage.

Everyone stopped and turned around.

A large man in heavy armor was charging towards them, wielding a massive sword.

Despite the weight of his metal armor, he was moving much faster than the group. He was truly a monster.

The two guard knights running behind the Earl of Oobock instinctively drew their swords.

But in front of the approaching monster, their weapons seemed utterly unreliable.

They had no idea where to strike. The armor covering the entire body left no gaps.

Even with the advantage of numbers, they did not feel it would be a fair fight. They were simply overwhelmed by Lambert and stood frozen.

"Try it."

As Lambert said this, the man in front dropped his sword to the floor.

While running, he swung his sword twice in quick succession.

The two guard knights were cut in half, their upper bodies slamming into the walls.

The Earl of Oobock's eyes, which had been narrowed from the pressure of his face, widened as he stared at Lambert.

"Are you Oobock?"

"U... u... u..."

The Earl of Oobock, trembling with fear, tried to back away and turn to run.

Hector stopped him.

Hector, still staring straight at Lambert, extended his drawn sword behind him and placed it around the Earl of Oobock's neck.

"What are you doing, Hector!"

"Think about it, my lord. Their target is you. I can hold them off, but if you try to hide, they'll probably ignore me and break through. If that happens, you'll be killed first."

"But... even if I stay here, it won't change anything!"

Hector ignored the Earl of Oobock and shouted at Lambert.

"Hey, you. How about a deal? In exchange for not letting the Earl escape, don't touch him until you've settled things with me. You wouldn't want to run around pointlessly or be caught off guard, right?"

"Hmm, if you challenge me to a duel to this extent, I have no reason to refuse. I swear to my king that I will not touch the Earl until I have killed you."

Hector, hearing Lambert's response, pushed the Earl of Oobock's shoulder and skillfully removed the sword from his thick neck, lowering his stance towards Lambert.

The Earl of Oobock fell to the ground.

"Hector. Just Hector. I don't even have a last name. I considered calling myself a knight serving the Earl of Oobock, but I decided against it. I want to face you as just a swordsman."

Hector's primary reason for holding back the Earl of Oobock was not out of concern for his safety, but because he wanted to face Lambert in a fair and honorable duel.

Therefore, Hector wished to fight Lambert as just a swordsman.

When Hector dismissed the need to introduce himself to Germain, saying, "There's no need for a name from a nobody," he already understood that Lambert was the strong warrior he had always sought.

It wasn't because Lambert had taken over the Oobock Manor alone or because he had bisected the two guard knights.

It was the overwhelming aura that radiated from Lambert, a victor of the Eight Nations Unification War. Hector felt this and showed his respect.

"...I don't really want to, but if you insist on introducing yourself, I have no choice but to do the same."

Hector, still crouched, listened intently.

A warrior of Lambert's caliber could not be unknown.

The Earl of Oobock, who had influence in the noble circles, and Hector himself had never heard of such a swordsman.

Moreover, there was no apparent motive for such a swordsman to attack the Oobock Manor.

"Lambert Daclova."

When Lambert introduced himself, Hector's eyelids twitched.

"...Lambert Daclova?"

"One of the Four Demon Generals of the Regius Kingdom, Lambert Daclova. I betrayed my lord and was beheaded, but I rose from the depths of hell out of obsession. For the peace of the country, out of a sense of justice, and to repay a debt of gratitude, I will cut you down."

Lambert shouted, emitting the miasma of the undead.

Oobock, affected by the miasma, was so terrified that he could hardly breathe, turning pale and sitting on the ground.

But Hector was different.

After a moment of silence, he burst out laughing.

"This is great! A masterpiece! Hahaha! A war criminal from the war era has risen from the depths of the earth! I've always thought I was born in the wrong era!"

After a hearty laugh, Hector's face turned serious, and he glared at Lambert.

"...So, you're saying I'm not worthy of your name?"

"..."

Lambert had no intention of insulting Hector.

On the battlefield, he always treated proud opponents with respect.

But since Hector did not believe his introduction, it was inevitable.

He believed that giving a fake name would be a greater insult.