Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

Chapter 86 Shadows of the Past

"Is that really the guy who killed Aaron ? Did he make a deal with the ones who tried to enslave us? Wasn't he supposed to give us something in exchange for taking the territory for himself?"

They say if you dislike your daughter-in-law, you'll find fault with her heels.

Once his thoughts began to twist, everything about Levi seemed unsatisfactory.

He even started to think that he might just be a loudmouth with fancy words.

However, that suspicion vanished within thirty minutes.

"Black Missile."

"Grrr!"

Boom!

"...!"

Levi and the other pioneers easily dispatched the hyena monsters.

With each black beam that shot out, the monsters fell like flies, and when the hammer swung, the sound of thunder echoed.

After several flashes before his eyes, only corpses remained scattered on the ground.

What they were doing could be better described as butchery than combat.

Aaron swallowed hard at the sight.

'...Right, he could have killed Aaron and those from other territories. But the class system is a different matter. How can he ask us to serve him without giving us anything?'

With the suspicion gone, another complaint arose.

'Noblesse oblige? What a joke. This is just to protect his own land. Our lives are merely a bonus for him to protect his land.'

To Bill , Levi's notion of noblesse oblige was nonsense.

It seemed to be a shiny exterior that, upon closer inspection, revealed only two things: 'You're protected, and we won't hit you indiscriminately.'

Yet he spoke of it as if it were a noble duty.

'Saying he won't hit us indiscriminately is one thing. It means we have to work and pay taxes without him laying a finger on us, right? And he's acting like he's doing something grand.'

Whether it's called duty or something else, it's all just extra work for him, done for his own benefit, not for the settlers.

If he were to truly call it duty, shouldn't there be something given in return?

Something that benefits only the settlers, not a mutual gain.

'With nothing like that, what kind of noblesse oblige is this...'

"Hey, look at that!"

Just then, a shout broke Bill's thoughts.

Irritated, he lifted his head to see what the commotion was about.

"...!"

Following the direction the people were staring, his eyes widened.

It was a village.

A safe area inhabited by monsters similar to the one they had left behind.

But aside from being a safe zone, everything else was different.

"My goodness, is that really a village just like the one we lived in?"

"Unbelievable! It's so much better!"

The village they had lived in until now had been shabby to the point of being frightening.

It wouldn't have been surprising if a swarm of rats had emerged, or if someone had caught the plague.

But what was this village?

They seemed to approach each other as neighbors, wanting to get to know one another.

However, since there was nothing to say, finding a topic felt like a chore.

The first to speak up was the representative of the newcomers.

"By the way, how did you live? I heard there was another leader before the lord?"

"That's..." Discover exclusive content at empire

Bill hesitated to answer.

Thinking back to the past made him feel an overwhelming sense of unfairness and anger, choking him up.

As moisture gathered in his eyes, the counterpart, looking to be around the same age, clicked their tongue.

"It seems you've had a tough time too? Well, it's the fate of a settler... What happened?"

"Ugh! Th-that's actually...!"

Overcome with emotion, Bill fought back tears as he continued.

He recounted how Aaron had suddenly become the leader and how they had been beaten mercilessly.

Every time they returned, they had to line up and serve him like a king.

There were times when they could barely breathe without being punished.

And if he refused to come out of his house, he was dragged out and beaten senseless.

"...That's how it was. It felt like living wasn't truly living. Ugh!"

"Ugh!"

Once he began to confide in someone, tears began to flow freely.

The other settlers who had lived together with him seemed to recall those times, covering their mouths and sobbing.

However, the expressions of the other settlers were ambiguous.

They didn't seem to feel pity, nor did they appear sympathetic.

Instead, their gazes were much colder than before.

"So, you're saying... you were beaten by the previous leader?"

"Y-yes."

"Were there any deaths?"

"Excuse me?"

"Were there no deaths? I mean, anyone stabbed to death with a knife?"

Bill blinked in surprise at the sudden question.

While there were people who almost died from beatings, there had been no actual deaths.

After all, Aaron and his group didn't use weapons to beat people.

"There weren't any deaths. There were broken bones, but..."

"Just broken bones? So, no one was cut? Like ears, noses, or fingers?"

"No, there weren't! What kind of horrifying thing are you talking about!?"

As Bill was taken aback by the gruesome words, the expressions of the other settlers twisted mercilessly.

Then, in a voice that sounded as if they were spitting out their words, they said,

"Those bastards must have lived pretty comfortably. Are you crying over that?"

"Damn, what? Broken bones? We have people who were stabbed to death right in front of their families!"

"...!?"