Chapter 32 - Witchs Sanctuary 2 (2/2)
It was of course to gather the loot.
‘As expected, you didn’t avoid it.’
By pretending to do his best in the fight, the Baron was able to exploit a loophole in his contract.
It was all in the hope that Woohyuk would honor his end and save his daughter.
As he stared into the Baron’s closed eyes that made him look at peace, he picked up what looked like an exquisite longsword.
[Argent’s Oath of Loyalty]
Category: Weapon (Growth)
Grade: C
Durability: 10,500
Effect: The person who takes this pledge is bound to their Lord by a life and death contract. Within a 100 meter radius of the Lord, they gain 20% Experience bonus and Stats. (The pledge can only be made once in a person’s lifetime, and can only be annulled by the Lord himself.
‘It’s the Ecclet’s family heirloom.’
Although the family had fallen very low, it had once been one with great influence. A lineage of Knights sworn to loyally serve their Lord.
However once the Baron’s Lord had chosen to sell his soul to the Demon King Dantalion, between them had become null.
A contract with a Demon King was only possible by giving up absolutely everything. At that the Baron decided to give up his soul to the Witch, all in order to protect his daughter from the invading demons.
After placing Argent’s Oath of Loyalty in his Belt, Woohyuk urged them to keep pressing forward.
Hong Yuri caught up to walk alongside him, as she asked.
“What are you planning on doing with the Baron’s daughter? If you have no use for her, can I make her into a Vampire?”
“No, I will look out for her.”
There was a reason that he had tried to talk with Elrond’s Baron.
It was the same reason that he had chosen to forfeit his own life.
If he thought the Woohyuk didn’t have the ability or intention to look after his daughter, he wouldn’t have accepted the deal in the first place.
It was quite difficult to grasp an opponent’s character simply by crossing swords, but the Ecclet family was one that had produced many talented swordsmen.
‘She is also quite skilled with the sword.’
[Leifina]
She would be Argent’s next master. A subject that would not abandon him no matter what.
He absolutely had to obtain her in order to succeed in future ventures.
Kiiiic
As he opened the Chapel’s door, the inside was engulfed in a sinister darkness.
A place filled with evil energy, as a white haired witch stood before an altar filled with candles.
“Wait for me outside.”
“Alright.”
Woohyuk slowly walked inside, leaving behind a weary Hong Yuri.
Seeing him enter, the white haired Witch began to cackle maniacally.
“ Kukuku What an amusing fella, trying to take me on all by himself.”
“I’m not here to kill you.”
Woohyuk replied calmly, his hands devoid of any weapons.
“You’ve come all the way here and won’t fight me?”
“No.”
“Don’t even bother trying to trick me. Do you think that I will be so easily fooled like the Baron?”
The Witch spoke as she picked up the Crystal ball which had been on top of the altar.
Inside it appeared the image of the Baron’s headless corpse.
“He had an honorable death, protecting a life that is more important than his own.”
“You're talking about the Baron’s daughter. Ha! If you can take her away, go ahead and try. Of course, it won’t be easy!”
The white haired Witch waved her wand, sending scorching blue flames towards Woohyuk.
He kept advancing using the Ghost Queen Star Serpent to defend himself.
“This Chapel is where Angrboda was born, one of Lilith’s kin, and she is much more powerful than you.
“Are you saying that I’m a fraud?”
“Yes”
It was a simple trick used by Angrboda, using others to assume her form.
As Woohyuk grasped the wand and yanked it from her hand, the Witch panicked as she tried to cast a spell in a rush.
Suddenly, the sword Argent was thrust before her.
“See yourself for who you truly are.”
“....”
The white haired Witch stared at her reflection on the sword’s blade.
A beautiful woman with pink hair, certainly not a wrinkled old woman.
The Witch’s eyes widened in surprise.
“This woman…”
“The Daughter of Elrond’s Baron, Leifina Ecclet. That is your true name.
Angrboda had used her powers to confuse her into seeing and thinking herself as the Sanctuary’s Witch.
She was basically held hostage in case the Baron chose to go back on his word.
‘Last time I had been lucky to accidentally discover this.’
When he had tried to kill her using the Argent sword he had recently acquired, he just happened to see her reflection upon the sword.
A hidden reward.
Only the very first player to defeat the Baron could obtain the Argent sword, as well as have a chance to win over Leifina.
Leifina, who had returned to her original form, sat down and cried as she was overwhelmed with grief.
Guilt, she truly believed that the Baron had died all because of her.
“I had no choice but to kill your father.”
“... I know.”
He had died the moment he had sold his soul to that Witch.
Woohyuk had simply helped him find some measure of peace.
At the time, Leifina had been able to completely hear their conversation due to her Crystal ball.
“Take this, it is rightfully yours.”
Woohyuk placed Argent back in its sheath, then handed it to Leifina.
She in turn stroked her sword affectionately, as she asked.
“... will you take me with you?”
“If you make an Oath of Loyalty to me, I promise to never turn my back on you.”
Although Leifina was at first a bit hesitant, she later nodded as she agreed to use Argent’s effect.
“I owe you too much, I’ll help you in any way that I can.”
While she had been sequestered in her own mansion, the Baron had made sure that she learned swordplay.
Despite her beautiful appearance, she had never taken to any feminine hobbies, seeking instead the path of honor through the sword.
Leifina's skills which she had learned from family techniques passed down across generations, were actually quite good.
It was a cut above his current team.
“I Chun Woohyuk shall always be there as your Lord. To provide for you, there will always be bread and meat on your table, and I will never ask you to commit a dishonorable act.
Woohyuk took back Argent from her hands, gently tapping each of her shoulders.
Leifina then bowed her head, and completed her end of the oath.
“As the eldest daughter of the Ecclet family, I vow to fight by your side until my dying breath.”
As the Oath was completed, Leifina raised her head, a somber expression on her face.
Although she had become the knight she had always dreamed of, her heart was heavy.
‘Father wouldn’t have been happy.’
The Baron had only taught Leifina some swordplay in order to improve her body’s constitution. It was because he didn’t want to see her dying from a disease like her mother, not to turn her into a Knight.
Still, Leifina had decided to go against his will.
Tired of being cooped like a caged bird, she wanted to break out and get revenge on her father’s enemies.
‘With this man it might be possible.’
There hadn’t been many that were capable of beating her father in a duel.
A man that one day will leave his mark on history.
Accepting Argent, Leifina looked up at Woohyuk, as a white text appeared before her eyes.
[Acquired Hidden Class: Iron Maiden]
[An unbreakable bond has been created between the Lord and the Oathtaker.]
[You can Teleport to the Lord’s side once per hour.]
[Poison Resistance increased by 25%]