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Chapter 34
The Shadow Behind the Blade
A dull throbbing pain slowly spread through Alex's body as his consciousness began returning.
At first, everything felt distant and unreal, as if he were floating somewhere between sleep and waking. Sounds reached his ears only faintly, and his limbs felt heavy, almost disconnected from the rest of his body.
For several long moments he simply lay there, breathing slowly while trying to understand where he was.
Then, with some effort, he forced his eyes open.
The first thing he saw was a wooden ceiling above him, rough and uneven, its surface darkened by years of smoke and age. A faint smell of burnt wood lingered in the air, reminding him immediately of the village that had been set ablaze.
Alex blinked slowly.
Fragments of memory returned.
The burning houses.
The terrified villagers.
The massive figure of the bandit chief raising his axe.
And the final strike that had nearly taken his life.
A wave of soreness swept through his muscles as he tried to move.
"Ah…"
The pain in his ribs and shoulders flared sharply, forcing a quiet groan from his throat.
Slowly, very carefully, Alex pushed himself upright until he was sitting on the edge of the bed.
His body still felt weak, but at least he could move.
Before he could gather his thoughts completely, a sudden shout came from the corner of the room.
"Prince Alex!"
Heavy footsteps approached quickly.
"Your Highness… you're awake!"
Alex turned his head slightly.
Standing near the doorway was Max, the commander of the escort unit.
The normally composed soldier looked visibly relieved.
For the first time since Alex had met him, Max's disciplined expression had cracked slightly, revealing genuine concern.
Max let out a deep breath.
"We were beginning to worry seriously."
"If you had not woken up today, we would have had no choice but to send an urgent message to the capital and inform the royal family about your condition."
Alex rubbed his temple slowly.
"…How long?"
Max understood the question immediately.
"You've been unconscious for nearly a full day."
The answer made Alex pause.
"A day…"
His body felt as if it had been beaten repeatedly with iron rods.
Which, considering the fight he had endured, wasn't far from the truth.
Max pulled a wooden chair closer and sat down beside the bed.
"You collapsed right after the fight ended."
"At first we thought you had been struck internally and that your injuries were worse than they appeared."
Alex gave a small, tired smile.
"Honestly… I thought so too."
For a few seconds the room fell silent.
Then Alex looked up again.
"Tell me."
"What happened after I passed out?"
Max leaned back slightly and began explaining.
"Well, after you fainted, we secured the battlefield immediately. Our knights chased every bandit who tried to escape from the village."
"Most of them surrendered once they realized their leader had been killed."
"And those who didn't…"
Max shrugged calmly.
"…didn't survive very long."
Alex listened quietly.
Max continued speaking, his tone becoming slightly softer.
"After the fighting ended, we helped the villagers put out the fires."
"The bandits had already burned several houses by the time we arrived."
"But we managed to stop the flames from spreading to the rest of the village."
He paused before adding quietly,
"We also treated the wounded as best as we could."
"And then we brought you here."
Max gestured toward the walls around them.
"This is the house of the village chief."
"It was the safest building still standing."
Alex nodded slowly.
"…I see."
For a moment he stared at the floor without speaking.
Then he whispered softly.
"System."
The blue interface appeared before his eyes.
Yes, Host.
"Purchase a healing potion."
As you wish, Host.
Ding.
A small glass vial appeared in Alex's hand.
Max watched curiously as Alex uncorked the bottle and drank its contents in a single motion.
The liquid tasted strange—slightly bitter with a faint metallic aftertaste.
But within seconds, a warm sensation spread through Alex's body.
The pain in his ribs faded gradually.
The stiffness in his muscles loosened.
Even the dull ache in his shoulders began to disappear.
Alex exhaled slowly as strength returned to his limbs.
"…Much better."
Max tilted his head slightly.
"I've seen priests use healing magic before."
"But what you just used…"
"…didn't look like divine magic."
Alex smiled faintly.
"You're very observant."
Max crossed his arms.
"And you're very mysterious."
Alex stood up carefully.
"Well, mysteries keep life interesting."
Then he looked toward the door.
"Let's go outside."
"I want to see the village."
Max hesitated slightly but nodded.
"…Alright."
---
When Alex stepped outside the house, the first thing he noticed was the silence.
The loud chaos of the previous night had disappeared.
But the quiet that replaced it felt heavy.
Oppressive.
The village square looked devastated.
Several houses had collapsed into blackened piles of charred wood.
Others stood partially burned, their walls darkened by smoke.
The ground was still covered with ash.
But what truly struck Alex was not the destruction.
It was the people.
Villagers gathered in small groups around bodies covered with cloth.
Some women sat on the ground, quietly sobbing while holding the hands of their loved ones.
Children cried softly while clinging to their parents.
Old men stood silently, staring at the ruins of their homes.
Alex stopped walking.
His chest tightened.
Even though the royal convoy had arrived quickly…
Even though they had fought with everything they had…
It still hadn't been enough.
Too many people had died.
Max noticed the change in Alex's expression.
"Your Highness…"
But Alex spoke first.
"That bandit chief said something during the fight."
Max frowned.
"What did he say?"
Alex's gaze lowered slightly.
"He said someone paid them."
"…Paid them to kill me."
Max's expression darkened immediately.
"So it really was an assassination attempt."
Alex clenched his fist slightly.
"…If I hadn't come this way…"
Max looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
Alex slowly looked around the ruined village again.
"If I hadn't been traveling this road…"
"Would these people still be alive?"
Max immediately shook his head.
"No."
His voice was firm.
"Bandits like those don't attack villages for noble reasons."
"They would have come sooner or later."
He stepped closer.
"If anything…"
"…you saved the rest of the village."
Alex remained silent.
Max continued speaking.
"If we had arrived even thirty minutes later…"
"…there might not have been anyone left to save."
Alex finally exhaled quietly.
"…Maybe."
Then his eyes hardened slightly.
"But whoever ordered them…"
"…is still out there."
He looked toward the prisoners tied up in the square.
"Let's start asking questions."
---
Later that day, guided by the captured bandits, Alex and several knights arrived at the entrance of a hidden cave deep within the mountains.
The bandits' hideout.
Inside the cave, piles of stolen goods filled the chambers.
Gold coins.
Trade supplies.
Weapons.
Everything the bandits had stolen over the years.
Knights began collecting the loot immediately.
But Alex walked deeper into the cave.
Eventually he reached a smaller room.
The bandit chief's personal chamber.
A rough wooden table stood near the wall.
And resting on top of it…
Was a familiar object.
A glowing communication stone.
Alex picked it up slowly.
"…So this is how they contacted you."
Suddenly the stone flickered.
A cold voice echoed from within it.
"So…"
"…you're still alive."
Alex's eyes narrowed instantly.
"You're the one who hired them."
The voice chuckled softly.
"I paid good money for your head."
Alex's grip tightened.
"You coward."
"Hiding behind bandits instead of facing me yourself."
The voice laughed again.
"Oh relax, prince."
"This was just the beginning."
Alex's expression turned completely cold.
"I don't care who you are."
He spoke slowly, each word sharp.
"But whoever you are…"
"…you just made a very big mistake."
The voice replied calmly.
"Oh?"
"And what mistake is that?"
Alex's eyes hardened like steel.
"You chose the wrong enemy."
The communication stone went dark.
The connection ended.
Alex placed the stone back on the table.
Then he turned toward the cave entrance.
His voice was quiet.
But filled with determination.
"I don't know who you are."
"But sooner or later…"
"…I will find you."
And when that day came…
The hunter would become the prey.
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