The Returned Lord Is a Genius of Gun Law - Chapter 20

chapter 20

The Elf’s Request for a Conversation

The Returning Lord is a Gun Law Genius – Episode 20

Episode 20

“Everyone, lower your weapons! Don’t act rashly!”

The moment he confirmed they were elves, Jerome roared at his soldiers, trying to regain control, but the tension that had already spread through the ranks wouldn’t easily subside.

Watching the scene, Eugene stepped forward without a word.

Thud, thud

With a single, calm yet resolute gesture from the advancing lord, the clamoring soldiers fell silent instantly.

Leaving the silent soldiers behind, Eugene slowly approached the elf who had approached them, Marek. His eyes were deeply focused, as if trying to discern the intentions of the elf who had come alone.

He came all the way here by himself. What’s his agenda?

Soon, Eugene understood why the elf had come.

“Human lord, I’ve come to request a moment of conversation.”

“Conversation?”

Marek spoke first, stopping a few steps in front of Jin and gazing at him with an unprecedented seriousness, a hint of anguish in his eyes.

“Yes. Last time… what you told me. About the ‘truth of Earth’ and your people’s history… I want to hear more.”

Marek’s voice carried not just curiosity, but the weight of a decision made after deep deliberation.

He doesn’t seem to have come just to pass the time.

But Jin couldn’t grant his request.

“I understand your serious demeanor. But as you can see, the situation is precarious.”

With a nod, Jin gestured toward the defensive facilities and soldiers surrounding Jin.

“We’ll soon face uninvited guests. So we’re rather busy right now.”

His tone was polite, but his refusal was clear.

“We’ll talk later, after this commotion is over.”

Marek fell silent for a moment, as if pondering Eugene’s words.

Then he nodded.

“Very well. I understand your situation. But promise me this: once the ‘uninvited guests’ are dealt with, you will make time to talk with me.”

“I will,” Eugene replied without hesitation, his mind focused solely on getting rid of this bothersome elf.

“In that case… wouldn’t it be better for the ‘uninvited guests’ to disappear quickly, so we can have that conversation?” Marek asked, making an unexpected proposal.

“Hmm?”

“I too want no outsiders polluting this forest.”

“From your perspective, aren’t I an outsider as well?”

“That may be true… but you, human lord, seem to be more reasonable than other humans I’ve encountered. Unlike those other barbarians.”

Having finished speaking, Marek pointed with his long, slender fingers.

“I don’t know who those uninvited guests are, but the fastest way for them to reach this place is likely through the ‘Barren Valley.’ If you wish, I can watch from above the valley and keep an eye on their movements. No one knows the Black Forest better than my clan. What do you say?”

Yujin’s eyes narrowed at the offer.

The help of an elf… this is an offer I can’t ignore.

Though he’d never met an elf before as a Earthling, Yujin had heard rumors while traveling through Amir about how remarkably skilled elves were in their forest home.

“That may be true… but you, human lord, seem to be more reasonable than other humans I’ve encountered. Unlike those other barbarians.”

Having finished speaking, Marek pointed with his long, slender fingers.

“I don’t know who those uninvited guests are, but the fastest way for them to reach this place is likely through the ‘Barren Valley.’ If you wish, I can watch from above the valley and keep an eye on their movements. No one knows the Black Forest better than my clan. What do you say?”

Yujin’s eyes narrowed at the offer.

The help of an elf… this is an offer I can’t ignore.

Though he’d never met an elf before as a Earthling, Yujin had heard rumors while traveling through Amir about how remarkably skilled elves were in their forest home.

Even if only half the rumors were true, it was clear that the elf before them would be a great asset.

While there was an inherent risk in not knowing the elf’s true intentions, it was a risk worth taking given their current unprepared state.

“Alright. I accept your offer.”

After a moment’s deliberation, Eugene made up his mind. He pulled something from his waist and pressed it into the elf’s hand: a signal flare launcher.

“If you see anything, aim it skyward and fire. That way, we’ll know.”

“This seems to be an Earth-made device. I think I’ve seen one before. Very well, I’ll take my leave then.”

Marek accepted the flare launcher, examined it briefly, then turned and walked into the forest.

Soon, his figure melted into the dense foliage as if he had never been there in the first place, vanishing in an instant.

Yujin stared at the edge of the forest where Marek had disappeared for a moment.

The elf… at least he’ll warn us when the enemy comes.

For now, that much help would be sufficient for Yujin and Crocus.

It would be enough to defend the magic stone mine from the attacking enemy.

Let’s see… just how formidable their preparations are.

Yujin’s eyes, gazing into the dense forest beyond the clearing, gleamed with cold light.

In the deepest night, when even the moonlight was faint, crossing the pitch-black forest was a suicidal act for even the most seasoned knights. The Black Forest was infamous for its unknown beasts, which appeared without warning, both inside and outside its borders.

Yet, there were those who dared to undertake this madness without hesitation: the elite knights of the Earl of Bolton, led by Sir Galan.

Moving like shadows, Galan and his knights made not a sound. The dwarves had assisted them. Their top-tier steel armor and sound-dampening boots, combined with their practiced movements, made their passage so silent that not a clink of metal could be heard.

Meanwhile, the soldiers from Primrose Manor, conscripted as guides and porters, were a different story.

“Ugh, uwaah!”

Crunch!

They stumbled through the darkness, constantly tripping over branches and nearly falling over rocks.

Galan clicked his tongue, sneering inwardly at them.

Tsk, what good can I do with such a rabble? Though, I suppose the Primrose and Crocus fellows are all half-baked anyway.

It wasn’t just the Primrose soldiers, whose presence was more of a hindrance than a help, that he scorned.

There was also the young lord of Crocus, who had only been in office for less than six months.

Galan knew little about him—only that he was a greenhorn who had narrowly won a duel against Primrose recently. Nevertheless, he already looked down on him.

“He only defeated a knight who wouldn’t even be considered a common soldier in the Earl’s household. And he did it using the Earth’s weapon.”

Because of this, Galan was already certain that the ambush would succeed.

“Our primary objective is reconnaissance, but… if we’re lucky, we can show them how terrifying a true knight can be. I can already picture the report I’ll give the Earl.”

As if victory were already in their grasp, Galan and the Earl of Bolton’s knights wore faint smiles.

It was around this time that they entered the nameless valley.

Though called a valley, it was part of a black forest where trees grew densely over parched land devoid of water.

“Ideal terrain for an ambush,” he thought.

Whoosh!

Like the seasoned knight he was, Galland quickly assessed the surrounding terrain and signaled his men to be wary.

At once, the knights in the vanguard significantly slowed their pace, their steps becoming more deliberate as they searched for signs of an ambush.

Still, if they had any brains, they would have prepared something here.

Of course, Galland didn’t expect the greenhorn lord of Crocus to be so cunning. But there was always the possibility of the unexpected.

Having set out in the name of Earl Bolton, he needed to complete the mission flawlessly, leaving no room for error.

Ting!

That was when a clear metallic sound brushed past Galland’s ear.

What was that?

A sound that couldn’t naturally occur in the wilderness.

Wuuuung!

The instant they heard the metallic sound, Galland and the knights instinctively drew upon their aura to protect themselves.

“Everyone, be careful!”

Galant tried to order the knights and soldiers following him, but…

KWA-NG!

His warning was swallowed by the earth-shattering roar.

At the same time, flames from the explosion completely obscured his vision.

Fwoosh!

Following the explosion and fire came an uncountable hail of metal fragments.

The barely visible shards began pelting Galant’s armor and flesh, which were protected by his aura.

What… what is this?! Is it magic?

No, it wasn’t magic.

If it were a magic trap, his aura-sensing artifact would have detected it.

Of course, whether the trap was magical or not hardly mattered in their current situation.

“KRAAAAH!”

“My… my arm…!”

The soldiers who clutched their severed arms and wailed in agony were among the lucky ones. Most of the knights who hadn’t raised their aurors in preparation, or soldiers who couldn’t wield aurors, were caught in the storm of shrapnel and perished without a trace.

Screech!

A sharp ringing in his ears, unlike anything he had ever heard, and a stabbing headache made Galan grit his teeth.

That… damn brat…!

His face contorted with fury, his pride wounded by the unexpected ambush. His overconfidence, bordering on arrogance, had already been shattered long ago. Even if they succeeded in capturing the magic stone mine, he knew he would inevitably be reprimanded by Count Bolton for the massive casualties.

I won’t let this stand. A mere backwater lord like Crocus…!

Grinding his teeth, Galan confirmed that some of the knights who had accompanied him were among the victims.

But he had yet to realize that the real horror was just beginning.

Fwoosh!

A red light shot into the sky and exploded, illuminating the valley.

In that instant, Galan saw the magic stone mine on the opposite side of the valley.

“…They were preparing.”

Checking the wooden palisade encircling the mine, Galan clenched his jaw and glared at the knights around him, who were also cloaking themselves in aura.

“They couldn’t have prepared multiple traps like this! Charge at full speed into the enemy position and engage in close combat…”

But his command was cut short.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

Rifles in the hands of the mine soldiers began spitting fire at them.