I'm a villain within the hero's party-Chapter 31: Sir Simon, Blood Hive

Gabby, Jin, and his knight traveled by horseback. After a long ride through the mountains, they finally reached an old house, worn down by time.

The wooden beams were cracked and weathered. Ivy crept along the stone walls, and moss covered the roof. The windows were small and cloudy, as if they hadn’t been cleaned in years.

The house looked like a slum, ready to collapse at any moment. It stood alone, far from everything.

Jin glanced at Gabby and said softly, "We’re here."

The knights from Lord Connor’s estate uttered, "Are you sure that we’re in the right place, young master?"

"I had an eye for a talent" Jin remarked.

Jin stepped forward and knocked twice on the heavy wooden door. The sound was dull against the thick, weathered wood.

A man in his mid-twenties opened it with a creak, his face already twisted into a scowl.

"What do you want?" he snapped, then slammed the door shut again.

He stood tall—about six feet—with a lean physique. His hair was an odd shade of gray, messy and unkempt, and he wore a long beard and mustache.

A scar ran across his left eye, which was slightly upturned in shape. His clothes were loose, worn-out, and stained.

The knight leaned toward Jin and whispered, "Young master, we should go back. That man reeks of alcohol. I think we’ve got the wrong person. He doesn’t have an aura core nor mana core in him."

Gabby thought to himself, "He’s broken."

The atmosphere shifted the moment Jin spoke.

"You’re too impatient, Dave. Whatever you saw here—don’t speak of it. Not to anyone. Not even to Lord Connor."

The knight gave a silent nod, trusting Jin’s judgment.

Jin knocked on the door again. No response.

He raised his voice, calm but firm.

"We’re here to help you. One sting, one kill."

The door creaked open. A man stood behind it, his expression wary.

"So... a noble has come to arrest me?" he said bitterly. "I left that organization years ago. I’ve forgotten it."

"No," Jin replied. "We’re not here to arrest you. We’re here to help."

Dave blinked, confused. He didn’t understand what one sting, one kill meant, but from the way they spoke, he could tell this man was a criminal. Instinctively, he reached for his sword.

Jin raised a hand, stopping him. Then he turned to the man and met his eyes with a steady, sincere gaze.

The man stared back. His eyes were hollow. Eyes that had seen too much pain, too much loss.

"I have no interest in serving your noble games," the man muttered.

Jin declared, "I’m not here for that. I’m here for you. Vice-Captain of the Blood Hive, Sir Simon."

Dave’s eyes widened in shock.

The Blood Hive. A name whispered in fear and secrecy. A hidden order of vigilante knights who once served the royal factions from the shadows. But they were disbanded years ago. Erased from records, hunted by the king himself.

Sir Simon said, "Please, come in."

As they stepped inside, they were met with a cluttered sight—broken swords scattered across the floor, and blacksmith tools like an anvil, tongs, and a hammer left in disarray.

Dave frowned and thought to himself, "This guy isn’t even a proper blacksmith. The young master should’ve gone to a dwarven slave trader instead—but they charge a fortune."

Across the room, a girl lay motionless. She was extremely pale and thin, clearly unconscious, but still breathing. Despite her condition, she was strikingly beautiful. Faint pink marks shaped like flowers were scattered across her body.

The moment Dave saw her, his expression darkened.

Simon uttered and his voice were heavy, "She’s been asleep like this for five years along with those cursed marks. I know she’s still alive. I can feel it. I’ve tried every herb I know, spent all my money hiring priests to heal her, but nothing has worked."

Gabby looked at her and thought, "Her body, her will, and her aura. They’re the only things keeping her alive but those wont last forever."

Jin narrowed his eyes and said quietly, "That’s the Queen of the Blood Hive—Madam Mirai."

Simon broke into tears. "She’s my wife." he whispered.

He didn’t care how Jin knew about the Blood Hive or their past. All that mattered to him now was saving the woman he loved.

Jin turned to Gabby. "What do you think?"

Gabby replied, "The Rose of Death. It was an epidemic that spread one hundred forty years ago during the Apocalypse. Her case is a rare strain, less potent, and thankfully, not contagious."

He paused, then added grimly, "There’s still no known cure for this disease, not even with divine power. Without immediate treatment, she will soon die."

Simon’s face twisted into a grimace at Gabby’s words.

But Gabby continued, "I do know of a cure. But I’ll need raw ingredients, rare herbs and an alembic chamber to mix and refine the compound medicine."

He began scribbling a list of herbs and materials on a piece of parchment.

Simon asked, "How do I know these herbs will actually cure her?"

Gabby leaned in and whispered, "Isn’t it strange? We know your past, and yet we’re here to help. You don’t really have a choice. If we do nothing, she’ll die."

Simon clenched his fists, his thoughts heavy. "This must be a noble’s trap. Nothing good ever comes from owing a favor to their kind."

It was common knowledge among serfs. Nobles rarely gave without taking more in return. Most county lords were corrupt, their generosity always laced with hidden costs.

He looked at his wife so still, so fragile. Regret filled his heart. They had no joyful memories together. Most of their time had been spent in the Blood Hive, surrounded by violence and shadows. He had wanted to make it up to her, to give her a better life. But now, she was wasting away before his eyes.

"A favor has its price... but I don’t care. Even if it costs me my soul, I’ll pay it. I’ll do anything to save her."

Simon looked up. "I can gather the materials. But can we use my house as the alembic chamber?"

Gabby glanced around the room and thought to himself, "True love... it still exists."

Then he said aloud, "Your house is too exposed. It’s prone to contamination. One mistake, and the medicine will be ruined. We also lack the proper tools for extracting and refining the ingredients."

Simon looked down, silent, as Gabby’s words struck him like a blow. The truth was hard to deny.

Gabby continued, his voice calm but firm, "I’ll use the technology from Robert’s Magic Academy. For now, just focus on gathering the ingredients I listed."