Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Flame
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Though they exchanged jokes with smiles, their situation was, in truth, far from relaxed.
Karak grabbed Roben, who wore a grave expression, and asked.
“Is the situation that different from usual?”
“It is. We’ve never received a report of the Spider Forest becoming like this.”
As he had throughout their journey, Roben spoke to Karak with the utmost respect. He had no choice; this was an orc who was shockingly familiar with not only the prince but the princesses as well. The armor he wore was also so magnificent that Roben couldn't help but mistake him for someone of noble birth.
Seira asked an additional question.
“Is this area part of your regular patrol routes?”
The Lycanthrope rangers patrolled the outskirts of their territory at regular intervals. Roben nodded.
“Since it’s outside our territory, it’s not every day, but the rangers pass through this area about once every two weeks to a month.”
“When was the last time the rangers passed through?”
This time, Delia asked.
Roben counted the days in his head, answering hesitantly.
“Uh… they don’t come straight to the ranger headquarters after passing the Spider Forest… so considering all the travel time, the last time the rangers would have seen the Spider Forest was probably ten to fifteen days ago.”
Fifteen days was certainly not a short period. However, it was far too short for the distribution of beasts inhabiting a specific region to change so drastically.
“So this is a recent change. How sudden.”
Felicia muttered softly, looking around again. She didn’t even need to focus her senses on the flow of mana to feel the powerful demonic energy.
If, as Roben said, there had been nothing unusual until ten to fifteen days ago, then the changes in the Spider Forest coincided with the party's arrival with uncanny timing.
Karak said with a serious face.
“Don’t you worry. It can't really be the prince's fault, can it? It just seems like bad luck is following him.”
There wasn't much of a difference between the two statements, but it seemed he meant well for Ingong. Ingong gave a small nod to the good-naturedly smiling Karak before turning to Daphne. As a druid and a dryad, she was the most sensitive to these kinds of changes.
While the party had been talking, she had kept her eyes tightly shut, attempting to commune with the surrounding spirits. She spoke, her face somewhat pale.
“The nearby spirits are terrified. It feels less like a reaction to the sudden change in their situation and more like they're afraid of what's to come.”
Having said that, Daphne looked to Karma as if seeking agreement. Karma nodded as well.
“There is fear mixed in the cries of the beasts. They aren't just howling to threaten. Some of them are terrified.”
They couldn't tell the cause of the intermittent howls and roars coming from deep within the forest. It could have been the sounds of them fighting amongst themselves, but it was also possible there was another reason entirely.
At this point, everyone's expression turned grim. Felicia turned to Ingong and asked.
“This person, Amita… are they strong?”
She’d said they were an acquaintance of the Sword Duke, so they were likely no ordinary person, but Felicia couldn't help but feel anxious.
This time, Ingong could only give an uncertain answer.
“We’ll have to hope so.”
In Knight Saga, Amita had appeared in a different form each time. Among them was the figure of a large, powerful-looking man, but also that of a slender woman or a small, cute boy.
Given Caitlin's example, judging combat prowess by appearance alone was impossible. In the end, it was a matter of how much strength, skill, and supernatural ability they possessed, and on that front, he had no way of guessing.
‘Just because they've lived a long time doesn't mean they're strong.’
Besides, there was no rule stating that a great craftsman was also a great warrior.
As Ingong and Felicia spoke with worried expressions, Caitlin, who had been listening silently, said in a calm voice.
“Shutora, it may be outside Lycanthrope territory, but it's not that far. I think it would be better to request backup rather than trying to solve this on our own.”
Caitlin had shown considerable curiosity about the artisan named Amita, but before being a curious girl, she was a princess of the Lycanthropes.
Her words were sound reasoning, and Felicia nodded in agreement.
But there was one who opposed.
“That will be too late.”
It was Green Wind. Roben's eyes widened in shock at her sudden appearance out of thin air, but the rest of the party, who had encountered her several times already, paid more attention to her words.
Karak was the first to ask.
“Too late? What do you mean by that?”
Instead of answering right away, Green Wind frowned slightly. It wasn't because she was annoyed by Karak's question. The demonic energy enveloping the Spider Forest had begun to have a harmful effect on her as well.
Wrapping her arms around her own shoulders, Green Wind looked at Ingong and said.
“I can feel the power of a guardian spirit. It has grown very weak. The spirits' fear is not just of the monsters. They are afraid of the Spider Forest's guardian spirit disappearing.”
These were the words of none other than Green Wind, the former guardian spirit of the Enger Plains. Felicia quickly asked Roben.
“Roben, does the Spider Forest have a guardian spirit? A local deity that protects the area?”
Since it was outside their territory, even Caitlin knew very little about the Spider Forest.
Roben searched his memory with a bewildered expression, then clapped his hands with a sharp sound and answered.
“There are tales of a Spider Spirit. It's a story, something like a legend, about an incredibly large spider living in the center of the Spider Forest.”
It seemed there was no proper system of belief for it.
Ingong nodded silently. The Spider Forest had been nothing special in Knight Saga either. Moreover, with no particular races living nearby, its situation was bound to be different from that of Green Wind, who had been worshipped by the centaurs and satyrs.
In any case, hearing Green Wind speak like that, he had to assume the existence of the guardian spirit was certain.
Karak asked Green Wind.
“Anyway, so what happens if the guardian spirit disappears?”
It was a question that cut to the heart of the matter, just like Karak. Green Wind's lips parted as if she found it difficult to answer, and Felicia, who was watching her expression, suddenly spoke up.
“It's not just that it’s disappearing, but *how* it disappears that's the problem, is that it?”
All eyes turned to Felicia. She held up her index and middle fingers and explained.
“There are largely two ways a guardian spirit can disappear. One is for the spirit itself to be extinguished, and the other is when the thing it's meant to protect—in other words, the source that gave rise to it—is destroyed.”
Ingong recalled the small temple in the Enger Plains. At the time, Green Wind had said that if she were to perish, the Enger Plains would lose its greenery. Perhaps the reverse was also true.
As if reading Ingong's mind, Felicia offered the answer.
“Green Wind, despite her appearance, is a guardian spirit of a rather high class. Therefore, even if her source were to disappear, she wouldn't perish. Though her power itself would likely weaken considerably.”
At the words 'despite her appearance,' Karma made a rather pained expression, but thankfully, no one noticed.
Even Green Wind herself seemed more focused on the part about being 'high class,' merely shrugging her shoulders.
“Hmph, hmph.”
Her expression clearly conveyed thoughts like, *Now you understand. Master needs to treasure me more.*
Ingong, as always, averted his gaze from Green Wind. Felicia, after a small laugh, composed her expression and continued her explanation.
“But most guardian spirits are extinguished along with their source when it's destroyed. This is especially true for the artificial guardian spirits one might encounter in dungeons or ruins.”
Coming from Felicia, who had extensive experience exploring ruins, no one voiced any disagreement.
Caitlin's eyebrows furrowed as she asked.
“Sister, are you saying the reason the Spider Forest's guardian spirit has weakened isn't because the spirit itself was attacked, but because its source was?”
“Probably.”
“Correct. I think so as well.”
Green Wind nodded with a serious face, spreading her arms wide as she continued.
“I have never been here before. The spirits are also in a state of chaos and fear, so I cannot commune with them properly. But I can feel it. A powerful magic exists at the center of that forest. If that magic is destroyed, it will cause a great change in the environment of this entire area.”
“Like the Enger Plains?”
Ingong asked reflexively, and Green Wind nodded again.
“In the Enger Plains, Master overcame the crisis. But if Master had not appeared, yes. The Enger Plains would have lost its greenery and become a desert. I cannot be certain without knowing what the magic at the center of the forest is, but if it is similar to the magic of the Enger Plains, this entire area could become a desert or a wasteland.”
At the word 'desert,' Roben's face instantly turned pale. Green Wind continued to speak.
“There isn't enough time to call for aid from elsewhere. The guardian spirit's power has weakened too much. If we wait for reinforcements to arrive, we might miss our chance.”
It had taken Ingong's party several days to reach the vicinity of the Spider Forest. Considering the round trip, it would take about three days for reinforcements to arrive, even if they hurried.
Ingong looked back at the Spider Forest. First, they had to identify the enemy.
“In the Enger Plains, the monsters from the Northern Limit Line came down themselves. Are you saying the monsters gathered in the forest are attacking the guardian spirit?”
“I do not know for sure. It's possible that some powerful curse is weakening both the guardian spirit and the magic at the same time.”
“So in the end, we have to go to the center of the forest to find out.”
Outside the forest, all they could do was guess.
Ingong thought of the Death Knight. If this was a repeat of what happened in the Enger Plains, there was a high probability that the Death Knight was involved this time as well.
‘A purple demonic energy.’
The aura that had enveloped the northern monsters. And a level above that, the blue demonic energy filled with the power of death that the spear-wielding man had emitted.
“U-Um.”
Karma suddenly spoke up. Raising her hand slightly, she began to stammer as Ingong's gaze turned to her.
“I know we don't have much time, but I think exploring the forest right now would be too difficult.”
She wasn't just saying that. She had a clear reason. Daphne chimed in to support Karma's words.
“Your Highness, the spirits are afraid of the night. Something unusual must happen at night.”
Ingong looked to Green Wind for confirmation, and she too nodded.
Felicia bit her lip slightly and asked no one in particular.
“Can't we reach the center before sunset?”
“Even if we did, the sun would set soon after. It's already late afternoon.”
Karak pointed to the sky. The sun was close to the west.
“Alright, then let's prepare to camp nearby. We'll postpone entering the forest until tomorrow morning.”
While Ingong had been in charge at the Enger Plains and Thunder Doom Fortress, Felicia was the leader for this expedition to the Spider Forest.
“Our lives are the most important thing. I have no intention of turning our backs and running, but I'm not about to needlessly multiply the danger either.”
It was true that she wanted to meet Amita. And as a child of the Demon King, she had no intention of standing by and watching a perfectly good forest disappear and become a desert.
But Ingong's and Caitlin's lives were more precious. After clearly conveying her intentions to everyone, Felicia turned to Ingong.
“Shutora, may I assign a task to Karma?”
Ingong looked at Karma, and Karma immediately responded to his questioning gaze.
“I will follow your command.”
Ingong looked back at Felicia. Taking it as a sign of permission, Felicia spoke to Karma.
“It's important to inform the Lycanthropes of the current situation. Roben has to guide us within the Spider Forest, so Karma, you deliver the message. I'm counting on your swift feet and strong heart.”
“Understood.”
Karma replied with a determined expression. Felicia smiled, as if to ease her tension, and continued.
“I'll write a letter, so wait just a moment. Green Wind, do you agree to camping as well?”
“Understood. I agree as well. My apologies to this land's guardian spirit, but my master is more precious to me.”
Having said her piece, Green Wind scattered into the wind again. With a rough plan in place, the party, led by Roben, began to move busily once more.
And amidst it all, Caitlin took Ingong's hand. She looked straight into his eyes and said.
“It's not because of you, Shutora.”
This didn't happen because of Ingong. He had just been caught up in it.
“And if you think about it the other way, maybe you appeared to overcome this crisis, Shutora?”
Caitlin finished with a bright smile, and Ingong smiled back. He was more grateful for her consideration than for her words.
“Hmm, I think so too.”
Karak, who had been listening to their conversation from the side, chimed in with a grin. Ingong grinned back and lightly tapped Karak on the chest.
“Yeah, right.”
“Heh, you saw right through me.”
Karak laughed heartily, then slipped away to say his goodbyes to Karma, who was preparing for her long journey.
And a few hours later.
Night fell upon the Spider Forest.
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