Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Pruning (5)
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The moon was tilting ever westward in the deep hours before dawn.
Leon gazed down from atop the ramparts, furrowing his brow.
The shadows of the tree people swarming like hordes of vermin stirred an instinctive disgust.
"Simon. Report the situation."
"Around two hundred have taken shelter inside the castle, and we've completely sealed the gates."
"Fewer than expected. How many people lived in the old town?"
"Roughly three thousand."
Even accounting for the dead of night, a survival rate under ten percent was devastating.
And the old town's residents were mostly nobles and wealthy merchants.
The loss of so many promised dire consequences down the line.
In the worst case, the lord's position might become nominal, with real power shifting to the southern harbor.
"Looks like keeping that monster under wraps was a poison. Too many approached without knowing better..."
"Sounds like you're subtly blaming me. Am I imagining it?"
"My apologies. That wasn't my intent."
But if they had sought Lian's help instead of arresting him, the damage could have been far less.
No—better yet, if they had just listened to a word of his warnings, none of this would have happened...
Such thoughts kept circling in Simon's mind.
"What about outside the old town?"
"Fortunately, our preemptive blockade kept the damage from spreading outward."
"At least that's some luck."
"Yes. A stroke of fortune. Without Lian's escape, it might have escalated even worse."
"Don't go defending the escapee."
"My apologies."
Simon bowed hastily, though his expression showed no guilt.
"How long can we hold out with castle supplies?"
"Two months, at least. But even that won't improve things—only delay the inevitable if they worsen."
They could have hoped for the Royal Magic Corps' intervention if they'd contacted them sooner.
Now that chance was gone.
"Send word to General Hernan to hold position and not act rashly."
"My Lord, unfortunately, the carrier pigeons were all lost in the earlier incident."
No way to even communicate with the outside.
"That damn old fool has botched everything from start to finish."
Regrettably, key details about the monsters hadn't reached the kingdom's forces.
Like their superhuman strength.
Or their vitality, shrugging off anything short of decapitation.
And worst, how they multiplied.
Deploying the army now risked making things worse.
"At this rate, we might have to torch the old town outright."
"Given the massive casualties expected, you must decide carefully."
"Simon. You've been getting mouthy lately."
"That's part of my duty, as you know."
"...Fair enough."
Leon eyed Simon intently.
Lately, his right-hand man's behavior grated more than usual.
"M-My Lord! Look down there...!"
A soldier's urgent cry shattered the tension between them.
"Big trouble! The monsters are trying to climb the walls!"
"Impossible! These walls are as tall as...!"
It was absurd.
The height rivaled eight stories of stacked buildings.
Leon had prided himself on walls among the kingdom's finest.
"Argh! Monsters are climbing up!"
"Alert! Evacuate the citizens deeper into the inner keep!"
"Bring oil! Burn them before they reach the top!"
Yet it was happening.
The grotesque tree people intertwined, piling higher like a tower.
"Damn! What about the old town walls?"
"No alarm bells yet, so probably fine! Most monsters seem drawn here!"
"I see... The evacuees lured them all?"
"Yes, seems so."
But was it his imagination?
The monsters clustered at one spot, drawn like iron filings to a magnet.
Right below where Leon stood.
"My Lord! Evacuate now!"
"...Understood."
Crack-crack-
In that instant, faces sprouting thick branches all turned as one.
As if magnetized to Leon's movements.
Lian stared blankly at the stone ceiling.
His senses picked up an overwhelming mass of tree zombies converging in one place.
And slowly shifting toward one side.
"It's getting noisy up there."
"Huh? Down here in the basement, ain't it dead quiet...?"
"Pablo. Any guess where we are right now?"
"Lemme see... Reckon we've passed under the walls by now."
If Pablo's navigation held, the walls were breached.
Madella Castle's double walls were a boon, but once broken once...
"Pablo. You memorized the castle layout?"
"Yup. Course I did."
"Where's a good spot to shelter large groups from invaders?"
"Abandoned inner keep's got an old chapel. Best for size and sealing it off."
If they weren't there, disaster—but no time to second-guess.
The tree zombie horde still moved overhead.
"Reliable as ever. Head there."
They hurried on.
Through the labyrinthine underground passages, they reached a different secret exit.
The horde's presence had faded—good, not too late.
"Lotsa folk outside. We found 'em!"
Grind-
Pulling the rusty lever, the stone door swung open slowly.
Beyond, the old chapel crammed with people.
"Wh-who goes there!"
A nearby soldier thrust his spear warily.
Then recognition dawned—shock and relief.
"Wait... Lian from the Lapis Lazuli Merchant House!?"
"Ah. The guy from the gates last time..."
"Yes! Honored you remember... But wait, weren't you...?"
The soldier recalled: arrested recently, escaped tonight.
Should he arrest him now?
"Lian? The monster hunter's here?"
"We're saved! He came to rescue us!"
"Can we go home now?"
But the citizens cheered at Lian's arrival.
Minutes ago, they'd looked doomed.
Arresting him now would snatch away their hope—including the soldier's.
"Hey. Mind lowering that spear?"
"Ah! I..."
As the soldier hesitated,
Leon approached with a menacing glare.
"Lian. Bold of you to waltz back in."
"Well, if it ain't our lord. Still kicking, eh?"
"Soldier. He's a prime suspect in this mess. Arrest him."
"Huh?"
"What a creep. Total creep..."
Lian was dumbfounded.
Even now, trying to pin it on him.
With a way out in sight, time to scapegoat for later?
"Arrest me now and what? Die together all cozy?"
"Thanks to you opening the path, no need."
"You know the maze inside. Tough without my guide, right?"
No bluff—pure fact.
Without Pablo, Lian would've wandered days lost.
"...Fine. But this is temporary. Remember that."
"This everyone evacuating?"
Lian scanned the chapel.
Over a hundred, but barely half-filling the space.
No way they'd split for room.
"Old town didn't seem this sparse, did it?"
Simon answered Leon's side.
"Of three thousand residents, we sheltered about two hundred."
"So over two thousand monsters out there? Damn. Way too many."
"Yes. Unfortunately..."
Could they decapitate that many?
Tree-trunk necks, no less.
Dawn to noon: five, six hours tops.
Nico's twenty-odd thugs with axes? Heavy labor at thirty trees per hour.
"We're screwed. Enough time...?"
Better to herd and burn them.
"By the way, they move pretty coordinated, don't they?"
"Ah. That might be..."
Simon trailed off knowingly.
The surefire way to irk someone: half-finished sentences.
"Simon. If you suspect something, speak."
Leon chimed in, impatient.
Simon finally spoke.
"Maybe my imagination, but... they seem drawn to you, My Lord."
"Ho?"
Plausible.
The spell birthing this mess was a lure targeting Leon.
"Simon. No reckless speculation."
"No, it's valid."
"Lian. Do I look fool enough to fall for your silver tongue again?"
"Huh? Never tricked you. If you feel tricked, that's on you."
Leon glared, hand twitching toward his sword.
"No time for arguments."
Lian waved it off.
"Pablo. Guide the citizens to safety?"
"Me alone?"
"Got business with the lord. And..."
Lian whispered signals secretively.
Pablo's eyes widened.
But Leon wouldn't stand idle.
He beckoned knights to encircle them.
"What scheme now?"
"Not handling this mess?"
"Already doing my utmost."
"If this is your best, that's your limit."
A prior warning could've prevented this.
All from dodging responsibility.
"Act all competent solo, but do nothing real? Wait for others to finish, then take credit."
"Saying I mishandle subordinates?"
"Yes. Badly."
Leon's hand went to his scabbard.
But he knew:
Lian held the lifeline for everyone here, himself included.
"Fine. Hear your plan."
"Finally reasonable."
Lian smirked as Leon's hand relaxed.
"At dawn, they'll freeze briefly. Meant to clean up then, but..."
Time math didn't work.
"Someone let it fester till explosion. Damage exceeded estimates. Need to herd them."
"How?"
"Simple: you're the bait."
"Why me?"
"Explain that before everyone?"
What reaction if truth came out?
Half might believe Lian—enough.
"Agreed. I'll play along."
Leon had no real choice anyway.