Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Harpy Slaughter
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“Hey. What the hell are we doing right now?”
“We're making wooden spears and a palisade.”
In response to his comrade's question, the former mercenary trimmed the ends of vines tightly binding several wooden spears.
“I know that much. What I'm asking is why we're not sneaking into the ruins and doing this crap instead.”
“If you're so curious, go ask Sir Eugene or Sir Galpredic yourself.”
“No, that's...”
Far from asking, he still trembled just from accidentally making eye contact with the two knights now and then.
“They say he's going to take down harpies and a wyvern. We just do what we're told.”
“I'll buy harpies, but can he really catch a wyvern? They say it flies off and hides in buildings the second it spots you.”
“Tsk tsk! You lot have no idea, do you?”
Raban slyly cut in.
Though now comrades, the men perked up at the words of Raban, one of those who had served Eugene since long ago.
“You're Raban, right? Has Sir Eugene ever taken down a wyvern?”
“Not a wyvern, but he smashed two trolls. And one of them? He ripped its head off while it was still alive. Spine and all, like this!”
The troops shuddered at Raban's sudden bark-peeling motion.
“R-Really? Two trolls? By himself?”
“Why would I lie to you? It was in Tiwin territory, in that dungeon we went into together. And that's not all. He's skewered two orcs at once with a single atlatl shot.”
“Crazy...”
“You'd lose your minds if you saw it yourselves. So whatever Sir Eugene orders, just do it without questions. Trust me.”
“Says the guy who nearly got himself killed on the first day we met Sir Eugene for sassing him.”
Glad slipped in slyly, and Raban's face flushed beet red on the spot.
“Hey, why bring up old stories?”
“It's hilarious just listening to it. Anyway, everything this guy's saying is true, so you all just follow orders. And honestly, isn't this better than charging straight into the demon realm?”
“Yeah, fair point.”
The troops exchanged glances and nodded.
They much preferred Eugene, who seemed to have some plan, over knights who treated mercenaries like meat shields and charged blindly in a frenzy for glory and fame.
Not to mention his superhuman strength that transcended human limits.
“Still not done? Sun's about to set, you bastards.”
Everyone flinched at Galpredic's gruff voice.
“Just a bit more! Come on, everyone, hurry up.”
“Right.”
The troops' hands moved faster.
After about twenty minutes, several palisades with densely packed three-meter wooden spears were finally complete.
“Nice work.”
Galpredic inspected the palisades carefully, then turned a satisfied face toward Eugene.
“Good. Let's head down.”
“Yes, sir!”
At Eugene's command, the troops picked up the palisades and descended the slope.
Moments later, they arrived at what could be called the entrance to the Philia Ruins: the crumbled gate foundations.
“That spot looks good.”
Eugene addressed the commanders, pointing where Galpredic indicated.
“Set it up there.”
The palisades quickly took position in front of the natural cliff. It could house 40 to 50 men inside and looked solid defensively.
“Sir Galpredic, mind if I ask why we're setting up a palisade here?”
Partek, who had grown fairly close by now, asked casually, and Galpredic grinned.
“You'll see soon enough. And in my opinion, this is guaranteed to work.”
“Is that so?”
Still skeptical but with Galpredic so confident, Partek had nothing more to say.
“All done!”
“Good. Everyone except those staying to guard the horses—follow us in.”
Everyone except two of Veron's men followed Eugene and Galpredic.
Passing through the half-collapsed city gate, Eugene immediately opened his senses.
Unlike a dungeon or labyrinth, everywhere was open, and the vast terrain made detecting monster presences tricky.
'Hm?'
After walking another five minutes or so, his extended sense of smell caught a monster's distinctive fishy stench.
Keee, kchik.
Followed by low cries.
'Over there.'
Eugene kept walking, eyes fixed on the buildings overgrown with tangled vines amid half-ruined decay.
Kikkit! Kikiki...!
The cries carried on the wind grew louder bit by bit.
By then, his familiar Galpredic had noticed too and glanced back; Eugene nodded lightly.
“Full combat readiness.”
“...?”
The clueless troops' eyes widened. But at Galpredic's fierce glare, they hastily formed up.
“Mark.”
“Yes! Master.”
No longer a mere slave but practically Eugene's squire, Mark brought the longbow and quiver.
As Eugene took position, shield-bearers formed a defensive line beside him.
Eugene nocked an arrow with natural motion.
He'd never been able to shoot a bow before.
But absorbing combat skills from making Galpredic a familiar had made his current longbow stance and draw superb.
“Coming! Master!”
Kyaket! Keeeik!
The instant Mirian's tense voice rang out, the eerie cries swelled.
“Harpies!”
Someone's shout exploded right after.
Flarara! Flak!
Over a hundred winged monsters burst up from the dark green forest-covered building.
“Loose!”
Titing! Titingting!
Arrows flew in unison, felling a dozen harpies.
The troops who fired ditched their bows for shields and spears. Reloading took too long for the melee ahead.
Yet arrows still flew fast and rhythmic: those from Eugene and Galpredic's longbows.
Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!
Galpredic's archery wasn't his forte compared to spearmanship, swordsmanship, or riding.
But as a vampire, his eyesight, focus, and such had skyrocketed, letting him shoot far faster and more accurately than before.
And Eugene was the same.
The two knights loosed arrows in rivalry, piercing harpy heads or hearts with every shot.
Kyet! Kat!
As monsters, harpies had tougher hides and thicker feathers than birds of prey. But they couldn't withstand vampire knights' arrows from within a hundred meters.
Kyak! Kyat kat!
Raven-like shrieks erupted nonstop as many harpies plummeted before closing in.
But there were so many, and they were so agile.
The moment harpies neared, Eugene tossed the longbow and drew Wolfslayer.
“Protect the mages! Romari!”
“Yesss! Leave it to me!”
Eugene charged the harpy flock. Galpredic followed, matching his support.
Kyat! Kyaaak!
The harpies shrieked mockingly at the charging knights.
They knew full-plated humans were sluggish.
Metal armor fronts resisted claws, but swarm them, topple, then strike gaps...
Kat!?
Far from sluggish, the knights moved nearly as fast and nimble as harpies themselves, stunning them.
And as harpies landed, Eugene launched himself.
Shwaak!
Wolfslayer traced crisscross light trails. Galpredic leaped in sync, roaring as he swung his longsword.
Rending screams burst as blood and feathers sprayed everywhere.
In an instant, five or six harpies hit the ground, wings severed or waists bisected.
Some dove fast, thrusting huge, razor claws that could snatch dogs or calves.
Kwajik!
They couldn't pierce plate armor, but one lucky harpy clamped Eugene's shoulder.
Kyat!
It shrieked, flapping to hoist and slam him down.
Eugene grabbed its thick, sturdy leg with one hand and smashed it into the ground.
Pung!
A bizarre drum-like boom echoed as the harpy's torso burst on the stone.
“...!?”
Monsters weren't dumber than humans—they thought and felt.
Seeing their comrade pulped, its yellowish leg ripped off in Eugene's grip from the impact, the harpies froze.
They'd never seen such a monstrous human.
Thud.
Eugene tossed the leg and charged the rest. Terrified harpies scattered, screeching.
That wasn't a monster-hunting knight. It was a beast hunting birds—or chickens.
Panicked harpies flapped futilely amid shrieks.
Even those leaping off had legs—several times larger than raptors—lopped like rotten wood, crashing down.
Kyeek!
Over thirty remained, yet harpies lost all will to fight.
Terror like facing the wyvern, king of these lands, crushed their spirits.
And amid that fear came another blow.
“…… …… …… ……!”
Romari finished her chant under troop protection, thrusting her staff with ancient words. Red miasma ensnared fleeing harpies amid the chaos.
Kye ee...!
Five or six reacted instantly, turning on scattered comrades.
Realizing the trap, harpies leaped back wildly.
Able to soar dozens of meters per bound, they figured they'd escape the knights' attacks.
But that assumed the rampaging knights were mere 'humans.'
And they weren't alone.
“Loose!”
Partek bellowed, and crossbow-reloaded troops fired, then charged roaring.
Grounded, flightless harpies couldn't match battle-hardened mercenaries.
In under ten minutes, nearly all hundred harpies lay dead.
Not a single troop died—no, not even minor wounds.
A total rout.
* * *
“What? You want to retreat?”
“Yeah.”
Eugene replied casually to Partek and Veron's baffled stares.
“It's not a dungeon or labyrinth—what's the problem? We're not gonna spot the wyvern just wandering anyway.”
“Th-That's true. Understood.”
They had questions but could only assent.
Even Galpredic, veteran of demon realm purges, said nothing, and a knight's orders were absolute once sworn under him.
The troops and porters roughly butchered harpies, gathered parts, and retraced their steps.
They still couldn't fathom Eugene's thinking, but taking down nearly a hundred harpies unscathed lightened their steps.
Just past the crumbled gate foundations, Eugene issued orders.
“Cut off all the heads and bring them.”
“Ah... Yes, sir.”
Bemused but obedient, the troops complied.
Harpies' heads soon piled up.
Human-faced monsters made the hundred severed heads on the ground grotesquely eerie.
“Skewer them on the wooden spears and stand them by the palisade.”
Now they understood the spears' purpose; the troops worked eagerly.
“Kinda creepy. He into this stuff?”
“I heard some knights trophy-mount enemy heads...”
“What? And jerk off to it or something?”
“Sheesh. No ordinary knight, that's for sure.”
The troops whispered, glancing at Eugene.
Thinking he couldn't hear, but vampire hearing missed nothing.
“Those bastards...”
Eugene restrained Galpredic's low growl.
“Let 'em be. They'll figure it out in a couple days anyway.”
And true to his word, the next day the troops learned exactly why Eugene collected and displayed the monster heads.
(To be continued in the next installment)