45. War (7)
45. War (7)
Thud.
Combining the forces of the Padix Kingdom Knights and the Medherun City Knights, Heriis was finally decapitated by Gwen and collapsed right there.
As his tall, heavy body fell, a massive tremor was felt under everyone's feet.
Kkirik. Kkirik.
Even though he had lost his head, his legs moved grotesquely, but that movement didn't last long before it stopped completely.
"Wooooaaaaahhhhh!!!"
The knights, convinced that Heriis was dead, all raised their hands in the air and cheered.
Gwen plunged her sword into the ground and gasped for air.
Her physical condition was more perfect than ever before.
Despite being in peak condition thanks to the Holy Water made from Lea's saliva—a day more perfect than this could not exist—she had felt significant difficulty in facing Heriis.
In fact, there was a high risk of death. The moment her concentration wavered even slightly, she could have died.
"You've worked hard."
Drake approached Gwen as she caught her breath.
"Drake. Is your arm okay?"
"This much is fine."
His arm was half-melted by the Acidic Blood, tattered to the point where the bone was visible, but Drake lifted his mangled arm as if it were nothing and spoke.
"Hurry and get healed by a Healer."
"The Healers have all run out of Mana and Holy Power and are unable to move right now."
"I see... Drake, you should return now and get proper treatment."
"Understood. But Gwen-nim, you must come with me."
"No, I will take care of the remaining Spider Monsters."
"Ha... Gwen-nim. Can't you see your legs right now?"
Gwen lowered her head and looked at her legs.
Her legs were trembling violently. Her body was barely standing thanks to the sword she had plunged into the ground. She was so exhausted that if not for the sword, she would have collapsed right there.
"This much will be fine after a short rest. Citizens are still dying. I have to go save them quickly."
"In your current state, it's not just the citizens who are in danger; you'll be in danger too, Gwen-nim. So let's go get healed first."
Drake put his hands under Gwen's arms to support her, and Gwen, acknowledging that her physical state was not normal, decided to get treated first.
"You've worked hard."
The Padix Kingdom Knight Commander dragged his exhausted body over and expressed his gratitude to Gwen.
"You've worked hard. Thanks to you, we were able to catch that monster."
Although they were of the same rank, he had also been an instructor who had taught her, so Gwen politely bowed to the Padix Kingdom Knight Commander who had lent his strength to protect the city.
"I really don't know where monsters like that suddenly appeared from. It gives me goosebumps that this isn't the end of it."
"There are still dangerous monsters remaining."
"Ah, you mean that monster? If it hasn't come here until now, what on earth is it doing?"
"I don't know that either."
"For now, we will go quickly to take care of the remaining Spider Monsters. You should recover your body quickly."
"Understood."
Just as they were finishing up the battlefield and about to move, a guard came running up urgently and shouted.
"Emergency!!! They say Spider Monsters have appeared in the castle!!!"
"What!?"
At the guard's shout, everyone's gaze turned toward the Lord's Castle.
"We're rushing to the castle right now!!!"
Just as Gwen was about to turn back, gritting her teeth and ignoring her trembling legs.
Kkirik. Kkirik. Ttak. Ttak.
A sound that absolutely should not be heard came from behind her.
"God dammit... This is driving me fucking crazy."
The Padix Kingdom Knight Commander ran his hand through his hair at the events unfolding before his eyes and swore freely.
Even though someone in a high position like Knight Commander used profanity that lowered his dignity, no one contradicted him.
Because they were cursing inside as well.
Watching the headless Heriis standing up perfectly fine.
==
Various spells are inscribed upon the Lord's Castle.
It's easy to think of it as a Barrier that blocks monsters. That Barrier doesn't break unless it takes powerful damage, and if most monsters try to ignore the Barrier and enter, their bodies can't withstand it and they turn to ash.
Because of that, the castle is the final stronghold and the best place to be.
Strangely, Lea had entered such a castle. And she did so very comfortably.
The reason is simple. The Barrier is a barrier that blocks Monsters, and Lea and her swarm are Creatures.
In this world, there is a difference between Monsters and Creatures.
To the people living in this world, there is no difference between Monsters and Creatures, but the two existences are clearly different.
Because they didn't know that, the people who were resting comfortably in the castle were all terrified and screamed for help at the Ners that suddenly started appearing in the castle.
Mason carried Lea on his back and went to the place where the children were.
Fortunately, the Ners had not approached the place where the children were. It was a natural occurrence.
These children are quite important humans to the Colony.
Since there was no intention to kill the humans who would become her delicacy once they grew up, the place where the children were was currently the safest place in the castle.
However, Mason, not knowing that, took the children and went to where the Lord was.
However.
"You cannot enter."
"What did you say!? What on earth is the reason!!!"
They could not enter the audience chamber where the Lord was.
"According to Knight Commander Gwen's report, you are aware that there are monsters that parasitize humans, right?"
"I am aware!"
"How will you prove that those children are not in a state of being parasitized by monsters?"
"Are you suspecting the children right now!"
"The place where the monster that parasitizes humans first appeared was the Orphanage, and those are the children who were living together in that Orphanage. I think there could be more parasitic monsters, am I wrong? Furthermore, after the children came in, Spider Monsters were discovered inside the castle. Am I wrong?"
"Urgh...!"
Mason could not refute that.
Certainly, that possibility existed.
The Personal Guard protecting the Lord is a unit that must block all dangers. From the perspective of such a unit, the children from the Orphanage were a very dangerous variable.
"Then are you going to leave these children to die!?"
"Then are you trying to put the Lord in danger?"
"Damn it!"
"Knight Mason. If you do any more than this, we won't just stand by either. Back off."
"Urgh...!"
Mason trembled and had no choice but to step back. It was frustrating, but there wasn't a single part of the Personal Guard's words that was wrong.
In the current situation, there is no safer place.
Only that audience chamber where the Lord is is safe, and every other place in the city has now become a danger zone where you don't know when or where a Spider Monster will appear.
'Damn it. What should I do?'
Looking at the children huddled together to stay as close to him as possible, and Lea on his back, Mason bit his lip so hard it bled and decided to go to where the Knights Order was first.
Since things have turned out this way, the vicinity of Gwen, the strongest in this city, is the safest.
'This place is already too dangerous for us to be here.'
Ever since they found out that Spider Monsters could infiltrate this place, it became a location where you don't know when, where, or from what place a Spider Monster might appear.
At least in the city, the surroundings are open, but here it is narrow and because of various furniture, the field of vision is not properly secured.
Spider Monsters are scary even just as large Spider Monsters, but what's even scarier are the small Spider Monsters.
They don't even give off a presence, so you wouldn't know even if they came right in front of you, and they have some intelligence, so they hide their bodies and then suddenly appear, exploding right when you can't even react.
Furthermore, if there are many targets to protect like this, this place is even more dangerous.
Just as he was about to take everyone and go to where Gwen was.
"Wait."
The Lord's Personal Guard stopped Mason in his tracks.
Mason hoped they were going to let the children into the audience chamber, but the Personal Guard's next words made Mason even angrier.
"Hand over the Saint and leave."
"What did you say...!?"
"I said hand over the Saint and leave."
"What trust do you have that I should hand over the Saint!!!"
"You're saying strange things. If you don't trust the Personal Guard, who do you trust?"
That was true.
The Personal Guard is the Lord's direct unit, more powerful than any other unit, and a unit that would even commit suicide if it were the Lord's order. And the Personal Guard never thinks or acts alone.
That means the fact that the Personal Guard just told him to hand over Lea means it is the Lord's order.
However, Mason could not trust anyone here right now.
The Corrupt Cleric.
Even that noble cleric had tried to rape Lea.
Inside there right now, there must be high-ranking nobles and the Lord. Of course, he didn't think they would rape her in front of the Lord, but Mason already couldn't trust the people inside, even if he could trust the Lord.
"Still, I cannot trust you. I will take the Saint with me."
"What are you talking about? We gave an order. Are you going to refuse the Lord's order?"
The Personal Guard aimed their weapons at Mason.
The children started to get scared, and Mason thought through tens of thousands of worries in his head.
'Should I run away from here? But the children are here?'
'Should I fight? But they are the Personal Guard?'
'Should I hand over the Saint? Knowing what might happen in there?'
'Should I hold out until Gwen-nim comes? Against the Personal Guard?'
Everything seemed to be a path leading to the worst outcome.
Of course, they say that inside is the safest place in the city, but until just a moment ago, this castle was the safest place, and it was breached.
Since it's a monster we haven't seen before, we don't know what will happen. Leaving the Saint alone in such a place was too unsettling.
On top of that, the monster was one thing, but some of the nobles were also a problem.
"Ma...son...nim."
"Sa, Saint-nim!? Are you alright, Saint-nim!?"
"I am... okay... please... please take care of the children..."
"But...!"
"Please promise me you will protect the children..."
Lea got off Mason's back, staggering as if she were still in mental shock.
"I don't know why you need me, but... if only I go in, you won't touch the children, right?"
"Y-yes."
The Personal Guard gulped as they looked at Lea, who was wearing a disheveled nun's habit.
Lea, who was already beautiful, was exuding a strange sex appeal, and even the Personal Guard had their eyes stolen by her.
Lea was actually worrying about how to get in there, so the fact that they offered to let her in directly was actually a good situation.
The people in there are only the highest-ranking people in Medherun City.
For Lea, who was thinking of changing Medherun City to her own liking later, there was no better opportunity than this.
Actually, it would have been a simple problem to solve if she had used the Corrupt Cleric, but that cleric was already dead, and Lea, who had been looking for the next opportunity, laughed inwardly at the events that seemed to be begging her to take over this city.
Lea told the children, her future food, that it would be okay, and entered the audience chamber under the guidance of the Personal Guard.