VII. The Monster of Spitzenberg (6)
VII. The Monster of Spitzenberg (6)
"O God, grant courage and healing to these poor lambs."
After daybreak, several mercenaries bore wounds from the fight. Brother Marcus arrived from the church and made the sign of the cross before each of them while reciting prayers.
No light poured from his hands to heal their wounds, nor did the bleeding stop with a theatrical sweep and a “ta-da.” A clergyman’s role lay elsewhere.
"I would like to hear about the evil creature."
"Y-yes, Brother. Its fur was black as pitch. It looked downright demonic!"
"My brother, I can feel your fear of the fiend. Let us pray together."
The frightened mercenaries and soldiers recited prayers with Brother Marcus until they calmed down. The disorder subsided relatively quickly as a result.
"He came from Lichten Monastery."
A soldier approached while Keldric watched the scene in silence and carefully explained who the monk was. Keldric nodded.
Lichten Monastery. Keldric knew nothing about it, but an elderly monk would hardly have been dispatched into these remote mountains without orders from the Church.
"Hmm..."
Keldric studied Brother Marcus from a distance. His drab black monastic habit stood out.
Religious men were difficult to read. Father Martin, who had taught Keldric his letters in Carlton Village, had been the same.
Not knowing what someone was thinking made Keldric uneasy, so he continued watching Brother Marcus.
Perhaps sensing the stare, Brother Marcus finished his prayers and approached. Several soldiers tactfully gave them space.
"May God’s blessing be with you. I am Marcus, a humble monk."
"May God’s blessing be with you. I am Keldric of House Bellaf."
Brother Marcus used respectful speech with everyone—the soldiers and mercenaries he had prayed with as well as Keldric.
Keldric suspected he would speak the same way even to a newborn child.
Keldric adopted a suitably respectful tone in return. An elderly monk from a monastery could possess considerable religious authority, perhaps even the standing of an elder.
Monks endured hardship and practiced religious discipline, which naturally earned them respect.
They deserved that respect. Keldric was only a knight, not a king or emperor who could casually treat a clergyman like dirt.
Religious authority demanded respect regardless of worldly rank, and Keldric could not simply disregard that convention.
"Sir Keldric, what do you think of demons?"
The abrupt question caught Keldric off guard.
He looked awkwardly at Brother Marcus, who waited with the same genial smile.
"I don’t intend to speak carelessly about them."
"Is that so?"
"I do believe we must always guard against their wicked schemes and temptations."
"An admirable attitude."
The Church taught that demons were always nearby and that people had to remain vigilant against them.
Keldric haltingly recalled that teaching, and Brother Marcus nodded in satisfaction.
"Perhaps we live in the cruelest age since I was born into this world. A servant of the devil now roams freely among human homes."
"Well... yes. I’m not sure what to say."
"For that reason, I would like to ask you several questions, Sir Keldric."
"Go ahead."
Brother Marcus began with ordinary questions: when Keldric had arrived, why he had accepted Baron Spitzenberg’s request, and how he had come to pursue the monster.
"What did it look like?"
"Its black fur was glossy. It was enormous, and its eyes were the yellow eyes of a beast."
"Nothing else?"
"Nothing besides its resemblance to a wolf or dog... Didn’t the soldiers already tell you?"
"They did, but gathering several accounts is important. Everyone’s mouth is open, and so are my ears."
Brother Marcus was remarkably cautious. He repeatedly pressed for details he had already heard from the soldiers and mercenaries.
By the time the questions neared their end, Keldric had grown curious enough to ask:
"I heard you were sent from Lichten Monastery."
"Yes, I was."
"What brought you all the way here? It feels strange to say this myself, but there doesn’t seem to be much worth seeing."
The monster’s rumors could hardly have brought him. Even Keldric had only just heard of the creature in Spitzenberg.
Perhaps Baron Spitzenberg had controlled the information well, or perhaps the incidents were simply too recent for rumors to spread outside.
"Did you hear rumors of the monster?"
"No. Lichten Monastery is hidden deep in the mountains, much like this city. News from the outside rarely reaches us."
"That must be difficult."
"Haha... I need only ears capable of hearing God’s word."
"Then what brought you here?"
"I’m afraid I cannot tell you yet, Sir Keldric."
Keldric had nothing more to ask. Brother Marcus’s smile was gentle but firm.
It clearly meant that he would not change his answer. Keldric slowly nodded.
"Is it Church business?"
"Yes, it is."
"Then I understand. But I accepted Baron Spitzenberg’s request and staked my honor on hunting the creature. I cannot yield on that matter."
"You needn’t worry. If my humble assistance can help, I will gladly provide it."
"Thank you. I must see Lord Spitzenberg now. May God’s grace be with you."
"Thank you. I will pray that God grants you His grace as well, Sir Keldric."
That ended their conversation.
Keldric rode away on Boreas with Alisa. Brother Marcus watched him for a while before turning and walking off.
Keldric glanced back. The monk was old, but his firm and upright spirit deserved respect.
"Alisa."
"Yes, Sir Keldric."
"Do you know anything of Lichten Monastery?"
"Lichten Monastery? Hmm... I think I may have heard the name somewhere..."
Alisa thought deeply while Keldric rode on in silence.
"I’m sorry. I don’t really know."
"A pity."
"I know the monasteries near the Republic, but I have little knowledge of those in the Empire."
"It can’t be helped. Don’t worry about it."
After ordering the remaining soldiers and mercenaries to track the blood and restore order, Keldric returned to the inner castle with Radomar and several mercenaries.
They had gathered enough clues to begin considering what the creature might be.
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"A werewolf?"
The baron’s immediate conclusion, as always, was a werewolf.
Keldric scratched his chin uneasily. At this point, the creature did resemble one.
Black fur, an upright gait, digitigrade legs, and canine barks and yelps.
The image of the creature lunging with its jaws wide remained vivid in Keldric’s memory. Its long muzzle certainly looked wolf-like.
"But wouldn’t a werewolf also return to human form?"
"That is precisely why we must be more careful. We don’t know what identity the bastard might use to hide in this city... Damn it, I need to strengthen the watch."
Baron Spitzenberg tore irritably at his bread, which was once again stuffed with dried herring.
Keldric quietly set his own bread back on the plate. His appetite disappeared.
"We may have to let the Church determine what it is. In any case, Sir Keldric, you did excellent work last night."
"I merely did my duty."
"That is precisely why you deserve praise. You held your own against that vicious monster and gave us an accurate description. That is a considerable achievement."
Baron Spitzenberg’s vassal, Sir Hilfrich, had previously fought the monster.
Calling it a fight was generous when Hilfrich had been grievously wounded without landing a blow, but preserving his dignity required the kinder wording.
"Sir Hilfrich never saw it clearly. His torch went out, or something like that..."
"That is unfortunate. Still, perhaps I could fight it because Sir Hilfrich had already weakened it."
"There is no need for empty courtesy. What happened before dawn was entirely your achievement."
So was it a werewolf?
Keldric kept silent. The evidence could be made to fit a werewolf, but it might still have been another kind of monster.
Baron Spitzenberg fell silent as well. He knew how to manage a territory, not how to identify werewolves.
"Alisa, do you know anything?"
Everyone turned to Alisa. She blinked while quietly chewing her herring-filled bread.
"I never studied biology, so I cannot be certain. But several details match common descriptions of werewolves."
"Then, as I thought..."
The baron already seemed convinced that it was a werewolf.
Keldric had little reason to argue. Only the name had changed; they still had to track and kill it.
"But we should not speculate recklessly before the Church makes a formal determination."
"Urgh... That is true. We should avoid reaching a hasty conclusion."
Baron Spitzenberg sighed at the thought of his territory descending into chaos.
"I’ll send someone to the Church. If they dispatch an inquisitor or a priest familiar with such creatures, they should identify it."
"I think so too."
"You did well today. Continue doing everything you can to hunt it."
Considering that a monster had appeared, the meeting ended on a surprisingly warm note.
Aside from several wounded mercenaries, there had been no serious damage. Baron Spitzenberg could compensate for the flimsy market stalls with a few silver coins.
After leaving the baron, Keldric headed directly to the stables.
"Sir Keldric, where are you going?"
Alisa followed him out, with Arno and Helga trailing behind almost by reflex.
Keldric silently lifted his surcoat. The claws had nearly torn through the chain mail over his chest.
The next time he met the monster, Keldric intended to kill it.
For that, he needed something to replace the ruined chain mail.
"Ah..."
"Let’s go to the craftsmen’s district."
He needed armor strong enough to withstand the monster’s claws.
Spitzenberg was a center of metallurgy famous for its sturdy forged steel.
It was time to spend some of the fortune he had won at the tournament.