Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Return
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It wasn't a battle.
It was a one-sided massacre, just as the word implied.
Damian had abandoned his humanity.
At least in this moment.
"Grrr..."
His breathing sounded almost bestial.
His movements disregarded even the basics of swordsmanship or the concept of defense.
He simply slashed, stabbed, and crushed the enemies before him.
Kwachik!
Perhaps that's why.
One of his arms was pierced all too easily.
Yet he felt no pain.
Instead, he yanked out the embedded spear and plunged it into the enemy's heart.
"...That guy's a monster in his own right."
Adnen muttered in shock at the merciless scene.
Wasn't this overwhelming violence enough to terrify even trolls?
At this point, he was a berserker in his own right.
Not a troll berserker or an ogre berserker.
A human berserker.
'That guy's...'
And that emotional whirlwind was fully conveyed to Mikhail as well.
'true nature.'
He realized it at the same time.
That soldier—no, mercenary—Damian Winter.
He was far more dangerous than he'd imagined.
'So that's what he meant by "check his condition."'
Abandon him if something seemed off.
Now he understood why those words had been spoken.
It was brutal.
And desperate.
The wave of monsters surging over the ramparts like a tide of sighs.
Today, too, they had barely repelled that desperate wave.
"Waaaaah!"
Cheers of victory.
But no one could smile easily.
They had shed far too much blood.
"Move the wounded first! Hurry!"
Right at the center of that battlefield.
Elena Sobkov stood leaning on her bloodied sword.
Her silver hair was matted with sweat and blood.
'I'm exhausted.'
Ever since taking on the role of acting lord.
She hadn't had a single moment to rest.
The situation in the Great Forest changed by the minute, and the monster waves came in unpredictable surges.
'At least it's turning back to normal.'
The first monster wave she'd faced as acting lord.
It hadn't been a mere wave, she was certain.
It was more like a systematic, organized army.
She'd thought the worst was unfolding.
'If they'd kept coming like that, we really would've been in danger.'
Unlike the fears from that initial assault.
The subsequent waves had lost their momentum.
How should she put it?
'It feels like the commander is gone.'
Had her father's suicide squad succeeded?
As such expectations and worries filled her mind.
"Vice Commander!"
Her adjutant came running with a report.
"Casualty count is complete."
"Report."
"82 dead, 145 seriously wounded, and..."
Elena listened calmly to the report.
But inside, her heart burned.
'Too many are dying.'
Even if the waves had weakened.
The regrettable sacrifices piled up every time.
'Father needs to come back...'
It was still a position too heavy for her to bear.
She steeled her weakening resolve.
"...Understood. Good work."
Elena dismissed the adjutant.
Her footsteps turned toward the command tent.
There lay the intelligence left by the suicide squad.
'The map.'
The map of the Great Forest that Scout Leader Kanna had risked her life to obtain.
The map Damian Winter had drawn was spread out on the table.
"..."
Elena gazed quietly at the map.
The presumed path the suicide squad had taken.
And the fortress the Great Forest forces had built.
'Forward base.'
According to Kanna's report, it was the monsters' war camp.
And into its heart had infiltrated the squad of six.
To eliminate the 'cause' of all these changes.
'It's been quite some time already.'
Yet there was still no word.
'...What if.'
Now it was time to consider the worst case.
'What if Father never returns...'
Father Mikhail Sobkov.
And Sobkov's elite knights.
If none of them ever came back.
'Should we attempt a rescue?'
Lead troops into enemy territory?
Or.
'Abandon them?'
A situation that drew only sighs.
Elena's anguish deepened.
Neither choice was easy.
The weight of lordship crushed her shoulders.
"What troubles you so deeply, Lady Elena?"
Right then.
A unfamiliar voice from the tent entrance.
"...?"
Elena looked up.
There stood a young man who didn't fit with Sobkov territory.
Blinding golden hair.
Ornately crafted silver armor.
Even a blue cloak draped over his shoulders.
"Your Highness."
Elena hurriedly paid her respects.
He was the First Prince of the Coldwood Kingdom.
'Bastian Calitus.'
He had rushed here in response to their request for aid.
The commander who had personally led the royal knights and a large army.
"No need for formalities. Aren't we at war?"
Prince Bastian waved it off as he entered the tent.
His gaze fixed on the map spread on the table.
"...Experiencing a monster wave firsthand was a first for me."
He murmured without lifting his eyes.
"It was beyond imagination. An impressive battle, and remarkable leadership."
"You overpraise us. It's thanks to Your Highness leading the reinforcements."
It wasn't empty words.
Without the royal elite troops?
Sobkov would have suffered far greater losses.
"No, it's this kingdom that should be grateful."
Prince Bastian smiled.
His demeanor was unlike what she'd expected.
No trace of the Calitus royal arrogance.
On the contrary, he respected Elena and Sobkov territory.
"I offer my respects to the Sobkov family's devotion in guarding this harsh land for so long."
Sincere words.
"...But still no word from the Grand Lord?"
Mikhail Sobkov.
A question about his survival.
"None yet."
Elena answered calmly.
Struggling not to waver.
"But he will return. Father is resilient."
Faith in her father.
And in the suicide squad.
That was the strength sustaining her.
"I hope so. The Grand Lord is indispensable to this kingdom."
As Prince Bastian nodded.
Bwooooo—!
The horn signaling from the forward base.
And it wasn't twice, or three times.
'Once...?'
Two blasts: alert.
Three blasts: assembly.
One blast:
'...Return.'
Elena bolted out of the tent.
Bastian followed, asking.
"What is it?!"
"The Grand Lord seems to have returned."
Whether in death or life.
Of course, she didn't say that.
She simply raced to the front of the canyon.
"...!"
How far had she run?
Elena finally arrived.
Her eyes darted urgently.
Searching for something.
'That...?'
Three figures emerging from inside the canyon.
Not monsters—clearly human.
"...Father?"
Elena murmured in a trembling voice.
Father, the Grand Lord, had returned.
Along with the suicide squad, halved in number.
"He really survived...!"
As Elena moved to run to them.
Thud!
The three who had been trudging forward collapsed.
Not one falling before the others.
Having exhausted every last ounce of strength.
Light filtered in.
A warm, gentle light.
"Ugh..."
Damian struggled to open his eyes.
A chandelier hung from the ceiling.
'Where...?'
A plush bed and a warm fireplace.
Luxury incomparable to camping in the Great Forest.
'Am I alive? Or is this heaven?'
His memories were hazy.
Everything after using berserk mode.
'Last thing I remember... troll cavalry.'
The troll cavalry had charged.
He'd fought them.
'What happened?'
Nothing came to mind.
But one thing was certain.
'I devoured something again.'
The remnants of Gluttony lingering in his mind.
The sensation of blue text floating up.
'...I ate a lot.'
How many enemies had he killed in berserk state?
How had he made it back here afterward?
Were the others safe?
"Are you awake, sir?"
Then, a voice from beside him.
A servant approached cautiously.
"Where is this...?"
"The lord's castle guest quarters. Please remain lying down. I'll fetch Lady Elena."
The servant hurried out.
And soon after.
"Sir Damian!"
Elena Sobkov rushed in.
Relief was evident on her face.
"Are you all right? How's your body?"
"As you can see, I seem fine."
As Damian tried to rise, Elena stopped him.
"You mustn't strain yourself yet. You've been out for three days."
"Three days..."
It had been more serious than he'd thought.
The berserk aftereffects must have been that severe.
"I've heard everything."
Elena sat in the chair beside the bed.
Her eyes turned serious.
"Without you, Sir Damian, my father—no, the Grand Lord—and Sir Adnen wouldn't have returned alive."
The one who'd shone brightest in this suicide squad mission.
The one who'd ultimately saved everyone's lives.
Testimony from no one less than Mikhail and Adnen.
"Once more, from the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Elena bowed her head.
"I'm sorry it seems like I'm always just thanking you. We, the Sobkovs, will repay this grace someday."
A vow in the name of Sobkov.
Damian nodded calmly.
"I'm just glad everyone's safe."
He meant it.
He'd honestly been worried.
That he might have harmed them.
Due to the berserk aftereffects.
"Ah, and this."
Elena pulled something out.
A small vial of blue liquid.
"The Sobkov family secret elixir you took before."
Precisely the one he'd drunk before the suicide squad departed.
"It won't be as effective as the first dose, but it'll greatly aid your recovery."
No reason to refuse.
"Thank you. I'll take it."
Damian accepted and drank the elixir.
A hot efficacy spread through his body.
Vitality returned to his weary flesh.
"How are the Grand Lord and Sir Adnen?"
Having absorbed the elixir's effects, Damian asked cautiously.
"Sir Adnen's injuries are severe; he's still bedridden. They say he needs absolute rest for a while."
Crushed shoulder and arm.
Even one leg crippled.
Yet he'd walked, run, and even fought in that state.
His condition must have worsened further.
"And the Grand Lord..."
Elena's expression darkened.
"He's recovered somewhat. Since waking, he's been visiting the families of the fallen warriors."
The tragic deaths of the squad members.
He must be shouldering the responsibility.
"I see."
It was fitting of the Grand Lord.
"By any chance, do you know how we made it back...?"
A lingering question.
As Damian began to ask.
Bang!
The door flew open with a loud noise.
"Finally awake, eh?"
And entering with it.
Grand Lord Mikhail Sobkov.
"Grand Lord."
Damian rose from his seat.
"Just lie back down. I'm fine."
"Still..."
"Hey now, my lifesaver can afford to rest a bit."
Mikhail approached with a hearty laugh.
Then thumped Damian's shoulder.
"Thanks to you, I survived! See? My eye for people is impeccable."
Overly effusive praise, even for him.
But.
"..."
Damian could sense it.
The deep sorrow in his eyes.
It was heartbreaking to see him pretend otherwise.
"...How's your body holding up?"
Damian asked.
"A bit of rest and I'm good as new. This is nothing."
As if.
Hadn't he used mana awakening, that forbidden art?
There had to be tremendous side effects.
"Anyway."
As if reading Damian's thoughts, Mikhail changed the subject.
"Think you can move?"
"Of course."
"Then come with me somewhere."
"...Again?"
A raw response slipped out unbidden.
He wasn't suggesting the Great Forest again, was he?
"No, not that this time."
Mikhail chuckled.
"It's something else."
He then lowered his voice slightly.
"His Highness the Prince wants to see you."
"Ah, I see. His Highness..."
Damian nodded.
Anywhere but the Great Forest was fine...
...Wait, what did he just say?
"His Highness... the Prince?"
"Yeah. The First Prince."
"Why would someone like him want to see me...?"
"Beats me."
Mikhail shrugged.
"Heard about you and got interested, I suppose?"
"..."
The First Prince of the Coldwood Kingdom.
Such a great figure summoning him?
No, why was the Prince even here?
"He said he'd come himself once you recovered, but that seemed a bit much, so..."
"Yes, even I think that's..."
He couldn't remember being this flustered in his life.
Not since first realizing his abilities.
And for good reason—a prince?
'The First Prince, no less...'
The clear heir to the throne.
The future king.
'Why would someone like that want me...?'