Chapter 124 – The Saintess and Her Guardian (2)

Ŕėаđ οｎ ΚаţЯҽаɗｉṅ​ǵḈ​ɑ​ғе

“This is vile.”

Gray wrinkled his face as he surveyed the area where the cluster of green stars had fallen.

At the center of the meteor crater, a sinister black miasma gushed forth. The baleful energy devoured everything in its path, leaving nothing but decay in its wake.

Wherever the miasma touched, the earth rotted, plants withered, and water dried up.

When Gray activated his divine power to repel the creeping energy at his feet, it recoiled as if alive, scrambling away in panic.

The scattered corpses of monsters and traces of human presence indicated that the first investigation team had made it this far.

“What should we do, sir?”

A paladin beside him spoke up.

“First, let’s gather some of the tainted soil and send two men back to report. We should also request reinforcements. If we lose contact like the last team, we’ll be in trouble.”

“Understood.”

“Ah, wait. And make sure everyone has their return scrolls. Just in case.”

Gray prided himself on having lived a rough life for thirty-four years, but the sight before him was something entirely new. There was no harm in being cautious.

After confirming that each paladin had their emergency return scroll, Gray selected the two who seemed the most fatigued and sent them back to the Holy Capital.

“Alright, let’s begin the investigation. Our mission is to determine the connection between this place and the monster-infested magic stones, right? And while we’re at it, we should check for survivors from the first team.”

He reminded the paladins who stood frozen in the eerie silence of their purpose, snapping them out of their fear.

Fear of the unknown was natural, but these were paladins trained under the Holy Scripture’s doctrines. A simple reminder was enough to steel their nerves.

Understanding his intent, the paladins began their prayers, tracing holy sigils in the air. Divine energy radiated from them, forming a barrier that held back the encroaching miasma.

“Half of you will stand guard and alert us if monsters appear. The rest will form teams of three. Keep your divine protection active at all times. If anything happens, sound the alarm immediately. Report anything unusual. Simple enough, right? Let’s all make it back alive to see our families.”

Gray commanded the thirty-odd paladins with practiced ease.

He wasn’t fond of leadership, but given that most of the investigation team were young and inexperienced, someone had to take charge.

As the paladins moved systematically, Gray crouched in place, mentally reviewing his instructions to ensure he hadn’t missed anything.

After spending two weeks together, he’d grown fond of these men. Losing even one would haunt his dreams.

As he double-checked his orders, his last words nagged at him.

Families.

The word felt awkward coming from him.

‘That brat… I hope she’s doing alright.’

Though not related by blood, the first person that came to mind was Cecilia. Memories of her tantrums, stubbornness, and clinginess flooded his mind, stirring unease.

Cecilia was seventeen now. Though malnourished during her growth years had left her underdeveloped, it was probably time for her to step out of his shadow.

But still… he couldn’t help worrying.

Not so much about her, but about the people around her.

With no connections to speak of and a temper worse than a wildcat’s, she was bound to throw her weight around and cause trouble.

“Sir Gray! We’ve found something!”

Just as he was lost in thought, a trio of paladins approached.

“Huh? Already? You work fast. The Holy Kingdom’s future is bright. So, what’s the report?”

“We found an entrance leading underground near the center of the crater. It seems to be… a dungeon.”

“A dungeon?”

Gray’s eyes lit up at the familiar term. Before picking up Cecilia, he’d ventured into dungeons as often as he ate meals.

Dungeons usually formed over decades or centuries as monsters carved out territories. But one appearing beneath a month-old meteor crater? That was beyond suspicious.

“Alright. Let me take a look.”

Gray heaved himself up with a groan.

“…No way. It really is a dungeon.”

As Gray approached the miasma and unleashed his divine power, a passage leading underground revealed itself.

Unlike the usual jagged, winding entrances, this one was unnaturally smooth—as if carved by immense force.

Someone had made this dungeon.

From what he’d heard during his mercenary days, this usually meant one of two things: either an ancient ruin or a witch’s corridor.

Neither was something this investigation team could handle.

They had no Heresy Inquisitors to deal with witches, nor any paladins knowledgeable enough about dungeon mechanics.

Channeling more divine energy to illuminate the interior, Gray spotted traces of human passage—paladin boot prints, hand marks on the walls, and deliberate scratches likely serving as markers.

“It’s quiet.”

Too quiet. Not just inside the dungeon, but outside as well.

Monster attacks were common at this time, yet the perimeter guards hadn’t signaled anything.

“Are we going in?”

One paladin asked nervously.

“We have to. If the first team went in, we need to confirm if they’re alive or dead. And we need to find the source of this miasma.”

Gray had no desire to enter an uncharted dungeon, but for Cecilia—who’d sing her heart out about wanting to see beyond the capital—he’d do it. A solid report might even earn Carté’s approval.

He called for volunteers, and three paladins who’d been gossiping on the way stepped forward.

The rest were ordered to guard the entrance. If the passage collapsed or monsters blocked the exit, they’d all die together.

“If we’re not back in two hours, tear your scrolls and return to report.”

Ignoring the relief on the guards’ faces, Gray gave what might be his last order and stepped inside.

The interior was surprisingly spacious—wide enough for ten men to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, with ceilings high enough for Gray to swing his greatsword freely.

“Relax. We’re not clearing the dungeon, just investigating. If things get dicey, we’ll bail faster than those outside.”

As they followed the markers left by the first team, Gray cracked a joke to ease the tension.

“I’ve been in a few dungeons back in the day. Plenty turn out empty. And I know how to spot traps, so don’t touch anything weird. Just stick close.”

But his instincts screamed danger. The metallic scent of blood grew thicker with every step.

And its source was closer than expected.

“Sir Gray, look—”

One paladin pointed ahead.

A pile of paladins in pristine, lion-emblazoned armor lay drenched in blood.

The blood had long since dried black, but there was no stench of decay.

Each corpse bore two large puncture wounds on the nape—as if something had bitten them—but no other injuries.

“It must be the first team. We need to help them!”

“Wait—!”

Before Gray could stop them, the paladins rushed forward. Divine energy spread from their hands, enveloping the fallen.

In most cases, monsters hiding beneath corpses would ambush them now. But nothing happened.

Gray awkwardly retracted his outstretched hand and scratched his cheek.

“Ugh…”

Some were still alive, groaning as they regained consciousness.

‘Was I just being paranoid?’

Between the dungeon, the miasma, and the lack of monster attacks, he’d been on edge. But things were going too smoothly.

With divine energy shielding them, necromantic tricks wouldn’t work. They were safe.

Now, if they could just escort the survivors back, the mission would be half-complete.

“We’ll postpone the dungeon investigation and prioritize the survivors—”

Just as Gray let his guard down—

“B-Blood…! BLOOD!”

“GYAAAAAH!”

As if to punish his carelessness, one of the survivors sank his teeth into a paladin’s neck.

Lucent