Ch.128128. Never Stepped on a Worm, Yet the Snake Writhes (1)

“…I see. Even the movements of monsters across the country are unusual.”

The queen’s face, which Daphne had been encountering frequently lately, looked noticeably tired. Daphne suppressed her inner desire to sigh along with her and displayed the reports in a row. Agnes carefully examined each report cover, looking at them intently. As if hoping they would provide answers, the queen’s red eyes were deep in contemplation.

“I’ve been receiving regular direct reports about monster movements in the capital and the north, so I’ve known for some time that their activities are unusual. But this is the first time since my reign began that I’ve heard such concerning reports from other regions across the continent.”

Agnes opened the first page of the report labeled “Northern Monster Movements.” The queen’s hand began turning the pages one by one as she carefully read through the text.

“So it shows patterns similar to last year’s giant uprising. More troubling news while the Hero is absent. This will only add to my headache.”

Flip. Another page turned. Agnes patiently read through the entire report and reached for the next one with a sigh. “Southern Monster Movements,” “Western Monster Movements.” The reports Agnes had finished reading piled up in a corner of the office. Surprisingly, the queen’s worried expression seemed to fade the more reports she read. The concerns that had been rising in her mind disappeared, leaving only cold analytical intelligence.

“Which do you think is more reasonable to believe? The possibility that calamity-level monsters have appeared across the entire continent? Or that the approaching Sixth Calamity, the comet, is influencing monster movements?”

Daphne looked startled when Agnes mentioned the comet.

“…Indeed, Your Majesty. Your insight is truly remarkable.”

Agnes continued reading the remaining materials without even shrugging her shoulders.

“It must be the comet. That means the comet has approached close enough to affect the monsters of this world. We should consider this a kind of precursor phenomenon. Rather threatening for a precursor, though.”

“We’ll need to mobilize all national resources. And if monsters are rampaging across the entire continent, the Kingdom of Kairos won’t be the only one in danger. The city-states on the borders could disappear without much effort.”

Agnes’s gaze toward Daphne was lukewarm.

“Of course we’ll provide support, but most of our forces must remain stationed in Kairos. As the ruler of this country, I don’t want to make the mistake of failing to properly protect my nation.”

“…I spoke out of turn.”

Agnes said this as she stood up abruptly. Daphne bowed her head deeply and stepped back in response to the queen’s resolute attitude. The queen’s eyes held sympathy as she looked at the mage.

“Don’t be so discouraged. I know you follow the Hero’s will better than anyone. Even if the Hero had asked me directly, I would have said the same thing. You’ve fulfilled your duty as a member of the Hero’s party, so don’t be ashamed or disheartened.”

The villain here is not you, but me.

The queen’s words were heavy. Daphne watched the departing queen with sorrowful eyes. What would Ilroy have said in this situation? Would he have declared that he would leave for another country to protect this world? Daphne couldn’t say such things. She was already overwhelmed just trying to stop the comet.

“Daphne.”

George, who had attended the report with Daphne, called out to the dazed Daphne. She regained her senses and turned her attention to her companions.

“Her Majesty is right. We’ve only done our duty.”

Daphne shook her head despite George’s consolation.

“I never knew how overwhelming it would be without Ilroy.”

“Ilroy will return. That guy has always come back whenever we were in trouble. He said he needed preparation. All we can do is buy time until the Hero completes his preparations.”

Of course, that’s right. The conclusion was to do what they could until Ilroy returned.

“I’ll continue with my observations. You two focus on what we discussed earlier.”

“I know. Checking alert levels, re-educating people about monsters, delivering warnings to the general public… and recommending evacuation.”

George nodded as he recited his tasks.

“I don’t know when or what will happen, but Ilroy always seemed to know what was coming. Like what he wrote in that letter.”

George’s face looked ten years older as he said this. A heavy sigh escaped from his lips despite his attempt to appear calm.

“I wish he would just tell us clearly what he knows.”

Believing that he would return also meant shifting responsibility to the Hero. Even if he was prepared, he could still fail when confronted with the actual situation. Ilroy must be human too. Made of the same flesh and blood as them.

“I don’t think Ilroy is the type to withhold information he could share,” Marianne, who had been quietly observing, spoke up.

“He also said to wake him if things got urgent.”

“I just hope we don’t have to wake him before he gets up on his own.”

The comet approaches. In the uneasy silence, the Hero’s party stared at the reports. The end felt closer than ever before.

“If we focus on stopping the monsters, we can’t concentrate fully on the comet, but if we don’t stop the monsters, we’ll face the end even without the comet. And even with our full strength, we don’t know if we can stop the comet.”

“You’ve become really pessimistic, George. Wasn’t it your nature to say we can do it?”

“…That’s true. But now that I have something to lose, I find myself afraid.”

George narrowed his eyes and sighed.

“Enough. I’ll go check on our training status first. Being tense is much better than being complacent. Ilroy, you bastard. I don’t want to rely on you either.”

Ilroy was still sound asleep. The remaining Hero’s party members each imagined his sleeping figure as they dispersed to carry out the tasks the Hero had left them.

==

May in the north could not be called warm even as a courtesy. It was less severe than a year ago when the limit was approaching, but the situation remained unchanged with the mud created by the drizzling rain holding back the party’s ankles. Moss and mud squeezed between the axles. It was fine when the soil was wet, but if the rain stopped even briefly, the mud would harden with the axles.

“Hey! Shit!”

Pablo, unable to contain his frustration while scraping off the dried mud, burst out with profanity. The water in his canteen wasn’t enough to even wet all the mud, let alone wash it away. Better to shake off the hardened mud. His fellow soldiers glanced at him, but few could say anything to Pablo, who was considered a veteran. Even those who could have said something nodded in agreement with Ivan’s outburst.

“What kind of suffering is this…”

His experience of being dispatched to the north as a member of the mission team a year ago. Participation in the most intense monster defense battle in the history of Evernode—no, the kingdom. These were sufficient reasons for Pablo and his thirty squad members to be tasked with delivering a message to the north. Pablo gave up and slammed his head against the wheel, then lifted it again.

“It seemed easier back then.”

Was it because of who was leading them? Pablo sighed as he recalled that time. It was difficult but more enjoyable than expected. Commander George was there too. Pablo kicked the cart wheel hard in frustration. The impact caused the mud to fall off all at once.

“Oh, as expected of Pablo.”

“Shut up. Let’s go.”

The wheels finally started rolling again. Pablo, who had been pulling the cart, climbed onto the driver’s seat, and the party, who had stopped to rest briefly, got up with groans. The edge of the forest was near. The spring of Evernode, where the war had ended, would soon welcome them.

“…Do you feel it?”

“I was about to mention it first.”

But the gateway blocking their path wasn’t just rain and mud. The squad members tensed as they felt the chilling, eerie energy creeping up their spines. How many times had this happened already? The road to the north was much more treacherous than before. Monster attacks had suddenly become frequent, and they had already nearly lost squad members several times.

“This is getting tiresome. Why have they suddenly increased so much?”

The presence was clear. There were rumors that monster attacks had been increasing recently, but experiencing it firsthand made it clear this was more than just an increase. Pablo couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was maliciously sending hordes of monsters like assassins.

“Everyone, battle positions!”

The column stopped less than 10 minutes after resuming their journey. Was this monster attack due to staying in one place too long? The monsters approaching now were different in scale and speed.

“Pablo, if I die, scatter my remains in the sea!”

“Stop talking nonsense. Just pick up your sword and fight. Same goes for the rest of you. If you die without killing even one monster, I won’t even recover your body.”

“What if we all die here, including the squad leader and deputy squad leader?”

“Shut up, damn it. I’m going to survive.”

Pablo drew his sword while chiding them. He had no intention of dying. But in a life where you do as you’re told, there was no freedom to die when you wanted to. The other squad members probably felt the same way.

“Survive on your own. I don’t have the capacity to protect you. Don’t come back as ghosts to curse me.”

“I won’t die. It’s always the guy who says such things first who ends up dead.”

While the soldiers were bantering, the monsters revealed themselves. Trees fell with loud crashes, and a parade of monsters began through the scattered leaves and moss.

“…We really can’t win this.”

Pablo muttered. Every imaginable type of monster was there. Not just the bears and wolves that were too common to mention, but also the mantis-like creatures called Crawlers approaching rapidly from the shadows. Sounds of swords being dropped were heard here and there, perhaps from soldiers who had lost their will to fight due to fear. Pablo raised his sword, sensing the end of the world.

“Damn it, I don’t know either.”

Yes. If we’re going to die anyway, let’s die fighting.

Just as Pablo made this resolution and raised his sword high, the change began.

“Perfect timing! Please keep these creatures from escaping!”

A powerful shout from someone. And between them, a surge of blue light. Pablo instantly recognized the voice and his eyes sparkled with joy. The flag of Evernode rose between the broken trees, and the battle cries of northern warriors could be heard.

“Deputy Commander Luke!!”

“Pick up your swords! Will warriors who fought against the giant army give up against mere monsters like these?”

Luke Strope’s rebuke dispelled the fear that had been weighing down the soldiers. Led by Pablo, who had seen a ray of hope, the capital’s soldiers charged toward the monsters as one.

And the son of the Northern Grand Duke stood at the front of the formation and began slaughtering the monsters.

.

.

.

The wave of monsters was quickly suppressed. The soldiers who had departed from the capital worked in perfect coordination with the knights of Evernode, with whom they had practiced many times, bringing down the monsters as if they were one body. Considering the possibility of additional monster attacks, Luke quickly led his forces out of the forest.

“…Deputy Commander, what brings you here?”

The number of soldiers and knights accompanying him was too many for a simple patrol. The heightened military spirit and fighting morale was far beyond that of peacetime. Pablo asked with an evidently tired voice. Luke’s expression as he turned to look at him was stern and solemn.

“Evernode is preparing for all-out war.”

His voice was intense and fierce, embodying the spirit of the north.

“To avenge the humiliation of nearly losing our lord.”