Ch.196196. Finding Traces (2)

“They said a subjugation unit left the city this morning, right?”

“Yes, the elite forest keepers from the three representative houses of the Great Forest and members of the County have departed for the eastern forest.”

“Hmm…”

Eunice Kallia quietly began sharpening her sword on a whetstone with a contemplative sigh.

Scrape, scrape.

The sound of the dulled blade regaining its edge echoed through the tranquil barracks.

A subtle tension spread thinly across the floor of this place where only the steadfast commander of the 2nd Corps and Eunice remained.

“Time passes faster than I thought. It seems like just yesterday that I spoke with the lady and sent a new messenger to the family.”

There are certainly knights in the 3rd Corps who move righteously and faithfully according to their duties. But they are the minority. Most of them are subtly cunning and shrewd women.

Her 2nd Corps knights, both as a faction and as more solid individuals, disliked those knights.

Not only that, but the sharp confrontational structure between me, Allen, and them.

When the 3rd Corps occasionally relayed that the women of the 2nd Corps felt an unsettling energy from her, she didn’t think too deeply about it.

It was only natural that the 2nd Corps wouldn’t like the women of the 3rd Corps.

In fact, there had been several instances of minor friction while guarding the border. Perhaps they were speaking ill of her due to grudges from those incidents.

Coincidentally, she could see that the women who had directly clashed with the 3rd Corps knights were hiding their anger behind rigid expressions, despite their attempts to conceal it.

Until then, she couldn’t easily think about Magia.

‘For a scion of the Marquisate, not just some commoner, to create a connection with demons…’

It was impossible.

The kingdom was established by conquering demons. Perhaps the viscounts and barons here wouldn’t know, but all houses of count rank and above had a history of resentment toward demons and participation in the Great Subjugation.

Although the marquisates now focus more on issues with foreign armies and problems like close combat and fortress defense against humans rather than old-fashioned talk of demons.

We too haven’t forgotten the Great Subjugation that our first king and ancestors participated in together. Aren’t we deeply proud of the traditions built up at that time?

But—

‘Allen Kallia.’

Her younger brother who had degenerated into a wastrel as soon as he was given power.

‘Just pretending to be a male knight while causing nothing but trouble…’

Beyond what the knights said when she was still with the family.

Only after she entered the Great Forest, through letters from supporting vassals and conversations with the lady of the County, did she have to reconsider her thoughts.

‘Now I must doubt even the last shred of faith I was holding onto.’

The discomfort felt when first meeting Allen Kallia and the extremely suspicious circumstances.

The priest who couldn’t even focus his pupils properly, and the circumstantial evidence suggesting a connection with demons—wasn’t it all too coincidental?

He, her younger brother, might become someone who would splatter black ink on the great history of her family. Not just black ink, but rotten, foul-smelling ink.

No, it wouldn’t be wrong to think that his eventual tarnishing of the Kallia name was now inevitable.

Eunice Kallia calmly lifted the broadsword she had been sharpening on the whetstone. The sunlight that gently peeked into the barracks reflected off the blade, shining white.

“It’s well-sharpened. It will surely serve you well in tomorrow’s northern monster subjugation.”

“Yes? That’s fortunate. I quite like this sword and want to use it for a long time. There’s nothing more glorious for a sword than to accumulate as many achievements as possible before it chips and breaks.”

The knight nodded slightly.

Eunice twirled the sword several times using her wrist and sent mana to create a blue aura blade, smiling with satisfaction.

However, she soon erased her smile and sang in cold syllables.

“So, 2nd Corps Commander. What could be the reason for the messenger’s late return?”

“…She is a trustworthy knight. She would never stray from her destination or take a detour.”

“Can you be certain?”

“Yes. She can be trusted.”

“Hmm. If the commander says so, it wouldn’t be bad to wait a bit longer… but given the situation, it might not be a bad idea to definitely borrow the power of the elves as promised.”

Eunice Kallia gazed at the sharp, polished surface of her sword.

Her face reflected in the clean iron surface.

She was clearly looking at the venom contained in her obsidian-like eyes.

But only for a moment.

Shing…

After sheathing her sword at her waist, she spoke coldly.

“I hope the vassals have prepared more thoroughly.”

Eunice’s lips curled up ominously.

Allen Kallia.

He was clearly unsuitable material for the head of the family.

“So I can properly overthrow him the day I return to the Marquisate.”

She must be the one to succeed as the head of the family.

* * *

I wondered what was about to happen.

Sione’s expression had completely changed to “something’s wrong,” openly showing her concern.

I gently tapped her wrist to draw her attention from her private contemplation.

“…Lady Sione, are you alright?”

—Meow…

Perhaps because he had grown bigger.

Even Orna’s voice had become louder than before, and it said enough that he was being cautious after sensing Sione’s different atmosphere.

After getting her attention, Sione finally faced me directly and looked around.

“…The entire forest feels covered in a very faint Magia. How should I put it… hmm…”

After pausing briefly, she continued.

“Ah, yes. It’s like a very thin fog spread widely over the ground, so faint that even I barely notice it.”

“Ah.”

“This is my first time experiencing this… it definitely doesn’t feel good. Being extra cautious won’t hurt—”

Sione began looking proudly around herself and right next to me, turning her head.

Sione, with her lips tightly closed, was gesturing for me to come to her side.

As I stood still just watching her, she began to look increasingly troubled, as if she hadn’t expected me to react this way.

She looked like she might end up walking through this treacherous forest with her head bowed down, so I finally started walking beside her as she wanted.

—I should tell Changsik about this too.

‘…About what now?’

—That the great Park Shinwoo is following his master’s words well without any grumbling.

‘…’

—Changsik would get sulky again if he heard this, right?

‘No, what’s there to be sulky about here?’

—When you were too busy with Hunter work to cut your hair on time. Changsik wanted to tie it up for you, but you absolutely refused. There are many other instances too…

‘…’

—You always refuse when he wants to do something, but here you are, being a Park Shinwoo who follows the master’s words so well. Wouldn’t Changsik feel a bit unfair?

Tania flew around me, giggling.

—Hehe, it’s karma, so just accept it now!

Tania said with a bright smile.

As Sione was about to say something to Tania.

“Over there, over there!”

Friel’s wind spirit, who had been scouting the area.

Piel had suddenly appeared in front of his contractor, pointing.

“I found some nasty traces over there!”

It seemed they had already found traces left by the deranged cultists, despite having just entered the eastern forest.

“Let’s move in that direction.”

With Friel taking the lead after receiving detailed explanations from Piel through resonance, we began to move.

Behind Friel, the forces were divided with Airine and the County at the wings, advancing forward, with Chelnis appropriately positioned between the two.

Maintaining our current formation, we followed Piel’s guidance, moving deeper and deeper toward the heart of the forest.

“The atmosphere is gloomy,” said Diolia, looking up.

The forest had become dense with branches stretching out from lush trees. The leaves had grown to block much of the sunlight, creating quite a bleak and dark atmosphere.

After advancing further forward for some time.

“Right there!”

Just before Piel’s guidance was about to end.

Thump.

Sione suddenly grabbed my wrist tightly.

Simultaneously, the voices of the elves and her voice began to intersect.

“Monsters. Ones severely intoxicated with Magia. They’re gathering quickly around us from all directions, surrounding us—”

“Confirmed monsters approaching from the front.”

“Multiple monsters from the rear—”

“From the right wing—”

Sione quickly began looking around, debating whether to use her right hand to grab an arrow from her quiver or place it on her sword handle.

Following the elves’ warnings through their spirits, the other forest keepers also began preparing for battle.

The tension was palpable.

I too quietly drew an arrow from my quiver and nocked it, beginning to survey the surroundings.

‘First, locate their positions.’

I heightened my senses using mana.

With my nose, I searched for the beast-like stench emanating from them; with my ears, I listened for unnaturally rustling bushes; with my eyes, I quickly scanned between the numerous tree trunks, not missing even the slightest movement.

Soon I could detect numerous monsters rushing in all at once.

‘Starting with the closest one.’

Diolia had drawn her sword and stood by Sione.

I focused on the energy of the monster charging ferociously toward her.

Lowering my posture and tracking the monster’s presence as it moved exquisitely, hiding its body between tree trunks and in bushes, without missing a single trace.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I drew the bowstring.

Using a pinch-style technique, I pulled the string as if pinching it, causing the bow to bend and begin loading power into the arrow.

Zwaaak!

Listening to the strong tension, the bowstring stretched to its limit and screaming a tenacious cry, I gathered mana, a small whirlwind, and imbued it into the arrow.

“Kyaaaak!”

A monster with the form of a giant spider, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

It leaped into the air, spreading its scythe-like forelegs wide, and if that wasn’t enough, baring its sharp fangs that would be sufficient to cut its prey’s neck in two.

The creature had marked Diolia as its prey.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Before the monster’s teeth could reach her or her slashing attack with gathered aura could connect—

Bang—!

A raging gale was fired.