Ch.572Can You Feel the Difference in Reputation?

The upheaval affected more than just the Dane forces. Every race across the world was thrown into confusion by the sudden global changes.

Himmel had to close several tunnels, and the political war began to transform into a battle for ancient ruins. Border towns of Baryachrus were swept away by avalanches, and the forests of Alvheim stirred restlessly.

This cataclysm was unexpected by all. While it presented opportunities for the powerful to rise higher, for the majority of the weak, it was nothing more than a terrible disaster.

The eastern plains couldn’t escape the waves of change either.

The Ka’har of the steppes were shocked by their first encounter with monsters, crying out that the sorcerers had brought calamity. Not entirely wrong, if one thought about it.

The Empire was similarly groaning under the sudden changes. Tectonic shifts occurring in multiple locations, the emergence of new dungeons, and the rapidly increasing appearance of monsters.

Reports and requests for aid from lords poured in, forcing Leopold to call an emergency meeting.

‘Has it finally begun? What Baron of Median warned about…!’

With the collapse of Heaven’s Wall, the world’s chaos would intensify. Leopold recalled the warning that Haschal said had been passed down from her ancestor and sighed deeply.

Though he had been pushing various military reforms in preparation, the pace of change was far too rapid—like the rate at which his hair was disappearing.

The plan to train civilians as reserve forces had only just entered the pilot phase, and the restoration of the 1st and 2nd Legions was progressing so slowly that forced conscription seemed increasingly necessary.

Three or four Masters had emerged within the 3rd Legion, which had been overworked to fill the gaps left by the other two legions. But even that wasn’t enough to replace the forces lost during the civil war and the great invasion.

‘At least I should be thankful there have been no reports of dragons appearing…’

If dragons had also emerged and started burning cities in this situation, Leopold would have seriously considered drafting his will as the Empire’s final emperor.

—-

In any case, he couldn’t just sit around lamenting. At the emergency meeting convened to address the crisis, Leopold once again emphasized the active implementation of the reserve army system, and unlike before, the nobles agreed without the slightest resistance.

People never truly understand the heat of fire until they’ve been burned.

Until now, the Imperial Army and Imperial Knights had somehow managed to handle the monster problem, so the nobles had somewhat underestimated the threat. But now that the number of monsters had exceeded what the Imperial Army could handle and began crushing their territories, they felt as if their feet were on fire.

Without exception, the nobles mobilized their stored wealth to recruit and train their subjects, and evacuated those from outlying areas exposed to monster threats to the vicinity of their main castles for protection.

Not because they cherished or loved them, but because these subjects were the foundation of their power, their assets, and their potential military force.

Various other countermeasures were discussed as well.

Hiring wandering knights without lords, knights expelled from orders, or skilled vagabonds who couldn’t adapt to organizational life as temporary forces; providing national support to adventurers, who had previously been mere subcontractors, to make them elite.

Haschal’s anti-monster tactics were also put on the agenda. Previously, they had only been implemented on a trial basis due to unverified credibility, but with the monster threat intensifying, there was no time for leisurely verification.

Leopold issued an imperial decree to the nobles and Imperial Knights, ordering them to prioritize Haschal’s tactics when confronting monsters.

Though failure would inevitably result in considerable losses, the potential benefits of success were enormous.

So, the plan was to actively utilize her methods first, and if they proved effective against monsters, distribute them as official guidelines.

=======[ Haschal ]=======

…What a mess.

After swinging Durandal to the side to shake off the monster blood soaking the blade, I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The mint flavor in my mouth helped mask the fishy stench of entrails.

I was in a plain several kilometers from the triple walls of the island Extrashafel, having just slaughtered a group of monsters that had gathered there. Entrails and flesh were scattered everywhere.

Bodies slashed by my sword, bodies cut in half by vacuum blades, bodies that had burst from the inside as if they’d swallowed grenades, and bodies torn to pieces by Frosting’s claws. Blood had formed a lake.

‘Did I get them all?’

[ It appears so. It was an unsatisfying battle. ]

‘Yeah. They weren’t much.’

After confirming all the monsters were dead, I sheathed Durandal and summoned Cascador to mount. It was time to return to the island.

Cascador, upon being summoned, snorted in displeasure at the lingering dark mana around me, eager to leave this place immediately.

As I left the lake of blood with splashing sounds and headed toward our camp, I began to hear the admiration of knights who had kept their distance so as not to interfere.

“All those monsters, without a single wound…!”

“I can’t believe it even though I saw it with my own eyes. Is this the power of a Hero…?”

What were merely weak monsters to me had apparently been formidable opponents for the other knights, as their eyes were filled with clear reverence when looking at me.

A quick glance confirmed that while there were injured knights, none had lost their lives.

Not too late, it seems. Relief mixed with the smoke I exhaled. It had been worth rushing here on a unicorn as soon as I heard the report of monster appearances.

—-

Since the world’s transformation, which came a bit earlier than expected, I could no longer afford to stay holed up at home just training. There were simply too many monsters.

Though I was only dealing with monsters near the island in case of emergencies, even that kept me incredibly busy.

The others in my group were also living covered in monster blood these days. Everyone was so busy that we could barely see each other’s faces, and Ophelia had even muttered, “Maybe the magic tower would have been better…”

Ophelia, there’s no paradise in the place you run to. Besides, where did you get the idea that fieldwork would be easier than research?

“Welcome back, sister! You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

“No, I’m fine. Don’t worry. Thanks to the blessing, I didn’t even get scratched.”

“That’s a relief!”

I gently patted Lena’s head as she clung to me the moment I returned home, smiling.

The blessing of the fire seal passed down by Hersella’s ancestor was far more useful than I had expected. With so many monsters, I had been grazed by claws a few times, but not only did I not bleed, there wasn’t even a mark.

Unless I took a proper hit, I was practically invulnerable to light grazing attacks.

If this was the level of protection without removing anything, I wondered if stripping completely would give me defense comparable to Orhan’s. Though fighting like that would probably be worse than just accepting injuries.

After washing off the blood and sweat in a quick bath, I sat on the living room sofa with my legs stretched out, wearing only a robe, and sipped the strawberry juice Lena had made.

“How is it?”

“I like it. This is good enough to serve at a banquet.”

It was sweeter than I expected, perfectly suiting my taste.

Since quitting alcohol, I’d been limited to tea and water, which was a bit disappointing, but this was something I could drink every day without getting tired of it.

“It’s a special gift just for you, sister!”

“Really? I’m so grateful. I’m honored beyond words.”

I praised her extravagantly while slightly swirling the glass of strawberry juice. Lena seemed very satisfied with my reaction, leaning against me with a bright smile as she savored her own portion.

[ You two are having fun. ]

Hersella grumbled with a hint of sarcasm, but to me it was nothing more than the jealousy of a loser who couldn’t have what I had.

‘What, are you jealous?’

[ W-what…? ]

Her voice trembled slightly, as if I’d hit the mark. If you’re jealous, just say so.

‘I understand. The only gifts you’ve ever received from your sister were poison and assassins, right? So of course you’d be jealous… But what can you do? This is the difference in popularity.’

You reap what you sow. If she had cared for her sister with affection like I did, things might have been different, but she sowed blood and reaped assassins. It was all her own doing.

My teasing must have been too devastating, because Hersella remained silent for a full five hours afterward.