Chapter 246

The Castle of Hope was making war preparations as secretly as possible to avoid detection from the outside.

However, Duncan was anxious.

He felt the pressure of time.

It was only a matter of time before the undead noticed Kaysin’s condition.

No, they might already know.

One thing was certain: the undead army would soon come crashing down like a tidal wave.

“Sigh.”

A deep shadow fell over Duncan’s face.

It was then.

“D-Duncan! Duncan!”

Zeno, his mage confidant, rushed into the room, panting.

Duncan’s expression turned serious.

In this situation, there were only two reasons for such urgency.

Kaysin’s death or the undead’s mobilization.

Neither was good news.

Duncan spoke with a heavy heart.

“What is it? What happened?”

“W-Well…”

“Spit it out, man.”

“A-A messenger…”

“A messenger?”

“A messenger has arrived!”

“The undead sent a messenger?”

Kaysin frowned.

It was an annoying tactic.

They were obviously trying to assess the situation here.

It was a headache, no matter how they responded.

But then.

“I-It’s not the undead!”

Zeno said something strange.

Not just strange, but something that sounded insane.

Duncan clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“What nonsense are you talking about? If it’s not the undead, then who else could it be?”

“I-It’s a human!”

“…”

Had this guy lost his mind?

Duncan shook his head.

“Stop talking nonsense and get a hold of yourself…”

“It’s true, it’s true! It’s really a human! A human messenger!”

Zeno shouted, pounding his chest in frustration.

Duncan’s expression changed, as if he had seen a ghost.

…W-What? It wasn’t nonsense? It was real? Real?

“I-I have to meet them! I have to meet them now!”

Duncan jumped to his feet.

* * *

A fully armed knight.

Her figure revealed that she was a woman.

The knight’s armor, helmet, and shield.

None of them were of a quality that could be found in this land.

From the quality of the metal to the craftsmanship, the difference was like night and day.

She wasn’t from here.

It meant someone had stumbled into this place.

But they had people stationed at all the entry points, monitoring them daily.

Because manpower was precious.

Then how?

The female knight walked towards Duncan, who was filled with questions, and took off her helmet.

“Greetings. I am Milia, a knight serving the Savior.”

She greeted him with a confident smile and a dignified bow.

It was an attitude that couldn’t be found among the residents of this land.

Because they were always burdened by tension and hardship.

That alone convinced Duncan that the female knight was a newcomer.

But he had no idea.

That just a few months ago, she had also been burdened with the same endless hardship, her face etched with exhaustion.

“Greetings. I am Duncan.”

Duncan returned the greeting and tilted his head, his eyes narrowed.

He felt like he had seen her somewhere before.

‘Milia, Milia… Huh?’

Duncan’s eyes widened.

He noticed Milia’s unique weapon.

A chain sword.

Not many knights used such an unconventional weapon.

Especially not female knights.

A name popped into his head.

“The Chain Knight?”

“Ah, you know me. Have we met somewhere before?”

“I saw you at a monster subjugation, but you probably don’t remember. I was just a soldier from a neighboring territory.”

Duncan recalled the memory.

The large-scale monster subjugation in the southern part of the empire.

The most prominent force in that subjugation had been the Henatus family, one of the empire’s three great martial families and the rulers of the south.

Their military might had been awe-inspiring.

And among the many skilled knights of the Henatus family, one had stood out.

She was Milia, the woman standing before him.

He still remembered her ruthlessly slaughtering monsters with her unique weapon, slashing and stabbing with deadly precision.

But.

‘Can a person’s atmosphere change so drastically?’

She was completely different from back then.

Of course, there was a difference between wartime and peacetime, but it wasn’t just that.

“I see. Unfortunately, I don’t remember, as you said. But it’s nice to see a comrade again.”

“Likewise. By the way, how did you end up here?”

“It’s the will of heaven.”

“…What?”

Duncan was dumbfounded by her unexpected answer.

No one who had stumbled into this hellish land had ever talked about the will of heaven. They only cursed it endlessly.

What nonsense was she spouting?

Had she not suffered enough yet?

“It must be God’s plan for us to realize our shortcomings and humility through hardship, meet the Savior, be saved, and live a true new life.”

“…”

(TLN: bruh)

Milia spoke with a calm yet fervent tone, as if giving a testimony.

Duncan was speechless again.

She was a complete fanatic.

…Was the Chain Knight always like this?

“Um, you keep talking about the Savior, but who is this Savior?”

“The Savior is the Savior.”

Milia replied with a bright smile, her eyes filled with reverence.

Oh my god, she was a lost cause.

Had she been brainwashed or something?

“So, what does this Savior do…”

“Hehe, he will save everyone in this land of death. You and everyone here have already been saved.”

Duncan’s mind went blank, overwhelmed by the absurdity of her words.

Saved? Saved from what?

…Was she just crazy?

“Listen, Chain Knight, you don’t seem quite right…”

Duncan was about to give her a serious talk when…

Milia tossed something wrapped in a red cloth towards him.

It was a disrespectful gesture.

“What are you doing?”

Duncan frowned.

“You’ll understand once you see it.”

Milia said calmly, a smile on her face.

“Hmph, if it’s nothing important…”

Duncan grumbled, but he reached for the red cloth.

Because he was curious.

He unwrapped the cloth and saw what was inside.

“Huh?”

Duncan narrowed his eyes and leaned closer.

And then.

“G-G-Gahhhhhhh!”

He screamed and stumbled back, as if he had seen a ghost.

He couldn’t help it.

…It was the severed head of Vaien Blood, the leader of the undead, a face he would never forget, even in his dreams.

* * *

The Castle of Curse.

A forbidden land for humans.

But now, it was wide open to them.

Dozens of visitors, who had come as the vanguard, witnessed it with their own eyes.

The human visitors seemed to be overwhelmed by a mix of emotions: surprise, shock, joy, relief.

It was understandable.

They were the residents of Underground Floor 13, who had been fighting a life-or-death struggle against the undead for a long time.

And among them,

An old man, supported by Duncan, seemed particularly lost in thought.

Kaysin, the Indomitable Swordsman.

The hero who had dedicated the latter part of his life to saving the humans of Underground Floor 13.

He had miraculously awakened.

As soon as the news of Vaien Blood’s death had spread.

People were relieved, but Duncan knew.

That it was the last flicker of a dying flame.

That’s why he had brought Kaysin to the fallen Castle of Curse, as per his wish.

It was the hero’s last request.

*Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!*

An army with overwhelming equipment lined up in the center of the castle.

Their movements were perfect, not a single person out of line.

Their discipline was awe-inspiring.

“A-Amazing…”

“They’ve spared no expense on their equipment.”

“Their training is incredible.”

“How can such an army exist…?”

“No wonder they were able to annihilate the undead.”

The residents of Underground Floor 13 marveled at the sight.

They were also humans who had survived in this land of death, but they could sense the insurmountable difference in strength.

“Greetings. I am Max, the leader of this group.”

“Greetings. I am Kaysin.”

The two leaders shook hands.

Duncan, who was standing next to Kaysin, stared intently at Max.

This man was the Savior?

He looked surprisingly ordinary.

“You’ve done a great deed.”

Kaysin said.

“It was my duty.”

“A duty that we all failed to fulfill.”

“It was a difficult task.”

“Yes, it was. Indeed.”

A brief silence fell.

Kaysin stared into the distance, his eyes lost in thought.

And then he spoke again.

“What are your plans now?”

“I will descend to the bottom. To save everyone.”

“Do you think you can do it?”

“Of course.”

Max answered without hesitation.

His answer carried weight.

Because he had completely saved Underground Floor 13.

“Perhaps I’m still alive to hear that answer.”

A faint smile appeared on Kaysin’s lips.

He looked relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

He had thought he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace until everyone was saved, but a miracle had happened.

“Duncan, and everyone, listen carefully.”

“Yes, elder.”

“I am no longer your leader.”

“Elder…”

“How can you say that…”

The residents’ expressions wavered.

But Kaysin continued calmly.

“An old soldier must eventually retire. It’s the natural order of things, so don’t be too sad. And when someone leaves, someone else will take their place. That’s also the natural order of things.”

“B-But it’s still too early for you to…”

“Haha, I know my own body best.”

Kaysin’s expression was one of complete acceptance.

The appearance of Max and his group had made it possible.

Kaysin continued.

“The more difficult the situation, the more we need to unite. Join forces with the newcomers and achieve your goals. And…”

Kaysin grasped Max’s hand tightly.

“Please trust and rely on this young hero.”

Those were Kaysin’s last words.

* * *

“…Ahem, we’ll do our best to cooperate.”

Duncan had shed many tears at the funeral, but he seemed to have recovered quickly.

Because he knew that the living had to move on.

Duncan, the Red-Haired Beast.

I had shared death with this man.

We had died countless times together, fighting side by side on Underground Floor 14.

But this time, we would share life.

I would make sure of it.

“That’s good to hear. We’re not strangers. We’re comrades, brothers-in-arms, who will survive together.”

“Hmm… You’re good with words.”

Duncan scratched the back of his head, seemingly embarrassed by the sentimental talk.

“Is there something wrong with the Savior’s words?”

Milia interjected, a smile on her face.

…But her gaze was a bit intense, even to me.

As expected of the number one fanatic.

It was reassuring to have a fanatic on your side.

“C-Cough. That’s not what I meant…”

“It would be easier to just trust and follow the Savior’s words. It’s all for our salvation.”

Milia preached.

…It was like she was saying, “Believe in him and you’ll go to heaven.”

Scary.

It was kind of scary.

Being worshipped wasn’t as comfortable as I had thought.

“Alright, that’s enough. Duncan has already agreed to cooperate.”

“Yes, Savior.”

Milia immediately bowed her head and stepped back at my words.

Even a knight serving her lord wouldn’t be this obedient.

…Had I really gained an incredibly devoted follower?

Duncan stared at me with a strange look.

I could understand his confusion.

He was probably wondering how I had managed to brainwash a perfectly normal knight.

…No, I didn’t brainwash her!

I didn’t have that kind of power!

She had just witnessed my perfect and timely rescue, and it seemed like she had seen a halo.

“Ahem, Duncan.”

“Yes, Ma… Savior.”

…He was so intimidated that he called me “Savior.”

I was sure Milia was glaring at him.

“Let’s work together.”

“Let’s do that.”

And so, with a new partnership, I concluded my business on Underground Floor 13.