Chapter 168

Russel carelessly tossed aside the demonic beast's foreleg in his hand.

The limb, about half the size of an adult man, rolled somewhere with a squelching sound.

His once brilliant golden hair had long lost its luster, covered in blackened blood and bodily fluids.

He had given up on wiping his face long ago, as the blood only smeared more messily when he tried.

Even his white sacred armor blessed by the temple, which he had reclaimed in Valentine, and his sword had been stained so dark they no longer reflected even a dim light.

'At this rate, I could be mistaken for a crazed butcher rather than a Holy Knight, and I'd have nothing to say in my defense.'

Russel walked slowly across the ground that had become soggy with blood.

With each step, an unpleasant sound and sticky sensation reached him.

He called out to the person standing nearby, cutting through the air that vibrated with the smell of blood.

"Senior. This area seems to be cleared. I think we can return now."

"It appears so. Let's go back."

The one who responded to his call was completely black.

Just like Russel, his hair was soaked in demonic beast blood, as was the cloak he wore, and his sunken eyes.

Though the man held no weapon in his hands, Russel said nothing, already knowing the power he possessed.

Rather, Russel was continuously sending gazes of admiration, yearning, and respect to the man.

The man asked Russel, whose blue eyes were twinkling.

His tone was nothing short of indifferent.

"Are you tired?"

"No, sir."

"Your sword stance was faltering."

"I'll correct it."

"If you can't concentrate, retreat on your own."

"I'll be careful."

After this dry exchange, the man walked away slowly.

A barren rocky mountain with barely a few trees.

Combat in the valley terrain was not easy, but not difficult enough to give up.

They needed to return to Martang and inform Amelia that they had destroyed five nesting sites of the werewolf demonic beasts.

Martang, a village that had once been subjugated to the Hartmann territory and was now part of the royal direct territories.

The village, situated in particularly rough terrain, was exceptionally vulnerable to demonic beast attacks.

The fact that the representative managing the direct territory did not show themselves was another factor that increased the risk of attacks.

But the people of Martang were strong, and the mercenaries contracted by the representative did not take the threats facing the village lightly.

All of this was fine, but.

The trouble began when a village woodcutter recently ventured deep into the valley and discovered a strange structure.

A tall, gray tower made entirely of iron.

The woodcutter who entered the tower climbed to the top floor and saw a strange device.

A moonstone fixed in the center, surrounded by dozens of massive silver mirrors.

The thinly cut moonstone was the color of a faint mist and had a subtle blue hue.

The edge of the moonstone was wrapped in a beautiful and strange frame that looked as if silver vines had coiled around it.

As if entranced, the woodcutter removed the moonstone and brought it back to the village, where the villagers planned to sell this large moonstone plate and frame to a merchant to build a wall to prepare against demonic beast invasions.

But right after that, demonic beasts in the valley suddenly began to multiply.

This was when demonic beasts descending from the valley began to raid Martang.

People suspected that the moonstone plate and the demonic beast attacks might be related, but it was too late to resolve the situation.

Demonic beasts were invading the village almost every day, and the people of Martang couldn't leave the village even a step.

When their party arrived at Martang, demonic beasts were just about to swarm in.

After understanding the full story of the incident in the village, Amelia discussed it with him.

-S-surely that moonstone is c-connected to the demonic beasts. The one who installed the m-moonstone and that structure was probably.

-The royal representative? You mean the woman who was said to have died in Valentine?

-That p-possibility is the highest. She was the l-leader of the heretical sect called the 'Daughters of Blood.' That sect w-worships a goddess called Shub-Niggurath.

-Then is the moonstone also a medium to summon that goddess?

-Y-yes. Could it be that the d-demonic beasts are coming down to the village to r-reclaim the moonstone?

-If that assumption is correct, we cannot return the moonstone to the structure in the valley. Though it might stop the demonic beast invasions, an incarnation or avatar of Shub-Niggurath might descend afterward.

-Th-then.

-The quickest and simplest method is, instead of returning the moonstone, to destroy the demonic beasts' nesting sites in the valley.

-Is that p-possible?

-It's not impossible. It will be a race against time, though.

He immediately headed to the valley, taking Russel with him.

It was an idea that an ordinary person couldn't even consider. It was also the most novel form of suicide.

But none of that applied to him, who was beyond ordinary human common sense.

He was an apostle of the Lord of the Extreme Realm.

Leandros, with a body blessed by the avatar of a deity, thoroughly eradicated the demonic beasts lurking in the valley.

In a corner of his mind, he thought this might be unnecessary, but considering what had happened in Glico, this was the right course of action.

He recalled the village of Glico. And the way His Grace had tried to resolve matters in the village.

He knew well the method his Duke preferred.

A Duke who liked to gain people's favor, earn their trust, minimize conflict, and find ways to cooperate together.

That was how it had been in the Eastern Wasteland and when cooperating with merchant groups.

But from Glico onward, such methods didn't work. From the start, all the people around were just watching for opportunities to exploit them.

What was favor and trust anyway?

So he was secretly relieved when Arenheit said he would return to the castle.

It was just a matter of him resolving the issues outside while Arenheit rested safely in the castle.

Come to think of it, had he mentioned going to the capital?

He clearly remembered Amelia sending a letter to the Hartmann townhouse.

When they returned, he would inform him that the matter in Martang was being resolved smoothly.

Leandros moved his steps, thinking it was fortunate that he could deliver good news to His Grace.

Russel, following Leandros as he left the battle site, turned his head slightly.

Behind them.

In the place where Leandros had stood, there remained only sharply protruding massive ice and cold air instead of the valley's rocky mountain.

* * *

Six days had passed since then.

As Verde had said, Yurik sent the palace physician every day to check on his condition.

On the surface, it might look like a kind Crown Prince caring for a retainer who had suddenly spewed a fountain of blood and collapsed, and a Duke moved by this,

But Arenheit and Verde were always on edge, trying to regulate the recovery state according to their plan.

"Damn it! Let's only take half of the recovery medicine. Didn't you say you had a bad relationship with Crown Prince Yurik? Why is he providing such good medicine? If you're on bad terms, wouldn't it be normal to give you some garbage boiled water?"

No, no matter what, they wouldn't give garbage boiled water to a duke to drink...

"Because he has eyes. He probably wants me to recover quickly."

Bringing Verde instead of Arndt had been the right decision.

If Arndt had been here, they would have become healthy without any resistance and would have been dragged before Yurik long ago.

Arenheit silently took the medicine according to the prescription readjusted by Verde.

Considering that the palace physician who had visited a few hours ago had said with a relieved expression, "You seem to have passed the dangerous period, Your Grace," it seemed Yurik might create an event by barging in arbitrarily.

"Is there no other news from the townhouse?"

"None. I'm not sure if they didn't send anything or if it's being blocked, but I think it's the latter."

"Probably. Arndt wouldn't just let me stay out overnight."

News from the townhouse to here was blocked.

That meant they had no choice but to attempt contact from here to the townhouse.

But if they sent a letter or correspondence, it would all be censored.

While pondering, someone knocked on the door to announce a visit.

Arenheit exchanged glances with Verde and immediately lay down on the bed, entering the mode of a groaning patient.

Verde asked.

"Who is it?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince wishes to visit Duke Hartmann."

"But His Grace is still not feeling well."

"Would you like to call the palace physician again?"

"No, why would I call the palace physician again..."

Just as Verde got up and approached the door, the door suddenly opened wide.

Verde's eyes widened at the person in front of the door, and he immediately bowed deeply.

At a glance, he looked like an ordinary servant on the verge of fainting from surprise.

This was the acting ability of someone in their mid-thirties. Shouldn't he be nominated for an Oscar, from a human perspective?

"I-I behold His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"It seems you didn't know I was already here. Is the Duke doing well? I heard he's passed the dangerous period."

After looking at Verde pretending to be flustered, Arenheit groggily sat up, and Verde, relieved, went to a corner to keep his place.

"I beg your forgiveness for the rudeness of not standing to greet you, Your Highness. My body is in such poor condition that I was just trying to get some sleep."

"The rudeness you've shown me should be more than one or two. I no longer feel much about it."

"I'm sorry."

"But it seems you've recovered enough to wake up and be alert."

"That's true, but since I have such a weak body, you see. If I may be so bold, Your Highness, could I possibly stay at the royal palace a while longer?"

Yurik closed his mouth and looked at Arenheit with an ambiguous smile.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to be thinking, "That's fine, but why is he suspiciously only doing nice things?"

"The Duke is always welcome. But I'm curious about the reason."

"There's no one as good as the royal physician at the townhouse. And the regular breakfast, lunch, and dinner that come out are so good. No attendant brings documents day and night, saying I have to work."

"Is that the only reason?"

"I have a small ambition to rely on Your Highness's kindness for room and board. To save money."

"Have all of the Duke's businesses failed?"

"You knew even that? It's not that they've failed, but it's become difficult to expect continuous profits. If I stay here, I can recover, not work, and save money."

"It seems you think of the royal family as a mere resort."

"Then do you wish to expel me to the townhouse? If you wish, I can prepare right away."

When Arenheit casually mentioned "leaving," Yurik, who had been holding his head, waved his hand.

It was definitely an attitude of dealing with an annoying fly.

"I'll allow you to stay in the royal palace. Just stay cooped up here. If you show up elsewhere, I'll impose a disciplinary measure."

"Oh, thank you. Then may I gather my belongings from the townhouse?"

"...What belongings?"

"As you can see, I didn't bring anything."

"If there's something you need, I'll provide it."

"I have this attachment underwear that I wear once every two days..."

"You're quite something, Duke. I've never seen someone as peculiar as you."

"It's the first time I've been complimented by royalty. I feel somewhat embarrassed."

"Do you think it's a compliment? Send your servant. We'll discuss the matter of territory return later. If the Duke fully recovers, that is."

'If he fully recovers,' huh? What did he plan to do from then on?

Yurik left the room with disgust.

Arenheit ordered Verde in a voice loud enough for the servant standing outside the door to hear.

"Bring paper and a quill. I need to bring in personal items from the townhouse. You go instead and make sure to gather everything."

"Yes, Your Grace. I'll do as you command."

Verde, who had been bowing, immediately left the room as soon as he received the long list Arenheit had written.

Though they were said to be his personal belongings, since they would be brought into the royal palace, the items would certainly be inspected.

So he deliberately racked his brains and wrote down all the items that came to mind, whether needed or not.

Fortunately, this worked, and the list was reviewed without incident. Verde was able to leave the palace late in the evening and return the next day in the late afternoon.

Upon his return, Verde dumped something from under his cloak.

A red book and,

A small snowman tightly hugging the book.