Chapter: 147
The news of the Empire’s strongest being in danger was hard to believe, but this wasn’t just some lighthearted gag world; it was a dark fantasy realm even harsher than reality. So it wasn’t entirely impossible.
‘More importantly… in the original story, the Duke ends up dying. So it’s not an outright impossibility.’
Well, that’s true, but… it was definitely difficult. The Duke’s demise could only happen after the Demon Lord had become several times stronger than he currently was.
‘The original plot has diverged so much that I can’t even guess what variables have emerged. First, let’s think seriously.’
With that resolve, Lian declared that he would join the party searching for the Duke. The butler insisted he couldn’t send their savior into dangerous territory, but upon showcasing his healing abilities, the butler reluctantly agreed. A priest capable of healing like Lian was indeed a rare find.
“Wow… the severed finger has come back!”
“Isn’t it amazing? I heard miracles don’t just happen for no reason.”
As the Lian Church quietly moved, they began sowing seeds around the Duke’s estate. Given the chaotic situation, coupled with how stealthily the Lian Church members operated, it was hard to keep track.
Two days had passed, and all preparations were complete. From Lian’s party, Lian, Jess, Iris, Nero, and Noah would join.
Jess, being a renowned tracking beastman, was included, and Nero secured his place thanks to his outstanding sword skills. As for Iris… the butler strongly opposed her joining, but she refused to be separated from her brother, leaving no choice but to allow her to come along. Besides, her skills were enough to easily surpass several knights, so no one could object.
‘Why is Noah over there?’
What surprised Lian was discovering Noah was part of a different unit called the “Ranger Corps.” They were known for being the fastest in the forests, often stationed outside the castle and living in the woods.
‘So he was busy training with that unit after all. That explains why I couldn’t find him every time I looked.’
Having trained with the Ranger Corps for quite some time now, Noah’s attire and demeanor seemed quite accustomed to the group. Their eyes met suddenly.
‘Oh…’
Noah quickly averted his gaze. Feeling awkward, Lian rubbed the back of his neck and looked elsewhere. Thus, he failed to notice Noah’s ears turning bright red.
“What’s going on? What’s that about?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing! What? Are you interested in that lady?”
The Ranger assisting Noah’s training looked astounded and elbowed him lightly.
“Showhan. Now isn’t the time for jokes.”
“Yes! I’ll behave!”
At the Captain’s stern voice, the playful Ranger, Showhan, immediately straightened up.
“As mentioned earlier, our unit will be the first to depart and scout the forest. If anything is discovered, we will use the comms, or signal flares if there’s a dire situation.”
They always needed to move like the wind, so their replies were brief gestures. Not long after, the Ranger Corps vanished without a sound.
About thirty minutes after the Ranger Corps had left, the Knights’ Order finished their preparations and mounted their horses. To move quickly, even the soldiers were on horseback. The wizards planned to travel in carriages to conserve their energy.
The carriages were intended for medical use in case of emergencies. There were two carriages: one with the wizards and the other with Lian, Iris, Nero, and Jess.
While the knights and soldiers could move as one after extensive training, Lian’s group had no choice but to ride in the carriage since they couldn’t coordinate that way.
“And we’re off!”
The sound of the Black Horse’s hooves hitting the ground echoed like thunder.
*
The butler’s prediction that the Duke would be out doing some monster hunting nearby to be able to return quickly in case of an emergency was correct. However, the problem lay in the fact that “nearby” was defined by the Duke’s standards.
As a result, they ended up traveling for three whole days before finally reaching their destination. The Captain of the Knights pulled the horses to a stop by a river near the forest.
“Let’s take a break here.”
“Let’s rest here!”
The Vice Commander shouted the Captain’s order to the rear.
Even the best horses would tire after three days of non-stop riding. The soldiers immediately got off and began fetching water with wooden buckets from the carriage.
When there was no nearby water source, they resolved the issue with the wizards’ help, but with clear water available now, there was no need to waste magical energy. Some soldiers prepared food while others filled the horse troughs.
While the soldiers busied themselves with chores, the knights sought out markings left by the Rangers.
“They must have arrived much earlier than us.”
It seemed they had left their own markings on nearby trees, indicating they had likely arrived a day ago to start their search.
‘It should be about time for their investigation to be wrapping up, too, right?’
The Rangers were tasked with ensuring there were no issues around the forest’s entrance. While they could venture deeper, that would typically be handled only by a highly skilled captain or vice-captain.
After all, dangerous creatures were known to emerge in such areas. However, that was only the case for large-scale confrontations or major disturbances. If it was just for gathering information discreetly, this place shouldn’t pose any significant difficulties.
Considering their capabilities, they should have already exited the forest and waited to relay any findings.
‘The fact that they’re still inside the forest… means something must have gone wrong.’
The Captain gazed at the eerily pale forest with grave eyes, feeling it had grown even darker than before. The snow piled up like a pinky finger made the forest seem safer than a snow-covered hill; hence, the foreboding feeling intensified.
“Lunch is ready!”
At the voice from the back, the Captain turned his attention from the forest. In that moment, the shadows of the trees flickered, yet no one took notice.
Not knowing what might happen inside the forest, they prepared a soup filled with meat acquired from their intermittent hunts. Once everyone had satisfied their hunger, they immediately moved into the woods, for they couldn’t wait indefinitely for the Rangers.
Of course, uncertainty loomed regarding the fate of the Rangers, so the wizards cast various protective spells as they moved. While it might be a waste of magical energy, it was better than facing danger.
[Hmm, how about building a house here? The land seems really nice.]
‘Huh? Seriously?’
In an eerie situation where strange things could pop up any moment, Lian and the Magic Sword were chatting cheerfully. The somewhat less flamboyant Magic Sword cringed slightly at the attention from others.
[Yeah, it gives me a very similar vibe to the neighborhood you used to live in.]
‘The place I used to live? You don’t mean Cardishian, do you? The Demon Lord’s territory?’
[Ah, I really liked the abundance of demonic energy back then… How about considering moving back?]
‘Absolutely not!’
Lian, while conversing with the Magic Sword, began to sweat profusely.
‘Why does the Empire have to be saturated with demonic energy? How is this even possible?’
[Not impossible, just requires a bit of effort.]
‘What would that take?’
[To put it simply— you have to desecrate the land’s owner.]
‘The land’s owner?’
Just as Lian was about to inquire further…
“What’s that…?”
“Fog?”
A gray mist began to creep in from all directions, shrouding the eerily silent forest. The Captain lowered the front of his helmet and spoke.
“This could be poison mist! Everyone, prepare yourselves!”
The knights, like the Captain, adjusted their magically inscribed helms, and the soldiers covered their mouths with special cloth that could block most toxins. The wizards simultaneously activated spells to protect the area around the carriages.
Swoooosh.
The mist rolled in like a tsunami, completely stealing away their line of sight. The Captain’s face hardened as he began to stay alert.
Lian knew well that any unheard words at this moment could become crucial clues, so no matter the chaos around him, he hurriedly pressed the Magic Sword for answers.
‘What’s the land’s owner? If it gets tainted, does the land become infested with demonic energy? And what happens to a land infested with demonic energy?’
[Ask slowly. The land’s owner refers to the being that governs this surrounding area. It’s usually a spirit, but it can also be an undead. If the land’s owner becomes tainted by demonic energy, then the land will also become tainted. It’s called taint, but it simply means the property changes. It becomes a place where creatures comfortable with demonic energy can thrive. However, there can be some complications…]
‘What kind of complications?’
[Typically, the owner of a tainted area goes insane and starts killing or devouring everyone who enters the land stripped of their will.]
Swoooosh.
With the Magic Sword’s voice, the mist began to writhe around like a living creature, starting to coil around the body of the Black Horse.
[It seems the owner here prefers to destroy and digest mentally. Is the brain their style? Tsk, a foolish one who doesn’t realize that hot blood is delicacy.]
Trembling, Lian asked the Magic Sword in a shaken voice, “How can we restore the tainted land’s owner to its original state?”
[Hmm? There’s no method for that, though?]
Hiiihihihing!!
No sooner had the Magic Sword finished speaking than the Black Horses began to roar wildly and charge. At that moment, Lian’s gag filter was activated.
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