“If the duke’s not indulging in killing, could his desires be manifesting elsewhere?”
“How dare you speak so boldly to me, knowing my inclinations?”
“Heh, I-I didn’t mean it that way. I’m still a virgin!”
It was common knowledge that their lord’s desires spared neither men nor women. As Ruben pondered, Rezette shot him an irritated glance.
“I feel like killing someone right now.”
“U-Understood.”
“Enough, now scam.”
“Yes, sir!”
Ruben let the conversation taper off, leaving Isaac to ponder in confusion.
“He’s certainly improving.”
“Indeed. If it were like before, I’d be dead by now… I barely escaped.”
“Enough with the jokes. His symptoms haven’t shown up yet, right? Normally, he’s incapable of coherent conversation. Could he have gained control over his madness?”
“Well, judging by his right arm, it might not be that simple. Anyway, it’s a relief if he can navigate this period more smoothly than usual… for both him and us.”
“Even though the cycle of madness has returned, finding no solace in either extreme, is that really a positive sign? Eventually, someone will have to bear the brunt of that madness.”
Isaac’s words trailed off, echoing the uneasy sentiment shared by Ruben. They both fell silent, contemplating the weight of the burden that loomed over them.
“…Perhaps it would be wise for Her Highness to remain out of sight for a while,” Ruben ventured tentatively, his voice hesitant.
Isaac’s sharp gaze snapped to him in response. “Hold your tongue. You saw how our lord fixated on her a few months back, Ruben.”
Since their return from the Tene River, sightings of the princess had been scarce. Similarly, the lord hadn’t crossed paths with her on several occasions.
After their stint with the Tene River patrol, the Duke had ordered the princess to be kept hidden away, almost sequestered in his tower. Since that day, the fleeting glimpse of her profile at the Harvest Festival had been the first and last time she had been seen.
Even among the knights, Ruben, known for his sensitivity, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the princess, whose fainting episodes were heard of intermittently.
“She looked so pale… I spoke with the men working in the main tower, and they mentioned she’s been seriously ill multiple times.”
“There’s no cause for concern. She’s being compensated for her life being spared. How many times has our lord kept her hidden and endured the consequences? If anything, the princess wouldn’t have survived.”
“But ultimately, it was our lord’s choice to keep her. He wasn’t forced into it…”
“His intentions are none of our concern. Our duty is to follow his orders. And Her Highness doesn’t resist, Ruben.”
“Understood, understood. Who said otherwise? Ah, here he comes.”
The knights fell silent as they sensed the approaching presence of their lord. The Duke was rising from his seat. Amidst the fully armored knights, the man with only one breastplate stood out distinctly.
Simultaneously, a young squire emerged from the clearing where purification efforts were underway. His face pale and breathless, he delivered urgent news.
“Sir Ruben, there’s something in the village on the eastern slope. No signs of monsters, but there are corpses everywhere – humans and animals mixed together!”
“Ah, I see. Thank you, lad!”
Whether the duke caught Ruben’s response or not, he was already striding towards the thicket from where the squire had come. His keen senses had undoubtedly detected something amiss.
As they plunged deeper into the dense foliage, the scattered bodies grew more numerous.
The scene that unfolded further up the mountainside was even more grim. Amidst the remnants of monsters lay the corpses of humans, strewn haphazardly. The village on the steep slope appeared ravaged, as if crushed by a colossal monster that engulfed it entirely – a calamity beyond the scope of natural disasters like earthquakes or landslides.
After swiftly surveying the surroundings, the Duke brushed the herb ashes from his attire without ceremony, muttering tersely.
“Descend straight to the mountain’s base. Do not move from there until I authorize it.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” came the prompt reply.
Ruben wasted no time in sounding the horn to rally the scattered knights.
Sensing his subordinates’ departure, Rezette ventured deeper into the village. With each step towards the source of the ominous energy, tension gripped his entire being.
The aura emanating from the forest’s depths exceeded the threshold of human endurance. Rezette had never encountered the being responsible, knowing them only by name and reputation. Yet, in a peculiar way, he felt a connection stronger than any other.
Even beasts recognize their kin.
Rezette raised his gaze, beholding an unseen spectacle that overwhelmed his vision.
The winter-clad mountain, typically draped in desolate shrubbery, now loomed ominously black. Amidst the entwined peaks, a pair of eyes pierced the darkness – a fusion of yellow and blue, with vertically slit pupils.
“I never expected you to awaken. You’ve lingered around Grandel like a specter all this time,” Rezette remarked dryly.
“It has been a while, Sameshita.”
At the utterance, the mountains trembled and quaked in reply.
