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Chapter 14
The she-wolf that had placed her pup on the Marchioness’s belly took a step back or two, then collapsed and never rose again.
“Secure Beladis’s body.”
The knights, momentarily stunned by the unreal sight, snapped back to their senses at the duke’s piercing order.
Without dropping their guard, the knights pushed through the basin swarming with wolves and headed toward Beladis.
Countless pairs of yellow eyes followed their footsteps in silence.
A mix of killing intent and pure instinct filled the air, like walking across a sheet of thin ice.
Under those flashing gazes, beads of sweat formed on the knights’ brows.
They endured the ominous tension—as if the beasts could charge at any moment—and had just passed half of the basin when—
“Grrrrrr.”
A growl rose from somewhere.
The knights, exhaling low and dissatisfied sounds as if their fears were confirmed, readied themselves to counterattack as one.
At the same time, the entire basin began to throng with growls.
It was a hair-trigger situation.
Only two informants were there, apparently shielding the Marchioness.
And then—
One of the growling wolves finally surged forward toward the knights.
The metallic sound of swords being drawn poured down like rain.
The taut tension that had hovered like a razor finally erupted like molten lava.
As the knights’ shouts of “Go! Move!” echoed and rattled the basin—
A black shadow rose from below and overwhelmed the basin’s tension.
From an underground place into which no light entered, something enormous and wolf-like, rotting in the dark, emerged.
At the sight of it, the wolves that had been rushing toward the knights hesitated, began whimpering, and some even turned belly-up in total submission.
“Kiiing, whine—”
Because of that, a miraculous chance opened.
“Run!”
The informant who cradled the Marchioness took off with all his strength, and the knights followed after.
“Your Grace, you must go—now!”
The duke’s surrounding knights urged him, but he stood like a stone and did not move.
The knights who carried his daughter-in-law out left first.
Although the iron gate clattered and opened, for some reason the duke’s unwavering gaze was fixed only on the distant yellow eyes and that massive body.
“……”
And then—
The huge wolf the duke had been watching lifted its eyes and quietly fixed its gaze on him.
It looked as if it had something long unsaid, and as if it were speaking.
At that calm look, the duke’s chest suddenly burned hot.
But it lasted only a moment.
The creature facing him slowly crumpled and with a thud collapsed.
Even as it fell, its eyes did not leave him.
A single thought flashed through the duke’s mind.
‘What on earth have I done?’
The master of the Valhalla Forest—once wondrously beautiful—was rotting alive under his “protection.”
He remembered the mistaken complacency, assuming the creature was safe because of occasional news about its pups.
That unbearable mistake rose within him like bile.
Kalterion swallowed the choking emotion without allowing it to burst forth.
As if chewing and swallowing a shard of sharp broken glass.
For many days he had been suppressing feelings like this.
Even before his son and daughter-in-law’s deaths,
even when forcing an unwanted marriage onto his only grandson.
He had always swallowed his feelings, as if swallowing glass fragments.
When he finally gathered himself and left the basin, the two informants in black suits were kneeling.
“Punish us harshly for our failure to properly serve the Marchioness, Your Grace.”
“What is Beladis’s condition?”
As he passed the informants, Edwin immediately answered the question.
“She is unconscious. We must have the physician examine her to know details, but her breathing and pulse are currently normal.”
Before Edwin finished his report, the duke moved.
His voice brushed over the informants’ bowed heads.
“Rise. I will decide how to deal with you after I hear the full situation.”
“Your Grace—”
Edwin cautiously grabbed the duke, who was descending from the basin without looking back.
“The Marchioness is holding a newborn wolf pup…”
Only then did Kalterion stop and turn his gaze to his daughter-in-law, laid gently on the ground.
On the Marchioness’s belly, which looked as if she were sleeping peacefully, a tiny new life wriggled.
Edwin added, embarrassed.
“She won’t let go—though she’s unconscious, she won’t let it go. What should we do?”
Everyone was at a loss.
The newborn pup’s soft white fur simply glittered as it caught the sunlight.
Meanwhile, at around that time, near the reservoir at Mount Valhalla.
Despite it being midday, the dim forest gave off a gloomy atmosphere.
“Stay calm.”
As the young knight’s breathing grew heavier—this being his first mission to clear miasma—an older knight nearby warned him.
“Yes, senior.”
But the younger knight’s pupils trembled with unease.
The thick black fog had shortened visibility; even while together they felt isolated and alone.
Moreover—
Gurgle, gurgle, gag, gag.
What was driving him mad was that sound.
The ravenous tearing of flesh, chewing, and swallowing.
Gag, gag—the sound of someone dying painfully.
Senior knights had never warned them about anything like this.
They had only said their duty was to guard against miasma-tainted beasts and purify the reservoir’s contamination.
So what was that terrible noise, and why did the seniors’ expressions look so grim?
Something rustled in the thick fog, and the young knight immediately raised his sword.
“Just come— I’ll kill them all myself!”
Sssss!
Something darted around him threateningly.
The young knight swung his sword with all his might.
Kraaang!
“Hey, get a hold of yourself! Who are you trying to kill?”
A knight nearby deflected the young knight’s blade.
Even an inexperienced knight’s strike was dangerous when infused with kalips— a stray slice could shred armor.
Just as the formation threatened to falter, something sprang from the fog.
“Kraaaargh!”
It was something none of the experienced knights had seen before.
It vaguely looked human-shaped, but it ran on four limbs like a monkey.
Its pupils were horizontal slits like a goat’s.
Crack!
Long, sharp claws easily sliced through armor; fangs pierced helmets.
“Send help here! This rookie has lost his mind!”
The senior knight blocked the young knight’s kalips-crazed blade and shouted in panic.
Then another one lunged from behind.
“Damn it!”
If they didn’t use the young knight as bait, he’d be doomed.
Otherwise, at least one of the seniors would have to lose an arm.
So, gritting his teeth, one of them prepared to sacrifice his arm.
Just then—
Swoosh!
A clean arc of a sword cut the air.
‘It’ looked as if it had no idea what had happened.
Theodor, who had severed that thing’s neck in a single stroke, used the recoil to decapitate another attacking beast.
In the blink of an eye he killed two, yet the sound around him did not change.
Theodor glanced at the young knight wildly swinging his sword and gestured.
“Get him out before the miasma eats him completely.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
At that moment, a gigantic shadow thudded and loomed from the black fog.
