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Chapter 37
The next day, at dawn while the sky was still dark and bluish.
“Everyone up! It’s time to depart.”
Kate’s voice echoed through the cabin. Those who had dozed off for a moment and those who had merely closed their eyes all opened them at the sound.
Perhaps because they had spent the night in such tension, not a single person lingered; everyone finished preparing quickly, came out, and mounted their horses.
I, too, was rousing my stiff body and about to leave the cabin when a voice came from behind.
“Aren’t you tired?”
When I turned around, Calyx was looking at me.
“I’m totally full of energy.”
I was honestly just stating the truth, but for some reason Calyx let out a small chuckle.
“You look like you’re going on a trip.”
In fact, he was right. This mission was destined to be resolved safely by Hennes anyway. Going in with that knowledge made it no different from a trip.
But thinking it might be bad to look too excited, I forced a solemn expression and said,
“Ah, actually, I’m extremely nervous. My heart’s pounding.”
“Is that so?”
Calyx smiled faintly, then naturally reached out, lifted me onto the horse, and said,
“You can relax.”
“Huh?”
Then he leaned close and spoke softly by my ear.
“I promise nothing will happen to you. Trust me.”
Strangely, the moment Calyx’s breath brushed my ear, it wasn’t my ear but my chest that felt oddly ticklish.
Was I really nervous after all?
“I’ll trust you.”
As I replied, lightly touching my ear because of the strange sensation, Calyx smiled as if satisfied. Then, a moment later, he delivered brief orders to everyone.
“First, everyone follow me to the starting point of the subjugation. There, I’ll go over the precautions. Don’t delay—follow closely.”
“Yes!”
After hearing everyone’s response, Calyx quickly turned his horse’s head and kicked off. As speed picked up, hair whipped wildly in the wind.
As we galloped along the still-dark mountain path, Calyx spoke.
“Riana.”
“Yes?”
“This battle may be more intense than the last one.”
“Ah, yes!”
“So this time, be sure to wait for us at the spot I told you. Can you promise me that?”
“I will.”
“When we arrive, there will be a large rock near the cliff. You can wait beside it.”
“Yes!”
“Good. I’m counting on you.”
Hearing my answer, Calyx let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed that what he’d seen of me last time had left quite an impression on him.
‘Well, I guess it would be shocking to see that….’
Anyone who didn’t know about my abilities would have been startled.
Thinking that I should be careful not to surprise anyone this time, I looked up at the sky.
Little by little, it was beginning to brighten with a bluish hue.
There was something Calyx had realized through the incident in Advena Village.
If he tried to rashly change the order or timing of events he had experienced before the regression, unexpected variables could arise.
So this time, he decided to keep the order and timing exactly the same. Before the regression, the subjugation in the Berpen territory had begun earlier than expected when they happened to encounter a horde of monsters immediately at dawn, the very morning they set out for Berpen.
‘So this subjugation must begin before sunrise.’
When they reached the starting point, Calyx helped Riana down from the horse and said,
“That rock over there is the place I mentioned.”
“I see.”
“Yes. From there, you’ll have a good view of us subjugating them. So don’t worry—wait for us there.”
“I will. Then—”
Riana hesitated slightly, then smiled at Calyx and said,
“I’ll be watching every single moment of the captain’s splendid performance.”
“…Ah, right.”
For a moment, Calyx stared blankly at Riana’s smile and felt an unfamiliar emotion for the first time.
‘I want to finish the subjugation quickly.’
Even with the duty he was supposed to carry out right before him, he found it unbearably unpleasant to leave Riana here and go down below. Part of him just wanted to head down to the villages of the Berpen territory with her and treat her to a good meal.
‘What am I even thinking right now….’
Suddenly becoming aware of his own state, Calyx closed his eyes briefly and opened them again. Then, after confirming that Riana was walking toward the rock beside the cliff as he had instructed earlier, he signaled to Kate with his eyes. Kate dismounted and came closer.
“So, what was that special order you said you’d give once we arrived?”
“You stay here. Watch the battle situation from Riana’s side.”
“What battle situation…? That’s just telling me to protect Riana, isn’t it?”
“Interpret it however you like.”
“You left the vice-captain behind too—are you sure it’s okay to leave even me here?”
“It’s fine.”
“Hmm… seems like you’re pushing yourself.”
Not knowing that all of Calyx’s base stats had increased after his awakening, Kate couldn’t immediately turn away despite the order.
But Calyx said firmly,
“I’ll decide whether it’s too much or not. Go.”
“Well, fine. If it’s the captain’s order, I’ll follow it.”
Kate began walking toward the rock where Riana was.
After confirming that, Calyx looked up at the sky once more. Black clouds were scattered bleakly across the pale purple sky.
‘It’s time.’
It was the same sky as when the subjugation had begun before the regression.
Without dismounting, Calyx looked at the assembled subjugation force and spoke.
“Listen carefully, everyone. When we go down into the field below, at first you won’t see anything. That’s because—”
At that moment, memories from before the regression surfaced in Calyx’s mind, and he paused briefly. The gaunt white hands that had risen from the ground they had stepped onto without any information.
“—the enemies are hiding underground. So once we descend the hill and I give the signal, everyone dismount.”
“What?!”
“The enemies spread ahead are called Skeletons. They’re undead-type monsters that move with only bones remaining.”
“What, were there this many undead-type monsters in the Empire?”
An alarmed Marcus asked, and Calyx replied,
“Saying they’re increasing… would probably be more accurate.”
Recalling his memories from before the regression, Calyx spoke with conviction.
At the time, he’d thought it strange that undead monsters were increasing, but he’d never considered the cause. Now, looking back, he wondered if all of it might have been signs preceding the opening of the rift Riana had mentioned in the prison.
“This is my first time fighting Skeletons—are there any precautions?”
When Jude asked, Calyx nodded.
“If you only cut off one or two parts, Skeletons will quickly reattach themselves. So you need to shatter them as thoroughly as possible with overwhelming force.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Oh, and.”
Calyx paused and looked out over the field spread beneath the cliff.
Before the regression, what had tormented the subjugation force most wasn’t the Skeletons’ regeneration. The most lethal thing had been the unseen enemy.
“According to the information I obtained, there’s an individual among those monsters that uses confusion magic.”
“Confusion magic?”
Marcus asked, frowning.
As someone who primarily wielded magic, Marcus despised mages who used confusion magic the most. Of all the mages he’d met, the most despicable and creepy ones had all specialized in confusion magic.
“Yes. It’s magic that makes allies perceive each other as enemies.”
“Damn it. Something seriously annoying is mixed in!”
Marcus scrunched up his brow sharply, his irritation genuine.
“And it seems to be quite powerful.”
It truly was. Even Damon, who hadn’t been affected himself, had been caught by the spell and charged at him.
“So if you see a companion who’s been confused, report it to me. I’ll handle it.”
At Calyx’s words, Marcus practically screamed.
“You’re going to kill us too if we’re confused?!”
“……”
Calyx stared at Marcus in silence.
“Should I kill you now?”
“N-no, sir.”
“If someone is already under the influence of confusion, they won’t come to their senses for at least half a day. So we’ll have to knock them out in the meantime. If a bone or two breaks in the process, consider that acceptable.”
“I-I’ll be careful.”
Marcus rubbed his arms, as if goosebumps had risen.
Calyx withdrew his gaze from Marcus, and his eyes suddenly turned toward Riana. She was standing right beside the rock he had pointed out, watching this way, looking like a rabbit on guard.
The corners of Calyx’s lips lifted faintly—without him even realizing it.
“Damn. Looks like we’ll have to fight really carefully. Then, Captain, shall we head out?”
At that moment, Marcus’s resolute voice pierced Calyx’s ears. In an instant, Calyx lowered his lips and turned his gaze with a cold expression.
“Yes. Move out.”
“Yes! All right, everyone—let’s smash them to pieces!”
“Yes!”
The subjugation force began charging down the hillside.
It was the beginning of the second subjugation.
