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Chapter : 25
Jenaida, seeing the magic stone, quickly stepped back, opened the door, and went outside.
The hallway was completely empty.
To assess the situation, Jenaida headed toward the castle walls.
At the castle walls, a horrific scene repeated itself over and over.
People were dying, bitten by beasts, while others were toyed with by monsters and fell to their deaths. Screams filled the air.
“Where on earth did they come from?”
The castle was the lord’s residence, the safest place in the region.
Yet the number of monsters that had appeared was abnormally large.
“Kaiden should have been dispatched to the snowy mountains,” she thought.
A bad feeling crept in—could something have happened to him? But she quickly pushed the thought aside.
If that were the case, news would have already reached the Western District. But no word had come from the expedition.
Jenaida decided to set aside what she couldn’t solve for now, and calmly observed her surroundings to identify the monsters.
“Only wyverns and griffins can engage in aerial combat. The rest I can handle.”
It was overwhelming because of the numbers, but it was better than facing a drake. Jenaida immediately leapt into battle.
Dalton, who spotted her first, shouted urgently:
“Your Highness! Move!”
She responded by slashing the ghoul clinging to his shoulder:
“Treat the wounded immediately!”
“But—!”
“Right now!”
Hearing her angry command, Dalton lowered his head and retreated into the castle.
Jenaida stood near the parapet to figure out where the monsters were coming from.
But there were no ladders, nor any mages transporting the monsters nearby.
“They climbed the walls on all fours without flying?”
Except for a few, most monsters were more intelligent than wild beasts.
But aside from humanoids, climbing walls was nearly impossible.
“Those with wings can fly, but the rest…?”
Most of the monsters being slain by knights nearby were wolf-like.
“Something’s wrong.”
Before she could dwell on this strange thought, a griffin charged at her.
Caught off guard while staring at the flying enemy, Jenaida was trapped under the griffin’s claws.
But she didn’t give up, stabbing its foot with her sword.
A deafening screech tore through the air as it grabbed her. Even through her armor, the pain was intense.
Without that attack, she likely would have died instantly.
Others rushed to save her, but the griffin flew high into the sky, leaving them no choice but to watch helplessly.
Jenaida stared blankly at the shrinking figures below. It was hard to see their faces, but she knew they were worried about her.
“I have to protect them.”
Alongside Kaiden, the people of the castle were those she had to safeguard. She had been the one who had thrown people who could have lived happily into the pit of death.
But in this state, she could do nothing.
As she blamed herself, a familiar voice called out from somewhere:
“Have you been well, Jenaida?”
It was Ellen’s chilling voice.
Meeting Ellen’s gaze, Jenaida swallowed hard. The griffin holding her released her, handing her over to Ellen.
Jenaida descended onto the wyvern’s back.
“What are you doing?”
“I went north, so I need to stay close if I’m going to do what you asked.”
Jenaida gave a bitter laugh.
“Don’t tell me these monsters… are your doing?”
All the monsters were unusually friendly toward Ellen—the griffin, and now the wyvern she rode.
Ellen casually replied:
“Yes. Would you have spared me if I hadn’t?”
Jenaida clenched her fists in disgust.
“You could have come alone.”
Ellen didn’t care about her complaints. His faint smile made it seem like he was enjoying the situation.
“You love your husband, don’t you?”
Taken aback by the sudden question, Jenaida firmly answered:
“No.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Think whatever you want. I don’t care.”
Jenaida focused intensely, determined not to be outmatched by Ellen.
“Why is he asking if I love Kaiden out of nowhere?”
She soon realized why.
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have refused me.”
Jenaida cut through his rambling:
“If you have something to say, say it straight. Don’t beat around the bush—it looks pathetic.”
Ellen, surprised, then laughed and got to the point:
“Won’t you come with me? This isn’t where you belong—you belong with the Elementalists. You’ve experienced it yourself: the Aden Empire despises Elementalists.”
“….”
“I don’t like it, but if you follow willingly, I’ll even spare the castle.”
Jenaida was flabbergasted. Kaiden being sent to the snowy mountains suddenly, the castle being attacked—it was all Ellen’s doing.
To orchestrate chaos and then casually suggest going together was more threat than offer. She couldn’t help but laugh.
Yes, it’s all my fault.
For being near Kaiden.
For staying at the castle.
Probably, with just one word from Ellen, the war could end.
Yes, precisely, if I agreed to leave with him.
Jenaida asked him expressionlessly:
“Where are we going?”
Lora swung her mace at the ghouls climbing the castle walls. But no matter how many heads she crushed, the monsters kept coming.
“At this rate, we’ll lose all our forces.”
Most of the capable troops had been dispatched on the snowy mountain expedition. Those still in good shape were now injured again.
“And Madam…”
She tried to rescue Jenaida from the griffin, but it flew into the sky, making rescue impossible.
How long could the knights, having lost their leader and morale, hold out? The thought of not even being able to send news to the Western District drove her nearly mad.
At the darkest moment, a wyvern appeared.
“A wyvern! Watch out!”
Things just kept getting worse.
Lora quickly inspected her weapon. Though covered in monster blood, it remained sharp.
But this wyvern was unlike any other. It seemed to have no intention to attack, gliding safely to avoid harming anyone. Nearby monsters also ceased their attacks.
While the knights and attendants remained cautious, a familiar face appeared.
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness?”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Although a strange figure was beside her, it was clear Madam was safe.
Lora rushed to the wyvern, embracing Jenaida. Jenaida patted her back gently.
“Madam! Are you alright?”
“Yes… and you?”
“I’m fine. But everyone else…”
Lora couldn’t continue. The devastation was too severe to put into words.
Jenaida released her gently.
“Lora.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“There won’t be any more monster attacks.”
“Pardon?”
“So treat the wounded, and send only half of those dispatched to the snowy mountains back to the Western District.”
“Half?”
“Yes. Don’t ask why.”
“…Understood.”
Satisfied with her response, Jenaida patted her and extended her hand to the suspicious man who had arrived with her.
He took her hand as if escorting her.
Lora stepped between them and asked:
“Madam, what about you?”
Jenaida answered calmly:
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Pardon?”
Don’t worry about her?
Madam was a noble alongside the duke in this castle. She had even admirably filled the duke’s role in his absence. Yet she said not to worry?
“Are you… going after that man?”
Jenaida parted her lips a few times, then nodded.
It was like a thunderclap.
Lora grabbed her wrist urgently:
“You can’t!”
“……”
“You must reconcile with the Duke.”
A few days ago, the Duchess had been said to be very angry with the Duke. Lora had hoped to see them reconcile, but now…
“And me?”
Lora liked Jenaida greatly. Unlike the stoic Duke, she was gentle, kind to those below, and capable under pressure. Lora had resented her upon hearing she tried to kill the Duke, but later sympathized when she learned it was due to the Pope’s threat to Kaiden.
“Don’t go.”
But Jenaida pushed Lora’s hand away and shouted fiercely:
“This isn’t a request—it’s an order.”
Faced with her resolute stance, Lora suppressed her emotions and knelt.
Though she hadn’t formally become a knight, she too was a warrior, and her loyalty to her mistress remained.
“Yes, I obey.”
The monsters retreated, and Lora entered the castle immediately—to inform Kaiden of the events.
