Chapter 89 : Chapter 89

Chapter 089 : A Lie Greater Than Truth (7)

The moment I spotted it.

The creature stepped out from the shadows of the forest.

Its silhouette faintly glimmered in the light of the Mana Stones.

‘That’s… could it be…?’

My eyes must have widened.

The instant I felt its gaze lock onto mine.

‘It’s coming!’

A mass of black smoke lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant.

Its blood-red eyes flickered like the ghostly flames of a haunted mountain.

Kraaaak—!

When its eerie howl hit my ears, I finally saw its true form.

A wavering, shadow-like body, a wolf’s snout, and a boar’s tusks…

‘Mist Fang Wolf!’

As it leaped to pounce, I raised my Bastard Sword.

Its teeth clashed against the blade.

Thud!

A dull sound rang out.

Kendrick had struck the Mist Fang Wolf’s body with his axe.

I appreciated his intent to exploit the opening, but he was too hasty.

I shouted at Kendrick, who was catching his breath as if he’d accomplished something.

“Get back!”

His eyes widened, but his feet stayed rooted.

The Mist Fang Wolf flung aside my Zahara Toxeed, grabbed Kendrick by the scruff, and hurled him away.

Boom—!

The beast’s severed body exploded simultaneously, like a firebomb detonating.

“What… what the hell…”

Kendrick muttered, slumped on the ground.

If he’d stayed standing, he’d have been caught in the blast.

“Mist Fang Wolf. An Imperial Demonic Beast.”

I spoke, shaking off the cloak I’d used to shield myself from the explosion.

You’d expect someone to be shocked at the mention of an Imperial Demonic Beast, but Kendrick was oddly quiet.

When I glanced at him, he finally showed a startled expression.

“An Imperial Demonic Beast… why…?”

“Who knows.”

I picked up the Zahara Toxeed from the ground.

I acted calm, but truthfully, I was beyond surprised—confused, even.

‘Yeats with an Imperial Demonic Beast?’

…What am I even thinking?

Amid the chaos in my head, my body was already doing its job.

I extended a hand to Kendrick, still sitting there with a dazed look.

His effort, even if not enough, was commendable.

Grab.

Kendrick took my hand and stood, wiping his stunned face as if trying to pull himself together.

He glanced at me cautiously, but I ignored it.

“The Mist Fang Wolf is a Demonic Beast made of demonic energy. When its life ends, the energy dissipates and explodes.”

The beast’s shattered body faded, scattering into the air like ash.

I was used to it, but it must have been an unfamiliar sight for Kendrick.

“…Where are your men?”

Kendrick’s shoulders twitched.

His eyes darted as he opened his mouth, but a voice came from behind.

“Sir Bihen!”

Linda ran up, her hair a tangled mess.

She’d somehow woken up.

The village chief was with her.

By the time they reached us, the last remnants of the Mist Fang Wolf were dissolving into smoke.

Linda rubbed her eyes and said,

“What… what was that? Am I dreaming?”

No time to explain everything.

“Listen carefully, both of you. The Archduke is targeting Sylphiroa. It seems he’s already deployed forces and made full preparations.”

Their faces paled instantly.

Linda slowly lowered the hand covering her mouth and said,“B-but what was that just now? Some kind of beast, or Demonic Beast, burning or something…”

“Miss Linda! Sylphiroa has never once been invaded by Demonic Beasts since the blessing of Sylphinu! Demonic Beasts? That’s absurd!”

“…If someone can control Demonic Beasts, it’s entirely possible.”

My words drew their shocked gazes.

I understood.

For Kingdom folk, this was beyond comprehension.

‘Demonic Beast summoning.’

Just as Kingdom mages taboo Dark Magic, Imperial shamans treat summoning as a forbidden art.

Its power depends on the caster’s skill, but ancient Imperial records tell of a shaman controlling an army-sized horde, leveling a city—a catastrophe.

‘With a Mist Fang Wolf appearing, there’s no room for doubt.’

Suppose Yeats somehow summoned Demonic Beasts.

Controlling a horde is another matter.

Unless he was already a skilled shaman, issuing complex commands and maintaining control would be impossible.

‘He’s likely after me, but the Mist Fang Wolves are probably set to attack a simple target.’

I turned my head.

‘The Spirit Tree.’

Moving first would be a bad move.

If I left to hunt Yeats, the villagers, unable to abandon the Spirit Tree, would be left defenseless against the horde.

“Evacuate everyone outside the forest. Take the shortest route and move as fast as possible.”

“But the Spirit Tree…”

“I’ll protect it.”

“...!”

I didn’t know what trick he was pulling, but he couldn’t summon Demonic Beasts indefinitely.

Eventually, Yeats would have to show himself.

I just needed to hold out until then.

“Linda, I’m counting on you to escort the villagers.”

“Got it!”

Lastly, Kendrick.

I gave him a silent look, signaling him to assist Linda, but the ponytail mercenary wore a grim expression.

“I’ll stay and fight.”

Kendrick gripped his axe handle tightly.

---

Fortunately, the evacuation proceeded smoothly.

About three hundred villagers moved orderly under the officials’ guidance.

“Not long ago, I warned the chief. If things went south, we might need to evacuate, so we should prepare. Looks like it paid off,” Kendrick said smugly, sitting on a rock, sharpening his axe with a relaxed air.

“…You don’t have to stare like that. I’m not trying to take credit.”

“Why not just run? I can handle this alone.”

“When even that rookie’s staying to fight, how can a man like me slink away looking pathetic?”

Kendrick subtly lifted his chin, pointing to Kevin, who stood clenching his fists, staring at the forest beyond the palisade, visibly tense.

Noticing our gazes, Kevin turned and sheepishly rubbed his neck.

“S-sorry. It’s our village’s problem. We can’t leave it all to outsiders like you two.”

“…Teacher, don’t take unnecessary risks.”

“I heard from Captain Kendrick earlier. Self-destructing Demonic Beasts, right? Don’t worry, Sir Bihen. I won’t be a burden.”

Just then, the last of the evacuation party passed beyond the palisade.

Linda ran up, panting, and adjusted her crooked helmet.

“Sir Bihen! Everyone’s in the procession, not a single one missing. I just need to lead them to the rendezvous with our main force, right?”

“Yes. They’re not used to the outside, so controlling them won’t be easy.”

“Don’t worry! If I can sweet-talk the chief, the rest will follow.”

Unlike her brother, she’s got some finesse.

Linda hesitated as if she wanted to say something, then turned.

After a few steps, she glanced back and clenched her fist.

“…Strength!”

“?”

“D-don’t get hurt, Sir Bihen!”

I just blinked.

For a moment, it felt like something in my mind froze. Kendrick and Kevin had similar reactions.

As the three of us stood there dumbfounded, Linda’s face reddened, and she bolted off.

Kendrick laughed in disbelief.

“Wow, I… Conwell and Theodore’s ladies… Hah. It’s like the King himself.”

“What?”

“N-nothing. Ahem.”

---

Damn Yeats.

If he’s testing the waters with one Mist Fang Wolf, he could at least give a heads-up.

…The longer I waited, the more ridiculous thoughts crept in.

The pitch-black night slowly gave way, and the blue hues of dawn began to blanket the area.

Watching the quiet village and the misty forest beyond the palisade, I suddenly recalled the moment I faced the Blood Devil in Talrug Canyon’s demonic realm.

Maybe it was because I was about to fight Demonic Beasts again.

My eyes sharpened.

Never again would I let my guard down.

“Bihen Benkou.”

I flinched.

Good thing he was sitting in front of me, or I might’ve looked pathetic.

Kendrick. I thought he was dozing, but he wasn’t.

“What.”

“…What was Sir Eugene’s final moment like?”

An out-of-place question at an odd time.

I could only stare at the back of his head, but he turned, and our eyes met.

“Tell me. I couldn’t ask during the return.”

“What’s there to know?”

“He fought to the end and died, right?”

I lost consciousness briefly during my fight with the Blood Devil.

Eugene died in that gap.

The blank in my memory was filled the moment I crossed Roland’s Spatial Transfer Gate.

Seeing the Blood Devil riddled with holes, Eugene’s swordplay etched itself into my mind.

“Of course.”

Eugene, Conwell’s greatest Sword Master.

“He ascended after perfecting the ultimate Destreza.”

Kendrick gave a faint, uncharacteristic smile.

“I see.”

“Why ask now? Were you close to Sir Eugene?”

“He was someone I admired.”

“Oh.”

“And my benefactor.”

It didn’t suit him, but if he said so, I had no counter.

Kendrick asked in a brighter tone,

“How’d you get tangled up with the Young Lady?”

“It’s complicated. Looking back, I think I was watched from the moment I set foot in Conwell.”

“Watched?”

“Yeah, like they were tracking my every move. At the right time, she was waiting at a place I couldn’t avoid. The sage, the Sword Master, and the Empress.”

Was it the joking tone that got through? Kendrick chuckled, and I ended up laughing too.

“So, what did the Young Lady promise you? If you pull this off, she must’ve offered a reward.”

“I’ll keep collecting what’s owed. I’ve already gotten some.”

“Didn’t peg you for an ambitious guy.”

He said that, but I wasn’t doing this for rewards.

If that was my goal, I wouldn’t have bothered with all this trouble.

It just felt right.

I moved according to what I believed was just.

That’s all there was to it.

“Hey…!”

Kevin shot up, pointing and shouting.

Kendrick and I turned our heads simultaneously.

‘…!’

In the misty shadows, pairs of blood-red eyes flared one by one, like blood spreading in a clear lake.

“Damn, there’s a ton…!”

Kendrick muttered, standing. I got up too.

A ton was an understatement.

The front was packed with them.

The flickering eyes felt like a tidal wave approaching from afar.

Thankfully, there were none behind us.

Not being fully surrounded gave us some breathing room.

“O Great Spirit Sylphinu, sleeping in the embrace of the Blue Mist, wrap this land’s boundaries with your breath. With threads of mana clearer than stars, cover us standing between sun and moon. Hide the land’s breath in the wind, and let us not burn in the fire.”

Kevin opened his eyes.

“In the name of the Great Spirit Sylphinu, I weave a barrier of protection…!”

He raised a short staff skyward.

The crystal orb at its tip flashed once, shooting out a beam of light.

Shhhhh—

The light, trailing a long tail, vanished into the air.

Ripples spread from that point, like waves on water.

Wooong!

A transparent barrier unfurled along the ripples, softly enveloping Sylphiroa.

Soon, the barrier took full shape. Beyond it, the seething red eyes writhed in the mist.

“Wow, mage rookie! Not bad!”

“It’s still hard for me to maintain it long! It won’t hold for much!”

I activated Ghost Eye.

Blue mana flowed from Kevin’s outstretched hands, seeping into the barrier he’d formed.

“Teacher, loosen the mana flow on one side of the barrier.”

“What…?”

“Let a small path open for those Demonic Beasts. It’s better than them pouring in from all sides. Use the spare mana to reinforce the rest.”

I spoke, eyeing the front.

I felt a gaze.

Kevin stared at my profile, then nodded vigorously.

“Got it!”

Kendrick was looking at me too.

It wasn’t hard to grasp, so he probably got it.

After a brief glance, I stepped forward.

“Captain!”

From behind, near the evacuation route.

“You… you guys…!”

Kendrick’s eyes and mouth widened.

I was shocked too.

Black Rose Mercenaries strode toward us confidently.

I remembered there being just over twenty, but now it was exactly half.

“You just up and leave like that? And you call yourself Captain?”

“Took a detour and got a bit lost. Man, talk about perfect timing.”

A big, one-eyed guy approached and slapped Kendrick’s shoulder.

His mercenary bravado was strong, but somehow not off-putting.

“Don’t be too hard on others. They just found their own paths.”

“Hard? I already disbanded the Black Rose Mercenaries. What, you lot came here to die with me?”

“You gonna keep hogging the spotlight?”

The one-eyed guy banged his fist on the buckler strapped to his wrist.

As if it were a signal, the mercenaries drew their weapons.

“Perfect for the new Black Rose Mercenaries’ founding ceremony, right, Captain?”

Kendrick lowered his head briefly, then turned his back on his men.

A glance showed his eyes gleaming.

“Couldn’t agree more, you bastards.”

I barely held back a scoff.

Well, sure.

Romanticism and bravado are just a step apart.

Kiing!

I drew Zahara Toxeed.

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