Chapter 28: Roble Holy Kingdom (6)
A faint sound could be heard.
The grass rustled in the gentle breeze. The whisper of the wind brushed softly against their ears. This place, known as the Forest of Nature, was home to countless beasts, monsters, and demi-humans. They hadn't yet reached demi-human territory—but they were close.
Alright.
Once Neia finished checking the area and gave the all-clear, Remedios, Gustavo, and Arche—who had been following behind—quickly moved forward.
Considering the purpose of their team, they absolutely could not afford to be noticed.
If they carelessly drew attention and the demi-humans discovered that a rescue squad existed, Caspond's life would practically be forfeit. If they were discovered at all, it was much better for it to happen either right before or right after the rescue.
Ideally, they wouldn't be discovered at all—but Arche's instincts told her that would be difficult.
While they moved swiftly, Neia suddenly stopped and signaled for the others to halt.
The three immediately hid behind trees, watching the situation unfold. Neia had been born with exceptional talent as a ranger—both in archery and in the senses required for the job.
And with the "Necklace of Senses" she had received from Arche, her perceptive abilities now placed her at an impressively high level for a ranger.
Monsters!
They still hadn't reached the demi-human domain, but unnecessary combat was undesirable.
However, the monsters in front of them were Wild Snakes—practically the pets of the demi-humans they were targeting.
Perhaps they were on patrol. Would leaving them alone be dangerous? Would they get noticed? While Neia was wrestling with that thought, a small sound came from behind.
"Flower Bud."
A sphere of light drifted forward as if carried by the breeze.
It was a magic she had never seen before, so Neia looked toward Remedios and Gustavo—but their puzzled expressions made it clear they were seeing this spell for the first time as well.
The Holy Kingdom had very few arcane casters, so Arche using a magic they didn't recognize wasn't strange. The globes of light floated toward the Wild Snakes and began sticking to them.
They moved slowly, as though blown along by a gentle wind, but it didn't take long for them to attach.
Once all the spheres clung to the snakes, Arche quietly whispered another word.
"Bloom."
BOOF!
With a small explosion, the Wild Snakes collapsed where they stood—killed instantly. Arche exhaled a quiet haa and began moving again.
"Let's go. From here on, we're in demi-human territory."
"R-right."
"A remarkable technique."
"It works well for ambushes."
Kaiser, who had taught Arche this technique, didn't usually use it for ambushes, but for someone like Arche—whose raw power was on the weaker side—it was perfect for surprise attacks.
The harmless-looking globes rarely triggered alertness in humans, monsters, or demi-humans.
Anyone cautious enough to suspect danger from these lights would probably survive the explosion anyway. It wasn't a high-power spell.
Of course, Kaiser's explosions were on a completely different level—borderline unthinkable. Arche hadn't reached that realm yet. Honestly, she wasn't even sure humans could reach it. But she had no intention of giving up.
"Ugh—"
While running, Neia suddenly grimaced as if suppressing nausea.
Arche noticed immediately. For just a moment, Neia had covered her nose. With her heightened senses from the necklace, it meant she had caught a foul smell.
Gustavo confirmed that no strong-smelling herbs grew in this area. That meant the smell came from demi-humans.
Come to think of it… why did they even resort to kidnapping? Something doesn't add up. This isn't about food. There's another purpose—something crucial. But I can't figure out what.
Arche had only taken the job to begin with; her job was simply to rescue Caspond. Anything after that was the Holy Kingdom's problem. It wasn't her place to interfere. Even so, she found it strange that demi-humans would engage in such behavior.
Without knowing their true motive, any operation felt unstable.
As someone who had always investigated thoroughly before any adventure, Arche felt the discomfort keenly.
"There. A Froc."
Gustavo spoke quietly as a demi-human came into view.
They had heard brief explanations about the Froc.
Their sense of smell and hearing weren't especially sharp for demi-humans, but they possessed eyes that pierced the dark, and their society chose leaders purely by strength.
Their warrior and magic caster classes were actively developed, and apparently, they had clashed with the Holy Kingdom often in recent years.
If that's the case… they might've used teleportation magic when kidnapping Lord Caspond.
Normal teleportation required a pre-set destination, so it was impossible—but perhaps another teleportation-type spell was used.
Or perhaps someone infiltrated using transformation or illusion magic, created the teleportation marker, and later returned at the right moment.
"Wouldn't it be better to infiltrate at night?"
"That would be a foolish move. Frocs see extremely well in the dark. We would lose the advantage."
"She's right. They can see just as well at night as in daylight."
Night infiltration wouldn't change anything.
The guards rotated shifts anyway, so their vigilance wouldn't weaken after dark. And whether due to recent clashes with the Holy Kingdom—or because they were holding a member of the royal family—the guards were tense, standing at their posts with an air of readiness to die at any moment. Demi-humans or not, Arche had to admit she was impressed.
"This way."
Arche took the lead. They approached the wooden wall that served as the demi-humans' fortification.
Built to protect their territory, the wall was solid and sturdy.
Remedios could probably slice it open with a single swing—but the noise would be immense. Even if they didn't get caught immediately, patrolling Frocs would certainly notice soon after.
Arche took a paper-like tag from her pouch and pressed it onto the wooden wall. With a fwoom, ripples of energy spread from the tag.
Arche then walked straight through the wall and disappeared into the inside. Before the others could even process what happened, she stepped back through and reappeared outside.
"Neia, you first—… … … what are you doing? We don't have time."
"O-oh… okay… What is this?"
"A magic item. It lets you pass through walls for a short time. Pretty expensive, too."
This item wasn't from Kaiser—it was something Arche had owned originally.
A rare magic tool she had bought because it seemed useful. It could only be used twice a day and had to be retrieved afterward, which made it inconvenient, but the ability to pass through walls was invaluable.
As long as the wall wasn't too thick, it worked without issue. Still bewildered, the others followed behind her, stepping through the wall and entering the demi-human settlement.
"… … … … … … … I smell blood."
Remedios muttered quietly.
The scent Neia had noticed earlier must have been this.
The moment they stepped into the demi-human settlement, a thick, nauseating smell filled the air.
The stench of blood mixed with something rotten clawed at their noses. Neia, with her heightened senses, smelled it even more sharply—but human noses tire quickly. Within a few minutes, she would likely adjust.
Is the smell coming from here?
Arche discreetly peered inside.
And then… she simply stared, stunned. Her expression and posture radiated shock so strongly it was as if her whole body were saying it.
The others, noticing something was wrong, moved closer. Arche tried to stop them—but it was too late.
They had already seen inside.
"What in the—!!"
"Ugh—!"
"Captain, Neia… calm down. You must calm yourselves. You cannot shout."
It was torture.
Humans had been captured and subjected to horrific torture.
One side of the room was piled high—literally mountain-like—with human corpses. Bodies were mutilated in all manner of ways.
Some had been drained entirely of blood. Others had limbs severed. It was a grotesque festival of torture; a place drenched in blood and suffering.
If the same scenes were unfolding in every building of this village… then this wasn't a demi-human settlement. It was a hell made for humans.
"Stop, Remedios. Where do you think you're going?"
"Where? I'm going to rescue the captives, of course."
"They're all dead."
"There might be someone still alive!"
"Do you see anyone alive?"
"You don't know until we check! Someone might still be breathing—someone might be clinging to life! They're citizens of the Holy Kingdom!"
To witness such a scene and still cling to hope—was that ignorance? Or was it idealism, a stubborn refusal to abandon the belief that someone might still be saved? Arche wasn't sure which. Either way, what needed to be done now was painfully clear.
"I cannot permit that. We're passing through."
"What!? They might still be alive!"
"Lower your voice. We're in the enemy's stronghold."
…Even if anyone were alive, none of them could use healing magic. And even if someone could, there was no healing magic capable of repairing wounds from torture of this scale—not their bodies, and certainly not their minds.
"Taking them with us would be impossible."
"Work has always been hard. This is just… a little harder."
"Our mission is to rescue Lord Caspond."
"Protecting the people is the duty of a paladin."
"You did not come here as a paladin."
"I must uphold Lady Calca's ideals."
"And you are here because of Calca's orders. Don't forget your priorities. Saving them will put our mission—and all of us—at risk. Don't lose sight of the goal for the sake of saving one person in front of you. Don't fall into self-satisfaction. If we die here, imagine how many more lives will be lost because of it. If you die, countless future lives will be lost."
Even with a strong team, getting caught in the middle of a demi-human encampment meant certain death.
And Remedios and Gustavo weren't even wearing armor—meaning they couldn't fight at full strength.
They didn't know the terrain, didn't know the enemy's full capabilities, and were buried deep inside enemy territory.
Picking a fight here was the same as suicide.
If they were lucky, maybe they could force Neia alone to escape—but that was the best-case scenario.
As the two glared at each other, Gustavo stepped in.
"Lady Arche… at the very least, I want to check their condition. There might be clues related to this incident."
"…Fine. I hope there's a survivor."
Arche gritted her teeth and stepped inside.
Gustavo scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Even if Arche sounded calm, she was surely shaken as well.
Her feelings toward whoever had done this were likely no different from Remedios, Gustavo, or Neia.
Yet she endured—because she was thinking of the future.
If they lost control now, if the mission failed, if they all died here…then the people they could save later would be lost forever.
Especially Remedios—her future was filled with countless lives she would save.
As the strongest paladin, she would surely become a hero who saved hundreds, thousands.
Such a person dying here to save a single body…
It was a beautiful story—but only self-satisfaction.
....
"...Horrific."
"This is too much…"
"Hah… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry… we were too late."
Remedios knelt, clutching the hand of a corpse, her voice trembling with grief.
Because Arche could feel the sincerity in her, she said nothing.
Seeing Arche silent, Neia approached and asked:
"Why are you quiet?"
"Why do you think they tortured them?"
"What? For information, maybe? Isn't that obvious?"
"Even though their mouths were sealed?"
"...Huh?"
Neia finally noticed:the torture victims had severe burns in their mouths, or wounds inside their throats—their voices had been deliberately destroyed.
Some had cuts across their necks.
Whether to prevent screams from leaking outside—or for some other reason.
Were they planning to torture them and then use healing magic afterwards?
"Feels less like interrogation…and more like they did this because they hated them."
"Hated them!?"
Remedios shouted.
Her teeth clenched, her eyes blazing with rage.
Even Gustavo and Neia, though silent, clearly felt the same.
"Well… maybe not hatred exactly. But that's the feeling I get."
Arche had seen signs of torture before—not many, but enough.
The ring on her wrist dulled her emotions as well, helping her stay calm.
Think. Think clearly.
What would Kaiser think in this situation?
If he acted without thought, he'd still save Caspond without trouble.
But if he couldn't act recklessly—what would he deduce?
There was hatred here.
Not entertainment, not pleasure—
Hatred.
"Recently, you said you had disputes with the Floc, correct? Were the ones who fought with them you or Gustavo?"
"We both did. As paladins, we got into a fight with them because one of our comrades died—and the Captain lost her temper."
Infiltration—if you want to infiltrate, you cannot wear armor.
In other words… perhaps that was their aim.
But who were they targeting?
"A comrade died… you got emotional and fought? A massacre?"
As her thoughts connected, cold sweat ran down Arche's cheek.
She turned toward Remedios.
"We need to run."
"What?"
"Coming here was their plan from the beginning…
They weren't after food. They weren't trying to kill the royal family. Their target was you, Remedios Custodio."
"Why me…?"
"Smart girl."
A strange, heavy breathing sound echoed—
Huff… huff…
Arche froze.
Neia stood beside her, just as shocked.
She hadn't sensed anything at all.
For someone to hide well enough that Neia—with her enhanced senses—couldn't detect them…
That meant this person was at least adamantite-class.
Arche slowly turned.
An Ain clad in crimson armor stood there.
Its green scales shone sharply, beautiful even without any sunlight.
The lethal sharpness extended all the way to the tip of its tail.
The Ain carried no weapon.
But the thick gauntlets covering its arms made one thing clear:
It was a martial-artist type.
One hit from those gauntlets would probably kill them instantly.
As everyone raised their weapons in alarm, the Ain finally spoke—slow, deliberate.
"Do you remember me, paladin?"
"What?"
"I knew you would come. If you were truly the hero of mankind… if you truly cherished human life…you would come here. I waited. I waited a long, long time."
The crimson armor shimmered.
That red glow seemed to seep into the Ain's eyes, dominating them.
Arche sensed danger at once.
She stepped in front and raised her staff.
"Maximum Magic: Lightning!!"
With a loud crack, the Ain evaded the spell.
A straight-line attack—easy to dodge, yes…but even so, it had avoided a surprise strike with frightening ease.
The Ain clenched its fist.
A bloodlike aura poured out from the crimson armor.
"Receive my wrath!! Garbage of the Holy Kingdom!!!
I'll kill you all!!
You who killed my parents—my wife—my little brother—my child—
I… will never forgive you!!!
This curse!!
This madness!!
This rage!!
This hatred!!
I will carve them into you all!!!"
Arche's breath caught.
The Berserker Armor.
She remembered the name.
The armor the Ain wore—a forbidden piece of equipment.
Its effect was simple: lose one's sanity.
Surrender to emotion, rage, frenzy.
The stronger the emotions, the stronger the armor becomes—until the wearer dies.
A suicidal weapon.
Absolutely not something anyone should ever wear.
Yet this Ain had donned it.
"My name is Argos!! Remedios Custodio!! To kill YOU—I sold my soul to a demon!!
I abandoned my pride!!
My honor!!
My very life!!
So I will—
I WILL—
I WILL KILL YOUUUUU!!!"
It was a roar—almost a scream.
As if vomiting blood, Argos shouted with all his being.
Drool dripped between his sharp fangs.
His consciousness was melting—swallowed by rage, hatred, madness.
Even wearing the Berserker Armor, he was trying to remain himself—because he wanted to kill Remedios as Argos, not as a mindless beast.
He inhaled deeply.
And bellowed:
"Become the last kill of my life—AND DISAPPEAR!!!"
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