[=Chapter 170: Monsters=]

Frigarach Sanctuary.

It was a place where only a handful of people from humanity had ever set foot.

Only those who swore to dedicate themselves to Friga, the god of humanity, were allowed to enter.

One of the heroes I knew had set foot there, but... No, let's not think about it. The woman who got herself killed out of pride.

"Becoming a hero sure brings you places. Going to receive a blessing in a sanctuary without being a clergyman."

Well, it was an experience. I chuckled and glanced over at Flang sitting on the opposite side of the carriage.

Normally, her hands would be busy with paperwork, but now they were empty as the day of our return approached.

With nothing to do, she just stared vacantly at her empty hands.

"Aren't you happy? You're going to receive a blessing too."

"That's true. It would be an honor for me to receive a blessing from the god of humanity."

A faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.

But what was revealed wasn't joy, but bitterness.

"...Is something bothering you?"

It would be a lie to say that her expression didn't bother me.

What she was showing now indicated that what awaited us was something neither of us could ignore.

"Bothering me? What do you mean...?"

"What we'll have to do after we return."

"..."

Yes, we had to be prepared.

A situation where we might have to oppose each other to protect what we each held dear.

"...You said you were a guardian of humanity, right?"

Even so, I hoped such a situation would never arise.

The question that followed was accompanied by that humble wish.

"As a guardian of humanity, you've stood before humanity and fought all sorts of dangers."

"...Yes, that's right."

"The reason you've separated from the Imperial Family and are acting independently... Is it because there's something within the Imperial Family? Some intervention that's not of humanity's choosing?"

I hadn't seen it for certain, but I had some guesses.

The clone that had separated from the current Prince of the empire had, under my influence, weakened its loyalty and was acting independently.

From that, it wasn't hard to guess that the surface and the core of the empire were entirely different, and it was the girl in front of me who confirmed this suspicion.

If she, who specialized in hunting non-human beings, was acting independently of the Imperial Family, it was highly likely that non-human beings had infiltrated its core.

"Vivian..."

"And the core of their plan is Vivian's research, isn't it? The leaders of humanity, who are still being exploited by them today, are forcing the people gathered in the empire to work for that purpose, aren't they?"

"So, are they being used in the plans of those non-human beings?"

So perhaps, by using that point, we might be able to make an exception for Vivian's mission.

With that hope, I gathered the clues I'd collected so far and formed a plausible hypothesis, but Flang neither confirmed nor denied it, remaining silent.

Probably a silence that implied affirmation.

"Do you remember what you said when you first started training?"

But that was only for a moment.

Flang, belatedly opening her mouth, cautiously looked up at me.

"At the beginning?"

"That all calamities in this world originated from the existence called witches."

-Clop, clop.

The sound of hooves between the carriage wheels was clearly heard.

The same silence as before.

"Witches..."

As I gradually recalled, Flang began to tell me about witches.

"Witches are beings who inherited knowledge from another world."

"Knowledge from another world...?"

"It's also called forbidden knowledge. Just understanding knowledge that shouldn't exist in this world allows one to see things that shouldn't be seen and touch things that shouldn't be touched."

As she said that, Flang raised her hand and made a gesture with her fingers.

"And the power created at the end of that process easily distorts the laws of this world."

With a snap of her fingers.

Nothing happened, but my body began to stiffen rapidly.

What happened right after that gesture is something I can't forget even now.

"I don't know exactly where that knowledge originated. I just know one thing for sure. Once beings step out of common sense, they can only mock and denigrate the order taken for granted in this world."

That suffocating feeling continued.

Every word that followed was closely related to the one I knew.

"And that's the most dangerous thing about witches. They don't care how their power is perceived by others. They don't consider the impact it has on this world or how it will crumble in the future..."

Obsessed solely with their research, with no concern for anything else.

Removing anyone who interferes with them like trash, cruel and cold-hearted.

"If such witches caused problems in groups, we don't need to explain what would happen to the established order of the world."

Because such beings once ran rampant, calamities never cease in this world.

Monsters awakened to instincts and life due to twisted environments, dungeons created by warped areas, undead rising from death, and demons crossing the dimensional barrier...

All of these were rooted in the disturbances caused by witches obsessed with forbidden knowledge and lacking ethics.

"And beastmen were also created from the witches' research. Specifically, they're byproducts of research aimed at transforming the human body to achieve the 'ultimate being' that witches dreamed of."

"The ultimate being...?"

"Witches have an ultimate goal. They want to know the origin of the knowledge they inherited and whether they can become 'higher beings' like them with their own power."

Cold hatred and contempt slowly appeared in her sharp eyes.

And pity directed at someone else.

"The beastmen we encountered that day were such byproducts. After the witch hunts in the past, a group that preserved the research secretly used it to overcome an impending calamity."

They relied on the research used by witches to resist the calamity that started with the witches.

It was an inevitable flow, but if it were for salvation, it wouldn't have been publicly disclosed.

It was forbidden knowledge that couldn't be accepted by common sense, and the results disrupted the framework of humanity.

"And, of course, the news was kept strictly confidential, and the stories of those who failed the experiments were thoroughly concealed. They were expelled from the realm of humanity, severing the link and branding them as monsters."

They were abandoned like that.

The beastmen, who hate humanity and consider themselves superior beings, were born this way.

Although humans were involved in the process, the main reason was the calamity that started with the witches and the research born from the witches.

"So, did you... hear such stories from Phobia back then?"

"......"

Flang bowed her head without a word.

It seemed like she was nodding, but she froze there because there were still many stories she had kept inside.

Stories she couldn't share immediately and didn't want to share.

"From my perspective, witches shouldn't even be considered a necessary evil."

But that silence only added weight to her current words.

If she didn't deny that there were more stories I shouldn't know, I couldn't just dismiss it without knowing.

"Witches are more dangerous than any weapon. And if such witches are being controlled by non-human beings, they must be stopped."

Flang, understanding that point and seeing me remain silent, narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

"If I served you and hid my true identity to pave the way there... what will you do?"

As cold and calm as it was related to her mission...

She should have been, but her brows were furrowed, and her hands on her knees were tightly clenched.

From her perspective, it was a situation where she might have to oppose the humans she was supposed to protect to deal with those she needed to eliminate.

I had also spent time with her, so my feelings had grown differently over that time.

So I hoped that pointing a sword at her would end with just training.

"All together..."

But before I met this girl, I had an experience with someone named Vivian.

Even after she and I parted, she kept remembering me and considering me special.

"Isn't there a way we can all live peacefully together?"

Even if her ethics were twisted, as she said.

She taught me that I could develop feelings for others as a being.

"All together?"

"Witches, beastmen, invaders like demons, and other different races... If there were a way for all of us to live together peacefully, there wouldn't be any need for such worries."

It wasn't just about Vivian.

Airi, Merilyn, Tashian... Everyone I've connected with, regardless of their race or calamity, I wish we could all live together.

I realized that such a wish existed in my heart when I heard these words.

Because I realized that this was what I truly wanted, I couldn't be satisfied with the strength I currently had.

That kind of thinking... is probably wrong, isn't it?

Hoping to live fully with the people I love in this chaotic world.

Isn't that foolish and arrogant enough in itself?

"It's not wrong, it's just..."

Flang hastily expressed her regret at my sorrow.

As I noticed her body flinch at that moment, I also prepared to gather mana into my body, readying myself.

The atmosphere had changed from a moment ago. An ambush?

"Ambush! Everyone, get ready!"

The cries from outside the carriage confirmed my prediction.

I thought there was no more time to waste, so I quickly manifested my weapon and rushed out of the carriage to where the expedition members were.

Fog surrounded us, but thankfully, I could see that our formation was intact.

The key was what kind of beings we were confronting.

-Grr, grr!!

Shadows began to approach from beyond the fog, making growling sounds.

The figure leading them became more distinct as they closed the distance.

A hairy body with bones protruding through the skin, organs, and blood flowing between them...

"What the hell is that...?"

It was such a grotesque being that I couldn't help but vocalize my shock.

It clearly stood on two legs, but its shape was closer to that of a beast, and its body was flayed and twisted as if it were a corpse.

An undead beastman? No, it still had a sense of vitality in its body.

Despite clearly deserving death, it felt alive... Yes, the orc I faced half a year ago.

Even though its neck had been severed and it deserved to die, it continued to move and wreak havoc.

-Grrr, kaaa...

Using Flang's term, it had undergone vampirization and gained immortality.

But what stood before us now was a 'monstrosity' that was far more twisted than before.

-Screech, aaaaaah!!!

The monstrosity let out a shriek and charged towards the vanguard of the expedition.

As the forceful charge collided with the shields, the struggling vanguard shouted towards the rear.

"There's only one at the front! Surround and kill it calmly!"

-Squelch! Slash!

The infantry flanked it, stabbing and dismembering its limbs. The monstrosity flailed before collapsing to the ground, gasping.

The same applied to the other monstrosities that followed.

"Good! These things are weaker than expected!"

"Maintain formation and don't get surrounded! Keep pushing!!!"

The unexpected attack of the monstrosities was dealt with surprisingly easily.

,

Frigarach Sanctuary.

It was a place where only a handful of people from humanity had ever set foot.

Only those who swore to dedicate themselves to Friga, the god of humanity, were allowed to enter.

One of the heroes I knew had set foot there, but... No, let's not think about it. The woman who got herself killed out of pride.

"Becoming a hero sure brings you places. Going to receive a blessing in a sanctuary without being a clergyman."

Well, it was an experience. I chuckled and glanced over at Flang sitting on the opposite side of the carriage.

Normally, her hands would be busy with paperwork, but now they were empty as the day of our return approached.

With nothing to do, she just stared vacantly at her empty hands.

"Aren't you happy? You're going to receive a blessing too."

"That's true. It would be an honor for me to receive a blessing from the god of humanity."

A faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.

But what was revealed wasn't joy, but bitterness.

"...Is something bothering you?"

It would be a lie to say that her expression didn't bother me.

What she was showing now indicated that what awaited us was something neither of us could ignore.

"Bothering me? What do you mean...?"

"What we'll have to do after we return."

"..."

Yes, we had to be prepared.

A situation where we might have to oppose each other to protect what we each held dear.

"...You said you were a guardian of humanity, right?"

Even so, I hoped such a situation would never arise.

The question that followed was accompanied by that humble wish.

"As a guardian of humanity, you've stood before humanity and fought all sorts of dangers."

"...Yes, that's right."

"The reason you've separated from the Imperial Family and are acting independently... Is it because there's something within the Imperial Family? Some intervention that's not of humanity's choosing?"

I hadn't seen it for certain, but I had some guesses.

The clone that had separated from the current Prince of the empire had, under my influence, weakened its loyalty and was acting independently.

From that, it wasn't hard to guess that the surface and the core of the empire were entirely different, and it was the girl in front of me who confirmed this suspicion.

If she, who specialized in hunting non-human beings, was acting independently of the Imperial Family, it was highly likely that non-human beings had infiltrated its core.

"Vivian..."

"And the core of their plan is Vivian's research, isn't it? The leaders of humanity, who are still being exploited by them today, are forcing the people gathered in the empire to work for that purpose, aren't they?"

"So, are they being used in the plans of those non-human beings?"

So perhaps, by using that point, we might be able to make an exception for Vivian's mission.

With that hope, I gathered the clues I'd collected so far and formed a plausible hypothesis, but Flang neither confirmed nor denied it, remaining silent.

Probably a silence that implied affirmation.

"Do you remember what you said when you first started training?"

But that was only for a moment.

Flang, belatedly opening her mouth, cautiously looked up at me.

"At the beginning?"

"That all calamities in this world originated from the existence called witches."

-Clop, clop.

The sound of hooves between the carriage wheels was clearly heard.

The same silence as before.

"Witches..."

As I gradually recalled, Flang began to tell me about witches.

"Witches are beings who inherited knowledge from another world."

"Knowledge from another world...?"

"It's also called forbidden knowledge. Just understanding knowledge that shouldn't exist in this world allows one to see things that shouldn't be seen and touch things that shouldn't be touched."

As she said that, Flang raised her hand and made a gesture with her fingers.

"And the power created at the end of that process easily distorts the laws of this world."

With a snap of her fingers.

Nothing happened, but my body began to stiffen rapidly.

What happened right after that gesture is something I can't forget even now.

"I don't know exactly where that knowledge originated. I just know one thing for sure. Once beings step out of common sense, they can only mock and denigrate the order taken for granted in this world."

That suffocating feeling continued.

Every word that followed was closely related to the one I knew.

"And that's the most dangerous thing about witches. They don't care how their power is perceived by others. They don't consider the impact it has on this world or how it will crumble in the future..."

Obsessed solely with their research, with no concern for anything else.

Removing anyone who interferes with them like trash, cruel and cold-hearted.

"If such witches caused problems in groups, we don't need to explain what would happen to the established order of the world."

Because such beings once ran rampant, calamities never cease in this world.

Monsters awakened to instincts and life due to twisted environments, dungeons created by warped areas, undead rising from death, and demons crossing the dimensional barrier...

All of these were rooted in the disturbances caused by witches obsessed with forbidden knowledge and lacking ethics.

"And beastmen were also created from the witches' research. Specifically, they're byproducts of research aimed at transforming the human body to achieve the 'ultimate being' that witches dreamed of."

"The ultimate being...?"

"Witches have an ultimate goal. They want to know the origin of the knowledge they inherited and whether they can become 'higher beings' like them with their own power."

Cold hatred and contempt slowly appeared in her sharp eyes.

And pity directed at someone else.

"The beastmen we encountered that day were such byproducts. After the witch hunts in the past, a group that preserved the research secretly used it to overcome an impending calamity."

They relied on the research used by witches to resist the calamity that started with the witches.

It was an inevitable flow, but if it were for salvation, it wouldn't have been publicly disclosed.

It was forbidden knowledge that couldn't be accepted by common sense, and the results disrupted the framework of humanity.

"And, of course, the news was kept strictly confidential, and the stories of those who failed the experiments were thoroughly concealed. They were expelled from the realm of humanity, severing the link and branding them as monsters."

They were abandoned like that.

The beastmen, who hate humanity and consider themselves superior beings, were born this way.

Although humans were involved in the process, the main reason was the calamity that started with the witches and the research born from the witches.

"So, did you... hear such stories from Phobia back then?"

"......"

Flang bowed her head without a word.

It seemed like she was nodding, but she froze there because there were still many stories she had kept inside.

Stories she couldn't share immediately and didn't want to share.

"From my perspective, witches shouldn't even be considered a necessary evil."

But that silence only added weight to her current words.

If she didn't deny that there were more stories I shouldn't know, I couldn't just dismiss it without knowing.

"Witches are more dangerous than any weapon. And if such witches are being controlled by non-human beings, they must be stopped."

Flang, understanding that point and seeing me remain silent, narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

"If I served you and hid my true identity to pave the way there... what will you do?"

As cold and calm as it was related to her mission...

She should have been, but her brows were furrowed, and her hands on her knees were tightly clenched.

From her perspective, it was a situation where she might have to oppose the humans she was supposed to protect to deal with those she needed to eliminate.

I had also spent time with her, so my feelings had grown differently over that time.

So I hoped that pointing a sword at her would end with just training.

"All together..."

But before I met this girl, I had an experience with someone named Vivian.

Even after she and I parted, she kept remembering me and considering me special.

"Isn't there a way we can all live peacefully together?"

Even if her ethics were twisted, as she said.

She taught me that I could develop feelings for others as a being.

"All together?"

"Witches, beastmen, invaders like demons, and other different races... If there were a way for all of us to live together peacefully, there wouldn't be any need for such worries."

It wasn't just about Vivian.

Airi, Merilyn, Tashian... Everyone I've connected with, regardless of their race or calamity, I wish we could all live together.

I realized that such a wish existed in my heart when I heard these words.

Because I realized that this was what I truly wanted, I couldn't be satisfied with the strength I currently had.

That kind of thinking... is probably wrong, isn't it?

Hoping to live fully with the people I love in this chaotic world.

Isn't that foolish and arrogant enough in itself?

"It's not wrong, it's just..."

Flang hastily expressed her regret at my sorrow.

As I noticed her body flinch at that moment, I also prepared to gather mana into my body, readying myself.

The atmosphere had changed from a moment ago. An ambush?

"Ambush! Everyone, get ready!"

The cries from outside the carriage confirmed my prediction.

I thought there was no more time to waste, so I quickly manifested my weapon and rushed out of the carriage to where the expedition members were.

Fog surrounded us, but thankfully, I could see that our formation was intact.

The key was what kind of beings we were confronting.

-Grr, grr!!

Shadows began to approach from beyond the fog, making growling sounds.

The figure leading them became more distinct as they closed the distance.

A hairy body with bones protruding through the skin, organs, and blood flowing between them...

"What the hell is that...?"

It was such a grotesque being that I couldn't help but vocalize my shock.

It clearly stood on two legs, but its shape was closer to that of a beast, and its body was flayed and twisted as if it were a corpse.

An undead beastman? No, it still had a sense of vitality in its body.

Despite clearly deserving death, it felt alive... Yes, the orc I faced half a year ago.

Even though its neck had been severed and it deserved to die, it continued to move and wreak havoc.

-Grrr, kaaa...

Using Flang's term, it had undergone vampirization and gained immortality.

But what stood before us now was a 'monstrosity' that was far more twisted than before.

-Screech, aaaaaah!!!

The monstrosity let out a shriek and charged towards the vanguard of the expedition.

As the forceful charge collided with the shields, the struggling vanguard shouted towards the rear.

"There's only one at the front! Surround and kill it calmly!"

-Squelch! Slash!

The infantry flanked it, stabbing and dismembering its limbs. The monstrosity flailed before collapsing to the ground, gasping.

The same applied to the other monstrosities that followed.

"Good! These things are weaker than expected!"

"Maintain formation and don't get surrounded! Keep pushing!!!"

The unexpected attack of the monstrosities was dealt with surprisingly easily.

[=Chapter 171: Fallen Sanctuary=]

Although the expedition itself was led by the heroes, it was impossible for them to clear such a vast area with their strength alone.

Naturally, the army to support them was an essential part of the conquest, and the troops under my command were more than qualified to be called veterans.

After all, they had honed their skills in all areas under the guidance of Legion Commander Marcus, to assist the heroes.

"This concludes the organization."

"...Indeed, you are excellent."

"We are still lacking compared to the hero."

"There's no need for humility. I mean it sincerely."

I felt this way because I had worked as a porter before becoming a hero.

Even though my abilities were considered subpar, I had potential, such as communicating with spirits and awakening the ego of an Ego Weapon.

Isn't dealing with such monsters without those abilities remarkable by human standards?

"By the way, what are these things?"

Having fended off the attack, the next step was to assess the situation.

Soon, the expedition members began to examine the chunks of flesh on the ground, which were convulsing violently.

"They're neither beasts nor undead... They look dead, but there's still some trace of life in them."

"Come to think of it, I've seen them a few times during the conquest. Didn't the hero say they were turning into vampires?"

"Could the beastmen have allied with the vampires?"

"Considering they lost their reason and went berserk... Look here. They're still alive and writhing even after being dismembered."

The beastmen who had begun to transform into vampires.

As some members of the expedition finally grasped the creatures' identities, their gazes shifted toward the shadows beyond the mist.

"But why did these monsters appear near the sanctuary?"

"Surely the Holy Knights guarding the sanctuary wouldn't have let these monsters roam freely. Something must be wrong with the sanctuary."

"Could it be that the beastmen and vampires have joined forces to launch a large-scale invasion?"

"That's absurd. Those arrogant creatures would never ally with mere beasts."

There might be a problem at our destination.

The expedition members, imagining such an unsettling speculation, gazed at the city beyond the mist, but one person was looking down at the dismembered monsters on the ground.

"Flang."

Francheska.

Did she realize something as she gazed at the monsters?

"Do you know something... Flang?"

No, she remained silent, even at my call.

Perhaps what she had learned was so shocking that it left her in a daze.

"...Please guard the surroundings for a moment."

"Oh, yes!"

After instructing Sanson, I approached Flang and examined her complexion.

Her empty eyes, pale face, and slumped shoulders.

Anyone could see she was in despair and out of her mind.

"...People."

Her sobs began to leak softly from her slightly parted lips.

"These... these are all people."

"What do you mean?"

"All these people here, they were all human. Until fairly recently, too."

Flang, with trembling hands, reached out to the dismembered body parts.

But she couldn't grasp it, perhaps out of guilt for witnessing a being she recognized as human dying.

"...Now that I think about it, both vampires and beastmen were once derived from humans, weren't they?"

Although I was slow to realize it, it wasn't something beyond comprehension.

It was widely known that vampires create thralls by injecting their blood, and it was said that beastmen were created by altering human bodies through a witch's research.

So, it wasn't entirely impossible that a human could become both a vampire and a beastman...

"Who could have done such a thing?"

At my thought, Flang trembled, vehemently rejecting the idea.

"Both vampires and the furry tribe are already broken forms of humanity. They both are created by breaking the human mold, and breaking it twice would drive a person's mind insane."

"Flang, wait. You're too agitated right now."

"Yet someone attempted to merge those two beings. Who did this? For what purpose...? How many people were used?"

"Calm down, Flang. Flang!"

I grabbed Flang's shoulders, shaking them to make her focus on me.

Flang, who was pale with worry, looked at me.

She looked pitiful and sorrowful, but the situation was too dire for mere consolation.

"Flang. You exist for the sake of humans, right?"

No matter how these beings on the ground were once human, twisted maliciously by someone.

They had already abandoned their humanity and attacked us.

"Since you're for humans, you can't overlook the fact that these people attacked us, right?"

"Master."

"But Flang, do you think there's a way to turn these people back right now?"

There might be a way...

But she knew best that such thoughts were futile.

The reason humanity had forsaken those who had become beastmen was because there was no way to turn them back into humans.

Now, with vampirism added to that? It was impossible by any reasonable standard.

"If these people were truly human, should we leave those who attacked other humans alone? Or..."

"Give them peace."

Flang answered with a trembling voice, preempting what I was about to say.

"Giving them peace is the best we can do. If they've strayed too far from the human form, and it's impossible to turn them back... at least we can reduce their suffering..."

"...Flang."

"I'm sorry. I... I can't..."

She couldn't bring herself to do it, even though she understood. I gently patted her back, sympathizing with her grief.

If these were truly humans, forcing someone born for the sake of humanity to deal with them would be too cruel.

"Hero, what will you do now?"

Yet we couldn't just stand here doing nothing.

As Sanson approached, still giving orders to the men, I had already made up my mind.

"What else can we do?"

Gradually, my gaze turned towards the city shrouded in mist.

The sanctuary, Frigarach. Our original destination, and the place where we believed these monsters had come from.

There was no way the priests there would have allowed such creatures to roam freely near the sanctuary.

I'm a hero. I can't just retreat from here.

Something had gone terribly wrong.

Something unimaginable had happened to those entrusted with humanity's hope.

Of course, if we detected danger, we could temporarily inform others and retreat, but there were many reasons why we couldn't do that.

First, the expedition itself was formed to solve such problems.

Even though we had the ability to solve the problem, leaving it to others without even scouting would greatly damage our credibility.

The gap created by retreating would also be problematic.

If the sanctuary was in danger and there were survivors in that crisis, abandoning them would also be our responsibility.

Besides, we had planned to visit the sanctuary, so supplies were limited. There were personal reasons to return to the empire quickly, and so on...

Overall, entering the sanctuary and at least understanding and solving the situation was the best decision I could make.

Even if I couldn't tell the soldiers that the beings we defeated were once humans, at least understanding why and preparing for the future was necessary.

"...It's horrific."

"What on earth happened?"

At the entrance to the sanctuary, we were met with the sight of the same monstrous corpses we had defeated before, strewn everywhere.

The soldiers froze in their tracks, and I, too, got off the carriage and took time to survey the surroundings.

Every creature was a grotesque blend of beast and human, some with bodies split open or crushed, still twitching slightly.

Such hideous sights were before the city walls...

And scattered all over the only path to the sanctuary, the 'drawbridge'.

"Was there a war with the beastmen?"

"They're not ordinary beastmen. They must have been transformed into vampires..."

"Let's just call them 'monsters' to make it easier."

"Anyway, there was an attack, but the drawbridge is down."

"Does that mean the sanctuary has already been overrun?"

It wasn't hard to deduce that a battle had taken place here, and that the sanctuary had either been overrun or severely damaged.

The eerie silence and the fact that the corpses hadn't been cleared away indicated that the sanctuary was no longer functioning normally.

"Should we go in?"

Faced with this dangerous city, the soldiers looked to me for guidance. I exhaled slowly, then gave them my quiet answer.

"...We're running low on supplies. If we turn back, we'll have to starve for over two days. Can you handle that?"

An army without provisions would be severely weakened if attacked by monsters.

Even if it was just a light reconnaissance mission, we needed to enter the sanctuary, even at the risk of danger, to resupply.

"...Keep formation and move in."

With my decision made, Sanson relayed my orders, and the expedition formed ranks, ready to advance.

The moment our front line stepped onto the drawbridge, a stench of blood hit us, and the expedition members tensed, casting nervous glances at the horrific scene around them.

"The sanctuary, Frigarach... This is my first time stepping inside, but it's certainly built like a fortress."

"It's called sacred ground for a reason."

Thick walls surrounded the city, with the drawbridge being the only point of entry. On either side were sheer cliffs, with a massive river surging below, creating waves.

It was practically impossible to invade from any direction other than the drawbridge.

The only other logical methods of infiltration would be an aerial assault or someone from inside opening the drawbridge.

"Whatever the case, if the interior was breached, it must be in chaos."

"That's the drawback of an iron fortress. Once breached, there's no escape route."

Having witnessed the fortress's sturdiness, I realized the massive damage inflicted when it was breached by monsters.

As I steeled myself and prepared to lead the way, I noticed Flang trembling as she clung to my arm.

"It's... really..."

Unlike the other members of the expedition, she must have realized the grim reality.

If both vampires and beastmen were derived from humans, then the beings we were about to encounter had originated from this land.

"Could it be that all the people in this city...?"

Such an ominous speculation seemed to become a reality as we glanced beyond the gate.

Standing at the center of the drawbridge, my body stiffened, and mana naturally began to gather.

Before my mind understood, my body sensed it first.

Something huge was approaching this place.

"Everyone, step back!"

I sprang to the rear of the formation as I noticed the signs.

At that moment, a shadow leaped from the wall and landed with a thud! The chains of the bridge shook violently, reverberating through the area.

"Wh-what the...?!"

"An attack?"

An attack? I wish it were that simple.

Though it was still foggy, the shadow alone showed it was many times larger than a human.

A being more suited to the name monster than beast...

-Grrr, growl, ugh...

As that monster approached with a strange cry, stepping forward, I felt my throat dry up in real time.

Of course, there would be variations in size, even among monsters.

Thinking that all monsters were the same was clearly a mistake.

"Everyone, fall back."

"Are you sure you'll be alright alone?"

"Even if I'm not, I have to be. This is what a hero is for."

Fighting together might have been better, but with the unknown still lying ahead, we had to conserve our strength.

As I prepared to face the approaching shadow alone, I heard an expedition member behind me sobbing.

"P..."

Francheska.

The guardian of humanity, who existed to love humans from birth.

"Phobia, sir...?"

The name that came out of her mouth was something I hadn't expected.

Phobia, where?

-Kwaa, karrk...!

I didn't have to wonder for long.

The moment the creature's growl ripped through the air and its paw slashed through the mist, its form was revealed—a twisted body covered in white fur.

Its face resembled that of a bear, but from its torn mouth protruded tendrils like tongues, bearing no resemblance to its former self.

-Karr, ya, aaah...!

Yes, it was such a disparity that, at this moment, the one blocking us was someone I couldn't ignore.

That realization turned the threat before me into a true crisis.

-Kiaaoo, aaah!!!

Phobia Homer, the Assault Leader of the Anti-Human Alliance.

Why did he, who knew how to show respect and gratitude even to his enemies, appear in the sanctuary as such a twisted monster?

[=Chapter 172: Isolation=]

Phobia Homer.

The Phobia Homer I knew was a beastman and enemy of humanity, but he was also someone who could discern right from wrong and respect his enemies.

I thought that one day I might meet him as an enemy, but even then, I believed we could respect each other.

-Kuoo!! Kuooaaa!!

But something about this situation...

Why is he appearing in this sanctuary, and why is he blocking our path as a monster like those we defeated before?

Were the monsters not just humans who transformed for some reason?

Why did even he, who should have no relation to this sanctuary, appear before me like this? Why...?

"Hero! It's dangerous!"

A shout aimed at me, who had stopped in confusion, echoed.

Only then did my body, regaining its senses, gain strength, and my gaze caught the approaching massive paw.

Even in his grotesquely twisted state, he moved with speed.

The sheer size alone was overwhelming, creating an immense pressure even without any special abilities.

An attack that saps the opponent's will just by facing it. No matter how strong one was, if they were overwhelmed, their reason would be paralyzed, and their body would be slaughtered in an instant.

-Whoosh!

But my body had experienced such things countless times over the past six months.

Steeling my courage, I aimed the tip of my spear at his paw, infusing it with mana, and spun the shaft.

It was pushed back by the mana flow following the trajectory.

In that state, the shaft struck his now open body.

-Bang!!!

The accompanying mana explosion hit his massive body, but Phobia only flinched slightly, not being pushed back.

Damn, to withstand a counterattack with sheer mass alone, what a monster.

-Grrr, kaak!

No, seeing him cough up blood, he did take some damage.

But the monsters we had encountered so far had regenerative abilities.

Minor internal injuries would surely heal quickly.

-Whoong, kuung!

As if to confirm my guess, a series of paw swings followed immediately.

In my mind, while I continued to fend off these attacks using my spear, I only thought of strategies to exploit my opponent.

If the adversary had lost its rationality and had become a monster, I couldn't afford to be complacent.

What I needed to do now was not let past connections ruin the fight but think about how to defeat a monster superior in size.

'In a fight, the difference in size is absolute. No matter how much mana you can use, if the opponent also uses mana, the difference in power will become even greater.'

As Flang taught me, the idea that larger opponents are slow and clumsy is just a fantasy.

If that difference could be easily overturned, humanity wouldn't be treated as the weakest in this world, standing on the brink of extinction.

I realized this even as I deflected Phobia's frenzied charge at this moment.

A slight misstep in deflecting these attacks, and my neck would be severed in an instant.

'Some say that the strong are easily careless because of their power, but thinking that all strong people show weaknesses out of carelessness is the arrogance of the weak. Betting on the hope that the opponent will act according to your thoughts is something the weak should never do.'

As the saying goes, you can't expect all enemies to act as you hope.

Expecting beasts or monsters, or now these crazed monsters, to act with reason is too much.

'So always remember, if you think the opponent is stronger than you, they can overwhelm you with full power at any time.'

The power of a strong opponent, a prime example of that teaching, was continuously rushing at me.

Whoong, whoong, a series of paw strikes from the massive body.

While deflecting the attacks with my spear several times as I moved across the drawbridge, I felt impatience rising from deep within my heart.

Is it really enough to just deflect the attacks like this?

Shouldn't I be counterattacking whenever I see an opening?

'Never charge first. If the opponent is stronger, they can withstand showing an opening, but if the weaker party shows an opening and gets caught off guard, everything will end.'

As I struggled with this conflict, I began to notice changes in his body.

The swelling that started from his torn body parts soon turned into something like flesh and bone tentacles, spreading around me.

-Kwa-deudeuk!

Sharp, deadly weapons whipped around repeatedly.

Had I rushed in out of impatience, I would have suffered from these attacks.

But more shocking than that, something seemed to be launching from his opened torso.

The pounding heart and the swirling organs inside it.

And the huge... flow of mana that was distorting between them.

-Kwaaah!!

The moment the flow of mana condensed and shot out like a cannonball, my body moved instinctively, bringing the spear shaft to the cannonball.

Then, I spun it in that state.

To deflect the impact starting from the tip of the spear and control the flow of that force.

-Whooooosh!

The fierce rotation of the spear was trying to neutralize the mana cannonball attack.

The afterimages formed a complete circle, and I felt the veins in my arms bulging as I tried to control that force.

But it wasn't over yet.

If I stopped now, the unneutralized recoil would crash down on me.

'During combat, accept the force generated by the opponent, control its flow, and do not expel it externally; instead, gather it within your body.'

It wasn't just about deflecting the enemy's attacks.

The collisions inevitably generated power, which in turn would transfer to the surroundings and precipitate events.

My task was to absorb this force as mana and convert the local disturbances into a continuous flow, thereby maintaining the energy without neutralizing it.

I already had the delicate control abilities needed for that.

The spirits attuned to me would control my mana to a level far beyond human senses, according to my will.

'The next step is compression. Control the residual force within your body without releasing it, and compress it into a single point...'

-Kuoooorrr!!!!

Just as I managed to neutralize the cannonball, Phobia Homer charged again.

The tentacles bursting from his distorted body were wreaking havoc all around, and the spear in my hand split into two, transforming into dual swords.

-Shwiririk, shaaak!

I deflected the incoming tentacle attacks with the swords, rotating them to gather the force without scattering it.

I deflected the incoming tentacle attacks with the swords, carefully gathering the force without dispersing it.

As more impact was transferred, my body gradually felt heavier, the strain increasing as it neared a critical threshold.

But I must endure until I find a perfect opportunity to strike the opponent.

-Grrr, kaaah!!

A charge followed the roar at the end of our exchange.

Seeing the attack coming directly as an opportunity, my body spun, and the dual swords merged back into a spear, striking from below to above.

Releasing part of the gathered force, I unleashed a torrent of mana.

-Kwaaah!

The explosion halted the charge, creating an opening in the front.

No matter how much the enemy relied on their size, they couldn't withstand an attack that used their own strength against them.

And that meant they wouldn't be able to withstand the 'deadly attack' that followed.

'Remember, the time to counterattack is not when the opponent shows a gap at the end of an exchange, but when you can control their actions to create a gap yourself.'

Realizing I had succeeded in creating an opening meant I could now control the opponent's actions to some extent.

There would be no room for a counterattack from them.

All the energy accumulated during the previous exchanges was ready to be unleashed.

-Pazuzuzuk!

As power gathered to its limits within my body, the air around me seemed to spark with the density of the energy.

My gaze fixed precisely on Phobia's exposed front.

And what followed was a spear thrust sharper than my own eyesight.

All the energy gathered from the battle poured into this ultimate strike.

-Shwaak!!!

It was shot out in the form of a spear and hit Phobia's body.

The intense rotation in that state would surely grind everything around it.

For the past six months, no one had withstood this deadly strike. Even the ruler of the Great Forest was killed in one hit by this deadly counterattack, and it was unlikely that a mindless monster could withstand it.

-Kaa... aaah!

I thought so until a scream erupted.

The spear, supposed to penetrate and advance, halted midway.

"This is insane..."

The very spear that should have shredded his body stopped in its tracks.

Soon, I realized why.

As the flesh meant to be carved out regenerated, its regenerative power even halted the spear's advance.

-ROOOOOARR!!!

With the scream at the end, the mana-made spear shattered completely.

Blood poured from every hole in his body due to the impact, but Phobia did not die.

Rather, as if stimulated, the intense force emanating from his body began to affect the surroundings.

-Crackle, crack!

It didn't take long to realize where that power came from.

With a scream as a marker, frost began to form around us, and a bone-chilling cold enveloped the area.

"Damn, is this the second phase?"

If it wasn't over yet, I had to keep fighting.

I tried to straighten my stance, but I felt my movements slowing down and quickly looked at my armor.

Frost was forming at the joints of my armor.

Realizing it was hindering my movements, my expression quickly twisted in frustration.

"Damn it, this...!"

This is the worst.

Precise movement was crucial for my tactics, yet the cold was inhibiting such mobility.

-Roar!

Damn, I can't deflect this charge.

I had no choice but to gather mana into my armor to respond with my body, even if only for a moment.

-Shwhaak!

At that moment, a shadow jumped in front of me, deflecting Phobia's paw, and a bundle of threads wrapped around and threw my body in the opposite direction.

The skill that couldn't be imagined from such a small frame.

I immediately knew who it was from.

"Flang, you..."

"Run."

Despite my bewilderment, Flang spoke urgently.

Following her urging, I felt the drawbridge we were on shaking violently.

-Creak!

One of the chains connecting the drawbridge was about to snap.

The drawbridge was far too weak to withstand Phobia's violent rampage.

-Grrr, kaaah!

Phobia, seemingly unaware, prepared to charge again in a frenzy.

Flang looked at him sadly but then turned around and started pushing me.

"Run!"

If the bridge collapsed, further fighting would be pointless.

I finally retrieved my weapon and, following Flang's shout, turned and fled, while Flang guarded my back and glanced at the approaching Phobia.

The frost monster, raging with a twisted body, charged towards us, bringing a fierce snowstorm in his wake.

The drawbridge, already collapsing, accelerated its destruction with his charge.

Flang, who had been looking at the monster pitifully, finally followed me off the drawbridge.

And then, crash! The chains finally snapped, and the drawbridge began to collapse.

Phobia's body, standing on the drawbridge, couldn't defy gravity and fell mercilessly into the raging river below.

The fierce blizzard that had been raging also subsided as if it were a lie.

In the ensuing silence, the soldiers cautiously looked down at the spot where he had fallen and spoke quietly.

"Is it... over?"

"Even if he's alive, he won't be able to come back up. Not after being swept away by those rapids."

The height of the cliff and the rapids that even formed waves.

Falling into a place like that, akin to a natural disaster, would make it impossible for even an immortal monster to survive.

Even if he lived, he would be swept to the sea, never to reappear before us again.

As I finally caught my breath, I noticed the expedition members nervously glancing at each other.

"That was Phobia Homer just now, right?"

"It seems the beastmen did invade here. Then something went wrong, and they went berserk."

"Are you saying the vampires caused that berserk state?"

"What on earth is going on...?"

We defeated the formidable Phobia, but many questions remained.

I felt the same way, but it was difficult to resolve those questions right now.

"...It's not over yet."

The gate stood at the end of the collapsed drawbridge.

Flang, looking ahead and beyond the gate, spoke quietly as she gazed at the city below.

It didn't take long to understand what she meant.

-Screeeeaaaam!!! Rooooar!

Though mist obscured it, the city, rightfully named a sanctuary, blended antiquated formality with sanctity.

However, the screams of monsters echoed from every corner, and the bloodstains and flesh pieces at the entrance greeted us ominously.

"...Yes, it's just beginning."

Despite the confusion, one thing was certain.

With the drawbridge destroyed and our route cut off, we were now completely isolated within a sanctuary swarming with monsters.

Meanwhile, in the sewers beneath the fallen city.

A monster, treading the sewers created to handle the city's rainwater and sewage, kept moving along a path formed by the frozen river.

The strange power that spread from the moment he set foot on this land had long since corrupted his body and consumed his reason.

"I will never..."

Yet, he had a purpose.

A purpose deeply imprinted beneath the realm of his instincts.

"I will never... forgive..."

Revenge.

That was the sole driving force behind the monster that had returned alive to the depths of this underground.

[=Chapter 173=]

Frigarach Sanctuary.

As its name suggests, it would have been the most prosperous land within human territory, but for some reason, only gloom remained in this place now infested with monsters.

The buildings that should have shone brightly were stained with blood and dust, and even the sunlight was obscured by the mist, highlighting the filth.

-Wooooooo!! Rooooooarrr!!

Even so, the cries heard from afar occasionally halted the expedition's steps, repeatedly making us wary of our surroundings.

Even if the sounds came from a distance, we couldn't afford to be complacent, as problems could arise at any moment.

"At least it seems there are no issues in this vicinity... But the city is so vast, it would be difficult to search everything with just this number of people."

"Prioritizing escape over searching would be wise. It seems the entire sanctuary is beyond recovery."

Indeed, the initial goal of conducting a survey seemed pointless now.

Logically, the right course of action would be to report what we've seen and experienced to the empire and request a large-scale dispatch.

Even the most complacent leaders would take action if they knew that a core area of humanity had been devastated.

"The problem is that escaping immediately won't be easy. If the path we came from has collapsed, the only way out is the drawbridge on the other side."

"The key will be how we break through this place before heading to the other side..."

"We'll need to resupply before we escape. Even if we can't find survivors or solve the problems here, we can at least secure some supplies."

"If investigation is inevitable for finding our way and securing supplies... it would be best to set up a base camp somewhere suitable first."

Despite the dire situation, perhaps due to their experience, the expedition managed to quickly organize and move into action without my intervention.

They kept formation, cautiously inspecting buildings and using hand signals to communicate quietly to minimize noise...

"We've found a suitable spot for a base camp here!"

At the call from the lead scouting party, the expedition members quickly gathered their attention there.

The destination was a cathedral with a high roof among the nearby buildings.

Since you had to go up the stairs, it was advantageous for defense, and its height made it easy to secure a view of the surroundings.

Without exaggeration, there couldn't be a better stronghold in this area.

"This place looks good. It seems suitable for temporary use."

"It's unsettling to use a place of prayer as a camp, though..."

"Is that important right now? The very land serving the gods is in this state."

"If the priests heard that, they'd think you'd be cursed."

The soldiers entering the cathedral exchanged rough banter, but it didn't seem entirely frivolous to me.

Unnecessary tension could sap mental strength, so lightening the mood in such situations was necessary.

"By the way, isn't it strange? There are bloodstains in the city, but not a single corpse."

I stopped abruptly, startled by the sudden question that had been casually thrown out.

As I turned my head back, I saw the soldiers paying attention to the member who voiced the question.

"Certainly, if such monsters had invaded this place on a large scale, there should be corpses of the casualties scattered everywhere..."

"Maybe they were all eaten?"

"If that were the case, there should at least be bones left, but there aren't any."

"Or they were taken somewhere else and eaten..."

Right, I had momentarily forgotten that only Flang and I knew the true nature of the monsters.

Naturally, the members who didn't know this would think that the monsters had invaded from outside, not that they had emerged from within.

"Hero, why are you standing there blankly? Did you get hurt in the attack earlier...?"

"...No, it's nothing."

But in the end, I decided not to tell the members the truth.

No matter how many battlefields they had crossed, they were still part of the Imperial army, not just rough adventurers.

They had joined the military with a mission to protect humanity, and knowing they had turned their weapons against their own kind would be too much.

Wouldn't it be enough to deal with such things when facing undead?

"If we stack those broken pieces of furniture over there, it would make a suitable defense line."

While I maintained silence with that judgment, one soldier jumped into action.

There, a pile of structures had collapsed from some impact.

As he said, it would be good to stack them at the entrance to prevent attacks in case of emergency.

But what concerned me was the thick bloodstains on those fragments.

-Kyaaa!!

And my unease proved correct.

A shadow leaped out from the pile with a scream. As it flew at the member, his face turned pale in an instant.

My spear flew out before its teeth could sink into his neck.

-Crush!!!

The monster, with a spear embedded in its head, trembled violently.

Despite sustaining a fatal wound, it still moved, showing that a spear to the head wasn't enough to kill it.

-Kuuu, uuuuu, uuuhk...

Yet, unlike the undead, the voice seeping from its mouth was clearly in pain.

Realizing it was the voice of a living human, I felt my breath catch, but I suppressed that sensation and conjured a rune-engraved sword, igniting flames.

The most effective way to eliminate this damn immortal creature was to burn the severed parts immediately to weaken its regenerative abilities.

"Move carefully. Even if it seemed there was only one hiding, if you get caught, I can't cover for you."

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry."

As the soldier apologized, I burned all the severed parts and instructed the others to dispose of the remaining flesh quietly outside the base.

And alone, I mulled over the lingering emotions.

Disgust, filth, discomfort... And a sense of being torn apart internally by needles.

"...Damn."

Yes, I killed a person.

Of course, it was the right thing for survival, and it was right for the victims, too, but according to Flang, the fact remained that I killed someone with my own hands.

It was different from killing the undead, who barely had any humanity left.

They were beings who had reason before they were consumed by madness, and they were people who had bodies like mine before they became grotesque.

That reality became even more pronounced when I recalled the beastman I knew becoming a terrible figure.

...Damn, I had thought I might have to kill someone someday, but it still didn't feel right.

Had Flang been enduring this all along?

"Hero, this way."

As I was barely holding back my nausea, Sanson approached me.

He, who had gone upstairs earlier, quietly gestured upward as if he had something to show me.

Following him upstairs, I saw through the window a magnificent city within the walls; the central and tallest castle was likely the residence of the Pope.

-Kyaaah! Kyaaaah!

But what truly caught my eye were not the grand castles, but the swarming black dots below them.

Each shadow beyond the mist let out horrific screams, all of them evidently the monsters we had encountered.

"The monsters are gathered in groups. It seems there's something near the papal residence..."

Logically, it was odd for such creatures to congregate in one place unless something had lured them there, perhaps the same thing that had turned the people here into monsters.

"...One thing is certain."

But ironically, dealing with just a few monsters here puts us to the test.

Seeing a number of monsters that could be called an army, only one thought came to my mind.

"Avoiding the center means we won't get caught up in unnecessary danger."

Whatever happens, I just want to get out of this hellish place.

Only a very human thought.

From the beginning, all I knew about what happened here was that, for unknown reasons, the people inside the sanctuary turned into monsters.

That alone was not enough for me to resolve the situation here or uncover the truth.

Even though I had grown stronger than six months ago, I was still fighting from a position of weakness, not able to act as an absolute power.

So, it was a sound decision to leave anything beyond mere survival to the empire.

This thought persisted until late into the night, after the sun had set and some measure of safety was secured at the base, as I looked at a note.

[Read this when you've entered the sanctuary and are about to leave it.]

The last note left by Airi.

The note foretold my entry into the sanctuary, but it was meant to be read when I was about to leave.

That at least meant I would reach the point of leaving the sanctuary safely.

Thinking that, the quiet atmosphere in the base didn't seem all that bad.

It wasn't the calm before the storm, but rather a true sense of safety.

"Fortunately, the monsters aren't gathered much except in the center."

"If we cause a commotion, the surrounding monsters will gather, but aside from the center, they are scattered and not too dangerous."

"Their tenacity from drinking vampire blood is troublesome, though..."

The soldiers gathered at the base after finishing their respective searches to exchange information.

Their opinions were generally positive, and there were also plenty of useful supplies they had gathered from around the city.

"The supplies are in good condition, so even if we're isolated here for a long time, self-sufficiency shouldn't be a problem."

"I'm surprised there are so many intact items. In a city this devastated, you'd expect a lot of looting."

"Well, it's not too surprising since the monsters don't know the value of these items."

Since we had resolved the biggest issue of supplies, we wouldn't have to worry about food until the expedition returned to the capital.

Of course, staying too long could risk spoiling the stored food, but with the monsters scattered outside the center, it wasn't a major concern.

"Hero. According to the returning scouting party, there are no significant dangers on the way to the exit on the opposite side."

"We checked, and the drawbridge is down. As long as the chains don't snap like before, getting out shouldn't be a problem. But to be safe, I think we should stay here and watch for tonight..."

"Right, moving hastily and provoking something would be troublesome."

The monsters are gathered in the center now, but who knows what will happen after we leave.

So, it was best to stay at the secured base for a day and leave with the supplies we'd gathered the next day.

When we first got isolated, I thought we were in big trouble... but fortunately, it seemed we could get through this without major issues.

"Then leave the rest to us, Hero, and take a rest inside."

"Are you sure about that?"

"You've already pushed yourself fighting Phobia earlier, haven't you? And there's no immediate danger, so leave it to us for now."

"We'll call you right away if anything happens. Until then, please rest."

"...Then I'll leave it to you."

I wanted to be sure to keep watch myself, but as a human, my stamina had limits.

Accepting their advice, I decided to rest and went inside to prepare for a break.

Until I encountered someone staring blankly at a candle inside.

"Ah, Master..."

Francheska.

The protector of humanity, who had been taking a passive stance since entering the sanctuary.

Of course, given the situation, I couldn't push her, and I advised her to rest instead of doing any rough work, thinking the other soldiers might be scared.

"I told you to rest, but can't you sleep?"

"Sorry, but my body doesn't need sleep."

"...That must be inconvenient."

Come to think of it, her doll-like body allows her to work tirelessly.

As I recalled that forgotten fact and made a bitter face, Flang looked up at me and asked.

"Are we escaping tomorrow?"

"For now, that's the best option. Or do you have something else you want to do here?"

"...No. I also think the expedition should return as soon as possible."

After a brief silence, she answered.

She seemed to be contemplating something, but at least she didn't seem to have any plans to investigate this place excessively, which was a relief.

Yes, Flang also had things to do, so she must feel the same about wanting to leave quickly.

"But before that, one thing..."

Relieved that our thoughts were aligned, I was only momentarily at ease.

As I was about to prepare for sleep, I noticed Flang hesitating in front of the candle.

"Before you go to sleep, can you grant me one request?"

Her face slightly flushed, and her gaze, shifting away from me, returned nervously.

"A request? What do you mean?"

Not understanding the meaning, I asked again, and Flang cautiously spoke.

"Please, hug me."

"...What?"

"Before you go to sleep... I want you to hug me."

"......"

After staring in silence for ten seconds.

Finally understanding what Flang said, I exhaled and asked her again.

"...What do you mean by that?"

You know I'm going to be a father soon, right?

[=Chapter 174=]

I want you to hug me...

When I first heard that, I thought she meant she wanted to have a relationship, but you have to listen to someone's words all the way through to understand their true meaning.

"Do you just want me to hug you?"

"Yes, just... before you sleep, just lie down and hug me."

Fortunately, what Flang meant wasn't "that kind of meaning."

She simply wanted to be held... Indeed, it would be unreasonable to ask for such a thing in such a serious situation.

I knew better than anyone that she wasn't that oblivious, having fought alongside her for six months.

"...I think if you just do that, I can calm my mind."

"...You're asking purely for comfort, right?"

"Yes, purely for comfort."

Flang answered me immediately, ensuring there was no misunderstanding.

Feeling relieved, I calmed my tense chest and prepared to grant Flang's request.

Just the simple act of hugging her small, delicate body with my arms.

-Rustle.

...Wait a moment.

Why is she suddenly taking off her clothes?

"Wait, stop!"

I came to my senses when Flang was down to her underwear.

Seeing her about to take those off too, I quickly stopped her and turned my gaze away, asking in a strained voice.

"Why are you taking off your clothes all of a sudden?"

"I think I can feel it better this way."

Feel what, exactly?

-Thud.

Before I could fully understand her meaning, Flang had taken off her underwear too.

Realizing she was naked, I quickly looked away, but Flang, as if expecting this reaction, quietly moved to the laid-out bedding.

"...It's okay if you refuse. It's just to calm my troubled mind."

As she slid into it, she said to me.

"If you think my request is unreasonable... you can just go to another room."

"No, it's not unreasonable, but..."

I could easily hold her, but the fact that she was naked inevitably made me uncomfortable.

Especially given her petite build, the risks were even greater, and moreover, I already had someone in my heart... No, come to think of it, Airi had allowed my relationship with Flang.

It shouldn't cross any lines, but if it was just before that stage, she might overlook it.

"Just so you know... I'm doing this because you asked me to."

Right, as long as I was clear about it.

Purely for comfort, just fulfilling her request while she was naked.

"Yes, please."

"Just hugging. Nothing more..."

"Yes, just hug me."

Flang responded nonchalantly to my overly cautious questions.

Then she pulled back the blanket she was in and gestured for me to join her.

"Just until you fall asleep, like a doll..."

-Gulp.

As I swallowed with my dry throat.

I tried to calm my nerves and reached out to hug Flang's body under the blanket.

"Then, shall I hold you...?"

A cautious question.

With that, my arms slowly began to wrap around her delicate body.

Her pale skin, thin arms and legs, and slightly protruding...

"...Ugh!"

My hand froze in guilt as I felt my body touch hers.

I quickly pulled back, but Flang just stared at me without any expression.

"...Hehe."

A faint laughter followed.

There was a hint of playfulness in her expression that I hadn't noticed before.

"Always treating me like a child, but now you're nervous when it comes to touching me in this form?"

No matter how outwardly fragile the girl seemed, she reminded me that she was a being that had lived for over a thousand years.

"You're cute, Master."

"...Don't tease me."

Cute, indeed, although it was usually me teasing her like that.

But this wasn't the right situation to make a joke and tease her.

She was my companion, my teacher, and someone who had proven her loyalty to me over the past six months.

For her, all the events happening on this earth were unbearably hard to witness just by watching.

-Rustle.

Yes, this provocation might be her way of coping with such a harsh reality.

Accepting her actions as they were, I steadied myself and went under the blanket to hug her.

"Is this okay?"

"...Yes, it's fine."

Her head rested on my chest, and my hands began to embrace her back.

That was the best position I could manage.

If I moved unnecessarily, I might touch somewhere inappropriate or stimulate her too much, leading to an irreversible situation.

"How does my body feel?"

To the extent that such thoughts crossed my mind, I was feeling drawn to her.

It wasn't just because she took off her clothes.

If it was just that, I wouldn't have accepted her, and I would have left the room the moment she undressed.

"Isn't it too stiff? Or perhaps too hard to touch. Or maybe you don't find it attractive..."

"...No."

On the contrary, showing me her naked body meant that the distance between us had decreased.

That meant she trusted me, and the closeness we had built so far became more pronounced.

"It's not bad. Actually, it's soft..."

"Is it?"

"...Yes, soft."

We trusted each other.

And we both believed that this relationship would continue.

"You're warm."

As I was feeling those thoughts, she whispered.

"...Yes, really warm. Your embrace is."

She buried her face in my chest and began to exert pressure on one of the arms that embraced her.

"I want to feel you more."

"......"

"...Is that okay?"

"No."

Flang closed her eyes, savoring the feel of my touch.

I could clearly feel her lips curling into a smile against my skin as she traced my arm with her lips.

She seemed genuinely content, not pretending, just satisfied with feeling my warmth.

"...This is the first time."

How long did that joyful silence last?

Flang, still holding my face, began to whisper to me again, absorbing the warmth.

"This is the first time I've ever asked someone I serve for something like this."

Her voice was cautious and slightly trembling.

The anxiety I sensed from her was likely due to her own feelings of guilt.

Was it because she was asking something of me, or because she felt helpless to act in the face of the events unfolding on this earth?

"...You've never done this with anyone else?"

"Of course not. I had a fulfilling life even without asking."

Continuing with words tinged with guilt, Flang closed her eyes and summarized her life to me.

"I would sleep until an era needed me, then wake up, complete my tasks, and wait to sleep again. That was my mission, and fulfilling it was my only reward."

Just a useful tool, or a slave...

Someone might see her life that way, but that wouldn't apply to her.

She genuinely found joy in serving others. The past six months were enough to make me realize that.

"But in this era, I had to hide my true self and pretend to be human instead of fighting."

And that realization made me understand how mismatched her initial appearance was when we first met.

"For me, who is meant to serve humans, pretending to be in a position above them... It was more than just wearing ill-fitting clothes; it felt blasphemous for someone like me."

She hated the reality of not being able to fulfill her mission.

She resented the era that forced her to do so and felt powerless for having to accept it reluctantly...

"...That's why I'm grateful to you. If someone else had found me, I wouldn't have had this kind of relationship."

Having been filled with such emotions, she must have cherished our time together even more.

"Because you found me, I could genuinely enjoy the joy of serving humans, even if only in form, rather than being above them."

She was telling me that the time we spent together had been a source of fulfillment and joy for her.

She was honestly expressing that the trust and gratitude I felt for her were not one-sided.

"I wish we could continue this way... Why doesn't the world allow even such simple relationships to last?"

But her next words indicated that our relationship wouldn't last forever.

Before I could understand what she meant, a crack echoed, and my body, holding her, froze on the spot.

"Gah!!"

My breathing became labored, and my body started tingling. I felt my consciousness fading.

What... What is happening?

"...I'm sorry, Master."

Amid the incomprehensible situation, a faint voice reached me.

By the time I realized it was Flang speaking, she had already left the bed and stood up.

"If I said I would stay here, even someone as kind-hearted as you might have to stay too."

Stay here? What was she talking about?

Even though it was hard to accept the events here, hadn't we decided to coolly leave and plan for the future?

"That won't do. As someone who must serve you, I can't put you in danger because of a problem that started with me."

I wanted to ask for an explanation, but shock had already paralyzed me, leaving only gasping breaths escaping my lips.

Even that didn't last long as my vision darkened, and my hand intended for Flang fell helplessly to the ground.

"...So, goodbye, Master."

And finally, my consciousness sank into darkness.

"May Friga's blessing be with you."

Only that unexplained farewell lingered in my ears.

"Gasp!!"

As soon as I recalled that farewell.

My stiff body jerked upright, and my gaze darted around.

I woke up in the same room in the cathedral where I had fallen asleep.

But the person who should be beside me was nowhere to be seen.

"Flang, Flang!"

Damn it, did she undress just to make me let my guard down?

How long had I been asleep? Where could Flang be now... could it be?

"Hero."

I quickly armed myself and was about to head to where I thought she might be.

But the expedition members standing in my way were waiting with tense faces.

"This way..."

Among them, Sanson gestured to me as if to show me something.

I was worried that I couldn't see Flang, but since they woke up before me, they might know something.

Judging that, I followed Sanson to the upper floor of the cathedral, and my breath caught in my throat as soon as I saw the view of the city outside the window.

"What... What is that...?"

Unlike yesterday, the mist had cleared, revealing the entire cityscape.

In the eerie dawn air, the grotesque creatures that had been swarming the city yesterday were now clearly visible.

None of the grotesque creatures were moving; they were all dismembered, and their severed parts were burned.

The army we thought we couldn't defeat was annihilated overnight, greeting us in that state as we looked down on them.

"That, could it be..."

No, there was one person who could have done this.

If the girl who swore never to harm humans had broken that taboo and done this.

"This is Flang's message."

The girl who broke that taboo was now speaking to me through Sanson.

"I have cleared the way to the exit just in case. So, once the Hero wakes up, please leave me here and return to the Empire," she said.

The catastrophe that unfolded while I was unconscious taught that this was not all she intended to do in the city.

-KKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!!!

As if to prove that it was still happening.

Screams erupted from the cathedral in the center of the city, echoing throughout the city.