Chapter 88: Those Who Remain

Alicia’s hollow gaze rested on the Winter Castle, which was almost buried in the blizzard.

“…….”

For days now, she had been cutting down demonic beasts without proper sleep.

It seemed the demonic beasts here were finally dealt with, so she wanted to go back quickly and sleep.

As if the other Special Task Force members felt the same, Albino grumbled as he wiped the demonic beast blood caked on his face.

“Ugh, this is really no job for a man. That Vell guy is probably drinking in a warm place right about now, right?”

Conlan laughed lightly.

“Didn’t he say he was going to the Demonic Realm?”

“Hey, you believe that? He probably just bluffed on his way to vacation. The Demonic Realm? What nonsense. No matter how great a mage he is, going to the Demonic Realm alone is crazy. You know that, right?”

“Is that so? Hearing you say it, it does seem that way.”

Although they were short one member, the 4th Special Task Force carried out their mission diligently as always.

This mission was to track and subjugate a horde of demonic beasts appearing near the Winter Castle.

“Alright, enough of the useless chatter, let’s head back. Everyone worked hard.”

Edric spoke in a calm tone, but the demonic beast blood caked all over his body told of how many demonic beasts he had cut down.

Conlan said, shaking the blood from his axe.

“Hey, Commander. I’ve got a question.”

“Speak.”

“It seems like demonic beast attacks have become more frequent lately…… is it just my imagination?”

“A sharp question, unlike you. It’s true that demonic beast attacks have become more frequent recently.”

“Hm, is that okay?”

“Well. If you’re asking if it’s a good sign or a bad sign, I can assure you it’s the latter.”

Conlan’s expression hardened.

“……Then isn’t that pretty serious talk?”

“Does the situation get any better by discussing serious talk with a serious face? Besides, the Winter Castle has dispatched an investigation team to the Demonic Realm, so there should be results soon.”

“What if the investigation team doesn’t return?”

“That, too, is a result of the investigation.”

“Huh.”

Conlan shook his head.

Edric was clearly the proud commander of the 4th Special Task Force, but conversations with him had a way of giving one a migraine.

“I know what you’re worried about. I also have a rough idea that you’ve found a reason to live.”

“Let’s not talk about that. C’mon, a man who knows better shouldn’t……”

“Don’t be embarrassed.”

Edric laughed heartily.

“I can’t say it will be okay, but I can promise one thing. As long as you are my subordinates, you will not die meaningless deaths.”

“Can’t we just not die at all?”

“All humans die someday.”

“Kkeung.”

Just as they were exchanging trivial jokes as usual.

Suddenly, Edric’s gaze shifted to the north, and Conlan’s gaze naturally followed.

“What are you looking at─”

Conlan couldn’t finish his sentence.

Because he saw a single beacon rising far away to the north.

The moment they saw it, not only Conlan’s, but all the 4th Special Task Force members’ faces hardened.

“It seems what we feared has become a reality.”

The northern beacon.

What it meant was one thing.

“That…… Don’t tell me something happened in the Demonic Realm?”

“Probably so. It’s going to be tiring again for a while.”

Edric’s gaze rested on the black smoke rising from beyond the north.

Endlessly, continuously.

***

Jjaeng-jjaeng-jjaeng!

The emergency bell in the Winter Castle rang, and soldiers moved busily.

“Hurry!”

“Get moving!”

The beacon rising from the north held a great many meanings for the Winter Castle, and because of it, the Winter Castle was literally on high alert.

“Are the ballistas checked? If they’re done, deploy them immediately!”

“We’re moving them now!”

“Where did the wooden shields here go? Bring more right now!”

“They’re being crafted now!”

Leaving the busy scene of the Winter Castle behind, the 4th Special Task Force returned to the barracks after completing their mission.

“That’s all for today, rest up.”

At Edric’s words, Conlan spoke.

“Is that really okay?”

“No need to worry. You won’t be able to rest tomorrow even if you want to.”

At those words, Conlan’s and Albino’s expressions crumpled mercilessly.

“I envy that Vell guy. Taking a vacation at a time like this, anyone would think he left because he knew in advance.”

“Hm, but if he really did go to the Demonic Realm, isn’t that Vell guy in a lot of danger? If the beacon rose from the Demonic Realm’s side, the people inside the Demonic Realm are in the most danger, right?”

“Danger? Who? Him?”

Albino scoffed.

“Give me a break, big guy. Did you forget what kind of mage Vell Blackwood is? Even if he really went to the Demonic Realm, there’s no need to worry. We should be worrying about ourselves.”

“Kkeung. Is that so?”

“I’ve almost never seen that Edric guy speak so seriously. Days more arduous than we can imagine will be waiting for us starting tomorrow.”

“Should I just desert?”

“That’s what I said we should have done earlier. Well, it’s too late now.”

“Ahyu.”

Conlan shook his head.

It wasn’t like he ever intended to desert, but these days, the thought of whether he should have left the Winter Castle with Albino back then occasionally crept into his mind.

That’s how arduous the recent days at the Winter Castle were, enough to make even Conlan, who was rarely shaken by anything, complain.

“More than that, I’m worried about her.”

“Who? Ah.”

Only then did Conlan realize who Albino was talking about.

After Vell Blackwood left on vacation, Alicia tried hard not to show it and continued with her missions.

Although she looked a little precarious, it wasn’t enough for Albino or Conlan to make a fuss.

However, after the beacon rose from the north, Alicia couldn’t hide her noticeable anxiety.

Whenever she had a spare moment, she would look north, as if she would run to the Demonic Realm at any second.

Albino knew that look well, so he clicked his tongue.

“I’m worried she might desert at this rate.”

“You were the one always talking about desertion, and now you’re scared someone else will do it first?”

“Hmph, foolish. That’s not it. I’m saying that if she deserts just like that, it’s like she’s going to find a place to die. Vell Blackwood is one thing, but is surviving in the Demonic Realm easy?”

“Eum, that’s true too. I’ll have to keep a close eye on her in case she does anything strange.”

While Albino and Conlan were having that conversation, Alicia was sitting still with her eyes closed.

“…….”

Just as Albino said, Alicia thought about heading to the Demonic Realm dozens, hundreds of times a day.

But she didn’t.

That wasn’t just because of practical problems like the dangers of the Demonic Realm, but more than anything, the biggest reason was her promise with Vell Blackwood.

Alicia had promised.

That someday she would become strong enough not to hold Vell Blackwood back.

That’s why she remained here.

To become strong as promised with Vell Blackwood, and also to protect this place where he would return.

Buuuuuuuuung───

The sound of a horn echoes.

On top of that, all kinds of shouts and the clashing of weapons indicated what was happening outside.

Edric had told them to rest easy, but no one here had the nerves to actually fall asleep peacefully in this environment.

Conlan let out a deep sigh.

“……Is it really okay for us to be resting like this?”

“The commander said it, didn’t he? We won’t have time to rest starting tomorrow anyway. Stop talking and just sleep.”

“Kkeung.”

Conlan and Albino awkwardly lay down, but far from sleeping, they just kept tossing and turning.

Even though the day had been so arduous, the situation the Winter Castle was currently in did not allow for comfortable rest.

“If you really can’t sleep, at least force your eyes shut. That’s better than not resting at all.”

“……Alright.”

Albino and Conlan forced themselves to sleep, and Alicia also quietly closed her eyes.

Considering what was to come, replenishing her stamina was not an option but a necessity.

And how long had they been lying down?

Kwaang!

With a rough sound, the barracks door burst open, and someone barged in.

“Wh-what!”

“Who is it!”

“…….”

Everyone jumped up as if having a seizure, grabbing their respective weapons, but they couldn’t hide their deflated expressions after confirming the uninvited guest’s identity.

“Did everyone rest well? It’s about time to get to work.”

“It was you, Commander? I thought…”

At Conlan’s words, Edric, the person who had barged into the barracks like an uninvited guest, laughed heartily.

“Haha, if I were an assassin, I wouldn’t have come in so brazenly. And you all would already be corpses.”

“Stop with the ominous jokes. What do you mean it’s time for work? I don’t think we’ve been lying down for very long. Didn’t you tell us to rest well today?”

“That was enough rest. Come, come, everyone get up.”

“……Damn it. I knew this would happen.”

He’d had a bad feeling when Edric told them to rest easy today; sure enough, Edric had barged in less than two hours after they had entered the barracks and started resting.

“Is the situation bad?”

“To be precise, it’s scheduled to become bad. The demonic beasts haven’t struck in full force yet, but the signs are ominous.”

Edric added.

“Beacons have risen from three more beacon towers in the north. Having four or more beacons rise at once is something that hasn’t happened in the last 3 years.”

Conlan couldn’t tell exactly what level of crisis that was, but he could clearly feel that it was something extraordinary.

“So what do we do now?”

“We must prepare. That’s why we’re moving. Eum…… There’s not much time, so let’s depart first. I’ll tell you the rest on the way.”

Since the Special Task Force members hadn’t removed their equipment when they returned to the barracks in the first place, all they needed to grab was simple food and water.

The members, having finished their preparations, followed Edric out of the barracks.

As they crossed the chaotic landscape of the Winter Castle, which was in the midst of preparing for the demonic beast attack, Edric spoke.

“Our mission is simple. It is to grasp the approximate scale and level of the demonic beasts currently coming from the western part of the Demonic Realm towards Kreutz.”

“Didn’t you say an investigation team was dispatched to the Demonic Realm?”

“That’s right. And they left behind the result of ‘non-return’. That’s why we’ll be taking on the role of the reconnaissance unit ourselves.”

“Ah…….”

Albino interjected.

“If we’re in the western part, what happens to the other areas?”

“Other Special Task Forces will be dispatched there. Though to be honest, they’re not very reliable friends.”

Conlan cut in slightly.

“Is it the 3rd Special Task Force, by any chance?”

“Friends you know?”

“Well…… I know well enough that they’re nothing special.”

“Your judgment is outstanding. Just like my subordinate.”

Edric laughed heartily.

As always, trivial jokes were exchanged, but even that couldn’t completely disperse the tension that was subtly hanging in the air.

Edric had a fact that he had not yet told the members.

As mentioned before, the purpose of this mission was to grasp the approximate scale and level of the demonic beasts, but more than anything, there was a separate, main objective.

That was, to confirm whether a King of the Demonic Realm, who had not shown himself until now, had appeared.

‘If one of the Kings of the Demonic Realm has really shown himself…….’

At that time, perhaps, they would lose a great deal.

“Commander, what are you thinking about so hard? Your expression is serious.”

“……No, it’s nothing.”

“Hm, is that so? No. There’s definitely something……. Are you hiding something from us?”

“I said there isn’t.”

“Well, if the commander says so, I guess I understand for now.”

Watching Conlan and the other Special Task Force members laugh heartily, Edric hoped that such a day would not come.

Please.

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