56

Glenval.

It was one of the empire’s three great powers, a house famed for the sword.

The current head, Raikard Glenval, was a grand lord commanding countless knights of the north and was the empire’s sole Sword Master.

‘This is troublesome.’

Hamel swallowed his irritation as he looked at the family’s heir, Rupert.

For Hamel, who had business in the north, he was not someone he wanted to meet.

He had heard rumors.

That he had topped the imperial academy in the capital, they said.

But they also said his temperament was arrogant, not someone to have by your side.

‘Even if I’d met him somewhere other than the north, I’d have avoided him.’

And here was his territory, the north.

If he were to incur Rupert’s displeasure, his future travel through the north would surely become a thorny path.

Hamel hid his thoughts and bowed with a calm expression.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Sir Rupert.”

“Enough. More importantly, what business does a priest of the order have here? Come to beg festival crumbs?”

Rupert’s prickly response stiffened the expressions of the party.

No matter that he was Glenval’s heir, Hamel was a priest.

Such rudeness toward a priest deserved rebuke.

And though he had not announced it, Hamel was also the lord of a territory.

He was not someone to be treated like this.

‘A young one.’

But Hamel’s expression did not flicker.

When it came to patience, he trusted himself more than anyone.

“So there’s a festival, I see.”

“You say it as if you truly didn’t know. Fine, so what brings you here?”

Rupert’s mocking tone made even the expressionless Rena furrow her brow.

The problem was that none of the knights behind Rupert called out his words or manners.

On closer look, the knights were all young.

No, one could say they were practically inexperienced.

At best they were only a little older than Hamel.

Perhaps they had come with him from the academy.

Hamel skimmed them over and answered the question calmly.

“I have matters to report to the lord of Lonelybirch.”

“To Sir Edmure? What a coincidence. We’re heading to Lonelybirch as well to take part in their sword tournament.”

Hamel tilted his head and asked again.

“The festival you mentioned earlier?”

“Yes. The lord held a sword contest to celebrate his wife’s recovery from illness.”

“I see.”

Hamel slowly turned Rupert’s words over in his mind.

His wife has recovered?

It could be a coincidence, but now even small things had to be suspected.

It was strange a festival would be held at a time like this.

Wouldn’t the lord have noticed if something was wrong in his territory?

“If you’re going to Lonelybirch, you should be careful.”

Rupert’s face tightened at Hamel’s sincere warning.

“…What is it I’m supposed to be careful of?”

There was displeasure mixed into his question.

What had offended him?

Hamel couldn’t tell what had put him off.

After a brief silence.

One of the knights lined up behind Rupert shouted at Hamel as if to threaten him.

“You dare warn Sir Rupert here in the north? Even a priest can be presumptuous, I guess!”

“…”

How to put it.

Hamel suddenly felt weary from the young men’s hot blood and the north’s characteristic stubbornness.

Hamel closed his eyes briefly, then opened them.

Still, he could not ignore or leave them be.

If Rupert were to be killed or injured here, Hamel would not be able to continue his investigation in the north.

His father, the Sword Master, would round up any suspicious persons like catching rats.

If this really was because of David and Rupert were to die because of it…。

‘In the worst case, the spark might spread to Haidern’s territory.’

Hamel pushed aside the terrible thought and spoke.

“I swear to God I will tell only the truth.”

“…Speak.”

No matter how arrogant Rupert was, he became comparatively meek before the name of God.

The knights following him, though displeased, also listened to Hamel.

After all, most northerners were devout and not on bad terms with the order.

Hamel nodded and then began slowly.

How he had discovered the hut.

How he had entered the mansion in the forest.

How he had met a witch and the imprisoned children there.

And the fate of the people turned into plants.

Of course, he omitted details that did not need to be told.

For example, David…。

Rupert, who had been listening silently, gave a small groan.

Meanwhile, one of the knights behind him responded in a dissatisfied tone.

“Suddenly you speak of tree wraiths and witches—are you joking?”

“No. It’s all true.”

Hamel shook his head, wondering what more he should explain.

“Well… there is, in fact, a Lonelybirch family villa in that forest. I visited it as a child.”

Rupert murmured, frowning as something came to mind.

The knight who had complained hurriedly took back his words and asked.

“Then we should suspect something about the territory’s situation. What will you do?”

The meaning behind his question was clear.

Whether to return to the Glenval house and summon more knights.

Or to go directly to the lord’s castle and check for themselves.

And Hamel had a feeling of what conclusion they would reach.

Rupert turned to the knights and spoke.

“We are knights. If we turn our backs, who will solve the problem?”

“…I will follow you with my life!”

Moved by Rupert’s words, the knights planted their swords in the ground and dropped to their knees.

‘So that’s what it would be.’

Hamel sighed.

Young knights unable to control their boiling vigor.

Though of a similar age, they were beings Hamel couldn’t understand.

Rupert reached out his hand toward Hamel and said.

“Thank you for the advice. It’s dangerous, so you may withdraw. I’ll inform Sir Edmure in your stead.”

“…”

Hamel stared quietly at the offered hand.

Then, as if making a decision, he nodded and grasped the hand.

“Thank you for your help. I am counting on you.”

His companions watching this gaped.

“Hamel?”

“Has he gone mad…”

Ignoring Daniel and Ono’s murmurs, Hamel finished the handshake and snatched Rupert’s hand as he tried to withdraw it.

Rupert frowned in puzzlement.

“…What is this?”

“Only this: allow us to accompany you to Lonelybirch. I promised to take those children to the territory.”

“If that’s the case, we could do it ourselves…”

“Let us come along.”

Rupert could not continue.

In a moment, the priest before him had completely changed his demeanor.

It was a very different atmosphere from the courteous one a moment ago.

His cold, decisive tone carried an intense force.

Rupert flinched and, without realizing it, nodded.

“…Very well, if that’s what you want, do as you please. But do not regret it even if you die.”

“Thank you.”

Hamel finally released Rupert’s hand and stepped back quietly.

Rupert motioned and said.

“Follow us. I’ll at least provide a meal.”

“It will be an honor.”

Rupert, having allowed the accompaniment, returned to the camp where his knights were.

As he took the reins to ride, Rupert suddenly realized his hand throbbed.

When he removed his leather glove, his hand was red and swollen.

Puzzled as to why, he finally recalled the moment Hamel had grabbed his hand.

‘Could it be, in that brief moment?’

No, how could a priest possibly have overpowered a knight’s grip?

Rupert glanced back.

Hamel sat atop his horse with his usual expressionless face.

‘Was I mistaken?’

Rupert tilted his head and mounted his horse.

He did not yet realize.

That he instinctively felt a rivalrous pride toward the priest before him.

The reason Lonelybirch was called the gateway to the empire’s north was simple.

Because the Esher River, which split the empire’s midlands and north, flowed here.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Wow!”

Hansel and Gretel, perched on their horses, cried out in unison.

A broad riverside and a vast river glittering as it reflected the sun.

And a massive stone bridge stretching across it, with a towering castle beyond.

Even to Hamel it was a sight to behold.

‘To cross here, passing through Lonelybirch Castle is essential.’

The river was deep and its width great, making it difficult to cross without the bridge connected to the castle.

Thus the lords of Lonelybirch had long collected tolls here.

In other words, the Esher River was both a defensive barrier for Lonelybirch and a symbol of the territory that made it a hub where people gathered.

‘This place’s annual cargo volume is probably ten times that of our territory.’

Thinking of Haidern, Hamel smiled wryly and pulled the reins.

Soldiers of the territory collecting tolls at the bridge’s entrance opened the way with broad smiles.

“Welcome, knights.”

“Thank you.”

The knights, Rupert at the head, rode out first.

Hamel and his party followed behind.

Soon they would enter the castle.

“Prepare yourselves.”

At Hamel’s low command, the party slid their hands toward their weapons.

They did not know what might happen inside.

After a moment.

Entering through the gate, they saw an entirely unexpected scene.

“Wow, new knights!”

“Hurry! We need to move the goods by today.”

“Have you found lodging, sirs? Come to our inn and the ale is on the house.”

Newly arrived knights were greeted by children and hawkers alike.

The castle grounds bustled with a crowd of people.

That liveliness was more vivid than any city they’d seen so far.

“…”

Daniel, who had been ready to draw his sword at any moment, slowly lowered his hand.

The others were much the same.

Rupert’s knights, who had been warned by Hamel earlier, burst into incredulous laughter.

“This is a truly dangerous territory, isn’t it?”

When one knight spoke sarcastically, another shrugged.

“If we mess up we won’t get a room at the inn, so yes, dangerous.”

“Hahaha!”

The knights sneered and rode on.

Only one person in the party kept a hardened expression.

“…”

Hamel quickly scanned his surroundings.

He knew from experience.

That this very atmosphere was what demons preyed upon.

That the moment of comfort was the most dangerous.

‘What’s that?’

For a moment, Hamel’s eyes caught a familiar piece of jewelry.

A mercenary passing by wore a pendant at his neck.

‘That is definitely…’

Just then Hamel’s eyes narrowed.

“Stop.”

Suddenly Rupert, riding at the front, spoke.

The knights who had been mocking Hamel abruptly fell silent.

Rupert paused and gestured to Hamel.

“It doesn’t seem to match the priest’s prediction. What’s going on?”

“My opinion has not changed.”

“Is that so? Very well.”

Rupert rode on with a strangely cold expression.

Did he expect Hamel to admit his mistake?

But he could not do that.

‘Certainly the touch of Vinea has reached this territory.’

Hamel tugged the reins and examined the necks of the people.

Once he became aware, the pendants began to appear.

One in ten of the townspeople wore one.

If those were the same as the ones he’d seen in the hut, as he suspected…。

Then Lonelybirch was effectively lost to Vinea already.

Of course, it might not be so.

Even when holy water was sprinkled on them, Hamel could not feel the residue of demonic energy from the citizens.

Hamel himself wore a pendant at the moment, and such pendants were fairly common accessories.

Perhaps it was just a fashion.

Normally Hamel might have approached with such vague suspicions.

But this time he had to assume the worst.

At the hut, the pendant had neutralized Hamel’s Azure Flame.

No matter how poor Hamel’s physical condition had been, that was no easy feat.

Come to think of it, he had not felt the demonic energy from the old woman either.

‘Hallucination.’

What if all of that was because of the pendant?

‘Assume that all of these are the same pendants the old woman in the hut wore.’

A chilling thought ran through Hamel, giving him goosebumps.

If so, then exactly…。

‘How many have succumbed?’

And what on earth was the state of this city now?

Hamel quietly gritted his teeth.

This city was already little more than a vast graveyard.

He felt as if he might retch.

If his suspicions were correct, this battle would be one of the few truly horrific fights.

For what they would face would not be demons, but vast numbers of humans.