Boom!
Etricia turned around, startled by the sudden explosion.
A tremor, as if shaking the very ground, echoed through the building.
‘What’s happening?’
The knights disguised as servants and Tale, who was standing beside her, immediately surrounded her, shifting into a defensive stance.
As they cautiously stepped back, hands on their weapons, one of the knights muttered that it was eerily quiet outside.
Then, it happened.
Screeeam!
A piercing shriek, sharp enough to tear through eardrums, echoed through the air.
One of the knights peeked out onto the terrace, turned pale, and quickly reported to Tale.
Without hesitation, Tale received orders from Edmund through the communication device and immediately took command of the knights.
“We’re in a state of emergency! Retrieve the Lebron Chains from the waiting room and regroup at the main building!”
As the knights sprinted down the corridor towards the main building, Tale turned back toward Etricia.
“Countess, we need to get you to a safe place.”
Etricia, who had been calmly assessing the situation, asked without looking at him,
“What exactly is going on?”
“Well…”
Tale hesitated before explaining, and upon hearing his words, Etricia’s face turned pale.
Though she had anticipated various scenarios and prepared countermeasures, the fact that they had used the “Unconscious Contract” to summon monsters from the purification stones left her deeply unsettled.
Even worse, they had used the knights here to accomplish it…
Clenching her teeth, Etricia stared straight ahead.
She saw the knights disappearing into the dark corridor.
As she reached out to activate her inner power, she faintly glimpsed black chains wrapped around the knights’ hearts, stretching into the depths of the corridor.
‘No one must die…’
Just as she bit her lip, the communication device in her pocket vibrated.
It was Lova.
[Lady Etricia, what on earth is going on?! What is—]
“Lova, stay where you are. It’s dangerous. The knights will come to retrieve weapons soon.”
[Are you safe, Lady Etricia?]
A question she could not confidently answer.
She sighed lightly before responding,
“The ‘Unconscious Contract’ has been activated. Which means…”
Lova, herself, and possibly everyone here might be bound by that contract.
Hearing Lova’s shocked gasp, Etricia shut her eyes tightly.
“They’re causing chaos so they can take me away. Maybe I should go find Lunox first—”
Her words trailed off as she turned her gaze toward something. Her usually clear eyes trembled.
Splat!
A monster leaped from the terrace, plunging its hand into the back of the last fleeing knight, pulling out his heart.
Thud. The knight’s body collapsed forward, creating a pool of blood so large it seemed as if he was sinking into it.
The monster opened its maw, dropping the still-dripping heart into its mouth and chewing ravenously, as if it were a fruit quenching its thirst.
Gulp.
As it swallowed, thick, blood-mixed saliva dripped from its fangs as it searched for its next target.
Its eyes locked onto Etricia.
Grrk.
The monster shook its head and took a step forward.
“That bastard…!”
Tale gripped his sword and prepared to charge but hesitated.
Etricia had turned deathly pale, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
“Damn it!” Tale cursed, running a hand through his hair before rushing to her side.
“Countess.”
No response.
Fearing she was in shock, Tale spoke urgently.
“Countess, are you—”
“I-I’m fine.”
She cut him off quickly, squeezing her eyes shut. Though her voice was firm, her hands—clutching both a communication stone and a temple mana stone—shook violently.
The trauma of Buell Territory surged through her like a flood.
But she knew—just because her vision was darkened or her response was quick didn’t mean her fear would vanish or the situation would change.
She was the only one who could overcome this trauma, this fear.
She bit her lip hard.
‘Etricia, are you going to cower over something like this? Just like when you used to rely on others? You promised to fight alongside him.’
Rebuking herself for hesitating, she slowly opened her eyes.
Her heart still pounded wildly, and her legs felt numb, but color had returned to her face.
Now, she could clearly see the approaching monster and gauge Tale’s reaction.
“Tale, go. I’m fine.”
“But—”
“I can protect myself. Right now, you’re needed elsewhere.”
Tale glanced at the mana stone in her hand before nodding firmly.
Though he didn’t know the full details, he had heard that the final step of the plan was for Etricia to eliminate the monsters.
It didn’t necessarily mean she was physically strong, but after spending so much time by her side, he had sensed something unusual about her.
More importantly, the determination burning in her eyes was undeniable.
“Then, Countess, I’ll be back soon.”
With that, Tale charged at the monster, slicing off its limbs.
Etricia grimaced at the grotesque sight of the twitching, blackened flesh.
“…!”
Her gaze drifted past the terrace and then snapped back.
Gripping her mana stone instinctively, she took a hasty step back.
A monster, its arm severed and body drenched in blood, staggered across the terrace.
The moment their eyes met, it lunged at her at full speed, its massive hand reaching out.
“Etricia!”
Tale’s desperate shout echoed.
A massive hand, like a boulder, filled her vision.
Time seemed to slow.
A shiver ran through her heart.
‘Not this time, Etricia. No running away.’
She dropped the communication device.
As she stood tall, gripping the mana stone and closing her eyes—
Slash!
The sound of liquid splattering against the wall reached her ears.
Startled, she opened her eyes.
Blood splattered across the wall. The monster that had been lunging at her had vanished.
In front of her, the beast staggered, its limbs spurting blood.
Thud!
As it collapsed, struggling to regain its balance, a spear flashed through the air, severing both its legs.
Thud. Thud.
Flesh and limbs fell away.
As the gushing blood slowed, a man stood beyond the fallen monster, gripping a spear.
Coldly staring down at the beast, he ran a hand through his hair in frustration before turning to her.
“Etricia.”
“Edmund!”
With a relieved smile, Etricia ran into his arms.
His embrace was as warm and reassuring as ever.
Looking up, she studied his expression.
“Are you alright?”
“Let me see you first.”
Gently brushing his fingers over her face, he exhaled in relief.
“You’re unharmed. That’s all that matters.”
“Were you worried I’d get my nose broken by a monster?”
“You were practically offering yourself up. Do you know how terrified I was?”
“I had no choice but to use Purification.”
“That’s why I rushed here. I was afraid you might use it.”
At his scolding tone, Etricia pouted and looked around.
“More importantly, I heard the situation from Tail. I can’t believe you carved the spell into the Mipedian portal and forced a contract.”
You really must’ve lost your mind.
She muttered quietly, gritted her teeth, then looked up at him.
“Is it possible for Lunox to have enough purification stones to make these many contracts?”
“He’s lived as a human for years. For a monster like him, it wouldn’t have been hard to find stones sealed by his own race.”
“Good thing we prepared Lebron chains and the prison. Let’s imprison the monsters and begin the destruction. Where is Lunox?”
“At the main building’s banquet hall, on the terrace opposite the garden. I already told Tale to bring him. You should stay here. It’s dangerous.”
Etricia, who had taken a step forward, nodded in agreement at his warning.
About an hour later, the place that had echoed with screams was now quiet, like an empty playground after the children had left.
Fortunately, only three or four had died, and around ten were injured. It was less damage than expected.
Some had been poisoned by the monster’s blood, but they were treated in time by Lova and the priests in the waiting room and were now recovering.
Clank—
The knights dragged in the Lebron prison containing three or four monsters, with hooks attached and slung over their shoulders.
The row of monsters filled the floor of the room completely.
Kwaaagh!!
Due to the monsters’ violent resistance, they had to cut off their limbs, and blood soaked the shiny floor bright red.
Frowning at the monsters’ terrible screams, Etricia noticed that the creature whose limbs were cut off was bleeding too much—it was life-threatening.
That meant the knights who had formed contracts with the monsters were in danger too.
“We can’t wait any longer.”
Edmund noticed it before she did and immediately started a communication call with Tale.
Then, at the urgent voice coming from the other side, a cold line formed between his brows.
Sensing something wrong, Etricia walked over and gently stroked his back.
“What’s wrong?”
“Lunox escaped.”
“He escaped? Where could he have gone…”
Their eyes met, and at once turned toward the dozen monsters locked in the prison.
“No way, is he one of them…?”
Etricia’s eyes shook with confusion. She covered her mouth in shock.
“We broke Lunox’s leg and bound it with the Lebron chain. To free the leg from the chain, he would’ve had to cut it off. He wouldn’t be able to move properly in that state.”
“The Lebron chain causes hallucinations and delusions, too.”
“In that condition, hiding among the other monsters would be the safest choice.”
Quickly understanding the situation, Edmund walked solemnly between the prison cells like a judge before passing a sentence.
He glanced at the knights standing with hands behind their backs beside the cages, then turned his cold gaze to the monsters writhing in pain.
He walked toward one monster, crouched in a corner, who had given up resisting and sat down.
Kneeling on one knee, he stared coldly and closely at the monster before standing up.
“There you are.”
At his calm voice, the knights turned to him. One of them stepped closer.
“Shall I open the gate, Captain?”
Edmund looked back and nodded.
Just as the knight reached into his coat to pull out the prison key—
Clang!
Suddenly, Edmund swung his spear over the knight’s head. The knight quickly drew his sword from his waist to defend.
The clashing blades gave off a sharp metallic ring.
Edmund’s golden eyes stared fiercely beyond the spear, glowing with a red glint.
“I told you—I can tell with one look.”
