36. Calenta Forest
A huge coniferous forest with white snow everywhere.
Six men and women were walking.
Above, huge trees spread out endlessly. Gray winter sky occasionally appears between the thick branches.
“I walked for almost half a day… … .”
Karnak clicked his tongue as he continued to walk.
“The scenery really hasn’t changed at all.”
“Why is it called Daesurim?”
Serati responded nonchalantly and adjusted the backpack she was carrying.
‘It’s not heavy, but it’s quite bulky so it’s quite cumbersome.’
It was a journey across the Calenta Forest, teeming with all sorts of monsters. There was no such thing as lodging, so camping was a must, and of course, a lot of necessary preparations were required.
Ropes, food, blankets, etc.
The problem was that since there was no place to drag a horse, I had to carry everything around.
Moving through the forest isn’t particularly difficult.
Most of the tree branches are well above the horse’s head, so there is no problem in passing.
But it’s so hard to keep your word.
Horse meat is a delicacy among delicacies for the already hungry monsters.
There was no choice but to have someone carry it around.
Even if you pack only the bare necessities and reduce the volume, your luggage will still be in one piece.
Serati suddenly looked at Karnak with regretful eyes.
[… … When will you be in the 9th circle?]
Karnak asked back, laughing.
[Why? Should I at least put your backpack in the imaginary space?]
[You said it was soaked in salt water?]
[You’re a member of the necromancer’s retinue. Even if you get a little dirty, it won’t be a big problem.]
[So you’re saying there’s a small problem?]
[I guess I’m still alive?]
For a moment, Serati’s face hardened.
[‘Not yet’? Huh? ‘Not yet’!]
[I told you it’s okay. I’m still adjusting it, so you won’t become undead.]
[What happens if you don’t adjust it?]
[… … .]
[Why is there no answer?]
Looking at those two, Lapiselle thought.
‘Oh, my sister and Karnak are having a snowball fight again!’
A small, gray-haired girl carrying a backpack as big as her body keeps tilting her head.
‘Why do you often do that without saying anything? Is that what adults mean by having the right eyes?’
When Milia saw that, she suddenly asked.
“Is your luggage heavy, Lapiselle?”
“It’s okay, sis.”
Judging from his expression, it didn’t seem like he was just saying that. He really didn’t look like he was having a hard time.
“You’re stronger than you look. You really are an aspiring knight.”
“Isn’t it heavy, Lord Karnak?”
Milia burst out laughing.
“We’re not even carrying half of your luggage. If you have a conscience, you shouldn’t carry this and say it’s heavy.”
In reality, while everyone else was carrying around a large luggage, Karnak and Milia only had a light backpack.
Unlike warriors, it is customary for magicians and priests to carry light loads.
If you waste your stamina unnecessarily and say, “Oh, I have enough magic and divine power, but I’m too tired to fight!” in an emergency, it will be difficult.
Karnak, who overheard their conversation, thought for a moment.
‘Come to think of it, Lapiselle is also carrying that much luggage?’
I don’t know why, but seeing a child like that made me feel a little uneasy.
[Do I have to say that I will take that if I want to live like a human being?]
Serati chuckled.
[You’ve finally developed some sense, haven’t you?]
[okay?]
[It’s better to do that even if it’s just empty words. But don’t actually carry the burden for them.]
Baros also chimed in.
[If I carry too much luggage and the young master gets hurt, I’ll be the only one suffering?]
In my previous life, I had run away from Karnak and carried his luggage more than once.
[It’s better to walk on your own when your feet are tied to the luggage.]
[No one expects anything from wizards anyway. Please buy Lapiselle something delicious later.]
The three engage in pointless chit-chat through secret magical messages.
Lapiselle’s eyes lit up when he saw that.
‘Ah! This time, all three of us are making eye contact!’
And soon I fell into deep thought.
‘But can three people make eye contact? Is it because they are adults?’
It was a naive thought that only a child who didn’t know what the expression “eye contact” meant could have.
Of course, Milia was puzzled.
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‘What is he thinking and why is his expression like this?’
Levin took the lead and continued to lead the way.
“If we continue like this and head northeast for a while, it will be fine.”
It was a long and boring journey.
The forest was generally flat, but there were constant bends.
Snow piles up around every bend and a cold wind blows.
On such a cold day, even wild animals don’t wander around.
But monsters are different. For them, winter, when it is difficult to survive, is the time when they attack humans.
I was walking down the street in a daze.
Suddenly Baros looked across the forest.
“As expected, whatever appears appears?”
Karnak nodded, saying that it was nothing surprising.
“I guess so. Because it’s winter.”
Serati asked, concentrating her senses.
“Seven, no, eight?”
Lapiselle responded cautiously.
“I think there are ten. Two are further back.”
“You’re really nice, Lapiselle?”
“lol.”
Everyone calmly begins to prepare for battle.
Levin was the only one who couldn’t understand and was floundering.
“Yes? Why? What happened?”
Looking at him like that, Milia held her cane with a detached expression.
“Just let it be. That’s just how these people are.”
* * *
“Awww!”
Huge shadows appeared throughout the forest, accompanied by loud howling.
They were monsters that looked similar to centaurs at first glance, with the torso of a werewolf connected to the torso of a wolf, but were several times more ferocious.
Revan gripped his longsword in shock.
“Wolfentros!”
A group of Wolfenthorses rush forward, surrounding Karnak and his party.
Although it is a giant with a shoulder height of 2 meters, it moves with incredible agility like a real wolf.
“Kaaaah!”
As soon as he approached, one of the Wolfentros swung his spear at Levin’s temple.
Revant also struck back with a fierce attack, showing his spirit.
Taang!
The swords clashed and the bastard’s attack missed.
But because the weight difference is so big, that alone puts a tremendous amount of pressure on my shoulders.
“Ugh!”
Groaning, Levin concentrated even harder.
Wolfentros is a powerful monster that even 3-4 regular knights can’t guarantee victory against. You can never let your guard down.
“but!”
That doesn’t mean you have to be afraid.
Even though he lives in his brother’s shadow, Levin is also a descendant of a great family with a great knight as his father!
“Taaaat!”
The beautiful swordsmanship honed through long training flows out from the tips of your fingers.
The sword dances and passes by on the winter wind.
“Ugh!”
The sharp blade cut through Wolfenthorse’s neck, sending a long spray of blood.
It was a precise cut to the vital point, causing massive bleeding.
It was a perfect swordsmanship without any unnecessary decorations.
After dealing with that one guy, Levin immediately looked around the situation.
‘What about other people?’
Of course, I didn’t think anything would happen to Karnak and his party. How could there be users who came to be high-level magicians?
But among them there is one little child.
‘Is Miss Lapiselle okay?’
I don’t know why they brought such a young child to the battlefield, but as an adult, it’s natural to be nervous.
That was when I found Lapiselle.
For a moment, Levin looked dazed.
“uh…….”
A girl with gray hair was stepping on a wolf’s head.
I don’t know what trick he used, but he jumps more than twice his height to gain control of the air, then does a somersault and slashes his sword horizontally!
Phaaaat!
Red blood poured out onto the white snow.
Lapiselle landed on the road and took a stance.
Behind her, another Wolfenthorse was already lying in a similar state.
Both had their cervical arteries severed, exactly the same wounds that Levon had inflicted.
‘How can he move like that at that age?’
Lapiselle turned her head, noticing Levin’s gaze directed at her.
“ah?”
And then he smiled awkwardly and bowed politely.
“Thank you for teaching me.”
‘… … What teaching?’
A red-haired beauty passed by Levin’s bewildered sight.
She flowed lightly through the wolfentros as if she were the wind.
Whee!
A red sword light leaves a trail of light in the air with a whistling sound.
For a moment, it feels as if the world has stopped, and soon the giant monster is torn to pieces, blood spraying out.
“Kwaaah!”
At least Lapiselle’s swordsmanship made it possible to know what he was doing.
Serati wasn’t at that level.
Just take a step.
It didn’t seem that fast. It seemed like he was taking leisurely steps.
But in an instant, he enters the arms of Wolfentros.
And then he escapes to the left and right of them, takes up the square, and lightly scatters his sword light.
Every time, Wolfenthorse’s blood and screams roar.
“Kwaaah!”
“Kaaaak!”
It’s a common expression, but I couldn’t help but think of it as ‘having it and playing with it.’
It seemed impossible without an overwhelming difference in skill.
After dealing with the three Wolfentros, Serati nodded as if she understood something.
“Certainly, sometimes it is necessary to have the experience of overwhelming a weaker enemy.”
Baros replied with a grin.
“Right?”
Indeed, his blade was truly clean. Not a single drop of blood was on it.
Of course.
I didn’t even pull it out.
All he did was grab the wolf by the snout and pin it to the ground as soon as it pounced on him.
I just get thrown to the ground, but I can’t understand why every time he does that, Wolfentros spits out blood from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears and dies.
It took less than a minute for ten Wolfentros, who had been attacking diligently, to be annihilated.
The fighting power of Baros, Serati, and Lapisel was incredible.
Even Karnak and Milia were not included.
“I understand what you mean by these types of people, Priestess Millia.”
Levin laughed with a dejected look on his face.
“I guess I’ll just have to be like that from now on, haha.”
However, Milia herself couldn’t just let it go.
There is no reason to be surprised since I have seen Baros and Serati fight often anyway. However, this is the first time I have seen Lapiselle fight.
‘Oh my god, he’s that strong?’
* * *
At the same time, in a stone chamber deepest in the Maleficus Dungeon.
“Strauss has moved.”
Archbishop Hugot, the head of the Wellard branch of the Black God Church, was reporting politely.
“Thanks to the fact that the Yustil King’s Order happened to be here, I got the chance. Sometimes, unexpected coincidences can be helpful.”
A rough voice, like scraping iron, rang out in the pitch-black darkness.
“What is the power of the Yustel King’s Order?”
“There’s a 6th circle senior wizard, a 2nd level inquisitor, 2 red knights, and 1 squire. If we met them outside, they would be quite difficult enemies.”
Hugot shrugged his shoulders as if it was funny.
“It’s not like they’re that difficult of opponents here.”
A faint shadow appeared in the darkness.
“There’s nothing I can do. I’m not in a position to leave this place… … .”
A human figure is covered in a black aura above the pale skeleton. A cold air seeps out from beneath the tattered robes. A powerful dark magic surrounds the area like a fog.
The worst undead that the fallen magic lord could reach was the Archlich.
“Then let’s prepare to welcome the guests… … .”
Raising his bony hand, Richie gave instructions.
“You are a noble person, so we must never neglect to treat you with courtesy… … .”
Hugot bowed politely.
“Yes, Lord Dempith.”
The evil spirit king Karnak
