Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 121 - Elbridge, Eighteen Years Old (Part 1)

Chapter 121 – Elbridge, Eighteen Years Old

===================

Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

The battle that had begun with the stench of magic beasts ended with the smell of blood.

While the knights took off their helmets and cooled down their bodies, Jansen walked around among them, offering words of encouragement.

“Everyone did well. Let’s keep it up like this.”

The reason Jansen encouraged the knights was simple: he was the expedition leader.

After encouraging all the knights and checking on their condition, Jansen returned to Leto and Elbridge’s side with a grin.

“How is it? We might not be as good as the knights of Fort Hebron… but we are still quite decent, aren’t we?”

“Would you say you are merely decent?”

In the battle just now, Expedition Leader Jansen had no need to give complex commands.

Even without detailed instructions, all the knights moved organically like a single living organism, performing their respective roles with precision.

As soon as the battle began, the knights formed a defensive formation to blunt the magic beasts’ spearhead and protected the mage who was supposed to handle the demon’s seal.

Even when it seemed like a purely defensive battle, the moment a threatening magic beast was spotted, they immediately formed a strike force to break through the battlefield and intercept the beast.

As a result of completing such an orderly battle, no serious injuries occurred even though they fought against a dozen magic beasts.

Leto was secretly impressed.

“You seem to be more adept at hunting magic beasts than the knights of Fort Hebron.”

“It is good to hear, even if it’s just empty talk.”

“It is not empty talk.”

Jansen laughed genially.

“Right. We should have at least one thing we are good at.”

The knights of Fort Hebron in the North were a powerful few with various variables. In other words, they specialized in combat against demons.

They focused on improvisation rather than systematic combat, and on individual capability and intuition rather than collective movements.

But these knights, instead of individual exploits, focused on reading the flow of the battle and performing their roles as part of a group. Armed with flawless, neat group combat, they focused on hunting magic beasts instead of demons. Although their direction was different, their skill was superb.

‘Well, they are knights participating in the third expedition, after all…’

Jansen had already mentioned that the expedition had failed twice, making this the third expedition.

When an expedition failed, it was a common response to gather stronger individuals than the previous expedition to prepare for the next one.

The second expedition was better than the first, and the third expedition was better than the second. There was no room for mediocrity in this third expedition.

As proof of that, Elbridge and Leto were the only young or youthful knights in this expedition.

The other knights were in their late thirties at the youngest, and the older ones had greying hair.

Since knights and paladins started their squireship in their late teens at the latest, many of them must have lived on the battlefield since before Leto and Elbridge were even born.

In effect, every single knight in this expedition was of commander-level skill for a small expedition.

To think that he had subtly looked down on such knights until now.

Leto felt a little ashamed.

‘…How long has it been since I stayed at the fortress, and I’ve already let it get to my head without even realizing it.’

Just then, Jansen spoke solemnly.

“The first battle went reasonably well, but… we mustn’t let our guard down. If it were a demon that only controlled about a dozen magic beasts, the last expedition wouldn’t have been wiped out.”

“…Wiped out?”

“Yes. The first expedition returned with casualties and reported information, but not a single person returned from the second expedition. All the information we have was provided by the first expedition.”

Leto grew slightly tense and asked Jansen.

“What kind of demon do you think is there, Sir Jansen?”

The answer came not from Jansen, but from Elbridge.

“It likely controls far more magic beasts than this, or perhaps beasts mutated into troublesome forms.”

Elbridge said so as he lightly kicked the carcass of a magic beast lying on the ground.

Except for the first bird-shaped magic beast they hunted, all the others were canine-like creatures.

Jansen also agreed with Elbridge’s assumption.

“We think so too. When the first expedition reported, they said the number of magic beasts was close to thirty. And it is highly possible that thirty isn’t the limit.”

“…More than thirty.”

At that number, it would be difficult to end the battle without casualties.

As Leto showed a slightly worried expression, Jansen offered a belated apology.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this battle. But we were just that desperate for help. You two possess different strengths compared to ordinary knights like us.”

Leto and Elbridge agreed with Jansen’s words.

*

The expedition walked along a small forest for two days.

The forest, which had seemed flat, formed a subtle slope at some point and rose into a gentle incline.

However, that incline was neither steep nor massive like the mountains of the North. Perhaps a somewhat large hill or a small mountain would be a fitting description.

And the forest ended as they reached the highest point of the hill.

What existed at the highest point of the hill was a clearing overgrown with grass that rose from ankle to knee height.

Route beyond the clearing lay a modest but steep slope, or rather, a cliff.

Beyond the cliff, a purplish cloud was visible. It was a common precursor seen before a demon appeared.

“It looks like a demon is about to appear.”

“We must be careful. Everyone, don’t let your guard down.”

Subsequently, the knights realized that the grass on the summit of the hill was flattened in various places.

“There’s something over there.”

“Looks like armor…”

The knights of the expedition looked around. Human bones and pieces of metal were scattered here and there.

The knights gathered the pieces of metal and examined them.

Among the pieces of metal, some knights discovered familiar symbols of their orders and traces of knights they knew.

“It seems to be the traces of the last expedition.”

“The second expedition died here?”

“Probably.”

“Mmm…”

Right then, Elbridge gestured to the others and spoke softly.

“Come this way. Keep low.”

The knights approached Elbridge’s side with bent backs.

In front of Elbridge lay an almost vertical rocky slope, as if scooped out by a giant shovel. Thanks to that steep slope, they could see quite far without any obstruction.

And, the men discovered a dark horde at the bottom of the slope.

“That is…”

That horde consisted of the same wild dog-like magic beasts they had seen earlier.

The problem was that the head count of the wild dogs was not at the level of ten or twenty to thirty. The magic beasts, larger than calves, easily exceeded a hundred.

When the difference in numbers exceeded a certain level, it created a gap that could not be bridged by skill or tactics.

The current situation was exactly like that. They had blocked a dozen or so wild dog magic beasts with almost no casualties, but they could not face nearly two hundred beasts, well over a hundred, in the same manner.

To make matters worse, there was a demon among those magic beasts.

A humanoid demon whose entire body was wrapped in a dark-red haze, indistinguishable from skin or clothes.

The demon even carried a massive bow on its back.

“It looks just like a hunter. Were the magic beasts the demon’s hounds?”

The knights of the expedition lowered their voices as they exchanged opinions.

“Let’s first figure out if there’s any chance of winning.”

“A chance of winning? If there’s no chance, are they going to form a fourth expedition?”

“It would be better than us dying in vain here and the next expedition moving without any information. The second expedition died here too.”

The flow of the conversation drifted toward a retreat.

It was not because they were cowards. It was simply the most rational conclusion.

Just as the expedition had reached a rough consensus and was about to turn back the way they had come,

Elbridge’s expression distorted.

Jansen asked.

“Sir Elbridge, what is it?”

“…The direction of the wind has changed.”

Leto asked.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Unlike the inexperienced Leto, the seasoned knights understood Elbridge’s words.

The wind, which had been blowing from the direction of the demon and the magic beasts toward the expedition until now, was now blowing from behind the expedition toward them.

And whether they were wild dogs or hounds, dogs had a keen sense of smell.

Even if they had become magic beasts, that was highly unlikely to change.

Ominous premonitions had a way of never missing the mark.

The hounds roaming below the hill seemed to have caught the scent of the expedition, as they simultaneously looked up toward the summit. The demon’s gaze also locked onto them.

Jansen muttered.

“…We’re doomed.”

The hound magic beasts began to run, barking loudly.

However, since the magic beasts could not climb the cliff-like steep slope, they began to run in a wide circle.

Just as the expedition had climbed up here along the gentle slope of the hill, the hounds seemed to intend to climb up the gentle slope as well.

Leto thought.

‘How do we escape?’

There was no way out. Outstanding though the physical abilities of knights and paladins were, they were not fast enough to outrun those magic beasts.

‘We will definitely be caught.’

No path forward was visible. The path ahead grew dark.

Just then, Elbridge asked the knights of the expedition.

“Everyone, how long do you think you can hold out here?”

Jansen answered on behalf of the knights.

“Does that matter?”

“Indeed. There are no other choices. Please hold out for as long as possible.”

“All right. We will drag out the time as much as we can.”

Leto did not understand the direction of their conversation.

Just what were they holding out for?

“Elbridge, what are you trying to do? Do you have a way?”

Instead of the gentle slope behind them, Elbridge pointed to the cliff-like drop.

“Leto. You and I are going down this cliff.”

Leto’s gaze turned to the steep slope.

It was a height that looked to be fifty to a hundred times a person’s height at the very least.

“…I feel like we’ll fall and die.”

“I’m not saying we should go down without a single scratch. It doesn’t matter what you grab or step on. We just need to avoid any serious injury that would leave us unable to fight.”

Leto’s gaze directed toward the bottom of the cliff.

And, he understood Elbridge’s plan.

Right now, there were no magic beasts beside the demon.

The horde of canine-like magic beasts was currently climbing up the hill along the gentle slope.

While the knights held off the hounds on the hill with their backs to the slope, Elbridge and Leto would reach the demon by the shortest path and subdue it.

‘Will subduing the demon solve all our problems?’

There was no way to know. Assessing it coldly, the probability of that was low.

However, the situation would certainly be better than leaving the demon alive.

There was one even bigger problem.

Was it possible for just the two of them to jump down the cliff and subdue the demon?

“Just the two of us? Is there no better way…?”

As Leto hesitated, Elbridge spoke.

“If you can’t think of a method right now, then there isn’t one. And we aren’t the only ones going.”

“Who else is going?”

“The one in charge of the seal.”

Elbridge snatched the mage standing next to him and jumped down the cliff.

“Heuuup—!”

The mage’s scream disappeared down the cliff along with Elbridge.

Leto looked down the cliff.

Elbridge was slowing himself down by scraping against the cliff face with his gauntleted hands and his sabaton-clad feet.

He did not forget to grab onto recessed or protruding parts, or tiny branches sticking out from time to time, to slow his descent.

Thanks to that extreme movement, it took only a few seconds for Elbridge and the mage to reach the bottom of the cliff.

Thud.

Having finally reached the ground, Elbridge set the mage down at the foot of the cliff and gestured to Leto.

The distant barking of the hound magic beasts could be heard. He could not hesitate any longer.

‘…Damn it.’

Leto also jumped down the cliff. It was not a graceful descent like Elbridge’s.

It looked more like a fall than a controlled descent. Unable to aim for and grab or step on anything, he merely flailed his limbs and struggled to grab whatever came within reach of his hands.

Thud.

Before long, Leto also reached the ground.

“Ugh…”

His lower body throbbed as if he had stepped on lightning, and his soles and ankles ached as if someone were stabbing them with knives.

However, no functional issues arose. This was not due to some brilliant movement, but simply because a paladin’s body, reinforced by divine power, was just that sturdy.

Elbridge shouted.

“Let’s go!”

Though limping, Leto ran after Elbridge.

With the path to survival only lying ahead, there was no room for hesitation.

The demon stared at Elbridge and Leto. Then, it drew the massive bow from its back and pulled the string.

There was no arrow in the demon’s hand. However, as the demon aimed, a blackly burning arrow manifested in midair and notched itself on the bowstring.

And, the demon released the string.

Twang—

The arrow grew in size as it burned itself.

The arrow, which at first had been no different from an ordinary arrow in size, expanded until it was almost as large as a log by the time it closed in on Elbridge and Leto. Elbridge immediately thrust his shield forward and offered a prayer.

“O Goddess, no—”

Even before he could finish the brief prayer of “authority of no retreat!”, Elbridge’s shield shone white.

The massive arrow exploded the moment it contacted the shield, and Elbridge did not slide back even a single step. Pushing off the ground once more, Elbridge charged toward the demon.

The demon shot again, but it could not pierce Elbridge’s shield, which was protected by the authority of the deity.

Leto’s heart pounded wildly.

The quick judgment of Elbridge and the veteran knights.

The sacrifice of the knights who volunteered to act as decoys.

Elbridge’s decisiveness, initiative, and skill. All of these combined to seize a thread of hope to overcome the situation.

‘Is this the capability of the Order of the Rusty Shield…?’

A joy verging on madness welled up inside him. Though he had accomplished nothing himself, he felt as if he could achieve anything.

Yet at the same time, Leto felt something unsettling.

‘Everything is miraculously going well, so why am I feeling this way?’

Leto’s mind raced, making rapid deductions. Or rather, instead of a refined deduction, it was more like an irregularly expanding web of associations. All kinds of thoughts flashed through his head.

Knights, order, demon, authority, magic beasts, Elbridge, honor, fear, survival, Middlemarch, Fort Hebron, City of Norens…

When his thoughts reached that point, Leto’s eyes snapped wide open.

When they had arrived in the City of Norens after leaving Fort Hebron.

Elbridge and Leto had seen a section of the City of Norens crushed. A sight as if something massive had pressed down and pulverized it.

The knight who acted familiar with Elbridge had said that it happened about a month ago.

And he had warned them to be careful if they had any reason to go south.

‘He said that demon had moved to the south.’

Yet the demon in front of Elbridge and Leto right now was a hunter with a bow.

The demon’s arrows were powerful. The horde of canine-like magic beasts was also threatening.

But could that demon’s arrows or that horde of hounds leave such a scar on the City of Norens?

‘No, they couldn’t.’

The only thing that possibility implied was one thing.

‘The possibility that there is more than one demon.’

Elbridge had already almost reached the hunter-like demon. He might be able to swing his sword and inflict a fatal wound.

But Leto looked up. It was half judgment, half instinct.

Something emerging from the purplish clouds was diving down at an incredible speed, trailing a long, pure-white tail. Presumably toward Elbridge.

Leto cried out.

“Look up!”

Only then did Elbridge raise his head.

And almost simultaneously, he raised his shield.

“No retreat…!”

With a roaring boom, a second demon collided with Elbridge’s shield.