Chapter 61 – Ruined Village (2)

Those are the guys I saw earlier. Seeing them up close, they are even more typical. Velloc frowned as he looked at the red threads of yarn embroidering the sky.

The bastards flew around in disarray without any order. It was like a swarm of insects in midsummer. The difference would be that human limbs were clamped in their mouths instead of rotten fruit or food.

“Aaaargh!”

Another poor victim was dragged away. Although the young soldier shrieked and struggled against the floating sensation shaking his body, the demon did not budge. It just giggled while flapping its large membranous wings. An arrow thudded straight into its head.

“Keureuk…”

The red demon’s eyes rolled back. Soon, its body trembled, and it began to plummet toward the ground. The speed of the slow fall gradually increased, and the soldier’s scream also grew louder. In the end, the red dot and the flesh-colored dot tangled together and crashed hard into a heap of ruins.

Based on the scattering dust and the state of the shattered ceiling, what had become of the monster and the human could be easily guessed. Isabel, who was holding her crossbow, wore an embarrassed expression.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen… Does this mean I killed him?”

The human? The demon? Or both? In any case, it was an excellent skill. Since hitting a target flying at a long distance was no easy task.

By the time Velloc raised his evaluation of Isabel by one step, Cara spoke.

“Once he went up to that height, there was no way to save him. If you hadn’t shot, he would have just filled the creature’s hunger.”

Thus ended the mourning for the young life that had vanished in vain. Since even now, countless lives were being ravaged by the ghouls of the underground. Of course, not everyone was like that.

“Selene!”

“Everyone, pick up your weapons! If we go on like this, we will only be toyed with and eaten!”

A few devout paladins and priests faced the demons while reciting prayers. A noisy light overflowed as various spells like blessings, shields, and flashing chains erupted. A few knights who had not lost their fighting spirit also joined them.

“Kill them!”

“I will quench my thirst with that bastard’s blood today!”

Skills stemming from seasoned killing techniques were fully displayed. When long spears or halberds were swung, the screams of the demons echoed without fail. However… the brave ones were few.

Most people chose their own safety instead of fighting back, and they alone could not overturn the tide of the battlefield. By the time courage became recklessness and despair filled people’s eyes, Velloc’s party stepped forward. He spoke.

“Are you not ready yet?”

Cara did not answer. Since she was chanting a spell. She just substituted her answer by emitting an even deeper glow from her eyes. She gestured. As the party stepped aside, Cara spread both hands and shouted the final section of the spell in a high and clear voice.

“Freeze!”

Starting from her words, sleet suddenly fell from the sky. Soon, the white lumps grew larger, and in the end, became a huge snowstorm whipping around with a fierce gale.

The sky shrieked with a rumble, and the muddy ground like dirty water was dyed pure white. Adele, surprised by the momentum, widened her eyes. It was because the cold piercing her body was too intense.

“Wait, the power is too strong! At this rate, it feels like even we will get swept up.”

Cara’s gaze turned. She looked at Adele’s breath once, then at the sky once, and stopped the frost storm spell she was chanting. The clouds scattered, and the ice grains disappeared softly. Whew. Exhaling a sigh, Cara shrugged her shoulders.

“If I hadn’t used it to this extent, I wouldn’t have been able to bring those bastards down.”

“Demons losing their wings and falling. It is quite a sight to behold. It looks like a painting.”

With Isabel’s words ending, screams of “Kyeuuuk!” resounded repeatedly. The demons, with frost on their membranous wings, flailed their bodies and plummeted to the ground. ‘Insane. Look at the power.’ While Velloc was admiring it, Cara massaged her waist and spoke in a groaning voice.

“Now, the mage’s assistance ends here. Our swordsman lords can take care of the rest.”

It was just a matter of catching birds that had fallen to the ground. Velloc smirked.

“Thanks to you, it will be easy.”

“I will cover you.”

Cara cast a shield spell, and Isabel, standing beside her, knelt on one knee and raised her crossbow. The remaining two knights intended to be faithful to their original duties. Clutching the blades in their hands tightly, they charged toward the enemies.

Their steel boots made crunching sounds, leaving deep furrows. For a snowfield to accumulate like this in that short moment. Magic… In some ways, it was an eccentric feat that far surpassed scientific technology.

‘Unlike me, who has to run around day in and day out, it looks stylish too.’

Complaining inwardly, Velloc struck down with his sword. A demon whose leg was broken and was squirming split open. Blood as red as its body color drenched the snowfield.

Adele, who was beside him, also held her curved sword in a reverse grip and struck down roughly. The demon whose neck was pierced trembled, making a sound like escaping air. Soon, it gagged and lowered its vicious eyes.

The two knights swung their weapons at the demons scattered along the main road as if playing whack-a-mole. The greatsword split skulls, and the flames of holy power melted the snowfield and even burned the demons. In between, Cara’s lightning echoed all around, and the elf’s arrows also contributed.

Velloc felt like he had become a farmer. ‘Is this the joy of a peasant who scatters fertilizer and harvests a wheat field? Quite lucrative.’ By the time he had such thoughts inwardly, cheers resounded from the surroundings.

Turning his head, people covered in snow clumps were praising the party. They were the brave expedition members who had been fighting hard just a moment ago.

“Thank you, Sir! Thanks to you, we lived!”

“Helena… That is indeed a sword skill close to a divine feat.”

“Moreover, what on earth is that spell…!”

Velloc did not bother to answer. Since there were still many bastards left to strike down and kill. He continued to move. The one caught in the windmill and flailing, the one holed up inside a house and dazed, and even those who shook their wings and struggled desperately, soon fell into his hands and died. Before long, only the last one remained.

A demon who was a size larger than the ordinary ones glared at a human who was likewise a head taller.

‘He looks like something. Is that guy the boss?’ Velloc took a stance from his relaxed posture. His right hand gripped the sword’s crossguard snugly, and his left hand supported it firmly, aligning with the pommel at the tip of the sword. Soon, bending his waist slightly, he applied firm strength to his thighs. Under his rock-solid body, the giant sword held in his hands did not wobble even a bit.

Keureureu.

In response, the demon also bared its teeth and growled lowly. Licking its lips once, it opened its beast-like snout of a mouth.

“Are you truly human? How on earth do you possess such military power?”

That talk again. He was getting sick of hearing it. Although a sound like scraping metal resounded, Velloc did not bother to answer the bastard’s words. Instead, applying firm strength to both hands holding the sword, he watched the demon’s movements. He smirked inwardly. The monster in front of him did not seem to have any intention of conversing with him either.

Even while speaking, the creature’s membranous wings trembled as it prepared to accelerate, and its sharp claws also moved very minutely, trying to pierce his body. ‘Sly bastard.’ Whether the demon was unaware of this or pretending to be, it opened its snout once more.

“Hmm… A taciturn human. At any rate, do you have no thoughts of joining hands with us? Along with a body that never ages, you can obtain mighty power. It is the power that even your kings and grand generals coveted. How about it? You are fully qualified. I, the gamekeeper of that Lord, guarantee it. You…”

‘After the forest keeper, is it a gamekeeper? And this is a hunting ground?’ At the sight of the guy who seemed like he would babble all day long if left alone, Velloc took action.

Instead of charging and swinging his sword, he twitched his eyes slightly. At that, the demon’s mouth distorted slightly. Did it judge that the opponent was shaken? The creature cut off its words and accelerated its membranous wings in an instant.

The air boomed, and the monster, whose form became blurry, rushed like an arrow. Velloc was not flustered. He just swung his sword in the direction his five senses indicated. The greatsword flashed. Along with the wind pressure, the snowfield split wide. Sliced in half a step too late, the demon rolled miserably on the ground.

Velloc briefly stared at the spilling entrails and the drawing paper dyed red. Soon, sheathing his sword, he exhaled a light breath. His breath was weakening. The pure white world disappeared, and darkness was creeping up once more. He looked back. Between the messily scattered corpses of the demons, the three women were approaching with calm expressions.

Behind them, hundreds of spectators with their mouths wide open were visible. Those who gained courage, those still terrified, and even those rolling their eyes trying to figure out how to exploit him.

Diverse emotions were felt, as varied as the different kinds of people. Velloc smirked. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. Since he had no intention of playing babysitter to them. If they couldn’t keep up, he would just discard them.

#

The planning meeting that had been stopped due to the demons’ attack was resumed. Perhaps because they witnessed the transcendental military power of Velloc’s party, the atmosphere was incomparable to before.

Instead of lamenting their fate, people struggled desperately to catch Velloc’s eye. Their lifelines depended on it. Inside the ruined house where the bonfire was lit, voices only grew louder.

“The skull mountains next to the village are the domain of the red demons. The bastards pour out from there like cockroaches. But, since you swept them all away, Sir, we can breathe a sigh of relief now! What a truly amazing skill! It is indeed…”

Meanwhile, instead of what could be called information, there was also strange chatter. Velloc frowned. Because the human who was babbling right now was also of that sort.

“Stop, what other information do you have besides that?”

When Baron Pigo, who was speaking passionately, stammered, the mercenary captain, who was looking for an opportunity, raised his hand high. Velloc pointed at him.

“Speak.”

“This is something I heard from my subordinate who fell in another region and fled all the way here, but do you know what kind of place appears if we pass the village we are in now? Do not be surprised. A village that is constantly burning appears. Furthermore, as for what kind of monsters come out of there…”

The mercenary captain lowered his voice to set the mood, but Velloc answered with a nonchalant face. Since it was a sight he had already seen from atop the cliff.

“Are you trying to say the burning village is a den of giants?”

“Gasp. How did you…?”

“Anything else?”

“Just that they are very ferocious and that they breathe fire from their mouths like drakes?”

‘Giants that breathe fire. I should be careful. This is somewhat useful.’ As Velloc nodded, the mercenary captain’s face brightened. Then, a priestess raised her hand, not wanting to be outdone. She looked like a child throwing a tantrum for candy. Velloc pointed at her.

“Yes, what information does the priestess serving the Moon Goddess have?”

The priestess took a deep breath, perhaps nervous. Soon she spoke clearly.

“When we were being chased by the red demons and fleeing to this village, there was one thing we saw.”

As Velloc nodded silently, the priestess continued speaking.

“At the edge of the skull mountain, a person was standing. They wore a red cloak and carried a strange sword, and the demon bastards were circling around them as if following that person.”

‘The leader of the monsters. Is it someone like the old woman of the forest?’ While Velloc was stroking his chin, Cara, who had been listening quietly, spoke.

“Excuse me, but you look like an ordinary human. How did you see something at such a long distance when you aren’t even an elf?”

The priestess’s complexion darkened. Interlocking with the surrounding shadows, it felt even more gloomy.

“The place we fell through the magic circle happened to be near the skull mountain. Thanks to that, most of our companions were captured, and only a few including myself survived. I might have mistaken it, but… just in case…”

As the priestess trailed off, Velloc waved his hand.

“Thank you. It is of great help.”

Besides that, various stories poured out, but there was nothing particularly useful. In any case, what had to be done was the same. Breaking through the monsters and entering the monsters’ habitat once more.

And killing the archdevil who was their leader. Velloc nodded his head. Soon, he dismissed them.

“Let’s end the meeting here. You must all be tired, so please leave.”

“Keep up the good work, Lord.”

“May the Goddess’s blessing be with you…”

The representatives, including the mercenary captain, the country bumpkin knight, and the priest, all left their seats. However, just one person, excluding Velloc’s party, remained in the room. Adele, who was warming her hands by the bonfire, glared and asked.

“Baron. Why aren’t you leaving? Do you have anything left to say?”

“Well, that is…”

The baron fumbled in his chest pocket, squirming. In between, he even spat out words like, ‘Where did it go?’ Velloc read one emotion in the old noble’s desperate gestures and eyes. It was anxiety. He laughed inwardly.

This was because he understood why that man was behaving in such a way.

Most of the representatives threw out decent pieces of information. However, the baron could not say anything particularly helpful. He probably thought that if he remained like this, his standing would be endangered. In times like this, the action taken is mostly…

By the time the knight thought so, the baron closed his eyes tight. Soon, he handed a small bottle from his chest to Velloc.

“P-Please accept this, Sir Velloc. No, Lord Velloc!”

Velloc’s eyes sparkled. Was it a potion?

“What is this?”

“It is a 32-year-old Chandresier.”

“What on earth is this?”

“It is alcohol.”

“Alcohol?”

“It’s an item worth hundreds of gold coins. Originally, I brought it to celebrate the victory banquet, but I thought it would be better for a truly great knight to drink it rather than someone like me… It is really, really precious. Well then…”

Leaving only those words, the baron dashed out of his seat. Adele spoke in a dumbfounded tone.

“Is it a bribe? No, more than that, alcohol in this situation?”

Isabel, who was beside him, did not seem to care. Rather, she licked her lips while looking at the wine bottle held in Velloc’s hand.

“A 32-year-old… It’s good liquor. It’s the best for soothing a blood-stained night.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to think about tomorrow? Excessive drinking is a bit…”

As Cara trailed off, Velloc smirked. Offering alcohol rather than a healing potion? Especially in a den of monsters like this? It certainly was not a fitting item. But… Velloc turned his head.

In the gloomy space, as if ink had been poured over it, only the crimson moonlight was seeping in. The hideously broken window could not block anything. It merely shrieked as its old hinges creaked. Velloc’s eyes sank slightly. How long had they been trapped in this strange space anyway? He looked at the party.

The paladin’s black eyes, the witch’s brown eyes, and the elf’s green eyes also showed deep exhaustion. It seemed slightly insufficient to dispel them with only the warmth of the bonfire. He muttered.

“Since we will have to go wild again tomorrow, it would be good to wet our throats. Not that the sun will rise anyway…”

To comfort a forced march, there would be nothing better than this glass bottle held in his hand.

Adele put on the pot, and the cups clinked together with the boiling stew. They ate, drank, and shared stories like mercenaries who could not guarantee their future.

The night in the demon realm deepened like that.