Chapter 35
Episode 35. Wondrous Woman
2023.10.05.
“Madam.”
Rina’s voice came with a knock. Blair closed the book she had been reading.
“Come in.”
No sooner had Blair given permission than Rina entered the study. Approaching with a grave expression as if bearing a heavy duty, Rina handed Blair a letter.
“A letter from the guild.”
It was the news she had been waiting for.
Blair set the book back in its place and unfolded the letter.
The letter omitted sender and recipient information in case someone else might see it midway, containing only the key message in brief.
[We have identified the source of the phrase you asked us to investigate. That phrase is……]
As Blair read down the letter, her pupils began to tremble aimlessly.
* * *
“Here it comes!”
The knight’s voice echoed through the quiet winter forest. At the same time, something approached from afar, cracking the earth with each step.
A massive something lurked underground.
Standing in its path was Herdin.
Herdin fixed his cool gaze on the approaching presence before thrusting his sword into the ground.
A blue magic circle unfurled around the sword. He had altered the casting direction of the freezing spell from the surface to underground.
Beneath the magic circle, sharp ice pierced into the earth, stabbing the hidden intruder below. A gigantic earthworm-like demonic beast burst onto the surface.
“Now!”
The knights lying in wait in the forest fired their crossbows at the knight captain’s command.
Dozens of crossbow bolts, strung with thin, sturdy wires, embedded into the demonic beast’s body.
The beast twisted its massive form to shake them off and burrow back underground, flinging off a few knights, but dislodging dozens proved impossible.
The knights gritted their teeth to withstand the beast’s strength.
“Argh!”
One knight, unable to hold on, was flung away. The demonic beast’s maw gaped wide to devour him.
As the knight froze in terror.
Herdin swooped in, snatching the knight first and hurling him toward the forest.
He swiftly formed another magic circle, stepping onto it to propel forward. Reaching the beast’s head in an instant, he cleaved it cleanly. The motion held no excess.
The bisected beast writhed, its head regenerating a body, its body a head.
Then, swords of light materialized in the air. They rained down like a downpour onto the beast’s body.
The knights watched in renewed awe, a sight they had witnessed countless times.
Magic required intense focus, making it difficult to use while moving. For the same reason, casting multiple spells at once was impossible.
Yet Herdin moved ceaselessly even while casting, chaining spells no less.
No one could deny it upon seeing him: a power surpassing human limits.
Herdin landed lightly and drove his sword into the fallen head. As the beast’s heart at its core shattered, both head and body stilled.
The knights sighed in relief. The battle was over.
Herdin sheathed his sword and glanced at his palm. He felt the mana within stirring.
‘No issues since New Year’s Festival.’
After the mana disruption at New Year’s Festival, he had checked periodically, but nothing abnormal appeared.
Even scouring grimoires yielded no cases of mana temporarily vanishing and returning.
He couldn’t voice such instability. His weakness was Delmark’s weakness, so he could only monitor it himself.
‘Much has been bothering me lately.’
Both the anomalous mana and the waking visions.
“Your Excellency.”
His aide approached, offering a towel as Herdin pondered.
Herdin wiped the demonic beast’s ichor from his body.
Meanwhile, the aides began retrieving the corpse.
Hunting demonic beasts was perilous, but their corpses fetched good money, drawing arrogant hunters into their territories for profit.
Sometimes, as today, they lured beasts to villages.
“That beast—we’d almost caught it ourselves. We’d already wounded it, so it ended like this.”
Herdin eyed pitifully the culprits, who moments ago had begged for mercy but now claimed their share post-hunt.
‘They should’ve taken responsibility and become beast bait.’
But no need for him to intervene. The knight captain, seasoned by northern hunters, would handle it.
Herdin returned the towel to his aide and stared at the recovering corpse.
Killing soured his mood afterward, be it foe or beast.
Over a decade of taking countless lives should have numbed him, yet the unease felt anew. Why?
Mulling that, Herdin suddenly thought of Blair.
The woman in his arms had been warm. Her touching skin soft, the heart below her small chest beating vigorously like its owner.
Life was wondrous that way.
The obvious fact struck him anew. Perhaps why the deaths by his hand felt so disagreeable now.
He wanted to return soon. To the mansion where that wondrous life awaited.
Turning toward his tethered horse, he spotted Russ approaching. And behind him, unwelcome faces.
The Imperial Knights.
At their center was the vice captain who had led them.
“Good grief, by the time we fetched a priestess from the temple…… You’d already slain the big one? As expected of the Delmark Knights, natural foes of demonic beasts!”
He feigned exaggerated surprise, praising the Delmark Knights. Or so it seemed at a glance.
Herdin eyed him with weary indifference. He knew the Imperial Knights had arrived late deliberately. Always like this.
If not for civilian lives at stake, he’d have ignored them.
“Indeed, had we slain it a bit later, disaster nearly struck. We almost saw the imperial crest you bear emerge from that worm’s rear.”
The atmosphere chilled sharply at Herdin’s blatant sarcasm.
The vice captain, who had stiffened briefly, soon composed himself and laughed boisterously in rebuttal.
“Haha, our order isn’t that incompetent. We are the Imperial Knights, after all.”
“Ah, I know well your competence. Always arriving with priests at miraculous timings.”
“…….”
“Hurry and transport the wounded to the village. Isn’t that your specialty?”
He treated the Imperial Knights as cleanup crew.
The vice captain, no longer hiding his discomfort, turned from Herdin to issue orders.
Russ, beside Herdin, clucked his tongue at the departing Imperials.
“Tax wastes, as always.”
Herdin watched his knights receive treatment and extended a hand to Russ.
“Our casualties?”
Russ swiftly cut a cigar and placed it in Herdin’s hand, lighting it as he replied.
“Five total, all minor injuries—not worth worrying over.”
“Today’s schedule?”
“Nothing particular, but Kalligo and his group should arrive today. Remember?”
Kalligo was one of Herdin’s most capable, loyal knights from the battlefield, stationed at the main Delmark estate but now en route to the capital.
“Got it.”
In truth, only now recalling, but no need to mention.
As Herdin nodded curtly and drew on the cigar, a presence approached from behind.
“Um……”
Herdin and Russ turned simultaneously.
“Ah, it really is Your Excellency! We met at the temple before—do you remember?”
The silver-haired woman beamed toward Herdin.
Exhaling smoke with an impassive face, Herdin recalled Blair’s voice from some time ago.
‘That priestess earlier is the woman you’ll fall in love with.’
Her calm tone and gaze, as if discussing another’s tale.
Recalling that, Herdin’s eyes chilled coldly.
He didn’t know her name, but remembered that face. Unforgettable, despite no desire to.
“I remember. Priestess.”
He could have guessed from her attire even without memory.
Yet Miela beamed as if his words alone thrilled her. A woman whose emotions showed plainly.
“I’m glad to see you again like this. No injuries, I hope?”
“None.”
At his curt reply, Miela flushed awkwardly but pressed on.
“And the spot you were treated then? May I ask how it’s faring?”
“Perfectly fine. Your healing was flawless.”
His praise rang hollow, eyes weary as he sidestepped her with the cigar. A dismissal, yet Miela blushed deeper, missing it.
“I’m relieved. It was internal, and I was so nervous then—worried it hadn’t healed properly……”
“…….”
“Ah. And the Duchess? She seemed quite startled that day too.”
At the familiar title from Miela’s lips, Herdin’s bored expression shifted.
