Chapter 33
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Odelia seemed completely unaffected by the Demonic Energy.
In a moment where everyone gasped at the unbelievable sight, a faint light spread from her fingertips.
The energy of Purification, offsetting the Demonic Energy.
The Cardel family called the 'energy' that was the source of it 'Purification Power.'
Purification was different from mere healing or blessing.
It wasn't a power borrowed from God like 'Holy Power,' nor was it a power forcibly drawn from nature like 'Mana.'
'Purification Power' was the power to restore the world.
Just like the natural Purification process.
Like polluted water slowly flowing and eventually becoming clear and purified.
It was the power to return a tainted world to its original state.
As Purification Power spread from Odelia's body, the thick Demonic Energy, which had been rippling hazily, was gradually pushed back in the opposite direction.
Her ability was quiet and overwhelming.
The Demonic Energy gradually peeled off like scales, evaporating into the air and disappearing without a trace.
It had been 'Purified.'
The air became clear.
The heavy, oppressive energy that had been weighing down slowly disappeared like fog.
The tips of Odelia's silver hair fluttered lightly.
She closed her eyes and quietly inhaled, and the last remaining energy of Demonic Energy scattered from her fingertips.
Only then did the soldiers, who had been blankly watching the scene, begin to come to their senses one by one.
"W-What on earth is going on? What did you do?"
"She just raised her hand, and the Demonic Energy retreated..."
"No, it seems like the Demonic Energy was avoiding the Princess from the start?"
"As expected of the Cardel. The Descendants of the Dragon..."
Everyone was in a stir, pouring out words mixed with awe, suspicion, and admiration for her mysterious power.
"......"
Odelia slowly wrapped her trembling fingertips.
Quietly hiding her hand behind her back so it wouldn't be seen.
She felt like something was about to surge up, but this much was okay.
She swallowed it down and raised her head again with a calm face as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, a sense of crisis was slowly spreading among the soldiers.
"It seems like the Demonic Energy wasn't just leaking out by chance."
"That's right. It wasn't just at that level, it spread. As if it had exploded from the inside..."
Their expressions hardened one by one.
"If the Princess hadn't suppressed it, this entire force would have been consumed by Demonic Energy."
"This is a first. If it's like this outside, I can't imagine how severe the situation is inside..."
"We need to check right away!"
As the soldiers were about to recklessly enter the forest, Odelia quietly raised her hand to stop them.
"Stop. If you go into the forest, you'll be exposed to Demonic Energy again."
It was a firm and calm voice.
"I'll enter alone."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I'm not affected by Demonic Energy. You must have seen it."
"That's true, but... No, no matter what, that's not allowed! There are Monsters in the forest!"
"No."
Odelia shook her head.
As the soldiers were horrified and tried to dissuade her, she took another step forward and focused on the forest's presence.
It was eerily quiet.
There were no eerie cries of Monsters, nor heavy, clattering footsteps.
It was as if no life existed.
"It seems His Highness has taken care of all the Monsters in the forest."
As Odelia calmly continued, the soldiers finally wore 'huh?' expressions.
"Come to think of it... I really don't hear the sound of Monsters anymore."
"Then, where did that Demonic Energy from earlier come from?"
"Did it come from the corpses of Monsters?"
"Then it wouldn't have pushed out to the outside of the forest... Well, I guess it could be possible since there would be mountains of Monster corpses."
Odelia listened to the soldiers' conversation and narrowed her eyes.
A cold feeling ran down her spine.
Something was wrong.
To be exact, someone was going wrong.
'......This isn't Demonic Energy coming from dead corpses.'
It was still being created now.
In real-time.
'Ah, could it be...'
Odelia quickly searched Ludville's memories and belatedly realized.
'Was his body unable to withstand being exposed to strong Demonic Energy in a short period of time? There must have been accumulated Demonic Energy as well, so he might have exceeded the limit.'
Monster blood, Monster breath, and so on.
Everything that made up a Monster was mixed with Demonic Energy.
For that reason, it was basic common sense to take some time between Monster subjugations until the next one.
But recently, Ludville had been sweeping away Monsters continuously without any intervals.
Even covering himself in the blood of Monsters, which would have been hundreds of them, all alone.
'Ludville wouldn't be unaware of that.'
Why would he do such a thing?
If he continued to absorb Demonic Energy, there was a high possibility that he would gradually lose his humanity and Demonization would progress.
There was no way he wouldn't know that, so why......
'......No, wait a minute.'
Odelia suddenly recalled the most basic concept of Demonic Energy.
Demonic Energy was a power that gnawed at human life and distorted the senses the more one became addicted to it.
There was a common thread with the Normaline Cigarette that Ludville habitually smoked.
'This man, could it be......'
Was he addicted to Demonic Energy and deliberately came to cover himself in Monster blood?
'So that's why he said that bizarre thing about having to periodically get blood on his hands?'
I should have realized it when I heard those words!
"......Crazy man."
Odelia felt her head spin.
Because anger was rising to the top of her head.
"Yes?"
Eldrick, who heard Odelia's muttering, looked at her with a look of disbelief for a moment.
But Odelia was already consumed by a raging anger and couldn't see her surroundings.
Odelia got on her horse and fearlessly entered the forest.
No one could stop her.
Before the soldiers could even shout in surprise, she had already disappeared into the darkness.
Eldrick, who reacted a beat late, got on his horse and immediately tried to enter the forest.
However......
Hee-heeing!
The horse, terrified, shook its head and stepped back, lifting its hind legs.
And it snorted roughly as if it would never enter the forest.
Eldrick, seeing the horse's unusual behavior, whipped it and tried to soothe it, but it was no use.
Even if he grabbed the reins and turned its body, the horse was rooted in place like a tree.
"......Damn it."
Eldrick gritted his teeth and released the reins.
Then he jumped off the horse and stroked the sword at his waist.
"Get off the horses! We're entering on foot!"
Eldrick's shout spread through the fierce blizzard.
The knights heard his shout but hesitated for a moment. But only for a moment, they checked their weapons in an orderly manner.
No one knew exactly what was happening in the forest.
Just from the horse's reaction, they could tell that something unusual was happening.
But they had to go in.
Because their lord was inside.
Eldrick took the lead, and the soldiers followed him.
* * *
The forest was silent.
On the trampled ground, the corpses of Monsters were scattered.
The blood of the Monsters was still warm and pooled, seeping between the roots of the trees.
In the middle of it, Ludville stood.
Emitting Demonic Energy from his entire body.
His breathing was clearly human......
But the energy emanating from his body was no longer entirely human.
And it was slowly eroding his nature.
