Episode 46
Just as we were getting used to sleeping in tents, we finally pushed through the rugged terrain and reached the eastern region.
The harsh landscape gradually subsided, giving way to a vast open plain.
“The wide-open scenery felt almost unfamiliar—it had been so long since we’d seen anything like it.”
We paused our march, pitched our tents, and began a strategy meeting.
“We’ll reach our destination tomorrow. Since we’ve found a rare flat area, we should use it for some practice.”
Antonio said, spreading a map across the makeshift table.
“Our knights use flat shields, right? What if we attach mirrors inside them?”
Kallen suggested, pointing to a shield. Her idea was simple, but it immediately captured everyone’s attention.
Antonio pondered for a moment before nodding.
“So we hold the shield, turn our backs, and fire sword energy backwards. Not an easy move, but worth a try.”
We immediately got to work.
We headed to a nearby village market to buy as many mirrors as we could. But since it was a small village, it was hard to find mirrors big enough to cover an entire shield.
In the end, we decided to attach several small mirrors together inside the shields.
It took quite a while to finish even one shield by hand.
“The small mirrors distort the view a bit.”
I said, peering into the mirror-covered inside of Bartol’s shield. The shards sparkled in the light, but the gaps between them were far from perfect.
“As long as you use the central mirror for your main view, it’ll be fine. The key is to minimize civilian damage by aiming the sword energy accurately.”
Antonio said as he examined his own shield. His voice carried a heavy sense of responsibility.
The training began on the plains.
The knights used straw targets shaped like chickens. With shields in hand, they turned their backs and practiced firing sword energy through the mirrored view.
“Keep the shield centered on your body and focus on the mirror! Don’t swing until you’ve confirmed the target!”
Since the motion was unfamiliar, mistakes were common at first.
Sword blasts missed their targets, and mirrors often failed to provide a clear enough view.
“Swinging a sword backward is harder than I thought,”
the youngest knight, Edric, said, wiping sweat from his brow.
“You need to focus even more when it’s an unfamiliar movement!”
Antonio’s voice rang out across the field. He moved quickly between knights, correcting postures and offering guidance without hesitation.
Unlike the others, he never missed a single shot. It became clear how someone his age had earned the role of commander—pure skill.
As time passed, the knights improved. Sword blasts hit their targets more often, and they grew accustomed to the mirror-shield combination.
“Their eyes in the reflection began to shine with growing confidence.”
Since I wasn’t a swordsman, all I could do was watch from the sidelines.
From the moment they raised their shields to the backward sword swings, the entire sequence looked like a dance.
The scorpion-engraved shields, sunlight bouncing off the mirrors, and the colorful sword energy lighting up the field—it was a beautiful display of harmony and discipline.
“Even if I couldn’t wield a sword, just walking this journey with them filled me with pride.”
[Whoa! Scary! What are they doing?!]
A bird chirped frantically near the back of my head.
I turned around and saw Polka flitting about, watching the knights practice.
“Huh? Polka, when did you come out?”
I asked, patting my jacket pocket.
Polka had traveled with me the entire journey, using my jacket pocket as its personal perch.
[I was sleeping, but all the noise woke me up! Those people are crazy! They’re killing fake chickens!]
I laughed at the flustered little sparrow.
Just then, Antonio blew his whistle—the signal to end training.
“Alright, that’s enough. Tomorrow, we’ll see if this tactic really works.”
The practice session on the field came to an end. The knights returned to the tents, inspecting their shields with utmost care.
I stood outside, gazing up at the night sky.
“Under the starlit sky, I found myself lost in thought.”
Tomorrow, all our efforts and strategy would be put to the test—yet no one could say what the outcome would be.
The banter of the knights inside the tent helped settle my nerves. But the more I heard them, the more I couldn’t stop imagining the worst.
“People turning to stone the moment they made eye contact with it, their bodies frozen as their warmth was stolen away.”
My fingers trembled from the tension.
“If we used birds in our attacks, would their bodies turn to stone too? Was there truly nothing I could do for this mission?”
“Lady Josephine, are you alright?”
Before I knew it, Kallen was standing beside me.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just… a lot on my mind.”
I said with a forced smile.
“It’s a monster we’ve never seen before, but it’ll be fine. Our knights have survived worse. A chicken-head monster with a snake tail isn’t anything to lose sleep over.”
Kallen tried to lift my spirits with a cheerful tone, but I could sense a slight tremble in her voice. She, too, knew how grave the situation was.
“Thanks, Kallen. Let’s go.”
As the gates of Marcania came into view, the knights slowed their horses.
The outskirts of the city looked peaceful, but an oppressive air lingered.
Armed guards were posted along the fortress walls.
Their faces were tight with fatigue and tension.
The gates slowly opened. A young man in an ornate cloak rode out with a group of knights. His near-silver hair and crimson eyes gave him an almost ethereal appearance.
“Welcome, Prince and honorable knights.”
He dismounted and bowed gracefully.
“I am Raymond Balteor, Lord of Marcania.”
Ah, I recognized the name. Once a prince of the Kingdom of Marcania—now a count since the kingdom had been absorbed into the empire.
A decentralist noble, known for focusing on managing his territory rather than central politics.
Antonio dismounted and shook the count’s hand.
“I’m Antonio, commander of the Scorpio Knights. But if the monster’s out there, is it safe for you to be outside like this?”
Antonio raised an eyebrow.
The count sighed and shook his head.
“Fortunately, the Basilisk only appears at night. After sundown, it emerges from the forest and attacks various parts of the city, then vanishes before dawn. We’ve enforced a strict nighttime curfew.”
A wave of relief passed through the knights.
It was midday now. At least they wouldn’t have to go into battle immediately.
“We heard things are bad. Can you explain the situation in detail?”
Antonio asked.
The count nodded solemnly.
“So far, 277 residents have turned to stone. Of them, 150 were elite soldiers sent to defeat the monster. Despite their sacrifice, the creature still roams freely.”
The knights let out quiet gasps.
Count Balteor mounted his horse again and led us toward his manor.
We entered a small banquet hall adorned with medieval elegance. But the grandeur faded in the face of what we saw next.
The count sighed deeply.
“There is something you must see. This way, please.”
He guided us to a section along one wall of the hall.
There, we found a line of people who had been turned to stone. They stood frozen in terror and despair, like time itself had stopped in their final moments.
“It was as if their final emotions had been etched into stone forever.”
