Chapter: 47
Clouds must have rolled in.
The sunlight pouring through the window vanished in an instant, and darkness settled over the room. The once-warm air quickly turned cold.
If that were all, perhaps the chill would have been understandable.
But Jeanne knew better.
She knew that such a dizzying sensation—as if the floor had suddenly dropped away—couldn’t be explained by something so trivial.
“Current position?”
At Claude’s question, the figure cloaked in pitch-black robes reflected in the communication device replied,
Three hours ago, they began moving south along the upper reaches of the Maron River.
A heavy silence followed the urgent report. Claude was the first to break it.
“The map.”
“…Pardon?”
“Bring me the map.”
When the count stood there blankly, Claude snapped.
“Did you not hear me? Bring the map!”
Startled by the sudden change in Claude’s demeanor, the count stammered in confusion before hurriedly ordering the soldiers to fetch it.
A soldier retrieved a rolled-up map from the corner and handed it to Claude. He spread it open on the spot.
“The Maron River… Maron River…”
Claude’s eyes darted across the parchment as he searched for the river. But even without looking at the map, Jeanne already understood what this meant.
Following the Maron River south led to one destination—
Dongremian.
Unless the monsters changed course, Dongremian would be attacked.
“Damn it.”
In her previous life, Royes Castle had fallen first, and only then had Dongremian been assaulted. That was why she believed stopping them here would be enough.
Then the Megalodon incident flashed through her mind.
The signs had been there since then.
The events of her past life were not guaranteed to repeat themselves.
Realizing she had overlooked that fact filled her with disgust beyond mere frustration—but now wasn’t the time for self-reproach. If they had started south three hours ago, it still wasn’t too late to catch up.
“Your Grace.”
Jeanne turned to Claude, her eyes resolute. She had only called out to him, but perhaps sensing her determination, Claude nodded gravely and issued an order to the figure in the communication device.
“How many members crossed into Brienne with you?”
Four, including myself.
“Who’s closest to the lower Maron River?”
Draise.
“Contact Draise immediately. Have him go to Dongremian and evacuate the villagers. You will pursue the monsters and report their position every thirty minutes. Do not get too close.”
Understood.
Still dazed by the rapid turn of events, the count cried out in alarm as the Knights of Loren began moving as one.
“W-W-Wait! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Did you not hear?”
“I heard! But you can’t just rush out like this!”
The count protested heatedly.
“Her Majesty’s directive was to defend this castle. And now you’re saying you’ll leave it?”
“The core of the document was monster subjugation, not defensive warfare. And it was an agreement, not a command.”
Claude shot a sharp glare at the count, who was subtly trying to demote Loren into a mere vassal house of Brienne.
“Step aside. I don’t have time for this.”
The man who had seemed so gentle only moments ago now radiated menace like a beast baring its fangs. Faced with that cold gaze, the count’s face drained of color.
But frightened dogs bark the loudest.
“T-Then at least leave half your troops behind!”
At such a ridiculous demand, Jeanne couldn’t even muster a scoff. Regardless of how the atmosphere among the Knights of Loren froze over, the count continued his sophistry.
“The document clearly states this: The forces of Loren are to join with those of Royes Castle, subjugate the monsters, and cooperate in the defense of Brienne, including Royes Castle.”
“……”
“Normally this would be unthinkable, but since Your Grace is so eager to distinguish himself, leave half your soldiers here. I will make sure to explain everything properly to Her Majesty later.”
Everyone except the count knew how foolish—and how rude—he was being.
No, perhaps the count knew full well and was speaking anyway.
The so-called agreement was merely an excuse. What he really wanted was for them not to go. At this rate, not only Dongremian but other cities even farther south would fall.
His reason was obvious.
Within this small castle, he was king. He wanted to protect this box-like domain where everyone bowed to him, no matter the cost. What happened to other cities didn’t matter—an extreme form of selfishness.
So that’s why his territory was in ruins.
Recalling the count’s past atrocities she had briefly witnessed, combined with the anxiety that her hometown was even now in danger, heat surged through her veins. Just as Jeanne was about to release her aura in anger—
“…He’s not worth dealing with.”
Claude spat coldly and turned his back on the count. Watching him choose Dongremian without the slightest hesitation eased the tightness in her chest.
Humiliated, the count waddled forward and blocked Claude’s path.
“Fighting outside the designated location is a breach of contract! If you leave now, I will report this to Her Majesty as an act of aggression by Loren!”
“……”
“You said you’re going to Dongremian—are you really doing all this just to protect a village?”
“……”
“Just to save a few hundred ignorant peasants, you’d risk the judgment of the Golden Dragon—!”
That was the last straw.
At the same moment the thought crossed her mind, Jeanne’s fist flew.
Unable to contain her rage, she struck the count in the face with all her strength.
His greasy, sagging cheek twisted as if caught in a vortex, bones and teeth shattering. The sensation of his face collapsing traveled clearly through the bones of her hand.
She drove him straight into the floor. Without even time to scream, the count collapsed, unconscious. Seeing their master sprawled on the ground, the steward and knights alike stared in shock.
“Y-Y-Y-Y-You—!”
“My lord!”
The steward finally snapped out of it and rushed to his fallen master. At the same time, the count’s knights drew their swords and pointed them at Jeanne.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“How dare a mere knight lay hands on our lord—!”
They snarled, blades aimed at her. But they didn’t realize—
The woman before them was no ordinary knight.
“How dare I? That’s my line.”
She had endured it. Again and again. But her patience had reached its limit.
“How dare a mere count block the path of His Grace the Grand Duke?”
Lightning-like aura crackled around her body. Startled, the knights paled and staggered backward.
“My duty is to remove those who obstruct my lord. If you intend to interfere until the end…”
Standing still, Jeanne released even more aura.
She didn’t draw her sword—but it was thousands of times more threatening. The knights, their fighting spirit crushed, lowered their blades like ripened rice stalks bowing under their own weight.
In that opening, the four of them hurried out of the estate.
Once outside, Claude let out a quiet chuckle.
“You held back longer than I expected.”
“…I only did what needed to be done.”
Jeanne mounted her horse with a stiff expression. Every second mattered; she couldn’t bring herself to laugh along. Even the unspoken rule that Claude should lead the charge felt like an obstacle now.
“Jeanne.”
As he passed her, Claude spoke softly.
“We can save them.”
“…!”
“So don’t worry.”
As if proving he wasn’t lying, Claude spurred his horse into a full gallop. The moment they rejoined the army, he declared there was no time and led the entire force forward.
Watching his back—hearing his certainty that the worst future could be prevented—brought her a small measure of comfort.
* * *
Cattle grazing peacefully on the plains lifted their heads and looked around.
Perhaps sensing on a primal level that something enormous was approaching, they bolted in panic.
The ground trembled as a vast army of monsters covered both land and sky. The green fields were trampled, and the river turned muddy with churned earth.
[Ravage! Ravage! Ravage the humans!]
Reiterating the single command carved into them at birth, the monsters advanced. Their cries echoed within Abaddon’s mind as well.
Soon, the village the woman had spoken of—Dongremian—would appear. He would first capture all the humans there, then destroy their home.
After that, he planned to drag the woman here from the south and show her with her own eyes—
how the villagers were devoured one by one by his kin.
Humans do not remember lives before regression.
She wouldn’t know why this was happening to her.
And that made it all the more exquisite.
Fear born of ignorance. Sorrow. Rage. Despair.
All of it was exquisite nourishment for Abaddon.
In the distance, tall ivory-colored pillars came into view. Humans called it a ruin; monsters called it the Land of Defeat.
A thousand years ago, the Goddess and the Demon King fought for seven days and nights. The Demon King was defeated and fled beyond the northern Ibeh Mountains, and when the Goddess fell into eternal slumber, divine power scattered across this land.
Had the Demon King won then, the human race would have long since withered away.
Clicking his tongue, Abaddon gradually increased his speed. He wanted to cross this humiliating land as quickly as possible.
Once past here, Dongremian lay ahead—
Kwagagagag—!
A sudden explosion tore through the air, and the dying screams of monsters rang out.
