Chapter 136: Fog (3)
The surroundings were still filled with thick fog.
The light emanating from the Holy Sword in my hand dispersed some of the nearby fog, revealing the path, but only for a short distance.
Like holding a small torch in the pitch-black darkness, there was no problem illuminating the path right in front of me and taking a step, but the view beyond that was still unclear.
Thanks to the morning sun rising, I could barely make out the faint shapes of nearby buildings.
And the footsteps echoing in such an environment were enough to instill anxiety in the two people besides me.
Thud, thud.
Footsteps coming from somewhere, seemingly from the front, or perhaps the back.
“……Damn it.”
Mercenary Captain Bergen cursed under his breath, unsure if it was one person or several.
The tip of the sharp sword he held was trembling slightly. Having to be wary of something that could pop out from anywhere in the unseen surroundings was nothing short of the worst situation for a swordsman.
Of course, he was relatively composed. Compared to Innkeeper Jake, that is.
“If, if those aren’t human footsteps.”
Jake, who bravely stepped forward to guide us through the village roads, spoke in a trembling voice at my nonchalant words.
In his shaking hand, he held a kitchen knife, which he had brought as a weapon, looking barely capable of handling a single orc.
It wouldn’t be of much help, but it was better than handing him a longsword he’d never seen before and having him stab himself in the foot.
After all, I alone was enough to handle the fighting.
Thud, thud, thud.
The footsteps echoed again.
Hearing my words and belatedly recognizing the type of footsteps faintly heard through the thick veil of fog, Mercenary Bergen shouted in a trembling voice.
“……Horse hooves!”
Thud, thud, thud.
“Yes.”
I nodded and continued slowly. It wasn’t a horse that had escaped the stable, or a wild animal that had wandered into the village.
Because.
“Judging by the sound, it’s a two-legged creature.”
There was no such thing as a wild animal that walked on two legs with the hooves of a beast.
Thud, thud.
The sound seemed to be getting closer. I tightened my grip on the Holy Sword.
Swoosh. The light of the sword, which had begun to condense, grew even stronger.
“I, it’s coming this way!”
Mercenary Bergen shouted, noticing the approach of the opponent.
Hearing the sound of hooves again, I swung the Holy Sword and muttered.
“Show yourself.”
At the same time, the bright light bursting from the Holy Sword swept away the nearby fog, revealing the village under the sunlight.
🔹🔹🔹
The bright light burst forth and the fog cleared.
“……Ugh!”
Bergen and Jake momentarily shielded their eyes from the sudden bright light. But soon, their faces were filled with shock, with no time to rejoice at the suddenly revealed sight of the village.
“……!”
“Mo, monster!”
Less than three meters away. Perhaps due to the thick fog, the source of the hoofbeats that seemed to have come from quite a distance was right in front of us.
Cloven hooves seen beneath two legs covered in black fur. A monster with the legs and head of a goat and the upper body of a human.
Perhaps startled by the sudden burst of light, the creature had its back turned.
But soon, as if reacting to the fear of the two people behind it, the monster’s head slowly began to turn towards us.
Creak.
The monster turned its head backward like an owl. Its bright yellow eyes shone grotesquely.
“……!”
Gasp. Innkeeper Jake gasped in surprise and stumbled backward. The monster stared at him intently.
Of course, it wasn’t just staring.
Its head, which had turned halfway to look at us, now twisted grotesquely like a rotating wheel.
And then, from its gaping mouth, as dark as the abyss, came a most unpleasant sound.
“Gruuu?”
Jake couldn’t help but scream at the sight, which seemed like something out of a terrifying legend or a nightmare, and Mercenary Bergen flinched with a pale face.
“Da, damn it. What the hell is─”
“U, uwaaagh!”
It was a normal reaction. Perhaps the monster hadn’t expected this development either.
“It looks more ordinary than I expected.”
But I calmly looked at its face and raised my hand.
Of course, the Holy Sword, flickering white, was held in it.
“……!”
Although there wasn’t the same dramatic reaction as the previous two, the monster was clearly flustered.
Realizing that the culprit behind the dispelled fog was the light emanating from the sword, the monster hurriedly retreated.
But my sword was already slicing through the air.
Swish. The sword, swung without a moment’s hesitation, aimed for the monster’s neck.
Screech. The creature twisted its body and head at an unnatural angle, impossible for ordinary creatures, barely dodging my sword. However, it couldn’t avoid having its horns and part of its shoulder sliced off.
Kieeeeek.
Letting out a roar mixed with surprise and anger at the immediate attack, the creature flashed its sharply pointed claws.
Long claws swung with power derived from incredible athleticism.
An attack powerful enough to pierce through not only humans but also large animals like horses and cows in a single blow.
But even a powerful attack is meaningless if it doesn’t connect.
Lightly twisting my body to avoid the creature’s bestial swing, I immediately spun the sword half a turn and slashed horizontally.
Slice.
The Holy Sword, imbued with light, cleanly sliced through the creature’s tough side.
Kieeeeek!
Black blood, reeking of a foul stench, splattered.
Perhaps realizing that it was no match for me, the creature bent its two legs and sprang up like a coiled spring with a chilling scream.
The monster, which had jumped with tremendous leaping power, kicked off a nearby wall. It quickly climbed onto the roof of a nearby house.
“Oh, oh my……!”
While the bewildered Mercenary Bergen fumbled, watching the monster trying to escape to another roof while scattering black blood, I calmly formed a hand seal.
What a nuisance. It’s hardly worthy of being called a demon.
Whoosh. Multiple spears of light, instantly formed in the air, shot out with a burst of air pressure.
Annihilating the faint remnants of the fog above, the accurately launched spears of light pierced through the heart and head of the monster that had just leaped onto the high roof.
Kreeek. An unpleasant wail, like scraping metal against iron, echoed briefly, but the monster soon melted away, leaving only black smoke and burn marks, consumed by the powerful holy power.
“Huh……”
On the slanted roof. The two, confirming that what they had just witnessed was not a figment of the fog, seeing the clear burn marks left on the baked bricks, let out sighs mixed with relief.
“……It feels like I had a bad dream.”
Mercenary Bergen shuddered, recalling the events that had taken place within the disorienting thick fog.
Now that the source of the phenomenon, created by the Catacomb’s sorcery, had been dealt with, the fog that had blanketed the village would soon disappear.
“Th, then the people who disappeared……!”
But there was still something left.
🔹🔹🔹
The monster’s name was Karpai. It was an imaginary monster from a legend passed down in the village.
A monster that, in the thick fog, with the legs and head of a goat, would leap across rooftops and kidnap people. A monster with a scary story, slightly different but nonetheless found in every village.
However, the Catacomb’s sorcery had brought this imaginary creature to life, and the legendary being became a real monster, harming people.
Therefore, now that the sorcery had been dispelled by my holy power, the missing villagers wouldn’t simply return on their own. The kidnappings had actually happened, carried out by the monster.
But the search didn’t take long. According to Innkeeper Jake, a native of the village, the Karpai’s lair was in a deep well.
An exaggerated setting, befitting a monster from a story, but not now.
Following Jake’s guidance, we headed to the largest and deepest well in the village, and soon we could hear faint moans coming from below.
Instead of water, the dry well was filled with thick darkness, and from within, we could hear the faint voices of people.
It was nearly impossible for an ordinary person to climb the deep and slippery walls of the well.
However, with the help of the other mercenaries and villagers who quickly arrived after hearing the news, they were able to safely escape the well.
Of course, there were those who had already been devoured. And there were those who had lost their lives, unable to overcome hunger and injuries. But a significant number of people were able to safely return home.
“I, I am truly grateful. How can I ever repay this kindness……”
Waving my hand to express humility to the villagers who repeatedly bowed their heads in gratitude, I asked the question I had intended to ask after the matter was resolved.
“Do you know where the priest named Jerit and his companions headed?”
Information about Jerit and Lephra’s next destination.
It was the most valuable reward the villagers could give me, instead of a few meager silver coins.
“Hmm. Let me see……”
The villagers searched their memories, trying to recall. Judging by the fact that they didn’t say they didn’t know, it seemed that something had been mentioned.
“Ah, Cobeln. They said they were heading to Cobeln!”
A young man exclaimed with a bright face, as if he had remembered.
Cobeln. I pondered for a moment.
The reason for finding them wasn’t just to see familiar faces after a long time.
The unfortunate incidents happening in this village, or perhaps other nearby villages.
Just as Chairman Markel Pavlino of the Inquisition had said, this area was already suffering from the all-out attacks of the Amadrid Catacomb.
Indirect attacks using curses and fear, rather than direct military assaults. However, their impact was even more devastating for ordinary farmers.
The fact that they had left the village, feeling suspicious enough to leave behind a holy relic, and hurriedly headed to another region, had a clear implication.
It meant that something more serious and important was happening there.
It was highly likely that it was related to the Catacomb. Or at least something of great importance to the members of the Church.
Although I hadn’t yet received direct orders from the Inquisition.
“……”
I shrugged. When had I ever cared about such things while chasing heretics?
Just as I was checking my meager belongings to prepare for immediate departure.
“Um…… Inquisitor-nim.”
The mercenary who had offered me a drink on the first day, the man named Lutz, approached me hesitantly. He seemed to have overheard the villagers’ conversation unintentionally.
“Cobeln…… I heard that name.”
He seemed to know something about the place. Or rather, he seemed to have some connection to it. Lutz hesitated and then spoke.
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