Chapter 57

Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong – the sound of a drum echoes. This is the heartbeat within.

Kwoong, kwoong, kwoong, kwoong, kwoong – the earth-shaking sounds resound. This is the noise of reality.

With confidence, I swing open the door and step out, only to see hulking beasts gathering from all sides, their shoulders flexed with power. The ground shakes as if an earthquake has struck.

“Whoa, what a sight! What a sight!”

Thankfully, there’s no sign of any King-class monsters. If even one King-level beast had been among them, I’d have had to run for my life. But maybe at that level, Black Wyverns are considered less than flies.

Kuaaaak-!

These aren’t allies. They’re more like competitors. Just like how the demons gathered a hundred years ago to fight over Langwang Aru.

Naturally, when they charge forward and collide, they end up fighting amongst themselves countless times. Thus, the area around Beatrix’s house has turned into utter chaos.

Monsters, lured by the scent of Black Wyvern blood, are wildly battling each other in droves—hundreds of them.

While I enjoy such chaotic battlefields, the main characters on this stage are me and Beatrix. These others are merely disposable extras. Pulling out a white mask, I place it over my face and approach the battlefield.

Jjerubek-.

Glancing back momentarily, I notice Beatrix standing at the door, gripping her Greatsword. She holds the weapon’s handle with both hands, its blade firmly planted upright on the ground—a Holy Knight’s stance.

“Did you summon these creatures?”

“I needed to set the stage.”

“It doesn’t seem like you could kill all of them alone, right?”

“Of course not! That’s your job, Lord!”

“Nonsense. I don’t fight.”

“Hehe, then why did you come out? Why not stay inside?”

Wimchil-.

“I-I just came out to watch.”

“With that ferocious Greatsword in hand, you mean you won’t fight?”

“…It’s a habit, that’s all. I have no intention of fighting.”

Beatrix bites her lower lip as she speaks. Her brown hair, tied tightly behind her, trembles slightly.

“Haha, good. Anyway, I’m going to fight, so you just sit back and enjoy the show!”

With those words, I leapt toward the battlefield. A refreshing breeze ruffles my collar.

Beatrix’s heartbeat rings clear. Her once impenetrable resolve is beginning to crumble. Smiling slyly beneath my mask, I dive headfirst into the heart of the fray.

******

Thud-thud-.

An indescribable thrill gripped Beatrix, causing her to bite her lip.

She felt uneasy. Her body itched with restlessness.

It started when she played chess with Oscar. More specifically, after she was overturned and defeated.

Watching him leap solo into enemy ranks, darting east and west, sweeping across the battlefield like a queen.

His majestic presence left Beatrix breathless, her heart pounding rapidly.

In that moment, she even found herself admiring a mere chess piece. So captivated was Beatrix by the queen’s grandeur.

Four years ago, after that tragic day, she entered Demon Forest to live quietly, shedding all distractions.

But now, thanks to a mysterious demon who calls himself a magician, all her suppressed desires were unraveling.

‘Did I truly want to become a knight? Father’s love was secondary. Was I simply enthusiastic about combat itself?’

After losing at chess and listening to Oscar’s clever rhetoric,

Beatrix reflected on her life. And gradually realized the truth.

That Oscar’s words were true. All this time, she had been flailing in her own self-created delusions.

But so what?

Regardless of the truth, regardless of her innermost feelings.

She was a Holy Knight deceived by a demon, the child who stabbed her father’s heart.

She committed unforgivable sins. How could someone like her ever pick up a sword again just because of fleeting desires?

-Even while thinking this.

When Oscar stepped outside, Beatrix followed him, clutching her Greatsword tightly.

Her heart raced. Swallowing hard, Beatrix tried to steady herself.

A base desire welled up within her—to immediately throw herself into the battlefield before her, cleaving through the monsters’ flesh and blood. And then, to bask in the familiar gaze of fear that would surely follow.

But a Holy Knight restrains their primal instincts with reason. Clenching her teeth, Beatrix firmly planted her sword into the ground despite her trembling hands. Her endurance wouldn’t falter easily.

And so, as Beatrix stood frozen, unsure whether to act or not,

Oscar was already mid-leap onto the battlefield, his white cloak billowing dramatically. Into the midst of giants clashing and smashing.

‘Spade Ace.’

The first opponent Oscar faced was a troll several times his size, carrying a tree-sized club larger than a human being.

As soon as Oscar pushed off the ground, he appeared in front of the troll before it could react. Mid-air, Oscar stomped lightly on nothingness and hurled the Spade Ace card like a spear.

Pwooook-!

The power of the card was immense. A violet mana burst forth from the Spade Ace, forming a spear that pierced straight through the troll’s skull. Shards of the troll’s body splattered everywhere.

However, trolls are infamous for their regenerative and recovery abilities, allowing them to fight endlessly. The shattered head began to squirm, attempting to revert to its original form.

Seeing this, Oscar drew another card without hesitation, smoothly transitioning as if water flowed naturally.

‘Heart 8. Fiery passion of love.’

The Heart card in Oscar’s hand erupted in crimson flames, which quickly transferred to the spear lodged where the troll’s head should be.

Wharrlek-!

The flames spread like wildfire, consuming everything they touched. Wherever the fire reached, the troll’s skin failed to regenerate. Writhing in searing pain, the troll let out a windpipe-less scream through sheer vocal cords.

Using the giant troll’s body as kindling, towering flames shot skyward, visible to everyone. The rampage of the flames drew the attention of all the monsters present.

Kwoong-.

The troll, unable to regenerate, collapsed helplessly onto the ground. Standing atop the fallen creature was the small demon, clad in pristine white robes, hat, and cape.

Grrrrr-.

CROOOOAAARR-!

Though small in stature, his aura was anything but ignorable. Moments ago, he was disregarded, but now he was clearly no longer to be underestimated. The monsters at the scene fell into a brief calm.

Initially driven mad by the scent of Black Wyvern blood, they had charged recklessly. But now, the death of the troll made them realize something important: they too could die in this fight.

Moreover, this fight wasn’t about the Black Wyvern’s blood anymore. The one who survived until the end would claim the mana of all present.

The brief calm didn’t eliminate the tension. Hundreds of beasts sized each other up from all directions, assessing who was stronger and who might be prey.

“Hey! You guys calmed down way too fast after all the chaos I set up!”

The small demon broke the peace. Leaping into the air, he dashed toward an Owl Bear nearby.

The Owl Bear, with its owl face and bear body, stands nearly three meters tall. Small among the beasts but powerful enough to survive in Demon Forest. Yet Oscar showed no hesitation.

Reacting instinctively, the Owl Bear swung a massive punch at the suddenly appearing demon. Twirling in mid-air, Oscar narrowly dodged the attack and thrust his Magic Staff into the Owl Bear’s eye.

And shouted:

“Lightning!”

Zzzziiip-!

Intense electricity surged from the staff, piercing the eye and reaching deep into the brain.

The shock of the blinding white light overwhelmed the Owl Bear’s mind. Soon after, its brain fried black, the Owl Bear collapsed like the earlier troll.

Kuaaaaaaak-!

KYAAAAAAAK-!

At that moment, the beasts instinctively realized something. That the smallest demon was the most dangerous competitor here.

He swiftly subdued two formidable beasts. If the chaos continued, they would likely meet the same fate one by one.

“Oh, did everyone decide to team up? Smart move!”

As if by unspoken agreement, the beasts united and charged en masse at the small demon. Some still snuck attacks from behind, but they all recognized the tiny demon as the greatest threat and acted accordingly.

Kooonk-kooonk-kooonk-!

The little demon didn’t flinch. Instead, he boldly unleashed indiscriminate attacks on them all. Darting here and there, taunting and killing the beasts with his diminutive frame.

Sparks flew everywhere. The flames exhaled by the beasts met the flames conjured by Oscar, causing explosions.

Every time Oscar’s Magic Staff flashed, lightning struck. Any monster hit on the head was mostly incinerated from the inside out.

Oscar never stayed in one place. Using his small size to his advantage, he darted between the legs of the monsters, turning their attacks against each other. The more this happened, the angrier the monsters became, focusing their attacks solely on Oscar.

The spectacle of one lone figure commanding a horde of monsters.

From a distance, someone watched this scene with a strange excitement.

Former Holy Knight Beatrix Constantino. Determined never to spill blood again, her trembling grip on her Greatsword betrayed her emotions.

It was beautiful.

The sight of the white-cloaked figure weaving through hundreds of beasts, leading the battle.

Barely one man holding his own against hundreds. To Beatrix, it felt oddly familiar.

The face of her deceased father kept flashing before her eyes, restraining her sword.

The noose of guilt tightened around Beatrix’s neck, disrupting her breathing.

‘No, stop wavering… Am I truly this weak-willed?! Endure!’

Poww-!

“Kuh!”

A boulder hurled from among the beasts slammed into Oscar. For the first time, he allowed an effective hit and tumbled across the ground.

Witnessing this, Beatrix flinched violently.

‘How could he get hit by such a trivial attack!? If it were me, if it were me!’

If it were me, I would’ve split that rock in half and unleashed an energy wave dozens of meters wide on the beasts—.

With a single strike, driving many monsters to the brink of death, severing their flesh and bones—.

Then, realizing they faced an insurmountable opponent, the monsters would shiver in fear and flee—.

If it were me in his place—.

“Stop holding back!”

“…!”

CRROOOOOAAARR-!

Rising to his feet using his cane-like knee, Oscar shouted.

“Do what you truly want to do! Are you really going to let that Greatsword you’ve meticulously maintained rot forever!?”

Beatrix’s brown irises flickered.

“A warrior fights! Inflicting bloody ruin upon reckless foes! Achieving glorious victory in great battles! That’s what a warrior is!”

“…!”

“There are people whose blood runs with the spirit of warriors! Leading wars to victory, bringing prosperity to allies! But showing merciless coldness to enemies! Heroes of war revered by all! Warriors blessed by the god of war, born to fight!”

Another attack from the beasts soared toward Oscar, but he quickly rolled out of the way. Despite the potential for his voice to waver, Oscar continued loudly.

“But knights are different! Knights are restrained! Serving their lord, guarding the seven virtues, drawing their swords for righteous justice! That’s the duty of a knight!”

“…!”

“Knights fight for their lord! Knights win for their lord! But Beatrix! Your lord is already dead! Can a knight without a lord still be called a knight? Huh?”

“Th-that….”

“Beatrix Constantino! Answer me!”

Loudly, very loudly.

“Are you a knight, or a warrior?”

Beatrix’s head hung low, staring at the ground as if harboring some shameful thought, nibbling her lower lip. Her neatly clenched fists trembled.

“…I.”

At that moment.

A lurking ghoul took its chance and leaped toward Beatrix.

Weaker compared to the titans battling in the forest’s center, the ghoul had noticed the scent of wyvern blood emanating from inside the house and circled back to approach the house wall.

But at the doorway stood a human woman wielding a greatsword, blocking its path, and the ghoul had been waiting patiently, hidden.

Sensing the woman’s loosened vigilance during the demon’s prolonged cries, it seized the opportunity to ambush her.

Clearly intending to silently dispatch the seemingly weakest human woman, infiltrate the house for sustenance, and escape unnoticed.

“Loudly! Louder! Isn’t it written in the Holy Knight’s code that you admire! Speak whenever, wherever, confidently and proudly!”

“I am-!!”

But the moment the human woman raised her voice louder than ever before.

The ghoul realized.

Something was wrong.

But what could it do?

Already committed to pouncing on the woman.

“I want to fight-!”

SHWAAAAAHH-!

The blade tip, which had been planted in the ground moments ago, gleamed with golden light under the heavens.

The ghoul’s body split cleanly in half. Subsequently, a fierce gust of sword qi scattered its remains into fragments that soared into the sky.

KWAHHHHH-!

A short yet decisive strike. Nevertheless, its aftermath refused to fade. The air currents generated by the sword strike shook the mountains, rivers, grass, and trees. The fierce vortex reduced the ghoul to dust, leaving no trace.

“……….”

An oppressive silence descended upon the battlefield. A silence entirely different from the brief pause earlier caused by the small demon.

The shocked eyes of the monsters darted around rapidly. One blow was enough for them to fully grasp the chasm between themselves and the human woman. Several monsters, their legs weakening, stumbled backward and fell.

SHIIIIIICK-!

Beatrix vanished. Moments later, she reappeared amidst the monsters. Gripping her Greatsword tightly with both hands, she pulled it back forcefully and swung it mightily.

“I wish to drench my blade in red blood-!”

CHOOOOOOOSH-!

Pure white light and deep darkness exploded simultaneously. The circular sword pressure pulverized dozens of monsters.

“I want to receive the gaze of the enemy-! A gaze clouded by broken morale and despair-!”

Each word from Beatrix thundered like rolling thunder. The intact eardrums of the monsters not struck by the sword pressure tore apart.

“I want to bestow defeat upon the enemy-! To achieve a great victory-! And thereby indulge in the sweet authority and honor that follows-!”

Half of the Greatsword glowed with dark energy, the other with bright light, slicing through space as it advanced. Ten streams of energy rose, bisecting a hundred monsters.

“I yearn to be revered and uplifted by the world-! A status no one can casually trespass-!”

Beatrix was unstoppable, like a runaway train. Every time her sword rose high, the heads of the monsters rolled on the ground.

Trees were uprooted, the earth completely overturned, reducing the area to scorched wasteland. Too powerful, the monsters dared not even attempt to flee, trembling in fear before Beatrix’s overwhelming prowess.

Amidst this surreal spectacle, Beatrix raised her Greatsword high into the sky and roared.

“That’s right-! I am a warrior-! How can I call myself a knight when I lost the lord I should have served-!”

HOOOOONG-!

Beatrix’s sword was drawn back once more. Sensing the impending storm of sword strikes, the monsters instinctively recoiled.

“But… Even so, though I may possess the savage nature of a warrior… Can’t I still hope for something?”

“What do you hope for? Tell me! I need to know!”

“Knight-! I want to be a knight-! I desire honorable battles, battles governed by decorum and prestige-! As a knight, I wish to serve my own lord-! To swear allegiance as my lord’s sword-!”

KWAHHHHH-!

Dark obsidian and radiant light descend upon the land. Beatrix slashed downward from above, vanishing dozens of lives in an instant.

Having long lost their will to fight, the monsters dared not oppose Beatrix. Ecstatic exhilaration swelled within Beatrix’s heart, yet she felt no joy.

This was hollow emotion, the barbaric pleasure of a warrior incapable of becoming a knight.

“Then I’ll make you a knight! Beatrix!”

“Rubbish! I’m the knight who killed her lord!! How can someone who lost the qualifications of a knight ever regain them?? Do you even know who I am-!!”

Roaring furiously, Beatrix. Oscar’s persuasion was undoubtedly sweet, but the noose of conscience still tightened around Beatrix’s neck.

“I don’t desire such tragedies-! I don’t want to witness my lord die again-! Or foolishly cut down my own lord again-! Who would dare take me as their lord-!”

“Want a lord? Then I’ll be yours! Follow me!”

“Enough nonsense-!”

Rather, rather, if only her father had struck her down then.

Even in death, perhaps she could introduce herself proudly as a knight in the afterlife.

“Because I dreamed of being a knight, I wanted to serve a lord-!”

Raising her sword overhead, Beatrix swept it in a wide arc. The demonic force and holy power extending outward mercilessly bisected the massive beasts.

“Because I dreamed of being a knight, I sought to follow angels and lords-!”

Beatrix plunged her sword into the ground. Moments later, the earth violently shook as hundreds of dark tendrils erupted, instantly slaying all the monsters gathered in the vicinity. Every last breath of every monster present was extinguished.

“Because I dreamed of being a knight, I hoped to ascend to heaven-! But ultimately, my final destination became Demon Forest-!!”

After soaking her blade in fresh blood for the first time in ages, the Greatsword slowly returned to its scabbard, only to point its end toward the last surviving entity on this battlefield of slaughter.

“Could someone like me ever become your lord…?”

The sword wept bitterly.

Creating a sea of blood moments ago, yet now the creator of that carnage shed tears—an odd contrast indeed.

But as a knight, Beatrix’s dignity had plummeted to rock bottom. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Who would appoint as a knight someone who killed their own lord? She knew she could never become a knight, even if reborn a thousand times.

However, defying all expectations, the small demon, dressed immaculately in pure white from head to toe,

Staring directly at the shadow cast by the sword pointed at him, spread his arms wide,

And cheerfully proclaimed to the disheartened warrior with a mask devoid of shadows:

“Me!”

“….”

“I will embrace you!”

“…!”

“Beatrix Constantino! You, the knight who killed her lord! I, Oscar, declare I will embrace you!”

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