The place around them was still.
“…….”
Fenric's gaze turned to the point in front of him, where the fog was filling the place.
It had been a long time since they had split into groups in the heartland, so that point must be what Siegfried referred to as the “monster’s umbilical cord.”
He wanted to know what the terrain was like there and what was behind that fog, but nothing could be seen in the thick fog.
Only a foul, suffocating smell was blocking his nose and tormenting him greatly.
“The smell is unbearable.”
One of the legionnaires who accompanied Siegfried muttered with a frown on his face.
“I don't know what exactly is in there… but I've smelled something like this before. On the battlefield. You all must know it.”
The knight's words were true. This horrific smell is exactly like what one smells on a warfield.
The smell of decaying corpses.
The smell of death.
“We have to be careful, we don't know what might come out of there.”
Siegfried said, furrowing his eyebrows at the smell, then turning to the rest of the group.
Kevin nodded lightly, then looked at Fenric.
But Fenric's gaze did not stay in one place. He quickly watched the place around him.
He was measuring the distance between him and the group that was pursuing them from behind, and was planning how to exploit the terrain to eliminate Siegfried in one fell swoop.
Fenric's goal was never to explore the Forbidden Forest.
In other words, there was no reason for him to advance until he reached the “monster’s umbilical cord.”
He just wants to kill Siegfried. no more.
(The back group is no more than 3 minutes away...)
Time is tight, but if he moves quickly, there is a high probability of success. Also, the place is close to the monster's umbilical cord, so the crime can be blamed on the monsters, and no one will suspect.
The plan was for Kevin to attack the accompanying knight, while Fenrik would behead Siegfried himself.
“…….”
The tension was evident on Kevin's face, as he watched Fenrick silently.
Not a few moments passed, until he saw... Fenric's large hand reaching his waist, gripping the hilt of his sword.
In a quick movement, Fenric sharply drew his sharpened sword.
But what happened next was surprising.
Even Siegfried himself gritted his teeth and pulled out his sword at the same moment.
"Monsters! There are monsters!!"
One of the knights shouted in a sharp voice, his scream echoing in the void.
As if it was a signal, until dozens of monsters suddenly started rushing from behind.
From a place where they felt nothing at all until the moment it appeared.
“Sir Duke!”
Kevin screamed as he saw a gargoyle charging toward Fenric.
Fenrik was about to point his sword at Siegfried, but he quickly changed his movement and plunged his sword into the chest of the gargoyle who tried to snap his neck.
Meanwhile, Siegfried, who was also fighting the monsters, turned to Fenrik, with a clear look of confusion on his face.
‘……Are monsters attacking the Duke?’
[If the Duke really has any connection to monsters, something must change. If you notice any suspicious behavior... eliminate it immediately.]
Siegfried knew that too. He knew that monsters did not attack those with a blood connection to them, or those who were monsters themselves.
But even at this moment, in addition to the gargoyle that Fenric had killed with a direct stab to the heart, the monsters continued to attack Fenric and Kevin relentlessly.
Thus, Siegfried realized the truth.
Fenric had nothing to do with monsters.
Emperor Dietrich's orders were wrong. And reaching deep into the Forbidden Forest was nothing but an unnecessary adventure.
“Fuck...”
The curse slipped from Siegfried's pressed lips.
It was not strange, even Siegfried himself had never encountered a situation like this before.
It was true that he had joined the Legion, killed a dragon at a young age, received the Holy Sword, and even spent almost his entire childhood in the Forbidden Forest… but he had never witnessed such an influx of monsters at once.
The number was very large, and their types were also amazingly diverse.
“Aaaah!!!”
Suddenly, a sharp screaming sound came from afar.
Then, not only Siegfried and his knights realized what was happening, but even Fenrik and Kevin felt the same at the same time.
The monsters of the Forbidden Forest began their attack.
“Master Duke, monsters are charging from behind...!”
It was not clear whether Fenric was indifferent to what was happening, or whether he was subtly adjusting his features, but he maintained an expressionless face. He was cutting down the monsters attacking him with deadly coldness, in a completely automatic manner.
(If the monsters have wiped out the back group, no harm done to me.)
His blood red eyes sparkled with a frightening flash.
(Since the monsters have already appeared, pinning the blame on them would be easy.)
The plan was clear.
He takes out a minimum number of monsters to ensure his safety, then immediately kills Siegfried. Afterwards, he quickly withdraws, telling the waiting legionnaire that Siegfried has been killed.
Fenric's face, as he analyzed the situation and rearranged his thoughts, bore no trace of fear or confusion.
“My lord Duke, like this we have lost our way back...!”
Siegfried said, looking at him with a worried voice.
“The only thing left for us to do is move forward. At least from that direction it doesn't look like there are monsters attacking us...”
His gaze was directed to the “monster’s umbilical cord” point, which was covered in thick fog.
“I'm going to go check on the situation over there. You should move towards me while you get rid of the monsters.”
From Siegfried's point of view, Fenrik is now on his side. Especially after he confirmed for himself that he had nothing to do with monsters.
"Good."
Fenric replied curtly.
“Do it.”
He doesn't know what awaits him in the monster's umbilical cord, but that point will definitely be a dead end.
Stupid Siegfried, by going there, was not only blocking his way back... but he was like locking himself in a closed cage.
“Kevin.”
Fenrick called Kevin's name as soon as Siegfried was out of sight.
“There…that way—aah!”
In an instant, the head of one of the Legion's knights rolled to the ground, having been cut off by Kevin's sword without hesitation.
“Master Duke, the monsters continue to attack.”
Kevin said as he approached Fenric after he got rid of the knight.
“What to do?”
“How many headed to the east and northeast a little while ago?”
Fenric asked while still beating the monsters advancing towards him ceaselessly.
“A third of the forces headed there. The other third is following us now. The last third has been placed on alert near the dead tree in case of any emergency.”
“If they were attacked by monsters, they would probably head north as well.”
“Yes, especially the northeast. There is no way back there except a small path that leads directly to the village, and they will not be able to use it to avoid a bigger mess.”
“You, fend off the monsters coming after me.”
"Okay."
Kevin answered briefly, moving to stand behind Fenric, who carelessly wiped the blood off his sword, then began walking again.
Northward, toward the monster's umbilical cord...where Siegfried had gone.
—
Apparently, Vidar was not lying, as along the way he showed her, Preseppe did not encounter anyone.
No humans, no monsters.
However, as you progress further, you begin to encounter an unexpected obstacle.
“The smell... of rot...”
She said while holding her nose, her face frowning severely, and a slight prick came out of it.
It was the worst smell she had ever smelled in her life.
(What is there, I wonder...?)
“…….”
Prisippi was holding her breath as long as she could, forced to keep walking.
The narrow path that Vidar had shown her did not last long, and she ended up in front of a high cliff, covered by thick clouds of fog.
(This place sounds ominous to anyone...)
She paused, an instinctive feeling of unease sweeping over her.
Then, I heard a strange sound coming from below.
It was like a boiling sound, or perhaps a mysterious moan that cannot be described accurately...
[North of the Forbidden Forest. The monster's umbilical cord. There is where I saw the Demon King for the last time.]
Yes...you have come this far, there is no going back now.
Precipi held her trembling hand, wet with cold sweat, and very slowly approached the edge of the cliff to look down.
“M…”
What she saw was not what she could have expected at all.
“What the hell is this?”
Below the cliff, the scene looked like a hellish painting from an old book.
Boiling red mud that looked like blood, and scattered pieces of monster bodies were still forming there. Intestines, severed heads, broken limbs, and sharp fangs...
Above her violet eyes fixed on that inferno, a giant griffon that had been embedded in the mud rose, emitting turbulent bubbles as it flew upwards.
(This is where monsters are born.)
Only now, I understand why this place is called “the monster’s umbilical cord.”
…So was the Demon King being killed and resurrected here again and again as Vidar said? Even if his head was cut off, he would come back to life...
But she did not see any human form, only the heads of monsters and great wings that had not yet fully developed, their bones still exposed...
And suddenly,
“Ah, ah…!”
She heard movements coming towards her.
Prisippi panicked and ran to hide behind a huge tree at the edge of the cliff.
There, she saw Siegfried running towards her breathlessly, followed by a large group of monsters.
“……”
Siegfried was fighting with all his might, but he seemed exhausted and unable to hold on.
Slowly, he retreated step by step, until he found himself at the edge of the cliff.
"Fuck you! Go away!"
He shouted angrily as he swung his sword, cutting off the head of one of the monsters—a dolphin—and the head flew off and fell to the ground near Preseppe's feet.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Precipi reflexively screamed in terror.
In the next moment, the monsters stopped attacking Siegfried and all turned towards her, staring at her fixedly.
Even Siegfried was staring at her in shock.
But that was all. The monsters didn't attack her like they did Siegfried. I just watched her with shining eyes.
(W-What is this... Why aren't they attacking me?)
Oh, it must...
(Is it because of the monster blood running through my veins?)
But the real disaster was not the monsters... but the looks of Siegfried, who saw everything.
Anyone who saw this scene would immediately start to doubt.
With trembling eyes, Precipe's eyes met those of Siegfried, who was in shock, unable to understand what was going on.
But that didn't last long.
The monsters attacked Siegfried again, and he seemed to be trying to resist... until he finally fell from the top of the cliff to the bottom.
“B… Presibe...”
With an exhausted voice, Siegfried extended his large, wounded hand, leaning on the edge of the cliff.
His face looked in disbelief, unable to understand why Presibe was in this place… but in the end, he looked at her with hope… calling for help.
And at that moment.
Prisippi's foot alone moved, of its own accord, towards Siegfried.
(Ah, ah...!)
As if her mouth had been forced shut, she couldn't say anything.
Then, I realized the truth.
A new stressful event is about to occur.
As if the world confirmed her suspicions, a “glitch” selection window appeared before her.
[◆ Kill Siegfried.]
Only one option.