“Please, Duke Fenric.”
Despite Siegfried's pleas, Fenrik's expression did not change.
Honestly, he didn't want to relive the suffering he had gone through.
Even this time, there would be no chance of killing Siegfried, after the attack he suffered yesterday at the hands of the creatures, the forces had been greatly reduced, and the survivors would most likely all move together.
But…
[Today is exactly 999 years since the founding of the Kingdom. An order was issued to eliminate all creatures in the Western Forest.]
Dietrich's apparent excuse is to "exterminate all the creatures in the western forest."
In other words, as long as the condition of the Forbidden Forest was not precisely determined, Dietrich could order Fenrick to set off at any time, as happened this time.
Maybe this is a good opportunity for Fenric. If everything was destroyed by fire and the investigation was completed, and the condition of the creatures clearly determined, he might have reason to respond to Dietrich's pressure.
Fenric hesitated a little, then nodded approvingly and said:
“We will begin the investigation as soon as the fire is under control.”
“Thank you, Duke Fenric...”
“But you should know well, I will return to the capital as soon as the investigation is finished, and the rest you have to deal with.”
“Yes, we were going to do that anyway. No need to worry.”
This was also a good opportunity for Siegfried, who had always been obsessed with eliminating creatures due to his excessive sense of responsibility and justice.
"It's better to stay here and wait. When the fire is under control, we can quickly begin the investigation."
Fenrik gave a short sigh, then turned with a face of some annoyance, and took Presibe away from Siegfried and his companions.
“Kevin will take you back to your accommodation.”
Prisippi's face became tense as she looked at Fenric.
She could have asked him about the state of the forest after she finished investigating, but she felt like she should see for herself.
In addition, she did not know whether this fire was part of the original “secret mode” storyline or not.
And if that's part of the story, she might as well go off on her own.
If the Demon King was still in the Forbidden Forest, he might not appear in front of others, but he would likely appear in front of the heroine herself.
“Duke Fenric, I want to go with you.”
Fenric expressed surprise at Prisippi's statement, and frowned slightly.
“Madam Prisippi, as you saw yesterday, the Forbidden Forest is dangerous. We don’t know what might happen.”
“But Duke Fenric, you saw that the creatures did not attack me.”
Presippi replied in a low voice:
“I promise not to be a burden to you.”
Although she felt guilty towards Fenric, she had no choice.
All she has is that the Demon King's headquarters is in the Western Forest, and the deadline for the event is known, so time is tight.
Also, since it carries the blood of the creatures, it should not be attacked, like it happened yesterday.
Of course, she should move with Siegfried, but she felt annoyed by the chivalric glances as they whispered about her.
But now is not the time to think about that.
"please."
“….”
“Duke Fenric...”
“Why do you insist on this so much?”
Fenric paused for a moment, then looked at her curiously and asked:
“Is it because of your father?”
In the end, the only excuse was Nidhogg's, and she couldn't tell him about the Devil King or the necessity of finding the true hero.
Prisippi nodded, and Fenric sighed again.
The forest is dangerous, but Prisippi was right, she would not be attacked, and even if something happened, she would likely come out unscathed.
What really worried Fenric was something else.
Siegfried.
But Siegfried, too, was alert. Even without Fenric and Kevin, there were soldiers and knights, so the possibility of Prisippi being subjected to any harassment was very slim.
However…
“….”
In Fenric's red eyes reflected Presippi's pleading face, and her soft little hands holding his arm.
There was no reason on which Fenric could refuse her request.
If she's really asking for it, you must respond.
—
A full half-day passed before the fire finally subsided.
But it didn't go out completely, it seemed to die down because there was nothing to burn anymore.
The forest that was covered in dense greenery completely disappeared, replaced by a pitch-black, black-filled blackness, where there was no trace of any life.
As Siegfried expected, some creatures escaped from the forest, but they were in such a bad condition that it was easy to eliminate them.
Presibe saw winged creatures flying through the thick smoke.
I wondered where these creatures were going, were they escaping to find a new home?
She didn't know. All she heard was Siegfried's voice muttering that they had sent warnings to the villages in the direction of the creatures that had escaped.
Prisippi, Fenric, Kevin, Siegfried, and his knights arrived at the Forbidden Forest at sunset.
“Be careful, there are still areas with burning embers.”
Although the fire had died down, there were the remains of smoldering trees, as well as half-burnt carcasses of animals and creatures.
Prisippi advanced cautiously, Fenric guarding her closely, as well as Kevin.
Fortunately or unfortunately, until they reached the center of the forest, they had only encountered a few living creatures, and only saw corpses piled up.
Siegfried insisted on the original plan: examine the creatures' nest and then head to the Cave of Silence.
The reason he wanted to inspect the nest is obvious.
Although they assumed that most of the creatures in the forest were dead, the continued birth of new creatures could cause them great trouble.
Now that the forest has burned, creatures may soon attack the village.
But that just seemed like an unwarranted worry.
Although the smell of rot was still strong in the nest, the scene was completely different from what he had seen yesterday.
“It looks like it's boiling.”
As Kevin said, the swamp under the cliff was boiling and spewing smoke.
The entrails and pieces of flesh of the monsters, which were supposed to safely regain their natural form, were floating ripe on the surface of the water.
He heard the sound of vomiting from some of the Guard Knights, and Fenric spoke in a dry voice.
“At least no new creatures will be born for a while.”
His words were not wrong.
“We must move quickly. The Knight Commander has never visited the Cave of Silence before, and there is no point in wasting time.”
Siegfried agreed, plugged his nose and ordered the knights to move.
—
As Fenric walked, Presibe looked out at the boiling swamp and billowing smoke one last time.
[Maybe he found a way to disappear. As far as I know, he had put a lot of effort into it.]
Did the Devil King really die… like that?
'This is a lie...'
No, we have not yet examined the place of silence...
Presibe tried to control herself, but her anxiety increased.
She had a hunch that something was very wrong.
—
When they arrived at the Cave of Silence in the west of the Forbidden Forest where the Devil King was said to reside,
Her intuition peaked.
“Very quiet...”
Fenric muttered in a low voice as he looked into the dark cave, from which he could only see his mouth open like the mouth of a monster, and the inside was dark and nothing could be seen from it.
And what he said was true.
In this isolated cave deep in the western forest, there was no movement or sound.
Only faint white smoke rose from the black burnt earth.
“—“
Precipi, who was trembling with anxiety, unconsciously grabbed Fenric's wrist.
Fenric looked at her for a moment, then offered her a handkerchief.
“Cover your nose and mouth.”
Fenric made sure she did so, then grabbed her hand tightly, drawing his sword with the other.
Siegfried, who was also nervous, grabbed his sword and slowly they entered the cave together.
But there was nothing to greet them.
Only white smoke fills the black, burning earth and does not go outside.
“—“
Presibe stars into the empty cave, her eyes look empty.