Chapter 233

Chapter 233: Back Into the Darkness

“What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍happens if a Werewolf with no intention of killing humans defeats Mona?”

They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were words he had chosen and chosen carefully, but it seemed they still sounded equally absurd.

“What ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍kind of nonsense is that? If there was a bastard like that, there’s no way we wouldn’t know.”

“They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍might have been too similar to humans for you to know. Isn’t that how we were deceived and brought here too?”

“That’s ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍because you were human, and that’s why you were deceived. In the first place, all of us are born in the cave above. There’s no way even one would be missed.”

Letting ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his words that dismissed him as talking nonsense pass through one ear, Alec looked at the surface growing distant and the black form covering it.

Perhaps because he was a little farther from fear, his head somehow felt clearer.

Of course, it might only be that he was moving away from the fear of the unknown and closer to a known fear, but either way, was fear whose source one knew not better?

Someone who had been sucked into the darkness entirely of his own will might have a slightly different opinion.

Alec turned his eyes toward the secret place far away, which had once served as the people’s refuge.

The black substance was gushing out without end, and not a single strand of the man’s hair could be seen.

But strangely, it did not seem like he would be dead.

No, when Alec thought of that calm face, it felt stranger to think he was dead instead.

“Do you remember the man who was with me today? He entered your tent with me too.”

“You mean the black-haired man? Yes, I remember him. Come to think of it, I don’t see him. Did he fall into that and die?”

The Werewolf turned his head toward the surface as if it was nothing special.

Feeling faint discomfort and familiarity at the same time at his calmness, Alec shook his head.

“No. I don’t think he is dead. He is the one who caused this situation in the first place.”

Though in the first place, he was not even human.

“That bastard called that thing here?”

The startled Werewolf turned his body toward the surface.

The black darkness had now covered the entire ground and was gradually raising its level.

After taking that unbelievable sight into his eyes, the Werewolf soon shook his head.

“No, that makes no sense. That bastard was just a human. You must have mistaken something.”

“No. I clearly saw it with my own two eyes. That person turned into a Werewolf. He looked larger and stronger than you. About as much as Archie.”

Alec did not back down from his opinion.

A person had turned into a Werewolf, and at the same time, the darkness had devoured him.

Alec remembered all of it vividly.

“Not all Werewolves are necessarily born in the cave, are they? I was taught that monsters are born in places where evil pools. ......Not that I’m saying you people are evil itself.”

Alec hurriedly added the last words and continued speaking.

“So what I mean is, couldn’t that man be a Werewolf born somewhere else? Think carefully. Wasn’t there anything strange?”

The Werewolf could not fully accept Alec’s words, but it seemed he could no longer ignore words spoken with such certainty.

“Something strange......”

As if searching his memory, the Werewolf’s eyes wandered through the air for a moment before turning back toward Alec.

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t think there was anything particularly noticeable. Aside from his eyes being a little fierce.”

Alec wore a strange expression, unable to decide whether he should be amazed that even in the eyes of a monster, the man’s impression was not particularly good, or regretful that the man’s identity had fallen completely into a maze.

“That is rather strange, actually.”

“What do you mean, rather strange?”

At the added words, Alec asked back.

The Werewolf furrowed his brow as if he himself found it difficult to find a suitable answer.

Seeing him think like that, it seemed there really was some hidden something that could not be known through a human’s senses.

Alec looked at him with eyes mixed with tension and expectation.

“For someone with such a filthy impression, he was too ordinary. That’s what I thought was strange.”

So it meant he was simply an ordinary human with an amazingly filthy impression.

“......Doesn’t that mean he doesn’t stand out?”

“There are humans like that from time to time.”

“I said he wasn’t human.”

At Alec’s stubborn reply, the man sighed.

“Fine, then let’s say that bastard is a Werewolf who secretly infiltrated. So what are you going to do? You said with your own mouth that he was already eaten by the darkness.”

“He wasn’t eaten. He called it here. And then he went inside on his own. That man clearly knew he would not die even inside it.”

“Did Archie follow the bastard into the tent?”

The Werewolf muttered as he thought of Archie, who had yet to show himself.

“Probably. Then maybe that black form actually does not have the ability to kill someone.”

“Seeing as that bastard and Archie both still have not come out, it seems it can do something similar enough.”

“......If they are not dead, we might be able to drag them back out.”

Alec said, refusing to lose.

“So? You’re going to go down and bring Archie or that bastard out? Are you going to rummage through something when you don’t even know what it is? How on earth?”

At the Werewolf’s rebuke, Alec raised his head and turned his gaze toward the edge of the cliff.

“I have seen something similar to that. Though I still do not know what it is.”

Following Alec’s gaze, the Werewolf raised his head and widened his eyes.

“......Are you saying it is similar to the cave’s darkness?”

“Werewolves and humans who have not killed people could pass through the darkness, right?”

Perhaps because of the tension, his voice came out like a whisper, but fortunately, the other party was a monster whose hearing was several times better than a human’s.

“......Yes, but no one knows whether the darkness below works the same way. It might not let anything pass and may simply eat us.”

“We can try it at least once before facing them.”

“But......”

“I am not saying this because I plan to throw away my life. I do not intend to do that like Naria. Because I will definitely live and meet her again.”

Alec cut off his words.

“And when I meet Naria again, I don’t want to tell her that I used your comrades as shields to save myself and got out. Can’t we do it?”

He was speaking as if asking for agreement, but in truth, the other party’s opinion did not matter.

Even if he said no, Alec intended to shake him off and jump down.

Perhaps the Werewolf too read the firmness inside his words, because he let out a great sigh.

“Fine. But I will tell the others that if it takes more than half a day, they should send the humans outside the cave according to the original plan.”

“The others?”

Alec asked back in surprise.

Because it was no different from saying he would follow him into the darkness.

“Yes. If one human goes, it is right that one Werewolf goes too. Just like the darkness in the cave, that thing may also have different rules that apply to humans and Werewolves.”

At the unexpected companion, Alec felt gratitude, apology, and relief.

Though he had spoken solemnly, it was not as if he was not afraid to walk into the darkness on his own feet.

“Um, thank you. For now, and for saving my life earlier too.”

As soon as the Werewolf briefly set him down on the edge of the cliff, Alec hurriedly conveyed the gratitude he had put off until now.

The Werewolf, who stared at him as he awkwardly gave thanks, raised the corner of his mouth.

“You don’t have to be too grateful. If it gets dangerous, I’ll leave you behind and come out right away.”

It was probably sincere, but it did not put even a small crack in the emotion Alec felt.

Alec briefly watched as he handed the woman hanging over his opposite shoulder to another Werewolf, then soon lowered his head and looked down at the blinding black darkness.

If Naria found out about this, she seemed likely to get very angry.

When that time came, he intended to say firmly that someone who had risked her life as she pleased was not in a position to get angry.

When he pictured the face that would get angry without being able to say anything, his tension and fear faded.

“Let’s go. Everyone said they would wait half a day.”

The Werewolf, who had come back after finishing his words before he knew it, tapped Alec on the shoulder and spoke.

After rising from his place, Alec climbed onto his back with a much more comfortable heart.

While they climbed back down the cliff, the two did not say a single word to each other.

No one said, Are you really all right, or Would it not be better to go back, nor were there any words firming their resolve.

Like that, one monster and one human moved their feet into the darkness without hesitation.

***

The knight who had shot arrows into the plank house possessed excellent skill, compared to the bizarre choice he had made to drag the villagers away by himself.

Adol was certain that if it had been him or Naria alone, they would not have been able to take down the man this easily.

Just as the man had not expected Naria and him to charge at him this fiercely, if he had not faltered, one of the two would have been injured.

Adol left the man, who had been filled with confidence to a strange degree, to Naria and picked up the quiver hanging from the saddle of the horse he had ridden.

It was a familiar shape.

Adol brought the huge arrow he had pulled from the pillar closer to it.

Though the one he had found in Amy’s house was easily twice as large, they resembled each other to an astonishing degree.

After comparing the unusual arrowhead shape and the white fletching, Adol approached the unconscious knight.

“That’s the thing that was stuck in the pillar? It’s insanely huge.”

Naria, who had been stepping on the man’s chest as if her anger had not yet been released, asked.

“Yeah, and it looks too similar to the arrows this man brought.”

When Adol showed the two arrows, Naria opened her eyes wide, then soon strode toward the unconscious man.

Adol watched as Naria forced the man’s upper body upright without much effort.

Immediately after, Naria’s large hand covered the man’s mouth and nose at the same time.

“Kgh!!!”

A moment later, the man came to his senses with a sound like his breath was about to give out.

Naria immediately lowered her hand slightly so the man could breathe, allowing him to breathe through his nose.

But perhaps that was far from enough, because the man looked at Naria with pained eyes.

They held an appeal begging her to please let him draw in as much air as he wanted.

Without removing her hand, Naria grinned.

“From now on, you must not make a loud sound. No, just do not make any sound. Or I will suffocate you to death like this. If you understand, nod.”

The man glared at Naria for a moment as if he would tear her apart, but when Naria tried to block his nose again with an indifferent face, he immediately admitted defeat and nodded.

At that obedient reaction, Naria gave Adol a look.

Adol held up the huge arrow taken from the pillar in front of the man.

“Do you see this? It looks exactly like yours. Can you tell who its original owner is?”

Adol watched the man, who had been examining what he held out, open his eyes wide.

“I guess I know even if you don’t answer. It seems to have been made with a little more care than yours. To use something like this, it would have to be someone around the level of the master you serve, right? Was it Lord Renin?”

For some reason, this question seemed to do more than touch a nerve. It seemed to strike it.

The knight’s eyes flashed with fierce rage.

That was not all.

As if struck by lightning, he began twisting his body.

“What’s wrong with this bastard?”

Irritated by his troublesome resistance, Naria tightly gripped the knight’s shoulder and slammed him into the ground.

As he quietly looked down at him, one thing rose in Adol’s head.

“Renin...... Renin Abalan.”

“What did you say? Abalan?”

Naria, who understood Adol’s mutter through the clattering noise of armor, raised her head.

“Renin Abalan. He is the Abalan who protects this region.”

Adol continued with effort, trying not to put too much strength into his hand and snap the arrow in two.

“The God Abalan who supposedly hunts monsters using people as bait. It seems he held quite a grand hunt in this village too.”

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