Chapter 13
Karl frowned slightly.
Yet another new set of guide windows popped up like mushrooms after rain. The sudden pop-ups in front of his eyes made him feel a little distanced from reality.
‘Did it go up that much?’
Karl had trained every single day, and his sense of his own physical capabilities had long surpassed that of any ordinary person.
He could feel the stat increase from the earlier ssage window breathing new strength into his body.
Karl stretched and moved around, checking the improvents in his physical condition.
“Good.”
The surge of power that ca with the increased stats was satisfying. Karl checked the next guide window.
[Mission: Confirm the darkness lurking behind the continent. (Linked Mission. Progress 5% upon completing the first linked quest)]
Whether it was a forced quest or not, Karl didn’t mind achieving a 5% progress. If he did twenty of these, wouldn’t that be 100%?
‘Still… humans turning into beasts, huh.’
Karl had never seen anything like it. Sothing strange was happening on the West Continent.
Thinking back to Dalton’s last words before his death, it seed like those beast-transforming individuals were part of so kind of organization. With that in mind, he couldn’t take the 5% progress lightly.
As Karl wiped off the blood on his blade and sheathed it, a commotion stirred nearby.
“Move in! Move in!”
The noisy group entering the estate were clearly soldiers from the domain. And at their front stood a knight.
“…”
The knight scanned the estate, littered with blood and corpses, until his gaze locked with Karl’s.
Gulp.
The domain’s knight instantly realized—the entire Dalton Knight Order was dead. And the man in front of him had done it all.
“Did you… kill them all by yourself?”
nod
At Karl’s nod, the knight gulped again. He had brought twenty soldiers with him. Only one knight—himself.
But the man who had just defeated the entire Dalton Knight Order alone stood before him. He was quick-witted.
“I am Joseph Bolton, Senior Knight of Dinston. Please state your na.”
“Karl. Free Knight.”
The simple self-introduction only made sweat bead on Joseph’s back.
“Are they all… dead?”
“So it seems.”
“…Why?”
“They tried to kill .”
At Karl’s calm response, Joseph swallowed again.
“Dalton?”
“He’s dead. Turned into a monster.”
When Karl tilted his head slightly toward Dalton, Joseph followed his gaze.
Indeed, the body lying there was no longer human.
Covered in gray fur and split in half, it could only be described as a monster.
“…Would you be willing to co with us? This is a serious incident between a Free Knight and a knight order within the domain. And Dalton’s corpse… it’s horrific. Dear gods, what even is that? This seems like sothing we must report to the Holy See.”
This ti, Karl shook his head.
Joseph closed his eyes tightly, then reopened them and said what he had to.
“Please cooperate. Otherwise, I will… I will have to place you under arrest.”
“On what grounds?”
“Dalton was a citizen of this domain, and the leader of a knight order. As mangled as he is now, sothing clearly went wrong here… He was also tied to the Alcantara Knights. We're in a difficult position too, so I ask you sincerely.”
“Very well.”
This ti, Karl nodded without resistance. It wasn’t a matter he could brush aside.
Especially not with Dalton having turned into a monster. There might be valuable information to glean from the domain's higher-ups.
“Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll ensure you’re treated with the utmost respect.”
Joseph was fully aware: if they fought, this man could potentially slaughter them all.
‘Where in the world did he co from…’
Joseph wished he could dump this matter on soone else once they got back to the castle.
But among those newly recruited to the domain five years ago, Joseph was the most capable when it ca to both combat and administration.
In the past, there had been competent retainers, but he had only heard rumors that they never returned from the Holy War in the East Continent.
‘Karl? Did he say Karl? Never heard of him. But there’s no way he’s just so unknown. That’s impossible.’
He had to be as careful as possible. With sidelong glances, Joseph began escorting Karl toward the baron’s estate.
***
The baron’s office, fitting for a domain with wealth, was grand and classically styled.
Inside, a man in the finest silk clothing couldn’t keep still—pacing anxiously.
“Haah…”
He put his hands behind his back, then bit down on a pipe, sat down, then stood up again.
“Why in the world would you bring soone so dangerous into the estate?!”
“…My lord, please think carefully. This is Dalton we’re talking about—he bragged about his ties to the Alcantara Knights.
If we let soone involved in his death just walk away, what do you think will happen?
And the corpse… the one I saw… it was a monstrous hybrid, part human, part beast.
I was uneasy bringing sothing so unholy into the estate, so I had it left nearby in a cart.
You can check it yourself.
Once word gets out, the Holy See might send an inquisitor or Holy Knights.
What will you say when they arrive?”
“Yes, that’s a problem too…! Ugh, my head! Nothing but headaches since those Dalton bastards ca to my land!”
Joseph frowned behind the baron’s head.
‘When you were laughing over all the money extorted from the people and shady gifts with unknown origins…’
Baron Nopak Dinston sensed a strange gaze and looked up.
“What? You have sothing to say?”
“…Nothing at all, sir.”
“Good. Then… have the soldiers guard that monster’s corpse carefully. And what about that Free Knight? What’s he doing now?”
“I’ve provided him a guest room.”
“What were you thinking, putting soone that dangerous in a guest room?!”
“Would you prefer a prison cell? For a man who just butchered thirty knights?”
“…No, of course not… Of course not.”
The baron backed down with a wince, and Joseph felt a small sense of satisfaction.
“I’ve prepared letters to both the Alcantara Knights and the Church. I’ll send them if you approve.”
“Well done. As expected of our domain’s Senior Knight.”
In truth, nearly all major affairs in the domain were handled by Joseph, not the baron. All the baron did was approve Joseph’s decisions and enjoy hunting and feasting.
“Please do not provoke him, my lord.
It’s possible he’s from one of the major knight orders or… even an inquisitor on a covert mission.”
At Joseph’s words, the baron’s face turned pale.
If Karl was an inquisitor, they could all be branded heretics and executed for consorting with monsters.
“Oh Lord, why must You test
so…”
“…”
Standing beside him, Joseph glanced at Baron Nopak and swallowed once before speaking.
“Isn’t it about ti for breakfast, my lord?”
“Hm? Breakfast? What are you talking about?”
“You said so yourself, didn’t you, my lord? That you would dine with him… You gave the order to have it prepared as soon as he arrived. Have you already forgotten?”
“I did? What was I thinking…”
Judging by Nopak’s expression, it was clear—he hadn’t been paying attention and had casually blurted out sothing about breakfast while only half-listening to Joseph.
“…If you won’t attend, I can go in your stead. But I wonder if it might offend him.”
Joseph subtly stoked the baron’s anxiety.
“Hmph…! Who said I wasn’t going? Of course I’ll go. I most certainly should… must, even…”
With a miserable look, Baron Nopak made his way toward the dining room. As the doors opened, he steadied his trembling legs and entered.
‘They say you can’t even count how many people he’s killed…’
That was sothing Joseph had just told him. One glance into the man’s eyes, and you knew—they were the eyes of soone who could kill without a hint of emotion.
Shff.
Inside the dining room, a man was already waiting. As he raised his head and their eyes t, Nopak froze on the spot.
Gulp.
Baron Nopak unconsciously brought his hand to his neck.
“My lord, are you feeling unwell?”
Joseph, noticing the baron acting strangely, quickly voiced his concern.
“O-of course… I’m perfectly fine. It’s a pleasure. I am Baron Nopak Dinston.”
“Thank you for the hospitality. Karl, Free Knight.”
Even though he was dealing with a baron, Karl observed only the bare minimum of courtesy. Even after his brief introduction, Nopak continued to absentmindedly rub his neck.
“Sir Karl… haven’t we t before?”
At Nopak’s words, Karl’s emotionless eyes locked with his once more. And then Nopak felt a mory stir—one he’d rather not recall.
“How… Why are you here…?”
His mutter was quieter than a mosquito's hum, and no one else heard it. But Karl, sohow, caught it. As their eyes t, his index finger rose subtly—then lowered just as quietly, unseen by anyone else.
[Baron Nopak, this is no longer viable. We’re running out of water.]
[We’ve strayed too far from the main force. Considering the number of heretics swarming this region… If we encounter them, it’ll already be too late!]
The image flashed through Nopak’s mind like a lightning strike—an unwanted mory.
“My lord, are you alright? You don’t look well.”
Joseph was quick to catch the shift in Nopak’s deanor.
“I’m fine.”
Everyone present could tell that wasn’t true.
“If you're unwell, perhaps you should rest.”
“Yes… that may be best. I’m sorry to impose on a guest like this, but I’m not feeling well… Please, enjoy your al.”
Nopak left the table, leaving his untouched at still on the plate.
[Aaaaaagh! Help ! Help!]
[This is all your fault! How many tis did I warn you?! Why didn’t you listen?! Why?!]
He thought he could hear their screams echoing in his ears. Voices of bla pierced his mind as well. As he walked, the intense headache made him clutch at his head.
“You still haven’t escaped it, have you?”
A quiet voice ca from behind. Nopak quickly turned around.
“You won’t, not until the day you die…”
“Still just as blunt. Why the guilt all of a sudden?”
“I like money. But that doesn’t an I’m a lunatic who enjoys the screams of those who die because of .”
The man who had once seed so shallow and foolish now looked like an entirely different person.
He looked exhausted.
“That day… I should’ve listened to the other commanders. There were experienced subordinates who warned , too.
Soone like , who didn’t know a thing about war, blinded by ambition—I should never have made that call.”
“…”
Karl said nothing as Nopak continued his confession.
“If it weren’t for you that day, the hundred n who followed
would’ve all been wiped out. Myself included.”
Still, Karl gave no response.
“Even then, you didn’t treat
like a criminal. I’m grateful. If there's anything you need, just ask. If it’s in my hands, I’ll give it.”
“…There are a few things I’m curious about. But… get so rest for now.”
“….”
As Karl’s voice trailed off, Baron Nopak made his way to his quarters. In his mind, the sandstorm of the desert and the charging heretic cavalry flashed vividly. And the screams of his n being trampled underfoot echoed just behind.
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