CH 47

The procession of Holy Knights stopped at Rycallion’s entrance.

The city beyond that didn’t appear to be anything special. Even the magical beasts that flew through the sky were missing.

Yet, there was no smoke coming from any of the chimneys. The sense of incongruity scared my spine.

“We’ll form up from here.”

As he jumped down off the saddle, Ian, who was riding just in front of my carriage, exclaimed.

The Holy Knights immediately dismounted and formed a rank. Ian gave them the order with a blank expression on his face.

“Remember, the bastards have wings. Keep your eyes on the sky and don’t give grounds.”

“Yes, Commander!”

“And, Joan.”

Dame Joan took a step forward in response to Ian’s command.

“Yes, Commander, Please give me the order.”

“You were assigned to the search and rescue team.”

“…….”

Dame Joan occasionally did not answer immediately.

As he gazed up at her, her eyes widened.

“……Thank you. Commander.”

After some time had passed, Dame Joan bowed her head and responded.

Her smile was slightly relieved.

She was able to get away from the escort knights who had to stick with me and go out to find her own family.

‘That’s a relief.’

I wished Dame Joan the best of luck.

I hope you can save your family.

“…… Irene. Irene.”

Ugh. I’m surprised.

Because I was staring at Dame Joan, I didn’t hear Ian’s voice.

I returned Ian’s look of surprise.

“Yes, did you call me?”

“What are you so preoccupied with……No, that’s not the case. Come to me.”

“Yes?”

Ian nodded to the seat next to me as if it was natural.

“You’re coming with me.”

“Pardon?”

With dismay, the end of my voice shrank.

“What has surprised you? You mustn’t have expected me to leave you among the beasts without an escort knight.”

“Anyway, I was going to tell you about that.”

I walked closer to Ian and whispered.

“As I said before, I have some business to do in this nearby town. This week is important. May I go ahead and take care of the business while Ian takes care of the beasts?”

“Something to do?”

Ian lowered his gaze to mine, his eyes cold.

“Do you have a lover you left here too?”

“What? No! You’ve got everything wrong! No, it’s because I have something really important to do personally—”

“You can’t because it’s dangerous. Don’t think you’ll be able to get away from me now that you’ve come this far.”

“Ha, Haha……But, Sir Ian, aren’t you quite busy? Can someone like me hang on to your hump?”

“I’ve done a lot of practice running with a sandbag, so it’s no problem.”

Ian simply cut it out and said, There were no holes in which I could make an excuse.

Only then I was able to enter the den of beasts as a group. I hurriedly whispered.

“Even if I’m here, it won’t help!”

“Why not? The holy saintess is with me on the battlefield. Is there any other scam like this?”

What a holy saintess!

Looking around with that thought, I realized that everyone’s eyes were fixed on us.

‘…Ugh.’

I pressed my lips together, feeling a lot of pressure.

I had no choice but to accept it. For the time being, my only option is to enter the den of those beasts as a group and make plans.

“Please take good care of me so that I don’t die.”

I bowed and yielded to Ian.

I heard a chuckle from above.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you die.”

I had no choice but to put my life in the hands of that delinquent.

It’ll be okay.

I tried desperately to console myself.

Still, he should be able to protect at least one of us as the most powerful Knight Commander.

***

“Argghhh!”

I screamed as I hung on the neck of the strongest Holy Knight Commander.

A human-sized bat charged at us, and a flying one-handed sword sliced their chests open from behind.

Ian kept running without even looking at the bat beast’s carcass.

“I’m going to lose my hearing.”

Ian frowned.

I whispered frantically, clutching him even harder by the nape of his neck.

“I’m so-sorry. It’s my first time seeing this. Uhh. I think I’m going to pass out now. Ugh.”

It wasn’t a joke.

While Ian was holding me, I was breaking through Rycalion head-on.

On the outside, it appeared to be a peaceful city, but on the inside, it was chaotic.

The Balrog with huge horns and wings.

Those creatures that were said to be made of hatred and disorder came rushing at us from all directions as if they were going to tear us apart at any moment.

‘This is a 4D game. This is a 4D game.’

I tried my best to brainwash myself but to no avail.

My whole body froze at the horrifying squeal of the beast that resonated in my ears.

“Ughhhh.”

Ian adjusted my hugging position as if it bothered him.

“It’ll be shortly.”

“Re-really. I’ll trust you. I trust you.”

Please put an end to this horror……!

A pure white building in the city’s center stood out shortly after.

‘It’s a cathedral.’

We had arrived at our destination.

I was about to be relieved when my eyes popped open wide.

When I looked closely, I could see black magicians escorting the beast around the church.

“Wha-what do we do now?”

Even if there were a large number of beasts, there were too many.

Unlike me, who was in a panic, Ian placed his order with a puzzled but inconspicuous expression.

“Pave the way.”

“Yes, Commander!”

They opened the road because it was blocked.

It was a very simple and clear command.

The elite forces of Elunism carried out the simple command with incredible steadfastness.

The situation was very smooth, even though Ian, the best and strongest, was out to protect me.

‘At this rate, the restoration of Rycallion should be no problem…..?’

Something didn’t feel quite right.

Is this the end of the catastrophe that wiped out the Holy Knight army and destroyed the Rycallion?

Ian started to move as the lingering unease grew stronger.

“I’ll go inside.”

I squeezed Ian’s shoulder in response to that notice.

“Let-let’s go.”

It was like unlocking the dungeon door that held the final boss.

There was something in that cathedral.

‘Therefore they utilize evil equipment like these to protect the beasts.’

I tried to calm down my trembling body.

When I found out I was in a romance fantasy novel, I never anticipated I’d wind up in a situation like this.

I thought it was a ‘romance’ fantasy. This is not a romance ‘fantasy’!

“You’ll be fine, so stop shaking. You’re going to pass out.”

“Who is passing out…Oh, I’m fine.”

Ian murmured as he forced a nonchalant voice.

“No, I’d rather be more comfortable that way.”

“What did you just say—Kyaaaah!”

Ian stomped the ground and ran before I could complete my sentence.

My cheeks were stroked by a gust of wind.

He dashed out of the church, breaking through the door in an instant.

“Huuuhhh.”

As soon as the church door opened, I forgot about my embarrassment and buried my face in Ian’s chest.

There must be something more terrifying than the beasts guarding the outside.

Squeak, boom!

A heavy door slammed shut behind us.

“…….”

And, there was no sound inside. 

I turned my head slightly and looked around with my eyes narrowed.

‘Huh?’

The interior was stunning.

Although it was not as large as the capital’s cathedral, the sacred sculptures, icons, and stained glass carved on the walls had a sacred beauty.

Although the traces of the battle remained and were broken all over the place.

However, the beast was nowhere to be seen.

“What… is it?”

I muttered.

There was no way there could be nothing, but I was more anxious because I didn’t see anything.

When I sensed movement, I remembered a ghost story that said, “Don’t look at the ceiling even if you look in the front and back.”

I crouched and looked up at the ceiling, but there were no beasts there either.

“How come there isn’t anything?”

“There is.”

“Th-there is? Where?”

I was clinging to Ian even closer without realizing it.

“I don’t see anything.  May-Maybe it’s transparent……? Is it some sort of invisible monster?”

No, you are the character in that fantasy novel.

After taking a look around, Ian said,

“I’m going to put you down right now.”

“Huh, me? Uh, um…… yes. Please be careful……”

With a puzzled expression on my face, I nodded.

Even being held by Ian at the wedding was awkward, but they say humans are adaptable species. Going down to the ground now felt more dangerous.

Whatever happens, the arm I was clutching at has the strongest power in the original setting.

It felt strange to step on the ground after such a long time. While standing on two legs, I looked around the cathedral.

“There seems to be nothing.”

“Follow me.”

“Does it-does it move?”

Ian proceeded toward the center of the cathedral without hesitation.

We climbed to the podium, the innermost part of the magnificent cathedral.

Normally, the bishop would have preached in front of a large congregation of believers.

A holy grail stood behind the podium, looking very sacred.

‘Oh. I saw this in the cathedral too.’

It was a Holy Grail that looked similar to the one I saw during the verification process.

Although the cathedral side of the capital had more details, the Holy Grail was also beautiful.

Ian looked down at the Holy Grail and exhaled briefly.

“Neither did I.”

“Yes? Pardon?”

“Holy stone of Laqueia.”

Ian said this as he pointed to the Holy Grail.

‘Oh my. That reminds me.’

The ordinary Holy Grail was encrusted with exquisite jewels, similar to what I saw in the cathedral.

However, there was nothing like that in this Holy Grail.

“Is it……gone?”

I whispered, frightened.

Did someone take advantage of the chaos to steal it? Or there was a possibility that the demon had destroyed it.

Ian responded succinctly.

“It was absorbed.”

“What? Who?”

I asked back in a daze.

If you said someone had sold it, you made a hundred concessions and it makes sense, but absorb it?

Ian pointed to the air.

“The existence within.”

“Yes?”

“The Holy Stone is lethal to normal beasts, but it serves as a means of evolution for high-ranking Demons.”

A shocking story flowed out in a plain tone.

“The reason they haven’t left yet is probably because it’s still being digested. And they expect their men to look after us.”

With an unusually unpleasant smile, Ian drew his sword.

“That’s not going to happen, so quit wasting your time and come out.”

I stared blankly at Ian who was provoking towards the air.

‘With whom are you fighting? Are you…..!”

Ian’s sword trembled strangely as he aimed at the air.

I heard that the Holy Stone detects the black magic of a member of the Holy Knights.

To put it another way, if the sword responds, it means a magical beast is nearby.

A monster so massive that his sword trembled.

‘It’s also a transparent beast.’

I had to fight the urge to pass out.