Chapter 59 : Period

“It’s been a while, Gillian. Will you untie this?”

Gillian, who recognized me at once, sat down, shielding me with his back so that others couldn’t see me.

“Why did you come here…? Are you crazy?”

Gillian seemed as restless as ever.

“When morning comes, the Spirit Masters will arrive. You need to evacuate the non-combatants.”

“You’re one of those Spirit Masters too. Get out of here quickly. If the captain finds out…”

I grabbed his wrist and spoke earnestly.

“Let me see Baekmyo, Gillian. If I tell her directly, she’ll believe me.”

“Do you even know what the atmosphere within the bandit group is like right now? If the captain sees you, she’ll lose her mind and kill you, regardless of whether you were once a comrade or not!”

Recently, due to the intensifying crackdown on beastmen, they were not even allowed to set foot in villages. Among humans, especially Spirit Masters, they did not hesitate to kill beastmen wandering the streets.

“What’s the commotion?”

From the darkness beyond, a familiar voice echoed. The voice, which overwhelmed other beastmen just by its presence, began to walk slowly toward us.

“It seems something was caught in the net. Gillian.”

Gillian, who was desperately trying to shield me so she wouldn’t see me, hesitated as he spoke.

“Um, Captain. So…”

“Hmm?”

“She’s… back.”

“What!?”

Unable to bear her questioning, Gillian slowly moved his body aside.

“Saya, she’s back.”

“…”

I met her eyes, smiled, and waved.

“…Hello, Captain.”

From head to toe, they used every instrument they could to bind my body. I was so tightly wrapped that I could barely breathe through the slight gap in the gag.

“…Untie the gag.”

“Yes, Captain.”

When she untied the gag, cold air rushed into my mouth.

“Keek… Phew…”

As I took rough breaths, the feel of several cold metals approached my neck.

“..You’ll have to choose your answer carefully, Spirit Master.”

In her attitude toward me, not a trace of the softness of the past remained. Only a cold voice, as if looking at a disgusting beast, echoed.

“What face do you have to come here?”

As if to demand an answer, someone’s hand grabbed my hair tightly, forcing my head up.

“When dawn comes, the Spirit Masters will attack here. They’ll kill everyone—children and women included.”

“So?”

“You need to evacuate the non-combatants in advance.”

“…Hmm.”

Baekmyo, who seemed to be contemplating something while flicking her fingers, stood up and approached me.

“I refuse.”

She firmly and clearly rejected my advice. Baekmyo grabbed my collar and brought her face close to mine.

“None of my subordinates want to survive by abandoning their comrades. Not even the children.”

I smiled softly and said to her, “Even so, you have to save them. Captain.”

“Who’s your captain…?!”

Baekmyo’s fist struck the wall next to me, and pieces of stone fell. It was a fist full of strength, but in her screaming voice, a slight tremor could be felt.

“…”

Though her eyes were covered with a blindfold, I could imagine her expression. Baekmyo was not someone who could ignore the affection she had once given. The fact that I was blindfolded was likely because she didn’t want to face me.

“When you left the bandit group on your own, I said I would kill you if we ever met again.”

Baekmyo’s grip tightened around my neck. I couldn’t breathe, so I could only let out a groan.

“If so, you must have come here because you want to die.”

The force around my neck grew stronger, but I did not resist.

“..You can kill me. Just… please let the children go.”

The children I had taught to read and write flashed before my eyes. They were children I couldn’t forget, as I hadn’t even been able to say a proper goodbye when I left the bandits.

“……Damn it….”

Just before I lost consciousness, Baekmyo spat out an annoyed curse and removed her hand from my neck.

“..Out of consideration for your friend, I’ll give you a hint through Heukgyeon. Be grateful to Gillian. If it weren’t for him, I would have killed you on the spot.”

At her words, I nodded lightly.

“…That’s enough.”

I knew the combatants wouldn’t leave. Even if it meant burying their bones, they were not the kind of people to abandon this place.

“Okay. Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

She shattered the restraints tied to me and quickly turned to leave.

I quietly got up and left, watching Baekmyo’s retreating figure.

‘..You haven’t changed, have you?’

She didn’t even call my name until the end.

As I was leaving the Luden Forest, I sensed a presence behind me. Thinking it was a wild animal, I placed my hand on my dagger, but the figure was unexpected.

“Phew…. I’m glad. I’m not late.”

The black ears and hair peeking through the clothes, and the black tail, were unmistakably Heukgyeon’s.

“Heukgyeon-ssi? Why are you here…”

Before I could finish, she lightly hugged me.

“Captain Baekmyo was against it, but how could I not see Saya’s face? I might never see you again.”

“…I’m glad.”

After a brief hug, I calmly explained the situation.

“Listen carefully. As soon as you return to the hideout, pack your things and take the elderly and children as far away as possible. As soon as the sun rises, the Spirit Masters will attack.”

“..Are you also a Spirit Master here to fight us?”

At her question, I nodded with a bitter smile.

Heukgyeon smiled kindly, as if she understood.

“Thank you for thinking of us. As you said, we’ll evacuate those who can’t fight.”

There wasn’t much time, so I couldn’t talk long. Before parting, I remembered Cled’s request and told her about her father.

“..I see. My father…”

She said she had almost no memories of her father, Heukrang. Through my words, she learned how Heukrang had met his end.

“He died fighting for the beastmen until the end.”

Heukgyeon’s eyes sparkled strangely as she spoke.

“Now go, Saya. You’ll be late.”

“…Then, I’ll leave it to you, Heukgyeon-ssi.”

As I turned to leave the forest, I heard a quiet farewell from behind.

“..See you again.”

“…?”

I felt a sense of déjà vu at her words, but when I turned around, she was already gone.

“Hurry up and check your equipment. They’re a group that once killed a Spirit Master, so we don’t know what they’ll do.”

At Cled’s command, the Spirit Masters moved busily. I took out a pair of black daggers and sharpened the blades. The sharpened blades would soon be stained with the blood of those who were once my comrades.

Cled, walking next to me, asked in a serious tone, “..Did you finish what you needed to do, Saya?”

“..Yes. Thanks to you, Instructor.”

Now, all that was left was to put aside my thoughts and focus on the mission as a combatant.

The road through the Luden Forest to the hideout was treacherous. Traps and barriers designed to deter outsiders made navigation difficult. However, these obstacles were little more than annoyances for the Spirit Masters, who used magic to overcome them.

Strategically, the Black Dog Bandits stood little chance against the Spirit Masters. It would be a miracle if they could inflict even a single casualty.

‘…Run away, please.’

As we approached the hideout, I hoped fervently that they had fled.

But that hope was soon shattered.

“…You came on your own.”

The Black Dog Bandits, with not a single combatant missing, surrounded us. Their numbers far exceeded ours.

‘Damn, they all know my face…’

I avoided their gazes, drew my dagger, and assumed a combat stance.

The standoff lasted for some time before Commander Violet broke the silence.

“We, the Spirit Masters, offer you bandits mercy. Lay down your weapons, and we will execute you painlessly.”

Baekmyo’s expression twisted in disgust. “..That’s why I hate Spirit Masters. Fire!”

At her command, a hail of arrows rained down.

“Summon the Osteons! Use them as shields!”

As Violet ordered, the Spirit Masters summoned their Osteons.

“Change!”

The bandits switched to crossbows and fired another volley.

“Kuhuk…!”

One Spirit Master fell, struck in the chest. The Osteons, impervious to normal weapons, were helpless against the bloodstone-tipped arrows.

‘Bloodstone arrows…?’

The bandits had adapted, using bloodstone arrows to counter the Osteons.

[Saya, it’s getting hard to hold on. Even moving the core is becoming difficult.]

The barrage was relentless. More Osteons fell, and Spirit Masters were struck down.

Belatedly, the Ice Spirit Masters erected an ice barrier, but the damage was already done.

“The arrows have stopped.”

The bandits had exhausted their supply.

“Prepare long-range magic attacks! Without arrows, they have no means to fight from a distance!”

The Spirit Masters unleashed their magic, but the bandits, having consumed resistance potions, charged forward undeterred.

“Charge!”

The bandits rushed in, undaunted by the magic.

Cled grimaced. “..They’ve used resistance potions. Crazy bastards…!”

The battle descended into chaos. The bandits’ numbers and physical prowess clashed with the Spirit Masters’ superior equipment and combat skills.

I fought mechanically, guilt gnawing at me with every strike.

‘Don’t come this way, please…!’

I hesitated as a familiar face charged at me. Luna intervened, saving me.

“Get a hold of yourself, Saya! This is a battlefield!”

I picked up my dagger, but my resolve wavered. Everywhere I looked, I saw former comrades.

[Saya. Why are you hesitating? If you borrow my power, you can win easily.]

‘This… something is wrong….’

I shook my head, trying to focus. Carne’s cry snapped me back to reality.

“Yuri, behind…!”

I fired a Thanatos spell, killing the bandit before he could strike Yuri.

“…”

Yuri nodded in gratitude.

‘Invidia, black arrows.’

[You’ve finally decided to fight, Saya.]

The black arrows I fired tore through the bandits. I fought on, numbly cutting down those I once called friends.

The battle seemed endless. I killed and killed, hoping it would end soon.

“….It’s over.”

The battle ended with Baekmyo’s capture. The surviving bandits glared at us.

Violet approached Baekmyo, bloodied and triumphant.

“You studied a lot. But in the end, you were destined to lose.”

Baekmyo spat at him. “If you’re going to kill me, just do it. I want to join my subordinates.”

“..I’ll grant your wish.”

He raised his sword.

“…Commander.”

I stepped forward. “I’ll handle the execution.”

Violet nodded and stepped aside.

I knelt before Baekmyo, dagger in hand.

“….”

She met my gaze without flinching.

“..It was an honor to serve under you, Captain.”

“..I…”

Before she could finish, I slashed her neck.

Her blood spilled, and she whispered something I couldn’t hear.

“Rest in peace, Captain.”

I stood there, unable to move. I felt like I would collapse if I took a single step.

“..Okay. The situation here is sorted.”

Violet sheathed his sword.

“What about the escaped personnel?”

I froze.

‘Escaped personnel…?’

“A woman rebelled, so I killed her, but the others got away.”

He held up a bundle.

“Let me see the head.”

Dread filled me.

“It’s a beastman woman with black hair.”

I turned and saw it.

“……What have you…”

Rage consumed me. My vision darkened, and my arm transformed.

[It’s dangerous, Saya…]

“Violet………!!!”

I lunged at him, claws slashing his face.

“….!”

The Spirit Masters attacked, but I dodged effortlessly.

“…What is that…”

Violet clutched his ruined eye, staring at me in horror.

[Saya!]

I regained some semblance of reason, staring at my transformed arm.

‘…What is this…?’

Luna approached cautiously. “Saya?”

“Don’t come near me…!”

I fled into the forest, their voices fading behind me.

A man with crutches led children down a mountain path.

“Gillian-oppa, where are Captain Baekmyo and Heukgyeon-unnie?”

He hesitated. “…They went on a long trip. To a faraway place.”

He urged the children on, picking up the pace.

As the wind blew, he paused, looking up at the falling leaves.

‘….Saya, thanks to you, I’m still here.’

Gillian closed his eyes, then moved on.