Chapter 66: The Monster Rampage and a New Command

“Kyaaah!”
“Uwaah!”

By now, the monster had grown larger than the buildings themselves. It was far beyond what an ordinary human could confront.

The gigantic beast thrashed, swinging its tail violently. Several people were sent flying like ragdolls. Some humans still tried to fight back, but most were simply running for their lives. In some places, the monster tore buildings apart, and as if something worse had been triggered, fires began to rage.

Only Bel and her group remained calm enough to continue their conversation.

“…In the past.” Lema muttered, watching the chaos unfold. He looked somehow anxious.
“These are the kinds of beings that spilled out from the Cursed Land. Some of their forms seem strangely familiar.”

“You seem to know well.”

“Indeed, it is the very reason why holy knights exist. They were formed to oppose the evils threatening humanity in the first place. Monsters are definitely humanity’s enemy.”

It seemed that, for the first time in a while, Lema recalled his true calling. His expression darkened slightly.

“There used to be a powerful nation in the Cursed Land, but it was destroyed by monsters, turning the place into a wasteland. Thankfully, no further damage spread beyond that, and they claim there’s no such danger now… Still, it was utterly foolish to think they could handle all of that by dragging it here.”

“Hmm.”

An enemy of humanity. Humans tended to judge other humans as enemies if they were useless. In that sense, was Aseras humanity’s enemy?

Not long ago, Bel had found Aseras—a relic of the past—and deliberately deactivated it. It had been a body made for a specific purpose, created to function only during a particular incident. That’s why it was deactivated. It was now nothing more than a useless remnant of history.

But how should this situation be judged?

Bel had never seen relics from after the destruction of Pranagenesis—until now, where she had seen a second one. And none of them had been designed with this kind of situation in mind. Rather, this was a side effect that had grown too strong.

As Bel pondered, Krughgal, who had quietly joined them, spoke.
“This is indeed what one might call a peaceful age. Don’t you agree?”

“…You can still call it that after seeing this?” Lema snapped back with some indignation. It was clear their personalities clashed immediately.

“Indeed.” Krughgal smiled lightly.
“Do you truly think this incident threatens our current peace? Some humans will die now, yes, but ultimately it is a problem they’ll overcome.”

“Do you think that’s appropriate to say while people are dying right now!”

Krughgal chuckled deeply in his distinctive low, rough voice. His slow and measured tone continued with detached observation.

“What do you think will happen in the end? Even if Linthiem were to be destroyed because they can’t handle this, the Holy Empire will send forces in the name of the Lord God to purge the monsters. And so it will remain in human history and memory. The Lord corrects even the humblest of nations outside order.”

“That doesn’t erase the victims.”

“I know. Everyone knows. You know as well. You yourself said a moment ago that although the Cursed Land was destroyed, no further damage spread. Only peace remains instead of those erased. This is no different.”

“……”

“There must have been humans in the Cursed Land too. Now they exist only in records. Who would pity them? Even you, the righteous knight of Luxlon, do not.”

Lema was speechless.

Indeed, Krughgal had just said it clearly—there had been no further damage.

When a family or neighbor dies in a disaster, it becomes grief, tragedy. But if so many people die that even those who mourn them are erased, the tragedy becomes nothing but a statistic.

In a way, Lema Valkyte had been living such a life. Until he became a s*ave.

He knew intellectually what happened outside order. He had been performing righteous acts under the Lord God’s name. Yet he had never considered it his own concern. Separate from a sense of duty to do good.

It was ultimately someone else’s problem.

Realizing how his attitude appeared to others, Lema could only say one thing:
“…I am not a knight of Luxlon.”

“Hoho.”

Bel, having silently listened, looked steadily at Krughgal.

Throughout many eras, she had met plenty of high-ranking people. She could tell.

Krughgal’s vision was broad—not focusing on the immediate, but far into the distance. Not an ordinary person’s perspective, but that of a leader, a king.

Perhaps his flaw was seeing too much in the grand scheme. That’s why his words sounded like sophistry. And why they felt… somewhat insane.

“…A lunatic.” Lema voiced what Bel was thinking.

Indeed. In a way, it was true. But not something a person facing reality would say. Because right now, this was the reality in front of them—not a mere historical record.

Why such a man was in this arena alone remained a mystery.

Krughgal smiled alluringly, as though such things didn’t concern him, and looked at Belmias.
“By the way, when shall we duel?”

“During a time like this? Again?”

Lema grabbed the back of his neck. Every time Krughgal spoke, he seemed to have a mini seizure.

A peculiar human.

Perhaps he was being excessively micro in this situation, fixated on a duel for some unknown reason. Anyway, that aside.

“Lema, will the match be canceled like this?”

“…Yes. That’s highly likely.”

“Hmm. That won’t do.”

Bel’s focus wasn’t on their conversation.
“I placed a bet on you.”

The match could not be canceled now.

Bel drew her sword from her waist. Without hesitation, she lightly twirled the blade.

The offering had been scarce. Although they preferred men for offerings, this wasn’t a bad option either.

A large beast, whose physical abilities and aggression had exceeded all limits. If someone captured and delivered it as an offering, it would be perfect.

Besides, this time, Bel wanted something else.

“Watch closely.”

Crack.

Without any warm-up, Bel leaped forward.

When a figure moved so fast, it appeared as a mere line.

“Kyaaaah!”

That line extended all the way to the monster about to devour a collapsed person, then sharply bent. Before anyone could react, Bel had already sliced off one of the monster’s heads in an instant.

Splash! Blood gushed out, and the monster’s head rolled to the ground.

“…!”

It had happened so fast that the human who had been nearly eaten could only gape, too stunned to breathe.

Bel plunged the sword’s tip into the fallen head, completely severing the gem embedded in its forehead.

Thok.

With a slight motion of the blade, the gem was popped free and caught by Bel.

“Master?” Lema and Krughgal rushed over belatedly.

“Here.” Bel threw the monster’s gem to Lema. Lema caught it without hesitation.

“Bring them all to me. Every last one.”

“Eh? W-What…?” Lema asked absentmindedly. But after a moment of thought, he understood the implication.

Bel had just shown a demonstration.

“…Are you entrusting me with hunting monsters?”

“Yes. Bring them all.”

Lema Valkyte’s expression twisted strangely—like he’d heard something unforgivable. Yet his face flushed, and a spark of excitement appeared in his eyes. It was clear he didn’t dislike the idea.

“If what that man said is true, Lucilonia might come here next. We shouldn’t confront them now.”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

Bel raised her chin once—a clear sign to follow.

In every sense, the match should proceed. For now, this was the only clue to find a summoner. It was also how Lightsage could receive their empty wish through the offering.

And, of course, Lema Valkyte.

The man was visibly anxious about the overflowing monsters around them. How could his master not care?

Without hesitation, as if receiving an official order in his days as a holy knight of Luxlon, Lema bent one knee before Bel. He gently took her hand and respectfully pressed his forehead to the back of it.

Even if someone watching assumed him to be Luxlon’s holy knight, it mattered not. This was the utmost display of reverence he knew.

His master, however, cared nothing for such formalities.

“…As my master wills.”