“A village on the outskirts of the capital?”

“Yes.”

That can’t be right?

The place where they were departing for the beast subjugation was called the ‘Abandoned Mountain’.

It was a very high and treacherous mountain range with few people, where countless soldiers from the Bellir Kingdom and the Fonnes Empire who fled there during the height of the territorial conquest war fought and died, it is said.

The mountain became a sea of blood, and the legend was passed down that the blood flowing from the corpses created the ‘Red Spring’ in that ‘Abandoned Mountain’.

From that mountain polluted with corpses, strange things began to appear at some point, and scholars within the empire presumed the ‘Red Spring’ to be the origin.

Nature tends to have a self-purification process, but even after several hundred years, that spring alone was still red, so that presumption was accepted as almost established theory.

In fact, it is said that the first beasts to appear were merely bizarre in form, without aggression.

However, in just a few decades, the beasts of the ‘Abandoned Mountain’ developed aggression, and those beasts that were not intelligent enough to leave the mountain were expanding their territory downwards. It was to prevent this that they regularly departed for beast subjugation.

There may have been cases of monsters coming down to nearby villages centered on the mountain, but they shouldn’t have appeared in a village on the outskirts of the capital which is quite far away?

“What about the captain?”

“He said he had matters to discuss about the upcoming beast subjugation, so he went to the imperial palace with the vice-captain.”

“For now, let’s notify the captain by messenger. Is it just one beast?”

Vanessa shook her head with a troubled expression at Edwin’s question.

“I’m not sure about that either……”

“But why did a Guardian Knight request support instead of the civil defense force?”

“The civil defense force first discovered the beast, but it seems there were some Guardian Knights nearby. They must have tried to handle it themselves somehow, but realizing they couldn’t, they requested our support. It’s also much closer for us to go from here to the outskirts of the capital.”

Unlike the White Knights, the Guardian Knights don’t go on subjugations every time, so they wouldn’t be familiar with beasts.

Moreover, each beast has different characteristics, and some beasts regenerate endlessly unless their vital points are cut off.

If such a beast had appeared, the entire village would be in danger.

“We should go take a look for now.”

“Understood, senior.”

“You two go to the stables first. I’ll go find Lucas.”

Before Vanessa could finish speaking, I grabbed Edwin by the nape of his neck as he was about to turn towards the stables.

“Edwin, you’d better stay out of this.”

“Why me? I should go too.”

“You’re going with that injured leg?”

Vanessa, who was about to leave the training ground, stopped in her tracks.

“Edwin, you injured your leg?”

“Yes. I think it’s best if just the three of us – senior, myself, and Lucas – go as the advance party for now.”

Edwin expressed his intention to go again, unable to give up, but Vanessa firmly shook her head.

“You know better, Edwin. Going with us on an injured leg would be a burden, not help.”

At Vanessa’s words, Edwin pursed his lips tightly.

“Go get ready quickly, Rosebelia.”

“Yes, senior.”

I ran towards the stables, leaving behind Edwin with an obviously frustrated look. Unexpectedly, Ian was standing on the way there.

“Senior, are you going to the village in the outskirts of the capital?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll accompany you.”

If Ian came along, he would certainly be an asset to our strength…

I briefly shook my head to stop the thought that suddenly came to mind. Although Ian’s skills were superior to Edwin’s, there was no guarantee that good swordsmanship would translate to fighting well against beasts.

“You can’t. You’ve never faced a beast before.”

“You know my skills. You’ve even said my skills are among the top in the order…”

“Still, no. Beasts are different. Even the Guardian Knights can’t join without basic skills. Why do you think they’re struggling?”

At my words, Ian’s expression rapidly darkened.

“But…”

“You could get hurt if you rush in recklessly.”

“That’s fine.”

“What?”

I felt my brow furrowing involuntarily. He had such a nonchalant face, as if it were someone else’s story, when told he could get hurt fighting beasts.

“I’m confident I won’t get hurt.”

“Every knight who joins the White Knights dreams of beast subjugation. I understand that feeling, but just because I know your skills are good doesn’t mean I can take you. Participate diligently in classes as you should and try to catch the captain’s eye.”

*

Ian curled his fingertips into a fist. He couldn’t bring himself to stop Rosebelia as she ran towards the stables.

‘Perhaps it would be more accurate to say I have no justification to stop her.’

The order had been in an uproar all day with news that a beast had appeared in a village on the outskirts of the capital, and a Guardian Knight had requested support from the White Knights.

As soon as he heard the news, Ian stood guarding the path to the stables as if possessed.

It was natural for Rosebelia to leave since she was stronger than anyone, but his heart was unsettled and he couldn’t stay still.

‘Every knight who joins the White Knights dreams of beast subjugation.’

He didn’t want to fight beasts or anything like that. He just wanted to go with her.

Though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what this feeling was, he didn’t want to send her alone.

Even though Rosebelia was even stronger than himself, why couldn’t he control this anxious feeling?

As Ian stared blankly at the spot where she had disappeared, a strange light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

“If I can’t go as a White Knight…”

No one could stop him from going as Ian Klein Martines, the imperial prince.

Ian whistled softly, and a hawk descended from somewhere to perch lightly on his arm.

*

The village on the outskirts that I rushed to in a frenzy was already in ruins.

“This is…”

I recognized it at once. It was that beast we had accidentally encountered in the last subjugation, the one that could only be eliminated using aura.

The Red Slime, first discovered during last year’s subjugation.

Ordinary slimes were small in size and non-aggressive beasts.

Though classified as beasts due to their mucus-covered outer appearance, they were actually embarrassing to even call beasts.

But the Red Slime was different. It was covered in mucus like ordinary slimes, but its body was rock-like, unlike regular slimes.

Its surface was so hot that touching it carelessly could result in burns, and its movements were fast as well. What made the Red Slime threatening was that it swallowed anything and everything in its path.

“I think it’s best if we split up to search.”

“Alright.”

“I’ll go this way.”

As I decided on a direction first, Vanessa and Lucas scattered in different directions.

It wasn’t a small village, so it wasn’t easy to find traces of the Red Slime right away.

Moreover, due to the sudden appearance of the beast, there wasn’t a single person to be found on the streets, and the doors of every house were tightly shut.

“We need to find it quickly before it grows even bigger.”

Is it not this way?

Just as I was about to turn my horse around, I made eye contact with a child hiding inside a house. The child, who had been trembling in fear, looked over my attire and then pointed somewhere with their hand.

East?

As I continued galloping in the direction the child had pointed, I really did encounter the Red Slime.

Coming face to face with the slime just as it was about to swallow a large tree, I immediately jumped off my horse.

Drawing my sword, I lightly jumped and slashed at the Red Slime.

Though I had cut with all my might, not even a small scratch appeared on the Red Slime.

Rather, smoke was rising from my sword due to touching the Red Slime’s surface.

“As expected, it won’t work without aura.”

Adjusting my grip on the sword, I channeled the latent aura in my body and then pushed it into the sword.

When I struck the slime in one blow with the now glowing sword, the upper part seemed to be slightly cut, but then the mucous form stuck back together on its own.

What? Why isn’t it working?

After two strikes, the Red Slime seemed to become aware of me and wriggled its body.

Though there were no eyes to speak of on that strange exterior, I instinctively knew the slime was looking at me.

“Hah, focus.”

I’m the only one who can be called a Sword Master in the empire right now. If I can’t do it, it means no one else can either.

The fact that if I didn’t end it here, it could turn not just this village but the entire empire into ruins weighed heavily on my shoulders. I swallowed the blood pooling in my mouth and adjusted my grip on the sword.

The slime’s massive body gradually drew closer to me. Trying to ignore that eerie sound shaking the ground, I closed my eyes tightly, stepped back a few paces, and once again drew forth my aura.

When aura had gathered to the point of overflowing, I pushed all my strength into the sword.

Opening my eyes slightly, I saw the sword emitting even more light than before. Calmly steadying my breath, I leapt up from my spot and slashed at the slime.

“Please.”

As if touched by my desperation, the Red Slime made a strange sound and split in half.

Inside the mucus was everything it had swallowed so far.

Just as nausea surged up, the sound of horse hooves came from somewhere.

Are Vanessa and Lucas coming this way?

“This isn’t good…”

I covered my mouth with my palm and hurriedly mounted Emily.

Moving away from where the Red Slime had been to a secluded spot, I soon came to a stop under a large tree.

I could no longer hold back the nausea rising to my throat. As I bent my body halfway towards the ground, the blood I had been desperately holding back gushed out.

Severe dizziness also came over me from using so much aura. I tried slapping my cheeks to regain my senses, but it was in vain.

Feeling my vision gradually blurring, I exhaled a shallow breath.

“Senior?”

For a moment, strength returned to the hand gripping the tree. It was because I heard a voice that couldn’t possibly be here.

Vanessa or Lucas maybe, but there’s no way Ian could be here.

I wanted to turn around and check, but I didn’t have enough strength left to do so when I was barely holding onto the tree.

As my legs gave out and I stumbled greatly, a strong arm caught me around the waist.

“Senior.”

“Klein?”

“What in the world…”

Having somehow ended up in Ian’s embrace, I finally lost consciousness.