The crow turned into ashes after dying, and hazy ash scattered in the air.

“They turn into ashes when they die.”

“Even if it’s a lesser demon tainted by dark magic, it’s just a crow. A mere crow that couldn’t withstand the magic, turning into ashes.”

Sharlof, covered in a mantle, stepped into the mansion.

Bang!

Having fired a gunshot, Sharlof loaded the crossbow and aimed aggressively.

A bullet made of carved stone stuck fiercely.

Some creatures burst their bodies, dirtying the view.

Again, some creatures opened their beaks, ready to tear the skin of their prey.
Bullets pierced their vital points, and those who turned into lesser demons became ashes, flying like snow.

Ash piles accumulated darkly in Sharl’s footsteps.

Stepping on them and halting, Sharloff swept his curly, long hair over his shoulders.

“Father has quite the wicked skills.”

“Prepare yourself.”

Sharloff reloaded the bullets. His wrist tightened firmly due to the crossbow’s recoil.

“Where should we open the way?”

“Find a place with hidden space below. Avoid the adults’ gaze and find a place to hide.”

Soon, a Royal Guard came out from inside.

“There’s a child inside.”

“Don’t approach recklessly.”

“…….”

“The child is cautious. Even if someone comes near, the child will crouch down.”

Sharl’s steps headed into the mansion.

The foot clad in red touched the child silently.

“Even if we look alike, there’s no need to resemble this.”

There, the image of young Sharl overlapped.

“Is the nearby subjugation almost finished?”

Benjamin tightened the grip on the hilt of his sword. He wrapped cloth around the hilt and wrist, and his outer garment was stained with the blood of demons.

“The Basilisk Nest subjugation is almost complete.”

“There seems to be something more below the cliff.”

“It looks like an intermediate demon. A subjugation unit has already been dispatched.”

Benjamin drew the sword stuck in the tree and wiped his forehead. Cold sweat formed on his forehead.

Blood accumulated on the hand holding the hilt of the sword. The cloth was sticky with sweat.

Killing demons made him filthy with sweat and blood.

Benjamin leaned his arm against the sheath and ruffled his short hair. Meanwhile, the mercenary unit opened the way.

“We’re going down.”

“Will you join the subjugation unit?”

“I’ll uproot the nearby ones in one go.”

The mercenary unit split, with the rear cleaning up the Basilisk tomb and the rest clearing the way.

Roskella approached and reported.

“All port ships have been ordered to stop sailing.”

Porfuta had already established a subjugation system while fighting demons. Since civilians weren’t risking their lives for this upheaval, it was natural for ship operations to be suspended.

The mercenary unit burned the Basilisk corpses, and hazy smoke rose in the flames.

“It feels like something is left behind at the back.”

“It’s okay to leave the Basilisk subjugation to the rear.”

“It’s not because of the subjugation. It feels like I left behind the thorn caught in my extraction. I left it as it is without removing the thorn.”

Benjamin loosened his outer garment, swallowing a breath.

“The appearance is a complete mess.”

“Will you come out to the rear for a refurbishment?”

“Not to that extent.”

Benjamin wiped the Basilisk blood off the blade and ordered.

“Those whose concentration has dulled can go to the rear, and the rest assist the front subjugation unit.”

Benjamin drew his sword to open the way.

“Quite a number of them squirming.”

The mercenary unit struck the demons’ necks.
At the entrance of the cliff, there were demonic figures in the shape of horses. The demonic hooves, rushing like a storm, trampled the abdomen of the subjugation unit. A demonic horse with a soldier’s arm in its mouth leaped into the water, and Benjamin swiftly severed its neck with a sword.

“If you want to die, die honorably.”

“S-Sorry!”

“Those whose concentration has dulled, fall back, but don’t disrupt the subjugation frontline.”

Benjamin pulled out the soldier’s arm stuck in the water.

“Don’t die for them.”

Don’t let your comrades clear the bodies of the dead.

“If you die, it creates chaos in the subjugation frontline.”

“I’m reporting, Your Majesty.”

Soon, the information officer approached and whispered.

“It would be better for you to come out to the rear.”

“What’s going on?”

“A victim affected by dark magic has been found.”

The information officer continued the report.

“It’s a similar case to the unidentified deceased person in front. They are dying from dark magic, but they haven’t died yet.”

“Lead the way.”

“They are sacrifices to them. Someone who offers their body as a sacrifice for the dark magic…”

The information officer trailed off.

“Don’t come too close.”

Benjamin slowed his steps.

The information officer blocked the approach beyond the fence,

and beyond the fence, a lifeless woman was dying.

Her body was already charred. The woman scratched her body and groped her throat.

“Am I not dead yet?”

“…….”

“Please… kill me. I want to die as a human.”

Benjamin asked softly.

“Is this one of the missing?”

“Tutega’s former lady, the Empress… The Empress was brought in for the ceremony, punished, uh, for calling demons and offering us to the altar, ah, ah, killed for the dark magic ritual, gaining power, breaking the curse entwined in the shackles… Ah ah. If I die, if I die now…”

The maid’s words were sporadic. She spoke without knowing exactly what she was saying, just letting words spill out.

“I guess there’s no salvation for you.”

The dying breath seemed to be cut off soon.

Her skin was decaying into black, and the magic began, emitting the aura of death.

Benjamin rested his arm on the sheath.

From the side, the information officer silently cut off the woman’s breath.

‘You died as a human.’

Not as a sacrifice for dark magic.