Chapter 54
Ardis’s mana detection had caught several reactions . There were more than ten spots . Although their strength didn’t seem much from their mana, it’s rare for something to come so near before Ardis notices .
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「Demonic beings……, not that huh . 」
Amidst the darkness, the figures that surrounded Ardis and Kyrill were finally in sight .
They were crimson humanoids . They look similarly sized as a normal person . They looked like human shadows dyed in red and materialized .
Ardis didn’t feel any hostility from the creatures . In the first place, considering them as living beings is a little skeptical .
They were strange humanoid monsters that had weak mana in them, they only stood unstably on the ground in silent . In the ruins that was surrounded by silence, only the peaceful breathing of Kyrill who is still asleep is heard .
An undetermined time had passed as Ardis stared, the humanoids were only shaking around, but suddenly their movements became violent . Some started hugging their heads, some curled on the ground, and some looked up to the heavens with their hands together . Even when each of them had their own sets of incomprehensible movements, the humanoids slowly made their way to Ardis .
「AaaaaAAaaiiIiyaAauaAa」
At the same time, the humanoids started letting out anguished cries . Although they didn’t seemed to have mouths, their voices had certainly reached Ardis’s ears .
「Fue……, what’s――」
With the loud cries, it’s no surprise that Kyrill was startled awake . Kyrill who sat up looked around, as he saw the red humanoid-shaped creatures drawing closer to themselves and realized that the sound before came from them, Kyrill’s body suddenly spiked .
「Eh……? Eeeeh!? What!? What are those!? 」
「Don’t do anything extra . Just stay put . 」
Without losing composure, Ardis warned Kyrill while still taking a stance with 『Skies of Myriad Colors』 . Even during that, the red mysterious creatures were still closing the distance slowly .
(Well then, how to handle this)
Ardis thought in his mind .
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There still isn’t any hostility felt from the creatures . But, getting surrounded by some unknown creatures, on top of that, they are slowly closing the distance, it didn’t look good to Ardis in any way . Regardless of the opponents’ intentions, or if they even had consciousness in the first place, there’s no way Ardis would let them continue come closer .
「Stop there . I will strike if you advance any further」
Ardis gave his warning . Inside the ruins that had a high roof, his voice reverberated .
「Iyaaaaaaaauaaaaaaaaa」
But it was another incomprehensible anguished cry as a reply . It didn’t seem like communication is possible .
「No choice . 」
Giving up trying to get through to the creatures, Ardis let loose 『Springtime Mist』 and 『Moon’s Blizzard』 .
While still taking a stance with 『Skies of Myriad Colors』 beside Kyrill, Ardis had released both his short swords to the humanoid creatures . One of them went straight for the humanoid creature directly in front of him, while the other circled around the top and attacked the others from the back .
The two short swords cut through the air and sliced at the humanoid creatures . The creatures didn’t even try to dodge the swords . The next moment, the swords severed the humanoid’s body as they were commanded .
Describing as a normal person, then it’ll be about their abdomen that they were sliced into half horizontally, the humanoid creatures turned into mist and faded . It didn’t seem like there was any resistance at all but, the moment when one of their kinds got attacked, the other creatures turned violent again .
「AaaaAAAuuuauaaaH! 」
「IIiiaiAAaaaoOoUuu! 」
「UaaaaaaaaiooooooooooiA! 」
It was cries that was louder than any before reverberated in the surroundings . The humanoids who seemed to be at a crawling speed just a moment ago suddenly rushed at Ardis furiously .
「Tch! 」
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As Ardis clicked his tongue, he continued bisecting the remaining creatures with 『Springtime Mist』 and 『Moon’s Blizzard』 . Using wind magic at the same time, he stopped all of them from ever reaching him .
「Pale white of judgement that severs the sins of the far emptiness ―― Stee ・ Grol ・ Elmet ! 」(Blades of Fierce Strike)
Inside the ruins separated from the outside by a wall, a strong wind manifested . The furious typhoon that manifested in an instant with a loud roar caught the red humanoids and blew them away . Small rubbles crumbled under the intense air pressure, ash and dust accumulated for many years filled the air .
Receiving such wind blades, the humanoids body ruptured and became in pieces .
「IyaaauAuaUaaua! 」
Another ear-splitting cry resounded .
The humanoids were carried by the intense winds to the roof, and fell to the floor with momentum . Before their bodies impacted the ground, they disappeared unnaturally after getting sucked into one single point .
Where the humanoids disappeared into, was the sword that they’ve retrieved from the ruins . By the time Ardis and Kyrill noticed that, the sword that no one had touched till now was drawn from its scabbard . The shiny blade that they saw for the first time was glowing red .
「C-Could it be that the sword was cursed after all……? 」
「……That might be the case . 」
Inside the ruins dimly illuminated by Ardis’s spell, a painful silence returned .
「So how is it? Would it be better if we leave the sword behind? 」
A long silence after Ardis’s question, Kyrill shook his head .
「I won’t give up after coming so far . I want to take it back since we’ve got it―― . No, I must bring it back no matter what . But……」
Kyrill’s words clouded at the end .
Well, it couldn’t be helped . If Ardis were to not accompany him, he could never breakthrough the forest on his own no matter what . Even more so if he had to carry that unknown cursed sword .
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If Ardis chooses to back off now, Kyrill had no choice but to leave the sword behind . It can’t be blamed that Kyrill is feeling down . Ardis sighed lightly and smiled bitterly .
「It’s a ship I’ve boarded . I won’t abandon ship now . Just like what I said before, I will bring you back to the capital properly . 」
Saying that, Ardis controlled the glowing red sword and kept it back in its scabbard .
「Now then……, it’s still a little too early to depart . Let’s sleep for a little longer」
「Eh? Eeeeh!? After that kind of things……!? 」
「Sleep when you can . It’s the basics of mercenaries……wait, you’re not a mercenary in the first place huh . Well, if any comes up again then I’ll just deal with them again . So, good night――」
Talking in a tone as if it wasn’t anything significant, Ardis curled up in his coat and lied down again . Although Kyrill seemed to have something to say but, he gave up eventually, before lying down like Ardis to take his second sleep .
The next morning . In the end, the strange humanoids didn’t appear again .
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Although both Ardis and Kyrill didn’t have the chance to fully rest well, it’s not like they can be complaining about that . Swiftly finishing their preparation, they left the ruins along with the dawn .
「Those monsters, will they come again? 」
「Probably, though it’ll be better if they don’t . 」
Albeit they aren’t threatening for Ardis, having some mysterious monsters that might come at him at any time is just stressful .
Having known the sword has indeed some special traits, holding it directly will be too risky, thus Ardis is still carrying it with his sword magic . Although it’ll cost him mana to maintain it like that, they have no choice since it will be safer .
The place where the ruins was, it was about two days of walk from the entrance of the forest . Although Ardis by himself could’ve saved a lot of time with 『Floating Strides』, he couldn’t do that with Kyrill accompanying . Having no choice but to match Kyrill’s physical stamina, in the end, they took three days before exiting the forest .
Other than the usual beasts and demonic beings that came at them in the forest, there wasn’t any significant events . For Ardis, dealing with the monsters in the Corsas Forest, it’s a piece of cake even if it means that he’s carrying the cursed sword and the young boy in tow .
The problem is the strange humanoids that always appears every night . In the end, the two nights they’ve spent in the forest, the red humanoids appeared every night .
Of course, dealing with them is an easy feat for Ardis . But, without knowing the root of the problem, they will just appear again when night comes . Although it’s not much of a problem till they arrive in the capital, the problem comes after . Returning to the capital, handing over the sword to Kyrill’s requestor, that’s too reckless in Ardis’s opinion .
「It’ll be good if we find some way to dispel the curse in capital……」
Kyrill seems to understand that himself as well . He didn’t show a happy expression even when they’ve got the sword he was looking for .
With that slightly awkward atmosphere around, Ardis and Kyrill finally made it through the forest . Bathing in the warm sunshine that they’ve both had since a while, Kyrill narrowed his eyes .
「There’s still a little more to go . 」
After making through the forest, it’ll take a day to arrive at the capital . Although there’s still a problem regarding the sword’s curse, it’ll be better of a plan that they leave it after they return to the capital .
Now that they had gotten through the forest, there isn’t much life-threatening elements around . But of course, that’s only true when comparing to the monsters residing in Corsas Forest . Albeit the grasslands, there’re still monsters appearing .
Or, it might be not monsters that attack them . Merchants who don’t hire escorts, or mercenaries who looks like runaway brats are good targets .
「Ou, you lots! Hand over all your items! 」
Those who aim for the weak, it’s none other than another human . One side is a young boy, and the other is a young man who looks to be a magician in his fifteens . As their preys, they seemed too attractive .
「If you listen to our demands properly, then you’ll be spared . 」
A few minutes since they left the forest . Numerous shadows encircled Ardis and Kyrill .
Other than the red humanoid creatures, they were the normal humanoids that Ardis and Kyrill finally meet since a while . They had a face, and wearing clothes, it was the appearance of bandits who can talk normally .