Chapter 59: The Race

“Your Captain… just what is his identity?”

It was the moment they were quietly entering the Sacred Land.

Murfin replied to Mary’s question.

“We don’t know exactly either. He’s someone who appeared quite suddenly.”

It seemed that catching three Calamity-class Monsters all at once earlier had been quite impressive.

However, since they shouldn’t be surprised by just this much, I spoke casually.

“It’s something you all will be able to do in time.”

“…That’s truly the most absurd thing I’ve heard so far.”

“Everything else is fine, but I think that’s a bit too much right now.”

“Agreed.”

Even the cat siblings and Beatrice were making negative comments.

I countered with an absurd expression.

“I admit that what I showed earlier was a bit impressive, but if the situation hadn’t supported it, it would have taken longer to catch those three.”

If a Calamity-class Monster acts instinctively, it is normal for it to carry out a surprise attack as soon as it rises from the ground.

The reason they didn’t do that was because they weren’t acting instinctively, but were under the command of a Monster Tamer.

“One Calamity-class Monster has the power to destroy a city in the Kingdom. Killing three of those individuals in ten seconds and saying something like that isn’t persuasive.”

I finally let out a sigh at the words of the Heretic Inquisitor, Mary.

As she said, no matter what I say, it won’t be persuasive to these guys right now.

Let’s just shut up and find the Artifact.

“Laila. To what extent have you deployed Mana around us?”

“About 1 kilometer. To look around the entire Sacred Land in this state, it would take a few weeks no matter how fast we move.”

“What’s the standard for that speed?”

“Naturally, the standard of flying around.”

“The Sacred Land certainly is damn wide.”

I wonder how on earth this place could be taken overnight.

In the first place, as much as the news of the Sacred Land being taken arrived as urgent news, it wasn’t taken over a long period of time.

“…Why are you suddenly looking at me with those eyes?”

At Mary’s question, noticing my gaze, I immediately spoke the doubt that had come to mind.

“I just wondered for a moment if a Heretic Inquisitor of the Holy Nation would know well about the reason the Sacred Land was taken. Do you happen to know anything?”

“It’s a simple reason. The Demon Army was strong, and the soldiers guarding the Sacred Land were just weak.”

“Do you think it’s a situation that makes sense to be pushed out overnight from the Sacred Land, which pulls up the skills of the Order of Holy Knights, Priests, and Heretic Inquisitors by about twofold?”

“Aren’t you seeing that nonsensical situation with your own eyes?”

It was a conversation no different from parallel lines.

I should stop talking.

“Uh? There… Captain?”

At that moment, as if sensing something strange, Laila made a flustered expression.

“What is it? Did you catch an enemy?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that…”

Laila, frowning, slightly turned her head back.

“I think someone is following us.”

“…Hmm.”

I fell into thought for a moment.

In this situation, who on earth would be an ally following the Special Task Force?

No, in the first place… is it correct that they are following the Special Task Force?

What if it’s not?

“Ah, and that Sword Master we saw before is coming along too.”

“It’s Count Georg.”

Since I wouldn’t meet him, he’s coming to meet me himself?

“If it’s Count Georg… isn’t he the one who commands the Wolf Dog Mercenary Group in the Kingdom of Lumin? Why is he following?”

“He’s a guy suspected of charges related to the Demon Race. He said he wanted to meet me, saying he could prove his innocence.”

“No, Captain, why that now…!”

At my words, Murfin made a flustered expression.

At the same time, the expression of Mary, who was the Heretic Inquisitor, immediately turned ferocious.

“Related to the Demon Race?”

“It’s a suspicion. There’s only a hunch, no evidence.”

“It’s a matter related to the Demon Race. It’s a natural procedure to arrest even with just a hunch.”

“That’s the law of the Holy Nation. It’s different from the Kingdom of Lumin’s. At worst, it could become internal interference, can you handle that alone?”

“…Hmm.”

I looked at Mary and said.

“If you want me to help to the extent that it doesn’t become internal interference, tell me anytime. I’ve already thought of a method in advance.”

“Give it. Spit out the method right now.”

It was an immediate answer.

As expected of a Heretic Inquisitor.

Even if she looked normal on the outside, she was a woman crazy for faith.

“Good. Then for now, let’s run away first.”

However, she made a flustered expression as if the words coming out of my mouth were unexpected.

“Run away? Did you just say run away in front of a person with charges related to the Demon Race?”

“Didn’t you say you’d help to the extent that it doesn’t become internal interference? To execute that method, we must first avoid encountering Count Georg. Moreover, it’s the Wolf Dog Mercenary Group following us. Do you think we can easily escape the encirclement of those supporting a Sword Master?”

“…Whew.”

Mary took a deep breath and made a stable expression, perhaps thinking she had gotten too excited.

“Fine. No matter what that method is, as long as we can catch the one with charges related to the Demon Race, it doesn’t matter.”

“A wonderful mindset. Elena?”

“Yes. Captain.”

“Can you make a trap with Space Magic? Like when we trained.”

“It’s possible.”

Thrall asked with a puzzled expression.

“But, Brother. If we’re going to run away, can’t we just ride on Sister Laila’s back and fly away?”

“I said we’d run away, but I don’t mean to shake them off completely.”

I plan to make them follow narrowly.

“You mean you’ll lure them into the Sacred Land.”

“Yeah.”

I nodded at Beatrice’s words and looked at Mary.

“If Count Georg really has a connection with the Demon Race, some kind of contact might occur when he’s deep inside the Sacred Land. Or, even if the Demonic Beasts target the entire Wolf Dog Mercenary Group, they might not target Count Georg.”

“…You mean you’ll verify that.”

Mary nodded as if she understood and asked.

“But, what did you mean earlier by riding on her back and flying?”

I replied, pointing at Laila.

“She’s a Dragon.”

“…”

Mary held her forehead with an expression that had given up on understanding.

“Right. I’ll just know it as that.”

“Something is strange.”

Riki, who was moving while commanding the Mercenary Group, felt a strange sense of déjà vu from the front.

“The Captain too? Me too.”

“What’s happening? You stopped suddenly.”

At Count Georg’s question, who was following behind, Riki replied in a polite tone.

“I feel a strange sensation ahead. Just in case, please step back. Team 5. Check it out.”

At Riki’s command, five of the personnel deployed nearby carefully advanced forward.

Soon, the man leading the team frowned and shouted to Riki.

“It’s a minefield of traps here! And they’re Magic traps!”

“Magic traps? Were the Demonic Beasts high enough in intelligence to even set traps?”

“Probably not. Even more, they said it’s a Magic trap. Then it means a Mage did it.”

Riki shouted.

“The possibility that the Demon Race set the traps?”

“I don’t feel Magia. Whoever it was, a human did it.”

“The rank?”

“Unmeasurable. This is Space Magic.”

“…Was a Mage from the Magic Tower included?”

Riki, who had a serious expression, said to Count Georg.

“Will you keep following? It seems they’re warning us not to follow.”

“I’m following.”

Count Georg answered immediately.

“Will you really be alright? There’s a high possibility that the Special Task Force Captain won’t be someone you can talk to.”

“Don’t worry about that. I will beg until my hands become my feet.”

A suspicion of being related to the Demon Race was something easily rejected just by that.

Even if Count Georg was maintaining his composure as much as possible, he would feel the emotion of anxiety gradually tightening around him.

Riki also knew that, so he couldn’t utter any more words that it was dangerous.

‘It should be fine.’

He just had to protect him anyway.

To repay the debt of heart to his benefactor, Riki held his sword.

“Team 1. We break through the front. Follow well behind me.”

As the Sword Master held his sword, the red-dyed Sword Qi began to distort like the shape of a rake.

“Captain, the traps are starting to be destroyed as soon as they are set?”

“Hmm, it seems he chose a frontal breakthrough.”

A trap made with Space Magic is very different from a simple trap.

First, it was the effect of sending an opponent who stepped on the trap to another place randomly, or trapping them between the cracks of dimensions.

You might think it looks gentle for a trap if you just hear the words, but the random standard could be ‘the air’ or ‘underground’, and if you get trapped in the crack of dimensions, you’ll have more than a 90% chance of dying as it becomes practically impossible to escape forever unless you are a Mage who handles Space Magic.

To think he’s proudly making a frontal breakthrough among the fierce Space traps where life and death cross.

“As expected, he’s not called a Sword Master for nothing.”

Riki of the Blood Rake.

If that guy chose a frontal breakthrough, this side must also pick up more speed.

“From now on, we run. Elena, continue setting traps steadily. It doesn’t matter if the distance of the traps is sparse. Delay their feet even a little.”

“While running? You’re making a really difficult order.”

“Can’t you?”

“I can do it.”

I nodded and ran at the front.

However, if I ran at my original speed, not only the Special Task Force but also the Heretic Inquisitor wouldn’t be able to follow, so I reduced my running speed to about 80% of normal.

The trees and forests that should have contained Divine Power are dyed black, and a dreary atmosphere is prevalent around us.

The beast-like cries heard occasionally from within were like announcing the approach of Demonic Beasts soon.

“Thrall. Fire a spell into the air.”

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah. There are Demonic Beasts sensitive to sound, so I’m going to lure them this way. Laila, what’s the situation nearby?”

“There’s a place where the concentration of Magia is getting worse. The Artifact might be closer than expected.”

“The direction?”

“Northeast.”

“Moving.”

Boom!

Thrall’s Magic made a roar in the air.

The beast cries grew even louder.

“The Demonic Beasts are swarming. Get ready.”

Rumble.

In my sight, running in the lead, I could confirm the army of Demonic Beasts pushing in like a wave.

Seeing as they were Demonic Beasts that weren’t visible until just now, it seems they were hiding underground.

“A single-point breakthrough?”

“You know well.”

I affirmed the Heretic Inquisitor’s words and firmly gripped the Holy Sword.

I cut all the Demonic Beasts running at the very front in half at once.