Chapter 45: Trying to Trust for Once
Kieeek—!
Ugh! Ugh!
Throughout the night, the chimeras' eerie cries echoed through the forest of Laup, filling the prison of test subjects.
The chimeras prowled the forest all night, searching for prey. But as another day passed, they began to leave the prison as if on cue, gradually retreating.
In an instant, the forest was enveloped in silence.
The darkness of the forest faded, and morning arrived.
Under the warm sunlight,
the sounds of chirping birds and animal calls shattered the silence, bringing life back to the forest.
Thump—!
The ground trembled.
The earth sank in places, and soon, a group of people emerged, clawing their way up from the ground.
“Ptooey!”
Karl spat out the dirt that had filled his mouth and grit his teeth.
Two days.
Ordinarily, the chimeras would leave within half a day, but they’d lingered much longer this time, forcing everyone to spend a grueling amount of time underground.
“Is everyone alright?”
At Karl’s call, his subordinates, covered in dirt, gathered around him one by one.
Each of them looked exhausted.
Having relied on Bethel’s Poison for an extended time, their hearts had taken a toll, leaving them all weakened.
Among them was Elton.
After parting with Arthur, Elton had immediately returned to the marked hideout and joined the group in the underground tunnel.
Knowing that they’d recover with rest, Karl ordered everyone to take a break and called Elton over separately.
“Can you move?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s scout around.”
Even though there were no signs of chimeras, they needed to be sure.
Karl and Elton began a careful search through the forest.
After a while, as they inspected the surroundings, Karl confirmed that the chimeras were indeed gone.
But it wasn’t just the chimeras.
“Looks like they took everyone.”
Not a soul was left of those who’d been captured.
Karl’s words made Elton nod heavily. None of those who’d been imprisoned with them had survived.
Of all those who had been attacked the previous day, Karl’s group was the only one that had made it through.
Following Arthur’s advice to stay underground for two extra days had saved their lives.
Karl and Elton reached the field where Arthur had last been.
“He must have made it out of here by now.”
“I think so.”
“You said he met a Dark Elf?”
“Yes. They seemed to know each other.”
Having received Elton’s report, Karl considered Arthur’s situation. Arthur had found himself in the company of an incredibly strong individual, albeit indirectly. He wasn’t the type to die a pointless death, so there was no need to worry.
“Let’s head back.”
Back at the hideout, Karl prepared to move quickly.
If Arthur’s words were correct, something significant had changed in the forest.
He needed to confirm it.
Karl’s group gathered in front of the boundary of the magic circle, waiting momentarily. Across the shallow stream, they could see the marked boundary line.
After looking at the boundary for a moment, Karl took a slow, cautious step forward.
Tension filled the air.
“…….”
As soon as he crossed the boundary, countless thoughts flooded his mind.
After taking a few more steps, he turned around to look at his subordinates.
All of them stared at him with wide eyes, stunned expressions on their faces.
He had crossed the boundary unscathed.
Karl gave a small wave and nodded, signaling for the others to follow. Elton led the way, and the rest of the group began crossing the boundary as well. No one disappeared as they crossed—they all made it through safely.
‘It’s just as he said.’
Arthur’s prediction that the magic circle would vanish two days after the chimeras left.
Karl had seen it with his own eyes.
‘If he knows information this reliable….’
Though they hadn’t spent much time together, Karl had shared many conversations with Arthur.
Arthur had thanked him, saying he’d learned a lot, but in truth, it had been more of an exchange of information.
While Karl had taught Arthur survival skills, he had also learned a great deal in return.
Their discussions had significantly influenced Karl’s next course of action.
Karl began to ponder.
In the meantime—
“We’re finally… free….”
“The air feels different.”
His subordinates looked around the forest with thrilled expressions. It was just a single step across, but the atmosphere felt completely different.
Having escaped a hellish place, their emotions were naturally heightened.
Elton stepped back from the group’s excitement and quietly moved beside Karl.
He knew Karl’s next decision was crucial.
“Where will you go?”
“…….”
Karl looked at Elton and shrugged. Originally, he’d planned to set up a base near Etor and wait for an opportunity to take revenge on Crux.
But—
“Elton.”
“Yes.”
“Have we ever suffered because we followed that guy’s advice?”
Elton immediately realized who Karl was referring to.
“Not once.”
“He offered me a blueprint. What do you think?”
“I’ll follow wherever you lead, sir.”
Though that was his answer, Elton’s expression showed a clear trust in Arthur.
Elton was not the type to trust others easily, yet Arthur had won him over in a short time. It was almost magical.
“Did he give you something?”
“I owe him my life.”
“That’s a pretty hefty debt.”
‘Well, I owe him too, I suppose.’
Karl chuckled to himself, scratching his head. He was even more skeptical of people than Elton was. This realization made him curious about Arthur’s past.
Could he really be just a novice assassin?
The more he learned, the more mysterious Arthur seemed.
‘I’m growing more intrigued.’
Arthur didn’t seem like someone who could be contained within Crux.
[Revenge requires power. Shall I introduce you to someone who can lend you that power?]
When they had talked about revenge on Crux, Arthur had made that suggestion.
‘I thought he was just talking nonsense at the time.’
Arthur had said that if they could recruit just one person, avenging Crux would be easy. Now, Karl found himself taking that claim seriously.
Arthur had advised him to make his own move rather than waiting for an opportunity.
“We’re going to Blyer Territory.”
“May I ask why?”
“There’s someone in Blyer who can help us bring down Crux.”
“Wait, you mean… the lord of Blyer?”
The Lord of Blyer, Kamel Blazer.
Karl laughed and shook his head at Elton’s question.
While Kamel Blazer did possess the power to crush Crux in an instant, he wasn’t the one Karl had in mind.
“The current lord, Kamel, has allied with Crux and slaughtered his own kin to seize power. Arthur was directly involved in that mission, so he’d know. The Lord of Blyer is likely more of an enemy to us.”
“Then who are we looking for?”
Karl recalled Arthur’s words.
Arthur had said that building a faction around this person could lead to much more than mere revenge.
“A man who’ll someday stand as an enemy to Blyer.”
“Huh?”
Currently, he was imprisoned in a mine, forced into labor. Arthur had described him as a “lost hero.”
The former Knight Commander of House Blyer and a 5-star warrior—
Lochter Felice.
Arthur hadn’t called him a lost hero for nothing, and he’d known precisely how to recruit Lochter as well.
‘He said that the best time to recruit him is right after he escapes from the mines.’
Arthur had hinted that Lochter wouldn’t remain in the mines for long. If they stayed in Blyer Territory, they were bound to hear news of him.
But first, Karl intended to verify whether Arthur’s information was reliable.
“You’ve made up your mind?”
“I’m trying to trust him.”
[Just trust me this once.]
Before they’d parted, Arthur had tossed him a bracelet and said those words.
That gesture had solidified Karl’s resolve.
He would trust him for once.
And he would wait.
Wait for Arthur’s return.
With his decision made, Karl and his group began their journey to Blyer Territory, where Lochter Felice was imprisoned.
Thus, the fate of Karl Bastain, who had once been a villain’s aide and a participant in a bloody conquest, shifted. Instead of aiding the traitorous Kamel, he was now on the path to support the heroic rival of Kamel, Lochter.
***
In the heart of Laup Forest, there stood a towering ancient cliff that seemed to pierce the sky. Its massive expanse was visible even from far away, though no humans had ventured near it in ages.
Or more accurately, anyone who tried to approach was either killed or vanished before reaching it.
Thud thud thud thud—!
The ground trembled as thick dust rose among the surrounding trees.
Moments later, a swarm of hundreds of chimeras emerged from the forest, heading straight for the cliff.
This forbidden area was essentially the chimeras’ domain.
The chimeras approached the cliff, then vanished as they were sucked into the crevices of the rock.
Among them—
Uuuurgh—!
—was a group of bull-like chimeras.
The interior of the cliff was connected by a network of tunnels like a labyrinth.
The chimeras separated and regrouped repeatedly as they moved deeper and deeper into the heart of the cliff.
After some time, they reached a vast open space in the center of the cliff.
The floor was riddled with countless dark holes, so deep that their depths were impossible to gauge.
Kuek!
One by one, the chimeras lined up in front of the holes and began vomiting up what they had inside.
The test subjects they’d collected from the prison were spewed out, one by one, dropping into the depths of the holes without a single scream.
Of course, among them—
“Mmmpf!”
—was one conscious person, clutching his hands over his mouth to stifle his groans.
Me.
“Ugh!”
I had been lying there, exhausted, pretending to be dead, when suddenly my world flipped, and I began to plummet.
The chimera had just vomited me out, and now I was hurtling downward like I was on a roller coaster, struggling to process what was happening.
Flailing my arms, I searched for something to grab onto, but there was nothing.
In the dim light, I could barely make out my surroundings. Then, the darkness cleared, and I saw a vast lake below.
The sensation of cold water hit me.
Splash—!
“……!”
The shock of hitting the lake snapped me out of my daze. I didn’t even have a moment to react before something grabbed me roughly.
As I was lifted into the air, I cautiously opened my eyes.
A red-tinted space stretched out before me.
And then, the horrific sight around me came into focus.
‘…What the hell!’
The curse slipped from my mouth.
Countless bodies lay sprawled around the lake. The number had to be in the thousands, giving the impression of a massive graveyard.
“This place really is hell.”
But my murmuring didn’t last long.
Soon, I was tossed to the side, joining the other limp bodies.
It seemed everyone here had been rendered unconscious from prolonged exposure to the chimeras’ fluids.
I didn’t want to draw attention, so I pretended to be unconscious while carefully observing my surroundings.
Kieek! Kieek!
Small chimeras scurried overhead, their tentacle-like limbs reaching down to fish people out of the lake one by one.
It appeared that this was a place to gather all the collected test subjects.
‘Fenry must be here too, right?’
With her abilities, she could escape if she wanted, but I doubted she would make a move unless her life was in immediate danger.
‘If they separate species, she’ll probably be taken elsewhere.’
Sure enough, unlike the humans, non-human test subjects were immediately transported somewhere else.
Then, an unexpected voice reached my ears.
“This one’s human, you stupid monster!”
A human voice.
There was someone here capable of speech. There wasn’t just one, either. Peeking slightly, I saw several figures casually giving orders to the chimeras.
At first, I thought they were humans, but parts of their bodies resembled monstrous limbs, making it difficult to call them normal humans.
However, they retained enough intelligence to command the chimeras, suggesting they were likely the overseers left to manage this place in Dominic’s absence.
They led the chimeras around, sorting the prisoners by gender, age, and physical condition.
A moment later, one of them hovered over me, peering down.
Was it my turn?
“This one’s looking a bit too healthy. Are you sure he’s affected by the toxins?”
“Want me to chop off a limb to check?”
“Idiot! That’ll damage the goods!”
I clenched my fists, keeping my eyes shut tight.
I could feel their slimy gazes crawling over me.
Behind them loomed a swarm of chimeras, dozens, maybe hundreds of them.
This was nerve-wracking. Shit.