Chapter 71 - 9
About two hours after leaving the capital, the joint unit was in a forest, out of sight from the enemy headquarters. The sun had fully risen, but the sky was clear without a single cloud, and the air was still piercingly cold.
The sweat rising from the horses turned to steam, slowly melting into the clear air. Even wearing winter gear, staying still was tough.
"There's surprisingly little traffic, isn't there?"
Kenny murmured as he nibbled on a field ration during a break that also served as a final strategy meeting. Even his breath clouded white.
"There's still time before the castle gates open. Farmers can't get in until the gates open, so traffic will pick up later."
Ritz, who had been re-examining the mansion's floor plan next to him, said this and then tossed the rest of his field ration into his mouth. The sweetness of the hard-baked, dried bread slowly spread through his mouth.
"You know a lot, Ritz-kun."
Altman was still his usual self with the inspectors, but he had started to warm up to Ritz.
"Most of my life has been spent wandering, you know. Right, Your Highness?"
Gerald, who had been silent since they arrived, perhaps due to tension, burst out laughing at Ritz's nonchalant remark. Ritz's unabashed attitude, despite having abandoned his duties as a Minister, must have struck him as funny.
"I'm quite envious of that."
Altman said this in a tone that was both amazed and amused, and he gave an exaggerated shrug. The tense atmosphere instantly softened.
Ritz glanced at the smiling Gerald. Had his tension eased a bit? In a situation like this, excessive tension could shorten one's life.
But Gerald was more relaxed than he had expected. While Gerald exchanged words with Altman and Kenny, Ritz took a deep breath of the cold, clear air and looked up at the blue sky visible through the gaps in the trees.
Given the early hour, the only people they had passed on the commoners' road leading to the capital were what appeared to be honey sellers driving a covered wagon loaded with large jars.
Heading to the capital at this time meant they were probably merchants unfamiliar with the castle gate's schedule. Come to think of it, he remembered one of them staring intently at them, perhaps finding the sight of soldiers unusual.
Ritz felt he had a strange feeling about that man, but he couldn't remember why. He had been busy discussing plans with Gerald.
"There are two exits from the mansion… Two inspectors will infiltrate first to sabotage the rear service entrance from the inside so it can't be opened. After confirming the main unit's entry from the front, both will stand by at the front door. They'll take down any enemies who try to flee… check."
Ritz went over the plan decided at the last meeting one more time in front of everyone. His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it echoed clearly in the crisp air.
"The first floor is our Inspectorate's responsibility. After securing the first floor, we will begin seizing documents and other materials."
Kenny said this and looked back at the inspectors. They were looking at the floor plan, confirming their respective positions and actions.
There were three copies of the floor plan: one for the inspectors, one for the Military Police, and one for Gerald and Ritz.
"We in the Military Police will take charge of securing the second and third floors. Due to our numbers, we will not be involved in seizing documents or evidence, but will focus solely on arresting the criminals…"
The Military Police nodded at Altman's words. It seemed they no longer needed to confirm. Their mission was only to arrest.
"I will remain on standby here in the stair hall after securing the first floor with the Inspectorate. After all floors are secured, report back here."
With that, Gerald lightly tapped the stair hall on the floor plan.
"Same for me, Your Highness."
Ritz said and stretched. Personally, he wanted to head to the second and third floors with the Military Police. That suited him better. But this time, that wasn't an option.
"Then let's commence the operation in twenty minutes."
Gerald said and looked at his pocket watch. Twenty minutes from now would be exactly eight o'clock. It would be three hours since they left the capital.
"You two going ahead, be extremely careful. It will affect the progress of the entire operation."
"Yes, sir."
At the direct command from the Crown Prince, the two inspectors, with tense expressions, placed their fists on their chests in the highest form of salute to royalty. Between soldiers, a simple salute would suffice, but in the rank-conscious Military Police, there was no other way to show respect to royalty. Gerald smiled at the two.
"But your lives are precious. If you fail and your lives are in danger, run. The operation can be replanned, but you only have one life."
"Thank you, sir."
As the two bowed deeply, Gerald shook his head.
"Save those words for when the operation is safely concluded."
A good balance of tension and a gentle atmosphere filled the place. A good sign. If this operation went according to plan, Gerald shouldn't be in much danger. But in the field, you never know what will happen. It was better to be cautious.
"It's eight o'clock. Now then, everyone, I'm counting on you."
"As you wish."
And so, the Drug Cartel Annihilation Operation began. Everyone silently watched as the first two men walked toward the mansion. The moment their figures disappeared from sight, blocked by the mansion and trees, everyone began unloading their gear from their horses and making preparations.
For the sake of stealth, which was the main principle of the operation, everyone would proceed on foot from here. Horses would be too conspicuous.
"Tie up the horses securely. If they run off, you won't be able to get back."
Ritz called out to everyone in a teasing tone to ease the tension. Altman immediately replied.
"Indeed. At my age, I couldn't possibly walk in this cold."
A ripple of laughter arose from both the Military Police and the inspectors.
"Then, after a final check, we will depart."
The soldiers returned to their tasks. Unlike a normal battle, when you have to perform post-processing tasks like capturing criminals, seizing documents, and securing evidence, you surprisingly have a lot of gear. Once they reached the mansion, they would entrust its management to the guards who went ahead to secure the door, and then they would storm in.
After confirming that none of the soldiers were paying attention to them, Ritz placed a hand on Gerald's shoulder.
"Oh, Ritz."
Gerald turned around in surprise. He had been staring at the mansion the whole time. It seemed he was worried about the two who had gone ahead.
"Gerald, listen to me."
"What is it?"
"You came here this time as the commander of this unit. But you have another, more fundamental premise."
Suddenly told this, Gerald tilted his head.
"A fundamental premise? What is it?"
"Before you are a commander, you are the Crown Prince."
Ritz stared at the bewildered Gerald with stern eyes.
"Not letting your soldiers die in vain, that's a given. If you can't do that, you'll just be called incompetent and that's the end of it. But more important than that is that you don't die."
"No, but…"
It was probably a little different from what Gerald had been thinking about as a commander until now. He must have only been thinking about protecting his soldiers and giving correct orders.
That's why his hesitation was palpable to Ritz. Still, Ritz continued without allowing any rebuttal.
"Your death could cause chaos in the country. When faced with a life-or-death situation, even if someone else has to be sacrificed, you must think of living, no matter what."
"Don't ask the impossible, Ritz. I can't do that."
In a tone filled with pain, Ritz looked back at Gerald, who was pressing his forehead, without mercy.
"Even if you can't, you must. Whether it's me, Kenny, or Altman, sacrifice us and survive."
"That's…"
"Understanding the importance of your own life is also the job of royalty. Understood?"
As if pushed by those strong words and the force of the hand on his shoulder, Gerald murmured with a sigh.
"Is such a selfish way of thinking permissible at a time like this?"
"It is permissible, Your Highness."
A powerful voice answered the murmur filled with doubt and anguish.
"Do not be troubled. We are soldiers of this country, the people of the kingdom that Your Highness is to rule."
Without turning around, Ritz knew from the voice who it was. It was Kenny. As an inspector in a special position, he was the man most conscious of that fact.
When he noticed, everyone was staring at Gerald. Their preparations had long been finished, and it seemed they had been listening to the two's exchange.
"Geez, you were listening?"
As Ritz said this with a wry smile, Altman, who had stepped forward next to Kenny, smiled with a sense of composure in his mustache.
"We are the Military Police. We've always had big ears."
"I didn't know that. I'll be careful from now on."
After lightly returning the joke, Altman turned back to Gerald.
"We, the First Platoon of the Military Police Third Division, our lives belong to this country… and by extension, to His Majesty and Your Highness. Whatever happens, we will have no regrets."
"Fort, Altman… you two…"
At the sincere words of the two platoon leaders, Gerald was lost for words and closed his eyes. After a while, as if having made a decision, he slowly opened his purple eyes.
"I understand… Thank you."
Gerald looked straight at everyone and then smiled.
"I'm sorry for taking up unnecessary time. Let's go. The two who went ahead are waiting."
At eight-thirty, thirty minutes after the operation began, the joint investigation team broke down the locked door of the enemy headquarters and stormed into the building.
"Empty shell… is it?"
Ritz murmured, looking around while remaining vigilant. The interior of the mansion was eerily quiet and felt strangely spacious. The high ceiling allowed the team members to easily raise their swords and the small shields fixed to their arms. But in the silent space, their figures looked strange and out of place.
But that wasn't the only reason it was eerie.
"…Be careful. There's a human presence."
Bracing himself, Altman warned his subordinates. The unnerving situation of sensing a presence but seeing no one…
"What should we do, Your Highness?"
Kenny asked Gerald for a decision on whether to continue the operation as planned or change it. It would be dangerous to split up between the first, second, and third floors in this situation.
Gerald seemed to understand this, and after some thought, he answered.
"Let's change the plan. First, all inspectors and Military Police will investigate every room on the first floor. During that time, we'll post guards at the passage to the upper staircase. Can I have two from the Military Police?"
"Understood."
In the end, the joint investigation team searched every nook and cranny of the roughly ten rooms on the first floor—including the drawing room, dining room, kitchen, sunroom, and servants' quarters—but they found no people, nor could they seize any documents.
All the documents had been taken away.
"…I have a bad feeling about this."
Having thoroughly searched the first floor, Ritz crossed his arms and thought. Why was no one here? And why were even the documents gone? It was as if they knew the investigation was coming today.
…Or was it a coincidence that the enemy had fled before the raid?
"It's no good. This place has been completely cleaned out."
Kenny, who had been checking the furniture until the end, reported to Gerald.
"This is strange…"
Gerald seemed to have the same question that Ritz had just had.
"What do you think, Ritz?"
At Gerald's request for advice, Ritz shrugged.
"I don't know… For now, the upper floors, I guess."
It was a perfunctory answer, but neither Gerald, Altman, nor Kenny seemed to have any objections. Right now, there was no way to know the situation other than to investigate.
"Then the Military Police will go to the second floor. Inspectors, the captain and a few others will remain on the first floor and continue the investigation. There might be a basement or a hidden room."
"As you wish."
Kenny, who was being left behind, looked worriedly at Gerald and Ritz. But he knew that completing his own mission was important, so the option of following them didn't seem to exist.
It was decided that five inspectors, fifteen Military Police, and Gerald and Ritz—a total of twenty-two people—would go up to the second floor.
"Let's go, then."
As Gerald urged the Military Police on, Kenny could only call out to him.
"Be careful, Your Highness."
"I know. I won't do anything reckless."
The interior of the mansion was filthy. No, it would be more appropriate to say it was dilapidated. It seemed the man who bought it hadn't repaired the interior.
Looking at the old, peeling paint and exposed stone walls, it was hard to believe anyone had lived here. He seemed to remember hearing at the meeting that a construction crew had been in, but he had no idea what they had touched.
Perhaps no one had lived in this mansion since it was bought by the low-ranking noble? If it was just used for storage, its dilapidated state would make sense.
There was a staircase leading up in the east corner of the mansion. It was a wide wooden staircase that three large men could walk up side by side. It was warped, but not so much that the treads would break.
As the large group ascended the creaking stairs, the sound of the wooden steps echoed like a high-pitched, drawn-out scream.
"Something's not right…"
Ritz, who was walking at the front alongside Altman, muttered softly.
"What's not right?"
Altman, next to him, asked. Ritz continued, his eyes fixed ahead.
"Even if they haven't worked on it, if people were frequently going up and down to the upper floors, wouldn't the stairs be quieter? I was just thinking how much they're creaking."
Wooden stairs warp and creak. Even after many years, if numerous people were going up and down every day, the creaking should change a little. A house falls into disrepair when no one lives in it… that's the law of nature.
"Yes, I was thinking the same."
Altman, with his extensive field experience, nodded. There was a possibility that the upper two floors of this mansion had not been used… Ritz's thought became a reality when they reached the second floor.
"So much dust. Is anyone here?"
Altman muttered, looking at the corridor. Dust was piled high at both ends of the hallway.
"But there are tracks, so someone must have been here."
Altman and Ritz, who were talking without lowering their voices, suddenly fell silent.
"What is it?"
Gerald, who had come up right behind them, asked, but he quickly fell silent as he noticed the cause of their silence. The handle of a door facing the corridor was making a soft clicking sound.
Tension rose again. The Military Police who had come up to the second floor all raised their swords and shields once more.
In the silent corridor, only the sound of a handle turning could be heard. From the sound alone, it seemed that whoever was inside the door was having trouble opening it.
"Here they come!"
In Ritz's eyes, who had spoken briefly, a single door slowly opened.
"Ugh… What is that…"
What was there was human… or more accurately, it might be correct to say it was a being that was formerly human.
"…What… What is this…"
The muscles all over its body were abnormally swollen, making its entire body look like a lumpy rock. The muscle swelling was not limited to its body; the muscles pressing on its face had caused its eyeballs to bulge out.
Its appearance resembled that of a monster called a troll, said to exist in the land of darkness. Its bulging eyes glared at the Military Police. For a moment, they flinched, and its eyes remained fixed on them, unmoving.
The monster suddenly shed a tear. As if asking for help, it reached out its arm toward Altman and groaned with a guttural, unpleasant sound.
"Sq…uad… Lea…der…"
As Altman stood there, eyes wide, unable to even speak, the monster reached out its arm further.
"Squad… Lead…er…"
"You're… Turner?"
The monster seemed to smile for a moment. But the next instant, it clutched its head and let out a pained groan.
"Aaaarrrrggghhh!"
"Turner, what happened?! Answer me, Turner!"
"Stop it, Altman! It's no use anymore!"
Ritz held back Altman, who was about to run forward. Unable to break free from Ritz's powerful grip, Altman groaned.
"Let go, Ritz-kun, let me go! That's my subordinate!"
He had known from Altman's tone. But the words that actually came out of his mouth were heavy.
The monster that Altman had called Turner writhed on the floor, groaning. The blood vessels running over its muscles twitched like living things, clearly visible even from a distance.
"You're a professional, you should know! It's no use anymore!"
"But!"
"Just get back!"
Turner, who had turned into a monster, continued to scream while rolling on the floor.
"Damn… How could this happen?!"
His fists trembling with anger, Altman slowly backed away, still clinging to a faint hope that he could be saved.
"…He's the subordinate I was using for reconnaissance. Until two days ago, nothing was wrong…"
Two days ago… So the enemy had made their move in line with this investigation. Something was wrong…
Just as Ritz thought that, the other doors opened.
"Here they come…"
Ritz took a few steps back without taking his eyes off the doors. Just like Turner before, a being that had turned into a monster appeared, taking slow, deliberate steps.
In the monster's hand, something like a tattered cloth was hanging. The monster's breathing and the screams of the man who was once Turner were the only sounds.
If this was a dream, please wake up, everyone wished. But the moment they realized what the tattered cloth in the monster's hand was, that faint hope vanished.
…It was… a human corpse.
"That body is Barry… then could this be…"
The monster slowly, step by step, approached Altman. Not a shred of reason remained in its eyes.
"Denzel… Is that you, Denzel?"
The monster threw a twisted smile with its wide eyes at Altman, who had screamed as if wringing out the words. It was not the face of someone happy to see an acquaintance.
"Altman! Get back!"
It was the joy of a beast licking its lips at the sight of prey. Realizing this, Ritz drew his sword and pulled Altman back.
"What are you doing?!"
In that instant, the monster slammed the corpse onto the spot where Altman had been standing. The force was so great that the body bounced violently.
"Barry!"
He called his subordinate's name, but he no longer showed any reaction. Altman, still on the floor, screamed.
"Denzel! It's me, don't you recognize me?!"
Ritz raised his greatsword and stood in front of the monster. Denzel, who had turned into a monster, let out a roar.
"Woooooaaaaahhhhh!"
In his joy at finding an enemy, his bulging eyes gleamed eerily.
"Wait, please!"
Altman must have known, too, that it was no use. It was understandable that he couldn't give up, but there was nothing more to be done. Ritz kept his eyes on the monster, slowly closing the distance, and yelled at Altman behind him.
"You know, don't you?! There's nothing we can do!"
"I know! But how can I give up?! He's my… my subordinate!"
His voice trembled with sorrow and anger. Until two days ago, everything was supposed to have been fine. It was only natural that his emotions couldn't keep up with this sudden situation, especially seeing his trusted subordinate in that state.
But he had to calm down. The top priority now was to escape from here safely.
It was Gerald who gently placed a hand on the shoulder of the confused Altman.
"Altman."
He had only called his name, but at that call, filled with deep sorrow and pity, Altman's face contorted, and he fell silent. After closing his eyes tightly for a moment, he looked up. There was no longer confusion in his eyes, only a strong sorrow.
"…My apologies, Your Highness. I lost my composure."
Altman drew his sword. At the determination in his tragic eyes, Ritz couldn't find any words to say. Gerald, too, furrowed his brow with an expression as if enduring pain and fell silent.
After quietly looking around at the corpse of his subordinate lying at his feet, the writhing figure of another, and the form of his former subordinate watching them, he took a deep breath.
"As a final offering, we, the Military Police, his comrades, will send him off."
Altman slowly turned to face the Military Police. The pale-faced soldiers, like Altman, drew their swords with eyes full of sorrow.
The tragic determination towards a comrade made his chest ache.
In the midst of it all, Turner, who had collapsed on the floor and been screaming, slowly got up. The last shred of reason he had before was already gone.
"…Turner, too, is probably a lost cause…"
As if signaled by Altman's sorrowful words, the Military Police slowly advanced. Gerald and the four inspectors were left behind.
"Ritz-kun, you too, step back. Please leave this to us, the Military Police…"
"Yeah… I'll leave it to you."
Ritz stepped back without taking his eyes off the monster in front. Altman and the Military Police advanced, swords at the ready.
He must have been an excellent subordinate once. The monster swayed unsteadily as it gradually approached them. Bloodshot eyes, abnormally swollen muscles, and a half-open mouth…
How great must be the sorrow of those who had to bury their own comrade.
"Barry, Turner, Denzel… you have served well until now. You were true warriors who loved this kingdom, swore allegiance to the King, and faithfully carried out the duties assigned to you."
Sword at the ready, Altman addressed the monster that had been his subordinate. Behind him, Gerald closed his eyes as if he couldn't bear it. It was the first time Gerald had come face to face with the resolve of those loyal men who died to protect the kingdom.
The one who bears all these feelings… is the King.
"We will never forget you. May glory be upon you as you are summoned to the side of the Goddess…"
Altman prayed, and after a brief silence, he issued a command to all the Military Police.
"Charge!"
A life-and-death struggle between the Military Police and the monstrous figure began. There were only two monsters, and fifteen Military Police. But the monster's strength was far greater than imagined.
They, who wielded swords and protected themselves with shields, were being overwhelmed by the unarmed monster.
The monster's body had been trained as a soldier to begin with. Now, it had been strengthened dozens of times over, giving it terrifying power. With a roar, the monster leaped at the Military Police. Its speed was not that of a normal person.
"Oooooooohhhhh…"
The voice leaking from the monster's mouth was low and overwhelmed the Military Police. Altman's rugged and straightforward swordplay could wound the opponent, but it couldn't make them flinch. It seemed they had no fear.
The monster's fingers, angled sharply and quickly, dug into a soldier's body, causing blood to spurt out.
"Don't be afraid!"
At the sound of Altman's voice, who was fighting at the forefront and getting wounded, the squad members squeezed out their strength and fought a desperate battle…
Between the battlefield where the monsters and the Military Police fought, and the group who were forced to wait with gritted teeth, Ritz stood with his sword at the ready.
He wanted to help, but he knew full well that neither Altman nor the Military Police members wanted that, so there was nothing he could do.
"Ritz…"
It was the same for Gerald. Gerald, who was standing there as if protected by the inspectors and Ritz, shook his head while pressing one hand to his forehead.
"What should I do? Can I do nothing?"
Gerald was a kind man. He was blaming himself for not being able to do anything.
"Wait for now. All we can do is wait."
Ritz suppressed his own emotions and calmly stated this. But Gerald shook his head, denying Ritz's words.
"But those are soldiers of the Military Police. Is it right to let them fight such a… such a painful battle?"
"…It's what the Military Police wanted. We're not allowed to interfere."
"That's…"
Just then, one of the inspectors suddenly looked back.
"What is it?"
As the inspector was about to answer Ritz's question, a barrel was thrown down on the spot.
"Above!"
There was a monster on the stairs… It felt smaller and had less muscle and killing intent than the monsters the Military Police were fighting, but it certainly had the same muscle swelling and bulging eyes. If it wasn't related to the Military Police, was this someone from the drug organization?
"Gagagagagagag…"
Foaming at the mouth, the monster rushed down the stairs.
"Be careful!"
Almost simultaneously with Ritz's voice, the inspector who was bringing up the rear entered a state of combat. From the top of the stairs, the monster's roar could be heard.
"There's more than one?!"
Ritz rushed back to the stairs.
"Gerald, be careful!"
Another one fell from above, just like the barrel. The monster, which fell with a tremendous crash, felt no pain and immediately got up, pouncing on the inspector who was there.
The engaged inspector was fighting the monster with a partner. But this monster was far weaker than the one the Military Police were facing.
Realizing this, Ritz faced the monster blocking the stairs one-on-one. Maybe, if they fought in a narrow space, he could manage somehow.
The monster seemed to be dominated by destructive impulses and hallucinations. It found Ritz and its twisted mouth broke into a grin. The monster's hands, swung with all its might, damaged the stairs, and wood splinters flew.
Ritz remembered what he had heard at the previous meeting about the effects of using the drug.
The Inspector General had said that the drug had hallucinogenic and muscle-enhancing effects. One would suddenly feel incredibly strong, see everything before them as foolishly small, and be unable to suppress their destructive impulses…
Was this the situation right now?
No, but this addict wasn't normal. Something was wrong. In the stories he had heard, they could be interrogated once the drug wore off, couldn't they? But with that Military Police officer and this man, it was absolutely impossible.
They were different from the drug addicts so far…
Today, all his senses were out of whack.
"Gagagagagaga…"
The monster said again, drooling. How did Ritz look in this monster's eyes?
"I'm not food, you know."
Ritz grimaced at the dripping drool and muttered as he raised his greatsword.
"Ugaaaaaaah!"
Screaming, the monster rushed down the stairs. Its speed was less like running down and more like smoothly sliding down.
"This guy!"
He tried to split its body with his greatsword, but the monster was a fraction of a second faster. The sword was stopped firmly by the monster's two hands.
The small nails, barely visible between the fingers buried in muscle, scraped against the greatsword, creating a high-pitched friction sound.
It was heavy, unbelievably so for bare hands… The monster's face, now close before him, glared at Ritz.
"You bastard!"
He delivered a powerful kick to its wide-open stomach, and the monster momentarily moved away from Ritz. It rubbed its stomach quizzically.
"So it has no sense of feeling…"
The spot the monster touched with its hand was smeared with blood. Ritz wasn't injured, and there shouldn't be a wound on the monster's stomach. The monster paid no mind to the blood and stretched both its arms toward Ritz. Seeing its open palms, Ritz felt a chill.
Several fingers were missing.
They must have fallen off when it caught the sword with both hands just now. Yet this monster didn't even feel pain.
"What kind of drug is this?"
The monster gave a twisted grin to Ritz, who was raising his greatsword.
If the monster was fast, he had to strike first. Besides, the monster didn't seem to be aware of this sword, so maybe…
Ritz charged straight at the monster. He held the greatsword in a reverse grip, pointing the blade straight at the monster. The moment the monster came at him, he braced himself with both feet to prepare for the impact and put strength into his hands.
"Ugaaaaaah!"
A tremendous weight fell on the greatsword.
"Guh!"
Unable to bear it, he let go of the greatsword and jumped to the side. The monster, with its momentum, tumbled down the stairs.
With the greatsword still deeply embedded in its stomach…
"Did I get it?"
Panting, Ritz looked down the stairs. The monster was caught on the landing leading to the first floor, writhing. The blood flowing from its stomach was a dark black.
Was this monster no longer human…?
He grimaced involuntarily. What a terrible thing to do…
"Are you all right, Ritz?"
Gerald, who had been swinging his sword alongside the inspectors, asked Ritz. He had apparently been fighting hard, but it seemed the inspectors had told him to stay back. His face looked apologetic for his lack of combat experience being exposed like this.
With a little more breathing room, Ritz gave Gerald a light shrug.
"Yeah, somehow."
Ritz, who had kept his eyes on the monster, widened them at the unexpected event that unfolded before him.
The monster, which he thought couldn't move, was slowly starting to raise its body as if waking from a dream.
Ritz's greatsword, about 150 centimeters long, was stuck in its stomach. Impaled and skewered, the monster got up.
On its twisted face, a horrifying, spectacular smile appeared…
"You've got to be kidding me…"
Ignoring the stunned Ritz, the monster casually pulled out the sword stuck in its stomach as if it were a thorn in its finger. It threw the ten-kilogram greatsword at Ritz and the others as if it were a small branch. The sword easily stuck into the stairs.
And the monster charged, not even giving Ritz the time to pull out his sword. He couldn't dodge now. Gerald was next to him!
"Damn it!"
He instinctively pushed Gerald, who was next to him, away. The recoil left him standing right in front of the monster.
I can't dodge.
He felt a strong impact on his body, and the next moment his vision flipped. He had been sent flying. He was slammed against the stairs, and his breath stopped for a moment.
"Ritz!"
At the sound of Gerald's shout, Ritz remembered his mission and summoned all his strength to try and stand up. He had said he would die in Gerald's place, but he couldn't die with Gerald.
He had to get Gerald back to the capital alive.
The monster wasn't about to let Ritz go. It let out a cry of joy at its slowed prey and grabbed the still-fallen Ritz.
The crushing force squeezed him, and Ritz struggled desperately, but it had no effect on the monster that felt no pain. His breathing became ragged, and an unpleasant sound started in the back of his ears.
But the next moment he was slammed to the floor again. He was no longer being choked, but instead, there was an unpleasant sound from around his chest.
My ribs are broken, Ritz thought, as if it were someone else's problem. It infuriated him that he could be so calm even in this situation. The taste of iron slowly spread in his mouth.
His body was lifted again, dragging.
For a moment, the faces of his wards he had left in the capital flashed in his mind. If he was slammed down again, even he, as sturdy as he was, might be in danger.
Was there any chance to counterattack… Just as he thought that, the monster let go of Ritz. He fell to the floor with a thud. He managed to break his fall somehow.
The monster let out a roar of joy. It had found another target.
In front of the monster stood Gerald, sword at the ready, glaring straight at it.
"Idiot… Run! Guh…"
His broken ribs hurt, and he couldn't shout. Gerald alone couldn't do it. The message must have gotten through, but Gerald didn't look at Ritz and said quietly.
"If I don't fight when I should, I might save my own life. But I myself could not forgive that…"
Before Gerald finished speaking, the monster leaped at its new prey. The blood flowing from its stomach had certainly slowed the monster's movements, but it was still a formidable opponent.
Ritz finally stood up, clutching his chest, and stood in front of his own greatsword, which was stuck in the floor. He spat out the blood that had collected in his mouth and, with all his might, pulled out the greatsword.
"Ugh…"
A numbing pain shot through his entire body. Sweat broke out from the pain. It might be more than one or two broken ribs. But now was not the time to be thinking about that.
Looking from behind, the monster's back had a hole opened by Ritz's greatsword, from which dark blood continued to flow.
It had no sense of pain. So no matter how much you wounded it, it would probably keep fighting until all the blood in its body was gone.
If that was the case, there was only one way to dispose of this monster.
Ritz slowly closed the distance, trying not to be noticed by the monster. Gerald was, as expected, being pushed back. He must have been caught by its claws, as blood was flowing from his side.
Gerald was out of luck, his first real battle being not with a human… but a monster.
As Gerald summoned his strength to strike the monster again after accurately aiming for his target, Ritz yelled.
"Gerald! Get out of the way!"
With all his might, Ritz swung his greatsword. The monster's head flew from its body with the momentum of the greatsword, slammed against the wall, and was crushed with a squishing sound.
From its bulging eyes, the last trace of life, like madness, eventually faded.
"Got it…"
Ritz used his greatsword like a cane, leaning on the floor, and muttered with ragged breaths.
The monster's body, having lost its head which controlled its movements, fell slowly to the floor like a collapsing stone statue, without any reaction, while spouting black blood like a fountain.
As expected, no matter how much you strengthened its muscles, once it lost its head, it was helpless.
"The head! Aim for the head!"
Clutching his aching ribs, Ritz yelled at the inspectors who were still engaged with the enemy.
"The head!"
His voice seemed to have reached the Military Police as well. The battle, which had been at a stalemate, began to move towards a conclusion again. The blood spouting from the monster mercilessly stained the corridor, walls, and ceiling black. In a flash, the dusty, old mansion corridor was stained as if polished with dark blood and gleamed wetly.
When everyone had a moment to catch their breath, five bodies of humans who had turned into monsters were lying on the floor.
All of them were headless.
"Is everyone in the Military Police safe?"
Gerald asked Altman while stopping the bleeding from his wound with a cloth.
"…One was killed. We have three seriously injured."
"I see…"
Everyone was exhausted and spoke little. Ritz himself had been silent for a while. There was sorrow, regret, and also the fact that talking was painful because of his broken ribs.
But more than that, he was feeling another strange sense of unease.
There shouldn't have been much traffic on the second floor. So why were there such monsters here?
Why did the monsters stay in this room without coming out, and only came out after Ritz and the others arrived…?
…It was all a mystery.
"How many are unharmed?"
Those who had been sitting around in a daze or standing there finally remembered their mission and looked at Gerald. With a pained expression, Altman answered.
"Everyone has some kind of injury, but other than the four I mentioned, everyone can move."
It was the same for the inspectors.
"Then the inspectors will search the second floor, and Altman and the Military Police will search the third floor. There might still be others like these… pitiful ones."
Gerald ordered in a dejected voice. Everyone knew that there was no point in just standing around here.
"The seriously injured, me, and Ritz will stay here. Ritz is also seriously injured."
With Gerald's words, everyone learned for the first time that Ritz was seriously injured.
"Are you all right? Ritz-kun."
Altman asked, suppressing his sorrow and forcing a faint smile.
"Yeah. But I want to rest soon. This is tough."
Ritz looked at everyone with a faint smile on his face, his words a mix of a sigh and a wry chuckle. A faint joy of having survived also appeared on their faces.
"I'm counting on you for the patrol."
With Ritz's words, the search by the Inspectorate and the Military Police began again.