Chapter 133

Chapter 133 - Omen (7)

While Eugene headed straight to the Moving Castle to save Might, the rest of the troops entered Tripol City.

Because besides reporting the subjugation of the champion, their greatest threat, taxidermy work was urgent.

"The Queen is much larger than expected, isn't she?"

"We are short on preservatives."

Besides her size, the characteristic of a snake's body having a large surface area required many preservatives. The amount the expedition force carried was nowhere near enough.

The tribal warriors felt like they would go crazy from anxiety that the corpse might rot during the journey to the city.

"You have truly worked hard! The warriors' great deed will be passed down eternally in this city... We have secured the best accommodations, so please rest..."

"Move aside! Now is not the time to leisurely sleep!"

The tribal warriors pushed aside the welcoming officials and poured their energy entirely into the work without even sleeping.

"Bring more!"

Empty wooden barrels rolled around the workshop floor.

"Do not spare the preservatives... Smear it on generously."

"I don't even know how many barrels we've used... It must be a new record among all the works we've done so far."

Receiving the officials' consideration, they rented the city's largest dyehouse in its entirety.

"Hey, you idiot! You sewed the grain in reverse!"

"Ah!"

The snake skin pierced by the shattered lower body bones was flawlessly repaired using the tribe's secret techniques.

"Bring more sandpaper... It tore again."

The black, glossy nails were filed sharper than when she was alive.

"What do we do about this? They caved in too deeply."

Because fat is vulnerable to putrefaction, it must be removed first during taxidermy.

Thanks to that, the Lamia Queen's two breasts, which were practically violent in size, sunk in deeply. Going beyond simply looking unsightly, the overall balance had collapsed.

"What do you mean what do we do? Fill them up!"

"But what do we fill them with? This is our first time experiencing this."

Even the tribal warriors, who were taxidermy experts, were at a loss. At that moment, the human mercenaries shouted in unison.

"Let us do it! We will find whatever is needed!"

The mercenaries, who had only been watching, actively stepped forward to supply materials.

They scoured everywhere in the city searching for materials to resurrect the Lamia Queen's breasts, such as straw bundles, cloth scraps, and animal skins.

Even if the materials they brought were rejected for various reasons, they headed to the market with beaming smiles.

"I've never experienced such an enjoyable mercenary life!"

Could there possibly be a better topic than this to chat about over drinks with other mercenaries in the future?

The finished product was such an incredible masterpiece that even a nation's king would covet it. While the Lamia Queen herself was impressive, the decorations beneath her were also magnificent.

- Cut off all the ordinary Lamias' tails and bring them too.

- Lord? Those parts don't particularly make money, though.

- Decoration is important in any work of art.

- Deco... what?

The tribal warriors were puzzled, but did as Eugene ordered for the time being.

After stacking the cut-off rattles like an altar in that manner, the coiled taxidermy of the Queen was placed on top. The massive necklace of courtesy hung around her neck.

"My word, even though we made it, this is truly..."

The taxidermy exhibited in the plaza at the request of the city's nobles captivated the eyes of everyone passing by. It was almost akin to an idol symbolizing snake worship.

"The rumors about a champion appearing were true!"

Gold scales sparkling catching the sunlight, and protrusions sprouting like a crown on her forehead. Sharp gripping hands that made even a lion's front paws seem like a cat's.

It was a terrifying appearance befitting the renowned name of an evil god's proxy. The majestic figure that only a very few great warriors could encounter alive was revealed even to those unqualified.

"No wonder the outside went to shit like that with such a monster lurking around."

"Look at the tail rattles underneath... Just how many did they hunt?"

"That torso! It looks like it could easily swallow dozens of grown men."

The tribal warriors, specially permitted to be armed within the city to prevent vandalism and theft, held their heads stiffly high.

"Let's ask the Lord and definitely take it with us to the next tribal festival."

"The horse golem from last time was quite decent too, but it absolutely doesn't compare to this."

As long as they brought it, victory was guaranteed for the Blackhand family. The tribal warriors giggled looking at each other despite their fatigue.

Some young merchants from giant merchant guilds approached with ambitious faces. Asking if they wouldn't sell the Lamia Queen's taxidermy for a high price.

"Do you crazy bastards truly wish to die?! Shall I chop off your necks and add them to this altar as well? You should know who you're messing with before daring to spout such bullshit!"

"Hiiiik!"

The merchants hurriedly fled from the murderously raging tribal warriors.

"Tsk... Lowly bastards after all."

"They think everything can be done with money."

Knights and nobles traveling the city clicked their tongues at that sight.

What holds true value is honor, not gold coins. They wouldn't possibly hand over a symbol of such great achievement to something like a merchant guild, would they? No matter how destitute, that was something unacceptable as nobles.

"Herald... Which family is that?"

The nobles harbored interest in the Meyer family's flag fluttering behind the Queen's taxidermy. Because they must unconditionally memorize a family establishing such a great exploit.

* * *

While Tripol fell into excitement, a new life quickened deep within the Moving Castle.

A pond reaching up to Eugene's shins and a flower bud situated in the center. Inside it, Might, who was dying from a curse, remained curled up.

Thump thump.

Dozens of petals pulsated. Composed of protein rather than fiber, it was reminiscent of a bat's membrane. In fact, blood vessels were even bulging out.

Before placing Might, they were faint like capillaries, but now they were clear and thick. Liquid flowed fiercely inside.

The dead blood and bodily fluids drained out, and other things filled Might's inside instead.

However, the process of rebirth was not merely smooth sailing.

Twitch!

The peaceful Might suddenly shook his body violently.

Because the Moving Castle's womb, which bestowed new life and power, also injected sinister energy.

"Might!"

Ugly fuzz resembling a spider's began sprouting. Spikes rejecting a rider sprouted from his neck down to his back.

The place the Moving Castle wandered for a long time was the deep layers of the other dimension. The essence of this living castle is boundlessly close to evil. Naturally, it instinctively attempted to conceive evil.

"Castle! My avatar! Stop right this instant!"

Despite Eugene's voice containing strong power, Might's sinister mutation did not stop.

Because alien energies lingering in various places invaded arbitrarily through the womb, regardless of the Moving Castle's will.

[A pure soul shall be immortal.]

At that moment, Vanas's sublime voice echoed. The negative energies attempting to gnaw at Might's soul were chased away before the holiness.

The spikes trying to sprout lost their power and withered away.

The withering virtues of loyalty, patience, and unity gained strength once again and settled throughout Might's physical body.

Vanas's grace orchestrated the castle's womb like a midwife guiding a mother.

Bloom.

Finally, as the rebirth ended, dozens of petals unfolded one by one. Each time, Eugene felt intense mystery wafting from inside.

Now, Might was reborn as a warhorse harboring magical power.

Lying face down upon the flat sepal, Might looked at Eugene.

The skin where the outer layer peeled off exposing muscle fibers was now covered with a hard yet glossy new hide.

"You've changed a lot."

Purple irises, rather than the previous black eyes, gazed at Eugene containing a mysterious bond.

Crumble.

Every time Might stood up and took a step toward his owner, his horseshoes crumbled and fell off.

A metallic sound echoed as his pitch-black, glossy hooves touched the ground.

'I suppose there won't be a need to change his horseshoes in the future.'

Stop.

Eugene carefully stroked Might's cheek. Teeth sprouting like an alligator's. Between them, the breath of hell seeped out and warmed his palm.

"It's not warm anymore."

However, the skin was neither cold nor warm. Similar to touching a reptile.

"And it is hard."

At a glance, it was a dark-colored hide, but it was hard like frozen bread in the freezing cold. Enough to deflect any arrow or bolt.

But just one thing.

Slurp.

When he scratched his lower jaw, his habit of licking Eugene's fingers remained exactly the same.

The purple eyes alternately gazed at the corridor and Eugene.

"Do you want to run outside?"

Thump!

As he kicked the floor with his front hoof as if answering, a considerable shockwave spread out.

Might's purple eyes flared and shone like the sun.

* * *

Dudududu!

Might, carrying Eugene, dashed through the Moving Castle's corridors. Since it was an empty restricted zone, they could run to their heart's content without worrying about hitting anyone.

It felt like a lie that he had been groaning as a half-corpse when they arrived at the castle.

'Amazing... At this speed, he could easily catch up to any monster and shake off the pursuit of any army.'

It seemed only existences flying in the sky could rival Might right now.

Furthermore, despite running at incredible speeds, Eugene's body didn't bounce up from the recoil. It felt as if strong gravity bound the two into one.

"I merely thought of a sturdy and robust warhorse, but this surpasses imagination."

Because his body didn't bounce up and down, he could converse comfortably even during intense horseback riding.

Normally, conversing was severely hindered due to the danger of biting one's tongue. However, he would be able to easily issue loud orders to his subordinates even during high-speed maneuvers from now on.

Because his speed was so fast, they broke through the restricted zone in an instant.

"Lord?!"

The Dark Elves who discovered Eugene paid their respects and quickly stepped back.

Beyond there, the entrance hall became visible. Male and female servants were diligently sweeping and mopping the floor holding various cleaning tools.

"U-uh?"

"Wh-what is that?!"

"What do you mean what, it's the Lord! You irreverent fools!"

While everyone panicked at the sight of a cavalryman suddenly appearing dashing through the castle, only the head maid reacted admirably.

However, even she, having gone through all sorts of hardships, froze at the terrifying momentum Eugene and Might's duo exuded.

'Did a horse like that exist in the world?'

A giant knight riding on a massive warhorse making other horses look like foals. That condensed a special pressure that overwhelmed onlookers.

"Lord!"

"P-please calm down!"

The dwarven guards of the Hammer Brotherhood guarding the entrance came running breathlessly. Because it seemed the panicking, milling servants would be trampled just like that.

Boom!

At that moment, Might kicked off the ground and soared.

"Huh?"

By the time everyone's gaze drifted upward blankly, Might had leaped over most of the hall and was landing at the entrance.

Dudududu!

He bounded outside exactly like that and disappeared into the forest bordering the coast. Since it happened so fleetingly fast, the dwarven guards merely stared blankly at each other's faces.

* * *

A single rider and horse pierced through the forest becoming a streak of strong wind.

The restrictions of having to run along a designated path while being wary of all sorts of obstacles like the past had vanished.

"Might! It's dangerous!"

At his owner warning him seeing a fallen tree ahead, Might instead increased his speed as if saying it was fine.

Craaaash!

Scattering crashing sounds and wooden splinters, the log was sent flying.

Eugene shuddered at the impact of the collision travelling up Might's legs and back.

He felt as though he was experiencing the sensation of pushing a battering ram and smashing castle gates during the siege of Codon once again.

Might didn't stop even when a large rocky hill appeared.

"W-wait!"

Without stirrups, the slope steepening rapidly flustered Eugene.

However, he gritted his teeth and wrapped his body with strong leg strength to hold on. An ordinary rider would have simply tumbled down.

Surmounting the rocky hill, which would take time even for excellent adventurers, in less than 10 seconds left Eugene speechless.

"Right... Try everything you want to do. Hahaha!"

Might rejected all common sense possessed by existing horsemanship. Telling this guy what to do felt ridiculous.

Crossing a valley was practically a bulldozer itself. An ordinary horse's speed would have become sluggish due to the resistance of water submerged up to its thighs, but...

Spluuuuuush!

Might's legs pushed straight through, seemingly destroying the valley water rather than simply parting it. There was no weak sound like splish-splash.

Furthermore, Might's legs did not only contain violent strength.

Upon arriving at the beach, the charge transitioned into sailing. Running as if a ship was gliding across without sinking deeply into the sandy beach at all.

When Eugene glanced back slightly, not even a footprint remained.

Purrrrk-!

Might snorted as if boasting that ignorant strength was not his everything.

What stopped Might, who was endlessly running across the world intoxicated by his overflowing strength, was a sweet word from his owner.

"Might... I've fully grasped your greatness, so please stop for a moment... Because I want to hug your neck and shower you with kisses right this instant."

Plop.

Swoooosh.

The two came to a halt on the beach far away from the Moving Castle.

"I am truly relieved... Thank you for returning to me."

They hugged each other for a long while and shared body heat.

The joy of reunion.

Perfect freedom.

They could reach anywhere in the world if they were together. There was no need to fear anything.

Today, the strongest knight and the noblest warhorse were truly bound by a single destiny.

* * *

Upon returning to the Moving Castle, Valda was waiting at the entrance.

"You've exerted yourself too much."

Golden eyes narrowed at a huge commotion occurring in the castle. Exactly as if looking at an immature child.

"Any knight would turn into a child if they rode this fellow."

"And dashing out without an escort."

"They wouldn't be able to keep up anyway, no? I wanted to try running at full strength."

Eugene dismounted.

"Might... Do you remember me?"

The beautiful elf lady's careful question. Might replied by approaching Valda and rubbing his cheek against her.

"Oh... You have no idea how worried I was."

When running with Eugene, Might was a warhorse and a warrior.

However, right now, he burrowed into Valda's embrace as if a foal acting like a baby to its mother.

"But I suppose you can't be called a Barcia warhorse anymore."

A size at least 1.3 times larger than before.

Hide radiating gloss like armor.

Purple eyes revealing wisdom and magical power.

Protrusions on his head sprouting in the shape of a crown, similar to the Lamia Queen.

His mouth, split like an alligator's, was lined with terrifying-looking teeth.

"Let alone a Barcia warhorse, I am confused whether you are an herbivore or a carnivore."

"Indeed."

When Eugene touched Might's teeth, the fellow shook his head as if telling him not to do that.

"A Unicorn, Bicorn, Pegasus... He doesn't belong to any that I know of."

An appearance different from any known phantasmal species known to the world.

"It is a species we are also seeing for the first time."

"I thought I knew everything about horses... Tsk."

Rex and the tribal warriors who rushed out in one breath also shook their heads.

"It is the warhorse created by the royal guards of the Ancient Kingdom."

The one who knew the answer was the summoner Marbas.

"How did you know?"

"I read various legends intertwined with the Ancient Kingdom while researching records about the Moving Castle... Might looks identical to what was recorded in one of those ancient books."

Marbas was captivated by the mysterious power exuding from Might's entire body.

"He is a precious existence created by utilizing magic and elixirs on specially bred pedigree horses... An existence that disappeared into history along with the fall of the Ancient Kingdom... To think we would see it again like this."

"Was the name of the breed also left in the records by any chance? I feel like I will frequently hear questions if I ride this fellow around from now on."

Famous breeds like Desert Warhorses, Barcia, Shires, Fjords, and Thoroughbreds each have their own lineage names.

"Although I am not proficient in ancient languages... If I read correctly, it should be World Charger."

"A warhorse of the world? That's a somewhat strange name."

Valda, who was listening quietly, stepped up.

"The word meaning warhorse in the language of the Ancient Kingdom is War Horse... The cavalry of that time used swords, shields, and javelins as their main weapons. The introduction of mounted lance charges was during the period shortly before its fall... Thinking of warhorses and charges as a single chunk is a culture that arose in later generations."

Valda, well-versed in ancient languages and history, explained in detail.

"Then what does World Charger mean?"

"You can translate it literally."

Valda bent her waist and removed log splinters clinging to Might's legs. Muscular steel pillars firmly stepped on the ground.

"The one that rams the world (World Charger)."

At the words Eugene muttered, Valda nodded.

"According to records, the driving force behind the Ancient Kingdom unifying the continent was the royal knight order defending the royal family... I thought they were knights of incredible skill, but seeing him today, the true reason might have lain elsewhere..."

Did he push himself too hard right after rebirth? Might's purple eyes blinked with fatigue.

"Let's head in and rest for today."

Eugene took Might to the stables inside the castle.

Hiiiiiiing-!

Chwiiiiiiik-!

Horses comfortably lying face down or sideways here and there abruptly turned their heads toward the entrance.

Silence fell upon the stables that had been lively with neighs, chewing sounds, farting sounds, snoring, and courting sounds to mares.

"Why are these guys suddenly...?"

The tribal horse handlers were flustered by the horses' atmosphere changing in an instant.

There are aspects a horse handler of excellent skill cannot control beyond a certain level due to species differences.

That gap evaporated the moment Might entered. The comfortable atmosphere akin to a ranch vanished, and tension flowed among the horses like new recruits entering a barracks.

"Might... Don't press them too hard... They need to rest when it's time to rest."

Purrrk-.

Only after Eugene gently massaged the nape of his neck did the momentum oppressing hundreds of horses disappear.

* * *

Afterward, Eugene visited Vanas's Goddess statue.

"Thank you for your devotion... Without your guidance, Might wouldn't have returned to my embrace as a loyal warhorse... He would have become an anomaly soaked in hatred and twisted, incapable of even recognizing his owner."

Eugene acutely realized the essence of the Moving Castle lay in evil.

The castle that gained life and returned from Hell, and had demons as its residents. The otherworldly malice scavenged deep inside every nook and cranny like an inhale and exhale.

It merely functioned as a comfortable nest because it was under the control of a powerful owner named Eugene. He must not forget its danger.

'I did well serving Goddess Vanas.'

This was a separate issue from Might's rebirth this time. A holy existence exuding good energy was necessary for the sake of safety.

"I have brought the divine artifact obtained by defeating the Rakshasa tribe to honor you... Please use this tribute as your nourishment."

Eugene received the skull staff from the priestess and offered it before the Goddess's statue.

The divine artifact transmuted over long years through the blood of countless sacrifices, agony, and death overflowed with intense mystery.

Eugene heard screams filled with joy echoing from the Goddess's statue.

Crack!

Cracks appeared on a portion of the skull staff. Soon after, it rapidly decayed and crumbled. Stripped of all the divinity contained within, it was now nothing more than trash.

"The Goddess will surely rejoice at your offering, Lord."

The priestess kissed the top of Eugene's foot and praised that devotion.

"Although the beginning is small, its end will surely be prosperous."

"May the name of Vanas spread throughout the entire continent."

The other believers participating in the gathering prayed reverently. Craving for it to become a massive religious order standing shoulder to shoulder with other major religions.

Eugene willingly received their respect and gratitude while harboring different thoughts.

'That would be troublesome.'

Eugene respected Goddess Vanas, but had no intention of striving to elevate her to the top.

If it becomes a major religion, the grace falling to each believer proportionally decreases.

The candies are limited, but if mouths increase, it is overwhelming to even distribute them one by one.

'It's plenty enough to remain my own personal little goddess.'

The true value he desired from a god was favoritism.

From the moment Vanas's Goddess statue was placed inside the castle, she became both Eugene's master and slave.