Chapter 61

Chapter 61 - Spiritual High Tide (3)

The mercenaries, whose will to fight was inspired, fired their crossbows in a volley. Homi's war cry did not simply just drive away fear.

Because not even a small hand tremor occurred in their aiming, the accuracy of the bolts was also more outstanding than usual.

Thwack thwack thwack!

The Ghoul quickly took Wights as shields. Unlike ordinary undead, it is a bastard that possesses intelligence, so it is a possible action.

However, Eugene had already learned this pattern from past battles. He reflexively threw his spear. His body moved on its own without the need to think with his head.

Thump!

The spear that flew accurately pierced through the Wight's torso and the Ghoul's face.

Next to the bastard that died instantly without even being able to scream, another Ghoul charged in.

"It's coming! Hold on!"

As four or five mercenaries holding large shields put their shoulders together and blocked it, the Ghoul swung its grasp as if saying it was laughable.

Crack!

Along with the sound of wood splitting, one mercenary was knocked away. The fact that blood didn't splatter means the shield seemed to have endured one hit for him.

Even in that situation, the remaining mercenaries did not step back. Homi, who pulled out her shield and military hammer, filled in the collapsed spot.

Hind was also running over, but because there was distance, he needed a little more time.

Grrrrr-!

The Ghoul aimed for Homi first. Even if she is tall, her physique is slender, so she seemed to look easygoing.

However, Homi firmly received the nail attack by stepping back a few steps. The hammer immediately swung smashed 2 of the Ghoul's fingers.

"Everyone stick together!"

"Do you intend to let the Squire handle it alone?!"

The mercenaries awakened at the tough appearance of the girl who hadn't even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet. As they additionally gathered and formed a thick shield wall, even the Ghoul was flustered by that ambition.

That brief opening decided the bastard's death. A flail that flew cutting through the darkness struck the back of its head.

Thud.

As the second Ghoul collapsed spilling brain matter, what remained was only a small number of sickly Wights. The mercenaries let out a roar of victory.

* * *

"I am sorry."

Next to the mercenaries diligently digging the ground after the battle ended, Valda said.

"Not at all, Lady Magician. Thanks to you, there isn't even a single person who got hurt."

"If it's this kind of work, we could do it a hundred times."

Even though the battle ended, the mercenaries could neither move from their spots nor rest. Because they had to bury the corpses in that spot at Valda's request.

"I made a temporary contract with the plants growing natively here. In exchange for them tying the intruders' feet, I must provide nutrients."

The reason Valda used powerful magic in an instant was because she made a compensatory contract. If she does not fulfill the duty, she will receive a blow magically.

"Since they are undead, would it be okay to just bury them haphazardly like this?"

Eugene thought of side effects such as ghosts popping out later or people camping nearby having nightmares.

"There is no problem. Because it is rather a method of purifying the undead too."

"You mean just burying them?"

"Usually it wouldn't work. However, right now the vegetation spirits have flocked here. I can hear the sound of them smacking their lips in excitement over the price of the contract."

Eugene concentrated and pricked up his ears, but he couldn't hear anything.

Just as Valda could not understand the summoning magic circle at the ruins, Eugene's cognition could not reach the secrets of the forest.

"If they hold a feast, the wicked aura and grudges will also disappear. It's a kind of offering."

"An offering to the spirits."

The mercenaries diligently shoveling pricked up their ears and listened.

In the future, when they chatter about their experiences to other mercenaries, the seasoning will become even more abundant. If they miss the opportunity to act arrogant at drinking parties, they cannot be called mercenaries.

"Sir. A silver arrowhead was embedded in this bastard's back."

At Hind's report, he set aside the Ghoul's head separately.

"It could be a bastard the monks were chasing. Taking it might be helpful."

"Thank you for the advice."

Hind, who received various education at the House of Knights, faithfully assisted Eugene in these aspects.

"Gyarrrng!"

"Kahang?!"

"Kyaaaaa."

Meanwhile, Homi was repeatedly making cute howlings while rubbing her neck.

"What are you doing now?"

"Uu..."

Perhaps embarrassed at Eugene's question, her face turned red.

Homi is currently putting in effort trying to do the war cry she used without realizing it in the battle earlier again. However, the feeling from that time completely didn't come alive.

"I have seen records among ancient warriors that there were those who dominated the battlefield with their war cries."

Valda approached with a face saying she saw something fascinating.

"You mean they combat with voices?"

"When warriors fight holding weapons, it's not like they only swing their arms, right. They let out various spirited shouts or spit out curses. Like your subordinates, Sir."

The mercenaries under Eugene's command are veterans who know well the virtues of loyalty, temperance, and controlling the line.

However, they couldn't cut off curses, obscene jokes, and mockery during battle. Because that is the same as the hymns of priests fighting wicked enemies.

"In the very distant past, language was much simpler than now. It was an era when even words like thank you, sorry, or borrow didn't exist."

"I heard that the primitive tribes on very isolated islands even now are similar."

"Oh, it could be so. Anyway, because the ancient warriors' language was crude, they say emotions they couldn't express normally were piled up."

It was a concept close to a kind of 'Han' (deep sorrow/resentment).

"In combat situations where lives come and go, such things are bound to explode. They say a very small number of warriors possessing magical aptitude at that time contained miracles in their war cries."

"For example?"

Valda stroked Homi's shoulder with affectionate touches.

"Granting unbroken courage to comrades in desperate situations, or awakening senses sharper and keener than usual."

"For now, Homi knows how to communicate in sign language, though."

"Wouldn't it be less effective than speaking with words? Things are bound to pile up in her heart."

Homi, who excitedly tried to do it again several times, became sullen as she failed consecutively.

"One cannot be full on the first spoonful. Thanks to you, everyone finished without anyone getting hurt."

In reality, the gazes of the mercenaries looking at Homi were imbued with reassurance no less than respect.

Having a comrade who solves situations that cannot be handled with swords and spears. That gives an unspeakable sense of relief.

Because those who fear superstitions desire someone who can wield superstitions that much.

"Will everyone be okay? Even though you couldn't sleep for several hours."

"There will be no bastard who wants to rest in the place where we fought and buried undead, Sir Knight."

"That is the same for me too."

As soon as day broke, the party departed.

"Could there perhaps even be an evil pagan magician nearby? It's too early for undead to rise."

"Would a pagan magician appear that commonly?"

"We've already faced one!"

The mercenaries who came from Bonyard anxiously scanned their surroundings even while facing the sunlight.

Once a mercenary's career exceeds 10 years, they develop the courage to laugh off things like Wights. Cependant, when they cannot understand the fundamental source, they cannot help but be afraid.

Near the party advancing along the highway, a land of death appeared. Wherever they looked, remains and corpses filling their eyes entered their sight.

"Ah, so the undead came from here."

"Wow, just how many people died here? Looks like the nobles clashed together in a group?"

The mercenaries made faces saying they were sick of it. Such battlefields are the places they avoid the most.

In large-scale battles, arrows and cavalry spears standardly fly by the dozens as a unit. It's difficult to collect spoils, and if you make a wrong move, you get trampled to death vainly.

"Under God's protection, release your lingering attachments and depart to a peaceful place."

"O Lord. Grant me the power to shake off the Han of these deceased..."

There were priests conducting purification rituals everywhere. They are currently wandering around reciting prayers and sprinkling holy water under different monastery flags.

Among them, there are also several who are equipped with weapons and wearing armored monk robes. They are armed priests who focus on executing God's will with physical strength.

"It seems all the nearby monasteries have dispatched priests."

"We are only thankful."

Although Eugene is a person without faith, he respected priests. Because in this cold world where only the law of the jungle dominates, they are the few people who practice humanity without a price.

One cannot help but acknowledge that nobility. Now that he has risen as a lord, practical reasons have also become intertwined for him.

From among the priests, a knight driving a horse approached. Seeing the surcoat inscribed with a religious symbol on a black background, it seems he is a monk knight of the Bishopric.

Eugene greeted him first.

"God will rejoice at your devotion."

"Thanks to God's grace. I am Andrew affiliated with the Knights Hospitaller."

Among the Houses of Knights, there are existences of particularly strong factions, and these were called Knight Orders.

They possess influence close to semi-lords, such as owning a large unique domain in a city or leading villages and taking castles as their main base.

"The vicinity here is dangerous. If by any chance you are thinking of camping at night, I recommend you reconsider. Ghouls and Wights are wandering around."

"We just finished having a bout with them while we were already sleeping."

When Eugene gestured, the mercenaries brought the 2 Ghoul heads loaded on the donkeys.

"My goodness! They are the bastards we missed. I have caused a nuisance to you, Sir."

"Please withdraw the word nuisance. I am only thankful for your noble task. Moreover, we didn't have any casualties either."

"That is amazing."

Even if Andrew and the priests neutralized Ghouls by singing hymns, Eugene's party was not a composition to make such a response.

To warriors who rely only on the strength of steel, Ghouls are quite tricky enemies.

"May I ask what your name is, Sir?"

"I am Eugene of the House of Meyer."

"It's a name I'm hearing for the first time. Because I mainly stay in the Bishopric monastery, I am dull to outside news."

It seems Eugene's name is still less known in northern Roman.

"Why did it become like this here?"

"There was the largest-scale battle in the North between the Nobles' Faction and the Emperor's Faction. Because it was so fierce, everyone struggled to retreat without even being able to clean up the aftermath. The result is as you see..."

The monk knight had a distressed face. Such a place was the perfect location for undead to run rampant.

"Hasn't it not been long since the war started, isn't it too early? I know that normally undead rampant occurrences happen when a major war continues for a year."

Even while asking, Eugene was halfway inferring the answer.

'Does the Spiritual High Tide influence things like this too?'

Because the fact that this world becomes easier to be dyed in spiritual power means it is also easier to arouse such bad influences.

"The Archbishop said the year of the Evil God has arrived. Since we are the only ones for the populace, we must exert ourselves more and go around the world."

Even for the same phenomenon, those who believe in God seem to interpret it in a slightly different form.

"The purification here will end soon, and you eliminated the group we missed, Sir. Thanks to that, the whole area will be safe."

"As a person who received a territory in the North to govern, and also as a fellow knight myself. It was a task I rightfully had to do."

"I will definitely convey your name to our brethren, Sir."

Because they are people who live in honorable poverty, he could not receive financial compensation, but planting a good impression was sufficient.

Monks are existences who act for the populace without a price against wicked people like bandit groups, monsters, undead, etc. There is absolutely nothing bad about getting along well with them.

* * *

Moving a few days more, they finally arrived in Northfork.

The village people were surprised to see the cavalry that suddenly appeared, but they did not run away. Because the arrival of the new lord had been notified through carrier pigeons.

"I think he's the new lord they said was coming."

"Th-That is a true knight."

A giant physique that seemed different from birth, excellent armor, and an appearance fluttering a majestic black cloak. The territory populace was overwhelmed just by looking.

As Eugene headed to the mansion, the residents, having gained certainty, knelt on one knee and bowed their heads. They offered greetings to their new young master from here and there.

"Welcome, My Lord! I have been eagerly looking forward to seeing you!"

The butler who had been managing the absentee lord's mansion approached and bowed at the waist. He is a man in his 40s with a dark complexion and a diminutive physique.

"I am the new owner of this place, Eugene Meyer. Could you guide me around the lord's mansion?"

"Of course! This is the lord's residence permitted by God! The mansion will also rejoice!"

The butler's expression was somewhat exaggerated, but he wasn't doing this particularly to flatter. As a person from commoner origin serving the mansion for 5 generations, he merely sincerely believed so.

Everything of the butler was entirely tied to the mansion in this riverside village. Like the Guardian Eugene encountered in the ruins.

As the door of the neat mansion opened, a wide and clean corridor appeared.

"My Lord?"

The butler, who was guiding with light footsteps, wondered as Eugene stopped at the entrance of the corridor.

"Homi. The time has finally come."

At Eugene's signal, Homi approached with quick steps. In her hand, a Wendigo trophy boasting magnificent black horns is held.

Eugene, who received it, hung it in a highly visible place in the corridor.

"Th-This monster, just what on earth?"

The butler looking with a flustered face was only for a moment. Soon he looked up at the trophy with entranced eyes. He was mesmerized by the massive black horns that flashed like jewels whenever they caught the light.

Eugene, having completed yet another bucket list item, passed by the corridor.

"Call the blacksmith Vason! I need to have him make a chain lock to secure that."

"I will go right away!"

The servant who heard the butler's instruction ran off in a great hurry.

His new master was truly a great knight just like the carrier pigeon's letter said. He could not let thieves steal that honorable token.

Imagining the appearance of guests visiting the lord's mansion looking up at that and admiring it, the butler's shoulders shrugged up for no reason.