The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 100

Step— Step—

"...What is this?"

A man who had been walking through thick ashes for a long time finally let out a curse. At first, he was overwhelmed, then disbelief set in, and finally, his emotions surged uncontrollably.

“What the hell is this?”

The journey here felt like a nightmare. The place he knew was once an incredibly vibrant forest, bustling to the point of suffocation. The constant chatter from all directions used to drive him nearly mad.

Now, it was eerily silent. Though it was winter and naturally quieter, this was different. All he could see was black soot and ashes. Nothing in this vast forest maintained its form. Everything in his sight was like a corpse—a completely dead forest.

The place was nothing but a ruin, evidence of a massive fire. Yet, such devastation couldn’t have been caused by a simple fire. The man examined the ground, picking up some soil and sniffing it. His face twisted in disgust at the pungent, stabbing stench.

'The smell of blood.'

And not just any blood—it had a mysterious toxicity. This poison seemed to have spread through the water veins, consuming the roots of all the plants. With the soil so damaged, it would be a long time before this forest could recover, if ever.

“Damn it! What the hell happened here?!”

The man couldn’t contain his frustration and shouted.

—I sense a familiar presence.

"...!"

He turned his head instinctively at the sudden voice. In one corner of the desolate area stood a partially burnt, old tree. It was the oldest tree in the forest.

‘There’s still a living tree!’

He hurried to the tree's side. The great trunk lay exposed with roots upturned, barely clinging to life. It was unthinkable how long the tree had been in such a state.

"Hey, are you alright? Pull yourself together!"

—It’s been a long time... I’m pleased to see you healthy.

Even in this situation, the voice couldn’t hide its joy, and the man clicked his tongue quietly. Hastily, he pricked his finger and let the blood drip onto the tree roots. It wouldn’t revive the ancient tree, but it would help sustain it for a while.

"Is this really the time for pleasantries? What happened here? Why is this place in such a state? Where is everyone?"

—I’m sorry… I want to explain in detail… but unfortunately, my time is short. You’ve come just in time. I must relay the message of the forest… to you…

The man’s face darkened at the faltering voice. But he knew better than anyone how little time the tree had left. After gritting his teeth for a moment, he resignedly knelt on one knee.

"Speak."

The ancient tree let out a faint smile and took a deep breath. Then a resounding voice filled the air.

"The dwelling of the Clonnes has been destroyed by the Demonic Beasts. The King’s Knights and all the people have been captured, with only one young Aesang managing to escape. Spread this news to as many Clonnes as possible to alert them to the impending crisis."

"…This is insane."

The man’s lips trembled.

"The Demonic Beasts? Did you say the Demonic Beasts? How could they… No, even so! All the Knights have been captured? And who is this Aesang? Who the hell had a child? Where is that child now?”

There were too many shocking revelations to process. The man didn’t notice the bark crumbling in his grasp as he bombarded the tree with questions. But the ancient tree had exhausted all its strength, having used its last to deliver the message. Struggling to stay upright, it finally spoke its last words.

—The Aesang… fortunately… was helped by the Dragon who loves the forest…

"A Dragon? If it’s a Dragon around here, you mean Markatis? Did he take the Aesang with him?”

—My role… ends here. I’m relieved… to have delivered this news… at least…

The voice, which had been gradually fading, finally fell silent. Only when the man could no longer hear anything did he release his hold on the ancient tree and stand up.

Crack—

A twisted sound emanated from his tightly clenched fist. The man stood still for a long time. Above him, fine snowflakes began to fall steadily. It was a harsh winter.

* * *

Even with a lead, numerous issues still needed resolving. We needed to confirm whether the people Dewey met were really Clonnes, locate where they were currently held, and devise a way to rescue them.

"If it's only a few dozen minutes by carriage, it can't be far from the capital. It might have felt longer due to misdirection, but it must be nearby."

I agreed with Camille's analysis.

"We should start by looking into the merchants who have passed through the checkpoints over the past few months."

Slave trading is illegal in the capital. The Clonnes, who stand out, wouldn’t be disguised as mercenaries or laborers since it would be unbelievable. Thus, they must’ve used freight wagons to transport them. The only ones who could operate such wagons without suspicion were merchants. Camille then exclaimed briefly.

"Hamar grumbled a while ago about an issue with the checkpoints. It seems the soldiers did a poor job inspecting, and when investigated, no one could recall the contents properly."

"They couldn't remember the contents?"

"Yes, the testimonies were all inconsistent. It was only discovered by chance during a review of the records."

It did indeed sound suspicious. However, the rechecked goods from the merchant guild showed nothing wrong, and no traces of drugs or magic were found, so it was attributed to the soldiers’ negligence.

"Hmm, I see. We should look into it further."

"Do you suspect something?"

"If my memory serves me correctly, the Demonic Beasts is capable of mind control."

We were warned not to look them directly in the eyes. They could control those who met their gaze. I had experienced something similar in the past. Camille, realizing this late, swallowed hard.

"Can they alter memories too? Not just paralyze someone momentarily?"

The very person who had informed us of this was present. I looked at Semeion, who nodded slowly with a serious expression.

"Usually, it’s limited to controlling the body briefly. Breaking eye contact nullifies the effect. But bishops can do more than that."

"Bishops?"

"You might not know this, but the Demonic Beasts are creatures derived from the blood of the Demon Lord Rinasus, which they worship as a deity. Their power, which they call 'divine power,' is ranked from novices, clerics, priests, bishops, to high priest."

"A religious order... I had no idea."

"It’s not widely known. From bishops onward, they are extraordinarily powerful. They can control one's will or even induce slight memory confusion."

This significantly increased the possibility that the Demonic Beasts were involved with the checkpoints. It also meant such dangerous entities were hiding in the capital. Camille’s face became stern as he pondered for a moment before asking a question.

"The Demonic Beasts that appeared in Estan's territory, you defeated them, right? What rank was it?"

"That one was a novice."

"...A novice. That level was just a novice."

Camille swallowed hard, realizing that the being that had easily overpowered Hamar was of the lowest rank. I noticed his anxious expression but soon focused on the crucial task of uncovering the truth.

"What was the merchant guild involved, Lord Camille?"

"I didn’t confirm that part… Are you planning to visit them directly?"

"That seems to be the quickest way."

"Hmm, alright. I’ll gather the information. But you’re coming with me."

I stared at Camille, who tilted his head, looking like he didn’t understand the problem.

"I plan to leave today."

"Who cares? It doesn’t matter."

"...It can’t not matter. Lord Camille, isn’t this during your work hours? Can you just leave like that?"

"Of course not. I'll probably be disciplined once I report back."

"And yet..."

"But you’re more important to me."

"…"

I was momentarily at a loss for words at his firm tone.

"Discipline is something I can deal with, and if it comes to it, quitting the Security Department wouldn’t be an issue. But your safety isn’t something I can take lightly. I’m definitely getting involved in this. Don’t even think about pushing me away."

“...I’m just trying to confirm whether it’s really connected. I’m not even sure yet.”

“What if your guess turns out to be right? What if something happens there? You can’t even defend yourself.”

"You could be putting yourself in danger too."

"Sei, do you know the first thing you learn in knight training? Anyone who wields a sword must be prepared to be pierced by one as well. Do you think I’d shy away from danger?"

"But..."

"And if the Demonic Beasts are really involved, the Security Department won’t just ignore it. As someone aware of the situation, I have an obligation to verify and investigate."

He wasn’t wrong, making it difficult to argue further. Well, now that he knew, this outcome seemed inevitable. With a troubled heart, I looked at Camille and sighed lightly.