“Frenn.”
Elias called out as he locked eyes with the red-furred wolf—its body tense, coiled like a spring, ready to pounce.
“A monster of this danger level has never appeared around this fortress before… If its arrival coincides with mine, do you think they’ll see me as a harbinger of misfortune, or as a stroke of luck?”
“It’s hard to imagine they’d take the former stance…”
“You never know. The people here may be rational, but those in the capital who wish to get rid of me would certainly find a way to twist the narrative.”
As they spoke, the monster finally lunged.
Lord Noque’s voice wavered with fear, and though the knights and soldiers held their weapons at the ready, their faces were stiff with apprehension.
(This fortress has never faced a monster of this level… which means these knights have no experience fighting a Class-Two threat. Their reaction makes sense.)
“Frenn, I’m moving.”
“By all means.”
The moment she responded, Elias dashed forward.
In an instant, he was ahead of the knights, stepping directly into the monster’s path.
“S-Sir Elias—?!”
Lord Noque’s voice trembled with disbelief.
But Elias ignored him.
Without hesitation, he drew his blade.
The wolf charged.
A gasp rippled through the soldiers—
And in the next instant, Elias’s sword flashed.
His blade cleaved cleanly through the beast’s skull.
Momentum ripped its head from its shoulders, and its lifeless body collapsed onto the earth with a heavy thud.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
For several moments, the knights and soldiers stood frozen, unable to process what had just occurred.
Elias calmly slid his sword back into its sheath.
“Well, that takes care of that.”
The moment the blade clicked into place, a roar of cheers erupted from the gathered men.
For the first time, they had witnessed the true power of a Holy Knight—and they were in awe.
Elias, however, paid the reaction no mind. Instead, he turned to Noque.
“I believe that was sufficient proof of my ability?”
“A-Ah… You have my thanks, Sir Elias.”
Noque straightened himself and immediately began barking orders for the knights to dispose of the monster’s remains.
Elias watched for a moment, then turned to Frenn.
“We’ll need to talk later.”
“Understood. Should we investigate the surroundings?”
“Yes. Let’s check the perimeter—just in case.”
With that, Frenn moved swiftly to carry out the task.
The appearance of a Class-Two monster had shaken the fortress.
Knights doubled their patrols, and watchmen scanned the horizon with newfound vigilance.
As Elias observed the commotion, he stopped a passing soldier.
“Is this kind of incident rare?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve been stationed here for a year, but the strongest monsters we’ve encountered have been Class-One at best.”
“I see… Do you receive any reports about the monsters near the front lines?”
“Unfortunately, no information reaches us.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
As Elias turned to leave, the soldier hesitated before speaking again.
“Sir Elias, your swordsmanship… It was incredible.”
Elias simply nodded in acknowledgment and resumed walking.
Upon returning to his chamber, he heard a knock at the door.
“Enter.”
Frenn stepped inside.
“How is the fortress holding up?”
“Things are settling down. However, Lord Noque and the other officers are busy compiling reports and organizing information.”
“Makes sense. A Class-Two monster appearing here is unheard of. The higher-ups will be on edge.”
Frenn nodded.
“What shall we do?”
Elias sighed, rolling his shoulders.
“For now, we need to investigate. If monsters of this level were not present here before, why did one suddenly appear?”
“The timing is too convenient.”
“Exactly. That said, at least no one was hurt.”
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Then, Frenn spoke carefully.
“Should we inform Lord Noque about our past experiences?”
“You mean the fact that we’ve regularly taken down Class-Four monsters?”
“Yes.”
Elias crossed his arms, considering.
“I can’t decide yet. Frenn, gather more intel.”
“Regarding?”
“What kind of monsters roam the northern front, who is fighting them, and—most importantly—how the northern knights perceive the eastern front.”
Frenn’s eyes sharpened.
“You suspect misinformation?”
“Our records have always reported the dangerous monsters we’ve fought. But if that information was twisted or buried…”
“That would be troublesome.”
“Indeed. If we were truly recognized, our reputation might be greater than we realize. But if the east has been dismissed as insignificant, then we have a problem.”
Frenn nodded, realizing something.
“Come to think of it, we’ve never actively sought out information on the north either.”
“Exactly.”
Elias leaned forward.
“We’ve been reporting dangerous monsters. But has the truth been delivered? Or has it been altered?”
Frenn exhaled sharply.
“If that’s the case, we’re dealing with something far more complicated.”
“Which is why we need to investigate. We begin tomorrow.”
“It seems we have our work cut out for us.”
“When don’t we?”
At that, Frenn gave a small smile.
“This will be an interesting challenge.”
“Aye. Let’s do our best.”
Frenn raised a brow.
“You seem… oddly excited.”
Elias chuckled.
“Do I? Well, it’s never a dull day.”
Frenn sighed, shaking her head with amusement.
“I suspect this will lead to more trouble… But at least we won’t be bored.”
“Indeed. Tomorrow, we report our findings to Lord Noque.”
“Do you think he will prioritize the investigation over sidelining you?”
“From his reaction to the monster attack, I believe so. He is more concerned about security than court politics—at least for now.”
“Then, for now… we focus on the monsters.”
Elias nodded.
“Frenn, gather what information you can. How we proceed depends on what we uncover.”
“Understood. I’ll begin at once.”
With that, Frenn left the room.
Elias sighed, leaning back in his chair.
“It seems I won’t have time to relax after all.”
His brief hope of a leisurely life as a Holy Knight was already slipping away.
Still, if it meant uncovering the truth… he had no complaints.
“I never cared for fame or status. But fighting monsters? That, I can do. For my own path… and for the peace of this land.”
He murmured the last words softly, determination burning in his eyes.
Twenty years of battle, and yet his goal remained unchanged.
He fought not for recognition, but for mastery—and to ensure the safety of those who could not fight for themselves.
“Tomorrow, we begin.”
With that final thought, Elias retired for the night.