One Hundred Nights with the Devil - Chapter 27

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Two days later, Elena headed toward Conrad Castle, bid farewell by the Westerners, who had increased in number by about threefold since her arrival. The Duke’s knight, Sir Lios, whom she had met previously, took charge of guiding them to the castle.

She had worried that he might beg to be allowed to enter the castle with them, but fortunately, Sir Lios made no such request. Judging by the stiff, frozen body she glimpsed before their departure and his silence, it was possible that he was too nervous to even think of making any further request of the Saintess.

“Saintess! Please, save the West!”

“Drive out the wicked things and protect the peace in this land!”

Leaving the clamorous send-off behind, the carriage carrying Saintess Elena proceeded toward Conrad Ducal Castle. The journey was peaceful. As if to mock the Holy Order of Knights’ worry that the Emperor might appear again.

Elena spent the time enjoying a conversation with Bella, one that might be their last.

“It seems we’re almost there. Hmm…….”

Bella, noticing the carriage’s speed had slowed, peered out the window. The smile on her face, which had been bright with jokes, quickly turned to worry.

“It’s too desolate, even for the West. Did the Devil cause this?”

What was visible beyond the window were wastelands covered in soot, the messy frameworks of what remained of the outer walls, and traces of where villages had once existed. It truly looked like ruins swept through by war.

And in the center of those ruins, a castle wrapped in the black fog—the symbol of the Devil’s Authority—loomed high. It was Conrad Castle.

“It is difficult to confirm the interior due to the black fog, but as the fog is not stagnant, it seems we will soon be able to ascertain the castle’s exterior.”

As Sir Zenobio, who had arrived at the castle first to observe the situation, said, they could roughly confirm the moat surrounding the inner wall and the location of the castle gate through the gaps in the fog, which moved slowly like ocean currents. And some of the soldiers who were scouting the area were rolling back their eyes and retching.

“Tell those soldiers to get away from the black fog immediately. They could die if they stay there.”

The soldiers, hearing Elena’s warning, fled in a panic. She, left alone, walked boldly toward the black fog. As she drew closer to the fog, she felt a terrible neuralgia that threatened to drive her insane, along with a churning sensation that turned her insides over.

‘The trace of the Authority…… to feel it this strongly.’

If so, how strong must the Devil inside be? Elena quickly erased the ominous thought and kept her eyes fixed beyond the fog. Soon, a gigantic drawbridge revealed itself through the slowly creeping black fog.

Elena confirmed the mighty Authority felt around the drawbridge and slowly backed away. It seemed that this was the only entrance to the castle surrounded by a deep moat.

“Saintess! There you are.”

As she was watching beyond the moat, slightly lost in thought, Sir Zenobio sought Elena with a frantic voice. His usual easygoing, gentle dog-like expression was nowhere to be found, replaced by a serious face.

“What is the matter?”

“Well, I apologize. It seems it will take time for us to find a way to lower the drawbridge from this side. We were planning to seek advice from Sir Lios, who was acting as our guide, but he suddenly disappeared, and we are currently searching urgently.”

“You don’t need to worry about the method of crossing. More importantly, Sir Lios is not visible?”

“Yes. We thought he arrived with us, but he is nowhere to be seen. And that’s not all.”

Sir Zenobio bit hard on his dry lips, then continued speaking while making the Sign of the Cross with his right hand.

“No one has seen him since we departed. Not a single person. We surely came all this way following him…… yet no one actually saw him. I swear by Eclard, that includes me.”

Sir Zenobio made the Sign of the Cross once more with his right hand. His fingertips, which ran straight across his heart, were trembling.

‘What in the world is he so afraid of?’

Although he is always treated like an idiot by Bella, Sir Zenobio is considered one of the top skilled members of the Holy Order of Knights. As far as Elena knew, he had actually gone out to several quite harsh battles and achieved military honors… Yet, what reason could there possibly be for such a knight to be so terrified that his tongue would freeze? She couldn’t guess.

“Sir Zenobio. We have plenty of time, so once you calm down, let us search for the Ducal House’s knight again. Perhaps something happened along the way, so let us start by retracing the route we took. Ah. Speaking of which, did you confirm the horse he rode?”

As soon as he heard Elena’s question, Sir Zenobio tightly shut his eyes. Then, he confessed in a voice mixed with fear.

“As his health did not seem good, I suggested that we ride the same horse…… before we departed. He accepted.”

Ah. A short sigh escaped Elena’s lips.

“He definitely mounted the horse with me. But, though he certainly did, I cannot remember. What he said behind my back, or rather. Whether he was truly there at all…….”

Both Sir Zenobio and Elena knew. That there was only one being capable of creating that unbelievable reality, which made them even doubt their own memories.

But just as that conjecture was about to be voiced, someone’s cry cut in. The owner of that cry, which came from the exact opposite direction from which Sir Zenobio had approached, was the priestess Bella.

“Saintess! Lady Elena! You must go now. Right now.”