Chapter 119
“Idiot, don’t get closer!”
Rena’s urgent shouting voice from behind sounded like buzzing.
Ah… Am I already addicted?
I collapsed to the ground in a crumbling heap.
Beyond my blurry vision, I could see hundreds of snow-white Turba flowers blooming.
Each time the flowers swayed slowly in the wind, their intense fragrance surged.
I clutched the dirt ground to avoid falling over.
My heart began to beat violently. Blood rushed through my entire body with a backward-flowing sensation, and my vision turned red.
Oh, no. If I become addicted already…
“Big sister, are you okay?”
Bess’s voice reached me, though I didn’t know when she had arrived.
“D-don’t come…”
I barely managed to speak while firmly gripping the dirt.
Then, a ticklish feeling at my fingertips. A small yellow flower gleamed between my fingers.
It was a flower with tough stems and rough leaves.
Could it be…
Instinctively, I pulled the flower out by its roots. After roughly shaking off the soil-covered roots, I put them directly in my mouth and chewed.
The tangy taste of the root spread throughout my mouth.
At that moment, my vision, clouded by the Turba scent, gradually cleared, and my rapidly pounding heart slowly calmed down.
“…I, I found the antidote.”
“What are you saying? What are you mumbling about?”
Rena approached, staggering, with her hand covering her nose. Her complexion looked bad, too.
I quickly dug up more of the antidote flowers and gave them to Rena with roots intact.
“Quickly chew the roots and swallow. Then you’ll escape the addiction!”
“What? Does that make sense?”
“Hurry, there’s no time!”
Rena frowned but reluctantly chewed the flower with its roots. Her expression gradually changed, and her pupils dilated.
“It really works?”
“Why did no one know this flower acts as an antidote?”
“The shapeshifters in this village probably didn’t know Turba flowers were addictive. So they wouldn’t have known that an antidote flower was growing here.”
I pulled up a few more yellow flowers with their roots and carefully wrapped them in a handkerchief before tucking them into my bosom.
Bess had approached us, staggering.
The girl glared at the Turba flowers with an angry expression, her small fists tightly clenched.
“Is, is it because of these flowers? That Mom and Dad changed, too?”
Ah, the children didn’t know about the Turba flowers. Because they couldn’t smell them.
“Bess, how long have these flowers been here?”
Bess’s small lips trembled. Tears welled up in her large eyes.
“At first, only one or two bloomed here. But the adults said growing and selling these flowers would make money, so they planted many seeds. After that, the adults gradually started acting strangely.”
Who encouraged these poor shapeshifters to plant more wild Turba flowers?
Seeing that Bess looked about to burst into tears, I thought calming the child was the priority.
I held Bess in my arms and comforted her.
“It’s okay, Bess. I’ll make sure you can meet your parents.”
Finally, there was hope. I can save the addicted shapeshifters with this antidote flower.
Just then, I sensed an unfamiliar presence. Bess, who had been sniffling in my arms, raised her head.
She called out in a delighted voice.
“Oh? Uncle Bred!”
I turned around reflexively.
A tall, thin young man with silver hair wearing a black coat.
Eyes that held the light of a winter lake were staring at me.
“Franz…?”
***
Morning dawned at the Grand Duke Helleide’s villa.
The moment Karden opened his eyes, he sensed something was wrong.
“Shuvelia?”
Her side of the bed was empty, and the sheets were cold.
It was definitely not a dream that Shuvelia had come to him last night. The memory of becoming one with her remained vivid.
He had an ominous feeling.
Karden gritted his teeth and sprang out of bed. After preparing himself as quickly as possible, he went down to the villa’s dining room.
In the dining room, Yudis was drinking coffee.
“Brother, good morning.”
“Shuvelia has disappeared. Call Ron immediately and find her.”
When Karden issued the command rapidly, Yudis roughly put down her coffee cup.
“Shushu is at the clinic now…, no, did Shushu come here last night?”
Yudis, quick to assess the situation, suddenly looked grim.
“Don’t tell me you did something to Shushu, Brother!”
“We’ll talk about that later. Finding Shuvelia’s whereabouts is urgent now. If she left without telling me, something must be wrong.”
“What if Shushu left because of your actions?”
Yudis’s eyes held such murderous intent that, were they not blood relatives, she might have killed him on the spot.
Karden, feeling his patience wearing thin, prepared to go outside after arming himself.
“Yudis, I don’t have time for wordplay with you. If Shushu left without consulting me, there’s only one issue. It must be related to the Ulpes tribe.”
Only then did Yudis return to her usual serious demeanor.
“That could be the case. I’ll ask Ron to track Shushu’s location, and once we know where she is, I’ll search with my subordinates. Where are you going, Brother?”
“First, I need an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince. I must report about the berserk shapeshifters. Afterward, I’ll join you immediately.”
“Understood. By the way, I’m continuing to monitor Duke Berdin’s movements.”
When Yudis mentioned Berdin, Karden reflexively showed an expression close to disgust.
“What scheme is that fellow up to?”
Yudis shrugged.
“He’s been behaving lately. They say he’s been praying at an old temple. Though he doesn’t strike me as particularly devout.”
“He wouldn’t visit a temple without reason. Search that temple.”
“Understood.”
Outside the villa, Karden ordered the knight guard to deploy.
Yudis came outside the villa to see Karden off.
As Karden mounted the horse brought by a knight and was about to depart for the royal palace, a single horse galloped toward them from the distance.
It was a soldier from the outer wall guard. The soldier pulled the reins, barely stopping the horse.
The soldier knelt before Karden and urgently reported.
“Your Grace, m-monsters have appeared outside the city walls!”
Karden, Yudis, and the knights present were greatly disturbed.
Karden and Yudis exchanged shocked glances.
Karden’s brow furrowed deeply.
How could monsters that appear in the northern border region show up at the capital’s outskirts?
“Monsters have appeared. Is this true?”
“This dawn, a mysterious magic circle formed near the outer wall. Afterward, monsters suddenly appeared from there. Their numbers are increasing.”
“What is the wall defense captain doing now?”
“He has declared an emergency and is gathering all soldiers. The captain said to bring Your Grace quickly…”
“I understand. I’ll depart immediately.”
Karden mounted his horse and commanded Yudis.
“Yudis, I’ll go to the wall to stop the monster horde. You focus all your efforts on finding Shuvelia.”
Yudis approached Karden and bowed respectfully. Her eyes held worry and fear as she looked at her brother.
“Brother, please be careful.”
“Don’t worry. You be careful too.”
Karden galloped toward the wall with his knights.
This was the first time monsters had appeared in the previously peaceful capital.
If the monster horde breached the walls and entered the capital, it would be nothing short of a declaration that hell would unfold on this land.
Not knowing where Shuvelia was, if even the capital wasn’t safe, her safety could be in danger, too.
Karden urged his horse on, increasing speed with gritted teeth.
Just then, bell sounds rang out. They were coming from the bell tower.
The bell sounds spread throughout the capital like wildfire across a field.
The bells ringing three times in succession meant there was a large-scale enemy attack.
Finally, Karden and his knights arrived at the capital’s wall defense.
As Karden jumped off his horse, the defense captain and the Northern Fortress knights ran up and prostrated themselves.
“Your Grace has arrived.”
“Report the current situation. What’s the scale of the monster force?”
“About 100 monsters to the east and west. They’re moving toward the walls.”
Karden’s brow furrowed deeply. Owen, who had been waiting, ran up and presented Karden’s famous sword.
Karden took the sword and quickly headed toward the wall.
“Position the archer unit at the wall, and prepare boiling water and fire. Ready the catapults too.”
“We obey your command.”
Just then, the magician Ron came hurrying from behind the Northern Fortress knights. Ron was holding a parchment with complex magical formulas.
“Your Grace, you’ve arrived. I’ve discovered the magic circle that’s causing the monsters to appear!”
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