L99VL 22

Chapter 22

The Frost Wolves

Grrrr…
Grk…

The floor of the cave, where all the ice had melted, trembled with low growls.
From the dark corners untouched by the glow of the corrupted spirit, a pack of wolves emerged.

Dozens of beasts closed in on Eric in an instant, their ring tightening with every rumble.

Frost wolves?
How are they here when they only live far beyond the northern frontier?

Frost wolves—huge beasts larger than most grown men, their silver-white fur gleaming faintly.

He’d expected there might be something guarding the spirit—something strong enough to wipe a mountain range off the map if provoked.
But he hadn’t imagined monsters from the polar wastes would be waiting here.
How had anyone brought such creatures across the empire’s borders and this deep into the frozen mountains?

Rats—sure, ratmen can sneak into imperial cities. But these? No. Even if border patrols were lax before the monster wars, smuggling in dozens of creatures this size without help is impossible.

This was far beyond the ratmen he’d once found hiding in the sewers.
Whoever set frost wolves as sentries had inside help—people colluding with monsters inside the empire itself.

“Lord Eric, do you know these monsters?” Leona asked.

Snapped from his thoughts, Eric almost nodded before quickly shaking his head.

“…No idea. They look like wolves, but guarding a spirit like this? They’re clearly not ordinary.”

Ratmen were common enough that even a feckless noble might know of them.
Frost wolves were different—rare enough that even Leona, who had trained as a knight and studied monsters, had never heard of them.

Better to stay cautious. Lillian is here, and who knows who might repeat what they hear.

If he wanted to supplant Allen as heir, he needed to stand out—
but drawing attention with knowledge no idle noble could possess would only breed suspicion.
Even felling a powerful “named” monster could be waved off as luck or talent,
but knowing secret imperial military intelligence? Impossible to explain.

Worst case, they’d call me a spy for the monsters. Unlikely, but I’m still a duke’s son.

The game he remembered had been about defending territory from endless monster raids,
not political intrigue. But the frost wolves here and now proved someone had helped them cross the border.

And a useless, scandalous noble suddenly outsmarting an assassin and changing overnight… yes, people would talk.

“Coming,” Leona warned.

Splash!
A wolf lunged from the shallow water. Eric twisted aside just in time, the beast’s jaws snapping at his neck.

Whoosh!
“Kh!”

Its teeth grazed him as it landed, growling in frustration.

Bzzzt! Slash!
Yelp!

Leona cut down two wolves in a heartbeat, driving back the rest.

“…I’m fine. Just startled,” Eric said, steadying himself.

Now’s not the time to worry about spies.

Whoever had moved this pack across the border had wisely chosen a monster that could survive long frozen—
but that didn’t mean these wolves were easy prey.

<Frost Wolf>
Level: 15
Strength: 15
Agility: 30
Stamina: 9
Mana: 8
Trait: Frost Hide

Agility thirty… fast, but not impossible if I focus. Stamina nine—fragile enough that even I can bring one down.

He knew their patterns.
If he watched the subtle motions before they struck, he could counter.

Even back when he’d been weaker, he’d dodged a faster “named” monster by luring it into narrow tunnels.

Fwoosh…

A sudden heat washed his back. Eric glanced behind him—Lillian was gathering a blazing aura.

Already prepared? She only just regained consciousness…

Hiss!
Magic hadn’t even fired yet, but the air shimmered. Water on the floor boiled into steam.

“Everyone back!”

Rumble…

The ground split like a spiderweb.
Flames erupted through the cracks, roaring high enough to shake the cavern.

Howl! Yelp! Screech!

Scarlet walls of fire rose everywhere.
Eric watched shadows writhe and fall as the blaze consumed the pack.

That many wolves—gone in an instant. Her firepower is astounding.

The air reeked of burning hair and char. Charcoal-black carcasses littered the ground.

“Lord Eric, behind you!”

“What—?”

Slash!
A claw barely missed his cheek.
He spun to see a singed frost wolf, fur scorched and skin melted, still alive.

“Lord Eric!”
“Stay back! Guard Lady Lillian!”

Leona hesitated, but he barked, “Go!”

Lillian—one of the continent’s rarest mages—was far more important.

Eric faced the wolves alone as more shapes emerged.

“…Seems I gave myself too much credit.”

Five remained, all wounded but deadly.
Agility alone gave them the edge.

Snarl!

They charged at once.
Eric had no room to escape.

No choice—take a hit if I must… huh?

One lagged, its hind leg burned and half-melted.
Eric dove for it without hesitation.

Shunk!
Whimper…

His blade drove deep into its chest, blood spraying as the beast collapsed.

The others lunged. Eric ducked behind the corpse.

Bark! Bark!
One aimed to bite, two to flank, one to strike from behind—
the same pattern he’d studied.

Now!

He sprang up, thrusting his sword skyward.

Crunch!
Hot liquid splashed down as his blade pierced a wolf’s jaw and skull.
Not a clean kill, but enough.

“Lord Eric!”

A blur of steel—
Leona cleaved the creature in half, then dispatched the last three with effortless precision.

Eric wiped blood from his eyes and glanced around.

So many… more than thirty bodies, burned or cut down. Incredible.

Leona returned to his side, and together they approached the still-unconscious Lillian.

“Mmm…”

She stirred at last, the darkened spirit flickering beside her.

“H-how did it go? The wolves—?”

“All dead. Your magic was brilliant,” Eric said.
“Truly impressive,” Leona agreed.

A radiant smile lit Lillian’s face.

I did it… I actually killed monsters with my magic!

She had thought she’d never be useful in battle, fainting for hours after a single spell—
but in less than two weeks in the duke’s household, she had proven herself.

Her gaze softened on Eric.
Eric Ather: the shame of the Ather dukedom, the incompetent northern wastrel.
When she’d first learned he, not Allen or Ivan, sought a court mage, she’d thought the world was ending.

Yet he’d never blamed her, even after discovering her frailty.
He’d praised her power sincerely and promised to employ her as a true battle-mage.

“…Sir Lillian!”

“Ah! Y-yes!”

Startled from her thoughts, she met Eric’s concerned eyes.

“Are you all right? You look exhausted. Perhaps casting again so soon is too much.”

“No! I’m fine—really! I can cast again right away!”

“Good. I’m glad.”

Her heart fluttered under his gentle gaze.

“Shall we return now, my lord?” Leona asked, scanning the cavern.

“Not yet. We need to finish up—harvest materials from the charred bodies, and Lady Lillian must draw out the spirit’s remaining magic…”

Eric stopped mid-sentence, senses pricking.

Thud…
A heavy footstep shook the cavern.