L99VL 51

Chapter 51

“Move quickly! Leave only the minimum number of people to guard the fortress. Everyone else, depart!”

Early dawn.

After returning to the inn and spending the night, Eric once again headed for the citadel at the appointed time.

As he searched for Hector, he soon spotted him among the soldiers busily preparing for the expedition and walked over.

“How’s the hole?”
“…As you instructed, we’ve left it open for now. I’ve warned the townsfolk to be cautious of rats in the meantime.”

At that reply, Eric nodded approvingly.

Blocking the rat hole might prevent the plague from spreading further in the short term.
But if the one controlling the familiars realized something was amiss, there was no telling how they would react.
If the culprit fled after realizing they’d been discovered, the upcoming extermination would fail before it even began.

“Commander! Preparations are complete!”

Soon after, a knight came looking for Hector, reporting that the soldiers were ready.

Soldiers lined up in formation before the gates leading to the border.

Eric hadn’t noticed it when visiting the inner city yesterday or when they were sealing off the streets, but for a fortress of this scale, the number of soldiers seemed quite large.

“Lord Eric. Remember, we’re only here to hunt down the beast responsible for the plague. As for the cardinal’s request…”
“It’s fine. Letting us through the border is more than enough. And you don’t need to treat me so stiffly. Right now, I’m here as a servant of the Goddess, at Sir Gregorius’ request—not as the son of my house.”

After their final checks, Hector gave Eric a complicated look, but Eric shook his head lightly as if to say there was nothing to worry about.

He knew what Hector was concerned about.
Helping with the plague beyond the border could be seen as obeying Gregorius’ personal request, potentially dragging him into church politics.

“…Thank you for your consideration.”

Watching Hector bow his head in gratitude, Eric only smiled quietly.

The soldiers of the fortress, led by Commander Hector, would escort them only as far as the region where traces of the plague beast overlapped with the old parish road.
After that, they had agreed to part ways.
But that didn’t matter—if his predictions were right, they would all end up in the old parish anyway.

“Open the gate.”
“Open the gate!”

Rumble—

At Hector’s command, the massive chains clattered, and the gate to the Aridus Plateau slowly opened.

“Good heavens, ‘servant of the Goddess’? I told you this was a personal request, yet you say such things in front of everyone?”

As Eric and his companions joined the rear of the procession, Gregorius grumbled, clearly displeased. Eric only shrugged.

From the moment he invoked the Goddess’ name before the soldiers, this was no longer a mere personal favor but a church affair.
That wasn’t what the old man wanted—he’d hoped to make it look like Eric, Isabella’s chosen hero, was helping him personally.
But given the monsters they would soon face in the plateau, it was better to secure the fortress’ support.

Especially considering the dangers lurking in the old parish.

“You used me first, didn’t you, Your Eminence? Either way, thanks to this, we’re traveling safely. Don’t complain too much.”
“Grr…”

Gregorius couldn’t argue; he knew it was true.
If this mission helped him restore his isolated standing in the church, all the better.
But what truly mattered was retrieving that artifact from the old parish.

“Honestly, you youngsters never listen. Is this how all modern heroes act? No respect for their elders!”
“I wouldn’t know. You’ve surely met more heroes than I have, sir.”

Seeing the old man grumble with nothing more to say, Eric answered slyly.

He could act obedient if he wanted to, but that wasn’t his style—unless, of course, it gave him some benefit.

“Um… my lord. Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Y-yeah. He’s a cardinal, after all!”

While Gregorius moved forward to speak with Hector, Leona and Lillian, who had been watching nervously from behind, carefully voiced their worries.

“Being a cardinal doesn’t change the truth. Better to keep things safe until the old parish than to overextend ourselves just to please him.”

Eric shook his head firmly.

Cardinal or not, he would never endanger his companions who had chosen to follow him.
He had only accepted Gregorius’ request because a cardinal’s favor might help his claim as heir someday.
But to refuse the soldiers’ aid out of pride, risking the lives of his people—that would be meaningless.

“And don’t worry. If he were the type to hold grudges over something so small, he would have said so already. Right, Miss Malefica?”
“Indeed. Saint Gregorius is known for his informal manner. They say during the Great War, he earned great respect among the common soldiers for it.”

So there was no need to fear that his attitude would earn Gregorius’ resentment.
After all, the cardinal wanted to appear as if he had Isabella’s chosen hero at his side.
Which meant the power balance was in Eric’s hands.

Rumble—

“Ambush! Prepare for battle!”
“Protect the cardinal and the young lord!”

They had followed the familiar traces of magic for some time when distant footsteps began to thunder.
At Hector’s command, soldiers drew their weapons.

Hissss!
Shhhhk!

Lizardmen, with crude weapons and armor, charged forward, tongues flickering like snakes.

‘Lizardmen? Just like in the games—right at the start of the plateau.’

Lizardmen.
Distant descendants of fallen dragons, though unlike their glorious ancestors, most had even forgotten how to speak. Mere beasts.

< Lizard Warrior >
Level: 23
Strength [30]
Agility [21]
Stamina [15]
Magic [20]
Trait: <Tough Scales>

Eric grimaced at their numbers.

There were at least fifty—each stronger than the ghouled knights of Dalnirim Forest, excluding the elite guards of the count.
And with <Tough Scales> making them resistant to damage, they were no easy prey.
Yet here they were, swarming them so soon after entering the plateau.

‘And Gregorius expected just the four of us to cross this place with an old man in tow? That’s suicide.’

The difficulty was higher than expected. Eric shuddered to think what would’ve happened had they come alone.

Still, Lizardmen weren’t impossible foes.
Despite their scales, their base stamina wasn’t too high.
It might take time, but he and Leona could probably handle them without even needing Lillian’s magic.
With Malefica’s support—and Gregorius if necessary—they could manage.

‘If not for that one behind them…’

Thoom—Thoom—

Eric narrowed his eyes at the massive shape emerging from the dust beyond.

Grooowl…
“It’s here!”
“A b-basilisk!”

Basilisk.
Like the lizardmen, descended from dragons—yet far larger, stretching nearly ten meters long.

< Stonehide Basilisk >
Level: 33
Strength [53]
Agility [12]
Stamina [85]
Magic [30]
Traits: <Hardened Skin>, <Petrifying Venom>

Its stats dwarfed the lizard warriors’, and it bore two deadly traits.

Normally, basilisks roamed alone, unlike the lizardmen who hunted in packs.
But sometimes tribes raised them from hatchlings, bringing them into battle.

“Front and rear guards hold your ground! Everyone else, follow me!”

And in such cases, the basilisk’s presence was devastating.

With 85 stamina, near-impenetrable hide, and venom so toxic even priests struggled to cure it, their arrival on the battlefield could overwhelm even veteran heroes.

“Hrragh!”

Hector, seasoned from years of defending the border, rushed the basilisk with his knights before it could join the lizardmen.

Slash!
ROOOAR!

A massive axe bit into its leg, and the plateau rang with its monstrous cry.

“Our goal is to keep it from reaching the main force! Don’t overextend—just pin it down!”

Knights and soldiers swarmed the basilisk, encircling it.

Though its thick hide spared it from fatal wounds, stopping its advance was enough for now.

Fshhhk—Fshhhk—

Minutes later, the beast thrashed violently, releasing a cloud of pale mist.

“Poison! Fall back!”

Hector shouted, and soldiers retreated hastily.

“Ugh! M-my body won’t move…!”