Chapter 54
Squeak!
A damp, musty room, its walls and ceiling crawling with dark mold.
Beyond the faintly flickering, reddish candle flame at the center of a rickety desk—
A rat slowly emerged from the darkness, squeaking as it looked up.
“Ah, yes, yes. We have a guest, don’t we?”
How long had it been crying like that?
Across from it, someone crouched low to the ground, listening attentively to the mouse’s chatter.
A man in a brightly patched jester’s costume, oddly mismatched with a wide-brimmed hat pressed low over his face, gently stroked the creature’s fur with his fingertips, smiling softly.
“We don’t need those cowardly fools holed up in the citadel. Four… no, five who might be useful, was it?”
As he muttered, he tilted his head upward, narrowing his eyes toward the faint creaks and footsteps above the ceiling.
So that’s it.
No wonder things had gotten noisy up there.
Squeak! Squeak!
“Heh, heh-heh. Hahaha! I see. So even the dear Cardinal—our esteemed bishop, once so beloved by the Goddess—has come himself? Or should I say, His Eminence the Cardinal now?”
His eyes gleamed with delight as he looked up toward the staircase leading to the floor above, smiling brightly like a child who had just found a long-awaited toy.
That day—
Since the very day this diocese had fallen into the hands of the Demon King’s army—
How long had he waited for this moment to come?
“Gregorius…”
Thump.
The man’s smile deepened as he recalled the familiar name. Then he rose, moving to stand before a cracked and fractured mirror in the corner.
“It’s been too long, Your Eminence. To think I’d meet you again here, in the sanctuary you so adored… and in such a miserable state.”
He straightened his collar before the fractured mirror, humming a carefree tune, and picked up something resting on the desk.
“It’s time to give the best audience the best performance.”
An old, worn flute, darkened with years of handling.
“Let’s go, my darlings. Dinner time.”
With a fond look at the flute, he turned and began walking toward the staircase with a jaunty step.
Piiik—Piiiik—
Squeak! Squeak squeak squeak!
The discordant, grating sound of the flute filled the air.
Behind the man climbing the stairs, an overwhelming horde of rats surged forward.
“I never imagined a space like this would exist beneath the chapel.”
“What was it used for? Storage?”
A hidden staircase beneath the statue of the Goddess, leading deep underground.
Following Hector and the soldiers holding torches, Eric and his companions descended into the darkness.
Leona and Lillian looked around in awe, tilting their heads at the stairs that stretched far deeper than expected.
“It was built as an emergency shelter. The temple’s close to the border, after all.”
Archbishop Gregorius, who had been silent, finally spoke—his voice heavy, subdued.
The deeper they descended, the grimmer his expression became.
Eric glanced at him, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
‘He’s been acting strange since we came down here…’
He hadn’t seemed off when they rotated the statue and opened the secret passage,
but the moment they stepped into the stairs, his demeanor had changed completely.
Almost as if he dreaded whatever lay beneath.
“This place feels… creepy.”
After what felt like an eternity, they reached the bottom of the staircase.
Eric stepped into a wide chamber, glancing at Lillian—who was backing away, a horrified look on her face.
‘What the…’
Scattered across the room like discarded toys were skeletons—
each dressed in tattered jester costumes, once colorful but now mottled with dust and mold, their conical hats tilted absurdly.
One skeleton leaned against a wall, chin in hand.
Another sat astride a broken rocking horse, its skull lolling sideways.
Squelch—
The grotesque sight froze everyone in place. Torches flickered, illuminating the scene as they cautiously stepped forward—
“Eek!”
Lillian screamed, recoiling as something squished beneath her foot.
“M-my lord! There’s—something under my foot!”
Squeak! Squeak squeak squeak!
The moment Eric looked down, a swarm of rats burst from the hem of the skeleton’s tattered trousers.
“They’re coming!”
“Prepare for battle!”
“Protect His Eminence!”
Sensing danger, Malefica shouted from across the room.
And in the next instant, from the shadows poured an enormous swarm of rats.
Squeak! Squeak squeak!
Kyaaaah!
<Mouse>
Level: 1
Strength [1]
Agility [3]
Stamina [1]
Mana [1]
Trait: —
<Ratman>
Level: 5
Strength [8]
Agility [15]
Stamina [8]
Mana [1]
Trait: <Rotten Claws>
Between the waves of smaller rats, larger, humanoid ratmen began to appear.
Though stronger than the sewer-dwellers beneath the Grand Duke’s estate, they were still far weaker than trained soldiers—
but there were dozens of them.
And they were charging alongside hundreds—no, thousands—of rats.
Even seasoned border troops couldn’t take that lightly.
“Archbishop Gregorius!”
Eric quickly assessed the situation and turned toward the old man.
“…Your Eminence? Archbishop Gregorius! Snap out of it!”
The old man stood frozen, his expression pale.
Eric grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him roughly.
“What are you doing spacing out like that?! Didn’t you say there’s something vital we must recover in this temple? Unless you want us all dead, start helping!”
“Ah… my apologies!”
Jolted back to his senses, Gregorius clasped his hands together, chanting frantically as the rats swarmed the soldiers.
Kyaaaah!
“You’re not getting through!”
Thud—
Kiik…
With his murmured prayers, waves of divine energy began to radiate outward.
Eric cut down ratmen left and right, protecting the old man as he worked.
The rats’ attention was locked on Gregorius, making it easier for Eric to strike their weak points.
“Watch your back, my lord!”
“My back? Wh—damn it!”
Even as smaller rats crawled up his legs, he ignored them, slashing through another ratman that lunged for him.
Kyaaaah!
Crunch!
“Ugh!”
Teeth sank deep into his thigh.
Gritting his teeth, Eric drove his sword through the creature’s neck.
Thud—
“Haa… haa…”
“My lord! Are you alright?”
He yanked the corpse away and gave Leona, who was rushing toward him, a reassuring smile.
“I’m fine. What about the others?”
“We were overwhelmed at first, but with the priests’ support, we’re holding our ground. It’ll take time, but we’ll finish them off.”
She nodded confidently.
They’d been ambushed and cornered in a tight space, but in the end, they were just rats and ratmen.
With priests healing from the rear, victory was only a matter of time.
If things stayed this way, they’d win.
“…Oh Goddess, bless these lambs who seek to serve Your will.”
After a grueling battle, Gregorius finished his prayer.
A brilliant light spread through the chamber, and the fight quickly turned in their favor.
Even wounds from bites healed instantly, and exhausted men felt renewed vigor.
Overwhelmed, the horde began to crumble.
“Haa… haa… It’s over!”
“Those damn rats…”
When it was finally done, the soldiers stood panting amidst heaps of rat and ratman corpses piled across the floor.
“…My lord.”
As the men rested, leaning against the walls and removing their helmets, Malefica quietly tugged at Eric’s sleeve, nodding toward the far side of the dark chamber.
Eric followed her gaze—and nodded grimly. He’d sensed it too.
Clap— Clap— Clap—
“What the…?”
“Who’s there?!”
Before anyone could react, a slow, mocking applause echoed from the shadows.
“Magnificent. Truly magnificent!”
“A man?”
“Stop right there! One step closer and I’ll cut you down!”
A figure stepped forward into the torchlight—
and Eric’s face hardened.
A gaudy jester’s costume, patched with scraps of colored paper.
A wide-brimmed hat casting shadow over a smiling mouth that never fell.
Wherever he went, he brought with him the stench of death—and the rats followed.
“…Rattenfänger.”
The Pied Piper.
<Rattenfänger>
Level: 40
Strength [30]
Agility [130]
Stamina [50]
Mana [200]
Traits: <Enthrallment>, <Pied Piper>
A named “Lesser Demon Lord,” infamous even in the game.
He would appear unexpectedly, spread plague through the territory, and vanish again.
His mechanics were among the most difficult to counter.
“Hey! Didn’t you hear me? I said stop—”
Whiiiistle—
At the soldier’s warning, Rattenfänger blew a short, sharp note.
The soldier froze mid-swing, his sword slowly lowering on its own.
Damn it… my body…!
As if submerged in deep water, his limbs refused to move.
Eric broke into a cold sweat, realizing what was happening.
Thud—
One step. Then another.
Time itself seemed to stop for everyone but the piper.
He strolled calmly through the frozen soldiers and came to stand before Eric and his party.
Then, looking past them to Gregorius, he bowed gracefully.
“It has been far too long, Your Eminence. You’ve aged quite a bit since last we met.”
