Chapter 66
Our steps became faster and lighter.
Of course they did.
Until now, we had been wandering without even knowing the exact location of Lamberto Castle.
‘But now it’s different. We know the direction. We’re heading straight for it.’
After confirming the castle’s location, Juto also seemed much more energized.
He climbed trees to check the castle’s position regularly, and each time, he came down faster than before.
After the third or fourth check, Juto came down smiling.
“Castle! Bigger!”
As he said that, Juto held up his thumb.
When he first spotted the castle, he said it was only the size of a fingernail.
This was real progress.
“Do you think we can reach it before sunset?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t seen it with my own eyes, and even if I had, I can’t judge the distance.”
“True.”
Edmund and I let out deep sighs.
But compared to before, we both stood up much more quickly.
Our expressions were brighter, and our movements lighter.
Hope itself was pushing us forward.
We walked hard for half a day.
Except for when Juto climbed trees to check the castle, we barely rested.
And just as the castle had grown noticeably larger—
A terrible obstacle appeared in our path.
In the middle of the vast cold conifer forest, spread wide like an ocean, stood a towering white rocky mountain.
On top of that white cliff stood Lamberto Castle.
It was the northernmost castle in the Palts Kingdom—and on the entire continent.
From it stretched long, tall gray walls, serving as the final shield protecting the human world from monsters.
Because of this, the Lamberto Ducal House was called the “Shield of White Rock”, and their family crest was a white shield.
That very Lamberto Castle was now filled with chaos.
“Please! Please let me see the Duke!!! I am Willace Baltin! A mage who studied in the Mage Kingdom under the support of Lady Munisa and the Duke!”
Covered in blood and soot, looking like a rag dragged through ashes, Willace shouted desperately.
Beside him lay Miriam, Cassia’s nanny, unconscious and barely breathing.
The two who had volunteered to act as bait to protect their masters had not only survived—but had arrived at Lamberto Castle first.
They didn’t know this, but it was the butterfly effect of Cassia setting the wagon on fire.
The burning wagon caused a large forest fire.
Nearby monsters were drawn to it like moths to a flame.
Thanks to that, both Cassia’s group and Willace’s group avoided direct encounters with monsters as much as possible.
Even so, Willace had faced far more monsters by acting as bait.
To deal with the fire and the monsters drawn by it, Lamberto’s knights were dispatched.
They were the reason Willace and Miriam made it here alive.
And the moment Willace regained consciousness, he began struggling like a madman.
“Duke! Where is the Duke?!”
The knights were flustered but tried to calm him.
“Treatment comes first!”
“And in that state, how could you meet the Duke? At least clean yourself first—!”
Among them was someone who recognized Willace.
Sir Mahut, the captain of Lamberto Castle’s guard, recognized him even through the blood and soot.
“Willace… it really is you!”
A man of status had recognized him.
Willace burst into tears of relief and grabbed Sir Mahut.
“Hurry! We must save him! Send the knights to search!!”
“Him? What are you talking about?!”
Willace’s scream echoed across the sky above the white castle.
“Lord Edmund! Lady Munisa’s only son—and the Duke’s only grandson!”
At the unexpected words, Lamberto Castle fell silent, as if cold water had been poured over it.
“He is right now in the forest outside!!!”
KAAAAAA—!!!
A monstrous scream shook the forest.
We ran with everything we had.
A huge creature, nearly three meters tall, shaped like a bear—with the head of a vicious owl—was chasing us.
The first to sense it and recognize it was Juto.
“Aowlbear!”
Every time it swung its thick arms, huge trees snapped.
When its neck twisted a full 180 degrees and its massive beak struck the ground—
Boom!
A crater-like hole formed instantly.
‘If we fight it head-on, we’ll die for sure!’
At least its massive body made it slow.
That was the only reason we could even try to run.
‘But our stamina will run out first!’
We had wandered the forest too long without proper rest or food.
No matter how slow it was, that Aowlbear had far more endurance than we did.
‘At this rate, it will catch us!’
We needed a plan.
Before our strength completely failed.
Somehow—anything—
Just then, as my steps slowed, the Aowlbear closed in.
Whoosh—!
With a terrifying sound, its front paw—claws like long swords—swung toward me.
Without time to think, I threw myself forward with all my strength.
Crash!
Barely missing me, its paw struck the ground instead.
Rocks and tree roots shattered violently.
“Cassia!”
Juto rushed over and pulled me up.
We ran forward together, almost as one body.
Edmund, pale-faced, was gathering mana.
Wooooong—.
His signet ring glowed red.
Seeing that, an idea suddenly struck me.
“Edmund! Light! Can you shoot the red light upward? Into the sky?”
“What? But if I want to attack the Aowlbear, I can’t aim it at the sky!”
I shook my head.
“We can’t beat it anyway! It’s faster to call for help!”
The last time Juto checked, Lamberto Castle was already quite close.
That meant there was a good chance the light from Edmund’s magic could be seen from the castle.
“Let them know we’re here! The castle!”
“…!”
Like in movies, where villains or heroes announce their presence by shining light into the sky.
“Yes! Do that!”
I pointed at the ring on Edmund’s hand.
The Cohen family crest was carved into the signet ring.
“Let them know you’re here!!!”
Edmund clenched his teeth.
Then he forced out mana once more with all his strength.
Using magic so soon after mana exhaustion was dangerous.
But surviving came first.
I shouted to both of them.
“Split up! Buy time!”
The three of us ran in different directions.
After hesitating briefly, the Aowlbear roared when it saw red mana flickering around Edmund.
KRAAAAGH—!!!
It charged straight at him.
He must have sensed Edmund as the biggest threat.
“No!!!”
Before my thoughts could catch up, my body moved on its own.
Thinking back, it had always been like this.
From the moment I first met Edmund.
‘Before fully understanding the situation, before making a clear decision—my body moved first.’
Just like before Moretti’s whip.
Just like before the arrow.
Once again, I threw myself forward.
Toward the blade-like claws of the monster.
Slash!
A horrifying sound rang out.
A burning pain tore through my body, as if I were being split in two.
Edmund’s red eyes widened in shock as he looked at me.
“CASSIA—!!!”
At the same time, the red mana surrounding him began to burn violently.
The color of a sunset—
Turned instantly into a pitch-black shade, like a sky where the sun had completely fallen.
No—darker than night.
A terrifying, overwhelming black.
The moment I saw it, I knew.
‘Dark… magic…?’
A forbidden power.
And that ominous black light was the last thing I saw—
Before my consciousness faded.
