TSFA l CH 121

Chapter 121

“What’s going on, Your Highness?! Why is it coming out here?!”
“I don’t know!”

Nike snapped back, clearly shaken.

Coming out? What else could it be but monsters?
This was the Cursed Land, after all.

I had never actually seen the moment monsters emerged, not even in my previous life.
But judging from their words, what else could it be?

“Just pull us out already!”
“No. I’ll deal with it before it gets dangerous. There’s never been a case of them appearing outside the designated zones—I need to understand what’s happening.”

Nike grabbed me and pulled me into his arms, running fast.
“You, keep Ratan safe and get him out of here!”

…Ratan?
He meant Märchen.

That’s when it hit me—Nike had agreed to bring us here because Ryan had told him the truth.
Märchen, the last heir of Parnece, possessed by the monster Ratan.

No wonder.

But then—why now?
Monsters weren’t supposed to appear here.

My stomach tightened.
Could it be…?

Ratan was a high-level monster, one that could control the lesser beasts.
But he could only do so if he was forced out of Märchen with injuries, right?
Yet Märchen wasn’t hurt badly enough.

“Ugh!”
Ryan caught Märchen, who stumbled, and hauled him along.

“Get to a safe zone and hide!” Nike ordered. He picked me up outright and dove behind a ruined wall, peeking out as Ryan dragged Märchen across the open ground.

Then—it happened.

From beneath Märchen’s feet, a massive clawed arm burst out of the ground.

“Ahhh! Prince!”

Ryan yanked Märchen back just in time. And suddenly, monsters began clawing their way out all around us.

‘Oh my god. Terrifying!’

Small ones, but in numbers like an army.

Ryan cursed, then tapped one with his hand—
.
The monster crumpled instantly.

Nike’s eyes widened. He’d heard of Ryan’s power, but this was the first time seeing it.

“Are you okay?!” Ryan shouted to Märchen.

Blood dripped down the Prince’s thigh. He tried to brush it off—
“It’s nothing!”

But before Ryan could offer to carry him, Märchen’s head twisted a full ninety degrees with a crack.

Ryan shrieked. “For f***’s sake!”
He bolted, abandoning Märchen, and dove to hide near us.

“Your Highness, pull us out now! If I use it from here, it’ll kill the Prince too!”

But Nike stayed tense, eyes fixed on Märchen.

Something was wrong.

The swarm of monsters… wasn’t attacking. They just stood there. Waiting.

‘Hierarchy,’ I realized.
They were waiting for their king.

And then—he came out.

Ratan.

The enormous monster, fully manifested, looming over the lesser beasts.

“…If he can’t be controlled, I’ll have to kill him,” Nike muttered.

I held my breath.

Ratan looked around, then laughed.
“The crazy woman isn’t here! What fresh air! At last, I’ve returned to my homeland!”

No… no, no!

He raised his voice to the army.
“Ready yourselves! Let’s tear up the earth and feast on humans!”

Nike grabbed Ryan, ready to escape.

Then—Ratan froze.

Because he saw me.

The hulking monster’s eyes widened. His army stopped moving.

Nike drew his sword, confused by the sudden change.

And I sighed.

Because the inevitable happened.

With a thud, Ratan dropped to one knee.

“My lord!”

Oh, damn it.
Couldn’t he just go back in quietly for once?

Nike’s eyes flew wide, staring at me in shock.

“My lord, forgive me!” Ratan groveled. “My earlier words were careless!”

I shut my eyes tight.