‘Faceless Stranger.’
It was the same being that had previously ambushed Liya. They said it was an unfortunate puppet, its body and mind taken over by the Dark Cult’s contract magic, incapable of independent thought or action.
Its appearance was grotesque beyond measure.
Its face resembled a mashed lump of clay, with no clear features. Its squinting eyes were askew, and its nose had lost all definition; only the vague outline of nostrils could be discerned. The face lacked lips, and the boundaries of the mouth were indistinct.
Several of these monsters were advancing, surrounding both me and the Lady Virgin Saint.
Where had they come from?
I had not noticed even the faintest sound of their approach. This point puzzled me greatly.
The black-haired woman I met at the Holy Kingdom’s camp and these faceless strangers seemed to deliberately erase their presence, leaving no trace. It was as though we were standing in a void on a barren plain.
There would be time to investigate that later.
For now, my priority was protecting the Lady Virgin Saint. Before long, I realized I was gripping the hilt of a sword.
The hatchet began to vibrate.
I’d already shattered the skull of one faceless stranger. Empowered by the principle of balance, the axe blade once more danced through the void.
What surprised me was that these faceless strangers were far more skilled than they had been during my last encounter.
With a clang, the hatchet was deflected. Considering my recent rapid growth in skill, this was an impressive display.
They must be experts, or close to it.
Even more alarmingly, it wasn’t just one or two of them who could do this.
Several daggers drew intricate trajectories through the void.
Though the daggers themselves were cheap, the magic contained within them was anything but ordinary. Virtual lines began to form in front of my eyes.
Clearly, the daggers were aimed at the Lady Virgin Saint.
No, not just the daggers.
All the monsters scaling the walls were heading straight for her. Even the swordsman who deflected my hatchet was ignoring me and focusing solely on the Lady Virgin Saint.
Naturally, I would not stand by and let that happen.
“Where do you think you’re going… you little b*stard!”
I kicked the swordsman in the side as he tried to bypass me. The monster tumbled across the ground a few times without making a sound, then silently looked up at me.
At that moment, lightning struck from the sky.
Hissing as it spun through the void, the hatchet fell like a cascade of light. Despite this, the skull did not immediately cave in, so the axe had to repeatedly strike up and down as if chopping wood.
Thud, thud, thud.
With the steady drone of these sounds as a backdrop, I threw away my sword.
Toward the daggers flying toward the Lady Virgin Saint.
The Lady Virgin Saint was lowering her posture in surprise just as my sword passed by her, crossing her like a brushstroke on the canvas of the air, leaving behind a silver curtain.
It was a skill utilizing the principle of 解 (release).
The daggers touched by the aura of power began to wildly rampage and collide, unable to maintain a fixed trajectory due to the dispersed magic. In the midst of this, I advanced toward the Lady Virgin Saint.
After just a few steps, she was holding her breath without even letting out a scream.
Her trembling, rosy irises spoke volumes about her state of mind. Though she was startled, she refrained from making a sound.
Her gaze was filled with intense deliberation.
What was the best course of action? How should she behave to benefit me?
She had grown accustomed to the battlefield. In the past, she would have screamed every time she was startled.
I decided to reassure her first.
“Lady Virgin Saint, are you alr— Gah?!”
Then, suddenly, a punch rushed towards me.
A faceless stranger had closed the distance instantly, bearing a well-trained physique. From his stance, it was clear he had been trained in martial arts by the Holy Kingdom.
If I retreated now, the stranger’s elbow would strike the Lady Virgin Saint’s back.
I couldn’t allow that.
I grabbed the arm that brushed past me, spun around, and slammed the stranger to the ground.
BOOM!
With a powerful shockwave, convulsions ran through the monster’s entire body. Despite this, it struggled to rise, forcing me to kick its head with all my strength.
With a crisp crack, the movements of one faceless stranger ceased.
Down to just two.
I quickly surveyed the area. Four of the faceless strangers were still alive and moving.
The one with daggers particularly annoyed me.
A foe capable of adjusting trajectories from a distance was very troublesome, especially when you have someone to protect.
I was finally beginning to grasp just how difficult it was to counter the principle of balance.
It was at this point that the Lady Virgin Saint broke the silence.
“…It’s too precise.”
“What?”
I had no time for questions. Her seemingly absent-minded mutter drew an urgent response as she quickly rose to her feet.
“Ian, leave me alone for a moment.”
What did she mean? I suppressed the doubts that instinctively rose in my mind.
There must have been a plan in the Lady Virgin Saint’s mind.
Still, I couldn’t completely shake off my concerns, and my worried gaze lingered on her.
The Lady Virgin Saint was brushing dust off her clothes.
“Hurry up. In return, you deal with that dagger-throwing monster.”
It was a weighty tone. Ultimately, I swallowed a groan and turned my head.
Trusting your teammate is one of the key virtues.
Shortly after, the faceless strangers— who had been watching us — resumed their assault all at once.
More daggers hurled, and three others dashed toward the Lady Virgin Saint.
I rolled on the ground to pick up a fallen sword, stood up, and deflected the daggers one by one.
Clang, clang, clang!
Sparks flew with each contact, sending the daggers scattering into the air. Stepping forward, I grabbed a dagger in my remaining hand, and it whistled as it shot out like a beam of light.
With a loud crack, the monster’s forehead was pierced, and its body convulsed.
The only way to stop them from throwing daggers was one thing: dismemberment.
A cascade of silver divided the storm of daggers, scattering them across the air.
The severed arm twitched and writhed on the ground, yet the support it had lost rendered it powerless.
It simply waited for the other arm to be severed.
Just as I had dismantled the limbs of one faceless stranger, the voice rang out.
“…May the light shine!”
A pure, white explosion covered my retinas in a blinding flash. The gentle warmth, brimming with vitality, was undoubtedly divine power.
Projecting such high-density divine power across such a vast area was impressive.
Yet again, the amount of divine energy was unreasonably vast. The one who had performed this miracle seemed to have no thoughts about the matter.
The more noticeable reaction came from the faceless strangers.
Gaaahhhk!
Kiiiiiek!
The monsters struck by the Lady Virgin Saint’s divine power collapsed, screaming in agony. From individuals choking themselves with their hands to others thrashing about like cockroaches sprayed with insecticide.
A golden glow shone on their ashen skin, filling their innards with a peaceful light.
Just from simple contact with the divine power?
Doubt colored my eyes. Divine power was initially meant to heal. Though potent, its ability to harm physical beings was limited.
Unless it’s the undead.
Yet, the Lady Virgin Saint showed not a hint of hesitation. It was as if the results had been anticipated. She took graceful steps forward and grabbed the collar of one of the convulsing faceless strangers.
Through gritted teeth, her question emerged.
“…Who are you?”
Of course, the insane monster showed no sign of answering, merely struggling to remove her hands.
Eventually, I couldn’t hold my curiosity and had to ask.
“Lady Virgin Saint, what is going on? Why do these monsters react this way to divine power…?”
“They are being controlled.”
My words caught in my throat.
It was an all-too-obvious answer. If they were under control by the Dark Cult, it made perfect sense.
Still, the Lady Virgin Saint wasn’t the type to give meaningless answers.
She continued her explanation.
“Their movements are too precise. Even if the incantations are woven intricately, it’s impossible for a mindless entity to move with such dexterity. In other words….”
“They are being watched.”
Instead of a reply, the Lady Virgin Saint merely shut her lips.
No further elaboration was needed. It was clear who or what was watching.
The one who made these monsters was watching us.
At that moment, a sharp, chilling laughter pierced my ears.
“Kyukyuk… puha, ha, hahahahaha!”
As though wringing out all its internal organs.
The monster was laughing wildly, its wrinkled head shaking erratically, as if it was willing to d*e in the process.
Its narrowed eyes turned toward me and the Lady Virgin Saint.
“Did I give it away?”
I recognized the scene.
I had seen something similar when Miltram possessed the test subject.
Through clenched teeth, the Lady Virgin Saint asked again.
“…Who are you?”
“Calm down, calm down… Is there a reason we should be blushing so early? And, do you really want to know who I am?”
A twisted smile emerged from the crevices of its lips.
“And can you handle it if you do?”
“What are you?!”
Rarely showing excitement, the Lady Virgin Saint’s attitude caused the monster to shake its head.
Its sticky gaze briefly attached to me before disappearing.
“Don’t rush me. We will meet soon anyway.”
“What are you doing with the children? How many spies have you planted in the Holy Kingdom?!”
“Don’t rush me.”
With a smirk, the wrinkled face drew a semblance of a smile.
That was the end.
“You’ll know soon… everything.”
At the abrupt cessation of its voice, the Lady Virgin Saint flinched, her hands gripping the monster’s collar harshly.
But there was no response coming from the empty shell.
My hand silently stroked the Lady Virgin Saint’s shoulder. It was a silent signal to stop.
“It’s too late, Lady Virgin Saint.”
“But… but, Ian!”
“We’ve already obtained all the information we can.”
At those words, the tension in the Lady Virgin Saint’s grip finally relaxed.
Facing her upward gaze, I let out a low murmur.
“…Perhaps.”
Now, all that remained was the moment to unravel the mysteries.
And that opportunity came soon after.
One night, an orphan approached me. It was the boy who had once eyed me with suspicion, asking if I had come to take them away.
The child, on the verge of tears, spoke.
“Uncle, please help me… the adults are going to take my little sister.”
The clock’s hands ticked with a lonely sound.
The time was now midnight.
The time to reveal the truth.
