Chapter 42
After Jose’s death, Karl and the surviving members of the Enchin Tribe pressed on through the night and finally arrived at a hidden shelter deep within the nearest forest.
Chirp, chirp.
Birdsong echoed in every direction, and all manner of animals filled the surroundings.
The animals rubbed themselves affectionately against the newly arrived Enchin tribespeople and fluttered around them in joy.
‘How curious.’
They were different from the animals in his past life—those that performed tricks at the zookeeper’s command.
“Nana…!”
“…What happened to Granny Joanna?”
“…”
At the sight of a villager shaking his head, Nana felt as if she might collapse on the spot.
“And Jose…?”
“…”
Karl gently laid the man he had carried on his back down onto the ground.
“…”
Everyone present remained silent. Some had lost children, others parents, friends, or family. No one could speak.
Instead, silence conveyed everything that needed to be said. Nana struggled to hold back the tears that threatened to burst out.
“And him…?”
“I received help so suddenly… I didn’t even get the chance to thank him properly.”
At Nana’s words, all eyes turned toward Karl.
“Karl. A Free Knight.”
His brief self-introduction drew puzzled looks from the villagers.
“Why did you help us, Sir Karl?”
Karl himself hadn’t really intended to help them. If the side quest from this trash game hadn’t popped up at that moment, he probably wouldn’t have moved at all.
A massacre? It wasn’t the first he’d seen. After spending over a decade wandering battlefields, one got used to such sights.
Not that they were common—but both West Continentals and East Continentals occasionally committed such atrocities, equally.
“It’s hard to explain.”
“I… owe you an immeasurable debt. One day… I will repay you, no matter what.”
Karl responded with a simple nod.
“What are you planning to do next?”
At his question, silence fell again. They had no plan for what came next.
The Inquisitor hadn’t attacked them on her own—she had the approval of Stanmore’s lord as well. It meant both religion and politics had branded them as heretics.
“Druids’ powers have never drawn the Church’s attention throughout history. So why now…?”
Just as they had said—it made no sense for an Inquisitor to suddenly label Druids as heretics and attempt to wipe them out.
For ages, the Druids’ power had been seen as a hereditary peculiarity, not heretical in nature.
If it had been otherwise, the Empire at its height would have issued extermination orders, not merely enforced relocation.
‘No matter how mad she is, she couldn’t have done this alone. And she’s done it repeatedly. That means someone’s backing her.’
What could anyone possibly gain by classifying Druids as heretics?
If something had happened, there had to be a reason.
“Are there other Druid villages?”
“There are. Sometimes we communicate through migratory birds, but we’re not especially close to other tribes…”
“Anything will do—just say it.”
A middle-aged man who seemed to be representing the surviving Enchin villagers fell deep into thought. After a long pause, he slowly spoke.
“Of the recent news we’ve received… I recall hearing unsettling rumors of people disappearing.”
As soon as Karl heard the word “disappearances,” he connected it to recent events.
“It might not be related, but… there’s an old story. They say if you offer a Druid’s heart as a sacrifice in a ritual to some unknown, powerful and ominous being, the resulting power is incomparably greater than when using an ordinary human heart. But… even so, I can’t believe it’s connected to this…”
As the man said, the Church did not engage in vile or gruesome acts like ripping out people’s hearts.
There was nothing of the sort in any of its doctrines. But what about one—or a few—of the many clergy?
Karl’s eyes sharpened.
The entire Church might not be involved with the Tarantula, but it was possible that a few among them had committed apostasy.
And the quest Karl had received this time was [Shadow Hidden by Light].
“I see.”
Everyone turned their attention to Karl.
“Where there is light, there must be shadow.”
His voice was calm, almost monotone, yet everyone heard his words clearly.
“Stay here and recover. If you need help, it might take some time, but I’ll find a way to contact you.”
“Please take this ring.”
“What is it?”
When Karl accepted the ring, the man let out a whistle. From somewhere, a massive eagle came soaring and landed nearby.
Its form was unmistakably that of an eagle—but its size was greater than a person’s. The sight of it shook one’s very sense of reality.
“Wear the ring and press your forehead to it.”
Karl did as instructed.
“Now bring your forehead to that of the bird.”
He followed the man’s instructions again.
The ring, set with a crimson ruby, glowed for a moment before calming.
“If you do it like that, Sir Karl, you’ll be able to bond with up to five animals using just that ring. When you place your thumb on the ring and focus, they’ll sense your thoughts and respond.”
It was practically a magical artifact—indistinguishable from something made by a mage of this world. Taken aback by the unexpected gift, Karl bowed his head.
“This eagle is a legendary Condor. It’s said that not even a knight’s sword or arrows can easily wound it… But the Condor only hunts what it needs when it must. By nature, it dislikes fighting. Forcing it will only hinder your bond.”
At the Druid’s words, Karl once again bowed in gratitude.
[Pet Function Unlocked]
A system window popped up like a notification.
Rather than feeling happy, it irritated him. This didn’t even feel like a real game. It was trying to mimic one—but always one step behind. Unless someone had a particularly twisted mind, there was no way to enjoy this.
“Then… you’re leaving already?”
“Seems I’ve done all I can here.”
With Isabel still in the village, that madwoman Del Maria couldn’t act entirely unchecked. Saying that, Karl turned back toward the village.
***
In a hidden space, a woman sat cross-legged, gripping iron rods in both hands, eyes closed.
“So, you’re short on sacrifices?”
“…Yes. Some… bone-headed Inquisitor keeps interfering.”
“Click.”
A man lurking in the shadows clicked his tongue and disappeared.
After a while, another old man appeared, dressed in clerical robes of the Church.
“So, you’re saying this time won’t be easy?”
“Yes… Isabel is lingering nearby.”
“…I’m aware. But whatever it takes, extract at least two. The person we serve has high hopes for the Druid children.”
“…”
“…Are you saying you won’t obey?”
Del Maria, her brow deeply furrowed, bowed her head and mouthed her frustration.
Del Maria was a rare kind of madwoman—one who knew she was mad. But the woman spoken of by the man before her was on a whole different level.
“I’ll do what I can.”
“Good.”
As the old messenger nodded, Del Maria remained bowed and quietly spat a curse.
‘One day, I’ll personally wring all of your necks.’
After everyone had left, Del Maria stood and walked over to a mirror.
She had treated the broken teeth and shattered jaw she’d sustained from the masked man recently, but the area still felt numb.
She swore that the next time she met him, she would have her revenge.
***
Isabel was staring at those bound in ropes, accused of heresy.
Of the thirty people in total, ten were children under the age of ten.
“…”
Though Del Maria’s reckless slaughter had stopped, a formal trial was now being prepared.
She had heard of such things happening outside her field of vision—but never imagined it was this severe.
More than thirty people had been killed without a proper trial, aside from those captured or who had fled.
‘But Sir Karl… Why did he go out of his way to help them like that…?’
She had figured it out.
The man in the mask who had kicked Del Maria away was Karl. Karl had disappeared, and the masked man had appeared.
And very few people possessed that kind of combat prowess.
Once someone was branded a heretic, the suspicion was not easily lifted.
Especially for those with peculiar ancestors—even if no issue had been raised before, the Church could dig into it if they so chose.
Of course, Isabel had no intention of revealing the masked man’s identity. But Karl wasn’t the type to sit idly by.
Sigh…
As she turned around with a sigh, lost in deep thought, her eyes widened.
“Sir Karl?!”
“I need to talk. Let’s move somewhere private.”
And so, Karl led her to a place where no one was around.