Chapter 125

Everyone agreed with Fernan’s opinion the egg had to be destroyed.

“Damn it, what is this?”

“It’s not working…!”

“Haa, haa…!”

But no one could break it.

Was it because of exhaustion?

Not even the aura of the captain of the White Lions, which until now had cut down any creature with a single blow, nor Luina’s, future Royal Knight, managed more than a small scratch.

Ssshh—

Even when pouring holy water, the result was the same. The miasma reacted violently, but nothing more.

The egg offered no resistance, but it wouldn’t break either.

And still, they couldn’t just leave it there.

“Then, we’ll take it with us.”

“…What? What are you saying?”

“The egg won’t break, but those veins connecting it to the ground can be cut.”

Several had already been sliced by the knights’ aura.

“And then we take it. We take it to someone who can destroy it.”

“Are you talking about His Grace?”

“For now, yes, but if my intuition is right, not even he will be able to. However, there’s someone more suitable.”

“Who…?”

“Ah…!”

Luina, realizing it, let out a gasp.

Yes, there was no need to rack their brains. They already had someone.

“Aint Armian.”

The natural enemy of demons.

***

Transporting an egg that served as a vessel to summon Decarabia was no easy feat.

It stood nearly three meters tall, had a monstrous shape, and was incredibly heavy.

“…It absorbs mana.”

“Fucking thing.”

The knights could lift it, but as soon as their skin touched it, the egg began draining their aura and mana.

It was such a sinister signal that anyone would understand they couldn’t let the egg get its way.

“Doesn’t look like we can carry it like this.”

“I’ll do it.”

“What did you say, sir?”

Fernan cast a spell.

The sand rose, compacting to support the egg, which slowly began to lift.

‘…It’s draining mana from the sand.’

It wasn’t just heavy, it also absorbed part of the magical energy.

Still, it wasn’t unmanageable.

“Are you sure you can?”

“For now, the best thing is to get it out of here.”

As long as the blocked mana flow from the corrupted ground didn’t interfere.

They arrived at the place where they had first fallen.

“Let’s go up.”

Rumble—

The ground beneath their feet rose vertically.

In the sky, the moon shone instead of the sun, and the snow was still falling. The original terrain had vanished with the collapse.

“Oh…!”

“Two horses!”

Not everything was bad—luckily, two warhorses had survived outside the collapsed area. Well-trained, they had stayed nearby, waiting for their riders.

The knights recovered them.

“But transporting an egg like this will be a problem…”

The egg was far too big to load onto the horses.

They had no ropes, and what’s more, the egg’s contact contaminated the ground it touched.

“I have a cart.”

“…You also carry a cart in your subspace?”

“You never know what might happen. Always good to have one.”

Indeed, that was the case. Thanks to it, they could transport it more easily.

“Well, that’s true… but…”

The captain looked at him incredulously.

“How much space do you have in your subspace…?”

Subspace was high-level magic, difficult to cast and expensive even in artifact form.

“I’ll just say that even my father’s is smaller than mine.”

And then Fernan really pulled out a cart large enough to hold the egg.

“…You always carry this? Why?”

“When you find a mine or a rare elixir, you need a vehicle to transport it.”

“Ah.”

Luina nodded, convinced—it was a very “Fernan” answer.

“But will it hold up? That egg could rot the cart in seconds…”

The cart was reinforced with magic, but the egg, as a catalyst for a demon, emanated a miasma that would destroy it sooner or later.

“The thing is, I have five carts.”

“…Five?”

“And, besides, I have a plan.”

Fernan raised sand over the cart and mixed it with holy water.

Then he placed the egg on top.

Ssshhh—

There was a violent reaction and smoke, but—

“It works!”

At least, as long as there was holy water left, the miasma wouldn’t corrupt the cart.

The problem was the contact area dried out little by little.

“We’d best leave immediately.”

“Yes, but… do we have enough holy water?”

“Not much.”

Every second counted.

‘If I had known this, I would’ve bought all I could.’

Who would have imagined that a product from those frauds in the Cult of the Dragon God would work so well?

Fernan pulled out the few remaining bottles and, in passing, handed out cigarettes to the knights.

Even to the horses.

“…Even horses can use them?”

“They’re magical stimulants. Any living being can use them.”

“…This is madness.”

“They can force an archmage to awaken. Yes, it’s strong.”

The cart began to move.

***

On the other hand, just as Fernan, Luina, and the White Lion knights were beginning their return, House Bercheff was in chaos.

“They still haven’t returned. We sent out a scouting group and found tracks leading north.”

The margrave suppressed a growl upon hearing the knight’s report.

Usually, a dawn patrol lasted half a day, maybe a bit more. It was meant to check for new monsters nearby or if existing nests were still active; it wasn’t meant to cover the entire north.

So then, why?

The White Lions had departed at dawn, and now it was full night and they still hadn’t returned.

‘Could they have gotten lost…?’

Impossible. These weren’t just anyone—they were Bercheff’s strongest, veterans who had traversed the snowy northern plains more than anyone.

Something had happened. Something big enough to delay even the White Lions and Luina.

‘Did they really run into demons? It’s not like they reached the Demonic Realm…’

If the White Lions were in danger, who should he send to rescue them?

The margrave’s eyes darkened.

“I’ll go myself.”

The scarred man standing before him spoke calmly.

“Don’t eavesdrop on private conversations.”

“If you’re whispering in front of me, I assumed it was so I’d hear.”

The margrave scolded him, but the man replied without a care. He didn’t press further.

“You want to go?”

“If the client dies, I don’t get paid.”

The man stood up.

“I haven’t given you permission.”

“I don’t need your permission. You’re not my client.”

He obeyed no one but his contractor.

“Just don’t get in my way.”

“You’re as insolent as ever.”

“That’s why I’m a mercenary.”

“As far as I know, you haven’t signed a contract yet.”

“Just a matter of time.”

After that exchange, the man turned. But before he could reach the door, another knight entered.

“My lord! We’ve located them!”

It was a report that the White Lions had survived.

“We found them 30 meters north of refuge number 15. They’re returning to the estate, no casualties. Everyone’s safe.”

“…Looks like I don’t need to go after all.”

The man sat back down.

“But there’s more…”

The report that followed left both of them speechless.

***

“…..”

“A crazy bastard with guts.”

That’s how Garrett Schreiner, known as the King of Mercenaries, described Fernan Pellenberg.

‘I told him not to get in my way.’

Yet he had the nerve to send his servants to make him a request.

At first, he considered rejecting it.

Though his disciple hadn’t died, he’d come close—and Fernan Pellenberg was to blame.

No amount of money could make him want to accept.

“My lord has found a lead—not just corrupts, but a demon.”

If not for that daring line from the servant, he would’ve kicked him out.

“A demon? Hah, interesting. You’ve piqued my interest. But if this story’s just a bluff, you’ll pay dearly for wasting my time.”

“Without a doubt.”

“You think the name Pellenberg will save you?”

But the servant wasn’t relying on the name.

He had proof.

“…Andromalius.”

A record showing how the 72nd demon, Andromalius, had been summoned and defeated.

Garrett had no choice but to admit it—Fernan was closer to the demons than anyone else.

That’s why he marched with his mercenary company, following that Hyde fellow.

Collaborating with the Count of Bercheff was just a side detail. As a mercenary, Garrett always prioritized profit over honor.

He wanted revenge, but not death; the more power they gathered against the demons, the better.

Tolerating political friction was worth it for victory.

What he didn’t expect was this.

“…An egg?”

Not in his wildest dreams did he imagine starting with a discovery like this.

The 32 patrol members returned exhausted but with an enormous prize—a monstrous egg nearly three meters tall, covered in grotesque veins, emanating a miasma far beyond any mere creature.

“Fernan Pellenberg. Now I understand why you broke your word and came looking for me.”

Garrett was convinced that egg was directly connected to the demons.

“Lord Garrett, does your presence here mean you accept my request?”

“Do I need to say it?”

“Thank you.”

Fernan, exhausted, bowed in respect.

Garrett patted him on the shoulder and approached the egg. Or rather, tried to, until Fernan spoke.

“This egg…”

“First, we sign the contract.”

Garrett stopped cold at Fernan’s hesitant tone.

“I demand fair pay, with hazard bonus. Your father must’ve told you my rate.”

“Of course. But the situation has changed, wouldn’t you agree?”

A brazen response.

“Changed?”

“I know what you want. And I’ve brought you what you want most.”

So…

“We’ll have to recalculate.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then, no deal.”

Garrett let out a dry laugh.

“You’re saying you want to haggle with me?”

Since becoming King of Mercenaries, no one had ever dared such insolence.

***

The sky was covered in black clouds.

Snow fell like volcanic ash, darkening everything.

The air reeked of doom.

Grrr—

The land was dead; there were no animals or plants left—only demons and corrupts, roaming as if in their natural cradle.

There were so many that anyone would believe they were in hell itself.

Piiiii—

A monstrous bird flew across the sky, cutting through the creature swarm to reach the heart of the territory. There stood a grotesque structure, unnatural in this world.

The bird landed at the entrance and let out a screech.

Piiiik—

It wasn’t a normal cry—it was a report.

Creak—

The door opened, and out stepped a man nearly two meters tall, his skin as black as night.

“…The humans took Decarabia’s egg?”

His voice was like metal scraping metal—deep and instinctively terrifying.

“The effort to hasten his descent turned into a mistake… amusing, very amusing.”

The man laughed, and the miasma echoed his laughter with a shockwave that burst several nearby demons.

But the laughter vanished as quickly as it came. With a blank face, he declared.

“Decarabia’s egg is unbreakable by humans. Not even a Royal Knight or Archmage could destroy it, unless they spent centuries studying it.”

That was the only strength of that loathsome being.

And yet, “absolute” didn’t exist: in a distant past, a human had managed to destroy one of Decarabia’s eggs.

A black armor made of miasma enveloped his body.

“Awaken all the corrupts.”

Hiiiii—

A shadowy horse emerged like smoke to bear him.

“We march.”

And the sleeping demons began to awaken.