When she defeated the succubus’s lover, she had obtained a red key to rescue the duke. Just like then, an item might drop after absorbing their s*men.

If it was still difficult even with s*men absorption, she could fight with the bead her master had given her in her mouth.

“Can we really get out of here?”

Rosé placed her palm on the wall, comforting the anxious boy.

“I’ll make sure we get out.”

……But before that.

‘Ugh…… the stimulation below again…….’

She needed to play with this d*ldo a bit more.

* * *

Kamit Camp.

Sergi tapped his fingers on the desk, anxiously glancing at the wall clock.

In 30 minutes, it would be a full day since he sent the letter to the Crown Prince through Oster. Assuming he immediately organized a knight order, they should be arriving soon.

“Do you think they’ll really come, Brother?”

Podrick paced around the desk, ruffling his hair.

They hadn’t been idle for the past two days.

They mobilized all the guild members of the Millerain branch to search Lake Restin, and thoroughly scoured the village in case Rosé had escaped.

But she was nowhere to be found. They concluded that the Black Cloak must have dragged her to the monsters’ habitat based on all the evidence.

According to the Red Knights’ predictions, it was likely Mount Kaitored. A place no sane person would enter willingly.

But if the Blue Knights didn’t arrive, they would have to enter on their own. So, the executives had to hope the Blue Knights would come.

“It’s time. We’re going in alone.”

Sergi stood up. Any further delay could endanger Rosé’s life.

Mingus seemed to have something to say, but seeing Sergi’s bloodshot eyes, he lowered his head sullenly.

He was a man who would retaliate if opposed. If they refused to enter the fortress, he would surely torture them more painfully than being killed by monsters.

“Everyone, prepare your weapons…….”

Bang! At that moment, the door opened.

“They’ve arrived!”

It was Captain Oster.

The Crown Prince had indeed sent the Blue Knights. Just because Rosé Mora was trapped within an unclosed boundary.

Sergi and the executives hurriedly followed Oster. The Blue Knights were already in battle formation, waiting at the castle gate.

No, it wasn’t just the Blue Knights.

“Even the white ones?”

It was surprising enough that the Blue Knights had come, but the Red Knights and even the White Knights joined in. While it made sense for the Red Knights, who were in charge, those white-uniformed ones usually just followed the imperial family around.

“Wait, isn’t that the Blue Knight Commander?”

Beth, who was narrowing her eyes and scanning the knights, exclaimed in astonishment.

Lunan, who also noticed, let out a gasp. There were few things that could make the ever-skeptical teenage boy gasp.

When Podrick’s crying fit erupted, or when the future hero defied imperial orders and came at Pumong’s request. Those were about the only two.

“The Red Knight Commander is here too. The woman who held out in Ohio for 171 days.”

“The Crown Prince really pulled out all the stops. Right?”

Beth elbowed Sergi’s chest as she spoke.

The man, who hated the imperial family more than anyone, exhaled a breath of tension all at once. His relief came belatedly.

Sergi placed a hand on his sweaty nape. His letter had been properly delivered to Ariel.

“We should join them too.”

Podrick naturally turned his body towards the knights. But when he and the executives reached the front of the formation, the Red Knight Commander, who was in charge of the operation, blocked them.

“Sorry, but civilians can’t come with us.”

“Civilians? Hey, we’re…….”

“I know. You’re from Pumong, but you’re still civilians.”

Podrick scoffed and tried to step forward, but that was as far as he got. The commander swiftly grabbed his arm and twisted it back, emphasizing once more.

“These are the orders of His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Damn it, let go of me!”

She returned the sneer Podrick had given her and released his arm. Finally freed, Podrick’s face turned bright red at the realization that he had been overpowered by a woman.

Marien, the Commander of the Red Knights. Even during Podrick’s time with the knights, she was a famous woman.

A legendary figure among the Red Knights, she survived an unclosed boundary with nothing but sheer grit, despite having no special abilities or resistance to dark magic.

But for Podrick, who once had a one-sided crush on her and was harshly rejected, it was a fact he never wanted to acknowledge.

“Podrick, stop.”

Sergi sighed and grabbed Podrick, who was rolling up his sleeves in anger.

The Crown Prince does not want Pumong’s intervention. He wants to attribute the success of rescuing Rosé solely to himself and his knights.

The reason was obvious. That way, he could make Rosé indebted to him.

“It’s time for civilians to step back.”

Taking off his worn hat and bowing to Marien, Sergi dragged Podrick by the scruff of his neck and retreated.

Beth looked at Sergi with eyes that seemed to ask if he was really giving up like this, but he just shrugged.

As Pumong moved away, Marien nodded to the Red Knights in front of the castle gate.

Soon, the command to open the gate echoed, and the Red Knights in the fortress began to move busily.

Marien watched the black stone gate creak open, remembering the nightmare from three years ago.

‘Can I survive?’

The screams of her comrades, the stench of blood that clung to her body, the nauseating smell of monsters. She hadn’t forgotten any of it.

Gripping the reins tightly, Marien spurred her horse forward. With a neighing sound, the formation began to move forward slowly.

There is no victory within the unclosed boundary. Only defeat. Knowing this, she had to accept that she was walking towards death.

* * *

“Here it is.”

Oster, who had come in as a guide, folded the map he had spread out and spoke.

Marien raised her right hand to halt the formation.

In front of the knights dismounting from their horses, a snow-covered mountain range spread out like sugar-coated candy. It looked more like a beautiful snowy landscape from a fairy tale than a monster’s habitat.

“Is that… a castle?”

Marien, narrowing her eyes while scouting the mountain with binoculars, asked Oster. Oster nodded.

“It was originally a tourist rest area. But as the boundary expanded, it changed completely, as you can see.”

“It’s a magic structure.”

It was common for the terrain and structures within the boundary to change. They were mostly maintained by the powerful magic of the Quamad, and killing it would usually revert the terrain to its original state.

Marien dismounted and approached Emmett, who was surveying the lake. She was a bit nervous, as he had been her mentor during her days as a cadet.

“Sir Emmett.”

“Dame Marien.”

Emmett slightly bowed his head and saluted formally. Feeling a bit less tense, she exhaled and spoke in her usual tone.

“We’ve confirmed a castle at the top of the mountain that appears to be the Quamad’s lair. We should search for a possible route with the magic detector but avoid the area around the castle.”

Their goal was to rescue the Black Cloak, but survival was also a priority. Entering the Quamad’s lair within the boundary was tantamount to suicide.

But there was no response from Emmett. He was staring intently at the lake, lost in thought.

“Sir Emmett?”

“Did you say approach via the lake?”

“Yes, that’s right. The forest path takes too long and visibility is…”

At that moment, Emmett went down to the lakeshore and kicked the frozen surface hard.

Boom! The ice cracked instantly, and Emmett’s foot plunged into the water.

“It’s thawed.”

Pulling his foot out nonchalantly, Emmett climbed back up the lakeshore.

Startled, Marien immediately sought out Oster.

Oster, who was discussing methods with other Red Knights, tensed up when he saw Marien’s darkened expression after a few minutes.

“Commander, are you all right…”

“The lake is thawed, Sir Oster!”

Oster started to say, “That can’t be…” but stopped short at the sound of ice cracking and hurriedly ran to the lakeshore.

Emmett and the Blue Knights were walking around the lake, checking the surface’s strength. But they couldn’t take more than a few steps before the ice cracked.

Wiping his pale face with his palm, Oster looked up at the sky. The sun, obscured by clouds, was not shining on the lake. The temperature was normal for this time of year, as confirmed that morning.

At that moment, Patrick, who had turned on the magic detector outside the lake, suddenly shouted in alarm.

“Everyone, get off the lake immediately!”

The detector reacted with a black signal. Unless it was broken, it indicated the presence of a Grade 1 magic.

The Blue Knights calmly drew their swords. Unlike the other knights who looked terrified, they almost seemed eager.

“Sir Oster, fall back!”

Drawing her sword hastily, Marien pushed the frozen Oster aside.

As he collapsed, Oster quickly grabbed his sword hilt, watching Marien and the others form into a tight formation.

Ssshhh…!

At that moment, the center of the lake was pierced, and a giant water serpent rose up. The sudden spray of water knocked several Blue Knights off their feet.

“Callen, Bowie!”

Facing the monster head-on, Raiden quickly knelt on one knee and raised his shield.

Callen and Bowie, who had rushed over, also raised their shields beside him.

“Form a defensive line!”

If Raiden could construct a barrier with hexes, Callen and Bowie could adjust the hardness and strength of specific objects.

Callen and Bowie reinforced Raiden’s shield, which was glowing red, making it larger and sturdier. Soon, the barrier expanded, enveloping the knights.