Chapter 34. First Subjugation

The Fjord Gorge was located quite far south in the center of the Grodes Mountains when viewed on a map. This meant that if the undead horde growing in power in this gorge was left unchecked, they could descend all the way to the Hilton territory.

Eliminate them in order of the most threatening ones first.

That was the iron rule of the knight order protecting the North.

Whooosh……

I was facing the biting wind, standing at a spot overlooking the gorge. Without exaggeration, it felt like I was being slapped from multiple angles continuously.

You think my words are too harsh?

Those who haven’t climbed a winter mountain should keep quiet.

Moreover, the mountain I climbed was the Grodes Mountain range, infamous for being the most treacherous in the continent.

“Purifier Seraphina. Step back.”

At that moment, Claude’s chilling voice came from behind me. It was a warning tone, lower and sharper than usual.

Every cell in my body tensed up instinctively.

I, who had been looking down at the gorge below, immediately followed his order. As I took a few steps back, Claude approached with heavy steps, looking frustrated as if thinking ‘you call that stepping back?’, grabbed my arm and yanked me forcefully.

“We climbed a cliff, there’s no need to get our position discovered.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

Only then did I realize.

That there was another path, but we deliberately climbed the cliff.

Hmm……

I felt a bit betrayed, but at the same time, I understood Claude’s decision. To gain an advantageous position for the subjugation, we came to the highest possible point.

“It’s quite visible. The lich bastards probably destroyed the path. They’re intelligent creatures.”

“That’s quite threatening.”

Intelligent undead……

I became a bit more serious.

Opponents who use their brains are troublesome even if they’re not undead. So, it meant that the undead deliberately destroyed the mountain path to prevent humans from climbing up to look down on them.

I slightly raised my head like a meerkat, pretending to look down. Though I couldn’t see anymore after stepping back.

“Skeletons were walking around.”

I spoke about what I had been observing until just now.

At the bottom of the Fjord Gorge, there were so many moving skeletons that it was creepy. Too many to count with the n*ked eye.

Seeing that made me realize that I really came here to subjugate the undead.

At the same time, I was afraid.

To face those terrifying creatures on the front lines.

I think I understood why Johann was so obsessed with sword training. That hellish training was truly the minimum preparation for self-defense.

“Those are skeletons. Also called bone soldiers.”

“It’s my first time seeing undead other than ghouls.”

“They’re soldiers who died long ago, risen from the ground after being possessed by evil energy.”

It meant they were once human.

That felt horrifying.

Although it was long ago, these beings that once moved with vitality now try to attack humans.

“What useless sentiments are you caught up in?”

I’m not sure what my expression looked like, but it must have appeared quite sad. Claude frowned one eye and spoke in an irritated tone.

“They’re just evil beings that couldn’t accept death. That’s how all undead are.”

Beings that rose again, bundled with negative emotions like resentment, hatred, and jealousy.

Scholars analyzed the cause of undead creation like that.

But who doesn’t have such emotions while alive? Would I become undead when I die too?

It felt strange.

Above all, as far as I knew, the sudden rise of undead began just a few decades ago. Not hundreds or thousands of years ago.

“Stop thinking useless thoughts and come in for the strategy meeting.”

At that moment, Claude brought up the original reason he came to find me.

Now that I looked, the knights had almost finished setting up the tents. I stared at Claude’s broad back as he headed towards a tent slightly larger than the others, then quickly followed behind him.

With each step, my feet sank deep into the snow.

However, perhaps due to the tension before the first subjugation, it didn’t feel tiring at all.

* * *

A taut tension filled the tent.

Standing among tall, sturdy men, I straightened my back as much as possible, trying to minimize my presence. The solemn atmosphere emanating from Claude and the knights seemed to tightly squeeze my windpipe.

This level of pressure without doing anything.

No wonder they were the Northern Knight Order.

I quietly rolled my eyes to look at Claude. Even though he was covered in thick armor, I could feel his muscles twitching like a wild beast.

With both hands on the table, he was glaring at the map with a murderous aura. It was a map zoomed in on the Fjord Gorge.

“The first phase will be an encirclement operation.”

A short command flowed from his mouth as he made the decision.

A low and concise order.

Nevertheless, the knights surrounding the table seemed to have grasped even the details of the operation. This was the result of a knight order that had worked together for a long time.

“There’s a risk of liches mixed in at the front.”

At that moment, Austin opened his mouth in a cautious tone.

The method of encircling like a net and subjugating from the outside in was useful in narrow places like the Fjord Gorge.

Because the area to be blocked was narrow, there was less dispersion of troops.

But if a lich came to the front, it would be a different story.

If those annoying undead that use magic inflicted fatal wounds on the knights from the beginning……

“We’ll place enchanters at regular intervals.”

Claude simply provided a solution.

Of course, there weren’t many enchanters. Not even five, so ‘regular intervals’ meant quite large gaps. But Claude was also included among those enchanters.

With the Guardian of the North taking action, it should be fine.

I swallowed dry saliva, recalling the skeletons swarming like ants when I looked down at the gorge.

So many of them are much stronger than ghouls.

Subjugation is no joke.

Everyone is fighting with their lives on the line every time.

Still, having Claude was reassuring. He may be a scary person, but in the face of crisis, he’s like an unparalleled solid fortress.

No matter what anyone says, he is one of the three heroes who saved the world.

“I won’t be participating in the first phase operation.”

……?

However, at his next words, I opened my eyes wide.

At that moment, Claude turned his head and our eyes met.

Ah.

The fear incited by those crimson eyes, as if they contained the abyss, sent a shiver up my spine.

His solemn voice rang in my ears.

“I will be deployed in the second phase operation along with Purifier Seraphina.”

* * *

My heart was beating wildly.

Even when I looked down at the skeletons earlier, I thought I felt the reality of coming for subjugation, but that was a mistake. Now I truly felt it.

Clang! Clang clang!

Crash!

The knights who went down to the gorge first were engaged in fierce battle. As Austin had worried, there weren’t liches at the very front, but the magic-using ones were protected by skeletons while occasionally launching long-range attack spells.

Each time, a mage on our side would cast protective magic, or an enchanter would swing their sword to deflect the attack magic.

The mountain was shaking.

I didn’t know for sure, but it seemed like there might have been quite a few landslides.

It was truly a spectacle.

If I had been in a position to just watch from afar, I would have kept my mouth open in awe, continuously exclaiming at this powerful and intense battle. But soon, I too would have to plunge into the midst of that fierce scene.

As I lied prone at the top of the gorge waiting for the time to be deployed, my hands started trembling.

This is shivering from the cold. That’s what it is. I tried to calm my mind by hypnotizing myself.

Of course, it didn’t work well.

“Ah…!”

At that moment, a short exclamation escaped my lips at the sensation of a large hand covering the back of mine. Turning my head, I saw Claude lying prone right next to me, holding my hand.

He was glaring down at the gorge below with a cold face. While keeping his gaze fixed on the battle scene, he opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry. I keep my words.”

“……”

Suddenly, I remembered the promise I had forgotten.

<I promise one thing. I will definitely protect you from dying.>

That night at the Imperial Palace when a warm breeze was blowing.

The firm voice speaking while looking up at me echoed in my ears as if I had just heard it.

The trembling in my hands, which had been shaking like an aspen tree, subsided a little. I was still trembling, but a belief rose that Claude wouldn’t let me die no matter what.

“Now.”

He gave the signal.

I turned my head towards the bottom of the gorge with a solemn look, tensing my eyes.

No sooner had I sprung to my feet than Claude embraced me and leaped down in one breath.

Kyaaaaaa!

I was scared but screamed only inwardly. Needing something to hold onto, I tightly hugged Claude’s neck. But that wasn’t enough, so I firmly grasped his hair like I was clutching at straws.

F*ck. What the hell.

I heard him cursing softly.

I’m sorry.

But it feels like my heart is changing position, so I can’t control my body either!

Thud!

Despite leaping down at a terrifying speed, Claude landed stably. Right in the middle of the undead.

“Whisper of Calamity.”

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

With one spell, the enchant I had only read in letters unfolded before my eyes. Red spike-like things rose from the ground, shattering the surrounding skeletons and annihilating them.

If hell exists, it might look like this.

Bones that had lost order collapsed like waves on the red mana tide, strewn all over the ground.

As I wavered my gaze at that cruel scene, Claude’s rough shout was heard.

“Now!”

I came to my senses and raised my eyes.

The liches had discovered us.

Those fighting here and there aimed at us as targets for long-range attacks.

Under the drooping hoods, their faces were not visible. Like a dark abyss.

Intelligent undead.

Threatening creatures that use magic.

Because these guys used their brains, we had a harder time.

In that moment, anger welled up from the pit of my stomach. As if the trembling until now had been a lie, I became courageous.

“I had to do rock climbing because of you guys!”

Flaaaaash……!

A dazzling light filled the Fjord Gorge.