“They are truly lovely beings. When we return to the capital, I plan to ask His Majesty to expand welfare for the orphanage. I will also support it in every way.”

Bellota turned to Geril with surprise and joy in her eyes.

“Really?”

“Yes. Seeing this tragic scene with my own eyes has made me think a lot. The children are the future and treasure of the Empire. We cannot neglect them.”

Bellota looked at Geril with a genuinely grateful and respectful expression.

Bellota had always harbored doubts about Geril’s sincerity and had a deep sense of caution regarding his relationship with the imperial palace. But after seeing Geril risk danger to rush to the orphanage in Selento, she decided to set aside all her suspicions.

“You are a wonderful person, Duke.”

It was the reaction he had expected. Geril tried hard not to look too excited and modestly lowered his gaze.

“It’s all thanks to you, Saintess. I still have much to learn from you.”

“That’s not true. Thanks to you, Duke, we were able to prevent the children’s wounds from worsening. You saved these children.”

“I’m humbled by your praise.”

Geril couldn’t hide his smile and closed his eyes, embarrassed. Bellota smiled lightly at him but then furrowed her brows slightly as if she remembered something.

“But there’s something a bit strange.”

Geril, who had been enjoying Bellota’s admiration, raised an eyebrow and looked at her. Unaware of his gaze, Bellota stared into the air and spoke in a serious tone.

“Salverks are monsters that cannot be found in coastal areas like Selento. How did they get here?”

Geril’s eyes wavered slightly, as if something had struck him.

“If the number of salverks increased and they were pushed to this area, there would surely have been reports. But I haven’t heard anything like that.”

“Well… monsters are inherently unpredictable creatures, aren’t they? They might just wander around from place to place.”

Bellota quietly closed her mouth. Nothing Geril said was correct.

Monsters lived according to animalistic instincts and had strong habits, rarely changing their habitats. They only moved when their population grew too large for the available food or when a stronger monster appeared, making it impossible to stay in their home territory.

While it couldn’t be ruled out that this was such a case, the salverks’ habitat was far from here. It was strange that they traveled so far without causing any commotion.

“When we return, we should check if there have been sightings of salverks in other places. Salverks are not high-level monsters, but they spread diseases and curses, which can be fatal in unblessed areas.”

As Bellota spoke seriously, Geril quickly nodded.

“Yes, that would be good. They must have been driven here by something.”

Not understanding Bellota’s concern, Geril hastily stood up to change the subject. He picked up a small ball that had rolled to his feet.

“Shall I throw this?”

To distract Bellota, who was still serious, Geril exaggeratedly waved his hand and shouted.

“Whoever catches it will get a prize!”

Despite having no candy, Geril proclaimed loudly and threw the ball with all his might. The children in the garden went wild, running as fast as they could after the ball, which flew much farther than expected.

When the ball finally landed beyond the thick grass, Bellota stood up worriedly and watched.

“It’s mine, it’s mine!”

The smallest and fastest child among them ran into the grass ahead of the others. The child, who had stopped running only after entering the grass, panted heavily and looked around. Soon, the child spotted the ball not far away and his face lit up with joy.

“There it is!”

Excited about the prize, the child hurriedly squatted to pick up the ball. At that moment, a long, large shadow loomed over the child’s head. Feeling it, the child slowly looked up to see something standing still in front of him. The child’s face turned white with fear, and a terrified scream escaped his dry lips.

“Aaaaah!”

The piercing scream echoed out of the grass, freezing the faces of Geril and Bellota, who had been watching. The grass, which had been still, now shook violently, and the child who had gone into the grass came running out, crying.

Bellota looked at the child in shock. The child, running madly, tripped over a stone before reaching Geril and Bellota, falling and trembling on the ground, unable to stand.

“What on earth……?”

Geril’s murmur, which had been uttered in confusion at the sight of the terrified child, was cut short as trees beside him cracked and fell with a vibration much stronger than before.

Bellota also saw something approaching, destroying the grass, and held her breath.

“Gasp……! A monster!”

A child screamed in a voice that seemed to tear apart, and Geril’s face turned pale. The creature glaring at them was indeed a monster. Much larger and more solid than a salverk, Geril’s neck stiffened.

The same fishy smell that had emanated from the monsters in Vergio hit Geril, and he instinctively realized that this was one of the creatures that had devastated Selento. Moreover, the beast, standing on all fours, was even larger and more threatening than those he had seen in Vergio.

But how? Shouldn’t that beast be in Torcana? Didn’t the holy knight lure it away? As Geril’s mind went blank at the impossible situation, the monster, having spotted its prey, snorted excitedly.

“It’s coming this way!”

The massive creature began to charge. Geril, snapping back to reality, shouted with a flushed face.

“That’s it! Everyone, come this way! Damn it, hurry!”

He turned to flee with Bellota, but she suddenly ran forward before he could grab her.

Bellota was running toward the direction of the monster. It seemed she intended to rescue the child still lying in the middle, crying. Blood was gushing from the child’s knees, who was crying and wetting himself.

“Saintess!”

Geril called out in panic, but it was no use.

“No, don’t! Come back!”

As the distance between the monster and Bellota closed, the color drained from Geril’s face. It looked like the monster and Bellota might collide. The monster, too, seemed to be targeting the child, reaching its grotesque, large hand toward the small body.

But fortunately, Bellota reached the child first. She grabbed the child just in time and turned back to run towards Geril. But at that moment, a tentacle from the monster’s hand wrapped around Bellota’s ankle and pulled.

“Ugh!”

Bellota stumbled and fell, and Geril’s breath got caught. But Bellota quickly grabbed the tentacle and used all her holy power. The sharp pain made the monster scream and retract its tentacle, allowing Bellota to get up and run again. The monster, enraged by losing its prey and being hurt, chased after her furiously.

“Saintess……!”

Geril, his face pale, drew his sword from his side but couldn’t bring himself to run towards Bellota. Instead, he anxiously stomped his feet. In the meantime, soldiers who heard his orders quickly ran forward and formed a line in front of Geril. Geril gritted his teeth, waiting for Bellota to cross into their safety.

As a few brave soldiers charged at the monster, Bellota, carrying the child, entered the safety of the soldiers’ line. Only then did Geril rush to Bellota and support her weakened shoulders.

“Saintess, you’re safe now. My soldiers will handle the monster. We must get you to safety.”

Saying this, Geril forcibly took the child still clinging to Bellota and set him aside roughly.

“Come on, quickly.”

He then tried to support Bellota and help her stand, but she was too stiff to move.

“Holy water……”

Bellota, her face pale, was muttering something.

“What?”

“We need holy water……”

Not anticipating such an event, Bellota had given all her holy water to the Holy Knight Order before they departed. The holy water she made in the Feiren Mountains was all gone, and without it, no matter how many soldiers they had, they couldn’t kill the creature.

Just as Bellota turned around, her vision darkened as she saw a soldier, struck by the monster’s massive claw, fly higher than the ball Geril had thrown earlier and land far away.

“……”

Geril also witnessed this and stopped breathing. Though they were trained, Geril’s private soldiers had no experience fighting such a gigantic monster and were utterly helpless. The monster was an immortal being that even seasoned monster hunters would flee from, no matter how many times it was cut, it wouldn’t die.

Blood splattered and screams echoed as the child who had been trembling beside them suddenly stood up and began to run somewhere. Sensing the movement of the blood-scented child, the monster swept away several soldiers at once and immediately chased after the child.

“No……”

Realizing the monster’s target, Bellota sprang up and limped after the child.

Horrified, Geril tried to stop Bellota, but at that moment, a soldier’s corpse fell in front of him.

“Ah, damn it!”

As Geril recoiled in shock, Bellota moved further away.

“No, Saintess!”

Geril tried to chase after her, but the monster was faster than he was.

The terrified child ran into a building where severely injured children were gathered. Bellota limped after the child and locked the door behind her. The monster, furious, struck the locked door with such force that the entire building shook.

Ignoring the tremors, Bellota ran down the old, long corridor into the room where the frightened children were hiding. She locked the door, which seemed ready to break, and turned to the children.

“Saintess……”