Chapter 250

Chapter 250: Gathering (3)

Though ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍she had not been able to tell Jing honestly, Ria was a little frightened.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment she set foot in the cave, would someone say she had no qualification to pass through this place and throw her back outside? Or would something like last time happen, where darkness like river water swallowed her entire body?

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fortunately, no restriction was placed on Ria.

Without ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍even having time to feel relieved, Ria ran breathlessly across the cave.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was partly because she was trying to run even a little faster, but also because she was hugging the holy object in her arms too tightly.

Ria ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍knew from experience that this unsettling object, which had swallowed Ratel, could create some bizarre phenomenon she could not expect.

She had to hurry and deliver this to Ran before anything happened.

Ria clenched her teeth and increased her speed.

If she focused on the sound of her soles striking the ground growing faster and faster, it was not that difficult.

Because she was running while hugging the holy object tightly, she sometimes lost her balance and staggered, but such things did not bother her much.

“Even if humans are an inadequate species, you seem past the age where walking or running should be difficult.”

Though she felt she could focus on running if not for Mona’s malice, which deliberately grated on her nerves.

Since she did not want to throw off her concentration by starting an argument, Ria decided to answer honestly.

Besides, if one of them had to speak, it seemed she would hear fewer harsh words if she led the conversation rather than Mona.

“I have my circumstances too. I carried a holy object around before, and a lot of strange things happened back then too.”

“It must have been shocking enough to make you forget how to run properly.”

Thinking about it again, she was tempted to think it might be better to just ram into him, but Ria soothed herself that she did not have time for that and spurred herself into running harder.

“I did drink a lot of water. The orc burrow was underground on an island surrounded by a river, and the river water sometimes flowed backward. Thanks to that, I think I drank all the water I’d need for a lifetime that day.”

That was not all.

Ria recalled the reckless choice she had made when she had jumped into the water with the holy object on her back in order to save Jing.

She did not know why, but Great Emperor Sierra’s Sword had clearly led her to the island.

Whether that was to bring the human who had stolen it to the orcs, or whether there had been some other reason, she still could not be certain.

In any case, the one thing that was certain was that she could never feel relieved just because the holy object in her arms was quiet right now.

Even though it had shown no movement so far, perhaps because it had eaten Ratel and was temporarily suffering from indigestion, Ria unknowingly tightened her arms around the holy object again.

Then she forced the corners of her mouth upward to ease the tension.

“Still, that’s fortunate. There’s nothing here that could drown us.”

Ria did not notice, but the moment she finished speaking, Mona’s eyes flashed in the darkness.

He did not stop there, and reached out to grab Ria, who was running ahead.

But Ria noticed the light visible far ahead before Mona’s hand could touch her shoulder.

“That over there is the exit, right? We’ve arrived now, haven’t we?”

At Ria’s voice full of joy, Mona withdrew his hand and stopped in place.

Thanks to that, Ria, unable to control her speed and practically planting her legs into the ground, had to stagger like a chess piece swatted by a cat’s paw.

“What is it all of a sudden?”

“From now on, shut your mouth and stay still. It means no matter what happens, don’t say a word, and just tremble like a human struck dumb.”

“I’m good at that, but it would help a lot more if you told me the plan a little more specifically.”

“Do you not understand what ‘from now on’ means?”

The moment Ria closed her mouth at Mona’s angry rebuke, the size of the light flowing in through the cave exit grew smaller.

Narrowing her eyes, Ria soon realized it was only being blocked by someone standing at the exit.

The light grew smaller and smaller.

This meant that more and more people were gathering at the cave entrance, and judging by Mona’s silent reaction, they did not seem to be allies.

Just as she had promised, Ria quietly made a very frightened expression and hid the greave deep in her arms.

***

Fortunately, the Werewolves did not seem immediately interested in Ria’s expression.

Most of them seemed focused on glaring at Mona with wary and resentful eyes and surrounding him.

While Ria felt as if she were surrounded by wild beasts, Mona quietly looked around at his comrades.

“Where have you been until now?!”

The first among them to raise his voice was the one who had always followed Mona around.

The one who had circled him in order to snatch the profit that would fall after Archie’s death faster than anyone else now seemed to have instinctively realized that what was rolling toward him was disaster.

But Mona had no reason to be wary of a bastard who only realized that after everything had happened.

Ignoring the rebuke of the greedy one who was easier to handle than anyone else, Mona swept his gaze around with the same calm face as always.

Because he had stepped forward so confidently, only to be ignored in front of everyone, sparks flew in the man’s eyes.

“Do you even know what state the village is in right now?!”

“If that is all you know, hurry and report it. If you cannot even do that much, then you are utterly useless, so get lost and bring someone who actually knows in front of me.”

This time, he succeeded in hearing Mona’s voice, but it was contempt that was not the slightest bit better than being ignored.

The man’s expression grew even more vicious.

“Do you still think you are in a position to give us orders? Just because Archie disappeared, do you think that makes you our boss?”

“Then are you saying I should have failed to grasp the situation and rushed into a place where danger was clearly visible?”

“You ran away after abandoning everything. What are you acting so proud about now......!”

“Say it properly. I used my head to save everyone. Unlike someone who made a fuss just to scare a few humans, realized the situation too late, and ran away with his tail between his legs.”

At Mona’s merciless sarcasm, the monster glared at him as if anger surged up for an instant.

But he quickly judged that he could not deal with Mona by himself.

And with exactly that much agility, he found the closest prey.

The anger toward Mona that had lost its destination turned at once toward the only human here.

This pulled out a recent past that Ria had not yet forgotten.

Because the unrefined hatred that seemed to cut the body, and the intense killing intent that said he would kill her no matter what, reminded her of a certain orc who had already vanished from the world.

“So in this urgent situation, you brought prey back from outside? How very impressive of you.”

He twisted his mouth and reached out toward Ria.

“This one must not be killed yet.”

Mona blocked him.

At the movement that seemed as if he were protecting her, Ria looked at the back of Mona’s head with suspicious eyes.

Ria was not the only one who thought this behavior was entirely unlike him.

The man whose path was blocked by Mona also widened his eyes and glared at him.

“What is this? You are acting as though you cannot wait to save humans too.”

At the man’s voice filled with mockery and suspicion, for the first time, a change appeared on Mona’s face.

An emotion that seemed to fall somewhere on the border between contempt and pity rose on it.

With a small sigh, he looked around.

“This is the companion of the black-haired human who made the village like this.”

The ripple effect created by his short sentence was great.

Because the gazes that had been focused on Mona all turned toward Ria at once.

Though they were a little different in that they were more threatening and full of hostility.

Fortunately, however, Ria herself was busy glaring at him too, so she could be at least a little less conscious of the monsters’ intense gazes.

Ria wanted to charge at him right away and demand if this was the cooperation he had been talking about, but she had to endure it.

Because if she moved even one step, every monster gathered here seemed likely to rush at her at once.

Some among them had already come several steps closer to Ria.

But because Mona was still blocking the way before her, they could not recklessly attack.

“Do you still not understand? To resolve this situation, we need that human.”

“So what are you going to do? Threaten him with that?”

The Werewolf, who had been trying hard to pressure Mona all along, led the conversation in the direction Mona wanted this time as well.

“Yes. If it is that bastard, he will listen to us to save that human. Judging by appearances, he seems to care a great deal for his companion.”

When Mona answered without minding the sarcasm, the man deliberately snorted.

“That bastard hides in the darkness and does not come out. Perhaps he has already died inside. How on earth do you intend to call him out?”

“I will go inside with this woman.”

Compared to the other party, who revealed every emotion he had, Mona’s voice was still far too level.

At the tone that sounded as if he were saying he would take a walk, the Werewolf flinched.

“You are saying you will go down there right now?”

“If Archie disappeared together with the black-haired human, what else is there to do but go down?”

“Even so......”

“If it can resolve this disaster, I can take this much risk. That bastard cannot be hiding inside because he wants to kill himself.”

Mona cut off the man’s words and answered.

At Mona’s calmness, where not a single trace of fear could be found, the man narrowed his eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

At that, a sneer appeared at the corner of Mona’s mouth.

“If you are that suspicious, anyone is welcome to follow me. As much as you like, if you have that much resolve.”

This helped calm the other excited Werewolves to some extent, and it was enough to make the one standing alone in front of Mona, fuming, look quite ridiculous.

In this sudden disaster, Mona’s composure, as always, made everyone trust him.

In the atmosphere where Mona had gained the upper hand, the Werewolf who had been getting angry at him had no choice but to grind his teeth and step back.

“Fine, do as you please. If you fail to find Archie anyway, you will not come away unharmed at our hands.”

After stepping back, he pushed through the Werewolves and went outside.

Ria wanted to go outside right away too, but no matter how she thought about it, that did not seem like the reaction a frightened human would show, so she silently waited.

Mona grabbed Ria’s arm and dragged her.

Ria walked after him, trying to look as if she were being dragged along.

Until now, everything seemed to be flowing rather well.

Mona’s trust among the Werewolves seemed quite deep, and they all seemed to want this situation resolved.

Feeling relieved that everything would be resolved more gently than when they had fought the orcs, Ria let out a small sigh.

Though as soon as she came out of the cave and stood before the bizarre sight unfolding before her eyes, she had to swallow back the breath she had just exhaled.

Below the sheer cliff, something black was filling up as if crawling upward.

The sight of a vast darkness that seemed as if it would blind her if she stared at it, devouring everything, called up instinctive fear.

It was the moment she understood the feelings of the Werewolf who had shouted whether Mona knew what had become of the village.

As Ria looked around blankly, several figures on the cliff ledge, showing no sign of climbing up, entered her eyes.

Ria, who had been about to reach out toward them without realizing it, felt Mona grip her arm strongly and immediately stopped moving.

“Are those below humans?”

Mona asked, pointing with his chin toward where Ria’s gaze had been directed.

“They are not only humans. They are traitors who stepped forward to protect the humans of the village. We have to kill all of them too while we have this chance.”

The Werewolf who had been glaring at Ria since the cave answered.

At that, Ria realized that beside those looking up warily from the cliff were humans who were all thin and pale.

It meant there were not only one or two Werewolves similar to Naria.

Though the holy object had not yet been destroyed, seeing monsters friendly toward humans made Ria feel strange for some reason.

But as if there was no time to be lost in sentiment, Mona immediately began descending below.

Under the watch of the remaining Werewolves, Ria followed Mona and stepped downward toward the approaching darkness.

Even if her mental preparation had been finished long ago, Ria could not help tensing at the black presence that overwhelmed people.

Because of that, the moment she took her third step down, it was inevitable for Ria that she almost screamed when a hand grabbed her shoulder from above.

Horrified, Ria looked up and met the glittering eyes of the Werewolf who had been picking a fight with Mona all along.

Mona, who had been going down ahead, looked at him as if asking what he was doing.

He looked back and forth between Mona and Ria, then soon gave a twisted smile.

“I changed my mind. I will go with you bastards too.”

That is fine, is it not?

He asked Mona.

Mona looked at him with unreadable eyes, then soon nodded as if it did not matter.

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