NOVEL NEXT Chapter 186
186. Emergency Situation [Side – Loid]
“Damn it! What the hell is this? This has to be a joke!”
The incident occurred in broad daylight. I was working as usual when a message came through from one of my subordinates.
The communication crystal, Telestral, is a device that allows real-time conversations between those who possess it.
It’s rare and expensive, so there aren’t many in circulation… But my personal knight squadron, The King’s Shield, is fully equipped with them.
Unlike random adventurers, our equipment and treatment are on a completely different level. The very act of providing everything necessary and tolerating zero mistakes is the hallmark of excellence.
…Or at least it should be.
“Lord Lloyd, reporting in! The second gate has been breached!”
“How the hell are you all getting beaten so easily?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
An intruder in broad daylight. Someone had infiltrated the castle via the underground evacuation passages.
As if mocking me, this person was advancing toward the castle at a leisurely pace.
Normally, intruders are repelled at the first gate. No one has ever made it to the second gate before.
“Do you have any idea how much money I’ve poured into you all?! Stop them! Are you trying to disgrace me?!”
Ordinarily, requesting reinforcements from other soldiers would be the logical move. However, The King’s Shield holds its value in its absolute reliability.
If word got out that the second gate had been breached… my position would be destroyed in an instant.
That absolutely must not happen—at any cost.
“The third gate has been breached!”
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! STOP THEM!!!”
The King’s Shield consists of 100 knights, all above level 30.
By adventurer standards, each one would easily rank as S-class. I paid top dollar to gather talent of that caliber.
Only someone like Laura in this country could break through such a professional group—
“It’s her, isn’t it?! Laura! That brat must have betrayed us! I knew her smug attitude was hiding something!”
“No, sir! The intruders are a duo! One is a man in a military uniform, and the other is… a woman wearing clothes from the Eastern nations!”
That’s strange. The woman could be from Azuma, but their culture doesn’t involve military uniforms. There’s no clear connection between the two.
Moreover, I’ve never heard of anyone with such distinct features before.
“The final gate is being breached!”
Hearing the knight’s voice through the Telestral made my knees nearly give out.
It’s over. My honor, my position—everything.
Why must this happen to me? I’ve never done anything wrong in my life.
And yet… and yet…!
“Why do those damn adventurers get to have all the fun?!”
“You seem lively enough. I’ll be there soon.”
The moment I screamed, I heard a woman’s voice.
A woman—the one in Eastern attire. She’s realized I’m here!
“I don’t care anymore! Someone, anyone, help me!”
Desperation overcame me as I flung open the door to my office, ready to beg for help from anyone nearby.
But instead—
“Are you the leader they mentioned? Nice beard.”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Standing right outside the door were the very pair I had been dreading.
“W-why…? You weren’t moving that fast before…”
“Because it’d be annoying if you called for reinforcements. I just sped things up a little.”
The two brushed past me into the room.
I could only stumble backward and collapse onto the floor, speechless.
One was a man wearing a black military uniform, with navy hair slicked back.
The other was a woman with hair as white as virgin snow, her long locks swaying gently alongside loose strands framing her face.
Her outfit… was it a kimono? Definitely clothing from Azuma.
“W-what do you want…? Are you here to humiliate me?”
“Huh? That doesn’t matter at all. Actually, I heard from a friend that Matthew of the Tunberg Territory is dead.”
“Wh-what does that have to do with me…?”
“Well, I’ve decided to find unique skills my own way. So, I killed all your subordinates to get here. Sorry about that.”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
Hearing her matter-of-fact confession, I could only scream.
There’s no chance I could defeat these two. Not even the slimmest margin of hope.
“Who are you two…? Adventurers? Are adventurers holding a grudge against me?”
“If anything, it seems like you’re the one holding grudges. Anyway, my name is Shirayuki. This is our leader, Dabia.”
“L-leader?”
“We’re the Ark of Salvation. A vessel to ascend to the divine.”
As Shirayuki spoke, Dabia placed a hand on my forehead.
In that instant, a surge like electricity coursed through my entire body.
“Wh-what are you doing?!”
“Do you know why humans can only possess one skill?”
Instead of answering, Dabia posed his own question.
“What kind of nonsense—?!”
“The answer is ‘they collapse’. If a person holds more than one skill, their body ceases to remain human.”
“Y-you can’t mean…!”
“That’s right. I’m a
What is he saying? Combining skills is impossible!
“Devour humans. Doing so will make you as strong as level 80 at your peak. After that, consume everyone in this country.”
“N-no! I just wanted to live an intelligent, quiet life—!”
“And which part of you, crying and screaming like this, is intelligent?”
Shirayuki’s voice was the last thing I heard as my consciousness faded.
In its place, an overwhelming, insatiable hunger surged within me.