The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 12

“Do you not remember what happened yesterday?”

“My memory isn’t that bad.”

“Then why are you acting this way? Weren’t you shocked?”

“Well, I was a bit surprised… but Sei is still Sei.”

“….”

“You’re still the Sei I know, aren’t you?”

This doesn’t make sense. It shouldn’t have happened like this.

I took a deep breath. Camille still treating me the same after knowing the truth was a scenario I had never anticipated. I didn’t know how to respond.

I stared at Camille, overwhelmed by indescribable emotions. His gaze, meeting mine, was gentle. Awkwardly, I averted my eyes from that unchanged warmth.

‘…?’

Suddenly, a chilling sensation crept over the back of my neck. It felt like the touch of a cold blade, sending shivers down my spine. I quickly rubbed my neck and looked around. The air seemed to be vibrating. Within those waves, uneasy voices mixed in.

―…It’s coming.

―…It’s getting closer.

―We need to move. It’s approaching!

“…What?”

A loud noise buzzed in my head. Though not the usual voice that spoke to me, it was the same kind of presence. This was the first time I heard different voices, and also the first time hearing so many at once, yet somehow I understood it instinctively.

At first, I couldn’t grasp what they were saying. But I was certain they were warning of danger. Feeling an ominous foreboding, I stepped in front of Camille.

“Sei?”

“Please stay still for a moment. Something feels off.”

“What?”

“The noise… it’s too loud…”

“Sei? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

A concerned Camille gently placed his hand on my shoulder. But I couldn’t respond to him. The noise already filling my ears was overwhelming.

―A butcher is coming!

―Destroyer. Intruder!

―Unpermitted beings!

―They are awakening again!

―It’s dangerous! Run away! You must escape!

The urgent voices grew increasingly close to screams. I felt like I had been dropped in the middle of a packed stadium with thousands of shouting spectators. The uproar felt like it was going to shatter my head.

“Damn it! Speak clearly! What the hell are you talking about?”

It was at that moment.

Boom!

“Sei!”

A deafening explosion was accompanied by a massive tremor. As I lost my balance and started to fall, I felt something strong and firm catch me. When I regained my senses, I found myself having rolled on the ground, enveloped by Camille. He hurriedly checked my condition as he got up first.

“Sei, are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m okay.”

Though startled, I was unharmed. Camille, too, seemed fine, covered only in dust. As he helped me to my feet, I finally saw the surrounding scene.

The open corridor connecting to the adjacent building was utterly wrecked, as if bombed. The chaotic rubble piled haphazardly looked surreal. But what was even harder to believe was the giant man standing alone in the midst of it.

“…What.”

For a moment, I doubted my eyes. The figure before me was hauntingly familiar. Bloodshot eyes filled with madness, greenish skin, a long alligator tail, a mane-like tuft of black fur on his back, claws as sharp as blades, and talons like those of a raptor.

No mistake about it. He was the unidentified culprit I had discerned at the murder scene that day.

‘How is he here…!’

For a moment, I wondered if I was hallucinating. Otherwise, this situation made no sense.

“What the hell is that?”

But seeing Camille’s startled reaction confirmed it was real. True to his knightly background, Camille had already drawn his protective sword. The being took notice, grinning wide enough to show his teeth.

“Hehehe, young ones. Both of you look quite delicious.”

A glob of congealed red liquid dripped from his open mouth. It was someone’s flesh and blood. The sight was nauseating, making me gag. Camille’s expression was equally grim.

“Sei, get back.”

“Lord Camille?”

“I’ll hold him off. You run. Now!”

“That’s absurd! Let me—”

“Listen to me! Go!”

“Hehe, who said I’d let you go?”

The brute sneered, moving his massive body. The moment he took a step, his face was suddenly inches from mine. His speed was astonishing, far beyond what one would expect from such a large frame. While I froze in shock, someone suddenly darted in. I saw a flash of short silver hair.

“No, Camille!”

When I screamed, Camille was already facing off against the monster. He barely held off the clawed attack, struggling to maintain his position. I swallowed hard, watching his precarious defense.

“Camille!”

Even though he was a knight, Camille was still in his growing years and lacked real combat experience. The opponent, on the other hand, had a massive build and strength that surpassed human norms. A head-on confrontation was reckless.

“Damn…!”

As expected, Camille was being pushed back effortlessly. While Camille fought with all his might, the adversary’s face remained disturbingly calm. Camille was undoubtedly aware of the stark difference between them.

“Run, Sei! Get out of here! I can’t hold on for long! Go!”

He shouted urgently, but I didn’t comply. I couldn’t comply. Run away? To where? Leave Camille behind and escape alone? It was out of the question.

“Let’s have a taste, shall we?”

The monster closed in, licking his lips near Camille’s neck. Sharp teeth were bared in his wide-open mouth. I had already seen those teeth ruthlessly tear a human apart. My heart felt like it plummeted.

Could I create an opening? I quickly bent down, placing my trembling hands on the ground. There was something I had succeeded in doing occasionally, albeit with low probability. I didn’t know if it would work this time, but I had to try. No, I had to succeed.

‘Please, please…!’

Someone, please help me, please!

The next moment, dizziness washed over me, and strength drained from my body. The ground quaked immediately after.

‘It worked!’

The sudden tremor caused the monster to lose balance and stagger. Although he didn’t fall, it was enough of an opening for Camille to push him away forcefully and retreat. The distance between them widened instantly.

If the monster had charged immediately, the gap would have closed quickly. Fortunately, the monster didn’t move. Instead, he stood still, tilting his head as if not comprehending something. His reptilian eyes turned towards me.

“What did you just do?”

“…”

“That was a really nasty feeling. I can’t be sure, but it seemed like it came from you, didn’t it? Try doing it again.”

What I had put all my effort into resisting had piqued his interest. It wasn’t particularly despairing. It was enough that his attention had shifted away from Camille and towards me.

“I said, try doing it again.”

The monster turned fully towards me. Camille, startled, stepped in front, but it seemed the intruder no longer cared about him.

Ding, ding, ding, ding—

A loud bell began tolling shortly after that. It was the Security Department’s alert system indicating the presence of an intruder. Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps followed, and the guards appeared over the rubble.

“We’ve found him! Here! Over here!”

“Tch—.”

Even someone with his level of brute strength found numbers to be a burden. Clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction, the intruder looked at us with lingering regret before silently leaping away and disappearing quickly. The guards, who had barely missed him, shouted in confusion.

“The intruder is escaping!”

“Everyone, catch him! Don’t let him get away!”

“Chase him to the end!”

Armed soldiers rushed out en masse. As the commotion subsided, silence quickly filled the space as if a storm had just passed through. Camille and I stood there, staring blankly at each other.

“What the hell was that just now?”

“…I’m not sure.”

“Damn it, why did he lick my neck? What a perverted bastard!”

Camille, wearing a disgusted expression, furiously rubbed the spot on his neck where the monster’s tongue had touched. It was a relief that he hadn’t fully realized what might have happened to him. It was so like him to only comment on having his neck licked after seeing that horrifying figure.

Regardless, Camille was safe. He survived. A slow sense of relief washed over me as I exhaled deeply. My startled heart was still racing.

And the next morning.

News broke that an unknown assailant had attacked the Imperial Palace.

* * *

The strong barrier of the Imperial Palace had been breached.

The news struck like a bolt from the blue, turning the empire upside down.

The culprit, a hulking brute, was revealed to be the serial killer who had terrorized the capital for the past two months, claiming eight victims.

He had infiltrated the Security Department’s office at dusk, killed two guards, and attempted an assault. When the guards responded, he altered his path and hid. Later, as dawn approached and the patrols changed shifts, he took advantage of the timing to breach the Imperial Palace. During this process, an entire squad of the Imperial Guard was annihilated.

The upper echelons were engrossed in a blame game. Though it was somewhat fortunate that he had been killed, the gravity of the incident was too significant to simply close the case.

The Imperial Guard, in particular, was heavily impacted. Composed entirely of knights, the Imperial Guard was renowned as the strongest force in the empire. For them to suffer such severe losses against a single assailant was unprecedented.