Chapter 40

Crisis (1)

The midday sun shone on the top of their heads, and the atmosphere in the tent was still unsettling. As the crowd had nothing to do, they started playing with instruments they brought from somewhere or started singing.

In fact, now that the two most notable issues have disappeared, it was their turn to flourish. It took such a thing to break the hellish silence.

“Well, let me recite a poem.”

“I’ll play the chemballo.”

There was no end in sight to the boring poetry reading event. Despite this, the ladies endured with great patience. However, everyone’s bodies started to ache as they sat still. The heat of the hunting festival was breaking down.

As a result, some people got up from their seats to pick flowers or look for nearby spring water.

Christa sat in the tent of the Argonod family, killing time by sitting still. However, she is nervous because she can’t get out of her head.

“The news is especially slow this time.”

Hilda whispered, offering Christa a cold drink. According to her, after this time, it was time for someone to bring their hunted beasts.

However, she said it was strange that there was no news yet.

“Maybe it’s because it’s been too long since we opened the forest.”

The forest is like a deep sea. If people don’t come by often, they are bound to grow thicker. It takes less than half a year for the road that people have built to disappear. If it is a forest that has been neglected for five years, its appearance would have gone back to its primitive state.

Annette also voiced her concern.

“But it’s true that it’s late. Nothing has happened.”

“It’ll be alright.”

There was no animal that came from this forest that Ragnar could not deal with.

“I’m glad to hear that. There are always injured people at every hunting festival.”

Annette’s casual remark surprised Christa.

“Injured?”

“Of course, there was even a knight who was killed by a boar’s mother last time? Anyway, every time it’s hosted, there’s always someone who dies. Oh, this mouth is silly, because words become seeds.”

Annette quickly crossed the sign and prayed. When she heard about the injury caused by an animal, she became nervous again.

“I’m sure Madam’s at the hunting party…”

The memories she has been trying to distract herself from keep on haunting her. They said they couldn’t find all her body parts. They said that her dress that they put in her coffin was made with a new one she liked to wear in her lifetime. The coffin, which had to be filled with cotton, was as light as a child.

As soon as she realized it, Christa jumped up without realizing it.

“What’s wrong?”

“…….”

She awoke in contemplation, but she hesitated quickly.

‘What can I do now?’

Fate has been decided anyway. If so, what difference does it make if she intervenes in it now? Besides, it might not have been today that the madam died.

Christa patted her hand. She felt the warmth of Margrethe, who held her hand earlier, remain.

“Wait, I’m going for a walk.”

“What? It’s dangerous if you’re alone.”

“I’ll be right back.”

She had to run away from Hilda and Annette, who were trying to catch up. Christa ran straight to the beech tree. She didn’t know what would happen right away, but her body moved on impulse.

“Whoa…”

She inhaled deeply and exhaled. The fresh air of the forest permeated her lungs. Her head cooled down only then.

“…….”

If a lady dies here. Can she turn a blind eye to it?

She can’t, but she really can’t guarantee that it will happen right away.

Everyone dies, but no one knows when they’re going to die. It’s ridiculous to know about someone’s death.

All she had was an uncertain premonition.

However, it did not suit her to sit in the tent and wait for things to happen. Christa kicked the stone on the floor with the tip of her shoe. She felt like she was sinking into the abyss.

“Let’s check.”

If she looks for her and checks her with her own eyes, she will feel even a bit better. Christa headed back to the podium in the center. If Margrethe is there, then there’s nothing to worry about. It’s safe there.

But there was no Margrethe. Christa chewed her thumb nails nervously.

She looked around at every place where women around her could go. There was no Margrethe in the flower picking area or at the spring water site. When she moved a few steps while wearing uncomfortable shoes with high heels, she already felt tired.

How long did she walk like that? Suddenly, Christa felt that she had come to a particularly deep area in the forest.

She heard the sound of a beast. No, this was too creepy to be the sound of a beast. A shrill cry and a low resonance were heard.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”!

Then came the woman’s scream. Christa’s senses were on edge. This is dangerous. She ran straight for the sound.

When she arrived, she faced a moment that could be called a desperate moment.

“G, go away… Go!”

Margrethe, a woman with sky blue hair, was swinging a dry branch.

Kiyeeek!

At the end of the tree branch, there was Sebek, a lizard-like demon. It was larger than one pad (about 1.8 meters). Its sharp teeth are threatening.

They tend to be in groups, so if you mistakenly encounter a Sebek colony, you’ll encounter five or six to dozens at a time. Fortunately, there was only one Sebek in front of her.

When it opens its mouth, it produces a unique resonance sound. It was a mob call.

Christa clicked her tongue. Her body moved before she could think. She picked up a stone that fell on the floor and hit Sebek on the forehead. Christa was immediately targeted by the demon.

Kieek!

Christa has no countermeasures as she faces the beast. Still, she had to believe it was better for her to face it instead of a woman wielding a dry branch. Christa picked up some more gravel on the floor.

“Slowly step back.”

With sand she fought the beast, Christa said calmly.

“Y, yes?

“Don’t show your back, slowly fall back. And go where the people are and seek help.”

Due to the situation, she spoke in a rather harsh tone, but she couldn’t afford to look away from her opponent.

“Hurry!”

The woman moved in astonishment at her words. After confirming it, Christa hit Sebek’s head with the gravel in her hand again.

Now that she has attracted so much of its attention, the beast’s attention has now turned to Christa. It was possible for the woman who was stepping back now to leave here as quickly as possible and bring help to the scene.

She threw off her uncomfortable shoes. When she secretly raises her skirt hem, she touches the heavy dagger strapped to her thighs. The space on the handle opened with a click. She took out her salve and put it on the tip of her knife.

“Come here.”

She lowered her posture and slowly looked at Sebek’s torn pupils. She stepped forward recklessly, but there was no alternative.

‘At least my healing ability has improved compared to before.’

She has to run until she runs out of energy. All she has to do is hang in there until someone comes. There were knights who went scouting around. With that thought, Christa started the sand fight again.

In the water, Sebek is extremely fast that no one can match its speed. But its speed on land is significantly reduced. All she has to do is watch out for its sharp teeth and the poison in its front feet.

Sebek opened its mouth menacingly. Christa turned back and ran. It was instinctive for it to chase after an opponent who showed its back.

But something unexpected happened. The beast, who seemed to be chasing Christa, turned and headed toward the direction where Margrethe ran away earlier. It is impossible.

Christa threw the pebbles in her hand once more with all her might.

Crush!

Sebek wiggled for a moment and still ignored Christa. There was something. This was something wrong. She quickly tore up her skirt hem with her dagger and wound her left arm with it.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Before she knew it, the distance between the woman and Sebek narrowed in an instant. The woman trembled up the thorn tree. Sebek, who was walking on four legs, could not climb high. Christa cried out to the woman.

“Tree, can you climb higher?”

“I, I can’t!”

Christa clicked her tongue. At this point, the only thing to do is slow down the beast’s movements. She had to keep its feet tied somehow.

The beast opened its mouth. There was another resonant sound, a similar sound in the forest. Someone is coming.

“Damn it.”

She bit the flesh in her mouth. At least she hoped it was not another beast. It remained unchanged, however, that they were still at a disadvantage. The two were isolated because their escape was blocked.

“Don’t fall behind.”

Christa spoke to Margrethe, who was trembling. Now she wanted to save this woman somehow.

As she jumped, she landed on the back of Sebek’s neck. Generally speaking, its weakness is similar to that of a beast or a wild animal. Its center.

Kruk!

The dagger Ragnar gave her was thin and light because it was for concealment. This dagger was not enough to pierce its solid back scales. If she was aiming, she would need to poke its stomach, chin, or its relatively light flesh.