I Will Protect You This Time

Episode 11

(Disgusting Rats)

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Few days before the Royal Banquet

Somewhere in the Bloodhorn Forest.

The forest of Bloodhorn... Muddy ground, damp weather, dead trees, muddy reservoirs, deadly monsters are what describe this dead forest. 

One can hear crows cawing as if announcing death itself. Owls hooting, insects squeaking, darkness even in the middle of the day… Makes this forest a place of horror. The forest remains covered by thick fog most of the time.

Sometimes one can hear monsters growling. Normal people cannot survive a second there. It's a place of 'No Return' for them.

Normally in the morning, the monsters that show up don't have any intelligence. And they are not very difficult to slaughter. 

But some monsters like Orc Lords and Goblin King have low-level intelligence. They are not very difficult to slaughter but take a lot of time. But there have never been any monsters with mid or high-level intelligence in this forest in the morning. 

Mid-Autumn... The breeding season of the monsters. 

In that season, they migrate to the border of Ashoron Territory. Many commoners live there and that place is not far away from the capital. 

As it's breeding season, the monsters need more food. So if they somehow cross the border and reach the Ashoron territory, it will be a bloodbath there. Even if it's not the breeding season, some knights patrol the border of Ashoron Territory regularly, to make sure no monsters can get in.

That's why different Aristocrats send one of their members and their elite group of Knights to slaughter or make these monsters return to their den before they can give birth. 

So the Knights and the members of aristocrats go there before Mid-Autumn. 

The monsters can't withstand the cold. Therefore as Winter approaches, they start to return to their den in Bloodhorn Forest. 

So at the end of Autumn or early Winter, there aren't any monsters approaching the Ashoron Territory. 

The three Ducal families along with other Marquise families and 10 of their family Knights divide into three squads. 

The West Squad includes the Bersk Ducal Family, The South Squad includes the Falck Ducal Family, The North Squad includes the Angelman Ducal Family, The East Squad includes The Silverwind Grand Ducal Family and the Royal Family. And this year it's the same. 

The expedition team made their camp in the Ashoron Territory. They go to their designated place after sunrise and come back before Sunset. 

At night as the darkness increases, some monstrous creatures become active. And they are almost invincible in the dark.

Some of them have high-level intelligence. They remain inactive in the morning. So the members of the Aristocrats and the Knights go to their nests in the morning and destroy them. That's the only way to beat those High-Level nocturnal monsters.

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Bloodhorn Forest

Near the western border of Ashoron Territory.

Grrr~

Rat-like monsters are growling while running towards the Knights.

Slash* Slash*

"Eww~! What the heck are these!"

Gellius, a young boy with lemon-green coloured hair said while slashing the monsters in disgust.

Screech~

The monster screeched as it took its last breath.

Whoosh~

As soon as the monster took its last breath, it turned into burning ash and disappeared.

Slash* Slash*

The other knights continued slashing through them without a chance to breathe. 

"Aghh~ There's no end to them!"

Screech~

The monsters continued running towards them.

"Shit! Get the heck away from me!"

Gellius screamed with disgust.

Slash*

Whoosh~

"Aghh! I'm just gonna use magic."

Saying that Gellius dropped his sword and closed his eyes. His body started to float in the air.

Biiiiing~

Suddenly all of the rat-like monsters stopped and a small bright light started to glow surrounding them. And-

Boom!

The monsters exploded into burning ashes.

Then Whoosh~

Explosion… The magic of the Bersk Family. Gellius Bersk, the Young Master of the Bersk Duchy came this year to slaughter these monsters.

Sigh~

Gellius slowly got down on the ground while sighing.

"What the fu*k are these anyways?"

"I know, right? We've never seen these kinds of monsters before!"

"Just how in the world?"

Other Marquise Family members, Gellius and the Knights were talking among each other.

"And there was no end to them."

"I don't understand. We just slaughtered them yesterday! So where are these coming from?!"

"Shit. Aghh~ When is it gonna SNOW~~~~~?"

Gellius screamed with annoyance.

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Bloodhorn Forest

Near the Southern Border of Ashoron Territory.

Screech* Screech*

The monsters screamed as swords sliced through their bodies.

"Shit."

Slash* Slash*

"How are these still alive?!"

As one monster died, another two appeared. There was no end to them. So the Knights had to strike their sword even if they didn't have any strength. Even if they were out of breath.

Slash* Slash*

Screech*

Whoosh~

As always, the monsters turned into burning ash after getting slaughtered.

"Damn it!"

Lambert Falck, the blue-haired man, cursed while slashing his sword.

Growl~

Another swarm of rat monsters started dashing towards them from the forest.

"Aghh! Not now!"

"Shit!"

"This sucks!"

"I don't have any energy left, damn it!"

The Knights and the others said with a face of exhaustion.

"Tch! What the fuck! Get off of my leg."

Lambert said while shaking his leg.

The rat-like monsters were getting on Lambert's, the other Marquise Family members and the Knights. There were thousands of them in number.

"Young Master Falck! What should we do?'

"Why are you even asking? Let's just use magic."

"Okay, Sir."

Lambert used water magic, the members of the Marquise Family used their magic, and the Knights used their sword aura to exterminate them. 

Biiiing~

As soon as Lambert activated his magic, a wave of water crushed the monsters.

Splash~

Screech* Screech*

Whoosh~

And soon they died and turned into ashes.

Sigh~

"Until when do we have to kill these shits!"

"We will have to discuss this with the others."

"Tch! Let's just go back to the camp for now. It will be dark any minute now."

"Yes, Sir."

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Bloodhorn Forest

Near the Northern Border of Ashoron Territory.

Grr~

Slash* Slash*

"Just use magic. Or else it's never going to end."

Morth said while slashing his sword fiercely.

"Yes, Master Morth."

Morth Angelmen, the second son of Angelmen Duchy, came to this year's expedition.

Biiiing~

Morth closed his eyes while holding his sword with both hands. And in a minute, the sword electrified. 

Zaaaaap~

Morth, standing in the middle, swung his sword in a circle and all the monsters burned into a crisp.

"What should we do, Master Morth?"

The Knights took a breath of peace and asked Morth.

Huff* Huff*

"I don't know either."

"..."

"Let's just go back to the camp now. It will be hell if it becomes dark."

"Yes, Master."

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Bloodhorn Forest

Near the Eastern Border of Ashoron Territory.

The east is the most dangerous part of the Bloodhorn Forest. That's why Silverwind Grand Duchy and The Royal Family take care of this part together.

Unlike the other parts, this part was not only infested by the rat monsters but also other low-level monsters.

Slash* 

"Shit! I'm taking care of the Orc! You guys go and take care of those rats!"

Roberto said loudly while slashing his sword.

Grrr~

"Yes, Captain!"

Roberto jumped up and slashed the Orc's throat. Then rebounded and cut the Goblin King's throat. 

After that, he gracefully got down on the ground and started slashing the rat monsters again.

Slash* Slash*

Whimper* 

"Tch! This is getting annoying!"

Roberto mumbled annoyingly.

Biiiiing~

He used his ice magic to freeze the big rat-like monsters and the Knights blasted them off.

Freeze*

Bam-!

Unlike the orcs and goblins whose bodies were lying on the ground, the rat-like monsters turned into burning ashes and flew away.

Huff* Huff* 

"When the heck will Prince Daniel come? Tch!"

"Thankfully there weren't many goblins or other monsters today."

"The situation is getting worse."

"At the very least the Royal Knights are here!"

"Let's head back before sunset!"

"Yes, Captain!"

The Knights replied synchronously at Roberto's command.