Chapter 126

The unprecedented disaster—an invasion by a massive horde of monsters—had left the town of Travis in ruins. People had fled in a frantic, desperate scramble. With neither the time nor the manpower to contain the resulting fires, the town had been left to burn.

Several hundred people who were unable to escape in time had perished. If one included those still missing, the number of victims would easily exceed a thousand. Furthermore, half of the town's buildings had either collapsed or been reduced to ash.

There was no doubt that the devastation would have been even worse had the Order of the Holy King not been present. Even so, for the knights who had fought with everything they had—and for their Commander, Vincent van Westervoort—there was neither relief nor a sense of achievement.

It was difficult to take solace in the lives they had saved when the number of lives they had failed to save was so overwhelming.

"But if it weren't for Harold's warning, the damage wouldn't have ended with just this..."

"Station men in Travis." "That place will eventually become a living hell." That was what Harold had told him. Moreover, he had said it several months before this disaster ever occurred.

Given that, it was only logical to assume Harold had known in advance that Travis would be overrun.

(When and how could he have possibly known?)

Vincent had never heard of a case where monsters of multiple species, rather than a single pack, coordinated an attack on a town. It was hard to imagine there had been any natural omen, and even if there had been, he doubted anyone could have interpreted it so accurately.

However, if one assumed that someone was "controlling" the monsters, a certain name came to Vincent's mind. That individual had a strong connection to Harold, and Harold had explicitly told Vincent and Cody that the man was his enemy.

Dr. Justus Freund.

He was the Kingdom’s leading scientist, and according to Harold, an extremely dangerous man capable of destroying the world just to resurrect a lost loved one.

Vincent himself had once been subjected to something akin to brainwashing at the man's hands.

If Justus was the mastermind behind this incident and Harold, being close to him, had seen through the plot and offered a warning, the pieces fit together. At the very least, it was certain that Harold possessed a wealth of information that the Knight Order did not.

"I need to speak with Harold again."

"Harold... do you mean Mr. Harold Stokes?"

"Yeah."

His adjutant, Shannon, caught his murmur. She had no direct acquaintance with Harold, but she had witnessed his overwhelming performance during the entrance exam. She had also conducted a background investigation on him under Vincent's orders, so she was well aware of who he was.

"The problem is, I have no idea where he is right now."

"Is he not with Dr. Freund?"

Vincent considered that unlikely. He knew Harold was actively working against Justus, though explaining that to Shannon would likely only cause confusion.

"Even if he were, the doctor is missing as well. We can't initiate contact from our end."

"In that case, let's look for someone who might know something."

"Who do you have in mind?"

"Mr. Harold’s fiancée... well, I believe they are officially separated now. Erika Sumeragi is currently staying in this town."

"..."

For Harold’s former fiancée to be in Travis at this exact moment—could that really be a coincidence?

Shannon continued, seemingly puzzled by Vincent’s sudden silence.

"Commander, did you not know she was here?"

"No, this is the first I've heard of it."

"It seems Lady Erika was on the front lines, wiping out monsters during the invasion. You saw it too, didn't you, Commander? That magic so powerful it seemed to tear the very heavens asunder."

"Investigating the source of that magic was low on my priority list. So, it was her."

Vincent had witnessed those unbelievable displays of power several times when the Knight Order was being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Thanks to those spells, the pressure from the monsters had lessened, allowing Vincent to lead a counteroffensive. He had assumed she was a sheltered young noblewoman, but it appeared her martial prowess was formidable.

"The report only just reached me. Immediately after the invasion was repelled, she stationed herself at the shelter to treat the wounded. Even now, she’s helping with the soup kitchen and other relief efforts."

"I have to take my hat off to her..."

House Sumeragi was one of the most prestigious families in the Kingdom. As the daughter of such a house, Erika had no obligation to risk her life on the front lines, much less work as a medic or a kitchen hand. The fact that she had dedicated herself so fully to the people spoke volumes about her character.

"It wasn't just her; several of her companions performed exceptionally well in battle. They undoubtedly played a part in minimizing the casualties. Shall we pay her a visit to express our gratitude?"

"Yes, let's do that. I'll go alone. Can I trust you to continue overseeing the site?"

"Of course. I'm not much use in a fight, so these are the moments where I truly earn my keep."

It was true that Shannon wasn't a combat specialist, but Vincent often felt her excessive humility was her only real shortcoming. He watched her walk away to resume her duties before turning his own steps toward the shelter.

The shelter was located at the church and its grounds on the town's plateau. It was a well-known local landmark with ample space, and its elevated position had protected it from both the monster attacks and the fires.

Though Vincent had removed his plate armor, he still wore his uniform with his sword at his hip, making his affiliation with the Knight Order obvious at a glance. Combined with his natural fame, his appearance in the crowded shelter drew immediate attention.

Vincent was accustomed to being the center of attention. In fact, he intentionally made himself visible to provide a sense of security to the anxious citizens. He also wanted to act as a lightning rod for those who needed to vent their anger or frustration at the Knight Order. To Vincent, a knight's duty wasn't just about repelling physical threats with a blade; it was about providing emotional stability as well.

Fortunately, several other knights were already active within the shelter, so he was able to move through the area and gather information without causing too much of a stir.

He approached a nun who was hurrying past and spoke to her apologetically.

"Excuse me, do you have a moment?"

"S-Sir Knight! Um, how can I help you?"

"I heard there is a woman named Erika treating patients here. I have a matter to discuss with her. Do you know where she might be?"

"Erika-san? I believe I saw her heading into the church's reception room just a few minutes ago."

"The reception room? Is she meeting with someone?"

"I'm not sure. Her companions were with her, but as for the details..."

Her companions—likely the ones mentioned in the report. If they were all together, it would be the perfect time to thank them all at once.

"I see. Could you show me where it is?"

"Go inside and it's behind the door on the right. However, access is generally restricted to authorized personnel..."

"I'll handle the negotiations myself. My apologies for interrupting your work. Thank you."

Vincent stepped into the church. Inside, many displaced residents were still huddled together, but as he had heard, there were no longer any untreated or critically wounded people in sight. He scanned the interior and found the door the nun had described. He gave it three firm knocks. After a brief pause, it opened.

A white-haired man in his sixties answered. From his clothing, he was clearly the priest of the church. He seemed to recognize Vincent immediately.

"Well, if it isn't the Commander of the Order of the Holy King. We thank you for your protection during this ordeal."

"It is merely a knight's duty. If anything, my own inadequacy resulted in many lives that could not be saved."

"Please, do not be so hard on yourself. Is there something you require today?"

"I heard that those who assisted us during the raid are here. I wished to thank them personally, so I took the liberty of visiting."

"I see. However, the timing may be poor."

As expected, they were in the middle of a meeting. Vincent hesitated, wondering if he should wait outside until they were finished.

"I understand. If it’s alright, may I wait until they’ve concluded their discussion?"

"That would be fine, but—"

"No, that won't be necessary."

A voice like a clear, ringing bell cut through the conversation.

Vincent looked toward the source and saw a woman with flowing black hair standing in the soft light filtering through the window. Her poise and beauty gave her an almost ethereal presence.

It had been five years since he last saw her, but there was no mistaking who she was.

"This is our first time speaking directly. I am Erika Sumeragi."

"And I am the Commander of the Order of the Holy King, Vincent van Westervoort."

They exchanged formal bows. To a casual observer, it was a picture of perfect etiquette, but Vincent sensed an underlying tension radiating from her.

"Please, come inside."

Erika invited him into the room without asking any further questions.

"Is this alright?"

"Yes. I suspect the reason for your visit is something that I, too, require right now."

Vincent couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind her words. Her gaze was direct, yet it felt as though she was looking right through him. He had rarely encountered someone her age who possessed such a weight of presence.

He could see why she had been Harold's fiancée. If one were to stand beside a man of that caliber, a woman like Erika was truly the only fitting choice.

With those thoughts in mind, he followed her into the reception room. Inside, there were nearly a dozen people gathered.

"Forgive the intrusion. I am Vincent, Commander of the Knight Order."

"T-The Commander!?"

A red-haired boy gasped in shock. The others in the room shared similar expressions of surprise and curiosity at the sudden appearance of the Order's highest-ranking officer.

"The Knight Order must be drowning in work right now. Why would the Commander himself come here?"

"Francis? What's gotten into you?"

The young man named Francis spoke with clear hostility. Judging by the confused reaction of the blue-haired man beside him, this wasn't his usual demeanor.

"I was told that during the attack, Lady Erika and everyone in this room fought bravely and treated the wounded. I wanted to express my gratitude, both as the Commander and personally."

There was no deception in his voice. Vincent made eye contact with each person in the room and bowed even deeper than before.

"You have my sincerest thanks."

"No, please! We only did what anyone would do!"

"S-Sir, please raise your head!"

The red-haired boy and a blonde girl seemed flustered and overwhelmed by the fact that the Commander was bowing to them. In contrast, Erika, Francis, and a young girl in a robe remained composed, watching Vincent with calculating eyes.

"Was that all you wished to say?"

"...No. There is something I wish to ask Lady Erika."

Vincent straightened his posture. Sensing the shift in his tone, the group's expression turned serious.

"And what might that be?"

"Lady Erika, do you happen to know the whereabouts of Harold Stokes?"

The moment those words left his lips, the atmosphere in the room plummeted, turning heavy and somber.