Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 224

“If the allied forces continue their advance north, they will be able to unite with Balto’s Royal Forces on Pamela Plateau who have been driving the monsters out from the east. If all goes according to plan, then they will be able to corner all of the monsters in one place and kill them right there. “

With her exhaustion completely forgotten, Max couldn’t help but burst into a smile at the good news Ruth brought. Whenever the wizard came back from a meeting led by Grand Duke Aren, he would always provide the details afterwards.

“We will probably send over supplies and food two or three more times, after which the war will finally come to an end.”

Max’s heart felt lighter at the prospect of victory. Ruth has always been cynical, but if even he was being this optimistic, then things must finally be looking favorably.

Turning the gears in her head in thought, Max returned to tend to the boiling medicine. It took about a day and a half on horseback riding from Ethylene to Pamela Plateau. Considering the knights’ mobility and stamina, it wouldn’t take them more than three- or four-days roundtrip. They only needed to send supplies a few more times, within a month or a month and a half...

“The medicine is overflowing.”

At Ruth’s voice, Max quickly came to her senses and removed the pot from the heat, setting it aside. A new car full of wounded arrived last night, filling the infirmary. The wizards who stayed behind did their best to heal them with magic, but it was impossible to heal all of them in a day or two.

Because of that, they had to categorize the men based on the severity of their injury and heal them in that order. And it was Max’s job, along with the priestesses, to make sure these thirty men didn’t die.

Max transferred the detox medicine she made into a small bottle and rubbed her tired eyes. Seeing her so exhausted, Ruth asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

“Are you getting enough rest?”

His gaze on her grew more and more stern.

“You don’t look well. Have you been eating all your meals?”

“I-I eat... whenever I can...”

Max muttered as she avoided his gaze. The truth was, since Riftan left, she hadn’t had a proper meal. Perhaps because she was too nervous. Whenever she forced bread into her mouth, she would feel her stomach churn so it was only more difficult.

Sighing, Ruth looked at her tired face.

“You seem more agitated than usual lately. If it continues like this, you will eventually collapse. You need to take care of yourself if you want to last until the end of this war.”

“I kno-know...”

“I don’t think you’re taking this seriously.”

He glared at her and grabbed the ladle and bottle out of her hands, then came out and called Garrow and Yulysion, who were standing guard outside.

“Go and get some sleep. Sir Lovar, Sir. Rivakion, please escort the Lady back to her place.”

“I’m fi-fine! Everyone else is still working... I shouldn’t be the only one sitting arounf...”

“Haven’t you already cured three people today with magic?”

In fact, she healed five wounded people. When Ruth went to speak with the Grand Duke, she healed two more. But staring into Ruth’s narrowed eyes, Max kept her mouth shut. Ruth pointed firmly to the exit.

“It’s common to rest after casting magic. Take the rest of the day off.”

“But... Ruth, you’re also caring for the wounded... and researching how to b-break Sir Nirta’s curse. More than me, Ruth should rest...”

“I treasure my body more than gold.”

He responded annoyed when her stubbornness began to get on his nerves.

“The lady, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to treasure herself at all. Did you forget that you are a noble lady born and raised in a castle surrounded by servants? This kind of work is tough even for servants who are used to forced labor, and much more for you. But here you are, breaking your back working as a maid. Sometimes, I can’t believe you are the beloved daughter of Duke Croix.

Max awkwardly turned her body around at Ruth’s pointed words.

“I g-got it. I’ll go rest.”

“Please don’t let her leave the barracks for the rest of the day.”

Ruth instructed Yulysion. Max gave him one last look and headed back to Riftan’s tent. She doubted she would be able to fall asleep as she lay down on the pillow and closed her eyes.

Rubbing her throbbing head, Max pulled the blanket up to her head and somehow, miraculously, fell into a deep sleep.

In her vague awareness, Max felt someone shake her shoulder. She groggily opened her eyes, but found herself still half asleep. ‘How long did I sleep?’ She wondered as she rubbed her dazed eyes and suddenly heard Yulysion’s urgent voice burst into her unconsciousness.

“M’ lady! Please wake up! We need to evacuate, now.”

“E-Evacuate...?”

Startled, Max looked up at him as Yulysion, He hastily helped her up without waiting for permission.

“There is no time to explain. Hurry!”

Max quickly got out of bed and followed him. Then a loud, deafening noise drummed against her ears.

Max looked around, wondering what all the fuss was about. When she focused towards the southern gates, her eyes widened. The armed knights were engaged in battle with black, clay-like beings with weapons.

Then, she heard cries and screams from all corners of the fortress. Everyone was in a panic as they screamed and ran frantically. Max unconsciously took a step back. She only closed her eyes for a moment... did she fall into another dimension?

“T-This... What in the wo-world is going on? How did the monsters get inside the castle...?”

“Ghouls suddenly emerged from the grounds. Damn it! It seems like the monsters that were here before buried dead bodies inside the castle’s fortress.”

Yulysion grabbed her by the arm as he screamed in anger. Max’s eyes widened in shock.

“The monsters did...wh-what?”

“I’ll explain later. First, we have to get to safety.”

The young man wove through the barracks, and Max gasped as she desperately tried to keep up with his pace when suddenly something emerged from the ground and grabbed her ankle.

Max shrieked in a shrill voice, her throat almost tearing a part. A cold, decaying hand with rotted black bones wrapped around her skin and wretchedly pulled her.

In a panic, Max screamed and kicked, trying to push the hideous thing away. Yulysion immediately drew his sword and slashed the ghoul’s arm emerging from the ground with a single swing. But the undead hand that gripped her ankle still remained.

Max quickly tore it off with trembling hands and threw it away. The feeling of those bony fingers touching her lingered, and it was a feeling that would never go away for the rest of her life.

“Stay behind me!”

In the midst of her anguish, and rubbing the skin the ghoul had touched, Yulysion screamed and placed her behind him, using his body as a shield.

It was then that she realized that it wasn’t just one ghoul crawling out of the ground. Surrounding them were half-rotting corpses crawling towards them from all directions.

Yulysionon relentlessly swung his sword at the creatures. The speed of his swing was almost invisible to the naked eye if not for its blue glint. With a single hit, the heads of three ghouls were sent rolling on the ground.

Max watched, surprised by the decapitated monster searching desperately for her head, as Yulysion hastily grabbed her and dragged her away.

“This way! We must climb up the wall to safety.”

There was nothing Max could do but sprint after him. Yulysion cut through the overwhelming number of ghouls on their way without a second of hesitation and led her to the castle walls.

“The undead are coming from the ground. As long as you’re up there, you’ll be safe. If any of them start climbing, I’ll cut them down immediately.”

As soon as she managed to do what she was told, Max climbed the watchtower. Once she was on top, she turned and her breathing stopped. At the top, a full view of Ethylene’s chaotic situation unfolded before her.

Half of the barracks had been brought down. The horses were running around frantically, and the armed knights screamed and fought the emerging ghouls with long spears. It was hell on earth.

“W-what about everyone else... how...?”

“The wizard is there, so don’t worry. Ghouls are not strong monsters and we have many high-ranking knights and high priests, so they will be able to defeat them soon.”

Yulysion’s words entered one ear and out the other. Her eyes became unfocused at the sheer chaos before her. What about Garrow and Hebaron? Idcilla and the other priestesses? Will everyone come out safe from this chaos?

Max looked around everywhere, trying to see if she could find a familiar face in the midst of the loud commotion, when a loud roar came from behind her.

She turned her head. The installed defensive magic devices had been activated, and huge barriers began to form on the walls. Beyond the barriers, hundreds of trolls in black armor were marching towards them.

“How the hell...” Yulysion muttered in disbelief.

The young man clasped his face in shock but immediately came into senses. He picked up the big horn by the watchtower and blew into it with all his might. The thunderous sound echoed throughout the fort and in the distance. It was an invasion.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect the lady even if it costs me my life.”

The boy’s normally confident tone was now cloudy like smoke. This was beyond anything anyone could have imagined, and they both knew it.

Max grabbed and held her forehead as she was barely able to process this reality. There were hundreds of ghouls attacking within the walls, and now, an army of trolls had gathered outside the walls. It was a living nightmare.

‘Didn’t the Allied forces push the trolls to the north? And since when have these ghouls been buried in the ground?’

Suddenly, realization hit Max, and a petrifying fear shook her to the bone. Yulysion said that a large number of corpses were probably buried in the castle prior to their arrival. It could only mean that when Ethylene first fell, it was the monsters who buried the dead beneath the ground.

Was the monster’s defeat in Ethylene merely a trap to gather all the allied forces in here? Then why did the monsters wait for a moment to attack when the allied forces are not here?

Perhaps the monsters are aiming for the chance of ransacking the supply of food. There was enough food left to feed 15,000 soldiers for a month and a week. If that supply is taken away, no matter how much power and upper hand the allied forces have, they will not be able to hold out.

Max wrapped her arms around her shoulders, there was a foreboding chill that ran through her body. At that moment, she heard Garrow’s voice screaming from below the wall.

“Yuri! I’ve lured all the ghouls to one place! You can go down with the lady now!”

Max looked down and saw five to six soldiers standing at the base of the stairs. Yulysion led her down and immediately, Garrow and the soldiers surrounded her in protection.

“All the priestesses and the wounded have been evacuated to the northern sector of the base. Until the situation clears up, we have to evacuate the lady to a safe place.”

Garrow supported Max with one arm and strode forward. Max quickly took his help and followed along. As they approached the battle scene, Max saw knights and soldiers stabbing ghouls with spears measuring 10 kvet (3 m) long.

They were able to quickly reorganize and drive the ghouls into a corner. Even in the face of an unexpected attack, the soldiers remained calm and engaged in a strategic battle. Seeing this has brought a sense of relief to her.

If they are able to defeat the ghouls and defend the walls until the Allied Forces have returned, they will be able to protect the supplies and the lives of those in the castle.

Note – LF: OH SH*T ...