After digging something out from beneath the corpse, the villagers immediately turned around and fled.
Yuri desperately struggled to regain control of his body.
A bizarre scream that suddenly rang out felt as if it had seared through his brain.
He spun the heart-soul slash through his entire body, trying to regain his composure.
Gradually, his senses returned.
Though he staggered, he could at least move.
Yuri resumed his steps, chasing after the villagers running out of Adelvine.
Then, he felt the massive force approaching them slowly come to a halt.
As he fled alongside the villagers, Yuri realized just how little he knew about Gert.
He had thought Gert indiscriminately attacked anyone who entered Adelvine, but that had been an overly simple assumption.
Gert did not pursue people who left.
It was as if he were some kind of sentinel.
"Phew…"
Before long, the villagers who had escaped Adelvine stopped before reaching Sordelvine and began talking among themselves.
Yuri quietly approached.
He overheard the man who had been leading the group muttering.
"He came too fast today."
"Must've been nearby."
"We only got one."
"How are we supposed to split one thing between us?"
"One's enough. You guys are just too wasteful with it."
Yuri could roughly guess what they were talking about.
What he was curious about wasn't how they divided it up, but what exactly they had dug up.
Yuri approached with audible footsteps.
The villagers who had been chatting without a care slowly turned their heads, one by one.
"What is it?"
"Uh, um…"
As the man who seemed to be the leader turned around, Yuri waved his hand.
"Hey."
The man jumped back in surprise when he saw Yuri.
Yuri opened both hands and stepped closer.
"Don't be so scared."
"A kn-knight?"
"Yeah."
The people of Sordelvine didn't really know who Yuri was. To them, all knights were the same.
Yuri pointed to the item the man was holding. It was wrapped in cloth, so the contents were hidden.
"What's that?"
"Uh…"
"I'm not going to eat you, don't worry."
"D-did you follow us? Why…?"
"Because you were suspicious."
Yuri looked around at the gathered villagers one by one.
"I followed you because you looked suspicious. Don't tell me you're seriously going to claim you don't look suspicious?"
"Uh…"
Everyone stared at Yuri tensely. Silence followed.
Yuri let out a short laugh.
"Your eyes changed. Thinking maybe you could take me down, just one guy?"
"N-no, of course not."
"I don't plan to meddle in village business. I'm just curious about what that is, so don't be so nervous."
The moment the man had struck with his pickaxe, the piercing scream that had rung out had struck Yuri's meridians like a bolt.
Yuri hadn't even been able to stand up at the time.
That thing was likely the source of the wealth that supported Sordelvine.
"Isn't it better to answer while I'm still asking nicely?"
They whispered among themselves.
Yuri lightly tapped the hilt of Guilty on his waist.
"Sir Knight…"
In the end, the man approached Yuri and showed him what he was holding. Though it was wrapped in cloth, the outline suggested it was about the size of a grown man's forearm.
"It's not something pleasant to look at. Still want to see it?"
Instead of answering, Yuri pulled back the cloth himself.
And furrowed his brow.
"This is…"
It was a plant, thick with leafy growth.
But its root was shaped like a human.
With a large head and curled-up posture, it resembled a fetus. Its face was twisted in pain, mouth ripped wide open, inside of which finely detailed teeth and a tongue could be seen.
Just looking at it made Yuri feel disgusted.
A word floated hazily to the surface of his memory.
"Mandragora."
"So you know it."
Yuri had only ever heard the name before. A legendary plant said to grow from the bodily fluids of a hanged corpse.
It was said to scream when uprooted, and anyone who heard it would either go mad or die.
"So this thing actually exists?"
The villagers exchanged glances.
"You dig this up and sell it?"
"Yes."
"This comes from Adelvine?"
"Y-yes…"
The man stammered, then added,
"We'd appreciate it if you kept this a secret. We're just trying to make a living…"
"If you're not harming anyone, it's not really my concern."
"We just wander around Adelvine. We never hurt anyone. If you move quietly, you don't even get injured."
"Who buys this stuff?"
"That's, uh…"
"I'll keep it a secret, just tell me that. Or I'll shout it from the rooftops and turn Sordelvine into a Mandragora experience tourist destination."
"Ah…"
The man let out a long sigh. The faces of the surrounding villagers didn't look pleased. Some even flashed hostile glares.
But at most, they were people holding farming tools.
Yuri waited patiently for the man to speak.
"…Phew. Mages buy them."
"The magic tower?"
"I don't know what groups they're from…"
"Got it. Go on."
"Pardon?"
"I said, go."
"Uh…"
"What, did you think I'd steal your Mandragora? I was just curious."
The man looked at Yuri with a complicated expression, then nodded.
"…Understood."
And then he led the villagers back to Sordelvine.
Yuri crossed his arms and watched their retreating backs, lost in thought.
***
The next day, after hearing Yuri's explanation, the group's eyes widened.
"Mandragora actually exists?"
Simon and Cory looked like they didn't even know what that was.
"Yeah. I thought it was just a legend, but it's real."
"Does it really scream?"
"I almost collapsed."
"What kind of effects does it have?"
"How should I know? Try eating it yourself later."
"No thanks. I might get cursed."
"Enough about Mandragora."
Yuri lowered his voice.
"That's not what's important right now. If they find out we're going to kill Gert, they might try to interfere. So be cautious."
"Why would they interfere?"
Yuri recalled what he'd seen the previous night.
The villagers had casually crossed into Adelvine and searched corpses. The way they silenced themselves and plugged their ears was clearly not their first time doing it.
Seeing that, it was obvious that Mandragora often sprouted from the spots where corpses lay in Adelvine.
The reason was clear.
"That Mandragora must be a plant that only grows in places tainted by black magic."
According to what Inariel had told them, Gert was a product of black magic.
If his presence imbued the land with the energy of black magic, it wasn't surprising that grotesque plants like Mandragora would grow there.
Laurent said,
"If Mandragora is growing because of Gert, then the villagers who profit from selling it won't be happy to see us."
"Exactly."
"So from their perspective, it's better for Gert to stick around."
Jared frowned.
"But he's the enemy who destroyed their country. Wouldn't they want him dead?"
"It's a fallen country. No commoner has that kind of loyalty."
Yuri grinned.
"In a way, we're going there to cut off their livelihood. Feeling any guilt?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Yuri rose to his feet.
"Then let's just focus on Gert. If we're lucky, we might even dig up a few Mandragoras to sell ourselves. Let's move out."
"Yes, sir."
All seven, including Yuri, stood up.
Fully armed, the group mounted their horses and rode out of the inn, drawing obvious stares from the townspeople they passed.
Yuri paid no mind and headed for the road leading to Adelvine.
But then, a face he had seen the night before stepped out and blocked their path.
The man who had led the villagers to harvest the mandragora stood in their way.
"W-where are you going?"
"Do I need to give you a reason?"
"As the village chief, I must know where you're heading."
"You were the chief?"
"Yes. Though lacking, I serve as the village chief."
"So you're someone important."
Yuri shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't worry. I'm not going around digging through corpses like someone. Just going for a stroll."
The man's face turned red.
"Please don't joke. You're not seriously heading to Adelvine, are you?"
"If I keep walking, my feet might take me there."
"You'll regret it. There's a cursed Death Knight there. You must know—no one has ever returned alive."
"Then what are you worried about?"
"Of course I'm worried about your safety."
"Thanks for the concern. I'll think about it."
But Yuri showed no intention of doing as he said.
The rest of the group, standing behind him, tapped the swords on their waists and grinned.
The village chief looked at Yuri's group with a grim expression, then sighed deeply and stepped aside.
"I pray for your safety."
"Not stopping us?"
"How could a mere village chief possibly stop you, Sir Knight? I can only wish you well."
"Thanks."
With that, Yuri passed the chief. The group followed him. Thus, they shrugged off the chief's objections and departed from Sordelvine.
Jared said,
"He really seemed worried about us, though."
"Maybe. Though I'm not sure he'll be celebrating when we kill Gert."
"Aha…"
Yuri followed the path the villagers had taken the night before and crossed the border into Adelvine.
"The air feels different already."
The air was damp. Though the sun was up, everything felt shaded, and moss clung to the base of every tree like a carpet.
Strange he hadn't noticed it at night—now, the entire land was steeped in an unsettling atmosphere.
Yuri expanded his aura sense.
There was no sign of Gert.
"Looks like he's napping."
"Being a Death Knight, maybe he prefers the night?"
"Is that a theory based on anything?"
"Nope!"
Yuri called out to Jose.
"Sir Jose, do you sense anything?"
"Let me try."
Jose nodded and looked around. Yuri could feel the waves of mana rising from his body.
The mana method Jose had mastered was as grand as his physique.
Jose shook his head.
"Nothing. Why isn't there anything?"
"Adelvine was a small kingdom, but still a kingdom. If he's far off, it'll take time."
"So should we wait? Or wander around?"
"We…"
Yuri spoke up.
"Let's head for Sordelvine, the capital of Adelvine."
The village where they'd stayed was named after the old kingdom's capital, but the real Sordelvine lay in the center of Adelvine.
"We might find something there."
If Adelvine's fall had to do with the parchment imbued with black magic, as Inariel had said, then signs of it would likely be found in the capital, Sordelvine.
At Yuri's words, Jose burst into laughter.
"Wandering a ruined kingdom—what an exciting experience. Let's go. Who knows, maybe we'll even find the treasure of ancient Adelvine!"
"Oh, treasure?"
"No one's been here because of Gert, so it's definitely possible!"
"Oooh…"
The mood among the group brightened at Jose's words. He didn't seem bothered at all by the ominous air of Adelvine.
Yuri also laughed.
"Alright. Whatever we find, we split seven ways."
"Sounds good!"
Yuri's group rode toward Sordelvine.
Even while riding, Yuri continued to search for any trace of Gert.
"No sign of him. Last night, he showed up right away…"
"Maybe he only appears when the mandragora is harvested?"
"If we see a corpse, let's check it out."
As they followed a path through the flatlands, a few scattered skeletons appeared.
The clothes they had once worn were now no more than fluttering scraps in the wind, but it was still evident they had once been soldiers.
Looking at a rusted sword still gripped by one of the skeletons, Yuri said,
"A soldier. There are signs of battle."
The sword had been half-broken by a strong impact.
"Is there a mandragora beneath this one?"
"Let's take a look."
Simon and Guinness stepped forward and flipped over the corpse.
Then, crushed leaves sprang upward as if they had tension.
"Whoa, there really is one…"
The entire stem and leaves pulsed with eerie vitality. It felt more like an animal than a plant.
"This thing creeps me out."
"Everyone, cover your ears."
Yuri gave a warning.
"When it's pulled, it screams—and it's not something you can endure hearing. Block your ears with your hands and use mana to dampen the sound."
"Got it."
Yuri stepped forward, grasped the leaves in a bundle, and clenched his strength, protecting himself with the heart-soul slash.
The mandragora was pulled from the ground.
KIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAA!!!
A horrendous scream echoed out.
Thanks to the mana barrier, it only reached Yuri as a faint whisper. Even so, the repulsive energy slipped through and clouded his mind.
It was weaker than when he had been caught off guard.
Yuri used the heart-soul slash to immediately purge the dark aura.
"Everyone alright?"
Simon and Guinness had fallen onto their butts and shook their heads.
"S-something's wrong…"
"Ugh…"
"I can't stand up…"
"The rest of you okay?"
Jose and Laurent were fine, while Jared kept shaking his head.
"Feels awful…"
Surprisingly, Cory seemed completely unaffected.
He even approached Yuri and tilted his head while inspecting the mandragora.
"This is fascinating. It really looks human."
"Right?"
Yuri shook the mandragora.
"They say mages buy these. Any idea what they use them for?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure…"
That was when it happened.
Yuri looked off in one direction. Jose also turned his head. Then Laurent and Jared followed suit.
"Everyone, get ready."
"Huh?"
"Prepare for battle."
Yuri drew Guilty.
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