The morning arrived beneath a sky hidden by layers of dark gray clouds.
No sunlight reached the forest floor.
Only a dim silver glow filtered through the ancient canopy overhead.
The wilderness of Frostbound Coast felt even darker than before.
The camp was already awake.
Knights moved between tents.
Weapons were inspected.
Armor straps tightened.
The scent of cooked meat drifted through the cold air.
Nearby, the five Frost Wolf cubs were causing unexpected chaos.
One had stolen a knight's glove.
Another was currently chewing on a boot.
A third was sleeping inside a helmet.
Several knights stared helplessly.
"...Lord Gareth."
"...What?"
"Is this considered military training?"
Gareth looked at the wolf cub currently running away with a leather pouch.
"...I have no idea."
Several nearby knights burst into laughter.
The atmosphere was surprisingly cheerful.
Only two days had passed since they left the city.
Yet morale had improved tremendously.
Part of that came from the monster core bonuses.
Part came from seeing actual progress.
And part...
Came from the strange wolf cubs that had somehow become camp mascots overnight.
Then footsteps approached.
The conversations immediately stopped.
Kel Rosenfeld emerged from his tent.
The young lord wore a dark winter coat lined with silver fur.
Ancient frost-like patterns decorated the sleeves.
His silver hair moved gently beneath the northern wind.
Golden eyes calmly surveyed the camp.
The wolf cubs immediately noticed him.
Five tiny blurs rushed toward him.
Several knights stared.
One veteran sighed.
"They listen to him better than they listen to us."
Another nodded.
"Honestly, I find that concerning."
Kel simply crouched and patted the nearest cub.
Then stood.
"Prepare to move."
The camp immediately became active.
Within minutes, the expedition resumed.
The forest became a battlefield once more.
Monster after monster fell.
Icefang Wolves.
Snow Lynxes.
Frosthorn Boars.
Every nest discovered was systematically destroyed.
Unlike previous years where patrols merely eliminated immediate threats, Kel's operation targeted the source.
Nests.
Breeding grounds.
Territories.
Supply routes.
The difference was enormous.
The knights gradually realized they were not participating in a hunt.
They were participating in a military campaign.
A campaign against monsters.
Near midday—
A scout returned.
"My Lord!"
The knight dismounted quickly.
"Nest discovered."
Kel nodded.
"What kind?"
The scout's expression became strange.
"Frost Burrow Serpents."
Several veterans immediately frowned.
Gareth crossed his arms.
"Ugly creatures."
Another knight nodded.
"They eat everything."
Kel motioned forward.
"Lead us there."
The nest lay hidden beneath a rocky hillside.
Dozens of tunnels connected to a massive underground chamber.
The stench reached them before they arrived.
Rotting flesh.
Blood.
Decay.
Several younger knights immediately grimaced.
"What in the world..."
The group entered carefully.
Torches illuminated the darkness.
Then—
Everyone froze.
The scene before them was horrifying.
Bones littered the ground.
Not only animal bones.
Serpent bones.
Hundreds of them.
Large.
Small.
Adult.
Young.
The nest looked like a graveyard.
A knight's expression darkened.
"What happened here?"
A veteran crouched beside one skeleton.
Then his face twisted.
"...They ate each other."
Silence fell.
Even experienced soldiers looked disturbed.
The deeper they went...
The worse it became.
Partially eaten corpses.
Broken eggs.
Signs of violent cannibalism.
The atmosphere felt wrong.
Twisted.
Monstrous.
Eventually they found the surviving creatures.
Several young serpents.
Large enough to survive.
Small enough to still be considered offspring.
The creatures immediately hissed at one another.
Not the knights.
Each other.
One serpent suddenly lunged.
Its jaws clamped onto another.
The victim retaliated instantly.
The cave erupted into violence.
Several knights instinctively moved.
"Lord Kel!"
One younger knight pointed.
"The offspring!"
Another added.
"Should we secure them like the wolves?"
Several knights hesitated.
After all, they had spent the last day rescuing cubs and eggs.
The question felt natural.
Then—
"Stop."
Kel's voice echoed through the cave.
Instantly everyone froze.
The young lord calmly observed the fighting serpents.
His expression remained emotionless.
Cold.
Calculating.
The young monsters continued attacking each other.
Tearing.
Biting.
Devouring.
Without hesitation.
Without restraint.
One serpent had already begun swallowing part of another.
Several knights looked sick.
Then Kel spoke.
"Kill them."
The order stunned several younger soldiers.
"My Lord?"
Kel's golden eyes remained fixed on the creatures.
"Kill them."
This time there was no hesitation in his voice.
No uncertainty.
No mercy.
The knights immediately obeyed.
Moments later—
The nest became silent.
Several younger knights looked confused.
One finally gathered enough courage to ask.
"My Lord."
Kel turned toward him.
The knight hesitated.
Then spoke honestly.
"Why not save them?"
The question attracted everyone's attention.
Several others clearly wondered the same thing.
After all—
Hadn't Kel saved the wolves?
Hadn't he spoken about raising monster companions?
Why was this different?
The young lord calmly looked around the cave.
Then pointed toward the countless skeletons.
"What do you see?"
The knight glanced around.
"Corpses."
Kel nodded.
"What else?"
Another knight answered.
"Monster remains."
Kel nodded again.
Then spoke.
"They eat their own kind."
The cave fell silent.
Kel continued.
"Not because they are starving."
His gaze shifted toward the young serpent corpses.
"Not because of necessity."
"Not because of survival."
His voice grew colder.
"They kill because it is their nature."
Several knights frowned.
Kel slowly walked toward one broken egg.
The shell was covered in bite marks.
"Remember this."
His calm voice echoed through the cave.
"Compassion without wisdom becomes cruelty."
The statement surprised many.
Kel continued.
"If we brought these creatures back..."
His eyes swept across the gathered soldiers.
"Who would suffer first?"
Silence.
Then Gareth answered.
"The handlers."
Kel nodded.
"Then?"
"The civilians."
Kel nodded again.
"And eventually?"
Several knights looked downward.
"The entire territory."
The young lord folded his arms.
"Exactly."
The cave became silent.
Then Kel continued.
"There is a difference between predators and monsters."
Many knights looked confused.
Predators?
Monsters?
Weren't they the same?
Kel shook his head.
"No."
His voice remained calm.
"A predator kills because it must survive."
Several knights nodded.
That made sense.
"Wolves hunt."
"Boars defend territory."
"Lynxes protect their young."
Kel continued.
"They can learn."
"They can bond."
"They can cooperate."
Then his gaze turned toward the serpent remains.
"But creatures that willingly devour their own kind..."
His voice became cold.
"...rarely stop there."
Several veterans slowly nodded.
They understood.
Some creatures could be integrated.
Others could not.
Later that afternoon—
The lesson repeated.
Another nest was discovered.
This time it belonged to Frost Raptors.
Aggressive.
Intelligent.
Pack-oriented.
Several eggs were found.
Kel ordered them secured.
The contrast confused some younger knights.
One finally asked.
"My Lord."
Kel looked toward him.
"How do you know which monsters can be domesticated?"
The surrounding soldiers immediately became interested.
A good question.
Kel thought briefly.
Then answered.
"Observe their behavior."
The knight waited.
Kel continued.
"Do they cooperate?"
"Do they care for offspring?"
"Do they form social groups?"
"Do they understand hierarchy?"
Several knights nodded slowly.
The explanation sounded reasonable.
Kel pointed toward the eggs.
"These creatures hunt together."
"They protect one another."
"They raise their young."
"They understand leadership."
His golden eyes sharpened.
"Which means they can understand loyalty."
The surrounding knights fell silent.
Because suddenly...
The difference became obvious.
As the day continued—
More nests fell.
More monsters died.
More eggs and cubs were secured.
Yet no hesitation remained.
The knights now understood.
Their lord was not showing kindness.
He was showing judgment.
A far more valuable quality.
That evening—
The expedition rested beside a frozen stream.
Campfires illuminated the growing darkness.
Several secured eggs rested near the warmer tents.
The Frost Wolf cubs slept peacefully.
Nearby, knights discussed the day's lessons.
One younger knight stared into the fire.
"At first, I thought Lord Kel was simply kind."
A veteran chuckled.
"You still think that?"
The younger knight shook his head.
"No."
His voice carried admiration.
"I think he's practical."
Another knight nodded.
"Practical enough to save those worth saving."
"And dangerous enough to eliminate those that aren't."
The surrounding soldiers silently agreed.
Far away beneath Scarder Lake—
Seiren listened quietly.
Then her voice echoed within Kel's mind.
"You separate them easily."
Kel watched the dancing flames.
"Because sentimentality kills people."
Silence followed.
Then Seiren asked.
"And mercy?"
A faint smile appeared on Kel's face.
The firelight reflected within his golden eyes.
Ancient.
Calm.
Unwavering.
"Mercy should be given to those capable of becoming better."
The Guardian became silent.
Then she laughed softly.
A beautiful sound hidden beneath ancient waters.
"A harsh answer."
Kel looked toward the sleeping wolf cubs.
Then toward the secured eggs.
Then toward the darkness beyond the camp.
Where countless monsters still waited.
Still hunted.
Still threatened the people of Frostbound Coast.
"No."
His thoughts drifted across their connection.
"A ruler who cannot distinguish between what should be saved and what should be destroyed..."
The campfire crackled softly.
The northern wind swept through the forest.
And Kel finished his sentence.
"...will eventually doom both."
That night—
As the stars watched from beyond the clouds—
The knights of Frostbound Coast learned another lesson from their young lord.
Protection was not merely about kindness.
Nor was it merely about strength.
True protection required wisdom.
The wisdom to know when to extend a hand.
And the wisdom to know when to draw a sword.