Chapter 51 : Schindel Strasse (51)

“I’m back!”

As soon as the familiar scenery of Heimvig came into view, Alje let out a cheer.

Unfortunately, Hans couldn’t share the same sentiment.

The cityscape he was seeing again after a few days was just as miserable as before.

The cramped city, where countless humans lived, reeked worse than a beast’s den, with filth scattered everywhere.

Yet, people still flocked to the city—because, of course, it was safer inside than outside.

What price wouldn’t one pay for their life?

Unlike Alje, who was full of energy and never seemed to tire, Hans was slumped over, exhausted.

“What’s wrong, old man? You don’t look so good.”

“I didn’t sleep well last night…”

Hans usually managed to survive on short naps when wandering the labyrinth, especially alone.

But there was a big difference between getting a little sleep and getting none at all.

“Why?”

Why, indeed.

A beautiful girl had clung to him all night.

It wasn’t as if he was unfamiliar with women, nor was he inexperienced or clumsy.

But the sweet scent that enveloped him, the warmth pressing against him—Hans had to battle his inner impulses the entire time.

That wasn’t the only reason, though.

“I had a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?”

“Just… things.”

Hans had realized that just as he had expectations of Alje, she, too, had expectations of him.

But the ideals he had projected onto her were gradually shattering.

Not because he had seen her shed her disguise and revert to a monster—but because of what came after.

Because he had seen her, in her human form, soaked in blood and flesh.

Alje was still a pure-hearted girl, but Hans now understood how terrifying that purity could become—like a child brutally tearing apart a doll in a fit of rage.

But what about Alje?

The ideals she projected onto him were only growing clearer and more unshakable as time passed.

Look at her, even now.

“Come on, tell me!”

She laughed brightly, clasping his hand as if they were already in a committed relationship.

Hans could have pulled away, but he didn’t.

“When you have something weighing on your mind, isn’t it better to talk it over with someone rather than worrying alone?

I mean, there’s no guarantee you’ll find an answer, but at the very least, won’t you feel a little better?”

“Is that really necessary?”

Unlike Hans’s illusions, Alje’s illusions were not so easily shattered.

Having grown up in an environment of extreme material wealth, she was indifferent to material things.

What she truly desired were the emotional needs she had never been able to fulfill.

Not a life of devotion forced upon her as a saint, but a life that was entirely her own, even if it was unremarkable.

Not special treatment because she was a saint, but ordinary treatment from someone who saw her as a person—even knowing she was a monster.

Perhaps these were things far more difficult to attain than castles, white horses, or jewels.

That was why Hans could never be Alje’s prince.

He was an ordinary human.

Ordinarily selfish, and ordinarily a bastard.

If Alje had not been a beautiful girl but instead something grotesque and repulsive—or even worse, a man—would Hans have spared her life?

Of course not.

At the very least, Hans did not overestimate himself.

Loving someone unconditionally, no matter the circumstances or who they were—that was impossible for Hans.

The love Alje offered was more than he deserved.

“I’m glad if it’s nothing serious, but…”

To say he wasn’t drawn to her would be a lie.

The way her delicate brow furrowed with concern for him.

Her skin, luminous even in the darkness of the labyrinth.

Her scent, thick and sweet like flower nectar.

Her amber eyes, more beautiful than the sky’s reflection at dusk.

Her pure, innocent nature, untouched by the filth of this world.

Her gentle voice, her kindness, the way she cared for him.

“Anyway, if you ever have any worries, talk to me, Hans! I’ll always be there for you.”

Even the way she was the only one who called his name properly.

The fact that Alje was a monster wasn’t that important to Hans.

In the end, she was friendly toward him, and it wasn’t as if she outwardly displayed any grotesque features.

That was enough.

But his heart already belonged to someone else.

“We’re home!”

With a second cry of excitement from the girl behind him, Hans opened the door.

Ever since Alje had shown up, he had anticipated his home being ransacked, so he hadn’t bothered securing the lock properly.

The most important things were sealed inside a vault imbued with enchantments, so there was no real risk of anything valuable being stolen.

But still—this was a bit much.

“…Huh?”

The state of the house was a complete disaster.

It had always been halfway to a garbage dump, but now, it looked like living in an actual garbage dump might be preferable.

Fresh blood dripped onto the floor.

The furniture was completely smashed, the ground was covered in filth, and maggots crawled everywhere.

This wasn’t just a case of someone looting his home or using it without permission.

It was deliberate, malicious vandalism.

“Hah.”

Alje’s mood plummeted instantly, while Hans let out a sharp, dangerous smile.

Yeah, dealing with the humans in the labyrinth was easier.

At least with them, he didn’t have to hesitate.

He hadn’t expected this, but thinking back, he could see why it had happened.

Even with weak security, if one or two people had broken in and trashed the place, they would’ve been caught quickly.

This was the work of an unspecified group harboring clear hostility toward him.

Of course, plenty of people had grudges against Hans, but it was rare for someone to actually take action like this.

Something must have happened recently to trigger that hatred into action.

“What is this? Hans, our home… our home is…!”

She hadn’t even lived here that long, yet she was crying as if she had grown attached to it.

Hans didn’t comfort her.

Instead, with a hardened expression, he walked toward a corner of the house.

Thankfully, the vault remained untouched.

Everything else was destroyed, but at least that had been spared.

Not that he knew if he could really call that fortunate.

“Phew.”

Amidst the overwhelming stench of filth, blood, and decay, Hans caught a familiar scent—the dried leaves of Saint’s Herb.

He erased one of the plans he had in mind.

There was no point in visiting his usual bar.

“Alje.”

Maybe he should be thankful.

At the very least, all the worries that had been clouding his mind just moments ago had completely vanished.

“…Hans?”

“I know it’s a bit of an unfair request, but can you wait here for me?”

A filthy, disgusting place—but for now, a safe one.

Hans did not let the seething rage inside him explode.

If he lashed out recklessly just because he was angry, he would only be hastening his own demise.

The way of a hunting dog—catch the scent, track the target, and, in the end, pounce to tear out its throat.

But he couldn’t run this hunt with a rabbit by his side.

Even if that rabbit was a monstrous beast capable of killing wolves.

“Where are you going? Can’t I come with you?”

“Sorry, but no.”

Perhaps this, too, was selfishness.

He had already seen the girl drenched in blood—but at least it had only been monster blood.

Hans’ mind was in turmoil, shifting so erratically that even he couldn’t make sense of it.

But one thing was clear: this was his limit.

Any further, and there would be no turning back.

If he ever saw her soaked not in the blood of monsters, but in human blood—then, at last, his confused emotions would reach a definitive answer.

And that answer would be something neither of them would find pleasant.

“I’m going to meet the witch. I told you before—it’s too dangerous for you to meet her.”

“But I’m super strong! You know that, Hans!”

That was true.

But Hans still shook his head.

“Alje, the only reason this labyrinth exists at all is because witches are stronger than monsters.”

A colossal monster?

A fallen angel?

A shapeshifting beast?

Compared to the true magic of real witches, all of them were nothing.

Even creatures who defied the laws of nature with absurd vitality and regeneration—how could they survive when nature itself rose against them?

They had struggled just against a fragment of the Grand Witch’s body.

A witch may be human, and they may die if stabbed by a blade—but a true witch would never even allow someone close enough to strike.

A thousand-degree inferno.

Thunderbolts.

Earthquakes.

Tsunamis.

How could any mortal body hope to withstand such forces?

Perhaps a Guardian Knight, blessed with the most radiant of all mysteries—miracles—could stand a chance.

“…So that’s why I can’t go? Because I’m a monster?”

Alje was a saint, but at the same time, she was also a monster.

Miracles could only bring her harm.

And miracles could never work on the one who wielded them.

They could heal the dying with a mere gesture, but not even erase a single scratch on their own hand.

A power meant only for devotion and sacrifice to others.

“No.”

Hans set his pack down, but then reached in and pulled out a few select items.

Weapons to protect himself and the reagents to offer to the witch.

Alje stood frozen in the middle of the filth-ridden house.

In truth, if it was just about the stench, it wasn’t much worse than the viper pit filled with snake corpses and monster blood.

Nothing found within the city could be that extraordinary, after all.

But unlike back then, her face was filled with deep sorrow.

From that expression, Hans could see it—the fear of being abandoned.

Whether they had wanted to or not, the time they had spent together had made them understand each other far too well.

“…Witches don’t like beautiful women.”

“Huh…?”

And so, Hans decided to ease the girl’s heart, if only a little.

“Just wait for me a bit, princess. I’ll be back soon.”

The words made him cringe at himself, but when he saw Alje’s face instantly brighten, he knew they had worked.

“Okay! I’ll wait for you!”

Hans brushed it off as nothing.

He figured this was simply the kind of thing Alje liked.

The only one unaware that this was the first time he had ever given any sort of positive response to Alje’s relentless affections—was Hans himself.