Although the monster’s neck had been severed, the matter was not completely over.
The church’s backyard was bustling with noise as people handled the aftermath.
A few villagers, unsettled by the commotion in the middle of the night, wandered around anxiously.
However, when Keldric appeared, holding the monster’s severed head, they sighed in deep relief.
“Ohhh!”
“Sir Knight!
Thank you!”
“Our honorable knight!
Thanks to you, we can rest easy!”
Keldric awkwardly received the villagers’ gratitude while dangling the monster’s head.
The reason why so many villagers had come rushing out was because dawn was already beginning to break over the mountains.
Keldric was unaware, but recently, the damages caused by the monster in Spitzenberg had been severe.
Being forbidden from walking outside at night wasn’t particularly inconvenient.
Spitzenberg, like other territories, had a set curfew.
In any case, unless it was a special situation, there was no reason to be wandering around at night.
The problem, however, was the monster that roamed the streets freely, mercilessly tearing people apart.
Even with the curfew in place, there were always a few who sneaked through the streets.
But most victims were killed because the monster either dragged them out of their homes or lured them into its grasp.
With people falling victim to the monster, every activity in Spitzenberg had been hindered.
No one could go about their daily lives normally, not knowing if someone had been killed just the night before.
And yet, out of nowhere, a single knight had appeared and taken care of the monster in a spectacular fashion.
The gratitude and admiration for him ran deep.
Amid the cheers and praise from the gathered villagers, Keldric approached Abelin.
Abelin, waiting in the cold morning dew, greeted his master warmly.
“It seems things went well.”
“They certainly did.
Sir Keldric is unharmed, and the soldiers’ injuries are minor.”
Keldric wrapped the monster’s head tightly in cloth and tied it to the back of his saddle.
Only then did it truly sink in this unexpected monster hunt was over.
The people of Spitzenberg would now return to their peaceful daily lives, and as promised, the Baron of Spitzenberg would turn toward Count Bogenberg.
Everything had gone remarkably smoothly. His stay had lasted far longer than expected, but in the end, things had only turned out in Keldric’s favor.
“Sir Keldric!”
But the matter wasn’t truly over yet.
Keldric turned to see Brother Marcus running toward him.
“Brother Marcus.
What is it?”
“Thanks to you, we can rest easy.
You have helped the good people of this land, and we must properly express our gratitude.”
“It was nothing.
If anything, your assistance was invaluable.
You provided vital information about the creature.”
Information was more precious than anything else.
Throughout this hunt, Keldric had come to understand that fact more deeply than ever before.
Brother Marcus curled his lips into a small smile, deep wrinkles forming around his mouth.
“Now that the monster has been slain… its demonic power must be greatly weakened.”
“Hmm?”
Keldric followed Marcus’s gaze.
The strange side door in the church’s backyard.
Marcus was staring at it.
Keldric also looked at it, his expression growing tense.
The monster was defeated, so it had to be sealed off properly.
The side door in the church’s backyard appeared unchanged from before.
Only a few new claw marks, as if the monster had scratched at it, had appeared.
Marcus murmured prayers and made the sign of the cross over the door for a long time.
In the end, he sought to seal it completely.
He hammered nails into the door, hung a large cross, and tied a red-stained cloth over it.
Below the inscription already carved into the door, a new passage was etched.
[I have overcome the world (Ego vici mundum).]
Keldric then realized why the older inscription,
“God has triumphed (Deus vicit),” was there.
Something like this must have happened before.
A monster had once been set loose, terrorizing the city.
The people of Spitzenberg had waited for someone to defeat it.
And just like Keldric had now, someone must have slain the monster before, bringing the people relief.
Which meant…
The monster might eventually return.
Keldric suddenly recalled the rumors he had heard from Radomar upon first arriving in Spitzenberg.
“Because a demon lives here, one that rips out a child’s heart and devours it while still beating.
They say it has the body of a great black wolf, with wings on its serpent-like tail.”
A demon residing in the land.
A wolf-like creature that devoured children’s hearts.
Keldric no longer believed it to be mere superstition.
There was no smoke without fire.
Perhaps, long ago, there had been a truly monstrous being so terrifying that its legend had twisted into an even darker tale.
“It’s done.”
Marcus’s voice snapped Keldric out of his thoughts.
At some point, the church’s side door had been completely blocked with a massive stone slab.
The soldiers had hauled it in with a cart.
The large rectangular stone, perfectly cut like bricks, fit snugly into the doorway, sealing it entirely.
Another red cloth was wrapped around it.
A brass cross was affixed to the stone.
As if that wasn’t enough, Father Garibaldo brought out a basin of holy water from the church and carefully drenched the red cloth with it.
“Is that enough?”
Marcus nodded.
Beads of cold sweat had formed on his forehead after his long prayers.
“It would be best to sprinkle consecrated salt as well.”
“Our church will handle that.
You’ve all worked hard, Brother Marcus.”
“We all have.
Especially Sir Keldric here.”
The two priests bowed their heads and expressed their gratitude to Keldric.
They were thanking him for destroying the servant of the demon that had threatened the lives of their faithful.
In a way, it was also a victory for their faith.
As Brother Marcus had inscribed on the door, one could say that God had triumphed.
“I hope the demon never sees the light of day again.
It must never have the chance to ensnare people once more.”
“You are absolutely right.
The church will ensure that it is managed thoroughly, so you need not worry too much.”
“By the way, what will happen to this graveyard?”
Although the church’s backyard was now a sealed-off place where a demonic passage had once existed, it was also akin to a family cemetery for the Baron of Spitzenberg and his lineage.
Keldric assumed that the Baron would not be pleased.
A place where one’s ancestors and family members were buried held significant meaning.
The older and more prestigious a noble house was, the more carefully its family cemetery was maintained.
Spitzenberg’s barony fit both criteria.
A baronial title wasn’t something one simply acquired through local land disputes.
In fact, in the past, the barony had been a fortress that defended against northern barbarians for generations.
“You need not worry about that either.
The church will continue to manage the grounds.”
“There are ways to sanctify the land as well. We will hold a mass here soon.”
“Our monastery will also send people regularly.
We cannot be sure if there is still great evil lurking below, so we will do our best to ensure that no one falls under its influence.”
With the two elderly clergy members speaking so confidently, Keldric had no reason to argue further.
They sounded so assured that he was certain they would take care of the Baron’s displeasure on their own.
“I shall take my leave now.
The Baron of Spitzenberg must be waiting anxiously.”
“Word has likely already reached him.
Then, I shall see you later at the inner castle.”
With a brief farewell, Keldric mounted Abelin.
Behind him, the soldiers who would return to the inner castle with him lined up in formation.
Their eyes were heavy with exhaustion from staying up all night, but at the same time, they shone with deep respect for Keldric.
A knight who had slain a monstrous beast with a single strike who did not boast of his feat but instead humbly attributed it to divine will.
Such devotion was worthy of admiration.
“Sir Keldric, it was an honor to fight by your side.”
“You all fought well.
Now, it is time to return and rest.”
As they watched Keldric’s broad back, some of the soldiers couldn’t help but think perhaps they were witnessing the rise of a great knight, a man who would carve his name into a new epic.
The monster’s hide was badly burned.
Though tough leather had many uses, charred hide was practically useless.
“I’m sorry,” Alyssa apologized with a slightly downcast expression.
However, the Baron of Spitzenberg was unbothered.
“It is of no concern.
We have plenty of wolf pelts anyway; there is no need to use the monster’s hide.
Besides, it serves well enough as proof of the hunt.”
Not to mention, using the hide of a beast infused with demonic power didn’t seem like a wise choice.
The church certainly wouldn’t look kindly upon it.
“So, this is…?”
“Yes.
This is its head.”
The Baron of Spitzenberg accepted the monster’s head and let out a low murmur of admiration.
Though half a day had passed and the blood had long since drained, the sharp fangs protruding from its gaping maw and the dull, lifeless eyes still exuded a terrifying presence.
“This is… remarkable.”
His reaction was understandable.
For nobles, displaying the heads of their hunted prey as trophies was a source of immense pride.
But Keldric had not hunted a mere plump stag.
He had slain an unholy monster imbued with demonic power.
Even if its origins were impure and blasphemous, the act of vanquishing such a creature was itself a testament to faith and righteousness.
“I must admit, I am tempted.
It would make for quite the decoration on my walls.”
Keldric, on the other hand, was slightly perplexed.
Since it was the Baron who had commissioned the hunt, he had expected the monster’s head to be his.
Yet, things took an unexpected turn.
The Baron of Spitzenberg was not so shameless as to simply take it.
“I shall have the skull prepared for you, Sir Keldric.”
“Pardon?”
“Hmm?”
Though the Baron smacked his lips wistfully, he did not snatch the trophy away.
It was, after all, Keldric’s kill.