121. with nowhere to hide
so-called black and white.
Read at noblemtl.com
Just before entering that ancient castle nicknamed for seeing nothing but black and white.
We made a short stop at a village nearest to it.
For the last stamina arrangement and supply.
Since the number of members of the Neuer Death Squad was added, it was by no means a small number.
After entering the village, we decided to spend our own time.
Atrum is like Atrum.
Lebarsen Boulevard Lebarsen.
Of course, Diaz, Orhel, Grendel, and Andrew also went around separately and enjoyed a little leisure time.
The town is also small, and somehow everyone ran into each other at a tavern.
“Let’s have a drink together!”
So, in Andrew’s words.
We enjoyed one last leisure before the battle.
That’s how we feel the taste of beer after a long time.
It’s not a snack you hunted yourself, but a little more comfortable with snacks made by others.
at that time.
Andrew suddenly asked a question to the owner who came out to deliver food.
“Mister, Mister. To get there, what’s the best way to get there?”
The owner put the food on the table and looked up.
“Where? Where are you going?”
“Hey, yo yo yo yo. That palace.”
That moment.
The tone of the owner, who had been friendly until now, suddenly changed.
“To go there? Are you guys crazy?”
Andrew was taken aback by the other party who cursed and cursed at him from the first question.
“Oh, no. Why?”
“Are you asking for directions because you don’t know where it is? Or do you ask for directions because you want to go there?”
“I’m asking you to know first?”
“Turn it off.”
“Yes?”
Andrew’s question.
The host tried to enter with the prepared snacks back.
Surprised, Andrew grabbed his arm.
“Huh? Huh? Why?”
“Oh, turn it off.”
“You just asked for directions.”
“If I tell you the way there?
“Ah. We’re not going to die. We all do our own thing…”
“Get out of here right now! Oh, it’s just annoying. I’d be embarrassed if I didn’t.”
That’s how we received an unexpected celebration.
To something more sensitive than I thought.
Not only Andrew, but everyone else was embarrassed.
* * *
way back home.
I pondered the tavern owner’s words a moment ago.
“It’s kind of strange.”
At my words, Diaz tilted his head.
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s something wrong with the tavern owner’s tone.”
“Yes?”
“It seemed like someone was talking like they were heading to that palace not too long ago.”
To which Orhel agreed.
“Brother thinks so too? I feel that way too.”
After that, the atmosphere of the village came into my eyes more.
Overall, the whole town felt very untidy.
Like……
“Doesn’t it seem like everyone is moving?”
Diaz just said what I was thinking.
I nodded.
“That’s what I think. It seems like everyone has packed their bags. As if they’re leaving at any moment. Come to think of it, the tavern we were in had a strong feeling of being on the verge of closing.”
Grendel also frowned and looked around.
“It’s not just one or two houses. Moving at the same time like this… I think it’s proof that it’s not a normal situation.”
I was wondering if something was going on here too.
A chilling wind was blowing, causing goosebumps.
* * *
What I found out was a little more detailed.
It was thanks to Atrum.
“Not too long ago, it seems that troops directly under the royal family rushed into that black and white castle.”
I frowned at those words.
“A troop directly under the royal family?”
“That’s right. According to the testimony of the villagers, it was said that they were elite knights from the kingdom of Atyar…… They said it’s already been a week since they entered.”
“That means……failure?”
Atrum’s face darkened slightly.
“Isn’t that highly likely?
to that grim prediction.
Everyone’s mouths were tightly shut.
“……”
“……”
“……”
I inquired a bit more about it.
“Are there any other stories?”
“Actually, I haven’t seen a shadow in the last few decades or so.”
“The shadow…then have you seen it before?”
“I heard that people often die of disappearance. It seems that there were also testimonies that they saw shadows dragging people away.”
“You saw it yourself?”
“They say it’s from people who lived here hundreds of years ago. They said it’s all dead now. So I thought it was just an old story.”
“The people of the past managed to live here holding the ground.”
“People who used to live here are said to have no place to go. That’s why they had no choice but to live here. The people of this generation are different from then, so they said they’re leaving now.”
Patting my chin, I replied.
“The last bastion before leaving must have been the troops directly under the royal family.”
“Exactly. The existence of such a shadow monster would have bothered the royal family anyway, so it seems that they were trying to deal with it. But… the villagers say that it actually made them more angry.”
“What are you talking about again?”
“After the people from the royal family didn’t return after all, more shadows appeared to be active.”
“Wait a minute… I can’t believe it…”
I suddenly felt uneasy while listening to Atrum’s words.
However, that uneasy premonition…was not wrong.
“You seem to have the same thoughts as me.”
“Are you saying that they… are increasing the number of living humans?”
like zombies?
To that question, Atrum nodded slightly.
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about. I thought I’d have to deal with just one fire-devouring shadow… but it doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Then, it was Atrum who added one more opinion of his own.
“I guess, if you eat strong souls… you can use them as shadows under your command.”
As I listened to his thoughts, a phrase Andrew had recited while looking at the book flashed through my mind.
“For accepting with mercy even those who dare to defy the king, and building the kingdom of shadows.”
Atrum also seemed to remember this sentence.
“Perhaps the fire-devouring shadow has the ability to turn others into new shadows.”
“The King of Shadows…that’s what it meant. I thought it was just nonsensical nonsense.”
However, I still had my doubts.
“It’s strange. You can create more shadows. Then why didn’t you know until now? How could you not know?”
At my words, Orhel also tilted her head.
“That’s right. If you had that kind of power, even if you created an army, you would have created it a long time ago. Why isn’t there an army like that?”
“I heard it…… It’s strange.”
Orhel and Atrum looked at me.
Unlike their question-filled faces.
Because I was making a face that I felt something.
They were quick-witted and seemed to have already caught on.
“no way……!”
“Five?”
Andrew was the only one who was gazing at the situation.
“What is it? Let me know! What is it, what the hell?”
I answered him.
“If you can create another shadow monster, but it didn’t become a legion… it means there is a way to kill that shadow monster.”
“You can kill them? I guess so. I have to kill them to reduce the number, but they won’t become a legion.”
I pointed to Andrew’s notebook with my chin.
It was because the notebook he had contained all the information we had collected.
“Even if it seems absurd, wasn’t there anything that could be a clue?”
“Clue… Clue…”
Andrew had a surprisingly good memory.
Being good at swordsmanship and fighting had to be smart.
Talented Andrew quietly closed his eyes and began scanning his head.
and after a while
“Ah! There was a phrase like this!”
He raised his index finger and continued.
“There is light, but shadows are cast. With so many lights that even the shadows cannot find a place to hide, there can never be darkness.”
Andrew rummaged through the phrase over and over again.
“A weak light left alone after being frightened will only increase the darkness. Do not be afraid, and do not leave it alone. A brighter light will protect you. And be patient with the darkness.”
Even after Andrew had finished speaking, he was confused whether this was correct or not.
“This is the closest phrase for a shadow. It’s ambiguous.”
One I noticed with that.
It was because the moment I heard the story, a phenomenon came to mind.
‘Noon in Lahaina. There was such a phenomenon on Earth.’
The region located between the tropics of the equator was said to have a moment when the sun and the ground are exactly 90 degrees.
And at that moment, the shadows disappeared altogether.
‘I haven’t seen it in person, but I’ve seen it in pictures.’
There was one reason that came to mind after hearing Andrew’s words.
‘What if the shadow shines brightly with nowhere to hide?…’
if only you could do that
Couldn’t the shadow monster also hide in the shadows?
Maybe I can cut it…
I nodded.
“Looks like you’ve found the right one.”
“Yes? Really?”
“okay.”
in my confidence.
Everyone’s eyes were focused.
Atrum took a step forward and asked if he was frustrated.
“What is it? What is the way to kill the Shadow Monster?”
“light.”
“……light?”
“A light that shines simultaneously from all directions, so that even a shadow cannot be formed.”
“……!”
At my answer, Atrum’s eyes flashed.
* * *
“Light the torch!”
With the cry of Atrum, the leader of the Neuer Order.
We started entering into black and white.
I deliberately set the time zone close to noon when the sun rises in mid-sky, but…
“It’s filthy dark.”
As Orhel said, the inside of the castle was a more shadowy area than expected.
“I just want the shadow monsters to stay.”
And progress proceeded in silence.
Raising torches, we stood together, maintaining a reasonable distance to avoid creating shadows as much as possible.
Because in the shadowed area, the enemy could suddenly pop out at any time.
but unexpectedly.
“It’s quieter than I thought… is it?”
As Andrew said, it was quiet here.
Too much.
In fact, it could be said that everyone’s nerves were sharper than expected.
Everyone was very nervous about the attack that could happen at any moment.
That moment when I went deeper and deeper.
“Unidentified personnel found!”
I heard someone’s cry
Right away, Atrum and I moved in that direction together.
And at the end of our gaze.
“Turn it off…!”
I saw a person lying on the floor, shivering.
The member of the death squad who first discovered him cautiously offered his opinion.
“Anyway… I’m guessing it’s the knight of the royal family who came in a week ago.”
It looked just like that.
That well-maintained armor was not something anyone could easily obtain and wear.
Besides, it was the royal family’s direct troops that entered the capital most recently.
It was a reasonable enough reasoning.
Atrum nodded and gave the order.
“Looks like you’re still alive, judging by the sound. Let’s drag it to the safe zone and check it out. Start a rescue. Build a defense around the target…”
But I felt something cheap.
Then he raised his arm and grabbed Atrum.
“Wait a minute.”
“Why, why but?”
“……”
Leaving him bewildered.
He slowly rolled his eyes… and furrowed his brows.