From Oben moved four days northeast.
A cave at the edge of a cliff that can be seen after crossing a large mountain range and passing a cold plateau where the pure white snowfield turns into dark frost.
Aisha said at the final destination.
“Is there nothing?”
[Little half-beast, look up.]
Annielis answered Aisha’s question.
At that, Aisha turned her head upward.
and stopped breathing.
“… !”
Aisha straightened her hair and looked at the panoramic view that was revealed in front of her.
“The castle… .”
The ceiling of the cave.
A large citadel was hung between irregularly growing black stalactites.
Miller patted his chin and exclaimed.
“How did you make that? Is it also magic?”
[I guess. Because you can’t do it with magic.]
“This old woman?”
In the midst of his nerve warfare, Vera gave Renee the look of the castle.
“Everything that makes up the cave is black frost. Even the stalagmites on the floor, the stalactites on the ceiling, and even the poles formed by them. It must be dark enough that you cannot see even an inch ahead, but there is an unknown light that illuminates the surroundings, so its appearance is vaguely visible. And the last name… .”
Vera’s sunken eyes turned to the great castle hanging from the ceiling.
“It looks like a castle that has been built upside down from the ceiling. I can’t help but think that gravity is just over there. The castle is all black, so it is difficult to identify it accurately, but the shape of the spear is clearly identifiable. All windows that can be seen with the naked eye are treated with colorful stained glass.”
“Well… I can’t imagine this.”
“That’s good enough. It is a sight that is hard to believe even for me, seeing it with my own eyes.”
Renee nodded at Vera’s words.
And he said those words to himself.
“… That’s where Nertania is.”
“Yes, the Queen of the Black Season is over there.”
The nickname was given because the moment they met, they spent the rest of their lives in darkness.
The master of the black season, the queen of the black season, Nertania.
She was right in the center of that castle.
“Can we solve this without fighting?”
“… It should be. We can’t help but hope she doesn’t mind giving it to us.”
I’d like to think well, but I also knew Vera who spoke.
‘Battle is inevitable.’
Whether the opponent was a vampire, he or Nertania herself.
From https://noblemtl.com
One way or another, there will be friction.
It must be so, isn’t she the only ancient servant who directly targeted Renee on the day of the Seven Days and Nights of the White Night?
He was the only demigod who directly moved the followers of the night to break his curse.
This was also different from the case of the Dragonian.
The Dragonians who aim for René are hybrids that are outside of Lochryon’s interest, but the Followers of the Night are the bodyguards of Nertania.
Unlike half-dragons, who moved simply out of desire for power, they moved to break the curse that bound them, so the movement had a different weight.
“… Let’s go.”
Renee said.
widely! and held up the cane.
The party hardened their faces when they saw Renee, who was very nervous, and started walking.
and.
“… You are here.”
I met a vampire.
*
Follower of the Night Fifth Hand Drames.
He dared to doubt the Queen’s orders upon him.
‘What the hell are you thinking?’
planting was uncomfortable.
I wanted to capture that miracle right before my eyes.
They say that their power is not strong, but they are human beings and they are a minority.
If all the followers of the fortress were to come out with a workhorse in addition to that, they would be able to subdue them and covet miracles.
‘… Bring them to me.’
Didn’t the Queen just tell them to bring them in front of her?
Drames’s expression wrinkled.
As it was the queen’s command, of course she had to follow it, but it was not easy to control her heart.
‘Coggin has been hit.’
The white night from 4 years ago.
Drames clearly remembered the events of that day.
The fact that Cogin, the seventh hand, went out to capture the miracle and was unable to return, still angered Drames.
It wasn’t just that.
How many people were killed by the servants of those gods 50 years ago.
Nine hands disappeared.
Thousands of kinsmen suffered annihilation.
The citadel has not yet repaired its damage, but the queen has not yet restored your hand, but how can you comprehend that you must face such an foe?
“… vampire.”
The black-haired person standing in the front, next to the miracle, said.
Drames trembled at the life flowing out of him, and responded with anger at himself.
“It’s low. Indeed, human beings are a foolish species that does not even know the correct names.”
“The vampires are called vampires.”
“We are followers of the night. They are the pilgrims who worship the greatest darkness. Remember, I will not stand it twice.”
Drames flapped his cloak.
After licking his tongue, he added a word.
“It’s your Majesty’s name. I will welcome you guys, and you must embrace his grace and follow him.”
I didn’t like it.
I hated it so much that my teeth trembled.
However, Drames eventually followed his orders.
The title of nobility in the citadel, the name of the queen’s hand meant that to him.
*
The way to the fortress hanging from the ceiling was simpler than I thought.
‘Have you reversed gravity?’
As I entered the fortress, my body suddenly ‘plunged’ into the sky.
Fortunately, more than half of the people in the party were able to react to it and there was no damage, but Vera was never able to shake off the anger that had arisen.
It was because of the attitude of Drames who pushed the party to the ceiling without any other explanation.
“You’re flying to the subject.”
A tone full of ignorance.
From https://noblemtl.com
Outright hostility.
It was the attitude of wanting to cut off the head right away, but it was not a good thing to make trouble in a situation where Nertania was not hostile to them.
Vera looked at Renee in his arms, trying to ignore what was being said.
“Are you okay?”
Rene, who was frozen, slowly raised her head.
“Yes Yes… .”
thud. thud.
I felt my heart beating hard.
Perhaps he was surprised to suddenly lose his senses in a situation where he couldn’t see in front of him.
“I’m fine. Who else?”
“Everyone landed well.”
“That’s fortunate… .”
A breath of relief escaped Renee.
“Can you come down? Now that I’m a little used to it, I’ll walk on my own.”
“Yes.”
Renee stepped on the floor.
Vera grabbed it as René, who stood alone with his foot pounding on the floor, followed by a cane, reached out.
“Yes, I can walk.”
It was a space where gravity itself acts as a ceiling, so I did not feel a sense of incongruity.
After Vera confirmed that Renee had become accustomed to the completely overturned gravity, he turned his gaze to Drames, who had been staring at them all along.
“… I don’t know if you can call this a guide.”
“If you can’t even do this, you don’t deserve it.”
Drames snorted.
And fluttering his cloak, he turned around again.
“Your Majesty is waiting. Do not delay.”
Still arrogant attitude.
Vera felt a fire boiling inside, and struggled to endure it.
*
After a period of not knowing how much he had walked, the steps of Drames stopped.
Tension settled on the faces of the group who stopped following along.
“… It seems to be here.”
Saying so, Vera looked at the huge door in front of him.
It was a door that resembled the battle of Maleus seen in the cradle, and if you were to pick a different point, you could say that it was embossed with all kinds of colorful patterns and decorations.
“It’s your Majesty’s palace. Have an example.”
Drames said in a stern voice.
Vera felt his irritation rise once more and slashed his holy sword.
And so, he raised his embarrassment with his emotions.
‘… why.’
Do emotions come out like this?
Maybe he was under some sort of trick.
Vera scans his body with divinity at the question that arose.
‘Nothing is caught.’
I didn’t feel any curses or spells.
‘Mana flowing throughout the citadel?’
Is this the problem?
Is this sticky, sinister mana interfering with the mind?
‘… I can not know.’
If it was due to the power of the ancient species, it was something Vera could not understand.
The moment he saw Lokrion with a remorseful mind, there was an accident that was almost crushed in the history engraved on his soul, so it was impossible to open the mind.
Vera frowned and looked at Drames, then exhaled.
‘… You must rule.’
It is an important aspect.
If you let the accident happen at such a moment, it will be difficult for you to catch up.
Netania is an obvious enemy.
If the emotion that’s popping out right now is caused by her, if it’s her intention.
never follow
“I will open it.”
Drames knelt in front of Daejeon.
And cried out in praise.
“your majesty! This Fifth Hand Drames has done his job and is back!”
A cry that I couldn’t even imagine coming out of my skinny body.
Immediately, the gates of Daejeon opened.
Kugugung-.
A roar sounds.
Darkness pours down through the gap in the open door.
Vera narrowed his brow.
This is because, for some reason, a familiar energy flowed out in a dark battle that was so dark that it was impossible to see even an inch ahead.
‘… Are you used to it?’
what.
A question like that came to mind, but there was still no answer.
[Listen.]
In an instant, a voice came from within.
Vera’s thoughts were shaken by an unknown voice that sounded like a girl’s, a woman’s, or an old woman’s.
pause-.
“Vera?”
“… no.”
Vera’s face flashed in embarrassment, but at this moment no one could see it.
It was because the dark darkness was covering the eyes of the party.
Renee grabbed Vera’s hand even tighter.
“Let’s go.”
Vera must have been nervous too.
It must be trembling with the burden of protecting yourself.
Renee, who had decided that he needed to be more alert, led Vera, and the party all followed and entered Daejeon.
And immediately after that, the voice was heard again.
[Oh, that looks painful.]
A voice full of laughter.
It raised Vera’s head.
His expression grew even more harsh.
“… Netania.”
I called the owner of the voice.
After a moment of silence, Nertania answered.
[Come here. in my palace.]
The darkness has dissipated.
The fog dispersed.
After that, a huge silhouette was revealed.
Vera stared at the massive body in front of him with his eyes strained.
‘… That’s nertania.’
The moment she caught her eye, Vera recalled two opposing emotions.
It was bizarre and beautiful.
There was a huge mass of flesh rising like a mountain.
Above the wriggling, blood-red flesh, the half-body of a naked woman poked out and her chin rested on her chin.
The dazzling blonde hair that seems to have melted and woven gold thread, the pure white skin that makes even the snowy fields of Oben feel dirty, and the lines of the body that seem to take away the soul.
It was the moment he saw her face that Vera, instantly fascinated by it, came to his senses.
‘… none.’
no features There were no organs, such as eyes, nose, and mouth, that humans should have.
However, there was a bizarre hole that was procrastinating in its place.
Dead blood flowed constantly from the hole.
The trajectory it leaves on the pure white skin caught my eye more clearly than anything else.
As it flowed down between the chin and the chin, then the clavicle, between the sternum, Vera belatedly discovers something else he hadn’t seen because of his chin position.
Slowly, ten arms stretched out from her ribs.
[Why no answer?]
Netania laughed.
Two arms attached to his shoulders and ten arms extending from his ribs began to perform actions such as sweeping his head, covering his body, and wiping the dripping blood, respectively.
At that moment, the faces of the party became white.
[Vera, did I not greet you?]
She called Vera’s name.