--------------- ‌‌‌
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy ‌‌‌the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------

Chapter 70
Kaiden and I rushed toward the ‌‌‌source of the sound without hesitation.
The scene before us was not so different from what we had witnessed moments before.
If hell ‌‌‌existed, surely it would look like this.
Dozens of massive spiders lay sprawled across ‌‌‌the ground, and a man standing atop their corpses continued to swing his blade at the swarms of creatures converging upon him.
The monsters' green blood formed rivers ‌‌across the floor.
Kwaaaaaaagh!
Endless, horrific shrieks—whether ‌‌‌screams or something else—pierced the air relentlessly.
Silver Earthworm, who had been coiled around my arm, startled at the commotion and crawled up ‌‌my ‌‌shoulder, burying its face within my hair.
"Flone Young Lady! You're ‌‌‌alive!"
A familiar voice called out from ‌‌‌‌not far away. Yuanna, perched on a high branch, waved toward me.
Yuanna possessed no combat prowess, nor did she carry weapons like the flares I wielded. Yet she was skilled enough at handling danger on her own that worry seemed unnecessary.
"Flone Young Lady."
Someone called to me from beside me. When I turned, pink hair caught my eye first. It was Asdal.
Yuanna was positioned too high ‌‌to reach us, but Asdal ‌‌appeared to be relatively close by.
He looked haggard and worn, his eyes darting between ‌‌‌Kaiden and me before his jaw clenched, emotions ‌‌‌welling up in his expression.
"You're alive."
"You're safe, Rodban and Young Lady."
Diego, who had apparently been nearby as well, rushed over and greeted us both.
"What is that...?"
As Asdal pointed at Silver Earthworm perched on my shoulder, Diego drew his sword and aimed it at me. Kaiden quickly stepped in front of me, blocking ‌‌‌‌his path.
"It's not dangerous. Put the sword away."
"Silver Earthworm isn't dangerous. I promise."
As I added to Kaiden's words, Asdal looked ‌‌at me with confusion.
"Silver Earthworm...?"
"That's this creature's name, but that's not important right now. Why is Enoch in such a ‌‌‌rampage?"
At my question, both Diego and Asdal's faces went pale. They wiped their faces wearily before turning their attention back to the rampaging Enoch.
"Where is the Bishop?"
No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find Rujeep. Ominously, Asdal sighed and glanced toward where Enoch stood.
"The Bishop is in the thick of ‌‌it."
"...In the middle of that? The Bishop is in there?"
Good heavens. That timid Bishop Rujeep was at the center of all this chaos.
"He appears unharmed for now. The Crown Prince seems to be protecting him unconsciously, though I cannot say how long that will last. His condition is extremely unstable."
This time, Diego answered in a grave voice.
"The Crown Prince is no longer ‌‌‌human. How does a ‌‌‌man wield such power...." ‌
Asdal grimaced and ground his teeth, then continued while crossing his arms and watching Enoch.
"He's beyond reason. For two days now, he's been slaughtering monsters like this."
"It's possible to stop him temporarily. If Asdal would lend me his strength."
At Diego's words, Asdal shuddered as if he didn't even want to think about it, running his hand through his hair.
"Where have you and Rodban been, Young Lady?"
Asdal looked at Kaiden and me with a puzzled expression, asking a question.
"We were attacked by a Tarantula. ‌‌We fell off a Cliff and barely made it here."
Only then did Asdal and Diego examine our appearances.
"So why did Enoch go berserk?"
At my question, Asdal sighed and turned his gaze back to Enoch.
"I'm not entirely sure of the exact reason. ‌All I remember is that he was searching for the Young Lady before he went berserk." ‌‌‌‌
"It can't be because of me. Enoch's berserk state only activates when he sees 'human blood.'"
"That's true. Then perhaps he intentionally triggered the berserk state to clear out the Monsters. None of us are bleeding except the Crown Prince himself."
He intentionally triggered berserk to clear ‌‌‌‌out the Monsters?
Regardless of whether such a thing was actually possible, I couldn't understand why he'd resort to such a method without knowing how to regain control after eliminating all the Monsters.
I turned my attention back to Enoch. In reality, I couldn't see him clearly. He was constantly moving, surrounded by Monsters and relentlessly swinging his sword at them.
"The Monsters' movements were strange. They suddenly swarmed ‌together. Fortunately, the ‌location they gathered is some distance from ‌the Cabin, but... the Crown Prince is doing what needs to be done right now."
Asdal spoke ‌‌‌with a tired expression, rubbing his brow repeatedly.
That made sense too. There was no Base Camp as good as the Cabin. If we could endure, ‌‌the ‌most ideal strategy was to hold out there as long as possible while searching for an escape route.
'So perhaps it's better to clear out the ‌‌Monsters here, far from the Cabin, and burn their corpses.'
It seemed Monsters had the characteristic of detecting their comrades' deaths ‌‌‌faster ‌‌than anyone else and gathering around the bodies. Just ‌‌‌as the Anacondas had done before.
Was it ‌‌‌because of the Tarantula that died ‌‌‌on top of the Cliff? ‌‌‌Could that be why they gathered like this? If so, this phenomenon became somewhat understandable.
The ‌‌same applied to the green blood of the Monsters Enoch had struck down. Whether that blood was calling more Monsters, they kept appearing from somewhere.
Only then did I notice that Enoch was covered in blood. Startled, I covered my mouth and ‌couldn't speak for a moment.
"We can avoid getting hurt, but that Crown Prince might die at this rate."
At Asdal's following words, I hurriedly moved toward Enoch. Of course, I didn't get far before Kaiden grabbed me.
"It's dangerous, ‌Margaret."
I might not be able to do much, but at least I knew that Enoch in his ‌‌frenzied state would respond to the words "stop it."
And it seemed I was the ‌‌‌‌‌only one here who knew that.
"Enoch is in danger too."
Even at my words, Kaiden didn't release my wrist.
"Silver Earthworm."
At my call, the Silver Earthworm that had been hiding on my shoulder crawled down my arm and bit Kaiden's hand just hard enough not to injure him.
So it was true that this creature had imprinted on me. Actually, I was almost certain now. Without me even speaking, the Silver Earthworm read my intentions and carried out what I asked.
Kaiden released my hand in surprise.
"I'm sorry."
I apologized to Kaiden, drew out a flare and loaded it, then walked into the midst of the Monsters.
"Enoch!"
Naturally, Enoch didn't respond to ‌‌‌‌my call. His eyes were unfocused as he turned his back and walked toward the swarming spiders.
I followed him, pushing through the mountain of Monster corpses piled before me.
Screech!
Then a massive spider that had drawn close stretched its ‌‌‌‌legs toward me. I quickly raised the flare, but before I could, a sharp blade ‌‌flashed and severed the Monster's leg.
I turned my head to see Diego standing with his sword drawn.
On both my sides and behind me, Asdal, Diego, and Kaiden each held their weapons, protecting me.
"We'll cover you, so do what you need to do. ‌‌‌You're the only one who can control ‌‌‌the Crown Prince in this state."
Kaiden raised his dagger with a reassuring smile as he spoke to me.
"I'll help."
Diego answered quietly, and Asdal nodded in agreement.
"Go on. Leave ‌‌‌‌the rest to ‌‌‌us."
With that, I moved forward with the Silver Earthworm slung across my shoulder.
"Enoch!"
He ‌‌‌was nearly within reach. Yet Enoch still didn't hear my cry.
"Stop, Enoch!"
I unleashed a ‌‌command—a ‌‌‌‌‌phrase that should have controlled him—but it had no effect. It seemed as though my words weren't reaching him at all. Though he was certainly ‌close enough to hear, he didn't stop.
I bit my lower lip hard as I watched Enoch, his gaze unfocused and distant.
"Enoch!" ‌‌‌‌
I called his name with all my strength, but it was futile. My voice didn't seem to reach him.
'What do I do?'
As my hesitation stretched on, the Monster's thick, viscous green blood pooled across the ground like a river, creating a murky swamp.
My eyes met Enoch's as he drove his blade into the Monster's body, now looming directly before me.
Kwuaack!
With ‌‌‌the Monster's grotesque shriek, green blood splattered across one side of my face. A revolting stench washed over me, yet I couldn't blink.
Enoch was staring at me with an utterly expressionless face.

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------