Chapter 71
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Chapter 71
The Monster blocking our path collapsed to the ground, and I found myself face to face with Enoch.
"Enoch."
When I called out to him again, another massive Tarantula emerged from behind his back.
Enoch immediately turned away from me and retreated. Damn it.
Sssss.
The Silver Earthworm on my shoulder descended and coiled around my forearm. As I watched the creature lick its tongue while gazing at me, a passage from the novel suddenly came to mind.
—The Monsters on the Island are all natural enemies of one another.
Where wolf Monsters dwell, Tarantulas do not inhabit, and where Tarantulas reside, Anacondas do not remain.
Among them, the Anaconda Monster is the apex predator of this Island's food chain. Thus, both wolf Monsters and Tarantula Monsters feared and avoided even the offspring of Anaconda Monsters.—
That passage was definitely there. It had been such a fleeting description that I'd only just remembered it now.
If I could just divert the attention of the swarming Monsters, I might be able to forcibly extract Enoch.
I gazed down at the Silver Earthworm with a bright expression, my tongue playfully extended.
Could the Silver Earthworm truly be a young Anaconda? But even so, such a small creature couldn't possibly harm that enormous Tarantula.
'The Silver Earthworm is still just a baby, after all.'
After deliberating for a long time, I ultimately decided against sending the Silver Earthworm to distract the Tarantula Monsters.
Then the Silver Earthworm looked up at me and tilted its head curiously before snorting with what seemed like indignation—as if to say I shouldn't underestimate it.
So I asked the creature.
"Can you do it?"
For some reason, I felt certain that the Silver Earthworm would understand.
At my question, the Silver Earthworm nodded vigorously, then crawled down my body to the ground.
Meanwhile, the spiders continued to pour in endlessly, and Kaiden, Asdal, and Diego, who stood guard around me, grew increasingly occupied.
I gripped the flare gun tightly and rushed after the rapidly crawling Silver Earthworm in panic.
Just as five Monsters converged on Enoch, the Silver Earthworm smoothly crept between them, positioned itself before Enoch, and surveyed its surroundings.
The Monsters, which had been extending their legs aggressively, suddenly hesitated.
I pushed through the gap and seized Enoch's arm just as he was about to lunge at the Monsters.
As he turned to me with a bewildered expression, I aimed the flare gun at the Monsters and pulled the trigger.
Bang! Boom!
With the sound of the explosion, the Monster's corpse disintegrated in mid-air. I picked up the Silver Earthworm, which now lay obediently on the ground.
"Well done. Thank you."
I exhaled a sigh and stroked its scales a couple of times.
"Next time, I won't ask you to do anything so dangerous."
It seemed I'd grown fond of the creature. When I petted it, pleased by the affection, it wagged its tail and climbed up my arm, draping itself across my shoulders.
I left the Silver Earthworm as it was and pulled at Enoch's arm. But he didn't budge.
"Margaret!"
Kaiden's strained cry came from right beside me. More Monsters were converging.
"It would be best if you pulled out the Crown Prince quickly!"
Asdal shouted at me.
I watched the three men struggle against the mounting horde of Monsters, then looked back up at Enoch. His eyes were half-glazed, and he stared down at me blankly.
I cupped his cheeks in both hands and locked my gaze directly with his eyes.
I slowly drew Enoch's face toward mine, our noses nearly touching.
"Enoch. Come back to yourself."
I spoke to him with deliberate force, enunciating each word. His golden eyes wavered slowly.
A good sign. At least he hadn't pushed me away. But he still didn't seem fully conscious.
I spoke again, each syllable weighted with urgency.
"Stop now."
Around us, three men were practically flying through the air as they battled the Monsters, but I remained composed, focused solely on calming Enoch's rampage.
"You can stop. You need to stop now. Don't do this."
I held his golden gaze steady, my voice firm and commanding as I exerted control over him.
His golden eyes trembled violently. Slowly, focus began to return to his pupils. So I drove the point home with one more word.
"Stop. Enoch."
Enoch's rampage carried great risk, but in situations with so many Monsters, it actually became an asset. Yet not for him. He lost all self-preservation in that state.
I was the only one who could control him, and the process was cumbersome and exhausting, yet I didn't resent it. Being needed by someone was a new experience for me.
'Still, I hope his trauma gets treated someday.'
The feeling of having one's existence acknowledged was fleeting anyway. And I wasn't cruel enough to savor another's suffering for my own satisfaction.
"...Margaret."
I heard Enoch call my name near my ear. I looked at his face. Focus had returned to his golden eyes.
"Are you with me?"
His golden eyes widened in surprise as he looked at me. He was finally conscious.
Relief washed over me like a wave, and my legs nearly gave out beneath me.
If Enoch hadn't gripped my arm firmly, I would have collapsed ungracefully to the ground.
"Margaret."
He called my name softly, then carefully examined my face.
His hand touched my cheek. I felt it trembling.
"Did I not tell you I cannot exist without you? Where did you go? How could you leave me?"
His deep voice wavered slightly as he slowly rested his forehead against my shoulder.
His voice was hoarse and fractured, thick with anguish.
"It wasn't intentional. And I nearly died myself, so please don't blame me for it."
I answered with displeasure. Enoch lifted his head and looked at me for a moment. Then deep guilt settled across his features.
"I only thought of myself. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
"I survived on my own. It's fine. And please, before you worry about me, could you start caring for yourself too?"
At my words, Enoch bit his lip with a look of self-reproach and averted his gaze. He was likely remembering how he'd regained consciousness just moments ago during his rampage, thanks to me.
"Margaret!"
I heard Kaiden's urgent voice and turned my head.
Kaiden, Asdal, and Diego were still surrounding us protectively, battling the Monsters.
"Enoch, we should leave this place. I'd like to exterminate all the Monsters while we're here, but it seems impossible today."
At my words, he finally surveyed his surroundings and his expression grew bewildered.
"Where is the Bishop?"
At my question, Enoch furrowed his brow and looked toward where small spider swarms were gathering.
"...Damn it. He kept getting in my way, so I hid him inside the Rock."
At his words, I turned in surprise to look in the direction of his gaze.
"Surely... you don't mean where those spiders are gathered...?"
He nodded once, then picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground. He brushed it lightly, and the viscous green blood caked on the blade scattered to the floor with a soft sound.
"This is my fault. I'll bring her back."
"I will accompany you. Please allow me, Your Majesty."
Diego, who had been standing at a distance, approached swiftly and bowed his head toward Enoch.
"Margaret..."
Enoch hesitated while holding my hand, and Kaiden, standing behind me, gripped both my shoulders and smiled toward Enoch.
"I'll protect Margaret, so don't worry."
"I'm here too."
Asdal raised his hand and approached with a leisurely stride that seemed out of place for the situation, looking toward Enoch.
"Margaret, wait here. I'll return."
At Enoch's anxious words, I nodded.
"Rescuing the Bishop is the priority, right? I'll stay here, so don't worry."
Enoch entrusted me to Kaiden and Asdal before entering the swarm of spiders with Diego.
"What's there to entrust? He acts like Margaret is his own person."
Kaiden grumbled with displeasure and stomped on a small spider crawling across the ground.
"That's what I'm saying."
Asdal, who had sliced through a spider approaching from the opposite direction with his sword, agreed and chimed in.
Then a tremendous sound thundered repeatedly. Startled, I turned my head and saw Diego and Enoch moving so fast they were barely visible to the naked eye.
Wherever their blades touched, the monsters shattered and disintegrated in the air.
Though Enoch was such a monstrous fighter that he didn't stand out in comparison, Diego was the youngest commander of the Royal Guard Knights.
He too was skilled enough to handle several monsters on his own with ease.
After what seemed like an eternity of slaughter, the Forest fell silent. The Clearing, devastated as if swept by a typhoon, was filled with the corpses of monsters.
The Tarantula monsters that had gathered in the Clearing were completely annihilated, making my earlier claim that monster extermination couldn't be done today seem foolish.
Through the green rain scattering in the wind, the Rock where Rujeep had been hiding was revealed. Beneath the Rock, I could see shimmering water-colored hair writhing.
Soon, as the battle ended and silence fell over the area, Rujeep, his face deathly pale, crawled out from beneath the Rock. He was carrying something in his arms.
"The Bishop!"
I immediately ran toward him. Rujeep, who had been rescued from beneath the Rock by Enoch, looked at me with an expression of shock.
"Flone Young Lady!"
Soon, with a face as though he might burst into tears, he pulled me into an embrace.
Rujeep held me so tightly I couldn't break free. After a moment, as his grip loosened slightly, I escaped his arms and examined his complexion.
"I'm relieved you're safe."
Tears streamed down from Rujeep's clear eyes as he gazed at me.
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