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Chapter 6.5

Chapter 6.5: Leonhart

Leonhart was the captain of the First Unit of the Holy Knights, an elite order specializing in subjugation and containment of monsters. That he held such a position at the young age of twenty was not solely due to his combat prowess.

「I used to envy your curse immunity, but I take it back… Just be careful out there, Leonhart.」

Ritter, captain of the Second Unit, was usually a jovial man who loved to tease, but this time he gripped Leonhart’s shoulder firmly, his expression uncharacteristically serious. His concern was palpable.

This mission, Leonhart would undertake alone. The monster territory they had visited on Nicolaus’s orders just days ago was reportedly undergoing rapid changes. Undead monsters had begun to emerge, and Leonhart, with his curse immunity, had been assigned to investigate.

Of all monster attacks, curses were among the most troublesome. They bypassed physical defenses, and even with resistance potions or spells, high-level curses could not be fully blocked. Leonhart, whose body completely nullified curses, was a rare exception, making him particularly effective against undead. It was this power that earned him his rank at such a young age.

(It’s not so much that I’m curse-immune… It’s just that other curses don’t stick because of this one.)

Leonhart had already been cursed. The curse dwelling in his left eye rejected all other curses, not through immunity, but incompatibility. Only a few knew this truth.

「Ritter, rest assured. I’ll find the unusual mandragora you said you saw.」

「That super-curvy mandragora? Yeah, I am curious… But seriously, stay safe.」

With a smile, Leonhart said his farewells. Ritter watched him go with a mix of exasperation and sincere respect.

(No one even thinks it’s just a facade. I also don’t want to go somewhere as dangerous as a monster territory.)

In the monster territory, anything could happen. Monsters engaged in brutal survival competitions, evolving at a terrifying pace. It had been peaceful a month ago, but that would likely no longer be the case.

And indeed, it was far more dangerous than before. Undead, especially the corpse-type monsters, were everywhere. Blunt or slashing weapons had little effect; only fire or light magic worked well. Since light magic drained magic power quickly, Leonhart relied on fire spells.

(This number is outrageous…! How could it get this bad in merely one month…!?)

Even Leonhart, with his well-suited magic affinity and curse immunity, couldn’t push much deeper into the monster territory. Corpse-type monsters are formed from the cursed dead, animals or monsters who died from curses. They swarmed at him, relentlessly. But where had so many corpses come from?

(I have to report back…)

But the numbers overwhelmed him. His magic ran dry. Poisoned claws tore into his chest. He fought back with his sword, barely escaped with his life, only to collapse on the way.

Corpse monsters usually stay near their death site. It seemed he’d managed to escape the monster zone. No more undead were nearby, but he had lost too much blood. He could feel his body temperature dropping. Death was near.

「Oh my? Why in such a place?」

A clear, gentle female voice. Unfittingly relaxed for a monster-infested region. They were still far from any settlement. Why was a human here?

He rasped, trying to say, 「Leave me」 but his voice was too weak. The woman knelt beside him, inspecting his chest wound.

He thought she might help, but he opened his eyes, and the woman saw his left eye.

(…Aah, I’m done for.)

Leonhart’s left eye bore a powerful curse. Anyone who saw it, no matter if they were close or just strangers, would come to hate and loathe him. It was known as the Devil’s Eye. Extremely powerful and absolutely unbreakable curse.

(…What a pointless life it was…)

He was cursed from birth. At first, it apparently was only somewhat eerie. As a baby, he was taken to the church, where they discovered the truth.

The curse grew stronger with time, starting to amplify negative feelings and hatred of the people around him. By age ten, he became unable to bear abuse from his own parents, who came ear to killing him, forcing him to escape from home. He ran away, hiding his eye, and somehow survived.

He joined the Holy Knights because it was a position where one’s background didn’t matter, and because it was admired.

(If I just acted like the ideal knight, hid my eye, and treated others kindly… I thought maybe they would love me. Looking back, I was such a fool.)

He always wore an eyepatch. People thought he lost the eye fighting monsters. They admired his valor and kindness. They called him 「a knight among knights」…But if being honest, it wasn’t him, it was just a role that he played constantly to have others like him. It felt simply vain.

(…Is she going to finish me off?)

His head was lifted, not to choke, but to rest on something soft. There was no one around to do such a thing but that woman. When he opened his eyes, the woman was peering down at him.

She opened her mouth as if to speak, but bit her lip… She had seen the eye. She should hate him, if she is able to pity and care for him despite that, she has to be an insanely gentle soul.

(…She’s beautiful… Is this what a goddess looks like?)

With her serene beauty and floral scent, she seemed like a forest goddess. Her soft green hair filtered the light like a leafy sunshade, comforting and cool. Black pearl-like eyes shimmered with golden-tinted tears as they welled up and fell onto his face.

(…To be mourned by someone like her… It wouldn’t be a bad way to go…)

Even her tears were beautiful. Leonhart never imagined someone would cry for him after seeing his cursed eye.

One tear fell onto his lips. It was sweet. Not salty. Was he hallucinating?

(…Am I going crazy, because I’m about to die..? Somehow… It’s… oddly pleasant…)

Drowsiness overtook him, his consciousness leaving him. So this is death, huh… It’s not that bad. And the moment he thought so, stopping trying to stay awake… He suddenly came to his senses—

He shot up, gasping. Checked his body. His clothes were soaked with blood, but there wasn’t a single wound. His stamina and magic had fully returned. He could make it back safely.

「What… just happened? Where is that person…?!」

The beautiful woman who cried over him. He looked around. No sign of her.

(Hallucination? No… there’s a sweet scent. Monster repellent… and strong. She really did save me.)

The lingering fragrance on his body proved it. But who—what was she?

(She didn’t seem human. A goddess… descending to save someone? Unlikely. But still…)

Whatever it was, it felt beyond human.

(…No use thinking about it now. I need to return and report. I was saved by a miracle.)

Leonhart stood, scanned the area once more, then took off running. If it hadn’t been an illusion, he was sure they would meet again.