Paladin of a Ruined Order - Chapter 7

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Translator/Editor: Order

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◈ Paladin of a Ruined Order

Chapter 7

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Demonic Beast

Elbridge glanced at Walter. Walter was tense, but he did not seem afraid of the demonic beast.

'Thank goodness.'

A horse behind them whickered. When Elbridge looked back, Walter's horse was still standing its ground. A horse that would not run even in a situation like this. As brave as its master.

"Take it."

Walter unhooked the shield from the horse's flank and handed it to Elbridge. Then he tapped the horse's side.

"Live well with your new owner."

Walter's horse started plodding away, as if it had understood.

Toward Marcus, the mercenary, who had stopped halfway through fleeing and was standing there awkwardly.

Thanks to the luck arranged by the God of Fox Rain, Marcus had even managed to get a fine horse in the middle of this mess. Elbridge was impressed inwardly.

'You're lucky too. Did you come here after making a huge offering or something?'

Elbridge and Walter looked ahead again.

Because the wolf demonic beast had come a little closer, the two of them could see its form more clearly.

Its fur looked less like animal hide and more like dark metal. What an eerie sheen.

"It's an enhancement type demonic beast."

Walter sounded a little surprised.

"Elbridge. Have you seen a demonic beast before?"

"Yes. By chance."

The kinds of demonic beasts were too varied to count.

Sometimes animals or plants underwent demonic-beast transformation, and sometimes there were demonic beasts whose origins were hard to guess.

Demonic beasts varied not only in form, but also in abilities. The paladins of that era had classified demonic beast abilities rather arbitrarily. Enhancement type, elemental type, distortion type, hybrid type, special type, and so on...

The most common type was the enhancement type.

The abilities of an enhancement type demonic beast were very straightforward. It was simply stronger, faster, tougher, and smarter than an ordinary animal.

'The problem is that the difference is a little too big.'

Thump, thump.

Walter stamped the ground with his heel.

This was not to make a foothold like when hunting an ordinary wolf. It was to brace the spear shaft against the ground. No matter how experienced Walter was as a knight, he could not take the force of an enhancement type demonic beast head-on.

And that was exactly the action Elbridge had been hoping for. He felt a little satisfied.

'It's good to have a companion who knows what he has to do.'

Tap, tap, tatak.

The demonic beast, which had been walking slowly, started to pick up speed.

At first it seemed to be breaking into a light run, then it reached the speed of an ordinary wolf at full sprint. Even then, the demonic beast did not stop accelerating. Before long, its charging speed was even faster than a bird diving from the high sky.

Walter planted the butt of the spear shaft in a shallow dent in the ground at an angle.

Then he gripped the shaft with both hands, pressed one foot down on it, and turned the spear toward the direction the demonic beast was charging from.

"Elbridge. Be careful!"

An ordinary wolf would have moved to avoid the spear. But the demonic beast did not try to neatly dodge Walter's braced spear. Instead, it twisted its body a little and thrust out its long muzzle, trying to bite into Elbridge and Walter.

But that was the movement Walter and Elbridge had expected, so both of them leaned away naturally and dodged the muzzle.

Right after the muzzle bit at empty air, the firmly planted spearhead and the demonic beast's side met.

Kiiiiik-

But instead of the sound of steel ripping flesh, there was an unpleasant scraping sound of metal sliding against metal. The demonic beast already knew the spearhead would not tear open its flank.

Walter muttered, "It's smart too, and damned tough. It's like it's wearing armor instead of fur."

The demonic beast that had passed them turned back. Now the gap between Walter and the beast was about twenty paces.

Grrr-

The demonic beast's growling breath was clearly audible.

Elbridge came forward with sword and shield and stood between Walter and the demonic beast.

"Elbridge. Will you be all right?"

"I have to be."

Elbridge extended his sword toward the demonic beast and held up his shield, hiding the movement of his upper body as much as possible.

The demonic beast kicked off the ground again. It was fast and light for its size, though not as fast as when it had been sprinting just now.

Elbridge thought.

'Forepaw or muzzle?'

The demonic beast shoved its muzzle toward Elbridge's head.

Hot, damp, foul breath burst out and wrapped around Elbridge. Familiar.

Instead of thrusting out the shield carelessly, Elbridge widened his eyes and looked into the beast's mouth.

Inside were rows of dagger-sharp teeth packed tightly together. There had to be at least several hundred teeth.

"Hah!"

Elbridge's left arm, the one holding the shield, moved at the last instant. The metal rim of the shield jammed into the demonic beast's mouth.

The beast bit down on the top of the shield as if irritated and shook its head. Like a branch whipped by a storm, Elbridge's gaunt body was shaken along with the shield.

Even Elbridge could not swing his sword in a situation like this.

A moment later, Elbridge was thrown back.

"Elbridge!"

Elbridge did not answer. He got back up and checked his body and the shield.

His left shoulder creaked. The shield's metal rim was shredded.

'···I reacted out of habit.'

In urgent moments, ingrained habit often came before calm reason and precise judgment. So Elbridge had moved on reflex.

Of course, it was not a good choice. He no longer held divinity, so he could not withstand the beast's force, and since he had not been granted divine power, he could not stop the shield from being destroyed.

'I know I shouldn't rely on the shield too much... but I don't have another good option.'

Still, he had gained something.

Elbridge had seen clearly into the beast's mouth. The red flesh inside showed no metallic sheen.

'It's definitely an individual that only recently underwent demonic-beast transformation.'

When Elbridge did not answer, Walter called his name again.

"Elbridge! Are you all right!"

"I'm fine, Sir Walter. And I have something to tell you."

"Go ahead."

"We need to aim for that beast's mouth, or its eyes. Unlike that steel-like outer hide, the inside should be soft."

"···Understood."

"We don't have many chances. Even if it's dangerous, we need to finish this quickly."

"I'll try."

Elbridge hoped Walter would finish it while he held the beast's attacks at bay.

The demonic beast was almost twice the size of an ordinary wolf. Naturally, its muzzle was that much longer too.

If Elbridge wanted to drive his sword into the demonic beast's mouth, he would need to thrust at least his elbow into the muzzle.

Then the many rows of teeth would surely turn his arm into rags, so the ideal outcome was for Walter, with his long spear, to strike the beast's vital point.

'Can Sir Walter do it?'

It would not be easy. But it was clearly the best option.

Walter raised his spear. The shaft was held at his side. It was the stance for thrusting straight in with all his strength. Tension made his breathing ragged.

Huff, huff.

Elbridge checked Walter's position and stance, then looked ahead again.

Then he slowly waved his shield to draw the demonic beast's gaze.

"Come on. This way."

The demonic beast charged at Elbridge and swiped with its forepaw. Elbridge threw himself aside at the last second and dodged the claws.

This time, the muzzle came flying in. Instead of blocking the beast's teeth with the shield, Elbridge pushed the muzzle away with the face of the shield and used the recoil to throw his body aside.

'Fortunately, its movements aren't that complicated.'

Of course, Elbridge was the only one who thought the beast's movements were simple. Walter watched the almost acrobatic fight in a daze.

'My goodness···.'

With his life on the line, Elbridge was somehow taking the beast's attacks with near-miraculous movements. But what shocked Walter even more was not Elbridge, it was the beast.

The demonic beast, fully focused on Elbridge, was drifting toward Walter without even noticing it. Straight into a position perfect for Walter to thrust his spear.

'He can move like that and still draw the beast where he wants it?'

While Walter was stunned, Elbridge swung his right arm, the one holding the sword, wide.

When the shield on his left arm, which had been blocking attacks the whole time, was replaced by an unshielded right arm, the beast instinctively thrust its muzzle after Elbridge's right arm.

Elbridge shouted, "Now!"

Walter, who had been watching the fight in a daze, jumped.

But no explanation was needed. The demonic beast's mouth was wide open, and beyond it, its black throat, vivid red around the edges, was clearly visible.

"Hyup!"

Walter thrust his spear like lightning.

But he was a little too late. The beast snapped its wide-open mouth shut and bit down on Walter's spear.

'Damn it!'

Walter desperately yanked the spear back and got it out of the muzzle. The shaft bent a little.

A crushing sense of guilt wrapped around Walter. He had been so distracted watching the fight in this desperate moment that he had missed a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Walter's heart sank.

'This battle's defeat is entirely my fault. There is no excuse···'

But Elbridge did not blame Walter. He only kept moving busily, just as before.

In truth, it was only natural. Elbridge had not expected Walter to be able to pierce the demonic beast's vital point in one strike.

In this era, a knight who had fought demonic beasts three times was already considered a proper veteran, but two hundred years ago, a knight who had fought demonic beasts three times was barely treated as an apprentice knight.

What annoyed Elbridge instead was not Walter's clumsy response, but the beast's cunning one. After being attacked in the mouth once, the beast would not open it again.

'Sneaky bastard.'

Elbridge shouted, "The eyes are a vital point too!"

That's true. But Walter still lacked confidence. He had failed to stab the wide-open mouth properly, so there was no way he could accurately strike the eye of a beast thrashing like mad...

"Now!"

No matter what Walter thought, Elbridge still forced an opening.

Walter threw away all hesitation and thrust his spear. This time, the problem was lack of skill. Instead of piercing the beast's eye, Walter's spear struck its forehead and bounced off.

"Damn it!"

This failed attack was far more serious than the last one.

The first reason was that the already bent shaft bent even more. The second was that Walter's attack toward the eye had fully drawn the beast's attention.

Grrr!

The demonic beast abandoned Elbridge and charged at Walter. Elbridge had no way to block it either.

Just as the beast's forepaw lunged at Walter, ready to tear apart his upper body, something completely unexpected happened.

Neigh!

Out of nowhere, a horse sprang in from the side, turned its body naturally, and kicked the beast's jaw with its hind legs.

Bam!

"...?"

The situation was so sudden that even Elbridge could not grasp it at once.

Elbridge looked toward where the horse had appeared. Marcus, the mercenary, was sprawled on the ground.

"Marcus!"

He had thought Marcus had ridden off on Sir Walter's horse to flee, but it seemed he had actually ridden in to help the two of them.

But Marcus was a mercenary, not a knight, so he had not learned horsemanship. It was only natural that he had fallen off as soon as the horse had taken a few steps.

However, that lack of skill saved his life. The enraged beast's forepaw struck the horse instead of Walter.

The horse's head flew off, scattering blood and flesh.

"Selen!"

Walter cried out the name of the horse he had been with for so long.

But Elbridge grew grim for a different reason than the horse's death. He had only now confirmed that Walter's spear shaft had bent completely. With a bent spear, he could not strike the beast's vital point.

Elbridge, now in crisis, thought urgently.

'What should I do?'

At that moment, the beast's mouth, slightly open thanks to the kick from the horse's hind legs, came into Elbridge's view.

A split second. Too little time to make a detailed, systematic plan.

But Elbridge's experience and instincts whispered that there was one last chance in that slightly open mouth. So Elbridge thrust his right arm, sword in hand, into the beast's mouth.

The rows of teeth brushed Elbridge's forearm from above and below.

'Almost...'

But just before the tip of Elbridge's sword could be driven deep into the throat, the beast shut its mouth. Its teeth bit deeply into Elbridge's forearm.

Pain so intense that his mind went white crashed over him.

Should he follow instinct and pull his arm out of the beast's mouth now, even if it was late?

No. Paladins of the Order of the Rusted Shield always said the answer was in front, not behind. And that had always been true.

"Aaaaaa-!"

Elbridge put all his weight onto his right arm. Then he shoved the half-ragged arm deeper into the beast's throat.

His forearm disappeared into the beast's mouth almost to the shoulder.

There was only one thing Elbridge wanted.

'Let my grip hold the sword tight.'

And then, a moment later, he realized that wish had come true. The beast's reaction was different from before.

He could see the beast's throat working.

It could only make a gurgling sound and could no longer thrash wildly like before.

"Walter!"

Walter rushed at the beast with the spear shaft bent in the middle. Then, gripping the shaft short, he drove the spearhead into the beast's eyeball. Just as Elbridge had torn through a wolf's brain through its eye a few days earlier, Walter's spear reached deep inside the beast's head.

'···Got it!'

The beast went rigid as if struck by lightning, then its mouth gaped open.

Walter knew instinctively that the beast had died from that strike. It was a truly astonishing feat. The two of them had taken down a demonic beast? Other knights would never believe that story.

But immediately after, Walter's face twisted in horror. Elbridge's right arm, reduced almost to a rag, was revealed inside the beast's mouth.

"El... Elbridge!"

The wound was too large and too deep. The bleeding was far too severe.

Even if Elbridge's arm were wrapped in bandages right away, it did not look likely that he would survive.

Then Elbridge shouted, "The heart, the heart..."

Walter did not understand exactly why Elbridge was talking about the heart.

But if it was that young man, if it was Elbridge, then he must have had some idea. Thinking that, Walter pulled the sword out of the beast's throat and kept chopping at its belly like an axe.

Clang, clang!

Metallic sounds rang out between Walter's blade and the beast's belly. It was better than its back skin, but the belly was still far too hard to compare with an ordinary animal.

But Walter finally pierced the beast's hide, opened its belly, and took out its heart.

Walter handed Elbridge a heart as large as a human head.

"Here. But what are you going to do with the heart?"

"I'm going to offer it to the goddess."

Even with death hanging by a thread, Elbridge's voice stayed calm the entire time. Walter, of course, could not understand that attitude.

"You're a mercenary. There's no way the goddess would accept something like that."

Walter's parents had been a priest and a scholar.

Because of that, Walter knew that divine power did not shine on only one person.

Divine power was not infinite.

Because of that, the gods did not look only at one person. If a god looked only upon the single most desperate person, the rest would be pushed out of the god's sight.

Even when the most desperate moment came, not everyone could overcome hardship through divine grace. In the end, people always reached a point where they had to overcome hardship with their own strength.

'If even paladins are like that, how could a mercenary...'

But Elbridge remained calm.

"She'll definitely take it."

"Just stay still. I'll try to stop the bleeding somehow."

"I'm fine."

Elbridge set the demonic beast's heart on the shield and knelt.

Walter was horrified when he saw that.

"Stay still! Moving around will only make the bleeding worse!"

"I said I'm fine."

"How is that fine? Lie down right now!"

Elbridge looked at Walter and smiled, strangely out of place in the situation.

Then he said clearly, "Want to make a bet?"