Nidhogg sprinted down the corridor, bathed in the afterglow of twilight.
He pulled out his Flask and took several gulps of Crimson Tears, followed by a couple of sips of Cerulean Tears. He felt much better.
"GRAAAH—!"
The monster's roar came from behind, shaking the entire corridor—and likely the whole castle. The sound probably spread to the city outside as well.
Nidhogg immediately made a decisive move. He slammed his shoulder through a window and leaped out.
Mid-jump, he brought his whistle to his lips. Light coalesced, and in an instant, he was astride Torrent's back!
"Good timing!" Nidhogg praised.
With a whinny, Torrent bounded twice in the air and leaped onto a tower on the opposite side, as light as a cloud.
He sprang upward along the protruding eaves.
He landed atop the tower, where a bronze bell stood.
Without hesitation, Nidhogg grabbed the hanging striker and swung it against the bronze bell.
DONG—!
Suddenly, a bell rang out across the distance.
If the earlier earthquake and explosion had only caused panic among those in the castle, driving them from their rooms to check the situation, this bell would now draw everyone's attention.
DONG—!
DONG—!
The bell fell silent abruptly. But it terrified everyone who heard it, both inside and outside the castle.
Because three death knells meant that a person of great importance within the castle had died!
Could it be... Could it be the Count?!
Even Theresia, standing at her window, covered her small mouth in shock.
And Dahr, standing in the castle courtyard, was even more astonished!
How is this possible? How can this be?
CRASH—!
The Slug Count, provoked by the three death knells, finally lost control. It burst straight through the rooftop of the building it was in!
With a thunderous sound like the sky collapsing, amidst smoke and dust, it revealed its terrifying and repulsive form for the first time to every living person in the castle. It roared as if venting its fury!
Theresia collapsed in shock, not even noticing the human face atop the monster's head—the face of her father!
Dahr and the other soldiers stood dumbfounded, frozen by the primal human fear of monsters.
Some people did move, but they scattered like headless flies, running in directions that offered no escape.
Nidhogg, mounted on Torrent, had already alighted atop the bell tower. He pointed his greatsword at the Slug Count, as if issuing a challenge.
The setting sun sank behind him. The last rays of light were swallowed by the rising night.
The moon seemed to have vanished without a trace, shrouded only by grey, dark clouds. The scene was utterly oppressive.
"GRAAAH—!"
The Slug Count didn't look at its vassals, its servants, or its soldiers. It didn't even glance toward Theresia's room.
It roared only at Nidhogg, consumed by resentment—at the man who had torn apart everything it had rebuilt, right before its eyes!
CRASH—!
The Slug Count used its many arms and tendrils to climb across the building's roof.
No matter what collapsed, nothing could stop its movement.
Finally, it leaped and lunged at Nidhogg on the bell tower!
Nidhogg gently squeezed Torrent's flanks, greeted him like a knight in a poem, and charged forward.
The Slug Count opened its bloody maw!
But Torrent's hooves lightly sprang upward just before they touched the giant teeth within the Count's foul mouth!
Man and horse rose to a higher point, evading the snap of the slug's bloody jaws!
The human face, split in two, tilted upward with their movement and saw the blade descending from the sky!
When Nidhogg reached the highest point, he dismissed Torrent.
Immediately, he fell downward with gravity. Gripping his greatsword, he spun like a whirlwind. A fierce arc of sword light suddenly carved across the grotesque man's face!
FWOOSH—!
This long sword slash formed a cross with the previous one, instantly splitting the slug's face into four parts. Each piece burst apart, spraying brain matter, eyes, and teeth!
Blood arced through the air!
After this moment, the Slug Count could no longer howl or move.
Soon, it crashed to the ground like a massive, cold avalanche of stone. The impact instantly shattered the earth and crushed the soldiers who hadn't managed to flee into meat paste!
A sharp whistle pierced the air!
Nidhogg, mounted on the recalled Torrent, lightly stepped onto the Slug Count's body.
He watched as the corpse gradually dissolved and collapsed. Countless vengeful spirits burst forth like a flood!
In the end, the massive monster vanished. Only a thick, sturdy human body of flesh and blood remained, carved into a bloody ruin, lying silently amidst the gore.
The dust settled.
Nidhogg rode Torrent slowly past the survivors—Dahr and the soldiers.
They stared blankly, having even forgotten that the swords, spears, and crossbows in their hands should have been aimed at the stranger who had suddenly appeared.
---
In the outer city—the Black Dog Knights' barracks, amidst sparse and disorderly tents.
When the three death knells rang out from the castle on the distant hill, and the earlier earthquake-like sounds ceased, Wyald stood naked at the entrance of his tent.
Behind him, inside the tent, bodies lay sprawled like discarded dolls, lifeless and contorted.
Wyald gazed toward the castle. After a long silence, he couldn't help but cover his long, beast-like face and laugh.
"Dead? Hahahaha... Well, dead is dead."
The soldiers nearby were dressed nothing like proper knights. They looked more like bandits, mercenaries, and thieves.
One of them cautiously asked, "Boss, this is... I'm afraid it's another failure. Should we...?"
Before the soldier could finish, Wyald lunged at him. With lightning speed, he grabbed the man's head, twisted it sharply, and ripped it clean off!
THUD—!
The headless soldier instantly crumpled to the ground.
The remaining soldiers fell silent as cicadas in winter, their faces filled with terror.
"Haven't I said it enough times?" Wyald held the severed head in one hand, glanced at it, and tossed it aside. "What are the principles of our Black Dog Knights?"
"Pleasure! Frenzy! The ability to never be stopped by restrictions! If you start worrying about life and death, then life isn't fun anymore."
"The lord of this city is dead. What do we do? Run? Or go to the castle to protect his family? No, no, no, no! That's not what we want to do. That's not what we're supposed to do."
Wyald extended a finger and wagged it. His expression gradually shifted from indifference to madness.
"We're looking for the killer! We're looking for the rebels! We're looking for the enemy! They must be hiding in the city, in the houses of these civilians! They're well disguised—they could be men, women, or children!"
"But regardless, we don't need to carefully distinguish. Just catch them all!"
"Go! The inner city gates are wide open for us today! Do whatever you want! Avenge them and please yourselves! Only this way can you be true members of the Black Dog Knights!"
The members of the Black Dog Knights exchanged glances for a moment, then broke into greedy smiles.
Whether driven by avarice or fear, they all raised their weapons in agreement and roared their approval.
Soon, the Black Dog Knights slaughtered the soldiers guarding the gates and swarmed into the city in force.
They plunged into the sheepfold like starving wolves, descending upon the fragile, lit houses!
The devil's revelry had begun!