Chapter 31 - EPISODE 31 – WITCH’S FOREST (4) (2/2)

“Yes, the clothes that the skeletons were wearing…and more than anything, the Guardian Extermination Formation itself were all proof of that.”

Jude answered calmly and place his hand on Cordelia’s shoulder, who decided to shut her mouth tightly instead of interrupting him.

“Count Chase had a bit of connection with the Guardians of the Holy Cross. Thanks to that, Cordelia and I were able to learn about it.”

“Guardian Extermination Formation…”

“Yes, it’s the most basic battle formation used by the Guardians of the Holy Cross. It’s not comparable to Count Hræsvelgr’s Sage King’s Cross, but it’s a very sturdy formation. Right, Lady Cordelia?”

“Eh? Oh…yes, it is.”

Cordelia smiled awkwardly and nodded.

With her clear smile, she looked like a completely different person than when she swung the Moonlight.

“Whatever the circumstances, it seems that a group of Guardians became undead monsters after they were trapped in the barrier.”

“The Guardians became undead monsters…is it the power of the barrier?”

Lucas asked with a slightly frightened face, and Jude nodded slowly.

“It’s highly likely. But don’t worry too much. If we find the witch’s seal and break the seal, everything will be fine.”

When Jude answered softly, Lucas nodded with a stiff face, and soon made another expression.

‘Let’s handle this like an adult.’

To Lucas, Jude had acted like the reliable Sir Seornn, even though he was only a year older than him.

So in order to be a good rival, Lucas himself thought that he had to look mature.

But it was only for a while.

Lucas suddenly frowned, as he looked back at the destroyed skeletons and said.

“Mr. Bayer, Lady Cordelia. It may be a little unreasonable, but…I’d like to ask the two of you a favor.”

“What is it?”

“Can we bury them? If they are members of the Guardians of the Holy Cross, who have worked hard for the peace of the continent, leaving them like this is a little…”

Somehow, Cordelia agreed with Lucas’ words.

“With <Dig> magic, I can easily make a pit…how about making a large common grave?”

She was talking to Lucas, but her gaze was on Jude.

Jude looked at her and nodded.

“I agree. I also think that it’s not right for the members of the Guardians of the Holy Cross to be left in such a place.”

“Mr. Bayer, Lady Cordelia. Thank you very much.”

Lucas smiled brightly as he quickly put away his sword and began gathering the skeletons’ remains.

“I’ll look for a place.”

Cordelia briefly said as she looked around and soon settled down in a place that seemed to be okay and fired her <Dig> magic.

After a dozen minutes, the group buried the skeletons in one place and erected a tombstone with a sword. They then had a brief moment of silence as they remembered the dead.

“May the blessing of the Holy Spirit be with you.”

It was the brief moment after Jude recited a prayer in silence.

“Ah…”

Lucas sighed in admiration. Blue lights had risen like fireflies from the grave of the Guardians of the Holy Cross.

Cordelia unconsciously spoke.

“There are nine.”

It was a group of lights with the same number as the Guardians of the Holy Cross buried in the grave.

As if greeting them, the group of lights circled in front of Jude, Cordelia, and Lucas and then flew towards one place. And after they flew in a circle again, the lights soon scattered and disappeared.

“Aah…the members of the Guardians of the Holy Cross…”

Lucas was moved by the sight as he muttered quietly. On the other hand, Jude shouted inwardly as he clenched his fist.

‘Bingo!’

There were no events in the original story where Cordelia fought the Guardians of the Holy Cross who had become undead monsters in the witch’s forest, but there were quite a lot of events of a similar kind.

‘It’s a cliché that souls who have achieved their wish and can finally rest, would tell you where important objects are hidden.’

In fact, if Lucas didn’t come forward first, Jude himself was going to make an offer to do it too.

‘Cordelia must have had a similar idea.’

“That’s great. It turned out really well.”

When Jude turned to Cordelia, she spoke quietly with a flushed face. It seemed that she was relieved at the souls’ fortunate circumstances, seeing that her eyes were slightly red.

She would too, because Cordelia didn’t actually consider making a grave like Jude did.

It was just a skeleton in the game, but this place was reality.

There really was a group of the Guardians of the Holy Cross, and they wandered through the witch’s forest and became undead monsters.

How can she not feel sorry for them?

“I’m glad…I’m glad…”

The souls of the Guardians of the Holy Cross have finally found eternal rest.

With moist and wet eyes, Cordelia saw the lights scattering away. Meanwhile, Jude cleared his throat, somehow unknowingly became the bad guy who didn’t get swept up by the mood.

“Ahem, ahem.”

“Huh? Why? Are you not feeling well?”

“No, it’s just…you are kind, cute, and lovely.”

“What is this crazy bastard saying? Do you have a fever?”

Cordelia frowned in worry, but Jude simply shrugged and tapped the shoulder of Lucas who was still moved by the sight.

“Lord Lucas, the Guardians of the Holy Cross seemed to have left their last gift there.”

“Gift…ah! Indeed! They let us know!”

With his eyes wide open in wonder, Lucas ran straight to the place where the group of lights had gathered.

It was under a big tree with roots that were half-exposed, and it seemed like a good place to hide something underneath.

“Let’s dig.”

“Yes, Mr. Bayer.”

Lucas was excited by the hero-like development, and he took the lead in digging up the ground. Soon, a well-sealed wooden box was dug out.

Looking at the cross pattern engraved on the box’ surface, it was clearly an item of the Guardians of the Holy Cross.

“Lord Lucas should open it.”

“Me?”

“Yes, it was Lord Lucas who offered to make a grave for them. So you should open it.”

Cordelia recommended it following Jude’s statement, so Lucas’ cheeks were flushed as he nodded at the two.

“Then, I will open it.”

Though it was well-sealed, it was simply just a paper seal pasted on the wooden box.

Lucas took out a knife and opened the lid after tearing off the paper seal. What came out was a parchment inscribed with a complex formula.

“This is…”

“It’s a technique of the Guardians of the Holy Cross. It’s an attack skill that destroys demons…it seems that the Guardians of the Holy Cross had come here to repel the demonic hordes that were sealing the witch’s soul.”

Lucas nodded seriously at Jude’s explanation, before looking at Cordelia and asking.

“Lady Cordelia, can you use it?”

“Uh…yes, maybe.”

Honestly, she wasn’t confident, but there was also Jude, so she thought that it would somehow work.

“There’s also a book about the God’s Fist. Lord Lucas, can I take this?”

“Of course. I use a sword, so I’ll pass.”

When Lucas responded plainly, Jude smiled and took the martial arts book. It wasn’t a skill book like the one he got from the dungeon book, but it wouldn’t take a long time to learn it because of Jude’s memory and his Cheonmujiche.

“If the evil energy here is very strong enough to create undead monsters, then it seems that we’re moving in the right direction. We’ll be able to reach the center of the seal if we walk a little further.”

It was then when Lucas nodded at Jude’s explanation.

“Wait, wait a second.”

Cordelia quietly said as she suddenly jumped from her seat and started walking in one direction.

And Jude understood why she did so.

‘The voice of the witch.’

The witch’s soul was sealed at the center of the forest.

Cordelia turned to Jude as if to answer him. She nodded as her clear blue eyes shined.

“I can hear a voice.”

The call of the witch.

Cordelia raised her hand and pointed over the fog.