Although they were mentally prepared, the tragedy in the village still shocked the members of the condolence group.
As far as the eye could see, there was not a single living person, only mutilated corpses. In the square in the middle of the village, Williams was fighting with a Corpse Eater. This was a level-six abyssal monster. It had the advantage in terms of level, and coupled with the monster's unique tyrannical body, it caused a lot of trouble for His Highness the Third Prince at the beginning of the battle.
However, Williams did not panic. After stabilizing his position, he launched a counterattack with a sharp royal swordsmanship. When Earl Vergil arrived with his men, the two sides were fighting fiercely. The scale of victory was already tilting towards the third prince's side.
Vergil sighed inwardly. As expected of a man from the Reinhardt family. Even the third prince, who had the most average reputation in the capital, could perform so well in the face of danger. He could already see that if the battle continued, the final winner would be Williams. To be able to defeat a stronger opponent in the first life or death battle, this was not something an ordinary person could do.
Despite his emotions, the earl did not plan to just stand aside and watch. He was the assistant of the condolence group, and it was his duty to protect the prince. As he gave the order, everyone worked together and helped Williams kill the Rot Eater.
The third prince sheathed his sword and asked, panting, "Where are the other monsters?"
Shermie took out a handkerchief from his luggage and handed it to Williams. He was stunned. "What other monsters?"
Earl Vergil said, "I just sent someone to check this village. Except for the one you encountered, there are no other monsters here. According to the name list found in the village, there used to be more than three hundred people in this village. There should be no survivors. We'll have to wait for the specific results."
The third prince shook his head. "No."
"What's wrong?"
"A village made up of more than three hundred ordinary people is no match for the monsters. But if there are only two monsters, the corpses won't be so concentrated in the center of the village. After discovering the monsters, the villagers should run for their lives immediately, unless …" Williams wiped the sweat off his face. "You said there are two villages here. Where's the other one?"
Earl Vergil's expression turned serious. "The other village is less than six miles away from here. It's larger, with about seven hundred people."
"Those monsters just left not long ago. We might be able to make it in time!" Williams threw away his handkerchief and was about to mount his horse when Count Vergil grabbed him from behind. The count pleaded, "Your Highness, leave this matter to me. Just give me half of your men, and take the rest to Alkens to ask for help. The Empire's Eighth Knight Division is there."
"It's too late. Alkens is too far away. It'll take at least a month to get there. There aren't any decent guards in the nearby towns. We're the most elite force of the empire within three hundred miles and the only hope for those seven hundred people."
Vergil smiled bitterly. "This time, it might be a monster tide like the one in the north. We'll probably die in vain if we rush there. Forget about the others, but you are the Third Prince of the Empire. If something happens to you here, who can bear the responsibility?"
"It is precisely because I am a man of the Reinhart family that I cannot retreat." Williams spoke word by word. There was no longer any of the ridicule and frivolity on his face. It was as if he had become a completely different person. At this moment, he looked steady and mature. He gave off the dignity of the royal family, and no one dared to look at him directly.
"They are subjects of the Reinhart family. If we can't fight for them, when that day comes, how can we ask them to fight for us?!" Williams jumped onto his horse and drew his sword again. "Those who are willing to go to the other village, follow me. The rest of you can follow Count Vergil to ask for help from Alkens. Don't worry. No matter which side you choose, you are protecting the empire. His Majesty will definitely reward you for your loyalty."
After saying that, he rode the white horse and rushed out of the village, not caring how many people responded to him. Barber followed him without hesitation. Ever since Ursula was settled, this honest and kind man had made up his mind to repay the prince with his life. Shermie's expression changed several times. Finally, he gritted his teeth and followed Barber. He knew that he did not perform well before, but he was clear about his position. He was just a mascot who was responsible for the entertainment. Williams never expected him to play any real role.
However, it was different this time. The retainer knight could see that His Highness was ready to risk his life this time. If he flinched at this moment, he would definitely leave a very bad impression on Williams, which would be no less than a devastating disaster for him who relied on flattery to get by. Therefore, for the sake of future glory and wealth, he could only brace himself to do it.
As for the others, they fell into a short silence.
Then, someone took the lead and saluted Count Vergil in a standard royal knight's salute, turned around, and jumped onto the back of the horse. More and more people followed the Third Prince.
What Williams said might not sound like much to the others, but to the guards of the condolence group, it was like a thunderclap. After all, they were all selected from the First Royal Knight Legion, and most of them were nobles. They valued honor and chivalry very much. To put it nicely, they were a bunch of idealists, but to put it bluntly, they were a bunch of naive rich kids who had never experienced any setbacks since they were born.
After encountering the monster, they were scared and worried, and even thought of running away like ordinary people. However, as long as someone raised his arm and shouted, the blood in their chest would boil and turn into a fire that could burn everything.
Since that's the case, let me give you a helping hand as well. Vergil smiled bitterly. Along the way, he thought he had understood Williams, but now he realized that he had been too optimistic. This prince, who had a mediocre reputation in the capital, was much more complicated than he appeared. Whether it was his observation skills or his ability to incite others, they were far superior to ordinary people.
But what surprised him even more was the determination displayed by Williams. Vergil felt that he could vaguely guess Williams's plan, and because of this, he was even more surprised. But now, he had no way out. Looking at the dozen or so guards who remained by his side, Vergil felt a surge of hot blood that he hadn't felt for a long time.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
