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I opened my eyes. I was in the abandoned warehouse, where I spent the most time lately. The crown of thorns lay on the floor, illuminated by the morning sun peeking through. I carefully picked up the crown with a limp hand and placed it inside the wooden box.

(Are you all right? This is the first time I’ve seen you tied to that pole all night.)

I shook my head as I untied the ropes.

“No, no. My body is so stiff from sleeping tied to a pole. I need to stretch and sleep in a proper bed tonight.”

I straightened my bent knees and twisted my body around, my bones screaming in pain as I did so, though I felt better after a few laps around the warehouse. I also had to thank the Holy Sword, who restored my body to some degree.

(While I did tell you to push yourself, please don’t overdo it. I’m sure you know where that line is.)

“…Okay. Thanks.”

I glanced at the clock on the warehouse wall after I felt revitalized. ‘How do I still wake up at 5 o’clock, even when I slept tied to a pole? The power of a habit is scary.’

I tidied up the ropes, grabbed my necklace, and left the warehouse. Only a few people would be busy working this early in the morning. I held my necklace and cautiously made my way to the outbuilding where the rest of the party was staying, hoping not to be spotted. I could hear Georg, an early riser like me, running through the grounds near the outbuilding. Diligent bastard.

As I entered the outbuilding, I saw Marianne sitting still, seemingly lost in thought. She must have sensed my presence because she opened her closed eyes and looked at me. I set my briefcase on one of the tables and walked over to her.

“Do you normally wake up at this time?”

“No. My eyes opened early, and I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I meditated for a while.”

Marianne always had the same look on her face. It only changed occasionally when she was surprised, but she usually didn’t show emotions. It didn’t bother me, so I decided to bide my time and watch her more.

“You wake up early, Hero.”

I told her to call me Elroy, but she still called me Hero. ‘Why are you so stubborn about this?’

“I usually wake up around this time. I just went for a short walk on my way back. Georg was running outside. Did you see him?”

“Yes. He asked me where the Hero had gone, so I told him I hadn’t seen him either.”

“…Well, tell Georg later.”

I sat down across from Marianne and stretched. We still have time before going out on patrol, so I might as well kill some time here and then wash up.

“Do you want me to make you some tea?”

Marianne asked, looking at me. I blinked but eventually nodded, eager to eliminate the chill that had seeped into my body. Marianne stood up from her seat at my acknowledgment and walked over to where the simple kitchen was set up.

(You’re more relaxed than I thought.)

The Holy Sword said in a sharp voice. ‘I’ve been suffering all night; you can give me this much.’ After a few moments of small talk, Marianne returned with steaming hot tea and biscuits.

“Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Marianne replied nonchalantly, then sat down and wrapped her hands around the cup. I sipped my tea in silence, then looked at Marianne and asked.

“Are you nervous or scared?”

Marianne shook her head.

“Why would I be scared?”

“The war. The Fourth Disaster that approaches.”

“I am a Puritan. I can’t be afraid of an enemy of God I’ve never seen.”

She shook her head from side to side as she spoke.

“All I can do is follow you and defeat the enemy.”

“…You trust me?”

“I merely follow your orders.”

Marianne nodded and said so. At her unhesitating behavior, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. She sipped her tea, expressionless.

***

“We will increase the number of patrols from three to five.”

Archduke Quenor declared. He seemed intent on covering as much ground as he could.

“Each patrol will be closely spaced so that you can closely check on each other for safety. And….”

The Archduke turned his head toward our party.

“This time, Elroy, I’m not going to keep your party together but rather separate you into each patrol, if that’s okay with you?”

Rather than concentrating our forces together, we will split them evenly between each patrol. I looked back at Georg.

“…You want my opinion?”

Georg raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“I’m in favor. Now that we have enough patrol experience, there is no reason to keep us all together. I would rather have one of us on each patrol to increase the average strength.”

Archduke Quenor puckered his lips, then made the assignments. He was assigned to Patrol One, and I to Patrol Two. Georg, Marianne, and Daphne to Patrols Three, Four, and Five, respectively.

“This patrol not only checks the risk factors in the area but also has the purpose of checking how the monsters will form a front line. We must also identify the vulnerabilities in the event we are forced into a defensive battle.”

The power in Archduke Quenor’s words had the ability to lift the morale of the knights and soldiers. He didn’t say much, just a simple overview of the operation, but there was a noticeable increase in their focus. Or it could be the fact that he was there.

“And, as of today, Evernode will enter a state of war. The walls will be reinforced, and the equipment will be inventoried and repaired.”

With that, Archduke Quenor turned his head toward the outer wall. He had been looking at it a lot lately. The gates creaked and lifted. Evernode’s soldiers were not fazed by the chill that rushed in from the outside.

“All right, let’s go. The purpose of the mission is reconnaissance and the start of the information war.”

I watched as our groups parted ways, then urged my horse forward with a firm grip on the reins. Today, I alone must lead the men of Patrol Two.

“If anything seems out of place, please let me know immediately. We’ll march slower than usual.”

“I’ll do whatever you want me to do, Hero!”

“No matter how good you’ve been lately, we can all keep up with you!”

The Northern soldiers shouted confidently and cheerfully. I smirked at them and lightly nudged my horse’s flank.

The patrol moved differently than usual, scanning the terrain they knew by instinct and taking note of anything that caught their eye. The forest was noisy. I thought it was because so many patrols were in the woods at once, but we weren’t the only guests this time.

“Raven up ahead. It’s moving around like crazy.”

“Troll spotted at two o’clock, 40 paces. I’m going to go and make quick work of it.”

“Eleven o’clock. White wolf pack. There are quite a few of them, so let’s make a beeline for them.”

There were monsters, lots of them. My enhanced senses were constantly picking them up. Since I couldn’t move to defeat them individually, I took out as much as I could that stood on the path to the North’s Eye. (TN: Same thing as Eye of the North)

“…There wasn’t anything here yesterday, so why are there so many today?”

A knight asked me. I frowned, looking down at the decapitated leader of the white wolf pack at my feet.

“They are either slowly pushing forward or sending scouts like us. We won’t be able to tell until we see it ourselves.”

At my words, the knight’s face hardened.

“…Either way, we’ll have to be on our guard. Maybe the lake has started to freeze over, and they can cross more easily now.”

“We’ll speed up a bit. We may be in danger if the limit is closer than we estimated. If the other patrols have realized that, they’ll be heading for the lake as fast as we are, so we’d better hurry.”

I jabbed the horse’s flank with my heel again. The horse looked around nervously and whinnied, then moved again at my urging.

(…I don’t have a good feeling about this. Stay alert.)

Even the Holy Sword, which tended to stay quiet while I was on my patrols, warned me. I began to circulate the mana in my heart. The end of the forest was rapidly approaching. I hurried on, slicing through the monsters that stood in my way. The chill grew stronger. I couldn’t even see the lake, but I already could see my breath coming out of my mouth.

“…Hero.”

I nod at the voice beside me and pick up the pace. The light and visibility blocked by the forest began to open up. I pushed past the last of the trees, and as soon as I reached the North’s Eye, I was at a loss for words.

“Shit.”

I didn’t even need to get closer to confirm it. The water was white and icy. I lifted my gaze from the lake and peered at the ridge on the other side.

“It’s close.”

The threshold was already over the mountain, looming in front of the lake. The sky was white with the falling snow.

And I could feel it so clearly. The terrible things lurking beyond that white veil, drawn as firmly as a border.

“…When the rest gather here, we must start moving together.”

I said, looking toward the forest. The horizon was approaching much faster than the Archduke, and I had anticipated. As I gritted my teeth, a figure appeared through the bushes.

“…Grrrr.”

It wasn’t a humanoid creature, nor was it a normal monster. It was a white wolf, a fucking giant white wolf.

“Poor humans who walked right into the wolf’s maw.”

The wolf ‘spoke.’

“Your blood will be an aperitif for His Great Step.”

The rustling behind the wolf’s back grew louder. Dozens of white wolves appeared one by one. I gritted my teeth and drew my Holy Sword. One by one, the knights and soldiers behind me also drew their swords.

“…Roy. Signal flare.”

The knight, Roy, drew his signal flare at my words, but it never flew out. I followed his gaze to the sky.

“Fuck”

In the pristine summer sky, simultaneous signals for help were shooting upward.

“Abandon hope. Put down your swords.”

The wolf spoke over the sound of the flares exploding in the background.

“Be still, sacrifices.”