"Try not to be so tense. The villagers are probably fine."
Out of caution—and to accommodate Idri's ordinary stamina—the platoon advanced slowly on foot toward the village. That also gave Edwin time to reassure him.
"I... I think so too..."
Idri forced a smile, though his voice was weak. He seemed a little better than before, calmer at least.
"Before I joined the army, I was a farmer myself," Edwin continued. "Back then, the political situation in my hometown was chaotic. Bandits and marauders gathered in groups, raiding everywhere. They hit our area too. Many people were killed. Some villages tried to resist, but failed and were slaughtered in reprisal. Things only started to get better once Dazilet's army moved in."
"I see..."
Idri seemed surprised. He hadn't expected Edwin to share something like that, but it did draw his thoughts away from his fear.
"Maybe I'm not saying it very clearly," Edwin added, "but what I mean is—don't give up hope until the very last moment."
"Yes... I understand."
Edwin patted his shoulder once, then returned to the front of the squad.
...
The village itself seemed perfectly ordinary.
A wide dirt main road, silent houses on both sides, and a few chickens scurrying about, pecking at the ground for food.
There were several dried wagon ruts on the road, evidence of a recent light rain. As they went deeper into the village, footprints grew denser. By the time they reached the open space in front of the church, it was clear that every path leading there bore footprints—all heading toward the church. That, at least, confirmed something had happened here, and that the villagers likely went inside. It matched what Idri had told them.
They pushed open the church doors. Inside was a solemn, reverent hall. Compared with the grand church they'd seen in the town before, this one was modest, but the altar was still decorated with fresh flowers, gilded candleholders, and chalices. Long banners embroidered with the sigil of the Holy Church hung on either side, and murals depicting scenes of divine radiance covered the walls, their colors still vivid. The air was heavy with sanctity.
"Where's the cellar?"
Of course, the Night Knights weren't here to admire architecture. No matter how ornate the interior, their vigilance never faltered.
"This way, please—follow me..."
Before Nordhausen could speak, Idri stepped forward on his own to lead them. His nervousness was gone; he only wanted to know what had become of the people in that cellar.
They passed through a door beside the pulpit—its paint still fresh from a recent renovation—and entered what looked like a kitchen. The cellar entrance was hidden behind a cluttered shelving unit in the corner. After inspecting the interior, Nordhausen left the wooden trapdoor open. As they approached, a damp, foul stench drifted up from the darkness below, carrying with it an eerie chill.
"Something's not right."
Inaya frowned and covered her nose. Instinctively, she searched her memory for a clue, but the smell was unfamiliar—pungent, strange, and unmistakably dangerous.
"Not right? You don't say. But, Nordhausen, you could've warned us this place stinks worse than an outhouse..."
"Some clues can only be understood through... direct experience," Nordhausen replied evenly.
Edwin made a face of mock agony, waving a hand dramatically, while Nordhausen remained expressionless. Otto and Hielaina weren't faring much better; even the ever-composed Shatiel looked visibly uncomfortable.
"Let's go. At this rate, Idri's going to leave us behind."
Otto pointed at the dim silhouette of Idri descending ahead, then stepped onto the wooden stairs first.
The narrow passage barely allowed one person at a time. Carrying anything down here would already be a tight squeeze.
Half a dose of Type-3 solution enhanced Otto's vision enough that he could see clearly in the dark. He held his submachine gun in one hand, steadying himself against the wall with the other. Each creak of the old wooden steps sounded like it might give way beneath him.
Fortunately, the stairs weren't long. Soon, they reached a wider stone corridor, arched overhead and built from rough-cut masonry.
Idri took a torch from the wall, struck flint from his pocket, and lit it. After walking a short distance farther, he saw the large pit Nordhausen had mentioned.
"Huh? Where'd that cat come from?"
A black cat appeared out of nowhere and leapt straight into Hielaina's arms, startling her—but she instinctively caught it.
"Is it just me, or did this cat just roll its eyes at me?"
"It's not your imagination. I did roll my eyes at you."
"..."
The cat had spoken.
"Can you lift your hand a little higher? Never mind, I'll just stand on your shoulder."
With effortless grace, the black cat climbed onto Hielaina's shoulder and perched there, perfectly balanced.
Only then did Hielaina realize—this was Inaya.
"Don't tell me you've gone stupid from the smell. You saw me in this form the first time we met."
"Well, excuse me for not expecting you to suddenly turn into a cat right now!"
"It's cramped down here—what do you expect me to do?"
Indeed, the narrow passage only allowed two people to walk side by side, brushing shoulders as they moved. Including the four Night Knight soldiers who followed behind, there were eleven people in total—the ones at the back couldn't even see what was ahead.
"Alright, just stop talking. A talking cat still feels weird," Hielaina muttered.
"Fine, fine. I'll stop talking. I'll go take a look up front."
Seemingly distracted by something ahead, Inaya didn't bother to argue with her any further. The little black cat leapt lightly from shoulder to shoulder, finally landing on Otto's. He glanced at the cat, then turned to look back in confusion at where it had come from.
"That's Inaya," Hielaina called out helplessly.
Otto didn't seem particularly surprised—he just nodded thoughtfully, then leaned forward to look down into the pit below.
The hole was enormous—larger than the cellar itself—and extended straight down into darkness. The original cellar structure had completely collapsed, with only the right-hand wall still intact enough to indicate that this had once been a storage space. The rest of the surfaces, including the ceiling, were nothing but jagged, uneven dirt. It was hard to imagine how such a hole could have formed in the first place.
"This... this is impossible..."
Idri stared into the "abyss" below, eyes wide with disbelief. His family had been among those who took shelter in the cellar, yet now all that remained was this inexplicable pit.
"I'm going down there—"
"Wait!"
Seeing Idri grip the torch in his mouth and prepare to climb down along the wall, Otto quickly grabbed him by the arm.
Maybe that talk with Edwin had calmed him for a time, but now, faced with the reality of his missing family, Idri's composure shattered.
"I have to find my wife and my children!"
"Please, calm down first. We'll help you find them," Otto said, pulling him back with effort before signaling to Edwin to take him toward the rear.
"Don't hold me back!" Idri shouted, struggling violently.
"Hey—listen to me first!"
Holding onto Idri's wrists to keep him from breaking free, Edwin pushed him gently but firmly backward.
"We don't even know what's down there. How can you guarantee your safety? And look at the depth of this pit—if you slip and fall, even if we do find your family, it won't be worth the cost."
Idri hesitated, breathing heavily. Seeing that he was beginning to think, Edwin pressed on.
"We're professionals. You've heard of the Night Knights, haven't you? We've dealt with worse than this before. You can trust us."
It wasn't easy to restrain a man in such a cramped passage, but after Edwin's words sank in, Idri finally stopped resisting. Edwin managed to lead him toward the back safely, handing him over to two Night Knight soldiers standing guard there.
"Miss Inaya, what's your take on this situation?" Otto asked, naturally associating the scene before them with magic. In such matters, only Inaya's expertise could be relied upon.
"Well..." she said thoughtfully, her small feline form perched on his shoulder. "There are spells that can dig tunnels like this, but... I don't think that's what happened here."
For once treated with proper respect, Inaya unconsciously took on a more professional tone. Yet the gravity in her expression wasn't for show—it was genuine.
"What else could it be?" Otto pressed.
"I'm not sure. But given what Idri said..."
"A monster?"
"Possibly."
There was no way the villagers could have dug a pit like this. Even if the entire village worked nonstop, it would've taken them half a year, and there were no traces of excavation or tools anywhere.
It was possible, though, that someone else—perhaps the Church of Davole—had been conducting some kind of secret construction here, which eventually collapsed in an accident. Inaya had seen the Holy Church's underground facilities before, but she couldn't tell what this was supposed to be for—and there was no trace of magitek equipment nearby either.
Considering that foul, almost nauseating stench wafting up from below, it might actually be the odor of some unknown creature. And if that were true... the fate of the villagers could be grim indeed.
"Everything's a mess right now," Otto said. "Idri himself doesn't seem to know what's going on, and this pit doesn't really give us any solid clues."
"So... we'll have to go down there," Inaya concluded.
Otto sighed, his eyes still fixed on the dark depths.
A faint, ghostly wind seemed to rise from below, barely perceptible at the mouth of the pit. At least that meant the shaft wasn't completely sealed—there was an opening somewhere that led to the outside world.
"Alright," Otto said finally. "Let's figure out how to proceed."
He turned around, his gaze sweeping across the cramped passage packed full of Night Knights. Inaya leapt lightly from his shoulder to the ground, landing without a sound.
"We'll leave one squad here in case anything happens. The other squad will descend and investigate. The exploration team is to focus on reconnaissance—avoid unnecessary risks. Based on what we know, there's a chance we'll encounter some kind of creature down there."
He paused for a moment. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"The squad staying here will maintain observation as before. Keep watch on both the passage and the village above. That should cover it."
"Alright, then I'll go this time," Edwin volunteered, squeezing his way to the front.
"Damn it... this place is tight as hell," he muttered as he straightened his gear, waiting for Otto's order to move.
"I'll go with you."
An unexpectedly firm voice came from the rear. Everyone turned — it was Hielaina.
"With respect, Your Highness, this operation has a lot of unknowns. I think it's safer for you to stay here."
"What, afraid to have me with you?"
"But—"
Truly Hielaina; one sentence and Otto was left speechless, unsure how to refute her. He almost missed the earlier, slightly naïve Sennia—no, given Hielaina's true status, that impression had never been entirely accurate to begin with; some soft recollection in Otto's mind quietly dissolved.
"Don't worry so much. If there's danger, I won't be a burden to you."
"No, that's not what I meant..."
Having reached that point, Otto had little choice but to agree.
"Do you hear anything?"
Nordhausen's sudden question put everyone instantly on edge.
"...An explosion... and... the roar of some beast?"
The sounds were faint, but if you listened closely you could make them out.
"Situation's changed — everyone, prepare to engage!"