SM Chapter 62

62. The Cunning Tongue.

 

“…”

Jillian, who had been staring into the distance, suddenly turned around.

It felt like he had heard something just now.

He wasn’t sure what it was, but a chill ran down his spine, and his nape stiffened.

An unpleasant sensation crept over him. However, when he looked back, all he saw was white darkness—nothing else.

“…”

No matter how long he stared, nothing changed.

This place had only him, the snow, and the ferocious wind.

Even if there were something else, it would have already frozen solid.

A strange sound? 

What kind of noise could be heard in a place where the savage wind seemed to tear everything apart? 

Perhaps it was just his uneasy mind playing tricks on him.

Jillian rubbed his cold, numb hands over his face.

This wasn’t right. 

Thoughts kept bubbling up and stealing his focus.

‘I’ll wait for you.’

‘Come back soon.’

His mind was entirely consumed with Bianca.

He knew perfectly well that he shouldn’t be like this, but it was beyond his control.

He had come to this place willingly, even when he almost couldn’t let go of her hand or move his reluctant feet.

He needed to distance himself, and soon. But as much as he understood it was inevitable, he couldn’t help but feel crushed.

Jillian stared into the distant void with cold, sunken eyes.

“Ha…”

His white breath fogged his view for a moment, and a pale face, even whiter than his breath, surfaced vividly in his mind.

Her small face, full of emotion, had looked so disappointed. Even so, she had told him to go safely.

Jillian clenched his frostbitten hand, letting out a faint, deflated laugh.

‘She’s truly cunning.’

If only she had clung to him crying or gotten properly angry, he might not feel so conflicted.

If she did it knowingly, she was incredibly clever; if unknowingly, she was simply extraordinary. Either way, it was fitting for the mistress of Baloch.

Jillian’s expression stiffened abruptly as his thoughts wandered idly.

Through the dense, swirling snowstorm, he caught sight of something.

“Blatt!” he shouted.

Before an answer could return, he continued.

“Check on the knights! Find out where they are!”

Caught in the never-ending snowstorm, he had momentarily forgotten.

There wasn’t much time left.

A sudden realization struck him like lightning, filling him with unease.

“Blatt!”

Jillian’s shout echoed through the white sky.

Exhausted knights began returning one by one, soaked in snow and sweat.

The frozen ground was harder than stone, and they had barely dug up a fraction of what they’d aimed for. Yet, none of them showed hesitation or regret.

Before Jillian’s promised three hours were up, a different kind of heaviness enveloped them.

The air thickened and grew so dense that it seemed to isolate them from the rest of the world.

Even within arm’s reach, visibility was nil—nothing was visible at all.

The knights relied solely on Blatt’s shouted retreat orders to navigate their way back.

“Is everyone accounted for?”

“Not a single person is missing, sir.”

Inside the command room, Blatt reported while Jillian ordered the exhausted knights to move to the rear immediately.

Though invisible to others, the view beyond the window where Jillian’s gaze lingered was entirely blackened.

The Wave had begun. Everything was unfolding faster than anticipated.

Had he wavered and stayed to embrace Bianca as her disappointed face tempted him, he might have faced those creatures within the castle walls.

That mere thought sent shivers down his spine.

“…What shall we prepare first?”

A voice called, interrupting his thoughts.

“Hm?”

Jillian snapped out of it.

“Should we prepare the catapults first?”

“Wait.”

Jillian turned his gaze far into the distance beyond the window.

As he focused his enhanced sight, the black masses began breaking apart, their shapes becoming disturbingly clear.

Long, writhing tentacles and mouths spewing poisonous fog came into view.

Although these creatures moved slower than those that emerged first in the Wave, they were far more troublesome due to the toxic mist they emitted.

While their larger size made them easier to spot, their poison and fog posed significant challenges.

For Jillian, these creatures were manageable, but for his knights, limited visibility could prove fatal.

“Where are they?”

In the far distance, he spotted swarms of multi-legged creatures advancing. It seemed they had evolved, growing not only in size but also in speed.

Even after confirming all of this, Jillian couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling.

Tentacle monsters and multi-legged beasts alone shouldn’t be enough to create such an enormous fog.

“What’s wrong?”

Blatt asked, noticing Jillian’s unsettled expression as he approached.

Boom!

A sudden tremor rocked the ground beneath their feet.

The impact rattled their bones, and a heavy vibration climbed up through their legs, shaking their very skulls.

Though fear briefly surged through him, Blatt shook his head to dispel it and called out to Jillian.

“What was that?”

“Something troublesome has arrived.”

Half the knights stationed on the walls had collapsed, but Jillian stood tall, unmoving.

“A Grace Worm,” he muttered.

“Isn’t that just some oversized creature that burrows underground?”

Blatt asked, confused.

The Grace Worm was a magical beast resembling a two-hand-length slug.

Its name came from its rippling muscles, which resembled a noblewoman’s gown as it moved.

Although its tough hide and slimy surface made it troublesome to deal with, it was hardly a significant threat.

Even in groups, their numbers rarely exceeded ten.

But for a Grace Worm to create tremors like this? Blatt couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, it’s trying to burrow beneath us,” Jillian replied.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Blatt pressed, still not understanding.

Jillian removed his cloak and neatly laid it on the command room desk.

“The Evolution of Monsters”

“No matter how much monsters evolve, a Grace Worm is still just a Grace Worm.”

Despite their size doubling, the difference between two handspans and four handspans still seemed laughable.

“This one seems to have grown a bit more.”

Thud. 

Just as Jillian finished speaking, another massive tremor shook their surroundings, rattling their minds as if it were an earthquake.

“What… is this…”

Thud. 

Another colossal impact sent Blatt sprawling to the ground.

Jillian, standing firm, looked down at him and said,

“It seems one or two fortresses won’t suffice.”

“…What?”

Blatt’s bewildered voice was interrupted by a heavy, resonant wail that echoed through the air.

Kuuuurrr.

It was a sound reminiscent of a mountain rumbling just before an avalanche.

“No way.”

Blatt, who had been sprawled on the ground, flipped himself over and grabbed his telescope. But he didn’t need to use it—he couldn’t.

To be precise, there was no need.

Towering leather-like columns, protruding above the 7th fortress, were clearly visible to the naked eye.

Each was massive enough to seem like it could hold up the sky.

There was no room for misinterpretation.

The fluttering outer membranes and the slimy, putrid mucus flowing down the columns made it unmistakable.

These were impossibly large Grace Worms.

“Good heavens…”

“They’ve grown more than I expected.”

Jillian’s voice was calm, as though he were casually complimenting a child he hadn’t seen in years.

Blatt, on the other hand, turned pale, his face drained of all color.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Bianca, who had been quietly observing the man’s every move, felt a peculiar sense of unease pierce her momentarily like an illusion.

Before she could pinpoint its source, the man began to speak.

“I imagine news from the capital is of great interest to you?”

His tone was understated but direct, and his words carried a peculiar weight.

“Recently, monster hides have become all the rage in the royal city.”

“There’s always been a steady demand for monster hides, hasn’t there?”

“That was true in the past,” he replied.

“Back then, demand was primarily for equestrian goods. But now, it extends beyond gloves and boots—monster hide is being used for items like shoes and other accessories for noblewomen.”

His clear enunciation and confident voice made every word resonate.

“So much has changed since you were last there, hasn’t it?”

The deliberate pause in his speech made the statement seem layered with meaning.

Before Bianca could interject, he quickly continued,

“Demand for hides was always high, but now it’s incomparable. People spare no expense to obtain items made from monster hide. As a result, prices skyrocket almost daily.”

“And that’s why, the moment the snow stopped, everyone rushed into Baloch territory?”

“Yes, exactly. Without teleportation, we were quite anxious. It was quite the ordeal.”

“Indeed… But now you’re trapped here before you could sell a single thing?”

“We held on, hoping to secure just one more hide, and that’s when it happened. Ha ha. Opportunities like this only come once, after all.”

“I see.”

“Yes, that’s how it is. Who would willingly let go of such a chance?”

Among the knights of Baloch’ main castle, some remained suspicious of these merchants.

Their timely arrival at the main castle during the Duke’s absence raised eyebrows.

Likely, it was to avoid such scrutiny that the merchants volunteered to help around the fortress. But how were things now?

After telling a few entertaining stories and sharing their woes, they’d managed to win over the knights. Suspicion was replaced with sympathy.

However, Bianca grew increasingly wary.

The man’s impeccable manners, confident demeanor, and smooth storytelling were unsettling.

Without realizing it, he stirred emotions and loosened defenses.

This man was dangerous. She trusted her instincts.

“I think I’ll take my leave now. I’m feeling quite tired.”

“Have I made you uncomfortable?”

The man, clearly flustered, couldn’t hide his dismay at Bianca’s sudden departure, even though they’d been speaking for less than twenty minutes.

“I apologize if I’ve offended you in any way. Please, forgive me.”

All eyes turned to Bianca. After hearing the man’s plight, their gazes were filled with sympathy for him and disapproval toward her.

What a cunning man. 

With a few well-chosen words, he’d made her look like the villain without lifting a finger.

“There’s no need to invent offenses that don’t exist, just as you cannot alleviate my exhaustion.”

Bianca replied firmly.

The man fell silent, his lips pressed tightly together.

“Don’t fabricate guilt and seek pity from others. I’ve already received my ‘entertaining story’ from you, and in return, you’ve earned your stay here instead of wandering the fortress.”

“I did my best…”

“Do you think the Duchess of Baloch would find your dire circumstances an entertaining story?”

Bianca’s sharp retort caused the softened expressions of the knights to tighten once more.

Even the man’s gaze grew cold as it locked with hers.