**Chapter 107: Prince Rodel’s Frenzy II**
In the depths of the Subnock Plains, a boy lay collapsed on the ground, slightly distanced from the center where the Lord of the Demon Territory, the monstrous Subnock, reigned.
“Ugh… Ah…”
The boy let out a faint groan. His body was battered and bruised, limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Several ribs were broken, and pain coursed through him, so intense that he could not pinpoint its source.
(Why… am I… here…?)
The boy, Rodel Aiwood, struggled to think through his foggy consciousness. He couldn’t remember how he had ended up in this state. Had he suffered a tremendous shock? His memories were hazy, and he had no idea where he was or why he lay there.
“It hurts…!”
The only thing clear to him was the overwhelming pain. It was a wonder he was still conscious; the agony was unbearable. If only he could faint, perhaps it would bring him some relief… but it felt as if some unseen force was punishing him, refusing to let him slip into unconsciousness.
(Right… today was the Magic Hunt Festival. I was supposed to be hunting monsters in the plains with Gora and Tony…)
“Guh… Gora! Tony!”
Rodel strained to call out the names of his companions, forcing air from his lungs.
“Are you not here!? Hurry, come!”
Despite being his loyal followers, Gora and Tony did not appear. Rodel’s expression twisted in frustration as he shouted with all his might.
“I am calling for you! Get over here…!”
He attempted to move, but the pain was so intense that he felt utterly immobilized. Nevertheless, he managed to lift his head and scan the surroundings, spotting a familiar large figure a short distance away.
“Gora!”
It was the back of Gora Dora, the son of Count Dora. His muscular build and closely cropped hair were unmistakable. Gora stood with his back turned, hidden behind some underbrush in the plains.
“Gora, what are you doing!? I’m over here!”
“…………”
“Come help me! Can you not hear me!?”
“…………”
Rodel’s desperate cries went unanswered as Gora remained completely still. They were only a few meters apart; there was no way he couldn’t hear.
“Gora…?”
After calling his name several times, Rodel finally sensed something was wrong. As he stared at his companion’s back, something triggered a horrifying realization. Suddenly, Gora’s body collapsed backward.
“Hi…!?”
Gora fell toward Rodel, but his body was only half intact—his lower half was missing, as if dissolved by a powerful acid. Rodel felt nausea rise within him at the sight of his aide’s dismembered form.
“Gora… this can’t be… a joke…?”
Of course, Gora’s upper body did not respond. His lifeless eyes stared blankly at the sky, devoid of light.
“Right… I remember now…”
The death of a close acquaintance shook Rodel’s heart, triggering a flood of memories. He recalled advancing deeper into the plains, defeating monsters, until he reached the forbidden boundary. Beyond that lay the territory of the beast known as Subnock, the Lord of the Demon Territory. They had been warned sternly before the festival not to enter.
“Humph… how foolish.”
Yet, Rodel scoffed at such prohibitions. No matter how powerful Subnock was, it was merely a beast—just another insignificant monster. He arrogantly concluded that it was no match for someone chosen by the gods, someone like him.
“Entering Subnock’s territory… as long as I don’t cross the line, there should be no complaints, right?”
Rodel commanded his two followers to retrieve a certain magic item. It was a torch provided by Marquis Aiger, a supporter of the festival, imbued with the potent power of “Magic Lure.” Unlike a protective charm, this magic item attracted monsters. The smoke it emitted heightened their aggression, drawing them in.
As Gora lit the torch, crimson smoke billowed forth. Almost immediately, a massive six-legged beast emerged from the depths of the plains, its footsteps rumbling like an earthquake.
“GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
With a roar that pierced the eardrums, a colossal lion appeared, towering over them. Its six legs supported a head adorned with multiple glowing red eyes, and its gaping maw dripped with foul-smelling saliva that corroded the ground beneath it.
The Corrupting Evil Lion, Subnock, had arrived.
“What…!”
“This is…!”
Even Rodel, faced with the emergence of the Lord of the Demon Territory, froze momentarily. But he quickly recalled his purpose and gathered his magical energy.
“Alright, I’ll kill it! I’ll show everyone that I am the true ruler!”
This was the calamity beast that had eluded extermination by past kings, including the former monarch. By defeating it, Rodel Aiwood aimed to prove himself as the next king and a historical hero. He led his two aides into battle against the massive beast, but the outcome was disastrous.
Now, Rodel lay broken on the ground, while one aide lay dead and the other was missing, his fate uncertain.
“Why… how did it come to this…?”
For the first time in his life, Rodel felt a deep regret for his actions.
“I am… supposed to be the chosen one… Yes, I must be… My grandmother said so…!”
His grandmother, the Queen Dowager, had proclaimed him a hero, a person chosen by the gods to change history. He had lived believing those words, yet was this truly the fate of one favored by the heavens? The Queen Dowager had never been wrong. She was always right, which was why she had so many devoted followers.
“Could it be… I was wrong…?”
Was he truly mistaken? Was he not the chosen one, but just an ordinary person? If so… what had his life been up to this point? What would become of those he had trampled upon, believing he was special?
“What am I…?”
“Oh, there you are, Prince Rodel.”
“…………!”
A familiar voice called out to him. Turning his head, he saw a middle-aged man with a gentle expression—Marquis Aiger—looking down at him.
“I have come to fetch you. Allow me to carry you away from here.”
As Marquis Aiger spoke in a calm tone, he cast a healing spell on Rodel. Complete healing was impossible in this situation, but it would suffice for first aid. Once the treatment was complete, Aiger lifted Rodel onto his back and began to walk away from the plains.
“W-wait! Wait!”
Rodel shouted in a panic.
“There’s Gora’s corpse… and Tony is missing! I can’t just leave them behind…!”
“Ah, Gora Dora’s upper body, you say?”
Marquis Aiger glanced at Gora’s dismembered form lying a short distance away.
“To die obeying your command… how enviable. Surely, he found happiness in that.”
“Happiness… in this death…?”
“Yes. He was able to dedicate his life to you, recognized by the great Queen Dowager. What greater happiness could there be?”
Aiger declared with fervor, his breath heavy with excitement.
“Tony Boyle was also devoured by monsters over there… but surely, he too found fulfillment. You need not concern yourself with them. You should only think of living as a ruler… that is the wish of the Queen Dowager.”
“…………!”
Rodel, slung over Aiger’s back, could not see his face. Yet, he could sense the joy and madness radiating from his voice.
(What is this… what is this man saying…?)
In that moment, Rodel realized the abnormality of those who revered him as their lord. Those who invoked the name of his grandmother, the Queen Dowager, were clearly deranged, as if they had lost their sanity.
(Should I… continue to believe and move forward…? Can I trust this man, trust my grandmother’s words…?)
As he was carried by Marquis Aiger, Rodel questioned himself. He had finally begun to recognize his own foolishness, yet perhaps it would have been better for him to remain oblivious.
Awakened by Rodel, Subnock left the depths of the plains and headed straight for the outskirts. Driven by the monstrous beast, other creatures surged toward the entrance of the plains. Faced with the devastation and the lifeless body of his friend, Rodel was crushed by guilt for the first time in his life.