“...In the no-man’s land?”

Count Léon Benning furrowed his brow as he asked. It was rare for his expression to change so naturally, as it usually remained composed and controlled. Léon Benning typically dined alone, without his wife or retainers, unless it was a particularly special occasion.

The servant delivering the message bowed his head and nodded. Léon Benning emptied his wine glass.

“Yes. According to Roberto Miller’s report, the number of monsters breaching the wall beyond the cliff at the edge of the no-man’s land has dramatically increased. Thousands of them are attacking the walls.”

Count Benning rubbed his eyes and asked in a measured tone.

“The knights have been deployed for support, I assume.”

“Yes. The royal family immediately ordered the knights to head for the no-man’s land.”

As Count Benning extended his glass, another servant standing by poured more wine. Benning swirled the wine gently in his glass, filling it only to the bottom. The blood-red wine swayed and shimmered within the glass.

“I doubt they’d send just a few knight orders if that many monsters are breaching the wall.”

Léon Benning drew out his words, his tone suggesting deep contemplation. The servant noticed that the count’s usually emotionless eyes now glimmered with something else.

Opportunity.

It was the look of a hunter driving prey into a trap. Léon Benning set the glass back down on the table.

“So, what has the royal family done in response?”

The servant swallowed dryly, overwhelmed by the intensity in Benning’s gaze. The count, known as one of the kingdom’s strongest men, was displaying a fierce resolve. Few could withstand such a forceful presence. The servant, feeling the pressure, continued his report.

“The royal family has drawn troops from its direct forces and sent them as reinforcements to the no-man’s land.”

Léon Benning’s gaze grew even sharper.

“And the number? How many soldiers did the royal family deploy?”

With trembling hands, the servant placed Roberto’s report on the table. Léon Benning took the paper and began reading it.

“While the exact number isn’t clear...”

“A thousand.”

Léon Benning read the report aloud.

The royal family had decided to send about a thousand troops, along with the knight orders, to the no-man’s land.

“A thousand, you say.”

Benning’s voice brimmed with heat. It was sharp and dangerous, like a blade freshly forged in fire.

“A thousand!”

A sinister grin spread across Léon Benning’s face. Those who knew him well would have felt a chill down their spine. His fighting spirit was surging. Nearly half of the kingdom’s core forces that guarded the capital had been deployed.

“And surely there’s more to tell.”

Léon Benning continued reading the report. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he reached the final lines written by Roberto.

A royal emergency council is being held. It is highly likely that the king will request additional troops from high-ranking nobles and dispatch them to the no-man’s land.

“The once cautious King has lost his composure when it comes to matters related to the no-man’s land.”

Léon Benning casually made this irreverent remark. His shoulders shook ever so slightly as he continued reading the report.

“It’s time to gather our forces.”

The servant gasped at the count’s declaration.

“First, we’ll need to contact the Second Prince... and the Bourdain family. And you.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The servant straightened up, fully focused on Léon Benning.

“Summon the commander of our family’s knights. There are important matters to discuss.”

Benning’s plan was clear: bring the army into the capital, slowly tighten control over it, and claim the city without spilling blood.

“A very secret conversation.”

_________

 

The Raven Knights charged towards the frontier like madmen.
The royal palace didn’t hesitate to send reinforcements along with the knights. Troops conscripted from various noble estates were set to follow closely behind the knight orders.

Despite leading around a thousand soldiers, the Raven Knights arrived a day earlier than usual, as they deemed there was no time to rest. Even the troops stationed at the entrance of the border didn’t look relieved upon seeing the reinforcements.

“You’ve arrived, Dame Theodora.”
“The Margrave is waiting for you.”

The soldiers hurriedly escorted the Raven Knights into the border region.

The landscape within the frontier was different from the last time. The entire city had become a supply route, with resources constantly being transported to the walls, while the wounded were continuously carried away.

“The situation looks dire,” Paola remarked, her brows furrowing. Maxime remained silent, scanning the scene. Cries of orders and groans of pain echoed, blending with the clashing sounds of steel and stone.

“...Did something like this happen 15 years ago?” Maxime asked Paola.
“They seem to be handling it much better than back then. The supply routes are already well-established.”

Paola’s gaze darkened as she observed a soldier being carried on a stretcher, his arm severed below the elbow, blood pouring out. The medics carrying him had their heads wrapped in bandages. Behind them, bodies covered in cloth were being dragged along in a steady procession.

Maxime followed Paola’s gaze and bit his lip at the sight. Roberto, half-awake, was staring at the same grim scene.

“...This is truly hellish.”
“You’re telling me you earned a hero’s reputation in a place like this, old man?”

In response to Maxime and Roberto’s remarks, Paola replied in a stern voice.

“This is the true face of the no-man’s land that I know. I can’t tell if it’s fortunate or unfortunate that it’s finally revealing its true nature.”

The knights of the no-man’s land, who had been guiding them, were now conversing with Theodora. Her face had also gone pale at the horrifying sight in front of her.

“The Margrave is currently holding off the monsters at the wall,” one of the frontier knights said.

Theodora asked in a flat tone, “Is support urgently needed?”
“We’ve been fighting for 24 hours straight... but for now, there’s a temporary lull. We’re transporting the wounded and recovering the dead.”

Theodora turned her gaze towards the distant wall. The frontier knight noticed her glance and added in a hushed tone.

“Even now, the soldiers on that wall are fighting a bloody battle.”

Theodora’s expression hardened. She turned back to the Raven Knights and the supporting troops.

“Let’s head to the wall immediately.”

Without further words, the frontier knights led the way, and the Raven Knights and their soldiers followed at full speed.

As they approached the wall, the din of the city began to fade, replaced by the sounds of claws scraping against stone, the cries of beasts, and roaring. To Maxime, it was a terrible noise, dredging up memories of the time he had stood at the cliff's edge, pondering life and death alongside Theodora. But now, those sounds were amplified a hundredfold. The groans of the wounded and the shouts of those transporting supplies were drowned out.

Ahead, the soldiers at the wall were shouting.

“Reinforcements are here!”
“Damn it, how long were you planning to make us wait?!”

It was hard to tell if the shouts were expressions of relief or frustration. Either way, it was clear that the soldiers on the wall were desperate.

“Let’s head to the Margrave first.”

Theodora, following the knights’ lead, headed toward the Margrave’s tent. Knights and soldiers rushed in and out of the tent, occupied with various tasks.

“Margrave,” one of the knights called out.

The Margrave responded in an unusually irritable tone.

“What is it? If it’s not urgent...”

“Reinforcements have arrived.”

The Margrave lifted his head and looked at Theodora, standing at the entrance of the tent. A map lay on the table in front of him, marked with red lines and symbols across various points.

“Theodora, you’ve arrived.”
“We’ve come to support you, by order of the royal family.”

The Margrave nodded and tapped the map.

“I sent out the call for reinforcements so long ago... yet it’s only been a month since then.”

It had been a while since they’d last seen the Margrave, and he looked worn down with fatigue. It wasn’t the typical weariness of paperwork that haunted his gaze—this was deeper. Dark shadows loomed under his eyes, hinting at sleepless nights.

“How cruel. I thought we could at least hold on for a month.”

Despite his exhaustion, his eyes still burned with a fierce light. Even as he faced the Raven Knights, his mind seemed consumed with thoughts of how to kill the monsters clinging to the wall. He tapped the table again as he spoke to Theodora.

“You’ve seen the city, haven’t you? We’ve issued an evacuation order.”

The Margrave let out a deep, heavy sigh as he slumped into his chair. His battered insignia, scratched and worn, told the story of someone who hadn’t taken off their armor in days.

“As soon as the number of monsters started increasing, I ordered an evacuation. People were told to take only the bare essentials and leave. You may have seen them on your way here.”

“...Yes, we passed through the nearby city of Myura. There were far more carts and people than usual,” Theodora responded.

The Margrave nodded, seemingly relieved, and took a long draw from his pipe. As he exhaled, a thick cloud of smoke escaped his lips. He set the pipe aside and continued speaking.

“Well, then we can rest easy. Myura... that must be part of Count Agon’s territory.”

“Yes, Count Agon would have gladly taken in the refugees.”

The Margrave nodded again.

“Yes, he would. He took in our people 15 years ago... I hope he’s just as willing this time.”

“Damn it.”

The Margrave ran a hand through his hair, now white and thinning, as it fell limp around his face. He irritably pushed it back.

“Still, it’s fortunate that His Majesty sent troops immediately. Without them, we would have been breached.”

He gestured with his chin toward the outside of the tent.

“...But even they must be at their limits by now. The arrival of the reinforcements might give us a moment to breathe, but there’s no way we can hold off the monsters for days on end. Fifteen years ago, hundreds—no, thousands of people died.”

The Margrave’s thoughts grew heavier.

“It’s like trying to stop the tide with human hands. The monsters surging in now are just like that.”

Theodora observed the Margrave’s increasingly irritated expression.

“Even for the no-man’s land, this isn’t a normal situation. The only way to turn the tide is to kill Behemoth, the one who controls the monsters.”

As difficult as it might be to hold back the monsters, slaying Behemoth was the only hope.

The Margrave clicked his tongue in frustration. Theodora cautiously asked him, “...May I inspect the situation now?”

“As much as you like. You’d end up seeing it sooner or later anyway.”

The Margrave stood up and gestured for Theodora to follow.

“This lull won’t last long.”

The Margrave exited the tent, the flaps billowing as he strode outside.

“We don’t know when those damn monsters will attack again.”

No sooner had Theodora followed him out of the tent than a sudden alarm bell rang out from the watchtower. The bell tolled ominously in the crimson twilight, splitting the sky with its sound. Something was approaching from beyond the walls. The earth rumbled with a deep, unsettling vibration.

Deng, deng, deng, deng.

Knights and soldiers near the walls, those loitering around the tents, and even those resting with their weapons set aside, all turned pale as they rushed toward the wall.

“Get the lift moving! If you can’t use it, climb!”
“Bring more arrows! Where are the archers?!”
“Battle stations! Everyone, take your positions! Reinforcements, fall back and cover the front lines!”

Theodora looked up at the towering walls. At the top of the walls, the fading light of the setting sun cast long shadows.

“Hold the line! They’re coming...!”

The presence of the monsters grew heavier from beyond the wall.

And then, the shadowy figures of the beasts began to leap over the wall, blotting out the sun.