It had been a few days since Elizabeth vanished from the palace, embarking on her own journey.
Meanwhile, Shin Yato trekked southward through the forest.
A group of hunters returning from the hunt called out to him from behind.
"Hello, young man," one said with a friendly voice and face.
Shin Yato glanced back. "Me?" he asked.
The hunter in his mid-thirties chuckled. "Yes, who else is there other than you?" His cheerful expression matched his tone.
Shin Yato stopped. The man approached, a dead boar slung over his shoulder. "Handsome young man, what are you doing in the forest alone?"
"Going to the Holy Kingdom," Shin Yato replied calmly.
"Woah, Holy Kingdom? It'll take days to get there—unless you fly or run as fast as the wind." The hunter laughed heartily.
Shin Yato didn't respond.
"Oh, sorry—I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kalosirtes." He smiled, then pointed to his four companions one by one. "The tall one is Jeer. Next to him is his wife, Lumi—she might look fragile, but she's damn strong. The one with the bow is Tam, and the last one with the handsome face is Sarko.
"He turned back to Shin Yato. "So, young man, what's your name?"
"Shin Yato," he replied calmly.
"Ooh, you have a last name. Are you a noble?" Kalosirtes asked with a smile and evident curiosity.
"No." A small smile tugged at Shin Yato's lips.
"Huh! I thought you were a noble," Kalosirtes said, confused but still smiling.
Shin Yato tilted his head. "Why would you think that?"
"Because only nobles have last names, and you're wearing such nice clothes."
"No, and the clothes were given to me by someone." Shin Yato's small smile lingered.
"They must be very generous to give you such luxurious clothes." Kalosirtes laughed.
"Yes, they were very generous." Shin Yato smiled.
Kalosirtes noticed the sword at Shin Yato's waist. "So, are you a wandering knight?" he asked, confusion mixing with curiosity and a big smile.
"No."
"Aah... really?" Kalosirtes muttered lowly.
Hunter Sarko sauntered up from behind. "Why are you asking so many questions to someone you just met?" He smirked smugly at Shin Yato.
"Do you know what people call me?
A beast—because I kill animals with my mouth by biting them." He strode past them.
Kalosirtes waved it off with a smile. "Don't mind him. He's not a bad person; he just acts like that sometimes."
"It's okay. I didn't mind at all." Shin Yato smiled.
From behind, Lumi called out, "Why don't you rest at our village for the night? We're almost there, and the sun is setting."
Excitedly, Kalosirtes jumped in. "Yes, you should stay. You can sleep at my house. It's dangerous at night, and my wife is a great cook—you'll love her cooking."
Shin Yato paused, then said calmly, "Okay."
"By the way, you're such a mysterious young man," Kalosirtes added with a laugh.
"You're carrying a sword but you're not a knight, your name... hmm, it's so different—I've never heard of it—and you were wandering alone in the forest."
Hunter Tam grinned. "Kalosirtes, you should stop asking so many questions. You're such a yapper."
Kalosirtes replied loudly and friendly, "Whaattt... and you should show some respect—I'm older than you."
Tam smiled mockingly. "You're just one year older than me."
"Even if it's one year, it's a big age gap. Huh, do you know how many seconds, days, weeks, months, and seasons are in one year? So show some respect."
"Okay, okay, siiiirrr. You're such a yapper—both of you, don't you agree?" Tam said calmly.
Jeer and Lumi agreed with small laughs.
Kalosirtes glanced at them lowly.
"Okay, I'm going to stop asking questions." Then he scanned around. "Where did Sarko go?"
Tam smirked. "Again with the questions?"
Jeer mocked, "Sarko already went ahead while you were so focused on asking questions."
"You too?" Kalosirtes groaned, annoyed.
Tam, Jeer, and Lumi laughed at him,
while Shin Yato walked silently with a bored expression.
A few minutes later, they reached the village. It was small but lively, encircled by massive wooden walls.
They bid each other goodbye and headed to their homes.
Shin Yato followed Kalosirtes to his house.Still carrying the boar, Kalosirtes smiled. "You must be surprised, right, seeing the big wooden walls with no guards?"
"Not really," Yato replied calmly.
A man shouted from nearby, "Oh, you hunted a big boar today! Bring the meat to my shop tomorrow!" He laughed.
"Okay," Kalosirtes called back. Then, quieter, "Our village might be small, with a population of 150, but we look after each other like a big family." A small smile crossed his face.
A passing priest said, "Good evening," with a calm voice and smile.
"Good evening, priest," Kalosirtes replied, smiling.
"Do you remember? The day after tomorrow, there'll be a feast in the village," the priest added calmly.
"How can I forget that, priest? Don't you worry—I'm gonna hunt a big prey." Kalosirtes laughed big.
After a few more words, the priest said goodbye and left.
Kalosirtes boomed, "This time you must be surprised, right? For such a small village, there is a temple."
"Yes," Shin Yato said.
Kalosirtes blinked in surprise. "You were...?" He laughed.
They arrived at his house and entered.
"Lily?" Kalosirtes called.
His wife emerged seconds later, wiping her hands on a cloth. "Welcome home, honey."
Their son ran up playfully and hugged him. Kalosirtes smiled. "Did you behave well while I was away?"
The boy nodded eagerly.
"Yes, and I also helped Mom with the laundry!"
His smile beamed.
"Ooh, my son is a good boy." Kalosirtes grinned, then added,
"Huh, I forgot to introduce. This is my wife, Lily, and my son, Anre. And this handsome young man is Shin Yato—he's going to sleep here today, okay? I'm going to take this boar to the storeroom, so Shin Yato, make yourself comfortable."
As Kalosirtes left,
Lily smiled. "Please sit down while I prepare the food."
Her son tugged her clothes. "When will dinner be ready?"
"Just wait a little; dinner is almost ready," she said calmly, smiling.
But the child threw a tantrum.
Lily's voice sharpened angrily.
"Stop it. If you continue behaving like this, I'm going to complain to your father about your behavior."
The son started crying for food. Her heart melted at the sight. She comforted him cheerfully.
"Don't cry. Aren't you a strong boy? Go wait until I call you for dinner, my mighty hero."
He agreed and scampered to his room.
Lily turned to Shin Yato with an awkward smile.
"I'm sorry, sir, for my son's behavior."
"It's okay." Shin Yato smiled and sat at the dinner table.
As Lily prepared the remaining dishes, she asked, "Sir, how did you meet my husband?"
With a tired smile, Shin Yato replied, "I met him and his companions in the forest."
"In the forest? Alone?" Lily said calmly, surprised.
"Yes," he answered evenly.
"Roaming around in the forest can be dangerous—there are a lot of wild animals. If you get attacked by them, it will be a big problem. There's only one healer in the village, and it takes 10 days to reach the nearby town."
"Only one healer?"
"Yes, and he is the priest of the temple."
"Oh, that priest, huh?" Shin Yato said calmly.
"Have you met the priest already?" Lily replied, a little surprised.
"Yes, we met on the way."
"So, where are you heading?" she asked with calm curiosity.
"I'm heading south to the Holy Kingdom."
"Holy Kingdom! That's so far away from here." She paused, then asked calmly, "Sir, have you heard the news?"
"News?"
"Really? You haven't heard that a few days ago, Sphragidón Nekropolis has been destroyed?" Curiosity laced her voice.
"Sir, but from where did you come!?"
All the dishes were ready by then.
"From Sphragidón Nekropolis," Shin Yato replied calmly.
Lily sat abruptly, stunned. "Wasn't it destroyed?"
"I don't know. Before I left, it was only half destroyed by the demon army."
"So, did you kn..." She stopped. "I'm sorry for asking so many questions. I think it's a side effect of living with my husband for so long." She laughed awkwardly.
"It's okay. You and your husband are good people," Shin Yato said calmly.
Lily blinked in surprise. "Huhh. Thank... you." She smiled,
then added, "I hear a lot of people say my husband talks too much, but I know that's one of his charms, and he is a great person."
She halted suddenly. "Again, I'm sorry for talking too much. It must really be my husband's side effect."
She laughed, awkward.
"It's okay. Sometimes it's good to speak your heart out," Shin Yato said calmly.
Silence hung for a few seconds.
Then Lily said,
"It's been a long time since I spoke with a person other than my husband. I'm always busy with house chores, and he's busy hunting to support the family."
She paused.
"I feel blessed and happy in my life with my small family of three." She smiled.
Shin Yato spoke calmly. "Family of four—one is in your belly."
Lily's eyes widened. "How did you know?"
"I can feel an unborn life in your belly."
"Are you a mage? Can you use magic?" she asked excitedly.
"Yes."
"What kind of magic?"
"Flame magic," he replied calmly.
"It must feel good to be able to use magic. Only a handful of nobles and commoners can use magic, huh? And please don't tell my husband about my pregnancy—I want to surprise him." Her smile was huge.
"Okay." Shin Yato's small smile returned.
Suddenly, Kalosirtes burst in playfully. "Both of you—what are you talking about with such big smiles?"
"Nothing," his wife said hurriedly.
She stood, smiling. "Should I serve the food?"
"Okay! But where is Anre?"
"He is in his room."
She called her son for dinner.
The food was served, and they began eating. Kalosirtes smiled mid-bite.
"My wife is a great cook, right?"
Blushing, she smiled. "Stop it and eat."
Anre threw another tantrum.
"I want to go hunting with Dad."
Lily tried to hush him softly, annoyed.
"Behave well—a guest is here too."
The boy persisted.
Kalosirtes said while eating, "Eat quietly, son. If you eat well and behave well, someday I'm going to take you hunting."
Anre didn't listen.
Angrily, he shouted "no", flipped his plate, ran to Shin Yato, and grabbed for his sword.
"I'm ready—look, I can use a sword!"
Softly, Shin Yato murmured, "Huh, so annoying."
A sickening crack echoed.
The child's head twisted fully around on his neck, facing backward while his body stayed upright.
Kalosirtes and Lily froze in shock and horror.
The boy gasped his last words: "Dad, Mom?"
"So annoying," Shin Yato murmured again. He yanked the head free.
Blood fountained out, splattering the table, and the body crumpled.
Kalosirtes charged in rage, fist raised. "Aaahhaaaa... What have you done? You motherfucker—he was just a 7-year-old kid!"
His wife wailed,
"AAHAAAAHAHAAAA"—a scream that pierced the neighborhood.
Shin Yato hurled the head at Kalosirtes. It grazed him and struck Lily's stomach, bursting it open.
Neighbors gathered outside, drawn by the cries.
Inside, Shin Yato caught Kalosirtes's fist effortlessly.
He began pulling the fingers off one by one. Kalosirtes screamed in agony.
The crowd hesitated at the door, gut instincts screaming no, terror rooting them as the screams rang out.
Minutes later, the screams ceased.
The door creaked open.
Shin Yato emerged, face blood-smeared, dragging Kalosirtes's half-dead body.
Panic erupted—villagers fled in every direction.
Some rallied to fight.
An arrow whistled toward Shin Yato.
He snatched it mid-air. "Oh, an arrow?
"Jeer rushed from the right, fist flying.
Lumi hurled an axe from the front.
Shin Yato seized Jeer's head, twisting his body into a shield.
The axe cleaved Jeer's head off instead.
Lumi screamed and charged.
Shin Yato murmured with a small smile,
"Why do you all always scream in the same way?"
He flung Kalosirtes's body at her with slight force.
It crushed her; they hurtled 100 meters, slamming into a tree.
More arrows flew.
Shin Yato blocked them with Jeer's pierced head in his grip.
One glance pinpointed the shooter—
Tam, perched on a branch.
"Burn," Shin Yato said calmly, smiling faintly.
Black flames engulfed Tam. He plummeted, shrieking in torment.Panic gripped the villagers; they bolted. "Anyone who tries to run away will die," Shin Yato said calmly, a small smile playing.Some froze in terror. Others fled.
"Burn."
Black flames claimed the runners.
Shin Yato spotted Sarko hiding in the crowd. "Beast Man?
Please come forward." His voice was calm, smile small.
No one moved.
"Beast Man? If you come out right now, I swear I won't do anything. But if you don't come now, I'm going to torture you for eternity." Still smiling.
Sarko stumbled forward on shaking legs, knelt, sobbing, begging mercy.
Shin Yato paused.
"Okay, I will spare you if you eat your own flesh until I say stop."
Horror twisted Sarko's face.
"Please, please, have mercy, please have mercy," he cried.
Smiling, Shin Yato said calmly, "If you're not going to do it, tell me. I'm going to ask someone else to do it, and if they can endure it, they live and you die.
Then it was your own mistake, not mine."
Sarko glanced at Jeer's arrow-riddled head, then at Lumi and Kalosirtes crumpled afar, Tam writhing in flames.
Shaking, he whispered,
"I aa... I am going to do it."
"Hmmm. Start with your feet first."
Sarko sat, hesitated,
then bit into his own flesh, tearing and chewing slowly amid the chaos.
Only the wet rips and crunches broke the silence.
The crowd froze, sweating; some vomited, dreading their fate.
"Burn," Shin Yato said to them.
Panic felled them to the ground—
no flames touched them.
Instead, black fire roared up the village walls, encircling all.
Sweat poured from fear and heat as smoke choked the air.
They begged; parents pleaded for their children.
Some still burned.
Shin Yato sat on Jeer's corpse.
"Gather all the people in the village. If anyone tries to hide themselves or others, all the people here will be killed.
So bring everyone—even if it's a newborn baby or an elderly person on their deathbed. Your life is in your hands, and if you get killed, don't curse me—because it was your fault." His voice was calm, face impassive.
Minutes later, the survivors assembled —
from newborns to the dying elderly.
Shin Yato sighed, tired smile bored.
"Huh! Shall we start?"
The villagers waited — newborns crying, elderly praying —
as the black flames tightened around them.