It was the first time Sterne felt this kind of cold suffocation. An unknown foreboding pressing on her like a mountain. 

"W-Where are they?"

"No, don't go there!" 

Coldness began to envelop her body, and before Emilia could stop her, Sterne rushed outside her chambers to the halls, almost flying down the stairs to get to her family quickly.

No. No. No.

This is not happening. She had a bad premonition about this. Her surging emotion opened the Herald's Eyes involuntarily. And before her, she saw.

[Behemoth's Poison]

Danger Level: Lethal

Remaining Time: 5 Minutes.

Behemoth. That gargantuan monster guarding the Sleeping Forest? That one?

WHY?

That's an SS-rank monster!

Father will not go there unless…

Along the way towards the lower ward where the assailing smell of poison was thick, she met Viktor, their Junior Mage.

"No milady, this is not for you to see." He hurried to stop her. 

"Let me go!" Sterne struggled but his grip was strong. His eyes looked at her with unspoken pity. "No. Father! Brother!"

The ugly sound escaped from her pale lips.

It was not a shout but rather a horrified scream. The staff, the maids hurried to see what the noise was about and was stunned at the sight. She hated it and her eyes stung as tears rushed down those bloodless cheeks.

Behemoth's poison. There's no time.

Sterne felt her heart crack. Time. She needed time. They only needed to receive a cure right? They needed medicine, correct? She looked up to Viktor, this time as calmly as she could. She knew losing her composure would not get meaning across the equally panicked people.  

Slowly, she reached for Viktor's sleeve and gave it a slight tug. "Please, please listen to me. I have a favour to ask you."

Viktor turned, seeing the little lady looking at him with unwavering grey eyes. 

He had to obey. 

Roughly a minute passed Viktor came back with the barrel in tow using elevation magic. The staff gathered behind Sterne unable to offer any comfort.

"What's next milady?"

"Make it rain." She said in a hoarse voice. 

Appalled, Viktor stared at her open-mouthed.

"But milady, I haven't tried wide-area magic before."

"Please…." She pleaded. 

"U-Understood."

Viktor had to grit his teeth and began chanting an unpracticed spell. For years of immersing himself into studying magic, this is the first time he broke the rule of impulsively using a spell he was not familiar with. All for the little girl desperately begging him to. 

[Oh deity that dwells within the clouds. Heed thy servants call.]

After uttering the words "rain"  Regen burst out of the barrel, seeped into the clouds and vanished to the skies.

Moments later amidst the tense silence thunder rolled, blinding flashes of lightning lit the heavens then the wind surged violently it felt the same as a storm and…

Pitter. Patter. The thin droplets fell like gossamer, each second drawn past and it got thicker until the heavy rain completely drenched the land.

"Lady Sterne, please take shelter," Cook said behind.

"I uh… I'll wait here." 

The cavalry paid no heed to the chaos of the sky as they dismounted their horses in a hurry to tend to the wounded. Open wagons filled with the injured are their top priority. The Knights rushed about here and there.

One knight came their way running hastily.

"Lady Sterne, Sir Viktor. Is the medical room available?"

"Yes, yes bring the injured to the right wing!" Viktor instructed.  

"Uh…" Sterne's throat was dry as she glanced at Viktor calmly directing the knight. Noticing her gaze, the usually grumpy boy offered a rare kind smile in an attempt to console her.

The surrounding suddenly turned silent. Sterne's sight rolled left and right observing the situation.

Has it taken effect?

Did it work?

What if it didn't?

Each second strung her nerves tight. The sudden eruption of cheers made her jump on her feet. Viktor hurriedly came to her side, doubt and shock on his face.

"Milady--"

The knight was interrupted by Viktor.

"Something's happening."  

Turning on his heel, the knight ran back to his unit to see what was going on. Halfway there, he suddenly fell to his knees. Body after body the injured emerged from the wagon like they had just woken up from sleep. Swords and armours clattered as the knights rushed inspecting each other.

"What's going on?"

"I don't understand--"

"The rain..."

"Is it raining?!"

"M-My wound… even my arm. How did this happen?"

"It could be the rain." Someone spoke firmly. 

"The poison is gone!"

"Lord Commander has gained consciousness!"

Father?

"Lord Dio as well. He's… his leg is fine?"

Such words were uttered all over. Everyone is fine? Hearing the boisterous cheers quickly dashed the gloom in everyone's hearts. Sterne grasped her chest, attempting to settle her thudding heart and calm her thoughts. The tiny body that has been trembling for a while suddenly gave in.

"Milady!" Viktor shouted in horror. 

Before she noticed it Sterne collapsed on the wet ground. Sorry Viktor, I'm just relieved my hasty decision worked. If it didn't, I don't know what I would be feeling then.

"I'm alright." She said, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

Oh, Herald… thank you!

Staring upward at the sky, Sterne unconsciously murmured an earnest prayer of gratitude. Her tears won't stop falling.   

Strange.

 

***

 

Meanwhile…

From the twenty crows casually placed all over the territory, nothing remained breathing. One by one they were hunted falling to the blade of an unknown person.

"Ahhhh!" Screaming, the peeper held his head as the pain directly transmitted to his head.

The last image he saw was a vision of a black shadow in a swallowtail coat. Swift and decisive, his blow was harsh enough to reach him.   

"Damn that bastard. He must be Aldebrand Nachtwald's person!" He dared to kill his birds…

Below the platform, a servant on his knees hurried to pacify him. "Master, quell your anger. It is not worth destroying health over that insignificant enemy."

Breathing laboriously, the man's hand tightened on the armrest until his knuckles turned white.

"We will replace the birds immediately." Another person in the room suggested. 

"No need for now. I already achieved my purpose." His pained voice was replaced by a cold delighted tone. A cruel smile crept on his lips.

"Does Your Holiness mean that…"

"Aldebrand Nachtwald succeeded in killing the Behemoth guard."

"He did?!" The servant shivered inwardly. The duke was surprisingly tenacious enough to survive a suicide mission. "To be able to kill such a monster."

"He is a monster himself." A voice echoed.

The man in the upper seat smiled cruelly. "An abnormal killing machine. It takes one to kill another."

His cold laughter filled the room. 

"He actually did it. Nobody expected him to, I myself did not expect the man to complete the request but, who knew…"

"I-If so then, his fame and honour will increase more. Your Holiness, if he gains more support then it will be difficult for us to touch him!"

"You are exaggerating. Fame? Honour? All of that is irrelevant if the person himself is lying half dead. What use does he still have to this kingdom if he can no longer use both his legs? I'm certain the king will lose his favour towards the duke now."

"Do you mean that he sustained injuries? Great news indeed. It's over for that arrogant bastard." 

A wild expression dawned on the other man's face.

Shouts of cheers echoed inside the large hall. The man in a brocade robe sitting on the upper seat had a genuinely pleased smile. Just thinking about his wretched appearance is enough to send him another bout of laughter.

What Wargod? In front of the Behemoth, he was just another insignificant ant. Even if his crows died, he managed to catch a glimpse of their miserable condition after leaving the forest.

The people around the hall sported the same smiles. As though the future has already been set. 

"House Nachtwald will soon fall. From here on a series of tragedies will come and crumble hundreds of years of history."

"Ah, the true purpose of letting him destroy the Behemoth guard. Now that the restriction is gone, the monsters will come running from the forest. With his life on the edge, even if his two sons survived they will not be able to turn the tables. Once they fail to guard the border, the kingdom will persecute them and I can finally get back the glory that was supposed to be mine." Said another person. 

"I'm waiting for the outcome… "