“If you mean Rikrakamur, are you talking about the monstrosity in the northern part of the border area?”

“Yes.”

Alon responded to Yuman’s words and thought,

‘I have to deal with that creature.’

The forest monster Rikrakamur is also a monstrosity that players go to handle in Psychedelia.

In the north of the border area, the monster, whose size is even taller than a typical building, didn’t necessarily have to be dealt with unless the Five Great Sins intervened.

Since it was outside the border, it didn’t particularly cause any harm.

However, the reason Psychedelia’s protagonist and Alon wanted to deal with Rikrakamur was for one reason only.

Because of the relic it possessed.

The Relic of the Five Great Sins.

Like an exclusive item that will descend in the future to the Five Great Sins, if they acquire this relic, their power would double.

Thus, knowing that the Five Great Sins would come, Alon had to deal with Rikrakamur no matter what.

Additionally, there was also something he could gain,

“So, was it Rikrakamur’s power that destroyed the wall yesterday?”

While thinking of the crumbs that would fall, Alon nodded to Kiriana’s question.

“Yes.”

“I thought there was no clue, but how did you…”

“There was black slime vaporizing on the broken wall.”

“Slime?”

“Yes. This black slime distorts any magic array it touches. Probably, the reason the wall fell is because Rikrakamur’s slime invalidated the structure of the magical circle on the wall.”

“Indeed,”

Kiriana nodded.

But then, confusion appeared on her face.

“But, as you say, Lord, can we assume that Rikrakamur intentionally smeared this slime on the monster to attack us?”

“I can’t be sure, but it’s not an impossible story. Rikrakamur, as a monstrosity, has the authority to command monsters.”

“So, the monster waves that have been attacking us, it wasn’t because of a fault in the gate that repels monsters, but because of Rikrakamur…?”

Kiriana speculated.

And Yuman, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, joined in.

“I meant to tell you, but we spent about a day checking the five installed gates and found no damage.”

“So?”

“Probably a high chance that what the lord said is correct. Why exactly is Rikrakamur?”

Murmurs of increasing puzzlement.

“Honestly, I don’t know why it attacked the wall.”

Alon was also puzzled.

In the game, Rikrakamur had never attacked the wall like this.

‘At some point, it didn’t seem to move.’

After a moment of contemplation, Alon brushed off the thought.

After all, what he needed to focus on at this moment wasn’t why the enemy attacked the wall, but dealing with the enemy itself, Rikrakamur.

“That’s why I might need some help with this.”

He promptly took action.

“Rather, I would like to ask you for help. If it keeps causing monster waves, especially ones that can invalidate the walls, it must be killed.”

Kiriana’s eyes blazed with fighting spirit.

Alon smiled inwardly.

Dealing with Rikrakamur would definitely require her help, precisely, the help of the allied forces.

“Then, let’s set off immediately.”

There was no need to delay.

***

The expedition was organized.

It was not possible to mobilize all the allied forces.

More than half of the troops had to be kept at the wall, as necessary.

If they had pulled all the allied forces out for the punitive expedition and the monsters from the wasteland started rampaging inside the walls, the problem would become quite serious.

Kiriana divided the allied forces into 70% for wall defense and 30% for the expedition.

Although Alon was a bit disappointed, it was enough, so he accepted it.

Saint Yuman also decided to stay at the border.

Someone needed to lead the allied forces in Kiriana’s absence.

Although Yuman was a cleric, the power of his title as a saint was great.

It was a position respected enough to command the allied forces.

“It’s a pity.”

Yuman showed a slightly displeased expression.

His gaze turned to Yutia, who was smiling broadly.

“Saint, you just need to encourage the allied forces well.”

“What about the Cardinal?”

“How can a saint and a cardinal be compared? The people who remain will definitely want the saint to stay. I really regret it too.”

Despite being regretful, Yutia’s smile was about 1 cm wider than usual.

The saint furrowed his brow slightly, but eventually,

“It can’t be helped.”

He sighed deeply and moved closer to whisper to Alon,

“Lord, never trust her. As I’ve told you several times, she is not a trustworthy person.”

“Really.”

Alon felt odd.

Not because of the content; he wasn’t surprised as he had heard it before.

It was the attitude.

‘If so, why whisper?’

His voice was loud enough for others to hear; it was a blatantly unnatural behavior.

Alon looked at Yutia.

Fortunately, her expression was similar to before; no harm done.

Her subtly gleaming red eyes were on the saint, like the gaze of a victor looking down on a loser.

‘Why are they on such bad terms?’

Well, there’s no need to know right now.

Alon turned to Evan and ordered,

“Evan, you stay too.”

“Yes!”

Evan responded energetically, as if he had been waiting.

“Aren’t you going to ask why you’re not coming?”

“What is there to ask? I just follow what the lord says.”

“You responded so hastily because you didn’t want to go?”

“Hey, what do you think I am?”

Evan laughed,

“Then let’s go together.”

“Lord, thinking about it, I felt like I had both heatstroke and a cold yesterday from waiting for you so long.”

Evan, who said he would follow without question, quickly changed his tune. Alon chuckled inwardly.

A few hours later,

“Let’s set off.”

The expedition departed.

***

It would take about three days to reach Rikrakamur.

Remembering this, Alon thought of the relic that the monstrosity possessed.

‘Certainly, it was the ‘Relic of Wrath’.’

He glanced at Yutia walking beside him.

Originally, this relic was something Yutia was supposed to obtain in the future.

However, in the original story, she, awakened as the ‘Sin of Wrath,’ did not acquire this relic.

The protagonist Eliban obtained the relic before her and destroyed it.

Eliban’s ability to conquer the Sin of Wrath was greatly due to this fact.

Of course, Yutia was constrained, and the mages of the Tower unleashed a barrage of magic, while Caliban’s swordmasters also joined the punitive force,

and even the strong hidden across the continent came out to help.

‘The more I think about it, the less sense it makes how strong it was.’

Yutia suddenly felt like a stranger.

A sin that could only be killed after a total war effort by the entire world.

Then,

“Lord.”

“Yes?”

As they walked, Kiriana looked at Alon hesitantly.

“Could I… perhaps touch that cat?”

“Cat? Oh, are you talking about Blackie?”

Blackie peeked out from Alon’s chest pocket, looking around.

As Alon pointed to the little one,

“Is its name Blackie?”

“Yes.”

“What a cute name.”

Kiriana fiddled with her fingers, her expression slightly fluttery.

Alon shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly because he had named Blackie himself. Feeling quite pleased, he took Blackie out.

“Would you like to touch him?”

“Oh? Really, may I?”

“It’s fine.”

“But what if he doesn’t like other people touching him? Like yesterday, it might change a bit…”

Alon paused, looking puzzled, then sighed. He too had experienced a bit of a culture shock yesterday when he saw red eyes emerge all over Blackie’s body.

But aside from when using magic, Blackie maintained the form of a cat.

“It should be fine.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll try.”

Without any suspicion, Alon handed Blackie to Kiriana. As soon as the cat was in her hands, she smiled unknowingly, but then—

Puff!

“Ah.”

When red eyes angrily appeared all over the cat’s body, she froze. With a growl, she hurriedly handed Blackie back to Alon. Once back in Alon’s arms, Blackie vigorously rubbed against him and acted affectionately.

Kiriana wore a bittersweet expression.

“It seems he only shows this side to you, Lord.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he would do that.”

Alon looked at Blackie with mixed feelings.

‘I didn’t know he would be so hostile to others. Is it just towards Kiriana?’

Wondering, Alon tried handing Blackie to other soldiers and knights, but—

“Eeek!”

“Lord, could you take him back, please!?”

Each time, the cat fiercely glared with red eyes and growled, and Alon realized Blackie didn’t like being handled by others.

After the commotion, Yutia called Alon.

“My Lord.”

“What is it?”

“Could I hold Blackie for a moment?”

“Blackie?”

“Yes. He looks cute.”

“But it seems he doesn’t take well to others’ hands.”

Didn’t he just wreak havoc around here?

However, Yutia nodded as if it would be fine.

“But he’s so cute. Can I try?”

Asking again, Alon handed Blackie over to Yutia, albeit with a slightly worried expression behind his calm facade. As expected, as soon as Blackie was in Yutia’s hands, he started growling and producing red eyes all over his body.

But Yutia kept smiling gently as she looked down at Blackie.

“That won’t do, will it?”

Her eyes slightly narrowed as she murmured softly. Then,

Suddenly!

The previously ferocious Blackie froze as if time had stopped.

“?!”

Both Alon and Kiriana paused in confusion. Blackie, who had been the embodiment of ferocity just moments before, now looked up at Yutia with wide, fearful eyes.

Shivering, Blackie began to tremble in Yutia’s arms, and she slowly stroked his back.

“A master’s words should be well heeded, right?”

Nodding frantically, Blackie agreed.

Alon and Kiriana could only stare blankly at the bizarre scene.

And then,

Yutia naturally lifted the trembling Blackie to her face.

“If you don’t want to be crushed, okay?”

She whispered in a voice only Blackie could hear, and his head shook even more vigorously.

A moment later,

“Wow… he’s really become tame, hasn’t he?”

Kiriana observed the now calm Blackie in her hands with wonder.

Alon noticed Blackie’s eyes were fixed somewhere. Following his gaze,

“My, what’s the matter, my Lord?”

Yutia was smiling.

“Never mind.”

Alon thought to say something but chose to remain silent instead.

It was a quite warm afternoon in the spring.