Episode4：HEXENBIESTS

As Quon walked down to the town's central square, he was struck by the spectacle spread out before him. There was a large crowd of residents and tourists, young and old, men and women, private and public. They generally had no weapons or armor to protect themselves, and soldiers were deployed around the square to protect them. Quon's frank impression was that the number of soldiers was too small to protect such a large number of people with only a few soldiers.

So many people ....... Oh no. I should have gone back to the carriage and brought a dagger.

But that doesn't mean there is nothing Quon can do about it. His self-defense weapon was still in the back of the carriage. It would take too much time to get them back, and the carriage was parked just outside the town. Time just passed in vain, and soon the screams of the Hexenbiests, the yells of the soldiers, and the high-pitched metallic sounds of weapons clashing began to break out in the square.

Its sound is the sound of battle, the opposite of peace. It is a sound that does not exist in Ras Shamra, which consists of peace, and even if it did not, it is a sound that is not heard in everyday life. Therefore, the sound agitates people's spirit. Anxiety and fear are burned into the fire, and a wave of emotion rises to the surface.

When people cluster together to form a group, emotions resonate. What may be a meager anxiety as an individual, when so many people are gathered together, is a maximum of fear that disrupts control and order.

It's starting. I wonder if any of those weapons and armor I made are in there? What percentage of the weapons and armor were made in our workshop?

Was it an escape to avoid being overwhelmed by anxiety, or was it just curiosity? Either way, Quon's thoughts were on the chopping block of an issue that had nothing to do with the future of the battle that was about to take place in the immediate vicinity.

A few minutes after the battle began, the situation suddenly changed. A short distance away from the plaza, exactly halfway between the entrance to the town and the plaza, a huge smoke fire breaks out. It could be a fire caused by forgetting to put out the fire, or it could be an invasion by Hexenbiests, or it could be a looter. The cause of the fire is unknown, but in any case, people saw it and the shell of normalcy they had barely maintained was shattered. The behavior of those who were overcome by confusion and fear varied widely. Some are running away, some are bewildered, some are just crying out in fear, some are trying to regain normalcy, some are quarreling with others nearby, and some are getting into a brawl. The significance of the existence of the few soldiers who existed has collapsed, and it is no longer possible for them to organize and defend the aggregation of individuals.

A town that was not associated with damage from Hexenbiests. Is it because peace has improved that we are less immune to sudden damage......? By the looks of things, it's never going to subside.

Then things develop. The wind carries the sparks of fire, and the extent of the fire spreads with each passing moment. And perhaps, the defensive wall created by the soldiers on the front line has also been breached. Even from the plaza, it is easy to see the numerous Hexenbiests that are rushing through the town. The barely surviving soldiers return to the town, trampling the blood that flows through the streets to protect the square.

At that moment, Quon's brain suddenly recalled a casual conversation he had had with his Master a few days earlier.

Is The God real or ......? If there were, I don't think this would have happened. Or are you saying that as long as a Hexenbiests lives as a Hexenbiests, predation by the food chain is handled as the natural order of things? Either way, it's a ...... sucky situation.

Although Quon also managed to escape from the square, the number of innocent The Humans gradually dwindled. In contrast, the number of Hexenbiests showed no sign of decreasing. Of course, there were some Hexenbiests that were killed by the soldiers' efforts, but he did not feel that the number of Hexenbiests had visibly decreased.

Damn ...... I think it’s increasing?

And there is one situation that occurs when the number of preys decreased and the number of predators does not. Predators concentrate on the few preys. Therefore, Quon was also targeted by countless Hexenbiests and had to flee through the town.

“Ah, crap. At least if I can get to where the horses are, I can do something about it: ......”

Quon looks around, somehow managing to regulate his heavy breathing. Although he was able to escape to a place where the fire had not spread, thanks in part to the fire, his surrounding area was lined with unfamiliar houses. Although he had been taken by his Master to and from The Royal Capital and village several times before, this was his first time to stop here in Ras Shamra, and he had no idea about the geography, which was a his disaster.

If I run away at random, I'll be in trouble as far as I'm concerned. What part of town are I in? I have no idea where I parked my horse.

No, Quon thought calmly as he regained his breath. It was hard to believe that his horse would still be in the same place under the circumstances. Quon stopped his carriage near the entrance of the town. Moreover, it was in a reasonably prosperous area of the town. Someone must have taken it out for escape.

Quon, having come to this conclusion, ponders another plan. However, it is impossible for an unarmed, flesh-and-blood The Human to compete with Hexenbiests. On the other hand, even if he procures weapons now, he has no chance of winning as he has little experience in handling them.

Certainly, Quon is on the side of making weapons and armor, and he knows how to handle them a little in the process. However, this is only the minimum necessary for the creation of weapons and armor. He only checks the overall balance and the cutting ability, and if you ask him if he is skilled enough to slay Hexenbiests, the truth is that the answer is no.

But even so, Quon picked up a long sword that had fallen nearby and carried it on his waist. As a craftsman, he originally carried a dagger for self-defense when traveling from town to town, but in this peaceful world, the use of a dagger is infinitely less likely. And since he had left his weapon on the back of the wagon, he had no choice but to procure a more affordable weapon.

I've hardly ever used a long sword. ...... Well, it's better than nothing.

But Quon's safe escape reaches its limits. Lost on the road, Quon is lured deeper and deeper into the town, and soon his presence is captured by a number of Hexenbiests.

Quon confronts the Hexenbiests, recalling the lessons learned and achievements from his few experiences and training.

The reality of Hexenbiests are diverse. As their names suggest, the majority of them are beast-type Hexenbiests, but some are bird-type, insect-type, or even human-type Hexenbiests. However, there is no life in their faces, and they are mixed together as a kind of empty existence that could be described as a puppet.

Quon pulled out the long sword in his waist and faced the Hexenbiests in front of him. He glanced at the hilt of the sword and saw the emblem he had seen so often. It was the emblem that his Master had always engraved to identify himself. In other words, it was truly his Master's sword.

With the support from the unseen, Quon was able to face the Hexenbiests in a blissfully calm manner. Huffing a small exhale, he could see no anxiety, fear, or impatience in his eyes.

However, again, the combination of inexperience and being outnumbered gradually wears Quon down. The situation was repeated several times, as he was able to cut down a few of them, only to be interrupted by many more.

Eventually, Quon is captured by the Hexenbiest. The difference in size and, above all, the difference in race is so great that no matter how much Quon tries to claw his way out, he is unable to shake off the Hexenbiest's hand.

“Let go of me, you son of a bitch!”

Hexenbiests have no intelligence, and their main principle of action is instinct. Therefore, no matter how much he screams, he cannot appeal to their hearts.

Finally, it was time for Quon to let go of his hold on his life activity. The hand that clutches him tightens, and countless Hexenbiests surround Quon, as if there are no more survivors. The beasts press closer together, eager to devour his flesh and blood.

Then he screams. It was an unconscious scream, which he himself did not perceive or remember.

“Oh shit, so much for ....... When it comes down to it, I don't care what it is. The Angels, The Devils, whatever. If it really exists, help me. ......”