The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 71

Santiago’s worries were not unfounded.

In the one day it took for the messenger bird to reach him, the situation in Makari had changed drastically. Diego slowly walked along the wall, glaring at the presence he felt once again at the edge of the forest.

‘They definitely weren’t moving in the spring.’

Narrowing his eyes, he saw shadows lurking as if hiding among the densely packed trees. Small demons. Their forms varied, but they were small in size and not yet fully grown. But that didn’t mean they were opponents to be taken lightly.

No, they were beings to be even more careful of. The alien movements and sharp presence caught his eye.

“Vice-Captain, this way. I see them again.”

A knight on patrol cautiously approached and reported. Diego followed him to a small watchtower. At the edge of the forest, two or three demons were moving, tangled together between the branches. The demons’ movements were by no means normal. The small demons that kept coming into view weren’t approaching or leaving, but just…

‘Bouncing off something.’

Diego gritted his teeth. The creatures appeared to be pushed back by something as they tried to leave the forest. It was definitely different from usual. In the first place, it was strange for demons to appear in this kind of temperature. Even without Santiago’s orders, he could conclude it himself.

There was no more time to delay. Diego made a firm decision.

“Issue a warning to the entire territory. Evacuate the residents, and concentrate the troops in Makari Castle.”

“Yes!”

Leaving the knights who were moving urgently behind, Diego headed inside Makari Castle. It was a situation that could no longer be hidden.

He ran quickly to find Yulania. Yulania, who was in her study, widened her eyes in surprise at the sound of hurried footsteps and knocking.

“Princess!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I apologize for the late report. The demons’ movements are unusual. Please prepare for an emergency, just in case.”

“Demons, now?”

Yulania rose from her seat at the unexpected words. But her eyes were filled with a sense of responsibility rather than surprise.

“We need to move right away. I’ll take the Holy Stone and—”

“Princess.”

Diego shook his head firmly.

“No. At least not yet, it can’t be.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but stopped. It was a firm look that was unlike Diego. Bian also quickly added.

“This is definitely an abnormal situation. Right now, they may be coming not just to attack, but to target your power.”

“Just being inside the castle walls maintains the defense line. If you go outside now, you’ll only be dispersing your power.”

“Then at least the Holy Stone.”

Yulania said in a suppressed voice.

“The power of the Holy Stone will help.”

Diego finally nodded.

“Yes, I’m sorry, but I will accept the help of the empowered Holy Stone. The Holy Stone that has passed through your hands is different from usual.”

He accepted it politely with both hands and added.

“What most of the knights left in this castle believe in now is your name and the Lord’s name. I will make sure the absolute defense line doesn’t collapse. I will make it so.”

Yulania nodded slightly as she listened to those words. Although she couldn’t go, she reminded herself that she was with them in spirit and put down the Holy Stone.

Soon, an emergency order was issued in Makari Castle. The gates were sealed, and going outside was prohibited. Knights as well as soldiers were doubly deployed, and soldiers who couldn’t directly engage in combat hurriedly began carrying arrows. Yulania’s eyes, watching the scene from inside, gradually filled with anxiety. Maids came in and grabbed her hands.

“Princess, you need to protect yourself, especially at times like this.”

“You have to think of the baby, Princess. Especially at times like this have a cup of tea and calm down.”

The maids tried to appear calm, even as they sensed the rapidly changing situation inside and outside the castle gates. But there was fear in their eyes as well.

Yulania could read that emotion. And she had no choice but to admit that she felt the same way.

She forced a smile and accepted the warm tea. The unique soft scent of chamomile tickled the tip of her nose, but her heart was still restless. The cup in her hand was warm, but her heart felt only cold.

Yulania looked at her swollen belly. The life growing inside, the miracle created by her love with Santiago.

‘It’s okay, baby. It’ll be okay. Mommy’s here.’

She slowly stroked her belly with her hand. And she held a small Holy Stone in her hand. And she went to the window and looked at the silhouettes of the soldiers moving faintly far away on the castle walls. And the yellow lights blooming above them were faint, but clearly the light emitted by the Holy Stone.

‘Right now, I don’t have to go myself.’

She slowly focused on the Holy Stone and said as if whispering.

“Help me.”

As if answering her request, the light vibrated quietly. Outside, the tension still hadn’t subsided. But inside the castle, it was quiet. Yulania quietly paced her room. Every time the window shook, Santiago’s face suddenly came to mind. If he were here, what would he have said?

‘That it’s okay. That it’s enough for you to just breathe right now, he would have said something like that.’

Yulania quietly closed her eyes. She hugged the Holy Stone close to her chest, took a breath, and whispered.

“Santiago, even without you, I’ll be okay.”

And she spoke to the baby.

“Mommy will protect you too, baby.”

That one word became a pledge to herself as well. That she was only waiting now, but that she was by no means weak.

That night, Diego didn’t come in to report. Instead, subordinates ran around urgently. The tension in the castle didn’t ease, but Yulania quietly poured power into the Holy Stone even in that gap.

As the evening sky darkened, Diego, who was standing on the northern castle wall, forced his heavy eyelids open. The cold moisture carried by the wind, and the ominous energy mixed in it, was too clear to be dismissed as a simple delusion.

“Again!”

A small shadow slipped past below the castle wall. The footprints embedded in the snow were clear, and the movements were faster and more flexible than a person’s. It wasn’t the trail of an animal.

“Guard team, stand by. Replace all watchtower personnel.”

Diego said, turning his shoulders as if pushing away the annoying wind.

“I’m going down.”

He quietly climbed down the ladder. The unpleasant premonition he felt was already the fourth time this week. At first, he thought it was a common wild animal, but it wasn’t. Those shapes, small, black, nimble, and growling, were definitely demons. It was clearly unusual for them to come down here in a season when the snow hadn’t even melted.

As soon as Diego found the senior knight, he said bluntly.

“Check the area outside the castle wall, the forest zone, again. There was movement today where the spears were planted.”

“Again today? That’s impossible. The temperature is above freezing.”

Diego rubbed his forehead.

“Demons are coming out in this spring weather.”

“Should we share the situation with nearby territories?”

“No, let’s check it out first.”

But that confirmation came much faster than expected that night. One of the outposts stationed on the north side of the castle wall quietly flickered its lights, and then sounded an alarm.

“Demons!”

“Demons have climbed onto the wall!”

The defense forces began to move. Two unidentified demons slid down the northwest outer wall. Soon, five soldiers led by a knight who knew how to use mana responded and rushed out with spears and bows.

Diego quickly took control of the situation. As the demons gradually pushed into the castle, he clenched his jaw tightly.

Until he walked to the center of the castle, there was a glimmer of hope in one corner of his heart. Surely this is the end. Surely. But that hope was shattered as soon as he arrived at the castle.

“Five demons, reconfirmed. The direction is between north and northwest. Approaching in a dispersed manner.”

“I said it looked like they were bouncing off something.”

Diego muttered to himself and headed straight to Yulania’s room.

Yulania was looking out the window in simple indoor clothes. She was trying hard to suppress the urge to fidget. She couldn’t possibly not know that the knights and maids were moving quietly so as not to upset her.

Her heart wouldn’t calm down easily at the faint shouts coming from far outside the castle. Just as she was about to go out and take a look, she heard a knock.

“Princess.”

Yulania clasped her hands together nervously at Diego, who was bowing with a stiff voice.

“At this rate, they can reach the castle walls by dawn tomorrow.”

“Then?”

It was bad news, as expected. Yulania asked, trying not to let her voice tremble.

“I will deploy most of the knights to the outskirts, and I will be responsible for the internal defense.”

“……”

Diego knelt on one knee with a apologetic expression. Seeing him so serious, Yulania felt the anxiety that had been subsiding rising up. She felt like her mind would only calm down if she helped with something herself.

“I need the Holy Stone. It will be of great help in reinforcing the defense line.”

“I’ll go myself.”

“That won’t do.”

But as soon as she opened her mouth, Bian approached.

“I’m sorry. Your safety is the most important thing right now. Especially, now that you’re carrying the baby.”

Yulania closed her eyes at the two people’s earnest expressions. And she slowly nodded.

“Okay. Instead, I’ll give you as many Holy Stones as possible. Everyone has to be safe.”

Diego took fifteen Holy Stones that Yulania had personally infused with light one by one. That alone was enough to create a small barrier.

Soon, that night, the entire Makari Castle was virtually converted into a wartime system.

The gates were sealed, bonfires were lit at every passage, and two or more soldiers patrolled each area.

Diego exhaled a cold breath from the eastern watchtower and stared at the darkness beyond the wall. His vision was short, but his senses clearly felt it.

‘It’s not far. They’re getting closer and closer.’

And at that moment, something creaked in the shadows of the dark forest.

“They’ve come.”

Diego muttered to himself, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

‘I have to stop them until the Lord arrives.’

The silence hung heavy. The fate of Makari Castle was now on the shoulders of a few people standing on the wall at this moment.

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