Chapter 103 - Purple Bicorn
Note: Happy Chinese New Year to all! We don't really celebrate it, but it's one more day where we don't have to get up early for work 🐱! Here's one more chapter for everyone. Enjoy your day!
“Volf, back from a night out and straight to the bath? Your hair’s still wet.”
“Nah, just finished morning training and took a quick dip. It’s gonna be hot today anyway, so I’ll sweat it off soon enough. No point in bothering.”
“Morning training? But we’ve got drills later...”
In the Monster Subjugation Force’s waiting room, Dorino stared at Volf with a look of disbelief.
Today’s schedule was packed: stamina-building exercises like running in the morning, followed by team combat training in the afternoon. Despite the sweltering heat and the full day ahead, Volf had already squeezed in extra training. Dorino couldn’t wrap his head around it.
“I... could only keep up with half of Senpai’s morning routine...”
Hidden behind Volf, Kirk spoke up. His hair was also still damp.
Lately, Kirk had been sticking close to Volf, and it seemed he’d even joined him for the morning session.
“What did you do for morning training?”
“Ten laps around the unit’s training grounds and five hundred sword swings.”
“That’s insane to do before the actual drills, don’t you think?”
The unit’s training grounds were vast. Ten laps were usually reserved for the morning drills alone. This wasn’t the kind of warm-up one did before breakfast.
“No, Volf-senpai did double that...”
“Volf, are you dieting to jump higher or something?”
Dorino teased, but Volf’s expression remained somber, and he didn’t laugh.
“...I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days. Thought I’d tire myself out.”
“If that’s the case, go to the infirmary and get some sleeping pills.”
“Dorino, sleeping pills don’t work all that well for Volf or me..”
Randolph chimed in softly from the side.
Both Volf and Randolph were born into count families. Sleeping pills were one of the medications they were trained to build tolerance to early on, just in case.
Though Volf only started building his tolerance after entering the academy.
“Ah, right. I remember hearing that before. My bad, I forgot.”
“Um, maybe you could ask a mage to cast a sleep spell on you?”
“Those only last for a short time.”
“Right, about three hours or so...”
Upon closer inspection, dark circles were faintly visible under Volf’s eyes—a rare sight.
Dorino gave Volf’s shoulder a light tap and leaned in to whisper.
“Volf, if you’re that desperate to sleep, why not visit some of those pretty ladies again—”
“Urgent subjugation order! Gather all personnel on standby!”
Before Dorino could finish, a loud voice echoed behind him.
The leader of the Monster Subjugation Force, Grato, strode in with a grim expression. The tension in the room spiked as the usually composed veteran knights frowned deeply.
As those who had been outside or in other rooms were hastily summoned, the waiting room quickly filled with squad members.
“We have a subjugation order. Purple bicorns have appeared at the watering hole on the southern road.”
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. Even the seasoned knights, who were usually calm, wore expressions of deep concern.
“Four have been confirmed, but there might be more...”
At Grato’s words, hushed whispers began to spread among the usually silent unit members.
“...I don’t want to go.”
“I’d really rather not...”
“This is impossible... absolutely impossible...”
Behind the grimacing knights, a rookie tilted his head in confusion.
“Are purple bicorns really that strong?”
“Yeah, you haven’t encountered one before, have you? The purple variant of the bicorn is a nasty mutation. Its combat strength isn’t the issue—it’s the hallucinations it causes.”
“The hallucinations are that bad?”
The rookie asked in a hushed tone, and the knight replied with hollow eyes.
“...It shows you people you love or care about. Your wife, your kids, your lover. That’s why it’s so hard to take down. Its magic resistance is high, so unless you land a solid magical hit, it won’t die. Plus, if you get too close, it’ll kick you, and those kicks are vicious. If you hesitate to strike because it looks like someone you love, you’ll end up seriously injured or dead. Oh, and by the way, bicorns aren’t herbivores—they’re omnivores.”
“Ugh... that’s awful...”
Understanding the reason behind the veteran knights’ unease, the rookie furrowed his brows.
If he saw such hallucinations, he doubted he could fight at all.
“Our opponent is no joke. We’ll move quickly and aim to finish this by the end of the day.”
“Captain Grato, a question! Why the rush? Couldn’t we ask knights from the Chivalric Order who are skilled with bows to assist?”
“In my younger days, places where the purple bicorn appeared were called ‘places where you can meet the dead,’ so people flocked there, and casualties piled up. After we exterminated them, we were heavily criticized.”
“...Understood.”
Even if it was just an illusion, the desire to see deceased loved ones was understandable.
However, the resulting increase in casualties was unacceptable. They also wanted to avoid being hated for the extermination.
“I’ll offer a small bonus to volunteers. If we don’t get enough, we’ll decide by coin toss.”
“I volunteer. I don’t need the bonus, but if possible, I’d like priority in purchasing the bicorn’s materials.”
“Fine. I’ll allocate one carcass to you.”
“Thank you.”
Volf was the first to raise his hand.
The purple bicorn was known for its high magic resistance. Thinking its materials might be useful for crafting magic swords or tools, Volf immediately made his request.
“I’ll volunteer too. I’d like to enjoy some good liquor without my wife knowing for once.”
“Understood. I’ll give you something from my personal collection.”
A light chuckle spread at Grato’s words, but volunteers were still scarce.
In the end, only ten people, including Volf, volunteered. Among them, five were Scarlet Armor knights.
The rest would be decided by coin toss.
They divided into left and right sides of the room, based on whether the coin landed heads or tails, and carried out several rounds of elimination.
“Luck, don’t fail me now!”
“I really, really don’t want to go...!”
Prayers and groans intertwined as twenty more members were added to the subjugation team.
・・・・・・・
Led by Vice Captain Grizelda, thirty unit members and four mages set off at a gallop.
They arrived at the watering hole on the southern road just past noon. They dismounted well before the site and proceeded on foot with only the unit members.
“...Even knowing it’s an illusion, this is tough.”
“As a mage, even with my anti-hallucination device, the images overlap, so it’s quite challenging... Those two on the right seem particularly strong.”
Grizelda and one of the mages whispered to each other.
The two-horned beasts that the mage saw using a magical device were a dark purple with hints of black, resembling unicorns. However, they were slightly larger and had narrower, sharper eyes.
The key difference was their two obsidian-like horns.
“Is long-range magic difficult against bicorns?”
“Yes. Their magic resistance is high, so unless you kill them in one hit, they’ll escape. With four of them, it’s better to use wind or ice magic to buy time and prevent them from fleeing.”
“Then we’ll strike when their movements slow. But this... might be quite challenging. I find it hard to strike both of them...”
Grizelda kept his eyes on the bicorns, his voice unusually strained.
“Vice Captain, uhm... if I may, who do you see as ‘both of them’?”
“My wife holding our beloved daughter.”
“That’s... rough....”
A bicorn that appeared as a wife and daughter—could anyone strike it down without hesitation?
“What about you?”
“I see my wife. It’s taking all my willpower to cast magic. And you?”
“I see my fiancée. It’s a perfectly normal hallucination, but... there’s no way I can shoot this.”
The hushed exchanges were filled with anguish.
Even though they were using a magical tool that could block sound at close range, the torment in the air was palpable.
“...What do I do? It looks like the maid I always see.”
“Wait, I want the details about that later. As for me, it’s Fabiola-chan, the most popular girl at the Twilight Pavilion.”
“So you’re serious about her, not just throwing money around for fun?”
“I’m starting to sweat buckets...”
Some, whose hidden feelings had been exposed, spoke with pained expressions.
“What about you, Randolph?”
“...This is the most unpleasant hallucination I’ve ever had.”
Randolph forced a rare, strained smile, his eyes fixed on the bicorn.
“Any Scarlet Armor knights willing to take the lead? But don’t force yourselves.”
“...I’ll go.”
In response to Vice Captain Grizelda’s question, Volf stepped forward.
His black bangs covered his downcast face, making his expression unreadable.
“That’s Volfred for you.”
“Come to think of it, last time he said the bicorn just looked like a bicorn to him.”
“In a way, it’s sad... not having anyone you think about.”
“Yeah, that’s true...”
Some knights cast sympathetic glances at Volf from a distance.
The young man, having received Grizelda’s approval, began preparing to take the lead.
“Vice Captain, I’d like to take the lead this time as well.”
The knight with bluish-gray hair stepped forward, passing by Volf.
However, he wasn’t a Scarlet Armor knight, but a regular unit member.
“Your help is appreciated, but are you sure you’re up for it?”
“Yes. In fact, I feel like I’d lose if I didn’t go. Please let me.”
“...Understood. You’ll take the lead alongside Volfred.”
After a brief pause, Grizelda gave his approval.
Volf carried his usual sword along with another of the same size.
Placing both scabbards on the ground, he lightly swung his arms to check his grip.
“Volf, bringing two swords?”
“Yeah, I want to finish this as quickly as possible.”
“Are you... okay?”
Volf nodded slightly without looking up.
“Focus on the two on the right. I feel terrible, so let’s get this over with. Dorino, can I count on you to watch my back?”
“Okay, I’ll follow two seconds behind. If it comes to it, I’ll close my eyes and swing. Don’t worry. Randolph, if either of us gets kicked, cover us with your shield. With body enhancement, we can take one hit.”
“Leave it to me.”
After checking their weapons and armor, they coordinated positions with the mages and another senior knight.
If they miss any, other unit members would follow up, but the hallucinations remained a significant concern.
A senior knight to his left, himself to the right, and Dorino and a few others behind them.
Volf checked the terrain with binoculars. As Grizelda lowered his hand, they charged.
Volf activated his body enhancement to the fullest, using the sköll fang bracelet to accelerate.
This was his second encounter with a purple bicorn.
Last time, the bicorn had appeared only as a bicorn to him. He hadn’t understood his comrades’ confusion.
This time, he saw it too, and he understood.
And it filled him with a deep, burning anger.
Now, before his eyes was a woman with red hair and green eyes.
She looked like Dahlia, smiling at him, but he knew it wasn’t her.
Dahlia’s red hair was softer, and her eyes were a clear emerald.
“...Don’t mess with me...!”
The words that escaped Volf’s throat were unexpectedly low and hoarse.
She would never smell like a beast.
With that thought, he widened his eyes, and the purple bicorn reverted to its true form.
As the crossed blades descended, the bicorn’s head fell diagonally.
Chasing the fleeing second bicorn, Volf kicked off a tree, caught up mid-air, and severed its head from behind. The remaining blade didn’t stop, cleaving the torso in two.
His red armor was further reddened with blood.
On the other side, a knight wielding a greatsword charged toward the bicorns opposite Volf.
“Stop clinging to the past!”
With his shout, a gust of wind surged—likely the mages’ attempt to immobilize the bicorn.
The momentarily stunned bicorn tried to counter with its front legs, but the force was insufficient. The knight’s greatsword cleaved through its front legs and torso.
Another bicorn attempting to flee sideways was struck by a horizontal slash of the greatsword, sending a dramatic spray of blood into the air.
By the time the tip of the greatsword was lowered, both bicorns were completely still.
“Everyone, search the area! There might be more!”
At the command, the remaining knights rushed forward.
・・・・・・・
After confirming no more bicorns were present, they began the cleanup. The unit members finally started to relax.
“...Volfred-dono was really angry. Who did he see?”
“Probably that Duchess. If the woman he idolizes appeared in such a state in this forest, even he’d snap.”
“Ah, so he’s finally serious. But still, what a terrible partner to get attracted to...”
“Poor guy, but what can you do? Even Volfred can’t expect the Duchess to reciprocate his feelings.”
Rumors pointed to the widowed Duchess, Altea Gastoni.
Among women, it was said she kept Volf by her side with her power and wealth. Among men, it was said Volf served her due to her power and beauty.
Officially, she was the sister-in-law of the king’s wife, a woman who had lost her husband early, with a beautiful paramour by her side—a figure never short of rumors.
“Realization is a cruel thing...”
Many didn’t reveal who they had seen, while others let out deep sighs.
“So, you’re gonna start by finding out the castle maid’s name?”
“She’s so cute, she must have a lover...”
“Don’t give up so easily. Confirm it first, then decide. A man should charge forward and break if he must.”
“I don’t want to break... What about you, Dorino?”
The man who had been cheering on others’ love lives gazed into the distance and smiled faintly.
“...What would it take for Fabiola-chan, who’s so popular even among nobles, to seriously consider me? I’ll probably drown my sorrows in drink when we get back. Nooo...”
“Trying to get a laugh will only make you seem pitiful, Dorino.”
“Shut up, Randolph. Who did you see, huh?”
“...No comment.”
“Come on, you’ve got to spill now!”
The topic of love was heating up, and no alcohol was needed.
Even though the group was sober, the lively atmosphere made it feel like a drinking party had already started.
Ignoring the growing noise behind him, Volf removed his armor.
Holding a water magic stone, he doused himself from head to toe.
Covered in blood, he reeked. As he washed his hair again, the bluish-gray-haired knight stood beside him.
“Any injuries, Volf?”
“None. And you, Astorga-senpai?”
“My greatsword chipped a bit. I put too much force into it.”
The man laughed as he washed his hair and face with a water magic stone. The dripping water looked like tears, catching Volf’s attention.
“Astorga-senpai, that was an impressive sword technique, but... May I ask who you saw?”
“It’s unusual for you to ask... It was my ex-wife from two years ago. She said I was practically nonexistent because of all my frequent expeditions.”
The man, who rarely spoke much, answered candidly.
Volf bowed deeply.
“My apologies for prying.”
“Don’t worry about it. The fact that I could strike means I’ve moved on. I’ll probably try one of those arranged marriages my relatives keep suggesting. Ah, what about you, Volfred?”
He hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to speak to the man in front of him, but eventually, the words left his mouth.
“...A friend appeared. I feel disgusted, both with the bicorn and myself.”
“Whoever it is, don’t dwell on it. It’s not just people you love—it can be anyone you care about. For me, before my wife, I saw my younger brother who died when I was a child. I remember being so furious.”
“Your brother...”
“Others have seen deceased wives or children. Maybe it shows ‘those you want to protect’ or ‘those you failed to protect.’”
“Those you want to protect”—he could completely understand it.
And the phrase “those you failed to protect” brought his mother to mind.
He never wanted to feel the weakness of failing to protect someone or the regret of crying over it again.
“We both need to become strong enough not to be exploited by monsters.”
“Yes, that’s what I aim for.”
With that response, Volf finally managed to smile as he usually did.
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