Chapter 536: The Princess’s Territory

“Your Highness. He’s… entered.”

In a massive room with only a bed,

an overweight old woman spoke.

On the old woman’s back were wings like a fairy’s, allowing her to float in the air as if she were a fairy in a storybook.

“I know. I even greeted him.”

The princess, waking up in bed, replied as she tidied her messy hair.

Though she had lived for hundreds of years, she still maintained the fresh appearance of a young girl, an image of beauty.

But perhaps that wasn’t entirely accurate. It wasn’t that she was alive—it was more correct to say she continued to exist.

Though she didn’t desire either.

“Will it be okay?”

The old woman asked, wringing her hands. A sign of her anxiety.

It was truly ironic—this very person had once used fear to bring down an entire kingdom with black magic centuries ago.

But perhaps it was natural. She knew too much.

Knowledge itself was terror and despair.

The princess understood that better than anyone.

“What wouldn’t be okay?”

“Pardon…?”

“What wouldn’t be okay?” she asked again.

The old woman lowered her eyes and pressed her lips together, like a criminal in the face of judgment. Because in truth, she was guilty.

But at this point, did it really matter?

“Fate is already set, and we are nothing but cogs within it. How important can our actions really be?”

“Will he come?”

“Who knows? I did drop a few words that might pique his interest, but…”

The princess trailed off, turning her gaze toward the window.

The curtain on the window gently moved aside, revealing the outside view.

A view of the shifting, ever-changing Sleeping Forest.

While the forest seemed quiet, the princess, as both its ruler and its slave, could feel it.

She could feel how agitated the forest was, how it was expanding its range, worsening the environment, creating creatures, all to fend off numerous invaders.

Just like an immune system fights off intruders.

“It won’t be easy. With the forest in this state, only someone with an exceptional will could make it here.”

Indeed, the Sleeping Forest was sometimes under the princess’s control, but not always.

She was both the master and the slave of the forest.

If the princess deemed something dangerous, the forest would cut her off from the outside world, protecting her because the forest existed because of her.

That’s why she could never leave her castle.

Given that many intruders were coming, some directly targeting her, the forest would protect itself more fiercely than usual.

One would need a stronger will than even the forest.

“You mentioned using words that might interest him? Then won’t everything be alright?”

The old woman asked, feeling a chill of unease run up her spine.

The princess responded.

“Yes, I did catch his attention by appealing to his unreasonable fate. But that alone might not be enough.”

The winged old woman slowly floated closer to the princess.

Not of her own will, but by the will of the princess.

This old woman, who once used fear and anxiety to overthrow a nation centuries ago, was now merely one of the princess’s creatures.

“He’s currently burdened by very contradictory emotions.”

“Your Highness…?”

“He wants to know more about himself, yet simultaneously, he doesn’t. If he truly wanted to know, there were faster and more certain ways.”

The princess recalled the scene from her dream.

When the master of the ruined land tried to reveal their secrets, he left as soon as there was an escape route.

With the Flesh Cook, the devil, Theodore—every time he had a chance to learn about himself, he stepped back, circling the same self-imposed boundaries.

It was endlessly frustrating.

But the princess didn’t feel the need to blame him.

As she had described him, he bore the most unreasonable fate in the world.

It was understandable that he would want to turn a blind eye to it.

More than anyone.

“But there isn’t much time left. I’m tired too. So I need your help. Help me talk with him properly.”

The princess looked at the old woman.

***

“You’ve improved even more since I last saw you…” Claude said, impressed as he looked at Oliver.

It made sense. As soon as Oliver joined the battle and swung his dagger, the constantly regenerating creatures they were fighting fell apart.

They had been infected by countless diseases contained in his Blood-Stained Dagger.

Oliver sheathed the dagger and replied.

“I was just lucky. I fought something similar before.”

Oliver was reminded of the creatures he had fought on the New Continent, creations of Fen.

Fen’s creatures were far more powerful and troublesome than regular ones since they were created from human souls, flesh, and other materials, and it was no exception for Oliver.

Especially Fen’s Shadow-Creature and Intestine-Creature, who engulfed an entire room, were on another level.

One barely took any damage, and the other was so massive that even attacking it had almost no effect.

The only thing that had effective results was the Blood-Stained Dagger Oliver had just put away.

The dagger had been given to him by Wallace, one of the Kel Independent Forces, and enhanced with disease-related Death Magic using Oliver’s blood.

As soon as Oliver saw the creatures in the Sleeping Forest, he recognized they weren’t ordinary opponents. He instinctively drew the dagger and swung it.

Thankfully, the creatures crumbled under the diseases contained in the dagger.

“By the way, Claude. This place is the princess’s territory within the Sleeping Forest, right? Does that mean the princess made it?”

Oliver immediately brought up the reason he had saved Claude.

He would have helped him anyway since they knew each other, but he was also curious.

“Yes… You really don’t know who she is?” Claude asked, seeming surprised; the princess seemed to be a rather famous black mage.

“No, I don’t know who she is… Is she from the Black Hand?”

Claude nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct. She’s not like Puppet, but she’s a black mage who’s comparable to him—at least according to rumors.”

A black mage comparable to Puppet. Oliver understood.

Judging by what he had seen so far—the creatures and the shifting forest—she could certainly hold her own alongside Puppet.

The atmosphere had a similar feel to when Puppet showed him the gates of hell.

“But why is she here? I thought the Verdant Forest held the inheritance of Flesh Cook?”

“That’s because her territory is constantly moving.”

A third voice chimed in.

When they turned their heads, they saw a man with a scrawny build and orange hair standing there.

Interestingly, he was wearing a vest made from a Greedy Bag.

Oliver and Claude made eye contact, and Claude introduced him.

“This is Bay. He’s a Plague Merchant and an ally who came with us to seek the inheritance of Flesh Cook.”

“Bay? Do you mean Bomb Merchant Bay?”

Oliver pointed at Bay and asked. It was because Bay had launched an attack on them with nearly a hundred self-destruct Puppets as soon as they entered the Verdant Forest.

Claude and Bay remembered it too and winced, but they admitted it.

“I apologize. Your reputation in Randa is so well-known that I couldn’t help myself…”

“Ah. No worries. Everyone here is risking their lives for Flesh Cook’s inheritance. I understand.”

“Do you?”

Bay asked in a tone of slight surprise. Oliver nodded.

“Yes, I’d do the same if I needed to.”

Hearing his answer, Claude, Bay, and the Plague Merchant flinched and looked at Oliver.

His calm demeanor made his words feel more genuine. Bay and the Plague Merchant finally understood why Claude had described Oliver as difficult to understand.

After solving the past issue, Claude and Bay shared several pieces of information with Oliver about the Sleeping Forest.

They explained that its location changes periodically, creatures appear frequently, and food, water, and medicines spoil quickly.

“And the terrain constantly shifts as well.”

“Thank you for the valuable information.”

Oliver mentally absorbed everything Claude had told him.

“Consider it as payback for helping us. But you seem very interested in the Sleeping Forest Princess?”

Claude asked suddenly. Oliver recalled the girl he briefly encountered before entering the forest but didn’t explain and dodged the question.

“I’m curious about a Black Hand member I don’t know much about. Actually, earlier—”

Oliver paused and looked around.

Red Hood was nowhere to be seen, as if he had vanished along with the mist.

“…Dave?”

“…I met someone interesting. I’m wondering if the Sleeping Forest Princess will be interesting too.”

Claude remained silent. How many people would casually describe someone of her stature as “interesting”?

After exchanging greetings and information for a while, Oliver was about to leave when Claude made a proposal.

“Dave, can you take us with you?”

“Huh?”

“We did come here for Flesh Cook’s inheritance, but we aren’t in a great situation. We got attacked by some cultists and ended up in the Sleeping Forest unprepared.”

“Cultists?”

“Yes… The Black Swan Princess. She’s usually quiet, but she suddenly became active. We were ambushed by her followers and fled here.”

Oliver was about to ask about the Black Swan Princess, but Claude quickly spoke up.

“Moreover, the Sleeping Forest is much more aggressive than we expected. To be honest, we would appreciate your help. We’ll repay you in whatever way we can.”

It was a sudden offer, but it was sincere.

Oliver detected another emotion hidden within that sincerity and asked.

“You also want something, don’t you?”

Claude didn’t deny it.

“I do, but I’m not foolish enough to insist on it right now.”

Claude answered objectively, acknowledging his situation. Oliver observed him for a moment and then asked.

“Is it for Puppet?”

***

Oliver said to Claude.

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m working with the Millieu people, so I can’t decide alone. I’ll ask them and let you know.”

“That’s more than enough. Thank you.”

As soon as Claude replied, Oliver pulled out a piece of Paper from his breast pocket and threw it into the air, activating a magical process.

As soon as the magic activated, a purple portal formed above the Paper, and Oliver, along with Claude and his group, stepped into it.

“Ah, you’ve returned!!”

The voice that welcomed Oliver as soon as he emerged from the portal belonged to none other than Lucian.

Lucian, now fully equipped in silver armor.

Lucian was clearly relieved to see Oliver, and a quick glance around made the reason clear.

Creatures were pouring out from everywhere in the Sleeping Forest, launching attacks.

The camp looked half-destroyed, and the Millieu seemed to be on the defensive.

They were only holding out thanks to the huge barrier created by a Holy Knight clad in full armor and the unending barrage of Gatling fire.

The situation looked calm, and Oliver found it intriguing enough that he wanted to talk with them later.

“Are these creatures from the princess?”

“Yes… How did you know?”

“I had someone inform me.”

Oliver pointed at Claude and his group. Since they were also from Gallos’s underworld, Lucian recognized them immediately.

Instead of questioning how Oliver met them or why they came together, Lucian remained silent.

He had already learned from experience. The creatures pouring out of the Sleeping Forest had likely forced them into a temporary alliance.

The large number of black mages and Fixers inside and outside the camp was proof of that.

There was no need for words; Oliver and Lucian understood the situation with just a look. Oliver decided to start with the most pressing issue.

After all, getting attacked had some advantages, like fostering an immediate sense of camaraderie.

“Where should I begin?”

Oliver’s positive question was met with Lucian pointing outside the barrier created by the Holy Power.

Many people were stranded outside the barrier, including Ewan.

“Aaaah! I missed my chance to escape! Die!!!”

Even in this desperate situation, surrounded by creatures, Ewan didn’t lose his usual humor as he swung his Head Wand and a machine gun made from a cat, spraying fire and bullets everywhere.

His firepower was so intense that even the creatures couldn’t approach easily. Using him as the center, the Millieu forces, black mages, and Fixers slowly retreated.

“Damn it! You guys should be protecting me! I’m not a soldier!!”

Ewan’s reliable front couldn’t stop the ominous thud, thud, signaling a new threat.

A giant skeleton, more than 5 meters tall, emerged from the forest.

It emanated a terrifying aura.

Despite Ewan’s focused barrage, the 5-meter skeleton ignored it due to its natural defenses, continuing its advance.

People began to panic.

At that moment, Oliver extracted emotions, forming a swamp of disease that trapped the giant skeleton’s feet.

The giant skeleton wavered.

Not missing the opportunity, Oliver wrapped his legs in the Black Suit and drew the Blood-Stained Dagger.

[Targeting]

Upon Oliver’s chant, dartboard patterns appeared on both himself and the giant skeleton. Using an increased gravitational pull, Oliver rapidly closed the distance and stabbed the giant skeleton.

Squelch!

Disease-Weakness Death Magic spread.

Amazingly, the giant skeleton, impervious to all other attacks, fell.

Everyone cheered at the sight, but Oliver didn’t stop there. He extracted the giant skeleton’s emotions, mixed them with the swamp below, and spread the Disease-Weakness Death Magic to the surrounding area.

A disease that didn’t affect humans but was fatal to creatures.

Since these creatures were all crafted by the same mage, the disease spread like wildfire.

At that moment, Oliver’s shadow flickered, signaling a request to consume the numerous surrounding creatures.

As a creature born of the emotions, magic, and life force of the Flesh Cook, it had an insatiable hunger. It might devour everything if allowed.

But Oliver declined. He couldn’t predict the outcome of consuming such a large number of creatures.

Perhaps he would have allowed it with another creature, but since the shadow was made from his own shadow, Oliver was cautious.

Ignoring the shadow’s request, Oliver was about to use fire-type Death Magic when someone tugged on his clothes.

Tap tap.

The familiarity of the touch.

Oliver instinctively turned around to find a child formed from darkness.

Oliver had seen it before. The Burned One had shown him.

Of course, its form wasn’t as refined as the one crafted by the Burned One.

Just as he had during the encounter with the Burned One, Oliver hesitated briefly, then tried to shake off the grasp by pulling his clothes.

Because it was fake.

But he couldn’t shake it off. The crude child flickered and changed into a face Oliver knew.

[Please, please save me. Gaaah… I’m so scared of dying. Please. I’m terrified of going to hell.]

Colin.

Oliver froze, and in that instant, the restrained creatures lunged at him from all directions, covering him.

Like carnivores pouncing on prey.

While everyone looked on in shock, Oliver spoke softly.

“Shadow. Devour them. All of them.”