Terrifying People

The out-of-control nest...

Bard Wendell froze for a moment before realizing what Gawain meant.

"The one beneath the Eastern Holy Spirit Plain..." He looked up at Gawain and Viscount Andrew. "It seems you've already found its entrance?"

"The 'entrance' is no longer important. The entire Thorinburg region has been occupied by a gigantic plant spreading up from underground. It is probably some out-of-control product of your technology," Gawain said bluntly. "And your only chance now is to confirm what is happening inside—and come back alive."

Bard Wendell closed his eyes slightly. He seemed to have no other choice.

"I understand." He lowered his head. "I accept this chance."

"Very good." Gawain glanced at Viscount Andrew, then nodded to Bard. "Then relax for now. At least at this moment, you can temporarily shed your identity as a prisoner. Next, I have some questions for you."

An attendant soon brought over a chair and had Bard sit in the middle of the room. Viscount Andrew left on official business. Once only Gawain and the former Wolf General of Typhon remained, the atmosphere grew heavy for a time, until Gawain broke the silence himself. "I've actually always been curious. What did the once-promising Wolf General experience to become an End of All Things Cultist—even changing his Supernatural Profession from a God-Blessed Knight into a Dark Druid?"

Bard sat straight in his chair. Perhaps because he had something to do again, or perhaps because he was facing the ruler of an "enemy nation," much of his dejection seemed to have faded. Hearing Gawain's question, the man who concealed so many secrets fell silent at first, but after a few seconds, he let out a soft sigh.

There were things he had never intended to mention again. Yet when he saw the news of Gawain's