My Contract Husband Demands a Divorce - Chapter 81

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Is this really a Holy Relic? This thing?”
“What do you mean, ‘this thing’?”
The Monk’s shoulders slumped. His straight bangs covered the bridge of his nose, hiding his expression, but he appeared deeply disheartened.
“Then shouldn’t we have just killed the Mother Organism when we found it earlier?”
“If the Mother Organism is damaged, all the eggs will break. The immature ones will die shortly after, but those that have matured to some extent… *Yawn*… Well, for one reason or another, we had to save the people first.”
If the Demonic Beasts had all awakened at once because we killed the Mother Organism, everyone in our party—including those slightly farther away—would have perished on the spot.
And they would have pushed all the way here before any countermeasures could be taken.
Leaving not a single living soul behind wherever they passed.
Thud!
The sound of the Demonic Beasts slamming against the border walls echoed once more.
Yulisian Kleinheits gripped the Stone and readjusted his hold on his sword.
“I will be back.”
The Monk flopped forward onto the ground and grabbed the back of Yulisian’s shoe.
“That Stone requires continuous chanting of the Prayer to remain effective. Once you insert it into the Mother Organism, you must keep praying until it dies.”
“Then it’s not a matter of just putting it in.”
“Ah…”
I pulled at his arm to help the dazed, sighing Monk to his feet.
“Get up quickly. If prayer is required, you should be the one going, Monk.”
“I expended too much energy making Holy Water back there; I have no strength left to stand.”
…He made Holy Water on the spot?
Startled by the revelation, I lost my grip on his arm.
The Monk promptly collapsed back onto the floor with a dull thud.
“I shall sleep… *Yawn*… You should go, Baroness. The Mother Organism has no offensive capabilities, so you will be fine.”
“You’re going to sleep here?”
“Yes…”
Leaving him behind, I turned to Yulisian.
“Let’s go.”
“It is far too dangerous.”
“Is there anyone here right now who isn’t in danger?”
At those words, Yulisian finally handed the Stone over to me and looked toward the border walls. The corpses of Demonic Beasts were piled high atop the walls, while the structure below still shook precariously from the creatures ramming into it.
“Argh! More of them are swarming over there!”
“The, the wall looks like it’s going to collapse!”
Yulisian shouted up toward the defenders.
“Hurl the carcasses of the Demonic Beasts outside! Use them as a buffer!”
The men pushed the corpses over the edge of the wall.
With that, the impact vibrating through the wall visibly lessened.
Instead, the Demonic Beasts began to climb over by stepping on the carcasses. However, since they lost their strength upon scaling the wall, this was actually a preferable alternative.
While he gave the orders, I sought out the Landowner.
“We need a passageway leading outside.”
“Are, are you planning to flee?”
“The Mother Organism is in the Canyon. If we don’t kill it, the Demonic Beasts will keep multiplying.”
The Landowner clamped his mouth shut.
He seemed anxious that we might withdraw our forces and abandon them.
“W-Wouldn’t it be better if we all moved together…!”
“It’s impossible to move while protecting two hundred people. We have the injured and the sick, not to mention children and the elderly.”
“That is true, but…”
“Hurry! We don’t have time!”
“I-I understand. I’ll go find the key right away!”
While the Landowner scurried inside, Yulisian was shouting to gather men to venture out.
I rushed indoors to pack usable medicine, bandages, and a Dagger.
Though unsure if we would have the chance to eat, I stuffed some provisions into a bag and swung it onto my back.
The party heading out consisted of seven people in total, including Yulisian and myself.
I wondered if this would suffice, but withdrawing any more forces could put this place in jeopardy.
“But why are there only six horses?”
“Ride with me, Amarynthis. It will be difficult to handle the reins while reciting the Prayer.”
“All right.”
As I climbed up in front of Yulisian, the Landowner guided us toward the Dining Hall.
Once the people hastily cleared out of the way, the Landowner shoveled away the ashes from the large hearth and swung open the back panel.
A gaping tunnel was revealed.
“This passage runs beneath the Moat. If you follow it straight through, you will emerge directly into the forest.”
“Barricade it tightly once we go out. If the Demonic Beasts discover this path, they might breach the stronghold through here.”
“Understood.”
We immediately spurred our horses into a gallop.
After riding for a good while, the stench of blood and repulsive beasts grew overwhelming.
Yet, contrary to the sickening odor, not a single cricket could be heard.
The silence was uncanny.
A glance aside revealed the brutally mangled carcasses of animals.
As a wave of nausea welled up within me, Yulisian whispered from behind.
“Amarynthis, the Prayer.”
“Yes.”
Deciding it was better not to look, I closed my eyes and began chanting the Prayer.
Occasional death throes of Demonic Beasts, battle cries, and the sound of weapons slicing through the air and piercing thick hides reached my ears, but I kept my eyes shut.
The more hot liquid splattered onto my face, the tighter I closed my eyes, raising my voice to chant louder.
I had no idea how much time had passed when he spoke.
“We have arrived.”
Muttering the final lines of the Prayer, I opened my eyes.
Beneath the descending twilight, the Nest of Monsters we had seen earlier came into view.
A river of slime from the hatched eggs flowed past, and more eggs were rolling down to take their place.
Without needing to exchange a word, we turned our horses.
Traced back to where the eggs were originating, something resembling a massive lump of flesh loomed ahead.
It looked like an armadillo curled into a ball, or perhaps a coiled serpent.
However, it possessed no face, limbs, or tail, merely a splitting crevice that pulsed as it spat out eggs.
The eggs generated by the Mother Organism were rolling down into the Canyon.
“The speed of egg generation seems to be accelerating.”
At the Mercenary’s remark, Yulisian dismounted first.
I temporarily paused my praying and walked forward.
The closer we drew, the more an offensive odor assaulted our nostrils.
“We were told that if the Mother Organism suffers damage, the eggs will detonate simultaneously.”
Our companions swallowed hard.
Everyone gripped their weapons tighter, their bodies tensing.
“Does that mean the Demonic Beasts might swarm this location all at once?”
“Yes. There’s no telling how many there will be.”
“Damn it.”
Curses and prayers to the gods broke out among the men.
Yet, no one fled.
While I drew the Stone, Yulisian issued instructions.
“We will divide into two squads. While one squad holds the vanguard, the other will fall back to provide cover and conserve their strength. We rotate when fatigue sets in or if someone is injured.”
“Understood.”
As I approached the Mother Organism, the men split into two lines to flank me.
Exhaling a trembling breath, I spoke.
“I’m plunging it in.”
They silently readied their weapons.
The moment I heard that sound, I chanted the Prayer and drove the Dagger deep into the Mother Organism.
Splat, squelch, thud!
A succession of bursting sounds echoed from afar. The shrieks of hundreds of Demonic Beasts vibrated through the Canyon.
Without a moment’s delay, I shoved Saint Karkov’s Stone into the ruptured gap.
The generation of eggs ground to a halt, and the Mother Organism began to writhe.
Since my hand was pinned, I kept it planted there while continuously reciting the Prayer.
Freshly hatched Demonic Beasts began scrambling rapidly up the Canyon.
“Argh!”
“Die!”
“Cover that side!”
I kept chanting the Prayer to eradicate evil.
The ragged breathing behind me and the horrifying screams of the Demonic Beasts grew progressively harsher.
The Mother Organism was slowly beginning to disintegrate.
However, it took a considerable amount of time to collapse entirely.
Only after the surroundings were completely swallowed by darkness did it crumble into nothingness.
When I turned around, two men had already fallen, and another two were wounded, retreating to the rear.
The only ones still standing firmly were Yulisian and Volkas.
‘We’re all going to die at this rate.’
The moment I bit my lip in desperation, the sword swung by Yulisian deflected off a Demonic Beast’s hide, failing to pierce it.
Startled, I resumed the Prayer and scanned our surroundings.
We needed a way to survive.
Somehow, anything…
Just then, I noticed the Demonic Beasts bypassing the crumbled Mother Organism to strike at our companions.
‘Could it be?’
Still chanting the Prayer, I exerted all my strength to hack away at the thick hide of the Mother Organism’s lower section.
Seeing this, the two injured Mercenaries rushed over to assist me.
We hollowed out the interior and dragged the two unconscious men inside.
“Yulisian!!”
At my call, Yulisian and Volkas slashed through the remaining Demonic Beasts and ran toward us without looking back.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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