DEMON KING'S Love Redemption

Chapter 15 The Forbidden Forest

The sky above Aethelgard Academy had lost its vibrant luster. As they ventured further from the safety of the castle's towering walls, the horizon bled into a stifling, pale gray. The Forbidden Forest, a jagged boundary between civilization and the lawless wild, loomed before the second-year students like a line of ancient giants watching their prey. Centennial Ironwood trees clawed at the heavens with gnarled, twisted branches, as if trying to ensnare the passing clouds.

Vann adjusted his rucksack, his fingers occasionally brushing the hilt of the wooden practice sword at his hip. His ink-black eyes scanned the dense thickets with a sharpness no other student possessed. To him, this forest was more than just a site for field practice; it was a playground he had razed to the ground in his previous life. He knew every scent of the soil, every whisper of the wind, and every danger lurking behind the mist.

"You look awfully serious, Vann. Are you afraid of getting eaten by a horned rabbit?" Elric teased from his side, though his own hand gripped a protection charm so tightly his knuckles were white.

Vann offered only a brief grunt in response. "The forest is different from last year, Elric. The air is too still. There are no birds chirping, and even the insects have gone silent."

Ahead of them, the group of students was led by Professor Mordred and Freya van Aethelgard. Freya looked radiant in her light silver armor, which caught the forest’s dim light. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, giving her the air of a true warrior. She carried a longbow carved from sandalwood, her ocean-blue eyes fixed forward in deep concentration.

"Attention, everyone!" Professor Mordred’s voice boomed, startling several students. "We are currently in the outer zone of the Forbidden Forest. Your task today is to gather raw Mana Crystals that grow around the roots of Glowshroom trees. Do not stray from the group, and if you see a red flare in the sky, return to the rendezvous point immediately."

Kael, whose fingers were still bandaged from yesterday’s cafeteria incident, stepped forward with an arrogant stride. "Professor, why are we restricted to the outer zone? Shouldn't the Elite Class be tested in the more challenging central zone?"

Mordred narrowed his eyes, a thin, knowing smile playing on his lips. "The forest is restless, Master Kael. Something has stirred the denizens of the deep. Stay in the outer zone if you wish to see tomorrow’s sunrise."

Vann felt a subtle tremor in the earth. He crouched down, pretending to tie his shoelace, but instead pressed his palm against the damp soil. Through mana resonance, he could sense thousands of small, frantic heartbeats moving beneath the ground and behind the trees.

Goblins, Vann thought. But there are too many. And their pulses... they are too fast, as if driven by madness.

"Vann, what are you doing? Hurry up!" Freya called out, noticing him lingering behind.

Vann stood and jogged to catch up. As he pulled alongside her, he caught the faint, lingering scent of cumin from breakfast on her cloak. Freya glanced at him, her gaze still clouded with suspicion, yet flickering with an irrepressible spark of curiosity.

"Why do you keep staring at the ground?" Freya asked softly.

"The earth never lies, Lady Freya," Vann replied evenly. "It tells us who has passed and who lies in wait."

Freya furrowed her brow. "You speak like a veteran tracker. You're only sixteen."

"Experience isn't always measured by age," Vann replied cryptically.

Suddenly, a loud rustle erupted from the bushes to their right. Eager to prove his bravery, Kael drew his light-sword instantly. "Show yourself, you lowly creature!"

A Goblin—a small green creature with a long nose and pointed ears—sprang out. However, its appearance was grotesque. Its usually pale green skin had turned a dark gray, laced with bulging red veins. Its eyes glowed a frenzied crimson, and foam bubbled from a mouth filled with razor-sharp fangs.

"Just a Goblin?" Kael laughed dismissively. "Watch this, Freya! Light Slash!"

Kael swung his blade, unleashing a wave of light meant to cleave an ordinary Goblin in two. But the creature moved with unnatural speed. It leapt onto a tree branch, evading Kael’s strike, and let out a piercing, ear-splitting shriek.

SKREEEEEEEEE!

The cry was more than just a sound; it was a call to war. In an instant, dozens of Goblins with the same twisted features emerged from every direction—dropping from trees, crawling out of the brush, and bursting from holes in the earth. They carried no simple wooden clubs, but rusted daggers coated in a foul-smelling black sludge.

"Defensive formation!" Mordred roared. "Mages in the center, knights on the perimeter!"

Chaos erupted. Students who had felt safe moments ago began to scream in terror as the Goblin horde swelled. Freya acted immediately, drawing her bowstring and releasing arrows of light that pierced the heads of three Goblins in rapid succession. Her movements were graceful and efficient, the product of years of disciplined training.

Vann remained in the rear, doing his best to look panicked. He gripped his wooden sword with trembling hands—a purely calculated performance—while keeping his eyes locked on Freya. He had promised himself he would let her shine. He wanted her to build her confidence as a hero.

"Elric, stay behind me!" Vann commanded, parrying a weak lunge from a Goblin that strayed too close.

"I... I’ll try a protection spell!" Elric stammered, chanting with a shaky voice to manifest a thin, transparent shield that nearly shattered from a single stone thrown by a Goblin.

Freya was at the front, acting as the group’s spearhead. She moved nimbly among the tree roots, firing arrows and drawing her dagger to slash any Goblin that got too close. Vann watched her with a profound sense of pride. That’s my Freya. A formidable hero even at this age, he thought.

But then, something went wrong.

From the deeper shadows of the forest, a much larger figure emerged. It was a Goblin Shaman, standing twice the height of its kin, draped in wolf skins and wielding a staff made of human bone. The Shaman began chanting in a guttural tongue, causing the air around it to turn black.

"Dammit, they’ve been tainted by Corruption!" Mordred shouted, occupied with holding back five Goblins at once. "Freya! Take out that Shaman!"