The Holy Knight Embraces the Imprinted Succubus - Chapter 3

“Why did you come so deep into the forest?”

Following that was the chillingly low voice of a man, devoid of emotion. Rosanna’s entire body froze on instinct.

‘Is he a human soldier…?’

At the edge of her kneeling vision, she saw the toes of the man’s boots—black leather. He was the one who had felled that massive beast in a single strike.

And Rosanna was a demon. Half-human, yes, but her blood was still half demon.

If that man was a human soldier… the moment he found out her true identity, he’d never let her live.

It was a deeply instinctive realization.

“Lift your head and show your face. Now.”

A cold blade touched the nape of her neck, ready to dig in the moment she disobeyed. The wet, sticky sensation still clinging to it hadn’t dried—it belonged to the monster he had just slain.

Rosanna wrestled with herself, weighing her options again and again, but in the end, she cautiously raised her head. Her blurred vision caught the outline of a man staring down at her without the slightest motion, sword still pointed at her.

“I-I didn’t… do anything…”

He was likely asking why she was here. The moment she recalled the reason, the hairs on her body stood on end. A hiccup of fear nearly escaped.

She had been cast into the human world by Damion. After that, she woke up in this forest and encountered a monster. That was all.

But that wasn’t the kind of answer she could give him.

“I’ll ask again. Why did you come so deep into the forest?”

What could she say to avoid suspicion? Her heart pounded wildly on its own, as if it might stop at any second.

“I-I’m not sure. I came to my senses and found myself here…”

It was the best answer Rosanna could give. Thankfully, it didn’t seem entirely wrong, as the man didn’t press the blade further against her.

However, he didn’t lower it either. He merely shifted it slightly aside while keeping her throat in range.

Rosanna repeated to herself over and over again:

‘Don’t tremble. If you tremble, you’ll only make him more suspicious.’

But it was easier said than done. Her body wouldn’t obey.

Rosanna briefly assessed whether she could bolt and run from this spot. But she gave up quickly.

Even though blood blurred her vision, making it hard to see the man clearly, it was obvious he was far larger than she was. Of course he’d be faster, too…

She couldn’t decide what was worse—being eaten alive by a monster, or the situation she was in now.

“Lord Raphael, the demonic energy is growing thicker.”

Alix, who had been surveying the forest, informed them gravely. They had already ventured far deeper into the forest than expected.

During the Pale Eclipse, the demonic energy in the Black Forest grew several times stronger, and even the beasts within were affected by it.

Considering that the scent of blood might attract more monsters, there was no time to waste.

Raphael also sensed that the miasma was heavier now than when they’d first arrived.

Still, this woman was far too suspicious to ignore.

“You woke up and found yourself in a forest? Not impossible. It’d be easier to drag someone unconscious.”

“……”

“Then let me ask you one thing. Do you remember how many victims, including yourself, were dragged here?”

Raphael lowered his sword and bent down to grip her chin, forcing eye contact.

If she was truly one of the victims brought here by demon worshippers, she should at least be able to name a number close to the truth.

The other victims sacrificed to the Black Forest had been found near the edges, either wandering or unconscious. The apostates who delivered them hadn’t remained behind foolishly.

But this woman was different. She had been abandoned deep within the forest—and was still conscious. That was abnormal. Raphael even considered the possibility that she was a demon herself.

The woman trembled violently, unable to even meet his gaze. Her body shook to an unusual degree. As he held her small chin, her muscles tensed, and a rush of hot liquid poured out.

“Lord Raphael! It’s the demonic energy—she’s affected!”

A wave of dizziness struck her. Rosanna, her hands trembling, hastily clapped a hand over her mouth. But it was too late—the hot contents had already been vomited onto the man.

Drip, drop—Rosanna stared wide-eyed at what she had just done, then frantically searched for his face. Ah…

Her vision spun, consciousness fading.

The soldier beside the dark-haired man seemed to say something, but it didn’t reach her ears. Even then, the man remained still.

He must never find out that I’m a half-blood.

Even as her mind dimmed, locking eyes with him confirmed one thing.

Then her vision was swept away like scattered sand, and her body collapsed powerlessly.

Complete darkness.

***

Alix anxiously looked back and forth between the unconscious woman and his superior, whose thoughts were unreadable.

“Lord Raphael. Are you all right…?”

He understood why his superior was behaving this way. They had ventured deeper into the Black Forest than originally planned in order to locate the final missing person.

During the time of the Pale Eclipse, the miasma in the Black Forest grew several times denser than usual. Even a Holy Knight, blessed with holy power, could easily fall victim to its influence if they lingered too long.

And yet, in such a dangerous place, this civilian—who clearly possessed no holy power—had managed to remain conscious.

‘It’s not something that could happen under normal circumstances…’

Perhaps she had barely endured it through sheer willpower. Alix looked down at the woman who had collapsed in Raphael’s arms with a conflicted expression.

She clung to him like a lifeless doll. It was surely unintentional, but thanks to it, Raphael’s armor had long been soaked in blood.

“…Lord Raphael, what do you intend to do?”

Rather than reply, Raphael supported the woman’s neck with one hand. Her frail neck, slack and limp, was completely enveloped by his large palm.

Though her body had cooled, as if she’d wandered the forest for a long time, a soft warmth still lingered.

As if gauging that warmth, Raphael slowly closed and then opened his eyes before pressing firmly on the left side of the woman’s chest.

Thump, thump—thump, thump—her heart beat at a steady rhythm. Small, but consistent. The motion of life pulsed against his palm.

Fast, regular, and vivid. Just like his own. Without a doubt, it was the heartbeat of a human.

“We’re taking her.”

Understanding what Raphael’s action meant, Alix quickly nodded and turned around to receive the woman from him.

“Lord Raphael, allow me to carry her.”

“No need.”

Ignoring Alix, Raphael rose to his feet, effortlessly cradling the small figure in his arms. He remembered the final words she had spoken to him.

‘Please… save me.’

Her wide, disbelieving eyes. Her trembling, pallid gaze had met his, and even in the final moments before she lost consciousness, she had never looked away.

“Since I’m the one who put her in this state, I ought to take responsibility.”

***

Her mind felt heavy, like wet cotton soaked with water. Her head throbbed as if it had taken a great blow.

Rosanna forced open her stubborn eyelids and took in her surroundings. Blink. A strange ceiling filled her view.

‘Where am I…?’

Though her mind was still foggy, she could clearly feel that this place was very different from the Black Forest. In fact, she was indoors now, not outside.

“Ugh…”

A frail groan escaped her lips as she struggled to sit up, but Rosanna gathered her senses and began to survey where she was.

At that moment, what she had thought was a wall slid aside, and a woman appeared through the opening.

“Oh! You’re finally awake!!”

Startled, Rosanna scooted all the way to the edge of the bed in a flurry.

‘Who is she…?’

Her mind was in utter chaos.

Apparently unaware of Rosanna’s confusion, the woman approached with a warm, friendly expression.

“Really, you’ve been unconscious for three whole days! I was put in charge of you because we’re both women, but you wouldn’t wake up, and I was worried sick!”

The woman’s continued chatter was surprising, but Rosanna had already frozen at something she’d said earlier.

“…I’ve been unconscious for three days?”

“That’s right.”

In that moment, everything that had happened flashed rapidly through her mind. The fact that she was in the human world. That Damion had pushed her into the lake. And what happened immediately after waking in the forest…

“Ah…”

How could she have forgotten that man, even for a moment? Rosanna quickly looked around. Thankfully, the man who had pointed his sword at her was nowhere to be seen.

And yet, she still couldn’t feel safe…

Rosanna hunched her shoulders and cautiously opened her lips. “The man with the black hair… is he not here?”

After hesitating for a long time, Rosanna finally managed to force the question out. The woman frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then tapped her palm with a fist.

“Black hair? Hmm… Black hair… Ah, you mean Lord Raphael!”

Dahlia was a member of the Holy Knights dispatched from the temple for this mission.

Currently, under the command of the duke, both regular soldiers and holy knights wielding holy power were part of the unit.

The victim the duke had rescued after searching deep within the Black Forest solely with holy knights was none other than the woman before her.

‘He said to report the moment she wakes up, right?’

Raphael had ordered Dahlia to protect the final victim until she regained consciousness.

Dahlia stood up as if she were about to dash off and report to her superior.

“I’ll go summon Lord Raphael at once.”