The Vice Captain followed the troll down the corridor, his irritation still lingering as they entered a wide chamber near the center of the castle. Inside, all the members of the unit were already gathered, scattered in small groups and speaking in low, excited voices. The moment he stepped in, the room quieted.
They turned toward him.
"Vice-Captain," one of them said, stepping forward, "there's something interesting going on in this town. Something called a droid simulation."
The Vice Captain frowned slightly. "A droid simulation? What does that mean?"
Another member answered, "While walking through the streets and listening to rumors, we heard people talking about it. Apparently, there's a place where you can live as a tree." He grinned. "A literal tree. Roots, bark, leaves, the whole thing. What do you think, Vice-Captain? Should we go to experience the life of a tree?"
The Vice Captain's expression hardened. "Droids?" he asked. "Aren't those monsters as well? Are they attacking humans?"
"No," someone replied. "The droids aren't one of the races attacking us right now."
The Vice Captain crossed his arms, thinking.
Living as a tree…
Perhaps that strange experience could trigger something, some insight, some shift in his stagnant training.
"Fine," he said at last. "We'll check it out. But if you sense anything strange, anything hostile, kill it immediately."
He paused, then narrowed his eyes. "Or… don't we?" He looked around the room. "Who told you about this place? You just heard it on the street?"
Slender Man shook his head. "No. One of your servants mentioned it while giving us a tour of the castle. He said that when people here get bored, they go there, pay money to the droid, and experience a dreamlike life."
The Vice Captain scoffed quietly. "Even druids want money these days. What would a spirit even gain from currency? It's just a soul stuck inside a tree."
The troll scratched his chin. "Maybe it's evolving and wants to become human," he suggested. "Or maybe it needs money for a special ability."
The Vice Captain's voice turned cold. "If that's the case, then kill it as well."
He continued, "Throughout the Empire's history, animals that gain special abilities or higher intelligence, especially those that evolve into human or human-like forms, always bring disaster."
Fatty nodded. "They get jealous," he said. "Once they realize their kind is inferior and see other races flourish, stronger, smarter, they lose control. Every monster that gains high intelligence eventually breaks down and goes mad."
Mi frowned. "But aren't spirits already intelligent? Why would they go mad?"
Slender Man answered calmly, "During evolution, it may take human form by absorbing remains buried in the ground. When that happens, it inherits only the negative emotions of the dead. Hatred, regret, despair. That's why killing it is the safest option."
With that settled, the unit prepared to move out.
They left the castle together, armored and mounted, their presence immediately changing the atmosphere of the town. The streets, already narrow and worn, seemed to shrink as the group passed through. People who had been talking fell silent. Shopkeepers lowered their voices. Some bowed their heads. Others stepped aside quickly, fear and respect mixing in their eyes.
The town itself was poor, wooden houses with cracked walls, faded signs hanging crookedly above empty shops, and dirt roads marked by countless footprints. Yet despite the poverty, everything was unnaturally orderly, as if chaos feared to take root here.
At the center loomed the castle, immense, clean, and untouched by decay. It stood as a reminder of power, dominance, and distance from the lives below.
The knights of the Twelfth Unit rode through without slowing. To the townsfolk, they were saviors and executioners alike. Monsters died wherever they passed, but so did certainty.
As they moved beyond the town and into the forest path leading outward, the air grew cooler. Tall trees crowded together, their branches forming a dense canopy overhead. Sunlight filtered through in thin beams, casting long shadows across the road.
As they walked, one of the knights spoke up quietly. "CV… your uncle wanted us to deal with something."
The Vice Captain glanced at him. "What is it?"
"A serial killer," the knight said. "He's been terrorizing the town for some time. Appears out of thin air, usually in bathrooms. Strangles people, then disappears without a trace. They say he's strong. The guards have been searching for him for weeks, but they can't find him."
The Vice Captain waved his hand dismissively. "Later," he said. "Right now, we just want to see what it's like to live as trees."
He paused, then added, "After that… we'll deal with that guy."