Chapter 105
MqXT2ZIt wasn’t really about going to find it, but rather waiting for it to come.E7HrM7r
8xGOn their way to the continental conference, Aint and Aria set up camp on the plateau, and soon received a visit from a mutant drake drawn by the firelight.BFjIQF
f1wq0Too old and weakened, the mutant drake, overcome by hunger, charged in desperation. But unfortunately, that bravery only led it to its grave.YCKR
89Zs‘It’s as if all the luck in the world is concentrated in Aint.’Ca6
V22hHIt wasn’t a coincidence that he was the protagonist in the book of prophecies.G7o
n176sHowever, according to Fernan’s estimates, that wouldn’t happen again now. The mutant drake had already been stripped of its core by Gismond Ert; it couldn’t still be alive.oyVz
NeiSo the time had come to check for themselves—whether the mutant drake’s nest existed, whether the creature had really been there, whether its corpse remained, and above all, whether it still had its core.PMCBv8
9bZd2oLeaving the knights behind to set up camp, Fernan ventured down the path accompanied by Rosalia and Hyde.tRp
vZy“Is it far?”of1m
KFxScv“Not too much.”pU3y9D
KU6zSMThe book of prophecies didn’t mention exact distances, but Aria had hunted the mutant drake and tracked its lair in little time.rJkpFW
EO9Bu6gThe three continued walking through the mountains. When the path no longer looked like a proper trail, Rosalia followed Fernan in silence.et209d
dN3“Aren’t you going to ask me what we’re looking for?”zIGZaD
U3Dkk“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”6CKJD
4OWrc22“What do you mean by obvious?”2h4bAW
aEwjh“That if you’re insisting on searching for it yourself, it must be something worthwhile. And that usually means one of three things—rare herbs, minerals, or a valuable monster.”1eht
ANmExactly.6YrW6A
E0A“As expected, I can’t fool you, Professor. And don’t you want to know why I asked you to come with me?”U0Oa
no2K“I imagine. It must be the third one.”65R
rEFR“And even knowing that, you agreed to come?”GvAbT
LnHdoYX“Right now, I’m not your professor—I’m your sponsored researcher. I can tolerate this kind of hassle.”5Qs6Fe
U9uc2pHRosalia said it calmly. Their essential relationship was student and teacher, but in this case, they were also investor and researcher.1GVzg
gjg“So, what is it?”lCe
1Rdk5D“A drake.”BPC7y
ZbQOC“A drake, I see. Its scales, fangs, and bones are quite useful.”2Vb
e0hVRu“Unfortunately, not this one. It was too old. Its scales are worn down, most of its fangs have fallen out, and its bones are very brittle.”ygbcs
uTysLI“An old drake? Does that have any value?”8rQEYG
k33“Just add the word ‘mutant’ in front, and it does.”rJSpCF
cQURosalia’s eyes widened. So did Hyde’s, who had been silently following them.zQnd
JBT4EShe wanted to ask where Fernan got that information, but held back.1Nv54J
wX4X“There was a mutant drake here?”PgRkBJ
p5J“Yes, if my information is correct.”vIIaed
Jaj8Di8“A mutant core is more valuable than anything. And if it lived to old age, its core must be very mature.”710
hltJ9“That’s why I went to the trouble of coming all the way here.”tExSBK
neFSoon, they reached the entrance of a huge cave, half-hidden among the undergrowth. Cold air and the stench typical of monsters wafted from inside.m5T7
VqO6ASThere was also a strong smell of blood.EUFNQ
dPpZiK9“…I don’t sense any life.”aeVrg
R0jr9T“Me neither.”euHHvZd
UQlUnsFernan’s lip curled slightly.PL4
pMuskVNThe smell was too strong. In a monster’s lair, that stench could mean one of two things—it was devouring prey, or it had been hunted.7Zxjzn
KFs8ka2But with no signs of life, the first option was ruled out.yoHSMe
TwPLGS“Let’s go in.”DkHY
6vxE3Wx“Let me go first, young master.”VaQ9Jm
3u99Hb0Hyde took the lead. Fernan pulled a magic lamp from his subspace and handed it to him.liJF
CUMAs they advanced, the stench grew stronger. The dampness of the place only made the feeling worse.5BnOYbN
pB4rEventually, they reached the source of the smell—the gigantic corpse of a drake.FLi5uQQ
2cj0y“You were wrong, Fernan. It’s not missing half its fangs—it barely has four left.”MwY
r2gx5The mutant drake was even more deteriorated than expected.dLz
bEgDbOR“Someone came before us. It’s already full of worms. Must’ve been dead for months.”U57
T7OwTfOn its chest, where the core should’ve been, was a gaping hole. Dried blood had crusted dark around the wound.dPW0
O71o5fi“The bastard… even dared to deceive me.”8OjGmG
71ocbpThere was no way to know about the mutant drake’s existence without having seen it first.8ZENb
QFSGxjEverything pointed to someone stealing the core before informing him.lO0
YCe“So it seems.”LyTYMG
oJ6TBut the book of prophecies didn’t lie.J79
DDCkThe mutant drake had existed, and if no one had gotten ahead, its core would have ended up in Aint’s hands.69c
Wi3nC‘Gismond Ert.’SDd
tATzFernan already knew how to deal with him after this.KlC
Mrm4ZIr“What now?”dID
Wgz6QV“Let’s check around. Maybe something’s left in the nest.”egzRO6
w15iThe cave was deeper than expected, but they found nothing special except a shallow spring.n2R
plSPBWith no other choice, they returned to camp empty-handed.PX5x
GaImLB“I’m going to rest.”b1Kj
0wHE5“Not eating?”ZyGS87
AF62“I ate dried meat on the way.”cUuX
NjGb0“Then, rest well.”RC3doTm
PHz4The sun had set quickly in the mountains, and darkness had taken over the camp. Several fires lit up the tents.sdBf
qqPvWhen Rosalia entered hers, Fernan called the captain of the Red Turtle Order.Nu646
yuyfa“Sir Harten. Anything unusual nearby?”2qNAj
ke2JHg“None, sir.”HqbGF
W5vCFr“What did my father say?”cki9cB
EmJin3p“That the corrupt might covet what you carry. That you must protect it.”Nax
tGJb“I heard he led the purge of corrupts in the domain.”Ki66
jLkxR4v“The search was carried out by the Black Turtle. We only served as the sword.”yX1l
qlV2gn1Pellenberg had been the first house to detect and exterminate infiltrators. With help from the Church of the Dragon God, they had hunted many.muLR
nQSK“And in your opinion, what were those corrupts doing inside the family?”H7W
TzM“They didn’t seem to be plotting anything in particular. More like waiting for the right moment.”QX9reVV
8NsYASP“The right moment?”PV8I9
okC5cB“Something like what happened in Taklakan. Do you think ten thousand monsters appeared overnight? They had been waiting to strike.”u78MHQ
tHt1pX6Correct.YldjHv
5mwPT“And my father’s intention?”pu5KMZg
FdZDP“I can’t guess it… but it’s clear he wants to make money.”5ylPmW
C2YyEven now, the Golden Turtle Company of the Pellenbergs was profiting from the war business.Ddg0
KbkIf they did it secretly before, after Taklakan, they did it openly.obtSe
k5muW“That sounds like my father.”IdmBsc
6hTYT5Harten moved away to inspect again. Fernan handed Hyde a piece of roast meat from the fire.30BR1zx
xdlTv“When did you get this information?”kCKwAmJ
xFN9WsO“While you were following Gismond Ert.”dwe0i
TQfYdw“And who was the brazen one that fooled him?”XBuDQ
atNg“It doesn’t matter. I already knew we’d find this.”HFWG
azuh“You knew and still came?”ezH9x
JVI0ZPd“A hunch is not the same as certainty.”XcN7qa
eyhKfFernan’s tone made it clear he didn’t want more questions, and Hyde fell silent.SBzNy
QDkkv“Hyde, do you know something? This peace won’t last much longer.”TF5
W43e9HH“Peace? We’re preparing for corrupt attacks.”5f69Asf
g03aDIh“In the future, they won’t be mere attacks. It will be a war.”qicAuc
k4jAnyone who thought about it for a moment could see it.O5PpQ
KHp1The corrupt, after a thousand years of silence, were on the move. They had shown their strength in Taklakan. The continent was heading toward war.1bl
Z5U“As heir, I don’t have much power to prepare.”KLoIrK8
fFEDespite being the great heir of Pellenberg, he was not yet a duke or head of the family. His movements couldn’t compare to those of an elector prince.uM1vXr
byN8C2d“The only thing I can do is strengthen Aint.”E3F
Hbj1e4“Aint Armian is not a dog.”bXIz5U
ZmUs“Let the petty things slide.”yOVX
978For Fernan, who had received the book of prophecies, protecting and helping Aint grow was an unavoidable fate.mBj
TQ9g3If Aint fell, he was doomed as well.yT0
OnNEV“After this, I plan to hire the Mercenary King.”fKXtn5V
fLqIL“Really? Do you think he’ll accept? You yourself said not to draw his attention.”S6B
TVy6K“He’ll accept. I have an offer he won’t be able to refuse.”2ut
Nva5hTfThe demons.Re9z
LzB6F6PThe Mercenary King had lost a disciple to the corrupt, and he accepted any mission related to them, sweeping across the continent.z3t3PW
hveIf offered clues about a demon instead of a corrupt—or the opportunity to face one—he wouldn’t be able to resist.hJg
kzPKGpX“It’s like handing fish to a cat.”i09T
uUgbHe wouldn’t be able to hold back.1y7pZh
WNc‘I don’t know how much the future changed with the arrival of demon number 64, Flauros…’dPulx
dYvJibFernan recalled the prophecy that had disturbed him during the jousting tournament. In the south of the Kingdom of Frazia, Flauros, demon number 64, would descend.Tue7G
ivoN1Unlike Andromalius (72) or Seir (70), who were to appear at the conference, Flauros would descend with a real army of monsters.VceVFp8
0GlPThough the demon hierarchy wasn’t strictly based on strength, that number made him more cautious.vHq9L65
Dvr8‘I must prepare everything. I can’t allow even the slightest crack.’tyXRSkF
qs2Even if he had to deceive the Mercenary King and leave him empty-handed, his fury would be preferable to seeing the continent devastated by a demon.BFV
iESxzc6‘Still, I need a backup plan just in case.’69caaW
ZwyVYrWith that in mind, the journey continued quietly.uPPrxFm
SFt3HThere were no ambushes on the way to the city.sCDJao
E4seaA deceptive calm prevailed.ayfSWF
amyRA2***9ZUNL7E
dEyrKThe venue for the 198th Continental Magic Conference was Valerich.rmBD
nVN01It wasn’t the capital of Vienderk, but it was considered its second or even third most important city.Z0llp
y3YYoUAs soon as they passed through the gates, they saw pennants fluttering everywhere and dazzling decorations.aYb7pU
wOSlJAnyone could tell a festival was underway: the atmosphere was lively, the crowd immense, and among the people, the mages stood out the most.w9c19Q7
NXUv3“How many of them do you think will actually present real research results?”aRDO
why“I’m not interested.”UUjy
NHsFRK1“Wouldn’t they be your rivals in some sense?”ejLzsFb
nsG1d9b“Just warm-ups. No one will surpass mine.”ECxU
oXEkrGHThat absolute confidence was very much like her.shmHNZ
3x2“I’ve completed all the registration. All that’s left is for you to confirm it in person and, on the day of the presentation, deliver your work.”eAlt
GrTzZI“Let’s go.”CZlMy
EbIFor the 198th Conference, Valerich had offered none other than its own city hall.drK
IEOoNrThe banquet hall of the building had been transformed into the academic venue, and all registrations were being handled there.58o
Z0Jg“Welcome to Valerich… Oh, miss.”U2ZWvs1
MW4Ef8Upon entering, a guard recognized Rosalia.YsJ
J8j68KK“Sir Goron.”nghnLQ
4nF5T7e“Have you come to present your research?”voXFWpI
7iNTt“Yes.”RFiRF
E6bvmZ“And His Excellency…”wkZNXK
sFW“Don’t mention him.”J9g
L0uV“…Understood. Go ahead. I’m glad to see you again after so long.”UIKPsC
2s6Rosalia didn’t reply and simply walked in.L8rif
IbBG“Who was that? He didn’t seem like an ordinary guard.”WFSI
akmreE“The sub-commander of the Order of the Red Rose.”aaQL
VZuk2P“A man like that doing guard duty here?”jcDBfqb
ewoThe Order of the Red Rose was one of Vienderk’s five most powerful knightly orders.VYPPYN
eYRg“And don’t you use your own order as mere escorts?”AxU7
geixs“Well, that’s true too.”zRyi5y1
iWlZIJnIt was all part of a display. With so many nobles and dignitaries present, Vienderk didn’t miss the chance to show off its strength.dJw3g
L1E9N“Still, it’s surprising he recognized her. She’s been away from her house for quite a while, right?”gUtB6
U4YiET“He was my personal knight.”zFnvdo
gHCMiPAfter completing registration, Fernan and Rosalia rented an entire wing of a luxurious hotel in the city.Q0My
OzLTmJ“It’s a shame. It’d be nice if we could build hotels in the domains of other electors too.”Xre
P8qPellenberg had luxury hotels across the continent, but not in lands of other electors.tCO
SAGaIThey didn’t allow it—unlike lesser nobles, who, pressured by Pellenberg’s influence, grudgingly ceded commercial rights.xxYbdl1
Y34“They’re quite ambitious.”PbJkf
chB“That ambition is what made the Pellenberg great.”YWkMB
pJM3They checked the manarite core. No problems. With plenty of time until the conference, Fernan suggested,XgO1B
34zk9G“We’ve arrived ahead of schedule. Want to go see the festival?”2qC6
YDx1ey“Not interested.”3GiOj
BIsbRosalia retreated to her room. Fernan, on the other hand, called Sir Harten to reinforce the security around the core and then went out.DUnGy
5xLh0KL“Where are you going, young master?”CsPma4
MqP5Lv“Aint and Aria are already here. I’ll go meet them…”iHZl
mhgxThen—aKj7H
0LcSy───!rwnY
p0i1fkNot far away, something crashed to the ground with a wet thud.DzjDm
bAJ7ePtBlood, flesh, and shattered bones scattered everywhere.deTv
zIId“Kyaaaahhh!”Qk1TBG
zXyBa“My god, what is this!”K6q
jRKqacZ“Up there! It fell from the hotel!”0SAQ
3Oh6dA corpse.tnrk
u2WnzdFernan looked up. One of the windows on the tenth floor of the hotel where he was staying was shattered.87prci
grnFiF“…The Duke of Vienderk must be seething inside.”hGFtVo
YxPTBefore the 198th Continental Magic Conference had even officially begun, the stage was already stained with blood.vuHWC5I
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