“Speaking of which, what’s the monster problem that happened in the barony?”
“I haven’t explained that either, have I?”
As we approached the barony along the highway, I voiced my question, and Viro explained as if organizing the information.
First, as geographical information, there is a huge lake located several days west of the Haerlton Dukedom along the border. But the problem is not there; the area west of the lake is a buffer zone with the neighboring Solhorse Kingdom, and the problem is occurring on the highway connecting to the Solhorse Kingdom in the wetlands north of the lake.
The neighboring Solhorse Kingdom has monster habitats and wetlands as buffer zones, so there are no territorial conflicts, but the four countries, including Solhorse, Condor Kingdom, and the Principality of Illus, continue to have political disputes over the rights to the Kondo Mine.
That is why royal marriages are indispensable to gain an advantage in the battle for interests, but even with national problems, the relationship between the people is relatively friendly.
The exchange between merchants is active, and since there is a large-scale dungeon near Solhorse, many high-ranking adventurers who have obtained permission come and go.
However, a “black beast” began to appear in the wetlands of the buffer zone and began attacking merchant caravans and adventurers. Its true identity is…
“An ancient Mystic Beast—a Kuaal.”
In legends, it is said to be a Mystic Beast that appeared from another world, with the body of a giant leopard and two whiskers that stretch like whips from the tips of its ears.
Cunning and cruel, with high intelligence, its immense power is called the “Black Destroyer,” a Rank 5 Mystic Beast, and older individuals are said to be comparable to dragons.
“…I see.”
So, it’s not exactly a monster but a “Mystic Beast”… If it’s such a Mystic Beast, I can understand why the Duke himself would send out a subjugation party for popularity. It can’t compete with dragons in terms of name recognition, but if he can defeat it, he will be praised for his great valor.
The Kuaal that appeared is estimated to be a young individual based on its witnessed size. Therefore, it is not as strong as a Rank 6 lesser dragon, but the Duke seems to be taking action with a hundred elite knights, all of whom are Rank 3 or higher.
Originally, it seems that the miners’ village near the Kondo Mine in the nearby mountains has been saying that “black beasts” have been appearing since long ago.
But…
What is the reason why the Kuaal started attacking people?
“Grave is lurking near the forest in the wetlands where Mystic Beasts appear, not in the city. Lizardmen, an aquatic Beastkin race, also live there, but he should be fine. Many Shadow Unit agents have been sacrificed to obtain this information. We need to settle this before Grave makes his move.”
“…Understood.”
“Leave it to me, heh heh heh.”
Rank 2 and 3 intelligence agents are killed as soon as Grave finds them, without even having a chance to fight. The result would be the same no matter how many soldiers or knights below that rank we brought.
If we want to defeat Grave with minimal casualties, we have no choice but to do it with a small, elite group.
Viro and Samantha seem to have Rank 5 heavy warriors and warriors among their companions, but Grave, who is acting alone like me, would easily escape if we had too many people.
Considering the possibility of surprise attacks such as assassinations, the subjugation party became a distorted group including old people and children like us.
Even so, I don’t know if Viro, who is Rank 4, and I, who am only a high-ranking Rank 3, can defeat Grave, so the actual combat will be Samantha, a Rank 5 magician, providing close-range support.
The main tactic this time is for me and Viro to cooperate to restrain Grave, and then Samantha will attack with her magic.
As a minor problem, there is Samantha’s sudden silliness, but every time that happens, she takes out a large amount of “meat” that she ended up not being able to finish at the inn and stored in her 【Shadow Storage】, so I don’t say much about it anymore.
“What if a Mystic Beast appears?”
“It depends on the movements of the Mystic Beast and Grave, but we will prioritize survival, even if it means retreating. Aria, you are the old woman’s escort, can you do it?”
“If I have no choice, I’ll do it.”
We received the latest information from the surviving intelligence agent at the clinic in the barony’s town, made the necessary preparations, and headed to the border wetlands.
“…………”
If I hadn’t made the “vow,” there might have been a way to leave the country as it was, but it was because of the vow with “her” that I was able to become this strong.
For her safety, Grave… I will kill you here.
Deep in the forest of the wetlands, the “beast” questions its own existence.
The “beast” does not remember when it was born. However, since its existence in this world, the “beast” has always been a “strong one.”
Creatures called “humans” were rampant in this world.
“Humans” fear the “beast,” but that is because it is too weak. For the “beast,” “humans” are too fragile, and the “beast” was not interested in “humans,” which are also subtle as meat.
“Humans” are weak in strength and weak in heart. That is why they fear the “beast” and arm themselves with petty wisdom, but the “beast” has been tolerant enough to allow the “humans” to scrape away at the mountain where the “beast” lives without interest.
But one day, one “human” appeared in the “beast’s” dwelling in the mountain and scattered a strange-smelling “poison” around it.
The “beast” was angry. At the fragile and petty “human.”
However, that “human” seemed to have a strong power as an individual, and even the “beast” could not kill it and was able to escape near human settlements.
It was when a group of “humans” carrying luggage in the wet land attacked the appearing self that it realized it had been lured out.
The “beast” has no interest in “humans.” Still, it is not tolerant enough to overlook being attacked.
The “beast” cannot distinguish “humans” very well. Still, the “humans” who attacked seemed a little different from the “human” who first scattered the poison, but the “beast” slaughtered all of those “humans” in anger.
The foolish, small, and fragile creatures called “humans” irritate the “beast.”
The “beast” began to attack the “humans” near that individual who passed through this place in order to kill the foolish “human” individual who lured it out.
On top of a large rock in the wetlands, a man was meditating with his eyes closed.
“…………”
Grave is aware of himself as a “cold-blooded madman.”
The power of a “strong royal family” is necessary to correct this country and bring it back to a normal state. What should be done to achieve that? The answer in the world is always in a simple place.
Just kill everything that gets in the way. If there is anyone who threatens the king, just kill them.
It doesn’t matter to the people who the king is. He believed that only the stability of the correct royal family would lead to the happiness of the people.
But for that purpose, he does not intend to take the roundabout means as before.
But for that purpose, he does not intend to do anything as reckless as before.
In order to guide this “world” correctly, he has come to think that he needs to achieve his goal without dying.
He will kill troublesome nobles. He will even kill royalty if necessary.
He learned from the precarious maid girl he killed before that he should not be particular about the means to achieve his goal, and that he should cling to life for the sake of his goal.
It was because of that battle that Grave stopped being particular about the means to achieve his goal.
At that time, he thought that killing the girl who was approaching the princess was the best thing to do, but now he sometimes thinks that she was the only one who had the potential to become his “successor.”
He devises multiple plans for his purpose and places traps in various places.
As one of them, in order to kill Duke Haerlton of this land, Grave lured a dangerous monster that was said to live in the mountains into human settlements, relying on uncertain information.
The success rate is not high, but it doesn’t hurt even if he fails.
There are not many adventurers in this country who can defeat a Rank 5 monster, and it is even more limited if they are dealing with beasts in the forest. If it is a “Mystic Beast,” some people will hesitate.
That is why he thought that the Duke would send out his prized elite knight order to deal with the threat. If that went well, he could kill the Duke, whose security would be weakened, but the Duke foolishly led his troops himself, making it easier for Grave to kill him.
That’s why Grave decided to wait near this forest for the Duke to come and be killed.
He provoked the Mystic Beast, which was about to give up and return, to stay in this land, and made the Mystic Beast attack the merchant caravans and adventurers passing through the highway so that the Duke would have no choice but to come out.
However, unwelcome guests appeared before the Duke came. It was a coincidence that he was able to discover them first, but it is also inevitable with Grave’s current abilities.
The man at the head of the group walking through the forest along the highway, trying to hide, had a face he knew well. It was Viro of the Rank 5 adventurer party “Rainbow Sword,” who also had connections to the Shadow Unit.
I guess they thought Grave would run away if the dwarf leader, who is a heavy warrior, was among the members.
“But that was meaningless.”
I am not the me that Viro knew anymore. Depending on how I fight, I am confident that I can assassinate them one by one, even against the Rainbow Sword.
But there is no absolute in battle. If I want to be safe, I can lure them to be killed by the Mystic Beasts. If the Rainbow Sword is at full strength, there is a high possibility that the Mystic Beasts will be killed, but if there are only half of them, I don’t think they can handle the Mystic Beasts.
But Grave, recognizing the figure of the girl walking at the very end, a distorted joy floated on his mouth, and he decided to face them himself.
“So you were alive, Aria!”
Next time: Battle with Grave.
The appearing Mystic Beasts bare their fangs at them.
Aria, are you really emitting an attractive scent or something? (lol)
The next update will be on Tuesday.