By Zephyria 
I meticulously relayed the current situation to the extent that Ranunculus could remember.
The gist was that remnants of Black Magic had been found in the monsters of the Yuil Mountains, causing their numbers to increase, leading to a rescue team being dispatched for the Knights who had gone out on assignment. It also stated that Rubel and I were currently unharmed but, by Duke Felice Withrow’s orders, we were to be escorted by senior Knights. Once our next destination was decided, we would contact him again before moving.
Just in case, after reciting the words asking him to take good care of my parents and siblings, I brought my aura to Ranunculus’s beak. After pecking at the blue aura and swallowing with a gulp that resonated in his throat, Ranunculus preened his blue chest feathers with his beak, spread his wings, and asked.
“Where to?”
“The Fourth Magic Tower.”
“To whom should I deliver it?”
“Oscar Valencia. To the current Duke Valencia.”
“Understood.”
I watched the back of Ranunculus as he flapped his wings and flew away for a long, long time.
Rubel did not elaborate on what he had told Edwin after his return.
He simply said that he had conveyed the message and that it would be best for us to stay here for now with the Duke Withrow’s help. Because Rubel acted so naturally, I couldn’t bring myself to ask for more details.
No, that wasn’t it. If I had asked, the child would have answered. However, what I was curious about was what Rubel called Edwin, whether he had allowed him an affectionate nickname, and how much of each other’s secrets they shared. It had nothing to do with the current events.
It was inevitable that I would be more wary of well-dressed men than of suitable women who could stand by his side. Even as I found myself ridiculous, that’s how it was. If he were to pair up with a woman, it would be right for me to step back, but I didn’t want to lose to another man…
…Come to think of it, after the kiss… we never talked about it again.
We acted as if nothing had happened since then.
Whenever Rubel looked at me, he would smile softly and act shy, but it was the same as before the incident, making it difficult to distinguish. Was I supposed to remain quiet like this until the child’s next birthday? When that day came, would the child again… to me…
…I should have asked something before Marianne entered the tower.
I suffered in silence, unsure of what to do. My heart ached, and I felt suffocated.
❖ ❖ ❖
With only three men left, it was very quiet during training and meals.
I secretly hoped to be allowed into the crystal cave, thinking it might be a time when I needed Spiritual Medicine more, but I couldn’t get Duke Felice Withrow’s permission. He said it was out of the question for a small group to move outside the castle at this time, given the unknown dangers.
Indeed, it would be a great misfortune to be harmed during Breathing and regulating energy.
What could I do even if I felt rushed?
As the saying goes, water that flows cannot easily return once it reaches the great sea. It was right to proceed steadily on the correct path. I soothed and calmed myself with the energy that steadily flowed into my Dantian, without rushing.
Instead, I had been focusing my efforts on honing the children, pushing Rubel and Benjamin harder in the Martial arts training ground.
Although I wasn’t as skilled as Professor Maelo Sanson, I had spent over a decade teaching and guiding my nephews in my past life. I was good at pointing out their shortcomings during sparring or helping them find their Sword Path with clumsy swordsmanship.
I deliberately acted harshly, but neither child ever cried out.
Hugh and Elvin often came to the Martial arts training ground to lend a hand.
Hugh Benson would walk around, casually mentioning, “Trolls are like this, Ogres are like that,” and sharing the weaknesses of the enemies they had encountered during their battles. He would repeat what he had already said multiple times, not meticulously writing them down, but it was enjoyable to listen to.
Elvin silently drew his sword and stood before the children. While attacking fiercely, he taught them well how to maintain a low center of gravity and remain unshaken. Understanding each other’s intentions with just a glance or a gesture, without a single word, was the way of swordsmen. They all understood easily.
As the days passed uneventfully, Duke Withrow’s castle regained its vitality.
This was thanks to the company members who had gone up to the Yuil Mountains returning one by one. Many had died or been injured, but it was said that the number of those whose lives were narrowly saved due to the effective actions of the rescue team was greater.
Hugh Benson grumbled that he had used up all the leftover Healing Artifacts from last time. I bought him new ones without a word, but he looked at me for a long time, washed his face with his dry hands, and muttered to himself.
“…Thank you.”
“I only give what is fitting, so please do not say such things.”
However, it seemed that all of this remained as a debt in his heart.
Hugh Benson faithfully relayed the stories he had heard from the Knights who had gone to the Yuil Mountains, as if it were his duty.
It was during the usual empty and quiet dinner.
Even after treating Rubel’s hands, which had been torn open from swinging his sword all day, with an Artifact, I was still concerned, so I cut the meat on his plate for him.
Rubel protested once, saying he could do it himself, but when I sternly told him to stay still, he quickly became quiet. He must have been tired too. My heart ached with pity.
Hugh Benson, who had been chewing and swallowing his food without a word, cut to the chase.
“The ones who came down from the mountains this time said that the monsters in the upper parts of the Yuil Mountains were actually fine. There were no black-skinned ones, they just had increased Mana Concentration and were rampaging wildly.”
“…Mm.”
“It seems the anomaly started around the middle of the Yuil Mountains? Or perhaps from below. The ones whose numbers have increased are those that were already good at reproducing. If the right environment is provided, an increase in numbers isn’t a major issue.”
“…Huh.”
“…Yes, what can I say to you all… I miss Marianne.”
As if waiting for a response and pausing with each breath, I thought I had reacted appropriately at the right moment, but it seemed insufficient. Hugh Benson ran his hands through his hair and let out a pained groan.
Seeing him look so pathetic, I couldn’t help but smile.
I pushed the plate of neatly sliced meat towards Rubel and then pulled a plate for myself. It was very difficult to tear my gaze away from Rubel, who quietly replied, “Thank you,” and smiled, but I forced myself to endure.
I deliberately looked solely at Hugh Benson and opened my mouth.
“I don’t know what to ask, so it’s difficult to speak easily. Are the monsters you’re referring to now, the ones that include Trolls or Goblins?”
“Yes. They’re calling the black-skinned monsters ‘mutated monsters,’ but apart from moving in a specific direction and not harming other mutated monsters, they aren’t much different from existing monsters.”
“When you say ‘not much different’…”
“It means they reproduce through parthenogenesis. They also… eat, albeit in very small amounts, and seem to excrete. In fact, their aggression seems to weaken when they are gathered together.”
Monsters were creatures that devoured everything alive.
Most were carnivorous and indiscriminate about meat. We often heard stories of them eating everything from insects to humans, and even other monsters. If the mutated individuals couldn’t eat each other, the amount of food each individual could consume would inevitably decrease.
After a moment of thought, I asked again.
“Can their numbers increase just by living as they are?”
“Yes. Just by monsters not killing other monsters, they have increased. Then, when one starves to death, they tear apart its flesh to share. If a Troll dies while walking side-by-side, Goblins eat its carcass, and if a Goblin dies, Trolls eat its carcass.”
Even though it was the way of beasts, it was a gruesome sight.
The piece of meat on my plate suddenly seemed repulsive. However, I was someone who cherished every grain of rice. I couldn’t bear to waste perfectly good food, so I quickly ate what I had and took a generous portion of salad. Seeing me, Hugh Benson let out a wry chuckle.
He unceremoniously filled the empty space on his plate with meat and continued speaking.
“So, there’s talk that a higher-tier individual seems to have appeared.”
“A higher-tier?”
“Yes. Isn’t it possible that something capable of commanding monsters has appeared? Well, it’s common in old tales, isn’t it? Like stories of Dragons guarding their Lairs with Gargoyles as guardians.”
Benjamin’s hand, which had been fiddling with his cutlery, paused for a moment.
Hugh Benson continued nonchalantly.
“Monsters submit to the logic of power. If they encounter an overwhelmingly stronger opponent…”
“Is that possible for humans too?”
“Wesley?”
“Yes.”
Hugh Benson let out a loud snort.
Hugh Benson’s plate, still full, showed that he hadn’t eaten properly due to talking about various things. He poked at the various pieces of meat with his fork, pondered, and then shook his head.
“No, Black Magic is involved. Honestly, I haven’t seen Wesley Kiadris with my own eyes, but… I have seen Professor Maelo Sanson. No matter how immense the power of a Grand Sword Master is, he’s still human.”
“…”
“No matter how strong they become, there’s no way for a living human to communicate with monsters. If one were right in front of me, I’d subdue them with my fists, but to give them a mission? Oh my.”
“…But.”
At this moment, I recalled the face of a boy who blushed suspiciously easily.
Hershey Milton. The boy from the Milton family, rumored to be involved in the silk trade with Floyd, who specialized mainly in Black Magic, was already a third-year student when I first enrolled. Though I didn’t know for sure, he must have graduated early.
I cautiously brought up such a story, but Hugh Benson shook his head.
“To use Black Magic on this scale, one would need a title like Archmage. It’s not something a kid who’s only been out of school for two years could do. He wasn’t a prodigy who showed exceptional talent during his academy days, was he?”
“…Yes. I heard that Hershey Milton began helping with his family’s business and trade immediately after graduation.”
“See?”
As Rubel, who had been listening quietly, chimed in, Hugh Benson nodded in agreement.
Seeing him hold his cutlery properly, I didn’t continue speaking, not wanting to disturb the children’s meal.
However, he wouldn’t be the only one who had learned Black Magic. In the Sierran Empire, knowledge of any kind was rarely kept hidden. Marianne herself had entered the Magic Tower to learn more about Black Magic.
Rubel agreed with most of what I said, but Hugh Benson countered that I was biased towards the Second Prince and was exaggerating the opponent’s flaws. I said no more and closed my mouth.
The large-scale mutated monsters that started in the northeast of the Yuil Mountains moved southwest.
If their destination had been the Withrow Duchy, wouldn’t they have already surrounded the castle walls?
“…I really don’t understand what they’re trying to gain by moving like this.”
Before finishing the meal, Hugh Benson’s final remark further stirred my already complex thoughts.