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Madman
「Speaking of which, what’s the monster problem that happened to the baron territory?」
「I haven’t explained about that huh.」
When we had gotten close to the baron territory along the border, I asked that question while going through the highway. Viro taught me the information in order.
First he told me the terrain information. There was a huge lake along the border that was located several days of travel to the west from the territory of Duke Helton. But the problem wasn’t there, the west side from the lake was the buffer zone of this country with the neighboring country Solhorse Kingdom. The problem was occurring at the highway that was leading to Solhorse Kingdom that was located at the marshland north to the lake.
Because a rocky area that was a monster habitat and a marshland acted as buffer area with the neighboring country Solhorse Kingdom, clash between feudal lords had never happened, but there was a political dispute surrounding the rights for Condo Mine not only with Solhorse Kingdom, but also with Condor Kingdom and Ils Dukedom. It was a political problem between four countries that were still continuing even now.
That was exactly why marriage between royal families was also indispensable in order to obtain advantage in that struggle of rights, but despite the problem in national level, the relationships between the people of the countries were relatively friendly.
The interaction between merchants was flourishing, and because there was also a large scale dungeon near the side of Solhorse, a lot of adventurers obtained permission to come and go between countries.
But, one day apparently a 『black beast』 appeared in that buffer area marshland. It started attacking merchants and adventurers. Its true identity was──
「An ancient mythical beast──”Coeurl”.」
In legend it was said to be a mythical beast that appeared from another world. It had the large body of panther and two whiskers that grew long and flexible like whips from the tips of its ears.
It was cunning and merciless. Its intelligence was greater than human and its mighty strength even made it got called as 『Black Destroyer』. It was a rank 5 mythical beast and it was said that one who had lived for particularly long could rival even dragon.
「……A Coeurl.」
To be accurate it wasn’t a monster but a mythical beast. ……If the opponent was a mythical beast of that level, I could understand why the duke would lead the subjugation force personally to gather popularity. In this Claydale Kingdom, the two margrave houses possessed powerful strength both politically and financially. Duke house that was also related by blood to the royal family originally had the role of protecting the nation from external enemy, the territory of Duke Helton didn’t have any special industry and became unable to maintain their authority as a duke house, so they were deepening their relationship with the neighboring countries in the economic front even though they actually should be keeping watch to those countries from trying anything.
Although the duke house could have it easy now in the financial aspects because of that, their authority within the country still hadn’t recovered. That was exactly why if the duke could personally defeat the mythical beast, although it wouldn’t be as good as defeating a dragon, such feat would still give him a lot of popularity that praised his martial prowess.
Based from the testimony of the witness that saw the size of the Coeurl, it was assumed that the mythical beast was still young. Therefore it wasn’t as strong as low ranked dragon that was equal to rank 6, but the duke chose to bring more than a hundred high ranked knights that served his house where all of them were rank 3 to face the Coeurl.
It was uncertain since when that Coeurl was staying in that land. But, a story that there was a black beast living in a mountain near the nearby Condo Mine had been spreading in the village of the miners since a long time ago.
But…….
What was the reason that Coeurl started attacking human?
「Grave isn’t hiding in the town but near the forest of the marshland where the mythical beast is sighted. Aquatic beast demihuman race, lizardmen are also living there but, if it’s him then it shouldn’t be a problem for him. Several agents of the black ops became sacrifice in order to obtain this information. We’re going to settle this before Grave can start taking action.」
「……Roger.」
「Just leave it to me-, hi hi hi」
Rank 2 or 3 agents would simply get detected by Grave and be killed right away without even offering any fight. The result wouldn’t change even if they brought soldiers or knights who were weaker than them.
Grave could just run away if he was challenged with number. The only way to defeat Grave with little damage was by sending in small number of elites.
It seemed that Viro and Samantha had rank 5 warrior and heavy warrior as teammates in their party, but Grave who was operating solo just like me could easily escape if we had number on our side.
That was why after also considering the possibility of surprise attack with assassination and the like, the members of the subjugation force became filled with irregular selections like this, scouts and magician that also included old woman and child.
Even so it was unknown whether Grave could be defeated with just a rank 4 like Viro and a high end rank 3 like me, so the main fighter would be the rank 5 sorcerer Samantha with us assisting her for the close quarter combat.
Viro and I would work together to hold back Grave while Samantha would look for opening to defeat him with her sorcery. That was our main tactic for this mission.
There was a little problem with Samantha’s senility that could come out of nowhere, but each time that happened I would take out from my Storage the large amount of “meats” from the inn that in the end we couldn’t finish eating. Seeing how she calmed down from eating made me unable to complain too much.
「What if the mythical beast show up?」
「It’ll depend on what the Coeurl and Grave will do but, in the worst case we might have to retreat and prioritize our survival. Aria, you’ll be granny’s guard. You can do it right?」
「If there’s no other choice I’ll do it.」
We obtained the newest information from the surviving agent in the clinic of the baron territory’s town, then we made the necessary preparation and headed toward the marshland at the border.
「…………」
If I didn’t make that “oath”, then perhaps I’d choose to just cross the border here and leave this country, but I was able to become this strong only because of that oath with “her”.
Grave……I’ll kill you here, for Elena’s safety too.
**
That “beast” questioned its own existence deep inside the marshland’s dark forest.
The “beast” didn’t remember when it was born. But, the “beast” had been 'strong” every since its existence came to be in this world.
Creatures called “human” were thriving in this world.
“Human” feared the “beast”, but that was because they were just too weak. For the “beast”, “human” was just too frail and they also weren’t really suitable to be its food. The “beast” didn’t have any interest toward “human”.
The “beast” didn’t need a lot of food in order to live. It only needed a specific substance within living creature or fruit and the like as replenishment. For it, hunting wasn’t for obtaining meat but an act to display its strength.
“Human” was weak physically and mentally. That was why they feared the “beast” and armed themselves using their shrewd wisdom, but when those “humans” tried to erode the mountain where the “beast” lived, the “beast” still wasn’t interested and permitted that generously.
But one day, a “human” appeared in the mountain where the “beast” lived and scattered “poison” with disgusting smell at the surrounding.
The “beast” was enraged. It was angry toward the frail and impertinent “human”.
But it seemed that “human” had strong power as an individual. Even the “beast” couldn’t finish him off and he managed to escape until near the human settlement.
It realized that it got lured out when a pack of “humans” transporting goods across the marsh area launched an attack toward the “beast” when it appeared before them.
The “beast” wasn’t interested with “human”. Even so it wasn’t so tolerant that it would overlook any attack to itself.
The “beast” couldn’t really differentiate between one “human” to another. Even so it felt like the “human” that attacked it was a bit different from the “human” that scattered poison at the beginning, but the “beast” let its anger controlled it and massacred the “humans”.
The foolish and small and frail living creatures called “human” irritated the “beast”.
In order to kill the foolish “human” who lured it here, the “beast” began to attack the “humans” passing through this place that felt similar to that individual.
**
A man was sitting cross-legged on top of a large rock on a swamp of the marshland in deep contemplation.
「…………」
Grave was aware that he was a 『cold-hearted madman』.
The strength of “powerful royal family” was needed to correct this country to its normal state. What should be done for that to happen? The answer of the world could always be found in simple place.
All obstacles should simply be killed. If there was a fool who threatened the king then that fool should just be killed.
For the people it didn’t matter who became the king. But, he believed that only the stability of the royal family that wasn’t a fool would lead to the happiness of the people.
But for that, he had no intention to take roundabout method like before anymore.
But for that, he had no intention to act rashly like before anymore.
Before he thought that it was fine to sacrifice anyone including himself if it was for the right thing. But, he finally noticed that this world was filled with stupidity.
Humans were foolish regardless whether they were noble or commoner. He ended up thinking that to guide this “world” correctly, it was necessary for him to accomplish his objective without dying himself.
He would kill any noble who was a hindrance. If necessary he would even kill a royalty.
For that he wouldn’t be picky with his method and clung to life tenaciously for the sake of his objective. He learned that from the dangerous maid who he killed before.
It was only because of that battle that Grave stopped being picky with his method for the sake of his objective.
At that time he thought that the best thing to do was to kill that girl who got close to the princess, but looking back now, a part of him was also thinking that perhaps that girl might be the only one who could possibly understand his ideal and became his 'successor”.
.
He had worked out multiple plans and placed traps everywhere for the sake of his objective.
One of those plans, in order to kill Duke Helton in this land, Grave relied on an uncertain information and lured a dangerous monster that was said to live in the mountain to the human settlement.
The possibility of success for this plan wasn’t high but it wouldn’t bother him even if this plan failed.
Not many adventurers in this country could defeat rank 5 monster. And that number would be narrowed down even further if the opponent was a beast in a forest. And if that opponent was actually a mythical beast, some of those people would even hesitate.
That was exactly why, he thought that the duke would dispatch his trump card, the high ranked knights in his employ to take care of that threat. If things went well like that, the security for the duke would become shorthanded and he would be able to kill him, but the duke foolishly decided to personally lead his soldiers, making it easier for Grave to go kill him.
That was why Grave was waiting near this forest until the duke came to be killed.
He stayed in this area to provoke the mythical beast and prevented it from giving up and going home. He also made it so the mythical beast attacked the passing merchant or adventurer so that the duke would have no choice but came out.
But, uninvited guests appeared earlier than the duke’s arrival. He was able to find the other party first before they could find him because of lucky coincidence, but it could also be considered as an inevitability with Grave’s current strength.
Even Grave knew very well the identity of the man who was stealthily walking through the forest along the highway. It was Viro of the rank 5 adventurer party Rainbow Sword who also had connection with the black ops.
The party leader, the heavy warrior dwarf wasn’t here. It must be because they thought that Grave would run away if that person also came here.
「But, it was pointless.」
He too wasn’t the same anymore with the past him who Viro knew about. Depending on his method, Grave was confident that now he would be able to assassinate his opponent one by one even if all the members of Rainbow Sword were here.
But in battle there was nothing absolute. If he wanted to play it safe, he could simply lure them and allowed the mythical beast to kill them.
If all members of Rainbow Sword were present here, it would be likelier that the mythical beast would be the one that got killed, but if less than half of their members were here, it was unthinkable that they would be able to deal with the mythical beast.
But……Grave recognized the figure of the “girl” walking at the very back and his lips expressed a twisted delight. He decided to face them personally.
.
「So you’re alive, Aria……-」