Chapter 45
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
Clovis raised an eyebrow, glancing at me.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I quickly denied it and lowered my gaze, but my eyes drifted back to the document. It was definitely…
Noticing my gaze, Clovis flipped the paper.
“Why? Is there something wrong with this document?”
“Not exactly… It’s nothing.”
“Your eyes say otherwise. If you’re curious, look. I wouldn’t have brought it out if it were classified. What? Is it a monster from the temple’s bestiary? It’s new to me too.”
The document he abruptly handed me was a report on monsters appearing in the western granary. The paper, detailing the significant damage caused by five previously unseen monsters, included illustrations based on eyewitness accounts.
They looked similar to Gnoles, but seemed more intelligent and used ice-based attacks. Reading the report sent a chill down my spine.
There was no doubt. This was the Tarag, a high-ranking monster that caused so much trouble towards the end of the original story.
Why was it appearing now? It wasn’t supposed to appear until next winter. Was this another butterfly effect from my ‘top-tier instructor’ learning method?
“You’ve always been well-versed in monster bestiaries and information. Do you know what this is?”
Of course I do.
The Tarag, being intelligent, wouldn’t recklessly set foot in a place devoid of demonic energy.
That meant there was a reason for their appearance in a populated area, and that reason was…
“A relic…”
At my murmur, Clovis tilted his head and looked at me. I bit my nail, dredging up deeply buried information.
High-ranking monsters are intelligent, and their desires as monsters are proportionally strong.
In the original story, after Hestia and I had navigated a tumultuous period and achieved a semblance of stability, the final crisis arrived in the form of the Demon King’s relic.
While Seikan, Reynard, and Helion were wreaking havoc, the Demon King’s relic had found its way into the black market.
It was the work of some money-hungry villain hoping to profit from an object imbued with demonic power. The problem was, ordinary humans couldn’t contain such malevolent energy.
The Empire faced another trial with the arrival of high-ranking monsters seeking the relic containing the king’s power.
If that relic was already out in the world, causing this…
“Your Highness, on your way to the Imperial Palace, could you drop me off at the Grand Temple?”
Clovis crossed his arms, raising his chin with an incredulous expression. His gaze alone perfectly conveyed the message, ‘Do you think you’re making any sense right now?’ It was a remarkable talent.
“Your Highness, this is a high-ranking Tarag. There’s a bestiary I compiled in the Grand Temple’s archives. It should have information on it.”
Since I was young, I’d meticulously compiled information from the Grand Temple archives, the Imperial archives, and the original story, creating a comprehensive monster bestiary from previously disorganized texts.
Driven by a desperate desire for survival, I had completed that bestiary, and it had proven invaluable to the Empire. Clovis knew this, so he wouldn’t easily dismiss my words.
“No.”
…He dismissed them quite easily.
I’d miscalculated. I was a fool to expect anything from that morally bankrupt man.
“If you need the bestiary, I can send someone to retrieve it.”
“No. I need to go.”
I looked at him pleadingly.
“Why? Anyone can do it. Why do you have to go?”
Why?
Because the High Priest will die because of the incident involving the Tarag and the subsequent influx of high-ranking monsters.
***
Clovis reluctantly agreed with my insistence that time was of the essence in dealing with high-ranking monsters. Even with his current attitude, as the crown prince, he couldn’t completely ignore my words.
Arriving at the Grand Temple, I quickly changed clothes and rushed to the High Priest.
“Oh, you’re back already? You should have enjoyed yourself a bit longer while you were out. Welcome, Your Highness.”
The High Priest greeted me as if I’d just returned from a leisurely outing. His response, implying he knew I’d return quickly, required immense patience on my part. Respect for the elderly. Respect for the elderly…
Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I immediately addressed the matter at hand.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.