[V10C26] YUM

Dunning, the captain of the Dragon Knight’s 7th Investigation Division, had departed Lugaroa for the capital on his own, ahead of the Sages.

The incident where the Silent Witch interfered with a dragon hunt was already out of his hands. After all, the Seven Sages held the title of Mage Count and were direct advisors to the king.

This was why Dunning had little choice but to hurry to the capital on horseback, and seek the judgment of his superiors.

(Silent Witch Monica Everett… a girl I find hard to comprehend. She has the power to single-handedly shoot down a flock of wyverns, yet she chooses to aid the dragons.)

Monica’s actions reminded Dunning of the magical creature biologist, Theodore Maxwell, who stood in his way eight years ago.

He, too, had been someone who was difficult to comprehend.

Theodore had been secretly raising a dragonling in the forests of Dalsmore, which was human territory. Eventually, the dragon grew too large for him to conceal, and Dunning’s team was called in to investigate.

Theodore pleaded with Dunning not to slay the dragon, claiming that he would persuade it to relocate into dragon territory. However, the dragon thought of Theodore as a real parent, and was too attached to leave him.

Therefore, to stop the dragon before it could harm anyone, Dunning decided to…

“…!? Stop.”

Spotting someone standing in the middle of the road, Dunning quickly pulled on the reins of his horse, and the well-trained horse came to an immediate halt.

However, Dunning furrowed his brow at the discomfort he felt.

(Is it my imagination?)

It was almost as if his horse had stopped on its own before Dunning pulled on the reins. In fact, the horse kept glancing from side to side with quivering ears. Clearly, something was frightening it.

After calming the horse, Dunning called out to the man standing in the middle of the road.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry for startling… What!?”

Dunning widened his eyes behind the glasses. His face contorted in shock and fear.

Standing in front of him was a man with reddish-brown hair, around thirty years old. He was of average build, and wore a high-collared outfit often preferred by scholars.

Though plain and unremarkable, Dunning remembered that face well. He could never forget.

The man looked up at Dunning and began mumbling with slightly narrowed eyes.

“You got pretty small, huh. But you looked so big eight years ago… I had a hard time recognizing you right away, you know?”

With each word the man spoke, Dunning grew more and more anxious.

Above all, the fact that this man was alive and standing right in front of him infuriated him more than anything.

“Don’t you give me that shit, you scum who betrayed mankind…!”

Dunning gripped the reins with hands trembling in anger, glaring at the man with pure unadulterated hatred.

“Do you understand the severity of your crimes, Theodore Maxwell! Raising a dragon… Were you plotting treason against the crown?!”

In response to Dunning’s cursing, Theodore put on a frown.

Ah, that’s right. Eight years ago, this man had given Dunning the same exact frown and said the same exact words.

“…Why can’t we understand?”

Everything was the same as eight years ago, when Dunning plotted to use Theodore as bait to lure out and slay the dragon.

Theodore resisted the plan, trying to escape from Dunning, until he slipped and fell off a cliff. Dunning thought him to be long dead, but apparently, he had survived.

(But what is this? This discomfort. This eerie feeling…)

Dunning felt shivers running down his spine, as if he was face to face with a ghost.

Did the man who fell off the cliff eight years ago intend to denounce him?

(Why should I care?)

Even if he were reproached for his actions in court, Dunning could defend himself with complete confidence. He had merely taken action to slay the dragon with certainty, that’s all.

Dunning knew he was considered an extremist behind his back. But what did it matter?

Even if criticized for being radical, even if accused of going too far, as long as this approach could save a human life, Dunning would continue down this path.

As Dunning reassured himself of his justice, Theodore let out a quiet mutter.

“You also have a fair amount of mana, huh. Then this is good timing.”

“…?”

Theodore took something out from his pocket, a small black box decorated with jewels. He held it up at chest level with both hands.

“YUM.”

The lid of the box lifted slightly. It was a gap so small that a sheet of paper could barely fit through. And yet, a black substance began flowing out of that tiny gap.

This substance quickly expanded, swelling to the size of a person.

The horse flew into a panic, raising its front legs high and neighing.

Dunning, thrown to the ground, tried to get up immediately. But before he could, the black mass stretched out like a thin, long spear, piercing his chest.

“…Gah…! Ahh…!”

Dunning once had his stomach gouged out by a dragon’s claws. Back then, there had been a sudden warmth in his stomach, followed by intense pain.

But this feeling was different.

He felt a sensation like his heart was gripped with ice-cold hands. Then, after a breath, a chill throughout his entire body.

It’s as if the black substance had turned into a liquid and was circulating his entire body through his veins.

Whatever it was, it was trying to take control over him. Dunning felt his body twitching against his will.

Dunning resisted with everything he had, but his consciousness grew hazier and hazier, until it was completely consumed by the darkness.

He continued thrashing around on the ground for a while, moving his limbs incoherently, but eventually, he succumbed and went motionless.

Black spots appeared on his skin. Just like Carla Maxwell, who had been subject to the same fate.

Looking down at Dunning, Theodore gently caressed the box he held to his chest.

“I guess this is what they call revenge? …I don’t really get it.”

The black shadow that had pierced Dunning returned to the box as if being sucked back in.

From the narrow gap in the box, the voice of a young child could be heard.

“NO HAPPY?”

“…Yeah, I didn’t think of it as a ‘serves you right.’ I just thought, ‘Ah, we really can’t understand each other.’ Finding someone you can understand must be a miracle. After all, there are far more things in the world that we’ll never be able to understand.”

Theodore let out a resigned sigh and continued muttering.

“So I’m done with that. I don’t need anyone to understand me anymore.”

“NO NEED?”

“Yeah. I don’t need any more empathy or sympathy. As long as I have that single miracle of understanding, that’s enough.”

Theodore flipped the hem of his coat and turned toward the direction of the capital, holding the box high in his hands.

“Now, it’s time to eat, Gluttonous Zoe.”

“HUNGRY! HUNGRY! GIVE! GIVE!”

Underneath his messy bangs, Theodore smiled as he made the declaration.

“As the contractor of Gluttonous Zoe, I, Theodore, command you. Bring forth the sustenance, my servant.”

＊　＊　＊

Frieda Blanquet, the fiancé of the Abyss Shaman Ray Albright, stood at the reception of the Ridill Royal Palace with a large bag in hand, busily completing the necessary procedures for her delivery.

Her purpose for being here was to deliver the bag containing a change of clothes for Adeline and Ray.

As a foreigner, Frieda didn’t think she would be allowed easy access into the palace. After all, she was still a fiancé rather than a wife, and her nationality remained with the Empire.

Local children could enter the rural Valmbelk Castle as they pleased, but this was the royal capital of Ridill, so the rules were completely different.

“Oh, Frieda!”

Frieda dropped off the luggage and was about to return home, when she was hailed by a cheerful voice.

Turning around, she saw a young man with curly red hair running towards her.

It was Raul Roseberg, the Fifth Thorn Witch.

“Greetings, Thorn Witch-sama. I’m always grateful for your help. Thank you for the delicious carrots the other day.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed them! Are you here to deliver luggage today?”

“Yes, it’s the change of clothes for Adeline-sama and Ray.”

Adeline and Ray had been staying in the palace for a while now. They likely had to perform various preparations for the induction of a new Sage.

Thus, Frieda came to deliver various small items such as changes of clothes so that Adeline and Ray wouldn’t be inconvenienced.

“If you have time, why not go inside and say hello to Ray? That guy’s saying ‘I want to see Frieda’ so much that it’s becoming his catchphrase.”

“That sounds a bit troublesome. However, can a foreigner like me really be granted entry to the palace?”

“It’ll be fine as long you go through the reception procedures. I can even accompany you if you want.”

“Thank you very much.”

Although Frieda hadn’t developed any such catchphrase, she also wanted to see Ray in a normal way. She gratefully accepted Raul’s offer.

Just as Raul had said, the reception staff approved Frieda’s entry after a set of simple procedures. As one might expect, Raul’s presence played a major role.

Since the Empire didn’t have Mage Counts or any similar title, Frieda had been uncertain about the position of the Seven Sages when she first came to Ridill.

Now she understood. Among the palace nobles, the Seven Sages were very close to the king. They were not only allowed to request an audience, but also permitted to advise him on matters.

This could be considered a unique culture of Ridill, which highly valued magical talent. Even Ridill’s system of nobility placed great importance on magic.

While walking through the garden, Frieda asked Raul about the subject.

“I heard that the Seven Sages are advisors to the king. Thorn Witch-sama, do you receive consultations regularly?”

“Yeah, I do! Like what flowers to plant in the flower beds this year, or a recipe to make carrots taste good!”

Frieda assumed that this was Raul’s way of diverting her attention from matters related to the fate of the nation, since she was a foreigner.

However, Raul’s words were actually completely true. This was also the moment when the king’s secret aversion to carrots was casually exposed to the public, but Frieda had no way of knowing this.

“I’d like to know about that carrot recipe too.”

“Sure, I’ll teach you! Monica will be back from her business trip soon, so let’s have a carrot party with everyone! …Huh?”

Suddenly, Raul stopped and looked up at the palace. He seemed unusually tense.

“…What’s that?”

Frieda followed Raul’s gaze and saw it.

A black smoke-like substance was coming from fourth floor windows of the building where the Seven Sages were staying.

At first, Frieda thought this might be the smoke from a fire, but the hazy mass was much darker than smoke.

Frieda had seen something similar only once before. Namely, the black mass that had appeared when Ray’s curses went out of control.

“H-Hey, Frieda!”

Ignoring Raul’s shout, Frieda rushed into the palace while lifting the hem of her skirt.

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