Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Hunt

‘Is there some worry—.’

Lucienne examined Adrianne looking up at the sky.

Adrianne was expressionless as always, but subtle discomfort was seen.

“Is there some worry?”

Adrianne’s gaze headed to Lucienne. The focus of the blue pupils slowly returned.

“Is it because of the demon race’s city? Since investigating the result will come up soon.”

Lucienne said while pointing at the entrance behind. The inside of the city had collapsed.

If Adrianne had not discovered the gap, Captain Galahad’s report almost became a lie.

Through that gap the 2nd Battalion Captain led forces and departed to investigate below. The result would come out soon.

Adrianne shook her head.

“There would be nothing.”

“Yes?”

“Said already moved. Said it is a futile act.”

“······Who did such nonsense?”

Lucienne’s eyes narrowed. With the Grand Duke’s order large-scale forces reaching a hundred moved. Even the 2nd Battalion Captain and Adrianne moved, yet a futile act—.

There were not many ones who went crazy to the extent of doing such nonsense to the Grand Duke’s order.

“Captain Galahad said the city would have moved. So said let’s not do a futile act and go mountain climbing together amicably.”

At Adrianne’s words Lucienne realized her own guess was correct. At that Lucienne furrowed her eyes.

“Surpassing the topic. Daring—.”

“Fine.”

“···Yes?”

“Because the futile act was correct.”

Adrianne turned her head again. Looked up at the sky. Long blonde fluttered.

Lucienne blankly looked at that appearance. Even looking as the same woman it was a face one cannot adapt to.

“You mean there is none.”

Adrianne nodded.

Lucienne’s head became complicated. Predicted even that the demon race would disappear—?

Then, Adrianne stared at Lucienne.

“Lucienne, you cooked well.”

An out of the blue praise. Lucienne nodded.

“You also carry paper and pen?”

“Yes, because one has to report.”

“Do you also write a ledger?”

“Why do you write a ledger?”

“You don’t. Still because combat is done well. It is a draw.”

“······Yes?”

“Making a coat with magic beast leather?”

Although Adrianne whose inside one cannot know even usually, recently it was harder to know more.

Suddenly a magic beast coat—. although one could not know what meaning, somehow Lucienne did not want to answer that one cannot.

“If doing I will do.”

“I see.”

Lucienne suddenly recalled that Adrianne flew the hawk earlier.

“Did you report?”

“Ah, one will deliver.”

****

High-rank magic beast—. no, the Grand Duke was glaring at Galahad. From the huge axe held in the hand blood continuously— dropped.

Galahad let out a groan.

The hawk sitting on the right shoulder tuk tuk— hit Galahad with its foot without knowing Galahad’s inside.

Urged to unfold quickly.

‘It was sent to me.’

Tok. A blood droplet fell from the axe. The Grand Duke just quietly stared at Galahad.

“Isn’t a daughter all like that? Even if raising—. Hmm.”

Galahad let out a groan and unfolded the letter.

[Hello. 1st Battalion Captain Adrianne. Arrived at Hellorb. Collapsed the ground so there is no trace. As Captain Galahad said it became a ‘futile act’. As Captain Galahad’s request I should have gone to the magic beast’s tomb together. Ah. Please report to His Highness the Grand Duke. 1st Battalion Captain Adrianne.]

‘One cannot show.’

The line long drawn under the futile act was too clear.

Although vocabulary chosen to bring Adrianne, it seemed heard quite fun to Adrianne.

Raising his head from the letter, the Grand Duke was staring at Galahad.

Galahad deeply packed the letter in the inner pocket.

“Captain Adrianne says regrettable not being able to go mountain climbing with His Highness the Grand Duke. Next time one definitely wants to go together.”

Although Adrianne’s story, the Grand Duke’s eyebrows did not rise and went down.

‘Disliking Adrianne coming to the mountain.’

As a father not wanting to call the daughter to a mountain full of such magic beasts was natural.

However, because of that Adrianne was in a state of being deployed to the front line.

It was clear there is another meaning.

‘Here is a place the empire’s eyes do not reach said.’

Along with that even the missing figures—. it was clear there is something more.

“But one cannot leave Captain Adrianne to come to such a rough place. I nailed that it will not do.”

One side of the corners of the Grand Duke’s mouth rose. Between that a cool fang was seen.

Whether laughing, or preparing to tear and eat the nape was ambiguous.

“Ah, the demon race city is in a collapsed state. Although saying investigating the inside, the possibility of something coming out is markedly small.”

“Certain.”

“Yes, discovered so isn’t running away natural.”

“Do you know the demon race well?”

“Quite know. Because one has to know the enemy to win.”

The Grand Duke turned the axe. Red blood bounced.

“This time is your turn.”

It seemed hunting while alternating with each other.

Galahad nodded and flicked his finger.

The mana arrow turned with a binggeul—. grasped the density with the size of the mana arrow.

Although the density is higher than outside, it was not as much as Magic Realm. It was the density between the demon race’s area and Magic Realm.

Galahad moved mana and slightly touched the Grand Duke. He was thinking of grasping how much mana would work. Yet mana did not enter at all.

‘A monster.’

If Adrianne burns mana, the Grand Duke was the feeling that the skin itself is hard. To the extent a question of how many layers of magic beast coats one overlapped and wore rose.

Curious Galahad compressed mana more and stabbed.

Then, the Grand Duke’s eyebrows moved slightly.

‘Noticed?’

It was very little mana. Unless a mage there was no way one would notice. Galahad slightly put more mana.

“What act.”

‘Discovered.’

It seemed not all that the skin is simply thick.

“Ah, I thought it was a magic beast.”

Galahad slightly turned mana.

The snow mountain was wide. A knife wind tickled the head. Galahad maintained concentration and long sprinkled detection magic.

The detection magic improved from mana arrow quickly scattered and swept the surroundings. It was a method possible because a magic beast.

‘Many.’

As Gilbert’s explanation there were magic beasts here and there. Among them there were also guys who formed groups.

It was not a magic beast’s tomb but a magic beast’s forest. Galahad carefully examined the magic beasts.

And among them found the largest guy.

‘This guy.’

Galahad who chose the target retrieved mana and sprinkled again. Concentrated on that direction and sprinkled mana. Grasped the guy’s form.

Confirming up to there Galahad chose the magic. It was a snow mountain with dense skinny dry trees. Magic suitable for such an environment as expected—.

‘Frozen Spear.’

A transparent spear rose above Galahad. How high that purity there was not even a bubble inside.

Galahad did not stop there, and sharply honed mana.

Subsequently concentrated on the target.

The magic beast moved to an appropriate place—.

‘Now.’

Galahad flicked his finger.

The spear disappeared in an instant. No sound was made. A small wind blowing was all.

From afar the magic beast’s cry was heard. It was a sound filled with anger not a scream.

“Weak. Befitting a magic guy.”

“Is that so?”

Galahad countered while holding a faint smile. At that the Grand Duke furrowed his eyes.

Then, the magic beast’s cry sound quickly approached. The angry magic beast ran like crazy. The ground roughly shook.

Galahad gauged the distance with that vibration. Subsequently flicked his finger.

An ice spear rose. The cool spear waited for a moment and then was shot.

······!!

The magic beast’s cry sound was closer than before.

‘A big one.’

Galahad put the cigarette in his mouth, and flicked his finger.

An ice spear rose again. This time that size was twice larger than before. Because fully put mana.

Then, the bare tree in front roughly broke. Tree fragments and snow bounced. Between that the magic beast jumped out.

It was a wolf form magic beast. That size was larger than what the Grand Duke caught.

An ice spear was stuck in the magic beast’s nape and left shoulder. Every time moving the wound opened more. Between that ice frost was sprayed.

Soon the front paw dangled as is and the magic beast staggered.

If a beast one would have returned around here, but the guy was a magic beast. The guy who is a magic beast rather opened the snout with a jjeok.

The Grand Duke turned the axe with a binggeul— toward the snout that approached right in front.

“It is mine.”

Galahad stepped one step forward, and flicked his finger.

Ha! The Grand Duke’s low laughter was heard.

The spear flew toward the widely opened maw. The spear that entered without resistance deeply stuck inside the snout.

Thick density mana flowed in the demon race’s blood. Mana flows from a low density place to a high density place. It was the reason the demon race is the natural enemy of mages.

Those words also apply conversely. For example if using magic of higher density mana than a magic beast—.

‘The magic beast’s blood becomes fuel.’

The spear stuck in the magic beast’s snout undulated. Ice was dyed red with the magic beast’s blood. The magic beast’s blood froze in an instant and became pointed.

The falling blood became crystals and inflated that size. Exactly as if sprinkling oil on fire, ice crystals consecutively became pointed.

The crystals that inflated the size like that pierced the magic beast’s leather and came out. Exactly as if a bomb burst inside it was flashy.

The magic beast became a very stylish ice cluster.

‘Excellent.’

Galahad admired and turned to the Grand Duke.

It was a perfectly clean hunt.

The Grand Duke’s reaction—.

“Complicated.”

Galahad furrowed his eyes. Looking at such an art work and saying complicated—. more than Gilbert.

‘Because a stupid Northerner.’

Galahad clicked his tongue softly, and pondered for a moment how to explain this amazing magic hunt.

“Mana flows from a low density place to a high density place. Ah, what density means is—.”

Pudeudeuk. At a fierce sound turning his head, the Grand Duke was pulling the magic beast’s head with his hand.

‘Did not listen at all.’

From the beginning trying to explain magic to a Northerner was the problem.

The Grand Duke largely chewed one bite of the huge magic beast’s head. A fierce sound tickled the ears.

“Refreshing. A delicacy.”

It was an impression one is confused whether ate ice cream.

This time the Grand Duke asked a question.

“How do you think of Adrianne?”

The Grand Duke’s axe slowly moved.

‘It was alternating.’

Catching one each and asking. It seemed roughly such a rule.

‘How do you think of Adrianne—.’

Pondered for a moment. Answering that it is a sword that stabs the demon race’s king was clear it would not be good.

If not that—.

“A woman whose smile is pretty.”

Galahad nodded.

The Grand Duke furrowed his eyes. Looking closely it also seemed laughing.

A moment of silence continued. Galahad measured the distance with the Grand Duke while releasing his hands. It was an occupational disease.

“The heart is beating fast.”

At the Grand Duke’s question Galahad momentarily furrowed his eyes.

Heart—. to Galahad it was a sensitive part.

However, the Grand Duke held out the glass instead of pressing. It was a glass full of the magic beast’s blood.

“Haha, because trembling.”

Galahad politely received the glass, and poured it into his mouth.

“Refreshing.”

Although the magic beast’s blood tastes terribly, freezing and drinking refreshingly it seemed somewhat fine.

“Four remain.”

The Grand Duke stood from the seat.

*

The Grand Duke’s axe disappeared quickly to the extent of being blurry in the eyes.

Kwang kwang! The bare trees that were between that lightly broke. The axe’s speed did not reduce at all.

·········!

From afar a terrible scream burst.

Galahad slightly tidied his neck. It was still attached. Softly relieving he followed the Grand Duke.

The magic beast overturned on the floor roughly struggled. It was a guy with four feet. A pointed blade was attached to each leg, how sharp the floor was scratched.

The Grand Duke approached the magic beast as if nothing. The magic beast swung its foot at the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke caught that with bare hands—. and pulled as is.

·········!

The magic beast burst a scream again. Blood was sprayed between the pulled leg. That bone dangled.

The Grand Duke’s magic beast disassembly show started. Kkeudeuk. A fierce sound continuously burst.

‘It is the first time feeling sorry for a magic beast.’

Galahad sipped the water bottle.

Then, the Grand Duke held the magic beast’s head and looked at Galahad.

“A magic beast dies if cutting the head.”

‘That is the same for humans too.’

“I see. Did not know.”

Ageujak. A fierce eating sound was heard.

Galahad quietly waited. The Grand Duke filled blood in the glass and handed. Galahad did not refuse and lightly emptied the glass.

The Grand Duke largely chewed the magic beast’s head and looked at Galahad.

‘Is it saying ask a question.’

Galahad organized his thoughts.

The next curious thing was as expected the agreement.

That the emperor is binding capable ones with the agreement was Galahad’s prediction. He was thinking of asking that first but—.

‘That is a bit regrettable.’

Galahad concentrated on the word agreement.

An agreement was that there is a condition hung from both sides. It was clear the emperor also promised something.

So—.

“What does the emperor give as the price for binding His Highness the Grand Duke with the agreement?”

Galahad asked as if nothing.

The Grand Duke’s violent eyes stared at Galahad. Broken bones fell between the Grand Duke’s beast-like pointed fangs.

Somehow the eating sound was fierce, yet eating even bones. It seemed there would be no calcium deficiency.

“Questions are one each.”

The Grand Duke said while picking between the teeth with a bone. It was a fierce toothpick.

‘Not coming over.’

Galahad clicked his tongue softly. It seemed not completely Gilbert.

However, even not answering was an answer.

‘The agreement is correct.’

Galahad intuited that his own prediction was correct.

“Ah, the question was long. What does the emperor give as the price of the agreement?”

The Grand Duke’s eyes stared at Galahad. Galahad did not avoid that gaze.

“Does nothing.”

At the Grand Duke’s answer Galahad’s eyes narrowed.

‘Does nothing—.’

Although a simple word, at the same time it was an answer possessing deep meaning.

The emperor did not come out of the imperial palace from before Galahad was born.

The emperor after rising to that position had never officially revealed his appearance even once. To the extent even Galahad who assisted the imperial princess had never seen, there was nothing more to say.

‘Is it not doing the Northern conquest?’

Certainly the empire was more passive than old records. However, the matters Galahad processed in the Information Bureau were all for the empire.

Even if the emperor stays still, the empire was continuously advancing. Galahad decided as Adrianne’s husband was that evidence.

Yet saying does nothing—?

‘Is it limited to the emperor? Is the emperor not moving that large a meaning.’

Then—.

Pasak, with a cheerful sound broken bone pieces were sprayed to the floor. The corners of the Grand Duke’s mouth rose.

“Three remain.”

The Grand Duke stood from the seat.

The rule was simple.

If the Grand Duke catches a magic beast Galahad asks, if Galahad catches a magic beast the Grand Duke asks.

The opportunity remained only three times.

If flowing according to the rule, Galahad’s question remained one time.

At least there had to be two—.

‘No, all three are mine.’

Galahad’s eyes deeply sank.

Then, the Grand Duke’s axe headed to Galahad.

The blood continuously dropping from the axe was quite fierce.

Looking at that, a plausible method rose.

“Do you know that?”

The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed. That gaze poked with a kuk kuk.

The neck itched for nothing and the back stung.

Galahad took a deep breath and maintained the heartbeat.

And looking at the Grand Duke—.

“The magic beast I caught is larger.”

Raised one side of the corners of his mouth.

It was a clear provocation. The Grand Duke’s eyes covered with blood stared at Galahad.

Galahad examined the Grand Duke for a moment.

The Grand Duke’s face was furrowed.

It seemed the provocation succeeded.

The next—.

“Let’s do a bet once. Exactly three remain.”

Galahad flicked his finger with a tak. Fire softly attached to the cigarette.

“The winner takes all.”

Lemon scent fully blew.

“Good.”

The Grand Duke’s voice was unexpectedly calm.

Exactly as if waited—.