Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Gift

‘Succeeded.’

Galahad fully raised the corners of his mouth at the unfolded mist.

Red mist was the visualization of high density mana made of magic beast blood. One could visualize the density of mana with mist.

In other words it was the story that one can find a strong magic beast a bit more easily.

There was one trivial problem there.

“Guy—.”

The spear lightly broke. The Grand Duke’s blue eyes were a little furrowed.

Because the Grand Duke’s existence is too strong the mist tilted. The Grand Duke was a magnet. Around the Grand Duke was not mist but a blood puddle.

Galahad was also wronged.

“No, because His Highness the Grand Duke is too strong it continuously tilts. This is clearly interference.”

“Interference?”

The Grand Duke clicked his tongue softly as if speechless.

“Did the hunt end? Then please hold your breath a bit. It interferes.”

“···What?”

Galahad busily moved his steps.

‘This···. To think of noticing.’

The Grand Duke noticed the pill of pain.

‘Can’t you even hide the sound? Cheap.’

Thump··· thump···. The pill of pain thumped small. It was a fully dejected beat.

‘Yes, what would I expect from a lower-rank egg.’

It was not only the pill of pain’s fault. Because concentrated on magic Galahad also loosened a little.

Above all—.

‘Really listening to the heartbeat?’

No matter how good the ears how would one listen to the heart sound. He thought it was a simple joke.

Yet the Grand Duke really listened to the heart sound.

And through that noticed the pill of pain.

‘One must not lose.’

The Grand Duke would ask about the second heart. One must definitely win.

If asking about the pill of pain, it would become quite troublesome.

Because the condition hung on the bet was quite intense.

Although the bet hanging questions became a bit rough, it did not particularly matter.

Because Galahad did not do a bet of losing.

‘Fifteen, seventeen, twenty was it.’

It was a magic beast between lower-rank and mid-rank, mid-rank, between mid-rank and upper-rank.

Galahad put the cigarette in his mouth and waved his hand.

Red mist widely spread. The widened sense poked Galahad with a kok kok.

Galahad closed his eyes and concentrated on that. Soon information of a wide area fully stuffed the head.

‘Hmm, shall I try this first.’

Galahad chose an appropriate side among them.

At the arrived place there was a large magic beast.

Galahad examined the density of the blood that formed a lump around the guy. It was thick to the extent a clapping sound would be made every time the magic beast jumps.

‘It is mid-upper rank.’

Then, the magic beast’s snout long opened. Poison continuously flowed riding the huge fangs.

The momentum blowing was fierce. However, it was a mid-upper rank guy. Here was not Magic Realm, and it was not a threatening level to Galahad.

Galahad was having another worry.

‘How to carry that.’

Bringing the caught magic beast up to there was the problem.

There was not much time. Even just catching is tight, yet having to carry that too, no matter how Galahad that was unreasonable.

‘Ah, there was that.’

Galahad who pondered for a moment softly nodded.

If the head is stupid the body suffers. Galahad is a capable mage, so the body has no choice but to be comfortable.

****

‘Magic? Funny.’

The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed.

The surroundings were all blood droplets. That white mountain was painted red. Can one call this magic.

It was an act a high-rank demon race would do.

Along with that—.

‘The heart was two.’

The Grand Duke tidied his chest. A thick scar was engraved on that left chest. One of the two that could not be repaid.

Hot breath was spit from the Grand Duke’s mouth. What contained in that breath was thick anger and rapture.

It was a question that would soon be resolved.

There was no possibility of Galahad winning the Grand Duke in magic beast hunting.

The magic beasts around the Grand Duke all hunted. To catch a magic beast stronger than that, one had to go up.

The magic beasts above were clever and hid avoiding the Grand Duke. Since the Grand Duke entered the mountain they would have carefully hidden.

Even if finding catching that is another story. Along with that even hunting a magic beast bringing that up to here was also a matter.

Even if catching the snow mountain is high and rough. A skinny dry magic guy could not drag a huge magic beast up to here.

‘The moon tilted.’

There was not much time left.

The Grand Duke was certain of his own victory.

Like that how much passed. The moon hid its appearance,

The red mist that was forming a lump riding the Grand Duke now became a puddle.

‘Not coming.’

The Grand Duke narrowly opened his eyes. The bet was until the sun rises.

Soon dawn would break. Yet the guy did not bring even one magic beast.

‘Is it the thought of dragging three at the same time—.’

The weight of a magic beast was considerable. Moving three magic beasts at the same time was a somewhat difficult matter even to the Grand Duke.

Then—.

Kung.

A heavy sound was heard. Sweet magic beast smell fully blew.

It was the magic beast’s footsteps. The strange point was that those footsteps were several.

Here was a mountain where magic beasts are trapped. Here magic beasts catch and eat each other, they did not bundle.

‘A solid guy. At least thirty—.’

The corners of the Grand Duke’s mouth rose.

Red mist slowly retreated. The red mist covering the mountain was thinner than before.

Beyond the mist a magic beast was seen.

No, they were magic beasts.

One was a snake-like form magic beast. The head was three, one was a snake, one was a lion, the other was a wolf.

At least thirty.

The magic beast beside was also a quite thick guy. It was a huge wolf form magic beast, yet those rakes were snakes.

In the place where eyes should be an eagle’s head took place, and between the snout a snake long hung.

They were guys thicker than what the Grand Duke caught.

That degree of magic beast ran away just smelling the Grand Duke’s scent. Yet approaching first—.

‘Amazing.’

Then, there was one more magic beast between the magic beasts.

At a glance it was a glossy horse. It was a size about four times an ordinary horse, yet five snake-like eyes were attached. Even fire fluttered from the feet.

Although small compared to the magic beasts on both sides, it was a clear magic beast.

‘Covetable.’

The Grand Duke purely admired.

If that magic beast wouldn’t one be able to ride oneself. However, a magic beast could not be tamed.

When the Grand Duke was soothing the regret and correcting the axe grip—.

“I am not late.”

A familiar voice was heard. The guy was sitting on the huge horse.

Unlike before the guy’s form was a mess. The neatly brushed hair was fully loosened, and fatigue was full on the face.

However, a refreshing smile was contained on the face.

“Come, everyone greet.”

The guy raised the corners of his mouth and waved his hand.

The huge magic beasts on both sides slowly bowed their heads.

Moving magic beasts with a hand gesture—.

The Grand Duke recalled an old legend.

Humanity’s worst traitor.

‘Magic beast trainer—.’

Tendons rose on the Grand Duke’s hand holding the axe.

*

‘This is dangerous—.’

The Grand Duke’s axe headed to Galahad. At that Galahad felt clear death.

That was a confirmed death.

‘Hiding power.’

The momentum the Grand Duke revealed was a realm beyond Galahad’s expectation.

‘Not good.’

Galahad slightly released his finger. The pill of pain continuously jumped. Mana continuously turned.

If the Grand Duke was a knight, Galahad would also have been able to guess the match.

However, the Grand Duke was one who ate magic beast heads and filled the stomach. Closer to a magic beast than a knight.

And that a very high-rank magic beast—.

Galahad had bad compatibility with magic beasts.

“Were you the magic beast trainer’s disciple.”

The Grand Duke asked in a dry voice. Very dry exactly like an executioner asking before dropping the guillotine.

‘Sensitive to the magic beast trainer.’

It was understandable. Because the magic beast trainer was the figure who inflicted the largest damage on the North.

Since Galahad appeared sandwiching upper-rank magic beasts on both sides, it was sufficiently misunderstandable.

However, it was different from the fact.

“Ah, it is a misunderstanding. Not a disciple.”

Galahad showed his palm and said containing sincerity.

“It is improving and applying the magic beast trainer’s magic circle obtained by chance. Although reported that discovered the magic beast trainer’s trace.”

“Chance—. Just looking at the trace the magic beast trainer left controlled an upper-rank magic beast?”

The Grand Duke raised only one side of the corners of his mouth.

It was clear distrust.

“Yes, because I am an excellent mage. Don’t you know?”

Galahad slightly flicked his finger.

Then the magic beasts on both sides overturned at the same time.

What Galahad obtained was a degraded version of the magic beast trainer’s magic circle. No matter how excellent Galahad with a degraded version magic circle one could not move an upper-rank magic beast as one pleases.

It was using that for the purpose of moving.

The Grand Duke’s momentum fully pressed Galahad. The air became heavy. Breath was blocked with a teok—.

He calculated the case the situation becomes not good with a misunderstanding by any chance.

“Yes—.”

The Grand Duke exhaled a low breath.

“Is the heart being two also chance?”

The pressure pressing the shoulder became fierce. To the extent hard to endure. Fortunately there is the gold rod.

‘A monster.’

Galahad purely admired.

The Grand Duke’s misunderstanding was plausible.

However—.

“Isn’t it that I do the questions?”

The bet was Galahad’s victory.

Heavy silence took place. Galahad maintained taut tension so that one can use magic anytime.

It was a situation where several misunderstandings piled. Originally nobles were guys whose front and back are different.

Nobles who just step back saying lost in a bet were rare. Usually clinging to the end.

Even the opponent was the Grand Duke. This side was an empire guy.

It would not be easy to acknowledge.

‘Not good.’

Galahad slowly released his hands. Naturally put the cigarette in his mouth. Continued pressing mana.

Then—.

“Yes.”

The Grand Duke carried the axe on the back. The momentum pressing the shoulder disappeared in an instant.

“I lost.”

The Grand Duke largely nodded.

It was a clean acknowledgment to the extent the tension was colorless.

The Grand Duke was a hero.

*

‘A clean acknowledgment.’

The questions were three.

Galahad organized his thoughts while looking at the Grand Duke’s fierce face.

The agreement was the emperor binding capable ones. As the price the emperor did nothing.

The high-rank demon race hoped for the emperor’s death. Because the emperor does nothing—.

Finding the connection between the two was important.

For that one first had to know the emperor.

“What is the emperor’s identity?”

Galahad asked directly.

The Grand Duke’s eyes examined behind Galahad. Glared at empty space where nothing is for a moment.

‘Is it that there is the empire’s ear not simply a spy.’

At that peculiar reaction Galahad’s eyes narrowed.

Continentally confirmed denying the concept of the demon race’s king itself. There was also a possibility the emperor did a similar act.

“The thing about the emperor is a two-piece question.”

‘A two-piece question?’

Galahad’s eyes narrowed.

Although questions are three, saying a two-piece question—.

However, two was the story that it is that important.

“Yes, good. I will use two.”

The Grand Duke nodded.

“The emperor—.”

The Grand Duke took a pause for a moment.

There was also a possibility the emperor is a high-rank demon race. Because human greed has no end. Although too cliché—.

Then, the Grand Duke’s mouth slowly opened.

“A stupid guy.”

“···Yes?”

“The emperor is a stupid guy.”

The Grand Duke said clearly. That was not the problem—.

“No—. Stupid—. What is that?”

“Is it a question?”

“Isn’t there too little sincerity in the answer. It is a two-piece question.”

“It is a two-piece answer.”

The Grand Duke’s answer was firm.

Stupid—. it was a modifier quite not suitable for the emperor.

‘The Grand Duke is not a figure who would particularly use a trick.’

Stupid would be the best answer the Grand Duke can do.

Even so—.

“Isn’t the answer of stupid too little sincerity?”

“Next question.”

“This stupid—. No, I recalled the words you said.”

At the Grand Duke’s narrowed eyes Galahad shook his head.

‘A stupid emperor—.’

It was not that there is no harvest. Found out that one cannot recklessly leak stories about the emperor. The possibility that the emperor did an act similar to the demon race’s king rose.

This was a quite large harvest.

“Next question.”

The Grand Duke said in a firm voice.

The thing about the emperor was a two-piece question. There was nothing particularly to use on other things.

“Can I use later?”

“Hmm.”

The Grand Duke nodded.

Even if a little regret remains the harvest was quite. Found out the method of utilizing the magic beast trainer’s magic circle, and also grasped the identity of the agreement.

Then, Galahad realized that the Grand Duke’s gaze is stuck somewhere.

The Grand Duke was a blunt man. Only raised the corners of his mouth when pulling a magic beast’s neck and chewing that head.

Such a Grand Duke, yet now the expression was subtle. The eyebrows shook a little. According to Adrianne’s eyebrows, that is a signal of having interest in something.

The place the Grand Duke’s gaze headed—.

‘Horse?’

It was the magic beast Galahad rode. It was a lower-rank magic beast in horse form.

The Grand Duke’s gaze was exactly stuck on that magic beast.

Galahad slightly moved the magic beast to the side. The Grand Duke’s head turned.

‘Is it regarding as a horse?’

A well-shaped horse here was a supercar.

Although a bit hard to see this hideous magic beast as a horse, from the beginning the Grand Duke also had an appearance similar to a high-rank magic beast.

‘Suits well.’

Galahad softly nodded.

It was a magic beast caught for the purpose of filling three.

Because lower-rank one could control unlike other upper-ranks, but still a magic beast. It was dangerous to take around.

On top of that to maintain that one had to continuously feed magic beast blood. To think of having to feed that precious magic beast blood—. the fuel efficiency was quite not good.

Although horses listen better, there was no reason to particularly take this guy around.

Anyway it was a magic beast one would discard if going down the mountain.

Yet the Grand Duke showed interest.

Hmm—.

“His Highness the Grand Duke, didn’t I not give a gift?”

Galahad fully raised the corners of his mouth.

The Grand Duke’s eyebrows moved a little.

“Gift? I never permitted your marriage.”

Galahad dug the bag Tom gave.

A high-class rein was inside.

At that when putting the rein and holding out to the Grand Duke, the Grand Duke’s eyebrows twitched.

“Come, this guy as you see fire comes out from the feet. One calls this heating wire option in the capital—.”

The Grand Duke’s eyebrows gradually rose.

****

“Isn’t one having to go up?”

At the subordinate’s question 8th Battalion Captain Benijons chewed his lips.

The magic beast’s tomb was a snow mountain high to the extent that end touches the sky.

The anomaly occurred at dawn.

At first it was a small dot. The red mist that started like that gradually spread, and soon fully covered the lower part of the mountain.

It seemed the snow mountain is shedding blood.

Even Benijons who was in charge of the 8th Battalion as captain for quite long it was an abnormal phenomenon first seen.

It was clear a high-rank demon race.

The problem was the point that the magic beast’s tomb is a zone the Grand Duke prohibited. Without the Grand Duke’s permission no one could go up.

At that one had no choice but to wait unable to go up.

Such thick blood mist—.

‘Not a simple high-rank demon race. A very vicious guy.’

Sweat fully filled the hand holding the sword hilt.

Then, horse sound was heard from somewhere. It was a peaceful voice not matching the situation.

“So to continuously maintain the horse one has to periodically feed blood. Originally the more high-class a horse the more maintenance cost—. no, maintenance blood is consumed.”

A soft voice not matching the North—. it was clear that unlucky empire guy’s.

“I see, a gift.”

Subsequently the Grand Duke’s voice was heard. Unlike usual that voice was slightly high. It also seemed mixed with laughter.

It was a voice even Benijons first hears.

Then, the red mist in front cleared.

It was a magic beast with four feet burning with fire and five eyes. That was exactly like a horse that came up from hell.

On that horse there was the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke was raising the corners of his mouth unlike usual.

“It was a fun hunt.”

Galahad laughed while looking at the Grand Duke. At that the Grand Duke only nodded.

That appearance of the two somehow looked intimate.

Unbelievable.

Then, the Grand Duke said while looking at Galahad.

“I also called your family to the engagement ceremony.”

The corners of Galahad’s mouth stiffened.

*

“The kingdom alliance’s opposition is gradually growing. A request to reveal the prince’s true identity came up again.”

“The western sea is noisy. Pirates are boiling.”

“The Magic Department put out a prototype of a magic knight. The prospect was quite good.”

“The magic train’s track work is also almost ending.”

“The demon race occurrence frequency became higher. A countermeasure for this is needed. One has to increase two more knight orders.”

The imperial palace meeting place was noisy. Heating up to announce achievements, and raising the veins to obtain support.

However, the meeting ended without any income.

Because there is no head.

Count Amberutan stood from the seat while tidying the coat. An unpleasantly shaped noble blocked in front of that.

It was Count Barahan who continuously checks Amberutan.

“I heard Galahad received the Grand Duke’s recognition. Isn’t it too twisted from the plan?”

At Count Barahan’s jeering Count Amberutan furrowed his eyes.

“What correlation is that with me?”

“What correlation. Isn’t Galahad your son? The third son.”

“So?”

“A question of whether the Amberutan Count family secretly gave help is circulating.”

At Count Barahan’s words Amberutan laughed out loud.

It was a story not even funny.

“A guy who dared to learn dirty magic in the swordsmanship prestigious family Amberutan. Helping the guy who is a dirty stain on Amberutan—? Ha, even a dog would laugh. Not removing the guy on time because not wanting to dirty the hands is my greatest mistake.”

At Amberutan’s acrid words Count Barahan slightly stepped back while raising both hands.

Surrounding sharp gazes stuck. Because revealed antipathy toward magic.

‘Dirty magic guys.’

Count Amberutan muttered a curse.

Someone blocked in front of Count Amberutan leaving the seat.

Red hair like blood and a beauty to an amazing degree—.

It was the imperial princess.

The imperial princess looked at Amberutan and smiled widely.

"Count Amberutan?"

Like a fully bloomed flower.