Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Chapter 48. The Kaot territory was a small peaceful territory near the capital.

Then from one day strange things started happening.

The first to disappear was an ordinary farmer's son.

At first thought suffered from a demonic beast or wild beast.

But a week later, another child disappeared.

This time was the child of an administrator working in the castle.

From then people started feeling something strange.

When the third child disappeared, the village people didn't leave the child beside even for a moment.

However the child disappeared.

Like that when the number of disappeared children exceeded twenty, the Duke Valfruga party arrived at the village.* * *“Saw with the report but more peaceful than thought.”

Ordinarily if saying a demonic beast appeared the village burns and the territory becomes a mess, but here sheep were grazing.

“Probably the doing of an intelligent demonic beast.”

Lus sitting opposite the carriage said.

“Things that imitate humans?”

“Yeah. The number is few, but such things are more tricky. Unlike ordinary demonic beasts have reason and know how to hide among people. Still this time might be better than swarm-type demonic beasts.”

“Swarm-type demonic beasts are the ones wandering in groups?”

“Yeah. Such demonic beasts are hard for me alone to resolve. For me monster-type is the best. That demonic beast usually moves alone.”

“If needing help please say! I'll help secretly from this guy!”

The knight hanging the red cow crest of the Summerhild ducal house said.

“Ha, what secretly. Just get caught. I'll tell the Iswed Duke right away.”

This time the knight hanging the blue eagle crest of the Iswed ducal house said.

“What? This bird head?”

“This simple ignorant cow bastard!”

I looked at the two knights sitting in front of me with a disgusted face.

Knights dispatched as surveillance role whether we receive other help in this test.‘For that one side is full of thoughts of helping somehow, and the other side seems thinking of finding fault somehow...’ The knight of the Summerhild ducal house winked at me.

I nodded meaning doing well.

For fairness sent knights from two families, but I asked only one thing to that knight before departing.‘Definitely draw the gaze of the knight sent from the Iswed ducal house.’ The more the person sent from the Summerhild ducal house shows signs of trying something the knight who came from the Iswed ducal house will be on edge all nerves toward him.‘That side is more helpful for us acting.’ I stroked the item put in the arms.

The letter sent by the Leholas Marquess.

The letter content was as follows.[Soon the Duke Valfruga heads to the Kaot territory. Matching the time summon a demonic beast and kill the Duke Valfruga.]

Of course not directly sent by the Marquess, but a well manipulated letter.

I had no intention of just leaving the Leholas Marquess who sent us this far.

If placing at the place the demonic beast was summoned watching the time could send the Leholas Marquess with the territory.‘Of course before that have to handle the demonic beast and survive.’ Finally when the carriage arrived at the Kaot territory, the lord Kaot Viscount welcomed us.

“Haha, heard the story. Resolving our territory's problem is this Duke's test they said?”

The Kaot Viscount said looking at the knights chasing behind us.

“Unpleasant?”

At Lus's question he shook his head.

“What's unpleasant. If can resolve the territory's problem even like this it would be fortunate.”

We first decided to meet the man who witnessed the demonic beast.

Not long after a man of a fierce impression was called to the reception room.

The man's name was Garun.

Operating a mill in the village, the father of the fourth disappeared child.

“I clearly saw with my two eyes. Someone taking that kid.”

He started the story with a sorrowful expression.

“After three children disappeared, the village people all slept holding the child beside even when sleeping. Our house was the same. Putting the child in the middle me and my wife tightly hugged the child from both sides and slept. If someone trying to take the child no way we wouldn't know.”

Whether hard recalling the situation at the time, the man's voice started trembling little by little.

“But that night, something the spine chilling instinctively eerie. Opening eyes the place the child was was empty. Waking the wife and looking for the child the child was seen standing outside the window. Trying to shout and call the name...”

The sun-tanned man's face instantly turned white.

“At that moment, disappeared as is.”

“Can you say it's the doing of a demonic beast just because simply disappeared?”

At Lus's question he shook his head.

“No. No. That can't be done unless a demonic beast. The shadow was dancing. The tree shadow around the child as if excited... And instantly soared and swallowed the child as is. If this isn't the doing of a demonic beast what would it be?”

Shadow...

Suddenly, recalled Blackie saying something strange lives in Lus's shadow.

I looked at Lus's shadow.

An ordinary person's shadow.

Sending the man out and in the room left only two Lus made a serious face.

“For now have to start from finding the demonic beast. Might be hiding somewhere, but if mixed among people it's troublesome.”

“Probably a person working in the castle.”

At my words Lus asked back.

“Why do you think so?”

“Look at this. A map marking the places the children lived until now.”

I took out the thick report investigated in advance, and unfolded the content about the missing children.

“Most living close to the castle see? The farther from the castle the less damage.”

I rounded the castle and its surroundings with the index finger.

“The disappeared children are between five and ten years old. An age hard to wander far. Probably the demonic beast lives near here, and is searching for targets.”

“Then might live near the village. Is there a reason convinced it's the castle?”

“The administrator working in the castle's child also disappeared.”

As if realizing something Lus's eyes gradually grew.

“As you also know administrators mainly stay inside the castle. And the administrator's child also lives in the castle.”

“Might have seen coming out to the village.”

“Might be, but if I were a demonic beast who knows how to use the head I don't think would do that.”

“Because don't know what might be in the castle?”

“Right.”

I nodded and continued the words.

“Don't know how strong the knights in the castle are, and while secretly hiding to take the child might get the identity caught. Rather than that better to give up the child living in the castle, and aim for the farmer's child without even one guarding knight.”

Lus said with an excited voice.

“Then has to be a person who can freely come and go the castle and village. Since many children disappeared in the village too.”

“Yeah. Among them the newly come people in the one year the kidnapping incident happened are three.”

I turned the report again and unfolded the part about the Kaot territory.

“Gamekeeper, knight, and the Viscount's doctor.”

“Then for now have to investigate those three. Amazing, older sister! How did you think all such thoughts?”

“All methods seen somewhere.”

Picked up this and that from current affairs programs before possession would be helpful like this.

“Still directly applying is different! As expected older sister is the coolest in the world! Didn't know would narrow the suspects this easily! When older sister said following worried... As expected if older sister is there relieved.”

“If the demonic beast doesn't reveal its appearance and just hides it would all be wasted effort though. Blackie, don't you have something like demonic beast detection ability?”

Blackie slightly stuck his face out from the pocket on the knee.[There's an instinctively unpleasant feeling but...]

“If speaking in dragon appearance Lus can't hear.”

When Blackie jumped out of the pocket, white snow powder fluttered in the air.

When the snow disappeared, Blackie changed into human appearance was visible.

He stood on two legs and said.

“There's an unpleasant feeling but not accurate to the extent of finding out who is the demonic beast. This village overall the demonic beast's energy is also strong.”

Then Lus stood up from the chair with a scary face.

Whether guarding the suddenly appeared unfamiliar person, I stepped forward and introduced.

“Right, right. Lus hasn't seen Blackie's human appearance for the first time? This time fed jewels and became able to humanize too! Amazing, right?”

But whether this wasn't it Lus who was usually cute like a fairy glared at Blackie with a terrifying face.

“You... could become human too?”

In Lus's hand a sword was held at some point.

“...

Seductive thing. Hid that fact perfectly until now and stuck beside older sister?”

“Calm down, Lus. Blackie is just a spirit beast.”

“R-right. I have not even a little selfishness toward Master.”

Blackie said hiding his large body behind me.

Then Lus said firmly.

“Lying to reassure me? No way there's a person without selfishness toward older sister in the world.”

Lus, how amazingly are you seeing me.

Embarrassed the cheeks all heated.

“But Lus, Blackie is really like a pet.”

“Right. My true body is a dragon so animal. Not a person.”

Blackie desperately nodded abandoning human rights.

But Lus still glared at Blackie with a cold face.

“Anyway my husband is you. Not like I'll have an affair with Blackie.”

At my words Lus's expression softened a bit.

“But...”

Reaching out the arm, Lus threw the sword on the ground and ran toddling.

And sat on the floor and clung to my waist.

“What are you so angry about?”

Gently stroking and passing Lus's soft hair, Lus puffed his cheeks.

“But I'm jealous.”

“Blackie is just a pet I say.”

“Then I'll also do older sister's pet.”

Lus looked up at me.

And the white cheeks slightly heated.

“Woof.”

And cried.

That appearance was too cute so without knowing I kissed Lus's cheek like doing to a puppy.

Lus's face heated bright red.

“...

Dislike?”

Right, even becoming five everyone says dislike kisses.

Lus shook his head with all his might, and obediently held out the opposite cheek.

“Do here too.”* * *That night, Blackie roughly whipped his tail and saw Lucius sleeping beside Felia.‘Thinking sleeping alone two with older sister worried so sleep doesn't come. From now on can't Lus also sleep together with older sister every day?’ Said himself seductive, but such Lucius was no different from a fox.

Thanks to that his sleeping place changed from the fluffy bedside to the hard table top.

At least fortunate that Felia worried about him, and prepared pillow and blanket.

Blackie who fell into dreamland late felt someone grabbing his nape.‘Who...!’ Tried to use the ability but couldn't move even one finger.

Coming to senses, he was buried in the flower bed in the castle backyard.

Blackie blankly blinked and saw the culprit who kidnapped him.

It was Lucius.

He with his back to the moonlight drew the floor with the sword he was holding and said.

“I said. I'll make into a pot.”

The white face receiving the moonlight was pure.

If Felia saw an face she would admire saying our Lus is pretty even at night, but unfortunately to Blackie only added fear.

The eyes shining red in the darkness were chilly.

Blackie lowered his eyes avoiding Lucius's gaze.

Then, Lucius's shadow long cast on the ground was visible.

“Since older sister kissed won't make into a pot, but as expected beasts have bad heads so I'll warn again.”

The beast with black fur and red eyes seen before.‘Again...!’ Not an illusion.

This time meeting eyes straight with himself, and warning.

Lucius said with the same eyes as the beast.

“If found near older sister's bed again then...”

Lucius's voice lowered gloomily.

“I'll really neuter. Since you said beast with your mouth no complaint, right?”[Master! Please save me!]* * *Waking in the morning Lus was resting his chin beside me and looking at me.

“Lus, didn't sleep?”

“No, slept but missed older sister so woke early.”

Lus dug into my arms and said.

“Did Blackie also sleep well?”

Blackie desperately nodded.

Somehow today the scales seem less sparkling...

After washing and eating breakfast, we decided to meet the suspects right away.

The first batter was exactly the Viscount's doctor.

The one met in the clinic was a neat attire and a gentle impression that would easily gain favor from people.

“I'm Zaril. Heard from the Viscount. Said wanting to see me for this demonic beast matter?”

“Yeah, seems need a bit of that side's help.”

“Don't know well about demonic beasts, but if there's work I can help as much as wanted.”

“Right? Fortunate that you say so.”

I stepped back one step, and said distancing.

“Lus, kill.”