Chapter 69
“Huh?”
“No, it’s just… I kind of stuck my nose into something I didn’t need to.”
Because of that, I ended up learning something unnecessary and now I feel like I’ve gotten myself caught up in something bothersome.
‘Though it’s not exactly that guy’s fault either.’
The fact that I have no one to blame makes it all the more frustrating.
“Want something to drink? Tea?”
“No, I’ll pass on the tea. I came to ask you something.”
“Sure. What is it?”
The reason Ceres came to see Chaian today was because she had one thing she was curious about.
She could’ve come earlier, but Kainel insisted she stick to her shift hours, and it wasn’t until evening that she managed to get away.
Even when she finally left, Kainel was scowling the entire time like he was personally offended, which left her completely baffled.
“About that alarm you made.”
“The Black Forest alarm?”
“Yeah. Do you know how far the detection radius reaches?”
“The radius? Why?”
Chaian looked puzzled.
When a Black Forest appears, it usually covers an entire town or city, so calculating the radius was never necessary.
If the alarm rang somewhere, it meant the entire area had already been engulfed.
“Would it reach about 10 meters?”
“Hmm, probably not?”
Ten meters? It likely doesn’t even reach one meter.
“I thought so…”
The distance from the alley where the corpse was found to the nearest shop seemed far greater than ten meters.
If a very small Black Forest had formed just inside the alley, then it would make sense that the alarm didn’t go off.
“Not every shop in the capital has one either.”
“What do you mean? Is something wrong with the alarm?”
“You know how that body was found in the middle of the capital, right? No one noticed the monster. I thought maybe it was a problem with the alarm system.”
“Oh! I heard about that too. I’ve been thinking about it myself.”
“…Excuse me?”
Luka, who had been quietly listening, looked utterly dumbfounded.
He’d spent the whole day reporting on the case, only to be brushed off by Chaian, who never gave him a proper answer.
All he got were his usual ‘so what do you expect me to do about it’ stares. And now—now—he says he was concerned?
Chaian, ignoring Luka’s daggers-for-eyes glare, kept his gaze fixed on Ceres.
“Do you think it’s possible to extend the detection radius?”
“It’s doable.”
He answered without hesitation, despite his confusion.
They had deliberately kept the detection radius minimal in order to mass-distribute the alarms quickly.
It wasn’t that it couldn’t be extended—just that it hadn’t been necessary.
But was there a reason to go that far?
“Just in case. What if a Black Forest can appear on a really small scale?”
“How small?”
“Really small. Just enough to trap one person.”
“One person? Could that even happen?”
“I just had that thought after seeing the corpse.”
“Ah…”
Chaian now understood why she was bringing this up.
“If it was a Black Forest that only trapped one person… yeah, I guess that kind of corpse could make sense.”
He nodded enthusiastically.
Ceres, in turn, stared at him in mild surprise.
He was just… accepting this?
‘This absurd idea?’
She had been worrying the whole way here about how to explain it in a way that made sense—and he just nodded?
“That’s ridiculous. There’s never been a case of a Black Forest like that.”
Luka interjected again, shaking his head firmly.
‘Yeah, that’s the normal reaction.’
A Black Forest just big enough to trap a single person? If she hadn’t seen it herself, Ceres would’ve just laughed too.
“Just because it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it never will.”
“That’s true, but still, something so unbelievable…”
“Don’t worry, Ceres! I’ll get started on a new alarm right away!”
“…Sigh.”
When Chaian beamed and said he’d update the alarm right away, Luka looked like his soul had left his body.
He had worked with him for a long time, but this was the first time he’d seen him move this fast.
It even stung a little.
He was the kind of guy who would say no eleven times even if you asked ten.
“I’ll formally offer you the secretary position again.”
Luka said it more seriously than ever.
If Ceres agreed to work with them, he had a strong hunch things would become much easier around here.
“……”
Meanwhile, quietly watching the three converse, Alex had a thoughtful look.
‘A small Black Forest…’
His soft smile deepened slightly, his eyes resting on Ceres.
***
“Urgh!”
“Would you like some water?”
“Y-yes, I think I should.”
Kainel’s aide, Del, quickly covered his mouth.
He still couldn’t get used to spatial teleportation magic. It felt like it only got worse with time.
‘Why is he suddenly using teleportation scrolls now?’
Ever since a certain point, Kainel had stopped using carriages to reach the imperial palace and only traveled via teleportation magic.
Del couldn’t help but find it strange.
‘Why, though?’
The distance was easily manageable by carriage.
“Lady Ceres seems perfectly fine though.”
“Yeah, well…”
Del was genuinely envious of Ceres, who never showed any signs of nausea or dizziness, unlike himself who always felt sick from teleportation.
“Get some rest.”
“Y-yes, sir…”
At Kainel’s words, Del, still covering his mouth, bowed and trudged off to the waiting room next to the conference hall.
“What are you doing? You’re not coming?”
Just as Ceres was about to follow him, Kainel’s voice called her back, making her sigh.
She was already feeling restless to the point of madness.
If she could, she would have summoned Chaian right now just to make the alarm ring again.
“When will you send support to our side?”
“It’s just… we’re short on healers…”
“And you call that an excuse?!”
“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve submitted a request? What are our patients supposed to do if you don’t send help?!”
“Ah… you’re right. I apologize.”
“Our situation is urgent too! You must send at least twenty healers by the end of this week!”
“Twenty? That’s a bit…”
“Ahem! I said we should be the priority!”
“Stop mumbling and give us an answer!”
“Tsk, tsk. Must be your age…”
The meeting hall was its usual noisy mess again today.
But unlike usual, it wasn’t two factions arguing. Instead, everyone was ganging up on one person.
‘Tsk.’
Ceres clicked her tongue internally when she saw who it was.
They were absolutely tearing into her.
The target of their scorn was none other than Herion, the newly appointed head of the Ellsia Count’s Estate.
‘Same old antics as always.’
Ceres quietly shook her head. It was painfully obvious why the nobles were going after Herion like this.
A young woman, newly seated as head of a household.
And someone who now held a very tempting fruit in her hand.
‘No way they’d leave such a delicious prey alone.’
Their intent was to break her spirit early on. To make her listen obediently to whatever they said.
At times like this, they were always so united.
“Lady Herion.”
“……! Lady Ceres!”
Herion, sweating bullets from the unfamiliar experience, instantly lit up at the sight of Ceres.
Approaching her, Ceres looked at Herion’s hand.
Sure enough, the Ellsia Family Heirloom Ring was properly on her finger.
“I have something to ask… him.”
“Him? Who—?”
Had the ring already caught on to who she meant?
The crimson hue of the ring flickered more fiercely than usual.
Or maybe it was reacting to Herion’s current predicament.
‘That one’s temper is nasty, but…’
Still, the one who treasures and protects the head of the family more than anyone else—is that guy.
“Jubellios…”
Fwoosh!
At Ceres’ invocation, the being who seemed to have been waiting appeared.
It was none other than the Spirit King of Fire, Jubellios.
‘Hey!’
You damned mutt, why are you responding to me?
She only meant to tell Herion to summon Jubellios, but the Spirit King actually responded to her voice.
Grinding her teeth inwardly, Ceres put on an awkward smile.
—
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