The Chicken Guardian
When Ed pulled back the black cloth, every eye in the room widened in surprise. The object that emerged was far less impressive than they had expected. What on earth was that bizarre contraption that looked like a human torso?
Murmurs began to ripple through the crowd.
Ed’s “mosquito trap dummy” looked exactly like a bowl of chicken soup. To put it bluntly, the design was terrible. Or rather, it was downright embarrassing to look at. Any modern person who saw this mosquito trap would instinctively think of a certain adult toy.
“I can guess exactly what all of you are thinking right now.”
While everyone was openly showing their disappointment, Ed finally spoke. No matter how the atmosphere in the hall had soured, he still wore a relaxed smile on his face.
“Surprisingly, this is not a chicken dish.”
He tossed out the light joke. Many nobles who had been picturing a prepared chicken let out small laughs. Just like that, the noisy atmosphere in the hall was neatly cleaned up.
“Hard as it may be to believe, this object is a guardian.”
Ed then delivered an intriguing opening line. He had attached the grandiose title of “guardian” to something that looked like chicken soup.
“But that’s not all. This is a warrior, a savior, and a dream spirit that will grant you all sweet, peaceful sleep. This device will fight more bravely than anyone to protect you.”
He added even more lavish praise than before. He had bestowed honorable titles like warrior and savior upon an object with such an embarrassing appearance.
The nobles’ curiosity grew even stronger. Just what kind of function could this thing possibly have to deserve such extravagant titles?
Finally, Ed spread his hands wide and introduced the device’s name.
“Allow me to present to you—the Chicken Guardian!”
····Chicken Guardian.
At the absurd naming, some nobles burst into laughter again while others waited for Ed’s next words with serious expressions. Even his jokes elicited completely different reactions depending on each person’s taste.
“Mana Mutation Disease.”
But the moment Ed mentioned Mana Mutation Disease, every face in the room unified into one expression. From nobles who had been chuckling to those chatting with their neighbors, and even those who looked slightly annoyed by the endless jokes—every single one of them stiffened and fixed their gaze on Ed.
Having successfully captured their full attention, Ed continued without pause. The next statement was equally shocking.
“If I told you that this ridiculous-looking object has conquered Mana Mutation Disease, would you believe me?”
“······.”
Silence.
No one answered Ed’s question. The way he spoke made it sound as if he had solved the Mana Mosquito problem that no one had been able to crack until now.
But Ed, as if he had predicted their reaction, simply smiled and pressed a button. The massive screen in front of them flickered to life with a bright flash.
“Seeing is believing, after all. I’ll show you a demonstration video.”
Ed approached the video transmission magic orb as he spoke. He infused it with mana, activating the linked orb on the other end, and an image appeared on the screen.
The screen was filled with the face of a man.
It was none other than David, president of the Sibalsaegi club. He had been waiting on Ed’s orders to demonstrate the product.
David began to act exactly as Ed had instructed. He activated the Chicken Guardian on the floor and then released the mosquitoes packed inside the collection container.
The nobles were horrified.
Releasing what looked like dozens of mosquitoes at once was something they couldn’t believe even after seeing it with their own eyes. If those mosquitoes carried Mana Mutation Disease, the man on screen could end up mana-disabled.
But the mosquitoes’ behavior was strange.
They showed no interest in the man on screen and were only focused on the bizarre object called the Chicken Guardian.
The nobles’ curiosity was piqued. Even those who had been wearing bored, disappointed expressions earlier now watched with intense focus. What kind of function did this ridiculous object have to produce such a miraculous effect?
However, the Chicken Guardian’s miraculous ability wasn’t limited to simply attracting mosquitoes. The mosquitoes that clung to it didn’t move an inch and couldn’t escape.
Ed began to explain why.
“Yes, I’m sure you’re all wondering right now. Why the mana mosquitoes have stopped like that.”
Ed briefly explained the principle behind the Chicken Guardian. In short, the moment a mosquito tried to insert its proboscis to find a blood vessel, a chemical reaction occurred that trapped it in place.
“And as you can see in the video, the Chicken Guardian’s mosquito attraction rate is nearly 100%. Even with a test subject right beside it, the mosquitoes only have eyes for the Chicken Guardian.”
Just as Ed said, even though the test subject was sitting at a distance not far from the device, almost every mosquito was focused solely on the Chicken Guardian.
“But you might be thinking this: couldn’t at least one of them fly toward the test subject? That’s why we prepared this. The ‘heat-sensing thermal emission mosquito net.’”
Ed shifted his gaze to the screen as he spoke. It had been exactly three minutes since David’s video transmission orb connected.
David, confirming that three minutes had passed, stood up. Because they had synchronized their timing in advance, the demonstration flowed as smoothly as if they were communicating in real time.
David walked over to the bed and pressed the button to activate the mosquito net. Carbon nanotubes shot out from the launcher mounted on the ceiling, densely covering a one-meter radius around the bed. In an instant, the mosquito net was complete.
After watching the net finish forming, Ed turned back to the audience and continued his explanation.
“This is a heat-sensing mosquito net. It is different from ordinary mosquito nets. The moment a mana mosquito lands on it, the net immediately detects the insect and emits extremely high heat. As long as you’re inside this net, you will never be bitten.”
After finishing his explanation, Ed looked back at the screen. David, who had been waiting on the bed, checked his watch, then used the remote control to turn off the Chicken Guardian. He released additional mosquitoes into the room to demonstrate the power of the ‘heat-sensing thermal emission mosquito net.’
The effect was undeniable.
The instant a mana mosquito landed on the net, it was instantly detected and blasted with intense heat.
Even though dozens more mana mosquitoes had been released, not a single one could penetrate the mosquito net.
The atmosphere among the nobles began to surge. They had just witnessed proof that with only the ‘heat-sensing thermal emission mosquito net’ and the ‘Chicken Guardian,’ they could be completely freed from mana mosquitoes.
—Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
Starting with someone’s applause, a thunderous wave of clapping erupted from every seat in the hall. It was a natural reaction for people who had suffered from mana mosquitoes their entire lives. After finally being liberated from the pests that had tormented them for decades, how could they not applaud?
At that moment, Ed raised his hand to calm the heated atmosphere. His expression suggested he still had more to announce.
Once the applause died down, Ed looked straight ahead and spoke.
“Mana mosquitoes. I know all too well the grudge you all hold against these monsters. Because of these tiny creatures, how much economic loss have you endured? How much mental anguish have you suffered? And on top of that, because of the worst infectious disease called ‘Mana Mutation Disease,’ how much terror have you lived in?”
The nobles nodded in agreement with every single word Ed spoke. The Mana Mosquito, which targeted only the mana dissolved in human blood, was truly the worst monster imaginable for nobles. There was even a saying that “mana mosquitoes are scarier than dragons.”
“That is why I have prepared a small device for all of you. Look at the mosquitoes trapped on that ‘Chicken Guardian’ over there.”
Ed pointed at the screen. It was filled with mosquitoes helplessly stuck to the Chicken Guardian.
“As you can see, the mosquitoes are only trapped on the Chicken Guardian. They are not yet dead. In other words, the right to decide their fate belongs to you.”
Ed’s lips curled into a smile. The nobles who understood his meaning also twisted their lips into eerie grins. At long last, an opportunity for revenge against these despicable mosquito bastards had arrived.
“Boil them, burn them, grill them, chop them, stab them, crush them—it’s entirely up to you. I hope this can relieve even a little of the resentment you’ve carried for hundreds of years.”
With that chilling remark, Ed concluded his presentation.
It was the moment he had turned every noble in the empire into a member of the Mosquito Gallery.