Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: They Stab You in the Back When You're Relieved (1)
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The western mountain range of the empire was home to countless types of monsters.
Most of them were faster than humans, and some could vanish from sight in an instant.
Much of the western lands were barren, but there were a few patches of fertile soil. Lord Diego had turned part of this precious land into a horse ranch.
Here, they bred high-quality horses to improve the stock and raised them as warhorses.
This contributed simply and efficiently to enhancing the knights' mobility.
"Oh ho."
I let out a sigh of admiration as I entered the ranch.
"I didn't know this territory had a place like this."
When you looked around Ovest Territory, all you saw were rugged mountains, rough rocks, and parched stone.
But this place offered a rare sight: land lush with vegetation. Horses grazing idly atop it looked quite peaceful.
"Now, let's see..."
I cupped my hand into a visor and peered into the distance. I carefully scanned from the left end of the ranch to the right.
"Hmm, as expected, none."
The thing I was looking for.
I nodded and headed toward the stables. There, a young man was organizing feed for the horses.
"Hey."
When I called out, he looked up while clutching the feed trough.
"Ah, Young Master Abel?!"
The young man's eyes nearly bulged out. In his haste to pull his foot from the trough, he kicked over a nearby bucket.
Crash, thud.
The bucket rolled noisily across the floor.
"Ow!"
Having stubbed his instep hard, the young man hopped around holding his foot.
"..."
I watched the comical scene with my arms crossed. Gritting his teeth to endure the pain, he finally managed a trembling smile.
"Young Master Abel... it's an honor."
"Yeah. Are you the one in charge here?"
"Ah, no. The head, Ben, is away delivering warhorses."
"Hm, is that so?"
Of course, I already knew.
I knew that the head, Ben, went to the border every Thursday to deliver horses.
"What brings you here, Young Master?"
The young man eyed me warily. Polite as he was, he couldn't hide his trembling eyes—he must have heard the rumors about me.
"Just looking at the horses."
I smiled faintly and took a step closer to him.
"Horses?"
The young man's round eyes flicked to my left arm.
"But your arm, Young Master..."
"I can at least look, can't I?"
"Ah, yes, but..."
The young man wiped his hands on a nearby towel. Then he led the way.
"This way. Please follow me."
As soon as he opened the inner door, a foul stench assaulted my nose.
The mix of horse manure and hair was utterly revolting. To me, with my heightened senses, it felt like someone had dumped a vat of horse shit over my head.
"Ugh."
I pinched my nose and stopped. The young man rubbed his hands apologetically.
"I'm sorry. It's a bit shabby for someone of your stature..."
"Can't you do something about this smell?"
"W-well, we cleaned the manure earlier, but the stench soaked into the stables is unavoidable."
"Sigh."
I scowled as I peered into the stables.
A dirt floor in the center, wooden pillars dividing the sides into stalls. One or two horses stood resting in each.
"Hiiing."
"Hing."
Low whinnies echoed from the horses. Some dozed under the midday sun.
"No helping it."
I let out a low sigh and lowered the hand from my nose. Then I took a step inside.
At that moment,
"..."
The stables fell deathly silent. The horses had all frozen, staring at me.
"Huh?"
The young man beside me muttered in confusion.
"Why are the horses acting like this?"
He turned to me with a puzzled face but found nothing suspicious.
I just stood there calmly, hands in my pockets.
No weapons, one arm wrapped in bandages—a frail sight.
"Why?"
When I asked curtly,
"Ah, well."
The young man scratched his head and glanced behind me. Of course, nothing was there.
"Do I have to keep standing here?"
"Ah, no. Sorry."
He bowed quickly and strode into the stables. I followed.
Step, step.
As we passed by the horses,
"Kiiing."
"Kiiing..."
Something strange began to happen.
The horses made choking noises as they strained to get as far from me as possible. They pressed their bodies against the opposite wall, legs trembling.
"Wha?"
The young man looked around in alarm. Every horse in sight was terrified or cowering.
As if facing an unbearable foe, threatened by a ferocious beast.
"Why are these guys..."
The young man looked uneasy.
"Sorry, Young Master. They don't usually act like this..."
He approached one horse and extended a hand.
"Emma, calm down. It's me."
But the horse snorted and backed away further.
"Shh, Emma. Good girl."
Even as he whispered soothingly, the horse's fear didn't fade.
"Hing, hiiing."
Only pitiful whinnies escaped.
"No way, this one too?"
The young man floundered in panic. He bowed repeatedly to me.
"Really sorry, Young Master. I have no idea what's going on."
"Hmm."
I nodded gravely.
'As expected, animals have keen instincts.'
It was natural for the horses to be so frightened.
My body, which appeared ordinary on the outside, harbored a ferocious aura that would horrify even Lord Diego.
Animals sense distances, sounds, and smells beyond human capability.
An intelligent horse like these would detect my presence even more acutely.
'That's why I can't ride carriages.'
If I got in one, the horses pulling it wouldn't budge. They'd collapse, legs giving out.
"Anyway, which is the sturdiest horse here?"
I asked the young man flatly. Thinking I'd be disappointed, he grew visibly anxious.
"Ah, well, it's Mia. Deeper inside. This way."
As we went further in following him, it felt like invisible waves rippled through the stables.
The horses kept retreating to stay as far from me as possible.
"Hing..."
"Hiiing."
Soon, the stables filled with their forlorn whinnies. The chorus from so many was grating.
"Tsk."
I frowned and plugged one ear.
"Noisy."
The next moment,
"..."
The whinnies vanished entirely.
The horses acted as if they'd forgotten to breathe. Their large eyes quivered sadly as they slowly lowered their heads.
"Heh, really."
It only plunged the young man deeper into bewilderment.
Thus, terrifying the stable's horses, I reached the innermost stall.
"Oh dear."
The young man smacked his forehead sympathetically.
Before him stood a magnificent horse with lush brown mane and glossy coat.
"..."
The problem was that it had turned its back completely, facing the wall.
"Even this one—why are they all like this today?"
The young man wiped sweat from his brow.
"Mia loves people. She always greets me happily..."
He approached softly, calling her name.
"Mia, Mia?"
But Mia ignored him, head pressed desperately against the wall.
Horses were said to have exceptional hearing, but apparently not this one.
"No way, really?"
Betrayal colored the young man's voice. Shocked or baffled, he stared at Mia.
"Step aside."
I pushed past him to the stall door.
"Gasp, Young Master. Be careful...!"
"Move."
I shoved him aside heedlessly and opened the door.
Creak.
As it swung open, Mia's body jolted violently.
Step, step.
With each step I took, her body shuddered.
"Mia?"
She didn't budge even as I neared. Just trembled, frozen in place.
I slowly reached toward her back.
"Y-Young Master, danger...!"
I ignored the young man's desperate cry from behind.
He was probably imagining me kicked flying by her hind hooves.
But the moment my hand touched her back fully,
"Prurrrr."
Mia stretched out her limbs and fainted on the spot.
"Eek?!"
The young man screamed and jumped back. I withdrew my hand and stepped away from Mia.
'As expected.'
A normal horse couldn't bear my weight—my mere touch made them pass out. Overwhelmed by unbearable terror.
'In that case, only that one.'
I looked at the young man fussing over Mia.
"Hey."
"Mia? Mia? Come to... Ah, Young Master? Did you call me?"
"Yeah. Leave that one and stand up."
"Pardon? But..."
"It's just fainted briefly. It'll recover soon."
"Ah, yes."
He stood, face worried, glancing at Mia. I told him,
"There are sturdier ones besides this. Bring one."
He tilted his head.
"What do you mean...?"
"Oh, right. That one's not a horse, is it?"
His jaw dropped. He blinked, expression doubting what he'd heard.
"What did you say...?"
"Blackstar. That one."
"..."
The young man's face went sheet-white. He staggered in shock.
"H-how do you know about that, Young Master...?"
Blackstar.
The name of the horse secretly raised in these stables, unknown to all.
'Though, is it really a horse?'
More precisely, a monster in horse form.
A few months ago, on his way back from the border, stable head Ben found a foal collapsed and bleeding at the forest edge.
Even undersized, it had solidly packed muscles, a body black as the night sky, and golden eyes shining like stars.
An extraordinary appearance at a glance, with unforgettable eyes.
Ben realized it was a monster, a 'Scrnell.'
A rare breed never tamed by humans, boasting tremendous speed and endurance.
Oppressed by the constant pressure to produce warhorses, he thought,
'Maybe I can raise and breed it?'