Chapter 422: Proof of Existence (10)
Chapter 422: Proof of Existence (10)
The journey by carriage was long. It was a distance that took well over three days.
This was because there were no Warp Gates along our travel route. While Warp Gates existed in major hub cities across the continent, the reality was that in other provincial areas, even the roads weren't properly paved.
This tendency was even more pronounced the more remote the location. Furthermore, the place we were currently heading toward was a site where mass outbreaks of demonic beasts occurred periodically.
There was no reason for many people to live in such a dangerous region. Most of the personnel stationed there were usually related to the military.
Holy Knights, priests, and various essential personnel to support them.
The only exceptions were the merchants. They were a breed led solely by the scent of money.
The girl sitting right next to me was no different.
In the dark of night, we sat side-by-side around a bonfire. The flickering shadows of the flames created a romantic atmosphere.
The weather, now approaching summer, was still chilly. It was around the time when insects were beginning to fall silent and prepare for the winter.
The girl beside me was charming enough to blend into this beautiful landscape painting.
Her jet-black hair contrasted with her porcelain skin, and her golden eyes did not lose their luster even in the dead of night. Then there were the curves of her body that cloth could not quite hide. Any man would gladly cast aside his pride for a chance to spend a night with this girl.
Of course, that didn't apply to me.
Because this beautiful girl was my younger sister.
My sister, Ria Percus, was humming to herself as she flicked the beads of an abacus.
She seemed to be pre-calculating the profits she would gain from trading demonic beast corpses.
"Alright, even including the freight costs, the profit margin is quite decent. Still, since the volume is so high, I should probably knock the price down a bit, right? In the long run, I need to foster a relationship with the client... If I just take the brokerage fee, it’s still over 10 gold per head?"
Muttering about profits, Ria looked perfectly happy. Her sparkling eyes almost looked like gold coins themselves.
A merchant was truly a merchant. To be so utterly obsessed with money.
As I shook my head at the sight, Ria spoke to me excitedly.
"Brother, did you hear?! I said over 10 gold per head! Since the amount of corpses to be traded is over 400... this is an opportunity to earn over 4,000 gold in one go!"
"Why are demonic beast corpses so expensive?"
Contrary to Ria's expectations, my reaction was lukewarm.
4,000 gold. In simple terms, it was an amount a commoner family could live on for over 300 years. For a small countryside estate, such a budget could sustain them for a quarter or even half a year.
Normally, I should have been surprised too.
If it had been not too long ago, that is.
However, I was a man who had a track record of taking down a demonic beast worth over 10,000 gold with my own hands. Furthermore, I had been granted a Divine Artifact worth tens of thousands of gold as a reward, and I had plenty of accumulated prize money I simply hadn't collected yet.
At this point, it was impossible for a mere 4,000 gold to shake my heart.
Ria raised her voice, even more excited by my dull question.
"Of course they're expensive! Do you have any idea how useful demonic beast corpses are? Their bones and organs contain mana, so they can be processed into magic tools. They're also popular magical materials... and lately, demonic beast meat has even been trending, you know?"
"Celine would certainly love that."
Despite my indifferent reply, Ria's passion showed no signs of stopping.
Now, she even began to recite her entire business plan.
"And above all, the demonic beast industry has a high barrier to entry. First of all, the corpses come from places where demonic beasts appear, right? And as time passes, the mana causes them to rot quickly, so you need high-level personnel to preserve their condition. Not to mention the transportation costs for escorts."
"Where did you get all that money anyway?"
It was a question I had harbored for a while.
Ria had suddenly set up a shop near the Academy. She said it was to prepare for next year's Academy entrance exam, but if she was dealing in demonic beast corpses, the costs would be astronomical.
She had even closed a large-scale deal before the shop had been open for even a few months. This was a matter that required connections even before capital or skill. No matter how talented Ria was, there was no way she could have accumulated that much social capital in such a short time.
She had help from someone.
Even if she had hidden assets from before the merchant guild went bankrupt, that was the only way to explain her role as a large-scale broker.
Nevertheless, Ria simply gave a sly smile.
"I have my ways."
"You haven't fallen for some strange trick, have you? As they say, there's no such thing as unconditional kindness in this world..."
"Ugh, you don't need to know! I just have them, okay!"
In the end, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
Come to think of it, Ria was almost an adult now. Above all, she had been in the world of commerce for several years, so she likely had a better eye for people than I did.
It meant there was no point in worrying unnecessarily.
I put on a sorrowful expression, feeling like a mother bird watching her fledgling leave the nest.
"Right, you're a proper adult now..."
"Of course I am. Did you seriously not know that until now?"
Ria asked back, sounding incredulous. Her eyes clearly reflected her pathetic opinion of me.
My heart ached even more.
"Then I suppose I should let you go now."
"That's also obvious... W-Wait, what?!"
As if responding to my mournful resolve, Ria's eyes widened.
Seeing her practically jump in her seat, she seemed quite shocked.
This, too, must be a type of growing pain.
"I'm sorry, Ria. From now on, I won't treat you like a child. No more sleeping together because you're scared, or kissing your cheek because you're cute..."
"Why—why is the conversation going in that direction?!"
Ria questioned me almost desperately. Her trembling eyes revealed her anxious state of mind.
Regardless, I continued my sad vow.
"It's only natural since you're an adult. How could I do that to a fully grown sister?"
"W-What are you talking about... Brother, you're acting really strange? You weren't usually this sane."
Despite her trembling voice, my will did not waver.
When I silently turned my head and let out a sigh, Ria reached the point of biting her nails.
Her hesitation didn't last long.
Ria soon leaned her body slightly against my arm. I felt her supple touch, but I deliberately didn't react.
I had just decided to let Ria go a few seconds ago. I couldn't waver now.
However, Ria was a woman who knew my weaknesses better than anyone.
Soon, a fragile voice began to tickle my ear.
"B-Brother... thinking about it again, I don't think I'm an adult yet."
"You said your body was all grown up."
"Even if it is, it's useless, isn't it? Or maybe..."
The girl's eyes curved into a seductive arc. Then, with an alluring smile, she said one thing.
"Do you want to make me an adult, Brother?"
Under the pouring moonlight and the bonfire, only a young man and woman in their prime remained alone in the darkness.
The lighting accentuated her pale skin. I stared blankly at her fluttering lips for a moment, and then—
"Ow, ow, ow, ow! You—you're pinching me?! You just pinched a grown girl's cheek?!"
"You just said you weren't fully grown yet."
With a snort, I pinched and pulled Ria's cheek.
Her skin was still soft. At times like this, she felt exactly the same as when we were children.
Women grow so much the moment you look away, so I could only reproach myself for my momentarily wavering heart.
Ria was my sister. It didn't matter if we weren't related by blood.
Because that's what I had decided.
It was around then that a heavy voice drifted from behind us.
"You siblings seem to get along very well."
I jumped as if having a fit at the figure that had approached without a sound.
Standing there, as expected, was a tall man.
Reynold Lainella—the uninvited guest accompanying me and my sister on our cozy trip.
He was holding a rabbit in his hand, having apparently been out somewhere.
Sir Reynold spoke in his usual indifferent voice.
"Anyone would mistake you for lovers."
"That's preposterous... Ria is my younger sister."
I felt Ria pout at my hurried excuse.
I had no idea what she was dissatisfied about.
Sir Reynold, however, did not stop looking back and forth between Ria and me despite my explanation. The divine power he had shown back at the Percus estate flashed through my mind.
Though he seemed indifferent, I had heard that Sir Reynold cherished his niece dearly. If he didn't, he wouldn't have offered to help Senior Elsie in the first place.
But what if he got the wrong idea and thought I was in some forbidden relationship with my sister while leaving Senior Elsie aside?
I saw myself reflected in the rabbit dangling by its ears.
Of course, I would win in a close-quarters fight, but it was true that a sense of unease was creeping up on me.
Fortunately, Sir Reynold didn't press us further about our relationship.
"It's a good thing for family members to be close. Elsie, that child, must also be longing for family affection... Nephew-in-law, and young lady of the in-laws. Please take good care of our Elsie."
I gave an awkward smile at his request, while Ria turned her head away, showing blatant dissatisfaction.
According to Sir Reynold, the engagement was already a done deal.
I intended to discuss this separately anyway. However, since it wasn't an appropriate matter to bring up in front of the jealous Ria, I deliberately changed the subject.
"Did you go out to find something to go with the drinks? We have plenty of food left..."
"As I get older, I find myself missing the tastes of my youth."
With that, Sir Reynold placed the rabbit on a flat rock. Seeing its legs still twitching, it seemed it hadn't been dead for long.
Or perhaps it wasn't dead yet.
Sir Reynold was an Archmage. It would be trivial for him to knock it unconscious by sending just enough current through it.
Then, he pulled a dagger from his coat and pierced the rabbit's neck.
Blood splattered, and the gamy scent unique to animals wafted up. It was a task ill-suited for a high-born noble.
For instance, Ria was scowling at the scene, letting out an "Ugh." Her face said she was seeing something she shouldn't have to see.
Nevertheless, Sir Reynold remained calm. His hand movements were flawless.
"Didn't I mention it before? That I lived as a mercenary once... Back then, I traveled all over the continent. This area was no exception. It was a very peaceful place at the time."
"Is there ever a time for a mercenary to stay in a peaceful place?"
"No."
While skinning the rabbit and tying a knot around its legs to drain the blood, the middle-aged man spoke in a heavy tone.
"The peace was soon shattered. Because the demonic beasts appeared."
The mass outbreak of demonic beasts.
I suddenly thought about that phenomenon. Had it been said to have started decades ago?
"I don't think I've ever been able to forget the memories of that day."
I didn't offer any hasty words of comfort.
The eyes of the middle-aged man, sinking into the past, were gaining a mournful depth. Watching him, I simply thought to myself:
There's a story here.
Sir Reynold's accompaniment wasn't impulsive. He already had memories related to this region from long ago. I felt a strong interest in this.
Call it intuition. My next move was decided then and there.
*
The following evening, the carriage arrived safely at the Holy Knight Order's encampment.
The Holy Knight Commander welcomed Ria warmly. Ria also responded to his kindness with a polite greeting.
It was a place filled with the corpses of demonic beasts and the groans of the wounded. Even amidst that, Ria's beauty shone.
"Thank you for the hospitality, Sir. I will ensure I live up to your expectations."
"Immanuel! Think nothing of it. We were just troubled because the demonic beast corpses were piling up too high. As you know, their corpses continuously emit demonic energy and contaminate the surroundings. However..."
The Holy Knight, who had been wearing a kind smile, glanced over Ria's shoulder. It was where Sir Reynold and I were standing.
Naturally, he couldn't help but be curious.
It didn't take long for the Holy Knight to put on a troubled expression.
"Might I ask who those two gentlemen are...?"
Ria glanced back over her shoulder. She was smiling, but the slight twitch of her lips suggested she wasn't particularly pleased.
This, too, was understandable.
Because Sir Reynold and I were dressed differently than usual.
With our hoods pulled low, the two of us looked like the quintessential suspicious travelers.
"Ah, I'm late with the introductions. They are mercenaries who have taken charge of my escort. Their skills are certain, but they do not reveal their faces due to personal convictions. During our two-day stay here, they also plan to inspect the habitats of the demonic beasts."
"That is a danger zone, so entry is forbidden without permission..."
I showed him a seal I always carried with me. A Dragon-Engraved Seal—a symbol that only one family in the world could use.
The silent Holy Knight soon slapped his palm against his forehead.
"...I will report this to my superiors."
The authority of the Imperial Household was invincible.
Even if this was a foreign land.
It was time to uncover a mystery for the first time in a long while.