Chapter 114 - The Investigation Results Are In
"The Grand Duke is waiting."
The knights guarding Kasid Nova's office stepped aside and opened the door. This morning, the Grand Duke had summoned me. I knew exactly what it was about.
"Daron!"
Ray beamed at me, greeting me first. She jumped up from her chair and scurried over, throwing her arms around me. And she and the Grand Duke weren't the only ones in the office. The hero's party was there too.
"You're here?"
Elinne spoke up instead of Charlotte. The look in her eyes wasn't casual. And then... there was the woman staring at me even more intensely than Elinne. Grace Nova, sitting beside the Grand Duke.
...Just an hour ago, I'd blown a load inside her. My seed was probably swimming around in there right now, nice and lively. Whatever.
"I heard you summoned me."
"Yes. Have a seat."
Once I sat down, Kasid Nova got to the point.
"First off, I owe you an apology for suspecting you. I'm sorry."
He didn't bow his head, but an apology from the Grand Duke's mouth meant...
"So the investigation results are in."
"That's right."
Kasid Nova let out a heavy sigh and spread out the documents from the investigators. He unrolled a map too—one showing the territories around Lancelot Duchy.
"Just as Baron Dran said, the monsters are acting in groups."
Even Charlotte was hearing the results for the first time. She shot me a glance that said, 'Your bullshit was actually right?'
"Don't monsters normally act in groups depending on their species?"
"Hero, of course monsters living in packs isn't unusual. The problem is they're showing a different pattern than before."
Kasid Nova pointed to the areas where monsters were concentrated.
"Goblins, orcs, ogres... the monsters are starting to gather in massive numbers."
"Massive?"
"Hero, to put it bluntly, think of them as the armies we know."
Some monsters wandered alone, others lived in tribes. But now they were converging around certain points by species.
Time for me to jump in.
"Grand Duke, what do you think is the reason?"
"Rather than my guess, wouldn't it be faster if the baron spoke first?"
Look at this guy, trying to coast. ...Well, I'd already secretly devoured his daughter, so I didn't mind. First, I needed to put on a righteous front without any ulterior motives.
"It boils down to two possibilities. First, the monsters have finally realized it. That forming one society is more efficient than living separately."
"Society? Their movements do look like they're preparing for battle, as you said. Want to take a look?"
Kasid Nova handed me the investigation reports. I pretended to read them casually. Grace had shown me copies last night anyway—while she sucked my dick, I'd sat there and gone through them.
"Exactly. As it says here, they've developed more systematic rules than before, and they're making or gathering weapons. So, the second reason."
Let people finish speaking.
"A focal point has emerged for the monsters."
"A focal point?"
Monsters suddenly getting smarter? Not just one or two, but all of them? No way.
"It's the demons' doing."
"...Demons."
The heavy word deepened the wrinkles on Kasid Nova's face.
"You mean demons are gathering the monsters?"
"Yes. And you haven't found any traces of demons yet."
"Correct."
"Wouldn't it come out if you investigated the monsters' leaders?"
The monsters wouldn't band together on their own. Something had suggested it—or forced them. That was probably the focal point.
"Investigate? How?"
"Literally. Go straight to the monster bosses, capture or kill them, and get intel along the way."
"That's sound reasoning."
"Besides, I mentioned demons might be behind it because the possibility was high—not certainty. Even if not, taking down the leaders will uncover clues."
Kasid Nova kept nodding at my logic. Of course he would. I was laying out other hypotheses first to avoid suspicion if I revealed everything outright. But the one I subtly emphasized was the real truth. He had no choice but to buy it.
Hiding my regression was such a pain in so many ways. This was the path I'd chosen, and yeah, I'd been doing whatever with all these women... but honestly, wasn't I more heroic than that bitch Charlotte? My intent to save the world was purer.
"Baron, what do you think we should do?"
"Me?"
"After talking with you, Grace praised you as incredibly clever. My daughter doesn't mince words."
The moment Grace sided with me, she'd started groundwork to make her father see me in a good light. I'd promised to help her gain freedom from the Grand Duke, but she wanted proper approval for our relationship too. Thanks to that, I could push my agenda freely.
"If we wait for the monsters to come, it'll be too late. We can repel them, but to minimize damage... we should strike first, right?"
"Strike first?"
Sending a huge army would just be war. We didn't need to fight every monster—just clear the ones in the way to the bosses.
"We need to eliminate the focal point first. Once it's gone, the monsters will scatter back to normal."
"So, send a team to investigate and capture the leaders?"
"Yes."
Grace clapped lightly in support.
"We can include Baron Dran and the hero party."
By the way, I planned to go. I didn't trust sending just the ducal knights.
But Charlotte bristled at Grace's words.
"Why are you deciding that, Grand Duchess?"
"Oh? Is there something more important?"
Grace's combat skills were average at best—nowhere near the hero's level. But Charlotte couldn't snap back at her smiling face. Grace had reminded her of a hero's duty in my place.
"I was planning to go. But please don't decide without hearing my say first."
"Is that so? I didn't mean to decide—it just seemed obvious... Sorry."
Grace's apology had a sly edge. If I'd been the one arguing with her, I'd have been the one cornered. Kasid Nova cleared his throat to wrap things up.
"Then we'll do as Baron Dran suggests. We'll spare no support."
"Thank you."
"And..."
"Yes. The dragon... right?"
"As expected, the baron is quick on the uptake, just like Grace said."
I'd mentioned three dangers total; with two down, only this one left.
A dragon attacking? That was on a whole different level from the monster invasion.
"I sent people to check on the dragon."
"What happened?"
"It's furious."
"Any idea why?"
"They barely got to talk. It said its daughter is missing."
Dragons were rare and insanely powerful, making it hard to have kids. That's why they cherished them so much... and now one was gone?
"Hey, do you know where its daughter is?"
"Jed, how the hell would I know?"
"You seem to know too much, that's why."
Look at this bastard Jed. Later, he might try framing me as a spy or some shit. Lately, Charlotte too, but especially Jed, seemed to hate my guts more. With Ray, and especially Elinne getting so close to me, it must irk him as a guy.
"I was the one who gave Daron the hint in the first place."
Ray stepped up to back me.
"The goddess gave me a clue, and I pieced it together. No need for details, right?"
The saintess's words carried weight. Once the goddess's name and demon puppet accusations came up, Jed shrank back. Ray, knowing my regression, had great instincts. Sure, the goddess hint was bullshit, but she'd approve of name-dropping for this.
"Baron Dran, so why might the dragon attack?"
"I haven't figured that out yet."
"You haven't?"
"Yes. The goddess only warned me, no specifics. But if I had to guess... it's probably tied to the missing daughter."
I knew. I knew damn well why the dragon targeted Lancelot Duchy. But no need to spell it all out here. This was enough.
"Our duchy connected to the missing daughter? That's the gist."
"I think so too."
Kasid Nova narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. This would give him headaches all around. Monsters, dragons... and demons. Any one was a handful; three was a nightmare.
"For now, we'll have to brace for impact."
That was the conclusion the Grand Duke could reach.