Chapter 5

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 5

Chapter Title: The Red-Grade Unidentified Monster

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A rumored unidentified monster boasting red-grade mana reserves.

From the appearance sketched on the wanted poster by eyewitnesses, it was unmistakably the Stone Golem he'd created, Ddol Ddoli. Still, Ian decided not to jump to conclusions.

He had suspicions, but no hard evidence.

Nothing beat seeing it for himself.

With that, Ian set out to track down the monster.

"With the Magic Management Division stepping in directly, you can rest easy! Hahaha!"

"Ah, right. I shouldn't just stand here laughing. Is there anything I can help with? I'd love to lend a hand! Shall I loan you my knights? Or maybe some troops?"

"I could even lend you my mages! I have five loyal ones under me, you know! They might not measure up to Sir Ian's skill, but I'm confident they'd be quite useful! What do you say?"

Count Acra poured out words without pause.

He seemed eager to deal with this unidentified monster by any means necessary. His enthusiastic offers of support made that clear.

From his perspective, a monster with red-grade mana was nothing but a liability to his territory. Naturally, he'd want it handled.

But regardless of the count's intentions, Ian couldn't accept his offers.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I'll have to decline."

"Why not! Don't you trust my knights? Or are my loyal mages too insignificant for the task?"

"Nothing of the sort, my lord. I'm well aware of how keenly your blades are honed. I know they uphold the honor of both you and House Acra."

"Then why!"

"Because it's a trivial matter."

"A trivial... matter?"

Confusion bloomed on Count Acra's face.

He looked utterly baffled.

"Yes, exactly. Trivial. Just taking down a single monster. How could I presume to borrow your lordship's loyal blades for something so insignificant?"

"Ahem! W-well..."

"The swords you wield are masterworks, my lord. Sharpened to perfection. Using such blades to catch chickens would be the height of waste."

Ian glanced at Count Acra. The man was trying to play it cool, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

From experience, Ian knew nobles ate up this subtle flattery.

"Don't sully your fine blades on poultry, my lord. Use a butcher's knife instead. That's why I'm here."

"If an investigator insists so strongly, who am I to refuse? Very well. I'll stand aside for now."

"Thank you for your understanding."

"But say the word anytime. If you need aid, my swords are yours."

"Understood."

Ian nodded, but he had no intention of doing so.

'Am I crazy? Let them kill what might be my own Ddol Ddoli?'

No evidence yet, but the description screamed Ddol Ddoli.

If it really was, borrowing the count's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forces was out of the question.

It would expose his Stone Golem subordinate beyond doubt.

'God, what if it really is my Ddol Ddoli?'

Argh, whatever. He'd check first and think later.

"This meeting will be a momentous occasion in my life! Forming a bond with such a reliable man—how could it not be? Hahaha!"

Oblivious to Ian's inner turmoil, Count Acra just bellowed with laughter.

He was clearly thrilled by the praise.

Ian headed first to the site of the monster sighting. It was a quiet house on the outskirts of the count's domain, with rugged forest just a short walk beyond.

Teruan Forest, in the eastern reaches of the empire.

This was the source of the rumors.

Ian brought along one of the herbalists who'd spotted the monster as a guide, leading them to the site deep in the woods. It was a clearing about an hour uphill from the houses at the forest's edge.

"So, you saw the monster here?"

"Y-yes, that's right."

"Looked like this?"

"W-well, yes, but..."

"Stay back for now. Let me take a look."

Ian surveyed the surroundings. It looked like a clearing at first, but it wasn't. Trees that should have been there were snapped and shattered, creating the illusion.

It resembled the aftermath of a typhoon.

Moreover, massive footprints dotted the ground—far too large for any human.

Ian frowned at the tracks.

'Damn it. These are definitely Ddol Ddoli's prints.'

Ian had poured six full months into crafting his golem.

Of course he knew its feet intimately. He could draw them blindfolded.

And these were unmistakably Ddol Ddoli's.

'Should I just summon it and check?'

That would be simplest.

But how could he? He'd released Ddol Ddoli into the wild. It was his creation, but now a stranger.

Having resolved that, summoning it now? Then what? Keep it as a pet? No space for storage.

'Hang on, doesn't summoning come with a sub-space for storage or something?'

Funny part: there was a Summon skill, but no Recall.

He could bring it here, but not send it back.

As he pondered, the silent herbalist approached hesitantly.

"Um, mage sir. What if you find that monster?"

"If it's dangerous, we kill it. It's a threat to imperial safety."

"S-sorry, but... must you?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you have to kill it? I beg you. Please?"

Ian gaped in disbelief as the herbalist dropped to his knees.

"Oh, mage sir! Spare our divine spirit, please! It's no monster! I know it's hard to believe, but it's true!"

"Hey, mister. What's this about? Get up."

"It's true! That being protected us worthless folk from monsters. We tried telling the nobles, but they wouldn't listen!"

The herbalist sniffled, then grabbed Ian's ankle. Ian scratched his head awkwardly.

'What the hell?'

Now he understood the reports about hypnosis or enchantment. This must be what they meant.

"Alright, alright. Up you get. You'll dirty your clothes."

Ian finally calmed the man and heard him out.

The herbalist hesitated at first, convinced no one would listen.

But Ian's persistence won him over.

"As you probably know, mage sir, Teruan Forest never had monsters before. Sure, bears or wolves now and then, but nothing dangerous. Then suddenly, they started appearing."

The herbalist spilled his woes.

Ian summarized.

"So, monsters appeared out of nowhere? And this unidentified monster—er, spirit—defeated them?"

"Close, but one correction."

"Correction?"

"Yes. It's no unidentified monster. It's our divine spirit. Calling it otherwise invites divine punishment. Truly!"

"Ah, yes. Got it. Divine spirit. Happy?"

"Yes."

The herbalist sighed in relief.

"Good. Now you won't suffer the spirit's wrath. Truly."

His earnest faith sent a chill down Ian's spine.

And he wasn't alone. Most villagers thought the same, from what he'd heard.

'Unidentified monster, if you're really Ddol Ddoli, what did you do to make these poor villagers worship you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a god?'

Slay invading monsters? Save the village?

Would that alone turn a massive rock giant into a deity?

Ian doubted it.

There had to be more. Multiple rescues, or massive monsters slain.

Without harming the humans, naturally.

If it'd attacked people too, no one would call it divine.

'Fine, say it saved them. But Ddol Ddoli didn't attack humans? It massacred monsters brutally, though?'

It defied logic. Ian hadn't ordered it to spare humans.

Just survive. Grow strong.

'Does it see humans as allies? No way.'

Who knew. He'd have to see.

"Keep guiding me. Need to see more."

"Yes. This way."

Ian continued exploring Teruan Forest with the herbalist, turning suspicion into certainty.

It was Ddol Ddoli.

All evidence pointed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to it.

Identical footprints.

Monster corpses strewn brutally across the woods.

Most were rock mountain trolls.

Crucially, faint traces of Ddol Ddoli's mana lingered everywhere.

Normally, he'd miss such faint mana, but his recent "Soul Comprehension" project boosted his mana sensitivity as a reward.

'Now what?'

Alone on a stump in a forest clearing after parting with the guide, Ian pondered.

'Can't close the case without action, but I can't kill my own Ddol Ddoli.'

The problem was clear: the unidentified monster was his Stone Golem. It roamed, slaying beasts, catching eyes.

A four-meter behemoth lurking near homes? Panic inevitable.

To make matters worse, Ddol Ddoli's mana reserves were vast, thanks to Ian's efforts. Red-grade danger.

'Can't just hush this up. Even the palace knows.'

Palace awareness meant the emperor likely knew.

Stuck between options, Ian scratched his head. No answers.

Finding it was easy. Its mana signature matched his closely.

He could sense it, status window or not.

Or just tap Summon.

So, fetch it, scold it sternly? Tell it to avoid human areas?

Then fake a report of slaying the monster?

'But if it shows up elsewhere? My false ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠report gets exposed.'

Recalling it now to keep as a pet? No, its description was already reported up the chain.

That bulk would get spotted eventually. False report exposed again.

'Damn. No clean resolution.'

Ian stood, decision made.

'Warn it firmly first. Stay out of human zones.'

Clear message. It'd obey.

That should work...

"What?"

Ian jolted upright.

He had no choice.

He knew what Pandemonium was.

'Why are mid-game villains popping up now?'