Safe Return
I had safely returned.
After Luca’s story concluded, Eve ordered a thorough search of both the ducal residence and the barracks. The result was five healthy individuals discovered in the barracks as well.
They were likewise young recruits who had only recently joined the ranks, and like Luca they had been confined to the barracks tending to the soldiers. Though they possessed strong physiques, the men had initially attempted to scale and cross the surrounding stone walls. Yet an anti-escape prohibition spell had been cast upon the top of those very walls. Since all five were novices at magic, they gave up on the attempt and remained desperately clinging to their lives, waiting for rescue.
When food supplies ran dangerously low, they were in dire straits. Just then the knight unit led by Princess Aine shattered the gate with magic and stormed inside, startling them into hiding before they were found.
After hearing the entire tale from the five recruits who were greedily eating, Eve issued several orders to the knights and then collapsed into her chair at the desk in her room, clutching her head.
What on earth had happened at the ducal mansion?
She could sense nothing of it.
Some time later, a knight assigned by Eve brought the unit’s chief medic, and an investigation into the comatose individuals was carried out. The knight unit’s main force, led by Princess Aine who had arrived alongside the medic, was also deployed to stabilize the situation.
Ducal Residence Conference Room
Princess Aine, Knight Commander Gareth, and Eve sat in serious expressions, discussing the matter.
Knight Commander Gareth read the materials his subordinate had brought and explained.
“From the recruits’ accounts who claim to have lived in the barracks and maid Luca’s testimony, the overlaps are substantial, suggesting high credibility.”
When comparing Luca’s and the recruits’ testimonies, the symptoms shown by the comatose individuals and the timing aligned almost perfectly.
According to their accounts, people began to behave strangely two months earlier.
They were strange, yet they only fell into deep sleep or stared blankly at the spot, and awakening or calling them would rouse them.
However, as time passed the frequency increased, and about two weeks prior they no longer reacted even when called and remained blankly staring in place.
At first they suspected a contagious disease, but the medic’s check revealed that aside from nutritional imbalance from failing to eat properly, no illness was present.
“I apologize, Your Highness. You traveled all this distance to assist me personally, and now you’re entangled in such an odd affair…”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
Princess Aine was reading the medic’s report.
“This is rather bizarre. I’ve never heard of such symptoms before.”
Princess Aine muttered to herself while reading the report.
The one who responded to that murmur was the other person seated beside her.
“Your Highness, actually…”
“What is it, Gareth?”
Knight Commander Gareth showed an expression of deep thought several times before he spoke with resolve.
“I have witnessed symptoms similar to this.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. It is merely similar, of course.”
“What exactly is it?”
Eve’s question.
Gareth nodded once and said.
“…A drug.”
“A drug?”
“Yes, that… the substance called ‘sosoi’ in our terms is a drug, but among those drugs a few exhibit symptoms very similar to this.”
Knight Commander Gareth was an ex-mercenary.
Naturally, he had seen many harsh things during his mercenary days, including entering drug dens on multiple occasions.
In the drug dens where all manner of drugs circulated, he had seen several addicts displaying symptoms similar to this, almost as if their will had vanished and their minds had escaped.
Of course, when examined in detail the symptoms differed, but there were a few that matched well enough.
“A drug… but the report—”
“Yes. It was noted that there was no physical abnormality.”
Eve and Princess Aine exchanged doubtful glances.
Gareth nodded too.
“Yes. That is why I was troubled whether I should report it or not.”
“…But it cannot be possible. It seems we should investigate this part as well.”
With that the royal party was about to set the future plan when a knight knocked urgently on the door.
With the princess’s permission, the knight who entered saluted and reported.
“I have a report! We have discovered a high-ranking figure estimated to be inside the barracks! He is exhibiting similar symptoms to the other soldiers and has fallen into severe nutritional deficiency, so I have protected him first!”
“…Who is it? That person?”
“Yes! Upon presenting him to the recruits, his name is—”
Eve’s expression changed strangely upon hearing the name of the individual from the knight.
After welcoming the reinforcements and cleaning up the aftermath, I succeeded in returning to Ariandrod Fortress.
No matter how weak the monster, concentrated attacks had left bruises and wounds all over my body, and the cold weather made everything sting and burn unbearably.
I hadn’t felt it during the fight, but once the battle ended the pain came belatedly.
I applied ointment, covered myself with a cold blanket, and did everything possible, yet it still hurt terribly.
“Kyou!!”
Just after entering the fortress, Riel appeared running with a loud voice.
Behind her stood Emilia.
With a joyful expression, Riel suddenly changed to a serious one.
“Ar… are you okay? Did you get badly hurt?!”
She rushed over and examined my entire body.
Ah… although light, there were many graze marks, so with bandages wrapped all over my body it might look severely injured from the outside.
“Riel, I’m fine. They’re just scratched wounds.”
“Really?! It’s okay, right?!”
“I’m telling you, look at this.”
I waved both arms to show a ‘I’m okay’ gesture.
…Actually, because of the cold the wounds still stung, so they were a bit prickly, but if this could calm Riel, it was fine.
Is there no other way to calm her more?
Ah, here it is.
Chu!
“Kyohwuu!!”
I secretly poked the leg of Astar, who had been standing there.
Astar, already enduring severe muscle soreness, let out a single cry and collapsed into the spot.
“Look at this! It looks bad from the outside, but I’m fine, right?”
“No, brother, do we really have to do it like this?!”
Astar sprang up and started arguing.
Riel’s expression, watching the scene blankly, gradually softened.
Um, it works.
Thank you for the pain of my muscle soreness, Astar.
“It’s… okay…?”
“It’s fine. I promised I’d return safely.”
“Yeah…”
Riel suddenly hugged me tightly.
Too sudden, I could do nothing and just looked around.
Astar and Kino with slightly surprised expressions, and behind them Phyllis smiling.
And Emilia also looked slightly surprised, then made a hand gesture toward me. To hug me too.
The atmosphere was like that, and more than anything I wanted to do the same, so I hugged Riel as well.
Ah, it smells good.
No, that’s not it.
“As promised, I’ve safely returned, Riel.”
“Yeah, welcome back. Thank you for keeping your promise.”
…The wounds where Riel hugged me stung a little, but it was bearable.
…Ah, it hurts.
I had said it wasn’t that badly injured, but according to the medic’s judgment that wounds must not be aggravated, I had to lie down for two days.
Still, with a special transport I could return to the academy on the last day.
…By the way, Astar who had exerted himself while suffering muscle soreness also had to lie down.
While I lay there, Riel never left my side.
I was too sorry, so I told her she could do what she wanted.
“Is this what you want to do?”
She said that and gave up.
Um… it’s really embarrassing.
“Well, let’s eat. Ah~ah~.”
Isn’t it really necessary to do it like this?!
“…So has the story between you and Emilia ended?”
“Yeah. Of course at first I was shocked, but Emi is Emi…”
…Um, what do I say about this… Is there any way to avoid that nickname?
In terms of human emotion in this world, it’s not particularly strange, but as a Korean my feeling receives that nickname strangely…
“I didn’t know they were treated so differently by the human race.”
“…Well, it’s not a common occurrence.”
Actually, many people who didn’t know about human discrimination against beastmen only learned it later.
Even the original Alan, who learned the truth when he got entangled with Emilia after knowing nothing about beastman discrimination.
Just then a knock sounded at the door and Phyllis entered.
“Kyou Young Master, Riel Young Lady. Guests have arrived.”
“Guests? Who exactly?”
“Miss Emilia wants to see the two of you.”
“Emi?”
Shortly after, Emilia entered the room and bowed for greeting.
Riel greeted Emilia with a happy face, and Emilia too faced Riel with a bright expression.
Um, what to say.
In the original work Emilia appears as quite timid and cautious of her surroundings, like I have seen until now.
Then during the summer vacation she learns that she is a beastman, and instead of keeping it secret Alan protects her and receives her, and she is drawn to Alan who accepts her… but…
In any case, it seems Riel took on that role in the north.
“Right, want a cup of tea? I’ve been addicted to tea lately…”
“Ah… no, that’s too impolite…”
“What, we’re friends, we agreed to speak comfortably!”
“Huh? No… uh… yeah…”
“Kyou’s fine with it, right?”
Huh? Me?
…Well, it’s probably fine.
Actually, even the duke’s daughter in front of my eyes asked me to drop the honorific, but calling the count’s son who addresses me with honorifics is weird.
“Well, I don’t care.”
“See! Emi. You said it’s fine, right?”
“Uh… yeah…”
Meanwhile, in the next room.
Astar was lying on the spot suffering from muscle soreness.
Hearing the shrieking voices coming from the next room…
“I want to have a lot of pretty girls as girlfriends next year when I go to the academy.”
“Astar, even though Aluconium Lord is personally nursing you, you have such greed.”
Of course, as long as he doesn’t take weird poses and utter weird lines while nursing, like “blood blessing” or something while applying ointment.
While muttering to himself that way, Astar resolved that he would definitely have a pretty girlfriend next year.