Translator: Nox

Chapter 24

Let’s Be Strangers Now

“So, to summarize what you’re saying.”

Elisha’s characteristically level voice cut through the air of the study. The table where she sat was cluttered with papers covered in magical formulas.

“Monsters have appeared on the Shelan Plains?”

“That’s right….”

Dante nodded weakly, running a hand through his hair.

From the moment he received the report until he arrived here, he had been bombarded with so many frantic instructions that he felt almost motion-sick.

“The attack happened right within the Cardion border, of all places. If we’re not careful, it could be misunderstood as us staging a deliberate attack and then trying to pin it on monsters.”

The incident had occurred right before the Allied Conference. If they couldn’t avoid suspicion, they risked turning the entire alliance into enemies.

It might have been different if Erich’s authority was absolute, but as he had only just ascended the throne, such a situation had to be avoided at all costs.

To make matters worse, the conference host country had been changed to Cardion specifically to commemorate his coronation, putting them at an even greater disadvantage.

“So, to clear our names, we have to conduct a swift search.”

“…….”

“I’d rather just work overtime….”

No matter how he looked at it, that seemed a hundred times better.

Dante sat perched on the edge of the sofa and lamented. Elisha shot him a cold, piercing look.

“You promised before, Renaud.”

“…….”

“That if anything happened at the Imperial Palace, you would ask me for help.”

It seemed that time was now.

Elisha spoke as she began to tidy the messy table. Dante stood up and let out a small sigh.

“That’s why I’m here….”

He’d had a hell of a time making excuses about needing to stop by his manor just to avoid being sent off immediately.

“Of course, I can’t take you with me right away. I came here because I felt I should explain the situation and ask for your help first.”

“…….”

“I told them I’d only be out while the knights were being organized and would return to the palace immediately after, so let’s decide on a plan quickly.”

It would be a disaster if they just rushed in and she was discovered by others.

Dante scratched his head again, his face twisted in a grimace.

Elisha watched him quietly for a moment before she finally spoke.

“The priority for this mission is identifying and rescuing survivors. I’ll conduct a separate search, staying away from the knights.”

“That goes without saying, but fine.”

“And if I find a Hide, I’ll send you a messenger. Just come over and make it look like you’re the one taking it down.”

They needed proof that it wasn’t their side that had carried out the attack.

Elisha spoke calmly, as if planning an utterly simple task.

Dante nodded, though he marveled inwardly.

Was she planning to blast them with lightning again? That was a very conspicuous spell.

‘As long as the incident is resolved, I suppose it doesn’t matter.’

He had already framed the previous incident as his own doing anyway.

There was a chance Elisha’s mana might be exposed in the process, but since Elisha was effectively the only person capable of capturing a momentary trace of mana, there was no need to worry.

Besides, hadn’t Elisha’s mana signature already changed once?

As long as even Erich’s mana-measuring magic didn’t work on her, it was safe to assume she wouldn’t be caught.

‘Assuming Elisha doesn’t go on a total rampage, that is.’

“When do the knights depart?”

As Dante followed his train of thought, Elisha tilted her head and asked.

Dante answered immediately.

“As soon as I return. Since there are limits to the distance of Teleportation Magic, it’ll take a few minutes.”

“Then I’ll leave thirty minutes after you depart.”

“You can go ahead of me….”

Better to arrive early and wait than to show up late and have things get messy.

At Dante’s words, Elisha gave a small nod. Her brow was still furrowed.

Of all places, the Shelan Plains.

‘Eli…, sha.’

‘You were someone who should never have been in the Imperial Palace to begin with.’

Suddenly, two voices flashed through Elisha’s mind.

Elisha squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and then exhaled deeply. Now was not the time to indulge in useless sentiment.

The Imperial Palace, Cardion, and Erich were in trouble.

That was all that mattered right now.

“Let’s settle the oath first.”

Dante spoke quickly.

“Dante Renaud temporarily permits Elisha to leave the premises.”

Surely she wouldn’t wander off elsewhere. Not when the safety of Cardion was at stake.

“I really have to go. See you in a bit, and make sure you wear your robe!”

It would be night soon anyway.

Having finished speaking, Dante summoned a teleportation magic circle beneath his feet.

Elisha gave a small nod and picked up the robe of the Imperial Magic Knights that Dante had brought.

‘I shouldn’t think about anything else.’

Memories should remain just memories. Whether they were nightmares or happy dreams.

Now was the time to face reality.

* * *

A brilliant white light spread majestically over the grass of the plains.

Elisha raised her lowered lashes and surveyed her surroundings.

The plains were so quiet and peaceful that the report of an attack here felt like a lie.

‘I came to a spot a bit further away from the center of the plains just in case I might be spotted.’

Elisha stepped carefully past the fading magic circle.

‘It looks like Renaud has arrived as well.’

It was a relief she had come to a more distant spot.

She caught the hood of her robe as it fluttered in the wind and let out a soft breath.

Among the mana she could sense right now, the most prominent was, naturally, Dante Renaud’s.

Aside from that, there was only the mana of the magicians Dante had brought with him.

‘Has it been quite a while since the attack?’

Otherwise, the monsters’ mana couldn’t possibly be this faint.

Elisha increased her pace and began to organize the situation in her head.

Dexon’s scheduled arrival date was today. Since the entire diplomatic mission couldn’t have used teleportation, they likely used carriages.

‘If using a carriage from the Shelan Plains to the Imperial Capital, it takes about a day.’

Since it also took time to reach the Shelan Plains, it meant the attack here had happened at least a day or two ago.

They wouldn’t have been able to flee far under attack, so any humans who barely survived would likely have been attacked again shortly after.

‘There’s a high probability there are no survivors.’

It was at the moment she was moving forward with these thoughts.

Suddenly, a scene filled her vision.

Wrecked carriages, bloodstains soaked into the grass, unrecognizable shapes, and.

‘Footprints.’

Deep Hide footprints, dozens of times larger than a human’s, were carved into the plains.

Elisha created small clusters of light around her and began to observe more closely.

Since Hides primarily attack humans using their arms or dark magic, they rarely move far from their spot.

Therefore, this many footprints ultimately indicated a large number of individuals.

‘But Hides….’

Surely, hadn’t she conducted a massive subjugation of them after that day?

Elisha knitted her brows and bit her lower lip.

If it were just one, she might think it was an individual she had missed, but….

‘Something is strange.’

Though a Hide had appeared in the capital recently, that was ultimately a monster that someone had ‘summoned.’

‘Or perhaps.’

Did that person summon these? This many of them? But for what reason?

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

First, she had found the site of the attack, so she needed to send a messenger to Renaud to inform him of the location while she searched for any survivors who might remain.

After quickly sorting her priorities, Elisha condensed a small amount of mana in her palm.

It was a small sphere of light that could be mistaken for a firefly at a glance.

‘Dante Renaud should recognize it.’

She then sent the sphere flying toward where she sensed Dante’s mana.

Now that she had sent the messenger, he would likely arrive here within a few minutes.

She had made the messenger scatter a faint light along its path so he could find the way properly.

She would leave this place to Dante Renaud and search a wider area herself to find traces of the Hides.

Taking a deep breath, Elisha was about to leave the spot.

Thump.

Suddenly, a deep vibration was felt from beneath the ground. Elisha’s face immediately contorted.

‘This is….’

How could she ever forget this trembling?

It was the same vibration that had never ceased even at the moment she had arrived too late.

Rumble!

Once more, a tremor even larger than before swept across the earth. Elisha skillfully kept her balance as she scanned the area.

‘Judging by the scale of this vibration, there must be at least ten of them.’

And yet, she still couldn’t sense any monster mana.

If there had been monsters near here from the beginning, they wouldn’t have been able to hide their mana, let alone their massive size.

In the end, it meant someone was artificially summoning Hides at this very moment.

‘If they’re targeting me, they’ll surely be summoned near me.’

In that case, she just had to take down all the appearing monsters and then track down the summoner.

‘I won’t let them vanish quietly like last time.’

She was just about to prepare an attack, manifesting magic circles around her.

“Argh!”

Suddenly, someone’s shout drifted through the wind and into Elisha’s ears.

Elisha froze for a second and looked toward the direction of the sound.

That voice was….

“Renaud?”

Did the monsters go that way?

The moment Elisha frowned sharply and looked up.

“Aaaagh!”

A desperate scream covered the plains once more.

“Why! Me! Of all people! Why this way! Just let me rest, please!”

—Graaaar!

“Are you crying! Are you crying?! I’m the one who wants to cry! You oversized bastards!”

Elisha was genuinely torn between whether she should help him or not.