The deeper you go into the Southern Forest, the more hidden clearings you find scattered throughout.
According to my seniors, these are remnants of a hunting festival that has been held for a long time. The trees that once grew densely in the forest were often subjected to misery during the hunting festivals.
It was a battle between monsters capable of shattering a tree with a single swing of their arms and powerful individuals wielding a sword to face such beasts.
Once the battle began, not even the trees could escape unscathed.
As for me, I had my share of toppling trees during this year’s hunting festival. Although, it was mainly the result of being struck and sent flying by the “Intestine Collector.”
Some of the clearings created in this way became fantastic meeting spaces just by trimming the fallen tree stumps. It was simple enough as long as one could manage aura.
The place where Delphine, Elsi, and I sat was one of those clearings.
The sunlight was hot, as if summer was approaching its peak. Only after escaping under the shade of trees did I feel a slight refreshment.
Yet even this was bound to turn into sweltering air after the month’s end.
I fanned my face, which had turned slightly pink from the heat. Nevertheless, the beads of sweat beginning to gather on my forehead did not evaporate.
Even though I was circulating mana to endure the heat better, I still found myself in this state. I had gained quite a bit of mana after consuming the “Dragon’s Blood,” but it was still insufficient.
In fact, Delphine and Elsi seemed completely unfazed by the sweltering heat. Their amount of mana was far superior to mine.
It was also a clear sign that I had a long way to go.
The two ladies were just fidgeting in front of me as I fanned myself.
It seemed they thought I was angry.
Of course, that was a misunderstanding. My feelings were calm and settled at the moment.
I was simply hesitating to find the right words to say.
To be more precise, I was contemplating how to mitigate Delphine and Elsi’s peculiar competitive nature.
After all, worrying wouldn’t provide any answers. But that didn’t mean I could hide my complicated feelings.
It was possible that a false reputation would spread if this continued.
Nobles in the Empire valued honor. Even the lesser Percus Family wouldn’t be an exception; it was needless to say for high-ranking nobility.
For them, “honor” was among the most precious things, even more than life itself.
This was directly tied to their family’s prestige.
Yet now, the heir of the prestigious Yuridina Clan and the daughter of the Rainelle Clan were calling a mere second son of a rural baron “Master.”
It wouldn’t end at merely tarnishing the names of two noble families in the long-standing Empire. I could very well face the backlash myself.
In ancient times, when notions of chastity were more deeply rooted than now, it was said that if a noblewoman had relations with a commoner, that commoner would be executed.
It didn’t matter whether it was by seduction or force. Without exception, they would lay charges of rape against the commoner and have them killed.
It was all to protect the honor of the nobility.
I couldn’t help but see the faces of the commoners who had vanished as the dew of the gallows, overlapping with my own.
I broke out in a cold sweat from the chilling feeling. It wasn’t something to worry about when touching the imperial court, nevertheless.
Perhaps sensing my turmoil, Elsi approached me hesitantly and began to fan me with her small hand.
Of course, her small hands meant that the breeze was hardly significant.
When my questioning gaze landed on her, Elsi cleared her throat and averted her eyes slightly.
A faint blush rose on her soft cheeks.
“I… I thought you looked hotter….”
A laugh escaped my lips involuntarily.
While it was amusing, I was also thankful for her kind gesture, so I decided to say nothing.
Instead, my next words were blunt and straightforward.
“…Delphine, what’s the information about that ‘cave’?”
“Well, actually… there’s a cave that connects from the Academy to outside the city.”
Delphine glanced at me before continuing her story in a calm voice.
“It’s a cave created for emergency evacuations by the imperial court since the Academy is under the imperial royal family. It may just be a cave, but since it was made as an emergency evacuation route for the royal family, it should still be around. I’ve heard it has undergone magical processing.”
An emergency escape route of the imperial court.
If the Academy was under the imperial royal family, that would have been hundreds of years ago. The fact that such a cave has endured to this day is surprising.
Caves made of soft soil, rather than solid rock, are usually susceptible to collapse. Therefore, they typically exist in short lengths and shallow locations.
However, this was a large-scale cave that connected all the way from the Academy to outside the city. Being an emergency escape route for royals, it would have been built deep underground where detection was impossible.
If it hasn’t collapsed to this day, it must have required an enormous amount of mana to keep it standing. The technological level of that time would have been less advanced than it is now.
What puzzled me a bit was that for a construction project that incurred such costs, there was no need for it to insist on a cave.
Considering durability, it would have been more logical to create a proper underground escape route. Why did they insist on sticking with a cave?
It was a question I couldn’t answer right now, so I decided to tuck that curiosity away in my mind.
“…What’s the location of it?”
“Where would the royals always stay upon entering the Academy?”
Her reply was unequivocal.
The princes and princesses were each the masters of their own courtyards. For multiple practical reasons, including security, royals were treated specially even in the Academy.
The lodging assigned to them was the “Verlata Palace.”
It was named after the wife of the conquering Emperor Aidalos. While the official name was “Verlata Hall,” it wouldn’t be wrong to refer to it as a palace since the royals used that small palace on their own.
Delphine mentioned that the entrance to the cave was located beneath that palace.
I nodded, trying to replace my questions with understanding but soon found another curiosity rising to ask.
“By the way, how did you hear that I was looking for information about the ‘cave’?”
“The Yuridina clan is the most loyal to the imperial family, and naturally, we hear a lot of stories.”
I clicked my tongue in response.
Though it was a vague remark, mentioning the imperial court suggested it likely came from the News Department.
It was originally not a formally disguised group, but internal information leaks were too simple. No matter how it was, it would have been the same even for the heir of the Yuridina clan.
I would have to set some time aside to train them someday.
As I absentmindedly thought this, I soon shook my head to drive away such unproductive thoughts.
It was too presumptuous for someone clueless about intelligence work to think such things. I didn’t even know why I ended up thinking that.
Elsi was watching the conversation between Delphine and me, and she seemed anxious.
It appeared she was nervous since only Delphine was being useful. For a while, she fidgeted with her fingers, lost in thought, and then as if she remembered something, spoke up.
“…Speaking of that!”
My gaze turned to Elsi. Delphine’s did as well.
Having successfully caught everyone’s attention, Elsi continued hesitantly.
“Umm… remember the monster we caught during the hunting festival? It was ultimately marked as ’cause unknown.’”
“Marked as ’cause unknown’?”
Hearing that made my expression sour.
If they were talking about the monster we caught, it could only be the “Intestine Collector.” This had been my first time teaming up with Elsi.
A monster given a name doesn’t just appear easily.
First, it required a massive source of mana, and it needed to be influenced for an extended period. The appearance of such a being in the previously peaceful Southern Forest meant that something was converging that mana.
The imperial investigation team was not foolish; they had to have understood that fact.
However, to have classified it as ’cause unknown’ means they ultimately couldn’t locate the focal point of that mana convergence.
It was nearly impossible for a source of such mana to vanish without a trace. There were many suspicious points, but I decided to let out a long sigh and stop my thoughts for now.
I had plenty of homework I needed to solve right away.
I called Delphine and Elsi to draw on their strength for that.
“Anyway, we can talk about that later… Delphine, Elsi.”
Both ladies turned their gazes to me, their eyes urging me to say whatever was on my mind.
I hesitated for a moment.
It would be nice if they could at least give a reason if it were something. However, the information about the love letter from the future was something only I could know.
The moment I spoke, it would be expressed in a completely different context.
If so, the best I could say was only one thing.
“I can’t tell you the reason, but… the procession is coming up at the upcoming homecoming festival, right?”
Delphine and Elsi nodded their heads.
As expected, it was something no student of the Academy could be unaware of. It was a significant event.
I cautiously left a request for the two of them.
“Would it be possible for Delphine to lead a team and take the forefront? Elsi, just to be safe, prepare your magic in advance… also bring plenty of potions.”
The last statement was added out of concern for the two.
In truth, I found it absurd even after saying it. I couldn’t tell them why, but prepare for a potential ambush.
I was wondering how to respond if they asked any questions when…
“I’ll follow your orders.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
There was a reply without a hint of hesitation.
I looked at Delphine and Elsi in surprise.
While the two of them followed me closely, I had expected at least one of them would ask about the reason.
But both Delphine and Elsi merely responded as if it was nothing much.
“Anyway, it’s what we have to do, right? I’ll follow your orders, Master. Leave the forefront to us.”
Following the teasing tone of Delphine, Elsi’s loyal reply came back.
“W-well… you’ve never been wrong until now, Master? Hehe, leave it to me, Elsi Rainelle!”
Ironically, Elsi seemed a bit happy to have received my orders. It appeared she was rather pleased that I needed her.
Finally, I managed to smile wryly.
Regardless of the reason, having these two around gave me confidence. They each had their own groups of people to lead.
However, I couldn’t shake the lingering guilt and had no choice but to add this.
“…Be careful.”
Yet sensing that my mood was unusual, the two’s expressions naturally fell.
That was only for a moment, however, as Delphine’s face soon broke into an enchanting smile.
“So, about the ‘penalty,’ what happened?”
She approached seductively and whispered in my ear with heated breath.
It felt like my eardrums would melt away.
“…I’m ready today as well.”
“Y-yay!”
Of course, before anything else, Elsi’s dismayed exclamation was inevitable.
She looked at me with pitiful eyes and spoke.
“M-Master… what about me? It’s been a while since I’ve received a reward…”
It was all quite the mess.
In the end, I still needed a few more minutes to fulfill both of their desires.
And just before I finished adjusting my attire and was about to leave, Delphine, who had been breathing heavily, suddenly remembered something and asked.
“…By the way, did the princess seem alright?”
My steps halted suddenly.
A few points caught my attention. Her abnormally aggressive demeanor and the occasional glimpse of that melancholic expression.
As my eyes flicked towards Delphine, she spoke casually.
“She has painful memories from her childhood. Almost lost her life…”
“…By whom?”
Inquiring with cloudy bewilderment, I found a significant smile dawning on Delphine’s lips.
“Her own mother.”
There was little time left until the homecoming festival.
