The journey by carriage was long. It took around three days to cover the distance.
The absence of warp gates along the travel route was to blame. While significant point cities across the continent had warp gates, the reality was that rural areas lacked even properly paved roads.
This trend was exacerbated in more remote locations. To make matters worse, the place we were headed to was known for periodic large-scale occurrences of monsters.
It was unlikely that many people lived in such a dangerous area. Most of the manpower there was typically associated with the military.
The Knight Order, priests, and various essential personnel to support them.
The only exception was traders. They were the type of people drawn solely by the scent of money.
The girl sitting beside me was no different.
On this dark night, we sat side by side around a campfire. The flickering shadows of the fire created a romantic ambiance.
The weather was chilly as we approached summer. Even the insects were beginning to quiet down and prepare for hibernation.
The girl next to me was attractive enough to blend seamlessly into this stunning landscape.
With her pure white skin contrasting with her jet-black hair and golden eyes that didn’t lose their luster even at night, the curves of her body were hard to conceal underneath the fabric. Any man would willingly abandon his pride to spend a night with this girl.
Of course, that didn’t apply to me.
Because this beautiful girl was my sister.
My sister, Ria Percus, was humming a tune while skillfully clicking her abacus beads.
She seemed to be calculating the profits that could be made from trading monster corpses.
“Alright, including transportation costs, there should still be a decent profit. But with such a large quantity, we’ll have to lower the price a bit, right? In the long run, we need to build relationships with our clients… If we only collect the commission, we should still manage to get over 10 gold per unit?”
Ria, murmuring about profits, looked absolutely delighted. Her sparkling eyes were akin to gold coins.
Indeed, a trader was a trader. It was astonishing how they could become so fixated on money.
As I shook my head in disbelief, Ria eagerly spoke to me.
“Brother, did you hear?! More than 10 gold per unit! We have over 400 corpses to trade… It’s an opportunity to earn more than 4,000 gold at once!”
“Why are monster corpses so expensive?”
Contrary to Ria’s expectations, my reaction was rather indifferent.
4,000 gold. Simply converting that amount meant it was enough for a commoner family to live for over 300 years. In a small rural territory, that budget could sustain a household for a season or two.
I should have been astonished.
Until recently, that is.
However, I had personally defeated monsters worth over 10,000 gold. Moreover, I had also received rewards in the form of artifacts worth tens of thousands of gold, and I still had plenty of unclaimed reward money piled up.
It was impossible for a mere 4,000 gold to shake my heart now.
Ria, more excited by my lack of enthusiasm, raised her voice.
“Of course, it has to be expensive! Do you know how useful monster corpses are? Their bones and organs contain magical power, so when processed, they can become magical tools. They are also popular as magic ingredients… and even monster meat has become trendy these days!”
“Celin would love that.”
Despite my indifferent reply, Ria’s passion showed no signs of relenting.
Now she was even reciting her business plan in detail.
“And above all, the monster industry has a high barrier to entry. Monster corpses come from places where monsters appear, right? And with time, they decay due to the magical energy, so preserving them requires skilled personnel. Not to mention the transportation costs for escorts.”
“Where did you get all that money?”
It was a question I had harbored for a while.
Ria had suddenly opened a shop near the academy. She claimed it was to prepare for her entrance exam to the academy next year, but if the items were monster corpses, the costs would be astronomical.
She even managed to secure a large-scale deal just months after opening the shop. This was a matter that required connections more than capital or skill. No matter how talented Ria was, she couldn’t have amassed such social resources in such a short time.
Someone must have been aiding her.
Even if the funds came from hidden assets before a bankruptcy of a company, there was no explanation for how she could also play the role of a large intermediary.
Still, Ria simply flashed a sly smile.
“I have my methods.”
“You’re not getting tricked into some strange deception, are you? After all, kindness without reason doesn’t exist in this world…”
“Oh, you don’t need to know! Just trust me!”
In the end, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
Thinking about it, Ria was about to become an adult as well. After a few years immersed in society, she surely had better judgment than I did.
Worrying unnecessarily was pointless.
I assumed the expression of a mother bird letting go of her chick.
“Well, you are officially an adult now…”
“Of course! Did you still not realize that?”
Ria asked with an incredulous tone, her eyes reflecting a sense of disappointment.
My heart ached even more.
“Well then, I have to let you go.”
“That’s only natural… Wha, what?!”
Ria’s eyes widened in surprise at my sad determination.
Seeing her nearly jump from her sitting position, it was clear she was rather shocked.
This must be a type of growing pain.
“I’m sorry, Ria. From now on, I won’t treat you like a child. I won’t share a bed because I’m scared, or give you a kiss on the cheek because you’re cute…”
“Why, why did the conversation turn out like that?!”
Ria retorted vehemently. The tremble in her eyes revealed her anxious feelings.
Regardless of what she thought, I continued my sorrowful resolution.
“Since you’re an adult now, it’s only natural. How could I act that way towards my fully grown sister?”
“W-What are you talking about… Brother, it’s really strange? You were never so normal before.”
Even with her quivering voice, my resolve didn’t falter.
As I turned my head in silence with a sigh, Ria began to nibble on her nails out of nervousness.
The hesitation didn’t last long.
Ria soon leaned slightly against my arm. I felt her resilient touch, but I purposefully chose not to react.
Just moments ago, I had resolved to let Ria go. I couldn’t waver now.
However, Ria knew my weaknesses better than anyone.
Soon, a soft voice began to tickle my ear.
“O, Oh, brother… thinking it over again, I don’t think I’m an adult yet.”
“But you said your body is fully grown.”
“Even if it’s grown, it’s useless? Or…”
The girl’s eyes drew a delicate curve. Then, with a charming smile, she said one line.
“Will you make me an adult?”
Bathed in moonlight and firelight, in the darkness, there remained just two young people.
The lighting made her pale skin stand out. I found myself blankly staring at her fluttering lips, and then suddenly exclaimed,
“Ouch, ouch, ouch! You pinched me?! Did you just pinch the cheeks of a grown girl?!”
“You just said I wasn’t grown yet a moment ago.”
Laughing, I pinched Ria’s cheek and tugged at it.
Her skin was still soft. At moments like this, it seemed as though she was still a child.
When a woman takes her eyes off you for even a moment, she grows too much, and I couldn’t help but blame myself for wavering feelings.
Ria was my sister. It didn’t matter that we weren’t related by blood.
Because I had decided to treat her that way.
It was around that time when a heavy voice emerged from behind us.
“You two siblings seem to be getting along quite well.”
Startled, I jumped up as if a jolt ran through me when the figure approached silently.
As expected, a tall man stood there.
Raymond Rainelle, an uninvited guest accompanying me and my sister on our journey.
I wondered where he had been, as he held a rabbit in his hand.
Mr. Rainelle spoke in a still indifferent voice.
“Anyone who sees you would mistake you for lovers.”
“That’s absolutely untrue… Ria is my sister.”
I felt Ria puff out her lips in response to my hasty excuse.
I had no idea what her complaint was.
Mr. Rainelle, in fact, didn’t stop glancing at Ria and me interchangeably even after my explanation. The image of him I had seen at Perkus Manor flashed through my mind.
Though he appeared indifferent, I had heard that Mr. Rainelle cared deeply for his niece. If not, he wouldn’t have bothered to help Senior Elsi in the first place.
What if he misinterpreted and thought I had a forbidden relationship with my sister instead of Senior Elsi?
The image of a rabbit dangling from two ears overlapped with me.
While I might win in close combat, it was true that an uneasy feeling began to creep up my mind.
Fortunately, Mr. Rainelle didn’t press us about our relationship any further.
“It’s commendable for family members to have such a good relationship. Elsi, that girl must be longing for familial affection as well… my nephew, and future sister-in-law. Please take good care of Elsi.”
At that request, I forced a stiff smile while Ria expressed clear dissatisfaction, turning her head sharply.
Just by listening to Mr. Rainelle’s words, it already sounded like the engagement was confirmed.
After all, we had planned to discuss it separately. However, it was a sensitive matter that wasn’t suitable to bring up in front of a jealous Ria, so I purposely changed the subject.
“Did you come looking for snacks? We have plenty of food left…”
“As I’ve grown older, I find myself missing the flavors of my youth.”
Saying this, Mr. Rainelle placed the rabbit on a wide rock. Judging by its trembling legs, it seemed to have died not long ago.
Or perhaps it wasn’t dead yet.
Mr. Rainelle was an archmage. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to send just enough current to incapacitate it without killing it.
Then he took out a dagger from his possession and pierced the rabbit’s neck.
Blood splattered, and the unique smell of animal flesh filled the air. It was a task unfit for a noble.
For instance, Ria was grimacing at the sight, clearly disgusted.
Nevertheless, Mr. Rainelle appeared calm. His movements were immaculate and devoid of error.
“I believe I mentioned it before? I once lived as a mercenary… I traveled all over the continent in that time. This area was just the same. Back then, it was a very peaceful place.”
“A mercenary in a peaceful area?”
“Not really.”
As he stripped the hide and tied knots to drain the blood, the middle-aged man spoke with a heavy tone.
“Peace was soon shattered. Monsters appeared.”
The large-scale emergence of monsters.
I suddenly recalled that phenomenon. Hadn’t it begun decades ago?
“I have not been able to forget that day.”
I refrained from offering any hasty words of comfort.
The middle-aged man’s eyes, sinking into the past, deepened with sadness. Seeing that, I simply thought.
There was some circumstance.
Mr. Rainelle’s company wasn’t improvised. He had memories associated with this region long beforehand. I felt a strong interest in that.
I could call it intuition. My next course of action was thus determined.
The next evening, the carriage safely arrived at the stationed location of the Knight Order.
The head of the Knight Order greeted Ria warmly. Ria, in turn, responded to that kindness with polite acknowledgment.
It was a place filled with monster corpses and the groans of the injured. In the midst of it all, Ria’s appearance shone brightly.
“Thank you for the warm welcome, sir. I will do my best to repay that expectation.”
“Emmanuel! You’re being too modest. As it happens, we’ve been troubled by the sheer number of monster corpses piling up. As you know, monster corpses continuously emit magical energy, contaminating the surroundings. However…”
The kind-smiling knight glanced over Ria’s shoulder. It was towards the location where I stood with Mr. Rainelle.
It was only natural for him to worry.
It didn’t take long for the knight’s face to reflect embarrassment.
“Uh, could you tell me who those two are…?”
At that, Ria’s eyes glanced back at me. Although she wore a smile, the corners of her mouth trembled, indicating her discomfort.
This was understandable.
Because Mr. Rainelle and I were dressed differently from usual.
The two men with hoods pulled low clearly embodied the archetype of suspicious travelers.
“Ah, my apologies for the late introduction. These are the mercenaries accompanying me for protection. They are definitely skilled, but for personal reasons, they choose to remain anonymous. They plan on inspecting the habitats of the monsters over the next two days here.”
“That area is dangerous, and you can’t enter without permission…”
I showed a seal I always carried with me. It was an emblem marked with a dragon, the symbol of the only family in the world that could use it.
The previously silent knight quickly slapped his palm to his forehead.
“…I will report this to the higher-ups.”
The authority of the Imperial Court was invincible.
Even in a foreign land like this.
It was time to unearth some mysteries after a long while.
