The beetles each possessed slightly different magical powers. Though I couldn’t identify each one specifically, I was able to determine that they had various different abilities.
I told Fabre to study them in more detail. Fabre cheerfully promised he would figure it all out before returning.
In the running carriage, I spent all night mentally organizing the two things I had learned.
First was the method of properly sending psychic energy to living creatures.
In particular, Fabre’s technique of gently guiding the beetle’s will without harming its mind gave me a great revelation.
The second was controlling multiple entities in a relationship similar to but inferior to a familiar.
This is impossible with fully intelligent beings like familiars, and only possible with creatures of extremely low intelligence like beetles. It’s similar to death magic, strengthening the bond by giving names.
But, corpses would originally have names, so is it okay to give them new names?
“Hm? What did you just say? What about corpses?”
Snapping back to attention, I saw the Count sitting across from me staring straight at me.
His left eye looked more than twice as large due to the monocle he wore.
“Ah, it’s nothing. I was just lost in thought and misspoke.”
He gazed at me intently.
“So? What’s the result?”
“Pardon?”
“The result of your musings. You haven’t said a word for over three hours since we got in the carriage after breakfast. Such deep contemplation must have yielded some good results, no?”
We’ve already been traveling for three hours?
Looking out the window, I saw the scenery had changed quite a bit.
Realizing that, it occurred to me that I may have been quite rude up until now.
He probably tried speaking to me several times? While I remained completely silent.
“I’m sorry. I had something on my mind.”
“No need to apologize. It’s just that I’ve never seen you think this deeply before.”
“Really? I do it sometimes.”
“I know. But not to this extent. That’s why I’m even more curious. What topic could so thoroughly captivate you, who instinctively provides answers others would only reach after long deliberation?”
“It’s related to magic. You probably wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”
“I’m sure that’s true. That’s why I kept quiet until now.”
He lowered his gaze.
A small book was in his hand.
It seems he had been reading.
But he hadn’t turned a page for a long time.
“Count.”
“Yes?”
“Is something troubling you?”
Count Furst maintained a blank expression, then set the book down with a thud.
“I’m not sure if Duke Balkan and Legless Monkey have made some kind of agreement, or if these are independent events. I need to figure this out before meeting Duke Balkan so I don’t get outmaneuvered in our conversation.”
Well, we are heading there without knowing anything at the moment.
Duke Balkan might not even agree to meet us.
I crossed my legs.
“It’s going to take 8 days to reach Duke Balkan’s territory anyway, right? I’ll lend you my brain in the meantime.”
Count Furst glanced at me sidelong.
“Don’t you have your own matters to ponder? It’s fine.”
“Actually, thinking about your situation helps clear my head. It’s like light stretching for my mind.”
“……”
“So go ahead and tell me about it.”
The Count chuckled, seeming to take it as a joke.
But it was actually true.
Count Furst picked up his book again and said:
“First I need to organize my own thoughts a bit. I’ll ask you questions here and there during our journey.”
After that, he didn’t say another word. To the point where I almost wanted to speak up first.
But he was thinking so deeply that I hesitated to disturb him.
So I just studied magic on my own.
About two days passed like that.
Suddenly, he spoke up.
“What do you think Duke Balkan’s intentions are?”
I was in the middle of using psychokinesis to move some nearby insects, so I couldn’t answer his question right away.
But the Count waited patiently, apparently thinking I was considering it seriously.
What a kind man.
I withdrew my psychokinesis and answered.
“Isn’t he trying to establish your position?”
“Position?”
“You know, like ‘You’re beneath me.’ That sort of thing. After all, none of the shareholders returned. It’s a bit childish but…”
“……”
“So, in my opinion, if you beg, he might give you the five native children. If you bow low enough, saying, ‘I’m beneath you.’”
The Count furrowed his brow.
“So you’re saying he had Governor Crom kidnap native children just to make me aware of my position?”
“Probably not that far. The Duke’s daughter likely did genuinely want native children. But given how things turned out, he decided to use it as an opportunity to teach you a lesson… I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize.”
Count Furst seemed to be barely holding back his anger, gritting his teeth.
“You don’t think so?”
After a moment, he spoke.
“It’s purely intuition, but I keep thinking there must be some kind of deal between Legless Monkey and Duke Balkan.”
“You mean Duke Balkan set this up from the beginning?”
“Yes.”
I recalled the events from back then.
“I’m not so sure. Legless Monkey’s anger seemed genuine at the time.”
Count Furst closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
“Do you think I’m overthinking things unnecessarily?”
“Would she have worked with Duke Balkan to the point of using children from her own tribe? For what purpose?”
He swallowed.
“I’m not exactly sure about that part.”
If that was all, he wouldn’t have voiced these thoughts out loud.
I asked him directly:
“So what makes you suspect they’re working together?”
The Count leaned forward and spoke quickly.
“Massacring the soldiers was too extreme. It could have easily gone wrong and led to war. And then it’s strange that they let me live despite that.”
I immediately shared the thought that came to mind upon hearing that.
“Maybe Legless Monkey also needed to show something to her tribe members. After all, this incident arose from interactions with people from the Yura continent.”
The Count immediately understood my point.
“You mean a message like ‘I haven’t bowed my head to the people of the Yura continent’?”
“Yes. That explains the motive for the excessive show of force.”
Count Furst nodded repeatedly.
“But then why didn’t they kill me?”
“Perhaps they were confident you would bring the children?”
“……”
He said nothing.
He doesn’t seem entirely satisfied.
Why did Legless Monkey spare the Count’s life?
This suspicion seems to have led him to think there must be some agreement between Duke Balkan and Legless Monkey.
After all, Duke Balkan wouldn’t want Count Furst dead.
I shrugged.
“In the end, there are only two possibilities, right? Either Legless Monkey and Duke Balkan are working together, or they’re not.”
“That’s right.”
“If neither feels quite right, let’s mix them together a bit.”
The Count tilted his head, then looked up at me.
“How?”
I grinned.
“They joined forces midway through.”
“……”
“Remember? When we arrived at the building, Legless Monkey was with Governor Crom.”
“That’s right.”
“Don’t you think some kind of conversation might have taken place before we arrived?”
The Count’s eyes widened like full moons.
Just then, the carriage suddenly came to a stop.
Thud!
Soon footsteps approached, and someone opened the carriage door.
“Count!”
It was the Knight Commander.
“What’s the matter? What’s going on?”
“Unknown knights are approaching, sir.”
The Knight Commander’s expression looked urgent.
Seeing him sweating and his eyes darting around, their numbers must be overwhelmingly greater.
“Unknown, you say?”
“They have no flags or emblems, sir.”
“I’ll go take a look. Ran.”
“Yes?”
“Can you protect me?”
I pulled out my staff from inside my robe. I was already holding my magic book in my left hand.
“I’ll do my best.”
The Count nodded once, as if trusting me, then went outside.
I feel my shoulders rising with pride for some reason.
I followed him out.
In the distance at the end of the road, black knights on horseback were charging towards us. As if they had emerged from a pool of lava, they were entirely black from head to toe.
I sent out a bit of psychic energy and detected a faint magical response. So they have a mage on their side too.
This could turn into quite an interesting battle.
Just then, a man in pristine white priestly robes appeared among the black knights. Surrounded by the dark knights, he really stood out.
His movements seem familiar.
“Isn’t that Priest Hansis?”
The Count turned to look at me.
“Priest Hansis?”
“Yes. Remember, we had lunch together before?”
The black knights soon took up positions half-surrounding us. Judging by the confidence in their gaze beneath their helmets, they seemed confident they could slaughter us at any moment.
Such arrogant looks that I want to utterly crush.
“Sir Ran! Do you remember me? I’m Hansis. Please don’t misunderstand. We haven’t come to fight.”
Ah, I must have unknowingly let my fighting spirit show on my face.
Priest Hansis slowly rode his horse up to us. He dismounted with difficulty, grunting.
He continued speaking in a polite tone.
“We were sent by Duke Balkan.”
“Duke Balkan?”
When Count Furst gazed at him with a strange look, Hansis nodded.
“This area has poor security, you see. He told us to escort you safely.”
At those words, the Knight Commander shouted loudly.
“The knights of the Count’s house are more than capable of protecting the Count!”
Even though he was terrified just moments ago.
The Count raised his hand to silence the knight commander, then spoke to the priest again.
“It would take at least 6 days from the Duke’s territory to here. Are you saying you’ll escort us that whole time? Do you even have enough supplies for today?”
Hansis waved both hands.
“Duke Balkan left his territory secretly. He enjoys hunting, you see, and wanted to hunt in this area. He’s staying just a couple hours away. In fact, he’s been here for quite some time now.”
“……”
“Shall we go together? I’ll guide the way, haha.”
The Count spoke in a calm voice.
“Very well. I’m grateful for Duke Balkan’s kindness.”
He turned without hesitation and entered the carriage, and I soon followed him inside.
Inside the carriage, he had his hands clasped at the bridge of his nose, wearing a terrifying expression.
After a short while, when the carriage started moving, he spoke in a low voice.
“He’s showing off. Trying to flaunt his power. This area should be House Stocke’s territory.”
I understand the mentality of nobles.
Operating your private knights and staying to hunt in another noble’s domain?
This shouldn’t be possible unless there’s an overwhelming difference in power.
“It just seems childish to me. Don’t worry too much about it, Count.”
The Count closed his eyes and grimaced.
“You’re right, Ran. He’s definitely telling me to bow my head. That’s why he’s gradually flaunting his power.”
His breathing started to become rougher.
I slowly looked him up and down.
People don’t often reveal their true nature unless faced with a crisis.
Count Furst.
I’ll be able to see what kind of person he really is at his core.
We traveled in silence for an hour like that.
The carriage stopped, and the time for the encounter finally arrived.
The coachman said:
“The road ahead is too rough for the carriage. You’ll have to ride on horseback from here.”
Count Furst raised his eyes to look at me.
“Ran.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“If something happens to me, don’t try to protect me. Focus on your own survival. And please take care of Fabre.”
“……”
“You’re a mage, so you should be able to guide Fabre well.”
We soon exited the carriage and mounted separate horses.
