TVDWL- Chapter 107 < The Cat's Mouse Hunt >

"This place is not ordinary."

Karina said, looking down into the distance.

"Because it's a forest of curses."

David answered from behind. It was a prison with no escape, a steep, high rocky mountain with only a hole in it. The ground was so far below that it was impossible to see, and it was pitch black with a cold, dreary darkness. The eerie, cold wind that rose from below hit Karina's face fiercely. It seemed that there was no way out unless you really flew away. Now she understood why they had captured the monsters and just left.

'So it means they can eat us anytime.'

The dizzying height made Karina feel dizzy. She was afraid that she might accidentally fall, so she slowly backed away.

"For now, we have no choice but to wait for the Knights' rescue."

David said.

"The Crown Prince and the Grand Duchess of the Empire have been kidnapped, so my subordinates and the Grand Duke of Colesburg will be doing their best to find us."

At his words, Karina could only laugh quietly.

'The best thing to do would be to find His Highness the Crown Prince, not me.'

Of course, she didn't say this out loud. After confirming that they couldn't escape, Karina and David returned to the place where they first opened their eyes.

"Actually, when I got here, I thought the Grand Duchess was already dead."

"Yes?"

David suddenly spoke with a calm expression as if asking how she was doing. His tone of voice was also calm and composed, but his content was not like that at all. At least to Karina.

"What do you mean?"

"Ahh!'

I thought that since he passed out in the middle, people might have thought she was dead. But the words that came out of David's mouth were shocking.

"While I was coming here, the monster climbed to quite a high altitude."

David continued speaking in a calm voice, looking at Karina intently.

"As the altitude increases, the temperature drops and it becomes harder to breathe. If a normal person were to be exposed to such conditions for a long time without any measures taken, they would usually die from hypothermia and lack of oxygen."

"!!"

"Especially if you've passed out and lost consciousness."

When Karina was dragged here by the claws of a bird, the feeling of difficulty in breathing or feeling cold was not an illusion of fear.

"Then how are the two of us alive and well?"

"I always carry a protective artifact with me. This time, it paid off."

"Ah."

'Well, because he's the Crown Prince.'

But she had nothing like that.

"Then how am I okay?"

David looked at Karina asking him that and chuckled, finding it a bit ridiculous.

"I guess that's why."

David pointed to the area around Karina's neck.

"?"

Karina's gaze followed David's fingertips towards her.

"!"

And at the end of it, she found a ring with a red stone that she had received from Mikhail.

"I guess that's an artifact too. Is it a firestone? It seems to have kept the Grand Duchess warm."

Karina clutched the ring tightly.

'I survived thanks to Mikhail this time.'

Karina was determined to be incredibly kind to him if she got out of there alive. It wasn't expected, but she had been saved three times thanks to Mikhail too.

'I guess I should buy Mikhail a house.'

It was Karina who had made up her mind.

"Did the Duke of Colesberg give it to you?"

"Yes?"

Karina looked puzzled at David's unexpected remark.

"That artifact seems to be quite expensive."

"This is it?"

To be honest, it didn't look that valuable just from its appearance. Karina looked closely at the ring with the firestone embedded in it.

"Maybe that's why the monster kidnapped us."

"?"

When Karina looked at him with an expression asking what he was talking about, David continued.

"Look over there."

Karina looked at the piled-up junk near the wall. Amethysts, silver rings, ruby necklaces, tiaras, broken glass, sapphire bracelets, silver mirrors, emerald earrings, diamond brooches, gold cuffs, and so on. There were all kinds of shiny things. Come to think of it, David's figure and face were so visible even in the dark cave. The glass, jewels, and glittering trinkets piled up around them reflected the light coming into the cave in all directions, brightening the inside.

"Why these?"

"Most of the things here are made of magic stones."

"Yes?"

Karina opened her eyes wide and looked at them again.

"How do you know that?"

"I have an artifact that detects magic stones. That's why I can tell."

"..."

"Anyway, if this monster's goal was to collect magic stones, it would have targeted us after seeing that."

"Ah..."

A small moan-like exclamation escaped Karina's mouth as she understood David's words.

'You're saying that I'm going to die because of this!'

Unlike just now, when she had been looking at the most precious thing in the world, Karina returned her gaze to the ring in her hand with cold eyes.

'Should I throw it out of the cave?'

David chuckled at her expression and actions, which seemed to show what was in her head.

"But don't throw it away. Keep it well."

When Karina heard David's words while she was thinking, she felt a stinging sensation as if her true feelings had been revealed.

"It's not exact, but it has protective magic that protects the holder, and since it's originally a firestone, it has the function of blocking the cold and maintaining body warmth."

David nodded as he looked around the cave.

"It's also important not to freeze to death in here"

"...That's right."

Karina agreed with David's words and put the ring back inside her clothes.

"You know a lot about magic stones, don't you?"

Karina asked.

"Personally, I'm interested in magic."

"His Highness the Crown Prince is 

interested in magic?"

Few people, unless they were wizards, were Interested in magic itself.

"From the Empire's perspective, there are many benefits to cooperating with the Magic Tower."

The Magic Tower operates as an independent force, regardless of national politics or borders, and the Magic Tower itself is recognized as a nation.

"It is very helpful to know about the magic that wizards use, even outside of national discussions and major and minor issues."

"Yes."

After a moment of silence between the two, Karina opened her mouth again.

"Why is the monster that brought us after the magic stone?"

Karina had never heard of a story about a monster collecting magic stones. However, she saw and confirmed with her own eyes that there were so many magic stones piled up in the monster's den. It was not something that did not happen.

"Well, I'll have to look into it, but it seems like someone might be using demons to collect magic stones."

"Does that mean that someone can artificially control monsters?"

Instead of denying Karina's words, David smiled in an inscrutable way.

"..."

It gave her goosebumps. Originally, monsters were not rational and moved only according to their instincts. They were not living beings that moved according to someone's orders. If someone could control such a monster, it was definitely not something to be taken lightly. It was because it meant that all the appearances of monsters up until now could have been done under someone's intention. And since collecting magic stones was something that a magician would normally do, it was natural that she would think of the magic tower.

"Are you doubting the magic tower?"

Karina became anxious as she thought of the magician Mikhail. She was worried that Mikhail might be unnecessarily involved in this.

"No. Just because they collect magic stones doesn't mean I necessarily suspect the Magic Tower. Not all magicians belong to the Magic Tower."

"Yes."

Karina felt a little relieved at those words.

"Have you ever heard of warlocks?"

"Warlocks?"

When asked by David, Karina thought back to what she knew about warlocks.

"I don't know the details, but I've heard that there are such beings. They are said to be wizards who use black magic and have completely different goals from those pursued by the Magic Tower..."

Karina trailed off, unsure of the accuracy of what she knew.

"That's right. I suspect that if there is a connection, it's with the warlocks. The Magic Tower is already cooperating with the increase in monster appearances." 

"Oh, I see."

Karina let out a sigh of relief. Since the Crown Prince thought like that, it seemed like Mikhail wouldn't suffer any harm just because he was a member of the Magic Tower. Other than that, the increase in monsters wasn't something Karina had to worry about. 

Whiooooow. 

The wind blew loudly enough to be scary.

"..."

At that sound, Karina looked toward the cave entrance with an anxious face. More than anything, the most important thing right now was to get out of here alive.

"If they had received the signal I sent, my entourage would have assembled a knighthood to rescue us by now."

David looked at Karina and smiled gently as if trying to reassure her.

"Don't worry too much, they'll be searching for this place with all my might."

Karina responded to David's words with a bright smile.

"Your Highness is right. And if the monster's goal is the magic stone, then it has no interest in us."

Karina's voice became lighter as she thought that she would be able to survive even if it took some time.

"You're lucky you won't die if you just hold out until the Knights come looking for you."

"..."

But David didn't answer. For a moment, a cool silence fell between the two.

"Your Highness, did you know that cats don't eat mice?"

"Huh? A cat?"

Karina looked puzzled by the sudden mention of the cat.

"Cats don't eat mice, but they chase and hunt them when they see them."

"..."

"And then they play with it and kill it. Of course, they don't eat it."

There was something strange about David's appearance as he spoke calmly and with a smile.

"That means..."

The smile gradually disappeared from Karina's face.

"The purpose of the magic stone and the fact that it doesn't kill us are completely separate things."

"Then again... In the end, if I can't escape before the demon returns..."

Karina couldn't finish her words and just bit her lip.

"Yes."

Nevertheless, David, who naturally understood what Karina was trying to say, lightly agreed. Karina felt her blood slowly draining away.

"But how can Your Highness be so calm?"

'Oh, no way.'

Karina now seemed to understand the reason for the strange feeling she felt towards him.

"Is there a way out?"

David smiled mysteriously without saying a word.

"...!"

At his appearance, Karina suddenly realized as if she had been struck by lightning. Even if the knights were behind the monsters, the Brown Prince would not die here. The Crown Prince had a way to escape from there. However, it was only possible for the Crown Prince alone. It would be a method that Karina could not use. 

The only one whose life was in danger here was Karina. She was the only one.

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