"It's been a really... really long time since I last saw you, Lady Presepe."
At Malea's sudden words, Presepe stood frozen on the spot.
'Do you know me?'
How?
And you've seen it?
Perhaps because her embarrassment was clearly visible on her face, Malea fidgeted and continued speaking.
"Ah. Of course, since you didn't see me, it's only natural that you don't remember, Presepe. It was far away. Vanessa and... no, Vanessa and Presepe."
"You mean I've been to this area before? And with my mother, too?"
"Yes, you came to participate in the punitive expedition."
"Ah, that could be the case."
Kevin, who had been listening to the conversation, nodded and parted his lips.
"In the past, the extermination rituals used to be held in the Forbidden Forest. However, the location was changed due to continuous casualties. That is probably..."
Kevin furrowed his brow slightly, as if fumbling through his memories.
"That's right. It's been a little less than 10 years!"
Malea shouted with a flushed face.
"You came together back then."
What Kevin and Malea were talking about seemed to be memories from the tutorial.
But even so, is it really possible to forget to this extent?
Is that normal?
It felt as if an unidentifiable anxiety was tightening its grip on her body.
"I had been lingering around there for a while, so happy to hear that Vanessa was coming. Of course, I couldn't talk to her, but I recognized Presepe at first glance. You look exactly the same as you did when you were little."
"Do you know my mother?"
"They were friends. Best friends who grew up together since childhood."
Malea answered with a wry smile.
"Anyway, since I heard people were coming from the Imperial Palace again, I took charge of the cleaning just in case. And here I am, finally meeting you. Only now."
"Presepe, listen carefully to my words. You..."
As Presepe bit his lip tightly, Vanessa's voice, muttering softly just before her execution, brushed past her ears.
"...So go to the Forbidden Forest."
"Malea..."
Presepe, who had been lost in thought, slowly parted her lips.
"Could you possibly spare some time for me?"
"Yes?"
"I just have a few questions. If you are not keen on it..."
“No, no!”
Malea answered, waving her hand excessively.
"Anything you ask is fine, Presepe. After all, you are Vanessa's daughter."
Kevin kept his mouth shut, paying attention to Presepe's expression.
"A suspicious person might approach."
"Do you mean the suspicious one?"
"Kill anyone, regardless of who they are"
"..."
"I'll take care of the rest."
Kevin felt a little uneasy at Fenrir's words. He wondered if something might actually happen just as Fenrir had said.
Of course, the possibility of that happening within this village seemed slim, but Kevin still felt more at ease spending time at the lodging than wandering around outside. And Fenrir would likely think so too.
So, Kevin looked at Presepe and Malea with a big smile and said.
"Then, shall we all go up together, Lady Presepe?"
***
"First of all, here is the plan I have in mind."
Siegfried's voice was echoing inside the barracks.
"We will divide into groups of five to scout the Forbidden Forest. That way, even if we are attacked by monsters, we will be able to fight without difficulty."
Five...
Fenrir's face turned slightly subtle as he listened to Siegfried's words.
That is to be expected, as the number five was a bit ambiguous.
If other groups are formed in sets of five, the group to which he and Siegfried belong would be the same; if the number of knights is large, the likelihood of witnesses remaining increases.
"Our Knights. In particular, those stationed in the Forbidden Forest have been training here for a long time. They also know fully how to deal with monsters when they appear. So, three Knights. I think it would be a good idea to form groups like this, with the two private soldiers the Grand Duke brought along."
As expected, Siegfried proposed three knights.
It was not the picture Fenrir had hoped for.
"This time, we won't just search the entrance or middle of the Forbidden Forest as we did before. I think it would be a good idea to venture deep inside, to the point we haven't been to before. It isn't a common occurrence for us to receive this kind of manpower support."
"..."
"Of course, to be clear, the soldiers are not the troops of Ateloia, but since Grand Duke Fenrir is someone His Majesty cherishes, it would be no different."
Fenrir did not answer.
"The terrain of the forest is not that complex. The entrance. I mean, where the Grand Duke is currently located is in the southern part of the forest."
Siegfried put down the map of the Forbidden Forest and began to explain.
"The place we have definitely set foot in is up to the center of the forest, which we climbed up from the entrance."
The Knights had been stationed in the Forbidden Forest for a long time, but they had never ventured to the innermost part of the forest.
The reason was simple. Because it was too dangerous.
Even the maps that do exist were not created by the Knights themselves after they had figured out the terrain. They were merely maps preserved from oral traditions passed down through generations.
"First of all, there is a dead tree in the center. It is very large, so you will be able to locate it even from a distance."
Siegfried continued speaking.
"According to the map, there is a creature called the umbilical cord in the northern part of the breath, that is, in the innermost part."
"...The monster's umbilical cord?"
"Yes, but since it remains only in records, we cannot know what it means. We also do not know if there are sheer cliffs or rounded hills. However, given that we saw dragons flying in from the north, I suspect there might be a dragon nest in the northeast or northwest."
To think that after being stationed there for such a long time, there isn't even anything you know for sure. Fenrir wore a look of dumbfoundedness.
"There is a lake to the east, and a short walk away is a side path leading to the village."
This was also the reason why the village Vanessa lived in was easily attacked.
"It is said that about ten years ago, when the famine was at its peak, people even risked their lives to go to the lake to fetch water. Hoping to hear their stories, I inquired with those who had gone, but I was told that they had all died. The road is currently closed off."
"..."
"And if you look here, to the west..."
Siegfried's thick fingers touched the map.
"There is a cave. I heard its exact name is the Cave of Silence."
Fenrir furrowed his brows slightly.
"Like the Monster's Umbilical Cord, little is known about the Cave of Silence either. However, we can probably roughly guess what kind of being's lair it might be."
"Demon King."
“Yes, that’s right.”
West of Ateloia, the Forbidden Forest.
And it was said that the Demon King lives to the west of that forbidden forest.
An evil being that tormented and killed people for a very long time, even before Ateloia existed. The King of the Demons was a story that Fenrir also already knew.
"I don't know if the Demon King really lives here like in the legend, but shouldn't we take a look at him at least once? Especially since he has been stationed here for such a long time."
Smiling broadly at Fenrir, Siegfried recalled the order Dietrich had given him.
"Lure the Grand Duke into the Forbidden Forest."
"Because..."
"If the Grand Duke is truly connected to monsters, something will look different. And the moment he shows such movements."
"I would like to explore the Monster's Umbilical Cord and the Cave of Silence with the Grand Duke."
"Kill the Grand Duke on the spot. Disguise it as the work of a monster."
In the end, Fenrir and Siegfried's true intentions were no different at all.
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Siegfried inwardly thought it unexpected that the positivity dropped so easily.
Of course, he knew that Fenrir was a war hero praised by people and someone who had proven his skills time and time again.
But it was none other than the Forbidden Forest. It was the Silent Cave where the Demon King lived, a place where everyone who set foot was said to have died.
It seems he was a much more remarkable person than he expected.
...Or, he is much more arrogant than I expected.
It was the moment Siegfried was muttering to himself.
“Let’s do this instead.”
"Yes?"
"The Knight Commander and me. My bodyguard knight and one knight. A total of four."
This was a far cry from Siegfried's plan. His original intention to form a group of three knights and two soldiers was to easily deal with them in case of an emergency.
"But Grand Duke, that is dangerous."
Siegfried continued speaking somewhat urgently.
"Of course, I am well aware that the Grand Duke is an outstanding individual. However, nothing could happen in the Forbidden Forest. Furthermore, the place we must go is the most dangerous. Therefore, as I mentioned at the beginning, the three Knights, myself, the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke's escort knights..."
"The more people there are, the safer it might be, but that also makes us more visible to monsters, and moving around isn't as easy compared to a small number."
Fenrir cut Siegfried off.
"On the other hand, if it's a small number, we can move quickly and stealthily, and a reinforcement will be chasing us anyway. I don't really see the benefit of moving in such a uselessly large number."
"..."
"Of course, their combat power might be lower, but that would only apply when deploying ordinary soldiers. Didn't the Knight Commander say so himself earlier? That those stationed in the Forbidden Forest have undergone extensive training and know exactly how to respond in an emergency."
“Grand Duke, that is..."
"Although my bodyguard and I are newcomers, we have considerable experience facing monsters on the battlefield. It means that even without bringing the other soldiers along for no reason, they are capable of earning more than their keep on their own."
"..."
"However, it seems the situation for the Knights is not like that."
Siegfried kept his mouth shut.
"Or maybe the claim that the Knights are well-trained was a complete lie."
The mockery in Fenrir's voice was vivid.
Siegfried remained silent for a moment, and just as he seemed to be biting his lip with all his might...
"Then I will do as you say."
It was only after a considerable amount of time had passed that he gave an answer.
"First, I ask that you listen carefully to me and the Knights on the scene. As you mentioned, this is your first time in the Forbidden Forest, Grand Duke."
"Actually, rather than people like Dietrich or Ivan who openly reveal their desires, the kind of people who strictly stick to their principles no matter the situation are the most exhausting..."
Vidar believed that Siegfried's backbone was a sense of duty to protect and serve the Emperor, but that was a mistaken belief.
Siegfried stakes his life on martial arts and his soul on the pride forged by them.
In the end, even the sense of duty toward the Emperor was merely a means to show off his abilities and to benefit himself.
Fenrir knew those stupid people very well.
So, it is bound to be easy to act according to one's own preferences.
...but on the ground, will there be a chance to hear your story?
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Fenrir uttered words that were completely different from his true feelings and slowly rose from his seat.
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