Chapter 88 - March to Subjugation (Part 3)
It was unmistakable—a death cry, pure and final.
The sound of that massive body thrashing echoed with a strange wetness—was it the holy water surrounding the beast? Even in the twilight, the thick white smoke billowing from the mouth of the cave was clearly visible. That roar of death went on for a while... and then, all at once, the world was smothered in silence so heavy it made the ears ache.
“It’s done,” My Friend murmured. “The creature passed without damaging the core body. A small mercy, perhaps. If it is to be reborn again—whether as a human or something less—I can only hope it finds peace in its next life. May it never suffer the cruel fate of metamorphosis again... Shall we?”
His words of prayer were chilling in their detachment. My Friend knew all too well: the overflow of mana could twist the body into something unrecognizable. A violent surge of mana that not even the host could control—turning beast to wild beast, wild beast to magical beast... and then into true monster. This was the reality he accepted. A perspective only those who chased the deeper truths of this world could possess... or so I believed. In the frontier, experience alone taught the same lesson. That was why the Demonic Forest inspired such dread—a place no human should approach, let alone inhabit.
Yet... if humanity wished to preserve its territory, then we had no choice but to fight back—to prevent the encroachment of that cursed forest, and the slow drowning of our lands in its malice. It demanded tireless, relentless effort. Felling saplings, clearing underbrush, hunting down the small magical beasts—these were part of everyday life in the settlements along the forest’s edge. But the meaning behind those tasks was immense. And for someone from the central aristocracy—no less than the second son of a high-ranking Minister of Magic's house—to truly understand that... was nothing short of extraordinary.
“You’ve reached the ‘frontier state of mind,’ have you?”
“In the lower city, survival was everything,” My Friend replied. “The mindset’s not so different from the frontier. I lived it. Is it so strange that I reached this point? I’ve always been inclined toward thought—and besides, I’m a genius. Attaining such awareness shouldn’t be surprising.”
“Considering how most rot away before ever reaching that point... I’d say you’re something rare.”
“Praise me, praise me,” he said with a grin. “Still, even with my brilliance, the secrets of the Demonic Forest remain beyond reach. That vast forest covering the world... its mysteries are only just beginning to be unraveled. Your reason for being here—your purpose—is tied to that, isn’t it?”
“...I won’t say.”
“Thought so. If it’s part of your deal with the Prime Minister, I won’t press. Still—I think I can help. There are plenty of people out there, struggling to survive in dangerous places with all the strength they can muster. I’ll keep creating things to support those small first steps. You should help too. Without it, there’ll be no peace in the frontier.”
“I understand. My Friend... what is it you see?”
“A small, nameless warrior, standing against a colossal threat. A lone fighter with a hero’s heart. That’s what I see.”
“You think that’s me?”
“Need I even say it?” he said flatly. “Still... it’s not enough. And it likely never will be. That’s why daily training and discipline are crucial. Proper equipment too. Which is why I’m here. Yes—me, the genius.”
“...I owe you.”
“Think nothing of it!”
My Friend puffed out his alluring chest, a dazzling grin spreading across his face. This strange companion of mine—neither wholly man nor wholly woman—was, without a doubt, someone with the heart of a hero. No matter what anyone said, I would stake my life on that. Darkness had fully fallen, and the world was now swallowed by night. We lit magical lanterns to push back the gloom and illuminate the area. The final phase was about to begin.
It was time to recover the defeated Hydra. A message would be sent to the fortress. Support would be called in from the rear guard. Combat readiness could now be relaxed. From here on, our efforts would focus on the retrieval, preservation, and transport of this singularity.
A makeshift campsite was established, and while taking turns sleeping, they proceeded to recover the materials left behind by the mid-sized monster, the Hydra. The most crucial among them was the magic stone. If it wasn’t retrieved, the location would surely attract other magical beasts. Bright magical lanterns were cast into the depths of the cave. There, in an area where the rocks had been melted and eroded by poison and acid, lay the Hydra’s corpse—untouched by even a single wound, its life simply extinguished. Perhaps it was the effect of My Friend’s magitech tool. The extraction of the magic stone progressed smoothly, and they were able to retrieve a large composite core.
Its color was iridescent. The transparent stone brimmed with vast mana, and its crystallized body was so solid it seemed to suppress the dispersion of that mana. My Friend watched, fascinated, as the concentrated mana swirled within—like a will taking form and spiraling inward.
“This will fetch a high price,” he said. “It could be worth a small fortune—perhaps even enough to buy one’s life back.”
“It won’t be going to the knightly family’s coffers, though.”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?”
“There’s a pact. All magic stones—except for the scrap ones—must be delivered to our patron house. Especially treasures of this caliber, akin to gemstones, are always demanded. They never enter the knightly household’s vault.”
“A one-sided agreement, that.”
“Not entirely. By doing this, the patron house’s treasury is enriched, allowing them to maintain well-trained regional forces. And when we call for support, they will mobilize.”
“...Sounds like a frontier custom. Still, I’d say the burden on the knightly house is too great. Well, no matter. We’re free to use the other materials from the monster, yes?”
“Aye. The meat, the hide, the fangs, the claws—all are considered our spoils. Just like adventurers or explorers, these are used to fund the knightly family’s forces.”
“...Will you keep a portion for yourself?”
“I’ve my own hobbies, after all. Was there something you wanted?”
“Yes... there is. Quite a few things, in fact.”
“Then speak to the engineer captain. I’ve left the selection of recovered items to him. Once the harvesting is done, we’ll bury the remains here. Best make haste. You earned the highest merit in this subjugation. I’m sure he’ll hear you out.”
“Understood. That fellow—he’s the head engineer?”
“That’s right. A good man. He holds no title, but his skill is unquestionable. Treat him with courtesy and he’ll understand. Bit of a stubborn one, though.”
“Got it.”
The remains were buried after stripping them for materials—more than had ever been recorded in any prior case. The engineers bore the brunt of the labor. They would need to be properly rewarded upon return. Still, My Friend had asked for quite a lot. Who would have thought he’d insist on bringing back all the shed skin from the Hydra’s molts? We even had to mobilize the reserve soldiers just to carry the materials. In effect, the harvesting had taken two full days. It was an unprecedented event.
Yet, the truth remained: we had acquired a bounty of rare and valuable resources.
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