Ch.186186. Abandoned by the Imperial Family?

“It seems the rumors have already begun to spread.”

I gently placed the book I was reading on the desk as Castleton entered the study.

“The blood of monsters?”

“Yes, most people don’t seem to believe the rumors are true, but regardless, they’re refusing to sell monster blood.”

“That makes sense. They’ll want to hoard it just in case.”

I nodded, and Castleton nervously swallowed.

“Young master, I purchased the monster blood because you told me to ‘just do it,’ but how did you know the price would rise?”

“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m too curious to contain myself.”

In response to Castleton’s question, I pointed to the book I had placed on the desk.

“Because I read books diligently?”

“…You might as well not say anything at all…”

“See? I told you that you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Are you saying that by reading books, you can predict which way the world is heading?”

“Prediction… yes, something like that.”

Castleton continued with an annoyed expression.

“Anyway, I don’t think we can purchase any more monster blood.”

“That’s fine. We’ve bought enough already, and Brother Leonard continues to provide me with monster by-products regularly.”

“…Do you think people will start buying monster blood soon? Rumors say it’s useful for medicinal ingredients and antidotes…”

“Since the rumors have already spread, it won’t be long before people start selling monster blood.”

Having spent quite some time procuring monster blood, Castleton asked with a rather tense face.

“When would be the best time to sell?”

“You can sell it right away if you want. The price of monster blood won’t skyrocket.”

“That makes sense. Monster blood is still being produced continuously.”

“Still, you’ll be able to rake in a tremendous amount of money with what we’ve collected so far.”

“I’m not sure what the price point will be, but I think so too.”

Finally being able to sell monster blood…

I hoped that Baron Roden of the Parseche family, who provided me with this business opportunity, would stop hating me now.

“Thinking about making money makes me feel like my appetite is coming back.”

As I leaned back in my chair with a satisfied expression, Castleton hesitated as if remembering something and leaned toward me.

“By the way, there’s another strange rumor circulating in a noble gathering recently.”

“Noble gathering? What kind of rumor?”

“They say that if you brew and drink Majangcho, which is used as an ingredient for antidotes, even bald people can grow hair.”

“A hair loss treatment?”

“What’s a hair loss treatment?”

Does this world not have hair loss treatments?

Well, I did notice that baldness was common among knights and mercenary group members, so that’s why?

Anyway.

If that’s true, the value of Majangcho would skyrocket.

It could be used for both antidotes and hair loss treatment.

I can guess why this wasn’t mentioned in the original novel.

After all, a hair loss treatment isn’t particularly necessary for hunting monsters, is it?

Besides.

If Majangcho were truly an ingredient for hair loss treatment, its price would have already risen.

It felt like just a baseless rumor, so I smirked at Castleton.

“You can easily tell whether it’s true or false. Just brew some Majangcho and drink it.”

“It’s not that simple. It’s not just any Majangcho.”

“What do you mean it’s not just any Majangcho?”

“They say only Majangcho that grows in Pandera territory is effective.”

“Pandera territory? Then we should go to Pandera territory, get some Majangcho, and brew it.”

At that, Castleton blinked with wide eyes.

“…You don’t know about Pandera territory?”

“Isn’t it in the Eastern Continent?”

“It is in the Eastern Continent, but isn’t it a territory that’s inaccessible?”

“Inaccessible?”

“Do you really not know?”

I sat askew in my chair.

“I might not know. Do I have to know everything?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant… It’s just such a famous territory in the Eastern Continent… I never dreamed that someone as knowledgeable as you wouldn’t know.”

“So, why is it an inaccessible territory?”

“It’s been abandoned by the imperial family for hundreds of years, so it’s known as the ‘forsaken territory.'”

“Abandoned by the imperial family?”

Castleton straightened his back and continued.

“Yes, it’s a tiny territory on top of a cliff, so the imperial family probably decided there was nothing worthwhile to salvage from there.”

“Even if the imperial family abandoned it, why is it inaccessible?”

“As I just mentioned, the territory is on a cliff, and the people there are extremely averse to outsiders entering.”

“Extremely averse? Do they throw rocks from the cliff or something?”

Castleton flinched in surprise, his shoulders jerking.

“H-how did you know? Not just rocks, but they also cast spells if they confirm someone is from another territory. The path up to Pandera territory is narrow and steep, making it even more difficult.”

“Why on earth do they drive people away without reason?”

“It’s a territory that’s been abandoned by the imperial family for hundreds of years. By now, their descendants probably consider it their own territory.”

Are they practicing isolationist politics in a territory without a lord?

If a territory had such a backstory, it should have appeared in the original novel…

Why can’t I recall anything about it?

The mystery of the bizarre Pandera territory piqued my curiosity.

“Then how did people find out that Majangcho from there is effective for hair growth?”

“Well, I suppose someone who used to live in Pandera territory settled elsewhere and spread the rumor.”

“Ah… so people who originally came from Pandera territory can go to other territories?”

“Yes, Pandera territory isn’t a prison. And since there are so few people, they sometimes come down briefly to arrange marriages.”

“If Majangcho really works, wouldn’t people from Pandera territory come down to sell it?”

“That’s true, but I don’t know the exact reason.”

Actually, getting to Pandera territory is simple.

Can’t go because it’s on a cliff?

I could just ride Lucien there.

However.

If it’s a small territory on top of a cliff, it would be easy to discover a dragon’s identity, and entering without permission would be tantamount to invasion, wouldn’t it?

“But let’s say we go through all that trouble to reach the territory. What if Majangcho has no effect on hair growth?”

“Then it’s nothing more than a baseless rumor.”

Right.

That’s why others probably haven’t even tried.

If after all that effort, hair doesn’t grow, it would just be a waste of time.

‘Majangcho… still, I’m strangely drawn to it…’

It was quite an enticing business opportunity after monster blood, and I was thinking hard about it when—

Knock-knock!

“Come in.”

With the knock, Jawill Wilson entered.

Looking at his face, the effects of the poison he received from the poison girl had completely disappeared.

“Wow! Is it the effect of the poison? You look more handsome than before!”

“Of course my normal face looks better than when it was swollen, doesn’t it?”

“Haha! That’s true. Anyway, what brings you here?”

“I heard that Young Master Leonard is going to hunt monsters in the Forest of Death with his knights.”

“Yes, I asked him to.”

“I’d like to join the monster hunt starting tomorrow.”

I shifted in my seat at Jawill Wilson’s unexpected words.

“You? You want to?”

“Yes!”

“You, who always grabbed my thighs and cried whenever I suggested hunting in the Forest of Death!?”

“…Yes.”

“You, who shed tears and snot saying we should take Rio, who’s stronger than you!!??”

“That’s right!!!”

I leaned forward toward Jawill Wilson.

“So, why exactly?”

“Do I need a reason to volunteer for monster hunting?”

“When people suddenly do things they’ve never done before, they tend to die quickly. I’m worried!”

“I had many realizations when I visited the imperial palace. I want to become stronger than I am now.”

Jawill Wilson’s eyes burned with determination.

I had no reason to stop him if he wanted to become stronger, though I wasn’t sure how long that fire would last.

“You won’t give up halfway and quit?”

“Of course not. Knight Jawill Wilson is not a man who speaks with two tongues!!!”

By the way.

Did he decide to become stronger because of the incident in Kataria territory?

Well, as an uncle, he must have been embarrassed.

His nephew handled the Black Hound while he dealt with the remaining lower monsters.

I glanced at Castleton, who was standing blankly, intending to ask about the reason for his resolution.

“We’ll continue our discussion about Pandera territory later.”

“Understood.”

After confirming that Castleton had left the study, I spoke.

“Are you embarrassed about being a fake hero in Kataria territory?”

“…Pardon?”

For some reason, Jawill Wilson suddenly seemed disoriented.

Even at a glance, his mind appeared to be in great confusion.

“What are you doing? Can’t you focus on our conversation?”

“Y-young master. Did you just mention Pandera territory?”

“Oh, you know about it too? It must be quite famous then?”

Jawill Wilson, blinking his eyes as if lost in thought, looked at me and tilted his head.

“That’s my hometown.”