Ch.56Black Blood – 1

After Christine mentioned the words “black blood monsters,” a cold silence descended.

I stood quietly, trying to suppress my near-rage at the fact that those things had finally shown themselves again. Charlotte fell into deep thought, immediately seeking a solution upon hearing those words, while Christine quietly clasped her hands together and offered prayers toward me.

Only Serena showed no particular change in demeanor.

She must have noticed the atmosphere becoming suddenly tense, indicating something serious was happening, but her reaction was natural since she wouldn’t know why.

Charlotte was the first to break the silence.

“My lord, do you think the humanoid monsters are connected to those black blood creatures?”

“…I’d like to say no, but I can’t give a definitive answer. After all, the humanoid monsters were originally created by heretics.”

“Those heretics might have been used as pawns. I’ve never heard of humans successfully creating monsters.”

“We need to consider other possibilities?”

Charlotte nodded slightly, affirming my words.

“Indeed. I’ve already read all the reports you wrote. But they were written solely from your perspective.”

“Well, reports are ultimately based on facts I experienced firsthand. I couldn’t possibly write about things outside my field of vision.”

“That’s precisely the problem, my lord. Can you definitively conclude that heretics created the monsters? Can you determine whether humans transformed into monsters, or if monsters merely imitated humans? Or can you completely rule out the possibility that the memories of all humans remaining in that city were manipulated?”

Certainly, there was nothing wrong with Charlotte’s reasoning.

In the end, what I experienced was merely fragmentary, and it was content that could only be established if there were no falsehoods in my experience.

If I had been mistaken, unaware of the circumstances, or only confirmed fragmentary aspects of the incident, the facts as I saw them could turn out to be false.

The problem is, once you start doubting such contradictions, there’s no end to it. Since all possibilities are open, all possibilities must be considered.

It was the worst situation for someone trying to find the correct answer.

“I have absolutely no intention of disparaging your words as lies. In fact, I completely trusted the report you submitted until I heard that madwoman speak. But once doubt begins, you know well that everything must be questioned. That’s—”

“Something I taught you.”

“I’m glad you remember. I shall personally commend you for that.”

“So, we need to question the origin of those humanoid monsters from the beginning?”

“More precisely, there’s nothing we can do but doubt. That city was completely destroyed by that knight commander over there. With no evidence left, what else can we do?”

Charlotte gestured with her eyes toward Serena. Serena looked at me with an expression that seemed to ask what was wrong. From Serena’s perspective, what she did was exactly what she should have done.

Looking at Serena, Charlotte snorted.

“How utterly shameless, destroying the city and shattering all the clues. Do you have no conscience whatsoever?”

“Then you must have no love for your lord. I can clearly see you’d readily offer your body to others at the first opportunity.”

As soon as those words ended, sparks flew around Charlotte with a crackling sound. Serena coldly responded in kind, placing her hand on World Eater.

These two really never get tired, do they?

“You just fought earlier and now you’re going to fight again? Give it a rest. Don’t you ever get tired?”

“I can’t even remember the last time I felt tired. Realize what a meaningless question that is, my lord.”

“I cannot give you a definitive answer as I’ve never tried, but I believe I could fight without tiring for about a month.”

That’s not what I meant.

I almost grabbed the back of my neck in exasperation, watching Charlotte who skillfully avoided the situation with an irrelevant answer, and Serena who honestly stated how long she could fight.

I wondered if Christine might join in, but she was still kneeling with her eyes closed, offering prayers. That was fortunate, at least.

“My head is complicated enough as it is. Could you please stop making it worse? Charlotte, you know this isn’t the time for this, so why do you keep doing it?”

“I’ve already issued orders to prepare the palace for battle. The Royal Knights are on standby. And that’s not all. At my command, the Royal Mages can be mobilized immediately.”

The Royal Knights and Royal Mages were virtually the kingdom’s strongest forces apart from Charlotte herself. It meant she had essentially completed all preparations.

“My lord, I too take this situation seriously. However, I am here. Therefore, this is merely a threat that can be sufficiently countered. While I cannot swear there will be no casualties whatsoever, I can swear that what you fear will never come to pass.”

Charlotte finished her explanation in a calm voice. She must have contacted the palace by magic while contemplating countermeasures right after Christine brought up the subject.

With preparations so thoroughly completed, there was nothing more to say.

“Well done. Good job, Charlotte.”

“Having witnessed your anger up close, how could I not?”

Christine opened her eyes. Serena was also staring at me with round eyes. Ah, perhaps my showing anger was quite shocking news to those two.

I rarely get angry, and even when I show such emotions, they’re mostly fabricated.

“Those worthless creatures made my god angry?”

Christine’s voice was filled with rage. The eyes that had been full of glory and grace since meeting me had disappeared, replaced once again with the cold aura of death.

Serena didn’t do anything in particular. She just seemed surprised.

Since Christine looked ready to tear those creatures apart immediately, I indirectly dissuaded her by patting her head.

Christine whimpered about receiving grace, then closed her eyes again with her hands clasped. Transparent teardrops rolled down her cheeks.

“My lord. Is what that woman said true?”

This time Serena asked a question. Since there was no particular reason to lie, I nodded lightly.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Then, I request that you explain what these black blood monsters are.”

“Why do you ask?”

It was slightly unexpected that Serena would request an explanation first.

I would have expected Serena to wait until I explained, or to simply let it go whether she was curious or not if I didn’t mention it.

When I asked back with half-surprised emotion, Serena answered in a rigid tone.

“They made my lord angry, so they deserve to die. That’s why.”

It wasn’t anything special.

Her reason was similar to Charlotte’s.

As soon as Charlotte noticed I was angry, she declared that whatever made me show emotion deserved to be eliminated and mobilized all sorts of magic to kill monsters.

The reason Charlotte was taking this situation so seriously wasn’t because she considered the black blood monsters dangerous, but because I thought they were dangerous.

If I had dismissed it as nothing important, Charlotte would have done the same.

Regardless of how many people might die.

“Where should I begin explaining… You know that the corpses of ordinary monsters have many uses, right?”

“I know.”

“Then, do you remember what color their blood was?”

“A red similar to humans. It’s a slightly more turbid red than human blood, but still red.”

“You know well. Have you ever seen a monster with black blood, Serena?”

Hearing my words, Serena fell into contemplation.

She was probably carefully recalling all the monsters she had encountered from the time she first met me, when she had just started her adventurer life, until now.

Setting aside the fact that she remembers all that until now.

Her contemplation continued for quite some time. It took Serena almost five minutes to finish thinking before she spoke again.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Of course not. The last time they appeared was almost 100 years ago now.”

Serena hesitated for a moment, then nodded with an expression of realization. In a way, it was an absurd question.

Serena is only about 24 years old, so it’s natural she wouldn’t have seen them.

“Then, does this mean they are monsters dangerous enough for you to be vigilant even after all this time, my lord?”

“About half right.”

“Then the other half is…?”

“Before I explain that, I should first explain why they’re dangerous.”

The other half is better left unexplained.