Ch.79Killing a Single Mosquito… #5

“What…? Catch mosquitoes?”

Eve asked with wide eyes, clearly bewildered.

She was so frail that even when raising her voice, she didn’t give the impression of having strong energy.

If anything, she looked rather pitiful.

“Yes. I want to catch the mosquitoes that are always rampant during summer. Partly because they annoy me, but also because I think the territory’s residents would have a much more pleasant summer if the mosquitoes disappeared.”

“Um… you’re quite down-to-earth. But using magic to catch mosquitoes…”

“I understand it sounds absurd. I get it. But catching all those countless mosquitoes by hand is impossible and would take too long. That’s why I’ve come seeking the power of magic.”

If only there had been mosquito repellents or coils, I wouldn’t have resorted to the unhinged idea of using magic to kill mosquitoes.

But the environment didn’t allow for it,

And because the loathsomeness of mosquitoes remained the same then as now, I had come all this way.

Eve looked at me with half-dazed eyes and stammered.

She seemed at a loss for what to say.

At times like this, it seemed better for me to continue speaking.

Perhaps she might become interested as I went on.

I laid out stories about molecules and particles that I thought she would find most interesting.

Of course, I was no expert and only knew the basics, so it was just a superficial overview with little substance.

However, this eccentric woman bombarded me with countless questions that I couldn’t possibly answer.

It was somewhat bitter, like being severely beaten after pretending to know something, but the mental damage was relatively minor.

After all, I had made it clear that these were concepts I’d only briefly read about as a child, from books whose whereabouts I no longer knew.

“…Haah.”

A sigh escaped me as soon as the barrage of questions ended.

The questioner herself, Eve, seemed to have thought of something and began muttering to herself while busily writing on paper with a pen.

Helena, who could rightfully be called a genius despite her different nature, and Ellen, who also had abundant experience, showed expressions similar to mine.

They must have had headaches from all the incomprehensible talk.

“Very good.”

Only after filling several sheets of white paper with all sorts of formulas did Eve finally speak.

“Very good, Lord Krauser! To think there were units smaller than the elements that make up the world! It’s a shame that I don’t know where that book is, and that its contents weren’t properly passed down… but just knowing about it has given me a great clue!”

“I… see. That’s fortunate.”

“Yes! You are my benefactor, Lord Krauser!”

Benefactor, she says. I feel my face burning with embarrassment at being called a benefactor for merely throwing out a few words.

While it might be an eye-opening revelation for Eve, it was too trivial for me.

Anyway, if Eve feels indebted to me, she might easily grant my request. With that thought, I spoke up,

“In that case, my request…”

“Yes! Of course I’ll help! Even if I have to rack my brains completely, I must! So I’ll pack my things now, please wait a moment.”

Eve jumped up as if she’d been waiting for this, pulled out something like a carrier bag, and hurriedly began gathering necessary tools.

It was good that things were going well, but it was all so sudden. Because of her unexpected enthusiasm, as if she’d become a different person.

◎◎◎

“Jion. Are you really okay with that woman?”

As soon as we left the magic tower and entered a quiet place, Helena asked the question.

As usual, Ellen and Helena sat on the coachman’s seat, while Eve was resting comfortably in the luggage compartment surrounded by canvas.

“What do you mean, ‘okay’? Why?”

“It’s just that she suddenly decided to come to our territory, and she didn’t seem like the type to be so proactive. It’s suspicious.”

Helena’s eyes were sharp as she voiced her suspicion.

But if asked whether it was purely suspicion that made her wary, that didn’t seem to be the case.

It was the same jealous look I had caught in her eyes many times before.

Perhaps it was because Ellen and I seemed to connect well on topics she couldn’t understand.

“Maybe it’s just that her sensibilities are different from ordinary people? They say that’s generally true of magicians, especially those devoted to research.”

“That could be, but…”

Dissatisfaction flickered across Helena’s face, and her eyes wavered.

It seemed like she was trying to instill distrust of Eve in me, to make me distance myself from her even now.

She seemed to be acting this way because things weren’t going as she wanted.

“What is there to worry about? It’s embarrassing for me to say when I can’t protect you… but we have the reliable Helena.”

I placed my hand on Helena’s thigh and tried my best to smile gently.

I casually stroked her thigh, sometimes kneading it, moving my fingers as if checking the texture.

It was a good thigh, with both muscle and softness.

“Ah, mmm…”

Moreover, as my hand moved along the outside of her thigh toward her hip, Helena moaned with a sweet voice.

I had become accustomed to suppressing complaints and silencing her this way, but I wondered if this was really okay.

“Right?”

“Y-yes. Since Jion has me, there’s nothing to be afraid… mmm!”

When I lightly patted the lower part of her back, Helena’s body trembled.

Seeing her plump thigh twitch and her eyes grow hazy, I felt I could rest assured.

Instead, I had to keep my hands busy comforting Ellen, who started whining beside me after seeing this.

The texture was slightly different, but her thighs were just as excellent, beyond comparison.

I was truly glad that Eve, riding in the luggage compartment, couldn’t see this.

And so, I was able to spend a relatively peaceful time traveling from the magic tower to the duke’s territory.

Peace naturally came when I appeased the two women.

Some might call it manipulation, but I’d like to believe “comforting” is the more accurate term.

“I heard you were a Grand Duke… and you really are.”

From the gates of the duke’s territory to the reception room, where we were welcomed by the mansion’s servants, Eve blinked in slight surprise.

Since I had introduced myself as a duke and his friends from the moment we left the magic tower, the shock seemed lessened.

“Yes. Embarrassingly, I became a Grand Duke thanks to Helena’s interest. It’s a position beyond my station, so I often feel nervous.”

I handed Eve a cup of brewed tea and smiled wryly.

They say even a mutt eats half before entering its territory; similarly, I felt a completely different level of comfort now that I was home.

Despite having traveled quite a bit, I had never felt it as keenly as today.

“Ah. I’ll enjoy this.”

Eve picked up the teacup with the same calm, somewhat timid demeanor as when we first met.

She seemed to like the taste of the tea, sipping it repeatedly.

“Yes. It was quite a long journey, so please rest for a few days, and you can start the property investigation after that.”

“Ah… thank you for your consideration.”

Helena and Ellen had temporarily left at my request, so only the two of us were in this office.

Of course, this was the result of special measures taken to deal with the two women who didn’t want to leave my side.

The reason Eve wanted to come here was simple.

The flow of mana differs subtly according to the slightly different environments of each region, and she needed to investigate and include this in her calculations.

Especially for Eve’s magic, such calculations were said to be even more necessary.

“By the way, what did you want to discuss with me?”

Eve, having emptied her teacup, brought up the main topic.

Since I was the one who had asked for some time alone to talk, I intended to answer her question.

“Well, I was wondering if it would be dangerous?”

“Dangerous in what way…?”

“The possibility that you might get hurt, or the residents might be harmed, due to side effects of the magic.”

“Ah… While there are various trials and errors in magical research, such things rarely happen. Of course, there have been cases where magical formulas went out of control, but… I’ll be careful. Thanks to the clue you gave me, my eyes have been opened, and I’ll work hard to produce results without side effects, as you’ve acknowledged.”

A resolute look in her eyes.

Though still quiet and timid in appearance, there was conviction in her voice.

Believing that such a genius could be trusted when she spoke with such certainty, I nodded silently in response.

◎◎◎

─The air quality is slightly different, but not significantly.

─A forest, I see. Indeed, there are many mosquitoes, probably because it’s summer. This is my first time, but by studying the mosquitoes…

True to her promise to work hard, Eve’s work was very thorough.

Even Helena, who had been somewhat wary, came to acknowledge Eve after admiring her passion, and Ellen felt the same.

They must have liked how she devoted herself to her work day and night.

From my perspective, it often seemed to cross from passion into madness… but it was manageable enough.

“Activate.”

And finally, the moment came when Eve’s efforts bore fruit.

The magic circles that Eve had placed at irregular intervals around the territory simultaneously emitted light, and the flow of mana, thick enough for even ordinary people to perceive, flowed like a river through the air.

Magic circles based on large circles with various geometric patterns or shapes drawn on them.

The sight was so complex that it made me dizzy just looking at it, reminding me of the old days when my head would ache just from seeing mathematical formulas.

However, unlike the complex and bizarre magic circles, the phenomenon they created was quite simple.

A whitish mist, which I had mentioned in passing, began to rise like gas and engulf the surroundings.

“As I mentioned before, this is a mist that only kills mosquitoes. It has no effect on other animals or plants.”

“Yes, I remember. I’m well aware.”

I had also imagined a nuclear fission that would satisfyingly kill only mosquitoes, but it wouldn’t have been as familiar and peaceful as this mist.

Setting aside whether nuclear fission could be realized or not, the very idea of using it made me uneasy.

Above all, I felt that if Eve were to discover the concept of nuclear fission, something terrible might happen.

Something completely beyond control.

“Please… let them die.”

I prayed as I watched the spreading mist.

I had heard that it not only kills living mosquitoes but also their eggs, and even mosquitoes that would come in the future… please.

“The Grand Duke… has a childlike side.”

“Ah… ahem! I’m sorry. I just hate mosquitoes so much…”

“Hehe. That’s understandable.”

After clearing my throat to shake off the embarrassment, I quietly watched the gradually thinning mist.

Eventually, the mist completely disappeared, and the clear forest, no different from usual, came into view.

“Now all that’s left is to camp for a day.”

To confirm that the mosquitoes were gone, we decided to camp in this forest for today.

Eve might have been offended by the attitude that seemed to distrust her, but she nodded in agreement as if it were only natural.

Saying that verification was absolutely necessary.

I would have liked to camp myself to confirm it, but I couldn’t due to the opposition of the two women.

It was somewhat regrettable for me, as I wanted to be the first to confirm the miracle.

“Yes. I’ll report the results to you tomorrow morning or before lunch, so please rest assured and sleep well.”

“I’m counting on you.”

I returned to the mansion with a heart half excited, half worried.

Eve would be camping with dozens of the territory’s elite soldiers, so she should be safe.

She was also a magician, and it was a peaceful era.

◎◎◎

And the next day.

Upon hearing the news that the mosquito extermination had been successful, I unconsciously clenched my fist.

Right in front of Helena, Ellen, and Eve, who had come to deliver the news.