episode_0038

“…So the Empress immediately gave the next request?”

After finishing my audience with the Empress at the Imperial Palace, I told her the story I had with her inside, and Rubia nodded and said.

“Uh, we need to keep the Katenis family’s attention focused on Britannia. If what the surrendered immigrants say is true, the danger of the monster itself cannot be ignored.”

“An immortal monster… Is this a case of a parasite living on the body of the chimera we faced in the Colosseum? Just like having a body that regenerates no matter how much it gets hurt.”

I shook my head at Emma’s question.

“From what I heard, it seems like it would be extremely difficult to hurt him at all.

One of the people who was cursed said that he threw himself in front of the aliens’ ax in desperation to die, but only got scratches.”

“…But is it possible to suppress it?”

“The best way would be to disarm it and then crush it with mass. That monster seems to rely on technique rather than strength.”

“Oh, then Emma can sit on that butt.”

Emma, who stiffened at Luvia’s sudden surprise attack, glared at Luvia with a red face.

“…I guess you really liked it in the bathhouse last time?”

It was said in an attempt to help Emma, who was being bullied by the sly Rubia, but it seems the effect was too strong.

Luvia’s face turned red just like Ema did a moment ago, and Ema, who was already blushing, seemed to be giving off steam with her ears pricked up.

“…Okay… forget about that. Anyway, it would be correct to subdue it in a similar way.

In the past, dozens of people rushed in to block the movement and held it down, successfully suppressing it.

Maybe you can trade with foreigners and druids and get their help.”

Despite this, Rubina’s and Emma’s expressions were not bright. It wasn’t just because of the shame they felt just now.

“…But master, there is something that bothers me. Even if it is true that the monster was subdued like that in the past…

So why are some now driven to the point where they themselves surrender to the empire? If that’s because the existing method didn’t work…”

“Yes, that is quite possible.

The fact that he practiced swordsmanship in the past means that he had a minimum level of intelligence, and even if he was immersed in madness, he may have figured out the weaknesses of those who tried to capture him again over a long period of time.”

“How about enlisting the cooperation of imperial wizards or barbarian druids in Britannia to lift the curse of immortality?”

“I think that will probably be difficult.”

Emma, who expressed her opposition to Rubia’s proposal, calmly explained the reason.

” I understand that druids are closer to priests than simple wizards.

If it is a curse that has not been lifted for an unknown amount of time, it is very likely that it is not simply magic as their legends suggest, but is truly a curse given by the god they serve.”

Although it was a blessing, the opposite of a curse, Emma’s words were quite persuasive, considering that it was impossible to suppress Emma’s transformation and the blessing of Epona, the goddess served by the centaurs.

“…In the end, the only way is to somehow gather more information needed locally and respond accordingly.

Besides, we actually have to think about how the Katenis family will move around that monster.”

The Catenis family planted many people throughout the empire to serve as their eyes, ears, and sometimes hands and feet, especially in the border areas where they could acquire many new slaves depending on the situation.

There was a possibility that the report from the legions stationed in Britannia had some understanding of the situation before it reached Empress Solaria.

‘Luckily, I haven’t been able to get my hands on that monster yet.’

“… This is something I’ve never understood before… Why on earth is Katenis so obsessed with things related to immortality and immortality?

Normally I would despise it, but I would understand its motivation.

No matter how much wealth a person accumulates and how much glory he enjoys, or rather, the more he does, the more he fears death and wants to live forever…”

Luvia paused for a moment and quietly let go of her anger in silence.

She too was someone who suffered greatly from Katenis’ crazy obsession.

“Still, the part that makes me feel more absurd than angry is that he has already achieved immortality.

She dropped Concordia, who was called the queen of dragons, from the sky, drank her blood, filled a bathtub, and even took a bath, so she must already have a strong body that never ages.

In addition, with Ilsin’s power to defeat the dragon, numerous private soldiers of the great family, and even a dragon who surrenders and volunteers to become his slave, who can kill him?

Since you can always extract additional dragon blood later, there is no need to worry about running out of dragon blood and look for a replacement.”

“I once had the same question. In the end, it’s just a guess, but if there are a few reasons…

For now, it’s probably just some residual anxiety.

One day, if you drink dragon’s blood for too long, you develop a tolerance to it, and it no longer has any effect.

Something more monstrous than himself appears and eventually breaks through all the soldiers and dragons, defeating and killing him as well.

In order to completely block even the slightest possibility, we are gathering more secrets of immortality. However…”

I paused, remembering what the Catenis family had done, and only after a while did I continue speaking again.

“…I don’t think that’s the biggest reason. In that case, I could have worked a little more leisurely.

Rather than persistently collecting and hiding secrets, even doing all kinds of evil and unreasonable things.

There is no reason to make more enemies by pursuing immortality so forcefully.”

“Then, master, what do you think is the biggest reason why Catenis did what he did?”

“Exclusive. I think he’s acting like he doesn’t want to allow anyone but himself to become immortal.

In fact, he may be able to share dragon blood with people other than himself, but he has never even offered a deal to give it to his relatives or allies in return.

The problem is that even this seems closer to a means to achieve another goal, a condition to be met, rather than the purpose of Catenis…

I don’t know exactly what his ultimate goal is, but we shouldn’t let him achieve it.”

Following the Empress’ orders, she planned to avoid conflict with the personnel sent by Catenis, even to the extent of overdoing it, but she also had no intention of handing over to them the monster cursed with immortality.

In the worst case scenario, who knows what the curse of God, once transformed into a terrible weapon, will be reborn in his hands.

Luvia and Ema also nodded quietly at my words, showing the same determination in their eyes.

It was a fortunate thing. Because having a common prey with the Catenis family required such determination.

In particular, if it was a big catch like this, even Catenis would move the most capable hunters, so he had to be prepared to encounter ‘them’.

As we continued walking, a highway opened up in front of us, and Emma, who stepped forward, once again transformed into her half-man, half-horse form.

Even though we do not know the exact meaning of her transformation, the eyes of the people of the empire are focused on us as they marvel at the appearance of a rare centaur.

This request was convenient in that I didn’t have to worry too much about other people’s opinions.

On the contrary, one of the goals was to attract as much attention as possible and prevent anything else from happening in the system.

Luvia and I climbed up behind Emma amidst all the attention.

I took out the gold-level adventurer’s medal that I had deliberately kept inside my breastplate and showed it to the gathered crowd.

Those who remembered me from my fight with the Chimera in the Colosseum not long ago began to cheer loudly at the fact that the gold-level adventurer and imperial hunter was going on another hunt.

Just as it is done to the imperial army heading out for an expedition.

It was questionable how many of them would continue to cheer like that even after learning the inside story of this quest and hunt.

And soon all those cheers quickly disappear as the wind blows behind us.

It wasn’t easy to chase after a half-man, half-horse that could run faster than anyone else on the ground.

So we left the archipelago and continued toward the port in the northwest of the empire.

From there, it was intended to move to Britannia with the Imperial Navy carrying supplies and replacement troops.

It wouldn’t take that long to reach the port with Emma, but I couldn’t help but feel a little impatient.

Before we even set foot on that land, Catenis might be moving her grip on Britannia again.

As if Emma had read her impatience, she increased her speed, and I put my hand on her back and quietly expressed my gratitude.

‘I hope we are not late… and that everything goes well in Britannia.’

I hoped to feel Emma’s hooves tapping the ground with my hand on her back and the sound of Luvia’s heart with my back against her chest.

——

“..Heo Eok… Heo Eok…”

The druid, who was still young, was hiding in the bushes and shaking.

“Khaaaa…”

“…Fuck…Eat…”

“Istra..si..uh…uh..why…”

As she listened to the moans, last breaths, and questions of her dying compatriot, she covered her own mouth and tried to somehow stop her body from shaking.

If I even made a rustling sound due to this trembling, it would be over.

It had very bright ears.

Most of those who had been hunted by it in this forest over the past few days were excellent warriors and hunters, but even those who were so accustomed to its presence and sound in the forest could not fool its ears.

At the same time, it was too fast and too deadly… to kill.

Not even the swords, axes, spears, and arrows of the tribal warriors could stop it. It killed strong warriors as if they were children.

The spells of druids more experienced than her were cut off before she could finish their words, or passed by in vain as they disappeared, leaving behind only afterimages.

One, completely terrified, got his leg cut while trying to run away, so he turned and begged the monster.

I will lift the curse on you, so please just save me.

However, all the monster showed in response to that plea was a bright smile.

For a moment, as she watched the scene from hiding with the druid captured by the monster, she thought the monster had accepted the offer.

Until the blade instantly tore through the druid’s throat.

It left the druid, who was drowning in his own blood, and turned around with a brisk pace, only to listen again and look for other prey.

In the end, all she could do now was quietly pray to the gods in her heart.

‘Gods… please… help me.’

However, even while I was praying in my heart, I could not stop the questions that kept popping up in my head.

Where did it start, what went wrong, and how did it go wrong?

Will the gods abandon her and her tribe?

-Snap…

At that time, I heard the monster’s footsteps right in front of me, so light and gentle that it was hard to believe that it had killed so many tribesmen.

‘Uuuh…’

She couldn’t even pray in her heart anymore.

I covered my mouth with both hands for fear of hearing any breathing sounds, and just hoped that the frantic sound of my heart would quiet down.

But she realized.

Over the past few days, that monster has never heard its prey even once while hunting.

The footsteps she hears now are not something she heard, but something she was ‘heard’.

She raised her head, hoping that the realization was a lie.

Red eyes met hers with a bright smile.