CHAPTER 200: THE FALLEN HEROES

He spoke on passionately, completely ignoring the uneasy silence that had fallen around him.

The enthusiasm in his voice only grew stronger, his tone shifting into that of a heated lecture.

The only one nodding in full agreement was Mr. Vundo who seemed just as thrilled as him.

They truly were kindred spirits.

Quintus, however, quietly pressed a hand to his forehead to ease the dull ache forming there.

"The beings of darkness are fundamentally different from those of light," Romas continued, his eyes were gleaming. "Naturally, their nature must also be different. Magical beasts do not grow, nor has reproduction ever been confirmed among them. There are records of certain beasts existing for over a thousand years. It’s possible they have no lifespan at all. When they die, their bodies leave no remains—they melt away, turning into a poisonous liquid that seeps into the earth and vanishes.

"On the other hand, what we call magical creatures are usually animals whose bodies have changed dramatically, either in size or in form after acquiring abnormally high levels of magical power. For instance, the great earthworm known as Whiskers, or the giant slug known as Slimer."

At that, Quintus suddenly remembered, yes, the beast tamer Jesse had once been Romas’s prized apprentice.

By now, Jesse was probably hard at work in Dalmasca, using those massive worms and slugs to dig out new tunnels for the mining guilds.

Feeling the urge to mentally escape this bizarre discussion, Quintus let his mind wander.

He pictured the distant green mountains of Dalmasca, where spring would soon give way to lush, fresh greenery.

He tried his best to erase the image of giant worms, slugs, and sea hares from his thoughts entirely.

Romas went on, undeterred. "Magical creatures reproduce, they grow, and they can even be trained or tamed. The fact that communication with them is possible alone proves that magical beasts and magical creatures are entirely different species. Until now, however, we didn’t know why two such different kinds of creatures existed in the same world. There were many records suggesting that the appearance of magical creatures was connected to miasma. At the same time, it was believed that magical beasts were also related to miasma—their strange magical energy was thought to come from it. But now, with this new understanding of the two opposing forces of magic, that mystery can finally be explained. With this—"

"That will do, Your Highness Romas," Quintus interrupted firmly, cutting him off before his enthusiasm could explode further. "We understand your point. We look forward to seeing the results of your future research."

Romas blinked his eyes, he was momentarily caught off guard by Quintus’s calm, commanding tone. Then he gave a short nod, still visibly thrilled by his own ideas. The room finally exhaled as the tension eased.

The Prime Minister smoothly interrupted Romas’s endless stream of words before he could go any further.

"Oh! Leave it to me!" Romas said eagerly.

He nodded his head in satisfaction, then dropped heavily back into his chair.

The pile of papers he had been waving about scattered across the table.

While muttering something under his breath, he hastily gathered them up and shoved the whole stack into the arms of his startled aide sitting beside him.

"I’m going out there myself. I can’t just sit still!"

Without another word, Romas marched toward the door, ignoring the confused aide and the stunned faces around the room.

The guards by the entrance barely had time to react before he brushed past them, his footsteps echoing loudly down the corridor until they faded into the distance.

For a moment, silence filled the meeting chamber.

Everyone seemed unsure how to react.

A few quiet coughs broke the stillness here and there, as if people were trying to collect themselves.

Then, in an effort to bring the meeting back under control, the Prime Minister raised his voice.

"Ahem... Now then," he began smoothly. "Regarding the recent disaster, we intend to honor the outstanding contributions and bravery of Captain Dominic of the Second Division and his aide, Shiao Yi, both of whom gave their lives in service. We are planning to build a monument in their memory. In fact, a petition signed by a great number of knights has already been submitted to support this."

At those words, an image flashed in Quintus’s mind—Louis’s tear-streaked face that was red and swollen from crying. Yes, Louis had been Dominic’s vice-captain.

Quintus still remembered how the knights had suddenly stormed into his office that day, all shouting at once.

Louis had charged forward with an expression so distorted by tears and snot that Quintus had instinctively flinched.

The other squad leaders who stood beside him had also been crying, their eyes red and puffy.

It was clear that Dominic had been deeply loved by his subordinates.

The whole thing had been an oddly touching scene, although the men’s sweaty, snot-covered display of passion had been rather overwhelming.

When Quintus had looked past them for help, he’d noticed Commander Johan standing quietly at the back, looking deeply apologetic as he clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture.

And that was how Quintus had ended up personally delivering the petition to the Prime Minister’s office himself.

"I assume there are no objections to the establishment of a memorial monument?" the Prime Minister asked now, glancing around the table.

Seeing everyone nod in agreement, he gave a satisfied smile.

"I take it, then, that this proposal has been unanimously approved."

He then turned his gaze toward the king.

The monarch met his eyes and gave a slow solemn nod of approval.

"The loss of Dominic pains me deeply," the king said at last, his calm voice echoing through the hall. "He was my cousin and a man of great worth. It is truly a tragedy to lose him. Do what must be done to ensure his achievements are known and remembered."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We are grateful for your kind words. I’m certain Dominic and Shiao Yi would both be honored," replied the Prime Minister while bowing his head deeply in respect.