CHAPTER 160: SCOUTING EXPEDITION [2]

So that such a thing would never happen again.

"Senior? Do you have something to say to me?"

"No."

"Ah, how’s the wound from last time? My spirit was a bit rough."

"It’s nothing."

"It didn’t seem that way."

"Losing to you won’t happen a second time."

"I wonder. There’s a saying, isn’t there? The first time is difficult, but the second time is easy."

Carlo Deneb barely suppressed the urge to call down lightning.

"Go."

"You were the one staring at me first, senior."

"Are all elves like this?"

"What do you mean by ’like this’?"

As Carlo held his pulsing head, pressing his forehead...

"Aint, let’s spar again when we make camp later."

"As much as you want."

"Damn it, you were clearly far below me when we first enrolled..."

"What ancient history are you talking about?"

Aint and Veriana were bickering with each other. And also:

"Last time doesn’t count."

"There’s no such thing as ’not counting’ in a match. A loss is a loss, and a win is a win."

"Aren’t you ashamed?"

"Why should I be ashamed of a legitimate victory?"

"My body wasn’t in normal condition."

"That would be your fault for not taking proper care of yourself."

"...Since when did you become so articulate?"

"Do I have to answer that too?"

Almon, still seemingly regretful about not having properly settled the score in the mounted lance competition, was pestering Luina.

"It’s an amusing scene."

And Rudger was watching it all while holding his horse’s reins.

"I never imagined I’d see something like this in my life."

"You say it’s amusing, but you’re not laughing at all."

"How could I laugh, Gerhard? You’re the main problem, if we’re being honest."

Me? Gerhard shrugged.

"Yes, you. It seems like you don’t even try to hide it anymore. Is it because of the demonic creatures?"

"Your words are a bit strange."

Gerhard snorted.

"Just because you’re the imperial prince, just because House Schwaben is the imperial family, don’t mistakenly think that everything in the Empire is yours. There’s no reason why I should be mindful of you."

Nevertheless, his initial caution was because he lacked certainty and didn’t want to make unnecessary enemies.

But with the situation having progressed this far, such concerns were trivial.

He had realized that at the crossroads of whether the world would fall into the demons’ hands or not, Gerhard needed to support Aint with everything at his disposal.

"Ah, right. Of course. Naturally, how could I not know that?"

But I’m just...

Rudger’s voice lowered.

"Curious about what you’re trying to achieve using Armian."

"I’m forging a better sword to hunt demons. You can’t kill a cow with a chicken-slaughtering knife."

"It’s a legend from a thousand years ago. The Armians have already lost their secret swordsmanship, their pride, their heritage, haven’t they?"

Well, that’s your misconception. He deliberately chose not to provoke Rudger further.

It would be troublesome if House Schwaben started interfering with Aint in earnest.

"It does seem that way. Still, I judge that having something, even if incomplete, is better than having nothing."

"Well, I suppose half of something is better than nothing at all."

"What about you? What are your intentions? Surely you don’t actually think Aint Armian poses a threat?"

"Of course not. He’s irritating, but that’s all. Comparing Armian to Schwaben at this point would be absurd."

No matter how talented Aint might be, he wouldn’t immediately become Emperor. Without support, he would just be a person with the Armian name.

The first Emperor had the Armian Kingdom behind him, but Aint Armian only had his fallen family.

"Even if demonic creatures are causing trouble, that’s all there is to it. With a half-baked heritage, he can’t do anything particularly remarkable."

Still, there was symbolic value. And if a wealthy patron decided to use that symbolism, it would obviously become quite troublesome.

Rudger’s eyes sank coldly.

Their eyes met. Gerhard could clearly feel the anger embedded within that coldness.

"What was that saying from House Goldenheim?"

"Make money without making enemies?"

"Yes, that one."

"I’m acting according to that motto."

"I know. I also believe—"

"Halt!"

At that moment, the knights leading the front came to a stop. Their conversation was cut short.

"We’ll camp here for tonight. If we leave at dawn tomorrow, we should reach the barrier by morning."

The sun was already setting. The soldiers began setting up the camp.

"This is also a good experience, so we’ll set up our own camp. Ask the soldiers for know-how."

"Yes."

The students began pitching tents and digging drainage ditches with the soldiers.

Gerhard lightly created drainage channels with magic while surveying the surroundings.

They were on the side of a vast mountain, with a small plateau large enough for hundreds to stay.

Not far away, rocky mountains were visible.

’This is the place.’

According to the prophecy book, Rudger would discover Itarium while on a scouting mission with Almon and the soldiers after setting up camp.

News of the Itarium would spread throughout the camp, and Rudger would claim the first finder’s rights, taking the fruit and leaves.

But he didn’t know—in fact, no one except Gardner knew—

that the roots of Itarium contained richer mana than its leaves or fruit.

Aint would secretly take those roots.

That was the full story of the elixir incident recorded in the prophecy book.

Gerhard’s aim was simple.

’I’ll take the leaves and fruit that Rudger would claim.’

Then naturally, Aint would eat the roots. That would be sufficient.

Though he was tempted by the roots, he didn’t want to imagine a dreadful future where Aint was too weak to catch demons.

As the camp was being set up, Professor Grad gathered the students once more.

Beside him were soldiers prepared to go on a scouting mission.

"Setting up camp and scouting the surroundings are essential tasks. This is also a valuable experience. I’m taking volunteers to accompany the soldiers on their scouting mission."

"I’ll go."

Gerhard raised his hand without any hesitation.

Rudger, who had half-raised his hand, hesitated and lowered it again.

"I’ll go too."

"Me too!"

Instead, Luina and Ariadne raised their hands.

"Two is enough. Luina will go."

"Yes."

Gerhard and Luina gathered their equipment and joined the scout team.

"Just follow us and observe what we check and how we scout. Feel free to ask if you have any questions."

"Yes."

"Yes."

The ten-person scouting team left the camp and began running. The well-trained horses galloped powerfully over the rough mountain paths.

"What’s going on?"

Luina, running alongside him, whispered.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You’re not one to do things that don’t make money. Are you aiming for something?"

"...It’s not like that."

Feeling as if his true intentions had been exposed, Gerhard avoided her gaze.

After some time, the scout team mainly looked for traces of monsters in the area.

"It’s not common, but occasionally there are monsters that come all the way here, bypassing the barrier."

"It seems the barrier can’t protect everywhere."

"Though we call it a ’barrier,’ it’s a general term for several fortresses placed at strategic points. It can’t protect everywhere."

"I understand."

Meanwhile, Gerhard finally found what he was looking for.

[It was located in the crevice of three rock walls shaped like a trident.]

Ahead, he could see rock walls shaped like a trident.

"How about we go over there? Monsters might be hiding in the crevices between those rock walls."

"Let’s do that."

The scout team entered between the trident-shaped rocks. The gap between the rock walls resembled a valley.

After entering for a while...

According to the prophecy book, the Itarium should have been there, rooted in the rock wall.

It should have been there...

It should...

"...What?"

"What’s wrong?"

"No, it’s nothing."

...Why isn’t it here?

Even after infusing mana into his eyes and looking carefully, he couldn’t see anything.

"..."

Had someone already completely uprooted and eaten it?

There was only an empty trace, dug into the rock, proving that Itarium had once been there.