Chapter 73: Movement

The next year, March. 

Allen was playing sparring in the morning in the garden.

Swish

(No, I can’t win at all.)

In March, Cecil’s brother, Mihai, returned to the city of Grandver. I asked him for a rematch from last year, and he said yes, so we are having a match.

Allen thinks he also needs to know about the growth rate of a person in Normal Mode. Information is a weapon, after all.

I switched to hunting C-rank magical beasts last October. In the past six months, I have hunted about 2000 C-rank magical beasts and reached Level 28.

His level has increased and his status has grown, but Mihai seems to be a better swordsman than him. Allen’s attack was easily seen through, easily dodged and blocked.

Mihai was sparring with a smile on his face, probably because he could afford it..

(My level and skill level of <Swordsmanship> has gone up quite a bit, but I still can’t win. I guess it’s impossible with 20 Grass cards.)

Normal Mode players grow 100 times faster than a Hell Mode player because of experience requirements. Both Level and skill level are included in this comparison. The Academy’s curriculum is designed to increase Levels and skill levels, and I can feel in my bones that he is stronger than he was last year.

Mihai, who I’ve heard has a Talent as a [Swordsman], is growing at an overwhelmingly fast rate, though I don’t know what kind of curriculum the Academy has. The gap in ability between him and Allen, who grows 100 times slower, would continue to widen.

In the garden, Baron Granvelle, the Baroness, Thomas, and Cecil were watching them spar.

Allen challenged Mihai, but it was quickly settled. As before, Allen’s sword was flicked away by Mihai and the sparring match was over.

“Well done! Master Mihai, you have grown so much.”

The Knight Commander was warned by Mihai last year about the way he called him, and changed his name from Young Master Mihai to Master Mihai.

“Thank you, and by the way, Allen, you’re getting really strong.”

“No, I’m not as good as you, Master Mihai.”

He humbly responds to Mihai’s compliment. Then Mihai asks Allen for a handshake.

(He asked for it last year, too. Is this a tradition at the Academy?)

Allen shook Mihai’s hand, wondering if they would end up shaking hands if this was an Academy thing.

“That’s Cecil’s manservant. Take care of my sister.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best to protect her.”

Mihai was happy with the answer, and smiled back.

“Oh, by the way, Allen, you fought against Madegarsh, didn’t you?　Tell me how it went.”

(We didn’t fight, we just played tag.)

It was already noon, so we entered the mansion to talk about it while we ate. As we were going towards the hall while chatting, a sound suddenly called out.

“Excuse me!”

One of the Knights rushed into the mansion.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

I have a bad feeling about this. Last time, the Knight came to report and Madegarsh showed up. I wonder if the game of tag of death will start again.

“What’s wrong?”

Since we are dealing with Knights, the Knight Commander asked the question.

“Commander, the White Dragon has moved!”

“What? Where, where did it move to!”

The Baron began to ask questions in a authorative manner. His voice was full of glee.

“My Lord. Why don’t we go back to your room and talk?”

(What? I want to hear about White Dragon’s movement, too.)

Allen was pleased as everyone all headed towards the hall. Allen was also interested in this story.

I’ve been serving the Baron Granvelle for about a year and a half now, and the Baron who rules the territory receives a lot of information. Depending on the sensitivity of that information, he has to send people off.

Employees of the mansion can hear the least sensitive information like in this case. Of course not every employee can. Only the ones on serving duty like Allen or of the higher ranks like a Valet can hear it.

More sensitive information can only be known to relatives with blood ties to the Baron. This means the Baroness and the Baron’s children. In this case, Allen would be asked to leave, and in fact, he was occasionally kicked out of the dining room.

The most sensitive information is not done in the dining room. It takes place in the Meeting Room next to the Baron’s study. The Baron, the Butler, and the Knight Commander will discuss the matter. At that time, the hallway and everything else is off limits.

While eating lunch in the dining room, we heard a report from the Knight.

“So, what do you mean the White Dragon moved?””

“According to the report of the adventurer party, Silver Fang of the Gale, the White Dragon has suddenly disappeared from the place where it used to sleep in the White Dragon Mountains. They spent the next three days trying to track it down, but were unable to locate it. So, they returned to the city to report the findings!”

“Whoa! Finally, after such a long time, the White Dragon has moved!”

Even though we were eating, the Baron was so delighted that he got up from his seat. His clenched hands were shaking uncontrollably. He must have been overwhelmed with emotion.

“We are currently planning to ask Silver Fang of the Gale, who has returned to the city, to investigate again. That is all I have to report.”

The Knight Commander told him he could leave, and the Knight who had come to report left the dining room.

“Well, it’s good news. We’ll also have to investigate what’s going on in the Mithril mining area in the future.”

For the first time in over 100 years, the White Dragon has moved in the White Dragon Mountains. And its current whereabouts are unknown.

“What? But we don’t know where the White Dragon will reappear. First of all, we must hurry to confirm its new sleeping place.”

“I understand. However, the mining of Mithril is the duty of my territory. We need to check the status of the mining area as soon as possible.”

The Knight Commander said that his priority is to confirm the location of the White Dragon. As for the Baron, he wants to resume mining Mithril for the first time after over 100 years as soon as possible.

“Does that mean we need to hunt the magical beast on the way to the mining area?”

“‘Yes, Master Mihai, if we know that the White Dragon is completely gone from the Baron’s territory, we need to ensure the safety of all four mining sites.”

“I still have my vacation left, so I can help you out a little.”

“No. We might run into a White Dragon. Master Mihai, your life is more important.”

It seems that the Knight Commander will not allow Mihai to participate in the investigation. He seems to have judged that it would be dangerous even for Mihai now if they encountered a White Dragon.

(Did I mention that Goblins and Orcs have established settlements at the foot of the White Dragon Mountains?)

As he listened to the conversation, Allen remembered what he had heard from Raven, the adventurer.

The foothills of the White Dragon Mountains are densely forested. In fact, Allen had been chased there by Madegarsh, and had reached the dense forest area.

The forest is said to have a nest of Goblins and Orcs. According to Raven, D-rank Goblin nests contain C-rank Goblins, and the same is true for C-rank Orc nests, which contain B-rank Orcs. Goblins and Orcs that have run out of nests are migrating from the foothills of the White Dragon Mountains to the city of Grandver because of their high reproduction rate.

There are also nests of Armored Ants on the mountainside just beyond the forest. Each of these nests is said to contain countless Armored Ants, as well as their leader, the Queen Armored Ant.

Goblins and Orcs that come out of the nest may attack villagers and travelers. If the attacks occur frequently, the nearby villagers come to the city to ask for help. When this happens, not only adventurers but also Knights may be dispatched.

(I see, the Knights might need to take out the Goblin and Orc nests. I can’t let them take all the loot.)

Allen thinks that he can’t let the Knights take his valuable experience.

After several months of investigation, it was discovered that the White Dragon had moved out of Baron Granvelle’s territory.

It moved to the Viscount Carnell side of the White Dragon Mountains.