CH 244

Monster-fallen

***---***

After getting permission from Klaus-san to install the gate, I returned to my home.

It still looked drab now, but it was a size that was more appropriate to call it a mansion than a house.

"I wonder how much it would cost to build a house like this in Tokyo ... Or should I say, isn't this too big for Volzard?"

[ Kent-sama, this is the house where your genus will also live, it's rather cramped. ]

"I see, if you think about it, it's not too big ... hmm ..."

[ Buhahaha, once the construction is finished, the brides are welcomed, and life begins, you will be able to realize it. ]

"That's right. It's still on its way to becoming our home."

When I was looking up at the house alongside Reinhardt, Hirt, who was attached to Seraphima, came back.

"Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Seraphima is troubled."

"Ehh, what happened to Sera?"

"The procession can't advance."

[ Kent-sama, wouldn't it be better if you went to see how things are going? ]

"Yup, that's right. Hirt, guide me."

"Wau, it's this way."

Princess Seraphima of Barshania departed from the Imperial Capital of Guryayev with a grand parade on the last day of the New Year holidays.

After that, the procession continued quietly along the road, but on the fourth day, yesterday, a little trouble occurred and they were forced to stop.

Seraphima was in the middle of meeting with an elderly man.

"Seraphima-sama, then, are you going to leave anyway?"

"I'm not thinking about going back to the Imperial Capital with this level of anxiety."

"But, since something ominous like this happened ..."

"This commotion is probably the work of those who do not want the Imperial Family and Kent-sama to form a relationship. If we turn back here, it's going along with the opponent's plans."

"But ..."

"The escort knights are all skilled. There is nothing to be afraid of, for such things as those who have become monster-fallen."

"But, if the bridal procession is covered in blood ..."

"Noisy! I will never yield to those who use such despicable means!"

"A, as you wish."

Sensing that Seraphima's strong tone didn't waver due to her resolve, the old man and the man accompanying him bowed their heads deeply before leaving the room.

"Seraphima-sama, I will tell the knights that we will be departing tomorrow."

"I ask of you."

Seraphima let out a big sigh as the female knight, who had been standing by Seraphima's side during the meeting, left her room to convey her instructions.

"Haaa ... Hirt, Hirt, come out."

"What's wrong? Sera."

"Kent-sama! Why ... Aahh, Hirt must have informed you."

"Yup, Sera is troubled ... What happened?"

"Actually ... The procession was attacked."

This morning, right after Seraphima's part left the village, two men wielding swords attacked the procession.

"The escort knights took their weapons and tried to suppress them, but they were both monster-fallen ... They had turned into monsters, so they were defeated."

"Does that mean they ate monster meat and magic stones?"

"I can only think so, but this area is not an area where monsters frequently appear, nor is it a land where food is in short supply."

"Did someone force them to eat it?"

"Maybe so, but I don't know for sure."

Even in Barshania, there were times when people believed that eating monster meat and magic stones would give them strong magical powers, or they became monsters due to false knowledge.

It depended on the degree, but if the monsterization progressed to the point where they were no longer possible to maintain their ego, it was said that there was no other way but to take their life.

"But, how did you know they were turning into a monster?"

"Kent-sama, you've never seen a person who is monster-fallen, have you?"

"Yup, I've only heard about it, but I've never seen it."

"If you become completely monster-fallen, you lose your ego, become violent, and become as powerful as when you use physical enhancement. And, the color of your skin becomes different from that of normal people."

"Skin color ... Is it like a Goblin?"

"Yes, I've heard that some people have skin colors that are unimaginable for normal humans, such as blue or green, and some of them even become scaly."

It seemed that the skin of those who attacked Seraphima's party this time had also changed to reddish black and rough.

"Although I only just heard the story, I wonder if it's the work of Mungia after all?"

"I think that the possibility is high, but I don't know what kind of hand was used."

Normally, if you didn't consume monster meat or magic stones repeatedly, you wouldn't completely turn into a monster.

Even if they were forced to turn into monsters, she didn't know how they were brought in, or how they made those who lost their senses attack the procession.

"The clothes they were wearing were not Mungia's clothes. They didn't seem to have lived a very wealthy life, and they didn't seem to be from this village."

"You don't know if they were brought in after being turned into a monster somewhere, or if they were turned into monsters after being brought here ..."

"Just in case, we have knights scouting ahead to check if there are any abnormalities on the road ahead. There are a number of escort knights, so I don't feel any imminent danger ..."

"Yup, but creepy is creepy, isn't it."

"Yes ..."

Seraphima's party was accompanied by 100 knights as escorts, with the added meaning of keeping Resenburg in check.

Even if ten times the number of monsters attacked, it was unlikely that Seraphima would be harmed.

Perhaps the other party's goal was to cause bloodshed and give the impression that the marriage was ominous, rather than causing physical harm.

Seraphima was also acting strong, but she seemed somewhat unwell.

"Are you okay? Sera."

"Yes, of course I'm fine. I will not waver over something of this degree."

"I see, that's fine, but don't overdo it. It's a long way to Volzard."

"Yes, I'm used to traveling, and I'm surrounded by people I know, so don't worry."

"By the time Sera arrives in Volzard, our house may be complete."

"The house we will live in. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of house it is."

"Yup, all of my genus made the foundation, so all we have to do is fix the interior and exterior ... Ahh!"

"Kent-sama, what is wrong?"

"I don't have any furniture ..."

I asked Herman-san to finish my home, and Nott-san to provide the necessary magic tools, but I completely forgot about the furniture.

"Kent-sama, if you are going to start the interior work from this point, there is still time. It would be better if you consult the brides other than me about furniture and such."

"Right, that's right. Ahh, right ... I'll bring you a video of the house next time."

"A video ... is it?"

"Yup, look forward to it."

As we talked about our home, Seraphima's concerns seemed to dissipate, and the softness of her expression returned.

"Then, if something happens, use Hirt to let me know."

"I understand."

"Please, Hirt."

"Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama!"

I stroked Hirt and hugged Seraphima tightly before hiding in the shadows.

The destination was Guryayev, the Imperial Capital of Barshania.

Of course, Seraphima would be spreading the news, but I was also going to tell them about the attack.

That being said, the palace was too big to know where Emperor Constant was.

I had no choice but to ask everyone in the Kobold Corps to search the palace.

It wasn't a human wave tactic, it was a Kobold wave tactic.

The palace was too large to search for someone alone, and even with the mobilization of the Kobold Corps, it took about 20 minutes.

"Those rats of Mungia ..."

"Father, it's not decided that Mungia did it yet."

"Hmph, it's obvious that they're the ones who would use such a palliative method. Or is there someone else?"

"Right, maa, that's right, but ..."

Emperor Constant of Barshania sat across his office desk from his second son Joseph, who assisted him in domestic affairs.

It looked like there was a commotion going on here as well.

"It's been three days in a row, have you found any clues yet?"

"Yes, not only the knights, but also spies have been sent to investigate, but we have not received any significant information yet."

"Fumu, how are Gregory and Nicolae doing?"

"The circumstances being the circumstances, I told them not to go directly to the scene, but ..."

"I don't think they are people who will be stopped with just words."

"Yes, we have sent a spy over there to keep an eye out for any suspicious people approaching."

"Fufuu, are you going to use your brothers as a decoy ..."

"No, with that kind of intention ..."

"I know. I don't mind if you use those boar-like people as a decoy."(TN:It says inoshishi-domo, which I guess refers to someone who rushes headlong at things, dunno if there might be a better way to phrase this. Inoshishi means boar or Japanese boar, and domo is referring to multiple.)

"Understood."

At the moment when the conversation was cut off, I put out a shield of darkness where the two of them could see and stepped into the room.

"Hello, father-in-law, brother-in-law."

"Hmph, Kent Kokubu, what do you want at this busy time?'

"Seraphima's procession has been attacked."

"What! Is Sera safe!"

"There's no problem. It seems that two men swung swords at the procession, but the escort knights dealt with it."

"Is that so, then it's fine, but ..."

"It seems that the men who swung swords at them were monster-fallen."

"What did you say!"

With a cry of surprise, Constant exchanged glances with Joseph.

"Excuse me, I heard just a bit of your talk, but is there a commotion happening over here?"

"Right. Those who have become monster-fallen are rampaging and causing damage to the citizens. Tell me more about your situation."

"Yes, I just heard from Sera, but ..."

No, no, it's a tense situation, so you don't have to make such a sullen face just by me calling Seraphima Sera.

When I talked about what Seraphima said about the attack, they looked at each other and nodded.

"Apparently the same guys committed the crime."

"Can you tell me about the disturbance that happened in Guryayev?"

"That's fine, Joseph, explain."

"Understood. The first commotion happened four days ago."

On that day, the parade to celebrate Seraphima's bridal procession ended, and the hustle and bustle of Guryayev remained after the festival.

Suddenly, a man who had become monster-fallen went on a rampage on the main street, killing two passers-by and seriously injuring five.

Fortunately, the knights guarding the parade defeated him, and the damage did not spread further.

It seemed that the man who became monster-fallen was a so-called homeless man.

Due to his filthy appearance, he was unable to receive the liquor for celebrating Seraphima's bridal procession, and it seemed that some people witnessed him shouting in the back alley, but it seemed that his movements after that were not known.

The next day, a man who had become monster-fallen rushed into a bar and killed four people, including a female employee and a man who tried to stop him.

It seemed that the man who committed the crime had just been rejected by the murdered woman, but he didn't appear to be overwhelmed.

And today, a day later, another man who was monster-fallen rampaged and there were casualties, but the details were still under investigation.

"That's all we know so far."

"Thank you very much. This is just for confirmation, but has there ever been a time in the past when someone became monster-fallen in Guryayev and went on a rampage?"

"It's not completely out of the question, but that was more than ten years ago."

"Then, it seems that someone is intentionally causing people to become monster-fallen."

"I haven't been able to confirm it yet, but I can't think of anything else."

"What's the easiest way to make someone monster-fallen?"

"I've never heard of one. Many people who become monster-fallen are the result of seeking easy power. The act of eating monster meat and magic stones is taboo."

"This, as expected is Mungia involved?"

"It's obviously so! No, rather, it must be!"

As soon as he heard the word Mungia, Constant-san interjected.

"It would be more troublesome for Barshania if there were people other than Mungia who tried to attack Seraphima's procession, not just here in Guryayev."

"Is it because of the display of the Gigas' skull, or because Sera is being brought to my place?"

"Well ... There is no way such an uproar can be caused without any preparation. I'm sure they've been making preparations for a long time ..."

Constant-san fell silent to collect his thoughts after cutting off his words.

It was a little hard to talk to him since he had deep wrinkles on his eyebrows and was deep in thought.

"Father, do you have some concerns?"

"Umu, the Mungia people have used palliative means so far, but most of them are surprise attacks and night attacks."

"Are they from Borovska?"

"They've been on good terms lately, but considering the circumstances of the turmoil, I can't rule out the possibility that they're involved."

"Excuse me, is that Borovska a dissident tribe?"

"They used to be more hard-line, but now they're more like anti-government ..."

The Borovska were said to be an anti-government tribe along with Mungia and Kajimina.

However, in recent years, it seemed that Constant's compromise policy had been successful, and they had softened their attitude.

And the Borovska were said to be a local tribe that secretly manufactured drugs such as Falzala, and they were good at handling drugs.

"Did the plan involving Kent provoke Borovska?"

"Even if that's the case, we're currently in a state of shortage of people and money due to Leinef's reconstruction. Measures are necessary to suppress a large-scale armed conflict."

Leinef's name came up in the conversation between the two, so I remembered something I had forgotten.

"Ahh, right, I forgot. Reinhardt, please."

[ As you wish. ]

After putting out a shield of darkness, Reinhardt, Mart and the others began carrying the gold bars that had been piled up in the shadow space.

At the Bakkenheim auction, the proceeds from the sale of the Gigas' magic stone were converted into gold bars so that it would be easier to transport.

"K, Kent Kokubu, this is ..."

"This is condolence money from me and Volzard. Please use it for Leinef's recovery."

"I see, did you sell that magic stone ... But, then subjugating the Gigas would be done for free. I can't accept this ..."

"I will become a family with Seraphima. That means I will become a family with the Barshanian Imperial Family, right? Besides, disasters caused by monsters can happen in any country, in any city. Monsters cannot be managed by an individual's power, and recovery from disasters cannot be achieved without a lot of power and a lot of money."

"Is it really fine?"

"Yes, please use it for the victims."

"Alright. Then, I swear that these gold bars, down to the last Ruble, will be used to restore the people of Leinef to their original lives ... On Barshania's pride!"(TN:In case you forgot, Ruble is the Barshanian currency. I almost missed it, myself.)

Emperor Constant and his second son Joseph made a vow, striking their chests with their right fists and pointing to the heavens.

Ahhh, I missed the timing to mix in again.

"Regarding Sera's procession, I will also dispatch my genus to keep an eye on the surroundings, so please do not worry."

"That's right. Judging from the modus operandi so far, it's hard to imagine a situation where a large number of people attack at once. Sera has a hundred escorts, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"I will make an appearance here as well, so if you find out anything please let me know. I will let Sera know."

"Please. Let me know what you find out there."

"Understood."

After shaking hands with Constant and Joseph, I went into the shadows.

It was a little late, but I should go to the Dukas Company in Marburg and finish the treatment.

In the city of Marburg, the festivities continued.

Many stalls were lined up in the square in front of the cathedral, and various goods were sold.

It was like a large-scale flea market in Japan, with food, drinks, and clothes.

"Reinhardt, isn't the New Year in this world celebrated quietly at home?"

[ That's the normal, but the normal New Year's holiday period has passed. The people who run the stores are trying to make up for the loss in sales due to the accident. ]

"I see ... But, looking at this crowd, I feel like it's going to become an annual event."

[ Maybe so. It's probably going to be a considerable amount of sales, so it wouldn't be strange to think about it next year as well. ]

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the square, the Dukas Company had fallen completely silent.

This was probably because the miners who gave up their time off for the accident rescue work were being given time off again.

After passing through the counter where several people were sorting out their books and proceeding to the back of the house, Orlean-san's family was chatting in a sunny room.

His wife, Sibyl-san, had recovered from her illness and was tired, but her complexion was good and she had already cleaned the floor.

"Hello, Orlean-san, may I disturb you?"

"Well, well, if it isn't Kent-san, please come in."

When I put out a shield of darkness and was allowed to go into the room, his daughter Lucile-chan was surprised when I suddenly appeared.

"Sybil-san, how are you feeling?"

"Thanks to you, I have a healthy feeling that I've forgotten for so many years, it's like being reborn."

"I'm really glad. I would like to do the finishing treatment today, is that okay?"

"Yes, please do."

Sybil-san was asked to lie face down on the bed and I put my hand on the part that was slightly off and treated it.

As the healing magic flowed through her body, the magical power flowed so smoothly that it was incomparable to the day before yesterday.

I often heard that the flow of energy affected health, but in this world, it seemed that the flow of magical power affected the physical condition.

"Yes, it's over. How is it?"

"Aahh, the pain in my back is completely gone, I really don't know how to thank you ..."

"No, no, I just fulfilled the request, so don't worry about it."

"Kent-san, thank you very much. My wife and daughter have regained their health."

"I am very happy to be of service to you. Well then, would you please report the fulfillment of the request."

"Yes, would it be alright if I transfer the reward via the guild?"

"Yes, that's fine."

On this day, I was treated to dinner at the Dukas Company.

Sybil-san had regained her appetite, and it seemed that her beauty would improve once the haggardness of her face was resolved.

Now, let's finish the third return work tomorrow, and then we'll start choosing furniture together.