Chapter 253 : It's Been a While, Everyone

A frighteningly quiet valley.

A single, cautious voice broke the silence.

"...Big Sister?"

The Red Witch, Scarlet Bellucci, smiled brightly and turned to look at Ashuban.

"It's been a while. You seem to have grown since I last saw you."

Scarlet glanced behind her and added.

"And you seem to have made a new friend."

Behind her was Sir Monde, covered in snow and with his eyes wide open.

He seemed unable to accept the sudden change in the situation.

And it was understandable, since the blizzard that had been so fierce that he couldn't see in front of him had disappeared in an instant.

Just then, Scarlet's shadow seemed to flicker, and a figure popped out and stood in front of Ashuban.

"Are you alright?"

Ashuban looked at the familiar, round back of the head and muttered.

"...Shushuruta?"

Come to think of it, on top of her round head was a round, black parrotlet.

"...?"

Ashuban blinked at the sight.

Shushuruta, with her fiercely upturned eyes fixed on the king of the magical beasts, answered.

"Yes, it's good to see you too. I'm glad we don't seem to be late."

"What's that on your head?"

"It's a spirit."

"A spirit?"

"A lot has happened while you were gone. But I don't think this is the time for a leisurely chat, so the rest can be discussed when we get back—"

"Get out of the way, you."

"Eek!"

Before Shushuruta could finish her words, Ashuban pushed aside the small cat burglar who was blocking his way.

Shushuruta, who had lost her balance and was staggering, barely recovered and snapped back.

"What do you think you're doing!"

Ashuban snorted.

"Who's protecting whom? You just hide behind me."

And with that, Ashuban stepped in front of Shushuruta.

"Hey!"

Shushuruta once again blocked Ashuban's way.

"Oh?"

Ashuban blocked her way again.

"Just stay still. Is this the time for this?"

"I don't want to!"

"You little..."

"Are you trying to start something now!"

"..."

Scarlet, who had been watching them blankly, gestured to the back.

Then, Monde, who had been standing there blankly, came to his senses and hurried over.

"Stay close."

"Ah, yes."

"Closer."

"...Like this?"

"That's right."

"..."

While Monde was standing awkwardly behind Scarlet, Scarlet looked at the master of the blizzard and smiled brightly.

"Mr. Snowman. We have some urgent business. So we'll be taking our leave for today."

【...】

The snowman just stared at her without a word.

Scarlet, without taking her eyes off the snowman, called the two imbeciles who were still bickering.

"You two, that's enough, come here."

"Oh? You're blocking my way, you cat burglar?"

"Hmph! You're the one who should be quietly getting protection behind this Shadow Phantom Thief, Shushuruta."

"Not a chance."

"Hey!"

"Hup!"

"Hah!"

Throb—

A vein popped on Scarlet's forehead.

"...I said, that's enough, come here?"

Flinch.

At her low tone, the two came running over in a hurry.

"Stand close."

"What are you going to do, Big Sister?"

"What do you mean?"

Scarlet grinned like a mischievous child.

"Run away."

"...Yes?"

Scarlet looked at the snowman and slammed the staff she was holding on the ground.

Flash!

The jewel on the staff flashed red.

Soon, a burning red magic circle spread out in a circle, centered on the staff.

"Well then."

Fwoosh!

Like a flower bud closing, the flames burned fiercely and swallowed them.

A moment later, the flames died down.

There was nothing left there.

A quiet valley where not a single breeze blew.

The master of the blizzard, left alone, looked at the spot where the flames had risen and muttered softly.

【...Flower.】

* * *

Fwoosh!

Flames erupted in the empty snowy plains, and four people appeared from within.

Ashuban quickly looked around and called Scarlet.

"Big Sister! How did you..."

Scarlet smiled brightly and answered.

"I had some business to take care of, so I came by."

"Business?"

"Yes. I needed something for my research."

"...Aha."

Ashuban looked at Scarlet with a cold, "as expected" look.

Scarlet narrowed her eyes.

"What's with that look?"

"It's nothing."

Scarlet's gaze turned to Monde.

"And this one?"

Monde quickly answered.

"Ah, I am Sir Monde, Princess Lilia's guardian knight."

Scarlet tilted her head.

"Why is the princess's guardian knight out on reconnaissance so far away? All covered in snow."

"...It just happened."

Shushuruta chimed in.

"It's obvious. You must have dragged him along."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

Scarlet sighed as she watched the two bickering again.

She had said she was her long-lost little sister whom she had met in the lower town.

She had thought she was half-joking, but in a way, the two were really like siblings.

To be bickering as soon as they met after a long time.

For her, who had been secretly hoping for a touching reunion, it was a letdown.

Just then, Monde, who was dusting the snow off his clothes, came to his senses and said.

"Ah, this is not the time for this. We must report to the duke that a special S-rank individual has appeared!"

Scarlet answered.

"Let's wait a little and then go. The others will be here soon."

"...The others?"

Monde, who had been tilting his head, soon understood her words.

"They're coming now."

As soon as she finished speaking, the 'others' she had mentioned could be seen running at a frightening speed.

From the left, the golden-furred martial artist with Linda on his back was running across the snowy plains with a white fox.

And from the right, Dofang and the demonic swordsman were flying through the sky at a frightening speed with a woman with purple hair like the sunset.

Scarlet smiled brightly as she looked at them.

"It's been a while, everyone."

* * *

"It's been a while, Scarlet."

"Yes. It really has been a while."

"You haven't changed."

"You too, Your Grace."

The drawing-room in Duke Elsbears's mansion.

The entire Sherwood Mercenary Corps, including the reconnaissance team, was sitting around a round table.

"I heard you went out beyond the barrier as soon as you arrived."

The duke said, looking around at the people sitting at the table.

"It seems you weren't late."

Scarlet nodded in agreement.

"It was close."

The duke nodded a few times and then looked at Scarlet.

"Thank you for coming."

Scarlet waved her hand.

"I came by because I needed something for my research, so you don't have to mind."

The duke gave a faint smile.

"That's like you."

'...You?'

Ashuban's eyebrow shot up as he was listening carefully to their conversation.

The duke had always said 'you' (formal).

He had even called Guston 'that guy' and spoken to him informally.

But he was calling only Scarlet 'you' (formal).

Did he know her identity?

'Don't tell me, she's older than the duke?'

Just then, as if reading his thoughts, Scarlet's sharp gaze came his way, and Ashuban, startled, pretended to be busy drinking the warm wine.

"And that Guston guy?"

"Am I not enough for you?"

"So he didn't come."

"The captain is busy cooking."

"That guy's cooking."

The duke, who had grumbled in displeasure, soon looked around the table and opened his mouth.

"You've all worked hard. It seems there's a special report today, so speak."

"Yes."

The captain of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps, Ashuban, opened his mouth.

"We have discovered a special, out-of-class individual, an S-rank magical beast."

"...Mmm."

It was a disaster he had fully expected, so he wasn't very surprised.

But it was something he had wanted to avoid at all costs, so he couldn't help but sigh.

"An S-rank magical beast... what kind of creature was it?"

"I only faced it for a brief moment, so I didn't find out much."

"It's fine, just speak."

Ashuban explained about the king of the magical beasts he had faced.

"It was a creature that looked like a snowman."

"A snowman?"

"Yes. It controlled the blizzard at will, and Sir Monde here was almost swept away by it and became its companion."

At Ashuban's words, everyone's gaze focused on Monde.

Monde, who looked quite haggard, nodded in agreement.

"It's true. I couldn't see anything in front of me."

Following Monde's testimony, Ashuban's words continued.

"Unlike the other magical beasts we have seen so far, it seemed to use a mysterious power like magic."

"A magical beast that uses magic..."

Indeed, the title 'king of the magical beasts' did not feel like an exaggeration.

"Ah, and it spoke."

The duke's eyebrow twitched.

"...A magical beast spoke?"

"Yes."

It was not very surprising that an S-rank magical beast could speak human language.

Because among the creatures recorded as S-rank magical beasts in history, there were not a few that were known to be able to speak.

Since they were that intelligent, it was understandable.

If it weren't for the magical beast from the white hell.

Language is something you have to hear first.

You have to hear it to understand and speak human language through learning.

But where on earth had that snowman encountered human language?

The white hell was not a place where people could live.

It was a barren land of life where only magical beasts roamed.

Who, and how, had made contact with them?

Ashuban opened his mouth cautiously.

"Your Grace."

"I'm listening."

"In my opinion, the Dark Heaven Society is behind this."

"The Dark Heaven Society? You mean that group of black mages?"

"Yes."

"What's your basis for that?"

"There is, of course."

Ashuban slowly explained the basis.

The time he had taken on the Saluki Merchant Guild's escort commission and had escorted the carriage to the capital, Milgard.

The attack by the black mages in the process.

The fact that after capturing and torturing one of them, who was presumed to be an executive, he had left a meaningful word about the monster wave in the north.

And the circumstances that strongly suggested the possibility of the Dark Heaven Society's involvement.

The duke said in a sunken tone.

"...So, this situation. The worst monster wave was all triggered by them?"

"So it is presumed."

"..."

The duke closed his eyes.

Swoosh!

A terrifying killing intent burst out and swept through the room.

Thump!

The people sitting around the table, startled, jumped back a few steps from the table.

Even Scarlet's eyes widened in slight surprise.

A moment later, the shimmering killing intent was contained.

The duke opened his eyes and apologized.

"...I'm sorry. To think that such worthless guys were involved. It's not a very pleasant feeling."

"I understand."

"Let's block them first, and then we'll catch and kill those guys."

"Yes. If we block them."

The duke let out a long sigh as if to calm his anger and then asked.

"So, what did that snowman say?"

"It asked if flowers bloomed there."

"...Flowers? You mean, flowers?"

"Yes."

"Why flowers all of a sudden?"

"I don't know about that either."

"Hmm."

The duke, who had been nodding for a while, concluded the meeting.

"For now, we will refer to the special S-rank individual as 'Snowman'. That's all for today. You've all worked hard. You may leave and rest now."

"No. Not yet."

Ashuban stopped the duke, who was about to dismiss the meeting.

"Is there more to report?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"It's not just one."

The duke's eyebrow twitched.

"You mean..."

"There's one more."

"...!"

Ashuban said in a firm, assertive tone.

"In the third wave, two special S-rank individuals will come."

(End of Chapter)