“You seemed keen to get a closer look.”
“Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare like that.”
Fenric's long, thick fingers tugged at the already loose shirt, pulling it aside. Naturally, Prisippi followed her gaze to his chest.
“I hope I don't sound like a complete pervert...”
The thought crossed her mind, though it didn't stop her completely.
However, she had a better view now. Much better than before.
The tattoos etched into his muscular bronze skin stood out clearly.
“It's… a tree, isn't it?”
The complex tattoo depicts a tree, its image is clear and vivid.
At first glance, it didn't seem particularly interesting. But upon closer inspection, there was something strange about him.
These were the countless leaves engraved on the thick branches branching out from the tree.
Some of the papers looked faded, as if they had been inked a long time ago. While other leaves looked vibrant and fresh, as if they had been recently added.
“I drew each leaf individually,” Fenrick explained.
“Individually?”
“Yes, in the beginning there was only the trunk.”
Don't people usually get a tattoo once? Wouldn't that be less painful? Prisippi tilted her head slightly in confusion.
“I added a leaf whenever something important happened. I chose a tree for this purpose from the beginning.”
“……”
“To record the moments I should never forget, to renew my resolve – one sheet of paper at a time.”
It must have a deep meaning for him.
The tree full of green leaves was somehow suitable for Fenric.
Or rather, the process and reason behind tattooing suit him well.
Maybe it was because she knew he had risen from a rough life on the streets to where he was now.
“I don't know how you'll take this, but it's beautiful and impressive.”
"…Is this correct?"
“Yes, but… you must have had many moments to strengthen your resolve, judging by the number of cards.”
Although from a distance the leaves look like a bunch of leaves, when you get up close, the tree holds hundreds of them.
Did he scribble a piece of paper before heading into each battle, vowing to win?
But that didn't quite make sense. This means that he fought the war hundreds of times. Even in Atiluia, where wars were frequent, this seemed unlikely.
“……”
Fenric did not answer, his expression was unreadable, revealing nothing of what he was thinking.
Prisippi wanted to ask him more but she didn't want to bother him. Moreover, it wasn't close enough for her to be able to snoop. It will look very impolite.
So, she remained silent. After what seemed like a long pause, Fenric finally spoke again.
“We should return to the palace. Although spring has arrived, the wind becomes cold after sunset.”
When he looked up, Prisippi saw that the sky, which had been red from the setting sun, had become dark.
Fenric was right, the breeze brushing her face was turning cold.
“Shall we have dinner together when we get back?”
Fenric looked at her and asked.
“Of course, only if it doesn't make you uncomfortable, Prisippi.”
"Oh, no. I'd like that. I don't feel uncomfortable at all."
Of course, there was a hint of lying in her “not at all,” but Preseppe did her best not to show it.
—
The Wizard Tower was silent.
“……”
Ivan sat with his legs crossed, a stack of documents spread out in front of him – the reports he had reviewed that day.
They were all knights, and came from the same region.
The western part of Atiluia.
To be precise...
Forbidden Forest
“Monster attacks near the western region.”
Ivan muttered as he read the bold title of a new document in his hands.
“Compared to the previous year, the appearance of monsters increased by approximately 40% in the year 997. The villages were severely damaged. More than half of the attacking monsters were eliminated by Sir Siegfried and his knights...”
“Very annoying.”
Ivan frowned, crumpled the document and tossed it aside.
“Records from the Year 998: The types and numbers of monsters that have emerged from the Forbidden Forest over the past three years.”
Immediately capture the next report.
“Gargoyles, garums, a bunch of griffons, dolphins, lamias, swarms of serines, baby dragons, and the undead...”
The list looked like a catalog of every monster imaginable. The report accurately recorded their numbers, and the overall numbers were astonishing.
The number of monster appearances increased by 40% in 997 compared to the previous year, but 998 was worse.
The claim that the western region of Atiluia was cursed was not an exaggeration. Monsters of all kinds were endlessly flowing from the Forbidden Forest, like an endless fountain.
As far as Ivan knew, it had always been this way.
“The knights are stationed there, doing their best to eliminate them. Especially the dragons – if they reach full maturity, the damage inflicted on them becomes uncontrollable, but thanks to the ingenuity of Commander Siegfried… Oh, what a loud cry.”
Why does this bastard's name keep popping up?
“Is it because the knights wrote this? It's like they're all patting each other on the shoulder.”
What's so impressive about this beast anyway?
Ivan muttered expletives under his breath – words too crude to be repeated – before picking up the final report.
-999: Report on the Forbidden Forest.-
This document was the most recent, having been written only a month ago.
{Monster sightings have decreased dramatically. Compared to the previous year (998), monster sightings decreased by a staggering 80%.}
“…….”
{Reconnaissance missions conducted over several days did not reveal any anomalies. No new monsters were discovered, and no damage was reported.}
Ivan's dark eyes flashed briefly.
{While a portion of the knights will remain stationed there, no further assistance will be needed for the time being.}
[“The monster attacks have calmed down recently. It is inexplicable. The West has always been full of creatures, long before Atiluia was founded.”]
Suddenly Siegfried's voice echoed in his ears.
Ivan dismissed this as ridiculous nonsense. There was no way to do that.
For this reason, he had to take the trouble to contact the knights, and take the trouble to obtain these reports – to confirm them with his own eyes.
And every word Siegfried said was true.
“…ha.”
It was ridiculous.
This intractable scourge that has been plaguing the Western Lands since before the founding of Atiluia had suddenly struck, without any apparent reason?
silly.
The only reasonable explanation was...
[“It is as if they have been ordered to retreat. As if someone is pulling the strings...”]
“Evan, could I be dreaming right now?”
A boy in a robe, who had accompanied Evan to Noah Duffern's estate, placed a hot cup of tea in front of him and began to chat.
“Shut up, you're annoying.”
“I still feel like it seems too obvious to be a dream. By the way, it's been a long time since I've actually seen you in action.”
“……”
"And reading reports, no less! Do you remember when the Knight Commander sent you documents a few years ago, and you lied about being illiterate?"
Ivan's cold answer did not bother the boy at all.
“So the Knight Commander was telling the truth. In no way can reports be falsified.”
Ignoring Ivan's annoyed look, the boy craned his neck to look at the document Ivan was reading.
"But the Knights don't seem to be treating the decline in monster numbers as a serious issue. Rather, they're celebrating it as proof that their monster extermination efforts are finally paying off."
“That's because they're stupid.”
Fools are too stupid to suspect anything. And even if they did, they wouldn't admit it publicly.
Admitting this would plunge the entire empire into panic, and the knights would bear the blame.
“But those same idiots think you and—oh!”
The boy's face scrunched up when Ivan smacked him on the head, and he had a furious expression on his face.
“The key, hand it to me.”
“Which key?”
“The key to the basement, the key to my private room.”
Deep within the Wizard's Tower lies a secret chamber, accessible only by the greatest wizards of each era – a tradition that has been preserved for thousands of years.
Inside were forbidden texts, records of forbidden magic, and secret writings passed down by wizards since before Atiluia was founded.
“...You're not sick, are you?”
"What?"
“It's just… I've never seen you so eager to do anything.”
“Bring me the key and send a request to the knights for information. Tell them it is from me, and they will deliver it to me.”
“What is the information?”
“A list of all the people who have entered the Forbidden Forest in the past twenty years, including civilians.”
"They still think you're my mother. What if they don't believe me—oh!"
"move."
“Fine, fine.”
The boy grumbled as he left the room.
Left alone, Ivan rubbed his chin, deep in thought, as his eyes turned to the latest report from the knights.