“Really… it's been a long time, hasn't it, Madam Preseppe?”
Prisippi's body suddenly stiffened as she stood still at Malia's sudden words.
“هل تعرفينني؟”
How is that? وهل قابلتني من قبل؟
I think the confusion clearly showed on her face, which made Malia continue talking quickly.
“أوه، بالطبع، من الطبيعي أن لا تتذكري، فأنتِ لم تريني من قبل. رأيتكِ عن بعد، مع فانيسا… لا، أقصد مع السيدة فانيسا وأنتِ.”
“Were you here in the area with my mother?”
“Yes, you came to participate in the hunting expedition.”
“آه، ربما كان ذلك كذلك.”
Kevin nodded as he continued talking.
“في الماضي، كانت حملات الصيد تُجرى عادة في الغابة المحرمة. وقد تم تغيير المكان بعد أن كانت هناك خسائر بشرية. هذا كان قبل… ربما حوالي عشر سنوات.”
قالت ماليا وهي تنير وجهها:
“Yes, at that time, you two came together.”
This memory was apparently about past moments.
But even so, how could she remember everything?
Is this normal?
Precipe felt a strange feeling of anxiety, as if something indistinct was pressing down on her body.
“كنت أراقبكم بالقرب من هناك لأنني سمعت أن السيدة فانيسا ستأتي. بالطبع لم أتمكن من التحدث معكما… لكنني تذكرتكِ على الفور، كنتِ تمامًا كما كنتِ عندما كنتِ صغيرة.”
“هل كنتِ تعرفين والدتي؟”
“Yes, we were friends. We grew up together since childhood.”
قالت ماليا بابتسامة صغيرة.
“على أي حال، عندما سمعت أن بعض الأشخاص من القصر سيأتون، أخذت على عاتقي تنظيف المكان، وتفاجأت بلقائكِ هنا اليوم.”
Suddenly, a memory of Vanessa's speech before her execution came to mind.
[استمعي إلي، بريسيبي. You…]
Vanessa's word passed through her ears like a whisper.
[…Go to the Forbidden Forest.]
“Malia...”
Lost in her thoughts, Prisippi spoke slowly.
“Can you give me some of your time?”
"Yes?"
“There are some things I'd like to ask. If you don't mind...”
“لا، لا على الإطلاق!”
Malia answered quickly, waving her hands in denial.
“If it concerns you, Madam Preseppe, I will answer any question.”
Kevin remained silent, looking at Presibe carefully.
[There may be a suspicious person approaching.]
[هل تتحدث عن شخص مشبوه؟]
[أي شخص كان، اقتله.]
[...]
[سأتكفل بكل شيء بعد ذلك.]
Kevin looked worried at Fenric's words. Could things really happen as he said?
على الرغم من أن الفرصة لذلك في هذه القرية كانت ضئيلة، كان كيفين يفضل أن يقضي وقته في مكانه بدلاً من التجول في الخارج. Fenric was probably thinking the same way.
Kevin smiled slightly as he looked at Priscipe and Malia.
“So, shall we all go upstairs, Madam Presippi?”
—
“إذن، هذه هي خطتي.”
Siegfried's voice echoed through the camp.
“We will divide into groups of five, and inspect the Forbidden Forest. If we are attacked by monsters, we will be able to fight without problems.”
Five…
Fenric pulled his face slightly, thinking of the word 'five'. This number was suspicious.
If the rest of the teams were divided into five people, this would also include his team and Siegfried's team. With so many knights present, there were likely to be witnesses to the confrontations.
“Our knights, especially those who have been in the Forbidden Forest, have trained here for a long time. They know exactly how to deal with monsters if they appear. So, how about we divide the teams like this: three groups of knights, and two groups of soldiers brought by the Duke?”
As expected, Siegfried suggested the Three Musketeers' teams.
But this was not what Fenric was hoping for.
“We will not limit ourselves to examining the edges or the middle of the Forbidden Forest as in the past. This time, we may even enter the interior areas that we have never been to before. In these cases, our support for this kind of operation is considered rare.”
“…”
Of course, if we want to be clear, the soldiers are not from Atloria's army, but since Duke Fenric is a favorite of His Majesty, there is not much difference.
Fenrik did not respond to Siegfried's words.
“The area in the forest is not too complicated. The entrance, which is where the Duke is now, is located to the south of the forest.”
Siegfried placed the map of the Forbidden Forest in front of them and began to explain the situation.
“The areas we were sure of were the ones we reached through the entrance, and even into the middle of the forest.”
Although the knights had been stationed in the Forbidden Forest for a long time, they had not reached its deepest point.
The reason was simple: it was too dangerous.
Even the existing map was not the result of study by knights. Rather, it was just a drawing derived from the legends of the lips that people transmitted over time.
"First of all, there's a dead tree in the center. It's so big that it would be easy to spot even from afar."
Siegfried continued to explain.
“According to the map, in the north, that is, in the deepest part of the forest, there is what is called the Rope of Monsters.”
“Monster Rope?”
“Yes, but it is just a historical record, and we don’t know its exact meaning. We have no idea whether there is a steep cliff or a round hill. But when we saw the dragon flying from the north, I think there is a dragon’s nest in the northeast or northwest.”
As he listened to Siegfried, Fenrik's face showed signs of astonishment.
How could they have served here for so long without knowing anything about these places?
“In the east, there is a lake a short walk away, and there is a side road that leads to the village.”
This was the reason why Vanessa's village had been easily attacked in the past.
“About ten years ago, when the famine was at its peak, people were going to the lake to get water, despite the dangers. I tried to check the fate of those who went on that journey, but they all died. Now, the road is completely closed.”
“…”
“And looking west...”
Siegfried pointed at the map with his huge finger.
“There is a cave. It is called the Cave of Silence.”
As Fenric listened, he frowned slightly.
“The Rope of Monsters, as well as the Cave of Silence, nothing is known about them. But we can guess that they are the hiding place of a certain existence.”
“Maybe the King of Monsters.”
“Yes, exactly.”
West of Atloria, in the Forbidden Forest.
To the west of this Forbidden Forest, the King of Beasts was said to reside.
This evil being, who had been hunting and killing people for centuries, was the king of monsters.
Fenric had heard this before.
“It might just be a legend that the King of Monsters lives there, but that has to be checked, right? Especially after we’ve been here for so long.”
Siegfried smiled at him, remembering the order Dietrich had given him.
[I lure the Duke. To the Forbidden Forest.]
“So...”
[If the Duke was truly related to monsters, something would be different. When any such movement occurs,]
“I want to explore with the Duke the Rope of Monsters and the Cave of Silence.”
[At that moment, kill the Duke. Make it look like an act of monsters.]
In the end, Fenric and Siegfried's intentions were quite similar.
“Okay, we'll do it.”
The positive answer surprised him more easily than he expected.
Of course, he knew that Fenric was a war hero and appreciated by everyone, and had proven his prowess many times over.
But the problem was in the Forbidden Forest. Where it was said that everyone who entered it died, and there was the Cave of Silence inhabited by the King of Monsters.
Was Fenric a greater person than she expected?
...Or maybe he was more arrogant than I thought.
While Siegfried was thinking about this, Fenrik interrupted his speech.
“Instead, let's do it like this.”
"What?"
“It will be me and the Knight Commander, plus my bodyguard and a knight. Only four people.”
This was far from the plan Siegfried had made. He had planned to form a group of three knights and two soldiers to do this mission, so that he could easily dispose of them if the need arose.
“But, Your Highness, this is dangerous.”
Siegfried said in a slightly tense tone.
“Of course, I also know that Your Highness is an excellent person. But the Forbidden Forest may witness any kind of strange events. Also, the place we have to go is the most dangerous place in the forest. So, as I said before, the Knight Commander, Your Highness, and Your Highness’s guard and I must be there...”
“The more people there are, the safer we might be, but it will be easier for monsters to spot us, and it won't be as easy for us to move around as it is with fewer people.”
Fenric quickly interrupted.
“On the other hand, if the number is small, we can move quickly and secretly. In any case, a reserve team will follow us, so there is no need to move in large numbers.”
“…”
"Of course, the combat power may be less, but that only applies to ordinary soldiers. Didn't the Knight Commander himself say it? Those who have been in the Forbidden Forest for a long time have trained enough and know very well how to deal with emergencies."
“Your Highness, this is…”
“My guard and I, although we are the first time coming here, we have a lot of experience facing monsters on the battlefield. There is no need to bring other soldiers, we will do the job well.”
“…”
“But it seems your knights are not in the same situation.”
Siegfried was silent.
“Or maybe what you said about training knights was just a big lie.”
Fenric's voice had a clear mocking tone.
Siegfried did not speak for a while, as if he was pressing his lips hard, and then after a while he said…
“Well, if that's what you say, we'll do it.”
After a long time, he finally answered.
“But in the field, please listen carefully to what your knights and companions say. As I said, Your Highness, this will be your first time in the Forbidden Forest.”
[In fact, people who openly display their desires like Dietrich and Ivan are more tired than those who maintain a firm stance in any situation…]
Vidar thought that Siegfried's stance was an expression of his dedication to protecting the Emperor, but that was a mistake.
Siegfried was a person who loved martial arts, and he put his dignity, built on his skills, first.
Thus, his loyalty to the Emperor was merely a way to display and flaunt his power.
Fenric knew these arrogant people well.
Therefore, it was very easy to move them as he wished.
“…But will there be a chance for your opinion to be heard in the field?”
“Okay, we'll do it.”
Fenric said these words that were far from his heart, and then he slowly rose to his feet.