Chapter 22: Subjugation (1)

The story about the incident from two days ago reached the ears of all the nobles staying in the guest quarters.

Naturally, a commotion arose.

A magician has appeared in the heart of Drasen!

There were too many witnesses who had seen the sight of fire and lightning pouring down to hide it.

The lord's official announcement that followed immediately surprised them even more.

The representative of the Viscount Connell family, Toine Randel, was a magician!

“What is that? Does that make sense?”

“But I heard they have all the evidence.”

“There were witnesses from Trian and Esnam as well…….”

“Hah, then that means Viscount Moeno Kannel joined hands with a magician……”

“Hey, let's not go that far. I hear there's also talk that the magician was in disguise……”

With the situation being what it was, there was no way the one-day postponement of the Hunt would be a problem.

In fact, some were even more surprised by the news that the Hunt would start the very next day.

“No, after something like that happened, they're only postponing it for a day and starting right away?”

“Well, it's not bad for us.”

“Still, it's a matter involving a magician.”

“I heard a report was sent to His Excellency Enoch. We just have to wait for instructions for now.”

However, the nobles gathered here were people who had experienced the dominion of the 6-Star knight and Margrave called the bulwark protecting the kingdom's north, Enoch Trian, for 30 years.

They didn't find it strange that Drasen took no special measures after the report.

They simply trusted their lord and greeted the start of the festival hosted by Drasen with smiles.

“Drasen will have a rather comfortable winter this year.”

“Well, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

“That's true, but.”

The Hunting Festival, an event to hunt the monsters of the northern mountains.

Of course, all the nobles knew that its purpose was to reduce the impact of the winter's Monster Wave by subjugating the minor monsters in advance.

However, for this Hunt, many nobles had gathered for Muno Drasen's coming-of-age ceremony, and thanks to that, a dozen or so more knights were added, making the risk of the subjugation relatively low.

If that was the case.

“We'll have to catch some decent ones. It would be quite profitable to get several Makto hides.”

“Still, we should avoid anything Grade 3 or higher.”

“That goes without saying. Let's just pray we run into an expensive one.”

“But I heard that in Drasen, they give prize money based on the grade of the monster caught?”

“Hey, you. With the Knight of Gluttony around, whose prize do you think that will be?”

“No, that's not it. You're the one who doesn't know. The prize money is only for the guests. Drasen is excluded even if they rank.”

“Ah. Then should we aim for something around Grade 3?

If we set a trap and combine our strength, even a Grade 3 is……”

“Right.

Let's hurry.

At this time of year, there won't be many Grade 3s at the entrance of the northern mountain range.”

During the Monster Wave that occurred every winter, monsters like Grade 5 Trolls could appear in severe cases, but such instances were extremely rare.

In the first place, the essence of the Monster Wave was a phenomenon where weak monsters, unable to find food in the northern mountains during winter, came down south and attacked humans.

Still, casualties occurred every year, so the Hunt, where more than double Drasen's entire force of knights was deployed, was an opportunity to significantly reduce such damage in advance.

Naturally.

“Now, let's have some fun and beat them up!”

Muno, who had been permitted a solo expedition since the beginning of the year, was very excited.

It was partly because he was proud to be of help to his family, but there was a bigger reason than that.

“I'll relieve all my stress on you monster bastards!”

He was feeling a strong impulse for the hunt itself.

‘There was a reason why medieval nobles were obsessed with hunting.’

I only realized it after coming to this boring world with no entertainment compared to modern civilization.

In this environment, hunting was the only enjoyable thing.

On top of that, it even helped the family, so it would be strange not to be excited.

Of course.

“Young Master, slowly……!”

“We're being slow!”

He couldn't just be excited, as he wasn't going out alone.

Behind him, twelve soldiers followed to sort out the necessary parts from the carcasses of the prey and transport them.

A solo expedition meant heading out without the company of another knight, not necessarily going out to hunt completely alone and lonely.

In this world where many superhumans existed, soldiers without special abilities were effectively laborers who had minimal peacekeeping capabilities and took on odd jobs.

Of the twelve soldiers following him pulling a cart, half were armed with knives more suited for butchering than combat.

Of course, in Drasen, soldiers were supplied with and trained in basic Corporeal Arts, but since those who actually awakened were extremely rare, they were still auxiliary personnel.

Even now, their number was less than half of the usual.

As soldiers also had to be attached to the other nobles participating in the Hunt, the number of soldiers assigned per knight had been drastically reduced.

Naturally.

Clatter, clatter.

“Y-Young Master!”

Problems began to arise right from pulling the cart on the mountain path.

“Hah…….”

I couldn't just abandon them.

Muno, who had been cheerfully running up the mountain path, went back to the soldiers and pulled up the cart that had almost rolled down the slope.

Thud.

“Th-thank you.”

The moment he saw the tired face of the soldiers' leader, Rom, Muno accepted the unavoidable reality.

Tsk.

“No, I was in too much of a hurry. Let's go slowly.”

The duel with the magician that had happened just two days ago, and the sparring with Karina before that.

He had only now realized that his fighting spirit had been boiling up unintentionally while experiencing those two battles.

Tch.

‘It's only been two days since I caught the magician.

It's too short a time for those bastards to make another move……. I should be relieving stress at a time like this.’

It was a pity, but there was nothing to be gained from making the soldiers suffer by rushing unnecessarily.

These people were also members of the family he had to protect.

“There's no need to rush. Right.

I'll slowly sweep through the route I've been assigned and eliminate any monsters that could become a future problem.

That's enough.”

It wasn't something he was saying to the soldiers, but a promise to himself.

‘I think my personality has become a bit hasty…….’

Was it because of the Demon Devourer's trait, or because of the demonic energy he squeezed out of Amos and swallowed?

The fact that he was self-aware of this problem made it seem like a temporary phenomenon, but he felt that he shouldn't be complacent just because he had the special ability to divide his consciousness.

However, what he had gained from catching Amos was not only side effects.

Crack.

The strength that went into his lightly clenched fist was clearly and distinctly different from before.

His strength had increased by at least 20 percent.

‘Not just muscle strength, but all my capabilities overall. Heh…….’

A smile naturally formed.

Having grown by more than 20 percent in all aspects of strength, agility, and senses, he estimated that his actual combat power was nearly double what it was before.

He had achieved a level of growth that other Corporeal Arts users could barely reach through repeated arduous efforts, just by catching a single magician.

Of course, one might question whether a 1-Star knight devouring a 2-Circle magician's demonic energy whole could be called 'just', but for him, with the Demon Devourer's trait, it wasn't that difficult.

‘I hope those bastards come again soon.’

Naturally, such a thought came to mind.

However.

“Y-Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“Sir, it was our fault, so please calm your anger. We will follow as quickly as possible. We are so-sorry for causing a delay.”

“So-sorry.”

Suddenly, the soldiers began to react strangely.

Huh?

‘What's with these guys?’

I couldn't help but be bewildered by the sight of Rom trembling all over and the pale faces of the soldiers behind him.

“I'm not angry, though?”

“I-It's all our fault. So please.”

Especially Rom, who was closest, looked like he would piss himself if I said even one more thing.

‘Why……?’

It was perplexing, but Muno's eyesight, which had improved along with his physical abilities, soon made him notice his own reflection in Rom's blue eyes.

A grimly smiling face and canines peeking out from the corners of his mouth, which seemed to glow with an unusual light.

Startled, he looked down at his own body, and saw dark red veins popping out on his forearms and fists.

And above all.

Pssss.

And even the grass around his feet, where he was unconsciously putting strength, turning yellow.

‘This is…….’

He could intuitively understand why this was happening.

Amos's demonic energy, which he hadn't fully digested, was slowly seeping out of his body.

The side effect was by no means just a slightly hasty personality.

He had gained a new realization, but that wasn't what was important right now.

Thinking about how this would look to the soldiers, he felt he had to get the situation under control somehow.

But at that moment, a suitable excuse appeared.

“I wasn't angry at you guys……”

“Please……”

“……It's because of them.”

“……Pardon?”

Pababat.

Thud.

The moment Rom lifted his head again, Muno shot up like an arrow towards the bushes on the slope above.

And.

“Kiek!?”

“Nice to meet you, monsters. Therefore……”

He came face to face with a pack of goblins that had been waiting on the hill, looking for a chance to attack them.

“……die.”

Squelch.

The three goblins at the very front of the pack were split in half by a single strike of the greatsword.

“Kyaak!”

“Kieee!”

As the rest of the goblins scattered in surprise, Muno plunged right into their midst.

‘I'll vent all the remaining demonic energy first!’

C-c-c-c-crack.

In truth, killing goblins yields nothing but some of the paralysis poison from the poison darts they use.

Moreover, they were monsters that weren't really monsters, as a well-trained soldier could handle five or six of them with proper equipment.

But against such a pack of goblins, Muno swung his greatsword while using 'Acceleration', albeit for a short time.

The poor goblin pack, which had endured starvation and risked hunting humans, faced a terrible disaster that day.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

They were annihilated in an instant.

“……Sir, none of the poison darts are intact either. They're all shattered……”

“Hmm. I guess I got too excited. My apologies.”

“N-no. You don't have to be sorry……”

The soldiers who had confirmed the corpses of about 50 goblins backed away with awkward smiles.

‘They seem even more scared now.’

A bitter smile emerged as it seemed things hadn't been resolved as he'd thought, but it didn't matter much.

If the fear the soldiers felt when they saw his demonic appearance was fear of the unknown, it should have now changed to fear of an overwhelmingly strong being.

Rather than having strange rumors spread, it was better to have a rumor on the level of 'the violent young master slaughters monsters.'

‘I've vented all the demonic energy too.’

It was demonic energy he had forcibly held onto to use when employing the Drasen Greatswordmanship someday, but now he realized that was a foolish thing to do.

And that he couldn't actually obtain any significant demonic energy from monsters, which were considered by-products of demons.

‘I will only swallow as much demonic energy as I can digest. Realizing that is enough.’

After setting a new standard, Muno looked beyond the path that led deeper into the mountains.

“We didn't get anything from the goblins, so shall we go a little deeper today?”

“……Pardoon?”

He could see the soldiers' faces contorting.

But it wasn't hard to stir their motivation.

“Whatever I hunt, I'll give you guys half the spoils.”

“What?!”

“So let's put some spirit into it!”

“Ye-yes! Understood!”

“Young Master! Hooray!”

“Waaaaah!”

The fear of an overwhelmingly powerful being turns into morale just by making them realize that the strong one is an ally.

At the entrance of the northern mountain range, the barrier at the north of the continent that separated the human world from the world beyond, Muno and his party began to climb the mountain with more vigor.

And that day.

“Uraaaah!”

Squeeeelch.

“Kueeeek!”

Muno's huge greatsword split a giant horned boar, a Makto, in half.

“Alright, here we go again!!”

Kwaaaaaang!

“Kieeeeeeek!”

He annihilated a pack of gnolls of a similar size to the enemies he had struggled with just a short while ago in less than ten minutes.

Muno, who crazily swung a greatsword as tall as himself and sliced through everything in his path, caught the most monsters among the knights participating in the hunt that day, yet he only ranked sixth.

The biggest reason was the excessively and violently mangled corpses.

Thanks to that.

Drasen's Grand Prince hunts monsters of a higher level than himself without hesitation.

He always slaughters monsters until he is on the verge of exhaustion, trying to protect the safety of the territory.

He is already an excellent knight who has surpassed his age.

The Genius Knight of Drasen.

Muno's first nickname began to slowly spread among the people.

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