✠
<Kruk……>
“If this continues, you will suffer for a long time and then die.”
<……>
I took out Serpens. The sword-carrying aura lightly traced the attack’s trajectory.
Swoosh.
The mother wolf offered no resistance and soon her giant body fell to the side and the ground shook. I turned around and sheathed my sword.
“What happened, Sister?”
“It seems like she refused to play the role of a watchman to protect her cubs.”
The fallen forest spirit had been enslaved by Anaxia, and should have been ordered to attack any intruder at all costs.
However, she happened to have newborn cubs, and she couldn’t afford to fight while keeping them safe.
It was clear that if she attacked the subjugation, the cubs would be killed. So the mother probably chose to let the punitive force go to protect her cubs.
“Even though she knew that in return she would die in heart-wrenching pain.”
“But the subjugation force broke their promise and did this.”
“Yes, Ash.”
“What to expect from humans. Because it’s so disgusting, they’ll never go extinct.”
Hestio said angrily.
“Isn’t this Morifis punk really crazy?”
“No.”
“What?”
Hestio and the others’ eyes widened at my rebuttal.
I gestured to the dead mother wolf and her pups, cremating them with divine power.
“I mean, this isn’t in Morifis’ doing. Chimera researchers don’t kill cute things.”
Morifis was a madman with his own beliefs and strong tastes, besides there was someone else who could commit such a cruel act arbitrarily.
I continued as I watched the only surviving wolf cub open its eyes.
“Maybe this was Princess Odellit’s doing.”
✠
“Where have you been that you are coming now, grandniece?”
“I apologize for the delay, Great Grandfather.”
About an hour ago in dungeon time. In the third area of the dungeon, the Thornbush Forest, the 8th-generation ancestors of the Marcellion family and his descendant were having a conversation.
“There were still issues that needed to be dealt with in the rear, so I went to check on it for a while. Don’t worry, it’s not something that Great Grandfather has to worry about.”
On one side was a beauty with a blonde ponytail wearing a black uniform.
She was Princess Odellit, who had been the Commander of the 1st Magic Army but had recently been demoted to Deputy Commander of the 7th Magic Army.
It was a testament to her family’s power that she was able to retain that position even after making a mistake that resulted in the destruction of an entire army.
Furthermore, her character was evident in the fact that she was able to keep her head held up high without showing much restraint or remorse. On the contrary, she was massaging her pride as if that position was something she had decided on her own.
Her logic was that she had purposely taken the job in order to complete her research for graduation from the Wizard’s Tower, which she had been putting off for a long time.
“Of course, I don’t care at all. What happens to hateful human beings is none of my business, so you’ll take care of it yourself.”
The other was a handsome young man with an old-fashioned way of speaking and a stout appearance that did not fit with the title ‘Great Grandfather’.
He had unusually long light blue hair and silver eyes and had small animals placed here and there on his body.
A cute little bird was often chirping overhead, a baby squirrel was moving between his left and right shoulders, and a kitten was asleep in his arms.
Overall, his pale colors meshed well in the peaceful atmosphere surrounded by small animals.
The combination made the young man look like a harmless, benign animal lover.
However, in reality, he was Morifis Marcellion, a chimera researcher who was one of the five most powerful humans in the human world and was said to be a Mad Wizard.
Morifis smiled gently as he caressed the sleeping kitten.
“More than that, weren’t the wolf pups we saw along the way earlier really cute? I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a chimera in the form of a dog instead of a cat.”
“Are you planning on using it as research material? Would you like me to catch one now?”
Odelitt asked Morifis without changing the color of her face.
Even though what she had just done behind his back was slaughtering all the cubs and laying them out of reach of the mother wolf’s leash.
“I guess so……”
Unfortunately, her ancestor showed signs of positivity, but luckily, the kitten in Morifi’s arms came to Odellit’s aid.
The kitten seemed to understand the conversation and suddenly raised its head and opened its eyes.
In an instant, the cute kitten’s eyes turned snake-like, and sharp teeth appeared from its cute mouth.
Kyaaaaaaa!
In fact, the beasts that stuck to Morifis’ body like chewing gum were actually chimeras, hiding their true monstrous forms beneath their cute exteriors.
“Oh my, our Catharine. Are you jealous?”
“It looks like that.”
“It’s unfortunate, but a new puppy probably won’t work.”
“I understand, Great Grandfather.”
In this way, the killings that Odellit committed arbitrarily behind the scenes were buried.
At that time, a seasoned-looking woman with short red-blond hair approached with a disciplined gait.
She was the Marquis Romina Lecandro, Commander-in-chief of the Kingdom’s troops.
Odelitt felt intimidated by her appearance and took two steps back.
“Archmage Morifis.”
“Yes, Marquis Lecandro.”
An 8th Circle Archmage and Aura Master faced off.
Although the atmosphere was completely devoid of war intentions, an unknown tension encroached on the surrounding area.
Marquis Lecandro said to Morifis.
“Are you done with interfering with the Church? Can we leave now?”
Although her voice and expression were blunt, there was a look in her eyes that criticized his pettiness.
Morifis read it and smirked as he settled the hummingbird on the tip of his index finger.
“That’s very a sad misunderstanding, Marquis Lecandro. We are not always concerned with such things.”
“Isn’t that so?”
“Not this time. Isn’t that right, grandniece?”
“Yes, Great Grandfather.”
Odellit answered again without any change in her expression and Morifis seemed to believe in what his grandniece said and even added this.
“Behold. I swear by our family’s name.”
At this, the ever-shameless Odellit was stunned.
Like any other elder in his family, Morifis was sincere in caring for his descendants. He was an ancestor with a conscience who looked forward to seeing even another new generation of grandnephews and grandnieces.
Meanwhile, Marquis Lecandro could only snort inwardly.
‘What’s the point of bragging about something you didn’t do only this time?’
Eventually, she let out the criticism she had been holding back.
“Can’t you stop now?”
“What?”
“You can’t even help an ally who’s fallen behind, but you’re putting up even more obstacles. I hear there’s been a serious dispute between the two countries lately because of bloodstones, but do you really need to settle scores this way?”
“Bloodstones? Was there such a dispute?”
“……”
Only then did the Marquis realize that she had overestimated Morifis.
This crazy wizard, confined to the magic tower and only practicing biological experiments, was extremely misanthropic and had no interest in the human world.
Meanwhile, Morifis was receiving information related to the Demon Bloodstone conflict from Odellit.
“Oh, is that so? A bloodstone mine appeared where the Burst Dungeon Boss was defeated, but why is that such an ambiguous border?”
“In fact, in that area, the troops of our Republic and the Holy Country are engaged in confrontation day and night. It would be no surprise if an armed conflict broke out.”
“Hehe, what a crazy situation. If that’s the case, there is a simple solution.”
“What?”
How can the word ‘solution’ come out of the mouth of Morifis, who seems to have no idea about the world, let alone international affairs?
Not only Odellit, but even Marquis Lecandro listened.
Of course, nothing normal could come from the mouth of a mad wizard.
“Why not kidnap the Saint and threaten her?”
“……”
“If we have the Saint, the Church will give up. It’s a method that was a lot of fun even two hundred years ago, so it’s definitely effective. At that time, we did not return Saint Lucrezia, and the Church officials cried and made a fuss about her.”
“You are talking about the Incident of the Saint’s Captivity.”
“Alas, that’s what they call it nowadays, how fancy. At that time, it was just called the Saint’s kidnapping. You know what? I remember that vividly. I was living at that time as a very cute little four-year-old.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Now that I think about it, didn’t you say that the Saint is coming to this dungeon as well? What should we do? Should I kidnap her?”
In the end, Marquis Lecandro, who had heard enough of the craziness, spoke up.
“Mr. Morifis, you are going too far.”
“Tsk, tsk. Marquis Lecandro, do you think I’m making fun of such important matters as the kidnapping of a Saint? That’s not proper posture.”
“……”
Leaving Marquis Lecandro at a loss for words, Morifis turned to Odellit.
“I am willing to cooperate, grandniece.”
“I am surprised to hear that Great Grandfather is interested in political issues.”
“Politics? No. The affairs of men are none of my business.”
“Then why?”
Morifis smiled brightly.
“I’m not interested in humans, but I think a Saint would be an interesting subject of study. You’re a wizard too, so you can understand, right?”
✠
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