FMRV | Chapter 50

As Theo moved further away in the opposite direction, Luke also slowed his steps, eventually coming to a halt. He turned his head toward where he had felt an odd gaze just a moment ago, but all he saw were people joyfully enjoying the festival. Pale, who was browsing nearby street stalls, asked if something was wrong, but Luke simply shook his head, saying it was nothing.

“So, Pale, do you have any plans during your leave?”

“What?”

“Since you’ve got an extended vacation, why don’t you go check out a few places?”

When Luke was still a soldier, he had never properly used his leave, always following model soldier Theo around as his rival. Of course, now he lived a modest and leisurely life, as if making up for the frustrations of that time.

“…I was thinking of just staying here. I don’t have any plans to go elsewhere. To be honest, as soon as I got my leave, I only thought about coming to see you, Commander…”

“Really?”

“Yes, unless it’s inconvenient for you…”

Pale started darting his eyes around nervously, clearly gauging Luke’s reaction. It was true what they said—people’s fundamental nature doesn’t change. Even though Pale’s life had improved somewhat, his timid personality was still as persistent as ever.

“It’s no big deal. But isn’t it a waste to spend all that precious leave just staying here?”

“I also wanted to help you out, Commander. I told you before, didn’t I? I’ll repay that debt no matter what!”

That incident had been a turning point in Pale’s life. Back when he had secretly taken supplies and been caught by Mile, who had roped him into his schemes, it had felt like he was descending into hell. He’d spent countless sleepless nights worrying about what would happen to his sick mother if the truth came out.

But in that hell, the only one who reached out to him was Luke. If it hadn’t been for him, Pale wouldn’t be enjoying his life as a member of the administrative unit, nor would his mother’s condition have improved so much.

“There you go again.”

Whenever Pale tried to express his gratitude, Luke would always dismiss it, deliberately changing the subject. Pale knew it was Luke’s way of trying to keep him from feeling too burdened.

How could anyone call someone like Luke a villain, accusing him of being overly ambitious and deserving punishment? These days, it seemed the other soldiers no longer spoke ill of Luke, but whenever he heard such things, Pale felt his insides churn. He even resented his timid nature, which had prevented him from defending Luke at the time.

“It’s almost evening now.”

Time had flown by as they wandered around excitedly. The sky, which had been a brilliant blue, was now turning a soft shade of orange.

“There are still plenty of events happening tonight. Do you want to check them out?”

When Luke mentioned heading home to look at the garden, Pale quickly chimed in, saying he’d join him.

Following the well-paved road out of the square, they were heading back when they found a street packed with people, making it impossible to move forward.

“Don’t push!”

To get to the village, they had to pass through this street. But whatever commotion was going on, the crowd seemed in no hurry to budge.

“Excuse me, what’s going on here?” Luke asked a nearby vendor.

“Oh, everyone’s clamoring for tickets to tonight’s play.”

Come to think of it, the play at Conenium’s small theater had a reputation for being exceptionally entertaining. Luke had even heard about its renown when he lived in the capital. Understanding why people were so eager to get tickets, he nodded.

The ticket seller tried to organize the crowd into a line, but the mass of disorderly people blocking the street showed no sign of calming down.

“Looks like it’ll be a while before the road clears.”

“Yeah. Even pushing through would be tough.”

Luke rubbed his chin in frustration. As more people gathered, reclaiming order seemed increasingly unlikely. They had no choice but to step aside.

“We’ll take another route, Pale.”

“Is there another way?”

“Yeah, through the woods over there.”

Though it would take longer and be more physically demanding to go through the forest, waiting here or trekking through the woods seemed to require about the same amount of time. Besides, Luke was a former soldier. Pale, though in the administrative unit, was still a soldier, so they could handle any unexpected dangers. Pale didn’t object.

The two of them stepped aside and climbed over the wall surrounding the square. With the sun not yet fully set, this was the perfect time to make the crossing.

“Watch your step.”

“Yes.”

The forest path was narrow, so they walked single file—Pale in front, Luke following closely behind. Luke thought it best to keep watch from the rear, just in case something happened to Pale or they encountered an unexpected situation.

“The path isn’t hard to follow. Just keep walking straight.”

Luke guided him from behind, glancing upward. The thick canopy of trees obscured parts of the sky, where the sun was beginning to set. Once it was fully dark, moving around would become much harder. Picking up the pace, Luke suddenly felt a strange presence behind them.

“Pale, wait.”

He stopped Pale and turned around, scanning the surroundings.

“What is it?”

“Didn’t you feel someone watching us?”

“Someone? No, I didn’t notice anything.”

Pale shook his head, but Luke continued to survey their surroundings warily. There was nothing obviously suspicious, yet he could have sworn someone—or something—was observing them. Unlike the familiar feeling he’d sensed in the square earlier, this gaze felt eerie, almost inhuman.

Luke closed his eyes, focusing on the sounds around them. If he couldn’t see anything, he’d try to detect it by sound. Sensing his intent, Pale held his breath and stayed close.

The rustling of leaves in the cool evening breeze, birds chirping, insects crawling on the ground, and then—

Swoosh—

A faint, unnatural sound cut through the air. Luke opened his eyes and pinpointed the direction of the noise.

Cold energy began gathering in Luke’s right hand. Wisps of white mist condensed around his slender fingers, forming a sharp icicle. Though it looked like a simple icicle, it was imbued with magic, making it incredibly durable. Luke hurled it toward the source of the sound with all his strength.

The icicle hit a withered tree trunk a short distance away with a thud. Pale tilted his head in confusion, as there was nothing visible where the attack had landed. The icicle just stuck into the tree like a dart.

But Luke walked over to the spot without hesitation, and Pale followed quietly. When they reached the tree, Pale’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Where there had been nothing moments ago, a shape was now slowly materializing. It resembled how magicians appeared after teleporting, gradually forming into a distinct figure.

It was a round, fur-covered creature, the same dark brown as the tree trunk it had been clinging to. Its most notable features were its enormous wings, each as large as its body. One of those wings was pierced by Luke’s icicle.

“A… monster?”

“Looks like it.”

The creature whimpered, its tiny, barely visible eyes darting nervously beneath its fluffy fur.

“It doesn’t seem very dangerous. Probably a low-grade monster?”

“I think so too.”

It didn’t appear aggressive and had been subdued by Luke’s single attack. Clearly, it wasn’t a powerful or threatening creature. Still, Luke’s expression was hard to read as he scrutinized the monster.

“Pale, have you ever seen a monster like this?”

“Hm? No, I don’t think so.”

“What about the Empire’s official monster compendium?”

The was an encyclopedia documenting every monster ever encountered in the Empire. Its extensive records detailed the characteristics and known facts of monsters, making it a critical resource.

“Never seen it there either.”

“Then it’s probably an unidentified monster.”

“That’s likely, but… something feels off.”

Luke prodded the creature’s fur with his finger. It was densely packed, radiating an unusual warmth.

“Monsters in the Empire usually adapt their appearance to the environment, right?”

Pale nodded.

“Heinern has distinct seasons, but the winters aren’t harsh enough for magic-powered monsters to struggle. Especially here in Kyleum, it doesn’t even get that cold in winter.”

Luke plucked a strand of the monster’s fur. It squealed softly, tearing up slightly. For a monster, its reaction was oddly endearing.

“But this much fur…?”

Sure, exceptions existed, and there were still mysteries about monsters that even extensive research hadn’t uncovered. It might be as simple as Pale suggested—a previously unidentified monster. Yet, Luke couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Pulling the icicle from the tree, Luke grabbed the fluffy monster in his hand.

“C-Commander?!”

While locking eyes with the strange creature, Luke suddenly held it out to Pale.

“Pale, I have a favor to ask.”