Kays Translations

Chapter 95: The Crisis at Mount Claire

House Heine’s mansion possessed an enormous dance hall.

That was the advantage of frontier land: space was plentiful, so the mansion, its rooms, and even the knights’ residential buildings were all expansive. Yet the hall felt especially vast while Rosalia and I struggled through dance practice.

“You’re still losing the rhythm,” our instructor said. “Again. You mustn’t embarrass your future partners.”

He began clapping the beat once more.

The man was merciless. Perhaps Rosalia’s deadened expression came not only from the earlier etiquette lesson but also from this relentless practice.

I worked seriously, but the game had contained no dance events, so I possessed no convenient Dance skill. My physical coordination was adequate; I simply couldn’t internalise the rhythm.

By the time the lesson ended, both body and spirit were exhausted. We thanked the instructor, watched him leave, and collapsed where we stood.

“Kyu!”

“What happened to both of you?” Mars cried.

Mira and Mars hurried over. Mira head-butted Rosalia and me in concern. It hurt slightly, but I accepted it as affection.

“Mars, our dance instructor has thoroughly defeated us.”

“You have my deepest sympathy.”

His distant expression revealed that he too disliked dancing. I had left Mira with him during the lesson; dancing while carrying a holy dragon was impossible.

We moved to the salon, where servants had already prepared tea.

“I’m returning to life,” I said after one cup. “Rosalia, are you alive?”

“I’m fine.”

She wasn’t fine at all. Rosalia had been raised gently, and the sudden severity of her training had struck hard. At six, perhaps she was reaching the age when pure indulgence had to give way to a mixture of affection and discipline.

“Have you discovered anything new about Mira?” I asked Mars.

“Absolutely. Their fur is magnificent.”

That sounded ominous. Mira’s fluffiness had already rendered him useless. I could only hope his ecological research contained more than increasingly elaborate descriptions of their coat.

“Lord Julius, are you here?” Lionel called from the doorway.

“What is it?”

“A letter has arrived from the manager of Mount Claire.”

“Already?”

I took it and sliced the seal with a thread of wind magic.

A wasteful use of magic, perhaps, but I had always wanted to try it. Lionel’s expression clearly said that a letter knife would have sufficed.

“The manager says we may inspect the mountain, but insists on choosing the route and timing. That sounds as though something is being hidden.”

I handed Lionel the letter.

“I agree,” he said. “We should increase the escort.”

“Excellent. We’ll apply a little pressure.”

“Big brother is laughing like a villain,” Rosalia observed.

“Kyu.”

Because the situation might be dangerous, Rosalia and Mira would remain at home. I alone would handle the unpleasant work.

After discussing security with Lionel, I returned to the planned magic-tool session with Rosalia. Mars joined us, and the discussion was surprisingly productive.

That evening, I finished writing the tea-party invitations.

The next morning, I sent them out immediately after breakfast.

I didn’t reply to Mount Claire’s manager. Arriving before he had time to prepare or conceal anything was the entire strategy.

Rosalia and Mira protested when they learned I was leaving without them, but I explained that inspecting the territory was part of my duty. They needed to practise patience rather than grow into selfish children.

Mount Claire was only about two hours from the territorial capital. It wasn’t especially high; adults could climb it on foot, and horses could follow the maintained paths.

A mountain was still a mountain, however, and might contain ingredients unavailable elsewhere. I repeatedly searched the ground from horseback.

“Please look ahead, Lord Julius,” Lionel warned. “You’ll fall.”

“But there may be valuable materials below us.”

“Lord Julius.”

“Yes.”

Apparently, I also required discipline.

Then I spotted a round object covered in sea-urchin-like spikes.

Chigo fruit.

“Lionel, please collect several of those spiky fruits.”

He sent a knight, who placed them carefully in a bag and showed one to me.

There was no doubt. Chigo berries could be used to make an elementary mana-recovery potion. The effect was modest, but the potion was convenient, and the plant itself could be cultivated. We should gather viable seeds.

Soon afterwards, we reached the residence of the man responsible for Mount Claire.

He greeted us in visible panic.

“Lord Julius! We weren’t prepared to receive you.”

“There’s no need for ceremony. I happened to be nearby and decided to inspect the mountain. Please show us around.”

“Well… that is…”

His eyes shifted wildly.

I insisted, and he reluctantly led us upwards. The path was well maintained and safe for horses. At first, nothing seemed unusual.

Then one of the knights scouting ahead galloped back.

“Lord Julius, you must see this.”

I urged my horse forwards—and found an enormous bare slope.

Only the side of Mount Claire visible from House Heine still had mature trees. The rest had been stripped almost completely.

I turned towards the trembling manager.

“Explain this.”

He lowered his head.

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