PSMWHB Chapter 102

Kieeek!

 

Diana glanced over her shoulder at the piercing scream. Behind her, she saw the monster relentlessly pursuing her. It seems like there’s no sign of anyone nearby, but just in case, should I go a bit further?

 

She grabbed a low-hanging branch and leaped over a pit. Running was becoming increasingly difficult, but it was better to go deeper into the uninhabited area than to risk being seen by someone while dealing with the monster.

 

Diana headed deeper into the forest, away from the direction of the screams. Fortunately, until she found a suitable spot, she didn’t encounter any other monsters.

 

This should do.

 

Diana, who was lightly catching her breath, stopped and turned around. The monster leaped at her, jaws wide open, as if it had been waiting for this moment. She gazed into the monster’s gaping maw with a calm expression. For a brief moment, her eyes turned a deep violet.

 

Yuro.

 

Slash— As some of the blood pooled in Diana’s palm disappeared, a violet line appeared in the air, instantly severing the monster’s neck. The deer-like mutated monster’s eyes remained wide open as if it hadn’t even realized what had happened.

 

Diana let out a sigh of relief. But just as the monster’s head began to spin through the air,

 

Thwack—! A small, short arrow, about a span long, flew out of nowhere and struck the monster’s right eye. Her still-glowing violet eye widened further.

 

What the…!

 

Diana felt a cold shiver run through her body. She whipped her head around in the direction the arrow had come from. What she saw was a face that looked just as surprised as she was.

 

“…Hoo.”

 

A sound, halfway between a sigh and an expression of admiration, reached her ears. Then, there was a faint clink as something clicked into place.

 

The person who had shot the arrow brushed back her messy, curly hair with one hand, revealing a small, strange-shaped bow strapped to her wrist.

 

“Even from this distance, I can sense an unusual amount of mana.”

 

“…”

 

“Are you an elementalist, Third Princess Concubine? It happened so quickly, I’m not sure what element you use.”

 

The one who had shot the arrow was Fourth concubine Miaena Bluebell. She observed Diana with a curious gaze.

 

…I never expected someone to appear in the short moment I stopped and turned around. The unexpected situation left Diana momentarily at a loss.

 

Diana bit her lip in silence, then quietly spoke. “Fourth Concubine.”

 

Miaena seemed to realize that Diana’s call wasn’t really meant to prompt an answer and continued to observe her silently.

 

Diana took a short breath and spoke in the most ominous tone she could muster. “The forest is in chaos due to the mutated monsters.”

 

“…”

 

“In such a situation, if the Fourth Concubine were to have an unfortunate accident… wouldn’t that be relatively simple?”

 

Diana smiled as she finished speaking and took a step toward Miaena. Miaena instinctively stepped back as if sensing the threat.

 

With a hollow expression, Miaena narrowed her eyes at Diana and asked. “Are you asking me to keep the fact that you’re an elementalist a secret?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And if I refuse, will you kill me? I don’t particularly mind dying.”

 

“…”

 

Diana was momentarily speechless, not expecting such a straightforward rejection.

 

The fourth concubine, who had been staring at Diana with an unreadable expression, suddenly shrugged. “Well, alright.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“I’ll keep your secret. But in return, you should come to visit my lab sometime and let me know what kind of elementalist you are.”

 

Diana could hardly believe her ears. But Miaena, seeming sincere, waved her hand nonchalantly and walked away.

 

Left alone, Diana blinked in confusion. “Should I… go after her now?”

 

Rationally, it would have been safer to chase after the fourth concubine right away and make it look like she had been killed by a monster. But for some reason, it didn’t seem like Miaena was lying about keeping her secret. After all, she was ‘that’ fourth concubine.

 

The princess of Arlas and the most brilliant magical scholar. But now, she was a symbol of the friendly relations between Arlas and Valhanas and the one in charge of making various magical tools for Valhanas… The eccentric fourth concubine.

 

“Ah.”

 

Thinking along these lines, Diana suddenly let out a sigh. Her mind, which had frozen at the fourth concubine’s sudden appearance, began to work again.

 

Come to think of it. Fourth concubine Miaena was one of the few magical scholars who could be counted among the best in all of Arlas and the entire continent.

 

A magical scholar is someone who researches the various mysterious forces of this world, focusing on magical power. Their research also includes ‘spirits’. In that case…

 

…Maybe I could entrust her with research on dark attribute spirits?

 

If she couldn’t find any information on dark element spirits, why not create it?

 

Due to the founding myth, only those from the Valhanas Empire could form contracts with spirits. So, the people of Arlas Kingdom generally tried to maintain good relations with the people of Valhanas. It made their spirit research more efficient.

 

Diana stared in the direction Miaena had disappeared, deep in thought. It might turn out to be a better relationship than I expected.

 

In any case, it seemed like the issue with the fourth concubine had been resolved, so it was time to leave the forest. She had dealt with the monster that had been chasing her.

 

As Diana relaxed and let out a deep breath, a face suddenly flashed through her mind, causing her to pause.

 

Kayden.

 

The moment his face came to mind, a sense of unease washed over her, almost reflexively. Diana looked anxiously toward the depths of the forest.

 

I haven’t heard any screams that sounded like Kayden yet.

 

Her hesitation was brief. Diana decided to quietly search the forest while concealing herself with Muf’s barrier, just in case something had happened. However, if too much time passed, Fleur, whom she had sent out of the forest, might faint, so it would be best to quickly find Kayden. If it seemed difficult to meet him, she would leave the forest and try again later.

 

Diana quickly scanned the forest, intent on confirming Kayden’s safety. But he was nowhere to be found, as if he had ventured even deeper into the forest than she had anticipated.

 

Well, he should be fine. Remembering how Kayden had seemed more energized than ever recently, despite his psychological issues, she felt somewhat reassured.

 

Diana glanced up at the sky, where the sunset was beginning to cast a reddish glow, and turned to leave.

 

“…Is that so?”

 

The faint sound of a conversation reached her ears from beyond the bushes. The voice was strangely familiar.

 

Who could it be? Diana frowned, trying to place the voice that sounded so familiar yet elusive. If it had been a completely unknown voice, she would have ignored it. Still, the familiarity made it impossible to dismiss. In the end, Diana decided to quietly approach the bushes to quell her unease. Although she was concealed by Muf’s barrier, she hid her body behind the bushes and peered out cautiously.

 

What she saw made her eyes widen in surprise. What in the world… is going on here?

 

Beyond the bushes, the ground was littered with the corpses of serpent-like mutated monsters. Nearby, Millard lay unconscious on the ground while Rebecca and Duke Findlay stood facing each other, engaged in conversation.

 

* * *

It was a little while before Diana discovered them.

 

Ssshh! The serpent-like mutated monster hissed menacingly as it lunged at Rebecca. Millard stepped in front of her, sword in hand, and shouted. “Your Highness! It’s dangerous, please stay behind…! Ugh!”

 

Millard, who had been confidently swinging his sword at the monster, groaned in shock as the serpent sank its fangs into the blade.

 

Rebecca glared at the back of Millard’s head in annoyance. How annoying.

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