Chapter 36: After the Black Forest Vanished
“What are the casualty reports?”
“We’re still assessing the damage. So far, we’ve confirmed 126 dead and 142 injured.”
“...One hundred twenty-six.”
Crown Prince Aseraian couldn’t hide his surprise at his adjutant’s report. 126 was by no means a small number, but the Black Forest that had erupted around the temple this time was an S-Class.
Twenty years ago, an S-Class Black Forest had claimed more than 5,000 lives. Yet this time, the death toll was only 126.
The investigation was still underway, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° but compared to the disaster of twenty years ago, the difference was astonishing.
“The Boss’s body still hasn’t been found?”
“No, Your Highness. It hasn’t been located anywhere.”
About three hours after the S-Class Black Forest appeared, the tall black trees that had sealed off the area like a barrier suddenly vanished. Considering it had taken more than half a month to overcome the previous S-Class Black Forest, this was just as difficult to comprehend.
No one could explain how the Black Forest had been cleared so quickly. Even the mercenaries who had fought inside it were at a loss.
Every account was the same. They were locked in a desperate battle against an endless horde of monsters when, without warning, the desert around them reverted to its original landscape. Not long after that, the black trees surrounding the area disappeared as well.
“How about Grand Duke Persia?”
If anyone had played the decisive role in clearing the Black Forest, the most likely candidate was Grand Duke Persia.
“We didn’t see him after that. It looked like he left the moment it was over...”
He already heard the mercenaries’ accounts. They all said the Grand Duke had cut through the monsters at astonishing speed. Many had witnessed him freezing monsters solid with his ice and shattering them as he pressed forward.
After that, however, no one knew where he’d gone. He had vanished without anyone noticing. Even after the Black Forest disappeared, there was no sign of him.
“For now, I’ll hear what the Knight Commander has to say.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
They would need a more detailed report from the Imperial Knights who were dispatched to the scene.
“Tell Grand Duke Persia I’d like to see him.”
“Understood.”
With that, Crown Prince Aseraian quickly moved to oversee the remaining work at the scene.
***
“Miss Healer, when will my sister wake up?”
“I’m not sure.”
At Julia’s question, Herion, the head of House Ellesia, offered a sympathetic smile and shook her head.
“Don’t worry too much. She’s not injured, so I’m sure she’ll wake up soon.”
“...Okay.”
Herion patted the girl’s head as she nodded weakly, then let out a silent sigh.
When news of the S-Class Black Forest broke, most of House Ellesia’s healers had remained on standby, ready to treat the injured as soon as they arrived.
Then someone came looking for her in a hurry. After introducing himself as Grand Duke Persia’s aide, he urgently asked her to come, saying Miss Ceres had collapsed.
Leaving the rest to the other healers, Herion followed the aide, Del, to House Drow, where she found Ceres unconscious in bed. She examined her at once but couldn’t find anything wrong. It seemed she had simply pushed herself far beyond her limits.
Even so, the fact that Ceres hadn’t regained consciousness after more than three days kept Herion worried. She stopped by whenever she found a spare moment between treating other patients, yet there was still no sign of Ceres waking up.
“I’ll come again tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
After checking on Ceres, Herion rose to leave and ruffled Julia’s hair one last time.
Her gaze drifted toward the window, where someone stood with a grim expression. It was Grand Duke Persia. Without so much as glancing at anyone else, his eyes remained fixed on Ceres.
Herion silently inclined her head to him before turning to Jubelios, the Fire Spirit King, who sat at Ceres’s bedside.
Please.
Jubelios caught the meaning behind her gaze and nodded firmly, as if telling her not to worry.
Whenever Herion had to leave, she always asked Jubelios to stay with Ceres. If anything happened, she needed someone who could inform her immediately.
“Mister.”
After Herion left, Julia remained by Ceres’s side, her small hand still wrapped around her sister’s. Then she looked up at Kainel.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
Julia knew that he hadn’t left the room in days. Every time she quietly slipped in during the night to check on her sister, she found him exactly where he’d been during the day, standing beside the bed with his gaze focused on Ceres.
“Will you come eat with me?”
“No.”
Kainel’s firm refusal made Julia narrow her eyes. Planting her hands on her hips, the little girl scolded him.
“If you don’t eat, you’ll turn into an idiot.”
“.....”
“Kai, do you want to become an idiot? Hurry up and eat.”
Hearing those familiar words, Kainel turned to look at Julia.
Grrr...
As if on cue, a loud growl came from Julia’s stomach. The sound finally stirred Kainel from his statue-like stillness.
Julia hurriedly clutched her stomach, then gave Kainel an awkward smile. It was a little embarrassing.
Ever since her sister collapsed, no one in the house had been eating properly. Antonian was the same, and Kainel hadn’t eaten a proper meal either.
She was worried about her sister too. And it wasn’t as though she wasn’t hungry...
But as the house grew quieter and more somber by the day, eating just because she was hungry somehow felt wrong. It would look like she was the only one who wasn’t worried about her sister. Because of that, even she hadn’t been eating the meals prepared for her.
“You can’t go turning into an idiot.”
Julia’s eyes lit up. She nodded eagerly, grabbed Kainel’s hand with both of hers, and started pulling him along.
“Then let’s go eat together.”
“.....”
Without resisting, Kainel let himself be led from the room. Before stepping outside, he cast one last look at Jubelios, silently asking him to watch over Ceres.
[Good grief, why’s everyone so worried when I’m here?]
First Herion, now this guy too. Did they really have to make such a fuss?
Clicking his tongue, Jubelios watched Kainel leave.
Then his gaze returned to Ceres, who still looked like she was merely sleeping.
This wasn’t the first time. Back when she’d been Grace, she’d collapsed like this more than once. Whenever she overused her mysterious power, she’d fall into a deathlike sleep and stay unconscious for days. Then she’d wake up as if nothing had happened.
[That fool knows that as well as I do.]
Herion could be forgiven for not knowing, but Kainel had seen Grace end up like this just as many times as he had.
[Buu...]
[Pii...]
Just then, two tiny whimpers broke the silence.
Somehow, Sooty and Airien had made their way to Ceres’s bedside and were sitting by her pillow, sniffling quietly.
[Buu...?]
[Pii...?]
[.....]
[.....]
The two little creatures looked at each other from opposite sides of her pillow.
[Buh!]
[Pii!]
After a brief staring contest, both squeaked at the same time. Sooty suddenly fluttered into the air, grabbed a lock of Ceres’s hair in his mouth, and gave it a possessive tug as if staking his claim.
Thump!
The baby rabbit immediately sprang up and kicked Sooty square in the face.
Keep your filthy mouth off her.
The meaning couldn’t have been any clearer.
[Buuuu!]
[Piii!]
Sooty bared his fangs and lunged at Airien, while Airien leaped back up, ready to answer with another flying kick.
[What are you two doing?!]
Jubelios barked as he wedged himself between them.
[Do you have to make a racket?!]
Faced with the Fire Spirit King’s blazing aura, as though flames might burst from him at any moment, Sooty and Airien retreated reluctantly.
[Buu...]
[Pii...]
You’re small too...
They both shot Jubelios unimpressed looks. For a creature barely bigger than they were, he certainly talked big.
[Y-You insolent brats! Even when I was your age and didn’t know a thing about the world, I still respected my elders! Kids these days... Tsk! Tsk!]
[Buu...]
[Pii...]
There he goes again...
Covering their ears in perfect unison, the pair burrowed beneath Ceres’s pillow as fast as they could. They had no intention of listening to another word of his lecture.
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