Chapter 45

"Ah, it was just a dream... right?"

First, I checked on the baby phoenix. Yeah, it’s fine. It’s not as big as in the dream; it’s the right size for a chicken. Good. It seems the baby phoenix that could bury both me and Carnelia was just a dream. I’m relieved.

The baby phoenix noticed I was awake and started chirping. The horses around me slowly woke up, lifted me from under the hammock, skillfully placed me on their backs, and started carrying me.

I was carried on a horse, still holding the baby phoenix, all the way to the house. ...I’m not surprised by this anymore. Yeah.

When I was brought to the house, a unicorn came and knocked on the door with its horn. Then Laokles came out... and upon seeing me being carried by the horses and the unicorn knocking on the door, he had a face that said, "I’m not surprised by this anymore."

"...You’re awake?"

"Yeah. What day is it?"

"Six days."

...Three days over!

"Uwah, what should I do? I need to contact Fay."

"I already did. I was told to contact you as soon as you wake up and recover."

...I see. I should... listen to the story first. Yeah.

The horses handed me over to Laokles. I was a bit heavy and couldn’t move on my own, so I’m grateful. Thank you for taking care of me.

"Do you have an appetite?"

"Huh? Um... a little. I can probably eat some fruit."

"Alright. Then eat that."

I feel like I just ate, so I’m not really hungry. But I decided to eat something anyway.

First, I need to contact Fay. I entrusted a letter to one of the pegasi that came to help and asked it to deliver it to the Redgald family. Thanks.

Then, a few unicorns, competing with each other, brought me some fruit, which I started eating right away.

While eating, I was about to ask Laokles about the current situation, but a guest arrived first.

"Ah! Togo! I’m glad you’re awake!"

...It was Carnelia. Yeah.

Well, I kind of had a feeling she would be here since the baby phoenix was around, but apparently, she was here. So...

"I heard about the magic depletion, but you were so still, it was quite worrying."

Interlia is here too. ...What’s going on here?

"Alright. I apologize for interrupting your rest, but I would like to stay here for a while... say, about a week."

"Yeah, that’s fine, but..."

It seems Interlia and Carnelia fled here.

"Continuously escaping from the Giolens family’s pursuit is difficult. So, we would like to hide here for a while."

I see. It seems that "continuously being pursued is difficult, but once you disappear, it’s easier to live in hiding."

"Considering that, I thought about staying here with the forest’s master’s permission, but I didn’t expect Togo to be here..."

"I can’t turn away someone who has come. I allowed you to stay here, thinking you would understand. If there are any problems, you can deal with me."

"Yeah. There are no problems. Thank you."

Seeing the happy Carnelia, the apologetic Interlia, and Laokles with a "I already knew" face, I’m glad. Yeah. There are many models.

"By the way, you both said you would stay here for a while... but what about after that?"

"Yeah. After the Giolens family is in prison, we thought we might travel around for a while."

...What?

Are they going to prison?

"Let me explain. The Giolens family is currently charged with 'coercion and kidnapping of minors,' 'unlawful entry into the Redgald family,' and 'attempted assassination of the Redgald family’s second son.'"

"Huh?"

The first two make sense. I was somewhat coerced... and while it wasn’t kidnapping, I was somewhat confined. Yeah.

The unlawful entry into the Redgald family makes sense too. Yeah.

But... Fay’s assassination? Did something happen to Fay while I was at the Giolens family?

"Don’t worry. It’s all over."

"If that’s the case, that’s good... but..."

I have no idea what happened. A lot has changed while I was asleep.

"First, let’s start with why your information leaked to the Giolens family."

Ah, we’re starting there. It might go back a bit, but I’ve been curious, so I want to clear this up.

So, how did my information leak to the Giolens family...

First, it’s clear that Fay got the Red Dragon. Fay showed the Red Dragon in town.

However, it was hard to connect where she got the Red Dragon with my existence. I was just someone who suddenly started coming and going from the Redgald family. The information that "someone summoned a Red Dragon" shouldn’t connect with me. At least, I don’t think it should.

At the same time, the Giolens family didn’t know that I could materialize drawings. They just thought I was a magician with a lot of magic power.

So, to reach the information that "Ueskyu might have summoned the Red Dragon," they needed two pieces of information: "Ueskyu is a magician with a lot of magic power" and "Ueskyu is close to Fay Blade Redgald."

"Maybe the doctor?"

When I asked, Laokles nodded with a grim face.

"Yeah. The Redgald family’s regular doctor was apparently working with the Giolens family."

...Ah, it leaked from that doctor. I see.

So... wow, I’m glad I didn’t accidentally say, "I use magic to materialize drawings." It was a good call for Fay’s father to cover for me. I’m glad.

"...It seems that Fay Blade Redgald was tortured by an underground market organization, and the doctor who treated her at that time knew about the Red Dragon."

Ah, when Fay had severe injuries to her eyes and hands... Yes, her eyes and hands were bandaged, and the doctor who treated her was that one.

As I learned more about the unknown information, it felt like the puzzle pieces in my head were fitting together. I was gradually understanding the situation.

...Or so I thought.

"Then, a plan to poison and assassinate the Redgald family’s second son was also proposed."

"Huh?"

A shocking statement came out.

"The Giolens family... as Carnelia told you, they wanted a connection with the royal family and desired a summoning beast."

"Yeah."

I understand that. I understand that, but...

"A noble suddenly summoned the legendary Red Dragon. For the Giolens family, who wanted to get close to the royal family, the Redgald family, who was in a superior position, was an eyesore. So, they decided to kill them."

...That’s chilling.

My head went cold and blank. That’s how it felt.

"Is... is Fay okay? Is Fay alright?"

Without thinking, I just asked... and Laokles sighed as if exasperated.

"Yeah. She’s fine. You healed her, apparently."

Healed. ...Yeah, I healed her. I healed her, but... um?

"That doctor apparently tried to kill Fay Blade Redgald by giving her a 'medicine' that was actually poison, but it seems the medicine suddenly became unnecessary?"

...I understand now.

Yeah, I remember. Right after Fay found out I was trying to heal her by drawing, she immediately sent a letter saying the medicine was no longer needed.

That "medicine" was... poison!

"...Don’t look so shocked. She’s fine, after all."

"...Yeah."

When I realized how close it was, I suddenly felt scared. I didn’t expect it to be that serious.

"Apparently, they were still watching to kill Fay Blade Redgald, but the question of 'who healed such severe injuries' came up. ...So, the assassination plan was put on hold. But then you came, which is why you were examined."

"Yeah, that’s when I was examined."

"Yeah. Your vast magic power was exposed to the Giolens family through the doctor. At that point, they had a good idea of who 'summoned the Red Dragon.' The Giolens family’s target shifted from Fay Blade Redgald’s assassination to recruiting you. ...In a way, you became a substitute."

Wow... that’s... good. Yeah. I’m glad Fay wasn’t poisoned. It was fortunate. That I could heal Fay, the timing, and then being examined by the doctor and the information leaking to the Giolens family... looking back, it was all for the best.

Otherwise, Fay’s life would have been in danger. It could have been irreparable.

"...I’m glad."

I felt relieved. I was already feeling weak, but now I felt even more drained.

"Hey, don’t get too relaxed. Don’t get lightheaded."

I’m not lightheaded. I’m not lightheaded.

"...Well, I think you understand the general situation now. While you were depleted of magic, the Redgald family made the doctor confess and sued the royal castle for illegal entry and kidnapping of minors. It’s only a matter of time before the Giolens family is imprisoned."

I see. So, I understand the situation now. Yeah.

But, I’m worried about...

"Um, Carnelia, is it...?"

"Hehe. They treated Carnelia as 'non-existent.' She won’t be held responsible."

Ah, I see. The fact that Carnelia has been hidden so far is useful here. That’s a bit of a relief.

For Carnelia, it must be complicated to have her relatives imprisoned... but...

"Well, Santos and Father should reflect in prison! They should cool their heads properly!"

...Yeah, seeing Carnelia, all my worries are gone. She’s so strong.

Since I couldn’t move that day, I was put back in the hammock. By whom? By the horses.

"Here. Togo. I’ll lend you this one! If you put this one on your stomach, I don’t think it will get cold!"

"Yeah, thank you. It was really warm just now."

...And Carnelia lent me the baby phoenix. Yeah, thank you.

"Ah, are you leaving too?"

Then Laokles talked to the shield, and Alikorn came out.

Suddenly, the pegasi and unicorns got excited. They wagged their tails, flapped their wings, and came closer.

It seems Alikorn is like an "idol from elsewhere" to the horses. Or maybe the "cutest youngest member of the family." It’s good to see them welcoming and getting along. ...Well, Alikorn has a "what’s going on in this forest?" face...

...Then Alikorn came to my hammock, sat down, and started sleeping.

Suddenly, I felt a bit more energized. Maybe I’m receiving magic power from Alikorn.

I can now sense magic power, so I can understand such things.

Focusing on my stomach, I felt not just heat but also magic power flowing from the baby phoenix.

Maybe the baby phoenix is also sharing magic power with me. I hope it doesn’t overexert itself, though...

...But with the baby phoenix warming my stomach, Alikorn’s wings gently caressing me, and the hammock swaying... I gradually felt sleepy.

Once I realized I was sleepy, the sleepiness became stronger, and I finally fell asleep.

...Yeah, I’ll try my best when I wake up.

When I woke up, it was morning. I must have slept for about 18 hours.

Thanks to the horses and the baby phoenix, my body felt much