Chapter 31

"It seems it won't explode anymore."

After the grand explosion, I stood there in a daze, watching the Bergenion flock scatter. Despite their persistent pursuit, the surviving magic birds no longer had the energy to even glance at us. They wobbled and flew back into the Elsenie Great Forest, their home. I realized that the duke had somehow cast a protective barrier around us. Our surroundings were enveloped in a thin, golden magic, and anything that the blast scattered, such as scorched debris and feathers, vanished with a sizzling sound before reaching me.

"Well, are you alright, Melfi?"

The aftermath of the explosion was finally settling down. The duke, who had confirmed that the knights' dragons were descending from the sky, snapped his fingers. The golden barrier around us disappeared, revealing a dazzling blue sky.

"I'm fine... Your Grace. I did something terrible..."

"Say no more. Thanks to your quick thinking, we were saved."

"But I never thought it would turn out like this..."

When the duke mentioned that it could "become a weapon to destroy a country," this is what he meant. I used the magic, which is the life force of Zanas, all at once, and I should have known this would happen.

(Maybe my research was extremely dangerous?)

I finally realized this. I had been so focused on making the monsters delicious that I hadn't paid attention to the pure magic they produced. Indeed, this could become a weapon capable of destroying a country. As soon as I understood this, my body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Your Grace... my research..."

"I won't let anyone say anything here. You should continue your research as you see fit."

"But..."

"There's no need to make it a weapon. The magic stored in the cloudy crystals can be used like the fire in your stove. Let's try using it at the mansion first. It might make life more convenient."

The duke wrapped me in his cloak. His armor was hard and cold, but his concern was very warm.

"Use it at the mansion, Your Grace?"

"Yes, Melfi. To start a fire, you need flint or magic, right? And during the long, dark winter nights, you need light."

"That's true. If we divide the magic and use it, it could make life easier for the knights and the people, right?"

"Exactly. The amount of magic used in daily life is not insignificant. I'm sure they will be grateful."

The duke's eyes looked at me kindly. He was right. We had never used it as a weapon before, and we didn't have to start now. If we used it in daily life, we could make it more user-friendly. We could engrave magic arrays directly into the cloudy crystals. Not just for fire and light, but to warm or cool rooms...

At Marshall Raid, no one visited my research building voluntarily. So, I had left the unused magic-infused cloudy crystals to release their magic naturally. But if the duke used them, they wouldn't go to waste. Monsters were indeed a versatile resource, good for eating and using.

I peeked out from under the cloak and looked at the duke. He never criticized my hobbies or research. Even now, instead of banning my research, he was showing me a new path.

"Thank you, Your Grace."

When I expressed my gratitude, the duke shook his head slightly.

"This time, it was an emergency to save us. Be proud. Thanks to you, no one was injured, and we escaped the monster attack... I am grateful, Melfi."

"No, it was only possible because of the user's power. It was thanks to Your Grace, who could activate all the flawed magic arrays I drew."

The duke, who effortlessly activated all the flawed magic arrays I drew, is a first-class magician, I think. The idea that he was clumsy in his childhood is definitely not true.

"If that's the case, it's the result of our cooperation. My fiancée did a good job."

"W-Well, if we use it next time, I'll use something much smaller!"

"Ah, that's a good idea. Then we can go monster hunting together!"

The duke smiled happily. Hunting monsters together in the Elsenie Great Forest, where there are many Bergenions?

"Will I go monster hunting with you, Your Grace?"

"Of course. As winter approaches, the honeycombs of the Guinbina bees and the fruits of the Zackerut will be in season... and the Giraphans and Celestial Wolves will come after them. The Giraphans are probably delicious, even though the Celestial Wolves are not food."

The Guinbina bees are thumb-sized, stingless magic insects that collect fruit nectar. In autumn, their nests are full of rich nectar, which is also delicious. But the Giraphans and Celestial Wolves come for the nectar. Giraphans are omnivorous, four-legged hoofed magic beasts with long necks. Celestial Wolves are winged wolf-like magic beasts, rare and mysterious creatures often seen in myths.

"Your Grace, the Celestial Wolves are not food?"

"They are used in the Galbraith family crest. The Celestial Wolves are like the guardian deities of the Elsenie Great Forest."

"Guardian deities..."

"M-Melfi, you must not eat the Celestial Wolves, okay? Got it?"

The duke's voice sounded a bit anxious. While I might be tempted to eat something I'm told not to, I wouldn't dare eat a guardian deity used in the Galbraith family crest... I think.

"Sir!?"

A voice came from somewhere far away. I thought it might be Milan, who had rushed towards the Bergenions, but he had already rejoined the main force and wasn't the source of the voice.

"Sir, the explosion earlier!"

Again, only the voice was heard. It seemed that the resonance stones attached to the dragons were picking up the distant voice. The voice calling out, "Are you alright!?" grew closer, and with it, a huge red fireball approached from the sky. The dragons that had been waiting in the same spot scattered to make way for the fireball.

"Finally, Chaos."

"From the defense line, this is as fast as I could get!"

The fireball descended towards us. Only then did I realize that the voice belonged to Chaos.

"Too late! Melfi and I have already taken care of it."

"What? Lady Melfi!?"

The fireball spread out in front of me. No, it wasn't a fireball. It was, could it be...

"Oh, so this is the Flame Eagle!"

Four bright crimson wings, magic-infused flight feathers and a long, beautiful tail, the Flame Eagle looked as if it were on fire. Chaos was riding on its back. Chaos's usually sleek black hair was tousled, and he seemed a bit flustered.

"Y-Your Grace! I was watching with a far-seeing spell! Lady Melfi was there, and what was that magic! Why did you use such a reckless, cruel, and merciless spell!?"

Chaos's shouting was intense... but the "reckless, cruel, and merciless spell" he was talking about was drawn by me. I had no choice but to use it to save the duke and everyone. Yes, the blinding explosion did mercilessly burn the Bergenion flock.

As I was thinking this, more Flame Eagles descended one after another. Knights in crimson light armor quickly surrounded us.

"Grrrr..."

The dragon we were on growled, snorted, and moved its head up and down. Surrounded by Flame Eagles, the king of the skies seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"The Bergenion flock was behaving abnormally. But! Lady Melfi is not a knight. The 'Acceleration' spell must have been a great strain on Your Grace's body."

It seemed that the Bergenions were indeed behaving abnormally. The magic I used was so unusual that it worried Chaos this much. I had gone a bit, no, a lot overboard. I opened my mouth to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Chaos."

"Lady Melfi?"

"That was me—"

The duke's 'Acceleration' spell was powerful, but I wasn't tired or injured. When I pulled back the duke's cloak to show Chaos that I was fine, the Flame Eagle knights' gazes immediately focused on me.

"So cute."

"So small, so cute, such a small face!"

"This is the lady for Your Grace?"

"Your Grace is so unfair."

"I'm so jealous!"

"I want a wife too!"

"Wow, she looks like a doll."

"Your Grace, introduce her quickly!"

The Flame Eagle knights, who had crowded in as close as possible, started shouting. I wasn't used to being called cute, so my face gradually grew hot from embarrassment. Unable to bear the gazes, I looked down, only to be called "cute" again.

"Stop looking at Melfi, or she'll disappear!"

The duke hid me under his cloak again, but the knights' excitement didn't subside.

"She won't disappear!"

"Show us more!"

"We've been on guard duty with our swords and shields, and we can't wait any longer!"

"Right, right!"

Seeing that this wouldn't end, the duke barked, "Alright, understood! Leave a guard and return!" and pulled the dragon's reins hard, kicking the saddle.