Chapter 29 of 100

Chapter 29

10 min read2,376 words

"Lord Urban, which one is the bird-like creature?"

During the selection process of the monsters after the hunt, a young hunter pointed at a monster and asked.

"That's a Cockatrice. It's poisonous, so put it in the black container. Ah! Don't touch it with your bare hands!"

Today, dozens of monsters appeared near the living area of the territory, so they had to mobilize urgently. Normally, this would be the job of his brother and Georg, but Urban had to take over because they couldn't skip the tea party with the royal family. The palace hunters are top-notch, but only young hunters gathered due to the sudden mobilization, so the selection process is taking longer.

The kingdom was founded within a vast barrier cast by ancient mages, and the barrier's effectiveness weakens the further you move from its center. As a result, monsters regularly appear in the border areas of the palace. These monsters are diverse and difficult to identify. The outside of the border is the world of monsters, and humans never venture there.

The lords go hunting because they have the knowledge to identify and select the vast variety of monsters, which has been passed down through generations. Georg is excellent at hunting monsters, but his knowledge of selection is somewhat lacking. On the other hand, William, while not as skilled in hunting, is steadily acquiring the necessary knowledge. It's as if they are growing up just like their brothers.

After their father's death, Leonardo learned the selection process with all his might, allowing Urban to attend the university in the distant capital. Among the hundreds of palace hunters, only a few have the knowledge of selection, but the final check is always done by someone of the lord's bloodline. In particular, the lord must be able to perform the selection process. Georg needs to work hard just like his brother.

The selection process is directly linked to the lives of the people.

Hunted monsters are categorized into:

1. Food

2. Clothing (fur, leather goods)

3. Tools, weapons (bones, horns)

4. Disposal

If a highly poisonous monster like the Cockatrice is selected as food, all the people who eat it will die. Because of its low appearance rate and bird-like appearance, amateurs tend to categorize it as food, making it a particularly dangerous monster.

The Cockatrice is classified as 4 (Disposal), but it requires detoxification before disposal, which is time-consuming. There are also monsters that are poisonous only in certain seasons, monsters that ignite when they touch water, and monsters that split and multiply when cut with a sword. All of these must be remembered and selected.

After completing the selection, Urban left the cleanup to the hunters and headed home. Once the monsters are placed in the appropriate containers, the lord's job is done, and the hunters are responsible for transporting them to their respective destinations. This time, only one Cockatrice needed to be disposed of, so he noted the text number for detoxification and sent it to the processing facility, while the rest were sold at the market.

His steps were heavy on the way back. No one complained in front of him, but given his brother's family's personality, they probably don't hold the royal family in high regard. Their lack of power consciousness means they likely find it troublesome.

He felt sorry for accidentally being caught by the prince and princess's attendants. Princess Rose Alicia Royal, the mother of the prince and princess and the king's concubine, has a poor reputation in the capital. She is known for her extravagant spending, selfishness, and arrogance. Despite being a concubine, she is plotting to make her son the next king.

His brother's family, who are innocent of malice, might not be able to endure the conversation with her. He wanted to finish the hunt as quickly as possible and at least be there to help, but it was already getting dark. The tea party, with many guests from afar, was likely over by now.

Even though his steps were heavy, his horse's hooves were swift. Since he was riding a horse with a saddle rather than in a carriage, he arrived at the mansion even faster. He hoped that the angelic Emma hadn't been hurt as he opened the door to the living room where the family relaxes.

There, the three brothers were sitting on the floor, curled up with cats. The first time he saw this, he was surprised, but after a week, it became normal. Sometimes they even lie down on the floor. While it might seem improper or dirty, it seems that the new carpet in the room requires them to take off their shoes.

Cats, after all, are not something that can be easily curled up with, no matter how many times he pointed this out to his brother's family.

Emma is usually attached to the cat called Comai. She shows a relaxed, genuine smile to the cat more than to her doting uncle. It's frustrating, but also cute. Georg is often with the black cat Kan, William with the calico cat Ryu, and his brother and sister-in-law with the white cat Cho. Each of them has their favorite cat, as William once mentioned, but what does "favorite cat" mean?

"Urban, welcome back. Did the hunt go well?"

Today, his brother Leonardo was even brushing a long-haired white cat.

"Back home, brother. We only encountered one Cockatrice today, but no other rare monsters."

"Cockatrice?"

Georg put a question mark. He would have to teach him this during his stay.

"Brother, the Cockatrice is a bird-like creature!"

William explained.

William is correct.

"Brother, it's the one that appears in FF and Dragoon!"

For some reason, Emma also explained.

FF? Dragoon? Unfamiliar words.

"Oh! The chicken with poison?"

For some reason, Georg answered correctly with unfamiliar words.

"That's right. It's poisonous, so it can't be used for food, clothing, or tools. It needs to be detoxified and disposed of! Text number 28."

William answered smoothly.

He has an excellent memory. It's no wonder he managed to complete the exam without mixing up the samples of silkworms.

"Something tells me that game knowledge might come in handy."

Georg seems to have caught on.

"Then! I'll make you a card game! A monster card game! You can learn while playing."

Recently, some of what Emma says is incomprehensible, but Georg looks happy, and William is eager to help. I'll leave it to them, even though it's a bit lonely.

"By the way, how was today's tea party?"

No one showed any signs of being upset, but he was curious.

"It was so much fun!!"

The three brothers harmonized excitedly.

Indeed, it was the first time for the three brothers to meet the royal family. The black hair of the prince and princess is a rare beauty, and perhaps the selfishness of Lady Rose didn't leave an impression. Still, he wondered if his brother and sister-in-law were worried. His brother nodded contentedly at the brothers.

"Such beautiful people exist."

Even his brother was captivated by the prince and princess, so Lady Rose must have been furious.

"Uncle! I've been invited to Lady Rose's family home! I'm so excited."

Emma said happily.

No girl can resist the black hair of Prince Edward.

It's a common story in the capital, but even our Emma...

"Emma, I understand your admiration for the black-haired prince, but Lady Rose has a poor reputation in the capital. You should think carefully about an engagement..."

"Why! What's wrong with Lady Rose?"

William exclaimed in surprise.

"Excessive spending on dresses and... the dresses are... too revealing and lack taste..."

Emma was trembling slightly. She must have been harassed by Lady Rose.

"The people in the capital don't understand."

Emma sighed.

"The money needed for Lady Rose's beauty is minimal!"

"..."

"The dresses that adorn her body, the result of daily effort, can't be cheap!"

"..."

"To criticize her for lacking taste when she so generously shows us her beautiful body is to question the character of the critic!"

"..."