Chapter 80 - Mountain Climbing

'What is this all of a sudden...?'

Chartien, commander of the Sixth Battalion, narrowed his eyes at the golden rod pointing at him. Galahad was holding it, a peculiar smile on his face.

'Has he found out?'

Chartien's brow creased slightly. No, he had left no traces. With the Grand Duke watching, he had kept his involvement to a minimum.

The Grand Duke's sudden summons to this meeting had been strange to begin with.

'Something happened in Hellob. But why single me out?'

Chartien glared at Galahad, whose expression remained inscrutable. There would be no evidence. Chartien set his face and glanced aside.

The Grand Duke watched silently from the head of the table. Chartien knew that even the slightest slip of the tongue could get his head torn off.

His expression hardening, he spoke.

"Isn't Hellob just a story we use to scare recruits? What are you saying is there?"

"Oh, so that's how you're playing it. Not bad."

Galahad's ambiguous answer grated on Chartien's nerves. The slightest retreat would spell the end. He seized the bastard's golden rod, its chill seeping through his hand.

"Speak plainly. His Highness the Grand Duke's recognition seems to have gone to your head. I am a commander of the North. I'm not someone you can casually take a stab at."

Several of the other commanders nodded. Few had liked Galahad in the first place. Chartien, on the other hand, had cultivated his relationships with them steadily. It was obvious which of the two they would favor.

Evidence would change things, of course, but there was no way the bastard had any.

The atmosphere in the meeting hall sharpened in an instant, filling with tension.

"I see. Have I misunderstood?"

Galahad's golden rod drew back slightly. Seeing him tuck his tail between his legs, Chartien smiled and gripped the rod firmly. He intended to cement his advantage.

"Explain exactly what happened. What took place in Hellob? And why did you single me out—"

There was no way the bastard had gone beneath Hellob. If he had, he couldn't possibly have come out alive.

Just then—

"There was a Demon city. And an upper-echelon Demon called the ruler. This golden rod was its prized possession. Pretty, isn't it?"

Galahad shook the golden rod. A golden rod... Chartien's eyes shifted.

The ruler? Chartien's thoughts tangled. He remembered what he had heard about the ruler's baton. He had killed the ruler? This bastard? A Mage? How?

Countless questions arose.

'Impossible.'

He was clearly fishing for a reaction. Chartien wasn't so shallow that he would fall for this.

Then he felt a chill at the back of his neck.

'What...?'

Chartien turned his head and froze.

The Grand Duke was standing right behind him.

* * *

Galahad had singled out the Sixth Battalion's commander for several reasons.

For instance, the Sixth, Third, and Fifth Battalions took turns patrolling Hellob, but recently the Sixth had volunteered to handle the patrols. Yet they had reported nothing unusual. And when he mentioned Hellob, Chartien's breathing had faltered for a moment. There were quite a few grounds for suspicion, but they weren't quite enough.

So he had intended to sound the man out a little. A basic step in winning someone over.

Not that it mattered anymore.

SPLASH!

Galahad snapped his fingers at the violent spray of blood. A translucent barrier formed and turned entirely red.

Galahad realized something.

It wasn't just Demons whose heads the Grand Duke tore off. He tore off human heads too. And he was very good at it. An expert head-ripper.

The headless body crumpled.

The commanders turned toward the Grand Duke. Their expressions varied, but none showed fear. Apparently, having a living person's head torn off was nothing remarkable in the North.

The Grand Duke set the severed head down before Galahad. Its long, protruding tongue dangled, hot blood dripping from it.

"His heart was pounding. Like hunted prey."

The Grand Duke's lips curled into a savage smile.

These men were commanders. Hellob, a mere story for frightening recruits, should hardly have set their hearts racing.

It was a fairly plausible basis.

'Even so, tearing someone's head off just because his heart was beating fast...'

The fact that he could hear heartbeats at all was absurd.

'I'll have to watch my heart, too.'

Galahad steadied his breathing as he looked at Chartien's head sitting there.

Tearing someone's head off. It was exactly the sort of punishment the Grand Duke would deliver. Chartien would now live on in the commanders' memories as an excellent cautionary example.

Except...

'Did he deliberately stop me?'

Had he won Chartien over, he might have learned more. The Grand Duke had closed off that possibility with one clean pull.

The Grand Duke stared silently at Galahad. Blood dripping down his face hid his expression.

'Interesting.'

Galahad stroked the golden rod. Its rather pleasant feel soothed him.

* * *

'What an anticlimax.'

Galahad muttered as he put a cigarette between his lips.

Once Chartien had gone the way of Guan Yu, the meeting proceeded swiftly. The Grand Duke promoted the Sixth Battalion's deputy commander to commander, then dispatched the Second Battalion, Adrianna's personal unit, and the Sixth Battalion to Hellob.

The meeting ended with his announcement that he would reconvene them after reviewing the results.

The sight of nearly a hundred armed people setting out was quite a spectacle.

"What's with that expression?"

Gilberton asked, wearing his ugly face. Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

"They won't find anything anyway."

"What? In a city that big? How is that possible?"

"As I said before, go ask the Demons."

"... Pardon?"

Instead of answering, Galahad flicked the ash from his cigarette.

It was a shame he hadn't been able to interrogate Chartien, but at least the rotten tooth had been pulled. Not figuratively, either. It had really been pulled out.

In any case, a suspicious commander had been dealt with. And with such a large force dispatched, the Demons would have no choice but to move their city. That would cost them dearly.

It was a shame he hadn't gotten the ruler, but...

'You can't eat everything in one sitting.'

Greed inevitably led to an upset stomach. He could call this a fairly good outcome.

"It's fortunate Lady Adrianna knows the way."

"Sir Gilberton, you idiot."

"Pardon? You're rather prickly today. Oh, is that what's bothering you?"

Gilberton grinned. Galahad groaned.

Normally, Galahad would have gone to Hellob with them. Adrianna had argued for that too. Commander Galahad had discovered it, she reasoned, so he needed to lead the way. It was perfectly reasonable, and that had been his plan as well.

But the Grand Duke had refused.

Fine. The refusal itself was all right.

The problem was what came next.

["The Special Operations Unit's commander will go hunting with me."]

Hunting. What a peculiar word. It meant catching animals, but the Grand Duke would hardly stir himself merely to catch a few beasts.

"Well, it's just a hunt, isn't it? You'll be fine."

"Sir Gilberton."

"Yes?"

"You're coming too."

"Oh, I'd love to, but didn't His Highness say it would be just the two of you?"

Galahad's face crumpled at Gilberton's sly grin.

"Isn't this a chance to grow closer to His Highness?"

"Indeed."

Galahad nodded. Being alone with him bothered him a little... No, considerably. But it was a good opportunity. He had plenty to ask about: the accord, why the Grand Duke had torn Chartien's head off, and more.

"Has the Grand Duke ever taken anyone else hunting?"

"Yes. Twice, as far as I know."

So this wasn't a first. Galahad felt a little relieved.

"Who?"

"Ah, the former Fifth Battalion commander and the former chief of staff, I believe."

"... Both former officeholders?"

"What a remarkable coincidence," he muttered, just as Gilberton added an explanation.

"Yes. They went missing on the hunt."

"Missing?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Apparently, no one saw them again after they went up the mountain with His Highness."

"Nothing at all, indeed."

Galahad rubbed his neck for no particular reason.

"Yes, well, they're only missing. Oh, it's probably because His Highness hunts in the Demon-Beast Graveyard."

"The Demon-Beast Graveyard?"

"Yes. It's the largest mountain in the North, where demon-beasts that couldn't return to their territory gather."

Galahad groaned at Gilberton's explanation.

"The Eighth Battalion handles it, but they don't go up. They only deal with the demon-beasts that come down. Something about a strange energy up there?"

"This won't do. I'll have to ask His Highness."

"Ask him what?"

"To take Sir Gilberton along."

"... Pardon?"

Just then, a familiar figure approached. Theodore.

"I'm joking."

Galahad cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Oh, don't go missing. If you're in any danger, call me. I'll come running."

Gilberton sounded quite serious, his hand firmly gripping his sword hilt. He seemed to have forgotten who the other party was.

"Could you actually get there if I called?"

"Aha. Call loudly."

"What a wise solution."

Gilberton chuckled. Galahad clicked his tongue and put out his cigarette.

"Just make sure Damian gets his aura on time."

"Yes. Don't worry."

He gave a brief wave and headed toward Theodore.

"This way."

His steps felt heavier than when he had entered the Demon city.

* * *

The Grand Duke had a fearsome face.

No, fearsome didn't quite cover it. His face was excessively fearsome. From the scars etched meticulously all over it to his tigerlike eyes and heavy jaw, everything about it was optimized for tearing into flesh.

Perhaps a high-ranking demon-beast would look like that after eating garlic in a cave for fifty days.

Going hunting alone with such a man was a daunting prospect even for Galahad.

"Let's go."

Galahad nodded at the voice that resembled a predator's growl.

The Grand Duke set out without a single attendant. All he carried was the enormous axe on his back.

'Good thing I brought this.'

Galahad muttered as he gripped his thick leather bag. Tom had hurriedly packed it upon hearing that he was going hunting. If Tom had packed it, everything he needed would be inside.

'When I get back, I'll cut Sir Gilberton's pay and give it to Tom.'

Murmuring the joke, Galahad nodded. It was too late to back out anyway.

The Grand Duke headed toward an enormous snowy mountain. Its sharp peak seemed to reach the sky, and snow heaped on bare branches obscured everything within.

Watchtowers dotted its surroundings, packed more densely than in the other battalions' sectors.

Soldiers and the Eighth Battalion's commander were waiting to greet them. The heavily armed men saluted smartly, and their commander ran over to welcome the Grand Duke.

"Welcome, Your Highness."

The Eighth Battalion's commander bowed deeply, but the Grand Duke walked on without so much as looking at him.

Apparently accustomed to being ignored, the commander gestured to those nearby. Soldiers bustled about, opening the way up the mountain. Several layers of sharpened wooden barricades shifted aside. The scraps of flesh and bloodstains on them caught Galahad's eye.

The Grand Duke strode unhesitatingly through the opening. Galahad pulled his coat closed and followed.

The terrain was exceedingly rough. Above all, there was no trail. Everything was buried in white snow, making it impossible to distinguish one place from another.

The Grand Duke kept walking in silence.

"A magnificent mountain."

No reply. Galahad closed his mouth too and concentrated on keeping up. He memorized his step count and directions, just in case.

At least the golden rod made things easier. Clearly, it really was meant for mountain climbing.

How long had they walked?

For the first time, the Grand Duke stopped. He reached for the axe on his back.

SHING!

The enormous axe moved lightly with a chilling sound. How he could hold such a huge weapon in one hand was a marvel.

He raised it into a throwing stance. His muscles screamed. He exhaled slowly, sending out a long cloud of white breath.

Galahad swallowed hard and loosened his hands. His heart pounded. The Egg of agony screamed incessantly, like prey facing a hunter.

At that instant, the Grand Duke's hand moved. The enormous axe shot away, the sound of tearing air as eerie as a scream. It vanished among the trees.

THUD!

A dull sound came from some distance away.

"Got it."

The Grand Duke headed in the direction the axe had vanished.

'He's a monster.'

Galahad recalled the axe he had just seen. That was violence. Overwhelming violence.

He wondered whether such a thing was possible without aura.

Swallowing hard, Galahad followed. The Grand Duke went a considerable way into the trees.

At the end stood an enormous demon-beast. Its face was reptilian. Its arms were covered in armored plates rather than fur, while thick gray fur covered it from the waist down.

It let out a long scream of apparent agony. The axe was embedded in its neck.

It thrashed violently, smashing trees and tearing up the ground with its hands. Blood sprayed in long streams, quickly staining the white snow red.

The Grand Duke approached at his leisure, looking as though he really were simply hunting.

'Hunting demon-beasts...'

He reached the beast and gripped the axe. It screamed violently. Blood gushed like a fountain, but he didn't close his eyes. Then he hammered his fist down on the axe handle.

BOOM!

A roar utterly unsuited to a fist erupted. The axe disappeared into the demon-beast's neck.

BOOM!

The axe handle sank deeper.

BOOM! CRACK!

With a heavy sound, the beast's head bent sharply to one side.

BOOM!

Its head tumbled to the ground.

The demon-beast's head rolled down the slope and stopped in front of Galahad. Its face was contorted, filled with a fear unbecoming of a demon-beast.

'Hmm.'

Galahad groaned softly.

Heavy footsteps sounded. Before he knew it, the Grand Duke was standing before him. He picked up the beast's head.

"With demon-beasts..."

The head dangled from his hand. Blood streamed from the cleanly severed surface. Its mouth gaped, seeming to whisper: Run. This man is a monster that hunts demon-beasts.

"The head is the best part."

CRUNCH!

The savage sound assaulted his ears. How could chewing sound so bloodcurdling?

The Grand Duke held out a piece of flesh marked with his teeth.

"Want some?"

A childish threat. No, was it a threat? He seemed to be genuinely offering.

'He really is offering.'

Seeing the look in the Grand Duke's eyes, Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

"I've already eaten."

"An imperial, through and through."

The Grand Duke smiled. The demon-beast's head disappeared in great bites.

Then Galahad's gaze fell on the dripping blood.

"Oh, aren't you drinking the blood?"

The Grand Duke's lips curled upward.

"Right. You like blood."

He took something from inside his clothes. That same cup. It soon brimmed with liquid.

Galahad accepted it and sipped while the Grand Duke tore into the flesh.

'We make quite a good pair.'

Galahad made the joke to himself. The atmosphere seemed to be easing a little.

"Another cup, please."

He held out the empty cup. The Grand Duke's eyebrows rose slightly.

'He expresses himself through his eyebrows, just like Adrianna.'

Galahad felt a little reassured. Yes, if the Grand Duke disliked him, he would have torn his head off already. He wouldn't have bothered climbing all the way up here.

"It's quiet here. The demon-beasts ate all the rats and birds."

The Grand Duke spoke as he held out the refilled cup.

'No listening ears, then.'

Galahad nodded. Which meant there were listening ears in the Grand Duke's castle.

"Couldn't you catch the rats and birds yourself? I imagine you'd be very good at it."

"It's not time yet."

So he intended to catch them eventually. Galahad sipped from his cup and took a moment to gauge the mood. Half of that enormous demon-beast head was already gone.

"Where are the rats from?"

The Grand Duke stared at him. His eyes were red with demon-beast blood.

"Everything rotten comes from the Empire."

His mouth parted slightly. A scrap of flesh fell from a thick, pointed fang.

'Rotten?'

That couldn't have been meaningless. Just as Galahad was about to inquire further, the Grand Duke rose.

"We'll catch five more."

One question per kill, was it?

A truly bizarre exchange. Galahad nodded.

Just as he was about to move—

SCREEECH!

A familiar cry rang out. He looked up to find a huge white hawk in the sky.

Adrianna's hawk.

"Hmm."

The Grand Duke rumbled, his eyebrows raised.

Galahad knew the Grand Duke doted on Adrianna. But to think that merely seeing her hawk could draw such a reaction from him...

'A fool for his daughter.'

He felt as though he had discovered a new side of the Grand Duke.

"Commander Adrianna seems to have sent a report. She must have only just arrived, yet she's reporting already. She must have been in quite a hurry."

Watching the Grand Duke's reaction, Galahad slipped in some flattery.

"Hmm."

The Grand Duke rumbled again. He tried to hide it, but his eyebrows rose a little higher. Galahad seemed to have found his point of attack.

"Commander Adrianna is so shy that she pretends otherwise, but you wouldn't believe how much she talks about Your Highness when she's with me. Oh, dear. She told me that was a secret. Goodness... Do keep it between us."

The Grand Duke's eyebrows rose a little more.

'So this is the key.'

Galahad stopped in the middle of his flattery.

No, he had no choice but to stop.

A heavy weight had settled on his right shoulder.

For the first time, he felt how heavy his neck was. Desperately, he turned his stiff neck.

There sat something that absolutely should not have been there.

The white hawk tapped his cheek with its beak and held out a foot, as though urging him to hurry up and take it.

"Haha, you silly bird! You've got the wrong man! You should go to His Highness over there!"

The heartless hawk refused to budge.

The Grand Duke raised his axe.

For a moment, Galahad glimpsed Chartien smiling brightly.