TEB Ch 70

It’s not that there are no species among the monsters that only eat vegetation. Usually, they prefer eating meat because it provides more energy, but there are also species that prefer eating vegetation, depending on their species or environment. So it was not unusual for the monsters to only attack the fields and grain storages before the harvest, but it bothered Liev that it happened when the village was empty. 

The intelligence of the monsters was not likely to be high enough to target the festival season. So, it was probably that they called for reinforcements after confirming that the village was empty with the scout they sent. However, there were no traces of a scout with a habit of scouting in the invaded farmland. 

“This is the shape of a hoove unique to the Ujeryu.” 

Most monsters in the form of goats, cows, sheep, etc. tended to prefer vegetation. Of course, they were not entirely vegetarian, so if they encountered humans, it was inevitable that there would be human casualties. These creatures were usually timid and easily frightened, so they were very afraid of breaking away from their group. 

If the entire group had moved down to the village, then it meant they were willing to risk a confrontation with humans. As they went beyond the limit and reached the village, the monsters must have also understood that they would encounter humans. What bothered Liev was why the monsters were willing to risk a confrontation with humans and come down this far. 

Moreover, since there are no human casualties at the moment, he feels uneasy about blindly subjugating them. 

If the group were to hear this, they would think he was crazy and be shocked, but from Liev’s perspective, it was difficult to destroy these creatures who were just trying to survive. One could argue that the monsters that Renard had been eating were also not pitiful, but he couldn’t help but feel psychological resistance. Consuming other species is the natural order of all creatures, but coexistence could be the best option as long as a collision is not inevitable. 

The key was for humans and monsters to not clash over the same territory. In order to do this, it was important to identify the cause of the sudden and simultaneous attacks that had occurred in previously problem-free areas. 

Since there were no signs of additional attacks in the village, the group only helped to repair the collapsed building and set off on the road again. The monsters that had turned the village into a wasteland had not disappeared into thin air, so finding their whereabouts was the top priority. 

In the meantime, the only monsters that were discovered during the search were unrelated carnivorous creatures that were far from Ujeryu and ended up becoming Renard’s meal. 

“Something’s off. There’s no clear lead.” 

Even after searching more than five villages that were under threat from monsters, the reason was still a mystery. It seemed like they had missed the boat and would have to wait until the season changed. 

Everyone sighed and began to prepare for a long-term battle. 

*** 

“Welcome. You must have had a hard time getting here. First, please put down your bags and detoxify yourselves.” 

The sixth destination that the group arrived at with exhausted footsteps was a fortress located in the forest. The ancient stone fortress, built with large blocks of stone, was said to have been built at least a thousand years ago. Over the years, it had been continuously renovated, so the living conditions were not that bad, but there were still traces of old age left here and there. 

“Oh, that was built about 500 years ago by our ancestors to defend against external invasions.” 

Everyone was amazed to see the weapons installed for the siege warfare that they had seen for the first time in their lives. The owner of the castle, a local lord, willingly explained the history of the castle. 

“Since ancient times, our territory has been rich in silver and various mines, so naturally there were frequent invasions from outsiders. Apart from the mines, our land only had the special product of timber, but to outsiders, it probably looked like a treasure.” 

It was no wonder that although he seemed humble at first glance, the quality of his clothes was very good, and the lord’s residence was filled with silver decorations that seemed to have been passed down for a long time. Unconsciously following the Lord’s guidance, they walked through the corridor, and a painting caught Liev’s eye. 

“…….” 

At the moment his footsteps stopped, the Lord noticed Liev’s change and smiled as he explained. 

“That painting was also painted more than five centuries ago. It’s a portrait of the 4th generation lord of our family.” 

As the Lord explained, everyone had the same thought in their heads. Which one of them was the head of the family? In the painting, a woman with long braided brown hair and a man with a unique hair color that is rarely seen stood facing each other. Of course, it would be absurd to try and determine their lineage now, five centuries later, but the lord’s hair was just plain black. 

“Excuse me, but may I ask who…” 

Albert couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer and asked the question on behalf of everyone. The lord answered with a kind smile, “That elegant lady with a smile is our ancestor.” 

“I see.” 

So the man standing on the other side is the lord’s spouse. Even though it was just a painting, there was a mysterious aura that everyone could feel, making it difficult for them to speak. The lord opened his mouth first to break the silence. 

“And on the other side, there is a perfect being, like Lord Renard.” 

The term “perfect” has been used to refer to dragons in regions that have long worshiped them. Dragons, in the eyes of humans, are enormous, strong, and possess miraculous abilities, living forever. Of course, if Renard were to call himself a perfect being, he would be treated with a look that says “Me?” as if they were speaking nonsense. Knowing that dragons have strong self-awareness and are creatures that enjoy being treated well by humans, they were aware that dragons liked to be referred to as such.

“If that man is a “perfect” being…” 

When Albert asked again just to confirm, the Lord readily replied, 

“Yes, our ancestor’s companion was the great dragon Lindgren.” 

“Oh…” 

If it was Lindgren… It was a dragon that Liev did not know about because it was never mentioned in the original work. There were still a lot of dragons that Liev wasn’t aware of. It seemed that among the dragons that had shown themselves recently, none of them fit the description, and 300 years seemed to be the cut-off point for dragons that had officially revealed themselves to people. Moreover, the tense was in the past tense. As soon as the truth about the dragon was mentioned, everyone’s attention turned to Renard. 

“Do you know him?” 

When Albert asked again on behalf of everyone, Renard immediately shook his head. 

“No. I have no idea who it is.” 

Renard’s firm answer caused everyone’s attention to shift back to the Lord. When the Lord seemed flustered and started to sweat, Renard glanced at Liev and added, 

“I’ve heard the name before. But I’ve never met him. They don’t care about me, and I have no business with them.” 

“Oh~.” 

Finally, the lord’s expression brightened. He let out a sigh of relief, almost being mistaken for a fraudster who claimed to have had a dragon as an ancestor. 

Because there is such a history, all the residents of our town were hoping that you, Lord Renard, would visit our town. We hope you have a comfortable rest during your stay.” 

After the lord finally finished his introduction and left, it was finally time for everyone to rest as they pleased. Once again, Renard and Liev were given a room (even though the lord had repeatedly asked if they were really okay with it, Renard stubbornly insisted on it). As they were unpacking their belongings, Liev’s eyelids began to feel heavy. 

“Ah, I’m so sleepy.” 

Without a second thought, Renard dragged Liev, who hadn’t even taken off his coat, onto the bed. 

“Then close your eyes and sleep. If you get hungry, let me know, and I’ll bring you something to eat from the kitchen.” 

You’re treating me like a newborn baby, sleeping and then eating without even washing up. Liev couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous treatment. Just then, someone knocked on the bedroom door. 

“Who could it be?” 

They had talked about calling them when dinner was ready. Liev got up first and opened the door, and the person standing there was a girl who could easily pass for someone who had been just born through cell division. She seemed to be in her late teens.