The Red Lamp of Lacorinto
"Are you a mage?"
Roberta turned to look at Beatrice. The young inquisitor was staring at Ulrich. At a glance her expression seemed calm, but her voice trembled.
"No, I just have a bit of talent."
"You're being modest. Calling that 'a bit' is absurd."
The one who had cast magic and slain the monster was Fritz. The boy had risen to the same level as the mage who bore the name of the Five Archmages and had used magic that only they could wield.
Yet Beatrice did not spare the boy a glance. She had realized that his level was only temporary, and that it was not something he had achieved alone—that someone had forcibly drawn out his talent, and that person was Ulrich.
"Does it look that way?"
"Yes. It's my first time seeing someone who handles another person's mana like you do, Brother."
"Don't the children of Juno among the Five Archmages use the same method?"
"The method may be the same, but the level is different."
Beatrice stared straight at Ulrich.
"That's unfortunate. It wasn't so rare in the old days."
At the mention of "the old days," her eyes narrowed. According to records, Ulrich was not over four hundred years old, so she must have assumed as much.
Throughout that time, the level of mages had not changed. There were many who gained fame in each era, but none who truly transcended their age.
And even today, there were no mages who could raise someone's level as Ulrich had just demonstrated. So when exactly were these "old days," when such mages were not rare?
'Sounds like the First Age.'
Roberta swallowed a bitter smile.
Since he had mentioned the children of Juno among the Five Archmages, "the old days" referred to the First Age of humanity, when the Five Archmages were active.
Beatrice would never guess it. She did not know the truth—that Ulrich was a man who neither aged nor died.
Even though she knew many things, she lacked the crucial piece. She simply didn't have the basis needed to reach the same conclusion as Roberta.
"Is your youth also magic, Brother?"
"Well… I don't know about that myself."
"You don't know?"
That was why confusion spread across her face as she pondered. A mysterious man had let slip a secret, yet instead of becoming clearer, his outline only grew more obscure.
Roberta understood that feeling all too well. Because she had experienced it herself—and was still experiencing it now.
'Well, it's not like I'm in a position to worry about others.'
Ulrich said nothing more to Beatrice.
He led the group, which had been halted in the field, and urged his horse forward. As they approached, the fleeing man who had been escaping from the monster Canipus fell from his saddle.
When they drew closer, they saw that his injuries were severe. From afar they hadn't noticed, but he was drenched in blood. His entire body was covered in stab wounds, slashes, and bite marks. Blood poured out endlessly.
"Terbu…"
He barely clung to consciousness, but he was not in his right mind.
He looked up at the fairy Vermelani with unfocused eyes and muttered. Trembling, he raised his right hand, and when she took it, he let out a breath as if relieved.
"Please… tell Lord Christian of Terbu… that we have failed."
With those words, the injured man lost consciousness.
Roberta and Beatrice, the two priests, used healing magic, and his wounds closed, but he did not regain consciousness. Ulrich carried him on his back as the group headed to the city of Terbu.
The central city of the County of Luogallan had its gates shut and was on high alert. As they approached, they saw several monster corpses beneath the walls. It seemed the creatures had either grown bold enough to attack even a city, or their numbers had increased.
The wall guards shouted at the outsiders to turn back, but once identities were revealed, they hurriedly opened the gates. Then they guided Ulrich's group to the lord's manor.
"Given the situation, I ask for your understanding that we cannot offer proper hospitality."
A middle-aged man received them in the reception room. He was a man who had surpassed forty years of age, and he was Christian, the younger brother of the Count of Luogallan.
With two knights standing behind him, he sat in his chair. Since Beatrice was an inquisitor, he seemed wary of any unforeseen situation.
"Is Count Luogallan absent?"
After introductions were finished and everyone had taken their seats, the fairy Vermelani asked.
"It seems you haven't heard yet. The man you saved is part of the search party I sent to find my brother. My brother's fate is still unknown."
"The Count? What happened?"
"It's because of the monsters. You saw them on your way here. Those damned things have made a nest."
Vermelani asked cautiously,
"…Could it be that the location is a swamp?"
"That's right."
Christian pressed his thumb against his temple, then ordered a servant to bring a map. Soon, a table was placed in the center of the reception room, and a map was spread across it—the full map of the County of Luogallan.
"There is a swamp in this land. Since ancient times, we've called it the Wandering Swamp. So many people lost their way there and died that it earned that name."
He pointed to the southwest of the map with his index finger. A gray-shaded region covered nearly a third of the county.
"Recently, monsters began appearing here. At first, we thought they were creatures that had come from outside and settled there. That's not uncommon."
Monsters taking root in a swamp that covered a third of the territory? It was like a spark igniting in a jungle. Count Luogallan immediately sent hunters. He assumed that monsters fleeing from some distant demonic realm would be easily dealt with.
"But they weren't migrated monsters."
Beatrice cut in and stated firmly.
"That's correct. They weren't creatures from elsewhere. The swamp itself became a demonic realm, and that realm began producing monsters. The hunters we sent were people who never lost their way in the swamp, yet they were hunted instead."
"Do you have any idea what caused the demonic realm to form?"
"If we did, we would have dealt with it long ago. Since we don't know, my brother went into the swamp himself—to investigate why it became a demonic realm and to see whether it could be restored."
Ten days had passed since the Count entered the Wandering Swamp. He had not gone alone. The investigation party included knights, mages, and even priests of the Holy Church—but all contact had been lost.
The group was not large in number, but each member was among the most capable in the territory. Yet all of them had vanished at once.
Christian had sent a search party to track their movements, but they too had failed. They lost their way in the Wandering Swamp, were attacked, and only managed to escape and be rescued by Ulrich's group.
The Count's whereabouts—and those of the investigation party—were still unknown. Meanwhile, the monsters emerging from the swamp were growing steadily stronger.
"That's intriguing. If what Brother Christian says is true, then a strange swamp that existed even before our era suddenly turned into a demonic realm."
Beatrice stared intently at the acting lord.
"What are you implying?"
"I've heard that there's something valuable in that swamp."
Christian let out a scoff.
"Ridiculous. Who told you such nonsense? I've helped my brother manage this territory, but as far as that swamp is concerned, I've always thought of it as nothing but useless land. My brother thought the same."
As he continued speaking, his face reddened and his expression twisted.
"Don't tell me you came here because you believed that absurd rumor? Do you think we were hiding something strange and caused all this? That a family at odds with the sacred lineage would act like servants of an evil god?"
There was no reply. She merely looked at him—and that was answer enough. Christian slammed his fist onto the table. One of its legs broke, and it collapsed.
"I've heard that inquisitors are madmen, but are you really going to throw around baseless accusations and judge guilt without evidence?"
She lowered her head.
"My apologies. I was rude."
Then she abruptly stood up. The two guards behind the acting lord flinched and placed their hands on their weapons. Beatrice gave them a faint smile and moved to leave the reception room with her attendants.
"However, there's one more thing I'd like to ask."
Christian glared at her with a furious expression.
"Have you ever set foot in the swamp even once?"
"No! Why would I ever go to such a place?!"
Beatrice's lips curled upward.
"I see."
Even after the inquisitors left, silence lingered in the reception room for quite some time. The conversation only resumed after Christian had calmed down.
Before long, Ulrich's group also left the room.
"Thank you for everything."
As soon as they stepped out, Vermelani bowed her head.
"Thanks to the three of you accompanying us, we were able to arrive here safely."
"Oh, it wasn't much help."
Roberta waved her hand with a smile.
"If we hadn't met you, the young master might still be wandering. And in a situation like this, continued wandering would have put him in great danger."
"No way," she replied, but inwardly she thought it might actually be true. The young master of the ducal house stood with his hands clasped behind his head, wearing a dissatisfied expression.
From the village of Ots to the city of Terbu, they had encountered quite a few monsters, yet it seemed he was still unsatisfied.
"You'll be heading to the Duchy of Landeyar as planned, right?"
"Yes. We'll be departing first thing in the morning."
Contrary to their initial expectations, the two had failed to secure an escort. Given the situation in Luogallan, the Landeyar party would have to depart without one. They had come thinking of the young master's safety, yet it had instead become a situation that increased the risk.
That was also why Vermelani intended to leave early in the morning. The longer they stayed, the worse the situation in Luogallan was likely to become.
That was the nature of a demonic realm. Once formed, it did not easily disappear. The scale of damage varied depending on the response, but it was never something that ended quickly.
The demonic realm in the swamp had only just taken root, so the damage to the County of Luogallan and its surrounding territories was only just beginning.
"Will you be heading straight to the Pantheon, Priest?"
"As for us… we haven't decided yet."
Roberta glanced sideways at Ulrich. The one leading their journey had not revealed their next destination. She had a guess where he might go, but she wasn't certain.
"We're going to the swamp."
The two of them flinched.
"You intend to enter a land that has become a demonic realm?"
"It seems I'll have to see it for myself."
Vermelani opened her mouth as if to ask something, then closed it again. She likely had many questions she wanted to ask Ulrich—but she didn't.
"…Then, if you happen to pass by our family estate on your way from Novasolon to Osnover, please stop by. I don't know if it will be much, but we will repay you in a way that may aid your journey."
Just as she was about to turn away, he spoke.
"Why don't you come with us?"
Startled by the unexpected suggestion, she froze.
"I cannot take the young master into a place where a demonic realm exists. The danger is too great."
"It's fine if you come alone. Leave the young master here safely, and you can accompany us yourself."
As Elias tried to interject, Vermelani shook her head firmly at the young master, then faced Ulrich.
"I'm sorry, but—"
"Don't lie, Vermelani."
Ulrich raised his hand, cutting her off.
"Don't pretend you don't understand. You already know. That's why you came here. You were concerned about the swamp—so you used the young master as an excuse to come to a place that is, in fact, more dangerous."
Vermelani hesitated, delaying her answer. Beside her, Elias blinked in confusion.
"What's in the swamp that makes it so important?"
"What the Emperor entrusted to Erelbur—something worthless to humans, yet more precious than anything to the fairies."
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