A few days after fixing all the damaged properties and other casualties the city received after the Wither Bees' sudden appearance, the northeast of the northern district, the district that were used as the vanguard to protect the city against the killer insects were finally restored - The debris have been removed, the houses have been rebuilt with a durable and harder materials. The streets looked so much like it was before the event.
Right after, the Adventurers and Knight Guards who participated in battle, the ones who survived and the families of the ones who left their lives during the battle have gathered right outside the palace to receive the promised bounty to each one of them by the Queen herself. Soon after, they gave a proper burial to the lost Knight Guards and Adventurers. Then, a celebration for defending the city began.
On that same day, the Prince of Reilaea Kingdom addressed to the people about something important, something that people should be wary about - The existence of an unknown monster.
"Adventurers, Knight Guards, to everyone who fought well during the sudden attack of the Wither Bees, I, the Prince of Reilaea, give you all my sincere gratitude for protecting the city. I know this celebration is for the brave people who are here right now and the ones who lost their lives during the event, but this matter must be addressed to the public in order to ensure the safety of the people of Reilaea."
Kaien came onto Edle, delivering a dark-purple crystal, handing it to him.
"After following the Wither Bees who suddenly flew away and went back to where they came from, we found out the reason for the huge horde of the killer insects to come towards us. It was because of the Mother Bee."
The people began murmuring after finding out the cause of the attack was the same insect.
"But, the Mother Bee isn't exactly what we thought it was when we saw it - It was clad by a skin of a purple crystal, surrounding its whole body."
The King, Castile watched from the window as Edle addressed the appearance of the said monster. The Head Priest did the same as he watched the Prince from a clear view.
"Much to its strange appearance, it was more aggressive, it kills its own species. And much worse, it was able to increase its strength that which rivals an Emerald rank Adventurer."
The people where left in shock, hearing a monster that has been labeled as a type of creature that is only as strong as a Gold rank Adventurer, can actually become stronger. Not only that, it bears a different appearance.
"But while we do not know where they came from, or how they get here, we do know how to kill them." Edle shows to the people the crystal Kaien gave to him. "This is a crystal we got from the Mother Bee, a part of the body of the purple Mother Bee itself. It acts like a core, like a heart of the creature, once it was damaged or pierced by a strong weapon, the creature will stop from moving as if they are a corpse, right after that moment, you will need to take the crystal out of its body for it to disappear."
"Taking the crystal out of its body?"
"A disappearing corpse of a monster?"
The people were baffled.
"Unless you damaged, destroyed or took the crystal out of the creature's body, no matter how many times you cut their limbs or their body in half, the monster would immediately return to life and kill you." Edle continues to speak. "That's why, once you encounter one of them, it doesn't matter what kind of monster they are, as long as they are clad in a purple crystal skin, you will need to get as far away as possible and request for help to whom are capable of fighting monsters. Especially the ones who are above Gold rank Adventurers or others who can fight on that level. That's all."
Right as Edle were about to take his leave in front of the people, one of them lining in the crowd shouted and asked Edle curiously.
"Then, who killed the Mother Bee? We want to know who we could call right after we encounter one of them!"
Edle stopped as he turned around.
"Who killed the Mother Bee...?" Christa's face suddenly hit Edle once again, making his face flushed. He cleared his throat as he spoke in a calm manner.
"She was an Adventurer whose rank is Gold. She is clad in red and crimson eyes, her name is Christa."
Edle left after his speech, so is Castile from watching from the window. And also the head priest. The celebration ended soon after.
The next day, soldiers were ordered to spread the news to the towns and villages, living under the Reilaea territory.
Inside the palace, Kaien was on his way to Edle's room to report the dispatch of the soldiers going onto towns and villages. He knocks on Edle's door before he comes in.
"Prince..." Kaien stopped briefly as he saw Edle's irritated look on him. "E-Edle, the soldiers have been dispatched, they should be able to reach every villages and towns to spread the news within a few days."
"I see. That's good." Edle replied in a calm manner.
"Pri...Edle, why did you announced the existence of the mysterious creatures yesterday?" Kaien abruptly asked Edle. "Don't you think it's a little bit early to tell them? Or did you do it because of that girl?
"No! She doesn't have anything to do with it!" Edle angrily answered.
"I see it that it was a perfect time to address it. We don't know where they came from, or even know how the crystals attached itself to a monster. We lack information about those creatures, and we also lack the resources to determine what they are. We don't know exactly where one of those mysterious creatures might appear once again, that's why I let the people know of their existence."
"I see. So you used the speech to let the people know, but also to help us find where they came from?"
"Yes. We cannot patrol all over the country, but if everyone knows what to look for, it'll be a bit easier for us." Edle stood up out of the chair. "Were they all just an abnormal monster that suddenly appeared in our country? Or were they all created by someone? We need to find out what those things really are."
Somewhere in one of the streets in the Reilaea Capital, a man was making a staggering footsteps as he makes his way to the church. He began to speak words repeatedly as he moves forward.
"My Wife... My Daughter... why did I left them... why did I left them all there... why... why..."
Soon after, he reached the church and went inside. He sat on one of the long bench seat, and he began praying, facing the altar of the creator in front of him.
"O, Goddess, the Creator of all life, forgive me for I have done a great sin." He slowly lowered his head.
As he continues his prayer, someone puts his hand on the man's shoulder as he spoke.
"A lost child of our Goddess, our Creator, are you here to ask the Goddess for forgiveness?" The man spoke rather gently and warming.
The man praying turned around.
"You're... The head priest, Terramai."
"I will guide you to reach the Creator and ask for her Forgiveness." The head priest spoke with his unchanging stiff expression on his face.
More than a month has passed and everything seem in quite a peaceful atmosphere, there are no trouble that occurred since the last attack of the Wither Bees. And in the neighborhood, Christa and Itsuo began their training routine that they started since a month ago.
"Ha!"
"Dorya!"
The two continously clashed their weapons with one another rather energetically since early in the morning.
"You guys, that's enough." Selene shouted to the two swordsmen. "I brought food. It's time to eat!"
The two clashed their swords one last time before they stopped and looked at Selene.
"Oh, it's time for meat!" Christa said excitedly as she went to approach Selene.
Itsuo puts his sword on the scabbard on his back as he follows Christa.
"She's trying to hold back whenever we train." Itsuo whispered through his head. "Even so, I can feel that I've improved quite a bit after all that training for a month."
Itsuo clenched his fist in determination. "More, I need to become stronger. One day, I'll be as strong as her."
"Itsuo!" Selene called Itsuo who are deep in his thoughts. "Hurry!"
"Y-yes!" Itsuo dashes towards them.
And they all began to eat.
"Hey, a lot has happened last month, huh?" Selene said as she took a bite of her skewered meat. "I can't believe that Christa is actually an Emerald now. She was just the same rank as us not too long ago."
Itsuo nodded in response. "You're right. To think that Mother Bee was actually was an Emerald level and a Gold Adventurer killed it alone, Christa really is incredible.
"Well, I do like getting ranked up but..." Christa cuts in. "I'm not used to the people all around the city knowing me. Especially calling me "Crimson Eye." Whenever I'm on my way back to the inn, people around the streets or inside the inn would call me, gossip about me for no reason at all. Some Adventurers even wanted to form a party with me."
"It's only natural, you're now an Emerald Adventurer and you did so rather fast than normal. Of course, people would know about a new strong Adventurer." Itsuo responded. "By the way, have you already tried getting an Emerald leveled quest?"
"No, I don't feel like taking quests on that level right now." Christa answered Itsuo's question. "But I don't have much in me anymore, so I think I should get at least a simple one."