The boar-shaped demon was a lowly demon, and not very strong.
Hornboars.
Aside from having a couple more horns at most, it's animal-like in appearance and not very strong.
It makes sense, really.
A monster that's overpowered in an episode that features a demon in the first place? Well, that's a pretty good excuse not to complete the game.
'...It's not like Inner Lunatic didn't have that feeling in the first place....'
Still, I'm a gamer who's seen the end twenty-seven times.
There's always a way out in Inner Lunatic.
You just haven't found it yet, or you haven't tried hard enough.
A game where you just have to stay on the path and eventually reach the end, because that's the beauty of Inner Lunatic.
"By the way, I killed them as you said… can we eat them?"
Paracelsus says it first. Echidna chimes in.
"That's right, I'm sure you're not thinking of giving the Princess food that might be poisonous…!"
'Well, that's the natural reaction.'
Hagiya, it's not an animal, a boar; that's a demon, a horned boar.
In this world, animals and demons were clearly different.
They differed in whether or not they dropped spirit stones in the first place, but the biggest difference was whether or not they were edible.
Beasts basically harbor poison to protect themselves.
It's not widespread yet, but I know how to remove the poison from these beasts.
Earlier, the grass I gathered along the way to get here was one of them.
"You can use this."
"It's… grass?"
At that moment, I didn't miss the fierce glint in Eleanor's eyes as she said that.
I pulled a handful of tufts of a grass called Red Rake Grass from my subspace pocket, then searched around for a large slab of stone.
Then, looking around, I said.
"Is there anyone here who can control water elemental magic?"
"Oh, I… uh, I can… I can use it."
A student stepped forward, raising his hand. I almost used an honorific without realizing it.
I catch myself, but it's clear that my momentum has already taken over.
"Use your magic to smooth and clean the stone as flat as possible."
Shaaaa!
The student's water magic precisely cuts out the cross-section, followed by the water washing away the dirt, and the stone slab is now quite usable.
This should be good enough.
I thought to myself as I gave my next instruction.
Talia gathered firewood from the surrounding woods, while Paracelsus muttered something under his breath and began to gather smaller stones and lay them in a circle around the perimeter.
Nothing more to explain.
They're quick on their feet.
They're not elite units for nothing. Already they seemed to know what I was going to do.
I took out my knife and skillfully butchered the meat.
Peeling off the skin, separating the flesh from the inedible parts, and the entrails for smoking and preserving.
Gross.
Klopp.
I hear the sound of drooling all around me. Even though it was the flesh of a demon and purple in color, it was a temptation that was hard to resist for those who had been starving all day.
After removing the black blood, finely grind the red rake grass and sprinkle it on top. Then we watched as the neutralization process took place.
The meat of the horned boar turns from a purplish color to a deep red. A bit of marbling is a bonus.
-It's meat!
Someone exclaimed, and I placed the twigs and kindling Talia had brought on the stones Paracelsus had laid out. Then I put the slab of stone and the meat from the horn bore on it and started grilling.
Chiiiit…!
(chiiiig…!)
[Fire] Of course I used magic.
I prepared it for a time like this… It would be unfair not to use it, wouldn't it?
Anyway, the meat cooked smoothly, and I could hear swallowing sounds all around me. Even the Princess had a rumbling stomach.
I should probably keep it a secret.
* * *
After a while.
The meat of dozens of horn-boars had all but evaporated. I pulled out the remaining entrails and smoked them, working my magic to erase the odor.
The flavor of the horn-boar meat was even better than I expected. The lack of salt was the only blemish, but the rake grass worked surprisingly well.
In fact, it turns out that the beasts of the Inner Lunatic can be quite tasty once their toxicity is removed. As a result, there are quite a few people who hunt them for their food.
There are even restaurants catering to them, especially in the capital city of Talonfeather.
"Well, at least the food problem is solved."
"...Crap! Nox von Reinhafer. I'll admit it this time. I spoke without knowing what I was talking about, and I ask your forgiveness for my error."
"That's enough, don't make a scene and shut up."
Echidna said in a defeated tone, but I ignored her.
'Not that there's anything wrong with Echidna.'
She's not a bad character, actually.
It's the fact that I'm a shadowy figure and have a disreputable reputation that has instilled her with animosity.
She's actually a good character, and she has leadership.
She earns her nickname, "Snake of Greed," but I don't hate her for it, because there's a reason for it.
She's nothing like Paracelsus, who was a maverick character to begin with.
Bottom line.
I'm not going to say anything more at this point, because I have to keep him alive.
Holding him accountable is likely to be more trouble than it's worth.
"This is not the time for you all to be lying around with your bellies full. Get up now, or I'll take that to mean you're going to die."
I said to the bastards sprawled on their stomachs.
The men. Most of them are nobles, but they don't have a sense of danger because they're the children of noble houses. When do they think they're going to get the shit kicked out of them?
I'd say they're sordidly carefree.
No, it's not. Is it because it's just a game to keep the main character afloat?
Is that why there are so many people with such low intelligence?
I continued.
"Build a tent, preferably in groups of four. In case it rains, cover it with a horned boar's hide."
"Ah, yes, sir."
Fel is the first to reply. He's quick on the uptake.
He's looking at me longingly now.
He's a burden.
Anyway, Fel's response is immediately echoed by the rest of the cadets.
-All right, then.
-We'll get it done as soon as possible.
I wonder if it's the food.
Slowly, the rest of them are starting to listen.
Anyway, after conveying my opinion, I get up from my seat.
Then I start walking in one direction.
Deep in the middle of the forest.
Why?
To keep the story from getting any further out of hand.
At that moment, Leon, who was standing behind me, asked me out of the blue.
"Hey, Nox. Where are you going?"
"Scouting the neighborhood."
"In that case, shouldn't I come with you?"
That's good Leon, I thought.
But it wouldn't be much help now.
"No."
I declined.
I need you to stay here for my peace of mind in the first place.
"You stay here and prepare for any possible danger."
With that, I handed him one of the highest-grade magic stones.
It's a means of replenishing the lack of magic power I mentioned to Leon earlier.
Spirit stones are basically enchanted stones that drop after you hunt a beast. By breaking them, you can draw some of their power and use it.
It's very short-lived and not very efficient, but it's the only way to go for now.
Leon looks up at me, narrowing his eyes.
"Why would you give me such an expensive tool...."
It's an out-of-character comment for the deficit of the great Marvas family.
No wonder he thinks the money is going to rot.
But I know his situation.
His estate is in shambles, he's in trouble, and he's poor.
So it's probably the first time he's ever seen a spirit stone like this.
But I can only respond to his astonished gaze.
"Does it seem more expensive than your life?"
"...I'll protect it one way or another. Apparently, you're not just going on a scouting trip."
After a moment of silence, Leon says, accepting the stone.
…Actually, that's something I can get pretty easily from the Chasers.
I shouldn't even mention it.
It'll be easier on you if I just clear the debt with Leon.
"Don't tell the others. It's annoying."
With a final warning, he disappeared into the darkness of the slowly descending forest. From the darkness, something slimy began to move.
Before long, it was standing in front of me, exuding its own intimidation.
I opened my mouth to speak.
"Are you going to stay hidden like that forever?"
Kee-hee-hee-hick-!
(kihihihihig-!)
As if on cue, a chilling, goosebump-inducing laugh suddenly erupted.
I felt a shiver run down my spine, but thanks to the [Master of Acting], I barely let it show, as my heartbeat is still as silent as ever.
[What are you, and how did you come to know my abode?]
A pale-skinned man took shape, revealing himself.
I recognized him instinctively.
That's Mein Ludwig.
Actually, it was a little easier to recognize him because I knew his face....
It was easier to recognize him because of the foul magic that enveloped him.
"None of that matters; you're going to die here."
I raised my sword.
* * *
Noah von Trinity.
The woman, one of the Four Wise Ones, and commonly referred to as the "Witch of Frost," was currently eating a lollipop with a faint smile on her face.
"Are you sure you don't mind?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm asking if it's okay if we don't send help to the Eldain side… You know that the upperclassmen are away right now, and while I know that Professor Lars and Instructor Vernon are there, it's hard to predict what the mages will be like. Even if you're only a junior, you might be able to help...…."
The man named Tember, who had been assigned to assist Noah in the Imperial Palace, spoke up, but Noah didn't seem to mind at all.
Instead, she shrugged her shoulders for a moment, and then....
"Ha-ha-ha!"
She burst out laughing.
The question that had been lingering in the back of her mind popped up.
How could the dean of the school be so nonchalant?
Is it just because he's in such an imposing position as one of the Four Sages?
Did he think it would be okay if the Emperor held him accountable?
Otherwise....
"They are not the ones to blame."
"...?"
The words that came out of Noah's mouth were not at all what he expected. However, she took a small sip of her sweet drink and her tone lightened.
"There are definitely some monsters among this freshman class, so don't worry, some of them may die, but the most important jade stones will live!"
I couldn't help but feel goosebumps on my skin.
Talent.
I was familiar with Noah's penchant for recognizing only those who possessed it and elevating them to the top.
But coming from the dean of Eldain, an educator.
Did she mean to say that other less talented people should be expelled from Eldain and allowed to die?
"Are you sure they can… come back alive?"
"Of course!"
"Is there a reason?"
Tember asked in disbelief.
Even if she was the Dean, she'd only seen them at the entrance exam.
To know all of their talents now, when they're barely out of orientation?
Is that even possible, even for the Four Sages?
Furthermore, on the battlefield, any number of variables can occur.
Countless knights and mages have died at the hands of those with lesser powers. As such, he believed that Noah had misjudged this time.
Hence his advice.
But Noah's expression turned cold as he held out his hand.
"Tember. Do you realize that all those assumptions, all those worries... are nothing more than excuses for weaklings?"
That was it.
A chill filled Noah's room, and her form slowly began to change. A dress of icy blue light wrapped around her body.
Then her childlike form transformed into that of a mature woman.
[Metamorphosis].
It was magic of the highest order.
A type of polymorph said to be available only to mythical dragons.
And Noah was doing it so easily. Was she really that skilled?
But for all the shock, there was something else that stunned Tember the most.
Noah's overwhelming amount of magic power.
Cheuk… !!
(keoheog…!!)
Tember could barely breathe as the overwhelming amount of magic struck his heart.
It wasn't just a tightness in his chest.
It was a horrific dread, like a dark abyss in which he couldn't even move.
The hairs on his body stood up and a chill ran down his spine.
In the midst of it all, Noah's words echo hollowly from the front.
"Tember. With all your abilities here and now, do you think you can defeat me?"
"A false statement… I did… … ."
It was.
Such an overwhelming talent. Power allows you to take on no responsibility, no risk. It's just too dangerous.
But even as he choked on his breath, he couldn't help but ask one more question.
"What… who is this supremely talented student you speak of, Noah-nim? What kind of person is he that the Four Sages would make such an assessment...."
"Nox von Reinhafer."
She chuckled, returning to her childlike form.
"The so-called disgrace of House Reinhafer."