WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
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◈ The Northern Grand Duke’s Mad Son-in-Law ◈
Chapter 82: Sting
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“A bet.”
The Grand Duke looked down at Galahad.
The corners of his mouth had risen viciously. His voice was thick with interest.
“Yes, a hunting bet between a father-in-law and son-in-law. Doesn’t that sound warm and nice?”
“Father-in-law?”
Galahad rubbed his inexplicably itchy neck and smiled faintly.
The Grand Duke spun his axe. The air tore apart with a scream.
“Confident?”
His voice remained indifferent, like the low growl of a beast.
Galahad nodded with the corner of his mouth raised.
An agent needed to be good at everything. There was no telling when or how a mission would need to be carried out.
“Yes. I’m good at everything.”
Galahad was an exceptionally capable agent. In other words, he was good at most things.
Hunting was one of them.
“In the North, there’s a game called Monster Hunting.”
‘Can hunting Monsters really be called a game?’
Galahad found himself wondering, but nodded for the moment.
The Grand Duke pressed his axe deep into the headless Monster’s corpse. It rolled over, exposing its grotesque insides.
“When a Monster eats another Monster’s head, it absorbs its strength. This one, for example, ate a mantis-type Monster.”
“I see.”
The new information about Monsters interested Galahad.
The thought of eating heads was strangely unpleasant. The Grand Duke ate nothing but Monster heads.
“That is called Predation. The more a Monster devours, the stronger it becomes.”
The Grand Duke explained while pressing on the seams between its parts.
‘He sure talks more when the subject is Monsters.’
“The Monsters that have devoured more score higher. The wolf Monster you caught only had eight kinds mixed into it, while mine had twelve. That makes me the winner.”
“I see. As expected of Your Grace.”
The Grand Duke’s brows rose sharply.
“We each catch three Monsters in turn and compare them. The first to take two points wins.”
Galahad raised a hand slightly. The Grand Duke tilted his head, signaling for him to speak.
“What was the strongest Monster Your Grace has ever caught?”
The corners of the Grand Duke’s mouth rose higher. He looked as though he had been waiting for the question.
“One with ninety-nine kinds mixed into it. Its flavor was excellent.”
The Monster Galahad had caught just now was roughly between lower-ranking and mid-ranking.
A Monster with ninety-nine kinds mixed into it...
‘That must have been a high-ranking Monster.’
It was not butter. What did he mean, its flavor was excellent? Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
“The hunt lasts until the sun rises again.”
The Grand Duke pointed to the sun hanging overhead. His fierce face looked strangely excited. He seemed to enjoy Monster Hunting quite a lot.
“You may leave first.”
“Ah, that’s all right.”
Galahad lightly declined. He had no intention of running around and searching blindly.
He took a folding chair from the bag Tom had given him, set it in a sunny spot, and sat down.
“You’re taking it easy.”
“I prefer using my head over my body.”
Without another word, the Grand Duke gripped his axe and vanished.
‘Find one with many kinds mixed into it...’
Galahad muttered as he watched the Grand Duke retreat.
The rules were simple. Whoever caught the Monster that had undergone the most Predation won.
A crude Northerner would run around hunting, but Galahad had no intention of doing that.
Solving things by trial and error was not to his taste.
‘Find the one with the highest mana concentration.’
Whether Demonkin or Monsters, the higher their rank, the higher their mana concentration.
If he found one with a high mana concentration, it would have undergone plenty of Predation.
All he had to do was find the one with the highest mana concentration.
There was one small problem.
His current detection magic could identify a Monster’s location, but it could not check its mana concentration.
‘I’ll have to make a new one.’
Galahad nodded, placing a cigarette between his lips.
The sun was pleasant, and the surroundings were quiet. It had been a while since he had been able to focus in such a relaxed setting.
He swung his leg as he considered the method.
‘Adding concentration to Mana Arrow won’t be enough. If I focus on increasing the density, I won’t be able to scatter many of them.’
A method using Mana Arrow also covered too small an area.
Then a Monster’s scream rang out in the distance.
‘He’s started.’
The screams continued, with little time between them.
It seemed the Grand Duke planned to wander around, kill Monsters at random, and then choose the strongest one.
‘How crude.’
Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
When someone lacks brains, their body pays the price.
* * *
The Grand Duke examined the dead Monster. There was a shell near its chest.
‘Mole Monster shell.’
It was insect-type, so it had many legs. He carefully inspected them one by one. There were subtle differences throughout.
‘Six.’
He split open its chest with his axe and examined the inside. Strange bones encased its heart. The bones came in various forms. There were grotesque organs as well.
‘Fifteen.’
The Grand Duke nodded.
The Monsters on this mountain usually ranged from five to thirteen kinds. Fifteen was a high number.
Stronger Monsters were clever, making them difficult to find. They often hid as soon as they caught the Grand Duke’s scent.
‘That bastard...’
Thinking of Galahad, the Grand Duke frowned.
The one who had boldly proposed the contest was sitting in a sunny spot, puffing on a cigarette.
At a glance, he looked like he was just idling around, but he was not thoughtless enough for that. He clearly had something in mind.
Whatever scheme he had, it did not matter to the Grand Duke.
There was no chance the Grand Duke would lose at Monster Hunting.
He picked up the Monster’s corpse and returned to the agreed spot.
Galahad was still there.
‘He’s even drinking tea.’
Galahad was sipping from a teacup. A fragrant lemon scent mingled with a bitter smell.
The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed at the sight of him being so relaxed.
The Monster corpses nearby had been cut open. Strange diagrams had been drawn on their hides, as though Galahad had been trying something.
“You’re back.”
Galahad greeted the Grand Duke in a calm voice. He acted as though this were his own living room.
The Grand Duke chuckled.
“Fifteen.”
He threw the Monster he had brought before Galahad. It rolled across the ground, spilling its organs.
It was a gruesome sight, yet Galahad did not so much as blink.
No, if anything...
“May I take a look? There’s something I need to check.”
His eyes gleamed with interest.
Clicking his tongue, the Grand Duke set out to hunt again.
This time, the Monsters were scarce. They seemed to be hiding to avoid him.
The Grand Duke put his ear to the ground and focused on the sounds. Monster heartbeats were louder than human ones.
Especially...
‘They can’t control their excitement when they smell blood.’
He scratched his own arm and sprayed blood everywhere.
Just as expected, a Monster that could not resist began sniffing around.
‘This one has seventeen.’
The Grand Duke butchered the Monster.
As he picked it up, he suddenly wondered whether Galahad would still be there.
“You’re back.”
He was.
No, he had taken it even further than before. A bubbling stew made the Grand Duke’s eyes narrow.
“I made some food. Would you like some? It should be good.”
Galahad held out a bowl. The smell was quite fragrant.
The Grand Duke accepted it and poured it into his mouth.
“It’s hot... Hmm, never mind.”
The stew’s flavor surprised him. An unknown sauce had masked the Monster’s distinctive taste. The flavor was excellent.
“It’s good.”
The Grand Duke nodded. It was certainly delicious.
“I’m good at everything, but I’m especially good at cooking.”
“You’re good at being arrogant too.”
The Grand Duke released his presence. Even northern knights would have struggled to endure this much, yet Galahad only raised the corner of his mouth.
“That’s an unusual way to pay for stew.”
The Grand Duke chuckled and withdrew his presence.
“You must want something.”
Galahad hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“May I use a little magic on Your Grace? There’s something I need to check.”
The Grand Duke frowned at the insolent request to use magic on him.
“Like earlier?”
He recalled Galahad poking him while pretending to search for Monsters. At the mention of it, Galahad flinched slightly.
“Ha ha, it’ll sting more than before.”
“Sting, you say.”
No matter how capable a mage Galahad was, he could not inflict even a scratch on the Grand Duke with magic.
Clicking his tongue, the Grand Duke nodded.
Then...
“Divine Retribution.”
A flash filled the Grand Duke’s vision.
He narrowed his eyes at the sudden brightness.
‘Hm?’
Galahad’s finger was pointed at him, and sparks jumped around his body.
Only then did the Grand Duke realize Galahad had struck him with lightning.
There had not even been the slightest hesitation in his actions.
Even with permission, he had simply thrown magic at the Grand Duke himself.
‘He’s insane.’
The Grand Duke laughed softly and shook his hand.
Sparks flew everywhere.
Then Galahad casually held out the stew.
“Would you like another bowl?”
When the Grand Duke stared at him...
“Ha ha, I’m joking.”
Galahad moved his finger to the side.
* * *
‘This method isn’t bad.’
Galahad nodded as he checked the formula.
Mana flowed from places of low concentration to places of high concentration. The mana concentration around powerful Monsters was bound to be high.
The problem was that natural mana flow was not fast, making it difficult to trace.
It would be even harder to track a moving Monster. There were also countless Monsters in the area.
He did not have time to inspect every single one.
That was why he needed new magic.
‘A spell with a very wide range. Enough to cover the snowy mountain if possible...’
For that, he would need a considerable amount of highly concentrated mana.
Even Galahad did not have that much mana.
But Monster corpses were everywhere.
And Galahad had knowledge of the Monster Tamer’s magic circle.
‘This should be fun.’
Galahad went around gathering Monster corpses. Once he had collected them all, they formed a pile as large as a small hill.
He then used the Golden Scepter to draw a magic circle around it.
‘It draws well.’
The magic circle came out remarkably well when he used the Golden Scepter.
Its foundation was the Monster Tamer’s magic circle. He had borrowed the section that handled Demonkin blood.
Still, he needed to create an entirely new formula to use it the way he wanted.
It sounded simple, but it was harder than drawing a new magic circle from scratch.
Especially since the formula dealt with Demonkin blood.
But Galahad was someone who drank Demonkin blood directly.
He could say with certainty that his understanding of Demonkin blood surpassed that of any mage.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve used magic on this scale.’
Galahad looked at the enormous magic circle with the corner of his mouth raised.
The higher a mage’s rank, the more they tended to favor flashy, large-scale magic.
Showy magic worked well when applying to a Magic Tower. It was also good for showing off.
Mages could build honor and immense wealth simply by working on magical devices in a Magic Tower.
There was no need to choose a path that paid little and had them struggling in the field.
Galahad, however, was a field agent. For an agent, quiet magic that left no trace was best.
That was why Galahad did not favor large-scale magic.
He was closer to hating it. He considered it useless posturing and waste.
But he needed large-scale magic now.
It was not as if he could search this entire snowy mountain himself.
He intended to use mana’s basic principle.
Mana flowed from places of low concentration to places of high concentration.
Still, simply identifying Monsters by their breathing would be difficult.
He needed to make it easier to see.
After finishing the magic circle, Galahad headed to the pile of corpses. Blood had pooled beneath it.
He planted the Golden Scepter in the pool.
Then he slowly drew lines, allowing Monster blood to flow through the magic circle he had made.
‘Good.’
Galahad placed a cigarette between his lips and stood at the center of the magic circle.
Monster blood slowly colored the magic circle. Soon, it was completely filled.
The magic circle carved into his right wrist gave off a brilliant golden light.
Galahad completed his calculations and slowly recited the spell.
The magic circle began to shake violently. Galahad planted the Golden Scepter in its center and finished the chant.
“Dawn Mist.”
The magic circle emitted a red light.
The blood filling it bubbled as though heat had been applied to it. After boiling for a while, it turned to vapor.
Red mist slowly spread out.
Soon, the surrounding area was thick with it.
“Excellent.”
Galahad swept back his disheveled hair and smiled broadly.
* * *
‘Twenty-one.’
The Grand Duke shook the blood from his axe as he looked at the Monster corpse before him.
A Monster with twenty-one kinds mixed into it was rare. It was the highest number among those he had caught recently.
‘I’ve won.’
The Grand Duke was certain of his victory.
Even he had difficulty finding Monsters that surpassed twenty-one.
‘Hm?’
A strange feeling made him turn his gaze.
Something felt unpleasant. The Grand Duke trusted his instincts, so he abandoned the Monster and turned around.
Then he saw red mist approaching in the distance.
It was not ordinary mist. It was red mist filled with a sinister presence.
The mist spread as though it were devouring the white snowy mountain.
Narrowing his eyes, the Grand Duke swung his axe wide.
A fierce wind drove the mist back. The invisible wind tore through the red mist violently, shoving it far away.
But only for a moment.
The red mist spread again.
‘A supreme-ranking Demonkin.’
The Grand Duke advanced toward the mist instead.
The red mist swallowed him.
His skin stung. It looked like nothing more than red fog, but it contained an unusual power.
‘A high-ranking Demonkin?’
The Grand Duke inhaled deeply. The sweet scent of blood filled his lungs.
The corners of his mouth rose higher.
An intense hunger shook his mind.
Galahad suddenly came to mind. Perhaps Galahad was what the enemy wanted.
Red mist obscured his vision in every direction, but the Grand Duke walked on without hesitation.
The closer he got, the worse the stinging became. His senses sharpened.
‘It was after him.’
Then...
A sharp sensation came from ahead.
The Grand Duke swung his axe.
The red mist split apart violently.
A sharp spear came flying at him.
A spear made of ice.
Something felt strange to the Grand Duke.
That ice spear was magic Galahad used...
Then the red mist parted, revealing the scene.
There was a massive red diagram. Red mist poured endlessly from the enormous design, which was clearly drawn in blood.
That meant the high-ranking Demonkin responsible for this situation was there.
The problem was that the high-ranking Demonkin was...
“Ah, I thought you were a Monster.”
Galahad.
“This time, it was a real mistake.”
“This time?”
The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed. Galahad smiled and waved his hand.
The red mist around the Grand Duke retreated.
“It’s magic based on the principles of the Monster Tamer’s magic circle. Ah, this may sound a little strange, but think of it as taking the enemy’s sword and using it against them.”
Galahad gave a lengthy explanation.
Covering a mountain in mist made from blood...
That was the kind of thing a high-ranking Demonkin would do.
Of course, it might really have been magic, as Galahad claimed.
Still...
“You have two hearts?”
A heartbeat could not be faked.
The Grand Duke tilted his axe.
Galahad still looked relaxed.
Then Galahad raised a hand.
“You can ask questions after you win the bet.”
He was thoroughly insane.
Footnotes:
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