Chapter 43 – Why the Forest (2)

Something went wrong.

Rousseau felt it, and so did Alex.

Because it made no sense that their mana detection could not feel the mana just a few meters ahead.

“He disappeared.”

“I felt it too.”

Alex had a serious expression.

Rousseau’s expression was even more serious.

After exchanging a word each, a brief silence followed.

The ordinary trainees did not seem to have noticed any sign yet.

Their ability did not reach that far.

“Should we check?”

“We should. Something has definitely gone wrong. Didn’t you feel it too? The momentary wave of mana was immense.”

It was not a level that should appear in an exam for Class C trainees.

It was something that would, at the very least, be used in exams for Class A, and even then, only at the level of those aiming for the Royal Knights.

If that mana just now had summoned a monster, Henry was surely facing something he had never experienced before.

“It’s probably something like a Wraith. I said he disappeared, but that can’t be. It must be the kind that swallows a human’s presence.”

“No, he disappeared.”

“Rousseau.”

“I have faced a Wraith before. I have also stood against similar kinds of monsters. It is impossible to kill one’s presence so perfectly. Especially at such a close distance.”

Rousseau locked eyes with Alex.

“You know it too, don’t you?”

It meant that Alex had also faced them.

It was true.

The position of chief instructor that the two held was not meaningless.

Although they fell short of being knights, they were still the most outstanding individuals here.

“……I know that too. But let’s think about it logically, Rousseau. This is the Royal Academy. It’s a space filled with the will of His Majesty the King. So for something unscheduled to happen…”

“Was Henry’s talent within the bounds of common sense?”

“Well, that is…”

Alex closed his mouth.

It was a correct statement.

Henry’s talent was beyond common sense, and the examiner Melissa was more than capable of recognizing that fact.

“I must go check.”

The exam venue was already in the mood of wrapping up.

The watching trainees left with expressions of admiration, and the academy staff did the same.

They were not as sensitive to mana as Rousseau.

The only ones who noticed this situation were surely a few Royal Knights and the two chief instructors.

And the dean who authorized this situation.

“Sir Melissa.”

Rousseau ran into the exam venue.

It was an action that should absolutely never be done if the exam was in progress, but it was fine now.

Because he stood here in his position as the chief instructor of the academy.

“Chief Instructor Rousseau. What is the matter?”

“Where is Henry Camilton?”

“He will clean up and come out of the exam venue soon. He is still inside.”

“Henry is not there.”

“That is……”

“If you say the same thing, I will take it as an insult. Do you think I wouldn’t even be able to feel that much?”

“My apologies.”

Melissa readily admitted it.

It was because she knew Rousseau’s skills were different from those of ordinary instructors.

A clumsy lie would not work.

Melissa spoke the truth right away.

“This is something the dean permitted. Beyond that, I cannot speak due to the rules of our knights order.”

“What did he permit?”

“I am sorry. I cannot say.”

Tight.

Rousseau gritted his teeth.

‘Should I overturn this?’

Regardless of his dignity as an instructor, if he caused a scene here, attention would inevitably be drawn.

Once things reached that point, Melissa would not be able to just blindly hide it either.

But.

At that moment, a scene flashed through Rousseau’s mind.

A scene where he was subdued by Melissa before he could even shout anything.

‘This… was intentional.’

A 7-star knight.

Rousseau knew very well what kind of existence they were.

Melissa had emitted a threatening aura, and under that pressure, he had reflexively imagined such a thing.

“Sir Melissa.”

“Please speak.”

“I am Henry Camilton’s master.”

“All instructors of the academy are masters to all the trainees.”

“You must have felt that it does not mean that. I must know. Where was Henry Camilton taken?”

Saying so, Rousseau scanned the surroundings.

Some people started showing interest in this side.

Since the opponent was that Rousseau, and the one inside was that Henry Camilton.

In particular, Austin was persistently watching this side with a gaze that suggested he had noticed something.

“There is no master who does not worry about the safety of their disciple. Even if the opponent is overwhelmingly stronger than them and there is not the slightest chance of defeating them.”

“Chief Instructor.”

“Please allow me to maintain my courtesy toward the Royal Knights, Sir Melissa.”

For a moment, displeasure appeared in Melissa’s eyes, then subsided.

Rousseau was not doing this blindly.

The safety of the disciple.

From the moment he used that expression, Rousseau was in a position to do anything against Melissa.

With a short sigh, Melissa took a step back.

“……I cannot tell you the details. Just as the chief instructor cannot give up, this is also something I cannot accept.”

“I understand. I must. I also know very well how much you have conceded, Sir Melissa.”

“Trainee Henry Camilton is still taking the exam.”

“Was his qualification lacking?”

“Of course not. He proved himself sufficiently. However, he was too outstanding, and we examiners decided that the trainee should not waste his time.”

“Wasted time……”

Recalling the words, Rousseau’s eyes widened.

“It is the next stage.”

“I cannot tell you any more details.”

“Yes, that is enough. But…”

“A member of our knights order is alongside Henry as he takes the exam. Although it is a distance invisible to Henry, there will be no danger.”

An assertion that even safety was secured.

Only then did Rousseau relax his expression.

No, it did not just relax, it brightened up completely.

“Thank you.”

“I also thank you for your understanding.”

That much was enough to maintain mutual courtesy.

Rousseau was now leaving the spot with a broad grin.

When he returned to his spot, two people were waiting.

Alex and Austin.

They looked dying of curiosity, but unfortunately, Rousseau could not tell them the truth.

“I cannot tell you. But it is a good thing. You do not need to worry. Will you two wait here as well?”

“I should wait. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be able to sleep properly out of curiosity.”

“I would also like to wait here if you allow it. I promised to return with Henry.”

“As you wish.”

Rousseau nodded with satisfaction.

It would still take some time to finish, and if someone was waiting when Henry came out, they could happily share the achievement.

Then, suddenly.

Rousseau ended up thinking of a natural worry.

‘Could it be?’

Indeed, it was a nonsensical worry, but one possible precisely because it was Henry.

‘Are the Royal Knights planning to take Henry away?’

It was highly likely not the case yet.

Because that was something unprecedented.

But if that were to happen, it would be as good as solving all the problems that had made Henry worry.

They were the King’s knights, and it did not matter if a King’s knight was a noble with his own family.

‘Then… I should let him go. It can’t be helped. That is the one thing I cannot stop.’

He felt bitter for no reason.

But had he not said so to Melissa?

That he was Henry’s master.

And a true master was not supposed to block their disciple’s path forward.

***

Around the time Rousseau heard the answer from Melissa.

Henry Camilton, the person in question, was able to grasp the situation he was in a bit more concretely.

“This is Vallaran. We haven’t left the kingdom. Also, according to what I learned in geography class, this should be a forest located in the southern part of the kingdom. This vegetation is the kind that can only be seen in the south.”

His attitude showed that he did not care in the least about the approaching monsters.

Continuing calmly, Henry went on with his explanation.

“Since I found out it’s a southern forest, I should naturally tell you what lives here as well. Can you see this?”

Henry pointed at the ground.

The ground was covered with damp green moss. Over it, some sticky mucus could be seen.

“These are traces of a slime moving. It is one of the monsters inhabiting this place. They are found without exception in the southern forests of the kingdom. Because of that, the southern territories all secure a certain distance or more from the forests.”

The southern region was the least developed area in the Kingdom of Vallaran.

The slimes of the forest were not the kind that could be subjugated, nor were they at a level that could be taken lightly.

Because unless the entire forest was burned down, they were creatures that generated endlessly from somewhere.

Ultimately, human territory was always built avoiding the forests, and as a result, the number of estates was overwhelmingly small compared to other regions.

[So that means you have to fight slimes? Were the ones coming earlier slimes too?]

[Oh, haha, I guess even slimes would be tricky here haha]

[True, in the neighboring town they die just by sprinkling salt haha]

“As you said, salt is quite a useful means to avoid slime attacks. In fact, some of the southern territories sprinkle salt on paths where slimes might approach.”

However, it was only something the slimes “disliked,” and to catch them using only salt, several carriage loads of it were required.

“Unfortunately, I am not in a situation to obtain such salt, and in fact, there is no need. There is a means more fatal to them than salt.”

[Could it be fire?]

[Burn them to death!]

[Sir Knight, you aren’t suddenly going to use magic too, right?]

“That will not happen. I am not a magician.”