Chapter 48

I am human.

I’m a traveler who loves to believe in rumors.

I’m a guy who likes to gild my words when I speak.

That’s me, starting right now.

“Grrr. I’m a baby werewolf. Please save me.”

Ah… Aru, you damn brat, your acting skills are worse than this. You really need some acting lessons soon. Though, I doubt this teenager going through puberty will accept them quietly.

While we’re on the topic…

“Looks like I see a fairy made from moonlight! If only I could, I’d kneel before you and kiss the back of your hand, becoming the knight you deserve! Of course, I’m just a humble traveler, but hahaha!”

There’s no one I’ve met who doesn’t like compliments. Especially if it’s about their appearance. That’s why I embellish my words so much. It also lowers their guard by seeming superficial.

For men, praising muscles or swords is better.

“….”

Beatrix shows no reaction. Why? I thought she’d at least give an embarrassed smile, but her expression seems slightly sour.

Beatrix moves slightly from her position blocking the door and says stiffly,

“This is a favor for tonight only.”

“Allowing us entry? Thank you! This kindness will be engraved in our family bones and passed down to distant descendants! May blessings rest upon your future!”

“…”

The more exaggerated I get, the more Beatrix’s face seems to sour. Should I keep going?

“Well then, excuse us! If my friend and I make a little noise, please forgive us!”

“Grrr? Us, friends? Since when?”

“Hahaha! My dear friend Aru seems off today! Must’ve gotten too much sun; his head’s spinning! We need to lay him down!”

This damn Aru, if I ever do another joint act with you… How can someone so bad at acting be my assistant? Even a passing dog would do better. Though, if I tell Aru that, he’ll probably growl about being compared to a dog.

But…

“…”

Why is this woman just staring at me blankly?

After leading the conversation this far, shouldn’t there be some kind of reaction? Is she enjoying this awkwardness?

No choice. I’ll keep talking. Don’t forget, I’m a chatterbox now. Someone who can win your trust but not your suspicion—a cheap and ridiculous bon vivant.

“What a wonderful smell! It reminds me of the apple pies Grandma used to make when I lived in Corinth as a kid! Who’s the chef behind this delicious aroma?”

“Naoman.”

“Haha! A lady who’s as beautiful as she is skilled in cooking! They say beauty and culinary talent go hand-in-hand, don’t they?”

“Grrr? But I can’t cook?”

“You’re not beautiful either! How dare you say such things while Lady Beauty listens!”

“Ugh… But I’m pretty…”

“Sorry! Lady! My friend has been affected by the heat and is babbling nonsense! We must find a resting spot immediately! Lady, do you have any available space?”

“Handle it yourself.”

Wow, she’s awfully quiet.

“Who are you?”, “Naoman”, “Handle it yourself”… Are these all the words someone can muster when guests arrive in a place as dangerous as Demon Forest? At this point, I might start wondering if she’s actually mute.

Right at that moment, the intentional ‘gurgling’ sound from my stomach makes me think she didn’t react.

“I was just about to have dinner.”

Beatrix speaks bluntly.

“Will you join us?”

Without hesitation, I answered immediately.

“Yes! Oh! What a blessing to receive a meal from such a beautiful lady! There may be no traveler as fortunate as me in the world!”

Her complexion darkens again.

Already the third time.

In this short conversation, she’s stiffened three times—not just plain stoic, but showing discomfort.

Does she have some kind of complex about compliments? I need to figure this out. Complexes are masks that hide weaknesses. To make Beatrix my second assistant, uncovering and using her weaknesses is essential.

A hundred years ago, I exploited Aru’s longing for family, becoming his surrogate family. Now, I’m suffering because Aru’s going through puberty, but once he matures, I’ll leave behind hardships and walk the path to success…

…if I endure this. Why am I putting up with this? If I waste time doing nothing, I’ll lose my mind.

“Well, come in… No, wait.”

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“There’s a pond behind the house that serves as a bath. Clean yourselves there first. Both of you look terribly disheveled.”

“A bath? What a blessing! Lady, are you an angel sent from heaven? I can almost see a bright halo around you!”

Though I wasn’t feeling particularly clammy since I’d just dirtied myself, to play the part of a stranded treasure hunter, I need to accept this offer.

I was about to throw off my clothes when I paused, remembering something important—intentionally.

“But… aren’t there terrifying monsters outside? Is it safe to go out in the middle of the night?”

Faked sweat dripped profusely. An ordinary stranded treasure hunter would easily think of this. Every small action adds detail.

“There’s no one who can approach this area. So, wash up without worry.”

“Ohhh! Lady, are you truly an angel sent from heaven to rescue us? Living in the heart of Demon Forest already makes you extraordinary, and if no one can trespass here, I must hear your story over dinner!”

Casually slipping in what I want to talk about later.

With that, Aru and I went outside and entered the “bath.”

Meanwhile, inside the house, the sounds of cooking could be heard.

*****

Clatter.

Using fork and knife, I finally eat some trembling bread after such a long time.

Gulp.

Tears of gratitude well up. It’s been nearly a hundred years since I’ve had bread. Ah, I miss Mom’s cooking. Should I ask Adela to send some?

“Umm… This is food made by humans, incredible! Truly amazing, Lady!”

“Eat moderately. Don’t overeat.”

“How can I resist such delicious food? Haha! My mouth won’t listen to me anymore!”

“Grrr? Your mouth isn’t moving, so how are you speaking?”

It’s no lie—it tastes amazing. The best meals I’ve eaten were always from Mom’s kitchen, but eating Beatrix’s cooking makes me reconsider. Great, her power alone qualifies her as a suitable assistant, and she’s an excellent cook too.

Beatrix showed no smiles or reactions but treated us kindly. She seemed neither friendly nor hostile.

Crunch.

A warm dining atmosphere, hot food—almost feels like the first time since entering Demon Forest. I swallowed every last bit of bread and asked:

“Swallow, but Lady, why are you living in Demon Forest? It’s not a place where ordinary women should be, right?”

“A woman stepping into Demon Forest isn’t unheard of. Haven’t you heard of the eldest daughter of the Northern Dukedom of Demon Realm who dominated Demon Forest a hundred years ago?”

Oh, she mentions Adela in front of me. Hey, that demon is actually our sister, sis.

You shouldn’t bring this up when trying to lower her guard. With a smooth grin, I pulled out a bottle of wine I prepared earlier and said,

“Aha! I forgot something important! Listening to Lady’s stories requires offering wine, at least!”

“That’s… haven’t seen one in a while. Wine, huh. How did you manage to bring it here?”

“Always ways! That’s beside the point. Please accept my gift! This is a rare wine, aged for a hundred years!”

The moment Beatrix caught sight of the wine bottle in my hand, her eyes changed. Her previously bland gaze lit up with interest and desire.

I brought this specially aged wine from a hundred years ago, made by Mom and stored in Arachne’s bag. With a completely pure and radiant smile, I placed the wine on the table.

“I’ll fetch some glasses.”

Beatrix rose stiffly from her seat. Her eyes never left the wine.

I knew this would happen. From what I read in biographies from my past life, Beatrix Constantino was under a lot of stress during her Holy Knight days and often drank wine.

Demon Forest isn’t a place to brew alcohol. Thus, since she disappeared into Demon Forest four years ago, Beatrix likely hasn’t touched wine even once. In the situation of being chased by the church, no sane person would carry wine.

Beatrix returned with three glass cups and sat down again. I poured the wine generously into the glasses and spoke loudly.

“Thinking about it, asking a stranger like Lady to share her story first is impolite. Let me tell my story first! Also, to set the mood!”

Actually, I’m just stalling for time until the wine kicks in.

“Go ahead.”

She watched the wine ripple in her glass for a moment before gulping it down in one breath. The crimson wine flowed smoothly down Beatrix’s throat. Her brown ponytail swayed along with it.

“As I mentioned earlier, my name is Oscar! I travel with friends, searching for legendary treasures among the clouds! I grew up with my grandmother in the small mountain range of Corinth!”

“Corinth… heard it’s a valley region.”

“That’s right! Inside lies a picturesque village filled with colorful flowers! As a child, I played with neighborhood kids every day, returning home in the evening to eat the apple pie Grandma made! Those were the happiest days looking back.”

“Everyone has joyful childhood memories…”

In agreement with my words, Beatrix mutters wistfully. People who respond this way to such innocent stories usually fall into a specific category. And I know their common trait.

Happy in childhood, but growing further from happiness as they age. Some might argue against it, but this is the reaction of someone who’s almost completely disconnected from the emotion of ‘happiness.’

So now, I need to build empathy on this point. Building rapport is indispensable, whoever or whatever you’re dealing with.

“I was just a typical country boy from the mountains! Naive, pure, and simple—your run-of-the-mill village kid! But there’s a common trope, right? The naive country boy ventures into the city, dazzled by its civilization, and gets utterly crushed!”

“Are you saying that happened to you?”

“When I was fifteen, a traveling merchant visited our village! He displayed various fascinating city goods in front of the villagers and introduced many items we’d never seen in the countryside! Back then, knowing nothing, I became curious about the highly advanced civilization!”

“Hm, understandable. That age, you know.”

Beatrix, increasingly drinking wine instead of bread, looks rosy under the lamp light of the night.

“I dreamt purely! I wanted to become a free merchant traveling everywhere, just like the merchant who gave me my first dream of adventure! For that dream, I took some money from Grandma and followed the merchant! But what do you know? As soon as I left the mountains of Corinth and arrived in the city, the merchant scammed me and stole all my money! The small but precious funds carrying the dreams of a young boy!”

Guah!

I spat out my words forcefully, clenching my fists tightly. My trembling fists betrayed my strength.

Thinking about it now fills my heart with anger. That merchant bastard—if I ever meet him, I’ll kill him instantly. Of course, I’ve never encountered such a merchant.

“Well…”

“I had to return to the village, but I lacked the fare! The merchant took everything! Eventually, the dream-filled boy ended up in a dreary city unwillingly, simply because I had to survive!”

The buzz is creeping in. I continued earnestly, infusing real emotion into my words.

Beatrix is gradually getting absorbed into my method acting.

“I became a miner! Relatively decent pay compared to other factory jobs! But my body certainly wasn’t comfortable! Entering the mine, working all day in darkness with a pickaxe, over and over… Occasionally encountering goblin caves was catastrophic! It was a continuous period where just existing felt painful!”

“To exist painfully… everyone goes through such phases. Looking at you now, it seems you admirably overcame those times.”

“Hahaha! Thanks for the compliment! I wouldn’t say I overcame it, rather escaped! Once I earned enough money for a return ticket, I fled the mine and rushed back to my hometown of Corinth! It had been five whole years since I first left!”

Beatrix nods in understanding. Aru seems drowsy, lulled by warmth and fullness.

Actually, it’s due to the sleeping potion I mixed only in Aru’s wine.

“Such a story… may that merchant suffer divine punishment.”

“Haha! Of course, that would be great, but I’ve already let it go! After all, he turned a naive country boy into a proper young man, for which I’m grateful! Anyway, after that incident, I became more interested in nature’s mysteries than urban prosperity! I gathered like-minded friends from the village, like this Aru, and set off on adventures!”

“Romantic. Envious.”

“It was like that until recently! But now, accidentally entering Demon Forest and losing all my friends except Aru… Hmm, honestly, lately, I don’t think about anything. Surviving is my only focus as Aru and I navigate Demon Forest together, but there seems to be no end. The images of friends whose bodies were split in half by monsters still haunt me… What could I possibly accomplish even if we return?”

“… Quite a sad tale.”

Beatrix’s eyes lock onto mine. The red flush from the wine heats up the table.

Is that glow from intoxication? Or pity?

…No, it’s sympathy. Right now, Beatrix feels empathy and sorrow for me. The fabricated story based on her apparent loss of happiness seems to resonate.

“Haha… Seems like I’ve ruined the mood.”

“No, I enjoyed listening. Short but impressive.”

Sip.

Glancing sideways at Beatrix’s face, I swallow the wine.

Alright, I’ve done my part. Now it’s your turn. Share your story, Beatrix. I’ll be your sole audience.

“Grrr… Sleepy…”

Thud.

Under the influence of wine and sleeping pills, Aru collapses onto the table. The obstruction is gone. The amateur actor has exited the stage.

Now, it’s your turn to take center stage. Tell me your story, Beatrix. I’ll be your only listener.

“In return… I suppose I should share my story too. Since you wish it so strongly, I’ll tell you once…”

Beatrix, her face tinged with pity, opens her cherry-red lips. Her voice, lazy from drunkenness, begins. This is the moment I’ve waited for.

Don’t let your guard down. The person in front of me is the strongest Holy Knight of this era. A monstrously powerful warrior who single-handedly drove out an entire nation.

Now, I’ll uncover Beatrix’s weak points from her story.

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