Chapter 48

Freide von Feilun.

The princess of the Grand Duchy of Feilun in the north.

Literally, the Grand Princess of the North.

Feilun was the front line, constantly fending off the Suin tribes that crossed the Sky Mountains to invade. So, aside from the academy professors, there’s probably no one who knows the Suin as well as Freide. Maybe even better than the professors.

The problem is, the Ka`har are practically the Suin of the east, so their hostility towards me is… understandable.

Still staring at the slightly trembling door, I tried turning the knob. Of course, it was locked. Guess she doesn’t even want to face me.

Well, I expected this level of rejection. But hey, if I can’t get in because the door’s locked, then what if there’s no door?

I ripped the door off its hinges.

With a creak and a snap, the hinges broke, and the door was torn away. Freide’s eyes widened as she stared at me.

She was wearing just her pants and blouse, having tossed her academy uniform jacket aside. Her reddish-brown eyes trembled with disbelief.

Ignoring her, I stepped inside.

“Mind if I come in?”

“Are you insane? Oh, of course you are. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. Get out, you barbarian!”

Freide’s eyebrows twitched in irritation as she shouted. Her emotions shifted from shock to anger, and I could feel it clearly.

Her right hand, resting on the desk, looked ready to grab a weapon at any moment.

She keeps calling me a barbarian. Well, it’s better than being called a monster. But isn’t it more barbaric to rudely tell a guest to leave?

Ignoring her, I glanced around the room.

“…Look at this mess. Isn’t this the real barbarian’s room?”

Her voice trembled slightly.

The room was downright terrifying. A large bulletin board on one wall was covered in various anatomical diagrams, and the shelves below were filled with specimen jars containing organs.

On the opposite wall hung more than seven vicious-looking weapons.

A giant saw. A whip and mace covered in spikes. A spear with a strange pump attached. An axe connected to a chain, a dagger designed like a harpoon to stay embedded, and even an eyeball-plucking tool straight out of a torture manual.

At the head of the bed was a display of Suin skin, and the skinned torso was taxidermied in the corner.

…It’s like someone combined a hunter, an inquisitor, and a serial killer into one room.

Every time I see this, I think I understand why she has no friends… but then I peel back another layer, and there’s always a new reason.

“Didn’t you hear me? Get out! Or are you here to challenge me to a duel?”

Freide snapped. Her pale skin flushed slightly with anger.

She’s probably holding back from drawing a weapon because we’re in the academy.

“That’s not it. I came to ask you something, but the door seemed broken.”

So I fixed it for you. Now you won’t have to struggle with a locked door, Freide.

“You’re not serious…! You came to ask me something? Daring to barge in like this? You, a mere barbarian?”

“You’re my senior, right? Help out a junior. I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important.”

I tried to calm the furious Grand Princess as I sat on the couch. Of course, it didn’t work.

“Get out, you beast!”

I casually blocked her kick aimed at my head with my right arm.

Freide’s kick wasn’t full force—probably trying to keep up appearances.

Causing a bloodbath in the academy might not sit well with the Grand Duke.

Freide huffed after her kick was blocked. A little more provocation, and she might actually challenge me to a duel.

Maybe I should stop here. I already have the magic words to calm her down.

“It’s about the Suin. Don’t you want to hear it?”

Freide stopped her anger and blinked.

At first, she seemed to think she misheard. Then, she frowned, doubting if she heard correctly. Finally, she closed her eyes for a moment, sighed, and opened them again.

Freide turned her back and walked to a metal case in the corner, opening it. The inside seemed to have a cooling spell, as a chilly air wafted out.

Inside were about thirty neatly stacked bottles. Like a wine fridge. Magic sure is convenient.

Freide pulled out a bottle, popped the cap, and chugged it down. The strong alcohol smell reached me even from here.

“Haaa……”

After downing half the bottle, Freide roughly placed it on the case and turned back to me.

Her face was slightly red, and her steps were more unsteady than before. Her breath smelled of fruit and alcohol.

Her brow was still furrowed.

Freide sat down on the opposite couch.

“Fine, I’ll listen. Go ahead, say what you want.”

I knew she’d listen if I brought up the Suin. As someone from Feilun, she couldn’t possibly be uninterested in Suin-related issues.

Now, it’s just a matter of how much to tell her…

Let’s think about that as I talk.

—

“If it’s about the northern Feilun, you must know a lot about the Suin, right? You’ve probably encountered them a lot.”

“Yeah. There’s one sitting right in front of me now.”

“Are you hallucinating from all that drinking?”

“If it were a hallucination, that’d be great. At least I could tear it apart.”

The atmosphere was icy. No, more like it was about to burst into flames.

If Asha were here, she’d probably be excited, saying this was definitely a fight waiting to happen.

…This isn’t the time. I didn’t come here to fight.

“…It seems like I’ll have to deal with the Suin soon, so I wanted some advice from an expert.”

“The Suin? You?”

Freide asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

“Not in Fairyland, where would a first-year in the Capital have to deal with a beastman?”

It was a natural question.

Then, how much should I explain? It’s not like I have solid evidence.

The Academy Raid Incident.

A large-scale raid that occurs three months after the entrance ceremony, during the mid-term practical training.

A secret terrorist organization of beastmen infiltrated the Capital, the Militia, launching a surprise attack on the academy students.

It was an event orchestrated by the beastmen kingdom of Varyakrus beyond the northern snowfields.

That day, 30% of the students died.

Even if Damien clears it properly, it’s still a massacre.

So, it had to be stopped.

The problem is, without evidence, no one would believe me even if I said it…

Even if I insist strongly without evidence, even if it turns out to be true later, it would only add to the suspicion.

“How did you know that?” they’d ask.

So, maybe I should mix in some bluffing?

“I smelled a beast. Last time.”

“Take a shower.”

……Maybe I should just let this guy get killed by a beastman.

My resolve from a while ago feels so pointless now.

“No, seriously. Shut up and listen. I went to see the underground waterways or whatever recently, right? I smelled a beast there.”

It’s a lie. I didn’t find anything there.

But in the original story, the Militia did pop out from the underground waterways.

“It definitely wasn’t a human smell, but it wasn’t exactly an animal smell either. It was a weird mix of the two. I couldn’t pinpoint the location, but… just in case, you know?”

“Underground waterways…? Hmm, that’s unlikely… but okay. So, what exactly do you want to know?”

Freide’s expression became a bit more serious.

Looks like she’s ready to have a proper conversation.

“I want to know about the characteristics or weaknesses of beastmen. I’ve lived in the east, so I’ve never met a beastman before.”

“Characteristics… They’re about 2-3 meters tall, with a mix of beast and human features. The purer the bloodline, the more beast-like they are, and the thinner the blood, the more human-like. They have excellent physical abilities, retain intelligence, and even have some regenerative abilities.”

Freide rested her chin on the armrest of the sofa, clicking her fingers.

“In short, they’re like a mix of trolls, ogres, and humans, with all the advantages doubled. Each one is a monster.”

I already know that regular students can’t even face them head-on.

That’s why I came to Freide.

“How do I kill them?”

“That’s my specialty.”

She smirked and pointed to the wall where weapons were displayed.

Saw blades, sharp like fangs, reflected the ceiling light, emitting a sinister glow.

“Just like trolls. Tear them apart until they bleed so much they can’t regenerate.”

“Is that all?”

“Or what, pull out their hearts or slit their throats? Much harder, though.”

Isn’t there an easier, trickier method? This isn’t something I can solve by myself.

I need something that other students can use too, like a decisive weakness.

“Isn’t there something other students can use? Like a critical weakness?”

“If there was, we would’ve wiped them out long ago.”

Fair point.

Damn. This is giving me a headache.

“Silver has some effect, but it’s not a good metal for weapons.”

“What about plating steel weapons with it?”

“Tried that, but it peels off during fights. Still, better than nothing.”

If it’s better than nothing, I guess we should try it.

“What about magic? Trolls are weak to fire or electricity. Are beastmen the same?”

“Well, if you set their whole body on fire, they’ll die, but it’s not exactly a weakness. They’re not easy to hit either.”

Well, any living creature would die if burned. So, it works but it’s hard to pull off.

“What about a priest’s blessing?”

“Beastmen aren’t demons. The miracles used by priests of Menes do have some effect, though.”

Menes, huh? The god of the moon and dreams.

…Most of Menes’ priests are in the north, so that’s out of the question.

Guess I’ll have to rely on the more skilled ones.

Like Damien or Ophelia.

Ophelia probably won’t be proactive, but Damien might improve more than in the original story if we train together.

If we use them as a shield and force the remaining students to gather in one place to deal with it…

“…You’re thinking more seriously than I expected. It’s like you’re sure the beastmen are going to attack.”

Freide narrowed her eyes and glanced at me.

I felt a bit creeped out and unconsciously licked my lips.

Did she suspect something? Well, it should be fine for now.

“I trust my sense of smell and instincts. If the smell I caught is from a beastman, then they’re definitely hiding to cause trouble.”

“Beastmen in the Capital… It’s such an absurd story that it’s hard to believe.”

Freide stood up.

Guess it’s time to leave since the conversation is over.

“If you bring solid evidence, I’ll report it to the academy and the north. If it’s true, it’s definitely a very dangerous situation.”

So, I have to find evidence within two months…

If I can find evidence, we can at least prepare by summoning the knights.

Yeah, there’s no way I can’t find it in two months, right?