* * *
After silently examining it for a moment, he frowned.
Stroking his chin, he finally spoke.
“Gargoyles don’t inhabit this region. Shouldn’t we first investigate why such a creature appeared—on this day of all days?”
“Hah… What are you suggesting? That the two of them planned something?”
That’s certainly how it sounded to me.
And the person who stepped forward to counter that implication… was Willoy.
Which brought up complicated feelings.
To be defended by someone who normally disapproved of me, especially when I thought I had no allies left…
But I understood.
He didn’t dislike me, per se—he was on Klen’s side.
This hunting tournament, with all the vassals gathered, was a chance to elevate Klen’s name.
An unexpected opportunity.
And now that someone was trying to spoil it, of course he wouldn’t stay quiet.
“That’s an overreaction. I only suggested we investigate why such a monster appeared.”
“…Are you saying you believe there was a reason?”
Even though no one raised their voice, the conversation crackled with tension, as if blades were drawn between them.
I decided to observe the reactions around us first.
That didn’t mean I wasn’t anxious.
But unless something completely unexpected happened, fate would likely tilt in our favor.
The argument between the two soon stirred up the crowd again.
“What kind of omen is this?”
“…That sounds ominous.”
“If not that, then don’t tell me…”
“Could it be… a monster summoning spell?”
“…!”
A whispered voice brushed past my ear.
I turned my head immediately.
But I couldn’t identify who had said it.
Monster summoning spell?
The voice, so sure of itself, felt like it had been watching us.
Out of all the possibilities, they had picked that one—how unnervingly specific.
“Summoning spell?!”
“No way…!”
“But if someone did use summoning magic, that would explain the gargoyle.”
“Who would do such a thing?”
That comment shifted the atmosphere from mere noise to a murmur of unrest.
Those filled with suspicion began chattering endlessly, as if trying to convince those around them.
And the convinced ones quickly spread the word.
The rumor snowballed, growing more elaborate with each retelling.
I didn’t go out of my way to deny them.
After all, it wasn’t untrue.
The count, who had allowed them to chatter freely until now, raised his hand to calm the crowd once more.
He looked straight at us.
“I’ll ask you both: did you use monster summoning magic?”
There was only one way to settle this.
Ask us directly.
Of course, this hinged on the assumption that we wouldn’t lie—but right now, he had no better option.
“No, I didn’t.”
Klen, who hadn’t witnessed the summoning himself, answered confidently without hesitation.
The count’s gaze turned to me next.
And you?—his eyes seemed to ask.
Should I speak of the spell I saw?
Whatever it was, it wasn’t done with good intent.
But… this isn’t the place.
Most of the knights around us are still full of suspicion.
If I say I witnessed the spell and even saw a monster being summoned—what would happen then?
Would they believe me when I say I didn’t cast it?
Would they even listen?
‘…And of all times, I had to have been studying summoning magic recently.’
I met the count’s gaze squarely.
Did I cast that spell?
“No, I did not.”
Of course, the answer was no.
I was merely a witness—a victim.
I didn’t participate in any of it.
“Hmph.”
There was no suspicion in the count’s eyes.
Naturally. Neither Klen nor I had lied.
“The purpose of the hunting competition is to eliminate nearby monsters and bring stability to the domain—not to summon strong monsters to show off and throw everything into chaos.”
His words, calm yet firm, weighed heavily on my shoulders.
It wasn’t meant to pressure me—more like a warning.
If someone had done this, no matter who they were, they’d be punished severely.
“Well… that’s true.”
“If it were me, I’d summon a griffin.”
“Wouldn’t a drake make for a more exciting challenge?”
“Ha! I say a dragon would be better.”
“…”
As soon as the count stopped speaking, mutters broke out all around.
I was glad I’d held my tongue.
If I’d said, “I saw the spell,” no one would have waited to hear the rest.
I let out a quiet sigh.
‘…Could they even handle it if it was summoned?’
Now I was curious.
If those monsters they were joking about really were summoned, how many could they actually take down?
Especially that last knight, snickering smugly—I suddenly wanted to hone my summoning skills just to summon a dragon and see how he handled it.
Even the count’s lips twitched slightly, as if he shared my thoughts.
“Conduct a thorough investigation. Until then, everything will be on hold. No one is to leave.”
He scanned the knights with a piercing gaze.
“The investigation will be completed by tomorrow morning.”
Several people drew in sharp breaths.
To declare an investigation would be done by ‘tomorrow morning’, when it hadn’t even begun—it was less a prediction and more a demand.
Those who turned pale began quietly slipping away.
“I’m not doubting you. But unless we resolve this clearly, rumors will keep spreading.”
Count Valuncio gave each of us a pat on the shoulder, then walked away.
The table surrounded by those who weren’t particularly interested in the hunt was still lively.
As the count approached, they giggled and glanced in our direction.
A bitter taste surged up in my throat.
If not for the need to put on an act, no one would have suspected me.
In fact, me taking down the gargoyle alone would’ve been considered completely natural.
“Adrian, let’s head over there.”
“…Alright.”
I was led away by Klen.
Come to think of it, this was the first time either of us had spoken since responding to the count’s question.
Had he also tasted the same bitterness I had?
I couldn’t tell.
His usual bright smile was perfectly in place, giving away nothing.
“Move this over there.”
“We should light the fire here.”
Perhaps because they were seasoned knights, they didn’t falter at the sudden change in plans.
Everyone began settling in, unfazed.
We weren’t staying long, so there wouldn’t be any tents.
We’d likely sleep under the open sky, beneath the night dew on this vast plain.
My heart beat faster with a strange, excited anticipation.
Klen had me sit off to one side, draped his cloak around me, and gently pressed down on my shoulder.
“…?”
Before I could ask him anything, he turned and walked toward a group of knights.
‘So he wants me to stay put?’
I stayed where I was, blankly watching the bustle around me.
It didn’t seem like being the count’s squire earned me any special treatment—Klen and Fabian were busy with preparations too.
Still, no one complained about me sitting idly or gave me judgmental looks.
“Ah!”
Just when it seemed Klen was getting the campfire going smoothly, he moved to avoid a spark and somehow ended up covered in ash.
The knights around him burst into laughter.
A fellow knight brushed the soot off Klen’s clothes and hair, consoled him, and led him toward a pot of stew bubbling over the fire.
Soon, Klen approached me with two bowls of steaming stew in hand.
“Hungry?”
No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like he’d exaggerated his clumsiness just to avoid the grunt work.
Everyone else was still busy preparing, yet he’d come right back to sit with me.
I reached out and gently wiped the black soot off his face using the edge of the cloak.
It wasn’t completely clean, but it was better than before.
He smiled brightly and handed me one of the bowls.
Despite the impromptu nature of this campout, the stew was filled with large chunks of meat and vegetables.
And it tasted good, too.
* * *