The Hero Mishena made her formal introduction to Lord Nork and received permission to stay at the fortress. However, since the duration of her stay was uncertain, she couldn’t simply be given free meals indefinitely. As a result, she was asked to participate in training exercises with the soldiers and knights or provide them with instruction.
“Are you even capable of teaching?”
Elias questioned. Mishena, ever the optimist, responded without hesitation.
“If it’s just basic enhancement magic, I can manage. No problem.”
“Well, as long as you’re settling in without issues, that’s good. So, do you have any ideas for the demonic beast subjugation?”
“First, let’s hold a strategy meeting… Though, to be honest, we don’t even know if a subjugation will be officially sanctioned. This discussion might be meaningless in the end.”
“No, the subjugation will happen.”
“…Do you have any proof?”
“I have connections with a certain noble. According to them, momentum is building in the capital for Older’s extermination. Each day, the voices in favor of it grow louder, and it’s only a matter of time before an official order is given.”
“…How reliable is this source?”
“They have direct access to palace affairs.”
(…I’d like to ask who exactly this noble is… but…)
“Curious?”
As if reading his mind, Mishena smirked.
“I can tell you if you want.”
“…No, I’ll pass. Feels like prying into this would just open a can of worms.”
“You’re awfully cautious.”
“With good reason.”
As their conversation continued, they arrived at a small meeting room, where Frenn was already waiting.
“I’ve been expecting you.”
She gestured for them to take their seats, and the three of them settled around the table.
“Where should we start?”
“Before that, Frenn—about Mishena.”
Elias explained that Mishena’s party had disbanded and that if a subjugation force was assembled, she intended to select him as a companion.
“I see. Are you comfortable with that arrangement, Elias?”
“I don’t see a problem with it.”
“Then I have no objections.”
“Are you joining the subjugation, Frenn?”
Mishena turned toward her, her expression serious.
“If Elias is on board, you could probably come along too, right?”
“That depends on whether my presence would be a liability. Against such a formidable opponent, bringing anyone lacking combat prowess could be a serious risk.”
“…Might be better if you focus on intelligence gathering instead,” Elias murmured.
“We can decide later. If the subjugation force is large enough, there might be a separate support unit. If that’s the case, it would make more sense for Frenn to be part of that.”
“Understood… In that case, shall we discuss Older?”
Both Elias and Mishena nodded, prompting Frenn to begin.
“There’s no need to go over its appearance, since we all saw it firsthand. The primary concern is its combat abilities. According to reports, Older has been observed for approximately fifty years, and its fighting style has remained unchanged since its first sighting.”
Frenn paused, glancing between Elias and Mishena before continuing.
“Its most notable ability is its speed. It moves with an almost weightless grace—one moment it’s far away, and the next, it’s right in front of you. Its movements are so fast they’re often mistaken for teleportation, making it nearly impossible to land a hit. This is the primary reason it has survived for so long.”
“Not to mention, it moves silently,” Mishena added, having clearly done her own research.
“So, if we want to defeat it, we need a way to counter that speed.”
“Exactly. Many knights have died simply from being struck by its charges before they could react.”
“…If an order for its subjugation is issued, only elite personnel should be deployed,” Elias noted. He now understood why Mishena’s companions had withdrawn.
“Honestly, I’d rather fight something ridiculously strong than something like this,” he muttered.
“Any ideas, Elias?”
“Its speed is comparable to teleportation… but the fact that it moves without sound means it’s not simply brute-forcing its way forward. It’s using something akin to magic, that much is clear.”
“Magic…?”
Mishena murmured, contemplating the idea. Elias shrugged.
“Something like magic, at least. Not necessarily the same as what we use. Some demonic creatures possess innate abilities, unique to their species. In Older’s case, its ability is movement-based.”
“That makes fighting it really annoying…”
Mishena and Frenn fell silent, struggling to devise a countermeasure.
Elias, however, had a different perspective.
“…Frenn, does it have any other abilities?”
“None that have been officially documented. During the second subjugation attempt, they almost cornered it, but it managed to escape at the last moment… using the same ability.”
“I see. So it has one defining ability… or at least only one that can completely shift the tide of battle.”
“Its intelligence is also a concern.”
“It’s been classified as an animal-level intelligence,” Frenn said. “However, given that it has survived for fifty years, it’s likely far more cunning than a typical beast.”
(…Still, I doubt it’s capable of outmaneuvering humans on a strategic level.)
Elias thought to himself.
He began contemplating the best approach for bringing the demonic beast down.