Became a Hatchling of the Grand Duke of the North

90 – Rats in the overflowing sewer (4)

Princess Rachel disappeared as if she were being kicked out or taken by force.

Seeing that figure, many cadets started whispering.

The image of Princess Rachel quickly disappearing surrounded by a considerable number of professors was as if she were being guarded by the people around her.

If it seems that way to Han, how will it be seen by others? Maybe more was more, never less.

There was definitely something there.

I couldn’t help but know that something like this could never happen in a normal academy.

[Uh, uh uh… Uh, why don’t we go out too?]

[That’s right. Are you feeling… Uneasy? Same with the previous broadcast.]

In the end, it was as if he had an intuition that the current situation was not serious at all.

The cadets who witnessed the scene began to leave the campus one by one.

Many of the cadets within this academy are either descendants of nobles or heirs to merchant families.

In other words, it also meant that in the future, when they grow old and graduate from this academy, they will be in charge of large and small matters within the empire in one way or another.

All of the cadets here are worthy successors in their respective families.

There is no way that they couldn’t have been educated about the current situation.

Everybody noticed that something was up.

It was the same with Lucia.

She and Han, the guardian dragon sitting on her shoulder, blinked her eyes nervously as the surroundings began to turn busily.

‘…This.’

No doubt.

Han, the guardian dragon, was convinced.

The situation is unusual.

I was able to know at the same time.

Obviously, it had something to do with yesterday.

‘Yes. Come to think of it, yesterday’s incident was completely nonsensical even to me.’

Definitely.

Even if you don’t know anything about the order of things in this world, you can know it.

The appearance of a monster that appeared out of nowhere in the middle of a city inhabited by humans was by no means an ordinary occurrence.

Moreover, this was the center of the capital of the vast empire.

Even if you turn your head right now, the imperial castle, which is said to be the residence of the emperor, stands tall in the center of the city.

Thus, it may have already been reported to the emperor.

I wondered if it was a bit exaggerated, but in that moment, something happened that convinced Han once again.

At that time, the speaker suddenly sounded and a broadcast came out.

[Archtus Archduchess. The Grand Duchess goes to the teachers’ room right now.]

Her voice through her speakers pointed right at her, Lucia.

At that time, the eyes of the few remaining students in her school were focused on her.

[Uh, um…]

Lucia, who was flustered while looking around for a while,

[Kiik!]

[Su, Guardian Dragon?]

‘Come on! Hurry up!’

He moved along with the guidance of the guardian dragon Han, who held onto his arm and flapped his wings.

She was clearly embarrassed, but it was his job to lead at a time like this.

She moved immediately.

Seeing her and Han as they walked down her hallway and started heading towards her office in a hurry,

I could hear the cadets nearby whispering in low voices.

[After Princess Rachel, this time to the Grand Princess…]

[There’s definitely something going on.]

Princess Rachel and Lucia were the beings that many people are paying attention to at the current academy.

Since she was called one after another by her faculty members, she didn’t have to worry about it any more.

Even the remaining cadets left the campus one by one as if they had made a decision.

* * * *

[Okay? Never go out today All meals will be provided in the dormitory, so no contact with the outside world is strictly prohibited.]

[Okay.]

Jenisserin Schniber, the professor in charge of the ‘Magical Biology’ lecture who summoned Lucia through the broadcast.

She smiled bitterly at Lucia nodding her head obediently.

[You don’t ask.]

Lucia raised her head.

She continued her words calmly, keeping her eyes on Professor Yeniche Lin.

[There must have been an abnormality in the capital. Regarding this situation, I have already received instructions from my mother, who is the grand duke.]

[…Yes, you’re right.]

In fact, the existence of the guardian dragon, Han, gave it great strength.

It was none other than Han who led Lucia, who had just stiffened from embarrassment, instead.

Lucia, who gave Han a glance, looked at Professor Yenicherin again and asked cautiously.

[Did something happen?]

[…]

Professor Yenicherin, who seemed to be silent for a while thinking about something, nodded once as if he had made up his mind and replied.

[Yes.]

[Something-…]

[Monsters have appeared in the middle of the capital.]

[…!]

At that sudden sound,

Lucia’s eyes widened considerably.

[That, what is that…?]

[That’s not just one or two. They said that a total of three ratmen were found. That, too, happened last morning. A long time has passed since then, so I don’t know how many more have been found.]

‘…As expected.’

Han, the guardian dragon who was quietly listening to their conversation on Lucia’s shoulder, narrowed his eyes.

I guessed to some extent, but was it because of that?

‘But I never dreamed that there would be more than just the one I found.’

Anyway, it doesn’t seem like a normal thing.

As expected, this must have been unprecedented.

If such a case had existed in the capital even occasionally, there would have been no way for it to react so loudly.

[That’s why we decided to protect you, Lucia, and Princess Rachel, who are currently the most important people in the academy. Among them, especially […]

[Kiik?]

At that point, her gaze turned to the guardian dragon, Han, who was perching on Lucia’s shoulder.

As long as I tilted my head for a moment at the complex meaning in her eyes.

But soon Professor Yenicherin continued.

[You’ve already signed a contract with Guardian Dragon, especially since you’re a very important person. To put it bluntly, he became the most important person in this empire. In some ways, even more so than Princess Rachel, who is from the royal family.]

[Key-.]

At those words, the guardian dragon Han licked his lips. A look of satisfaction leaked out on its own.

Yes. That’s a pretty good expression.

Since Lucia is definitely more valuable than anyone else in the empire. Of course, on the same level as her mother, Grand Duke Lucrezia.

* * * *

Rat man.

A ferocious demon-type monster that lives in shady underground canals and tunnels, and attacks people in the darkness of the city.

Bak-.

The ‘Seungnyangi’ was in the sewer system located below the capital of the empire.

To say that the scale of this place is gigantic is not enough.

If I had to express the size of it, it would be the most suitable expression.

It connects the entire capital, and it is truly beyond imagination.

It was literally just another area.

That’s true, originally this was their own city where the underground civilization of the dwarves was built in the past.

After the war between dragons and demons, the number of dragons drastically decreased, and the dwarves who followed them finally fell into decline.

The civilization they built still remained, even after hundreds of years had passed.

Therefore, the vast territory of this empire was established as if it were being built on top of it.

Steel puck.

As the seungnyang moved, his boots were stained with filth.

This underground waterway, which served as the empire’s sewerage for the past hundreds of years, was filled with all sorts of filthy junk.

Something’s eggs, bugs, even mice and slimy filth.

Squeak squeak!

A mouse the size of a human head passed under the legs of the hound.

But he didn’t seem to care at all.

‘Hmm.’

Instead, he narrowed his eyes and looked around him.

Something went beyond his expectations.

Bak-.

The hedgehog crouched close to the muddy bottom of the sewer.

He kept his eyes open and looked around for signs. The dirt on his hands didn’t catch his eye at all.

Rather than that, I was looking for something completely different.

Ratman.

Seongnyangyi was currently looking for traces of Ratman.

‘Only one day. From last dawn to this morning, over seven ratmen have already been found throughout the capital in a short period of only half a day.’

Even the number continued to grow.

Other than that, the rest of the commandos spurred on and hunted down the rat man, but even that reached its limit.

The day was bright and there were many people on the street.

Because of this, it has gradually begun to be witnessed even by ordinary citizens.

In just a day or two from now, rumors will spread rapidly to people throughout the capital.

‘They said that monsters appeared in the middle of the capital.’

So as soon as the sun came up, he wandered around the sewers the whole time.

And the result is this.

‘…No. Nothing.’