The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 109

“W-wait! I didn’t just let him go! I took protective measures! And he met Semeion safely! Isn’t that enough?”

It was his subsequent words that halted Lasrif’s rampage. Calming down with a great effort, he turned to Markatis with sharp eyes.

“He met Semeion? So, they are together now?”

“Yes. Both of them are still safe.”

“How do you know that?”

“I told you I took protective measures. I can prove it if you want. I gave him a communication orb to stay in touch.”

Finally, the grip on Markatis’ collar loosened. Though still skeptical, Lasrif took a step back.

“Then contact them. Right now.”

“Sigh, have you always been this irritable?”

“Just do it.”

“Fine, give me a moment.”

With a sigh, Markatis chanted a spell. A luminous orb floated above his hand, connecting to the communication orb he had given Sei. However, there was no response, even after a considerable amount of time.

“…Hmm.”

“What is it? There’s no reaction at all. Didn’t you do it right?”

“I did it right. But it seems there’s been an issue. The communication orb appears to be broken.”

“What?”

“It’s probably nothing. The orb’s material is glass, so it’s prone to breaking if handled carelessly. To confirm the situation, I’ll need to try another method—”

“Hah—”

Raslif’s exasperated sigh cut him off.

A savage smile crept onto Lasrif’s face as he brushed his hair back. Markatis involuntarily took a step back.

“Even you have to admit, that’s a pretty pathetic excuse.”

“No, really. Why would I lie about something like this?”

“Because you’re exactly the type who would lie about something like this. Move aside. I’ll check for myself.”

Lasrif pushed him away and strode inside confidently. “Wait, Lasrif!” Markatis, flustered, hurriedly followed, but couldn’t stop his relentless advance. Finally, Lasrif reached the innermost chamber.

What awaited him there was a reality he didn’t want to believe.

Bang!

The heavy door swung open, revealing a sight that made Lasrif’s eyes widen.

“…What the hell is this?”

The chamber, far from what anyone would expect indoors, was a vibrant garden. Lush, colorful flowers and greenery filled the space. In the center stood a pristine white altar.

On the highest platform lay someone perfectly still. Long, flowing hair, skin as pale as ivory, finely chiseled features, and lashes casting soft shadows over his closed eyes. Every detail was as if carved by the hands of a master artisan—a stunningly beautiful man.

The problem was that the face was all too familiar.
“Damn it, Semeion!”

Horrified, Lasrif rushed to examine Semeion. No matter how much he tried to wake him,
Semeion remained in a deep sleep. Though he was breathing, he didn’t seem truly alive—it was a bizarre state.

What Lasrif didn’t know was that the absence of Semeion’s soul was the reason. To his eyes, it looked as though Semeion was little more than a preserved shell, barely clinging to life. The shock made Lasrif’s vision blur momentarily, and he clenched his teeth hard.

“…Who is supposedly with whom, again?”

“…”

Markatis, faced with Lasrif’s icy gaze, was equally bewildered. Anyone would misunderstand this situation, and all he could do was sweat nervously. Hastily, he raised both hands in a placating gesture.

“Just… wait a moment, Lasrif. I know exactly what you’re thinking right now. But this is all a misunderstanding. I can explain everything. You can get angry later, but could you at least hear me out first?”

“…You’re saying you can explain this?”

“Yes, believe me. Once you hear everything, many misunderstandings will be cleared up. Let me just say, I’m only trying to help your people.”

Lasrif closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the sound sharp and heavy. His trembling hand reached for a cigarette, which he pulled out with practiced familiarity. Seeing this, Markatis, wearing an awkward smile, quickly snapped his fingers to light the cigarette’s tip.

It was only after Lasrif took a long, deep drag that the menacing aura surrounding him began to subside. Even so, his gaze remained sharp and unyielding, fixed squarely on Markatis.

With the flick of his wrist, Lasrif’s blade pointed directly under Markatis’s chin, its edge gleaming coldly.

“Talk. Whatever it is. Out of respect for old times, I’ll at least let you say your last words.”

He doesn’t believe me at all!

Markatis’s forced smile grew stiffer. For the first time in a long while, he felt an overwhelming urge to cry.

* * *

The capital at dawn was quiet.

The rising sun chased away the lingering darkness. The brightening light pierced through even the thick curtains drawn over the windows. It was now bright enough to make out everything without needing to turn on any lights.

Yet, Camille sat as if oblivious to it all, his gaze fixed solely on the floor. Fingers interlocked, he slouched in his chair, his hollow expression bearing clear testament to a sleepless night.

The previous night had been nothing short of hellish for him. The Crown Prince, who had ventured out in secret, had not returned by the expected time. To make matters worse, reports of a mass civilian abduction had come in—and the location in question was the very place the Crown Prince had gone.

“S-Sir Camille, what should we do about this?”

The pale-faced confession of the Crown Prince’s aide still sent chills through him just thinking about it. It was bad enough that the incident appeared to involve the Demonic Beasts. To make matters worse, while it was almost certain that the Crown Prince had been caught up in the events, there was no sign of him among those rescued.

Frustrated, Camille had personally taken a horse to the scene of the incident. But what greeted him there was a building engulfed in black flames and guards frantically trying to extinguish the blaze. According to the soldiers, the building had already been burning when they arrived. Someone had clearly moved ahead of them to destroy the evidence.

Even now, the fire had yet to be fully subdued. The flames were too intense to confirm the survival of anyone inside. Neither had any trace of the Crown Prince been found in the surrounding areas. Camille could do nothing but pray that the prince’s remains wouldn’t be discovered in the ashes left behind.

“Sir Camile!”

At the sudden loud call, Camile jumped to his feet. The Crown Prince’s aide rushed in, breathless, with an expression filled with intense emotion. Instinctively, Camile knew what news he brought.

“Did you make contact with His Highness?”

Sure enough, the aide nodded, nearly in tears.

“Yes! The Security Department found a marker just now! It’s a sign left by Officer Edmil! It seems both of them are safe!”

“Oh, thank the heavens! Thank you, merciful gods!”

Making the sign of the cross with his hands, Camile clasped them together. Though not particularly devout, he planned to be much more faithful from today onwards.

“They left coordinates as well, probably indicating their location. I’ll go fetch them immediately.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Yes, let’s go together!”

Having bonded through the night’s ordeal, the two quickly set off with newfound camaraderie. The place they reached was surprisingly close to the incident site—a small warehouse. Inside, they found the Crown Prince and Edmil, wrapped in blankets and sitting by a neatly made campfire.

“Your Highness!”

“Oh, Russell, you’re here! You arrived faster than expected. Oh, and Camile is with you too?”

Looking at the Crown Prince waving cheerfully, both men clutched their foreheads.

“What are you doing here? Do you know how worried we were?”

“I’m sorry. We ended up having a long conversation.”

“What kind of conversation could possibly take place here? And why do you look like this? Your complexion is so pale!”

“A lot happened. If I told you, you’d probably faint.”

“I’m already on the verge of fainting!”

The aide, his face turning red with frustration, pounded his chest. The Crown Prince, glancing away, noticed another pair of eyes watching him and offered a sheepish smile.

“I’m sorry, Camile. I seem to have caused you some worry.”

“It’s alright, Your Highness. Seeing you safe brings me relief. I can’t tell you how anxious I was, fearing you’d been harmed.”

Noting his sleepless, haggard appearance, the Crown Prince gave a small smile.

“It seems it wasn’t just my delayed return that worried you. I suppose the news from here has reached the palace as well? Well, the sun has risen.”

Although his tone was nonchalant, Camile understood the underlying message immediately. He swallowed hard and clenched his fist.

“Did the incident here really involve you, Your Highness?”

“Embarrassingly, yes. I nearly died without anyone knowing. At some point, I lost consciousness and woke up to find myself imprisoned.”

“My goodness…”

The aide, finally overcome with dizziness, collapsed onto the floor. A concerned Camile kneeled down next to him, supporting him.

“Not only that, I was poisoned by the Demonic Beast’s toxin.”

“What…?”

“Really, we were incredibly lucky. Without Officer Sei, none of us would have survived.”

“…!”

At those words, Camile couldn’t believe his ears. He turned to face the Crown Prince.

“Did you just say… Sei? He saved you, Your Highness?”

“He didn’t just save me; he saved everyone there. As you know, not just anyone can neutralize the Demonic Beast’s poison.”

“How did he know to be there… No, more importantly, where is Sei now? Where is he?”

Camile, now urgently standing, was stopped by Edmil’s voice.

“You won’t find him. He’s already gone.”

“…What?”

It took a moment for Camile to grasp the meaning of those words. His mouth fell open in bewilderment.

“Gone? Sei? Where did he go?”

“…”

Seeing Camile’s dismay, Edmil sighed lightly before continuing.

“Sei asked me to tell you… He’s sorry, but he has to cancel the promise and not wait for him.”

Without thinking, Camile pushed open the door and dashed outside. But, of course, there was no one around. All he saw was a desolate landscape with rows of old warehouses. Finding no sign of the person he sought, Camile bit his lip.

“Damn it…”

Once again, he was left behind.