Chapter 19
[Venerta Village is surrounded by mountains, so it’s a difficult place to reach. On top of that, a monster watches over the people in the middle. That’s why rescuing them has become even harder. If you make a mistake, the monster could harm the people.]
“Scary…”
Ror shivered and took a sharp breath, her body trembling.
Feeling the vibration in his arms, Alcaide unconsciously pulled Ror close, holding her tightly.
Though the office was warm, the trembling in her body didn’t stop.
Realizing this wouldn’t do, Alcaide wrapped Ror snugly in his coat.
“Hmm?”
Ror looked up at Alcaide, her head popping out from under the huge coat suddenly covering her.
“Cold?”
Alcaide asked softly, looking at Ror’s little face peeking out from the coat. The tone of his voice was softer than usual, which made him feel quietly proud.
“No!”
“Then why are you shaking?”
“Um… that’s…!”
She couldn’t exactly say the book told a scary story… right? The book was her secret friend…!
Ror rolled her eyes and finally said, “…I’m cold.”
She decided to just go with being cold.
Alcaide nodded as if he had expected that. Meanwhile, Giselle, who had been listening to their conversation, quickly brought over a thick blanket.
“Miss! Here’s a blanket!”
“Eek… that looks way too hot!”
But Ror didn’t even have a chance to protest. Alcaide had quickly wrapped her in the blanket instead of his coat.
[Ror’s all round and fluffy now.]
Wrapped in the blanket, Ror looked like a small, round teddy bear. She blushed, embarrassed at looking like a baby swaddled in a bundle.
‘Hmm… so what will the adults say now?’
[That’s all.]
‘Huh?’
[Right now, they’re thinking of a way to get people across the mountains without the monster noticing.]
‘I see….’
Ror nodded, all her curiosity satisfied. Then, hesitating a bit, she asked carefully:
‘Even the adults… don’t know how?’
Even with Dad, Giselle, and so many adults around…
‘What if…’
[Yes?]
‘If the adults can’t find a way, what will happen to the people inside?’
Ror’s eyes darkened. She knew that even though the adults could use magic, sometimes magic didn’t work.
‘Just like how Mom’s illness couldn’t be cured…’
If the magic failed again… then.
‘Will those people… die…?’
She imagined the worst possible outcome.
[Probably.]
The book typed the word slowly. Darkness filled Ror’s mind.
“Probably.”
That word was used by adults before terrible things happened.
When the doctor said Mom’s illness would “probably” worsen, Mom couldn’t get out of bed the next day.
For Ror, that was the meaning of the adults’ “probably.”
‘Then… book, do you know the way?’
Ror looked at the book with desperate eyes. The book knew everything. Truly a magical book! So maybe it knew how to save the people captured by the monster.
A new sentence appeared on the pages floating before Ror’s face.
[Ror, do you want to save the people?]
Ror nodded vigorously.
“Yes! The people caught by the monster must be scared. I want to save them.”
Book, please help!
Ror’s eyes sparkled as she stared at the book. The book shivered slightly, as if smiling.
[If you save the people, Archduke Alcaide will get busy, you know?]
“Huh…? Dad?”
[It won’t end with just saving the people. If Dad gets busy, he won’t be able to see you much. Is that okay?]
Uh… uh… uh…
Ror was stunned by the unexpected question.
“Won’t I… see Dad…?”
[You’ll still see him. Once every three nights? That’s about how often.]
Only once every three nights? Ror’s lips twitched in shock.
After a moment, she calmed down and answered.
“That… I don’t like that… but…”
[Yes, Ror.]
“But… I want to help people.”
Ror clenched her fists bravely.
“I’ll be fine seeing Dad only once every three nights! So, tell me how to save the people!”
The book shivered slightly, and a smiling illustration appeared on the page. Then it clapped its pages together, like applause.
[Excellent, Ror! You’re really kind.]
“Hehe, yes! Ror is a good child!”
[You’re amazing. You don’t even know how amazing you are!]
“Amazing? Me? Wow!”
Ror repeated the book’s words without fully understanding.
The clapping stopped, and the pages flipped quickly.
[How to save the people… hmm… the Venerta region is…]
As the pages flipped, lines of text occasionally appeared, seeming to ponder the problem.
Of course, the magical book knew the way! Ror’s eyes shone brightly.
[Found it! There’s a hidden path that goes straight to where the people are held.]
Finally, the flurry of pages stopped. Seeing the words appear on the blank page, Ror smiled brightly.
[Here it is!]
Then a detailed map appeared. Ror immediately recognized it—it was the same as the one on Alcaide’s desk.
The difference was that the book had marked one location with an arrow.
[There’s a small cave here! Like a hole in a wall! Through this cave, you can cross Mount Venerta!]
“A hole!”
[Come on, Ror! Go tell the adults quickly!]
“Yes!”
The book wrote several exclamation marks energetically, and Ror answered just as energetically.
[The so-called “Venerta Hole Project!”]
Ignoring the cheering book, Ror placed her small finger firmly on the map.
“Here! There’s the hole!”
Her confident pose, hand on her hip and triumphant expression, was a bonus.
[Our Ror… doing such a commendable thing!]
The book, overcome with emotion, quickly erased the letters so Ror wouldn’t see.
“A hole?”
Ror’s sudden shout caused a stir in the office.
The aides looked flustered, but Ror looked at Alcaide confidently.
Alcaide, however, had no idea what she meant.
“…A hole?”
“Yes! A hole! A hole!”
Ror repeated excitedly, unable to contain her excitement. Alcaide was speechless.
He glanced around for help, but none of the aides spoke up—they all felt the same confusion.
“…Uh, well—”
Then Giselle carefully stepped forward and raised her hand.
All eyes turned to her. Giselle laughed and scratched her head.
“Could it be… that there’s a cave or secret path in the Venerta Mountains, a way to cross the mountains?”
“Hmm….”
“From what I can interpret from the young lady’s words…”
Giselle, the most fluent in children’s language in the office, was credible.
Alcaide looked at Ror and spoke gently.
“Is Giselle right? That there’s a path through the Venerta Mountains?”
“Yes, a cave! There’s a cave.”
Giselle was the best!
Ror nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.
So cute that Giselle almost doubled over, clutching her chest.
The aides and Alcaide looked again at the part Ror indicated.
The reason they hadn’t rescued survivors until now was this mountain range. If Ror was right and there really was a “hole,” the task would be much simpler.
They could attack Kiach at the mountain entrance to draw attention, then send soldiers through the “hole” to rescue the survivors.
If such a passage existed, that is.
“But the mountain herbalists said there was no other entrance,” said one aide cautiously.
The path wasn’t on the map, and even the herbalists, who knew the mountains like their own homes, didn’t know about it. It was hard to believe without proof.
