Chapter 93
Shavia headed toward a building used as barracks by the soldiers.
Since it was late at night, only a few rooms still had lights on.
She stepped inside.
Walking down a dark hallway, Shavia pressed both hands against a large set of doors and pushed them open.
“Get inside before the door closes.”
Kazhar quickened his pace, catching Eluana by the waist and pulling her into his arms. They slipped inside just before the door shut, Eluana’s breath brushing against his neck.
“We’re in.”
Eluana pulled away from the stiff Kazhar and glanced around. The inside resembled an office, and as Shavia entered, magical lamps automatically lit up.
While Eluana was carefully inspecting the surroundings, Shavia placed a ring into a slot in the wall. With a faint vibration, the desk began to shift. As it slid aside, a staircase was revealed beneath.
Kazhar tensed immediately. Below the stairs, countless particles of light flickered—it wasn’t the natural density of mana.
“There’s a lot of mana down there.”
Eluana’s gaze turned to Kazhar.
“Could there be a mage?”
“Not just one.”
Staring at the glowing mana, Kazhar followed Shavia down the stairs, tugging Eluana by the hand this time.
They spiraled down the circular staircase and emerged into a wide-open space. Despite being underground, it wasn’t dark—luminous stones illuminated the chamber. A robed magician approached Shavia and bowed his head. The embroidered insignia showed three stars: a 3rd-circle magician.
Sweat trickled down Kazhar’s back. If not for the artifact crafted by Kayren, a 5th-circle mage, their concealment would have been exposed already.
“You’ve arrived, my lady. A suitable specimen has just come in.”
At the magician’s words, Eluana stiffened.
‘Surely, by specimen, they don’t mean Ring…’
As Shavia moved forward, she spoke:
“Lead the way. Also, strengthen the mountain’s boundaries.”
Fear flickered in the magician’s eyes.
“Has something happened…?”
“During transport, a carriage accident let a monster escape. Worse, it happened in the Tuna territory—what a headache.”
“Rest assured, not even a rat will slip past us nearby.”
“Good. And the child?”
“She still refuses to yield. Truly a spirit beast… Would you like to see her?”
“Later. Show me the new specimen first.”
“This way, my lady.”
The magician bowed repeatedly and led Shavia to the right. Eluana and Kazhar followed at a careful distance.
The long underground passage branched into circular chambers at intervals. Each looked like a laboratory. The people inside stopped and bowed whenever they saw Shavia.
‘So she’s in charge here?’
Their question hung as they arrived at a row of iron cages. Inside, monsters of various kinds were being kept and bred.
Eluana shuddered at their grotesque appearances, fear tightening her breath.
“Those are monsters, aren’t they?”
“Yes. If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t believe it either.”
Most monsters were sealed in the Forest of Beasts, with only a few scattered across the continent—and those were usually sighted near the Elaine Mountains by the Baran Kingdom’s border.
Kazhar scanned each cage carefully as they followed Shavia.
Shavia and the magician stopped at a massive cage.
“This is the new specimen, a Milba,” the magician said proudly. “It’s a mid-sized monster with deadly venom in its saliva—quite difficult to capture.”
Inside was a creature resembling a giant spider. Shavia studied it briefly before instructing:
“It has many wounds. Treat them. Milba is rare—handle it with care.”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll prepare it so that next time, you can begin taming.”
“Good.”
Shavia moved on, and Eluana and Kazhar quickly caught up, still tense as they passed other magicians at work.
One gray-haired magician stood before a bear-like monster. When he raised his hand, the monster cowered into a corner.
“Now, Teddy, choose what you’d like to eat.”
His eyes gleamed as the bear hesitantly raised a paw, pressing down on one of several pictures laid out.
“Good boy, Teddy.”
He praised it and tossed raw meat into the cage. The bear did not pounce immediately, instead trembling and watching warily.
“Go on, eat.”
Only at his command did the creature begin eating, chewing bloodied flesh nervously while still glancing around.
Eluana and Kazhar exchanged grim looks before hurrying after Shavia.
She now stood before another cage. Inside was a majestic golden beast. Towering so high that Eluana had to look up, it was unlike the other vile monsters. Though massive, it radiated a noble aura.
Kazhar recognized it instantly.
“The Golden Wolf.”
“The one from the founding legend? It’s real?”
“The first Duke of Spes found a young wolf and raised it. A dragon, for sport, dyed its fur gold and gifted it intelligence. Its descendants mated with normal wolves, but after a few generations, the golden coat vanished. It was thought extinct.”
Unaware of their whispers, Shavia smiled sweetly at the wolf.
“If your master is here, shouldn’t you wag your tail?”
The Golden Wolf bared its teeth.
“This one will be transported to the Marquisate. I’ll spread the rumor that I own a Golden Wolf.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Look forward to it—I’ll dote on you even more.”
The wolf growled lowly in response. It seemed able to understand human words like other monsters.
At that moment, Eluana felt its gaze lock with hers. She froze. When she lifted her hand slightly, the wolf’s eyes followed.
“Kazhar, I think it can see us.”
He was about to deny it when he too met the wolf’s gaze.
Eluana whispered, “Don’t look at us. We snuck in—we can’t be discovered. I’ll help you escape.”
As if understanding, the Golden Wolf dipped its head. It wasn’t just seeing—it was listening.
“So obedient—how lovely,” Shavia cooed, misinterpreting its behavior.
Kazhar and Eluana quickly moved on. As they walked away, Eluana whispered softly:
“Thank you.”
They passed more cages—some held monsters in family groups. Among them was the same kind that had attacked people in the Tuna territory. Now Eluana understood what Sing had meant by “young monster”—the adults were twice the size.
Finally, Kazhar halted before a massive cage. Inside was a winged beast.
“This…”
“What is it?” Eluana asked.
“I’ve never seen this kind of monster.”
“A rare one?”
“No… not rare. It shouldn’t exist at all.” Kazhar rubbed his face grimly. “It looks like they bred the monsters from Tuna with a flying-type. Monster breeding.”
A chill ran down Eluana’s spine. She had heard of nobles breeding dogs for new breeds—but this was with monsters.
“What do they hope to gain from creating new monsters?”
Looking at the winged creature, Eluana recalled Portio’s words:
‘If I let myself be killed by a monster, perhaps someone would finally stop all this.’
Maybe this was what he had wanted to halt. What on earth did the Pegimul family hope to achieve through such horrors?
Suddenly, Eluana remembered the phantom voice that had once called her name.
“Laplanpia too…”
“She must have been trained here. What assassin could be more efficient than a monster? No traces, no leads. Victims wouldn’t suspect humans—only wonder why a monster appeared.”
“Horrible…”
When Eluana glanced back, Shavia was a distant speck. Her beauty now seemed hideous, monstrous.
“Come. We need to find Ring.”
They pushed deeper in. The further they went, the more people appeared. Moving carefully, Kazhar suddenly locked eyes with a gaunt woman ahead.
Recognition hit him instantly.
“She has the blessing of mana.”
The woman, too, noticed the mana orbiting around Kazhar. Though invisible under concealment, the gathered aura gave him away.
Her lips silently shaped words:
Fol-low-me.
Kazhar and Eluana startled. Eluana quickly checked herself—her invisibility hadn’t broken. Since no one else reacted, it wasn’t dispelled.
The gaunt woman began walking away.
“How did she notice us?”
“She saw the mana surrounding me.”
Kazhar glanced at Maria—the motes of light around her sparkled brightly in delight, welcoming him.
“How do those with mana’s blessing see each other? What do they think?” Eluana asked.
“If anything, sympathy. We share the same fate.”
Eluana tugged his hand. “We should talk to her.”
Kazhar hesitated, then agreed. If she meant harm, this crowded place wasn’t where she would act. It was safer to follow.
The woman—Maria—kept glancing back to make sure they followed. After a long walk, she opened a door and left it ajar.
Inside was a plain room with a bed, desk, and wardrobe.
“If things turn bad, you run. She hasn’t noticed you yet.”
“And leave you? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“It could be dangerous.”
“We were already in danger the moment we came here.”
Kazhar sighed at her stubborn eyes.
“Fine. But stay hidden.”
He stepped into the room, releasing Eluana’s hand. His figure became visible as he faced the gaunt woman, bathed in light.
“You recognized me too.”
Maria’s face lit with joy, while Kazhar frowned uneasily.
“Why did you call me here?”
“My name is Maria. This is my room—please, feel at ease.”
Kazhar’s eyes swept the room, catching the restless lights darting and swirling around her in excitement. Their energy made it clear how glad she was to see him.
“So you won’t answer my question?”
“I’ve never met anyone else with mana’s blessing. That concealment earlier—was it magic? I didn’t know anyone besides Lord Kayren had both survived the blessing and become a mage. I thought he was the only one.”
Her voice brimmed with excitement, then suddenly softened into a plea.
“Please… help me.”
