Episode 14 Eating alone (1)
Practical evaluation is over.
The hounds’ non-work trip continued.
Usually, hounds receive the flesh or intestines of the game they have caught as a prize and divide them according to rank.
The same was true of the children of the Baskervilles.
They acquired shields and sword necklaces made from parts of the corpses of monsters they caught during the practical evaluation as trophies.
Through this opportunity, the young hounds grew more dignified and strengthened their bodies and minds.
The nervous warfare that had been tense until the written test was over disappeared as if it had been washed after the ranks were set, and some children were even more sticky than before.
Perhaps because of the experience of rolling together in extreme conditions for a long time, an unknown and strange brotherly love was emerging throughout the class.
Of course, despite this, there were still some siblings who didn’t get along well, but most of them solved their problems during the practical exam or died without even knowing the mouse or bird, so unexpectedly, infighting rarely occurred in the class.
In this way, the Baskerville family, where the practical exam was over, had a relaxed atmosphere for a few days a year.
* * *
Please go.
Hugo Baskerville, head of the Baskerville family, was receiving a report from Butler Barrymore.
“……Who caught what?”
It is almost unheard of for a superhuman who has risen to the level of a sword master to doubt his own body.
But at this moment, Hugo was clearly doubting his ears.
Deacon Barrymore read the report again in a clear, excited voice.
“Vikir van Baskerville of class 8. ‘Inadvertently’ crossed the boundary during practical evaluation and entered the prohibited area. Cerberus, a monster of danger level A+ rank, was successfully hunted. That’s it.”
It’s the second report I’m talking about, but it’s always thrilling.
An 8-year-old child went out to the forbidden land of red and black mountains and came back alive.
Actually, this alone is great enough.
Just being able to draw a map or listen to testimonies that help us guess the topography and ecosystem outside the Unsealed Zone is a tremendous achievement.
However, this unprecedented 8-year-old child went into hell and returned to life unharmed, and even brought back Cerberus, the guard dog of hell!
“… Cerberus is a high-ranking monster that even the family guardian knights feel burdened to deal with.”
Hugo stroked his beard with a puzzled expression.
However, the detailed report that followed was even more absurd.
Hugo corrected the report once and put on his reading glasses.
“You lured Cerberus into a trap and stabbed him with a spear? Do you think this makes sense?”
“Originally, it was an object that was injured by barbarians, and there is also information that poison was applied to the throat.”
“No matter how injured it is. What poison is strong enough to send Cerberus away? Where else did he get it?”
“That’s… There was nothing else recorded in the hunting log. I was going to ask the young master, but he said he was tired and went back to his inn right away.”
At Deacon Barrymore’s words, Hugo put on a dazed expression for a moment, then chuckled.
“Young man is already confused. Indeed, information is power, power is value. Self-worth is what you have to raise and protect.”
Hugo turned his gaze back to the report.
It is admirable that he did not immediately reveal the poison that caught Cerberus, but it is also admirable that he did not take Cerberus’ corpse directly to the guide dogs, but covered it with soil and concealed it until the practical evaluation was over.
Deacon Barrymore admired.
“Your patience is truly amazing. When I was 8 years old, I would do anything to be praised by adults and respected by my brothers. and to get attention.”
“Huh-huh. If I did, I’d end up looking like old Santiago.”
The old man Hugo refers to is a fisherman from a legend of the distant past.
He went out to sea and caught a huge monster fish, but while he was tying the fish to a boat and dragging it, he met a group of sharks, took all his flesh, and returned home with only a huge bone.
“If Vikir had caught Cerberus and was dragging the huge corpse around, he would have been the target of countless brothers. Not only would he have been deprived of all the achievements, he could have been killed.”
After hearing Hugo’s words, Deacon Barrymore feels a chill running down his spine at the bloody family customs of the Baskervilles.
“To be honest, I was very surprised. To see such a talented person appearing among the youngsters with a middle name of Ban, not a middle name of ‘Le’ or ‘Ra’.”
“The butler doesn’t know what to do. I’m different from the previous head of household. When raising hounds, bloodline doesn’t matter. Among dogs of good bloodline, there are ugly ones, and among dogs of low bloodline there are excellent ones. Whether it’s a son from a woman in the imperial family, I don’t care if he’s the son of a street slut, as long as he has enough talent and enough temper.”
Hugo’s eyes, muttering in a low voice, are looking out the window at the distant spire.
second son.
Deacon Barrymore noticed that Hugo was thinking of his second son, who was in training at the top of the spire.
“They say that even among dogs with good bloodlines, there are ugly ones. Do you understand?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Hugo waved his hand.
“It’s okay. It’s only my loss if I have to be upset because of my idiot son. But I guess I’ll need something to change my mood.”
His gaze fell out of the window, this time to the report.
Deacon Barrymore bowed his head when he realized his master’s intentions.
“I’ll call the young Bikir.”
* * *
It was several hours later that Vikir stood in front of Hugo.
Hugo still did not deal with fish heads and tails.
I just brought out the thing about the torso right away.
“How did you catch Cerberus?”
“I caught him with chocolate on his throat.”
It was the same with Bikir.
single entry. Harvest season. Immediate answer.
There was no flab or grease in Hugo’s conversation with Bikir.
Hugo’s eyes widened.
“Is it chocolate?”
“Chocolate is poison to canine monsters.”
“Huh. Is that why you asked for chocolate the other day?”
“yes.”
Bikir gave a short answer.
After thinking for a while, Hugo opened his mouth again.
“If true, the value of the information is quite great. It will be useful when subjugating the canine monsters. It will be of great benefit to trade with the information guild as well as to increase dispatch results.”
“I think so too.”
The corner of Hugo’s mouth went up slightly at Vikir’s nonchalant reply.
Hugo asked in a presumably cold voice.
“When the butler asked, I heard that you didn’t answer properly about hunting Cerberus.”
“That’s right, because he’s not my master.”
“Are you the owner?”
“yes.”
“Then who is your master?”
To Hugo’s question, Vikir answers again calmly.
“I belong to a family, so wouldn’t the owner of the family be mine?”
At that, Hugo finally nodded and smiled contentedly.
“You’ve learned well. As a reward, the corpse of the monster you caught will belong to you in its entirety.”
Cerberus, a monster of danger grade A+. Its corpse was worth the cost.
Teeth and claws were used as weapons, intestines and flesh as health food, and bones and skin as armor.
There is nothing to throw away from the corpses of high-ranking monsters.
It was a great reward to receive all of this in its entirety.
Furthermore, Hugo gave Bikir another prize.
“Since you ranked first in both writing and performance, the family expects a lot from you. If there’s anything you want, tell me.”
“Didn’t you already hand over the corpse of Cerberus?”
“That’s my idea. What you think is what I want to hear.”
Bikir opened her eyes slightly wide.
Hugo’s words were somewhat surprising.
This is because he has never had a history of asking his children for their thoughts.
The hounds just give orders. Who would ask a dog what he thinks?
But these variables are always welcome.
Thinking it would make things easier, Vikir voiced his opinion.
“I want to go into the Mansang Library.”
“……!”
At those words, Hugo’s eyes narrowed.
The Mansang Library is a huge library located deep inside the fortress of the Baskerville family.
Hugo raised his chin and pondered for a moment. It’s rare for him.
“…Hmm. Mansangseogora. It’s a place where only the lineage of blood relatives, including Kaju and Sogaju, can enter. Did you know and ask?”
At those words, Bikir widened his eyes.
A look that I didn’t know at all. But I didn’t even know.
‘I didn’t know because there was nothing to go into the library in my previous life.’
Culture, swordsmanship, and other knowledge were enough to be provided in classes within the family.
He lived content with the reality and did not show any desire to learn more.
That was the dog’s virtue and was tamed that way.
“…I didn’t know. If it doesn’t work, I’ll give up.”
Bikir quickened his foot. It doesn’t matter. It’s enough to sneak in under cover of night.
But things turned out easier than expected.
“You may come in.”
Hugo’s judgment was quick.
Hugo continued before Bikir could put on a blank expression.
“I can’t give you a lot of time. Would ten days be enough?”
“All it takes is one day.”
There is no need to instill caution in Hugo by staying in the library for a long time.
Hugo looked down at Vikir with a faint smile.
“What kind of book do you want to read in just one day?”
“I learned about ‘family history’ during a liberal arts class and just wanted to know a little more about it. As a Baskerville.”
He just mentioned any book in moderation, but Hugo must have liked Vikir’s answer quite a bit.
“Family history. That’s good. It’s good to be proud of yourself by studying the family’s honorable history.”
If you see him talking about pride that he didn’t even mention.
Hugo even recommended a book for Vikir to read himself.
“If you look in the middle row of the library in the 6th controlled area in the depths of the Mansang Library, there is a swordsmanship manual called ‘Baskerville 6 Type’. Read it.”
Bikir couldn’t believe his ears when he heard that.
The world’s Hugo recommends a swordsmanship textbook?
A whopping 6 meals beyond the 4 meals that Mr. Ban’s surname can go up to?
Baskerville carnivore.
This swordsmanship, which allowed him to draw six teeth, could only be mastered by the elite among the executives within the family.
Hugo has now allowed it to Bikir. Even if it’s a very brief reading.
Considering that the current Hugo had seven teeth and that the Hugo before returning had nine teeth, Hugo’s current treatment was truly exceptional.
Compared to the four ceremonies Bikir had learned before returning, meat-eating was a powerful swordsmanship that was on a different level.
but.
Bikir, who was aiming for something else, would not be very impressed.
‘……It’s just meat.’
A foolish idea that would make others faint if they heard it.
But I’m not stupid enough to get out of the way to show it off.
“Thank you. I will definitely read it and live up to your expectations.”
Vikir bowed her head and thanked Hugo.
It was a very humble and polite greeting that was flawless on the outside.
Of course, if he had known what kind of evil lurked inside him, Hugo would have stopped all the secretaries in the Mansang Library even if he had to burn them all.
“…”
Hugo, who thought he had finished all his business, just turned his head indifferently.
Having obtained access to the Mansang Library, Bikir greeted politely until the end and then turned around and left the room.
and.
He began to head straight for the most valuable treasure in all of the Baskervilles.
