My name is Mikel.
I am the son of High Priest Fouche, a woman of some renown within the Korin religion.
Allow me to provide a bit of context.
In the Reiwight Kingdom and the lands surrounding it, humans make up the vast majority of the population, though other races naturally exist alongside them. Elves, Dwarves, the Beastman Race, Minotaurs, the Lizardman Race, and many others—usually, these peoples keep to themselves, forming their own villages and settlements and living their lives with minimal human interaction.
However, total isolation is difficult to maintain, so we are often connected through small-scale trade.
Carla and her group of four, the Nocturnal Butterfly, had business with us.
I will never forget for as long as I live how they startled us with that absurdly theatrical performance, only to claim they did it because they were "shy." I won't forget it even after I’ve passed on. I’m not the type to boast, but I’ve always been the sort to hold a grudge.
As it turned out, the one Carla and the others were actually looking for wasn’t Alfred... it was me.
Wait, me? Why?
"We would like to ask you to act as an intermediary for Lady Fouche," Carla explained.
Ah, so my mother was the goal. I see. That made more sense. I asked for the reason.
"We wish to get in touch with Lady Lulushi."
...Lady Lulushi.
That was a name I had heard from my mother’s lips many times. She was Alfred’s mother. However, Mother was supposed to keep Lady Lulushi’s name a closely guarded secret from outsiders. How did Carla and her group know about the connection between them?
"It is famous in certain circles that she once commissioned a special medicine from Lady Lulushi specifically for you," Carla replied.
Is that so? Wait a moment. Which "circles" were we talking about?
"The Pharmacist Alliance."
The Pharmacist Alliance was a group of medicine distributors active throughout the region. They handled a wide variety of remedies at relatively affordable prices and had earned a reputation as a friend to the common folk.
"Is the Nocturnal Butterfly part of the Pharmacist Alliance?" I asked.
"Yes. We are the core organization of the Pharmacist Alliance."
That was news to me. I had no idea the Nocturnal Butterfly was such a legitimate organization. To be honest, I had assumed they were just some eccentric adventurers using a flashy name. I offered my apologies for the misunderstanding.
"No, it's understandable. Although we are the core organization, we rarely appear in public."
Well, they had mentioned being shy.
"There is that, but we are also Vampires."
I blinked. "Pardon?"
"We would only be feared, so we live away from the public eye."
I suppose that made sense. Setting aside the Reiwight Kingdom, there were many surrounding countries where people harbored deep-seated prejudices. While they might tolerate Elves or Dwarves, they often looked down on races that deviated further from human appearance, like the Beastman Race, the Lizardman Race, or the Harpy Race.
And while Vampires looked human, their dietary preference for blood and their nocturnal habits tended to make people uneasy.
Personally, I felt no aversion toward Vampires. After all, Lady Lulushi herself was a famous Vampire. I was also well aware that Alfred was a Vampire, though I doubted the princes or the noble ladies had a clue.
As for Alfred himself...
He was currently busy preparing a meal for the night watch alongside the escorts.
Oh, right. When Carla and the others had made their entrance, most of the escorts had actually been awake. There was a reason they hadn't moved to support or rescue us, though: Carla and her group had contacted them individually beforehand to let them know they were planning to put on a "performance."
Didn't that qualify as abandoning their duties as guards?
I was willing to overlook it regarding my own safety, but I found it hard to believe it was acceptable for the princes' guards to ignore a potential threat. Then it turned out the princes had been in on it, too.
Damn it, I felt like a complete fool for panicking. I wish someone had bothered to tell me, though I suppose they kept me in the dark because I was the intended target.
When I timidly checked to see if Alfred had known what was happening, he shook his head. He hadn't known either. That made me feel a bit better.
As for why Carla and her group hadn't informed him, the reason was simple: Alfred hadn't left a single opening for them to approach him.
...Wait. Does that mean the guards did leave openings? I was starting to suspect we had a serious security problem.
Anyway, back to the point. Carla and her companions wanted to contact Lady Lulushi. Since they had no direct means of communication, they wanted to ask my mother, whom they believed had been in contact with her recently. Granted, "recently" meant about ten years ago.
I didn't mind acting as a bridge to my mother, but I wanted to know the purpose of the contact first.
"We of the Nocturnal Butterfly are the Medicinal Herb Garden Management Group originally established by Lady Lulushi. Even after her departure, we continued our duties... but a Wyvern has recently taken up residence near our most precious herb field, and we are at a loss."
A Wyvern. A terrifying monster of the sky. Rumor had it that some individuals were even more formidable than Dragons.
I asked why they didn't just hire adventurers to handle it.
"The medicinal herb garden is a secret location," she explained.
That made sense. Even if they drove the Wyvern away, the field would be ruined if its location became public knowledge.
"Yes. However, we believe that with Lady Lulushi’s power, the Wyvern could be dealt with. Even if it couldn't, she might be able to move the garden itself..."
As Carla spoke, Alfred cut in.
"Very well. I shall deal with this Wyvern myself."
I looked at him, surprised. Could Alfred really handle something as dangerous as a Wyvern?
"There is a possibility it’s a Wyvern I know," Alfred added. "If we’re lucky, we can settle this with a simple discussion."
His social circle was absurdly wide.
When Carla asked who Alfred was, I provided the answer. "He is Lady Lulushi’s son."
I then witnessed a vassal's salute so graceful and perfect it could only be described as a masterclass in fealty.
"Wait, wait," Alfred said, waving them off. "Even if this is an organization my mother is involved with, I do not work for free. You understand that, don't you? I’m counting on you for that eye medicine."
Carla hesitated.
"What is it? Is the price not right? I know it's considered the Secret Medicine of Secret Medicines."
"No, well... that medicine was created by Lady Lulushi herself, so... using it as a reward feels..."
Alfred went quiet for a long moment. "...I suppose I'll find out the truth if I ask my mother."
"Yes."
"No, I’m glad you were honest. The reward shall be that medicine."
And so, it was decided: Alfred would deal with the Wyvern. I had no problem with that in principle, but there was a practical issue. Carla’s herb garden was about a thirty-day journey from here, and it was located outside the Reiwight Kingdom. In other words, in a foreign country.
While it was a friendly nation and travel for commoners was easy enough, we couldn't exactly bring the princes and the noble ladies with us. Entering another country secretly with a party of that size would be nearly impossible. Furthermore, given the time it would take to travel there and back, it wasn't a realistic itinerary for them.
I suggested we return to the Royal Capital first and set out again later, but Alfred disagreed.
"If the Wyvern finds a mate, it will be much harder to move them from the nest. It is better to move quickly."
He proposed heading straight there instead of heading back to the capital. We would part ways with the princes and the noble ladies at a village near the border. Since we had to sell the materials harvested from our hunt anyway, it seemed like a reasonable enough plan.
When we explained the situation over breakfast, the princes were predictably miserable about the separation—until they started eating.
"This is incredible," one remarked.
"A meal like this... I’ve never had anything like it," said another.
"It’s delicious."
"Um, could I have seconds...?"
Carla and the rest of the Nocturnal Butterfly were inside the tent, happily devouring the breakfast Alfred had prepared. He was kind enough to make enough for everyone.
Speaking of which, there had been a dedicated cook for the Asamud Royal Family named Libic. He was the one who had once come storming in, complaining that the princes had grown so fond of Alfred’s cooking that they refused to eat palace food. From that day on, whenever it was time to eat, he would crowd around Alfred alongside the princes.
I still haven't forgiven that man for devouring ten out of thirty pieces of karaage all by himself. There were eight of us there, for goodness' sake.
Eventually, Libic found himself unable to believe that food more delicious than Alfred’s existed—something Alfred had teased him about—and he had set off for the Demon Kingdom to see for himself. I wondered if he had ever made it there safely.
We eventually arrived at a large town near the border. This was where we were to part ways with the princes, the noble ladies, and the escorts. I understood why the royals' guards were staying behind, but I was surprised that our own escorts intended to do the same.
They explained that they couldn't cross into another country without official permission. Given that they were people of significant standing, it was understandable. That meant only Alfred and I, along with the four members of the Nocturnal Butterfly, would be continuing the journey.
I couldn't let Alfred go off on his own, but I was starting to feel a bit anxious.
Just as I was worrying, trouble struck.
We tried to sell the monster materials we had gathered at the local Adventurer Guild, only to be told we needed to register. I thought we had already handled our Adventurer Registration in the capital, but apparently, this guild was part of a different branch and required a separate registration.
They demanded a fee that was anything but cheap. That was irritating enough, but then a guild clerk tried to seize Alfred’s weapon, claiming a mere boy had no business carrying such a fine blade.
Alfred tried to decline politely, but the princes moved faster.
They went on a rampage so violent the entire guild building was nearly leveled. To be fair, the princes alone didn't have the strength to bring down a building. In truth, it was the escorts assigned to the princes and noble ladies who did the real damage. The four members of the Nocturnal Butterfly also lent their strength from the shadows.
I knew what was happening, but I didn't stop them. Even as Alfred tried to talk the princes down, I remained silent. I suppose I am a sinful man.
However, every single clerk at that guild had been blatantly arrogant and corrupt. I was certain they were up to no good. I intended to contact my mother and ask her to investigate whether any evidence of corruption could be salvaged from the wreckage of the building.