SDIV 29

Chapter 29

One Hour Before the Ducal Castle Was Attacked

A man’s sorrowful sobs echoed through the underground laboratory of the ducal castle.

“I can’t do this anymore! Huuuuaaa…”

The one crying and wailing was none other than Bug, a humble commoner who used to forage for herbs in the foothills of the Altair Duchy. Though he was a beast tamer, he had settled into a quiet life in the countryside.

Then one day, a burly knight who claimed to be the First Captain of the Altair Knights showed up in front of Bug.

“Are you the one who uses familiars to gather herbs? I need your help.”

That was all it took. Bug was practically kidnapped and dragged here. His task was singular: to make grotesque cockroaches into familiars.

For the first time in his life, Bug hated the fact that he had a natural affinity with insects.

“Why, why did I have to be an insect tamer… sob…”

Even if he liked bugs, facing giant insects in a dark place all day was too much. And these weren’t just any bugs—they were the notorious household pests.

“Ahom. Sob… I can’t do this. I’m done for.”

“Bug, not again. You’ve done well so far. Come on now, chin up!”

Ahom, who was leading the experiment in place of the plague-stricken Haishan, patted Bug gently on the back. Her small comfort only made Bug burst into louder sobs. His stag beetle familiar clicked its tongue in disapproval.

[Geez. If you hate it so much, just finish quickly and get out of here!]

“You don’t understand… the mental trauma of facing giant cockroaches every day… You just don’t!”

[They’re still bugs. Why am I okay and they’re not?]

“You’re the size of a palm, and they’re the size of a large dog! Ugh…”

From Bug’s reaction, Ahom realized why the taming spell was failing. Deep-seated aversion had a huge influence on beast taming. If she were told to tame a cockroach, she’d feel the same—disgust and helplessness. Feeling sorry for him, she patted Bug’s back again.

“How about starting with a smaller one?”

Sniffle.

[The magic circle can transform the familiar to suit the tamer’s preference, so hang in there. Didn’t the duke promise a huge reward if this succeeds?]

“He did… he really did…”

‘If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have agreed.’ He swallowed the thought down his throat.

[Hm? I think someone’s coming.]

Bug turned his head at the stag beetle’s warning. A red light glowed from the bulb on one side of the lab. It was a signal—someone had opened the door.

The door swung open, and in stepped the very people who had thrown him into this hell.

“Are things going well?”

At Vega’s question, and the inhuman look in Deneb’s eyes, Bug’s neck retracted like a turtle’s.

“Um… well…”

As Bug fumbled, Ahom jumped in. In her clear voice, she explained that they were just about to begin a new trial.

With a gloomy face, Bug trudged into the magic circle. His hunched back resembled a pickled cabbage leaf—limp and lifeless. Ahom felt a salty pang of sympathy just looking at him.

She chose the smallest bug from the purified glass container and pushed it into the taming circle. Leaning close, she whispered in Bug’s ear.

“This one’s the tiniest.”

Bug looked at the bug. As she said, it was the smallest he had seen so far. Clinging to the edge of the container and nervously surveying the surroundings, it reminded him of his first day here. He felt a strange sympathy for the little thing.

Taking a deep breath, Bug infused mana into the circle. Vooom—voooom. The air vibrated vigorously, and soon a brilliant white light burst from the circle. The lingering glow was a sign of success.

All four turned their eyes to the circle. Inside the purified glass container, a 10-centimeter-long bug stood upright in a tailored suit.

[I am Sebastian. Hohoho.]

At Sebastian’s polite greeting, Bug instinctively took a few steps back.

After several tests with Ahom, Sebastian was finally allowed out of the purified container.

[I’m quite old, you see. Please treat me gently. Now, where should I rest? Ah, the master’s shoulder seems nice.]

When Sebastian reached out, Bug yelped and bolted away. Seeing his own tamer recoil in horror, Sebastian was visibly hurt. He crouched on the ground, drawing circles with his finger like a dejected child.

Bug felt guilty seeing the elderly-looking gentleman (bug?) sulk on the floor. Its oddly human-like appearance made it even more disturbing.

“How about this?”

Ahom crafted a necklace out of a small glass bottle. Bug put Sebastian in it and wore it around his neck. From his elevated view, Sebastian flushed with pleasure.

[Hohoho.]

Once things settled down, Deneb spoke.

“Bug, ask him why he came to the castle.”

“Sebastian?”

[Yes, master?]

Bug’s shoulders trembled at being called master.

[Please don’t move so much. I’m getting motion sickness.]

“O-oh… I’ll be careful…”

Bug’s expression clearly showed he was at his wit’s end. With vacant eyes, he asked,

“Could you… tell me why you came to this castle?”

[To reproduce.]

At the word reproduce, Bug’s face turned pale.

[We, you see—]

Bug barely kept his mind from drifting off and forced himself to listen.

After processing the explanation, he reported slowly.

“He says they have an instinct to return to their birthplace during mating season… and apparently, something about this castle reminded him of that birthplace.”

That explained why cockroaches were only found near the ducal castle.

Deneb furrowed his brow, and Bug’s heart clenched. Already the size of a pea, it now shrank to a mere grain. He lowered his gaze.

[Hohoho.]

Bug looked up—and locked eyes with Sebastian. Desperately sweating, Bug stared at the Duke’s philtrum. Between Sebastian and a furious duke, the latter somehow seemed easier to deal with.

“…Ask when their mating season is, and whether he still senses that birthplace aura now that he’s been tamed.”

Before Bug could translate Deneb’s full question, the alert bulb turned red again. The color of blood filled the lab, raising everyone’s anxiety.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Seribeth burst into the lab, breathless.

“Duke! It’s urgent! Hundreds of bugs are scaling the castle walls!”

Deneb ran a hand roughly through his hair.

“What incredible timing. Bug, no time to waste—translate!”

At Bug’s question, Sebastian smiled warmly and exclaimed:

[Today is mating day!]

Following Sebastian’s lead, Deneb and Vega quickly moved out.

“This is the place?”

“Yes. Sebastian said he’s certain—it’s this building.”

Bug pointed to the White Mansion, the detached residence where Ashila lived. One corner of Deneb’s mouth twisted in a wicked smile. If Arin saw it, she would’ve called it disgusting.

“We’ve finally caught the tail. That bottle is precious evidence. Don’t lose it.”

“Understood.”

With a tilt of Deneb’s chin, Vega led the knights into the White Mansion. He stomped through it with no mercy.

While Vega was searching for Ashila on the first floor, she was upstairs, having just heard from her maid that bugs were crawling up the walls.

She dismissed the maid and sat restlessly on the couch, her legs jittering with anxiety.

Taking out the glass bottle she had been hiding in her bosom, she stared at it for a moment before narrowing her eyes.

“…I need to destroy this.”

She tightly shut her eyes and hurled the bottle at the wall.

The crash of shattering glass should have echoed through the room—but instead, there was eerie silence. Cautiously opening her eyes, Ashila gasped when she saw the bottle suspended midair.

“What is… this…”

The windows were shut tight. No breeze should be coming in—yet her hair was tousled by wind.

She turned toward the window—and saw Deneb, standing on the sill.

The floating bottle swiftly flew into his hand.

“Mother. I’ve finally found the culprit.”

He called her mother, but his face was full of utter contempt. Ashila, humiliated and furious, screamed.

“You wretch!”

Deneb thought her reaction was pathetic. Channeling all his long-suppressed rage, he released his mana.

Ashila, not a mana user, couldn’t see it. But she felt something invisible tearing toward her.

She felt like a mouse cornered by a cat.

Her knees buckled like a newborn fawn. Collapsing to the floor, she trembled violently.

The presence before her—Deneb—was terrifying.

She wanted to stand tall and defiant, but her body wouldn’t obey.

She couldn’t fall here. She was of royal blood.

Tears of desperation welled in her eyes.