The commotion didn’t last long and was quickly resolved.

The three Cheshire Tigers that had attacked the expedition lay dead, their bodies sprawled lifelessly across the ground.

The one with its head crushed had fallen to Ludger and Arfa.

The other two had died in different but equally gruesome ways—one impaled by countless steel spears and charred by electricity, the other coughing up blood as strange blisters swelled across its entire body.

The condition of the corpses alone reflected the unique fighting styles of the mages who killed them.

But among all this, the one who drew the most attention was Arfa.

Those who had witnessed him kill the Cheshire Tiger whispered among themselves.

“That kid... What is he, really?”

“I thought he was just a school student tagging along with Ludger Cherish.”

“Did you see that? He swung that Cheshire Tiger around with his bare hands. Is he a knight?”

“A kid that young, a knight? Don’t be ridiculous. Even cadets aren’t that young.”

“Then how do you explain that strength?”

For a childlike figure to kill a massive tiger with his bare hands was astonishing enough.

Even more so when the creature in question wasn’t just any tiger—it was a beast that had absorbed mana from the Kasarr Basin for years and claimed a territory as its own.

Though they ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ had fought in teams of three, killing such creatures was still an incredible feat.

The mages began speculating that Arfa was a highly talented apprentice knight and said that, with his ability, it wouldn’t be long before he became a full knight.

Loina, overhearing the murmurs, turned to Arfa.

“Are you a knight?”

“I’m not a knight.”

“If you’re not, then how could you possibly have that kind of strength... Ah!”

Loina grinned mischievously and winked at him, as if she had figured something out.

“I get it. I’ll pretend you’re not.”

“Huh?”

“That’s what it is, right? Something you can’t let people find out. Don’t worry—I’m quick to catch on.”

“I really am not...”

Quick to catch on? At this point, she doesn’t have any sense at all...

As Arfa stared blankly, not understanding her conclusion, Ludger spoke quietly so only Arfa could hear.

“That’s how people are. They only see what they want to see. I’m used to it.”

“But, Leader, isn’t your case different from mine?”

“What’s different?”

“Well...”

Arfa struggled to explain but soon nodded, conceding that, in a way, it did apply to Ludger as well.

For now, his curiosity shifted to what was happening next.

“What are they doing over there?”

“Body bags.”

Ludger spoke calmly.

“Exactly what it sounds like—bags to store corpses. A type of magic item. They’re enchanted with preservation spells to prevent decay and have weight-reduction enchantments.”

“Why would they even have something like that...?”

“They probably brought them knowing this could happen. Leaving the bodies behind would be an insult to the dead.”

“It’s still sad that they had to come prepared for something like this.”

“On the contrary, in the Kasarr Basin, recovering a body at all is considered fortunate.”

The Cheshire Tiger attack had claimed twenty-three lives in total.

Fifteen porters and eight mages were dead.

The tragedy had happened because they hadn’t fully understood the behavior and traits of the Cheshire Tigers.

“Hey! How long are we going to stay here? We need to move!”

A heated argument broke out nearby, voices raised in frustration.

It was clear only one side was being aggressive—the ones complaining were elderly scholars, researchers by the look of them.

“Do you have any idea how precious every second is here? Every minute, every second matters more than gold in this place. And you’re wasting time dawdling like this? How long will it take to reach the mansion at this rate?”

“People died. Some of them were combat mages who fought on the front lines to protect us.”

“The dead are dead. Just pack the bodies and move on—how hard is that?”

“Is that what you have to say to those who died protecting you?”

“That was the agreement, wasn’t it? We provide knowledge; you provide force. What happens in between is no one’s responsibility. We made that clear.”

“Do you feel no sympathy at all for the dead?”

“Sympathy? We didn’t come here to mourn. We came for knowledge. Nothing else concerns us.”

The old scholar’s words made the combat mage grit his teeth, clenching his fist in anger.

While Ludger and Arfa watched, Loina returned from somewhere, her expression darkening as she recognized the scholars.

“That’s the School of Truth.”

“You know them?”

“Of course. They’re famous in this field. A magical research group mostly made up of elderly men.”

“Famous... in a bad way, I assume.”

Just watching them argue was proof enough, and the glares directed at them by others confirmed it.

“They’re renowned, yes, and each of them is a prominent scholar, but they’re extremely arrogant. They’ll do anything to achieve their goals—disregard for human life, blinded by their own stubbornness.”

“Judging by the reactions, this isn’t the first time they’ve caused trouble.”

“Every year, accidents happen because of their unreasonable schedules. Most people refuse to take escort jobs for them anymore, but...”

“They must pay well.”

Loina sighed bitterly and nodded.

No matter how unpleasant, a high enough payment always attracted people.

Ludger narrowed his eyes, watching the members of the School of Truth carefully.

There was a chance Lesley could be hiding among them.

Soon, the cleanup was finished, and the expedition moved on again.

Perhaps because of the Cheshire Tiger attack, the mages were on edge, their mana fluctuating with tension.

Whether it was good luck or because of their heightened vigilance, no more attacks occurred.

“Everyone’s really tense now.”

Arfa, as straightforward and oblivious as ever, spoke quietly enough for only Ludger and Loina to hear.

“Of course. People died. And still, they insist on going through the forest. It’s absurd. If they took a detour through the plains, it would be safer.”

“No, it wouldn’t.”

Loina’s reply was sharp and unusually firm, unlike her usual hesitant manner.

“Mr. Ludger, you’re new to this place, so you don’t know yet, but in the Kasarr Basin, the plains are more dangerous than the forest. Yes, much more dangerous.”

“Is there a reason?”

“Because of the mysterious power dwelling in this land.”

“Something happened there, I take it.”

“...There was a group of mages who tried to find an alternate route to the mansion. They decided to take the plains instead of the forest, thinking it would be safer.”

Loina’s voice trembled slightly as she recalled the past.

“They were all 4th-circle mages with plenty of combat experience. The porters were seasoned mercenaries who had fought in wars. By any measure, it was a solid team.

They didn’t even go far into the plains—just planned to skirt along the forest’s edge.”

“Not a bad plan, on the surface.”

“Except they underestimated the strange power in this land. Mr. Ludger, do you know what happened the moment they left the forward base and stepped onto the plains?”

Of course he didn’t. He hadn’t seen it himself.

Of course, Loina hadn’t expected an answer to her question.

“They vanished. Completely. They hadn’t even walked thirty meters across the plain before it happened.”

“They... vanished?”

“Yes. As if they were phantoms. One blink, and they were gone. A group of more than ten 4th-circle mages simply disappeared. But what came after was even worse.”

“What happened next?”

“The next morning, something appeared where they had vanished. A pile of snow-white bones. Human skulls—exactly the same number as the people who disappeared.”

“......”

“No one had placed them there. There were no traces around to suggest that. Just as they vanished instantly, the bones appeared just as suddenly. And although only a single day had passed, the remains looked as if decades had gone by. It was... something you wouldn’t believe even if you saw it.”

Loina shivered at the memory, running a hand over her arm as if to wipe away the chill.

“That was five years ago, when I first came here.”

Her voice carried the lingering tremor of fear.

“It was so sudden. Completely beyond comprehension. I wasn’t a Lexuror back then, but even if I faced it now, I doubt I would understand. No... maybe I wouldn’t want to.”

Since that incident, no mage had dared to travel any route other than the forest path.

The Kasarr Basin itself was another world, and within that world were countless smaller worlds layered together.

“That’s why the forest is safer. The dense trees suppress the excessive flow of mana—like breakwaters along a shore.”

“So rather than face some great calamity, it’s better to take a path where only dangerous beasts roam.”

“Many died before they learned that lesson.”

Perhaps with more time, someone might have managed to chart a safe path through the plains.

But unfortunately, this land only opened for three days each year.

Simply creating the forest trail had been an achievement in itself.

This is a land of mystery, but even more, it’s a land overflowing with death.

Ludger couldn’t help but wonder what kind of mindset the mages who held the Mystic Night here every year possessed.

Then again, considering how many mages willingly risked their lives for knowledge, perhaps it was the cautious ones who were abnormal.

More importantly... no other beasts yet?

Whether because the Cheshire Tiger pack had been eliminated or because everyone was remaining on high alert, there were no further delays in the march.

They only slowed down slightly when passing by dangerous flora, but no new incidents occurred.

Bellaruna would have loved this, Ludger thought dryly.

Then, suddenly, something brushed against his senses.

What was that?

It felt like a thin, oily film sliding over his body, a slick sensation that vanished as quickly as it came.

Not a gaze. Not even mana detection.

It was something strange, something almost impossible to describe.

Something just swept across the entire expedition.

Yet no one else seemed to notice.

Only Ludger felt it, and the faint goosebumps on his skin confirmed it wasn’t his imagination.

Even during the Cheshire Tiger attack, nothing like this happened.

Which meant that whatever was observing them now was something even more dangerous than the Cheshire Tigers.

A creature more threatening than a predator capable of manipulating mana like a mage...

Perhaps there really was an apex beast with intelligence somewhere in this forest.

No random attacks. No unnecessary appearances.

If it was watching them, it could very well be the ruler of this forest.

A flicker of curiosity sparked in Ludger’s mind.

If I meet it... maybe I can get one of its teeth as a souvenir.

* * *

The march that had continued all morning finally ended around noon.

The trees began to thin, and soon the forest opened up entirely.

Beyond it lay a low hill, and atop that hill stood a massive mansion.

“Wow... finally.”

“So that’s the secret mansion of the Kasarr Basin?”

Whether it was their first time seeing it or not, everyone stared in awe at the building’s imposing figure.

Ludger, too, studied it with interest.

It looks brand-new, as if it was just built yesterday.

Though it had clearly been standing for ages, with no caretakers, the mansion looked freshly constructed, almost immaculate.

But there was no time to simply stand and admire it.

Everyone here had come for a reason, and it wasn’t sightseeing.

Soon, this large group would need to enter the mansion’s interior.

“Is it really fine for this many people to go in at once?”

“Hm. I suppose it must seem strange to you, Mr. Ludger, since it’s your first time here. But it’s fine—this many people entering won’t matter.”

“Because the mansion is that large? Still, with so many moving in together, won’t it get overcrowded?”

“No. That mansion doesn’t care how many people go inside. Whether it’s three hundred or even a thousand, it wouldn’t matter.”

Loina spoke with firm confidence.

“And anyway, the three hundred of us won’t all move together. Or rather, we can’t.”

“Because of the mysterious power inside the mansion, I assume.”

“Exactly. From the moment we step inside, we have to move in teams. Minimum five people, maximum twenty. That’s the ‘rule’ the mansion imposes.”

Not only was there a maximum, but a minimum as well.

Ludger glanced at Arfa and Loina.

That made three of them—not enough.

They needed at least two more people. Or perhaps three, since Arfa might not be recognized as “human” by the mansion.

Looking around, he saw other mages forming their teams.

Of the three hundred present, about two hundred were pure researchers.

The porters would remain outside, and some combat mages would stay behind to guard the perimeter.

Even so, over two hundred would likely enter the mansion.

“First, we need to gather some people. Ms. Loina, can you handle that?”

“Eh? I—I don’t really have any close mage friends here...”

Loina shook her head quickly, and Ludger almost regretted asking.

But just then, an older mage approached him.

“Shall I join you?”