Aileen frowned as she looked at Hans’s blank, dazed expression—as if confused why they were even talking about him.

That frail-looking man... was supposed to be their strongest asset?

“That’s a dull joke.”

“Did it sound like a joke to you?”

Ludger didn’t bother trying to convince her otherwise. His demeanor made that clear.

Seeing that, Aileen’s expression shifted to one of uncertainty. Wait, is he serious?

Still, she didn’t press the issue—didn’t ask what kind of power he had or how someone with such a weak-looking body could possibly be so dangerous.

‘Does he possess some kind of special ability?’

When she thought about it, both Phantos and Alex were extremely exceptional in their own right.

If Hans was treated as their equal—also ranked as an executive—then surely there was something to him too.

‘I’m... a bit envious.’

To have such powerful individuals working in the shadows, loyal to Ludger.

To have people like that at your side, willing to serve—that was something Aileen, as a leader herself, genuinely envied.

She had talented people too, but in terms of someone she could entrust with serious matters? Only Passius.

Maybe Mandelina could count, but her loyalty wasn’t absolute, so it was hard to evaluate.

‘Those were better times...’

Back when she worked with Jack the Ripper—not Ludger Cherish.

Well, “worked with” wasn’t quite right. It was more of a mutual partnership. But even so, he had been one of the most reliable people she’d ever known.

Still, Aileen didn’t let herself fall into pointless longing.

She was maintaining a good relationship with Ludger even now, and more importantly, there were pressing matters she needed to address.

“Well then, we’ve tested each other’s strength and wrapped up our business. Time to head back. I can’t be away too long.”

Ludger thought to himself that she probably shouldn’t have come in the first place if that were the case, but he didn’t say it out loud.

Before she left with Passius, Aileen offered Ludger one final warning.

“Be careful of the Lumenis Church. After their contact with the elves, they’re trying to relocate their base of operations from the capital.”

“Any idea where they’re planning to go?”

“It didn’t look like they were trying to return to their homeland. Maybe they’re trying to scout more while they’re out here.”

Her words trailed off.

Even that was enough for Ludger to guess where the Lumenis Church might be headed.

“They might come here.”

“Exactly. So be cautious. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Aileen didn’t add anything more.

She knew this man would prepare accordingly, even if she didn’t spell everything out.

“Anyway, the inside’s a complete mess.”

She smiled as she looked over the torn-up training arena.

Her smile was so radiant that it made the dim, indoor arena feel momentarily brighter.

But Ludger simply shrugged, unamused.

“Guess this place wasn’t quite suitable for a Master-level duel.”

If Passius had drawn his aura, or if Phantos had summoned his spirit, the arena would have been split clean in half.

Even though it was built sturdily, precisely to withstand knight combat.

The two of them were just that far beyond the standard.

Still, Aileen felt like it had been worth it.

Passius, standing calmly in place, seemed more focused and composed than usual.

He’d reacted similarly after the underground fight back in the capital.

And ever since then, his swordsmanship had changed significantly.

A Master Knight who still had room to grow.

Aileen was glad she had made the effort to come here and meet Ludger in person.

* * *

Aileen left with Passius.

She had offered to take Bellaruna with her, but the elf declined, saying she would contact them once she arrived [N O V E L I G H T] in the capital later.

Bellaruna was relieved, as she still had some things left to prepare.

“They’re gone.”

Hans muttered as he thought back on how Aileen and Passius had left as quietly as they’d arrived.

The First Imperial Princess of the Empire.

She was practically the next in line for the throne.

Hans felt like he was dreaming, knowing someone like her was on such familiar terms with his big brother.

‘I always thought he was impressive, but I didn’t know his influence reached this far into the sunlight.’

Hans gave Ludger a sidelong glance, as if seeing him in a new light.

That noble, refined face anyone would admire—even as a man. Considering Ludger’s real heritage, it wasn’t strange at all.

Hmm.

Hans nodded to himself in understanding.

‘The world is rotten with appearance-worship.’

As Hans grumbled inwardly, his gaze fell upon the two people sitting silently off to the side.

Alex and Phantos.

After their duel in the underground arena, the two of them had seemingly been struck by something. They now sat cross-legged in silence, meditating with their eyes closed.

“They’re reviewing today’s events.”

Ludger suddenly spoke to Hans.

“Reviewing, sir?”

“That fight was a meaningful experience for both of them.”

“Well, maybe for Phantos. But Alex only watched, didn’t he?”

“For him, that’s more than enough.”

“...Hah.”

Hans let out a breath of disbelief.

But it wasn’t something he hadn’t heard before. When he became an executive in Owens, he’d learned the basics of everyone’s abilities.

That Alex could replicate movements just by watching them?

Hans wasn’t a knight, so he’d never fully grasped how bizarre and amazing Alex’s talent truly was.

But seeing Alex—usually laid-back and frivolous—sitting so still and focused now? That was honestly surprising.

If he was concentrating this hard, it meant this was important to him. Which also meant that duel had left a serious impact.

“So both of them will become even stronger.”

He could accept Alex getting stronger. But Phantos...? He was already a monster—what more could he become?

Hans shivered at the thought.

Ludger gave a short chuckle at Hans’s uneasy expression.

“What? Afraid he’ll take your number-one ranking?”

“What nonsense! When was I ever number one?”

“Because when you use that, you’re the strongest. But at the rate Phantos is growing, that might change.”

“I don’t care about that!”

Hans shook his head like the idea disgusted him.

He was never someone suited to fighting in the first place.

“Besides, that thing from Jévaudan—I can’t even control it properly. If it goes berserk, I’m the one who has to deal with it. Talking about combat rankings in that context just sounds like you’re teasing me.”

“For something you can’t control, the power seems to be growing quite a bit lately, no?”

“...Well.”

Hans fell silent.

Back then, all he could do was hear the voices of beasts.

Now he could communicate—and issue commands.

He could control rats, cats, dogs... even crows.

And what once required implanting beast teeth into his body and going through a transformation—he could now do barehanded.

If he fully committed, how many beasts could he command?

“...Honestly, it doesn’t feel great. Like I’m giving up being human.”

“Thinking that way is proof you’re still human.”

“I’m afraid. I don’t know when the beast inside me might take over again. I’m okay for now, but... I can’t shake the feeling that something’s tightening around my neck.”

Hmm.

Ludger fell into thought at Hans’s reply.

This change clearly started after Hans used the tooth of the cryptid from Jévaudan.

‘It was an incredibly powerful cryptid... maybe its residual thoughts are still in his body.’

And they were clearly growing stronger.

Judging by Hans’s reaction, the creature’s lingering will must be affecting him somehow.

But there was no known treatment for it.

If it were a curse or something magical, there might be options—but this was a genetic mutation.

And there was no way to alter one’s genes.

He could administer a suppressant, but that only worked after a full transformation to return the body to human form.

It didn’t help with the beast’s power growing while he remained human.

In the end, this was a personal trial Hans had to overcome.

‘Still, it doesn’t seem like other beasts are affecting him. So the cryptid from Jévaudan really is the root of it all...’

Ah.

Maybe...

A sudden thought struck Ludger.

* * *

Instead of returning to their usual hideout, the group arrived at an unused warehouse building.

Hans was puzzled as to why they had come here—until Ludger suddenly held something out in front of him.

“Hans. Take this.”

“What is it?”

Hans accepted what Ludger handed him.

He opened it—and saw three pure white shards.

And immediately, Hans felt it deep in his gut.

“This... this is a tooth, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. I picked it up on the way back from the Kasar Basin. Think of it as a travel souvenir.”

Hans looked completely dumbfounded.

Who the hell brings back animal teeth as souvenirs?

“...And this one isn’t even normal-sized. Just looking at it, it’s obviously not from anything ordinary.”

“Two of them are from massive predators that lived in the Kasar Basin. The biggest one is from a Spirit Beast.”

“S-Spirit Beast...? Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

A Spirit Beast.

Hans knew exactly what that meant.

A beast, yet something far beyond any beast.

A being so mystical, so rare, that they could only be found in the remote wilds of the continent.

He knew just how awe-inspiring a Spirit Beast was... and this—this tooth—was supposed to be from one?

“Don’t tell me, Big Brother. You went to Kasar Basin and... hunted a Spirit Beast? Still haven’t shaken off those old hunter habits?”

At that, Ludger frowned.

“What do you mean, old hunter habits?”

“I mean, I just figured... if it looks suspicious, your first instinct is probably to kill it.”

“When have I ever—”

He was about to deny it, but then remembered that the first time he met Hans, he had tried to hunt him down.

“...Anyway. No. I didn’t hunt it. I received it. Fair and square.”

“How do you fairly receive a tooth from a Spirit Beast?”

What, did he perform a wisdom tooth extraction?

Ludger ignored Hans’s suspicious glare and calmly said,

“Try it.”

“...Sorry?”

“I said, try it. It might be useful for you.”

“...This?”

Hans still didn’t quite believe it, but Ludger spoke with such certainty that he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

Besides, something deep inside him—an instinct sharper than ever—was urging him to do it.

“...Wait. Are you planning to use the Spirit Beast’s power to suppress the wildness of the Jévaudan cryptid?”

Hans immediately understood what Ludger was thinking.

Fighting poison with poison.

Since the monster inside him was hard to suppress, Ludger was telling him to borrow another force to keep it in check.

“...Ha.”

Hans thought it was a bit too much at first, but then, after a moment of reflection, he realized—it really was the best option they had.

To stop a fire that slowly and surely spread... sometimes the best method was to fight fire with fire.

And if it was a Spirit Beast’s power, well... it somehow felt safer.

At least it wouldn’t carry the same feral madness as the one called the Nightmare of the Durman Kingdom.

“But before that, try this one first.”

Ludger pointed not to the Spirit Beast’s tooth, but to one of the smaller ones next to it.

Well—smaller only in comparison. It was still massive by any reasonable standard.

“...This one’s from what kind of beast?”

“A bear that lived in the Kasar Basin. Because of the environment, it could manipulate mana.”

“...It manipulated mana?”

“Yeah. So if you use this, you might develop similar abilities.”

Mana...

That got Hans’s attention.

Using magic—especially for someone who had always been a regular person—was the stuff of dreams.

Of course, there was also a chance he’d just become a regular ol’ werebear.

But he had nothing to lose, so Hans lightly stabbed the tooth into his palm.

Not too deep. Just a little. Hurting himself too much wouldn’t help.

That familiar, strange energy began to ripple through his body.

But this time—it felt different. There was a ticklish sensation running under his skin.

Hans’s body began to expand—until he transformed into a massive werebear.

However, there was one noticeable difference from ordinary bears: a pair of horns curved into a U-shape protruded from his head.

Horns made of rock.

“This is...”

Hans tapped at his horns with his now-thick, blunt fingers.

Solid. Not just some normal horn—it had the density and feel of actual stone.

“...I see.”

Ludger gave a small nod as he looked at Hans.

The other members of Owens also watched him with curiosity.

It seemed Hans had evolved accordingly, influenced by the magical environment where the beast had lived.

“Can you use magic?”

“Let’s see... l-like this?”

He didn’t need any advice.

He just followed a strange instinct—as if his body knew what to do—and executed it.

The tickling sensation in his body gathered in his right hand.

And soon, a stone gauntlet formed over his thick bear paw.

“O-Oh! Big Brother, look at this!”

“I see it.”

Ludger sounded genuinely impressed.

Even Arfa, Violetta, Seridan, and Bellaruna—who had been quietly watching—were wide-eyed with surprise.

He really can use magic.

Of course, the spell itself was only a small step beyond the basics—converting mana into a physical element.

But what mattered was that Hans—who had never even brushed up against the idea of magic—was now able to use it.

If I’d known this would work, I should’ve brought back more beast teeth...

“Hans. How’s the wildness feel?”

“Hm... It’s different. Compared to the other beasts I’ve transformed into, this feels... clearer. Like my head isn’t so clouded.”

“Is that so? Probably due to the mana. Seems like it’s dampening the wild instincts.”

Ludger handed Hans the prepared suppressant.

“Next is the Spirit Beast’s tooth. Giant Bear or Cheshire Tiger—let’s go straight to the main course.”

“...Phew. Alright. Let’s try it.”

Hans, back in his human form after taking the suppressant, stared intently at the Spirit Beast’s tooth.

If it really was a Spirit Beast’s power, it should be comparable to the Jévaudan cryptid.

...It shouldn’t consume him completely, right?

He was nervous—but Ludger was here. And so were Phantos and Alex.

If he went out of control, there were people who could stop him.

That alone gave Hans some peace of mind.

“...Hup.”

Hans drove the Spirit Beast’s tooth into his palm.

This time, even if it hurt—he pressed a little harder.