8th Days (3) | Another Midnight Conversation (2)

Hearing his explanation made Anastasia pause, filling her with curiosity and unease. But a thought crossed her mind regarding this new information she'd received.

"...Was that why you stopped us in this spot of land?" she inquired, recalling the memorable moment when she had witnessed the mountain pile of dead monsters… and, of course, her first meeting with Sebas. "...I've been wondering why we chose to establish our settlement here in the 'outskirts' of the Garden of Hell, given how vast this region is."

"Yup, spot on~," he chuckled, grinning. "You're a pretty sharp gal, my lady."

"Your words flatter me, Sir Sebas," she remarked, a small smirk gracing her lips, further amusing the butler.

"Well, what you said was indeed true: I've made this spot right here the 'safe zone' for your region."

"'Safe zone,' you say? From the toxic mana environment and even stronger monsters, I presume?"

"Yeah… ideally, you'd want the very center of the region to be the capital of the territory itself, but that wasn't a viable option due to that reason," he explained, his tone turning more serious, "and of course, there's also the matter of the strategic placement of our region."

"Such as logistics and trade routes, correct?" she noted thoughtfully. "I understand that the further we are from Florentia, the harder it is for us to acquire the supplies needed for our region… and especially considering the matter of safety as well."

Anastasia thought through his reasoning well, finding the logic behind it sound. The young noblewoman… had also expected to receive praise from Sebas for her insight, but… his expression was different.

He had a small frown adorning his face as his serious gaze stared at the flickering flame…

"…Yeah, I thought about that as well. But to be honest… I would've preferred if we were as far away from Florentia as possible."

"What…?!" she gasped, taken aback by his statement. "W-why would you prefer for us to be away from Florentia, Sir Sebas…?"

"…"

He did not answer her question, further confusing her. She was somewhat shocked that her own butler would even say such a thing… as if he himself harbored a negative view of the kingdom.

"S-Sir Sebas, do you…" she paused, finding it hard to convey her words, but she forced herself to continue, "…do you perhaps harbor resentment against Florentia?"

She feared that her own butler held a certain disdain for the kingdom… as she herself had experienced hatred and malice from the same kingdom...

Even if those were a somewhat 'reasonable' consequence of her crime against the kingdom's royalty.

Even so… she couldn't let this go further.

No matter the reason, harboring such negativity toward the kingdom would not bode well for anyone… and she feared that if her butler truly resented Florentia, it might lead to actions she could not condone.

Her butler remained silent, further worrying her as the flickering firelight cast shadows over his unreadable expression…

But then—

"Pffthaha—!"

A hearty laugh burst from his lips, breaking the tense atmosphere!

"...Huh?"

She blinked, staring in bewilderment at the laughing butler.

Just moments ago, he had been deep in thought, his gaze heavy with unspoken words—and now he was laughing as if she had told a ridiculous joke.

"Hahh… sorry, sorry." He wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye, his shoulders still shaking with amusement. "You looked so serious just now, my lady. You really thought I held some deep grudge against the kingdom?"

"W-was that not the case…?"

"Nah, nothing like that," he replied smoothly, taking another sip from his alcoholic beverage before letting out a satisfied sigh. "Hah…! Well, I just think it'd be best if this region of yours stood on its own rather than relying too much on Florentia. Independence is a good thing, don't you think?"

His words were reassuring, but something about them felt… off.

Anastasia couldn't quite place it, but there was a weight behind his explanation—like a truth left unspoken…

Still, she decided not to press the matter. If he truly meant what he said, then there was no point dwelling on unnecessary doubts.

"…I see." She exhaled softly, choosing to let the topic rest. "T-then, let's return to that mana thing you mentioned, Sir Sebas."

"Sure~. What do you want to know, my lady?"

She had to pause for a moment, collecting her thoughts… and with it, one stood out from the rest.

"…The monsters in this region… are they the result of that extreme amount of mana?" She asked cautiously, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.

"The monsters?" He raised an eyebrow, feigning curiosity at her words. "What makes you think that?"

"…If this land is overflowing with mana… then the monsters here must also be affected by it. That explains why they are so powerful compared to those outside this region."

"Sharp as always, my lady," he praised her once more, "but that itself is still a theory."

"A theory…?"

"There are a lot of theories as to why the monsters here are so damn strong, and that one IS among the most plausible," he admitted, but his voice carried a hint of uncertainty. "…The problem is that nobody knows why this place has such a high mana density to begin with."

"…Wouldn't it be because of the fabled sealed demon king?"

"That too could be a reason, but nobody has ever found the so-called demon king here… not even me~."

"Y-you have tried?"

"I sure did~," he confirmed with a grin, but his smile turned melancholic. "…But I couldn't find any sort of clue or evidence that the demon king is even here."

"I see…"

Anastasia frowned slightly, mulling over his words. But… another thought crossed her mind once again.

"Sir Sebas... If the creatures here are truly affected by the dense mana… then would the same apply to us as well?" She asked, her voice lowering slightly with concern, "...You, me, Martha, Bella… and anyone who decides to live here in the future?"

Sebas swirled his drink for a moment before answering truthfully...

"Yup. No exception."

"...!" Anastasia inhaled sharply. "T-then, does that mean…?!"

"Ahahaha~," he let out another hearty chuckle, shaking his head. "Relax~, my lady. You won't just turn into a monster overnight."

"A-are you sure about that?"

"Yup, pretty sure." He took another sip, exhaling once again. But this time... his expression was melancholic. "You're not gonna turn into a monster... I promise you that."

His promise brought her silence for a moment, the sudden seriousness behind his words catching her off guard. She wasn't sure why... but something about it unsettled her.

"Well, either way, I advise you ladies not to stray further into the region... yet."

"Y-yet...?!"

"Sooner or later, we will have to venture into the heart of this region, you know," he said, his voice carrying an odd mix of excitement and something else... something heavier. "So be prepared for a future adventure, alright, my lady?"

"...Alright, I guess." She sighed, glancing toward the distant darkness that swallowed the land beyond their camp.

And so, the night continued, their conversation drifting beneath the star-strewn sky of the Garden of Hell...

...With the prospect of this region's future hanging in the air, uncertain yet inevitable.