“But there should be someone who has properly studied Lupus…”

He stretched and let out a deep sigh.

After Sched’s first heat, he had ordered his subordinates to find resources, but there were no satisfactory results.

There was no one who had researched Lupus, who had long been treated as slaves.

Moreover, no one would openly study that beastly instinct that was considered taboo.

The ‘heat period’ was also difficult to research.

Even among Lupus themselves, discussing and sharing concerns about the ‘heat period’ was considered shameful.

So there were hardly any observable samples, and surveys or interviews were difficult to conduct.

“They say it usually manifests in the late teens and occurs periodically at intervals of one to two months.”

Eclas skimmed through the content about the heat period.

The heat period usually manifests between the ages of 16 and 19.

There are almost no cases of it manifesting in the twenties, except for a very small number of exceptions.

‘How old is Sched Lester? He’s not a pubescent boy, so it can’t be his first heat…’

Sched was already in his mid-twenties.

Looking at several cases, Sched did not fit the criteria.

‘So until now, it was thought to be either a lucky case where the heat period passed very mildly… or that he was impotent…’

Eclas pressed his throbbing temples with his fingertips and turned to the next page of the book he was reading.

― There are various symptoms during heat. The most typical is that the body odor becomes stronger due to the influence of pheromones, attracting the opposite sex…

As he read through the carelessly written text, he stopped at one chapter.

― Mate Imprinting

It was an unfamiliar term to him, who was not a Lupus.

He had thought that Lupus often used the word ‘mate’, but was there something related to the heat period?

Eclas read through the book.

‘Not just a simple meaning of marriage, but a biological and physical imprinting of a mate…?’

According to the records, Lupus imprint on one partner as a lifelong mate in certain situations.

Lupus cherished the existence of this mate and considered it a necessary presence in their life.

This was because the existence of a mate stabilized their heat period and eliminated their barbaric impulses.

― The existence of a mate can also give strength to endure in extreme situations and provide stability during heat periods, which is why early marriage is preferred among Lupus.

‘…The heat period can be stabilized?’

Eclas’s eyes narrowed as he read through the text.

Until now, he had only heard about incidents and accidents caused by heat periods.

Therefore, he thought that heat periods were unconditionally bad and considered them a troublesome problem.

However, thinking calmly, the number of incidents caused by heat periods was relatively small compared to the number of Lupus.

If that many Lupus experienced heat periods every month or two, the problems derived from it should have been much more numerous than they currently were.

‘So that’s why they marry early…?’

Eclas was quite intrigued as he absorbed this new knowledge.

Before, he hadn’t even thought about Lupus marrying early.

That’s how insensitive ordinary people were to Lupus.

However, except for Sched, most of the Lupus he had seen were already married.

The same was true for Sir Carlyle. They say he had a wife even before becoming a knight.

‘I thought it was because Lupus die early…’

They, who were easily mobilized for war, labor, and monster hunting, always lived embracing the risk of death.

So he thought they married early and started families before dying.

But it seems that wasn’t the only issue.

― The younger the age at which mate imprinting occurs, the stronger the binding force of the imprint. This is also why there are many early marriages among Lupus.

Is it proportional to virility?

Perhaps due to the stability after imprinting, there was even data showing that in some Lupus villages, they intentionally induced mate imprinting among young Lupus for stable heat periods.

Eclas skimmed through the letters while thinking irrelevant thoughts.

― The conditions for mate imprinting are as follows:

First, it must be during a heat period.

Second, there must be a deep emotional exchange with the imprinting partner.

Third, one must drink the blood of the partner.

Eclas’s gaze, which had been reading smoothly, stopped, and his brow furrowed.

‘Drink blood?’

It was an unpleasant method.

‘And what’s this vague condition of deep emotional exchange?’

Although the criteria weren’t clearly defined due to lack of research, it seemed that quite a few couples failed to achieve mate imprinting because of this.

It was mostly those who failed at mate imprinting who caused social problems…

In a world where marriage isn’t solely based on love, it was quite a troublesome nature.

While reading, Eclas stopped at a section summarizing the disadvantages of mate imprinting.

― However, if the mate dies, the heat period completely disappears, and they may lose the will to live, sometimes even taking their own lives in extreme cases. But if they overcome it well, they can live a normal life without heat periods like ordinary people, so some slave owners sometimes create a mate and then kill them…

Eclas reread the same paragraph.

“The heat period disappears…?”

The fingertips and eyes of Eclas, which had been moving diligently, froze in place.

He knew of one Lupus who didn’t have, or rather, was believed not to have heat periods.

Sched Lester.

A Lupus who hadn’t experienced heat periods for a long time.

But recently, he had an unprecedented heat period…

“Ha, no way…”

Eclas twisted the corners of his mouth and shook his head.

“Father, there’s a strange smell coming from the box.”

Eclas recalled a memory from long ago.

The day they bought the slave Sched Lupus and loaded him onto the ship.

The smell of blood coming from the box where Sched was confined.

And the hot, heavy scent mixed with it.

Was it a box that had contained musk?

Or had they poured perfume to mask the smell of blood?

He had thought about it briefly but dismissed it as unimportant.

But what if Sched Lupus was in heat that day?

And if he had been living all this time thinking his mate had died?

Eclas laughed shortly as he put down the book.

“This is turning into quite a gamble of a deal…”

Eclas muttered, looking at the scale on the desk.

“Y-Your Excellency!”

Along with irregular but urgent footsteps, a stammering voice called out to Sched, stopping him in his tracks.

As Sched stopped and turned around, Dietrich, with beads of sweat on his forehead, bent over and panted, exhaling heavily.

It was unlike Dietrich, who despised physical work and never ran like this normally.

“What’s the matter, Chief Minister Dietrich?”

“W-We, we’ve found where the heretic is staying!”

Dietrich’s eyes shone with an unusual, active excitement.

“You found it?”

“Y-Yes, it seems they were h-hiding, probably due to severe injuries. But l-last week, another victim appeared, and when we tracked that…”

Dietrich went on to explain how he achieved this great feat.

He seemed to be stammering more than usual, perhaps due to excitement.

“W-We analyzed the pattern, and it looks like the heretic comes down to find someone to kill at least o-once every fortnight. Next time, if we set a trap first, we should be able to catch them.”

Dietrich said with a confident voice, clenching his fist.

He wore an expression that was both innocent and excited, like a child looking forward to something fun and interesting.

Sched lowered his eyelids for a moment, then nodded briefly.

Resolving the heretic issue had been the biggest wish since coming to Paradel.

‘If the heretic is completely dealt with, Riana will be able to feel at ease too.’

Sched thought of the presence that was gnawing at one side of his heart.

She never showed it when it came to the heretic’s matters.

But she had been attacked by him, so she must be anxious.

“When do you think it will be?”

“W-We tracked a victim that occurred recently, so it should be settled within t-ten days to two weeks.”

“Ten days to two weeks would be right after the Holy Grand Festival, then.”

Sched calculated the timing.

In the end, as Giselle had said, they decided to hold a festival for the Holy Grand Festival.

It was a tiresome affair.

Almost immediately after the festival ends, the heretic hunt will begin.

“With the festival happening, won’t there be difficulties in preparing for the hunt?”

Sched recalled his memory of confronting the heretic.

At that time, although he had overwhelmed the heretic with his strength, the heretic surely hadn’t been idle all this time.

Sched was more uneasy about the heretic being quiet until now.

They too would be making plans and strategies.

Moreover, there’s no such thing as a fair fight with a heretic.

They use deception and all sorts of vile methods without hesitation, using unpredictable black magic.

“D-Don’t worry. Chief Minister Giselle Marlhein will prepare for the festival, and I-I’ll take responsibility for the h-hunt.”

“Then, during the hunt, Chief Minister Giselle…”

“C-Chief Minister Giselle will guard Paradel Castle. In c-case the heretic targets the empty house while we’re away.”

“Won’t the protective barrier and regular priests be enough to leave in Paradel?”

“S-Still, leaving a big city without any chief minister is… Besides, we c-can’t perfectly predict how the heretic will act, so it’s important to prioritize s-safety.”

Dietrich scratched his head.

Sched thought for a moment, then nodded.

Yes. If Giselle Marlhein is there, I can be at ease too.

Riana will also remain in Paradel.

“Let’s decide the details at tomorrow morning’s meeting.”

At Sched’s words, Dietrich adjusted his glasses and nodded.