Looking down at the pouch adorned with pink hues and elaborate embroidery, a subtle smile escaped my lips.

Anyone could tell this was from Daisy.

“Try one.”

As I bit into a cranberry, my mouth was filled with a refreshing aroma and sweetness.

“It’s delicious.”

I felt my lips involuntarily soften. It was then that I noticed a twinkle in Rinat’s eyes as he seemed to gaze intently at me.

Did I get something on my face?

Before I could ask, Rinat abruptly stood up.

“Then, I shall take my leave first.”

Why so sudden?

As I watched his quickly retreating figure, I picked up another cranberry before getting up.

The corpses of magical beasts were found again the next day. These were the bodies of three werebears, each easily over 3 meters tall.

“This is really strange.”

“Someone killing the magical beasts before we get to them can’t be it…”

Werebears looked more humanoid than ordinary bears, walked on two legs, and their eyes were eerily red.

Moreover, their skin was much tougher, requiring multiple people to inflict lethal wounds for subduing them.

Judging by the corpses, they’ve been dead for some time?

There was no trace of magical aura, but without it, there was no other explanation for the death of the werebears.

Given that the slash marks were consistent, it was likely the work of a single individual.

Unless it was a sword master, it would be impossible to handle three werebears alone.

“Who could be killing these beasts? What about Lady Rosebelia…”

“If someone is taking down the magical beasts, it’s good for us, isn’t it?”

Cutting off Rinat was Pierre, a knight from the Riley family.

From today, the subjugation force was divided into two groups, and my lot included two knights from the Riley family and a magical beast researcher.

Since yesterday, Pierre has been too calm.

While smirking, Rinat stepped in front of Pierre.

“You are Pierre, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“We are on a mountain with a subjugation force, yet there is an unidentified individual present. Just because they killed magical beasts doesn’t mean they’re on our side.”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend, isn’t it? They’re killing magical beasts for us, so they’re on our side.”

Pierre sounded as if he were boasting of his own feats, then even leaned back against a large rock.

“Pierre, we are in the midst of subjugation.”

“Who here doesn’t know that?”
You seem to be unaware.

I shot a disdainful glance and shook my head fervently.

“This is not the time to relax.”

Renat’s voice also carried a hint of irritation, as if he thought Pierre’s behavior was inappropriate.

“Yesterday it was a Scorpion, today it’s a Werebear. How convenient it must be to selectively kill only those who give you a hard time.”

Scorpion and Werebear.

If one had to find a common thread, as Pierre had said, they were indeed creatures that required a lot of effort.

“To be honest, this is the first time a hunt has been this easy… Ahhh!”

The leisurely voice suddenly transformed into a scream. In a moment when I was lost in thought, Pierre had completely vanished.

“Lady Rosebelia, it’s a mantrap!”

At Renat’s shout, I looked again and saw Pierre suspended in mid-air, his leg caught by a vine. The long vine was connected behind a rock.

“Rosebelia, the mantrap is behind the rock.”

Drawing his sword and quickly coming to my side, Lucas spoke.

“What are you waiting for! Cut this vine now!”

As Pierre shouted, the long vine tightened even more around his body.

This is of no help.

Approaching Pierre quietly, I leapt up and sliced through the vine. With a thud, Pierre fell to the ground and curled up immediately.

“Move! If you stay there, again…”

“Lady Rosebelia!”

At the urgent cry, I turned my head. This time, a sturdy vine was flying toward me.