The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 81

The mountain range that began beyond the continent passed the continent’s origin, flowed down the spine of the Ivern territory, and met its end. At the northernmost end of the Ivern territory, where the people of the Empire called the beginning of the mountain range, was the main house of Geranel.

Although it was located at the very entrance of the mountain range, there was a huge wooden mansion hidden away from the road, unknown to anyone. It was hard to see who was coming in and out of the mansion’s entrance, which was connected to a secluded forest path.

People gathered in this deeply hidden building. People had already begun to gather on the first floor, which consisted only of a hall, a large conference room, and a dining room.

Most of these people, each with their own worries, gathered in the conference room immediately after passing through the hall.

Ivern also passed through the door that many had gone through and entered inside. His sharp green eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.

“You’ve arrived.”

The person who discovered him entering the hall bowed politely to him. He, who had been standing in front of the conference room door, watching the people entering as if guarding them, greeted Ivern and personally opened the door for him.

There were not many people compared to the large conference room. They were each sitting in their seats, sharing their stories.

Ivern entered, cutting through the murmuring that echoed in the space. And with his appearance, the room quietly subsided, and the person who had greeted Ivern outside the door came in and sat at the very end of the conference table.

“It’s been a while since we’ve gathered like this. In fact, gathering all at once is not a very good thing.”

Everyone focused on the words of the meeting facilitator.

As he said, it was not common for the people of Geranel to gather all at once. This was because they were usually divided and resided in the north and south of the mountain range.

“I’ll ask directly. Have you found out why the monsters cannot be controlled?”

One monster user, who boldly threw out the question, was soon met with Ivern’s sharp gaze.

“When you’re out in the field, you lose your sense of hierarchy…”

And soon, with Ivern’s quiet murmur that followed, everyone around him who heard the voice stiffened their faces and couldn’t even turn their eyes towards him.

“As we have been continuing a long tradition, we discover and train those who have abilities that others do not. We control monsters through such training, but what is regrettable at times like this is that… there are no research materials left on the principles.”

The meeting facilitator opened his mouth instead of Ivern. The man who had stood up with youthful spirit had already lowered his tail and sat down at the Marquis’s sharp words.

The meeting facilitator, having settled what could have disrupted the meeting atmosphere with his spirit, began to speak in earnest.

“Therefore, we want to gather your wisdom to solve this situation that has reappeared after more than 10 years.”

Geranel had not found an answer to this problem that had been going on for over a month, and they had ended up gathering like this.

“We plan to make efforts to find the cause through exchanges with wizards. Until then, we have prepared this meeting to share anything you have learned or any opinions you may have, so please feel free to talk.”

Ivern threw out the conclusion and quickly scanned the people in the room.

“Well… in the north, they are mostly characterized by being gathered in one place. Their activity is low, so even if you don’t touch them, they die on their own.”

Monsters staying still and dying on their own would be a welcome thing for ordinary people outside. If they don’t deliberately wander around to attack people, you can just avoid them, and if you encounter them, you only need to know how to run away quickly.

But for those whose job it is to ‘use’ them as they please, monsters that don’t budge no matter how much you touch them are of no use.

“In the south, they are too rampant, which is a problem. Recently, they have been coming down to the Uhalin Forest more often. After Duke Ignote and his wife were attacked when they came to the forest near the mountain range last time, it was quiet for a while, but it seems like one is popping out every day.”

“The day Duke Ignote and his wife came was a little different from other days. On that day, two monsters crossed over to the Uhalin Forest, and I know that they attacked people as soon as they saw them.”

Monsters are inherently supposed to attack people, but it was the monster user’s job to control even that. It was a problem that they couldn’t do that and that they were invading the forest beyond the mountain range, and that they were attacking people. And this was a much more serious problem than in the north.

“I know that Duke Ignote is very angry because of that.”

At the mention of Ignot’s name, the entire Geranel fell silent for a moment.

Since monsters were created again somewhere even if they were eliminated, Ignote was just a slightly annoying person to Geranel.

Clearly, if he diligently stepped forward, there would be some losses for Geranel, but it was difficult to see him as a complete enemy.

“Since it is difficult to perfectly control monsters anyway, the reason for their creation is also not clear, so it cannot be prevented. Even if he declares a subjugation and eliminates all the monsters in the mountain range right away, monsters created somewhere will soon pop out.”

Ivern started talking to soothe those who were stiffening at the name of Ignote, but even he himself did not have such a bright voice.

Elina, who was periodically whining because she couldn’t go outside, hesitated when she heard that Duke Ignote and his wife had been attacked by monsters in the Uhalin Forest.

She showed a bright face when she heard that the Duke was not injured, but when she heard the story that a monster attacked Sasha and that Kyler defeated it, she made a fuss about going to the Imperial Palace again.

It was really nothing but a headache.

“Last time… when Marquis Ivern’s first daughter was born, something like this happened, didn’t it?”

Then a man spoke from the other end of the conference table. He looked about the same age as Ivern, wearing a robe and a hood pulled down deep.

“Crond…”

He was a person who had been actively running around the mountain range during his prime… in other words, when Sasha was born. Of course, he remembered the time when there was a lot of talk about the connection between the abnormal behavior of monsters and Sasha.

“…That’s right.”

Ivern did not add any words, but briefly agreed and closed his mouth. But Crond didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping there, and he let out a rough voice again.

“At that time, it was also glossed over like this. The first daughter… I can’t even remember her name. There was also talk that she had some kind of energy that affected monsters, and after the incident where the monster went down to the Marquis’s residence, it was said that she was addicted to the monster’s energy… In the end, the matter was settled by locking her up in the attic and raising her. After that, a month later, she gradually began to follow the control.”

Monster users were often retired early because they were young when they were active. It was common to earn money by roaming the mountain range when they were young and then prepare a small house in the countryside to spend the rest of their lives when they got older.

There were not many people left at Crond’s age, so they were off guard.

“At that time as well, because we didn’t know the cause, we mobilized the best methods we could.”

Crond nodded at Ivern’s explanation.

“That’s right, that’s right… If the change at that time was that daughter and the solution was the measures taken for that daughter… shouldn’t we think of that daughter first this time as well?”

As a new story came out, the others perked up their ears. Among the young users who showed curiosity about the unknown story and the middle-aged people who vaguely knew it, the voices explaining and sharing the situation at that time rang out noisily for a while.

“If it’s the first daughter, you’re talking about Duchess Sasha Ignote, who recently married Duke Ignote. Then is it her change that’s right? Is it because she came out of the attic that we lost control of the monsters?”

Questions poured out from those who now understood the content.

Ivern also had thought about that part recently, so he kept his mouth shut.

He thought that all the troublesome things would be solved if she just became an adult and left the Marquis’s residence but is it because the place where she is staying now is also near the mountain range? Then does she still have something that interferes with the control of monsters?

Ignote couldn’t find a way to subjugate the monsters, but they couldn’t find a way to explain the loss of control ability either.

And for some reason, it seemed that Sasha was involved in all of those things. That was what Ivern didn’t like the most.

As the head of Geranel, he could not tolerate the fact that the one causing problems was his daughter. That’s why he put a barrier around the entire mansion to prevent the energy inside from escaping, and he locked the child in the attic and raised her.

“After all, the source of the problem must be cleanly removed.”

Crond’s rough voice uttered dangerous words. The entire conference room became quiet in an instant, as if cold water had been poured on it.

“At the very least, we have to control it.”

Ivern, unable to grasp what to do with her, who had already married and even became the Duchess of Ignote, kept his lips tightly closed, but then something flashed through his mind.

The Imperial Palace that Elina was so clamoring for. The person she was trying to meet there was the Empress. She regarded Sasha, who had become the Duchess of Ignote as a thorn in her side, and she got along well with Elina.

“She’s no longer Ivern’s daughter, but Ignote’s Duchess. But it seems worth a try. I’ll find a way.”

The voices that were trying to seep out at Ivern’s words about his own daughter disappeared. Only the Marquis’s eyes shone sinisterly.

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