HEO 84

After a long while, the madman spoke.

“Even if you see my face, you won’t recognize me.”

“Just show me. If you really don’t want to, at least give me your name.”

“Even if I tell you my name, you still won’t know me.”

“Wow, really.”

Wolf let out a hollow laugh. Is this bastard messing with me?

“Did we cross paths once a long time ago? If so, of course I wouldn’t recognize you.”

“Do you know someone named Silver?”

“Who is that?”

Wolf asked back immediately and then realized.

“Is Silver your name? Are you from Atania?”

The madman remained silent.

“Or are you mixed? Is your father from Atania?”

Wolf searched his mind as he asked the question. Silver, Silver. Who is that? It’s such an unusual name, even for an Atanian, that it’s hard to forget.

“Ha…”

The madman suddenly threw his head back and burst into loud laughter.

“Who am I?! What is my name?! Pshh! Or maybe Splat! I’m a dockside beggar!”

“Hey? What is wrong?”

Startled by the sudden madness, Wolf flinched. What’s wrong with this guy?

The madman suddenly jumped to his feet.

“Who am I! Where am I! Spare me a coin!”

He ran out of the lodging in an instant. By the time Wolf chased after him, the madman was already sprinting down the end of the alley, shouting “Spare me a coin!” every four or five steps.

Wolf stared blankly in the direction the guy had disappeared.

Is that bastard crazy? Or is he still a drug addict?

“Wolf!”

A white parrot fluttered down from the air and landed on Wolf’s shoulder.

“What have you been doing all day? Wearing a terrible mask and hanging out with pirates… Do you know how shocked I was the whole time I was watching?”

“Ah. Well.”

Wolf trailed off as he went back into his lodging. Back when the madman appeared on the ship, Red Eagle was confined to the cabin. He had absolutely no idea of ​​the guy’s power.

“About that guy who just ran off. Did you see the praying mantis on his shoulder at the beach?”

“I didn’t see it. I immediately flew away. What about a praying mantis?”

“Hmm… Move aside for a moment. I’m going to wash up.”

Wolf picked up a rainwater bucket and turned it over toward his head. He tossed the bucket down only after emptying two more in a row. His hair was matted against his forehead and neck. A stream of liquid trickled down his upper body past his collarbone.

“It’s not as itchy now, damn it.”

“Wolf. You look embarrassing.”

“Your Highness, this is Stoll. You’ve lived here for three years; isn’t it time you washed off the filth of Atania?”

Wolf hadn’t cared how he looked to others for a long time. He swept his hair back haphazardly and headed toward the bed. His wet pants clung to his thighs.

“Your Highness, about that mantis I mentioned earlier. You remember the mantis fairy carrying fruit at the dining hall we stopped by after finishing the <Water Bottle Game> task? The mantis sitting on his shoulder was that fairy. It was wearing a white bonnet and an apron.”

“What?! Really?”

“Even the voice sounded similar to the mantis fairy. I only caught a glimpse because I was regaining consciousness, but I’m certain. It was the voice of a young child with an ambiguous gender. You know how people in Stoll go crazy for rare animals and insects. That guy stole the fairy.”

“My God!”

Red Eagle flew in circles around the room.

“He’s a survivor! Another survivor who made it out of there, besides us!”

“He seemed to be suffering from severe aftereffects. He’s out of his mind.”

The moment the mantis gairy came into view, Wolf’s brain worked quickly to select a role to play on Pirate Island. It was ‘Die Quickly You Little Rat,’ a warrior under Wolf’s command. He suddenly remembered the words he often boasted about: “Thanks to this fucking name, I’ve become a guy welcomed everywhere!”

Of course “Die Quickly You Little Rat. I’m not cursing at you, Captain. This really is my real name.” and ‘Stuffy-Nosed Mouse’ were Wolf’s creations.

Wolf rubbed his forearm with his palm and sat on the bed.

“I’ll make you a new nest tomorrow, so you stay there for the time being. It’s autumn, so there’s plenty to eat everywhere, right?”

“That’s true, but… Wolf, what are you thinking? Here…”

Wolf shushed and put his finger to his lips. Red Eagle quickly closed his beak and landed on Wolf’s shoulder.

Wolf stared at the ceiling for a moment. The sky, visible through the gaping hole, was gradually darkening.

“Hey.”

〔What?〕

Flea answered.

“Not that thing striking from the sky, but human Thunder. Explain it.”

〔Request confirmed.〕

〔Definition. A mutant individual with physical abilities far superior to those of an average human. It is not hereditary. Occasionally, both parents and children are Thunder, but this is statistically a coincidental overlap.〕

〔Mark. A mole forms on the flank after age 10. The shape is inconsistent, making them difficult to distinguish from a standard Stoll person based on appearance alone.〕

As always, this parasitic evil spirit was excessively knowledgeable about Stoll people. And it abused words that were difficult to understand.

〔When converted to combat output indicators, the top tier of average adult males averages around 45 Kalden. The average for teenage Thunders approaches 100 Kalden. Adult Thunders are 500 Kalden. The very top records are 700–800 Kalden.〕

〔Physical abilities increase dramatically after age 20.〕

〔First, muscle strength. Output relative to body weight is about 10 to 20 times that of an average human.〕

〔Second, speed. Capable of acceleration over short distances that is difficult to track with the naked eye.〕

〔Third, endurance. Bone, muscle, and ligament strength is about 20 to 30 times that of an average adult male. Sense of balance and spatial awareness also significantly exceed the average.〕

〔Specific combat instances of Thunder individuals appear frequently in Stoll folklore. If you need additional information, please refer to those materials yourself.〕

“Then I’m not Thunder?”

〔That’s correct.〕

Flea replied immediately.

〔Combat output approached 100 Kalden in your teens, yet remains the same in your twenties. No mole on your side. You are not Thunder.〕

“I know. I was just asking.”

Wolf kicked the floorboards and muttered.

“A monster like that actually exists in Stoll? That’s more surprising than a man getting pregnant. Anyway, why did they disappear into legend?”

〔Estimate…〕

〔Thunder individuals were originally extremely rare. Birth occurred regardless of class. Possible for warrior class, commoner, and slave origin.〕

〔The vast majority of Thunders appearing in folklore are of the warrior class. This suggests that Thunders of commoner or slave origin concealed their identities early on. It is presumed that this was due to their avoidance of war mobilization.〕

〔The period when even warrior-class Thunders disappeared coincides with the invasion of Atania. Around that time, the policy of killing mutants began in earnest. Thunders also worried that they would be classified as a mutant and become a target of persecution. Around this time, warrior-class Thunders also began concealing their identities.〕

〔Result: Thunders remain only as figures in stories.〕

〔The probability that the above estimation is correct is ninety-seven out of one hundred. All other hypotheses fall below that.〕

Wolf fell into thought. Come to think of it, that madman was hiding his true abilities here too.

But he attacked me on the ship back then. Why?

He put this part aside. It was a problem that could be solved by checking later.

“You saw the mantis he was talking to on the beach, right? It was exactly the same as the mantis fairy I saw in your lair.”

〔Precise classification is impossible. I do not know the detailed list of all tools within Our Domain.〕

〔I acknowledge the possibility that the insectoid individual in question is a type of external tool belonging to Our Domain. This is the best estimate at this point.〕

For a moment, Wolf scratched the floor with his toes.

“…That mantis fairy. Can it connect remotely to the lair of the skeleton like you?”

〔Estimate… …Impossible.〕

〔Based on your statement, the insectoid individual in question is an external tool intended for kitchen duties and entertaining target troops.〕

〔Excellent conversational ability for its purpose. Presumed to have poor cognitive abilities and additional functions.〕

〔Since it is not of the same category as me, it is highly likely that it lacks the ability to connect remotely to <Our Domain>.〕

In other words, it meant that in the human world, the mantis fairy was nothing more than a cute toy.

“What were they talking about on the beach?”

When he heard the answer, Wolf felt his whole body turn cold.

〔The human entity presumed to be Thunder asked the insectoid entity to check if your face resembled a <Servant>.〕

***

“Hahaha! Spare me a coin! Fuck it, give me a coin!”

Silver, who had been running around, suddenly came to a halt as if he had hit a wall. It was the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. The twilight spreading beyond the horizon dyed the dark blue sea golden. The scent of seaweed, carried from somewhere, stung his nose.

Silver slowly fell to the ground. He felt like a hopeless fool. Why had he bothered asking such a question to someone who wasn’t even Wolf?