"Where? Where is the general?!"
"At the front desk..."
"Hm?" From the distant murmur of conversation, Selene caught a familiar voice—the reception manager. So, it seemed he had already summoned the town's highest-ranking official.
But... why did he call her General?
Lowering her gaze, Selene noticed her silver and blue battlesuit and immediately understood. Ah, so they've mistaken me for a member of the Imperial military.
Moments later, the lanky reception manager appeared before her, followed closely by a slightly plump man who, judging by his attire, was likely the local governor.
"Greetings, Governor."
"Ah... O-Oh! Greetings, General!" The man, still panting from his hurried arrival, looked completely flustered by Selene's polite tone.
Wait... aren't Imperial officers supposed to be arrogant brutes? Why is this one so civil? he thought, bewildered.
But after glancing at Sebas—who stood behind Selene, tall, composed, and radiating quiet authority—the governor understood at once. Ah, I see... A noble with proper upbringing. Even her butler looks more refined than most officials in this province.
Just look at that perfectly composed expression, the posture straight as a pine, the eyes sharp like a predator's... truly, a far cry from his own vulgar superior officers.
After wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, the governor hurried to take a seat opposite Selene and waved for a servant to bring wine.
"Apologies for the delay, General. I was out inspecting the district," he said, still slightly out of breath. "My name is Yukimine."
"No need to apologize. I am Selene von Habsburg," she replied smoothly.
Hearing the unfamiliar surname, Yukimine blinked. Habsburg? He had never heard of such a name before—perhaps it belonged to some distant noble family from another province. Few nobles used their domain's name as a family title, but it wasn't unheard of.
"May I ask what brings you here, General? Are you here for provisions?" he asked nervously, the thought of grain taxes clearly worrying him.
"No. I merely wish to review some recent Imperial decrees and administrative documents," Selene answered casually.
"This..." Yukimine frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. Could she be... a rebel spy? But no, her demeanor was too composed, too aristocratic. Still, why would she request documents the military should already have access to?
Seeing the doubt flicker across his eyes, Selene quickly fabricated a story. She claimed that she and her butler had been stationed in the northern territories of the Empire but were blown off course while hunting a flying Super-class Danger Beast, losing their bearings in the skies and ending up here by accident. She now needed to return to the Imperial Capital to report back to her command.
"Oh... I see." Yukimine nodded, seeming convinced. The explanation made sense—he had heard that flying-class Danger Beast could move faster than the eye could track, crossing the entire continent in less than a week. If she had encountered such a creature, getting lost made perfect sense.
Though her story was full of holes, Yukimine's mind, influenced unconsciously by her Mental Seal, simply smoothed over the inconsistencies. The more she spoke, the more he found himself believing her completely.
Half an hour later, after instructing his staff to prepare quarters for Selene, Yukimine departed, seemingly quite satisfied.
Watching his rotund figure disappear from view, Selene exhaled softly. "Looks like I still need to polish my acting skills. If it weren't for Mental Seal, that story would've fallen apart immediately."
Still, the visit had proven worthwhile. From their conversation, she had learned that it was currently Imperial Year 1014. The current Minister was still Chouri; Honest had not yet seized power. The old emperor remained alive, and though the borders were troubled by occasional uprisings, the Empire as a whole was stable—nowhere near collapse.
"I've learned what I needed to know. Tomorrow, we'll head for the Imperial Capital," Selene said.
"Yes, Milady," Sebas replied.
...
The next morning.
Governor Yukimine had originally planned to personally escort Selene out of town, but she politely declined his offer with a wave of her hand.
Then, to the astonishment of everyone present, Selene slowly began to float into the air. What truly shocked them, however, was that her butler Sebas suddenly sprouted a pair of dragon-like wings.
As the two soared into the sky like twin streaks of light, Yukimine muttered in awe, "A Teigu user... I see now. No wonder General Selene said they lost their way while pursuing a flying-class Danger Beast..."
He couldn't help but sigh as he recalled their pleasant conversation the day before. Compared to the crude, arrogant officers stationed in his province, Selene was a breath of fresh air.
People really can't be compared... he thought bitterly. The generals under his command only knew how to fight, plunder, and flaunt their rank—barely any better than beasts. Finally, he had met one who carried herself with reason and grace... and she wasn't even from his jurisdiction.
"Let's hope the Capital doesn't corrupt her like it does everyone else," Yukimine murmured under his breath.
...
"Should be this direction," Selene said after a while, glancing down at the Imperial map Yukimine had given her. The crude one she'd found in the border village had long been discarded.
"Hm?" Not far ahead, a massive shadow flickered within the clouds. Sebas instantly went on alert. Though the creature hadn't attacked, the thick stench of blood radiating from it spoke volumes of its ferocity.
"A Danger Beast?" Selene smirked slightly. Well, speak of the devil. Looks like my excuse came back to bite me. Sure enough, a flying-class Danger Beast had appeared.
Danger Beasts—creatures so powerful and violent that they posed a lethal threat to ordinary humans. Ranked from Class 1 to Class 10 based on destructive capability, the lower tiers relied on brute endurance and physical might.
Once a Danger Beast surpassed Class 5, however, it often possessed special abilities. Examples included the ferocious dragon-type Tyrant, the eastern sea overlord Cross-Tail Dragon, and the aquatic Super-class Black Marlin.
These legendary Super-class Danger Beasts often served as the source of materials for Teigu. For instance, the weapon Demon Armor · Incursio had been forged from the flesh of Tyrant—a creature whose vitality was so immense that even after a thousand years as a weapon, its muscles remained alive and parasitic to its wielder.
Judging from the predatory aura emanating from the giant bird before them, it was at least a Class 4 Danger Beast.
"However... it's injured," Selene observed. "See the claw marks along its neck and sides? And bite wounds on its hind limbs. Something already fought it here."
Sebas narrowed his eyes. "You think it sees us as prey?"
Selene smiled faintly as she watched the silhouette stalking them from behind the clouds. "Looks like it. What a bold little hunter."
How amusing. "Sebas, take it down. Keep the body intact—I'd like to see how a Danger Beast tastes."
"Yes, Milady."
Sensing hostility, the creature screeched—a piercing cry that tore through the clouds. Its killing intent flooded the air as its cold, predatory eyes glowed an eerie emerald green.
A heartbeat later, it burst through the clouds, talons gleaming as it dove straight for Selene.
"It struck first? Huh. Smart enough to go for the commander, too," Selene remarked dryly. "Disgusting..."
The reek of blood and decay assaulted her nose. With a small wave of her hand, she fanned the air irritably. The smell alone is nauseating...
But she didn't worry—not in the slightest.
Just as the giant bird's claws were about to reach her, a massive figure appeared above its head. With a thunderous boom, the clouds exploded outward like snow blasted by a storm.
A metallic clang echoed through the sky as Sebas struck. The beast reeled, stunned, before Sebas followed up with another devastating blow—his fist, like a titan's hammer, shattered its claws, scattering blood through the air.
Holding the half-crippled creature in his grasp, Sebas frowned slightly. "Noisy."
With a single crushing strike, the sound of shattering bones filled the air. Selene clearly heard the impact—like a mountain collapsing—and watched the beast's ribs cave in, blood gushing from its mouth and nostrils.
In just seconds, the once-proud predator had become a lifeless carcass in Sebas's hands.
"Well... I guess that counts as a full body," Selene mused, eyeing the mangled corpse. The creature's sinewy, well-toned flesh glistened temptingly. "I wonder what a Danger Beast tastes like..."
From the heavens above, its blood fell in crimson streaks, forming a long red line across the sky—a strangely beautiful sight when viewed from the ground.
"Heh... Sebas, what do you think? Should we find a place to roast it? I've heard extraordinary beasts taste even better when cooked."
Sebas sighed. "Milady, let's not focus solely on food. We should move quickly. The scent of blood might attract other Danger Beasts. While that's not a problem for us, their meat will spoil fast if we don't process it properly."
He gestured to the enormous bird corpse he was dragging along. "Let's go."
"Mm, alright." Selene's pace quickened, a spark of excitement in her eyes. The thought of tasting Danger Beast meat made her almost giddy with anticipation.