Chapter 30. Certainty
My Predation [S+] might involve Absorption rather than Replication.
I had vaguely suspected that for a long time.
I had harbored those suspicions since my days as the Predator of the Coalition Forces, but only now, after returning to the past, could I finally be certain.
It was all thanks to Ian’s ability.
◆Predation [S+] : By consuming the heart of a living creature, the Player absorbs that creature’s ability and converts it into a skill. However, this consumes mental strength.
The translucent message appearing before my eyes originated from Ian’s ability.
It explicitly stated that Predation [S+] involved “Absorption”.
In other words, it explained that the ability was “taken” away from the target.
The mechanism behind it was the “Absorption of Genetic Factors”.
It absorbed the “Mutation Factor” that had allowed the monster to manifest its special ability.
In other words, it absorbed Madness.
Therefore, the complete mechanism of Predation [S+] was as follows.
1. I consume the heart of a living creature through Predation [S+].
2. As a result, I absorb the Mutation Factor that allowed the creature to manifest its special ability. In a monster’s case, that Mutation Factor is Madness.
3. The Mutation Factor engraved at the cellular and genetic level is immediately applied to me.
4. I become capable of using that ability.
That was why Madness consumed me whenever I used Predation [S+].
And because the process was undeniably Absorption rather than Replication—
‘That means no Madness should remain within a monster after I use Predation on it.’
That was because I had “absorbed” all the monster’s Madness.
It was a hypothesis bordering on certainty.
However, it was still merely a hypothesis and needed to be verified.
That was why I had tried feeding the meat to Seraphia.
I wanted to determine whether Seraphia would remain sane after eating meat from a Gelu-Drake on which I had used Predation [S+].
‘Though Kai eating it first was unexpected....’
Ultimately, the result reinforced my certainty.
When I used Predation [S+] on a monster, its Madness was removed.
More precisely, the Madness disappeared because it was “absorbed” into me.
‘That also means Ian’s abilities are gone.’
In other words, Ian no longer possessed Solo Level Up [EX] or Player’s Will [EX].
But I wasn’t worried.
There was a high probability that Ian possessed other abilities unknown to me.
The strength Ian had displayed had never relied solely upon Solo Level Up [EX].
Ian had been the Hero of the continent from the beginning.
He was the Emperor’s only rival.
He would never die an anonymous death merely because he had lost one ability.
Even so, I needed to find Ian somewhat quickly.
In any case—
‘I can sell it.’
This marked the birth of a specialty product belonging to the County of the House of White Wolf.
Of course, it could only be produced on the condition that I used Predation [S+].
In that sense, it would be more accurate to call it “my specialty product” rather than one belonging to the County of the House of White Wolf.
‘Either way, the Merchant Company’s reputation will spread quickly.’
After all, it would become the only Merchant Company on the continent that sold monster meat.
That would allow me to spread word across the entire continent that I was in the County of the House of White Wolf.
‘Demand will probably exceed the supply.’
Compared to other kinds of meat, the flesh of monsters from the Snowy Mountains was extraordinarily tender.
That was because they had evolved thick layers of fat to survive the severe cold.
Having tasted it myself, I knew that no other meat could compare to the flesh of monsters from the Snowy Mountains.
With that in mind, I would need to hunt additional monsters to secure enough merchandise.
‘Should I return to the Snowy Mountains?’
Just as I was about to leave—
“Did you really have to do it this way?”
Kai spoke to me.
For some reason, he looked even more upset than before.
“Would you rather I fed it to the soldiers or maids? Or perhaps the County’s residents?”
Kai tightly closed his mouth.
He was insanely loyal, but his sense of responsibility was equally strong.
In fact, Kai was precisely the kind of foolish knight who would unnecessarily volunteer to sacrifice himself because of that overwhelming sense of responsibility.
Rather than pass danger on to others, he would shoulder it himself.
“Did it never occur to you that no one had to eat it?”
“That wasn’t an option. Someone had to test it.”
“What would you have done if we had gone mad?”
I would have killed them both on the spot.
In that regard, Dragon’s Claw [A] had successfully blocked Kai’s sword.
After directly confronting a sword imbued with Aura, I had learned something.
‘It could probably block even a Master’s sword.’
Its performance was truly no different from a dragon’s claws.
What if I fought Kai right now?
I was confident I wouldn’t be overwhelmed.
Whether I could actually defeat him….I wasn’t certain.
In any case—
Based on the mechanism of Predation [S+], I had been reasonably certain that they would not lose their minds.
“Don’t worry. I was confident you wouldn’t go mad.”
“What could possibly have given you such confidence—?!”
“I’m the proof.”
“.......”
Kai was rendered speechless.
That was only natural because Kai had clearly seen me eat monsters with his own eyes.
I had even torn out and eaten their “hearts”.
And it hadn’t happened only once. Kai had personally witnessed it twice.
Yet I remained perfectly sane.
Madness had not consumed me or robbed me of reason.
Naturally, that was thanks to Ian’s ability, Player’s Will [EX].
However, Kai had no way of knowing that.
“Do you truly….know a method of removing Madness from monsters?”
“Yes.”
Kai asked no further questions.
He had witnessed it with his own eyes and had now experienced it personally.
Continuing to deny it would be truly foolish.
“Once I became certain that people other than me could safely eat monster meat, we could sell it as the County’s specialty product. That would resolve the territory’s financial difficulties immediately.”
“......”
“Wasn’t it a gamble worth taking?”
Of course, that only applied if the gamble succeeded. And the gamble had succeeded spectacularly.
Seraphia, who had remained silent, finally asked a question.
“Then is that also why you intend to establish a Merchant Company….?”
“It is. I intend to sell monster meat. I have already established its basic structure, so all that remains is to fill the necessary positions. In that regard, I will requisition several soldiers and County residents.”
“Huh...?”
“Furthermore, this will resolve the residents’ food shortage before the approaching winter. It will prepare them not only for this winter but for every winter to come.”
Seraphia’s expression went completely blank.
She had clearly never imagined that I had already established the Merchant Company.
That was understandable because organizing a Merchant Company was not as easy as it sounded.
Money was only one concern.
Its entire operating structure had to be created from beginning to end.
However, I had once commanded the Coalition Forces’ Special Task Force.
Naturally, the command structure of a Special Task Force and the operating structure of a Merchant Company were fundamentally different.
However, I had personally observed how the Coalition Operations Command’s Logistics Command operated.
The Logistics Command had been led by the Spirit Wielder, one of the Heroes of the Coalition Forces.
It had traveled across the entire continent, supplying, managing, and distributing military supplies for the Coalition Forces.
Thanks to it, the Coalition Forces had never gone hungry even once throughout the war.
I had witnessed and experienced its meticulous command structure—one so precise that it was almost frightening.
All that remarkable knowledge and experience remained inside my mind.
I could not compare to the Spirit Wielder, a Hero of the Coalition Forces, but establishing one small Merchant Company was nothing to me.
“In such a short time...?”
“How in the world did you...?”
Unaware of those circumstances, Kai and Seraphia continued reacting with astonishment.
The uncertainty in their eyes gradually transformed into suspicion.
Both wore expressions demanding an explanation.
However, I made no attempt to explain.
There was no need, reason, or purpose in giving them a lengthy explanation.
They were both people I would eventually have to kill.
Why was I trying to justify and explain myself to them?
Questions would be ignored.
Suspicion would be crushed with authority.
“Then I’ll be back.”
I immediately turned around and left the dining hall.
* * *
Adrian abruptly departed.
Although Adrian appeared quite coldhearted, Seraphia finally became certain of something as she watched him leave.
‘Brother truly has changed.’
Adrian had undeniably changed.
The Adrian from his delinquent days no longer existed.
‘What a relief....’
She was genuinely relieved.
She had been extremely worried that Adrian might have returned to his delinquent ways, but those concerns had been completely unnecessary.
Perhaps that was why Seraphia looked at the empty plate with such profound disappointment.
‘It was the first meal Brother ever cooked for me....’
Kai had swooped in and taken a piece of it.
He had done so to determine whether it was poisoned, but she still found him slightly irritating.
However, Kai had acted entirely out of concern for Seraphia.
Because she understood that, she neither blamed him nor became dejected.
....She decided to feel only slightly troubled by it.
Even that feeling soon faded when she remembered Adrian personally establishing a Merchant Company and striving to improve the lives of the County’s residents.
“I need to work hard too!”
Seraphia needed to work even harder to match Adrian’s efforts.
In that regard, the words Adrian had spoken before leaving the dining hall continued circling through her mind.
‘He said he would….be back.’
He had spoken as though this were the place where he truly belonged.
Of course, Adrian had said he would leave the family once his “task” was complete.
He had also said that, one way or another, he and Seraphia would never meet again.
But….that was all right.
Seraphia was determined to change Adrian’s heart.
Adrian might currently hate Seraphia enough to want her dead.
However, as long as they continued living under the same roof, an opportunity would eventually appear.
Whether they liked it or not—
They were connected by the powerful bond of family.
Hadn’t Adrian personally cooked for Seraphia just now?
Although she had merely served as a guinea pig for his “experiment”, they had still grown one step closer.
‘Family....’
Seraphia had been extraordinarily happy lately.
* * *
A region over which a nation exercised sovereign authority was known as Sovereign Territory.
On the continent, territorial sovereignty could be divided into three broad categories.
A Crown Dependency directly ruled by the Monarch.
A Territory granted by the Monarch to a Lord.
And a Freien City.
A Freien City was an administrative region guaranteed independent autonomy and belonging to no nation.
Therefore, a Freien City was not ruled by an absolute authority such as a Monarch or Lord.
The Citizens of a Freien City were free people who lived under no individual’s rule.
Freien Cities were fundamentally privileged communities, allowing them to specialize and develop in various fields.
The Commercial City of Freche.
Every day, Freche bustled with countless merchants and visitors.
Horses and wagons traveled endlessly along its stone-paved streets.
Red-brick shops and houses stood densely packed along both sides.
Various shops and street stalls surrounded an ancient stone fountain in the expansive central plaza.
Leather, crops, precious metals, foodstuffs, and more—
Specialty products from every region of the Kingdom were displayed in shops, each possessing its own distinctive character.
Merchants called out to attract customers while haggling and negotiating.
“Wine from the Venezia Kingdom has arrived! This isn’t something you can buy every day!”
“These silkworms were raised on mulberry leaves from Protina Forest! Weave silk from them, and noble ladies will go crazy for it!”
“We have everything except what doesn’t exist! Stop by and have a look!”
Wagons were piled high with fruits, vegetables, and grain.
Craftsmen hammered away at weapons and armor.
Amid the noisy ringing of hammers and the merchants’ voices—
Clatter, clatter.
Two shabby wagons stopped in a corner of the plaza.
Befitting their run-down appearance, the wagons settled into an isolated and inconspicuous location.
Several people soon emerged from them.
They began moving busily, apparently preparing to establish a street stall.
Several merchants watching the scene clicked their tongues.
That was only natural because the newcomers had already failed miserably in choosing their location.
They were obviously members of an inexperienced Merchant Company.
It appeared that they had come to the Freien City of Freche while trying to pass themselves off as a proper Merchant Company.
[Predator Merchant Company]
Sure enough, it was a Merchant Company that no one had ever heard of.
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