Only I Know the War Hero’s Secret Chapter 17

‘This is a disaster.’

Of all things, her research records were among the papers flying away……

Feeling utterly doomed, Mona hurriedly rushed after them.

“……!”

But Richard calmly caught the flying papers one by one without even blinking.

Because of Richard’s mana core, which resembled an enormous gravitational field, the papers were practically sucked straight into his hands.

Mona was so dumbfounded by the astonishing sight, which seemed like magic but somehow wasn’t, that she could only stare.

“……”

After gathering all the papers, Richard began casually scanning them with an indifferent expression instead of returning them to Mona.

This wasn’t good……

A troubled expression appeared on Mona’s face.

As if it weren’t embarrassing enough that she’d carelessly let her papers fly away, now he’d discovered her rough research notes, which she hadn’t even finished organizing.

They were all the more humiliating because they were filled with flimsy hypotheses that a professor would immediately reject if she ever presented them.

Whether Mona was pacing around him like a dog desperate to relieve itself or not, Richard casually skimmed through the papers in his hands.

‘……Terrible handwriting.’

The pages were densely covered with notes and complicated diagrams, leaving not a single blank space.

With all the intersecting lines and symbols, they almost looked like some kind of code that needed deciphering.

Among them, what caught his eye was a sketch of the Kirki Mountains drawn in red ink, along with hastily scribbled notes around it.

[The direction of the mountain range and wind direction determine the longitudinal flow of demonic energy.

Mountain bends → disrupted flow

Possibility of demonic energy accumulating or reversing at points where the ridgeline changes direction → potential areas of abnormal phenomena?]

The Land of Chaos had long been called the Demonic Realm, and access to it had been restricted for years. Much of the relevant information had also been lost.

The old maps that remained were just as inadequate.

In truth, this investigation was little more than fumbling around in the dark.

And yet, the woman standing before him had used nothing but the terrain of the Kirki Mountains provided by the Imperial Family to make various estimates about the flow of demonic energy left behind by the Black Dragon in a remarkably short time.

‘……Well, I suppose that much is understandable.’

But there was something else that genuinely caught his interest.

Her map contained information that the Imperial Family hadn’t provided.

Things like gorges and basins.

“What is your basis for assuming that the central part of this mountain range is a basin?”

Mona’s eyes widened.

She was still so embarrassed that his question barely registered in her mind.

“His Grace is asking you a question.”

Farmin, who was standing nearby, urged Mona to answer.

“……Uh, wh-what did you say?”

“Your basis for assuming it’s a basin.”

Richard repeated the question, slowly enunciating each word.

Richard had never asked the same question twice while carrying out a mission, but for once, he was exercising his patience.

‘Ah, a basin.’

Finally understanding what Richard was asking, Mona clenched her trembling hands and began to explain haltingly.

“I found a clue about the terrain in an Old Church scripture.”

“An Old Church scripture?”

“Yes. During the period when people still followed the Old Church, humans also entered the Land of Chaos.”

This was also wisdom her grandmother had passed down to Mona.

When studying monster ecology, she had advised her to pay close attention to even the metaphorical records left behind in the past.

“Which passage?”

A faint trace of interest passed through Richard’s blue eyes.

Mona slowly opened her mouth.

“There is a passage that says, ‘In the highlands of the west lies a chalice where even the wind loses its way and settles. Whatever remains there does not leave for a long time.’”

“……”

“It’s an area where the air descends and the atmosphere stagnates. So it’s likely to be a basin.”

When he remained silent, Mona’s fingers began to tremble.

Had…… he disliked her answer for some reason?

Was he perhaps a devout follower of the New Church?

Flustered, Mona hurriedly continued.

“Of course…… My own interpretation is involved, so the actual terrain might not be a basin. But dragons are also likely to settle in basins where demonic energy accumulates easily……”

Richard narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened to the woman belatedly fumbling through her explanation, as though trying to make excuses.

She had already known the layout of the Kirki Mountains before the project details had even been revealed……

Within this investigation team, hastily assembled in such a short time, she seemed like a fairly useful person.

“You. What’s your name?”

“M-me?”

Richard’s sudden question nearly made Mona hiccup.

“Who else would I be asking? Is there anyone else here?”

Th-there’s someone standing right beside me……

The words rose to the tip of her tongue, but Mona wasn’t nearly bold enough to talk back to Richard.

“……Mona Veloz.”

“Mona Veloz.”

The moment his cold voice clearly repeated her name, goosebumps prickled along her arms.

-Mona Veloz. I sentence you to death for the possession and use of illegal perfume.

Perhaps it was because the scene from her recurring nightmare had suddenly resurfaced in her mind. Or perhaps it was simply because she had far too much to feel guilty about.

“I’ll remember that.”

He returned the papers to Mona, casually left her with those words, and strode away.

‘N-no!’

Why was he suddenly saying he’d remember her name?

As Mona watched Richard’s broad, straight back, inwardly shedding tears of blood, someone was glaring at her with envy.

Farmin, who had suddenly been rendered invisible, was staring at her with a jealous expression.

‘He asked for her name!’

The published accounts of the Black Knights’ members’ wartime experiences included stories of Richard personally asking the names of those who had distinguished themselves on the battlefield.

And now, His Grace had asked for the name of the most insignificant-looking nobody among the investigation team—a monster scholar no one had ever heard of!

Unable to stomach it, Farmin couldn’t resist making a sarcastic remark.

“Judging by how you deliberately scattered your papers in front of His Grace, you seem rather skilled at attracting attention. Do you perhaps enjoy showing off?”

In other words: You’re an attention seeker. Know your place.

But Mona, who wasn’t familiar with the subtleties of aristocratic social etiquette, could only feel deeply wronged.

It was already bad enough that the wind had happened to blow in Richard’s direction.

How was she supposed to have calculated that the wind currents would mix with the residual mana circulating inside the magic circle and get sucked into his hands like water draining down a sewer……?

If she were meticulous enough to calculate something like that, she’d have graduated early already.

“……Not at all. I sincerely hope that you, Sir Farmin, will distinguish yourself enough to catch His Grace Richard’s attention.”

Mona spoke in a perfectly earnest voice.

She wanted another team member to catch Richard’s eye so that her own name could quietly disappear from his memory.

“……!”

But Farmin interpreted Mona’s words as Mind your own business, you useless piece of trash. His face stiffened.

‘Perhaps studying such vile monsters has filled her with poison.’

……Damn it. Fine. Is that how you want to play?

‘I won’t lose to her…….’

Leaving Farmin to burn with determination, Mona bitterly stuffed her crumpled papers into her bag and walked out of the teleportation gate.

“Please present your identification for verification.”

As soon as she stepped outside, an official assigned to the gate facility approached her.

“Here.”

After checking the letter of appointment bearing the Imperial Family’s signature, the official spoke.

“Lady Mona Veloz. Please sign the gate passage record, then follow me.”

Once she handed over the document, the official led her to a carriage.

“There is no teleportation gate facility in the western border territory, so it will take approximately half a day to reach your destination by carriage.”

“Yes.”

They really weren’t giving her a moment to rest.

Swallowing a sigh, Mona climbed into the carriage.

“……”

There was only one person inside the cramped carriage.

The only female knight of the Black Knights sat with her arms crossed, eyes closed, and mouth firmly shut.

With her black hair neatly tied up and her outfit consisting of black leather gloves and a long turtleneck, she gave off an impression that allowed no room for weakness.

Overwhelmed by the chilly aura she radiated, Mona instinctively held her breath.

Just then, the female knight slowly opened her eyes.