SML Ch 48

Chapter 48

Contrary to Reynald’s slight apprehension upon departure, the final fishing trip on the lake unfolded with the same tranquility as all the previous ones.

“Could it be that you misjudged it after all? Not just us, but even during our parents’ and grandparents’ days, people have fished in this lake like this—and yet no one has ever seen anything as massive as what Your Highness described.”

Volant tilted his head with a puzzled expression as he spoke. Indeed, no matter how Reynald or anyone else peered into the lake’s depths, all they could see was the crystal-clear water. Arun too seemed to ponder the matter, before eventually nodding in agreement.

“You are right. Perhaps I was simply overly fixated on it.”

This willingness to withdraw rather than stubbornly insist in moments like these might well be considered one of Arun’s strengths. Still, Reynald thought he had a vague idea why Arun had been so concerned about the lake in the first place.

“If there truly is nothing at the bottom of the lake, that is fortunate. But I can understand why Your Highness would worry. There is indeed something peculiar about this lake.”

“You think the lake itself is suspicious, my lord? In what way?”

“For example, this boat. By your own words, this boat has existed since at least your grandfather’s generation, correct?”

“That is right. We’ve never prepared a new one since then.”

“In other words, this boat was crafted with materials sturdy enough to endure for decades and built with great care. Even if the Anuras maintained it, at most they could have only splashed water on it now and then. Yet the boat hasn’t rotted or deteriorated through all those long years—curious, isn’t it? I, too, wonder who made it and for what purpose.”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right,” Volant replied, nodding with a confused expression. The boat’s origins and purpose had been a mystery from the very first day. If it had been built decades ago, its creator was likely long dead by now…

At that moment, Serna, who had been quietly lost in thought, suddenly brightened and spoke up.

“Ah, yes. Now that Reynald mentions it, there’s something that bothers me as well.”

“What is it?”

“The fact that the lake’s ecosystem remains stable despite the presence of monsters like the demon-octofish. Think about it—no matter how much they may supplement themselves with magic, for these creatures to sustain their size, they must consume quite a lot. At this rate, the fish population should have been wiped out.”

“…Hoh.”

“And yet, in reality, the fish population isn’t particularly low, nor is the number of demon-octofish unreasonably high. Granted, I only know this from books, so I might be mistaken, but from what I’ve read, these creatures tend to reproduce quite frequently in good conditions. In an environment this abundant and comfortable, there should be far more of them.”

Reynald thought he understood what Serna was implying. Indeed, the demon-octofish were known to gorge themselves on all surrounding fish when conditions were optimal, multiplying until they eventually turned to cannibalism. It was precisely this gruesome cannibalism that earned them the name “demon.”

Yet within this lake, there were no signs of abnormal behavior or cannibalism among the demon-octofish. Which meant…

“…You are suggesting, Prince Serna, that there is an apex predator in this lake—something that preys upon the demon-octofish to maintain balance.”

“Something like that. Oh, excluding humans, of course. From what I’ve heard, fishing here happens only briefly during spring and autumn.”

Even as such grim speculation passed between them, the lake remained utterly serene. It was hard to believe that some supreme predator lurked somewhere beneath those placid waters.

The sky reflected on the lake was clear, and the breeze ruffling their hair was cool and gentle. As Reynald immersed himself in the peaceful scenery, an optimistic thought crossed his mind: As long as it’s not dangerous, it should be fine, right?

Even if such an apex predator did exist, there was no obligation for them to defeat it. Over the past six days, they hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of it, after all.

Perhaps it’s nocturnal. If its active hours don’t overlap with ours, then there’s nothing to worry about.

The Anuras swimming nearby were much the same. When night fell, they became astonishingly aggressive; but by day, all it took was tossing them a few fish scraps to make them croak happily in contentment.

Hadn’t Volant once asked whether monsters that didn’t prey on humans were really any different from ordinary animals? Reynald mostly agreed. Even if some enormous creature lived down there, so long as it posed no immediate harm to humans, it was no different from any other animal. There was no need to disturb it.

“Hmm… I suppose it will be a bit frightening to come here from now on. Anyway, shall we call it a day after this final round of fishing, my lord?”

“That should be fine. At this rate, we’ll have enough provisions to last until tomorrow.”

While Reynald and Alex exchanged words, their lines suddenly tugged only tens of minutes later. The catch Arun reeled in was a demon-octofish no different from the ones they had been seeing for days.

“Good—let’s butcher it!”

This time Reynald was on rowing duty, while Volant, Lyndon, and Serna handled the butchering. Thankfully, Serna no longer attempted bizarre antics like wearing the octopus on his head—partly because he’d grown bored of it, and partly because Arun had scolded him, warning that such frivolity would hinder his combat skills.

Ironically, however, this time such antics might have been the better choice.

“Watch out, Volant!”

“Urgh…!”

One of the octopus’s tentacles broke through their coordinated attacks, lashing toward Volant. Fortunately, he dodged in time, escaping with no injury save for the loud rip of fabric as the tentacle tore through the front of his shirt.

“You little—!”

Lyndon immediately drove his blade into the octopus’s head, felling it instantly. Reynald and Alex rushed to check Volant’s condition; thankfully, aside from his tattered clothes, his body was unharmed.

“That was close. I didn’t expect the creature to be that fast….”

“Accidents like this are bound to happen. Still, I’m relieved you’re safe.”

Incidents like these had already occurred several times over the past six days, so it was hardly surprising. Yet as Reynald examined Volant’s torn clothing, he noticed something unexpected—a necklace glinting faintly under the sunlight.

“Hm? Isn’t this the same necklace as before?”

Specifically, the one discovered during the spring cleaning in Volant’s field—the enchanted talisman of “protection” that had triggered the man-eating plant’s overgrowth but had also saved Reynald’s life.

“I didn’t realize you kept wearing it.”

“Well, I figured it might come in handy… Even if its magic is spent, it used to hold a protection spell. It might still work as a charm, right?”

Volant spoke lightly with a small smile. Oddly enough, though, his eyes held a shadowed look—one Reynald decided not to pry into. The youth seemed unwilling to discuss it.

“Oh, a magic necklace? Though its enchantment seems exhausted, huh?”

At that moment, Serna approached with wide, curious eyes, instantly recognizing it as no ordinary trinket.

“This piece is rather exquisite—the spellwork is intricately crafted, not mass-produced in some workshop. The gem quality is exceptional, and instead of engraving a magic seal on an inserted glass plate, they’ve embedded it directly inside the gem itself… This must be the work of a highly skilled mage. Surely this is a rare artifact, right? Is it an heirloom? A gift from someone? To find something this lavish in such a rural place—how fascinating!”

“N-no, I… I just found it lying around….”

Clearly overwhelmed by Serna’s relentless curiosity, Volant awkwardly edged backward. Arun frowned slightly at the sight and stepped forward.

“Serna, prying too deeply into another person’s belongings is poor manners. Can’t you see he’s flustered?”

“I—I wasn’t implying he stole it! I just wanted to—!”

Arun likely meant only to mildly discipline his younger brother, but Volant seemed to misinterpret the remark. His face went pale as he scrambled to defend himself, retreating further and further—an ill-advised move, given they were on a boat.

“Wah!”

His foot caught on the railing, and he toppled into the water. Fortunately, Reynald grabbed him by the arm and hauled him back up, preventing him from sinking and becoming food for the demon-octofish.

“Sorry, Volant! I didn’t mean to fluster you like that…!”

Serna waved his hands apologetically, forcing a sheepish smile, while Volant clung to Reynald, coughing up water. Arun’s sharp glare promised that Serna would face a stern lecture back at the castle; he was notoriously strict about such matters, so Reynald had no qualms leaving the discipline to him.

“Wait—my necklace!”

Volant’s eyes widened as he clutched at his chest. The necklace was gone. Peering into the water, Reynald spotted its silhouette sinking swiftly toward the lakebed.

“The string was weak—I’d glued it together, but the water must have dissolved it!”

“A pity. You wore it all this time.”

“It’s fine. I only found it in a field anyway—it’s not that big of a loss.”

Even so, Volant couldn’t help but keep staring wistfully into the water. Yet he made no move to dive after it—understandably so, with flesh-eating fish roaming the lake.

“Prince Serna’s curiosity caused you trouble. I ought to make him find you a replacement.”

“N-no, it’s fine! The necklace itself isn’t what matters. I still remember what that thing looked like….”

That thing? For a necklace, that phrasing felt oddly off. Reynald considered pressing him but hesitated, recalling how Serna’s earlier questioning had already overwhelmed the youth. It might be wiser to let the matter drop for now.

Before he could ask, however, Lyndon suddenly blurted out in surprise.

“Wait—did anyone else feel that tremor?”

He peered into the water with a strange expression. At first, everyone looked at one another in confusion, but soon, they all understood. The surface of the lake had begun to ripple violently—as if an earthquake were shaking the entire body of water.

“Look over there! Something’s rising up!”

Following Alex’s pointing finger, Reynald’s blood ran cold. From the depths of the lake, an impossibly massive, snow-white figure slowly writhed upward.