After clutching the communication stone and trembling for a moment, Calliphe sensed the attendant outside paying attention to her.

‘Oh my, oh my!’

Calliphe pounded her chest and forced a cheerful voice.

“Y-yes. The accommodations are great. But Daddy, did the apothecary deliver the medicine?”

—No. But he said he would deliver it by tomorrow morning.

‘Tomorrow morning, huh.’

The aura absorption potion that the apothecary had sold to Dillen. That boy would try to use it on Noah somehow.

Then Noah would manifest aura and be disqualified for cheating.

The apothecary was currently making a neutralizing medicine to prevent this.

“If it’s morning, you’ll be working and can’t pick it up. How are you planning to receive the medicine?”

—Raul will run the errand.

“You mean your hunting dog?”

—Yes. Raul is quite nimble, so he’ll be able to deliver the medicine properly. You don’t need to worry.

He meant that once the medicine was ready, Raul would secretly deliver it, so she shouldn’t worry about the method.

‘Then there’s nothing to worry about.’

—How about you?

“Hm?”

—You wheedled some honey-coated snacks from your daddy.

“…Oh, that?”

Dillen’s scheme wasn’t just the aura absorption potion.

Flameli honey.

Using it would make someone recognized as part of the Flameli bee monster species.

They probably planned to use it among themselves while excluding Noah. That way, Noah would have to compete with a swollen body.

The “honey-coated snacks” were a countermeasure against this.

Calliphe smiled mischievously.

“Thanks to Daddy providing such delicious snacks, I managed to bring them in safely.”

—That’s good.

“Yes. But you know, I was thinking it wouldn’t feel right to eat them all by myself.”

Calliphe’s eyes blazed as she recalled the boy whispering to Noah.

“So I’m planning to share them with the other children.”

—…Really?

“Yes. I’ve even studied how to share them nicely with everyone.”

The trap was already set.

All that remained was waiting for the prey to be caught.

“I’ll make sure they eat plenty even if they try to refuse! Don’t try to stop me, Daddy!”

—Stop you?

The voice from the communication stone grew languid with satisfaction.

—I specifically chose snacks with the richest taste and aroma, anticipating this.

* * *

Past 8 PM.

Children who had been practicing individually in preparation for tomorrow’s matches were returning to their quarters one by one.

As the training grounds grew quieter and the Empress’s royal guards came out to stand watch, a group of children was heading into the forest.

Noah was at the tail end of the group.

“…You said Dillen is taking the secret potion too? I don’t see him.”

Among the four children moving together, Dillen was nowhere to be seen.

They had dragged Noah along, insisting that they couldn’t just sit still when Dillen was using such methods. Noah had reluctantly followed.

He didn’t really want to take it. But if the gap between him and Dillen widened further, he truly wouldn’t be able to win.

Jamie sneered at Noah’s quiet complaint.

“We’ll just bring it to Dillen. There’s no need for him to come out for something like this.”

“…Why go that far?”

Dillen wasn’t a noble either, just someone being sponsored.

Meanwhile, Jamie’s parents, whom Noah had seen before coming to the palace quarters, were clearly nobles. Some of the other children here were nobles too.

“Even though Dillen isn’t a noble?”

“Don’t be stupid. Do you think it’s common for someone who isn’t even an adult to use aura?”

The other children agreed.

“Besides, Dillen is only four… fourteen years old. He’s a genius. Becoming a royal knight is practically guaranteed for him.”

“It’s an investment. Dillen has a high chance of becoming a Sword Master, right? If you try to get close to him then, it’ll be too late.”

“……”

Listening to them made Noah uncomfortable. He decided to keep quiet.

‘Mihail never talked like this.’

Neither did Sister Imelen or the Crown Princess, whom he wasn’t as close with yet.

They were around the same age, but the feeling was completely different.

Noah’s friends were people without such ulterior motives. They became friends simply because they enjoyed each other’s company.

Jamie, who was leading the way, irritably cut a branch with his knife.

“Ugh, they said this is a training ground, but why is it so inconvenient? So annoying.”

The forest they had entered served a different purpose than the training grounds.

The training grounds were for multiple knights to practice and spar simultaneously. This place, however, was meant to develop a sense for activities in nature.

So this area was essentially left wild.

Crunch, crunch.

Dry grass crackled underfoot. Unlike summer, autumn nights were quieter, with fewer insect sounds.

After a moment of silence, Noah looked around and said to Jamie:

“It’s getting dark.”

“So what?”

“It’s dangerous at night. Especially in forests…”

“Oh, come on.”

Jamie turned around and sneered again.

“Are you stupid? Do you even know what we’re looking for?”

“Honey from the Flameli monster bees.”

“Exactly! That’s why we came at this hour. Bees are active during the day. So we need to come now when the Flameli are sleeping.”

“……”

Noah’s heart pounded, and his steps slowed. Bad memories surfaced.

Memories of wandering alone in the forest and falling. Crying loudly for help.

Back then, he had resented everyone.

‘…But Lady Calliphe came to rescue me.’

Remembering the gentle hand patting his bottom, his constricted heart eased a little.

“…Then let’s hurry.”

I must defeat Dillen.

Noah, who had been at the back, moved forward and took the lead.

After walking for a few more minutes.

“We’re here. See that beehive?”

Jamie crouched down and pointed to a large tree ahead.

A massive beehive the size of a small child hung from a branch. Unlike ordinary beehives, it emitted a faint glow.

Thanks to the light, the hive and its surroundings were clearly visible.

‘But do they normally glow like that?’

While Jamie was puzzled, Noah pointed out exactly that concern.

“Do Flameli beehives normally glow?”

“O-of course. Don’t you even know that?”

I don’t know. They’re magical creatures, so they could be special.

Jamie proceeded with the task Dillen had instructed.

“Now we’re going to steal honey from those monsters.”

“Hey, Jamie. That hive is huge—aren’t the monsters big too?”

The other companions spoke up. It was a pre-planned dialogue.

“And I heard if you get stung by a Flameli, your body swells up horribly the next day.”

“Did you think we’d get something with such amazing effects for free? Don’t worry. I have a method.”

“What is it?”

“Apply this to your body.”

Jamie pulled out a bottle he had packed in his bag.

“It’s Flameli honey. If you apply this to your body, the Flameli will recognize you as one of their own and barely attack.”

Noah, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, tilted his head.

“Then why don’t we just eat that instead of disturbing the hive?”

“……”

“……”

The group exchanged glances, momentarily flustered. Jamie quickly became angry.

“Do I look stupid to you? This is old honey, so it doesn’t have the beneficial effects. You need to eat freshly harvested honey for it to work!”

“Oh……”

“Do you think Dillen wants fresh honey for no reason? If you don’t believe me, I’ll demonstrate!”