“Feri—”

As Noah looked up.

Flutter.

An unexpected cloak covered Noah’s face and body. Small hands deftly pulled the hood attached to the cloak over Noah’s head.

“Huh?”

His confusion lasted only a moment.

After covering Noah with the cloak, Ferica pressed Noah’s head firmly down and lay flat on the ground beside him.

Noah squirmed.

“We can’t stay here. We need to run away quickly!”

“Shh.”

Ferica placed her index finger over her lips. Noah felt frustrated.

It seemed Ferica didn’t understand the situation.

“Let’s run quickly. Something like a cloak won’t stop them all.”

“Be quiet and look.”

This time Calliphe’s index finger pointed upward. Noah’s green eyes followed her finger.

Bzzzzzzzz—

The Flameli swarm had gathered densely above their heads, completely surrounding the two children.

Noah felt a chill run down his spine.

Though they were small magical creatures about twice the size of honeybees, this many gathered together would surely be lethal.

‘We need to get away quickly!’

He tried to find any gap to escape through. Then he suddenly realized something strange.

‘Why aren’t they attacking…?’

Bzzzzzz! Bzzz!

The Flameli circled above their heads but couldn’t attack recklessly. They seemed to be hesitating.

‘They were ready to attack just a moment ago.’

“Ferica, those magical creatures…”

“It’s thanks to this cloak.”

“Huh?”

Was there something special about this cloak?

‘Now that I think about it, it feels quite fluffy. Is it stuffed with something?’

Ferica pressed close to Noah under the cloak and said:

“You know that magical creatures have clear food chains, right?”

“Yeah.”

“They detect creatures stronger than themselves more sensitively than ordinary animals do.”

“Yes. I learned it’s because of pheromones.”

“Exactly. That’s why the Flameli can’t attack us.”

Ferica smiled with her eyes, looking pleased.

“This cloak is filled with feathers from griffins, top-tier magical creatures.”

“…!”

Noah’s mouth fell open.

I see. So that’s why the lower-ranked Flameli were reluctant to approach!

‘But the Crown Princess’s Yvonne II’s fur looked fine.’

The fur of Yvonne II that he saw at the opening ceremony was well-maintained and glossy.

Noah’s brow furrowed.

“Did you cut off the fur from Calliphe’s griffin without permission? Did you make it bald?”

“…”

“And isn’t bringing magical creature items against the rules?”

“You… really take after the Duke, don’t you?”

Ferica gave a hollow laugh.

“Don’t worry. The feathers themselves have no magical function. Like you said, the Flameli are just detecting the griffin’s pheromones from the feathers.”

“Oh… I see.”

“That’s right.”

Seeing Noah’s relief, Ferica smiled brightly.

‘I didn’t lie, did I?’

She didn’t tell him that body parts of magical creatures were also prohibited items.

The reason she could bring this cloak in was…

‘If Viscount Gallard can smuggle in prohibited items, why can’t I?’

Bribery. The dirty adult world.

Noah, unable to guess that much, touched the cloak with admiring eyes.

“But how did you prepare something like this? It’s almost like you knew in advance.”

“That’s… well… Oh, look over there!”

Finding it difficult to answer, Calliphe quickly diverted Noah’s attention.

Jamie’s gang, thoroughly flustered, kept glancing in their direction while whispering among themselves. They were probably discussing what to do now that their plan had failed.

“Hey, let’s just go! Let’s get out of here before they come this way!”

The gang seemed ready to run away.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

Calliphe called out to them with mockery in her voice:

“Oh? Aren’t those cowards over there? Even chickens wouldn’t run away scared of low-level magical creatures like you are!”

“What?”

The irritated boys turned toward her.

Calliphe slowly stood up with Noah. Then, with a bright smile, she showed them her middle finger.

“Yes, too scared to come over? Chickened out? Are your legs trembling because you’re afraid of a swarm of bees?”

“That little—!”

The boys shifted, looking ready to charge forward, yet they stayed rooted in place, not moving closer.

Calliphe nudged Noah’s side with her elbow.

“What are you doing? You do it too.”

“M-me too?”

“We’re on the same side, so we should act together.”

Noah’s gaze trembled. He clearly didn’t want to follow such embarrassing behavior.

But he couldn’t refuse the request of someone who had helped him.

Finally, Noah lowered his reddened face and raised a shaky middle finger toward Jamie’s gang.

“Ch-chickened… out.”

“…!!”

The expressions of Jamie’s gang changed dramatically. They seemed much more affected by Noah’s taunt than by Calliphe’s.

“Hey, let’s get them.”

They abandoned their plan to escape and began stomping toward Calliphe and Noah.

“We’re covered in Flameli honey anyway, so they won’t attack us. Don’t be scared, let’s beat them up!”

‘Perfect.’

Calliphe smiled inwardly.

But outwardly, she pretended to be shocked and asked:

“Are you really going to hit us? What about the rule against attacking other participants?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You guys got stung by magical creatures because you didn’t know your place and got cocky!”

Jamie and two others charged forward with their swords drawn. Another one stayed behind, preparing a spell.

As Calliphe slowly backed away, she was startled by Noah’s sudden action.

He was hurriedly removing the cloak.

“What are you doing?”

“You wear this.”

Noah spoke firmly as he draped the cloak over Calliphe’s shoulders.

“I’ll fight. Stay behind me.”

“…!”

What’s this? Why is this little one acting so cool? So presumptuous, really.

The corners of Calliphe’s mouth twitched upward. But she quickly cleared her throat and returned the cloak to Noah.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“But!”

“I have this.”

Calliphe drew a sword from her waist.

An ordinary-looking, old sword.

However, it was a magic sword inhabited by the consciousness of a former King Slime.

‘Even though it looks plain, it was once a dungeon boss, so lower-level magical creatures shouldn’t dare to attack!’

“Work for me, Ortie!”

—Destroy humans…!

Ortie, the magic sword newly named by Noah, extended forward swiftly to block Jamie’s sword.

Clang! Clank!

Ortie moved in all directions, blocking and attacking the novices’ swords.

Though there were three opponents, they were all acting cautiously due to their fear of the Flameli swarm.

Thanks to that, she could handle them without being overwhelmed.

Calliphe’s strange provocations also played a part.

“You yellow-sprout brats, I gave you plenty of chances!”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Yellow sprouts don’t return to their original color even if you tie them up. You need to step on them properly so they realize, ‘Ah, I’ve been growing wrong!'”

“What are you even saying?”

After deflecting attacks coming simultaneously from both sides with a clang, Calliphe suddenly sheathed her sword.

“Sometimes a beating is the best medicine.”

Right after Calliphe’s eyes flashed.

…Zzzzzzzzzzz!

The intense vibrating sound of thin wings moving rapidly grew closer. It was much heavier than the flight noise of the Flameli swarm, raising goosebumps.

The boys attacking Calliphe sensed something ominous and turned their heads.

Magical creatures that looked similar to Flameli, but much larger and fiercer.

One of the boys who recognized the identity of the intruding creatures cried out in shock:

“Ve-Venomous!”

Natural predators of the Flameli. Magical creatures similar to wasps. It was an attack by a swarm of Venomous.