Before the Harvest Festival, Calliphe, who had visited the quack pharmacist with Lynen, approached Lucilia while she was taking a break from training.

“Your Highness.”

“Just call me Lucilia. What is it?”

“Okay, got it! It’s nothing much, but I was wondering if there are Flameli creatures in the imperial palace?”

“Oh, you have some unexpected knowledge. Of course there are. The imperial palace is very spacious with several forests.”

“How about near the trainee knights’ quarters where the Empress stays?”

“They’re definitely there. I’ve observed those knights’ training several times. But why do you ask?”

“No reason!”

After confirming that there were Flameli near Noah’s quarters.

“Wherever Flameli exist, their natural predators will also be present. After all, even magical creatures have predator-prey relationships.”

She also confirmed with Lynen that Venomous were present.

“But both creatures are diurnal. If Dillen is planning something at night, it won’t be easy to manipulate the Venomous.”

“Flameli and Venomous. You said they both have the habits of honeybees and wasps, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then the behavior of Venomous when targeting Flameli nests would be similar?”

“…Ah.”

Lynen immediately understood Calliphe’s meaning. And her planned course of action.

“That method would certainly work. But it might be dangerous…”

After thinking for a moment, Lynen said:

“I’ll make you a cloak from trimmed griffin feathers. It will protect you and Noah.”

Calliphe responded with slight surprise:

“Is that all? I thought you’d lecture me about how we can’t put the other children who might bully Noah in danger.”

“Even if they are children, no, precisely because they are children, they need to learn early.”

Lynen was calm but resolute.

“That if they carelessly hurt others, they themselves cannot be protected.”

“Hmm.”

Calliphe patted Lynen’s waist with satisfaction.

“Good attitude. You’re catching up to me.”

“Don’t insult me.”

Lynen immediately stood up.

“I’ll provide everything you need. So, focus only on what you need to do.”

* * *

As promised, Lynen procured the items Calliphe requested. And he did it properly.

“W-why did the Venomous appear?”

Jamie shouted in panic.

By then, their retreat had already been blocked by Venomous, cutting off their path back to the quarters.

“We came at night specifically to avoid this!”

“You know that insects are the main diet of Venomous, right? Whether ordinary insects or insect-type magical creatures.”

Calliphe spoke leisurely.

She showed no tension despite being surrounded by two ferocious types of magical creatures.

“In summer, flowers bloom everywhere and grass grows thick, so there are plenty of insects. But in autumn? As vegetation withers, insects naturally become scarce.”

Hunting becomes difficult. It means prey becomes scarce.

“During those times, Flameli become the main diet for Venomous.”

Calliphe pointed at Jamie’s gang.

“And you’ve conveniently covered yourselves in honey to look like members of the Flameli species?”

“W-what?! Aaaaah!”

Finally realizing the true danger, Jamie and his gang frantically swung their swords and fired off spells wildly.

Some Venomous were hit and fell, but these actions only further provoked the Venomous swarm.

“Even so, why did creatures that were sleeping suddenly appear in swarms? It’s all your doing, isn’t it?”

“Oh, correct answer!”

Calliphe leaned crookedly on the dumbfounded Noah’s shoulder.

“Thanks to that, I was quite busy.”

When all the children had gone to the dining hall for dinner.

Calliphe had come to the forest alone to find the Flameli nest.

And wearing the griffin feather cloak, she carefully applied the colorless jam that Lynen had properly prepared to the Flameli hive.

The ordinary-looking jam was full of Venomous pheromones that Lynen had specially procured.

“I carefully applied the Venomous pheromones all over this beehive.”

It was a signal to attack all at once because the target was here. Normally, only a very small amount of pheromone would be applied.

“What?! Then that strange glow from the beehive was…?”

“Yes. The targets of Venomous glow. Must be because they’re magical creatures. Interesting, isn’t it?”

When she smiled brightly, Jamie’s gang’s faces contorted.

“So when the Venomous came here, they thought, ‘Oh? There are some really big Flameli that we can feast on for days?'”

Though her tone was teasing, Calliphe’s expression was cold as she pointed at Jamie’s gang.

“That would be all of you, except Noah.”

Bzzzzzzzz!

“Aaaah! Save us!”

Finally, even the magically created shields broke, and the magical creatures’ fierce attacks poured down.

The boys screamed and fled deeper into the forest. The Venomous swarm rumbled after them in pursuit.

Weeeeeeee…

The Flameli, momentarily stunned, busily entered and exited their nest. They seemed to be preparing to relocate. Perhaps because they had just faced their natural predators up close, they now paid no attention to Calliphe and Noah.

Noah stared blankly at this entire process. It all happened so naturally and quickly that he was bewildered.

“Ferica, did you… know everything?”

Ferica turned to look at him.

Her characteristically prim face reminded him of someone he wanted to see.

“Did you come to save me because you knew I was in danger?”

“Yes.”

“Why…?”

Noah mumbled in a small voice.

“I didn’t like you.”

“Do you still dislike me?”

…He shook his head.

“Then do you like me?”

“…I don’t know.”

Noah spoke honestly but lowered his head slightly out of guilt.

“But… thank you.”

“That’s enough!”

Surprised by her refreshing answer, Noah looked at Ferica. She was actually smiling happily, truly unbothered.

Seeing this, Noah felt his gratitude deepening.

It felt like it was melting like chocolate, dissolving even the wall he had built between himself and Ferica.

Then suddenly a practical concern came to mind.

“But are we just going to leave those kids like that? They might be in real danger.”

“That’s not our problem.”

“Huh?”

Noah’s heart sank at that moment.

“You children, what are you doing here!”

Imperial guards approached. They had come looking for the children who hadn’t returned despite the curfew.

Seeing the broken Flameli nest, the surprised guards heard Ferica calmly explain:

“The kids messed with the Flameli nest and disturbed the Venomous too. They went that way.”

“What? Oh no!”

The guards hurried off in pursuit.

The remaining guard escorted Noah and Ferica back to their quarters.

Ferica followed the guard first and extended her hand toward Noah.

“Let’s go.”

“…My hands are dirty.”

“Who cares.”

Ferica grabbed Noah’s hand firmly. Noah was a bit surprised but didn’t pull away.

He didn’t want to this time.

“Oh, but Noah. One favor.”

“…?”

Ferica whispered to Noah.

“Listen… could you keep it a secret from the Duke that I told you to curse?”

“Was the finger gesture a curse too?”

“Yes…”

Ferica’s expression became troubled.

“I think I’ll get scolded if he finds out.”

“…”

“Don’t use it anymore either. It’s bad. Okay?”

“Just me?”

“…I won’t use it either.”

Noah smiled broadly at her glum response.

“Okay. I promise.”

Noah’s hand, held by Ferica, slowly moved.

Eventually, the two hands clasped each other affectionately.

It was then that system notifications flooded Calliphe.