"If you sold that information anywhere, you'd make a decent profit."
"Before that, the Dullahan's sword would behead me first. I wouldn't even be able to resurrect, so that would be a pointless death. I understand, so please get that Dullahan away from me. At this rate, all the furniture will be destroyed."
Nadav, who had already been curling his massive body tightly due to transforming inside the narrow house, wore an aggrieved expression.
Though Nadav didn't intend it, certainly at this rate, not only would everything in this lodging be destroyed, but a hole might even be punched through the ceiling.
As soon as I gave permission, Nadav transformed back into a horse. The spot where the Dullahan had briefly appeared and disappeared was now filled with broken debris.
"If your curiosity is satisfied, I'm going out now."
"Surely the Dullahan that appeared in this city isn't also that... subordinate of yours?"
"I'll have to meet them to know for sure, but there is that possibility."
Xenon wiped his face with a tired expression.
"Are you trying to make some kind of unit with Dullahans? No, even so, Dullahans are better than ghosts. Should I say Dullahans are better, or should I rather pray for ghosts......"
My, the shock must be significant. I looked at him with pity and spoke gently.
"I'll be back, so clean up the house."
"Excuse me? It was that Dullahan who broke things, so why should I clean it up?"
"I'll leave Nadav behind, so you want to clean together?"
"......Just go already."
See, I knew that's how it would be.
* * *
Though preparations for the festival had stopped, it hadn't been completely cancelled, so unfinished event supplies and decorations were scattered throughout the city.
'That must have stopped while being painted.'
Looking at the unfinished garland, I felt strange.
Normally at this time of year, I was extremely busy. That was because a sizable festival was held in the capital.
The Harvest Festival was one of the events where the imperial family personally appeared before the empire's citizens to give thanks for a bountiful year and pray for future well-being. Naturally, banquets were held day after day at the imperial palace.
Coinciding with the Harvest Festival, nobles were obligated to offer large sums to the imperial palace. The Roam family was no exception.
Combined with the magic tool receipt I sent and the tribute money for this event, it would amount to an enormous expense.
'No matter how great Roam is, they won't have the presence of mind to worry about me for a while.'
During the Harvest Festival season, I had focused not only on the Roam family's banquets but also on tending to the imperial palace banquets alongside Her Majesty the Empress.
Since it was a festival that stirred up the entire empire, incidents and accidents were likely to occur. To conclude the event without problems, I had to manage high society.
Right now, Lilia is probably handling that task. Her Majesty the Empress liked her, so she's likely keeping her close during this event to teach her.
'Looking back, she often played the poor victim waiting for others to do things for her rather than stepping forward herself.'
Maxel was someone who couldn't bear to see Lilia suffering or in pain. He's probably doting on her and attending to her needs right now.
I stroked Nadav's mane out of habit and let out a long sigh.
If I had whined and complained like Lilia did, how would Maxel have reacted? If I had pretended to be weak, or pretended not to know?
At the sudden thought, a futile laugh escaped me.
"Pretending to be weak, pretending not to know......"
Rolling the words around in my mouth gave me goosebumps. Would I ever do such a thing?
Even for the sake of my pride, I obviously couldn't have pretended that way. If anything, I would pretend to know even when I didn't.
[Boss, it seems like one of the knights is correct!]
Jigor's spirited cry reached me. I shook off my thoughts and quickly looked around. It was a quiet alley.
"Do you sense something?"
[There's a faint lingering aura!]
[Jigor's senses were excellent, so you can trust him.]
[That's right! I was the most sensitive among the twelve knights!]
That statement certainly seems true.
Nadav couldn't find Jigor's trace before, and this time too he isn't sensing any particular trace.
Even among knights who lost their heads and became Dullahans, their abilities seemed different.
"Does it seem like they're still in this city?"
[I think we need to look around more. I can't be certain.]
If his wings were intact, he could have flown and checked more quickly, but unable to do so, Jigor apologized and buried his head gloomily.
Jigor, curled up in Nadav's mane, looked up at me with black eyes.
"No, this is enough."
At this point, I found myself hoping that Jigor's true form wouldn't be terrifying.
I wish his true form retained the cuteness from when he's a small bird. But that's probably too much to hope for?
"Let's keep following."
Nadav, carrying me and Jigor, was walking diligently in the direction Jigor indicated.
With the two of them working together and making good progress, I didn't have much to do. I patted Nadav's neck in encouragement and went back to observing the city scenery.
For something supposedly unsettling due to an unknown presence—ghost or Dullahan—it wasn't particularly gloomy.
Perhaps it was because of the buildings that were partially decorated in colorful fashion. Or maybe it was because the alley got good sunlight.
[Huh?]
Jigor suddenly made a puzzled sound. At the same time, Nadav stopped walking.
If both of them reacted simultaneously like this, was the Dullahan nearby?
I quickly looked around for an animal that could be the suspected Dullahan. Aside from noise coming from beyond the buildings, I couldn't sense any particular presence of an animal.
[Huh, huh?]
Jigor pecked at the crown of Nadav's head with his beak. As if that were a signal, Nadav moved his stopped legs.
Where they were heading was a nearby building's outer wall.
"Is it coming from inside this building?"
[No, that's not it.]
[Huh? That's strange. Nadav, you sense it too, right?]
[Yes.]
Nadav, saying I might get hurt, set me down and approached the outer wall with Jigor perched on his head. Below the outer wall, vibrant flower pots were placed.
Nadav brought his snout toward the flower pot. Then he started pushing through the flowers with the tip of his nose. Jigor kept repeating that something was strange.
Nadav, who had buried his nose in the flower pot, suddenly jerked his head up.
[Ack!]
Startled, Nadav rolled his front legs. The flower pot was tragically shattered with a thud from the force.
"Nadav?"
[Ah! It's that one, Boss!]
Jigor, digging his claws firmly into Nadav's mane as he hung on while Nadav shook his head violently, shouted desperately.
[Our knight's traces are emanating from that bee!]
"......Bee?"
Only then did the sound of wings buzzing come through the noise. Something like a black dot was buzzing in circles in front of me.
It was literally a bee. A large bee with a black body and a yellowish tinge near its tail, with impressively plump and fluffy hair.
[What!]
A sharp voice was heard. It was neither Nadav's nor Jigor's voice.
[Are you also after the honey!]
Wow, I can communicate with insects too?
......This insane ability.
* * *
Communicating with insects was a bit different from communicating with animals or monsters. Not only were the voices small, but if I didn't concentrate, I'd miss what was being said.
The reason I hadn't heard insects' voices before seemed to be because I hadn't concentrated to listen to them. Even when straining to hear, it was this difficult.
There was no time to be amazed by the new discovery that I could communicate with insects.
That the bee carried traces of a knight meant the Dullahan I found this time could transform into a bee.
And into such a plump bumblebee at that.
Just how is this world working?
[So you're the boss he was looking for!]
According to this bumblebee's testimony, the Dullahan who transformed into a bumblebee acted differently from the previous knights.
He didn't just wait for me to find him; he recruited nearby bumblebee colonies and tried to spread news of his existence widely.
He believed that by imbuing bumblebees with his aura and sending them everywhere, I would respond no matter where I was.
......Wait, even if he transformed into a bumblebee, how could a Dullahan recruit other bumblebee colonies?
As if knowing my question, the bumblebee spoke.
[Our queen has fallen for him! Because of him, we almost went to war with other colonies! Just take him away already!]
Ah, so he seduced the queen bee.
[......I think I know who it is, Boss.]
[Me too, Boss......]
Hearing Nadav and Jigor's devastated voices, I also felt devastated.
Do I really have to take in this bumblebee Dullahan? Should I just pretend I didn't see him?
[I sent a signal to my comrades, so they'll come here!]
It seemed too late to quietly slip away.
I looked down at the bumblebee with a dry expression and reluctantly nodded. The bumblebee continued cursing the nameless Dullahan for quite a while.
A human, a horse, and a small bird with their heads together, listening to a bumblebee's words.
If no one passing by reports that a crazy person has appeared, that would be fortunate.
"How long will it take to come?"
[Probably when the morning dew forms?]
"That long? Wasn't he nearby?"
[He's at home!]
Then was the Dullahan sighted in this city a different one?
I was about to return to the lodging with the bumblebee when I hesitated at a newly emerging possibility. No, he could have just been spotted coming and going from the hive.
Surely I wouldn't meet two Dullahans here?
"Hey there, miss!"
Lost in thought, I suddenly raised my head at the unexpected call. Someone was standing with their hands on their hips, looking at me.
"Did you make this flower pot like this?"
He was pointing to the flower pot that Nadav had smashed with his hoof. The petals were crushed under the hoof and ruined beyond recovery.
Oh dear. I should have run away quickly.
"My horse got stung by a bee and was startled, so......"
[I'm sorry, Boss......]
Nadav, with his swollen snout, lowered his head gloomily.