—Two months prior. 

"Ahhhn~ This is sooo boring!" 

Lucretia's feet dangled off the back of a wagon. Grinwald closed his eyes with a sigh, rubbing his temple. The man's thoughts had been interrupted by his companion, so he set down his enchanted quill and ceased writing.

"Lucretia, your incessant complaints do nothing to expedite this trip. Why don't you enjoy the warming weather instead of being so dreary?"

With a small huff, the older man turned back towards the journal in front of him.

The duo had set off from Fort Eigach, headed west into Eigach proper. The fort itself was near the Capria border, and despite being named after Eigach, was quite a distance away from the city itself. They'd been traveling for two days. 

"It's not my fault," the woman whined, "You know I can't stand doing nothing like this. This torture is inhumane! And not at all the type I crave."

Lucretia turned to Grinwald with a wicked smile, the latter ignoring the woman entirely. He pushed his glasses up his brow and continued his work, much to her chagrin. 

"It's work. The sooner you adjust your way of thinking, the better off you'll be. You could at least feign normalcy."

The devilishly good-looking woman rolled on the back of the wooden cart like a cat, groaning.

"Can't do it, won't do it! Ahh~ Sooo boring~"

Grinwald continued to blot out his companion's words, instead focusing on finishing a report that would be transmitted back to the Capital. His quill was enchanted and would never run out of a special type of ink so long as he supplied it with Mana. The tablet he wrote onto was a metallic slab that when activated, sent a copy of what was written to a specially prepared magic tool regardless of distance.

This tool was stationed in the Blades' Headquarters, where the message's contents would be reported more directly. Such tools were scarce due to the magics involved, but when operating at such a distance, they were immensely valuable.

The contents of the message that Grinwald was transcribing were as follows:

" 23rd of Brightmist, signed Grinwald Osleus.

Nearing Eigach, investigation will proceed within the next morrow.

Reporting 14 injuries at Fort Eigach, 13 recovered after healing.

Remaining injured soldier's arms should be useable with a fortnight.

Recommending honorable discharge for three personnel.

Mental damage sustained from contact with Lucretia too severe.

Recommending crisis training review and stress tests for unit.

Observed combat preparedness slightly under expectations.

Please observe food rationing and review Fort budget.

Military funds appear to have been spent on prostitutes

and Wildegoat cheese. Minor reprimand deemed appropriate. "

Their stay at Fort Eigach had been ... eventful. It was a small miracle that the damage hadn't been worse. Those in the know would realize that such an outcome was largely due to Grinwald's excellent management skills and experience with these situations.

On the other hand, the political corruption in the Fort hadn't been nearly as bad as Grinwald had expected for such a backwater and remote location. There were fewer 'eyes' stationed this far out. Should there be an invasion, the land itself wasn't of great strategic importance and would be swiftly re-taken, along with providing a casus belli toward Capria.

But no, Grinwald greatly doubted those fleabags would invade. If they were to, it would make more sense to do so to the south, along the port towns and coastlines. As much as it pained one to admit, the beastfolk had a superior naval force compared to Brita. Not that it did them much good, considering most trade was done via land or river routes.

Grinwald briefly reflected on the surprisingly delicious Wildegoat cheese and wine that had been provided, considering omitting the mention of it and prostitutes. Or at least, he was until another one of Lucretia's complaints brought the man back to recollection.

"I smell blood in that direction! Grinny, let me go investigate! It could be fun~ I'm tired of all these carriages! I need carnage if I want to travel!"

The woman had popped directly in front of the man's face, locking eyes with him from an uncomfortably close distance. Her ruby-red eyes twinkled with hope, awaiting the man's approval. While she could force the issue, her recent Fort escapades meant she was still in a more or less hospitable mood. As such, she was prone to behaving like a spoiled child around Grinwald.

Grinwald took out a pocket watch and stared at the time. His lips pursed.

"You've 10 minutes. Don't tarry."

"Hehe!"

Lucretia clapped her hands twice, a smile blossoming on her face. She vaulted off the carriage and sped over a hill towards a tree line. Grinwald took this brief reprieve to continue penning his next book and organize his thoughts. There was still much to do despite merely traveling on the road. He remained set on utilizing this free time to the fullest.

Minutes passed, and Lucretia returned with blood and gore on her hands. There was a small trickle going down her chin, which had been smeared around her lips by her tongue. Grinwald frowned.

"You're two minutes late," he sighed, filling a bucket of water with a wave of his hand. Lucretia took it as a sign to clean off.

"Sorry~ It was a Troll, so I got a bit distracted by carving trinkets off."

"A Forest Troll, I assume? A bit close to the road. I'll have to write another report," Grinwald sighed.

Lucretia hopped back up onto the carriage, laying on her back and crossing her bent legs. Her foot tapped in midair as she began humming a tune.

"Or you could just not, Grinny. It was only one silly Troll. Its regeneration wasn't even that strong. Could barely recover the bits I plucked off with my hands."

The older man could only shake his head, bringing out a normal piece of parchment this time.

Lucretia continued, "Ah well~ It was a nice diversion at least. That was a much better way to blow off steam than those wimpy knights the other day."

Grimwald's mouth twitched, "You really need to stop hospitalizing our country's soldiers, she-devil. You're still far too violent."

The woman flipped over, cleavage spilling from her dress and arms against her face, propping her flushed cheeks up.

"Mmm, you sure know how to compliment a girl, Grinny."

With a sultry wink and a laugh, she rolled back over and went back to skygazing. For his part, Grinwald continued on just as he had days prior—nose-deep in paperwork.

----------------------------------------

—The next day.

Grinwald and Lucretia had arrived in Eigach, spent some time there gathering information, then proceeded further westward. There was a small Dungeon that had been within the Kingdom for the past century. It was fairly unremarkable due to the limitations placed upon it.

There was little information to be gleaned in this area, especially since they were passing through. A few hands were paid off, and the duo made contact with some informants in service to the country. Other than an iron shortage, a bad crop yield affecting the market, and some bandits, the area was relatively stable.

Grinwald felt it was a wonder that such a backward area sitting atop a Core had as few problems as it seemed to, but wrote that off. They would continue to their destination.

Before leaving Eigach and the small 'Dungeon town', as they called them, Grinwald made sure to take note of the magic leylines in the area and plot a Teleportation point for future use. Returning here would be less of a problem should the need arise. He'd do the same in the town of Berrios, once they arrived.

Grinwald's memory and magic weren't infinite, so his recollection of such points would fade over time, should he not use them. Lucretia had managed to squander a small amount of money away in food stalls, bringing back a leg of lamb. She seemed content ripping large portions off the bone and swallowing them whole. Despite her appearance, dining etiquette was not a Skill she possessed.

The two arrived at Berrios, having arranged a meeting with the mayor to gather more information on the initial report filing. Grinwald's nose had nearly turned up when he'd spotted the pudgy individual that oversaw this town. He kept his disdain to himself. Thankfully, the man seemed much more competent than his bulging exterior implied.

With a nervous bead of sweat on his brow, the ball of flesh had introduced himself. Despite his obvious anxiety, the chunky civil servant's voice didn't waver once. Quite a feat.

"Greetings! My name is Cornelius Pennbright, acting mayor of Berrios. Apologies for receiving you both in such poor condition. We've been rather busy of late. Would you care for some tea?"

The mayor ran a hand back through his hair, fixing it in place. Throughout the conversation, he'd been nervously tweaking a rather feeble mustache. Despite Grinwald's misgivings towards the man, his impression of Cornelius had improved remarkedly by the end of the conversation.

For Lucretia's part, she merely stood to the side, yawning. Grinwald had been sure to overfeed the gluttonous woman beforehand, which had coaxed her into a dormant state. Between a too-full feeling and the talk of politics, she was disinterested and out of her rather narrow field of expertise.

The conversation boiled down to the following. Weeks prior, one of the local hunters had reported a kobold and spider infestation, with signs pointing to a newly formed Core. This didn't quite make sense due to humanity's understanding of Cores and the minimum distance between them, but humans weren't Gods. Signs pointed to something unusual going on, so Cornelius had sent an investigative team.

Regarding the team, a retired Sorceress of some repute had gone to investigate personally, along with a knight accompaniment and a fledgling healer. Cornelius had a shadow on his face when describing the woman he'd sent. By the end of that part of the conversation, Grinwald was able to conclude that such a dispatch should have been more than ample for a newly born Core and a kobold infestation.

'Should have been' being the key part. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been dragged halfway across the damn country and saddled with the headache a few feet behind him.

"Be at ease, Cornelius," Grinwald spoke, sipping his cup of Morningbloom tea. A reassuring smile graced the aging man's face. Now that he had arrived, investigating any traces should be a simple matter.

The two spoke at a short length. Grinwald was rather impressed with the recorded information and organizational detail that had been presented to him. It would be a great help in the coming days. What's more, the brewed tea was rather delicious. He felt it seeping into his core and revitalizing his travel-weary mind.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Half an hour had passed. At the conversation's end, Cornelius was much less apprehensive towards the two. He secretly thought that the rumors of the Demon Princess were overblown, and the word of the Great Teacher's sagacity severely downplayed. Cornelius realized he felt quite good about Mr. Osleus taking over and spearheading the investigation. In fact, he now openly welcomed such a thing.

Upon leaving, Lucretia rubbed her eyes sleepily and turned to her companion.

"Did you finish buttering up the pig?"

"Mm. It took less time than expected. Just a bit of compulsion magic and a few suggestions did the job. Not a bad chap, overall," Grinwald concluded.

Lucretia yawned and cast a sultry glance towards him.

"If you say so. Such a shame though, buttering up a pig that isn't even edible. What a waste of your immense talents~"

Grinwald merely shook his head at Lucretia's repeated ... eccentricities. He had better things to do than humor her odd sense of propriety.

The two walked back toward their parked carriage, having swapped out the horse and driver. They'd acquired more detailed instructions of the cave's location and planned to head there. The carriage was light, and they'd make good time.

A day later, they'd finally arrived at the place in question.

It'd been over two weeks since the events had transpired, attention drawn to them, the initial investigation, their dispatchment, and finally their arrival here. The place had been secured and a small detachment garrisoned to keep watch. After they identified themselves to a now-trembling Second lieutenant, it was finally time for the two to begin their work.

"Magelight," Grinwald muttered a Spell, causing a small sphere of illumination to sparkle into existence.

They stood at the beginning of a long hallway. Within the cave smelled of dirt, while a light tang of iron still hung upon the air. Remnants of blood. It was faint and largely overpowered by the odor of wet kobold and mud. Grinwald scanned the area, his eyes aglow and searching for anything the less experienced mages may have missed.

Similarly, Lucretia stood to the side, eyes glowing red and an unsettlingly wide smile on her face. One hand was stroking a dagger behind her back, while the other was kneading her right breast.

She purred, "Someone had fun in here. They even cleaned up after themselves! How cute."

While the woman was amused, Grinwald was instead frowning.

"Yes, they certainly did. If the reports are to be believed, I'm a tad impressed at how quickly it was done. Though admittedly a bit sloppy. Perhaps a magician of some sort? The marks in the soil don't make sense. Corpsefire? No, ..."

While Grinwald surveyed the scene and muttered to himself in thought, Lucretia instead felt her hands itching.

"Mm, I wanna go deeper. Let's go, let's go~" she cheered.

It was evident she enjoyed this part of their work far more than the travel arrangements.

Grinwald scowled, "Be still. I'm not done examining the flow of Mana for any remnants."

It was then that his eyes glowed with even greater brilliance, piercing through dark and shadow alike. The topsoil did little to hinder his gaze. Specks and strands of Mana were laid bare, each type cataloged in the man's mind.

A long moment passed. His face turned sour.

"If those fools had examined things more closely ... Bah!" 

The state of this corridor struck Grinwald as odd. He'd detected several wisps of Fire Mana still trapped within the walls. Not of the Corpsefire variety, surprisingly enough. This was more explosive in nature, like an offensive spell. He was at least content that the investigation hadn't dawdled any longer. As it stood now, there was still a chance to uncover information before it faded.

— Reverse Scry!

Grinwald chanted another Spell, looking even deeper still. His eyes turned completely white for a long moment. Then, a content smile crossed his face as the light receded.

"It seems, Lucretia, that this was likely done through physical means. I've noted no lingering Mana signatures other than some basic fire Spells, along with the usual clutter by lesser mages leading an investigation."

Upon concluding this statement, the demoness' grin only deepened.

"Isn't that even better, then?"

Her fantasies began to go wild. If it was done through physical means, that likely meant someone with much more robust skill and means had been present. Any mage worth their salt could use some Corpsefire, earthen magics, cleansing, or various other means to dispose of bodies and trails. For someone to do this without magic? She liked the idea of a more physical opponent.

Grinwald ran his hand along his beard, considering the scene before him.

"Perhaps, ... in a way, yes. It certainly paints a different picture. Let's proceed."

The two trailed deeper, Grinwald's eyes lighting up periodically as he examined the walls in more depth. They visited the altar that the reported kobold shamaness had been conducting a ritual. Grinwald examined it in length but had little precedent to work off.

He'd concluded it was an attempt at either a Binding-type or Contractual-type ritual designed to bargain with the Core. Where a ratty lizard had picked up such an idea became a subject of great debate in the man's mind. Evolved monsters periodically showed unusual thought or wisdom. They called such monsters 'deviants'.

The shamaness hadn't kept any record of experiments or journal notes, so the best he could do was conjecture based on the leylines, the ingredients present, second-hand information, and what he knew about the creatures.

After a few more missteps, the two wound up in an adjacent cave to the main hall. While initially unassuming, Grinwald's Magelight and piercing gaze soon found an abnormality within the cave dome. 

"There's an opening on the other side of this wall," he voiced, tapping his walking staff against the rock.

Lucretia's brow rose slightly, "Anything good on the other side? A few smelly, stashed away corpses, perhaps?"

"Doubtful. We shall see."

With a wave of his hand, the Mana in the air surged forth with purpose and instruction. Dust and some loose debris fell from the wall and ceiling as the dirt simply gave way. Seconds later, a small 'doorway' had been formed to allow for passage.

The cave was just as dark as the rest, though that was quickly remedied. A smile crept upon the old sage's face.

"This wasn't in the report. Quite a shame. It seems I'll have to educate a few upstarts when we return. Tsk tsk tsk."

It was Lucretia's turn to roll her eyes at the old man. His propensity for 'teaching' always had struck her as odd. Why waste time teaching when you could just level up further and seek immortality directly? Humans were curious creatures. Perhaps it was their lifespan that made them stupid, she mused.

Her misgivings aside, Lucretia's sight pierced through the darkness. There was a small pond within, which quickly struck her as noteworthy.

"Oohhh. Bit of magic in the waters. What see you, O' mighty sorcerer?"

She turned toward him with a wide grin and chuckle, waiting for the man to conclude his examination. It took a bit longer than she expected.

"There was a Mana Spring here. And ... weak traces of water, wind, healing and ice magics. Most unusual. Why is it so faint? Did someone leave, then shape the stone behind them? Yet there are no remnants of earthen or spatial magic."

He began muttering and murmuring ceaselessly, hand grasping his beard and making gestures repeatedly. Grinwald walked back and forth, far more confused than even his companion, who thought the man had perhaps finally gone senile.

After a while, they proceeded in further. Grinwald was still loosely grasping pieces of a rather peculiar puzzle, attempting to jam ill-fitting parts together.

When they got to the Core room, a similar investigation ensued. 

— Reverse Scry!

He'd initially been focused on the small recess in a stalagmite where the Dungeon Core had been crowned. The man walked around the room for a bit, making two full laps. His stare finally settled upon the edge of the room.

Relief flooded Grinwald's face.

Or rather, something similar to relief, which slowly twisted into excitement. Then it became a perversion of glee.

Lucretia had seen that look on Grinwald's face before, though it was quite uncommon. He didn't let that look appear on his face in front of many people. It was like a well-kept, revolting secret. She thought it even more dashing and handsome than his usual cold, stony gaze he employed on her so frequently. And certainly more than that gentle mask he used in public.

This look started to stir sadistic urges within her. Oh, how she wished she knew how to make him look at her like that.

Grinwald reached into his robe and pulled out a small satchel. Within the satchel was a small box. And within that small box, he reached far deeper inside it than the box's dimensions should normally allow.

He cooed, "Mmm, yes. Yes, that's right. I can hear you all quite clearly, so keep screaming ardently for me, won't you?"

The old man seemed to be conversing with a party who wasn't there. Most would think he'd gone senile, but Lucretia knew how lucid his golden-colored irises were in these moments.

A small, blue gem was fished out of the pouch. He eyed it for a long moment before seemingly satisfied. With a casual toss, he threw it to the ground before him. It landed near the edge of the room. And then he began chanting a Spell.

This wasn't a casual casting, or an expedited shortening using only the name, nor even a silent activation type Spell. Grinwald Osleus was focusing all his attention on every word and phrase.

And it showed.

The Mana within the air roiled, becoming visible to even the untrained eye. White beams of light were sucked into the blue gem, with murky specks of black accompanying their white counterparts. Viscous, 'wet' Mana continued to permeate the air. A shrill scream could nearly be heard within the cave walls, along with an odd skittering noise.

The latter noise died out in a flash. More Mana was sucked into the gem, then something multi-colored and tangible seemed to coalesce. It too was quickly sucked into the raging vortex. Perspiration beaded Grinwald's brow, but he remained locked onto the stone, leering at it with great intent.

And then, the shrill wail quieted down. The whipping Mana vortex stalled and vanished. All that remained was the Magelight still following the tip of the man's walking staff.

With a hurried pace, Grinwald reached down and snatched the gem off the ground. He held it to his face, rubbing it gently while cooing unintelligible words. His breath was labored from figuratively stretching his magical muscles, yet he was content.

Lucretia finally figured out what the man had done. It'd been a while since she'd seen such a thing.

"Found yourself a nice little toy, have you?" she asked with a smirk. 

A frenzied grin and nod was the response. By normal standards, it was quite a gross sight, seeing the sagely and noble Professor acting as such. Lucretia loved the view.

"It's perfect! This entire trip was worth it! I'd miss an entire month’s worth of lessons for such a thing!" 

Surprisingly high praise, Lucretia figured. She whistled.

"It almost turned into a Vengeful Revenant. Just a week longer, and I would've missed out. Ahh! Those imbeciles! Not a single Soul mage came with them? No wonder they couldn't figure anything out! Bahaha!" 

Grinwald continued stroking the small rock gleefully within his hand, whispering to it still. Long moments passed. Lucretia was having a hard time containing herself, so she finally spoke up.

"Well? What happened here? Tell me! Was it some high-level assassin or bounty hunter? A mage that might rival you in skill? A score of fighters of all varieties!? Don't leave me hanging here!"

By the end, Lucretia was panting and almost feverish. Like a bloodhound, she smelled a good trail.

Grinwald cackled madly, before finally turning toward her with a lopsided grin.

"None of those!" he laughed.

Her brow furrowed, "Then what!?"

With another mad grin, the man finally looked upward and relaxed, letting his hands fall to his side. After taking a long breath, he looked at the beautiful woman before him.

"I'm going to have to conduct some 'lessons'. It seems it hasn't broken completely yet, which is perfect. But can you believe the audacity of such a dreg? It dares tell me that of all things to kill such a delicious morsel as itself, it was a lowly Slime that did it and the Core in!? Ohh, I'm going to enjoy this one. So vibrant and rich! One of the best I've been allowed to collect so far! Such strong regret and desire! And in such a backward place!"

Halfway through his response, Lucretia felt it. Anxiety, excitement, and all manner of thoughts deflated with the speed of a ray of light. Her face froze, ruby eyes turning ashen and dull.

While Grinwald's raging excitement was still at its peak, her body had dried and shriveled like a Harvestine leaf.

She spoke in a steady tone, fury seeping into her voice.

"I'm sorry, but a Slime? That isn't funny, Grinwald. Explain. Now."

At the woman's cold reply, Grinwald only gave her a dazed smile and began rambling again.

"I'll need to fix it a bit. It keeps muttering the same thing, non-responsive. I need to return it to cognition. I require tools and materials, immediately! Just wait til I unravel all your secrets, you beautiful little thing! We're going to have a wonderful time! Bahahaha!"

Grinwald's face lit up, and a second later he'd disappeared. Lucretia stood there alone, in disbelief and long forgotten. She'd become an afterthought.

An eerily silent moment passed, as the veins in her face began to rise to the skin, turning her beautiful visage into a hellish portrait of wrath. Her fingers seemed to become claws—her muscles bulging beneath her dress as the red fire in her eyes turned into an inferno.

Moments later, it was whispered among the garrison outside that they felt the ground quake several times. Several even thought a great monster was attempting to rend the earth and air asunder. They dared not enter the cave—not with the screeches billowing forth. Some considered abandoning their post and fleeing south.

"I'LL RIP YOU INTO A THOUSAND PIECES AND EAT YOUR HEART, YOU FUCKING WORM!"

After that day, several craters and fissures could be found within the Core room. The entire place was nearly caved in and demolished.