NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 105: Of Revelations Unveiled and Fortunes Told
Ever since arriving in the realm of Grimoire, Regalo's days had been filled with continuous surprises.
During his time as a vice captain in the Spade Territory's Mage Corps, Regalo often found himself suffocated by the monotony of his duties and the stagnation of his life. He had clear memories of slacking off, taking each day as it came without much effort. After all, the days passed by easily enough, even in laziness.
But here in Grimoire—boredom was as distant as the stars in the night sky.
So distant it was unattainable.
“Still, Regalo, you held a decent position among the humans, didn't you? What made you decide to become Euphemia’s subordinate?”
During a break in their work, as he watched the workers assembling the steel framework, Biante, the site supervisor, casually posed the question.
Biante Grimoire was among the oldest of the demons following Euphemia—known as the Grimoire. Yet, her appearance suggested someone in their mid-twenties among humans, and like Maya, the spear-wielder, her features were quite striking.
The name "Grimoire" had an air of mystery. They had been commanded to assault the Escard Territory, and amid that desperate battle, those who wished to flee had been swayed by Euphemia and chose to follow her. Eventually, they found enjoyment in accompanying her.
“Well, it was mostly just the way things turned out. That so-called ‘decent position’ among humans wasn't anything important to me,” Regalo replied.
As a vice captain in the Spade Territory's Mage Corps, Regalo felt he had hit a dead end. Now, he could see that place was nothing but a deadlock for him.
Above him were irksome nobles and superiors; below him, noble soldiers who despised him and fellow mages who, like him, had clawed their way up from the bottom. To the side, the knight corps coexisted. Regalo had no family or anyone close enough to be considered kin.
“All I had to protect was my own life. I was swept along by the current to end up in such a place. Now, I feel the same way about being here. Biante, I'm not as noble as you.”
“Noble?” Biante raised an eyebrow.
“You wanted to protect the young ones who fled because they didn't want to die. Otherwise, you could've charged into Escard with the others.”
Regalo laughed cheekily, earning a scowl from Biante. But he wasn't far off.
It's not that they weren't enjoying the present. Biante seemed quite pleased with the current situation. Giving directions and taking care of the Grimoire members and beastmen, she appeared very much in her element.
Truthfully, Regalo was enjoying himself too.
The fortress was being built with an almost ridiculous speed. If he had used the same number of people in the Mage Corps, they wouldn't have achieved even a quarter of this progress.
Massive building materials were carried manually by the boar beastmen. They dug up the ground with custom-made shovels, creating holes for the foundation concrete in no time.
Proper instructions were crucial for these tasks, and without the apt management from Biante and Regalo, the immense labor power of the orcs and boar orcs would've been wasted.
Additionally, the leader of the boar beastmen, Zonda Pauga, followed Biante and Regalo's directions faithfully. They understood and respected each other's roles. Regalo found this work environment remarkably pleasant.
But this wasn't because Regalo and Biante were exceptionally capable.
Zonda Pauga and the other workers followed their commands because Euphemia Grimwood had ordered them to.
Otherwise, things wouldn't be going so smoothly.
Under Euphemia’s radiant guidance, everyone was moving forward, captivated by progress itself. Petty quarrels, unnecessary misunderstandings, and avoidable conflicts seemed absurd.
Because it was fun.
They were making such strides forward.
“What is that little girl aiming for?”
Biante's sigh was ambiguous, a mix of exasperation and curiosity. Regalo felt a strange warmth blossoming in his chest at the sight of her worried expression. The demoness’s lavender skin seemed almost ominously like blood choked from strangulation. A demon’s strength was such that they could crush a human's face with a single punch.
He knew this.
They were different from him.
Yet—he could empathize.
He could indeed empathize.
Where was this human girl leading them?
Why didn’t she reveal her intentions?
The answer was simple.
Because Euphemia Grimwood herself didn’t know.
On reflection, it was an incredible situation, Regalo mused.
A seemingly nonsensical group of humans, demons, and beastmen, amassing military power at an astonishing rate without any clear purpose or intent.
And yet, it was immensely enjoyable.
It was absurd.
“I don't know what that girl wants to achieve, but it isn't boring, and it isn't unpleasant. Probably not evil, either.”
With a nonchalant huff, Regalo plastered a smile on his face. Biante shrugged lightly in response.
“And that’s what makes it dangerous. I have a feeling that soon, we might be willing to gladly lay down our lives for that girl. We ran away from the idea of ‘dying for a cause’ after all.”
She was right.
Regalo himself had escaped the situation where obedience meant death. Such a thing was naturally to be avoided. He had nothing worth risking his life to protect.
Even now, that was the case.
At least, it should be.
"If it comes to that, it wouldn't feel too bad... and that's the worst part."
Regalo laughed. The fact that he could laugh about it was truly insidious.
The vague sense of foreboding he felt did not, of course, affect their work progress. As leaders, Regalo and Biante had a lot to manage.
They needed to keep track of the construction materials and food supplies, decide whether to allocate personnel to transport or construction tasks, and provide detailed instructions for the fortress construction itself. Most importantly, Euphemia had strictly ordered that all personnel get adequate rest and nutrition.
The workers enjoyed their work so much that they would continue indefinitely if left alone. One of Regalo's duties was to monitor progress and ensure that breaks were taken at the right times.
As the sun reached its zenith, he cast his spell into the air, creating a loud noise. Two consecutive blasts signaled a break.
"Alright, take a meal break when you reach a good stopping point!" he shouted. Though his voice might not reach the workers on the outer walls, the sound of the blasts and his presence were enough to get their attention. They too were under Euphemia's strict orders.
After a round of inspection to ensure that all workers except those engaged in critical tasks had taken their break, Regalo headed inside the fortress.
"Ah, Regalo! Great job today. Everyone is following your and Biante’s instructions so well. It's amazing," said Meralva, a taurus beastwoman with an easygoing laugh. She had somehow become the head of the kitchen, a role no one seemed to mind. Regalo included.
Back in Spade Territory, he had never experienced such cheerful interactions, not even with merchant women. Every time he encountered Meralva, he felt a bit off-balance.
"No, the credit goes to Euphemia for commanding them to follow my orders... I'm just doing what I'm told," Regalo replied modestly.
"Is that humility? Not everyone could do what you do. Now, eat up and make sure you get some rest yourself," she insisted, pressing a bowl of food into his hands.
He moved to the edge of the dining area, where Astra Ignia, a lizard beastman, and Carozza Grimoire, a mage from Grimoire, were eating in silence. Despite the lack of conversation, they didn’t seem awkward.
"Hey, how's it going?" Regalo asked casually, sitting nearby. Astra gave a slight nod, while Carozza let out a peculiar squeak before flashing a grim smile.
"R-R-R-Regalo! What brings you here? Fuhihi... Are we running low on water or something?" she asked, trying to appear friendly but coming off as groveling. In the Mage Corps of Spade Territory, she would have faced a harsh fate, but here, she was tolerated.
There might be those who disliked Carozza’s personality, but anyone acting on that dislike would likely find themselves at odds with someone who found such discrimination intolerable. Earning Euphemia Grimwood’s disfavor would mean losing their place here. Though she wouldn't expel them, someone like Katarina, who was devoted to Euphemia, might not react kindly.
"No, we're good for now. If we run low, Meralva will let us know. I just wanted to check in," Regalo assured.
"Fuhihi... Well, I'm... doing okay, I guess? Using lots of magic, so I'm a bit tired, but my spells are working fine... fuhihi!"
Most of the Grimoire members excelled in direct combat, but Carozza was an exception, lacking combat skills. Instead, she wielded all four elemental magics—a rare feat among all races.
She had located the underground water source with her water magic, lit the stoves with her fire magic, and refilled the water in the cauldrons with magic, sparing them the need to draw it manually.
"That's great. Like Zonda Pauga, the more you use your magic, the more skilled you'll become. This environment might be perfect for you," Regalo noted.
"Maybe... I never used much magic before, and I’m not very good at it... but here, I feel like I can do something," Carozza admitted with a small, genuine smile.
Regalo considered this as he ate his meat and vegetable stew. Even someone like Carozza, who likely stayed in the shadows, was stepping cautiously into the light here. She didn’t seem to mind. This reaffirmed the concern he shared with Biante.
But was it so bad? If living for Euphemia Grimwood, even dying for her, brought such fulfillment, was that so terrible? Regalo had no answer.
Brushing aside his inner concerns, he continued chatting with Carozza about magic as they ate.
Suddenly, someone burst into the dining area, shouting, "Hey! We’ve got trouble! A lion beastman girl is here! Says she’s Lord Randall’s daughter! Can anyone handle this?"