Page 65 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
“Sir Otto,” I said, beckoning one of the young knights over.
“How can I help you, my lady?” He bowed.
“Have a seat.” I motioned to the chair opposite me. “I won’t bite,” I added when he hesitated.
Reluctantly, he drew out the chair and sat down.
I propped my chin up on my hands and looked at him expectantly. “Can you tell me about monsters?”
Chapter Fifteen
Monster Lessons
He coughed. “M-monsters?”
“Yes. My education differed from my brothers, so I didn’t learn about them. I didn’t need to as there wasn’t much need in the capital city, but it seems they’re quite a problem in Stein. I think it might be a good idea to brush up on my knowledge now that I’m here.”
“I’m sure the Grand Duke would be happy to tell you about them, my lady.”
I doubted that very much.
“But the Grand Duke isn’t here, Sir Otto,” I pointed out with a pout. “I can look in the library, but firsthand experiences are so much better. Have you been on an expedition yet?”
“I went on one during my training,” he replied, finally giving in. “A group of low-level blighthounds settled down in one of the new iron mines to the west of the castle and stopped the start of the excavation. Sir Hayes decided to use it as one of our tests, and we were dispatched to dispose of them all.”
“Low-level? Are there different strengths in each type of monster?”
“Not all. Blighthounds are one of the most common monsters we come across, and they have a hierarchy like wolves with an alpha, beta, and so on.”
“There are wolves here, too?”
“Yes, my lady. Blighthounds are cursed descendants of wolves, however they lack the loyalty to protect their weak. The low-level groups are weak blighthounds who have splintered off from their pack and banded together, so they’re perfect training for new knights.”
“Fascinating. Do they often venture this close to the city?”
“It’s very rare. Usually, the outlying towns and the villages in the mountains are the ones most at risk, and those close to the river and Lake Stein are most at risk from aquatic beasts.” He cleared his throat. “The mountain monsters are generally a lot stronger. A lot of the mountains are uninhabited, especially the section across the border in the Polaril Kingdom.”
“Do they not hunt them as Stein does?”
“No, my lady. Polaril is a frigid land with one large walled city. They prefer to focus on their easy trade routes rather than a tempestuous one through the mountains, so the beasts are often left to breed uncontrollably within their borders.”
“Which then causes a problem for Stein,” I summarised. “Presumably the monsters retreat south towards here to find food because it’s warmer.”
He nodded. “Exactly that. It’s worse in winter, and early spring is one of our busiest times as the impassable mountain tracks clear and they begin hunting to feed their pups.”
“How often must you dispatch a unit?”
“As I said, my lady, it depends on the time of year. During the warmest times, we can often send a unit out every couple of weeks. The expeditions take anywhere from a couple of days to over a month, depending on how far we must travel.”
“Does the Grand Duke always go?”
“No. His Highness leads the expeditions to locations with the most powerful monsters or those where there’s a greater number than usual.”
“What’s the case this time?”
He pressed his lips together. “A group of powerful wyverns have swarmed a small village in the mountains. Thankfully the snow had melted somewhat, so the residents were able to evacuate due to a well-timed warning. From what we’ve heard back from the unit, their village was destroyed before the knights arrived.”
“Did anyone die?”
