“Phew…”

Looking for a place open since morning, I decided on a semi-private restaurant where each table was separated by curtains.

Since we had breakfast coming up later, we kept our order modest, choosing one dish to share among the three of us.

“This is relaxing…”

The Marquis’s mansion had incredibly spacious rooms, and every piece of bedding used was top-class.

The bed was so soft that it left an imprint when pressed with a finger, the comforter was so fluffy it barely felt like it was there, and the pillow had such low resilience that my head felt like it was sinking into the ground. Even the side lamp had an adjustable brightness feature.

But perhaps because I was born just a simple farmer, being surrounded by such luxury had the opposite effect—I couldn’t sleep well. My sleep was light.

When I return to Akoup, I hope I can once again rest peacefully on that familiar, well-worn futon.

A place where I didn’t have to worry about prying eyes, where I could finally spend time isolated from the world, just for myself.

Surely, everyone needs a place like this, where they can be free from the gaze of others.

Letting out a slow breath, I took a sip of warm tea, moistening my lips.

The white curtain in front of me, separating the booth, was a blessing—it allowed me to shed the identity of a Griffin Rider and simply be a boy.

As I sat there, the whirlwind of recent events flickered through my mind, one after another.

“The Demon King's Ten Fingers, huh…”

Suddenly appearing, the high-ranking officers of the Demon King's army, calling themselves the Ten Fingers, launched an invasion of the human world.

The one known as the First Left Finger—Gavarius—was killed by that young-looking monster.

If I remember correctly, his name was… Quattro.

The pressure I felt from him was far beyond anything ordinary.

The Right Fingers, who supposedly hadn’t changed in a long time.

Thinking that there were still five others like him… It was already making me uneasy.

According to what I heard from Icicle, unlike the Left Fingers, the Right Fingers had little interest in the human world.

They likely had little to do with this invasion.

But if that was the case, why did he bother coming to that battlefield?

“What even are heroes and demon kings in the first place?”

There was a time when Rey confessed to me that he was a hero.

There are many legends of heroes.

Each one of them accomplished great deeds and is remembered as a savior of humanity.

Among their feats, many included the defeat of a Demon King.

The existence that stands in opposition to a hero is the Demon King.

If a hero is the champion of humanity, then a Demon King is the ruler of monsters.

They are said to lead the monsters in an invasion of the human world, seeking to eradicate mankind.

But how much of that story is actually true?

If their true goal was to wipe us out, then why hasn’t the Demon King himself appeared?

Why hasn’t he sent his closest subordinates, the Right Fingers, to the front lines?

It just doesn’t make sense.

We will likely be unable to avoid facing off against the Ten Fingers in the future.

And if that’s the case, then I need to learn more about the Demon King and monsters.

(Come to think of it, that person… is in the royal capital right now, isn’t he?)

Since we were planning to stay in the capital for a while longer, it might be a good idea to visit that person—Jennifer—and hear what he has to say.

There’s no one I know who’s more knowledgeable about monsters than him.

So, when I tried setting up an appointment, Jennifer—who should have been swamped with work—ended up offering to come see me instead.

We had often missed each other due to circumstances, so it felt like it had been a long time since we last met.

Feeling a little excited, I found myself looking forward to reuniting with that ever-curious monster scholar once again—