Re:Crafting in Another World
Chapter 134: Shennong’s crew

Chapter 134: Shennong’s crew

The room was silent, save for the soft, rhythmic breathing of the man lying on the bed.

Sir Juno.

Once hailed as the proud knight of Sturgon, a man both feared and respected, now reduced to this—motionless, broken, and surrounded by uncertainty. His normally sharp expression was dulled in his sleep, a faint line of pain etched across his features even in unconsciousness.

Sitting quietly beside the bed were two figures—Daniel and his younger sister, Elaine. They both wore somber expressions, and neither had spoken for a while. The sun filtering through the curtains cast a pale light across the room, but even that felt duller than usual.

"There’s no way..." Daniel finally whispered, his hands clenched tightly on his lap. "There’s no way Sir Juno would betray us... betray Sturgon. I don’t believe it."

Elaine, sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, gave a small nod. "He always protected us. Always. He was more like a father than..." Her voice trailed off, hesitant.

Daniel didn’t press. They both knew who she meant.

The door creaked, and both siblings turned.

Their mother entered the room, tall and graceful in a noblewoman’s violet dress, a silk fan delicately covering the lower half of her face. The Duchess of House Marciel.

"You’re both here again," she said in her usual cold voice. Her eyes—sharp and unreadable—swept over Juno’s body before settling on her children.

"Mother," Daniel said with a stiff nod.

Elaine said nothing.

The Duchess moved slowly, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. "It’s all anyone in the council is talking about, you know. Sir Juno, the shining knight of Sturgon... being accused of orchestrating the very disaster that has left half the kingdom in ruins."

Daniel’s expression hardened. "Those are just rumors."

His mother tilted her head. "Rumors have power, Daniel. Especially when even the King refuses to speak the full truth. He’s hiding something—clearly. And what else could it be, other than the knight who disappeared the moment the monsters began their rampage?"

"He didn’t run," Daniel said firmly. "Uncle Juno never runs."

"I’ve always said there was something off about him," she continued, ignoring the protest. "So calm, so quiet, always watching. I felt it the first day I met him. There was danger in that man, and now it seems I was right."

Elaine frowned, her voice small. "You never liked him because he didn’t flatter you like the other nobles do."

The Duchess paused, then gave a soft chuckle behind her fan. "Perhaps. But flattery aside, danger is still danger. And now the kingdom is paying for it."

Silence fell again. The Duchess turned her gaze to Daniel, her eyes narrowing just slightly.

"How are things with the Princess? Maria, was it?"

Daniel blinked. "That’s... not really progressing, mother."

"No?" Her voice carried a hint of irritation.

"The academy hasn’t reopened after the dungeon breaches," Daniel explained, standing up. "And the Princess hasn’t been allowed to meet anyone outside her direct guard. The Empire’s getting involved. They’re keeping her under heavy watch. Even sons of dukes like me aren’t allowed close."

The Duchess clicked her tongue. "Tch. They’re moving faster than expected. The Empire’s hand is tightening. If they take her back... it will be the end of our influence in this affair."

"I know," Daniel said with a sigh. "It’s sad. And regretful. I thought maybe... just maybe we’d have more time."

His mother turned sharply. "Time is not something we can afford, my son. The Sturgon Kingdom is on the verge of collapse. The council is divided, the people are panicking, and the monsters are no longer hiding in the dark. The Dark Age everyone feared is knocking at our gates. If we do not act soon, we will be swept away."

Her words were cold and precise, like the edge of a blade.

And with that, she turned and left the room, her footsteps fading into the hall, leaving only the soft creak of the closing door behind her.

For a moment, the room was silent once more.

Elaine looked over at her brother. "Are you okay, brother?"

Daniel didn’t answer at first. He just stood there, staring at the unconscious figure of his uncle. His jaw was clenched.

"I’m fine," he said at last.

Elaine stood up beside him, but he gently reached out and patted her head.

"She doesn’t understand him," he muttered, more to himself than her. "None of them do. Not the council, not mother... not even the King, maybe."

He stepped forward, looking down at Juno.

The knight’s face was pale. There were faint scars along his jawline now, and even in sleep, there was tension in his body. As though some nightmare clung to him, keeping him trapped in invisible chains.

Daniel clenched his fists again.

"You were the one who taught me what justice really meant, uncle," he said softly. "You told me to never believe in titles, or ranks, but in the hearts of people. You told me not to follow power... but to follow truth."

He took a deep breath, then looked at Elaine with determination in his eyes.

"I don’t care what the nobles say. I don’t care what mother says, or the council, or even the King. I will find out the truth."

Elaine’s eyes widened slightly.

"I will prove your innocence, uncle," Daniel continued, his voice stronger now. "I’ll go to the bottom of this mess. I don’t know how yet... but I will."

He turned, cape rustling behind him, and walked toward the door.

"Brother..." Elaine’s voice stopped him.

He turned slightly.

"You’ll be careful, right?" she asked.

Daniel gave her a reassuring smile. "Always."

And with that, he stepped out of the room, the door gently clicking shut behind him.

Back in the room, Elaine sat down again next to Juno’s bed. She reached out and gently held her uncle’s hand.

"You’re not alone, uncle," she whispered. "Even if the world turns against you... we’re still here."

Outside the window, a cold wind stirred the trees.

***

Mandira stood in the corner of the room, clutching her head with both hands, her brows twitching with frustration.

"What was I thinking..." she muttered to herself. "Why... why did I ever get involved with this man?"

The scene before her looked like something straight out of a forbidden tale.

Two succubi—dressed a little too suggestively for Mandira’s liking—stood by the wall, casting wary glances at her. An orc woman with a massive axe leaned against a chair, arms crossed, expression stoic. On the bed, an injured, older succubus was resting, wrapped in bandages and groaning faintly in pain.

And then—there was her.

A girl Mandira never expected to see again.

A girl she had thought was dead.

The girl was sweating profusely, shifting her gaze between everyone in the room, especially avoiding Mandira’s piercing stare.

Mandira turned slowly, like a volcano about to erupt, toward the one responsible for this chaos.

"Shennong..." she said with forced calm. "Are you CRAZY!?"

Shennong blinked, completely baffled. "What? What did I do now?"

She pointed at the group, particularly at the succubi and the orc, as if her finger could pierce through the madness. "This. This! What even is this?!"

Shennong followed her gaze and frowned slightly. "Wait, are you talking about them?"

He gestured to the succubi. "Mandira, please believe me. They’re not bad. They haven’t hurt any humans. In fact, they’ve been helping in the dungeon. One of them even made tea earlier."

Rilith gave a shy wave. "It had honey and mint,human mage woman." she offered.

"Not helping!" Mandira barked, and the succubus quickly backed into the wall again.

Cassandra, who had been standing by the window this whole time, stepped forward hesitantly.

"Mandira, it’s not what it looks like..." she began nervously.

"Oh, I know exactly what it looks like," Mandira snapped. "And it looks like every kind of political disaster in one room."

Cassandra lowered her gaze. "I already explained... about what happened after I left the court. About how I found peace here... how I found a new purpose with Shennong."

Mandira’s glare softened just slightly.

Yes, as the Archmage of Sturgon, she was supposed to remain neutral, a voice of logic and order in times of chaos. But as a woman... as a friend... she couldn’t deny she understood Cassandra’s heart.

Still, none of that prepared her for what happened next.

"It’s not them I’m furious about," Mandira growled. "It’s her."

She extended her hand with all the judgment of a divine verdict—pointing straight at the girl hiding behind a thick book, only her flushed cheeks and eyes visible.

Everyone turned toward the girl.

"Romina," Mandira said with a glare that could shatter stone. "What is my niece doing here?"

Romina slowly lowered the book, revealing a sheepish smile and bright red ears.

"Haha... that’s not me," she said, her voice too high-pitched to sound convincing. "I’m just a girl. A totally normal girl."

Silence.

Dead silence.

The succubi exchanged glances.

The orc woman raised an eyebrow.

Cassandra bit her lip, realizing how did she miss this important detail.

Even Shennong stared blankly, trying to process what he just heard.