The mine field stretched endlessly before them, a chaotic landscape of raw stone and exposed veins that looked nothing like the neatly arranged warehouse they had just left.
Massive chunks of rock lay scattered across the ground, freshly torn from the energy stone vein by intelligent mining machines. Some stones were as tall as buildings, jagged edges glinting faintly with internal light, while others were small enough to fit in one hand, their surfaces dull and unassuming. Between them stood screening devices, cutting platforms, and sorting arms—all silent now after Levi had shut them down.
Energy stones of every imaginable shape littered the field. Some were elongated like pillars, others flattened and cracked, some riddled with impurities that dulled their glow. The raw stones hadn't yet been refined, their energy fluctuating wildly, depending on the density and purity hidden inside.
Normally, beastmen preferred energy stones that had already been cut into portable sizes. Wearing them as armbands, pendants, or embedded accessories ensured stable suppression of Hysteria. A few wealthy or cautious beastmen even placed large energy stone statues inside their residences, believing that sheer size offered greater safety.
But those statues almost never came from high-grade stones.
The larger an energy stone was, the more likely it was to be mixed with impurities—veins of ordinary minerals, fractured energy lines, unstable internal patterns. Truly pure, high-grade stones were rare and usually small. Middle- and low-grade stones, on the other hand, were easier to shape into grand structures, which was why high-quality statues were almost always carved from them.
Zeloria RT-01 also supplied the empire's gambling stone market.
Uncut stones were exported regularly, their interiors hidden beneath rough shells. Even with advanced scanners, machines could only detect whether energy existed inside—not its grade, purity, or compatibility. Buyers gambled on instinct, luck, and experience.
Levi drove the suspension car carefully through the uneven terrain, weaving between towering stone piles. The vehicle hovered just above the ground, its stabilizers compensating for the irregular surface.
Weiss stood behind him, gripping the scanner tightly.
Beep.
Scan.
Glance.
Shake head.
Again.
His eyes barely left the display as data streamed past—energy density, wavelength fluctuations, resonance feedback. Each time the scanner passed over a stone, Weiss subconsciously held his breath.
Nothing.
Not even a flicker.
The scanner remained stubbornly flat.
"This is ridiculous…" Weiss muttered under his breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Even raw stones should show some response."
Time passed and Soren held the little leopard's thick paws. He pressed them gently, coaxing the hidden claws out before letting them retract again. The soft pads were warm, and the faint vibration of her purr-like breathing traveled straight into his palm. The little beast didn't even spare him a glance. She was still hugging her low-grade energy stone, tail swaying lazily, completely immersed in her own satisfaction.
'Their commander was teasing the little beast again!'
Levi's hands trembled on the controls, and the suspension car swerved slightly, nearly scraping against a massive rough stone beside them. The intelligent correction system reacted instantly, stabilizing the vehicle with a low hum. Levi swallowed hard, his ears burning. If that system hadn't kicked in, he would have made a complete fool of himself right in front of the commander.
Soren didn't seem to notice. Or rather, he noticed—but didn't care. His attention was fixed on the small leopard curled against his arm, her eyes half-lidded and content.
Meanwhile, the scanner continued to sweep across endless piles of rough stones. Weiss had been staring at the fluctuating data for so long that the numbers seemed to blur together. His shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched. Doubt crept in—was it even possible for such a beast to exist? A beast whose energy stone requirements were so abnormal?
Then suddenly—
"Levi, stop!"
Weiss's voice cracked as he shouted.
Levi jolted, instinctively slamming the brakes. The suspension car lurched forward before coming to an abrupt halt. The parking key plunged straight down, carving a shallow pit into the gravel beneath them.
Levi quickly cleared his throat, straightened his posture, and tried to look composed. "D-Did you find it?"
Weiss nodded, eyes glued to the scanner as if afraid the signal might vanish the moment he looked away. He scanned the surrounding area again, then lifted his arm and pointed. "That one."
The little beast immediately perked up. She stood on Soren's arm, pressing her small paws against his chest for balance, and craned her neck to peer out the window. Her ears twitched forward, alert and focused in a way she hadn't been for any of the previous stones.
Outside the car lay an unremarkable piece of standard grey granite. Its surface was rough and uneven, dulled by years of exposure. Cracks ran across it like scars, and the edges were softened, clearly eroded by wind, dust, and time. It was the kind of stone that no one would spare a second glance.
Levi's expression darkened. He turned to Weiss, disbelief written all over his face. "Are you sure it's this one? This stone came from the central mining area. It's already been tested countless times. There was no reaction at all. Either there's nothing inside, or the energy stone was shattered so badly it's practically nonexistent. That's why it's been dumped here."
Soren didn't respond immediately. His gaze lowered to the little beast in his arms.
She was staring at the stone outside with an intensity that made Levi's scalp prickle. Her body leaned forward unconsciously, claws extending slightly as she pressed closer to the glass. A low, excited sound escaped her throat.
Weiss coughed softly, his confidence wavering under Levi's scrutiny. He hesitated before stepping forward and handing the scanner to Soren. "Sir… there is a reaction. It's extremely small, but it's there."
The display flickered faintly. The value was so low it was almost negligible, rising and falling in slow, timid pulses. If Weiss hadn't been watching the scanner without blinking, he would have missed it entirely.
Soren took the scanner and studied it carefully. The tiny number beat steadily, stubbornly refusing to disappear.
A smile tugged at his lips.
"As long as there's a reaction," he said calmly, "it means there's something inside."
Levi froze.
Even Weiss straightened slightly, surprised by the certainty in Soren's voice.
Soren's fingers absentmindedly brushed over the little leopard's head. She immediately leaned into his touch, eyes still fixed on the stone outside, her tail flicking with undisguised excitement.
"Even if it's small," Soren continued, "it's still an energy stone that resonates with her." His gaze sharpened. "And that alone makes it valuable."
If this stone truly contained an energy stone suitable for the little leopard, then it would become a critical sample. Its composition, structure, and resonance would all be carefully recorded. Future mining operations could be adjusted. Search parameters could be refined.
Levi had already stopped the suspension car and activated the nearby cutting equipment. Heavy mechanical arms unfolded with a low metallic hum, stabilizers pressing into the ground as the system calibrated itself. Fine dust swirled in the air as the machines awakened from standby.
The little leopard jumped down from Soren's arm with surprising agility. Her paws landed softly on the rough ground, and she immediately trotted toward the huge grey stone. She circled it once, then twice, nose close to the surface, whiskers twitching. Now and then she paused, tilting her head as if listening to something only she could hear. Her tail swayed slowly behind her, betraying a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.
Soren watched her closely, his expression unreadable.
Once the cutting machine was fully positioned, Soren extended a finger and beckoned. "Come."
The little leopard froze for a brief moment, glanced at the stone reluctantly, then padded back to him without hesitation. She stopped in front of his boots, lifted her head, and looked up expectantly.
Soren bent slightly and scooped her up with one arm, settling her against his chest. She instinctively adjusted her posture, curling her body and resting her chin on his forearm, eyes still fixed on the stone as if afraid it might disappear.
The master responsible for this area arrived after Levi's call. Seeing the massive waste stone that had been discarded here for years, he didn't ask many questions. Waste stones like this were common—stones that had been scanned repeatedly, judged worthless, and thrown aside to make space for more promising material.
He activated the equipment without complaint.
However, the moment he began preparing the operation, his movements slowed. His brows knit together as he checked the instruments again and again. Finally, he turned to Levi with a troubled look.
"This stone doesn't show any clear reaction," the master said cautiously. "Normally, we scan first, determine the energy node, then cut directly along the fixed point. But this one…" He hesitated. "There's nothing to guide the cut."
Levi rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling the pressure build. "Master, just… do it little by little."
If the energy stone truly existed, it was likely extremely small—perhaps no larger than a fingernail. Cutting too aggressively would risk destroying it completely. Slow polishing was the only choice, even if it meant turning most of the stone into dust.
It was so hard to find the right energy stone and perhaps it was tiny. It wasn't good to split it into two halves. The master nodded, started the polishing program on the equipment and began to rub the stone. The few meters high stone turned into dust little by little. The areas grinded down formed a pile on one side and soon there was only a one meter square unpolished place left but no energy stone appeared.
The master nodded in understanding. He adjusted the settings and switched to the polishing program.
The machine began to work.
A steady, grinding sound filled the air as layers of stone were gradually shaved away. Fine grey powder poured down like ash, accumulating in small piles at the base. The once-massive rock visibly shrank, its surface smoothing under the relentless polishing. Minutes turned into tens of minutes. The dust pile grew higher, and the original stone lost its towering presence.
The little leopard in Soren's arms became restless.
Her ears flicked back and forth, and her paws kneaded lightly against his sleeve. From time to time, she let out a low, anxious sound, eyes locked onto the diminishing stone. Soren tightened his hold slightly, his thumb brushing over the soft fur at the back of her neck.
Eventually, only a one-meter-square section of unpolished stone remained.
Still—nothing.
No glow.
No fluctuation.
No visible trace of an energy stone.
The master slowed the machine, then stopped it altogether. He stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow, his expression apologetic. "That's all that's left. If there's anything inside, it's either too small or already completely fragmented."
Weiss stared at the remains in silence. The scanner showed nothing but a flat line.
The doctor let out a quiet sigh, so soft it was almost swallowed by the hum of cooling machinery.
It seemed… this path wouldn't work.
If an energy stone truly couldn't be used to soothe the little leopard's Hysteria, then relying on conventional methods was pointless. Her condition wasn't following any known rules. Whether it was her physiology, her core structure, or something deeper—something fundamental—it all needed to be examined from the source.
Perhaps instead of searching for stones to match her, they should start by analyzing her body.