Chapter 155

After successfully concluding the defense of Frostmoor Fortress for about a month,

It took another month for us to handle the supplies needed for the fortress’s restoration and administrative tasks.

Once Arslin finished handling those details, we were finally able to return to the Caladborg Duchy.

Our journey back was a small group of knights accompanying just Arslin and me.

We rode in a carriage optimized not for marching but for comfort, escorted by a few knights.

Considering our skills, it was a questionable setup who was actually protecting whom, but protocol is what it is.

Elshimer and Katarina, who should have been guarding us, had already led the knights back to the territory due to the busy aftermath.

This made our return trip simpler.

Though we didn’t need to keep soldiers stationed unnecessarily, given the situation had calmed down, Arslin’s and my return wasn’t immediate.

A week of leisurely travel was necessary to get back to the duchy due to safety concerns, which Elshimer and Katarina insisted on taking responsibility for.

In the end, despite their stubbornness, they had little reason to worry. With the barbarians and demons unable to cross the mountains, no one would dare attack us.

Arslin and I eventually returned, and soon after, my father-in-law and mother-in-law came to Sylvantrium to rescue Arslin and briefly met with her before returning to the capital.

With the Royal Knights, they had returned earlier, and after a brief rest, they expected us to come down to the capital.

Despite their courteous expectations, we only managed to return to the fortress days later.

There was some disappointment in not getting the rest we wanted in the duchy, but the journey back was somewhat comforting.

Unlike the hurried march to the fortress, the return trip allowed us to relax in a luxurious carriage, watching the snow fall.

And there was something else that added to my comfort.

“…Hmm.”

I was watching over Arslin, who had fallen into a deep sleep, leaning against me. She was exhausted from her duties, and it felt almost like a reward to take care of her.

Even watching the snow pile up outside the window was refreshing, but nothing filled my heart as much as Arslin’s peaceful breathing.

Though we arrived slightly earlier than expected, I figured having Arslin by my side would make the journey anything but boring.

As we returned home, thoughts of the events filled my mind, rising and falling in calm reflection.

The two months at Frostmoor Fortress had been a mix of significant success and a bittersweet ending.

The barbarians, emboldened by Dominion, had challenged the fortress after choosing a frontal assault in the northern mountains.

Despite the fierce battle fought with minimal supplies and water, the sudden appearance of Dominion, who inflicted deep wounds on me and kidnapped Arslin, added chaos.

The urgency of the situation escalated when his plans surfaced, making the defense even more frantic.

The threat reached beyond the borders, becoming a matter of national security.

Even though Dominion was an ancient deity, nearly mythical, the effort to bring him here and harm me was a major failure.

Still, with the help of allies and unexpected aid, we managed a considerable victory, though it wasn’t perfect.

The silence of the two swords at my waist and the one at Arslin’s added significantly to our success.

This wasn’t just my accomplishment; it was a collective effort.

While I relished the success, I couldn’t ignore the lingering regret.

“…”

Listening to Arslin’s steady breaths, I pondered the minor failures that followed our success.

Dominion’s whereabouts remained unclear, a significant failure despite the overall success.

Even though days had passed since my unconsciousness, and every possible means had been used to find him, his trail was still undiscovered.

Every possible action had been taken.

Searching the barbarian camp one last time before it was fully dismantled, using experienced rangers to track his escape route, and questioning captured barbarians did not yield any leads.

Dominion vanished like mist before my eyes.

Though I planned to question him about his reasons, his absence left me feeling empty.

Similarly, the mountain elder, who fled after being injured, had to abandon pursuit due to similar reasons.

Though we had thwarted the evil deity, failing to capture the main instigators was a half-victory.

…This was my personal perspective.

Despite the failure to capture them, the success in eliminating the deity was a significant achievement.

Even so, I worried about facing Claudia when I returned, knowing I had let the culprits go.

But this concern was short-lived.

Back at the duke’s residence, things happened immediately after our return.

From the moment we entered the carriage, the atmosphere was strange.

Arslin had informed the servants beforehand that a grand welcome wasn’t necessary, but their stiff demeanor indicated something unusual.

When I saw the first servant, their formal greeting confirmed my suspicions.

A special envoy had arrived.

Even with advanced communication spells, the formality of delivering the emperor’s message required a special envoy to instill respect and tension among the servants.

It seemed they had arrived just before us, perhaps calculated by Claudia to know our return timing.

Given the emperor’s power, organizing such information was common.

By the time we left, Arslin’s safe return would have been known to Claudia.

Thus, it was likely this envoy was sent around the same time we left.

The envoy, who addressed Arslin familiarly, seemed more than just a pompous noble.

He spoke with familiarity, suggesting he knew Arslin well.

Despite his slight build, he exuded a solid presence, hinting at his martial prowess.

…Could it be?

“Greetings, Alkaid.”

Hearing Arslin address him formally, I realized who he was.

Alkaid, Alkaid Nodium.

The patriarch of the Nodium barony, closely related to the royal family, and once one of the strongest warriors in the empire.

Though his fame had waned, he was still a formidable figure.

…Even so, it was puzzling why the emperor would send such a prominent figure as a mere envoy.

“Ah, Claudia kept nagging, so here I am. You probably guessed why I’m here, so let’s just pretend to receive the edict,”

Watching him interact casually with Arslin, it seemed he enjoyed the emperor’s tasks during his retirement.

…Quite the opposite of Dominion.

-So, you need to be careful with him.

Podium’s comment added a mysterious edge to the situation.