Chapter 113

The countship’s road could not be said to be well-maintained, even as a mere compliment.

The carts rattled endlessly, progressing through a spring wilderness that felt like winter.

“Bring out the carts!”

“I’ll offer grain in exchange for my life!”

From all sides, bandit gangs were closing in.

“Each grain will become the blood and flesh of the northern people!”

Duke Seberik of the North showed why he was a Sword Master.

Lady Tenitia was so absorbed in the fight that she stared slack-jawed as he wielded his sword.

“Indeed, our duke is far more impressive.”

Lysena felt a surge of pride observing this but quickly grew gloomy when encountering another type of bandit.

“My lord. My wife and children have been starving for three days.”

“My lord, please.”

“My lord. Please, just a handful.”

The more they shared, the less remained for the northern people.

Showing mercy to them breeds evil.

But why would mercy breed evil?

It sounds like wordplay, but doctrinally, it was a problem that even Saint Matheos once grappled with.

Seberik could not comprehend how goodwill meeting goodwill could yield bad results.

Had he sent only his knights, they would have driven the itinerant people away and marched on.

Had he brought more of his administrative officers, they would have calculated the needs and likely shared a sack of grain.

Today, standing beside Duke Seberik of the North was not one of his knights or administrative officers but Conqueror Duke Valencianus.

“If you don’t want to be whipped, get out of the way!”

In that harsh situation where mercy bred evil, he responded by withholding it.

He realized he was unlike Saint Matheos, who had lost his miracles, and different from the tormented Seberik.

Even as he gritted his teeth and shouted, the tightness of his fist and trembling told the world he too was engulfed in severe anguish.

Yet, he was someone who could choose not to show mercy.

“He’s dangerous because he’s capable.”

Lysena finally judged what kind of person Valencianus was and resolved how to deal with him.

Whether he cried or laughed, he was ultimately a man who took action.

She had to either befriend that ruthless and powerful force for the North or eliminate him.

He was someone who could not be made an enemy.

Whether or not he realized her thoughts, Valencianus and Seberik were laughing together, sitting atop a large barrel of flour in the cart’s cargo area.

It was not surprising that Seberik, who had rolled in the mud with soldiers at the frontlines, didn’t mind the state of his surroundings.

However, it was unexpected that Valencianus, who wouldn’t sit unless there was fur or velvet beneath him, would display such a simple appearance.

Dressed in a white uniform meant for dancing with well-dressed ladies at a grand ball, he was sitting askew on a rough wooden barrel, grinning.

“There are many mines in the North that were developed by dwarves in the past. They’re deep, rich in yield, and useful in many ways, but we can’t properly exploit them due to a lack of manpower.”

“I’ll report to the emperor and have all the itinerant people from the Central and Southern regions sent to the North. Once funds are allocated and canal works begin, all the itinerant people in the North will find jobs.”

“I’m grateful.”

“In return, please make a clear statement to the other lords between the Central and Northern regions. If they don’t know they were called by the duke, they’ll likely detain or drive them away in their territories.”

That felt like a rebuke of Seberik’s soft demeanor.

Seberik seemed to realize the intent behind it and smiled bitterly.

“I showed a softer side for a duke of the North. I will do what I must. However, there are too many things I ‘don’t need to do’ when I’m away from the battlefield.”

Valencianus shook his head.

In Lysena’s eyes, he seemed to wish that Seberik wouldn’t suffer losses.

“Meeting with other nobles is like going to war. Even with your eyes wide open, they’ll cut off your nose.”

“I believe they too recognize favor.”

“People who need to see each other often keep manners and loyalty. But the other lords between the Central and North are different. There’s hardly any reason to meet again, so they make ridiculous demands like requiring a 10% toll.”

“Hahaha.”

Valencianus emptied his cup and spoke.

“You are… too strong.”

“Eh?”

“Too strong, possessing much, with your goals so close… You feel relaxed and are trying to catch your breath. That is the most dangerous time. Since you’ve never experienced relaxation, you don’t realize how much of it you can give, and it spills over.”

It was a strangely insightful remark.

Lysena bit her lip upon hearing that.

It aligned perfectly with her earlier thoughts.

Seberik illuminated his gray eyes and said, “I will gladly accept that advice, duke.”

Lysena pondered whether she should smile at the two or not.

Their mutual smiles, knowing they would someday meet again, appeared noble.

* * *

Somehow, it was a night when sleep would not come.

I sat by the campfire and conversed with Lady Tenitia.

“Lady Tenitia, are you not facing any difficulties?”

She replied with a confident smile on that noble face.

“It’s a bit tough to be sitting all day.”

“Essentially, it’s you and a few knights guarding this massive procession, right?”

“I regret that I can’t ensure the lord doesn’t say anything reckless, but it’s not problematic.”

“What do you think of Duke Seberik’s swordsmanship?”

Lady Tenitia’s red eyes sparkled.

It seemed she had consulted Sererassie about magic.

“Perfect.”

“How does he compare with Her Majesty Jeilliris?”

“If Her Majesty Jeilliris is a genius who is versatile and unpredictable, then Duke Seberik is a genius who is orthodox and cannot be blocked even when known. There seems to be much more to learn from Duke Seberik.”

I understood what she meant.

Jeilliris had not learned magic or swordsmanship systematically.

Before my return, whenever I tried to teach Jeilliris anything, I heard many times, “Why can’t you do this?”

“You’re quite honest.”

“You are honest too, my lord. You just don’t speak the whole truth.”

I shrugged and said, “What can I do? Without the hidden secrets of the blade and surprising elements, I wouldn’t dare to harm this harsh world.”

“Do you think once you become a Sword Master, you’ll turn into a person with a character like Duke Seberik?”

“I won’t know until I try. For now, I think not.”

Lady Tenitia smiled sadly.

“Are you saying you won’t be able to be honorable even if you are reborn?”

I knew I couldn’t be honorable even if I turned back time.

“I believe being honorable is a matter of the heart, not of strength.”

Lady Tenitia looked at me as if questioning how I could say something so cool.

Taking advantage of the gap, I quickly tried to excuse myself.

“For instance, in situations like at Ilgor’s mansion, where there’s no time and the pressure is urgent, there’s no option but to resort to ambush and threats.”

She nodded.

“You fought openly without taking hostages, didn’t you? I am satisfied with that.”

… I wondered how low my moral standards had become.

“I actually did consider taking hostages. However, hostage situations are more ineffective than one might think. You might resolve things with threats of killing a hostage, but the moment you actually kill one, I’m doomed too.”

Lady Tenitia narrowed her eyes.

“Not long ago, you said inefficacy is the very way to evoke emotion, didn’t you?”

“What can I gain from inciting anger in a negotiation situation? I too have things I need to obtain, which is why I stepped forward.”

“Then were you satisfied with the dialogue after fighting Kelpi?”

“It was rather a conversation after fighting against numerics. It wasn’t anything grand. In the end, we just confirmed that we wanted to trust the empty words we exchanged.”

As a duke, I hoped our parallel lines would not collide and that we could maintain friendship as humans.

“Oh, speaking of which, I should mention this. I’ve delayed saying it because of the circumstances, but I want to assure you.”

I said confidently, “It was certainly not a coincidence that Kelpi targeted you.”

Lady Tenitia nodded.

“I believe so. I had not heard of such a large and powerful Kelpi before.”

Although it was said to be an evil spirit, it seemed like it only preyed on children.

The very idea that it could match up against a Sword Master or a Sword Expert was absurd.

“Perhaps it was a monster enhanced by some kind of sorcery or ancient power.”

“It aimed for you… What did it expect to gain by targeting you?”

“Ultimately, wouldn’t it be a prelude to aiming for the lord?”

I momentarily closed my eyes, then opened them.

If I were to die here…?

“My lady, if I were to die here, who would be the first suspect?”

Lady Tenitia replied, clinking her armor.

“Of course, it would be Duke Seberik, wouldn’t it?”

“The relations between the North and the Imperial Court would shatter.”

I felt a deep sense of crisis.

I let out a low guttural sound and sprang to my feet.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Shapes with blue eyes were approaching from the horizon.

“I understand now why I couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t just my imagination.”

“Yes. It felt off.”

Unlike the infiltrators I had encountered so far, this one held a human form.

Judging by the absence of the aura of the ancients, it seemed to be a monster rather than an alien being.

“The distance is strange,” I muttered.

The problem was that their height was similar to the trees standing beside me.

* * *

The night’s silence shattered.

The horses neighed, the coachmen screamed, and the wheels of the carts creaked loudly.

“Uaaaah!”

“Run away!”

“We need to depart quickly!”

“Damn it! The wheel!”

Leaving the confused coachmen behind, five figures moved toward the rear of the procession.

Lysena narrowed her eyes, watching them.

“It’s a group of giants. Based on the blue glow, they don’t seem alive, but rather, it looks like they have risen from the dead. There are exactly thirteen of them. The tallest is about 16 meters, and the shortest is around 3 meters. There’s a significant deviation.”

Rudi noticed that their bodies were riddled with wounds and spoke.

“Sir, everyone has many injuries. Why is that? There’s even a giant with exposed ribs.”

“Can you see that? No, actually…”

‘It wouldn’t be strange for a top assassin to possess some unusual ability.’

Lysena calmed her panic and analyzed the new information.

“If they are heavily injured, they might be survivors from a subjugation operation. They avoided capture, but in the end, they couldn’t overcome their wounds and died. That’s a happy occurrence. I can kill them twice.”

Valencianus, Tenitia, and Seberik nodded and drew their swords.

“Duke Seberik.”

Valencianus mentioned the possibility of infiltrators among their group, and Seberik nodded.

“In that case, we need to deal with them quickly and join up ahead.”

“!”

Upon suggesting the possibility of ambushes, Valencianus was impressed.

It was the tactical decision-making that had ruthlessly struck the back of the army he led before his return.

“Still, I thought it fortunate that we camped after passing the mountains.”

“We’ll soon reach the landing again in just a few hours.”

“The timing for reloading the grain is crucial.”

After exchanging brief comments, Valencianus and Seberik whispered aside.

If they weren’t careful, all transport ships could sink.

Valencianus turned to Lady Tenitia.

“Lady Tenitia, please take care of it.”

Tenitia pondered whether staying by his side was the right judgment.

“I’ve told you several times that I do not wish to make such complicated decisions.”

She recalled the earlier conversation by the campfire.

If Valencianus were to die while she was away, Seberik could end up being blamed as the culprit or be held responsible, potentially leading to a rift between the Imperial Court and the North.

The fact that Jeilliris did not have a scheming nature was the only comforting thought.

“Rudi, I’m counting on you,” she said, gritting her teeth and moving forward.

“Lysena, I leave it to you.”

“Your Highness!”

The knight with the glasses followed Tenitia closely.

Serving two very different dukes, the two distinctly different knights stepped forward side by side.

‘If Conqueror Duke Valencianus were to perish by any chance, the political situation in the empire would…’

‘Even though it’s unlikely that Duke Seberik would lose…’

With their respective reluctancies and concerns weighing heavily upon them.