Episode 25. Return (3)
A large number of wagons located in the rear camp.
The carriage was filled with supplies needed for battle, including food, weapons, and artifacts.
Supplies from Hwangseong, which came every quarter, had arrived.
The supply crews got off the wagon and began unloading the goods according to the organized group.
While everyone, including the drivers, was busy unloading the supplies, the two supply clerks in charge of the groceries exchanged some unknown signs.
Very anxious faces, as if they were trying to find something hidden.
Immediately after moving the items, he hurriedly ran to the food warehouse.
As expected from a warehouse on the front line, groceries were neatly organized in designated locations.
The place where the supply crews headed was a pile of salt sacks.
As usual, one person looked out and the other started searching through the salt sack.
“there is!”
The supply clerk’s expression suddenly brightened after he found what he was looking for.
What he lifted from the salt sack were two wooden boxes.
“what? “Two this time?”
“It looks like there was a lot of blood from the demonic beasts collected! “Can I steal more this time?”
They opened the first box with excitement.
Inside the box was a glass bottle containing a reddish liquid.
“like? “It’s a lot more than before, right?”
“Honestly, last time the amount was so small that there was nothing to steal, but Sir Ronald seems to have had a hard time this time! Giggling!”
The supply staff’s faces were already smiling at the thought of stealing it, but they still had a second box left.
“Oh, this box is pretty heavy?”
The second box weighed twice as much as the first box.
When I picked it up and shook it slightly, there was a dull sound rather than the sound of a bottle hitting.
“What is this? “Did they put in the corpse of a demonic beast that wasn’t extracted?”
Feeling different from usual, they put the box down on the floor.
The moment I carefully opened the box with a calm mind,
“Hey!”
“W-what is this!”
The two members hurriedly left the box without even thinking about who would go first.
The contents of the box were not anything they had expected.
“Woah, what did we just see?”
“Well, isn’t that Sir Leonard… … ?”
They crawled over to the box and checked inside again.
A box exactly the size of a human head.
It contained the severed head of the seven-star magic knight Renald Crimson, who was shocked and terrified.
“Hey, how did this happen? “Why is Sir Leonard here?”
The head of the person who supplied them with the blood of the demonic beast was suddenly discovered.
The two supply sources were truly shocked.
“for a moment! So what’s in that bottle? “It’s definitely the blood of a demonic beast!?”
A strong feeling of anxiety passes through my mind and spreads throughout my body.
Their eyes naturally turned to the glass bottle taken out of the first box.
The blood is particularly bright red today.
Blood mixed with a large amount of demonic beasts generally takes on a dark red color, and such a bright red color could not have come out.
This was clearly the blood of a creature other than a demonic beast.
“Seo, this can’t be right…” … Sir Ronald… … ?”
“who is this! “Who on earth would do something like this!?”
The supply staff were so shocked and frightened that they literally felt like they were losing their sanity.
I looked around to see if the person who had committed this act was nearby, but there was nothing to see except a flurry of dust.
The eyes of Renald in the box showed a stiff warning look, as if telling him to run away quickly.
* * *
After completing the transport of supplies, the crew is boarding the wagon again.
Among those on board, there were two supply workers who were particularly shaking.
This isn’t a promotion that says ‘I’m really shaking right now’… … .
Just by looking at them, I could tell that those two guys were the secret agents of Leonard Crimson, who had stolen the blood of the demonic beast.
-Poof! stroke!
They were turning their heads in all directions, looking in all directions.
It seemed like they had properly checked the gift I left, but their frightened looks were so pitiful.
I turned around without hesitation, thinking that I had confirmed the insiders.
[Are they just sending it away?]
“We can’t kill those who still have work to do. “Because I have a very important mission to send my warning to the Garam Kingdom.”
The blood of demonic beasts stolen from the front lines was supplied under the leadership of Renald Crimson, a magic knight from the Kingdom of Garam.
It is said that before incinerating the bodies of dead demon beasts, their bodies were removed little by little and stored in small dimension boxes, and their blood was later extracted and transported through supply agents who visited once a quarter.
The final destination is the Magic Society of Garam Kingdom.
What would be the reason? Should we say that humans’ infinite curiosity and desire for exploration have gone a little too far?
The Garam Kingdom Magic Society is a place where magical madmen who are recognized even on the continent gather.
If the Usif Empire Magical Society was a place to gather talent based on already commercialized magic and raise them into masters who could skillfully use it, the Garam Society was the opposite.
A place where the origins and foundations of magic itself are studied to create new magic, and further pursue new heights that overcome human limitations.
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To put it simply, it’s just a bunch of people crazy about magic.
The blood of the demonic beast was also a source of material for their research.
I didn’t know you were already doing these things.
If those stupid suppliers hadn’t stolen it out of greed, the supply would have continued for at least a few more years.
Although they may only be able to create practical artifacts like this small dimension box now, considering the crazy things they did in their past life, it would be a headache in the future to just sit by and watch.
For now, this level of warning should be enough.
Unless they know that there are people inside the front line who know about their plot, they won’t even be able to get close for the time being.
[How is it that the person who lives for himself gets into trouble every time he goes? Why don’t you just change your job to a problem solver who solves other people’s problems?]
It’s a terrible thing to say, but I can’t deny it.
As she said, ever since I returned, I feel like I’m constantly getting involved in troublesome things, whether I know it or not.
First, with an uneasy feeling, I headed to the barracks where Emily would be waiting.
“what? “Where have you been at a time like this, master?”
As I pulled up the tent, Emily with a very disapproving face greeted me.
“Drink.”
“Why are you going all the time, day and night! “Thanks to you, I did all the packing by myself!”
When it comes to baggage, most of it rests on my body.
The pile of sacks in front of her were all her burden.
This is a maid who carries more burden than her master.
Even if something goes wrong in the master-slave relationship, it seems like something went wrong for a long time.
“and! “But this boring life at the front is finally over!”
She said, sitting on a pile of luggage and shaking her feet back and forth.
February 15, 986, according to the Genesis calendar.
Today is the day I leave the frontline area where I have lived for almost a year and return to my mansion.
“Yes, this is the beginning of a new hell for me… … .”
The sight of her sighing was quite a contrast to Emily’s.
If you become a student, you have to go to school.
I turned 11 this year and am about to enter the Royal Academy, which is scheduled to start in March.
As the Bert family places great importance on family ideology and the growth of their children, the success of all their children to the academy is like a formula that cannot be denied, and of course, I was no exception.
“I’m so excited! Magnificent buildings and an old-fashioned atmosphere! It’s a place where all kinds of knowledge is gathered in a top-class facility, and food you’ve never tried before is spread out like heaven! “There is no comparison to such a dull and gloomy place!”
I didn’t want to shatter her fantasy, but the Royal Academy wasn’t a fantastical place that reminded her of such a utopia.
A scene of scheming where various political relationships are intertwined, a shithole where jealousy and jealousy are rampant that would make the devil cry, and a social party hall where actors don’t learn academics and only make friends with each other.
And above all, I had no intention of taking Emily there.
It seems like he was expecting it, thinking that since he had accompanied him to the front lines, he would of course be taken to the academy… … .
“I’m sure the instructors there are all very talented, right? I heard your face is so handsome! “Oh my, how do I love it~!”
I think it would be better to tell the truth a little later.
If I told her now, I wouldn’t have been able to handle her hysteria.
* * *
The front yard of the Duke’s mansion was just as it was when we left.
As I got off the carriage, I saw a line of servants busily unloading luggage.
At first glance, it was Kranz’s carriage.
He also turns 11 this year, the age at which he has to go to the academy with me.
Since I hadn’t even seen his face since the sword sparring a year ago, he was actually someone I had slightly forgotten about.
Seeing that they were already loading their luggage, it looks like they were planning to leave before I got back.
The moment I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea since I didn’t really want to go with them,
I ran into Kranz who came out of the central door.
“Hmph!”
Even though he came out with an arrogant step, Kranz stiffened the moment he saw me.
Then it runs away to the side.
I tried to at least say hello, but he ran away right away.
He raised one hand in the air and lowered it shamelessly.
[What is that stupid guy?]
Kayram, who was watching him, asked with pitiful eyes.
“Kranz is my half-brother. “There’s no need to worry too much.”
[Not to mention brothers, when I looked at their faces, they looked like they had seen some kind of demon. How much do you have to hit him to get an expression like that?]
If I count the number of people who have been hit, I probably have more, but I feel strangely unfair.
[From the front, it looks like you don’t really trust your father, so why do you seem to be in complete conflict with everyone else?]
Isn’t that really the case?
Krantz is a guy who doesn’t care what he does anymore, and he maintains a good relationship with Ellis.
Even while I was at the front, I occasionally exchanged news with them, and they were the only family to whom I devoted my dry affection.
There are some brothers who are really bad at catching and eating them.
It’s not enough to eat it, but I wonder if it can leave any form behind… … .
-Squeak
The central gate of the mansion opens for the first time in almost a year.
Unlike when I opened it without much thought, the sight inside caught me off guard.
“… … ?”
The servants bowed their heads as if they were ready.
He was doing things in front of me that he would have done when the Duke was visiting.
In just one year, my treatment has become ridiculous.
In the past, people who didn’t even treat me like Confucius showed such polite manners that I felt very strange.
As I walked down the hallway with various thoughts in mind, I eventually arrived in front of my room.
Emily will be busy organizing her luggage, so she can take a short break.
The moment I grabbed the doorknob without any hesitation,
“… … ?”
The mysterious sensation that came through my fingertips made my stomach run cold.
This place where I am standing is directly in front of my door.
It was supposed to be an empty, unoccupied room that no one had entered for a year.
But… … , I feel this sensation, this energy, this presence!
There is someone unfamiliar in the room now.
And I can assure you that that person was never someone I could be happy with.
As evidence, my right hand holding the doorknob was shaking violently.
Have you ever felt this way after returning?
Beyond simply trembling, I feel as if I will tear the being beyond this door to pieces at any moment.
Why? Why?
There must be only one reason why I feel this way right now, right?
no way… … Does he exist?
That guy who wouldn’t mind chewing on it?
-Squeak
The door opened with a loud noise.
It was opened by someone in the room, not me.
I slowly moved my gaze upward from my hand, which was still in the air.
“It’s been a while, Xian?”
A dark, evil face, contrary to the sun-blond hair and white jade skin, smiles at me.
Decades of memories passing through my mind at that moment.
The man I thought was my everything, the man I gave everything to, the man who drove me to death!
Eshel Bert was standing in front of me.
(Continued in the next part)
