Chapter 45: Hidden card - 3
‘It seems they've already finished preparations to depart.’
What first caught my eye upon arriving at the Inner Castle was the sight of Ares, the Family Head's guard unit, lined up near the castle gate, ready for deployment.
The moment I saw that, I could be certain.
That Father had already hardened his heart to head to the capital.
“Greetings, Young Master.”
‘As expected, morale has dropped noticeably.’
At the same time, I could also tell that the morale of other knights, excluding Ares, had plummeted.
Just two days ago, before I left the castle, the Inner Castle was filled with the unique high spirits exuded by knights facing a big battle.
The reason for their morale dropping so low must be the fact that Father and Ares would be absent from the decisive battle with the Sub-Dragons.
They too knew that if Father headed to the capital ‘Abysin’, he would not be able to return before the decisive battle with the Sub-Dragons took place.
‘Even if it's a calamity full of lies, once the Family Head arrives at the capital, there will be plenty of justifications to tie him down, such as suppressing the rebellion or cleaning up the aftermath. It wouldn't be difficult to drag out the time for about a month.’
The letter that arrived at the territory a while ago would have the seal symbolizing the King's authority stamped on it, but the will contained in that seal was highly likely to be that of the Nobles' Alliance, not the King.
After all, the root of Vispon is the Nobles' Alliance in the capital.
Probably someone who desperately wishes for Reichart to be defeated in the war with the Sub-Dragons sent an SOS to the Nobles' Alliance.
And they must have somehow created an excuse to summon Father to the capital.
If Father is excluded from the battle, the probability of Reichart winning would decrease by that much.
To the knights and soldiers of Reichart, Father was a respected superior and like a final bulwark.
His absence meant more to Reichart than simply losing their highest combat power.
“Father, it is your son. May I come in?”
“Come in.”
What caught my eye as I opened the office door was Father, heavily armed in armor engraved with the family crest instead of his usual casual attire.
The moment I saw that, I confirmed once again that Father had already made his decision.
Thinking about it, it was natural.
Father was a warrior with chivalry and loyalty embedded in his bones, no, his marrow.
The moment he heard that the King's life was threatened by an unidentified group, he couldn't have refused the summon to the capital.
Because that would be the ‘loyalty’ Father had kept throughout his life.
‘Even knowing well that the knights and soldiers following you are facing a life-threatening battle soon.’
I asked a question while hiding my inner thoughts.
“......Are you going to the capital?”
“Yes. As soon as all preparations are finished, I will step onto the magic circle heading to the capital.”
“Is Ares accompanying you, Father?”
“For now, the available personnel among the leadership of the Knight Order, including myself and Sir Bohvelt, will go to the capital through the spatial movement magic circle, and the remaining members will move by land.”
“.......”
“You must have heard and known, but they say His Majesty's safety is in critical danger. How can I ignore His Majesty's call?”
Unlike his usual self, Father explained at length why he had to go to the capital.
Father, who always looked straight at me, seemed somewhat uncomfortable in his gaze today.
“Do you believe that letter, Father?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Have you not thought that the message said to have arrived from the capital is too crude?”
“Hein!”
At my remark that seemed to doubt the royal order, Father's voice rose.
“Whether to believe His Majesty's words or not is not a matter for me to decide; I only follow His Majesty's orders.”
Unlike his firm answer, Father's eyes were wavering.
“Then it would be one way to send Sir Bohvelt and Ares to the capital first, and for you to remain here for a while to observe the situation, Father. Since if you leave the personnel for the spatial movement magic circle allocated for you, you can head to the base near the capital anytime, can't you?”
“Hein, are you telling me right now to commit disloyalty by disobeying the order of His Majesty who is in crisis?”
“Protecting His Majesty's subjects here would also be a duty as important as following His Majesty's order. And even if you aren't there, Father, Sir Bohvelt will be able to command Ares excellently.”
“......I cannot do that.”
Father's eyes, turning away from the compromise I threw, were trembling more and more violently.
In fact, Father must also know well that the letter was suspicious somewhere.
But he was desperately persuading himself.
“I understand. If your will is set so, it can't be helped. I won't say any more.”
I didn't hold Father back anymore.
“......Do you have nothing more to say?”
Father couldn't be unaware of the fact that if he left for the capital like this, the remaining burden would have to be shouldered entirely by me.
He asked me, clenching his fist until it bled.
“I do. Please announce the delegation of command authority within the territory before leaving for the capital, as you mentioned to me the other day.”
I stated my requirement to Father without hesitation.
“And I would like you to entrust Axion to me while you are away from the territory, Father.”
“......Understood.”
Father immediately wrote a ducal decree delegating the command authority, and unbuckled the Axion he was wearing on the spot and handed it to me.
“Then I will take my leave now. Please have a safe trip.”
Having finished all my business, I said goodbye without lingering attachment.
In fact, I knew things would turn out this way from the moment I heard the story from Ismael.
Nevertheless, the reason I dared to visit Father was to find the best answer in the situation of Father's absence.
Now that I had obtained everything needed to derive the best answer, I had no more business with Father.
“Hein!”
However, it seemed Father still had something to say to me.
“......I entrust Reichart to you.”
“I will do my best.”
With these words, I left the office.
Drip, drop.
In the office where Redin remained alone, only the sound of blood drops falling between his clenched fists echoed.
***
‘Things are getting interesting.’
Feeling the texture of Axion, which had now become quite familiar, I smiled a smile cooler than Axion's blade.
‘So this point was exactly Redin Reichart's limit.’
I could understand now why Redin, who possessed abilities too outstanding to end his life as a noble of a peripheral small state, had to perish so miserably in my past life.
‘The Family Head doesn't know his own worth. He will probably live his whole life without knowing it.’
According to what I had seen so far, the value of the person named Redin was too undeserved to be dedicated to the idiot king of such a small state.
But Redin himself was dedicating his everything to Zodiac and the King without knowing that fact.
While soaked in the specious good name of loyalty.
‘He will never know that his belief was nothing more than a rag with a good appearance until his shell is completely peeled off.’
Soon, my cool gaze turned toward the Vispon residence.
‘These bastards are really sons of bitches.’
If the Vispon bastards had even a little bit of heart that cherished the safety of the territory and the lives of the soldiers who would be sacrificed in the battle with the Sub-Dragons, they would never have thought of plotting such a scheme.
But they committed such trickery without any hesitation.
‘Let's just see. How things will turn out from now on.’
Just as I, having finished all my business in the Inner Castle, was leaving the main gate to return to the training ground,
“It's been a long time, Hein.”
“Mother.”
“Have you been well? You must have heard the story that trouble occurred in the capital?”
“Yes. Are you also heading to the capital, Mother?”
“Yes. I plan to go in a few days too.”
There stood Rishu, beautiful as always.
“Our relationship has been quite distant lately, hasn't it? Seeing how we face each other after such a long time.”
“It is so. Please forgive my indifference for not being able to visit you due to busy work, Mother.”
“Is there such a thing as forgiveness between parent and child? Right, the last time we met was.......”
On Rishu's face, a smile so fine and bright that it was hard to believe she usually ground her teeth thinking of me was formed.
“Seeing you when condemning Alain at the family trial court would be the last time.”
“.......”
However, the moment Alain's name came out of my mouth, Rishu's bright smile disappeared in an instant.
Rishu, who looked at my face for a moment, closed her eyes gently and said.
“I heard you are very busy lately taking on a heavy duty. Of course, you shouldn't neglect your duty, but you should take care not to harm your body.”
“Thank you, Mother. I'm just doing my best.”
“And I heard Helkane made you an offer the other day?”
“That is correct.”
The offer Rishu mentioned must refer to that offer Helkane made at the barracks in the border area the other day.
“If I may give you a piece of advice, you shouldn't commit the foolishness of missing the time for a crucial choice by being buried in work. Hein, opportunities come a few times in life.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But I'm worried you might not realize that opportunity doesn't wait for you for long.”
Rishu's two eyes, which had been closed, were looking straight at me before I knew it.
“Trusting that you will make a wise choice, I will take my leave now.”
Having said all she wanted to say, Rishu turned her back, and as always, a group of maids accompanying her followed behind like shadows.
“Could you deliver a message to Brother Helkane?”
Suddenly, my voice was heard behind Rishu's back, and she stopped her steps.
“Please tell Brother. Ask him if he still believes he is in a position to give me an opportunity.”
“......!”
Rishu turned back without realizing it.
And what first caught her eye was,
Schwing.
The light emitted by Axion held in my hand.
Clench.
This time, Rishu bit her lip without bothering to hide her expression.
“Then I will take my leave. Please have a good night.”
I disappeared outside the castle gate leaving an inscrutable smile as always.
***
“Master, tomorrow is the day promised to Valdano, right?”
At Sherazade's question, I nodded.
Time had flown by and the day to give an answer to Valdano had approached tomorrow.
In the meantime, I was busy preparing to defeat Kelbes's group, and of course, Father and Ares, who headed to the capital, did not return.
“Master, can I ask you a favor?”
“Tell me.”
“Can you give me a vacation when this battle ends?”
Sherazade spoke while holding a bread much larger than her face in both hands.
“Vacation? Is there a place you want to visit?”
I asked back, recalling that she had finished dinner just a moment ago.
“Yea-ah, it's not like I decided on a place.......”
Sherazade shook her head once and said.
“I've been thinking about it since before I fell asleep. That if I open my eyes again, I will see as many interesting things existing in this world as possible. So if I get some free time after this work ends.......”
“Do as you wish.”
“Uh! Really?”
Perhaps she hadn't expected me to grant her request so easily, Sherazade widened her eyes and asked back.
“I didn't intend to keep you tied by my side in the first place. If there is a place you want to visit after this battle ends, you can go as much as you want.”
“Really? No taking back these words now!”
“Of course, if there is my call during the vow period, you will have to return immediately though.”
Sherazade was a heterogeneous existence, not human. Since there was some risk burden to just keep her tied by my side, I accepted Sherazade's request to go on a trip without complaint.
“Thank you, Master. Actually, I inwardly thought Master was a stingy person, a miser, and a cold-blooded person who wouldn't bleed a drop even if pricked, but I guess I thought wrong!”
Sherazade chattered words whose origin was unknown, munching with her mouth full of bread.
“Is that so? I hope you have a pleasant trip. Of course.”
I slightly raised my body to avoid a possible counterattack of bread crumbs.
And looking at the northern sky where Valdano was presumed to be, I said.
“That would be possible only if we win tomorrow's battle.”