"Have you taken sothing like a miracle potion recently?"
Saintess Margarita asked this as she perford the royal diagnosis.
"Huh?"
I was caught off guard by the sudden question. What the heck! Arent you like half as good as Heo Jun?! (TL Note: Heo Jun is basically Dr. House, but from the 14th century Korea. Its a famous Korean drama.)
"How did you know?"
"If I couldnt sense a foreign magic power inside you, shouldnt I be fired as a priest?"
Margarita withdrew her hand from with a cynical tone. The light that shimred with divine power in her hand faded away.
Lying on the bed with a cool towel on my forehead, I looked at Margarita with admiration.
"So, what should be done now to get better?"
I asked, expecting that she would naturally know the treatnt now that she knew the cause.
Her answer was far from reassuring.
"Stay sick for a few more days."
"What?"
"Its simple. Your body needs to absorb the foreign magic power that entered it. Thats why youre feeling unwell... Dont worry, ti will take care of it."
So, what she ant was theres no cure and I should just suffer.
Damn it! I can no longer consider you half as good as Heo Jun! Its a blasphemy against the representative physician of the Joseon era!
"Margarita! You are... A quarter as good as Heo Jun!"
"Huh? What does that an?"
"No, it ans youre a fine doctor..."
As I stumbled over my words, Margarita chuckled and eventually stood up.
"Think of it as magical malaise. Dont overdo it and get so rest."
"But today is the start of the defense battle..."
"Dont you have capable subordinates? Dont worry, theyll handle it well."
After saying that, Margarita hesitated for a mont.
"...Am I mistaken? I think I gave you the sa advice last ti too."
"Huh? Did you?"
"Last ti it was overwork, this ti its malaise... Before that, your left arm was shattered. You seem to be accruing injuries frequently."
Margarita let out a soft sigh.
"Youve barely been on the job for a year, and youre already wearing yourself down, Your Highness."
"Ah, I definitely heard this nagging before..."
"If you want to avoid this in the future, exercise."
"What?"
"Maintaining a healthy body through regular exercise will help prevent these ailnts. Ill remind the knights on my way out, so once youre a bit better, start exercising regularly."
Ugh! I hate it! I hate outdoor activities! I just want to stay indoors!
"Cancel it all! Youre just 10% of what Heo Jun is!"
"Yes, yes. Rest well and make sure to exercise."
Margarita left...
As she did, my party mbers who had been waiting outside sward into the room.
"We heard everything, boss. Leave this defense battle to us and get so rest!"
"No, I an, Ill entrust it to you guys, but I still have to go and watch..."
Before I could say anything more, my party mbers all frowned and made a hum~ face, so I gave up.
Fine. In this stage, things were indeed easier than usual.
The monsters invading this defense battle were a Harpy legion.
They were air-flying types, but its snowing now. The mobility of aerial units was significantly reduced.
We even finished distributing earplugs to all the soldiers to counter their main attack thod, the sonic scream.
Plus, the boss monster Harpy Coloratura had already been killed during a free quest. A considerable number of its elite units were also taken down.
It really was on the easier side. Even without , the defense would be efficiently executed.
"...Alright. I trust you guys, so Ill leave it to you."
I t the gaze of Lucas, who stood at the center of my party mbers.
Initially, Lucas had taken over the stage preparations for , as I hadnt been feeling well for a few days. He would handle it well.
"Still, if anything unexpected happens, let know imdiately. Dont push yourself and execute the mission slowly. Got it?"
"Understood, my lord."
Lucas responded in a calm voice.
"Dont worry about the defense mission, and rest well today."
I couldnt see his face under the helt he was still wearing, but as the protagonist of this ga, he was reliable.
"Then Ill be going, senior! Gim a high five!"
"Sure, kill em all!"
Starting with Evangeline, my party mbers gave high-fives one by one before heading out.
I watched the retreating backs of my subordinates through the window.
Not only my main party but also other stalwart heroes like Dusk Bringars Dragonblood Knights and Kuilans Penal Squad were on the front lines.
No need to worry.
Alright, ti to trust my subordinates and catch so sleep. My constant exhaustion would only hinder the battlefront further.
I closed the curtains and snuggled into bed.
Soon enough, my heavy body sank into sleep as if subrged in water.
***
"Lately, it seems like my senior is becoming more unstable."
Crossroads southern outpost, a forward base.
Standing on the fortifications, Evangeline, who had been waiting for the incoming monsters, spoke.
"Its not just his physical condition but... ntally too, as if hes being cornered?"
"..."
"He always seems to feel responsible. For every subordinate who gets hurt and dies... When its actually normal for people to die on the front lines."
Lucas turned his helted face slightly to look down at Evangeline.
Amidst falling snowflakes, her fangs glistened as she exhaled a white breath.
"Like he cant accept the idea that soone dying is normal. Like he wants to change that sohow. Thats why he puts himself on the front lines, damaging his own body. Is that why he struggles so much?"
"Do you wish for our lord to change?"
"I dont know...
Evangeline bit her lip, letting out a hum.
"I dont think my senior is an efficient commander. To maintain such a distorted front line, one should be able to coldly calculate lives like ammunition. Thats what I think."
"..."
"But I like my senior as he is now."
Evangeline shrugged her small shoulders.
"Struggling to save his subordinates, getting shaken, crying, and suffering... that human aspect of my senior, I like."
"Oh?"
As Lucas chuckled as if he had caught sothing, Evangeline turned red and frantically waved her hands.
"No, no! I dont an like in a romantic sense! I an, as a subordinate, its admirable! You get it, right, sir?!"
"You dont have to explain it to , miss."
Lucas voice, tinged with a slight chuckle, soon turned grave.
"...I dont know much about our lord."
"What?"
"Ive served him my whole life, but I still dont know whats in his heart."
It was rare for Lucas to reveal his feelings this way. Evangeline listened attentively, her eyes widening.
"But I thought it was fine. I found it sufficient to live as a faithful hound, clearing the obstacles before my lord."
- If I forget, you lead . I will trust you.
Just as he had been ordered eight years ago.
He had lived as that faithful hound, standing before Ash, guiding the way, killing the enemies.
But now.
"Lately... its presumptuous of , but I think Im beginning to understand him a bit."
Unknowingly, he was overstepping his bounds.
"He seed so human. Too human, in fact. And so, unknowingly, I felt a sense of kinship. At so point, I felt we had beco friends rather than master and servant."
Lucass hand tightened on the hilt of the sword that rested at his hip.
"But these days, as you said, my lord keeps distancing himself... and Ive been feeling uneasy about it too."
"..."
"I am rely a Knight. My role is to clear the path for him. And yet, I had been harboring undue concerns as if we were truly friends."
He couldnt expect more than the role of a Knight for himself, having betrayed Ash and caused Dustias death.
Though he had montarily forgotten, his sudden awareness of his own role was likely due to the past that had unexpectedly resurfaced.
"..."
Inside his helt, Lucas closed and reopened his eyes before muttering softly.
"Yes, a Knight should remain true to the role of a Knight."
"Huh?"
"Evangeline, can you take command of the defense today?"
Evangelines eyes widened in surprise at the abrupt question.
Lucas quickly glanced back toward Crossroad.
"I have sothing else to do."
"..."
"Im counting on you."
Evangeline firmly closed her lips. Her sharp fangs lightly pressed against her lower lip.
Youre becoming unstable too, Lucas, just like Ash.
And that worries .
She kept these thoughts to herself.
"Alright! Take care!"
Instead, she flashed an enthusiastic smile.
"Ive always wanted to try leading the troops! After all, Im going to be the Margrave here soday! I should get so practice in!"
Though Lucass face was hidden inside his iron helt, Evangeline thought he had smiled.
"Thank you, Evangeline. Well then."
Lucas turned and walked toward the teleport gate set up at the forward base.
As she watched the knight move away through the falling snowflakes, Evangeline turned her body the other way.
In the distant southern black lake, she saw monstrous birds with feathers erge, screeching horribly.
"All troops, prepare for battle!"
The young knight shouted energetically, gripping her lance and shield.
"Lets quickly take care of these monsters and soak our shoulders in hot bathwater!"
"Ooooh!"
The soldiers raised their weapons in unison.
The troops were quite accustod to Evangelines command, having seen her take the reins of leadership in several battles.
The heroes naturally prepared for battle, following Evangelines orders.
And so, toward the forward base guarded by humans,
Squaaawk!
Hundreds of harpies began to descend from the sky.
***
Crossroad Central Prison.
"Oh, Captain Lucas?"
"Its ti for you to lead the defense, wha... huh?!"
"Ca-Captain Lucas! What are you doing... Aaargh!"
Thwack! Thump! Crash!
The guards were swiftly knocked out by the bare fists of Lucas, who then entered the prison.
Inside his cell, Mason waited with a smile on his face.
"Lord Lucas, youve co."
"Co out, Mason."
Lucas quickly found the correct key among the bunch he had taken from the guard captain and unlocked Masons cell.
He also freed the other four agents captured along with Mason, gestured them to follow, and said, "Lets go. Ill guide you."
"Wait, my lord! What about these handcuffs..."
Mason and the agents requested their handcuffs be removed, but,
"More guards will be here soon. Our priority is to get out."
Lucas coldly spat out the words and stubbornly took the lead.
Mason and the agents had no choice but to follow Lucas in handcuffs.
The streets were empty, swept by swirling snow. As they slipped into a back alley on the outskirts of the town, Mason smirked.
"A wise decision youve made, Sir Lucas."
"..."
"Lord Fernandez will undoubtedly treat you well. Succeed in this mission, and the McGregor family will be restored. Youll also secure a high position in the Imperial Family."
Listening to Masons repetitive parroting, Lucas, who had been trudging through the snow-covered alley, suddenly halted.
"...But theres sothing I dont understand, Mr. Mason."
Lucas turned around, tilting his helted head to one side.
"Why did Lord Fernandez ask for that thing?"
A few days ago, when Lucas visited Mason at night, he had heard what Fernandez had requested.
He also knew precisely what mission Mason had been assigned here.
But he couldnt understand it at all.
Because Fernandez had given Mason a truly bizarre task.
Although he asked again, Mason only chuckled.
"Were just hounds that obey commands, arent we? If told to bite, we bite; if told to fetch, we fetch; and if told to die, well, we die."
"..."
"The content of the mission isnt our concern. What matters is whether we can execute it or not. Thats all."
"..."
"So, Sir, can we proceed in that direction to complete our mission?"
"No."
Swoosh
Lucas slowly drew his longsword, [Karma Eater], from his waist.
The sleek blade glinted with an eerie tallic sheen as it t the cold air.
"You all will die here."
The four agents behind Mason flinched and stepped back. Mason watched Lucas with a furrowed brow.
Exhaling a white mist, Lucas muttered,
"I will never betray my liege again."
"..."
"So, Mr. Mason, even if you were once a loyal servant to my family..."
The vivid blue glare leaking from beneath Lucass helt was so intense, it looked almost like flas.
"If youre an enemy to my lord, Ill cut you down."
"..."
"Ill bear the disgrace of spilling tainted blood in the na of McGregor... Die quietly here."
Listening to Lucas, Masons lips slowly stretched into a broad grin.
"Ahh..."
From within his unkempt beard,
A savage smile, as wild as raw at, curled up.
"As I thought, you would do this, huh?"
His laughter sounded as if he was too delighted to contain himself.
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