Chapter 209 : Terminally Ill Swordsn (3)
“I had no intention of deceiving you. But as you know, we had no choice but to be cautious regarding Bihen Benkou.”
Bolero bowed his head to Isaac. It was a clear sign of apology.
“I will introduce myself formally. I am Bolero, a Martial Priest of Solari.”
Isaac's pupils dilated. The man, who was already a giant, felt uniquely larger.
Thinking about it, even though he was the only one who had been made a fool, strangely, anger did not go well up.
Isaac stared at Bolero for a mont before speaking.
“……Well, I understand. If that is the case, it is true that Bihen Benkou was in Pretoria.”
“That is correct. However, I do not know his whereabouts after that. Well, he is a friend who is quite unpredictable.”
He couldn't plainly say that Bihen had gone to Springeus, so he made such an excuse.
Then, Roxy flinched. It was the mont Bolero's gaze suddenly reached her.
“It is true that I t the young lady by chance in front of Pretoria.”
Bolero narrowed his eyes. It contained the aning that she should conduct herself appropriately.
Roxy nodded her head repeatedly toward Isaac, who was glancing at her.
‘Ugh……. I don't understand what's what at all.’
Even without that, Roxy's head was on the verge of exploding.
A complexly tangled relationship map floated before her eyes.
‘Uncle Bolero wasn't an Imperial citizen either.’
Based on the circumstances, Bolero, the Cult Leader, and Bihen Benkou seed to have deep ties even with the Duke of Conwell, who was said to rival the current King in power.
‘Uee……, I think I've made a lot of slips of the tongue, what should I do?’
As the truth was gradually revealed, Roxy was belatedly realizing the fact that the person nad Bihen Benkou was a much more massive existence than she had thought.
‘By the way, why is Brother Isaac so intent on finding the Cult Leader?’
Roxy glanced at Isaac and then watched Bolero, who stood side-by-side with him, reuniting with the people.
‘Theodore? I've heard of that family. Strangely, everyone's ages are similar.’
Roxy's attention was stolen by Adeline and Linda.
It wasn't just to the extent of admiration.
Their beauty was so dazzling it took her breath away.
‘This is crazy.’
Roxy's head, entranced by Adeline and Linda, turned to the side by chance.
The person her gaze happened to et was Declen. When Declen winked with one eye, Roxy's face scrunched up.
‘Eek, what is that?’
When she hurriedly turned her eyes again…….
Janson was there.
He went a step further, lightly touching his index and middle fingers to his forehead and then pulling them away in a greeting. It was accompanied by an expression he firmly believed to be fatal.
‘Why is he like that, seriously.’
A sigh escaped automatically. It was the mont Roxy was looking for a place to rest her eyes while feeling disgusted.
A familiar person was approaching behind the gathered group.
Roxy covered her opening mouth with her hand.
“B-brother Rowen?”
Rowen Winderre.
He was the second son of the Winderre family head. His face was paler than the white cloak wrapped around his body.
“Now you see, Roxy.”
Roxy turned her head to the side. Isaac, clenching his teeth, said in a low voice.
“The survival of our family depends on this war.”
“…….”
There was no need to ask about the omitted parts of his words in detail.
Roxy felt that her second brother, whom she was seeing outside of his sickbed, was unfamiliar. He still looked very ill.
Once, they said he was followed by all sorts of various descriptions, such as the future of Winderre, the Kingdom's finest sword, and a genius swordsman.
‘He looks like it wouldn't be strange if he died right now…….’
Of course, Roxy felt like those words were all nonsensical legends.
***
This was the vanguard of the front line established by Winderre.
A tense atmosphere flowed throughout the camp at the news that the rcenary King had finally set out in person.
Rowen's field tent.
The three siblings of the Winderre family were gathered.
“Seeing that Father has put Brother at the vanguard, I can feel his firm resolve to wrap up this war quickly.”
“Cough, cough.”
At the sound of Rowen's dry coughing, Isaac's complexion darkened slightly.
Roxy was busy reading the atmosphere between those two.
No matter how tomboyish she was, the strict hierarchy among blood relatives was ingrained in her, so she could not cut in recklessly.
“……Isaac.”
Rowen raised his eyes. His wheezing breath was difficult to even listen to.
“Yes, Brother. Please speak.”
“Cough, I hear that it was you who gathered the nobles from various places……”
“…….”
“Is that really true? Cough.”
Roxy's eyes widened.
Her pupils moved sharply to the side. Her third brother, Isaac, was just composed.
He looked like soone who had known such a mont would co soday and had finished full preparations.
“It is true.”
“Cough, cough……!”
“Father also agreed.”
“F-Father, there's no way he would. Do not try to deceive .”
“Springeus already used the rcenaries first—”
“Shut up!”
Kwang!
Rowen struck the table with his fist. Roxy, startled, trembled her shoulders.
“What aning is there in a victory obtained this way?”
“…….”
“There is no way Father— cough! Wouldn't know that fact.”
Isaac quietly raised his head. His voice was extrely dry.
“Wouldn't it be better than losing.”
“……What?”
“Father also said so.”
The silence that lasted for a while was broken by a word from the attendant outside.
“Young Master, the preparations for the eting are finished.”
“Cough! Tell them I am coming soon.”
Rowen stood up, shaking off his cloak.
Even the energy to argue was a waste.
However, he was by no ans in agreent.
He replaced it by coldly glaring at Isaac, who followed behind him.
In the central tent, the leadership of the Winderre camp, made up of nobles, was gathered.
As soon as Rowen, Isaac, and Roxy entered the tent, the eting began.
The eting was led by the staff officers of both the Winderre and Conwell families.
It was a way to share the enemy's strength gathered through intelligence and various war situations.
“I will, cough, handle the rcenary King myself.”
It was near the end of the eting.
About ten or so nobles sitting around the round table all looked at Rowen.
“I believe there is no need for everyone here to get blood on their hands. Cough! Moreover, it is not our duty to impose such a burden on you.”
Soon, the nobles whispered. Coincidentally, only Adeline, who sat across from Rowen, had no reaction, so she stood out even more.
Perhaps because of that, Rowen's gaze naturally went to Adeline.
“By now, everyone in the world must know the will of those who supported Winderre, cough! So I hope you will leave the remaining matters to us.”
“Ahem! Your words are excessive, Young Master! Do you think we moved while being drawn by so personal purpose?”
A middle-aged noble feigned anger.
Rowen didn't even know who he was or where he was from.
He was soone not very important.
“Are you not?”
“W-what did you say just now……!”
The gazes of the nobles turned to Isaac, who was sitting next to Rowen.
There was silent pressure that he, who had called them together, shouldn't stay silently with his mouth shut.
“Ah, everyone please calm down. As you have seen and heard, the rcenary King accounts for more than half of the Springeus camp's strength. If we only take him down, the tide of victory will surely tilt toward us.”
Isaac stepped forward. Because a single minor slip of the tongue could offend their feelings, his tone was cautious.
“But as you all know, the rcenary King is no ordinary opponent. Therefore, while Young Master Rowen ties him down, it seems much safer and more reasonable for you all to take care of the rest.”
Isaac slowly stood up from his seat.
He added his opinion while pointing to the terrain map the staff officers had used a mont ago.
“Ultimately, the subject of this fight is the Winderre family. Therefore, it is only proper to follow the will of Winderre.”
Adeline, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. the chaotic atmosphere was settled at once.
She was effectively in a position representing the nobles.
“However, let us not move rashly, and instead judge after seeing how they step forward first. Regardless of who faces the rcenary King.”
It was a sound argunt.
Isaac nodded his head.
“I agree with Your Grace's words.”
The other nobles did not raise any objections either. She was the victor of the Conwell civil war.
No one here had experienced a war of that scale.
Since both her position and experience were overwhelming, no one dared to cross her.
Isaac looked back and forth between the nobles who couldn't even make a sound and Adeline.
‘She's to this extent even without Bihen Benkou.’
While I was secretly marveling, he himself was in a state where he didn't notice at all that Adeline was looking at him.
‘…….’
A look of interest flashed in Adeline's bright blue eyes.
Before coming to the eting, she had heard a ssage urgently from Bolero.
It was the news that Bihen Benkou had headed for Springeus.
‘If Bihen moved, there must be a reason.’
Adeline believed firmly in that point.
The only thing to do now was to buy ti for Bihen.
***
It's funny to say it with my own mouth, but I brought about a larger ripple than I expected.
It wasn't unreasonable that these people were flustered.
An Imperial ronin who appeared out of nowhere told them to stop the war all of a sudden,
Pointed out the hereditary disease they had been suffering from,
To the question of what my identity was, I said I was so Cult Leader,
And finally, I even ntioned my ties with Luke, the symbolic figure produced by their family.
After that single word, the room seethed once again.
In the end, the Family Head reached the point of asking to give them ti.
They had to reach a conclusion through a eting among family mbers about how to accept , and it seed they didn't want to show that process in front of .
Consequently, I ended up being under sothing like house arrest, yet not quite.
Well, it's not sothing to be angry about.
Rather, it's correct for to yield a step as well if I want to show my sincerity to them.
From the mont I ca here, I had made up my mind to endure things like insulting words or uncomfortable situations anyway.
Besides, it's a luxurious annex.
It seed to be a place to host external VIPs who visited the family.
“Please tell whenever you need anything.”
The person in charge of attending to during my stay was soone whose tone and attitude showed quite a bit of refinent. He seed to be a servant who specialized in such hospitality.
Thanks to that, I felt at ease.
‘Then shall I rest for a few days.’
……That plan of mine was shattered the very next morning.
I was woken up by the servant's voice heard from outside the door.
“Mister, are you awake.”
“What is the matter?”
“Sir Richardson wishes to see you.”
……Who is that.
“He is the grandson of the sister of the previous-previous Family Head, and a mber of the Council of Elders.”
If it's the previous-previous Family Head, it would probably be soone around the grandfather of the current Family Head.
Roughly, it seed he was a distant person from a branch line who stayed in the Council of Elders and looked after family matters without branching out.
But what business could that person have with from early in the morning…….
I prepared roughly and let them inside.
Richardson ca in following behind the servant.
He was holding so small kid in his hand.
She looked not even ten years old yet.
“What is it?”
“…….”
While asking while looking at the kid, a yawn escaped without realizing it.
Honestly, it's too early.
However, the attire of the two was the problem.
Richardson looked to be in his mid-to-late thirties, and he was wearing clothes that were excessively neat and formal.
His hair, slicked back neatly with fragrant oil, was shiny, and his clothes and shoes were clean without a single speck of dust.
The small kid next to him, presud to be his daughter, was the sa. It was to the point that I would believe it even if they said it was an outfit for going to so ceremony.
‘He's determined to put pressure on on purpose.’
So that I wouldn't be able to kick them out from the door.
Sure enough, Richardson bowed his head politely all of a sudden.
“Bihen Benkou. I am the grandson of the grandfather of the current Family Head, and the previous-previous Family Head—”
“Ah, the introduction is enough. What business did you co for?”
“…….”
Richardson pushed the child's shoulder and said in a low voice.
“Could you take a look at this child's condition.”
No matter how hard he tried to hide it, it couldn't be helped.
Desperation was seeping through his voice.
I stared at Richardson blankly.
‘…….’
I naturally felt stifled.
As if noticing my gaze, Richardson shook his head.
“I am alright. Because I also know well enough that I don't have much of my life left.”
My gaze slid downward.
My eyes t with the child's.
She stared at blankly, perhaps finding my appearance, which was slightly different from ordinary Kingdom people, to be fascinating.
‘Whew.’
Is it a blessing from heaven, or a curse, that a father and daughter might leave the world on the sa day at the sa hour.
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