“What?”
Payton furrowed his brows with sharp eyes, then smirked and lightly tapped Yuta’s cheek with the scabbard.
“Oh.”
He said with a satisfied expression,
“Looks like the usefulness of your pretty little face is finally running out. Seems soone is finally showing up.”
Yuta, who had remained calm the whole ti he was tied up, briefly darkened in expression.
‘No way?’
These past few days, as Julian failed to appear, Yuta had thought, ‘Ah, so Julian must’ve regained his mory at just the worst possible timing.’
Coughing up so blood, Yuta thought again,
‘No, it can’t be Julian after all.’
If it were Julian without his mories, he would have already co storming in like an unhinged dog, spewing curses. And if it were Julian with his mories restored, he would’ve left him here without a second thought.
He’d probably mutter coldly, “Didn’t RosieRosie give you nine extra years of life? Isn’t that enough?” and then gone running to see Rosie’s face.
‘God must have heard my prayer—Julian got his mory and humanity back.’
That, at least, was a relief. After all, even if Julian did co here—
This sacred land was under strict control. He wouldn’t have been able to bring many people, nor would hiring rcenaries have been easy. It was a numbers ga, and Julian’s excellence alone wouldn’t be enough.
Here, countless Holy Knights and priests were stationed.
And when Holy Knights were injured, the priests healed them imdiately. It was nearly impossible to win with individual strength.
‘Then who is it? Could it be Zahid? He’s certainly more righteous than Julian, but...’
If Zahid had successfully awakened his Divine Beast and was charging in, then there might actually be a chance.
That would be a variable neither Aietar nor the Temple had anticipated at all.
Just then, another Holy Knight ca running.
“We’ve identified the intruder! It’s Julian Noart!”
At the sa ti, a soft sigh escaped from Yuta’s mouth.
‘What the hell... Then did he not regain his mory but was just sick or sothing all this ti?’
On the other hand, Payton burst into gleeful laughter.
“What? The one backing you this whole ti was just that lowborn Julian Noart?”
Payton didn’t know anything about “successors” or “trackers.” Only Yuta and Aietar were privy to that classified information. He simply followed orders.
Still, he had apparently deduced that Aietar had been looking for soone who couldn’t read well, that this person was a traitor to the Temple, and that they were on Yuta’s side.
“Tsk, can’t even stand in line properly.”
Clicking his tongue, Payton looked down at Yuta. He didn’t seem particularly rushed.
After all, from the back gate to here was an uphill path, and countless Holy Knights and priests were stationed along the way. It was obvious it would take so ti just to get through them.
Payton sneered, seeming to enjoy having a few more monts to ridicule Yuta.
“Leaving behind His Holiness the future Living God, and running to so butcher-born lowly slave-blooded mongrel...”
The corners of his mouth curled into a nasty grin.
“If I’d known it was that bastard coming, we wouldn’t have needed this many people.”
Yuta shook his head.
“...Sir, stop with the idiocy and wake up. No matter who you are, even you can’t defeat Julian Noart alone... You only win with sheer numbers...”
He paused briefly, then blinked and added,
“Oh, but since you’re going to rely on a numbers ga anyway, I guess saying it that way makes it a little better. Sorry, Sir, I take it back... Calling you stupid. You’re smarter than I thought. My bad...”
“You little—!”
Just as Payton raised his fist to strike Yuta again—
Fwoosh. A dagger flew through the air.
Startled, Payton quickly pulled his fist back and turned around.
“Here’s a piece of advice.”
A cold, emotionless voice echoed from atop the tower.
“When dealing with that bastard, it’s better to smash his mouth in first.”
Hearing a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar, Yuta blinked in shock.
“Otherwise your blood pressure’s going to spike into dangerous levels.”
It had only been a few minutes since the Holy Knight had reported the intruder.
Yet down the distant hill, Holy Knights lay scattered like dominoes—slumped over in rows as if swept away by a vengeful spirit.
Priests were rushing to them, desperately injecting divine power.
It was a scene straight out of hell.
Amid that chaos stood Julian, blank-faced, holding a blood-dripping sword.
* * *
Dyfenril Ducal Estate.
With a loud slam, the door to the adjutant’s office burst open.
“Where is Shulva Nodiac?!”
A storming old man had crossed through the Dyfenril estate without so much as a letter. It was none other than Caliban.
“There’s no need to shout when you’ve co directly to where I am.”
Shulva rose calmly from his desk without the slightest startle.
“I’m right here. What brings the Count of Noart here without any notice?”
Caliban stomped over and slamd down into a chair in the adjutant’s office.
“Why are there so many guards outside the adjutant’s office instead of the duke’s chamber?”
The grumbling old man growled in a raspy voice.
“Where is Julian Noart?”
“Pardon?”
“You’d know, wouldn’t you?”
“Pardon? Where has Julian Noart gone?”
“Don’t play dumb. You’re that bastard’s closest friend, aren’t you?!”
“Ah...”
Shulva flinched slightly.
“Well...”
“What are you hesitating for? That’s not like you. Don’t try to lie—speak clearly!”
“I really don’t know, Count.”
Sighing under the barrage of scolding, Shulva replied,
“After Julian Noart regained his mory, I haven’t been in contact with him.”
“So you do know he regained his mory! That’s a top-secret matter, known only to family!”
“Well...”
With a sorrowful look, Shulva pulled a letter from his drawer.
[You dared to engage our RosieRosie and then serve under her fiancé? No other words needed—just get your neck ready.]
Caliban blinked slowly.
“Then... all those guards outside the adjutant’s office...”
“I have to protect my own life, don’t I?”
Shulva replied calmly.
“They won’t stop Julian, but at least they might buy so ti.”
“Khm. That brat... That engagent was entirely Rosie’s decision, anyway.”
“He knows that. He’s just taking it out on . I’ve been expecting sothing like this to happen ever since nine years ago.”
Shulva wore the expression of soone who had simply been awaiting the inevitable.
“So his whereabouts are currently unknown?”
“...Yes.”
Caliban awkwardly tossed Julian’s “murder notice” onto the table. Then he pulled another letter from his inner pocket.
Shulva silently stared at the familiar handwriting.
[Grandfather,
Last ti, I didn’t even leave a proper will, and I caused confusion.
If anything happens to , I leave all of my assets to Rosie Noart.
In a way, I was already living on borrowed ti since I should’ve died nine years ago, so please don’t grieve too much, neither Rosie nor you.]
“Hm.”
Shulva frowned and muttered.
“Judging from the last sentence, he hasn’t completely reverted to how he was. In the past, he wouldn’t have added sothing like that at the end.”
“He’s kind of mixed up.”
Caliban grumbled.
“Anyway, it’s clear that bastard went and threw himself into danger again. Just where the hell did he go?”
“And what were you doing all this ti before deciding to intervene now, Count?”
“I was busy too!”
Caliban burst out.
“Do you know how many bastards I had to deal with—Murlock, Roystan, Felide of the Aden Principality, Monica?! Huh?!”
“......”
“Yeah! Go ahead, give that pitying look! I’m pitiful! That’s right—I’m pitiful!”
Caliban slamd the table again.
Shulva decided not to imagine ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the emotional toll of having to clean house on one’s own traitorous children at that age.
“And now I have to lose my damn grandson too?!”
Shulva let out a sigh.
“I don’t know exactly where Julian went... but I have a good guess.”
“What? Where?”
“I was planning to go there anyway—to et the Duke.”
“So that brat went there too? These little bastards—what, they think I’m too old so they cut out? Huh? They want to figure it out all by myself like a lonely old man?!”
“...Count, you are not alone.”
Shulva finally began putting his papers in order and slowly stood.
“Anyway, the estate affairs are all settled—I don’t have much left to do here. Let’s go together.”
And with a serious expression, he didn’t forget to add:
“But Count, you must absolutely guarantee my safety from Julian Noart. Understood?”
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