Because Rune was looking down, she didn't see Drial's expression change.
"When was that appeal posted?"
"Two days before you came back."
Drial sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"I will come back, so you stay here."
At those words, Rune lifted her chin vigorously. She couldn't leave the whole job to Drial.
"I was the one who sent Zenon to Emur Village."
"But as the lord, it's right for me to go."
"Yes, the lord is you. But I'm still a permanent agent, too."
"No. It's dangerous there. I can never let you go."
At those words, Rune frowned.
Drial was speaking as if he knew what was happening in Emur Village. His voice was full of confidence.
"How do you know it's dangerous?"
"Yeah...!"
When she asked the question as if interrogating him, Drial raised his voice uncharacteristically. However, before he could finish his sentence, he closed his mouth. He seemed nervous for some reason.
Rune was convinced that Drial was hiding something important. She didn't even know if it had something to do with the Frost Giant war.
Rune, triggered by a certain instinct, nailed Drial.
"We are leaving for Emur Village now."
"Rune."
"Let's do this together."
"It's cowardly to use that word in a situation like this...."
"I was originally a coward."
That's why he survived despite being from the Helid family.
Rune, who scoffed bitterly, looked back at Lares.
"Get ready to leave right now."
***
Drial, who had left the banquet hall, returned. The drunken knights stumbled and clung to Drial.
Drial accepted the alcohol from the large knights and approached Cookie.
"My wife seems interested in dragons. Can I give her a ride for a bit?"
Cookie, who had been filling his stomach with all kinds of cookies stopped at the request. For a moment, the two people exchanged glances.
Cookie nodded willingly and got up.
"It's not difficult. I'll call the Gold Dragon right now."
"Thank you."
Drial immediately emptied the glass of wine the knight handed him and told the people attending the dinner.
"I'm planning to go for a moonlit walk with my wife. It looks like I'll be back late, so don't wait. Drink in moderation and then go back."
The Arhon Knights were drinking alcohol without restraint, feeling relieved to have returned to their hometown.
That's why they couldn't suspect that it was strange to hear that Drial was going out for a moonlit walk with Rune.
The less intoxicated managers were puzzled by the fact that a lord and his wife, who were famously estranged, were riding a dragon together, but they did not bother to ask questions.
Drial asked Lares to see the knights off and left the banquet hall.
As they walked away from the banquet hall, Cookie spoke seriously.
"Did Shutime show up?"
"I think so."
Drial's face suddenly became cold.
"What about the location?"
"Emur Village."
"Does your wife know?"
"She just assumes something bad is happening there."
"Are you going with your wife?"
"I was planning to go alone..."
Drial trailed off with an embarrassed look on his face. There was a loud sigh.
"She has been stubborn since she was young. I've never won."
"Do not worry too much. It would be okay if you took your wife with us."
"It will be safe because we take the dragon with us."
Cookie suppressed his laughter at Drial's reply. That wasn't what he meant, but Cookie didn't bother to explain.
When they arrived at the courtyard, Drial whispered to Cookie.
"Please call Emmental."
"Gold dragon? Do I really need it?"
Cookie said.
"Even Mr. Drial can summon a dragon.'
She looked at Drial with these eyes, but later she was shocked.
"Didn't you tell her that you became a transcendental person?"
As he spoke quietly, Drial smiled calmly.
"If she finds out that I have become a transcendental person, she will definitely cry."
It was obvious who 'she' was referring to. Cookie respected Drial's choice but expressed concern.
"Hide it is not a good idea. You know, right?"
Instead of answering, Drial changed his words.
"It would be nice if Rune liked your dragon."
"It's my dragon. That..."
Cookie couldn't say anymore. He approached Rune, who was ready to depart.
Drial glanced at Rune, then paused. There was a sword in her small hand. The sight of her holding a weapon was unfamiliar.
Suddenly, he remembered the story of Rune protecting Arhon alone against the black dragons. Drial's heart became heavy again.
Drial, trying to control his distraught emotions, pointed to Rune's hand with his chin.
"What about gloves?"
"I do not need."
Rune glanced sideways at the dragon that appeared over Arhon as if telling him not to pay attention.
Perhaps because of the memory of a miscarriage while fighting a black dragon, her gaze, as she followed the gold dragon, was cold.
Drial looked at Rune with eyes filled with many emotions and took off the gloves he was wearing as if he were worried about her bare hands.
Rune, who was watching the dragon, was startled by the hand putting the gloves on her.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm wearing it. It's not good to hold a sword with your bare hands."
Rune fiddled with his gloves with a puzzled look. The gloves were too big. It felt like if she lowered her hand, the glove would just come off.
But she didn't take off the gloves. She held the sword with both hands just to keep the gloves from slipping off.
She felt strange, perhaps because of the Drial's body heat remaining in the gloves.
Before she could think about those feelings, the dragon landed in the courtyard. People who worked in the main office until late at night stuck their heads out the window.
Drial climbed onto the dragon's back first.
"Rune."
Drial held out his hand as if to grab it.
Rune looked back and forth between the dragon and Drial, who were letting out long, unpleasant snorts before gathering courage.
Grabbing the outstretched hand, Drial immediately pulled Rune up with tremendous strength.
"Hold my waist tight."
"Catch something...?"
As soon as she asked, the dragon spread its wings. Rune was startled by the dragon's gesture and hugged Drial's waist.
Drial looked at Rune's hand embracing him and thought this wasn't a bad thing. He couldn't figure out what wasn't bad, but it was anyway.
The dragon flapped its wings a few times and flew into the sky.
A huge wind blew, but Lares, who was left behind in the castle, did not blink an eye and stared at the dragon's long tail flying into the night sky.
An electric map with a red note attached came from Emur Village, but Lares didn't seem worried.
Lares looked up at the night sky bright with moonlight and turned on the lamp in his hand. When the surroundings became bright, a black-billed bird with blue tail feathers flew in and sat on Lares' shoulder.
"Welcome, friend."
A smiling Lares tickled the bird's chin. The bird leaned its small head against Lares.
"Have you met that guy? He was pretending to be a wizard under the ridiculous name of Cookie. As soon as he saw me, he started nagging me and asking me why I was there."
Lares, irritated, climbed the castle wall to patrol.
The bird sat on Lares' shoulder and looked at the vast forest of Arhon.
The mysterious bird was confident that everyone would be safe, at least for tonight. No matter what happens, it will be okay. Moreover, as long as Lares was there, Arhon's nature was the safest place in the world.
“Веер.”
The bird that was looking at the dark forest took off again.
Lares did not catch the bird or turn around. He just looked like he wanted to see it again and walked along the castle walls.
***
Captain! I'm out of arrows, now...!"
The guardian who was pulling the bowstring on the wooden fence shouted urgently.
"If you don't have it, at least throw a stone!"
Zenon responded with a shout and struck the head of the corpse that had climbed up the wooden fence with his sword. But his body moved even without his head.
Cutting it down or breaking it was of no use. The corpses attacked people until all their limbs fell off.
He could hear the villagers of Emur crying from behind. A woman sobbed and stamped her feet. He was crying out that it was his mother as he saw her body attacking the guardians.
All the living corpses gathered around Emur Village looked like the ones that had disappeared from the cemetery.
Neither the Guardians nor the mercenaries knew what to do in this battle, which was the first time in their lives.
At that time, a corpse rushed towards Zenon. Zenon responded immediately and struck away the arm of the corpse that was trying to bite him.
However, the corpse's mouth moved subtly. Zenon's pupils shook as he read the shape of the lips.
Zenon could not hide his embarrassment as he crushed the corpse's head.
Now the corpse begged Zenon to 'please kill me.'
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