Himov, Elze's fiefdom, was located right next to the border between Britain and Baluar.
Himov was a truly insignificant territory. Far from producing any special products, the land was barren and crops often failed. Himov was a territory that failed to generate income every year and had to be supported.
No lord liked a land that was only losing money. Like the lords of the past, Elze also disliked Himov at first.
But as time passed, Elze began to vaguely feel fondness for Himov. This was because the people of Himov's territory were grateful.
As soon as she took office as lord, Elze first used her personal funds to start organizing the estate. She built new buildings, paved roads, and firmly established basic rules for managing the estate.
Even after the village was reorganized, she did not give up and continued to support the territory. In years of poor harvests, she bought and sent daily necessities and food to ensure that no one would starve.
The territories near the border were prone to petty disputes and raids by bandits due to their locational characteristics. The environment was bound to be harsh, but Himov developed quickly thanks to the attention paid to them by their lord, Elze. Thanks to this, they were able to reach a level where they could make a living.
The people of Himov tried to repay their lord's excellent rule in some small way. Every year during the harvest season, they send gifts to Elze, along with heartfelt thanks. The gifts were meager for a poor estate, but they were always filled with sincerity.
The commoner whom Elze appointed as her manager was also smart and trustworthy. He organized the documents related to the estate neatly and transparently and reported regularly.
It was impossible not to trust him because he faithfully reported how the money sent to the estate was used and what the results were. Elze was able to support Himov with peace of mind without worrying about the risk of embezzlement.
The last word she received from Himov was that they were trying to reinforce their militia because of the bandits. Since Elze had sent a bandit group from the forest of Renando, they would probably have used them to form a proper militia by now.
After riding for several days, Elze and her party arrived in Himov.
When they arrived, the sun had set and darkness had fallen. Elze, who had been delighted by the flickering lights over there, paused for a moment.
“...?”
But something was strange. Himov had an air of a battle about to break out at any moment.
Torches were burning brightly, and men with weapons stood on the wooden palisade (a fence to prevent enemy invasion) surrounding the village, keeping a sharp lookout. As if they saw Elze and her party approaching, a loud bell rang all around.
“Who are you!”
A man shouted from beyond the fence, shining a torch. The light flickered across Elze and Shan’s faces. He quickly confirmed the two people standing in front and opened his eyes wide.
“Yes, my lord?”
He was the leader of the bandits that Elze had sent to Himov. Elze waved at him cheerfully. He hurriedly shouted to the people around him.
“The lord has come!!”
The area beyond the fence became bustling, and everyone rushed out to greet Elze. Everyone looked surprised by the lord’s visit. She had sent a notice to Himov in advance to tell them she would be visiting, but it seemed like it hadn’t been delivered yet.
Elze and his party entered Himov amidst the hospitality of the lords. At the news of the lord’s visit, the caretaker of Himov, whom Elze had appointed, ran out. He immediately knelt on the dirt floor and bowed.
“I am Demis, the caretaker of Himov. I greet you, my lord.”
Demis nodded to Shan. Shan raised his eyebrows, then waved his hand and said.
“Not this way, that way.”
Since it was Targayel's territory, Shan, the Count of Targayel, could also be considered a lord. However, the actual owner was Elze, and since it was a place that Elze had been lovingly managing, Shan took a step back.
"Yes...?"
Demis, who had naturally assumed that Shan was the lord, looked around with bewildered eyes. Then he found Elze.
“!!”
Demis's eyes widened. They had only ever communicated through letters, and since she had only written down Targayel's name, he probably didn't know that Elze was a woman. Demis, who had been frozen in a daze for a while, cautiously greeted Elze again.
“Yes, my lord...”
Demis could not have imagined that his master would be such a beautiful lady. His heart raced at the sight of her blue eyes that he had briefly met. He was afraid that she could hear his heartbeat.
Demis's ears turned red as he lowered his head. Even though he knew that she was someone he shouldn't even have feelings for, Demis couldn't stop his emotions from surging. He even had the foolish thought that this was love at first sight.
It couldn't have been more fortunate that it was night. If there had been no darkness, his flushed face would have been completely visible. Demis was barely able to choke out his words again when a cold gaze was fixed on his spine.
“...”
He looked up, his body trembling, and cold purple eyes were looking down at him.
“Did you say Demis?”
Demis, who had been frozen in place, belatedly came to his senses and answered.
“Yes, yes!! That’s right.”
He was the complete opposite of the lord who was shining pure white. He had pitch-black hair and tanned skin, and he looked like a demon in the darkness. His mouth twisted crookedly and he spoke with a hostile smile.
“Nice to meet you, Demis.”
However, despite the words of welcome, there was not a hint of joy in Shan’s voice. Demis’ face turned pale as he was oppressed by the damp air emanating from Shan.
Elze, who was watching the conversation between the two from the side, was dumbfounded by Shan's sudden growl as if he had met an enemy. Just a moment ago, he had been quietly leaving everything up to Elze, but now he seemed to be pushing her back.
At first, she couldn't figure out why he was acting like this. She didn't know what the problem was, but she felt she had to stop him. Elze gently pulled on the hem of his clothes so that it wasn't obvious.
“...”
Shan narrowed his eyes but soon backed away obediently. Demis spoke to Elze in a voice that was even more timid than before.
“My lord, I’m sorry... Although it may be lacking, I will do my best to make sure you don’t experience any inconvenience during your stay.”
He guided Elze and her party into the territory with a timid look on his face.
Since it was a small estate without a separate lord, he explained in a hurried manner that he had vacated the best house. Then, as soon as the guide was over, he tried to run away. Elze wanted to let him go if possible. However, there were urgent things she had to ask him right away.
“Demis, I would like to talk to you for a moment.”
Eventually, Demis was held captive by Elze, and the three of them, including Shan, sat down in a quiet space. Before even sitting down on her chair, Elze asked Demis a question.
“What’s happening in Himov right now?”
To anyone who saw it, Himov had an ominous atmosphere. Elze felt like she had to hear what was going on to be able to sleep.
Demis looked moved by Elze's urging. It was touching for Demis, the manager of Himov, to see the lord, exhausted from exhaustion, neglecting her own body and instead taking care of the territory. Demis reported immediately.
“These days, bandits are targeting Himov. Himov is the wealthiest territory in the area. Because of the bandits, we are unable to properly communicate with the capital.”
Elze quickly realized that the reason her message to Himov had not arrived was because of the bandits.
“Not long ago, the most powerful bandit group here invaded, and we had a big battle. Fortunately, thanks to the people you sent and the militia I organized, we were able to win without much damage.”
Demis paused for a moment. Then he carefully stated what he had been thinking.
“But... It’s quiet now, but it’s too quiet. It’s like the calm before a storm... I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think they’ll give up easily.”
The current state of Himov was perfect for bandits to take advantage of. It was rare for a territory to live this well in a remote area that received less attention from the country. They would not let go of their tempting prey after being stepped on once. They would definitely come back somehow. Elze was deep in thought, and Shan blurted out.
"So?"
"Yes?"
Shan's long fingers tapped the table. A cool voice, accompanied by a light sound, questioned Demis.
“Your understanding of the current situation is inadequate. Even if you were unable to conduct proper reconnaissance due to a lack of troops, what are your countermeasures?”
Demis's mind went blank as he met her gaze directly. He barely managed to move his mouth.
“First, reinforce the wooden fence... and then, all the other parts...”
“Demis.”
Demis's stammering words were cut off. Demis closed his mouth at Shan's call. It was not that he wanted to finish his words, but because his throat was choked with the feeling of being squeezed tightly. Shan slowly leaned back. Her purple eyes stared at Demis intently.
“Aren’t you getting paid as the caretaker of the estate?”
“...Yes, Count.”
“You must know very well how merciful my wife, the lord of Himov, is compared to other lords.”
A soft voice asked in a whisper.
“But is it really like this?”
“That, that...”
Demis tried to say something, but Shan was cold.
“This isn’t the place to sit to hear excuses.”
“I’m sorry...”
Shan said, nodding his chin at Demis.
“Bring me a proper report. Not this incoherent garbage.”
“Yes, Count.”
“Just get out.”
Demis bowed to Shan's command and then staggered back. As soon as Demis stepped back, Elze looked back at Shan.
“Why did you do that?”
Shan, still leaning back in his chair, smiled and asked back.
"What?"
“It would have been okay if you had spoken a little more gently.”
“How can you speak gently when rebuking someone for his mistakes?”
"You..."
Shan pretended not to know what Elze was talking about, even though he knew it. Instead, he seemed calm as if he had done nothing wrong. If Elze hadn't been there, he would have dragged Demis to some remote place and gotten rid of him.
Shan's reprimand was absolutely right, and it was clearly Demis' fault. However, that was Demis's limitation. In a remote mountainous territory, Demis, an uneducated commoner, had limited abilities to demonstrate. The person who knew all about these things was the one who pushed Demis like that.
When Elze looked at him with a face like she was looking at a bad guy, Shan crossed his arms. Then he narrowed his eyes and spoke seriously.
“You have to trample on the yellow sprouts first. That way, no serious trouble will happen.”
“...”
Could this be because he's jealous of Demis? It sounds ridiculous, but Elze somehow had a feeling that it might be so.
There were particularly many bandits near the border between Baluar and Britain because the country paid little attention to them.
It was not a strategically important place, as it was a rugged terrain surrounded by the Renando Forest and the Taoruksina Mountains, nicknamed the "Mountains of Death," separated the border.
Because of this, it was a good opportunity for bandits to be active. However, the nearby villages were all barren and insignificant, so there wasn't much to plunder.
But in recent times, there was one estate that boasted of being particularly wealthy: Himov.
Naturally, it became a target for bandits, but Himov was no pushover for such a small territory. The level of the militia organized by Himov was beyond imagination.
The bandits who invaded Himov not only suffered great damage but also suffered a great wound to their pride, which allowed them to run wild without any restraint.
Where there is no lion, the fox is king.
The bandits that invaded Himov were quite powerful enough to be considered the most successful bandit group in the area. They even gave themselves a fancy name, “Redbug,” and even divided up their ranks.
And Redbug, who had been running wild against the weak lords until then, was furious at their first defeat.
“Those guys weren’t a militia formed from some insignificant village.”
In the darkened pupils, amidst the flickering torches, a man with a fierce face shouted loudly. Then, all the men sitting around him joined in, and one by one, they began to chatter. While angry words were flying around in a chaotic manner, the man at the top of the table shouted loudly.
"Stop!"
The people who had been noisily chattered by the man's words suddenly became quiet. The man with the red cloth around his neck was Garan, the leader of the Redbug.
Garan lifted the large wooden goblet in front of him and drank it down in one gulp. Then he put it down with a bang and spoke.
“Even though they had a militia, they weren’t that numerous.”
He continued talking, wiping the drops of alcohol from his beard with his hand.
“Himov is in a remote place, so it takes a long time to communicate with the capital. It’s not a strategic point important enough to warrant sending reinforcements.”
Garan glanced around the room. Everyone was listening to Garan. He looked at his subordinates who would die at Garan’s command with satisfaction and asked.
“Do you know what to do in this situation?”
“...”
Of course, there was no answer. But that satisfied Garan. Garan said with a grin.
“We’re pushing forward with numbers!”
Everyone let out a low "Wow" in admiration at Garan's words. Garan spoke seriously to his subordinates who were muttering.
“Contact everyone around here and gather them all. That should easily net you a few hundred.”
A man sitting right next to Garan asked a question.
“Are you saying that we should form an alliance with the nearby bandits?”
“That’s right! Even if the borderlands like Himov were to burn down, Baluar wouldn’t care. The nobles are too busy to worry about such things.”
Garan dipped his thick fingers into the glass and then took them out. Then he explained while drawing a long picture made of alcohol on the table.
“After making a big deal in Himov, run away to the Taorukina Mountains and hide. When it gets quiet, escape and cross to Britain through the Renando Forest...”
Garan, who had been lowering his voice, banged his hand on the table and shouted loudly.
“Money and women!”
As soon as Garan's shout fell, everyone stood up and cheered. Amidst the men who couldn't hide their excitement, Garan laughed and spoke excitedly.
“Shouldn’t we show those insolent guys the bitterness of life?”
Elze decided to stay in Himov for a while.
Because she was in a hurry to return home, she could only stay for less than three days. Although it was a short time, she decided to do her best to explore every corner of the territory.
Sending the bandits from the Renando Forest to Himov was a really successful choice. They adapted naturally as if they had been the subjects of Himov from the beginning.
All the young men in Himov had left for the city, and the majority were old men and women. The young blood that had come in was warmly welcomed. There was even news that they were already creating a pink atmosphere with the village women. It was fortunate for Elze, who had been worried that they might ostracize each other.
Himov was in relatively good shape despite the battle. Some of the wooden fences had collapsed, and a few houses nearby were damaged. The security system was also quite good. Of course, there were some weak points here and there, but Elze was keeping an eye on all of them. She planned to organize everything and tell Demis later on how to improve each part.
Although Shan scolded Demis, he acted neatly when handling matters. He checked the documents Demis had prepared for the territory, informed him of any shortcomings, and instructed Liv and the knights to conduct simple training with the militia.
“Captain! Over here!!”
And now, Elze was walking outside the fence with Elijah and the others.
A night walk under the moonlight under the black sky, where stars were densely packed like jewels, was full of charm. A cool breeze rose from the land where the heat of the day had cooled down.
Elze followed Ivanna who was running fast, and Tarkun and Rapine followed a little further behind. Tarkun shouted as he watched Ivanna running.
“Hey, run slowly! You’ll fall!”
Ivanna looked back at Tarkun and made a gesture of sticking out her tongue before running away again. Elze smiled faintly as she watched Ivanna like that.
The reason she went out for a walk in the middle of the night was because of Ivanna. There were many things that Ivanna would want to see around Himov, perhaps because they were less visited by people. What Elze saw as ordinary grass or stones had a different meaning to Ivanna.
Ivanna had already finished gathering around Himov during the day. However, it seemed that there was a flower that only bloomed at night in the forest a little way from Himov. Ivanna suggested that they go pick the flower tonight, and Elze followed Elijah, who said they would go.
“If you collect the Mazehag flower while it is still blooming and process it, it becomes a powerful hallucinogen. However, it is not easy to obtain...”
Elze glanced back at the retreating plan, listening with one ear to her excitedly explaining this and that.
Shan was probably holding Demis and Liv and discussing the territory. Elze was supposed to join, but she was absent because she was going for a walk. She said she would go with Elijah and the others, and that she would also bring a rapier and mangosh, so Shan sent her off without saying a word.
Elze followed Ivanna, who was humming along as she walked ahead, deep in thought. The quiet forest was a great place to lose yourself in thought.
Shan and Elze's relationship has been a bit tricky lately. There's an inexplicable tension between them. Shan can't treat Elze like he used to, and neither can Elze.
The human mind was truly funny. It felt like the world had turned upside down when the simple fact that Erzenes was like Elze had changed.
Shan was changing little by little. When he called her “Elze” as if he was indifferent and looked at her with desperate eyes, his heart felt strange. And when Elze called her “Shan,” his expression shook slightly...
“Whoa!”
Elze's thoughts were interrupted by Ivanna's sudden scream. Elze, who came to her senses belatedly, looked around to find Ivanna. Tarkun, who was following behind, snickered, saying that Ivanna must have tripped over a tree trunk in the forest.
“What the heck, Ivanna! Did you fall?”
But then it was quiet. Not a sound could be heard. Ivanna would have been angry and yelled at him, but that would have been enough.
Elze, who had been quietly looking around, bit her lip. The forest, enveloped in silence, was devoid of even the usual bird sounds. All the animals seemed to have their mouths tightly shut. It was as if they were wary of humans hiding somewhere.
As she cleared her mind and sharpened my senses, she began to sense presence. The presence that was slowly creeping in was not just one. It was the moment when she found at least dozens of presences.
With the sound of the forest shaking loudly, men with red clothes around their necks poured in from all directions.
They all wore red clothes around their necks like some kind of uniform and held weapons in their hands. In an instant, they surrounded Elze, Rapine, and Tarkun.
But even in the sudden attack, none of the three blinked. They all kept their faces calm and looked for Ivanna first. Ivanna, who was walking ahead alone, was caught by one of the bandits and was struggling. Her mouth was gagged with a large, hairy palm. The man holding Ivanna shouted.
“Don’t move!”
But the man soon screamed. This was because Ivanna bit his hand with all her might and tore it with her nails. Finally, as soon as the man, unable to bear the pain, took his hand off her mouth, Ivanna screamed.
“Ahhh! Save me quickly! This kid stinks!!”
“...”
There was a brief silence as Ivanna spoke. Then Tarkun burst into laughter, almost out of breath. He pointed at Ivanna and teased her.
“Who would walk alone like that?”
“Don’t laugh!”
It was a conversation that didn't feel the slightest bit tense. Rapine was already snorting. Elze dug her fingernails into her palms to keep herself from laughing and watched the thieves.
These guys seemed to be the thieves who were after Himov. If it had been normal, she would have noticed the thieves' presence long ago, but she was so lost in thought about Shan that she missed them.
Besides, it was a night walk with Elijah and no one else, so her mind was at ease.
The materials that Ivanna handled on the battlefield were extremely threatening. However, she was not physically strong. For Ivanna to be active, she absolutely needed someone to cover her. It was essential that she could run wild, whether she wanted to explode, melt, or burn, based on that cover.
That's why Ivanna was always assisted by one of Elijah's Tarkun and Eapine. When she couldn't reach the vials in her coat, like now, she was just an ordinary girl.
In any case, Ivanna's safety was the most important. And in cases like this, the best way was to resolve it through dialogue.
Elze's first meeting with Kalia flashed through her mind. At that time, Elze tried to talk to her, but it didn't work. Unlike Shan, who was a smooth talker, Elze wasn't very good at talking. Even Elze thought that the chances of a successful conversation were really low. She wished Shan had been there at that time.
While Elze was pondering what to do, the one who seemed to be the leader of them all came forward, swaying. He was a head taller than the others, and the red cloth around his neck was unusually large and luxurious. The man spoke to Elze, who was standing at the very front while grumbling.
“Are you a citizen of Himov?”
Elze, who didn't know he was talking to her, reacted a beat late.
"...Ah."
It seemed that Elze was a woman, so he wouldn't have said that. While thinking about how to answer, Elze pointed out the part where he was wrong.
“I’m not from here.”
Garan's face crumpled when he heard Elze's voice. He muttered in a tone of disbelief.
“What the heck, you little bitch?”
Instead of answering, Elze slowly walked forward. As Elze, who had been standing in the darkness, stepped forward, the moonlight brightly illuminated her face.
“!!”
The eyes of the thieves all grew wide. They were men who had only ever met country girls and bar prostitutes while wandering around the countryside.
With her pure white skin, ivory-colored hair that resembled a halo, and large blue eyes, Elze looked like an angel descending from heaven in their eyes.
Everyone momentarily forgot the current situation and stared blankly at Elze. Garan, in particular, felt like saliva was dripping from his mouth. He blatantly looked up and down at Elze. He stared at her bulging breasts and buttocks so intently that even a passing dog would notice. Garan, who had finished his evaluation, smiled and said.
“I am Garan, the leader of the great band of thieves, Redbug.”
He coughed a couple of times, perhaps to appear serious. Of course, he was just a big, bearded thief, but he did it anyway. Then he lowered his voice and spoke to Elze.
“I didn’t know there was such a beauty in Himov. Are you the lord’s concubine? Your body is...”
"Hey."
Elze finally couldn't stand it anymore and cut off Garan. She tried to listen to him, but she was so shocked that she couldn't listen.
Garan's face hardened into a fierce expression. Even nobles looked down on women, so how much more so did thieves? He could not tolerate a woman interrupting his conversation and became furious.
“This bitch dares to interrupt me?”
Elze nodded her head slightly as she glared at him.
“No, I don’t mean it in a bad way... I just wanted to correct you because you seem to have misunderstood.”
There was a moment when Garan was puzzled by the soft tone of voice. Elze nodded and said.
“I am a permanent resident.”
Liv Cullens was delighted with the task of guarding Master of House Targaryel, the Count and Countess.
Himov was a truly insignificant territory. Far from producing any special products, the land was barren and crops often failed. Himov was a territory that failed to generate income every year and had to be supported.
No lord liked a land that was only losing money. Like the lords of the past, Elze also disliked Himov at first.
But as time passed, Elze began to vaguely feel fondness for Himov. This was because the people of Himov's territory were grateful.
As soon as she took office as lord, Elze first used her personal funds to start organizing the estate. She built new buildings, paved roads, and firmly established basic rules for managing the estate.
Even after the village was reorganized, she did not give up and continued to support the territory. In years of poor harvests, she bought and sent daily necessities and food to ensure that no one would starve.
The territories near the border were prone to petty disputes and raids by bandits due to their locational characteristics. The environment was bound to be harsh, but Himov developed quickly thanks to the attention paid to them by their lord, Elze. Thanks to this, they were able to reach a level where they could make a living.
The people of Himov tried to repay their lord's excellent rule in some small way. Every year during the harvest season, they send gifts to Elze, along with heartfelt thanks. The gifts were meager for a poor estate, but they were always filled with sincerity.
The commoner whom Elze appointed as her manager was also smart and trustworthy. He organized the documents related to the estate neatly and transparently and reported regularly.
It was impossible not to trust him because he faithfully reported how the money sent to the estate was used and what the results were. Elze was able to support Himov with peace of mind without worrying about the risk of embezzlement.
The last word she received from Himov was that they were trying to reinforce their militia because of the bandits. Since Elze had sent a bandit group from the forest of Renando, they would probably have used them to form a proper militia by now.
After riding for several days, Elze and her party arrived in Himov.
When they arrived, the sun had set and darkness had fallen. Elze, who had been delighted by the flickering lights over there, paused for a moment.
“...?”
But something was strange. Himov had an air of a battle about to break out at any moment.
Torches were burning brightly, and men with weapons stood on the wooden palisade (a fence to prevent enemy invasion) surrounding the village, keeping a sharp lookout. As if they saw Elze and her party approaching, a loud bell rang all around.
“Who are you!”
A man shouted from beyond the fence, shining a torch. The light flickered across Elze and Shan’s faces. He quickly confirmed the two people standing in front and opened his eyes wide.
“Yes, my lord?”
He was the leader of the bandits that Elze had sent to Himov. Elze waved at him cheerfully. He hurriedly shouted to the people around him.
“The lord has come!!”
The area beyond the fence became bustling, and everyone rushed out to greet Elze. Everyone looked surprised by the lord’s visit. She had sent a notice to Himov in advance to tell them she would be visiting, but it seemed like it hadn’t been delivered yet.
Elze and his party entered Himov amidst the hospitality of the lords. At the news of the lord’s visit, the caretaker of Himov, whom Elze had appointed, ran out. He immediately knelt on the dirt floor and bowed.
“I am Demis, the caretaker of Himov. I greet you, my lord.”
Demis nodded to Shan. Shan raised his eyebrows, then waved his hand and said.
“Not this way, that way.”
Since it was Targayel's territory, Shan, the Count of Targayel, could also be considered a lord. However, the actual owner was Elze, and since it was a place that Elze had been lovingly managing, Shan took a step back.
"Yes...?"
Demis, who had naturally assumed that Shan was the lord, looked around with bewildered eyes. Then he found Elze.
“!!”
Demis's eyes widened. They had only ever communicated through letters, and since she had only written down Targayel's name, he probably didn't know that Elze was a woman. Demis, who had been frozen in a daze for a while, cautiously greeted Elze again.
“Yes, my lord...”
Demis could not have imagined that his master would be such a beautiful lady. His heart raced at the sight of her blue eyes that he had briefly met. He was afraid that she could hear his heartbeat.
Demis's ears turned red as he lowered his head. Even though he knew that she was someone he shouldn't even have feelings for, Demis couldn't stop his emotions from surging. He even had the foolish thought that this was love at first sight.
It couldn't have been more fortunate that it was night. If there had been no darkness, his flushed face would have been completely visible. Demis was barely able to choke out his words again when a cold gaze was fixed on his spine.
“...”
He looked up, his body trembling, and cold purple eyes were looking down at him.
“Did you say Demis?”
Demis, who had been frozen in place, belatedly came to his senses and answered.
“Yes, yes!! That’s right.”
He was the complete opposite of the lord who was shining pure white. He had pitch-black hair and tanned skin, and he looked like a demon in the darkness. His mouth twisted crookedly and he spoke with a hostile smile.
“Nice to meet you, Demis.”
However, despite the words of welcome, there was not a hint of joy in Shan’s voice. Demis’ face turned pale as he was oppressed by the damp air emanating from Shan.
Elze, who was watching the conversation between the two from the side, was dumbfounded by Shan's sudden growl as if he had met an enemy. Just a moment ago, he had been quietly leaving everything up to Elze, but now he seemed to be pushing her back.
At first, she couldn't figure out why he was acting like this. She didn't know what the problem was, but she felt she had to stop him. Elze gently pulled on the hem of his clothes so that it wasn't obvious.
“...”
Shan narrowed his eyes but soon backed away obediently. Demis spoke to Elze in a voice that was even more timid than before.
“My lord, I’m sorry... Although it may be lacking, I will do my best to make sure you don’t experience any inconvenience during your stay.”
He guided Elze and her party into the territory with a timid look on his face.
Since it was a small estate without a separate lord, he explained in a hurried manner that he had vacated the best house. Then, as soon as the guide was over, he tried to run away. Elze wanted to let him go if possible. However, there were urgent things she had to ask him right away.
“Demis, I would like to talk to you for a moment.”
Eventually, Demis was held captive by Elze, and the three of them, including Shan, sat down in a quiet space. Before even sitting down on her chair, Elze asked Demis a question.
“What’s happening in Himov right now?”
To anyone who saw it, Himov had an ominous atmosphere. Elze felt like she had to hear what was going on to be able to sleep.
Demis looked moved by Elze's urging. It was touching for Demis, the manager of Himov, to see the lord, exhausted from exhaustion, neglecting her own body and instead taking care of the territory. Demis reported immediately.
“These days, bandits are targeting Himov. Himov is the wealthiest territory in the area. Because of the bandits, we are unable to properly communicate with the capital.”
Elze quickly realized that the reason her message to Himov had not arrived was because of the bandits.
“Not long ago, the most powerful bandit group here invaded, and we had a big battle. Fortunately, thanks to the people you sent and the militia I organized, we were able to win without much damage.”
Demis paused for a moment. Then he carefully stated what he had been thinking.
“But... It’s quiet now, but it’s too quiet. It’s like the calm before a storm... I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think they’ll give up easily.”
The current state of Himov was perfect for bandits to take advantage of. It was rare for a territory to live this well in a remote area that received less attention from the country. They would not let go of their tempting prey after being stepped on once. They would definitely come back somehow. Elze was deep in thought, and Shan blurted out.
"So?"
"Yes?"
Shan's long fingers tapped the table. A cool voice, accompanied by a light sound, questioned Demis.
“Your understanding of the current situation is inadequate. Even if you were unable to conduct proper reconnaissance due to a lack of troops, what are your countermeasures?”
Demis's mind went blank as he met her gaze directly. He barely managed to move his mouth.
“First, reinforce the wooden fence... and then, all the other parts...”
“Demis.”
Demis's stammering words were cut off. Demis closed his mouth at Shan's call. It was not that he wanted to finish his words, but because his throat was choked with the feeling of being squeezed tightly. Shan slowly leaned back. Her purple eyes stared at Demis intently.
“Aren’t you getting paid as the caretaker of the estate?”
“...Yes, Count.”
“You must know very well how merciful my wife, the lord of Himov, is compared to other lords.”
A soft voice asked in a whisper.
“But is it really like this?”
“That, that...”
Demis tried to say something, but Shan was cold.
“This isn’t the place to sit to hear excuses.”
“I’m sorry...”
Shan said, nodding his chin at Demis.
“Bring me a proper report. Not this incoherent garbage.”
“Yes, Count.”
“Just get out.”
Demis bowed to Shan's command and then staggered back. As soon as Demis stepped back, Elze looked back at Shan.
“Why did you do that?”
Shan, still leaning back in his chair, smiled and asked back.
"What?"
“It would have been okay if you had spoken a little more gently.”
“How can you speak gently when rebuking someone for his mistakes?”
"You..."
Shan pretended not to know what Elze was talking about, even though he knew it. Instead, he seemed calm as if he had done nothing wrong. If Elze hadn't been there, he would have dragged Demis to some remote place and gotten rid of him.
Shan's reprimand was absolutely right, and it was clearly Demis' fault. However, that was Demis's limitation. In a remote mountainous territory, Demis, an uneducated commoner, had limited abilities to demonstrate. The person who knew all about these things was the one who pushed Demis like that.
When Elze looked at him with a face like she was looking at a bad guy, Shan crossed his arms. Then he narrowed his eyes and spoke seriously.
“You have to trample on the yellow sprouts first. That way, no serious trouble will happen.”
“...”
Could this be because he's jealous of Demis? It sounds ridiculous, but Elze somehow had a feeling that it might be so.
***
There were particularly many bandits near the border between Baluar and Britain because the country paid little attention to them.
It was not a strategically important place, as it was a rugged terrain surrounded by the Renando Forest and the Taoruksina Mountains, nicknamed the "Mountains of Death," separated the border.
Because of this, it was a good opportunity for bandits to be active. However, the nearby villages were all barren and insignificant, so there wasn't much to plunder.
But in recent times, there was one estate that boasted of being particularly wealthy: Himov.
Naturally, it became a target for bandits, but Himov was no pushover for such a small territory. The level of the militia organized by Himov was beyond imagination.
The bandits who invaded Himov not only suffered great damage but also suffered a great wound to their pride, which allowed them to run wild without any restraint.
Where there is no lion, the fox is king.
The bandits that invaded Himov were quite powerful enough to be considered the most successful bandit group in the area. They even gave themselves a fancy name, “Redbug,” and even divided up their ranks.
And Redbug, who had been running wild against the weak lords until then, was furious at their first defeat.
“Those guys weren’t a militia formed from some insignificant village.”
In the darkened pupils, amidst the flickering torches, a man with a fierce face shouted loudly. Then, all the men sitting around him joined in, and one by one, they began to chatter. While angry words were flying around in a chaotic manner, the man at the top of the table shouted loudly.
"Stop!"
The people who had been noisily chattered by the man's words suddenly became quiet. The man with the red cloth around his neck was Garan, the leader of the Redbug.
Garan lifted the large wooden goblet in front of him and drank it down in one gulp. Then he put it down with a bang and spoke.
“Even though they had a militia, they weren’t that numerous.”
He continued talking, wiping the drops of alcohol from his beard with his hand.
“Himov is in a remote place, so it takes a long time to communicate with the capital. It’s not a strategic point important enough to warrant sending reinforcements.”
Garan glanced around the room. Everyone was listening to Garan. He looked at his subordinates who would die at Garan’s command with satisfaction and asked.
“Do you know what to do in this situation?”
“...”
Of course, there was no answer. But that satisfied Garan. Garan said with a grin.
“We’re pushing forward with numbers!”
Everyone let out a low "Wow" in admiration at Garan's words. Garan spoke seriously to his subordinates who were muttering.
“Contact everyone around here and gather them all. That should easily net you a few hundred.”
A man sitting right next to Garan asked a question.
“Are you saying that we should form an alliance with the nearby bandits?”
“That’s right! Even if the borderlands like Himov were to burn down, Baluar wouldn’t care. The nobles are too busy to worry about such things.”
Garan dipped his thick fingers into the glass and then took them out. Then he explained while drawing a long picture made of alcohol on the table.
“After making a big deal in Himov, run away to the Taorukina Mountains and hide. When it gets quiet, escape and cross to Britain through the Renando Forest...”
Garan, who had been lowering his voice, banged his hand on the table and shouted loudly.
“Money and women!”
As soon as Garan's shout fell, everyone stood up and cheered. Amidst the men who couldn't hide their excitement, Garan laughed and spoke excitedly.
“Shouldn’t we show those insolent guys the bitterness of life?”
***
Elze decided to stay in Himov for a while.
Because she was in a hurry to return home, she could only stay for less than three days. Although it was a short time, she decided to do her best to explore every corner of the territory.
Sending the bandits from the Renando Forest to Himov was a really successful choice. They adapted naturally as if they had been the subjects of Himov from the beginning.
All the young men in Himov had left for the city, and the majority were old men and women. The young blood that had come in was warmly welcomed. There was even news that they were already creating a pink atmosphere with the village women. It was fortunate for Elze, who had been worried that they might ostracize each other.
Himov was in relatively good shape despite the battle. Some of the wooden fences had collapsed, and a few houses nearby were damaged. The security system was also quite good. Of course, there were some weak points here and there, but Elze was keeping an eye on all of them. She planned to organize everything and tell Demis later on how to improve each part.
Although Shan scolded Demis, he acted neatly when handling matters. He checked the documents Demis had prepared for the territory, informed him of any shortcomings, and instructed Liv and the knights to conduct simple training with the militia.
“Captain! Over here!!”
And now, Elze was walking outside the fence with Elijah and the others.
A night walk under the moonlight under the black sky, where stars were densely packed like jewels, was full of charm. A cool breeze rose from the land where the heat of the day had cooled down.
Elze followed Ivanna who was running fast, and Tarkun and Rapine followed a little further behind. Tarkun shouted as he watched Ivanna running.
“Hey, run slowly! You’ll fall!”
Ivanna looked back at Tarkun and made a gesture of sticking out her tongue before running away again. Elze smiled faintly as she watched Ivanna like that.
The reason she went out for a walk in the middle of the night was because of Ivanna. There were many things that Ivanna would want to see around Himov, perhaps because they were less visited by people. What Elze saw as ordinary grass or stones had a different meaning to Ivanna.
Ivanna had already finished gathering around Himov during the day. However, it seemed that there was a flower that only bloomed at night in the forest a little way from Himov. Ivanna suggested that they go pick the flower tonight, and Elze followed Elijah, who said they would go.
“If you collect the Mazehag flower while it is still blooming and process it, it becomes a powerful hallucinogen. However, it is not easy to obtain...”
Elze glanced back at the retreating plan, listening with one ear to her excitedly explaining this and that.
Shan was probably holding Demis and Liv and discussing the territory. Elze was supposed to join, but she was absent because she was going for a walk. She said she would go with Elijah and the others, and that she would also bring a rapier and mangosh, so Shan sent her off without saying a word.
Elze followed Ivanna, who was humming along as she walked ahead, deep in thought. The quiet forest was a great place to lose yourself in thought.
Shan and Elze's relationship has been a bit tricky lately. There's an inexplicable tension between them. Shan can't treat Elze like he used to, and neither can Elze.
The human mind was truly funny. It felt like the world had turned upside down when the simple fact that Erzenes was like Elze had changed.
Shan was changing little by little. When he called her “Elze” as if he was indifferent and looked at her with desperate eyes, his heart felt strange. And when Elze called her “Shan,” his expression shook slightly...
“Whoa!”
Elze's thoughts were interrupted by Ivanna's sudden scream. Elze, who came to her senses belatedly, looked around to find Ivanna. Tarkun, who was following behind, snickered, saying that Ivanna must have tripped over a tree trunk in the forest.
“What the heck, Ivanna! Did you fall?”
But then it was quiet. Not a sound could be heard. Ivanna would have been angry and yelled at him, but that would have been enough.
Elze, who had been quietly looking around, bit her lip. The forest, enveloped in silence, was devoid of even the usual bird sounds. All the animals seemed to have their mouths tightly shut. It was as if they were wary of humans hiding somewhere.
As she cleared her mind and sharpened my senses, she began to sense presence. The presence that was slowly creeping in was not just one. It was the moment when she found at least dozens of presences.
With the sound of the forest shaking loudly, men with red clothes around their necks poured in from all directions.
They all wore red clothes around their necks like some kind of uniform and held weapons in their hands. In an instant, they surrounded Elze, Rapine, and Tarkun.
But even in the sudden attack, none of the three blinked. They all kept their faces calm and looked for Ivanna first. Ivanna, who was walking ahead alone, was caught by one of the bandits and was struggling. Her mouth was gagged with a large, hairy palm. The man holding Ivanna shouted.
“Don’t move!”
But the man soon screamed. This was because Ivanna bit his hand with all her might and tore it with her nails. Finally, as soon as the man, unable to bear the pain, took his hand off her mouth, Ivanna screamed.
“Ahhh! Save me quickly! This kid stinks!!”
“...”
There was a brief silence as Ivanna spoke. Then Tarkun burst into laughter, almost out of breath. He pointed at Ivanna and teased her.
“Who would walk alone like that?”
“Don’t laugh!”
It was a conversation that didn't feel the slightest bit tense. Rapine was already snorting. Elze dug her fingernails into her palms to keep herself from laughing and watched the thieves.
These guys seemed to be the thieves who were after Himov. If it had been normal, she would have noticed the thieves' presence long ago, but she was so lost in thought about Shan that she missed them.
Besides, it was a night walk with Elijah and no one else, so her mind was at ease.
The materials that Ivanna handled on the battlefield were extremely threatening. However, she was not physically strong. For Ivanna to be active, she absolutely needed someone to cover her. It was essential that she could run wild, whether she wanted to explode, melt, or burn, based on that cover.
That's why Ivanna was always assisted by one of Elijah's Tarkun and Eapine. When she couldn't reach the vials in her coat, like now, she was just an ordinary girl.
In any case, Ivanna's safety was the most important. And in cases like this, the best way was to resolve it through dialogue.
Elze's first meeting with Kalia flashed through her mind. At that time, Elze tried to talk to her, but it didn't work. Unlike Shan, who was a smooth talker, Elze wasn't very good at talking. Even Elze thought that the chances of a successful conversation were really low. She wished Shan had been there at that time.
While Elze was pondering what to do, the one who seemed to be the leader of them all came forward, swaying. He was a head taller than the others, and the red cloth around his neck was unusually large and luxurious. The man spoke to Elze, who was standing at the very front while grumbling.
“Are you a citizen of Himov?”
Elze, who didn't know he was talking to her, reacted a beat late.
"...Ah."
It seemed that Elze was a woman, so he wouldn't have said that. While thinking about how to answer, Elze pointed out the part where he was wrong.
“I’m not from here.”
Garan's face crumpled when he heard Elze's voice. He muttered in a tone of disbelief.
“What the heck, you little bitch?”
Instead of answering, Elze slowly walked forward. As Elze, who had been standing in the darkness, stepped forward, the moonlight brightly illuminated her face.
“!!”
The eyes of the thieves all grew wide. They were men who had only ever met country girls and bar prostitutes while wandering around the countryside.
With her pure white skin, ivory-colored hair that resembled a halo, and large blue eyes, Elze looked like an angel descending from heaven in their eyes.
Everyone momentarily forgot the current situation and stared blankly at Elze. Garan, in particular, felt like saliva was dripping from his mouth. He blatantly looked up and down at Elze. He stared at her bulging breasts and buttocks so intently that even a passing dog would notice. Garan, who had finished his evaluation, smiled and said.
“I am Garan, the leader of the great band of thieves, Redbug.”
He coughed a couple of times, perhaps to appear serious. Of course, he was just a big, bearded thief, but he did it anyway. Then he lowered his voice and spoke to Elze.
“I didn’t know there was such a beauty in Himov. Are you the lord’s concubine? Your body is...”
"Hey."
Elze finally couldn't stand it anymore and cut off Garan. She tried to listen to him, but she was so shocked that she couldn't listen.
Garan's face hardened into a fierce expression. Even nobles looked down on women, so how much more so did thieves? He could not tolerate a woman interrupting his conversation and became furious.
“This bitch dares to interrupt me?”
Elze nodded her head slightly as she glared at him.
“No, I don’t mean it in a bad way... I just wanted to correct you because you seem to have misunderstood.”
There was a moment when Garan was puzzled by the soft tone of voice. Elze nodded and said.
“I am a permanent resident.”
***
Liv Cullens was delighted with the task of guarding Master of House Targaryel, the Count and Countess.
In particular, it was best to see Shan, who was so blunt that he sometimes didn't seem human, become normal in front of Erzenes. When he saw Shan like that, he couldn't help but think that it was time for Cirxus to settle down.
Even though he was busy, he stopped by Himov before returning to Targayel. He knew that Erzenes cared about Himov, so he went out of his way to visit him.
Seeing Himov, who had been restless due to the raids of the bandits, rejoicing at the visit of the lord, Liv's shoulders also shrugged for no reason. No knight would not feel pride in his master being praised. Thinking that it was all thanks to the lady, the thought of being loyal to the lady naturally rose to him.
“So, we are currently in the process of reorganizing the militia into squads and issuing orders to each squad leader...”
Liv glanced at Demis, who was reporting with a very military posture. Liv and Demis were currently reporting in front of Shan on how to move the Himov militia in the future.
Shan was listening to Demis's report, blankly scanning it. If Demis made even the slightest mistake, he would point it out without fail.
“This part is lacking.”
“Look, I’ll reinforce it.”
“And dividing them needlessly is no good. Cut the number of squads in half here. The militia is not that large, and dividing them like this will only hinder the issuance of orders.”
“Yes, Count.”
As Shan pointed out each point, Liv could see Demis shrinking even to his eyes.
But Liv thought this was a minor thing. Shan was originally a sharp person when it came to work. Especially on the battlefield, a small mistake could directly affect the lives of dozens or hundreds. Even if it wasn't intentional, the weight of a mistake was heavy.
That's why Shan always demanded perfection, and those who followed Shan were thoroughly accustomed to his perfectionism. Thanks to this, whenever he had the opportunity to collaborate with others, he would always hear compliments that were close to shock.
On the other hand, he did not just push his subordinates unconditionally. Shan did not recognize any connections and gave fair rewards and punishments based on ability. He always gave generous rewards for performance. It was not for nothing that people followed Shan.
Demis, who was so shocked by Shan, was on the verge of tears. Liv consoled him inwardly, saying that even though it was bitter now, it would all become blood and flesh later.
Still, it was a little strange. Shan gave him work that matched his abilities. The usual Shan would not have questioned a commoner manager in the countryside so harshly.
Now that he thinks about it, he remembers Demis blushing when he saw Madame. He wondered if that was the reason why Shan was acting like this. He was just about to decide that he would ask Lady Cirxus himself when Demis left.
“!!”
A loud bell rang outside. The piercing sound of metal was the bell signaling an attack. Liv ran straight to the window and looked outside. A line of torches was forming as they surged in.
"Shit...!"
Liv, who had chewed on a curse word in his mouth, turned to Shan and shouted.
“Lord Cirxus! The movement of the torches is organized. These are guys who know the tactics.”
Shan frowned quietly. Liv’s body froze for a moment. Shan’s aura was not normal. The murderous intent surrounding him was so intense that it made his skin tingle.
Shan was not easily angered by anything. Shan Cirxus was a person who would not blink an eye even if someone died in front of him. He would respond indifferently to a raid by a bandit group, but what on earth could have made him do this? Liv, who was carefully searching for the cause, asked Shan, “No way, no way.”
“Ma, Madam...?”
“Elijah and the others are outside the fence.”
“!!”
Liv's mouth fell open. Shan called his name with cold eyes.
“Liv Cullens!”
Liv knelt down on the floor almost reflexively. It was an excessive posture to follow orders, but he didn’t have time to think about it. His hands were shaking slightly in fear. Demis was already on the verge of fainting. Shan looked down at Liv and spoke softly.
“I give you full authority. Lead the knights and the militia to defend Himov. I will find Erzenes and Elijah, and then push in from outside the stockade.”
“Yes! I understand.”
“And if you are pushed back in a defensive battle and a dangerous situation arises...”
Shan picked up the sword. He put the sword on his waist and spoke in a low voice.
“Abandon Himov and prioritize the lives of the people of the territory.”
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