“Shan Cirxus must be killed.”
The elegant voice spoke smoothly, with an extremely aristocratic accent. Judging by the tone alone, it seemed like a very noble thing. However, the content contained murder.
“He is a difficult man to get rid of even when the opportunity arises.”
The pale blue-gray eyes looked at Raymond secretly. But Raymond couldn't say anything in response. He just let out a deep groan.
Duke Seraph swallowed his curses. Raymond still hadn't made up his mind. He was a useless indecisive guy. He wanted to act on his own, but he couldn't. If Shan Cirxus died here, he would be the first suspect.
After a long time had passed and Raymond did not budge, Duke Seraph ended up digging up Raymond's secrets.
“If left alone, he will surpass the royal family.”
Raymond's shoulders flinched slightly. Duke Seraph dug into his agitation.
“Shan Cirxus will surely conquer the borders. He will become more popular among the people of the empire. Besides, the young nobles are also sympathizing with him, despite his wildness.”
Although Shan Cirxus himself was a loathsome person, even Duke Seraph acknowledged his ability. He would one day devour Baluar.
Raymond was not unaware of this fact, but he still could not let go of the vain dream that he might be able to seize Shan Cirxus's leash.
Foolish person.
Why is there so much stupidity in the world? When Enoch sees their foolishness, he gets angry. Do stupid people only get a little useful when they are ruled and governed?
“Duke Seraph, I...”
"Your Highness!"
When Raymond showed signs of hesitating again, Duke Seraph raised his voice slightly. Raymond clenched his fists. He made a difficult decision.
“Yes, I’ll do as you say.”
“...!”
Seraph pressed down the corners of his lips that were rising. Raymond spoke to Seraph with a very tired face.
“Please step back now.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Since the goal had been achieved, there was no need to talk any further. Seraph immediately left the palace. A smile hung on Seraph’s lips as he hurriedly left the palace.
Finally, approval was given. Now, all that was left to do was to get things started. Seraph, who was pondering how to carve Targayel apart, suddenly stopped walking. Then, he looked around.
“...?”
The nobles whose eyes met his flinched in surprise and scattered. They were always anxious to greet him first, but this was the first time they avoided him like this. Enoch could feel them whispering as they looked at him.
Duke Seraph furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't possibly be happy with a situation where he was the only one unaware of it. He was starting to feel annoyed and irritated.
“Your Excellency!”
Duke Seraph's secretary came running in a hurry. He was holding a piece of paper in his hand. Duke Seraph took it and read it.
“...”
And then, without saying a word, he crumpled the paper in his hand. With a cracking sound, Duke Seraph’s eyes flashed.
In the salons of the capital's high society, a strange rumor began to circulate among many nobles. It was a dirty rumor about the Duke of Seraph.
Duke Wade held a piece of paper in his hand and looked at it for a long time. It was the same piece of paper that Duke Seraph had been reading.
It was written there that the disappearance of the blue-eyed prostitute was all the fault of Duke Seraph.
Duke Seraph's unusual love of the color blue has been famous since long ago. It was quite plausible that he, who seemed ascetic and noble, would capture blue-eyed prostitutes and lock them in the basement of his mansion to satisfy his sexual desires.
The paper also said that several of the prostitutes who were trapped there had escaped during the recent fire at the Duke Seraph's residence and that the Duke Seraph was desperate to find them.
In fact, if you look closely, it is just gossip that is so intricately woven together that you can just click your tongue and dismiss it as nonsense.
But regardless of whether it was true or not, stories related to sex were the most peripheral emotions that touched people. This kind of gossip was a topic that everyone was interested in and found amusing. And like a snowball, once it started rolling, it would grow uncontrollably.
The Duke of Seraph will be haunted by the scandal surrounding him for a while, said Duke Wade, setting the paper down on his desk in his office.
“...Is it war from now on?”
Shan Cirxus finally started to move. He was a really clever guy. When he said he was going to the border, Duke Wade thought he was crazy, but he wasn't at all.
Since he had fallen out with the royal family, he could not properly confront Duke Seraph while in the capital. Shan Cirxus moved his lair to protect his family. And only after he was sure that it was safe did he start fighting.
In the past, he would have acted like a brat without any trouble. But now, Shan Cirxus has changed a lot. Duke Wade knew what caused the change.
Erzenes Targayel... Duke Wade muttered as he recalled the name.
“I have to work hard here too.”
The secretary next to Duke Wade was busy checking his schedule with a pen as he muttered.
“Your Excellency, you have received an invitation from the Marquis de Gettune. As usual, I decline.”
“No! Accept it.”
"Yes...?"
The secretary stopped the pen he was moving. He looked at the Duke with a startled expression. Duke Wade went even further.
“From now on, accept as many invitations to social gatherings as possible. I’m going to be aggressive.”
Duke Wade smiled at the secretary's bewildered face.
“Count Targayel has laid out a grand plan, so shouldn’t we play along?”
Duke Wade has always kept a low profile in society. He has not participated in any social gatherings unless absolutely necessary.
But now that Shan Cirxus has raised the curtain on war, Duke Seraph will dismiss all rumors as groundless and work to bury the truth. From now on, it is Duke Wade's job to make the rumors true.
As Duke Wade was coordinating his schedule with his secretary, someone burst into his office door.
"Father!"
The woman who shouted boldly was Heyla. It seemed that Heyla had heard the rumor too. As soon as she heard the rumor, she instinctively sensed that Targayel and Wade were involved and came running. Duke Wade pretended not to know why Heyla had come running all the way here.
“Hey, are you done packing?”
Heyla spoke urgently in response to Duke Wade's question.
“But the vacation isn’t over yet. If we stay a little longer..”
“Hey.”
Duke Wade cut Heila off. He sighed and said,
“Don’t you know it’s because of what’s going to happen in the future?”
“Ah, father...”
Heyla looked at Duke Wade with anxious eyes. Duke Wade didn’t tell Heyla that everything would be fine, that everything would be okay. Instead, he gripped Heyla’s shoulder tightly. His voice was serious.
“You stay safe at Aquis University with Lord Astin. That’s the way to help.”
Heyla gripped the hem of her dress tightly with her hands, feeling the smooth texture of the dress in her hands.
The words she wanted to say were about to burst out of her mouth at any moment. She wanted to say that she could be of help, that she could do many things.
“...Yes. Okay.”
But Heyla endured it. She knew why he was saying those words. It was the heart of a father who wanted to keep Heyla safe in this silent war.
Heyla walked around the desk, next to Duke Wade, and hugged him. Burying her head in the Duke's arms, she whispered in a wet voice.
“Please take care of yourself. I love you, Father.”
Duke Wade hugged Heila tightly and whispered to her.
“I love you too, Heyla.”
While the Baluar Empire was turned upside down by the scandal of Duke Seraph, Elze, and her party rode diligently and arrived at the border.
The border was, as expected, full of poor estates. Most of the time, the administrators managed the estates on behalf of the lords, who were high-ranking nobles, but they also had no interest in the estates. As a result, all the practical work was done by the commoners, and the situation was a mess.
Elze was at a loss as to what to do. She took a day off before entering the first territory. It was to meet with the Kalias she had sent out as scouts.
"Lady!"
“I missed you, Ma’am!”
“Me too, me too!”
The Kalias came rushing in and chatted with each other. Elze, who had suddenly become popular, laughed happily among them.
After a while of reconciliation, Elze and Epen had a quiet meeting. It was a meeting of the major figures of Targayel, including Shan, Elijah, Liv, and Epen. Epen reported the information he had gathered while traveling around the border territory with Kalia.
“It’s surprisingly clean and quiet.”
Everyone was surprised by Epen's report. Epen nodded after seeing people's reactions and said.
“That makes it even more suspicious. You know, it’s even more strange that there’s no conflict in a place like this...”
Epen hesitated for a moment and then said, “This is just my guess.”
“It’s like someone is watching. It feels like something is holding the borderline tightly.”
Shan, who was listening to the report with his arms folded, asked a simple question.
“Who’s behind this?”
“I couldn’t find it. It seems like there’s something on the Heglatan side, not Baluar.”
“Hmm...”
Epen lowered his gaze. He spoke in a slightly gloomy voice.
“In fact, we sent the Kalias to Heglatan to find out more information. But we lost contact.”
Elze asked back in surprise.
“No news?”
“It’s literally true. The first group lost contact, so we sent a second group to track them down, but even they...”
“I was wondering if I should start tracking again, or if there was a high risk of them disappearing if I sent out another scout.”
After Epen's words, silence fell over the conference room. It was definitely a big problem. Then someone raised his hand and said,
“I will go.”
It was Ivanna.
“The Master’s lab was in Heglatan. It’s near the border. So I'm familiar with the geography near the border, as well as the language and culture of Heglatan.”
Ivanna fiddled with the hem of her coat for a moment. The coat, which had always been heavy when filled with glass bottles, now flapped lightly. She said quietly.
“All of the research materials were lost because of Teslaon. I would like to check if there are any research materials left in the Master’s lab.”
And then she looked back at Tarkun. Seeing Tarkun flinching at the sudden gaze directed at him, Ivanna smiled like a mischievous child and said.
“I’ll go with Tarkun.”
Elze was troubled. However, there was no clear way to find out the situation in Heglatan, and no reason to stop Ivanna from going to find research materials. In fact, the best situation would be if she and Tarkun went and found Kalia. If they succeeded in reconnaissance there, it would be even better.
Elze knew the power of the Elijahs. If they failed, no one could succeed.
"...Yes. Let’s do that.”
That's why Elze supported Ivanna's choice. But a few days later, Elze came to deeply regret that choice.
This was because contact between Ivanna and Tarkun, who had entered Heglatan, was lost.
The victory in the Hundred Years' War was originally Heglatan's.
Throughout the war, Heglatan always had the upper hand. Baluar somehow managed to hold out and prolong the war for nearly a hundred years, but everyone expected Heglatan to win in the end.
The dark cloud over the battlefield weighed on the Baluar Empire's army and broke their morale. In contrast, Heglatan was confident of his victory and acted like a victorious nation.
But then something absurd happened. Baluar gradually regained his momentum and eventually seized the opportunity to win.
People have speculated on the reasons for Baluar's victory in various ways. However, there is one factor that everyone has in common: Shan Cirxus and the Elijah mercenary group.
From the moment they entered the Hundred Years' War, the tide of battle turned in an instant. Shan Cirxus and Elijah made the impossible possible and became heroes.
It was a truly maddening and exhilarating situation for Heglatan. After nearly a hundred years of victory, how frustrating it must have been for the war to end with the appearance of a hero in just a few years.
Even after the war ended, they had only superficially surrendered. They had suffered the humiliation of being demoted from an empire to a kingdom, but they still maintained the imperial title internally.
Heglatan looked for a chance for revenge and sought the reason for the defeat. Heglatan thought that the losers were Shan Cirxus and Elijah. Therefore, they thought that separating them from Baluar was the top priority before starting another war.
Kill Shan Cirxus, recruit Elijah if possible, and start a war. This was Heglatan's current strategy.
“...Huh? Are you already that far? You must have run quite hard.”
And the Prince of Heglatan, Blahar Mihanel Heglatan, was hearing that the Targayel party was approaching the border.
He sat up straight from his leisurely stretch on the sofa. His dirty blonde hair, a mix of brown and gold, was scattered. Blahar said, tying up his slightly long hair into a ponytail.
“I’m curious about Erzenes of Targayel, not Elze of Elijah.”
"Yes...?"
The subordinate who was reporting looked at Blahar in a slightly embarrassed manner. Blahar answered calmly.
“Elze was famous for being pretty even during the Hundred Years’ War.”
“...”
His subordinate looked at Blahar with extremely suspicious eyes. It was as if he was wondering what this person was up to. Blahar shrugged his shoulders and turned the conversation in another direction.
“What’s going on with the chimera?”
“We will soon receive a report from Teslaon. The manufacturing method has already been handed over, so all that remains is to resolve the issue of mass production.”
Blahar roughly calculated the date in his head. It seemed likely that he would finish what he had planned before Targayel reached the border.
He's still talking to Duke Seraph, so they'll decide whether to roast or boil them once they reach the border. Blahar asked, pushing the fur blanket aside.
“What about the interrogation of those guys we caught last time?”
“It’s ongoing. I tried to finish them off before Shan Cirxus reached the border, but they were not easy. They won’t open their mouths. I can barely stop them from committing suicide.”
“Hmm.”
Blahar asked, rubbing his chin with his finger.
“No weaknesses? Like family.”
“It’s clean. Since they’re not simple guys, I’m trying to find out more.”
“So...?”
Blahar, who had been speaking at length, buried himself in the sofa. His subordinate carefully observed Blahar's expression as he became lost in thought and spoke carefully.
“In a few days, the Targayel party will arrive at the border. What do you plan to do?”
It was a simple word of concern, but there was a faint fear in it. Having already experienced defeat once, he was afraid of war. He did not want to mess with Targayel rashly. Blahar clicked his tongue and called his name.
“Hey, Serev Kamysh.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I am different from my father.”
But Serev still had a worried look in his eyes. Blahar shook his head and said.
“Not to diminish what he has accomplished, but...”
Blahar hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to say.
“Just, what should I say?”
Then he said with a confident smile.
“If I had gone to war, the outcome would have been different, to that extent?”
Shan's purpose in coming to the border was to strengthen security and settle disputes. So he set a schedule to tour the territories along the border that bordered Heglatan.
However, Shan was having trouble even before entering the first territory. Ivanna and Tarkun, who had been sent to scout out Heglatan, lost contact after only one day.
After sending two modifications to Kalia, now Ivanna and Tarkun. This was already the third time. At this point, it was impossible not to suspect Heglatan.
A solution had to be found somehow. But Shan would not budge. Even when Elze mentioned the issue, he would change the subject to another topic or avoid it.
Elze knew why he was doing that. That's why she brought it up at a time when he couldn't escape. It was when they were lying in bed next to each other after work. Elze called his name quietly.
“Shan.”
“..."
Shan avoided Elze's eyes. He turned his back to her, not meeting her gaze. Elze hugged him from behind. Elze whispered with the rustling sound of the blanket.
“Ivanna and Tarkun are not coming back.”
Shan said with his back still turned.
“...I will send the knights.”
“They are crows of the battlefield. You know they are not suited for this kind of work.”
“...”
Shan didn't answer Elze's words. Elze spoke to him quietly.
“Shan. I have to step forward.”
In fact, Shan knew it too. This was something Elze had to do.
Even Kalia, who was qualified for the reconnaissance mission, went missing for an unknown reason. And now, even Ivanna and Tarkun have lost contact. In this situation, sending ordinary knights would not solve the problem. Someone with better skills had to be sent, and in the end, Elze was the only one who could do that.
Shan couldn't move with Elze. He shouldn't have been absent in this chaotic situation, having only just arrived at the border.
Elze must be sent to Heglatan. He must be separated from her. Shan hated that fact and continued to avoid Elze.
“The moment you move recklessly and are caught, the game is over. There’s nothing we can do. I have to go alone.”
Everyone came to this dangerous border relying solely on Shan, and if he moved, everything would be ruined.
Elze looked at Shan's back muscles. She traced the shape of the neatly split muscles with her hand and muttered.
“Because you are the King on the chessboard now.”
Shan responded to Elze's words in a low voice.
“So, does that mean the Queen will move?”
And before Elze could say anything, Shan asked a question.
“Do you know what mistake beginners in chess often make when handling the Queen?”
He slowly turned his body to face Elze. Then he put his hand around Elze's waist. He suddenly hugged her tightly, and Elze gasped. Shan looked down at Elze and said.
“It is overestimating the power of the Queen.”
“Shan...”
“The Queen is the most powerful piece, but like any other piece, she can be captured and killed. If the Queen is captured, the damage can be fatal.”
He lowered his head quietly. Then, putting his forehead against hers, he spoke softly.
“Without a Queen, there is no victory in the war.”
“...”
“If anything happens to you, I...”
Shan closed his mouth as he tried to say something. He took a deep breath with a pained expression on his face and exhaled, then said.
“But I can’t stop you...”
Elijah was another family member of Elze. How much Elze's heart would burn inside if they were in danger. Shan knew that he had to let her go. And Shan couldn't defeat Elze. In the end, he said briefly.
“Three days, Elze.”
Elze looked at Shan. His purple eyes were right in front of her nose, and a low voice crept into her ear.
“I’ll give you exactly three days. If you don’t come back within that time, I’ll raise an army.”
Feeling as if she was being sucked in, Elze blinked to come to her senses. Shan's voice kept getting lower and lower.
“It doesn’t matter what happens.”
He clenched his teeth for a moment and then whispered quietly.
“Even if the Hundred Years’ War starts again, I will go find you.”
Shan said that and gave Elze a short kiss on her face. A tickling sensation rose up wherever their lips touched. After giving her a long kiss, Shan looked at Elze. They locked eyes and spoke in an earnest voice.
“Promise me. If there’s even the slightest danger, you’ll run away no matter what.”
Elze could only nod.
The day after Shan changed his mind, Elze left immediately. It was better to resolve this kind of thing as quickly as possible. And maybe Shan would change his mind again.
Since she was moving secretly, she couldn't take many people with her. She was planning to set off with only Rapine, but an unexpected person joined them. It was Ilwooz.
“Shouldn’t Serhil be with Shan?”
Elze called Ilwooz by his pseudonym and asked him a question. Then Ilwooz gave a strange answer.
“I don’t know why, but I feel like I have work to do in Heglatan.”
How could she possibly complain when Ilwooz said that? Elze decided without a word that Ilwoos would go along too.
The cold of Heglatan is harsh, so she dressed warmly. At first, she thought about dressing up as a man. However, since Elijah's Elze is so strongly engraved in Heglatan, she thought she would attract more attention if she dressed up as a man and wore a rapier and mangosh.
Although it was known that Elze was a woman, it was not that long ago, so it was not yet known to the general public in a distant foreign land. It seemed better to have her be a woman.
Elze simply tied her hair up in a ponytail and wore plain travel clothes. She wore a thick coat over it, which made her look less attractive. She wore a hood pulled down over her head and a scarf that covered more than half of her face.
Elze, who had packed her bags and put on her travel clothes, went to the barracks where Shan was. It was to say goodbye.
“Shan.”
As she entered the barracks, she called his name, but Shan pretended not to know. He was still sitting at his desk, looking at his papers. Elze placed her hand on the desk. Only then did Shan put down his papers.
“Shan, I’ll be back.”
“..."
Shan didn't answer. His eyes were filled with the emotion of not wanting to let her go. Elze sighed and asked.
“You’re not even going to say goodbye?”
Elze cupped his cheek with her hand. She barely met his gaze and spoke to him.
“Let’s kiss.”
“...”
“Let’s kiss.”
But Shan still didn't move. Elze was the first to touch his lips. She bit his lips and then slowly pushed her tongue in. Fortunately, he didn't reject her but accepted her.
As Elze actively dug into him, Shan, who had been standing still, reached out. His hand wrapped around the back of Elze's neck and slowly swept it down. Soon their lips parted, and Shan sighed and said.
“I won’t be able to sleep from worrying about today.”
“Don’t worry. Rapine and Ilwooz are coming with me.”
Elze smiled brightly at Shan, who still had a gloomy face.
“And your wife is Elze of the Elijah Mercenary Corps.”
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The elegant voice spoke smoothly, with an extremely aristocratic accent. Judging by the tone alone, it seemed like a very noble thing. However, the content contained murder.
“He is a difficult man to get rid of even when the opportunity arises.”
The pale blue-gray eyes looked at Raymond secretly. But Raymond couldn't say anything in response. He just let out a deep groan.
Duke Seraph swallowed his curses. Raymond still hadn't made up his mind. He was a useless indecisive guy. He wanted to act on his own, but he couldn't. If Shan Cirxus died here, he would be the first suspect.
After a long time had passed and Raymond did not budge, Duke Seraph ended up digging up Raymond's secrets.
“If left alone, he will surpass the royal family.”
Raymond's shoulders flinched slightly. Duke Seraph dug into his agitation.
“Shan Cirxus will surely conquer the borders. He will become more popular among the people of the empire. Besides, the young nobles are also sympathizing with him, despite his wildness.”
Although Shan Cirxus himself was a loathsome person, even Duke Seraph acknowledged his ability. He would one day devour Baluar.
Raymond was not unaware of this fact, but he still could not let go of the vain dream that he might be able to seize Shan Cirxus's leash.
Foolish person.
Why is there so much stupidity in the world? When Enoch sees their foolishness, he gets angry. Do stupid people only get a little useful when they are ruled and governed?
“Duke Seraph, I...”
"Your Highness!"
When Raymond showed signs of hesitating again, Duke Seraph raised his voice slightly. Raymond clenched his fists. He made a difficult decision.
“Yes, I’ll do as you say.”
“...!”
Seraph pressed down the corners of his lips that were rising. Raymond spoke to Seraph with a very tired face.
“Please step back now.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Since the goal had been achieved, there was no need to talk any further. Seraph immediately left the palace. A smile hung on Seraph’s lips as he hurriedly left the palace.
Finally, approval was given. Now, all that was left to do was to get things started. Seraph, who was pondering how to carve Targayel apart, suddenly stopped walking. Then, he looked around.
“...?”
The nobles whose eyes met his flinched in surprise and scattered. They were always anxious to greet him first, but this was the first time they avoided him like this. Enoch could feel them whispering as they looked at him.
Duke Seraph furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't possibly be happy with a situation where he was the only one unaware of it. He was starting to feel annoyed and irritated.
“Your Excellency!”
Duke Seraph's secretary came running in a hurry. He was holding a piece of paper in his hand. Duke Seraph took it and read it.
“...”
And then, without saying a word, he crumpled the paper in his hand. With a cracking sound, Duke Seraph’s eyes flashed.
***
In the salons of the capital's high society, a strange rumor began to circulate among many nobles. It was a dirty rumor about the Duke of Seraph.
Duke Wade held a piece of paper in his hand and looked at it for a long time. It was the same piece of paper that Duke Seraph had been reading.
It was written there that the disappearance of the blue-eyed prostitute was all the fault of Duke Seraph.
Duke Seraph's unusual love of the color blue has been famous since long ago. It was quite plausible that he, who seemed ascetic and noble, would capture blue-eyed prostitutes and lock them in the basement of his mansion to satisfy his sexual desires.
The paper also said that several of the prostitutes who were trapped there had escaped during the recent fire at the Duke Seraph's residence and that the Duke Seraph was desperate to find them.
In fact, if you look closely, it is just gossip that is so intricately woven together that you can just click your tongue and dismiss it as nonsense.
But regardless of whether it was true or not, stories related to sex were the most peripheral emotions that touched people. This kind of gossip was a topic that everyone was interested in and found amusing. And like a snowball, once it started rolling, it would grow uncontrollably.
The Duke of Seraph will be haunted by the scandal surrounding him for a while, said Duke Wade, setting the paper down on his desk in his office.
“...Is it war from now on?”
Shan Cirxus finally started to move. He was a really clever guy. When he said he was going to the border, Duke Wade thought he was crazy, but he wasn't at all.
Since he had fallen out with the royal family, he could not properly confront Duke Seraph while in the capital. Shan Cirxus moved his lair to protect his family. And only after he was sure that it was safe did he start fighting.
In the past, he would have acted like a brat without any trouble. But now, Shan Cirxus has changed a lot. Duke Wade knew what caused the change.
Erzenes Targayel... Duke Wade muttered as he recalled the name.
“I have to work hard here too.”
The secretary next to Duke Wade was busy checking his schedule with a pen as he muttered.
“Your Excellency, you have received an invitation from the Marquis de Gettune. As usual, I decline.”
“No! Accept it.”
"Yes...?"
The secretary stopped the pen he was moving. He looked at the Duke with a startled expression. Duke Wade went even further.
“From now on, accept as many invitations to social gatherings as possible. I’m going to be aggressive.”
Duke Wade smiled at the secretary's bewildered face.
“Count Targayel has laid out a grand plan, so shouldn’t we play along?”
Duke Wade has always kept a low profile in society. He has not participated in any social gatherings unless absolutely necessary.
But now that Shan Cirxus has raised the curtain on war, Duke Seraph will dismiss all rumors as groundless and work to bury the truth. From now on, it is Duke Wade's job to make the rumors true.
As Duke Wade was coordinating his schedule with his secretary, someone burst into his office door.
"Father!"
The woman who shouted boldly was Heyla. It seemed that Heyla had heard the rumor too. As soon as she heard the rumor, she instinctively sensed that Targayel and Wade were involved and came running. Duke Wade pretended not to know why Heyla had come running all the way here.
“Hey, are you done packing?”
Heyla spoke urgently in response to Duke Wade's question.
“But the vacation isn’t over yet. If we stay a little longer..”
“Hey.”
Duke Wade cut Heila off. He sighed and said,
“Don’t you know it’s because of what’s going to happen in the future?”
“Ah, father...”
Heyla looked at Duke Wade with anxious eyes. Duke Wade didn’t tell Heyla that everything would be fine, that everything would be okay. Instead, he gripped Heyla’s shoulder tightly. His voice was serious.
“You stay safe at Aquis University with Lord Astin. That’s the way to help.”
Heyla gripped the hem of her dress tightly with her hands, feeling the smooth texture of the dress in her hands.
The words she wanted to say were about to burst out of her mouth at any moment. She wanted to say that she could be of help, that she could do many things.
“...Yes. Okay.”
But Heyla endured it. She knew why he was saying those words. It was the heart of a father who wanted to keep Heyla safe in this silent war.
Heyla walked around the desk, next to Duke Wade, and hugged him. Burying her head in the Duke's arms, she whispered in a wet voice.
“Please take care of yourself. I love you, Father.”
Duke Wade hugged Heila tightly and whispered to her.
“I love you too, Heyla.”
***
While the Baluar Empire was turned upside down by the scandal of Duke Seraph, Elze, and her party rode diligently and arrived at the border.
The border was, as expected, full of poor estates. Most of the time, the administrators managed the estates on behalf of the lords, who were high-ranking nobles, but they also had no interest in the estates. As a result, all the practical work was done by the commoners, and the situation was a mess.
Elze was at a loss as to what to do. She took a day off before entering the first territory. It was to meet with the Kalias she had sent out as scouts.
"Lady!"
“I missed you, Ma’am!”
“Me too, me too!”
The Kalias came rushing in and chatted with each other. Elze, who had suddenly become popular, laughed happily among them.
After a while of reconciliation, Elze and Epen had a quiet meeting. It was a meeting of the major figures of Targayel, including Shan, Elijah, Liv, and Epen. Epen reported the information he had gathered while traveling around the border territory with Kalia.
“It’s surprisingly clean and quiet.”
Everyone was surprised by Epen's report. Epen nodded after seeing people's reactions and said.
“That makes it even more suspicious. You know, it’s even more strange that there’s no conflict in a place like this...”
Epen hesitated for a moment and then said, “This is just my guess.”
“It’s like someone is watching. It feels like something is holding the borderline tightly.”
Shan, who was listening to the report with his arms folded, asked a simple question.
“Who’s behind this?”
“I couldn’t find it. It seems like there’s something on the Heglatan side, not Baluar.”
“Hmm...”
Epen lowered his gaze. He spoke in a slightly gloomy voice.
“In fact, we sent the Kalias to Heglatan to find out more information. But we lost contact.”
Elze asked back in surprise.
“No news?”
“It’s literally true. The first group lost contact, so we sent a second group to track them down, but even they...”
Not a betrayal. Elze knew how tightly the Kalias were woven together. Whatever Heglatan had done, it had caught the Kalias by the tail.
After Epen's words, silence fell over the conference room. It was definitely a big problem. Then someone raised his hand and said,
“I will go.”
It was Ivanna.
“The Master’s lab was in Heglatan. It’s near the border. So I'm familiar with the geography near the border, as well as the language and culture of Heglatan.”
Ivanna fiddled with the hem of her coat for a moment. The coat, which had always been heavy when filled with glass bottles, now flapped lightly. She said quietly.
“All of the research materials were lost because of Teslaon. I would like to check if there are any research materials left in the Master’s lab.”
And then she looked back at Tarkun. Seeing Tarkun flinching at the sudden gaze directed at him, Ivanna smiled like a mischievous child and said.
“I’ll go with Tarkun.”
Elze was troubled. However, there was no clear way to find out the situation in Heglatan, and no reason to stop Ivanna from going to find research materials. In fact, the best situation would be if she and Tarkun went and found Kalia. If they succeeded in reconnaissance there, it would be even better.
Elze knew the power of the Elijahs. If they failed, no one could succeed.
"...Yes. Let’s do that.”
That's why Elze supported Ivanna's choice. But a few days later, Elze came to deeply regret that choice.
This was because contact between Ivanna and Tarkun, who had entered Heglatan, was lost.
***
The victory in the Hundred Years' War was originally Heglatan's.
Throughout the war, Heglatan always had the upper hand. Baluar somehow managed to hold out and prolong the war for nearly a hundred years, but everyone expected Heglatan to win in the end.
The dark cloud over the battlefield weighed on the Baluar Empire's army and broke their morale. In contrast, Heglatan was confident of his victory and acted like a victorious nation.
But then something absurd happened. Baluar gradually regained his momentum and eventually seized the opportunity to win.
People have speculated on the reasons for Baluar's victory in various ways. However, there is one factor that everyone has in common: Shan Cirxus and the Elijah mercenary group.
From the moment they entered the Hundred Years' War, the tide of battle turned in an instant. Shan Cirxus and Elijah made the impossible possible and became heroes.
It was a truly maddening and exhilarating situation for Heglatan. After nearly a hundred years of victory, how frustrating it must have been for the war to end with the appearance of a hero in just a few years.
Even after the war ended, they had only superficially surrendered. They had suffered the humiliation of being demoted from an empire to a kingdom, but they still maintained the imperial title internally.
Heglatan looked for a chance for revenge and sought the reason for the defeat. Heglatan thought that the losers were Shan Cirxus and Elijah. Therefore, they thought that separating them from Baluar was the top priority before starting another war.
Kill Shan Cirxus, recruit Elijah if possible, and start a war. This was Heglatan's current strategy.
“...Huh? Are you already that far? You must have run quite hard.”
And the Prince of Heglatan, Blahar Mihanel Heglatan, was hearing that the Targayel party was approaching the border.
He sat up straight from his leisurely stretch on the sofa. His dirty blonde hair, a mix of brown and gold, was scattered. Blahar said, tying up his slightly long hair into a ponytail.
“I’m curious about Erzenes of Targayel, not Elze of Elijah.”
"Yes...?"
The subordinate who was reporting looked at Blahar in a slightly embarrassed manner. Blahar answered calmly.
“Elze was famous for being pretty even during the Hundred Years’ War.”
“...”
His subordinate looked at Blahar with extremely suspicious eyes. It was as if he was wondering what this person was up to. Blahar shrugged his shoulders and turned the conversation in another direction.
“What’s going on with the chimera?”
“We will soon receive a report from Teslaon. The manufacturing method has already been handed over, so all that remains is to resolve the issue of mass production.”
Blahar roughly calculated the date in his head. It seemed likely that he would finish what he had planned before Targayel reached the border.
He's still talking to Duke Seraph, so they'll decide whether to roast or boil them once they reach the border. Blahar asked, pushing the fur blanket aside.
“What about the interrogation of those guys we caught last time?”
“It’s ongoing. I tried to finish them off before Shan Cirxus reached the border, but they were not easy. They won’t open their mouths. I can barely stop them from committing suicide.”
“Hmm.”
Blahar asked, rubbing his chin with his finger.
“No weaknesses? Like family.”
“It’s clean. Since they’re not simple guys, I’m trying to find out more.”
“So...?”
Blahar, who had been speaking at length, buried himself in the sofa. His subordinate carefully observed Blahar's expression as he became lost in thought and spoke carefully.
“In a few days, the Targayel party will arrive at the border. What do you plan to do?”
It was a simple word of concern, but there was a faint fear in it. Having already experienced defeat once, he was afraid of war. He did not want to mess with Targayel rashly. Blahar clicked his tongue and called his name.
“Hey, Serev Kamysh.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I am different from my father.”
But Serev still had a worried look in his eyes. Blahar shook his head and said.
“Not to diminish what he has accomplished, but...”
Blahar hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to say.
“Just, what should I say?”
Then he said with a confident smile.
“If I had gone to war, the outcome would have been different, to that extent?”
***
Shan's purpose in coming to the border was to strengthen security and settle disputes. So he set a schedule to tour the territories along the border that bordered Heglatan.
However, Shan was having trouble even before entering the first territory. Ivanna and Tarkun, who had been sent to scout out Heglatan, lost contact after only one day.
After sending two modifications to Kalia, now Ivanna and Tarkun. This was already the third time. At this point, it was impossible not to suspect Heglatan.
A solution had to be found somehow. But Shan would not budge. Even when Elze mentioned the issue, he would change the subject to another topic or avoid it.
Elze knew why he was doing that. That's why she brought it up at a time when he couldn't escape. It was when they were lying in bed next to each other after work. Elze called his name quietly.
“Shan.”
“..."
Shan avoided Elze's eyes. He turned his back to her, not meeting her gaze. Elze hugged him from behind. Elze whispered with the rustling sound of the blanket.
“Ivanna and Tarkun are not coming back.”
Shan said with his back still turned.
“...I will send the knights.”
“They are crows of the battlefield. You know they are not suited for this kind of work.”
“...”
Shan didn't answer Elze's words. Elze spoke to him quietly.
“Shan. I have to step forward.”
In fact, Shan knew it too. This was something Elze had to do.
Even Kalia, who was qualified for the reconnaissance mission, went missing for an unknown reason. And now, even Ivanna and Tarkun have lost contact. In this situation, sending ordinary knights would not solve the problem. Someone with better skills had to be sent, and in the end, Elze was the only one who could do that.
Shan couldn't move with Elze. He shouldn't have been absent in this chaotic situation, having only just arrived at the border.
Elze must be sent to Heglatan. He must be separated from her. Shan hated that fact and continued to avoid Elze.
“The moment you move recklessly and are caught, the game is over. There’s nothing we can do. I have to go alone.”
Everyone came to this dangerous border relying solely on Shan, and if he moved, everything would be ruined.
Elze looked at Shan's back muscles. She traced the shape of the neatly split muscles with her hand and muttered.
“Because you are the King on the chessboard now.”
Shan responded to Elze's words in a low voice.
“So, does that mean the Queen will move?”
And before Elze could say anything, Shan asked a question.
“Do you know what mistake beginners in chess often make when handling the Queen?”
He slowly turned his body to face Elze. Then he put his hand around Elze's waist. He suddenly hugged her tightly, and Elze gasped. Shan looked down at Elze and said.
“It is overestimating the power of the Queen.”
“Shan...”
“The Queen is the most powerful piece, but like any other piece, she can be captured and killed. If the Queen is captured, the damage can be fatal.”
He lowered his head quietly. Then, putting his forehead against hers, he spoke softly.
“Without a Queen, there is no victory in the war.”
“...”
“If anything happens to you, I...”
Shan closed his mouth as he tried to say something. He took a deep breath with a pained expression on his face and exhaled, then said.
“But I can’t stop you...”
Elijah was another family member of Elze. How much Elze's heart would burn inside if they were in danger. Shan knew that he had to let her go. And Shan couldn't defeat Elze. In the end, he said briefly.
“Three days, Elze.”
Elze looked at Shan. His purple eyes were right in front of her nose, and a low voice crept into her ear.
“I’ll give you exactly three days. If you don’t come back within that time, I’ll raise an army.”
Feeling as if she was being sucked in, Elze blinked to come to her senses. Shan's voice kept getting lower and lower.
“It doesn’t matter what happens.”
He clenched his teeth for a moment and then whispered quietly.
“Even if the Hundred Years’ War starts again, I will go find you.”
Shan said that and gave Elze a short kiss on her face. A tickling sensation rose up wherever their lips touched. After giving her a long kiss, Shan looked at Elze. They locked eyes and spoke in an earnest voice.
“Promise me. If there’s even the slightest danger, you’ll run away no matter what.”
Elze could only nod.
***
The day after Shan changed his mind, Elze left immediately. It was better to resolve this kind of thing as quickly as possible. And maybe Shan would change his mind again.
Since she was moving secretly, she couldn't take many people with her. She was planning to set off with only Rapine, but an unexpected person joined them. It was Ilwooz.
“Shouldn’t Serhil be with Shan?”
Elze called Ilwooz by his pseudonym and asked him a question. Then Ilwooz gave a strange answer.
“I don’t know why, but I feel like I have work to do in Heglatan.”
How could she possibly complain when Ilwooz said that? Elze decided without a word that Ilwoos would go along too.
The cold of Heglatan is harsh, so she dressed warmly. At first, she thought about dressing up as a man. However, since Elijah's Elze is so strongly engraved in Heglatan, she thought she would attract more attention if she dressed up as a man and wore a rapier and mangosh.
Although it was known that Elze was a woman, it was not that long ago, so it was not yet known to the general public in a distant foreign land. It seemed better to have her be a woman.
Elze simply tied her hair up in a ponytail and wore plain travel clothes. She wore a thick coat over it, which made her look less attractive. She wore a hood pulled down over her head and a scarf that covered more than half of her face.
Elze, who had packed her bags and put on her travel clothes, went to the barracks where Shan was. It was to say goodbye.
“Shan.”
As she entered the barracks, she called his name, but Shan pretended not to know. He was still sitting at his desk, looking at his papers. Elze placed her hand on the desk. Only then did Shan put down his papers.
“Shan, I’ll be back.”
“..."
Shan didn't answer. His eyes were filled with the emotion of not wanting to let her go. Elze sighed and asked.
“You’re not even going to say goodbye?”
Elze cupped his cheek with her hand. She barely met his gaze and spoke to him.
“Let’s kiss.”
“...”
“Let’s kiss.”
But Shan still didn't move. Elze was the first to touch his lips. She bit his lips and then slowly pushed her tongue in. Fortunately, he didn't reject her but accepted her.
As Elze actively dug into him, Shan, who had been standing still, reached out. His hand wrapped around the back of Elze's neck and slowly swept it down. Soon their lips parted, and Shan sighed and said.
“I won’t be able to sleep from worrying about today.”
“Don’t worry. Rapine and Ilwooz are coming with me.”
Elze smiled brightly at Shan, who still had a gloomy face.
“And your wife is Elze of the Elijah Mercenary Corps.”
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