Chapter 9 : Accompanying – 2

The letter sent by Luen was simple.

A brief note explaining his situation and requesting help.

In addition, he mentioned his location and asked for support.

However, the response was just as simple.

Swish…!

With an indifferent hand, Ophelia pulled back the curtain and clicked her tongue as she gazed out the window.

“Are they the soldiers sent to assist us?”

“Who knows? Do they look like it?”

At Ophelia’s question, Luen fell silent for a brief moment.

Even to his eyes, those outside did not appear to be soldiers sent for support.

Rather, the presence of Kalbrandt’s soldiers among them clearly indicated that they were not here to help.

Luen exhaled softly and shook his head.

At the same time, Ophelia, who had nodded, stared at the approaching enemies with cold, sunken eyes.

“They’ve swarmed like insects.”

The atmosphere among the soldiers surrounding the cabin was ominous.

It was as if there were a bounty on Luen’s head.

Luen blinked slowly at their menacing presence and let out a small sigh.

“Thank you for your help, Lady Ophelia. From here on, I will handle this on my own.”

Of course, Luen had no means of resolving this situation on his own.

He knew that if he accepted Ophelia’s help, he could get through this without much trouble.

However, he was also well aware that asking for her aid would be a burden to her.

From her position, where she had to maintain neutrality, siding with the exiled heir of Kalbrandt could become an enormous inconvenience.

“Do you have a clear plan?”

“I will come up with one now.”

Even with danger looming right before him, Luen struggled to maintain his composure.

Deep inside, fear surged within him, but on the surface, he tried his best to appear calm.

Noticing this, Ophelia let out a small sigh and observed Luen.

But he, too lost in thought, did not notice her gaze.

‘How did they arrive here so quickly?’

It was obvious that Kalbrandt’s trackers were among them.

Even if, unwilling as he was to imagine it, the neighboring territories that received his letter had informed Kalbrandt, their response had been too fast.

‘…If that’s the case.’

Only one possibility remained.

There was already a territory that had sided with Calcento.

Realizing this, Luen frowned and ran a hand over his face.

Which territory had aligned itself with Calcento? He calmly pondered the question, but identifying the traitor was no easy task.

However, it wasn’t difficult to guess when they had switched sides.

The moment they realized I had no talent.

As soon as that fact spread throughout high society, they must have concluded that Kalbrandt had no future.

And right at that moment, Calcento must have appeared with an offer tempting enough to make them betray Kalbrandt.

“In the end…”

It all came down to talent.

The disaster that unfolded was because the sole heir of a prestigious magical bloodline lacked talent.

Luen clenched his fist so tightly it nearly shattered, grinding his teeth.

His stormy gaze lingered on the window for a moment before he took a deep breath, shaking off his thoughts.

There was no escape.

Nor could he fight back.

Survival itself would be difficult.

From Calcento’s perspective, Luen was a thorn in his side.

He might not be a significant threat alive, but as long as he lived, he would remain an irritation.

An existence that would always be a nuisance.

That was why Calcento had come to eliminate him now—before the seed could sprout.

Even so…

I will face them with dignity.

Begging for his life was not an option.

Bowing his head and pleading was not permitted.

If anything, as death loomed before him, Luen felt his mind becoming even calmer.

And so, the boy steeled his heart.

He would not cry out in disgrace.

He would not grovel for his wretched life.

He would not give that damned Calcento the satisfaction of seeing him break.

He would meet his end with dignity and composure.

“I will be going now.”

Resolving himself, Luen offered a respectful bow to Ophelia before turning toward the cabin door.

Ophelia watched his back, her gaze fixed on him until the moment he stepped outside.

Only when the door closed behind him did she let out a small sigh.

“…Stubborn as ever.”

The soldiers surrounding the cabin exhaled deeply as they kept their eyes on it.

They were prepared to seize Luen Phil Kalbrandt the moment he stepped outside.

According to the soon-to-be head of Kalbrandt, Calcento Phil Kalbrandt, whoever captured Luen would receive a grand reward.

His life or death did not matter.

That tempting promise was what had drawn them here.

However, despite their intense bloodlust, none of them dared to approach the cabin carelessly.

They knew who was inside.

And they also knew who had cast the protective magic surrounding it.

The moment they crossed that translucent barrier, their lives would no longer be guaranteed.

So instead, they waited for Luen to step out of the cabin on his own.

The ones who had come for the cabin at dawn waited until the sun rose.

And after their long patience, the cabin door finally creaked open, and from within, a boy emerged.

Deep blue-black hair, dark eyes sunken with quiet intensity.

Pale, radiant skin and a sharp, well-defined nose.

Though he had yet to fully grow into adulthood, the boy possessed the elegance of a noble, coupled with a strikingly delicate beauty.

The soldiers instinctively tightened their grip on their spears.

Though his presence was vastly different from that of the man who had given them their orders—Calcento—there was no doubt.

This boy was their target: Luen.

Mercenaries hired for coin, soldiers sent by nearby territories, and those who had come from Kalbrandt itself to track him down—all of them were present.

Luen cast a quiet, steady gaze over the large force assembled before him before finally opening his mouth.

“Quite the crowd.”

His voice was unnervingly calm—far too composed for a mere fifteen-year-old facing his captors.

“The one you aim your weapons at is the rightful heir of the Kalbrandt family. Surely, you are aware of that fact.”

Of course, they were aware.

Just as they knew that, despite being born into a prestigious magical bloodline, this boy had only a minuscule amount of magical aptitude.

The mercenaries let out small scoffs.

It didn’t matter if Luen disappeared.

Calcento would clean up the aftermath, one way or another.

Luen, meeting their amused gazes, let out a soft chuckle himself and spoke again.

“So, you trust that Calcento will take care of you afterward.”

“Do you really think he will?”

Even his own brother wasn’t spared by his hands.

The mercenaries’ fingers tightened around their weapons at the boy’s scoffing expression, as if he were ridiculing them.

“You’re all just pawns to be discarded.”

“As proof, not a single knight was sent here.”

“Why do you think that is? Wouldn’t knights be the most efficient at capturing one single boy?”

“There’s simply no need to send knights for the likes of you, brat.”

“Do you really believe that?”

As Luen continued speaking, the mercenaries felt themselves being drawn into his words.

Before they even realized it, one of them had answered him without thinking.

And as if he had been waiting for that very response, Luen turned to face the man directly.

His deep, black eyes locked onto the mercenary’s, making the man flinch.

Then, his voice followed.

“No matter how much Calcento has consumed Kalbrandt, it’s not as if he’s drowning in wealth.”

“In fact, after distributing shares to the surrounding territories, the worth of what he gained will likely be even less than what Kalbrandt originally had.”

“And yet, in order to cut unnecessary expenses, he sent you instead of knights. Why do you think that is?”

Luen didn’t raise his voice, nor did he display any anger.

He simply spoke calmly, as if engaging in an ordinary conversation.

But it was that very composure that unsettled the soldiers and mercenaries around him.

“Could it be that once all of this is over, you’ll be branded as criminals and dealt with accordingly?”

“What do you think?”

The mercenary who had unwittingly answered Luen’s question frowned and stepped forward.

“You think it’ll be that easy to get rid of all of us?”

“Do you think it would be difficult?”

Mercenaries think like mercenaries.

Nobles think like nobles.

A mercenary who has never lived as a noble cannot understand how nobles think.

But a noble who has lived as a noble—Luen—could see straight through Calcento’s mind.

“The last remaining heir of Kalbrandt was slain by a band of thieves.”

“Thus, Calcento inherits the Kalbrandt household.”

“And those thieves shall be purged in Calcento’s name.”

“What could be a simpler, cleaner conclusion than that?”