Chapter 44

Episode 44

By the time I returned to the main road, the battle was over, and they were tending to the wounded.

Sir Darius was discussing the situation with his adjutants, his expression grim. It seemed like a heated debate.

But I wasn’t a knight I was an Inspector.

My priority was to check on Lady Lucia.

To my surprise, she was calmly reading a book in her carriage.

She had asked her tutor for book recommendations before leaving Kalisto Castle, quoting a saying about never stopping learning, even on a long journey.

“My Lady, the situation is under control. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. But Sir Aubrey, your face is covered in wounds. It must have been a fierce battle. Here, use this.”

She offered me a handkerchief from her pocket. I accepted it and wiped the monster blood from my face. Her scent lingered on the fabric.

“Thank you, my Lady. I’m relieved you’re safe. I’ll go assess the damage.”

I saluted and joined the knights, who were still arguing. Sir Darius and three other knights were raising their voices.

“Vice-Commander, we have to pursue them! They threatened the Lady’s safety!”

“We can’t be passive just because we’re not in the Dukedom. We have to show them the might of the Azure Dragon Knights!”

“Give us the order!”

The adjutants were still furious, demanding action.

But it wasn’t that simple.

I had concluded that the monsters were being controlled, based on the wild wolves’ unusual behavior.

Any experienced fighter would have sensed the same anomaly.

“Hmm, I respect your opinions, but now is not the time. They were cunning. The wild wolves had a sophisticated hunting formation. We have to consider the possibility that they’re setting a trap.”

“But…!”

“I have a bad feeling about this. To be honest, I don’t think this was a simple raid.”

“What do you mean?”

Questions were thrown at him, but Sir Darius remained silent.

He was proving why he was the Vice-Commander. He was a tough fighter, but he was also a cautious strategist.

Pursuing the monsters blindly would be reckless. We needed to understand the situation before taking action.

We were in a dense forest, in the middle of the night.

“Sir O’Brien, are you alright?”

Sir Darius asked, his expression grim. I nodded.

“I’m fine.”

“That’s good to hear. It seemed intense. Is the Lady safe?”

“She told me to focus on eliminating the monsters. She said she would die with honor, upholding the name of House Kalisto.”

“Ooooo…”

Sir Darius and his adjutants were impressed. They had expected her to be a delicate flower, but she had shown unexpected strength.

But I wasn’t convinced.

It felt similar to the time when twenty assassins had attacked Selendis and me.

I knew the Lady wasn’t responsible for that incident, but this time, my intuition told me she was involved.

‘There are two possibilities.’

First, she had orchestrated this entire incident. And second, although I didn’t want to believe it, the ‘Dark Soul’ was influencing events.

The youngest Tulu had said something unsettling when he explained the nature of ‘Dark Souls’.

He had said that the awakening of one ‘Dark Soul’ might affect others. It wouldn’t be surprising if another one was found nearby.

Either way, it was a troubling situation.

“What’s the damage report? I need to inform the Lady.”

“Four soldiers dead, two knights injured.”

“Are the injured knights mobile?”

“They were hit by paralyzing poison. They’ll recover, but it’ll take some time before they can fight.”

“The casualties are significant.”

I hadn’t intended to criticize him, but my words seemed to have that effect.

Lady Lucia appeared.

“Sir Darius, you fought bravely. I’ll report your valor to the Duke.”

Sir Darius and the other knights knelt and bowed their heads.

“We failed to pursue and eliminate the enemy. We deserve punishment!”

“No, it was the right decision. Pursuing them would have been unwise. We were at a disadvantage. Focus on regrouping.”

“As you command!”

She sounded like a seasoned strategist. She turned away, and I escorted her back to the carriage.

“Sir Aubrey, do you still believe someone is behind this?”

“The monsters were clearly following a pattern. Their retreat was also unusual.”

“You suspect it was my plan?”

She had read my mind. I couldn’t think of a response.

“It reminds me of the time when you accused me of sending the assassins hired by Baron Roman.”

“That was a misunderstanding. I apologize.”

“As I said before, I appreciate your skepticism. It’s a rare quality.”

She stepped onto the carriage and patted the seat beside her.

I sat down without a word.

“You’re probably thinking that I orchestrated this attack to punish Sir Darius for trying to recruit you. And you’re probably thinking that it was a pointless sacrifice, that I wouldn’t want to harm loyal members of our family. I can see it in your eyes and your expression.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine. She had read me perfectly.

If she hadn’t said anything, I would have voiced those exact thoughts.

I wasn’t happy about the casualties.

And then, she did something unexpected.

She looked at me with concern and gently took my hand in hers.

“My Lady, my hands are dirty…”

I tried to pull away, but her small, warm hand held on tight.

“It’s alright. These are the hands that protect me. Don’t dwell on this incident. You’ll understand soon. It was a misunderstanding.”

“As you wish, my Lady. But I have a request.”

“Tell me.”

“The situation has changed. You instructed me to travel alone, but I need to summon Selendis and Jericho. I believe the ‘Dark Soul’ might be involved.”

“Do as you see fit.”

She released my hand, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. I saluted and exited the carriage.

The head steward was inspecting the carriage.

“Is everyone alright?”

“Yes, sir. Thankfully, everyone is safe, thanks to you. I saw you fighting earlier. You were amazing! Like a true knight.”

“Thank you. I apologize for the interruption, but could you bring me a pen and paper?”

“Right away, sir.”

He returned with a sheet of fine paper, a quill, and ink. I scribbled a message.

It was a simple order for Selendis and Jericho to join the escort as soon as possible.

*Whistle!*

I blew a whistle. A moment later, a falcon appeared in the sky. It was ‘Thunder’, the messenger falcon Jericho had given me.

It landed gracefully on my outstretched arm.

I rolled up the message and placed it in a small tube attached to its leg. I fed it some treats. It spread its wings and soared into the sky.

And then, I felt a tremor coming from the rear.

It was getting stronger, suggesting a large creature was approaching. Alarm bells rang throughout the camp.

To my surprise, it was a contingent of soldiers from House Caribe.

House Caribe.

They were a rising power in the empire. Their territory was blessed with a mild climate and fertile land, making it a hub for trade and commerce.

They had recently expanded their army, thanks to their newfound wealth. And they had formed a military and economic alliance with House Kalisto.

The Duchess’s ladies-in-waiting had mentioned it, so it had to be true.

In other words, the Caribe soldiers were allies.

“Stand down! It’s the Caribe Knights!”

Sir Darius rode towards them. Knights from the Caribe contingent rode forward to meet him.

The leader looked young. I hadn’t been in this world for long, but I could sense his noble lineage.

“I am McLellan of the Caribe Knights. It seems there was a battle. Is everyone alright?”

Sir Darius seemed to recognize him. He dismounted and saluted.

If McLellan had been arrogant or disrespectful, he wouldn’t have dismounted.

“Lord McLellan, it’s been a while. Do you remember me? Darius of the Azure Dragon Knights.”

“Sir Darius! Are you alright?”

Sir Darius was covered in blood, but they seemed to be acquainted.

The tension dissipated.

“What are you waiting for? Medics, tend to the Azure Dragon Knights’ wounded!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Caribe soldiers rushed forward with potions and bandages. It was reassuring to have local support.

“What happened?”

“We were escorting Lady Lucia to the capital when we were attacked by monsters. They were cunning and well-organized. We suffered heavy casualties.”

“The Lady is here?”

McLellan’s eyes widened as he looked at the carriage. I stepped forward, preventing any misunderstandings.

“Greetings, Lord McLellan. I am O’Brien Walker of the Lucius Inspection Unit.”

“O’Brien Walker? The legendary Inspector?”

I bowed my head humbly. McLellan looked barely twenty, his face open and honest.

“I’ve heard many stories about your exploits in the Gerard and Cliff territories. It’s a shame we’re meeting under such circumstances. I would have preferred a more festive occasion.”

“Perhaps we’ll have a chance to meet again. But I have a question, Lord McLellan. Did you pursue a group of monsters to this location?”

“Yes. We had a skirmish, but they fled.”

He couldn’t avoid my gaze.

I didn’t need to accuse him of provoking the monsters and endangering the Lady.

The silence spoke volumes.

There was no internet or GPS in this world. There was no way the Caribe Knights could have responded so quickly unless they had been chasing the monsters that attacked us. This could be problematic for House Caribe.

But every crisis was an opportunity.

I formulated a plan and addressed Lord McLellan.

“It’s too dangerous to continue our journey to the capital. We would be grateful if you could provide the Lady with temporary lodging.”