117. Towards Essenmunt (3)

“What nonsense are you spouting! We are not your friends!”

They said, glaring at me in unison. There were two soldiers in the carriage. Both seemed to be swordsmen who had mastered Mana.

Other guards, noticing the commotion in the carriage, quickly surrounded it.

Hans hurriedly entered the carriage to resolve the issue, but the guards blocked him. Hans shouted at them.

“Do you know who this bun is?! If you commit an act of disrespect, you’ll all get seriously hurt!”

“Nonsense! That might work in other regions, but not in the north, where the Lion Duke rules! If you’re a noble, act like one and formally request a visit to the castle!”

Hans probably said that because he was genuinely worried about those guards.

But his words only made the guards’ eyes fiercer. I raised my hand to stop Hans.

“Stop it, Hans. It’ll be fine.”

At those words, the guards all stared at me. One of them said.

“Judging by appearances, you seem to be a doryeonnim from a noble family from out of town. If so, park your carriage over there and formally obtain permission to enter. Even if you’re not from Essenmund, you’ll be fine if you get permission to enter.”

I wasn’t wearing anything particularly flashy.

Rather, I was wearing ordinary clothes to avoid drawing attention, but the guard who seemed to be the senior noticed that I was a noble.

‘They seem to have mistaken me for someone not from Essenmund.’

And the energy emanating from that senior was the sharpest.

He looked to be over 40. Although he was a guard, he might have reached the level of Aura.

I met his gaze and said.

“That’s inconvenient. I want to pass through the castle gates as is.”

As soon as I said that, the senior guard’s subordinates all got angry at once.

“What nonsense are you talking about! We’re at war right now! Who knows when the fiends and magical beasts, or even the soldiers from the west, might attack! We can’t humor some immature noble doryeonnim‘s prank…”

That was the moment.

I stared straight at the senior guard, conveying my will.

“No. There won’t be any problem with us entering. Because… I just want to pass through here quietly.”

“Such sophistry… Hmm?”

At those words, the senior guard’s eyes changed. He, who had been exuding a sharp aura until just now, became docile.

“Captain Rix? What’s wrong?”

For a moment, the subordinate guards looked at him, puzzled. But soon, they too became docile, like the senior guard.

No, they became dazed, as if possessed by something. At that moment, the senior guard bowed to me.

“I’m sorry. There’s no problem with entry at all, but we caused a commotion.”

And at his words, the other subordinate guards all bowed in unison.

“We’re sorry! We wasted the time of such an important person! Please forgive us!”

“I understand. I don’t want to cause a commotion either. So, I’d appreciate it if you could let us through quickly.”

“We will! Hey, let these people through! They have no problem with their entry qualifications at all!”

The senior guard shouted. And after apologizing again, the guards all stepped away from the group.

Then the group looked relieved. Above all, Lucia, being from the south, seemed the most relieved.

“I was worried something might have happened. It’s all because of me…”

“No. There’s no need to worry about that. In the first place, there’s no problem entering anywhere in Essenmund if I reveal my identity. But I was trying to pass through this city quietly without drawing attention. It’s just that a troublesome situation arose for a moment.”

Instantly, the group looked puzzled. Aylin said.

“But we didn’t reveal our identities, so how did those guys back down so easily…”

The other members of the group had similar expressions. Tricia said.

“Aylin-ssi is right. It was as if the guards were all hypnotized. But Yulian-nim didn’t use such magic.”

Tricia was an elf spiritist, so she could easily notice traces of magic. Lucia chimed in.

“The guards who seemed to be the seniors among them seemed to be quite skilled swordsmen. Suggestion or hypnotic magic, such as mental magic, shouldn’t work easily on such people…”

But the method I used wasn’t magic. She looked puzzled.

I smiled at the group and said.

“Maybe those guys just didn’t want to deal with anything troublesome. So, they just let us go.”

“Hmm. I see. It seems like Yulian-nim was the one who didn’t want anything troublesome. But anyway, we got through safely, so it doesn’t matter.”

Tricia also smiled slightly and replied.

She seemed to have noticed that I had done something. But, as cool as she was, she didn’t bother to ask for more details.

The carriage moved again. As we entered the castle, the group’s gazes turned towards the windows.

I also looked out the window, briefly recalling what I had done a moment ago.

‘Dominion. It’s quite useful.’

That’s right. I used the dominion of magical energy to instantly reverse the guards’ wills.

‘Satisfactory. Well, since it’s a dominion that even Yunir resisted, even excellent magicians or swordsmen wouldn’t be able to notice my dominion.’

It was different in principle from magical hypnosis.

I instilled in them my will to quietly pass through without causing problems through magical energy.

So, they were instantly moved by my will. I had even dominated their will at that moment.

‘At this point, it’s almost like creating reality manipulation.’

I was satisfied, realizing the power of the dominion that my magical energy possessed, but I didn’t show it to the group and said nonchalantly.

“Shall we move to the lodging then?”

---

The group settled into an inn.

This wasn’t a big city like Yutra, so the inns weren’t very large either. We found an inn that doubled as a reasonably large tavern and decided to stay there for the night.

We took two rooms. Hans and I, being men, shared a room. And the rest of the women in the group shared a room.

After putting down our luggage, the group moved to the inn’s restaurant. We deliberately entered a place that was doing well. The atmosphere there was lively.

‘Not bad.’

I was planning to observe the trends in Essenmund, especially the western part of Essenmund, like Harsen, from here.

I sat at a table with the group and ordered dinner. And in the meantime, I eavesdropped on the conversations of the guests here.

Several people who seemed to be mercenaries were talking.

“A conscription order has been issued in Harsen. Since Harsen is the largest city in this western region, the atmosphere everywhere seems unusual.”

“Harsen? Well, that city is a transportation hub and a strategically important place, so it’s understandable. So, is the enemy still the Kingdom Allied Forces?”

“Hmm… It’s now ambiguous to call them the Kingdom Allied Forces. Well, as you know, the Kingdom Alliance is already practically controlled by the Bairea Mercenary Corps.”

“Not only that. The Bairea Mercenary Corps is actually no different from a magical beast army. It seems that most of its commanders are Demon Bloods.”

At those words, the mercenaries’ eyes became serious.

“Demon Bloods?! Then the west is already as good as taken over by magical beasts?”

“It seems so. There are even rumors that the magical beasts summoned from the Chaotic Gate in the west are joining the mercenary corps’ forces.”

“Is that even possible? Then… the Kingdom Alliance must already be hell.”

“Well, it’s not just there. There’s no safe place anywhere in Islan right now. Essenmund is still better off than other places because the Lion Duke rules it.”

Lion Duke. Everyone nodded when the name of Border Count Wilhelm von Reinhardt came up.

“As long as the Lion Duke is still alive, Essenmund won’t fall.”

“Of course! Anyway, the conscription order issued in Harsen is ultimately about fighting the magical beast army. We have no choice but to go if we want to make a fortune. But Harsen might become our grave.”

“It won’t be an easy battle. The fact that they’re gathering troops like this means that the higher-ups in Harsen have already anticipated a major war.”

“Don’t say unlucky things! You’re ruining the taste of my beer! And we’re better off. The knights of the White Night Knights will definitely come to support Harsen.”

And they talked about my maternal grandfather for a long time.

“By the way, the Lion Duke is still amazing. Even now, he’s personally leading the White Night Knights on an expedition to the permafrost to directly stop the magical beasts.”

“His reputation speaks for itself. If he hadn’t stopped the permafrost, the empire would have fallen long ago.”

“That’s right! Anyway, the people of the Reinhardt family are really amazing. The Lion Duke and the Great Saintess. They’ve been saving the empire for generations. It’s no wonder they’re the empire’s best noble family.”

As the beer glasses emptied, they continued to enthusiastically recount the heroic tales of the two Reinhardts.

“It seems that Yulian-nim‘s maternal grandfather is highly respected. And Yulian-nim‘s mother as well.”

Tricia, who was also eavesdropping on the conversation, said to me.

The group paid attention to me. Aylin added.

“Since the two of them are so famous, such a reaction wouldn’t be surprising. Especially here in Essenmund, the two of them are praised as great saints, no different from the apostles of the former god, Roia.”

Everyone nodded at that additional explanation. Lucia also said cautiously.

“Even I, a southerner, know how great the two of them are. The people of Essenmund must be incredibly proud of them.”

Just like Lucia said. Even those mercenaries, who weren’t part of the regular army,

became boisterous as soon as the story of the two heroes began. As the mercenaries’ conversation continued,

the topic of the mercenaries’ conversation suddenly changed.

“Let’s see! By the way. Harsen, where we have to go… come to think of it, isn’t that the city where that Count is the lord?”

“Count? If you’re talking about Count Harsen… Ah, Yulian von Reinhardt. You must be talking about him. The Lion Duke’s successor.”

At those words, the group’s eyes changed. Those mercenaries were talking about me, not someone else.

“Come to think of it, the story of that other Reinhardt has become quite a topic lately. Since Yutra here isn’t far from Harsen, stories about that Count are often exchanged.”

“Hmm. Count Yulian. There have been countless rumors about him in Essenmund…”

“Especially in a bad way. Wasn’t he actually famous? They say he’s a scoundrel.”

“But that’s all in the past. The rumors that have been circulating recently are surprising. No, it wouldn’t be a rumor. They say he was directly involved in Cardinal Grius’s rebellion.”

“But this northern region is far from the Imperial Capital, so the truth is…”

“Ah! I know that fact very well. I met a mercenary who was part of the resistance a while ago and talked to him!”

“Really? Then tell us about that Count quickly!”

I suddenly felt awkward. It was embarrassing that someone was talking about me in a city I had no connection to.

‘It seems like dinner is almost over. Should I go back to the lodging?’

But that was when. The entire group looked at me, who was about to get up, and shook their heads. Tricia, who met my eyes, smiled brightly.

“Let’s just listen to that story before we go, Yulian-nim.”

At those words, I had no choice but to sit back down.

---

The night was deep.

The group returned to their respective rooms. The women in the group did the same.

The room where the women were staying had two beds. The group, who had changed into their pajamas, sat on their respective beds. And the chatter continued for a long time.

“It’s already night. It’s disappointing. I haven’t been able to look around anywhere other than the inn…”

Cecilia said. At those words, Aylin replied.

“Don’t be too disheartened. Rheinheim is a much bigger city than this. There will be more to see.”

As soon as she said that, Cecilia hugged Aylin tightly.

“As expected, Aylin unni is so kind!”

Tricia, who was watching the scene, smiled brightly.

“Cecil seems to like Aylin-ssi more than her own older sister. I feel a bit left out?”

“O- unni! Th- that’s…”

“I’m just kidding. Everyone here is practically Cecil’s older sister, right?”

At those words, Lucia, not Cecilia, blushed.

“That’s right… We are Yulian-nim‘s…”

Lucia omitted the words that followed, feeling embarrassed. Tricia continued.

“Of course, unlike you all, I’m practically just a guest. But everyone seems to be in a good mood. Is it because you heard praise for the man who will become your husband?”

At those words, Lucia quickly nodded.

“The mercenaries who were talking a little while ago knew Yulian-nim‘s rumors, no, news, very well. As the mercenaries said, not just anyone receives the Imperial Medal of Honor.”

And Lucia, as she had done a little while ago, began to recount Yulian’s heroic tales herself.

“At that time! Yulian-nim‘s appearance as he wielded Siertia and executed Grius was so brave and gallant…”

It was a story that Lucia had already told three times in the lodging room.

But Lucia, who was usually quiet, was excitedly saying so much, unlike her usual self. Everyone was happily listening to her words.

That was when. The group’s door opened and someone came in. Lucia, who had been wearing a happy expression as she talked about Yulian, suddenly hardened her expression.

“Who is it!”

Lucia, who shouted like that, had already drawn her sword. But the person who had actually entered was a face familiar to everyone.

Cecilia shouted at that moment.

“Yulian oraboni!”