Ch.139139. Let me get straight to the point.

“Th-Thank you for your hard work!!”

As the knights of the Cardrian family retreated from the battlefield, I returned to the tent only to find Denis speaking in a voice full of military discipline.

I couldn’t help but show a bewildered expression.

“Why are you suddenly acting like this?”

“…What exactly are you referring to, sir?”

“Technically, I’m not your superior, right?”

“That’s not it. The entire battlefield changed completely because of you alone, young master!! I witnessed it with my own eyes, how could I not show proper respect?”

Sigh…

I get the feeling that the mercenary members have already discovered my abilities to some extent.

Well, I was the only one left on the mountainside, so that explains it.

If I had known this would happen, should I have left a few mercenary members behind?

I pressed my throbbing temple gently.

“Do the knights of the Parseche family know who cast the magic?”

“I made sure the mercenary members kept their mouths shut. Besides, even the mercenaries think the situation is so absurd that they’re just whispering among themselves, and they don’t seem to believe that you cast the magic, young master.”

Well, look at this guy!

Just like when I almost had my identity exposed to Elina, he’s quite perceptive.

I responded to Denis with a faint smile.

“…Good job.”

“What did I do? You did everything, young master.”

“I’d prefer if you dropped the ‘young master’ title while we’re here. Someone might overhear and misunderstand.”

“Ah, understood! After all, you’re the last remaining romantic of this era.”

“Cut out that damn ‘romantic’ nonsense.”

“Haha! What’s there to be embarrassed about when we already know everything about each other!?”

Denis definitely seems to have his pros and cons.

His perceptiveness is a strength, but the fact that it works in strange directions is a weakness.

As I placed my scabbard on the table and was about to say something more, Elicks, the knight commander, entered the tent with a booming voice.

“Levan!!”

“You’re here, sir?”

“W-We’ve won the war against the Cardrian family!!”

“What do you mean…? Didn’t they just retreat for a moment?”

Elicks, panting and looking urgent, took a deep breath before continuing.

“The Cardrian family’s territory and mansion are all burning as we speak!”

“Burning, you say?”

“Yes! They say a dragon, only known from legends, appeared from the sky and turned everything into a wasteland!!”

Hmm, so Jawill Wilson and Lucien succeeded?

That’s why I left two transformation skins and two mercenary badges with the Poison Lady.

To eliminate future threats, we needed not just victory in war, but the complete destruction of the Cardrian family.

If the imperial court didn’t approve of the war, they could always create a pretext to wage war again.

That’s why, when all of Cardrian’s forces were directed toward the Parseche family, I planned for Lucien to infiltrate and sweep through the Cardrian family.

Even the personnel I left behind just in case wouldn’t have been a match.

As Elicks said, Lucien is a dragon from legends.

Well, it’s not as dangerous a situation as during the monster wave.

I feigned ignorance and showed a dumbfounded expression.

“Does that mean Baron Ricardo is dead?”

“They say he turned to ashes and disappeared. It’s confirmed news we learned when the knights left on the front line expressed their intention to surrender.”

“Congratulations!”

“You’re the one who deserves congratulations! Thanks to you, we were able to deal with the mage coming up the mountainside, weren’t we?”

“That was the result of all our mercenary members working together.”

Now that the war was over, I needed to erase my traces, which led to this conclusion.

However, Elicks laughed heartily and showed an expression full of misunderstanding.

“As expected, I knew you’d be this modest.”

“…You flatter me.”

“But you’re still being modest. Without your magic, the outcome of the war would have been obvious.”

Magic.

No matter what I say, it makes it impossible to make excuses.

As I showed a troubled expression, Elicks gripped my shoulder firmly.

“Don’t worry, do you know what the knights are saying now?”

“…Pardon?”

“They say heaven was angered and sent a dragon to punish the Cardrian family. Even the fire magic that poured onto the front line is widely rumored to be the dragon’s wrath.”

“So that means…?”

“Yes, everyone thinks it was all the dragon’s doing.”

Now that it’s turned out this way, I feel a bit disappointed, should I say?

Of course, I shouldn’t feel bad about Lucien taking the credit, but strangely, I feel empty.

Elicks must have noticed my bitter expression, as he once again laughed heartily and patted my back.

“Let’s go outside the tent! I have something to show you.”

“Alright.”

The moment I stepped outside the tent following Elicks, ear-splitting cheers greeted me.

-L-Lord Levan is coming out!

-Is that Mercenary Levan who predicted that a mage would appear on the mountainside!?

-Predicted? I heard he personally led the mercenary members to deal with the mage!

-Long live Lord Levan!!

Cheers and encouragement poured toward me, as if they had thrown away the honor of knighthood.

Even though mercenaries are merely lifelong guests…

It was a moment when I directly witnessed with my own eyes and ears how the Parseche family would shine in the future.

-I’ve already seen the mage’s corpse, I tell you!

-The mercenaries, including Lord Levan, are now no different from our family!

-Yes, absolutely!!

I smiled softly at the praises that each person poured out.

*

“Sigh…”

“Young master, Baron Roden has provided you with a comfortable bedroom and even a study, why are you sighing?”

Due to my contribution to the war, I was provided with a bedroom to rest more comfortably instead of a tent, and a study where I could have conversations, even if temporarily.

Yet, I still felt uncomfortable.

I sighed briefly toward Denis.

“When can I go home?”

“Isn’t there a victory banquet this evening? I think you can say goodbye and leave tomorrow.”

“…I want to go back quickly.”

I muttered quietly, and Denis spoke with drowsy eyes.

“What do you mean you want to go back? Now that we’ve won the war, don’t you need to reveal your identity to Lady Elina with a ‘ta-da’!?”

“Forget it, I don’t plan to reveal it.”

“No, why not!? I told you, I understand women’s hearts well! Even if Lady Elina didn’t have feelings for you before, once you reveal yourself, that won’t be the case anymore. I stake my name on it!!”

I waved my hand at Denis, who was speaking so passionately that he was spitting.

“Let’s stop talking about that. What are you going to do from now on?”

At that, Denis hesitated for a moment before kneeling on one knee.

“I’ve fallen for you as a man, young master. I will stay with you, the last remaining romantic of this era.”

“…Alright, if you want to stay with me, stop doing things I tell you not to do.”

“But I should at least try to chall—”

“Just do as I say.”

“…Ah, understood.”

The study, which had been somewhat noisy, now seemed quiet.

I turned my gaze back to Denis and continued.

“I’ll be leaving either this evening or tomorrow.”

“May I ask what you mean by today or tomorrow?”

“Guests will be visiting the Parseche family. They’re people related to me. If they come today, I’ll leave today.”

“Ah, I understand what you mean.”

“What will you do?”

At my words, Denis adjusted his posture.

“As I mentioned before, I’ll visit Kasia Spear to pay my respects, and then head to Lake Territory.”

“Alright, understood.”

Is all that’s left just the victory banquet this evening?

I should either just make a brief appearance and quietly return to my bedroom, or return to Lake Territory.

I absolutely hate things getting troublesome.

As I rose from my chair, there was a knock at the door.

And there was Elina Parseche, greeting me with a smile, dressed in neat attire.

“Oh, what brings you here?”

“I wanted to see the hero of the Parseche family. I heard you were in the study, so I stopped by briefly. Is it inappropriate?”

“It’s fine. We just finished our conversation.”

Denis grinned, checking the atmosphere, and then pressed himself against the wall.

Then, he winked at me and stealthily left the study.

He seems to need proper education in Lake Territory.

Elina sat in the chair opposite me and smiled again.

“Knight Commander Elicks and all the knight members were talking only about you, Lord Levan.”

“Haha, I was just lucky, but I’m honored by such praise.”

Suddenly, Elina Parseche stopped talking and stared at me.

Feeling an inexplicable burden, I subtly averted my gaze, and she continued.

“I’ll be straightforward.”

“Ah, yes. Please go ahead.”

“Lord Levan, I would like you to stay with me for the rest of our lives.”