Ch.149149. What Are You Doing in Someone Else’s Domain?

“Miss Casia Spear, you need to stay still from now on.”

It was the calm voice of Selden Alphonse, who had his hand on his scabbard.

Just as Casia Spear was about to ask what was happening, men slowly emerged from the forest.

And.

A group with black masks and matching attire covering their faces.

Ordinary people would have immediately identified them as assassins.

However, Casia Spear let out a long sigh.

“How did you find me here?”

In response, one of the men from the group stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

“The head of the family has ordered us to escort you back, Lady Casia.”

Casia Spear.

Perhaps due to her exceptional beauty, incidents had followed her whenever she left the estate since childhood.

Noble men would approach her, or cause trouble when rejected.

She had been a source of headaches in various ways.

Therefore.

Her father, Raden Spear, the head of the Spear family, recruited numerous mercenaries and formed an elite group from among them.

The “Dark Corps.”

Despite the grandiose name, it was a mercenary organization created solely for Casia Spear.

Or at least, that’s what she had thought.

As time passed, the Dark Corps had become a noose tightening around Casia Spear’s neck.

Following Raden Spear’s orders, the Dark Corps monitored her every move and controlled her actions.

Rather than protection, they had become a “poison” to her.

In the end, the only way for her to escape her father’s shadow

Was to create her own group, independent of her father, Raden Spear.

That’s why she had been trying so hard to recruit Dennis as a valuable resource.

Casia Spear furrowed her brow and spoke.

“I clearly told Father that I would be going out and coming back.”

“The head of the family only permitted you to visit the Parseche territory. He never gave permission for you to visit the Lake territory.”

“Do I need to report every little detail to Father?”

“…You should meet with the head of the family first and discuss this matter.”

A suffocating, frustrating life.

Would things have been different if she had worn a veil over her face like Elina?

Perhaps her vivacious demeanor had begun as a way to hide her true feelings.

“Tell Father I’ll stay one more day before returning.”

“I apologize. He instructed us to bring you back by force if you refused.”

Casia Spear found it difficult to move her feet.

But what could she do?

This was Lake territory.

She couldn’t cause trouble for Selden Alphonse.

Even if Dennis were here, she couldn’t face the Dark Corps alone, which made the situation even more difficult.

“Hah… What kind of behavior is this in someone else’s territory?”

It was then.

Selden Alphonse’s usually bright face subtly contorted.

In response to Selden Alphonse’s anger, Elkan, the leader of the Dark Corps, spoke.

“I am Elkan, in service to Lady Casia Spear. This is a Spear family matter, so please stay out of it, Lord Selden Alphonse.”

“You trespass into another’s territory and call it a Spear family matter?”

“…Baron Raden Spear has promised to send a letter of apology directly to Baron Byron for today’s incident.”

“Why should my father be involved?”

“Well, the Lake territory belongs to Baron Byron Alphonse, doesn’t it?”

This was a fatal flaw of the Dark Corps.

As mercenaries selected primarily for their skills, they followed Raden Spear’s orders without showing any courtesy.

This had offended Selden Alphonse.

“So if I half-kill all of you and send a letter to Baron Raden Spear, that would be acceptable?”

“…Pardon?”

“You’re Baron Raden Spear’s property, aren’t you?”

Elkan let out a scornful laugh.

Even for a nobleman, the number of Dark Corps members and their attire would be intimidating enough.

Especially when he was alone.

However, most men were cut from the same cloth as Selden Alphonse.

Why?

Because they all wanted to impress the exceptionally beautiful Casia Spear.

Casia Spear, seemingly familiar with such situations, shook her head and tried to mediate.

“Lord Selden Alphonse, I’ll apologize on their behalf.”

“From what I can see, this isn’t your fault at all, Miss Casia.”

“I think I should end my tour of the Lake territory.”

“Didn’t you say you were going to visit the market with the knights this evening?”

“You can see the situation, can’t you? It’s not possible now.”

“What if I resolve this for you?”

Casia Spear blinked her large eyes several times.

It was understandable.

Even boastful noble men would typically back down when she stepped in to mediate.

She still thought it was just arrogance and conceit.

Just another attempt to impress her.

“It’s fine. These people don’t care if they’re dealing with nobility. They only follow my father’s orders.”

A genius mind that had stopped the Monster Wave.

Even so, such a boastful man wasn’t suitable for Elina.

From the beginning, she had bet on whether “Selden Alphonse” would be swayed by her, but Elina had refused.

Indeed.

All men were the same.

Just animals with nothing but a noble title, trying desperately to impress her with their bravado.

“Very well. If that’s what Miss Casia Spear wants, I’ll step aside.”

Selden Alphonse glared at the Dark Corps members with an arrogant expression until the end, then turned to leave.

Casia Spear began to find him slightly annoying, seeming to seek only advantage without actually helping.

“Can you really help me?”

Though she felt sorry toward Elina, she wanted to see this man’s true colors.

She didn’t expect him to actually help, but at least she wanted to reveal his true nature to Elina.

“Yes, of course.”

WHAM!

THUD! THUD!

WHACK!

But.

She quickly realized she had been lost in her own delusions.

Dark Corps members armed with swords were falling like leaves in autumn under Selden Alphonse’s fists.

Watching the Dark Corps members sprawled on the ground without even having time to react, she suddenly remembered what Dennis had said before coming here.

The claim that “Selden Alphonse” was stronger than him.

It wasn’t an empty boast.

‘How is this possible?’

Selden Alphonse was known for stopping the Monster Wave with his intellect.

She thought he was far from being physically strong.

Hadn’t Elina said the same?

Moreover.

“What?! This is Baron Byron Alphonse’s territory, isn’t it?! Got you now, you bastard! Say that again!”

“Gack! Please stop!”

“Stop my ass! You come to someone else’s territory with half your manners left at home? Fine, I’ll teach you all a lesson today!”

The polite “Selden Alphonse” from the mansion was gone, replaced by a wild stallion kicking up a sandstorm.

That’s when Casia’s heart began to race.

Thump! Thump!

‘What is this? Am I afraid?’

She wanted to believe that.

She tried hard to convince herself that it was fear of Selden Alphonse’s brutal, violent display.

WHAM!

“L-Lord Selden Alphonse, I’m sorr—GACK!”

“What?? ‘Please stay out of it,’ you said?! Say it again like you did before!”

THUD! THUD!

The Dark Corps, composed of A-rank mercenaries selected by Raden Spear to protect his daughter.

They who had held their heads high anywhere and before anyone, were now being tossed around like toys by a single man, Selden Alphonse.

And.

Soon, perhaps drawn by the commotion, the northern undeveloped area was filled with knights and mercenaries from the Lake territory.

Their eyes showed no surprise at “Selden Alphonse’s” actions.

“When I say one, you say spirit! When I say two, you say unity!”

The sprawled Dark Corps members were now pitiful to behold.

“Selden Alphonse,” with his hands behind his back, raised his voice.

“One!”

-Spirit!

“Two!”

-Unity!

Selden Alphonse looked at the knights and mercenaries of the Alphonse family with a contemptuous expression.

Then, sighing, he beckoned to one of the knights.

“Jawill Wilson.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

“I know the knight commander is busy with Patherix on the undeveloped area construction project, right?”

“…Yes, I’m aware.”

“And I know Rio is training with me and brother Leonard these days?”

“Th-That’s right.”

“So you’re effectively the leader now, but you let these suspicious-looking people enter Lake territory?”

Jawill Wilson, as if accustomed to this, stood next to the Dark Corps members and assumed a push-up position.

“I apologize! I will ensure our checkpoints are more thorough to prevent such incidents in the future!”

“Oh, for goodness sake!”

Selden Alphonse shook his head and then looked at the knights and mercenaries.

“What are the rest of you doing?”

Startled, they lined up beside Jawill Wilson and assumed push-up positions.

Seeing this, Selden Alphonse let out a deep sigh.

“Fine, I’ll work you all to death starting tomorrow, so get back to your positions!”

The knights and mercenaries moved with despairing expressions.

Meanwhile, the Dark Corps members remained in their push-up positions.

Not knowing what Selden Alphonse might do next, they were all drenched in cold sweat.

“Hey, you—Elkan, was it? Stand up.”

At Selden Alphonse’s words, the Dark Corps member Elkan awkwardly rose to his feet.

Pride was now a luxury they couldn’t afford.

One wrong move and they felt they might truly die.

“W-What is it, sir?”

“You didn’t arrive in Lake territory today, but will arrive tomorrow due to unavoidable circumstances, understand?”

“Ah…”

“Let’s not make things awkward by reporting to Baron Raden Spear, you get what I mean?”

“…Understood.”

“And since the inns are full, camp here for tonight. You’re used to that, aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

After resolving the situation, Selden Alphonse walked toward Casia Spear.

He bowed with a gentle smile.

“I’ve helped you as promised. Shall we go now?”

Thump! Thump!

Casia Spear clutched her chest.

Her heart still wouldn’t calm down.

With a thoroughly flustered expression, she squeezed her eyes shut and shouted:

“D-Don’t misunderstand! I don’t like you, Lord Selden Alphonse—I like Lord Levan!”

“…Pardon?”