Ch.368Side Story 1 – Southern Continent Travelogue (23)

In the dead of night, the Red Moon Clan’s headquarters was different from usual.

At what should have been a quiet hour, the interior was bustling with clan members hurrying back and forth.

Rough footsteps and urgent conversations filled the air, and from every room with a red flag hanging, agitated voices could be heard.

“Who escaped?”

“They say Lord Cassian and Lord Teiran have fled?”

“W-what!?”

Since the founding of the Red Moon Clan, such emergencies could be counted on one hand.

This wasn’t just a simple alert.

A clear alarm signaling their very survival had sounded.

And then.

Inside the meeting room, the atmosphere grew even sharper.

The executives sat around a round table, and on the table lay a single sheet of paper.

It was a letter left by Cassian.

—I’m leaving.

That short phrase was all it said.

Merin clenched her fist tightly and her eyes shook violently.

“….Why did he suddenly leave without saying anything?”

At that, Helden tapped the table with his finger with a ‘thud’.

“Clearly, he intends to reveal information about us to outsiders.”

“Why? They have no reason to do that.”

“It’s obviously about money, isn’t it?”

“But we agreed to compensate them sufficiently?”

“Human greed knows no bounds, doesn’t it?”

Merin stroked her chin with an expression of incomprehension.

“They didn’t seem that greedy to me….”

“Instead of this, we should form a pursuit team now. The more time passes, the harder it will be to find their traces.”

Merin stared at Helden for a moment before turning her gaze to Alicia.

“Alicia, what do you think?”

Alicia, who was being questioned, showed no reaction.

As she stared blankly into space, Merin raised her voice.

“Alicia!”

“….Yes!?”

“Helden suggests sending a pursuit team. I asked what you think.”

“I oppose it.”

“Oppose?”

When Alicia spoke in a resolute voice, the tension that had filled the meeting room froze in an instant, and all eyes turned to her.

Especially Helden, who wore an expression of disbelief.

“….What!? You oppose forming a pursuit team?”

Alicia didn’t avoid Helden’s eyes.

She took a deep breath and spoke calmly again.

“Yes.”

At that moment, there was the sound of a chair being dragged.

Helden stood up abruptly, clenching his fist.

“….Did you perhaps have feelings for that Cassian?”

For a moment, the air grew heavy.

Alicia stopped breathing slightly.

Then, disregarding it, she suppressed her emotions and looked calmly at Helden.

“When we sparred, Lord Cassian was skilled enough to toy with me.”

“So what?”

“Even if we succeed in pursuing them, rather….”

Alicia’s voice trailed off, but then she straightened her back and continued.

“The pursuit team will all be killed.”

The meeting room was once again enveloped in silence.

Alicia’s words were by no means light.

Her skills were undoubtedly among the highest in the Red Moon Clan, and if someone of her caliber acknowledged it, the danger couldn’t be ignored.

It was then.

Bang!

The door burst open, and a Red Moon Clan member rushed into the meeting room, gasping for breath.

Cold sweat beaded on his face, and his eyes were filled with urgency.

“We have an emergency!”

Merin frowned.

“What is it? Can’t you see we’re in a meeting?”

The clan member swallowed hard.

After catching his rough breath, he raised his voice with an urgent expression.

“The Blood Wolf Clan, the Blind Ghost Clan, and the Shadowless Clan have joined forces and are attacking our headquarters right now!”

*

“Young master, couldn’t we go a bit slower?”

“We need to move quickly; we might run into a pursuit team.”

“A pursuit team? We can just deal with them.”

“These people might become your child’s comrades in the future, you know?”

At my words, Jawill Wilson’s mouth gaped open before he swallowed dryly.

“….I think we should move even faster than we are now.”

We had reached a terrain where we could look down while following a path along the mountain range.

And there, a sight impossible to ignore caught my eye.

“….What are those?”

Below the mountain, countless lights were swaying in the darkness.

Like a cluster of stars fallen to earth, red flames formed a procession and moved together.

Looking closely, they were mercenaries carrying torches.

“Hundreds… no, there must be over a thousand of them?”

“There’s no imperial family in the Southern Continent, so where did all these people come from?”

“I wouldn’t know. But the atmosphere doesn’t seem right.”

The mercenaries marched without disorder.

They were properly equipped and advancing steadily toward their target.

*swish*

Everyone had a solemn expression, making it clear.

These weren’t simple looters, but eyes preparing for war.

“….They seem to be heading toward the Red Moon Clan’s headquarters.”

“The Red Moon Clan’s headquarters? Are you saying all these people are from the Red Moon Clan!?”

“No, look carefully. Most of them are men. So they can’t be the Red Moon Clan.”

“That means….”

“They’re mercenaries trying to attack the Red Moon Clan.”

At that, Jawill Wilson looked down with wide eyes and continued.

“They’re attacking the Red Moon Clan!?”

“Those aren’t the eyes of people seeking negotiation or alliance.”

“Then… what should we do?”

“About what?”

“Shouldn’t we help them?”

“Why should we?”

“….You said they might be comrades of my future child.”

I sighed deeply and looked at Jawill Wilson.

“You seem to have forgotten our position; we’re in the middle of fleeing.”

“That’s true, but… if they’re really attacking the Red Moon Clan….”

“Then the Red Moon Clan will probably disappear from the Southern Continent.”

When I said this matter-of-factly, Jawill Wilson carefully grabbed my arm.

“Young master, couldn’t we help them?”

Hah….

Just when I thought we could finally go home, why do problems keep arising?

I pressed my throbbing temple with my fingertips and took a deep breath.

‘Eye of Insight’

Most of the mercenaries had skills similar to the Red Moon Clan members.

However, they outnumbered them by at least three times.

And then.

The three people walking at the front were emitting relatively strong energy.

Probably the leaders.

I could handle them, but I couldn’t deal with all these people.

If survivors spread rumors somewhere, my identity would obviously be revealed.

Why?

Who else could single-handedly capture so many people?

Even Serion Lykus couldn’t do it without protagonist buffs.

Therefore, it was only a matter of time before the identity of ‘Selden Alphonse’ was revealed.

“If we cause trouble here, both our identities will be exposed.”

“….I don’t mind about myself.”

“And it could escalate into a war between continents.”

“W-what do you mean…?”

I looked at Jawill Wilson and gave a hollow laugh.

“Have you forgotten that I’m a member of the Eastern Continent’s imperial family?”

“Ah… but since there’s no imperial family in the Southern Continent, there’s no worry about it spreading into a continental war, right?”

“Who knows? People might fight among themselves, but they could unite if another continent interferes.”

“Then I’ll go help them alone.”

“Do you think you can handle that many people by yourself?”

“….So what should we do….”

Jawill Wilson bit his lip, suppressing his surging emotions.

He clenched his fist so tightly that his fingertips turned white, clearly unable to contain himself.

They say love makes people dangerous…

It was truly a troublesome situation.

Hah….

Since the Red Moon Clan is all women, I can’t pretend to be a member and fight. How should I resolve this?

Is there no way to end this without bloodshed?

No matter how much I racked my brain, there seemed to be no solution, and the numerous mercenaries continued to move relentlessly toward the Red Moon Clan’s headquarters.

It seemed I had to make a decision.

“Jawill Wilson.”

“I await your command.”

“You’re sure you won’t regret it if your identity is exposed?”

“I… I’m fine, but won’t it be troublesome for you, young master?”

“I can’t send my subordinate into danger alone.”

“Young master….”

As Jawill Wilson looked at me with somewhat moved eyes, I hardened my expression.

“But you’ll share the consequences.”

“…Pardon?”

“If Etherian or Sairine say anything, I might throw you under the carriage. You understand what I mean?”

“O-of course! Even if I die at the hands of the princesses, I’ll make sure to tell them that you did nothing wrong.”

“Are you certain…?”

“Trust me!!”

To be honest, I don’t have even a speck of trust in Jawill Wilson.

But what can I do?

I also spent the night with Alicia and even went all the way with her.

I just didn’t want things to escalate; I never had a choice to begin with.

“Don’t die today.”

“Yes, I absolutely won’t die.”

I took a deep breath.

Then I looked at Jawill Wilson and smiled faintly.

“Yes, if you’re going to die, I hope you return to Lake Estate and die at the hands of the princesses.”