Ch.77. 1 Hour

“The head of the family was injured?!”

Deia Verdi, who had been reading a book, jumped up in surprise.

The chair tilted backward making a loud noise, but she had no time to care about that.

The sudden bad news brought by the maid.

The news that Darius Verdi—the pride, dignity, and ultimate guardian of the Verdi family—had fallen.

It was both a crisis for the Verdi family and the most urgent alarm bell ringing throughout Norsweden.

“The head of the family is on his way here. His shoulder wound is serious, so I’ve already called for a doctor.”

“Make sure the room is warm, and bring all the bandages and medicine we have. Also tell them to prepare a nutritious stew.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And.”

The maid who had received her orders and was about to move stopped in her tracks.

Deia bit her lip, closing her mouth that had been open.

“Never mind. Let’s proceed as planned. Magical healing causes deep fatigue, so we need to create an environment where he can rest as comfortably as possible.”

“Understood.”

The peaceful daily life had suddenly turned urgent.

She recalled the face of the family head who had set out with a sneer, saying that these foreign tribes crossing the mountains was nothing new.

‘I told you not to let your guard down!’

Shouldn’t he have at least assessed the enemy’s strength before going?

This is what happens when you prepare carelessly, thinking it would be no different from usual.

‘I swear, the men in this family are all so frustrating!’

Both Darius Verdi being carried back wounded, and Deus Verdi pretending to be normal.

Deia was displeased with all of them.

She put on her coat from the hanger and headed outside.

Her footsteps had become forceful, the sound echoing through the corridor, indicating the urgency of the situation.

She was planning to go to the first floor to meet Darius as he was brought in, but.

While walking through the corridor, her eyes fell on the tightly locked room right next to her.

Deus Verdi’s room.

She knew the door would never open since she herself had locked it with magic as Darius had instructed, but.

“Sigh.”

Just a moment ago, she had briefly considered asking the maid.

Whether to ask the second son, Deus, for help.

It was truly a situation where she would welcome any assistance, no matter how small.

But no.

“What can I expect from that idiot.”

That wasn’t even worth considering—it was like counting on an insect’s leg rather than a cat’s paw.

With that thought, Deia was able to pass by Deus’s room without hesitation.

After waiting at the entrance on the first floor for about 30 minutes, she saw soldiers in the distance urgently approaching on horseback, pulling a carriage.

They looked disheveled as if they hadn’t washed for days, and their dark circles and hollow cheeks suggested they hadn’t slept properly, making Deia feel guilty.

“L-Lady Deia! The head of the family…!”

“I know! Butler, quickly bring the head of the family inside!”

The servants who had been waiting with Deia rushed to the carriage to move Darius into the mansion.

Deia glanced at the soldiers who were standing there in a daze and approached them, patting their shoulders.

“Come inside. We’ve prepared a meal for you, so fill your stomachs and warm yourselves.”

“*Sob*, we’re so sorry!”

“If only we had tried harder…!”

The soldiers’ emotions burst forth at Deia’s warm words.

“It’s alright. It’s alright, so please come inside. You’ve done enough, and I’ll take responsibility from here on.”

After making her resolute determination, Deia provided food and rest for the soldiers who had brought Darius here, then headed to Darius’s room.

In the warmly heated room were Norsweden’s finest doctor and numerous medicinal herbs kept in stock.

The mansion’s servants were also ready to do whatever was necessary, their eyes gleaming with determination.

All of them were natives of the north.

Their families were waiting for them in the city of Norsweden.

With foreign tribes attempting to invade their land, everyone was hoping for the recovery of Darius, the most powerful warrior who could stop them.

“Doctor, how is the head of the family’s condition?”

To Deia’s tense question, the doctor answered with a gloomy groan.

“He won’t be able to stand on the front lines for now.”

This diagnosis was like a bolt from the blue for everyone in the room.

Deia exclaimed urgently.

“Th-that’s absurd! Considering the head of the family’s level, a mere shoulder wound shouldn’t…!”

“However, the opponent was formidable. The unique mana remaining inside is continuously eating away at the wound.”

“…What?”

This was the first time she had heard of such a thing.

The opponent’s mana remaining inside the family head’s body and continuing to cause wounds?

“I’ve heard there are such people in the Republic of Clark. Masters of combat who can incapacitate enemies with a single strike.”

Pushing up his glasses, the doctor continued with a devastated expression.

“It seems he was attacked by one of them. Unless that person withdraws their mana, or receives a threat severe enough to prevent them from manipulating mana… the head of the family’s wounds won’t heal no matter how much treatment he receives.”

“Ha.”

Deia slapped her forehead.

She exhaled deeply.

The foreign tribes would regroup at the mountain ridge and then rush in to bite at their necks.

To move from the north into the interior of the kingdom, they would need food and supplies, so they would likely plunder Norsweden.

If there had been a little more time, she might have been able to make a wiser choice.

But the situation was so critical that even the time spent sighing was precious.

“Request support from other margraves and neighboring nobles.”

Everyone in the room knew what a significant decision she had made.

A resolute determination to protect Norsweden, even if it meant giving up the rights they had enjoyed as margraves and bowing their heads to neighboring nobles.

The Verdi family might be shaken afterward.

They might be removed from their position as margraves for being incompetent.

But people had to be protected.

“Gather all available soldiers and hold out as long as possible until support from neighboring nobles arrives. I will take command.”

As Deia was about to step forward with such a resolute attitude.

“No…!”

Darius, who they thought had lost consciousness, suddenly sat up and shouted. His bloodshot eyes contained a kind of madness.

“The history of our Verdi family is embedded in this Norsweden! Are you trying to cut off the roots of our family?!”

Gritting her teeth, Deia barely swallowed the impulsive words she was about to blurt out.

“Then what do you suggest we do? We can’t just do nothing.”

“Leave it be.”

“…What did you say?”

It was shocking.

An even greater shock than when she had heard the news of Darius being defeated and injured hit the back of her head.

“Just leave it be. We can just pretend they haven’t crossed our mountains.”

“A-are you joking right now?”

“We can silence the citizens of Norsweden and promise to compensate for the plundering by the foreign tribes later…”

“Shut up!”

Deia’s sharp voice echoed loudly. Darius tried to reprimand his sister for speaking to him in such a manner, but Deia was quicker.

“You’re abandoning people for the sake of some history? Again? You’re going to repeat the disgrace of the Verdi family?”

“Watch your words, Deia!”

“If you didn’t want to hear this, you shouldn’t have been carried back like a beaten dog! I told you so many times! Don’t let your guard down and properly organize your forces before going!”

“That guy was an anomaly. We couldn’t have stopped him anyway.”

“Does comforting yourself like that make you feel better? But you’re not in a position to do that. You’re in a position of responsibility!”

Sharp words flew back and forth as they both fumed.

The servants and the doctor in the room were at a loss, just watching the situation unfold.

“Fine! I’ll go and stop them! Send support requests to Count Tolkin and Count Herameius immediately! We will protect Norsweden!”

And then.

A man came to Deia’s mind.

Her other brother.

“Call that damn second son here too. Even if he’s a bug, he’s still a Verdi, so he should share the responsibility.”

He’ll try hard to protect Norsweden since his favorite brothel is here too.

Thanks to his connections, he was a professor at Robern Academy for at least 3 months.

Though he never actually taught.

“He should at least be able to throw some fireballs.”

After waiting for a moment, the door burst open.

The air in the room suddenly changed.

Long, flowing black hair.

A fully buttoned coat and confidently squared shoulders.

Deus Verdi entered with unwavering steps.

To the extent that she wondered if this man had always possessed such an imposing presence.

He brought a chilling and ominous coldness to the warmly heated room with just his appearance.

Deia was about to explain the situation with a frown, but.

“One hour.”

Deus declared with an expressionless face, raising his hand.

“Give me one hour, and I’ll solve everything.”

Like a devil promising to grant a wish.