Chapter 68

Episode 68

While Selendis and Jericho carried out their respective missions, I did what I had to do.

First on the list was dance practice with the Lady.

“I heard you danced together in the capital. It was incredibly beautiful!”

“Don’t they look perfect together? It’s like a match made in heaven.”

“I hope they end up together.”

“Love that transcends social status… How romantic!”

The dance practice took place on the stage of the villa. For some reason, the Lady allowed the villa staff to watch.

As a result, dozens of servants gathered, offering their commentary.

Even excluding the flattery, the positive reviews were overwhelming.

“Alright, my Lady. Let’s begin. We’ll start with the piece we prepared.”

“I’ll be in your care.”

With Jericho away on his mission, the orchestra specially invited to the villa began to play.

The melody was sweet and perfect for warming up.

And so, I had to practice dancing under the Lady’s strict supervision.

It was clear that Lady Lucia was enjoying this situation.

‘Does she have feelings for me?’

On the surface, it looked no different from a noble lady falling in love with her guardian knight.

It wouldn’t be a bad development if it were true. Being chosen by the mastermind could be even better than being chosen by the future emperor.

But if you eat something you can’t digest, you’ll end up with an upset stomach.

The Lady was more than qualified to be my wife, but I needed to observe her further. As I said before, my priority was to solidify my position.

After dance practice, I read the reports sent by the investigators who remained in the Dukedom.

‘The news from the capital should have reached them by now.’

The engagement with Prince Arthur had been broken off.

Not only that, but he had dueled with me and lost his wrist and arm. Even putting aside the marriage, this was a huge incident.

But there were no reports about it.

There were no other problems in the territory either. I specifically checked the report from Baron Gerard’s territory, but nothing unusual had occurred.

‘I don’t know what he’s planning, but he’s definitely lying low.’

I didn’t trust Baron Roman. It wouldn’t be surprising if he betrayed us at any moment.

I had deliberately deceived him.

He would surely realize he had been tricked and plan to betray the Lady and me. That would be the perfect opportunity to eliminate him.

It would be even better if he genuinely changed his ways.

And the next day…

Jericho returned from his mission and reported.

“Eloan canceled the banquet. He readily agreed after hearing about the Lady’s situation. I was surprised. He seemed quite ambitious.”

“You were right about him. I thought he would be stubborn, but I’m glad things worked out.”

“I think your advice worked. His eyes changed when he heard it.”

“Really?”

I had only told him one thing: Lady Lucia liked someone she could rely on.

He must have thought that canceling the banquet was his chance to win her favor.

“You have a knack for understanding people’s hearts, Inspector. You’re truly amazing.”

“Enough with the flattery. Any news from the Dukedom? There’s nothing interesting in these reports.”

“There’s an urgent letter that just arrived.”

Something big must have happened in the capital. If the news had reached here, at least a vassal meeting would have been held.

Jericho took out the letter and handed it to me.

“It’s about the Lady’s broken engagement and the duel with Prince Arthur. They held a vassal meeting.”

As expected.

I opened the letter and scanned its contents. The handwriting was small, but legible.

The Inspection Unit’s informants were trained to write small and neatly to fit as much information as possible on a small piece of paper.

“There was much discussion, but in the end, they decided to bury the matter…”

That was all it said. I would have to hear the details in person.

“Isn’t that great? I was worried you might be punished.”

“It’s good news, but we can’t relax yet.”

“What else is there?”

“The Duchess will be furious. Lady Rosalyn hasn’t been seen since the banquet, so she must have reported the situation directly.”

“Don’t worry. The Duke will handle it.”

There was a reason why the phrase “pillow talk” existed.

Duke Kalisto was a hero on the battlefield, but at home, he was a loving husband and father. He wouldn’t ignore his wife’s opinion, even if she was just a concubine.

Well, that was something to worry about later.

My priority here was to find traces of monsters and demons.

“No reports from Lady Selendis?”

“Not yet. She should be back tomorrow.”

“We should leave when Selendis returns. I’m sorry to keep you working without rest, but you need to help her. You and I are the only ones who can sense demonic energy properly.”

“Ugh, my knees are already killing me. You better give me a proper vacation later.”

I nodded readily. If things went well, I would give him a reward, not just a vacation.

“But do your job properly. Don’t let your guard down.”

“How can I slack off when you’re so invested in this? Trust me.”

And a day passed.

Selendis and Jericho returned early in the morning. Unfortunately, they came back empty-handed.

“I apologize, Inspector. We searched the area around the villa and the return route, but we couldn’t find any traces.”

“There’s no need to apologize. It’s better if there are no traces.”

“But…”

Selendis kept her head down. Jericho asked on her behalf, “What do you mean it’s better if there are no traces? You seem to have something else in mind.”

“Remember when we were attacked by monsters? It felt like they were being controlled.”

“Of course, I remember.”

“Then, it’s better if there are no traces. If monsters appear again when we leave, it will be more evident that someone is behind it.”

“Ah, I see. It’s true that we can’t complain about being attacked if monsters are swarming the area.”

I didn’t tell my subordinates that I suspected the Lady was connected to demons. There was no need to make them anxious with unconfirmed information.

Besides, I couldn’t tell Jericho because of his background.

He was a member of the Tulu family, a lineage of demon hunters.

If he found out that the person he was serving was connected to demons, it would be more than just a mental breakdown.

I was also concerned about Selendis.

She was definitely of noble birth, but I wasn’t sure how she ended up serving the Lady.

I suspected it wasn’t a normal situation. Many people must have been sacrificed.

Considering that both Selendis and Jericho had similar backgrounds, she might also be a victim of demons.

So, I had to keep this a secret.

Until I had concrete evidence that everyone could accept.

“The preparations for departure should be complete by now. Get ready to leave. I’ll escort the Lady and head out immediately.”

“Understood. Let’s go, Lady Selendis.”

When I arrived at the Lady’s quarters, she was already ready and about to leave. She smiled brightly when she saw me.

“I was going to pick you up today, Sir Aubrey, but I’m a bit late.”

“Your words are enough, my Lady. Allow me to escort you.”

We walked side by side, followed by the servants who had accompanied us from the Dukedom.

“What did you say to Eloan? He’s been quiet all day.”

“I just gave him a piece of advice.”

“Can you tell me?”

“I told him that you like someone you can rely on.”

She didn’t respond. I quietly observed her expression. Thankfully, she was smiling.

“You seem to know me well, Sir Aubrey. Even better than my brothers.”

“I believe that understanding the person you serve is the foundation of loyalty.”

“I consider this journey a great success. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, my Lady.”

I helped the Lady into the carriage and mounted my horse. I approached Sir Darius. Perhaps because of the good wine I had treated him to, he greeted me warmly.

“How’s the morale of the Knights?”

“Top-notch! Hahaha. By the way, you were serious about what you said during our drinking session, right?”

“Of course. I’ll do anything for the family.”

“Excellent. Sir Romero will be delighted. Hahaha!”

I wished the Lady could hear this.

The carriage window was open, so she probably did.

And so, the procession began.

Instead of the Azure Dragon Knights, elite knights sent by House Caribe led the way.

Not only had they cleared the area of monsters, but they had also sent an escort. The head of House Caribe must have seen this as an opportunity now that the engagement was broken off.

We encountered no obstacles on the first day.

A passing merchant even offered us tribute, and we were cheered by the locals.

And that night…

The Lady opened the carriage window and waved her hand. I approached her.

“Sir Aubrey, my back is a bit stiff. Let’s take a break.”

“I’ll stop the procession immediately.”

I signaled to Sir Darius. He raised his voice.

“Halt! The Lady has ordered a break! We’ll rest for a while!”

The knights and soldiers couldn’t relax. It was getting dark, and the dense vegetation limited their visibility.

I still couldn’t sense any monsters, but we had to be cautious.

“Anything? Do you sense anything?”

Jericho approached me and asked. I shook my head.

“Don’t you think you’re being too paranoid this time, Inspector? The Caribe folks are quite capable. They cleared the area, so we should be safe, right?”

At that moment, silence fell.

Jericho’s eyes twitched. I felt it too.

*Buzz*

It was faint, but I definitely sensed demonic energy.

“Did you feel it?”

“Yes, yes. It just brushed past us… It doesn’t seem strong.”

I looked ahead. Sir Darius and the other aura users seemed calm.

“The energy is weak. Is it a small group?”

“It’s one of two things. Either a small group nearby, or a large one far away.”

“Let’s hope it’s not the latter.”

“It’s coming this way. Uh… uh?”

I was surprised too.

The demonic energy suddenly surged. I instinctively stood up and shouted, “Sir Darius!”

He must have sensed the dark energy too because he drew his sword and ordered, “Monsters! Form a defensive formation and prepare for battle!”

“Everyone, get up! Draw your weapons!”

But it was too late.

*Rumble!*

The ground exploded, sending dirt and debris flying. It was an incredible force. The knights and soldiers disappeared from sight before they could react.

“Aaaaaargh!”

“Wh-What? What was that?! What’s going on?!”

“I can’t see!”

“Aaargh! My leg!”

A monstrous humanoid figure with hideous skin emerged from the dust cloud. It looked like its entire body had been burned and then cooled.

Something sharp glinted in the darkness.

It was a horn protruding from its forehead.

“Th-That’s not a monster! It’s a demon!”