episode_0160

As the convocation day approached, an uninvited guest called busyness came into our peaceful daily life. The person who goes there doesn’t really think anything of it, but seeing the people around him become even more upset makes me think that, after all, all places where people live are the same.

“Why are you taking a handkerchief, an hourglass, a telescope, a piece of charcoal, and whale oil?”

When Siron raised a question mark while looking at the items lined up on the table, Lucia added strength to her voice by pointing to each item with her finger.

“How useful is this? I’m saying it because you don’t know, but other than when making a fire, when you run out of food, it’s much easier just by putting it in your mouth and chewing.”

“…Yes, whale oil.”

“Oh, and it’s okay to bring cheesecloth as well. Because it’s a place where you don’t know what will happen.”

Although the notice clearly stated that there was no need to bring unnecessary luggage since supplies would be provided by the logistics department, Lucia tried to give Siron anything she could, like a parent trying to take care of a son leaving for a distant place.

Since it was awkward and tiring to refuse a pure favor that came from worry, Siron put the items he had brought with him into his bag with a familiar touch.

Siron muttered without looking at Lucia.

“You must not follow me secretly.”

“…I’m not a kid. Could that be possible?”

“You followed Siriel because she was a child?”

Siron raised his gaze and stared at Lucia. Lucia was unable to make direct eye contact, perhaps because she had discovered that she had secretly thought of Siriel as a child.

“In the old days, I was a kid. But I guess not now.”

However, surprisingly, Lucia gave an honest answer. I thought he would say no, but he may have achieved mental growth, but he accepted Siron’s jokes quite flexibly.

“So. Don’t worry about anything else and just focus on taking care of your body. Even though the area near Magyeong is like your front yard, there may be unexpected accidents.”

“Miss Lucia, what you said is correct. Master, an accident may happen that you don’t even know about?”

Encia helped Lucia’s concerns. Shiron looked at the blonde maid, who suddenly became worried, with a puzzled look on her face.

“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Make me anxious.”

“Yuma said that the number of demonic beasts crossing the mountain range has increased.”

“Numbers only? Strength is.”

“Most of the demonic beasts that come across the mountain range are those that came from the demon world, so I don’t know for sure. Still, I think the quality level has improved to some extent as the number has increased.”

“The problem is not the devil.”

Encia wasn’t the only one who helped. Ophelia, who was watching the situation from the side, also spoke sternly.

“You must be careful of people. young master. The person sleeping next to you. Colleagues who wash using the same water. You should never think of yourself as a comrade in arms who can have your back!”

“…Never? Comrades?”

The words to be careful of people and comrades gave him goosebumps and an unpleasant feeling, but Siron decided to listen to her more.

“Yes! It is said that the incoming demons have become stronger, so some units will definitely be wiped out and there will be more people injured.”

“…”

“Then, it will inevitably lead to a situation that cannot be controlled at some point. The situation will become more desperate, there will be situations where people do not receive the ethical treatment they deserve, and people who are under a lot of pressure from their surroundings may make extreme decisions.”

“…is there even a mass suicide?”

“I think there will be a more dangerous situation than that.”

Ophelia continued speaking with a shadow forming on her face.

“There may be people who try to use you as an outcast. People who use their colleagues as bait for the approaching enemies and try to take care of their own safety… I have seen many people like that over the years.”

“You can’t trust humans! Trust us!”

“Okay. Don’t be so unlucky.”

Siron was tired of the two maids’ whispers.

It’s not that Shiron didn’t have the same concerns as them during this convocation. That’s why I met Victor, and even though it was uncomfortable to be in the same place as him, I endured it in silence.

‘Are people more dangerous?’

Siron thought about the background of the area he was going to in the future.

A sheer cliff.

heavy clouds.

A crouching figure.

And purple eyes.

‘It is true that it is dangerous.’

But that didn’t mean I could take them. The expeditionary force is always accompanied by a number of paladins and priests. Even when I lived in Lucerne, how much care did I take to hide the marks on my feet?

[Do not worry. Now I have it!]

Siron became aware of a small hand grabbing his collar.

“If people around you worry like this, something unfortunate is bound to happen.”

Shiron grumbled and tried to shake off his complicated thoughts.

“I’ll give you a vacation. It’s okay to go to Dawn Castle, and it’s okay to come see my father.”

“… Are you following me secretly?”

“Do you want to keep thinking about it?”

“No. I knew roughly what it felt like.”

‘You mean do both?’

The two, understanding Siron’s intentions, received a bag of money from him.

*

A few days later.

Siron stood in front of the main gate of the mansion, being seen off by everyone. Siriel, who I thought would cling to me, cry and make a fuss. Hugo and Eldrina also came out to see off, but they did not make a fuss and maintained a solemn atmosphere.

Siron, feeling puzzled by this, asked cautiously.

“Why are you all so dead? Is anyone going to die?”

“Have I ever received a loud send-off when I went on an expedition?”

Hugo stroked his plump chin and spoke in a solemn voice.

“The process of sending children, lovers, and spouses to the battlefield must be heavy and serious, even solemn.”

“What kind of ritual is this?”

“It is not such a superstition, but a clear fact. Those who made a fuss were often handed over cold bodies or met those they had sent away with just one line of text. On the contrary, if you sent it out as if you were going out for a drink, there was a high chance of it returning unharmed.”

After hearing Hugo’s explanation, Siron nodded silently.

As he said, Hugo and everyone else never made a fuss when sending Siron off. Seeing that even Siriel quietly smiles, it seems that it is not for nothing.

“Things went wrong.”

Eldrina spoke briefly to Siron. Don’t tell them to have a nice trip or that you’re sorry you couldn’t attend the engagement ceremony.

Eldrina always sent Hugo on expeditions like this, and even today she never broke that unwritten rule.

“Ice cream when I come.”

Although it was a culture she did not understand, Lucia decided to obey.

‘No matter how much you think about it, isn’t it right to just say goodbye and have a nice trip?’

Lucia held back what she wanted to say and turned her back. I was worried. So, to bring back old memories, I helped him pack his things and gave him advice.

Lucia, who returned to the annex, swallowed her saliva and looked at the stairs.

The maids also went on vacation, and Siron was away from home for a long time to respond to the summons.

“…”

The only person in there right now is Seira, who didn’t even see Shiron off because she was taking a long nap.

‘What do we do?’

Lucia was worried about Seira. The thought of living alone in a separate building from now on makes me feel sick to my stomach.

And then… there was someone walking towards me, stretching. Seira, dressed as a nun, rubbed her eyes and yawned lazily.

“Uh, are you leaving already?”

“…I’m just on my way after seeing off.”

“Hmm, I see.”

After answering briefly, Seira snapped her fingers a few times and headed outside. It was a blink of an eye. Before she knew it, there was a bouquet of white flowers in her arms.

‘My skills haven’t rusted.’

Lucia followed Seira, pretending to be a curious girl. A huge stone monument erected in Siron’s backyard. When I first saw it, I wondered what the hell was going on, but now that I thought about it, it seemed like it wasn’t such a bad thing.

An elf dressed as a nun put her hands together in front of the stone monument. Every morning, Seira prays in front of Kylie’s tombstone. Just seeing that scene made Lucia unable to oppose Siron’s decision.

*

“Wow, look at the scary atmosphere.”

The arrived train platform. Siron spat out in disgust.

The young people who were supposed to wait in order and line up were nowhere to be found, and even though they were not drunk, there were only sloppy things that created a gloomy atmosphere.

[Hero. Is that okay? There are no soldiers and it is full of people.]

‘…I guess the empire has collapsed before I know it.’

Where the promised point is.

As we walked deeper inside, the situation became more serious.

half.

It was the ratio of people tied up with ropes.

At first glance, they were not young people who had responded to the summons. Among those who appeared to be well past the age for conscription, some had large scars on their faces, and others had hollows around their mouths as if they had not taken care of their teeth.

For a moment, I felt like I was screwed. Siron felt a heavy tap on his shoulder.

“Meeting in a place like this is a coincidence.”

“…Captain?”

In the direction I looked back, there was a familiar-looking middle-aged man wearing white gauntlets.

Captain of the 2nd Division of the Holy Mace Knights. Malleus Garibaldi. He chuckled, not paying attention to the surprised-looking Shiron.

“Don’t call me captain. Because I am not in a position to lead a group on this expedition. The captain… I will tell you that the crown prince will lead these people.”

“…Who are they?”

“Are you very surprised? There are some tough guys out there.”

Malleus narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

“The unit that you, I, and the Crown Prince belong to is a unit made up entirely of criminals.”

“…huh.”

“His Majesty’s last name. I think you know what this means.”

“Do you mean to go to the front line?”

“That’s right.”

Malleus prayed for the peace of the crown prince who had not yet arrived.