Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Preparations for the Final Battle (2)
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Now I finally understood what Damian meant.
I naturally came to know when to head to Rugal's seal.
Rugal's resurrection had signs so clear that anyone could recognize them at a glance.
“......This seems more like a disaster than a disaster?”
I sat astride my horse, staring up at the black sky.
It was astonishing that Rugal wasn't considered a disaster himself.
The darkness blanketing the sky wasn't limited to Kitten Forest—it had spread across the entire Banheart territory and even encroached on neighboring lands.
'And now......'
I swallowed dryly.
A hole had suddenly torn open in the increasingly blackened sky, and a pillar of black light had come crashing down.
'That definitely struck Rugal's seal.'
Convinced that this was the sign Damian had mentioned, I hurriedly led the soldiers toward Kitten Forest. We needed people to control the crowds in case of any contingencies.
And among them was the Black Skull Mercenary Corps.
“From the first time we met, I had a feeling it wouldn't be boring traveling with you, Count.”
The one grinning as he spoke was Max.
Back when we were still in Aintban, he had been prickly, but now he gave off the impression of a kindly middle-aged man.
“Only Riya, Maria, and I will go inside. Max, you help the other knights and soldiers calm the people down.”
“Understood. But...... are you sure just the three of you will be enough? I know Her Highness the Princess is remarkable, but......”
He said this while glancing at Maria.
Maria was probably the one he was most worried about.
'It was hilarious when he found out she's Lutia's daughter.'
Max had learned of the connection between Maria and Lutia during the victory banquet after we arrived here.
Until then, he'd thought of them as sisters or something similar, so he'd been shocked nearly to the point of fainting.
Lutia still looked like she was in her late teens, so no one would have imagined she had a grown daughter like Maria.
Recalling that moment, I let out a chuckle and turned to Max.
“No need to worry.”
I shifted my gaze to Riya and Maria.
“Are you two ready?”
“Yes. Anytime is fine for me.”
“I'm ready as well.”
Unlike usual, Riya and Maria were dressed in practical clothing that allowed easy movement.
It was a rare sight, and I found myself staring for a moment before shaking my head. There was no time to leisurely admire the view right now.
“Hm?”
As we slowly checked our gear at the entrance to Kitten Forest, a commotion arose from nearby.
Wondering what was going on, I scanned the surroundings, and one of the soldiers came rushing up to me, out of breath.
“Count! Deolic Count and his private soldiers have arrived!”
“What?”
I was so flabbergasted I couldn't find words.
Why was Deolic showing up at this critical moment—and invading our territory without permission, no less?
'When every second counts, what a pain.'
I clicked my tongue briefly and addressed the soldier.
“Where is Deolic Count right now?”
“He's at the village entrance, demanding we let them in.”
“I'll go to him.”
After reassuring the anxious soldier, I turned to Riya and Maria.
“Looks like I'll have to step away for a bit.”
“If it's troublesome, shall I come with you?”
“That would be a big help.”
Riya, having overheard the situation, spoke with a deeply displeased expression.
Of course, I had no intention of refusing her offer. The advantages her name carried were immense.
“Hehe, then let's go. I'm curious to see what kind of rude noble this is.”
......Though Riya's chilling smile was rather unsettling.
Judging by that look, she probably would have followed anyway even if I'd refused.
“Banheart Count! What in the world is going on here?!”
As we headed to the village entrance, Logan Deolic bellowed in outrage. His audacity left me dumbfounded.
“That's what I want to ask you, Deolic Count. Invading someone else's territory without permission—what do you think of the law?”
“......Hah, you've gotten arrogant since becoming a count yourself. Trying to stand on equal footing with me.”
“You're the one who started with the disrespect. No need to stand on ceremony, then.”
At least Bellun Count had never broken the law.
His son Nior aside, Bellun had properly declared war and just gotten thoroughly crushed on his own terms.
So I'd afforded him some courtesy, but there was no need to do the same for Logan, who had brazenly trespassed into our lands.
“Fine. Let's see how long that arrogance lasts.”
“Got it, so just get to the point?”
“......!”
“So, what's the reason for coming here uninvited?”
As I spoke with a bored expression, Logan's face flushed red with anger.
“Clay!”
Enraged, Logan shouted my name and took a step forward.
As if he meant to grab me by the collar, Riya, standing beside me, quietly moved to block his path.
“What's this...... Hng?!”
Logan, who had been focused solely on me, finally noticed Riya and his eyes went wide.
There was no way Logan wouldn't recognize Riya.
He had attended the Empire's New Year's Festival and Founding Festival multiple times, and with one broken dragon horn protruding from her head, anyone could tell it was her at a glance.
“Why is the Princess here......”
“Oh my, am I not allowed to be here?”
“N-No, it's not that......”
Deolic Count was an extraordinary powerhouse on the cusp of Sword Master. It was the first time I'd seen him, always so confident, shrink back like this.
“We've seen each other often at the New Year's Festival, haven't we, Count?”
“Y-Yes...... we have.”
“I never imagined you were this rude of a person, Count.”
“B-But this is a special circumstance. I had no choice.”
“Special circumstance?”
As Riya asked quizzically, Logan seized the opportunity and began to ramble.
“Look at this sky! All the territory folk in southern Talua are trembling in fear. I came to investigate because I suspected something was afoot in Banheart territory.”
“Oh my.”
A faint smile played on Riya's lips, but her eyes turned as cold as if a century's worth of frost had settled over them.
“What should I do about this......”
Riya tapped her cheek with her index finger and tilted her head slightly.
To anyone else, it might have looked utterly adorable, but chills ran down my spine.
[......She's totally thinking about killing everyone here, isn't she?]
'No way.'
Even as the Empire's Princess, she couldn't just casually execute a foreign noble.
“Clay.”
“Yeah?”
“I'd like to have a private word with this gentleman here...... Would that be alright?”
Her tone was endlessly gentle, but I couldn't help tensing up. For a dragon who wielded Dragon Words, "conversation" often carried double meanings.
If I let this continue, there would surely be a major incident.
Of course, I was just as baffled by Logan's actions, but dealing with him right here and now could lead to bigger problems.
'Hm...... But I could turn this situation to my advantage?'
After a moment's thought, I spoke up.
“Your Highness, I'll handle this.”
“......Understood. Let me know if you need any help at any time.”
I nodded to Riya, who withdrew with evident reluctance, then turned my gaze to Logan, who was eyeing us warily.
“Logan Deolic, let me make you a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“I'm heading to the source of this phenomenon right now. You're welcome to accompany me if you wish.”
“The source of the phenomenon...... How do you know about that?”
My unexpected offer clearly caught Logan off guard.
Sensing something, he quickly composed himself to assess the situation.
As expected, he was no pushover like Bellun Count.
“I discovered a clue while resuming mining operations in what used to be an abandoned mithril mine not long ago.”
“What? Don't tell me Banheart really......”
“To avoid misunderstandings, let me explain in more detail. An ancient ruin was found beneath that mine.”
“An ancient ruin?”
Both the Banheart and Deolic families had long been established in the south.
There had never even been rumors of ancient ruins in Kitten Forest, so it was only natural he'd be skeptical.
“What kind of ruin is it?”
“We'll only know once we investigate. You're welcome to join if you want. Bring as many knights or soldiers as you like.”
“......”
Logan eyed me up and down, trying to gauge if I was telling the truth.
He was probably weighing the pros and cons in his head right now.
The benefits of accompanying me versus not doing so.
[Why allow him to bring other knights and soldiers?]
'Rumors spread fastest when there are plenty of witnesses.'
Conflict with the Deolics was already inevitable.
And if things went well, I could resolve it right here.
“Very well. I'll accompany you.”
In the end, Logan's scales had tipped toward following me.
'If I hadn't offered first, he never would have come along.'
From Bellun's perspective, there was no need to risk investigating personally.
They could just spread rumors that I'd done something suspicious here.
But since no one knew what might lie in those ancient ruins, he wanted to see for himself.
“Do as you please.”
As I spoke dismissively, Logan's eyebrow twitched, but he didn't lash out aggressively like before. Probably because of Riya standing right next to me.
Logan returned briefly to where his private soldiers were gathered, then came back with ten knights and thirty soldiers.
“Is this number alright?”
“Doesn't matter to me. We'll just be going with three, though.”
“What?”
Logan scowled, clearly not grasping my meaning. He must have thought I was mocking him.
But when we soon reached the entrance to Kitten Forest and only Riya, Maria, and I prepared to enter, his expression turned peculiar.
“......Just you and those two, for real?”
“Yeah.”
Logan looked at me with eyes like he was beholding something utterly incomprehensible.
“If you want to bring only a few as well, feel free.”
“......No. We'll go as is.”
I chuckled at his serious expression. I could easily guess what he was thinking.
'In the worst case, he's planning to take us out quietly, so it makes sense.'
No matter how strong Riya was, if Logan struck first with a sneak attack, anything could happen.
Or perhaps, if something went wrong below, he might turn on us then.
'Wonder if he'll even get the chance.'
I sent a silent, pitying thought to Logan Deolic in advance.