“What did I just say? Did I tell you to go to the Squaret Family? Ha ha, did I?”
The Duke stopped speaking mid-sentence and looked at me with a stunned expression, his mouth hanging open.
“Is something the matter?”
“Steward—no, Consultant General. You might think I’m mad for saying this, but I had no intention of telling you to go to the Squaret Family.”
I recalled the lesson about slips of the tongue and the unconscious mind that I’d learned at the Academy.
“If you were thinking about Lady Titania, then it’s possible you started talking about the Squaret Duchy.”
“No. On the contrary, I was more focused on you than ever. No, this is… it feels even stranger than that.”
The Duke’s eyes looked as if he were gazing at something far away.
“It’s as if I can see a vast current, bit by bit. Like catching a glimpse of the Astral Sign that astronomers or astrologers talk about.”
The Duke’s face as he said that could not have been more serious.
If I hadn’t seen that expression, I would have dismissed it as nonsense.
“Are you saying it’s my fate to go to the Squaret Family?”
“It may sound silly, but yes. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out why I said that. But somehow, it doesn’t feel right to take it back either.”
The Duke regarded me with an extremely cautious expression.
His pupils seemed to sink as deep as the universe itself, as if he truly had seen the Astral Sign.
“Whatever is there, it will be of use to you. Two months—yes, I think that’s about right. Go and come back.”
The Duke kept nodding, as if checking to see whether what he’d just said was correct.
Then, as though lost in thought, he leaned back in his chair and covered his eyes with his right hand.
Was it just my imagination?
There was a strange tension and weariness in his expression.
A weary Duke—now that was something I had never seen, and it felt like I never would again.
I gave a polite nod and left the room.
Just as I was about to close the door,
I heard the Duke murmur softly.
“If my very existence was awakened for the sake of facing the Demon King, then why did enlightenment, blocked for over ten years, suddenly come to me all at once?”
His final words left me deep in thought as well.
I wondered, too.
Why me?
Why did the Akashic Record choose me, and why did I come this far?
Why is it that I awakened others?
If, as the Duke said, all of this is preordained destiny—
Then what in the world is about to happen?
My goal has always been revenge on Deon Craphy.
But is something happening in the Empire as well?
If, like Duke Helpion who once defeated the Demon King, a conspiracy threatening the entire world is unfolding…
If that is the case…
Then just what kind of being could awaken even the Duke Helpion, who slew the Demon King?
It feels like I’ve reached an answer that I shouldn’t have.
Ignoring the chills running down my spine, I hurried back to my room.
“Consultant General, you’re returning with me? That’s great! Will we be able to have a sparring match on the way? I had an in-depth talk about swordsmanship with Duke Helpion! I won’t lose this time!”
Lady Titania looked excitedly back and forth between me and the Duke.
The Duke smiled, his face flushing red, as if he could hardly contain his affection for Lady Titania.
“There will be more than just sparring. The Consultant General is a master capable of driving away a Sandworm single-handedly. You should continue receiving his swordsmanship instruction. He is a trustworthy retainer.”
“A Sandworm?!”
Duke, please! Stop spreading baseless rumors!
You know very well what my real skills are.
It wasn’t with sword or aura that I chased the Sandworm away, it was with a chunk of Dragon’s Dung—a big lump of dung!
But the Duke had no time to concern himself with my inner protests.
His entire attention was focused on his conversation with Lady Titania.
“When the Duke of Squaret visited, the Consultant General and he spoke at great length.”
“I’m glad Father was pleased.”
“The Consultant General is astute, and since he received a formal education at the Academy, he will be skilled at instructing you, Lady.”
“You’re a graduate of the Academy! Where did you learn such swordsmanship? At your level, was it Pantora Academy in the Empire?”
No, I graduated from the History Department at Delphi Academy, which has nothing to do with swords.
I couldn’t bring myself to answer, and simply smiled awkwardly.
Apparently, that only made me seem even more mysterious to this Lady.
Her sparkling gaze was a bit overwhelming.
After that, everyone but me enjoyed a warm and lively meal.
The Duke seemed to be taking another walk in the garden with Lady Titania.
I told them over and over to talk about good things, and sent them off, but I couldn’t help worrying that this sword-obsessed Lady might mistake sword talk for “good” conversation.
I’ll have to check later.
As soon as the meal ended, I met with the Chamberlain to hand over my work.
The Duke said I would be staying at the Squaret Duchy for about two months.
“The goods Duke Squaret ordered will be arriving. And the merchants should be coming in as well.”
“The merchants must have realized the trade route has opened.”
“It’ll take at least four more months for Rone to return. We won’t be able to monopolize the trade.”
“So…”
“Just control the number of merchants coming in. I’ve already spoken to Viscountess Jamie, so it should be easy for you to coordinate, Steward.”
The Chamberlain nodded.
“As we prepare for war, a lot of supplies will move in and out. Prevent any one merchant guild from monopolizing the trade, and make sure our side buys up the goods first. Then, sell them to outside guilds for profit.”
“Understood. Two months, then. You’ll return just as the war begins.”
“Does it really take that long to prepare?”
“It’s not just about killing monsters; it’s also about reclaiming the territory they occupied. The Warrior-Priests will purify the monsters, the Combat Engineer Corps will quickly restore the land, and skilled, experienced Hunters will check for any leftover monster eggs, nests, or young.”
So it was a large-scale operation.
That would explain the long preparation time.
I nodded and handed the necessary paperwork to the Chamberlain.
Is that everything?
“Take care of yourself while you’re away.”
“I’m just going to recuperate. I’ll be fine.”
Whether I would truly be able to recuperate, I didn’t know.
For some reason, it felt like I’d come back with a mountain of work rather than any rest.
The next day, we set off by carriage for the Squaret Duchy, which was ten days’ journey away.
The distance was considerable, so we made stops along the way at territories managed by Squaret Family retainers, restocking supplies and inspecting the lands on a relaxed schedule.
The journey was pleasant.
Honestly, it was splendid.
Thanks to Lady Titania’s staff, the trip was comfortable and luxurious.
From meals to sleeping arrangements, even the smallest chores were taken care of, and I truly felt treated as an honored guest.
“Have you ever been to Desemal Territory?”
“No. I’m from Latvia, so I only entered the Kingdom after enrolling at the Academy.”
“Academy! That’s right, I was so surprised. You handle the sword so well, but you’re from Delphi Academy!”
“I suppose the Duke told you about me.”
“Yes, he said you were an excellent retainer—he praised you endlessly, Consultant General!”
Come on, Duke.
I told you to only mention the good stories, not just the swordsmanship.
I forced myself to smile.
“There’s nothing special about me. It’s all thanks to Duke Helpion’s outstanding guidance.”
“Do you think I can improve as much as you have?”
“Well, who knows.”
I just smiled.
I couldn’t exactly bring up things like the Akashic Record or the Secret Body Utilization Compendium.
“Just smiling, huh? You make it sound like only a genius like you could do it.”
“Lady Titania, aren’t you already known as a genius swordswoman among the Squaret retainers? Ha ha.”
“Ah, stop it! That’s embarrassing. I just didn’t know how big the world was.”
Lady Titania fanned her blushing face, clearly embarrassed.
“Anyway, Desemal Territory is a truly beautiful city. Especially at this time of year, the golden wheat fields are unforgettable.”
“You seem excited.”
“Is it that obvious? Duke Desemal is my godfather. He served my father since childhood and has been by my side ever since I was born. He’s always cherished me.”
Duke Desemal… I remember hearing about him during the Squaret Family lessons.
A Sword Expert of the highest level, I think.
“As a child, he meant even more to me than my own father. My father was always busy with official duties, and my godfather filled that void.”
Lady Titania shared memories of Duke Desemal at a relaxed pace.
While we talked, the carriage gradually slowed down.
It seemed we had arrived at Desemal Territory, just as she’d said.
Knock, knock.
As soon as she heard the knock, Lady Titania eagerly flung the door open.
Standing there was the Knight Commander, looking troubled.
“Commander, have we arrived?”
“I think you’d best come out and see. Desemal Territory…”
Even without hearing the Knight Commander’s full report, I could already guess what the scene outside was like.
The sky glowed red, acrid smells stung the nose, and from afar came the iron scent of blood and the cawing of crows.
“What… is this…?”
Lady Titania dashed out of the carriage, and I slowly followed.
As expected.
The devastation outside was even worse than I’d imagined from inside the carriage.
The beautiful wheat fields, the kindly villagers’ homes—all had burned to the ground.
But most disturbing were the scars left upon the earth.
As if some overwhelming force had swept through, gouges marked the land as if clawed by a giant.
The Knight Commander, having surveyed the area, reported to Lady Titania.
“From the bodies, it seems they died only a day or two ago.”
“Who could have done this…? Was it monsters?”
“No, it’s too logical and efficient to be monsters. Humans did this. Only a Six Circle grand mage or a Swordmaster could cause this much destruction.”
Lady Titania trembled with rage, unable to speak further.
I had never seen such a scene myself, and had no idea what to say.
To have a land that felt like home completely reduced to ruins…
Desemal Territory is deep within the Kingdom, so it couldn’t have been invaded by a foreign power.
Was this the result of some feud over the land?
“L-Lady Titania, is that you?”
Just as the somber silence stretched on, a frail voice suddenly called from between the ruins.
No, that was only the beginning.
“Did she say ‘Lady’?”
“Lady Titania has come?”
From all sides, battered survivors began to appear.
From children to the elderly, faces smeared with soot, clothes in tatters, skin crusted with dried blood.
They looked every bit the refugees of a battlefield.
Lady Titania, tears welling in her eyes, rushed to the people and reached out her hand.
The villagers said nothing, only took her hand in theirs and sobbed.
“What in the world happened here?”
“Lady, the Duke… the Duke…”
“Is something wrong with my godfather?”
The old man holding Lady Titania’s hand could not contain his emotions, crying out in a wail.
“Waaaah, from Hesedia Territory they suddenly declared a feud and attacked! A swordsman wielding a massive blade cut down everyone in his path, and the Duke…”
Lady Titania’s hand went limp and dropped to her side.
The death of Duke Desemal was a huge shock to her.
“How could this… Father would never allow such a thing to happen!”
Such a thing was impossible if the Squaret Family had intervened.
That is, if they could have.
“The Duke had urgent business in the Capital, so he left. The scoundrels of Hesedia must have plotted this while he was away!”
The old man’s voice was thick with anger as he spoke to Lady Titania.
Even though their land had been ravaged, their trust in the Duke remained unbroken.
“Still, shouldn’t there have been a Deputy Lord? Teron must have been here, so why…?”
But Lady Titania could not understand.
Even if the family head left, there was no way the mighty Squaret Family would leave such a glaring weakness.
Not Duke Squaret, nor the Family he had built, would ever be so careless.
At that moment.
“Who goes there!”
A distant shout rang out, followed by the sound of people running.
These were not mere villagers—the clash of metal rang out as they approached.
Soldiers.
“Are these the remnants of the enemy?”
Lady Titania instantly understood who they were.
“Lady, you must flee!”
“They’re wicked men! They don’t even bother with looting, they’re only obsessed with killing people!”
As the footsteps drew near, the villagers milled about in terror, yet none of them left Lady Titania’s side.
In their eyes I saw a sort of determination.
As if trying to protect Lady Titania, and at the same time, trying to help her escape.
She is truly beloved.
Watching this, Lady Titania’s gaze grew deep.
She radiated the aura the Duke had once described as like a Valkyrie descending on the battlefield.
“Knight Commander Brunello.”
She softly called the name of the Knight Commander who had served her.
It was the first time I learned his name.
“Yes!”
“Subdue those soldiers at once. I only need one prisoner, kill the rest if they resist. I must find out exactly what happened here.”
“Understood.”
Just then, the soldiers appeared. About twenty in number.
From a quick glance, I saw no experts among them.
The Knight Commander should be able to handle them easily.
Still, just in case, I made a precaution.
I drew the Hellfire that Duke Helpion had given me.
A small flame flickered on the blade of Hellfire.
As if it, too, was looking forward to the battle to come.