“When will you depart?”
“The sooner, the better, don’t you think? I’ll leave in three or four days. May I decide the route?”
The Duke nodded.
“I intend to pass through the Northshine Family.”
“That place, specifically?”
The Northshine Family is a knightly house of considerable tradition, even within the Republic of Lepent. Since the days of the previous generation, they have been comrades-in-arms as well.
Its location is between here and the Kingdom of Arian, though not on the most direct route.
In other words, Glenn intends to go out of his way.
“As I said, we’ve identified the stronghold of the Red Hood. It’s believed to be near the Northshine Family’s territory.”
“Hmph. If it’s the Red Hood scoundrels, I could just send the Order of Knights.”
“There’s no need to waste valuable knights. The orcs are still around, even if things have been quiet lately. The escort force I’m bringing will be sufficient.”
The Duke gazed at him for a long moment before speaking slowly.
“…You’re thinking quite cleverly. Very well, I’ll assign you a few more knights.”
The Duke was already well aware of the shortage of knights.
In truth, it’s harder to find anything that isn’t lacking in the North.
Glenn considered refusing but simply bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
“Be sure to visit your mother before you go.”
“Is there anything you wish to say to my father?”
“That’s all. Go now.”
Now that he thought about it, in his previous life, his father was surprisingly doting on his mother.
A faint smile crept across his lips.
***
“Are you two fools, or just incompetent?”
“…”
The two men bowed their heads and remained silent.
This only stoked Count Sailharun’s anger further.
His ashen mustache began to tremble.
“If you have mouths, then speak! You idiots!”
“M-my apologies.”
“I beg your pardon.”
That was all they’d been saying since earlier. Were they deliberately trying to make him angrier?
After several minutes of hurling every curse he knew, the Count finally calmed down.
“Huu… My sons, tell me what happened. Tylan, you first.”
Tylan bit his lip.
He would have to dredge up a humiliating memory.
“…As you said, Father, I picked a fight with Glenn again. I managed to goad him into a duel, but he did something unexpected. When the duel began—”
“You were thoroughly beaten, weren’t you? Is that right?”
“I don’t understand that part myself. Did you neglect your training?”
“Absolutely not. To be honest, it’s embarrassing to admit, but I was caught off guard by an unexpected attack.”
No matter how he dressed it up, it was a loser’s excuse.
To have to make such an excuse after losing to Glenn, that delinquent.
This fact crushed Tylan’s pride.
“An unexpected attack… That’s hardly a convincing excuse. Last I checked, he’s much younger than you, isn’t he?”
Crack.
“…My apologies.”
“Will you win next time?”
Could he win? Even hearing such a question made him furious.
All this humiliation—because of Glenn, that bastard.
“I’ll make sure! I’ll crush him!”
“Good. That’s all I need to hear. Remember, even if you lose, I won’t tolerate the sight of a dog with its tail between its legs.”
Tylan nodded heavily. Now it was the next person’s turn.
“And now… Javico, what about you? You’ve been brooding for a while now—what happened?”
Baron Javico, his face stiff as stone, finally spoke.
“It turns out… The Black Hand bought some narcotics. That gave the Lion Knights a pretext, and overnight, the whole group was wiped out.”
“Narcotics? Was that your order?”
The Count frowned.
Could this idiot really have done something so foolish?
“No. I told them to focus only on safe enterprises, to expand our influence in the city as quickly as possible.”
“Then why did those fools get involved with narcotics?”
“It hasn’t been determined, but it seems they acted on their own. I should have warned them more sternly. I apologize.”
“Damn it, nothing is going right.”
The Count massaged his temple, feeling a headache coming on.
He felt as if he were being pressured by an invisible vice.
The Emperor of the Empire didn’t care about the local circumstances and was simply demanding results.
He’d always known the Emperor was impatient and hot-blooded. But was it really necessary for a letter to arrive every month from that far-off Empire?
He’d already explained his plans in full. Why couldn’t the Emperor simply wait?
And both of these fools had failed in the tasks he’d assigned them.
It wasn’t as though he’d asked for anything difficult.
Of all times, both had lost to that damned brat.
His irritation grew.
Are there only idiots around him?
“Huu, so what do you intend to do about it?”
“…I’m sorry, but the best course is to do nothing.”
At that moment, the Count’s eyes twitched.
“What do you mean?”
“I believe the Lepent Family already suspects that the funds sent to the Black Hand originated from Sair Harun.”
Javico glanced up to gauge the Count’s mood.
The Count gestured for him to continue.
“They haven’t made a public demand for an explanation, which means they have suspicions but no evidence. So we mustn’t make any response. If we try to retrieve the money, we might just give the Lepent Family the proof they need.”
A long silence followed.
The Baron swallowed dryly and waited for his fate.
A few moments of silence.
“…Yes. I think the same. At least you’re not completely brainless.”
Relief washed over Javico.
His brother was a ruthless man.
If he kept disappointing him, Javico’s own fate would be in question.
“But I heard it was Glenn, that brat, who wiped out the Black Hand?”
“I’ve heard that as well, but… to be honest, it’s hard to believe.”
“What’s so hard to believe? After all, there’s someone here who got soundly beaten by him.”
Tailan, listening, bit his lip.
“Still, doesn’t it seem strange? Not long ago, he was notorious all the way out here.”
“I know. And I’ve heard he was ill and then recovered recently?”
“You mean that eldest son’s illness? I can’t believe that alone would have changed him…”
“He nearly died, so maybe it made him wake up a bit. Anyway.”
The Count slammed down the armrest.
“No matter how foolish my son is, he’s still my flesh and blood. I can’t just let that damned bastard go.”
“Shall I try to hire someone?”
“Do it. Choose the right time and move quietly. Don’t worry about the money. But—whatever happens, we must never be exposed.”
It was a dangerous thing to target the heir of another country, but there were always people willing to try for the right price.
And the Sailharun Family, with imperial backing, had money to burn.
“Understood.”
When Baron Javico bowed, the Count waved his hand dismissively.
“You may both leave. I am tired.”
“Then, we’ll take our leave.”
“Rest well.”
Once the two fools had left, silence fell over the room.
“Damn it.”
A curse slipped out before he could stop himself, at this unexpected turn.
That this wretched country was falling apart was no surprise, but that the variable was that damned bastard…
Worse, that the bastard was the Duke’s son.
Ron Glenn Lepent.
That accursed bloodline.
That bastard who killed his sister and the child born of the Duke’s new woman.
Both the father and his child deserved to be torn apart.
Ever since his beloved sister lost her life in the Lepent Family,
there could be no reconciliation between the two houses.
Not until one of them was gone for good.
***
“So, did you do plenty of soul-searching in jail?”
“I did enough.”
A slightly gaunt-looking Brunel appeared on the other side of the bars.
Glenn raised a corner of his mouth.
“Doesn’t seem like it. It was only two days.”
“No, Sir. Even a day more in there would be too much.”
“Fine. I intend to let you out, but I need a reason. You did commit a crime, after all. So, I’m going to conscript you. You understand?”
In the Republic of Lepent, it was a tradition to conscript criminals.
There were always too few people, and it served as punishment as well.
No matter how tough a criminal was, facing a living orc warrior turned them into a frightened child.
And as for the soldiers who faced those orcs—what could compare?
Petty criminals were nothing.
“I’ll be loyal to you, Young Master.”
Glenn released Brunel, his subordinates, and six members of Birune’s group as well.
He had no need for thugs; what he wanted were soldiers, and he intended to send them straight to the training grounds.
But when it came to catching the Red Hood, taking Brunel along would be convenient.
There was information about those scoundrels that could not be obtained through normal means.
“So, I’d like you to come with me.”
“Of course. May I bring my men as well?”
“Yes, that would be easier for you. But make sure to keep them in line.”
“I will, sir!”
That bold answer was pleasing to hear.
He seemed to understand his situation well enough—not a fool, then.
“We’ll travel together as far as the Northshine Family. How you’re treated after that will depend on what you accomplish. Understand?”
“I’ll stake my life on it!”
It seemed he clearly understood that a new lifeline had been extended.
Satisfied with the answer, Glenn nodded.
Three days later, Glenn led a group out of the city.
Their direction was southwest, toward Sharn Castle, ruled by the Northshine Family.
***
It’s nothing new to say, but in the North, snow is common.
There are more days of snow than not throughout the year; in a way, it’s to be expected.
But heavy, fluffy snow is actually rare.
And on days when it did fall, it felt comparatively warm.
Yes, warm.
For a place where biting cold was the norm, that was the only way to put it.
“Is that it?”
“If that’s the castle we see from here, it should be Sharn Castle.”
“Looks like someone’s come out to meet us.”
At Glenn’s words, Nedian narrowed his eyes. Indeed, figures could be seen in the distance.
“Looks like the messenger the Duke sent did his job.”
“I suppose so. Hm, I’ll go on ahead, you all follow at your own pace.”
“Eh?”
“It’s an old friend I’m meeting again.”
Watching Glenn’s back as he rode ahead, Nedian wondered.
Had the Young Master visited here before?
***
Meanwhile, Glenn was feeling something unfamiliar for the first time in a long while.
It was similar to how he’d felt upon seeing his family again—a mixture of longing and excitement, tinged with nostalgia.
Had he always been this sentimental?
…No, it must be the heavy snow falling today.
Beyond his gaze, the snow-covered ramparts. And a familiar face.
How long had it been?
Ten years? No, maybe twenty.
Was there ever such gentle snow on that day, he wondered.
No, perhaps it had snowed back then, too, but they’d both been too busy trying to survive.
As the distance closed, Glenn dismounted.
He began to walk slowly.
The person on the other side also dismounted.
He could see from here that she had no idea what was going on.
Pouting lips—she seemed rather uncomfortable with the situation.
Still,
Her emotions always showed plainly on her face.
Just like back then.
Stepping over the blank expanse of snow, nostalgia left its mark.
“Greetings.”
“…Do you know me?”
Long golden hair, sapphire eyes, and porcelain skin—the beauty truly befitting a family of such standing.
And, at odds with her looks, her speech was awkward and almost boyish.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, Glenn found himself speechless.
…Ha, it’s been so long since I felt this way.
A faint longing flooded his mind.
He nearly laughed, but managed only a small smile.
“Ah, you must be Dame Eredin, eldest daughter of the Northshine Family.”
“Yes, I am… But who are you?”
She scrutinized him with wary eyes.
She still drew her sword at the slightest provocation, did she?
He found even this endearing; he was unusually sentimental today.
It must be the heavy snow after all.
“Raella Shadin Runepsharian.”
After all these years, we meet again, my old friend.
Glenn carefully pronounced the Elvish words he’d learned by chance in his previous life.
“…Excuse me?”
“Never mind, I’m just glad to see you. I am Ron Glenn Lepent, at your service.”
“Ah, you must be the visiting Young Lord. Welcome.”
Without realizing it, Glenn extended his hand.
Eredin cocked her head in confusion but accepted it nonetheless.
Did she know what feelings lingered in their clasped hands?
‘It’s been so long, Eredin. To think we’d meet again like this.’
Eredin Northshine.
In his previous life, she’d been Glenn’s comrade and friend,
and his first love.
“…It’s good to see you, truly.”
The falling snow soon covered the tracks he’d made.