40. Reasons for discomfort (1)

reception room.

The king greeted the knights of the jackdaws accompanied only by the head of the escort and the chief of staff. The king did not even give them time to unwind, and called them to the palace the next morning as soon as they reached the royal capital. The fact that the investigation ended faster than expected gave him half-anxiety and half-expectation. The king saw the leader of the Jackdaw Knights.

Is it really good news that she is on crutches with a haggard face?

The king hardened his face. The Raven Knights knelt beneath it. It was the leader, Theodora, the vice-captain, Christine, and a knight sent from the no-man’s-land for supplementary explanation.

“Your Majesty…”

“Don’t forget to say hello. Keep your head up. Let’s get the report quickly.”

Theodora raised her head. Seeing those empty eyes, the king felt an uneasy premonition. What a bad news.

“The Behemoth will advance.”

And, in these situations, insecurity always won. The king changed his expression terribly at the name that made him doubt his ears. The momentum of the escort knight commander who stood behind the king also sharpened.

“A Behemoth. What else does that mean?”

“It is the Behemoth that Your Majesty knows well.”

The king laughed.

“There is only one Behemoth I know of.”

“That’s right.”

“The mythical monster that alone topples mountains and crosses seas. I asked if it was the Behemoth that terrorized hundreds of warriors just by appearing 15 years ago.”

It was a meaningless question, but the king wanted to avoid the reality that had come. However, Theodora, who answered, did not change the situation or have any doubts, just affirming the king’s question.

“That Behemoth is right.”

“…huh…”

Realizing that the no-man’s-land anomaly was far more serious than he had anticipated, the king raised his throbbing head with his elbow resting on the armrest of his chair with a hard expression on his face. If it’s a nightmare from 15 years ago, I remember it very well.

“A Genga with confirmation.”

The king asked while looking at the knight sent from the no man’s land. The knight reported with a calm demeanor and a clear voice.

“You must have heard the report that the number of monsters in the no-man’s land is decreasing, Your Majesty.”

“right. Thanks to the reports you hurriedly sent, I have the will to send the investigation team.”

The knight bowed his head and continued his report.

“Yes… Together with the Jackdaw Knights sent by His Majesty, we have thoroughly investigated the anomalies in the No Man’s Land… As I said, the Margrave of the No Man’s Land has long expected that there will be an uprising of a threat comparable to the Behemoth. ”

“That’s… why?”

The king frowned.

“It’s because the number of monsters in the no-man’s land increased as it increased, but never decreased.”

“You never seem to think positively.”

“Shouldn’t we, who lock the back door of the kingdom, have to think of such complacency to use it?”

In the words of the knight, I could feel the pride and aspirations of protecting the no-man’s land. The king watched the knight as if telling him to continue.

“Originally, I wanted to report like this even if there was no special harvest.”

“That must mean that this investigation has secured a special harvest.”

“Yes.”

The knight glanced at Christine and the King gave her permission to speak.

“While investigating the cliff at the end, I found out that there was a problem with the ground.”

“There is a problem with the ground.”

“The ground of the entire cliff was very weakly changed. To the point where it wouldn’t be strange if it collapsed right away.”

The king let out a groan.

“Why did that happen? Did the monster even attack the cliff?”

“Although the monsters constantly scratched the cliff and attacked. Crucially, it was because the giant Death Worm was burrowing into the cliff.”

“A death worm, you mean a monster that can only be found in that desert?”

The king was surprised, and the knight next to him gave a supplementary explanation.

“Behemoth is the pinnacle of monsters. It is said to be able to subjugate all monsters under it. This was observed even 15 years ago.”

The king realized what the knight was trying to say.

“Are you saying that there is a possibility that the Behemoth commanded that Death Worm?”

“It is highly probable that it was. It is because there is no reason for the Death Worm to dig into the cliff and weaken the ground.”

The king let out a long sigh.

“So… According to your reports, it seems almost certain that the Behemoth will be advancing.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The king said lamentably.

“Is it as serious as it was 15 years ago?”

The knight of no man’s land shook his head.

“This is more serious than 15 years ago, Your Majesty. You have to make a decision.”

The king did not hesitate for long.

“Chief Secretary,”

“Yes.”

“Call the Commander-in-Chief of the General Staff, gather the senior leaders and call an emergency meeting. It seems that there is one thing that needs to be put aside and resolved.”

The King looked down at Theodora and Christine and said.

“You guys did a lot of hard work. Get a good rest today, and keep a stand-by posture. Did the captain say it was a vacation?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Make sure you take good care of yourself. It sounds like Jim will call you back sometime soon.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The Jackdaw Knights went to war. The knight of no man’s land spoke to Theodora. The way he trudged on crutches seemed uneasy. The king didn’t bother to rebuke her, but it wasn’t strange even if she was questioned.

“Where do you plan to go now, Captain?”

Theodora stopped and turned her head to the knight.

“…I have a place to go.”

Theodora said that and looked at Christine next to her. Christine faced Theodora without avoiding it.

“I need to find out something.”

Eyes were dead. Theodora declared that and grabbed a carriage waiting for a customer by the roadside. The morning sun was shining brightly down the street.

“Please enter carefully.”

Christine helped Theodora get into the carriage with the knight of no man’s land. Theodora looked down at Christine silently and called the coachman her destination.

“…to the academy.”

The coachman nodded and swung his whip. With the sound of leather tails cutting through the air, the horses set off.

—

The way home was shorter than when I left home.

The trees and grass I saw for the first time in almost a month were very unfamiliar. I didn’t know that the sound of the wind brushing the grass and the sound of the branches and leaves trembling in the wind was so welcome.

Only Theodora and Christine were called to report to the palace. Maxim, who took a week-long vacation, felt like he was alone for the first time in a long time.

However, it was free.

I couldn’t even practice. After making his own lunch, Maxim was spending leisurely time going for a walk or flipping through books.

I hear the clock ticking. Maxim buried himself deeply in the chair, peeking at the cover of the book he had finished reading several times. Maxim tossed the book on the bed, periodically touching the throbbing scar.

“It’s a little bit like going to the knights…”

Maxim tapped the armrest of his chair and fell into thought.

“What should I do…”

smart.

Maxim was awakened from his thoughts by the sound of a knock on the front door. Was there anyone who could knock on the front door? Maxim thought so and hurriedly walked to the front door. It must have been past lunch time, let alone the time for the Knights to leave work yet. Maxim opened the front door slowly.

“who are you…?”

What appeared outside the door was a boy who appeared to be an errand boy. Maxim tilted his head in puzzlement at the boy who wore an old hat and delivered a letter to him in a ragged outfit.

“I was on an errand to deliver a letter to this house.”

Maxim picked up the envelope and checked the outside. It was a white, stiff envelope that seemed quite expensive. Since Maxim has plenty of time, he rummaged through his pockets, thinking that he should just read it slowly inside. There was money that could be squeezed for pocket money.

“thanks.”

“thank you!”

Maxim gave the boy who delivered the letter a decent amount of money, then went into the room and put the envelope on the table. A familiar pattern was engraved on the seal that sealed the white envelope. Maxim gave up after thinking about the source of the pattern.

“I wrote a good envelope…”

A noble worthy of sending a letter to him…

Maxim’s expression hardened. Maxim’s hand as he opened the envelope slowed down for a moment. Then, the ripping hands become faster. Maxim picked up the letter that came out of the open envelope.

And as soon as I read the first sentence of the letter, I frowned.

Dear son-in-law.

damn it

Maxim sighed. He was about to crumple the letter as it was, but started to read the text with his hands shaking.

Dear son-in-law.

It’s hot these days. Summer seems to be running towards its peak.

“Damn summer. I’ve been in a cold place the whole time.”

Even in the letter, I could feel that he liked the pretense and his languid tone. Maxim twitched and continued reading the letter.

I heard that you have safely returned from the no-man’s land. It’s no different than writing this letter.

Maxim read the next line and sighed deeply.

Hey, hasn’t it been a long time since I haven’t seen my daughter? Even if it is an arranged marriage, shouldn’t you live by seeing the face of your fiancée?

What is my daughter, what is the baby to eat?

Maxim gritted his teeth at the hypocritical and pretentious words.

Shall we have lunch together tomorrow? Come to my house around noon. I can’t help it if it doesn’t, but I’m going to say it.

The last sentence, in fact, was nothing short of a threat. Maxim set the letter down on the table and sighed.

fiance.

Maxim’s head was complicated.

I’d rather be bored.

Maxim licked his lips bitterly.

—

As befits a court aristocrat belonging to the secretary’s office, the mansion of Baron Borden was located in the center of the royal capital. Maxim got out of the carriage and stared at the maroon wooden door that stood there. The pattern of Baron Borden, which had been stamped on the wax of the envelope, was also engraved on the door.

“…under…”

It was an invitation he couldn’t refuse, but Maxim resented himself for responding to the invitation and appearing at the table.

Before Maxim could even go up the stairs to knock on the door, the front door of the baron’s house opened and a servant walked down one flight of stairs.

“Maxim Appart, I have come to see you.”

The servant reached out and guided Maxim into the mansion. It was a f*cking wide entrance. Maxim walked down the hallway, trying not to be aware of his surroundings. The servant turned his head toward Maxim and said,

“The master will be back soon. First, I will introduce you to Lady Marion.”

Maxim nodded his head with an expression of discomfort.

How long have you been seeing it?

I bet there aren’t many people who make you feel uncomfortable like guilt every time you meet like this.

The servant continued walking down the aisle. Baron’s daughter. The youngest daughter’s room, which should have been cherished, was located in the farthest corner of this large mansion. I wondered if I could ever be more angry at this damn baron, but today he was reminding me of more reasons to be angry.

The servant stopped in front of the unadorned door and knocked on it.

“My lady, Maxim has arrived.”

And for a moment, a snarling sound was heard. After the sound stopped, I felt someone lightly walking towards the door, and the door opened cautiously.

“…hi.”

Maxim greeted the girl who appeared in front of him with an awkward smile.

“It’s been a while.”

“…Yeah, it’s been a while.”

Marion Borden. Regardless of Maxim’s awkward smile, she was smiling with a pretty smile on her face. Long, shiny black hair and blue eyes. The small right hand extended to Maxim was wearing a white glove even though it was summer, and a mask was covering half of the face on the right side of the eye.

Marion Borden.

The poor only daughter and youngest child of the damn baron.

Maxim looked at his ‘fiancee’ with bitter eyes.