Turning Chapter 1063

Chapter 1063

"I'll go and handle it."

As Yuder spoke in a tone no different from saying he would go fetch water and rose from his seat, Nathan Zuckerman stopped him.

"I'll go today. Since Sir Aile went yesterday, I think it's right for me to go today."

Yuder looked at his face for a moment and nodded.

"Please do so then."

"Yes. I'll be back."

Yuder sat down, staring at the back of Nathan Zuckerman, who disappeared into the forest with a sword in hand. Kishiar, who was already resting more comfortably than anyone else, saw that and grinned.

"It's really grateful and nice to see the assistant and adjutant taking turns handling bothersome tasks in a friendly manner. Thanks to that, I'm perfectly enjoying the life of a traveler with nothing to do. But if it's annoying, tell me anytime."

"This much is just like after-meal exercise, so it doesn't matter. But I do think the Duke of Diarca's side must have nothing better to do."

"Well, it's probably just a sense of doing what they always do this time as well. Wouldn't it be strange if they didn't do what they always did only this time?"

There were no shadows on the face of the man who was laughing. However, Yuder felt the weight of some time he didn't know within it.

"Does that mean... every time the Commander headed to Peletta, he always sent assassins like this?"

"He did. Definitely, in case of a visit that was officially announced to those around."

That meant that such a thing must have happened even when Kishiar first became the Duke of Peletta at a young age. Now, even with just three people, they were strong enough to face dozens of people without feeling any fatigue, but how was it back then?

Kishiar and Nathan Zuckerman, who were still young and not as healthy as now. And the few companions who were with them. There were excellent mages like Hellem, but that journey couldn't have been as comfortable as it was now.

'Then the real meaning of this seemingly meaningless dispatch of assassins is... a sinister warning to Kishiar to recall those days.'

There is a saying that even the strongest beast never forgets the wounds it received when it was small and weak. What the Duke of Diarca was doing was trying to remind Kishiar, who had become a swordmaster and returned healthy, of his past defeats when he was powerless and weak. Nothing more, nothing less.

The cruelty of a man who threw away dozens of lives like flies for that purpose. And the man who was just laughing while guessing all that cruelty.

As Yuder frowned and closed his mouth, Kishiar reached out and smoothed Yuder's forehead.

"It's okay. It wasn't an impossible question to ask, and it was something you could sufficiently ask about."

"..."

"I always mean it when I say you can be curious about anything regarding me. I'll answer anything, so don't make that expression."

Did he make such an incredible expression to say that? Anyway, it was clear that he meant not to worry too much, so Yuder just nodded.

Around that time, Nathan Zuckerman returned. Seeing that he returned without a single drop of blood, it seemed he had cleanly handled them all without even engaging in a proper fight.

'Even compared to me, his speed isn't much slower.'

The loyal knight reported the status of the handling in a businesslike manner, without any intention of emphasizing his own merit.

"In total, 11 people were hiding, and I handled them all. As before, they said they received the request through a mercenary group from another country and seemed unaware of the identity of the target they had to handle."

"Well done, Nathan."

"However, I heard some of them say they went to a different place, not here. It seems they also sent assassins to Peletta."

"That hasn't changed either. I thought it was about time for that."

Even though it was a surprising statement for others, Kishiar was calm as always. He even showed the leisure to explain this situation to Yuder.

"While we're dealing with the assassins, our movement speed inevitably slows down, so during that time, they send more assassins separately to the destination or other scattered colleagues. If they succeed, they can inflict damage on our allies or Peletta before we arrive, and even if they fail, it becomes somewhat difficult to find leisure in a situation like this, so that's what they're aiming for. As we get closer to Peletta, they're starting to make their move as well."

"Then is it okay if we don't speed up our journey? I thought there was a reason why you've been going slower than usual all this time..."

Unlike usual, Kishiar had publicly handled all his actions and directions from the start of the trip until now, so that anyone could know.

In every village and city they visited, he diligently reported the number of assassins they handled and informed the security forces of the next destination as they proceeded. It was completely opposite to the fast and secretive movement they had done so far.

'It's normal for ordinary people to do this when moving or traveling officially... but we've rarely done that.'

No one would reveal their movements so publicly while facing assassins every day. However, Kishiar did just that, as if to show off.

Yuder had thought it was intended to thoroughly inform the Duke of Diarca of the uselessness of this act, but Kishiar said something that went beyond that expectation.

"It's okay. Those left there will also be well prepared, knowing that I'm coming. Right, Nathan?"

"Yes. The people in Peletta are not that weak. Moreover, now that the northern branch of the Cavalry is also there, there seems to be no need to worry further. If someone gets caught, that would be a surprising thing."

"That's right. So I'm planning to go even slower from now on."

"Pardon?"

At Yuder's question, a joyful smile appeared on Kishiar's face.

"Since they're doing this hoping for me to go early, it's better to go even slower to make the calculation work. The more this side enjoys a pleasant trip, the less time the Duke of Diarca's side will have to pay attention to His Majesty the Emperor, don't you think?"

'...Ah. It's that side.'

Emperor Keilusa gave a vacation to Kishiar and the Cavalry on purpose to fight his own battle. Following those words, Kishiar took his hands off the Imperial Palace's affairs and obediently headed to Peletta, but it seemed he had no intention of really listening to those words from the beginning.

Rather, he slowed down even more to make the Duke of Diarca burst with anger, making his assassins useless while simultaneously helping Emperor Keilusa.

'His Majesty the Emperor's side probably won't be grateful at all... Well, it's fine as long as Kishiar looks happy.'

Somehow, it seemed like he could hear Emperor Keilusa sighing from far away in the Sun Palace, saying he knew this would happen. Still, if he was someone who knew well what kind of personality his younger brother had, he must have predicted that Kishiar would do at least this much.

Yuder decided not to stop the smiling Kishiar. Nathan Zuckerman also did not express any opposition to his lord's intention.

They headed to Peletta at an even slower pace than before, enjoying the surrounding scenery. The necks of the assassins who chased after them every day were buried in the ground, and those who didn't know better were moved, thinking that the Duke of Peletta, who was the talk of the town, was saving the people from danger.

After repeating that for several days, rumors about them spread to other cities first, and there were even people who came to express their respect. There were even people who came to ask for help after hearing rumors about the Duke of Peletta returning to his territory and those following him.

In the midst of a farce that was just absurd to those who knew the real situation, Yuder felt a strange impression.

'...The north I remember didn't feel like this.'

The northern part of the empire had a small population due to the cold and desolate weather. The northern people who remained in Yuder's memory rarely had smiles on their faces, and it was the same in his single memory of going to Peletta.

Just a dark and hazy memory that remained in a deep gray color.

The road they took while seeing only the people who thanked them with bright smiles, unlike then, was quite strange, unfamiliar, and even funny.

What was certain was that now was much better than then.

"Peletta is finally in sight."

Kishiar, who raised his hand above his forehead, pointed to the blurry castle walls in the distance.

Although they tried to go as slowly as possible, there was little difference from the time it took for ordinary people to ride horses, as all three of them had very fast movement speeds to begin with. Kishiar expressed his regret about that, but Yuder thought this much was enough.

'Since yesterday, no assassins have appeared.'

Perhaps the Duke of Diarca had finally clearly realized how foolish this act could look.

"I can smell the sea from afar. Can you feel it?"

At Kishiar's question, Yuder closed his eyes and focused on his sense of smell.

"...Yes. I can feel it."

The salty and fishy smell lingering in the cold wind. Similar yet different from when he stood in front of the southern sea, that must be the smell of the sea Kishiar mentioned.

Kishiar smiled and nodded.

"Everyone will be waiting, so let's go quickly."

Yuder followed behind Kishiar, who rode ahead first.