Luisen spoke with difficulty, carefully choosing his words to lessen the man’s disappointment, “Carlton isn’t here. He went to the royal castle just a moment ago.”

“Wha-a-at?!” Carlton’s lieutenant collapsed, shouting. His frustration made Luisen pity him for some reason. The man’s captain suddenly disappeared and was framed as a kidnapper. For Carlton’s subordinates, it probably felt as if they were struck by lightning several times. He must have run all the way here to see his captain, but he missed him by a hair’s breadth.

Luisen gently placed his hand on the subordinate’s rounded shoulder. The young lord wanted to offer some words of comfort–even if they were awkward–and assure him that Carlton would be safe.

However, Carlton’s subordinate wailed, “Ennis… Ennis must be waiting for me, but…”

“Mmm?”

He wasn’t calling out for Carlton? However the name Ennis…Luisen felt as if he had heard that name before. When Carlton and his men communicated in secret by using the bulletin board, the woman’s name was used in the disguised love letter.

“…Ennis is my girlfriend’s name. She’s working as a maid for the first prince.” The lieutenant said.

“I believe I’ve heard of her before.”

“I’ve been worried sick since news from the castle stopped coming regularly. I thought something might have happened. Since I can’t enter the capital alone, I was determined to follow the captain when he goes to the capital!”

So, the man was planning to meet his girlfriend when Carlton brought him along to the castle? But, he was this frustrated because his plan went awry?

“You weren’t worried about Carlton?” Luisen asked.

“Why would I worry about that person?” Carlton’s lieutenant frowned.

Luisen before pulling back his hand, which the young lord had reached out to console the man. “I guess you weren’t, huh…”magic

“He’s the kind of person who can crawl out of hell alone. He’s skilled at taking care of himself, so there’s no need for my Duke to worry. Sigh, I’m the one with problems; I can’t sleep because I’m so worried about Ennis. My duke, is there any chance you could take me with you to the royal palace?”

“I’m not really in a situation to go wherever I please.”

The Royal Knights outside endeavored to keep Luisen inside. Even if that weren’t the case, the royal castle, which Luisen used to come and go from as if it were his own house, was now closed off from him. The previous king had given him permission to come freely as he pleased, but now Luisen couldn’t enter the castle without the first prince’s permission.

“Anyhow, you came as a messenger from the General, right? Tell me quickly–what is the situation in the duchy?”

“Well, first of all, a heretic inquisitor came to the duchy. He had much to say. Demon worshippers… Isn’t that hard to believe?”

Morrison’s colleagues, the other heretic inquisitors and the holy knights, were investigating the Doubless County and the southern region with the support of the Anies Duchy.

“Have they found anything?”

“Not yet. They know that the church is already making moves, and those people seem to be taking care of themselves in their own ways. They have already decided to contact you as soon as they find anything.”

“Is that so…?”

Luisen didn’t even know these people–the demon worshippers–existed before regression. He didn’t expect for them to be caught easily; they were that meticulous and careful. “And? Anything else?”“I heard that the duchy had a bountiful harvest this year. I have never before in my life seen so many bales of wheat.”

Many things had happened, but this year’s crop provided a good harvest. Taxes on the autumn harvest had been collected as well. Due to the civil war’s impact, grain prices had skyrocketed; selling grain to other regions will yield substantial profits.

If Luisen could resolve his entanglement and conflict with the first prince in the capital, avoid falling into the hands of the demon worshipers, and safely return the denizens of the duchy who were held captive, that would be enough.

His shoulders suddenly felt heavy.

***

After listening to Carlton’s deputy a little more, Luisen sent him away. Since they had to hide the man’s presence from the Royal Knights, the deputy chancellor followed the man out. Though the deputy chancellor seemed to have a lot of questions–about heretic inquisitors and demon worshippers and whatnot–the retainer didn’t ask about any of that.

‘I’ll have to explain this to him soon.’

In anticipation of tomorrow, Luisen took out the bundle of documents sent by the General. They were carefully packaged in oiled leather and contained things that Luisen had yet to learn.

Stuff like where the denizens of the duchy were held captive, how much money would be appropriate for hostage negotiations, and with whom Luisen should meet to smooth out the process. The details were written in large letters in consideration of Luisen’s ineptitude. He could see the General’s careful annotations everywhere. And, on the last page, there was a brief letter.

The letter expressed pride in Luisen’s achievements and, even though they couldn’t come running to his side, reminded him to not forget that the people of the duchy were always firmly standing behind him.

Luisen’s eyes welled up with tears and stung. They didn’t need to tell him that. The knowledge that the duchy’s retainers and vassals would support him with all their might emboldened him in his bid to threaten Sir Boros despite the Royal Knight’s intimidation. He believed that his household and his loyal followers would be his shield in any situation. Before regression, Luisen had only realized how precious this all was only after losing all of them.

Luisen wiped the tears that trickled out with his sleeves.

‘Damn you, Ruger you bastard.’

The letter had also stated that there was no information about Ruger left in the duchy.

With the revelation that Ruger was a spy, a large-scale investigation was conducted–even within the capital mansion. The deputy chancellor eagerly searched for who had planted Ruger, but all traces of the spy, from his resumé to his recommendation letters, and even small personal belongings, had all disappeared. It seemed as if this had all been prepared in advance, knowing that once Ruger left the capital mansion his identity as a spy would be exposed.

Luisen had explained the full story to the deputy chancellor last night: from the time he had left the capital mansion for the duchy… Ruger’s betrayal had been prepared since then, at the very least. At the same time, the young lord gained confidence in his theory that he had run away–his ill-fated midnight escape–that night before regression.

Ruger must have expected the people in the duchy to face a tragic end after the midnight escape. The man didn’t have a good relationship with the people there, but the young lord couldn’t believe that Ruger would kill the people he had lived with for years. Honestly–who was the mastermind behind Ruger’s actions anyway?

‘I can’t believe I left my people in misery due to a bastard like that.’

Luisen looked out the window and into the tranquil darkness. He no longer feared the dark but the room, where he sat alone, was as quiet as death. It was enough to evoke a long-suppressed pain. Luisen still vividly remembered that day…

Burning golden fields and weeping farmers. Crows circling the duchy’s castle; familiar faces greeting Luisen with terrifying expressions. Every day…every moment since then… he had vividly remembered those images. He became more comfortable with the mental images after meeting the one-armed pilgrim, but he couldn’t forget. He merely accepted it.

‘That won’t happen now–I did the right thing.’

Luisen curled up and buried his face in his narrow, trembling hands. He missed Carlton’s face so much; when he was in Carlton’s arms, while melting in the mercenary’s burning gaze, he realized how much had changed from the past. The past had no power–could not instill fear–in him anymore.

‘Carlton…’Somehow, he had a hunch that a terrible nightmare would visit tonight.

***

Meanwhile, Carlton had safely entered the castle. Guided by a waiting maid, he entered his assigned room and waited to be called upon by the first prince.

“Since the prince has given me a room, it won’t be easy to leave the palace in a timely manner.” As he looked around, the mercenary noticed that the security within the palace had been strengthened. It would be quite challenging–even for someone like Carlton–to leave the palace without being detected.

‘Is there a need to be so cautious?’

All of the prince’s enemies had either died or surrendered in desperation. Since the king had lost consciousness, the royal palace should be the prince’s kingdom. However, there was an oddly uncomfortable atmosphere circling around inside the castle.

What had happened while he was gone?

At that moment, someone who could answer that question appeared. “I’ve brought you a change of clothes.”

The maid, carrying the clothes, looked very familiar.

“Ennis.” Carlton welcomed her with great pleasure. Ennis opened her blade-like eyes and glared at the mercenary. She quickly approached him and poured out all her grievances, “Didn’t I tell you not to greet me so informally? Also, didn’t I say you shouldn’t get involved with Duke Anies and to leave the South quickly? Are my warnings mere amusing jokes? Because of your hesitation, I don’t even know if my lover is alive!”

“Ah, my lieutenant. That guy is in the duchy right now–he’s fine. And, I really had no choice.” In hindsight, following Ennis’s warning would have been the right choice. However, if he had done that, Luisen would have been kidnapped by Ruger. Thinking back, he already had feelings for the young lord by the time he had received her message. So, when the first prince’s messenger arrived to convey the order for him to escort Luisen to the capital, Carlton had turned around and rushed to the young lord like a madman. Thanks to that, Luisen was saved, and they formed a special relationship. He had no regrets.

Carlton chuckled.

Ennis, though, was quick-witted. “What is this? Don’t tell me… Do you have something with Duke Anies?”

“As expected of Ennis. You’re perceptive.”

“Come on–close your heart. If you collected the tears of those who cried because of Duke Anies, you would have enough for a fountain.”

“I’m different from those people, you know?” Carlton snapped.

Sensing the jealousy within him, Ennis closed her mouth. ‘What happened? It’s not like it’s someone else, but Duke Anies?’

Luisen was the typical aristocrat that Carlton loathed. He was the kind of person who was born into a good family and lived well despite his relative incompetence and complacency. The hatred and inferiority complex that burned eternally towards such nobles was no longer visible within Carlton.

“Are you out of your mind? Did you hit your head?” she asked.

“I’m fine.”

“No–you’ve changed too much…” Ennis looked quite grave when she saw Carlton smile with subtle pride at the word, ‘change.’ “If you’re not insane, get a hold of yourself. The atmosphere in the royal palace isn’t ordinary. Your head will fly off your neck if you act foolishly.”TL: First things first, it’s that letter is so sweet it tugged at my heart.

Second things second, Damn Luisen! How many hearts did you break?? I guess you really are a calamitous beauty.

Also, Next week I’ll be taking a break. I’ve mentioned the circumstances on the previous chapter’s note. Thank you guys for being so patient, and I’ll see you all in two weeks.