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“I am Marquis Blemir’s bodyguard!”
“The marquis’…?” Elisha asked in curiosity. Why were the marquis’ bodyguards here in the western part of the country, which separated Syuphl from Miyon Desert?
“I came to the West for an internal affair of the marquis. I was gathering information because we were worried that something strange was happening in the desert and would harm the empire…”
After hearing Vincent’s explanation, Elisha turned to Shamir, “The guy whose life you spared must have run so well and repaid you like this.”
“Oh, I see. I should’ve killed him then. But didn’t you do more harm than me?”
Chaeeng!
Before Shamir could finish speaking, Vincent had drawn his sword. He was ready to rush to Shamir at any moment.
“This is the border area; it means we’re now at the empire’s land. Shamir, don’t you remember what I said before?”
Shamir looked at Elisha and bowed his head.
“Yes, Your Ladyship.”
Shamir jumped off the horse and walked up to Vincent.
“I understand that you don’t like me, but can you put your sword back to its sheath? Do you realize before whom do you raise your sword?”
Shamir pressed Vincent’s sword blade with his index finger and set it aside. Vincent, whose eyes followed the moving blade, turned his gaze to the front and glared at Shamir’s golden eyes.
The people of the empire looked down on the desert tribes, and the desert tribes hated the arrogance of those people. Could it be that those inexplicable feelings were transmitted through the veins?
Elisha lightly waved her hand.
Pung!
There was a slight shock between the two.
“Your Ladyship! It hurts! It hurts!”
“That shouldn’t hurt.”
“How do you know? I hurt. It’s painful when you get hurt. You’re no fun at all.” Shamir groaned and backed away.
Elisha lightly jumped off her horse and approached Vincent. Vincent stiffened, not knowing what to do.
“Will you keep raising that sword in front of me?”
Startled by these words, Vincent returned the sword to its sheath.
“Seeing you knights makes me feel like I’ve truly returned to the empire.”
Vincent realized how long the woman before him had been in the desert as she spoke. He didn’t dare to ask or even think about what had happened to her.
“Thank you for coming back.”
Vincent placed his right hand over his left chest and bowed his head. He didn’t know how his master felt and why he desperately searched for her. Vincent was just satisfied that he could avoid telling the worst news.
Elisha was relieved to hear the news about Barossa from Vincent.
She’d like to send a message to Leon immediately, but for it to be possible from the Syuphl Barony, she would have to go to the baron’s mansion first.
“Let’s be careful, Your Ladyship. It is unknown who has attacked you, but many rumors will spread when your safety is reported.”
“I understand.” Elisha graciously accepted Vincent’s concerns. Moving on in a hastily prepared carriage, Elisha leaned against the carriage window. She was quite tired.
When they arrived at the barony, there were Joseph and Tommy, just as Vincent had told her. The two were bewildered when the carriage entered the barony, and when they saw Elisha getting off the carriage, they rushed in, grabbed the hem of her clothes, and cried. Although Joseph was quite mature, he didn’t look all that different from the sniffling Tommy. Other survivors gathered around and shared their joy with greetings.
After that, she went straight to the communication room and contacted Barossa.
It was natural for Barossa to be toppled.
***
A person was heading toward the emperor’s office at a fast pace.
“Your Majesty, this is the Minister of Internal Affairs, Marquis Croix.”
“Come in.”
With the emperor’s permission, Marquis Croix entered the door opened by the attendant.
“Your Majesty, have you heard? The 2nd Empress…”
Marquis Croix, who was talking, shut up when he realized another visitor was before him.
A young man with red hair stood on the other side of the emperor’s table. Which of the people in this empire did not know him?
“Marquis Blemir is here. My apologies for not seeing you.”
“It’s alright.”
After giving a rough answer, Blemir turned his gaze toward the emperor.
“Your Majesty, the marquis’ knights have found the consort by chance. But there might be another attack, and those knights alone are not enough, so please allow me to pick Her Ladyship in person.”
“I heard that you’ve been busy these days. The 3rd Prince has been waiting for so long for his mother, so I thought it would be better for Sir Rohan, who is on good terms with the child, to take the child to meet her.”
When Rohan’s name came out, the air surrounding Blemir compressed.
The emperor took his time to watch him and opened his mouth, “But Marquis, if you really want it, then I suppose I will let you do it. Bring the 2nd Consort safely to Barossa.”
Blemir clenched his fists tightly, but there was no other answer except, “Thank you.”
Watching Blemir leave the office, Marquis Croix changed what he had been trying to say. Everyone knew that the relationship between His Majesty and Marquis Blemir was not good, but today it was exceptionally subtle.
“There are various reports for the improvement of the Mirlin area.”
“Speak.”
When the emperor granted permission, Marquis Croix unfolded the roll of paper he had brought and read the important part. He took them out, placed them on the table, and emphasized the points he had found and marked.
The emperor nodded and listened and wrote down things he needed to remember on paper. Because there was a lot of content, the report continued for a long time.
After the Marquis Croix left, the emperor got up and went to the window.
“I didn’t save her, but she returned on her own. I knew she wasn’t some sickly lady. She is still very strong.”
The mumbling emperor opened the window wide. In his hand, he held a cigarette.
He took a sip of the smoke and spat it out.
“Now that everyone knows that she’s back alive, I can’t kill them.”
Zile’s investigation of the Western nobility was behind schedule. No evidence has been found yet.
However, with the return of the 2nd Consort, their sins had become a little lighter. They had a reason to loosen up.
It was too bad to leave it like this, but what should be done?
Yes. Since the 2nd Consort was involved, it wouldn’t hurt to check if she had found something.
The emperor, who had thrown away the smoked tobacco, returned to his seat and sat down.
He tapped the table with his fingertips before he looked at the bundle of paper again.
As he continued thinking about the 2nd Consort, he remembered the two people he had met most often recently. Didn’t one of them just stop by the office? Rohan and Blemir were polar opposites, but one person had made them do things they normally wouldn’t have done.
“Are they treating the 2nd Consort as a woman, or do they see her as a master they wish to serve?”
Even in the eyes of the emperor, Elisha was a master with no knight shortage. Of course, Blemir might think of her as a woman.
But what about Rohan? What about that noble knight?
“2nd Consort was the one who said that I was flawed, so why does she make flaws everywhere now?”
I’ll look closer when I get you in my hands again this time.
What is it that I haven’t seen about you?
***
“Can’t you stay a little longer?”
When Joseph asked, Elisha answered.
“Do you remember the kid you saw last time?”
“Yes, the 3rd Prince.”
“We haven’t seen each other since we separated. He’s been waiting for me for some time now.”
After she said that, Joseph couldn’t hold her any longer.
He had never thought that it’d work; it’s just that he believed once they separated this time, he might never see her again.
“You don’t have to guard the well anymore. If you study hard, I will summon you to the capital.”
At Elisha’s words, Joseph looked surprised.
“Since you follow him like an older brother, if Joseph comes, you can come too.”
Tommy gulped.
Elisha said goodbye to the children and approached Dahil and Taro, who had decided not to go to the capital and remained in the baron’s mansion.
The capital would be more discriminating against desert tribes. The place closest to their hometown, the desert, might have been the best choice.
After ordering the housekeepers to report their status often, Elisha left the barony with Vincent. This was because the barony did not have a portal, so they had to move to another nearby estate.
As she moved to a neighboring estate and headed for the portal, Elisha felt a huge wave of energy.
“Stop.”
The carriage that had been running stopped at Elisha’s words.
Elisha got out of the carriage and rubbed Spot’s, who had been running next to the carriage, face as she got on the horse.
Elisha didn’t want to fall off easily, so she held the reins firmly in her hand and moved forward to avoid danger.
She didn’t think it was a dangerous opponent because she couldn’t feel any murderous intent, but there was a wave of anxiety.
She wondered why.
As Elisha advanced, overtaking the knights guarding the front of the carriage, the shadow on the other side quickly drew near.
Chaeeng!
Vincent drew his sword and paused. The energy of the approaching person was too familiar.
“Marquis Blemir?”
Elisha called out his name in wonder but didn’t think she was in danger.
This was because there was no way that Blemir, who was basically an ally and had great pride as a swordmaster, would do such a thing as a surprise attack.
Even if he had, Elisha would’ve been able to block it.
But there was a stranger here who did not know Blemir at all.
“What’s that?”
Shamir, who was getting off the carriage, ran in astonishment. He blocked in front of Elisha and wielded the crescent-shaped sword he had brought with him.
Kaaang!
Although Shamir was strong, the swordmaster was beyond the rules.
Elisha barely caught Shamir’s body, which was almost thrown away.
Elisha used the energy of water to prevent Blemir from attacking Shamir again. Blemir radiated his energy even more strongly, perhaps because he was angrier.
“Marquis, this is my servant!”
“I’ve never seen him in Barossa.”
“I brought him from the desert.”
Flames flared in Blemir’s brown eyes when he heard the word “desert”. That word had confirmed the place she had been kidnapped to.
“Why did you defend him?”
Elisha, who was not in a good mood because he was constantly questioning her, looked into Marquis Blemir’s eyes and answered.
“He saved me.”
“Saved you? They tried to throw you in the mud. Even now, all kinds of dirty words are floating around in the capital. Do you know what will happen if you bring someone from the desert to the capital?!”
“Calm down, Marquis. What on earth is wrong with you?”
Elisha put a hand on his forehead. If Leon had a fever and mumbled nonsense, Marie would do this.
The startled Blemir almost took a step back but then stopped. He let Elisha take his temperature and looked at the person staring into his eyes.
She didn’t seem to have suffered from injuries, but-
Recalling the rumors circulating in the capital, he couldn’t just ignore it.
“2nd Consort, why don’t you just leave him here?”
Elisha knitted her eyebrows while Shamir poked his face between them. Elisha wondered what else he would do, so she tried to kick Shamir away. But Shamir was a little quicker.
“What? Would you like to cut my dick if you’re so worried?”