Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance

The duke had told them that the overlap in Karand’s Canyon was of the dungeon type. Unlike normal demons, dungeon-type demons cannot be easily measured in terms of danger, and their population is so large that transcendent beings such as Imperial Knights and Dukes are often sent to fight them.

 

In this case, the duke who was slaughtering a large number of demons in the dungeon was suddenly enveloped in a purple glow when he swung his sword and was transported a very long distance.

 

A very long distance. After a moment of shock at being forcibly transported a distance that even the most senior mage could not teleport at once, he could only raise his sword again at the sight before him.

 

At first, he wondered if the wizard who had devoured the greenhouse had summoned him, but Lobel had no idea the duke was coming to visit.

 “When it was over, I went to the place where I was summoned, and that necklace was there. I consulted the Tower, and they said it was a first-class artifact, a combination of summoning and other magic.” 

He didn’t find all the magic it contained, as it was a one-off and had already been used. But they found two types of magic they were sure of. Summoning and Tracking.

 “This was given to me by an unknown person.” 

The duke pondered. It was as if the necklace had reacted when Eileen was in danger. He left the necklace to the child just in case, and he was right. 

 

He doesn’t know if the giver was evil or good, but it’s not a positive thing to have an unknown presence hovering over Eileen.

 

After a few questions, the duke concludes that Eileen knows nothing more about the rabbit’s identity and gives the necklace back to Oslo.

 

With the artifact as their only lead, they have no choice but to analyze it further. Feeling the need to increase the child’s safety, the duke turned to Felix this time.

 “Are you sure you know the mage who attacked us yesterday?” 

Felix looked uneasy and nodded.

 “Lord Lobel, he’s your second brother’s escort.” 

Everyone in the room was outraged, and Felix spoke up again.

 “But there is something strange.” 

Felix swallowed nervously and continued.

 “Lord Lobel was just a knight. I’ve never seen him use magic, and I’ve never heard of him using magic.” 

The duke’s expression twisted.

 “A wizard of such high rank masquerading as a knight? No, it was a hide, so the most likely explanation is that it killed a knight named Lobel and wore the hide.” 

‘A being that wears human skin. It’s probably not a wizard.’

 

‘Perhaps we shouldn’t tell the children about this.’

 

Felix glanced uneasily at the duke as he continued to ponder the information, his expression serious, until he finally broke down.

 “I’m sorry,”

he said,

“I’m sorry for all the bad things that have happened because of me. If I hadn’t come, your precious greenhouse wouldn’t have been destroyed, and Eileen wouldn’t have been in danger.” 

Felix slumped in self-pity. The cost of letting the play end so freely had come home to roost. 

 

The thought of a raid like this at any moment made his eyes water.

 

But he didn’t want to leave the duchy, even under these circumstances. He wanted to be with Eileen and them for a while longer.

 

Felix hated himself for being so greedy. The child was about to descend into a bottomless pit of self-pity.

 “Ugh!” 

Cordelia, who had been quietly listening to the conversation beside him, shoved a cookie into his mouth. Felix, his mouth suddenly covered in cookies, looked back at Cordelia in disbelief.

 “Why is that your fault, it’s those crazy white people.” “So.” 

Lucian raised his eyebrows as if he’d heard something out of place. Eileen clapped her hands inwardly as the two of them bounced off each other.

 

‘Healthy! My kids are in good spirits!’

 

In truth, Eileen was growing increasingly worried. There was a villain she’d never seen in the original story. And unlike the other times, she was meeting new people and there was no future in sight.

 

In short, what lay ahead was an unknown world that she had no control over.

 “But I don’t know what the future holds. There could be a really strong assassin.” “Then we’ll just have to get stronger.” 

Cordelia said without the slightest hesitation. Felix’s jaw dropped. The Duke chuckled softly to himself. Lucian, who had been laughing along with him, turned to face Felix.

 “They’re right. I didn’t bring you to my house to live in self-pity and apology.” “If you can afford to self pity then train more, do you think you can protect our reckless Eileen with those stats?” 

Eileen tried to interrupt.

“No… I’m not…” “What?” 

Eileen lowered her tail and turned away, feeling the anger burning in Cordelia’s eyes.

 “I’m sorry.” 

Eileen lowered her head in remorse, but she couldn’t hide the grin that rose from within.

 

‘I wonder when they both grew up.’

 

They were right. Eileen’s future had been ruined. The search for where things went wrong was endless.

 

She remembered what Walter had said.

 

“A prosecutor doesn’t focus on the sum he’s already missed. Regret for the blow doesn’t change anything. What changes the future is the sharpness of the sword.”

 

‘I thought I was saving them, but they were saving me’

 

Felix’s heart rumbled in his chest. He clenched his fists in deter

mination.

 “Thank you, thank you. I’ll be so strong, I’ll protect Eileen with all my might!” “No. That’s great, but why protect me? “Mmm. Good thinking.” 

Cordelia and Lucian nodded in unison.

 “Well, we’re supposed to be strong, too.” “Right.” 

There was nothing they could do in this raid. Even if they were hailed as the two wings of the duke’s family, that was only for their peers.

 

A fierce sense of honor burned within them. Somehow, in the midst of the

“Let’s be strong!”

rallying cry, Eileen chimed in.

 “Do you think that… I should start practicing swordsmanship?” “No.” “Yeah…” “I’m the only one who doesn’t know how to fight. Only me!”

Eileen pouted her lips in frustration.

 

The Duke, who had been looking at the children with compassion as they instantly regained their usual liveliness from their gloomy mood, spoke up.

 “Now, everyone out.” 

All well and good, but still loud.

  

* * *

  

Derek, the head of the Duke of Gaudium’s Knights Templar, burst through the door of the office. In his hand, he held a letter that looked like an urgent dispatch.

 “As expected, the slaughter went well in the Third Prince’s favor.” “I pulled out all the thorns, but if you can’t do that, there’s no point in living and breathing. I’m glad I don’t have to go back there.” 

The Duke lifted the strong coffee to his lips and asked, “And the Count of Forss?”

 

They had clearly crossed a line. The imperial family would have nothing to say if there was a physical clash, not just political retribution.

 “That’s the thing… they’re all dead.” “What?” 

The hand holding the teacup stiffened.

 “It hasn’t been announced yet because the imperial investigators haven’t arrived, but it seems there was a raid on Forss’s mansion a few hours after the greenhouse raid.” 

Derek handed over the brief papers from his chest. The duke’s face darkened as he read them.

 “Everyone was killed, including the occupants, with their heads blown off.” “I’ll send someone out to investigate further, for now.” “Very well. Report back as soon as you have more information.” 

The peacock that had bitten Derek leaned back in his chair with a tired look on his face.

 

The raid had been far too unorthodox and unruly for any ordinary raid. Even Damien, the lord of Forss, was a despicable man, but he was a high-ranking mage of some skill.

 “And yet he failed to send a single distress call.” 

The bizarre assassin who had attacked the greenhouse inevitably came to mind, and while it was still impossible to determine what it was, it was not difficult to figure out that the whole thing had been planned.

 

The Duke turned his head habitually to the window and chewed his lip. Outside the window, there was only a trace of the greenhouse.

 “You’re right, Theresia, the world is a harsh place to raise children.” 

The Duke looked at the portrait of Theresia on the table in his office and spoke grumpily. Needless to say, there was no reply.

 

He closed his eyes for a moment, savored the silence, and then picked up his papers and pen.

 

There was still much to be done.

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