Chapter 13 – There’s Something to Be Found There
#1
Loria and Lawrence.
The two of them were sitting across from each other inside a carriage.
Lawrence, her younger brother, was quietly waiting for his sister to speak, while Loria was taking her time, carefully choosing her words.
The carefully selected words finally slipped out of her mouth.
“Are you really a mage?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know!? You should answer seriously!”
“Hmm, why should I?”
Because we are family, and I’m your sister.
That’s what Loria wanted to say, but she stopped herself.
Fleeting memories of the past came to her mind.
They became a wall that stopped her from being too impulsive.
<“I hate you!”>
<“You’re the shame of Montemer!”>
The words she had carelessly thrown out.
The wounds her words inflicted on her brother could never be undone.
In fact, the very fact that he was sitting so quietly might be the most mature thing he could do.
She thought that this was the kind of attitude fitting for a true Montemer.
“Well, um… The things I said back then—”
“What things?”
“Ugh, never mind! Anyway! How can you cast such quick magic without a Mana Core?”
“That’s a trade secret…”
Lawrence replied, deep in thought.
What kind of person would Loria grow up to be in the future?
Would she truly be a necessary part of the path he was walking?
If their paths were too different, it might be better to part ways early.
Surprisingly, his dilemma was resolved quickly.
It was due to Loria’s next words.
“It’s not like it’s harming your body or draining your life, is it?”
Hearing her question, Lawrence froze for a moment.
Her eyes were filled with genuine concern.
A smile naturally appeared on Lawrence’s lips.
“Of course not. It’s nothing like that. Just think of it as a special ability. Something I received instead of a Mana Core.”
“Hmm… Alright. Well, at least you’re still keeping Montemer’s pride.”
“Did you call me because you were worried?”
“I-I don’t know! Let’s go to the next meeting!”
She quickly scrambled out of the carriage.
Seeing her pure heart, Lawrence chuckled.
She had a cute side.
“Since she’s worried about me, I should at least act human.”
He didn’t really know much about family love.
He had never received it, and his memories from his past life were already growing faint.
But he knew at least one thing—if someone gave you their heart, you should return it.
‘At the very least, I won’t become a monster.’
It’s better to be a weirdo than a monster.
With that thought, Lawrence stepped out of the carriage.
He saw Commander Freya organizing the scene and the busy soldiers moving around.
He approached them and suddenly offered the remaining meat.
The Holy Meat, filled with healing magic.
“Would you like some leftover meat?”
“……”
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry?”
“How can you be talking about hunger in this situation!?”
He got scolded for no reason.
But it didn’t matter.
Loria’s voice had become lighter, and the soldiers’ faces were filled with smiles.
The atmosphere had suddenly turned cheerful.
‘He’s like a seasoned diplomat. He knows how to ease the mood in a tense situation.’
Sometimes, a clown is necessary.
And it takes either a complete lack of awareness or great courage to play that role.
Lawrence didn’t hesitate to take on the role of the clown.
Freya’s eyes followed Lawrence as he handed out pieces of meat here and there.
#2
“Let’s discuss the upcoming schedule.”
“If we continue, we’ll reach the mining village, right?”
“Yes. It’s an ideal place for an ambush, and monsters tend to come out from the inside of the mine…”
Wouldn’t it be better to avoid it?
Even though the terrain was quite rugged, it wouldn’t pose a problem for the Phoenix Mage Corps.
As Freya pondered, Lawrence stepped forward.
“Let’s break through. If we send a carrier pigeon to request support, the Grand Duke of the North will likely move.”
“But they’re holding the front line. Do you think it’s possible?”
“Their top priority is to protect the empire. There’s enough justification for them to act.”
It was a valid point.
With undead present within the Grand Duchy, they would be forced to act.
If they weren’t careful, they could be blamed for neglecting the undead.
If everyone here served as witnesses, it wouldn’t be unreasonable.
“Our numbers are a bit small, but we can’t leave the undead unchecked…”
“If we leave that man Demian alone, he’ll turn into a [Death Knight].”
“……”
Everyone was shocked.
Death Knight.
The mere mention of the name was enough to silence everyone.
A knight who inherits the essence of powerful black magic and the undead.
Not just any knight, but a knight nearing the level of a master, turning into a Death Knight.
One alone could destroy an entire village, and even small cities.
It had been decades since the undead and black wizards had vanished.
If a Death Knight were to run rampant, it would cause trouble for many.
“We must eliminate him early to avoid future problems.”
“I’ll do my best to see it through.”
The problem was whether the soldiers could hold out until the powerful magic was fully prepared.
If Demian truly had the potential to become a Death Knight, it would undoubtedly be a difficult task.
At that moment, Lawrence spoke again.
“Don’t worry about capturing him. I’ll take care of it somehow.”
“Young Master, please don’t forget your status. You mustn’t overexert yourself.”
“What does it matter? They already treated me like a defective product.”
“……”
He had a way of leaving people speechless.
Freya let out a small sigh as she watched Lawrence casually talk about his painful past.
It was hard to imagine how much pain and endurance it took for him to get to this point.
On the other hand, Lawrence had a reason he absolutely had to visit the mining village.
If his guess was right, he would obtain an incredibly powerful artifact there.
‘They said the Corrupted Holy Grail was discovered there, right?’
The decisive item that would turn the knight Demian into a Death Knight.
[Corrupted Holy Grail].
It was a story that had already been revealed before his regression.
When Demian had already become a Death Knight and turned the northern lands into ruins, they had tracked down his trail and uncovered the information.
The Algeras knights had killed Loria and secured the Holy Grail for themselves.
If Lawrence could successfully obtain that item, he would be able to avoid a great disaster.
‘And on top of that, I’ll be able to secure the Grand Duke’s trust.’
There was so much to be gained from this subjugation.
Lawrence wasn’t planning to yield any of it.
‘First, let’s get to work in the tent.’
“At dawn, I’ll send the carrier pigeon. It will take a day and a half to reach the village. We need to launch a surprise attack before they finish their preparations.”
“Good. Betraying Montemer is unforgivable.”
“Then, I’ll take my leave for now.”
Lawrence gathered his meat and his backpack and stood up.
There was nothing valuable in it—just junk—which is probably why the Algeras people had left it alone.
Boston Bag was always carried by his side.
When he entered the tent, he unpacked his belongings.
Inside were piles of things that, to ordinary people, would just look like junk.
“Now, let’s see…”
The appropriate medium and extract.
He had to hurry with the preparations to take down Demian.
“I have some things prepared already, but I’ll need to do a bit more.”
He also needed to raise his Dragon Body experience, so it would be best to work on as much as possible.
Who knows? His secret might be revealed in this subjugation battle.
Scribble, scribble-
The pen moved, and with the skill of a craftsman, he engraved a magic circle.
‘I wonder… How will the family respond? And… will they protect my abilities?’
In this world, when someone with a rare ability was discovered, the reaction went two ways.
Either break them… or use them.
Lawrence thought.
The value of being an Artifactor, the lost technology, the nature of the world, Montemer…
There was one key factor.
Was his value greater than the vassals who supported the family?
Would his father, the master of Montemer, recognize that value?
The world wasn’t filled only with bad people, but it wasn’t filled only with good ones either.
“That’s why I should create an escape route.”
He planned to make that escape during this subjugation battle.
By using the Grand Duke of the North and his son.
‘It was a good idea to stock up from the temple.’
He had enough materials.
He was a craftsman.
A creator of miracles at his fingertips.
#3
Flap, flap, with powerful wingbeats, the carrier pigeon soared high into the sky.
They wouldn’t be able to block it from the air.
Pigeons were quite clever, and it would find a route without monsters.
With half of their numbers gone, the group formed a formation around the carriages and moved at a brisk pace.
The mages finished their chants and cast large-scale buff spells.
[Haste]
Their movements became noticeably lighter as they advanced.
Freya led them from the front, while Lawrence and Loria rode in a carriage.
Lawrence, looking at Loria staring out the window, spoke.
He wanted to know her resolve.
“Sister.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“This battle won’t be an easy one.”
“Ha! I don’t want to hear that kind of comfort from you!”
Why was someone younger than her worrying about her!?
Loria’s eyebrows shot up.
“You’re the one who should be careful not to get hurt by jumping in front.”
“Hehe, are you worried about me?”
“Ah! No, I’m not!”
She was fun to tease, this sister of his.
It reminded him of his school days, playing with his friends.
But that wasn’t the important matter right now.
“You take pride in the Montemer family, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then, what if someone were to betray the name of Montemer?”
Loria paused, looking at him.
What was he thinking?
It had been so long since she had seen her brother, and now he was an enigma.
She couldn’t read what he was thinking, what actions he would take, or even the extent of his magical abilities.
“Of course, they would have to be eliminated. No matter who they are.”
“Even if they’re family?”
“There’s no way our family would do something like that. You’re really acting strange, you know?”
Lawrence chuckled softly and nodded.
Her determination seemed solid, and her resolve was clear.
If something were to shock her, she wouldn’t crumble easily.
Lawrence smiled faintly and turned his gaze back out the window.
As he recalled all the things that had happened, he spoke to Loria.
“Of course it’s strange. I’ve been in the annex the whole time. Like a madman.”
“Seriously, did someone send poison or something to you, huh?”
“Take your time to find out. For now, let’s focus on the subjugation battle.”
‘Could it be…?’
Loria looked at her brother’s profile, feeling confused.
What on earth had he gone through in that annex?
It was the first time she had ever considered that the Montemer family might not be as great as she had always thought.
Maybe she had been avoiding the truth.
Following her older siblings, trying to be recognized, craving approval.
‘I’ll have to look into this when we return.’
Doubts always start small.
But the speed at which they grow is terrifying.
The carriage moved forward, heading into danger.
To the mining village where the undead awaited.
—
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