Chapter 134 - New home (1)

The black eyes that I hadn't seen for a long time were looking at me.

The corners of his eyes were slightly curved, it seemed as if he was about to smile, but his expression seemed uncomfortable.

Vlad was also debating whether to laugh or not as he looked at that expression.

"Why you?"

His lord left in winter but met him in summer.

Joseph's eyes, which seemed to have darkened a bit, sharply rose towards Vlad.

"Are you going to cause trouble just by coming here?"

"...I'm sorry."

Vlad quickly lowered his head in response to Joseph's reprimand.

It was a fact that he himself knew well that his history in Deirmar was spectacular.

"You broke in and ate the Hainal family relic... It's really absurd."

Joseph, heavily leaning back in his chair as if annoyed by what he said, sighed deeply.

Although it wasn't enough to strengthen the relationship with Deirmar before the great war, he came to eat the Hainal family relic.

Joseph still felt good about Alicia's tears welling up at Vlad's words.

"It went to the east and nothing has changed."

A one-eyed knight who opens his mouth on behalf of Joseph, who is speechless.

Although he had banished him as a sign of his own respect, Jager was throwing a hard look with the only eye left at his disciple who was still causing accidents.

"..."

It wasn't that Vlad didn't have something to say, but he also knew he wasn't in the mood to say it at that moment.

Vlad, who had spent his whole life observing people's opinions, realized he had to keep his mouth shut for now.

"Idiot."

Jager's body rolling like a wave with a short shout.

Activating the magical steps that were his foundation, Jager struck Vlad's shin without the slightest hesitation.

"...!"

"Ugh!"

But he didn't hear the screams of someone he expected.

The sound of the wind passing fiercely.

The only thing that came out empty was his kick that went through the air.

"..."

"..."

Vlad now takes a step back to avoid Jager's kick.

Contrary to his bewildered expression, Joseph slowly raises the upper part of his body, which was leaning on the chair, as if surprised to see that the gap between them had clearly widened.

"Ah."

Joseph makes a subtle expression as he looks at Jager who is still standing with one foot raised.

Vlad, who was examining the atmosphere in the office while rolling his eyes, cautiously opened his mouth.

"...This was supposed to be right, wasn't it?"

"...I guess so."

Seeing Vlad subtly pull out the shin again, Jager couldn't help but put on a puzzled expression.

As expected, this guy was unpredictable.

Since we met until now.

"As expected, idiot."

Taaaak!

A light smack was heard inside the office.

Vlad's blonde hair waves wildly.

Jager managed to hit the back of his head instead of the extended shin.

"I always told you to prepare for the next hit."

Seeing Jager secretly smiling at him, Vlad chuckled a bit with him.

"I'm sorry."

Everything was just like before.

Joseph, looking at him backlit by the sunlight, and Jager, who stood still by his side.

Although they were scolding him, Vlad somehow felt relieved to see that nothing had changed.

***

"The Baron Alicia said she would let this matter pass quietly."

"Thank you for forgiving me generously."

"Yes."

Joseph and his group left the mansion and were inspecting the temporary garrison established within the territory.

Tents and bonfires spread everywhere.

Looking at the fine smoke rising from where the soldiers were gathered, Vlad thought it was a sight that didn't suit Deirmar.

"From today onwards, you will officially work as Alicia's knight, not under my command."

"Do we really have to do that?"

"Now is the time to be cautious."

In this war, Vlad had to act as Vlad of Alicia, not as Vlad of Soara.

Vlad was still a stranger in the eyes of the Vatican, and the Vatican army was confined to the northern part of the country, so it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.

"How long will I remain under Lady Alicia's command?"

"Why? You really don't like it, do you?"

"It's not that, but..."

Vlad hesitated to answer Joseph's question.

Although Vlad had never fought in a war, there was one thing he understood well.

"I guess I prefer the title Vlad of Soara."

"Mmm."

Joseph and Jager nodded at Vlad's words as if they made sense.

The honorary title granted to a knight was important to reveal not only affiliation but also identity.

Therefore, no matter how much connection Vlad had with the territory of Deirmar, he had no choice but to show reluctance to give up the title of Vlad of Soara.

"Still, it would be nice to have some attachment to it."

However, Joseph just looked around the military camp while leaving a strange comment.

"Alicia said she would let it pass quietly, but she didn't say she would simply let it pass."

It was a precious relic inherited from the ancestors who founded the family.

As much as Vlad was the benefactor of Deirmar, this was something he had to take some responsibility for.

"The baron requested priority negotiating rights for you. After our seven-year contract ends."

"Negotiating rights?"

Joseph and Vlad were not bound by a contract promising lifelong loyalty.

The seven-year contract in exchange for opportunities and trust was now in its third year, and once the contract ended, Vlad would be completely free.

"Can I refuse?"

"Then... she'll probably be sad."

Anyway, he wasn't forcing a contract, just asking him to talk to him first before going to another lord.

Alicia, the lady of Hainal, wanted to have a knight named Vlad under her command.

"Anyway, is the horse still okay?"

"Are you talking about Noir?"

"Yes, that one. He's famous."

However, all these conversations would ultimately only take place after the war was won.

Vlad's affiliation might be close to that of Hainal on the surface, but Joseph was the one in command.

Joseph had already mentally planned how he would use the knight Vlad.

"The troops stationed in Deirmar will continue to focus on the castle, but it wouldn't be desirable to simply wait with great anticipation."

The group headed towards the outskirts, passing through the tents set up here and there.

There was another tent raised there, away from the other tents.

It was a tent that stood alone, as if it couldn't go unnoticed.

"No! Who is it?"

A tent with a noticeably different appearance from Joseph's tent, which was unified in a single color.

Vlad's eyebrows furrowed when he saw the man coming out from inside.

"Why is that guy here?"

"That was the contract to begin with."

Joseph shrugged and looked at Vlad.

"Greet him. Because we'll have to work together in the future."

Vlad looked ahead as he listened to Joseph's words, which for some reason sounded ominous.

A man approaching him with arms outstretched so that anyone would mistake him for a close friend.

Braided hair, tattoos all over.

"It's been a while!"

Agge of the Budart tribe smiled cheerfully as he looked at Vlad.

***

"You've achieved success. Sir."

"Shut up."

Vlad wiped his face with both hands as he listened to Stephan.

Seeing him like that, Stephan simply chewed on the jerky and laughed.

"Moving up a position in the first place is a big deal in itself. Besides, didn't the knight say this was his first time in war?"

"...I did."

Vlad heard Stephan's words and looked at Noir neighing inside the stable.

Neighing-

A type that doesn't listen, is rough, and lives according to his own liking.

However, the prairie son is fast enough to make up for all his faults.

"Besides, it's not just a reconnaissance team, it's an attack team. From my experience, this is a very good opportunity."

Joseph was paying attention to the mobility that Vlad and Noir had.

And I plan to use soldiers suitable for their mobility and try to control Gaidar at least once.

"Since you're in charge of a squadron and not just an ordinary knight, you'll definitely be able to do a great job in this war."

"...If the barbarians listen to me."

Joseph put Vlad in charge of the Budart warriors.

Among the knights Jose brought with him, he was the only one who had any connection to the barbarians, so it wasn't an incomprehensible choice at all.

"Where are you going."

"For a walk."

"I'll come with you."

"No. Don't follow me."

It was good for the barbarians that Vlad, whom they knew, became the leader instead of strange guys they had never seen before, and Stephan was promoted to Vlad's lieutenant as soon as he was hired, so it was a good thing for everyone.

That is, except for Vlad, who has a complicated mind.

"It's not a place just anyone can enter."

"It's fine."

Vlad decided to take a moment to get some fresh air to unravel his tangled brain.

First of all, there was someone who was desperately looking for him.

As the sun gradually sets, Vlad leaves the garrison full of soldiers.

Vlad entered the backyard of the quiet mansion and made eye contact with a white figure swaying on the hill.

"Why the hell are you looking for me like this?"

On a low hill, a huge tree with the emblem of the Hainal family engraved.

There was a white snake moving its head towards Vlad.

***

"Sob."

A lone figure writhing in a large room.

The moonlight streaming in through the window illuminated Alicia's figure as she wrapped the blanket around the bed.

"…What if I really break it just because I gave it to you?"

The red tip of her nose and the scattered tissues on the bed indicated that she had been crying profusely just moments ago.

No matter how strong a dam is, it can collapse even from a small crack.

Alicia had been able to withstand the ill intentions coming at her from all directions, but in the end, thanks to the amber stone, she finally let out what she had been holding in for so long.

"My father left it to me."

It was a relic inherited from her ancestors, but for Alicia, it was one of the few objects that reminded her of her father.

But you broke it.

No, did you say it melted?

"Oh well."

I guess it didn't matter.

Because now one of my father's traces will never be seen again.

Standing up, wiping away her tears, Alicia decided to console herself with the fact that she didn't shed tears in front of people.

"It's okay. I gave it to you to use it anyway."

Her father had said that the yellow amber stone contained an incomprehensible divine protection.

That's why she lent it, and in the end, it came back safe and sound.

Alicia tried to think like that and nodded as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Still, it's not just a trinket."

Alicia, sitting at the dressing table beside the bed, sighed as she looked at her swollen eyes and took out the letters Vlad had given her instead of the amber stones.

"Ausurin... the elves."

Elven Forest, Ausurin.

It was a place that was only full of rumors as it never showed its side to humans, but she had heard that in the center, elf tea was being sold at high prices these days.

'…If I do this right.'

Although Vlad lost the amber stone, he brought a personal letter from the elves instead.

Perhaps the letter she had now was more valuable than the amber stone her father bequeathed to her.

Alicia had a vague idea of the value of the letter she held.

'Ugh!'

As Alicia opened the envelope of the letter said to have been sent by the elves, a sudden gust of wind blew, and she shut her eyes.

"…What is this."

Already highly distraught, Alicia panicked at the sudden wind and approached the window, rubbing her eyes.

While Alicia rubbed her eyes, the wind that started inside the envelope soon began to travel and decorate her room with the refreshing aroma of the forest.

"..."

Alicia barely opened her eyes to the nocturnal breeze coming through the window.

As she looked out the window, what caught her attention was the sight of someone climbing a hill under the bright moonlight.

"Now he comes and goes as if it's his own home..."

Alicia, knowing who it was just by looking at the colors shining in the moonlight, watched Vlad climb the hill with pursed lips.

A bow to the gravestones.

He waved his hand towards the Hainal tree.

And Vlad, Alicia's knight, standing on the hill.

"Huh?"

At that moment, Alicia felt embarrassed by the sudden sight and rubbed her eyes again.

"Aren't there fireflies on that hill?"

There were fireflies.

Powdered light enveloping Vlad.

Although she couldn't say it clearly because she was watching from a distance, Alicia could clearly see the lights floating on the hill.

Clearly, small fireflies that seemed newly born were coming out of Vlad's sword.

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