"Open up before I start breaking things. I’m not going to wait long.”

“Hieek…”

The man crawled backward on his damp bottom as Karuta emitted Orc Fear. Jody quickly stepped up, unable to just watch any longer.

“Look here! The elf is one of our colleagues. We are from the Pendragon Duchy.”

“Pen, Pendragon…!?”

The frightened man became wide-eyed.

The farmer had said so after he discovered and brought the elf to the town – that she had uttered the word ‘Pendragon’ before she collapsed.

“T, that is right, Mister Marvin! They are from the Pendragon Duchy family! And these people here are elves as well!”

Two figures took off their hoods at Zen’s words. The guard became wide-eyed after seeing the elves’ long ears and barely managed to stand up. However, he did not approach the entrance due to Karuta, who was like the devil’s incarnate.

“Mister Karuta! Please calm down. You said you would leave everything to me when we set off, right?”

“Fucking…”

“Hey! Let’s open the entrance first. If you drag this on, I might actually destroy it.”

“Y, yes. I understand.”

Karuta backed up while grumbling, and the man shakily approached the entrance and opened the wooden door. After the group entered the village, Jody dropped off Zen and spoke to the frightened man.

“Please show me where the elf is for now. I can promise that no harm will come to you in the name of the Pendragon Duchy.”

“Ah, yes.”

The man knew very well that a small village such as theirs could be devastated by a single orc warrior. He quickly led them into the village. Soon, the group arrived in front of a fairly large house.

“T, this is the village chief’s house. The elf lady you are looking for is inside this house. C, chief…”

Boom!

Karuta tore open the door before the man had a chance to call for the chief.

“Etuan! Where is Eltuan, who is weak as hell!”

“Uaah!”

Everyone covered their ears as Karuta roared in a thundering voice. A little while later, a figure slowly climbed down the stairs while receiving a person’s aide.

“It is true that I am weaker than you, but I’m not deaf, so speak softly, you ignorant orc…”

Eltuan spoke with a smile. Her healthy brown skin could not be seen, and her face was emaciated.

“Eltuan!”

“Brother!”

The two elven warriors ran out like the wind, but Karuta was even faster.

“Huh?

The person supporting Eltuan stumbled back with fear as Karuta charged like an angry boar, and Eltuan also became wide-eyed.

Fwoosh!

Two log-like arms wrapped around her.

“I am glad you are not dead. If you did die, I would have killed you again. Thank the Earth God.”

Karuta held Eltuan in one hand, and the tough voice of the most powerful Ancona Orc resonated in her ears.

***

W, what? Is that really true?”

Jody was shocked.

It had been about an hour since they departed from the village. He had provided the villagers a few gold coins as a reward, then left together with Eltuan. It was already dark, but they had set out to return to the duchy as soon as possible. And the story he heard from Eltuan during that time was truly shocking and amazing.

She nodded from Karuta’s arms.

“It was true. I had never experienced anything like that before. It felt like something had pierced my body. It was dark and col…”

“N, no, that is not what I am referring to! Her name! It was really Luna Seyrod? Are you certain?”

Jody cut off her voice in a flurry, and Eltuan pondered for a moment before responding.

“I am sure. The knight who was with me said so, that she already died a long time ago. He definitely said it was Seyrod.”

“How could that be!?”

Jody’s hands trembled while holding the reins.

How could the dead come back to life?

Then it also attacked the distinguished guests of the Pendragon…

“Heuk!”

Jody breathed sharply, then stopped his horse by pulling on the reins.

“Well, then… N, no, how could that… That does not make sense…”

Jody muttered, his eyes darting from place to place in confusion. Karuta asked with a frown.

“What’s wrong, Jody scarecrow?”

“It… does not make sense.”

“Keheum?”

“Luna Seyrod would not have just gone back after harmingg Eltuan, right? In the first place, the fact that she appeared in the middle of the road means that she was aiming for the carriage that Miss Serin Reiner was on…”

“That is right.”

“Then what is going on with Miss Serin Reiner and the 7

th

 regiment knight in Conrad Castle right now?

“Keheum?”

Karuta scratched his head while squinting. As an orc, he could not fully understand the meaning behind Jody’s words.

“Eltuan, do you not remember anything from after the fall?”

“I do not. But just as you say, the witch was certainly after the carriage, not me.”

“As expected…”

Jody’s expression darkened even further.

“Anyways, this is not the time for this! We must return to the duchy as soon as possible and let everyone know.”

Jody resumed riding.

The two elven warriors and Karuta, who had Eltuan in his arms, tilted their heads in confusion before following behind.

“Am I not heavy?”

Eltuan asked apologetically.

She was both grateful and sorry. Karuta was being considerate, doing his best to keep her stable while running at a similar pace to the horses. Due to her condition, Eltuan could not ride with the others.

Karuta grinned as he continued running while supporting her with one hand.

“Kereuk! Who do you think you’re talking to? I can even beat other orcs using just one hand. Do not worry and hold on tight.”

“…..”

Eltuan tightened her grip on his leather shirt without saying a word. She had predicted that someone from the Pendragon Duchy would be dispatched, but she never imagined it would be Karuta himself. In addition, apparently, he had volunteered himself.

She was thankful towards the Red Moon Valley brothers who came with Jody, but somehow, Eltuan was even more pleased that Karuta had come.

Come to think of it, it seemed he was always there to step up in times of crisis, including the labyrinth in the Great Forest. Eltuan felt her face heating up and her heart speeding up when she thought about it.

She shook her head and attempted to calm her beating chest at the strange sensation.

‘Is this the second time now? I swear to the Earth God that I will repay this favor.’

It was only natural to feel grateful to one’s savior.

As such, Eltuan, the strongest female warrior of Red Moon Valley, desperately tried to deny the ‘special feelings’ that came to her.

It wasn’t until midnight when the group finally arrived at the big town they departed from earlier in the day. After staying the night at an inn, the group left through the village gate before dawn. Their journey back was a stark contrast to when they first arrived.

Jody’s plan was to reach the Great Territory of Seyrod as soon as possible, then to take the griffons back to the Pendragon Duchy. However, the group was not able to easily return to the duchy.

The High Lord of Alice, Count Louvre, had advanced to the Great Territory of Seyrod from his fortress with his entire force.

***

“What?”

“It is a message asking for your cooperation. His Excellency Louvre has no ill feelings towards Lord Seyrod, so if you open the way, no harm will come to you. In addition, he will purchase water and food at appropriate prices.”

“Huh…!”

Count Seyrod burst into vain laughter.

They had brought an army consisting of thousands, including mercenaries, and were now asking for passage. Was there any high lord who would willingly open their doors for an army belonging to someone he wasn’t close to nor had any connections to?

“Impossible. The Pendragon Duchy is our blood ally and our neighbor. I cannot open the way for any army heading towards it. Relay my words.”

Count Seyrod was adamant.

Although the Seyrod County was considered one of the weakest among the thirteen great territories of the empire, it was a family with a history reaching back to the beginning of the empire. Count Louvre’s message was purely rude and ridiculous.

“Well…”

The messenger sighed lightly, then took something out of his arms.

“This is a personal letter from His Excellency Louvre to the High Lord of Seyrod.”

The chief servant of Seyrod received the letter while staring at the messenger with cold eyes, then politely delivered it to the count.

“A personal letter? Why are you showing me this now?”

Count Seyrod expressed his doubts, and the messenger replied while bowing.

“His Excellency Louvre ordered me to deliver the letter if Your Excellency did not respond kindly to the message.”

“Hmm…”

Count Seyrod unwrapped the letter with a frown. It did not matter what the letter contained. It would not change his mind. Although there had been ups and downs, the Pendragon Duchy had been by their side for a long time.

The least they could do was to not give way to attackers. Count Seyrod was adamant.

“Heup!”

Count Seyrod breathed sharply and became wide-eyed. He took on an incredulous expression and his eyes quickly skimmed through the letter. He gazed at the scroll in disbelief.

“Your Excellency…?”

“What is the matter?”

The gathered nobles became concerned. They had never seen their lord act in such a manner before. Count Seyrod gazed at the letter for a while with tightened fists, then raised his head.

He spoke to the messenger in a quivering voice.

“This… Is this really true?”

“My apologies, but with all due respect, I do not know the contents of the letter. But our lord is never a man to lie. If you do not believe me…”

“I will personally meet with Lord Louvre. Get ready!”

“Y, yes?”

The nobles were stunned by Count Seyrod’s sudden words. He had refused Count Louvre’s words so firmly a moment ago, so why was he suddenly wanting to meet with him?

“B, but Your Excellency, if the Pendragon Duchy finds out about this…”

“Do I need to speak twice!?”

“…..!”

The nobles became shocked at Count Seyrod’s shouts. Although he was greatly disappointed and resigned after last year’s ‘incident’, Count Seyrod had never gotten angry with the people around him. Rather, he even smiled or laughed with his relatives or vassals after Duke Pendragon achieved revenge for the ‘incident’.

However, he lost his reason after reading the letter from Count Louvre.

Count Seyrod was their master and the decision-maker, so the nobles had no choice but to bow their mouths without retorting.

“Quickly.”

“Yes.”

The knights and nobles of Seyrod began moving busily. They stole glances at Count Seyrod, who was clearly restless and uneasy.

‘Why is he acting as such?’

‘What could have been written on that letter…?’

The high lord was acting strangely for the first time since the death of his daughter, Luna.  But no one could have guessed that it was due to none other than his dead daughter, Luna Seyrod.