Chapter 80

In the north, where winter never ceased.

Human culture could not bloom in the harsh environment,

And they worshipped the mystery of the great nature as their faith.

The royal palace soldiers who set foot in the self-governing territory shrouded in secrecy were naturally bound to be scared.

Philip, a lower knight who was the temporary commander assigned to this mission, also deeply regretted coming here.

As a lower noble by birth, he had thought that advancing to the central government was nothing but a dream.

But due to the tragedy of the hunting festival, most of the central noble forces had unexpectedly collapsed.

Families without heads or children were absorbed by the royal family, while those with collateral branches were busy dividing themselves among relatives.

Seizing the opportunity, lower noble families with money sought to expand their influence based on their wealth and aimed to advance into the center.

His family was no exception.

However, what a lower noble family needed most to enter the central nobility was 'legitimacy'.

Recognition from those who had maintained that damned noble lineage!

For that, connections had to be made somehow.

But with most of the central nobility gone, the family that was currently drawing the most attention was.

The Hartmann ducal family.

The Duke, who was said to be living in seclusion at the ducal residence after miraculously surviving.

He would be the noble with the highest title in the kingdom, aside from the currently vacant Grand Duke title.

As soon as he heard that this mission was related to Duke Hartmann, he volunteered to go to the north.

However, the north was a far more bizarre region than he had anticipated.

Philip thought that this time he might truly lose his life.

A bizarre bird flying in the sky.

Blue flames flickering everywhere.

The terrible cry of a gigantic being echoing from somewhere.

A sky where neither sun nor moon rose.

Half of the soldiers he had brought had deserted, and some soldiers had disappeared without a trace.

This had happened just four days after crossing the northern border.

Having lost both morale and provisions, they were isolated in the middle of the snow plain.

"Commander, this time we must go back. We need to return, regroup, and come back!"

"If we move without properly guessing the direction, we might lose our way. There's a risk of going deeper into the north rather than leaving it."

"But everyone is already at their limit. We've lost too many supplies. The same goes for the soldiers' tents. How much longer can we endure in a snow cave without a proper outpost?"

Philip could not die here.

And he could not let all the soldiers he had brought die either.

But there was no way out.

He had never heard or seen such a strange place where compasses didn't work properly.

What was the wise decision a commander could make here?

"If."

If he could escape from here by sacrificing someone.

Though such a method was too cowardly, if a few sacrifices could save many.

"If some of us step forward first..."

"Commander! Excuse me for interrupting your conversation. I think you need to come outside for a moment!"

A soldier who had entered the commander's tent, the only one left after the soldier carrying the soldiers' tents had run away, shouted.

Could it be a monster attack?

With an ominous thought, Philip rushed outside the tent with his sword in hand.

But no monster was visible.

Instead, a black dot was visible in the distance.

The black dot gradually grew larger, becoming a head, then a body, and finally sketching the form of a person waving arms and legs as they approached.

Eventually, Philip spotted a man making his way through the snowy path.

The man's long black cloak and black hair stood out vividly against the snow, like a clear mark left on the snowfield.

He was a head taller than others, and his physique was not that of an ordinary person.

The man who reached Philip was like a giant boulder.

He was wearing a thick northern-style cloak made of black marten fur and some unknown smooth fabric.

When his pitch-black eyes looked down at Philip, a voice colder than the frost of the north flowed out.

"Are you from the capital?"

"Y-yes, I am."

"You've had a hard time. I'll guide you to the Margrave's castle. Gather your soldiers and pack the remaining supplies."

"W-wait!"

The man, who was about to turn away after leaving those words, stopped.

Luxurious cloak, imposing attitude, a manner of speech accustomed to looking down on others.

Philip, wondering about the possibility, asked.

"Are you perhaps the Margrave, the Marquis of the North?"

"...Is there something about me that makes me look like the Margrave?"

"You know the way to the castle and you're dressed in northern attire, aren't you? If I may ask, what is your relationship with the Margrave?"

The man thought for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"If you're referring to the 'original Margrave', I have no relationship with him. But if you mean the 'new Margrave', I could say I'm his escort knight."

Margrave?

There's a new Margrave?

When on earth did the Margrave pass his title to someone?

But such matters were of no immediate concern to Philip.

If they could regroup at the Margrave's castle, nothing could be better.

Following the man who was leaving after saying his piece, Philip shouted.

"E-everyone, pack up the resting site! We're heading to the castle as quickly as possible. Prepare thoroughly!"

"Yes!"

Of course, even with a guide, the path to the castle could not be called smooth. The soldiers still suffered from hunger and cold, and the march continued to demand a lot of physical strength.

By the time they barely reached the castle, the remaining soldiers had been reduced by another quarter.

Fortunately, there were no unfortunate encounters with monsters on the way.

When Philip unconsciously remarked that it was fortunate, the black escort knight replied, 'It's natural since I came this way.'

Philip followed, thinking this knight was just showing off unnecessarily.

Passing through the open castle gate and entering the hall, Philip discovered a strange sight.

Stones were rolling around everywhere, and white string-like things hung from the ceiling.

And on top of that.

"W-what is this?"

"A monster that was in the castle."

The rear and lower body of a giant insect were sprawled in the center like decorations.

The sticky liquid that had seeped from the insect soiled the floor and emitted a foul smell.

Such a thing had been in the castle?

Philip and the soldiers passed by the remains of the excessively unfamiliar monster and headed to the inner castle.

The room the escort knight guided them to was relatively normal.

A fire was crackling, and despite some dust, it had all the furniture befitting a bedroom.

Someone was sitting on the four-post bed.

The escort knight left Philip behind and knelt on one knee beside the bed.

"I have safely brought them as ordered."

"I thought it would take a few more days. Thank you for your hard work in the cold."

"I wasn't cold because you gave me your cloak."

A youthful voice was heard.

So was this the Margrave's son?

Philip glanced at the escort knight, who was listening to the young voice as if it were the voice of God, then cleared his throat softly.

"Thank you for permitting our visit to the castle, My Lord Marquis. I am Philip of the Müller baronial family. I came to the north under royal command from the capital."

The one on the bed was silent for a moment at Philip's words.

"Royal command, you say?"

"I beg your pardon for not being able to tell you the details. However, it is not about You, My Lord, or the northern territory."

"Could it be the rescue of Duke Hartmann?"

"Pardon?"

How did he know that?

As Philip hesitated, a short laugh broke out.

The escort knight helped the person sitting on the bed to sit up and drew back the curtain.

Long red hair,

A shirt with distinct brown dried bloodstains,

Bandages wrapped around his entire body,

And if that wasn't enough, visible wounds and bruises with undiminished swelling everywhere.

A young man who appeared to have just come of age, looking no different from a dying patient, was smiling brightly.

"I apologize for the prank, Sir Müller. I wasn't sure if the central government would really send reinforcements, but when I return, I should at least bow in gratitude to His Highness the Crown Prince."

"T-that means..."

"I regret having to greet you in such a place. I am Arenheit Hartmann."

Arenheit Hartmann.

The legitimate son of Hartmann, who once faced extinction due to charges of treason but was dramatically forgiven and inherited the ducal title.

It was hard to gauge how young he was,

but was he this young?

"How are you here, Your Grace? Then, the Marquis..."

"It's a long story. But what's clear is that when I arrived here after wandering through the north, everything was already over. I couldn't save the Margrave either."

"Such a!"

It wasn't simply about rescuing the Duke.

Something seemed to have happened in the north, but he couldn't even dare to guess what it was.

Philip stared at Duke Hartmann without even thinking of closing his mouth.

Duke Hartmann continued in a melancholic tone.

"Monsters were already ruling the north, this castle. The Marquis was still alive when I arrived. But he entrusted the north to me and closed his eyes right away."

"How on earth... What happened to the monster?"

"We barely killed it. These wounds were acquired at that time."

"How terrible this is!"

Philip couldn't come to his senses due to the shocking news that the Marquis had died and passed the north to the Duke.

He was so disoriented that he didn't notice points like how the escort knight was clean while the master was covered in wounds.

Or how they had conveniently arrived at the castle just before the Marquis died.

Duke Hartmann, fiddling with the bandage on his forearm, said.

"We managed to kill the castle's monster, but I couldn't leave the north entrusted by the Margrave. Monsters are still scattered here and there. What would happen if I left now? They might cross the mountains and harm other villages."

"Y-you're right."

"The Margrave entrusted the north to me, but it's only temporary. Not having received proper approval from the royal family, if I send in private soldiers or mercenaries, it might be seen as an attack on someone else's territory."

The brown eyes, lost in thought, turned to Müller.

"Ah, I won't forget the kindness bestowed by His Highness the Crown Prince and your courage. But it bothers me to send you back like this, in a state where the meaning of rescue has been lost."

"Not at all, I fully understand what Your Grace is thinking..."

While speaking politely, Müller's mind was racing.

He had never heard that the Hartmann ducal territory had been released from the royal family.

At most, they might have gotten back just a part of the Dikenter Mountains.

But even the mountains, which were little more than completely barren land, would be a different story if connected to the north.

What if the ducal family swallowed the north whole?

A considerable number of precious ore veins lay dormant in the north.

If utilized well, Hartmann might dream of its past heyday.

But, if there was one sticking point.

Philip subtly raised his gaze.

"There are many eerie entities in the north. Would it be alright for you to remain in the north like this?"

On the surface, he seemed concerned for the Duke's safety, but his true intentions were obvious.

Could he survive in the north?

But Duke Hartmann, whether knowing this or not, just smiled.

"I've been here continuously until you came. It feels like my castle now. Thank you for your concern."

"But I'll report to the royal palace just in case. Haven't Your Grace been severely injured?"

"It would be perfect if I could call the ducal residence's physician and mercenaries to escort him here."

"No one would block the treatment of a patient. I think I can be of help, Your Grace."

Duke Hartmann nodded at Philip's diplomacy.

"Philip Müller, was it? I'll remember this. Stop by the ducal residence to rest on your way back to the royal palace. It would be even better if we could go hunting together once this matter is resolved."

"How could I refuse?"

Müller held a bright smile, having heard the very words he had been hoping for.

He was the first bee to come and suck the honey promised by the ducal family.