CH 7

Published by The Wanderer9-11 minutes 26.01.2023

“Did you say the Lord was defeated?!”

Deia Verdi, who was reading a book, stood up in surprise. The chair fell backward and made a loud noise, but she didn’t have the time to care. The sudden news brought by the maid was shocking.

To say that Darius Verdi, the Verdi family’s pride and the same as the last guardian, has fallen.

The Verdi family was in crisis, and the most urgent emergency signal was ringing in Northweden.

“The Lord is on his way right now. Because the wound on his shoulder is serious, I called the doctor right away.”

“Make the room warm and bring all the bandages and medicine. Don’t forget to make some warm stew.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And.”

The maid, who was about to move after receiving the order, paused. Deia closed her open mouth and bit her lips.

“No. Let’s continue as is. If we proceed with treatment using magic, his body will become severely fatigued, so we must create an environment in which he can rest as comfortably as possible.”

“I understand.”

The peaceful routine of daily life was abruptly disrupted.

Her mind flashed back to the image of the head of the household sneering at the fact that immigrants were approaching over the mountain range.

‘That’s why I told him not to let his guard down!’ 

At the very least, we should ascertain our adversary’s strength before proceeding. If he just makes casual preparations as usual, this kind of thing is bound to happen.

‘Anyway, this family’s men are all like it and I hate it!’

Darius Verdi, who comes with an injury, and Deus Verdi, who pretends to be normal – all of them were not to Deia’s liking.

Deia put on the coat that was hanging on the coat hanger and went outside.

Her footsteps became stronger before she realized it, and the sound of footsteps echoed loudly in the hallway, indicating that the situation was critical.

She was going to go to the 1st floor and meet Darius who was being brought in.

As she walked down the hallway, she noticed a tightly locked room right next to it.

Deus Verdi’s room.

She knew the door would never open because Deia herself had locked it with magic, just as Darius had instructed.

“Hah.”

She had just thought about it briefly while talking to the maid a few moments ago; thinking of asking for help from Deus, the second son.

Right now, she was in a situation where she really could use some help.

But no.

“What would I ask a fool?”

Deia walked right past Deus’s room, thinking nothing of it.

She waited for about 30 minutes at the first-floor entrance, and she saw soldiers riding hurriedly from afar.

They looked dirty and unkempt as if they had not washed for days, and their dark circles and drooping eyes as if they hadn’t slept properly, made Deia feel guilty.

“De, Deia! The lord—–!”

“I know! Butler, hurry up and bring the Lord inside!”

The servants, who were waiting with Deia, rushed to the cart and carried Darius into the mansion.

Deia approached the soldiers who were staring at it blankly and patted them on the shoulder.

“Come inside. We have prepared meals for you, so eat well and rest your bodies.”

“Keukheop, sorry!”

“If only we had worked harder—–!”

The soldiers’ pent-up emotions erupted in response to Deia’s warm words.

“It’s all right. It’s all right. Come on in. You’ve worked hard enough, so I’ll take responsibility after you.”

Deia, who had made a firm decision, gave the soldiers who had brought him here food and a place to rest and then headed to Darius’ room.

Apart from the best doctor in Northweden, the warm room was brimming with medicinal herbs.

The servants of the mansion also looked over with concern, saying they would do anything.

These people are all from the North. Their family awaited them outside the mansion in downtown Northweden.

The thought of immigrants threatening to take over their land was unbearable, and they all hoped that the powerful warrior Darius could protect them.

“Doctor, how is the Lord doing?” Deia, her voice tense, inquired.

“It appears that he will be unable to stand on the front lines for the time being,” the doctor replied with a gloomy groan. 

A diagnosis like this was like a bolt of lightning to everyone present in the room.

Deia exclaimed angrily, “No, that’s nonsense! Given the Lord’s current state, all it is is a stab wound on the shoulder ———!”

“Unfortunately, the opponent was not good. The unique mana that remains inside continues to eat the wounds.”

“—what?”

It was the first time she heard about it.

The opponent’s mana is still inside the family head’s body, causing damage?

“I’ve heard that there are such people in the Republic of Clark. They are masters of battle who neutralize the enemy with a single blow.”

Putting on his glasses, the doctor continued to speak, expressing his devastation.

“It looks like he was attacked by one of those people. As long as that person doesn’t collect mana, or is threatened to the point where he can’t use mana—— the lord won’t get healed no matter how much treatment he receives.”

“Hmph.” Deia let out a deep sigh.

After maintaining the mountain ridge, the immigrants will soon attack the northern mountain path in order to tear down the defenses there.

In order to head into the Kingdom from the north, food or supplies were essential, so they will probably plunder Northweden.

If she had had a little more time, she might have made a better choice. But the situation was critical, and there was no time to sigh right now.

“I will ask for support from other Margraves and surrounding nobles.”

Everyone in the room was aware of the gravity of her decision.

Giving up the rights she had enjoyed as a Marquis and humbling herself to request support from nearby nobles in order to protect Northweden.

It was unknown how shaken and affected the Verdi family would be as a result of this.

They might be stripped of their position as Marquis, saying that they are incompetent.

But she had to protect her people.

“Gather all available soldiers and hold out as long as possible until the support arrives. I will take command.”

Deia was about to step forward with such determination…

“No way-!”

Darius, who seemed to have lost his mind, jumped up and shouted. The madness in his eyes was clear.

“The history of our Verdi family is contained here in Northweden! Are you trying to cut off the family’s roots!”

Ugh.

Deia clenched her teeth and swallowed the words she was about to say, “Then what do you suggest? We can’t just sit here.”

“Leave it alone.”

“—–what?”

It was shocking. A shock even stronger than learning that Darius had been injured in defeat struck her in the back of the head.

“Just leave it be. It’s enough to say that they didn’t cross our mountain range.”

“Gee, are you kidding me?”

“Tell the people of Northweden to keep their mouths closed, and we will compensate them later for the immigrants’ plundering acts———”

“Shut up!”

Deia’s voice echoed fiercely. Darius tried to reprimand his sister for saying something she shouldn’t have said to him, but Deia spoke faster.

“Are you going to abandon people because of that history? Again? You’re going to repeat Verdi’s disgrace again?”

“Stop talking, Deia!”

“You shouldn’t have come here like a beaten dog if you didn’t want to hear it! I’ve told you this before! Keep your guard up and prepare thoroughly!”

“They were out of our league. We couldn’t have stopped them anyway.”

“Is it comfortable to console yourself in this manner? But you, brother, are not in that position. You’re in a position where you have to take responsibility!”

They were going back and forth with each other. Meanwhile, the servants and the doctor stood motionless, unsure of what to do.

“Alright! I’ll go and stop it! I will immediately request support from Count Tolkien and Count Herameus! I will protect Northweden!”

And then, the image of a man appeared in Deia’s mind – another one of her brothers.

“Call that useless younger brother of mine here too. Even if he’s just a bug, he’s still a Verdi, and he has to take responsibility together.”

Even though it was thanks to his connections, he was a professor at the Rotain Academy for three months.

He hasn’t been able to give a lecture.

“He can at least fire a fireball.”

After waiting for a while, the door burst open and the air inside the room changed rapidly.

It was a man with long, downcast black hair, wearing a fully buttoned coat and shoulders held confidently – Deus Verdi stepped inside the room without hesitation.

To the point where she wondered if she had ever felt this way around the man before.

Just by his presence, he brought a cool yet foreboding chill to the warmly heated room.

Just as Deia, frowning, was about to explain the situation, Deus Verdi, with a cold expression, raised his hand and declared, “One hour.”

He said it as if he was a demon promising to grant a wish. “Give me an hour and I’ll take care of everything.”

– – – End of Chapter – – –