Ch#64
***
Amarion’s room was the best among all the knights’. The room next door was for a servant, and Mary insisted she would use that one. Amarion gently persuaded her maid, who had followed to help her undress.
“Mary, aren’t you tired too? Go wash up and rest.”
“But, Madame…”
“You didn’t come as a servant, but as a healer, right? In battle, a healer is far more valuable than a knight.”
Mary’s eyes widened. Amarion smiled, stroking the girl’s hair.
“I think tomorrow will be very busy. I have a bad feeling… So let’s recharge our stamina.”
“…All right. But can we eat dinner together?”
“Of course.”
They changed into clean clothes and ate bread and soup together. They couldn’t keep many lights on, so they relied on a couple of small candles.
Their main topic was Sir Leonard.
He and Lady Julianna had been engaged by arrangement, but they got along so well they debuted together. The story of the lady praying to the spirit of the rocky mountain every day while Leonard was on the battlefield was very popular. Morte was famous for the love story between the knight and the lady.
Amarion smiled as she listened to her chattering maid.
It was a truly romantic story. It paired strangely well with the blunt Leonard.
Their meal ended quickly.
Amarion and Mary returned to their room, lay on the bed, and Amarion pulled out the second volume of The Foolish Knight Dordophin. She wanted to finish it today. She felt like this would be the last time she could relax like this.
She was now on the last chapter. Flamberge was giving the foolish knight Dordophin, who had brought her Gorgon’s poison and a sword that could cut anything, her third task.
[“My knight, will you grant my last request?”
“Anything, my Lady. I’d even capture the sun for you.”
The beautiful Flamberge smiled broadly as she spoke in a beautiful voice, like a flower.
“Please go to my hometown right now. And my father… please kill the Grand Duke!”]
‘What?!’
Amarion frowned.
Anyone reading it knew her intentions, so why did Dordophin fulfill all her requests?
When she saw Dordophin in the illustration with a blank expression, her heart ached even more. The description of Flamberge’s cruelty was in the first volume, but she kept reading because she liked the illustrations.
Amarion clicked her tongue and turned the page.
Volume 2 ended there. On the reverse side, only the words ‘The Adventures of the Wandering Knight Dordophin continue in Volume 3!’ were printed.
“Ugh…”
Anguished, she closed the book and put it in her bag.
She’d rather not look at it.
‘The last volume is at home, in the castle. When can I go back and read it?’
She blew out the candle and closed her eyes.
Anyway, the real subjugation would start tomorrow. Though it looked quiet on the outside, this manor was very sinister. Just like Amari before a monster wave, her senses were tingling.
Up until now, she had been constantly on edge, but she had to be even more vigilant, calm, and sharp so no one got hurt.
That way she could go home and read the last volume.
She sighed and fell asleep.
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day, she got up early in the morning and headed to the conference room.
All the key people were gathered there. The Count, Sir Ulan, Leonard, Sir Raoul, healer representatives, and even the rangers in charge of reconnaissance. The atmosphere was heavy, befitting discussions of impending battles. It was a scene reminiscent of winter’s arrival in Amari.
The Count greeted Amarion and showed her a large map.
“This is the status of the monsters we investigated.”
She looked down at the map.
It was similar to the one the mercenaries had brought back then. The only difference was the numbers written on it.
“It was recorded by scouts—”
“We have to assume there are more than that. Monsters often hide.”
Amarion bit her lip.
The situation was serious. Even though they couldn’t properly investigate the rocky mountains, just looking at the numbers, it was twice as bad as the mercenaries had suggested. None of the villages she had visited had been this severe.
Leonard asked.
“How long has it been like this?”
“Since early summer. Originally, the number of monsters increased little by little, but around that time, it exploded.”
“Besides, these monsters keep coming down from the mountains to attack people. Miners going to and from the mines often get attacked…”
Ulan complained.
No matter how much Amarion thought about it, it was incomprehensible. From the increasing number of monsters to them attacking people. It seemed the abnormal behavior of the monsters started here.
But now, rather than finding the cause, she had to solve the problem first.
She pointed to an area on the map.
“This group of Drakada must be interfering with food distribution. They’ll pollute the waterways and make it difficult to draw water.”
“You are correct, my Lady.”
“This should be handled by the guards and the main unit of the Knights of Morte today. I will handle the Griffins on the mountain.”
Ulan and the rangers exchanged anxious glances.
“Will you be okay? There are many Griffins… Besides, there may be other monsters in the mountains…”
“If I can’t do it, no one can.”
Amarion stated calmly.
She didn’t know if there was a better swordsman than her in Fidelburg, but as far as she knew, she was the strongest in the Knights of Morte right now.
From what she had seen over the past few days, Morte’s rocky mountains were so steep it was difficult for many people to move at once. She had to fight with a small elite group.
Leonard explained to Ulan, who still looked anxious.
“Madame is right. It would be better for only Madame to go than for dozens of us.”
“But…”
“But just in case, take three or four knights with you. If you go alone, we’ll be anxious.”
After a brief moment, Amarion nodded.
A simple briefing followed immediately.
Three knights, including Raoul, would accompany her to the mountain, and Leonard would lead the main group. Non-combat personnel decided not to accompany them, as a dangerous situation might arise. Mary would work in the castle’s hospital.
The Count, who had been silent the whole time, left as soon as the meeting ended, without looking at Amarion or her knights.
‘He doesn’t like him.’
Amarion, who had grown close to Leonard, left the room feeling a little sorry. Numerous thoughts swirled in her mind.
What was the reason for these strange occurrences?
Finding out was one of the biggest reasons she had joined the subjugation army.
To figure out why Catalina and the other lords had gotten hurt, and if she could eliminate the cause.
She hadn’t known until now because everything was so frantic, but looking at the map, she had a clue.
The monsters’ movements were uniform. Weak monsters like Drakada were pushed to the plains farthest from their original habitats, and the Griffins had descended from the rocky mountains. Even fairly strong Chimeras and Orcs were driven to villages.
And the center of all these changes was the top of the rocky mountain.
What the hell was going on up there?
Why were even predators like Orcs being driven away?
At that moment, Leonard, walking beside her, suddenly stopped.
“Madame…”
Amarion and Raoul quickly turned their heads.
A blonde woman approached from afar, trailed by a handful of maids. Her skin was pale white, and a light gray dress wrapped around her flawlessly slender body. She approached Amarion and lifted the hem of her dress.
“I greet the hostess of Morte. My name is Julianna Fidelburg.”
Amarion recalled that the salon of Fidelburg’s hostess was called ‘White Starlight’. Then she quickly greeted the lady according to etiquette.
“Nice to meet you, Lady Julianna. I have heard of your high reputation.”
“It is an honor, Your Highness. Every day, I hear about your brilliant exploits.”
Julianna smiled gracefully. Contrary to her delicate first impression, she had a dignity second only to her father. Her impeccable manners showed she was a well-educated noblewoman.
Julianna spoke softly.
“We will do our best to avoid any inconvenience during your stay. Since you are visiting as a knight, not a lady, I prepared a bed and meals suitable for you, but if you are uncomfortable…”
“No! It’s rather nice. I have always wanted to be treated like a knight.”
“I am glad. You seemed to have avoided visiting the vassals’ castles during your journey, so I presumed you would like it.”
A smile appeared on Julianna’s face.
Indeed, she was playing the role of Fidelburg’s hostess.
She was the perfect hostess of a great castle, with impeccable speech and strict demeanor, despite her delicate appearance.
But her perfection shattered the moment she saw Leonard.
“Sir Leonard…”
“Lady Julianna.”
Leonard stepped forward with a nervous expression. Then, to Amarion’s surprise, Julianna’s face instantly turned as red as a teenage girl’s.
‘Huh?’
Raoul poked her in surprise.
“Look at him, Madame.”
Following his gaze, Amarion saw Leonard’s face burning red, as if about to explode.
