TOPWL 210

Edmond looked at Yudit in confusion. Could this person make such a cold expression too? When he met Yudit again, he wanted to say he was sorry for daring to test him, he wanted to sincerely apologize, but with Yudit interrogating him like this, the apology he wanted to say disappeared.

“Didn’t you say I just need to get my father’s permission?”

“So, did you get the permission?”

“Yes! I got it!”

“Who can I confirm that fact with?”

“You don’t need to confirm it. I brought a letter.”

Edmond took out a letter from inside his clothes with a confident attitude. Yudit received the letter with a doubtful expression.

The letter started with the words, ‘I am truly sorry.’ It filled two pages with long explanations saying he was sorry he could not stop his son, and that since Edmond was only a low-ranking soldier of the Devlin Knights, he would not cause any trouble. At first Yudit thought this might also be fake, but since it kept repeating the words ‘I am sorry,’ it seemed it was really written by the Baron.

Yudit started to feel a headache and rubbed his temples. The request was to treat him as just a soldier of Devlin, but how could he do that? Yudit owed much to Baron Devlin. Especially after seeing the final state of Lord Breda, who had lost his whole family and gone mad today, he could not let it go.

“You see? It’s not a lie, right? The seal is stamped here too.”

Edmond spoke proudly. His excited, restless appearance was just like a foal. Yudit sighed and handed the letter back.

“I will believe you.”

“Then I will get going. Father told me not to be noticed by His Highness the Prince. If the Devlin Knights find me like this, I will be scolded later.”

Yudit grabbed Edmond by the back of the neck as he was about to sneak away.

“How do you know whether there will be that ‘later’ or not. Since I found you, I can’t let you go like this.”

“Then what?”

“For now stay under me. Move your room too.”

“Can’t you just pretend you don’t know?”

“……”

“Alright.”

Edmond gave up faster than expected. His sullen face still looked like a child.

“Then later, even if my assignment changes, can you switch me with Garen?”

“Garen? That boy came with you too?”

“Yes. Garen saved my life many times.”

Yudit sighed again.

“I will handle it, so Your Highness please go in and rest.”

Shane stepped forward to lessen the burden. Normally Yudit would have taken full responsibility, but since the antidote was not fully done, he felt too tired, so he decided to leave it to Shane.

“I will leave it to you.”

“Yes.”

With Darius escorting him, Yudit returned to his room, washed briefly, and lay down. Lying down in the bright midday did not look proper, but his body felt heavy. There was a mountain of work, but he thought it would be better to sleep for even one or two hours before starting.

Yudit opened his eyes a little and looked at Darius standing by the door. Darius happened to be looking at the door. Yudit squirmed under the blanket and stroked his belly. Even though he knew about the pregnancy, he had never touched it once, worried it might raise suspicion.

After the expedition he had lost a lot of weight, so his belly even looked a little flatter. It was hard to believe there was a child inside. He heard that after a few months he could feel the baby’s movements, but what kind of feeling would that be? Yudit rubbed his flat lower belly and recalled his conversation with the medic.

‘Since I was poisoned, will the baby be alright?’

‘The child of an Alpha and Omega is usually healthier than other children. But it only means healthier, it does not mean resistant to poison. I am sorry to say this, but the chance that the baby will be weak or born with a disability is high.’

‘……I see.’

‘I am sorry.’

There were too many things to be sorry for. Especially to this baby.

He had no thought of giving up the child. As long as it was born, he planned to raise it with all his effort. So he prayed in his heart that it would be healthy.

***

The meeting that started in the afternoon continued until late at night. Overcome by the fatigue of war, one by one people started dozing off. Yudit was just as tired, but he was enduring with willpower. The nap earlier seemed to help.

“Saintra Castle is a place with a legend that it has a holy relic. Retaking it will not be easy.”

“What is that holy relic?”

Yudit, flipping through the information papers on Saintra Castle, asked. Noban, who was wearing a monocle and writing something down, spoke.

“It is the tooth of an old saint. They say if you have it, you will never be defeated. In fact, Saintra Castle has never once been captured.”

“How could that be possible?”

Yudit frowned as he asked. Markel answered.

“It is extremely high in that region. It is also in the mountains. In many ways it is not easy to invade.”

“How high is it?”

“They say the people who first went there could even get altitude sickness. But of course the ones who were born there do not.”

Yudit tapped on the desk. At that moment one of the centurions rubbed his eyes sleepily, and Yudit caught him. When their eyes met, the centurion became flustered and nodded his head.

“I am sorry.”

“It has already gotten this late.”

Yudit checked the clock and stood up.

“For now let us adjourn. By tomorrow each of you should think of one plan to attack Saintra Castle.”

“Yes.”

The scribe, whose hand had suffered from writing down all the meeting’s contents, let out a sigh of relief. Yudit made an awkward face and left his seat. When he stepped out into the corridor, the cool night air blew pleasantly. He was wondering whether to take a turn through the corridor before going to his room, when someone called him from behind. It was Centurion Darion.

“What is it?”

“…There is something I would like to give you.”

Saying that, Darion carefully handed Yudit an object he had kept inside his clothes. The object wrapped in paper gave off a faint medicinal smell.

“It is… good medicine.”

Yudit looked up at Darion silently. The image of Darion during the battle at Breda territory, when he had opened the retreat path, was still clear. Yudit received the object. Darion’s face brightened. Even though Yudit was the one who received the gift, it looked more like Darion felt honored. Soon he returned to his usual stiff expression and lowered his head.

“Then, I will leave.”

Yudit, who had been walking forward, turned his head at the voice. Darion, with his fellow centurion Markel, disappeared around the corner laughing and talking with Markel’s arm slung around his shoulder. Yudit watched them for a moment, then turned his head back and started walking again.

When Yudit came into his room, he opened the bundle. Just as Darion said, it was full of good medicinal herbs. Yudit looked at the dried herbs, then picked up one.

“Bagon, do you know what this herb is?”

Bagon came closer to Yudit and tilted his head.

“I do not know. I am completely useless with herbs.”

At Bagon scratching the back of his head, Yudit smiled faintly and spoke.

“It is madweed.”

When Bagon heard Yudit’s words, his expression stiffened.

“It looks similar to a herb called sungsung grass that is used for medicine, but this has sharper stems. If eaten, any living being goes mad like a lunatic, then vomits blood from seven holes and dies.”

“I will arrest Darion right now.”

Bagon, his face red with anger, said while breathing hard. But Yudit shook his head.

“No. Leave him.”

“What do you mean. This cannot be overlooked. You could have been harmed, Commander!”

“That is why I said leave him.”

“……”

“You see, I think Darion is not a spy.”

“Are you sure?”

“About half sure. But what is certain is that if we kill him now, we will lose an excellent officer and still be left with a spy.”

Yudit held the madweed tightly. A sticky purple sap oozed from the torn stem.

“Instead it is better to investigate thoroughly. Investigate everything about Darion. His hometown, family, age, life, habits. He came from the 9th Knights, so asking Noban and those around him will be faster.”

“Leave it to me.”

Bagon put his fist to his stomach and bowed his head. Yudit added the next words casually.

“Oh, and also look into his friendships.”