145. Deep Night (1)
“Whoa…” “I barely wrote it all.”
I wrote a long note about how delicious the walnut pie was and headed to the tent.
‘I never thought I would get upset over something like this….’
I entered the command center.
Afterwards, he encountered elders and knights seeking a safe route.
Leaders from all over the world gathered around a huge round table.
They were so focused on finding the way that they didn’t even know I was there.
Especially Tina and Leah.
Tina looked down at the map with the sharp eyes of a genius in terrain tactics.
The way she was concentrating with one hand on her chin looked quite different from when she was drunk.
Are you like the leader of a country?
“I heard that werewolves frequently appear on this road.”
Werewolf.
Each individual is a powerful monster comparable to an elite knight.
“I even heard crying in my brother’s procession.”
Werewolves were inherently reluctant to come into contact with humans.
But the fact that he even cried around those around him was not a good sign.
“So, it’s dangerous to go down the meadow road your brother took.”
Leah, who was listening, also nodded calmly.
The woman in charge of this project answered with a serious look in her eyes, placing one of her hands on her round table.
“I think so too. Even if it’s a little inconvenient, it’s safer to just go to the forest like now.”
However, there was not only agreement between the two people.
Especially the black elder, Hummels, who supports the crown prince.
“A werewolf, a highly intelligent creature, would there be any reason to attack humans?”
He was famous as an alchemist skilled in black magic, and he amassed wealth by selling various artifacts to nobles.
For such a person, rough mountaineering is….
No matter how luxurious the carriage was, it was not easy to get used to it.
“Even with so many elite knights?”
The old man spoke majestically, with his back to me.
“Currently, there are people here who are over 70 years old. It is unreasonable to force such people to take the forest path.”
Bakal’s knights also nodded quietly.
They remembered the old women who would groan every time the carriage rattled.
“Besides, there’s no guarantee that monsters won’t appear just because it’s a mountain path.”
Hummels pointed his finger toward the meadow road in question.
It is the only plain area between mountains, perfect for carriages.
“I don’t think that just because I heard the thing crying, it doesn’t mean I’ll give up a path that could have saved me two days.”
The elders quietly agreed with Hummels’ opinion.
Because they also wanted to get out of here quickly and rest comfortably.
In addition, they had to prepare for a large-scale congress as soon as they returned.
For the elders, rest was not just laziness.
“Well, I can’t narrow down my opinions…” .”
The leadership meeting is in turmoil.
They were divided into the grassland faction and the forest faction and had a heated debate.
“….”
However, in the meantime, I remained quietly silent.
Because….
‘Because I know of a werewolf incident that occurred in the grassland in question during my past life.’
The target of this guy’s attack was not the diplomatic corps like now.
In the first place, the elders died in the hot springs before that.
What he attacked was a large-scale merchant group that was migrating from Bacal to Leon.
Of course, there were several outstanding mercenaries at the top.
From former sword master knights to magicians from the Tower of Magic.
‘Even though they were retired, they were still elite troops.’
However, even the talented people were helpless due to this guy’s attack.
When I thought about that bizarre incident, I was also reluctant to go to the grassland.
“If you avoid the grasslands in the first place, there is no safe path in the forest, right?”
Hummels skillfully persuades the elders.
He was indeed a person who rose to that position through personal connections and politics.
However, I secretly opposed Nobu’s opinion.
‘You know, it’s one of the few paths where you can avoid a monster attack.’
I quietly approached Leah alone.
Then, her Grand Auror could sense her and secretly sent her a message to her.
「Your Highness, there is one way to prepare for werewolves.」
The princess, who was frowning, raised her head.
When her eyes met, she relaxed her frowning eyebrows.
「Where are you?」
Is it because of the conversation that only the two of us can have?
Leah changed her tone to me in a friendly way.
「Some merchants prefer the chestnut tree road to avoid monster attacks.」
Leah quietly nodded her head at her words.
「Tell me in detail.」
「Squirrels living in chestnut trees have good five senses, so when a monster approaches, they are the first to evacuate.」
I answered quietly while observing the conference room.
「Looking at that, the upper management was able to predict the monster’s attack in advance.」
In fact, it is said that after merchants chose that path, attacks almost disappeared.
「Furthermore, I heard that there are almost no wild animals on that road, only squirrels.」
「Okay, where should we go? “It’s not written on the map.”
This is a road I have never been to either.
However, I have been familiar with the forests and back alleys since I was an orphan, so I know how to find them.
I put the walnut pie praise piece I had written for Leah in her arms.
Afterwards, he smiled and asked the princess for a favor.
「Do you have any walnut pie left?… ?」
「――――――」
After the meeting.
Damian received Leah’s order and took all the elders outside.
“Why did you ask me to come out?”
“Well, I don’t know. I heard that Her Majesty the Princess has something to show you….”
The old women gathered in the yard, whispering to each other.
And, there….
“What on earth is this smell?”
“It tastes like a walnut.”
Hummels, the elder in black robes, clicked his tongue in complaint.
It seems he is dissatisfied that the results of the meeting did not solidify his opinion.
“Everyone came out.”
Leah, who came out first and was waiting, turned her head.
She spoke to them with her back to her.
“One of my subordinates who is knowledgeable about the geography here suggested a new route.”
The princess hid her name from me because she did not want to attract attention.
Thanks to her, I was able to stand at a distance and watch her alone, with her arms folded.
“It is called Chestnut Tree Road. “They say the roads there are quiet and there are no wild animals.”
The 1st princess of the empire slowly retreated behind her.
Then, Damian’s appearance, which was hidden behind her body, came into everyone’s eyes.
“What are you baking now?”
Hummels asked with sharp eyes.
Then Damian, who was baking a walnut pie over a bonfire, answered.
“The smell of walnuts will attract squirrels living in the chestnut forest.”
The elders who heard those words all looked puzzled.
“No, what do you call that smell…” ?”
The emperor’s entourage snorted.
Then, Leah, who was listening, responded with the cool eyes of a monarch.
“You should laugh only after you fail, Elder Hummels.”
Nobu swallowed deeply at the cold gaze of the 24-year-old woman.
It was intimidating to see her already showing such momentum at such a young age.
“Okay, let’s take a look.”
The smoke from the walnut pie billows into the air.
The leadership of both countries just watched in vain at that insignificant performance.
“….”
10 Minutes have passed.
However, there was no sound nearby, let alone a squirrel.
Only the sound of the bonfire crackling resonates.
“Damn, how long do I have to watch this skit?” .”
Hummels clicked her tongue at the sight of the princess staring at the insignificant pie.
Other elders are equally worried.
“It takes a while….”
He thought that if he had started at this time, he would have already reached the meadow.
As the other elders were in trouble, Bakal’s knights also showed cold expressions.
“If this really reveals a hidden path, I will walk straight ahead.”
Hummels was encouraged by this and spoke loudly.
“Well, only 10 minutes have passed.”
However, Princess Tina was different.
She was alone with her arms crossed, looking quite seriously at the smoke rising from her nut pie.
“It takes a while for the smell to spread deep into the forest, right?”
The princess of the North looked at me with a mature smile.
After hearing this, I tried my best to pretend not to know.
“I hope so.”
‘Why are you asking me?’
Come to think of it, Tina took a peek every time I shared a secret with Leah.
Could it be that they overheard our message?
With her efforts, she erased her thoughts about her.
And now that the smoke has sufficiently spread into the forest.
I sent a message to Leah again.
「Now is the time.」
「I understand.」
Leah received a signal from me.
She stretched out her palm to her smoldering right.
―――.
Powerful mana is concentrated in the princess’s hands.
Soon….
――――――!!
The surrounding air condensed, forming a small vortex above her palm.
‘It is truly powerful yet delicate.’
It’s been a while since I’ve seen such elaborate wind magic.
If my daughter Leah is that strong, then how strong is Rosanna….
I was thinking about that.
The vortex gathered on her palm rises into the air.
That moment.
“… !”
The concentrated air spread out powerfully.
Thanks to this, the smell of walnuts that had been hovering around spread even further.
“That’s amazing….”
The elders of Bakal pursed their lips as they saw Leah’s magic for the first time in their lives.
For a moment, the settlement of the diplomatic corps became extremely quiet.
―――.
What broke the silence was the bush.
A small rustling sound was heard from there.
“Shh.”
As Leah placed her hand on her lips with a serious look in her eyes, everyone held their breath and looked towards the bush.
That moment.
“―――?”
A small creature appeared under the bushes.
A ball of hair as beautiful as a chestnut tree.
“It’s all squirrels… !”
The smell of walnuts spread widely thanks to Leah’s magic.
The guy who caught her scent and ran towards her tilted his head.
“He really appeared, what should I do, Elder Hummels?”
The other elders looked at him and laughed.
Then, Nobu refuted in an irritated voice.
“Isn’t that just one animal?”
He shook his head with an odd expression.
“You’re not telling us to just trust that one animal and follow it, right?”
Other elders also agreed with that opinion.
“That is certainly true.”
“There is no evidence that he came from the chestnut forest.”
Everyone is still in a state of confusion.
Leah kept a calm expression on her own.
“….”
She was clearly in danger of being humiliated.
However, he did not blame me for coming up with this plan.
Rather….
「I believe, Veil.」
She gave me a gentle smile as she left a kind word to me.
That moment.
――――――.
Rustling sounds were heard all over the mountain.
There were so many that it felt like a strong wind was blowing around us.
“What does this mean… ?”
Bakal’s elders all looked embarrassed.
Their guard knights placed their hands on their sword sheaths and tried to guard their side.
It was as if a werewolf had indeed appeared.
However, their actions soon returned to shame.
Because what the elders faced were not monsters or bandits.
“… !!”
Small furballs flocked from all directions.
They came around the nut pie, blinking their little bean-like eyes.
This time, the squirrels surrounded the humans.
Thanks to this, the guy who arrived first and was embarrassed gained momentum again.
“This can’t be right…” .”
“How far has wind magic spread… !”
At that shocking scene, all the elders except Hummels naturally snorted.
“All the squirrels came from the west!”
I checked the direction they were coming from from the bushes.
Like an insignificant guide, he politely reported to the knights.
“This much is certain.”
Leah lifted the golden brown pie placed on the bonfire.
And then, she carelessly threw it to the guys.
――――――.
The squirrels gathered together and stuffed pies into their mouths.
After loading everything, they started heading back.
“Let’s all get ready.”
The princess flipped her own brilliant golden hair to the side.
And then, he looked coldly at the confronting elders.
“Because I found the entrance to the forest.”
The old women slowly lowered their heads in response.
Afterwards, he ordered each knight to prepare to leave.
“Oh, and….”
Leah stared coldly at one person among the elders.
Hummels, penetrating that gaze, flinched alone.
“Who was the person who said earlier that if you found the entrance, you would walk all day?”
Nobu frowned.
And then, he pursed his lips with an angry expression.
“I’ll take a look. However, I hope you will not disobey my orders in the future.”
Thanks to the opportunity I gave Leah, she disciplined the elders.
“Because it’s all for you.”
The princess climbed on the white horse again.
And then, she commanded in a voice worthy of a descendant of a conquering king.
“Branch, into the forest.”
Leia courageously led her vanguard.
It looked like the leader of a lioness leading a herd.
I leaned against the tree and watched with satisfaction.
Then, she suddenly made eye contact with the woman ahead of her.
“Veil, come to my side.”
The princess ordered me with sensual eyes like an empress.
As if responding to this, I also rode a horse and accompanied them side by side.
“I think a cunning guy like you is better at coming up with a plan than me.”
“The only person who can proceed is a brave monarch like the princess.”
Tina got on the horse and looked at me and Leah silently.
Then, as if she realized the meaning of the conversation, she smiled and raised the corners of her mouth.
“….”
After arriving at the chestnut forest.
We started camping in a quiet forest.
Tents lined up in a row.
All the exhausted elders went into their respective tents, and the knights lit a fire around them.
I also knew how to stay alert.
However, fortunately Damian sneaked us out, so we were able to rest in the tent first.
‘But my room is a solitary room…’ ?’
Perhaps they were being considerate of me because they were particularly far away from the other tents.
Thanks to this, it seemed like no one would know what was going on inside.
“Then…” .”
I raised the corner of my mouth with a grin.
And….
From Noble mtl dot com
I confidently threw myself onto the spacious cot.
“Whoa….”
I stretched out my arms and relieved the fatigue I had accumulated from riding the horse.
‘I’m tired.’
After returning, I tried to sleep for 10 hours at a time.
After becoming a defense engineer, I feel like I have become busier.
“….”
As soon as I close my eyes, fatigue accumulates.
As if responding to this, I stretched out my feet and tried to sleep.
But, at that moment.
“You look just like a fox when you stretch out.”
I suddenly raised my head at the sound of a voice coming from the window.
“Well, Your Highness… ?”
“Keep your voice down, because I came out secretly.”
She rests her chin on the back of her hand at the window of her tent.
The sight of her with her hair down was somehow neat.
“What brought you here? The tent is also far away….”
As if responding to this, Leah lightly jumped out of the window.
“You couldn’t even eat a handful of meat during the day. “For giving it to the princess and me.”
In the princess’s hands were beef jerky and standard wine.
The beef jerky is grilled so that the fat flows freely.
The wine was strong because it was used in the military, but it was famous for being perfect for drinking and sleeping well.
“So, I came to take care of you a little.”
Leah sat side by side on the bed with her sensual eyes.
As she sat down together, the legs of her bed suddenly shook violently.
“There are things I am thankful for today.”