Chapter 142 : Chapter 142

Chapter 142: The Dark Dragon

"What? You’re saying… it’s not true…?"

The man blinked, his face brimming with confusion.

"We’re from Conwell, that’s true, but we didn’t come here on your lord’s summons."

"That can’t be… Then why are you here…?"

"We have matters to discuss with your lord."

"…?"

My answer only stirred more unease among the man and the territorial soldiers.

Their silent glances darted back and forth restlessly.

All I did was state our purpose clearly, yet it deepened their confusion.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

"What’s the hold-up here?"

Bolero cut in abruptly from the side, his irritation plain as day.

"This damn weather might be normal for you a lot, but not for us. It’s hot as hell, so stop standing there gawking and let us in already."

His voice carried a sharp edge, almost a growl.

Even the usually spiky hair atop his head drooped limply, exhausted by the heat.

At that, the man and the soldiers flinched and took a step back.

Even I could see Bolero was intimidating enough to scare them.

"We don’t know your purpose, but meeting the lord right now… it’s difficult."

"Difficult…?"

Bolero strode toward the man, pointing at his own bloodshot eyes with a menacing glare.

"Don’t test my patience, soldier."

"N-no, that’s not what I meant…!"

"Don’t try to brush this off. Explain clearly. Our travel documents require all nobles below the rank of duke to grant us an audience immediately, unless there’s a special reason."

The soldier looked on the verge of tears.

I stepped between him and Bolero.

Harassing the poor man wouldn’t solve anything.

"It seems the Lord of Aldenfort has some urgent matters."

"Y-yes, that’s right."

"Then let us meet him and hear it for ourselves."

"As I said, the lord is currently…"

"If we were the ones summoned by his letter, wouldn’t that be enough?"

The man and the soldiers looked up at me, startled.

They weren’t the only ones.

"…Brother, hold on a moment."

Turning, I saw Bolero whispering, his face creased with a frown.

"Do we really have to go this far? Even if Conwell’s involved, getting to the Imperial Capital is more urgent."

"It’s not just about Conwell."

"Then what? We’ve secured promises for branch establishments from more lords than expected. Skipping Aldenfort wouldn’t hurt."

Bolero’s entire body was drenched in sweat.

I recalled how he’d roamed shirtless in the freezing cold when we first met.

Back then, I thought his mana caused some unique physical change, but now it seemed he just ran unnaturally hot.

"You said establishing branches is to lure out the Seven Sins, didn’t you?"

"W-well, yes, but this…"

"I plan to do my best wherever my feet take me. I don’t want to leave room for regrets."

"…Alright."

Truth be told, I was the one who insisted on stopping at Aldenfort.

‘The Sea of Plague.’

…Just thinking about it sent a chill down my spine.

In my past life, the 4th Corps called Aldenfort by that name.

‘More lives were lost to the plague here than on the battlefield.’

My memories are clear.

The screams and cries of my men succumbing to the plague still echo vividly.

It wasn’t just a disease—it was closer to deliberate slaughter.

—I think he’ll head to Aldenfort.

Karim. Those were the last words he left me.

Honestly, I still don’t fully trust that physician.

Even seeing him save lives devotedly and wield his medical skills for good, I feel this way.

I don’t know why.

There’s just an unshakable unease I can’t dismiss.

Harboring such vile thoughts about a righteous man like him, I might face divine punishment by the time this doubt clears.

Damn it, I can’t even make excuses for being this twisted.

‘The Sea of Plague and Karim.’

And now Conwell’s tied to this? It’d be strange to pass it by without investigating.

‘I need to see it with my own eyes until I’m satisfied.’

Even if the truth I face this time is more horrific than in my past life.

"…Understood. Follow us."

After a brief moment of thought, the man led the way without further resistance.

* * *

We followed the soldiers to the Aldenfort mansion.

Familiar sights passed by, but they didn’t bring pleasant feelings.

—Medic! Where’s the damn medic! He’s bleeding like a fountain!

—Kuh, kuh…! I can’t breathe!

—I can’t see! Damn it! My body’s going numb!

—Captain, am I going to die like this? Please, let me die on the battlefield!

—This isn’t a natural outbreak. It’s spreading simultaneously with no incubation period. It can only be explained if someone spread it deliberately!

…

I let out a heavy sigh and roughly ran a hand through my hair. It felt like a nightmare.

"Brother? You alright? You look pale. Could be heatstroke."

Bolero muttered beside me.

Meanwhile, his own cheeks and scalp were flushed red, as if heated by fire.

The stifling heat was bad enough, but the piercing buzz of insects was no less aggravating.

I gave Bolero a vague nod to say I was fine, then asked the man, "Is the lord in good health?"

The name still lingered in my mind.

Valen Krause Aldenfort.

Of all the Kingdom’s lords I encountered in my past life, he was the most striking.

While most lords scrambled to clear the way for our Imperial forces, he alone stood his ground and even crossed swords with Griem Igraine, the corps commander and a supreme swordsman.

Of course, he didn’t last a single strike.

"You know our lord? Yes, he’s still hale and hearty."

Hale and hearty?

The Valen Krause Aldenfort I knew was a young man barely in his forties.

My confusion was soon resolved.

"Ah! Welcome! I’ve been waiting!"

…

The lord who greeted us in the reception room wasn’t the Valen Krause Aldenfort I knew from my past life.

"You’ve come a long way! Prepare a feast at once!"

The elderly lord grabbed my hand, shouting to the servants.

He’d rushed out so hastily he was barefoot, clad only in a thin linen shirt.

Let’s not overthink this.

The lord might have changed before the war broke out.

That’s not the priority right now.

"You’ve had a tough journey."

"My apologies for the late introduction. We’re…"

"No need, no need. Sit down. I’m in no position to stand in the ceremony, greeting guests like this."

The lord led us to an outdoor reception area attached to the mansion, like a terrace.

The red clay walls had round holes, through which blinding sunlight poured.

Beyond the shaded canopy, the brightness was almost painful to look at.

"This is killing me."

Bolero muttered, clearly at his limit.

His mustache was soaked, and he looked like a dog boiled and dragged out of water.

"Let’s hold off on the food and first tell us how we can help."

The discrepancy with my past life caused some confusion, but the situation was simple.

Hear the Lord of Aldenfort’s troubles, and if it’s something we can handle, deal with it.

If it’s a matter tied to Conwell, it’s better for me to step in from the start.

‘In the process, I’ll track Karim’s whereabouts and put an end to my doubts.’

If he came straight to Aldenfort from Labotas, he’d have arrived well before us, given we stopped at several places. We wouldn’t have missed him.

‘There’s no need to bring up the Elzerus Alliance or Solari Order branches just yet.’

I calmly met the lord’s gaze.

Bolero, meanwhile, was sprawled over the table, etiquette be damned.

"Haa… The reason I urgently requested help from the Duke of Conwell is none other than the Gunbel Trading Company."

My ears perked up instinctively.

Bolero, who’d been slouched, bolted upright and snapped, "The Gunbel Trading Company?! What trouble have those bastards caused now!?"

The Lord of Aldenfort flinched, startled.

Bolero, realizing his outburst, let out an awkward cough.

A servant brought tea.

After wetting his throat, the lord spoke slowly.

"Before we begin, may I ask what your relationship is with the Duke of Conwell?"

After a brief glance with Bolero, I answered, "Let’s say we’re close aides. I served him through the civil war, so you needn’t harbor any doubts."

"Oh, I didn’t mean to question you. I just thought, since His Excellency the Duke would know our situation, you might have heard something."

"We haven’t heard anything specific."

"I see."

The lord sipped his tea repeatedly, as if his throat was parched.

"You may not know, but last year, I granted the Gunbel Trading Company a docking port."

"A docking port…?"

"Yes. I was the one who first let them set foot in the Kingdom."

His gaze lingered on the table, his expression subtly hardened.

Was it regret or guilt?

I couldn’t tell.

"…What’s the point of explaining the details now? At the time, it was the best choice to secure Aldenfort’s future."

I held my tongue.

A single thought filled my mind.

So, I’ve come to the place where the spark of that brutal war first ignited…

From that moment, the blazing sunlight no longer felt merely bright.

"The trouble started recently. Coincidentally, it was around the time the Conwell civil war was winding down."

"Go on."

"There was an internal conflict between Deputy Leader Jewelina Gunbel and Administrator Max Gunbel."

Administrator Max Gunbel?

A new name.

I’d been too busy cursing the Gunbel Trading Company’s atrocities to care about their internal structure.

"Is their conflict causing harm to Aldenfort?"

The lord shook his head, a deeper shadow settling over his face.

"Not Aldenfort, but me and my family are in danger. It’s all… because of my lack of foresight. The consequences are only now catching up."

"Did you get involved in their conflict?"

"Involved? I don’t have the power for that. I simply backed the wrong side."

The lord gave a weary smile.

Meanwhile, servants placed dishes on the table, but none of us paid them any mind.

"I sided with Deputy Leader Jewelina Gunbel."

"…"

"And now the Deputy Leader is bedridden, barely clinging to life."

Whether I liked her or not, I’d say I didn’t.

But once I thought I’d never see her again, even that resentment faded.

It was closer to being erased from my memory.

With a long road ahead, there’s no need to dwell on a thorny past.

It might sound odd, but for such a relationship, our parting wasn’t half bad, I think.

‘What a persistent connection, Jewel.’

While I gathered my thoughts, the lord spoke.

"Aldenfort and the Gunbel Trading Company are practically bound by fate. It started because of my long-standing ties with the Leader, which led me to support his daughter, the Deputy Leader. But while she was away for some reason, the Administrator seems to have completely taken over the company. We’re looking after her now, but… her condition isn’t good."

"So, Jewel… the Deputy Leader requested help from Conwell."

The lord nodded readily.

"She said it was her only way out. She firmly believed someone would help her. She often mentioned a swordsman from the Empire named Bihen Benkou, the one who ended the Conwell civil war. Honestly, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Do you know him?"

Bolero glanced at me subtly.

When our eyes met, we both shrugged simultaneously.

"Can we see the Deputy Leader first?"

"Of course. You’re indeed connected to Conwell’s key figures, not just empty words."

The lord rose first.

Leaving Krnock and Deli to pick at the food, Bolero and I followed.

"I’m taking good care of her. I say this so you’ll understand how much I value our ties."

I don’t know about that yet, but I can tell he’s a talkative sort. People like this often rise and fall by their own words. Not my favorite type.

"That’s the room."

The lord pointed to a door at the end of the corridor.

The large door was finely crafted, even at a glance.

Creak.

As the door opened, someone stepped out, their mouth covered with a white cloth.

One look at their eyes, and I knew instantly.

Glasses aren’t that common in the Kingdom.

"Sir Bihen…?"

Hearing my name, the lord blinked at me a few times.

His expression suggested he just recalled asking me if I knew Bihen Benkou moments ago.

"Doctor Karim."

Standing at a distance, we gazed at each other in silence.

Fate has a strange way of weaving its threads.

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