Chapter 165
“Go quickly.”
“But His Excellency is strong.”
Ah, how frustrating.
“He managed to control what looked like twenty ogres. Do you think there will be fewer on that side?”
No matter how strong someone is, it would be difficult to safely overcome a numerically disadvantageous situation. Now that I knew the original story had changed, I couldn’t just wait passively.
‘I’m too worried to do nothing.’
It seemed I needed to take drastic measures to move these stubborn knights.
“Then I’ll go myself.”
If I moved, the knights would follow. I had intended to stay behind knowing how difficult it is to fight while protecting someone, but if the knights didn’t stop me even after this, I was truly planning to step in.
“It’s dangerous! Please stay here. We’ll escort His Excellency back.”
Finally, I got the response I wanted. I smiled cheerfully to show that this kind of situation didn’t bother me at all.
“Good thinking.”
I explained my sister’s hunting route plan to the knights. I had casually asked her about it earlier when we were talking in the tent, to ease the anxiety I’d been feeling since last night. That turned out to be a good decision.
The Second Prince’s competitive spirit might have altered the route, but it would be better than searching the vast forest without any guidance.
“Young master!”
Just as I finished explaining, Taran came running breathlessly.
“Lu-Luwen? Where is he?”
“He’ll be here soon.”
After urging the knights to hurry, I answered Taran. I wasn’t sure where Luwen was, but he would be rushing to me now. So we should move to a safe place first.
“Let’s go that way.”
After confirming that my guard knights had entered the forest path, I took Taran and headed toward where people were gathering. The marquis family’s knights were hastily gathering the nobles together. Though their numbers were few, none showed fear even in the face of multiple ogres.
One knight who spotted me came running hurriedly.
“Young master! Please come this way!”
“Alright.”
I could also see the deputy minister of the Sword Dancing Division. He was watching the ogres with narrowed eyes. Then he quickly surveyed the remaining knights and nobles’ guards, as if comparing forces.
“Bring me my sword.”
A solemn voice. The deputy minister ordered his attendant. He must have decided that he needed to step in, even though it had been a long time since he had taken action.
‘There are certainly many of them.’
About twenty ogres. Meanwhile, only five or six knights of the marquis family remained. Of course, there were quite a few guards, but without experience training together, they couldn’t be expected to work cohesively.
‘It would be fortunate if they just didn’t get in each other’s way.’
Moreover, the guards only needed to protect their masters. The person who shouted that there were no horses probably went to find horses first to evacuate their master quickly.
“Young master!”
As expected. Shortly after, Luwen came running to me, cutting through the camp. Somehow he had noticed where I was.
“Are you alright?”
“As you can see.”
When I smiled with composure, Luwen breathed a sigh of relief. Then he looked around and suddenly stiffened.
“Where are your knights? Why are you alone?”
Taran’s grumbling about being invisible was audible from the side, but defending the innocent knights came first.
“I sent them to my sister.”
Luwen sighed deeply as he carefully secured my cloak.
“The Duke will be more worried about you.”
His answer showed he understood why I had done it. Luwen looked at the approaching ogre group, which made heavy sounds as they moved.
“This isn’t a normal situation.”
“Yes. That’s why I sent them to find my sister.”
“It’s not safe here either. How could you send away your guards?”
“There are the marquis family’s knights. Surely they wouldn’t abandon me?”
When I smiled lightly, Luwen shook his head.
“At times like this, it’s okay to be scared and shrink back. Aren’t you afraid without your guards?”
“No. How could I be scared knowing you were coming to me?”
Without Luwen, I would have been tense too, but strangely, thinking that he would come to me no matter when brought me peace. It felt like watching twenty puppies playing rather than ogres. Though Luwen couldn’t handle all the ogres alone.
‘There are too many for that.’
Typically, when subjugating ogre groups, some are lured with chunks of meat and then eliminated. There was no need to risk facing many at once. That’s why the rule of determining victory by ogre ears could exist.
But now, the people gathered here were like chunks of meat. The group of about twenty ogres gradually approached. However, due to their large size, their movement was slow, and their route was clearly visible, giving ample time to prepare.
‘Rather than staying clustered, it might be better to scatter.’
Given the considerable number of people remaining in the camp, dispersing sparsely to split up the ogre group might lower the probability of injuries.
“Young Master Vinter.”
Just then. A charismatic, deep voice came from behind me. The deputy minister of the Sword Dancing Division was standing with a sword in hand, having received it somehow. Seeing him up close, he had an impressive physique despite his advanced age.
“Yes, Deputy Minister.”
“I would like temporary command of your guard to deal with those creatures.”
This was a good opportunity for Luwen to catch the deputy minister’s eye.
“Of course. But as he is a guard I deeply cherish… I hope you won’t push him too hard.”
“Young master! How could I possibly in this situation-!”
I firmly held the hand of the startled Luwen, who had raised his voice, and calmly waited for him to calm down.
Meanwhile, the deputy minister clicked his tongue briefly and left. Concerned, I pricked up my ears and heard him making the same proposal to another noble. As a bonus, that noble’s guard also shouted in refusal like Luwen.
‘I guess that’s how guard knights are.’
The deputy minister probably anticipated this, which is why he left without argument even though Luwen protested.
“Luwen. I’m safe as long as there are no ogres. Right?”
Luwen nodded. Though he seemed to understand what I was trying to say, his eyes were rebellious, unwilling to accept it.
“Of course, I’m also safe with you by my side. But only I would be safe.”
I looked at the people whimpering anxiously. I waited until Luwen followed my gaze to look at them before speaking again.
“I am also a doctor, you know.”
“How can you smile even at a time like this…”
Luwen looked dejected. It was as good as saying he would do as I wished, so I let out a small laugh.
“I can smile because I trust Luwen. You’ll protect them, won’t you? Both me and those people.”
“…That’s unfair. How can I refuse when you say it like that?”
I hugged Luwen tightly.
“Go on. I’ll be waiting.”
“Haa… Alright. Stay safe and unharmed.”
Luwen’s voice was mixed with a sigh, still seeming reluctant.
“I will.”
After making a firm promise, I sent him to the deputy minister, who was still asking another noble to hand over command of their guard.
Not long after sending Luwen, the deputy minister had mobilized most of the guards. Since even I, a young lord who was the highest-ranking person here after the deputy minister, had sent my guard, it was natural for others to cooperate willingly, if only to avoid falling out of favor.
“Your responsibility is to protect these people. With your lives if necessary.”
“Yes!”
Soon, after organizing the command, the deputy minister ordered the marquis family’s knights and then led only the guards into the forest. Judging by the direction, it seemed he planned to approach stealthily from behind to eliminate the ogres, making them lose interest in our group.
‘He’s not the deputy minister of the Sword Dancing Division for nothing.’
He probably gathered guards with excellent individual skills to lure away and defeat the ogres a few at a time. And he left knights to protect us in case of unexpected situations. All of those guards would be skilled enough to handle one or two ogres sufficiently.
Luwen took a step and glanced back. I simply smiled at his worried gaze.
***
The knights requested that we move behind the platform. It seemed they wanted to clear the open space in preparation for a possible battle.
‘Everything is fine except it’s too cold…’
If I’m unlucky, I might get a fever tonight. But given this crisis, the hunting banquet wouldn’t continue. I thought I would recover quickly after a good night’s sleep in a soft bed as I moved behind the platform.
Behind the murmuring of frightened people, I could see the ogre group still striding toward us. Thanks to their large size, I could also clearly observe the disturbance at their rear.
‘The truly frightening things are those that can hide in the shadows.’
I wasn’t worried about Luwen, but I couldn’t calm down because I was constantly worried about my sister. What changed from the original story wasn’t just the timing. My sending the knights was also a change.
The two knights responsible for guarding me were carefully selected by my sister. They were outstanding even within our family’s knight order. So if there was even a small trace, they would be able to find my sister and the Second Prince.
‘Since it’s an ogre subjugation, they probably didn’t bother covering their tracks.’
So the knights would find my sister and the Second Prince.
‘Yes, they managed fine with just the two of them before, and today there are even more. Surely, surely everything will be alright.’
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
