As soon as Carl got into the carriage and avoided people's gaze, he immediately extended his hand to Harman.
Harman knew that Carl was not as stupid as rumored and that he did not waste time, so he tactfully handed the document to Carl.
"Should I explain?"
"No, that's enough."
Carl responded firmly to Harman's kind words and focused on the document.
Harman just rolled his eyes in embarrassment. He thought that Carl would not be able to understand the contents of that difficult document by reading it alone.
But that would be to underestimate Carl too much.
Carl has read numerous books in the library, listened to Harman's explanation of this monster-slaying mission, and above all, has experience as a person in the prime of life.
Strangely enough, while he don't remember anything about Lucas's family, His old family, He clearly remember meaningless scenes from his normal, ordinary life.
Carl quickly read and reviewed the information about Baron Hilfin and the monster that had appeared.
Barony Hilfin is a territory located on the northern edge of the empire. Since it is a long way from Himmeln, the capital of the empire, Carl will have to spend a very long time in a carriage.
Although the Barony of Hilfin is a frontier, it is not a complete frontier. Territories bordering other countries must concentrate a lot of power to protect the empire, and are naturally given many rights.
It is common to recognize such land as a country, make it a principality, and have it ruled by a duke, or to have it ruled by a count and give it the title of marquis. A single baron cannot have it.
In that respect, Baron Hilfin is in a very awkward position.
The northern frontier and nearby territories are tightly controlled by the Marquis Gasto, so no rights have been obtained, there are no special products, commercial development is slow due to poor roads, and it is too far from Himeln, the capital of the empire.
To put it simply, it is an unsightly country estate.
In the original work, Nero is only mentioned in passing at the beginning.
However, it will be dealt with quite significantly later.
After Adrian became emperor, Marquis Gasto joined hands with the Balturan people of the north and demanded independence.
Adrian, who refused, starts a war against Gasto, and the stage is none other than Baron Hilfin.
Of course, because he was busy with other wars, Adrian quickly lost interest.
In other words, it is a land with nothing to eat, which was only dealt with once in the original work because of the war.
'This is the place where Gasto's War of Independence ended in one blow!'
Carl pursed his lips as he carefully looked at the map of Baron Hilfin.
Carl felt as if he was going to see a famous place that appeared in a movie, and had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.
'Wait! I'm not going there to have fun.'
Carl turned the pages of the document again and concentrated.
Suppose the gnolls that have appeared in large numbers in the forest west of Baron Hilfin...
'If I look at it this way, it's really simple.'
Carl couldn't straighten his wrinkled brow even with that simple goal.
Gnoll is not such an easy monster. It is a monster that possesses intelligence, is crude but armed with iron, and is physically superior to humans.
However, this does not mean that the Baron family cannot fight and subdue them in their own territory. No matter how weak your family is, there is a degree...
It's a bit strange that this has been passed down to the current Carl and Nero in the original work
In the original work, Nero even finished it off in one go.
Carl felt an uneasy feeling as he reviewed information about gnolls several times.
Somehow it feels very uncomfortable.
***
While on the way to the Barony of Hilfin, Carl spent most of his time in the carriage.
It was comfortable because it was a carriage for the royal family, but more than anything, it was impossible to reveal his hidden appearance to untrustworthy soldiers.
When Carl stopped to rest, he walked around the area as if he was taking a walk, and like a child's petulant tantrums, he pushed Catherine and Bilford into awkward positions, and then clashed his wooden swords a few times in a sparring manner before getting into the carriage.
Since he looked like someone out to have fun, the soldiers' antipathy towards Carl grew even more.
"Why is Lord Carl doing that?"
Bilford rode his horse next to Catherine and asked in a low voice.
It's been less than a week since he saw Carl, but Bilford knows that he's not that clumsy person.
Nevertheless, the current Carl just looks like a really stupid, complacent, and sickly 4th prince.
"Bilford, that's none of our business."
Catherine cut off Bilford's doubts with a single stroke.
"Be faithful to the mission given to you. Follow your master and offer up your sword. I, and you in the future, are knights, not nobles who play politics."
"But, Lady Catherine, this…"
"Bilford."
"…Yes, I understand."
Bilford nodded to Catherine's stern voice, but internally could not agree, so his mouth twisted with a dissatisfied face.
Carl may not be a truly great person to be treated as a master, but he is definitely not a fool to be despised by mere soldiers.
While teaching Carl swordsmanship, Bilford clearly saw how hard Carl worked and how talented he was, even with his weak body.
They should not criticize people who work hard.
Bilford was dissatisfied with that.
"Stop."
At that time, Harman sticks his head out of the driver's seat and says something, causing the carriage to stop. Naturally, everyone stops.
"Get Doctor Milton."
"Yes."
Then, he calls Milton from the back carriage and brings him into the carriage.
"…Why does he have to come when he was so sick? He shouldn't be here."
What one of the soldiers muttered softly sounded louder than expected due to the quiet surroundings.
The moment an agitated Bilford turns his head, his body suddenly stops.
"… … ."
Bilford, who is out of breath due to the momentum of Catherine's mana, rolls his eyes and looks at her.
Catherine looked at Bilford quietly and then shook her head resolutely.
Bilford pursed his lips and looked ahead.
It was difficult for him to understand why honest and loyal Catherine would not draw her sword at the insult to her master Carl.
The lord's insult is also an insult to the knight who serves him.
The soldier who just insulted Carl, Should be dead by now.