On a deep night when everyone sleeps,
Alicia was climbing alone up the hill behind the mansion, holding a lantern.
"Huff..."
A heavy sigh that doesn't match her light attire.
She must have been tossing and turning in bed a moment ago, and her attire seemed to be just a shawl over her light clothing.
She probably wouldn't have been able to fall asleep easily.
Even now, the tense air coming from all around held her back and wouldn't let her go.
"Hah."
The summer night wind suddenly begins to blow as soon as you step on the edge of the hill.
Alicia ended up closing her eyes as the wind reached her eyes.
Alicia's sky-blue hair began to wave in the night sky due to a sudden and unexpected wind.
"Ugh. It's been like this these days."
Alicia, rubbing her eyes against the strong wind that made her feel strange, grumbled with a furrowed brow.
Lately, every time Alicia climbed the hill, an out-of-season wind kept blowing.
Since other employees said they had never felt it before, Alicia could only wonder if she had been unlucky.
"Huh?"
I don't know if it's my mood, but as the wind blows, the landscape on the hill looks different than before.
No matter how bright the moon was in the night sky, a familiar-looking blond head began to catch her attention in the strangely bright surroundings.
"Wow. This is embarrassing."
After checking Vlad, who was leaning under the tree, Alicia puckered her lips and grabbed the hem of her skirt.
"They just talk about it and it really doesn't affect me at all."
Now, Vlad approaches without hesitation as if it were his own seat.
Looking at him like that, Alicia grumbled quietly.
No matter how much he calls Lady Alicia a knight, I have to call her for a visit at least once.
Vlad was so good at hiding in the small mansion that there was no trace of him wherever he walked.
"..."
As sad as she was, Alicia hurriedly climbed the hill, but what awaited her there was only Vlad, leaning against the base of a tree and tilting his head.
It seemed like he was sleeping, but Alicia couldn't help but laugh when she saw him still holding his sword.
"You're also good at taking care."
It's nighttime, so you should be sleepy.
But do knights usually sleep so deeply that they lose their senses?
Alicia furrowed her brow as if she were worried to see Vlad not moving even though she made a sign that she had arrived.
"...You sleep well. Aren't you nervous?"
In a few days, a fierce war will begin.
However, Vlad slept peacefully, showing no worries or concerns.
However, seeing Vlad sleeping peacefully gave Alicia a small sense of peace.
"A scandalous knight that not even the lady recognizes."
Although she said it was a pity, Alicia silently sat down next to Vlad in case he woke up.
The fireflies fluttering about scattered in all directions as she sat.
A blue moon rising over a quiet summer night.
Alicia, who had been gazing at the moon with Vlad for a while, silently pursed her lips as if she had made a decision.
Considering how he was currently sleeping, it seemed that he wouldn't wake up easily no matter what she did.
"…Vlad is Lady Alicia's knight."
Alicia's voice quietly echoes in the ears of a sleeping Vlad.
'So, from now on, visit Alicia more often.'
Although there were only the two of them, Alicia silently covered her lips with her palm for fear of being heard.
Only the winds swirling on the hill could hear her voice.
"Visit Alicia more often than Joseph. Understand?"
Alicia begins to speak again and again, as if under hypnosis.
She knew that if she did that, Vlad wouldn't do what she wanted, but still, Alicia had no intention of stopping her rambling.
Words that are easier to say because they are hard to hear.
But her words were becoming more deeply ingrained in Vlad's mind than ever before.
"…Aren't you listening to this?"
It may have been just a jest, but Alicia probably didn't know it.
The fact that Vlad wasn't sleeping at that moment, but was instead gazing at his world through deep meditation.
"Why are your ears perking up?"
Alicia's words were digging into Vlad's world, which was completely open because he had to delve deep.
Vlad was organizing the world through meditation in preparation for the impending battle.
As it was a delicate task, he had asked to be awakened if anyone came, but the white serpent and the young spirits on the hill, who had been asked to do so, simply did as they didn't know.
***
"Mmm."
The next morning.
Joseph climbed the castle wall and checked that Gaidar's army was approaching from afar.
"It seems like only a few people left."
Count Gaidar, who didn't let his forces scatter despite numerous sabotage operations.
The Western army he led began to appear on the edge of Deirmar's green meadows.
"The soldiers are restless, Lord Joseph."
"...It was a good idea to boost morale beforehand."
The battlefield's atmosphere could be felt even without seeing it.
5,000 to 1,300.
No matter how many were inside the castle, it would be difficult for anyone to keep their composure if an army larger than their own approached.
However, Hainal's army morale, though shaken, didn't falter much.
"Of course, this was something you did anticipating this situation, right?"
"...Maybe."
Vlad quickly nodded at Joseph, who looked at him indifferently.
In a way, it was an intense provocation no different from throwing the first punch.
Hainal's army soldiers felt considerable relief from the knight named Vlad along with the presence of Bayezid's army, which would arrive later.
"I heard you greeted the baron this morning."
"Yes."
Joseph folded the telescope and began to walk slowly along the castle wall.
Bayezid's knights following him started to form a long line.
"It's a good thing. No matter how nominal it may be, Alicia is the commander of this war, so it's important to elevate her status."
Anyone in the castle would know.
No matter how much Alicia is the commander of this defense, it's only in name.
Indeed, it was Gaidar and Bayezid who led this war, and it was Joseph who actually led the troops here.
In such a situation, Vlad's respect for Alicia would surely be a morale booster for Hainal's army.
Although he's Bayezid's favorite knight, he doesn't mind bowing to his lord.
Vlad's respectful attitude towards her was clearly something that could be called a high-level political act.
"Now you can handle it on your own without me having to tell you."
"..."
Seeing Joseph smile as if satisfied, Vlad ended up scratching his head.
He felt he had to do it for today, but he can't believe he followed through.
Hearing Joseph's words, he felt he could understand why Alicia and Duncan were so happy, even if it was just a greeting.
"Take a good look. From here to here is your area."
Gregory, Cade, and Maxim leave one by one according to Joseph's instructions.
And now it's Vlad's turn.
Joseph, who had carefully assigned an area to each person, finally spoke up to tell Vlad which area he would be in charge of.
This could have been announced simply through a meeting, but it was also a special consideration for Vlad, who was experiencing war for the first time.
"I heard information that Gaidar's army is coming equipped with siege weapons. They will definitely try to scale the castle wall."
Although they have been well repaired, Deirmar's walls are inevitably small-scale.
Sigmund thought he could breach the walls and was showing his sincerity through the siege weapons he brought with him.
"It will be intense. This is probably a time when your judgment is more necessary than ever."
"..."
Which side will be defeated or victorious in countless fierce battles?
From now on, it will be Vlad's job to judge all of that.
It was a short area above the castle walls, but from now on, Vlad was practically the owner of this place.
"Always be vigilant of opposing knights. Like you, they are people who can create any number of variables."
"It's okay."
Only a knight can fight against a knight.
The inexperienced Vlad will always have to be cautious of those who are as cunning as he is.
"..."
There was more to say, but Joseph decided to let it be.
Because his knight was already looking at the enemy.
"Take care."
"It's okay."
The two parted with a brief nod.
As he descended the narrow stairs, Joseph recalled the cold winter day.
"Can you two get along?"
"I probably would if I had the chance."
"…Well."
Even though he was a boy from a rundown alley, he confidently said he would destroy the Moonlight.
At that time it was only a remote possibility, but now it has become a significant possibility.
"Can Vlad win?"
"...Not yet."
Joseph had made a promise to that bold boy.
If I can create an opportunity for you to seek revenge, I will create it for you.
Those words at that time weren't just empty words, but a condition that reminded me of Gaidar, whom we might face someday.
"You did a good job positioning yourself on the other side of me."
However, it wasn't a promise to bring it up in a situation where a certain defeat was promised as it is now.
Godin of Gaidar and Vlad of Soara aren't destined to meet yet.
Joseph planned to separate the two in a completely separate space, even if it was the same battlefield.
"I hope everything goes according to plan, but..."
However, no matter how intelligent a leader is, they can't control all the variables on the battlefield.
Joseph looked at Gaidar's army approaching at dusk in the distance and sighed softly.
Today, the shadow coming from the west seemed to lengthen.
***
The northern meadows are now in full swing.
In a place where numerous tents fluttered, a man was advancing, confidently dividing the soldiers.
"Make way."
A man who doesn't lose heart even in front of countless knights staring at him.
Even under pressure that would have prevented ordinary people from even breathing, Timur the Steel Lord and the Northern Knights calmly paved the way forward.
"Duke. Are you here?"
It was a powerful force that could be felt even outside the tent, but Radu of the Dragon Hunter Knights simply came out, casually scratching his head as if he had finally realized.
"It seemed things were getting too late, so I came myself."
"Do you think it was too heavy a burden?"
Timur the Steel Lord
As ruler of the North, he decided not to accept any more controls.
"I came to relieve you of part of your burden. Now that I see, I should have come a long time ago."
It was an expedition that lasted half a year.
However, the central forces didn't even set foot in Baron Utman's territory, so the intention was obvious to anyone.
So they won't drag me down anymore.
Despite the advice of the Holy See, Timur came here with the intention of personally leading his soldiers and attacking Baron Utman.
Although there would surely be some violent reaction, the intention was to completely eliminate the source of the excuse and drive out the Dragon Slayer Knights.
"Haha! I don't know what to do if you worry about this inexperienced young man. Duke."
However, the commander of this expedition, Knight Radu, was simply calm.
Timur's smile may not be the only one that seems deep.
"I was already planning to report that I would soon be leaving here."
"...Leaving?"
Timur's eyebrows began to tremble at Radu's unexpected words.
The inexplicable sense of frustration conveyed by his smile began to seep into Timur's toes.
"The mission has been accomplished, so now is the time to act."
Radu, who acknowledged Timur's slight confusion, pointed to the knights with an exaggerated gesture.
The carriages began to move following Radu's hand gestures.
Unidentifiable things that trembled above him began to approach Timur slowly.
"It was lucky. It wasn't an easy battle, but God was watching us from above."
"..."
Timur ignored Radu's words and silently looked at the things loaded on the carriage.
Weak gazes that constantly meet along the line of sight.
Countless heads had lost their bodies and were packed in the carriage as if they were luggage.
"If you look here, it might seem familiar. Baron Utman is there, along with his wife and his knights..."
"Now this."
Timur, understanding the situation only from the traces, didn't hide his anger.
The surrounding air suddenly began to grow heavy.
A knight among knights. Everyone around him held their breath because of the hard energy emanating from Timur Baranov.
"What are you doing now?"
Grass being crushed though it had no substance.
Timur could tell this situation wasn't a natural outcome, looking at the heads that showed no signs of resistance and the soldiers who showed no signs of being sent.
"...Please fix it. Duke."
Radu finally wiped away his bitter smile due to Timur's unusual urge.
However, although he may have wiped away his smile, he didn't lose his relaxed demeanor.
The oldest dragon I had faced in a long time was much more tenacious and tough than this.
"Baron Utman confessed his guilt at the last moment."
However, there's an object passed to fingertips that don't bend but can't help trembling.
"What is this?"
"It's Absilon. It's been talked about a lot in the central regions lately."
When Timur opened the box, he perceived a refreshing smell.
Elven tea that hasn't been distributed in the North yet. It was Absilon.
"It's a drug. They say they were trying to poison the North with this. It's said an evil being requested it."
No, it wasn't.
However, the truth is like a broken piece in front of those in power.
Those who moved the world were skilled at putting together the scattered pieces as they pleased.
"But do you know who the first person in the North to receive this tea was?"
From the piece that was put together like this, the message of the oldest dragon to the blacksmith began to flow.
"They said it was Countess Oksana of Bayezid."
"..."
Quickly, hand over the dragon pieces.
Otherwise, I will destroy your North.
"I guess it looks suspicious, doesn't it?"
A dragon and a lion fiercely facing each other.
Timur could feel the dragon's claws arriving much earlier than he expected.
The Dragon Slayer Knights and the central forces are slowly reorganizing their formation.
Their banner was slowly falling under Bayezid's leadership. It leaned towards Sturma.
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