“But why wyverns all of a sudden?”

“Yeah, really.”

Only then did the knights show interest in the wyverns.

The monsters’ habitat was quite far from the camp.

It was well-known that wyverns were ferocious monsters that ate humans.

But it was very unusual for them to launch a large-scale attack without being threatened.

The expedition camp, combining the imperial army, the Wilkins family, and the Hunt family, was by no means small in size.

No matter how low their intelligence was, to initiate such a reckless fight… Besides, if they had suffered this much damage, they should have retreated long ago.

“It’s like they all took some kind of drug.”

“Right. It’s as if they’ve lost their minds and are just charging in.”

“……!”

At that moment, Hector’s fingertips, which had been reviewing documents, stopped.

Simultaneously, a barrier of fire spread out, protecting Charlie.

“We have guests.”

Leon gripped his sword.

Card pieces that hadn’t been cleaned up yet scattered into the air in the swirling wind.

* * *

“The scenery is quite nice by the riverside.”

Noel looked around, spreading his palm over his eyebrows as if pointing at the sparks flashing in the air.

“Barging into my camp. Are you in your right mind?”

Hector’s brow furrowed.

It was understandable, as Noel had brought the entire Wilkins family’s knights with him.

“Barging in? Let’s call it a visit. And isn’t this clearly part of the expedition camp?”

“……”

“It’s not like I’ve come somewhere I shouldn’t be.”

Kieran, standing behind Noel, turned her head slightly, avoiding Leon’s gaze which was full of killing intent.

Originally, the Hunt family was neither on good nor bad terms with the Wilkins family.

From the beginning, the Wilkins family didn’t belong to any faction.

It wasn’t that they particularly intended to maintain neutrality.

It was just a course of action typical of the Wilkins family, who were free-spirited by nature and disliked being tied down to anything.

Despite possessing powerful abilities, they had no interest in power and didn’t create situations that could be held against them.

In short, the Wilkins family were masters of avoidance.

But to flee like this, leading his family members away from the camp…

And to Hector, who was publicly of the same Master level, no less.

This was a situation that even Hector hadn’t anticipated at all. Particularly, Noel’s friendly attitude was the most unexpected.

“Do you have no pride?”

“……!”

Charlie’s eyes widened at Hector’s words.

Noel Wilkins.

Although his nature was light and his appearance seemed delicate, he was by no means a person to be underestimated.

Being one of the male protagonists was secondary.

Wind creates a massive synergy effect.

It was the same principle as when water meets wind or fire meets wind, their power becomes immense.

The reason the Hunt family struggled in the original work was precisely because Noel helped Kaisis.

Even though Liliana hadn’t appeared yet.

Just as Charlie was feeling anxious, wondering if their relationship would sour already,

“I don’t have any.”

Charlie made a dumbfounded expression at Noel’s immediate response.

Hector, Leon, and Kieran were the same.

“……”

Was he always like this?

No, was Noel originally someone who threw his pride to the dogs?

Charlie, enveloped in bewilderment, searched her narrow brain diligently, trying to recall.

“So you’ve come to me for refuge?”

“You are the Grand Duke, aren’t you?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Isn’t it the mercy of those above to take care of those below with great generosity?”

Noel joked, showing a good-natured smile.

His large earrings swayed gently with each light step he took.

Kieran let out a low sigh.

[This time, I’ll go instead of Abel. I just felt like going.]

She should have stopped him.

With the entire knight order watching, even if he couldn’t be dignified, how could he act so frivolously as the head of the family?

Above all, there was no need to grovel.

“Mercy?”

“At times like this, those below should cling to those above.”

C-Cling?

Kieran, feeling dizzy, staggered and lost her balance. Josh, the vice-commander of the Wilkins family knights standing next to her, reached out to support her.

As if not to miss this chance, Noel quickly continued.

“Look. Isn’t that beautiful lady suffering so much?”

“……”

Gazes that seemed to say ‘It’s because of you!’ all focused on Noel at once.

Whether they did or not, Noel kept grinning as if he was having the time of his life.

In any case, it was true that more than half of the Wilkins family knights Noel had brought were women.

This was a characteristic of the matrilineal Wilkins family, where most of the family heads throughout history had been women.

Hector, who had been observing these visibly tired individuals, spoke.

“So you’re saying you want to cling to me?”

“That’s right.”

Noel nodded vigorously.

Originally, Noel and Hector treated each other as if the other didn’t exist, rarely exchanging words.

More precisely, Noel avoided Hector because he disliked troublesome things.

After all, wasn’t the Hunt family hostile to the emperor? If he got involved with Hector, the head of that family, Kaisis’s surveillance would only intensify.

Hector was also aware of Noel’s inner thoughts.

Hector felt the same way.

Yet, not only did he come here on his own, but he also referred to himself as a subordinate and mentioned mercy?

Hector smiled coldly, his interest piqued.

“What about the imperial army?”

“I’m not the commander-in-chief, so how would I know? They’ll find their own way to survive, I suppose.”

Noel shrugged his shoulders.

Then, in an instant, his face lost its smile and stared at Hector.

“The direction of the wind has changed.”

“So what?”

Hector asked back with an expressionless face. Noel smiled gently at the response, as if Hector already knew.

“Shouldn’t we help each other at times like this?”

Noel took a step closer and whispered softly so that only Hector could hear.

“And it seems that you’ve upset the emperor’s mood…”

Red eyes and jade-colored eyes clashed.

“I’d like you to take some responsibility, if you don’t mind?”

As Hector’s gaze turned fierce, Noel stepped back and raised his palms in surrender.

“I just want our beautiful flowers to be safe.”

* * *

“The casualties?”

Cedric, who had dealt with the wyverns, was in the midst of cleaning up the aftermath.

Logan Hughton, the knight commander of the Edwards family and Cedric’s subordinate, reported with a grave expression.

“There are no fatalities, but more than half of the imperial army has been injured by the poison.”

Hector’s ability was best described as annihilation. He even burned away the wyverns’ poison.

That was the power of fire, and the reason people feared Hector.

But the Edwards family was different.

The earth embraces everything.

Be it water, fire, or wind. Even if it’s poison.

Moreover, the damage was even more severe because the Wilkins family, who had been helping with the defense, disappeared.

But Logan didn’t mention them. Rather, he felt very ashamed of the fact that the Wilkins family had fled to the Hunt family.

As part of the commander-in-chief’s unit, he should have protected them.

Logan bowed his head deeply, seemingly waiting for punishment.

It was truly befitting of the knight commander of the Edwards family, who highly valued chivalry.

Watching him, Cedric spoke.

“As long as there are no fatalities, it’s fine.”

“……”

“How are the medics doing?”

Logan hesitated, expecting to be reprimanded.

But only for a moment, he soon corrected his posture and continued his report.

“There are no major injuries, just minor bruises.”

Logan had prioritized protecting the medical unit as soon as he saw the wyverns. Cedric nodded lightly, as if approving of that choice.

“The Hunt family and the Wilkins family?”

“I’ve been informed that there are no casualties.”

Only then did Cedric’s tense face relax.

“…That’s a relief.”

Was he nervous? Cedric’s fingertips trembled slightly as he ran his hand through his hair.

Thinking he should say something, Logan found himself suddenly asking for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry.”

“……?”

Feeling he had misspoken, Logan bit his lip.

After staring at Logan for a moment, Cedric smiled faintly.

“It was my oversight for not being prepared.”

“……”

“You’ve worked hard alone.”

Cedric patted Logan’s drooping shoulders a couple of times.

Then suddenly, his gaze stopped.

“You’re hurt.”

At Cedric’s words, Logan looked at his arm.

His arm, where the wyvern’s poison had spread, was tinged blue.

He had been so busy that he didn’t even realize he was injured.

Logan hid his injured arm behind his back as if it were something to be ashamed of.

“It’s nothing.”

“No, let me see it.”

As Cedric reached out, Logan took a step back.

He couldn’t let Cedric, who had already expended a massive amount of magical power, heal him.

“It’s really fine.”

“If wyvern poison isn’t treated promptly, it can leave aftereffects.”

Cedric’s fresh green eyes, full of concern for Logan, were infinitely kind and benevolent.

[These days, when I look at the Duke… He seems like a different person.]