Cedric had changed from some point on.

There was no trigger or reason.

He frequently left the ducal residence and often left the guard duties to Logan.

He became sensitive to women’s pheromones, and eventually refused the purification ritual.

Not only that. The kindness that had always been generous with encouragement disappeared without a trace, and he wouldn’t tolerate even small mistakes.

He also raised the training intensity of the guards and knights to the maximum.

Cedric’s sudden change was bewildering even to Logan, who had served him for a lifetime.

The people of the Edwards family were gripped by anxiety. It was a natural result, given that Cedric, the head of the family, was acting this way.

But now, the figure who worried about and was willing to sacrifice for his subordinates before himself was exactly the Cedric that Logan knew.

His broad heart like the vast earth and his noble dignity hadn’t changed at all.

‘He must have been tired.’

Cedric had become the head of the family at a young age and led the family. Moreover, as the commander of the Imperial Guards, he had to assist the mad emperor, Kaisis.

Perhaps it was more unreasonable that he had remained upright and firm.

No matter how powerful his ability was, Cedric was still a person like them.

The concern that had been troubling Logan’s mind all this time vanished in an instant.

“I’ll get treatment from the medics. Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Cedric smiled bitterly at the sight of Logan raising and moving his arm to show he was alright.

“Is the Wilkins family still not back?”

“Yes…”

For a moment, darkness fell over Cedric’s expression. Logan hurriedly added.

“I’ll tell them to return to the camp immediately.”

“Don’t bother.”

“But this is clearly desertion and…”

“If they were safe under the Hunt family’s care, that’s good enough.”

Cedric’s clenched fist tightened.

Even he, a mere knight commander, felt this way, so how much more humiliated must Cedric, the commander-in-chief, feel?

Logan averted his gaze, pretending not to see.

Soon after Logan left, silence fell in the commander-in-chief’s tent.

“Hah…”

Cedric ran his hand over his dry face and let out a long sigh.

When he received the news that the expedition camp was under attack by wyverns, he felt like the sky was falling.

To make matters worse, they were delayed by monster attacks.

Fortunately, the camp had regained peace, but the situation was not good.

The movements of the monsters were unsettling.

He knew that forcing the expedition was akin to suicide.

But he couldn’t retreat. If they gave up on the subjugation and returned now, the monsters would attack the civilian houses.

The only option left for Cedric was to advance.

Of course, the expedition had Hector and Noel.

However, the probability of the three families joining forces was lower than the sun not rising tomorrow.

If it had been possible, Hector wouldn’t have neglected them, and Noel wouldn’t have fled in the first place.

‘Should I be grateful just for the fact that there were no fatalities?’

Cedric let out a self-deprecating sneer.

Hector clearly didn’t help the imperial army.

However, since most of the wyverns that attacked the camp died due to Hector’s shield, it was as good as receiving help.

“Charlie…”

Cedric’s low voice echoed inside the tent.

“Charlie Frazer…”

* * *

“It’s not enough.”

At the border between the Hunt family and the Wilkins family.

Leon, who was checking the cards, spoke in a resolute tone.

“…Still?”

Kieran and the Wilkins family knights looked deflated.

Hector had allowed Noel and his family members to stay in his camp.

But there was one condition.

[The cards have disappeared.]

It was to find the cards that had flown away due to the wind Noel had caused.

Kieran and the entire Wilkins family knight order had searched the riverside meticulously, combing through it to find the cards.

But to say it’s still not enough…

“There should be fifty-three cards, but there are only fifty.”

Leon raised his nose haughtily.

Behind him, the Hunt family knights nodded in agreement.

“It’s not okay if they’re missing.”

“That’s right, that’s right. How important are those cards?”

“……”

Everyone knew that the reconnaissance team had returned thanks to Cedric’s earth ability that surrounded the entire expedition.

So Kieran was just waiting for Cedric’s call.

She planned to use that as an excuse to escape this card-finding hell.

But for some reason, the imperial army was quiet as a mouse.

“How about searching that grass patch over there this time? I have a feeling they might be there.”

“……!”

At Leon’s words, chills ran down the spines of the Wilkins family knights.

Following Leon’s fingertip that said ‘I have a feeling they might be there,’ they had already rushed over dozens of times.

This was the limit now.

Kieran spoke, trying her best to smile kindly.

Wasn’t there a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face?

“It seems they’ve been washed away by the river since we can’t find them no matter how much we search. We could have our family’s craftsman make new ones…”

“No. We must find them.”

But Leon was not only able to spit on a smiling face, he was also as stubborn as a mule.

Wasn’t this like avoiding a wyvern only to meet a dragon?

No, the Hunt family truly were the children of demons.

“Didn’t I say these cards were very special?”

Leon emphasized, exhaling a rough breath through his nose.

“……”

No matter how special it is, a card is just a card. It didn’t seem to have any particular features other than being well-worn.

This was clearly a form of punishment for barging into their camp.

Nevertheless, it was a result of Noel’s actions. It was right to find what was lost, regardless of what it was.

So Kieran complied with Leon’s demands without complaint.

But it was now a meaningless action.

The setting sun was already dyeing the sky red.

‘Master? Can’t you do something?!’

Kieran glared at Noel, who was sitting like a hostage next to Hector.

Noel cleared his throat and glanced at Hector.

Eye of the storm or not, he had been sitting for so long that his b*ttocks were about to hurt.

“Um…”

“I’d like the Wilkins family to take some responsibility for losing the Hunt family’s heirloom.”

“……”

Hector cut off Noel’s words as if he had been waiting for it.

‘Heirloom my foot.’

Charlie, watching from Hector’s side, let out a low breath.

This couldn’t be more pathetic.

It’s not even a children’s fight. She wondered what on earth they were doing.

Especially Hector, who was smirking at Noel, who couldn’t sit still and was dying of frustration.

Others might see it as expressionless, but Charlie could clearly feel that Hector was enjoying this.

‘This is so childish. Really.’

As a transmigrator, she tried to stay quiet as there was nothing good about intervening.

It would be nice if they became friends during this opportunity, and even if not, Noel had crawled into the tiger’s den on his own. Whatever treatment he received was Hector’s prerogative.

However, if left like this, they would become sworn enemies even before Liliana appeared.

Charlie knew well how much Noel hated being bored.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she muttered as if talking to herself.

“Ah… I’m hungry.”

As expected, Hector, who had heard it with uncanny sharpness, turned to look at Charlie.

“Are you hungry?”

“……!”

In an instant, everyone’s attention turned to Charlie.

Wouldn’t a meal mean the end of this situation?

Leon shook his head as if he wasn’t satisfied yet, while Kieran’s eyes sparkled as if he had met a savior.

Blood is thicker than water. Charlie was always on the Hunt family’s side, but this time she took the Wilkins family’s side.

This much torment was more than enough.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve been in the sun for too long. I feel dizzy too…”

Charlie touched her forehead.

It wasn’t a complete lie. She had been concentrating all her nerves on blocking the pheromones, so she desperately wanted to rest.

“Leon.”

Tsk– He had wanted to have some fun rolling them around all night. Leon, inwardly clicking his tongue, answered.

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

“Clean up.”

Hector stood up and reached out his hand to Charlie.

“The Wilkins family can go back now.”

“……!”

Noel looked at the two with wide eyes.

Charlie gently ignored him and took Hector’s hand.

At that moment, with the spread of a teleportation magic circle, the two figures vanished into thin air.

* * *

“Kieran, I’ll leave the cleanup to you.”

After Hector and Charlie disappeared, Noel immediately left the Hunt family’s camp.

Kieran couldn’t help but be surprised.

After all, hadn’t the great Noel been sitting quietly? And voluntarily, for several hours at that.

Although it was somewhat forced due to Hector, there were plenty of excuses to refuse.

This would have been surprising even if Noel’s mother and former family head, Alexandra Wilkins, had seen it.