As always, the priest hid his evil behind a smile untainted by worldly corruption.

Like the Pope, he was a sly, snake-like person.

The priest revealed each tent assigned to the infirmary as if he had nothing to hide.

“Medicines and reserve supplies are stored here, and from that tent onward, beds have been prepared to accommodate the wounded.”

Aaron scrutinized the surroundings sharply while listening to the priest’s explanation.

He needed to confirm whether Sister Mannea was truly Lucilia’s ally before he could permit contact between the two.

He still hadn’t received any intelligence about Mannea from his informant.

Ah, he had heard something.

That unsatisfactory report about there being nothing unusual.

Mannea was probably being cautious as well.

In the end, he had to return without any significant findings, having only assessed the size of the infirmary and the status of volunteer training.

It was as he was leaving the rearmost area of the camp where the infirmary was located.

Finally, he was able to meet Mannea. She appeared from behind a tree.

“Baron…”

“So you’re the Sister.”

Though he had already heard about her from Lucilia, he responded briefly, pretending not to know. Mannea quickly extended her hand while scanning the surroundings.

“What is this?”

“I thought it might help. I had hoped to meet your wife, but circumstances were unfavorable, so I’m giving this to you, Baron.”

What entered Aaron’s grasp was a small piece of paper.

He wanted to ask what it contained, but being cautious about voicing it, he simply stared at her silently.

Mannea also refrained from unnecessary words, bowed her head in greeting, and quickly departed.

While Rombon went to check if anyone was following Mannea, Aaron unfolded the crumpled paper.

[The priest has stolen medical supplies. One of the volunteers secretly left the camp with the items.]

She had added that they were portable, expensive drugs.

The church always keeps medicines provided by the country for medical purposes. It seemed they intended to deceive by bringing all of them here and pretending to use them for the wounded.

Thinking of the vile plan to profit behind the scenes made him nauseated.

“Rotten bastards.”

As he exhaled irritably, Rombon approached and reported the situation.

“Fortunately, there was no one following her.”

“Good. There’s something for our informant to do.”

“Please tell me.”

He intended to verify once more whether Mannea was trustworthy. That way, he could entrust Lucilia to her in case of an emergency.

“Have him confirm if it’s true that the priest has been diverting medicines.”

“That thieving son of a… I apologize. My language was rough.”

Acknowledging his mistake with a tone that showed not the slightest hint of remorse, Rombon disappeared in another direction.

Aaron leaned against a tree trunk and scratched its rough bark.

Was this really all there was to it…?

There was no way they had conspired with the Pope just for this petty theft. It must be one of many corrupt practices.

Still, now that he had caught one tail, it could be useful when it came time to cut them down.

* * *

According to the circumstances confirmed by the informant, a volunteer had indeed returned home, using illness as an excuse. He also reported that the quantity of emergency medicines was different from the beginning.

Aaron told Lucilia about this.

“Since I don’t have holy power, I had no choice but to verify again.”

“That doesn’t matter at all. What’s important is that you’ve come to trust Sister Mannea.”

“It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in your holy power. People naturally tend to doubt anything they haven’t seen or heard themselves.”

“I completely understand. How could anyone easily believe that I can read others’ thoughts through my eyes?”

“I was already limited in tracking the priest’s movements, so having Sister Mannea there gives me some peace of mind.”

She possessed the marquis’s token, Lucilia had already read her sincerity, and Mannea had voluntarily acted as a spy, bringing evidence.

Having completed his cross-verification, Aaron tilted his sword with its sharp blade at an angle.
After examining the edge for any flaws, he sheathed it.

Today he planned to personally scout the northwest.

The quieter the Mrangel remained, when they had expected them to attack first, the more the allied forces’ anxiety grew.

He couldn’t allow that anxiety to parasitically feed on people’s minds and lower morale.

Aaron replied in a more relaxed voice as he put on his thigh guards.

“Don’t leave the camp and be sure to follow Ension’s instructions.”

“I’ll always move with Sir Willar, so don’t worry.”

Since she knew little about emergency protocols or military discipline, she had no intention of acting rashly.

She detested being the cause of unexpected situations more than death itself.

Here, she needed to obey orders with the mindset that he was her superior, not her husband. Aaron’s safety was also one of the important issues.

Having seen the enemy leader in person, she felt as if she would be crushed by the imminent atmosphere. Just thinking about Aaron standing at the center of the battle kept her awake at night.

Though it was unlikely, she couldn’t help imagining him dying in battle.

At some point, emotions had grown like vines, binding her and Aaron together.

A world without him was unacceptable.

Aaron had become all her hope, making it seem impossible to live on her own.

Before the landscape of death could overtake her, Lucilia shook her head.

As her silver-white hair rippled, Aaron grasped its ends. He inserted his fingers through her hair.

“Don’t lose your composure. It’s an essential condition on the battlefield.”

Worry about yourself, please don’t get hurt, if crisis strikes, forget duty and run away.

Words filled her throat, but she swallowed them, fearing they might disturb his state of mind.

Aaron merely looked at her as she nodded weakly, not moving while holding his helmet at his side.

“Have you forgotten something?”

Was something missing from his military equipment?

Not knowing what to look for, she thoroughly examined Aaron’s attire.

He was holding his helmet, his breastplate and guards seemed well-fitted, and he had his sword…

Was something else needed?

As she rolled her eyes around, suddenly a moist sensation touched her temple.

“Oh…”

He pressed his lips there, then moved away, exhaling hot breath.

Lucilia covered her cheeks with both hands and froze. She had tried to cover her gaping mouth but quickly shifted to her face, calculating that he might kiss her.

She didn’t want to give the impression of rejecting his kiss.

But Aaron’s face was expressionless, as if he had never made contact.

It felt like she would regret it forever if she sent him off to perform a dangerous mission like this.

An impulse rose to return his expression in kind, no, twice as much.

Though it was quite embarrassing.

Lucilia stood on her tiptoes and kissed his chin once, his lips once, and his nostril once in sequence.

“Huu.”

He let out a sigh that sounded like he was struggling to hold back, and she found it incredibly cute and satisfying.

Though he still wasn’t fully meeting her eyes, he had undoubtedly broken down his defenses toward her.

Would it be this joyful to attack and demolish an enemy’s fortress wall?

No, he wasn’t an enemy, but still.

Lucilia gently stroked his rapidly fluttering eyelashes with her index finger, as if flustered.

“I’ll wait here, so please be careful.”

Pretending not to notice Aaron’s reddening earlobes, Lucilia saw him off to the area he had permitted.

* * *

It had only been half a day since Aaron left, yet she couldn’t understand why she felt so empty.

She would sigh deeply from the emptiness, then suddenly her face would turn red, or laughter would burst out as if her lungs were filled with air.

“How can I laugh when war could break out at any moment? I must be out of my mind.”

Scolding herself and patting her cheeks, Lucilia put on her cloak and went outside.

Ension, who had been conversing with soldiers remaining in the camp, quickly approached when he spotted her.

“Why have you come out?”

“I felt stuffy and wanted some fresh air. It’s fine to go just up ahead, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

His sharp eyes, no less fierce than Aaron’s, curved pleasantly when facing Lucilia.

Responding kindly, Ension placed a large stone near the bonfire so she could sit.

“Give me that stick. Let me try.”

Lucilia took the stick and pushed the dry leaves into the fire.

Just as she was thinking that the smell of burning wood suited winter, it happened. From a distant place, the sound of trumpets echoed.