“But Derek didn’t want that. Derek loves Sylvester deeply. He’s devoted to the people of the territory. He had no desire to leave it behind and dive into politics. I told His Highness this repeatedly, but he seemed greatly disappointed by Derek’s refusal.”

“Don’t tell me… Dahlia’s engagement was part of his plan?”

“…That’s my guess.”

“So he thought our family was a joke. How arrogant.”

Etia tried to explain the situation as plainly as possible, but Count Neiden’s anger had already reached its peak. His speech grew harsher, even dropping formalities when referring to the Crown Prince. Etia was relieved there was no one nearby to overhear his words.

“I knew something was strange. The Crown Prince has never shown much interest in noblewomen, even as he’s grown older. His Majesty was worried about securing a match for him, and then suddenly, he started showing interest in Dahlia. Come to think of it, Dahlia mentioned Derek’s name back then too. She brought up your marriage to the Duke.”

“…”

“I never considered the Crown Prince as a potential match for Dahlia. Our family has always been strong on its own; we didn’t need to tie ourselves to the royal family. Honestly, I thought it would be better for her to marry someone from a similar background than a Crown Prince of commoner origins.”

“I see.”

“But when the Crown Prince personally approached Dahlia, I was intrigued. After all, His Majesty only has the Crown Prince as an heir. It’s clear he’ll be the next Emperor, so I thought there was no harm in accepting the proposal. It was a foolish decision.”

Count Neiden spoke as though he were talking to himself, recounting the events that had led to the engagement. 

Etia, who had assumed the arrangement was solely driven by her father’s ambitions, sighed upon realizing that the Crown Prince had orchestrated much of it. 

It wasn’t surprising, considering how persistent the Crown Prince had been in trying to involve Derek in politics, even during times she wasn’t aware of.

Hiding her exhaustion, Etia addressed her father, who still seemed lost in thought.

“That’s why you need to keep a close eye on him. Both you and I are certain that His Highness intends to proceed with the annulment. But it won’t end there. If the engagement is broken off, you need to be prepared for what comes next.”

“You’re right. I’ll let you know if anything happens.”

With that, the two left the temple and went their separate ways. Based on what her father had shared, Etia decided she would stay in the capital for the time being to monitor the Crown Prince’s actions. She was worried that he might harbor resentment toward Derek.

As she was about to board her carriage, Count Neiden called out to her again. When she turned to look at him, his expression was still heavy as he spoke.

“I owe you an apology. No matter how angry I was, I should have listened to you first instead of lashing out. To think I let my emotions get the better of me and took it out on my child… it’s embarrassing.”

“…”

“I always told myself that even if I couldn’t be a kind father, I wouldn’t be a terrible one. But I failed. I’m sorry, Etia. If I hurt you, please forgive me.”

Etia didn’t know how to respond. Not only had her father called her back just to apologize, but he had done so multiple times. It was so unlike him that she was left stunned.

She stared at him, speechless. Perhaps feeling awkward, he cleared his throat a few times before urging her to go. Then, he turned and walked away. By the time Etia realized she hadn’t even managed to tell him it was alright, he had already boarded his carriage and left.

Even after he disappeared from sight, Etia remained standing there, dazed. It felt like she was dreaming. For someone who had expected nothing but anger, her father’s apology was an overwhelming surprise.

Ignoring the strange unease in her chest, she finally turned her gaze away and stepped into her carriage.

* * *

“Commander, the reconnaissance team has returned.”

The moonlight was hidden behind thick clouds, leaving the early morning in complete darkness. 

Derek sat alone in his tent, reviewing the notes from the previous day’s meeting, when his aide, Bedin, entered with the news.

“Tell everyone to gather in the meeting room.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hearing that the reconnaissance team that had left two days ago had returned, Derek set aside his work and left the tent. The camp was eerily quiet, with only the sentries on night watch still awake.

“Did they find anything, or was it another dead end?”

“Please refrain from making negative remarks before we even begin. The morale of the knights is at stake.”

“Is there any morale left to lose? The number of deserters grows by the day.”

“Sir Monte!”

Despite the early hour, the urgency of the situation quickly brought the key figures to the meeting room. 

However, from the moment he arrived, Monte Tallin couldn’t stop making sarcastic remarks, souring the atmosphere before the meeting even began. Bedin, unable to hold back his frustration, raised his voice, but it was Derek who stopped him.

“Monte, if you want to leave, you’re free to go. I won’t reveal that you ran away out of fear, so you don’t need to worry.”

“What did you say? Are you insulting me?”

“If that’s not the case, then keep quiet and focus on the meeting. Unless you want to add to the exhaustion of the reconnaissance team that barely made it back alive.”

“Hmph.”

Derek didn’t particularly like Monte, who contributed little and talked too much. But now wasn’t the time for petty arguments, so he kept his tone as neutral as possible.

Monte, perhaps unwilling to completely lose face, quieted down, allowing the reconnaissance team to finally begin their report.

“As you instructed, we found magic circles near the cave. However, they were defensive in nature, designed to prevent monsters from entering. Beyond that, there was nothing unusual.”

“Did you find anything else? Another cave nearby, perhaps?”

“There were no other caves in the area. The surroundings are entirely forested, unsuitable for habitation unless someone builds a shelter. If they relocated, they likely moved deeper into the territory.”

“Another dead end, then.”

Just as Monte had predicted, the reconnaissance team’s findings offered little value. Frustrated murmurs spread throughout the room, and Monte smirked triumphantly, directing a smug look at Derek.

Derek, aware of Monte’s gaze, ignored him. His mind was consumed with figuring out the next steps.

Since entering the Land of Fire, the allied forces had made little progress. 

The monsters inhabiting the area were far stronger than those found elsewhere on the continent, and the army was struggling to keep up. Without detailed knowledge of the terrain, they couldn’t risk advancing further.

Attempts to gather information using mages had also proven difficult. Something in the Land of Fire disrupted their magic, making it hard to obtain accurate data. 

As a result, the army’s progress was slow, and desertion rates continued to rise. 

Soldiers, overwhelmed by fear—whether from the rumored dragon or the terrifying monsters they’d already faced—were abandoning their posts and fleeing to Sylvester Territory, causing trouble for the locals.

Although Derek had punished some deserters as an example, he knew the effects wouldn’t last. To restore morale, the army desperately needed a decisive victory.

Derek was doing everything he could to lead the troops, often putting himself on the front lines. 

But war wasn’t something one man could win alone. To defeat the highly organized monster forces, the humans needed to be even more coordinated.

Yet, advancing further into the Land of Fire without proper preparation was impossible due to supply issues. The farther they moved from Sylvester, the harder it became to secure food and water. 

Establishing a base near a reliable water source was essential, but finding one in the arid terrain was proving difficult. 

Derek suspected that even the monsters had been confined to the central regions of the Land of Fire for the same reason.

These challenges left the allied forces stuck in a frustrating stalemate. They couldn’t move forward, yet staying put only prolonged their suffering.

“At this rate, we’re all just going to die for nothing. This is why choosing the right commander is so important.”

The growing dissatisfaction within the army had turned Derek into a target for criticism. Many questioned his leadership, accusing him of wasting lives in a futile war.

“Monte, perhaps you should join the reconnaissance team.”

“What? Are you suggesting I take on such a trivial task?”

“Given your role, shouldn’t you be the one to resolve this?”

“My role? What are you talking about?”

“The deployment was scheduled for the end of last month, but the Kingdom of Tordo violated that timeline, recklessly entering the Land of Fire near their borders. That provoked the monsters, leading to the chaos we’re dealing with now.”

“Hmph. What’s the point of waiting around? We’re at war. The monsters just need to be killed. Knights aren’t meant to sit behind desks.”

“That desk work was crucial to this war. Because of you, we lost the chance to properly map the Land of Fire. I’ve repeatedly emphasized the need for accurate maps, but your impatience ruined everything. Can you honestly say you bear no responsibility for the soldiers who died as a result?”

Derek felt immense guilt over the current situation, but he couldn’t ignore Monte’s hypocrisy. 

Monte’s reckless actions had caused unnecessary deaths, yet he showed no remorse. Instead, he constantly undermined Derek’s authority, seeking to seize command for himself.

Derek found Monte’s behavior revolting. A true knight would focus on finding solutions, not exploiting the situation for personal gain. 

But Monte was no true knight, and Derek had had enough.

“The only reason I haven’t removed you is because replacing you during a war would be more trouble than it’s worth. We’re in a land where a dragon might be sleeping, and I can’t afford unnecessary disruptions. So, I’ve tolerated your foolishness. But if you care at all about the soldiers who’ve died, you should join the reconnaissance efforts. It might not absolve you, but it’s a start.”

“Are you finished?”

Monte, clearly enraged, stood abruptly, as though ready to draw his sword.