Chapter 282

EPISODE 282 – REUNION (1)

The next morning.

It was quite early before noon, but several people gathered in the reception room, attracting a lot of attention because of their composition.

There was Lucas Hræsvelgr who was the successor of Count Hræsvelgr from the 12 northern families and considered the north’s best prospect until the appearance of Jude.

There was also Kajsa Ophand who was known for her fighting style and being the precious daughter of Marquis Ophand, the current leader of the 7 – no, the 6 southern families.

In fact, it wasn’t quite a strange composition up to this point.

Both of them were descendants of prominent families, and they were famous for being close friends of Jude and Cordelia.

However, the presence of the two sitting side by side and the other two people sitting opposite them made the current composition distinct.

A girl with light blue hair had a small frown as she was having a staring contest with Lucas.

Her hair color was unusual, but her long pointed ears were even more so.

The barbarian from the north appeared to be an elf at first glance, but she was neither an elf nor even a half-elf.

But it was fine up to that girl.

What felt out of place here was the huge young man sitting next to that girl.

He looked unusual because of his gray skin, but his size was so big that he was three times – no, four times bigger than the girl sitting next to him.

The young man’s forearms were thicker than the girl’s waist.

The young man with his fangs sticking out between his lips glanced at Lucas who was having a staring contest with the girl, and Kajsa stared at the young man because of the new friend she met yesterday.

A volatile situation.

But it was a subtle war of nerves so it didn’t seem like a real fight.

When the maids of Count Bayer appeared troubled at the sight, a girl appeared to end the war.

“Oh my, oh my, ahem, ahem, oh my.”

A reddish-pink haired girl appeared, and she was giggling so much that her shoulders were going up and down.

Her words sounded strange, but everyone responded to her in delight.

The girl who was glaring at Lucas, Red Wind, completely had a big smile and said.

“Unnie!”

“Red Wind!”

Cordelia quickly approached and opened her arms as if to hug her, and Red Wind jumped from her seat before she ran and hugged Cordelia by the waist.

“Unnie, I miss you.”

“I missed you too.”

Red Wind was taller than Cordelia, but she bent down as though she didn’t care about such a thing since she liked it anyway, and rubbed her face on Cordelia’s chest. However, she didn’t forget to let out a snort towards Lucas.

‘Are you and unnie this close?’

Her eyes seemed to say that. Lucas was pissed off at that moment, but he could not hug Cordelia like Red Wind.

Therefore, Lucas turned his attention to the young man who came after Cordelia.

‘No, hey. It seems fine to do that, but I don’t think it’s right to do so, okay?’

Why don’t we just go and hug her?

When Kajsa spoke with her eyes and grabbed Lucas’ hand, he was startled but nodded afterwards.

Thus, when Red Wind was rejoicing over her small victory.

Jude somehow understood the situation and helped Lucas.

“Thank you very much for agreeing to meet with us this early in the morning.”

“No, it’s fine since it’s between me and Lord Jude. It’s completely natural since it’s you.”

Jude spoke to him, and Lucas glanced at Red Wind as he snorted, prompting Red Wind to frown and stick out her tongue at him.

‘They’re like kids.’

But come to think of it, Lucas and Red Wind are still 17, so it’s somehow right.

So Jude spoke to the least childish of those present.

“Sun Song, it’s been a while.”

“Been a while too. Good to see you after so long.”

Sun Song brightly smiled and answered a little awkwardly in the continent’s common language, and Kajsa smiled along him.

She was called a beast girl, so she liked the young man who seemed to be a real beast.

“His upper body is nice. Very nice.”

It was the time when Sun Song was smiling brightly again at Kajsa’s murmuring.

“For now… let’s have a cup of tea.”

In response to Jude’s words, Cordelia sat down with Red Wind still clinging to her, and Maja, who came after Jude, served everyone tea.

They took a sip.

And at the time when everyone quieted down as they drank tea.

“Ahem, ahem. Ahem, ahem, ahem.”

Cordelia lightly cleared her throat and waved her hand for no reason. It seemed like she wanted them to look at it.

Because it was such an exaggerated movement, and Cordelia’s cheeks were blushing too, everyone’s gaze immediately focused on her left hand.

Unfortunately, Cordelia’s desired reaction did not come out immediately for two very simple reasons.

First of all, Red Wind and Sun Song were unaware of the continent’s customs. In other words, they didn’t know what a ring on the ring finger of the left hand meant.

Second, Kajsa was not attentive enough to care about such things. Because Cordelia was wearing Count Chase’s ring on her ring finger yesterday.

Because of that, everyone just stared at her in confusion, so Cordelia was embarrassed and squirmed her lips.

“Ah.”

But there was one person present here who had common sense.

Lucas was able to understand Cordelia’s desire, so he let out an exclamation before looking at Jude and Cordelia with a cheerful smile.

“Congratulations.”

They were already engaged, but it was not strange for engaged couples to exchange rings out of their own volition.

Kajsa finally understood Lucas’ words and began to snicker, and Cordelia blushed as she giggled ‘hehehe.’

“Ahem, ahem.”

As for Jude.

After clearing his throat, he changed the topic instead of explaining to Red Wind and Sun Song who were tilting their heads, not having understood what was going on.

And because of the awkward atmosphere too.

“Uh… I’ve said it once, but let me say it again. Thank you for attending this wedding.”

Jude said it like it was his own wedding, but it wasn’t.

It was the wedding of Gaël and Adelia.

Now that I think of it, even if it’s early, it’s almost noon, so why is the mansion so quiet?

Normally, Gaël and Adelia should be busy entertaining the guests.

As Jude slightly questioned it out loud, Maja who was behind him then whispered.

“Uh… Both of them had yet to leave the bedroom.”

“Eh? EEEEH? Uh… so it was like that.”

The reason why they were still in the bedroom.

Jude had a rough idea why, so he intentionally blocked his thoughts. He didn’t want to imagine what his brother and sister-in-law were doing.

However, Lucas and Kajsa imagined it because they were in a different position from Jude, so Lucas turned red and was speechless while Kajsa snickered.

But there was one person.

While still hugging Cordelia’s waist, Red Wind nodded her head and threw a bomb.

“I also didn’t leave the bedroom for three days after the wedding.”

“Excuse me?”

Cordelia blinked her eyes and Red Wind giggled as her cheeks blushed while Sun Song cleared his throat for no reason.

‘W-what? You two are already in that relationship?!”

‘Well… there’s been talks of an arranged marriage when we left the wild lands.’

So her getting married was quite possible.

‘B-but…’

Red Wind and Sun Song? Their height difference is almost 50 cm, right? There’s also the difference in their builds, right?

On top of that-

‘T-three days…’

Cordelia’s imagination, which had been distorted by Scarlet and Kajsa, spread its wings and fully soared, so not only her cheeks began to turn red but also her entire body.

And likewise, Lucas and Jude were struck with embarrassment.

Kajsa stared at Sun Song and was chuckling alone.

Maja who was in the back hesitated if she should say something or not.

In the midst of that awkward silence, it was Jude who finally opened his mouth again.

“Uh, Maja. I apologize, but could you please leave us for a moment? We have something to talk about.”

“I understand. However…”

“However?”

Maja stared at him with a stern look instead of saying anything, and Jude felt that he was wronged even though it was not his fault, so he protested with his eyes which seemed to say that it wasn’t him who made the mood strange but Red Wind.

In any case, Maja left after a minute.

With Maja gone, Jude clapped his hands to draw everyone’s attention.

“The reason I invited you all today is not just to express our gratitude.”

At Jude’s words, Lucas nodded his head.

They were currently in the frontier city of Bailon located deep in the northern region and not near the northern border.

It wasn’t a problem for either Lucas or Kajsa to attend the wedding celebration, but it was different for Red Wind and Sun Song who were barbarians from the wild lands.

Unlike the Hræsvelgr county that had begun to interact with the wild lands to some extent, the barbarians in this place were still only a heterogeneous race that was viewed with caution or treated as slaves.

But Sun Song and Red Wind had taken the trouble to come here because they were invited to come.

Thus, there must be some reason for that.

A reason other than simply attending a wedding celebration.

“First of all… I have one thing to tell you. As you may have already known or guessed, Cordelia and I have a close relationship with the Guardians of the Holy Cross.”

Lucas and Kajsa nodded at his words.

Jude was a disciple of Kamael, who was the leader of the Guardians of the Holy Cross’ six generals, and Cordelia was rumored to be a disciple or the successor of Holy Angel Lena.

It would be really strange if they didn’t have a close relationship.

“So… I know a little more information that others do not know. And according to that information, the continent is now being threatened by a great invisible danger.”

His words were close to a conspiracy theory, but it was none other than Jude who said it.

“What I’m about to tell you now is not a lie. All of this has actually happened and will happen in the future.”

Jude narrated the events one by one.

The attempt to abduct the children of the 12 northern families, the battle at Frost Anvil, the conspiracies devised by the Devil’s Eye in the wild lands, the hidden circumstances behind the rebellion in the royal capital, and the behind-the-scenes collaboration of Malekith and the demon followers.

Lastly, the operation to annihilate the demon followers in the Sälen Kingdom.

“The demon followers who have been silent for so long are now running wild. Their purpose is to cause a Great Tribulation that will engulf the entire continent.”

But it had not been successful so far.

The Sälen Kingdom overcame all three crises.

“They are gathering in the empire. Now that everything they had planned for the Sälen Kingdom have failed, they will be bolder in causing incidents in the empire.”

To somehow bring the continent into turmoil.

At this point, it was natural to wonder why they wanted to cause turmoil, but since the culprits were demon followers, they didn’t question it further.

In the first place, the demon followers’ very existence was considered harmful.

“Cordelia and I will soon travel to the empire to continue fighting the demon followers.”

Lucas and Kajsa both widened their eyes in surprise at his words.

It was a natural reaction since he who had been active in the kingdom now wanted to go to the empire.

But the real surprise had yet to be said.

“And I want everyone here to join us on our journey to the empire.”

The playable characters in the Sälen Kingdom.

They were obviously weaker than Jude and Cordelia. They were far stronger than their peers, but considering that there were many high-ranking demonic humans among the enemies they would fight in the empire in the future, it was possible that they would become a burden rather than a help.

But Jude did not consider that.

Because that place was different from the Sälen Kingdom where they could get some kind of help from here and there.

So in order to move in the empire, they needed reliable colleagues.

And Jude had the means to strengthen the four people who were here now.

“I understand. As a noble of the kingdom and as Lord Jude’s rival, I will go with you.”

As he had expected, Lucas was the first to answer.

He liked hero stories so it was easy to convince him.

Although he blushed in embarrassment at the ‘rival’ part, he was still very reliable.

“Okay, I’ll go with you too. I’ve always wanted to visit the empire someday. I also want to see Scarlet.”

Kajsa said with a smile while Red Wind and Sun Song also nodded.

“I’ll go if you go.”

“I’ll follow Red Wind wherever she goes.”

Their answers were as expected.

Therefore, Cordelia brightly smiled and thanked everyone, and Jude brought up the story he had prepared.

“Good. Then please listen from now on. What I’m about to say is very important.”

A means to strengthen the power of those present here at once.

It wasn’t about the dragon equipment made on Mount Damos.

He was definitely going to gear them up too, but he had separately prepared another way to strengthen them.

A card that he could only use once.

It was only now that it became available for use.

“We’ll defeat a Demon Prince.”

So that you’ll level up greatly.

“Excuse me?”

“Eh?”

“Huh?”

Everyone was bewildered. They couldn’t help it.

Demon Prince.

A powerful demon from Hell who possessed a title.

A disaster itself that drove the Paragon Kingdom to destruction.

Even Lucas who liked hero stories was confused rather than excited at Jude’s words.

Kajsa blinked, unsure of whether she heard correctly or not as she recalled the Demon Prince mentioned every time one described Malekith’s strength, while Red Wind and Sun Song were reminded of the Demon Prince who nearly descended on the wild lands.

We’re defeating it?

Us?

No, where will we find one in the first place?

Everyone’s questions were justified, and that was why Jude smiled more brightly.

He spoke with the dark smile that Cordelia liked so much.

“There is one.”

The Demon Prince that was like a sandbag and nicely packaged in a seal.

“Yes, yes, there is one. We promised to see each other again, right?”

Isn’t that right, Jude?

At Cordelia’s dark smile, Jude said with a dark smile again.

“Red Moon Leisegang.”

A mighty and cruel lord of blood.

“We will defeat him.”

Because they could now damage him greatly.

They could hit him harder.

“Fufufu.”

“Hehehe.”

“Hehehehe.”

Jude and Cordelia exchanged glances, laughing wickedly and happily.