Chapter 5
“Crazy.”
“Maybe the North will only come to its senses once it’s swept away by monsters.”
“Do you think the royal court would even care?”
Rain, the bodyguard sitting in a slouched posture, gritted his teeth.
Elliot chuckled softly.
On the contrary, they’d probably welcome it with open arms. It’d be their chance to take full control of the North.
The royal court had been repeatedly refusing requests for support to combat the monsters.
They seemed to believe the House of Duke Graham was using monsters as an excuse to seize not only the North but the capital as well.
I don’t even have time to care about the capital.
Elliot clicked his tongue shortly.
For some time now, the number of monsters had gradually increased. And recently, their numbers exploded, almost wiping out the territory.
The winter snow mountains were harsh even for monsters. So they didn’t dare to come down, just prowling around their nests.
They only came down in spring to find food.
But in recent years, regardless of season, monsters came down frequently and unpredictably.
The massive fortress walls provided the first line of defense, but flying monsters or those who could leap over the walls made initial responses difficult.
Once a monster invaded and swept through a village, it took quite a long time to regroup.
“We need to draw more reinforced magic circles in the territory.”
“How much money do you plan to pour into the mage tower?”
“Can’t be helped. Our family’s mages have reached their limit.”
Even restoring the territory using already-drawn magic circles lacked enough mages.
Though the duke’s family had invested heavily in magic circles for generations, there was a chronic shortage of mages.
No matter how much money was offered, few dared to come to the North, risking their lives.
“That’s true. But why are you preparing to go out?”
“Just to clear my head.”
Elliot stopped Rain as he was about to get up with a tired expression.
He felt that only a cold wind might bring them back to their senses.
He was disillusioned by the royal court’s repeated refusal of support requests.
“Take care!”
Rain waved his hand cheerfully as he sat back down.
“Didn’t I tell you to wait a little longer?”
The administrative officer of the Duke’s castle spoke with clear irritation, and Evelyn’s eyes sharpened. The man waved his hand as if shooing away a pesky fly.
“How can it be that we don’t know when the permit will be issued?”
Evelyn asked, frustrated.
As soon as she arrived in the North, she submitted an application to ascend the snowy mountains. She had sent a letter asking for cooperation in advance, but was told she had to come in person to submit the application.
After waiting for a week with no response, she returned to the Duke’s castle in frustration.
“I really have a seriously ill patient at home.”
“I understand your situation, my lady, but we also have procedures to follow.”
When she spoke earnestly, the clerk’s tone softened. He quickly flipped through papers, checking something.
“It will take at least two weeks.”
“Two weeks?”
“That’s fast, actually.”
The clerk gave a sorry look and urged her to leave.
It’s high.
Evelyn sighed as she looked up at the castle wall that seemed especially tall compared to others.
Because she wore her hood deeply to hide her identity, she had to lean her body far back just to see over the wall.
If it weren’t for the fact that it would take another two weeks, she wouldn’t be sneaking around the wall this early in the morning.
She didn’t know if her brother would wait for her for more than a month.
Evelyn sighed deeply. This was her last way into the snowy mountains.
Climbing over the wall… and such a high one at that…
Could she get over it in one go?
At least three running jumps from midair to get over it.
After carefully observing and calculating, Evelyn confirmed no one was on the wall and leapt up.
As expected, she stepped on about three protruding stones and soared high into the sky.
As soon as she landed on the wall, an attack suddenly flew toward her. She drew her sword.
Ching!
There was no one there!
Evelyn was speechless when she saw the deep green eyes staring through the tip of her sword.
She had been caught the moment she sneaked over without permission.
She was doomed.
Although she didn’t party often, she knew all the important figures by sight.
Ching!
The duke was an incredibly handsome man, unforgettable even by rank.
“An assassin sent by the royal court?”
No. That’s not it.
Evelyn could not answer the duke’s question, which pressed her with a blank expression.
Being caught is a disgrace to the family!
She immediately fled, leaping down from the wall.
Afraid the duke might chase her, she glanced back, but he just stared at her retreat and turned away.
Ching!!
“Annoying.”
Again?!!
Evelyn gritted her teeth at the duke blocking her way. Several times, she had tried to climb over the wall and ran into him. She had no hope of winning against him.
So she had no choice but to retreat.
With tears in her eyes, Evelyn chose to retreat again. Today, she didn’t even get on the wall and met the duke in the alley.
She was frustrated, so frustrated!
After being caught by the duke on the first day, she tried to climb over the wall at different times.
But each time, she encountered the duke. The duke, who never missed a day guarding the wall, seemed like a monster.
It was better that he misunderstood her as an assassin.
Furthermore, the permit to enter the snowy mountains hadn’t been issued yet. As the duke’s administrative officer said, the permit processing took a long time.
Why?
It had already been two weeks since arriving in the North. Her choice to climb the wall was right.
“Tomorrow, I will succeed.”
Evelyn vowed repeatedly as she locked herself in the lodging to train.
Just before sunrise.
The fortress wall brightened with the light creeping up from below the mountain.
It’s possible.
Evelyn felt for the first time that today she could enter the snowy mountains for her brother.
Completely hidden, Evelyn carefully scanned the wall. There seemed to be more soldiers and knights than usual, but it didn’t matter.
As long as the duke wasn’t there, she had a chance. The Northern knights looked skilled, but not like the duke.
I can do this.
Confidence welled up inside her, and she smiled.
Now.
Evelyn’s body soared into the air without hesitation. After climbing the wall all week, she was confident she was the best at climbing it.
This is not why I came to the North though.
She felt a little self-disgust, but it didn’t matter as long as she succeeded.
Evelyn landed quietly in a place where there were no knights and quickly checked her surroundings.
Good!
This time it’s a success.
She immediately dashed into the snowy mountains. Her body dropped silently like falling off a high cliff.
If she climbed the snowy mountains now, even if the duke found out someone had entered without permission—.
Thud!
“Not me you were after, but the snowy mountains?”
A cold voice landed like a sharp icicle in the quiet snowfield.
Gulp.
Evelyn looked up at the shattered snowflakes falling from the branches. The aura the duke had thrown hit a branch, shaking the snow down.
If she hadn’t dodged, she would have died.
“Did the emperor send you? Does the emperor want something from the snowy mountains enough to risk my life?”
She didn’t understand what the duke was talking about, but she couldn’t be caught here.
If she couldn’t get into the snowy mountains, she wouldn’t have come this far.
Swish.
Evelyn silently drew her sword. No more talking.
“So, you really are an assassin. You lured me here to kill me in the snowy mountains.”
That wasn’t true, but Evelyn thought she had to stop the duke to get up the mountain.
She cleared her throat softly and spoke in the lowest voice she could manage.
“If you just let me go, I’ll quietly disappear.”
“I can’t let you do that, not knowing what you intend to do in the snowy mountains.”
The duke drew his sword.
“I only came to look for herbs.”
“If you had submitted a permit, you wouldn’t have needed to climb the wall.”
“The permit is taking too long.”
Lowering her voice deliberately, Evelyn spoke with as much injustice as she could.
“Hmm, so you’re really not an assassin?”
The duke’s expression softened slightly.
Evelyn nodded.
“A real assassin wouldn’t admit it.”
“My name is Evelyn Barrett… Ugh!”
