If You Wish For A Married Couple’s Duties - Chapter 69

Baron, who’d led the knights that were keeping watch at night, couldn’t help but lament as he looked around the campsite, which had descended into chaos instantly.

“How…”

He recalled the order that the duke had issued yesterday.

“Before dawn, send reconnaissance teams to the nest regularly to monitor for any unusual movements. If the wizard brought by the count is doing anything, he’d have to come into contact with the nest first.”

“The wizard that’s brought by the count will be plotting something, you say? What does that mean?”

“There’s no time to explain in detail. Also, Baron, keep an eye on Count Jive. Report to me if he does anything unusual.”

After his conversation with Daniel, the duke has become peculiar for some reason.

For some reason, he seemed uneasy, and yet thrilled, as though a golden opportunity had landed within his grasp.

Although he was unfamiliar with the duke’s unusual appearance, as a lieutenant, Baron decided to faithfully fulfil the orders of his lord.

‘There obviously wasn’t anything unusual up till a moment ago.’

Reconnaissance teams were sent every few hours to scout the nest, but they didn’t discover anything unusual.

The monsters’ nest was extremely still just an hour ago.

‘Right now, the Count is clearly…’

Flustered, Baron scanned the surroundings.

But it was quite odd.

Evidently, there was no sign of Count Jive, who had to command the soldiers nearby.

But that was not all.

‘The wizards that the count brought are also missing. Even the number of soldiers has decreased.’

He couldn’t locate even a portion of the soldiers that were brought by Count Jive.

Did he, by any chance, flee from the current situation? Even when his family’s soldiers are dying?

No, this wasn’t the time to question the reason for Count Jive’s disappearance.

Baron swung his broadsword, which was roughly the size of his body, and moved forward.

He spotted the Duke of Esbaden not too far away.

“My Lord, we have a problem—!”

But instead of responding to his call, the duke dashed into a sidepath of the forest.

It was a quick and swift movement like a beast.

The place he headed was on the side of the monster’s Nest.

“My lord! It’s dangerous alone! Lord—!”

Surprised, Baron tried to chase him hurriedly, but it was impossible.

Thud, thud, thud.

It was because a monster appeared, along with an unusual rumble from the ground.

With unfocused red eyes and a huge body covered in black fur, a werewolves appeared.

It growled and bared its teeth like it was angry.

“H—Hiiik!”

The first soldier that was facing the monsters was so scared that he retreated backwards instinctively.

He tried to thrust his spear at it, but it was to no avail.

Kieeek—!

The monster roared like it was mocking the terrified soldier and was about to swallow him whole.

It was a kind of signal.

As soon as one bit a human, a pack of werewolves that were hiding in the bushes rushed out.

The Esbaden campsite was devastated in an instant.

“D*mn it—!”

Baron, who was rarely agitated, eventually drew his sword with a curse.

Now that the Duke was missing, he was the only one that could lead this place.

“Don’t show your backs if you don’t want to die—!”

Baron’s thunderous roar resounded through the chaotic campsite.

Thanks to that, the soldiers seem to have come to their senses and adjusted their stances.

Fear was still present within their eyes, but they didn’t run away irrationally.

“We have been dealing with them all this time! Don’t be afraid! Aim for their heads—!”

Baron gritted his teeth and swung his sword.

Just as he cleaved through the neck of a werewolf that attacked him relentlessly.

He could sense a potent killing intent from behind.

“D*mm it…!”

He turned around quickly, but the monster’s mouth was already right in front of his nose.

But even if he had to die, a knight of Esbaden wouldn’t just accept death like that.

Just as he was about to insert the dagger hidden inside his wrist into the roof of its mouth.

Kieeek—!

The monster suddenly gave a painful cry and fell backwards.

It looked like it was struck by lightning, and twitched as a burnt scent emanated from its entire body.

Baron’s surprise only lasted momentarily, as he let out an exclamation when he saw the man behind the fallen monster’s body.

“Lord Daniel!”

Daniel, the Esbaden family’s prodigal son, was standing in the middle of the blood soaked campsite.

He had always boasted a clean and beautiful appearance, but at this moment, also had a terrible appearance.

His long hair, which was unbound and scattered on his shoulders, was covered with a layer of dust, and an almost falling blanket was wrapped around his shoulder in the stead of an extravagant coat.

“Lord Daniel, you’re safe!”

Even though he wasn’t on good terms with the Duke, Daniel was a member of the Esbaden family and a wizard.

To Baron, he didn’t have any reason to not welcome him.

However, Daniel just strode towards him with a frown at his greeting.

“Where’s the Duke!”

“Oh, about that, the Lord just ran towards the nest, and it’s really dangerous…”

He shouted at Baron out of the blue.

“I’ve already told him to beware of Count Jive from the beginning! Didn’t the Duke say anything?”

Daniel vented his anger at the Duke towards his innocent lieutenant.

“Why didn’t he take any heed, even when I warned him! Even if he’s outstanding…”

“If it’s Count Jive, I’ve been monitoring him!”

“What did you say?”

Baron quickly explained the situation.

“After the Lord’s conversation with Daniel last night, he ordered me to keep an eye on Count Jive and the wizard. He’d even told me to send reconnaissance teams to the monsters’ nest.”

“But you didn’t notice anything strange?”

“There wasn’t anything strange! I didn’t even feel any signs of monsters just an hour ago!”

“…Not even a sign?”

In an instant, Daniel’s beautiful face crumpled terribly.

He suddenly ran off in some direction.

“Lord Daniel, it’s dangerous!”

The monsters were still swarming from all directions.

Baron tried his best to follow behind in order to protect the only remaining young master of the Esbaden family.

They arrived at the tree where the wizards had carved the boundary magic array last night.

“This can’t be happening. There weren’t any problems when I checked it early in the morning…”

“Lord Daniel, what’s the matter with you suddenly?”

“D*mn it!”

Daniel suddenly hit the tree.

Startled, Baron was unable to stop him and just stared blankly at him.

“Someone messed with the magic array.”

“What?”

“The magic array that was engraved yesterday was clearly a boundary magic array.”

Daniel gritted his teeth while looking at the magic array that was carved on the bark.

With the addition of strange shapes and symbols, the array looked different from last night.

Someone had arbitrarily changed the magic array.

“This isn’t a boundary magic array, but an array for illusion magic.”

Baron’s face stiffened at the word ‘illusion’.

“In that case…”

“The scene that we’ve been looking at throughout dawn was fake. Perhaps this magic array was also carved near the nest.”

Daniel examined the magic array once more.

The magic array was probably an illusionary array from the very beginning, and it was made to look like a warning array.

Come to think of it, it was such a sophisticated and elaborate illusionary magic array.

It was a high-level technique that could deceive not only sight but also hearing and smell.

“That’s possible?”

Baron asked back like he was dumbfounded.

“Although I don’t know much about magic, I’m aware that it isn’t omnipotent. There can’t be a wizard that can cast such a large-scale magic array.”

“You’re right, Sir Baron. At the very least, there isn’t a wizard capable of doing that here.”

Daniel muttered and moved his hand away from the tree with the magic array’s carvings.

“…That might not be the case if it’s someone from the Imperial capital.”

“What?”

“It’s nothing.”

Daniel hid his grave expression and turned around.

“Sir Baron, we must clean up this place quickly and find the Duke. The situation isn’t good.”

He closed his eyes, placed his palm on the ground and muttered something.

Then, a thread of scarlet mana permeated the ground and disappeared.

“First of all, I’ve set up detection magic in our vicinity. Once it locates the Duke, we’ll know where he is.”

Daniel’s complexion turned pale again as he was consuming a large amount of magic power following yesterday’s events.

Kieeek—!

At the sound of the monster’s cries coming from all sides, Baron straightened his grip on his sword.

Although the number of people in the empire that could kill the duke was but a handful, he couldn’t help but worry.

“By the way, Daniel, where’s your escort? Have you been by yourself all this while?”

“Oh, he’s nearby…”

Daniel inhaled shallowly and his eyes widened.

He raised his head.

It was because Dooha’s presence, which he’d felt on a tree up till a while ago, had completely disappeared.

“…Hah, she truly is someone that’s unstoppable.”

“Daniel?”

“Sir Baron, do you trust me?”

“In this situation where my lord isn’t present, is there anyone that’s more trustworthy than Daniel?”

“That’s great.”

Daniel rolled up his arms with a bitter smile.

“Then can you protect me for just five minutes?”

Five minutes. It was both a short amount of time and a long period of time.

However, five minutes was sufficient for a wizard to turn the tide.

“Will five minutes be enough?”

“It’s more than enough.”

“In that case, I’ll make it happen no matter what.”

Baron inhaled and raised his sword.

“Isn’t it the duty of a knight to protect others?”

“How reliable.”

Daniel knelt on a knee and began moving his magic.

It only took five minutes to prepare a wide-range magic that would burn all the monsters in this area to death.

And he had to settle this within five minutes in order to catch up with Dooha, who had probably, no, definitely followed the duke.

Daniel gritted his teeth as he raised the corners of his lips.

‘As expected, a day wasn’t enough.’

He laughed as he recalled the day he’d promised to help Dooha.

It seems like Dooha was gaining a lot of interest from this incident.

Kieeek—!

He could spot a pack of oppressive monsters in the distance.

The two men prepared for battle.

He had a hunch that today would become the longest day he’d ever spent in Tochern.

“Uwahhh—!”

Along with the soldiers’ battle cry, Baron’s sword swung downwards in the air.

Soon, a bloody mist pervaded the campsite. like it was the entrance to hell.

* * *