ERTHMB Chapter 134

Weakness

Swish, swish.

The sound of cutting grass came first, followed by the footsteps of three or four pairs of feet. Among them were dragging footsteps accompanied by rough breathing.

Finally, Dion, his face clearly showing exhaustion, grabbed Ian who was walking ahead.

“I’m giving you one last warning – if we keep going like this, you’ll lose a cherished retainer today.”

“That would be correct if you remove the modifier ‘cherished.'”

Ian continued walking without looking back, cutting through the underbrush with his sword. Dion threw his second threat at that merciless back.

“My body is on the verge of breaking down from excessive external reactions. I’ll do my best, but for the sake of physiological homeostasis, I might end up drawing a map on Your Majesty’s back.”

“Then just strip and walk around. It’s not that difficult.”

Even at the declaration that he might vomit on him, Ian didn’t stop walking. Dion groaned and staggered, and Eden, unable to bear watching, approached to support him.

However, the rough breathing right next to his ear was irritating, so Eden pulled his head far away.

As a result, his long hair flowed down from Eden’s shoulder and tickled Dion’s nape. Eventually, the two who had become mutually annoying separated again.

Dion muttered that the world was indeed meant to be lived alone, and looked around for a tree branch to support his body that felt like it would crumble like a cookie. At that moment, a faint vibration rang from his chest.

“Hic.”

Suddenly, with strength from who knows where, Dion jumped up. He threw the communication device and quickly hid behind a tree.

The communication device, caught by Ian’s fingertips by chance, allowed reception and a small screen popped up.

Ian confirmed the person on the screen and looked back and forth between them and the pigtail peeking out from behind the tree. Then the person on the screen also looked at Ian and complained.

“What, why is brother answering?”

“It’s originally my device – do I need to make excuses?”

“…….”

Heidi was about to shoot back a retort but closed her mouth again. Instead of a dress, she wore light training clothes, and behind her stood a row of log combat dummies.

Ian temporarily stuck his sword into the ground and asked casually.

“The preparations seem to be going well.”

“Sort of.”

“That guy will come at us with everything he’s got – ‘sort of’ won’t do.”

“Both sides aren’t ready for full-scale war yet. We’ll be satisfied with stirring up the hornet’s nest once, and Beelze will be satisfied with getting stung just once.”

Heidi floated the communication device in the air and drew her long sword from her waist, continuing.

“If we light a fire here, it’ll spread right over there, so brother, do it properly. You said all the people there are good. Don’t respond half-heartedly and create weaknesses.”

Heidi’s words strangely stabbed at his heart, so Ian closed his mouth without responding further.

‘…Don’t create weaknesses.’

It was a fact he was fully aware of without needing to be pointed out. Beelzebuth was always the type to set fires and make people run out rather than charging directly into enemy camps.

He had endured 13 years in Rihalt to build the minimum strength to defend himself even if his weakness was seized.

Heidi, having experienced it countless times herself, couldn’t not know. The day their mother’s body was torn to pieces before their eyes, when the four brothers were cursed to live and die as slaves because of her – that was the beginning.

After that, whenever Heidi was angry or depressed, she would bring up that old self-blame. So it was strange that she was now deliberately reopening that wound with her own mouth.

‘She doesn’t look depressed, but seems somewhat angry…’

Ian asked with deliberate indifference, pretending not to care.

“I’ll handle that as much as you trust me, so don’t worry. But what’s wrong with your condition?”

“What about me?”

“I’m asking why you’re being so spiteful.”

“I’m not.”

“You clearly are.”

“I said I’m not.”

As the argument dragged on, Dion’s body behind the tree trembled more and more. Ian, glancing at him, came to a reasonably rational conclusion.

“Did you bully Dion again?”

“What, did he say that?”

“If it’s not bullying, then what is it?”

“…I don’t know, it’s not something brother needs to worry about. I’m going to train now, so don’t contact me again.”

“You contacted me first. And you know I’m the type who won’t stop until I hear the reason.”

“Are you going to keep being annoying like this?”

“She was rejected.”

“Right, because I was reject… Eden!”

The seemingly endless battle came to an end thanks to Eden, who was perceptive but pretended not to be as he interjected. Beside Ian, who let out a short sigh, Eden kept wagging his tongue.

“The person who dared to reject the Empire’s princess is my lord’s cherished retainer, Sir Dion Cedrick.”

“Shut up, Eden.”

Heidi’s thorny gaze immediately pinned Eden down. As the conversation partner switched, Ian threw the communication device to Eden. Eden lightly waved his hand and caught the communication device in the air.

“Still, you’re being too harsh to someone who was once your teacher. Are you only kind to Sir Cedrick?”

“If you don’t shut up, you’ll be known as someone who raised an assassin who doesn’t know the grace of a teacher. Be careful on night roads from now on.”

“I only taught magic, I don’t remember teaching such language.”

“You were a student who understood ten things when I taught one. I often read the true feelings you kept tightly hidden in that cunning heart of yours.”

When Heidi lightly swung her sword, particles of light gathered in the air to form some shape. In the sand-drawn scene, Heidi was strangling Eden.

Meanwhile, Ian walked behind the tree, grabbed Dion by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him out.

“Dion does have good judgment. He made a wise choice.”

Heidi quickly turned to Ian again. She shot daggers with her eyes and snapped.

“Is Dion there?”

“Well…….”

As Ian drew out his words, Dion desperately grabbed Ian’s pant leg and shook his head. Ian frowned and shook his leg.

“Dion isn’t here, but there’s a green leech crouched between my legs shaking its head.”

“Give him a good kick.”

“Alright.”

When Ian vigorously shook his leg, Dion tumbled over. Heidi left a request to do that once every day and disappeared along with the screen.

Without even a moment for silence to settle, Ian resumed walking. He acted as if nothing had happened even after hearing news of his sister’s broken heart. This composure further encouraged Dion’s cold sweat.

Dion reluctantly moved his legs, unable to resist Eden’s pushing from behind. Somehow Ian’s stride had become wider than before, making it hard to keep up directly.

The bushes he cut down would hit his face due to mistimed movements. It was certainly accidental, but it happened often… frequently.

While walking through the forest like on thin ice, a huge shadow passed quickly not far ahead. From the long tracks left on the ground, it seemed to be a high-level magical beast with a tail.

Normally, he would have been terrified and busy running away, but at this moment, Dion saw it only as a walking vomit exemption pass. Forgetting to read Ian’s mood, Dion asked eagerly.

“My lord, wouldn’t that be enough?”

Ian didn’t even think of drawing the long sword at his waist and replied.

“You should be getting the hang of it by now. Ask again when you find something that makes you think ‘This is really too much’ or ‘Is this even possible?'”

“No, just how much bigger do you want? Even the Partren Guild captain wouldn’t want this much. Above all, we can’t even carry it back in the first place.”

“Don’t exaggerate. With Sakin here, we could even carry back mountains.”

Ian easily brushed off Dion’s protest. At this sight, Dion was about to retort immediately but stiffened with a start. Something felt empty. It was the same for Eden following behind and Ian ahead.

The suffocating silence finally arrived, and Dion mustered the courage to voice the fact that none of them wanted to acknowledge.

“…But my lord. When did Sakin disappear…?”

There were three knights accompanying Ian in total: Eden, Dion, and Sakin.

Usually such a noisy fellow, why was he so quiet when he disappeared? Ian let out a deep sigh and picked up pace on the remaining path.

“If we don’t find Sakin in time, I’ll use you as bait to catch even a dragon, so keep that in mind.”

“How can there be such unreasonableness in the world! You can’t take out your anger on me just because the young lady isn’t here!”

“Oh right, learn to have better judgment first.”

Ian briefly turned around and struck Dion’s forehead with his sword hilt.

“What…!”

It was pain that made him see stars even in broad daylight. Dion covered his forehead with a bewildered face and let out a pained groan. Then he found the answer for why he had suddenly been hit during the earlier conversation with Heidi.

Dion shouted at the back that was mercilessly moving away again.

“This is really unfair! I didn’t reject her! I just said I’d think about it a bit more!”

Eden gave Dion’s shoulder a heavy pat of comfort.

“As advice from someone who was once the tutor of the Duke of Ravendeim, that counts as rejection, Sir.”

****

Caw-. Caw-.

Occasionally, crow calls split the sky. Except for the bird sounds, the hunting ground the men had left was quiet.

Behind the starting point, a cluster of tents with wide awnings stretched out, where wives waiting for their husbands, or young ladies who came to scout for lovers or just to watch, spent their time inside the tents.

The fabric on both sides of the long tables was rolled up completely, allowing them to enjoy the deep blue scenery. Since it was a competition hosted by the Empress, the food and liquor prepared by various families competing to outdo each other boasted excellent quality.

Therefore, even though there were no restrictions on participation, when you looked at the faces that actually showed up, most were from families that held some influence in Instantia.

Names that wouldn’t cause much trouble even if rolled around in one’s mouth, those who could barely get angry at Helena Evergale.

The title of Grand Duchess no longer carried any dignity. Through Natasha’s social activities, everyone knew that Helena was already a severed string.

They ignored even the last restraint that Helena was still an Evergale person and attacked.

Helena leisurely swirled the wine glass between her fingers and silently listened to the whispers leaking like water from all directions.

“How long has it been since we’ve seen your face like this, Madam. I thought you wouldn’t come out today either.”

“I thought you were so scarce in social circles that perhaps you had really divorced the Grand Duke, as the rumors said.”

“Oh my, how could that be? It was only 5 years ago that we attended the wedding. A man’s passion doesn’t cool that quickly. Not unless there’s a major flaw in the woman.”

“But Lady Jenia, the rumor that the Grand Duke took a mistress turned out to be true after all.”