***
Enoch, having strayed from the frontline to take an injured knight to the medical facility located in the central mountain range, found the situation unfolding before him impossible to believe.
“I am terribly ashamed, Enoch….”
“I apologize.”
Just moments ago, he had assured Cherrya that Gray was not weak.
‘This man, too, isn’t lacking in skill.’
Should he feel relieved that it wasn’t a lie, considering the knight he brought with him wasn’t weak?
Or should he despair at the overall incompetence of Gray’s knights, seeing as half of them were already laid up, injured?
The medical facility was filled only with knights from Gray. Looking around, there wasn’t a single knight in the uniform of the Emblem knights.
“………”
“…..…”
The knights hung their heads low, avoiding Enoch’s gaze, unable to meet his eyes in shame.
If only these injured ones were newly appointed knights or apprentices who had joined to support the experienced ones in the battle, that would have been somewhat better.
“They’re all skilled enough to handle at least ten high-ranking monsters on their own. Am I misjudging the combat strength of Gray’s knight order?”
Enoch’s icy words echoed, causing the knights to hold onto their shattered pride, full of sorrow.
“Chance, unpredictability, negligence—these words hold no place before Gray.”
“Yes, sir!!!!!”
The Gray knights responded robustly.
Gray’s sword was one that factored in numerous variables, chance, and even one’s own negligence, pursuing precision and efficiency in every move.
Hence, it was unthinkable that seasoned Gray knights could be injured due to an error. It might be due to a lack of skill, but it would never be due to a mistake.
“So, only those who can give me an acceptable explanation should raise their hands.”
“…..….”
“…..….”
No one raised a hand.
There was no excuse they could offer other than a lack of skill to explain the current situation within Gray.
Enoch’s expression grew grave.
It wasn’t because he began to doubt the strength of the Gray knights due to this incident.
He believed in the strength of the Gray knight order. He had grown up watching those swords his whole life. If one lost focus for even a moment, the sword would slip through the slightest opening without hesitation.
The swordsmanship of the Gray Dukedom, devoid of unnecessary movements, swiftly finding vital points and ending the fight with ruthless precision, was in no way weak.
“There must be something targeting our Gray knights.”
Enoch quickly reached a conclusion. It would be foolish to blame the skill of the Gray knight order in such an abnormal situation.
“How many knights remain?”
“Only the newly appointed ones remain, sir.”
“I see….”
Enoch’s blue eyes darkened.
“Shall we contact the main unit?”
“No. The main unit isn’t aware of the situation. Look at that smoke.”
The main unit continued to report their advance on the frontline.
It implied that the Gray Knight Order and the frontline had collapsed without anyone’s knowledge.
“There must be a reason they left only the Emblem knights and the young recruits behind.”
Only one thought crossed Enoch’s mind.
After the extermination operation, the crown prince’s convoy transportation would take place.
The convoy would consist solely of young knights from the Emblem and the Gray Knight Order.
It seemed that the purpose of attacking the Gray Knight Order to break the front line was to disrupt the extermination operation, yet it was suspicious that they left the personnel required for the convoy untouched.
‘Is it the crown prince?’
Enoch first thought of the crown prince as the one behind this incident.
The lack of preparation for the convoy transport would be a plausible reason for buying time in the extermination operation.
However, the crown prince would have no reason to risk turning against the Gray Knights, who would become his allies in the future, by injuring them.
Although it didn’t seem in his character, Enoch had the misfortune of not fully trusting people.
People could easily and lightly deceive one another.
Emotions could sway them, and under different circumstances, people’s minds could change swiftly.
His mother, Diana, was that way. Initially, she seemed to be breaking down, ready to abandon everything out of love for him, only to eventually disappear following her own beliefs.
‘No one truly knows what the crown prince might be nurturing inside.’
Just as no one fully knew him, Enoch thought.
Only Cherrya, Emblem knights, could prevent him from harboring such suspicions, as her transparency made it impossible to hide anything.
Her raw feelings of goodwill and hostility, cast out openly, had always been a challenge for him.
– ‘So, if Emblem sacrifices themself for the crown prince, it would mean the crown prince has become a worthy ruler.’
My fiancée, who could easily sway people with empty words, despite having no thoughts in her head.
Even if the crown prince had known that such an innocent, radiant expression could only come from someone with no thoughts at all, would he still be blushing at Cherrya today?
It was laughable.
“First, let’s resolve this matter. We’ll need the cooperation of Commander Emblem.”
Enoch emptied his mind of idle thoughts and quickly drew a conclusion. Recently, whenever he noticed his thoughts drifting naturally toward Cherrya, he would consciously stop them.
Among those participating in the current extermination, the strongest knight was now at the forefront, continuously fighting off monsters without rest in the central frontline. Once, she was his mother’s rival and dear friend, and Enoch used to call her Aunt Melsia.
Now, he couldn’t even remember the last time he had called her that.
“This is uncomfortable.”
To others, Cherrya’s often careless words seemed almost accidental, yet they were all things she had learned from Aunt Melsia.
It was almost as though Emblem had an aura that naturally attracted people; Melsia, too, had the knack for stirring people’s hearts without even thinking about it.
Thus, Enoch had felt uncomfortable around Melsia since his mother, Diana, disappearance.
‘Enoch, I’m sorry. I owe you so much.’
Whenever he looked at her, she always had that pained expression, as if ready to cry, holding back the pain. As if she believed Diana’s disappearance was her fault.
That was why he resented her.
“Are you planning to head to the center?”
The Gray Knight, startled by Enoch’s words, asked.
Enoch gave a slight nod and said,
“Just tell Grandfather that I’m still investigating. Keep it a secret that I’ll be meeting Commander Emblem alone.”
“…He’ll figure it out.”
“I know, but I’ll buy some time before he intervenes.”
With that, Enoch leaped toward the central part of the Lowes Mountain Range.
The scenery shifted rapidly around him. He quickly passed the mid-slope and could soon enter the center of the mountain range.
“…I didn’t even get a chance to tell Cherrya I’d be late.”
It was only after passing the mid-slope that he remembered his delayed promise. Should he quickly go to Cherrya and ask her to wait a little longer?
As he pondered, he turned to look back.
Rustle, rustle.
A shadow that looked like a human figure quickly disappeared.
“A monster?”
It was an area where high-ranking monsters appeared. There was a chance of encountering monsters with humanoid appearances, so Enoch wasn’t particularly suspicious.
He drew his sword, waiting to sense any signs, but the monster did not reappear.
‘There was no killing intent, and it was skilled enough to erase its presence while trailing me. The moment it realized it was detected, it vanished without a trace.’
Enoch’s expression hardened as he drew a conclusion from what he had just witnessed.
A person. It was a person.
Someone who had fled, unable to reveal their identity.
