ITBFL | Chapter 32

Episode 32

Commander Denver wasn’t the type to contact others late at night unless the matter was urgent.

Holding the signal device, I briefly gazed at the setting sun.

There seemed to be about an hour or two left before nightfall and the moon shone bright.

‘The sun probably won’t have completely set by the time I reach the knights’ headquarters.’

As long as I wasn’t outside when the moonlight grew stronger, it should be fine.

After a brief moment of contemplation while fiddling with the signal device, I quickly gathered my belongings and set off.

***

Erne Knights’ Commander, Denver Daislan’s Office

The glow of the sunset cast deep shadows on his face.

Denver closed his eyes and pressed his temples firmly.

The Erne Knights, and he as their center, had always basked in the highest honor.

However, due to recent events, his position was now under threat.

He was still pressing his temples when a knock at the door made him lift his head.

“Commander, a visitor has arrived.”

A visitor?

“It is Sir Mars Artiel of the Visel Knights, whom we recently faced in a friendly match.”

Mars… He remembered him. As a relative of Lize, the vice-captain of Erne, it was only natural that he had paid attention to him.

However, his swordsmanship was rather… ambiguous.

“Let him in.”

The door opened, and Mars strode in with a solemn expression.

He bowed at a perfect right angle, like a wooden puppet, and spoke.

“Mars Artiel! I greet you once again, Commander Denver Eden Daislan.”

Since he didn’t mention his affiliation, it seemed he wasn’t here as a representative of Visel.

“What is this about?”

“I came to speak with you regarding the recent friendly match.”

Denver gave a slight nod. After a brief pause, Mars understood it as permission to continue and spoke.

“Did you know that Sir Lize Artiel committed foul play that day?”

Denver’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Noticing the movement, Mars spoke with more conviction.

“I participated in the team battle with Lize. And then, I faced her one-on-one.”

“And?”

“And the moment I was about to overpower her, someone helped Lize. Someone completely unrelated to the match.”

“The arena was surrounded by iron bars on all sides. There was no gap for anyone to enter.”

“But I saw it clearly!”

Mars turned and revealed his back with confidence.

“This is the mark left by that person. I swear there’s not a single lie.”

“Then tell me—who was it?”

“I couldn’t see their face, but it seems Lize brought someone in through unfair means.”

Denver crossed his arms and observed Mars for a moment.

“Was it someone from Erne?”

“Either Lize hired them, or they were from Erne.”

“I’m asking if you saw that they were from Erne.”

“Logically, no one from Visel would have helped her…”

“Just answer the question.”

Denver’s voice turned cold.

Mars swallowed dryly. His throat felt unusually parched today, likely due to nerves.

“I didn’t see it directly, but…”

“Then it could have been a Visel knight, for all you know.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Evidence?”

“No one with that height and build exists in Visel!”

That was an undeniable fact. Seeing Mars standing so firmly, Denver spoke.

“You’re envious of Erne’s knights.”

“….”

“You think it’s unfair that you weren’t blessed with the same talent.”

Denver’s gaze pierced straight through him.

Mars wanted to refute, but no words came to him. Denver’s eyes were intimidating.

Denver gestured him forward with a flick of his fingers. Mars hesitated but approached, only for Denver to grip his shoulder tightly with his large hand.

At that moment, a chill ran through Mars’ entire body as if struck by lightning.

Then, footsteps were heard outside the office.

“It’s me, Commander.”

“Come in.”

The door opened.

Mars didn’t know who had entered, but in this terrifying situation, he was simply grateful to whoever had saved him.

“Mars?”

However, the moment he saw who it was, that gratitude shattered instantly.

“Mars, what are you doing here…?”

“C-Commander Daislan, I’d like to speak with you privately. Please send Lize out first…!”

“Sir Mars Artiel.”

“…Yes?”

“This conversation will have to wait for another time. You should leave now.”

“But Commander Daislan…!”

Mars opened his mouth as if to protest, but seeing Denver’s expression turn twice as menacing as before, he shut it immediately.

“…Understood.”

Mars glanced at Lize. She was staring at him in confusion.

Hmph, what are you going to do by looking at me like that?

Avoiding her gaze as much as possible, he bowed stiffly to Denver and hurried out of the office.

***

The moment I saw Mars in Commander Denver’s office—

Am I seeing things?

That was my first thought.

There was no reason for Mars to be here.

But when he turned around with an oddly pleased expression and immediately scowled upon seeing me, I realized he was real. Not an illusion.

“This conversation will have to wait for another time. You should leave now.”

“C-Commander!”

Mars, seemingly still full of things to say, rushed toward Denver.

However, Denver’s sharp gaze made him slow his steps and shuffle out reluctantly.

Even though he had left, I still felt uneasy. Why was he here?

“Is that why you called me, Commander?”

To make sure I kept him from coming back?

I barely held back from rubbing my aching temples and bowed toward Denver.

“My apologies, Commander. It seems my family member was disrespectful.”

“It’s fine. Lize, now that you’re here, listen to what I have to say…”

“There’s no need for a long explanation. I’ll make sure he never comes back. If that’s all, I’ll take my leave.”

I turned on my heels, ready to chase after Mars. If words wouldn’t work, I’d have to find another way to deal with him.

But Denver called out to me again.

“No, Lize. Lize!”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t call you for that reason.”

Not because of Mars?

Then what was it?

I stiffened in confusion as Denver gestured for me to come closer.

“I’ll be honest with you.”

He let out a deep sigh, a hint of distress shadowing his face.

Lowering his voice, he continued.

“Cassium has disappeared.”

“…!”

My body froze.

Even though I had suspected it, hearing it confirmed from Denver’s mouth left me with an unsettling feeling.

Cassium… has truly disappeared?

Where on earth…?

“We’re searching for him. The Elder Council meeting is approaching as I expected. We must find Cassium before then. But if we fail…”

“……”

“You’ll have to take charge of both divisions.”

“That won’t happen.”

“There’s no one else with enough merit to take the vice-commander position in this situation. You have to do it.”

“I’m not saying I won’t do it. I’m saying there’s no way we won’t find Cassium.”

“Lize, but…”

Commander Denver stopped speaking as he met my gaze.

“I’ll find him. I swear.”

My eyes probably didn’t hold much certainty when I said that.

Only desperation.

‘So it’s true.’

Walking through the knights’ headquarters, I contemplated my options.

The shock hadn’t fully worn off, but I couldn’t afford to stand still.

‘Where the hell is that bastard Cassium? Could it be…’

The thought of him being dead crossed my mind, but it was impossible to imagine.

‘That can’t happen. If he’s gone, I’ll have no choice but to take over the Black Leopards too. And since I just rejected that marriage proposal, it’ll put me in an even more difficult position. And…’

— Make some time in the evening.

— Why?

— I need… to sober up.

— What are you talking about? Who sobers up in the evening? And with you, of all people.

— Just come, Lize.

Could that day—when Cassium insisted on meeting me, only to stand me up-

be the same day he disappeared?

What was he planning to tell me that night?

“……”

For a moment, my mind went blank.

‘I don’t have time for this. I need to think about how to find him.’

I headed to Cassium’s office.

I intended to search for clues about his whereabouts.

‘I need records of his mission from that day.’

I pulled a few books from the office shelves, flipping through them quickly.

In the end, I found a key hidden between the pages.

‘As expected, it’s here.’

Even back at the academy, he used to store keys like this.

I unlocked a filing cabinet filled with documents and checked his mission records.

‘It’s true that he was searching for the Heart of Lagon. After that, his whereabouts became unknown.’

Then that must be the day.

The day Cassium asked me to meet him for a drink in the evening.

‘First, I should head to that forest.’

The forest where Cassium disappeared.

Commander Denver and the Black Leopard knights had likely already searched the area, but I needed to see it for myself.

‘Wait, what time is it now…’

At that moment, a sharp sensation, like something piercing through my heart, took my breath away.

I collapsed to the floor before looking up. The office curtains swayed slightly.

It was night.

The full moon had begun to rise.

“……”

That’s right. Tonight was a full moon.

I had been so consumed with finding Cassium that I had completely forgotten.

My gaze shifted to the window.

The moon, surrounded by the night, seemed to be watching me.

As if overwhelmed by its light, I felt an eerie sensation—like a thorned seed sprouting in my heart.

‘I need to close it.’

I hurriedly pulled the curtains shut and curled up.

Then, I immediately took the medicine from my pocket and swallowed it.

As long as the light was blocked, it should be fine.

But…

The pain wouldn’t subside.

I looked up—moonlight was still seeping through.

“Cassium, Cassium…”

I murmured his name, lost in thought.

Why…

Why doesn’t he use blackout curtains…