ITBFL | Chapter 37

Episode 37

“Huh?”

Strangely, the name Cassium felt somewhat familiar and even welcome.

‘Has he returned?’

Was it just a brief return, like on that full moon night? Or had he come back for good?

Either way, it was a relief if he had returned.

The elders of the council, who were preparing to undermine him, would be unable to say anything, and I wouldn’t have to take charge of the Black Leopard.

“Where is he now?”

Last night, I was too disoriented to have a proper conversation.

Besides, my vision had been covered by a blanket.

If we met this time, it would be the first time in a long while that we’d properly see each other.

‘I should at least give him a piece of my mind for standing me up after making a promise.’

Of course, I now understood that he hadn’t vanished by choice that day, but still, I planned to say something about it.

Cassium and I had always had the kind of relationship where we would scold and rebuke each other freely.

“I should go and welcome him. I’ll make sure to properly reprimand him for worrying you, Commander, as well as the Black Leopard members.”

“Lize.”

But the commander’s expression as he said that seemed off.

Rather than relief or joy, his face was clouded with concern.

“Commander?”

The commander stood up.

Then, as he left the office, he addressed me and Senior Yanis.

“Follow me for now.”

The place he took us to was a village on the outskirts of the capital.

As soon as we entered, the air was filled with a pungent smell.

“I heard there was a fire near the stables last night.”

“I see…”

“The main casualties were horses, but there was also one human fatality.”

Before we knew it, we had arrived near the stables that the commander had mentioned.

The village chief approached us.

“You’ve arrived! This is what I mentioned.”

He held something out to the commander.

A longsword.

‘Wait a moment. That sword…’

My eyes met with Senior Yannis’s.

It was Cassium’s.

“This belonged to the man who died in the stables. This was also found on him…”

The village chief handed over an insignia—one that imperial knights would typically wear on their clothing.

My gaze shifted back to the sword. I stared at it in silence.

A finely forged blade, a slightly rounded hilt, and the maple leaf pattern on the black cloth wrapping it.

There was no doubt. It was Cassium’s sword.

“Captain.”

Captain Denver’s gaze was fixed on the sword.

He must have immediately recognized whom it belonged to.

“With two days until the Elder Council meeting, we have a lot to do.”

Running a hand through his hair, Denver’s eyes remained vacant and hollow as they stayed fixed on the sword.

“I’ll handle the explanations. But as for what comes next, Lize, Yannis—you both will need to weigh in on the decisions.”

After a brief silence, the commander turned to me.

“Especially you, Lize. I ask you to reconsider what I mentioned last time. If we leave the deputy commander position vacant, the Black Leopard will ultimately fall apart.”

I walked closer to the charred stables.

I looked at them for a moment and then closed my eyes.

Countless thoughts raced through my mind in an instant.

Was that man really Cassium?

Had he been at this stable and suffered this fate?

Had he abandoned his sword in the ashes and left Erne?

‘But…’

I opened my eyes again.

“Lize.”

Yannis approached me, placing a cautious hand on my shoulder.

I looked at his hand resting on me.

“I’m just as shocked as you are. But for you… it must be even harder.”

“Senior Yannis.”

I took his hand off my shoulder.

Then, I turned to him and Captain Denver.

“No.”

“I know… You always insist you’re not particularly attached… But…”

“That’s not it. That man isn’t Cassium.”

“Lize.”

Denver’s face twisted with deeper distress as he looked at me, shaking his head.

“No, Captain. I mean it.”

“Do you have any proof, Lize?”

“Do you have any proof that this man is Cassium, Senior?”

“I’d like to believe otherwise too. But Lize, you know it. This sword definitely belongs to Cassium. And this insignia is something only imperial knights possess.”

“Just because he had those things doesn’t mean he is Cassium.”

“Lize.”

Yannis let out a pained sigh as he called my name. Taking a breath, he stepped closer to me.

“You know. If he were alive, would he ever let his sword be taken from him?”

“…”

“Do you really think so?”

His words carried undeniable logic, the kind that anyone who knew Cassium would find convincing.

It was impossible for someone to take his sword while he was still standing.

However.

‘I saw him. I saw Cassium.’

Last night, the night of the fire.

But it was difficult to say it outright.

I hadn’t confirmed it with my own eyes. It was just a strong instinct that told me it was him.

Even so—

“I’ll find him.”

“Lize.”

“I’ll find him before the Elder Council meeting. Please trust me, Captain. Senior Yannis.”

Denver’s eyes wavered with confusion.

To him, my words must have sounded like stubborn denial. He was likely trying to figure out how to change my mind.

“Captain.”

I was about to try persuading him again when Yanis spoke first.

“How about we trust her?”

His words were unexpected. He hadn’t believed me just moments ago.

“As someone who’s watched Lize and Cassium since our academy days, I can confidently say—their intuition about each other has always been extraordinary.”

I couldn’t tell if that was a compliment or not.

“For better or worse.”

As if reading my thoughts, Yannis glanced at me and winked.

Still, his words seemed to hold weight for Captain Denver.

“You have two days, Lize. I’ll trust you.”

“If I don’t find him before the Elder Council meeting, I’ll accept your proposal, Captain.”

Denver gave a slight nod.

‘I can do this.’

With that, I quickly set off for my next destination.

‘Ah, I should’ve left this behind.’

It was only on my way that I realized I had taken the imperial knight’s insignia with me. But there was no time to go back.

Two days. That was far too little time for anything but finding Cassium.

“He should be here by now…”

Today was the day I was supposed to discuss business with Count Artiel.

— Me? Oh… was I? Alright, then.

That evening, after hearing about it from Sir Lize, I had run into the Count at a banquet.

When I suggested we delve deeper into business discussions, his response had been rather lukewarm…

Well, in any case, they had agreed to meet, and as they say, starting is half the battle—so half of it was already done.

From Baron Selberdin’s perspective, finding a business partner was an urgent matter.

‘If only it weren’t for the Duke of Balteire…’

He had spent a fortune securing the exclusive rights to a trendy clothing line, but the very next month, the trend shifted when the duke’s son was seen wearing a different style, which quickly spread among the young nobles.

The business naturally collapsed, and as investors pulled out their funds, he was left in debt.

Time was running out. He had to find a business partner—an investor who would join his venture—as soon as possible.

On the day he finally admitted to himself that he had suffered a massive failure, Baron Selberdin drank more than he had ever drunk in his entire life.

‘So this was all that bastard’s fault!’

That night, heavily intoxicated, Baron Selberdin ran into Cassium Balteire.

The root of all his problems! The sworn enemy of his family!

Selberdin resented Cassium. He resented him so much he could hardly stand it.

So, on an impulse, he secretly slipped a magical potion into Cassium’s drink—one he had bought as an emergency remedy, just in case.

‘Why isn’t it working?!’

At first, nothing happened, and he thought he had bought the wrong potion.

But out of fear, he kept a close eye on the Erne Knights for several days…

And at some point, Cassium Balteire was nowhere to be seen—not even for a single moment.

The potion had actually worked.

‘It… it really worked…?’

Recalling that memory, Baron Selberdin frantically shook his head.

‘Anyway, it’s not my fault! That aside, when on earth is Lily coming back home?’

Just as he was lost in these thoughts, someone in a red robe suddenly blocked his path.

“Your daughter has disappeared…”

“H-How do you know that?!”

Baron Selberdin jumped in shock.

He had just been thinking about that very thing!

‘Who is this person?’

He observed her carefully. A red robe covering her entire face. This person was undoubtedly…

A Seer.

A messenger of the gods, traveling across the empire to deliver divine words.

Baron Selberdin’s hands trembled. A Seer had come to deliver the gods’ message to him.

And at such a troubling time—almost as if the gods had truly sent her.

He stared blankly at her, and then a hand emerged from within the robe.

“…!”

But it wasn’t a human hand!

Seeing the black, furry hand covered in soft fur, Baron Selberdin was so shocked he nearly fainted.