Just before the demons attacked the temporary camp.
Crave suddenly turned around, looking at Britia who was about to meet Sig.
“We can’t go back home.”
“What?”
“We can’t go back until we meet Huate.”
“Why are you suddenly saying this? Did you make a promise? If it’s not a matter of life and death, we can postpone it for later.”
Leon, arms crossed, stood defiantly, saying that they wouldn’t come out to the hunting grounds if they didn’t want to die anyway.
“I wasn’t speaking because we were in front of our sister, but that crazy guy actually released demons here. And not just one, but two. If the high-ranking nobles who came to hunt foxes hear about it, it will cause a commotion.”
“What? Demons?”
Leon was taken aback. However, he couldn’t just withdraw.
“But if we don’t meet here, we won’t be able to meet at all. They said they won’t see me now.”
“Why do you have to meet like this?”
“Two days ago, someone came from Robley and Huate.”
Crave hesitated with a pale face before speaking.
“They brought the contract that Lockhart and Robley had signed.”
“A contract? What are you talking about?”
Leon finally realized the seriousness of the situation and uncrossed his arms. Until a moment ago, he had a slightly displeased expression, but now he was trembling.
“It stated that if the debt borrowed from Robley is not fully repaid within five years, ownership of Lockhart’s territory will be transferred to Robley.”
“What? Ownership of the territory? Are you kidding? Brother, do you believe that?”
“Father’s name was written on it.”
Crave clenched his lower lip.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
At first, he didn’t believe it either, just like Leon. However, the more he looked at the name written on the contract, the more he had to admit that it was his father’s handwriting. Moreover, right next to it was a sentence imprinted with the family ring. The family ring was magically made and couldn’t be replicated.
It was a genuine contract.
“This doesn’t make sense. If Father really signed that contract, it would have been at least five years ago. We paid off the debt…”
Leon grabbed Crave’s shoulders.
“When was the date Father signed it?”
“Lenny…”
“When?!”
Leon shook Crave’s shoulders and yelled.
“When did Father sign that damn contract?!”
“When he first borrowed money from Robley, ten years ago…”
“Ten years ago? But we paid off the debt a year ago, right? But if it’s within five years, it doesn’t make sense.”
Leon felt anger boiling inside him. The time when the three siblings struggled and paid off the debt flashed through his mind.
‘We barely paid it off, and now what?’
“So Robley kept that contract all this time and brought it out now? After getting all the money back?”
When Leon let out a bitter laugh, Crave stammered.
“There’s something important.”
“Damn it, what now?”
Leon took a deep breath, mixed with anger, and nodded.
“What is it?”
“It seems Robley decided to entrust the management of Lockhart’s territory to Huate.”
“They’re taking someone else’s land as they please. What did Huate do for Robley?”
“I don’t know. But instead, Huate made us an offer.”
Even before hearing about that offer, Leon felt his anger bubbling inside him. It must be something despicable.
“If we do well, we can continue living there, and they will allow us to manage it like before. And they might even consider returning ownership to Robley if we speak well…”
“…What’s the criteria for doing well? What do they expect us to do well?”
“There’s one demand from Huate.”
Crave paused. Leon felt more irritated the longer he hesitated, urging him to speak faster. Crave’s gaze shifted towards where the tents were gathered.
“What? What is it?”
Leon looked in the same direction as him. There was nothing special. Britia had just gone over there to meet Sig, at best.
“…Brother.”
Leon, who noticed the hint, called Crave in a low voice.
“Don’t mention that the only demand is about our sister.”
Crave couldn’t respond. He bit his lower lip so hard it bled and looked at Leon.
“I told you not to joke.”
Leon couldn’t believe any of this. He ran his hand through his hair and opened his mouth wide before closing it. His boiling anger was about to burst out of his head.
“I couldn’t tell Tia. If I did, she might just say she’s getting married. I absolutely couldn’t tell her.”
“…”
“I’m sorry, Leon. I burdened you by venting like this. I should have handled it myself, but I couldn’t… and I burdened you.”
Leon raised his index finger in front of Crave, who was choked up. Then, Crave swallowed a breath and closed his mouth.
“Sister must never know this fact. If she did, she would most likely say she’ll marry Huate, just like Brother said.”
Leon firmly shook her head, stating that such a thing should never happen. She was someone who, despite being soft on most subjects, would never yield once she made up her mind. It was obvious that she would accept a marriage with Huate, even if she had feelings for someone else.
“I’m not giving Sister to Huate.”
“I value the territory too. I don’t want to lose it. How have I protected it until now? But I hate the idea of sending Tia away. How can I send her there? I can’t.”
“…Are you prepared for the worst-case scenario of becoming penniless?”
Crave couldn’t answer and his lips trembled before tears streamed down his face. Though he always acted strong, he was actually the most emotionally sensitive among the three siblings.
“It’s okay. So what if we lose the territory?”
Leon patted her weeping brother’s back and smiled.
“Maybe Sister and Brother don’t understand, but I don’t have any attachment to that land. The only good memories I have there are when the three of us slept together on Sister’s bed.”
Leon was too young to remember Lockhart’s prosperous and glorious days.
“Besides, even if we end up as beggars, it’s different from five years ago when we were completely exposed. I’m officially a knight now, and Sister will become the Duchess of the North. We can support ourselves and take care of Sister Hailey together.”
Most likely, Sister would be the one supporting us financially.
Crave laughed through his tears at Leon’s murmured words.
“You have to be prepared to support us all!”
“Ugh, fine. There’s nothing I won’t do if you tell me to. Eventually, little Crave Junior who will be born will be taken care of by Leon Lockhart.”
“I raised our youngest sibling well. I’m proud of you, my little piglet.”
Leon chuckled, saying he didn’t have many vivid memories in his brother’s hands.
At that moment, he stood in a place where tents were gathered in the distance, and a man emitting a gloomy aura entered.
“But I don’t want to just back off gracefully like this. Let’s go and spit on Huate’s face or something.
If you’re going to make a final act of defiance, do it while Britia is not here,” Leo said.
“Tia will come looking for us.”
Crave hesitated anxiously, saying that she wouldn’t take long to return.
“Uh, hey! Philip!”
Leon called out to Philip, who happened to be passing by.
“We’re going somewhere for a moment. Stay here while Sister looks for us.”
“Do I look idle to you right now?”
When Philip criticized her, saying he shouldn’t be standing around doing this, Leon sighed.
“You talk too much. Since you’re free, stick around when I come out. If anything happens to Sister, I’ll kill you.”
Leon threatened Philip as if giving him an order, then joined Crave, and they headed towards the place where they had seen Huate.
“Don’t you always treat Philip particularly rudely?”
“He’s incompetent.”
“Considering that, Philip actually listens to you well.”
“He has no pride.”
Leon hurried his steps as he saw Huate entering one of the tents, then swiftly opened the tent he went into.
“Count Huate, do you have something to say to us?”
“Leon Lockhart, you lack manners.”
Huate furrowed his brow as he intruded without permission.
“Count Huate, although we had a conversation through a representative yesterday…”
“What about Britia?”
Interrupting Crave’s words, Huate looked for Britia.
“If she’s not here, there’s no conversation to be had with Lockhart.”
Leon stood up from his seat and grabbed Huate’s shoulder, preventing him from leaving, and sat him back down.
“Your Grace!”
Huate’s attendants exclaimed in surprise. Among them, an old man who appeared to be a knight drew his sword, but Leon didn’t bat an eye and used her strength to hold Huate’s shoulder, making it impossible for him to stand up.
“Our Count Lockhart asked to have a conversation.”
Huate bit his tongue, lowering his gaze to the ground. As Crave sat down, Leon let go of his shoulder and stepped back, standing by his side.
“I cannot accept the condition you mentioned. My sister…”
Just as Crave was about to speak, there was a commotion outside.
“It’s a monster! The monsters attacked!”
Startled by the sound, Crave looked at Leon.
“It’s fine. The noise is coming from a distance. The knights from the north are there, so they’ll handle it soon.”
“What about Tia?”
“While I don’t trust Philip much, it’s fine as long as the crazy dog is by her side.”
Leon realized that they should be worried about themselves, not her. The old knight wasn’t much of a problem.
However, there was a mage hiding his presence on Huate’s side.
She positioned her hand on the hilt, ready to draw her sword at any moment to protect Huate, and remained alert.
“I cannot accept exchanging my sister as a condition. Instead, I will raise the toll for passage when passing through Huate.”
Crave exhaled as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Huare’s eyes flickered briefly, and he let out a small chuckle.
“If you don’t like that, I can set aside a certain portion of the harvest for you.”
“I already have to manage everything you’ve mentioned. Why should I only receive a portion of it?”
“Then what do you want?”
Leon slammed his hand on the table, demanding him to speak.
“…Britia Lockhart.”
“Ah, well, we can’t give your sister to someone like you. Say something else. Anything else.”
“…You’re not needed.”
He murmured in a very soft voice, but Leon heard it clearly.
“Who asked you to take me instead of my sister? It’s infuriating.”
At that moment, a man entered the tent and informed Huate that his message was ready.
“I only want Britia.”
Huate glanced briefly at Leon and stood up from his seat.
“Where do you think you’re going? The conversation isn’t over…”
As Leon tried to block his way, a man holding a water bottle threw it towards him. Then, the bottle exploded, releasing purple powder that burst into ice spikes in all directions.
Leon drew his sword and cut down the spikes. In the midst of his fight with the mage, Crave, who had held his head in his hands with both hands, calmly observed and noticed Count Huate smoothly slipping away amidst the chaos. He chased after him.
“Count Huate!”
“If you have something to say next time, tell Britia. Otherwise, I have nothing to say.”
Passing by indifferently, Count Huate mounted his horse and looked down at Crave, taking a deep breath.
“Just take the entire land, you bloody bastard!”
“….”
“I can’t give our child, even if I have to die!”
Crave shouted and felt a sense of relief. However, in an instant, Huate’s horse’s front hoof struck him. After being hit in the skull, he fell to the ground, wondering if this would truly be his end. The hoof was about to strike him again.
“Brother!”
Fortunately, this time Leon emerged from the tent and pulled him away, allowing him to dodge the attack. Unfortunately, his right arm became the sacrifice to the horse’s hoof.
“Lenny! Crave!”
As Leon gritted his teeth in pain, a familiar voice called out to her.
“This, you, Philip! Do you want to die? What will you do if you bring my sister here?!”
Seeing the two injured individuals, Britia ran towards them. Huate hesitated for a moment, then mounted his horse and fled into the forest.
