CHAPTER 36…………..
: Since the Invitation Came, I Must Respond
The Fritan Knights led by Mikrok had traveled tirelessly for ten days and seven more, finally reaching the northernmost region of Koun.
The Koun regional guards were protecting a boy—the sole survivor and witness—of a village destroyed by the Dark Dragon.
Mikrok first ordered Ralph to lead half of the knights to investigate the affected area, while he decided to meet the boy personally.
Thanks to the careful attention of the guards, the boy had regained some stability.
“Greet him. This is Lord Mikrok.”
As the captain of the guard tried to push the boy’s head down to force him to bow, Mikrok raised his hand to stop him.
“Come, sit in this chair.”
Mikrok pointed to a chair in front of him. The boy hesitated but eventually sat down, and Mikrok offered him warm tea and snacks.
“Can you tell me what happened that night?”
The boy, who devoured the snacks in one go, began to recount the story he had already told the guards several times.
“After dinner, I went to the back mountain secretly, without telling Mom and Dad. Suddenly, a huge monster appeared in the sky and started breathing fire. The village burned in an instant.”
“Why did you go to the mountain secretly?”
“My friend said he would show me something amazing. But Mom and Dad didn’t want me to meet Ludic.”
“Why not?”
“He said he’s a wanderer. But Ludic is a good guy. He lies a lot, but he also has many amazing things.”
Mikrok nodded, silently urging him to continue.
“That night, he really showed me an amazing orb. It was transparent, shimmering, and about the size of a fist. But he lies so much!”
“What did you say?”
“He said the orb was the eye of a baby dragon. Can you believe that?”
“What??”
Of course, Mikrok and the knights were all shocked to hear this.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone until now?”
The guard captain asked, flustered.
“You didn’t ask.”
The boy glared at him in displeasure. The captain was about to argue further, but Mikrok prompted the boy to continue.
“So?”
“I told him not to lie. Then he said if I waited a bit, he would even show me the real Dark Dragon. I thought that was a lie too, but it was true. The village turned into a sea of fire in an instant.”
As the boy recalled the night, his body trembled and tears welled in his eyes.
“I tried to run home in fear, but Ludic told me it was already too late. He said he saved me. ‘Maon never forgets either gratitude or enmity,’ he said.”
“What? Say that again. What’s his name??”
This time William leapt up and grabbed the boy’s shoulder. The boy frowned and said:
“Ludic… Ludic Maon.”
Ludic Maon. The last surviving heir of the Maon tribe, which the Fritan Knights had massacred months ago, had appeared!
Seeing the serious faces of Mikrok, the knights, and even the guard captain, the boy shrank back. Whatever had happened, he assumed Ludic had done something terrible.
“How did you meet him?”
“About a month ago, Ludic was collapsed at the village entrance. Feeling sorry for him, I secretly hid him in a barn and gave him some bread. That’s how we became friends.”
“Haah…”
The knights looked at the boy with complicated feelings. They resented him for saving Ludic, but at the same time, were glad that at least the boy survived.
“What does Maon look like?”
“He’s about my height, with red hair and red eyes. Oh, and he has a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek.”
“How old?”
“Probably about the same as me.”
Mikrok nodded and sent the boy back to his temporary residence. He had heard all he could.
The boy’s story left a heavy weight on everyone’s hearts. William spoke cautiously.
“If everything the boy said is true, isn’t this a trap to lure Your Highness?”
“Seems like it.”
Mikrok agreed, and Freddy frowned.
“You mean he actually killed a baby dragon to take out its eye to lure us? Who in the world would do something so insane?”
“He’s the last survivor of a slaughtered tribe. When blinded by revenge, nothing is impossible.”
William answered quietly. He could somewhat understand Ludic’s mindset. If the Fritan army had been annihilated and Mikrok himself had died in battle, he too might have stopped at nothing for revenge.
“It also explains why an incomplete Dark Dragon moved recklessly. The dragons who lost their young are now chasing him.”
“But there’s no other affected area except this village, right?”
“He must be hiding in the Wind Gorge, regaining his strength. His body is probably not in normal condition.”
While William and Freddy assessed the situation, Mikrok remained silent.
Then Ralph and the knights returned from scouting the village.
“Your Highness, the village is completely reduced to ashes. The dragons seemed to be searching for something everywhere. We also found this on the nearby back mountain.”
Ralph carefully took something out of his pocket.
When they unwrapped the cloth, a shimmering orb appeared.
The Fritan Knights, who had fought the Dark Dragon many times before, immediately recognized it.
“It’s really the eye of a baby dragon.”
Freddy swallowed hard.
“Is that all? What about the other one?”
William turned, but Ralph shook his head—there was only one.
“Also, the surrounding trees were cut in a strange way, all pointing northeast. It looked like someone intentionally marked the direction.”
After Ralph’s report, Mikrok stood up.
“William, select the ten fastest knights. We will chase him together.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Ralph, take the remaining knights to Wind Gorge and support the guards. Ensure the Dark Dragon, once it regains its strength, cannot escape.”
Ralph frowned in protest.
“It’s obviously a trap. Maybe we should take more men to Wind Gorge…”
“Even weakened, the Dark Dragon is no easy opponent. And it’s more ferocious after losing its young.”
Mikrok refused Ralph’s suggestion and carefully handed the baby dragon’s eye, wrapped securely, to William.
“Keep this on ice and preserve it properly.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Mikrok turned to Ralph and ordered:
“Depart immediately.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“William, we depart immediately as well. Northeast. Since the invitation came, we must respond.”
As Ralph led the knights toward Wind Gorge, Mikrok and William mounted their horses.
“Even though it’s a baby dragon, if he killed it and took its eye… this kid is no ordinary person.”
“The Maon tribe chief I killed shouted boldly. He said his heir would avenge him.”
Suddenly, Mikrok frowned as if recalling something.
“Princess Shine, being a demon, also freely changed her form. Perhaps his true body isn’t even the boy.”
“I see…!”
“From now on, be wary of everyone we meet!”
William nodded at Mikrok’s warning. They began moving northeast against the biting wind.
Meanwhile…
“Leah, slow down!!”
Having been buried in paperwork for days preparing the welcoming banquet budget, I must have gotten restless.
At first, I was clearly riding side by side with Robbie, but soon my horse was dozens of meters ahead.
I slowed down and waited for Robbie.
“Do you only realize your speed after breaking your neck?”
Embarrassed by Robbie’s sharp rebuke, I laughed awkwardly and dismounted. I spread a blanket under the shade and took out a picnic basket.
“Stop scolding me and come sit. The sun is warm today; it’s nice. I’ve never seen weather like this in Fritan.”
I handed him a drink, and he gulped it down eagerly.
“Are you upset because of that woman?”
“What woman?”
“The woman staying at the Seogung Annex.”
Only then did I realize Robbie meant Princess Shine.
“How do you know her?”
“That’s not important. I told you, no need to hide anything from me. If your husband is out with another woman, how could you be okay?”
“Robbie, how did you know that? Who told you?”
I was startled. I had ordered everyone in the reception room to keep silent about the incident with Princess Shine.
“From the source directly.”
I realized my mistake. Oh dear… I had silenced the wrong people while letting the person herself speak freely!
I frowned at the thought.
“I appreciate your anger for me, but that’s not true. It’s just her one-sided claim.”
“Once someone betrays, they can do it twice, thrice.”
Robbie’s fingers intertwined urgently with mine.
“Listen, Leah. It’s not too late. As we originally planned at the Duke of Uzcal’s manor, let’s go together to the southern continent. Even the Fritan king can’t follow us there.”
“Robbie, you??”
I found Robbie strangely agitated and unfamiliar. The childhood friend I had always been so close to no longer felt the same.
“I’ve only looked at you since I was 13. When you laughed, I laughed. When you cried, my heart tore. I won’t betray you. You’ll be the only woman in my life.”
Shocked by Robbie’s confession, I recalled what Mik had said in the greenhouse:
“Hmph, you may not know, but his heart is unpredictable.”
Hah… Mik knew Robbie better than I did! I was stunned.
I stood up and glared at him seriously.
“Viscount Robbie Stone. Listen carefully. If you spread unverified claims in the future, I will not forgive you, no matter who you are.”
“Also, any words that disturb my relationship with my husband are forbidden. If it happens again, I will punish you strictly for insulting the Fritan royal family.”
Having said all I needed, I coldly turned and mounted my horse.
Tears flowed as I returned to the castle. It was inevitable—I had just lost my precious childhood friend Robbie forever.
Elsewhere…
When Emperor Harun visited Hailey’s bedroom after a long time, the palace maids were on edge. On the emperor’s visit days, Hailey’s anger would be unleashed on them.
All of them silently hoped the emperor would leave quickly.
But the reaction inside the room was unusual.
At first, the usual sounds of torn clothes could be heard, but shortly after, there were no cries or screams from Hailey.
Instead, the labored, strange breathing clearly belonged to the old emperor.
