Chapter 17 (2)
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The letter contained a lengthy discussion about subduing the dark mage, punishing those involved, and rescuing the kingdom. It went as far as uprooting the betrayers and saving the kingdom, even aspiring to govern their land.
The Lirel family doesnt have a separate territory to govern?
Ive lived only to protect the royal family. To protect the kings side, thats the only purpose. I couldnt have done anything else if I wanted to protect the king. Of course, I knew Vernon was discontent with that fact.
Maeves voice, holding the letter, faded away.
At some point, after calming the turmoil beyond the border, I thought of establishing our territory there. As a family guarding the border. I planned to return to the kings side, and Vernon would govern that land.
But maybe your brother didnt share any clues just in case you would seize the credit, thinking youd steal his achievements.
.
Maeve looked Ian in the eyes.
Ian added, If I overstated it, I apologize.
It was only your insight that surprised me. Theres nothing more to see.
Its not that big of a deal.
Ian just shrugged his shoulders.
The letter mainly discussed the existence of the dark mage and the purpose behind it. It only left a note for Maeve that when she arrived in the capital, things would be different. It was easy to deduce what the young lord, driven by inferiority and the desire for recognition, must have thought.
In the end, his concern became a reality. His Majesty directly made you seek out the dark mage. He even hired mercenaries for that.
That wasnt my intention initially. At first.
Maeves breath faltered for a moment.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
It was brief. She quickly returned to her usual dry expression and continued speaking.
But there was no response to the reply I sent to the letter. Not until the day I left. And even now.
He might be busy dealing with the dark mage. You never know.
Of course, he thought the chances of that were slim, and Maeve nodded in agreement.
If that were the case, someone from the family should have contacted me. Most likely, they were instructed not to leave any response until he returned.
What if the letter ended up in the hands of the wrong person?
Its unlikely. The messenger was a long-serving servant of the family, and only someone from the Lirel family can break the seal on the letter. Unless they wanted to forge it, there would be no reason to intercept it.
Thats true.
How long has it been since you sent the reply?
One month. And today marks another week.
Oh, no
Ian barely stopped himself from clicking his tongue. The thought that Vernon might already be dead crossed his mind.
A month is a very long time.
If Vernon no longer exists in this world, I wont have a single person I can believe in. Even if hes alive, it wont change anything. That child will never follow my will.
After a brief breath, she continued.
Thats why I need a trustworthy ally, Ian.
.!
Ians eyes narrowed.
So, thats why she had been circling around the topic.
And this was a one-sided request.
After going to such great lengths to reveal her story and even risking her dignity.
It meant that she had concluded that she couldnt handle everything on her own.
At the same time, it also meant that she saw Ian as the only alternative.
It was unknown how she had reached this conclusion, but at least it seemed like she was ready to make such a statement.
She probably wouldnt have wanted to say this in front of Philip and Miguel.
So, youre looking for an ally who is already in opposition with the dark mage, possesses mental power, insight, strength, and wisdom.
As if declaring his decision, the quest window appeared in front of Ian.
It was a related quest. Corrupted Ones.
The goal was to find and eliminate the nobles who worshiped darkness.
The rewards were gold and stats. And a few question marks.
It was tempting, but Ian continued to think calmly.
Like when it was during the time of Lou Solas apostle.
He had no intention of blindly getting dragged around by the situation and quests.
Especially in a situation where he could choose a more convenient and advantageous path.
Fortunately, in this case, choosing that path wasnt particularly difficult.
I am a mercenary. Mercenaries dont move solely on requests.
Unfortunately, there was no choice but to be the last one to make the decision in this world as well.
With a calm voice, as if explaining it to himself, Ian continued.
However, I understand that as a request for a new contract with different terms after the commission is completed, right?
.!
Translator; ippo
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