Chapter 332

Chapter 332

Days once again flew by in the blink of an eye.

One day, Stage 14 was suddenly upon us.

"Wow"

Snowflakes began to pour from the sky.

"Its definitely winter now."

I closed the window after watching the snow accumulate in the courtyard of the mansion. Ah, its so cold.

Crossroad, where we were located, might have been in the southern part of the continent and thus considered somewhat warmer. However, somewhat warmer was a relative term.

Compared to the northern regions, it was relatively warmer, but that didnt mean we had a tropical climate. It felt similar to Korea... with clearly defined seasons.

If its this cold at the southernmost point, what kind of winters are the northern countries enduring?

I remembered tales of the northern kingdom where it even snowed in summer. Did their winters have avalanches pouring down from the sky?

Im never going to visit the north, even if I die.

Wrapped in a blanket and shivering, I sat down in a chair in front of the heater.

There was no underfloor heating system in this fantasy world, so sitting huddled in front of the fireplace and sipping the hot cocoa that Aider had made was the best I could do to stay warm.

"Are you okay, senior?"

Thats when Evangeline, who was sitting next to me reading a book, looked at me with concern.

"You seem to be struggling with the cold?"

"Ah, Ive always been a bit weak in the winter Dont worry, Ill get used to it."

I felt a bit better drinking cocoa, wrapping myself tightly in the blanket, and sticking close to the heater.

I should spend the day going through paperwork like this

"Your Grace!"

Just then, the office door burst open and Aider rushed in.

Ah, this smelled like work. Undoubtedly, this meant that Id have to leave this cozy nest.

With a sorrowful face, I pulled the blanket down to my neck and asked.

"So, whats the matter? The roof collapsed due to snow? Were running out of equipment for snow removal? Id like to handle it with remote paperwork if possible"

But it wasnt any of those issues.

"We have guests from the Imperial Capital!"

At his next words, I jumped up from my seat.

"They are the wife of Prince Lark, the First Imperial Prince, and their three children!"

"They finally arrived!"

Larks wife and three sons.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com

I had previously ordered an operation to secretly evacuate them from the Imperial Capital.

I had heard that they had escaped and were heading south toward us, and now they had finally arrived in Crossroad.

***

Silver Winter Merchant Guild branch, situated in the heart of Crossroad.

The guests were initially brought here. Even I, clad in a thick coat and scarf, hurriedly entered the building.

"Your Grace."

A maid with blue hair greeted me at the entrance, a large sword coffin strapped to her back.

She was Serenades personal guard and the one responsible for executing the escape operation for Larks family, an SSR-grade swordsman named Elize.

I slapped Elizes shoulder lightly as a greeting.

"Elize! Youve done well. Were there any difficulties during the escape?"

"The escape itself went smoothly. However, the journey was quite long, so our honored guests found it somewhat exhausting. But they are all safe."

"Were there any pursuers?"

"There were, but I took care of them."

Elize made it sound scary in a nonchalant manner.

Anyway, being among the strongest characters of the swordsman class, it seemed Elize had done an excellent job in protecting them on their way here.

I repeatedly praised Elize for her good work. Then I tilted my head in curiosity.

"Hey, speaking of which, where is Alberto? I thought hed be the first to greet me when I arrived."

"He came halfway but then returned to the Imperial Capital. He said we should still have a contact in the capital"

"That old man, really..."

I clicked my tongue briefly.

Even the Imperial Capital would soon be engulfed in the flames of war, so it couldnt possibly be safe. It seemed Alberto chose to return there willingly.

Its obviously good if we still have a card to play within the Imperial Capital. But for the old man to willingly risk himself like this.

Hell manage. Hes got plenty of experience serving in the imperial palace.

Still, I was a bit worried...

"That aside, please come in."

Elize gestured toward the inside of the building.

Currently, five members of the Aegis Special Forces are imprisoned in the central jail of Crossroad.

All five who were dispatched with Mason. Those whose identities were confirmed were all captured and confined to the central jail.

They claim their mission was simply to strengthen reconnaissance on Crossroad, but

Im not an idiot to believe that at face value.

In this escalating civil war situation, its not just Larks faction. The elite first team coming all the way to this rural corner of Crossroad, which declared its own independent policy, is definitely up to something.

The most likely targets are Larks wife and their three sons.

I had secretly moved them outside the Imperial Capital.

If Fernandez sent the first team of the Aegis Special Forces to kidnap them again? Then it all adds up.

So, I decided to have them stay at the Silver Winter Merchant Guilds branch.

This building is located in the heart of Crossroad, meaning military facilities, including barracks, are all nearby.

Its more advantageous for defense than the estate thats somewhat on the outskirts.

All I can do right now is beef up the defense.

I ordered heightened security around the Silver Winter Merchant Guild building, increased the number of scouts inside the city, and made the identification checks for incoming refugees stricter than before.

The most troublesome guys are already in jail, and Im doing my best to guard against additional spies coming in.

I cant be entirely at ease, but Ive done just about everything I can.

After briefly explaining the situation, Serenade nodded her head in understanding.

"We will also make sure to provide thorough security on our end. For the time being, Elize will be their exclusive escort."

"Thank you, Serenade. I really appreciate it."

I exhaled deeply.

From now on, many dignitaries will come to Crossroad, and given the number of politically sensitive people involved, these covert conflicts will likely increase.

I need to establish a solid counter-espionage system...

And I should also quickly build that hotel.

Guests coming over was always a hassle, and it wasnt an ordinary feat to disperse them here and there. One hotel wouldve solved everything!

While pondering this, Serenade subtly mumbled, looking towards the reception room.

"By the way, you two look good together as a couple."

"Huh? Uh, yeah...?"

"Even when youre apart, you trust each other strongly, believe in the path the other is taking, and can keep your composure in the face of danger... Its admirable."

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

"Above all, your children are adorable too..."

Having said that much, Serenade gently cast her silver eyes my way.

My heart sank. What the heck! Whats the meaning of that?!

"Your Majesty."

Serenade quickly reached out towards me.

Frozen, I couldnt move. Her slender finger touched my cheek, then-

"You have a fever again."

She moved her hand upwards to rest it on my forehead.

Caught off guard, I stuttered before abruptly asking, "What?! Fever?! Really? I have a fever?"

"Yes. You were ill not too long ago, and I heard you collapsed once during this expedition as well. Are you overexerting yourself again?"

"Who did you hear that from? I was keeping it a secret..."

"I heard it from Miss Evangeline. She was quite forthcoming when I brought her some snacks."

Evangeline! How could you betray my trust for some snacks!

"Dont be too hard on Miss Evangeline. As you may recall, Im a merchant, and I specialize in information handling. If snacks werent enough, I wouldve used something else to find out about this."

Serenade spoke indifferently and then smirked.

"Please dont push yourself too hard, Your Majesty. Winter has just begun, and there are still battles to fight."

"..."

"Ive noticed youve been overexerting yourself recently, and it worries me."

Truth be told, my condition had been less than ideal since experiencing magic exhaustion in the dungeon.

But I had consumed a Dragon Heart, for crying out loud! And there were still mountains of tasks to complete. I couldnt afford to be weak.

Still, I couldnt say that in front of Serenade, who looked up at me with anxious eyes. I forced a smile and waved my hands.

"Alright, after this defense mission, Ill take a day to rest. Dont worry too much."

***

Two days later, on the morning when monsters stormed the forward base.

I woke up at dawn, touched my burning forehead, checked the runny nose stretching down from my nostrils, and muttered softly.

"...Ah, shit."

Can I stop being sick? At this rate, Ill be more of a wreck than Kuilan!