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Chapter 248: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (41)

When I returned to the Percus manor, it was already early afternoon.

Mages were a valuable asset, and the exceptional ones even more so.

Having been accustomed to special treatment from the family, being sent to a rural territory likely caused some dissatisfaction. Moreover, their lack of achievements during this period made their efforts seem vain.

So, it would be rather strange to say they were comfortable.

Perhaps due to this, a few members cast hostile glances my way. As befitting members of a high-ranking noble family, they seemed to have grown up in a competitive atmosphere as well.

This was evident from their inability to differentiate between those they needed to cooperate with and those they needed to compete against.

However, there was no unnecessary conflict.

Sir Reynold\'s stern warning to the members played a role in maintaining peace.

"He is someone who might become a son-in-law of the Rinella family. Be cautious in your words and actions."

It was a public announcement that I had become an official candidate as Elsie\'s fiance.

I sighed deeply and continued walking, feeling weary.

I couldn\'t tell whether this was a fortunate or unfortunate development. Elsie was far beyond my league, and I still couldn’t decipher the nature of her feelings for me.

It was too confusing to determine whether her feelings were of love or mere admiration.

Lost in these complex thoughts, I entered the manor\'s reception room.

There were already two people present in the room.

It was Leto and Yuren, two of the few men in the group besides myself.

Thinking about it, I could understand why Ria was particularly upset. Four out of the six guests were women, so it was natural for someone as jealous as her to harbor dissatisfaction.

If I had only brought Leto and Yuren, Ria\'s attitude might have been more lenient.

However, given the current situation, such thoughts were merely futile.

Typically, when members of the same gender gathered, everyone was included. Yet somehow, Leto and Yuren were having a meeting without me.

It seemed I had been excluded from their inner men-only circle.

I cleared my throat, drawing the attention of Leto and Yuren. Only then, with a touch of disappointment, did I ask,

"What are you guys doing alone? Forget about Yuren. You\'re into women, aren\'t you, Leto?"

"Ian, let\'s say that I am owed some money. Would you touch that money?"

I showed a bewildered expression at Leto\'s cryptic response.

"What kind of nonsense is this? Why would I take my friend’s money?"

"That\'s how it is... Well, he’s an opponent I can\'t even face in the first place."

Leto\'s curt response remained ambiguous.

However, probing further would likely result in criticisms from Leto, such as remarks about the Knight Division\'s foolishness or other critiques.

I didn’t want to hear unnecessary insults, so I decided to ignore Leto.

Instead, I turned my attention to Yuren.

His expression remained indifferent as he tapped the table with a card.

"Sigh, is there anything interesting? Swords, bloodshed, combat... I didn\'t butt in just to help Sister, but..."

"Butting in, you say?"

"I thought I would offer some advice since Sister seemed to cry a lot at night... Oops, was that a secret?"

As he said this, Yuren wore a peculiar smile.

Despite his mysterious and handsome appearance, his one flaw was being so attractive that sometimes, I felt the urge to hit him. However, there was no way I could win against Yuren, known for his martial arts skills. So, he wasn’t an opponent I could hit even if I wanted to.

There seemed to be some hidden meaning in Yuren\'s words, but I decided to let it go.

It was fortunate timing, as I had news that could alleviate Yuren\'s boredom. There was no reason to delay my friends’ excitement.

It was information meant for the entire group, but there wouldn’t be any harm in sharing it a little earlier with a select few.

Yuren\'s expression visibly brightened upon hearing the rough explanation of the situation.

"Finally, a battle?!"

"I don\'t know yet. There might not be a battle...?"

"No, I’m sure there will be a battle!"

Yuren spoke with such conviction that it seemed strange.

"Ian, do you remember what I said last time? Controlling demonic beasts isn\'t exclusive to demonic humans. Dark priests also have that ability. However, why didn\'t that Dark Priest summon demonic beasts in the forest?"

"...To avoid detection?"

"Of course, that could be a reason. But now that she\'s been exposed, hasn\'t she?"

A weary sigh escaped Leto\'s lips.

He pressed his hand against his forehead, indicating he had a headache.

"So now it will definitely lead to a battle... the question now is whether she belatedly summons the demonic beasts or if has enough power that she doesn’t need them."

“Judging by the fact that she has exposed herself, it\'s safe to assume her preparations are complete. So, the latter option seems more probable, right?"

Leto, who had eased his headache, and Yuren, who was exhilarated, their voices formed an unusual harmony.

Regardless of who voiced it, that statement indicated one thing.

Though we were unsure of what awaited us in the forest, a battle was inevitable.

However, I couldn\'t fully agree with that statement.

"Mitram might not be in that forest. Do you believe that bastard would get caught so easily?"

"...Get caught?"

Yet, with an air of confidence, Yuren wore a slightly skeptical smile.

"Dark priests typically don\'t wander far from their hideouts. If their main body is waiting, it should be near the location where they revealed themselves."

How did an escort knight from the Holy Nation know so much about the situation inside the Dark Order?

Though I inwardly scoffed, I couldn\'t shake off the foreboding feeling.

I must make it clear that we need to be well-prepared.

After composing the message I would convey to the group in my mind, I began to prepare for our journey into the forest.

***The next morning, the hastily assembled exploration party set out.

The Rinella family\'s Mage Corp, part of the expedition, served as external reinforcements.

We had a duty to disclose not only our destination but also our objective to the Percus family members.

Naturally, Ria voiced her strong opposition immediately.

"...No, no, you are absolutely not allowed!"

Until the moment of departure, Ria showed no signs of letting me go.

Usually, our father or brother would intervene to dissuade Ria, but not today.

It wasn\'t that they couldn\'t intervene; but rather, it was just that emotionally, they were in agreement with Ria.

Ultimately, I was left alone to face Ria\'s resistance, and a sigh escaped me.

"Ria, we have to go. This concerns more than just the Percus family.”

"If it\'s not just the Percus family\'s problem, why must Oppa step up? Can\'t we just wait for the central army?!"

As I wore a troubled expression, Dame Irene intervened.

Since our previous meeting, Dame Irene had often been by Ria\'s side, diligently following the instructions from the future \'me.’

"Lady Ria, Master Ian is a crucial member of the expedition team. Apart from the Rinella Mage Corps, we absolutely need someone to lead the remaining forces."

"...T-Then let someone else lead!"

"In the battlefield, where lives are at stake, the commander\'s judgment is the line between life and death. As vital as that responsibility is, gaining recognition from your comrades is equally crucial."

Otherwise, instructions might become tangled or delayed in urgent situations.

Despite my unfortunate history with Mitram, I had to shoulder my responsibility. Since that knot was tied, it was up to me to untangle it. Fleeing from it in the face of potential danger wasn\'t noble.

Unable to counter my arguments, Ria made a final, desperate plea.

"No, no… No matter what, you shouldn’t go! Even if you must go, take me with you!"

"...Ria."

I sighed once more, shaking my head.

I couldn\'t indulge Ria\'s complaints any longer. So, I turned to Dame Irene for assistance.

"Dame Irene, please take care of Ria."

"I will do my best... I\'m tired of failing as an escort."

Irene gave a wry smile as she shook hands with me.

Eventually, Ria succumbed to Dame Irene\'s physical strength and was reluctantly pulled away.

"Ah, Dame Irene! Let go of me! My brother might die...!"

Leaving Ria\'s pleading behind, I turned to bid farewell to my parents.

"I\'ll be back."

"Ian..."

My father wore an unusually sad expression.

"Remember, if you get involved with the Dark Order, there will be nothing but regret and pain. Do not trust anything that comes from their lips."

I was well aware of that.

But I reassured them casually.

"Don\'t worry, Father. I\'ll come back unscathed."

My father and I shook hands, and my mother embraced me for a long time. My brother, Aaron, silently patted my shoulder.

My companions also shared a brief farewell with the family members they were close to.

Senior Elsie was passionately explaining to my father how amazing I was, while the Saintess reassured my mother that she would definitely protect me.

Seria received another ruby gem from Aaron, perhaps as a token of encouragement.

Despite becoming accustomed to battles where lives were at stake, the thought of leaving my beloved family behind weighed heavily on my heart.

So, I made a sincere promise that this time, I would return unscathed, to the best of my ability.

However, of course, as with most things in the world, it was a resolution that could not be guaranteed.

Unexpectedly, as soon as we entered the forest, we were confronted by individuals who appeared to be civilians. In response, I shouted,

"...Everyone, prepare for combat!"

Because among them were familiar faces.

They were the missing persons.

They were my neighbors, turned into Mitram\'s experiments. Screaming, they rushed to attack us.