Chapter 156:  Red Mithril (4)

“How the hell did that bastard find out…?”

He had been thorough in silencing everyone.

No—this was an isolated mining town, so remote that it took half a day just to reach it from Nord.

So unless someone deliberately sought it out, no one should have known the true nature of the mine.

Even his father, the Grand Duke of the North, had no idea. So how did a mere secretary, who had left the family, know?

“Don’t tell me… he targeted me from the very beginning?”

Edward changed clothes with a grim expression.

Once he was back in a neat suit, his secretary gave him a report.

“That possibility is high. There’s no way he could’ve known otherwise, unless infiltrating us as a secretary candidate was his goal from the start.”

His secretary was a middle-aged man, recognized even by the chief secretary over a decade ago.

His name was Tyr Mendis.

Thanks to his exceptional competence, Edward had recruited him personally, and he now skillfully handled all of Edward’s misdeeds.

“Hah, so Freya wasn’t caught off guard just because she was careless.”

Ever since his eldest sister lost her position as the major shareholder of Luton Maiden, he had realized Roger was serious.

So he, too, would not sit idly by this time. He had to take care of this thoroughly.

“Where are the journalists now?”

“Around the time I checked, Roger’s associate, Lerry Mansachs, was seen entering the Gold Morning headquarters in a hurry.”

The middle-aged man with platinum-blond hair brushed it back from his forehead and glanced elegantly at his wristwatch.

“They haven’t departed yet. They’re probably assembling a veteran team of reporters.”

“Form the Black Knights to match their departure time. Do not let them enter the mining village under any circumstances.”

Perhaps it was because he had already seen what happened once.

This time, he was determined to respond with absolute certainty.

“How aggressive should we be?”

Edward, as though this wasn’t the first time he had gone after forces opposing him, gave his seasoned secretary a chilling look and commanded:

“You know better than I do what needs to be done.”

Start with intimidation—leveraging the Black Knights’ notorious brutality.

If that didn’t work, use light suppression.

And if even that failed…

Then bind them until they swore they wouldn’t leak anything.

“Understood.”

The middle-aged secretary accepted his master’s orders without a hint of emotion.

Then, he left the mansion and began summoning the Black Knights who followed the third son.

Edward watched him through the window.

Arms crossed like his father, he murmured coldly to himself.

“He’ll learn soon enough.”

His sharp teeth twitched.

As if he’d been itching all over from holding back his instincts for so long—thanks to his father.

“He’ll learn who he’s dealing with.”

A wicked smile curled on Edward’s lips.

He wouldn’t end up humiliated like his older sister.

He thought she had been utterly pathetic.

How could she have been outplayed by a mere twenty-year-old man?

The Black Knights began to move busily.

Among the countless knight orders of the Empire, only the most elite were permitted to wear the black uniform.

Men and women solemnly dressed in those black uniforms mounted their black steeds and began preparing to head even further north.

No one paid attention to them as they set off in secret.

No—showing interest might invite retaliation from Edward.

However, things were different for their direct superior.

“Where the hell are those bastards going this time?”

The Black Knights, after all, were still officially part of the Northern Order.

Their direct superior, tasked with overseeing them, was the female knight who had risen to the rank of vice-commander—Echina Luton.

The knights who followed her eyed the movements of the Black Knights with suspicion.

Eventually, they approached the Grand Duke’s daughter, who was silently training alone beneath a maple tree.

“That makes it two thousand…”

The black-haired female knight held a wooden sword in her hand, wearing nothing but a short-sleeved top.

Even though she held a high position as vice-commander, she never neglected her training.

“I’ve slacked off lately… because of that guy.”

Perhaps it was the recent shift in focus—training had taken a backseat to politics and business.

Maybe it was the constant indulgence in good food, thanks to a fox-like man who kept appearing—she felt like she had put on a bit of weight.

So she had been pushing herself harder than usual in her training when—

“Grand Duke’s daughter!!”

The knights under her command came running in a hurry, making her lift her head.

“I told you to call me Vice-Commander when we’re within the Order.”

“I apologize. It’s just that this is extremely urgent…!!”

The young knights gasped for air as they bowed and apologized.

At that, the Grand Duke’s daughter immediately sensed that the situation was serious.

“What’s going on?”

“Well… the Black Knights under the Third Son have started moving!”

Echina had always disapproved of the second son for abusing military forces for personal use.

“How many?”

“At least more than twenty…!! And they’re preparing to depart in full gear!”

Each member of the Black Knights was an elite, high-ranking expert in their own right.

To deploy more than twenty of them fully armed?

“Where are they headed?”

“We’re not sure of the details… but it’s to the north.”

Further north than here.

Echina thought deeply about why anyone would be sent to such a remote region, devoid of any notable cities.

Then, a certain man came to mind.

“Come to think of it… Roger did say recently that he’d be visiting the north.”

Trouble always seemed to follow wherever he went.

And most of the time, that trouble exposed some dark secret of her family.

“……”

Echina lowered the wooden sword in her hand.

Then, slipping a uniform jacket over her white short-sleeved shirt, she gave an order.

“Everyone, get ready.”

The Grand Duke’s daughter felt it instinctively.

Like a woman becoming anxious when something bad happens to her man outside…

She, too, felt that something big was about to happen to him.

“If someone is using military force for personal reasons, shouldn’t we know why?”

She brushed her sweat-dampened, beautiful black hair behind her ear.

Then, as she lightly loosened up her body, hardened and honed by mana, she began preparing to follow them.

“This is perfect, actually.”

Echina wore a faint smile on her moist lips.

“Thanks to Edward, I now have a legitimate reason to go see him.”

「――――――」

Meanwhile, the veteran reporters from Gold Morning had finished preparing to head north in haste.

And just as they were about to board the carriage under Lerry Mansachs’ lead—

He held up the letter I had handed him and raised his voice to deliver a few cautionary remarks.

“Everyone, keep this in mind before we set off.”

A puff of white breath escaped the lips of the young man who had just turned twenty.

Winter was already on its way.

“From this point on, we’re not taking the main road. It’s a shortcut, and even carriages will struggle to pass through.”

The route Mansachs had proposed was the shortcut I had mapped out for him.

Instead of a wide road, it was a winding ridge path, usually taken by merchants when heavy snow blocked other routes.

“Chief, may I ask—why are we going this way specifically?”

Some of the middle-aged veteran journalists, busy packing their equipment, posed the question.

Among their gear were top-grade devices capable of capturing scenes not as drawings, but within crystal orbs.

These tools held far more credibility than hand-drawn illustrations and were typically used only for major incidents.

“We’re carrying a lot of equipment. If we don’t use carriages, there’s a risk of damage.”

“That’s a good question.”

Mansachs was no longer just a twenty-year-old youth—he now carried the aura of a true leader of the group.

In his eyes—so strikingly similar to his father’s—there radiated undeniable leadership.

“We’re heading to a place where the Grand Duke of the North’s greatest weakness is buried.”

He tapped his left chest lightly as he continued.

“A place that’s like the second son’s very heart.”

The veteran journalists immediately grasped what he meant.

The case they were now taking on wasn’t just Class 1—it was top class.

“You all know what kind of person Lord Edward is, don’t you?”

Any reporter worth their salt couldn’t be unaware.

For years, those who went against Edward’s will had vanished without a trace, or were forced into seclusion.

They knew that the Black Knights had been involved in such incidents, and that made the danger of this assignment all the more real.

“This job must be carried out with extreme discretion and precision.”

Mansachs spoke while wearing his coat.

His gaze had changed—it no longer belonged to a boy, but to a man who had matured.

“If this investigation ends in success, a brighter future will dawn over the North.”

He wasn’t just handing them a top-tier scoop—he was instilling a sense of purpose.

“So I ask you all to follow me with conviction in your hearts.”

The veteran reporters looked at the newspaper heir—so much younger than themselves—and regarded him with genuine respect.

None of them took Mansachs lightly.

They had seen firsthand his past achievements, and the kindness he showed in looking after his subordinates.

“Understood…!!”

Satisfied with their strong reply, Mansachs let out a quiet chuckle and gave the carriage a firm knock.

“Alright then, let’s head out! Once this is over, drinks are on me!!”

The moment the company heir made that promise, a cheer erupted.

And so, the team of reporters set off toward the even colder North in pursuit of the truth.

――――――

The carriage rolled steadily down the road for half a day.

Fortunately, there had been no sign of suspicious individuals along the way.

Or perhaps, they were simply hiding—so well they couldn’t be seen.

The Black Knights were experts at concealment and ambush, after all.

And so, the longer the peace lasted, the heavier the tension became.

“……”

Rather than sitting inside, Mansachs had taken the coachman’s seat.

Even as icy wind whipped past him, he remained still, eyes scanning the surroundings with unwavering focus.

Perhaps the heavens were moved by his diligence.

The carriage, bearing the golden sun crest of Gold Morning, reached the end of the road without incident.

“From here, you’ll have to continue on foot.”

The coachman, guided by Mansachs’ directions, spoke solemnly.

In response, the reporters disembarked and began climbing the lightly snow-covered hill.

“Haah… Just how big is this scoop for it to be worth all this trouble…”

Mansachs led the middle-aged reporters up the slope.

As they continued toward the mining village—whose location remained uncertain—a reward for his leadership awaited him.

At the top of the slope, he encountered a man and woman.

“Mansachs!! What took you so long?!”

It was me—and Saint Istina.

“Haa… I swear, I’ll never know peace as long as I’m involved with this guy.”

Despite the grumbling, he sighed in relief, like a sherpa had appeared in the mountains.

He looked at me and the Saint as if we were a young married couple who had settled in the countryside, smiling warmly.

“Hey, seriously, what kind of guy are you to always be darting around the continent like this?”

Mansachs clicked his tongue as if looking at a wild fox.

At the same time, he offered proper respect to the beautiful Saint who stood beside me.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Saint. I’m sure this guy’s been giving you a hard time.”

“Oh no, I came here to volunteer, willingly.”

In the snowy landscape, with her silver hair shining, the Saint looked like a living painting.

The veteran reporters instinctively captured her figure—standing beside me—within their crystal orbs.

Capturing beauty was a reporter’s instinct.

“There’s no time. We have to get over this hill before the Black Knights arrive.”

“We didn’t see them on the way here, though.”

Mansachs turned and looked back at the road he had come from.

The vast wheat fields stretched behind them, along with the path their carriage had taken.

All that remained was that single, breathtaking image.

“The Black Knights—not just their black steeds, but their riding skills as well—far surpass those of ordinary men. They can gallop up and down hills with ease.”

I knew, because I had once commanded them myself—as the Grand Duke’s shadow.

If they spotted us, they would charge forward at full speed without hesitation.

With our heavy gear and not even a mule to carry it, we’d be caught in no time.

“From this point on, we can’t leave a single footprint. I’ll bring up the rear and erase our trail as we go, so try to step only where there’s no snow.”

I pulled out the broom I had prepared in advance.

Then, moving to the back of the group, I began brushing away the footprints.

The moment we leave a trace, they’ll catch up in an instant.

“Shall I help?”

The Saint asked softly, watching me as I climbed while skillfully sweeping the ground with her own broom.

I shook my head gently.

“This too requires a certain level of technique. You’ve already done enough, Saint. Please, take your time climbing.”

I rolled up the sleeves of my dress shirt.

Then, tightening my thighs, I carefully took one step after another up the slope.

“Hmhm, alright then…”

Unlike us, who were all tense and focused, the Saint looked as if she were out for a stroll.

Hands clasped behind her back, she followed me closely, occasionally pouring warm water for me from a small flask.

“……”

Her serene presence helped ease the tense atmosphere among the nervous reporters.

Thanks to her, we managed to climb the hill safely—before the Black Knights could catch up.

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