Chapter 165

Viscount Forlang had recently come down with a stomach illness.

“Even just drinking water makes my stomach burn. Damn it.”

Water alone? He couldn’t even touch alcohol or coffee anymore.

The moment it went down his throat, his insides churned, making it impossible to swallow.

But.

“Now it hurts even without drinking anything!”

He pounded his chest.

Lately, nothing had gone right for Viscount Forlang.

He’d set plenty of schemes in motion, but not a single one had borne fruit.

“Those damn idiots.”

He spat the words out like they tasted foul.

First, there was Ricas, whom he’d sent to Edelweiss.

He hadn’t placed high hopes on his spineless, indecisive second son.

But at least he should have pretended to gather some intel, right?

Instead, the first message that arrived was this.

[Senia has gone on an extended outing, Father. It looks like I won’t be able to get any information for a while.]

What kind of useless intel was that?

[Then at least find out where she went—]

Viscount Forlang had started writing a reply but ended up crumpling and tossing his second son’s letter in a fit of rage.

And what about his eldest?

‘I, I’m mobilizing!’

He didn’t have time to investigate whatever illness only improved at night.

He had to expose it to the public as quickly as possible.

But the fool had dawdled at the front lines like he was only going through the motions, struggling against a horde of monsters that even novice knights could handle.

‘It’s because my body isn’t cooperating.’

Kikal made his excuses, but as a former swordsman himself, Viscount Forlang found them unconvincing.

His sword swings lacked any real power.

Moreover, Kikal’s movements were off somehow.

He’d overexert himself as if overconfident in his strength, only for his body to twist awkwardly and send him tumbling in an unsightly heap.

As if his power had surged then abruptly weakened.

It was believable enough that Kikal, not Senia, had been the one afflicted.

“I can’t leave everything to these unreliable fools.”

He would have to take matters into his own hands.

With grim resolve, he rose from his seat.

He might draw sharp glares from those accusing him of targeting his own daughter, but the time had come to bear it.

If the Edelweiss family kept soaring unchecked, the Forlang family would be the one under scrutiny.

“No idea how they pick such skilled knights…”

Viscount Forlang’s gaze fell on the documents.

Files on the Edelweiss family. Naturally, their gate defense rate was 99%.

“Tch.”

Clicking his tongue, he forced away his envious stare.

No matter how skilled the knights, they were still human.

In gate battles or any fight, the key was logistics!

He planned to target Edelweiss’s supply lines.

“It won’t go your way, Senia.”

Gnashing his teeth, he stormed out of the room.

And not long after.

“Welcome back, Tower Master!”

“We heard about your heroic exploits, Tower Master!”

“The rumors have already spread far and wide!”

The moment Soyeri returned to the Edelweiss magic stone mine, she was bombarded with praise until her ears rang.

“It was nothing.”

Clona Eisen accepted the compliments humbly with her gentle, quiet demeanor, but Soyeri was different.

That’s right! I was amazing too! Praise me more!

But saying that aloud would trigger an undeniable penalty, so she masterfully schooled her expression.

Then she asked the mages.

“Any progress on the research while I was away?”

“Ah, yes!”

The mages hurried over with eager movements.

“This is the first magic stone mined here in Edelweiss. The mana flow in this region’s stones is…”

They began sharing their research findings.

Something about the patterns unique to Edelweiss magic stones.

“I see.”

Soyeri nodded as she examined the magic stone sample.

The stones bore eerily identical patterns, as if printed.

That was when she thought that.

“What should we do with the carriage you brought back?”

One mage suddenly asked.

“Carriage?”

Why would I bring a carriage? I flew here.

She stepped outside with a puzzled look and sure enough, there was a carriage.

“A supply carriage?”

Why is this here? Wasn’t it just passing by? An Edelweiss supply cart?

“This isn’t mine.”

She hadn’t even towed it.

Soyeri habitually activated her skill to inspect the carriage.

“?”

Hm? She blinked.

It registered as supply goods, sure enough…

But the owner wasn’t a local.

Up close, the contents were a sight to behold.

Neatly packaged on the outside, but the Appraisal skill revealed the truth.

This geezer wouldn’t stay quiet even when his head was about to roll alongside Ricas de Forlang.

“No rain around here lately, yet the carriage is damp,” a mage inspecting it with Soyeri noted, looking puzzled.

“Is it?”

It must have rained in Forlang. Soyeri smiled prettily.

“Looks like the carriage took a wrong turn…”

She glanced at the driver, who looked lost and panicked.

Not from Forlang, apparently…

“Did this carriage stop midway by any chance?”

“Y-yes?”

The driver startled, then stammered.

“Of, of course. We had to eat sometime.”

The escorts nodded along.

But their terrified faces were a dead giveaway. Threatened into swapping the cargo?

Soyeri could guess the script.

Even Hunter Yian sounded exasperated.

It wasn’t a real threat like the Eastern Empire, so who could blame them?

Soyeri didn’t know—and neither did the heavens—why these fools, who had sent Ricas and were prepping to lose their heads, kept stirring so aggressively.

How did they come up with such a perfect nickname!

Soyeri swallowed a laugh.

Our Hunter Shin Yuri even had polite manners.

Soyeri smiled faintly. Donning Clona Eisen’s warm mask once more, she gestured.

“It seems like it’s from somewhere else, so I’ll return it to where it belongs.”

At her gesture, the driver’s face drained of color.

Things weren’t going according to plan, apparently.

Soyeri feigned ignorance and, with the escorts, lifted the carriage into the sky.

Right back where it came from~ Straight to Forlang~ Special delivery!

I couldn’t help but be baffled. But I couldn’t curse them out.

A far more ridiculous guy was right in front of me.

None other than Ricas de Forlang.

Your dad’s trick got caught… Did you know?

Oblivious, Ricas de Forlang was even mimicking a ‘nice big brother’ with his soft, drawn-out tone.

“I had no idea you were working this hard.”

Now that you know, get lost?

“It’s all for the territory’s people.”

I gave a shy smile. Not because I wanted to.

It was a half-step back for ten steps forward.

If I groomed this spy who’d wormed into my graces properly, he’d grow into a fine seed of treason.

Hurry and leak info to the Eastern Empire—become a sprout of rebellion!

“Impressive nonetheless.”

Clueless to my thoughts, Ricas complimented me in what he thought was a suave voice.

To me, it was just nauseating.

He probably thought his voice was charming, but sadly, I was accustomed to Hunter Yian’s soothing ASMR tones.

No matter how you try to lower your voice, it’s just mushy… Stop… STAY…

“Thanks to you, Carman’s gates are stabilizing overall. I’m proud to call you my little brother.”

Looking at his smiling face, I genuinely wanted to punch him as a hunter.

He eyed my desk with admiring eyes.

“How do you handle so much…?”

Try varying your compliments.

I wasn’t even that busy right now.

During gate secondary hold prep, handling a few urgent ones left me with unprecedented free time.

Ah, was Viscount Forlang even more idle?

Is that why he was sending this guy to pester me?

Clueless Ricas kept marveling, then slyly asked.

“So, how do you form gate response teams?”

It’s in the manual… But I kindly explained.

“It’s priests and mages and…”

Common knowledge, but Ricas acted like it was new.

Then he probed subtly.

“Lots of mages and priests in Edelweiss—some special pact?”

Your ulterior motives are showing.

“Nah, just lucky.”

I smiled softly! My will to smile was fading, but I forced it.

“What if a bright red gate appears?”

Ricas asked then.

This guy’s persistent.

From what I’d heard, he was a spy for both Eastern Empire’s Kinna and Viscount Forlang.

Busy feeding intel to both sides, huh, buddy?

Detailed gate response info would be gold for both… Wait.

Oh.

A brilliant idea struck me.

“Ah, bright red gates? They’re a bit different.”

Miya already knew this, but Forlang had no ties to Miya, so they wouldn’t.

“It’s pretty well-known, but first, assign three swordsmen.”

DPS 3.

“Then two shield paladins in the back, one priest, one mage.”

Tank 2, heal 1, support 1.

“That few priests is okay?”

“Yes.”

No. Absolutely not.

Hunter Yian would breathe fire.

But I smiled prettily.

“The rear paladins block all attacks, so less need for heals.”

Utter nonsense.

But… Ricas jotted it down like top-tier intel.

Spycraft takes brains, buddy.

I fed him the poison pill in detail.

Soon, this intel would backfire spectacularly.

Stuffing an S-rank dungeon with the godawful ‘DPS3 tank2 heal1 sup1’ combo.

Only Forlang and the Eastern Empire would try it.

Why? I didn’t tell Miya this version!

I gave a sweet smile to Ricas, droning on about brotherly pride.

Your lifeline’s nearly snapped— at least enjoy my pretty face on your way out!

See ya! Goodbye!