Chapter 83

The chat window, which had gone quiet, lit up once more with a message from Hunter So Yeri.

Yian ssi trailed off. I could guess why.

There was no mention of Hunter So Yeri in the story.

As if reading our minds, another message from Hunter So Yeri appeared.

In short, that crown prince bastard ignored the assassin I deliberately let live as a warning?

So now he’s targeting the Magic Tower Master—Hunter So Yeri?

The crown prince’s head is what’s gonna get nailed! Amazing!

That guy has no idea his fate is sealed in my system window’s apocalypse prophecy.

Anyway, per Hunter So Yeri, the threats to those two are over.

Thrilled? It’s a magic seal, not an assassination, but still something bad coming her way? And she’s thrilled?

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hunter So Yeri was grinning on the other side of the chat.

Hunter So Yeri argued it would be neat to take the hit and then wipe out the caster, but it still felt off to me no matter how I thought about it.

Is it really okay?

I’d agreed earlier, right before Shin Jae-heon got ambushed, thinking, ‘Who listens to Hunter So Yeri anyway?’

But the more I thought about it, the worse it seemed.

That’s when Hunter So Yeri messaged as if reading my mind.

I could almost hear her saying she’d do it anyway!

Ugh, that experimental spirit of hers!

What was that cringey title?

I could almost hear Hunter So Yeri’s cheerful laughter echoing from afar.

Watching Hunter Yian’s worried messages, I stood up from my seat.

“Let’s go meet up first and figure it out from there.”

I could try talking her out of it in person!

I was about to call for the steward when…

“Family Head!”

The steward found me first.

“Huh?”

Stewards rarely seek me out first unless it’s bad news.

Sure enough, as soon as I responded, he burst through the door with an urgent expression.

“The Miya Alliance is urgently looking for you, Family Head. What should we do?”

The Gate Response Alliance?

“Why?”

Did a big gate pop up somewhere?

“Gates have been appearing rapidly in Viscount Bya’s territory lately. It seems they can’t hold them back and are requesting assistance.”

“Oh…”

I pictured the ever-enthusiastic Viscount Bya, whose blood boiled at the slightest provocation, and raised an eyebrow.

Typical of his lands— even the gates were coming out full throttle.

“The other families in Miya lack the capacity to help, as they’re tied up blocking their own gates.”

“Hmm…”

This was the first time Miya had formally requested aid from another family.

It meant setting a precedent to help others was crucial.

The problem was Hunter So Yeri.

Right after Shin Jae-heon’s ambush, I felt uneasy.

What if something happened in the meantime…?

But Hunter So Yeri wasn’t going to listen anyway.

Seeing her excited messages, I beckoned the steward.

“Prepare the carriage immediately. We’ll head to Bya, then stop by the Magic Tower.”

The steward’s eyes widened at my words before he bowed deeply.

“Right away.”

The Gate Response Alliance ‘Miya’ was still holding strong.

I had no idea what I’d even done, but weekly reports praised me as the ‘Edelvice Viscount, Captain of the Guardian Knights, who helps just by existing’ or some nonsense, and things were running smoothly.

In fact, Miya families had overwhelmingly better gate defense rates than others.

I’d never lent troops or anything—just a word of advice here and there.

What gives? Are you guys getting the synergy skill bonus too?

The synergy skill bonus was only for hunters who’d been in my friend list for over three years. Nobles wouldn’t qualify.

“Oh…”

I shook off the absurd thought and peered outside.

The carriage had already entered Viscount Bya’s territory and was passing through an area swept by monsters.

The situation in Bya lands was graver than I’d heard on the way.

Several gates had already gone berserk, including a B-rank one, scattering monsters everywhere. The knights were chasing them down, delaying the closure of other gates.

The territory was in chaos.

Normally, other families’ heads would evacuate to secure safety first, then plan from there.

But Viscount Bya was different.

‘How could a lord abandon his people and flee? That defies chivalry!’

The hot-blooded Viscount Bya, who’d shouted that until his mansion shook, was still there directing the battle.

Other Miya families couldn’t send their heads, so they exchanged opinions via messengers.

“We don’t have time for that.”

I muttered, recalling the report.

If the worst berserk gate was B-rank, there weren’t many threats here.

Unlike other families who could only send supplies due to depleted forces, we had plenty of reserves.

Neigh!

The knights escorting my carriage were proof.

“Max out the speed!”

Quickly! The carriage accelerated at my command.

We needed to sort out Bya quickly and rush to Hunter So Yeri at the Magic Tower.

Rawr!

Weaker monsters are always the loudest.

We encountered a few packs, but reached Viscount Bya’s mansion without issue.

After a few roars, the mansion was in sight.

And right there on the battlefield ahead, I unexpectedly met the man I’d come to see.

“H-how are you all the way out here?!”

It was Viscount Bya himself.

No, weren’t you supposed to be at the mansion? Why are you in the thick of it like a rank-and-file knight?

After slicing through a C-rank monster, I turned to see Viscount Bya staring at me with a moved expression.

Sir, you gonna cry?

The moment that thought crossed my mind…

“Edelvice Viscount—!”

He bellowed in a voice like he was wailing.

“Truly! A model for all knights!”

Was his voice trembling from emotion? Are you actually crying?

“Welcome!”

Hahaha! Laughing heartily, Viscount Bya slapped my back.

“I never imagined meeting you in the middle of the battlefield—”

Before I could finish, he boomed with laughter.

“How could a knight hole up in a mansion?! A knight belongs where sword and blood clash!”

My expression turned serious.

You’re directing the battle properly, right?

Not throwing young knights recklessly into gates?

While I pondered, I was led to Viscount Bya’s nearby command tent.

Flutter!

I’d heard nobles must maintain dignity in any situation—some pointless unspoken rule.

But Viscount Bya screamed ‘chivalry’ then acted like the dictionary entry had been erased.

His tent had no luxuries whatsoever.

The only proper item was a work desk, neatly bound for quick relocation or document storage.

“Oh…”

As I murmured in admiration, Viscount Bya pulled something from a drawer in his assembled desk and thrust it at me.

“?”

I paused—it was jerky.

“Can’t leisurely cook in the middle of a battlefield! Hahaha!”

Fair enough. I took the jerky with a wry smile.

“We have plenty of jerky!”

Shouting heartily, he unfolded two camp stools.

It really felt like pitching a tent inside a gate.

I eyed Viscount Bya anew.

After our last dungeon run, he’d been impressed(?), droning on about swordsmanship theory stuffily.

That guy was gone.

This man truly was a model hunter… no, knight.

Munching the jerky blankly, I snapped back to reality.

This wasn’t the time.

I needed to get to Hunter So Yeri fast.

“Let’s discuss quickly.”

As I set down the jerky and spoke, Viscount Bya glared wide-eyed.

“…!!!”

He thrilled silently, then smacked his knee.

What, what is it?

“Truly… a knight among knights!”

Grooo! He writhed like he was drowning in emotion.

Before I could speak, he clenched his fist and declared,

“You can’t bear to watch your suffering people for even a moment?”

Thud!

Unable to contain himself, he stomped up and pulled something from under the desk.

Pop!

The familiar sound of a bottle opening.

No way?

“A toast to the knight among knights, Sir Edelvice!”

No, you won’t eat in wartime, but you’ll drink?

Stunned, I took the glass hesitantly.

But what poured in was clear fruit juice.

Zero alcohol. Absolutely zero.

…Am I the one whose brain’s pickled in booze?

Confession time.

Sometimes… I’d go into B-rank dungeons with a beer in hand…

“…I saw on the way—lots of gates have already berserked.”

I gulped down the juice, trying to fish Viscount Bya out of his emotional stew.

He nodded vigorously.

“Indeed. This Reddid de Bya’s failing. However…!”

Thud!

Stamping again, he bellowed,

“With Viscount Edelvice and Viscount Tenchia coming to my aid, the crisis will pass!”

Viscount Tenchia?

Someone else was coming besides me?

As I glanced at the tent flap absentmindedly…

Flutter.

Just then, the Bya family steward lifted the flap and entered, with a guest in tow.

“Master. Viscount Tenchia has arrived.”