Chapter 132: Tightrope Walking (6)

I hurriedly pulled my hood down to cover my face. Despite this, the gaze that seemed to have already guessed my identity showed no signs of letting up.

“Daniel, hyung?”

“…….”

Even the student who had been listening to the explanation seemed to sense something was off and turned around. However, the student’s action was stopped by the teacher, Daniel.

He fiddled with his waist a few times, then looked at my mouth, frowned, turned away, and patted the student’s back as if urging them to hurry.

“Shall we talk about the rest when we get back?”

***

“Marquis-nim…”

“……Alright, alright.”

I’ll get to the paperwork. I will.

I nodded at Dan’s call, which now sounded almost pleading, and completely snapped out of my thoughts.

Right, I can’t put off the paperwork forever. Steel myself and look down at the paper on the desk… Wow, I really don’t want to do this. There’s even more paperwork because of the war.

‘Is it that I don’t want to do it because my body feels stiff?’

To clear my head, I leaned back against the chair as if stretching, arching my upper body as far as it would go. It was almost at the same moment that a sword flashed before my eyes.

……Huh?!

“Mas… Marquis-nim!”

Damn it, what was that! Why is a sword flashing in front of my eyes!

Startled, I instinctively shot my upper body upright and stood up abruptly. It was then that someone’s chin and my delicate forehead collided with a loud *thwack*!

“Ugh…!”

“Kuh!”

That hurt… Judging by the sparks that flashed before my eyes for a moment, I must have hit it pretty hard… I wonder if the guy I bumped into is okay? It was his chin.

I hastily placed a hand on the desk and rubbed my forehead a few times before lifting my head. The attacker, who seemed to have lost strength in his legs and collapsed, and Dan, who had a sword to his neck, gradually came into focus.

……No, looking at it now, it’s not just resting against his neck.

‘What are you doing… Trying to kill him before finding out who’s behind him?’

The blade had already pierced his skin.

I stared at the gruesome sight with a horrified gaze before shifting my eyes to Dan. As if he had miraculously noticed, he glanced at me with just his pupils, then fixed his gaze back on the attacker with caution, muttering in an admiring tone.

“No wonder… You said you felt chills earlier and weren’t really focused on your paperwork….”

“Huh?”

“It was because you sensed someone had snuck in and were on alert.”

“Uh, yeah…?”

“Was ‘chills’ the signal? I apologize for not noticing.”

That’s not it at all… You don’t have to apologize….

I forced myself to ignore the throbbing pain in my forehead and rolled my eyes.

……Well, what’s done is done.

“It’s… okay. You might not have noticed.”

As time went on, I was becoming more and more brazen.

***

While the soldiers Dan had called out were rushing in to arrest the attacker, another shadow, who had been watching this whole scene unfold from hiding, muttered to himself after a long silence.

“I didn’t even need to step in.”

So he really is a hero.

I was still unsure, but now I know for sure. He had been aware of those hiding here from the beginning. Even of me, hiding in the shadows right now.

When he comforted his subordinate, saying he might not have noticed, he even glanced at the place where I was hiding, so it’s certain.

‘……Well, it’s good for me since I’m getting paid for nothing.’

He told me to protect him from the numerous attackers to come.

It seems like he can survive just fine without me, but I did get paid, so I guess I should do my job.

The shadow moved towards the attackers who were approaching again, not discouraged by their previous failure, and chuckled silently.

‘Some get paid to try and kill him, and others get paid to protect him… I don’t know what to make of this.’

***

What on earth is going on…….

I blankly watched the situation being neatly cleaned up before staggering back to the desk and sitting down.

Dan seemed to be happily spouting nonsense about how I was finally going to get to work now that the distracting gaze was gone… I didn’t want to hear it, so I just ignored him and let it pass.

‘Okay, that just didn’t happen.’

Accidentally subduing an attacker with my headbutt, and then being misunderstood in some incomprehensible way… Anyway, that embarrassing incident never happened. I’ll just erase it from my mental history log.

‘……Just shut up and do the paperwork.’

That’s the best way to clear my head.

I sighed and picked up my pen… then paused. A faint vibration was coming from my inner pocket.

My face involuntarily scrunched up.

‘I’m already tired, why does it have to be now…….’

The vibration was coming from the left.

So, what’s in my left inner pocket is… the ‘communication stone,’ right? The communication device that connects to the Demon King.

The one on the right is the ‘communicator’ that connects to the Emperor.

Neither of them are the kind of thing I can answer here. I subtly got up from my seat to move locations, and Dan, who was sorting documents on one side,敏锐하게 raised his head and reacted.

“Where are you going?”

“Outside for a bit. I’ll be right back, so wait here. And don’t follow me.”

“…….”

“No sneaking, either.”

“Yessir…….”

Leaving his deflated voice behind, I exited the military camp and headed to a secluded spot, sighing deeply.

‘What are they going to order me to do this time?’

It’s quiet now for some reason, but in the very early stages after the Empire and the Demon Realm started the war, I really had to go back and forth between the two camps like crazy, leading from the front.

Dan said there was a rumor that the hero Deon Hart and the Commander of the 0th Legion had similar combat styles. No wonder. They ran me ragged! Is it any wonder most of my memories are gone!

‘When this side puts me at the front, the other side calls me over and puts me at the front too! Are you really competing over something like this?!’

It’s not like we’re kids, this is really too much.

Thanks to that, our crazy dogs and the 0th Legion members are burning with competitive spirit against each other as the vanguards of their respective camps. Seeing them eagerly waiting for the day they can properly clash, not even knowing their leaders are the same person… ha…….

‘……Wait, could they be holding back because of that rumor?’

My quickly moving steps faltered and slowed abruptly.

There’s a limit to suppressing rumors, so in the end, the only way is to reduce how often they use me. At the very least, it’s better to avoid putting me at the front.

‘So…….’

So that’s why I’m trapped in this paperwork hell!

I had an epiphany. Dammit.

……Anyway, there shouldn’t be anyone around here. I don’t sense any presence, but just in case, I looked around and muttered an empty “go away” before pulling out the communication stone from my pocket.

“Yes, I’m on.”

– Oh, Deon. Sorry to bother you when you’re busy, but could you walk northwest from where you are now? It’s not too far, probably about an hour at your pace.

Suddenly…? And an hour…?

No, wait. Northwest from here… that’s obviously near the front line. My military camp is located in the rear… to be exact, an isolated place about 15 minutes away from the border.

‘This demon… even though this border has less fighting and a passive atmosphere, isn’t this too much?’

How can he just tell me to go somewhere without knowing where it is? What if I run into someone on the way?

He doesn’t even have the exact coordinates. If I go in the wrong direction and suddenly pop up right on the opposing border during a confrontation, that’s the end, the end!

One might say it’s not hard to find a direction, but since the border is located in the mountains, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact direction, and the terrain is uneven, making it difficult to move in the intended direction. Going straight is out of the question.

– Don’t worry about getting lost. I’ll let you know if you go in the wrong direction.

“Ah, location tracking… Understood. But what’s the reason….”

I told Dan I’d be right back, I need to hurry.

I rubbed the mark on my collarbone, near my neck, with my thumb and quickened my pace.

– Oh, didn’t I tell you? Sorry, I’ve been a bit out of it lately.

“It’s nothing.”

I’m pretty sure he didn’t tell me on purpose.

– By the way, do you have your weapon?

“Yes.”

– Then that’s enough. It’s nothing much.

See? He’s not telling me on purpose.

I’m always carrying my weapon. I’m even fully armed. Even though the opponent is from the Demon Realm, attacks have been so frequent lately that I even prepare minimally when I sleep.

Just the fact that I carry the Emperor’s favorite sword is enough reason for people to target me, so even if we ignore that side, it’s surprising that they have enough余裕 to attack humans when dealing with the Demon Realm is already overwhelming. I’d like to see the face of whoever it is, for real.

‘……More than that, I’m worried because he won’t tell me the reason.’

He keeps glossing over it, saying it’s nothing.

……Could he be trying to kill me?

‘Really?’

Should I go back now?

My steps had stopped at some point. I stood there blankly, lost in thought. If I wanted to, I could turn back right now without following his orders, but to do that….

‘…….’

I belatedly realized I was still fiddling with the mark with my thumb and let go.

……But I don’t have the certainty that he’s the enemy. I’m in a position where I can’t just act rashly.

‘……Seal this thought away.’

The thoughts that were becoming deep and heavy were cut off at some point.

Where was I in my thoughts? As I was reorganizing my memories, the Demon King, having read something in my stationary position and silence, carefully spoke as if trying to appease me.

– No, it’s really nothing much. I was actually worried you’d be disappointed and try to turn back… that’s why I didn’t tell you.

“…….”

– If you really don’t trust me, I’ll tell you. But promise you won’t turn back after hearing it?

“……I’ll listen first.”

– There’s a group of magical beasts at the destination. Not too many, and they’re at a level you can easily handle on your own….

Okay, I’m turning back.

– De, Deon? Why are you turning back… Is it because it sounds boring? Are you annoyed that I called you for something insignificant?

“…….”

– Please understand. Because of the location, it’s better to take care of it in advance, but it’s a waste to send troops separately….

Aren’t I a waste? Sending me as a sacrifice, is that it?

If he could see my sour expression, at least he would have stopped talking. The Demon King’s nonchalant voice continued, oblivious to my inner thoughts.

– It’s much more efficient to send you and divert the troops that would have gone there to another area, right? Besides, moving troops right now might raise unnecessary alarms. The Emperor is sensitive these days.

“…….”

– If it’s too much trouble, you can just scare them away. The problem isn’t the ‘magical beasts’ themselves, but the ‘location’ where they are. Being near the border, who knows what kind of variable it could become…….

What kind of superhuman scares magical beasts?

I corrected my direction and started moving again, lost in thought. The Demon King’s relieved voice echoing from the communication stone bothered me for some reason, so I abruptly cut off the call.

‘Well, he’ll call again if I go the wrong way. More importantly….’

……It’s not like I completely don’t understand the Demon King’s situation. There’s no point in engaging in battle here, and it’s a waste of effort.

This border where I am now is the one farthest from the capital within the Empire. This means that the Demon King’s army, which is already targeting several borders closer than this, has no reason to advance through this place.

Even if they were moving with the aim of striking the rear, the news would spread before they could reach their target due to the distance.

‘Even if the purpose is just to deal with magical beasts, if they send troops here…….’

The Emperor, not wanting to stand idly by, would surely send troops as well. A pointless clash could occur.

However, leaving the magical beasts as they are is also problematic because they attack and devour both humans and demons indiscriminately. Moreover, keeping a constant watch on their movements also requires manpower, so sending me to deal with them is probably the cleanest solution.

‘I’m not strong…! I’m weak…!’

That’s only when I’m strong.