After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 85

Empress Palace.

Sharp sounds of air being torn echoed continuously from Tatiana’s chambers.

It was because she had thrown the teacup she was holding upon confirming the Crown Prince Competition announced by Friedrich. The pure white porcelain flew and shattered against the wall, and the teapot she threw next was also broken beyond recognition. The spilled black tea soaked the carpet like blood, spreading out.

“How could he send Ed to such a place?!”

Overwhelmed by a fierce rage that felt like blood rushing backward, Tatiana gasped for breath and clenched her fists tightly.

Even as her nails dug into her flesh, turning her white skin red, she had no room to feel the pain.

“He decided to make subjugating monsters the first competition?”

Friedrich’s intentions were obvious.

Sending young Edward to that dangerous place was, in the end, no different from handing Leo the victory.

Even if he sent the Imperial Knights, how could they possibly beat Leo, who had lived his entire life hunting monsters in the mountains?

“It must have been that girl who said something.”

The arrow of anger flew towards Isla.

She had hidden it well from everyone until now, but Isla had ruined everything.

She must have told Leomund, and Leomund must have told Friedrich.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to push Edward into the abyss of death.

“Alex, you pathetic man.”

His weak nature hadn’t changed from then until now.

She told him to kill Isla, but Alexander only said that he had taken care of everything and that she could trust him, returning with nothing to show for it. He even made the ridiculous comment that he understood why Edward had given his heart to that girl.

“What did he even take care of?”

Her heart ached as if it were burning.

Edward, that child, shouldn’t have anything taken from him.

Not even to be taken by Friedrich’s son, who had already stolen their place?

“I should have killed her back then.”

The problem started when the child, who had been banished to the barren lands of the North 11 years ago and should have died long ago, returned.

She should have continued to send assassins, even if she failed several times.

Even when Lucas Hanover came to the Imperial Palace and threatened her, she should have sent assassins without yielding.

She should have been more daring.

But back then, she was only twenty-nine, and there were limits to the means she could mobilize.

‘But it’s not the same now.’

Taking a deep breath, Tatiana unfolded the letter on the desk again.

It was a letter from Logan.

It said that he would take this subjugation as an opportunity to get rid of Leomund, so she should wait without worry.

“Logan, I’m placing a great burden on you.”

There was no need to doubt his loyalty.

He was surprised to hear about Edward’s unexpected participation in the previous delegation visit.

It was fortunate that it failed back then, but a second failure would be problematic.

Logan would know that as well.

“This time, it will succeed. Logan has a potion that he obtained even by participating in the martial arts tournament.”

Tatiana murmured quietly.

It was Logan who suggested giving Leo a potion that would restrict his aura to solve the problem.

He was able to come up with that plan because he had fought as a slave gladiator in his youth.

Thanks to that, he had to stand in the martial arts arena again, a place he didn’t want to remember, but Logan fought well.

“I trust you, Logan.”

This time, she must completely eliminate Leo and protect Edward’s future.

Tatiana’s eyes gleamed coldly.

Five days had passed since Leo departed for the Trazen Mountains.

Isla was still gazing out the window today.

The scenery beyond the window was no different than usual, but the emptiness where Leo was felt greatly.

Two days ago, she heard the news that the gate had opened less than an hour after he arrived at the border zone.

That it was the largest gate seen in decades, and that monsters more powerful than any previous monsters had emerged.

Isla ran her fingertips over the cold windowpane and sighed deeply.

How much she had blamed herself for making him feel upset before his departure.

“I hope nothing happens.”

The news Lucas gave her was the first and last.

Lucas, who had laughed it off, telling her not to worry, also looked worried today.

Isla was afraid.

No matter how much Leo was called the Night Slaughterer, she wondered if he had been defeated by the monsters that emerged from the unprecedented gate.

Even as she tried to remain calm, her heart grew more and more uneasy as the time he was gone grew longer.

“I didn’t even get to tell him to come back safely.”

Would he not return today either?

Isla’s eyes gradually widened as she stared blankly at the sun setting beyond the mountain ridge.

A cloud of dust appeared beyond the main gate, and soon, several people on horseback passed through the gate.

“He’s here!”

Isla stood up abruptly and began to run.

The ingrained etiquette of keeping her posture graceful and walking silently on tiptoe was useless.

She ran through the hallway, down the stairs, and straight through the lobby, opening the front door.

In the meantime, the butler and servants who had gone out to greet them were receiving the reins of the snorting horses.

While hurriedly searching for Leo, she saw a welcome face.

“Assistant Commander!”

“Ah, Lady Isla.”

Dex, who looked tired, smiled and greeted her.

“You’ve worked hard. Are there any injuries?”

“Of course. This subjugation was also successful. We finished it without major damage.”

“That’s a relief. You’ve really worked hard.”

Isla’s expression brightened.

She looked around to find Leo, but his figure was nowhere to be seen.

‘Why isn’t he here?’

At the moment when anxiety surged, Dex, who noticed her concern, smiled awkwardly and resolved her question.

“Leo will only be back in two days, Lady Isla.”

“…In two days?”

“Yes. There are still some monsters left. He will deal with the remnants with the knights belonging to the border zone and then come back.”

“I see.”

Like air escaping from a balloon that had been filled with air, her swelling heart shrank.

Dex added an explanation with an apologetic face.

“But he will be back before the Consecration Ceremony. There are still five days left.”

“…Yes. If there’s work left, there’s nothing I can do. I’m fine.”

Isla nodded slightly, smiling at Dex’s kind consolation.

She couldn’t make Dex and the knights, who had returned after working so hard, feel uncomfortable.

At that moment, Lucas came out to the front door after hearing the news of their return.

Then, he laughed heartily and patted Dex on the shoulder, shouting in a loud voice.

“Everyone has worked hard. Go wash up and come to the dining hall.”

The dining hall was crowded for the first time in a while.

Dex, the returning knights, the Lucas family, and Isla and Bella gathered to begin the meal.

Dex and the knights talked about how the monsters they had faced this time were different, and they talked about how useless Edward and the Imperial Knights were.

“They were really just baggage. It was already hard enough, but it was even harder to fight while protecting them.”

Lucas, who was listening to one of the knights’ jokes, clicked his tongue and asked back.

“Then did the Second Prince come back with you this time?”

“He did. He was completely stunned by the first monster he saw. Well, I can’t blame him since the first monster he encountered was like that. We thought one of us was going to die.”

“You guys have worked hard. Were there any injuries?”

Dex chuckled at Lucas’s worried question.

“Why wouldn’t there be? Some of us almost lost arms and legs, but fortunately, no one lost them completely. We’re somehow keeping them attached, so we’re saying there aren’t any.”

“Dave almost went to the other world. His shinbone was completely shattered, so he drank four potions.”

“Well, you almost lost your arm. You would have been one-armed if it weren’t for the Commander.”

They said it with a smile, but it seemed that the battle of the past few days was not easy, even in part.

Isla, who had been listening with a pale face, began to worry about Leo.

If it was such a difficult battle, why didn’t he come back with them and stay behind.?

‘If it was dangerous, he would have stopped and come back.’

Isla thought to herself as she looked around at them for a moment.

‘Come to think of it, Vice Commander Ian Sodan didn’t come back either.’

Seeing that some of the knights under Ian were also not present, it seemed that they had remained with Leo.

As Isla wished for those who were not present to return soon, Lucas’s warm voice reached her ears.

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