Ed Rosstaylor Contest (4)
When all of this is over, let’s go back to our hometown.
This is what commanders always say while walking around the battlefield.
When everyone comes to the front line and pulls the trigger for their own reasons, what suddenly comes to mind is the scenery of their hometown.
Knowing that you have a place to return to sometimes gives you strength to endure the harsh reality. Whether it was your hometown or the embrace of your family. It may not be so strange to think about ending this hellish life and returning to my hometown.
As I drifted through the hazy world of unconsciousness, those difficult times seeped into one of my memories.
Unfortunately, there is no place in this world that can be called home.
*
“Senior Ed was seriously injured. “Princess Selaha.”
As Selaha appears, the frozen atmosphere still shows no intention of thawing.
There is a strange chill between the people gathered around Ed Rosstaylor and Selaha. Many nobles who followed Selaha also held their breath as they sensed that the atmosphere was unusual.
“Of course, I was also caught up in this massacre of the Ross Taylor family, and I suffered quite a few injuries here and there. “The Holy City will not take this matter lightly.”
Saint Clarice mobilized as many justifications as possible to secure Ed’s recruits against Selaha.
“Senior Ed is a baptized member of the Telos Church, but there are suspicions that he helped harm me, a saint. “He is a lamb who must be brought to Seonghwangdo to undergo the Holy Law trial.”
“… ”
“The religious laws of the church are strict laws that even I, a saint, cannot break. “Senior Ed’s new recruits must be guided by our Seonghwangdo branch.”
“The religious laws of the religious order deserve to be respected, but the laws of our imperial family also cannot easily overlook this matter.”
Selaha spoke quietly with his eyes down.
The religious laws of the church and the laws of the imperial family. Who had the upper hand between the two varied depending on the era.
The period of fierce conflict between the religious authority and the imperial power lasted hundreds of years. Sometimes provincial law and sometimes imperial law took precedence.
Recently, as Emperor Cloel’s prestige soared, the imperial laws began to take on more weight. If the two began to clash, the priests of Holy Emperor Capital would have no choice but to be more cautious.
“More than ten high-ranking nobles in our empire have died. There are many people seriously injured. “How can we sit still in the Imperial Palace of Cloel?”
Originally, Princess Selaha did not want to be in conflict with the Holy Emperor’s side.
However, the situation itself is completely bizarre.
The person named Ed Rosstaylor is like the key to the imperial power structure that will cause great upheaval in the future.
Even if it’s not Selaha, everyone who wants to exert influence will want to recruit Ed and Tanya.
Among them, Selaha is the person who has the first access to the two recruits. Because he was there.
However, on Ed’s side, the characters are all big names.
“… ”
After confronting him directly, Selaha suddenly had no choice but to swallow dry saliva.
They are not just friends who were in the military together at Sylvania Bachelor, but they are like a desperate team that protects Ed with desperate determination.
Yenica and Lucy, who were active in the battle to subdue the Crepins, also appear to be glaring at Selaha with cold gazes.
The reason those two faced the disaster at Ross Taylor Mansion was not out of heroism to reduce the number of victims, but rather to protect Ed Ross Taylor.
I look up at Lucy Mayril, who is standing blankly in front of the zelkova tree, her white hair flowing.
Only then did Selaha realize. She is more of a disaster running wild than a hero.
He is not someone who is driven by political logic or self-interest. Money, power, fame. There is no interest in the values that ordinary people hold highly.
I act as I think is right, and don’t care about anything else… It is an existence outside the world.
Are you planning on turning even the imperial family into enemies if you feel like it? That feeling comes flooding back, and Selaha has an intuition.
If you touch that man carelessly, you might get very angry.
However, if you leave it like this, you may end up in even greater trouble in the future.
It may seem like he is in a bad state right now, but these big names are already following Ed.
It seems certain that if they take even a small amount of power into their hands or begin to form a force, it will threaten the power of the imperial family.
Fenia Elias I realized why Cloel was so conscious of that man.
I don’t know what part of that guy I saw, but he has the power to bring big names together.
The shoots that will become the root of major troubles must be trampled down while they are still weak. However, the methodology did not immediately come to mind for Selaha.
It seems that Saint Clarice is even thinking of mobilizing political influence, and she cannot even be compared with absolute force unless she mobilizes the core personnel of the imperial army.
If we don’t secure Ed Rosstaylor here, there’s no telling when we’ll be able to get the justification to take him down again.
Selaha’s intuition cries out. This is your last chance.
If you can’t suppress him with authority, you have to compromise or deceive him to bring him to the imperial family.
The next time I see Ed Rothtaylor, I have no idea what position he will be in.
“Ed Rothtaylor deserves praise for his hard work.”
Selaha slowly closed and opened his eyes and spoke.
“First, we must take him to the imperial palace, treat him, and report his efforts to Abama so that he receives the compensation he deserves.”
When Selaha said that, the atmosphere among everyone changed.
Selaha lowered her tail. There was a murmur among the nobles as they couldn’t believe that fact.
I couldn’t bring myself to raise a voice of dissatisfaction with Selaha, asking what that meant, but I couldn’t help but look at each other in confusion at the unexpected reaction.
“Of course, Tanya Rosstaylor too. “The reason I am trying to secure new recruits for those two is because I understand their positions best and can best represent them within the imperial castle.”
Seeing Selaha’s reaction, Lortel smiled softly under his robe.
Saying so, Selaha is trying to hand over Ed Rothtaylor’s recruits to the Elte Company rather than the imperial family.
Even if negotiations are successful, Ed Rothtaylor will come under Lortel’s management anyway. In that case, with the support of the Elte Company, we will be able to recover her body, regain her consciousness, and think about a new solution to attack Selaha.
It’s a rumor.
Now that Selaha has been caught up in this, no matter what option he chooses, he has no choice but to be dragged into a situation that is advantageous to Ed Rothtaylor.
Whichever way you choose, the only path left is one that leads to a cliff.
This is why the merchants of Old Deck never turn Lortel into an enemy.
Naturally, everyone could not help but look at Selaha with suspicious eyes.
It is suspicious that Selaha, who was so tied to status and authority, appears in such a cooperative manner.
However, Selaha’s boasts are like the devil’s temptation.
If Selaha really sticks to Ed’s side, he can gain an advantage in the investigation of the truth that will take place in the future at the imperial court.
Princess Fenia will also take Ed’s side… With the support of those two, it might not be a punishment but a lottery.
“… ”
It goes without saying, but once Ed’s new recruit is handed over to the Imperial Palace, there is no going back.
Once Ed’s life is taken hostage, the group becomes unable to move quickly. Therefore, it is difficult to easily hand over Ed’s recruit to Selaha.
However, I cannot become a body chased by the imperial castle like this. Ed Rosstaylor absolutely needs to rest.
“Investigating the truth and hearing the circumstances do not necessarily have to be done by the imperial family.”
At that time, Tanya raised her dusty body and spoke.
“I will remain on this mansion site.”
At those words, not only Selaha but everyone’s eyes focused on Tanya.
“There may still be living residents, and restoration work needs to be done on the grounds of the mansion. Because I can’t leave it like this. We’ll have to collect your father’s body too. “All family members in the imperial family will also have to return.”
“then… ”
“I will take responsibility for the remaining family forces.”
There is still life in young Tanya’s eyes.
Even though I have nothing in my hands anymore, I don’t feel empty or empty. Rather, a strong will remained.
“Whether I’m imprisoned or rewarded, I want to finish what I have to do.”
Tanya took out a thousand shabby items from her arms. It was a torn cloak that Arwen was wearing.
The cloak is already covered in dust, worn here and there, and has become shabby… The eagle emblem, symbolizing the bravery of the Ross Taylor family, was drawn in purple.
Tanya wrapped her cloak around her, tied back her hair that was blowing in the wind, and spoke.
“Like it or not, I was the legitimate successor to the Ross Taylor family. therefore… “I am now the head of the Ross Taylor family.”
In front of the broken and burned Ross Taylor mansion, Tanya confidently talks about what it was like.
“I will make decisions regarding the family. I also decide on my brother’s new recruits. “Because I will go.”
At those words, everyone froze like ice. Only Lucy was looking at the scene with sleepy eyes.
Claiming to be the head of a family that is already in ruins is no different from declaring that I will burn to death.
The Rosstaylor family is a family that plotted treason against the imperial family, massacred high-ranking nobles, and even plotted to summon evil spirits.
However, the exact fact-finding investigation has not yet been completed… Until proven guilty, decision-making rights can be exercised according to family law.
“Whether Brother Ed is heading to Pulan, to Oldek, or to Chenghuangdu… Either that or heading to the imperial palace… “That is up to you to decide.”
“But right now, Senior Ed is unconscious.”
“no. I just came to my senses. “That’s why I woke up too.”
Lucy denied Clarice’s words. At the same time as those words were spoken, an alien sound was heard.
– Percussion.
The sound of a dagger being stuck into a zelkova tree.
Although it was difficult for him to keep his body up due to the high fever and chills, Ed slowly stood up, leaning on the dagger. Ed’s companions who were confronting Selaha were all startled and turned their gaze toward him.
“Ed!”
Yenika quickly ran out and supported Ed’s body. Just by holding his shoulder, Jenica could feel the heat and swallowed his dry saliva. Ed’s physical condition was more serious than expected.
“Ed, we need to go somewhere quickly and get treatment… ”
“Cluck, cough…!”
Ed’s eyes were slowly revealed through his disheveled bangs. The faces of all his companions came into his sights.
“Big, hoo, big, boo…” .”
“Brother Ed. now… ”
“Vaguely… What are you talking about… heard… ”
Grabbing his fading mind, Ed regained his balance.
Although his head wasn’t working well, Ed gritted his teeth and opened his mouth.
“I am… Huh… Phew… ”
There was tension among the group.
There is still a lot of vacation left in Sylvania.
Yenica Palover must return to Pulan as scheduled, and Lortel Kecheln must return to Oldeck to conclude business.
Clarisse is also in a position to return to the Holy Capital, and Lucy seems to have a good face.
Princess Selaha also wants to take Ed to the imperial castle to finish this matter.
It is not difficult to choose who to follow. Lortel has already done all the tricks, so whichever option is chosen, the situation will ultimately be in Ed’s favor.
Therefore, there is no such thing as a correct answer. Ed Rothtaylor is just… I just say whatever comes to mind.
“Whoo, whoo, whoo…” .”
So, who will you end up following?
At the site of the burning mansion, the long and grueling fate of the Ross Taylor family came to an end to some extent.
But there is still a lot of work left to be done. The journey still remains.
But Ed Rosstaylor… First of all, I wanted to rest for a while.
*The imperial central army invaded the mansion site.
The well-trained central army quickly took control of the scene, and skillfully divided personnel into teams and began to investigate the scene.
Princess Selaha wiped her face as she watched the scene. She then remembered the image of her man looking down at her group with a dying face.
“Ed Rosstaylor.”
While being attended to by Dest in front of the magnificent imperial carriage, Princess Selaha looked up at the collapsed Rosstaylor Mansion.
“What value does he have? ?”
In Princess Selaha’s eyes, that level of capability was not visible.
However, the talents gathered around Ed Ross-Taylor are all people who cannot be easily approached.
My intuition now is that his presence will likely be a bigger variable than expected in the future competition for imperial power.
“If you think about it, you can’t see Fenia.”
Fenia, who came out of the tent with cold eyes, never showed up.
“The imperial army reported that right after that, he rode out on horseback toward the imperial castle.”
“what? “You went back to the imperial family?”
“Something…” It seems like you’ve made up your mind… “It looks like he moved quickly to arrive at the imperial castle before Princess Selaha.”
Selaha frowned and pursed his lips. Even Fenia, who was helpless, seems to have gained some will.
It’s not difficult to figure out what they’re planning, but it’s still a bit of work.
It’s too busy worrying about Persica alone, but things get more complicated when Fenia starts to set its sights on the emperor.
Anyway, Ed Rosstaylor is like a land mine in many ways. If you try to tamper with it or dismantle it, the consequences will be too great.
Selaha swallowed dry saliva.
Still, we cannot ignore it. It seems necessary to leave it in a corner of memory.
As I sit next to the carriage, I see many nobles finishing their investigation and returning to their territory.
A procession of gorgeous carriages speeds toward their respective territories. Among them, you can see the carriage with Yenica Palover riding on it, and the carriage at the top with Lortel riding on it. The same goes for the magnificently large carriage of the Holy Emperor.
In any case, the imperial family needed a person involved in the case to properly testify about the mansion incident.
Ed Rosstaylor was the most suitable candidate, but in the end, due to strong checks, Selaha was unable to secure Ed.
Instead, it was possible to compromise by having another party to the case head to Hwangseong to testify as a substitute.
However, the opponent was someone who could neither be taken hostage nor move as Selaha intended. Among Ed’s group, he was the one who was most uncontrollable.
Selaha, who got into the carriage with Dest’s guidance, sees a girl lying down on the seat across from her, shaking her legs. She shows no signs of etiquette.
The sight of her disheveled white hair twisted and the witch’s hat on her head is impressive.
The girl lay down in the carriage and let out a shaky breath, as if wondering what was going on with the princess in front of her.
Lucy Mayril.
The wizard who will attend the investigation of the imperial family as Ed Rosstaylor’s replacement is… It was a time bomb that Selaha could not control.
Still, it doesn’t look like this wizard will show any cooperation, so all Selaha can do is send him back after completing the investigation.
It was a compromise that completely failed.
*The completed villa in Lortel was not as big as I thought.
With that wealth, it would have been possible to build the largest mansion on Aken Island, but Belmaia tilted her head at the surprisingly modest scale.
Still, after seeing the view of Ed’s camp, I was convinced. If Lortel’s residence is too large, a sense of discomfort will arise.
Lortel just wanted to live with Ed in need, not to overwhelm him with extravagant wealth.
Therefore, I understood that the villa was smaller than I expected.
“If you come back after vacation, you can move in right away.”
The northern forest where the crescent moon shines brightly.
Belmaia, who came to inspect the camp after work that day, felt empty again.
The greatest reward I gained from working as a maid at Ofilis Hall was helping students who had difficulty adapting to an unfamiliar environment and maintaining their lives.
That’s why students feel empty during this vacation period when they leave Aken Island. Although I’m quite used to it now, I still get a strange feeling when I walk around the empty Ofilis Hall and the bachelor’s hall.
But that doesn’t mean I’m too busy during the semester… There is no middle ground. Although she is a workaholic, it is not a very bad environment for her.
After finishing the door-step at Lortel’s small villa, Belle Maia stretched out to relieve her sore body.
The sight of her, always cool and blunt, stretching feels unnatural, like a robot stretching.
I wonder if the tension has eased a bit since there is no one watching.
Belle Maia was clearly influenced by the free-spirited vacation atmosphere of this late summer.
The shadow of a grasshopper passed by the crescent moon. Only then did I become aware of the sound of insects in the grass on a summer night, and the rustling sound tickled my ears.
Leaves swaying gently in the moonlight. The sound of them passing each other was faintly heard between the camp buildings.
Iidaji is so peaceful, it feels like I’m in another world.
The moment I turned to go back to Ofilis Hall with that thought in mind, a boy appeared from among the grass.
“… !”
Even Belle Maia, who usually maintains a blunt expression, was a bit surprised this time.
Ed Rosstaylor, who I believe has returned to his home… So I staggered through the grass and walked into the camp.
Even if I pretended, my red face and limp legs were not normal conditions.
Taking advantage of Belle Maia’s panic, he flopped down on a tree stump near the bonfire… He dropped the leather pouch he was carrying on his shoulder.
His luggage bounced and rolled on the floor a few times.
“Eh, Master Ed? Aren’t you supposed to be returning to school around the end of vacation? The other party members… how… ?”
When Belle Maia asked in confusion, Ed Rosstaylor took his dazed mind and swept his face.
“You were at camp, Belle.”
“… yes? Ah, yes… .”
“Light a fire. “It’s a bit difficult for me to use my magic power right now.”
After saying that in a dying voice, Bell lightly drew on his magic power and started a bonfire.
The camp fire softly illuminated the surroundings, as if welcoming a host who had returned after a long absence.
Ed sat in front of him, wiped his face, and lowered his head, resting his forearms on his knees.
Warm heat tickled my face.
The smell of grass along with the familiar sound of insects at night irritated the tip of my nose. Ed felt as if the strength in her shoulders was loosening and her stiff muscles were slowly becoming more relaxed.
Bel Maia looked at that… She stood behind me for a moment without saying a word.
The shadow of the camp, which had been stretching under the moonlight, split into several branches and covered the camp as a new light source called the bonfire appeared.
The heat of the crackling and fluttering flames seemed to massage my body.
“… Was the journey difficult?”
Belle, who had been waiting for Ed for a while with her hands folded behind him, finally slowly asked.
When Ed heard that question, he was lost in thought for a moment.
Those who wandered around the battlefield would eventually wander around looking for a place to return to. Was he no different himself?
The traces of struggling, rolling, and gritting one’s teeth after first falling into this world remain intact in this camp.
The first wooden shelter I made, the first fishing rod I made, the first bonfire I made, a hut, a spear, hunting tools, a latch, a wild animal skin, a magic training book, a woodworking bench, a hammer, a fishing net… .
Was this camp a place worth returning to in the end?
I feel more attached to this camp, where we spent difficult and arduous times together, than I thought… I wanted to come back, even if it meant leading my body in complete disrepair.
Ed refused his companions’ offer to return with him, and eventually returned to camp alone.
Yenika, who was trying to abandon her plan to return home, Lortel, who wanted to follow even at the cost of business losses, and Clarisse, who was trying to coordinate the entire schedule of the Holy Emperor, all refused to dissuade him. Tanya even encouraged him to recover first, as she would be staying at the mansion to finish work.
I glanced up at the crescent moon floating in the sky… I ponder Bel Maia’s question.
Was the journey difficult?
Of course, this journey during vacation was difficult.
He went back to the Ross Taylor mansion, risked his life, fought, somehow ended his bad relationship with the Ross Taylor family, and was left completely devastated. Although the journey was briefly summarized, it was so arduous and difficult that even Ed, who never said anything, couldn’t help but cry.
Plus, there was still a lot of work left to do.
I somehow ended my bad relationship with Ross Taylor, but I felt like I was exerting unnecessary influence on the imperial power structure, and I had to worry about what to do with the remaining power of the Ross Taylor family. I still can’t think of a clear way to catch Seong Chang-ryong’s Belbroke, and there’s a lot of academic schedule left for next semester.
Of course, if you look back at the path you have taken, it has never been easy. From the time he was struggling to survive in this forest until now, Ed has lived every moment trying his best.
So, the place I wanted to return to after finishing work was… It was in front of this campfire.
“Of course it was difficult. “I almost died several times.”
Eventually Ed answered.
“So… I wanted to come back here quickly.”
“… ”
Belle gently folded her hands and glanced at Ed’s back. It looked like he needed nursing care right away, but he seemed to want to be alone right now.
Still, I was worried about leaving it alone, so I was thinking about it for a while… Suddenly I felt a sense of discomfort.
“Come to think of it… “You finally spoke up.”
“Okay, you won.”
“I’m glad you understand. However, because there was a change in his mood…”
“Hey, Bell.”
Ed lowered his head and quietly called Belle’s name.
Through this vacation journey, I feel like I have finally tasted the life of Ed Rothtaylor.
Act 1, scene 1. This is the life of a third-rate villain who is the first to exit.
The moment when the whole journey began… I faintly remembered the image of the senior maid who discovered the scene where Ed Ross Taylor was about to end his life and stopped him, and spoke in a low voice.
“You’re a better guy than I thought.”
“… ”
“I am grateful in many ways.”
At his sudden words, Belle tilted her head for a moment and then… Soon she lowered her head and spoke.
“That’s too much praise.”
After saying that, Belle quietly walked out of the camp, leaving him in front of the campfire.
Suddenly, he looks back and sees that he is resting in the dark forest with a soft bonfire in front of him.
I’ll have to check his condition starting tomorrow, but I think I’ll have to leave him alone for one night to enjoy the camp.
The maid at Ofilis Hall is always good at getting things done. Reading your employer’s intentions and letting them do whatever they want is also a necessary virtue.
So Ed Rosstaylor sat in one corner of the camp watching the campfire for a while.
There was a lot of work left to do, but I also needed time to forget everything and relax for a while.
The quiet summer night deepens. The faint light of the crescent moon seeped through the forest.
The long summer vacation was slowly coming to an end.
