Hmm. I didn't want to draw attention like this.
The stares flying my way and piercing into me felt scorching. Godric didn't stop at simply pointing me out — he gestured, as if calling me over to examine things together.
'Is he seriously insane?'
I've lost count of how many times I've thought that.
「…」
The silent presence of Leonardo beside me felt eerie for some reason.
More than anything, the expressions on the anti-Godric faction nobles who recognized my face from the last banquet were priceless. Their dumbfounded stares, as if demanding to know who I really was, made me wonder how on earth I was supposed to clean this mess up.
Hesitating would only make the atmosphere more uncomfortable, so I took a couple of steps forward to stand by Godric's side.
"I believe His Majesty's decision is the right one."
"Hm."
"However, based on what we confirmed during this last defensive battle, the beasts avoided the gentler slopes and instead swarmed toward the higher peaks. In previous subjugation battles, the lower peaks were easier to access and attracted larger beast hordes, so we concentrated our forces there. But this time, it seems His Majesty's bestowed gift influenced their movements."
It must've been the aura emitted by the Dragonbone Sword. The beasts completely ignored the areas with ample troops and instead flocked to the high peaks — the ones assigned to Ertinez, Marchez, and the other anti-Godric nobles.
"Well now, I hadn't accounted for that problem," Godric murmured, his eyes lowering with a smile that carried a trace of regret.
Liar.
"Therefore, it might be wise to consider deploying additional forces—"
Godric watched me struggle to keep a polite smile and carefully word my suggestion, as if he was enjoying the show. Then he laughed brightly and gave my back a light pat.
"As expected, such keen insight, Sir Isaac. You must have been preoccupied enough with the battle itself, yet you still managed to observe the larger picture. How could I possibly ignore your counsel?"
It was a display of affection — clear for anyone watching to see.
"Come to think of it, I imagine many here are seeing Sir Isaac for the first time. We met during my last royal progress, when I visited Count Ertinez' lands… A remarkably astute man, he caught my eye right away."
It was the perfect cover — blending my supposed role as Count Ertinez' retainer with a believable, non-contradictory story about my closeness to the king.
"I suppose I owe Count Ertinez an apology."
Godric glanced briefly at Leonardo, the corner of his mouth curling in a way that felt almost like a preemptive excuse. The implication wasn't hard to catch.
To Godric, it was already half-decided that I would emerge as the victor of the Leap Year Great Hunt. And when that happened, it would only be natural for the king to pull me — Ertinez' so-called vassal — away to appoint me as the captain of the royal guard. Hence, the "apology" for taking me from the count's service.
'Feels like I've been pre-selected for an audition.'
Not wrong. Except this particular "nomination" came with the delightful twist of being forced into it — an odd, rigged competition where the winner didn't even get a say. No doubt Godric would siphon achievements from the nobles who submitted to him and pile them neatly under my name.
I decided to ignore the glares from those nobles still hovering around Godric, hoping to cozy up to him for a chance at favour. Most of them were minor factions or background extras in the grand scheme of things — hardly worth worrying over.
The stares that did bother me were the ones from the anti-Godric nobles, burning with a silent, unspoken "You traitorous, bootlicking bastard!"
"The meeting is adjourned here. We must rest and recover from the battle… Ah, but Sir Isaac, stay for a moment. There's something I'd like to discuss."
Does this man make a hobby of putting me on the spot? His radiant smile bloomed like a flower — bright and dazzling to the point of being outright harmful, like sunlight burning straight into my eyes.
「Isaac.」
Leonardo called my name in an eerily calm voice — the kind of quiet that comes before children or animals cause a massive mess.
'Tch. Can't flip the table here.'
It's not time for that yet.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
I responded, masking my emotions with a façade of composure. I could feel Leonardo's gaze, sharp and unwavering, along with the piercing stares from the anti-Godric nobles. I decided to ignore them.
Who was it that said to embrace hardship when trials come?
Might as well test that dubious advice now.
'The next scene is bound to be…'
Take 3. Dragon's Spine, First Peak (Night/Outside)
Duke Marchez and Leonardo lead the anti-Godric nobles to a clearing. The nobles witness the royal guards digging up the graves, leaving them in shock. The truth about the missing people is uncovered. The alliance, spearheaded by Duke Marchez and House Ertinez, strengthens.
I needed to move without Godric's watchful eyes trailing me. Just like I did for Raul back at the dragon's tail — time for Diversionary Tactic: Part Two.
'Let's call this a rehearsal.'
During the First Field Army rescue operation, Leonardo would need to move in secret while I held Godric's attention. This was practice for that.
I leaned in and quickly whispered to Leonardo, whose usual blank expression had momentarily cracked.
'If you leave now, the anti-Godric nobles will probably question you about me. Just play along and tell them I'm acting like a spy — deliberately hanging around the king to win his favour and buy time for our side to move.'
「…I can back that up by mentioning the extra reinforcements placed on our peak thanks to your persuasion.」
'Exactly! After that, meet with Duke Marchez and head to the casualty site. Bring the anti-Godric nobles with you. It'll lead straight to evidence that Godric's colluding with them.'
「Got it.」
'Don't worry. Godric won't try anything while the subjugation is still ongoing. Alright?'
Leonardo gave a small, silent nod.
He didn't seem particularly happy about it — but his old habit of following orders reflexively, without holding on to his own self, hadn't disappeared yet. It kicked in automatically.
'And if acting in front of the nobles and the Duke gets too hard—'
「?」
'Well… try calling for the original Leonardo. Desperately.'
「Isaac…」
'Just kidding!'
I tried to lighten the mood, but ended up poking right where it hurt.
'It'll really be fine.'
As I gave Leonardo a gentle push forward, the nobles slowly began to clear out.
Finally, only Godric, myself, and two lifeless-looking attendants — more like background props — remained. Godric stepped forward, his smile relaxed and easy.
It was the first time I'd seen the king this close.
I was used to glimpsing him through messenger windows or watching from afar as he stood on high platforms. But today…
"Your face gets a lot more honest when no one's watching."
Before I could react, his cold hand brushed against my forehead, right between my brows. It was chilling and dry — fitting for a man with a corpse's body, utterly devoid of warmth.
Contrasting with his dazzling appearance, the soft, clean scent of white sandalwood lingered at the tip of my nose.
I flinched, trying to slap his hand away, but he withdrew first, running his fingers through my damp hair with a light laugh.
"Looks like you washed up before coming. You're a mess, though — like a half-drowned stray cat."
"So why did you call me here?"
Since there were no eyes on us anyway, I couldn't find a reason to keep treating him like a king. My reply came out flat and indifferent.
Godric's smile only deepened.
"I called you to persuade you… but you'd probably run away again. So this time, I prepared a tribute."
Without needing his command, the attendants moved smoothly, clearing the map from the table and bringing over two chairs. Godric grabbed me by the shoulder without hesitation and dragged me to one, forcing me to sit.
"Looks like you haven't eaten yet. Wasn't your young master supposed to take care of you?"
"I didn't eat because of you."
Why drag Leonardo into this when he hasn't done a thing?
Just then, an attendant approached silently and placed something on the table.
It was covered by a silver dome, and no matter how I looked at it, it seemed like food. I blinked at it in confusion while Godric wiped his hands clean with a damp towel, then gestured for me to lift the cover, his eyes crinkling slightly in amusement.
'…Soup?'
Beneath the dome was something that looked like soup. Thin, white noodle-like strands floated in a clear, richly-coloured broth that looked surprisingly appetizing.
"Thanks to you, I remembered something I'd long forgotten. Thought it wouldn't hurt to indulge a little. Seems cliffs make it hard to find swallow's nests these days."
Godric glanced at his own bowl.
So this was that "yànwo jītāng" he mentioned back when I made chicken soup.
'Isn't this some high-end dish?'
Something like shark fin soup.
I blinked down at the soup, staring at it.
"…Did you seriously call me here just to have dinner together?"
"I won't deny it. I called you to win you over. But consider it a token of thanks too — for reminding me of a bit of nostalgia. Don't refuse."
Before I could ask what part of this was worth trusting, Godric calmly took a spoonful of his own soup and sipped it with elegant ease. When I didn't pick up my spoon, he glanced over and smiled.
"If you're still suspicious…"
He scooped up a spoonful of the soup and held it near my mouth — like he was about to feed me.
"If you leave it untouched, I might have to cut off the hands of the chef who disappointed my precious treasure."
'Crazy bastard.'
There's no way something like a poison antidote exists in this era. If this were some underhanded trick, the main author — or any of the sub-writers — would've given me a heads-up. Poisoning me outright would just be a self-defeating move for Sub-writer 1 anyway.
Resigning myself to the situation, I took a spoonful on my own.
The cooking style wasn't exactly familiar. It had an odd finish — a blend of pepper and various spices that didn't quite match the traditional recipe. But…
For the first time in a long while since coming here, it wasn't heavy or greasy. It actually tasted good.
Godric chuckled softly, covering his mouth.
"It was a joke. Why would I do something so violent? They're all valuable workers, after all."
The more I got to know him, the more absurd he seemed. I rolled my eyes and focused on the meal. All that tension felt pointless now — nothing happened.
I ignored most of Godric's so-called persuasion attempts, only responding enough to seem polite while keeping my mind on Leonardo.
Turns out, the swallow's nest soup wasn't the only thing prepared. More dishes followed, and the meal stretched on longer than I expected.
[Clear condition achieved!]
"I'm full. And sleepy."
Whether the food was tolerable or not didn't matter. The moment I didn't need to stall for time anymore, I shot to my feet.