Chapter 16
He never expected to see him here.
Damnern calmly walked toward his table.
"I knew I'd find you here, Derrick."
His voice was completely emotionless.
The orange-haired man was none other than Derrick Berwyn.
The Sixth Strongest Warrior in the Kingdom.
A man feared on battlefields and respected by countless nobles.
Yet at this moment, he looked more like a surprised drunk than a legendary warrior.
"What are you doing here, Damnern?" Derrick asked. Then a teasing grin appeared on his face. "Oh, right. My apologies. I forgot you're Count Damnern now."
"I'd rather not be called 'Count' by an old man like you," Damnern replied without missing a beat as he sat down across from him.
"And you're still drinking at this place."
"You know this is the only place I have to unwind," Derrick said with a shrug.
"Derrick, even if your face makes us look the same age, you should remember that you're already forty."
"Hey! I'm still thirty-seven!" Derrick protested. "And another thing—why did you retire before me?!"
A faint smile appeared on Damnern's face.
Derrick froze.
His eyes widened.
The bottle in his hand stopped moving.
Seeing Damnern smile was rare enough to be shocking.
"You really have changed, haven't you, Damnern?" he muttered before getting to the point. "So, what brings you here?"
He took another sip from his glass.
The smile disappeared from Damnern's face.
Immediately, the atmosphere became heavier.
"We were attacked in Valdwess Forest."
Derrick blinked.
Then blinked again.
The words took several seconds to register.
"...What?"
His brows furrowed.
"We were attacked."
Damnern repeated calmly.
Derrick stared at him.
Then suddenly—
"PFFT!"
The liquor he had just swallowed sprayed across the table.
Nearby customers hurriedly moved away.
"Cough! Cough!"
Derrick wiped his mouth.
"Are you serious?!"
His voice rose several octaves.
"Who in their right mind would attack you?"
Then Damnern spoke again.
"They simply picked the wrong target, but—"
"I don't think they're still alive," Derrick said quietly.
"—they mentioned a name. Lord Shadow."
Derrick immediately fell silent.
His playful demeanor vanished.
He leaned back in his chair and began thinking.
One minute passed.
Then another.
Eventually, he shook his head.
"I've never heard of anyone called Lord Shadow."
Damnern frowned slightly.
That was troubling.
If even Derrick didn't know the name, then whoever was behind this was either extremely secretive...
Or operating from the shadows.
Derrick continued thinking.
His fingers tapped against the glass.
Nothing.
No memory surfaced.
No rumors.
No noble.
No criminal organization.
Nothing.
Finally, Damnern stood.
"Send your people to investigate."
His voice left no room for argument.
"You're the guardian of this region."
Derrick sighed.
"Fine."
Derrick waved his hand dismissively.
"I'll have my men start immediately."
Damnern nodded once.
"That's all."
"As soon as you find anything, inform me immediately."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and began walking toward the exit.
Just like that.
No goodbye.
No thanks.
No invitation to drink.
Nothing.
Derrick watched him leave.
The bar door closed behind him.
For several seconds, he simply stared at the entrance.
Then he snorted.
"Damnern... Damnern..."
A helpless smile appeared on his face.
"I take back what I said."
He lifted his glass.
"You're exactly the same as always."
After another sip, his expression slowly became thoughtful.
"Lord Shadow, huh..."
His emerald eyes narrowed.
This was beginning to sound like a much bigger problem than he originally thought.
Morning eventually arrived.
Golden sunlight streamed through the curtains, filling the room with a warm glow.
"...ra... Elyra, wake up, dear."
A gentle voice pulled Elyra out of her sleep.
Her eyelids fluttered open.
"Mama...?"
She was still half asleep, her mind sluggish as she looked toward the source of the voice.
Elina sat beside the bed, smiling softly.
"Hehe."
A small laugh came from nearby.
"This is the first time Elyra has overslept."
Eldern was standing beside the bed with his arms crossed proudly.
Only then did she realize the sun was already fairly high in the sky.
Normally, she woke up much earlier.
"Come on, dear."
Elina gently stroked her hair.
"Get up and take a bath. We're going out to find something delicious to eat."
Elyra quietly nodded.
Without saying anything else, she climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom.
As she closed the door behind her, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
It's been a long time since I bathed by myself...
Back at home, Sasha usually helped her.
Whether it was preparing the water, washing her hair, or helping her get dressed afterward.
The realization felt strangely unfamiliar.
Thirty minutes later.
Elyra emerged from the bathroom.
She was wearing a clean white dress while Elina carefully brushed her long blonde hair.
The room felt peaceful.
Only the simple warmth of family.
"Mama!"
Eldern suddenly shouted from the door.
"Hurry up! Eldern is starving!"
Elina laughed.
"Yes, yes. We're almost done."
A few moments later, she finished fixing Elyra's hair.
"There."
Elina smiled proudly.
"My daughter looks adorable."
Elyra lowered her gaze slightly.
"...Tankyu, Mama."
Elina's smile immediately widened.
The three of them soon left the room and headed downstairs.
Meanwhile...
On the first floor of the inn.
Damnern was already waiting.
Three guards stood nearby.
Alongside them was an unfamiliar young man with black hair and blue eyes.
"How is your shoulder?"
Damnern's expression remained as cold as ever.
The guard straightened immediately.
"The physician said it's nothing serious, Count Damnern. I just need some rest."
"If you can't continue, stay here and recover."
Damnern's tone left no room for argument.
The guard immediately nodded.
At that moment—
"Papa!"
Eldern ran downstairs excitedly.
Damnern turned toward his family.
For a brief second, the coldness in his eyes softened.
Then he pointed toward the unfamiliar man.
"This person will accompany you while you explore Valdwess City."
The black-haired man immediately stepped forward and stood straight.
"My name is Leron."
He placed a hand on his chest.
"Leron Jeke."
His posture was surprisingly disciplined.
"I'm a subordinate of the Sixth Strongest Warrior."
A confident grin appeared on his face.
"Although I don't look like much, you can rely on me."
Eldern looked impressed immediately.
Meanwhile, Elyra quietly observed him.
"How about you, dear?" Elina asked as she turned toward Damnern.
"Are you coming with us?"
For the first time that morning, Damnern looked slightly helpless.
"I still have matters to deal with."
Elina sighed.
She had expected that answer.
"Alright then."
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Let's go."
Elina turned toward the children.
Soon, the four of them left the inn together.
Eldern.
Elyra.
Elina.
And Leron.
As Leron passed beside Damnern, he suddenly heard a cold voice whisper into his ear.
"If anything happens to them..."
Leron instinctively froze.
"...you're dead."
The words were spoken calmly.
Without killing intent.
Yet somehow they felt more terrifying than any threat he had ever heard.
A chill immediately ran down Leron's spine.
"...Y-Yes, Lord-Count Damnern."
Damnern didn't even look at him.
Leron suddenly understood why his superior had warned him repeatedly before assigning him this task.
Don't fail.
Now he understood exactly what that meant.
Outside the inn.
Valdwess City was already bustling with activity.
Merchants shouted advertisements.
Horse-drawn carriages moved through the streets.
Street vendors sold freshly baked bread and roasted meat.
The scent of food drifted through the morning air.
"It feels so lively in the morning."
Elina smiled as she looked around.
Eldern's eyes sparkled.
"Wahhh..."
Everything seemed amazing to him.
Meanwhile, Elyra remained quiet.
Unlike Eldern, she had already visited this city once before.
"Should we just walk around first?" Elina asked.
"Yes, Mama!" Eldern replied enthusiastically.
Leron immediately raised a hand.
"If Countess is looking for a good place to eat around—"
Suddenly.
A man passed by them from the opposite direction.
Dark blond hair tied into a ponytail.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
The man walked past without stopping.
Without looking at them.
Yet the moment he passed—
Elyra unconsciously turned her head.
Her eyes followed him.
Something felt strange.
Leron continued speaking.
"—here, I'd recommend Vald Restaurant. It's one of the most popular places in the city."
But Elyra barely heard him.
Her gaze remained fixed on the man's retreating figure.
As if she should know him.
Yet the answer remained just beyond her reach.
Eventually, the man disappeared into the crowd.
Elyra slowly looked away.
...Maybe it's just my imagination.
"Alright then."
Elina smiled.
"We'll eat at Vald Restaurant."
Eldern immediately cheered.
"Food!"
The group continued down the busy street.
End of Chapter 16