I quickly pulled on my hood and covered my face.
Nevertheless, the gaze that seemed to have already inferred my identity showed no signs of dropping.
"Daniel?"
"..."
The student who was listening to the explanation also turned around as if he sensed something strange. However, the student's actions were stopped by the teacher named Daniel.
He played with his wrist a few times, frowned when he looked at the corner of my mouth, turned around, and patted his back as if to encourage a student to walk.
"Shall we go back and talk about the rest?"
***
"Marquis..."
"...Okay, okay."
I'll take care of the documents. I'll do it. Now, I was completely out of my thoughts, nodding my head at Dan's call, which was almost pathetic.
Yes, I couldn't put off the documents forever. I braced myself and looked down at the papers on my desk... Wow, I really don't want to do this. Because of the war, there was more paperwork.
'Is it because I feel so tired that I don't want to do more?'
To come to my senses, I leaned against the backrest and tilted my upper body as if I was stretching. It was almost at the same time that a sword passed before my eyes.
... Huh?!
"Mar... Marquis!"
What! Why was a sword passing in front of my eyes?
I was so startled that I jumped up without thinking, straightening my upper body. I didn't know when someone approached me, so my forehead collided with their chin!
"Ugh...!"
"Tsk!"
It hurt... Seeing the sparks flying in front of my eyes for a moment, it looks like I hit them pretty hard... Was the guy I hit going to be okay?
I quickly placed one hand on the desk and rubbed my forehead a few times before raising my head. The attacker, who seemed to have lost all strength in his legs, and Dan, who was holding a sword to his neck, gradually came into view.
... No, now that I see it, it's not at the level of holding a sword.
'What are you doing... trying to kill someone before finding out who's behind it?'
The blade had already partially penetrated the flesh.
I looked at the bloody thing with tired eyes and then turned my gaze to Dan. He noticed this with astonishment, moved his eyes to look at me, then fixed his gaze on the attacker as if he were wary, and muttered in an admiring tone.
"Somehow... You said you had chills earlier and you didn't even bother doing paperwork..."
"Hmm?"
"I guess you did it because you noticed that someone was sneaking in and were on guard."
"Yes...?"
"Surely 'chills' was a signal? I'm sorry I didn't notice."
That's not true at all... You don't have to apologize... I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my forehead.
... Yes, because good things are good.
"It's okay. You didn't know."
As time passed, I became more and more shameless.
***
Another shadow, who had been hiding and watching this whole scene until the soldiers who Dan had called outside came rushing in and arrested the attackers, muttered after silence.
"There was no need for me to step forward."
Was he a hero after all?
It was a long time ago, but now he knew for sure. He had been aware of those hiding here from the beginning. Even the shadow itself that was hiding like this right now.
He was certain because when he was consoling a subordinate who was blaming himself that he might not know, he glanced at where he was hiding.
'... It's nice that I still get the money.'
Didn't that guy ask him to protect him from numerous future attackers?
He thought he'd survive just fine without him, but since he'd been paid, he had to work.
As if not getting tired of the previous failure, the shadow moved towards the attackers who were sneakily approaching again and taunted them silently.
'Some people want to kill you for money, and some people want to protect you for money... I don't know what they're trying to do.'
***
I wonder what the hell is going on...
After dumbly watching the situation being neatly organized, I walked shakily and sat down in front of the desk.
I think Dan was happily talking nonsense, asking if I really wanted to work now that we got rid of that annoying person... I didn't want to hear it, so I just brushed it off and ignored him.
'Okay, what happened a little while ago never happened.'
Something like accidentally subduing an attacker with a headbutt, or being misunderstood for some reason... In any case, such embarrassing things have never happened again. I'm erasing it from the list of memories in my head.
'... Let's just shut up and do the paperwork.'
This might be the best way to erase random thoughts.
With a deep sigh, I picked up the pen... and then stopped.
Because there was a slight vibration coming from inside my pocket.
My face suddenly crumpled.
'I'm already tired, so why now...'
The side where I felt the vibration was the left side.
So, what was in the left inner pocket... was it a 'communication stone'? A communication device that connected to the Demon King.
On the right was another 'communication device' that connected to the Emperor. So, the left isn't the kind of thing I get here. As I quietly got up from my seat to change places, Dan, who had been sorting documents on one side, quickly raised his head and responded.
"Where are you going?"
"Outside for a moment. I'll be back soon, so just wait. Don't follow me."
"..."
"You can't even do it secretly."
"Yeah..."
Leaving behind the suffocating voice, I left the military camp and headed towards a deserted place, sighing deeply.
'What do you want me to do this time?'
It was quiet now for some reason, but at the beginning of this, when the war between the Empire and the Demon Realm had just begun, I had to take the lead, going back and forth between the two camps to the point where it was really annoying.
Dan said there was a rumor that the fighting styles of the hero Deon Hardt and the Commander of the 0th Corps were similar. Thanks to this, the crazy dogs and members of Corps 0 were fiercely competitive with each other as the vanguard of each faction.
Watching them wait for the day when they can properly face each other without even knowing that the leader is the same... Ha...
'... Wait, am I really holding myself back because of those rumors?'
My brisk pace stopped and suddenly slowed down.
There were limits to suppressing rumors, so the only way was to reduce the frequency of putting myself in combat. It would be better to at least avoid putting yourself in the spotlight.
'So...'
That's why I'm stuck in that document hell!
I gained enlightenment. Damn it.
... Anyway, there won't be anyone around here. I didn't feel like I was popular, but I looked around just in case, and then took the communication seat out of my pocket.
"Yes, I received the message."
"Ah Deon. I'm sorry, but why don't you just walk northwest from where you are now? It's not that far, probably an hour."
Suddenly...? An hour...?
No wait. If it's northwest of here... that's close to the front line. Since my camp was located in the rear... to be exact, it will be in a remote location about 15 minutes from the border.
'These demons... Even though there were few battles on this border and the atmosphere is passive, isn't that too much?'
What should I do if someone catches me in the middle?
There weren't even exact coordinates. If I moved in the wrong direction and suddenly appeared at the border line where they were in battle, it was the end!
I could say that it was difficult to find a direction, but because the boundary line existed in the mountains in the first place, it was difficult to determine the exact direction, and the terrain was uneven, making it difficult to move in the desired direction. Going straight made no sense.
"Don't worry about getting lost. If you go in the wrong direction, I'll let you know."
"Ah, location tracking... I understand. But for some reason..."
I told Dan I'd be back soon, so I guess I'll have to hurry.
I rubbed the brand on the side of my neck above my collarbone with my thumb and diligently hastened my steps.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? Sorry, I was surprised. I'm a little out of it these days.
"No.
"Before that, do you have any weapons?"
"Yes."
"That's it then. It's no big deal."
When it comes to weapons, I take them with me. I was fully armed. Even though the opponent was the demon real,, for some reason, attacks had become more frequent these days, so even when I go to sleep, I sleep with the bare minimum of preparation.
There are so many people who would target me just because I'm the Emperor's favorite sword. It would be hard to deal with just the demon realm, so it was a bit surprising that someone had so much leeway to attack a fellow human. I don't know who it is, but I really want to see their face.
'...More than that, I'm anxious because he didn't tell me the reason.'
I just keep pretending it's no big deal.
... Was he trying to kill me?
'Really?'
Should I go back now?
Suddenly, my steps stopped. I stood there, lost in thought. If I wanted to, I could immediately go back without following his words, but I couldn't...
'...'
I belatedly became aware of the brand I was still touching with my thumb and took my hand away... I'm not sure he's the enemy. I was in a position where I cannot be the first to act carelessly.
'This idea is sealed.'
The thought of becoming deeper and heavier was blocked at some point.
What was I thinking? As I was reorganizing my memories, the Demon King carefully spoke as if soothing me. I wondered what he had gathered from my stationary position and silence.
"No, it's really not that big of a deal. Rather, I was afraid that you would be disappointed and try to go back... so I didn't tell you."
"..."
"If you don't believe me, I'll tell you. So, listen and don't go back?"
"... I will listen first."
"There is a group of monsters at the destination. It's not that much and you can easily handle it on your own, so it will fine... Deon? Why are you going back... Is it because it's so boring? Are you annoyed because I called you for something trivial?"
"..."
"I ask for your understanding. I think it would be a good idea to get rid of it in advance because of the location, but it would be a waste to send troops separately... I don't think it would be a waste."
You're saying you're going to send me as a sacrifice, right?
If he had seen my rotting expression, he would have stopped talking. The calm voice of the Demon King, who had no way of knowing what I was thinking, continued.
"Wouldn't it be much more efficient to send just you and divert the troops to go there to the other side? Moreover, it seems like if we move our troops now, we will create unnecessary vigilance. The Emperor is sensitive these days."
"..."
"If it's bothersome, you can just scare them away. The problem is not the 'monsters' but the 'location' where the monsters are. What kind of variable would it be because it's so close to the borderline?"
Where on earth did humans who scared monsters live?
First, I corrected my direction again, moved, and got lost in thought. The sound of the Demon King's relief heard through the communication stone was so annoying that I cut off the communication.
'If I take a wrong turn, I'll contact him again. Rather...'
It's not that I don't understand the Demon King's situation at all. It's pointless and a waste of time to fight here.
This borderline where I was now was the borderline located furthest from the capital within the Empire. This meant that there was no reason for the Demon King's army, which had already selected and pounded several nearby border lines, to advance through here. Even if they moved with the purpose of striking the rear, the news would spread before they even reached their intended location due to the distance.
'No matter how much the goal is to deal with monsters, if he sends troops here...'
The Emperor, who couldn't just sit there and watch, would send troops to not be outdone. Meaningless conflicts would occur.
However, it was difficult to leave the monsters alone because they were a species that attacked and ate both humans and demons. Since it takes manpower to even constantly watch and monitor the situation, it would have been cleanest to send me in to handle it.
'But I'm not strong...! I'm weak...!'