“But, Commander… What just…”

Martin directed a cold sneer at Karl, who was asking in confusion.

“Can’t you tell even after seeing it? I just killed someone. No, to be more precise, I should say I killed a ‘kidnapper’.”

Karl realized that his involvement in spiriting away Yulia with Reymont had been discovered.

Making that judgment, Karl immediately tried to escape using his spatial movement ability, but Martin commanded even faster.

“Maxilian. Stop him.”

“Yessir.”

Though Maxilian answered in a casual tone, his actions were swift.

He activated his ability just as Karl was about to use his spatial movement power.

Due to the power of the nullification ability that could neutralize another’s ability for about 5 minutes, Karl’s escape attempt became futile.

As Maxilian blocked Karl’s spatial movement, Martin slowly approached Karl.

“Were you just thinking of escaping with your spatial movement ability?”

“…”

“Is that how you secretly spirited away Yulia?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about. Spiriting away the Deputy Commander… Whatever misunderstanding you’re having—”

In the middle of Karl’s words, Martin put the sharp tip of his halberd under Karl’s throat.

“Shut up. I already know everything about your actions.”

Martin already knew.

That Yulia had not been swallowed whole by a monster.

That it was all a plot by Karl and Reymont.

However, even with Reymont’s head cut off, Karl did not easily admit to his crime.

“I really don’t know what this is about. Why would I kidnap the Deputy Commander? After how much she’s looked after me.”

“Yes, Yulia cared for you a lot. That’s why your actions are even more disgusting.”

Martin’s blazing golden eyes glared at Karl as if they would devour him.

Suppressed by that gaze, Karl couldn’t make any retort as Martin brought the blade of his halberd even closer to Karl’s neck.

“I almost believed that Yulia had died too. If Oscar hadn’t witnessed you and Reymont creating ‘fake traces’ with blood in your eyes.”

Letting out a bitter laugh, Martin continued to ask.

“Do you know that every single one of your actions was suspicious?”

“…”

“You said at first that Yulia went east to gather firewood, right? But when I thought about it, it didn’t make sense. There wasn’t a single tree or blade of grass to the east, so it wasn’t good for gathering firewood.”

“…”

“So why did you say Yulia went east of all places? I suspected… that you had actually made up a lie.”

Hearing Martin’s words up to that point, Karl nodded as if he understood.

“So that’s why you ordered Oscar to keep a close eye on me from then on.”

“Yes. You may not have known, but Oscar was constantly monitoring you with his ability. Then he discovered you and Reymont sprinkling blood on the snow to fabricate traces of Yulia.”

“…”

“I was so dumbfounded I almost laughed. Watching you blatantly lie that Yulia must have been eaten by a monster while pointing at bloodstains you made with animal blood.”

Martin finally brought his halberd even closer to Karl’s neck.

A shallow wound formed as the sharply ground blade touched his neck.

Observing the drops of blood falling from that wound with an indifferent gaze, Martin bluntly asked.

“Where did you kidnap Yulia to? Did you use spatial movement ability?”

“…Aren’t you going to ask why I did this, whose instructions I followed?”

“There’s no need to ask, your backer is obvious. It’s Ernant, isn’t it? My damn brother.”

Gritting his teeth so hard a chilling sound could be heard, Martin glared at Karl.

“I don’t want to know why you followed that bastard’s instructions. There’s only one thing I want to know.”

“…”

“Yulia. Where did you hide her?”

Murderous intent beyond anger swirled in the golden eyes staring at Karl.

Nevertheless, Karl slowly shook his head.

“I cannot tell you.”

“Then I’ll kill you. This is no joke.”

Of course, Karl could also tell that Martin’s words were no joke.

Martin had the eyes of a killer.

Having already finished off Reymont, killing Karl next wouldn’t be too difficult.

But Karl’s answer remained unchanged this time as well.

“Something more precious than life is at stake. I’m sorry.”

If he revealed Yulia’s confinement location to Martin, Ernant would immediately suspect Karl as the culprit.

After that, he would seek to punish him.

The problem was what came next.

After punishing and killing Karl, Ernant would extend his hand to Karl’s precious younger sister as well.

That cruel emperor would not be satisfied with just killing the person who betrayed him.

So Karl could not speak, and chose eternal silence.

“…!”

Seeing blood suddenly start to flow from between Karl’s lips, Martin grabbed Karl’s collar.

Then he forcibly opened his mouth and examined inside.

He hadn’t bitten his tongue.

Then there was only one conclusion.

“Did you swallow poison? Spit it out right now…!”

Martin hurriedly stirred Karl’s throat with his finger, but it was already too late.

The poison that Karl had secretly hidden behind his molar in preparation for such a moment had already gone down his esophagus and was burning his internal organs.

A liquid mixture of blood and vomit spewed out of Karl’s mouth.

If he died like this, Yulia’s whereabouts would remain unknown.

So Martin hurriedly tore open a potion and poured it down Karl’s throat, but—

“…He’s already dead.”

Karl’s breath had long since stopped.

No matter how much potion was poured in, a person who had already died could not be revived.

Martin quietly put down Karl’s corpse covered in blood and stood up.

“…Commander.”

Maxilian, who had been watching the situation nearby, carefully approached Martin and called out to him.

He couldn’t carelessly touch Martin’s body.

Terrible killing intent was still billowing up from his two eyes.

After exhaling his burning anger in a long sigh, Martin muttered.

“This has become troublesome.”

“What should we do now…”

“For now, we’ll have to hunt the Winter Queen first.”

They couldn’t leave the monster that had burst out of the rift and was corroding the land of humans as it was.

Glaring at the cliff where the Queen’s castle was located, Martin continued speaking.

“However, we’ll finish the hunt by today. After that, I’ll immediately formulate a plan to find Yulia. We must find her even if we have to mobilize the entire Knighthood. Because Yulia is—”

After pausing to catch his breath in the middle of his long speech, he spoke in a quiet voice as if affirming to himself.

“An indispensable existence. To everyone.”

There were still many unclosed rifts in the empire.

There were many monsters that had not been dealt with.

Yulia was needed as a knight to clean up those things.

But even if Yulia had not been a knight, Martin would have tried to save her all the same.

Because their relationship had already become too deep to forget and live on without.

“Let’s hurry.”

So saying, Martin placed his hand on the cliff.

Soon, the ice firmly covering its surface slowly began to melt.

This villa that Ernant had prepared was quite well-equipped with various things.

Especially the bedroom had almost everything.

Of course there was a bed and wardrobe, and even a dressing table that I had no particular need for was placed there.

It could be said to be a room where Ernant’s thorough preparedness was clearly felt.

I sat near the window of that room and looked around. To the west of the island.

I had to go there before Ernant came.

The soldier said there was something dangerous in the west so be careful, but according to my thinking, that was probably a lie.

Most likely, the ship that the soldiers used to come here was hidden there.

They probably lied that there was “something dangerous” there to prevent me from discovering it.

I was deciding that I should go west as soon as possible when it happened.

“Lord Schnesthern. I have something to deliver to you. I’m coming in for a moment.”

It was the voice of the soldier who had guided me here.

If I heard correctly on the way, his name was Willih?

I asked Willih, who would be standing outside the door.

“What if I tell you not to come in?”

“I’ll still enter. It’s an imperial order.”

“…”

I didn’t know why he bothered asking for permission when he was going to enter as he pleased from the start.

While I was expressing my displeasure through silence, Willih finally entered the bedroom.

In his hand was a familiar crystal ball, which seemed to be the purpose of his visit here.

“It’s a communication item.”

Hearing my words, Willih immediately nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct. His Majesty will soon contact you through this object.”

I had used that item before to secretly communicate with Ernant.

It’s not something you can see often because it’s incredibly expensive, but I could quickly recognize its purpose since I had used it before.

Sure enough, soon the crystal ball began to vibrate while emitting a familiar light.

Willih handed me the vibrating crystal ball and immediately left the room.

Left alone in that situation, I lightly tapped the crystal ball to receive Ernant’s contact.

−Yulia, it’s me. It’s been a while since we communicated like this, hasn’t it?

“…”

−How are you feeling?

Hearing Ernant’s brazen question, a sharp reply burst out of me before I knew it.

“Are you asking how I feel about being kidnapped right now? It feels absolutely filthy and wonderful.”