Even without a detailed explanation, Aden would surely understand what I was trying to say.

Benjamin hoped that Aden would comprehend his words.

“Lend me a horse. My horse is tied up at the imperial palace, so I can’t take it with me.”

“Aden.”

“Also, prepare some food and water. Three days’ worth should be enough.”

…I’m a fool for expecting anything. Benjamin sighed, placing his hands on his hips. So it’s come to this after all.

Brushing back his disheveled hair, Benjamin stared blankly at Aden sitting on the sofa with tired eyes, then let out a laugh as if he’d lost his mind.

“I might as well quit my job as deputy minister and find a place somewhere else.”

Benjamin recalled the conversation he had with Aden on the plateau, the day he first met Ludmila at the Black Wall. He twisted his mouth into a crooked smile.

“See? It turned out just as I said.”

By now, his longtime friend and leader should realize that listening to him would have been the right choice.

To think he’d do such a foolish thing as throwing away his clan and everything else, blinded by a woman.

It was absurd, yet at the same time, the fact that he could understand his actions made it all the more disheartening.

Benjamin couldn’t tell how far this situation would go.

He only hoped that Aden’s escape with Ludmila wasn’t just an impulsive act done without any plan.

That the leader he believed in and followed wasn’t such a foolish man.

“Take my horse. You should be able to reach the Sender Gate before dawn in about two days.”

“Thank you, Benjamin.”

“If you’re thankful, then listen to me for once.”

Benjamin grumbled softly, rolling his eyes.

The approaching footsteps from afar stopped at the door, and then the door opened quietly.

Benjamin made eye contact with Ludmila, who entered with bandages around her neck, presumably after receiving treatment. He bowed his head once.

Benjamin ran his hand through his hair with a short breath, then spoke softly as if resigned.

“I’ll throw out some bait to divert the Crown Prince’s attention.”

Benjamin turned his head to Aden with calm eyes and jerked his chin.

“Don’t die, Aden. Run with all your might.”

Dawn had passed when a flock of wood pigeons took flight in the distance.

The guard on night duty at the closed gate wearily lifted his eyes to observe the light cutting through the bluish dawn.

It was already time for his shift to end.

“Time to change shifts.”

The squad leader checked his watch and tiredly rubbed his face.

As the guard was organizing his belongings and preparing handover notes for the next shift, he suddenly raised his head at a sound breaking the silence.

His eyes narrowed as he peered into the still-thick darkness.

“Squad leader.”

“What?”

The squad leader, already seated and enjoying a moment of lazy relaxation, responded without lifting his head.

“Squad leader, squad leader!”

The squad leader’s eyes turned fierce at the guard’s fuss, who even shook his shoulder while he was moistening his lips with water from his canteen.

What’s all this commotion about? Grumbling briefly, the squad leader rose from his seat and glared at the soldier who had touched his shoulder.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

“Look over there, sir.”

The squad leader’s gaze followed the guard’s outstretched finger.

There’s nothing there? All he could see was a blue tinge on the road, still dark in the dawn light.

“What am I supposed to be looking at?”

“There… don’t you hear something, sir?”

“What sound? Who would be coming at this hour? Don’t worry about it and just finish your last watch properly.”

The squad leader warned the guard in a gruff voice and clicked his tongue softly as he turned away.

But before he could fully turn, the squad leader seemed to notice something too, standing diagonally and staring intently at the roadside.

As silence fell, something finally struck his ears.

Frowning, the squad leader silently watched the road and could gradually make out a person on horseback emerging from the darkness.

“What’s that?”

The light cutting through the darkness gradually intensified, soon illuminating the rider on horseback.

“Isn’t that… the captain?”

The sharp-eyed guard spoke first, and the squad leader, belatedly grasping the situation, quickly turned around.

Following the squad leader’s lead a beat later, the guard grabbed the handle, and together they opened the tightly closed gate. Not long after, Aden on horseback slipped through the opening.

The squad leader, staring blankly after Aden who disappeared in an instant leaving only dust behind, tilted his head and was about to close the gate again when he noticed something on the ground and picked it up.

It was the emblem of Habertz, a gray wolf with a sword in its mouth.

“What’s that, sir?”

“It’s the Habertz emblem.”

The squad leader nodded to the guard and closed the gate himself.

After securing the tightly closed gate handle with his spear, he fetched the handover log and tossed it to the guard.

“We’re closing the gate from now on. Keep it sealed tight until further orders, not even an ant should pass through. Don’t think about going home for a while.”

“What? Really?”

To the guard’s bewildered question, the squad leader nodded briefly before turning away.

Ignoring the grumbling behind him, he went to fetch his spear and narrowed his eyes.

“…Are they planning to start a war?”

If his memory served him right, the last time the gate was closed was 50 years ago, during the war.

The squad leader bit his lip at the ominous feeling, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Just standing guard at the gate. That was all he could do.

Aden and Ludmila arrived at the Black Wall around late lunchtime.

When Salom belatedly heard of their arrival and hurriedly opened the main gate, Aden and Ludmila had already finished settling in.

Salom was perplexed by the sudden return of his master, and even more so by Ludmila’s presence.

Though curious about what had transpired, Salom didn’t forget his position and greeted the two with a respectful bow before giving instructions to the servants.

Leaving the dispersing servants behind, Salom approached the pair, exchanged bows with Ludmila, then shifted his gaze to Aden.

“I apologize for the late welcome, my lord.”

Aden briefly shook his head, cutting off his apology.

With the apology process skipped, Salom’s attention naturally shifted to Ludmila.

It had been about a month since Ludmila left for the capital and hadn’t returned. Maybe a bit longer. Many things had happened at the Black Wall in the meantime.

It didn’t require much thought to realize that most of those changes stemmed from Aden.

Aden and Ludmila.

It was only natural to think that something had happened between the two, hence his master’s current reaction.

And yet, his master had returned with Ludmila.

‘…Did he abduct her?’

The disloyal suspicion he had tried to ignore suddenly made its presence known in his mind.

“I’ve instructed to have the bath filled so you can wash up.”

“We haven’t slept properly for two days. I think it’s better to rest first and bathe later.”

Aden, retrieving the luggage from the horse that was emanating a faint heat haze, turned towards Ludmila.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s good. If there’s any problem, I’ll call for a doctor.”

Aden stared intently at Ludmila as she briefly shook her head, then pressed his lips together in a smile.

“You look a mess.”

They hadn’t been able to sleep, let alone eat properly, while evading the pursuit. Naturally, bathing had been out of the question too.

When awake, she had been behind Aden’s back; when dozing, in Aden’s arms.

Ludmila hadn’t been able to dismount for two days, alternating positions. Thanks to this, they had been able to reach the Send Plateau in two days despite taking mountain paths off the main road.

“Even if you want to wash up, sleep first. Bathing when you’re exhausted could strain your body. Sleep for an hour or two, then bathe.”

“What about you?”

Aden’s lips, about to give a casual answer, hesitated.

As if telling him not to deceive her, intelligent eyes that hadn’t lost their sharpness despite fatigue were staring at him.

Aden silently gazed at the eyes that sparkled as usual, despite her haggard face, then closed his lips and turned away.

“Guide Ludmila to the bedroom.”

“Understood.”

Salom prioritized his master’s order despite his curiosity.

Ludmila, reluctant to leave, finally moved her legs at Salom’s urging.

Aden waited until the two disappeared through the open door, then pressed his eyelids firmly, fighting exhaustion.

He couldn’t sleep yet. The sleep time allowed to him, who still had things to do, was still far off.

Aden jerked his chin in greeting towards Beressa, who came out belatedly.

“Call all the vassals and clan lords, Beressa. It’s the Gray Wolf’s summons.”

Fifty years after the last war.

Beressa’s face tensed at the general summons, only possible when war was imminent.