After Alicia and Riley left the restaurant, the Emperor, Adrian, and the three dukes moved to the Emperor’s office.

This was after Sienna and Duchess McLeod had moved to a separate place to discuss this banquet.

“You encountered a mutant on your way back to the capital?”

As the Emperor sitting at the head seat opened his mouth, Duke Fraser and Duke McLeod nodded in unison.

“Thanks to Killian quickly sharing how to deal with magical beasts, there wasn’t much damage, but the problem was that it appeared near a village.”

Duke Fraser said while eating cookies brought by a servant as if she was still not full despite having eaten so much.

The south had well-maintained large and wide roads thanks to active trade with the bordering Kingdom of Tirione, and as the weather became milder towards the south, large and small houses were clustered along the roads.

The appearance of a mutant on such a road was like a disaster.

“Was there damage to the houses?”

“We lured it outside before it could settle in and finished it. As for damage… I guess everyone was terribly frightened?”

Duke Fraser rinsed her mouth with a sip of warm tea after putting the last remaining cookie in her mouth at once.

While the Emperor was lost in thought for a moment at her words, Adrian spoke.

“Was black crystal found there as well?”

“We searched the nearby forest in case there were more magical beasts, and it was there. I brought it back well and handed it over to the Captain of the Imperial Guard, so please check it.”

Although some time had passed since Duke Fraser arrived at the Imperial Palace, today was the first time they had a proper conversation, being conscious of the gazes around them.

She looked at Adrian, whose face had become more serious at her words, and then turned her gaze to Duke McLeod.

“Did you find any too, Your Grace?”

“Three mutants. And a colony of black crystals was discovered.”

“Wow…”

“The problem is the location where the black crystal colony was found.”

“Where was it?”

“The Priska Mountains.”

“Kek!”

Fraser, who had been casually conversing and eyeing the cookies placed in front of Duke McLeod, made a crude sound.

Since it wasn’t the first time she had shown such behavior, no one picked on it, but McLeod, reminded of his friend who would beat his chest at the mere mention of his daughter, frowned and let out a long sigh.

“The Priska Mountains are where the Tower of the Sages is, right?”

“There’s no news of problems at the tower yet, but looking at the current situation, it seems that place will be in danger soon too.”

It was then that Killian, who had been leaning back on the right sofa with his eyes closed, ignoring the exchanging conversation, opened his eyes.

“Is the colony close to the Tower of the Sages?”

“Neither close nor far. Fortunately, the sages in the tower don’t like going out, so they probably won’t encounter magical beasts in the forest… but we need to accurately grasp the relationship between black crystals and mutants.”

Duke McLeod, who was thinking of passing his title to his eldest son soon, thought it was rather fortunate that this happened while he was still active.

Whether it was the thoughtless Taliana or the unpredictable Killian… he judged that being too young and lacking in various experiences could be poison in dealing with the current situation for those responsible for the border.

‘Duke Diaz may not be lacking in experience, but… being too cold and rational could be a problem.’

Killian had survived fighting magical beasts since childhood.

It was unimaginable that he would lose in a fight against magical beasts, even if they were mutants, as long as they had clear weaknesses.

The problem was his excessively cold nature.

Of course, a commander-in-chief responsible for a front line needed the ability to grasp the situation and make decisions coolly without being swayed by sentiment, but a gentle heart to embrace the weak was also necessary.

After all, you can’t win a war with just a sword in hand.

“Duke Diaz.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor, who had been listening to the conversation, looked at Killian.

“What changes were there in the Forest of Magical Beasts?”

“Winter is the active season for magical beasts, so it’s difficult to approach the forest itself, making it hard to grasp.”

“Hmm.”

“It will take time even if we start investigating now. However, from what we’ve found out so far… it seems that mutants move actively regardless of the season.”

Magical beasts move in winter.

The exact reason is unknown, but in the Binion territory, there’s an old tale that the cold winter wind lightens the steps of magical beasts.

Among those gathered here now, Killian was the one who knew the most about magical beasts, but there was more unknown information about magical beasts than what was known.

“I’ve instructed the subordinates I left at the fortress to observe the Forest of Magical Beasts, so the first report should come up soon.”

“Soon… When does Duke Diaz think that will be?”

After thinking for a moment at Adrian’s question, Killian opened his mouth.

“The day the spring banquet begins. That will be the day.”

Greeting Killian, who returned to the mansion after finishing the conversation without much gain, was his aide, Brill Grant.

Abandoned in the land of magical beasts and surviving that hellish place with Killian’s help, Brill was a man who could do anything for him.

With white hair that had turned so due to the shock of witnessing his mother’s death right before his eyes, he was stronger than Diaz’s wolves but became Killian’s aide thanks to his calm personality.

“It seems it was a visit without much achievement, sir.”

Brill, who received his outer garments in place of the busy butler preparing various things for the master returning home after a long time, said, to which Killian replied.

“Achievement… If you mean about the magical beasts, certainly nothing was gained.”

It was just a place to reconfirm the information already grasped through the spies planted throughout the empire.

Killian, seemingly displeased with the situation of doing nothing and sitting idle on the matter of magical beasts where he could exert his influence the most, roughly opened the door to his office and sat in the chair with a sigh.

It was a sight he had never shown to others.

“Shall we increase the personnel to observe the Forest of Magical Beasts?”

“How many are in there now?”

“Five wolves and thirty soldiers, sir.”

“Increase the number of wolves and reduce the soldiers. The soldiers won’t be of much use in that forest anyway.”

“I’ll withdraw all but the soldiers to be used as intermediary contacts.”

Brill’s dark gray eyes flashed as he thought about what would be the fastest hawk left in the cage.

“Any other news?”

“Derek is being unusually quiet.”

Killian clicked his tongue briefly, recalling his knight commander with attractive crimson hair.

He was a guy who would get restless and act out if he didn’t cause trouble for even a day.

Every time that happened, Brill would personally take up the sword and drain his energy as if thrashing him, which had prevented problems, but for such a guy to be quiet…

“Sounds like he’s about to cause big trouble.”

“We’re keeping an eye on him.”

“Let me know in advance if it seems like it’ll become a big issue. I’ll stretch my body after a long time.”

“I’ll soften him up appropriately so that Your Grace doesn’t have to intervene personally.”

The two were exchanging brutal conversation in a flat tone.

−Knock knock

In the moment the two paused their conversation, the butler who had briefly left his post opened the door and entered.

Bowing his head politely to greet the master who had returned from his outing, he extended a small silver tray towards Killian.

“What is it?”

“A letter from the Count Louis family, sir.”

“Sheryl?”

“Yes, it arrived with a request for a quick reply.”

Killian, who had been looking at the envelope placed on the tray, spoke to the butler without any intention of taking it to open.

“Miles.”

“Yes, master.”

“What do you think the content might be?”

“She must have requested to be your escort for this banquet.”

“Brill, what’s your thought?”

“I agree with Butler Russell.”

The butler, who had neatly combed back his gray hair that had turned white with age, somehow felt he could guess the next words his master would utter.

“Refuse it. Convey that.”

“Yes, I understand.”

If others had seen his attitude of refusing without even opening the letter, they would have severely reprimanded him for behavior unbecoming of etiquette.

However, this was the Diaz Duke’s residence, and the master here was Killian.

It didn’t matter if the content written in the letter was different from their expectation.

Killian said to refuse, so whatever Sheryl had asked for, he would never think about it again.

“I won’t be going out for a while.”

“Was there no further summons from the Imperial Palace?”

“Because there’s nothing more to gain. Everyone must be waiting for news that my wolves will bring.”

It was a sarcastic tone.

However, what was important to butler Miles Russell was not his master’s tone, but the fact that his master would not be going out for the time being.

If so, it was his job to prepare so that the master wouldn’t feel any discomfort while staying at the mansion.

“If there are no other orders, I’ll take my leave.”

“Do so.”

“Have a peaceful night.”

As the old butler withdrew silently and silence was about to fill Killian’s office again, he opened his mouth once more.

“Brill.”

“Yes.”

“What about the thing I told you to look into?”

“I apologize. I haven’t found an opportunity yet.”

“It’s rare for you to have no progress on a task you’ve taken on.”

“It’s difficult because it’s the Imperial Palace.”

It was a clean answer.

It was also an answer tailored to Killian, who didn’t like hearing messy and unnecessarily long excuses.

“It’s not simply because it’s the Imperial Palace, is it?”

Was it because he heard an answer tailored to his taste?

Killian leaned deep into the chair and narrowed his eyes languidly, letting out a small laugh.

“The problem is trying to plant someone in the closest position to Alicia. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Plant someone in the closest position to observe the Imperial Princess.

This was the order Killian had given to Brill before leaving the Binion territory.

To plant someone near the Imperial Princess whom he had been cold towards until now… Brill was puzzled, but like Killian’s loyal dog, he moved quickly to carry out the order given without question.

However, planting someone near Alicia was a difficult task.

“She is loved even by the lowliest creatures in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, she doesn’t change the people around her often, which makes it difficult.”