Episode 129: Work Must Be Done
The purification Bureau was as busy as ever.
As always, Yohan had arrived at work at the purification Bureau and was reviewing documents. Papers, maps, and reports were spread across his desk.
Although the Duke had sent a letter regarding his upcoming wedding, Francia’s service period was still ongoing, and Yohan had tasks to handle. So, for now, it was a matter for the future.
Standing before him, Elena read through the documents.
“This is a summary report. We are scheduled to close a demonic lair in the western part of the empire in a week. There is one special-grade lair, and the rest are at least first-grade.”
Rustle.
She flipped through the documents and continued her explanation.
“The Cantabile family is located in the west. They are led by Antares Cantabile, the Margrave, who has reached the level of a special-grade knight. Under his command is the Celestial Knights.”
The demonic lair in the empire’s western region had been a persistent problem for a long time. Not only were they high-grade, but there were also too many of them for proper management.
Because of this, the imperial family had granted Antares Cantabile the title of Margrave, entrusting him with the defense of the western territories.
—This was the extent of what Yohan knew about the empire’s western region.
“How strong is the Celestial Knights’ force?”
“They are ranked fourth among the knight orders in the empire.”
“Hmm.”
Yohan nodded.
If they were ranked fourth, including the Imperial Knights and the Fervache Knights, then their scale must be significant.
With their support, casualties could be minimized.
“Send a letter to the House of Cantabile. Inform them that we will be closing the demonic lair in the west and tell them to prepare.”
“Yes.”
Elena nodded, finished her report, and returned to her seat. She immediately took out a pen and paper to draft the letter.
“…”
Yohan turned his gaze to check on other tasks. However, shadows fell over his face. His usual calm expression seemed particularly grim today.
Rudbeckia—
Watching Yohan, she swallowed nervously. Ever since the day they had lunch together, when she revealed her feelings, his expression had been dark.
Was it because he didn’t like her?
Was he just tolerating her because she was his aide?
Or did her confession stir up vague memories that made it difficult for him to respond?
The more she thought about it, the tighter her chest felt.
She had turned back time and received a golden opportunity—what if she was hated again?
Anxiety, fear, and a whirlwind of negative emotions flooded Rudbeckia’s mind.
She fidgeted with her fingers, nervously gauging Yohan’s reaction.
‘Was I too hasty…?’
Thinking back, she realized she had been rash. Their relationship wasn’t even close yet, but she had already confessed her true feelings. It wasn’t exactly rational.
‘Oh no…’
In the quiet office, where everyone was focused on their work, Rudbeckia held her head in her hands.
Acting on impulse had only made Yohan more wary of her. The proof was written all over his hardened expression.
If his face had been gloomy from the start, she could have just assumed he was in a bad mood.
“Ugh…”
Rudbeckia let out a quiet whimper.
She had worked so hard to prepare everything carefully, only to make such a foolish mistake.
She didn’t deserve Yohan’s heart.
‘What should I do? I was planning to ask him to have dinner together today…’
She sneaked a glance at Yohan’s face. His expression was still troubled.
Maybe he just wasn’t feeling well? Maybe he was just sleep-deprived?
But… he didn’t look tired.
His voice was steady, and his eyes were sharp with focus.
Which meant—he was either troubled by something or feeling uneasy about something.
‘So, in the end…’
No matter how optimistically she tried to see it, there was only one conclusion.
It had to be because she revealed her true feelings that day.
Rudbeckia hung her head low.
“Hic…”
She sniffled again.
Though she wasn’t actually crying, she was utterly drowning in regret and despair over her own mistake.
—Of course, Yohan wasn’t troubled because of Rudbeckia. Rather, he was finally planning to face her properly.
The reason for his troubled expression was that he had no idea how to explain things to Duke Fervache, whom he would soon meet.
Even as he focused on his work, he couldn’t shake that thought from his mind.
Damn it, no matter how much I think about it, there’s no way out of this.
He shut his eyes tightly and massaged his temples with two fingers. His head throbbed. He had no confidence in explaining this situation to his father-in-law.
Sure, it was something that could be understood if explained properly. After all, Rudella’s accumulated evidence had played a decisive role in toppling the crown prince.
But would the duke actually listen?
Yohan’s conclusion was a resounding “Absolutely not.”
Imagine if the man his only daughter brought home as her lover suddenly claimed to practice polygamy. If he were in the duke’s place, he’d put a bullet through the man’s head on the spot.
That thought alone was enough to darken Yohan’s expression.
Naturally, Rudbeckia had no way of knowing this and was left feeling anxious for no reason…
“…”
“…”
The office was enveloped in an odd silence.
Only a man’s worries and a woman’s regrets existed in that space.
***
The Day of the Operation
Time passed, and the day of the operation arrived.
The Purification and government officers entered the western region of the empire, Margrave Cantabile’s territory, with tension in their eyes.
Their nervousness was understandable.
Unlike previous operations, this one involved a special-grade demonic rift, with the lowest-ranked rifts being first-grade.
The only reason the Cantabile Territory had remained stable despite such a nightmarish environment was the strength of the Celestial Knights. The help of the officials managing the rifts also played a role.
But even with that, it was still a difficult place to live.
“The atmosphere in Cantabile Territory is definitely rigid.” Francia remarked, surveying the surroundings while riding her horse.
The reason she was with Yohan was that she had been assigned to the first squad for this operation.
Of course, it wasn’t because Yohan had used personal bias to place her there. Since his squad was at the center of the mission, it was only natural for her to be included.
“With so many rifts around, and at such high levels, it’s no wonder. Life must be incredibly tough here. They probably lack not only food but also luxury goods.”
The presence of rifts was a burden not only on the lord but also on the people living in the territory.
Even though the tax rate was low and there was some financial support from the imperial family, the region remained fundamentally weak.
“Well, that makes sense… They have to spend money on managing the rifts before they can even think about anything else.”
Maintaining knights and soldiers was already costly, and since the territory itself yielded little revenue, their situation was bound to be difficult.
Yohan nodded in agreement.
“That’s true.”
“I wish the rifts had never appeared…”
“Yes, it’s unfortunate.”
“Hmmm…”
At Yohan’s vague response, Francia studied his face carefully before asking,
“Are you worried about something?”
“…Worried?”
“Well, Yohan, your face right now…”
Francia mimicked his expression, pressing her fingers against her furrowed brows while shading her face with her other hand to create a shadow.
“It looks like this, you know?”
“Oh.”
At her words, Yohan finally realized he had been lost in thought.
Holding the reins with one hand, Francia lightly stroked her cheek before giving him a bright smile.
“You’re not nervous about the mission, so… are you still dreading meeting my father?”
She had hit the mark perfectly.
“…Yeah, I suppose.”
From the duke’s perspective, it must have seemed utterly ridiculous. Yohan had spoken as if he were the most devoted man in the world, only to turn around and take a concubine.
Even Yohan himself found it absurd—so how much more infuriating would it be for his father-in-law?
“Don’t worry too much.”
Francia smiled faintly.
“If you explain everything clearly and tell him what has changed as a result, Father will understand.”
“Hmm…”
“If you’re still uneasy, I can speak to him first to help calm his anger a bit.”
It was a good idea, but as a man, hiding behind his wife didn’t sit right with him.
Yohan chuckled softly and shook his head.
“…It’s fine. I’ll explain everything properly to the Duke myself.”
He was smiling, but it was not a true smile.
“Director! The Margrave Cantabile has arrived!”
While Yohan was drowning in thoughts of the near future, shedding invisible tears, the Margrave had arrived in person.
Now, they would discuss the operation and prepare for deployment.
“Let’s go.”
Dismounting from his horse, Yohan started walking to meet the Margrave.
***
Western Region of Rozino Empire
A land thick with dark energy, swarming with demonic lairs of considerable rank.
The beasts that inhabited this region were at least Grade 1.
Special-grade beasts, rarely seen elsewhere, roamed in packs here.
It was also the most suitable place for dark mages to dwell.
In the dead of night, a dense fog blanketed the forest floor.
A man, cloaked in black robes, stood before a massive stone gate.
To an outsider, it might appear to be just another ruin—
But as he stepped closer, the stone wall melted away like liquid, revealing a path shrouded in black mist.
Following the path, he descended a damp staircase leading underground.
At the bottom, ominous whispers and the thick scent of dark magic lingered in the air, numbing his senses.
The air was heavy and cold.
The magic was so thick it felt as if it were breathing.
The longer one stayed, the more their mind dulled.
Black candles flickered in the darkness, casting long, distorted shadows on the walls.
“—! —!”
“—!—!”
Indistinct voices echoed around him.
Whispers from an unknown source.
Laughter from somewhere in the darkness.
And then, a reflection in an ancient mirror—one that did not belong to him.
The moment he gazed into it, his body was pulled into the mirror.
“You’ve arrived.”
When he opened his eyes, he stood before a vast round table.
Seated around it were individuals covered in black tattoos—
Elite dark mages of the highest rank.
“What’s the news?”
A dark mage seated at the head of the table asked.
He bore far more tattoos than the others, marking his superiority.
“…The Saint has arrived.”
At those words, the once-silent dark mages stirred.
“So he’s finally reached the west…”
“We must deal with him here and now!”
“We can’t just sit back and watch, can we?”
Saint Yohan.
A divine agent who purified demonic energy and sealed demonic lairs in the name of the Goddess.
A heretic who denied the path of magic and desecrated the King of Death.
A man most feared and loathed by the dark mages who rejected the world.
“Enough.”
As murmurs of unrest spread, the dark mage at the head raised a hand.
His voice was cracked, his eyes gleaming with a black, ominous energy.
“Saint Yohan’s arrival is actually an opportunity for us.”
He stood up and spread his arms.
Whoosh!
Dark energy surged around him, forming a massive black skull.
“This is our sacred domain.”
His voice resonated through the chamber.
“Saint Yohan has rejected the dark arts, denied our path, and blasphemed against the King of Death.”
The dark mages’ eyes gleamed red.
“We shall offer his blood to our King.”
A surge of black energy rippled across the round table.
“This false world will crumble.
The so-called Saint of the Goddess and the Obsidian Saintess shall be consumed by darkness.”
The once-doubtful dark mages slowly lifted their heads.
Their bodies bore countless ominous tattoos.
“The moment Yohan and his foolish knights attempt to seal the rift… we strike.”
His eyes burned with murderous intent.
Saint Yohan, closest to the celestial realm, and Francia, the Obsidian Saintess blessed with the power of purification—
Both would meet their deaths in the western part of the empire.