The Northern Grand Duke’s Crazy Son-in-Law

13. Frontline

‘A demon has entered the Intelligence Service-.’

Galahad rolled the bitter sentence around in his mouth.

On the surface, it was just a demon entering a northern noble’s house, but-.

‘It can’t be that easy.’

Always assume the worst-case scenario-. That was a famous saying from one of Galahad’s seniors. That particular senior had met an unfortunate end because he hadn’t followed his own advice.

‘Since when has the information from the north been compromised?’

The demon might have done something during the conflict between the Grand Duchy and the Empire.

After all, the information the Empire receives is produced by the Intelligence Service.

To track him down-.

‘We’ll have to compare the Intelligence Service’s northern information with the actual situation.’

If there was any tampering, there was bound to be a trail.

Knock, knock, Galahad tapped his fingers out of habit.

“But why do we have to stay in the carriage? It’s cramped.”

“Can’t smoke a cigarette inside.”

“Why not? You smoked one when we were coming here.”

“Damian is here now.”

“Didn’t you smoke in the tavern?”

“Is a tavern the same as a closed carriage?”

Gilbert frowned. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again.

Galahad clicked his tongue and tapped the cigarette.

Just then, a cold wind blew across his face.

“Damn, it’s cold.”

This wasn’t just a cold wind, it was a biting wind. I’m glad I bought a coat before we left, or I would have had to use all my mana just to stay warm.

“We are in the north.”

Gilbert flicked the reins. The four horses snorted and tossed their heads. The snow that had piled up softly beneath their hooves flew up into the air.

The surroundings were a blur of white and black. The white was snow, and the black was the ground beneath it.

“The land turned black?”

“When the blood of the Demons touches it, it turns black.”

“Hmm, is it related to the mana contained in the blood of the Demons?”

“What are you saying? Please speak in Imperial.”

“You’re quite ignorant. You’re a good knight.”

Gilbert turned his head slightly. Galahad was lost in thought again.

Demons and mana, the nature of mana that burns within Adrianna-.

Both were maddeningly fascinating.

“···What do you plan to do?”

Gilbert’s question broke his reverie.

“What do you mean?”

“If you go to the front lines, the backlash will be greater.”

“Backlash is the destiny of a genius.”

Gilbert widened his eyes. He seemed to think it was a joke. Galahad smiled wryly.

Once he arrived at the front, the first thing he had to do was-.

‘Study Adrianna.’

Compared to the importance of Adrianna, the Demons were nothing.

The most important thing now was Adrianna.

How long had he been running?

An unexpected sight greeted Galahad.

“Didn’t you say you were going to the front?”

“Yes, that’s the front. To be exact, it’s the headquarters.”

“How is that the front? Doesn’t it look like a city?”

Countless houses were packed together. In between them, there were also tower-like structures.

It was larger in scale and more populated than the Grand Duke’s castle. How could that be the front?

“Most of the troops are on the front lines, so people have gathered there. And as you can see-.”

Gilbert pulled on the reins. The horse reared up again.

“It has developed.”

Ta-da, it was too big to end with a flourish like that.

“Isn’t it dangerous if it’s near the front?”

“If we’re pushed back there, it’s dangerous anywhere in the north.”

Hmm, Galahad nodded. It was true. However, would it really be like that?

Just then, a group of soldiers appeared. The uniform of the one in front was unusual. The leather of his coat was thick, but it wasn’t from a wolf or a bear.

“That’s a coat made of Demonic Beast leather.”

“Demonic Beast?”

“Yes, Demonic Beasts are one of the Demon races. They are Demons in the form of wild beasts with no intelligence, but their leather is so thick that it can even block the attacks of the Demons, so it’s used as coats or armor on the front lines.”

Armor made of Demonic Beast leather-. It wasn’t very pleasant news for Galahad, a wizard.

One of the soldiers approached. The soldier who saw Gilbert saluted loudly. His face was filled with respect.

“This person is…”

The soldier turned his gaze to Galahad.

“His name is Galahad. He is to be the husband of Adriana.”

The soldier’s face changed instantly. It was as if he had heard a curse from his parents. The soldier ran back and shouted something. The atmosphere was not good.

“Why did you let go of your finger?”

“I have learned that one flash is more effective than a hundred words.”

“······Absolutely not.”

Just as his fingers started to tremble, the carriage passed by.

Entering the castle, Galahad frowned.

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It was noisy everywhere. Taverns were scattered here and there, and in front of them were men fighting with their fists. People around them gathered and bet on them by throwing coins. On one side, someone chased after a pickpocket, shouting.

It seemed like there was no law. Or perhaps the law had been killed.

Just then, a horse neighed roughly. The horse’s saliva landed on a man on the side of the road.

“Which son of ab*tch-!”

Gilbert kicked the man who was running towards him with his foot as if it was nothing.

The man rolled in the half-melted snow. A moment later, the man got up, brushed off his clothes, and went on his way.

“Welcome to the Northern Front.”

Gilbert laughed as he brushed off the blood from his boots.

***

Galahad and Gilbert left Gwen, Damian, and Tom at Gilbert’s house and headed to the headquarters.

There were more soldiers and carriages at the headquarters than usual. Even the carriages of each battalion were visible.

It was evidence that the captains of each battalion had gathered.

“It seems that there is a Grand Conference.”

“A Grand Conference?”

“It is a meeting attended by captains. It is not the period for a regular meeting, so I wonder what happened.”

“We’re late.”

Gilbert chuckled at Galahad’s joke.

Galahad was stopped right at the entrance.

“Those without permission cannot enter.”

A hairy soldier spoke to Galahad with a wink. It was because there was no information about Galahad.

He must have received a report from the headquarters. It was obvious sabotage. How childish-. Gilbert frowned.

In its own way, it was effective sabotage.

The problem was that the opponent was Galahad.

As expected, Galahad showed no sign of backing down. If Galahad came forward, things would get worse. So Gilbert stepped forward first.

“This is Captain Galahad of the Special Forces. Are you going to be responsible if he is not allowed to attend the meeting?”

“The name Galahad was not on the invitation list. I have never heard of such a name in the first place.”

The soldier’s answer was very orthodox.

Gilbert thought for a moment and grabbed the hilt of his sword. Galahad stopped him.

“Okay, you are an excellent knight. Use your sword, I will use my head.”

Galahad stepped forward.

“You don’t know me? When you heard my name, didn’t you frown?”

The soldier kept his mouth shut and averted his gaze.

“Hmm, did you receive an order from above? Not to let a person named Galahad pass.”

“I have never.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

Galahad tapped the cigarette. The ashes that fell gently melted the slightly frozen eyes.

“Come here-!”

Galahad shouted powerfully and held out something. It was a document with the Grand Duke’s seal. Galahad’s finger was cleverly covering the part that said ‘Recruitment Appointment’.

The soldiers, startled by the loud noise, rushed over. Their faces were pale.

“We’re in the middle of an important meeting! Lower your voice!”

“Well, here is His Highness the Grand Duke’s document. Everyone kneel down and listen.”

Galahad proudly held out the document. The soldiers’ faces turned pale at the sight of the Grand Duke’s seal.

“Please wait a moment. I’ll report it to my superiors.”

A soldier who seemed to be a senior stepped forward. Judging by his expression, it was obvious that he would only pretend to report it.

“Is there anyone higher than His Highness the Grand Duke inside?”

“······Yes?”

“You must have someone higher inside, seeing as you’re blocking me, who has received direct orders from His Highness the Grand Duke! Is it His Majesty the Emperor? This is not the time for this!”

The soldier, startled by the mention of the Emperor, shook his head.

“No··· No! He’s not here.”

“I see. Then what on earth gives you the audacity to block me, who has received orders from His Highness the Grand Duke?”

Galahad spoke softly. Galahad’s voice was always relaxed and calm, but there was a strange power in it.

The soldiers exchanged glances. As Galahad took a step forward. The soldiers stepped aside.

Galahad walked confidently between them as if it were natural.

“Isn’t that a Special Forces Recruitment Appointment?”

“That’s what I said. They just backed off on their own.”

“Oh, I see.”

It was a brazen excuse, but Gilbert nodded his head.

“Do you know where your meeting place is?”

“It’s over there.”

Gilbert, who was showing the way, suddenly realized that the corners of his mouth were turned up.

Gilbert hurriedly lowered the corners of his mouth.

***

“Recently, a large number of demons have come down near the castle wall. Four of the watchtowers guarded by the 4th Battalion have been occupied. The demons, who usually return to their territory quickly, have occupied the area around the watchtowers this time and have not moved.”

“···I heard that Galahad has arrived.”

Mark, the captain of the 5th Battalion, nodded at Lumian’s report.

The surrounding captains were also receiving reports. Adrianna, the person concerned, was the only one who was quiet.

Her subordinates must have stopped him. The excessive loyalty of the 1st Battalion men to Adrianna was well-known.

In the first place, Adrianna was not interested in trivial matters. The only thing she was interested in was the Demon Race.

“But why isn’t she coming to the conference room?”

“The soldiers stopped her.”

“Stopped her? What the-.”

At that moment, the 6th Battalion Captain, with a mocking smile, appeared.

‘That idiot again-.’

A sense of disgust rose at such impertinence. The man facing him was an envoy from the Imperial Palace. Was he out of his mind to obstruct him?

Mark scratched his head nervously. Just as he was about to get up, his aide, Lumian, grabbed him.

“Where are you going?”

“I have to bring him in. He’s an envoy from the Imperial Palace. He’s the man who will become Adrianna’s husband.”

“Even now, your relationship with the other commanders is strained, but do you intend to provoke them further?”

Mark grimaced at Lumian’s bluntness.

“So, you’re saying I should just stand by and watch as an envoy from the Imperial Palace is treated with contempt?”

Mark pushed Lumian’s hand away and stood up. The commanders’ gazes fell on him at once.

Mark let out a wry smile and headed for the door. As he reached for the doorknob, the conference room door was flung open violently.

‘It was never opened this roughly before?’

At that moment, his eyes met the eyes of the man standing across the door.

He was a young man with a cool face and neatly combed hair. His eyes were unfittingly deep for his age, creating a strange atmosphere. He seemed both youthful and middle-aged.

Soldiers in full dress uniform appeared behind the man.

Mark recognized the man as Galahad from the luxuriousness that was out of place in the North.

“Thank you for opening the door. Can you step aside for a moment?”

Mark stepped aside with a bewildered face at the man’s polite request.

“Greetings. I am Galahad, Captain of the Special Forces. I apologize for my tardiness. The roads were blocked on my way here.”

The man who entered through the door greeted them confidently.

A sharp tension could be felt from all sides. The commanders’ faces crumpled.

“We are currently in the middle of a meeting.”

The 6th Battalion Commander said in a voice laden with authority.

“I am aware of that. I apologized for my tardiness, didn’t I? Don’t be so harsh.”

Galahad’s voice was full of room. His impudence was quite natural.

“Have a seat.”

Just as the atmosphere was about to become heated, Adrianna spoke in a monotonous voice.

“It’s been a while. Lady.”

Galahad naturally sat down next to Adrianna. Adrianna only nodded slightly.

“······Contrary to our worries, the demons have retreated. In the process, two watchtowers were destroyed and are now unusable. This is a rather strange phenomenon, so a detailed investigation is necessary.”

The 4th Battalion Commander continued his report.

Galahad raised his right hand abruptly. The gazes fell on him again.

“I’m sorry for being late, but could you explain that again?”

The answer came from a different direction.

“More demons than usual crossed the walls. They didn’t return to their territory immediately either.”

Adrianna explained calmly. The conference room fell silent for a moment.

Anger rose on the face of the man behind Adrianna. His hand was on the hilt of his sword.

“It’s strange that they stayed and then retreated. Isn’t it possible they installed something around the watchtowers?”

“Demons are mindless, so that’s unlikely. Nonetheless, it’s worth checking.”

Since it was quite a plausible opinion, the other commanders nodded in agreement.

“The 4th Battalion currently doesn’t have any troops to spare for watchtower restoration. We will require assistance for that investigation.”

The 4th Battalion Commander said with a grimace. Demons were treated similarly to wild beasts or monsters. So, he was essentially saying that he didn’t have the leeway to investigate them.

“Other battalions are not capable, are they?”

The 6th battalion commander said in a nasty voice. His gaze was fixed on Galahad.

He was ordering the newcomer to the front lines to investigate a monster. It was clearly discrimination. The other commanders clicked their tongues softly.

Unaware of their intentions, Galahad nodded. He even seemed pleased.

“Then the special forces will take care of it. However, since I haven’t gotten up to speed on things yet, I’d like someone to assist me.”

The moment Galahad said those words, Mark was about to raise his hand.

“I’ll go with you. It’s on my way back to active duty.”

Adrianna said in a monotonous voice.

The noisy conference room went quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

***

Flash!

‘Ah… No…’

Gwen squeezed her eyes shut at the lightning that appeared once more.

The broom she had been holding fell to the ground, knocking over the bucket of water.

The water spilled over, creating a mess on the floor, but Gwen didn’t even notice.

Her mind was focused on one thing.

[Divine Punishment.]

The magic Galahad had shown her kept appearing before her eyes.

She could see it even with her eyes closed, and it kept coming to her in her sleep.

She hadn’t even been able to say words of encouragement or make funny jokes to her juniors, Damian and Tom, on the way over.

‘No, magic is a curse. It’s a curse that has ruined my life like this.’

It was magic that had tormented her all her life. If Gwen used magic, the children she cared for would surely be put in danger.

She could never use it. It was for the sake of the lovely children who relied on her.

But why on earth…

‘Why does it keep appearing before my eyes?’

Her heart even pounded whenever it came to mind. She was so worried that her heart would burst from beating so fast.

She desperately tried to ignore it, but it only appeared more.

If that’s the case, then…

‘Should I just use it and get it over with?’

Gwen, who had whispered the tempting thought, shook her head.

She had to endure it. For the sake of her children.

She could endure it.

***

Tom, who had come upstairs to call Gwen, froze in his tracks.

Tom had actually called Gwen his senior as a bit of a joke. Galahad had also jokingly called her his senior, and she wasn’t a soldier to begin with, but rather a maid.

However, her nature was so kind and gentle, and she took good care of her juniors, so they had no complaints about following her.

But that Gwen was cleaning with lightning wrapped around her body.

It was clearly the magic Galahad had used.

Why was she cleaning with that wrapped around her body? Was she a magician?

Regardless of his questions, Tom’s posture straightened on its own.

“Ah, successor Tom, I will do the cleaning upstairs. Go downstairs and rest!”

“······Yes, sir! I will obey!”

Tom promoted himself quickly.

Tom went down the stairs with his eyes tightly shut.

‘A maid·······.’

The little murderer, the witch maid, the knight Gilbert, and even the most questionable leader.

Tom seriously wondered if he should be here.

Unfortunately, Tom had no choice.