I Became a Sick Nobleman

Chapter 94: To Setiria

“Open it.”

As soon as Ruel lay on the bed, he handed Cassion the pouch he had received from the king.

The banquet was finally over.

After Banios announced his challenge for the throne, all attention was drawn to him.

Ruel had accomplished his goal, so he retreated into a corner and people watched until the banquet ended.

Afterwards, the king proposed that Ruel, who was due for a long trip back to Setiria, stay at the royal residence for a day, citing the long distance.

He was worried that Huan and Adoris would visit him, but luckily neither of them did.

“Alright.”

Cassion, who opened the pouch and looked inside, smiled lightly.

“There are so many of those gold coins that you are fond of.”

—This body, this body wants to see.

As Leo tried to put his head in the pouch, Cassion stared down Leo.

“Beast, if you don’t behave…”

Cassion suddenly stopped talking and dug his hand deeper into the pouch.

When he pulled his hand out, he held a piece of paper.

Leo studied the paper and tilted his head.

—Isn’t this the white thing that Ruel watches every day? That’s not the money Ruel likes. Cassion doesn’t know money?

Cassion held out the paper without even responding.

“There is a note.”

“Give it to me.”

Paper in the pouch.

‘Did the king intentionally place it in?’

Where is the brave soul who would dare to touch the object handed over personally by the king?

Ruel continued reading the paper.

[I entrusted my old friend Ben Liobenez with the letter I received from your father, Trino Setiria. Tell him you brought out my ‘buried conscience,’ he will understand. I’m sorry.]

‘…A letter?’

Ruel’s eyes shook slightly.

‘The former patriarch was taking Ruel to meet the king. In the meantime, he was attacked by Red Ash?’

Ruel handed the paper over to Cassion with a hardened face.

“No wonder he gave me a lot.”

As he expected, he added more money to go along with his apology.

Cassion read the paper and placed it in his pocket.

“It’s a note speaking of regret. It seems that the king could have prevented it, but didn’t.”

“It’s not the Royal Family, it’s more like a hideout of the Red Ash.”

Ruel patted Leo, who was clinging to him, on the head.

The First and Second Prince are hostile, while the Second Prince is trying to protect the Third Prince, and the Third Prince is trying to protect the country from both of them.

‘And the king… is sitting on the sidelines.’

What a mess.

“Cough!”

Ruel frowned at the rising cough.

Leo glistened his eyes and licked his lips.

—This body will eat it.”

“Has it grown a lot?”

—It has grown as much as the two front legs of this body.

As expected, it increased.

Ruel inhaled Breath and glanced at Cassion.

He nodded his head.

“Eat a little, beast.”

The pain that occured when the black thing was eaten did not subside with painkillers, so naturally, his stomach tensed.

The wound had worsened and could easily burst again.

—Trust this body.

When Leo lightly smacked Ruel’s arm with his paw, the black things flowed out.

Kuroo kuru!

The spirits gathered on Ruel’ stomach were frightened and ran away in an instant.

Ruel immediately bit his lips and clenched his fist tightly.

“…Ugh.”

Ruel groaned at the pain that remained for a long time.

He tried not to strain his stomach, but his whole body curled up in a cold sweat.

“Argh!”

He very quickly began vomiting black blood.

Chomp. Chomp.

Leo smiled as his eyes shook at the sweet and sour taste in his mouth, contrasting to Ruel, who was riddled in pain.

—It’s delicious. As expected, this is the best.

“Don’t use any more force.”

When he smelled blood, Cassion warned.

‘Damn it…’

If Ruel was able to, he wouldn’t have tensed his stomach in the first place.

“Cough!”

Black blood spurted out again and ran down the handkerchief.

Chomp. Chomp.

The pain that spread to his fingertips slowly subsided.

Ruel finally inhaled the breath and calmed his breathing.

Chomp. Chomp.

Ruel looked at Leo’s wildly shaking tail and tried to inject mana into the ring.

“Ruel-nim, there is something I have to tell you.”

“Are you talking about the poison?”

“Yes, it is a poison that causes mild dizziness. The servant who served it died suddenly today.”

It was obviously Huan who poisoned the water.

He must have done it to draw Ruel to that private resting place.

“I’ve definitely cut off the tail, so there’s no need to do anything now. Bury it.”

Ruel smirked and injected mana into the ring.

“Your Highness.”

There was no response.

‘…I wondered where the two princes had gone, and it seems that they’ve gone to visit Banios.’

After a while, the ring sparkled.

When Ruel re-injected Mana, he heard Banios’ voice.

-I’m sorry, I didn’t receive your first notification on time because of my brother’s visit.

“Your Highness, are the people around you trustworthy?”

-Yes, why?

There was not the slightest pause when Ruel asked again.

“Did you at least put a leash on them?”

-…I didn’t.

“Then, how about starting today?”

-Why are you doing this all of a sudden?

“Who are you with now?”

-I’m with my butler.

He remembered that his butler was a former knight.

“Let’s assume that you listened to my advice, and made him take a Mana Oath of loyalty.”

-If that’s the case, Hoswell already gave me an oath before becoming my butler.

Only then was Ruel relieved.

“Listen, Your Highness, as I verified at the banquet, Prince Huan is also Red Ash.”

-…

“I then met His Highness Adoris and was asked to persuade you to leave this matter.”

All Ruel could hear was a slow exhaling breath.

It was clear he was not sure what to say.

He must have been as surprised as himself.

“You know, he’s had very few direct encounters with me, but I already knew he was involved in Red Ash.”

-…This is why you want me to leash on the people around me.

“It doesn’t sound good, but it’s only an assurance. Your Highness, covering the enemy’s ears and eyes is the most important thing. Don’t you know that it won’t work if I’m the only one covering them?”

-I’m sorry, we’ve been together since we were young, so I thought we didn’t need a leash, I was stupid.

Banios’ voice was not good because it was a game with clear rules that only ended when Ruel died.

How can a person be perfect?

Thanks to Adoris, Ruel knew someone was leaking information, and he had found the leak.

-I just met my brother Adoris, and when the banquet was over, I met brother Huan.

“His Highness Huan offered to support Your Highness who challenged the throne, and His Highness Adoris would have conciliated by asking you to think again.”

-You’re right.

He could feel the urgency of the two princes who visited Banios even without seeing them.

‘Is there a strong pressure from the Red Ash?’

Ruel smirked.

‘Well, there’s a hole in the stomach, and we’ve blocked the treatment from being done properly. All they have to do is kill me, but they can’t seem to do it. How frustrating it must be. If it were me, I would have cut off ‘my’ head by now.’

-But, brother Adoris is trying to protect me… Is that true?

“Yes, Your Highness, this is the deal that Your Highness Adoris offered me directly.”

-Why…

Banios could not speak clearly.

Ruel understood the perplexing situation, but it was not a time to indulge in contemplation.

“Wake up, my lord. Don’t be misled by incidental goals and face reality.”

Even if it was true that Adoris had a purpose to protect Banios, he was ultimately a Red Ash.

“The Red Ash wants war. Being among them means that they already have the intention to attack the country.”

-…I know.

“Where the two of them went five years ago, the details of the relationship between Prince Huan and Prince Adoris, and who else is part of the Red Ash spread throughout the Royal Family? You have to pay attention to everything and find out.”

-I see.

Banios’ answer came a moment later.

-I know it’s hard for you to investigate this, too. I’ll take one more look at the people around me, and I’ll ensure the leashes you asked for are placed.

Other than the prince, there were still other noble households to catch.

The investigation had to be performed  by himself.

“Be careful, Your Highness Adoris makes such a suggestion.”

-Don’t worry. I’m just saying it at best, but aren’t you different. When you die, their real plans begin.

“Yes, I’m always careful. Then, have a good night.”

-Okay, you should rest well too.

As soon as he finished contacting Banios, Ruel inhaled Breath.

Ruel was so tired that he could sleep as soon as his eyes closed.

“Will you sleep after eating?”

“I will.”

Ruel lost weight again and his physical strength was weakened.

‘I haven’t been eating well.’

The reason was that he was tired but forced to endure.

—Are you sick?

Leo smacks his lips and licked his bandaged hands.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“It still smells like blood.”

When Cassion looked at him, Ruel spoke up.

He needed to tell Cassionl what he found out.

“It’s not functioning properly because the power is all focused towards my stomach wound. The reason is that the mark keeps getting bigger and the wound on my hand doesn’t have enough power to heal.”

“…You mean the wound that the Great Man deliberately created.”

“Yeah, if it weren’t for the spirits, I wouldn’t have been able to lift a finger and would’ve died.”

Kuroo kuru.

When Ruel looked at the spirits, they also looked at Ruel.

Their eyes sparkled like Leo’s before he ate.

“Thank you.”

Whether Ruel’s acknowledgement was everything they had ever wished for, the spirits ran around in their place, excited as a group.

Ruel had given up counting them now.

It was fortunate that so many spirits gathered, the power that the Great Man had planted in his wounds would wear off faster.

“Now I’m scared to leave your side,” said Cassion as he rose from the seat.

“I didn’t know you could be scared.”

“I used to have no fears, but thanks to Ruel-nim, I am gradually discovering them one by one. I may have regrets, but I do not regret obtaining that sword.”

Cassion didn’t mention the Turbulent Day by name because Leo was loose-lipped.

Ruel confirmed one thing before Cassion went out.

“How was the reaction after the party?”

After the banquet, all the nobles and ministers had no choice but to pass through the gate naturally.

It was a perfect place to position the shadows to learn what they were saying.

“There are more declarations about Prince Banios than Ruel-nim. Perhaps news related to Ruel-nim will be buried as time goes on.”

“Yes.”

It would not be possible to turn all of the attention to Banios, but thanks to that, Ruel was satisfied with the decreasing attention that was focused on Setiria.

“Well, I’ll be back.”

“Call Drianna and Horen while you’re on your way.”

“I see.”

“Cough, cough.”

Ruel coughed and rested his eyes for a moment until they came.

‘Which of the household heads should I touch first?’

He felt Leo’s soft fur between his fingers.

‘When I go back to Setiria, I have to see the progress of the research into the black water, I have to check the status of the territory by going around Sisel Village, I have to check the financial situation, the warp device and the defense device that surrounds the entire village… Damn it.’

There was no end to what Ruel had to do.

There was no time to rest.

‘Cassion will sigh, and Billo will nag again. No, Fran. Will she ever let me go?’

The phrase ‘absolute stability,’ which was always on the tip of her tongue, came to mind.

—Why? Are you sick?

When Ruel frowned, Leo rubbed his head and asked.

“No, I have a lot of work to do, so I’m a little annoyed.”

—This body will take over.

Ruel stroked Leo’s head.

The heart alone was admirable.

Knock. Knock.

Ruel heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“I see the Lord.”

Drianna and Horen saluted Ruel.

“Sit down first.”

They quickly brought their chairs over and sat down.

They looked excited.

“I called because I have a favor to ask. I’m not sure if it’s a bad time.”

“Say anything, and I will come wherever you call!”

Drianna said emphatically.

“Are you my people?”

“Of course!”

The two shouted at the same time.

It was no different from the trust-filled eyes shown by the residents of Ice Castle.

Ruel was satisfied.

“Tomorrow, I will return to Setiria. Didn’t you guys come to escort me like this?”

“That’s right. I moved voluntarily to protect Ruel-nim.”

Horen answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“To be honest, I’m glad about your feelings.”

Ruel laughed.

The two looked at Ruel curiously surprised at the rare sight of Ruel’s mannerism more appropriate for his age.

“Then, shouldn’t you know what to protect me from?”

Already Tyson and Cheynol knew about the Red Ash.

Now it was time to tell the two vice-captains.

Ruel informed them about the Red Ash in a slightly weakened voice, revealing their purpose and why they were targeting him.

“Cough.”

As Ruel finished his speech with a cough, Drianna’s eyes twitched with unbearable anger, and Horen quietly clenched his thigh furiously.

“Tomorrow.”

They flinched at the same time.

“As soon as we leave the capital, there could be an attack from them.”

“Then, did they inflict those injuries as well?”

Horen asked, trying to swallow his anger.

Drianna trembled at the words.

“W, wounded…”

“It’s fine.”

“Why… Ruel-nim always says it’s okay,”

Drianna’s voice sounded hoarse.

“In the previous carriage, in the Beast Forest, and in the mansion. Continuously, continuously, why do you keep saying it’s okay?”

Her eyes reddened.

She clenched her trembling hand and spat out her words with difficulty.

“I’m not okay. It’s so frustrating to realize that I didn’t know anything. To me, Ruel… Ruel…”

Ruel knew the specialness in their relationship because it was Ruel who saved Drianna.

‘But I didn’t think it would bring tears.’

Ruel opened his mouth to appease Drianna.

“Drianna, I really…”

“I knew that it wasn’t okay. But I didn’t know that such terrible people would aim for Ruel-nim’s life.”

Drianna slowly erased the tears and opened her mouth with cold eyes.

“Tomorrow, no one will lay a hand on Ruel-nim. My magic exists for Ruel-sama.”

Chak.

Horen stood up and saluted Ruel as a knight.

“A knight protects his master. We have never forgotten His Grace that made us knights once more. My master’s enemies are my enemies. I will definitely annihilate them.”

Contrary to expectations, the response was too strong.

He told them about the enemy to protect himself more, but he felt like he poured too much oil into a small flame.

Ruel quietly inhaled Breath as he saw it become a big fire that was blazing out of control.

‘…It’s scary.’

Anyway, no matter what happens tomorrow, Ruel felt confident.

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