I Reincarnated as a Noble Bastard, So I'm Seducing All the Villainess-Chapter 113: Another NPC In The Party

Lord Karthak was the owner of an auction house in Scorn, where we found Victorian in a terrible state of malnutrition. I was with Ravena at the time, and she was clear about not irritating or snitching on that demon CEO, but I, at the height of my own madness, went and threw a punch.

After a huge mess happened, I somehow managed to survive and nothing else occurred. I even thought Lord Karthak had evaporated from the Imperial City considering the influence of the Inquisition and also of Leonhardt, who literally uncovered the hiding place of a bunch of criminals, but now things make a little more sense.

That horned bastard moved his base of operations to the North, where the war is happening, which serves as a cover-up for any suspicious activity. In other words, it is literally the perfect place to hide a lot of brutality right under everyone's noses.

It's the perfect disguise. I am now worried about my own life for having come here to the North, since the plot has changed more than expected. Besides the rebel army and the Crown's army, we have a third group of demons kidnapping people and committing all kinds of atrocities in this lawless land.

We accompany the hooded man to a more isolated part of the inn, a dark room in the back that looked more like a sanctuary for investigators, with a board full of lines connecting drawings of people.

Did we accidentally stumble upon a crazy investigator from one of those police series?

I sit down, taking a chair along with my other companions. Only Ragna remains standing because she is too heavy for the chairs. I am a bit suspicious of this hooded man, honestly...

He looks like a scared rat, but he has a type of common serenity similar to Victorian's, as if both had walked through hell and returned to tell the tale.

"Alright, why don't we properly introduce ourselves this time? I am Darius Moonlight, I came here on the King's orders to end the war. These are my friends Elizia, Ragna, and also Victorian, who guided us to this settlement. Who are you?"

The man pulls the hood back slightly, revealing a face marked by a scar that runs from his chin to part of his hair, containing some white strands in his beard. This guy must be exhausted as hell if you take his completely crooked posture into account...

"My name is Elias. I served under General Victorian's command during the War of Independence. I was a scout, I exchanged information with the general so we could attack the Empire's forces in the best possible way."

"Elias is a man of extreme trust, Master Darius" Victorian interjects. "He doesn't care about the color of the flag, but rather the well-being of the people. He has been traveling between allied and enemy lines, trying to help as many civilians as possible. I met him on the battlefield, helping an orphaned child, and since then we have maintained contact as comrades in arms."

An interesting story. If this guy is like this, then any conversation should be easier. I cross my arms and legs, changing the princess posture I was using before for that of a true heir to a dukedom. This is my acting coming into play.

"So you are not on either side and are neutral, just like me. You want this war to end quickly so everyone can go home."

Elias nods affirmatively.

"Exactly. I use my information to get as many innocents away from the war as possible. I don't like the position of the Crown and the rebels, even though I understand both sides."

The fact that he is neutral alleviates some of my suspicion. I don't trust the Empire's personnel because they stink of corruption, and also my last experiences with fanatic rebels were not the best.

Before I could formulate my next question about the chaos in the North, Victorian steps forward, eager to get crucial information from our scout colleague.

"Elias, I asked you to keep an eye on my wife and daughter. Where are they? I sent them to the village of Oakwood before I was... taken."

"They are safe, General. When the situation in Oakwood became untenable, with scout attacks and the arrival of monster, I moved them to a smaller village to the west. It is a mining village in the mountains. The name is Stonegrind. It is isolated and very remote, but I believed it to be the safest and also the easiest to find when you returned. I also gave them food and money to stay there."

Victorian let out a sigh of relief. Both his shoulders slumped simultaneously, as he loosened his grip on the spear that had been attached to his side since we entered the room.

"Thank the gods. Master Darius, I swear that after the resolution of this problem, I will reward you. All I wanted to know was if they were well and alive..."

"Alright, alright" I say, waving my hand. I'm not heartless enough to judge him for checking on his family's safety first. "Now, focus on the demon. Elias, you mentioned Lord Karthak, right? I know that guy and he's not small fry... in fact, I can say Victorian knows him even better for having stuck a spear in that asshole's chest. Where did this demon set up his base?"

Elias, without wasting any time, unrolls a map in front of us and places some stones on the corners to keep it flat. It's almost a complete diagram of the northern region, with Opir, that little town we passed a while ago, on one end and covering all the way to the sea.

He points his finger at a spot on the left side.

"He's in a kind of fortress... an old castle on a mountain range that lies past Luie. The entire area is infested and has become a nest of monsters. They are draining the vital energy from the land, and they are also the main reason why monsters have disappeared from the region lately. The castle is called the Iron Citadel and was long ago used as a military base by the Empire, but it was abandoned due to the harsh climate and the poor conditions of the soldiers. The demon took possession of the place after that."

I tilt my head toward the map, tracing an imaginary line with my finger from the settlement to what must be the heart of the mountain range. It's a ridiculously long path, I wouldn't dare follow it all the way.

At least I discovered the reason why we haven't found any monsters. They must all be attracted by Karthak in some way, so the common roads are safer while the battlefields in the north have become even deadlier zones.

"Iron Citadel... it will be impossible for us to get there alone. I doubt even Ragna could defeat an army of these guys, and it's not like I could do the same thing myself. Is there any group, army, battalion, whatever, in the hands of the nobles or the Crown?"

"According to my information, the Crown's soldiers are taking routes by sea and intend to disembark in a few days, in an attempt to flank the rebel army."

"Even if we go now, I don't think we can intercept them and ask for help from the handsome guy who is commanding this army. We'll arrive too late and a conflict will have already broken out..."

I rest my hand on my chin. We need a solution for what's happening. What can I do to be as fast as possible? The horses wouldn't be able to make it there... wait, we can delay these guys!

"Elizia, how long do you think it would take to send a letter to my father?"

"It depends on the method and the message, sweetheart. What do you want to do?"

"I need a notification to reach the King so he orders the army to retreat and regroup, then we can delay another clash and have a chance to talk to the nobles. If we do this, maybe there's a way to kill the immediate threat that is Karthak, or, who knows, get the rebels on our side so that together everyone faces that demon."

This is much more dangerous than I imagined. I want to save as many lives as possible, but sending them into the mouth of a demon won't necessarily solve everything.

Well, there is a way. The northern rebels wouldn't last all this time just with pitchforks and farmer's tools, they have two very important sponsors.

"Elias, is the location where Victorian's wife and daughter are on the way to the rebel base of operations?"

"In a way. It's a small detour, but we should be able to get there without a problem. What are you proposing, Lord Darius?"

"I have an idea, but first, we need to find Victorian's family. I'll explain on the way."

I look back at Elias, who shows a brief smile for the first time since we arrived. I think this idiot must be liking seeing a noble getting his hands dirty to resolve this war that has already taken so many lives.

"Alright, Lord Darius." He pounds his fist on his chest. "I will accompany you. I know this territory like the back of my hand, I promise not to disappoint you."

Yeah! Another useful person in our party!