Chapter 188: Reporting to Andrew in the Evening
Rest had received a request from Ula, but of course, he wouldn’t rush to the eastern plains right away. The overall supervisor for this pioneering effort was none other than the Second Prince, Andrew. Thus, he made his way to the headquarters of the pioneering group where Andrew was likely to be.
“It’s almost evening… but I should be fine at this hour.”
With the barrier established and the pioneering work reaching a temporary halt, Andrew’s burdens had significantly lessened. It seemed that his workload had decreased compared to before, so there shouldn’t be any issues with visiting him now.
“Excuse me, is Prince Andrew here?”
“Ah, Count Clover. He’s inside.”
“Lord Beturas is here as well. Since it’s Count Clover, you have permission to enter at any time. Please, go ahead.”
“Oh, Yusugos is here too. Thank you.”
A familiar soldier ushered Rest inside. After expressing his gratitude, Rest entered the building and walked toward Andrew’s office.
“Prince Andrew, it’s Rest Clover. May I come in?”
“Ugh, Count Clover… just a moment…!?”
Upon knocking on the office door, Rest was met with a surprisingly flustered voice from within. There was a clattering sound for a moment, and finally, permission to enter was granted.
“Y-Yes, please come in…”
“Thank you.”
As Rest stepped inside, he found not only Andrew but also his aides, Yusugos and Beturas, present. Both of them appeared unusually fatigued, panting slightly.
“Hah, hah… I apologize for keeping you waiting…”
“Huff, huff…”
Andrew was seated at his desk, while Yusugos stood against the wall. Both seemed to be out of breath, and Rest could have sworn he saw beads of sweat on their brows.
“Am I interrupting something?”
There was an air of secrecy surrounding them, as if they were hiding something. Were they discussing sensitive matters?
“N-No, it’s not that…! We were just having a discussion about some important work… My apologies.”
“No, it’s quite alright. I’m sorry for barging in unexpectedly. If it’s a bad time, I can come back tomorrow…”
“No, that’s fine… More importantly, what brings you here?”
“Actually…”
Rest proceeded to explain the situation he had heard from Ula. By the time he finished, Andrew had regained his composure and appeared more relaxed.
“I see… I had heard that a large monster was dwelling in the wetlands to the east, but I never expected it to be a worm.”
“What should we do about it?”
“Even if we leave it to the Lavender Barony, it will eventually be dealt with… but there will be damage in the meantime, so it’s best to handle it sooner rather than later. If Count Clover is willing, could you lend us a hand?”
“Of course, I don’t mind at all. Let’s build a favor with the eastern nobility.”
“That sounds good… By the way, it’s surprising that Lady Ula would come directly to you for help. I wonder what she’s thinking…”
“I find it puzzling as well.”
Rest couldn’t understand why Ula would bypass Andrew to ask him for assistance. They had no established connection with the Lavender Barony, so there must be some reason behind it.
“Speaking of which… I heard she’s the next head of the Lavender Barony, but she seems quite young, doesn’t she?”
“Yes… Her grandfather is the current head, but the original heir has been missing for over a decade. It’s likely he has passed away. Since her mother is also absent, that might explain her somber demeanor.”
“I see…”
So, she was without her parents. While it was unclear if her circumstances influenced her personality, Rest felt an inexplicable sympathy for her.
(A child so small is participating in the dangerous development of the Demon Realm as the representative of the Lavender Barony. Surely, it wouldn’t hurt for me to look out for her a little.)
With that thought, Rest resolved to lend his support to Ula once again.