Chapter 325 – 325. The Duke’s First Confusion (7)

– One –

“Is someone else missing?”

“Yes, Your Highness…”

Regarding Regal’s question, the warden nodded with a melancholy face.

Despite his vigilance, he seemed to have no face with Regal when someone was involved in another disappearance, presumed to have been murdered and then buried.

“Is this the fifth already?”

“That’s right…”

The warden bowed his head deeply.

I couldn’t possibly look at Regal’s face, but I still couldn’t omit the report to the nominal commander-in-chief.

When the situation had progressed to this point, anyone other than the warden could no longer discuss desertion.

“Didn’t the morale of our troops suffer greatly due to the successive disappearances of the officers?”

“Actually, the agitation of the soldiers is not as serious as feared. However, due to the successive disappearances of field and lieutenant ranks, it has been found that mostly noncommissioned officers are severely agitated. There is nothing to say.”

“Non-commissioned officers…”

In general, soldiers often have a kind of love-hate attitude toward the noncommissioned officers, the officers they encounter the most.

Calling them their main enemy makes them feel uncomfortable, but at the same time, they exchange the most influence on each other and easily feel closeness.

In addition, there are many cases in which they feel hostility together against a lieutenant or field officer who is above them.

It was very natural for noncommissioned officers and soldiers to have such a relationship during the most conflicting relationship.

“Hmm… I don’t want the noncommissioned officer’s agitation to spread downwards while making contact with the soldiers…”

“I’m worried about that too…”

The faces of the two are blurred.

It was because they absolutely wanted to avoid the fact that the soldiers would desert en masse due to low morale or fear.

As the Imperial Army is the elite of elites, such a thing would not happen easily.

However, if the agitation spreads from above, the story changes.

Although on the surface they look like enemies, the soldiers always depend on the judgment of their officers and learn to obey them.

“Is the agitation of the honoraries and the lieutenants that great?”

“Yes, that’s right… The generals, realizing that they are most likely not the target, are not greatly agitated now. But the field and lieutenant-level officers, terrified that they might be taken somewhere and killed, can’t breathe. It’s safe to say that they’re not resting properly. Right after waking up, they’re busy checking each other’s health, and when they go to bed, they stick close to each other, and even fall asleep with their bodies bound together. Then, when an emergency happens, they don’t know how to deal with it. .”

“Umm… That’s strange…”

Regal’s expression hardened.

As he talked with the warden, he felt a sense of difference that was difficult to ignore.

“I’m sure. If you add all the field and lieutenant-level officers included in the expeditionary force, there will be thousands of them. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.”

“And surely you didn’t say, three from the Young-Gwan and two from the Wi-Gwan?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Is it my oversensitivity to think that the officers are terrified too much when only five out of thousands are missing?”

“…”

The warden is silent.

Before feeling displeased, judge rationally.

“Ah…!”

And realize the horrifying fact.

His face is seriously stained.

“It’s definitely strange. It could be desertion, so I’ve told the field officers to keep that possibility open, but everyone’s convinced that someone might kidnap them sooner or later!”

Regal also nodded with a serious expression.

It was because he was also feeling a lot of fear, so he couldn’t take the current situation lightly.

“That’s it. The Imperial Army, the elite of the elite I know, would never make such an irrational judgment close to collective madness. It’s a possibility that shouldn’t be missed.”

“Thanks for the advice, Your Highness.”

The warden bowed his head deeply.

He was expressing his sincere thanks to Regal.

It was because he was simply in a hurry to identify and deal with the phenomenon, but he did not think about the cause.

The warden was convinced that it was because of the difference in age.

‘Because of having a young wife, although her appearance has changed to that of a young man, there is no way that the wide range of knowledge and rich experience lurking inside her will become immature. It is said that there are times when a duke clashes with the imperial family or His Majesty in order to seize hegemony, but as long as they have gone on an expedition together, he is already a community of destiny. I also need to use his judgment now.’

The Warden has a desire to use Regal.

Regal carefully observes the light emitted from the warden’s body and reads his desire clearly.

Desire lies at the base that determines the thinking of not only humans but all animals.

From dolphins, octopuses, or human high-level thoughts to low-level, instinctive impulses like field mice and mosquitoes, the criterion that determines the behavior of all animals is desire.

Therefore, it was so easy for Regal to read someone’s thoughts, since she can only read desires.

“Your Highness. It’s been almost 30 years since I, no, the warden has been in the military, but since I’ve lived faithfully only a soldier’s life, I lack the breadth and depth of my knowledge. Hopefully, just now. In order to overcome the crisis, I beg you to lend me your wisdom.”

“Okay. I don’t know if my personal experience will be very helpful, but I’ll try my best.”

It would be impossible for a person without desire to even read thoughts, but such a being cannot be a human being.

Because humans are not made that way.

That’s why, even before becoming a participant, humans were always not a difficult target for Regal, but now they have become an easier target.

Now that they have reached the 6th stage of this ability phase, Regal and Chiba can read who or even what the target’s hidden desires are directed to, so their desire detection is getting closer to mind reading.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“No. Anyway, it’s a big deal because the schedule keeps getting pushed back.”

“That’s right. If we keep going like this, it looks like we’ll be entering a severe cold season before we reach our destination.”

“Hmm… I might have to postpone the start of the war until next year…”

“I don’t know anything else, but if it’s cold outside, there will definitely be a line of frozen soldiers. Even if the atmosphere is chaotic, I might have to march.”

“That’s how it should be. Even if the speed is slow, let’s push in the direction of the march unconditionally.”

Of course, even from the first flowering of this ability, based on the color and direction of the person who had the desire, it was used in a way to infer the exact desire of the other person.

Since the couple’s intellect was very good, they could easily do it simply by analyzing and classifying the commonalities and differences of the colors of desire.

And, in a big picture, it still doesn’t deviate from that way.

It’s just that the clues to infer it have become more diverse and detailed.

Therefore, although his outward tone and attitude may have been polite, on the inside, Regal saw very clearly that the warden was pretending to use his judgment.

It was the same and it was insignificant.

And it was funny.

“…I’m sorry. Oh, my goodness. Your Highness, it’s too late.”

“I see. For tomorrow’s march, Inje should go to bed.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please sleep well.”

Chuck!
Jerk, jerk, jerk.

He raises his military rites and leaves Regal’s barracks.

I am not afraid of the warden.

It was because he was able to read his desire clearly, so he could predict his psychology and deal with it easily.

However, I am afraid of the unknown beings that come and go in and out of the Imperial military camp.

Because he couldn’t even find a shadow, it was because he was an existence that couldn’t even read his desire.

With Regal left alone in the barracks, he shudders with fear.

“Who is it…? Damn it, who is it!”

Thud!

Regal slams the table with bloodshot eyes.

His hands tremble as he clenches his fists.

“Did you already know about me and my superpowers?”

Hard!

And I grind my teeth thinking of an unknown enemy.

But no answer comes back to him.

“That’s why, because you know everything, because you’re afraid of being read by me, because you don’t want to have your true feelings read, are you not appearing in front of me?”

He couldn’t get an answer.

Never.

– 2 –

“Of course~☆ Who would want a trash like you to read my insides~?

Estrus mutters to himself as he hums.

Having heard from Margarita, everyone in the orgy community was fully aware of what kind of superpowers Regal and Chiba possessed.

“Um…?”

Ur Mama looks back at her with her bewildered expression.

Whip, Whip!

As if nothing had happened, Estrus waved her hand at her.

Ur Mama gave her a grin,

Shrew, shruck.
Deuk Deuk.
Knock, drop!

By manipulating the plant’s roots, it crushes the corpse brought by Estrus.

Bury it under a tree.

Depth, depth.

It will rot deep in the ground, becoming part food for trees and part soil.

By doing so, it will be reduced to a part of mother nature again.

“What did Regal say, Estrus?”

“No~ What~ Fucking bastard~ You must be very scared~”

“Hmm… An old saying passed down in Monohorn’s neighborhood says that the more timid the dog, the louder it barks… But did Regal ever bark by himself?”

“Correct answer~☆ What should I give you as a prize~?”

Octopoda’s eyes waver for a moment.

The two face each other and smile.

Octopoda was smiling somehow awkwardly.

“Um~ Octopoda oppa~”

“Yes, yes, Estrus.”

“Do you want to touch Chichi?”

“Um…”

Octopoda neither affirms nor denies.

Only, she hesitated and stuck her butt back.

Glancing at the two, Ur Mama shook her head.

Deuk Deuk.
Sareuk, sareuk.
Shaaaaa.

“I’m done!”

Around that time, after finishing work, Urmama stretches.

I got used to it by repeating the same thing several times, but it’s still exhausting.

However, at some point, because of the guilt that cannot be erased from her heart, she does not complain because of her tiredness.

Even if everyone told her otherwise, she believed that her monohorn had collapsed because she hadn’t been much help, and Ur Mama believed it.

“Oh gu oh gu~ did you~? We did a really good job~♬”

“You’ve worked hard, mamang.”

“Heh heh! No! It wasn’t that hard!”

Knowing where her guilt comes from, her colleagues stop talking about it.

It’s because she thought it was a problem that would be solved if the Mono Horn were awakened.

However, they were always focused on taking care of her so that she would not overdo it and that she would not get depressed.

“Sister Estrus! Older brother Octopo! Are we going back then?”

“No~ I’ll wait one more day~”

“Oh, are you going to play that ghost one more time?”

“Yeah~”

“Yes!”

Rocking, rocking.

Urmama answers brightly.

But somehow, it seemed sad.

Octopoda didn’t notice it, but Estrus, her senses extremely sensitive, couldn’t miss it.

“Why~?

“Ah, no! I don’t want to see the hero at all… It’s not that I don’t want to see you right now, that’s…”

Could it be because Estrus hit her head too suddenly?

Urmama speaks gibberish.

Swoop.
Prison.

“Ah, ah…!”

Estrus gently hugs her.

Urmama leans into her arms.

“… Actually, I want to see a little, no, a lot…”

“I want to see Monohorn a lot too~”

“Estrus sister too?”

“Yeah!”

Urmama stared into Estrus’ eyes.

In her eyes, no lies, no embellishments, she could not find at all.

Realizing that, Urmama smiles.

“Finish quickly, go together and sleep next to the hero!”

“Then~ Shall we all sleep together with Monohorn after a long time~?”

“Yes!”

Pat, pat.

Estrus pats her on the back.

And looking at Octopoda, who was standing awkwardly beside her,

Tup, Whiik!
Wow!
Mungle.

“Oh, what!”

Hug her with Urmama.

Octopoda is momentarily taken aback, but then bursts out laughing and shares her warmth with them.

“Now that I’ve finished all of my work for today~ Shall we close our eyes for a while~?”

“That’s right. Estrus and Urmama, I’ll be on the watch first.”

Octopoda did relatively little work, so when the three of them went out to pounce on the expeditionary force, he always took the initiative to do the chores.

“My Octopoda oppa is very smart~ but sometimes he looks like an idiot~”

“Yes?”

Octopoda blinks his eyes and tilts his head.

And then,

“Ah… Haha… I forgot again that if I’m with Estrus, I don’t need a night watch.”

He smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

Estrus’ smile deepened.

“Since we don’t need anything~ let’s go to the bed that Maman made~♡”

“Yes!”

“So be it.”

Unlike the chaotic Imperial military camp, the place where the three were located was peaceful.

– 3 –

Shaaaaa

Startle.

The major, who woke up and came out to urinate, heard the sound of the leaves shaking in the autumn wind and shook his body.

It’s bleak.

A ghost story floating around after a missing person passes through my head.

After a quick look, he resolves to return to the barracks.

In fact, it was terribly scary.

Just then,

Hee hee…]

“Hee, heeheeiik…!”

He hears a woman’s voice in his ear.

I couldn’t tell if it was music or laughter, but one thing was certain:

‘God, monster, monster, ghost story, ear, ear, ghost… !’

Rattle rattle.

It was the fact that the protagonist of the ghost story, in other words, a ghost came to visit him.

From some time ago, a ghost story of unknown source circulated among the officers of the Imperial Army.

To be precise, it was difficult to name it as one because everyone claimed to be the source.

Hey hey hey.
Burrrr

He pees in his pants

If the rumors circulating among the officers of the Imperial Army are true, it has become clear that he has been branded as a ghost and that he may soon disappear.

Not all those who testified to hearing the voice of a ghost disappeared.

But one thing is for sure, all the missing people heard the voice of the ghost.

And what happened to them, no one knows.

It is because of those who went missing, none of them returned.

Was it because the fear was too much?

Or was it because he was particularly weak?

“Kreak…”

Dump.

He foamed up, and passed out as he collapsed into the pit of his own urine.

Whoa oh oh

A bleak autumn wind whirled around him mockingly.