# Chapter 72
While Owen commanded the troops in Ion’s place and managed the occupied territory with Count Kairous, several immortal soldiers guarded the bedroom with extreme vigilance to protect their lord.
On the fourth day since Ion had not opened his eyes.
Tap tap—
An immortal soldier guarding beside the sleeping Ion’s bed flinched and glared at the small sound of someone knocking on the window. A small bird was perched on the windowsill of the tightly closed window. The little bird stared at the immortal soldier who was looking at it, then tapped the glass with its beak once more.
The soldier, finally relaxing, approached the window at the bird’s third knock. Then he belatedly realized that there was a small rolled-up paper tied to the bird’s ankle.
“What’s going on?”
Another soldier who approached the one standing at the window looking at something asked curiously. When the window was opened, the bird, as if greeting them, nodded its head slightly before hopping lightly onto the inner windowsill.
The bird, clearly serving as a messenger, raised its leg in the air and pecked at the paper with its beak, as if telling them to quickly remove the paper from its ankle.
If it had been Owen, Ion’s adjutant, he would have immediately recognized that the bird was sent by one of slave trader guild leader Ensha’s informants, but to the two soldiers who didn’t know this, it was a highly suspicious bird.
As soon as they removed the note from the thin ankle, the small bird flew far away outside as if its job was done. The two soldiers’ suspicions grew even stronger at this one-way method of information delivery, rather than an exchange of messages like a letter.
The two soldiers guessed that Ion was probably the person the small bird intended to deliver the note to, but since Owen, who practically lived in this room, was there, it was difficult to be certain.
“Open it.”
One soldier urged with an interested look, nodding at the note. The immortal soldier holding the note hesitated, knowing it must be a secret communication for their lord or the commander, and couldn’t bring himself to do so.
“We need to know for sure who to deliver it to.”
But he was finally persuaded by the urging soldier’s words. If the outside of the note had clearly stated who it was for, he wouldn’t have had such concerns.
On the one hand, he thought he could just give it to Owen, the adjutant, but unable to overcome his curiosity, he finally opened the small note.
After confirming the brief words written inside, the two soldiers’ faces instantly hardened.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Are you sure?”
A soldier asked from atop a galloping horse. The soldier in silver armor riding close beside him nodded while tightening the reins again.
“Probably.”
Despite nodding with certainty to the question of whether he was sure, the only word he could say was “probably.”
The two soldiers guarding Ion’s bedroom were able to meet Owen and the other soldiers coming in for the shift change. While carefully observing, they handed the note to Owen and closely watched his reaction. As soon as they confirmed a flash of delight on Owen’s face after checking the contents, the two soldiers had no time to think further.
The two soldiers, who were given rest time after changing shifts with other soldiers, secretly gathered allies who had also received time off.
Above all, Owen must not know. He would surely try to stop them.
The contents of the note were brief:
<24th, 11 AM>
<Commercial City Perid>
<Baron’s Residence>
<Count Levi Aden>
<Count Chepel Lance>
<Emperor Meeting>
The information that could be inferred from this content was not difficult.
It was essentially broken up into small pieces on the narrow note, indicating that Count Levi Aden and Count Chepel Lance would meet with the Emperor at the Baron’s residence in the commercial city of Perid at 11 AM on the 24th.
The 24th was today, and it was only about four hours past 11 AM.
After confirming the note, the two immortal soldiers first checked a map of the Caron Empire. As a result, they found that the commercial city of Perid mentioned in the note was not too far away, requiring about two hours of continuous riding on horseback from Antarbo. It made sense that it would take that long, given that the information was delivered by a small bird that had been flying with the note for four hours straight.
It was good that they had discovered the location of Count Levi Aden whom they had been searching for, but first they needed to confirm how Owen would react to seeing the note. If he asked about its source with a suspicious face, it could be the work of one of Ion’s informants that even Owen didn’t know about, or possibly an enemy’s trick to cause confusion.
Contrary to their worries, Owen neither asked about the source nor showed any puzzlement at the contents. This meant that even Owen believed it came from a reliable and trustworthy informant. This became evidence that the contents of the note were certain.
However, Owen merely tucked the note into his chest without issuing any special orders.
In a way, this was natural. Even during the chaotic siege battle, their lord and commander had given strict orders not to pose even the slightest threat to Count Levi Aden. They were even prohibited from roughly grabbing his arms to capture him.
So even with such definite information, they could not rashly send troops to capture Count Levi Aden. The only order their lord had given before losing consciousness was to “find Levi’s exact location.”
Owen and the Immortal Army, who were absolutely loyal to Ion, focused only on the orders he had given, and had to do so.
‘I’m sorry, Your Grace.’
Swallowing words of apology internally, an immortal soldier looked back at the numerous knights in silver armor following behind him. A solemnity was visible on each of their stiffened faces.
All of their hearts were the same as the immortal soldier at the front who had checked the note.
‘Count Levi Aden will be a huge obstacle to His Grace.’
In reality, their lord, who had tried to protect the enemy commander Count Levi Aden, was still unconscious for the sake of his body’s recovery.
It’s difficult to accurately guess what Count Levi Aden meant to their lord. However, they knew that their lord’s feelings toward the enemy commander were by no means light.
If that were all, there would be no reason to secretly lead soldiers all the way to Perid like this. They could simply wait obediently for their lord to wake up and give any orders.
Nevertheless, they moved because Count Levi Aden was not only their natural enemy but also a being who had a tremendous negative influence on their lord. Just as Count Levi Aden had single-handedly massacred their allies, his daggers and throwing knives with his blood on them had clearly blocked Ion’s power.
The soldiers running together here had left Antarbo secretly despite knowing it was insubordination because of that fact.
When they experienced one death and opened their eyes again, what was deeply rooted in them was infinite loyalty and devotion to Ion Verdit, who had bestowed immortal grace upon them and shared his “blood of life.”
That root constantly stimulated them.
Count Levi Aden, whom their lord wanted, was a poison among poisons that would bring him certain death.
Ensuring that Ion did not die was not only natural for the Immortal Army but also more important than anything else in the world.
Because if Ion died, they too would all die on the spot.
For their lord, and for themselves, Count Levi Aden was a target that absolutely had to be eliminated.
Moreover, the Emperor was said to be with him.
It was a perfect opportunity to eliminate two people who were obstacles in their lord’s path at once.
❖ ❖ ❖
Around the time dozens of soldiers secretly left Antarbo under the pretext of rest through shift changes.
Owen was, as usual, checking on Ion’s condition by his side.
After confirming that the wounds on his side and the inside of his thigh, where Levi’s throwing knife had stabbed, had completely healed, Owen breathed a sigh of relief.
“Whew…”
The complete healing of the wounds meant that Ion was that much closer to opening his eyes.
Owen took out the note from inside his shirt. Then he checked the brief contents again and smirked.
‘He’ll want to move right away as soon as he wakes up.’
It was definitely content that Ion would like. Because they now knew Levi’s location for certain.
But something felt a bit strange. He had accepted it at the imperial palace, but according to the information, the Emperor had moved all the way to Perid himself, and a servant of slave origin had leaked this information to them.
‘A servant of slave origin near the Emperor…? And in a wartime situation like this, the Emperor would have moved quite secretively, yet they were in his entourage?’
His head tilted involuntarily, but he didn’t think deeply about it.
He had heard that the current Emperor of the Caron Empire was not particularly concerned with one’s background, so he thought that even if they were of slave origin, the Emperor might take them along if they did their job well.
And above all, a small moan interrupted his thoughts.
“Mmm…”
Ion, who had been lying as if dead, had his eyelids trembling. Owen, looking down at Ion’s face with a brightened expression, was truly relieved to see the clear golden pupils revealed under his eyelids.
“Are you alright?”
At Owen’s question, Ion blinked his eyes slowly a couple of times, then moved his slightly dry lips.
“Levi…? Did you find him?”
To ask about the enemy commander’s whereabouts as soon as he opened his eyes.
Owen, realizing anew that his lord was truly consistent, showed him the note in his hand.
“A report has just arrived.”
After checking the contents of the note, Ion sat up with such speed that even Owen flinched. It was impossible to believe that he had been lying unconscious until now.
Getting off the bed, Ion momentarily staggered due to not having used his muscles for several days and received support, but he soon headed for the door in a normal state.
“I’m going to get Levi. Prepare immediately.”
