We’ve finally arrived at the headquarters. Everyone was busy and was diligently doing their training. There were also some who were having duels. Some were practicing their mana skill and a lot of them were doing their workout.
I could hear the sound of the sword clashing. The ballistic sounds from gunshots were dominating the whole headquarters and I could smell the gunpowder from here even though I am still a kilometer away from them.
The thing that I appreciated the most was they never failed to greet me and the first young master.
Among the siblings of this estate, Arnold had the cleanest record. He was seen as bullied and timid and he never really paid attention to the one at the lowest compared to his other siblings who were seen as tyrannical, ruthless, and insane. Harris and Kevin were also seen as greedy.
Arnold simply does not care about them, but that sits well with the knights. I often hear them say that it is better to be with someone who doesn’t care about you than the one who'd approach you just to force you to submit and do their unreasonable bidding.
To be honest, Arnold's attitude was very unlikely to Harris and Kevin who would bug a knight to do their biddings. If the knights declined, they would torture them and the knights would be forced to submit.
Though I never tolerated them in badmouthing the duke’s sons, they would still rant about them when I am not around. Yet, I would still know because Timothy likes telling me all of the rumors in the headquarters. Arnold was respected among the servants as he never abuses them nor does he care about them.
I looked around. Seeing the guns made me remember Gio and the work I asked him to do. I turned around and faced Arnold.
“You can start practicing swordsmanship with the others. I have something to take care of first,” I informed Arnold. I smiled genuinely. “I’ll get back to you once I finish checking the progress,” I assured him.
“No. I’ll come with you.”
I sighed. “You’re here to improve your swordsmanship, not to be my tail.” I brushed my hair. “I’ll leave now. Don’t ever follow me, little duke.”
I walked out leaving him out on the training ground.
I immediately went to the forge where Gio was currently working.
I knocked.
“Let me finish this first. Don’t come in if I don't say so. The deflation of temperature might affect the creation and the skill set for the weapon.”
I leaned my back against the wall. “All right.”
I could hear the sound of forging from the inside of the smithy. For someone who loves something like weapons, and battles, it would be pleasant to hear the satisfying sound and it was just as pleasant for me.
Ever since I was ten, I have taken exams already at Aruche as per my request to the duke. I was knighted at the age of fifteen and became the captain of Jarvis Knights, the knights in the Duarte Duchy, one year later.
The Duarte Duchy is the only Duchy that ever existed in the Libarnia Empire hence, the Duarte was the strongest family compared to other nobility. The Duarte Duchy also produced outstanding knights who had to lead their armies to victory during battles and produced scholars who made such great inventory that helped the Empire.
For example, guns. Guns were invented by scholars.
The Libarnia Empire was the second strongest Empire on the entire continent. The strongest was the Elthanium Empire.
In my conclusion, the Elthanium Empire conquered the Libarnia Empire to expand its authority. They planned to conquer the whole continent and by winning over the second strongest, their plan would be possible.
If they win the war over the Libarnia Empire, no one would ever stand a chance in dealing with them. Other Empires would bow their heads and submit to the Elthanium Emperor.
In short, aside from Jaeda who executed me, Elthanium knights would be my second possible killer.
I sighed.
The door moved open. “As expected. It's you, Captain Haleya.”
I looked at Gio. There’s something wrong with him. I looked at his back. He blocked it.
I nodded. “How’s the work I assigned to you?” I asked.
“I’ve finished a set. Though it’s not really as effective as it should be as we are short of intermediate or higher level crystals. Nevertheless, I think this could kill at least intermediate-level monsters,” Gio explained.
I nodded. “The ability?”
Gio smiled. “This could boost your agility and strength. The bayonet could amplify your mana capacity. Its skill was invisibility. Do I have to explain what invisibility is?”
I went poker-faced.
He gave me a piece of the bayonet and a rifle.
I already felt that something was off earlier and now it’s more evident.
I stepped a few paces back and set the bayonet in the fire.
Gio never smiled nor would ever disrespect the captain. That's the kind of guy he was and this guy in front of me did what Gio won’t do.
I immediately get a dagger on my waist holster and throw it on Gio. The clone that stole Gio’s figure faded in the thin air as the dagger pierced the clone’s head.
The bayonet I set on fire turned into clay.
I ran towards the inside forge and looked at it.
I could feel my vein popping out in my neck. I gritted my teeth.
The entire forge was a mess.
I immediately looked at the storehouse. It was clean… Clean to the point that the weapons stored as well are missing.
My face went blank.
Who the hell would dare to rob the headquarters?
We’re not only short on people. Now we don’t have a weapon to use at the hunting competition.
I clenched my fist and punched the wall of the warehouse.
Who could it be? Who has the guts to play us dirty?
“What’s going on?” a man shouted outside.
It was Bruce based on his voice. I immediately went outside and grabbed Bruce’s collar.
“We’ve been robbed and you didn’t know a thing about it?” I angrily asked.
“What?” he asked, more shocked than I am.
More knights were coming on us. I dragged him inside the warehouse. “The weapons that we had… we lost it all.” I clenched my jaw. “Where were you when this thing happened?!”
Bruce sighed. “I went back to the Marquisate to bring Timothy back home. I just got back today.” He looked at me. “How about you, captain? Where were you?”
I frustratedly massaged my forehead. “I was sick.”
“Your hair looked rather different from before.”
I looked at him. “Don’t ask. I don’t know why it turned red.”
“I won’t ask, but it suits you well,” he declared.
I ignored what he said. People who were as nice as him and were pretending to be nice were like him. I sighed.
So what will happen now?
If we don’t win, the Jarvis knights would be in the care of the royal palace. If that happens, then who would protect the Duarte Duchy when the time for the Elthanium Empire to conquer Libarnia finally came? Not to mention that I am planning to leave after the duke passed his position to Arnold.
I clenched my fist. I am not in the position to demand blacksmiths from the duke. I already said that I would handle this myself.
In the past, royal knights were able to defeat the Jarvis knights. Is it possible that it is following its original fate even with my interference?
No… there must be a way to change our bloody fate.
If I leave, Bruce would be the next knight in command. He must stay loyal to the Duarte Duchy.
I sighed and looked at Bruce who was looking around the place with a distorted face. I bit my lip. “I'm sorry for getting angry at you earlier. I happened to be getting out of control and I… pardon me, vice-captain.”
Bruce smiled before he tapped my shoulders. “It’s okay, captain. It really is frustrating seeing our efforts go to waste. Moreover, the competition is just days ahead of us. If we lost to the royal knights, the Jarvis Knights would fall."
I massaged my forehead. He isn’t wrong. All he spouted made sense and that’s why it was frustrating me.
I went outside and saw all the knights swamped outside the warehouse.
“Jarvis Knights, waiting for your command, Sir!”
I cleared my throat. “Patrol at the whole estate and report to me if you see something suspicious. Ask the servants if they saw something ambiguous and investigate. Look everywhere, even in a tiny corner. We’ll hunt the burglars!”
After I said those words, the knights parted ways and started patrolling. From how they acted, I knew they already knew what happened.
I massaged my forehead.
And if someone was able to steal the weapons without getting noticed, then I could only conclude that the burglar must be one of my knights.
Who among them would betray the Duarte Duchy?