Rest and his five-man escort arrived to join the Advance Force.
Roughly a thousand soldiers had already gathered at the rendezvous point just outside the Royal Capital.
"Oh, there’s Lyubase."
Among the crowd stood the "Woman-hating Sword Saint," Wilhelm Lyubase. They had shared drinks just a few days ago following the war council.
Several guards stood around Wilhelm as well. Rest didn't know them by name, but their faces were familiar—they were former students from the Knight Department.
"Mph..."
The moment their eyes met, Lyubase awkwardly looked away.
He was clearly remembering how he had passed out drunk during their last meeting.
It’s not really something to be ashamed of, Rest thought. I think having a weakness or two makes someone more likable.
The man was an legendary swordsman, yet he was so terrified of women he couldn't even speak to them, and he would lose consciousness after a single sip of mild wine. He had a surprising number of Achilles' heels.
"There are more familiar faces here than I expected..."
Scanning the participants of the Advance Force, Rest spotted several nobles and knights he had encountered at social functions. He was surrounded by acquaintances.
"Ah... So you are Count Clover."
A man's voice called out to him.
It was Bareia Catreia, the Vice Commander of the Knight Order. Rest recognized him from the military council.
Bareia was the commanding officer of the Advance Force; once they reached the border fortress, he would serve as the supreme authority for the campaign against the foreign tribes.
"Vice Commander. I look forward to serving under you."
"The pleasure is mine. I have heard the rumors—your exploits are quite famous."
Bareia looked to be in his early twenties.
For a man holding the number two position in the Knight Order, he was remarkably young. While his status as the eldest son of the Marquis Catreia House and the Knight Commander’s heir certainly helped, rumors suggested his rank was mostly due to raw, undeniable talent.
The young Vice Commander. An aide to the Crown Prince and the man destined to be the next Knight Commander... He definitely exudes a dangerous aura.
"From the subjugation of the Magical Beast Subnock to your performance during the recent civil war... your contributions have been magnificent. Let us continue to support the Aiwood Kingdom together."
"Yes, of course..."
Even as he replied, Rest felt a sharp, prickling aura of hostility stinging his skin.
Wait... is it just me, or is this guy directing actual enmity my way?
His tone was polite and his words were professional, yet the weight behind his voice was crushing. It felt like Rest was being subjected to intense physical pressure.
"Um..."
"By the way... is Yuri doing well?"
"Ah..."
In that moment, the realization finally hit Rest.
As the son of Marquis Catreia, Bareia was Yuri Catreia's older brother.
"The girl is naive to the ways of the world. I worry that she might be causing trouble for people, or that some villain might be deceiving her."
(Don’t you dare think you can trick my innocent sister just because she’s sheltered.)
"If anything should happen to her, it is my duty to clean up the mess immediately. Please, don't hesitate to inform me."
(If you lay a finger on Yuri, I’ll bury you on the spot, so you’d better watch yourself.)
A mysterious set of subtitles seemed to play in Rest’s mind behind the man’s calm words.
It might have been Rest's imagination, but Bareia’s gaze was piercing. It was incredibly intense.
"I trust you will maintain a respectful distance while you get along with my sister... My father may have given his blessing, and I intend to do whatever I can for her sake as well..."
(If you touch her, you’re dead. Father might approve, but I sure as hell don't!)
"I will... do my absolute best to handle my relationship with your sister with the utmost sincerity."
"Excellent. I'm counting on you."
Bareia offered his hand.
Rest lowered his head slightly and took it, only to have his hand crushed with terrifying strength.
If he hadn't preemptively cast Physical Enhancement and Hardening magic, his bones likely would have shattered.
"Tch..."
Unable to break Rest's hand, Bareia clicked his tongue softly and walked away.
Rest watched his back as he left, using Healing magic to soothe the throbbing pain in his palm.
"That was one hell of an older brother..."
"I had heard that Marquis Catreia and his sons dote on their daughter to an extreme degree... It seems those reports were accurate," Dieble remarked with a wry smile, having witnessed the whole ordeal.
Rest knew Yuri was staying at the Clover estate with her father's permission, but it was clear that her brother, Bareia, hadn't quite accepted the situation.
"Now that I think about it... Yuri has other brothers, doesn't she?"
"Her second brother, Lord Karyus Catreia, is stationed at the border fortress. Her third brother, Lord Toya Catreia, is also here in the Advance Force. I can only hope this doesn't lead to further complications..."
"Don't go raising flags like that! I've already got a bad feeling about this!"
Rest’s shoulders shook with an involuntary chill.
Thanks to Dieble's reminder, Rest felt his morale plummeting long before the first battle had even begun.