SWNOVELXO Chapter 46.1
Chapter 46: Northern Automail (1)
“Of course, it’s you. Your loyalty makes it obvious you’d prioritize Her Highness’s safety first,” Balzac said, nodding as though he had anticipated Sun’s reaction.
“Would you like to examine my lower dantian?” Arina asked, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she turned to Sun.
“In that case… I’ll proceed, even if it seems presumptuous,” Sun replied.
Scanning someone’s dantian was a highly intrusive act, considered rude unless done for medical or instructional purposes. However, given the pressing circumstances and Arina’s explicit consent, Sun focused his gaze intently on her lower dantian.
“This… What is this?! What on earth…!” Sun exclaimed moments later, his expression frozen in shock.
“What’s the matter? Why is the core empty?” he demanded.
“Empty? I’ve been working hard and managed to grow it to at least the size of a seed,” Arina said nonchalantly.
“That’s not the issue here!” Sun’s alarm only intensified.
“Then shall we move on to my heart?” Arina asked calmly.
“Your heart…?” Sun repeated, a sense of unease washing over him. Steeling himself, he activated his magical sight again.
“!!”
His shock deepened, rendering him speechless.
“This can’t be…!”
“It’s a long story,” Arina admitted.
“Please, tell me everything! I beg you!” Sun pleaded earnestly.
“Well, it all started last winter with a letter from Haven. Do you recall Polly…?”
Arina began to recount her tale, which was later continued by Balzac, Isabelle, and Haita.
Together, they revealed the events that had transpired—from the salt incident in Arad, the chaos in the demon realm, the golden carriage, Mary’s blessing, the Renslet Order, and even the shifting dynamics within the Empire.
“…That’s how it happened,” Balzac concluded.
Sun and the senior knights of the expeditionary force were left speechless by the sheer scope of incidents they had just learned about.
“Who exactly is Count Arad Jin? And where is he now?” one of the knights asked after a moment of stunned silence.
Every single event seemed to revolve around one extraordinary figure—Arad Jin.
“Come to think of it, where is Sir Arad? Wasn’t he here just moments ago?” Balzac looked around, puzzled.
“He left in a hurry, saying he needed to oversee the banquet preparations personally,” Haita replied.
“A day like this would be a good time to rest. Then again, considering the entire menu and recipes for this banquet were his creations, it’s no surprise he’d be concerned,” Balzac mused, nodding approvingly.
“Thanks to him, the banquet expenses were significantly reduced. Count Jin is truly a genius. The way he turned unused cuts of meat into such delicious dishes…” Haita added with admiration.
“Not just innards—he even used cow and pig trotters! A genuine culinary revolution.”
“I particularly enjoyed the fried chicken gizzards,” another knight chimed in.
The knights discussing Arad wore expressions of deep trust that seemed etched into their faces like a seal.
‘Arad… Arad Jin… Was that the young man I saw earlier?’ Sun thought to himself.
He recalled seeing a black-haired, black-eyed youth at the castle. Their eyes had met briefly atop the walls, and later, inside the banquet hall. The youth had stood beside Her Highness before disappearing without a word.
“Speaking of which, old woman, is that going well?” Arina suddenly asked Isabelle in a hushed tone.
“Don’t worry. Even Sir Arad with his sharp eyes won’t notice. You saw it earlier, didn’t you?”
“So it seemed,” Arina replied.
“My illusions and transformation magic are second to none. Hohohoho!” Isabelle laughed quietly.
Sun overheard snippets of their whispered conversation. His curiosity about Arad Jin only deepened.
***
I stood at a distance, gazing at the temporary field hospital near the inner citadel.
“There she is.”
In my line of sight was a girl with striking white hair—Mary. I had first seen her not here, but earlier, in the banquet hall within the palace.
Her figure caught my eye as she stood at the far corner, where Arina and the commander of the expeditionary force were engaged in conversation. Using the banquet oversight as an excuse, I had left the hall and followed her.
“Why is she standing there?” I murmured to myself.
Mary had stopped at the entrance of the field hospital, a place where injured soldiers were being treated. I had even arranged for some of the banquet food to be sent there.
“Odd. She doesn’t look like someone here on duty,” Eote, the senior knight accompanying me, commented. His sharper eyesight allowed him to pick up details I couldn’t.
“True. She seems more like she’s out on a casual outing. Maybe she knows someone inside?”
“Well, witches are assisting with the treatments there.”
Indeed, Mary’s attire was unusually practical, unlike her usual refined look. She wore a simple tunic, the kind suited for an active lady stepping outside.
“Hmm? It seems Miss Mary has noticed us,” Eote remarked.
At that moment, Mary, standing at the hospital entrance, turned her gaze toward us. Our eyes met, and I waved at her. She responded with a slight nod before disappearing into the hospital.
“Let’s go,” I said.
“Yes, sir.”
We naturally found ourselves heading to the field hospital as if drawn by an unseen force.
Inside, the atmosphere was a mix of witches’ nagging, soldiers groaning in pain, and the clatter of dishes being used in the dining area.
“Sir Rosie?”
“Master? And Sir Eote?”
Surprisingly, the first person to greet us wasn’t Mary but Rosie.
“What brings you here on your day off?” Eote asked Rosie on my behalf.
“Staying at home makes my body stiff,” Rosie replied.
“Then why not enjoy the festivities?”
The entire High Tower was alive with celebrations, mirroring the festivities in the inner citadel.
“I’m fine. I’d feel uneasy celebrating while these injured soldiers are left here,” Rosie said, gesturing toward the wounded.
“Sir Arad!”
“It’s Lord Arad!”