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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭
The sight that greeted Luke and his companions when they returned to the southern territories was unexpected.
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Armed soldiers were walking down the streets.
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“I wonder what happened?”
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Luke, who had arrived at the Azure Palace while wondering, was even more astonished.
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This was because the courtyard of the Azure Palace was filled with soldiers.
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“W, What on earth is this. . .?”
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When he entered the mansion, he found Omid in the grand hall.
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He was deep in conversation with a man who seemed to be a military commander.
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“Sir Wilkinson, what on earth is going on?”
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Omid turned around when Luke called out to him.
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His face seemed to twist in disappointment for a moment when he recognized Luke.
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However, that feeling was fleeting, and Omid quickly rushed over to Luke with a broad smile on his face.
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“Oh! Isn’t it Sir Luke! You’ve returned safely!”
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He hugged Luke tightly with exaggerated gestures.
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“I’m glad! I was worried because there was no contact from Osten Island!”
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It was only then that Luke realized that they had been declared missing.
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More than a week had passed since they went to Osten Island, and it was not hard to imagine the worry that Omid, who had been entrusted with their care, must have felt.
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“I’m sorry, I couldn’t get in touch. But what’s going on here? There are a lot of soldiers gathered. . .”
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“Ah, this? Well, I heard rumors that you guys were in the demon realm, so I was preparing for a recapture like this.”
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“Recapture?”
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Omid puffed out his chest proudly at Luke’s surprised expression.
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“Of course! You, a nobleman of our country, have been unjustly cornered by those unpleasant demons! It is my duty as the supervisor in charge of the southern territories to take you back!”
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“I’m happy to hear you say that, but isn’t the use of force a bit too much. . .?”
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“What are you saying! They are wicked and arrogant, and they won’t listen to anything we say. There’s no point in talking to such people! We have to show them our will with swords and blood!”
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Omid ranted with blood rushing to his head.
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It was completely opposite to his usual courteous demeanor.
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“But can you take military action against a neighboring country on your own discretion, Lord Omid?”
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“Sir Luke, you don’t understand the situation in this land.”
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Omid’s eyes narrowed sharply.
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“Unlike peaceful St. Arrogas, this southern territory is always threatened by the demon realm. They are always aiming for our territory. If we don’t fight fist with fist, sword with sword, our land and livelihood will be easily taken away.”
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Omid’s words had an undeniable resonance.
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It was probably true.
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Even in the city of the demon realm, they often saw soldiers.
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This region was more conflict-ridden than Luke thought.
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However, he felt that the action was too quick.
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They had been in the demon realm for only about four days.
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Since they had contacted before leaving Osten Island, they had been absent for at most about five days.
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Even if he is a supervisor, is it okay to decide to invade another country in such a short period of time?
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While they were in the demon realm, Luke and the others were always with Barbassa.
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They haven’t been informed of any extradition request from the southern territories for Luke and the others.
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There is a possibility that Barbassa kept quiet, but that was unlikely.
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If he was a demon, he would probably use even the fact that there was a request as a bargaining chip.
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There were various points that didn’t make sense, but anyway, as Luke, it was a priority to stop this invasion.
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“But, now that we’ve come back like this, isn’t there a need to use force in the demon realm?”
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“. . .That may be so, but they must pay the price for this insolent act. Otherwise, the same thing could happen again at any time.”
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“If it’s about us, that’s a misunderstanding. We were certainly arrested on the way home, but after that, we were staying rather than being detained.”
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Luke tried to persuade Omid, who was not very receptive.
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“There were many unfamiliar things in the demon realm, and the contact with Sir Wilkinson was delayed, but we were not confined.”
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He kept quiet about being sent out to subdue bandits.
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If he explained it poorly, it would just give Omid an excuse.
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Luke added a final word to make sure.
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“You can ask Lord Berlanji. We were always with him.”
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“Hmm. . .”
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It seemed that Omid had no choice but to be silent.
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He probably thought that if he was with Barbassa, Luke might have heard what kind of negotiations Omid had conducted.
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“I apologize for causing a misunderstanding to Sir Wilkinson. However, I hope you will reconsider this act that will deteriorate the relationship between the two countries. Please, as you see.”
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“. . .Understood. This time, let’s save face for Lord Luke.”
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Omid nodded with a sigh.
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“However, please do not take any arbitrary actions from now on. Your actions could cause an irreparable rift in the relationship between the two countries.”
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“Understood. I will be careful from now on.”
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Luke bowed deeply.
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“And this matter is within my job authority, so there is no need to report to the royal capital. You understand, right?”
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“Yes, I understand.”
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“I’m counting on you. You are a guest and have nothing to do with the political affairs of the southern territories.”
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Omid left, pressing his point persistently.