Rudolph arrived at the Dukedom with his father early the next morning. The journey had been slower than usual—they had an entire battalion with them, and moving that many soldiers took time.
As he stepped down from his mount, Rudolph rolled his neck, letting out a soft crack. He could fight an entire day without feeling half as exhausted as he was now, after days of stiff, restless travel.
"I'm heading to meet the Governor General," his father said.
Rudolph gave a short nod and turned to go his own way.
He approached the mansion with four soldiers following behind—not as his guards, but to secure the residence itself. With the Dukedom's ruler gone, the threat of a demon resurgence was real. They couldn't afford to take chances.
Though the estate had its own guards, reinforcements were a necessity. The air was tense, as if everyone expected something to go wrong.
