The Extra Wants To Live-Chapter 272: The Archduke’s Decision

Harmon, who had spent the entire night standing guard, exchanged glances with Milton and let out a small sigh of relief.

He didn't know who Camilla was.

But he had spent the night with a heavy heart, thinking about Carl—the man who never wavered—crying over the loss of his mother.

"Harmon."

Before the door closes, Carl's soft voice is heard.

Harmon looks around, then carefully enters the room and closes the door.

"Yes, Lord Carl."

Harmon thinks he should change rooms because of the overwhelming stench assaulting his nose. Then, he glances at Carl, who is sitting with his back to the bed as if nothing happened, and at the beautiful woman with a pale face lying asleep on the bed. His mouth twists.

He suddenly remembers Carl caressing his mother, Lilly, who had been dead for a long time.

"I will leave it to you to take care of it."

"… Lord Carl."

Harmon licks his lips in embarrassment before speaking in a firm voice.

"I shouldn't presume to say this, but I think it would be better for you, Lord Carl, to stay by that lady's side right now."

"… …"

This is something Harmon can say because he has been by Carl's side since he first stepped out.

If it weren't for Harmon, one of the few people who can call Carl 'Master Carl' and who knows what kind of person Carl truly is, he wouldn't even dare say anything other than "Yes" in this situation.

Carl, as if he hadn't heard Harmon, slowly reaches out and strokes Camilla's pale face.

Her face is as pale as a corpse, yet it is hot, as if screaming with life.

The moisture from Camilla's sweat remains on his fingertips, familiar and yet strange.

"Stay here and watch over her."

"Your Majesty Carl."

Carl's fingertips carefully run through Camilla's sweat-soaked hair, past her straight eyebrows, slightly downturned eye corners, and elegant nose, before caressing her plump yet dry lips.

"Harmon, you must not show this to anyone else. Do you understand? Absolutely. Not to anyone."

Harmon closes his eyes, sensing that Carl has already made up his mind.

Carl always makes rational decisions and chooses the best course of action.

And once he makes a decision, he is a man who never changes his mind without a reasonable cause.

He is a man who always aims for the highest, to the point where he would not hesitate to go out and fight the enemy, leaving behind the woman he loves—the one he barely managed to save with his life, the one he could never allow to be discovered.

"Yes, Lord Carl. I will do so. No matter what."

As Harmon answers, Carl wipes the sweat from Camilla's forehead one last time and stands up.

When Carl turns his back on Camilla and looks at Harmon, there is only the Archduke of the Empire—the Planter of Laurels.

Carl absently kicks his feet and brushes past Harmon as he leaves the room.

"… …"

Harmon looks down at the sleeping Camilla with an indescribable feeling.

After losing his mother, Cecil, Carl lost almost all of his humanity and lived with a mask. Yet now, he calls for Milton in desperation, caresses Camilla as if she were a fragile glass artifact, and demands strict confidentiality.

Harmon does not know whether this woman will be medicine or poison for his lord.

But since Carl trusts Harmon and has left this task in his hands, he must live up to his expectations.

Harmon listens for any noise from outside, and when everything becomes quiet, he glances outside to ensure no one is there.

Then, he picks up the sleeping Camilla and quickly carries her to his room.

That very day, Carl sends a messenger to the scattered troops in western Tumaria, calling them to arms.

And the very next day, he leads the troops stationed with him and sets out for the east.

Milton also follows Carl.

Harmon is left alone in the castle.

Everyone is curious about Carl leaving Harmon behind, but no one dares to ask questions.

Harmon has given Milton plenty of potions in case of an emergency.

He cannot reveal anything about Camilla, and he cannot call a therapist if her condition worsens.

Harmon stays in his room, instructing people to leave food at his door. When no one is around, he sneaks out, takes the food, and leaves only an empty plate behind.

A faint stench emanates from the room, and with Harmon nowhere to be seen, unpleasant rumors begin to spread.

Some people believe Harmon has leprosy.

They think Carl left him behind, never to be seen again, as his skin rots and emits a foul smell.

However, there is also Milton, the royal physician, and it makes no sense for Harmon—who could summon a healer at any time—to suffer from something like leprosy.

In the end, only rumors spread, and no one truly knows what Harmon is doing while locked up in his room.

---

It takes only eight days for the troops scattered across western Tumaria to gather at the eastern end of the Tumaria colony under the Hardion Empire, following Carl's call to arms.

The total number of troops reaches 50,000, but this is due to conflicting news regarding the occupation of western Tumaria and the dispatch of Hardion's second invasion force to the region.

They had gone because they were ordered to.

But by the time they arrived, they learned that victory had already been secured, and there was nothing left to do.

Naturally, the nobles, commanders, officers, and knights—who had hoped for some action—felt disappointed.

"Well, let's go quickly since we have fewer troops…"

Due to such regrets and the idea that they had to do something now that they were already there, the second expeditionary force dispersed across western Tumaria.

They settled there under the pretext of strengthening their influence over the colonies and suppressing independence.

No, well, it's better than just taking a brief look and returning home…

"It's war! It's war! And it's a chance to catch and kill the instigator of the Tumaria civil war! Hahahaha!"

With such enthusiasm, they ran east without thinking twice.

The shadow of defeat in their minds was erased by the glory of victory.

The enemy, starving and cut off from supplies, is beaten to death by Sultan Yusuf and flees west.

And Carl conquers western Tumaria in just over two months!

"The desert sun has set on the ground. Is this all there is to it?"

Hardion, which had been building up its strength for over thirty years and had now won so easily, viewed the situation optimistically.

If Hardion captures or kills the instigator of the civil war whom Yusuf failed to eliminate, they could gain significant diplomatic advantages later on.

They cannot afford to miss this opportunity to claim the glory.

Carl goes further and enforces conscription in western Tumaria.

The Tumarians' resistance grows like wildfire, but the flames are quickly extinguished when Carl declares the civil war over and promises that conscripts will not be sent to the battlefield—only to supply lines.

It is clear to all that the influence of the "Laurel Planter, the Honorable Archduke Carl" remains immense among the Tumarians.

And after Carl gathers his troops and sets out for the east, a messenger from the Emperor arrives from the heart of Hardion.

A letter arrives, instructing the division of territorial ownership through rewards and titles.

But those blinded by ambition had already left.

These two events occur so narrowly apart that Carl is able to make full use of almost all the forces he commands in western Tumaria.

Had Carl wasted even one more day caring for Camilla, the chaos of distributing awards and land ownership would have prevented him from assembling his forces so efficiently.

How can one leave when there are those who refuse summons, staying behind to expand their influence?

"I just need to sit back, keep an eye on the others, and use my money and influence to make this land mine."

Because of these events, the Emperor's messenger is left waiting in an empty western Tumaria, anticipating the arrival of Carl's troops.

---

It takes less than ten days to assemble the scattered forces, recruit locally, and organize supply routes before setting out.

This is a whirlwind-like advance, even amidst the vast landscape of war.

But for the leader, Siana, who possesses powers beyond common sense, this is the perfect time to turn the tide.

And now, she sees an opportunity to change the situation entirely.