Chapter 324

Translator: yun

“Oh, I guess things have ended over there.”

Dane giggled softly with his gentle voice. Standing right in front of him were Rusbella and Slon who was shielding her.

He could hear someone inhale sharply. Dane was still blind but he could still hear their breaths clearly.

“That man is already in critical condition.”

Slon had an arrow sticking out of his shoulder.

Staring at Dane, Slorenian tried to grab his sword but he must have accidentally agitated his shoulder. He had tried to suppress his groans but he could not hide the change in his breaths. Rusbella glanced at Slon momentarily and turned her gaze back to Dane. Her gaze was as sharp as a wild hawk’s.

“He had been struck by an arrow from our army.”

Even a prince would not be safe in a war that spared no mercy for either side. Moreover, Slorenian was the commander of one of the armies and the man who was protecting a woman who chose to only head into the most dangerous places.

That was why it hadn’t been difficult to surround them with their reinforcements. But getting close had cost them countless sacrifices.

“The size of Walter’s army is immense. Though your size remains a threat, what if they were to lose their commander?”

“…Even if you kill me, my younger brother remains.”

“Ah, you mean Prince Cjezarnian.”

The 2nd Prince who had been nicknamed the Silver Knight was, despite his age, a pretty tricky opponent to deal with.

“That’s a shame.”

Dane mumbled though he did not sound sympathetic at all.

“But it’d be good enough for us if you die. For us, that’ll mean we have one less person to deal with.”

Just then, his ears picked up someone else’s breath hitch.

He turned his head slightly.

“You want to save him, don’t you?”

Dane was not asking Slon. His words were meant for Rusbella.

The stench of blood was strong.

Based on his experience working in the marsh, Dane could guess the severity of Slon’s injuries.

‘He won’t be able to live any longer.’

Thanks to the chaotic state of the battle, neither the medics nor the clinic knew who they were treating. If he did not receive treatment immediately, he might die. That was how serious Slon’s injuries were.

‘Of course, that’s only if he’s left untreated.’

There might have been a way for these two to break through this siege. But that must be too difficult for them to do right now.

‘Because his injury was that serious.’

Rusbella might be able to subdue templars but she could not hold her own in a fight. Everyone knew her weakness. That was why she was stuck in a dilemma.

Moreover, in order to deal with non-templars, Rusbella needed to look them in the eyes… But Dane, the one who was currently facing Rusbella, was blind.

“If you do what I tell you to, I will spare him.”

But Rusbella could tell. Even though he was blind, it was Dane, who recognised Rusbella’s true nature the fastest, before anyone else could in this battlefield.

“What do you want?”

During the short time he had, Dane had kept a close eye on her. No, since he couldn’t see through his eyes, he listened to the stories Ray would tell him intently.

Eventually, Dane realised. It was not difficult to realise that that man was precious to Rusbella.

“Help Ashley.”

Lowering her head, Rusbella gave no reply. But the grip she had on Slon was as tight as a beast protecting its cub. Dane did not miss the momentary change in her breaths.

“You know how this battle will end, don’t you?”

“I don’t know.”

Rusbella’s reply was scathing. But Dane did not care.

“You shouldn’t have said that. You have the ability to change the course of this battle, don’t you?”

Rusbella remained silent. Dane had decided if she could not be persuaded, it would be better for him to just kill that man.

The real mastermind behind this war was Rusbella. Dane had thought that this woman was using the 1st Prince, Slorenian, as a chess piece.

However, no matter how capable this woman was, Rusbella was unlikely to be able to take command of the entire Walter’s army in the prince’s place.

His main goal was to end this war as soon as possible. He didn’t care if he didn’t manage to capture Rusbella as long as he could end this war. It was then.

“Alright.”

A vague muffled voice broke out of Rusbella.

“R-rusbella!”

“This country will perish.”

Rusbella spoke as though she had succumbed into evil.

“It is a great prophecy that even I cannot change.”

“And she does not wish for that to happen.” (1)

“Alright. I shall do the best I can. Is that good enough?”

“R-Rusbella…”

Rusbella coldly shook off Slon’s hand.

“Save this man.”

Dane heard her out.

“… You said you would save him.”

Her voice was dry and weary. At that moment, Dane could not think of anything to say before facing Rusbella.

Wasn’t that man a tool to her? He didn’t expect to think of her as such a vicious woman. It wouldn’t be wrong for him to think she was vicious since she was the woman who started this war without a purpose.

Nevertheless, Dane was rendered speechless. Even though it was only for a moment, the desperation in her voice rang in her ears and his heart wavered. Just then, a dark sense of curiosity shook Dane.

He had once too given up and cried his heart out which was why he understood. That her feelings were not going to help with her current situation.

“Rusbella, you’re a templar.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The figure of the woman who had only lost more and more. Was he feeling this sympathy because she carried the face of the woman he loved? But in time, Dane coldly ignored this sympathy. Still, she was the main culprit behind this war.

“I swear on the River Styx.”

“… Alright.”

Atalante, who had been watching everything from the side, thought Rusbella’s expression looked strange–she looked like she was neither smiling nor crying.

As she stated her oath, Dane untied the cloth covering her eyes. He could see Rusbella’s face through his blurred vision.

‘Ashley.’

It was the face he missed. Though he could only see the outline, there was no way he could not recognise it.

‘But it’s different.’

She might wear the same face but everything that made her was different. The way she talked, her personality and even the small gestures she did when she talked.

“Atalante.”

“Ah. Ah.”

Atalante had stared blankly at Rusbella for a moment before raising her head. Just then, a small man stepped forward as though he had been waiting. It was a cleric. He looked exhausted from chasing after templars in battle but he soon sat quietly in front of Slon.

Divinity was performing another miracle as it always did. Rubella stared at the healing wound. No one knew what was going on behind her expression.

“When are you going to exact your oath?”

“As soon as I can.”

The golden energy Rusbella was emitting spread to her sides without stopping.

The eyes of the young templar who had never seen an oath of the River Styx being sworn before widened.

Eventually, once Rusbella finished her oath, she broke away from Slon. Dane looked up at the sky.

He spotted a flying hawk. The sounds of beating drums. They were the signs of victory. They had won.

“The war is over.”

The disastrous war had ended so quickly that it was almost ridiculous. Dane laughed at the brilliant light streaming through the clouds.

‘The barrier, they’ve succeeded…’

Now that the barrier had been re-established, all they had left to do was to finish off the enemy troops trapped within the barrier.

‘Ashley.’

He called out the name he missed and longed for.

‘Rosé, Rosé…”

Just saying her name felt like welcome rain falling on his devastated heart.

My ashes and my rose.

‘I wanted to call out your name once more.’

The one who made a mess of him, his heaven, his earth and his sun. Was she staring at the same sky as him in the capital so far away?

‘I managed to defend the lands you loved so much. The land we grew up in.’

Dane smiled immensely sweetly before falling.

Ah. He still had lots to do but he couldn’t bring himself to move.

‘Ahn, I did well, didn’t I?’

One day, she would remember. He had run in the dark, believing in their promise. No, it’d be best not to think about it.

‘I’ll remember you even if you never end up returning.’

The land that discriminated against him, the one that held the same people who pointed their fingers at him. But it was worth protecting as long as she was alive here. In his life that was filled with misunderstandings and manipulation, everything other than her was worthless.

‘I guess I must have pushed myself too hard. I’m feeling a little tired.’

The ground felt as warm as the arms of the woman he loved.

“Hey! Hey, wake up!”

He could hear the command for Walter’s army to retreat. This war was over. She had been victorious.

Dane flashed a smile of satisfaction as beautiful as blooming flowers.

‘Just hold on, I’ll be taking a short nap.’

With countless arrows embedded in his back.

For who did this bell ring for?

Step step. There was only one pair of footsteps.

At some point, the footsteps travelling along the hallway received company. On the road I had always walked alone, Lord Ray and sometimes Dane and Fleon would accompany me.

How was your night? The face would mouth as they stared at the moon together with me so that I wouldn’t be lonely. Amor would soften his sharp features before smiling at me. And I loved how his pale face reminded me of the moon.

“Your Majesty.”

When we reached the end of the hallway Soricks and Meta lowered their heads. Rebecca, who had arrived earlier, had been waiting.

“What about the messenger?”

“He’s waiting inside.”

When the humongous doors to the audience chamber swung open, I was first greeted by a pillar as large as the doors. The man standing in front of the stairs fell onto his stomach. Though he was kneeling on the ground, his large and wide shoulders could not be hidden.

“Raise your head, Abel.”

It was the 3rd Prince, Abel, who brought me the news of the war. Even though he was a prince, he must have run here alone.

“Your Majesty! We have won. I would like to inform you that we have achieved a great victory in the war against the Kingdom of Walter.”

It went without saying that everyone who heard the news widened their eyes. Someone couldn’t resist bursting into cheer. There was even someone who started hugging people and jumping. Whilst everyone was openly expressing their joy, I asked.

“… Didn’t anyone die?”

“Ah… yes. We had lost about a third of our army but the damage done to our templars was even greater so I cannot say that no one was uninjured.”

“What about the commanders?”

Abel, who had been answering my questions unwaveringly thus far, hesitated for a moment. He soon responded after lowering her eyes.

“Just as His Majesty said, the former Crown Prince had appeared and made the war harder for us than it already was. At a time when we were helpless against him as he continued to kill only templars… Our two strongest men stepped forward.”

“The Duke of Durzel and Marissa?”

“Yes, it was. And… The two of them were able to stop the former Crown Prince.”

My heart was throbbing.

“General Marissa has been fatally wounded. She is conscious but she would not last long. Also, the Duke of Durzel… is currently in a coma. According to the cleric, he might never be able to use his hands again.”

“What do you mean?”

I tried to control myself but my expressions were breaking at the seams.

“What do you mean? What do you mean they cannot be healed?”

“The Duke of Durzel is only alive because of an oath he made.”

Abel read the room before speaking with more difficulty.

“His organs are in shambles and there’s no way he can use them again. Recovery and regeneration are two different things after all.”

He continued to explain that though broken or injured arms could be healed with divinity, there was no way the clerics could regenerate his missing arms. In other words, Hernan had pushed his body past his limits to the point where it could not be fixed anymore.

Abel announced.

“The absolute oath is merely holding onto his life by the bread.”

My legs were trembling. There was no way I wouldn’t know what he was referring to by that.

“Your Majesty, will they trust me if I swear an oath?”

He knew. That there was a possibility, maybe, perhaps.

That he might end up like this.

“I swear I will never die in this war.”

Hernan.

“I swear that my final moments will be in front of your eyes, Your Majesty.”

Did he leave knowing he was going to die?

“Why did he accept death so easily… why…”

I murmured so softly that even the people next to me could not hear what I was saying. I ignored the questions from those stirred up by what he just said and raised his head.

I must say this with joy, ministers, the war is over. The barrier had been established. Joy and happiness had overwritten despair. It was clear what I should do next.

“Hear me, ministers.”

I could not laugh nor cry when I wanted to. The seat Castor and Julian fought for was one where one was forced to hide their feelings and pretend. And funnily enough, that was something I was better at than anyone else.

“Prepare compensation to welcome those who are returning home from the battlefield. We have to have a huge festival. To allow the dead peaceful passage to the Heavens of Jupinel.”

It was believed that a messenger from the gods would weigh lives–those that sinned would go to hell and those who were heroes and warriors would ascend to heaven. Hence, instead of mourning those who were lost in the war, we blessed them. The ceremony would not only be huge but also grand.

“Julian, you shall take charge.”

Julian glanced at me. He pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something. But he ultimately nodded his head.

“Return to your positions and prepare for the festival!”

“Yes!”

This country that was meant to be devastated by war had won their final one. All that was left was to confront Castor and Rusbella, the other monsters.

T/N:

(1): Dane did not explicitly refer to anyone here but I guess he was referring to Ashley.