Chapter 29: Side Story – To Return

It was the autumn of the year when Cayron turned sixteen.

[…I won’t be able to come next month.]

It was a difficult statement to make.

It is still vivid before my eyes.

The evening of the countryside with the soft starlight, the small head that shook beneath his gaze.

The faint sound of grasshoppers, the smile that seemed to comfort him.

[Cayron. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure you’ll do well.]

He answered Rosa like this.

[See you again. Rosa.]

And he will keep his promise.

When he opens his eyes.

It is now a familiar reality.

A small, musty barracks.

Humid and damp.

Everyone used haystacks as blankets last night.

“Ugh-“

A knight shook his arm as if startled.

“F*ck. A rat.”

But the reaction inside the barracks is lukewarm.

“Max. Has it only been a day or two?”

“It’s disgusting. How long do we have to stay in a place like this?”

In fact, even if they don’t say it, everyone has similar thoughts.

When Cayron stared at him without thinking, the surroundings strangely became quiet.

“Tsk, at this rate. I can’t even complain as I please.”

The knight who uttered those words got up, dusting himself off.

Still, he is a prince of the empire.

He’s different from them, the fallen nobles.

The knights who came here are usually one of two.

Those who committed serious crimes and were demoted here, or those who are trying to hold on to the last string and aiming for a plausible achievement.

But war is not child’s play.

The cold and harsh climate of Elchen, enemies like well-trained scouts.

Lack of support, dwindling food, and finally, the poor conditions of the barracks.

Most were almost giving up.

Now there was only death or surrender.

Even in such a situation, the attitude of caring for the young prince was the aristocratic consciousness that they had learned.

Elchen will never be subjugated.

Everyone here was painfully realizing what that meant.

Boo woo woo-

The sound of a horn rang out.

It’s an attack.

“Sh*t-!”

“It’s them!”

The knights who were lying down hurriedly got up.

The barracks for 24 people had more than double that number.

They stumble over each other’s feet while trying to get their gear in a hurry.

Thud-

Still, it wasn’t entirely an illusion. The title of knight.

Thud-

A knight who left the barracks was immediately seen being kicked by a huge horse.

Even in the midst of that, he stabbed his sword into the horse’s neck.

Red blood spurted out like a fountain into the air.

A rain of arrows falls.

The tent barracks collapsed.

The sound of swords clashing, the sound of horses falling to the ground.

Kaaak-

A dying scream.

All of it mixes together to create a gruesome scene.

Cayron moved quickly.

Shuaak-

His sword split the air.

Two arrows fell in an instant, and at the same time, Cayron lowered his upper body.

Woong-

A curved sword.

It is used by the scouts of the Elchen rebels.

He raises his sword diagonally from thigh height.

Three rebels fell like autumn leaves.

The situation is already quite unfavorable.

The allies were tired and demoralized.

Enemies on horseback ransacked the camp.

At that time.

A sharp scream is heard.

It was the scream of the allied commander.

[An attack? That’s absurd. How can they cross the mountains in just a day or two?]

As if it were pathetic, he was the one who snapped at Cayron.

Cayron was not at all flustered by such a foreseen death.

Instead, he calmly and coldly cut down the enemies around him.

Without realizing it, he was cut here and there.

Five or six clung to the little boy.

“Kk..ugh..”

Terrible pain.

Still, Cayron didn’t stop.

Chwaak-

Like a demon, he rampaged like an incarnation of war.

Drooping arms, flowing blood.

A hazy mind.

And screams that seemed to burst his eardrums.

But Cayron couldn’t give up in a place like this.

‘See you again. Rosa.’

Because he has to go back.

Because he must keep his promise to that girl.

The boy swung his heavy sword.

Late at night.

Pavel was lost in thought.

Pavel Crouis.

He is the staff officer of the Knights, and the Archduke’s close aide.

‘But..’

How did he come to serve the boy?

Looking back, it was a very long story.

That day, the rain was pouring down like a storm.

It poured down as if a hole had been made in the sky.

A chaos mixed with blood and screams.

A black-haired boy approached him as he was lying down, trembling.

“Are you the only one alive?”

At first, he ignored it.

The Elchen army, which had successfully defended the castle, was enjoying a banquet inside the castle.

Just a while ago, women were dragged inside in a line.

He didn’t have to look to know what kind of atrocities were happening inside.

“How many are in there?”

He tried to ignore that too.

But the hand that grabbed his chin was so rough.

“Answer me. Before I kill you too.”

He wanted to laugh, but it didn’t seem like a joke.

The boy’s whole body was covered in blood.

Cold red eyes, jet-black hair.

His energy was almost like that of a wild beast.

Only then did Pavel remember.

A rumor that recently spread among the Northern Expeditionary Forces.

There is a demon on the battlefield.

He turned the tide of an incredibly unfavorable battle almost single-handedly.

He gets wounded but doesn’t fall, and his swordsmanship, close to divine skill, is truly the best in the empire.

The protagonist of the rumor is the Second Prince.

It was an existence that everyone implicitly ignored.

It is said that the prince led the remaining troops in place of the dead commander and literally slaughtered the attackers.

No way, the protagonist of that rumor is just this young boy.

At that time.

A few knights ran up from behind and reported.

“Report. Max.”

At the boy’s question, the knight answered.

“We have cleanly dealt with the guards of the outer castle. We cut off their wrists before they could blow the trumpets.”

“Good job.”

Dry praise.

But that seemed to be enough, and the knight had a grateful expression.

All twenty knights were wearing black armor.

To be precise, it was a crude form of armor made black by applying soot.

‘Thanks to that, they won’t be seen at night.’

Giving up external beauty and gaining practicality.

Pavel grasped that fact at a glance.

The situation is desperate.

Sometimes, the difference in numbers is so absolute that it cannot be overturned.

‘But..’

A difference in numbers that can reach several times.

It was felt that the knights in front of him had already overcome such battles countless times.

You can feel the trust in each other.

You can feel the well-honed sharpness.

‘Perhaps..’

If it’s them.

It might be possible.

Pavel, who had made up his mind, spoke.

“At least a hundred.

Or more.

So if you go through the narrow door, you will be on the defensive.”

The boy’s red eyes turned to him.

“I know that much.”

Pavel said.

“But you don’t know the detailed structure of the castle.

I may not be good at fighting, but I know how to fight well.”

The boy who had been 고민 for a while.

He searched Pavel’s pocket and took out his ID.

[Pavel Crouis.]

Definitely an ally.

A low-ranking strategic staff officer belonging to the main unit.

But since he had already survived the siege, there was no way he wouldn’t be helpful, if not more so.

Cayron opened his mouth.

“Tell me.”

Having heard everything they wanted, they moved like the wind.

Whoosh-

A long rope was thrown.

It got caught between the bumps on the castle wall.

“Try pulling it.”

“No problem. It’s quite taut.”

Then five or six knights climb up the rope.

Pavel watched the scene with a nervous expression.

If you fall, it’s over.

It’s common to be discovered by the enemy, and it’s fortunate if you don’t die from the fall.

But the knights who received the prince’s orders had no hesitation in their actions.

“Pair up in twos and go around the main tower. Find the emergency exit.”

Then the knights found the emergency exit.

At their hand gestures, a few waiting knights ran.

It was almost like an infiltration mission.

But the next moment.

Pavel was truly surprised.

The prince was walking alone towards the inner castle.

The flowing light illuminated his shadow.

To Pavel, it looked like a flickering shadow of death.

“..What are you doing!”

Pavel whispered as if shouting.

The boy answered him without looking back.

“It’s hard for no one to get caught. But there is the most surefire way.”

Before getting caught, draw their attention.

While he buys time, the joined knights will hit the rear.

Cayron opened the door.

“This crazy..!”

Pavel was shocked.

But it was already too late.

Creeeak-

Light leaked out.

“Who is it!”

Shouts burst out.

‘Oh my god.’

When Pavel opened his eyes again, the boy who was standing between the light of the door had already disappeared inside.

Clang-

The sound of swords clashing, the screams of people, the sound of tables being overturned.

Countless screams and outcries.

The light of the inner castle flashed like lightning.

Crack-

It seemed that the knights who succeeded in infiltrating had joined in.

The sound inside became more intense.

Windows were broken, and a person’s body popped out.

After such a long commotion, a long silence came.

Creak-

The door opened again.

Whoosh-

The castle’s flag, the lord’s flag, was planted right in front of Pavel.

It was really expected and unexpected at the same time.

The recapture of the first castle, Lucia.

From then on, Pavel followed the boy.

He knelt down and begged to be taken in.

He thought it was the only way for him, who was always looked down upon as a fallen noble despite his abilities, to succeed.

Over the next few years, the boy became a young man as they shared the battlefield.

Pavel became the staff officer of the Archduke’s family.

So how could he not be grateful?

‘Rosa Anencia. I thank you.’

If it weren’t for her, his lord would have been frustrated countless times.

He would have fallen countless times.

Pavel, who watched from nearby, could know.

But only to meet the girl in the Eckshire villa.

His lord went through many life-and-death situations.

Rosa Anencia.

She is the driving force behind the Archduke’s life, and the existence that keeps the Archduke alive.

‘However..’

Pavel could only cheer for his lord because it seemed that she had not yet opened her heart.

[And I am the Archduchess of Elchen.]

Hamel, who was excited to say that.

Thinking of his brother’s face, Pavel got up.

The Archduchess is already buying the hearts of many.

So Pavel thought that her existence itself was a blessing to the Archduke’s family.

A miracle.

A strange thing that cannot be thought of rationally.

It also meant the power of God.

But the faith of this era has already waned.

The main god Theicia.

The main religion that serves Theicia.

Theicia was a god in the form of a white deer who is said to have first created this continent.

Along with such faith in Theicia.

The religion, which had achieved powerful growth, has long since bowed its head to power.

The authority of the sacred religion is not originally under anyone.

However, now the cardinal next to the pope was called to the imperial event.

The temple with a holy atmosphere.

The second cardinal of the main religion, Lumein, lamented.

“Does this make sense? A cardinal officiating a wedding. Even if it’s a prince’s wedding.”

The third cardinal, Emilio, the person involved, just chuckled.

“You don’t have to worry about it. They were a pretty good couple.”

The power of the church, which has now declined considerably.

As if to prove it, the number of cardinals, which once reached a dozen, was now only three.

Three people were sitting at the round table.

One person asked the others.

“The first cardinal..?”

Emilio answered.

“If you’re talking about Cardinal Lazaro, I haven’t seen him in a while.”

The second cardinal, Lumein, grumbled.

“I don’t know what he’s doing. Of course, there is no one as devout as him.”

The pope, who had been listening to the two, remained silent.

The age of magic and miracles has disappeared.

Now even the position of the pope was formal.

But the two old cardinals sincerely respected the pope.

At least he knew the most, and once received an oracle directly.

Of course, that was already decades ago.

How did they know it was an oracle, because things went as the pope predicted.

White hair, white eyes, and white priestly robes.

Everything was a pure white person.

Such a pope opened his mouth after a long time.

“A while ago, an oracle came down.”

The two cardinals were startled and got up.