Chapter 71 Part 3: The End. My Light, My Soul

Caron arrived at Arnad.

What did that fact truly signify?

It signified the end of battles, the end of the fight.

A cold sword was swung, piercing the enemy’s limbs.

His honed fury raged like a wild beast.

All the knights were the same.

They were utterly exhausted.

They had ridden for days and nights. They had barely slept.

Their waists and hips were bruised, and their inner thighs were severely chafed.

But what was the important thing?

Their home had been attacked. Their loved ones were in danger.

That fury was beyond imagination.

Like a tidal wave, their forces crashed upon the First Prince’s army.

“Annihilate the enemy!”

Several units spread out like wings.

Various banners fluttered.

Reinforcements arrived from nearby families.

But they had waited for the right moment.

The Archduke had mobilized his troops, leaving very few soldiers in the territory.

At most two or three hundred. If they had charged in directly, they would have been picked off one by one.

So the scattered forces, having gathered little by little, finally moved at the sound of the bell.

And just in time, the Archduke arrived.

Like birds of prey hunting, they attacked from multiple directions.

The enemies were thrown into utter chaos.

It was complete pandemonium.

The goat-riding cavalry raised their axes.

A dull thud reverberated through the air.

Walter Bariang was no different.

He had left his two daughters here.

“Die!”

His wild axe swings dismembered several men.

Clang-

The sound of swords clashing.

Whinny-

The sound of horses falling.

“Advance into the city!”

“Secure the inner castle first!”

Such were the shouts of the knights.

This was, in essence, a battlefield.

But in truth, it was a completely unexpected turn of events.

From the enemy’s perspective, that is.

Of course, the Archduke’s forces were formidable.

But what truly shook them was the presence of the paladins.

Knights charging under the light of dawn.

They truly looked like an army of God.

The battle seemed to end in an instant.

Soldiers began to drop their weapons one by one.

They retreated with dazed expressions.

Perhaps they finally realized it then.

It was a fight they couldn’t win.

There was a vast difference in morale.

An army merely following orders, and an army fighting to protect what they held dear.

They had no choice but to realize who they were daring to provoke.

The situation in the inner castle was also chaotic.

The enemies began to falter. Some, having grasped the situation, even started to retreat.

Where did they find such strength, those who were on the defensive just moments ago?

But now, the Archduke’s knights began their counterattack.

“Counterattack! Respond to the reinforcements outside!”

A tremendous roar erupted from all sides.

Roar-

An incredibly fierce battle.

But it was becoming increasingly clear which way the tide was turning.

“What… what is happening. What is this?”

The First Prince, Leon, was bewildered by the whole situation.

Confusion, chaos.

But soon, those emotions morphed into fear.

“It seems we’ve miscalculated.”

A lord spoke thus.

All this time, the First Prince’s camp had been suppressing a certain rumor.

[The Archduchess of Elchen is a saint.]

They had denied such rumors.

They had executed those who spread them within the camp and repeatedly emphasized that it was false.

But that flimsy brainwashing lost its effect at this moment.

It was out of control.

With the appearance of the Knights of the Holy Order. And the Archduke fighting alongside them.

The situation was like leaves falling in the autumn wind.

“I, I surrender!”

A soldier voluntarily surrenders.

Another soldier flees in fear.

The First Prince’s forces completely lost their will to fight.

In truth, the lords around Leon were utterly stunned.

They should have realized earlier. That their opponent was extraordinary.

That he wasn’t called the demon of the battlefield for nothing, and that he now had the support of the church as well.

Their foolish greed for their own interests, their desire to protect their vested interests.

They had acted on such emotions.

They regretted it belatedly, but it was truly a belated regret.

“To think… that those mad with lust for power created this situation.”

The chief bishop of the Knights of the Holy Order, Servan, lamented thus.

Leon was quick to make a decision. He instinctively sensed the danger.

‘At this rate, I’ll be defeated. I must plan for the future.’

Having made his decision, he quickly mounted his horse.

“What are you doing! You imbeciles! We retreat for now!”

Even though it was tantamount to admitting defeat.

He didn’t seem to care at all.

Soon, a group quickly fled the battlefield.

However, Caron had given an order.

[He will try to escape. Chase him at all costs.]

“After him!”

Pavel and the loyal knights of the Archduke immediately gave chase.

“Argh-!”

Martial prowess akin to a god of war.

Caron’s objective was clear.

‘Rosa is the top priority.’

The cloak he wore was redder than usual.

Scratches appeared here and there on his black armor.

But Caron was relentless.

Every time his sword sliced, every time his cloak fluttered.

Several enemies fell.

The knights of the Archduchy. And the forces of the Knights of the Holy Order.

They quickly brought the situation in the outer castle under control.

The enemies were exposed to their frost-like fury.

Enemies fell from the high castle walls.

In truth, some even jumped to escape, to survive.

The knights counterattacking in the inner castle. Caron’s forces advancing towards them.

“Secure Her Grace’s safety!”

Max shouted loudly.

Finally, Caron and his troops reached the inner castle.

In an instant, the battle was nearing its end.

It was different for someone.

Time flowed very slowly.

‘Caron…’

It really was Caron.

Was she dreaming?

Like a miracle.

Caron had arrived just in time.

Her heart pounded rapidly.

She grasped the hem of her dress, her heart pounding.

And then, Rosa rushed out.

She ran out of the main tower.

The screams had stopped.

This time, even the maids didn’t stop her.

Corpses strewn before her eyes. A rather surreal sight.

The troops that had already exited the inner castle joined forces with the troops outside.

The surrounded enemies were completely annihilated.

‘Really…’

Caron. He had come here.

Otherwise, this situation was completely inexplicable.

But she hadn’t confirmed it yet.

Rosa had to confirm Caron.

How injured was he, was his body unharmed?

How long had she waited?

Finally, a familiar figure appeared in Rosa’s sight.

Black armor covered in blood. Disheveled hair.

Panting breaths.

Caron stopped in the distance.

“…”

Their eyes met.

He looked perfectly fine.

A little tired, and angry.

But that anger seemed to be directed at himself.

Caron, clenching his fist, couldn’t bring himself to approach.

If it weren’t for the blood-soaked armor, he would have embraced Rosa right away.

Rosa’s body trembled. With a feeling akin to joy, of course.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Caron!”

She ran.

No one could stop her.

Rosa threw herself into Caron’s arms.

“Rosa.”

Blood stained her.

But she didn’t care about that at all.

Caron embraced her fiercely.

Only then did his world feel like it was turning properly again.

“…I believed in you. Caron.”

Rosa whispered in his arms.

They broke the embrace for a moment and looked at each other’s faces.

Rosa had become thinner.

But she was still beautiful.

Incredibly beautiful.

Her smile was still gentle.

“Rosa.”

Caron was overcome with a dizzying feeling.

Thinking that he almost lost her because of his foolish mistake.

His light. His soul.

Thinking that he almost lost Rosa Anencia.

But in the end, he was so grateful that she had held on.

He embraced Rosa again.

And he answered her words.

“…Yes. Me too.”

Just as Rosa had believed in him. He also believed in Rosa.

The answer to that faith was the warmth felt in his arms.

All crises had ended.

And a week passed.

The battle ended just like that.

It was almost anticlimactic.

But it was a battle that was never meant to be.

The difference in abilities between the two princes was evident.

And no one knows this.

The night Caron arrived.

“I have brought him, my lord.”

Pavel reported to him.

They had captured the First Prince in the forest near the city.

He had tried to escape but was ultimately caught by Pavel and the knights.

The knights who had been escorting Leon either surrendered or fled.

But his spirit was still alive.

As Caron approached him, he burst out in anger.

“Release me at once!”

But after saying that, he spoke as if swallowing his pain.

“…I admit my defeat. But treat me as a proper prisoner.”

The self-loathing in his expression.

The treatment Leon was referring to was treatment as a member of the royal family.

But of course, Caron had no intention of doing so.

“You don’t seem to grasp the situation.”

A sword was drawn.

“I put you here specifically to give you what you deserve.”

Only then did his expression change. Leon’s face turned pale.

“…You, you’re out of your mind. Are you planning to harm a member of the royal family in this manner?”

Caron didn’t bother to answer.

Swish-

Instead, the gleaming blade.

Leon froze completely.

This was no bluff.

Suddenly, he came to his senses and prostrated himself.

“I, I… Yes. I was wrong about everything!”

Chewing his lips in humiliation.

But survival came first.

“I promise to live quietly. I will never oppose you again.”

But Caron didn’t believe those words.

Because of this insignificant man, his city had been attacked.

‘Rosa was in danger.’

Caron spat out his coldly honed anger.

“You were the one who attacked first.”

This was self-defense for him.

He cast aside other thoughts.

Finally, the time had come to end this vicious cycle.

“So, you. You should not expect mercy from me.”

Swish-

And not even blood spurted.

The First Prince, unable to even scream, lay down on the ground.

Caron, who had been watching the scene, slowly turned away.

“Take care of it.”

“Understood. Do not worry.”

Pavel bowed deeply.

It was an event of a certain night.

The battle for the throne was over.

The First Prince had lost.

He had used a flimsy pretext to attack the Second Prince first.

He had even directly targeted the city where the saint resided.

But that attempt was in vain.

The First Prince met a wretched death.

It was said that he was killed by a stray sword during a skirmish while fleeing.

So the Second Prince was now the trend.

In truth, it was a foreseen outcome.

He had a strong justification.

The Archduchess of Elchen, Rosa Anencia.

She was the protagonist of the prophecy.

The saint. The wife of such a saint.

In a continent where faith existed, that alone was sufficient justification.

The saint was legitimacy and authority in and of herself.

The protagonist who drew all public opinion.

Of course, the one who benefited greatly from this was the Second Prince, Cayron.

And there was a statement from the church.

[The First Prince, Leon Winslet, is officially excommunicated from the church.]

Although Leon was already dead, he would not be buried in the royal tomb.

And Empress Savina was also excommunicated as his accomplice.

But she had disappeared without a trace.

At some point, it was said she had left the Imperial Palace at dawn.

Some people gossiped.

“What crime did the Empress commit?”

“Well… the crime of having a foolish son?”

Then, raucous laughter would spread around them.

Those were the days.

Everyone was tight-lipped, but the most likely successor to the throne was, of course, the Archduke of Elchen.

No one could object to that.

The weather cleared up nicely.

The long rainy season had finally ended.

Restoration work on the partially destroyed city was ongoing without rest.

Repairing the collapsed walls. Clearing the debris of buildings.

Counting the compensation for the dead and injured.

Everyone was busy.

After a long week’s leave.

The knights also participated in the restoration work.

The members of the Knights of the Holy Order willingly joined in.

They were originally a knightly order dedicated to helping the poor and disaster relief.

While everyone was busy like that.

Rosa was in her room.

A friendly chat blossoms.

“I was honestly a bit hurt at the time.”

The Count was talking.

“It seemed like your father didn’t even know I was there, even though I was right behind you.”

Rosa smiled awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

But when she really thought back to that time, she could only see Caron.

Her father, Count Anencia.

He held her hand in the seat next to Rosa.

“It’s a joke, my dear. It was rather nice to see, actually.”

As if caressing a precious object.

He held his daughter’s hand tightly.

“Take care of yourself, Rosa.”

When he first heard the news of her pregnancy.

How surprised was he?

“There wasn’t really time to inform you.”

“That’s why you should take extra care of yourself.”

It was the early stages of pregnancy.

“To think you were pushing yourself so hard…”

The Count was upset for no reason.

Beside him, Rosa’s older brother, Roadl, smiled brightly.

“It’s alright, Father. Thankfully, there’s nothing wrong with her body. Right, Rosa?”

Rosa nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. There’s no need to worry…”

She had already been examined several times.

Each time, the doctor was troubled.

He would report, sweating profusely.

[I’ve checked thoroughly, and I’m absolutely certain. Her Grace is healthy.]

That was certainly a good thing.

But Caron’s fuss was extraordinary.

Rosa let out a chuckle without realizing it.

“As long as I rest well for the time being. He’s making too much of a fuss. It’s overwhelming.”

The Count smiled at those words.

“…I was like that too when your mother was pregnant. Of course, he’s also quite extraordinary.”

Such trivial moments passed.

And in the afternoon, Caron returned.

Of course, he couldn’t help but be busy.

Caron was the ruler of this city.

Not to mention the behind-the-scenes work that Rosa was unaware of.

He was incredibly busy with political calculations.

It was a cruel thing, really.

They had just been reunited.

But they didn’t have much time together.

When Rosa went to meet him, Caron’s expression hardened instead.

“……I told you not to come out.”

His words were sharp like that.

But the concern in his expression was pure.

Literally restless, ill at ease.

Those words described Caron lately.

Whoosh-

Of course.

He picked Rosa up in his arms.

“Ca, Caron.”

“It’s not good for a pregnant woman to walk.”

In fact, the distance Rosa had walked was less than five minutes.

She had only come down from her room on the fourth floor to the first floor.

But Caron was adamant.

He didn’t hesitate to carry her in a princess carry.

“They’re so lovey-dovey.”

It was now a familiar sight.

So the servants just smiled faintly and moved on.

As he carried her in his arms, Rosa suddenly remembered.

It was the day Caron had arrived.

Right after their embrace.

Rosa wanted to tell him.

It wasn’t an ordinary thing, after all.

[…Caron. I…]

A puzzled look turned towards her.

[I’m, I’m pregnant…]

The moment she said that.

After hesitating many times, the moment she spoke.

[・・・What?]

Caron’s expression at that time.

She had known him for almost ten years.

But it was the first time Rosa had seen such a dumbfounded expression on Caron’s face.

But the expression that followed was indescribable.

Confusion, bewilderment. Doubt, but also joy.

All those emotions mixed in an অদ্ভুত way.

Followed by an expression unable to speak, astonishment and overwhelming joy.

Caron ended up picking her up in his arms.

But then, realizing something, he immediately put her down.

“Call the doctor immediately!”

Even though the battle wasn’t completely over yet.

That moment already felt like a distant memory to Rosa.

Caron treated her with extreme care every moment.

Sometimes to the point where Rosa got tired of it.

“This is not allowed, that is not allowed. Am I supposed to just stay still?”

When she questioned him like that, he nodded firmly.

“Yes. That’s right.”

Rosa fell silent at that.

But her complaints came out like a child’s whining.

·I’m bored. Caron. Being in the room all day.”

But if Caron could be with her.

No, she wished he would be.

It was simply because the other person was her Caron.

That was the only reason she felt that way.

Recently, something had changed between the two of them.

Was it because of the pregnancy, or because they had gone through a great crisis?

Somehow, Rosa had developed a newfound affection.

As if to make up for the time they were apart, she kept pestering him.

“Hold me. Caron.”

Rosa opened her arms to him.

A gentle and pretty childhood friend. Lover. Now, wife.

Becoming more lovable with each passing day.

Rosa was always detrimental to his heart.

It was a given that Caron would embrace Rosa.

Like a little bird, she nestled in his arms, and they lay down on the bed together.

A moonlit night with stars shining.

Transparent curtains fluttered.

The two lay side by side on the bed, quietly gazing at each other.

Then, holding hands, embracing, softly sharing breaths.

Then, as if melting into each other’s warmth.

They would fall asleep like that.

A routine of a certain midsummer night.

And again, another month passed.