◈ 169. [Auto Play] All right on the southern front
same time.
southern tip of the continent. monster wire. Fortress City Crossroads.
west of the city. grave site.
“… … .”
An officer dressed in imperial military uniform was standing in front of one of the countless tombstones lined up in an orderly fashion.
The commander-in-chief of the Imperial Magic Corps and the commander of the reinforcements dispatched by the imperial family.
It was Reina, the ‘sword wind’.
Reina looked down at the tombstone in front of her as the imperial coat fluttered in the light wind.
The tombstone read:
<Thunderbolt Jupiter, sleeps here>
“… … .”
Cuggit.
The cigarette pack in Reina’s hand was bent.
The last time I saw it was already 15 years ago.
Comrades who had once been close enough to give each other their lives were buried beneath the cold ground.
“I didn’t know you would die in a place like this.”
Rayna raised her head and looked around.
“As you wish, it’s southern, but… … .”
On the desolate field, only one stark fortress city was seen.
“There are no full swimming pools, no fancy resorts.”
Reina clicked her tongue.
“To die in vain like this… … Did you do that then?”
I ask, but there is no answer.
Reina looked down at Jupiter’s tombstone with a cold gaze.
“I still cannot understand you.”
Reina opened a new pack of cigarettes, took out one cigarette, put it in her mouth, and placed the rest in front of the tombstone.
“This taste is not even dirty, I started smoking it to get closer to you… … Actually, you quit after you died, and I’m sick of smoking alone.”
In Reina’s mind, the 20 years she had with Jupiter suddenly flashed like a panorama.
Those young and brilliant days… … .
“… … .”
I don’t light a cigarette, I look at the tombstone since it’s such a long way away.
“ah.”
A voice came from the side. Rayna looked around.
A young woman wearing a baggy robe and a pointed hat was approaching.
The left side of her face, which had a blurry burn, was covered with her hair, and several flowers were held in her arms.
Reina looked at the vase placed in front of Jupiter’s tombstone.
It seems to be changed every day, but it seems this young woman did it.
“Is it Jupiter’s granddaughter?”
“no.”
The young woman- Junior replied coldly.
“It’s my daughter.”
“… … .”
Reina narrowed her brows, and eventually smiled.
“okay. What Jupiter reaped that day… … You are a survivor of Camilla Kingdom.”
“… … .”
“Do you remember me?”
Rayna made a gun shape with her fingers and pretended to shoot it while making a boom.
Junior made a displeased face, but replied in an emotionless voice.
“What does it matter whether I remember you or forget you?”
“Hmm?”
“I have already forgiven my mother. You, who was her mother’s boss at the time, don’t really have any feelings left.”
Junior came in front of Jupiter’s tombstone, retrieved the flowers from the pot, planted new flowers, and changed the water.
Reina, who had been observing that scene, spat out slowly.
“You are a wizard.”
“… … .”
“He has quite a bit of talent.”
Junior tried to ignore it, but his shoulders trembled at the next words.
“But you are dying.”
“… … !”
“If you don’t stop using magic right away, your remaining life will be burned away.”
After arranging the flower pots, Junior got up with old flowers in his arms and looked at Reina.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
“yes. It doesn’t matter.”
Reina shrugged.
“But won’t your mother be sad when you die?”
“That’s none of your business either.”
“haha. okay. that’s right It’s just because it’s a pity. You seem to be quite talented.”
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Reina moved slowly and left the grave site, then glanced back.
“Hey, Jupiter daughter.”
“… … ?”
“Jupiter… … How did you die?”
Junior answered succinctly.
“Like a wizard.”
“Right.”
Reina nodded slowly.
“That’s it.”
Reina trudged and disappeared before long.
Junior, who was dissatisfied with Reina’s back, let out a small sigh and started cleaning Jupiter’s tomb.
***
Crossroads CBD.
Alchemist’s Workshop.
Standing in front of the tightly closed studio door, God Hand let out a low voice.
“Lily.”
“… … .”
Lily was clearly present in the workshop, but there was no reply.
God Hand continued to call without backing down.
“Lily. I know you’re inside.”
“… … .”
“Could you please listen to me just once?”
“… … .”
“Lily… … .”
After continuing to call Lily, who did not respond in silence, God Hand pressed his forehead to the door with a long sigh.
“Lily, I am leaving Crossroads now. To carry out the mission assigned by His Highness Prince Ash.”
“… … .”
“It’s pretty dangerous, maybe… … may not come back. This may be my last chance to apologize to Lily.”
“… … .”
“please… … Please give me a chance to apologize.”
after a brief silence.
Finally, Lily’s voice came from inside the door.
“Go away, God Hand. I have no intention of talking to you.”
“Lily!”
“You are a liar.”
Lily muttered in a low voice.
“He was a spy, and he pretended to lose his arm while protecting me. You used my guilt for your own purposes.”
“… … .”
“I am a fool for trusting you even for a moment. Originally, elves are such a race.”
Sniff in the door! There was the sound of swallowing mucus.
“You always lie… … deceive others… … betray… … Because they are that kind.”
“… … .”
God Hand bowed his head.
“I’m sorry for hiding your identity as a spy, Lily. I’m really sorry for deceiving you by exaggerating your injuries. But, I swear to my soul, every conversation we had that night was true.”
“… … .”
“Lily. What I’m most sorry for is you, who barely got over the wounds and tried to open up to our people… … That I hurt you again.”
God Hand carefully placed his hand on the door.
“I’m not asking you to trust us again or forgive me, or anything like that. I just… … I wanted to say sorry.”
“… … .”
“I’m really sorry. Lily.”
God Hand caught his breath at the silent Lily and opened his mouth again.
“Lily. My troops and I are now leaving for the mission. If I can return safely, then I would like to see you face to face and apologize.”
“… … .”
“Then, I will go.”
After bowing once toward the firmly closed door, God Hand turned around and trudged away.
Body Bag and Burnout, who were waiting for God Hand at a distance, joined.
The three elves pulled back the hoods of their cloaks and disappeared towards the north gate of the Crossroads.
“… … .”
profit.
Lily opened the door slightly and looked at God Hand’s back.
“liar… … .”
At that time, the head of the Alchemist Guild, who had noticed Lily in the workshop, tilted his head and asked.
“The last time I made you a prosthetic hand, the two of you seemed to be on good terms, but why are you like this now?”
“There were so many things… … .”
“Hmm.”
Eventually, the union leader shrugged and went back to his work.
“Well, when two young people meet, many things happen.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Don’t leave any regrets and have fun.”
“Because it’s not like that… … .”
God Hand’s back is no longer visible.
Lily groaned as she closed the studio door again.
“Hey, guess I believe in elves again… … .”
***
manor house. drawing room.
“Uhhhh~”
Evangeline let out a strange moan and lay on the sofa, bobbing up and down with her calves rolled up to her knees.
The exposed bare feet wiggled distractingly.
Lucas, who was sitting on the sofa across from him with papers spread out and acting as the lord, frowned at Evangeline.
“There, baby. what’s wrong with the dress Are you going to be released right away because the lord isn’t there?”
“Leave it alone, mister~ He says he’s not motivated.”
Evangeline, who was tired of fidgeting, just flinched.
“Since the senior was gone, the party members each sought something to do and shut themselves in, the regular soldiers are still depressed, and the Twilight Corps has officially disbanded.”
“… … .”
“Why are the older sisters and brothers who came down from the imperial capital so unlucky? saw? Stiff-necked, walking around the city, there is no theater or fine dining in this rural village… … Wow.”
Evangeline stuck out her tongue and growled, baring her fangs.
“I really hate it when people in the city ignore change. Why don’t you know that inland cities develop safely when we dig a shovel on the frontier?”
Lucas chuckled.
“Didn’t you also go to Seoul because you didn’t like this village?”
“No, it was like that back then! That’s what I did. I guess only the residents of the village have the right to build a village?”
Lucas was listening to Evangeline with a smile, but he was deeply concerned about the current situation.
Tensions were already brewing between the reinforcements dispatched from the imperial capital and the existing Crossroads troops.
However, the commander who will control both sides has ascended to the ecliptic.
Reina seems to be prowling around the city, and the existing party members are annoyed by such reinforcements… …
The war of nerves between the two sides was expected to continue for some time.
“Ehh.”
Evangeline let out a sigh.
“Because senpai isn’t here, it feels like the entire Crossroads has stopped for some reason.”
“… … .”
“Senior, will you come back?”
Evangeline’s sudden words raised Lucas’ eyes.
“Of course you’ll come back, what are you talking about?”
“But it is. That means that you are a prince, and you also have outstanding abilities.”
Evangeline raised her voice again and again.
“There’s no reason to be rough with monsters on these frontiers. I don’t even know why His Majesty sent it down in the first place.”
“… … .”
“Since you went up to the ecliptic this time, isn’t it possible that you won’t come down forever?”
Lucas couldn’t answer easily. It was because there was no loophole in Evangeline’s words.
If Ash doesn’t return to the Crossroads like this.
If so… … .
‘This city… … What will happen to the monster front?’
Lucas and Evangeline’s eyes met.
Both of them were slightly pale. It must have been because he had unconsciously imagined a case in which Ash would not return.
It was then.
Taang-… … .
A faint gunshot rang out in the distance. It was the sound of a horse gun firing.
Both Lucas and Evangeline jumped to their feet.
“what?”
“Is it downtown?”
Evangeline, who quickly opened the window and listened outside, eventually identified the direction from which the gunshot had sounded.
“This direction… … It is a temple.”
If the horse gun was fired from the temple… … .
“Damian?”
Lucas muttered urgently.
“What happened to Damian?!”
