Episode 174. Those left behind (2)
“Is that the end?”
“It’s over.”
An uncomfortable cough came out of the investigator’s mouth at Kundel’s rude response.
“It is good that the Royal Crown was given to that boy by order of His Majesty Emperor Dione. However, according to what some instructors and students said, Sian Wert had regular meetings with the president and was given convenience so that he would not be disciplined even if he did not show up for class. Isn’t there a reason for that? “I want you to tell me that.”
The investigator attempted to inquire whether this was true by mentioning the relationship between the two that had taken place within the Academy.
but,
“I only did it that way because he wasn’t an ordinary guy. “There is no other reason.”
“So, the president didn’t know anything about the draft. “Is this what you mean?”
Kundel silently looked at the investigator with a strange smile.
“If you ask me for days and days, I won’t be able to give you the answer you want. “Still, I’ll tell you one thing.”
“… … ?”
“Don’t even think about approaching him half-heartedly. If you really want to catch him, the entire empire, or even the entire continent, might have to work together… … .”
The investigator shrugged his shoulders, as if under pressure from Kundel’s relaxed spirit.
The investigation ended abruptly, and Vice Chancellor Sartwell entered the lone President’s office.
“Approximately 30% of all enrolled students declared a leave of absence or withdrawal. “It doesn’t look like it will end in the short term like the Blood Banquet incident.”
“It’s something that can’t be helped. Well, let’s take this opportunity to check each facility.”
Although it was said as if it was no big deal, it was no exaggeration to say that this was the biggest crisis that had come since the establishment of the Academy.
Periodic meetings and conveniences between the academy’s director-general, the chancellor, and the empire’s worst criminals.
This caused great opposition from students and nobles.
“Anyway, everything will come back over time. However, when we return, it shouldn’t be the same as before.”
Kundel immediately took off the brooch hanging from his chest and placed it on the desk.
“From now on, you will take charge of this academy, Sartwell.”
“… … !”
Sartwell jumped up and tried to stop him.
“Choi, President! There is no need to make such a hasty decision! No matter what, this academy is still… … !”
“If you know when to leave but don’t leave, it’s not affection, it’s just lingering regret. “My role here ends here.”
Kundel lightly refused Sartwell’s dissuasion and stood up.
“Where was Arin?”
“I understand it’s at the academy training center… … .”
“I understand.”
Without any delay, he walked straight to where Arin was.
The academy’s physical training center is quieter than usual.
“Ha!”
In the center, Arin was seen swinging a wooden sword while showing some desperation.
“… … ?”
But the sight was a little strange.
Rather than simply swinging the sword into the air like practicing swordsmanship,
He was repeating the reckless action of slashing his wooden sword at a rock that looked heavy and solid at a glance.
It looked very foolish and foolish, but Arin had a strong will to destroy it at all costs.
The knights, including Resimus, could only look at the scene with sadness, unable to stop it.
Kundel approached Arin and asked.
“What are you doing?”
“As you can see, I was swinging the wooden sword to break the rock!”
-Snap
As if to replace Kundel’s reply that it was a reckless act, the wooden sword broke in two with a loud sound.
However, Arin did not hesitate for a moment and immediately picked up another wooden sword and repeated the same action.
Her hands were already hardening from the bleeding.
“Why are you doing this?”
“It’s to move forward.”
“Is that what Xian told you to do?”
“… … .”
Arin seemed unable to answer yes, so she swung her wooden sword endlessly.
“I know that nothing will happen if you just move on. “If you move forward without strength, you will soon hesitate.”
-Taaaak!
The more reckless the blow, the more meaningless pain came back.
Arin continued to grimace at the surging pain, but she never gave up.
“I need strength. “It has impossible strength, enough to shatter a rock with this humble wooden sword.”
“The world does not move only through force.”
“i know. But if I didn’t have that much power, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. Even less so, I wouldn’t be able to even see Xian again.”
A state where the impossible becomes possible.
Arin thought that without reaching that level, she would not be able to stand proudly in front of Xian, either as a princess or as a woman.
“I don’t know when it will be. It may never come. However, if the moment comes when I meet Sian again in the distant future… … .”
I couldn’t finish speaking because I got choked up for a moment.
“I will take the draft at that time.”
As if trying to suppress the rising emotions, he gripped the wooden sword in both hands even more tightly.
“Catch it! “Now I will save you!”
She closed her eyes tightly to hold back the tears that were about to flow.
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Because now I will never shed foolish tears again.
So that we can confidently face the moment of reunion that may someday come,
Arin began swinging the wooden sword again.
* * *
A rear camp on the Belias front on the western border of the empire.
Senior knight Yulken was kneeling on one knee in front of Duke Berthe, the owner of the territory, and giving a report to him.
“What is written in this letter… … “Are they all true without a single lie?”
“Well, we will have to conduct a separate investigation to find out the details, but I understand that the notices sent by the imperial family to each territory, including Belias, are the same as the one you just received.”
Next to the letter Duke Berthe was holding, there was Xian’s wanted letter with his name written in large red letters.
“i get it. “Go out.”
Yulken immediately left the barracks without saying a word.
“under… … .”
A sigh filled with deep anguish flowed from the duke’s mouth.
The youngest, who I thought was just a talented child, was actually a member of a group that followed the Black Mist.
What did that young boy know to enter such an unforgivable place?
As a duke, I couldn’t understand it at all.
It wasn’t just the youngest.
The second child, whose whereabouts are unknown after quitting the Knights of Light.
The third child cannot even be confirmed alive or dead.
Even though he went to Brenu to stop the youngest, the eldest returned with severe mental trauma.
Where did it all go wrong?
The children he thought would follow in his footsteps and carry on the family’s ideology are leaving one after another.
Watching this, the father feels like his heart is literally falling apart.
The duke was very confused.
“… … !”
In the meantime, the duke sensed something unusual and got up from his seat.
He quickly grabbed his sword and left the barracks. He looked around and soon sensed the place where the energy was spreading and turned towards that place.
“Oh, Duke? Where are you going all of a sudden?”
“Don’t let anyone follow you!”
The duke hurriedly ran towards the ravine with the order that no one should follow him.
It’s a very foreign, yet familiar energy that I’ve encountered at some point.
Following that energy, Duke Berthe continued to advance deep into the canyon, where he had no idea what was waiting for him.
As I was going, I could smell the blood of a demonic beast, as if it had just died.
Eventually we arrived somewhere in the canyon.
I couldn’t feel the energy of any living creatures here at all.
The duke looked straight ahead, neither too embarrassed nor calm.
When I thought about it, this place seemed very familiar.
This was the spot where a few years ago, the body of a high-level demonic Death Worm, rarely seen at the entrance of the canyon, was discovered.
Including the unknown entity shrouded in black fog that was presumed to have killed the Death Worm… … .
-Sreung
The duke wordlessly took out his sword and pointed it forward.
A quiet canyon without any life force.
Fog gradually enveloped the area in front of where he aimed his sword, and soon began to transform into a strange human shape.
“Why did you call me here?”
The Duke looked at the fog and opened his mouth softly.
A faint expression of disappointment appeared on his face, as if he had just now become aware of the existence in front of him.
“If you are here to defend yourself, you should stop thinking about it. Even if you are a child born with my blood, I know that you are in a place where you should not be… … .”
“I always thought you were foolish.”
At this, a familiar voice rang out like an echo in the black fog.
“Although it is packaged in noble words called family ideology, in reality, protecting the continent is nothing more than an endless sacrifice for others. “He valued the vain reward called honor and tried to force that sacrifice onto his children.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“It was good up to that point. Someone had to do it. If you were powerful and capable, you would have had to shoulder that task even more. But there is another part that I truly don’t understand.”
The moment the fog’s gaze, which was looking into the sky, finally met the Duke’s eyes,
“Why were you so obsessed with your firstborn?”
A strong tremor occurred in the Duke’s hand holding the sword.
“What on earth did you see that made you force another sacrifice on your other children, as if the firstborn was everything in the world? “At the time, I took it for granted, but now I don’t think I can ever understand it.”
Beads of sweat were forming anxiously on the tip of the duke’s chin.
“But now I don’t want to question it. Since it is difficult for me to understand even a single human being, how can I understand your mind, which is not even my body? But please know this one thing.”
Finally, the fog surrounding his being completely disappeared, revealing his hidden true self.
“If you want your children to bring about the peace on the continent that you so desire… … .”
A fleeting moment that feels like an eternity.
The sound of dry swallowing echoed clearly within his body.
“Please let us go.”
“… … !”
“I will do my work as you do yours. You don’t need any help or attention. There is no need to trust them, much less trust them.”
I feel like the word trust implies a particularly strong determination.
The duke couldn’t even think of opening his closed lips, let alone speaking.
“Then goodbye. father… … .”
With those words, a fog appeared over the boy’s body again.
Then, not long after, he disappeared without a trace, leaving only the empty wind hovering in the boy’s place.
(Continued in the next part)
fantasy,
