Chapter 103 : Chapter 103

Chapter 103: The Road Ahead Will Be Long (3)

* * *

Solari Order, Watchtower 4.

Before the magic formation collapsed.

Adeline stood at the edge of the watchtower, gazing aimlessly at the outside world after seeing off Jayden, Bolero, and their group.

Her breath, flowing from her refined nose, scattered into the desolate landscape.

“…”

Joel could only watch her back silently.

He knew better than anyone that the heart of the lady he served was not just darkened but rotting to its core.

“It’ll be alright.”

Joel flinched at her voice, rarely heard these days.

It was heavy with worry, which made it all the more jarring.

“You mean our soldiers?”

“Yes.”

“Of course! Besides, Sir Bihen is on a winning streak, isn’t he? The tide has turned in our favor, my lady.”

Joel deliberately spoke in a bright tone.

Despite his efforts, the shadow over Adeline’s face didn’t lift.

‘She’s at her limit. No, maybe she’s been at it for a long time. It’s just gotten too hard to hide now.’

Joel knew Adeline well.

He’d started calling her “my lady” the year she turned ten.

Before that, he’d followed her, calling her “big sister.”

Adeline Conwell, the youngest lady of one of the Kingdom’s most prominent families and the rightful heir of Conwell…

She was someone who never showed weakness to others.

A woman of steel who strove to keep even the smallest actions and words impeccable.

“Trust me, my lady. Everyone will surely be safe.”

As soon as he finished, Joel’s eyes and mouth widened slightly.

He’d slipped up.

Adeline hadn’t explicitly mentioned it, but he’d assumed she was worried about those fighting outside.

His shoulders slumped again, heavy with gloom.

It wasn’t like he was wrong, anyway…

It started with Eugene’s death.

That’s when the cracks in her steel began to show.

A lord must know how to rise upon the sacrifices of others.

The willing sacrifices and devotion become the lord’s driving force, while lingering regret, anger, or hatred are forged into resolve and insight.

That’s what Joel had learned from Eugene.

‘…’

In Joel’s eyes, Adeline was stronger than anyone, but she wasn’t yet ready to stand on that foundation.

Clench.

Joel gripped his sword hilt tightly.

He believed his mission was to help his lady ascend that foundation.

Step, step.

Footsteps echoed from the staircase behind, accompanied by heavy panting.

“Huff, huff…! Damn these stairs! Ugh, I’m dying, I’m dead.”

Roland staggered up, looking ready to collapse.

His chubby cheeks had visibly thinned.

He snapped at Joel, who approached to support him, then tidied his bangs.

“My lady, let’s not meet in such high places next time, alright?”

It wasn’t meant to be funny, but Adeline let out a small chuckle.

Seeing this, Joel, who felt like he’d been unjustly kicked, managed a relieved smile.

“I just met with Mateo. He said there’s some leftover food from the last ration distribution.”

Mateo Munter.

The village chief of Ludglen’s slash-and-burn farmers, rescued by Bihen Benkou.

Now, he led the Imperial refugees under Adeline’s protection, including those who joined at Talrug Canyon.

Adeline’s expression turned to surprise.

“Leftover food? That’s impossible.There was even less than last time; it should’ve been insufficient.”

“I asked the same thing. He said it’s shameful enough to just eat up the rations, so they’re trying to reduce their portions. Said they’d die of embarrassment otherwise. On top of that, they’re begging to be allowed to fight. I was sweating trying to calm them down.”

Roland added with a weary tone that Imperials were truly a terrifying bunch.

“But it’s a relief they’re all regaining their strength.”

Adeline forced a faint smile.

She vividly remembered meeting them in Ludglen.

Back then, their faces were ashen, caught halfway between life and death.

Watching them gradually regain their vitality up close, Adeline was gripped by a strange feeling.

It was an emotion hard to put into words.

All the values she’d hoped for, protected, and wanted to achieve… were embodied in them.

‘…’

A glint flickered in her eyes as she blinked.

Her clenched hands tightened further.

Her promise with Bihen Benkou had reignited the reason for her existence, which had been wavering.

“Ah.”

Joel’s mouth hung open.

He was the first to notice the change in Adeline’s demeanor.

“I need to discuss the magic formation’s repairs with the abbot. Come with me, Roland.”

“…I just got here, and we’re going back down?”

Adeline turned her gaze from Roland, who was touching his forehead, to Joel.

“Jo.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I’ll handle today’s deal with the Gunbel Trading Company alone.”

Joel’s eyes widened in shock.

“What? Alone, my lady? What’s that supposed to mean… It’s dangerous!”

“What’s dangerous about it? It’s within the Order. Don’t worry. The supplies will be moved after the priests who went out return anyway.”

“Then there’s no need for you to go in person, is there? Just send someone with a message…”

“No.”

Adeline’s voice was firm.

“Jewelina Gunbel. It’s a matter of trust between her and me.”

“…What?”

“Jewelina is risking her life to sail here and support us. She could just send someone, but she comes in person. Why do you think that is?”

Joel was momentarily speechless.

It was something he hadn’t considered.

He’d taken Jewelina’s appearances for granted.

‘Come to think of it…’

The Gunbel Trading Company had suffered the heaviest losses in the last subjugation.

Most of its members were killed by the Blood Mage.

To make matters worse, the Archduke’s ambush and the outbreak of civil war during their return had nearly annihilated Conwell’s branch of the company.

‘They’re hiding in Aldenfort now.’

Jewelina had fled with the remaining members to Aldenfort, a coastal region in the Kingdom’s southwest.

Joel knew they’d secured a docking port through some deal with the local lord.

He also knew a “manager” was overseeing the company’s operations in the Kingdom.

The existence of a rank above deputy leader but below leader was surprising enough to stick in his memory.

“This isn’t just a transaction.”

Joel’s gaze returned to Adeline.

Her crimson-tinted lips closed briefly before parting slowly.

“Jewelina Gunbel is fighting for her life in this battle.”

“My lady…”

“If that’s the case, I owe our ally at least a show of sincerity.”

Adeline steadied her breath before continuing.

“We’re in a situation where every hand counts. Not just food, but manpower must be used without waste. Jo, you…”

Adeline stepped closer to Joel.

Her height had grown so much that she now looked up at him.

But to Joel, Adeline still seemed far larger.

“From now until this fight ends, you’re not my escort but a knight of our army.”

“…”

“Remember that.”

Joel swallowed hard.

Something heavy stirred in his chest.

Like a deep bell, the ripples quietly grew.

Sword Intent.

The Sword Intent left to him by Eugene, his mentor and father figure, wasn’t grand or flashy.

It was simply the desire to protect everything within his reach.

* * *

How long had I been running?

It was already night.

“Stop him! This line must not fall!”

“We’ll hold it at all costs—!”

The outlines of soldiers forming a defensive line loomed faintly in the darkness.

Moonlight glinted off their sharp armor.

“He’s coming—!”

I left Jayden and Bolero behind and ran.

I’d lost count of how many I’d cut down.

I slashed, leaped, and broke through everyone I met.

I was exhausted.

From the moment I ambushed their rear until now, my stamina was near its limit.

My mind was dragging my body along.

Ta—t!

Like crossing a stone bridge over a stream, I stepped on the soldiers’ helmets and leaped over their formation.

The moment I landed, soldiers poured in from all sides as if waiting.

Seeing that, my breath caught in my throat.

“Haa.”

Standing among the encircling crowd, I let out a sigh-like breath.

Confusion rippled through the area.

Understandable.

To them, it must’ve looked like I’d stopped, giving up from exhaustion.

To be honest, I was tired.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, I gazed at the stars in the night sky.

Grandma, I’m really living my hardest.

My eyes, tracing the constellations, stopped at the Solari Order.

It had seemed impossibly far at first, but after the magic formation broke, it was suddenly closer.

Still, the actual distance wasn’t as near as it appeared.

Even so.

‘I’m almost there.’

By now, or perhaps right after the formation broke, the Archduke Callence had likely entered the Order.

‘Adeline is still safe.’

It wasn’t just intuition.

If she weren’t, these guys wouldn’t be so desperate to stop me.

‘…Yeah, for now.’

The rest was over.

I gripped my dual short swords and kicked off the ground again.

I faced the layered ranks of soldiers.

Their formation grew denser, signaling I was nearing the Archduke’s heart.

I plunged into the crowd, slashing through.

I deflected blades, shoved my shoulders, soared through the air…

Swoooosh—

Splash!

The sound of waves.

So refreshingly clear.

Finally, the Solari Order was within reach.

“Sir Tutor—! He’s coming!”

I turned toward the shout.

The formation densely packed below the Order came into view.

Likely the last of their forces, excluding those already inside.

‘The final defensive line.’

I’ll say it again: I was at my limit.

On my way here, I’d thought about collapsing and resting more times than I cared to admit.

If my personality were a bit nastier, I’d have scraped every last ounce of strength and obliterated them with Sword Aura, Order building be damned.

But for Goodboy’s sake, I couldn’t.

Just kidding.

‘Even if my heart bursts and I die, I’ll have no regrets.’

The outcome might not be good.

I might lose Adeline to Callence or Killian by a hair’s breadth.

But I’d done my best.

Enough to brag to Grandma.

It wasn’t about saying weak things like, “I did all I could, so there’s nothing more to do.”

It was because this was my first time.

In all my past lives, I’d never fought this desperately.

So, I vaguely felt it’d be okay.

Beginner’s luck, right?

Yeah, it’ll work out.

…High-sounding words aside, if things really went wrong, I’d tear them all apart.

‘Damn bastards.’

Kwang!

I leaped high, leaving their formation far below.

One jump wouldn’t cover the distance.

‘Let this be my last leap in this fight.’

I fervently wished.

Thud—!

Landing, I drove my dual short swords into the ground.

Quake Earth.

If you ask why I made such a dramatic leap, it was to add more force.

Drawing their attention was a bonus.

I felt like I’d collapse from exhaustion, but this should disrupt their formation briefly.

Kwa-za-za-za-za—!

Starting from Zahara Toxeed embedded in the ground, cracks spread rapidly to both sides, like drawing a boundary.

Rumble—

It began beneath my feet.

A tremor, like a monstrous current racing underground, surged forward.

The ground rippled like waves, kicking up low clouds of dust.

‘Good.’

I pulled out Zahara Toxeed.

As the sand waves shook their footing and broke their formation, I’d rush into the Order.

I watched the changes around me.

Darkness hung heavily over the plains.

The soldiers’ armor glinted intermittently, and tense breaths and murmurs occasionally leaked out.

Then, above it all, she appeared.

‘…Kuhn!’

It was like ink spreading through the air.

And through it, that damned sorceress finally showed herself on the battlefield.

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