Chapter 69 : Chapter 69

Chapter 069: Encirclement

The sound of a skull shattering brought a chilling silence to the surroundings.

"Ah, damn it…"

I looked down at Ness, whose pupils had gone slack, then raised my head.

The Zephyros bastards were staring with faces on the verge of fainting.

Seeing their expressions, I couldn’t help but feel dazed myself.

"My hand slipped."

Not entirely a lie.

I hadn’t intended to kill him like this.

"Well, no helping it."

I gripped the bastard sword upright again.

Bolero, as if waiting for the cue, stepped beside me, cracking his knuckles.

The Zephyros lot gasped in unison, visibly shaken.

Some, catching my gaze, staggered as if their legs had given out.

"Want to keep going?"

I spoke, eyeing their leaders.

I recognized their faces from tagging along with Ness.

"We surrender."

One of the leaders at the front tossed his weapon to the ground and raised both hands.

That sparked a chorus of weapons clattering to the floor all around.

"They’ve completely lost their will to fight."

Bolero whispered in my ear, leaving the rest unsaid, but I shared his thought.

‘So there’s no direct force under the Archduke around here.’

If there had been, they wouldn’t have been this docile.

They’d have flaunted their backup, played tough, or at least fled to bide their time.

Or maybe…

Zephyros isn’t aligned with the Archduke.

"Henceforth, Zephyros will cease all hostilities in Easton. We beg for leniency."

One of the leaders stepped forward voluntarily.

Out of nowhere, she was acting like a boss, but I didn’t know her.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Marian, Zephyros’ tactical adjutant. In emergencies, I’m authorized to act on Lord Ness’s behalf, so I’m responsible for stating Zephyros’ position here."

I couldn’t help but scoff.

Tactical adjutant?

Sounds like a made-up title.

That aside… what’s with her?

She’s eerily calm, unshaken.

In this chaotic atmosphere, she alone acted as if nothing had happened, yet her aloof demeanor, as if looking down on everything, grated on my nerves.

Shing.

I pointed the sword tip at her.

"What, you think you’re calling the shots? Don’t get cocky. You think killing Ness gives you a free pass?"

"I’m asking for mercy. If the crime is deceiving the people of the domain, then at least the regular members, excluding the leaders, haven’t sinned gravely enough to pay with their lives. They merely followed orders."

She stared at me without blinking.

It pissed me off.

What made her so brazen?

"Just following orders means the crime’s light? Why not claim your feet are clean because you walked blindfolded?"

By that logic, I should feel nothing.

I should stand tall, unbound by the shackles of my past life’s memories.

When I look at the people of this land…

I should feel no guilt, no debt.

"I’m asking."

Swish.

I extended my arm further.

The blade’s tip touched her skin.

She didn’t seem to care, and neither did I.

I spoke.

"Who is it? The one who deliberately misled the domain’s people, posing as a knight or the Sharon Faction’s leader. Who’s the bastard hiding behind those lofty ideals, egging you all on?"

I don’t have the time or patience to fix their manners one by one.

I just need to fight my own fight.

The Zephyros leader, whose identity even Jewel couldn’t uncover despite her efforts.

Knowing who that is will help end this civil war in many ways.

"…"

Marian lowered her eyelids slightly, then raised them.

Her consistently blank expression made the small gesture seem heavy with emotion.

"Once the situation is under control, I’ll tell you everything I know."

* * *

As Marian said, I left the cleanup to Zephyros.

They caused the mess, so they should deal with it.

Night had fallen.

We gathered in Jewel’s office.

The room was as empty as if someone had fled in the dead of night.

"Feels like a thousand-year-old weight’s been lifted. I swear my lifespan’s doubled, milord."

Ramba, who’d joined us after tending to his comrades, spoke.

He added that the Zephyros members cleaning up the scene had been pelted with stones by the domain’s people.

Jayden, who’d been hanging his head the whole time, mustered the courage to speak.

"Ramba, I don’t know how to begin… I’m not worthy of the sacrifices your comrades made. My heart’s heavy."

"No need for that. I might’ve been different, but the Wild Dogs didn’t fight solely for you, Lord Jayden."

Ramba flashed a warm smile.

It didn’t feel like empty reassurance.

"What do you mean…?"

"The Wild Dogs only follow the ‘Leader’s’ orders. I may act like their boss, but we’re not exactly one big family. Point is, they had their own clear purpose."

I’d heard from Jayden on the way here.

Before Bolero and I arrived, the ‘Wild Dogs’ had stormed in.

I asked.

"Wasn’t non-interference in power struggles the Wild Dogs and Sewer Rats’ iron rule?"

"Aye, milord. But this time’s different. Archduke Callence declared he’d purge all of Conwell’s beggars."

It hit me.

Angus, sent by the Archduke, had spouted something along those lines.

"It’s a deep-rooted grudge. The Archduke believes his reputation tanked because of us. Truth is, he’s losing the people’s support because of the Wild Dogs and Sewer Rats. Anyway, he’s using domain security as an excuse to get rid of his eyesores first."

"…So that’s why they risked their lives to help the Youngest Lady."

Ramba scratched the back of his neck and gave a faint smile, looking oddly relieved.

"That was then… but now it’s a bit different. Thanks to you, milord."

What?

I furrowed my brow, and Ramba hurriedly waved his hands.

"N-no, we’ll talk about that later… Anyway, what you need to know is the Archduke isn’t just targeting us as scapegoats."

"Not… the Imperial refugees?"

"Aye, exactly. He’s stirring up the people, saying those who can’t even serve in the military or pay proper tribute are just a burden on the domain’s folk."

It was an open secret that Adeline was the rightful heir.

Just look at Easton’s people.

Everyone knew the Archduke had usurped power.

Given the situation, I’d expected him to resort to any means to divert the people’s anger, but…

‘He knew everything from the start.’

From the Gunbel Trading Company’s trafficking of Imperials to the slash-and-burn farmers in Ludglen’s Firefield Village… they were all sparks he’d kept smoldering to ignite at this moment.

I was biting my nails when I realized my focus had slipped.

It was right after Bolero smashed Jewel’s desk with his fist.

Bang!

"That filthy bastard! Not content with tearing apart his own kin, now he’s trying to divide the domain’s people!"

Ramba stole a glance at Bolero.

His Adam’s apple bobbed under his tightly pressed lips.

"M-milord’s moves are always something else. This time, it’s a bond with the Doom Fist King…"

Originally, we’d planned to share the situation once Ramba arrived.

I scrapped that.

For now, the Imperial refugees were my priority.

"So, the Imperial refugees? The slash-and-burn farmers who went from Ludglen to Canchester, and the Imperials we rescued from Talrug Canyon. Where are they all now?"

"Don’t worry about them, Bihen."

Jayden spoke, then coughed hoarsely.

When he continued, his eyes were sharp, as if he had to say this no matter how exhausted he was.

"The Youngest Lady prioritized them above all. Even when the returning subjugation force was ambushed by the Archduke, she refused the Spatial Transfer Gate. She said it couldn’t carry everyone at once. Insisting on keeping her promise to you, she personally led the Imperial refugees."

"Right after the ambush, the Youngest Lady headed straight to Canchester. She gathered the Imperials there and moved to Litania. They’re likely all with the Solari Order now. Rest easy, milord."

Ramba added quietly.

He noted there’d been significant sacrifices along the way.

Jayden’s capture was part of that.

"…"

When Ramba finished, I silently bowed my head.

Words didn’t come easily.

A heavy weight on my chest slowly welled up.

"So that’s… what happened."

I barely managed to utter.

Adeline and those who followed her had filled the void I’d left.

If I asked whether they had to be the ones…

‘No.’

They all had their lives at stake.

They could’ve chosen an easier path.

It was deeply comforting.

A feeling I’d never experienced in my past life.

It didn’t take long for the overwhelming emotion to warm a corner of my heart.

"I’m truly grateful, Jayden. You too, Ramba. I owe you all a great debt."

I stood and bowed formally to Jayden and Ramba.

As Ramba flustered, Jayden shook his head and clasped my hand.

"No need. Don’t we all owe you our lives at least once? Those who haven’t forgotten your kindness stepped up, myself included."

"…"

"You’re the one who saved them."

…No. It started with you, Jayden.

I couldn’t bring myself to say it, only mouthing the words, when Ramba chimed in.

"He’s right. You saved us again this time. Both me and Lord Jayden."

Enough with the sentiment, Bihen. I pulled myself together.

There’s still a long road ahead.

We began catching up in earnest, piecing together the situation.

"It’s still vivid. Seeing Maren come through the Spatial Transfer Gate… at first, I couldn’t believe my eyes."

"Everyone felt that way. We thought it was over. It was like witnessing a miracle."

They said there’d been no time to linger on the moment.

During the ambush by the Archduke on their return, Adeline, Roland, and the Easton Guard barely managed to escape to the Solari Order in Litania with the Imperials.

"The Mercenary Union and Gunbel Trading Company… they’re essentially wiped out…"

Ramba furrowed his brow, unable to continue.

"By the time we reached Easton’s outskirts, Jewelina and Maren volunteered to draw attention. Their whereabouts have been unknown since."

"Jewel…"

"One thing bothers me. Ness chased Jewelina, not the Youngest Lady. Given their history, it feels off. Even on the execution platform, he was obsessively questioning her."

Jayden let out a sigh.

I had no choice but to join their silence.

A sudden knock broke the stillness.

Creak—

Marian walked in.

"Bihen Benkou."

She called my name abruptly, her face as expressionless as ever.

I didn’t have a chance to respond.

"Reports say the Archduke’s scouts are approaching the area. The confirmed forces are believed to be part of his personal guard."

Jayden and Bolero shot to their feet, their eyes wavering.

"The Archduke himself is leading the personal guard and advancing."

Tip: Tap/click the left or right side of the screen to go to previous/next chapter.