Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Mountain Stronghold, Golden Field (1)
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I tore through the darkness like a gale.
It took only an instant to reach the east gate. Up ahead, in the grass, there was a glint reflecting the moonlight.
A signal from the hidden mountain bandit.
I headed straight toward it.
“Eek!”
The man gasped as if he’d seen a ghost when I suddenly appeared amid a gust of wind.
I asked,
“Which way did they go?”
He clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle a hiccup and pointed in one direction.
I rushed off that way without delay.
The forest path bore clear traces of their passage.
He probably never imagined I’d give chase.
I kicked off the ground, and a fierce wind swept over my body.
Space swallowed me up in a flash.
Moments later, the sound of hooves pounding through the woods echoed from up ahead.
Soon enough, I caught up to them.
Itzriel and the three knights following him.
Boom!
I deliberately stomped the ground hard to announce my presence.
“What the hell is that guy!”
The ones who turned saw me and their eyes went wide with screams.
As I watched them, I recalled the day I first met Itzriel.
Ten years ago now.
The day the palace burned under enemy assault.
I was passing through the Horain Forest with two escort knights.
Even after all this time, seeing him brought those memories bubbling vividly to the surface.
The recollections sharpened all at once.
Before I knew it, I was standing there that day.
Thud thud thud!
Hooves drummed relentlessly through the woods.
My shirt clung sweat-soaked to my skin. The thick scent of greenery filled the air, and the eerie cries of grasshoppers were trampled and silenced by the pounding hooves.
I pressed forward, eyes fixed ahead.
The enemy was hot on my heels.
With death closing in moment by moment, I couldn’t afford a single stray thought.
We’d fled the palace late at night and galloped through the forest all through it.
But in the end, as a foggy dawn broke, we ran into the pursuers.
“Stop!”
A voice boomed through the woods.
Shadows loomed in the thick mist. They drew closer, gradually revealing their dark forms.
“Ha.”
The moment I saw them, relief escaped me in a breath.
I’d thought they were the enemy, but they were knights from the palace guard’s Leonir Lancers.
At their head was a man with green hair and a pointed chin.
“Loyalty! Seventh Star Knight Itzriel of the Leonir Lancers greets Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
A seventh-star knight meant a squad leader.
At least Expert mid-level, no doubt.
In our current straits, he’d be invaluable.
“Sir Itzriel, your arrival sets my mind at ease. But how did you come here? What of the palace?”
He beamed at my question and continued.
“You needn’t worry about the palace. Everything’s been handled splendidly, so I’ve come to escort Your Highness.”
“......You mean?”
“Francia held the palace to the last.”
“Truly?”
Tension drained from me in a rush.
I’d heard the gates were breached, yet they’d held after all.
“The Teynan Marquis House provided timely support. That’s what turned the tide.”
The Teynan Marquis House, who’d refused the kingdom’s draft and chosen neutrality.
It seemed they’d switched sides.
“What fortune.”
“Now, let us return to the palace.”
My escorts and I followed without a shred of suspicion.
But the moment we let our guard down, they changed faces in an instant, thrusting icy blades through my escorts’ chests.
Crunch!
The escorts crumpled without so much as a fight.
My mind blanked at the sight.
Why would Leonir Lancers...?
I was young then.
The thought that the palace knights might betray us had never crossed my mind.
They were knights sworn to lay down their lives for the Francia royal family.
“Kwahahaha! So naive. You believed me just like that? As if the kingdom could hold off the empire’s legions!”
Itzriel laughed maniacally down at me.
The madness of a man who’d sold his conscience for his desires.
It was the first time I’d witnessed such a thing.
“You bastard—!”
Realization dawned, and I roared at him like thunder.
“You dare break your oath and betray the crown? And call yourself a knight?”
“The crown? A knight? This fool’s still delusional.”
Thwack!
He answered my shout with a fist. Something heavy smashed into my cheek, sending me tumbling across the dirt.
I’d trained in swordsmanship for self-defense, but I couldn’t even dodge.
Faceplanted in the mud, I tasted the metallic tang of blood and felt throbbing pain.
“This idiot still thinks he’s the crown prince.”
He sneered down at me as I struggled to rise.
A serpentine, devilish smile.
Rage boiled up, but fear gripped me too.
“You’re nothing now. Just a soon-to-be-dead fifteen-year-old brat. Heh heh.”
“You bastard!”
I barked like a frightened pup.
I lectured him on knightly honor and loyalty. But before real power, such words were worthless.
A kick slammed into my chest.
I sprawled pathetically, coughing and forcing out ragged breaths.
Then merciless violence rained down.
As he trampled me, the world I knew dissolved like a mirage.
The dignity and honor of a crown prince. Grace and prestige. Authority and power. Everything I’d upheld and learned crumbled into hollow nothing.
“Take him.”
He ordered the knights who’d watched. They dragged me roughly away.
They were no longer my knights.
Cold, contemptuous stares replaced any respect.
“Pathetic fool. Thought running would save you?”
His lips twisted.
He struck my head.
That was when I first truly felt the kingdom’s fall.
“Argh!”
A scream snapped me from the brief flashback.
The man chasing me—no, the one being chased—shrieked like he’d seen a ghost.
He was right in front of me now.
Heavenly Spirit Divine Art: Footwork Chapter.
Chapter Two: Pursuing Thunder.
Boom!
I slammed the ground, and my speed exploded. Soaring behind him, I seized his collar and hurled him down.
Crash!
He tumbled ignobly across the dirt.
“Ugh......”
Groaning in a filth-covered heap.
He tried to rise, but his body wouldn’t obey.
Like a newborn foal, he staggered up.
The other knights wheeled their horses and charged.
The lead one thrust his spear from horseback.
Clack!
I grabbed the shaft and yanked. Unable to resist, he fell and rolled.
Crunch!
I impaled his throat with the stolen spear.
Whoosh!
Another closed in, slashing at me. I spun the spear, deflecting the downward stroke, then whirled with it in his direction.
The spear tip followed the rotation and sliced his neck.
Blood sprayed as his head spun away.
Two knights down in seconds.
“You son of a bitch!”
Itzriel drew his sword and charged too. Blue sword aura pushed back the dark.
Kwarung!
A storm of sword energy ravaged the surroundings.
Long gouges scarred the earth like beast claws.
Through the thick dust, I thrust the spear’s blunt end.
Thud!
It sank perfectly into Itzriel’s gut.
“Gah!”
He clutched his belly and collapsed to his knees.
“Die!”
The last knight slashed at me.
A familiar face.
The blond man from the villa.
I swung the spear to parry his strike.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as shaft met blade. The deflected sword spun away, and the spear shot toward his chest.
Crunch!
Pierced through the heart in an instant.
Bloodshot eyes stared at me. I pulled the spear free; a cloud of blood bloomed, and he slumped to the ground.
Now it was just me and Itzriel.
“Raaah!”
Sensing death, he charged with everything he had.
A vertical blue line slashed down.
I raised the spear shaft to block.
Boom!
The shockwave shattered the ground where shaft met blade.
A knight of the Leonir Lancers ten years ago.
A sharp sword indeed.
He’d reached Expert upper level.
It meant nothing to me now.
Clang!
The sword flew spinning from the whirling shaft and stabbed into the ground behind.
He gaped at me in stunned disbelief.
His disheveled hair and tattered clothes made a fine sight.
“Given up already?”
Gritting his teeth, he rolled his eyes. Desperately scheming an escape.
“W-what do you want from me?”
He asked.
Such a clichéd question.
But he meant it.
Whatever I demanded, he’d yield. Nothing more precious than life, after all.
“I don’t want anything. Just one curiosity.”
“......?”
The moment question flickered in his eyes, I drove the spear into his heart.
Crunch!
Then I asked,
“Thought running like this would save you?”
Blood trickled from his mouth.
I watched him a moment, then dropped the spear shaft.
Eyes wide with desperation, he toppled backward.
* * *
By the time I returned to the mountain stronghold, day had broken.
The stronghold buzzed with activity in the foggy early morning.
Our location exposed, moving was the obvious next step.
Everyone scrambled to prepare for relocation.
I headed to the main hall and sought Cracker first.
He was by the unconscious Baruten’s side.
“Ah, you’re back? Truly, you’ve done so much.”
He shot to his feet and approached.
I shoved away his attempt at an embrace.
“Skip the greetings.”
He coughed awkwardly and spoke.
“Thanks to you, I survived. I’m truly grateful. I don’t know how to repay this... Anything you want, just name it.”
“Enough.”
“I figured as much.”
“Got a place to relocate?”
“Fortunately. Not as good as here, but we scouted backups in advance. Portin wouldn’t have known them.”
He smiled bitterly.
“More level-headed than expected.”
Betrayed by Portin, yet holding up well.
Who knew what churned inside.
Cracker glanced at the prone Baruten.
“......I spared him on purpose.”
That much was true.
Portin had avoided vitals. Didn’t change a thing.
“Fool.”
He murmured softly, then turned to me.
“Itzriel’s dead?”
“Yeah.”
I replied flatly.
“That bastard—I wanted to kill him myself.”
Cracker ground his teeth, swallowing rage.
“He killed Portin right in front of me.”
News to me. He recounted what happened.
Thoroughly used, in the end.
Portin’s fault didn’t lessen, but I regretted letting Itzriel off easy.
Nothing changed.
“Forget it. He’s dead.”
“......Right. If Itzriel’s gone, that’s enough. I couldn’t have killed him anyway.”
He smiled wryly.
“Good. If you’d been wallowing like some old man who’d lived his life, I’d have taken your head.”
“Some consolation—that’s chilling.”
Cracker rubbed his neck with a hollow laugh.
I asked,
“When’s the move?”
“Afternoon departure. Best to go fast.”
I nodded.
Itzriel was dead, but our position exposed.
Imperial forces could return anytime. No time for rest.
I said,
“Two days.”
“Hm?”
“I’ll stay here two days.”
He stared, then forced out words.
“......I can’t even repay what I owe already—”
“If not, I’ll go.”
“Truly, truly grateful.”
Unsuitably for his bulk, his eyes welled up as he lunged for a hug. I shoved his chest again.
“Not leaving?”
“Just once? I feel like showering you with kisses right now. Gratitude’s turned to madness—I’ve never felt this.”
“Guess that thing you lug around’s a hassle?”
At my words, he hastily clutched his crotch.
“Not that! I mean I’m grateful to death! My precious is off-limits!”
I shook my head firmly; he burst out laughing.
I said,
“Anyway, rest.”
“Ah, you must be tired too—I’ve held you too long. Get some sleep.”
I threatened Cracker off my trail, shoved him into his room, and left the main hall.
* * *
Four grubby prisoners stood facing away from the stronghold’s main gate.
Their blindfolds removed.
I addressed the trembling group.
“You’re free to go. Bring your comrades back if you like. I’ll be here.”
They nodded timidly.
“Go.”
At my word, they bolted down the mountain without a backward glance.
They’d report my presence—any sane ones wouldn’t return.
Cracker sidled up.
“Meals?”
“Bring when time.”
“Got it.”
He nodded, eyes fervent.
I cut off what was coming.
“One more ‘thanks,’ and I’ll cut something off.”
“Tha... *cough*.”
He swallowed the word with a cough and headed inside.
Soon after, the procession filed out. Bandits and families shouldered loads along the mountain path.
As told Cracker, I planned two days here.
A full group would leave traces.
Two days would let them fade.
Arms crossed, I watched them vanish, then glanced aside.
“What?”
Allen stood beside me, arms crossed just like mine.
“If the imperials come, I’ll fight too. Rumor has it they think there’s two white lions here. I’ll make a difference.”
I eyed him, chest puffed with confidence.
What’s wrong with this guy’s head?
Feeling my gaze, he guffawed.
“Umhahaha! You don’t know, Sir Jenness, but I pulled off a big one! Haha!”
Now certain, I asked Iriel nearby.
“When’d this one’s head get injured?”
“Brother Allen’s telling the truth. Without him, we couldn’t have saved everyone.”
At Iriel’s words, he preened more.
“When have I ever lied?”
“What happened?”
“Hehe, well, you see.”
Allen lit up like a dog greeting its master and spilled the tale.
I looked at him anew after hearing it all.
Strutting like that.
Gutsy kid.
“I mimicked you perfectly, Sir Jenness.”
“It was spot-on.”
Iriel chimed in.
Who resembled who?
Irksome, but I praised him readily. Tail wagging in my face—might as well toss him a bone.
“Yeah, good job. Perfect for getting killed by some thug elsewhere.”
“......That a compliment?”
Allen tilted his head.
“You stay. Iriel, go with them.”
“Yes, just me?”
“You’re decent with medicine—helpful. Go assist.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I went too? I’ll come feed you meals.”
Allen scratched his head sheepishly.
Staying with me was just a lead-in; he was scared of imperials for real.
Where’d that mimicry bravado go?
“Even a cornered rat bites a cat—fits you perfect.”
“Huh?”
I shook my head.
“Anyway. I’ve got a separate technique to teach you, so stay.”