Ending Maker Chapter 100
Ending Maker Chapter 100
Chapter 35 - Gathering
The two from House Bayel and the two from House Chase settled into Yuder and Cordelia’s so-called love nest.
'What nest?'
'No, it's just a figure of speech. Think of it like a stage prop.'
Anyway, they took their seats.
The Great Storm tribe used floor cushions instead of chairs, so the four of them sat in pairs facing each other across the brazier in the middle of the tent.
'How natural.'
Yuder and Cordelia sat side by side, and Gale and Adelia sat side by side.
Even while seated, Yuder kept his arm around Cordelia's shoulders, maintaining close contact, while Gale and Adelia sat side by side but didn't exactly press close together.
They were simply sitting at a comfortable distance from each other.
"Hm-hmm, hm-hmm."
Cordelia leaned against Yuder and watched Adelia and Gale with a sly, knowing look.
She seemed to have completely forgotten how Yuder’s earlier actions had made her heart race; all her attention was now fixed on Adelia and Gale.
And honestly, it wasn't strange.
'Because she's used to it.'
Ever since entering the Wild Lands, Cordelia had been held or carried by Yuder almost every day. Before she knew it, she had grown used to being in his arms.
"Hm-hmm, hm-hmm."
The Cordelia who had trembled at the news of Adelia’s arrival was nowhere to be found.
Now there was only a little sister wearing a catlike grin, sending Adelia and Gale sly looks and humming strange little sounds that clearly meant, ‘So that’s how it is. I see how it is.’
"Ugh..."
She really was Cordelia’s older sister.
Even after sitting down, Adelia remained flushed and restless. She could not bring herself to look at Gale and kept staring at the floor.
'She's in turmoil.'
Inside her heart.
Just as Yuder suspected, the scene from moments ago was playing on an endless loop inside Adelia’s head, heavily beautified by her rose-tinted filter.
'Are we really...... nothing to each other?'
That melancholy gaze. That sorrowful, aching expression and voice, still clinging to one last thread of hope.
'Why is he doing this? Why is he doing this to me? Aaaah...'
Aside from keeping it all inside, Adelia really was the spitting image of Cordelia.
'Adelia Chase.'
Cordelia's older sister.
One of the seven commanders of the Royal Guard Magic Corps.
A magical genius who had inherited Count Chase’s talent in full.
Overbearing and hot-tempered, with a violent streak to boot—
'But she really is Cordelia's older sister.'
She really was pretty.
Her golden hair was different from Cordelia’s vivid red, beautiful enough that it seemed it might sparkle on its own. Her pale face was equally beautiful; the sharpness of her eyes only gave her a keen, sophisticated air.
And now her cheeks were bright red with embarrassment, leaving her visibly flustered.
That uncharacteristic side of her gave her an unexpectedly charming contrast.
'Hmm, but still, Cordelia wins.'
Because to Yuder, Cordelia was even more beautiful than Adelia—and adorable besides.
After making that thoroughly subjective judgment, Yuder nodded to himself a few times and turned his gaze toward Gale.
'Did he...... overcome it?'
Why had Gale—the eldest son of House Bayel and Count Bayel’s undisputed heir—remained unmarried even as he approached his late twenties?
He had not known back when he was Outboxer009, but after being reborn as Yuder Bayel, he did.
The incident that had happened to Gale.
The event that had made Gale give up on marriage for a time and devote himself entirely to training.
In the original game, Gale never overcame it. Or perhaps he had finally become ready to move on, only for the Great Northern Barbarian Invasion to strike before he ever got the chance.
'Brother.'
Not merely a supporting character in Hero Legend 2, but Yuder Bayel’s own brother.
He was gazing at the embarrassed Adelia with a warm smile.
He sat there calmly, but Yuder could tell.
Gale’s earlobes were faintly red as well. Calm as he looked, he was every bit as embarrassed as Adelia.
'Still.'
There was something truly heartwarming about the way Gale looked at Adelia.
Did the way Yuder looked at Cordelia seem that warm to everyone else too?
"Hm-hmm, hm-hmm."
Yuder glanced at Cordelia, who was still grinning at Adelia, and chuckled under his breath.
In any case, it was time to move the conversation forward.
"Ahem."
When Yuder cleared his throat, Gale and Cordelia turned to look at him.
Adelia was still staring at the floor, but the way she flinched showed that she was listening.
"Anyway...... let's talk."
Because there really were things they needed to discuss.
"Yes, Yuder. Let’s start with your story. I heard you became a disciple of Iron Man Landius, and that you’re also connected to the Guardians of the Holy Cross. Can you tell us where all of this began?"
When they had left Langesthei, neither of them had any notable connection to the Guardians of the Holy Cross.
At Gale’s calm question, Adelia finally looked at Yuder and Cordelia with some of her composure restored. Cordelia also turned toward Yuder.
'You're going to tell them, right?'
'Yeah, I have to.'
After exchanging a glance with Cordelia, Yuder cleared his throat once more and began.
"Everything began when we met the Fairy Queen."
In summary, Yuder’s story went like this.
The Fairy Queen warned them about an impending attack by demon worshippers in Langesthei and told them about the witch.
After the Langesthei incident, they went to the Witch’s Forest and met the witch’s soul. There they received a warning about Landius and learned of the atrocities the demon worshippers were committing beyond the northern border.
On the way to House Hraesvelgr, they met Landius, became his disciples, and finally made their decision.
"You mean your decision to go north and stop the demon worshippers?"
"Yes, brother."
But the story rested on far too little evidence.
Worse, House Hraesvelgr had been determined not to let Yuder and Cordelia leave Verd Polnir at all.
That was why Yuder and Cordelia had been forced to slip out of Verd Polnir under the pretext of a honeymoon.
"After that......."
On their way north, they first headed to Frost Anvil to cure Yuder’s illness. While obtaining the Sunflower Herb there, they came into conflict with demon worshippers.
"We also became certain that some sort of plot was unfolding in the Barbarian Lands—no, the Wild Lands."
Afterward, they passed through Lankebust, crossed the border, and encountered Sword Demon Kamael once again.
"You already know what happened after that, brother."
Devil’s Eye, the demon-worshipper organization eating away at the Wild Lands, and the guardian of the Wild Lands racing to stop its schemes.
"So it really wasn’t... just running away from home. No, a lovers’ elopement."
"I was too inexperienced to come up with a better excuse. Just as you said, brother, we caused trouble for a great many people."
Yuder put on a somber expression. Gale looked pained, while Cordelia discreetly poked Yuder in the side.
'It worked, didn't it?'
'Of course.'
After all, who had come up with the story?
Yuder gave Cordelia the faintest smile, one only she could see, then turned back to Gale and Adelia.
"Brother, Lady Adelia. If the demon worshippers swallow the Wild Lands, another great war will break out between the north and the barbarian tribes. We have to prevent that at all costs."
"You’re right. And... after walking this land myself, I’ve started to see things a little differently. Perhaps we’ve been far too prejudiced against the barbarian tribes."
But that was as far as it went.
The Saelun Kingdom and the tribes of the Barbarian Lands had clashed many times throughout history, and not every conflict had been caused by demon worshippers.
The people of the Wild Lands were clearly not beasts in human form, as many in northern Saelun believed, but people no different from themselves. That did not mean Gale was suddenly idealizing them, however.
The people of the Argon Empire were human too, yet the empire still stood opposed to the Saelun Kingdom.
"I’ll help you and Lady Cordelia. Lady Adelia, what will you do?"
Gale stated his decision without hesitation, then turned to Adelia. She took a deep breath before answering.
"I'll help too. It's for the defense of the kingdom, after all."
After all, she was one of the seven commanders of the Royal Guard Magic Corps.
The matter had already changed from a personal attempt to retrieve her runaway sister during her leave into a public matter concerning the kingdom’s defense. As an officer paid by the kingdom, it was only natural for her to step forward.
"Thanks, sis."
"Hmph, it's not exactly for you."
"Hm-hmm."
Yuder and Gale smiled warmly, almost as if on cue, as they watched Cordelia and Adelia exchange a very Chase-family sort of conversation.
"And Yuder."
"Yes, brother."
"We probably won’t be the only ones coming after you."
At Gale's words, Yuder and Cordelia tilted their heads in unison.
Gale and Adelia were not the only ones?
What could that mean?
"Well, how should I put it... In the end, we did something rather similar to running away from home ourselves."
"Running away......?"
"We deliberately cut off contact with our families so we could cross the border."
"It was obvious our families would have opposed us if we said we planned to cross the border to follow you two."
After Adelia added that explanation, Yuder and Cordelia looked at each other and gave very different responses.
"I see."
"So sis, was it a honeymoon trip for you too?"
"No it wasn't?! It wasn't anything like that?!"
Adelia shouted reflexively, then suddenly flinched and looked at Gale.
Gale did not say anything, but Adelia squirmed in place and hurried to explain.
"N-no! What I mean is... it’s not that Lord Gale and I are nothing to each other... Ugh..."
Adelia had effectively blown herself up with her own words. She flushed and groaned again, while everyone watching her had the same thought.
'How adorable.'
How had someone this adorable remained single all this time?
Everyone watched Adelia with warm eyes, which only made her more flustered and somehow even cuter. The vicious cycle continued until—
Yuder was the first to recover. He looked at Gale and asked,
"Then... are you saying more pursuers from the families may come after us?"
"Yes, that's likely."
One after another, like a chain.
"But I don’t intend to tell our families exactly what is happening here."
Because this was a matter beyond the border.
If the families actively stepped in to help Yuder’s group, it could make the situation even more complicated.
"Let’s keep asking our families for help as a last resort."
If the Wild Lands were ever about to fall into the hands of the demon worshippers, the entire north might have to take military action.
"Understood."
"Good."
After saying that, Gale turned back to Cordelia.
"I’ve already discussed this with Lady Adelia. I hope you’ll understand as well, Lady Cordelia."
"Yes, brother-in-law."
Cordelia answered demurely, then broke into a bright smile. Gale smiled warmly in return.
And then there was one more person.
No, one creature—or rather, one being.
"Are you all done?"
At Rough Avalanche’s question from the corner of the tent, Yuder and Cordelia nodded. Gale and Adelia looked mildly surprised.
"Why did you even call me here? Seriously."
Rough Avalanche grumbled as he stood, then dropped back down between the two couples facing each other.
"Anyway, things are basically settled now. We just join forces and beat those demon-worshipper bastards, right?"
"Before that, we have to win at Karaval."
At Cordelia's words, Rough Avalanche nodded.
"Right, Karaval."
A single contest, to be held two days later, would determine the fate of the Eastern Alliance—and, by extension, the entire Wild Lands.
"Sis, brother-in-law. I have a favor to ask."
Because for Red Wind to win, she needed to become a little stronger.
And to make that happen, they would need Gale and Adelia’s help as well.
"So......."
Cordelia glanced at Yuder, then explained what the two of them had discussed earlier. Gale and Adelia nodded with serious expressions.
Meanwhile, Rough Avalanche had a thought of his own.
'So why exactly did you call me here?'
Had he really needed to be here for this meeting?
In any case, the conversation continued, and time passed with it.
* * *
"Let's depart."
"To the land of Gentle Snow Breeze."
"To the land of Gentle Snow Breeze."
Every tribe in the east began to stir.
From small tribes of only a few hundred people to great tribes numbering in the tens of thousands.
Each chieftain led their warriors toward the basin of Gentle Snow Breeze.
They went to witness the Karaval held under the beautiful and wise Wild God Gentle Snow Breeze, to become witnesses to history, and to lend their strength to the Eastern Alliance that would soon be formed.
"Let us go."
Red Gale also set out at the head of his warriors.
His illness had grown so severe that he normally avoided leaving his residence, but he had to attend this Karaval.
Great Storm saw off his greatest warrior.
He bestowed his blessing upon his daughter, the girl who would decide the fate of the Eastern Alliance.
"Daughter of the wind, beautiful red wind who will roam the world freely. You can become anything, and you can do anything."
Though he wore the form of a boy, Great Storm was a Wild God who had watched over the tribe for many long years.
Red Wind accepted Great Storm’s blessing with gratitude and promised him she would do her very best.
"Let's go too."
At Gale’s words, Adelia nodded first. Cordelia gave her a sly look and hummed, ‘Hm-hmm, hm-hmm,’ until Adelia pinched her side.
And Yuder looked to the west.
Devil's Eye.
The Angry Rhino Tribe, and the demon worshipper Haragen who had seized control of the west.
And the powerful demon who, in the original game, had slaughtered Count Bayel and Gale.
'So this is Act 2.'
The confrontation between east and west.
And the Karaval would mark its beginning.
"Yuder, Yuder. Why are you making such a face? Does something hurt?"
"No, I was just trying to look cool. More importantly, are you sure nothing hurts, my princess?"
"Hurt, my foot. Stop talking nonsense and let's go."
"Sure."
After finishing their usual exchange, Yuder deliberately ignored Adelia's look that said 'Myyyy princess?' and stepped forward.
Together with Cordelia, he headed toward the land of Gentle Snow Breeze, where the Karaval would be held.
And at the same time.
In a high-class lodging in Lankebust, Count Chase was writing a letter.
The recipient was his old friend, and now soon-to-be in-law, Count Bayel.
The contents were not very long.
As befitting Count Chase, it contained only a concise explanation.
'It seems the children have crossed the border.'
They were not in the north.
Nor had they lost their lives or suffered serious injury.
Then what remained was the Barbarian Lands beyond the border.
Count Chase paused his pen for a moment.
He smiled faintly, and added a single line.
'I'll go and come back.'
This was enough.
Count Chase, having sealed the letter, donned a red cloak. He grabbed a spatial expansion bag stuffed full of luggage in one hand, and in the other hand he held a staff studded with jewels.
"To the north."
Count Chase left the lodging.
He stepped toward the north.