Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: Souls, and Souls (6)
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It happened in an instant.
“Guh...!”
A searing pain pierced through his gut, and at the same time, hot red blood burst from his mouth. Lewis stared down at his impaled stomach with a look of disbelief—foolish, even.
“Urgh...”
Too late, he pressed a hand to the gushing wound, but he was neither a mage nor a healer. Hands that knew only how to grip and swing a sword couldn’t staunch the blood pouring from the torn flesh.
-Thud!
With so much blood lost, his legs giving out was inevitable. Lewis knew kneeling before an enemy was humiliating, but his body no longer obeyed him.
“Gack... haah... Daud... urk...”
He tried to call out to the man before him—Daud, his brother and Corin’s successor—but blood flooding his throat choked off the sound. Hot blood trickled over his chin in its place.
“Lewis.”
“...”
“What a shame it’s come to this.”
-Bam!
Daud’s kick slammed into Lewis’s shoulder. The body that had barely been kneeling toppled backward with a heavy thud. And it didn’t end there—Daud ground his heel into Lewis’s head. Lewis caught the scent of damp Sequoia Forest earth from the sole of the shoe.
“Great deeds demand great sacrifices.”
“...”
“Not that a fool like you would understand.”
Daud muttered as he crushed Lewis’s head underfoot. The weed that had wormed its way into Corin alongside his father’s new woman. He’d tried to kill him, tried and tried, but the bastard wouldn’t die—then he’d left for the capital, sparing Daud the effort, only to return and ruin everything. Just as Daud raised his foot to smash his skull, Fabio at his side raised a hand to stop him.
“Lord Daud.”
“...”
“We can’t waste any more time.”
“But...”
Daud started to protest, but Fabio shook his head. With a wave of his hand through the air, the purple magic circle on the back of Fabio’s hand began to glow. At the same moment, Lewis felt his torn gut being forcibly pulled together. He screamed in agony, and the blood clogging his throat burst free, clearing his airway.
“Lord Lewis.”
Fabio called to him in a most courteous tone. Lewis didn’t want to look at him, but some unseen force gripped his chin, forcing his gaze upward to meet Fabio’s. Eyes usually hidden beneath his hat gleamed coldly. Lewis gasped for breath as he stared into that light.
“Please answer my questions honestly from here on.”
“...”
“Then you’ll be granted a peaceful death.”
Fabio whispered down at him with those empty eyes. Above Fabio’s head, a flock of crows circled the empty sky.
-Caw, caw, caw....
An ominous cry.
“I don’t believe you’re alone.”
“...”
“Tell me the names of your companions, and I’ll ease this terrible pain.”
Fabio’s words rang true. The agony that had felt like his body was being ripped apart was already dulling.
But Lewis knew.
Easing the pain didn’t mean sparing his life.
What Fabio wanted was the druid’s name. That name, “Theodore.” He’d been striking at the Crows from behind all this time. Uncovering the druid’s identity and eliminating him to end the interference—that was surely their goal.
“His... name is...”
Lewis felt his vision blurring. Whether from the man’s magic or his own tears, he couldn’t tell. In a fading voice choked with blood...
“...go fuck... yourself.”
“...”
Fabio, who had been listening intently, scowled and irritably flicked his hand. The magic circle on his hand glowed once more, and Lewis’s gut tore open again. Pent-up blood gushed out, and pain surged anew.
-Caw, caw, caw....
Fear, too.
“Lord Daud, we should head back. We can’t delay any longer.”
“But...”
“Don’t worry. The Crows will handle the rest.”
“...”
Daud kept glancing back at the fallen Lewis, uneasy about leaving him alive, but Fabio turned without hesitation and quickened his pace. As the two horses galloped away from the site toward the Sequoia Forest, the crows circling overhead began to multiply, one by one. Soon, there were so many it seemed they might blanket the sky....
-Caw, caw, caw...!
That was the last sight Lewis saw before closing his eyes.
* * *
-Neigh!!!
“Whoa, whoa.”
Lloyd’s horse up ahead suddenly reared up on its front legs and halted. It stood rigid, snorting in agitation—a rare occurrence. Lloyd’s mount was so well-trained it never startled, no matter the situation.
“What is it?”
“No idea. Not sure why it’s so worked up...”
I climbed down from the carriage and approached Lloyd’s horse. I cautiously stroked its muzzle, and it seemed to calm a bit, blinking its eyes. But it still refused to move forward.
‘...It’s anxious.’
What I sensed from it was unease and fear. And a touch of sorrow. I spent a while soothing it as it paced in place before turning to Lloyd.
“We should give it a rest.”
“...I see.”
“With it this agitated, there might be something ahead. I’ll check it out and come back. Wait here for now.”
“Very well.”
I let out a long whistle. The clear note carried on the wind, and soon Isla emerged from the underbrush. She bounded over excitedly, covered in bits of grass. Argos, bounding alongside her, was spotless by contrast—perhaps because he was a “ghost.”
“Right, Argos. You come with me.”
The two dogs... no, one shadow wolf and one ghost hound leaped joyfully.
“Master, what about me?”
“You stay here.”
Even if something lay ahead, Storm was such a fearless wild horse that he hadn’t reacted. Better for Isla and me to scout first.
“Let’s go, Isla.”
Isla and I advanced, scanning the surroundings. Having ambushed near the secret passage before, Isla unhesitatingly found the path. We pushed through the brush until Isla suddenly froze, ears perked.
“...!”
Her pupils narrowed, whiskers stiffening. She’d caught a scent. I crouched low beside her, probing for presences as we crept forward. And then,
-Rustle...
Parting an especially dense thicket revealed a shocking scene.
“...”
Blood poured from a fallen horse, soaking the ground. A crow perched on its severed neck, pecking at the flesh. I watched silently. No screams, no retching.
‘That’s Lewis’s horse.’
Yes. Brown coat, white mane. And the saddle with ox-horn ornaments. No need to get closer—it was unmistakably his. That explained Lloyd’s horse freaking out.
“Shh.”
I restrained Isla, who looked ready to lunge and tear the crow apart, and quietly backtracked, minimizing noise. A tragedy, but cleanup could wait. If Lewis’s horse was like this, something had likely happened to him too.
For now, I had to find him.
I tore a strip from the hem of the cloth I carried, soaked it in the pooling blood, and gave it to Isla.
“Isla. Take this back to the carriage.”
Seeing Isla with the cloth, Lloyd would realize something was wrong and come stealthily.
“Argos, you’re with me. Let me know if you sense anything.”
Argos was a ghost hound. He could smell death. Understanding, he sniffed the ground and began walking slowly. I followed cautiously.
We were taking a detour, but Argos was heading toward the secret passage exit. Had Lewis taken it as he’d told us? And been ambushed en route?
I’d know when we arrived, but my head spun with possibilities.
-Caw, caw, caw...
Please be safe. The idle thought crossed my mind just as the crows’ cries echoed from nearby. I looked up. Not far off, a flock circled in the sky.
‘...Over there!’
I activated [Leaf Step] and raced toward them, picking up speed. The caws grew louder, faster. Like an ominous symphony.
-Caw, caw, caw...
And then.
-...
They’re right ahead, I thought—then the cries cut off abruptly. Reflexively, I looked up.
-Whoosh!
The crows plummeted like black lightning. Wings folded, sharp beaks aimed downward. Each one a thunderbolt, diving toward “something.”
“...!!!”
No time for thought. I drew my bow and arrows, firing at the crows.
-Screeech!!!
-Thud!
-Screeeeech!!!
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
Arrows whistled like the wind, piercing heads and hearts. Some skewered two or three at once.
-Plop!
-Thud!
-Plop! Plop! Plop!
As the black bolts turned to limp falls, I kicked off the ground and leaped forward. Praying I wasn’t too late.