The Gathering Storm
The monsters were relentless. Though Grand Duke Quenor's sword sheared through countless white wolves with every flash of his blade, the werewolf legion commander blocking his path managed to parry his strikes with surprising skill. Every time a white wolf fell, another seemed to spring from the shadows, and with each passing moment, Quenor's anxiety mounted.
"Damned beasts," Quenor muttered, his blade cutting a sharp arc through the air.
The werewolf, Goot, sneered slyly, swinging his claws like swords to deflect Quenor's strike. He was certainly powerful enough to justify his title as a legion commander under the Giant. What made him truly dangerous, however, was that he did not rely blindly on his strength alone.
"Yes, you are as strong as expected. But surely you feel it too?"
It was a textbook stalling tactic. Goot's strategy was to drain Quenor's stamina and prevent him from rescuing the other patrol units. The beast never committed to a deep, decisive strike. Instead, he repeatedly engaged and retreated, maintaining a strictly defensive posture with the sole purpose of holding the line.
Of course, if this stalemate continued, it wouldn't take long for Quenor to claim Goot's head. The problem, however, was that there was no guarantee the other patrol units could hold out until then. In fact, it was far more likely they would be wiped out, allowing the remaining monsters to swarm Quenor.
"The longer this drags on, the more the advantage shifts to us, human," Goot sneered, baring his fangs.
Quenor could no longer afford to hold back. Channeling his mana, he flared his aura to its absolute limit. His silhouette blurred as he lunged forward, colliding with the legion commander. Goot flinched, visibly shaken by the sudden surge in Quenor's power. Far from tiring, the Grand Duke's sword seemed to grow sharper and faster with every passing second.
This bastard... is a monster.
Still, Goot knew that if he could hold out just a little longer, victory would be his. Even now, his sensitive ears could clearly detect the sounds of slaughter echoing from the depths of the forest—the sweet, melodious screams of dying humans...
Yip! Whine! Yelp!
What?
Goot's eyes widened in sheer bewilderment. No, had he misheard? Why... why were the only death rattles he heard belonging to his own wolves?
Barely deflecting Quenor's next strike, Goot focused all his senses toward the depths of the forest.
Light. The whistling wind of a swinging sword. A terrifying scent.
"This is impossible..."
Slash!
Quenor's blade tore through Goot's chest while the beast was momentarily paralyzed by shock. As the werewolf collapsed forward, bleeding heavily, Quenor stepped on his head and looked up.
"...You actually did it, Hero Elroy."
Quenor's gaze was fixed on the exact same spot Goot had been staring at.
A brilliant light was flashing. A pure white, silver-rimmed aura.
The ominous presence of the monsters that had choked the entire forest was being systematically erased by that radiant light. It was a beacon of hope, a wind fanning the embers of survival.
"Nonsense! There is no way such a thing could happen!" Goot thrashed beneath Quenor's boot, screaming in denial.
Quenor looked down at the struggling beast, his lips curling into a cold smirk.
"There are people in this world who make the impossible possible. Though I suppose beasts like you would never understand."
Quenor's aura pierced straight through Goot's skull.
The distant light grew increasingly intense, drawing closer to Quenor's position. With a faint smile, the Grand Duke watched the Hero approach, wielding a sword in each hand.
"Patrol units two, three, four, and five have arrived!"
Grand Duke Quenor nodded and bellowed a command that echoed through the trees.
"All patrols! Fall back to Evernode!"
Fortunately—by some absolute miracle—I managed to rescue the third, fourth, and fifth patrol units before it was too late. Like a great whale parting a raging sea, the first patrol and I tore through the forest, scattering the monsters and gathering the scattered units one by one. By the time I had secured everyone, Grand Duke Quenor reached our position at the fifth patrol's location. And so, after a grueling first battle, we finally made our retreat back to Evernode.
I held onto my consciousness with sheer grit, watching until the outer gates closed and every last soldier was safely inside. Only when the final man had crossed the threshold did my vision begin to fail.
Elroy?
Lord Hero!
Yes. Those voices were the last things I heard before the world went pitch black. I must have passed out right then and there.
Which brings us to now.
I opened my eyes in a strange, dimly lit room with heavy blackout curtains. Though it felt like I had been asleep for a very long time, aches and pains still throbbed throughout my entire body. It seemed I had sustained injuries so severe that even the Holy Sword's passive recovery couldn't mend them quickly.
"Of course you are in pain. You pushed yourself so hard you nearly tore every blood vessel and muscle in your body to shreds. In fact, many of them did tear. You should count yourself fortunate your heart didn't burst, Elroy. It was an incredibly reckless gamble. It is a miracle your body even held together."
The Holy Sword's nagging greeted me the moment I woke up. Though her tone was slightly blunt, her voice was a welcome comfort. I fumbled around, my fingers brushing against her sheath. Grasping it, I let out a sigh of relief and smiled. The familiar weight brought a sense of peace.
"Still, I'm glad you're here."
"Huh?"
"Wait, what?"
Startled by the familiar voice, I pushed myself up and looked to the left side of the bed.
Blink, blink.
Oh, boy.
At the foot of the bed, right where my legs were, Daphne was sitting up. She had apparently been sleeping with her head resting on the mattress. Our eyes locked.
A heavy silence stretched for about three seconds. Even in the dim room, I could clearly see Daphne's face turning a deep, vibrant crimson. Her lips trembled and her eyes shook with an indescribable mix of emotions.
"U-Uh... I... um..."
What do I do? I think she's broken.
"Fix her yourself."
With that final remark, the Holy Sword went silent.
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, staring at Daphne. She remained frozen for a long moment before slowly coming to her senses. Avoiding my gaze, she looked down at the bedsheets and began twirling a strand of her pink hair.
"It's been a day since you collapsed, Elroy," Daphne said, answering the question before I could even ask.
I nodded awkwardly. Reaching over, I parted the blackout curtains slightly. A sharp shaft of sunlight pierced the room, revealing the bustling soldiers outside. Strangely, the streets looked somewhat emptier than usual.
"The streets seem quiet."
"The evacuation has begun. Sir Luke is leading the refugees, and they've assigned an entire knight order to escort them alongside the Adventurers' Guild."
Daphne's cheeks were still flushed as she spoke.
"They say the Boundary Line has stopped just before the lake. The monsters are likely using the lake as an outpost to prepare for their invasion. Regular patrols have been suspended, and everyone is focusing entirely on war preparations. The Grand Duke said it wouldn't be surprising if the monsters attacked at any moment."
"Oh, and... he also asked to be notified as soon as you woke up."
Daphne looked back at my face, only to quickly avert her eyes again. I waited a moment for her to compose herself before asking my next question.
"Are Georg and Marianne okay?"
"Yes. They sustained minor injuries, but nothing that hinders them. Both of them are working with the knights of Evernode to prepare for the defense and counteroffensive."
I nodded and made a move to sit up, but Daphne's hand gently stopped me. Pressing lightly against my chest, she guided me back down onto the bed. Her face was suddenly very close. Her light pink hair cascaded down, tickling my cheek.
"Please, stay down. The war hasn't started yet, so you should focus entirely on recovering until then."
I could feel her warm breath. Our faces were so close our noses almost touched. When I instinctively shifted my gaze, Daphne realized how close we were and leaped back like a cat that had just spotted a cucumber. I let out a wry chuckle and rested my head back on the pillow.
"Are the others who made it back doing alright?"
"...Yes. Everyone who returned is safe. Those with severe injuries are being treated in the ward downstairs, and the rest of the knights have already returned to duty."
I see.
Naturally, there were those who hadn't made it back. A heavy weight settled in my chest once more.
Daphne looked down at me quietly for a moment, then stood up from the bedside.
"I'll go call Grand Duke Quenor. He asked to be summoned the moment you woke up."
I watched Daphne's back as she slipped out of the room. Once the door clicked shut, I let out a long sigh and let my limbs go limp.
I knew. Unless I was some kind of god, saving everyone in a war was an impossible feat. I understood that their deaths weren't my fault, and I knew I couldn't let myself break over them.
'You are pathetic and weak. You are no different from all the other knights I have devoured.'
'All you have now is that bizarre, ominous white light.'
The words of the white wolf leader, Lobo, echoed in my mind.
"...Still, if only I had defeated them faster."
"Then you might have saved a few more."
The Holy Sword answered. Her lack of empty platitudes was actually comforting.
I lifted the Holy Sword with both hands, my brow furrowing. "If only I had unlocked your second stage."
"You would have saved many more."
I felt a sensation as if she were gazing at me intently.
"I will not tell you to forget. Nor will I tell you that it is acceptable to break. However, if the sacrifice of those who gave their lives that day ultimately leads to the salvation of this land and its people, then perhaps it will serve as some small recompense."
Her voice was, as always, gentle yet unyielding. My grip tightened around her hilt.
"Grow stronger, Elroy. Just as you once told the Iron-Blooded Princess."
I let out a soft chuckle and nodded. Yes, in the end, I had to grow stronger. To achieve the salvations that had been left unfulfilled in the original story, and to take another step forward.
Just then, the door to the infirmary opened. Setting the Holy Sword down, I sat up and looked toward the entrance.
Standing in the doorway was none other than Grand Duke Quenor. I gave him a quiet nod of greeting, and he returned the gesture with a solemn nod of his own.
"How is your body holding up, Elroy?"
Closing the door behind him, the Grand Duke walked over and sat in the visitor's chair. His blue eyes were calmer than ever, radiating a heavy, commanding presence.
"I'm aching all over. But it's not so bad that I need to stay bedridden like this."
I dropped a subtle hint that I wanted to be discharged, but the Grand Duke deliberately ignored it and shook his head.
"Do not overexert yourself. Staying quietly in this room is the greatest help you can offer us right now."
To think I'd hear that staying still was the best way to help.
As my brow furrowed deeply, Grand Duke Quenor chuckled and crossed his arms.
"If we send a battered Hero to the front lines now, the soldiers will be too busy worrying about you to focus on their own duties."
...He wasn't wrong.
I pulled back the blackout curtains, letting the sunlight flood into the room. Dust motes danced in the bright beams of light.
"I heard the gist of the situation from Daphne. She said the monsters are establishing an outpost."
"Indeed. We are preparing our siege defenses accordingly. Your companions have been of immense help. Georg is generously sharing his vast battlefield experience, and Marianne, rather than fighting as a warrior, is fulfilling her duties as a priestess."
Grand Duke Quenor looked out the window, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Daphne is actively leading discussions with Evernode's mages. They say that while she is a formidable combat mage, her theoretical knowledge rivals that of our finest scholars."
I suppose that's what happens when you spend years mastering theoretical texts in the Magic Tower.
Daphne probably never expected that the past she so desperately wanted to forget would prove useful in a place like this.
"...And, I am late in offering my gratitude," the Grand Duke said, his voice turning solemn. "While I was pinned down, you cut through the horde of monsters and rescued all the remaining patrol units."
"Anyone would have done the same. It's not something that warrants your thanks, Grand Duke."
"Saying it and actually doing it are two entirely different matters. The army of the Fourth Calamity must have taken a massive blow as well. They lost a legion commander and several named monsters. It is an incredibly significant victory for us in this war."
My expression darkened. The Grand Duke watched me, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
A catalyst to grow stronger. I pondered what it was that I truly needed right now.
"Grand Duke."
"What is it?"
Taking a deep breath, I looked straight into his eyes.
"Would you spar with me?"