Chapter 8: The Reward is Your Life
Chapter 8: Reward Is Life
Ah, I'm gonna die.
The moment that thought flashed through my mind, something inside my chest burned hot.
A golden barrier unfurled above my back.
CRASH!
The falling rocks slammed against the golden shield.
The child in my arms screamed, and I gritted my teeth as I absorbed the shock that the barrier couldn't fully block.
The golden shield trembled once, twice, three times.
A searing pain raced down my spine.
Ludwig's memories kindly provided an explanation.
"The contract sworn by the First Emperor upon kneeling on the Empire's land."
"The Imperial bloodline shall not break before disasters untouched by human malice."
So, now is not the time to break.
Because this isn't a blade, a curse, or a weapon forged from malice—it's more like a natural disaster.
A fleeting, ominous thought crossed my mind—Is that really true?—but soon, all thoughts vanished.
It hurts.
So, so much.
Damn it, you call this Absolute Protection?
Only after the last boulder had rolled away did the barrier shatter like glass.
Still clutching the child, I dropped to my knees. My breath wouldn't come. My heart pounded like a drum, still echoing violently in my chest.
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
Through the soldiers rushing toward me, I spotted the face of my adjutant, Nicholas.
Why is this guy so damn loud?
They wanted to confirm I was unharmed, but none dared lay a hand on me.
Except for one person, whose rough hands immediately began patting me down.
"What in the world were you thinking? I'd rather hang myself than watch the Crown Prince treat his own body like trash."
Scolding me right after I nearly died.
Nicholas, this guy—I thought he was just some quiet, efficient extra.
"You're exaggerating, Nicholas. I'll leave my body in your care, so you'll see soon enough that I'm fine."
Amid the chaos, the child still clung to my sleeve, trembling. No screams, no tears.
When the medic reached out to take the child, tiny fingers dug deeper into the fabric. The stiff little body felt like a wooden block.
I took a slow, steadying breath.
The burning pain along my spine still weighed heavily on me.
"Wait until the child is ready."
The medic's hand, about to forcibly take the child, froze mid-air.
People in this romance fantasy world might not understand.
They'd assume that if the bleeding stopped and the bones were set, the person was saved.
But a person can break even if their body remains intact.
Things called trauma in the real world. I might not be an expert, but I definitely know more about it than the folks here.
"They need time to recover from the shock. Until then, I'll keep them with me."
Several faces stiffened, lips twitching as if wanting to argue. But my firm tone kept them from speaking up.
Guess I'll have to help them give up.
"What are you all standing around for? Prepare shelters for the refugees and get ready for the monsters chasing them."
Phew.
Once I dismissed them and moved to the command tent, I really thought I was going to die.
I wanted to collapse right there and groan in pain, but one arm still held the child, and half a step behind me, Nicholas followed like a shadow.
"Your Highness."
A subdued voice.
Was a second round of scolding about to begin?
I hunched my shoulders and turned to look.
Even now, Nicholas was immaculate. His uniform was pristine, his white gloves blindingly bright.
But his face was strange.
Despite his usual cold, composed expression, the rims of his eyes were red.
Hey, are you crying right now?
"Your Highness. I'll work harder."
What kind of nonsense is this?
"Don't bother with work. Just go back to chasing after the Saintess like you used to. I'll handle everything else so you can do whatever you want."
What kind of fresh bullshit is this?
I studied Nicholas' face carefully.
Was he trying to provoke the Crown Prince, or was he genuinely worried? It was hard to tell.
But his eyes were getting even redder than before?
No way.
It must be the lighting, right?
"Being the Crown Prince doesn't mean throwing your life away on the streets. You've got it all wrong. I'd rather you just laze around."
Something glistened at the corners of Nicholas' eyes.
I prayed it wasn't true, but—those were real tears.
Yet Nicholas didn't wipe them away. His expression was that of someone holding back, as if acknowledging the tears would make him truly break.
No way.
A man using tears as a weapon is just unfair.
I'd rather he yelled and threw a tantrum.
"......."
"Let's get you treated first."
Having subdued me, Nicholas handed me over to the medics.
After the examination, the healers cast their magic as instructed.
It hurt.
I could feel every moment of flesh knitting back together, bones realigning. Experiencing it fully conscious was horrifying.
Gritting my teeth, I rummaged inside my coat.
The soft touch of a plushie greeted my fingers.
Mung-i, my sister's stuffed doll.
Was this why she clung to this worn-out, furless plushie even as an adult? The soft texture soothed my frayed nerves. Like magic, the pain lessened.
From the perspective of a 24-year-old man, it was embarrassing.
If anyone found out I carried around a ragged stuffed dog, I'd be socially crucified.
But if I got separated from it and the System messages stopped appearing, that would be a real problem.
While I was lost in thought, I received word that the child's treatment was finished.
I thought they might've bribed them with candy, but apparently, they just used sleep magic.
Well, for that kid right now, sleep was probably the best medicine.
Once the unwanted guests had left, I pulled out Mung-i.
"Hey. Shouldn't there be a System message by now?"
[Crown Prince Ludwig has survived.]
Mung-i's button eyes flickered, and a message appeared in the air.
"Don't mess with me. Give me my reward."
[Staying alive is the reward.]
"You sound just like someone I know."
[It's the real reward.]
Mung-i's face was serious.
It was funny that I could read a stuffed doll's expression, but it was true.
According to the setting, only human malice could harm the Imperial bloodline.
A landslide was a natural disaster, so I thought surviving was a given. But apparently, my life itself was the reward.
"Explain in more detail. You're saying it wasn't a natural disaster?"
Human malice. Conspiracy. Assassination attempt...
Those words floated through my mind.
[No spoilers before reading.]
"What the...."
But my interrogation couldn't continue.
Frantic footsteps and shouts.
Screams and sobs mixed together.
It was time to move again.
Ugh.
"Small monster group spotted on the detour route!"
Thump.
The real battle was about to begin.
I picked up the sword I'd propped against the bed and fastened it again.
Would I even be able to use it properly?
Well, Nicholas would be watching with bloodshot eyes, so I could probably just fake it this time.
But before I could even pretend, I was sent straight back to the tent.
"It's just a small group following the refugees," Nicholas said.
"The Central Knights' vanguard and the Northern Army are already handling it."
"The commander should still oversee the field."
"I recall you saying during the meeting that you'd only command from the rear base."
Seeing my guilty expression, Nicholas pressed further.
"When higher-ups keep showing up on the frontlines, it makes things harder for the subordinates."
I know, I've served in the military too.
But isn't this guy being a little too harsh?
"Nicholas, you've got quite the mouth on you."
"Your Highness has been acting recklessly, so I had no choice."
This guy's words are sharper than I thought.
Guess he's been bottling up a lot.
"......."
Now that I think about it, a lot.
When Ludwig was busy chasing the Saintess, this guy must've handled all the cleanup.
"Vanguard has eliminated the leading monsters! No casualties among the refugees!"
"See?"
Nicholas said triumphantly.
"The world keeps turning even without Your Highness. So it's fine to rest for just a little while."
And so, I was imprisoned in the tent.
The Crown Prince's dignity, my ass...
In the end, all I could do was shuffle through paperwork late into the night.
What else could I do, trapped in the command tent?
Even after healing magic, my back still ached, and Nicholas glared every time I so much as shifted in my chair.
Just yesterday, I thought he was nothing but a loyal adjutant.
Turns out, he's the real power behind the throne, pulling the Crown Prince's strings.
Time passed, and reports steadily came in.
The monsters trailing the refugees had been dealt with, with no additional casualties.
But the main force was still beyond the second defense line.
I wanted to go out and see for myself, but Nicholas' gaze was drilling into the back of my neck. No way to win against that.
Dietrich had immediately moved to reinforce the second line. Caspar was assessing the Central Knights' losses and regrouping the remaining troops. Konrad was doing a fine job as the living flag of morale among the refugees.
It felt strange to just sit and listen to reports while the battlefield was right outside.
Everyone was doing their part.
The people I'd forcibly shoved into their roles were finally starting to function on their own.
As Nicholas said, the world kept turning without me.
If only it had been like this from the start...
The death toll weighed heavily on my chest, but...
This was the best we could do for now.
The Magic Division's report came much later.
"There's something suspicious about the monsters' movements."
Ulrich had said the same thing during the initial high-altitude observation. Even after the battle, his doubts remained, and he kept muttering about how strange it was as he combed through the base.
To stop the next offensive, we needed to understand why they moved the way they did.
Well, he's working hard, so I'll trust him for now.
I glanced at the child curled up asleep in the corner of the tent. If they woke up surrounded by strangers, they'd panic even more. So, for now, the child was mine to look after.
I'd have to search for their parents later. But with no name, no age, nothing to go on, there was nothing I could do right now.
Everyone's working, and I'm the only one slacking off.
Not a bad feeling.
But I couldn't just laze around.
I went over Ulrich's words again, one by one.
What was normal, what was suspicious.
I sorted through the information.
Monsters, the lesser kin of demons.
A large-scale monster movement meant a demon was behind it.
Nothing strange so far.
But this afternoon, Ulrich had clearly said:
"For a force that size, there should be traces. Either the demon commander's magi, the scent of higher beings, or remnants of ritual magic."
"But there's nothing. It's too clean."
I tapped the edge of the report with my finger.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Hah, the real weirdness was something else entirely.
It's quiet.
Too quiet.
Just moments ago, the sounds of soldiers' footsteps, refugees coughing, wagon wheels creaking, and medics' short shouts had filled the air.
But now, there was nothing.
Even the sound of me swallowing disappeared weakly into the tent's silence. It was as if someone had cast a soundproof barrier between the outside world and this tent.
[Staying alive is the reward.]
Mung-i's words came back to me.
The moment my hand touched my sword's hilt—
A woman appeared inside the tent.
The entrance flap remained undisturbed, silently telling me no one had passed through.
Skin white as snow, hair black as ebony, lips red as blood.
A face so stunning it could rival top celebrities.
But I didn't think she was beautiful.
Those crimson eyes fixed on me—no human had eyes like that. And with two horns rising from her head, the conclusion was obvious.
A demon.
A demon had appeared.
Ludwig's memories whispered that the higher a demon's rank, the more beautiful their human-like form appeared to mortals.
Tonight, a high-ranking demon had graced us with her presence.
The answer the Tower Master had been searching for all afternoon had come walking in on its own.
"So it's you."
Keeping my hand on my sword, I glared at the demon.
"The one behind today's little stunt."
I stood up, subtly blocking her line of sight toward the child.
My back burned as if tearing apart again, but that was a problem for later.
Sshhk.
Pain made my sword arm waver.
A clumsy stance that would probably make my opponent laugh rather than feel threatened.
But this was the only struggle I could manage right now.
I summoned as much intimidation as I could.
"The silence outside—is that your doing too?"
A growling voice, more like a beast's snarl, spilled from my lips.
To a demon capable of silencing thousands, my pathetic threat must've been laughable.
But after all this suffering, a total annihilation ending just wouldn't do.