Chapter 122
Chapter 122
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Off to Steal Again Today
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The thunderous roar of cannons echoed through the air, causing the very foundation of the earth to tremble under the weight of an impending doom. It was a night that many had believed would endure for all eternity, yet even a darkness as profound as this was finally drawing to its inevitable conclusion. Sharp pillars of light began to pierce the heavens, heralding a dawn that felt more like an executioner than a savior as the brilliant radiance prepared to swallow the shadows whole. Very soon, the invaders would breach the gates of the castle, intent on incinerating the endless night with their glorious, unforgiving flames.
Reason dictated that one must flee, for to remain within these walls was to invite total annihilation and allow one’s very existence to return to the void of nothingness. I was acutely aware of this undeniable truth, yet I never once considered looking back or seeking a path to safety. I had been bound by a sacred mission for centuries, a duty to serve and assist the King who had ruled over us with an iron will. This was why I did not abandon the fortress; I remained here, standing alongside my kin, prepared to fight until the very end at my monarch's side.
The sounds of clashing steel and heavy rumbling filled the corridors, providing a grim soundtrack to our final moments. Outside, I could see my clansmen fighting with a desperate, solitary ferocity against an overwhelming tide of enemies, and I knew that I could not allow myself to become a source of shame in their eyes. I resolved to fight with the King, even if it meant that my demise would come while standing in his shadow. With these thoughts weighing heavy on my soul, I respectfully bowed my head as a long shadow was cast across the hallway. It was him—the Emperor of Night, the Sovereign of Shadows, and the ultimate source of all darkness had finally arrived, and I followed his retreating figure with eyes filled with a manic, devoted ecstasy.
However, a sudden wave of confusion washed over me when I noticed the expression on his face. I could not comprehend why the King was looking at me with such profound, unmistakable sorrow in his gaze. "Alfred," he spoke, his voice steady yet carrying an underlying weight that pulled at my heart. I responded immediately to his call, standing ready to fulfill his every whim. "Butler Alfred, at your service, my King."
"How long has it been since you took over the management of this castle?" he asked quietly. I replied that according to the continental calendar, it had been exactly seven hundred and forty-two years. I did not mention the specific months or days, for the King had strictly forbidden such trifles when I first took up my post, yet the precise numbers remained etched into the back of my mind. "It has been a long time indeed," he mused, to which I noted that for our long-lived race, it was merely a fraction of our lifespan. He turned his gaze toward the battlefield outside where our people were perishing, and the realization that the King intended to personally join the fray sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine; the thought of riding into battle at his side filled me with an overwhelming sense of honor.
"Alfred," he called again, and I stood at attention, pleading internally for the command to unleash my body against the enemy and slaughter them in his name. Instead, he uttered words that shattered my spirit. "Go to my private chambers." I stared at him, begging him with my eyes to retract the order and grant me the glory of assisting him on the field. "And live through this," he added firmly. I cried out in protest, calling his name in desperation, but he simply stated that it was an absolute command and that he would hear no more of my pleas. He began to walk away, his figure growing smaller as he headed toward the heart of the conflict.
I felt a desperate urge to chase after him, but my body refused to obey my will, bound by the absolute authority of his decree. The only thing I was permitted to do was watch his back as he departed, unable to take a single step in his direction. Forced to comply, I moved toward his room, but I paused to look out at the world one last time, hoping to sear his image into my memory. At that precise moment, the pillars of light that had been illuminating the land began to dim, and a sudden, unnatural darkness reclaimed the sky. The pale heavens were transformed into a pitch-black night, and within that void, I witnessed the true power of my master. "My night is eternal," he declared, revealing himself as the true King of Night.
---