Chapter 95
Chapter 95
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Lena Rubel's Calm Before the Storm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In her childhood, Lena truly hated being lonely. Her nursemaids would change whenever she grew attached to them, and she could only see the neighborhood children from beyond the window. Back then, her only solace had been books and stories. Her favorite author, Bitra, mainly wrote poems but occasionally crafted tales for children. They were usually about a young boy and girl going on adventures. Among Bitra's protagonists, Lena loved 'Uni' the most. Uni was lively, spirited, and honest—a child adored by everyone. As a little girl, Lena had wanted to be like Uni, and after meeting her family, she believed she had become just that. She thought she had become precious to them, like Uni. So when that belief shattered, Lena grew even more lost. She couldn't grasp what it meant to be loved. How others were cherished. And as time passed, Lena met yet another person. Someone who had descended into the Abyss to find her. When he came to her in the darkness, Lena felt something break inside her. It was the distrust she had considered part of herself, the sorrowful conviction that no one could ever reach her. Not everything one wishes for comes true. In the end, people live on, adapting to harsh reality despite their frustrations. That was humanity to Lena. Loved ones. Family. Friends, lovers. Lena, who would soon return to the grave, had acknowledged it and let go. She made no effort to love or be loved. Especially not to become irreplaceable to one another. Yet he approached relentlessly, endlessly, shaking her until he finally carved himself into her heart. Lena surrendered helplessly and, for a fleeting moment, wondered if this was what it felt like to be loved. But it was truly just a moment. Now in the West, Lena thought bitterly as she reflected again. Seeing how things had turned out, even that had been an illusion.
***
The fire set by the Crows raged for three full days. During that time, soldiers attempted to extinguish it several times, but Wraiths appeared each time to sabotage their efforts, letting the flames burn unchecked. It was only the timely rain that finally quelled the blaze. As the downpour steadily doused the fire and signs of an open path emerged, Lena, Iura, Rubid, and the other key figures gathered for the first time in a while.
“We'll resume the search inside the forest.”
Iura declared. His shoulder wound from days earlier had healed enough. He was already convinced that the Crows' base lay within. It wasn't just Iura—every knight and soldier pursued by the Crows thought the same.
“That doesn't seem like a good idea.”
Yet for some reason, Lena Rubel, proxy of the Southern Duke, voiced opposition.
“There are still things we need to confirm. The Wraiths we took down before the Crows appeared—they didn't make a sound when they died. They might not be Heretics' Wraiths.”
“And?”
“If we don't know the enemy's true nature, isn't moving rashly too dangerous?”
“That's why we search—to find out what we don't know.”
“That's exactly what makes it too dangerous.”
As Lena repeated the word 'dangerous' like a parrot, Iura's already cold expression hardened further.
“So what is Lady Rubel proposing?”
Iura asked point-blank. Lena lowered her lashes briefly, as if dodging his sharpness, then spoke in a flat tone.
“I won't participate in this search.”
Iura's eyes narrowed at Lena's declaration. But she avoided his gaze and continued evenly.
“The knights heading out for the search are all the Duke's men anyway, so my absence won't be a big issue. And for the same reason, if problems arise, I'll prioritize protecting the Duke. So until minimum safety is secured, I'll stand by.”
Lena's words were brazen. Selfish and卑鄙. Rubid felt unsettled by her unfamiliar attitude, while contempt rose in Iura's eyes.
“I watched just in case, but it was pointless. I should have realized when you boasted of your betrothal to the Eastern Duke.”
Iura spat coldly. Startled by the sudden mention of the Eastern Duke, Lena asked in surprise.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Anyone with a sense of honor wouldn't go near him. Not even for a political marriage—with someone who sold out his own people.”
Iura answered without hiding his disgust. The King of the North, Iura Plenus, despised those without loyalty. He particularly loathed the Eastern Duke for that reason. Rig-nan Aiterner, the Eastern Duke, had sacrificed his own kin to curry favor with the Emperor. Far from protecting them—little more than demigods—he had shoved them into the West, no better than a death trap. Iura had seen it here at the barrier. How they were futilely driven beyond it, devoured by Wraiths, and perished. Since witnessing that rotten deed, Iura had refused any dealings with the Eastern Duke. Sending away the Rubel Marquis recently had been for similar reasons, and now he felt the same disillusionment toward Lena. Stand by until safety is secured? No one dislikes safety. They simply brave danger out of necessity. Because it's needed, they sacrifice themselves at the forefront.
“If you're backing out, I won't stop you. I have no intention of entrusting my back to a coward.”
In the end, Iura decided it was better if Lena stayed out. Even with skill, that mindset made her nothing but a liability. Stung by Iura's sharp words, Lena replied with a face gone icy.
“If that's how you feel, there's no reason for us to sit together any longer. I'll take my leave.”
“Hey!”
As Lena rose, Rubid called out unwittingly. Not in anger or scolding, but a startled summons asking why. Though Rubid clumsily tried to stop her, Lena merely nodded curtly, pretending not to notice.
“Then I wish you good fortune, Mr. Rubid.”
With that, Lena turned away, ignoring the piercing stares.
. . .
Branded a coward, Lena was truly excluded from the search. Instead, Iura and Rubid headed into the forest as planned, and afterward, no one bothered her. Right after openly declaring she'd opt out for safety, the looks directed at Lena were nothing but cold. Thanks to that, she ascended to the watchtower undisturbed, alone. From there, she silently gazed at the abandoned lands to the west. The rift that had opened like a nightmare, the Wraiths massed below it, the dense forest, and amid it all, the ruined city.
'Is that it?'
Lena murmured as she scanned the vast city of the Western Territory with her eyes.
'And that one.'
What Lena discreetly noted were the tall buildings still standing in the city. The academy tower, the opera house, the church spire, and so on. If her guess was right, someone would be watching from around there. Lena hurriedly pondered as she lowered her gaze. A considerable force led by Iura and Rubid was heading into the forest. With a large-scale search underway, they wouldn't return to the fortress for a while. Lena watched them recede into the distance for a long time. And when they were far enough, she mounted her horse and rode out as well.
. . .
Unlike the Plenus brothers heading to the outer forest, Lena aimed for the abandoned city in the West. The old heart of the West, where Sirenchium Fortress once stood, was reachable in half an hour at a gallop from the barrier. Lena spurred her horse toward the ruins before word of her deviation reached Iura's ears. Entering the city was easy. The gates stood wide open, and the Wraiths that should have wandered the streets had all gathered below the rift at their king's summons. So Lena cut straight through the city to the tower she had spotted earlier. Upon reaching the tower, she climbed and searched every inch.
'Not here?'
Finding nothing, she soon emerged and remounted. Then she moved to the next spot. At the opera house she reached next, Lena searched similarly. But it was another miss, and without delay, she headed to the following building. After several such attempts, Lena finally went to the church atop the hill. The church, unvisited by outsiders for ages, looked cold and desolate.
'This is the last one....'
What if it's not here either? A moment of weakness surged. Lena hurriedly steeled herself. Such thoughts were unnecessary. Despair and frustration were premature. For now. Gritting her teeth, Lena ascended the church spire. Midway up the dizzyingly spiraling stairs, snakes suddenly slithered out from the seemingly empty surroundings without a sound. Seeing them, Lena felt relief more than surprise.
'Here it is.'
She had found it at last. Lest he flee, Lena charged straight at the snakes. They hissed threateningly as if to drive her away. But Lena ignored them, stepping over. Occasionally, their long bodies coiled around her waist to hold her, but that was all—they bared no fangs recklessly. Having passed the Wraiths with ease, Lena reached the spire door and kicked it open like shattering it. There he was. The one Lena had been seeking. The Crow, silhouetted against the red sky. The Crow facing Lena didn't smile strangely like the day before. He simply stood rigid, staring at her.
“You again.”
Lena, having just climbed the stairs, caught her breath and said. She smiled faintly, as if greeting a friend. But anyone who knew Lena even a little wouldn't be fooled by that smile. Unlike her smiling lips and gentle voice, her eyes were utterly frigid now. Yet the Crow, at a distance, couldn't quite see it and, instead of replying, hurled a dagger at her approaching feet. A warning not to come closer.
“. . . If you've been watching all this time, you know I'm alone. Probably you too.”
Pausing briefly at the flying dagger, Lena said that and pulled it from the floor. Then she looked at the Crow again and asked.
“You're someone I know, aren't you?”
At Lena's question, the Crow turned. He meant to escape through the window. A window at this height? Lena threw her dagger at the absurd attempt. Thunk! It pinned his cloak to the wooden frame. As the Crow hesitated, foot tangled in his cloak, Lena lunged. She drew and swung her sword, but the Crow only dodged, not drawing his own weapon hastily. His demeanor was worlds apart from when he'd fought Iura, infuriating Lena further. So she tossed aside her swinging sword and reached for the Crow's hood. Intent on ripping off that irritating bird head. But her hand was stopped midway. The Crow had grabbed both her wrists. Lena twisted her arms to shake him off. But he countered with formidable strength. After a prolonged struggle, Lena couldn't remove the Crow's mask. Frustrated, she bit her lip and fixed her gaze on the Crow's red lips. Lena's eyes narrowed briefly. Having resolved something, she pressed her lips to the Crow's.
“Mmph...!”
The Crow, silent until now, let out a groan or gasp. Whether hallucination or not, the sound felt deeply familiar to Lena. From just a kiss, the empire's felon recoiled greatly. As the Crow pulled back, Lena slipped her foot inside his cloak, tripping his leg. His step faltered, and in that gap, Lena mounted and tackled him. Crash! Unable to resist, the Crow toppled backward. Lena, falling with him, seized the moment to yank off his mask. The pitch-black mask came away, revealing a pale face. And seeing that face, a torrent of emotions crossed Lena's eyes.