Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Fate (3)
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"It's starting today. All of it."
Iven reread the final line one last time before slipping the letter meant for Bulki into an envelope. For any contingencies, he tucked it between the books he always kept by his bedside and slid it back into the gap under his bed.
The best course would have been for him to simply vanish somewhere, but Iven intended to face the protesters head-on. Even if it meant dying in the process. After all, the princess could send a knight in disguise and use her curse to make everyone believe it was Iven.
At that moment, the cathedral bells rang out.
That grandiose, self-righteous peal echoed as if proclaiming the end of all Iven's time. He rose from his seat, donned his finest polished armor, and stepped out of the dormitory.
"Iven, where are you off to? Got some good news for us today?"
"What, you're running late today, Sir Knight?"
"Heard about three hundred knights getting pulled to the Sun Forest last night-know anything about that, Sir Knight?"
"Eaten lunch yet? You look drained today."
Peaceful citizens, every one of them wearing calm smiles.
As Iven passed through the market toward his office, heading back to his duties amid the lives they each protected, he moved with heavy steps through their voices. Only he could protect them, he vowed to himself. That's why he had to stop the protest today.
"You're late today, Iven. Well, you're still out way earlier than office hours lately. Here, take these. Too many people crowding around talking about protests and whatnot-swamped with work."
Iven took the stack of documents, stashed them in his office, and headed toward where Brunawn's citizens had gathered. Naturally, no priests had been dispatched, but as he'd confirmed the day before, the cannons on the stone walls were as useless as Graveheim had said-incapable of even firing. He'd also verified that the knights were positioned far away. Sure enough, it would be the protesters who killed Iven.
Right then, he spotted Lije amid the crowd.
Lije. Right-if I stop this protest, there's something I want to tell you. Iven tried to call her name, but no words came out. The curse was supposed to involve only the princess. Puzzled, he shoved through the crowd and rushed toward her.
"No!"
In an instant, Lije stumbled, and as Iven lunged to catch her, the citizens propped her up and helped her to her feet.
Thankfully, the citizens remained mild-mannered, showing no signs of unrest. Before Iven could call out or reach her, Lije vanished into the far back of the throng. Only then did he relax, steeling his resolve as he stepped before the crowd. Iven trusted in the goodness of these citizens.
"Everyone! Loyal subjects of Brunawn in the great Sonain Empire!"
The people eyed Iven with uneasy expressions. The knights on the walls did the same. In that moment, Iven drew his sword and dropped it at the feet of the citizens. They would never kill him at the princess's whim.
"I am Iven of the 3rd Knight Order. I stand unarmed, and my sword is yours. I hail from a seaside village in Brunawn myself. There have been some misunderstandings and delays so far, it's true, but you needn't worry any longer. The issues... no, if support from the central offices and cathedral isn't promised again, I will stake my life to convey your will. Just wait a moment-I'll fetch my edict, so please trust me and go home. Just a little longer, please believe in me and disperse."
Iven dropped to his knees, and the roughly thousand-strong crowd began murmuring all at once.
"As a knight, I beg you."
In the midst of it, his eyes met Lije's from deep within the throng. Yes, there was something I'd always wanted to say. Only now, in this dire moment. If I stop the protest instead of Bulki, Lije-if everything turns out all right for us-I'll tell you I love you.
You're my fate, after all.
Did his feelings reach her? It felt like Lije smiled. Iven felt a wave of relief. It'seemed like they could get through this day unscathed.
Right then.
Boom!
An explosion erupted from within the crowd.
About fifty citizens exploded right before his eyes. And another cursed vagrant hidden among the protesters detonated as well, planted by the princess.
The princess, hearing the blasts from inside the cathedral, bathed in delight. Each boom brought a flush to her cheeks as she moaned in what seemed like endless ecstasy. Iven had thought she was using the protesters to kill him and fully control Bulki, but he was only half right.
The princess intended to wipe out the protesters alongside Iven. As later records would show, by Iven's own hand.
Madness and terror, followed by yet another explosion.
Rather than cower in fear, the crowd lost all reason to rage over family members vanishing before their eyes.
A man from the front row snatched Iven's sword and slashed at his arm. As Iven tried to rise, another grabbed the blade and hacked at his leg. In the chaos, the sword bounced off the ground and snapped.
Iven collapsed, spraying blood.
The last thing Iven saw was the furious mob surging past him toward the walls. Then a girl, weeping blood tears, drove the broken straight sword into his throat.
And so Iven closed his eyes.
***
Where the Sun Forest met the highlands, war loomed.
On the highland side stood over three hundred reinforced knights led by Riu. On the forest side loomed a hundred massive, corrupted ancient trees blotting out the woods, along with Eden Sonain astride a Glory Mir, the Sun Forest guardians, and their captain Hainelius. Riu and Eden Sonain stepped forward slightly from their groups to face each other.
"Eden Sonain! You, once hailed as Hero-are you truly attacking the Empire?!"
Riu demanded, and Eden Sonain, riding a golden Mir resembling a long-legged tortoise, replied.
"It's been a while, Riu! Seeing you proudly as Knight Order Captain puts my mind at ease. Yes, I will sweep the Empire away with the sun fairies! You know it too, Riu! You knights know it! The twisted state of this world! As one knight for our knights, I will erase this great Sonain Empire from the eastern continent's map!"
Riu couldn't comprehend it at all. His ideology, his very demeanor-it was the polar opposite of what Riu remembered. Attacking the Empire for the sake of knights?
"Radiant knights! Mock and curse me if you will. You won't understand now. My resolve stems solely from my destiny. But remember my absence. And realize the Empire's evil cannot be purged by knightly hands. We must devour all twisted fates! Then you'll know. That's why, through the witch's wisdom, I learned of the pact with the sun fairies and earned this Mir's favor. I will never stop now. Even if I'must cut you all down with my spear."
Bulki, seeing this true Hero wielding a gleaming golden spear like his own and chosen by a Mir, couldn't accept it and leaped forward to challenge him.
"Bulki of the 1st Knight Order. Hero! Can't this be resolved through talk? Why slaughter the Empire's innocent subjects instead of saving them? Aren't you the true Hero?!"
"Stand down, Bulki."
"Captain!"
"I said stand down!"
"Benevolent guardians of the forest! Why are you doing this?!"
Shainelius cried out from beside Riu. Hainelius gazed sadly at his sister and said,
"Shainelius! Humans broke the pact from a thousand years ago long ago. I discovered it and now heed the Hero's call to honor that forsaken vow! Shainel, come here! Our forest must slaughter humans together!"
"Brother, I..."
Shainelius hesitated, and just then Eden Sonain glanced at Bulki's sword, seeming to waver before asking,
"Riu, for old times' sake, give me a moment. Young Hero, do you even know what a Hero is?"
"I... no, a Hero is one who saves! Your mercilessness now is wrong!"
"No. A Hero is one who perceives this world's distortions. Thus, even if they save no one! Even if they die themselves! They walk their path silently, guiding the world rightly, and cut down the true enemy! The real god of this world deems such the true Hero!"
Bulki faltered, suddenly thinking of Iven, and couldn't reply. Then Riu stepped forward.
"No need to hear more from this heretic. Bulki, guard the flank and take command of the guardians."
"But Captain, shouldn't we think this over more? We haven't even heard a proper reason! If we rush into battle now, our formation will suffer heavy losses..."
"Greater losses could come! Everyone around you dying-or the entire Empire! Act before you think. Don't seek what you can do-draw your sword even if you can't. Ignore everything else, cut down the enemy before you, and protect your convictions! That's what I'm doing with all my might."
Bulki bowed his head at Riu's stern command, his eyes filled with sorrow. Riu glanced skyward for a moment, like a rite of penitence, but it soon ended. Then he faced all the knights and shouted.
"Knight Order! I declare the foes before us enemies of the Empire! Draw your swords! And inherit! The goddess herself would command it. Knight Order! Yerutsa Rahav!"
"Yerutsa Rahav!"
Riu drew his red sword and charged.
All the knights roared in unison, scattering like an explosion, while the corrupted ancient trees hurled boulders and shifted roots toward them. The lines clashed, filling the land with dull ruptures and the rending of wood.
"Yerutsa Rahav!"