EIITAB - Chapter 59 < I'm Leaving It Here >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
"Angela, open the door."
"Yes? But Princess... The duke told me not to move inside unless he opened it himself,"
"I'll take responsibility, come on."
Angela finally opened the door, struggling to hear the unusually stern voice. A cold wind blew into the carriage. Hestia got up and got down quietly, holding her breath.
"Angela, you wait here."
As she turned around to the other side of the carriage, she saw the knights standing in a circle in front of her.
Where is that?
There were blood stains contaminating the snow field and the corpses of dozens of demonic beasts were lying around. And then she saw the body of a man.
Thump, thump, thump.
Hestia's heart began to beat rapidly. Her mouth was dry.
'No way. Probably not.'
She clenched her fists and shuffled forward, almost dragging her feet. She wanted to confirm with her own eyes that Aslan was safe.
"Tsk."
At that time, the familiar sound of his tongue clicking came from behind her. For a moment, Hestia's breathing stopped. Her body reacted before her head.
"I told you not to come out."
Hestia held her breath at the sound of Aslan's voice and looked behind her with a stiff movement. A frowning expression and clenched lips. It was Aslan.
"....Ah."
For a moment, all her tension was released, and Hestia stumbled. Aslan hurriedly stretched out his arms and grabbed her, pulling her towards his body. In an instant, his posture changed to hugging Hestia. Hestia lightly leaned her forehead against his hard chest and let out a sharp breath that she had been holding.
So she took a moment to catch her breath and then bit down on her body, and Aslan obediently let her go. But soon his brows furrowed again.
"Ah."
He let out something like a sigh in a low voice. Only then did Hestia's eyes turn to somewhere on her body where his gaze was focused. She was caught by him, and the red blood on his arm was clearly visible.
"I defiled you."
As if he didn't like it very much, Aslan rubbed his palm on his thigh. He cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment and spoke softly.
"For now, go back in. I'll tell you once the mess is sorted out."
But Hestia didn't budge. Her gaze had been fixed on Aslan's face from earlier. Because he had blood on his cheek.
"Are you hurt?"
Hestia lifted her shaking hands to his face. He was such a man that she didn't like being messed with, so he thought she would be caught in the middle and stopped. But Aslan didn't, and Hestia's hand slowly but finally reached Aslan's cheek.
Aslan, who had flinched for a moment, remained still for some reason. Hestia cupped his cheek. Aslan just took a slow breath and left her alone. Just like that, she wiped away the blood droplets witn Hestia's thumb.
Hestia sighed as she confirmed that his skin was fine.
"It's not your blood."
Aslan looked at her relieved appearance for a moment, then averted his gaze and asked bluntly.
"Why on earth did you come out?"
Hestia swallowed her dry saliva and responded to the subsequent pounding,
"Sorry. The carriage suddenly moved."
"It moved it a little."
She nodded her head weakly, repeated words of apology filling her mouth.
"Sorry."
Once she confirmed that Aslan was safe, she finally found peace of mind. After leaving th carriage, she turned her gaze back to the first knights she had seen. They were still looking down at something.
Just then, the wind blew, and the scent of blood seemed to seep into Hestia's nose. Hestia reflexively took a step toward them. The smell of blood became more intense as she became sicker, but Hestia did not stop her steps. At that time, Aslan grabbed her wrist.
"Hestia."
Aslan called out to her and tried to dissuade her. As she glanced towards him, she saw him shaking his head towards her.
"You'd better not look."
He hesitated and chose his words before adding a word without confidence.
"I don't think it would be a very good scene for you to see."
Her heart was agitated without knowing why. What can she say?
He looked as if he wanted to hide them from himself. That means it has something to do with her. After holding off on answering, she glanced at Aslan's expression.
'I'm not sure, though.'
It didn't seem like it was forced.
"If you give me a choice, I guess I should see it."
As she carefully expressed her opinion, Aslan looked down at Hestia with his complex eyes. After his hesitation, he let go of her wrist that he was still holding. It was his silent permission.
As she drew closer, the hesitant knights little by little gave way. As Hestia moved forward, she could see a boy staining the white snow with dark red blood. He was a familiar face to her eyes.
He was the youngest friend in the knights who often glared at her whenever they met. His right arm holding her sword was limp, and there was a large wound near his shoulder.
"Why.... What happened.....?"
Her voice trembled helplessly. Hestia cleared her throat and cleared her throat before opening her mouth again.
"How on earth did this happen?"
Aslan, who was silent for a moment, soon confessed.
"The devil targeted the carriage you were riding in. And Jerome was the first of us to move."
With that one word, the whole situation was portrayed. Without hesitation, Hestia knelt down next to the boy knight. As if she didn't care that Jerome's blood stained her clothes or that her knees got cold from his eyes.
The boy knight's face was pale and unbecoming of his age. His breathing was irregular and very rough as if he was having a hard time holding on to his consciousness. Hestia wet her lips several times before carefully holding Jerome's hand with both of her own. But at that moment.
Pack!
Jerome, who was clearly using up all his energy just to hold on, gritted his teeth and threw away Hestia's hand. His hand fell limply, and Hestia looked at the boy knight with a puzzled expression on her face.
Jerome was glaring at her pointedly, his eyes focused.
"Don't touch me..."
A harsh cough burst out between his lips. In response to his obvious refusal, Hestia pursed her lips tightly and asked. She didn't have the courage to touch Jerome again. She spoke in a bitter tone as she held her hand, cupping her fingertips.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Hestia looked up at Aslan and spoke with a stern expression on her face.
"It would be best to move him by carriage first. He won't be able to ride the horse anymore, so me and Angela will take care of him."
However, Aslan did not give the order to move Jerome. He just looked down at his subordinate with a sad expression. Hestia scowled at him and urged him on.
"Aslan, what are you doing? Let's move him to the carriage, shall we?"
Aslan wasn't the only one who was strange. His lieutenants and other knights also remained silent and did not make any movement. Only then did Hestia realize the identity of this heavy atmosphere.
Aslan parted his dry lips and spoke in a terribly low voice.
"You can't take Jerome with you."
"...What does that mean?"
Aslan, who was pressing his tightly shut lips, soon spoke heavily again.
"The magic beast's poison has begun to spread. He won't be able to last until Kalathi Castle."
"You don't know that!"
Hestia raised her voice as if to reconsider, but Aslan's decision did not change.
"Even if he goes to the castle, there is no doctor to treat him."
He left out his afterword, but everyone knew it. Jerome dies. Like other knights of Kalathi who were wounded fighting the winter.
Aslan clenched his fists. His teeth suddenly ground apart. It's always been like that. To them, the Duchy of Kalathi was in the midst of an endless war. Of course, he couldn't take care of everyone. That was the most painful part for Aslan, who was responsible for this land and its people.
So, all of Kalathi's knights were prepared to close their eyes in the cold ice rather than by the side of their families. It was something that could not be helped, created by the environment.
"I'm leaving Jerome here."
Aslan, who was more angry than anyone else, spoke bitterly. No one disputed his decision. Even Jerome, who would be left behind, agreed. However, Hestia shook her head with a determined expression.
"No. I don't understand."
"Hestia."
Aslan called her name as if he was tired. She knew he meant to stop, but Hestia didn't stop her.
"None of us should be left behind. He's still alive. So, Sir Jerome, please come with me to the castle."
When no one moved, Hestia raised her voice again with her emotions.
"How could I leave him behind? He was the one who got hurt trying to protect me. So, I will take responsibility."
At that moment, all the knights, including Aslan, held their breath. A thick silence enveloped everyone. As if she had made a promise, everyone at the same time began glaring at Hestia with fierce eyes.
To the knights, Jerome is a comrade who faces the winter together. Not only did he share blood, but they were people who had stroked Jerome's head since he was a child and watched him grow up. So, do they really want to leave Jerome alone in this cold land of ice?
It was astounding to see her talking so carefreely without even knowing what was happening to them.
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