Guardian (5)
Chevio's face became serious.
"Why are you like that? Tell your brother."
"If you were a top-tier monster and had to approach a key figure in the Allied Forces, who would you transform into?"
"There's blood all over there. I'll choose from that."
"How do I find out the password?"
The Allied Forces were already using a thoroughly constructed encryption system to counter the abilities of the highest-level monsters.
Chevio nodded.
"Hmm... now that I think about it. It'll be difficult. Even if the highest level monsters can transform into humans, they can't retrieve human memories."
"So, what I mean is, wouldn't the top monster transform into an unexpected figure who has nothing to do with the military? Someone who obviously doesn't know the password?"
"That would be more suspicious. It's not natural for an unrelated civilian to show up on a battlefield."
"What if that were me?"
"..."
Chevio's expression hardened for a moment. A heavy voice flowed out from between his lips, which had been closed for a while.
"So that's why I asked if you cleaned up the blood. But... Isn't that a bit too hasty?"
"Why?"
"Why would a top-tier monster approach the Allied Forces while disguising itself as you? Moreover, if you suddenly appear on the battlefield, anyone would be suspicious."
"The reason the highest-level monsters transform into human form is to induce letdowns. They can kill their opponents in just a split second."
The ability of the top monster wasn't just about changing form.
The poison they sprayed from their wings was their core weapon.
But Chevio remained skeptical.
"I know that, but would they risk their life to kill just one human? Would a top-tier monster be that stupid?"
"What if he's after you, Lord Kalit or Lord Ian?"
Chevio pinched my cheek as if he thought I was cute.
"Youngest, if the Allied Forces fall apart because the Commander-in-Chief is killed, why would the monsters fight a war? All they have to do is assassinate the Commander-in-Chief."
"..."
"Ian is the same. He's the best, but one person dying doesn't change the course of the war."
Thanks to Baba, I can get the news quickly, but other people don't know what happened in White Field.
Of course, the fact that Ian had been chosen as the guardian had not yet been conveyed. I held Chevio's hand.
"Brother, Ian has become the third guardian."
"...What?"
"Ian, you have been chosen as the 'protector'."
Chevio's eyes widened. He was about to cheer for a moment, but suddenly he took on a stern expression.
"Where did you hear that?"
"From the source."
"You hired an informant without telling your brother? Are you sure about his identity?"
"That's not what's important right now, brother."
Chevio stroked his chin, where a beard was beginning to grow.
Because I know all too well how important a 'protector' is on the battlefield.
The death of a single commander and the death of a 'protector' was Incomparable in symbolism.
"Do you know how powerful the power of the 'protector' is? It's the power to suck life force. It's the power to turn it into nothing."
"I know."
"Even if the Guardians die, we will win. In fact, we won the Great Rift 30 years ago without any Guardians."
"..."
Of course, as Chevio said, there was no guarantee that the Allied forces would collapse even if Ian died.
This was my greed. I wanted him to come back whole, without getting hurt or dying.
A 'protector' cannot achieve love.
Something hot rose up in my throat. I forced a smile, thinking I was going to cry like an idiot.
"I... I'm just thinking about the worst-case scenario. It can't hurt to give them a warning."
"I'm not trying to scold you. I think it's right to warn them since Ian has awakened as a 'protector'. But..."
Chevio paused for a moment and looked at me. I lowered my head to avoid those piercing eyes.
"Let me ask you just one thing."
"What?"
"Is losing the Great Rift what you're worried about, Ian?"
The tears I had been holding back finally burst out. I sobbed like a child.
"Ian..."
"..."
"I'm so worried about that person I think I'm going crazy"
Chevio let out a long sigh and hugged me.
"Yes, I'll send a messenger to Whitefield right away. Don't cry, okay?"
"...Really?"
He wiped my cheek with his large hand and rested his chin on my crown.
"There was a time in the past when I suffered from Insomnia. I know, I heard it from my older brother."
"Did you know that Ian came to our house every single day without fail? He said he would carry you to bed. The next day, when we were training, his arms were shaking so much that he couldn't even lift his sword properly."
"..."
"I was really grateful, but you did something bad to that guy."
"Bad thing?"
Chevio poked the tip of my nose, which had turned red.
"That guy stayed in Eldern for about a month and when he came back, you didn't remember him."
" ...Ah"
"You kept asking me why. It was so annoying that I just got annoyed and said, 'Oh, I guess that's how you treated our youngest!""
My older brother told me to say that.
But Chevio never said anything like that.
"Thinking back now, I think I was anxious. I was worried that he would steal you away from me. But in the end..."
Chevio stroked my face with sad eyes, then smiled indifferently.
"Our youngest has rabbit eyes. I hope you don't have any vision problems."
"Who among us gets worse eyesight because of exercise?"
"Our youngest is not a person, she's a doll."
I laughed at the absurd answer. Chevio, who had been giggling along, made a meaningful expression.
"But Ian, do you know how narrow-minded he is despite his looks?"
"Do you want to gossip about your friend who is on the battlefield?"
"Listen, you said you forgot about him and then he got upset and didn't come to our house to play for years?"
"But he came when I was chosen as the guardian."
"Was he the only one who came then? Even His Highness the First Prince postponed his schedule to attend the party, so what can he say? Of course, he should come."
"His Highness the First Prince, did you have any plans?"
"I had to go to the Grand Duchy of Romena as a diplomatic representative."
"He postponed such an important schedule because of me."
"Don't be too impressed. He postponed it because it was worth putting off. Since it was a half-year schedule anyway, it wouldn't have mattered if it was a day late, right?"
My head felt dizzy as if someone had hit me in the back of the head. I broke away from SlChevio's arms.
"Now, wait a minute... Half a year?"
"What?"
"You mean to say that Lord Kalit has been absent from the Empire for half a year? Since I was chosen as the Guardian?"
"That's what I said."
"But still he came and went every now and then, right?"
"Well, how can he do that while he's on official duty? He didn't even go out to play."
The boy has been coming to see me almost every month since the day I was chosen as his guardian?
'Then, who is that?'
"When you got the tattoo, didn't you get it treated by someone?"
"You... did it for me."
Even though I asked the question vaguely at the time, he insisted on picking on me and answering. So I didn't doubt it at all...
'Kalit is not that boy. So why did he lie?'
No, it didn't matter why he deceived me.
Because there's something else that's important right now.
I moved my stiff body and got out of Chevio's bed.
"Are you going?"
"I thought of something to do..."
"Shall we have dinner together later?"
"Good..."
I turned around with a clumsy smile, but the tears that had stopped welled up and my vision became blurry.
The benefactor was Ian.
***
Several days passed, but no news of the 'protector's appearance reached the capital.
Not only that, I couldn't hear any Information about how the Great Rift's third battle was fought properly.
There was no word from the messenger that Chevio had sent to Whitefield. It was not even confirmed whether it had arrived at Whitefield properly.
Baba was the same. He also said that he had lost contact with his informant at some point.
It was only then that I found out.
The fact that contact with Whitefield was lost.
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