Blahar pulled on the reins. The horse stopped with a loud neigh. He frowned at the sight before him.
“What, they’re all dead.”
What lay before Blahar was a mountain of corpses. It seemed that there had been a battle between the advance party and Elze's party.
But there was no Kalias or Elijah among the piles of corpses. There were only knights of Heglatan. They were clearly elite knights with armor, but they had been annihilated. Blahar clicked his tongue as he looked through the swaying corpses.
“Annihilating an entire unit of knights sent as an advance party, Elijah’s reputation certainly is not a lie.”
Serev, who had been examining the body next to Blahar, opened his mouth with a slightly hardened face.
"Your Highness."
“Huh?”
“They are all wounds from swords. Among the fugitives, there should be only one who can currently use a sword...”
Blahar frowned at Serev's words.
“What? You really thought Elze handled it all by herself?”
“Yes. Given the circumstances, it seems she took on the advance party alone, giving her party time to escape.”
Blahar kicked the corpse nervously, his boots making a thud sound as they hit the armor.
“Without a single piece of proper armor! To a woman with only two swords! To this many people! Does that make any sense?”
Serev was speechless in front of Blahar, who was screaming loudly. In fact, Serev couldn't believe it even though he saw it with his own eyes.
When those who had fought in the war would rave about Elijah, Serev dismissed it all as nonsense. It was a war that had been going on for nearly a hundred years. To say that it had been overturned simply because of a monstrous band of mercenaries was nothing more than a defeated soldier's excuse.
However, the truth that was revealed before his eyes was horrifying. The elite knights of Heglatan had been cut down by a single woman... Serev seemed to understand, even if only a little, what had happened in the Hundred Years’ War.
“Phew...”
Blahar let out a deep sigh. The breath he exhaled dissipated into white vapor. Through his hazy vision, something caught Blahar’s eye.
“Hmm?”
Blahar lowered his head. He saw drops of blood on the floor. The drops of blood continued across the bridge. He ran his fingers over the blood. The blood had not yet dried. It was proof that she had not gone far. Blahar said with a smirk.
“Still, I guess our knights are worth using.”
He stood up and motioned to Serev. Serev saw the bloodstain and immediately understood what Blahar wanted. Blahar mounted his horse again and gave an order.
“Track it.”
It really hurts...
Elze gasped for breath. A sharp pain surged through her left arm.
She hastily tore her clothes to stop the bleeding, but she had to drive away right away. Naturally, the wound opened again and blood flowed out.
The cloth that bound her arm had long since lost its original color. The damp, hanging cloth could no longer hold blood. Drops of blood dripped down her forearm. Elze rode her horse in a half-conscious state, recalling the battle just before.
"We must capture her alive!"
The knights rushed toward Elze all at once, shouting. It was a fight against an absolute majority. If she lost her breath even once, it would be over.
In the face of overwhelming odds, there was one thing that Elze had in her favor: they had to keep her alive.
The swords of those who must live and those who seek to kill cannot but be different. While the knights were relaxed with their swords, Elze's sword held a desperate will to kill.
But even so, the knights of Blahar were the elite of the elite. Elze was not properly equipped and had no assistance. She had to fight on her own. It was an impossible battle, beyond the disadvantages.
Elze didn't even remember how she fought the battle. It was so tense that she didn't even have time to make a decision in her head. There were too many enemies to follow their movements with her eyes and figure out what to do next.
She had to leave everything to her instincts. She intuitively predicted the enemy's movements, avoided them, and attacked them. It was a fight no different from that of many animals.
When Elze came to, all of Heglatan's knights were lying on the ground, cut into pieces of meat. Their left arms were cut so deeply that they were tattered.
"Ugh...."
Pain welled up in her mind as she recalled the wound. In fact, it would have been a great achievement to have wiped out a whole troop of knights and injured one arm. However, the problem was that Elze was currently on the run.
The muscles in her entire body were throbbing as if they were going to burst, and she was reaching her limit. Her body was in no condition after receiving and striking three or four heavy swords at the same time.
In addition, the wound on her left arm was deep and continued to bleed. Because she had lost so much blood, her whole body felt lethargic. Beyond the pain, a strange sense of peace was coming over her. Elze felt the urge to rest.
But as soon as she looked away from the tempting impulse, her body immediately began to sway. Elze almost fell off her horse but barely managed to straighten up. She came to her senses for a moment as she bit hard on the tender flesh inside her mouth.
Her overworked body felt heavy as if it was hung with iron, and her eyes were blackened and brightened repeatedly due to anemia. She felt like she would faint at any moment. But she couldn’t stop there. Elze encouraged herself over and over again.
Just a little more, just a little more...
It was at that moment. An evil, sharp sound cutting through the wind was heard from behind. At the same time, the horse Elze was riding screamed madly and started to run wild. The horse, which had been shaking violently, fell over on its side.
“!!”
Elze fell from her horse and rolled across the ground. The handle, whether rapier or mangosh, struck her hard in the face.
Her breathing was suffocating and her eyes were dizzy. However, Elze desperately moved her body. As soon as she dodged to the side, a dull sound rang out from a hand span away.
The horse fell with a narrow gap. If she had stayed still, she would have been crushed under the horse. And Elze, looking at the horse, could realize the source of the wind noise. An arrow was stuck in the horse's thigh.
The moment she confirmed the arrow, the ground shook and the sound of horse hooves could be heard. It was the knights of Heglatan.
They approached in an instant as if their desperate escape was meaningless. Knights on horseback, clad in shining armor, surrounded Elze in a circle. Completely surrounded, Elze sat down on the ground and looked up at the knights. A sweet voice pierced into her ear.
“Hello, Elze.”
“Blahar...!”
Blahar appeared among the knights. He dismounted from his horse and spoke with a bashful smile.
“I came so far to find you. You didn’t run away, did you?”
Blahar smiled broadly and grabbed Elze's left arm as she fell to the ground. Elze screamed in pain as her wound opened.
“Ouch!”
It hurt so much that tears welled up in her eyes. Blahar was startled by Elze's violent reaction and quickly let go of her arm. He said, not knowing what to do.
“Oh, you hurt your left arm? I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
As she looked at his shining face, she felt like tears were welling up in her eyes. Elze had no choice but to grit her teeth and speak to him.
“You, you punk... You lied so well while pretending to be innocent...”
“Pretending to be innocent!”
Blahar cried out in regret. He spoke with a pretended sad expression.
“That appearance, and this appearance right now, are all me.”
“...”
Elze let out a breathy laugh. It was a mistake to expect a normal conversation with a psychopath.
As Elze laughed hollowly, Blahar bent down to be at Elze's eye level. He cupped Elze's cheek with his hand and whispered.
“But you killed all our knights? Honestly, I’m surprised. Elijah’s Elze is truly amazing.”
His eyes narrowed. Blahar spoke with a fox-like smile.
“You said you hated killing... You killed them really cleanly.”
“You can’t get stabbed to death just because you hate killing, right?”
Blahar said with a giggle.
“That’s why I don’t want to let you go because it’s more fun if you act like that.”
“...”
It seemed like he would like whatever she said. He would probably laugh out loud even if she swore at him. Elze chose to keep her mouth shut. She was too tired and exhausted to speak anyway.
Blahar lightly picked up Elze and placed her on his horse. Elxe sagged like a piece of luggage. While holding Elze, Blahar talked to Serev.
“So you never found the alchemist woman?”
“It seems like the rest have all crossed the border. It would be best to return first.”
“Yes. I’m going back to the palace.”
Elze wanted to fight back, but she couldn't move a finger. Elze's body was in shambles right now. It was a miracle that she didn't faint and just stayed conscious.
Am I going to be dragged into Heglatan like this?
The bet she had made on Shan and Elijah might have been a failure. Everything had become bleak. Elze took a shallow breath and closed her eyes.
At that moment, a murmur spread among the knights. Elze raised her eyelids with difficulty. Her blurry vision became clearer and she saw the flag.
It was a black flag embroidered with a crow. Beneath the flag fluttering fiercely like a mourning flag, soldiers in black armor could be seen. And the man at the very front was also there.
Shan...
The moment she saw him, Elze felt all the strength leave her body. A warm, comforting sense of stability washed over her. Blahar muttered in an embarrassed voice.
“Oh my, it’s already here.”
He held Elze tightly in his arms and gestured to the knights. The knights of Heglatan formed their ranks. The knights of Targayel, led by Shan, spread out their camps to the left and right and gradually slowed down. They stopped a few dozen paces away from Blahar.
“.."
A heavy silence fell between the two camps. Shan's eyes looked coldly at Blahar, then at Elze in his arms. Elze, who had been leaning against Blahar because she was so tired, belatedly straightened up. Blahar smiled and greeted Shan first.
“I am Blahar Mihanel Heglatan, Prince of Heglatan.”
He pointed his finger at Shan and said,
“You must be Shan Cirxus.”
But instead of responding to Blahar, Shan stared at Elze. His gaze seemed to ask if she was okay. She wanted to say something to him. Elze summoned up the last of her strength and called Shan’s name.
“Shan...”
But the voice of someone dying unintentionally leaked out. Elze's voice, which seemed like it would die out at any moment, had the opposite effect.
Shan's brow furrowed. His eyelids fluttered briefly. It was obvious that he was trying to hold back his anger. But Elze was the problem. Shan tried to resolve the situation as calmly and rationally as possible.
“What do you want?”
But Blahar seemed to want to provoke Shan. He asked, playing with Elze's hair.
“Hmm... What do I want?”
Blahar twirled her ivory hair with his fingers and answered with a soft kiss on Elze's cheek.
“It’s already in my arms?”
“...”
Shan was silent for a moment. The air was cold and still. He could feel the life flowing through the wind. But Blahar was still smiling, waiting for Shan’s reaction. Shan slowly opened his mouth.
“...In that case, I guess it can’t be resolved peacefully.”
He drew his sword expressionlessly. With a cold, metallic sound, Shan gave the order.
"Attack."
It was the morning of the third day since Elze left for Heglatan.
If Elze didn't return by tonight, Shan planned to go look for her at first light tomorrow morning.
The preparations to lead the troops were already complete. While Liv was preparing for the expedition, he also comforted Shan, telling him not to worry, and that nothing bad would happen to Madam.
But Shan was anxious. Even though he knew Elze's skills better than anyone else, he was anxious without any reason, and the vagueness of the anxiety made it even harder to guess the reality.
He wanted to see Elze. He wanted to hold her gently and make sure that everything was okay.
When Elze comes back, the first thing they'll do is kiss. Then they'll lie down on the bed next to each other and giggle and tell stories. Then, when they get to serious stuff, they'll look into each other's eyes and whisper.
“...”
Shan frowned as he imagined the time he spent with Elze. Then he felt his chest press down with his hand.
It was empty. It was unbearably empty. The emptiness was so overwhelming that it felt like a huge hole had been ripped open in the middle of his body.
His imagination alone was not enough. Elze had to come quickly so that he could close the hole in his heart and hold her in his arms.
Shan sat alone in the barracks, staring blankly into space. He couldn't focus on anything. He couldn't do anything but miss Elze. Shan was mocking himself for being so stupid when he heard someone running toward him with a commotion.
“Lord Cirxus!!”
Liv came rushing in, roughly pulling open the tent. Before he could say anything, Shan jumped up from his seat and ran outside.
“...!!”
It was miserable.
Kalia and Elijah returned, but they looked like defeated soldiers. Shan looked around them busily, but they were nowhere to be seen.
“...Elze.”
No matter how hard he looked, Elze was nowhere to be found. Shan grabbed the person standing in front and asked her a question.
“Elze?”
“...”
But he couldn't answer, just biting his lower lip with an embarrassed expression. Shan instinctively felt something was wrong with that look.
“Count!”
An urgent voice came from beside Shan. Shan slowly turned his head. With no thoughts in his head, he stared at him for a while before realizing that it was Rapine. Shan asked him in a dry voice.
“Where is Elze?”
“She is still in Heglatan. In the border area near the border... We must send reinforcements immediately!”
“You left her there alone?”
“...”
At Shan's question, Rapine shut his eyes tightly as if embarrassed. Shan clenched his molars as he watched him, unable to say anything. Behind Rapine, Ivanna appeared, her face pale and tearful. And Tarkun, lying on his horse, was also visible.
Elze went to Heglatan to rescue them. And Elze never returned.
I want to kill you.
A murderous urge suddenly welled up in him. They were truly useless. When he thought that Elze had been sacrificed to save these things, he just wanted to kill them all. Kill them all, kill them all...
“Shan Cirxus.”
A clear voice shook Shan awake. Shan slowly turned to where the voice had come from.
It was Ilwooz. His face was pale, his rainbow-colored eyes were fully exposed, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He spoke to Shan, panting heavily.
“I’ll apologize later. Right now, Heglatan’s knights are pursuing Elze.”
Ilwooz whispered in a fading voice.
“I promised to come back... I don’t think I can keep my promise.”
Anyone could see that it was not normal. However, Shan did not feel even a shred of sympathy. Ilwooz bowed his head and asked Shan, who had cold eyes.
“Please, Shan Cirxus.”
Shan let out a short, hollow laugh.
"...Ha."
He wanted to wring those teeth's necks right then and there. It took a lot of patience to suppress the urge to bite.
But to get to where Elze was, a guide was needed. It wasn't too late to convict after confirming Elze's life or death. Shan called Liv with a face as cold as ice.
“Liv!”
Liv, who had been waiting tensely at the side, answered quickly.
“Yes, Lord Cirxus!”
“All who are capable of combat, prepare to deploy. Now!”
As soon as Shan's order was given, Liv ran in a hurry and shouted to prepare for battle. The quiet campsite became bustling in an instant. Shan also strode briskly towards the barracks. The servants clung to Shan, putting on his armor and taking his sword.
Was it because he was so angry? His memory of how he gave the order and set off was completely cut off. Rapine went ahead to guide them, but he didn’t even remember that. All he could remember was that he rode his horse and galloped madly across the border.
And it was only when he discovered the knights of Heglatan that Shan came to his senses.
He gave instructions to the knights of Targayel, and they spread out their ranks to the left and right, slowly closing the distance between them. Then, when they reached a certain distance, they came to a gentle stop.
The scene that unfolded before his eyes was quite a sight. Elze was in the arms of some blond man. Elze, who had been lying in the man's arms, got up with difficulty when she found Shan.
The man holding Elze smiled brightly and greeted her in a friendly manner.
“I am Blahar Mihanel Heglatan, Prince of Heglatan. You are Shan Cirxus.”
Prince of Heglatan...
Even Shan couldn't help but be a little surprised at that moment. In any case, the people Elze was attracted to were all extraordinary.
There was one thing they all had in common: they were all insane. Of course, that included Shan, but that Heglatan guy didn't seem to be sane either. Instead of responding to Blahar, Shan looked closely at Elze.
It was Elze whom he saw again after three days. She was covered in wounds. She was covered in blood and was breathing shallowly, and the injury to her left arm was particularly serious.
Even though she was tied tightly with a cloth, she was covered in blood as if she had been bleeding continuously. It was a miracle that she had not fainted immediately.
What happened to you, Elze?
Shan looked at Elze and muttered something that could not be conveyed to her. Seeing Shan’s fixed gaze, Elze opened her mouth with difficulty as if she felt she had to do something.
“Shan...”
What came out of her mouth softly was Shan's name.
It was like throwing kindling on dry firewood. The moment he heard that frail voice, his anger burned uncontrollably.
He was the one who held it tightly, fearing that it would crumble if he held it, or scatter if he blew it. She was such a precious being to Shan. He had made such a mess of Elze.
The depth of his anger was endless. Shan barely managed to hold himself back from falling to the bottom of the abyss. Then he asked Blahar a question.
“What do you want?”
Blahar's eyes narrowed. His red pupils glowed cruelly.
“Hmm... What do I want?”
His fingers ran through Elze's hair. Then he kissed Elze's cheek and said.
“It’s already in my arms?”
“...”
Blahar knows Shan's anger. Knowing this, he deliberately provoked him. It was a provocation to establish the hierarchy between him and Shan.
An action that declares that I am aware above you and that you cannot attack me no matter how much I act.
In fact, Blahar's provocation was right. He was the Prince of Heglatan. Even if it was a border dispute, he could not be attacked rashly.
He knew full well how dangerous it was to take military action against a foreign Prince, especially one of Heglatan. Especially when Targayel was preparing for rebellion. Targayel had to at least have the justification that the Prince had launched the first attack.
When thinking rationally, the best option was to just let Blahar go. Send Elze to Heglatan and end the conflict there.
Blahar knew it and acted like this. But there was something Blahar didn't know.
To Shan, nothing else mattered except Elze.
Even if the choice made at this moment led to the destruction of Targayel and the start of another Hundred Years' War between Baluar and Heglatan, it didn't matter. Without Elze, none of it meant anything to Shan.
“...In that case, I guess it can’t be resolved peacefully.”
That is why Shan drew his sword and gave an order.
"Attack."
Blahar's face crumpled. He must have thought Shan would back down. Blahar could be heard cursing briefly and ordering the knights in Heglatan.
Shan led the ravens of Targayel with the utmost calm. It was strange. As his anger reached its peak, his mind became calmer. His eerily calm reason coolly analyzed the battlefield and gave orders.
“Don’t kill the Prince. If he runs away, leave him alone. We will leave as soon as Erzenes’ safety is secured.”
Liv gave Shan's command to the knights. The knights all drew their swords and ran shouting.
The knights of Heglatan and Targayel tangled together. The contrast between Targayel in his pitch-black armor and Heglatan in his silver armor was stark, and the clash of swords echoed dizzyingly.
Shan did not step forward but watched the battle from behind for a while. Blahar, like Shan, did not jump into the battle but watched. Shan and Blahar’s eyes met.
“..”
The two men who had been staring blankly at the battlefield smiled crookedly the moment their eyes met. It was because, at that moment, they realized that they were feeling the same emotions.
Anger, jealousy, sadness, and a variety of other emotions mixed together... an instinctive competitive spirit.
Shan silently waved the tip of his sword at Blahar. Blahar jumped head-on into Shan’s provocation. He handed Elze to Serev, who was standing next to him, and drew his Flamberge. Then he rode his horse into battle.
Shan also rushed into the battlefield just like Blahar. Shan and Blahar met in the middle of the battlefield. Blahar laughed out loud and called Shan’s name.
“Shan Cirxus!”
His flamberge swung at Shan. The sword clashed with a sword.
As soon as they shared the story, Shan thought. The Crown prince, who looked like he was good at flower arrangements, was actually quite skilled. At this level, he was skilled enough to fight with Elze without any trouble.
And the Flamberge with its wavy blade was something Shan had never faced before. Because of the curved blade, the sword could not pass smoothly. It was quite a troublesome opponent. While their swords were facing each other, Blahar giggled and said.
“I’ve always wondered! How skilled is Shan Cirxus, the hero and demon of the Hundred Years’ War?”
Blahar did not know Shan because he did not participate in the Hundred Years' War. However, he believed in his own abilities and was also arrogant. Blahar smiled languidly and asked Shan a question.
“Shan Cirxus, can you defeat me?”
Shan swung his sword hard. Blahar winced slightly at the sensation of the blade squeaking. Shan spoke in an indifferent tone.
“I am not Shan Cirxus.”
“...?”
“My name is Shan Cirxus Targayel. Please call me by my full name.”
Blahar looked at him with eyes that asked what difference that made. But it was important to Shan. Targayel was a symbol of the connection between him and Elze. Shan opened his mouth while searching Blahar’s surroundings with deep-set eyes.
“And then.”
“!!”
Blahar flinched and stepped back. Shan's momentum had changed. Shan took a deep breath. Trying to suppress the murderous intent boiling over his body, Shan whispered.
“I will try not to kill you.”
Elze felt like a Princess. She couldn't find a more appropriate expression, so she thought to herself, "It's so funny," and giggled.
Now that she thinks about it, Elze has always been the one saving Shan. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Shan to come save her once.
In fact, leaving aside the waiting and such, Elze's current physical condition was such that she had no choice but to wait. Even the simple action of Blahar handing her over to Serev made her whole body scream.
“I will bandage it for you.”
Fortunately, Serev was a somewhat educated man, so he had the concept of tying a new bandage on Elze's wound.
Under the watchful eyes of a few Heglatan knights, Elze received simple first aid from Serev while observing the battlefield from the rear.
The hottest place, after all, was where Blahar and Shan clashed.
Blahar, who wielded the Flamberge, was truly fearless. Elze knew he was confident, but she didn't know it was to this extent. Blahar was a man of outstanding skill. That was a fact that Elze, who had faced him with a sword, acknowledged.
But Blahar did not fight in the Hundred Years' War and has never crossed swords with Shan. He does not know who Shan Cirxus is. If he did, he would not have rushed at him.
Elze briefly wished Blahar good luck. She wished that he would not die, but would just be beaten to the point of death.
While watching the duel with great interest, Elze was startled. They both turned around to look at her as if they were talking about something.
“...?”
Elze, who was suddenly caught in the eye, just blinked and swallowed hard. Fortunately, the two turned their gazes back to each other. Then, they glared at each other with murderous eyes and began swinging their swords.
From then on, Elze felt strange. For some reason, she had a feeling that the cause of all these problems was a love quarrel.
The cause of the battle could be recorded as a moment in history, that could spark another Hundred Years' War between Heglatan and Baluar, which was a love quarrel...
Elze shuddered as she imagined her name being written in history books with the title of “the peerless beauty who ruined a country.” She desperately wanted to stop that. She felt like she couldn’t just sit still and do nothing.
But there was nothing Elze could do now. She couldn't face Serev and the Heglatan knights in this tattered state.
The best thing would be for the knights of Targayel to break through Heglatan's camp and enter the rear where Elze was.
But that would take time. In the meantime, anything could happen. Serev could have taken Elze and run away to Heglatan.
Shan's personality would have clearly led soldiers to Heglatan and invaded, and then it would truly be the start of the Second Hundred Years' War.
As Elze surveyed the battlefield and considered her options, she saw familiar figures in the distance. And something sparkling. Elze, who tried hard to identify the sparkling object with her blurry eyes, realized that it was an arrowhead.
In the noisy battlefield, the sound of an arrow cutting through the air was truly quiet. The arrow flew without a sound and pierced the eye of the knight standing next to Serev.
“Ahhhhh!!”
The knight screamed and fell from his horse. He was covered in blood and crawled on the ground. Serev, who was holding Elze, looked around in confusion. However, while he was looking around, a second arrow flew.
The second arrow pierced the neck of another knight. The third and fourth arrows also struck the knights surrounding Serev.
The arrows pierced the vital points exactly. The knights fell off their horses one by one after being hit by arrows as if they were waiting in line. Serev was greatly surprised and looked around, but he could not see the person who shot the arrows.
As far as Elze knew, there was only one person who could shoot an arrow from this distance. Elze muttered softly.
“Rapine...”
He always shot his arrows from a distance that could not be seen with the naked eye. Soon, there were no knights left around Serev.
Elze realized exactly what she had to do. She gathered all her remaining strength, pushed Serev away, and jumped off his horse. At that moment, an arrow flew with a slash. The arrow pierced Serev’s left arm.
“...!!”
Serev clenched his teeth and grabbed the reins. He barely managed to avoid falling off his horse, but he couldn't stop Elze from running away.
Elze hid herself in the chaotic battlefield. In the tangled battlefield of horses, swords, knights, and flags, Elze heard a voice calling for her.
"Captain!!"
Rapine was running towards Elze. Among the knights wearing armor, he stood out with only light armor. Elze grabbed Rapine’s hand and climbed onto his horse. Rapine made Elze sit in front of him and supported her waist firmly.
The moment she got on the horse, the pain that had been suppressed came rushing back. The pain that had been hidden by the excited adrenaline came rushing back all at once. Elze arched her back and trembled. A painful groan escaped her lips.
“Ugh...”
Rapine asked in surprise.
“Captain! Are you okay?”
Elze answered with a trembling voice.
"No..."
And then he continued seriously.
“No kidding, I really feel like I’m going to die right now...”
As she leaned against Rapine's chest and made a groan, she felt his panic. Elze, breathing hard, asked him a question.
“What about Ilwooz?”
Elze missed him who had boasted that he would reattach her arm if it was cut off. If it were Ilwooz, he could completely remove this pain with his divine power. He said he would come back, so she thought he would come with Rapine, but he was nowhere to be seen. Rapine slightly lowered his eyes in response to Elze's question.
“Ilwooz is not in good condition. He was struggling the whole time he was separated from the Captain and crossed the border, and when he reached the campsite, he was on the verge of fainting.”
"What?"
Come to think of it, Ilwooz's atmosphere was a bit strange from the time he first set out for Heglatan. He also seemed to be having a hard time when he was in the Crown Prince's Palace. On top of that, he had been untied from his eyes for quite some time.
Ilwooz's power was a divine power that humans could not possess. That is why Ilwooz usually seals his divine power by covering his eyes.
Elze suddenly became worried that something might have gone wrong and that they might have brought the precious Pope from another's house and made him sick.
“I’m going to follow Cirxus right away... I’ll leave the rest to Ivanna first.”
It seemed necessary to resolve this situation quickly and check on Ilwooz's condition. Elze nodded, and Rapine asked cautiously.
“But Captain... Can you move?”
“...”
Elze swallowed hard at the sight of Rapine preparing to ride. It was obvious to her that the horse would start to run and its body would shake, which would be very painful. But what could I do? Elze let out a deep sigh and muttered.
“But you have to move. If you don’t move, you’re really going to die.”
Elslze spoke enthusiastically.
“I’ll try to hold on with my mental strength.”
Of course, right after that, she let out a groan and grabbed her left arm. Elze groaned and looked around the battlefield.
"First..."
She looked at the center of the battlefield. There, two men were fiercely exchanging swords. Watching the fight that even the knights around her were hesitant to join in, Elze decided what she had to do right now.
“Let’s go to Shan.”
And she added, muttering:
“...before he killed Blahar.”
“What, they’re all dead.”
What lay before Blahar was a mountain of corpses. It seemed that there had been a battle between the advance party and Elze's party.
But there was no Kalias or Elijah among the piles of corpses. There were only knights of Heglatan. They were clearly elite knights with armor, but they had been annihilated. Blahar clicked his tongue as he looked through the swaying corpses.
“Annihilating an entire unit of knights sent as an advance party, Elijah’s reputation certainly is not a lie.”
Serev, who had been examining the body next to Blahar, opened his mouth with a slightly hardened face.
"Your Highness."
“Huh?”
“They are all wounds from swords. Among the fugitives, there should be only one who can currently use a sword...”
Blahar frowned at Serev's words.
“What? You really thought Elze handled it all by herself?”
“Yes. Given the circumstances, it seems she took on the advance party alone, giving her party time to escape.”
Blahar kicked the corpse nervously, his boots making a thud sound as they hit the armor.
“Without a single piece of proper armor! To a woman with only two swords! To this many people! Does that make any sense?”
Serev was speechless in front of Blahar, who was screaming loudly. In fact, Serev couldn't believe it even though he saw it with his own eyes.
When those who had fought in the war would rave about Elijah, Serev dismissed it all as nonsense. It was a war that had been going on for nearly a hundred years. To say that it had been overturned simply because of a monstrous band of mercenaries was nothing more than a defeated soldier's excuse.
However, the truth that was revealed before his eyes was horrifying. The elite knights of Heglatan had been cut down by a single woman... Serev seemed to understand, even if only a little, what had happened in the Hundred Years’ War.
“Phew...”
Blahar let out a deep sigh. The breath he exhaled dissipated into white vapor. Through his hazy vision, something caught Blahar’s eye.
“Hmm?”
Blahar lowered his head. He saw drops of blood on the floor. The drops of blood continued across the bridge. He ran his fingers over the blood. The blood had not yet dried. It was proof that she had not gone far. Blahar said with a smirk.
“Still, I guess our knights are worth using.”
He stood up and motioned to Serev. Serev saw the bloodstain and immediately understood what Blahar wanted. Blahar mounted his horse again and gave an order.
“Track it.”
***
It really hurts...
Elze gasped for breath. A sharp pain surged through her left arm.
She hastily tore her clothes to stop the bleeding, but she had to drive away right away. Naturally, the wound opened again and blood flowed out.
The cloth that bound her arm had long since lost its original color. The damp, hanging cloth could no longer hold blood. Drops of blood dripped down her forearm. Elze rode her horse in a half-conscious state, recalling the battle just before.
"We must capture her alive!"
The knights rushed toward Elze all at once, shouting. It was a fight against an absolute majority. If she lost her breath even once, it would be over.
In the face of overwhelming odds, there was one thing that Elze had in her favor: they had to keep her alive.
The swords of those who must live and those who seek to kill cannot but be different. While the knights were relaxed with their swords, Elze's sword held a desperate will to kill.
But even so, the knights of Blahar were the elite of the elite. Elze was not properly equipped and had no assistance. She had to fight on her own. It was an impossible battle, beyond the disadvantages.
Elze didn't even remember how she fought the battle. It was so tense that she didn't even have time to make a decision in her head. There were too many enemies to follow their movements with her eyes and figure out what to do next.
She had to leave everything to her instincts. She intuitively predicted the enemy's movements, avoided them, and attacked them. It was a fight no different from that of many animals.
When Elze came to, all of Heglatan's knights were lying on the ground, cut into pieces of meat. Their left arms were cut so deeply that they were tattered.
"Ugh...."
Pain welled up in her mind as she recalled the wound. In fact, it would have been a great achievement to have wiped out a whole troop of knights and injured one arm. However, the problem was that Elze was currently on the run.
The muscles in her entire body were throbbing as if they were going to burst, and she was reaching her limit. Her body was in no condition after receiving and striking three or four heavy swords at the same time.
In addition, the wound on her left arm was deep and continued to bleed. Because she had lost so much blood, her whole body felt lethargic. Beyond the pain, a strange sense of peace was coming over her. Elze felt the urge to rest.
But as soon as she looked away from the tempting impulse, her body immediately began to sway. Elze almost fell off her horse but barely managed to straighten up. She came to her senses for a moment as she bit hard on the tender flesh inside her mouth.
Her overworked body felt heavy as if it was hung with iron, and her eyes were blackened and brightened repeatedly due to anemia. She felt like she would faint at any moment. But she couldn’t stop there. Elze encouraged herself over and over again.
Just a little more, just a little more...
It was at that moment. An evil, sharp sound cutting through the wind was heard from behind. At the same time, the horse Elze was riding screamed madly and started to run wild. The horse, which had been shaking violently, fell over on its side.
“!!”
Elze fell from her horse and rolled across the ground. The handle, whether rapier or mangosh, struck her hard in the face.
Her breathing was suffocating and her eyes were dizzy. However, Elze desperately moved her body. As soon as she dodged to the side, a dull sound rang out from a hand span away.
The horse fell with a narrow gap. If she had stayed still, she would have been crushed under the horse. And Elze, looking at the horse, could realize the source of the wind noise. An arrow was stuck in the horse's thigh.
The moment she confirmed the arrow, the ground shook and the sound of horse hooves could be heard. It was the knights of Heglatan.
They approached in an instant as if their desperate escape was meaningless. Knights on horseback, clad in shining armor, surrounded Elze in a circle. Completely surrounded, Elze sat down on the ground and looked up at the knights. A sweet voice pierced into her ear.
“Hello, Elze.”
“Blahar...!”
Blahar appeared among the knights. He dismounted from his horse and spoke with a bashful smile.
“I came so far to find you. You didn’t run away, did you?”
Blahar smiled broadly and grabbed Elze's left arm as she fell to the ground. Elze screamed in pain as her wound opened.
“Ouch!”
It hurt so much that tears welled up in her eyes. Blahar was startled by Elze's violent reaction and quickly let go of her arm. He said, not knowing what to do.
“Oh, you hurt your left arm? I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
As she looked at his shining face, she felt like tears were welling up in her eyes. Elze had no choice but to grit her teeth and speak to him.
“You, you punk... You lied so well while pretending to be innocent...”
“Pretending to be innocent!”
Blahar cried out in regret. He spoke with a pretended sad expression.
“That appearance, and this appearance right now, are all me.”
“...”
Elze let out a breathy laugh. It was a mistake to expect a normal conversation with a psychopath.
As Elze laughed hollowly, Blahar bent down to be at Elze's eye level. He cupped Elze's cheek with his hand and whispered.
“But you killed all our knights? Honestly, I’m surprised. Elijah’s Elze is truly amazing.”
His eyes narrowed. Blahar spoke with a fox-like smile.
“You said you hated killing... You killed them really cleanly.”
I thought you were talking out of your ass, Elze replied grimly.
Blahar said with a giggle.
“That’s why I don’t want to let you go because it’s more fun if you act like that.”
“...”
It seemed like he would like whatever she said. He would probably laugh out loud even if she swore at him. Elze chose to keep her mouth shut. She was too tired and exhausted to speak anyway.
Blahar lightly picked up Elze and placed her on his horse. Elxe sagged like a piece of luggage. While holding Elze, Blahar talked to Serev.
“So you never found the alchemist woman?”
“It seems like the rest have all crossed the border. It would be best to return first.”
“Yes. I’m going back to the palace.”
Elze wanted to fight back, but she couldn't move a finger. Elze's body was in shambles right now. It was a miracle that she didn't faint and just stayed conscious.
Am I going to be dragged into Heglatan like this?
The bet she had made on Shan and Elijah might have been a failure. Everything had become bleak. Elze took a shallow breath and closed her eyes.
At that moment, a murmur spread among the knights. Elze raised her eyelids with difficulty. Her blurry vision became clearer and she saw the flag.
It was a black flag embroidered with a crow. Beneath the flag fluttering fiercely like a mourning flag, soldiers in black armor could be seen. And the man at the very front was also there.
Shan...
The moment she saw him, Elze felt all the strength leave her body. A warm, comforting sense of stability washed over her. Blahar muttered in an embarrassed voice.
“Oh my, it’s already here.”
He held Elze tightly in his arms and gestured to the knights. The knights of Heglatan formed their ranks. The knights of Targayel, led by Shan, spread out their camps to the left and right and gradually slowed down. They stopped a few dozen paces away from Blahar.
“.."
A heavy silence fell between the two camps. Shan's eyes looked coldly at Blahar, then at Elze in his arms. Elze, who had been leaning against Blahar because she was so tired, belatedly straightened up. Blahar smiled and greeted Shan first.
“I am Blahar Mihanel Heglatan, Prince of Heglatan.”
He pointed his finger at Shan and said,
“You must be Shan Cirxus.”
But instead of responding to Blahar, Shan stared at Elze. His gaze seemed to ask if she was okay. She wanted to say something to him. Elze summoned up the last of her strength and called Shan’s name.
“Shan...”
But the voice of someone dying unintentionally leaked out. Elze's voice, which seemed like it would die out at any moment, had the opposite effect.
Shan's brow furrowed. His eyelids fluttered briefly. It was obvious that he was trying to hold back his anger. But Elze was the problem. Shan tried to resolve the situation as calmly and rationally as possible.
“What do you want?”
But Blahar seemed to want to provoke Shan. He asked, playing with Elze's hair.
“Hmm... What do I want?”
Blahar twirled her ivory hair with his fingers and answered with a soft kiss on Elze's cheek.
“It’s already in my arms?”
“...”
Shan was silent for a moment. The air was cold and still. He could feel the life flowing through the wind. But Blahar was still smiling, waiting for Shan’s reaction. Shan slowly opened his mouth.
“...In that case, I guess it can’t be resolved peacefully.”
He drew his sword expressionlessly. With a cold, metallic sound, Shan gave the order.
"Attack."
***
It was the morning of the third day since Elze left for Heglatan.
If Elze didn't return by tonight, Shan planned to go look for her at first light tomorrow morning.
The preparations to lead the troops were already complete. While Liv was preparing for the expedition, he also comforted Shan, telling him not to worry, and that nothing bad would happen to Madam.
But Shan was anxious. Even though he knew Elze's skills better than anyone else, he was anxious without any reason, and the vagueness of the anxiety made it even harder to guess the reality.
He wanted to see Elze. He wanted to hold her gently and make sure that everything was okay.
When Elze comes back, the first thing they'll do is kiss. Then they'll lie down on the bed next to each other and giggle and tell stories. Then, when they get to serious stuff, they'll look into each other's eyes and whisper.
“...”
Shan frowned as he imagined the time he spent with Elze. Then he felt his chest press down with his hand.
It was empty. It was unbearably empty. The emptiness was so overwhelming that it felt like a huge hole had been ripped open in the middle of his body.
His imagination alone was not enough. Elze had to come quickly so that he could close the hole in his heart and hold her in his arms.
Shan sat alone in the barracks, staring blankly into space. He couldn't focus on anything. He couldn't do anything but miss Elze. Shan was mocking himself for being so stupid when he heard someone running toward him with a commotion.
“Lord Cirxus!!”
Liv came rushing in, roughly pulling open the tent. Before he could say anything, Shan jumped up from his seat and ran outside.
“...!!”
It was miserable.
Kalia and Elijah returned, but they looked like defeated soldiers. Shan looked around them busily, but they were nowhere to be seen.
“...Elze.”
No matter how hard he looked, Elze was nowhere to be found. Shan grabbed the person standing in front and asked her a question.
“Elze?”
“...”
But he couldn't answer, just biting his lower lip with an embarrassed expression. Shan instinctively felt something was wrong with that look.
“Count!”
An urgent voice came from beside Shan. Shan slowly turned his head. With no thoughts in his head, he stared at him for a while before realizing that it was Rapine. Shan asked him in a dry voice.
“Where is Elze?”
“She is still in Heglatan. In the border area near the border... We must send reinforcements immediately!”
“You left her there alone?”
“...”
At Shan's question, Rapine shut his eyes tightly as if embarrassed. Shan clenched his molars as he watched him, unable to say anything. Behind Rapine, Ivanna appeared, her face pale and tearful. And Tarkun, lying on his horse, was also visible.
Elze went to Heglatan to rescue them. And Elze never returned.
I want to kill you.
A murderous urge suddenly welled up in him. They were truly useless. When he thought that Elze had been sacrificed to save these things, he just wanted to kill them all. Kill them all, kill them all...
“Shan Cirxus.”
A clear voice shook Shan awake. Shan slowly turned to where the voice had come from.
It was Ilwooz. His face was pale, his rainbow-colored eyes were fully exposed, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He spoke to Shan, panting heavily.
“I’ll apologize later. Right now, Heglatan’s knights are pursuing Elze.”
Ilwooz whispered in a fading voice.
“I promised to come back... I don’t think I can keep my promise.”
Anyone could see that it was not normal. However, Shan did not feel even a shred of sympathy. Ilwooz bowed his head and asked Shan, who had cold eyes.
“Please, Shan Cirxus.”
Shan let out a short, hollow laugh.
"...Ha."
He wanted to wring those teeth's necks right then and there. It took a lot of patience to suppress the urge to bite.
But to get to where Elze was, a guide was needed. It wasn't too late to convict after confirming Elze's life or death. Shan called Liv with a face as cold as ice.
“Liv!”
Liv, who had been waiting tensely at the side, answered quickly.
“Yes, Lord Cirxus!”
“All who are capable of combat, prepare to deploy. Now!”
As soon as Shan's order was given, Liv ran in a hurry and shouted to prepare for battle. The quiet campsite became bustling in an instant. Shan also strode briskly towards the barracks. The servants clung to Shan, putting on his armor and taking his sword.
Was it because he was so angry? His memory of how he gave the order and set off was completely cut off. Rapine went ahead to guide them, but he didn’t even remember that. All he could remember was that he rode his horse and galloped madly across the border.
And it was only when he discovered the knights of Heglatan that Shan came to his senses.
He gave instructions to the knights of Targayel, and they spread out their ranks to the left and right, slowly closing the distance between them. Then, when they reached a certain distance, they came to a gentle stop.
The scene that unfolded before his eyes was quite a sight. Elze was in the arms of some blond man. Elze, who had been lying in the man's arms, got up with difficulty when she found Shan.
The man holding Elze smiled brightly and greeted her in a friendly manner.
“I am Blahar Mihanel Heglatan, Prince of Heglatan. You are Shan Cirxus.”
Prince of Heglatan...
Even Shan couldn't help but be a little surprised at that moment. In any case, the people Elze was attracted to were all extraordinary.
There was one thing they all had in common: they were all insane. Of course, that included Shan, but that Heglatan guy didn't seem to be sane either. Instead of responding to Blahar, Shan looked closely at Elze.
It was Elze whom he saw again after three days. She was covered in wounds. She was covered in blood and was breathing shallowly, and the injury to her left arm was particularly serious.
Even though she was tied tightly with a cloth, she was covered in blood as if she had been bleeding continuously. It was a miracle that she had not fainted immediately.
What happened to you, Elze?
Shan looked at Elze and muttered something that could not be conveyed to her. Seeing Shan’s fixed gaze, Elze opened her mouth with difficulty as if she felt she had to do something.
“Shan...”
What came out of her mouth softly was Shan's name.
It was like throwing kindling on dry firewood. The moment he heard that frail voice, his anger burned uncontrollably.
He was the one who held it tightly, fearing that it would crumble if he held it, or scatter if he blew it. She was such a precious being to Shan. He had made such a mess of Elze.
The depth of his anger was endless. Shan barely managed to hold himself back from falling to the bottom of the abyss. Then he asked Blahar a question.
“What do you want?”
Blahar's eyes narrowed. His red pupils glowed cruelly.
“Hmm... What do I want?”
His fingers ran through Elze's hair. Then he kissed Elze's cheek and said.
“It’s already in my arms?”
“...”
Blahar knows Shan's anger. Knowing this, he deliberately provoked him. It was a provocation to establish the hierarchy between him and Shan.
An action that declares that I am aware above you and that you cannot attack me no matter how much I act.
In fact, Blahar's provocation was right. He was the Prince of Heglatan. Even if it was a border dispute, he could not be attacked rashly.
He knew full well how dangerous it was to take military action against a foreign Prince, especially one of Heglatan. Especially when Targayel was preparing for rebellion. Targayel had to at least have the justification that the Prince had launched the first attack.
When thinking rationally, the best option was to just let Blahar go. Send Elze to Heglatan and end the conflict there.
Blahar knew it and acted like this. But there was something Blahar didn't know.
To Shan, nothing else mattered except Elze.
Even if the choice made at this moment led to the destruction of Targayel and the start of another Hundred Years' War between Baluar and Heglatan, it didn't matter. Without Elze, none of it meant anything to Shan.
“...In that case, I guess it can’t be resolved peacefully.”
That is why Shan drew his sword and gave an order.
"Attack."
Blahar's face crumpled. He must have thought Shan would back down. Blahar could be heard cursing briefly and ordering the knights in Heglatan.
Shan led the ravens of Targayel with the utmost calm. It was strange. As his anger reached its peak, his mind became calmer. His eerily calm reason coolly analyzed the battlefield and gave orders.
“Don’t kill the Prince. If he runs away, leave him alone. We will leave as soon as Erzenes’ safety is secured.”
Liv gave Shan's command to the knights. The knights all drew their swords and ran shouting.
The knights of Heglatan and Targayel tangled together. The contrast between Targayel in his pitch-black armor and Heglatan in his silver armor was stark, and the clash of swords echoed dizzyingly.
Shan did not step forward but watched the battle from behind for a while. Blahar, like Shan, did not jump into the battle but watched. Shan and Blahar’s eyes met.
“..”
The two men who had been staring blankly at the battlefield smiled crookedly the moment their eyes met. It was because, at that moment, they realized that they were feeling the same emotions.
Anger, jealousy, sadness, and a variety of other emotions mixed together... an instinctive competitive spirit.
Shan silently waved the tip of his sword at Blahar. Blahar jumped head-on into Shan’s provocation. He handed Elze to Serev, who was standing next to him, and drew his Flamberge. Then he rode his horse into battle.
Shan also rushed into the battlefield just like Blahar. Shan and Blahar met in the middle of the battlefield. Blahar laughed out loud and called Shan’s name.
“Shan Cirxus!”
His flamberge swung at Shan. The sword clashed with a sword.
As soon as they shared the story, Shan thought. The Crown prince, who looked like he was good at flower arrangements, was actually quite skilled. At this level, he was skilled enough to fight with Elze without any trouble.
And the Flamberge with its wavy blade was something Shan had never faced before. Because of the curved blade, the sword could not pass smoothly. It was quite a troublesome opponent. While their swords were facing each other, Blahar giggled and said.
“I’ve always wondered! How skilled is Shan Cirxus, the hero and demon of the Hundred Years’ War?”
Blahar did not know Shan because he did not participate in the Hundred Years' War. However, he believed in his own abilities and was also arrogant. Blahar smiled languidly and asked Shan a question.
“Shan Cirxus, can you defeat me?”
Shan swung his sword hard. Blahar winced slightly at the sensation of the blade squeaking. Shan spoke in an indifferent tone.
“I am not Shan Cirxus.”
“...?”
“My name is Shan Cirxus Targayel. Please call me by my full name.”
Blahar looked at him with eyes that asked what difference that made. But it was important to Shan. Targayel was a symbol of the connection between him and Elze. Shan opened his mouth while searching Blahar’s surroundings with deep-set eyes.
“And then.”
“!!”
Blahar flinched and stepped back. Shan's momentum had changed. Shan took a deep breath. Trying to suppress the murderous intent boiling over his body, Shan whispered.
“I will try not to kill you.”
***
Elze felt like a Princess. She couldn't find a more appropriate expression, so she thought to herself, "It's so funny," and giggled.
Now that she thinks about it, Elze has always been the one saving Shan. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Shan to come save her once.
In fact, leaving aside the waiting and such, Elze's current physical condition was such that she had no choice but to wait. Even the simple action of Blahar handing her over to Serev made her whole body scream.
“I will bandage it for you.”
Fortunately, Serev was a somewhat educated man, so he had the concept of tying a new bandage on Elze's wound.
Under the watchful eyes of a few Heglatan knights, Elze received simple first aid from Serev while observing the battlefield from the rear.
The hottest place, after all, was where Blahar and Shan clashed.
Blahar, who wielded the Flamberge, was truly fearless. Elze knew he was confident, but she didn't know it was to this extent. Blahar was a man of outstanding skill. That was a fact that Elze, who had faced him with a sword, acknowledged.
But Blahar did not fight in the Hundred Years' War and has never crossed swords with Shan. He does not know who Shan Cirxus is. If he did, he would not have rushed at him.
Elze briefly wished Blahar good luck. She wished that he would not die, but would just be beaten to the point of death.
While watching the duel with great interest, Elze was startled. They both turned around to look at her as if they were talking about something.
“...?”
Elze, who was suddenly caught in the eye, just blinked and swallowed hard. Fortunately, the two turned their gazes back to each other. Then, they glared at each other with murderous eyes and began swinging their swords.
From then on, Elze felt strange. For some reason, she had a feeling that the cause of all these problems was a love quarrel.
The cause of the battle could be recorded as a moment in history, that could spark another Hundred Years' War between Heglatan and Baluar, which was a love quarrel...
Elze shuddered as she imagined her name being written in history books with the title of “the peerless beauty who ruined a country.” She desperately wanted to stop that. She felt like she couldn’t just sit still and do nothing.
But there was nothing Elze could do now. She couldn't face Serev and the Heglatan knights in this tattered state.
The best thing would be for the knights of Targayel to break through Heglatan's camp and enter the rear where Elze was.
But that would take time. In the meantime, anything could happen. Serev could have taken Elze and run away to Heglatan.
Shan's personality would have clearly led soldiers to Heglatan and invaded, and then it would truly be the start of the Second Hundred Years' War.
As Elze surveyed the battlefield and considered her options, she saw familiar figures in the distance. And something sparkling. Elze, who tried hard to identify the sparkling object with her blurry eyes, realized that it was an arrowhead.
In the noisy battlefield, the sound of an arrow cutting through the air was truly quiet. The arrow flew without a sound and pierced the eye of the knight standing next to Serev.
“Ahhhhh!!”
The knight screamed and fell from his horse. He was covered in blood and crawled on the ground. Serev, who was holding Elze, looked around in confusion. However, while he was looking around, a second arrow flew.
The second arrow pierced the neck of another knight. The third and fourth arrows also struck the knights surrounding Serev.
The arrows pierced the vital points exactly. The knights fell off their horses one by one after being hit by arrows as if they were waiting in line. Serev was greatly surprised and looked around, but he could not see the person who shot the arrows.
As far as Elze knew, there was only one person who could shoot an arrow from this distance. Elze muttered softly.
“Rapine...”
He always shot his arrows from a distance that could not be seen with the naked eye. Soon, there were no knights left around Serev.
Elze realized exactly what she had to do. She gathered all her remaining strength, pushed Serev away, and jumped off his horse. At that moment, an arrow flew with a slash. The arrow pierced Serev’s left arm.
“...!!”
Serev clenched his teeth and grabbed the reins. He barely managed to avoid falling off his horse, but he couldn't stop Elze from running away.
Elze hid herself in the chaotic battlefield. In the tangled battlefield of horses, swords, knights, and flags, Elze heard a voice calling for her.
"Captain!!"
Rapine was running towards Elze. Among the knights wearing armor, he stood out with only light armor. Elze grabbed Rapine’s hand and climbed onto his horse. Rapine made Elze sit in front of him and supported her waist firmly.
The moment she got on the horse, the pain that had been suppressed came rushing back. The pain that had been hidden by the excited adrenaline came rushing back all at once. Elze arched her back and trembled. A painful groan escaped her lips.
“Ugh...”
Rapine asked in surprise.
“Captain! Are you okay?”
Elze answered with a trembling voice.
"No..."
And then he continued seriously.
“No kidding, I really feel like I’m going to die right now...”
As she leaned against Rapine's chest and made a groan, she felt his panic. Elze, breathing hard, asked him a question.
“What about Ilwooz?”
Elze missed him who had boasted that he would reattach her arm if it was cut off. If it were Ilwooz, he could completely remove this pain with his divine power. He said he would come back, so she thought he would come with Rapine, but he was nowhere to be seen. Rapine slightly lowered his eyes in response to Elze's question.
“Ilwooz is not in good condition. He was struggling the whole time he was separated from the Captain and crossed the border, and when he reached the campsite, he was on the verge of fainting.”
"What?"
Come to think of it, Ilwooz's atmosphere was a bit strange from the time he first set out for Heglatan. He also seemed to be having a hard time when he was in the Crown Prince's Palace. On top of that, he had been untied from his eyes for quite some time.
Ilwooz's power was a divine power that humans could not possess. That is why Ilwooz usually seals his divine power by covering his eyes.
Elze suddenly became worried that something might have gone wrong and that they might have brought the precious Pope from another's house and made him sick.
“I’m going to follow Cirxus right away... I’ll leave the rest to Ivanna first.”
It seemed necessary to resolve this situation quickly and check on Ilwooz's condition. Elze nodded, and Rapine asked cautiously.
“But Captain... Can you move?”
“...”
Elze swallowed hard at the sight of Rapine preparing to ride. It was obvious to her that the horse would start to run and its body would shake, which would be very painful. But what could I do? Elze let out a deep sigh and muttered.
“But you have to move. If you don’t move, you’re really going to die.”
Elslze spoke enthusiastically.
“I’ll try to hold on with my mental strength.”
Of course, right after that, she let out a groan and grabbed her left arm. Elze groaned and looked around the battlefield.
"First..."
She looked at the center of the battlefield. There, two men were fiercely exchanging swords. Watching the fight that even the knights around her were hesitant to join in, Elze decided what she had to do right now.
“Let’s go to Shan.”
And she added, muttering:
“...before he killed Blahar.”
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