(205) The end, and...
Cyrus stared intently at Ariana, who was lying with his arm as a pillow. While her flushed cheeks were unbearably lovely, a tightness in his chest rose with intense anger every time he saw her deep wound.
He should have protected Ariana. No matter how bad the situation was, he shouldn't have taken his eyes off her.
Looking back now, Ariana's choice was right. Thanks to the Paganus chasing after the fleeing Ariana, they were able to prevent greater casualties on their side.
If Cyrus had been absent from that fight, or if Geor or Leinster or Theodore had been absent, or especially if Sini had been absent, they would have lost.
So Ariana's choice was right, and Shini's choice was also right.
'Shini...'
The reason Cyrus hurried to meet Ariana was not only because he missed her, but also to deliver news about Shini first.
Just as Ariana was good weather to Shini, Shini was the sky to Ariana.
And Ariana's sky is now...
"The war will continue, won't it?"
Ariana's voice shattered the thoughts.
“Yeah. I plan to take this opportunity to eliminate all the countries that have allied with Paganus. I’ve also finished talking with the Eastern Lord.”
"It looks like this is going to drag on. The war."
Cyrus flinched, as he hadn't expected such an answer. He had expected Ariana to say something like, "Of course I'm fine. I'm used to it."
Ariana snuggled into Cyrus's arms like a baby bird.
“I’ll still try to hold on. So you have to come back safely.”
"...Yes."
Cyrus hugged Ariana tightly and buried his face in her soft hair.
“Rian, do you know that?”
"What?"
“I could die to create the world you want. Even if I die like that, I won’t have any regrets. No, rather, I’d be glad.”
“Yes, I know. That’s probably true. But that is how I feel. Because I love you, because I cherish you, I hope you smile even in a world without me. If that is all, even death would be a blessing to me.”
Ariana tried to break free from Cyrus's embrace. But Cyrus did not let go of Ariana.
“Sei, let me go.”
“For some, yes, Ariana. Dying while protecting someone precious is truly an honor and a blessing.”
"Then what about the survivor? Is it an honor and a blessing for them, too, that someone precious died for them?"
“It probably isn’t, but they would hope so. And so, even if tears of blood flow, even if the heart is torn apart, even if the inside is rotting away with loneliness and longing, they would hope to somehow overcome it and keep living.”
“Sei, let go of me. Please?”
"That's definitely going to be the case, Ariana."
“Say, Cyrus Carha. Let go of this!”
It was only after Ariana’s voice rose that the strength drained from Cyrus’s arm.
Ariana broke free from his embrace and sat up, looking down at Cyrus. She carefully examined his eyes to determine the truth.
Someone died. It’s just that she hasn’t heard the news, but someone certainly died.
Her heart, which had been languid and enveloped in happiness just moments ago, began to pound painfully with an ominous premonition.
"Who is this?"
Her cracked voice didn't sound like her own.
“Who died?”
“No one died, Rian.”
“But why are you saying that? Someone died. Who is it? Shini? geor? Or Isabelle? Leinster? Grandfather? Who is it?”
The very first name mentioned tore at Cyrus's heart. Cyrus slowly closed and opened his eyes and sat up.
And he firmly grasped Ariana's shoulders with both hands.
“I’ll say it again, Rian. No one died.”
“Then why...?”
Ariana's eyes wavered. She squeezed her eyes shut and spoke.
“So, he isn’t recovering. Is he unable to regain consciousness? Or is there absolutely no way to treat him?”
“She is unconscious, and there is no way to treat her yet. But we will definitely find it. We will definitely make her wake up. Isaac is putting all his strength into it.”
“...Who is it?”
“...”
“Who is it, Sei? Who is it?”
The answer came back after quite a while.
"Shini."
"Ah..."
Ariana held her breath. With her lips slightly parted, she stopped breathing and stared blankly at Cyrus.
Time passed. Ariana also lost her ability to move.
If I stay still like this, if I don't move, won't everything stop? If I keep doing that, at some point in time might turn back, and won't the things I just heard end up never having happened?
Even though she held her breath until her lungs felt like they were on fire, nothing good happened.
"Master, it's good weather."
Shini used to say that with eyes clearer than the sky on a clear day.
"My weather is always good because I have you, Master. I will protect you."
Every single day, she made Ariana's weather good like that.
Ariana gasped for breath, having held her breath for a while.
"I'm not crying."
Ariana spoke as if chewing on something.
"I have to be in good weather."
Shini is not dead. If she were dead, it would be the end, but as long as she is alive, she can try anything.
"I have to be good weather until Shini opens her eyes."
Ariana gritted her teeth to keep the welling tears from falling. She opened her eyes wide and clenched her fists tightly.
She felt excruciating pain as the spot where her fingernail had fallen off touched her palm, but it was milder than the pain in her chest. Her whole body throbbed with the pain of her heart being torn into pieces, but Ariana still did not cry.
"I'm going to have good weather."
Cyrus spoke softly to Ariana, who was repeating it over and over again as if making a promise.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll help, Rian. I’ll take action so that the world Shini returns to remains endlessly clear.”
Beds for the injured were set up in a large wagon.
Isabelle was riding on one of them. Not because of her own injury, but because of Shini.
Isabelle's wound was almost fully healed thanks to Isaac. As she consistently applied the ointment Isaac gave her, the scar had already started to fade.
Even though Isaac had made such a wonderful ointment, he could not cure Shini. Shini still lay there silently, like a dead person.
The wagon, which had stopped for a moment, started moving again.
They will arrive at Chase Castle tomorrow afternoon.
"Are you okay?"
At the sound coming from behind, Isabelle spoke without even turning around.
"No."
"Let me see."
“Not me, it’s Shini.”
Isaac approached and sat next to Isabelle.
"Sorry."
"What is it?
"Because I couldn't wake Shini up."
“Why is Isaac apologizing for that? Thanks to Isaac, we found out that Shini is still alive.”
Shini's breathing and heartbeat were so faint. If it weren't for Isaac, she would have assumed Shini was dead and simply grieved beside her without performing any treatment. Eventually, as time passed, she would have truly died.
Isaac, having confirmed that Shinj was alive, took appropriate measures, and now Shini's breathing has stabilized enough that even a stranger could tell.
But that was all.
He treated her wounds and frequently opened her mouth to feed her recovery medicine, but Shini did not open her eyes. She was merely breathing, as if she had fallen into an eternal sleep.
"Ariana really cared for this kid. Sometimes, it seemed like she was more family than us."
"...Yes."
“At first, I was really jealous and hated it, but thinking about it later, I realized it was understandable. It’s only natural to feel like this child you saved is more like family than the family who didn’t even bother to check on her while she was being abused.”
“Princess Consort won’t think that way anymore.”
Isabelle covered her face with both hands.
“Ugh, I’m seriously so pathetic. We should have taken Shini without any problems, but the person called older sister couldn’t even do a single thing right... What is this, really? I can understand why she doesn’t trust us, really.”
Isaac silently watched Isabelle lament in a voice mixed with tears.
He can't believe she can't do a single thing properly.
He heard from Louis later. Isabelle fought well. She fought splendidly. She did not back down for a single moment and fought against the Paganus who were trying to head toward where Ariana was.
Then, even though she was severely injured, she took care of the injured without showing it and fulfilled her role as a member of the monarch's family perfectly.
How many women would be able to go this far?
'I just thought she was an immature and headstrong woman...'
On the battlefield, Isabelle was exactly like Ariana facing Victoria. She stared straight at her opponent, never taking her eyes off them, and boldly advanced forward.
Only now did the East realize the truth of the saying that women are warriors, too.
“Don’t cry, Miss Isabelle. You did everything you could.”
"Who said I was crying?"
There was not a single drop of moisture in Isabelle's eyes as she lowered her hand.
“I’m not crying. Why would I cry? There must be someone else who really wants to cry.”
Ariana did not cry.
She simply looked down at Shini, who was being carried in on a saddle, with eyes mixed with affection, apology, and longing.
Ariana, who had never properly revealed her emotions despite suffering countless hardships, did the same this time.
Isabelle did not pressure Ariana to cry if she wanted to, as she had before. This was because she could guess the reason why Ariana was not crying.
And so, as if there were no problem, they moved Shini to the bedroom and shared what had happened.
Having fully recovered from her wounds, Louis joined Cyrus at Chase Castle and immediately departed for the Northern Territory. Isaac remained in the Eastern Territory for Shini, while Geor, Averaster, and Theodore headed to the battlefield.
Rattan July 214.
A long, long war against Paganus began.
As the Imperial Palace of the Camellia Empire collapsed, the Northern and Eastern Territories declared independence.
The Northern Territory changed its name to the Kingdom of Arcana, and the Eastern Territory changed its name to the Kingdom of Stella. Arcana and Stella joined hands to pursue Paganus, who remained on the continent, while destroying the nations allied with Paganus one by one.
Rattan July 215.
Cyrus Carha, the King of the Arcana Kingdom, proclaimed himself Emperor, signaling the beginning of the Arcana Empire. At the same time, he devoured the Western Territory, which was in chaos, fighting over the feudal lordships, and immediately marched his army toward the Camellia Empire.
David Blenwitt, the Crown Prince, sat on the throne of the imperial palace, which had been barely rebuilt. He knew how this battle would end. He should have at least put up a struggle, but he did not even have the fighting spirit left.
Chloe, who had been imprisoned, could not be found as she had disappeared amidst the chaos, and the Crown Princess, who had suffered without even a moment to recover after losing her unborn child, was still unable to get out of bed.
David, who had witnessed with his own eyes the downfall of the emperor who sat on the throne and acted as he pleased, simply wanted to rest in peace.
Thus, the Camellia Empire surrendered to the Arcana Empire without even putting up a proper fight.
Rattan December 215.
David Blenwitt handed over the imperial seal of the Camellia Empire and the Emperor's crown to Cyrus Carha and became a commoner.
Cyrus showed generosity by sparing the lives of David and the entire Brenwit family and bestowed the title of Count upon David Blenwit. However, the Blenwitt family went into exile in the Kingdom of Stella before the year was over.
It was because he was afraid of the criticism from the public.
Cyrus did not stop at absorbing the Western Territory and Camellia Empires into the Arcana Empire. He relentlessly drove his knights forward, as if determined to annihilate every single Paganus remaining on this continent. Russell, the King of Stella, also joined in.
Most of the radical Paganus who dreamed of ruling the continent by consuming the hearts of beasts disappeared, and the winds of war that had spread across the entire continent stopped.
Rattan January 217.
The long war has ended.
Cyrus stared intently at Ariana, who was lying with his arm as a pillow. While her flushed cheeks were unbearably lovely, a tightness in his chest rose with intense anger every time he saw her deep wound.
He should have protected Ariana. No matter how bad the situation was, he shouldn't have taken his eyes off her.
Looking back now, Ariana's choice was right. Thanks to the Paganus chasing after the fleeing Ariana, they were able to prevent greater casualties on their side.
If Cyrus had been absent from that fight, or if Geor or Leinster or Theodore had been absent, or especially if Sini had been absent, they would have lost.
So Ariana's choice was right, and Shini's choice was also right.
'Shini...'
The reason Cyrus hurried to meet Ariana was not only because he missed her, but also to deliver news about Shini first.
Just as Ariana was good weather to Shini, Shini was the sky to Ariana.
And Ariana's sky is now...
"The war will continue, won't it?"
Ariana's voice shattered the thoughts.
“Yeah. I plan to take this opportunity to eliminate all the countries that have allied with Paganus. I’ve also finished talking with the Eastern Lord.”
"It looks like this is going to drag on. The war."
“Do you think you’ll be okay without me?”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to manage very well.”
Ariana snuggled into Cyrus's arms like a baby bird.
“I’ll still try to hold on. So you have to come back safely.”
"...Yes."
Cyrus hugged Ariana tightly and buried his face in her soft hair.
“Rian, do you know that?”
"What?"
“I could die to create the world you want. Even if I die like that, I won’t have any regrets. No, rather, I’d be glad.”
“……Why are you bringing that up? I don’t have any kind of world I’d want to create, even if it meant killing you.”
Ariana tried to break free from Cyrus's embrace. But Cyrus did not let go of Ariana.
“Sei, let me go.”
“For some, yes, Ariana. Dying while protecting someone precious is truly an honor and a blessing.”
"Then what about the survivor? Is it an honor and a blessing for them, too, that someone precious died for them?"
“It probably isn’t, but they would hope so. And so, even if tears of blood flow, even if the heart is torn apart, even if the inside is rotting away with loneliness and longing, they would hope to somehow overcome it and keep living.”
“Sei, let go of me. Please?”
"That's definitely going to be the case, Ariana."
“Say, Cyrus Carha. Let go of this!”
It was only after Ariana’s voice rose that the strength drained from Cyrus’s arm.
Ariana broke free from his embrace and sat up, looking down at Cyrus. She carefully examined his eyes to determine the truth.
Someone died. It’s just that she hasn’t heard the news, but someone certainly died.
Her heart, which had been languid and enveloped in happiness just moments ago, began to pound painfully with an ominous premonition.
"Who is this?"
Her cracked voice didn't sound like her own.
“Who died?”
“No one died, Rian.”
“But why are you saying that? Someone died. Who is it? Shini? geor? Or Isabelle? Leinster? Grandfather? Who is it?”
The very first name mentioned tore at Cyrus's heart. Cyrus slowly closed and opened his eyes and sat up.
And he firmly grasped Ariana's shoulders with both hands.
“I’ll say it again, Rian. No one died.”
“Then why...?”
Ariana's eyes wavered. She squeezed her eyes shut and spoke.
“So, he isn’t recovering. Is he unable to regain consciousness? Or is there absolutely no way to treat him?”
“She is unconscious, and there is no way to treat her yet. But we will definitely find it. We will definitely make her wake up. Isaac is putting all his strength into it.”
“...Who is it?”
“...”
“Who is it, Sei? Who is it?”
The answer came back after quite a while.
"Shini."
"Ah..."
Ariana held her breath. With her lips slightly parted, she stopped breathing and stared blankly at Cyrus.
Time passed. Ariana also lost her ability to move.
If I stay still like this, if I don't move, won't everything stop? If I keep doing that, at some point in time might turn back, and won't the things I just heard end up never having happened?
Even though she held her breath until her lungs felt like they were on fire, nothing good happened.
"Master, it's good weather."
Shini used to say that with eyes clearer than the sky on a clear day.
"My weather is always good because I have you, Master. I will protect you."
Every single day, she made Ariana's weather good like that.
Ariana gasped for breath, having held her breath for a while.
"I'm not crying."
Ariana spoke as if chewing on something.
"I have to be in good weather."
Shini is not dead. If she were dead, it would be the end, but as long as she is alive, she can try anything.
"I have to be good weather until Shini opens her eyes."
Ariana gritted her teeth to keep the welling tears from falling. She opened her eyes wide and clenched her fists tightly.
She felt excruciating pain as the spot where her fingernail had fallen off touched her palm, but it was milder than the pain in her chest. Her whole body throbbed with the pain of her heart being torn into pieces, but Ariana still did not cry.
"I'm going to have good weather."
Cyrus spoke softly to Ariana, who was repeating it over and over again as if making a promise.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll help, Rian. I’ll take action so that the world Shini returns to remains endlessly clear.”
***
Beds for the injured were set up in a large wagon.
Isabelle was riding on one of them. Not because of her own injury, but because of Shini.
Isabelle's wound was almost fully healed thanks to Isaac. As she consistently applied the ointment Isaac gave her, the scar had already started to fade.
Even though Isaac had made such a wonderful ointment, he could not cure Shini. Shini still lay there silently, like a dead person.
The wagon, which had stopped for a moment, started moving again.
They will arrive at Chase Castle tomorrow afternoon.
"Are you okay?"
At the sound coming from behind, Isabelle spoke without even turning around.
"No."
"Let me see."
“Not me, it’s Shini.”
Isaac approached and sat next to Isabelle.
"Sorry."
"What is it?
"Because I couldn't wake Shini up."
“Why is Isaac apologizing for that? Thanks to Isaac, we found out that Shini is still alive.”
Shini's breathing and heartbeat were so faint. If it weren't for Isaac, she would have assumed Shini was dead and simply grieved beside her without performing any treatment. Eventually, as time passed, she would have truly died.
Isaac, having confirmed that Shinj was alive, took appropriate measures, and now Shini's breathing has stabilized enough that even a stranger could tell.
But that was all.
He treated her wounds and frequently opened her mouth to feed her recovery medicine, but Shini did not open her eyes. She was merely breathing, as if she had fallen into an eternal sleep.
"Ariana really cared for this kid. Sometimes, it seemed like she was more family than us."
"...Yes."
“At first, I was really jealous and hated it, but thinking about it later, I realized it was understandable. It’s only natural to feel like this child you saved is more like family than the family who didn’t even bother to check on her while she was being abused.”
“Princess Consort won’t think that way anymore.”
Isabelle covered her face with both hands.
“Ugh, I’m seriously so pathetic. We should have taken Shini without any problems, but the person called older sister couldn’t even do a single thing right... What is this, really? I can understand why she doesn’t trust us, really.”
Isaac silently watched Isabelle lament in a voice mixed with tears.
He can't believe she can't do a single thing properly.
He heard from Louis later. Isabelle fought well. She fought splendidly. She did not back down for a single moment and fought against the Paganus who were trying to head toward where Ariana was.
Then, even though she was severely injured, she took care of the injured without showing it and fulfilled her role as a member of the monarch's family perfectly.
How many women would be able to go this far?
'I just thought she was an immature and headstrong woman...'
On the battlefield, Isabelle was exactly like Ariana facing Victoria. She stared straight at her opponent, never taking her eyes off them, and boldly advanced forward.
Only now did the East realize the truth of the saying that women are warriors, too.
“Don’t cry, Miss Isabelle. You did everything you could.”
"Who said I was crying?"
There was not a single drop of moisture in Isabelle's eyes as she lowered her hand.
“I’m not crying. Why would I cry? There must be someone else who really wants to cry.”
***
Ariana did not cry.
She simply looked down at Shini, who was being carried in on a saddle, with eyes mixed with affection, apology, and longing.
Ariana, who had never properly revealed her emotions despite suffering countless hardships, did the same this time.
Isabelle did not pressure Ariana to cry if she wanted to, as she had before. This was because she could guess the reason why Ariana was not crying.
And so, as if there were no problem, they moved Shini to the bedroom and shared what had happened.
Having fully recovered from her wounds, Louis joined Cyrus at Chase Castle and immediately departed for the Northern Territory. Isaac remained in the Eastern Territory for Shini, while Geor, Averaster, and Theodore headed to the battlefield.
Rattan July 214.
A long, long war against Paganus began.
***
As the Imperial Palace of the Camellia Empire collapsed, the Northern and Eastern Territories declared independence.
The Northern Territory changed its name to the Kingdom of Arcana, and the Eastern Territory changed its name to the Kingdom of Stella. Arcana and Stella joined hands to pursue Paganus, who remained on the continent, while destroying the nations allied with Paganus one by one.
Rattan July 215.
Cyrus Carha, the King of the Arcana Kingdom, proclaimed himself Emperor, signaling the beginning of the Arcana Empire. At the same time, he devoured the Western Territory, which was in chaos, fighting over the feudal lordships, and immediately marched his army toward the Camellia Empire.
David Blenwitt, the Crown Prince, sat on the throne of the imperial palace, which had been barely rebuilt. He knew how this battle would end. He should have at least put up a struggle, but he did not even have the fighting spirit left.
Chloe, who had been imprisoned, could not be found as she had disappeared amidst the chaos, and the Crown Princess, who had suffered without even a moment to recover after losing her unborn child, was still unable to get out of bed.
David, who had witnessed with his own eyes the downfall of the emperor who sat on the throne and acted as he pleased, simply wanted to rest in peace.
Thus, the Camellia Empire surrendered to the Arcana Empire without even putting up a proper fight.
Rattan December 215.
David Blenwitt handed over the imperial seal of the Camellia Empire and the Emperor's crown to Cyrus Carha and became a commoner.
Cyrus showed generosity by sparing the lives of David and the entire Brenwit family and bestowed the title of Count upon David Blenwit. However, the Blenwitt family went into exile in the Kingdom of Stella before the year was over.
It was because he was afraid of the criticism from the public.
Cyrus did not stop at absorbing the Western Territory and Camellia Empires into the Arcana Empire. He relentlessly drove his knights forward, as if determined to annihilate every single Paganus remaining on this continent. Russell, the King of Stella, also joined in.
Most of the radical Paganus who dreamed of ruling the continent by consuming the hearts of beasts disappeared, and the winds of war that had spread across the entire continent stopped.
Rattan January 217.
The long war has ended.
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