Chapter 161 - Ill-fated Relationship or Destiny (3)

It wasn't just the Royal Knights. The soldiers of the 2nd Central Army who had followed them also all knelt.

"Uhm. Uh..."

Vincent looked around in an awkward posture. His face showed his conflict over whether he should kneel as well.

The sight was so funny that I considered leaving him be, but I decided to handle the situation before the atmosphere became too heavy.

Swish.

When I gave the old knight a look, he stood back up and took a rigid stance.

Clatter.

The knights and the troops of the Central Army followed his lead and stood up.

Seeing over two thousand people kneel and stand up all at once was enough to make me dizzy.

If I felt this way, how must Vincent and the command staff of Winter Castle feel?

Sure enough, they still hadn't snapped out of it.

Laughter burst out of me.

I simply couldn't hold it in seeing those tough veterans—who wouldn't even blink if ten thousand enemies suddenly appeared behind their backs while fighting an equally massive force—collectively wearing such foolish expressions.

How foolish. They should have realized it before they even knelt. What it meant for the King's 1st Royal Guard and the Royal Knights to leave the palace en masse.

Vincent asked me with a look.

Instead of answering, I arrogantly lifted my chin and took off my glove.

Then I held out my hand to show him.

The royal ring permitted only to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince's seal...

"Huh?"

But it wasn't there. It had definitely been there just a short while ago.

Step.

Just then, someone approached.

It was Adelia.

She slipped the ring onto my hand.

A ring embedded with a massive ruby. It was the seal I was looking for.

'Why does Adelia have this?'

"You left it with me a few days ago, saying it got in the way when gripping your sword."

Adelia explained the ring's whereabouts as if she had looked right into my mind. The sigh was a bonus.

Only then did I remember the fact that I had passed this overly large ring off to Adelia because I couldn't get used to it at all.

"Ahem."

I coughed awkwardly and held out my hand again.

Everyone was looking at my hand.

But since I had missed the timing, I didn't get to see Vincent and the command staff of Winter Castle jump in shock.

Instead, I only received a glare of reproach from the old knight.

As if to ask how I could treat such a precious artifact that proved the Crown Prince's authority so carelessly.

The old knight reprimanded me.

"Then they should have made it comfortable to wear."

I had my excuses too.

This ignorantly large and flashy ring was useless for anything other than proving one's identity, and was rather just a nuisance.

Wearing something like this would make me lose fights I would otherwise win.

I'd be lucky if my finger didn't get crushed.

The old knight's lips parted at my words. But I beat him to the punch.

"If you were going to say something stale like 'the Crown Prince is not one who fights at the front, but leads from the back,' then save it."

As the old knight opened his mouth to speak, I quickly added another remark.

"I came here to fight, not to stand back with my hands behind my back and run my mouth."

The old knight, whose lips parted a few times, let out a sigh and shook his head.

Approaching the old knight, Vincent spoke.

"You had better be prepared. Swearing to protect His Highness means that you and the Royal Knights will be standing right in the middle of the battlefield."

It was hard to tell whether his words were meant as comfort or mockery.

Looking at Vincent's expression, it was half and half.

Though he had been treating him so respectfully just a moment ago, he now wore the face of a lord rather than the son of a close friend.

And the lord of Winter Castle, or rather, Northerners in general, didn't really like knights from south of the North.

They considered them to be just playing at being knights, swinging their swords in the safe rear, and believed that regardless of their sword skills, they could never be real men.

It was the pride of the Northerners who had defended the kingdom for a long time.

Such thoughts were clearly visible on Vincent's face.

As if saying, 'Try experiencing it for yourself. And show me if the knights of the South truly have what it takes.'

"I will prepare quarters for you first, so please rest and recover from your journey."

His expression and attitude remained polite through and through.

Because no matter what feelings Northerners had toward Southerners, he couldn't ignore the goodwill and effort of those who had rushed over to lend a hand.

"Since we don't know when you might get another chance to rest if not now."

Of course, even while speaking so politely, he didn't forget to include a slight display of territorial dominance.

* * *

Winter Castle was massive enough, but it was a tight fit to accommodate a large force of nearly ten thousand.

When the reinforcement troops sent by the royal family arrived, the fortress reached full capacity, and the barracks were bursting at the seams.

With the supplies that arrived alongside the troops from The Capital, all the facilities in the fortress were stuffed to their limits.

And even at this moment, the Northern lords were continuously sending supplies.

Among them were supplies from the Central region, not the North. These were items sent by nobles who had fought together on the defense lines of the Central region, including House Branbrut, which possessed the Iron Hawk Archers.

Because the damage suffered in the last war was immense, they could not send reinforcements, but they included letters stating that their hearts were with the North.

Perhaps thanks to such unexpected goodwill and friendship, the Rangers, who were kicked out of the bursting barracks, did not complain.

"Northerners never mistreat guests who come visiting."

With their Northern pride, they willingly yielded their spots to the guests.

However, the cold of Winter Castle was too much to endure with just pride alone.

"Ah, why are you making a fuss here!"

At my words, Ranger Company Commander Yorden grumbled.

Saying that my quarters were spacious anyway, so what was the point of using it alone? That a person should be willing to make some concessions.

I clutched my head.

Even without this, my head was already aching over the existence of the Overlord and the things to come, so having senior Rangers like Yorden squatting in my quarters only made my headache much worse.

"Go to your lord!"

"The guys who went there first have already taken all the spots. And the lord's nagging has gotten so bad lately that I'd rather pitch a tent than stay with him."

I unconsciously nodded in agreement before sharply scowling.

"There are other commanders too!"

"It's the same for all of them. They're all completely packed. So please give up."

At Yorden's detestable reply, I burst out in annoyance.

Of course, that didn't mean I actually intended to kick them out.

We had built up a bond over our time together, after all.

Then, I suddenly looked at Yorden's face.

"But you're a Company Commander. I get it for a platoon leader, but you have your own separate quarters, so why are you here?"

Yorden flinched and trembled.

"M-My room was handed over to the rookies ages ago."

It somehow sounded like an excuse.

'Feels like he just came here to hang out.'

In the end, unable to endure the crowding, I had to leave the room.

"Where are you going!"

"It's too stuffy, I'm going out for some fresh air!"

"Have a safe trip!"

At the greetings of the Rangers, who were now seeing me off as if it were their own room, I ended up shaking my head.

As soon as I stepped out of the room, a chill swept over my body.

Appearing like a ghost, Adelia draped a fur coat over me.

Since I had known she was there all along, I wasn't surprised, but I was entirely unpleased that she, who had become a Sword Master, still served me like a maid.

"I told you that you don't have to do things like this anymore."

At my words, she shook her head.

Saying that she was doing it because she wanted to, so I shouldn't stop her.

I suddenly became curious.

"Adelia. What do you normally do with your time?"

I couldn't even guess what she did while I was away.

Arwen trained in her swordsmanship, and that Eli bastard followed Arwen around. Vincent handled the duties of a lord, and everyone else had their own lives as well.

Adelia alone had nothing of the sort.

"I do nothing. That way, I can go to you immediately when Your Highness calls."

It was exactly the answer I had expected.

Thinking of her spending her days just waiting for my call made me feel so proud of her loyalty. At the same time, thinking of her sitting idly all day waiting for me to call was incredibly frustrating.

Even I, who used to be a sword, had things I wanted to do and things I intended to do. For her to have nothing like that, and to just waste her time all day for me when I might not even call her...

"You'd be better off using that time..."

Seeing Adelia's face staring intently at me, I flinched and froze.

It was because I realized that my words right now would be taken as an order, not a suggestion.

"Is there nothing you want?"

So I simply asked.

"Serving Your Highness comfortably, making sure Your Highness feels no inconvenience, ensuring Your Highness does not get hurt, and that Your Highness..."

When I scowled, she trailed off.

After I put strength into my eyes and glared at her for a long while, only then did the answer I wanted come from her lips.

"I miss my family."

Her family was all in The Capital.

I heard that Nicolo had taken in her reportedly bright younger brother as a disciple, and that the woman she called her aunt had acquired a fairly decent job in the royal palace.

She could see them whenever she wanted.

"If you want to even now, you may go see your family."

I suggested again.

"Right now, being by Your Highness's side is more..."

With a somewhat flushed face, she spoke to herself before dropping her head deeply.

Ultimately, we were back to square one.

She wouldn't leave my side, and I couldn't leave Winter Castle.

When I asked just in case if there was anything else, she said that was it.

I fell into thought.

Then, after a long while, I spoke to her.

"Try to spend a little time for yourself."

So that my goodwill wouldn't become a shackle for her, I carefully chose my words and advised her to try living for herself.

With a lost expression, she replied that she understood.

I could guarantee that she would forget what I said the moment she turned around.

And then she would spend all day waiting for me again.

It was frustrating, yet deeply touching.

And I felt sorry.

Adelia was a tender spot in my heart.

That bastard Eli grumbled that I showed her exceptional favoritism, but I had no other choice.

While others were achieving their own goals through me, Adelia alone was living a life far removed from her own desires.

I still vividly remembered the words she had spat out while drunk.

Asking why I tormented her, why I couldn't just leave her alone, saying she just wanted to live happily with her family.

To someone like her, what importance did the status of a Sword Master hold?

She was a woman entirely without greed, who would be satisfied as long as she could take care of her younger brother and live happily with her aunt.

"Once this war ends and we return to The Capital, let's invite your family to the palace."

I had to return to the royal palace once this war ended anyway.

That was the condition set by the King when I had hurried the schedule out of a bad premonition.

To return immediately as soon as the matter was resolved.

Among the reasons the old knight and the Royal Knights had followed me was to drag me back by force should I disappear elsewhere or try to stay at Winter Castle for too long.

"We can have a meal together, and you can introduce them to me."

"Yes. Your Highness."

Adelia answered as usual to my words.

But she couldn't hide an inexplicably excited look.

I let out a sigh and headed back outside.

The fortress was in the midst of preparations ahead of the impending battle.

The infantrymen were groaning as they carried heavy cannonballs, and the knights were patrolling the castle to check if any defenses were lacking.

The Rangers on duty clung tightly to the walls battered by the biting wind, solely glaring at the mountains beyond.

And one of them suddenly raised his hand high.

"Monsters!"

At those words, horn flutes blared from all over the walls. An urgent ringing of bells echoed from the spires.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Troops poured out from inside the fortress.

Among them were Yorden and the senior Rangers who had been dawdling in my room.

I, too, climbed up to the wall with them.

Soon, the command staff of Winter Castle appeared on the wall one after another.

"Were you already here?"

"I just happened to be taking a walk."

I roughly answered Vincent and looked out across the snowfield.

Monsters were endlessly pouring out from the mountain range.

Ten thousand, twenty thousand...

"Hmm."

And thirty thousand.

"They keep coming out!"

The number of monsters pouring out from the mountain range still showed no signs of decreasing.

Monsters spilled forth endlessly.

The complexions of Vincent and the knights, who rarely even changed color under normal circumstances, stiffened rigidly.

The entire snowfield was packed with monsters.

It wasn't a disorderly, jumbled mob like before.

Goblin units gripping green military standards.

Orc units raising red military standards.

Trolls and ogres gripping blue and yellow flags.

Each raising their own flags, they were no longer a horde of monsters but a single army.

The Orcs pushed through the horde of monsters and stepped to the front.

Among them, an unusually massive Orc raised a gigantic military standard.

FLUTTER!

The red flag unfurled in the swirling biting wind.

And the crest engraved right in its center was revealed for all the world to see.

Blazing black flames on a red background.

That was the flag of the 「Furious Flame Legion」.

It was the moment the nightmare that had trampled countless castles of other races during the old era of endless war returned to the world.

And the master of that nightmare-like legion revealed himself.

A body that was half-melted from burns.

Eerie red eyes streaming with rays of sinister light.

A hideous beast that had ultimately survived the flames of hell.

Mounted atop a deformingly massive Griffon, the Overlord looked down upon Winter Castle.