Estelle didn't know what to feel as she stared at the wildfire engulfing the entire camp, her soldiers being mercilessly killed by mysterious men.
After eliminating all her companions, the enemy surrounded her, pointing their weapons at her.
But she didn't feel even the slightest bit of fear. She simply looked at them with dead, emotionless eyes, shadowed by darkness.
In this moment, there was only one thought in Estelle's mind.
"Should I fight?"
Estelle didn't even know what she was living for or what she was fighting for. Before becoming a general, she was just a street kid, begging for food in front of the Holy Church.
When a certain aristocrat witnessed how she fearlessly fought a man who was bigger and stronger than her, just for a piece of bread, they were impressed by her bravery and determination. They took her in, fed her, and trained her. And since then, they had used her as they pleased.
Several years later, the emperor recognized her talent and bestowed upon her a title, land, and treasure. She became a warrior, a hero, a warlord.
She had achieved honor, support, riches, and authority.
And yet, this betrayal was a result of everything she had accomplished.
She didn't feel sad or happy. She didn't feel anything at all, as if all her emotions had deserted her.
Estelle snapped out of her reverie when a sharp blade stabbed her waist. With practiced precision, she wielded her sword and instantly killed one of the men.
She didn't even feel the pain from her wound.
Her mind was still contemplating whether to fight for survival or to simply let them kill her, so that her lifeless existence would come to an end.
Distracted by her thoughts, numerous swords pierced her body. In her heart, her stomach, her shoulder. From the front and the back.
After coughing up copious amounts of blood, she no longer had the strength to struggle.
As the enemies retrieved their swords from her body, they were convinced that there was no way she could still survive.
Estelle collapsed to her knees on the ground. But even in that state, she managed to lift her head and gaze up at the dark sky.
Her wounds continued to bleed. For some reason, she felt a peculiar sense of happiness.
The slight pain from her bleeding wounds reminded her that she was still human. She had never felt so alive until now.
After such a long time, a single tear fell from her eyes.
She wanted to ask.
It didn't matter who. Whether it be a god, a corpse, or the parents who abandoned her.
She just wanted to know.
"Why was I brought into this world?
"Why have I been made to live like this?
"Why am I here?
"Why must I suffer?
"Why am I like this?
"What did I do to deserve this?"
All these questions had plagued her mind throughout her life. She couldn't even find solace in sleep.
She lowered her head, feeling the coldness surrounding her. Her vision became blurry.
Was this what they called drowsiness?
Finally, she would be able to sleep.
Perhaps, dying wasn't so bad after all.
This way, her suffering would finally come to an end.
Estelle let the darkness consume her.
It felt as if she was floating, surrounded by endless darkness. She wasn't even sure if her eyes were closed or not.
But suddenly, she heard voices.
Screaming, running, the sound of burning houses or trees.
And then she felt the heat.
As if fire was swirling around her.
And then she felt a hand holding her.
Without knowing how, she managed to open her eyes.
Everything was blurry, but it was clear that the surroundings were engulfed in flames.
She looked at the man holding her.
She couldn't see his face clearly, but his eyes glowed red like burning lava.
But wasn't she dead?
What was she seeing right now?
And who was this man?