About an hour ago, Cruel checked his sword.
Seeing him carrying several daggers not only on his sword but also on his thighs as if he was very determined, and drawing and retracting them several times, his subordinate Senzer, who had been quietly watching his actions from a corner, quietly opened his mouth.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes."
"I will follow."
"No."
After finishing preparations, Cruel looked back at him with an expressionless face. The subordinate who had always silently supported him from behind, was looking at him.
How long had it been since he met him? Since they were together before going under the Duke's command, he could guarantee that it wouldn't be a short time. Even though he couldn't express it on the outside, he was a subordinate whom he trusted enough to trust and entrust many tasks to him.
Thanks to this, Cruel was able to learn one thing.
"Senzer."
"Yes."
"When did you stop calling me 'master'?"
The fact that one could be betrayed did not vary depending on the time spent together.
He thought about it. How did the Duke get the note? When he broadened his horizons a little, the answer came quickly.
Cruel quietly closed his eyes. The eyelids that covered the eyes were fluttering as if they were wandering.
"Since when?"
Compared to the price of life for the truth being discovered, the answer was extremely shabby.
"Have you become the eyes of the peacock?"
He swallowed the devastation that he could not bear to express.
There was no one else who knew the existence and route of the message and could intercept it. Because Senzer was always watching Cruel from behind when he was doing something.
Even if they were not together 24 hours a day, Senzer would have been aware of the contents of Cruel's request, as when Cruel participated in a hunting competition to save Deon Hardt, he assembled the circumstances and reported it to the Duke without having to follow him and see it. So, he supposed he reported it this time too.
"... Does it matter?"
Senzer lifted his downward gaze for a moment and faced Cruel. The gaze was so confident that the viewer was left speechless and looked directly at the green eyes.
"... No."
The green eyes were calm, as if they had never shown signs of agitation.
Now was not the time to waste his attention on things that could not be undone. Cruel looked away.
"I will not allow you to follow."
"But I..."
He knew. He must follow the Duke's orders to keep an eye on him.
But should he really take that into consideration?
"I'm not good enough to leave a traitor by my side on important matters."
"..."
"Is there a need to follow and monitor someone that will be killed if he fails? There must be people other than you who are secretly watching me."
"... All right."
The guards will move as soon as they see anything suspicious.
Senzer nodded obediently and stepped back.
***
Tak. Something cold landed on the tip of my nose.
"Ah, it's snowing..."
It was hard to believe that it had just begun to fall, as the snow filling the sky and falling was filling my vision. In direct contrast to the pure white snow, I felt like my insides were burning black.
Damn. The war was going to be tough. Looking at the thick snow, it looks like it's going to pile up quite a bit...
'Anyway, how far is this bastard going to drag me?'
With eyes full of dissatisfaction, I glared at the thick hand that was grabbing my wrist.
It was obvious that he could feel my stinging gaze, but there was no way his hand would loosen even when I was struggling and swearing just a moment ago. Since I had already lost my strength after making a fuss, I soon gave up and followed the guy's lead, remembering the previous situation.
After barely escaping from the demons' trap, getting lost, encountering another group of demons, and managing to return alive from that shitty situation.
To be honest, I don't remember the situation when I returned. My arms and legs were hurting like crazy and my body couldn't move, so I was too busy focusing on my situation. I remember the crazy dogs carrying me away...
Anyway, I am certain that I returned safely.
And became a hero! I was originally a hero, but...!
'Shit. I never thought that that road was a supply route.'
The demons I encountered were carrying supplies.
'The number of internal enemies already numerous has increased...'
As usual, the closer one gets to power, the more radical those who cannot sit still and watch someone rise to succession become more radical.
The checks will become more severe. The number of raiders will definitely increase.
There was already talk about the road that could have been used as a station being arbitrarily cut off.
Of course, it seems like no one is listening because it's bullshit, but it's still unfair. That's not what I meant.
'What should I do when the crazy dogs ran amok and caused a landslide, causing the cable to break...'
Because I almost died, I remember that much clearly. At that time, I thought that place would be our grave.
I was a little touched by the actions of the guys who never let go of me, who was a burdensome burden, and took care of me while I was frantically running away, but since they were also the ones responsible for almost killing me, I didn't have very kind words to say.
'But I should think it's thanks to them that I got better quickly and am moving like this.'
As soon as the crazy dogs arrived, they started screaming and running wild, so I was in good health. I heard there was no major problem with my body, but my muscles were damaged a lot due to excessive movement. Oh, I heard that my leg bones were slightly misaligned, so I had to adjust them again.
I heard that our talented Lien managed to find the road.
'Finding the way and controlling the crazy dogs... You must have had a hard time, Sir Lien...'
Anyway.
I looked at the front. A black figure walking ahead caught my eye.
After barely finishing my treatment, I was resting in the assigned barracks when they suddenly attacked and dragged me out, leaving me to just walk around like this.
"What on earth are you talking about? I said I didn't want to listen."
"..."
"... Damn you, bastard."
Cruel Hardt.
I cursed with a lot of emotion. It was then that his steps, which had not stopped the entire time he was moving, stopped.
"... Deon."
Chaang!
It was nice that he let go of my wrist, but Cruel drew his sword.
... I did cuss a little, but is that something that deserves this much?
The sight of him approaching with a sword in one hand against the entrance of a familiar mountain range was quite scary, so I hesitated to retreat, but he narrowed the distance completely and raised his bandaged hand to grab my shoulder.
A small voice whispered.
"... There are people trying to kill you."
"That's..."
"They're very determined this time. They sent me and a force capable of killing a hero."
"...."
Aside from having enough troops to kill a hero, they sent Cruel? To kill me?
'... Crazy.'
I knew Cruel's skills well.
Was he intentionally trying to drag me to a place where there were no people and kill me? I've moved too far for too long to say that it was unnecessary... Perhaps my senses have become dull due to his incomprehensible actions. I should immediately shake off this hand and increase the distance, but even though I'm this close, I strangely don't feel any murderous intent.
So, after hesitating for a moment, he turned around and nudged my shoulder in the direction of the mountain range.
"Go to 'that side'."
"...!"
At the entrance to the familiar mountain range, Cruel traveled a long distance to this place and pushed me in that direction.
Understanding the situation was quick.
"Go and never come back."
Cruel knew that I came and went from the demon realm.
This must be considered. The guy's voice seemed somehow resigned, so I gathered my composure, thinking that his hesitation might have been just an illusion.
"You..."
But before I could finish speaking, a dagger flew from somewhere.
Cruel, who swung his sword like lightning to hit the target thrown precisely at my left eye, looked back at me as if urging me to do so. When I saw his eyes that rarely showed emotion look at me desperately, I hesitated.
'But... I can't cross the border of the mountain range like this...'
The border here was a border that both the Demon King and the Emperor were deliberately hiding. If I was not careful, I may end up guiding the attackers to it, since I didn't know where they were.
'If that happens, won't the Demon King kill me...?'
I moved to survive, but it could end up being a situation where I die...!
It seems as if Cruel, who protected me, was also regarded as an enemy, and numerous daggers were flying among the snowflakes. It was even difficult to accurately determine the location of the people throwing the daggers due to the snow.
I laughed out loud.
'Well, one way or another, it looks like today is the day I die.'
Still, I don't think I'll die trying to cross a mountain range, so I guess it's a good death.
Although I was able to move around after receiving treatment, it was still difficult to do intense movements such as battle, so I gave up and stood there when Cruel pulled me and swung his sword at the approaching dagger.
Kwang!
... Huh?
"You…!"
There was no pain in the body. It means I wasn't hit. As I rolled my eyes a little, I saw that there was a dagger stuck in Cruel's right arm that I had never seen before.
His left hand was also covered in bandages, and even his right arm... It was all very different.
Maybe it was because it was for my own benefit, but sarcasm couldn't come out of my mouth.
"Why..."
It seemed like an illusion as blood seeped out in droplets, staining my clothes red and slowly running down my sleeves. I couldn't understand.
Even though he wrapped around me, he could only block one attack. If Cruel was alone, it would have been possible to block them all and avoid them. So why?
'Why did Cruel get hit instead of me?'
Didn't Cruel abandon me? Since when did he treat me like this? No...
"Don't think about it."
My vision darkened.
A low voice interrupted my busy thoughts.
"Just like always, rationalize and ignore it."
Kwang, kwang! Fwing!
My hearing, which had become more sensitive due to my vision being blocked, picks up the sounds of metal clashing and flesh being cut. Perhaps it was because of the bandages, but the large hands covering my eyes were as cold as a corpse.
"But..."
The direction of my body changed and my vision opened up.
Cruel and the raiders were on the other side of my field of vision, and the only thing I could see was the entrance to the mountain range, which was closer than before.
Cruel, who had his hand on my shoulder from behind, spoke slowly.
"If you really want to open your eyes."
There was still a bloody sound in the background. And right behind me, I heard the sound of someone being stabbed with a blade.
I was about to turn around quickly, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me with force. Instead, a low, calm voice, different from usual, rang in my ears, as if letting me know that I was fine.
"Before that, face everything you have done so far."
"..."
"Now go."
***
On the day when the Count's mansion was covered in blood at the hands of his only brother, Cruel was faced with a choice.
Should he take revenge by killing Deon, or should he protect he who had become his only bloodline?
Cruel's choice was the latter.
He knew that his younger brother did this because there was some misunderstanding. It also had something to do with the Eight Year War.
In such a situation, if he took revenge by killing that child, all he would gain was a huge sense of loss.
Cruel had no confidence not to aim his sword at himself in the midst of that enormous loss.
That was the reason why he decided to pour his life on his younger brother rather than die even if he got revenge.
He learned that there was a reason behind Deon's participation in the Eight Year War.
However, his family has already died at the hands of Deon, who misunderstood. He decided to hide the fact in case the child, who found out the truth, went crazy with guilt and revenge and ended up pointing his sword in all directions and trying to kill himself.
'More.'
He learned that Duke Stave Illuster was targeting Deon. He volunteered to be by his side in order to distort and purify the Duke's orders.
'What should I do?'
Cruel Hardt became the bait.
By focusing Deon's anger on himself, he prevented him from questioning his participation in the Eight Year War, and served as a filter to the Duke's murderous intentions toward Deon. In the meantime, it was a bonus to erase any evidence that might raise questions about Deon.
That may be why the shaman said that at the time.
'If you feel like you are going to die, kill that child first and then die.'
He knew.
When he died, sooner or later, that child will know the truth.
He would be weighed down by guilt and sharpen the blade of revenge, and that the sword drawn for revenge may turn into a situation where he found a target for revenge in order to swing that sword.