Chapter 154
Clang!
Sparks fly. In a moment of clash, they gauge each others strength, reading the direction of power and stepping back.
Clang clang!!
Their gazes intersect. Amidst the clash of swords, tiennes fiery eyes and Ivans cold, penetrating gaze meet.
If only if it werent for you!
tienne yelled with a boiling voice. If only Krasilov had sensed the conspiracy through his son beforehand and sent reinforcements at that moment.
In the end, all his failures were caused by this battered man in front of him. Like a walking corpse, yet still blocking every attack, staggering.
Youve ruined everything!
Ambition, dreams, even his son.
All hopes are slipping away like sand through his fingers. Everything that was so close, everything he had grasped, slipping away.
History will remember him as a rebel, a traitor, and a failed lord. His bloodline will be cut off, his territory turned to rebel-infested ruins.
He should have fled. If he had regrouped his forces and retreated, there might still have been hope.
But its too late now.
Aaaah!
Roars hit the frontlines. Under Krasilovs cursed cannons, conscripted soldiers were fleeing in chaos.
In between, Krasilovs superhumans darted. Ignoring soldiers, evading knights, only targeting commanders for assassination.
As a feudal system organized by territories, theres no way to regroup once the command collapses. Nobles of each territory scatter in all directions.
By now, theres no way to recover the forces.
You were not the first.
Ivan spoke with a dying voice. Despite his trembling arms, loosened grip, and staggering legs, his sword remained immaculate.
His voice pierced through the chaos around, digging precisely into tiennes ears.
This wont be the last.
Clang!!
Breaking alliances, striking deals with demons, plotting treasonall of it.
From a microscopic perspective, its merely the upheaval of ambitious individuals, each driven by their own reasons and beliefs.
But from a macroscopic perspective, theres undoubtedly a larger trend at play.
Persistently aiming at the seams of alliances, crumbling monarchies, and collapsing human powers.
Perhaps, this could be considered the flow of history. It might be the ending this world desires.
This world is clearly not friendly to humans.
But, nonetheless.
As a former peasant, Ivan knows. Even when wildfires spread, crops wither, and storms ravage the fields.
Yet, despite all this, people rise again with old tools to till the soil.
Amidst the ruins of war, amidst the blood and corpses of the fallen, people rebuild their homes, build villages, and erect cities again.
Humans are not made to fail.
Even if some force in this world hates humanity. Even when all the gods, holding hands, turned against humans. Even during the time when all tribes gathered their forces to burn humanity.
In the end, humans endure.
But still, humans are still alive in this place, preparing for the next millennium.
Clang! Buk!!
The sword flew away. Finally, his left hand lost its function. Ivan stepped back and swept the ground.
Among the corpses, he pulled out an axe. Fortunately, his right arm still moved.
Clang!!
He faced the blow aimed at his head. The sparks flickered slowly. In the realm of superhumans, the two faced each other, thrusting their weapons.
Despite staggering as if about to collapse at any moment, Ivan once again grasped his weapon and stood up.
Haaaaa!!
Martial arts, reaching for the sky after piling up the years.
Clang!! Spark!!
Even if its unreachable, perhaps. Even if its just a vague concept that may never be reached in a lifetime. Just what one desires.
Not acknowledging limits. Or, even if acknowledged, not accepting them.
So, throughout ones lifetime.
Dedicating ones entire life to throwing oneself into challenges.
Clang!!
The spear breaks. The axe is shattered. With the depletion of magic, time is gradually accelerating. The realm of superhumans is collapsing.
But Ivan still sweeps the ground, rolling and grabbing his weapon. If he cant chase time, then as if saying hell move once more, at least once more.
Burning like fire, dedicating his entire life to reaching just one goal. Like burning life itself.
Why, why wont you die why?!
Its already a wound that should have been fatal. Human willpower can never surpass the limits of the body. Thats common sense. No matter how determined a knight might be, if his arm is severed and his leg is broken, he should fall.
Breaking that common sense head-on, amidst the flames, Ivan emerged once again.
With the next weapon, and then the next again.
In the pressure that felt like facing an army, amidst the constant change of countless people, countless martial arts, countless swords, tiennes hand finally ran out of strength.
Schwack!!!
Seizing the opportunity, an axe blade plunged into his neck like a snake.
Ke khh!
tiennes body convulsed briefly. From the opposite side, a spear pierced through, tearing through ribs and puncturing the lung.
Haa, keuk. With a short breath. tiennes knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.
Ivan breathed deeply, still holding the axe.
I wont refer to your determination as hometown. To me, your will is never just a familiar place.
Ill call it memories. Its not about losing something, but about constructing together with you. Let go of your past. When you discover that sanctuary where you can finally find peace, where you can unburden yourself completely, then Ill say youve found your true home. So.
Edeles voice echoed in his ear. When was it? It seemed like a long time ago.
It was the words he heard in the summer downpour in Frechenkaya.
Now, Ivan finally understood her meaning.
So it was.
His other senses, blocked for battlehis hearing, touch, smellwere slowly returning. The faint noise and heat still ringing in the disarray were disrupting his nerves.
In the silence within the chaos, Ivan nodded quietly.
So it was.
Memories. If his entire life, everything that he was more aware of than himself, was memories. If his past life was his memories, and everything that had been built alongside him. Then.
Now, he would willingly admit.
It wasnt just only 30 years that had passed since the prologue.
It had passed from the prologue.
From the life of a young peasant boy, which was his starting point, to now. The long years were not just a prologue, but the uninterrupted story of one person.
My story isnt a journey to find an epilogue, but the process itself was meaningful.
It wasnt driven by the will of the dead, but by the memories built with those who once lived together.
I realized it too late. I missed too many things. Ivan chuckled dryly.
Tap-tap-tap-!
A sound approached. Difficult to gauge the direction and distance, but the cavalrys forces.
He strengthened his bent knees. Straightened the hand holding the weapon. Since he was not dead yet, there was no reason not to move.
In the swaying vision, someone was rushing towards him.
Vanka Vanka!! Vanka!!
He slowly measured the distance while holding the weapon. But there was no strength in his arms. He laughed, thinking this was it.
Whirr.
Something thick like a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. It felt like a large blanket covering him. In the hazy sight, Ivan knelt, staggering under even that small weight.
Something warm touched his cheek.
Vanka. Vanka, please. Please. Is there no one! A priest!! Bring a priest!! Quickly!!
Thud, thud, thud. The surroundings filled with the sound of heavy things being struck. When he looked around, it was crowded with people. They looked like knights.
Knights holding giant shields were surrounding him like a fortress.
They turned their backs. The Monarch of Krasilov could only show tears in front of his subjects.
Before Ivans eyes, he saw the tearful face of Elizaveta.
Vanka, oh ohh. Dont die. Please, I beg you Hold on a little longer. Please.
Your Highness.
Elizaveta hurriedly approached at Ivans hoarse voice.
Do you recognize me? Do you do you recognize yourself?
Please dont ask. Just command.
Vanka.
Elizaveta looked at him for a while without saying anything, then reached out and pulled him.
Until the priest approached, so that no one would dare harm him. Deeply.
In the sensation of gradually warming up the cold body, Ivan finally could fall into a deep sleep.
*
Tick, tock.
At the sound of raindrops hitting the window, Ivan slowly opened his eyes.
Its an unfamiliar ceiling.
He glanced around. White sheets and clean furniture were visible. Outside the window, the late autumn sky of Tylesse stretched out. It was raining.
Is this a ward?
Ivan turned his gaze again. He saw the back of a man standing by the window.
Are you awake?
Oscar.
Oscar approached with a faint smile and sat down on the chair. After a moment of silence, he spoke first.
Its been three days. Her Highness Elizaveta will be disappointed. She stayed by your side for three days.
The war is over. Ironically, I was the most unscathed among the group. (Oscar)
Is everyone else alright?
Yes, fortunately.
But there was no joy in Oscars smile. Ivan could feel deep sorrow beneath that expression. Before waiting for the next words, he sighed heavily.
It seems that the good ones always die first.
Yes, Yermov.
The funeral?
It will take place in two days.
Are you staying?
No. I have a younger brother. Hes a good lad. There are other things I need to do The hero party still needs a knight.
Is that so.
Ivan turned his gaze again. After looking at the ceiling for a moment, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Listening to Oscars soft sobbing, Ivan bowed his head silently.
*
[Quest Complete!]
[??? Grade Quest casts a dark cloud over Tylesse.]
[You and your party have finally crushed the conspiracy of the Tylesse nobility and achieved peace. After the war, the era of peace has returned. For the time being.]
[Objective: Prevent the civil war of the 3 major Counts of Tylesse (Complete)]
[Count Jean Beltoir de Vermontpor: Captured]
[Count tienne de Granmarteau: Deceased]
[Count Guillaume de Autreange II: Deceased]
[Optional Objective: Survival of Jill Ber de Etarique (Failed)]
[Optional Objective: Encounter with Maximilian de Etualle (Failed)]
[Additional Objective: Maintain the number of destroyed territories at or below 15 (Success)]
[Additional Objective: Survival of the Tylesse royal family (Success)]
[Reward calculation in progress.]
[Reward: Extension of the existence of the United Kingdom by 5 years]
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