Chapter 504 [Bonus chapter]THE DAY BEGINS
The next day ~
Arthur was running his fingers through Veronica's silky silver locks. His golden pupils stared at the sleeping princess next to him.
He heard voices outside and reluctantly got up from the bed.
After changing his clothes, he pecked at Veronica's lips and murmured. "When you wake up, the war will be over."
Afterward, he went outside. He found Darius and Ironin talking across his tent.
When they saw him walking toward them, they stopped talking.
"What happened?" Arthur asked.
"Sebastian found out about Catherine. He's devastated," Darius explained.
"Where is he?" Arthur asked. He scanned around the area but couldn't find Sebastian.
"In front of the firepit," Ironin curtly replied.
Arthur strode toward the firepit. Just as Ironin told him, he found Sebastian in front of the fire pit.
Sebastian was just standing there. Like a statue.
If Arthur didn't know any better, he would have thought that the motionless being was a sculpture of a tragic lover.
He stood beside his subordinate and stared at the firepit without saying a word.
Sebastian was staring at the fire in a trance. He wasn't able to think of anything. His eyes were blank, just like his mind.
When he first came to the desert, he was surprised that he didn't see Catherine.
He wanted to ask Veronica but she was nowhere to be found. Later, he heard from Zinnia that Veronica was resting and hadn't come out since she went into the tent.
He wanted to ask Ironin but Ironin had been busy ever since he got there. Thus, he didn't want to bother him.
Only after waking up this morning did he meet Merlin. When he asked about Catherine, he found out from Merlin what happened to her.
Merlin apologized and regretfully told him that Catherine gave away her life to save him. When Veronica didn't want her to, she practically begged her to take her life force to save him.
When Sebastian first heard it, he didn't believe it. In fact, he couldn't.
All this time, he knew that she was in love with the Vincent guy who had hurt her so much.
When did her feelings develop for him?
She never showed it. She never expressed it.
When he conveyed his feelings for her, she firmly denied him, crushing his heart, dreams, and hopes all together.
He began to avoid her after that, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable.
After everything that happened, how could he even think that she was in love with him, to the point that she willingly gave up her life force to him?
If she really loved him, why did she push him away? Why didn't she accept him when he bared his emotions to her?
Those thoughts kept circulating in his head. However, the final realization crossed his mind.
He would never be able to get this answer.
Because she was dead.
She wouldn't come back.
Since she gave up her life for him, he couldn't act recklessly. This precious life was just too valuable. He needed to protect it at all costs.
His heart suddenly felt empty.
The best way to express one's love is to give away the most valuable object to the person one holds affection for.
What can be more valuable to a person than life?
Merlin even told him that Catherine was in the worst kind of pain before her death.
The pain was a test of her willingness to give away something so precious to a person she held dear.
After hearing that, Sebastian couldn't hear what else Merlin had told him. Those words kept repeating in his ears.
Afterward, his mind went blank. He came to see the fire where the magician was burning alive.
He felt nothing when he stared at the fire. He could hear the scream coming from inside the pit but he expressed no joy.
He was void of emotions.
So what the guy was being punished?
Catherine wouldn't come back, nor could rewind the pain she felt.
The numbness slowly spread all over his body.
He was standing in front of the pit for hours. He didn't move an inch. Not even a blink.
Merlin got worried about him and told Darius. Afterward, Darius told Ironin and expressed his worry.
While Ironin was listening, Arthur showed up.
Arthur stood beside Sebastian for a couple of minutes. When he noticed that his subordinate was motionless, he realized that the poor guy was in shock.
He raised his hand and harshly slapped Sebastian's back.
Thud!
Sebastian was startled and turned toward Arthur. Seeing his master, his eyes widened in surprise.
highest?
"How come you don't notice that someone is standing beside you? Is this how I taught you?"
Arthur's words carried a hint of anger.
"I-I'm sorry, Master!" Sebastian knelt.
"Get up. I don't have time to lecture you."
"Yes, Master."
After Sebastian stood up, Arthur stared at his face for a couple of seconds before mentioning, "I have a task for you."
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Just like the witches predicted, there was a sudden attack from the wizards' side.
Just when the sun was above their heads, the attack came.
The first attack fell on Queen Isabella's servants' tents. It was a warning to Queen Isabella from Arthur.
Afterward, a series of attacks befell the witches.
When the witches noticed that there was no movement from the wizards in the morning when the temperature was still okay, they let their guard down.
Who knew that the wizards would attack at noon when the temperature was the highest?
Those witches, who were guarding, were surprised by the raid. First, they became stupefied.
The wizards easily killed dozens of them before the witches could blink. Only then did the witches realize that whatever was happening in front of them was true.
Their sisters were dying from the wizards' attack.
They got scared and panicked.
They knew they had to act fast and find a way to protect their sisters before it was too late. They had planned this last night. But everything went out of hands.
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