Chapter 90
Durante’s mouth fell open.
“W-what does that….”
“Go. This is an order.”
He hesitated for a long while, shedding tears, before reluctantly turning his body. As a mage, he would be able to quickly reach where the Marquis was.
I did not look back. As a swordmaster, my eyes were sharp. If I looked back, I would clearly see the faces I longed for, and then I would want to run to them.
So I deliberately ran looking only ahead.
As I strode closer to the retreating demonic beast army, I could see the high-ranking demons commanding them panicking.
“D-don’t come any closer!”
One demon floating in the air fired fire magic at me. I lightly sliced it with my sword and continued narrowing the distance.
“L-Lord Pelles! That human…!”
I saw another demon reporting to Pelles. Pelles, who was preparing a massive attack, ordered in an irritated voice.
“Move the demonic beasts in all directions and enter the eastern waterway!”
“Y-yes!”
‘How stupid.’
Entering the eastern waterway would be even better for me. I could hide my body among the huge trees, and if lucky, I might even avoid it.
Pelles, having noticed my scheme, shouted desperately.
“Move quickly! Before that human enters the forest!”
The distance to the eastern waterway was still considerable. I spurred my aura-clad feet even harder.
I overtook several demonic beasts slower than me. The demonic beasts, having received orders from the demons, were trying to scatter like the Red Sea parting. However, due to brainwashing, their mobility was reduced.
Seeing that, I predicted that if only Pelles were dealt with, humans would win the war against the demonic beasts. If only Pelles were dealt with, that is.
‘That guy will be handled by the Demon King.’
In the meantime, I prayed that the people I love would not die.
With the eastern waterway right before my eyes,
“Die!”
Pelles threw a massive sphere at me.
Fortunately, a considerable number of demonic beasts were in front of me. Thinking it fortunate that I could drag them along in a ghost operation, I turned my body.
The massive energy mass approached faster than expected. It was an ominous, black, evil, and terrifying power.
I clad my sword in aura. I could not meet my end just running away. I had to face it and die like a knight.
When I had made my resolve.
“Marion―!”
At the familiar voice, my eyes widened. I jerked my head up and saw something huge with wings flying against the moon. It snatched me up in an instant, faster than Pelles’s strike.
Soon, with a tremendous roar, the black mass crashed into the ground.
An explosion.
“Ugh!”
I was completely disoriented. I tightly closed my eyes. From the ground came rumbling, thudding, earthquake-like sounds continuously. Amid the wind and dust whipped up by the explosion, screams of people and demonic beasts could be heard.
To avoid being blown away by the aftermath, I grabbed something without knowing what it was. I felt a warm and large hand.
A hand?
“Marion, are you okay?”
I snapped my eyes open. As if by magic, Kaiden was right in front of me. With the huge moon in the sky as his backdrop.
Unknowingly, I muttered in a dazed voice.
“…Is this heaven?”
“What are you talking about.”
He chuckled and tucked a flying strand of my hair behind my ear. My lips trembled.
“Really… Your Grace?”
Kaiden nodded.
“Yes.”
“Your Grace!”
Tears streaming, I buried myself in his arms. Kaiden held me tightly and patted my back.
“I’m sorry. For making you suffer alone and getting hurt like this. I promised to protect you.”
“No…, no, it’s not. Your body….”
“It’s perfectly healthy. I feel like I’ve been reborn.”
It felt like a dream. That he had opened his eyes, was perfectly alive, and was holding me. I had thought I would never see him again, yet here he was breathing and touchable.
“Your Grace, sob, uh….”
Words did not come out properly. Surprise, joy, relief, and affection.
All sorts of emotions swirled chaotically. Tears poured out, and I was gasping for breath.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry….”
Kaiden held me tightly and soothed me.
[Ahem. Sorry to pour cold water on this tearful reunion, but Pelles is still alive.]
“W-what?!”
Startled, I pushed Kaiden’s chest hard. He groaned “Ugh.” in pain, but I had no time to care.
“B-Bled?!”
[So you finally notice my existence. Even though I’ve grown this big and am carrying you.]
Only then did I look around. The huge full moon and night sky, and flapping wings like black curtains were visible. We were riding on the back of some enormous creature, flying in the sky.
“You, you finally became a holy dragon?!”
[Yes. The great dragon, Lord Bled!]
Bled moved his long neck to look back. At his markedly changed appearance, my true feelings slipped out unknowingly.
“Gross. Your cute appearance is completely gone.”
[What?! That’s too harsh!]
He flew into a rage. With tears still in my eyes, I burst out laughing. Even though it wasn’t the situation for it, laughter came. Beside me, I felt Kaiden’s warmth, and Bled was there too.
Hope emerged.
“Your Grace.”
“Kaiden.”
Even in this moment, he wants me to call him by name.
“…Kaiden.”
“Yes.”
Wiping my tears with my sleeve, I composed my gaze.
“I will briefly explain the situation and objective. It’s a great war against demonic beasts. We must kill the leader, the chief mage Pelles. Will you join me?”
Kaiden nodded with a firm face.
“Of course.”
We stood up on Bled’s back. For ordinary people, standing upright would be extremely difficult, but that did not apply to swordmasters.
Looking down, from the entrance of the eastern waterway to the middle, it was a complete mess. Roughly 30 percent of the demonic beasts seemed to have died from Pelles’s attack.
I raised my head and looked at Pelles floating far away in the air. I thought he would be exhausted from the big attack. But for some reason, his appearance was strange.
Narrowing my eyes, I observed him.
“What is…?”
Pelles was shuddering as if in pain, hugging his body with both arms. Looking closely, grotesque bulges were protruding from various parts of his body.
“Is it a side effect from destroying and absorbing the Demon King’s origin?”
“How do you know that, Your Grace?!”
Startled, I looked at Kaiden. Kaiden shrugged once.
“During the coma, my mind was mostly awake. I heard all the conversations.”
“I see….”
I couldn’t even imagine how lonely he must have been lying there alone. Looking at him with pitying eyes, he smiled at me.
“I heard the confession well too.”
“Huh?”
“That you fell in love with me?”
“What are you talk….”
In an instant, various scenes flashed like a panorama in my mind. The moments when I held his lying hand, cried in fear, and poured out my confession saying I had come to love him.
“Ah!”
I jumped up and distanced myself from Kaiden. Bled scolded [Stay still! Do you want to fall?], but I barely heard it.
Uncharacteristically, Kaiden teased me in a sly voice.
“You didn’t know you’d fall in love with me this much?”
“Q-quiet!”
“Isn’t that too harsh to the person you love?”
“Ugh…!”
As I gasped and raised my sword, Kaiden smiled.
“Marion.”
“Try saying more.”
“Once the situation is over, let’s spar, eat delicious food. Go out and have fun too.”
He really heard everything. My face burned.
“And get married.”
My eyes widened. Under the bright full moon, he smiled. My heart pounded. It felt so unreal that I wondered if it was a dream.
“To do that, we need to eliminate Pelles first.”
Kaiden gradually hardened his expression coldly and turned his gaze toward Pelles.
Yes, it wasn’t time to celebrate yet. We must deal with the root of all this, Pelles. Since he stole the Demon King’s power, he would be much stronger. I must not let down my guard.
Steeling my mind and about to be wary of Pelles….
“W-what?”
“…A mutation?”
Kaiden and I were bewildered. Huge wings surged from behind Pelles’s back. Strange monster hands protruded from his sides. He let out agonized screams.
“Aaaaaaah―!”
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