Chapter 24

Dust floated in the spacious hall of the Penal Unit, lined with thick stone walls and dense wooden pillars.

One by one, the boy soldiers gathered inside, awkwardly donned in cheap armor.

Though the boy soldiers were disorganized, the supervising unit watching them from the front was sharp as a blade.

While Burger, the overseer of the Penal Unit, calmly stretched his neck from side to side, the boy soldiers found their places.

Sounds of handling weapons, adjusting armor, coughing, and conversations echoed from all around.

Allowing a bit more time, those sounds gradually subsided.

In the now quiet space, Burger asked.

“Ready?”

“““Yes!”””

A thunderous reply echoed in the hall.

We were in the final stages of preparing for Vivian’s march to Roctana.

Some of the boy soldiers were filled with anticipation at the thought of seeing their families after a long time.

Especially Willas, who couldn’t sleep the night before, worrying about what if he couldn’t find his siblings.

Burger spoke.

“As you all know, today is the scheduled day of the march. I hope everyone can get through today without any issues. Just to be clear, don’t even think about running away during the march. There’s nothing easier than finding a runaway boy soldier from Roctana. If we have to find you, well, who knows? Sir Allen over there might have to cut off your heads.”

All eyes briefly turned to me. Some looked at me with fear.

But they’re mistaken about something... I wouldn’t like that either.

After all, we’ve been together for months and have come to know each other’s faces; there would be nothing more unpleasant than having to cut off their heads.

Burger continued to the silent boy soldiers.

“Even if by some luck you shake off our pursuit and manage to escape, you won’t be able to set foot and live in Roctana anymore, will you? It’s a long way to the next city from here, and even if you manage to make it there, it’ll be hard to earn a living. In that case, it’s better to just stay in the Penal Unit.”

As if trying to lighten the slowly sinking atmosphere, Burger said.

“Anyway, you all don’t have much time left until your release, right? Martin, how many years do you have left?”

Martin, who was next to me, answered loudly.

“Five years left!”

“Right. With only about five years left like that, just endure and get out. You know, once you’ve completed your assigned punishment, the House of Rondor gives you new options. You could become a soldier of Rondor, or if you have talent, you could even become a knight... Right?”

“““Yes!”””

Burger nodded.

“Think of it as going to see your family’s faces. Coleman, open the door.”

Lieutenant Coleman nodded and opened the entrance of the Penal Unit’s quarters.

A cool and refreshing breeze blew in.

Coleman shouted from outside the quarters.

“Line up and come out! Move out!”

At the same time, Burger also shouted.

“Kylo Allen!”

All eyes focused on me once again.

He said.

“You, come over here.”

.

.

.

I left the unit and headed in a different direction.

Well, I didn’t think I could get through today quietly anyway.

I was going to be harassed just like when I first arrived in this land.

Didn’t Vivian also warn me? That she would trouble me soon.

Maybe because of this, Vivian skipped breakfast today.

Perhaps she found it uncomfortable to face me.

I followed Coleman to where Vivian would be.

The road was long. Perhaps because of today’s march, the atmosphere in the castle was different from usual.

When they spotted me, the knights showed hostility and kept silent, but when they didn’t notice me, they showed anticipation.

The clashing sounds of metal and the heavy echoes from armor and chainmail spread throughout Rondor’s castle.

Their gleaming armor shone like living silver, and everywhere the sun of Rondor was engraved.

The horses stood quietly, ready, hitting the ground in anticipation as they waited for the moment to move forward.

Walking among them was an intriguing experience.

The more I recalled that Rondor was like this just before battles with my father, the more so it was.

Perhaps that’s why a slight sense of rejection and a bit of disgust stirred in my heart.

In the distance, Baelor came into view.

Wearing his helmet with the visor lifted, he was issuing commands here and there with a stern expression.

Around his neck hung six strings like a necklace—a symbol admired by all knights.

The strings signified the number of dragons they had slain.

Baelor had killed six dragons.

The color of the strings also had meaning.

They represented the color of the dragons they had hunted.

Green, blue, red, and black were recognized by people in that order, and among them, the most coveted string was the white one.

White dragons could only be found in the cold highlands of the north.

They were twice as big and more ferocious than ordinary dragons, so the honor of hunting one was indescribable.

My father had also slain a white dragon. He even got a large scar on his face from it.

...Anyway, it was a string I felt I should have someday.

Only then would both Vivian and I not be looked down upon.

Baelor’s strings were two green ones, three red ones, and the last was black.

Whether it was because of the upcoming march or those strings, my perception of him changed.

I used to think he was just a knight who only knew how to talk without understanding true loyalty. Now, I thought he was a knight whose words were worth something but still didn’t grasp true loyalty.

All the family’s retainers were present as well.

Looking closely, I saw Vivian standing among those adults.

Her small frame had been hidden by the crowd.

As I approached, people parted, glancing at me.

Vivian came forward.

Having shared meals over the past few days, we were somewhat comfortable with each other.

“Why did you skip breakfast?” I questioned Vivian as soon as I saw her.

Trying to eat in the Penal Unit after a long time, the food didn’t suit my taste.

Ignoring my question, Vivian said, “Kylo Allen, today I’m giving you a chance to repent.”

“...Repent for what? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

She shook her head slightly.

“I suppose you can still say that after touring the territory. You haven’t looked closely, have you? At how people who’ve lost their fathers or husbands are living...”

“...I’ve seen enough.”

“You’ll have a chance to see it up close. I’ll make sure you can pay for your sins after seeing it.”

“Isn’t treating me like this already enough?”

I spread my arms to show my appearance.

Vivian glanced at my dirty, hole-riddled clothes and slightly closed her mouth.

Her expression was ambiguous, making me wonder if her heart had softened a bit.

“...Anyway. You have one task today.”

“...?”

“You have to lead my horse. Throughout the entire march.”

“...”

At her words, I was momentarily silent. Vivian couldn’t meet my eyes either.

Contrary to my expectation that I might just get pelted with stones for a bit, she was intending to humiliate me more thoroughly than I thought.

For me, the eldest son of the Allen family, to march through the territory serving the lord of Rondor like a servant…

Vivian intended to declare her position and make my status known to everyone.

I understood, but...

“...Did this idea come from your own mind?” I asked Vivian.

She hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and glared at me sharply.

Then she spoke coldly, “What if it did?”

I took a step closer to her.

“Then I might get a bit annoyed.”

Vivian didn’t back down.

“That’s exactly why I’m doing it.”

I felt a slight anger, but at the same time, a strange sense of relief. It was better to see her coming out strong like this.

Since the poisoning incident, she had definitely gained some backbone. It was a good change.

Vivian then signaled to Head Buttler Pippin.

Pippin disappeared somewhere and soon returned with a helmet.

It was a red helmet shaped like a bear’s head.

The bear was our family symbol, and red was Rondor’s color.

“Wear this too. It’s the least I can do for you. So you don’t get hit by stones.”

“...Is this really consideration? Wearing something like this is even more humiliating.”

“Put it on. From now on, this is your only helmet in this land. Even when you go out to hunt monsters, you must wear this.”

“...”

“You didn’t think that just because we shared a few meals, our relationship had changed, did you?”

I stared silently at Vivian.

Come to think of it, this was our relationship.

Just because I decided on my own to protect her didn’t mean she would have goodwill toward me.

I was the odd one, and she was normal.

So there was no point in wasting emotions here.

“I’m not mistaken.”

I replied.

Some of the retainers smirked lightly as they watched how I was being treated.

At the same time, I sensed Vivian’s prestige rising ever so slightly.

Should I see this as a good thing?

Anyway, I clicked my tongue.

Then, as Vivian desired, I put on the helmet.

It seemed her expression twisted slightly as I was putting it on.

It didn’t matter.

After donning the helmet, I leaned toward her.

And then I whispered so only she could hear.

“Go ahead, torment me more. It’s nothing.”

****

The march proceeded successfully.

At the very front, Baelor carved a path and led the procession, with Vivian and the retainers of Rondor following behind. Trailing them were the Penal Unit and the remaining knights.

The First Knight Order was showcasing another spectacle.

The head of a red dragon.

It was sent by Robert Rondor, her uncle, to be displayed in the march.

“I heard Lord Robert Rondor defeated it...!”

“As expected of Lord Robert!”

People stuck out their tongues in awe as they gazed at the massive head of the slain dragon, excitement and cheers filling the air.

But Vivian couldn’t feel entirely happy about it.

It was her uncle who sent the gift, and it was her uncle—absent from this land—who was receiving the cheers.

There were as many people cheering Robert’s name as there were cheering Vivian’s.

Of course, she knew things would turn out this way.

She knew from the moment he sent such a burdensome gift to be used in the march.

But she couldn’t just hide the dragon’s head in a warehouse; that would be like spitting on Robert Rondor’s sincerity.

Thus, at the very front of the march, cheers for Robert and amazement at the red dragon’s head were overflowing.

In the middle of the procession, applause praising Vivian Rondor mingled with resentment, criticism, and ridicule toward Kylo Allen.

Lastly, at the rear, the clamor of the Penal Unit’s boy soldiers reuniting with their families continued.

Vivian exhaled, suppressing her tension.

Every time people’s gazes gathered on her, she felt as if the weight on her shoulders grew heavier.

She was directly facing the situations and faces of the people she had to take responsibility for.

She was still young.

She had never thought she would sit in the lord’s seat.

But the war with the Allen family had taken everything away, and she had no choice but to lead many things.

As she walked through the territory, she saw many things.

Probably Kylo Allen saw the same.

Even among the cheering people, there were things to notice.

Children reduced to skin and bones. Boys and girls glaring defiantly, spitting on the ground.

Old women shedding tears, collapsed houses...

“...You’re seeing this, aren’t you?”

Vivian asked Kylo Allen.

“It’s our responsibility. I have to take care of these people, and you’re responsible for how things have become.”

The red bear-head helmet briefly looked up at her, then snorted and looked ahead again.

—Whoosh!

—Thud!

From somewhere, a rotten fruit flew and struck Kylo Allen.

It was an attack made extremely carefully to avoid hitting Vivian.

But Kylo Allen walked on as if he didn’t care.

Feeling uneasy for no reason, Vivian said to Kylo Allen,

“Don’t feel wronged. It’s natural for you to be resented. I fully sympathize with the people’s feelings. If I had something to throw, I would have thrown it at you too.”

Kylo shook his head with a sigh.

He said,

“You know... get a grip.”

“What?”

“Revenge against me is fine, but if you can’t seize power, you can’t do anything.”

Pointing ahead, he said,

“Why did you bring that dragon’s head? Because of Robert Rondor or whatever, you’re being completely overshadowed.”

“...”

“Wasn’t this your march? Now it seems the main characters are Robert Rondor and me.”

Vivian frowned and said,

“...If I ignored my uncle’s goodwill, our relationship could completely break down. We must not give any excuse that could cause conflict.”

—Thud!

Another fruit hit Kylo, and he said calmly,

“Pathetic. You look pitiful.”

Vivian retorted in exasperation,

“And you think you look any better?”

“...”

—Suddenly.

At those words, Kylo Allen stopped in his tracks.

Naturally, the entire procession came to a halt.

Kylo Allen turned around.

Vivian met Kylo’s dark eyes through the bear helmet’s eye slits.

“You’re right. Here, you and I are the most pathetic.”

“...”

Saying that, Kylo resumed walking.

His self-mocking whisper strangely struck a chord in Vivian’s heart.

—Thud! Thud!

Rotten fruits continued to fly and hit Kylo Allen’s body.

Even as he was being hit, she couldn’t take her eyes off his unaffected demeanor.

Realizing she had been watching him for too long, Vivian lifted her head.

.

.

.

After touring the territory for a while, Kylo’s clothes were covered in stains.

Vivian spoke.

“Kylo Allen. How do you feel after touring the territory?”

“Nothing special.”

“...It seems you still don’t understand. I’m asking how you feel after seeing the people suffering because of your family.”

“...”

Kylo Allen didn’t reply.

Vivian could tell that he was feeling something internally.

His gaze kept lingering on the emaciated children and the old women shedding tears.

Vivian felt the same frustration.

Every time she realized that these were the people she needed to care for, the overwhelming reality made her point it out to Kylo.

But she disliked Kylo Allen, who remained silent and pretended as if nothing was wrong.

She wanted to elicit a reaction from him somehow.

Even though she was tormenting him, his indifference made it impossible to gauge how difficult it was for him.

If he felt the same as she did and shared the same emotions, she might feel a bit better.

“Kylo Allen, don’t you want to go home?”

So she posed the question.

Only then did Kylo Allen turn his head to look at her.

“I have no intention of letting you go... but it’s only fair to tell you if it’s even possible.”

“Tell me.”

“You’ve seen it all day, haven’t you? You’re still seeing it—the situation in Roctana.”

Vivian provocatively glanced over the people and said.

“If you can receive forgiveness from all the citizens of Roctana... then I’ll let you go. I’ll release you then.”

In other words, she had no intention of letting him go.

Because it was impossible.

“...Are you serious?”

But Kylo Allen asked back as if he saw hope in this impossible task.

At this, it was Vivian who was at a loss for words.

“...”

Kylo’s voice was surprisingly earnest.

There was a glimmer of hope that he could accomplish that impossible feat.

She couldn’t tell whether it was bravado or conviction.

Vivian had just wanted to mock him, but his sincere reaction unsettled her.

“Do you think that’s possible?”

—Thud!

Even as she spoke, another piece of rotten food struck Kylo’s body.

The attitudes of the people expressing their anger like this wouldn’t change over time.

Worried that she might have given him false hope, Vivian said,

“Get a grip. Don’t you realize that’s impossible?”

An immediate sense of discomfort arose. She felt she might have touched something wrong.

“Unless the families they’ve lost return, there’s no way you can be forgiven.”

“...We’ll see about that.”

Kylo replied.

“I told you, watch how strong I am. If I can’t overcome such obstacles, what can I possibly do?”

“...”

Kylo Allen retorted as if stamping a seal.

“Just keep your promise. You said it—you’ll let me go if I’m forgiven by all these people.”

“...”

“You’re not going to cowardly change your words when the time comes, are you?”

Kylo Allen’s words always carried a peculiar weight.

They strongly felt as if his words would become reality.

Perhaps it was because he was someone who always kept his promises, making that belief even stronger.

But not this time.

There was no need to show further consideration to a fool who didn’t understand even when given a hint.

“I won’t change my words. I’ll let you go.”

So Vivian said to Kylo Allen.

She knew that, no matter what else, this would never come to pass.

Even if a time came when everyone watching this march came to love him, it would be the same.

There was one person who would never forgive him until the very end.

Vivian herself.

The day she forgave Kylo Allen, or the Allen family, would never come.

As life became more arduous, her hatred toward him would only grow.

“...You swear?”

Kylo confirmed.

“I swear. If you can be forgiven by everyone, I’ll let you go.”

Vivian replied.

There was not a hint of tremor or doubt.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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