Chapter 196: Remaining Tasks (5)

The king gazed down at the fiefdom from a distance, where black ashes were rising into the air.

The Cryer family. A noble family of the werewolf, known for their emphasis on honor and combat.

Though not as large as Blackwood, they were a family with their own degree of prestige.

Even in the last war, the Cryer family had weathered every storm on their own strength.

“...Survivors?”

“Some of the commoners survived... but the Cryer family...”

“...”

But as of today, that family had been completely wiped out.

Krund’s first strike. The loud echo signaling the resumption of war reverberated intensely.

As the king sighed at this fact, lost in thought, the royal knights brought someone forward.

The knight bowed his head and introduced the person they brought.

“A soldier of the Cryer family. He vividly remembers the battle, so we brought him here.”

“...”

The soldier was trembling, his eyes hollow.

His tail was tucked between his legs.

Considering their species’ natural pride, this was not something that should happen easily.

“...Explain the situation.”

The king commanded the soldier.

But the soldier remained frozen, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Snap! Snap!

The royal knight, frustrated by the soldier’s delayed response, snapped his fingers a few times in front of his face.

Only then did the soldier blink as if coming to his senses, and upon seeing the king, he swallowed nervously.

“Y-Your Majesty...?”

Rex Draigo’s patience with this tragedy was wearing thin.

In a slightly heavier tone, he commanded again.

“...Explain what happened.”

The soldier finally realized that multiple eyes were fixed on him.

He wandered aimlessly for a moment before regaining his composure and stammering out an explanation.

“...T-The Demon King’s right hand appeared.”

“...”

“I... I don’t know where it came from, but... suddenly the ground began to shake…”

The king had already heard that Krund could summon his minions from beneath the ground.

If the earth shook and enemies appeared, it was clear that Krund was responsible.

“...Were you unable to deal with the monsters?”

The king asked the soldier.

At this, the soldier shook his head fiercely.

“N-No, we dealt with them... everyone fought valiantly, but...”

“Then why did it end like this?”

The soldier blinked for a moment, his eyes reflecting the revival of a nightmare.

With hollow eyes, he mumbled, as if recalling something.

“...We... couldn’t kill Krund…”

“...”

“Even when dozens of us rushed at him... we were all torn to pieces...”

The soldier’s testimony brought silence to the room.

A tense atmosphere enveloped them.

Krund had long been assessed as a force stronger than even the Demon King in pure physical might.

If the Cryer family had been wiped out because they couldn’t kill this one entity... the problem might be bigger than they anticipated.

The royal knight standing next to the soldier pressed for further explanation.

“Are you saying the entire Cryer family was annihilated by just Krund?”

“...After the Lord and the young masters of the Cryer family were all killed by Krund, there was no one left to lead us…”

Unlike the Demon King, Krund had always fought on the front lines.

That’s what made him more dangerous, and the war had dragged on for so long because of that.

But Krund was now rampaging even more violently on the frontlines.

The more mindless, the more destructive... and the more lethal.

It may not have been a strategy to win the war, but it was certainly effective in causing massive damage.

“...Perhaps Krund never intended to win in the first place.”

The king’s aide, Gendry, voiced the same thought.

“...Is it revenge against the Demon King?”

The king considered the possibility as he answered.

He felt as though he had once again hit a wall.

Solve one problem, and another would arise.

And this problem... he had no idea how to fix.

Not all the families had recovered from the last war’s aftermath.

A plague was still spreading.

The hero had lost his arm.

Even Gale, claiming age was catching up, had retired from the position of the greatest warrior and now lived in Stockpin.

Acran had disappeared, and Sylphrien had always played a supporting role.

The saintess had lost her power, so that only left... Berg.

But the king had long since realized that there was no proof that Berg was the warrior of solitude.

If the problem grew any worse, they might have to bring him out, but it wasn’t the time for that just yet.

“...Ha.”

The king let out a sigh.

Being a leader was exhausting.

If not for the history of his family and the desire for power flowing in his veins... he would have long since abandoned the throne.

****

Arwin stood with Berg, once again gazing out over the farmland.

With the completion of numerous farming tools and the increasing skill of the workers using them, the pace of agriculture had picked up dramatically.

The task of turning over this vast land had already been completed, and now they were plowing the fields.

They were creating an environment perfect for planting seeds.

As progress became more tangible, smiles spread more brightly across the faces of the workers.

It seemed that the relief of securing their future was making them smile.

Moreover, many people were now returning to their normal lives, having recovered from the plague.

Burns, too, had risen from his sickbed and was regaining his strength.

Stockpin was overcoming the plague that once seemed unbeatable.

Though it appeared that many of their problems were slowly being resolved, Berg’s face only grew more troubled.

Arwin, who had been watching everything closely by his side, knew why.

There was only one reason.

...Sien’s condition was worsening.

“...”

Ner had tried to reassure Berg, saying that this was a process everyone went through, but of course, such words had no effect on Berg.

He had lost too many loved ones and knew that pain all too well.

It’s the kind of suffering no one wants to experience.

Arwin could understand him.

If Berg were to fall ill with the plague and take to his bed, she knew she would react the same way.

Short-lived species met death far too easily.

The only thing Arwin could do at this moment was to keep working hard for Berg’s sake.

She had to solve the tasks at hand so that he could protect the people he loved.

“...Ha.”

Berg, who had been standing with a hardened expression, finally spoke to Arwin.

“Arwin.”

“...Yes?”

“I’m going to go.”

“...”

Going, of course, meant he was going to see Sien again.

Though there were still many hours left in the day, Berg had already gone to see her twice.

“...”

Feeling a twinge of jealousy, Arwin offered her opinion.

“...She’ll be alright.”

“...”

But Berg just gave a short shake of his head and began to walk away.

Arwin watched him leave and then followed.

The reality that all she could do was follow weighed heavily on her.

But today, once again, she resolved to be patient.

For now, simply being by Berg’s side was a blessing in itself, or so she tried to believe.

One day, she would experience long-lasting happiness with him.

Holding onto that dream, Arwin suppressed her emotions.

.

.

.

.

Arwin sat on the hallway floor, listening to the conversation leaking through the cracked door.

She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop... but as she waited outside, everything was clearly audible.

‘Cough! Cough...!’

Sien’s cough was harsher than before.

‘...Have some water.’

Berg’s reply followed shortly.

Arwin listened to the conversation between Berg and Sien.

Normally, Sien was the one who spoke more while Berg listened, but this time it was the opposite.

Berg was explaining the progress in the territory, filling their conversation with everyday stories that made Sien smile.

It almost seemed like Berg had come not just out of concern, but to bring joy to Sien.

Arwin understood the gravity of the situation.

But she couldn’t help but feel envious of the care Berg always showed for Sien.

Out of habit, Arwin imagined herself in Sien’s place.

Even if she were sick, she thought, she would still feel happy, basking in Berg’s love.

But right now, she didn’t know.

If she collapsed, would Berg worry about her?

“...”

As her imagination wandered, she realized the conversation between Berg and Sien had quieted.

Arwin turned her body slightly, peeking through the door.

Berg was holding Sien in his arms once again.

“...You’ll get sick too, Bell...”

“...That’s fine. Then we can be sick together.”

“...”

Sien giggled at his words, but there was a faint sound of tears hidden in her laughter.

After a moment, Berg gently released Sien from his embrace.

Sien smiled softly at Berg and spoke.

“...You should go now, Bell. I’m okay.”

“...”

But even at her words, Berg couldn’t move.

He stood there for a long time before finally speaking.

“...What are we doing here...?”

Arwin held her breath at Berg’s words.

They seemed meaningless, but somehow, they sounded as if Berg might disappear at any moment.

For the first time, Berg, the leader, felt more like an ordinary person with that one sentence.

Berg placed his hand on Sien’s cheek and spoke again.

“...We were supposed to travel and live our lives together.”

“You remember that, Bell?”

“But... now... because of me... you’re...”

“...”

What made Berg’s words even more frightening to Arwin was how well she knew him.

Berg was someone who would make any decision for the sake of those he loved.

He was the kind of person who wouldn’t hesitate to vanish one day, without warning.

This fleeting thought magnified Arwin’s unease.

‘...What?’

Time could always be given. Arwin would wait as long as it took. She was used to enduring pain.

...But what if Berg disappeared one day?

If he vanished, could she ever find him again?

Even her bluebird might fail to hold onto him.

If that one mistake was made, she might lose Berg forever.

“...”

The only relief was that Berg was someone with a strong sense of responsibility.

No matter what he said, he wasn’t the type to leave suddenly.

“...”

But when considering Berg’s happiness, which side was truly the right one?

The weight of responsibility Berg felt might have been the very thing crushing him.

It could have become shackles, something that suppressed his freedom.

As someone who had lived imprisoned for 170 years, Arwin understood all too well how suffocating that could be.

She felt the need to offer some reassurance based on what she had just overheard.

“...Bell, as long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we live.”

...But it wasn’t the right time.

She couldn’t bring herself to interrupt Berg while he was talking with Sien.

At Sien’s words, Berg hugged her once again.

Arwin frowned at the sight, turning away.

Closing her eyes, she whispered a spell.

Her bluebird responded.

‘Tweet! Tweet!’

Arwin gave the bird a strong and clear command.

“From now on, never lose sight of Berg.”

****

Later that day, after another day of farm work, as the evening sky began to turn orange, Arwin asked a question.

“Berg, do you remember what you said the other day?”

“...?”

“You know... when you asked me to look after Stockpin even if you weren’t around.”

“...Ah.”

“And you also said we’d have a drink together, remember?”

“...”

I knew Arwin was hinting that we should drink together.

I had been needing a drink lately.

At least when I drank, the burden on my shoulders felt lighter.

Since Sien had fallen ill, I’d even resisted the urge to drown myself in alcohol.

“...I don’t think I can today.”

But once again, I suppressed the desire.

I knew if I started drinking, I might lose control.

One worry would lead to another, and the alcohol would keep flowing endlessly.

“...Just a light drink, Berg.”

Sensing my hesitation, Arwin gently insisted.

“We can invite Gale too. Let’s all have a drink together.”

“...”

“...Just for a little while, set your worries aside.”

I realized that this was Arwin’s way of comforting me.

Like Ner before her, both of them expressed their concern and sympathy for me.

I knew the importance of rest.

Even Sien had been most worried about this part of me.

I looked at Arwin.

Recently, I owed her a lot, especially with the farm work.

Though the work wasn’t done yet, she had helped lift at least one of my burdens.

“...”

I finally nodded, just a small gesture.

Arwin smiled at me and said, “I’ll go call Gale then.”

.

.

.

.

This time, the gathering for drinks took place outdoors.

A small fire crackled gently before us, and we all sat around it, exchanging quiet conversations.

Ner had suggested this arrangement, claiming that sitting outside reduced the risk of catching the plague compared to being indoors together.

I wasn’t sure how true that was, but when it came to matters like this, I tended to follow Ner’s advice.

The sight of the flames flickering somehow lightened the weight in my mind.

Being able to sit there, without thinking about anything, was its own kind of blessing.

“Alright, let’s drink.”

Gale was the first to raise his glass, setting the tone for the night.

Following his lead, I looked at the fire and took a drink.

“So, how’s Sien?”

Gale didn’t hesitate, asking directly from the start.

That was just his nature.

“...”

I shook my head.

I found it difficult to say out loud that she was getting worse.

Tap, tap.

Gale patted me on the back.

“Things will work out. Aren’t we at a point where everything’s coming together?”

He gestured toward Ner, seated beside him.

“Thanks to Lady Ner and Lan, we’re seeing more and more people recover.”

Then he looked at Arwin and continued.

“And because of Lady Arwin, the farm work is going smoothly too. Likewise, I’m sure things with Sien will turn out well. I believe that.”

“...”

I gave a faint smile and thanked him.

“Thank you.”

As he stroked his chin, Gale asked another question.

“By the way, when everything gets better... have you thought about the baby’s name?”

“...”

Gale, as if urging me to focus on a happier future, had shifted the conversation to the topic of children.

It was an overwhelming subject for me.

With my mind filled with worries about Sien’s future, thinking about naming a child wasn’t something I could do easily.

I did have a few names in mind.

But I feared making a decision now, only to have something go wrong later. I wasn’t sure I’d have the strength to endure that kind of loss.

Naming the child felt like it would make any potential farewell even harder to bear.

That’s why I hadn’t decided yet, not even in my own heart.

But knowing Gale’s good intentions, I could only muster a forced smile.

“I’m not sure yet.”

I deflected, steering the conversation away.

Just then, Arwin cleared her throat.

Her sound drew everyone’s attention as she prepared to speak.

“...Berg, I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“It’s not like I meant to eavesdrop, but... I heard something earlier while I was nearby.”

“...”

Arwin looked at me cautiously before asking.

“...When you said you planned to live while traveling... what did you mean?”

“...”

Earlier, in my conversation with Sien, I had recalled our dream.

Sien had always wanted to travel the world, to live on the road.

She had been sick since childhood, which meant she had traveled with her parents often, seeing many parts of the world. She had told me many times that she wanted to show me the things she’d seen.

It was a promise we had made long ago, but one we had never been able to fulfill.

Watching her now, frail and wasting away, had brought that memory back to me.

“...”

Instead of answering, I took another drink.

I finally responded, albeit belatedly.

“...It was just a fleeting thought.”

Gale looked at me slowly after hearing my answer. His expression grew serious again.

“...Are you going to make a decision?”

“...?”

“Berg, as I said before... I’ll take care of this place.”

At Gale’s quiet words, Ner let out a small gasp beside him. Arwin, too, stiffened as she looked at Gale.

“What do you mean by that...?”

“...Berg, what is he talking about?”

Ner’s tail wrapped itself tightly around my ankle in a flash.

“...Are you planning to leave somewhere...?”

I took a deep breath and gently untangled Ner’s tail from around me. When my hand touched her tail, she flinched slightly.

I shook my head at Gale.

“Gale, that conversation was already over.”

“But weren’t you the one who brought it up with Sien today?”

Gale was still firm in his stance, but it surprised me how Ner and Arwin believed in that wild notion.

Though the thought was tempting, it wasn’t something I could act on.

I responded.

“...With so much left to do, where would I go? Stepping down from my title isn’t as simple as it sounds.”

Arwin whispered softly.

“....And when all those tasks are finished...?”

“...”

“When everything, all the problems, are solved? You’ve never been the type to care about titles or responsibilities.”

To that, I had no answer.

I doubted such a time would ever come.

Suddenly, clench! Ner grabbed me from beside her.

“Ah... s-sorry.”

Startled by her own actions, she let go again.

“B-Berg... It’s fine if you go somewhere, but... just tell us, okay?”

“...”

“I-I mean... you have to come back, right?”

I wasn’t cruel enough to leave her in such fear.

“Or, um... take me with you...”

It wasn’t a lie, and I had no plans to go anywhere at the moment, so I told her honestly.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

I took another drink.

“...It was just a passing thought, wishing for some peace.”

Then I spoke to all of them.

There was a long silence.

I kept staring at the crackling fire.

“...Berg.”

Arwin called my name.

“...If you ever really do want to leave... please tell me.”

“...”

“I’ll help you. At least I can do that. I’m always thinking about you... I mean, because we’re friends.”

Ner whispered beside me.

“Me too, Berg.”

“...”

“Even if the whole world turns its back on you... I’ll be on your side. So... please, don’t leave without saying anything.”

I took another gulp of my drink.

Once again, I found myself staring into the fire.

I meant it when I said I wasn’t leaving.

With so much unfinished business, I couldn’t just walk away.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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