Chapter 210: The Final Battle (2)

 

A strange liveliness lingered over the village.

 

The team members, who had been wielding farming tools, picked up their swords for the first time in a long while, savoring their familiar weight.

 

It made my long, drawn-out worries feel foolish.

 

Each member was loosening their stiff bodies in their own way, preparing themselves.

 

I, too, steeled my resolve as I observed them.

 

Now that I had made my decision, I intended to act swiftly.

 

I had no intention of waiting for Krund.

 

The deeper Krund ventured into the territory of Stockpin, the greater the inevitable damage.

 

Thus, I was planning to confront him directly.

 

“…So, you’ve made up your mind.”

 

It was Gale who approached me as I looked over the team. His expression was full of confusion.

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

I addressed Gale with an apology.

 

But Gale simply let out a small chuckle.

 

“Even with that relieved expression of yours, I won’t believe it.”

 

“…”

 

Clicking his tongue bitterly, he added,

 

“…I really don’t get it.”

 

“…”

 

“Is it because you’re special? Or because the Red Flames is a group of eccentrics? Or maybe… it’s just how humans are?”

 

“…”

 

“I have no idea.”

 

Gale scratched at his horn.

 

I stood still for a moment, gazing at him.

 

For some reason, he seemed to wear an expression of regret, as if he was apologizing to me.

 

“Berg. Let me give you an apology.”

 

As expected, Gale handed me an apology.

 

“…An apology?”

 

“Yes. To be honest… it’s a bit funny, but I knew all along you’d end up making this choice.”

 

I raised a questioning brow.

 

“You knew?”

 

“Of course, I did.”

 

“…”

 

“…Because if it were Adam, he would have made the same choice.”

 

“…”

 

“Adam wasn’t one to fear something like the Demon King’s right hand. He didn’t agonize over it as long as you have now.”

 

In hindsight, Gale’s words contributed to my newfound sense of relief.

 

I realized, albeit belatedly, that he was right.

 

Adam Hyung would have made the same decision I did.

 

Gale continued,

 

“…I was just afraid. Afraid you’d meet the same fate as Adam. That’s why I kept trying to stop you. But it seems my interference only complicated your thoughts.”

 

With a smile, he added,

 

“You look good, Berg. This must’ve been the right choice.”

 

“…”

 

Everything he said felt genuine, but at the same time, it seemed like he was trying to ease my burden.

 

Still, his effort was unnecessary.

 

I had already prepared myself for what lay ahead.

 

“…Gale.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“That promise—does it still stand?”

 

A puzzled look crossed Gale’s face.

 

“What promise… are you talking about?”

 

“You know, the one where you said you’d take care of the village, even if I were to disappear.”

 

Gale’s eyes twitched.

 

“Berg, you…”

 

I smiled faintly at his reaction.

 

“Who said anything about dying? I’m only speaking in hypotheticals.”

 

“…”

 

“…So, is the promise still valid?”

 

Gale looked up at me before finally responding.

 

“…Of course.”

 

He nodded firmly.

 

“It’s valid.”

 

I placed a hand on his shoulder.

 

A weight seemed to lift from my heart.

 

Perhaps it was because I was starting to believe Arwin’s words, if only halfway.

 

Perhaps this battle will be the one that claims my life.

 

...But that fact could not deter me.

 

On my shoulders rested an endless number of things that needed protecting.

 

If this was my destiny, then I could accept it.

 

After all this time, I had come to believe in such a thing as fate.

 

“I believe in you.”

 

I said to Gale.

 

He nodded once more.

 

***

 

When I entered Sien’s room, she was silently gazing out the window.

 

She seemed to have noticed the commotion stirring in Stockpin.

 

For some reason, I felt like a guilty man, quietly staring at her back.

 

“...Why?”

 

“...”

 

After a long silence, she asked.

 

“...Why are you doing this, Bell?”

 

“...”

 

“We… we were supposed to live happily together. Why are you jumping back into battle…?”

 

“...”

 

I didn’t need to answer that question.

 

In truth, Sien already knew the reason.

 

She was only voicing those words in an attempt to stop me.

 

From that perspective, Arwin’s words gave me immense strength.

 

Her words to follow my heart had been exactly what I needed.

 

How much courage and trust must it have taken for her to say something like that?

 

With the strength I gained from Arwin, I now faced Sien.

 

Sien caressed her growing belly and spoke.

 

“...What about our child?”

 

“...”

 

“...What will this child do if you don’t come back?”

 

I answered her.

 

“I will come back.”

 

-Whip!

 

Sien snapped her head toward me.

 

Her face was already drenched in tears.

 

“You don’t have to go in the first place.”

 

“...Sien.”

 

“If you don’t leave…! You don’t have to leave at all!!”

 

It was the complete opposite of the farewell we once experienced long ago.

 

Back then, I tried to stop her as she left, and now she was the one pleading for me to stay.

 

The only difference this time was that I sincerely promised her.

 

Though I had prepared for the worst with Gale, I revealed my true intentions to Sien.

 

“I will come back, Sien.”

 

“Hnn… sniff…”

 

“I promise I will return.”

 

Sien suddenly lunged into my arms, holding me tightly.

 

“Let’s run away.”

 

“...”

 

“Let’s… sniff… forget about all of this. We don’t need any of it. It was just supposed to be the two of us… like your dream from before… Let’s run far away and live quietly, please?”

 

“...”

 

Without saying a word, I held her close.

 

It seemed she already knew my resolve wouldn’t change.

 

“Stay strong, Sien.”

 

Ignoring all her other words, I told her firmly.

 

“You’re a mother now.”

 

“...”

 

She trembled in my arms.

 

“I can’t be strong… if you’re not here…”

 

“...”

 

“This world is… too scary…”

 

I only held her tighter.

 

Sien wept in my embrace for a long time before finally calming herself.

 

“...What will we name the baby?”

 

Her voice, though trembling, was filled with a newfound strength as she asked.

 

It seemed she had finally made the decision to let me go.

 

“...”

 

I had thought about the baby’s name for a long time.

 

I had imagined countless possibilities.

 

“...If it’s a girl, Hanna.”

 

I said.

 

It was the name of Adam Hyung’s younger sister.

 

I wanted a name that would be a blessing, even from him.

 

“And if it’s a boy…”

 

“...Adam.”

 

Sien whispered the name before I could.

 

How could it have been anything else?

 

There was no name for a man I could love more than his.

 

I smiled warmly.

 

“...That’s right.”

 

“Hnn… sniff…”

 

“...Don’t worry, Sien. I will be the first to call our child by their name.”

 

Sien nodded.

 

I steeled my heart once more.

 

****

 

Back at the house, Ner was already awake and waiting for me.

 

Recently, she had been running a fever, so unlike Sien, she couldn’t stand to greet me.

 

Lying in bed, utterly exhausted, she barely lifted her heavy eyelids to look at me.

 

The caretakers who had been attending to her stepped out of the room, leaving the two of us alone.

 

“Don’t… go.”

 

The first words out of her mouth were a pleading whisper.

 

She must have already heard the news.

 

“Don’t… go… Berg…”

 

“...”

 

She continued weakly.

 

“Is it… because of me? Because I’m… like this… bedridden?”

 

“...”

 

I couldn’t deny it.

 

Ner’s body was unfit for the long journey ahead.

 

My decision had likely played a significant role.

 

But that didn’t mean Ner needed to feel any guilt.

 

This was always my responsibility to bear.

 

It was only natural to protect those who were precious to me.

 

I spoke to her as if in jest.

 

“Nothing bad will happen.”

 

Yet she kept shaking her head.

 

Tears began to fall slowly from her eyes.

 

“Only now...”

 

“...?”

 

“...Only now... have I made peace with you...”

 

“...”

 

“...Please... not like this again...”

 

I sat down slowly beside Ner.

 

I cupped her cheek gently.

 

Then, leaning in slightly, I whispered to her.

 

“I’ll come back.”

 

-Grab!

 

Ner dug her nails into my hand.

 

She continued to shake her head.

 

“No... No... Don’t go...”

 

“Ner, I promise. I will retur—”

 

“I dreamed of your death.”

 

“...”

 

Her words silenced me.

 

Given her mastery of magic and premonitions, this wasn’t something I could dismiss easily.

 

“Please... please...”

 

Now that I saw her closely, she was using every ounce of strength she had to hold me back.

 

Her desperation to keep me from leaving was palpable.

 

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

 

Then, I smiled at her.

 

Ner blinked at my expression, clearly puzzled as to why I would smile at a time like this.

 

“Ner.”

 

“...”

 

I asked with a faint confidence in my voice.

 

“Did you see me lose the fight?”

 

“...........”

 

She couldn’t refute my words.

 

“I’ve crossed countless lines of death up until now. At this moment, there isn’t a single swordsman stronger than me in this world.”

 

I added a touch of exaggeration to reassure her.

 

Gradually, her expression softened.

 

“...And I grow even stronger when I have something to protect. This land, the graves of my comrades, the families they left behind…”

 

“...”

 

“...Sien, our child, Arwin… and you.”

 

“...”

 

“I will never lose, Ner. Trust me.”

 

The tension in her nails, which had been digging into the back of my hand, eased.

 

I could feel her beginning to trust me.

 

I pressed my lips to her forehead.

 

“...”

 

Even so, she couldn’t completely relax her expression.

 

-Pack.

 

I kissed her lips next.

 

Finally, she closed her eyes and let go of my hand.

 

Tears streamed from her shut eyes.

 

“...You must come back,” she whispered.

 

I nodded, offering her one more promise.

 

“I will come back, and you will regain your health.”

 

“...Okay.”

 

“And together, we’ll have a child too.”

 

I made a lighthearted joke to ease her worries.

 

At that, she let out a soft, helpless laugh.

 

Her laughter was a mix of tears and sorrow, spilling from her lips.

 

I stroked her one last time.

 

Then, I stood and turned away.

 

“...You must,” she said, choking back her sobs.

 

“You promised to return...”

 

“I will.”

 

“If you don’t... I’ll follow after you...”

 

“...”

 

I looked back at Ner.

 

Then, with a soft smile, I turned and walked away.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

 

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