179. continue (1)

Ten days have passed since the death of Leon Benning.

Post-war recovery proceeded at a speed that could not be called fast. This is because the process of recovering and identifying all the dead and victims was difficult. However, Princess 1 took charge of all the work and proceeded carefully. The follow-up was carried out without anyone neglecting it, and when the bodies of all the dead were finally able to be buried in the cemetery, an official memorial service was held.

“… He was a knight with a great will, and carrying out his will proved to be his loyalty to this country and its king. He was an example of a true knight who would not spare his life for his comrades and country.”

The voice as he read the eulogy was calm. Theodora stared blankly at the first princess, Michel Loire, dressed in black. Her eyes were red with tears. 78 knights, 522 soldiers, and 131 others who worked in the palace. It was the number of people caught up in the disaster caused by Leon Benning. Michelle shed tears at the reality of having no choice but to count their lives as numbers.

“The 40 knights who shared their fate with him will remain as guardians of this kingdom.”

Michelle ended her eulogy like that. The sky was clear like a joke. There was no snow, no clouds. Steam rose from the lips of those who participated in the memorial service. The breath, like the spirits of the dead, hovered in the cold winter air for a while before being blown away by the wind. No cries were heard, but the occasional weeping was seen in the crowd. In particular, Charlotte and Dennis, who were sitting next to each other, were barely holding back and swallowing the tears that were trying to leak out somehow.

“… .”

Christine was watching them with gloomy eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something of consolation, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Christine looked up and met Theodora’s eyes, who were watching them. awkward silence. It was Theodora who turned her head first. A troop commander dressed in black was walking out. His expression was obscured by the tightly tucked hat.

“To Vice-captain Aaron Sis and the 40 knights, salute!”

There was no relief. When the troop commander shouted in a cracked voice, dozens of knights raised their hands in unison and saluted the last of the knights. In Theodora’s eyes, the members of the Raven Knights who had fallen in this battle passed by. Theodora secretly memorized their names in her heart. The trumpets of the military band resounded low over the silence.

—

“Goodbye… Do you have to leave, Louis?”

At Michelle’s question, Louis nodded without hesitation. It was the face of a person who was relieved, but whose body and mind had become empty in return for comfort. Beside him, some knights of the 2nd Guards, disguised as adventurers, were holding their horses by the reins and putting their packs on the saddles. Behind Michelle, Count Agon and the Marquis were watching the scene quietly from a distance.

“Public opinion is not good, Michelle. If I stay longer in the palace, it will only get in the way of you.”

Due to the public opinion war waged by Leon Benning, Louise’s prestige among the citizens of the palace fell as fast as it fell. Being the son of a concubine was not enough, and even though the first prince himself knew about it, he became an unscrupulous man who coveted the throne. Even threatening his brother’s life.

“Thanks to you, it’s much easier for you to ascend the throne.”

Lewis smiled bitterly. Michelle hesitated, unable to answer Lewis’ words.

“I will not leave the kingdom for the rest of my life. But at least until you get a firm grip on the power, it’s right that I’m gone. You never know what kind of flies will stick to me, and you never know what kind of snakes will tell you to catch me and kill me.”

Lewis looked at the knights who would follow him and shook his head as if he was in trouble.

“In fact, they don’t even have to follow me. If you find out that you attached an article to me for no reason, only you will be in trouble.”

“I cannot concede that much. And those knights are also loyal to you, risking their lives for you, Lewis. Can you throw them away so easily?”

Michelle said in a disgruntled voice. It was like a younger sister fooling around with her older brother. Louis smiled and put a palm over Michelle’s head. Michelle felt Louis’ warmth and shuddered.

“yes. Thank you for being considerate.”

Michelle still seemed heartbroken. Lewis sighed.

“And, Michelle. I want you to know that I’m not just being pushed and leaving. I also have many things I want to do after leaving the capital and the kingdom. Especially with this guy.”

Saying that, Lewis touched the hilt of the sword at his waist. It wasn’t even the royal family’s treasured sword. It wasn’t even a sword made by a famous craftsman. A common iron sword, given one by one to ordinary infantrymen. Michelle looked at the sword and narrowed her brows disapprovingly.

“Sir Maxime has blown a strange wind on you.”

“Are you ignoring the fact that I was saved thanks to the wind he gave me?”

“It is, but… .”

Michelle blurted out her words, and suddenly noticed something strange in Louise’s words and tilted her head.

“By the way, Louis. I don’t think it’s the first time I’ve heard of you calling someone ‘that guy’.”

Lewis wrinkled his eyebrows.

“It’s not like I don’t have friends I can call casually.”

“I’m not sure if Sir Maxim thinks so, too.”

At the grumpy voice until the end, Louis burst into laughter. Michelle looked at her brother who was laughing like that, and soon laughed together. The siblings laughed endlessly. It was just a laugh that came out because it was funny, and it was a clear laugh.

“I’m sorry, Michelle.”

Louis suddenly let out a laugh. Michelle shook her head. At least when you let go, you should relieve the burden on your mind.

“You don’t have to be sorry. And if you’re going to come back anyway, it’s strange to say goodbye now as if you’ll never see them again.”

That’s it too.

“Cook,” Lewis laughed again.

Yes, someday I will come back here again. Whether it’s 5 years or 10 years. Louis said and looked back. Behind the wide open western gates of the royal capital, I could see a road stretching endlessly. Louis put his foot on the saddle and jumped onto the horse. Compared to the time when he couldn’t climb a horse alone, he seemed to have gotten quite good at riding.

“Please let me at least hear the news.”

At Michelle’s words, Louis widened his eyes and nodded.

“yes. Please write me occasionally.”

The two looked at each other and said nothing. Even if they didn’t say anything, they knew each other’s words. Because I know it will definitely change if it makes sense. Knowing that Louis would not be able to leave if Michelle sincerely held on to not going.

“I really must leave now.”

Lewis said. Michelle unwittingly put the reins of the horse she was holding on to Louise’s hand.

“Give my regards to Maxim. The same goes for the other knights of the 2nd Guards.”

“… Yes. Go carefully.”

Lewis’s foot pricked the horse’s side. The horse groaned and turned its back on Michelle. Michelle looked back, not looking at Louis as he left. One receding horse’s hooves followed by the sound of two horses’ hooves following slowly behind it.

“You made a good decision, Your Highness.”

Where Michel raised his head was Count Agon and the Marquis. Michel looked towards the Marquis.

“Are you really not going to stay in the center?”

“I appreciate your consideration, but Your Highness already has a great reinforcement, Count Agon. Besides, if God empties the frontier, who will remain there and be the center of reconstruction?”

The eyes of the Marquis, Camilla Fey, were looking east of the Royal Capital, on the other side of the road Louis had run on.

“If there are too many forces left in the capital, it could be a hindrance to Your Highness. God will make it possible to return to the frontier without delay with the knights of the frontier.”

“All right.”

The Marquis bowed his head, bowed, and withdrew. Michelle glanced again and looked back. There was no more sound of horses hooves. Lewis and the two knights following him were also nowhere to be seen.

“… Let’s go back, Count Agon. There will be a lot of public responsibilities.”

“Although Shin is old, he is accustomed to seeing public affairs. I will do my best to assist Her Highness as much as possible.”

“Thank you, Count Agon.”

The sun was beating down hard. I couldn’t feel the warmth in the sun. It seemed that winter still needed time to pass.

Louis looked back. The fortress of the royal capital was faintly showing its end. The sound of the horses’ hooves hitting the pebbles warmed my ears and body. One knight made a questionable expression.

“majesty?”

“I told you not to call me Highness now.”

In response to Lewis’ firm words, the knight hurriedly changed his title.

“Louise.”

I told you not to be respectful. The knights did not dare to cross that line. Louis smirked and turned his head forward again. The sword at the waist trembles. As we approached to the west, the land smoothly changed into a wide field. The sun was mid-heaven. There was still plenty of time left to run.

“Now, where shall we go first?”

Louis murmured and stabbed the horse’s side with his heel. The horse started galloping forward. The wind was cold. Lewis couldn’t hide the smile that crept up on his lips. Rather than the day to return, I looked forward to the day I had to go through.

What is the sword to Your Majesty?

If the day comes when I go back, wouldn’t I be able to give you a more proper answer? Louis groaned and laughed. The horseshoes of the knights were being carved over the pure white field.

—

“Thank you, Theodora.”

Dennis said in a wet voice. Charlotte, standing next to him, was still unable to raise her head. Dennis gently wrapped his arms around Charlotte’s shoulders and sighed.

“It’s not the first time I’ve lost a colleague, but the vice-captain… I think we’ve been together for too long to just salute and let go.”

“I haven’t seen him a few times, but I think he was a great article.”

“right. Well, that doesn’t mean he’s just as devoted to the knights as the captain. Still, it’s clear that it was a wonderful article that I could count on three fingers out of all the articles I’ve seen in my life.”

After Dennis finished speaking, he looked up and looked at the landscape of the cemetery. A tree with bare branches stood in the middle of the graveyard and looked over at the sleeping people. When the wind blew, the branches quivered and swayed.

“… What are you going to do now?”

At Theodora’s question, Dennis shrugged.

“There is nothing in particular. I have no intention of becoming a vagabond or adventurer like anyone else, I just do what I do. The only thing that has changed is that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th escorts are now united as one. Maybe I’ll hang three or four medals in a pile and live my life as usual.”

Saying that, Dennis tapped his uniform with a shiny medicine cabinet.

“When I retire, my pension will come out well.”

Muttering with a wry smile, Dennis stood up Charlotte. Perhaps because she was ashamed of her swollen eyes, Charlotte hesitantly raised her head.

“Sorry. I couldn’t speak more courageously than I thought.”

said Charlotte, rubbing her eyes. Theodora shook her head slowly at her. Charlotte seemed to have calmed down to some extent, blinking and looking at the cemetery like Dennis before.

“I don’t want to see people in the kingdom fight and bleed any more.”

To Charlotte’s words, Theodora nodded in agreement. Just before the silence gave way to an awkward air current, Dennis squeezed his arm around Charlotte and said.

“… Then we’ll go first. There are other members of the escort knights.”

“Yeah. See you later.”

Theodora turned and looked at the backs of Dennis and Charlotte as they walked away. Theodora’s gaze wandered around the graveyard, stopping at a figure. A woman with dark blue hair hanging down to her shoulders smiled faintly at Theodora.

“Miss Theodora.”

“Adeline.”

Adeline, a member of the Adventurer’s Guild, was wearing a black coat and a black skirt. We barely exchanged greetings for now, but we will see each other much more often in the future. Theodora smiled bitterly, recalling the face of someone who would shake her head with a troubled expression.

“Are you going back now?”

“Yeah. I’ll be busy for a while now, so I don’t think I’ll have time to sit still and relax.”

The curse is gone. The curse on Adeline and the surviving puppets of Leon Benning has now been completely erased from the world. Perhaps the time spent serving Leon Benning still remained deep in their bones, and some committed suicide because they could not bear the sense of alienation from the disappearing curse. Michelle burned all documents and research results related to black magic in front of people. It can’t be said that it disappeared forever, but for the time being, it would be impossible for warlocks to continue their research in the kingdom.

“Are your injuries okay?”

Saying that, Adeline looked at Theodora’s arm. The bandages rolled up under the sleeves of the long uniform were peeking out.

“It’s much less than Behemoth. At that time, both mana and body were gone, so I had to stay in the hospital for a long time.”

It’s different from now, when I woke up in five days. Theodora contemplated her own body. Mana reached a more profound level, and the swordsmanship and body also seemed to have reached a level or two higher.

“Is the search for old memories starting now?”

“Yeah. We will slowly start looking at the records left by Leon Benning. It is impossible to completely eliminate all information. If I go out and check the data one by one, I will surely be able to find records with loopholes.”

“… I hope to get it back soon, please feel free to tell me if there is anything I can help with.”

Adeline smiled and gave a mischievous look.

“Actually, isn’t it unfortunate that I didn’t go far away?”

“you… .”

Theodora sighed, and Adeline laughed softly.

“just joke. Theodora-san, when she needs me, she doesn’t hesitate to stop by the Adventurer’s Guild. I am also one of the many people who are indebted to you.”

With that one word, Theodora’s guilt was alleviated a little, and Adeline left first. Theodora turned her head again. One or two people he knew threw words at him and walked away. Then, Theodora found the figure she was looking for standing still in a corner of the cemetery.

Black hair and a striking white mask. Even in the unadorned black dress, she was quite recognizable. She didn’t look sad, but Theodora cautiously approached her with a blank face.

“… hello.”

The masked woman raised her head. Deeper blue eyes than the sea met Theodora’s.