751. [STAGE 45] Cognitive assumption (2)
Glory Knights are no longer able to fight as combatants.
But Hecate thought as she volunteered to act as bait.
‘It hurts the same as other people.’
All of the retired soldiers staying here are the same, unable to move properly and fight valiantly.
However, there is one crucial difference between the Glory Knights and other soldiers.
‘We have no place to return to.’
No hometown, no family, nothing left. Even the slightest trace of the relationship that remained was intentionally deleted.
The Glory Knights are a group of knights who are tuned only to be loyal and die for the Emperor.
If Ash hadn’t forcefully held on, it would have been destined to leave this place anyway, melting somewhere in the shadows of the world and disappearing without a trace.
‘But other people are different from us.’
Chains are a representative example.
His life as a wizard has ended, and he has lost all his friends and is living here, saying he has no place to return to, but in reality, he has a wife and daughter back home. Moreover, a grandchild was born this time.
They are different from themselves. They have people and places to which they can return.
If someone has to die, it’s right that they, who really had nothing… the ghosts of the empire, should die in their place.
So, the Glory Knights took on the role of luring the strange monsters that poured into the barracks, and after forcing those who opposed them into a room on the second floor, they carefully came down to the first floor of the barracks.
“Ahhh? Aaaaa….》
《Aaaaa! Ahhh!》
《Ah. iced coffee. Ahhh. iced coffee. Ah.》
The monsters were pouring into the barracks, their teeth chattering all over their bodies.
The Glory Knights exchanged glances with each other. As we had been working together for a long time, we quickly became in sync.
‘We must lure as many monsters in the area out of the barracks as possible.’
So that as few monsters as possible remain in the barracks.
So that the retired soldiers gathered in one place can last as long as possible.
The World Defense Front never gives up on its comrades… Commander Ash will definitely dispatch a rescue team this time too.
So, until then, the Glory Knights are trying to attract as much attention as possible so that other veterans can hold on.
“now!”
Hecate, who gave the signal, was the first to run out, followed by the rest of the Glory Knights, scattering in all directions.
Even though they were cursed and could no longer fight as proper combatants.
Still, they were the Glory Knights, known as the knights of the elite among the elite.
“ah? Ahhh?》
《Aaaaaaa-!》
It wasn’t that difficult to lure out the weak monster children.
After scanning the inside of the barracks, the five Glory Knights dispersed and ran out, followed by monsters of different types, making strange cries.
‘Okay, we’ve taken out most of the guys who dug into the barracks…’
If you guide them like this and keep running away, you’ll be able to take enough time.
Hecate was just thinking that.
《Ahh… ahhh!》
A monster far away trembled and cried out
!
Tentacles immediately stretched out from the center of the body.
Because it was a completely unexpected attack and because I lost all ability to react to such a surprise attack…
“Kuh?!”
Hecate had to be pinned down with the tentacles wrapping around her neck.
While Hecate, who was out of breath, was struggling and screaming, the other monsters that had narrowed the distance to each other also spewed out their tentacles and bound Hecate’s hands and feet.
“Tsk…! “What the…!”
It wasn’t just Hecate.
All of the Glory Knights, who were trying to escape by running in different directions, were tied up and struggling by the monster’s surprise tentacle.
The monsters slowly narrowed the distance towards Hecate, who was bound by dozens of tentacles.
“Huh…!”
As her vision became blurred due to her inability to breathe properly, Hecate sensed her end.
I had no regrets in life. but.
– After this battle, would you like to go on a date together for a while?
The face of Lucas who made that suggestion suddenly came to mind.
‘For the first time, I was asked out by that bastard.’
I died like this without even knowing what thoughts were inside.
Suddenly, I had a vain hope that he might come to rescue me like the prince in a fairy tale.
– Unless it is wartime, of course I will put everything aside and run to save you. But now I am the master’s bodyguard and the adjutant of the front commander. I have a position to protect.
That blunt voice came back to my ears at the same time.
Hecate smiled bitterly and slowly closed her eyes.
‘Well, I have no luck with men until the end…’
The monsters that were getting closer opened their chattering teeth as wide as possible and lunged at Hecate.
And it was then.
Flash!
There was a blinding flash in the sky.
Immediately after, a beam of light fell to the ground, and the strange monsters that had wrapped their tentacles around Hecate were hit by the beam of light and fell backwards, screaming.
The tentacle was released. Hecate barely caught her breath and looked up at the sky with blurred eyes.
‘who…?’
Could it be that Lucas really sensed his crisis and came?
But what appeared was not the prince from a fairy tale.
“Get down!”
With a dazzling thunderbolt –
Jupiter Junior fell from the sky.
***
Pachick! Pachichichik!
All the monsters were fried, and the remaining lightning splashed on the floor.
“Whoa!”
Junior took a deep breath, straightened his knees, stood up, and looked around.
Not only Hecate but all other captured Glory Knights were safe. It was the result of Junior concentrating his mind to the limit and pouring out a precise magic bombardment on the area.
“….”
Hecate sat down and looked at Junior with a blank face. Junior snorted.
“why. Were you disappointed that it wasn’t Sir Lucas?”
“Oh no…”
“Sir Lucas couldn’t come because he had another important mission. Instead, I came like this.”
Junior smiled and joked playfully.
“Is it okay if I say thank you?”
However, Hecate did not respond and glanced toward the alley outside the barracks with a still nervous look on her face.
《Aaaaa!》
《Aaaaaaa!》
Perhaps in response to the heat of the magic, more monsters began to flock in.
The color drained from Junior’s face as he saw the monsters filling the alley.
“Why are there so many…! Hmm!”
pop! Bubble bubbling!
Junior repeatedly summoned lightning and wind to blow away the monsters, but the number of monsters pouring into the center of the city was literally endless.
The monsters broke through Junior’s magic and entered the barracks one by one. Junior poured out magic in succession to clear it, but the infiltration of monsters was gradually increasing.
‘As it is…!’
Next to the trembling Junior, Hecate barely stood up, holding her sword like a cane.
“I’ll go out and attract attention.”
“yes?”
“Junior, please retreat with the remaining retired soldiers.”
Where should I run to attract the attention of the most monsters?
Hecate, who understood the surrounding terrain, eventually walked out unsteadily.
At that time, Junior, who had an angry face and was shooting magic in all directions, squealed.
“No, why are you so anxious to die? Really! At least someone came to save me!”
“So are you going to give up your life, a precious wizard? To save a few broken veterans who can’t fight anymore? “Where is such a foolish calculation method?”
“I’m not a broken retired soldier, I’m here to save my comrades who fought alongside me!”
“You can’t save the world with such a weak mind.”
As Hecate coldly scoffed, Junior shook his head slightly.
“i know. This is a story that is far from the iron-blooded logic of fighting efficiently. But that is the banner of His Majesty Prince Ashe… on the front lines here.”
“….”
“Everyone here has been fighting all this time to protect this weak ‘heart’. And that is why we have remained human to this day.”
Hecate still walked forward. Junior shouted desperately.
“Lord Hecate! “Do you really have no regrets in this world?”
“….”
“Are you saying there really isn’t a single thing you want to do in life?”
Hecate’s steps, which were walking towards the swarming monsters, stopped.
“…after.”
Hecate gritted her teeth, took a breath, and let out a suppressed voice.
“Yes, there is none.”
“…!”
“Curse, swordsmanship, position… pride, mission, revenge…! I lost everything. “My whole life is gone.”
He can never again hold the sword he trained for his entire life, and the desire for revenge he had built up throughout his life was forced to be laid down in the face of the era of harmony.
A retired soldier, whose life had been denied in front of his time, shouted harshly and asked:
“Answer me, Junior. “Then what value is it to me that I should live any longer?”
“….”
“I have lost both the sword and revenge… I don’t even know what I am anymore…”
No.
In fact, Hecate knew the answer.
Having lost everything, you are nothing.
Since you are nothing, the best use is as a discard.
So Hecate tried to walk again without waiting for Junior’s answer.
at that time.
“After losing everything.”
Junior answered.
“You just…be yourself.”
“…what?”
Hecate looked back with bewildered eyes. Junior nodded slowly.
“Not the one who inherits the curse, nor the avenger of the old war, nor the knight of the empire. “You’re just 24 years old.”
“….”
“What determines who you are is not your job or career, the destiny you inherited, or the people you serve.”
Junior repeated the story Ash had told him before.
“Who you are is determined by what you do next.”
“….”
“So answer me. Lord Hecate. Is there really nothing you want to do? Even if it’s trivial and insignificant, it’s okay. “You really don’t have any dreams?”
“I…”
When Hecate hesitated, Junior grinned.
“For your information, my dream is to build a gorgeous villa with a swimming pool in the South and live a wonderful retirement there.”
Hecate, taken aback, let out a sigh.
“Why is it that someone younger than me is dreaming of retiring already?”
“What do you think? Still, it’s a wonderful dream, right?”
The faces of the two people who passed on this dream to Junior suddenly appeared in Junior’s mind.
A mother who was not a mother.
A teacher who was not a teacher.
That funny dream that the two of them had together and that they couldn’t achieve because they were separated…
was connected to them.
“Later, when I buy a villa after retirement, I’ll definitely come visit you. “I’ll give you accommodation for free.”
“….”
“Now that I’ve told you my dream, it’s Lord Hecate’s turn to tell you. hurry!”
Hecate, who staggered to a halt in her seat, shook her head slightly.
“…I’ve never thought about anything like what I want to do.”
“Then let’s start looking for it now.”
“Come now?”
Hecate asked, gesturing towards the monsters that had filled the alley right in front of her.
“The end of the world is right around the corner?”
“So from now on.”
Junior nodded vigorously.
“We are still young, young, and just around the corner… Because the end of the world has not yet reached us.”
“….”
“From now until the end of the world, let’s search together.”
“….”
“I will be with you no matter how ridiculous or absurd it may be.”
Hecate’s shoulders relaxed.
“Haaa…”
Hecate let out a long sigh and turned towards Junior.
“I hate you, Junior.”
“yes. “You hate it.”
“I will never be able to forgive the Kingdom of Camilla for killing my parents.”
“is it so. “Don’t forgive.”
Junior also.
He will not be able to forgive the empire that burned his hometown and burned half his body.
“Please remember and never forget this from now on. “The silver lining between Camilla’s kingdom and the empire… and between us.”
“….”
“And we live together like that.”
Junior slowly stretched out his hand forward.
Beyond a valley that cannot be filled, to the other side of a cliff that is still too far away to be reached…
As if asking to shake hands.
“By the way, I like you.”
“….”
“From the beginning until now. And continue to do so. I want to be your friend.”
Hecate shook her head slightly and sighed again.
“Really, it’s ridiculous.”
Next, Hecate slowly raised her hand and extended it towards Junior.
And the moment the two hands were about to touch –
Tuhak!
“…!”
Junior’s eyes widened.
Right behind Hecate, all kinds of monsters that had broken through Junior’s magic barrier were pouring down.
