[ Episode 344. Cromwell]
Dag Dag Dag Dag Dag Dag Dag Dag Dag Dag –
A horse that had fallen into the exclusive possession of noble families after the invention of the mana float train quickly ran through the forest thanks to the war.
Sitting on the brown horse, Louis held the reins loosely, thinking of the destination he was almost at hand.
“Right, right.”
Slowing down, he finally got out of the woods and found a citadel in the distance.
The thorny building built with magic to keep the western rebels in check seemed to show the harsh atmosphere of war.
“stop!”
The soldiers who were scouting the surrounding area spotted Lewis and approached.
“I am Louis Atman. I have heard of His Excellency Jerichi’s orders.”
“Loyalty! Cardinal belonging to the 3rd Ranger Corps under His Excellency Jerich. We will guide you.”
“Please.”
Louis dismounted, handed the reins to one of the soldiers, and walked towards the citadel. As soon as they reached the citadel, news was transmitted to the inside and Count Jerich came out.
“haha! You came earlier than expected! Welcome Sir Louis!”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
Although he only had one year of war experience, he was Louis with the air of a decent knight. Earl Jerich showed a look of satisfaction and guided him inside.
“I’ve already known about your reputation since the academy days, but the recent rumors go beyond admiration and startle me.”
“It is overrated. More than that, may I ask your Excellency what kind of mission I will be taking on here?”
“He has a very impatient personality. I’ve been thinking about it because of what you said.”
Earl Jerich walked quickly, but his eyes were on Louis as he spoke.
“Your mission is simple. I just want you to escort me. There will be no going to the battlefield.”
“All right.”
As Count Jerich said, the mission was not as much as he was worried about, so Louis let out a sigh of relief.
‘It’s the West…’
In fact, the West didn’t mean much to him. The reason he was reluctant to rebel was because of Cromwell’s presence and nothing else.
Cromwell, who had joined the Western Rebels about two years earlier, said he had made a choice to defend himself from Western attack. However, as everyone in the know knew, it seemed like a natural procedure because it was just a cause and his friendship with Morheim was famous.
“But…can I ask you something?”
“I will answer with all my heart.”
“Why are you so reluctant to deal with the rebels? Do you have any acquaintances?”
“It is not.”
“Is it because of Cromwell?”
At Count Jerich’s sharp question, Louis kept his mouth shut. Count Jerich laughed at the face of Louis, who couldn’t hide his true feelings well.
“Anyway, that’s a place I haven’t cared about since Adrias Cromwell’s whereabouts became a mystery. Compared to Morhaime, it’s a place that has neither reason nor value to attack.”
“…….”
Louis just nodded without answering.
The dimension separation of Portrion was still an incident that many warlocks were struggling to solve, but most of them were already not paying attention.
“Well, there’s nothing good about leaving a sequel.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I plan to advance on Cromwell tomorrow. As the location is the location, if you fight the Western rebels without thinking, Cromwell’s rear attack will be dangerous.”
Tak-
Louis naturally stopped following Count Jerich.
“Why but.”
“I… can’t attack Cromwell.”
“Isn’t that what you said? You just need to escort me. That’s all.”
Count Jerich started walking again as if he would not wait. Lewis stood there for a while and eventually followed.
**
As soon as the day dawned, the troops of the fortress came out through the gates. Louis was still making a distraught expression as he watched from the side of Count Jerich.
“Anyway, you have nothing to do. don’t worry too much In the first place, since Cromwell is weak, the battle itself will end soon.”
“Do you intend to kill them all?”
“Aren’t they rebels?”
Watching Count Jerich give a simple answer, Louis suppressed his increasingly complicated feelings.
“At least the territories aren’t doing anything wrong, are they?”
“Do our soldiers go to war and lose their lives because they are guilty? If you think about it like that, there are no limits.”
Count Jerich, who responded coldly, let out a long sigh.
“Hey Sir Louis. You haven’t experienced the heartlessness of politics yet, so you don’t have a sense of innocence, but I hope you realize it now. We do not live in utopia, we live in reality. If, as you say, we are generous and save them. Do you know what will happen then?”
“Are the villagers who saved you stabbing you in the back?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Count Jerich raised his finger and pointed in a certain direction. The place he pointed was in the direction of the capital, Rodlen.
“Your Majesty will kill me. In the name of daring to spare the rebels. And someone else will take my place.”
“…….”
“And the other nobles would rather like that job. Because the share to be shared is increasing. Perhaps, even without His Majesty stepping out, she will use torches here and there to bring me down.”
Lewis was at a loss for words.
and acknowledged at the same time.
that you are still ignorant.
“Don’t be so heartbroken. Rather, I like you more. A young man with such a pure heart is hard to find these days. ha ha ha!”
With Count Jerich’s laughter, the soldiers started marching. The goal was only two days from Fort Cromwell, as mentioned earlier.
Even during the two-day trip, the Count worked tirelessly to win Louis’ heart. A promising knight who came from a commoner and did not belong to a family was worthy of being embraced by any noble.
“You have arrived.”
Standing on a bare mountain overlooking Cromwell Castle, Earl Jerich made a satisfied expression. And Louis, who watched it together, was feeling his own inspiration.
“Are you still uncomfortable?”
“That’s right.”
Lewis spoke openly and honestly.
“I can’t help it. However, keep in mind that you must distinguish between the ball and the life. I’m not asking you to go out on your own, but you’ll have to do your job.”
“of course.”
“You’re not going to step out anyway. With the head of the household also missing, Cromwell’s troops themselves are insignificant.”
Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding–!
As the troops appeared in front of their noses, an emergency took place in Cromwell’s estate. Louis lowered his gaze slightly as he saw people busily coming and going.
“Face it. This is a war.”
Count Jerich looked at Louis like that and smiled heartily. No matter what Louis did, he was a countess who looked pretty.
“Your Excellency, all preparations are complete.”
Just then, the manager came and informed me that everything was ready.
“Okay let’s start. Attack the castle walls first.”
As soon as the order came, the wizards who had been resting comfortably came forward. Most of them were descendants of noble families, so they were treated with dignity.
Woong–
wheeing-!
Magic embroidered the sky.
The spectacle created by the 10 or so wizards was spectacular.
“Maybe it can be finished with one shot of this magic……”
Pipipiping!
The invisible shield over the castle wall blocked the magic so that the Count’s words were overshadowed.
“Wizard? Cromwell is a wizard?”
Words came out that he couldn’t believe it, but the Count, who soon regained his composure, gave the order with a frown.
“I have no choice but to surrender in front of physical force anyway. I don’t know if there’s anything to write about, but wizards should make siege weapons. All the rest advance!”
When the count ordered again, the troops finally began to move. The sight of thousands of troops rolling down the bare mountain was menacing.
“Your Excellency, that’s a little strange.”
“hmm?”
Count Jerich, who was watching the scene without any doubt, tilted his head at the manager’s words.
“The enemies show no signs of being intimidated.”
“That’s true, but it looks like there aren’t too many people in the first place. Is everyone shutting themselves in the house?”
The staff, who watched closely, soon found someone on the wall.
“There you can see Amy Cromwell!”
“Heh, I heard that he is a person without any powers, as far as I know. Are you trying to negotiate?”
“For something like that…”
Lewis’s thoughts became complicated at the sight of Adrias’ sister for the first time. Amy Cromwell stood proudly on the castle wall, as if to invite her to come.
‘What can I do?’
Although it was not a war in which he participated voluntarily, he had a sense of responsibility. Lewis’s conflict soon developed into a conflict over responsibility and grace.
sigh-
“Sir Lewis? Where are you going?”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
Louis couldn’t help but look away.
In the end, he decided to think of grace first.
‘Even if the punishment is paid separately, as much as the senior’s younger sister…’
He could see with enhanced eyesight.
The fact that Amy Cromwell seemed to be standing proudly, but was faintly trembling.
He knew how reckless it was for an ordinary person without arms to stand there in front of a large army. And if the large army is revealing that it is alive, there is nothing to say.
“Louis Atman! Come back to your place right now!”
Ignoring the sound coming from behind, the sword flew.
Kang!
“Did Louis Atman even eat an ear? Can’t you hear His Excellency’s order to return?”
A knight under the command of Earl Jerich spoke coldly.
“If I am punished, I will take it after I return.”
“Whoever wants to.”
As the knight radiated a strong aura, Louis’ sword began to have an aura as well. As the brilliant golden aura was revealed to the world, Count Jerich, who had been screaming, also looked at the golden color with enchanted eyes.
“Are you really going to do it this way?”
“sorry.”
Lewis lightly shook his sword.
Then, moving softly, he kicked the knight who blocked him.
Fuck!
“Ouch!”
Louis subdued the knight in a matter of days and set out on the road again. Seeing that, the other knights opened the way without even thinking to stop him.
“The Commander of the Knights of Henry is in one room…”
“I’ve heard of it, but his skills are truly monstrous.”
Louise, who was about to run away, ignoring the whispering noises around her, was suddenly stopped by a strange energy she felt.
‘what?’
The neckband fell without my knowledge.
A cold sweat began to trickle down my back, and I moved my gaze to figure out the source of this mysterious aura.
“Aaaaaaa!”
The screams of the soldiers rushing towards Cromwell’s outer walls echoed.
“What! What happened!”
“Someone is standing at the gates! It seems to have appeared suddenly…”
As someone said, a figure wearing a faded hood was standing in front of Cromwell’s outer gate. At one point, the figure suddenly appeared and stood still, but the soldiers screamed and backed away.
“ah……!”
Lewis realized.
The fact that I had experienced the owner of this aura that I could feel from afar before.
At the same time, Amy Cromwell, who was on the wall, looked at the person who appeared and covered her mouth with both hands and shed tears.
“I can’t stand it……”
Earl Jerich, who confirmed the appearance, also made an expression of disbelief. However, everyone present could guess the identity of the person.
“Adrias Cromwell?!”
[ Episode 344. Cromwell ] End
