Ch.240Chapter 240. Retreating to Border, Aftermath (5)

And so, after shaking off a few more soldiers, I continued running.

Finally, the audience chamber door came into view, and Emma flung it open roughly.

“Ah…”

As soon as she arrived, Emma’s eyes fell upon her eternal companions—Epinel, Anima, and Yurie.

But one person was missing. The man who had always seemed to stand firmly in his place protecting them was nowhere to be found.

“…Yurie.”

Emma asked with a trembling voice.

“Where is… Erin?”

“…”

“Don’t tell me… it’s true?”

Emma slowly approached Yurie and asked,

“Is it… is it true that… Erin… died…?”

The moment the word “died” left her lips… she felt her suppressed emotions surging.

Beyond her trembling voice, tears began to flow from her eyes.

To Emma’s desperate question, neither Epinel, nor Anima, nor Yurie could properly respond.

“Why won’t anyone answer…?”

Step, step.

Emma silently moved closer to Sovereign Yurie.

Before she knew it, she was standing close enough that she would fall right into her if she stumbled.

It would be an unforgivable disrespect for a subject, but at this moment, their relationship was more than just that of ruler and subordinate.

“…Answer me, Yurie! Is it certain that Erin is dead?!!!!”

Emma grabbed Yurie by the collar.

Though absurd things were happening one after another, Yurie didn’t get angry and simply allowed herself to be grabbed by Emma’s hands without saying a word.

“E-Emma! Calm down…!”

Anima and Epinel, who had been watching with sad eyes, tried to intervene, but Yurie, the one being grabbed, stopped them with her hand.

Then, she sent a silent signal. …Let me handle this, please.

“Emma.”

Facing Emma, who was expressing her anger without restraint… she barely managed to answer in a small voice.

“…I’m truly sorry.”

“Ah… aah.”

Thud.

As soon as she heard Yurie’s apology, Emma’s strength left her, and she collapsed to the floor, beginning to wail.

“Why… why… why did this happen…!!!”

The bond between the five was exceptionally close, but there were particularly special relationships among them.

For example, Yurie and Anima, who had been like sisters since their academy days, and Emma and Erinandorf.

The two former private soldiers who once served Yurie together had been comrades who trusted and relied on each other until this very moment.

When serving the Aeshus family, when belonging to the Aeshus army established by Yurie, the sole survivor of that family, and even in the future… they thought they would be together forever.

The battlefield was both unfair and fair at the same time. Anyone could become a hero, and anyone could lose their life in an instant.

Considering Erinandorf’s fighting style of always standing at the vanguard, the thought that his survival until now might have been a miracle only crossed her mind now.

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!!!!”

Yurie watched Emma wailing, silently closing her eyes and waiting a long time for her to calm down.

Epinel turned her head to look aside, and Anima discreetly wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

He was dead. Erinandorf. That man who was like an embodiment of immense will was no longer with them.

Anima stole a glance at Yurie’s expression.

Looking at her deeply sunken eyes, she was certain. Perhaps the one suffering the most right now was Sovereign Yurie.

After all, it was she who had made the decision to send minimal forces, appointing Erinandorf to the vanguard and Anima as commander-in-chief, in order to quickly capture the castle.

Even if she hadn’t made that decision, she was the sovereign. It meant she was in a position where she had to take responsibility.

How much time had passed like that?

Finally, when Emma’s crying had subsided, Yurie slowly opened her eyes.

“Emma… wait just a little. I will surely avenge your enemy, and our enemy…”

Her eyes, each containing a different color, were burning fiercely as if they would devour someone at any moment.

“Wait.”

At the mention of revenge, Anima, who had been silently wiping her tears, interjected.

“Are you… thinking of all-out war with Chel’s forces?”

“Is there anything else we can do?”

“…”

Anima was about to say something to Yurie, who seemed to be barely maintaining her composure, but then swallowed her words.

Yes. She understood her feelings. She was quite angry herself.

But the most correct course of action now was not to wage all-out war with Chel, but as mentioned earlier, to turn the rudder and fight against the Hesna army.

“What, do you have something to say, Anima?”

A low, cold tone. Unlike the always kind Yurie, it was a question that seemed like it would cut if touched.

Anima… couldn’t say anything.

In fact, she could have spoken. It wasn’t that she was afraid of her. Rather, her own guilt was desperately preventing her from conveying her message.

…After all, it was Yurie who had saved her life at the cost of tremendous losses.

If it hadn’t been for her, she couldn’t rule out the possibility that her head would have fallen at the hands of the villainess Serpina. She was an unpredictable and unparalleled vile woman, who would have used Anima’s life like a chess piece to strike at Yurie in the worst possible way.

The reason she had been able to escape that fate was because Yurie had thrown away all her dignity and sacrificed her subordinate commander, and the beneficiary was… none other than herself.

No matter how much she herself hadn’t wanted it… as long as she was safely breathing here now, how could she ignore that debt of gratitude?

Therefore, Anima couldn’t say things like ‘Erinandorf wouldn’t want this either. Right now, instead of seeking revenge, let’s act for the long-term benefit of the Aeshus army. If we prepare, a chance for revenge will surely come.’

Yurie’s actions, taking on everything to save Anima… had ironically become shackles controlling Anima’s actions.

“…Never mind. This isn’t the time for leisurely conversation anyway.”

Yurie looked at Anima’s face, who couldn’t bring herself to speak, then slowly turned her head and extended her hand to Emma, who was kneeling.

“Emma, stand up.”

“*sob*”

“Let’s avenge him. Erinandorf’s enemy. And, Chel Brans…”

Yurie’s eyebrows twitched.

A level of anger she had never felt before.

At least from this moment on, the existence called Chel Brans would inevitably become more hateful to her than even Serpina.

“Shouldn’t we show him… exactly what he has done?”

“We’ll behead him with our own hands, display his head at Balhart Castle… and honor Erinandorf’s departed soul. Understand?”

After murmuring that, Yurie turned to Epinel and said,

“Epinel. I need you to prepare for deployment right away.”

“You’re planning to invade immediately?”

“Yes.”

Epinel was lost in thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.

“…Alright. Leave it to me. I have a debt to settle with that bastard too.”

“Thank you.”

Anima looked at Yurie, who was forcing a smile while saying thank you… then slowly closed her eyes and bowed her head.

――There’s nothing I can do.

The cruel reality that she couldn’t do anything in this situation, despite knowing something was wrong—

was tormenting Anima, the survivor, more than ever before.

* * *

“I see. So General Erinandorf… is dead.”

Having arrived home, I was relaying the news I had heard from Serpina to Irene and Reika.

“How could… Lord Erinandorf…”

Both of them must be acquainted with Erinandorf.

Ms. Reika had stayed at Balhart Castle for quite a long time, and Lady Irene had worked under Yurie with me before.

Perhaps Lady Irene, being a fellow military officer, would have had more points of contact with Erinandorf than I did.

“So it seems that the Chel army and the Aeshus army will be engaged in a major war for the time being.”

Hearing my words, Irene poured tea into my empty cup while speaking.

Though probably unintentional, it was the same leaf we often drank during our time living together in the Aeshus army.

“That’s likely. Lord Yurie greatly valued the founding contributors. The proof is that you, Swen, are here.”

“One way or another, it seems there’s nothing to gain from confronting the Chel army, but she’s not the type to change her position.”

“That’s true…”

Irene probably knew it too. That the best choice for them right now was not all-out war with Chel.

In any case, this decision could cause the Aeshus army to meaninglessly expend the potential they had built up until now.

“Um…”

At that moment.

Reika, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, raised her hand to join in.

“Ms. Reika, do you have something to say?”

“Well, I had a conversation with Lady Serpina…”

“?”

“…”

Reika hesitated for a moment, then bowed her head several times and said,

“I-I’m sorry! Somehow, I… I’ll tell you after I organize my thoughts. When I try to put it into words, it becomes overwhelming…”

“No, it’s fine. Please take your time to organize your thoughts.”

“Ugh… I’m so sorry…”

“Not at all, Miss Reika. If it’s not urgent, time to think is important.”

“Lady Irene…”

Saying that, Reika leaned her head on Irene’s shoulder, who was sitting beside her.

Irene blushed slightly as if embarrassed, but didn’t push her away.

Although I was curious about what Reika had wanted to say, I knew by now that she needed time in situations like this.

What caught my attention was something slightly different.

‘…They’ve become quite close?’

I was curious about when they had become so intimate, but from my perspective, there was nothing wrong with them getting along so well.

At that moment.

‘…!’

Why was it?

The images of Lady Serpina and Lady Luna, who weren’t here… momentarily flashed before my eyes.

Their figures, sitting in the empty seats, mingling with these two.

I blinked several times. …A hallucination?

“Swen…?”

Noticing something strange, Irene looked at me with a worried expression.

“Ah… it’s nothing. I just feel a bit tired today.”

“Is that so? Well, if you say so…”

“If, if you need any help… please make sure to tell us…!”

Seeing Ms. Reika flustered, I smiled to reassure her.

“I will.”

Actually, it’s not a troubling matter.

I don’t know why I momentarily saw that image, but…

In reality, if those two could face each other and smile, that would be a wonderful thing for me.

And so, I spent time with the two people currently by my side.

…There was still so much left to do.