Ch.342Aftermath

The Destroyer of the Northern Wall, Winter Wolf Rurik, had been slaughtered, and most of his subordinates had met their deaths as well.

The losses were so severe it would take more than a decade to recover.

It was an achievement worthy of a grand victory celebration, but there had been too much bloodshed to simply rejoice.

—-

Faelrun Castle, to which we had returned, was filled with soldiers of the Northern Army.

While we were pursuing Rurik, they must have finally arrived, albeit belatedly.

The castle looked quite different from when we had left.

The were-beast and human corpses that had been scattered across the walls had been cleaned up, and the debris-filled area inside the walls was in the process of being cleared.

Even so, there hadn’t been time to repair the broken walls, so the outer fortifications remained in their grotesquely shattered state.

The Duke of Faelrun, who had returned with a gaunt face, summoned priests to take care of the wounded before immediately heading to his office.

I wasn’t sure whether to call it a strong sense of responsibility or a disregard for his own body.

Even though receiving a healing miracle wouldn’t make a severed arm suddenly sprout back, he was busy dealing with post-war matters without any concern for himself.

Well, he did have a lot to handle.

After all, he was the great lord responsible for this vast northern region.

While the two legions and imperial knights that had been virtually annihilated would be Emperor Leopold’s burden to bear, the damage to the North was not insignificant either.

The time it would take to replenish lost forces, the compensation to be paid to the families of the fallen, and the cost of rebuilding Faelrun Castle and the Northern Wall.

Even for the Duchy of Faelrun with its numerous silver mines, recovering from this damage would be no easy task.

—-

While the Duke of Faelrun was able to wake up and return on his own feet thanks to consistent potion consumption, I had no choice but to be carried until the very end.

The injury to my legs had been worsening after I had forced myself to move despite the severe wounds.

Unless potions worked properly, the only way to treat my wounds was through a priest’s miracle.

Unfortunately, there were no priests in the pursuit party.

There was a paladin, but his healing could only prevent my legs from becoming necrotic.

At least after joining up with Frider’s group, it was Leonore who carried me instead of Faelrun’s knight.

She did grumble a bit. Well, she was a princess after all—when would she have ever carried someone else? She was usually the one being carried.

“…At this rate, I’m more like a servant than a guard knight. Since becoming the lady’s vassal, I feel like I’ve been on a never-ending path of hardship.”

“Is there really much difference between a guard knight and a servant? You’re just stronger and carry a sword.”

Both pledge their lives in loyalty to their masters and diligently carry out whatever tasks they’re assigned. They’re the same.

“That’s not something the Knight of Radiance should be saying.”

Leonore burst into laughter.

—-

After arriving at the castle, I was immediately handed over to Florence.

Startled by my wounds, Florence immediately channeled the maximum amount of holy power available and poured healing magic into me.

She said that if I had been even a little later, they would have had to amputate my leg and somehow create a new one.

Considering that restoring lost limbs takes more than two weeks, I was fortunate to have gotten away with just this.

It wasn’t just my leg that was a problem; my arm was also an issue, and there wasn’t a bone or joint in my entire body that wasn’t damaged.

Even after pouring healing miracles into me, she said I would need absolute rest for a while.

Only after spending an entire day just to make the wounds heal on the surface was I finally able to wash myself.

A long-awaited hot spring bath. As I soaked my entire body except for my calves in the hot water, I was reminded of when I first arrived here.

I had suffered because of that tactless Demian.

…No, he wasn’t tactless—he was just pretending to be.

Come to think of it, that’s quite vexing. That guy, was all that talk about it being his first time just nonsense? Was he doing it on purpose? That must be it.

I should train him again once my body heals.

Now that he’s a Master, the satisfaction of beating—no, sparring with him would be greater than before.

Anyway, there was no chance of a “lost Demian” appearing this time.

Right after arriving at the castle, after receiving adequate treatment and washing up, he was dragged to Millia’s room and hadn’t come out since.

I decided not to think about what might be happening behind that firmly closed door.

At least, with them like that, the unpleasant rumors that had spread between Demian and me would naturally fade away.

There was just one concern though…

If he plans to live as a knight, surely he’s being careful not to become a parent at 16…right?

After raising a Master so well, it would be troublesome if he suddenly dropped out of the fighting force because of an unexpected child.

If that happened, I might not be able to resist the urge to rip off Demian’s middle leg.

…I should ask Millia about it later.

—-

With my eyes closed, half-lying down, I stretched and savored the warmth enveloping my body.

While contemplating how to beat Demian to help him grow into an even better knight.

“How are you feeling?”

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, a familiar voice penetrated my ear.

In the corner of my narrowly opened field of vision, wet silver hair was swaying.

Oh, it’s Frider.

Come to think of it, she also enjoyed hot spring baths.

“Well… except for my legs, I’m more or less okay. I might even be less injured than usual.”

Although I had suffered from chasing for days in the snow field without proper sleep, the extent of my injuries was actually much lighter than before.

That’s probably thanks to becoming significantly stronger in terms of defense compared to before.

Attacks that would have penetrated me in the past could now be weakened by the shield of Karma of Murder, reducing them to mere scratches.

“That’s good to hear. Seeing you being carried around all day, I thought you might have been so severely injured that you couldn’t stand. You tend to be careless with your body when fighting.”

[Technically, it’s not even your body. I’ve been wanting to point this out for a while. You, aren’t you treating someone else’s body too roughly?]

That’s not wrong, but…

“Thanks to that, we won, didn’t we?”

I grinned as I replied to both Hersella and Frider simultaneously.

If I hadn’t pushed myself so hard, Rurik would have escaped safely, and if that had happened… wouldn’t he have killed Oleg and invaded again?

[Nonsense. If I hadn’t stepped in, you would have been a corpse long ago.]

Hersella retorted firmly, as if telling me not to talk rubbish.

Well… that’s not wrong either. I did leave most of the defense to her.

“…I’m grateful for that. But I worry that you might get hurt if you push yourself too hard.”

What’s with Frider? Saying such thoughtful things.

Come to think of it, in the original work, by the time Demian defeated the Were-beast King, her affection had broken through the limit, right? To the point of becoming lovers.

…Not that there’s any point in me pursuing Frider.

She didn’t seem to have such feelings either, and I wasn’t interested in that direction to begin with.

“Well, without me, who would be your friend? I understand.”

I chuckled and nodded toward Frider.

Unlike me, who was fully immersed in the hot spring, she was sitting at the edge with only her feet in the water, so what was at my eye level wasn’t her face but her snow-white thighs and navel.

“After I sincerely expressed my concern, that’s how you respond?”

Frider frowned momentarily as if annoyed, but seeing me just grinning, she sighed and relaxed her expression as if it wasn’t worth arguing about.

“Haah… Anyway, thank you. Sincerely. Without your help, Faelrun would have fallen. The North would have become a hunting ground for beasts. I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”

As if suddenly embarrassed, she turned her face slightly as she expressed her thanks.

Between the silver hair that clung to her wet skin, her exposed nape and earlobe were flushed bright red.

She’s being shy.

Well, I guess it would be awkward for her to thank a friend when she’s never had one before.

“If you’re that grateful, you can pay me back with interest later. I’ll give you a generous repayment period.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Thinking my banter was just a joke, Frider turned her head and chuckled.

It’s not a joke though. The day will come when she’ll have to repay the debt, won’t it?

Someday.

—-

I spent a week recuperating at Faelrun Castle.

The news that I had single-handedly—”almost” single-handedly—vanquished Rurik spread throughout the North, and as a result, my reputation here had surpassed even Valdemar’s.

It was more like worship than reputation.

Every northerner I encountered would look at me with awe-filled eyes, as if gazing upon a deity.

Some even tried to kneel and pray.

On the morning of the third day after our return, Valdemar, having finally completed his assessment of the losses and drafted future plans, summoned the knights to reward them for their contributions in this battle.

Instead of a grand victory ceremony, it was a simplified award ceremony held in his reception room.

Demian and Millia were officially recognized as having reached the Master level, and were granted the title of Baron for their merit in repelling the enemy’s Champions.

Strictly speaking, they didn’t actually defeat any, but they did repel them, so it counts.

Officially, the title was only recognized within the Duchy, but the Imperial mainland doesn’t particularly deny titles from the North, as it would be disrespectful to the Duke’s authority.

So… with this, both of them had become bona fide nobles.

They’ve risen in the world. Becoming Master-level knights, such advancement was natural.

Valdemar did ask if they would consider joining the Faelrun Knights, but both declined, saying they weren’t ready to belong anywhere yet.

…Actually, I had advised them to decline beforehand.

Unless they planned to live in this freezing land for the rest of their lives, it was an offer that should rightfully be declined.

Additionally, the two bows that Frider had given to Millia, and the new silver-mixed greatsword that Demian had received, were also recognized as their property.

It wasn’t a pure silver greatsword… but that was an heirloom of Faelrun and couldn’t be given to others in the first place.

Not just weapons, but a generous amount of were-beast hides were also given as rewards.

Normally, gold or jewels would be bestowed, but given the current state of the domain, such valuables had to be spent on recovery costs, he said.

The two received armfuls of hides with somewhat awkward smiles.

—-

And I, recognized as the greatest contributor, was bestowed with an overflowing amount of rewards.

First, a mansion in my name.

Specifically, on an empty plot within Faelrun Castle, they would build a mansion for the hero of the North.

…I probably won’t come because it’s too cold.

But I accepted it anyway. Why refuse a free house?

I could visit occasionally when I want a hot spring bath.

Someday, when all this is over.

In addition, separate from the Imperial title, I was granted the title of Count of the North and a corresponding domain.

Since I couldn’t stay here continuously, I would have to entrust the management of the domain to a proxy.

But that wasn’t all.

The pure silver sword that Leonore had been using, and the ownership of the Rosicrucian Knights, which had officially transferred to the Duchy of Faelrun, were also transferred to me.

This was more pleasing to Leonore than to me.

She was so happy that she smiled broadly even in this formal setting as soon as she heard it.

Finally, like Demian, I too received a pile of were-beast hides instead of gold for the same reason.

Rurik’s hides that had been spread around the castle, the Champion’s hide from this battle, and thirty more hides from purebloods.

It was enough to make clothes and wear them for ten years with plenty left over.

—-

I decided to leave just one set of Rurik’s hides, which were my share, in the North: one full-body hide from the neck down and half of the head hide.

Frider earnestly begged me, holding my hands.

Since I had more than enough hides even without one set, I decided to give it to her.

Overjoyed, Frider took Rurik’s body to her workshop, saying she would display the taxidermy in my mansion once it was completed.

…She wants to put that in my mansion?