Ch.358Chapter 358. Kane Nerkis

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A hospital near Madellan Castle.

Sensing that this was his final moment, Kyle was lying in bed, having his last conversation with several armed men, including the lord he served.

“Lord Kyle…”

“My lord… I regret that I cannot be with you until the end… Though I was just an old man who wasn’t much help anyway…”

Lunarian held Kyle’s hand tightly between both of hers.

It felt skeletal. Like a wet branch.

Before death, humans rapidly lost weight and became increasingly gaunt. It was sometimes like the inescapable mark of the grim reaper.

“When it was just Tifa and me in our country… thank you for betting your fate on us. If not for your choice, I certainly wouldn’t be here now…”

But that wasn’t all.

When he first arrived, he was just an unnamed old man called Cain Nerkis, but in reality, he was Kyle von Einhart.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the most crucial factor allowing Lunarian to maintain legitimacy after her rebellion was his declaration that people with imperial blood still survived and supported Lunarian—at a time when everyone thought Serpina was the only living member of the Einhart family.

Yet in his final moments, he couldn’t help but recall that time.

Lunarian. Tifa. Cain. And… Swen.

Those peaceful moments at Zeilant Castle when the four of them lived together, moments that made his heart ache with nostalgia.

“No, my lord… There is that man. The man who brings miracles—”

—Our one and only strategist.

“…!!”

At the mention of “strategist,” tears streamed down Luna’s cheeks as she had been barely holding back her emotions.

“Lord Kyle…”

“With Lord Swen… my lord, you will surely… become the unifying monarch.”

After comforting the crying Luna with those words.

“What about General Tifa…?”

“She said she was in training. She told me to tell you that she’ll talk to you in the afterlife…”

Kyle, who had been looking pained, managed a small smile at those words.

“That’s… just like her.”

With that, he began speaking with each person one by one.

“Ginor… you’re strong, so I’m not too worried, but still… take better care of your health. Shouldn’t you live to see Lady Luna’s conquest…?”

“Even in your final moments, you worry about such unnecessary things.”

“Haha… I suppose so…”

And then.

“Francis… I entrust Lady Luna… to you. Become… the vanguard who protects Lady Luna.”

“I understand, Uncle. The life I received from you, I will never waste it. Please watch over me.”

“Charlotte… you can grow even more. Your mother… will be watching your growth from above with joy. Don’t neglect your training. On the battlefield… in the end, training… will light your path…”

“I understand, Uncle…! For saving my life… thank you, thank you so much…!”

“Violet… like your father, you… have a very intelligent mind. Ginor and… Swen, they can… help you.”

“…!”

Violet couldn’t answer but nodded while tears streamed down her face.

Thank you, thank you so much… Those were the words she barely managed to squeeze out.

And then…

“Lord Swen…”

He spoke the name of the man who wasn’t present.

The man who made him feel alive.

The man who planted new hope in him.

“I should advise Lord Cain to reinforce the castle walls against enemy attacks rather than focus on commerce.”

“Everyone. Please listen to me. I know this might be difficult to understand, but this is currently the best decision for our army.

If it doesn’t yield good results, you may take my head.”

That day too.

“Do I really seem like such a heartless person to you, Lord Cain?”

—Well, not exactly. As our lord’s strategist, you must be quite remarkable.

The events of that day.

And on the fateful day as well.

“As Lord Cain said, raising a new army is extremely difficult. It might take years.

But death is the end. Everything ends.

Yet if we’re alive, anything is possible.

Even if it takes time, as long as we can continue breathing.

If Lady Luna, the spirit of our army, remains alive, we can do anything.

Now that the Lunarian army faces a crisis like a candle in the wind, to keep that light from going out, you must flee now.”

—You’re really risking your life here.

“You were… right.”

The Lunarian army rose again.

Though the method was cruel… they seized the opportunity. The bright green flags of the Lunarian army were flying again across the continent.

I’m not sure why he’s still with Serpina’s army, but if there’s one last thing I want to say—

“Please… return… to Zeilant Castle… to Lady Luna’s… side…”

And then… silence.

Nothing but silence followed.

Ginor, who had been watching the situation silently, slowly checked Kyle’s pulse.

“…He has passed.”

“Ah… ah, ahhh…!!”

Beginning with Luna, who collapsed and wailed…

Each person had to bid farewell to the gentle giant in their hearts.

After all, it was the duty of those left behind to move forward.

—Kyle von Einhart died of old age at Madellan Castle.

He was 64 years old.

Among his generation of the Einhart imperial family, he lived the longest and enjoyed a full life.

Now only four Einharts remained on the continent—

Francis, Charlotte, Violet… and Serpina.

The old era was gradually fading away according to providence.

* * *

At the same time.

“Haah, haa!”

Tifa was intensely focused on her training.

She was pushing her body to the limit, gathering and releasing mana, and trying different ways to utilize it.

How much time had passed like this?

“Ugh, this is tough!”

Thud!

Tifa collapsed onto the dusty training ground floor.

Countless stars were embedded in the night sky.

The sky seen from Zeilant Castle was this beautiful too.

For some reason, memories of Zeilant Castle kept coming back to her today. Why?

‘….’

She knew that Grandpa Cain—no, Kyle—was about to die.

But she didn’t particularly want to visit him.

She didn’t want to get scolded on her way there.

‘Death, huh…’

All humans die eventually.

It was a fate no one could escape.

People tended to cling to various values throughout their lives.

Sometimes these became beliefs, treasures or assets, honor, or power.

Tifa found it truly ridiculous. What could be more absurd than humans acting as if they would live forever when they would eventually die!

She didn’t think people should abandon their responsibilities and live recklessly, but… nevertheless, Tifa believed that as humans, we should learn to face death with composure.

But…

“Hah…”

Was it because of excessive training?

Sweat was flowing down her cheeks a bit too much.

Tifa let it flow. She thought about wiping it away, but… strangely, she felt she shouldn’t.

A feeling that if she didn’t let it flow, she would be left with lingering attachments.

“Damn old man.”

Tifa covered her forehead with her hand and… lay there for a long time.

That was her own way of saying goodbye.

* * *

The next day.

Kyle’s funeral was held grandly.

Kyle was a pillar of the Lunarian army. He was one of the two who had loyally followed Luna since she was a fugitive with nothing.

Of course he deserved proper respect. He had played a role greater than a founding contributor.

All the officers and soldiers of the Lunarian army bid farewell to the man who had succeeded in his final gamble at the end of his life.

Afterward, although they made a grave at Madellan Castle, it wasn’t as elaborate as the funeral.

There was one reason: in life, he had wanted to be buried in Zeilant if he died.

If they recaptured Zeilant Castle, currently under the Brans army, they planned to relocate him and make a proper tomb.

Yes.

They couldn’t delay any longer.

Including Zeilant Castle… once again, the place where I belonged.

My homeland where I lived before coming to the south.

The very place where I met Tifa, Lord Kyle, and… my one and only strategist.

The Central Continent!

“Our Lunarian army will declare war on the Brans army. Our goal is to occupy the Central Continent. Everyone, lend me your strength!”

Luna made this announcement in front of everyone exactly one week after Kyle’s death.

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