episode_0077

Red blood dripped down from his dirty right hand.

Judging from the way they attacked the Yeongju Hall in the rain, it seemed like they were not the only ones targeted by poison.

However, even though we could avoid the poison, we could not avoid our hands, so we turned them all into cold corpses.

“Ugly human bastards…”

The demon soldier who attacked the lord’s residence glared at me even while spitting out blood. Judging from the fact that he was still alive despite having his abdomen pierced, the demons were indeed tenacious.

“…… I agree that there are a lot of ugly people.”

I swung my staff and pierced the demon soldier’s chest.

“But at least the people of this village are not like that. That’s why I’m killing you, so don’t hold a grudge too much.”

“Hahaha… So does that mean that if this village was full of people who deserved to die… you would have left them alone…?”

“…… Maybe so.”

You may call us cruel, but that’s what we were.

We were not the ideal warriors of fairy tales. There was always a limit to the number of lives we could save.

The value of lives was determined by applying various criteria, including those with higher strategic value and those with a higher chance of survival.

The moment we place equally noble lives on the scales of our minds, our justice is broken.

The role of a warrior was to save lives, even if it was reckless. That is why a warrior can save many people.

But the role of the hero was to save lives by making the right judgments. That is why the hero can minimize sacrifices.

Isn’t this a really cruel story?

“Camilla. It seems like we’ve roughly cleared out those who attacked the lord’s residence first.”

“… You can tell just by looking at it.”

As Camilla pulled out the spear embedded in the demon’s chest, red blood gushed out like a fountain.

Camilla wiped the blood from her beautiful face and turned her head towards me.

“Now that I’ve finished organizing things to some extent, I guess I should go kill that lizard bitch.”

“…… You really hate the Queen so much.”

“Well, that reptile is my treasure… No, before that, you hate that bitch just as much as I do, right?”

The item the Queen of Dragons took from her must have been the trinket I had given her.

It seemed that the ornament alone was not enough, so he took an additional treasure.

“… That dragon wanted to defile me and make me his companion.”

“And that’s the second reason I have to kill that bitch.”

Camilla was smiling, but it seemed as if several roaring beasts were visible beyond her face.

They say that when a woman harbors resentment, frost falls even in May and June, but Camilla’s resentment seemed like it could bring about an ice age.

If you think about it, Camilla, Leila, Her Highness the Empress, the women in our group were all incredibly strong.

“You just had a face like you were thinking of something very rude.”

“No way. Let’s stop small talk and go fight the queen.”

Still, he was extremely sharp in this useless part.

“Kyle. You are in charge of the defense of this mansion.”

“She is the queen of those dragons. The dragon tribe will surely be guarding her. Even if we all go and attack, the odds of victory are slim. Wouldn’t the absence of one person be painful?”

“As you can see, there are those who are trying to attack this lord’s residence. There is no way to prevent a second group from coming.”

“But if you lose, you won’t have anything to eat or drink. If you think about the strategic value, even if you give up the people of this village…!”

“Now.”

It seemed as if the lives I had given up on were lingering.

Those lives whose faces I didn’t even know and whom I took lightly, always weighed heavily on my shoulders.

“I don’t plan on living my life weighing things anymore.”

I’m tired of living as a hero, as a head of a household, as a loyal son.

But I didn’t want to say selfish things like I would live for myself.

But at least for the time I have left…

I wanted to live like Raoul Bergé.

“Even so, Raul-nim. No matter how I think about it, it’s crazy. Even if I have to take some risks…!”

“Kyle.”

I tapped Kyle on the forehead.

“You’re smart, so you probably know what I’m going to say.”

“Is this an order…?”

“Please. As your teacher and guardian.”

“Surprisingly… no, as always, you’re deadly.”

Then Kyle sighed and gestured for them to leave.

“I will protect this place even if I die, so please hit that damn lizard. I had my treasure stolen by that lizard before.”

“I’ve never heard of this before. You too had your treasure stolen by that dragon.”

“… Because you didn’t ask.”

Then Camilla snickered and started poking Kyle.

“Hey kid, what would you have lost to that dragon? At most, a piece of candy…”

“They burned down our village, and asked me which of my parents I wanted to save. When I chose my mother, they killed her immediately, and then killed my father in exchange for my life.”

“… I’m sorry. You should’ve told me that in advance. It makes me feel like I’m being trash. ”

As Camilla stopped laughing, Kyle smiled awkwardly and pushed my back.

“But I’ve been saved by you, so isn’t that okay? Go ahead and cut off that lizard’s neck.”

“Okay. I promise.”

So Camilla and I left the mansion and started running towards the forest where the Queen of Dragons was.

The potion’s effect lasts up to 5 hours. I had to somehow capture the queen while the potion lasted.

But it seemed that the dragons weren’t as foolish as they thought.

“It looks like you’re going to finish them off. You damn lizards… Tsk. I told you they’re even more wicked than your mother.”

“You are being rude.”

“Ah.”

“Dragons aren’t that hard.”

“….. You really have changed as a person.”

“I always tell the plain truth. If I have changed, it is only because I have learned something I didn’t know.”

“But it’s a positive change.”

I readied my staff and prepared to face the dragons.

That number would take some time, but if Camilla and I were to deal with it at the same time, we could easily wipe it out.

It would take time to deal with the Queen of Dragons, but this was the most certain and safest way.

” Raul. I’ll take care of this. ”

“You’re crazy, Camilla. It’s suicide to face that number alone.”

“You’re the only one who can make a meaningful attack on the Queen of Dragons. I can only provide simple cover and restraint. I’ll have to deal with you when the potion takes effect.”

“You don’t seem to understand what I’m saying. What I’m worried about is not the Queen, but you trying to face that great army alone.”

“It seems like you’re the one who didn’t understand what I was saying…”

Camilla grabbed me by the collar, locked eyes with me, and spoke in a commanding voice.

“The key to this battle is you. You’re willing to fight for one month of your remaining life, but what’s important now? Don’t waste your life in a cesspool.”

“It’s meaningful to deal with them.”

“Anyone can deal with those, but the Queen of Dragons is different. Let’s fight efficiently, please.”

“I can’t let you be in danger.”

Even for me, that number would be overwhelming. It would be a completely different kind of adversity from facing the Queen alone.

“Danger? Me? Stop talking nonsense and go away. Don’t you know every second counts?”

“But…!”

Memories of the past came flooding back.

Leila… Leila… Leila…

If I hadn’t left her alone then, she wouldn’t have died.

Beyond Camilla’s figure, the apparition of Leila, who had died that day, loomed.

“Again, again, again… I can’t lose it again… Again… Pathetically… I can’t lose everything again like that time… And repeat that tragedy again…”

Ouch.

A hot, burning, palm-shaped pain struck my cheek.

“There is nothing I can’t say in front of people.”

“I…”

“Do you think Leila would die for that? Leila died fighting honorably. She didn’t die in an accident while protecting you.”

Even so, I couldn’t leave my friend alone again.

Because one time would be enough for the excruciating pain that was not of this world, as if your heart was being ripped apart and your intestines were being torn apart.

“I won’t die.”

Camilla grabbed my shoulder tightly.

“I’m Camilla.”

“But Leila is also like that…”

“I’m not Leila. I’m Camilla Argos.”

I couldn’t understand what she was trying to say.

“You may not understand what I’m saying, but I understand how you feel. You must be scared and anxious. Like that time, you might lose it again. I know that. I’m scared too. I might die without being able to convey my feelings. Because that’s usually how it ends when you can’t convey your feelings.”

Camilla turned her face towards me.

“So I’ll tell you. So that we can survive. So that I can shake off my fear.”

“What is that now…”

“I like you. I like you. Raoul Bergé. This Camilla Argos likes you.”

I was speechless.

Why on earth?

Why would a perfect girl like her like someone as dull and pathetic as me?

It seemed like the accident was about to stop.

“There’s so much I want to say about the reason and depth of it. To be honest, I could talk about it for three days and nights. But the situation is the situation…”

Camilla hesitated for a moment, looking shy.

Her innocent shyness was evident through the blush on her cheeks.

And then she kissed my cheek gently.

“I’m not as good at abbreviations as you are… So I’ll just abbreviate it like this for now.”

“…Camilla.”

“Let’s go quickly.”

My mind was still restless. I was afraid that I would lose something again. My heart was beating irregularly, and all sorts of worst-case scenarios were swirling around in my head.

Nevertheless, I had no choice but to run.

My anxiety and fears did not disappear with that kiss.

I didn’t want to betray Camilla’s heart, who had been brave enough to show me her courage, even though she was shy.

That’s all.