episode_0112

The sun did not set on the red land beyond the mountain range. But it’s impossible not to sleep before the final battle. Therefore, the group decided to keep watch every two hours, starting with the glen.

“Why don’t you sleep a little more?”

30 minutes before shift.

Glenn, who was looking at the bonfire, suddenly felt a figure approaching his side.

“I’m the type of person who can’t sleep unless I’m in bed. I can’t sleep at all.”

Siron sat down opposite Glenn. Then he reached into his pocket and took out a bottle of alcohol.

“So I’m going to have a drink.”

“…That’s a funny joke.”

“It’s not a joke.”

Pong-

“Do you enjoy drinking alcohol?”

“I’m the type of person who doesn’t refuse alcohol.”

“Then… Father, why don’t you have a drink too.”

Siron, wondering what to call Glenn, placed a cup full of alcohol in front of Glenn.

“What kind of alcohol is this?”

“My uncle recognized me right away.”

“My brother doesn’t show it, but he likes to drink.”

“Nothing special, it’s just alcohol that was in the basement of Dawnseong Castle.”

Siron poured alcohol into the cup in front of him. Glenn suddenly felt puzzled by the alcohol scene that had opened up.

‘Do you want to borrow some alcohol?’

“Is there something you want to ask?”

“It’s been a while since we met, but it doesn’t seem like we talked much, so I feel frustrated. Don’t you want to have an honest conversation between father and son?”

“…”

“I want to do it.”

After taking a sip of whiskey, Siron let out a drunken sigh. I couldn’t sleep well, so I drank a glass of alcohol before going to bed, but the energy was still there.

However, it was never in bad condition. As Hugo said, asking when one will die is a burdensome subject, no matter how bold it may be.

‘I haven’t heard yet.’

“Do you remember the letter?”

“…letter?”

“This is a letter delivered through Yuma. 5 years ago… 6 years ago? It seems it’s been a while so you don’t remember.”

“Ah.”

Glenn took out an old piece of paper from his pocket. It was a letter from Siron received through Yuma six years ago.

“Do you still have it?”

“Of course. The content was quite brutal, but wasn’t it the first letter you sent? I kept it in my arms as a talisman…”

widely-

Siron took the old letter from Glenn’s hand. The old letter was thrown into the bonfire in front of Glenn.

“It gives me goosebumps, so I’ll burn it right away. It’s okay because I gave it to you, right?”

“Uh…”

“That’s why. I’ve been thinking philosophically about when to die for quite some time. Since we have a prophetic father, isn’t it time to hear an answer? Yes, that happened.”

Siron ignored Glenn’s regretful expression.

“I think the situation of a father having to answer when his son will die is a bit too much.”

“I’m a bit selfish.”

“…So.”

Glenn sighed deeply at Siron’s answer.

“I have lifted many curtains and looked into the future, but not one of them was your future.”

Glenn continued his explanation while looking at the sky.

“I don’t know either. It’s another story to be able to know the entire future just because you have the power of prophecy, but for some reason, even when I tried to see, a murky curtain kept falling.”

It’s still the same now.

I tried to see the future of Siron with a strong wish, but it seemed as if I could not see it, and then my vision became blurry.

Siron took out the watch from his pocket. There is time left until the next shift.

“Then, let’s talk about something else.”

Siron was very interested in the apostle that Glenn predicted.

“Who is the apostle we will deal with? What does it look like? What weapon do you use?”

“I don’t know who the apostle is. He didn’t say his name or anything. He looked like a knight wearing red armor and the weapon he used was a large sword.”

“How strong is it? Are we still inexperienced enough to deal with this?”

“Strength cannot be known until swords meet.”

“Then… how many apostles are there to deal with? Do I really have to do it alone?”

“It would be better to join forces.”

It wasn’t Glenn who answered. Yuma, dressed a little unkempt, sat down near the bonfire and spoke. This time, she had a pocket in her hand.

“It would be better to join forces and do our best to deal with the apostle.”

“So isn’t it difficult to determine superiority or inferiority? If the title of Sogaju is given for delivering the final blow, then the person who caused the most damage will suffer the loss. The coming-of-age ceremony must have also played a role in determining the next head of the family.”

“That will be okay.”

Glenn looked a little further away. The border point between mountain ranges and red land. Dozens of demons were looking at this place.

“It is for them to decide.”

*

Meanwhile, there were girls overhearing their conversation.

Perhaps out of consideration for the girls who were in their most sensitive period, Lucia and Siriel shared the largest of the three tents.

Siriel spoke softly towards the ceiling.

“Lucia, are you okay?”

“No. There’s no way you can sleep while having a conversation like that.”

Lucia’s voice as she answered was a little subdued.

Because the distance between the campfire and the tent was not that far, my developed hearing caught all of Siron and Glenn’s conversation without my intention.

“Me too. They just talked about someone dying… I can’t sleep well.”

Although she answered calmly, the conversation between Siron and Glenn from a while ago was lingering in Siriel’s mind.

Lucia let out a heavy breath toward the ceiling.

“You said that being an apostle is extremely dangerous. I’m not religious and I don’t really believe in superstitions. Damn, devil. If you talk about who will die before the final battle, it really seems like someone will die.”

“…Speak softly so you can’t hear.”

“Right? You really don’t care? Why do you keep saying things that bother others?”

Lucia clutched the cover tightly, feeling anxious.

Perhaps because they were the father and the son, Glenn and Siron had no intention of holding each other back.

*

The beginning of the snow-covered mountain range. The garrison of a punitive expedition organized according to the orders of the emperor.

Among the tents with Changcheon’s flag hanging, the largest tent was filled with quite a few people.

“Fortunately, there were no major injuries.

Cardinal Devialet, who oversees the expeditionary force’s health, said as he lifted his hand from his giant tree-like arm.

“However, I recommend that you recuperate like this for a week. No matter how you are, continued fighting will cause permanent damage to your body that cannot be healed even with holy power.”

“…I understand.”

Hugo bowed his head at Devialet’s diagnosis. And Hugo got up and walked out of the tent.

Without taking off the armor.

“Sir Hugo. You need to rest.”

Devialet sighed at the patient who was unable to clearly understand his physical condition.

“I’ll be back soon. It’ll just take a little bit of organizing.”

“…”

Devialet quietly watched Hugo coming out of the tent.

The expedition is nearing its end, and just because he rests, a huge vacuum is created in the front line. For that reason, Devialet was unable to catch Hugo.

“What is the leader’s condition?”

Devialet shook his head in response to Hugo’s adjutant, Johan’s question.

“To be honest, it’s not good. The upper jejunum is fine, but the blood flow from the lower jejunum to the heart is getting thinner day by day. The mana concentration in the blood is gradually getting lighter.”

“Then.”

“Yes, you may have noticed it, but it is a decline due to aging.”

Devialet thought of his red hair that had faded here and there.

‘Is Hugo’s era coming to an end?’

Devialet was well aware of the prestige of the Empire’s greatest knight, so he did not let his outrageous thoughts out loud.

However, it is clear that Hugo is not the same as before.

In Lucerne, Devialet was a priest with a lot of experience in expeditions, so he had many opportunities to see Hugo’s activities up close.

But he couldn’t find his old self in the Hugo he saw today.

Hugo’s injuries were not caused by a magical beast. He was able to avoid the onslaught of attacks from the demon beasts and cut the beast’s massive body into pieces. However, perhaps because he was quite exhausted, he was unable to avoid the falling object and was crushed. Just three years ago, Hugo didn’t make such ridiculous mistakes.

‘Lord John, you missed the right time to withdraw from the front line.’

Devialet stared at the old knight with a wrinkled face.

Johann Urheim, his hair and beard have all turned white. It is contrary to the status of the empire that an old man who looks like he will do anything today is guarding the front lines.

“What can I say as an outsider, but you have to make your choice slowly.”

Devialet decided to say what he had been thinking all along.

“Select?”

“We recommend increasing the frequency of reorganization.”

“But there are many demonic beasts that haven’t been sorted out yet. If you disconnect the wire frequently, there will be a big gap in power.”

“A week is not long enough for your body to return to its proper place. For now, every other week will do.”

“What do we do with the soldiers who will die on the front lines?”

“……It is natural for soldiers to die on the front lines.”

Devialet rubbed his puffy eyes. He also felt very tired because he had been away for months.

“That’s not all.”

Devialet packed his bags to head to the next site. Although Hugo was the most critical, there were still many patients in the garrison to take care of.

“We need to find a successor to fill the void left by Sir Hugo.”

“…”

“As long as he is human, Sir Hugo will gradually become weaker. It may not be tomorrow, but if you continue to overwork your body like this, you will not be able to swing a sword within a few years. Huh. Large.”

Devialet turned his back on the blank-faced old knight.

“After Sir Hugo dies, it is too late.”