‘Please, please…’
He could feel the body on his back getting cold.
Cheshire ran without stopping, going through the gorge with Theo on his back.
‘I felt stupid.’
Axion’s concerns about the young commander became reality.
“Hold on just a little bit, just a little bit…”
It was his own mistake.
The reason Theo became like this.
Even though he told Lilith that he didn’t need her help, he finally went to call her at this moment.
He even had a lot of blame for himself.
* * *
“If something dangerous happens, break this.”
A magic tool in the shape of a sky blue seashell.
Without thinking twice, Cheshire handed it to Lilith.
“I don’t need it.”
“Take it. You never know what might happen.”
“What if I break it? Are you going to find out that it’s dangerous? Then come to me? Or, are you going to use your power?”
“I should.”
This is Lilith, whose identity must not be revealed.
This girl, doesn’t she know what risks she’s taking when this breaks?
No, there’s no way she wouldn’t know.
In the worst case scenario, she doesn’t care what sacrifices she has to make.
“No matter what happens, I won’t break it.”
Cheshire was angry about it.
I keep holding on to the sword, hoping that you will be safe and alive until the very end…
Everyone is trying like crazy to protect you…
Why do you seem to think of your life so easily?
“If it’s something that requires Primera’s abilities, the only risk I have to face is probably death. Then I’ll just die. So there’s no need to break it.”
“Whoa, you’re saying that now…”
Lilith actually got angry.
“Why do you talk about death so easily? Can you think about how I feel when I listen to this?”
“Are you angry?”
“Of course!”
“Yeah, LIlith.”
Cheshire said, clenching his fist.
“…The feeling you have right now, I’m feeling it, too. I’m so angry.”
“….”
“What’s the point of breaking this and calling you in the middle of the battlefield? Do you really think I would survive by selling your life?”
Cheshire rarely got mad, so Lilith was surprised to see him get mad.
“Please, don’t do this.”
Cheshire suppressed his angry feelings.
Then, avoiding Lilith’s gaze, she spoke the truth that she was embarrassed to reveal.
“You… What is my life’s goal?”
Only,
Your survival.
“…It’s not like you don’t know.”
“….”
Finally, after thinking for a while, Lilith said.
“I’m not doing it because I’m worried about you. I didn’t want to tell you because I was afraid it would upset me, but I thought something would happen to Theo.”
“….”
“I know you won’t die. Because you’re strong. But there are many people I’m worried about besides you. Theo is one of them. I heard you and Theo are going to stick together this time…”
Lilith seemed like she wanted to somehow get that magic tool into his hands.
“I hope you don’t break it too. Don’t break it. Never break it. But really, we never know.”
“….”
Cheshire thought as he looked at the magic tool that Lilith had given him in his hand.
I mean everything.
Even if I die, I won’t do anything that puts you in danger.
—it was like that.
* * *
“Cheshire. Still, I’m DOS too… I don’t want to hide behind you. I’ll fight up front with you.”
“Brother, I’m not sending you to hide. Because there are so many troops and I can’t command them all to the rear. So, I’m leaving the rest to Brother.”
Cheshire said it so as not to hurt Theo, but everyone else knew.
Within his own body, Theo possesses both holy and magical powers.
His constitution could cause an unexpected situation on the battlefield at any time, and Cheshire, worried about that, tried to keep Theo in a safe place.
“Ha, haa…”
Why did he do that?
While hiding deep within himself, Cheshire thought, not realizing that he was exhausted.
Even if it was dangerous, I should have just kept him in front of me and fought while keeping an eye on him.
Stupidly, why did I do that?
He has been taught for years that unexpected things can happen on the battlefield.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, brother…”
He has been holding the sword for four years, but he has never experienced the death of a close comrade.
So Cheshire couldn’t calm down, even though he needed to.
“Please, just a little…”
Theo’s body on his back became increasingly heavier.
He wondered if he was exhausted or because Theo’s body was sagging as he ran out of breath…
He couldn’t figure it out.
“….”
A place far away from his army.
Cheshire, who found a cavernous fort in a rickety ravine, laid Theo straight.
Broken armor. The wound to the abdomen, which had been horribly punctured, was serious.
Theo stands at the border between life and death that can be crossed in just one minute, no, one second.
With his trembling hands, Cheshire broke Lilith’s magic tool that he had taken from his bosom.
* * *
‘It’s strange.’
Enoch thought as he quickly steered his horse.
Why?
The subjugation began, but the number of demon beasts in the east he was in charge of was significantly lower than expected.
Moreover, rather than attacking, some of them just hovered in the air as if observing the movements of the punitive force.
‘They were clearly on guard. As if trying to protect something.’
In the distance, a swarm of demonic beasts flapped their wings.
He had an ominous feeling.
From the dream he had yesterday…
‘If there’s something the demon beasts need to protect, it’s probably the cubs.’
There may be a spawning ground nearby.
Because the location couldn’t be known in advance, it was an unexpected situation that was often encountered during subjugation.
‘But, it’ll be okay.’
Even if there was a spawning ground in the south, Cheshire would be able to handle it.
“C, Commander!”
When he arrived at the southern subjugation zone.
Enoch took a deep breath when he saw the sight he was facing.
‘As expected.’
A hollow cave fortress.
It was possible to see where the demonic beasts spawned.
However, the eggs, which seemed to number in the hundreds, were broken as if they had been cut at once, and there were corpses all around.
It’s already calmed down.
Fortunately, almost all of the punitive forces seemed to be safe.
“Commander, how did you get here? Ah, my name is Rayon, a healing magician belonging to the Dos Holy Wizard.”
“Yeah. I guess there was a spawning ground here.”
“Yes. But commander…”
“He solved it, right?”
“That’s right. Sir Cheshire, he, Elevado…”
Rayon muttered, his eyes still filled with shock.
Elevado.
A skill used by a Swordmaster who has reached that level of sword.
Cheshire completed the Elevado a few days ago.
That’s why Enoch believed that he would be okay, even though he ran with the thought of “what if”.
“But, Commander.”
Rayon added hastily.
“We have finished subjugating the spawning grounds, but the commander ordered the troops to stand by and left the front line.”
“What?”
Enoch’s heart, who had barely felt relieved, sank.
“What does that mean? Does that mean he’s not here right now? Where did he go?”
“We don’t know either. He told me never to follow him, so I had no choice but to follow his orders…”
“But you should have asked why!”
“I apologize. But he took Sir Theo with him.”
“…Theo?”
“Yes. Actually, it was Sir Theo who first discovered the spawning grounds. He was in the back of the army and carefully looked around the canyon’s inside while saying he was going to do something.”
“Ah.”
There must have been a mother guarding the spawning ground. Usually, it is the strongest among them.
Enoch sensed the situation that would have happened to Theo.
“Don’t tell me, has Theo been hurt? Has he been cured?”
“That’s… I’m sorry. It was beyond my capacity.”
Rayon bowed his head.
“He was mortal (*a state in which healing magic does not apply; refers to the point on the verge of death when your internal organs were fatally injured).”
“What did you just say?”
Enoch’s eyes spinning.
What if a DOS Class holy wizard who mastered healing magic diagnosed it as a fatal wound?
Soon, it was death.
Even if he was still alive, there was nothing he could do about it.
“That’s, how…”
Of course, not even Cheshire can save Theo. But why did he suddenly leave the front line, taking Theo with him?
He ordered the troops who might catch up to wait, and went alone secretly…
“Ah.”
Enoch grabbed his head.
Cheshire would have tried to save Theo somehow.
There had to be a way, so he went alone, taking the fatally wounded Theo with him.
If so, what way?
Who but God can save a human being who is on the verge of death?
Yeah, only God can save him.
With god-like powers…
Only Primera.
“It can’t be…”
Enoch’s breathing became heavy.
He had no idea what Cheshire was going to do, but one thing was certain.
If he was going to seek help, it would definitely be Lilith.
‘But how…?’
An ominous dream that had kept him awake all night appeared in his thoughts, which was now completely blank.
A battlefield where smoke rises.
My child, Lilith, was trembling among the roaring demonic beasts.
Enoch struggled with all his might to get to the child.
And,
When he was finally close enough to grab the child’s small hand.
“Daddy!”
He missed it in front of his eyes.
In the hands of the emperor, who shows up in an instant and laughs in a disgusting way that sounds like a snake.
The child was dragged helplessly.
“N, no…”
Once again, the fear that made a man stronger than anyone else infinitely weaker tightened around his neck.
‘Please, please…’
He could feel the body on his back getting cold.
Cheshire ran without stopping, going through the gorge with Theo on his back.
‘I felt stupid.’
Axion’s concerns about the young commander became reality.
“Hold on just a little bit, just a little bit…”
It was his own mistake.
The reason Theo became like this.
Even though he told Lilith that he didn’t need her help, he finally went to call her at this moment.
He even had a lot of blame for himself.
* * *
“If something dangerous happens, break this.”
A magic tool in the shape of a sky blue seashell.
Without thinking twice, Cheshire handed it to Lilith.
“I don’t need it.”
“Take it. You never know what might happen.”
“What if I break it? Are you going to find out that it’s dangerous? Then come to me? Or, are you going to use your power?”
“I should.”
This is Lilith, whose identity must not be revealed.
This girl, doesn’t she know what risks she’s taking when this breaks?
No, there’s no way she wouldn’t know.
In the worst case scenario, she doesn’t care what sacrifices she has to make.
“No matter what happens, I won’t break it.”
Cheshire was angry about it.
I keep holding on to the sword, hoping that you will be safe and alive until the very end…
Everyone is trying like crazy to protect you…
Why do you seem to think of your life so easily?
“If it’s something that requires Primera’s abilities, the only risk I have to face is probably death. Then I’ll just die. So there’s no need to break it.”
“Whoa, you’re saying that now…”
Lilith actually got angry.
“Why do you talk about death so easily? Can you think about how I feel when I listen to this?”
“Are you angry?”
“Of course!”
“Yeah, LIlith.”
Cheshire said, clenching his fist.
“…The feeling you have right now, I’m feeling it, too. I’m so angry.”
“….”
“What’s the point of breaking this and calling you in the middle of the battlefield? Do you really think I would survive by selling your life?”
Cheshire rarely got mad, so Lilith was surprised to see him get mad.
“Please, don’t do this.”
Cheshire suppressed his angry feelings.
Then, avoiding Lilith’s gaze, she spoke the truth that she was embarrassed to reveal.
“You… What is my life’s goal?”
Only,
Your survival.
“…It’s not like you don’t know.”
“….”
Finally, after thinking for a while, Lilith said.
“I’m not doing it because I’m worried about you. I didn’t want to tell you because I was afraid it would upset me, but I thought something would happen to Theo.”
“….”
“I know you won’t die. Because you’re strong. But there are many people I’m worried about besides you. Theo is one of them. I heard you and Theo are going to stick together this time…”
Lilith seemed like she wanted to somehow get that magic tool into his hands.
“I hope you don’t break it too. Don’t break it. Never break it. But really, we never know.”
“….”
Cheshire thought as he looked at the magic tool that Lilith had given him in his hand.
I mean everything.
Even if I die, I won’t do anything that puts you in danger.
—it was like that.
* * *
“Cheshire. Still, I’m DOS too… I don’t want to hide behind you. I’ll fight up front with you.”
“Brother, I’m not sending you to hide. Because there are so many troops and I can’t command them all to the rear. So, I’m leaving the rest to Brother.”
Cheshire said it so as not to hurt Theo, but everyone else knew.
Within his own body, Theo possesses both holy and magical powers.
His constitution could cause an unexpected situation on the battlefield at any time, and Cheshire, worried about that, tried to keep Theo in a safe place.
“Ha, haa…”
Why did he do that?
While hiding deep within himself, Cheshire thought, not realizing that he was exhausted.
Even if it was dangerous, I should have just kept him in front of me and fought while keeping an eye on him.
Stupidly, why did I do that?
He has been taught for years that unexpected things can happen on the battlefield.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, brother…”
He has been holding the sword for four years, but he has never experienced the death of a close comrade.
So Cheshire couldn’t calm down, even though he needed to.
“Please, just a little…”
Theo’s body on his back became increasingly heavier.
He wondered if he was exhausted or because Theo’s body was sagging as he ran out of breath…
He couldn’t figure it out.
“….”
A place far away from his army.
Cheshire, who found a cavernous fort in a rickety ravine, laid Theo straight.
Broken armor. The wound to the abdomen, which had been horribly punctured, was serious.
Theo stands at the border between life and death that can be crossed in just one minute, no, one second.
With his trembling hands, Cheshire broke Lilith’s magic tool that he had taken from his bosom.
* * *
‘It’s strange.’
Enoch thought as he quickly steered his horse.
Why?
The subjugation began, but the number of demon beasts in the east he was in charge of was significantly lower than expected.
Moreover, rather than attacking, some of them just hovered in the air as if observing the movements of the punitive force.
‘They were clearly on guard. As if trying to protect something.’
In the distance, a swarm of demonic beasts flapped their wings.
He had an ominous feeling.
From the dream he had yesterday…
‘If there’s something the demon beasts need to protect, it’s probably the cubs.’
There may be a spawning ground nearby.
Because the location couldn’t be known in advance, it was an unexpected situation that was often encountered during subjugation.
‘But, it’ll be okay.’
Even if there was a spawning ground in the south, Cheshire would be able to handle it.
“C, Commander!”
When he arrived at the southern subjugation zone.
Enoch took a deep breath when he saw the sight he was facing.
‘As expected.’
A hollow cave fortress.
It was possible to see where the demonic beasts spawned.
However, the eggs, which seemed to number in the hundreds, were broken as if they had been cut at once, and there were corpses all around.
It’s already calmed down.
Fortunately, almost all of the punitive forces seemed to be safe.
“Commander, how did you get here? Ah, my name is Rayon, a healing magician belonging to the Dos Holy Wizard.”
“Yeah. I guess there was a spawning ground here.”
“Yes. But commander…”
“He solved it, right?”
“That’s right. Sir Cheshire, he, Elevado…”
Rayon muttered, his eyes still filled with shock.
Elevado.
A skill used by a Swordmaster who has reached that level of sword.
Cheshire completed the Elevado a few days ago.
That’s why Enoch believed that he would be okay, even though he ran with the thought of “what if”.
“But, Commander.”
Rayon added hastily.
“We have finished subjugating the spawning grounds, but the commander ordered the troops to stand by and left the front line.”
“What?”
Enoch’s heart, who had barely felt relieved, sank.
“What does that mean? Does that mean he’s not here right now? Where did he go?”
“We don’t know either. He told me never to follow him, so I had no choice but to follow his orders…”
“But you should have asked why!”
“I apologize. But he took Sir Theo with him.”
“…Theo?”
“Yes. Actually, it was Sir Theo who first discovered the spawning grounds. He was in the back of the army and carefully looked around the canyon’s inside while saying he was going to do something.”
“Ah.”
There must have been a mother guarding the spawning ground. Usually, it is the strongest among them.
Enoch sensed the situation that would have happened to Theo.
“Don’t tell me, has Theo been hurt? Has he been cured?”
“That’s… I’m sorry. It was beyond my capacity.”
Rayon bowed his head.
“He was mortal (*a state in which healing magic does not apply; refers to the point on the verge of death when your internal organs were fatally injured).”
“What did you just say?”
Enoch’s eyes spinning.
What if a DOS Class holy wizard who mastered healing magic diagnosed it as a fatal wound?
Soon, it was death.
Even if he was still alive, there was nothing he could do about it.
“That’s, how…”
Of course, not even Cheshire can save Theo. But why did he suddenly leave the front line, taking Theo with him?
He ordered the troops who might catch up to wait, and went alone secretly…
“Ah.”
Enoch grabbed his head.
Cheshire would have tried to save Theo somehow.
There had to be a way, so he went alone, taking the fatally wounded Theo with him.
If so, what way?
Who but God can save a human being who is on the verge of death?
Yeah, only God can save him.
With god-like powers…
Only Primera.
“It can’t be…”
Enoch’s breathing became heavy.
He had no idea what Cheshire was going to do, but one thing was certain.
If he was going to seek help, it would definitely be Lilith.
‘But how…?’
An ominous dream that had kept him awake all night appeared in his thoughts, which was now completely blank.
A battlefield where smoke rises.
My child, Lilith, was trembling among the roaring demonic beasts.
Enoch struggled with all his might to get to the child.
And,
When he was finally close enough to grab the child’s small hand.
“Daddy!”
He missed it in front of his eyes.
In the hands of the emperor, who shows up in an instant and laughs in a disgusting way that sounds like a snake.
The child was dragged helplessly.
“N, no…”
Once again, the fear that made a man stronger than anyone else infinitely weaker tightened around his neck.
