Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
We are enemies.
Is what Lynn said to Rena the other day. She wasn’t just pretending to listen back then. Rena was truly well aware.
Just because they have the same purpose doesn’t necessarily mean they’re on one side. Rather, they become competitors or enemies because they have the same purpose.
Besides, Rena was in a position where she needed to prove herself as a capable mercenary.
Therefore, she’d rather be silent for now.
If she wanted to be independent and secure herself a critical position, it was definitely advantageous to keep quiet for now.
“… I also hope that Mr. Lynn doesn’t get hurt.”
But Rena couldn’t.
Because this pure kind young man is extraordinary, cute, heartwarming, and pretty.
“So, from now on, listen carefully to what I have to say.”
Rena eventually muttered with a feeling of surrender.
“It’s about the expedition to the Tomb in two days.”
“About the expedition?”
“There’s nothing I can do if you think this is a trap, but I want you to listen as much as possible.”
At her unexpected words, Lynn looked at Rena. But it was so dark that he still couldn’t see her expression.
“You don’t have to take a lot of people,” she said. “Pick only ten knights and bring them inside. Pick those who are strong and quick-witted.”
Besides, the words that followed were darker than darkness.
“Think of staying in the Tomb for about ten days. Bring only salt for food. You won’t be hungry there anyway. Instead, if you eat as usual, you must rest as usual.”
“What is that…”
“Try not to fight with the dead as much as possible. No matter how much you dispose of them, they will reappear, so the more you fight, the more you will lose.”
Lynn needed an explanation, but Rena didn’t stop and continued to pour her words.
“The castle of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry is between the valleys. If you find it, don’t approach it. Even if Mr. Lynn goes there, you will return empty-handed.”
“Don’t approach it?”
Don’t approach a castle that must be conquered. It was nonsense.
When Lynn asked the thing he didn’t understand, Rena answered with utmost generosity.
“I am the only one who can conquer that castle.”
***
Early in the morning, the Southern Duke hastily summoned Rena. But what appeared in front of him was a tiny little girl.
“Hello, Your Grace.”
When the Southern Duke looked at her with a puzzled look, Uni spoke first.
“I know why you called me. I’ll just go ahead and say what needs to be said. First, the meeting was a bit noisy, but it was meaningful. Second, it is the best option to have the expedition earlier, so please trust me.”
“… And?”
“I think that’s all?”
At Uni’s reply, the Southern Duke’s face was distorted.
“Umm, you’re not making that face to make me laugh, are you?”
Of course not, but the Southern Duke did not change his expression. In fact, he was so mad that he didn’t even know what his expression looked like.
“What are you thinking…!”
“She told me that if you said that exact sentence, I have to tell you to just give up all your worries and just wait.”
As Uni took over naturally, the expression of the Southern Duke became even unsightly.
The news that the expedition had been advanced and that the South had decided to take the lead soon reached the Southern Duke.
So he called Rena in a hurry last night, but she didn’t come, saying she was out of her place. But when he called again in the morning, only this little carrot was dangling.
The Southern Duke was truly made insane.
“I’ve been letting you indulge in your ignorance.”
The Southern Duke, who couldn’t bear it, said in a suppressed voice.
“But you don’t know what happens to those who have ignored me. Do I have to teach you that?”
At his boiling voice, the secretary and attendants shrank their necks like a turtle, preparing for the Southern Duke’s fury.
However, Uni found the Southern Duke’s anger strange.
“Your Grace, why can’t you believe my lady?”
“Believe what fuc…!”
As the Southern Duke raised his voice, his vassals closed their eyes tightly.
But what followed was not a thunderous roar, but a weak moan.
“How can I just believe without any countermeasures…!”
The Southern Duke who lamented that way looked more terrifying than before.
“To be at the vanguard with that scoundrel. And tomorrow, even! She will be fine out there, but will the others be the same? Why would she step up and go to the forefront to drive the knights to their death…!”
The old man clapped his armrest and complained.
He couldn’t quite understand Rena’s decision.
The vanguard is the first to be attacked and the first to be exposed to danger. It is not uncommon to die and get injured, and with bad luck, annihilation is almost guaranteed.
So, if you have a brain, you should avoid it. And if you are forced to take on it, you should come and discuss countermeasures.
Rena didn’t come when he called, and after a day, only her maid showed. She said it was the best choice and kept going.
Thanks to that, the Southern Duke was on the verge of collapse. He was so angry at Rena because of the meeting that he wondered if she was doing this on purpose.
“Look here, I think you are misunderstanding something now.”
“What misunderstanding!”
As the Southern Duke shouted, Uni added softly without hesitation.
“If you’re worried about your knights, you don’t have to. They have nothing to do with tomorrow’s expedition.”
“How can they have nothing to do!”
“My lady will be the only one going.”
“What?”
The Southern Duke’s, who had been arguing at Uni’s endless words, face went blank.
Uni thought that expression was funny too, and told the spirited man with a bad temper, again and again.
“Tomorrow’s expedition. My lady. Going alone. No one will take the knights, and she will take the vanguard alone.”
The Southern Duke understood Uni’s words very slowly.
And when he understood all the words, the old man’s face turned the same color as earth.
.
.
.
The Marquis spoiled the Southern Knights’ meeting, and the Cardinal demanded that Sir Rena take the lead.
It meant that either she dies with the incompetent Southern Knights, or if she’s lucky enough to return, she will have to take all the responsibility.
So, Rena would rather go alone. If someone tells her to jump into the pit of fire, she’d rather roll up her sleeves herself.
Rena’s decision was widely known through the mouth of a young maid.
As a result, the Imperial Palace was once again buzzing with the story of Rena Ruber.
First of all, the Southern Knights, who were excluded after rejecting Sir Rena, pretended to be angry and secretly wept. They were people who sincerely thought that lives are more precious than honor.
The young nobles doubted Sir Rena’s mental state. Some even said that she would run away at night.
The Cardinal laughed loudly, while the Eastern Duke was silent.
On the other hand, Marquis Ruber first heard about this from his butler.
The news that his daughter was going on an expedition alone was very unexpected for him. But that didn’t change anything.
He quietly prepared his work until the very end.
.
.
.
The day passed quickly, and on the day of the expedition, the Eastern Knights and the Northern Knights gathered at the Doom Palace.
Since the ceremony was held at the main palace, there were only priests in Doom Palace. A boy priest saw Marquis Ruber and greeted him happily.
“You’re looking good today as well, Your Grace.”
“It’s all thanks to the priest’s prayer.”
The greeting was a bit strange, but the Marquis responded familiarly. Then the boy priest countered it rather sternly.
“But I never prayed for that.”
“You must have done it last night.”
“I didn’t even pray last night.”
“You really didn’t?”
“I didn’t.”
“… to have a son that is this useless…”
As the Marquis sighed, the boy priest giggled. Then he stopped playing and smiled brightly.
“Take care of yourself, Father.”
Angie Ruber, a prospective priest and heir to Marquis Ruber, said so and embraced his father. The Marquis smiled, too, and stroked his son’s head as it touched his chest.
Just at that moment, the Southern Duke and Rena Ruber entered the Doom Palace.
When he first saw Rena, the Marquis thought he was a terrible person. Then Rena also found the Marquis’ gaze. The daughter and father’s eyes met.
When he saw his daughter walking proudly in her uniform, many emotions struck him. Nevertheless, the Marquis’ determination was still there.
To him, his daughter should have been buried deep in the Tomb. Occasionally, he’d be saddened.
But to his embarrassment, Rena, the person who shouldn’t have been there, came back alive.
So the Marquis decided to rectify what was wrong.
For his own life and future, for the honor of the family, and for the sake of his eldest son.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Rena, who was facing the Marquis, turned her head to the Southern Duke’s question.
She longed to see the boy priest who was being held by her father again, but she endured. Instead, she took hold of her mind and looked at the surroundings.
From this position, the South consisted of only Rena and the Southern Duke. On the other hand, the prestige of the East and the North was considerable.
First of all, in the North, Prince Rubid and Marquis Ruber, along with countless knights were lined up outside the palace.
In the East, the knights gathered around Lignan Aetherner, but compared to the North, the scale was much smaller. Still, the number seemed to exceed a hundred.
‘So Mr. Lynn will be going like that.’
Rena laughed helplessly as she looked at the Eastern Knights.
‘Well, nothing can be done.’
Rena gave him several pieces of advice last night. But it seemed that Lynn decided not to follow that advice.
In fact, it is normal. As the head of a faction, it must have been difficult to believe and act only on the words of others.
Rena fully understood his decision. But, apart from that, she was heartbroken at his rejection of her favor.
Rena swallowed her sigh and looked back at the crack. The Cardinal stood in front of it, and the vanguard’s seat was empty. It was a place for Rena Ruber.
“He really only prepared one seat for you.”
Seeing the same thing as Rena, the Southern Duke muttered softly.
“A solo expedition is unheard of.”
“There is always a first in everything.”
“It will be the first and the last. Who else but Sir would do something like this?”
“It’s more of an honor to be the first ever.”
Rena only smiled prettily in spite of the subtle hardship.
At that utterance, her Southern Duke groaned, and suddenly muttered something incomprehensible.
“I am an old man.”
“Living for so long, you’ve become conservative.”
At his nonsense, Rena looked at the Southern Duke. But the old man continued to speak while avoiding her gaze.
“It was unacceptable in the first place. To use a woman who was a mercenary as a representative.”
“Ah, so you also believe that black cats are ominous.”
Rena teased him lightly, but the Southern Duke didn’t mind it and struck back.
“Not only cats. Crows too.”
“If you find a four-leaf clover, will you be lucky?”
“I believe in rabbit’s foot for luck.”
[T/N: Apparently it’s a Westerner thing? A rabbit’s foot is often carried for good luck. You can look for more in google, this translator is lazy.]
Rena tilted her head in response to his natural response.
Yesterday, she heard from Uni that the Southern Duke was almost in tears, so she thought he would be in a bad mood today too. But somehow, he was more talkative than usual.
So she wondered why he was acting like this as the Southern Duke continued.
“Old men don’t like adventures. We only judge on the basis of our many years of experience… but you have already overshadowed my lifelong experience.”
The Southern Duke said in frustration. However, his voice was low.
Rena stared at him, wondering if he was being fickle. Then Southern Duke concluded his words, thinking that the look she was giving him was disgusting.
“I gave up on understanding you. Just do your best.”
“Are you encouraging me now?”
“… If you understand, great. If you don’t, just go.”
The Southern Duke made a face and kicked Rena out. But then he called her again, and asked.
“Are you going to run away halfway through?”
Rena ended up laughing at the honest man’s question. She then turned and replied politely.
“If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have taken the vanguard, would I?”
The Southern Duke thought it was a really cheeky answer. And after saying those words, Rena turned her body and headed for the vanguard position in front of the rift.
She felt countless gazes. It was a gaze full of malice, goodwill, murderous intent, suspicion, competitive spirit, and curiosity.
As Rena walked through them, she was greeted with a smile by Clavis, who had been waiting in front of the rift.
“Welcome, brave Sir Rena.”
Clavis’ voice was light as usual.
Rena looked at him quietly as he lowered his voice and added.
“Have a safe trip. I have really high expectations for you.”
He whispered once and walked away. Then he raised his voice with reverence.
“Her Majesty’s knight, Sir Rena. I give you the first chance, go and defeat the enemy of the South and bring the heart of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry.”
To catch the king of the dead by oneself, this is actually close to impossible.
‘But still, if you’re able to do this, I will…’
Clavis smiled sharply and swallowed the words in his mouth.
“Hence, under the glory of Her Majesty, a new horizon.”
At that signal, Rena turned around.
Then she headed to the Tomb once more in front of everyone.
.
.
.
Rena, who had closed her eyes tightly to the red light, opened her eyes again to the strong smell of sulfur and the chill.
She saw a familiar world. Rena felt a strange nostalgia as she looked at the Tomb.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Rena wasn’t the only one to be glad. This world was also welcoming Rena.
In the distance, countless dead were running to tear Rena to death.
Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
We are enemies.
Is what Lynn said to Rena the other day. She wasn’t just pretending to listen back then. Rena was truly well aware.
Just because they have the same purpose doesn’t necessarily mean they’re on one side. Rather, they become competitors or enemies because they have the same purpose.
Besides, Rena was in a position where she needed to prove herself as a capable mercenary.
Therefore, she’d rather be silent for now.
If she wanted to be independent and secure herself a critical position, it was definitely advantageous to keep quiet for now.
“… I also hope that Mr. Lynn doesn’t get hurt.”
But Rena couldn’t.
Because this pure kind young man is extraordinary, cute, heartwarming, and pretty.
“So, from now on, listen carefully to what I have to say.”
Rena eventually muttered with a feeling of surrender.
“It’s about the expedition to the Tomb in two days.”
“About the expedition?”
“There’s nothing I can do if you think this is a trap, but I want you to listen as much as possible.”
At her unexpected words, Lynn looked at Rena. But it was so dark that he still couldn’t see her expression.
“You don’t have to take a lot of people,” she said. “Pick only ten knights and bring them inside. Pick those who are strong and quick-witted.”
Besides, the words that followed were darker than darkness.
“Think of staying in the Tomb for about ten days. Bring only salt for food. You won’t be hungry there anyway. Instead, if you eat as usual, you must rest as usual.”
“What is that…”
“Try not to fight with the dead as much as possible. No matter how much you dispose of them, they will reappear, so the more you fight, the more you will lose.”
Lynn needed an explanation, but Rena didn’t stop and continued to pour her words.
“The castle of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry is between the valleys. If you find it, don’t approach it. Even if Mr. Lynn goes there, you will return empty-handed.”
“Don’t approach it?”
Don’t approach a castle that must be conquered. It was nonsense.
When Lynn asked the thing he didn’t understand, Rena answered with utmost generosity.
“I am the only one who can conquer that castle.”
***
Early in the morning, the Southern Duke hastily summoned Rena. But what appeared in front of him was a tiny little girl.
“Hello, Your Grace.”
When the Southern Duke looked at her with a puzzled look, Uni spoke first.
“I know why you called me. I’ll just go ahead and say what needs to be said. First, the meeting was a bit noisy, but it was meaningful. Second, it is the best option to have the expedition earlier, so please trust me.”
“… And?”
“I think that’s all?”
At Uni’s reply, the Southern Duke’s face was distorted.
“Umm, you’re not making that face to make me laugh, are you?”
Of course not, but the Southern Duke did not change his expression. In fact, he was so mad that he didn’t even know what his expression looked like.
“What are you thinking…!”
“She told me that if you said that exact sentence, I have to tell you to just give up all your worries and just wait.”
As Uni took over naturally, the expression of the Southern Duke became even unsightly.
The news that the expedition had been advanced and that the South had decided to take the lead soon reached the Southern Duke.
So he called Rena in a hurry last night, but she didn’t come, saying she was out of her place. But when he called again in the morning, only this little carrot was dangling.
The Southern Duke was truly made insane.
“I’ve been letting you indulge in your ignorance.”
The Southern Duke, who couldn’t bear it, said in a suppressed voice.
“But you don’t know what happens to those who have ignored me. Do I have to teach you that?”
At his boiling voice, the secretary and attendants shrank their necks like a turtle, preparing for the Southern Duke’s fury.
However, Uni found the Southern Duke’s anger strange.
“Your Grace, why can’t you believe my lady?”
“Believe what fuc…!”
As the Southern Duke raised his voice, his vassals closed their eyes tightly.
But what followed was not a thunderous roar, but a weak moan.
“How can I just believe without any countermeasures…!”
The Southern Duke who lamented that way looked more terrifying than before.
“To be at the vanguard with that scoundrel. And tomorrow, even! She will be fine out there, but will the others be the same? Why would she step up and go to the forefront to drive the knights to their death…!”
The old man clapped his armrest and complained.
He couldn’t quite understand Rena’s decision.
The vanguard is the first to be attacked and the first to be exposed to danger. It is not uncommon to die and get injured, and with bad luck, annihilation is almost guaranteed.
So, if you have a brain, you should avoid it. And if you are forced to take on it, you should come and discuss countermeasures.
Rena didn’t come when he called, and after a day, only her maid showed. She said it was the best choice and kept going.
Thanks to that, the Southern Duke was on the verge of collapse. He was so angry at Rena because of the meeting that he wondered if she was doing this on purpose.
“Look here, I think you are misunderstanding something now.”
“What misunderstanding!”
As the Southern Duke shouted, Uni added softly without hesitation.
“If you’re worried about your knights, you don’t have to. They have nothing to do with tomorrow’s expedition.”
“How can they have nothing to do!”
“My lady will be the only one going.”
“What?”
The Southern Duke’s, who had been arguing at Uni’s endless words, face went blank.
Uni thought that expression was funny too, and told the spirited man with a bad temper, again and again.
“Tomorrow’s expedition. My lady. Going alone. No one will take the knights, and she will take the vanguard alone.”
The Southern Duke understood Uni’s words very slowly.
And when he understood all the words, the old man’s face turned the same color as earth.
.
.
.
The Marquis spoiled the Southern Knights’ meeting, and the Cardinal demanded that Sir Rena take the lead.
It meant that either she dies with the incompetent Southern Knights, or if she’s lucky enough to return, she will have to take all the responsibility.
So, Rena would rather go alone. If someone tells her to jump into the pit of fire, she’d rather roll up her sleeves herself.
Rena’s decision was widely known through the mouth of a young maid.
As a result, the Imperial Palace was once again buzzing with the story of Rena Ruber.
First of all, the Southern Knights, who were excluded after rejecting Sir Rena, pretended to be angry and secretly wept. They were people who sincerely thought that lives are more precious than honor.
The young nobles doubted Sir Rena’s mental state. Some even said that she would run away at night.
The Cardinal laughed loudly, while the Eastern Duke was silent.
On the other hand, Marquis Ruber first heard about this from his butler.
The news that his daughter was going on an expedition alone was very unexpected for him. But that didn’t change anything.
He quietly prepared his work until the very end.
.
.
.
The day passed quickly, and on the day of the expedition, the Eastern Knights and the Northern Knights gathered at the Doom Palace.
Since the ceremony was held at the main palace, there were only priests in Doom Palace. A boy priest saw Marquis Ruber and greeted him happily.
“You’re looking good today as well, Your Grace.”
“It’s all thanks to the priest’s prayer.”
The greeting was a bit strange, but the Marquis responded familiarly. Then the boy priest countered it rather sternly.
“But I never prayed for that.”
“You must have done it last night.”
“I didn’t even pray last night.”
“You really didn’t?”
“I didn’t.”
“… to have a son that is this useless…”
As the Marquis sighed, the boy priest giggled. Then he stopped playing and smiled brightly.
“Take care of yourself, Father.”
Angie Ruber, a prospective priest and heir to Marquis Ruber, said so and embraced his father. The Marquis smiled, too, and stroked his son’s head as it touched his chest.
Just at that moment, the Southern Duke and Rena Ruber entered the Doom Palace.
When he first saw Rena, the Marquis thought he was a terrible person. Then Rena also found the Marquis’ gaze. The daughter and father’s eyes met.
When he saw his daughter walking proudly in her uniform, many emotions struck him. Nevertheless, the Marquis’ determination was still there.
To him, his daughter should have been buried deep in the Tomb. Occasionally, he’d be saddened.
But to his embarrassment, Rena, the person who shouldn’t have been there, came back alive.
So the Marquis decided to rectify what was wrong.
For his own life and future, for the honor of the family, and for the sake of his eldest son.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Rena, who was facing the Marquis, turned her head to the Southern Duke’s question.
She longed to see the boy priest who was being held by her father again, but she endured. Instead, she took hold of her mind and looked at the surroundings.
From this position, the South consisted of only Rena and the Southern Duke. On the other hand, the prestige of the East and the North was considerable.
First of all, in the North, Prince Rubid and Marquis Ruber, along with countless knights were lined up outside the palace.
In the East, the knights gathered around Lignan Aetherner, but compared to the North, the scale was much smaller. Still, the number seemed to exceed a hundred.
‘So Mr. Lynn will be going like that.’
Rena laughed helplessly as she looked at the Eastern Knights.
‘Well, nothing can be done.’
Rena gave him several pieces of advice last night. But it seemed that Lynn decided not to follow that advice.
In fact, it is normal. As the head of a faction, it must have been difficult to believe and act only on the words of others.
Rena fully understood his decision. But, apart from that, she was heartbroken at his rejection of her favor.
Rena swallowed her sigh and looked back at the crack. The Cardinal stood in front of it, and the vanguard’s seat was empty. It was a place for Rena Ruber.
“He really only prepared one seat for you.”
Seeing the same thing as Rena, the Southern Duke muttered softly.
“A solo expedition is unheard of.”
“There is always a first in everything.”
“It will be the first and the last. Who else but Sir would do something like this?”
“It’s more of an honor to be the first ever.”
Rena only smiled prettily in spite of the subtle hardship.
At that utterance, her Southern Duke groaned, and suddenly muttered something incomprehensible.
“I am an old man.”
“Living for so long, you’ve become conservative.”
At his nonsense, Rena looked at the Southern Duke. But the old man continued to speak while avoiding her gaze.
“It was unacceptable in the first place. To use a woman who was a mercenary as a representative.”
“Ah, so you also believe that black cats are ominous.”
Rena teased him lightly, but the Southern Duke didn’t mind it and struck back.
“Not only cats. Crows too.”
“If you find a four-leaf clover, will you be lucky?”
“I believe in rabbit’s foot for luck.”
[T/N: Apparently it’s a Westerner thing? A rabbit’s foot is often carried for good luck. You can look for more in google, this translator is lazy.]
Rena tilted her head in response to his natural response.
Yesterday, she heard from Uni that the Southern Duke was almost in tears, so she thought he would be in a bad mood today too. But somehow, he was more talkative than usual.
So she wondered why he was acting like this as the Southern Duke continued.
“Old men don’t like adventures. We only judge on the basis of our many years of experience… but you have already overshadowed my lifelong experience.”
The Southern Duke said in frustration. However, his voice was low.
Rena stared at him, wondering if he was being fickle. Then Southern Duke concluded his words, thinking that the look she was giving him was disgusting.
“I gave up on understanding you. Just do your best.”
“Are you encouraging me now?”
“… If you understand, great. If you don’t, just go.”
The Southern Duke made a face and kicked Rena out. But then he called her again, and asked.
“Are you going to run away halfway through?”
Rena ended up laughing at the honest man’s question. She then turned and replied politely.
“If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have taken the vanguard, would I?”
The Southern Duke thought it was a really cheeky answer. And after saying those words, Rena turned her body and headed for the vanguard position in front of the rift.
She felt countless gazes. It was a gaze full of malice, goodwill, murderous intent, suspicion, competitive spirit, and curiosity.
As Rena walked through them, she was greeted with a smile by Clavis, who had been waiting in front of the rift.
“Welcome, brave Sir Rena.”
Clavis’ voice was light as usual.
Rena looked at him quietly as he lowered his voice and added.
“Have a safe trip. I have really high expectations for you.”
He whispered once and walked away. Then he raised his voice with reverence.
“Her Majesty’s knight, Sir Rena. I give you the first chance, go and defeat the enemy of the South and bring the heart of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry.”
To catch the king of the dead by oneself, this is actually close to impossible.
‘But still, if you’re able to do this, I will…’
Clavis smiled sharply and swallowed the words in his mouth.
“Hence, under the glory of Her Majesty, a new horizon.”
At that signal, Rena turned around.
Then she headed to the Tomb once more in front of everyone.
.
.
.
Rena, who had closed her eyes tightly to the red light, opened her eyes again to the strong smell of sulfur and the chill.
She saw a familiar world. Rena felt a strange nostalgia as she looked at the Tomb.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Rena wasn’t the only one to be glad. This world was also welcoming Rena.
In the distance, countless dead were running to tear Rena to death.
