Chapter 668
The blood her father had shed had not yet dried.
The girl, dressed in black mourning clothes, stepped out through the castle gates.
It was the greatest crisis in the history of the North.
The Legion Commander had died in battle against the North Star, Master Hate had weakened, and the most powerful Ancient Undead that had supported the North had perished.
The 2nd Legion had lost more than 90% of its total forces, and the Northern Army was annihilated.
That day was overcast.
Rain fell in a steady drizzle.
Before the advancing undead army marching toward Bilkenos, the young girl in mourning stepped alone outside the castle.
Shhhhhh—
The rain poured harder.
In her hand, she held nothing but a small kitchen knife taken from the kitchen.
Rainwater ran down the spine of the blade in heavy drops.
Her black hair—praised endlessly by her father as beautiful—was soaked through, and her clothes clung to her like a drowned rat.
Despair.
Before overwhelming might, the pride of the North meant nothing. Bilkenos was empty, and now only she remained.
Just before his death, her father had passed down to her the position of Legion Commander.
She had to do it.
Somehow.
Somehow.
Shhhhhh—
But without the Master’s recognition, and unable to control even a single undead, the baby Legion Commander had no subordinate by her side.
Even so, the girl did not run away.
She could not run away.
—You plan to fight alone?
Suddenly.
A voice came from behind her.
Plop. Tap.
The downpour that had seemed like it would pierce her body eased, leaving only the sound of raindrops pattering.
Her vision darkened, and she saw a man who had covered her with an umbrella.
He was a man on the border between boyhood and youth, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the umbrella.
A thin beard along his jaw, lips curled upward, and curious eyes. He left a strange impression.
Her father had said that Legion Commanders could recognize one another when they met. She realized now that it was true.
And she knew why he had come here.
—Are you here to kill me?
She asked, brandishing the kitchen knife tightly gripped in her hand.
The man spoke as if it was of little consequence.
—That depends on your answer.
The girl stayed silent for a moment, then replied to his question.
—I will fight.
—Oh.
As though a switch had been flipped, the man’s eyes suddenly lit up with a gleam, and he thrust his head forward.
—How will you fight? Has it even been a day since you opened your Core? You haven’t even been acknowledged by the Master of the Legion, can you even sense Darkness? A complete disaster. That old man was something else, wasn’t he? His daughter’s fate didn’t matter, just so long as the inheritance was passed on?
—Don’t insult my father!
The girl shouted.
She stepped back out from under the umbrella he held, gripping the kitchen knife tighter.
—My father died defending the North! I’ll die defending the North too! Because—!
Her voice cracked into a raw cry.
—Because it is the destiny of the Arskalt!
Shhhhhh—
The rain fell harder. Her frail body, barely four or five years old, trembled in the cold.
She had come out to stop such a vast army, and yet her small frame couldn’t even withstand the rain pouring from the sky.
But—
The man did not laugh. Slowly, he placed his hand on his chest, his breath coming out in a white cloud.
Step.
The man advanced. The girl retreated.
As he drew closer, she backed away.
But the difference in stride was too great. He caught up quickly. Feeling threatened, she cried out, “Hhhhiik!” and charged with her little knife.
Thud.
It was blocked far too easily.
The man crouched, holding her small wrist, and said:
—Arrogant, but I like your spirit.
Then he took the knife from her hand.
Into the now empty hand, he placed the umbrella.
—Let’s negotiate, little lady.
The girl blinked up at him blankly.
—Ne… gotiate?
—Too difficult a word? Just think of it as a deal.
The man scratched the back of his head with an exasperated look.
—Honestly, I came here planning to recover the 2nd Legion before it collapsed completely. But if I take it, Lady Neftis will tell me to fulfill my duty and lock me into Carlos’ North.
He gave a sly grin and a wink.
—Of course, Northern women aren’t bad, but isn’t it a tragedy for all the women of the continent if I get trapped in a rural backwater like this?
—?
—Ah, too young to get that joke, huh? Anyway, the negotiation is simple.
By now, the North Star’s undead army had drawn close enough to be clearly seen. The two stood on the plain before Bilkenos Castle, like candles in the wind.
Yet the man remained calm.
—I’m going to annihilate the North Star’s forces right now.
—!
—I’ll even leave one of my Ancient Undead behind so they won’t move for five years. But the protection lasts only five years.
He spread his fingers wide.
—Within those five years, you must unite the North, rebuild the Legion, and grow strong enough to stand on your own. In the meantime, I’ll proclaim to the whole world that I’m guarding the North. But if you fail to meet my expectations, I’ll have no choice but to reclaim the 2nd Legion.
With a crooked smile, he extended his hand.
—So, deal?
The girl stared up at him with dazed eyes.
She didn’t fully understand what he was saying.
But that crooked grin—
It looked warm.
Slowly, she reached out with her tiny hand and took his.
—Good. Negotiation complete, youngest Legion Commander!”
The man rose to his feet. Stepping out from under the umbrella, he walked boldly into the rain.
Clang!
He spread his arms wide like a bird.
—[Come.]
Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo!
Koo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo!
The girl could not believe her eyes. Alongside the advancing North Star army, black waves surged forward.
They were all undead of the 7th Legion.
This time, bones from skeletons flew through the air, attaching themselves to the man’s body.
Soon, clad in flawless Bone Armor, he grasped his sword, his cloak of Darkness fluttering as he strode into the enemy ranks.
—W-wait!
The girl clutched the umbrella and ran after him desperately.
—Your name, tell me your name!
He turned back with a broad grin.
—Yona. I am Yona of the 7th Legion.
She squeezed her eyes shut and cried out:
—I’ll be stronger in five years!
—Yeah.
—And then—!
Seek out strong men.
She suddenly shouted, recalling the words her father had always told her.
—After that, I’ll take you as my husband!
At those words, Yona stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment he stood dumbfounded, then burst out laughing.
—Not five years, but fifteen seems too soon for that! Still, fine. Fine.
He pressed down the skull helm upon his head.
—We’ll meet again, little Arskalt.
Boom!
With his cloak of darkness billowing, the man strode into the enemy ranks.
That was the last glimpse she ever saw of his back.
* * *
“……”
The Grand Duke, lost in reminiscence, slowly opened her eyes and turned her head.
In the corner of her office shelf.
There lay an old, black umbrella.
‘That brat… is Yona’s son?’
She had never imagined it.
Of course, she had believed Yona to be dead.
He had kept his first promise. Yona had indeed annihilated the North Star’s army, and the North Star, wounded by his assault, had been unable to properly invade the North for several years.
But Yona had not kept his second promise.
—We’ll meet again, little Arskalt.
He never again appeared in the North.
The last she heard of him was “that incident”.
To save a priest—an enemy—he betrayed the Dark Alliance and his comrades, turning the Legion’s blades against his own allies.
As a result, the 7th Legion was disbanded, and Yona, the so-called Legion of Betrayal, was declared executed by the Dark Alliance.
When she had heard the news of his death as a child, the Grand Duke had wept until her eyes swelled, over and over again. The shock had been greater even than when her father passed away. Had she ever known despair so deep?
But now—
‘He had a son?’
The Grand Duke stared blankly up at the ceiling.
His voice drifted back into her memory.
—Of course, Northern women aren’t bad, but wouldn’t it be too great a tragedy for the women of the continent if I were trapped in some rural backwater?
Yes, thinking back on his words and conduct, whether alive or dead, Yona was certainly the type to spread his seed wherever he went.
‘That boy… Yona’s son…’
When she heard there was a new 7th Legion Commander, the Grand Duke had thought that Lady Neftis had sealed away the Master and contracted one of her most brilliant students as successor.
After erasing the crime of betrayal, she would use that Legion Commander as a crucial card for the Dark Alliance.
Disliking the thought of Yona’s Legion being used that way, the Grand Duke had shown little enthusiasm when Neftis asked her to instruct the Commander.
But the truth was different.
Neftis had quietly waited until Yona’s son grew old enough to enroll in the Academy, and only then enthroned him as the 7th Legion Commander.
The Grand Duke, dazed, suddenly leapt to her feet and rushed toward the office door—only to freeze at the threshold.
‘Yona had a son… Simon is Yona’s son. Yona’s son…’
She wanted to run out that instant to confirm the truth.
Yet, strangely—
Her feet would not move.
Knock, knock.
There was a knock at the door. She flinched violently and stepped back.
“It’s Simon. May I come in?”
“W-what? Wait—!”
Simon opened the door and poked his head inside.
“How are you feeling?”
She, already pretending, had clasped her hands behind her back and was doing one-handed push-ups.
Simon chuckled, helpless.
“Training again, even in this state?”
“W-why do you laugh!”
She sprang upright at once.
“Steward Godrick asked if you could give the next speech. Will you be all right?”
“……!”
The Grand Duke stared fixedly at Simon.
‘How did I not notice?’
She wanted to stab her own eyes with her fingers.
‘They look so alike! How could I have missed it!’
Was it because she had convinced herself Yona was already dead? Because she had tried not to think of him, not to suffer?
Now that she knew Simon was Yona’s son, it was all too obvious.
She could hardly believe she had failed to realize it immediately.
“Exercising so hard after drinking isn’t good for you.”
Simon said with a gentle smile, closing the door again as he withdrew.
“I’ll speak to Godrick for you. Rest.”
“W-wait!”
She raised her arm hastily, and Simon halted.
“Do you have something to say?”
“That…”
Are you really Yona’s son?
Is Yona still alive?
And—
Who did he marry?
‘Why can’t I ask?’
This had never happened before.
She had never felt anything like this.
She could not understand her own confused emotions or bewildering behavior.
At that moment—
“Pardon me. Let me check something.”
Simon strode over and placed his hand on her forehead.
“You’re not just flushed from drinking, you’ve got a fever.”
“!!”
The Grand Duke’s body went rigid as stone.
This boy.
‘He is without doubt Yona’s son.’
Simon withdrew his hand with a worried look and sighed deeply.
“I think you’d better move to your bedroom.”
Her body stiffened like iron ore.
“…What?”
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