She was the healer in our unit?! Of all people?!
She looked at my face more closely.
"Hey. You're the soldier who came with our wagon, aren't you?" she said, pointing at me.
Laoron looked back and forth between us, trying to figure out how we knew each other.
"You fixed our wagon, and then we traveled together. After that, the girls really liked you" she began.
"Ahahaha. Yes, yes. I remember now," I said quickly.
Laoron burst out laughing at the idea of girls liking me.
I shoved him lightly.
"Uh. There's a patient inside. Could you check on him? He looks pretty bad" I said, trying to change the subject.
Once Lylia went inside to treat him. I slipped away.
Laoron followed me with quick steps and grabbed my arm.
"Are you finally going to tell me what's going on?" he asked, looking at me in a way I couldn't describe.
I scanned our surroundings.
When I saw no one nearby, I scratched the back of my neck and gave an awkward smile.
"I… got lost in the forest. And a fairy took me to the enemy kingdom's gathering area."
Even hearing my own words sounded ridiculous.
Laoron froze.
"The enemy? Kingdom? Gathering area? You mean the kingdom we're supposed to fight?" he stared at me, mouth open.
I looked away and nodded.
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND, MELANIE?! No. This isn't right. You were already crazy and now you're trying to make me crazy too!"
I cut him off.
"Do you think I wanted this?! I almost died of fear there. Do you have any idea what I went through, terrified of being caught?"
I shot him an angry look one that demanded understanding.
Silence.
In one swift motion, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him. With his other hand, he pressed my head to his shoulder.
I could feel his heartbeat against my ear.
I was completely stunned by the gesture. We stayed like that for a moment.
I tried to pull away.
"I'm pretty sure anyone who saw us like this would misunderstand badly" I said, giggling.
Panicking, Laoron pushed me back.
"Right. You're Merlin right now. I wouldn't want people misunderstanding my romantic preferences" he said.
Then he hurriedly added,
"I mean wouldn't want to ruin my chances."
As he kept explaining to avoid misunderstanding, there was a rustling sound from the bushes.
We both turned our heads toward it at the same time.
"This isn't a good place to talk" I said.
He nodded.
"Tomorrow, everything will begin. In that chaos, I might not be able to stay close to you. Don't do anything reckless. Stay in the back. Don't get involved in combat. The real clash happens at the front anyway. Stay as far away as possible. Understood?" he asked.
I nodded.
And fell into deep thought. That won't happen.
My mission has just begun. I will do everything I can to save the Count and prevent my dark future.
This is a gamble and I've put everything I have on the table.
A deep silence reigned before the battle.
Eyes were serious, breaths held.
Both sides had prepared themselves. Armed not only with swords, but with cruelty as well.
I gripped the white sword at my waist.
Perhaps I would be forced to stain it with blood.
Torric stood to my right, and behind me were Ash and Patric, still at odds with each other.
The units lined up side by side in square formations. At the front stood the Duke's army and the royal knights. The Count's unit was positioned to our side.
I moved toward the edge to widen my field of view. Ash and a few from our unit stepped forward and drew their bows.
The Duke's thick, courageous voice spread across the field.
"We have come here representing our kingdom. Now listen to King Max's message. Either you leave our people in peace and take your belongings and get off our lands or…"
He paused.
There was no sound from the other side.
They had exhausted their final chance.
And then he roared,
"OR THIS WAR WILL HAPPEN AT THE COST OF YOUR LIVES!"
He shouted it so loudly it felt like it could be heard a hundred kilometers away. A chill ran through me.
Along with everyone else, I drew my sword and raised it into the air, joining the roar.
War cries and shouts shattered the silence.
A laugh echoed from the opposing side.
Everyone wondered who this madman was. The sound stopped again, and we watched with curious eyes.
A man rode forward and stopped at the center his long black hair tied into a bun, wearing a helmet adorned with red feathers.
He wore black armor. He removed his helmet and held it in his hand.
"NOT YOUR LAND! OUR LAND!" he shouted.
His golden eyes gleamed and sparkled as if he was thirsting for this war. His lips curved upward in a crazed smile. He had a striking face. I doubted there was much of an age difference between him and the Duke.
Then the Duke surged forward.
The mane of his elegant black armored horse whipped in the wind. He sat tall and confident, reining the horse to a halt.
Facing his enemy with honor, he removed his helmet. His piercing blue eyes were sharp.
The moment he drew his sword, the Mad Lord swiftly drew his own.
A fierce duel began between them.
As agile and powerful as the Duke's strikes were, the Mad Lord did not fall behind dodging swiftly and countering just as fast.
The Duke was always one step ahead. The clash lasted long enough that sweat ran down their brows. Their movements slowed, exhaustion clearly showing.
Then the decisive blow came from the Duke.
With a feint, he swung his sword in an unexpected way, confusing the Lord. Before the Mad Lord could recover his defense, the Duke struck and knocked him from his horse.
The Duke's chest rose and fell rapidly. His brows were furrowed, and his gaze reached us.
His leader's aura was overwhelming—around him seemed to swirl a savage, dark blue mist.
It was a breathtaking sight.
The Duke's army moved first.
With thousands of footsteps, the ground began to tremble.
Both sides charged toward one another.
I stood frozen as people crashed into me from both sides. For a single moment. I felt completely alone in the chaos.
Everything around me stopped.
The sounds faded. My eyelids moved slowly. Soldiers rushing past me looked as if they were moving in slow motion.
Then the Count rode past my line of sight at full speed and everything snapped back to normal.
I followed behind them but the Count was surrounded by many soldiers. I tried to push through them all.
I had to be the one closest to him.
We collided with enemy soldiers in the center. Reaching him became even harder.
While my eyes were locked on the Count, an enemy soldier charged at me.
I turned my head suddenly and dodged his swinging sword by pure reflex.
That was close.
I had no intention of engaging anyone. I tried to escape him, but his relentless attacks were wearing me down.
I ran here and there but he wouldn't leave me alone.
This couldn't continue.
I couldn't lose the Count.
I wasn't a warrior but if circumstances demanded it, then yes… now I was.
I gripped the hilt of my white sword and drew it.
Its brightness dazzled his eyes. Taking advantage of that moment, I lunged forward with a straightforward strike.
Even if his vision had been gone for just a second, even a baby could have dodged that blow.
The moment he realized I was fighting back, he struck too. His blade grazing my arm.
I was only fast.
And thankfully, the soldier facing me was a novice as well.
I steadied myself, gripped the sword tightly with both hands, and leapt to the right.
With nowhere left to escape, the man fell as I jumped onto him.
The sudden impact sent me flying off him.
There was warmth in my hands.
I looked down.
Why was this red liquid on my hands?
I watched as it began to pool.
With a groan, I turned my shocked and horrified gaze back to the man.
He had collapsed to the ground, clutching his bleeding arm.
When I knelt beside him, he tried to crawl backward in fear. He must have thought I was going to hurt him again.
I felt disgusted with myself. I was terrified.
"Hey. Did I do this? I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry."
He gave me a look I would never be able to erase from my mind.
A crushing sense of guilt washed over me.
Another soldier fell toward me, and I was dragged back into the chaos.
The crowd around us thickened. Clashes erupted rapidly, one after another and then I remembered the Count.
I jumped to my feet and scanned the area.
I couldn't find him.
I wiped the blood from my hands onto my pants and ran desperately.
The Count's soldiers were there but he wasn't.
Worst-case scenarios flooded my mind. My chest tightened. Everything spun around me.
Still, I ran
even as the ground felt like it was slipping from under my feet.
A hand touched my shoulder.
Dazed, I turned my head.
"Torric!"
He stood before me, a small cut on his face.
"Hey. Why did you stray so far from us? This is a dangerous zone. Come with me. Let's go back" he said.
His voice was exhausted.
Seeing him worry about me in this state made my heart ache.
I was about to follow him when, as he tugged at my hand, my head lowered and I saw it.
A green tassel lying on the battlefield, amid the struggling soldiers.
This was the one Melanie had sewn for her father in the story.
I shoved Torric away.
"Torric, I'll be fine. Please, let me go!" I said.
I pulled away from him and went toward the tassel.
It was stained with blood.
I picked it up and then plunged into the nearby woods, just a few steps away.