183 – Advent (1)
It wasn’t like that from the beginning.
The reason, selfishness, or anything like that I thought about.
It was just…From then on.
Damn memories. The absurdly pointless death of the guy who helped me in the first place.
It started when I saw the death of a guy who was too kind.
I…
Continuing to think about why you have to live selfishly.
“……”
I walked without speaking. My heart was beating fast.
Queen of the Forest. The words she had spoken still clung to my ears.
A story I hadn’t told anyone.
A story that only she and I will know.
The Queen of the Forest knew that.
“…I see a garnet.”
Covered in fire and smoke, it was as quiet as a dead mouse.
As if everything was already over.
. . .
Garnet resistance. Now, in a ruined place where little remains of it, the troops held their breath.
The shadow of a huge tree spirit passed through the broken window. The soldier, who had inadvertently tried to hiccup, hurriedly covered his mouth.
The place where everyone is holding their breath is the mansion of Basmov, the lord of Garnet.
The last nest of Garnet, guarded by only a handful of troops, was filled with silence.
“…….”
The soldier peeked his head out the window. A burning thirst and fear suppressed his body, but more curiosity moved his body.
The tree spirits were carrying something. A corpse covered in human blood and flesh.
But even so, Basmov’s army couldn’t do anything. Quieting the noise, hiding in one last nest to fool the eyes of the spirits, was all they could do.
Because I’ve already done everything.
The only thing those in this place could do was hide at the end.
“…Soldier.”
The soldier was startled. He turned his head. Where he uttered it quietly was his own superior.
“Don’t look into it too much. It is a barrier that is as fragile as it is delicate. Be silent and hide That is all we can do.”
“Go, Your Excellency…”
Basmov, the lord of the castle.
He passed the soldier. He walked on He stepped down the old, crumbling stairs and descended into the endless basement.
“…Still.”
Basmov asked the subordinate who was following him.
“Is there still no answer…?”
The traces of the big city were almost erased. A fierce battle that lasted several months.
Imperial reinforcements have arrived. However, they could not enter the expanded Ancient Forest. I just watch Garnet perish from afar.
Basmorph has requested support from humans outside the Ancient Forest several times. They cried out so that their throats would burst, asking them to break through and protect the citizens.
But all that came back was silence.
Basmov knew that it was the prince’s answer, not the will of the empire. The Emperor is now almost paralyzed.
It was the crown prince who held the actual power. Even in the battle for the throne, he had the strongest influence, and it was no exaggeration to say that he held most of the power.
That’s why he wanted Garnet to perish.
Maybe…
Maybe he was the one who moved the ancient forest.
“…….”
Basmov sighed at the reply of his subordinate who did not return.
The stairs going down were very long. Basmov continued down there. He trampled through the darkness and ran up some broken stairs before he reached the bottom.
A secret space hidden in your mansion.
The door that had been locked was opened by his feet. A temporary refuge far away from the mansion on the ground greeted the owner.
The last resting place where food is almost gone.
“……”
“……”
Through the bleak mist, Basmorph stepped out. He walked into the thick outer walls and the wide cavity.
Originally, it was used as a place other than a shelter. It was just a place to manage the magic covering the entire mansion.
However, the expansive structure just happened to be a shelter for refugees, and Basmov appointed it as Garnet’s last refuge. Just in time, the security magic that enveloped the entire mansion also helped, creating a solid and undetectable fortress.
It is now the only nest left for Garnet and…
The tomb of the dying.
“…Your Excellency.”
The voice of the follower was heavy.
“Twelve people starved to death yesterday.”
“……”
“The number of refugees remaining is less than a thousand. The number of troops stationed there is also two hundred. Most of the expedition is dead… Yesterday, the mercenaries revolted.”
The miscreants are dead.
Only the elite survived.
But that didn’t lead to anything good. The fact that the strong survived preyed on the weak.
In addition, this place was now in the mouth of a huge monster. There was no escape, and food was limited.
…Naturally.
There are many knights and mercenaries who skip the food of the refugees.
They weren’t properly controlled. Even if I tried to control it, there was a backlash. A balance that may collapse at any moment.
Basmov was thinking to himself.
Perhaps it would be faster to die at the hands of an ally than to starve to death.
“…Basmorph.”
One of those leaning against the wall stood up. A wizard who lost an arm.
Adriel, a faded ‘nine-colored’ man, laughed casually and stood next to Basmov.
“Walk a little.”
“…Yes.”
Basmov checked the condition of the refugees. The food situation, which was almost on the floor, was not very good. Distribution is once every two days. It also revolved around children, and the refugees without children were full of complaints.
“Being a leader is difficult. How about Basmoff. Isn’t the seat of the lord heavy?”
“I think I will be crushed. The black magic tower master.”
“Hold on. All I can do is hold on don’t you know Will they leave soon, even today? At first glance, a terrible situation is not forever.”
“You are optimistic.”
“I am still smiling because I am optimistic. To be honest, it was a great battlefield for me. If you live without dying, you will be able to sort out the terrifying knowledge. Guardian… Yes. Did you say guardian? That guy was great. Even if he wasn’t outnumbered, he could have wiped them all out…”
Adriel shrugged his only shoulder.
“Wouldn’t it be natural for me to sacrifice only one arm against those three?”
“…Sometimes I want to look into Adriel-sama’s head.”
“Even if you look inside, you won’t find anything inside. It’s just emptiness. I just have a constant thirst for knowledge. To keep filling the amount of knowledge my void is eating away at.”
“Disciples…”
“There is only one left. A masterpiece of my conversion, and a talent who will take my place when I die.”
Chloe, who was taking care of the refugees, bowed her head in the distance. Adriel grinned.
“Isn’t it great? He says he’s doing as he’s told, but he’s helping refugees and gaining popularity as the next Mage Tower owner. He must be hungry too, but with just one word from me, he is sharing his own food with those around him.”
“…Why do useless things?”
“It’s useless. The lord of the castle has nothing to say.”
Basmov flinched. He was speaking naturally.
I can’t believe it. If even I, the lord of the castle, think they’re all going to die… Who the hell will save them?
“… Hey. Old man.”
“Oh. This is someone The honorable thief queen of Calvid.”
“Don’t be sarcastic and go up. Take turns when you say nice things. Because I did enough.”
A scarred Bunny came down from the guard and threw his weapon.
Originally, one eye, which had only a scar, was completely gone. The scars all over the body were very deep. It’s a mess to the point where you wonder how you’re still alive.
The black hair he was proud of was also very messy. Even the corners of his sharp eyes were full of shadows.
A situation where hope seems to have been abandoned long ago.
“I need to get some rest. Damn… Get some sleep… Get some sleep.”
“It’s worth it since I stayed up all day. The guy who died this time must have been a pretty close guy, right?”
“…A thief is always prepared to die. But damn… There’s no way anyone can accept that all at once. That’s also asara… He gave someone else bread to eat, saying he would save the kids… You idiot… Even then, you’re a thief…”
Bunny passed by and snatched one of the refugees’ blankets. He went to her corner and slammed her face into her lap.
A loud snoring sound that started echoing right away. Adriel shrugged his shoulders.
“Everyone is a mess. Basmoff. Then I will ask you what you really want to ask.”
“…What do you mean?”
“How do you see it? We won’t last ten days. I saw that the food storage was empty. The moment they find out, there will be a riot here.”
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Adriel glanced at the plaza.
“Incapacitated refugees will be the first targets. And after that person, they will try to take each other’s possessions. It’s useless even by force. One look at the blood will go all the way. Perhaps the spirits above will find out later.”
“……”
“What are you going to do? Gane’s lord Face your weight, and it’s time to make a different decision. Either we die on the move, or we must die crouching down. At least those who can fight should be thrown to limb. That is the only way to keep helpless refugees out of the hands of our allies.”
In a terrible way. Basmov wiped his face.
Hello…
Is there really no other way?
Thung.
Something hit my leg. Basmov turned his head. The skinny child rubbed his face.
“Ouch…”
“Hey. Parents…”
“……”
There was a pile of sachet at the end of the finger that he calmly pointed at. It was an environment that could not be burned or buried, so they wrapped it in cloth and drove it into a corner.
Basmov lowered his head. The child’s hand was slowly wrapped around it. She put the bread she had put in her bosom into the child’s hand.
“…Are you okay?”
“Yes. Are you okay.”
The child rubbed her eyes. She took the bread and held it in her arms.
“I told you that if you hold on and hold on, the Holy Son will come. Her mother told her to wait all along. Then I’m sure…It will work out somehow.”
Saint.
Have you heard that name in a while? Basmov closed his eyes. Instead of denying it, he stroked the child’s head.
It’s been a while since he lost contact with him after he went to the Ancient Forest. That would mean one thing.
“…Adriel.”
“Why are you calling me?”
“How likely are you to evacuate the refugees by using us as bait?”
“You ask the wrong thing.”
Adriel replied as if it were natural.
“0% Yes.”
“…Then the other way around…”
Basmov stood up.
“If all the combat troops, led by me, leave here… what is the probability that the spirits will consider us the last survivors of Garnet?”
“It is not a matter of possibility. It’s a matter of luck.”
“…Not 0%.”
“The time for probabilities is over. All we can do is decide when to die.”
Basmorph raised his head. The sword at his waist was a mess that had been repaired and recycled several times.
But it was still a sword. Basmov was still Basmov.
He was still Garnet’s owner.
“…If I could choose when to die…”
Basmorph raised his head.
“I will not die later than them.”
“You are a true knight. Different from me But it is. I will agree with you. At least following you seems to have a high chance of letting Chloe escape…”
Adriel smacked his lips. Then he suddenly raised his head.
“By the way…what did you not hear?”
Basmov blinked.
Sound?
What are you talking about?
The child raised his head. Eyes glistened beneath his shaggy hair.
“…The sound of fireworks.”
The refugees began to raise their heads one by one. Everyone felt
Vibration and the sound of something burning deep in the basement of the castle.
The shouts of the spirits.
Screams of spirits.
The struggle of spirits.
“…I’m here.”
The child who was staring blankly at the ceiling dropped the bread.
A handful of light returned to the sad face.
“The Holy Son…Has come…!”