Chapter 122: A Battle of Sincerity
Gunther followed me. “You work hard.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I’m here to work.”
“I thought you were the tactless type, but I see you’re not.”
Haha, sorry for not having any tact.
Whenever I was with Gunther, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had a strangely familiar attitude toward me. It didn’t seem like intimacy, since he was just a character, but why did it feel like we were close?
“Gunther, are you sure we’ve never met at Heilon?”
“Right. I’ve never met you in person. Why?”
“I don’t know… I just feel like I’m getting along with you better than I expected. How long were you there?” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“About half a year.”
That was longer than I thought, though still not very long.
“But you know Sigren?”
“I couldn’t help but run into him.”
“Are you two close?”
For some reason, I felt a bit upset knowing Sigren had a friend I didn’t know about. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Not at all.”
“Don’t you think that flat-out dismissal is a bit harsh?”
Our Sigren was actually a nice guy, though he didn’t have many friends.
Ah, I was definitely getting a little snarky lately.
Gunther looked at me. “Well, you’re pretty famous in Heilon. I guess that’s why I subconsciously feel close to you?”
“Oh, don’t tell me, it’s the rumor about the cruel and ruthless mage living in Heilon?”
“Why are you so negative?” Gunther continued, his tone gentle. “What I heard was completely different. People say there’s a ‘Guardian of Winter’ who protects Heilon, a place covered in snow all year round.”
Ah! Really? I was relieved it was a better rumor than I’d expected. I smirked. “You must be disappointed that the girl is far more ordinary than the rumor.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Yeah, I even thought Duke Heilon’s eyesight was worse than I imagined.”
“WHAT?!”
Gunther avoided my gaze. “I’m not criticizing you. I just assumed you’d be more of a ‘fortress-like’ woman.”
Was he implying I didn’t look strong? Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?
Anyway, even if Gunther denied being close to Abel and Sigren, the fact that he could call them whatever he wanted made it clear that he was close to them. For some reason, that left me feeling a bit sad. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Forget it….”
Gunther suddenly narrowed his eyes. “Miss, do you see that?”
“What?” I followed his gaze. Across the forest, something dim was approaching over the horizon. But it wasn’t the sunset. It was more ominous—creepier than that.
“Miss.”
“Yes?”
“Can the Darkness return to a place it’s already been?”
“It’s not impossible. But on this vast continent, the chances are extremely slim—”
Damn it. I immediately understood what Gunther was hinting at.
I moved swiftly and gave an order to the nearest soldier. “BLOW THE TRUMPET! IT’S AN EMERGENCY!”
There was a pre-arranged signal for situations like this. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
At my command, the soldier blew the trumpet.
BUUUUPPP— BUUUUPPP—
People emerged from the barracks, confused and wondering what was happening.
“DARKNESS IS COMING THIS WAY! RUN INTO THE FOREST NOW!”
The researchers froze, their eyes fixed on the ominous, creeping energy approaching from the distance.
“NO TIME TO PACK! RIDE YOUR HORSES AS FAST AS YOU CAN!”
I shouted as loud as I could.
“SOLDIERS AND KNIGHTS, STAY CLOSE TO THE NON-COMBAT PERSONNEL!”
Isaac rushed over with my horse, and Gunther was already mounted on his. “YOU NEED TO GET AWAY QUICKLY!” he urged. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I’M IN CHARGE HERE! YOU GO FIRST!” I yelled back. In dangerous situations, if the leader fled first, it would only create more chaos.
I hurried the remaining people around the headquarters who had not yet fled. I placed Eunice, one of the main characters, on horseback and entrusted her to another knight.
“MAKE SURE TO ESCORT THE SAINTESS!”
“I UNDERSTAND!”
Meanwhile, the Darkness was advancing. Every hair on my body stood on end, as if a ghost were whispering from behind. So this was what it felt like.
I scanned the area around the headquarters. There was no one left.
“You must go now!”
Isaac and Gunther remained despite my insistence that they leave first. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Stupid men!
“RUN!”
I waved the reins and urged my horse forward. Isaac and Gunther rode alongside me, and we quickly entered the forest.
The chill from behind lingered. When I glanced back, I froze. Not far behind, a pitch-black shadow was rolling in. The dead trees, barely holding their shape, turned to ashes in an instant. I felt like the protagonist in a disaster movie, fleeing from a tsunami.
The Darkness had no form; it was like poison gas or an attack from biochemical weapons. The difference was that it presented a clear view of the shadow of death. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
The human instinct for survival sounded an alarm with all its might. My hands gripping the reins were slick with sweat.
“FASTER!”
In front of me was the group that had fled first: Eunice and the Academy researchers. They seemed unable to ride very quickly, likely because they weren’t used to it.
We couldn’t go any faster, but the Darkness was closing in behind us. It could devour not only me, Isaac, and Gunther, who were in the rear, but also the rest of the party at any moment.
A feeling of helplessness washed over me—one I had never experienced, even in Heilon.
Annihilation.
My mind raced, trying to determine the best course of action as a responsible leader in this dire situation. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“ISAAC! GUNTHER RUN AWAY AS FAR AS YOU CAN!” I shouted sharply and pulled the reins roughly. “IT’S AN ORDER!”
“MISS!”
“THAT FUCKING IDIOT—”
Gunther, you punk. I heard you cursing!
I swallowed hard as I saw the Darkness approaching like a tsunami, not far from me.
All or nothing.
Magic and Darkness are fundamentally the same. Fiona is a human being with magic as her talent; she is the greatest mage in this world.
So, let’s control the Darkness just like we control magic.
Theoretically, it’s possible.
Of course, practice is needed, but alas, practice was not feasible at this moment.
The control didn’t have to last long; it would at least give everyone more time to escape. If I couldn’t…
I wasn’t the type of person with a sacrificial spirit. It was just that if I didn’t even try, we’d be annihilated without taking any action.
So, I have to do it.
I tried to focus as much as possible. Contrary to my calm mind, the survival instinct in my body was sending terrible warnings. My heart was pounding hard. I felt a black, heavy, swampy presence approaching me quickly. It was different from the ordinary, light air of magic. It felt like a futile attempt to move a massive rock. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Ughh….”
It drew closer, lingering, advancing, faltering once more.
Giiikk—
It was like the gears of a mechanism trying to rotate but failing.
The Darkness didn’t stop at all, but it definitely slowed down—
After a while, it finally came to a halt.
However, I was quickly reaching my limit.
How long could I endure this?
My muscles were numb, and my head throbbed. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Biiiiiiippppp—
A loud ringing echoed in my ears, seemingly out of nowhere. My concentration scattered, and my vision blurred.
‘Ah, Sigren, I’m sorry.’
Finally, the wavering Darkness struck me like a flame.
In my fading consciousness, I could hear a squelching noise and the sound of sobbing. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
[you… are… here?]
Then Darkness.
***
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