Volume 10 part 2

Volume 10 part 2

He left everything behind and entered the fortress. As always, the fortress was bustling. Drunken pirates were shouting everywhere, women danced on top of oak barrels with their breasts half-exposed, and vomit and urine created filthy puddles in various places.

Zelgirk ignored them and hurried along the road. The pirate captain, completely drunk, approached him with a sneer and questioned him.

“My lord, when will you pay us?”

Waving his hand to stop him from coming any closer, Zelgirk rummaged through his pocket and casually tossed two silver coins to the ground.

The pirate captain stared blankly at the coins that had fallen into the mud, then raised an eyebrow in displeasure.

“Two silvers? Are we beggars?”

Annoyed, Zelgirk threw in one more gold coin. Only then did the pirate captain gather the coins and jingle them in his hand, biting one with his molar.

“This is it? What about the rest?”

“I told you there’s a big job coming. I’ll take care of everything at once after that.”

“We need money, lord. Now.”

“You’re already going around the village taking whatever you want, indulging in as many women as you please.”

“Do you think there’s anything left to squeeze from this land? We’ve tasted everyone from ten-year-old girls to wrinkled old hags. It’s no fun anymore. The men are getting restless.”

Zelgirk suddenly lowered his voice.

“Orlank will fall soon. Just like I said, ambush the betrothal procession and kill Ixor.”

“You think it’s that easy?”

“It is. There’ll be barely any guards.”

He beckoned the pirate captain closer and fueled his greed.

“Think about it. It’s Orlank. Small land, but overflowing with plump women. You know? Ixor outlawed rape. Which means the place is full of virgins.”

“Aha.”

“And taxes are light. Even commoners have their barns full of grain.”

The pirate captain’s eyes sparkled as he listened intently. Other nearby pirates glanced over at Zelgirk with fierce, hungry eyes, like wild dogs.

Starving for blood, money, and women, their anticipation swelled. When Zelgirk jerked his chin as if to say, ‘you understand, now leave,’ the pirate captain spat and turned away.

With no time to waste, Zelgirk rushed to the basement. As expected, two girls had frozen to death, and four had starved—only the prettier ones were chosen to die.

His irritation surged. Grabbing the brown whip hanging on the wall, he paced furiously under the iron cages. Which girl should he choose to vent his anger? As he scrutinized each one, the girls trembled and averted their gazes.

“Brown hair would be good… Wait.”

He had just picked one when he paused and listened. Dogs were barking loudly. Something was happening outside.

Then, a terrified scream pierced the air. Not the kind of scream he was used to…it was sharp, unfamiliar, a scream of real danger. Most were adult male screams.

Gripping his whip, he scrambled up the stairs, only to run into a group of pirates rushing down.

The pirate captain, now sober, shouted,

“We’re under attack!”

“What? By who?!”

“Ixor of Garion!”

“Go fight them!”

Zelgirk shouted, face burning red, but the pirate captain bared his yellowed teeth and refused.

“Our men are all drunk. The gate’s already breached, they’ll reach the keep in five minutes.”

“Th-that can’t be…”

“We’ve got to run, my lord! Now!”

The pirate captain roughly grabbed Zelgirk’s arm and yanked him along.

“Spread out!”

At Ixor’s command, knights darted through the fortress like spider legs. Their positions were preassigned. Ixor flew through the castle, flanked by knights slightly ahead who slashed at enemies to clear the path.

The keep was taken in an instant.

Bang! 

His cloak flared as he dashed up the filthy stairs. He pushed the massive doors open with both hands and strode in without hesitation.

He split the soldiers into three groups and sent them off, then went straight to the basement.

Splash, splash.

Water had pooled on the stairs leading to the basement. The stench was overwhelming. Large gray rats scurried about, and the strong stench of blood was hellish.

The basement’s iron door was wide open—Zelgirk had already been there. Ixor immediately ordered a pursuit and had the castle gates sealed.

The secret escape passage likely connected to this basement, so he didn’t expect Zelgirk to still be inside.

“Aaahhh!”

As they entered the wide basement, the soldiers waved their torches wildly in panic. Someone cried out desperately, though it was hard to tell if it was a sigh or a scream. Ixor barely suppressed a curse.

“Madness…”

It was hell on earth. Dozens of iron cages hung from the ceiling, swinging eerily. Inside were girls no older than nine to twelve—the place where Daon had lived.

As he looked around with wide eyes, he saw torture devices, branding irons, tongs, and buckets filled with blood. There were even the bodies of young girls long dead, left to rot. Eyes wide open in death.

Ixor pressed his palm to his forehead. The vein on the right side of his head throbbed violently.

He managed to regain his composure. He ordered the girls to be rescued but warned the soldiers not to get too close.

As food and blankets were delivered, one girl made eye contact with him. Emaciated, bones visible, she was clearly terrified by his expression. Ixor smiled and raised his right hand.

“Hello.”

He didn’t move, just greeted her.

“When you meet someone, you wave your hand like this and say hello.”

The girl, eyes wide, hesitantly followed his gesture. It seemed like she had been trained to obey or face death. Fear was etched into her face.

Ixor had smiled softly and praised her.

“Good. You’re very clever.”

Meanwhile, one soldier searching the basement found the secret passage Zelgirk had used. At the same time, Sir Renaud returned and reported that the pirates had been dealt with. Most were too drunk to fight, so there was no major battle.

Roughly 200 brutal pirates had escaped armed. A massive number. And Zelgirk was likely with them.

Ixor hesitated. He had to act quickly. Speed was critical. Even taking Zelgirk’s castle had been a risky move.

So now what? Chase Zelgirk, or follow the knights and issue battle orders?

He didn’t hesitate for long.

He spent the rest of the pre-dawn hours scouring the area but didn’t find Zelgirk. The pirates had scattered in small groups, and there was no way to pinpoint which trail was his. Zelgirk likely had a hidden retreat prepared.

There was no time left to waste.

It was like a thorn buried under his nail. Ixor ordered Renaud to return to Orlank and protect Daon at all costs. Then, with the rising sun ahead, he dashed toward the royal castle.

Daybreak.

The first sun of the new day pushed back the darkness. The blinding light forced his eyes to narrow.

The entire view was drenched in crimson, a sky soaked in blood. Maybe that’s why it felt like he was charging into the heart of it.

He paid no mind and spurred his horse on without hesitation.

***

As the sun rose, the candlelight lost its strength. In an instant, the world outside the window brightened with a bluish hue—sunrise at last.

Just as dawn broke, the solemn Sir Renaud returned with a carriage carrying young girls and a message from Ixor. It stated that they had lost track of Zelgirk.

Zephar listened to the report with a grim face. While Daon assigned resting places for the girls, Zephar exchanged words with Renaud. Worry was deeply etched into Renaud’s stiff profile.

Zephar, preparing to depart at once, bid her farewell.

“Please, don’t overdo it.”

“I know.”

She was now tasked with the critical duty of supplying food from the rear. On top of that, she was responsible for procuring hay for the horses and other war supplies like arrows.

Zephar planned to head to Zelgirk’s territory and, as the civil war widened his domain, travel around to manage internal affairs.

The sleeves of Zephar’s outer garment, which he hadn’t changed since the previous morning, were wrinkled. As Daon straightened the creases, she promised,

“I’ll brew some good liquor. Let’s all go on another outing together.”

“I’ll be sure to drink it.”

Zephar replied with a hearty laugh as he boarded the carriage.

The carriage carrying Zephar passed through the castle gates at high speed. With all the large, boisterous men gone, the castle felt eerily quiet.

Daon climbed the hill on the east side of Orlank Castle with Knight Renaud. It was the place they had recently visited on an outing.

Facing the cold wind, she stared long at the path they had taken. Not even a day had passed, and yet she already felt anxious and missed them.

Where might Ixor be now?

Quietly bringing her hands together, she prayed for everyone’s safe return. Her tightly clasped hands carried deep, desperate hope.

After finishing her short prayer, she slowly lifted her head. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, were calm, and the cold wind played with her loose hair as it brushed over her shoulders.

The prayer was over. From here on, it was all a matter of human will—and she, too, had her duties to fulfill.

Back at Orlank Castle, she neatly tied up her hair and pinned it simply. Sitting in the large chair in Ixor’s office, she felt as though she were embraced by him.

The war noises she’d heard in her youth echoed faintly in her ears, and she vividly imagined Ixor amidst the chaos. Fearful visions crept in like Ixor falling, struck by an arrow.

‘Rebels, surrender at once!’

She might even hear that shouted tomorrow. With a chill calmness, Daon spread out the stack of documents Zephar had left behind.

There was quite a lot. She picked up a pen and got to work. With every sheet she reviewed, dipping her pen into dark blue ink, her resolve solidified.

While taking a break and stretching her back, she glanced at the red diamond ring on her left ring finger, wiping off some ink from her fingers.

Speaking to the ring as if to Ixor, she whispered kindly,

“Don’t skip your meals.”

***

Ixor sat casually on a large rock by the stream, shaving with a dagger. So far, things were going smoothly. The fact that it was winter helped, as information spread more slowly.

With the bear-like Sir Rob leading the charge, they raced forward, replacing flags at each castle they passed. Zephar followed swiftly behind, organizing internal affairs and reforms, while Daon meticulously managed the transportation of supplies—using ships to go from port to port instead of overland, which made things much faster.

As Ixor used the handle of his dagger to break the thin ice in the stream and rinse the blade, he noticed a group of merchants.

“Hey! Where are you headed?”

He called out, addressing the well-equipped group of merchants traveling with mercenaries.

Before the murmurs settled, the head merchant casually approached the stream, scooped up cold water with his hands, drank, wiped his mouth, and asked,

“Are you one of Ixor’s knights?”

“It’d be a problem if I looked like one.”

With a short laugh, Ixor offered him some jerky from his pocket. The head merchant sat down right there, happily chewing the jerky.

“We’re heading to Garion.”

“Aren’t merchants usually the first to know when war breaks out? Bold of you.”

“You have to move during wartime to make money. It’s our season.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Besides, civil wars among nobles happen all the time. This one’s just on a bigger scale.”

“How are things up north?”

“Well, that kind of premium info costs more than one piece of jerky.”

Ixor handed over another piece without shame, making the merchant laugh heartily as he began to share.

“I hear Duke Serk is moving with a large army. If they’re moving even in this winter, there must be a royal command. But considering how few lords actually obeyed it, the royal family’s just about done.”

“The royal family’s done for, huh… Merchants think like that?”

“We’re not dumb. Nobles may see us as little better than pigs, but we just struggle to survive. And civil war? It just means the top faces change—we remain the same. Oh, and Lord Bauner has declared neutrality.”

That was top-tier information. Bauner was a real headache, and now the powerful noble had declared he would support neither Ixor nor the king. That hurt the royal family’s prestige while boosting Ixor’s.

After finishing the jerky, the head merchant dusted off his hands and stood.

“Well then… I’ve had a nice rest, Sir Ixor. Best of luck.”

“People say merchants are all foxes—guess I got tricked.”

As Ixor wrapped his dagger in leather, he burst into laughter. Then he handed over a delicately colored red maple leaf he’d placed atop his toiletries.

“If you’re heading to Garion, drop by Orlank Castle and give this to the young lady there.”

“A battlefield romance, is it?”

The head merchant nodded with a smile at the heart-shaped leaf.

***

Zelgirk ground his teeth in frustration. The pirates had looted an isolated farmhouse, stealing food and drink. They even brought back a woman holding a baby.

In his foul mood, he ordered her quietly eliminated. Scratching his sticky cheek with a fingernail, he summoned the pirate captain.

“There were about 200 pursuing us, right?”

“203.”

“Take 100 with me, send 50 toward Zephar, and the remaining 50 to track Ixor. We must stop Ixor’s advance at all costs.”

“Why should I go that far, my lord?”

“If Ixor starts ruling, your heads will be the first to roll. Orlank is nearly undefended now. If we play it right, we could just walk in. Not just Orlank—all the territory Ixor’s seized could be ours.”

“Tch. Like that’ll be easy.”

“You fool! I’ll send letters to both Ixor and Prince Dirk. They must be delivered. Got it? If Ixor finds out Daon is in danger, he’ll turn around immediately. Prince Dirk will strike in that moment.”

“All this over one woman?”

“Yes. Over one woman.”

The pirate captain snorted, and Zelgirk chuckled darkly. If it was about Daon, Ixor would abandon the battlefield, this much, Zelgirk was sure of.

“You all take the chance and snatch Princess Anna.”

“The princess?”

“Yes. I’ll keep Princess Anna and hand her over to Prince Dirk. That’ll make me the royal family’s hero. How’s that? If everything goes well, I’ll give you a title too.”

The pirate captain’s eyes gleamed. Zelgirk patted him a few times on the back and gave a final order.

“Make sure your filthy crew knows…no one lays a finger on Princess Anna.”

“Got it.”

After the captain left, Zelgirk stared down at Garion’s massive port from the mountainside.

Though he had fled there to evade Ixor’s pursuit, he planned to sneak back into Orlank under cover of night.

The flag of Ixor fluttered so strongly in the fierce wind that it became almost bothersome. Zelgirk glared at the Ixor flag, grinding his teeth.

“Do you really think the world will go the way you want it to?”

***

“He looked well. I saw him shaving by the stream.”

A guest arrived at the threshold of early spring. The leader of the merchants greeted her with a warm smile and handed her a small leaf.

Daon took the leaf in the shape of a heart along with news of Ixor’s well-being. She carefully held the petiole and turned the leaf around.

A red leaf, the color of sunset. A red heart.

The message he sent made her smile involuntarily. He must have been very anxious. Just the proof that he was alive was a great relief.

She gently stroked the leaf with affectionate fingertips and tucked it neatly between the pages of the book she had been reading.

The information the leader of the merchants had conveyed was valuable. Ixor was advancing at a terrifying speed, and among the people, it was said that ‘his strike is swift and precise,’ admired for both its speed and accuracy.

“What are the people’s reactions?” Daon asked, addressing her biggest concern.

The leader of the merchants shrugged and showed his palm.

“Surprisingly… Overall, it’s not bad.”

“Not bad means…”

“Ixor is quite well-liked, especially by the merchants. He’s scary, but he’s clear-headed and upright. He hasn’t fought anyone other than Orlank, and even the occupied land of Orlank is well-managed.”

“So, it’s leaning toward a favorable side.”

“Yes. There are quite a few nobles who are supporting him, and it feels like a refreshing breeze after a long time. A change that makes people imagine the future.”

The leader of the merchants spoke calmly, but there was a hint of goodwill in his tone. Daon clasped her hands tightly under the table in a heavy sense of relief.

The royal family had failed to dominate the nobles, and Ixor was a wealthy, old noble family. This gave him the righteous cause to end the chaotic era.

That was exactly what the majority of people desperately wanted.

“I’ll prepare dinner. Please have a meal before you leave.”

When Daon made the offer as a gesture of thanks, the leader of the merchants immediately declined.

“I have to hurry to Garion to catch the ship’s departure time. So, take care.”

After seeing off the merchants, Daon slowly made her way up the castle wall. Under the vast gray sky, the bleak land of early spring stretched out before her.

She gazed longingly at the far-off horizon, then looked up. The hazy sunlight was soft and gentle.

“It seems like there is a problem,” said Sir Renaud, who was looking down from the castle wall.

A thin, brown-haired girl was crouching in the shade, glancing nervously at them. She was a girl from Zelgirk’s territory, particularly silent and very cautious among the children. Daon turned to Renaud.

“Please excuse me for a moment. It’s just that an adult man is frightening to her.”

She grabbed her skirt and descended the stairs. Due to their experience of being trapped in a cage, the girls didn’t like to go up to even slightly higher places.

“Do you want to say something?”

Daon asked kindly, sitting down next to the girl who hesitated.

“In the afternoon… flowers,” the girl muttered timidly.

“Flowers?”

“Ha, together.”

The girl trembled and stammered.

From her hesitation, it seemed like she wanted to ask if Daon would go with her to see the flowers in the afternoon.

It was a big deal that the girl had spoken first, and if Daon rejected her now, the girl’s heart would likely close off completely. Knowing how fragile these children were, Daon immediately agreed.

“Alright, shall we go now?”

“The moon is sparkling. The petals… Ha, ha, ha.”

“Ah! Petals glowing white in the moonlight must be so beautiful.”

Daon said, realizing the girl understood quickly. The girl was taken aback and nervously glanced around. Daon hesitated before gently refusing.

“I’m sorry. I can’t go out at night. It’s not that I don’t want to see the flowers. It’s just that I have to be careful.”

Having her first request turned down, the girl nervously chewed her finger, filled with anxiety. Then, in a sudden rush, she bolted off, only to stop when Daon gently grabbed her wrist. The girl screamed and collapsed.

“I’m sorry, I scared you. How about we go later tonight, with that knight?”

Daon apologized and offered a condition. The girl looked toward Sir Renaud, who was standing on the wall.

Renaud was a knight the children especially liked and followed, but for these girls, men were only a source of fear. The girl was frozen in terror and confusion.

“I… I don’t like men…”

“Let’s go after dinner. We can hold hands, but I’ll ask the knight to stay far away.”

Unable to handle the tension any longer, the girl nodded, then suddenly began crying, her shoulders trembling. Daon extended her arms and gently embraced the girl.

It would be troublesome to go out too late, so Daon, with the girl who had brown hair, left the castle early that evening.

The wind was cold, but it was clear that spring was drawing near. The ice in the stream had melted, and apart from the scattered snow, there was no sign of winter’s remnants.

Twilight slowly spread its legs over the forest. The two walked together, bundled in thick cloaks and gloves, their hands tightly clasped.

Sir Renaud was watching them closely with a sharp gaze. At his brief signal, twenty fully armored soldiers quickly scattered into the woods, scanning the area.

Daon, knowing Renaud’s plans, deliberately walked slowly to make it easier for him. Soldiers holding torches continued to report, signaling with their hands that no one was within 50 meters of them.

Renaud kept the formation as is, confident that there wasn’t much danger in this forest, which was not far from Orlank Castle and regularly patrolled.

Daon glanced back. Renaud was about twenty steps behind, his figure blurred by his dark armor. Looking around, Daon saw soldiers holding flaming torches forming a circle around her.

The flowers the girl had mentioned were small wildflowers growing in the cracks of a rock. Daon crouched next to the girl and admired the flowers together.

“To bloom even in winter… what a brave flower. Thank you for showing me such a beautiful flower.”

When she complimented the girl, their eyes met, and the girl blushed, her cheeks turning red. Daon could see mixed emotions in the girl’s eyes—suspicion, affection, and anxiety—but she soon relaxed, exhaling a steady breath. This meant the girl was beginning to trust Daon.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, the girl flinched. Seeing her expression tense, Daon instinctively sensed something was wrong.

The girl chewed on her pinky finger and wouldn’t respond when her name was called or meet her gaze. A cold shiver ran down Daon’s spine.

Flap.

A leaf fluttered in the wind and dropped in front of her eyes.

It was a trap. There were definitely many people up above, in the black trees. A prickling, unpleasant feeling weighed down on Daon’s head and shoulders.

Without taking her eyes off the girl, Daon spoke in a calm, quiet voice.

“Deceiving others is deceiving yourself. If you let fear control you, you’ll never escape it.”

“They… they’re going to kill me. They came to my house… the pirates! They’ll feed me to the big dog!”

The girl stammered, tears streaming down her face. In her wide, terrified eyes, she couldn’t hide the fear.

Daon ended the conversation and gave a calm order.

“You know Sir Renaud is nearby, right? Get up and run to the castle. Right now.”

“Ugh…”

“Don’t be scared. You can scream as much as you want, but don’t stop running.”

The girl looked up at Daon with tear-filled eyes, and Daon, with calm and steady eyes, directed her to run, as though reading a storybook.

“Don’t worry, little one. Run. They’re just butterflies.”

“…”

After hesitating, the girl suddenly ran desperately. Daon slowly rose. As soon as she saw the girl run, Renaud unsheathed his sword and charged toward her. At almost the same moment, pirates dropped down from the trees above.

The view turned white. The branches of the trees in the forest shook violently, and the snow that had fallen earlier this year poured down like a fierce rain. The cold snowflakes soaked Daon’s shoulders and head.

Just like that night, when she had been running from Zelgirk in the middle of winter.

Daon glared contemptuously at Zelgirk, hiding behind the pirates.