“Gagaro.”
In the jungle terrain, Rexton—Commander of the Royal Knights of Ezer—stood on the ground, having lost his horse during the ambush.
His breath came in ragged gasps. His broad shoulders heaved with each inhale and sagged with every exhale.
“Was this by order of Emperor Utor of Yaphenon himself?”
He fixed his gaze on Gagaro, the general of Yaphenon who had struck down his horse.
“Keuk… who knows?”
Gagaro was the most infamous warrior in Yaphenon. He followed orders no matter the content, and was considered second only to Utor in strength.
“Whatever the command was, it doesn’t change the fact that you’ll die here today.”
Rexton clenched his sword tighter.
‘Utor is trying to devour Ezer…’
With the prolonged absence of the Royal Knights due to Krata’s demands, Tia’s safety was already in jeopardy.
‘And now, these savages too…’
Yaphenon’s treachery would plunge Ezer into even greater danger. With a growl, Rexton barked an order to his remaining men.
“Even if only one of you survives, get out of here! You must deliver this news to Her Majesty!”
Yaphenon had mobilized an enormous force to capture Ezer’s knights. With only allied nations nearby, transporting such a force to this location hadn’t been difficult.
If anyone had caught on and tried to interfere, they had likely been crushed with swift violence. That alone made Rexton’s blood boil.
“You savages only know how to exploit others’ goodwill!”
His roar echoed as he glared at Gagaro.
“I will help put an end to your vile ambitions!”
Messenger birds had already been loosed, but every single one had been shot down by Yaphenon archers. There was no other way. He would have to survive and deliver the truth himself.
“Very well, Rexton.”
Gagaro raised his twin axes with a smirk.
“I, Gagaro, have long regretted not getting to face the Hero in battle. I’ll settle that grudge through this war.”
The Hero.
Once hailed as a savior of mankind, only to be executed as a servant of the Demon King.
Rexton had admired him once. But after witnessing his disgraceful end, all he felt was bitter emptiness.
And now, to hear his name casually used by this brute only made his rage boil.
“You don’t deserve to wield a weapon, beast.”
Fwoosh!
Rexton’s sword lit up with a powerful blue aura.
“I will bury you in this swamp.”
“Bring it on, if you can!”
Gagaro drew upon the curse etched into his axes.
The twin blades glowed blood-red, like they had been soaked in the blood of countless victims.
CRASH!
Their weapons clashed with a deafening explosion of sparks.
♧
“Something feels wrong.”
Empress Tia of Ezer muttered with a troubled expression.
“Why haven’t we heard from Rexton?”
He was someone who valued reporting above all else. Even before arriving, he should’ve sent multiple messengers. But there had been nothing for some time.
“……I find it strange as well.”
Royal Guard Captain Lilien nodded in agreement.
“Based on his last known path, he should’ve entered the jungle zone. Given his nature, he would’ve sent reports once he exited.”
But no messages had come.
“There’s a chance something happened in the jungle.”
“……”
Tia’s expression darkened.
“Why does nothing ever go as planned?”
She turned to face Lilien directly.
“Lilien, Rexton has always reported regularly in case of situations like this, hasn’t he?”
“Yes. I believe so.”
“Then we have only one course of action.”
They couldn’t afford to lose Rexton. He was no ordinary knight—his value was incomparable.
‘He’s several times stronger than Lilien.’
Though overly upright at times, he was a loyal servant willing to give his life for Ezer.
“We must rescue him, no matter what.”
Tia gave the order.
“Lilien, gather the troops and search the last location we heard from Rexton.”
“Your Majesty…”
Lilien hesitated, concern shadowing her face.
“Is there a problem?”
Tia’s voice rose slightly. Lilien responded reluctantly.
“Is it wise to move our forces when we don’t know what the Blue Tower might do?”
Tia’s relationship with Yuru had already deteriorated. If the Blue Tower struck while Ezer’s defenses were down, the result could be catastrophic.
“It’s fine. I’ve made arrangements.”
“Arrangements…?”
Clack.
Just then, the door to the Royal office creaked open.
“……”
An elf woman entered, wearing tattered clothing and a face drawn with exhaustion.
Strapped to her back was the divine bow, Mesaropit—its once radiant surface now dulled by hardship.
“Lady Yelena…?”
Lilien gasped at the sight. But Yelena ignored her, walking slowly toward Tia.
“I’m sorry. I apologize. I’m sorry. I apologize…”
Her eyes were vacant, her steps unsteady, and her words like a broken chant.
Alarmed, Lilien instinctively stepped forward.
“P-Please stop, Lady Yelena!”
Yuru had already shown open hostility toward Tia. It hadn’t been long since their relationship fractured completely.
There was no guarantee Yelena wouldn’t follow the same path.
“Lilien.” Tia spoke gently, “It’s okay.”
“…Pardon?”
“Yelena is different from Yuru.”
Tia looked into Yelena’s vacant eyes.
“Isn’t that right, Yelena?”
Though she hadn’t said it outright, Tia knew. Yelena’s age, as confirmed by various clues, was at least several hundred years.
At that age, even if she wasn’t a sage, she would hardly act rashly.
Though she was broken now, the fact remained—she was an elf.
And elves never break their oaths.
“Elves do not violate their pacts. That much is certain.”
Yelena had sworn an oath with the royal family of Ezer, on behalf of her people.
A mutual agreement to eliminate enemies identified by either side.
It was a token of gratitude, after Ezer sent forces to destroy a criminal faction that had tried to burn the Elven Forest.
Ironically, the mages of the Blue Tower had also assisted back then.
Though it was the royal family of Ezer that sealed the pact—not the Tower.
In hindsight, the Blue Tower likely saw it as a foolish blunder.
“Yelena, I want you to protect Ezer while our troops are away.”
“……”
“I know the elves you can summon from the forest are few in number. I’m not asking the impossible. But if it’s you… you can at least prevent disaster from striking.”
The Elf of Fortress.
Her power to protect a small number of elves had become a powerful tool in saving comrades during her time with the Hero’s party.
“If only… if only I could be forgiven…”
Lilien’s eyes widened as Yelena muttered, lost in her own broken thoughts.
“Your Majesty, Lady Yelena is—”
“I know, Lilien.”
Tia turned to her.
“But the Elven pact is burned into the mind. You understand what that means.”
Even if the mind shattered, the oath remained, etched into her unconscious.
Unless she had a stronger will to override it, she would follow that pact above all else.
“That’s enough for now.”
“…Understood.”
Lilien swallowed hard and glanced at Yelena.
There was nothing more they could do.
To save Ezer, they needed the strength of this great elf.
“Then please prepare well, Lilien.”
Lilien hesitated briefly, then bowed and exited the office.
“I’m sorryClay, sorryforlettingyoudie, sorrysorrysorry…”
“……”
As Yelena trembled and muttered in terror, Tia clasped her hands tightly.
“Yelena.”
Her own hands were trembling too.
“You’re lucky.”
Watching Yelena’s broken state, Tia whispered bitterly.
“Even if you lose your mind… you can still go on living.”
Unlike her—unlike someone who could never escape the pain. Tia could only grit her teeth and endure.
‘Clay…’
She tried to echo Yelena’s broken apology, but her lips stayed shut.
♧
“Huff… haah…”
Nael.
The greatest warrior of the beastkin who had found Clay, now stood bloodied, her fury fixed on Beatrice, one of the Demon King’s Four Generals.
“You wretched lackey of the Demon King…!”
Blood continued to flow from her wounds, caused by the Fire Dragon Dagger. They refused to close easily.
‘Damn it.’
Even her healing ability couldn’t restore her body fast enough.
Nael turned her gaze from Beatrice to Clay.
‘It’s the brainwashing. That’s the key.’
She hadn’t come here to kill Beatrice.
As much as she wanted to, all that mattered was getting Clay back intact.
‘I need to find a way. Any way.’
She didn’t need to win through combat alone. She just had to get him back.
‘Clay, I’ll save you. I swear it.’
She gritted her teeth.
“Oh? Are you already out of strength?”
Beatrice’s mocking voice was ignored.
Nael focused everything on Clay, who stood nearby.
FWOOSH!
She lunged, flying toward him.
“Clay, hold on tight.”
It might be pointless, but she told him anyway.
Whoosh!
Dodging the rapidly closing Beatrice, Nael leapt again.
Landing some distance away, she took off with Clay in tow.
‘Just need to get far enough! If I can get away—!’
She widened the distance.
Not all brainwashing broke with distance, but—
Nael was sure.
‘There’s no way a brainwashing brand could overwrite the divine brand already on Clay!’
To maintain remote brainwashing, the brand had to be extremely powerful.
But Clay had already been branded by the priests.
A second brand wouldn't take. The divine brand served as an unbreakable shackle, blocking all other influences.
That meant no magia, no foreign magic could sustain itself within Clay’s body.
Clay had to be under a limited form of brainwashing—something sensory, only effective at close range.
“Just a little more…!”
If she could restore his consciousness, even Beatrice wouldn’t stop them—
CLAMP!
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, Clay’s hand grabbed the base of her tail.
Her greatest weakness.
(End of Chapter)