The sewer rats had been entirely eliminated.
The monsters, lured by the Margrave, all left their backs vulnerable to us.
With the castle gates flung wide, Lucas and his troops attacked from the rear, and the volley from the castle walls persisted.
The sewer rats were impaled from the back, clear to the core.
Sporadic resistance was still evident, but those left, no longer a wave but re droplets, were utterly weak.
Facing the human swords and spears, the swarm of rats was hunted down. It took no ti at all to exterminate the lingering rats.
But.
"..."
Treading across the battlefield where the soldiers were wrapping up the leftover sewer rats, I hastened towards the spot where Lucas and the seasoned soldiers were assembled. Damien, who had healing magic, was at my side.
"Your Highness."
As I neared, Lucas looked at .
Lucass fresh armor and new sword were sared with rat blood.
But Lucas, devoid of any intention to clean it off, lowered his head heavily.
"It appears we are too late."
"..."
I pushed through the crowd and stepped into the center of the gathering.
The Crossroad Margrave was lying there.
The condition of the veteran knight was ghastly. His armor, shredded by the swarm of rats, was unrecognizable, and his limbs were almost gone.
Where the monsters had bitten into his body, his bones were visible.
Damien rushed over and applied his healing magic to the Margrave, but.
"I apologize, Your Highness. This injury..."
Right after, Damien closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head.
He must be implying that his healing magic was futile. Even if an SSR-ranked healer arrived, these injuries were beyond repair.
Nevertheless, I quickly drew a high-level stamina potion from my bag.
It was a superior potion that ca from the last reward box. If its this, sohow...
"Stop it."
Just then, the Crossroad Margrave murmured feebly.
"Thats not a wound that will heal if you douse it with that, its only going to cause more pain."
"Margrave!"
"Just help sit up a bit. I cant see a thing."
Damien and I slowly lifted the Crossroad Margraves upper body.
Each ti the Margrave coughed, blood flowed from his lips.
"...The battle, its over?"
"Yes, Margrave. Your efforts were monuntal."
"The walls... they werent breached?"
"They were breached, but no monsters made it inside. Everyone in the city is safe."
"Thank goodness..."
The Crossroad Margrave, with trembling eyelids, scanned around.
The veteran soldiers, who had defended this place with him their entire lives, were standing around him with stern expressions.
A faint smile rested on the Margraves lips.
"Dont look so glum, everyone. This is the monster frontline. Its only natural for soone to die here. Its just my turn."
"..."
"Do not mourn each death. Instead, rejoice in our victory, in our survival."
The retiring lord, with an expression of calm, looked at .
"This city is a city on a grave. Its a moniker earned from the many fallen warriors, but it also ans that even if its on a grave, life continues."
I strained my ears to catch his words.
"A city halts if we only dwell in sorrow and loss. Young lord. While its important to mourn, grant an equal asure of joy to all."
"Ill bear that in mind."
"Because hope is what keeps us alive..."
The Margrave, with remarkable effort, gently shut his eyes.
"So if soone has to die, it might as well be who has no more hope to lose."
The bleeding, which had been montarily stalled by Damiens healing magic, started anew. Blood gushed like a river from the old knights body.
Damien looked at , shaking his head sorrowfully. The Margrave murmured with a pallid face.
"Promise one thing, Prince Ash."
"Speak, Margrave. Ill do my utmost if its within my power."
"If my daughter ever cos here... tell her her father is sorry."
"..."
"Please live freely... live as you wish..."
I nodded.
"Ill ensure your ssage is conveyed."
"Good, thats sufficient."
The shadow of death flashed across his face.
With his dimming eyes, the Margrave muttered as he stared into the emptiness.
"Im sorry, my love..."
He was expressing his regrets to his departed wife.
"I couldnt safeguard anything... not the orchard, not you... not our daughter... nothing..."
"No, Margrave."
I gently held his hand that barely retained its shape.
"You saved the world. Not just this once, but over your entire life. You defended all humanity on the front lines."
"..."
"The world is heavily indebted to you."
There was no reply.
Whether he could no longer hear my words, the Margrave didnt look at , speaking only to himself.
"Im sorry... I couldnt... protect... anything..."
Only regret filled the Margraves blood-soaked eyes.
Suddenly, I recalled. I hastily drew a pouch from my pocket.
The pouch containing the dried fruit that the Margrave had gifted .
I didnt even know why Id been carrying this tasteless thing around. Perhaps it was for this exact mont.
I opened the pouch and gently placed the dried fruit into the Margraves mouth.
"Ah..."
As he held the tart fruit in his mouth, a faint smile traced across the blood-stained corners of his lips.
"This grape, really..."
He couldnt chew or swallow it, but a mont of serenity crossed the Margraves face.
I wonder if he was envisioning the tranquil orchard from happier days when he was with his wife and daughter.
"Sweet..."
And then, the Margrave drew no more breaths.
"..."
I stared down in despair at the face of the man who had just exhaled his last breath.
I couldnt comprehend.
This man, who had given everything in defense of the city, had once been so bitter towards it that he wished to relinquish his familys responsibilities.
I pondered why he had co back in the end.
For what cause had he fought and died?
What was it about this battlefield that consud an entire lifeti?
"The burden is heavy, Margrave," I murmured, gently closing his blood-streaked eyelids.
"The citys throne... it weighs too much."
It felt as though thousands of pounds bore down upon my shoulders.
For a while, I sat quietly beside the lifeless body of the Margrave.
The soldiers who had gathered around slowly bowed their heads one by one.
Ding- Ding- Ding-
The distant tolling of a bell echoed.
It was the signal that the monster invasion had ended and the evacuation order lifted.
The setting sun and the tolling evening bell blanketed the now-desolate battlefield.
***
[STAGE 2 - CLEAR!]
[STAGE MVP - Lucas(SSR)]
[Level Up Characters]
- Ash(EX) Lv.11 (2)
- Lucas(SSR) Lv.31 (2)
- Jupiter(SR) Lv.37 (1)
- Lilly(R) Lv.21 (1)
- Damien(N) Lv.24 (3)
[Dead and Injured Characters]
- Charles Cross(SR): Deceased
[Aquired Items]
- Ratman Legion Magic Stones: 562
- Ratman Champion Magic Core(R): 3
[Stage Clear Rewards have been given. Please check your inventory.]
- N Grade Reward Box: 3
- SR Grade Reward Box: 1
>> Get Ready For The Next STAGE
>> [STAGE 3 : The Continuation]
***
In the heart of Crossroad, at the Lords Mansion.
I shuffled towards the mansions entrance.
"Oh, Lord!"
On spotting , Aider scrambled over, alarm written across his face.
"Are you injured? Weve been worried sick."
"...Aider."
"Youve done well in this stage too. Its truly remarkable..."
Ignoring his chatter, I seized Aider by the collar.
"Cough? Lord?"
With a firm push, I pinned the disconcerted man against the wall. Bang!
"Cough, Gulp. Lord, what..."
"Talk."
My growl rumbled as I tightened my grip on his collar, causing Aiders face to blanch with bewildernt.
"Yes? Gulp! Yes?"
"Talk."
"What, what are you..."
"Quit playing innocent, you Director bastard!"
My roar echoed, my grip around his neck verging on throttling.
"The situation is blatantly odd. Whats with this absurd difficulty level?!"
"...!"
"I overlooked it because the tutorial stage is ant to be that way. I thought maybe Id just drawn the short straw when Living Armor showed up in Stage 1. But!"
My tirade continued unabated.
"A hostile NPC showing up in Stage 2 and commanding the monsters? Thats not even a feature in hell difficulty!"
"..."
"Spit it out! What in the world have you done? Why is the ga this challenging? What other odd twists will there be in the upcoming stage?"
Aiders pallid eyes, peering out from behind his bangs and glasses, quivered with bewildernt.
Grasping Aiders collar with both hands, I gave him a violent shake.
"Why are you concealing these things when you claid youd assist ? I want a straight answer!"
"...Even though you may not believe , my lord."
Aider, who had been anxiously biting his lower lip, began to speak hesitantly.
"I am aiding you in the only way I know. Truly."
"Dont give that! Youre aiding while all of this is going on? And youre withholding information while claiming to help?"
To that, Aider pointed at my neck.
"That necklace."
A leather choker-like necklace adorned my neck. It was a reward from the tutorial stage.
"The necklace you received for completing Stage 0, its functionality will be revealed once you clear Stage 3."
"And then?"
"Once that function is unlocked, youll understand the matters that are puzzling you now."
Aider spoke with a trace of bitterness.
"Youll know once you clear one more stage. The reasons for these events unfolding..."
"..."
I maintained my distrustful glare at Aider, finding it hard to take his words at face value.
"Please, my lord. No, RetroAddict."
Aider called by my Earth-given nickna.
"I sincerely hope you can manage. Continue battling as you are now, even once you uncover the full truth of this insane world."
"What?"
"Because the mont you do, there will be no turning back."
I queried Aider, who was making no sense, with a note of apprehension in my voice.
"Turning back from what?"
Despite the chokehold on his collar and the pressure on his throat, Aider managed a slight smile.
It wasnt his typical cheerful grin, but a complex expression, as if a tangle of emotions battled within him.
"...From this world itself."
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