Chapter 271

AGS Chapter 271

“A letter from my sister?”

Ronan opened the envelope. As he read the letter, a smile spread across his face. Adeshan, seeing the anger completely vanish from Ronan’s face, breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness. It looks like your mood improved.”

“How could I read a letter from my sister with a frown? Thanks for delivering it.”

Ronan’s eyes were filled with affection, a look he rarely showed except when he was alone with her. Adeshan, watching him, found herself smiling unconsciously.

“You really love Lady Iril, don’t you?”

“Of course. As you know, I don’t have any parents.”

For a moment, Adeshan was at a loss for words. She didn’t know how to respond to such a statement. Ronan himself spoke casually, but the gravity of his words was heavy. When Adeshan remained silent, Ronan continued.

“When you think about it, I’ve had a pretty tough life. My mom passed away when I was young, so I never got to see her face properly, and my father is sleeping at the northern end of the world with the secrets of the universe. So, I don’t really understand things like maternal love or parental affection.”

“Um…”

“But I’ve never felt any dissatisfaction or lack because of it. I had my sister. Even though I was a little brat when I was a kid, it wasn’t because I didn’t receive love, but because I was born with a nasty temperament.”

Ronan chuckled. Adeshan forced a smile. The vanguard that had confirmed the disappearance of the barrier was entering the mountain path.

“My sister always raised me with love and care. I felt it ever since I was carried in her arms as a baby. She was someone too good for a scoundrel like me.”

“That’s… a bit much to say.”

“No, it’s true.”

Ronan shook his head. He shared a few childhood stories about Iril.

“One time, I threw a tantrum because I wanted to see Orse, the dragon from a fairy tale. It was something she could have brushed off, saying I could meet him in my dreams, but she didn’t. Guess what she did?”

“Hmm… did she draw a picture for you?”

“Close, but not quite. She spent a whole month reducing her sleep to create a really convincing Orse costume. And then she wore it and surprised me when I came home.”

Recalling that memory, Ronan laughed. Even by adult standards, the costume was impressively detailed. She had made the four wings out of real raven feathers. Adeshan covered her mouth in amazement.

“Wow.”

“And I didn’t even pretend to be surprised. By then, I had already lost interest in Orse. I never paid attention to that costume after that.”

“…Wow.”

Adeshan was amazed again, but this time with a slightly different feeling. Seeing her expression, Ronan gave a wry smile.

‘I really was a brat.’

Looking back, he realized how much of a jerk he had been as a child. He couldn’t understand why he had been so bothersome to a sister who had changed his diapers. Iril had always given him endless love, even without him doing anything to deserve it.

Thank goodness I came back. Ronan murmured to himself and continued speaking.

“Sorry, I digressed a bit. I just wanted to show how much I care.”

“I can tell. It’s enough.”

“Thanks for saying that. Anyway, that’s all there is to it. I just want to make my sister happy.”

Ronan concluded. In truth, Iril’s happiness was one of the biggest motivations for his resolve to save the world. A tragic fate was something that did not suit his beloved sister.

“Ah, do you mind if I go to the capital for a few hours tomorrow?”

“Huh? Of course, it’s fine, but why?”

“I didn’t realize it, but apparently, it’s my birthday tomorrow. My sister wants to spend some time together after a long while.”

Ronan showed the letter from Iril. On the parchment, the elegant handwriting clearly stated that she wanted him to come home for his birthday. At the bottom, there was a note saying she had already prepared a present. He had completely forgotten about his birthday, having not thought about it for a long time. Adeshan nodded.

“You should go then. Anyway, after we capture Felgrand, we’ll have a rest period. I’ll make sure it’s okay.”

“I’ll be quick. Is everything okay with you, Senior?”

“Hmm…well…”

Adeshan hesitated. Recently, she had been experiencing something akin to auditory hallucinations. Since her trip to the north with Ronan, an unknown woman’s voice had been growing louder in her head.

She wanted to talk about it, but she feared it would take up too much time. Even though the battle was tilting in their favor, they were still in the midst of a fight. Just as she was about to say something, she was interrupted.

“Hey, we might have to retreat.”

“Balzac?”

Balzac suddenly approached from behind. His pale face was now sporting bruises that hadn’t been there before. It seemed the Shadow Duke had given him quite a beating in his ‘lesson.’ Ronan asked.

“What’s going on?”

“A message just came from the east. Jaifa’s 2nd Corps has captured Pansia Fortress. The hawks are finishing up and heading here.”

“Ah, so they finally took Pansia. In that case, we should retreat.”

Ronan nodded. Exchanging glances with him, Adeshan quickly ran towards her unit. Soon, her voice resonated in his mind.

[This is the 4th Field Commander. All troops are to retreat immediately outside Felgrand Mountain. I repeat, all commanders receiving this transmission, lead your units out of Felgrand Mountain at once.]

The shadow-infused mana spread throughout the camp. The allied forces’ fierce assault suddenly halted.

They immediately shifted to a retreat. Even the vanguard, which had just entered the depths of the mountains, soon turned back.

“Th-they’re retreating!”

“What’s happening?”

The cultists preparing for the final battle were confused. It was a mysterious withdrawal. With only two more strongholds to capture, Felgrand would fall into allied hands, so their orderly retreat was incomprehensible.

“What’s going on…”

Archbishop Alicia frowned. She had been recovering in a stronghold after being defeated by Ronan and the Shadow Duke. One of her subordinates asked.

“Should we pursue them?”

“…No. We are at a disadvantage. Focus on moving supplies and personnel.”

Alicia shook her head. She didn’t understand why, but it was fortunate. Ronan’s presence, which effortlessly broke the barrier, was like a bolt from the blue. Without another archbishop, engaging in battle could result in significant casualties.

“What is the leader doing…”

Mulling over her defeat, she muttered. Despite the organization being in dire straits, the leader had not appeared for over a month. Initially, she believed he had a plan, but that faith was now wavering.

“…Everything is as the stars will it.”

But she couldn’t give up now. It was the leader, after all. Having done well so far, he would undoubtedly guide the cult to the right path.

Clap, clap. Alicia slapped her cheeks to bolster her resolve and stood up. She was about to issue orders to her subordinates when she heard a shout from the eastern watchtower.

“Something’s coming from the north!”

“What do you mean, something?”

“Oh my… Look at the sky!”

The commotion was growing. Alicia turned east and looked up. She, like everyone else, froze. Seven enormous dragons were flying in formation above the horizon.

“What…”

It was the allied force’s dragon unit, responsible for their firepower. With their forces weakened and the barrier gone, Nebula Clazier had no means to stop them. Leading the formation, Ithargand opened his mouth wide and roared.

【Kraaaaa-!!!】

The youngest son of Nabarnoje, though small in size, breathed the hottest flames among the seven. The mountain range shook with his powerful voice. Alicia’s face fell into despair.

The seven dragons’ scales gleamed a ruby red, reminiscent of Nabarnoje’s own. Known as the most powerful of all dragons, they were the ultimate creations of the divine.

“So that’s why they suddenly retreated…!”

She began to understand the reason for the abrupt withdrawal. As the dragons entered the mountain range, they began to spew flames. Kraaah! The red-yellow flames poured down like molten metal, setting aflame the strongholds that the allied forces hadn’t reached yet.

“Run! Get inside the fortress!”

“It’s too late…!”

“Alicia! The barrier…!”

Screams erupted everywhere. Despite the desperate pleas of the cultists, Alicia couldn’t activate the barrier. Once destroyed, it needed more time to regenerate.

The dragons swiftly reached above their heads. Looking down at the ground, Ithargand shouted in a wrathful voice.

【Abandon all hope! You worms!】

Simultaneously, the sky turned red. A torrent of flames descended upon Alicia’s head. The cultists cast defensive spells, but they only held for a few seconds. Alicia, looking up at the sky, let out a bitter laugh.

“This is too much.”

Kraaah! The sound was like a thousand forests burning at once as the flames engulfed the fortress. The flames disintegrated all organic material in an instant, penetrating the buildings and incinerating the soldiers and supplies.

The place where the dragon’s fire had swept through was devoid of even screams. A cold wind from the north swept through the mountain range, stirring up ashes and embers.

Thus, the Felgrand Mountain, a pillar in the north, fell into allied hands.

****

It was a refreshing noon. Fluffy clouds drifted across the sky above the capital. The early summer breeze seeped through the half-opened window.

“Today is finally the day.”

The temperature was high, but the lack of humidity made it comfortable. Iril, looking out the window, smiled. It was the perfect day to celebrate her beloved brother’s birthday.

“I can’t wait to see you. My little brother.”

Iril murmured. Lately, Ronan had been so busy that she hardly saw him, or any of his friends like Aselle or Schlieffen.

In front of her was a table laden with enough food to break the legs. Twenty dishes, including the potato stew at the center, were all made by her.

Though it took a lot of effort, thinking of Ronan made it all worth it. Besides, today wasn’t just any birthday, so it was only right to put in extra effort.

The gift she had prepared today had much deeper meaning than usual. Wiping her hands on her apron, Iril suddenly snapped her fingers.

“Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing.”

Realizing she hadn’t brought out the gift, Iril went into her room. Stopping in front of her bed, she bent down. Underneath, she saw the box containing the family heirloom.

“Eeeek…!”

Reaching under the bed, Iril gritted her teeth. No matter how hard she tried, the box remained just out of reach, barely brushing her fingertips. After struggling in that position for a while, she finally stood up.

“Phew… did I push it too far in?”

She wiped the sweat from her forehead and muttered. It seemed she would have to move the whole bed. Rolling up her sleeves, she was about to start when she heard a knock at the front door.

“Coming~!”

Iril called out. The cheerful knocking was familiar. He had said he might be a little late, but he came early instead? Smiling brightly, she opened the door.

“Ronan! Come on in! Are you…”

Iril’s eyes widened. There was no one outside. The empty street, unusually quiet, lay before her.

“…What?”

Iril tilted her head. She had definitely sensed someone’s presence, but it seemed she was mistaken. Closing the door without much thought, she turned around.

“Did I mishear…?”

Suddenly, a piercing scream escaped her lips. The house had turned into a bloodbath. Dozens of men in black clothes lay headless, their corpses strewn across the floor.

“What… what is this…”

The smell of blood hit her nose. Iril covered her mouth with both hands. The men’s clothes bore the crest of the Balon Empire. They were the elite royal guards sent at Ronan’s request to protect Iril.

Not a single one was left alive. Blood spurted from their necks, unnaturally red. As Iril struggled to breathe, almost collapsing, a man’s voice came from the direction of the dining table.

“Nice to meet you. This is our first time in person.”

“Gasp…!”

Iril quickly turned and froze. Someone was sitting at the table, which had been empty moments ago. The white-haired man was casually eating the potato stew she had made.

“Your cooking skills are excellent. It’s fortunate no blood got on this.”

“D-dad…?”

Iril’s voice trailed off. The man’s appearance was strikingly similar to her father’s.

But something was fundamentally different. His sunset-colored eyes held none of her father’s kindness. Struggling to steady her breath, Iril asked.

“…No. Who are you?”

“As expected, you are his blood. That makes this a historic meeting. You may already know, but let me introduce myself formally.”

The man stood up from the table, scratching his head, and approached Iril.

“My name is Abel. I am the current leader of Nebula Clazier.”