67 The Cat That Acted Like a Dog

The coalition forces who held their line at Mizar settlement saw their enemies fell down lifeless at the ground, the sea of people pushing towards the gate like crazy beasts was no more, silence filled the battlefield, as gunshots have stopped, and BC's stopped exploding also, Eagle and Raven also landed back at one of Mizar's roof and took their human form.

The knights who didn't have to fight stood in agape, the close combatants had a mixture of impressions, some of them were frustrated not being able to fight and some of them were able to breathe in relief, thinking that they didn't have to fight the flood of men-turned-monsters, the majority was the latter.

They gazed as the gun carriers knelt behind the mud mounds, even when the enemies have stopped their guns are still ready and aimed at the gate because their commander has yet to give them another command. They admired the men in green and brown, it was thanks to them that they miraculously didn't experience any loss during the defensive battle.

Michaela who looked at the strange phenomenon dispelled the ice on the center and bravely walked towards the gate to confirm the danger. The four chief knights who saw this equipped their swords and joined her as a courtesy.

A demolition company made a path for her which guaranteed that she won't be stepping to any of the bombs.

Michaela passed through the line made by men and women wearing brown all over, it was her first time to see them closely, the demolition platoon of Andrei that turned into a battalion mostly from commoners and servants, she couldn't deny that these were the people who equaled knight in terms of their bravery and skill. BC's were dangerous if one were not careful and made a single mistake in placing it, that person could die instantly with the unlucky people that surround him. It was all commoner in the battalion due to its dangerous nature, but it played a very important role.

While walking the path was laden with corpses, so they had no choice but to step on top of it, with each step they took the sound of their shoes stepping on the armor was the only thing that they can hear, together with a disgusting smell attacked their noses. As they went beyond the portcullises they scanned the area and saw that they were all dead, unlike when they were possessed their remains were either corpses with melted flesh or were pure skeleton under their sturdy armor.

In a few minutes they finally, confirmed that the enemy had indeed been defeated.

"The enemies have fallen! March towards the castle!" Michaela told the Chief knights, who then went back to the defensive line to give the order.

Everyone who heard the announcement was overjoyed of the confirmation. Knights raised their hands and swords and victory, gun carriers raised their flintlocks, the demolition people hugged each other, the silent battlefield was filled with delightful cheers of victory.

...

They all marched with the close combatants in the vanguard until they arrived at the castle, by Michaela's command they opened the large door, while the gun carriers aimed at it in case a threat occurs, the first thing they saw was the defeated beast and its flesh all around the palace. Michaela who saw the scene felt her heart racing, as she didn't see anyone in the throne room other than it, she scanned the room until she heard a small girl's scream for help.

"Is that the coalition? I need healers here! Hurry up! Come here!"

The voice came from the adjacent room, Michaela who heard it immediately gave out commands while running towards the room herself.

"Anyone who has heal magic, come with me! Eagle and Raven fetch Ms. Layla immediately"

Michaela arrived at the adjacent room and was horrified by what she saw.

There laid three people dear to her, Claire her sister, Andrei her fiance and her loyal old knight who served her since she was young.

The three had severe wounds, all over their bodies. The old knight had the worse of them, with large holes over his body his blood flowed on the floor. Gideon was found laid at the back of the wall, in the state of mind down, only Rara was conscious with a few wounds on her body, tears fell down her cheeks as she held Andrei's hands as she looked at Michaela "Sorry your highness, Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm... " she cried as the pain in her heart hurt as worst as an open wound.

She clasped onto Andrei's hand for support, as her whole body shakes. Her sobs were stifled at first as she attempted to look strong in front of the queen and her chief knights, but then overcome by the wave of her emotions, she made a break down entirely.

"NO!!! NO!!!" Michaela covered her mouth, in disbelief, "Rara, what happened… " Michaela was too shaken to even move, she simply stood there, not knowing what to do as emotions flowed endlessly, the knights who had healing magic immediately tended to the four, but when the chief knight Carle who attended to Erneis felt his pulse. He looked at Michaela and shook his head.

She felt weak and dropped on her knees, as much as she tried to hold it in, the pain came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a silent scream. The beads of water started falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping. She hit the wall and tried to scream, but her voice was melted by the sound of the place.

…

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Claire and Andrei were continuously being treated by Layla in their own rooms, Gideon had already recovered his mana and was helping his wife with the treatment. The two took turns, in order to bring back the two's health as soon as possible.

Andrei was the first one who woke up, he sits in his bed every day, looking at the scenery at the window where he could see the horizon. Michaela comes from time to time to check on him after her duties as they talked their topic was about the resolution of the war.

But for some reason, Michaela did not even once talk about Erneis. If the topic was leading to him, Michaela would try to change the topic and make a forced smile.

"Rara you see... ascended to the throne, and thanks to you guys defeating the leader no one suffered an injury on the defensive battle. There will be a crowning that will happen at the end of the month, do you think you can go?" Michaela told him as she sat on a wooden chair beside him while holding his hand.

"Well, I might be able to, thanks to Ms. Layla," Andrei opened and closed his fist, and moved his feet under the blanket to check the broken bones. When he was first treated he would scream in pain every night due to the aching of his broken bones and wounds, Gideon would have to cast a sleeping spell to ease the pain, and now he didn't feel a single pain as they were now magically healed.

"This is amazing, in our previous world I would have to undergo surgery and use braces for years," he thought to himself as he checked his body, he remembered the painful days of treatment but most of the time he was put to sleep, the pleasant feeling after healing made him appreciate Gideon and Layla.

"I think the inner wounds have already healed. There are still bruises all over but I think I'm all good to attend," Andrei told Michaela, he didn't want to worry her further, "what about Claire, will she attend?"

"Ah, yes Claire," her eyes shook, and hid her expression as if there was troubling her, but still she continued, "Claire can't attend yet, her wounds are deeper than we thought, so it might take a while before she could walk again," she told him with a smile.

But he wasn't dense to be rest assured by such a smile, to him looked so fake as if she was forcing herself even when she looked so sad, but he also didn't want to corner her further, all he could do was also reply awkwardly in the same manner.

"I see, then we can't help it huh... Thanks for coming again Michaela, I really appreciate it,"

"Then, I'll come back again tomorrow, the servants will give you something to wear tomorrow, for now, have some more rest so you can fully recover. Then if you'll excuse me," Michaela stood up, and waved him goodbye as she went out of the room.

Andrei didn't know what to do, he knew that he would have to ask her directly but he found it very hard to say the real questions he wanted to ask, for some reason she was on the edge, knowing Claire and Gideon was safe was enough for him, he also knew what happened to Erneis already even how much Michaela avoided the topic, as the thought of this, he remembered the dying face of Erneis as he looked into his eyes.

As emotions flowed into his chest, he immediately shook his head to stop thinking about it and looked at the scenery outside.

"I guess there's nothing I can do," Andrei wore his slippers and got up from his bed, "but I do need some change of pace, or else I will go insane,"

With his clothes in shreds, from the last battle, he wore the clothes provided to him, the white long sleeves with strings on the collar, and the black-colored breeches. After dressing up he went straight to the kitchen, and saw the head maid Clarissa, on the way.

"Where you may be headed your highness?" The straight-laced maid asked him with a bow.

"Andrei is fine, can you prepare something for me?"

"Will you be having breakfast? Then, please go back to your room, her highness Michaela told me to deliver it to your room like the usual," Clarissa tilted her head in confusion.

"No, ummm.... it's not for me, but can you call Celeste? She knows how to prepare it, and I'm going out for a bit," he smiled helplessly.

The maid immediately, partially understood what he meant and sighed, "okay, but I'll inform her highness about this, please be careful as you are still not fully recovered"

"Gotcha, thank you Clarissa," Andrei waved to her as he turned around towards the hall that leads to the door outside.

"No, your highness, I should be the one thanking you for rescuing us before," Clarissa closed her eyes as she bowed, to the man who planned their rescue when they were held captive at Mizar.

"It's not really myself who rescued you, I'm just a part of it, but... You're welcome," Andrei replied as he walked forward as he waved at her from the back.

…

Andrei went around the town by himself, he recognized some familiar faces which were the gun carriers from his battalion, mostly he saw them strolling around shops happily with their family, "so they are already spending their reward huh? Not so bad, rewards are handed in just a week, no wonder Michaela is busy," he told himself.

After the battle, Michaela and Rara immediately arranged the recovery of Kydus, the rebuilding of the homes, the burying of the dead, the rights Kydus will be handing to Ethareri as thanks for their help, the compensation to all the soldiers and other matters that are related, the queen and the crown princess became busy in their own countries.

As he strolled around he realized how different the town was compared to his old world, life was slow, yet it was abundant, people lived in their own little ways, he could see on the streets, the nobles and their attendants talking, the wives gossiping with each other, the children playing imaginary monster-slaying, there were many sceneries that calmed his mind in his early morning stroll.

"Michaela will probably be mad, I hope Clarissa can cover enough for me," pausing his early morning adventure, he stopped by a stone bridge that overlooks a wide part of the city and the horizon at the same time, he learned by the stone as he was mesmerized by the peaceful town it was the perfect time for him to sort out his feelings.

The loss of a friend, the pain he felt, the hopes that were placed into him, that last-minute idea that sprung up to his mind that was able to take down the beast.

"If we had planned that beforehand, Erneis didn't have to die, I got cocky, I closed my mind, I imposed my logic in this world that doesn't follow the same timeline and history as my old one… strategies, tactics, weapons, magic, monstrous enemies, we could have planned better but I… "

He blamed himself for not being able to think of the solution in the first place, the solution was hilariously simple, but he only thought of it in the last-ditch attempt. The thought frustrated so much that he wanted to punch the stone where he was leaning on.

But, as he was engrossed on his negative thoughts he felt something bunting at his feet that sounded like a cat, he was distracted and looked at it. It was a white cat but strangely it acted like a dog as it rolled, panted and barked.

"See... the animals here are even weird, to me, it might be weird that a cat that acts like a dog, but for this world, this may be just a normal cat," he tried to rub its belly but a shadow appeared on the ground, it scared the cat, it stood, barked at Andrei and ran away.

Andrei turned stood straight and turned around, he saw someone he asked a favor an hour ago.

"Ohh, Clarissa, you should have said something if you were there, you scared the cat away"

"That wasn't a cat your highness, it was clearly a dog, it's common sense that cats clearly don't bark" she replied sternly as she fixed her eyeglasses that made a sparkling effect.

"Seriously?"