Chapter 236

Chapter 174 The Last Knot (3)

A bald, heavyset soldier pledged in a loud voice. While he had been almost eaten by zombie masses a few times, he had been saved by the magic missiles from the crown prince’s strange staff each and every time.

“We will be loyal!”

“We will be loyal, your highness!”

“It has been an honor.”

As a group came to kneel before Hayden, other soldiers also gathered around after looking at each other. Almost all of the survivors except the injured had come.

“……”

The crown prince blinked his eyes, as this was the first time he had felt this kind of emotion. How could he describe this? Excitement? Satisfaction? No, it was an ecstatic feeling that was way higher up.

‘I don’t know much.’

No matter how much he thought, Hayden could not define this emotion. However, one thing was certain.

‘I’m happier than when I had played tricks with the aristocrats or playing until the morning with food and drinks. I’m happier than I had ever been.’

Hayden had strayed in the past, and he had been filled with resentment and anger. The emotion he now felt was an entirely different thing from the satisfaction Hayden had gained from the antics he had done to resolve that anger.

‘I’m happy enough to regret when I had lived like that.’

The satisfaction and excitement as a man and as a leader of a country came in limitlessly.

“Why do…”

The crown prince opened his mouth after thinking for a while about how to begin his words.

“Why are you honored?”

Hayden’s words were new and questionable, but he did not stop until he said what he wanted.

“Why are you honored to have fought with me? Those words are not enough for me, the empire, and the lands to say to you soldiers.”

The soldiers stared with wide eyes at the crown prince’s words, and the knights did the same. It would be nearly impossible to hear such words from even the emperor, as the leader’s virtue was to look down from high above.

“I was the one who everybody called the idiot prince, and you, who have fought with your lives with me, are my honor and glory for the rest of my life.”

However, the crown prince was different, as he was sincere in his words. He was grateful enough for this moment to feel apologetic for the days he had lived in an inferiority complex.

“I’m grateful to you people for having fought with me, having believed in me, and pledging your loyalty to me…”

The crown prince showed sudden tears.

“Your- your highness?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Have we done anything wrong…?”

The tears that surprised everyone included various memories and regrets. It was a mixture of satisfaction, happiness, and regret. However, Hayden now felt unburdened, as he now felt that the inferiority that had remained with him until today’s battle was gone.

<Oh! It’s already over!>

It was when an awkward atmosphere surrounded the Greenriver troops.

“……”

A bright voice that belonged to a teenage boy at the most rang the air, as it was amplified by a high-quality amplifier.

<Ugh! Are those the zombies that the descendent had spoken about? They’re scary…>

The battlefield where lives had been lost woke up, and the bright and carefree boy’s voice reached out across the plains.

<I have to endure this since they are the victims…Hello, everyone! I have been sent by Ian to help you with the clean-up! You know these friends, right?>

The bright voice belonged to the Artisan Cleven, and he had come out of the portal with several hundred operational sculptures placed at the Greenriverdium restoration site. The boy looked quite commanding, especially considering the situation.

<Since you all must be tired, we have come to help! Descendant Ian says that the corpses of the undead needed to be treated as quickly as possible.>

Cleven had come to take care of the mess left in the Plains, and he was the most appropriate Artisan for the job.

<So, my sculptures and I have come! It’s nice to see you all?>

Not only the Greenriver troops but the Roe Kingdom and the Coldwood Empire troops were all flabbergasted. The sculptures’ immense size was quite oppressive.

‘If they had existed…’

Everyone, regardless of their country, age, position, and gender, thought the same thing.

‘Why weren’t they used in the first place?’

If those massive sculptures had fought with them, would not have things been easier? The question spread among the troops.

<Ah!>

Cleven clapped as he spoke like he read the air.

<They can’t fight, really, they’re pacifists! They’re vegetarians. Please don’t misunderstand them due to their size. You all understand, right?>

Cleven established the sculptures’ characteristics like he had done in front of Ian before, and now the boy led them. He gathered the corpses of the zombies and the bone dragon’s bones that lay on the grounds and burned them with the mages’ help. They did not forget to show their mourning for those who have died innocently.

<The odor is intense!>

The expedition was being quickly wrapped up with the help of the bright Cleven and the ‘pacifist sculptures.’

***

The tripartite expedition was now officially broken up after finishing their task. Since there were portals, they could conveniently return to their countries, lands, and prepared treatment facilities. After taking only a little rest, the crown prince met with the emperor to report the situation and the results.

“I will not compliment you like a little child anymore, as you have done your duty as the crown prince of this country and my successor. Do you understand my meaning?”

The emperor spoke, and he did not treat Hayden like an idiot, like before, as he was Terry Greenriver’s brilliant successor.

“Of course, I understand. I’m honored, your majesty.”

“Well, to hear you call me like that…”

The crown prince had always called his father ‘sire’, and while it was a bit awkward, the sound was not bad at all.

“So, have you notified the Ivory Tower Lord?”

“With all due respect, I have not heard from him yet. Will you allow me to visit his house?”

“You do not need my approval for that. Please let your father know if there is any news.”

“I will do so, your majesty.”

“..How about calling me as you have done? It is nice to see you grow up, but listening to that…”

If Terry Greenriver had spoken as the emperor before, he was now acting as an ordinary father. He was sorry to see his eldest son also grow up.

“Your majesty, there’s an old saying that you should act well when you can.”

The emperor also followed along as he was a father for now.

“You will miss your childish son, Hayden Greenriver, but you should have gone along with the old saying.”

“What?”

Terry Greenriver asked back at the crown prince’s reply and now laughed out loud.

“So, now you can joke with me.”

“My guard is a swordsman who can cut a cursed dragon at once, and my best friend is the greatest mage of all time. What do I have to fear?”

“Haha! That’s true. I heard that a leader’s greatest virtue is not individual ability or bloodline, but luck, especially finding good people. You will be the greatest in history regarding that!”

The visit ended with jokes and laughter, and the crown prince went on his way. While he needed deep rest, he was planning to visit Ian’s manor.

“I’ll accompany you, your highness!”

The vice-captain Paul was in charge of guarding the crown prince. While he was almost worn to the bone, there was no other choice. His boss and the first guard, Oliver had fainted.

“You should take a rest. I only need a few soldiers with me.”

“That cannot happen. A knight to the royal family can only rest when he is stabbed in the heart and dies as a knight.”

Paul spoke in a dignified voice, and as he took pride in being a knight, his actions and words followed suit.

“Is that so?”

“It is your highness.”

The crown prince, Paul, and a few knights had exited the palace, and they were now headed to Ian Page’s manor.

“Well, if that’s so…”

The crown prince thought about Paul’s splendid words and thought of a trick.

“However, vice-captain…”

“I wait for your words.”

“..Oliver is quite alive and well.”

“…Yes?”

“He’s not stabbed in the heart and not dead but resting because he overexerted himself. Then is Oliver, not a knight?”

“……!”

Paul stopped breathing for a moment, as he had forgotten that the crown prince had a tendency to be playful because he had been so mature recently.

“I had not said it like that, and only as a knight for the royal family…”

“Oh, Oliver is not even a knight for the royal family? Is he just one of those who wandered about with a sword? Oliver will be quite interested to hear that.”

“Your- your highness…!”

As Hayden teased Paul, the city was now hosting a massive banquet. Not only its capital, but the entire empire partied through the night to celebrate a successful expedition.

“Vice-captain, how about getting a drink there? Or did you not like liquor?”

“Your highness, liquor is like water for knights. How can I enjoy a drink when I’m sober no matter how much I drink?”

Paul struck his chest as he again bluffed.

“Oliver got drunk quite well.”

“……”

“He did show some rowdiness.”

“……”

“You should take over Oliver’s position, Paul.”

“Your highness…!”

“Hahaha!”

Knights were the most amusing to tease, and Paul was the best of them all.

“We have arrived.”

The crown prince was satisfied, and now his footsteps stopped along with the others. They had arrived at the front of Ian’s manor.

‘While Ian would not be here….’

If he had returned, Ian would have visited the emperor and Hayden. The reason Hayden had come here was simple. Half was because he thought he would be able to hear something, and the other half was that he wanted to wait for Ian himself.

“Your, your highness, why have you come all this way? We would have prepared if you gave us notice…”

Ledio, Douglas, and Vanessa came running at the crown prince’s visit, and they had returned from their shelter.

“I was too curious. Do you have any news about Ian?”

The crown prince spoke in an urgent tone.

“Well…”

Ian’s family did not seem happy, and actually, they were quite dark.

“That’s…”

Ledio had been silent for a moment, and now he opened his mouth slowly.

“With all due respect, your highness, can you come here for a minute?”

“Umm? All right.”

The crown prince followed Ledio with suspicious eyes, and they had arrived at Ian’s bedroom on the second floor.

“Ian is sleeping beyond this door.”

“What? Ian has returned? Then why…”

The crown prince let his words hang, as he was already anxious.

‘It cannot be possible…’

The crown prince opened the door, and Ian was lying down on the white bed as Ledio had mentioned.

“……!”

The crown prince’s heart sank at sight, as Ian looked like he was dead. However, up close, Ian was still breathing, and he did not look pale.

“Ian…”

Ledio followed the crown prince to the bedroom and now slowly began to speak.