Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Hush!

A sharp noise, like something cutting through the air, rent the sky. In the vivid blue autumn sky, as noon approached, numerous crimson streaks appeared.

These streaks transformed into tunes, igniting into flames, and pierced the ground.

Finally, they erupted into fire.

Whoosh!

The efficacy of the flaming arrows was impeccable. It was already a dry late autumn. Despite the early morning mist, even that had been entirely evaporated by the morning sun.

Furthermore, in keeping with the season preceding winter, the earth was covered in yellowed, withered grass and reeds.

Wherever the flaming arrows landed, flames erupted. And there were hundreds, if not thousands, of such arrows.

Hundreds, thousands of fires spread out, growing in size. Gradually? No, rapidly. To an overwhelming degree. Beyond anyones control.

Roar!

Unbelievable.

Unconsciously, Raciel muttered. Fires had ignited in various parts of the plains.

The flames encountered the dry grass of the season and the wind, rapidly growing, engulfing and multiplying exponentially. In no time, they appeared poised to devour the entire plains.

Naturally, the nearby rocky area where the group was hiding was no exception.

This is insane! That guy is absolutely crazy! Raciel held back his curses. Understanding the situation wasnt difficult. Predicting what would happen next was just as straightforward.

If they stayed here any longer?

Well end up roasted alive!

The more he thought about it, the faster his heart raced. His organs were in turmoil.

Ding-dong!

[Your internal organs are severely affected by your current situation.]

[Your hearts concerns intensify.]

[Due to your deepening worries, your heart beats even more vigorously.]

[The rest of your organs are disturbed by the commotion.]

[We all need to adopt a considerate lifestyle to reduce such disturbances. Wear indoor slippers, use noise-reducing mats, and remember that youre sharing space with others. If challenged, youre entirely in the right.]

?

What was that message he had just seen?

Nevertheless, this wasnt the time to dwell on such matters. Raciel vigorously shook his head.

Having set the entire plains ablaze, he deduced Javillons intentions.

Obviously. He must have suspected I was hiding somewhere in the plains and employed this tactic due to concerns about the kingdoms army.

When theres a fire?

They would be forced to emerge. That was his strategy.

Like smoking out prey from a burrow to catch them. Once they came out, the real hunt would begin. He intended to hunt them down in that manner.

So, they needed to stay put as much as possible. Moving would be detrimental. However the problem was that staying put seemed impossible.

Your Majesty! If we remain here any longer, it will be the end of us! Demians desperate voice reached him, followed by the trembling cry of Gardin.

Huuuu! Your Majesty!

There was no denying it; the flames were already closing in on them. Their spread was faster than anticipated.

The wind wasnt in their favor. If they lingered here any longer? They were likely to meet a fiery end within the rocks.

Damn.

He never expected Javillon to resort to such madness. Gritting his teeth, Raciel acknowledged his miscalculation. Underestimating the opponents level of craziness was a mistake.

He made a decision.

Lets move, to the north.

To the north, Your Majesty? Not to the east?

Gardins eyes widened in surprise. The flames were spreading from the west, while the area towards Balua Fortress in the east remained clear.

So, Gardin was perplexed. Logically, it seemed safer to flee to the east.

Reading Gardins thoughts, Raciel shook his head.

Due to the wind direction, the flames are spreading from the west to the east. Escaping with such a fire at our backs would be suicidal. The flames would overtake us.

Ah

So, we should move as perpendicular to the direction of the fire as possible. Lets move quickly. We dont have time.

Indeed, there was no time to waste.

Raciel took the lead, leaving the crevice in the rock and sprinting out. Demian followed, and finally, Gardin, carrying Kuku, hurriedly ran.

And on the other side of the plain, a few hundred steps away, Javillon watched the group with gleaming eyes.

Ive located them

Javillon felt exhilaration. At the same time, he experienced excruciating pain.

It hurt.

Every breath brought pain to his head. It wasnt just a simple ache. It felt as if his head were being split open by an ax while he remained fully conscious.

It was as if tweezers were thrust into his temples and twisted around. He felt like his eyeballs might pop out at any moment.

The pain was all the more intense because it had been days since he last felt it.

When the Saint military officer caressed his head every morning, it wasnt like this. After experiencing the strange song and his touch, he felt no pain for the rest of the day. Those were happier times.

But you ran away after abandoning me?

He had deceived him.

Lied.

And fled. Boldly. Without acknowledging his gratitude. Discarded him. Left cruelly, intending to cast him aside like an old lover.

It was infuriating.

The rebels actions were perplexing. How should King Merovingian interpret this situation? He contemplated it, eventually reaching a conclusion.

Javillon, that traitor, is likely attempting to demoralize our army.

Thats my assessment as well, Your Majesty.

You see it the same way?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Lord Idris nodded, his anger subtly evident in his gesture.

Its clear what Javillon, that damned traitor, intends. By setting fire to the plains and drawing the attention of our kingdoms army, hes showcasing the merciless slaughter of innocent civilians as if hes hunting them down.

So, hes trying to demoralize our army by making us witness our citizens being hunted.

Indeed, Your Majesty. He aims to induce a sense of powerlessness in us and lower our morale. In short, this is blatant and despicable psychological warfare, Your Majesty.

So, we shouldnt fall for this psychological warfare?

Of course not, Your Majesty.

Lord Idris responded firmly. King Merovingian nodded.

Good. I share your perspective. Lets rescue those vulnerable and pitiable citizens being pursued by the rebels.

Should I go personally?

No.

The king shook his head.

You should always stay by my side. Instead, send that young one with my personal guards.

Really? Is that acceptable?

Of course.

The king responded with determination.

His personal guards should be more than sufficient. They can surely overcome a mere rebel cavalry unit.

The king was confident and sure. However, this miscalculation arose from his ignorance that Javillon, a Swordmaster, was leading the rebel cavalry himself.

In reality, the kings oversight was due to the thick smoke enveloping the entire plain.

On a regular day, Lord Idris at his side would have identified Javillon, who was at the forefront of the Royal Guard Cavalry, with the exceptional vision unique to a Swordmaster.

But that wasnt possible now. Poor visibility due to the fire prevented it.

Unaware of this fact, a confident smile graced King Merovingians face.

Sending the royal guards to rescue our pitiable citizens being chased by the rebels and having that young one lead them would be symbolic, wouldnt it? It would significantly boost the morale of our kingdoms army.

If that is Your Majestys wish I shall follow the command.

Lord Idris bowed his head.

The order was issued.

A short while later, the gates of Balua Fortress, housing the kingdoms army, swung open. A total of 500 of the kings personal guards, gleaming in their silver armor, set forth.

They advanced resolutely to the west, with the goal of rescuing the three pitiable citizens (?) being pursued.

Leading these royal guards was Princess Adeline.

Ha! Hyah! Ha!

She rode her charging steed.

She shouted battle cries from its back.

Adeline was already on edge from witnessing the citizens being pursued by the rebels.

She yearned to rush and rescue the pitiable citizens immediately. Then, an order from her father arrived. She was overjoyed. She felt deeply moved.

Simultaneously, she made a vow.

To unquestionably rescue the citizens.

To boost the morale of the kingdoms army in front of everyone, to crush the enemy, and plunge them into profound despair. She pledged to succeed. She vowed, motivated herself, and prepared.

Ha! Haa!

She urged her horse on even harder. She galloped through the thick smoke. Thankfully, she was closer to the citizens than the rebels. She felt relieved. It seemed she would reach the citizens first.

Just a bit more! Faster!

She accelerated.

The citizens were drawing nearer. From behind, she could faintly see the ranks of the rebels chasing them. Her heart pounded loudly.

Alright. I can do this.

Strength surged through her hands gripping the reins. She encouraged herself. Suddenly, she recalled someone to whom she owed a great deal.

Crown Prince, are you watching?

Thanks to you, my kidney stones were cured, and now, Im standing up to the rebels to rescue these pitiable citizens.

So, wherever you are, please support me. Ill always make efforts, never forgetting my gratitude to you.

So!

Her heart throbbed loudly.

The sound of hooves striking the ground.

The rapidly approaching sight of the citizens. And yet, a strangely familiar nape, and that chubby red-haired man with a somewhat flustered expression looking back

Huh?

Princess Adeline paused in surprise. Her eyes widened in shock.

Crown Prince?

Didnt he say he was returning to his homeland? He definitely wrote that in his letter to her, right? Thats why she even sent the jar of queen bee alcohol he had left behind to the imperial city. And she used the most expensive express carriage delivery. She sent it quite generously.

So why are you here?

Feeling a peculiar mix of melancholy and a sense of betrayal, Princess Adeline found herself involuntarily grinding her teeth.

(To be Continued)

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