Chapter 48: Revolutionary Period - Black Rose (2)

Chapter 48: Revolutionary Period - Black Rose (2)

Translated by Mara Sov

Revolutionary Period Black Rose (2)

Because of Valliants words, I decided to return to Lumiere earlier than planned. But what I found wasnt the bustling Capital of the Republic, but a chaotic city drowned with gunshots and screams.

So, I rushed towards the epicenter of it all

Only to find Christine collapsed on the ground, bleeding heavily.

After that, everything became a blur.

I slowly dragged my hand down my face.

No matter what, the thick stench of blood just wouldnt go away.

I was simply lying here, helplessly looking down at Christine who rested in a bed

Her midnight dress was drenched in blood, there were bandages everywhere, and her skin was pale a sickening deathly shade of white.

But the worst of it was already over.

She wasnt dead, thank God, but she was still unconscious due to her severe injuries.

However, even If I knew all of this, I just couldnt take my eyes off her face.

I didnt get her involved with this mess to see her like this.

I trusted her skills, never once considering the possibility that some harm would befall her.

No, I simply didnt wish to believe she could be in danger.

A murky unpleasant feeling kept creeping around my chest, my breath was erratic.

Marquis. I finished healing the Baron.

Eriss voice came from behind me.

Alright.

A moment of silence passed, and then Eris spoke again.

Marquis, at least change out of your blood-soaked clothes. Staying like this changes nothing.

I turned to lash out at Eris, but I closed my mouth.

Eris looked at me, her complexion was pale and she looked like she would collapse at any moment now.

No, she didnt deserve this. After all, she used all of her strength to save Christine and Baron Charon.

And here I was, ready to lash out at her

As I brushed my face with my hand again, Eris looked away and spoke.

Ill go rest first.

Im sorry. And thank you.

Its my duty.

With a bitter smile, Eris turned back and left the room with a slight limp.

The reason for her exhaustion were the cursed bullets from the Abyss Corporation.

I dont know how they worked, but I could see that the wounds inflicted by them wouldnt stop bleeding, and they even interfered with the healing miracles of Divine Power. I doubted an ordinary priest could heal such cursed wounds.Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

Had Eris not been with us, both Christine and Baron Charon would have surely died.

The thought makes my blood run cold.

Did they want her dead that badly?

They sought aid from the demons The public enemies of the Republic and even executed their plan regardless of whether the citizens of Lumiere would get caught in the crossfire.

What Christine had done to merit such a relentless response?

Marquis Lafayette.

Turning towards the door, I saw Baron Charon standing there.

Christines most loyal subordinate, who nearly died protecting her.

From what I heard, Baron, you were also struck by those bullets. You should be resting.

Nonsense. I am a Knight. A Knight who failed to protect my Lady the Countess, so how could I ashame myself even further by resting? Forgive me, Marquis, but I must at least complete my duty. Here, take this.

Baron Charon proceeded to hand me some documents.

As I began to read them, the Baron spoke up.

As per the Countesss orders, these documents are to be given solely to you, Marquis, should an emergency occur.

Those words stabbed my frail heart.

In the possibility that she wouldnt be able to hand me these documents herself, she had instructed Baron Charon to do so.

Perhaps it was merely an action derived due to her thorough behavior.

But to me, it was as if Christine had finished her work and handed it to me, already counting herself as a lost cause.

It made me realize how all of this was my fault for putting her in such a position.

Now, my broken heart was consumed by wrath.

Before my regression, my entire life had been a series of failures.

From an early age, my future as a promising knight was shattered when I lost to Sir Gaston in the knight tournament.

My fiance, Christine, whom I had a good impression of, from our few meetings, was assassinated without my knowledge.

With nowhere and no one to turn, I was branded as a complete failure by my father, the Blue Knight. So as a noble, I had no honor to speak of.

Because of this, I turned my gaze toward the common folk. They didnt seem to care that I, a noble, had been defeated by a commoner.

Just because I was generous towards them, they praised me.

So, I tried to do more for them. In every battle fought, I tried to conserve my troops.

But despite those efforts, those who had followed me, my soldiers, were completely crushed by the revolutionaries.

This is madness. We shall denounce the Marquiss violent act in the Assembly-

Saint-Just words were cut off as I aimed the sword in my hand at him.

Weird. I believed that a dead man tells no tales.

Hu, hugh!

Eeeek!

A coward who was near the door made a run for it, while I simply threw a dagger, hitting his leg/

Agh, my leg, my leeeeg! Aaaaah!

Walking towards him, I stomped over the daggers handle still lodged in his leg.

A terrible scream filled the room.

Heh-. Isnt he screaming just like a pig?

Ah, I see how it is! Theres no use in trying to reason with animals, is there?

While all the councilors were trembling, pale as a ghost, one of them drew a handgun and fired.

That futile resistance was deflected by my mana.

Ah, aah.

Despair settled upon everyone, and one of the delegates came forward and knelt before me.

Ma-Marquis! Save me! Senator Saint-Just is the main instigator of it all! I was just dragged here, knowing nothing!

Councilor Behrnach! What are you saying!

Hes trying to save his own skin! Marquis Lafayette, Behrnach was the one who planned it all! I had no idea these vile heathens had planned such terrible things!

Ha.

Only a hollow snort escaped me.

These are the same people who condemned me.

Where is the Liberty?

The same people who pleaded for my execution, saying I plundered the lands of the citizens of Francia, these same men are now branding entire regions as traitors, seeking innocent blood, just because of difference in opinion.

The Equality?

These men, who are now dressed in the finest clothes, gathered in a mansion seized from the nobility as they discussed their next target.

How could those who commit terrorist acts in the heart of the Republic, claiming several innocent lives, dare to say they strive for the peoples Equality?

Fraternity?

Why would those who preached unity and democracy try to kill Christine?

Just because she had won the peoples hearts by improving their lives? Just because the Assembly lost their claws over the peoples opinion?

Since they couldnt win this battle through their oh-so-loved democracy they sold their souls to borrow the power of the same demons they once condemned.

-They dont understand your motives, Marquis. Your loyalty and dedication are too valuable to be offered to those who are blinded by their own ideology and are deluded from reality

I was already aware of this.

And, maybe.If I was on my own, I wouldnt have cared.

-As a noble, do you throw away everything you have, including your titles and lands, just for something soshallow as patriotism? Then you are truly a Hero of this land. But you see, there are parasites feeding off your dedication. Tell me Marquis, what sort of compensation is there for the sacrifices you and your followers have made to get where you are?

But I was responsible for those under me as well.

I was the one who demanded their sacrifices to appease the Republic.

No matter how resolved I was, the seed sown by Valliant took root in my shattered heart.

-Has your cause even achieved anything, Marquis?

Maybe I couldnt claim to have known the path toward the optimal outcome, but I strived for a better future nonetheless.

Thats how I convinced myself.

But the Revolutionaries won. And I lost.

Everything I stood for was deemed meaningless, they sentenced me to theGuillotine, in the name of their Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity!

Thats why, when I had received a second chance, I sided with them, to guarantee my own survival and the survival of those who believed in me.

However, I was keenly aware that they werent truly just. And deep down I knew they werent worth my Loyalty.

Even then, my loyalty was towards this Nation, my pledge to the people who lived here. I would protect them.

Better deluding myself this way than facing another end as a treacherous wretch.

For what end? I still couldnt fathom the value they saw in this twisted democracy they continued to sing praises of!

In the end, I convinced myself of this nationalist behavior, to engrave my duty to protect the people.

Thats the least I could do.

Unlike my father, who built his honor on the sacrifices of others, I convinced myself I fought to save many!

So what is the result?

Did I and those who followed me receive treatment befitting our sacrifices?

My retainers, who, even in tears, believed in me and gave up their titles, their lands, their privileges

Count Lionel the man who couldnt forsake the history of his noble blood until the very end.

ChristineMy dear Christine..Limp like a corpse .So much blood flowing out of her.I wouldnt be able to forget this sight even if I tried.

Ah, Marquis, please. I didnt know it would come to this. Spare me!

A beast so vile I couldnt even bring myself to utter its name stood in front of me.

You want me to spare you? Youll regret this wish very soon.

For the first time in my life, I was surprised to find myself able to laugh in this situation.

Youll end up begging to be killed instead.

/genesisforsaken