Chapter 113 End Of An Old Reign

The initial 4,000 cavalry soldiers have gone down to just 2,050 soldiers. Those who fall are mostly cavalry soldiers with incomplete armour that end up becoming a target for the enemies. They are initially not supposed to be part of an elite team but were incorporated into royal guards from another group to make up the number.

After a crushing defeat of the Noble Coalition, the royal guards were left with a massive hole they needed to urgently fill. Since their job is mainly to protect the king's family and his territory, the lack of soldiers in the royal guards meant poor security.

Nicholas I had no choice but to absorb the best soldiers from another division.

Nevertheless, his disappointment in the quality of his soldiers is evident on his face. He couldn't help but let out a sigh.

'A moment of direct attack caused them to suffer this much. My soldiers as a whole have fallen in terms of skills.'

If they were any better, he probably managed to claim Nelson's head.

Soon, Nicholas I slowed down his horse upon reaching the entrance of the wilderness. Others followed the king by doing the same. They ventured their way deeper into the forest.

They've created some distance between themselves and Naharog. Thus, there's no need to worry about a sudden attack anymore. Naharog may not be moving anytime soon considering the damage they suffered, All of them can move comfortably while letting the horse catch a breath after hours of moving at high speed.

Leisurely moving through the forest, the sun rising in the sky. It's early in the morning, the day just starts for others.

Each of them took out the rations prepared by the military. Their stomach has been growling for some time. All the energy they had has been spent on the battlefield.

Nicholas I followed suit. He took out his ration bag and opened it.

A loaf of hard bread and meat jerky.

'Fair enough. I can't remember when was the last time I ever ate this?' He said to himself. Not that he complained, it was just him reminiscing about eating military food a long time ago. He quietly munched the bread.

A piece by piece.

A bit by bit.

Surrounded by greenery and towering trees, leaves rustled and birds can be heard chirping. The atmosphere in the forest is getting oddly tense.

The soldiers keep glancing at him for some reason.

'Perhaps they have never seen a king eating up close before.' He thought.

Deep down in his heart, Nicholas I feel unsettled. As he could guess something bad is about to happen.

All of a sudden, extreme dizziness assaulted him causing his vision to turn blurry. He immediately threw the remaining to the ground but it was too late. The poison has affected his body. A hard thud was heard when Nicholas I failed to keep his position on the saddle due to the numbness that came after.

Nicholas I struggles as he reaches out his hand to seek help from his soldiers. He found himself flabbergasted because none of them took the initiative to help him. They look at him emotionlessly as if he was struggling.

"The poison finally kicks off." His general, Philip finally speaks. "I panic for a moment when you show no reaction whatsoever. Now, I can feel relief."

Nicholas I gasped as he glared at Philip. His eyes tell everything about his emotions right now. Many questions pop up in his head.

If stares can kill someone, Philip would die in a second.

The numbness causes Nicholas I struggle to say a word, "You...you plan...this..."

"Not me and not them either. I think you can guess who's behind this, Your Majesty. He couldn't wait any longer. So he decided to hasten your demise."

It doesn't matter if Nicholas I heard it. He's going to die anyway.

Realization struck Nicholas I as the image of his son suddenly appeared in his mind. "Th...The noble...will...op"

"Will what? Oppose him? The nobles will definitely welcome him. Did you not see how many here chose him?! Not to mention thousands more in the capital! What do you think he has been doing quietly for the past few months?"

Nicholas I has no word to counter Philip.

Philip sneered, "If it wasn't for your stupid decisions, many people would not have died in vain."

After calming himself down from shock and fear, Nicholas I regained his composure and started to analyze the situation. He is safe to assume the poison must be a slow-acting one or just to aim in paralyzing him.

He still has a chance.

However, the situation is so critical. He can only hope for someone to pass by the forest.

Witnessing Nicholas's calmness, Philip laughed, "No need to stall time. Nobody is going to come and save you. There's no hope left for you. The only reason we didn't kill you instantly was that he ordered us to disguise your death. To make it seem as if it was done at the hands of the enemy."

Philip and a few other soldiers get down from their horses and unsheath their swords.

Nicholas I shivered in fear once again. He felt disheartened but nothing he could do except curse them.

"D-Damn...you...Damn...Niall"

"No hard feeling, Your Majesty." Philip starts by removing his armour before slashing his tendons. He is not going to directly kill him.

Each slash and stab on Nicholas's body was accompanied by a horrible feeling of pain. So much so that tears began to fall down his face. The only person on his mind right now is his wife, Catherina Caberia.

The old king who fought valiantly a few hours ago couldn't resist the attack or defence himself.

After ten minutes of continues torture, Nicholas I is one step from death. He was bleeding profusely. He never expected his ending as a king would be like this. It is far from what he had imagined during his younger age.

"Damn, this old man is sure hard to die. Enough slashing! We already had fun. Let's finish this and return."

"Yes, sir!"

In his last moment, pain could no longer have any effect on him. The light in his eyes dimmed as he saw the figure of his wife warmly smiling at him.

"Cathe...rina..."