Chapter 43

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Translated By Arcane Translations

Translator: FusionX

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As if my lungs were being squeezed, I couldn’t breathe properly.

I was somehow gritting my teeth and enduring it, but it wasn’t something that could be endured with willpower.

I staggered and moved my body.

Taking one step at a time was too hard.

How much time had passed?

I don’t know.

I don’t even remember now.

As if it were my duty, I was moving the load on my back with all my might.

Something flowed from my nose with a trickle.

I wiped away the flowing substance with my finger.

It was blood.

Sticky and bright red blood was flowing.

Was it because of the terribly accumulated fatigue?

Where is this place?

How far is it to the fortress?

Can I endure it?

Before that, will I collapse from exhaustion first?

All sorts of idle thoughts arose and tormented me.

Rather, shouldn’t I just give up now?

Can I really save her?

It was already something beyond my ability.

With the time stop ability, I was somehow able to prevent her death, but that was my limit.

Carrying her on my back and walking to Lionheart Fortress?

There was no way that was possible.

In the first place, it was a distance that would take a whole month even on horseback.

Much less if I walked, it was clear that the time would increase several times.

Walk that distance without resting?

Of course, there was no way that was possible.

But still, why am I not giving up?

I don’t know, I want to let go and be comfortable even now.

In the end, there was a part of me that couldn’t let go until the end.

[You’re still struggling pathetically.]

I heard a voice.

I didn’t know whose voice it was. But it was a voice so repulsive that I instinctively turned my head.

It was probably the voice of that thing I know.

The faint voice sounded like a girl’s voice, but if you listened carefully, it sounded like a boy’s voice before his voice changed.

And that voice kept mocking me without rest.

[Can you really save her with your ability? Even though you’re nothing without me.]

“Shut up.”

That was none other than a fact I knew so well that it chilled me to the bone.

For nearly a year and a half, I diligently trained every day.

To somehow become stronger.

But no matter how much time passed, nothing improved.

My talent was the epitome of ordinary.

Not even comparable to Helia, let alone Clarence of the Royal Guard.

It was at the level of a mere security guard.

So I had no choice but to rely on time stop.

The time stop ability that I hated so much even while using it.

Every time I used this ability, that disgusting scene kept coming to mind.

[I never expected it to turn out like this.]

[But it can’t be helped. The commander loves everyone.]

[Isn’t it a waste to monopolize such a cool commander?]

[...You guys.]

Therefore, she was reminded of an old connection from the commander.

[With such crude swordsmanship, you won’t last long.]

[If you keep trying until the end, there’s nothing you can’t do.]

[At least I like that tenacity.]

Maybe that’s why she wanted to take care of the commander even more.

The commander resembled the first-generation hero.

From his crude swordsmanship to everything else he did being clumsy.

And also the fact that he considered his comrades as family.

Could it be that he was really the reincarnation of the first-generation hero?

She had that thought without realizing it, but soon dismissed it with a smile.

There was no way that could be the case.

She was being foolish too.

It was right at that moment when she was dismissing it with a smile.

Suddenly, her smile disappeared.

At the same time, she brought her hand to her waist.

“Who’s there?”

Her reaction was justified.

The presence of the four people in the fortress, excluding herself, were all in the courtyard.

But suddenly, a presence appeared behind her.

She had no choice but to be on guard.

But Cluna confirmed that the other person was the commander and hurriedly sheathed her half-drawn sword.

Because the commander’s current state was not normal, even as an empty compliment.

The helmet he always wore was half-shattered.

His body was full of wounds.

However, the worst was his eye.

It appeared as if a sword had pierced through his eye.

“Commander?! What’s with that appearance...?!”

“...Take care of her before me.”

It was purely thanks to the experience she had accumulated so far that she didn’t question the commander again.

The condition of the woman on the commander’s back was very serious compared to the commander.

Questions later.

Let’s save her first.

Her quick judgment based on experience saved Yuren’s life by a narrow margin.

If Cluna’s treatment had been even a second late, Yuren would have lost her life right away.

“I’ll hear the story later, Commander.”

“...Do as you please.”

“For now, let’s treat you right away...!!!”

Cluna quickly moved to a different location.

She personally took care of Yuren, who had the most severe injuries.

And after emergency treatment, she moved the relatively better Commander Hans to a safe place.

She treated him with natural means because Commander Hans had no immediate danger to his life, but Yuren did.

So she immediately started intensive treatment.

Naturally, this news was made known to everyone.

The news of Yuren’s survival was definitely good news, but not everyone could rejoice easily.

Because they heard from Cluna that the current commander, Hans, was not in good condition.

“I heard the commander lost one eye.”

“And he still brought back Commander Yuren.”

“He, he must have tried his best to save her somehow...”

“Teacher...”

Originally, it was more difficult to subdue than to kill.

At least among the people gathered here, there was no fool who didn’t know that.

The emotions each of them felt were all different.

Some felt respect, some felt pity.

Some felt gratitude.

And some realized their own powerlessness.

And those things became fertilizer and grew even bigger.

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