Chapter 85

Chapter 85

After the patrol, Max returned to the cave and got lost in thought.

Blix’s dangerous voice continued to linger in his ears. It was quite unpleasant. Even if Blix looked like a kid, he was a twisted prince inside. It might be a trap created by Elnos and Blix together.

I can’t do this. Agonizing over it, Max only made up his mind when he approached the cave. Though briefly shaken by Blix’s words, he could not do anything that may threaten Leasis.

Max spoke with a strong voice to Hizen, who was standing next to him.

“The escort staying at the entrance of the cave will be Jason, Leasis, Kerian and me.”

“Let’s do that.”

Then, Hizen, Setchen and the others would be in charge of the escort inside of the cave. It was not a bad decision, so Hizen readily accepted.

The knights were separated into two groups, the internal escort and Max’s unit.

Then suddenly, Setchen sat down, grabbing his stomach.

“Oh, my stomach!”

“Setchen! Are you sick?”

Surprised, the knights surrounded Setchen. Setchen was like their youngest brother, and they liked him a lot thanks to his age and cute appearance. Although he had a unique personality.

Setchen lied down on the floor, saying that he suddenly had a stomachache because he had had a bad lunch. He then asked to be replaced by Leasis in the internal escort in his stead.

“Please switch! Because I have a stomachache, I have to do something in the woods!”,

“Sigh…”

Hizen sighed, touching his forehead with one hand. He thought his skills were pretty good at such a young age, but he was still a kid.

Leasis patted Setchen’s back and used healing magic. Hizen said that it was not a big problem if the two changed positions.

How did this happen? Max felt dizzy watching the scene. What excuse should I make to try to get her out of here again?

As he bit his lips and carefully thought about it, Leasis approached him.

“Vice Commander-nim, are you sick?”

“No… no.”

“No way. I think you’re sick. Do you want me to use some healing magic?”

You look like a ghost. Max smiled faintly in front of her worried red eyes. This woman was very strong and trustworthy.

“Okay. If it’s Leasis, she’ll be fine.’

Max decided to trust her. If she went into the cave like Blix had said, there would be no threat.

“Sir Leasis.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t get hurt. Come back safely.”

“Ah… yes!”

Max hugged Leasis slightly and patted her back. Then he whispered in a low voice.

“Please keep in mind that everything you see and hear during this mission is strictly confidential.”

The nuance was a little different from usual, so Leasis was puzzled. Max did not usually spare advice, but today it felt somewhat different.

Under Hizen’s glare, Max slowly removed his arms around Leasis. It was really time to focus on the mission now.

Meanwhile, Iddahak, who was watching around, approached and sniffed.

“Berman, this place is weird.”

Neither the forest nor the smell were pleasant. Grumbling, Iddahak held Leasis’ hand tightly.

“Berman. Let me join you.”

“No, you can’t. The only people allowed to follow inside the cave are the knights and the maids.”

“It smells dangerous.”

“It’s okay. The Commander-nim is also here.”

Leasis looked at Hizen, who was briefing the knights on the mission. Unlike Neren, he had not a kind voice nor a friendly expression, but he was meticulous and attentive.

I think I’ll fall in love again. Hizen was better than anyone else at understanding the knights’ skills, strengths and weaknesses.

A man with wide shoulders that everyone could lean on, with a cold but unchanging heart.

Leasis spoke in a firm voice.

“It’s all right to go with the Commander-nim.”

“What? Is he more trustworthy than I am?”

“Of course. Our Commander-nim is the strongest, most righteous, and most wonderful knight in the world.”

“Huh.”

He’s better than me? Iddahak looked at Hizen with a crumpled face. Of course, Hizen was focused on his work and did not give him a glance.

When Iddahak pouted his lips, Leasis took a big pocket out. She was always the one preparing magic worms for him.

“I’ll be right back. Please wait while eating this.”

“Okay.”

Iddahak took the pocket with a docile face. Leasis smiled at his appearance, looking like a good puppy.

At that time, Hizen, who had finished talking, came back.

“Leasis. We’re going in now.”

“Yes, Commander-nim!”

No magic could be used in the cave. Hizen began to take the lead, holding a torch.

There were Ashley and the superior maid walking behind him, with knights on both sides, and lastly Leasis and Jason with torches.

Only the sound of the wind could be heard in the exceptionally quiet cave. Leasis rubbed her eyes while looking at the cave lit by the torches.

Is it an illusion? The bat hanging from the ceiling seemed to be smiling strangely.

As Leasis slowed down, Jason asked cautiously.

“What’s wrong, Miss Leasis?”

“Oh… nothing.”

Was she nervous? Leasis tried to swallow her dry saliva with a smile. She felt an unknown thirst, and her heart beat seemed to ring even to her ears.

Leasis gave strength to her legs and walked faster into the cave. Ashley suddenly stopped walking after a long time.

She was restless, looking at the ground. Hizen, who was walking ahead, stopped and turned around.

“Is there a problem?”

“My shoes…”

Hizen clicked his tongue at Ashley’s words. As he lit the floor with his torch, he saw Ashley’s shoes with their heels worn down.

I can’t believe she’s wearing high heels in this cave. Hizen did not understand Ashley.

“Well… Could the Count-nim carry me, please?”

Carry? Jason burst out laughing without realizing it. Embarrassed, Leasis also doubted her ears, and the superior maid avoided eye contact with a red face.

Hizen looked at her with pathetic eyes and opened his mouth.

“Leasis.”

“Yes, Commander-nim.”

“From now on, you will carry Her Highness the Princess to her destination.”,

What? This isn’t it! Ashley’s lips twitched.

At that moment, Leasis stood in front of Ashley as if she had waited.

“Your Highness the Princess, I’ll take you there.”

“Are you all right?”

She could feel a deep lively glow in her finely curved red eyes. Ashley nodded, pretended to be calm. Even if she were to die in front of Hizen, she did not want to show him her true nature.

Leasis handed over the torch she had in her hand to the other knights and bent over. Then she walked into the cave carrying Ashley, who was as light as a doll.

Huff. Leasis took a big breath. Something was weird. Illusions on the cave walls began to shine through the shadows.

A long object was drawn, and a red light scattered like smoke. Then, her vision became blurry and her head dizzy. She tried to move with her shaky legs.

After walking for a while, Hizen stopped. He opened his mouth, looking at the cave wall covered by large stone slabs.

“Leasis. “We have arrived.”

“Yes, Commander-nim.”

Putting Ashley on the floor, Leasis wiped her damp forehead with her sleeves. Jason comforted her, saying that she had a hard time carrying the princess on her back.

But it was an illusion. The reason why Leasis was sweating was different. It was not because of Ashley at all.

She opened the stone slabs, looked at Hizen, Ashley and the superior maid, and lowered her gaze. She felt as nauseous as when she had forced herself to eat spoiled food at the orphanage.

In a way, it may be even more disgusting than that. She was seeing rotten hands of a dead body coming up from the ground.

‘What… what’s wrong with me?…’

Her red eyes slowly blinked. She stared blankly at the rotten body climbing from her feet to her legs and thighs, and slapped her cheeks with her hands.

Jason looked at her in surprise, but he could not even ask anything. She could not tell anymore if this situation was a dream or reality.

[Well, let me see. Two of Berba’s blood.]

When she looked up in fright, one of the bats on the ceiling smiled insidiously. He was flapping his thin wings.

[Sidi… Sidi von Berba. She had a short life, but she still had a daughter.]

Is it a trap? Leasis hurriedly grabbed her wooden sword. The bat looked at her and said in a low voice.

[Oh, my. Let’s see… Maybe it’s because your parents left you early. You haven’t learned how to respect an old man, have you?)

“Do you know… my parents?”

“Miss Leasis?”

Jason shook Leasis’ shoulder, as she talked to herself. But she was staring straight at the bat on the ceiling.

The bat kept saying strange things. He was surprised to see two people of Berba’s blood here, and said he would show her the future.

‘It doesn’t make sense.’

Leasis bit her lips. The ability to see the future was limited to the members of the Imperial Family

Then this must be an enemy’s trap. Leasis immediately drew her wooden sword and pointed it at the ceiling. Although it was far away, she could quickly get rid of bats like that with a sword.

At that moment, a strange figure appeared in front of her. It was a red sword more distinct than before. The bat laughed strangely and flapped its wings.

[It’s your future.

“…A sword?”

The shape of a bloody sword could be clearly seen on the wall of the cave. Strangely, red drops of blood were rising from the cave wall and falling down.

Between them, an image of Hizen appeared. Hizen, who was standing still, suddenly collapsed helplessly with a sword piercing his heart.

Leasis’ face turned white. She stepped back unknowingly and bumped into the cave wall.

She shook her head, as she arrived at a dead end.

“No, no… The Commander-nim…”

“Miss Leasis!”

Jason grabbed both arms of Leasis and raised them. She continued to breathe in harsh breaths and was covered by cold sweat,

“What’s wrong with you? Right now, what…”

“Jason… Jason-nim.”

Leasis grabbed Jason’s arm with her trembling hands. Then, she asked in a harsh voice that seemed to hurt her throat.

“On the wall… On the wall of the cave… can you see the image?”

Jason turned his head hurriedly to look at the cave wall. However, nothing was reflected on the dark wall. There were just shadows created by the torches that were fluttering.

“What do you mean?”

Only I can see it.

At that moment, various thoughts filled Leasis’ head.

The biggest one was about Hizen.

”The Commander-nim… is going to die?’

She could not stand that thought and covered her mouth with her hands.

TL notes

[1] It’s not explained why Jason went inside instead of guarding the entrance like Max said.