Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Barely out of the bedroom, Leasis leaned against the door and breathed heavily. Max came next to herwith a stiff face.

No matter how much she had lost her judgment, she could not do that. Max spoke angrily to Leasis for the first time.

“Leasis-nim, wake up. If you follow the Emperor’s orders now…”

“Ha. Haha.”

Leasis burst into a faint laughter. Faced with resentful red eyes, Max swallowed his words.

Her eyes, which were originally red, seemed to have been splashed and stained with blood. Leasis seemed to have lost her mind because she could not stand up to evil. She was on the verge of going crazy, too.

Leasis pressed her forehead with her bloodstained hand. She felt like she was wandering in a nightmare from which she could not wake up. Max was referring to her as ‘Leasisnim’. But wasn’t she just a maid who became a knight?

The remaining embers in Leasis’ mind went out like smoke. She spoke in an angry voice.

“I’ve come to my senses like you said. However. The Dratius family is the enemy who killed my father and his people. How can I stay still?”

“I remember everything now. Father, Philip and Ainan who have cared for Hizen… I remember everything. But why did Hizen stay still? Why didn’t he stop…”

Hot tears flowed on Leasis’ cheeks. She thought that she had no more tears to shed, but when she thought of those who died unjustly, she could not stop crying.

Max reached out and tried to wipe away the tears, but Leasis stepped back. She felt a sense of rejection even to Max.

She wiped her eyes with her torn and wounded hand. The blood on it had become thick.

Max looked pitifully at her appearance. A voice like a blade cut through his ears.

“What am I supposed to do now? What can compensate for their death!”

Her trembling shoulders, which had always been proud, her hushed voice, and her wet eyes made Max’s heart ache. Leasis exclaimed violently.

“Hizen is a hypocrite! Protecting the weak? He’s just the son of a murderer.”

“If you go this way, you’ll be in danger!”

“No. I’m the Commander now.”

“Leasis-nim…”

“Follow my orders from now on.”

Leasis turned away, leaving Max with a white face. Every step she took was as painful as poison arrows stuck all over her body.

‘My father… and the people must have suffered a lot more than this. I have to suffer as much as that.’

Leasis murmured in an emotionless voice.

All the people serving Hizen in the mansion gathered in the dark library. Everyone looked at Hizen in shock.

They could not believe it. Hizen paid them huge amounts of money and ordered them to leave the house right away.

The servants and maids were all in shock. They kept their heads down, recalling the mistakes they had made.

“Sorry. I’m sorry we were lacking.”

“Please forgive us once, Master.”

“No. It’s done. I’ve already hired… new people.”

Hizen wanted to have misunderstood the situation. But their guilty faces caught his heart.

Still, he thought he could say a word. Hizen opened his heavy lips.

“I’ve been struggling.”

“Master…”

“Go away now.”

The people, including the butler, went out in tears. Hizen did not turn his head even though he heard their steps moving away. He kept his cool by just organizing the piles of documents on the desk.

Hizen, who remained alone in the quiet mansion, stood by the window. He could see some carriages standing in front of the iron gate. There were maids, servants and gardeners boarding them.

Hizen put his left hand by the window as if to say goodbye. The cold glass on his hand felt as if it were freezing.

The carriage disappeared as quickly as it came. Hizen’s face in the dim moonlight was emotionless. The clouds moved, and darkness engulfed him.

He stood in front of the mirror away from the window. He tidied up his black uniform and wore Leasis’ favorite earrings and watches.

Finally, he put a thin pen in his arms. It was a memento from a child he had loved so much. It colored his chest warmly.

Hizen slowly closed his eyes and waited for the end. Ashley’s desperate voice rang in his ears.

[Count Dratius-nim. Please run away with me.]

Ashley had thrown everything away to protect Hizen. She had bribed her guards with all the jewelry she had and she had called him.

Responding to Ashley’s call, Hizen shook his head coldly. She was going to be executed tomorrow and he was going to close his eyes today, so it was all over.

The wind leaked from the slightly open window and his blond hair fluttered. His blue eyes did not shake at all.

Hizen was prepared to die. His father’s sin, Leasis’ wrath. He could not be forgiven even if he gave his life. Until now, he had made atonement by saving people while traveling around the battlefields, but now it was really time for the curtain to fall.

With a cold breeze tickling his skin, Leasis appeared in his mind. It was the same cold wind as when he had met her.

After this crisis, her favorite season would come. She liked all four seasons, but she especially liked spring. Moreover, wasn’t it a good season for a new start?

‘It’s really over.’

Hizen’s face became calm. So far, things had only been a series of distress, as if he were wearing clothes that did not fit him.

Slowly lowering his head, he saw a vision of the past. The two swords that fell beneath his feet seemed to be shining coolly, stained with blood.

The room suddenly turned into a pile of ruins half-collapsed. There was a breathtaking silence in it.

Hizen’s eyes became blurry as he recalled the past. It was one of the most painful times.

The young Hizen was sitting in the ruins where the heavy rain seemed to soak up even his soul.

Hizen turned his head and saw the bodies of allies and enemies piled up like mountains. He covered his eyes with trembling hands. Something cold fell between them.

His allies distrusted the young Commander’s orders and shed blood, and the enemies could not properly wield their swords as they laughed at him, and closed their eyes as a result.

The conclusion was always death. The sword that he wanted to use to protect, had hurt someone. The young knight trembled in front of the pile of corpses.

I’m sorry.

Little Hizen’s dream was simple. A book and a space to read, his beloved Leasis and Baron Berman by his side. He never thought that dream would be so luxurious.

He felt like he was having a nightmare. Hizen wept silently. The war where he had fought to repay his father’s sins was terrible.

I’d rather die like this.

[I’ve found him! This way!]

[Count Dratius-nim!]

Some allied soldiers who were searching around came to Hizen. But they did not look at his condition, and instead checked the number of enemy bodies and burst into laughter.

[You are indeed the Count-nim! You deserve to be called a war hero!]

A war hero. The truth behind this title was murder. Even though he was sad, he could not speak and had to suppress his own feelings.

As time went by, he struggled with Neren to make a peace treaty, turning his blade toward monsters, not humans. The Cromus and Kessen Empires also participated in the war as allies and added blood on his body.

Hizen could not sleep at night. Taking his life would be like abandoning himself.

Hizen smiled bitterly after he finished recalling the memories. Living by the sword, with all this blood, was difficult to bear. It was amazing how he had managed to live so far.

However, he thought that he had found the answer now. Hizen was patiently waiting to get everything back to its origin. Ending the father’s sins with the son’s hands.

Clatter, clatter.

The hooves of horses rang in his ears. As he turned his head, he saw bright torches gathering beyond the window.

…You’re here.

Instead of fearing death, his heart trembled. Hizen waited quietly for Leasis. He did not doubt that she would come.

As expected, Leasis came in.

One. Two. Three. Four.

The desperate words faded in his mouth. This time she did not come in front of him.

The eyes of two people intertwined in the air. Hizen’s eyes slowly scanned her. Like someone who wanted to remember this moment forever.

Hizen also shone in Leasis’ eyes. The man who used to be so strong now looked as weak as a candle’s flame that would be blown away with a small breeze.

He was facing her without a sword and there was no one else in the mansion. Throughout her way up to her library, Leasis had felt Hizen’s sincerity.

Even if she did not want to feel it, she could not help it. The frameless building was already waiting for the end.

Hizen’s head turned white when he smiled. He was not supposed to know why she had led the soldiers to his mansion.

Was he really going to die like this? Hizen spoke low when Leasis remained silent.

“You do not have to deal with matters other than the duties of the Commander of the Imperial Elite Knights. The other things I have been taking care of so far were given to the Duke of Armada, so if other guys, including Schwalnon, come, just ignore them.”

Leasis’ red eyes grew bigger. She could not believe it, but he was talking about work. Do you really want to talk about work until the end?

Hizen opened his mouth with an expressionless face. She kept hearing things about the Commander’s tasks. What to watch out for as a leader, and what to keep in mind. The things that must not be left out, and his worries directed toward Leasis.

Hizen was desperate. He knew he was greedy, but he wanted to help her, even a little. He wanted to see her face as much as he could.

After talking, Hizen slowly closed his eyes. The sight burned Leasis’ heart.

He was a man without any trick, until the end. She felt so frustrated that she wanted to hit her chest.

Leasis, who was breathing heavily, called him.

“Hizen.”

Her sweet voice, which used to whisper lovely words, became as rough as if it had been scratched. Seeing Leasis’ pain, his heart seemed to melt.

Everything that he had barely endured collapsed and his mask seemed to come off. Hizen tried to keep a calm face.

Looking at Hizen like that, Leasis spoke low.

“You’re going to die now.”