Chapter 2: Homecoming (2)

Chapter 2: Homecoming (2)

The madness that came from the battlefield was terrible.

Seeing the cold corpses of those you had dined with face to face only a day after you had laughed merrily with them, the hail of blades and arrows crashing down on you from all sides, and the days and nights of honing ones sword were enough to make you feel the cruelty of it.

The illusion that you alone could escape the death that surrounded the battlefield was shattered in your first battle.

The uncertainty of not knowing when one would die was a source of constant anxiety that would not disappear for a lifetime, even after one left the battlefield.

It was impossible that Elrics sanity could still be intact after ten years of fighting in such a place.

And, since he wielded his sword to die, it was only natural that he would be many times worse off than those who wielded their swords to live.

Still, there was only one reason why Elric was still alive.

It was because the toughness of his physical body had overcome the exhaustion of his mind.

He would charge into enemy lines as if he were to die, becoming a beast that didnt stop cutting until nothing living remained in front of him.

The crimson eyes that should never be met on the battlefield.

The stories of Sword Demon Kasha were extremely gruesome, and the soldiers reverence for him was akin to a form of worship.

But, in truth, his legend was born of brute force and luck grounded by recklessness.

For all those who had experienced the war for supremacy in the western part of the continent that had already lasted for over 20 years, they called the Sword Demon Kasha an evil spirit that would not disappear until the end of the war. But, to Elric, this was just a silly story.

Thud!

No matter how strong one was, as long as you were alive, you would break one day.

And so it was with Elric, being no exception to this rule.

Im injured.

He was in a dire situation where he had been told to hold off a thousand soldiers alone in the middle of the battlefield, right on the front lines.

Hed won the battle, as always, but hed shredded his right knee in the process.

It wasnt an irreparable wound, but it wasnt a superficial wound that would allow him to immediately return to battle either.

Actually, it wouldnt even be possible for him to perform everyday tasks with this injury.

For a while, he would have to live as a cripple.

The essence of a mercenary was being a replaceable troop that could be hired for money.

Of course, while Elrics military power was irreplaceable, in a situation where he couldnt use his abilities properly, he would be treated like any other mercenary.

How could he wreak havoc on the battlefield if no one was willing to hire him?

For that reason, after about 4 years of constant fighting, Elric withdrew from the front lines.

He was still in a war zone, that was a fact, but the rear was much more relaxed, where one could sit in a bar and read a newspaper on a daily basis.

And now, after 4 years of living by his sword, he encountered texts that werent military codes for the first time.

A newspaper from the East. Are you from there?

Elric ignored the bartenders words.

It wasnt because he didnt think that the bartender had asked a question that was worth answering, but simply because he had just been too engrossed in the paper.

After all, the eastern part of the continent was his home, where he had been born and raised.

Despite the long time that had passed, there was a nostalgia that wouldnt go away, a haunting image to chase after, after such a bitter parting.Read latest chapters at nov(e)lbin.com Only

They were the memories of his childhood, spent wandering through the golden wheat fields of Wiven. [1]

It was in human nature to dwell on memories of the past as death drew near, and Elric, who had always been standing by deaths side, was haunted by visions of those old days.

[Princess Eclesias Tea Party.]

The newspaper featured the photo of a smiling princess and the young nobles gathered around her to be graced by her presence, and below that were brief introductions and interviews about each member of the tea party.

I wonder if theres any news on Wiven.

Elric let out a small laugh as he flipped through the paper in thought.

As if that were a possibility. Wiven was a most unremarkable wheatfield town, even in the entirety of the Eastern Ferdinand Kingdom.

Elric shook his head, wondering what the hell he was thinking.

Then he turned the page.

[The first anniversary of the death of Hoven Portman.]

Elrics body stiffened.

His eyes widened as if they were about to burst, and his breathing was interrupted as if someone was strangling him.

His mind also came to a sudden halt, screaming in order to process the unexpected information.



Viewing the scenery, smelling the air, observing the people and the atmosphere, Ellic felt his nose twitch.

Elric immediately led with his limping leg and walked forward, carrying the weight of his body with his cane.

Despite the tearing pain, he didnt slow down.

With each step, memories of his past life here flashed across his retinas.

As he walked, he unconsciously followed the straight path to the Portman Mansion.

He could see it already.

The Portman Mansion would be standing alone, tucked away in the fields, a little away from the village, a quaint appearance enveloping the heart of the place.

Thump

The cane took the place of his aching leg and steadied his center.

Elric began to walk slowly in the midst of the wheat fields.

His memories started coming to life.

Playing hide and seek with the village kids in these fields.

Getting scolded by the maids for getting his clothes dirty.

How the butler would announce mealtime at sunset, taking the place of his father, and how he would hide in the wheat fields and wait for his father to come looking for him.

Everything was so vivid, as if he could reach out and touch it all.

Eventually, Elrics thoughts drifted beyond those memories and onto the face of a certain girl.

I wonder how Tyria is doing.

He obviously couldnt have heard news about her being in the western battlefield all this time.

He was at least sure that she was not dead.

She was such a beautiful woman, someone must have taken her away to a happier life by now.

As he thought this, he moved to a point where he could see the mansion in the distance.

Rustle!

The sound came from the fields, behind him and to the right.

A shiver ran down Elrics spine.

His head whipped around to face the source of the sound.

Right afterwards,

Ah

A sigh escaped from someones mouth.

It wasnt Elrics.

It was the voice of the woman who had emerged out of the wheat fields.

Despite the fluctuating pitch, her voice was distinct and had a definite tone.

He knew this characteristic, the voice of the person who had shaken Elrics heart as a young boy.

He had immediately known.

The girl had become a woman.

The mysterious, graceful aura was still there, but the faint energy of youth had completely disappeared, she no longer seemed so fragile, as if all the frailty of the memory had been swept away.

An even more breathtaking beauty than he had remembered had settled in and enveloped his memory of her.

Even though her eyes were wide open, the ends were drooping and captivating for no apparent reason.

Without realizing it, Ellic was moving his lips absentmindedly and asked,

Why?

Why are you still here?

The woman, Tyria Wyvern, pursed her lips for a moment, letting out a long breath to compose her expression.

Her gaze lowered.

Then, she finally spoke.

I am your wife, so I will always be here.

She was still Elrics wife.

Contrary to his assumptions.



[1. Wiven is the name of the town he grew up in.]