The cold night wind knocked against the window.
An old man gazed out the window with deeply sunken, blood-red eyes. The fierce snowfall obscured his view, but his gaze remained unwavering.
He was an elderly man suffering from a severe illness.
As is often the case with most ailments, the onset was subtle. Symptoms began to appear one day, leading to years of struggle against the illness.
And at the end of that arduous process, the man had no choice but to acknowledge one thing.
That he was afflicted with a kind of incurable disease.
There was no way to escape the name of that disease: ‘aging.’
A chill had seeped into the body of a man who was once robust.
The old man found that undeniable truth rather sorrowful.
In ancient times, he would have laughed off such a cold.
In fact, even now, he could still do so if he set his mind to it. No matter how frail his body had become, the achievements of his younger self had not vanished.
But today, he did not feel like doing so.
It could even be called resignation.
It was an unavoidable fate anyway. No matter how much he struggled against it, the imminent reality would not change. If that was the case, then he had no choice but to submit.
And the old man’s only remaining task was singular.
To delve into the swamp of the past, reflecting on the brilliant days of yore.
Even that had begun to bore him lately.
The youth of the man was not as radiant as others seemed to know. Rather, it was a time when he was dragged along by shadows.
One day, he would have to pay for his sins.
But he never imagined that day would arrive so suddenly.
The wrinkled eyelids of the old man closed over his retinas.
His breath was becoming increasingly labored. It was a sign that his lung function was deteriorating.
The end was near.
The old man sensed this within himself and slowly opened his mouth.
“Recently, I’ve been hearing some teasing rumors. They say you’re digging into my younger days… Did I teach you such things?”
“For victory, do not spare any means or methods.”
At his daughter’s remark, the old man once again closed his lips.
It was something he had heard somewhere before.
Long ago, he had faintly conveyed it to his daughter: the destiny of Yuridina was only victory.
However, there was no such thing as eternal victory.
To achieve victory, one had to stain their hands with blood. One could not hesitate to commit dirty deeds, and yet, life was such that one could not avoid defeat.
Thus, one must not discriminate between means and methods.
The blemish of ‘defeat’ could simply be pinned on someone else. The footsteps of Yuridina had to be the trajectory of victory.
For the fate of Yuridina was the fate of the North.
To that end, one had to be capable of anything.
Digging into others’ pasts?
It was hardly a disgraceful task. That was why Delphine’s voice was still so daring.
“It’s something I’ve carried in my heart since I was young, Father… To be precise, it started from the moment you killed Hansen in front of me.”
“That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. ‘Hansen’… Wasn’t he the stablemaster?”
It was a memory that brought a bitter smile to the old man’s face.
Delphine’s blood-red eyes deepened even further, and the faint hint of crimson was almost infantile.
After that day, Delphine’s life changed completely.
The cheerful girl loved by everyone had died along with Hansen. In her place stood a madman obsessed with victory.
Yes, at least until she met Ian.
No matter how much he was her flesh and blood, resentment could not help but arise. The landscape of that day had left a huge scar on Delphine’s mind.
“It was a tragic incident for me too. He was an excellent stablemaster.”
“There was no hesitation on your part… Did you really need to kill Hansen? Right in front of your young daughter?”
“That’s not for you to decide, my daughter.”
His voice was calm yet held a weight far beyond that.
The tone of regret left a bitter echo in Delphine’s eardrums.
“Did I not tell you? You don’t even have the freedom to be held accountable… You are Yuridina. The entire populace of the North sees you as the sun. Your mistakes and defeats must ultimately be borne by those beneath you…”
“And what about you, Father?”
Now it was the Yuridina Marquis’s turn to remain silent.
The woman’s gaze upon the old man was sharp. The dim light flickered, casting red shadows everywhere.
Even in that dim lighting, her blood-red eyes stood out vividly.
Delphine continued, as if spitting her words.
“Seems like you did the same, right? Until now, selling off one nobleman and subordinate after another and basking in glory for so long?”
“……Your rudeness is excessive today.”
“No, it’s not rudeness. The next head of Yuridina is me!”
It was a rare display of excitement.
Feelings buried long ago were regaining their color. The confessions being hurled out with fervor were almost akin to a plea.
Delphine was indeed a human shaped by blood and flesh.
Being in a situation where she had to doubt her own father was not something she could welcome. Such confusion was shaking Delphine’s composure.
“Looking back, you always had a pained expression, Father. Not once did you look happy… What kind of burden did you have to bear?”
“Delphine……”
“Someone is intentionally blocking information about the Elves. But I heard that Alex was carrying out a solo mission in a place he had never heard of before. In an Elf village, no less!”
“Delphine!”
At the sudden call, Delphine’s mouth was shut.
The old man had turned his back by now. His blood-red eyes, having lost none of their vitality, were glaring at Delphine.
The pouring moonlight was magnificent.
After a moment of silently watching Delphine, the Yuridina Marquis finally sighed deeply.
“It’s not worth knowing anyway. Recently, it seems I’ve been troubled by that flesh-eating monster… Leave it to me.”
It was an unexpected offer.
Delphine was still glaring at the Marquis with eyes full of suspicion.
Regardless of that, the old man’s persuasion continued.
“I will make you victorious.”
Suddenly, Delphine’s body stiffened.
It was an exceedingly sweet proposal.
The circumstances may have been unfortunate, but it was a value she had pursued her entire life. It was impossible to easily cast aside that obsession.
Especially during a time when no breakthrough seemed visible.
Suddenly, a man flashed through Delphine’s mind.
Ian Fercurus.
He must have been fighting for his life at the front lines by now. Though she hadn’t heard the detailed plan, honestly, it was a prospectless battle.
If she accepted the Marquis’s offer, could she save him?
It was the first time she had ever done such calculations.
It was a foolish thought.
The great Delphine Yuridina was now conflicted over a single man. And it was even in a situation that might decide the fate of the North.
If someone had told Delphine a few months ago, she would have scoffed.
But this was undeniable reality.
“I’m gathering all manner of troops but the situation is dire. I heard that at least Ian Fercurus will be departing, but… unless he’s the Master, he can’t turn the odds on his own.”
It was a thoroughly valid argument.
Deep down, Delphine believed the Marquis was right. Anyone with common sense would have come to the same conclusion.
Ian was strong.
But war was not something done alone. A multitude of soldiers supporting him was essential. And in a conflict of such scale, the role of a hero was limited.
Raising morale or catching the momentum.
These were only fortuitous outcomes to be looked for when forces were evenly matched. The monsters the North had to face were legendary beings born from devouring countless Elves.
Delphine’s lips involuntarily twisted in distaste.
“Win, Delphine.”
Those few words pressed heavily upon Delphine’s heart.
Could she really win?
The story was alarmingly clear.
“I’m bound to die soon regardless. Then you will inherit Yuridina… Until then, I will constrain that monster. By the time, you can gradually regain your forces and claim victory.”
“……How do you plan to constrain it?”
“Do you need to know? The important thing is that you can win.”
The old man folded his arms behind him and turned away again.
Only those blood-red eyes were still fixed upon Delphine.
“To achieve victory, do not spare any means or methods.”
This was the second time those words had been spoken today.
The only difference was the speaker. From Delphine to the Marquis.
The woman had no choice but to, like the Marquis before her, shut her lips.
To turn her gaze away and grit her teeth.
Dozens, if not hundreds, of torments were passing through Delphine’s mind. It almost felt like she could hear clattering sounds echoing in her head.
Time passed.
Eventually, Delphine came to a conclusion.
“……No.”
“Why?”
Surprisingly, the Marquis did not appear flustered or angry.
He merely returned the question with a voice filled with pure curiosity, as if he genuinely could not fathom the reason.
He too was someone who had lived in obsession with victory.
It was impossible for him to understand Delphine’s dramatic change.
Thus, Delphine did not attempt to persuade the Marquis.
“There’s no wife that betrays her husband.”
She merely echoed words she had once heard from a man.
The Marquis of Yuridina wore a dumbfounded expression for the first time at that reply.
He had truly gone pale. For a while, the Marquis did not move at all.
After some time.
Once he recovered from his daze, he wore a wry smile.
“Ha ha, they say raising a daughter is no use… Very well, then there’s only one way.”
At those words, the old man began to stride forward. Without hesitation, he approached the display of endlessly decorated swords.
The Marquis picked one up and threw it to Delphine.
The sword made a heavy clash and slid smoothly until it lightly tapped her toes.
The old man wore a fierce smile.
“Let’s do it the Northern way.”
That phrase held a singular meaning.
A true duel.
Delphine’s expression involuntarily tensed. Because the Marquis proposing it was indeed resembling the figure from long ago.
The aura of a lion from the North that knew no defeat.
On the contrary, the Marquis was internally smirking.
Damn thief.
In a fair scenario, the target of this swordplay should have been that guy. The very enemy that had gulped down his cherished successor.
However, that foolish youngling would soon realize the truth. After all, war was not fought alone.
One could change nothing by themselves.
Indeed, one could not.
*
Meanwhile, Leorick, facing Ian, was screaming in just a few minutes.
“I-Ian… Ian Fercurus! Vanguard of the wealthy!”
In the sky, light flashes and arrows were raining down. Occasionally, falling lightning carried a pungent scent of flesh. It was not a scene that could occur alone.
The person Leorick was cursing was several steps back from the horror.
With arms crossed, Ian was thinking.
Life is a real battle, buddy.
