Yulken and his group, having made contact with the reinforcements, immediately turned their horses toward the spot where Edgar was left behind.
With the power they possessed, they could confidently assure victory even if they faced the enemy head-on.
However, in the rare chance that Edgar was still alive, they were compelled to make the journey, holding onto the hope of bringing him back.
“We must move as quickly as possible!”
Fortunately, Bignes, who was quite skilled in magic, managed to lift the constraints placed on Yulken and Elpelt, allowing Yulken himself to run ahead.
For some reason, Yulken felt as if he was making no distance at all compared to when he was in a state of retreat earlier.
Perhaps it was because he valued the life of the young man who was to protect his daughter more than his own.
As the scenery around them shifted and the massive canyon they left behind faded, the snow-covered foliage reappeared, and Yulken spotted a familiar bridge.
It was the bridge they had just crossed moments ago after parting ways with Edgar.
“Once we cross there, we’ll be close! Prepare for battle and stay alert for any presence of the enemy!”
“Yes! Your Highness!”
The soldiers following behind, along with his retainers, shouted in unison like a prayer.
Upon reaching the path where the wagon had passed, they finally caught sight of a group of people gathered in plain view.
Before that crowd lay a man, sprawled out in the snow, and upon seeing him, Yulken rushed towards him, shouting.
“Kelrag!”
“…Well, you’ve made it back after barely keeping your life.”
For some unknown reason, Kelrag, panting heavily, remained seated in the snow and received the approaching members of the Robeheim family with sharp eyes.
Around him lay snow stained with blood, a clear indicator of how fierce the duel between the two had been.
Even just looking at Kelrag and Edgar in front of him, it was clear that their bodies bore serious injuries.
“Still, thanks to that, I managed to save that guy’s life.”
“That guy? Who are you talking about?”
“The one lying over there. His name was Edgar Billhark, right?”
At Kelrag’s nonchalant words, Yulken’s eyes widened in astonishment.
That meant Edgar’s life had not yet slipped away?
If so, their priority should be to rescue him rather than focusing on the enemy in front of them.
With that thought in mind, Yulken immediately called out to Bignes, who was standing behind him, and entrusted the task to him.
“Bignes! Go check on Duke Edgar’s condition and take him back to the main camp immediately!”
“Yes!”
Bignes stepped forward and, with the aid of the soldiers, brought Edgar back to the group and cast magic to assess his condition.
Fortunately, he was still alive.
The problem was the significant amount of blood he was losing; if they left him in that state, it was uncertain how long he could hold on.
However, as Yulken said, if they took him back to the main camp for treatment immediately, there was a chance.
“You all follow me! We’re returning to the main camp at once!”
“Understood!”
Bignes carried Edgar onto the wagon he had brought Yulken in and led a small group of soldiers, turning the horses towards the main camp.
Even while on the way, he did his best to treat Edgar as they traveled.
As a High-Level Mage, it might be possible to save his life even in this condition, but he wasn’t proficient enough in healing magic, so every second counted.
With that, the wagon carrying Edgar disappeared, and Yulken was left staring silently at Kelrag.
What could his true intentions be?
Considering Edgar’s condition moments ago, he could have easily ended Edgar’s life.
Moreover, the fact that he had invaded Whitewood was weighing heavily on his mind.
“What was your reason for saving him?”
“You’ve always enjoyed asking questions to your enemies.”
“Enough with the nonsense, answer me.”
At Yulken’s frostbitten attitude, Kelrag casually rolled his eyes and shrugged nonchalantly.
“He was an amusing fellow. Not that I intended to save him, mind you.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Clearly, he hadn’t killed him himself, yet he didn’t have any intention of saving him, which left Yulken puzzled.
As Yulken frowned and pressed for clarification, Kelrag, wrapped in bandages with the assistance of his subordinates, displayed a deep smile.
“Considering the amount of blood he lost, he was bound to die anyway. I was just going to leave him there and let fate take its course, but it seems you were a step faster.”
“That’s a poor excuse. That essentially means you intended to save him.”
“That is one way to look at it. Well, I’ll leave it up to you guys to interpret.”
Shrugging off Yulken’s words casually, Kelrag rose from his seated position with the help of those around him.
There wasn’t a part of his body free of wounds—from his abdomen, chest, shoulders, to legs; every area bore signs of battle, and groans of pain escaped his lips.
‘That young man is quite impressive.’
Though he had no idea of his exact age, he was likely no older than twenty at most.
Despite that, he wanted to commend him for standing so firmly against him and pressing him hard.
Above all, he very much liked that he had never hesitated or faltered with each strike.
‘He wasn’t careless. That means, in terms of skill, he equals me.’
Kelrag never lets his guard down the moment he recognizes his opponent as a warrior.
It wasn’t just a matter of respect for his opponent; in a society where the strong devour the weak, it was a wise attitude that kept one from becoming easy prey.
Thus, even without a trace of carelessness, he clashed swords with Edgar and ended up in a balanced fight.
That meant, aside from his youth and insufficient battle experience, he was at least a warrior on par with him in sheer skill.
“When that guy wakes up, tell him this: at least among the enemies I fought, there has been no rival that has made me exert myself as much as he did.”
“Then I might as well relay it directly. Though I’ll be in the position of a prisoner.”
Having rescued Edgar, Yulken achieved his goal, but there was no reason to let them all go free.
The enemy was more than capable enough to fight back, and, more importantly, their commander, Kelrag, was close to being incapacitated.
If not now, when would be a better time to strike?
As he drew his sword and explicitly revealed his hostility, Kelrag, however, maintained his composure.
“You might want to reconsider. Reinforcements are on their way.”
“…You’ve got quite the cunning mind.”
“That was the work of our strategist. Even so, I’m willing to face you if you insist.”
As Kelrag stood gripping his own sword, having dropped it on the ground, Yulken, watching from behind, could only click his tongue and turn away.
Dragging out the confrontation would only allow reinforcements to arrive and lead to their defeat.
While it was regrettable to let them go free, he was just satisfied with having saved Edgar and decided it was time to retreat.
“I’ll return to reclaim Whitewood. Don’t expect any mercy from me when I do.”
“I wasn’t planning on sparing you. Even my words seem to go unheard—perhaps that’s a trait of the Empire.”
“I don’t intend to get into a word contest, so leave.”
Yulken indifferently turned away and mounted his horse, leading the soldiers onward.
He should focus on saving a life now, forgetting the sting of defeat and the humiliation of being captured for a moment.
‘By the way, they seem to have recognized that stubborn guy of theirs. It’ll be amusing to see how it plays out.’
The foreign tribes possess a substantial and inherent hostility towards the Empire.
Yet, the fact that Kelrag, their leader and chief warrior, recognized a mere young man who had just reached adulthood meant Edgar’s worth had significantly risen.
Of course, that was only if Edgar woke up to realize it, leaving Yulken wishing for his swift recovery.
“Your Highness, the young master…”
“He’ll be fine. For Ariel’s sake, he must get up.”
“…I can only hope that is true.”
Interrupting Elpelt’s words filled with anxiety, Yulken forced a smile.
He had to wake up.
If he didn’t, he would have no face to show to either him or his daughter.
If he continued to sleep like this, on the day he was buried, Yulken wouldn’t even be able to offer a single flower in mourning.
—
In his dreams, Edgar berated himself over the last battle.
One move. Just one move was all he lacked.
Is this the difference that comes from experience in battle? He thought he had it secured, yet he still suffered a loss, which left him incredibly disappointed.
‘At least I saved his Highness, but it’s still frustrating.’
He wanted to return to Ariel, alive if possible.
Had he won that battle and claimed Kelrag’s life, perhaps he could have slipped away while the enemies were in disarray.
Despite training diligently because he felt inadequate, realizing he still had so far to go left him feeling frustrated, but what could he do now? The end had come.
Embracing the possibility of just closing his eyes and resting could be his final task.
If there was anything he could wish for, it would be to live happily with Ariel and perhaps see a little girl that resembled a rabbit. Yet, thinking it over, he felt grateful that he hadn’t made her a widow.
– …Ed! Edgar!
‘Even as I’m dying, I can still hear that guy’s voice.’
Could this perhaps be a vision of his life flashing before his eyes?
Edgar focused on the last voice he wanted to hear as his consciousness submerged into darkness.
Though he couldn’t make out the words, it was clear that she was desperately searching for him.
Even if he couldn’t be present, he wanted to at least convey a somewhat hollow blessing that she should be well.
Yet, considering this, maybe it was a decent resolution for a life that had been somewhat dull, and he thought he might be able to close his eyes with satisfaction.
As Edgar’s consciousness steadily sank beneath the surface toward its limit, he reached the bottom, where everything was dark. Suddenly, he felt something gripping his arm, and something warm enveloped him.
“Ed! Edgar…!”
“…Ariel?”
It took about three seconds to realize that it was a person’s warmth.
Then, it took another five seconds to recognize who was clinging to him with the familiar voice that followed.
Edgar was in disbelief as he reached out, caressing Ariel’s back.
This was no dream or mirage; it was indeed reality.
The feelings of warmth, the gentle touch, and her quivering voice belonged to none other than Ariel Robeheim, the very person he had longed to see again.
He had truly come back to life.
Back into her embrace.
