I dedicated my whole life to my lord.
I believed without a doubt that what I do benefits my lord. Thus, she had nothing to fear. She thought she was doing the right thing.
The belief that one is right can sometimes become poison. If you think you’re wrong, it might stop you, but it can also make you run recklessly, just like her now.
The reason she went on a rampage was simple. It was because she saw Yuyoung and Bayard quarreling over a trivial matter. It was a trivial quarrel anyone could have had in childhood.
But for Yana, who blindly devoted herself, that was utterly wrong. So, she gathered her followers who were following the lord with her and persistently tormented Bayard.
But was it really for loyalty? Or was it out of jealousy for having an equal relationship with her lord? Now, after so much time has passed, even she doesn’t know.
“Die! Die!!!”
The blades sprouting from her hands screamed out. The cold metal brushed past the cheek. The searing pain of flesh burning is felt. Bayard realized.
Her blade was poisoned. A very serious deadly poison, at that. Thankfully, Clara and Ruby evaded all of it. If they hadn’t, the odds would have changed.
But Bayard was from the Bear Clan. Incredible physical abilities and resilience were strengths of the Bear Clan. Bayard’s resilience had even endured Blood Demon’s poison, which was beyond that.
Yana’s poison was nothing he couldn’t withstand. His body still trembled. The fear held by the memories of the torment he had experienced in the past couldn’t easily be overcome. That was a fact.
“But I have a commander.”
Avoiding the problem in front of him or running away might be a defensive mechanism stemming from past experiences. But there’s someone who holds his hand until the end.
Even if he wants to run away again, knowing there’s someone to hold onto helps him overcome the fear and fight back. Finally, Bayard’s fist made contact with her face.
Boom! A shock like a hammer smashing down hit Yana. Brain matter oozed from her crushed skull. But even that wound quickly healed.
“What the hell are you looking at?”
“My loyalty is real! It’s different from someone like you!!!”
“I see, so this is what I feared.”
Yana’s emphasis on her loyalty was utterly ugly. Bayard assumed his stance. He no longer felt fear. Instead, he only felt pity.
What was the reason for her downfall? He wouldn’t understand, probably for life. But that’s why he could overcome the wounds of the past and move forward.
Because Bayard chose to face reality. He confirmed all that horrifying past with his own eyes. He chose to move on.
With one step forward, at the same time, his fist, swung like a cannonball, struck Yana’s head. Crack!! The sound of metal shattering echoed, and blood splattered everywhere.
Yana’s body, having lost its will, slowly collapsed. The end of someone who had unknowingly become a puppet due to a curse. However, Bayard did not feel relieved.
Instead, he felt sympathy. After all, she had unknowingly been manipulated. But the wrongs she had committed did not change. Bayard turned away.
“It’s all over, Commander.”
“Yeah, good job, Bayard.”
“Finally, it’s done.”
“Did you feel nervous watching?”
As Bayard took down Yana, Yuren and Cluna appeared in the courtyard, clapping with smiles. And standing beside them was Helia, quietly observing.
“Good work. You did well for yourself.”
“Helia, and everyone…”
“I was trying to help, but I guess that wasn’t the right answer.”
“I wasn’t just doing nothing for no reason, you know?”
Yuren scratched her head. Dragons were a Race of Benevolence; other races were just things to protect for dragons. She felt that again now.
Yet for some reason, Cluna had stood in her way. Even the commander had not intervened. While getting injured herself. The commander, who fought evenly with her, got hurt?
An indescribable emotion surged in her chest, but she forced it down. There had to be reasoning there. And she realized that the commander actually had that reasoning.
“Growing by overcoming pain, I didn’t realize that.”
The Bayard she knew was a timid member. So, she had wanted to take better care of him. Yet he had overcome his fear and splendidly defeated an enemy.
It’s not just about forcing a solution.
Sometimes, it’s important to let them solve it themselves.
Of course, it’s equally important to protect them so that they can do just that.
For Yuren, it was too complex a matter.
*
Damn, I barely survived.
I had been watching from the back with a nervous expression. Especially when Bayard brushed past Yana’s blade – I thought, “Are we losing?”
But the real problem came after Bayard won. Suddenly, Yuren and Cluna popped out, right? And what? As if there’s a reason why I was doing nothing?
Is my twisted arm just a decoration to you guys? Huh? It wasn’t like I was just doing nothing! I had no choice but to!! I was annoyed, but what could I do? I had to endure.
Because I’m the weakest.
Damn. I think I understand the sorrow of a small nation a little bit.
The aftermath was difficult to handle. Especially explaining to Yuyoung why Yana and Bayard fought to the death. I had to make her understand.
“So, Yana was harassing you? Plus, she lied to me about it?”
“Yeah.”
“No way. Yana’s my loyal subordinate!”
“Yuyoung, face reality. You know it could be true, right?”
“…”
Bayard stood firmly, persisting in persuading Yuyoung. He showed no signs of being timid. I crossed my arms and nodded. Finally, he’s grown up.
Thanks to that, I experienced the pain of my twisted arm. But if that timid personality has been improved a little, then it’s worth my sacrifice. Damn it.
I got back to receiving Cluna’s care. Treating a twisted arm is more painful than I thought. Especially when they rotate the twisted bone back – I thought I was going to lose it.
“I can’t take this, I’m gonna die.”
“You held on pretty well, though.”
“This treatment took a while this time.”
“It’s because the poison seeped in.”
“…Was I in danger?”
“Yeah.”
We decided to keep this fact a secret from everyone. After all, Helia was obsessively tending to my care. If she found out, she might say something to Bayard.
Yuyoung tried to round up the surviving warriors. Fortunately, none were in danger. And maybe realizing something from the incident, Yuyoung had been quiet for a while.
During the week I was being treated, Yuyoung had regularly come to see Bayard. Now she seemed ready to leave. We went out to greet her. Yuyoung smiled as she spoke.
“I didn’t expect you to come out to greet me.”
“Aren’t we on friendly terms?”
“Really? I want to go further.”
“Th, that’s enough!”
As Yuyoung slowly approached me, Bayard quickly stepped in between us. For a moment, Yuyoung looked surprised but quickly turned serious and glared at me.
“W, what’s this?”
“Nothing, forget it. More importantly…”
“W, w, what!”
Bayard flailed his arms about. The warriors tried to stop him, but Yuyoung raised her hand to intervene. After briefly looking back and forth between us, Yuyoung sighed.
“It’s a bit awkward for me to say this, but please take good care of Bayard.”
“Rest assured. I won’t abandon my members.”
“…I hope those words are sincere.”
Yuyoung spoke those words before turning to walk away. Of course, this doesn’t erase all her wrongs. She’s committed many wrongs from long ago until now.
But what went wrong can be corrected again.
Perhaps because he realized that.
Yuyoung’s steps looked lighter in my eyes.
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