283 – I’m not alone, you know. (1)
Gillian stared at the pursuing Desmond’s Army with fatigued eyes.
‘They’re really persistent…’
For days, Gillian had carried out several ambushes with his knights. Initially, the Desmond’s Army was taken by surprise, but they gradually became more agile and resilient in their responses.
As a result, the effectiveness of ambushes diminished over time. Recently, instead of launching ambushes, they had been busy fleeing from Desmond’s pursuing forces.
Gillian looked back.
In the distance, thousands of cavalry were slowly approaching.
It was a daunting number, with nearly 3,000 horsemen pursuing them, a force comparable to the military power of an entire territory that had mobilized to capture them.
‘To think they can deploy this many troops…’
They were truly not to be underestimated.
The pursuers split off rapidly while the main force advanced, blocking every escape route for the Penris Army.
Then, as if conducting a drive hunt, they herded them to this spot.
Gillian let out a deep sigh.
‘Is this the end…?’
They were in an expansive plain. From here to the heart of Penris, there were no forests or mountains to hide in.
The enemy had managed to maneuver quickly, willingly taking initial casualties and successfully cornering them.
There was no option to escape now. The only remaining choice was to fight head-on.
“Prepare for combat.”
At Gillian’s quiet command, the knights and soldiers brandished their weapons. They all looked exhausted, their faces pale and drawn.
When they fled the fortress, they hadn’t even managed to gather proper supplies, let alone food. They had been fighting continuously without rest, so it was no surprise they were all wounded and drained.
Due to the repeated battles, barely half of the soldiers remained.
Nevertheless, everyone’s eyes still held a fierce glimmer. It was clear that they were determined to take down at least one more enemy.
Gillian forced a bitter smile and continued.
“Spread out in a circular formation.”
The formation began to shape itself into a circle. The cavalry raised their spears and shields for battle.
Now, there were no usable fortifications or terrain features left. Surrounded, they had to rely solely on their weary bodies to fend off attacks from all sides.
As the Penris Army formed up, Desmond’s Army completed their encirclement.
Baron Hutton, leading the pursuers, looked at the Penris Army with a delighted smile.
“Finally caught those little rats.”
The ambushes led by Gillian had been quick and impactful. They had been forced to slow their advance in preparation for ambushes.
However, the Desmond’s Army wasn’t simply being dragged along according to Gillian’s intent.
They had to endure significant sacrifices to reach this point, but ultimately, they had created the situation they desired.
Now, all that remained was to unleash their pent-up rage.
Baron Hutton drew his sword and declared.
“Finish this.”
The Desmond’s Army began to advance slowly, tightening their grip on the Penris forces.
Gillian raised his shield, stepping forward as he shouted.
“They’re coming!”
No sooner had he spoken than dozens of fireballs rained down from the Desmond’s Army.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Gillian gritted his teeth as he used his shield to block the spells. The other knights did the same.
This level of magic was manageable. Without Willow, the 6th Circle Mage, it was enough to withstand.
Bang!
Not just magic, but countless arrows soared from the ranks of Desmond’s Army as well.
They knew it was of little use. Their reinforced armor and dispel magic held firm against the attacks.
This was the Desmond’s Army’s goal, to continuously exhaust their stamina and mana.
Tatata-tat-tang!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each time Desmond’s Army unleashed their assault, the circular formation wavered violently. All the Penris forces could do was huddle together like turtles, bracing to endure.
Every time they hit, the circular formation shook violently. The Penris Army could only curl up like turtles and endure.
After a while, the long-range attacks ceased, and Desmond’s cavalry began to move.
The Penris Army, who had been thoroughly beaten, looked exhausted even before the direct clash. In fact, even without the recent attacks, their bodies were in terrible condition due to prolonged outdoor living.
Dududududu!
Seeing Desmond’s cavalry approach, the Penris Knights laughed.
“Honestly, I was thinking of running away halfway. Those guys are no joke. They’re nothing like the ones we’ve fought before,” said Lucas, the so-called “Lone Drama Queen” and self-proclaimed “genius of spear techniques,” who always pretended to be serious.
“Haha, idiot. You’re such a coward. I knew you’d think that.”
“Since we’re at it, let’s take out at least one more before we go. Our lord will handle the revenge.”
Yeah, the lord would definitely handle the revenge. Whatever else he was, he was not someone who would just let things slide after being wronged.
So they could laugh, even as they faced death.
Boom!
Finally, the two armies collided. The Penris Knights easily dodged the cavalry charge, retaliating by taking down both horse and rider.
The soldiers raised their spears and initially blocked the cavalry effectively.
But there were just too many enemies. With their current numbers, they couldn’t hold off all the incoming cavalry.
Boom!
“Uaaagh!”
The charging Desmond cavalry simply mowed down the Penris soldiers.
The Penris soldiers had high defense, but they weren’t as agile as knights. They had to absorb the tremendous shock of the charge.
After just two collisions, the circular formation of Penris fell apart.
“Get up! If you lay down, you’ll really die!”
“Pull yourself together!”
“Just hang in there a bit longer!”
Despite the Penris Knights fighting valiantly and taking down nearby cavalry, they couldn’t help but fall into a disadvantage in the chaotic battle.
Unlike when they were blocking a narrow passageway in the fortress, enemies kept pouring in from all directions. The Penris Knights began to exert their final strength.
Ziiing—!
This is the last battle. If they’re going to lose their lives anyway, they might as well take down as many as they can.
Boom!
Rampage.
The Penris Knights moved as if madness suited them perfectly.
Bang! Bang! Boom!
No one held back their strength. They exuded a relentless intent to kill, determined to take down at least one more enemy.
Especially Gillian. He threw away his shield and wielded axes in both hands.
Then he mercilessly struck down the enemies around him, not caring about his own wounds.
Chop! Chop! Boom!
The oncoming Desmond army was cut down, becoming nothing but a pool of blood. Their screams filled the plains.
“Uaaagh! These monsters!”
“Just push a little harder! They’re tired too!”
“Today is the last day! You annoying bastards!”
Desmond’s army was equally enraged.
Because of these guys, they had to launch a reckless operation, and they hadn’t slept properly. They also had to face the terror of losing many allies.
The time to end that nightmare was approaching. If they hesitated now, they couldn’t call themselves elite.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Uaaagh!”
“Waahhh!”
The battlefield was filled with screams and shouts, becoming drenched in madness.
Both the attackers and defenders were consumed by the heat of battle, focusing only on killing the enemies in front of them.
But such a state couldn’t last forever. As time passed, Desmond’s momentum grew stronger, while the Penris Army grew weaker.
“Ugh….”
Thud.
One of the Penris Knights, fighting like a madman, suddenly fell with a self-deprecating laugh.
Suddenly, he collapsed.
No one could see his face due to the helmet, but inside, it was already smeared with the blood he had vomited.
Thud.
Another knight fell.
It wasn’t just the knights who had fallen. The soldiers had collapsed long ago, their bodies merely writhing on the ground.
Thanks to their sturdy armor, they hadn’t lost their lives yet, but the accumulated shock and fatigue rendered the soldiers unable to muster the strength to rise again.
“Get up! Get up and kill some more!”
Only Gillian shouted hoarsely as he continued to take down enemies.
As Gillian was still rampaging, Desmond’s Army found it hard to get close.
However, they quickly sensed that something was off with the state of Penris’s forces.
“Are these guys… finally tired?”
“Something seems too strange for that.”
“Is there a problem?”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
As Desmond’s Army pulled back slightly, the knights of Penris, who had been barely holding on, began to drop one by one.
There was no need to attack; they were collapsing on their own. Desmond’s Army stopped attacking and merely maintained their encirclement.
In the end, most of the Penris knights had either collapsed or were sitting on the ground. It was clear to see blood trickling out from underneath their helmets.
Seeing this, even Gillian seemed to lose strength, letting his arms droop down.
The only one still standing in Penris’s forces was him.
Gillian looked at the fallen knights of Penris, who were coughing up blood, with sad eyes and mumbled.
“Get up… Get up and fight some more…”
His face looked like it had aged years in just a few days. The fierce gaze was now gone, resembling the last breath of a weary, sick lion.
Swoosh.
As Desmond’s Army parted, a man walked out from within.
“Baron Hutton…”
Gillian gripped his axe again. Though his hand trembled, he had to kill this one at all costs.
This would reduce the casualties on their side in the upcoming battles.
Baron Hutton slowly drew his sword, his gaze still as arrogant and cold as before.
The two men launched their weapons at each other.
Bam!
With just one clash, Gillian stumbled backward. He was far too exhausted to withstand Baron Hutton’s powerful strikes.
Bam! Bam!
“Ugh…”
With each clash, Gillian was wounded and staggered.
Baron Hutton hadn’t fully recovered either, but after sufficient treatment and rest, he was in far better condition than Gillian.
Clang!
Under the relentless attacks, Gillian could no longer hold on and lost one of his axes.
Bam!
In the following assault, the other axe, which hadn’t fully absorbed enough mana, shattered.
Gash!
Baron Hutton’s sword mercilessly tore through Gillian’s breastplate.
Thud.
Gillian, spitting blood from his chest, staggered a few times before finally kneeling.
He looked up at Baron Hutton with exhausted eyes, a look of puzzlement in his gaze wondering why he hadn’t been killed instantly.
Indeed, Baron Hutton thrust forward his blood-soaked sword and spoke.
“Gillian.”
“…”
“Though you’re a mere mercenary, it would be a pity to kill you in this war. I’ll give you one more chance. Surrender.”
“…I refuse.”
Baron Hutton’s eyebrows twitched. He couldn’t understand.
“Why is that? Weren’t you a mercenary? Why are you risking your life for Count Penris? Is that pathetic contract so precious to you?”
“…It’s not a contract.”
At first, it was gratitude for saving his daughter. He had followed because of that grace.
He had been prepared to sacrifice his life at any time. Having received his daughter’s life, he thought offering his own was only a fair price in return.
Since he had received it, he thought sacrificing his life was a fair price.
But watching Ghislaine by his side gradually changed his mind.
Ghislaine was a special person.
Despite being a noble, he was unfazed by the status of others.
Even though he wasn’t a mercenary, he displayed a mercenary’s vigor better than any true mercenary.
With his mysterious knowledge, he had saved the troubled territory countless times.
Always doing his best to protect others rather than indulging himself.
Therefore, he was the one who made the impossible possible, despite everyone shouting that it couldn’t be done.
As time with Ghislaine rolled on, Gillian found himself increasingly inspired by such qualities.
At some moment, Gillian began to see Ghislaine not just as the benefactor who had saved his daughter, but as a lord he could truly believe in and follow.
So, Gillian could not betray Ghislaine.
This was neither a repayment to a benefactor nor a bondage resulting from a contract.
Loyalty.
Gillian had found someone he could truly be loyal to, someone worth risking his life for.
Of course, sometimes… he was also an absurdly unpredictable and amusing person.
With that thought, Gillian unknowingly smiled.
Baron Hutton couldn’t understand Gillian’s demeanor at all. He couldn’t grasp how Count Penris earned such loyalty.
“Why on earth! Are you saying you follow that kid? Do you really think Count Penris can conquer the North? Do you seriously believe he can fight and win against the Duke Faction?”
“If it is my lord, he can certainly do it.”
“Ridiculous! This is the delusion of an inexperienced fool who doesn’t know reality! Dreams should remain dreams!”
“The lord’s dream…”
Gillian raised his head again to look at Baron Hutton.
His eyes were remarkably calm, different from before. Gillian spoke as if exhaling his last breath.
“It is my dream.”
“You little…!”
Baron Hutton raised his sword. He should kill him immediately, but regret held his hand back.
‘It can’t be helped.’
It’s a shame, but he had to kill him quickly and return. It didn’t seem like persuading him would be possible either.
Just as he decided to bring the sword down…
Swoosh!
Clang!
Baron Hutton, sensing an incoming arrow, lifted his sword to block it. However, the arrow shattered the sword and pierced his chest.
“Gack!”
Baron Hutton clutched his chest and staggered back a few steps.
Desmond’s Army around him was all astonished. Though they had heard he was in poor condition from injuries, Baron Hutton was a high-ranking knight. How could he be injured by an arrow?
Gillian, who had faced Baron Hutton directly and knew his skills well, also wore a disbelieving expression.
Who could possibly hit such a strong opponent with an arrow so easily?
No, there was. There was someone in the North capable of such feats.
A being whose depths could not be fathomed.
Someone growing stronger like a monster with the passage of time.
Gillian’s heart began to pound fiercely.
Amidst the beating, he heard a sound shaking the very earth.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Neither trumpet sounds nor cheers could be heard. Only the powerful sound of galloping hooves echoed.
Gillian slowly turned his head back.
“Ah…”
The sight he had longed for unfolded before his eyes.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
The red wolf’s banner filled the vast plains. The owner of that banner represented everything for him. The last dream he had left.
And the person he had been waiting for most and wanted to see…
“Gillian—!”
With shining red eyes, that person was rushing towards him faster than anyone else.
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