Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 496

"In the battle of Fortress of the Narrows, our home territory of Bardia, our beloved families, and the people of the territory were protected. In order to protect our homeland, Bardia, our beloved families, and our people, the knights who lie here gave their lives in order to fulfill their duty. Therefore, we must never forget their courage and bravery throughout our lives and live proudly. It is our duty to live in the present, entrusted with the future."

Standing in front of me at the memorial service for the fallen, my father, dressed in his usual black formal attire, sounded more solemn than usual.

Fara is sitting next to me, and my mother and Mel are sitting next to my father.

In front of my father, standing in front of me, are the members of the First and Second Order of Bardia, including Dinas, the leader of the Order, and Rubens, the vice leader.

Further back, a large number of surviving family members are watching the ceremony.

About three weeks have passed since the Battle of the Narrow Gap, when Gareth, Elba, and the others invaded with the foxmen in tow.

After that battle, I collapsed from exhaustion as soon as I arrived at the Bardia estate.

I slept for three days and three nights after that, causing many people, including Farah and my mother, to worry about me again.

The first thing I did when I woke up

It was to tell Tink and the others about the end of Deputy Commander Cross.

I told them how brave he was and how much he had done.

In addition, if Cross had not defended the narrow fortress during the that day, we would have lost the battle for sure.

"I will not cry. Daddy fulfilled his duty as a knight in a splendid manner. So, as Papa's daughter, I should be proud of him. ......"

Although Tis acted stout-heartedly, tears welled up in her eyes and she sobbed.

Tink stood up on the spot and bowed deeply.

I am sorry, Master Rid. May I be excused for a moment?"

'Yes, that would be fine, but ......"

"Thank you."

She looked up and looked at Tis.

I'll go outside and cry. You cry in here."

As Tink exits the room and the door closes, Tis begins to cry loudly, as if a damp spell has been broken.

I sat down next to her, hugged her gently, and stayed by her side until she calmed down.

Listening closely, Tink's sobbing could be heard from outside.

I was determined not to let this kind of sorrow happen again.

On the other hand, my father, in order to secure Amon's position as the new tribal chief after defeating Gareth, entered the territory of the Foxmen with the momentum from his victory and rushed straight up to Forneu, the capital city of the Foxmen.

The first sight the fathers saw from afar when they arrived at the capital of the Foxmen was the smoke rising from the luxurious and gorgeous house of the Grandek family, which was burning fiercely.

It is believed that the fire was most likely started by someone who feared that Gareth and Elba's defeat would expose their secrets and connections, but the culprits have yet to be found.

It is unfortunate that we did not have more information, but this is a symbol of a new beginning for the Grandek family. Everyone will shout the battle cry that 'Amon Grandek' has made his triumphant return as the new tribal chief."

When Father saw Amon and the warriors stunned by the sight of the burning mansion from a distance, he immediately spoke to them.

When the warriors entered the capital, they learned that Amon had defeated Gareth, just as Father had said.

They shouted loudly that Amon had become the new chief of the tribe, and spread the word that the burning of the main house symbolized a new beginning for the Fox people.

This created a tremendous publicity effect, and even the smoldering remnants of the Gareth faction recognized Amon as the tribe's chief.

Of course, the influence of Rafa Grandek, the eldest daughter of the Grandek family, who said that she recognized Amon as the tribe's chief, was also a major factor.

Rafa was considered the second most powerful person in the Fox people after Elba.

Gareth was killed in the battle of Fort Narrows.

In the midst of the chaos that surrounded the battlefield with the news that Elba and Malbus had been defeated, Rafa announced her support for Amon, and the powerful clansmen on the battlefield began to express their support for Amon one after the other.

Gareth's preferential politics toward the powerful tribes, Elba's overwhelmingly powerful leadership, Malbas's coordination by making good use of these factors, and Rafa's collection of information from home and abroad.

The previous Fox people's government was mainly run by these four.

Three of them lost their posts in the recent war.

Rafa, the only one left, supported Amon's government, and the powerful clans had no choice but to support him.

Even if Gareth and the Elba faction of the great tribes had made a thorough defensive stand, they would have been crushed by the intact army of more than 10,000 led by Rafa, the great tribes supporting Ammon, and the Bardia Knights.

Some of the powerful tribesmen may have thought that they could tame Amon successfully through political tactics while expressing their support on the battlefield.

But Father would not let that happen.

While assisting Amon, who was not yet familiar with business affairs, the father quickly established a new political system with the cooperation of Rafa.

His skill was said to have astonished even Amon and Rafa, as well as the powerful Foxmen tribe.

In a short period of time, he had established a new political system with Amon as the new tribal chief, and immediately started the tribal burial of the former tribal chief, Gareth Grandek, who had been killed in the battle.

Of course, it was Amon who was ostensibly in charge.

I heard that all the heads of each tribe, including Sekhmetos Bestia, the current Beast King of Zubera, the Beast Kingdom, attended the tribal funeral.

The fact that the Beast King and all the heads of the tribes attended the tribal funeral is a sign of their recognition of Amon as the head of the tribe of the Foxmen, both in name and in reality.

Gareth Grandek, who had been oppressing the Fuchsmen in order to achieve the invasion of Bardia, even using his own son Amon as a pawn.

With his funeral, Amon Grandek was recognized as the new tribal leader in both name and reality in the neighboring countries.

It is an ironic story.

The defeated Elba and Malbus are still missing.

They are wanted with a large bounty on their heads, as they were the central figures in the invasion and the oppression of the entire Fox tribe.

The adventurers' guild was excited by the bounty, which was the largest ever paid to an adventurer.

Even though he lost his left hand in the battle with me, I don't think Elba will be easily beaten.

I should consider the possibility that we might face each other again at some point.

After greeting the beast kings and others, and after the tribal funeral in Gareth was over and the new government was in place, my father finally made his way back to Bardia territory and returned only a few days ago.

While my father was setting up the new government in the territory of the Foxmen, I was busy in my office in the new mansion, working on the post-war affairs with the help of everyone else.

Starting with confirming the names and numbers of the knights who died in the battle, I was working on compensation for the bereaved families.

I confirmed the damage to the main mansion, the new mansion, and the narrow fortress that were attacked, calculated the repair costs, and calculated the compensation to be claimed from the Fox people.

In the midst of his busy schedule, he received a letter.

It was from Cross.

If you are reading this letter, I must not be in this world. I am only very worried that you are not heartbroken, because you are a very kind person. But there is no need to grieve over my death. I knew this would happen one day when I served the Bardia family, and I was only fulfilling my duty as a knight. Above all, Master Rid came to see my son Claude and gave him a wonderful gift. I am truly grateful to serve the Bardia family. If I died on the battlefield defending Master Rid, I would be proud of my own death."

"Cross......"

As I read, tears welled up and ran down my cheeks, wetting the letter.

The scribbled words are scribbled in a messy handwriting in places.

I am sure that he must have been thinking about a lot of emotions with no time to start the battle.

But I have one regret , my beloved wife, Tink, my daughter, Tis, and my son, Claude. I have many letters that I have written to them from before to help ease their grief. Please, send these to my beloved family members. I would like you to send them to each of my beloved family members every year on their respective birthdays. I know this is a selfish request, but please do this for me."

'Ok. ...... I promise.'

After reading the letter and putting it neatly back in its envelope, I immediately instruct Cross to check the "many letters" he has asked me to send.

Soon after, Capella brought a large wooden box with a lot of letters in it.

Yes, all of them⁉"

Yes, all of them. It seems that Master Cross had been writing letters to his wife, daughter, and son on the assumption that they all lived to be a hundred years old. One can only marvel at the depth of their love."

"Yes, that's right: ......."

If I look inside the crate, I find a number of letters that, as he says, were addressed to each of Cross's family members.

He would like these to be delivered to each of them every year. ......?

The image of Cross bragging about his family came back to my mind, and I gushed.

'Hmmm, that's very Cross the loving wife, huh?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

The next day, I visited Tink and Tis.

"I'm sorry for the short notice."

"It is outrageous. Please raise your heads. It is a great honor for us to have you here."

When I bowed my head, Tink shook her head in a panic.

I looked sideways at Tis sitting next to her and saw that she was not as cheerful as usual.

I looked at Deanna, who was standing by, and offered two envelopes from a bag to the two of them.

...... what's this?"

Tink and Tisu, who received the envelopes, tilted their heads and looked at them quizzically.

They must have noticed the handwriting on the address.

"Yes. It's a letter from Cross to you. Including Claude, I'll keep it until your 100th birthday."

"What? Hundred years old?"

" ...... that big idiot."

Tis rolled her eyes and Tink shook her head in disgust.

But their eyes were filled with tears, and they looked happy and animated.

'That ......?　But none of us have birthdays yet, do we?"

"The letter I brought this time has nothing to do with birthdays, but is for the first one I wanted you to give me."

"I see. Well, then, may I open it as soon as possible ......?"

"Yes, of course."

Tisu happily opens the sealed envelope and begins to look through the letter.

Tink smiled at that and took out the letter as well.

Soon, they both begin to see tears welling up in their eyes.

"Daddy...... Daddy ah......"

You ......

'...... Well, we'll leave you now. If there is anything in your letter that makes you think you can rely on me, let me know right away."

Days passed with some tense exchanges with Tink and the others, and the process of confirming the names and the dead of the Knights of Bardia was completed.

A memorial service was then held to honor the fallen and bid farewell to them.

In the Bardia territory, there is a communal cemetery where those who died in the line of duty of the Knights of Bardia are laid to rest, and a large dusk stone stands proudly in the center of the cemetery.

It is said that the stone was erected when the Bardia family came to rule the land to honor the knights who had served the Bardia family from generation to generation and to remember them.

Many names are engraved on the gravestone, and new gravestones were added to write down the names that could not be written down completely.

Because of the knights who died in this battle, a large number of gravestones had to be added here.

The headstones that have been added here.

Every time I look at the many names inscribed on them, I wonder what could have been done.

There must have been another way.

These thoughts kept coming and going in my mind, and my hand naturally tightened into a fist.

"Rid-sama, you look scared, are you all right?"

"Oh, yes. I'm fine."

After smiling and replying to the worried Fara, I looked at the towering dusk stone.

"I'm ...... very frustrated."

"What?"

"I'm always being protected by someone else. No matter how much magic and martial arts I learn, I'm sure Master Rid and Father will never let me on the battlefield."

"Fara ......"

She has a strong, interesting look in her eyes, though her eyes are moist.

"Of course, I am aware of my position. But it is still very painful and frustrating to be in the position of just being protected and seeing everyone off. That is why I want to help you at least a little."

Fara took my hand and looked me straight in the eye.

"Please don't take it all on yourself . I don't want to say all of the pain, frustration, and sadness ...... that you have in your heart. Please let me know what you're going through, even if it's just a little bit."

I am so thankful for you. But you have always helped me."'

I felt love for her, who was concerned about me from the bottom of my heart, and I hugged her gently.

But then, something came into my mind and I burst out with a "heh."

"Master Rid?"

'Yes, oh, sorry, sorry. I was actually training with Cross.

"......?"

"Cross was a ridiculously loving and protective man. He would always brag about Tink and Tis in between training sessions. It was a long story. I was proud of Fara, too, once."

What?

Fara's eyes blinked and her reddened ears moved up and down.

"So, what did you tell her about ......?

"I'm afraid that's a secret."

I smiled and squinted, and just then I saw my father coming toward me.

"Rid, it's your turn to lead the Second Order."

'Yes, ah."

I stood in front of the gravestone, bowed, and turned around to face the front.

I looked around again and saw a great number of knights and their bereaved families gathered at this spot.

The children of the second knighthood were trying their best to hold back their tears.

When the children of the Beast Tribe came to the Bardia territory, it was Cross who took the most kindly care of them.

"He had a daughter close to his own age. I can't leave her alone."

He always stayed up late training with them, and when he was in the position of a squad leader, he would always give his advice to them.

Of course, it was not only the beastmen.

Dinas, Rubens, Deanna, Nels, Tink, Tis, Chris, Danae,......, many people are sobbing with eyes welling up or with a somber look on their faces as they bid farewell to each other.

Amongst them, I noticed Mel ...... staring at me and the gravestone with the most serious eyes.

After Mel was released from the hostage situation, when she learned about the entire battle at Fortress of the Cross and the death of Cross, she thought it was because of her own indiscretions and became depressed for a time.

It was her mother who cheered Mel up.

"Meldy Bardia. Clench your teeth."

She came with me to Mel's room and slapped her.

"What? ......"

She blinked her eyes and looked at Mel, who was stunned, but Mother gave her a sharp and resolute look.

"The reason for this is to protect Bardia. In addition, to save you. The knights, including Cross, fought desperately to fulfill their duties. To them, Meldy. You are showing them such a pathetic appearance? It is true that what you did was very careless and you should be very sorry for it. But no one can change the ...... past. What you need to do is not to turn away from reality like this and run away from your mistakes. As the eldest daughter of the Bardia family, you should honor and thank the knights who risked their lives, and fulfill the duties of a person born into nobility. No matter how hard it may be, we must look forward."

"Yes, ...... Mother."

"Sorry, Mel."

Mel nodded with a huff and held her cheeks, and her mother gently hugged her with tears streaming down her cheeks.

After that day, Mel started to act as cheerful as before, but her mood changed and she lost some of her childishness.

Her attitude toward her studies and martial arts seemed to have changed, and she began to take them more seriously than before.

I am sure that Mel has a lot on her mind going into this ceremony.

I looked at Mel and took a deep breath.

"They say that a person's death comes twice. The first is when the body dies. The second is when those who live today have forgotten the knights who gave their lives. Therefore, as our father said before me, we must pass on their deeds with pride. If we do so, the knights will not die a second time. That is what we must do now, as we live in the present."

As I returned to my seat after delivering my speech, I heard Capella's voice announcing the closing of the ceremony.

The postwar settlement of the Battle of Fortress Narrows has thus come to a close.

But there is no time to rest.

My father and I have to leave for the capital in about a week.