novelraw Chapter 266: Engagement - Toridom
Chapter 266: Engagement - Toridom
265. Engagement - Toridom
It took the Astin Kingdom army two days to occupy the deserted Toridom. Concerns arose—was the fortress enchanted? Was it a trap to lure them in and then surround them? However, no such magic was found, and not a trace of the enemy could be seen within a 30-ri (about 12 km) radius.
The Astin Kingdom army cautiously entered Toridom. Signs of a hasty departure were everywhere—broken barrels littered the ground, and only essential items had been taken. The eerie emptiness of the fortress left the soldiers uneasy and speaking in hushed tones.
However, the next day, when the scouts who had gone searching for the enemy returned, shouts of joy erupted.
“We’ve spotted the main enemy force! They’re fleeing, unable to even keep formation!”
“The enemy ran away?”
“What? Didn’t hear you.”
“They ran off!”
Reports spread from the Prince and the General to everyone.
Before the news reached the soldiers stationed on the high walls, the indigenous warriors let out a battle cry. Waaaaah! It was the cry of those who instinctively knew that the year-long war had finally ended.“We’ve won!! We’ve won!”
“Long live the Astin Kingdom! Long live the Prince!”
The soldiers joined in, embracing each other as if all their hardships had been forgotten.
“Quiet! Be quiet!”
Even the officers—centurions and decurions—couldn’t restrain themselves. Despite attempts from the General, the Prince, and other high-ranking commanders to calm the troops, the flood of joy continued. The native warriors celebrated in their own way, singing and dancing, and the once quiet Toridom was engulfed in wild jubilation.
The victory was undeniable.
They had captured the impregnable fortress of the first king of humanity, Toddler Akiunen, built against the cliffs of Mount Astro. Even the soldiers who were unaware of the broader war situation recognized the significance of the achievement, and their cheers turned to frenzy, and the frenzy into a victory celebration.
Even if not a single drop of liquor was involved.
“...Make sure the soldiers don’t cause any trouble. General, come inside. Knights, please keep your men on alert for any surprise attacks.”
Realizing there was no controlling the soldiers’ cheers, the Prince led the General inside.
Astin Kingdom’s leadership held repeated meetings, bewildered by the enemy’s actions, while commanders ran around in a futile attempt to control the troops.
But it wasn’t easy. Even Lena, a centurion, was too excited to sit still.
“Hey! You’re alive! It’s been so long, old man!”
“Lena!”
It was the warriors of the Ainar tribe.
True to their tribal nature, they gathered discarded barrels and started a bonfire. Scattered members of the tribe had come together, exchanging greetings.
“What’s this? Lena, you’re a centurion now?”
“That’s right! I’m a centurion now.”
“Wow—last year, you were hailed as part of the invincible ten-man squad during the review, and even got rewarded by the Prince. Our Lena’s really made it big! What about Leo?”
“Leo’s in my squad. Leo, come over and say hi... huh?”
Lena turned around, but Leo was nowhere to be seen.
Did I run here too fast? Lena retraced her steps.
She passed by a soldier shedding tears over the death of a friend who had enlisted with him and ignored the songs sung by native warriors with crow tattoos. When she asked her squad members, they said Leo had gone up to the other wall.
What’s he doing over there?
Lena climbed the absurdly high wall. Not here? True to the fortress’s design as a natural stronghold, the structure was far from simple. She wandered up and down various staircases, searching one battlement after another until she finally found Leo. She had to jump down from a higher battlement to reach the one where Leo sat.
The battlement, also called the wall court, was quite spacious. Siege weapons were scattered around, and there were stairs leading into the fortress at intervals.
Toridom was not a mere wall-built fortress; it was terraced against the cliffs of Mount Astro, with its body made of solid rock foundation that no magic could crumble.
Lena crossed the wall court.
Leo was sitting on the parapet, gazing down at the vast Asgard Plain below. His black hair fluttered in the winds.
“Leo, I’ve been looking for you. What are you doing up here?”
“...You’re here?”
Lena sat beside him on the opposite parapet. A southern wind blew over the wall, which was several dozen meters high.
Quite a view.
The snow-covered Asgard Plain was bathed in a fiery sunset. With nothing around except the lone peak of Mount Astro, the scenery was breathtaking. Tiny villages dotted the landscape, seemingly within arm’s reach.
If it weren’t wartime, it would have been even more beautiful. Shepherds would have driven their flocks across the quiet plains, adding a touch of serenity. Unfortunately, the burning, smoke-filled villages told of the war’s devastation.
Wool prices will skyrocket across the continent. Lena briefly thought of the money to be made, then turned her head.
“What are you doing up here?”
“...Just, something doesn’t feel right. It shouldn’t have ended this easily...”
“What?”
Lena responded incredulously.
“What’s so easy about it? We’ve been slogging here for months. Look at how much weight people have lost. How can you say it was easy?”
That’s true. Leo started to speak but then fell silent.
The enemy could have tormented them for months just by staying in this fortress. No, they might have even repelled them... Leo turned his head, troubled by the thought.
“Leo.”
After gazing at the vast plain together for a while, Lena finally spoke. She was no longer admiring the scenery—she was looking ahead, to the future.
“Let’s go to Barnaul with Uncle Jensen when the war is over.”
“He’s already an uncle?”
“What’s wrong with that? The war’s almost over. I talked to him before you got out of prison. He said we should stay in the capital and maybe try joining the Knights or enter the Maunin Tournament. You haven’t forgotten our promise, right?”
“...Of course not. I haven’t forgotten... Sorry for making it take so long because of me.”
Leo took her hand. Lena smiled mischievously.
“Just know this is the last time. Don’t keep pushing my wedding back.”
“...Now that you say that, maybe I want to delay it a bit longer? Ouch, ouChapter I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”
Was it really a joke? Lena pinched his cheek, and Leo winced at the playful but painful gesture.
In the background, the joyful songs of the soldiers and warriors echoed.
*
However—
Lena’s expectations were delightfully wrong. Although Leo had narrowly escaped punishment, she thought becoming a knight this time would be difficult. Yet, the sudden retreat of the Astin Kingdom army changed his reputation.
The death of Count Herman Forte had clearly had a significant impact on the Bellita Kingdom. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have fled like this.
Astin Kingdom’s leadership was certain that the enemy commander had lost his position.
Whether it was due to factional strife or rebellion, they had achieved their initial goal of capturing Toridom.
With Asgard Plain now naturally falling into Astin Kingdom’s territory, they had killed Bellita Kingdom’s arrogant Swordmaster, reclaimed the homeland of King Maunin and Queen Reti, and achieved the best possible outcome.
Leo’s contributions could not be ignored. Wars inevitably produce heroes, but Prince Arnulf de Klaus neither overshadowed nor tried to take credit for Leo’s achievements to make himself the hero.
Instead, he quietly called Leo over and offered a sincere apology.
Prince Arnulf de Klaus didn’t stop there.
He publicly acknowledged Leo’s stand against the Swordmaster, informing all the soldiers of Leo’s imprisonment due to it.
When it became known that Leo and his fiancée, Lena Ainar, had lost their knighthood and served in the ranks together, Leo emerged as a hero.
Prince Arnulf de Klaus’s voice, amplified by magic, resonated throughout Toridom.
"I, Arnulf de Klaus, deeply acknowledge my responsibility and hereby declare that the name of Leo Dexter, son of Noel Dexter, will be honored and carried on for three generations. Despite the unfair treatment they received, Lena Ainar and Leo Dexter devotedly served the kingdom. Although I wish to bestow knighthood upon them immediately, we shall hold their wedding next week, and knight them at the ceremony. People of the Astin Kingdom! You have fought well. I promise all who have earned merit will receive their due rewards, and the families of the fallen will be granted 1,500 days’ worth of wages. Those who were injured fighting for the kingdom will receive 100 days’ pay and land sufficient for their livelihood. Likewise, knights and mages who fought valiantly for the kingdom will…”
A cheer erupted.
Unlike the chaotic celebrations of the previous night, this was a controlled and disciplined roar.
They had won! And they had survived.
Soldiers and warriors were elated, knowing they would soon return to their homes and families after nearly a year away. There were those who were excited about the prospect of finding their wives had given birth to sons while they were away, and others who looked forward to fulfilling their vows to marry their beloved upon their return.
As the commendations for the soldiers were being distributed, Leo and Lena Ainar were met with cheers and words of gratitude from everyone they passed. Countless people offered early congratulations on their wedding.
Lena and Leo’s wedding was prepared by the surviving warriors of the Ainar tribe. Amidst jokes that they were being overly ambitious for having ceremonies both here and at Avril Castle, the warriors laughed.
“Lena and Leo, you’re greedier than I thought! Haha!”
Lena replied boldly, winking at Leo as she spoke.
“Well, we gotta collect all the congratulatory money from the tribe! And we didn’t even get proper wedding gifts.”
“I actually have a gift,” Leo murmured.
“...I’m the one losing out here,” Leo pretended to sulk, crossing his arms. Lena beamed as she pulled out a blue necklace hanging around her neck.
It was a ‘pretty necklace.’
A bound item Leo had given her—it was customary for the bride and groom to prepare their own gifts for each other before the wedding so that the priest could bless them. Lena hooked her arm through Leo’s, smiling.
“You can give your gift when we have the wedding at Avril Castle.”
“Still feels like I’m the one losing out. I gave you that necklace, remember?”
“Oh, come on—it was a gift! And I gave you one too.”
“...”
Yeah, she did give him a leather strap.
Leo’s eyes shifted downward. Before he could even fixate on the worn-out leather strap he’d used throughout the war, Lena lifted his chin.
“Don’t be petty, Leo Dexter.”
“It’s not about being petty, it just feels like I’m missing out. I need something in return.”
“Like what?”
Leo grinned, leaning close to her.
“If you give me a kiss, we’ll call it even.”
“You’re shameless. Then I’m the one who’s completely, utterly losing out.”
Lena kissed him on the lips. Fine. You’re losing out, and I’m not, since I got this necklace for free.
Lena and Leo’s wedding day approached like a speeding arrow.
On the widest battlement of Toridom—
The names of the bride, Lena Ainar, and the groom, Leo Dexter, were hoisted on flags according to the traditions of the Ainar tribe, overlooking the vast Asgard Plain.
Every soldier of Toridom threw cheers and congratulations as Lena and Leo ascended the steps. True to her wish, Lena wore a solid armor instead of a delicate dress, and her long, pale yellow hair flowed over her silver armor.
The weather was perfect. Fluffy clouds drifting north occasionally shielded them from the glaring sun.
But as they climbed the steps, a group suddenly intervened.
The Ainar warriors shouted,
“This man is a scoundrel, stealing one of our women! Can a civilized man really take a native bride? Is this allowed?!”
From below, above, and all around the fortress, warriors chimed in, “What a shameless rascal!”
This was a ritual Leo faced every time he tried to marry Lena. When Lena lost her arm, no one had bothered with such theatrics, but today was different.
Leo shouted back, “I apologize for being civilized!” and the warriors burst into uproarious laughter. The soldiers chuckled, entertained by the peculiarities of a native wedding. This unique blend of native and civilized customs was something that could only happen in Astin Kingdom, where discrimination was a curious blend of presence and absence.
“At least he knows to be sorry! Okay, you may pass!”
Yet, they were blocked several more times.
Some warriors asked Leo how much he loved Lena and if he could promise to make her happy. Others inquired about his family’s wealth.
When someone finally demanded that he prove his love with a kiss before everyone, Lena, exasperated, kicked the questioner down the stairs with a thud!
After that, no one dared to obstruct them. “What a fiery lass!” they cheered as she and Leo ascended to the battlement. There, the flags fluttered in the southern wind, and the Prince, Jensen, the General, commanders, mages, knights, and the officiating priest awaited the bride and groom.
Lena and Leo knelt before the Prince. As they did, cheers rang out from the soldiers, and the knights’ armor glimmered in the sunlight. Prince Arnulf de Klaus declared:
“Do you vow to live as the loyal sword of the kingdom? As long as the glory of the Klaus royal family endures, you shall be knights and swords, and your oath shall remain unbroken.”
A message flashed before Leo’s eyes.
[Congratulations!]
[Lena’s dream has come true.]
[True Ending 1/2: Marry Lena!]
“Congratulations.”
The Prince spoke softly before stepping aside for the priest. Overwhelmed with emotion, his sturdy armor rising and falling, Leo looked at Lena, who, full of happiness, had her eyes closed. He took her hand, and Lena raised her head.
“Leo. What should I do? I... I really...”
“Ahem! I might have mentioned that bad days will come, but good days will also follow, didn’t I?”
You didn’t, you fool.
Leo glared at the priest who had intruded on this precious moment. But the sly priest, unfazed, let the sunlight gleam off his bald head and responded.
“And the opposite is true as well. Haha. Congratulations. You two, please stand before me. Let’s begin the marriage prayer. Oh divine one, ruler of all things… huh?”
The priest suddenly turned his head.
Not just the priest, but everyone in Toridom turned to the south, where the wind was blowing.
On the horizon of the Asgard Plain, something was approaching. People, feeling the oppressive presence, hadn’t realized the change.
The clouds fled.
The sun was blotted out by a crimson moon, casting a deep red hue across the land. The wind carried the scent of ‘beast,’ and black moss grew and spread, staining the fortress crimson.
It was a ‘Dûb,’ a harbinger of ‘fear’ to the condemned. Leo recognized it—them—as they approached rapidly. Walking lightly and holding hands warmly, they were...
“Le, Lean? Lerialia?”
It was Lean de Yeriel and Lerialia de Yeriel, the siblings.