“Let’s meet when we reach the top, Granadol. Until then, don’t contact me!”
Deradul said as if he was angry.
Granadol responded in the same tone.
“It feels like I’m making a cowardly breakup declaration to a girlfriend. Did you hate me that much, Deradul?”
“I’m relieved to be parting ways with you. Never reach the top. I don’t want to see you again.”
“Then I’ll climb to the top alone. You, bastard, just handle the dishwashing in your knight order.”
To an outsider, it might seem like they were fighting. Sometimes, they nearly drew their swords, causing people around to rush in and stop them. But this was how they always talked. Deep down, Deradul felt so regretful about parting that he wanted to cry. He knew Granadol felt the same way. So they fought instead. It seemed to ease the pain of parting.
Granadol, who was running without looking back, suddenly turned his horse around. Deradul was watching his back, thinking he wouldn’t turn around once he started riding. Both were thinking the same, so when their eyes met, they were startled.
Feeling awkward, Granadol said briefly.
“Don’t die.”
“You don’t die either.”
Deradul said, trying to hide his embarrassment. In truth, he wanted to say goodbye properly. He wanted to tell him to take care. But saying such words felt like losing. It was that kind of time. And two years passed.
A letter came from Granadol.
‘It seems like I’ve reached the top first. Today, I defeated our master and took the position of the White Wolf. I’ve mastered the ultimate technique and I don’t think I’ll lose to anyone.’
Deradul felt so jealous he wanted to die. But the Dragon Knight Order had such strict rules and procedures that skills alone couldn’t elevate one’s position. Nevertheless, Deradul calmly wrote back.
‘If you’re talking about that, go tell your mother. I already became the best a month ago. I’d love to come over and crush that technique you call the best, but I’m too busy.’
It was true that he was busy. Cleaning the stables, feeding the horses, and running errands for the seniors.
About a year later, another letter came.
‘Somehow, I ended up accepting the position of Guardian Knight. I tried to refuse, saying I was still learning, but the Queen and our master pushed it through. It’s very burdensome. What should I do? They say if you become a Guardian Knight, you can’t marry for life. I’ll die a bachelor.’
The position of Guardian Knight. It was a position that the knights of Carnelock didn’t even know existed. But Deradul knew well how honorable it was to stand beside the Queen of Aranthia. Deradul, who had just become a full-fledged knight, was angry seeing Granadol soaring alone. He didn’t even reply. Hating himself for being like that, he focused even more on his skills and studies.
It wasn’t until he accidentally inherited the position of Captain thanks to a young man named Emil Noi that Deradul wrote back.
‘I’m sorry. I was jealous back then. It’s late, but congratulations. You will become the greatest knight in Aranthia.’
It was the first time Deradul showed his true feelings in a letter to Granadol. Sending such a letter itself was embarrassing, but as he got older, he thought, what did it matter? However, a week later, a response came through the fastest courier with an unexpected message.
‘Why are you saying that? Did you get a terminal illness? If it’s true, let me know. I’ll take leave and visit immediately.’
The hastily written sentence. Looking back now, it was a situation that was laughable to death, but at the time, Deradul was so angry that he immediately stamped the Captain’s seal of the Dragon Knight Order on his reply.
‘You bastard! I became the Captain!’
Then, half a year later, a slow response came. It had only one sentence.
‘Oh, I thought it was something else.’
Deradul regretted it. He should have just said he was terminally ill. Then they would have met…
The two exchanged countless letters that seemed like bickering teenagers. They spent 30 years without seeing each other.
After the war, Granadol sent a letter saying he wanted to retire. After a while of no contact, a letter finally arrived with the location of where he was living. Relieved, Deradul sent a final letter asking to prepare a room for him. Then contact was cut off.
After that, Deradul sent several more letters, but there was no response. He wanted to send someone to check if Granadol was doing well, but his pride held him back.
‘After finishing this task.’
Deradul made a resolution.
‘Pride or whatever, I’ll retire and fish beside him. Fighting until death wouldn’t be boring.’
☆ ☆ ☆
Deradul slightly poked his head out and looked outside the castle of Anbaldi. There were no special signals yet. Whether it was luck or misfortune, the moon and stars were exceptionally bright tonight. After staring at the darkness for a long time, Deradul lowered his body and descended from the watchtower. Brander was waiting below.
“Are the preparations complete?”
“Yes, Captain. Tendros is on standby at the north wall. As soon as we signal from this side…”
Brander swallowed his words as if someone might be listening. Deradul patted his trustworthy back.
“You just need to finish your task now. Hurry up.”
Brander hesitated before speaking.
“Can’t you go, Captain?”
“Are you refusing my order now?”
“Yes, I can’t leave you in this place that’s about to turn into a firestorm, Captain.”
“Are you trying to say that protecting the 500 residents here is not dangerous? Brander, that’s a job for the youngest one like you.”
“My swordsmanship is better than Tendros’.”
“Don’t be stubborn. If you have complaints about my ‘personnel placement’, go through the formal procedures.”
“Yes. It will take about three days.”
Deradul chuckled softly at Brander’s words.
“Go.”
“Take care, Captain.”
“You too.”
Without wearing armor or shoes, Brander ran silently into the darkness. Once Brander was out of sight, Deradul muttered to himself.
“If this task is really dangerous, you definitely shouldn’t be here.”
Deradul sighed deeply and sat down on a chair. He was tired. But he still had the strength to insist he didn’t envy the young men who moved with light bodies.
“Captain.”
A knight approached and offered him tea.
“Thank you.”
He took a sip of the fragrant tea and looked up at the sky again. Important operations always brought back old memories. He thought this was also a sign of aging, which made him a bit melancholic, and as usual, he brushed it off with a laugh.
“Enemy movements detected from the south.”
The knight who brought the tea reported again.
“They don’t even give me time to drink tea.”
Deradul set the cup down without hesitation and stood up.
‘Mozes. Living through these days, now I’m dealing with all sorts of monsters.’
They had already confirmed the appearance of the Mozes.
Early this morning, a hundred monsters that seemed not of this world launched a surprise attack on Anbaldi. Even with that small number, Anbaldi’s soldiers struggled and couldn’t handle them.
The Dragon Knight Order, arriving just in time, rushed in and annihilated them. One Dragon Knight died, and six were injured. Considering the hastily formed formation, it wasn’t a big loss, but Deradul didn’t want to see any casualties. Among the injured knights, two hadn’t regained consciousness. The remaining four looked weak.
The doctor in Anbaldi said it seemed like they were infected by poison.
‘Mozes’ poison. That’s troublesome.’
Kassel had already told Deradul a few characteristics of the monsters coming down from the Sky Mountains. He said that Mozes appeared to know no fear or reason, but they showed absolute obedience to their commander’s orders. Their claws and teeth were poisonous, and they were more active at night than during the day, so be careful at night.
Kassel also warned not to fight if a black dragon appeared and to run if a sorcerer appeared. He emphasized that they were neither ordinary dragons nor ordinary sorcerers.
“Is it a dragon greater than the Guardian Dragon of Rock?”
Cassel responded seriously to Deradul’s jesting question.
“I don’t know anything about combat, but Ka-Guanil wouldn’t even consider such young dragons as worthy opponents.”
Fortunately, among the approaching monsters past midnight, there were no dragons. There might be a sorcerer among them, but it was impossible to confirm every detail while fighting.
“Do these monsters have a commander?”
The monsters approaching silently and slowly were so disciplined that it was hard to believe they were the same creatures seen at dawn. They looked like soldiers who had been trained for at least six months.
“Impressive. I’d like to meet whoever trained those monsters.”
Deradul’s eyes were blurry, making it difficult to see clearly in the darkness.
“How many of them are there?”
The lieutenant quickly assessed and reported.
“About five hundred. And there are a similar number behind them, but they are not approaching.”
“Then we should assume there are at least a thousand in the rear. These five hundred might be bait to wait for our movement. Do not start the operation until the signal is given.”
“Yes.”
The lieutenant replied softly and signaled to the knight beside him. Knights hidden on the rooftops throughout Anbaldi’s wide village responded to the knight’s hand signals. The signals, transmitted without a single light, quickly reached the northern wall.
“We should move as well.”
Deradul descended from the wall and quickly walked northward through the village. In the center of Anbaldi’s village was a square where, according to plan, three horses should have been waiting. But there were no horses, nor the knights who should have been with them.
“Is anyone here?”
Deradul raised his voice slightly.
In the center of the village was a fountain with standing water. The knight who was supposed to be waiting with the horses was sitting leisurely by it. Sensing something was wrong, Deradul cautiously approached and touched his shoulder.
“Hey.”
The head, barely hanging on the shoulder, fell to the ground. He had been dead for a long time, as there was no blood.
Deradul and his lieutenant immediately drew their swords.
“Why are you still here when the villagers have been evacuated secretly, Captain Deradul?”
A dark shadow, like that of a fallen angel painted on the cathedral wall, covered the square.
“Narbeni!”
Deradul looked up and spoke. Her form wasn’t visible; only her voice echoed, and her shadow blocked the moonlight over the square. The shadow moved quickly.
“Are you the one commanding them?”
Deradul shouted, moving his head rapidly. But Narbeni was nowhere to be seen. Only the sound of flapping wings and the patter of running on the roof could be heard.
“I was upset to be given the trivial task of commanding Mozes, but unexpectedly, I caught something big.”
“Shut up. I’ll make up for the mistake of letting you go at Rock here. Ainshel! Location?”
Deradul shouted at an empty roof.
“Got her.”
A deep male voice responded. Even Deradul couldn’t locate Ainshel. He was the knight with the best archery skills and stealth in the order.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
Deradul commanded. Ainshel suddenly appeared from behind a chimney, drew his bow, and fired an arrow at a spot Deradul hadn’t noticed. The arrow, longer by two spans than usual, struck an empty space.
Narbeni was there. The arrow pierced her chest precisely. She let out a short scream and fell into the fountain, creating a small splash.
“There will be more. Stay alert.”
Deradul ordered again, and Ainshel disappeared behind the chimney without a word. If you checked behind the chimney now, he wouldn’t be there.
Deradul, not lowering his guard, approached the fountain. Narbeni, with her long hair flowing like a ghost in the water, slowly rose.
‘As expected, she won’t die easily. Tanya said she was split in two by a scythe and still didn’t die, so an arrow won’t do.’
“Oh dear, I’m all wet. What should I do?”
She smiled faintly, tossing her wet hair back over her shoulder. Her figure, shimmering eerily in the moonlight, sent chills down his spine. She slowly pulled the arrow from her ample chest and flicked it with her fingers.
There wasn’t a drop of blood on the arrow.
“You can’t kill me with something like this, Deradul.”
“I know. Just revealing your position is enough.”
Deradul pointed his sword forward and circled the fountain.
“Oh, that’s the dragon’s holy sword that only the captain receives, right? That could kill me. So, why don’t you try, old man?”
Narbeni raised a hand. The darkness around the fountain thickened until she almost disappeared. The darkness quickly engulfed the surroundings, covering Deradul and his lieutenant. The lieutenant was torn to pieces without a scream.
Red blood splattered all over the square. However, Deradul remained unscathed.
Narbeni blinked a few times and spoke.
“Oh? You’re not dead? So, it really was the holy sword? I thought it was just a decoration.”
Deradul, seeing his young knight, who had faithfully assisted him, torn apart without a trace, shouted angrily.
“You wretch!”
He charged and swung his sword, but Narbeni flew up and evaded. She then threw the arrow she held to the side. The arrow, initially flying slowly, suddenly accelerated and struck a spot on an empty roof.
“Ugh!”
It was Ainshel. Just as he had quickly located Narbeni, she had found him just as swiftly. He screamed and fell off the roof, hitting the ground headfirst. With a dull thud, he lay sprawled and didn’t rise.
“Any more hidden ones? Let’s see.”
Narbeni hovered at roof height, surveying the surroundings with her hands on her hips.
“Hmm, what kind of strategy are you planning to use against Mozes’ army here in Anbaldi? There are so many hiding around. I can’t let them be.”
Narbeni spread her arms and shouted something. A beast’s howl echoed from somewhere. Against the backdrop of darkness, several horses jumped over the wall and entered the village. Those black horses, making hoof sounds like echoes from the abyss, galloped into the village.
Their target was, of course, Deradul.
“Hold your positions. Do not reveal yourselves!”
Deradul shouted. The knights, who had been about to rush to their captain’s aid, stopped at the order. The knights relayed the captain’s command to others through hand signals, and those who had been about to move stopped. Five of Narbeni’s black knights surrounded Deradul, who stood alone.
Deradul held his sword before his face and waited. Narbeni perched lightly on the shoulder of the statue in the center of the fountain. She stroked the statue’s face and spoke.
“It’s a pity. The hero of Carnelock has no subordinates to witness his death. I’ll create a sad song for this death later.”
“Sing a song for a fallen governor.”
Deradul said, not lowering his stance.
Narbeni chuckled and gestured.
“Kill him.”
The five black knights dismounted and approached Deradul. They swung their swords simultaneously. Deradul quickly broke out of the encirclement with a few swings of his sword, stabbing one knight in the back. Kicking the knight’s back, he blocked the attacks of two more knights simultaneously and retreated.
The attack of the black knights was both powerful and swift. Deradul knew that if he continued to allow such relentless attacks, it would only drain his stamina. He decided to take a risk and dove between two knights, swinging his sword widely. One knight’s helmet flew into the air. The headless knight staggered, swinging his sword aimlessly, and then collapsed to the ground.
Ignoring the black knight with the severed arm and the other two knights charging at him, Deradul kicked the one he had previously stabbed in the back, slowing him down, and then once again plunged his sword into its neck. Black smoke erupted around him.
“Retreat!”
Narbeni shouted. The three remaining black knights obediently withdrew. Narbeni stared for a long moment at the two fallen knights. They did not move.
“Unbelievable. How did you kill them when they can’t die?”
Narbeni said in astonishment.
“It’s a sword bestowed by Dragon Ganel to kill demons like you.”
Deradul pointed his sword at Narbeni.
“Come down, Narbeni. The Captain of the Dragon Knights will judge you for your sins.”
“Why don’t you try touching my body with that proud sword of yours?”
Narbeni, agitated, leaped from the statue. As her feet touched the water in the fountain, it splashed in all directions. Even as water poured over his face, Deradul did not change his stance.
Narbeni touched the statue of the woman. The statue shattered instantly, and the broken pieces floated into the air. A small flick of her long fingers sent a sharp fragment flying toward Deradul.
Deradul easily shattered the incoming piece with a swing of his sword. He then shattered the next piece and the one after that, speaking as he did so.
“That won’t weaken this sword. Do you want to keep trying that all night?”
Narbeni growled, baring her sharp teeth. She swung her arms, sending a multitude of floating stones hurtling toward Deradul all at once. This many fragments were impossible to deflect. He dropped his sword as if giving up.
‘Can one continue to grow even at this age?’
No one thought so. At forty, most stop learning, prepare for retirement, and indulge in the pleasure of teaching, becoming lax in their training. Deradul was no different. This was why he had been defeated by a young boy in the first battalion of Excelon.
Only now, after ten years of relentless self-discipline, could Deradul answer.
‘I can still grow stronger.’
Deradul evaded all the incoming fragments with just a few slight twists of his body. It seemed difficult at first, but he felt confident he could do it again if he had to.
Deradul extended his sword.
‘The last ten years were not in vain.’
Narbeni hurriedly commanded.
“Attack him.”
The black knights, who had been waiting behind, charged again. Deradul dodged all three swords and struck upward from below. One knight’s head flew off. Without stopping his swing, he brought his sword down on another knight’s neck. Then, using the remaining momentum, he pursued a retreating knight and swung his sword again. The black knight tried to block with his sword, but Deradul’s strike shattered it and broke his helmet.
‘I can defeat that boy if I meet him again. No matter how much he has grown in the last ten years, I will win.’
Deradul had always been a knight with a fierce competitive spirit from his youth. Even if his opponent was wounded and retreating, he would relentlessly pursue them until they were utterly defeated. This habit had not changed even as he aged.
Deradul took two more steps to chase down the knight holding his broken helmet and struck down from above. The black knight, cut from the shoulder to the chest, flailed a few times before collapsing motionless.
Deradul turned his eyes to Narbeni.
The black feathers on Narbeni’s wet wings stood on end. Panicking, she spread her wings and took flight.
Deradul didn’t miss the opportunity and threw his sword. The sword flew through the air and struck her shoulder just as she was about to take off. Unlike when she had been hit by the arrow earlier, this time she fell to the ground in agony, hitting the stone floor headfirst. She squirmed and crawled on the ground.
Deradul approached slowly and stepped on her back.
“Repent for your sins, even if it’s after your death, Narbeni!”
Deradul pulled the sword from her shoulder and raised it high.
Narbeni turned her head and screamed at the sight of the sword’s tip.
“Kyah!”
At that moment, Deradul was pushed by an unseen force and slid into the square, which was now filled with water from the overflowing fountain. He barely stopped and knelt down.
“What the…?”
Oddly, at this moment, he felt an intense headache, like a severe migraine.
‘Is this Narbeni’s final magical attack? No, it came from another direction.’
Narbeni was still crouching, wings folded around her, trembling with fear.
Someone else entered the square from another direction.
Splash, splash. Light footsteps splashed in the water covering the ground. A sorcerer in a gray robe approached Narbeni from behind, placing his hands gently on her shoulders as if they were lovers.
“Amazing. The herald of fear herself screaming in terror…”
The voice from within the unseen robe was raspy, like that of a centuries-old elder.
“Ah, forgive me, master. I have failed.”
Narbeni sobbed.
“No, no, it’s alright. I’m not blaming you. This man was never someone you could handle. You’ve done nothing wrong. I saw him in Aranthia. I saw him a thousand years ago and ten years ago. The knights of the Wolf, the White Wolves, and even those who could make me retreat. This man possesses the same power as them. It’s fortunate that I arrived in time to save you.”
“Thank you, thank you.”
Narbeni leaned on his shoulder to stand up. Just by listening to the man, Deradul guessed his identity.
“So, it’s you, the Lord of the Undying.”
The sorcerer in the gray robe extended a hand covered in a black glove hidden beneath the robe.
“Kneel before me. I will save you from the suffering that follows death. Believe in me, and you can be freed from death. Believe that you can find freedom, and you will obtain it.”
“My freedom was completed within me long ago.”
“Can a human, bound to the wheel of life and death, dare say such a thing?”
He said. It wasn’t a particularly harsh mocking, but Deradul felt insulted as if he had been severely berated.
“My sword will answer.”
“Then my sword shall respond to your answer.”
Deradul lowered his stance.
‘My sword? Does he mean a magical attack?’
Just as he was about to feel fear, Deradul changed his thoughts.
‘If I kill him here, the war will end before it even starts!’
Instead of fear, he felt excitement and joy.
Deradul believed in his skills. He believed in the last ten years of his efforts. He believed in his sword. It was the holy sword bestowed by the Morning Dragon, which named the land of Arok as Carnelock after its fall. If there was one sword in the world that could kill the Lord of the Undying, it was this sword. The sword handed down from captain to captain in the Dragon Knights, the symbol of their order.
Ztokh Ganel!
‘I can win. Even if my opponent is the Lord of the Undying! Right now, I am in my best condition and full of confidence.’
Worried about his stamina, Deradul knew he couldn’t drag out the fight against a dark sorcerer. He had to finish it with one strike.
Deradul awaited his opponent’s attack. Focusing all his senses on the gray-robed sorcerer, he watched the extended fingertip for any sudden movements, prepared to evade and counterattack.
The Lord of the Undying turned his hand from Deradul and pointed to a dark alley. From the alley, a man slowly emerged. Deradul, expecting a powerful spell, was more surprised to see that the sorcerer used no magic. The sorcerer merely pointed at someone.
The man walking from the alley entered the square with a calm gait. As the dim outline approached from the darkness, Deradul felt the strength in his grip on the sword slowly drain away.
“Do not doubt what you see. Believe it, Deradul. It is exactly as you see.”
The gray-robed sorcerer spoke with a voice barely holding back laughter. However, Deradul couldn’t believe what was happening before his eyes. The demon’s words only made it harder to believe.
The man emerging from the misty darkness was someone Deradul knew well, a face he missed deeply.
“Do not deceive my eyes. I’d rather give up one of my eyes than believe what I see now. If I have to accept this, I’d rather give my entire life to take half of yours. Remove that impostor from my sight.”
Deradul spoke, struggling to contain his sorrow.
The gray-robed sorcerer, putting an arm around the man who walked out of the darkness, spoke.
“Are you wagering half your life? Then I shall wager half of mine to prove it. What you believe to be false is indeed true. Have you forgotten after so long without meeting? Yes, you should have been waiting for your friend to join you in retirement, living alone somewhere, fishing in solitude. When we met, he said he was waiting for a friend. He built a house perfect for fishing for a dozen years and prepared two rooms. That’s when I revealed my identity.”
The sorcerer finally let out a laugh he had been holding in.
“How can the reactions be so identical? That’s what makes you friends, I suppose. Look, Deradul. Servant of the young dragon. Here stands the very friend you longed to meet. Aren’t you happy? Hm?”
“No.”
Deradul shook his head. A tear rolled down his wrinkled cheek.
The man, walking slowly with a sword, looked as aged as Deradul. His short brown hair, streaked with white, and well-groomed beard were just as Deradul remembered. Despite his age, his arms were still muscular, like those of a young man. But his once bright blue eyes were now dull and lifeless, and his firmly closed lips did not part.
“No…”
Deradul couldn’t bring himself to speak, staring at the face of his old friend.
“This wasn’t how we were supposed to meet, Granadol.”
After receiving a letter from Granadol about selecting four White Wolves, Deradul had tried to raise his own disciples competitively. When he heard that the new captain, Quain, had protected Aranthia, he felt proud as if his disciple had accomplished it. But the last letter that came after the war ended said:
‘My arrogance has caused great injury to Her Majesty Sanadiel. It’s time for me to step down.’
Caught up in his overwhelming duties, Deradul couldn’t reply to that letter. He was too busy with post-war efforts and rebuilding Carnelock to even pick up a pen.
‘I’m sorry for the delay. I want to ask what happened, but letters are insufficient. Let’s meet. If you retire, come to Rock first.’
Finally, when he had some leisure, he sent this letter, but the reply came from the Wolf Knights’ office.
‘Master Granadol retired half a year ago, and we have no way to contact him. We have kept Captain Deradul’s letter in our office. If Master comes, we will deliver it at all costs, but it seems unlikely he will return.’
Deradul was stunned. He waited eagerly for any letter from his friend.
The first thing he asked Quain, who visited Carnelock with the Queen, was about Granadol. But Quain had no news.
‘Master blamed himself for Her Majesty’s injury by Captain Welch. He had been considering retirement even before, and this likely spurred it.’
Quain assumed Granadol was living leisurely somewhere alone. It was easier to think that way.
Finally, receiving a letter from Granadol, Deradul felt immense relief. He was excitedly preparing for his own retirement, thinking, ‘Soon, I too.’
This wasn’t how he had wanted to meet. Granadol was not just the master of the heroic Quain or the knight whom Meylumil had praised as the best under the sky, or the former Guardian Knight of the Aranthia Queen. To Deradul, Granadol was simply a friend.
A friend like no other in the world… that was enough. He just wanted Granadol to wait, smiling in clothes smelling of fish and tanned black by the sun.
This wasn’t it. He never imagined seeing Granadol appear with the Lord of the Undying, pointing a sword at him.
Deradul stood dumbfounded, losing the will to fight, as his friend approached with a drawn sword.
“You’ve aged quite a bit, too. I was worried I might be the only one.”
Granadol, with a vacant expression and lifeless eyes, stabbed at Deradul’s side. Deradul blocked the attack and shifted his balance to counterattack at Granadol’s neck. However, he halted his attack and returned to a defensive stance. Granadol, too, paused from his side attack, waiting for something, then stepped back.
Both anticipated two possible attacks and defenses and chose to retreat. They stared at each other without moving.
“Indeed, our beginning was fighting to kill each other. We fought until we collapsed from exhaustion in our youth. Perhaps it’s time to settle that score.”
Deradul laughed loudly, looking at the Lord of the Undying.
In the distance, the sound of the castle gate echoed. The Mozes, losing control, were desperately trying to climb the walls.
‘It’s because Narbeni, who should be commanding them, is gone. The monsters have lost their minds.’
Some Mozes pounded on the wooden gate, their noise echoing through the air.
Even amidst the urgency, Deradul remained calm, waiting for Granadol’s attack. Granadol also didn’t enter Deradul’s sword range, which frustrated the observing gray-robed sorcerer.
“Dragging out the time like that is dangerous, isn’t it, Deradul?”
“The urgent one isn’t me.”
Deradul closed his eyes, picturing the Mozes breaking through the gates and flooding into the city. He waited. At that moment, Granadol’s sword slashed down towards Deradul’s face. Deradul blocked it and spun around to counterattack. They exchanged blows several times, and Deradul realized that Meylumil’s words were true.
Despite his vacant eyes, Granadol accurately executed his swordsmanship. The overwhelming attacks were impossible to withstand.
‘In the end, I can’t beat you even once.’
Deradul struck Granadol’s sword hard, throwing him off balance. Of course, this couldn’t allow him to land a killing blow. But it bought him enough time to turn and charge at the Lord of the Undying.
“!?”
The sorcerer in the gray robe extended his palm toward Deradul, who suddenly targeted him and charged. Black flames flared up, taking the shape of bat-like wings, and flew towards Deradul, in numbers too many to count. However, Deradul swiftly swung his sword, deflecting them all.
The sorcerer took a long step back, but Deradul matched his movements. Despite the sorcerer being the Lord of the Undying, Deradul had no intention of slowing his attack.
“Just once, obey my command, old body. I will give you rest soon, just once…”
As the sorcerer, flapping his robe, retreated and landed on the ground, Deradul extended his arm. His sword accurately pierced the sorcerer’s chest. Simultaneously, Granadol, who had followed behind, stabbed Deradul in the back, with the blade protruding through his stomach.
Deradul looked back at the stunned Granadol.
“If you get the chance after death, be sure to apologize for this… friend.”
At that moment, the sorcerer in the gray robe grabbed Deradul’s sword.
“Is this the best answer your foolishness could come up with? How dare you try to stop me with a sword like Garnel’s!”
The dragon’s holy sword, Ztokh Garnel, cracked and turned to ashes while lodged in the sorcerer’s chest.
Without support, Deradul slowly crumbled. The sorcerer grabbed Deradul’s falling body by the neck and lifted him. Red blood streamed down from the blade that had pierced his stomach.
“I… I have failed… but, Carnelock will not… be defeated.”
Deradul struggled to speak.
The sorcerer responded with a cheap laugh.
“Do you think the foolish youngsters left behind in Rock can stop me? You made a mistake. There were only two people I feared in Rock. One was my disciple, and the other was you. Yet I easily killed one of my most feared enemies here.”
The sorcerer removed his robe. In that moment, Deradul wanted to believe the scene before him was a hallucination before his death. The monstrous sorcerer holding his neck was none other than Tailed, the hero of Lutia who had saved Aranthia.
Tailed looked just as weak and barely twenty years old as he had appeared a decade ago. However, his eyes, now raised wickedly, gave a completely different impression from back then.
“Farewell, Captain Deradul.”
With Tailed’s grip, Deradul’s neck snapped.
As Deradul’s body fell to the cold ground, a sharp sound pierced the night sky. The waiting Dragon Knights set fire to the straw piles and threw torches onto the oil-splashed roofs around Anbaldi. The large village was quickly engulfed in flames. Screams of Mozes, caught in the blaze after invading the village, erupted from all sides.
All noises had already faded for Deradul. In his dying moments, he heard a familiar voice like an auditory hallucination. It was Granadol.
“I’m sorry, my friend.”
Deradul could not respond. He could no longer breathe.
☆ ☆ ☆
From a distance, Granadol stared blankly at the burning Anbaldi, his eyes filled with tears. The Lord of the Undying, with Tailed’s face, laughed at the sight.
“Do you have enough sanity left to mourn your friend’s death?”
Granadol’s mouth did not move.
Next to him, Narbeni spoke irritably.
“Have you not completely taken control of this man? If it were me, I would just…”
“Do not act rashly, Narbeni. I cannot control swordsmanship. Especially not Granadol’s. So this level of control is the best.”
Behind the gray sorcerer, Captain Victor of the Excelon Empire’s 1st Knights galloped up on his horse.
“A thousand Mozes have burned to death.”
Without any formalities, he dismounted and reported.
“The operation was good.”
The gray sorcerer responded indifferently.
“It is as I feared. Why did you command the attack on Anbaldi? Even without securing this place, we could strike Rock without any issues. We’ve not only lost the Mozes, but also delayed the army’s movement by half a day.”
Victor spoke firmly.
“Killing Deradul alone is worth a thousand Mozes. You have no right to speak, having lost Nathan while eliminating one White Wolf.”
At the sorcerer’s words, Victor closed his mouth and sighed briefly. Unable to bear it any longer, Narbeni growled.
“Show respect to the master. You insignificant human!”
“The reason we lost a thousand Mozes is because there was no commander at the final moment. If you do not intend to stay under my control, leave immediately.”
Victor’s sharp gaze locked with Narbeni’s.
Narbeni’s eyes flared red in return.
“What did you say?”
“Do not engage in petty emotional battles in front of me.”
The sorcerer smirked and looked between the two. Narbeni reluctantly backed down. Victor, ignoring her presence, spoke only to the sorcerer.
“I will proceed to Rock as planned.”
“Good.”
Victor mounted his horse and departed. Narbeni, looking displeased, spoke.
“Did you not promise me the position of Commander-in-Chief? How could you give such great authority to a mere human, no matter how skilled a knight? I was born to serve you. Meanwhile, Victor could betray you at any moment.”
“Stay out of matters that are not within your jurisdiction, Narbeni.”
He continued with a gentle smile.
“By birth, Victor is less likely to betray me than you. He desires to witness the downfall of humanity more than anyone. The position promised to you is the throne of darkness after the end. Is it not enough for you to have me all to yourself in a world where no one else exists?”
Narbeni finally bowed his head.
“No, it is not.”
“Then eliminate the Dragon Knights who fled from Anbaldi and follow after us.”
“Yes, master.”
Narbeni spread her wings wide and flew into the darkness.
The Lord of the Undying donned his gray robe once more. The slowly rising sun from the east was illuminating the northern lands.
“Nadil, when I possessed the two greatest powers in the human world, what did you gain? The morning sun that humans can see is now limited.”
☆ ☆ ☆
“You have aged a lot.”
At those words, Narbeni froze as if she had been sentenced to death. It felt like hearing that she, who thought herself immortal, would eventually die someday.
Narbeni paused her grooming and looked at the man lying on the bed through the mirror. Despite her gaze filled with hatred and curses, the man did not even look at her. He was busy lifting the wine glass on the table beside the bed.
“What did you say?”
Narbeni asked, hoping she had misheard.
But there was no way a man twenty years younger than her would have learned such consideration.
“I said you’re old.”
Fabio, the young man, took a sip of wine and then burst into laughter.
“Are you pushing yourself because you were stimulated by the Queen of Aranthia today?”
His sleek, muscular body looked even more attractive in the candlelit darkness. He was a young man who had come from the countryside, aspiring to join the Dragon Knights. He was handsome, had a great physique, and was fairly skilled with a sword, but he lacked the necessary qualities to be a knight. It wasn’t just about bloodline.
Captain Deradul had instantly noticed Fabio’s flaws and didn’t place him in any knight order. Fabio harbored resentment but lacked the courage to seek revenge against Deradul.
Narbeni had seduced Fabio into her bed. Though he lacked in other areas, he was adequate in satisfying Narbeni in bed. He listened well and kept secrets. However, he started crossing the line.
“Indeed, she was stunning. I’m sure every man in that meeting room couldn’t take their eyes off Queen Senadiel’s every move. Rumor has it that she’s lived for a thousand years, but who knows if that’s true? She seemed like a goddess descended.”
Narbeni turned around and glared at Fabio, who was prattling on. He was looking up at the ceiling, shaking his head with a contented smile.
“You’ve been thinking about that woman the whole time, haven’t you, Fabio?” Narbeni asked.
Fabio looked slightly surprised, then set down his wine glass and stood up.
“What can I do? Men are like that. Honestly, didn’t you get rejected today trying to seduce Quain? What man who serves Senadiel would even notice another woman? Admit it, Narbeni. But you’re still attractive, so don’t try too hard to look young. That’s what I want to say. You know I love you, right?”
Fabio stretched and stepped out onto the balcony.
Narbeni, struggling to control her breathing, asked, “In what way? In what way do I look old?”
Standing naked on the balcony, Fabio took in the night air and said, “In many ways. The side flab, for instance. A few years ago, you didn’t have that, and you barely had any wrinkles on your face. These days, the more you try to hide it, the more pathetic it looks. Just be natural…”
Fabio stopped short, his face suddenly turning to shock, as Narbeni picked up a sword from the wall and aimed it at his neck.
“Why, why are you doing this? I’m just saying it for your sake!”
“I don’t need such words!”
Narbeni thrust the sword into Fabio’s neck. He fell from the second floor with the sword still embedded in him. The maids screamed, and the guards came running.
Looking down, Narbeni said, “Leave no trace.”
The incident was quietly resolved. But that night, Narbeni cried out in agony alone in the basement. She broke every mirror. Unbothered by the glass cutting her body, she lay on the floor and didn’t get up.
“Why can’t I live like that?”
After seeing a woman who had remained unchanged in beauty for a thousand years, Narbeni cursed her aging body.
“I know. I’m no longer young. I’m not beautiful. I’m not slim. My face is full of wrinkles, and my breasts have sagged. I tried to hide it with makeup and clothes, but seeing Senadiel today made me realize it. I’m old!”
Narbeni clutched her face.
“As time goes on, I’ll become older and more wretched. I want to die before that happens, while I’m still somewhat beautiful!”
For two days, Narbeni waited for death in the darkness. Then, a kind man’s voice reached her.
“Do you want to possess Senadiel’s youth?”
Drained of energy, she obeyed without questioning who he was.
“I want it.”
“Do you wish to have a body that never ages or grows old?”
“I do.”
“Swear allegiance to me and offer your life. You will become an immortal body.”
When the man grasped and released her breasts, they became firm and beautifully shaped as if sculpted. His touch on her neck made it smooth, without a single wrinkle. His gentle arm encircling her waist created a slender waist without any flab. As she raised her hands, she saw her thin, white fingers, as if she had returned to being twenty.
Narbeni watched the miracles happening to her body, unable to breathe, as if experiencing an orgasm. The man moved his hand towards her face. Immersed in ecstasy, she closed her eyes, waiting for his touch. But the man withheld his hand from her face.
Before touching her face, he demanded, “Swear allegiance to me and call me master.”
“I swear, master.”
Narbeni leaned closer, but his hand moved back as much as she advanced.
“I swear!”
She continued to crawl on her knees, but no matter how far she went, his hand remained out of reach.
“To maintain your youth, you will need blood of equivalent value.”
As soon as he finished speaking, she responded.
“I will offer it.”
“It is not for me, but for you. Are you willing to drink human blood?”
“I will drink it, master.”
Finally, the man’s hand touched Narbeni’s face. She felt her skin tighten as his hand touched her.
“From now on, when you go outside, you’ll have to do something troublesome, Narbeni.”
The man laughed quietly and continued.
“You’ll have to make yourself look older.”
Narbeni felt her face with her hands. She could tell the difference just by touching it. But she wanted to see it with her own eyes and searched for a mirror. There was no mirror left intact in the basement. She picked up a broken shard, heedless of cutting her hand, but it was too dark in the basement to see her reflection clearly.
Narbeni ran up the basement stairs. She ran down the corridor of the mansion in the early morning, with no maids yet awake. She returned to her room, where there was a full-length mirror.
Narbeni stood naked before the mirror. There stood a beautiful girl of twenty.
“My God.”
Narbeni stroked her face with her hand. Suddenly, the man appeared behind her and gently grasped her shoulder. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and asked,
“What should I do now, master?”
The man replied,
“Destroy Rock.”
Narbeni answered,
“Yes, master.”
“Burn well.”
Narbeni muttered as she looked down at the still burning Anbaldi.
The one thing she liked about her new body was that she could fly. The sense of liberation she felt when floating in the sky, free from anyone’s interference, was incomparable to any sexual pleasure.
Narbeni knew well how she appeared from the ground, spreading her large wings and floating in the air.
‘If I return to Rock like this, I will become a symbol of terror and lead everyone to death. And I can always revert to a beautiful woman and gain the submission of humans like Senadiel.’
The thought infuriated her.
‘They want me to clean up after Anbaldi? Leaving the important tasks to Victor?’
Narbeni knew all of her master’s next plans. Therefore, she knew her next task well. Once Rock fell, she planned to kill Victor. There were too many things she wanted to do before ending the world according to Victor’s plan.
“Once Rock falls, you’re unnecessary, Victor.”
Narbeni muttered as she glided down, spreading her wings wide.
“The master’s side is mine.”
Narbeni slowly flew towards the castle of Lima.
–TL Notes–
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