When Kassel woke up, he found himself engulfed in darkness, unable to see anything. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark, trying to recall what he had done before falling asleep. The memories of Janie greeting him warmly with a hug and dining with Falcon’s men were vivid. But after sitting down in a chair and resting his head against the backrest, he couldn’t remember anything else.
Cold dawn air seeped through the gaps in the tent. With a foggy mind, Kassel stumbled outside.
‘How long did I sleep?’
The village Falcon and his men were building consisted of a large tent and some partially constructed log houses. This must be the next village following the last one they had built. The great bandit continued to relentlessly pursue his vision.
The village was deserted, likely due to the early hour. Kassel walked over to where the horses were tied. A few of the sleeping animals stirred at his presence, and one recognized him, pawing the ground with its front hoof.
“How’s the wound from the arrow? You okay?”
Kassel scratched the horse’s nose. It was still limping, clearly not fit to carry him just yet.
“Thought you were a horse thief for a moment. What brings you here this early, Captain Wolf?”
A unfamiliar voice greeted him.
“Who’s there?”
Feeling the chill, Kassel shoved his hands into his pockets.
“You fell asleep before I could introduce myself.. Fiorendino. A knight under Count Enoa.”
Fiorendino extended his hand with a friendly smile, and Kassel shook it, introducing himself.
“Kassel. Captain of the Wolf Knights.”
It felt like grinding sand between his teeth.
‘Can I even introduce myself like this anymore?’
Kassel finally asked,
“Think I saw you briefly at the party. You were constantly behind the Count, weren’t you?”
“Correct. You have a good memory.”
Fiorendino replied with a gentle smile.
“Ah, do you know how long I’ve been asleep?”
“I heard you went to bed in the evening.”
‘From evening to dawn… So, roughly seventeen hours. That’s not too long.’
As Kassel breathed a sigh of relief, Fiorendino added,
“That was the day before yesterday, it seems. When I got here yesterday morning, you were still asleep. So you’ve slept for a full day and a half, give or take.”
Fiorendino chuckled.
“Isn’t it hard to sleep that long? I can’t sleep for more than twelve hours; hunger won’t let me.”
Kassel’s eyes widened.
“You said the day before yesterday?”
“Is something wrong?”
Kassel felt his heart sink. He envisioned himself apologizing to Sheyden for arriving late because he was asleep. Shaking off that terrible thought, Kassel quickly waved his hand.
“I need to go. Is Falcon still asleep?”
“Falcon’s never been one for sleeping in. But where are you going? I still have much to discuss with you, as does Falcon.”
“Ah, then I should at least say goodbye. Could you show me where Falcon is? I’ll also need to borrow a horse.”
Forgetting that Fiorendino was a knight under Count Enoa, Kassel hastily had him lead him to Falcon. This was no time for formalities.
Falcon was in his tent, enjoying a hot soup that Janie had served. They both looked surprised as Kassel entered. Falcon set his soup aside and chuckled awkwardly.
“There’s nothing more embarrassing than being caught eating alone. Care to join?”
“I always thought you had breakfast after the sun rises?”
Fiorendino joked as he took a seat beside him. Janie was already ladling another bowl of soup.
“I’ll get some for you, Fiorendino.”
“Oh, could you please just call me Waters? Isn’t that long name annoying to pronounce?”
“Is it? I like how it sounds.”
Janie remained the same—gracious, gentle, yet assertive. Kassel found her even more noble than some of the noblewomen he had met in the royal court. She softly beckoned Kassel, who was still standing at the entrance of the tent.
“Sir, please come in and have some.”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“No need. You must eat something.”
Janie’s touch was still hard to resist.
“You slept for quite a while. I even checked your breathing to make sure you weren’t dead,” Janie asked.
“Would’ve been nice if you woke me up while checking,” Kassel grumbled as he sat down.
“You were sleeping so soundly, how could I? You must’ve worn yourself out, to sleep like your soul was tucked away in a drawer,” Janie said as she ladled soup into a new bowl for Kassel. He took the bowl and alternated glances between Waters Fiorendino and Falcon as he spoke.
“A Bandit Chief and a Count’s knight in the same room; something must’ve happened that I’m not aware of.”
“Wasn’t anything pleasant,” Waters chuckled.
Falcon took a spoonful of soup before speaking, “After you left, Kassel, we had to start a new village. It wasn’t hard to start over since we began with nothing. But now I’m starting to worry about the safety of the villagers. We needed a safer place. So, I thought of seeking Count Enoa’s aid and came here. But when we arrived, the village was a mess, attacked by unknown enemies, and Count Enoa was missing.”
Falcon wiped a soup stain from his dark beard. Kassel unconsciously touched his unshaven jaw; he had refrained from shaving to look older, but his beard was not as fitting as Falcon’s.
‘Now I’m envious of anything and everything.’
“So, Falcon, you also arrived recently?” Kassel asked.
“Don’t you see I’m living in a tent? Came a long way, can’t really go anywhere else, so planning to settle here. Then yesterday, I met you and this guy found us,” Waters picked up from Falcon’s words.
“It was quite interesting. A man named Lumil found us.”
“Lumil?” Kassel put down the spoon he was about to eat from.
“You know him?”
“Ah, a bit… go on, please.”
Waters graciously recounted all that had transpired in Ambrue.
It had all happened quickly. According to Fiorendino’s memory, there were only two Black Knights. There might’ve been more, but he only saw two. Just those two had ravaged Ambrue.
All of Ambrue’s soldiers had fought, but they were outmatched. All Fiorendino could do was take the aging count and his grandchildren to safety. Two sons and daughters-in-law had died, sparing only the youngest son and two daughters. Fiorendino couldn’t make a move until he understood whether the Black Knights were sent by the other Counts or it was some royal conspiracy.
Despite being hardened by numerous tragedies, the Count was so overwhelmed that he fell ill. Then, two days ago, a well-dressed man named Lumil came. Fiorendino didn’t know how the Count knew him, but he welcomed him immediately.
“So, I was able to leave the Count’s protection to him for a short while and come here. Of course, I learned from Lumil that Falcon was here. Do you know who Lumil is?” Fiorendino asked Falcon.
“Don’t know. Do you, Kassel?”
“Yes. I can’t say who he is, but he’s definitely someone you can trust,” Kassel said, surprisingly upbeat.
‘Is this coincidence breeding more coincidences? Would Lumil say this is all the result of choices?’
Falcon didn’t ask for further explanation, seemingly satisfied with Fiorendino’s account.
“I assume you came to Ambrue to request reinforcements, Captain Wolf?” Fiorendino inquired.
“Yes,” Kassel replied thoughtlessly, then caught himself.
‘I told Falcon that I’m not Captain Wolf. Does he still see me as the Captain?’
“You must be disappointed,” said Falcon.
Kassel only nodded.
Fiorendino continued.
“The situation with the reinforcements is so desperate that even the Count might find it ludicrous. To think we’d be attacked by such monsters…”
“Normant was also attacked by the Black Knights.”
Kassel briefly summarized the events that had unfolded in Normant.
“Unbelievable.”
Though he thought Fiorendino was incredulous at the fact that both cities had been attacked by the Black Knights, it turned out he was surprised about something else.
“You’re telling me a mere five White Wolves stopped those monsters?”
“Not necessarily,” Kassel responded, realizing that Fiorendino was looking at him with a newfound sense of respect, as he himself was one of the White Wolves. “But even a large army might not be able to stop them. The Black Knights have this inexplicable power where they can’t be killed. The White Wolves might be stronger, but we’re not invincible. We need an army to protect Normant.”
Listening intently, Falcon put down his spoon and bowl. “The King will be troubled. First, it was the two Counts, and now these monstrous Black Knights. I’d volunteer my own forces if I could…”
Falcon knew his army could barely protect a single village, which was why Kassel remained silent.
Kassel took another sip of his soup during the ensuing silence. His appetite revived, he quickly finished off a bowl of soup with some bread. Janie, who had been sitting quietly, spoke up.
“It’s early morning, but considering you went without food all day yesterday, would you like some grilled meat?”
Kassel waved her off. “Just another bowl of soup, please. I have to leave soon.”
“Where to?”
Janie asked as she refilled his empty bowl.
“Back to Normant. I couldn’t get reinforcements, but I need to return to my post.”
Janie reluctantly refilled his bowl, disappointed.
Kassel quickly emptied the bowl again.
“Were there any conditions set by Count Johnstein after he surrounded Normant?”
“He demanded to be appointed as the royal guardian family after the Duke of Sheffield’s death, and to label Count Lumerier as a royal enemy. Those were the two conditions.”
Falcon tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought. “Bold demands, if Count Enoa’s troops were at the castle, he wouldn’t have dared.”
“Yes. Had it been the case, the King would have instantly appointed Count Enoa as the royal guardian. Especially since Enoa had been rejecting the role due to his close relationship with the late Duke of Sheffield. Even with Johnstein gaining power, he wouldn’t have wanted Enoa as an enemy.”
“That’s strange,” Falcon said, his eyes narrowing in thought.
“What is?”
“Isn’t it too convenient? The Black Knights appear and attack Ambrue just as Count Enoa promises reinforcements? They provide the perfect excuse for an invasion of Normant? Had the White Wolves not intervened, Count Johnstein would have entered Normant under the pretext of protecting the King, don’t you think?”
Kassel hadn’t thought that far. Identifying the true nature of the Black Knights was even more crucial than unmasking Blackfoot’s client.
“Falcon, you were once a knight of Excelon. May I ask you something?”
“Anything you want to know.”
“What was the purpose of the Excelon Knights? Was it continental conquest?”
Waters chuckled, as if Kassel had asked a foolish question. Janie also looked puzzled, tilting her head. The Excelon Knights had swept through the continent within a single year, a force akin to the army of a war god. Clearly, they were a knightly order designed for warfare. But Falcon pondered Kassel’s simple question deeply.
“No.”
At that response, Waters looked shocked, while Kassel seemed to have expected it and simply waited to hear more.
“The Excelon Knights were not prepared for a battle against humans. Everyone was so focused on their undefeated march that they often overlooked their other accomplishments.”
“Dragons,” Kassel said. Waters frowned as if hearing some ludicrous statement.
“Yes, the Dragon Knights of Carnelock,” Falcon continued. Waters’s expression twisted even further.
Kassel reflected on the historic clash of the two largest knight orders he had read about till the pages wore out. Nobody had ever imagined that the Excelon Knights, even if they had defeated the royal knights of Irophis, could also beat the knights of Carnelock, guarded by dragons.
“The very purpose of the Excelon Knights was to hunt dragons,” Falcon said.
☆ ☆ ☆
Latilda embraced Loyal and spoke through choked sobs, “Loyal, I remember everything now. What’s in the basement, what happened to Anna. That’s why I wanted to die.”
Loyal gently stroked her trembling back. “I know, Latilda.”
“You do?”
Loyal nodded. His usual smile washed away any lingering desire to cling to him. In some ways, that was as cruel as turning away from her.
Without realizing it, Loyal was imposing strength upon Latilda.
“Put on some clothes,” Loyal didn’t ask why she was undressed. Seeing the clothes Jacques had torn off, he simply handed her a fresh set. She wished he would ask, but instead, he turned his gaze out the window.
“Hurry, the patrol will be back soon,” Loyal spoke matter-of-factly.
Latilda softly responded and hurriedly put on her clothes. However, her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t fasten the buttons properly.
‘What should I say first after dressing?’
She tried to gather her thoughts, contemplating the disgusting image of herself from her past memories, as well as the future repercussions of her existence.
She wanted to tell Loyal everything, whether she received comfort or scorn, whether he left her or not. She wanted to confess all, torn between a childlike urge to cling to him and a desire to be ruthlessly abandoned.
Just as she was about to open her mouth, Loyal hugged her from behind.
“Don’t die,” he whispered.
The warmth of Loyal’s breath touched her ear. She could tell how quickly he must have come; though he was trying to appear fine, his body was soaked in sweat.
Loyal didn’t comfort her; rather, he was begging her, like a child clinging to a parent.
“Please stay alive, Latilda. I am now asking you, please stay by my side.”
Latilda gently grabbed the arms that were wrapped around her neck. She had so much to say but couldn’t utter a single word.
She simply turned around, kissed Loyal on the lips, and nodded. She brushed back his sweat-soaked bangs and smiled. Whether that reassured him or made him more anxious, she couldn’t tell.
For a moment, Loyal looked at Latilda’s face, then took her hand and led her to the window.
“Let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“The same way I came in. It’s under the sewers behind the castle, so it will be a bit dirty.”
“I don’t mind. Even if hell is on the way out.”
As Latilda bravely walked toward the window, she stumbled and nearly fell. Loyal managed to catch her, but it took her some time to get up.
“My legs still lack strength.”
“Maybe we should rest a bit before moving. Once we leave through that window, we’ll have to keep moving.”
“No, it’s just the tension. I’ll feel better once we start moving. Give me a moment.”
Latilda ripped the side of her skirt with her teeth. Her thighs were now exposed, but it didn’t matter. If it meant getting out of this place, she was prepared to run even naked.
Just as Latilda was leaning on Loyal to get up, they heard noisy sounds from outside—shouts, barking dogs, footsteps…
Loyal cautiously peeked out the window and saw the estate’s guards frantically running around. He didn’t need to pay attention to their voices to understand why they were so busy at dawn. It was a fire.
“Did you start the fire, Loyal?”
“It wasn’t me.”
Narrowing his eyes, Loyal spoke while waiting for the guards to move elsewhere.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but this makes it easier for us to escape.”
Loyal leaned out onto the balcony. Thanks to the chaos from the burning city, the estate’s garden was now empty. First, he extended his body out the window and gripped the railing. Then he spoke to Latilda.
“We have to jump from here.”
“From the third floor? I was prepared to die by jumping from here, you know?”
Though she spoke it as a jest, Loyal’s face remained serious.
“Listen carefully. I will hang from that tree branch over there. And you will jump from the window and grab my hand. As long as I am holding on, you won’t fall; you’ll just dangle. Considering the length of my arm, yours, and our heights, your feet will be about one story off the ground. You won’t get hurt jumping from that height.”
“It sounds easy, but the fact remains that I still have to jump from the third floor.”
“As for climbing the tree…”
“I got it, Loyal. I’ll do as you say.”
Latilda knew they didn’t have time for indecision.
Loyal first climbed atop the balcony railing and reached out towards a branch extending near the window. It was a slight stretch, but he boldly leapt and grabbed the branch. A few leaves rustled and fell to the ground. He momentarily dangled before using his momentum to secure his legs around a thicker branch. Supporting himself with just his left hand in a slanted posture, Loyal surveyed below. Seeing no one, he extended his right hand to Latilda.
“Come.”
Latilda hesitated but finally crossed the railing. Once she looked down from the third floor, however, it was dizzyingly high. Once she crossed, there was no turning back. Loyal waited without a word.
Latilda turned her body. Vertigo set in. All that supported her now were trembling hands gripping the railing behind her and heels barely perched on a ledge.
“Don’t look down. Just look into my eyes.”
Loyal spoke calmly, his right hand still outstretched.
Latilda reached out with her right hand while holding onto the railing with her left. She was just short. Frightened, she backed against the railing once more.
“I can’t reach.”
“Stretch out a little more.”
Loyal spoke slowly, his face dripping with sweat.
“I won’t let go. I promise.”
Nodding several times, Latilda extended her arm again. Her left hand was now gripping the railing by mere fingertips, and her heels were almost off the ledge. Closing her eyes tightly, she reached as far as she could.
Her feet left the railing, and her left hand lost its grip. She felt herself plummeting, but then Loyal’s hand firmly grasped hers.
“Open your eyes.”
Loyal’s voice was still calm. She looked up to see him, his arm supporting her, his face tense with exertion.
“Now look down.”
It was much higher than she had thought. Although it was said to be a one-story drop, she couldn’t muster the courage to jump. Yet she couldn’t voice her reluctance either.
“Tell me when you’re ready. On the count of three, I’ll let go.”
Latilda spoke immediately, fearing that hesitation would make it worse.
“I’m ready.”
Loyal took the deep breath first.
“One, two, three.”
On a slightly quick count, Loyal released his grip. Instinctively, Latilda tried to hold on but couldn’t maintain her grasp. She plummeted down and tumbled into the soft grass below. Physically, she was fine, but emotionally drained, she couldn’t get up for a moment.
Loyal soon jumped down beside her.
“Are you okay? Look at me.”
Loyal looked worried as he grasped both of Latilda’s cheeks and stared at her for a while. Latilda smiled and spoke.
“It’s fine. I had fun, actually.”
Loyal managed a smile as well.
“Can you walk?”
Latilda stood up and stretched her legs.
“The shock actually made it easier to walk. Let’s go.”
Loyal took Latilda’s hand and walked briskly, hugging the wall of the deserted garden. Rumor had it that this wall used to be adorned with vibrant roses, but they were all burned when the war began with the Red Rose Count.
“How do we get out of here?”
Latilda asked, observing the tall walls that seemed to stretch endlessly.
“I climbed over the wall when we got in, but to get out, we’ll both have to go through the back gate.”
“There will be many guards there.”
“When I came in, I noticed there were only four guards at the east gate.”
Without questioning whether four was still a considerable number, she allowed herself to be led by him.
Fortunately, there were only two guards remaining at the east gate. Loyal drew his sword and pondered briefly before handing it to Latilda.
“If I go ahead, take this and follow immediately. Don’t look back.”
“Are you asking me to fight alongside you?”
Although Latilda asked earnestly, Loyal chuckled, thinking she was joking.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Loyal handed her his sword and then, with an empty sheath in hand, charged toward the gate.
“Who goes there?”
The guards immediately lunged at Loyal with their spears. Loyal deflected the spears with his empty scabbard and struck the guards on their heads. With a thunderous sound, both guards crumpled to the ground.
“Is this the renowned swordsmanship of the Wolf Knights?”
Latilda asked as she caught up to him, her voice tinged with admiration.
“No.”
Loyal looked puzzled as he responded.
“This was just… hitting them.”
He sheathed the sword Latilda handed back to him and opened the iron gate.
“Who’s there?”
A distant voice shouted.
“We’ve been spotted. Let’s hurry.”
Loyal nearly shoved Latilda out of the gate, then picked up a fallen spear from the ground.
“Intruder!”
Almost a dozen guards rushed toward Loyal. Gripping the spear backward, he shouted loudly.
“I’ll kill the one in the lead first.”
No guard stopped despite the warning. Waiting briefly, Loyal hurled the spear. It sailed across the garden, hitting a guard’s face before tumbling away.
“Who’s going to be the second?”
The guards stopped in unison, scrambling to find cover. Loyal picked up another spear and stepped out of the gate. Then, almost as an excuse, he said,
“This way, only one person has to die.”
Latilda nodded her approval.
“Where to now?”
“Let’s go opposite the direction of the fire.”
Loyal grasped Latilda’s hand and kept running. Fortunately, no one followed, thanks to the effective warning.
☆ ☆ ☆
‘I was genuinely scared.’
It was a humiliation he had never tasted before. Jacques had fled Latilda’s room out of fear, and even now, his hands were shaking. He began to chew on his thumb.
Every woman had initially resisted but had eventually yielded, cried, or moaned. Jacques had thought Latilda would be the same. He expected to see the epitome of beauty either bow to him or fear him. Either way, he had no doubt he would be satisfied.
The mirror on the wall reflected Jacques’s appearance. His pathetic image, sweating and sucking his thumb, seemed uglier than ever. He ripped the mirror off the wall and threw it on the ground. Glass shattered everywhere.
Although it had been a while since he left Latilda’s room, the fear hadn’t subsided. On the contrary, it seemed to grow; he couldn’t sit still. His hands were shaking, and his vision was blurry from the sweat. He continued to suck and chew on his thumb.
‘I can’t go on like this. It brings back bad memories.’
From a young age, Jacques was terrified of being rejected by women. It wasn’t that he disliked them; he was genuinely scared. So, he dealt with women roughly, finding pleasure in the fear he instilled in them.
This was why he had no choice but to admire his father, known as the Black Lion. Who in Camort wouldn’t fear Lurun, where his family reigned? Jacques wanted to inherit the name of the Black Lion. He wanted to make anyone who crossed his path afraid of him, and to have every woman kneel at his feet.
‘I’ve been seen.’
Grimacing, Jacques stared at the broken shards of the mirror on the floor.
‘She saw me. She knows I’m afraid of women.’
Latilda had seen through Jacques’s fears with a glance, as if his rough exterior was a child’s prank. She had penetrated deep down to his core fears.
Moreover, she was the daughter of Count Johnstein, the only noble who didn’t fear the name Lurun. If she lived and became the Countess of Johnstein, as she boasted she would, he couldn’t even imagine what would happen next.
‘She’s a witch. A dark sorceress! She’ll remember today and kill me. She’ll humiliate me further, crush me, toy with me, and then end my life.’
Blood trickled down his forehead and cheeks from his scratching nails.
‘I have to kill her first. I must kill her before she does!’
Before he knew it, Jacques was running towards Latilda’s room, knife in hand, still sucking his thumb.
When he arrived, she was nowhere to be found. He looked out of her open window. She was running away, holding some man’s hand, through the garden.
Jacques clamped his mouth shut, stopping himself from calling the guards.
‘If I don’t catch Latilda here, I’ll have to face her scornful gaze again. And she would tell Bading about tonight. She might even tell my father.’
Jacques watched the two figures as they ran away. Then he saw the man throw a spear, toppling one of the guards. The surprised guards took cover in the bushes, unable to emerge for a while. In the middle of the garden, the guard with the spear in his face was writhing, but no one dared to check on him. He’d never seen a single spear wielded with such immense force.
‘Who is that guy? A soldier from Denmoju?’
Jacques bit his thumb nail as he pondered. Then he shook his head.
‘Calling the guards would be a mistake. If Latilda has escaped, Bading will come running, no matter how far west the fire is. And that knight or whatever he is won’t kill her. That would mean she would blame me for everything, claiming her innocence. And Bading will obviously take her side.’
Jacques quickly pulled his thumb out of his mouth and rushed downstairs, yelling, “Is anyone there?”
The butler, two maids, and the chief of the mansion’s guards rushed in. The chief had already armed himself, though he hadn’t managed to fasten his belt yet. More importantly, he was a loyal underling who would even assassinate Bading if Jacques ordered him to.
“Round up everyone who can use a bow.”
The chief of the guards, familiar with Jacques’s impulsive nature, responded immediately, though his face was full of questions.
“I’ll explain later. I will lead this personally.”
Jacques spoke with an assertive tone that allowed no questions.
☆ ☆ ☆
Latilda and Loyal had left the mansion far behind and entered the town of Leang.
Once they reached the middle of town, they didn’t need to be cautious anymore. People had flocked toward the fire, leaving the rest of the town quiet. No guards were pursuing them either. Latilda and Loyal were running through the center of a town devoid of a single lit candle.
Though dawn hadn’t broken yet, the area wasn’t too dark, thanks to the distant fire. In fact, the flickering red light from behind was growing stronger, illuminating the eastern road they were running down.
“Ah!”
Latilda slowed down abruptly, startling Loyal. Thinking she was tired, he too slowed his pace.
“They don’t seem to be following us. We can slow down a bit.”
Latilda didn’t heed Loyal’s words, instead looking back at the alleyway they had run through. Loyal tried to reassure her.
“If we go that way, we’ll reach the sewer where I hid before. Once we get there, we can lose them for good.”
Latilda shifted her gaze, looking up at the sky before focusing on the direction they needed to go. Finally, she looked at the burning west side of Leang.
“Latilda?”
Loyal called out to her as she wouldn’t follow, even when he tugged at her hand.
“It’s the same…”
Latilda’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“It’s the same… it’s the same, Loyal. My God, this can’t be happening…”
“What? What do you mean it’s the same?”
Latilda murmured almost inaudibly.
“It’s burning.”
Pointing toward the west, she continued, “Just like in the dream…”
Understandably, news of Leang’s burning hadn’t yet reached the western region, so the area where the two stood was still quiet.
“It’s the beginning of the nightmare. Streets are quiet even though there’s a fire!”
Latilda spoke words that were difficult to understand.
“It’s the nightmare, Loyal. The nightmare I told you about is starting. What is happening? Am I still dreaming? Has this nightmare come to life and dragged you into it as well?”
Just as Latilda was trying to escape her pain, she was being sucked back into the darkness. Loyal grabbed her shoulder.
“Latilda, this is not a dream.”
“No, it is a nightmare. It’s predestined. This was the very city where I had the nightmare. Why didn’t I realize it sooner? That the city in my nightmare was Leang…”
Latilda broke down, sobbing like a young girl.
“Soon we will hear the sound of the Black Knight’s hooves. I will run, but will be caught quickly. And then I will die in a flash of white light. Now I understand, it wasn’t just a dream. It was a premonition.”
“Get up, Latilda. This is not a dream.”
Latilda didn’t listen.
Loyal shouted with a strong tone.
“No, even if it is a dream, it doesn’t matter. Have I ever been in that dream of yours? Was there anyone helping you while you were being chased by the Black Knight?”
“But… but you can’t beat the knight in the nightmare. It’s a demon… it crawled up from the other side of the world.”
Latilda sobbed as she spoke.
Loyal leaned in close to her face.
“No matter who the opponent is,” he began, his resolve burning stronger than ever, “the only one who can survive the fangs of the White Wolves is a White Wolf.”
Loyal forcibly pulled Latilda to her feet.
“Latilda, as long as you have the will to live, I will never let you die.”
Latilda opened her trembling lips.
“Alright.”
She reached out and gently touched Loyal’s face.
“So you were the White Wolf in my dreams.”
The sound of hooves echoed in the distance, impossible to pinpoint but resonating from multiple directions.
Latilda clung to Loyal in surprise. Loyal unsheathed his sword, aiming it into the darkness.
‘It’s close.’
Loyal focused his hearing. The sound was getting nearer. A deepening darkness began to envelop them. This wasn’t an optical illusion; a tangible fog-like darkness was creeping over their feet.
Latilda shivered as though drenched in icy water in the dead of winter, but she neither left Loyal’s side nor screamed.
Loyal turned his head toward the increasingly loud noise coming from the alley. A knight in black armor, riding a black horse, approached them.
It was exactly as Latilda had described. But Loyal, too, couldn’t help but think of the Excelon Knight upon seeing this figure.
Just as Latilda had said, this was not a living being; it was a demon that had crawled up from the realm of the dead. Yet Loyal knew who it was.
“Why…”
Loyal spoke.
“Why have you appeared in this form?”
–TL Notes–
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