The path to the White Gate was straight as always, with no obstacles in sight. However, the advance of the black knights was only slightly faster than walking off their horses.
It wasn’t that they deliberately slowed down for battle. Judging from their appearance so far, the black warhorses that everyone, including Suvel, was riding would not tire even if they ran all the way to Nadium without rest. However, Billy, who was adjusting everyone’s pace, was in no hurry.
Black followed behind Billy without saying a word. The other black knights just followed Billy.
“Weren’t you here at the Gold Gate to amend your past and regain your honor?”
Suvel hesitated as if asking a question he shouldn’t, and then asked Black.
Billy knew what Suvel was curious about.
“You kept shouting about the Gold Gate. But to pass by doing nothing? How bland is that?”
“I only remembered what I had to do once I arrived at the Gold Gate, Suvel.”
“So, what did you remember?”
“Going to Nadium to meet the Queen. I have no lingering feelings about the Gold Gate. Even if I did, they ended just now.”
Black spoke as if it was nothing.
Suvel looked back at the Gold Gate again. So did Billy.
‘They’re not following. Wise decision, Danedor. It’s not good to fight against knights who don’t die even when killed.’
Suvel asked discontentedly.
“Doesn’t it look like we’re running away now?”
Billy answered.
“Nobody at the Gold Gate would see it that way. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Suvel pointed to the red smoke rising in the distance. A short time after the smoke rose from the eastern hill, fire broke out on the western hill as well.
“Look at those beacons. In less than an hour, news of our passing through the Gold Gate will reach Nadium. Then we’ll meet a tremendous army. At least the entire Wolf Knights.”
Billy continued with a half-smile.
“Bland? You say that because you didn’t see the fight inside the Gold Gate.”
Billy pointed to the black knights who were orderly following behind.
“Do you see this knight order as just one knight order, Suvel? To my eyes, it looks like magic that could shatter any country’s army. But, following Black’s will, we avoided a fight in the Gold Gate where the dead would kill the living. And we’re sending news of our journey to Nadium first. To prepare them.”
“Why do we have to do that?”
Black answered that question.
“It’s in the hope that there’s someone on the other side who understands the meaning of this march.”
Suvel, and even Billy, did not yet know why Black was going to Nadium, why they were going to meet the Queen of Aranthia.
“However, if there is no one on the other side who realizes the meaning of our march, the city of Nadium will disappear tomorrow.”
Billy was startled as if Black had directly addressed him. What Billy thought was mere speculation, Black declared as a real possibility. This nameless knight order would bring down Aranthia, which even Lontamon’s great army couldn’t.
‘Is this really what he wanted? If this knight order invades Nadium and accomplishes the conquest they couldn’t do 10 years ago, will he be satisfied and happy?’
Billy felt as if the conquest of Nadium was a decision that seemed to depend on his choice.
☆ ☆ ☆
The black knights continued their slow movement, passing several villages along the way. The villagers who were leisurely playing and the farmers who were plowing stared at this bizarre march, their mouths agape in astonishment. However, the black knights paid no attention to any living being.
“Are you not hungry?”
Suvel asked.
Lunchtime had already passed. Since Suvel had stayed up all night tending to Billy and had been fasting until now, it was natural for him to be hungry. However, Billy didn’t feel hungry at all.
“It’s past time for a meal.”
He requested to Black.
“We need to take a break, Black.”
“Speak for yourself. You’re the captain.”
Billy slowly decreased the pace of his horse and raised his hand. The entire knight order slowed down and soon came to a complete stop. The black knights did not dismount. No one was tired, and the horses were not strained in any way.
Billy was no exception. Suvel was the only one who needed a rest. Nevertheless, Billy accompanied Suvel to the village to buy food and drink. The baker sold his goods with a face like he was dealing with a ghost.
“I’ve almost given all the remaining food and money to Nail. This is all we can afford with what’s left.”
Suvel emptied his pockets to pay for the food. He bit into a loaf of bread and handed one to Billy. Not particularly hungry, but out of habit when mealtime came, Billy bit into the bread Suvel offered. However, it tasted like chewing paper and he immediately spat it out.
“What kind of taste is this?”
“What do you mean? It tastes fine to me.”
Suvel mumbled with a mouth full of bread.
Billy tried to force another bite, but the discomfort of chewing something akin to tree bark for an hour before swallowing it made him feel sick.
“Have I been ill too long? The taste is completely off…”
Billy handed the bread back and instead drank a glass of wine.
He couldn’t taste anything. It was like drinking plain water. And even that felt like forcing down an extra gulp after already drinking to the brim. A sudden ominous thought crossed his mind, but he said nothing and just closed the wine bottle and handed it back to Suvel.
“You’ve almost starved for two days. Shouldn’t you eat more?”
Suvel said.
“I guess I’m having trouble swallowing food because I’ve starved for two days.”
Billy sincerely hoped that was the case.
Suvel, unconcerned, stopped eating the bread when Billy suddenly paused.
“Suvel, come out here and spar with me for a moment.”
Suvel, with bread still in his mouth, looked baffled.
“Hey, hey. Are you saying you want to keep the duel promise from Grey Town now?”
“No, not that. Just… let’s spar.”
“Let’s do it. But can you really fight when you’re in such bad shape that you can’t even swallow food?”
“You might be surprised.”
Billy said.
Suvel laughed and drew his sword. Billy also drew his sword and lightly struck Suvel’s. They exchanged a few gentle sword strikes, and Billy smoothly dodged and then raised his hand.
“That’s enough.”
Suvel immediately stopped attacking and asked.
“You’re acting a bit odd. Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s not that something’s wrong… My body feels too good.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Strike with all your might. It’s okay to hit my body, but since you might worry, just hit my sword.”
“Alright.”
Suvel, curious about what Billy was up to, did as he was told. Billy raised his hand just before and emphasized again.
“With all your might!”
“I got it!”
Suvel swung his sword powerfully towards the Lontamon sword that Billy held. In an instant, Billy’s body seemed to disappear, and suddenly the sword was pointed at Suvel’s throat. Shocked by the attack that followed in a fraction of a second, Suvel stopped with his eyes wide open.
Billy withdrew his sword and stepped back.
“What in the world has happened to my body?”
Billy’s voice trembled.
The treasured sword of Lontamon, which he cherished as his life, fell to the ground with a clang. Billy, like a child, covered his face with his hands and slumped down. A cold wind blew. The sun moving towards the south did not warm the two men at all.
“Suvel, if ever…”
Billy picked up his sword again and sheathed it.
“If I ever change into something like them, you take over as captain.”
“What are you talking nonsense for?”
Suvel yelled.
“A living person shouldn’t take orders from the dead, right?”
Leaving those words behind, Billy walked back to where the black knights were. Despite his body feeling in excellent condition, his steps were heavy.
☆ ☆ ☆
Their journey continued until evening. No one stopped them as they passed a few villages, and they did not harm anyone either. The thought that somewhere the Wolf Knights might be preparing to attack them was unsettling. No matter how powerful this knight order was, the opposing force was the legendary knight order that had defeated three hundred of Excelon with just fifty men.
‘Have they become stronger than before? Or weaker?’
They rode their horses towards the setting red sun. The silence that lasted for more than half a day made them look like a procession of ghostly knights to any observer.
Billy was worried about Suvel. It was strange to see such a talkative guy maintain silence in this knight order.
“Billy.”
Suvel spoke while looking towards the distant west.
“What?”
“Can I go ahead to Nadium first?”
He didn’t show it, but there was a sense of urgency in his tone.
Billy couldn’t refuse his request.
“If that’s what you want, Suvel…”
Suvel interrupted him mid-sentence.
“If things continue like this, war will inevitably break out. I still don’t understand Black’s intentions. How could those on the other side know? I may hate the Wolf Knights now, but I once longed to be one of them. That’s why I don’t want Nadium to fall like this. At least not before I arrive.”
“I forgot. We had different reasons for heading to Nadium, didn’t we?”
“Yes. I needed you, and you needed me, and Black needed both of us, and we both needed Black. But with Kassel joining us and that hunter son of a bitch, we became more than just mutual interests.”
Suvel was speaking more seriously than at any other time they had been together.
Billy wanted to hold Suvel back, not letting him leave. But there was no longer a place for him here. Suvel realized this before Billy did.
“Can I ask what you’re going to do when you get there first?”
Billy asked.
“If Black has business with the Queen, I still have unfinished business with the Wolf Knights.”
“Alone?”
“Yes. Even if I don’t return, you do what you need to do.”
Suvel approached the side of Billy’s horse and extended his hand. Billy took his hand, and Suvel spoke as if making a final testament.
“This might be the last time.”
“Don’t talk like that, Suvel. I’ll keep your place beside me open.”
“I wanted to stay by your side to the end and see what this knight order does. But the moment I swore allegiance to you, my forgotten desires resurfaced.”
Suvel returned his hand from the handshake and scratched his head.
“I guess I’m not cut out to be a knight. Too selfish for that.”
Billy burst into laughter.
“I’ll think of it as you going ahead, Suvel.”
“At this pace, you’ll reach the White Gate by midnight. But if you’re to attack, do it in the morning.”
“Is there a special reason for that?”
“If knights in pitch-black armor attack in the night, it’ll just fit the image of villains. Excelon knights aren’t like that, right? Enter proudly at the holiest hour. That’s better.”
“I see. Understood.”
“I’m off.”
Suvel clenched his fist and spurred his horse forward.
Billy watched his back and shook his head.
“Because of a woman? I wonder if he’s just saying that to hide his true intentions…”
Billy murmured quietly, and Black, who was listening, spoke.
“Perhaps it’s regret for not receiving Aranthia’s blessing, like me.”
“After your death, Lontamon panicked, fearing Aranthia Queen’s curse would come. Is that something an Excelon knight should say? Talking about Aranthia’s blessing.”
Billy said jokingly.
“From the moment I first killed, all that was left for me was a curse. I came to this land believing I could lift that curse and the mark upon me. And I was blinded by jealousy, thinking someone else received the blessing of Aranthia that I could have had.”
Black recited his story in a flat tone, like a poem.
“Do you remember your past?”
Black didn’t answer Billy’s question and instead looked up at the western sky.
“Is the sun setting?”
“It’s hanging on the horizon. You still can’t see the sun?”
“Perhaps I don’t deserve to see it.”
“Don’t say that, Black. You are a knight who suits the brilliant sun more than anyone.”
Black smiled, a smile tinged with sadness.
“Billy, do you still think Excelon is a knight order armed with noble chivalry?”
“Don’t be modest. If there’s any knight order under the sky that will uphold chivalry to the end, it’s Excelon.”
“That’s not true, Billy. We only thoroughly adhered to chivalry because we were novices who didn’t know how to keep it in the first place.”
Black continued, looking back at the following knights.
“We were neither knights of noble blood nor patriots loyal to Lontamon. We were merely murderers who slaughtered countless knights and soldiers of other countries for our own gain. And we were the assault squad of an evil legion that spilled blood on this sacred land, where it should never have touched.”
“That’s not true! I know the glory of you and the Excelon Knights that you yourselves don’t recognize. Don’t belittle yourselves. Don’t insult the current Excelon. There are still excellent knights in Excelon who admire everyone here and strictly uphold chivalry.”
“Billy, you still don’t know about 10 years ago…”
Black shook his head. The sound of horse hooves trampling the ground quietly faced the fading twilight.
Billy couldn’t say anything.
‘Maybe I’ve been idealizing the Excelon of the past too much.’
Regardless of chivalry or whatever, the Excelon Knights killed the guardian dragons of Carnelock and massacred countless knights who obstructed Lontamon’s conquest. Even if they now bore this form because of the price of such slaughter and couldn’t find a land of rest, Billy had no right to argue.
“Suvel left for his own reasons. And I march on for mine. Then Billy, what is your task?”
Black’s voice melted into the sunlight barely cresting the western horizon. Billy wouldn’t be surprised if the sun before his eyes disappeared anytime. He hoped the setting sun would still be visible tomorrow morning… or at least until his task was completed.
☆ ☆ ☆
Suvel did not return overnight. Billy remained on his horse without eating, drinking, or resting. By now, they were on the verge of reaching the White Gate. Compared to the thick gates of other cities, the gate leading into Nadium seemed like it could be broken with a kick from the front hooves of the black horses the knights rode.
The black knights stopped their horses a good distance from the gate and remained motionless.
Billy surveyed Nadium. Perhaps due to an emergency, lights were on in every house, outlining the cityscape. On either side of the White Gate, faint lights shone like beacons atop high towers reaching into the sky.
‘Suvel was right. If we attack now, we’ll only appear as a malevolent force desecrating a holy city.’
Billy told Black that if they were to enter, they should do it tomorrow.
After all, Black’s only goal was the Queen of Aranthia. It was Billy’s choice to break down the Gate and defeat the Wolf Knights.
‘What should I do?’
No one had ordered them to attack Nadium. In fact, Black had never explicitly demanded that they invade Nadium.
Just march forward, just lead the way.
‘And what after this is over…?’
Regardless of the outcome, Billy had never thought about what would come next. Staring at the unusually bright starry sky, Billy closed his eyes tightly.
‘What will become of me?’
Billy ran his palm over his sword blade. He no longer felt pain. The bleeding stopped quickly.
‘What is my task?’
He hadn’t slept all night but wasn’t tired in the least. The tedious night was consumed by worry and loneliness, and dawn approached before he knew it.
Having faced the White Gate in the west all night, Billy thought the sun must be rising behind him. But he lacked the courage to turn around, fearing he might not see the sun.
However, such concerns were forgotten the moment he saw the knights in white armor standing before the gate. All the night’s pondering vanished in an instant.
‘The Wolf Knights have arrived.’
Billy commanded in a not-so-loud voice.
“Advance, all forces.”
Following Billy’s command, the knights, who had lost their names and bodies, charged towards the White Gate.
‘My task is to lead everyone to the front of Nadium. To show Aranthia the sincerity of these knights.’
Billy quietly addressed the Wolf Knights in white armor prepared at the White Gate.
“Wolves, receive Excelon.”
–TL Notes–
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