Chapter 10
The Crimson Battlefield (1)
“Please become my precious family… the one and only family I will love with all my soul.”
When the prince from a distant land finally took her hand and whispered those words, the young girl could only nod silently, her heart too full of emotion to speak.
This is the story of a girl who once wished to become someone’s family.
She had been dragged out of the tower without warning, bound and blindfolded, and forced to walk for what felt like a long time.
The thin soles of her shoes touched cold, hard stone.
Breathing in the chilly morning air tinged with the unfamiliar scent of iron, Amelia shivered.
Voices.
No—not ordinary people.
Soldiers.
The clatter of weapons brushing together.
The strange tension hanging in the air, like a dam ready to burst.
Finally, the black cloth covering her eyes was removed.
She realized she was standing in the center of the castle wall.
“Look, Amelia.”
She blinked.
As her eyes adjusted to the light after being covered for so long, she saw rows upon rows of longbow archers and infantry lining the walls.
Behind the gates waited Rohan’s spear cavalry, ready to charge at any moment.
Thousands of infantry stood in formation on both sides of the fortress, quietly burning with anticipation as they waited for the battle to begin.
Beyond the walls, the Allied Army stretched across the plains like a colony of ants.
Among the countless banners fluttering in the wind, the flag of the Holy Delcross Empire shone the brightest.
Only after taking in the entire scene did Amelia slowly turn toward the man holding her blindfold.
King Leonard of Rohan.
Once, she had believed without a doubt that he would become the family she cherished most in the world.
Instead, he had deceived and betrayed her, destroying her life.
He had falsely accused an innocent woman, stripped her of her position, and imprisoned her for years inside a cold, lonely tower.
Leonard looked into Amelia’s lifeless eyes before curling one corner of his mouth into a smile.
“So? Do you think this is unfair? Do you resent me? But this is simply the punishment that the sinful daughter of that empire deserves. Are you not the very cause of this holy war?”
Amelia gave no response.
Because she knew every word he spoke was a lie.
Nothing more than a convenient excuse.
Everyone knew who had truly started this war.
Even if no one dared to say it aloud.
A fierce wind swept across the battlements, scattering her now pitifully short rose-colored hair.
Leonard stared at it for a moment as if entranced.
Then he gently reached out and brushed the ends of her hair with his fingers.
“Romain’s plan only half succeeded. That damned father of yours managed to win over those foxes from the kingdom.”
His hand moved from her hair…
Across her weathered cheek…
Then wrapped around her slender neck.
“So you’ll pay the price instead.”
His grip tightened.
“I’ll cut off your head here and use it to mark the beginning of this war.”
Feeling his fingers squeezing her throat, Amelia quietly closed her eyes.
She had no attachment left to a life filled with nothing but suffering.
She had only one wish.
That the Allied Army would crush this cruel man’s ambitions.
That they would trample every dream he held until nothing remained.
At that moment…
That was all she wished for.
Just then, a disturbance broke out among the Allied forces.
Far away, their formation began to stir.
Then—
A single black figure shot out from the army like an arrow.
One lone cavalryman.
A reckless charge launched without any signal that the battle had begun.
Still gripping Amelia’s neck, Leonard narrowed his eyes toward the enemy camp.
Judging from the growing commotion, even the Allied Army hadn’t expected this.
A moment later, another group of cavalry burst from their ranks.
They seemed to be desperately chasing after the knight riding at the front.
“That man…”
As the leading knight drew closer, murmurs spread through Rohan’s army.
Black armor.
An enormous greatsword strapped across his back.
Several short spears tucked at his side.
The infamous warrior whose name had become feared across the battlefield was charging toward the fortress…
Entirely alone.
“…The Black Devil!”
“The Black Devil of Delcross!”
“It’s the Crown Prince!”
“The Crown Prince of Delcross!”
Hummm—
The knight in black drew one of his short spears.
Dark crimson aura engulfed the weapon.
The entire fortress seemed to tremble.
“Is he insane?”
“He hasn’t even reached bow range yet!”
“Does he seriously plan to throw it from there?”
“Fire! Fire!”
“What are the archers doing?! Shoot him down!”
The instant Leonard gave the order—
Whoosh!
Thousands of arrows rose into the sky, blackening it.
Moments later, they rained down with terrifying speed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
But the distance was still just slightly too great.
The knight calmly galloped through the deadly storm without changing his throwing stance.
“Damn it!”
While the archers frantically nocked fresh arrows, the Crown Prince closed another fifty meters.
Then—
He threw the spear.
BOOM!!
Wrapped in blazing aura, it shot through the air like a meteor and slammed into the ground directly before the fortress gate.
It had missed the wall by only a few feet.
The earth exploded apart.
Seeing the enormous crater it left behind, the soldiers’ faces turned pale.
“I-Is that even human?”
“Prepare another volley!”
Hundreds more arrows filled the sky.
The Crown Prince unsheathed the massive sword from his back.
With aura, he formed a wide blade barrier that deflected most of the arrows.
But even he couldn’t block such an overwhelming barrage forever.
The horse screamed.
It collapsed beneath him.
He rolled violently across the ground.
Then—
BOOM!!
Another spear came flying.
This one struck the very center of the fortress wall.
“What the hell?!”
Several arrows were embedded in his armor.
Yet the black knight simply stood up…
And resumed charging toward the wall.
He was slower without his horse.
But wrapped in blood-red aura, he continued advancing relentlessly.
It was terrifying.
The commander waiting for the next volley swallowed nervously.
Held tightly in Leonard’s grasp atop the wall, Amelia watched everything unfold.
For the first time in countless years…
Emotion returned to her empty eyes.
She herself had already abandoned her own life.
Yet someone else…
Had not.
And that person was charging without the slightest hesitation toward certain death.
Whoosh—
Another rain of arrows poured toward the Crown Prince.
But this time…
He wasn’t alone.
The knights who had chased after the Crown Prince caught up to him.
As the enemy focused all their attacks on him, they raised their shields together.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The wall of shields instantly became riddled with arrows.
“You crazy bastard!”
One knight threw away his ruined shield while actually shouting at the Crown Prince.
Leonard bit down on his lip.
“…Can they make it?”
“Can they really reach us?”
The knights formed a protective circle around the Crown Prince.
Slowly…
Steadily…
They advanced.
Now within direct firing range, arrows poured down relentlessly.
Yet each knight appeared to be a skilled aura user.
Taking turns raising aura barriers, they somehow continued closing the distance.
At some point, the Crown Prince had lost his helmet while rolling across the battlefield.
His face was now fully exposed.
Sharp eyes.
A jawline made even sterner by age.
It was a face Amelia knew well…
Yet somehow felt unfamiliar.
Half of his pale blond hair was soaked in blood where an arrow had grazed him.
“…Mores.”
She had always believed they were never particularly close as children.
Then why…
Why was he trying so desperately to reach her now?
That thought crossed her mind.
At that exact moment—
Their matching gray eyes met.
Mores’ eyes widened.
Stab!
A burning pain exploded through Amelia’s right chest.
“…!”
She looked down.
A dagger protruded from her chest.
The blood spreading across her plain dress bloomed like crimson flower petals.
Slowly, she followed the hand holding the dagger…
Until she met Leonard’s face.
His eyes were filled with despair.
Yet his lips wore a twisted smile.
“If you’re that precious to them…”
“What choice do I have?”
“I’ll send you to them.”
“…But…”
“…I will never hand you over alive.”
Push.
Barely balanced at the edge of the wall, supported only by Leonard’s grip…
A single shove was enough.
She fell.
“AMELIA!”
Far away…
She heard Mores scream her name.
Then she dropped helplessly toward the earth.
As the world spun upside down…
All she could see was the peaceful blue sky.
A lone bird disappeared beyond the clouds.
Then…
Darkness.
Someone shouting.
People screaming.
Weapons clashing.
Flesh being torn apart.
“…Amelia! Amelia! Sister! Wake up!”
Still hearing someone desperately calling her name…
Amelia slowly opened her eyes.
“Cough!”
The moment she coughed, a burning pain spread through her chest.
She looked around.
They were in the middle of the battlefield.
The two armies had already collided.
Mores was kneeling beside her.
His gauntlet had been removed.
One bare hand pressed desperately against the dagger lodged in her chest.
“Mo…”
She tried to call his name.
No sound came out.
The dagger had pierced her lung.
Every breath escaped with a terrible wheezing sound.
Blood spilled from her lips.
“Shh…”
“Don’t speak.”
“Your wound will get worse.”
“You landed surprisingly well when you fell… but the stab wound is in a bad place…”
Gently holding her down as she struggled to move, Mores tried to soothe her.
“But Father will be here soon.”
“For him…”
“A wound like this is nothing.”
“So don’t worry.”
“You know that too, don’t you?”
His own face had become deathly pale.
He kept speaking…
As if reassuring her…
Or perhaps convincing himself.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
“Amelia…”
“If we can endure just a little more…”
“Once Father arrives…”
“Everything will be alright…”
Ah…
His Holiness.
Father.
The moment she thought of him…
Tears finally filled Amelia’s dry eyes for the first time in years.
He had opposed her marriage to Leonard until the very end.
Their relationship had become so strained that she had practically severed ties when she left.
Not once since then had she ever contacted him.
Even if she met him again now…
What could she possibly say?
As though sensing her guilt, Mores whispered softly,
“Amelia…”
“Father still thinks about you.”
“He’s always worried about you.”
“He’s never been angry with you.”
“So when you see him later…”
“Just smile.”
“That’s enough.”
“…”
“He was devastated after Logan died.”
“It was honestly frightening.”
“If something happens to you too…”
“I don’t even know what he’ll do.”
“He needs you.”
Hearing such gentle words from Mores of all people, Amelia stared at him in shock.
Only then did she notice…
He hadn’t looked directly at her even once.
His unfocused gray eyes stared blankly into empty space.
She had assumed he was simply tense.
But…
Why was his face so pale?
“…And…”
“I guess I should apologize while I have the chance.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I said terrible things to you when we were children.”
“I bullied you.”
“It was all my fault…”
Looking at him more carefully…
Amelia froze.
Because while facing him, she hadn’t noticed before…
The back of his armor was completely covered with arrows.
Dozens of them.
Without a single gap.
The blood soaking the hand pressing against her wound…
Wasn’t mostly hers.
It was his.
Only then did Amelia realize…
He had thrown himself into that storm of arrows…
Just to catch her when she fell.
That was why she had no broken bones.
Why not a single arrow had struck her.
In that brief instant…
Mores had poured every ounce of his strength into protecting her.
Only then did she finally hear the desperate cries of the knights surrounding them.
“Please hold on a little longer, Your Highness!”
“You reckless idiot!”
“You always charge ahead without thinking!”
“Just survive this first, Your Highness! Then we’ll deal with you later!”
“His Majesty is almost here!”
“Your Highness!”
“You must stay conscious!”
Listening to Mores’ increasingly shallow breathing…
Amelia wept helplessly.
Ah…
It’s because of me.
Because I selfishly came to Rohan…
Father had been forced into one diplomatic disadvantage after another.
My younger brother, the Crown Prince…
Had charged willingly toward certain death.
And despite all of their sacrifices…
I would still die…
Becoming nothing but their burden until the very end.
It was at that very moment…
That the sky suddenly began to turn crimson.
