SWSBG SS 05

After the sun had set, he went back to the castle, where a messenger from the capital was waiting for him.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s an obituary,”

“A notice of death?”

The messenger held a letter that was tied with a black ribbon. Less than a few months have passed since the second prince’s passing. Laslo peeled back the letter’s seal to inspect the contents.

Prince Robert passed away.

That lone sentence served as the letter’s main focus. He exhaled a deep sigh.

“Even the first prince passed away; what was the cause?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is it because of the plague?”

“…….”

The messenger made no comment in return. He took the second letter from his inner chest pocket.

“This is a letter from his Majesty, the king to his Excellency, the Duke, and he instructed me to get an answer.”

“Give it to me.”

<Princess Agnes must be detained and transported to the capital as soon as possible. Otherwise, I will send a soldier directly to investigate whether you are hiding the sinner. The Duke will not be able to avoid my wrath then, so make your decision carefully.>

The following letter’s content was lengthy, but it was merely a repetition of the first one’s words. Laslo crumpled the letter’s end and stared directly at the messenger.

“I’ll give you the answer now.”

“What?”

“Tell the king clearly what I said.”

“Oh, yes. Go ahead.”

“Tell him not to worry; Princess Agnes will receive a severe punishment here in Sutmar.”

“But His Highness made it very clear!”

He appears to already be familiar with the letter’s contents. Laslo spoke coldly as the messenger protested fiercely.

“Go back.”

“Your Excellency, Duke.”

“I won’t say it again. Go back. Tell them everything I said.”

“……you’ll regret it.”

“Regret?”

Laslo gave the messenger a disdainful glare.

“Will you sell your wife for your safety if anything were to happen to you?”

“…….”

This marriage may have been the king’s will, but it is only God who has the power to break a couple apart. Princess Agnes is my wife, to whom I swore an oath before God.

Laslo spoke for a moment, then walked away. He felt a surge of rage in his heart. How ridiculous must he have been to keep making this absurd threat?

He went near a fireplace that was no longer in use and tore the letter he received from the king into pieces. The atmosphere was so fierce that a servant passing by looked at him in surprise.

The declaration of the end of the war was made not long after the messenger headed for the capital. Then, in the period between the end of spring and the start of summer, Zoltan made a comeback.

“Zoltan!”

Laslo ran in joy and hugged his brother, but Zoltan’s expression was sad.

“Did you get hurt somewhere? What’s wrong?”

“S, sir Beller…….”

“Sir Beller? What’s wrong with him, ah…….”

Beller was not the only one. A cart stacked with bodies was following behind Zoltan. The number was so high that there was no end in sight.

“Deci! Honey! “

“Oh, my child. How can this mother live?”

The family wept as they seized the corpse, which had already greatly decomposed; some families were sobbing while holding blood-stained clothes in their hands because they could not even retrieve the body; Laslo staggered as he watched the procession of the coffin.

Laslo captured every single one of them with his eyes. Although this is often the case because of the invasion of beasts, it is still very hard to adjust to that.

“Brother, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m not good enough.”

“No, I’m glad you came back alive.”

“But too many people have died. Too many people…….”

Zoltan’s eyes turned red. He bit his lips hard to hold back tears. Laslo hugged his brother tightly.

  *

Two days later, a funeral was held. In the craters where the soil was dug, a row of coffins was arranged. The funeral service was conducted by Katerina, the high priest, who also recited scripture.

“We all wait for the thousands of waves. Wait until the thousands of pearls are full.”

The pregnant wife of Beller attended the funeral. She gave her husband’s casket a blank look. Laslo  wanted to offer her a believable solace, but he was unable to do so. The farewell speech came to an uncertain end.

“Lord,”

Blue flowers in a basket were brought by a knight. These flowers were sprinkled over the coffins and the workers will cover it  with soil. Laslo took a handful of flowers. Beller’s wife stared at him.

Beller was a teacher and spiritual pillar who taught Laslo how to hold a sword for the first time. He had given him a lot of assistance from the side because he was a Lord who was inept and inexperienced. Before leaving, he smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect Zoltan well,” remembering the face that had entered the office.

“Ah…….”

He crushed the flowers in his hand.

He regretted obeying the king’s commands. Those who were unable to return from the war outnumbered those who did.

One-half of the mourners were sobbing bitter tears, and the other half appeared worn out and in pain.

The old knight’s eyes that he saw not long ago come to mind.

“B, brother.”

Zoltan approached him somehow, looking a little perplexed. His younger brother floundered out a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Take this.”

“Why?”

Zoltan asked back, gently tapping Laslo’s cheek. Accordingly, when he touched his cheek, it was dripping wet.

How come my face is so wet? The sky is so clear.

“Lord,”

Katerina, the high priest, came closer. She briefly held Laslo’s hand before releasing it.

“Send it.”

“Where?”

“Spray the flowers so the dead can ascend to the sky safely.”

He looked down at his hand. He can’t tell which flower is which because they are all crushed in his closed fist. At that time, Agnes, who was a little away, walked over and received the flower basket.

“I’ll do it for you.”

She calmly took hold of the flower and scattered it all over the coffin. The priest sang a slow funeral song. The princess continued to scatter flowers on the basket until none were visible.

He is unaware of how the funeral concluded.

After closing his eyes, he awoke and discovered himself in the bedroom. The candles lit by the servants were almost melted and the lights were fading. Someone opened the door and came in.

“Duke Arpad.”

Laslo looked up and looked at the person who called him. The princess stood before him.

“I apologize for intruding without an appointment.”

“……What is it?”

“Well, I’m just.”

She continued to muddle the last few words of her sentences. Laslo bowed his head in silence as she spoke. His head was splitting with pain.

“I’m tired.”

“……Oh. Did I interrupt your rest?”

The princess became a little flustered, and soon her footsteps began to fade away. Laslo breathed slowly and waited for the headache to go away. But when he once more opened his eyes, he noticed the princess’s dress’ hem. She inhaled deeply and expelled it.

“I cried a lot when Vivian died, too.”

“…….”

“It’s helped me a lot in getting rid of the sadness.”

“…….”

“I’ll go now.”

Laslo looked up. Agnes’s back, which had been visible briefly before she closed the door, vanished. At some point, round drops of water began to drip onto the carpet. Laslo gave it a blank stare.

Too many people died.

I can’t hold anyone accountable because I was the one who killed them.

Laslo sobbed for a long time while burying his face in his hands.

  *

Summer has arrived after a cruel spring.

Thankfully, the epidemic in Sutmar has slowed down over time. The merchants passing between the capital and Sutmar appear happier than before, so perhaps the capital has also calmed down.

Life has gone the same way as before. The battle with the beasts, mending the line of defense, and arguing with Niall and the ledgers continued.

Then, one day, a knight guarding the estate’s perimeter made an odd report.

“What did you see?”

“There’s no doubt it was the king’s men.”

The young knight enthusiastically described what he had seen. Laslo and Zoltan were seated in front of the knight, facing each other.

“So you’re saying that the knight who looked like a scout was wearing the king’s insignia?”

“Yes.”

“Is the king’s army passing by near Sutmar? For what?”

“However, to move the army now. It’s time for the harvest.”

The words of the knight baffled Zoltan.

“I also found it odd, so I checked it several times, and sure enough, it was part of the royal family’s insignia. The one on the back of the princess’ hand.”

“When the king’s army moves, words must come out of the mouths of many people. Lord Beller is in the city. I’ll send Sir Demonic instead.”

“Yes, I will.”

Laslo didn’t give it much thought. He had no idea the king’s army would be moving closer to Sutmar.

But only two days later, things started to go south. The king started seriously deploying his troops outside of Sutmar’s territory. When the vassals saw it, they gathered in Estar in shock.

“How many armies do they have?”

“The Scout says it’s at most tens of thousands,”

“Why are there tens of thousands of people surrounding Sutmar?”

“Lord, what is the king asking for?”

Laslo held his head. No way, he didn’t expect the king to come out so hard. He thought he would call him to the capital at best.

“…….”

“Brother!”

Perhaps frustrated by Laslo’s silence, Zoltan raised his voice.

“They want to take the princess.”

“What? The princess, why?”