Chapter 378: 378
Erich Striker was the captain of Kaixenix Archipelago's royal guards .
'She' wasn't just the archipelago's best knight in title only; 'she' was also the first sword of the nation's ruler . And the sole reason why 'she' was able to climb up to that position was due to her constant training throughout the day and night .
Swiiiish!
Erich sliced and cut the silent night of the training hall over and over again . Thick sweat drops fell non-stop . 'She' looked down on the droplets and thought that they should've been someone else's blood drops, instead .
'I let them slip away . In front of her majesty, no less . '
The rebellion of the First Prince – the assault on the audience chamber three days ago had found itself in the mouths of the gossipers already . Some minstrels began singing songs about it, too . Most of them were singing songs that extolled the First Prince .
⸢Oh, oh~ the great revolutionary Schweichen Von Kaixenix~ . ⸥
⸢Look at his wide shoulders and his back~ . ⸥
The bright sword light scythed past the darkness of the practice grounds . The hateful face of the Fourth Prince, who had escaped alongside the First Prince, floated up . It didn't want to disappear no matter how many times it was cut apart .
The strange thing was, every time Erich recalled that face, 'she' felt a rather subtle emotion float up, too .
Seeing the backs of the First Prince Schweichen and Fourth Prince Ricardo, as well as Bilston Framer, getting further away, Erich was overcome with this inexplicable longing .
Not wanting to acknowledge that emotion, 'she' continued to swing 'her' sword . As usual, 'she' swung the blade over and over again, trying 'her' best to shake off all the distracting thoughts .
Unfortunately, it seemed that today's training would have to end here .
'Is it a sneak attack?'
There was a slender shadow gently wavering within the darkness .
Erich quickly unsheathed the real sword mounted from 'her' waist . 'She' thought of killing the intruder the moment it displayed any suspicious behaviour . Quite unexpectedly, though, the opponent revealed his presence first .
"Please, put away your weapon . I didn't come here to fight . "
Under the faint light of the moon, a man with the slender physique walked out from the darkness . It was Ricardo Von Kaixenix, the Fourth Prince of this archipelago .
Erich loudly shouted out . "Are you out of your mind? With what balls have you come here?"
"Even though the world has changed, you still enjoy swinging your sword . "
Erich raised 'her' sword up high while emitting a dense murderous aura . The Fourth Prince, however, placed his sword down on the ground, instead .
The former's eyes narrowed to a slit . "What are you planning here?"
"I know that in ten minutes, guards would show up to surround me . And also, subduing me wouldn't be all that hard for you with your skillset . "
"So?"
"I'm turning myself in . Meaning, I'll have you arrest me and take me to the execution ground . "
Erich knew that the Fourth Prince was not right of his mind recently . However, 'she' didn't expect to see a situation like this one . It had been only a couple of days ago that he escaped with the First Prince's help, yet he walked right back in, of his own volition, so he could be executed?
Still being wary, Erich slowly walked over to the Fourth Prince .
Without a doubt, he was in a completely unarmed state . Erich didn't miss this chance and quickly captured the Fourth Prince . A pair of pure eyes sparkling under the moonlight met 'her' gaze now .
"In return, I'd like you to listen to my tale for the next ten minutes . "
"And why should I do that?"
"I'm going to die anyway . Not hearing the last words of a dying man will leave you with an unclean taste in your mouth . "
Erich stared at the Fourth Prince with complicated eyes . "If you're going to plead your innocence, I won't have any of it . "
'She' knew that the Fourth Prince was not guilty . However, the throne had changed hands, and Erich was the captain of the guards serving the new ruler .
The Fourth Prince smiled and shook his head . "This story isn't about that . "
"If not, what then?"
"Honestly speaking, I was in a serious dilemma on what to say here so we could get the 'you' we know back . I couldn't even make a wild guess at all . "
The unexpected opening remarks managed to make Erich flustered and 'she' frowned deeply .
Was this a new type of underhanded scheme? Everyone in the kingdom knew that the Fourth Prince used his silver tongue to seduce many women in this land .
"A long time ago, there was a certain woman . "
Regardless of what his listener was thinking, the Fourth Prince began his tale .
"She loved kendo and was talented enough to enter the competition as the representative of her own district . "
Along with a faint bout of pain, an unknown emotion began stabbing 'her' head .
"And with her sword, she rescued her precious comrades many times . "
Something that disappeared a long time ago… .
"She swung her sword against the unfairness of the scenarios over and over again, and with that very same sword, she also protected me . "
"What are you even talking about? I'm solely the blade of her majesty . "
The Fourth Prince looked up at Erich with emotions of lamentation .
"You really can't seem to remember anything . "
It was then, another voice came out from within the darkness .
"Prince Ricardo . I'd like to say something . "
Erich flinched in surprise and quickly raised 'her' body up . Since from when did those two men appear in the darkness? She growled menacingly and spoke . "So, it was a trap all along . "
"No, it is not . "
The one to reveal himself from the darkness was Bilston Framer, the only knight she acknowledged in this kingdom .
"Sir Erich . "
Bilston took a step towards 'her' . 'She' got startled and quickly issued her warning . "Take one more step, and I shall cut off the Fourth Prince's head . "
This is a trap . I must escape from here – Erich thought like that and scanned the exit to the training ground .
However, something felt wrong .
[Fables related to you have begun going on a rampage!]
As if her entire body had become frozen, she couldn't move at all .
[Your Fables are resisting against the control of the 'Kaixenix Archipelago'!]
"We promised never to forget, didn't we?"
Bilston stared at her with sorrowful eyes .
'No, but, his… . name is… . '
[Fables related to you are ruminating on the old memories . ]
"Hui-Won-ssi . "
[Forgotten Fables have begun their storytelling . ]
At that moment, 'her' world crumbled away . Fables flooding in covered up Erich's memories .
That was the story of the forgotten ten years . A story from when Erich wasn't Erich yet, while Bilston was not Bilston, either .
*
It was exactly ten years ago when both Yi Hyeon-Seong and Jeong Hui-Won arrived in this world .
"Hyeon-Seong-ssi! It is you, right?"
"Uht? Hui-Won-ssi??"
Tsu-chuchuchut . . . !
They had become the 'possessors' at a similar point in time and luckily enough, got to recognise each other pretty quickly .
- Looks like we'll have to resort to using voice projection in this place .
The two of them began gathering information on this world little by little .
First, they learnt that this was the final preparatory stage before they could participate in the 'Great War of Saints and Demons' .
Two, that there were time differences between the summoning of each member of to this place .
And that the scenario wouldn't begin unless all the actors had arrived .
- Besides all that, Hyeon-Seong-ssi, it looks like you took over a person pretty similar to you .
- Hui-Won-ssi, you also suit your host really well .
And finally, their sense of self would steadily erode away with the passage of time .
[Great Fable, 'Kaixenix Archipelago', is monitoring your actions . ]
[Probability of the world is pressuring you to perform your given role . ]
Whenever they sensed the gaze of the Great Fable, they acted out their roles in order to not get on that thing's nerves .
- It seems that Su-Yeong-ssi has completely forgotten about everything . It doesn't matter what I say, she… .
- Will we end up in the same situation as her?
- I believe that Dok-Ja-ssi will show up before that .
And so, they waited, and then, waited for some more .
- Are Ji-Hye and the kids doing well, I wonder?
- If it's them, they should be alright .
They only had each other to rely on in this world .
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