Chapter 42: BWCGD

Chapter 42

Evelyn had assumed Max would stay by her side until the end. Caught off guard, she froze and even forgot to take Kallian's outstretched hand.

“Uh, I...”

She hurriedly looked around, but there wasn't a horse anywhere for her to ride. Not a single person would meet her eyes.

What do I do?

But she couldn't bring herself to be held in the arms of a man who still smelled fresh, as though he hadn't shed a single drop of sweat, while she herself looked as filthy as a sewer rat.

“Maybe I could ride with Sir Max—”

“...Oh dear! We'd better hurry. I have to carry a mountain of supplies from here on.”

At that moment, Max suddenly popped his head out from behind and cut her off.

His exaggerated tone clearly showed that he had absolutely no intention of taking her with him.

But most of the supplies had already been loaded onto the wagons.

Wondering if there really was that much left to carry, enough for the vice-captain himself to handle, Evelyn looked toward the luggage.

Max desperately gestured at her with his eyes.

He was obviously trying to tell her something.

Unfortunately, she had no idea what he meant.

Fidgeting anxiously like a puppy that needed to relieve itself, Max eventually gave up on making her understand and quickly turned around.

“Well then, I'm busy. See you!”

Kallian's cool golden eyes slowly followed the retreating Max before settling squarely on Evelyn.

“It seems you've become quite close.”

His slightly crooked tone made Evelyn look up at him in confusion.

She could tell he was displeased from the tilt of his head, but she couldn't understand what was really on his mind.

In her previous life, whenever Kallian had to lead the charge or was occupied with something unavoidable, he would leave her in the care of other knights.

So she had assumed this time would be no different.

Apparently not.

Trying to break the suffocating silence, Evelyn smiled awkwardly.

“I just thought it might be uncomfortable for you on such a long journey. Besides, we're headed to the same destination anyway.”

“If you're headed to the same place, do you simply hitch rides with anyone?”

“Of course not. I thought it would be acceptable to ask since he's a knight who has sworn loyalty to Your Grace.”

“Remember this. You're the woman who will become my wife. Don't ever turn your back on just anyone.”

She had only wanted him to understand.

That she had her own reasons.

That she didn't want the man she loved to see her in such an untidy state.

“...Yes. I'll remember.”

Perhaps she had expected too much.

Swallowing a sigh, Evelyn moistened her lower lip with the tip of her tongue.

His cool golden eyes followed the small movement of her tongue.

They were still filled with dissatisfaction.

But this was no time to argue over something so trivial.

Forcing a smile to lighten the mood, she asked,

“Shall we get going as well?”

“...Let's.”

After letting out a quiet sigh, Kallian lifted Evelyn onto the saddle before mounting behind her in one smooth motion.

Feeling the strange tension from the closeness of their bodies, Evelyn instinctively straightened her back.

Wrapping one arm firmly around her waist, Kallian grasped the reins.

Clop. Clop.

The heavy sound of hoofbeats echoed like a heartbeat.

The road ahead was rough.

“Ah... it's cold.”

The biggest problem was the rain that suddenly poured from the dark clouds overhead.

The rain itself was fine, but the thick clouds darkened everything around them.

More than that, they were riding so fast that each raindrop struck her eyes like a needle.

Then the rain grew heavier.

Soon she could barely see a step ahead.

Whoooosh—!

Her hair whipped wildly in the wind, striking her cheeks.

The splashing of hooves through puddles rang loudly in her ears.

Her wet clothes chilled her shoulders, making her shrink in on herself.

“Bear with it, even if it's uncomfortable. We're almost there.”

He spoke close to her ear.

His deep voice rumbled like the growl of beasts lurking all around them.

Perhaps he had leaned in because the rain and roaring waterfalls threatened to drown out his words.

But as his warm breath brushed against her ear, the familiar sensation made her body tremble.

Ignoring the goosebumps that rose on her skin, Evelyn nodded firmly.

In response, he tightened the arm wrapped around her waist.

At that instant, a stabbing pain shot through her back where it pressed against the left side of his chest.

Just like when she had touched the Guardian's mark the previous night.

“Ugh!”

Her upper body suddenly folded forward.

Thrown off balance, she nearly bounced right out of the saddle.

“!”

Kallian immediately caught her.

Looking her over anxiously, he asked,

“What's wrong? Have you not fully recovered yet?”

“N-No. I'm fine now!”

Her back throbbed as though it had been branded.

Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs.

Gripping the reins tightly and clenching her teeth, Evelyn endured the pain.

As it gradually faded, she let out a relieved sigh.

They said awakening magical power is always accompanied by pain.

That must be why.

After the pain disappeared, all she could hear was the steady rhythm of a heartbeat.

The warmth and vibrations from his firm chest gave Evelyn an unexpected sense of security.

As her startled heart slowly calmed—

Kallian suddenly shouted,

“We're almost at Paminion Territory! Veer left, descend the cliff, then form ranks in front of the checkpoint!”

Evelyn raised her head.

Below the steep cliff stretched Richev Harbor along a long coastline, with the village standing outside the fortress-like walls.

So this is how beautiful Richev originally was...

Remembering the ruined village from her previous life, she tightened her grip on the reins.

Then—

BOOM!

A deafening explosion echoed through the canyon.

The massive rock formations on both sides began collapsing as though they had exploded.

“Take cover! The canyon is collapsing!”

The tremendous tremor shook the very ground beneath them.

Instinctive fear made Evelyn hunch her shoulders.

“Close your eyes. You'll get dizzy.”

Amid the thunderous noise and clouds of dust, Kallian's calm voice reached her.

“It'll be over soon.”

After quietly adding those words, he covered her vision with his long cloak.

Then he suddenly turned his horse around.

CRASH!

At the same moment, a gigantic boulder slammed down onto the road they had been about to take.

It was as though someone had deliberately aimed for them.

The rocks were clearly trying to block their escape.

A chill ran down Evelyn's spine.

Peeking out from beneath the cloak, she watched the situation unfold.

Then a deep horn sounded from the watchtower.

It was the signal warning of an outside invasion.

Just then—

Whoosh!

A violent gust twisted the very air.

A black vortex suddenly appeared directly before them.

Evelyn's face turned deathly pale.

The Gate...?

The moment she locked eyes with the enormous vampire bat that burst out with its wings fully spread—

Rumble!

The ground beneath them gave way.

“...!”

They fell together.

The cloak was ripped away by the wind, revealing Evelyn's silver hair flying wildly around her face.

Her expression was filled with horror.

No...!

Watching the ground rush toward her, Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut.

But even after several moments—

The expected pain never came.

“It's a pack of werewolves and vampire bats! Form ranks the moment you reach the bottom of the cliff!”

Calmly issuing orders, Kallian had one arm firmly around her waist while holding the reins with the other as he leaped into the air.

A thin black shadow spread beneath them like a curtain.

The instant they had fallen from the cliff, he had released a powerful aura to form a protective barrier, then used the shadow beneath him as a foothold to launch himself upward.

Skillfully guiding the horse by using the falling boulders as stepping stones, Kallian finally landed safely within Paminion Territory.

Standing atop the rubble of the collapsed cliff, his black cloak fluttering behind him—

He looked like the Grim Reaper himself.

Shing.

“That's one hell of a welcome.”

Muttering those words, Kallian immediately drew his demonic sword.

Black aura rose from his right hand and wrapped around the blade.

The sword resonated with a low, beast-like roar.

As though by prior agreement, hundreds of knights drew their swords at the exact same time.

The chilling metallic sound echoed throughout the canyon.

Evelyn swallowed nervously.

Meanwhile, the swarm of vampire bats filled the sky so densely they blocked out the pouring rain.

Blue werewolves with three heads surrounded them from every direction.

Looking up at the darkened sky, Kallian spoke calmly.

“Finish this battle as quickly and cleanly as possible. The humidity is making me tired.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The clash of weapons and armor rang out from every direction, mixed with the pounding of horses' hooves.

Meanwhile, Evelyn had dismounted and was surrounded by heavily armed trainee knights as she observed the battlefield.

Even in the darkness, the knights cut down their enemies without hesitation.

There was not the slightest trace of mercy in the hands that struck the monsters' vital points.

The monsters greatly outnumbered them.

But Blackwood was so powerful that the difference in numbers hardly mattered.

Just as it had been in the past.

And just as it was now.

She watched them with admiration.

Then—

“Argh!”

A knight fighting on the slope beside her lost his footing and tumbled toward her.

At the very same moment, a werewolf with blood smeared all around its mouth charged straight at them.

She wanted to help him.

But the knights guarding her fiercely stopped her.

“You must not leave this spot! We are duty-bound to obey His Grace's orders!”

Normally, a healer was supposed to remain in the rear until injured knights came to receive treatment.

But if they left him like that—

He would either lose his foot...

Or bleed to death.

“It'll only take a moment.”

Rather than stand by helplessly and watch someone die—

She would rather risk her own life.

“I can't just stand here and watch the Grand Duke's knight die before my eyes.”

Pushing past the guards to clear her line of sight, Evelyn immediately wrapped both hands in healing aura.

“Argh! S-Save me!”

Without hesitation, she reached both hands toward the knight's ankle, where the tendons had been severed and hung in tatters.

Please... please!