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282. Engagement Ep – Two Fathers

Malpas, though adorned with eight wings, could not fly. It was a consequence of being well-fed during the Nine-Day War that erupted over a decade ago.

The wings, covered in the blood of victims, were heavy, and the incessant greed of the crow that loved shining things knew no bounds. Yet, it was powerful.

“Cough!”

A beak the size of a cart pecked at the knight’s body. As birds do, its head moved swiftly.

One blink, and it was looking in the opposite direction. Blink again, and it tilted its head, aiming at this side.

If your eyes meet, you’re dead.

With a sharp beak, entrails were pecked at, and heads fell. The knights dared not approach the beast.

In truth, even if they wanted to, it would not be easy.

Every flap of Malpas’s wings stirred a steel storm that surrounded it.

[Tearne Ring]

Pieces of metal fell from the wings and orbited around it. As one great warrior sighed, the creature was on a different level compared to monsters. The only reason the knights persevered was because of the swordmaster, Arpen Albasete.

“Look at me! Me!! You feather-brain!”

Covered in blood and fighting amidst the swirling metal shards was Arpen, who was keeping the creature distracted.

But it seemed Malpas had decided to ignore Arpen. When Arpen charged, it leaped away, seeking other prey, scattering the metal shards. Ray was also dismissed similarly.

The Apostle of the Lord and a mere toy.

If it couldn’t distinguish between danger and safety, it wouldn’t have survived this long. The shield of a holy knight that barely blocked the beak now had a dent.

“Hey, Ray. That… Huh. Can we catch it?”

Feeling utterly hopeless, Arpen gasped the question. Sweat and blood poured from Ray’s body as if it were drenched by rain.

“We… must catch it.”

He said this firmly, but Ray too was engulfed in worry. Gratitude for Oriax, who had fought bravely until now, said it all.

Malpas was cunning.

Not only did it evade threats, but it also understood how fragile humans were over trivial matters.

It hopped around the wooden platform built for the deployment ceremony, stomping with iron claws, destroying the ground beneath. It may not have cared, but for humans, it was maddening.

A person cannot exert strength when the ground isn’t level. If it’s sloped, it should at least be firm.

But with holes and broken platforms here and there, stepping on them made a creaking sound, and the wooden boards were precarious. Should the platform collapse and the king be harmed, even if one’s foot got caught, it would only be at the knees, yet it made fighting tremendously difficult.

That said, going down was not an option… Citizens were crowding below the platform.

Currently, the knights were mindlessly rushing in, lacking organization. If left unchecked, one could only wonder what would happen. With Malpas lounging on the platform, Ray pondered whether it would not plot strategies… That would lead to absolute ruin, he thought.

“So what do we do?”

Arpen asked as he emerged from a hole in the ground. His silk robe, unfit for the situation, was in tatters. Ray pointed out a glimmer of hope.

“I’ve noticed its wings have reduced in number.”

Indeed, the number of Malpas’s wings had decreased. What was once eight was now down to six, and the length of three had shortened as well.

Having received the blessings of priests, it had exerted its wide-ranging powers. It was clearly overexerting itself.

“We just need to hold on a little longer. It will be costly, but…”

Following Ray’s eyes, Arpen turned his head. Down there, beneath the platform, a storm of blood was raging.

Citizens charging and reluctantly clashing swords with knights. The plaza was gradually turning red, but it was impossible to distinguish whether it was because of the red mist Malpas conjured or from the blood storm.

“It’s okay… Everyone, everyone will be revived. Once the cycle restarts…”

Ray was engulfed in guilt, but Arpen simply clicked his tongue and turned his head dismissively.

Just because some people die doesn’t mean the kingdom crumbles… Even if all of Barnau’s citizens perish, as long as the prince survives, it’s alright, Arpen thought, shouting, “Fortify! Buy us time!”

“Huh? Father?”

At that moment when the knights were retreating from Malpas’s overwhelming presence, Noel Dexter climbed onto the platform. He looked at his son calmly with somber eyes and shouted the exact opposite of Arpen.

“Citizens are dying! If you are a knight, if you’ve enjoyed the respect and privileges of the people, now is the time to fulfill your duty! Lower your shields and raise your swords! Honor will be with us!”

“Father!!”

Noel charged forward.

But it was only Noel who charged.

Tearne Ring.

He plunged into the iron storm and soon caught Malpas’s attention.

– ……

Malpas tilted its head.

The hideous beak that had already devoured dozens of knights was about to flash out like a beam, and the knights below gasped at the sight. Although the result was not much different…

‘A slash that hides a single breath’s leisure.’

As Noel shattered the wooden floor and jumped up, it was almost simultaneous with the great crow’s beak lunging out.

Malpas sensed the target had jumped and adjusted its direction, and the bloodied beak pierced Noel’s abdomen.

However, the hand that gripped Lera’s sword was the opposite. Unlike usual, Noel had his left hand up to grip the handle, and in this reverse grip, his left hand was pressed against the blade.

And with his right hand…

– Caw!!

As if driving a nail, the lower half of Noel flew away, smashing the handle. The sword aimed by his left hand plunged into Malpas’s nostril.

I wonder if it would feel like jamming a toothpick into one’s nose with all your might. Malpas screamed in agony. At this sight, a young warrior shouted embarrassingly.

“Yeah! What the hell are we doing? After always boasting about being warriors, are we scared now that real trials have come? Remember! My name is Kali Toluca! Husband of ‘Masha’ and warrior of the Toluca Tribe!”

Kali Toluca threw away the wooden board he was using as a shield and leaped into the Tearne Ring. Though his cheek was grazed by metal shards, he didn’t stop.

It should’ve been like this from the beginning.

I had boasted that I would one day confront the trials of the great warrior and, despite all, I couldn’t just hide!

Kali Toluca bravely followed Noel, who had fallen, to challenge Malpas and, while the beast was distracted, struck at its toe.

He was quickly devoured, but this emboldened other great warriors to charge in, each announcing their names. Even a holy knight charged forward with a shield.

“Hey, you damn bastards! It should have been like this from the start… Everyone charge! My name is Arpen Albasete, the greatest genius born of the Albasete Tribe and a Swordmaster!”

Whether they were holy knights or great warriors… Are all warriors like this hot-blooded? But even the cold-hearted kingdom knights’ hearts were racing at Noel’s words and actions. Soon there was a reckless charge, a full-scale battle.

Of course, Malpas was not to be underestimated.

As knights rushed in, it wielded six steel wings, sweeping through the surroundings like a broom and wielding its beak without pause, pushing the encircled knights down below and picking them off one by one.

After some time, Malpas abruptly halted. Its head raised, seemingly in deep thought, its eyes scanned the battlefield like a general.

“What’s going on? Why is it suddenly like that?”

Malpas spread its wings wide. And then… it took off!

However, it appeared quite laborious.

It barely flew a few meters, focusing solely on rising without going anywhere.

Finally feeling the thrill, Arpen shouted.

“Come down, you damn… bird!”

– …For a greater victory.

The wings composed of swords erupted into splinters. It shed its heavy wings and flew away, a red crow, back to its original form, soaring eastward.

However, the consequence of shedding those wings was anything but light. The people on the platform screamed in terror.

“Everyone dodge!!”

Thousands of weapons clinging to its wings poured down like rain. It was raining down onto the Second Knights’ Order and the thousands of citizens fighting below.

*

“Lera.”

How long had it been since I embraced my daughter?

It seemed the last time was when she was still a little girl. That’s the nature of the relationship between a grown daughter and her father.

“Lera. You’ve gotten a bit heavier… Ugh! Haha, you’re strong too.”

Lera’s elbow jabbed into his solar plexus. Dehorman struggled to stop his daughter, who was thrashing about.

It was a stroke of luck that Lera wasn’t armed. The daughter who said she’d go see Elson returned empty-handed, yet with vacant eyes.

As citizens continued to perish, she was plunged into a bloodbath, trying to maintain equilibrium. Dehorman held tight to prevent his soon-to-be-married daughter from causing trouble and to ensure she didn’t fall victim to a knight’s blade.

Dehorman was not the only one in this predicament. All around the chaotic scene, many were tearfully clinging to their parents, siblings, children, or lovers.

Many were getting dragged away towards blood-soaked, ruthless knights.

Dehorman’s great strength meant he wouldn’t have such problems.

Yet, as a body designated as an enemy by the civil army, his large frame was dotted with blades, and his daughter had trained in martial arts.

Her thrashing was vigorous.

Impressive, indeed. I wonder whom she takes after.

The punches she threw were fierce.

To become an excellent knight, surely my daughter wouldn’t slack off.

Though he was bloodied and bruised, Dehorman didn’t resent his daughter for beating him. He prayed to the deities to keep things as they were.

But the heavens were unfeeling.

With the scream of “Everyone dodge!!”, the sky darkened. Looking up, Dehorman muttered, “Ugh…”

Swords poured down like rain.

If only I could getaway, hiding between the buildings. It seemed impossible to take my struggling daughter along.

Dehorman bore down on Lera with his weight. He brushed his daughter’s hair with a gentle touch and whispered.

“You have to be filial to your mother. I lost the bet… but I’ll rub your shoulders.”

There was a time he felt dissatisfied for not having a son. He had dreamed of teaching a son to hunt and going hunting together.

But daughter, you are so precious that not even a single bit hurts to place my eyes on you. Oh, that last hit stung a bit. The joy of watching you grow was my happiness and pride.

I worried that you might become lax because you trusted your father, the great warrior, but you never once did. Perhaps it was thanks to Ray or that fellow.

Honestly, I wasn’t fond of him.

Back when you were little, he seemed so frail, like he wouldn’t be able to become a man, and yet it seems every man in the world was a wolf except for your father.

But when you came back crying because you lost to that guy, I felt it. You would end up marrying him.

“I shouldn’t have acted so spitefully…”

I should have given you matching rings when you two got engaged. If I had the rings blessed by the priest…

– Whack.

A sword plunged into Dehorman’s back.

Dehorman checked if any part of Lera was sticking out and managed a faint smile. He’d never felt such pride in his chubby body.

– Whack. Whack.

“Ugh… Ah…”

“Hmm? What? Ugh! Dad! You’re heavy!! What are you doing… Dad?”

Dehorman’s head plopped down, and as the red mist cleared, the plaza turned into a battlefield with thousands of swords stabbed down. Citizens rushed toward the sea of tears and wailing…

“We… have indeed been serving a false god. Anne, what are we to do now… Huh? Anne, why…”

“You are of no use now.”

In an eerily low voice. Anne stabbed her sister, Ran, in shock.

“Anne… you…”

Anne pushed her sister’s corpse aside and turned with vacant steps toward the east, where Malpas had disappeared.

In her head was an old, tattered feather hair tie, leaving behind her beloved husband and two children.