Chapter 64
Dilemma
The blizzard raged so violently that it was impossible to see ahead.
Freezing air slipped through from time to time.
Yet the atmosphere was even colder than the wind, as though it were piercing Ferda’s heart.
His eyes remained fixed on the intruder.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Regent.”
The man stepped over the snow and introduced himself with a sly expression.
“My name is Abel, one of Silverwind’s children. You may not remember me, but I was guarding the door when the Grand Council convened.”
“What are you doing in such a remote place? Did you come sightseeing to enjoy the northern snow?”
“Tsk. But if this really was sightseeing, then you have done something far too foolish. You are no senile old man who wandered out here to gather herbs. As regent, you should know this is Silverwind territory.”
Abel mocked Ferda as he slowly approached.
Ferda retreated farther into the cave with every step Abel took.
“Why are you not saying anything? Are you so frightened that you have frozen up?”
“I am merely fascinated.”
“Pardon? By what?”
“How could I not be fascinated when the beast before me is capable of speech?”
There was no one in front of Ferda except Abel.
“Haha. Is that so?”
Abel’s smile deepened.
The instant his leisurely foot struck the ground, his figure vanished.
Whoosh—!
Leaving only wind and sound behind, he appeared directly in front of Ferda.
He laughed loudly.
“What a wicked joke. Hahaha!”
Abel flicked Ferda’s chest with his index finger as though giving him a playful forehead flick.
Crack!
“Guh!”
Bone broke with a vicious sound.
Ferda coughed out his pain.
“Oh dear. Did that hurt? I only tapped you as a joke.”
“Cough, cough!”
“No, I truly only gave you a little tap. How can your ribs break from that? Hm? How can someone who serves as regent have such a weak body? You will not survive your wedding night at this rate.”
Ferda spat out the blood pooled in his mouth.
His expression was as indifferent as though he had merely spat on the ground.
“You talk far too damn much.”
“Now this is genuinely surprising. I heard you challenged Lord Goz without the slightest fear. It seems that was not simply because you had Lady Blancaros behind you.”
Abel grabbed Ferda by the collar and lifted him.
He raised one clawed hand in warning.
“It is unwise to keep acting insolent toward one of Silverwind’s descendants. We are not exactly known for our mercy.”
Ferda calmly checked how much mana he had left.
He had enough to cast several Fourth-Circle spells.
‘Can I defeat this Dragon Spawn with that?’
Impossible.
This was on a completely different level from his battle with the dark elf.
Even so, Ferda showed no sign of being at a disadvantage.
He merely snorted.
“Were Silverwind’s descendants... the sort who encouraged dealings with demons?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Do not play innocent. I already know you are the one Sitri sent to clean things up. Your target was probably the demon we were meant to rescue.”
The hand gripping his throat tightened for a moment.
It was only enough to cause mild pain.
But it meant Abel had been shaken.
Ferda continued.
“What did you plan to gain by crawling into bed with that woman? Did centuries of discipline bore you so much that you wanted to indulge in a depraved sex life?”
“Ha! Do you think we are beasts like you, breeding and raising children? Fighting is far more entertaining than something so dull!”
His vertically slit pupils flashed sharply.
“Someone unworthy now sits upon the throne. He calls himself Silverwind’s successor and carries Father’s will within him.”
A blade of rebellion aimed at Goz Silverwind.
“How strange. The throne does not suit you either.”
“Oh, I know. If I challenged Goz, I would be reduced to a bloody pulp within seconds. Captain Goz is that powerful.”
He smiled viciously.
“But Luri Silverwind is different.”
A familiar name came from his mouth.
“Do you have any idea how extraordinary that little girl is?”
“I know she is strong.”
“She is not merely strong. She was the commander of the mobile brigade Silverwing and the only person capable of challenging Captain Goz of the Royal Guard. When the question of who would inherit Lord Silverwind’s position was discussed, both of their names were raised.”
“Is that why Goz is trying to kill her?”
“No. Captain Goz wants to keep her by his side. That is also why the war has not begun.”
That was why the war had not begun?
“What do you mean?”
“If war breaks out between Valdrova and Silverwind, whose side do you think Luri Silverwind will take? If she insists on siding with Valdrova, then she must die. Captain Goz refuses to allow that death.”
It was unexpected.
The reason war had not broken out until now was because Luri was there.
Whatever Goz’s true intentions might be, Abel’s reason for bringing this up was clear.
“But you are different from Goz.”
“Luri is a warrior who refuses to wield her sword. What should one do with such a warrior?”
“Take away her sword.”
“Correct. Possessing a peerless blade and refusing to use it is a sin in itself. I merely intend to wield the sword Luri Silverwind refuses to use.”
Ferda understood.
That had been the condition of Abel’s deal with Sitri.
Luri possessed the power to oppose Goz.
In exchange for making that power entirely his own, Abel had agreed to clean up after the demon’s scheme.
‘Stagnant water inevitably rots.’
Even Dragon Spawns were powerless before the passage of time.
Abel’s greed was trying to kill them all.
‘Luri...’
Ferda silently called her name.
A strange irritation rose from deep within his chest.
That irritation settled into the shape of murderous intent.
Then it forced its way through his lips as laughter.
“How astonishing.”
“Haha. Now that death is near, have you finally found the presence of mind to flatter me?”
“No. Compensating for one’s weaknesses is important. If you lack something, borrowing it from another is one of the most basic principles.”
Ferda smiled along with him.
“What astonishes me is that a thickheaded bastard like you possessed enough brains to understand even that much.”
Crack!
Abel bent Ferda’s index finger backward.
“Urgh...”
“You truly do not know how to control that mouth of yours. This will not do. I suppose I will have to play with you a little longer.”
He released the broken index finger and grabbed Ferda’s middle finger instead.
“That should make Luri submit, after all.”
“Luri will not even blink.”
The girl hated humans.
And she hated Ferda.
Nothing he did ever satisfied her, and everything he did irritated her.
Threatening her with his life would change nothing.
And before she ever arrives, you will be dead.
That was when it happened.
Another sound broke through the blizzard.
A small figure appeared within the swirling white snow.
“What... are you doing?”
It was Luri.
Her expression was very different from the one Ferda had imagined.
She was shaken.
What Luri had heard from the spirit was simple.
Ferda had made a deal with a demon in order to carry out an infiltration.
And he had fallen into a trap.
At least, that was how the situation had appeared to the spirit.
Luri had immediately flown to Count Consilus’s territory and determined where Ferda had gone.
The entire journey had taken five minutes.
She had entered the cave intending to seize Ferda and escape with him at once.
But she was already too late.
There stood a Silver Dragon Spawn.
And Ferda, battered beyond recognition.
“What... are you doing?”
A threatening wave of murderous intent erupted from Luri.
Despite being a Dragon Spawn, Luri was powerful enough to emit something akin to Dragon Fear.
Even though that killing intent was directed at Abel, he did not appear startled.
Instead, he greeted her arrival with a broad smile.
“Luri Silverwind. We meet again. Do you remember me?”
“You were with Percival.”
“Oh, so you do remember. Then again, it has not even been two weeks.”
Abel smiled faintly.
Luri found that smile deeply unpleasant.
She wanted to leave this place immediately.
The more uncomfortable she felt, the harsher her expression became.
“Release Lord Ferda.”
“I don’t want to.”
“If you refuse—”
“What will you do? Start a war?”
Luri faltered at those words.
“You entered Silverwind territory. The same applies to this human here.”
“...”
“I have legitimate grounds for what I am doing. Luri Silverwind, you should know that better than anyone if you still consider yourself one of us. Those who trespass into our territory may be arrested. And if they resist too fiercely...?”
Luri bit her lower lip and forced herself to answer.
“Summary execution...”
“You know it well! Yes! Execution!”
Abel shouted with delight.
There was no way she could accept that.
“If you kill her fiancé, Lady Valdrova will not remain silent. Then all of Silverwind will be forced to oppose her.”
“Go ahead! Try it, if you can! Then there will be war!”
Abel cackled mockingly.
“And what would you gain from that? Silverwind’s descendants would die one after another, while your master would be burdened with yet another source of guilt.”
“Urgh...!”
“Is that what you want? If it is, then go around telling everyone as loudly as you please!”
Luri was visibly shaken.
Every time he spoke, he struck precisely where she was most vulnerable.
“Luri. This man was acting on a demon’s instructions.”
“A demon’s...?”
Crack!
“Oh dear. You keep saying unnecessary things. Do you not understand that your life is in my hands? Why are you still acting so insolent?”
The disgust in Luri’s eyes deepened.
But to Abel, even that hatred seemed almost endearing.
“Let us say I did join hands with a demon. Then go ahead and testify! Tell them I was manipulated by a demon, and that I am detaining two people who were also manipulated by one into trespassing here! But no one will listen.”
He acted completely shameless.
No.
On the surface, he had every reason to appear innocent.
“There will be no trace on my body proving that I made a deal with a demon.”
That was probably true.
Ferda had also struck a deal with Sitri, yet there had been no mark proving that a contract existed.
All they had was suspicion.
And no one would believe that suspicion.
Luri, the defector.
Abel, a member of the Royal Guard.
The difference in credibility was obvious before either of them even spoke.
“You may kill me here if you wish. But what do you think will happen to you afterward?”
“I...”
“You betrayed Father, and now you will fail to protect even the things you chose to betray him for. How utterly incompetent.”
Abel continued provoking her.
No words came from Luri’s mouth.
She tried to determine the best possible choice.
If she left him alone, war would begin.
If she did not leave him alone, war would still begin.
The castle she had protected would collapse.
A variable.
She could not control variables.
She never had.
“What...”
Her lips trembled as she carefully asked,
“What must I do?”
This was the only way.
A small sacrifice that could protect everyone.
Luri knelt.
Even Abel, who had been laughing mockingly, looked surprised.
“Haha... It was true.”
His body trembled.
“Luri Silverwind really knelt.”
He had never imagined it.
The unbreakable wall of the north.
The nightmare of the Frost Giants.
Luri Silverwind, who stood at the heart of that reputation, had collapsed from only a few words.
A vicious smile spread across Abel’s lips.
Luri Silverwind’s power was now his.
But that sense of triumph lasted only a moment.
“If that is what you wish.”
Ferda’s voice rang out.
“Then so be it.”
At the same time, Abel’s body jolted violently.
“Guhuk!”
He vomited blood.
Strength drained from his entire body, and he dropped to his knees.
He released Ferda’s collar.
Abel felt it clearly.
Something was crushing his heart.
Was it Luri’s doing?
Impossible.
She could use spirit arts and simple magic, but she could not attack his insides without leaving an external wound.
Only one variable remained.
Blood spilling from his mouth, Abel lifted his head.
Ferda, whom he had been toying with moments earlier, stood upright before him.
Blue light burned in his eyes.
As expected, it was his doing.
But there was one thing Abel had not expected.
Darkness.
Only pitch-black darkness remained—darkness so deep that even the eyes of a Dragon Spawn could not see through it.
Luri had come.
Ferda could roughly guess how she had reached this place.
She had probably left behind a wind spirit and received its report.
After hearing that he was in danger, she must have rushed here immediately.
Her response had been extraordinarily fast.
And yet it was the worst possible development.
She would normally have been the most reliable reinforcement imaginable.
But in this situation, her appearance was nothing but a blunder.
Ferda already knew that Abel was targeting her.
Abel began talking.
With every word, Ferda could feel him digging deeper into Luri’s heart.
He saw through her perfectly.
He was needlessly clever.
‘So this was the deal?’
Ferda instinctively understood that the words had come from a demon’s advice.
‘Had a demon said those things, she would never have listened.’
But when spoken by one of her own kind, they could not help but shake her.
A dilemma.
She was being forced to make an impossible choice between Valdrova and Silverwind’s descendants.
‘She cannot abandon either side.’
Ferda knew why.
And because he did—
“What must I do?”
He watched Luri kneel.
It was the best choice that could preserve both sides.
And—
‘The worst possible choice.’
Now he understood.
‘So this is how you ensnared Luri.’
A demon’s scheme.
Greed far beyond one’s station.
All of it had reached toward the child who had only wanted to preserve peace.
‘Is that why you did not remain at Valdrova’s side?’
Because you loved peace.
Because you loved Valdrova.
Had you chosen the worst possible option and sacrificed yourself?
At that moment, the mana circuits within Ferda’s body began turning.
The sensation was completely different from when he had desperately searched for Valdrova while thinking of her.
Something buried deep inside his chest slowly rose.
It caressed Ferda’s heart and rolled the Circle in his core beneath its fingers.
Valdrova’s face overlapped with Luri’s helpless expression.
She was suffering.
And that thing whispered in a sweet voice.
Are you just going to watch?
No.
He could not merely watch.
He knew that she was not Valdrova.
But if Luri disappeared, this would become Valdrova’s future.
‘That cannot happen.’
The chains of restraint shattered.
Mana formed by the Red Circle spread silently in every direction.
It swallowed everything within the darkness.
And so everything fell into Ferda’s grasp.
The cave.
Luri.
Abel.
Even Abel’s internal organs.
“Cough! Guhk!”
Abel collapsed and writhed in pain.
Blood poured from his mouth.
He could not breathe.
His lungs had been destroyed.
“You... bastard... Cough!”
He tried to move, perhaps intending to drag Ferda down with him, but his body would not respond.
The dense darkness and violently surging Red Circle were more than enough to suppress a Dragon Spawn.
Only moments earlier, Abel had possessed the overwhelming advantage.
Now the situation had completely reversed.
“If you kill me...”
Abel spoke through mouthfuls of blood.
“Every Silverwind will remember your face and your name.”
The price of killing a Dragon Spawn was no small thing.
He would be hunted for the rest of his life.
Every night, he would pray that he could still wake the following morning.
It would be a life that could hardly be called living.
“I do not care.”
Ferda was already accustomed to such a life.
“I have grown sick of the threats your kind keep making.”
Ferda raised his hand.
His palm, stained black, looked as though something rested upon it.
Something round at the bottom and large enough to fill his grip.
As though he were holding a heart.
“If your people desire war so badly, then I will not run from it either.”
Ferda closed his fist.