Chapter 42: 41

41: [STAGE 2] The Weight

The rats have been exterminated.

The monsters attracted by the Earl turned their backs on us.

After opening the gate, Lucas and his soldiers attacked their rear. Fire support continued from the wall.

The swarm of rats was pierced through one point from the rear to the other side.

Sporadic resistance continued, but those who had already become mere water drops rather than waves were very weak.

The rats were hunted down by the swords and spears of the humans. It wasn't long before we were able to get rid of all the remaining rats.

However,

“......”

Past the field where the soldiers were clearing out the remaining rats one by one.

I hurriedly made my way to where Lucas and the veterans had gathered with Demian who can use healing magic.

“Your Highness.”

Lucas looked at me as I arrived.

Both Lucas's new armor and sword were covered in the rat's blood.

But Lucas didn't even think to wipe it off as he dropped his head heavily.

“It seems we’re too late.”

“......”

I made my way through the crowd and got to the center.

And there was Earl Cross.

The condition of the old knight was appalling. The armor that had been gnawed by the rats was unrecognizable, and his limbs were almost missing.

The bone was visible on the spots where he was bitten.

Demian hurriedly ran to the Earl and used his healing magic, but.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. This injury is…”

Demian closed his eyes and shook his head.

It must be that he can’t do anything more with his healing magic. I reckon these injuries can not be healed even by an SSR-rank healer.

Even so, I hurriedly pulled out an advanced HP potion from my inner pocket.

This potion is from the previous reward box. With this, maybe…

“Stop.”

Said the Earl with difficulty.

“Pouring that potion isn’t going to heal me from these injuries. It will just hurt like hell.”

“Earl!”

“Could you help me get up? I can’t see anything.”

Demian and I slowly supported the Earl and raised his upper body.

Every time the Earl coughed, blood trickled down his lips.

“...Is the battle, over?”

“Yes, Earl. It is all thanks to you.”

“Was the wall… breached?”

“It was, but not a single monster made it to the city. Everyone in the city is safe.”

“Thank goodness…”

The Earl looked around him with his quivering eyelids.

The old soldiers who had guarded this place with him all their lives were standing around with worried looks on their faces.

A hazy smile crept across the Earl’s mouth.

“Don’t be so sad. This is the monster front. It is only natural for someone to die here. It's just finally my turn now.”

“......”

“Do not grieve over the death of each one. Rather, rejoice that you have won, that you have survived.”

The former lord, who spoke calmly, turned to look at me.

“This is the Tombstone city. It is also a derogatory name for having so many people killed, but it also means that people still continue to live on, even on graves.”

I tried my best to listen to his words.

“The city will stop if you only grieve and mourn for the dead. Young lord. It is good that you are taking good care of the funerals, but make sure to give everyone a corresponding joy.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Because what drives people is hope…”

The Earl slowly closed his eyes that he had been struggling to keep open.

“So if someone must die, then it’s only right that I, who have no more hope, die.”

The bleeding that had stopped with Demian's recovery magic started again. Blood poured out like water from all over the old knight's body.

Demian shook his head as he looked at me. The Earl muttered with his pale face.

“Promise me this one thing, Prince Ash.”

“Tell me anything, Earl of the Frontier. I’ll try my best to keep it if it’s something I can do.”

“If my daughter ever returns to this city… Tell her that… I’m sorry.”

“......”

“And tell her, live your life freely… Live as you please…”

I nodded my head.

“I’ll make sure to deliver those words to her.”

“...Yes, that’d be enough.”

Death appeared over his face in an instant.

As he stared into the sky with eyes that started to lose light, the Earl muttered.

“I’m sorry, honey…”

He was apologizing to his deceased wife.

“I couldn’t protect anything in the end… The orchard, you… our daughter… Anything…”

“That’s not true, Earl.”

I carefully held his hand, which didn’t have much of it left.

“You saved the world. Not just this one time, but your whole life. You protected all the humans in the frontline.”

“......”

“This world owes you a great debt.”

No answer.

Perhaps, my words couldn’t reach him anymore. The Earl of the Frontier never looked at me as he kept murmuring to himself.

“I’m, sorry. I couldn’t… protect… anything…”

Only remorse was overflowing from the Earl’s eyes soaked in blood.

At that moment, I suddenly remembered. I hastily pulled a pouch out of my pocket.

It was the pouch of dried fruits that the Earl gave me.

I didn't know why I kept carrying this tasteless thing myself, but maybe it was for this moment.

I opened the pouch and pulled out a piece and carefully placed it in the Earl’s mouth.

“Ah…”

As he held the bitter fruit in his mouth, a faint smile formed on the bloody lips of the Earl.

“This grape, sure is…”

He couldn't chew or swallow, but the Earl’s face suddenly calmed.

Could it be that he was seeing the scenery of the orchard during those happy days when his wife and daughter were together?

“Sweet…”

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Then the Earl no longer breathed.

“......”

I looked down in despair at the face of the dead old man.

I couldn’t understand.

The man who lost everything defending the city, the man who hated the city so much that he tried to abolish his family’s deed.

Why did he return at the last moment?

What did he fight and die for?

Just what could possibly lie in this frontline that devours an entire life of a man?

“It’s heavy, Earl of the Frontier.”

I murmured as I carefully closed his eyelids soaked in blood.

“The weight of the lordship of this city… is too heavy.”

It felt like a thousand stones were pressing down on both shoulders.

I couldn't get up for a while beside the Earl’s corpse as I was devastated.

The soldiers gathered around me bowed their heads one by one.

Ding- Ding- Ding-

I heard the ring from a distance.

It was the sound of a bell announcing that the monster invasion had ended and that the evacuation order had been lifted.

The evening glow and the sound of the bell enveloped the empty battlefield.

* * *

* * *

[STAGE 2 - CLEAR!]

[STAGE MVP - Lucas (SSR)]

[Leveled up Characters]

- Ash (EX) Lv.11 (↑2) - Lucas (SSR) Lv.31 (↑2) - Jupiter (SR) Lv.37 (↑1) - Lily (R) Lv.21 (↑1) - Demian (N) Lv.24 (↑3)

[Dead or Injured Characters]

- Charles Cross (SR): Dead

[Obtained Items]

- Magic Crystal of the Gutter Rats Corp: 562 - Magic Core of the Ratman Champion (R): 3

[Clear reward has been sent. Please check your inventory.]

- N-Rank Reward Box: 3 - SR-Rank Reward Box: 1

>> Get Ready For The Next STAGE

>> [STAGE 3: The Connection]

* * *

Within the city of Crossroad,

The manor house.

I swingingly walked to the entrance of the mansion.

“Ah, m’lord!”

Aider found me and came running in a fuss.

“Are you hurt? I’ve been waiting for you in worry.”

“...Aider.”

“You’ve done well at this stage too. You really are amazi—”

I grabbed Aider's collar without listening to any more of his talk.

“Cough! M’lord?”

He seemed dismayed, but I gave no care and threw him against the wall.

Thud!

“Ugh, cough. M’lord, what are…”

“Say it.”

I growled as I tightened the grip on his collar. Aider was clearly flustered.

“Sorry? Cough!”

“I said say it.”

“S-say what…”

“Cut the crap and say it, you piece of shit director!”

I roared with force, almost strangling him.

“This situation is clearly strange. Just what the hell is wrong with this insane difficulty?”

“......!”

“The tutorial stage is supposed to be difficult, so I didn’t give it much thought. I had to fight Living Armors on stage 1, but I just thought I was extremely unlucky. But—!”

I continued to storm him.

“A hostile NPC appeared in Stage 2 and gave orders to the monsters? That doesn’t happen even in the Hell difficulty!”

“......”

“Say it! What did you do? Why is the game this difficult? What bizarre situation am I going to run into in the next stage?”

Beyond Aider's glasses, I could see his eyes get filled with bewilderment.

I shook Aider grabbing his collar with both my hands.

“Tell me exactly why you’re hiding these things from me when you said you’d help me out!”

“...You may not believe me when I say this, m’lord.”

Aider opened his mouth slowly as he had been biting his lower lip.

“I’m trying my best to help you out, m’lord. I’m serious.”

“Don’t give me that crap! You call this helping? Not only that, you decided not to tell me about any of this!”

Then Aider pointed his finger at my neck.

“That pendant.’

A leather choker-type pendant was worn around my neck. It was a reward item from the tutorial stage.

“That necklace you received from clearing stage 0. In stage 3, you will be able to unlock its function.”

“So?”

“When you unlock it, you will be able to get the answers to your questions.”

Aider murmured bitterly.

“If you clear just one more stage, then you will be able to find out why these things happened…”

“......”

As I couldn’t believe him so easily, I continued to glare at Aider.

“Please, m’lord. No, Mr. Classic Nerd.”

Aider called me by the alias I used back on Earth.

“I truly hope you can handle it. I hope that one day, even after finding out all the truth about this mad world, you will be able to fight as strongly as you are now. I mean it.”

“What?”

“And when you do, you won’t be able to run anymore, for real.”

I asked Aider awkwardly, who was saying things that I couldn’t comprehend.

“Can’t run from what?”

Even though he was grabbed by the collar and was almost strangled, Aider put a thin smile on his face.

It wasn't his usual smile, but a complex smile that seemed to have mixed emotions.

“...This world itself.”

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