Chapter 232 – To the Battlefield
A large-scale rotation that took place on Desmond Plain.
It was the day after I finished my last training with Glinda that information related to him reached my ears.
“What?! Mephisto and Nick were killed?!”
“Okay.”
When I went home and relayed the story I had heard at the Government House, Dorothea, who had been reading a book while lying on the sofa, got up in shock.
“How did they both die? As far as I know, they don’t die that easily.”
“I wasn’t there at the scene, so I don’t know the details, but it looks like I was hit by a huge celestial spell used by the elves.”
“Huh.”
Dorothea looks dejected after hearing my explanation.
Well, it’s not unreasonable to get this kind of reaction.
Although he has now quit the Four Heavenly Kings, the country would be disturbed to hear that the guys he once fought with as co-workers have died.
To comfort Dorothea, who seemed very heartbroken, I put my hand on her shoulder…
“The elves are amazing too. I never thought they would have the magic to kill those with the life force of a cockroach in one blow.”
Huh?
I felt my brain stop momentarily at her reaction, which was completely different from what I expected.
“Those two people are dead, but you’re not sad at all?”
“What? Why should I be sad that those guys died?”
“… Still, you’re an old colleague?”
“Uncle Walter wouldn’t know, but those two guys weren’t that close to me. One was a gloomy guy who touched corpses, and the other guy was a moody guy who had his entire body turned into metal and was obsessed with muscles.”〈 Br〉
Dorothea’s harsh criticism made me realize that it had been foolish to worry about her just a moment ago.
“Uh, um. I see.”
When I gently retrieved her hand from around my shoulder, Dorothea scratched her oily head and asked,
“So when did you say you were going to the battlefield?”
“Probably this evening if nothing happens.”
“Have a safe trip. If you die, I will chase you to the end of hell.”
“Yes.”
Even though her words were harsh, her concern for me was clearly conveyed, so I looked at Dorothea, who was sitting next to her, with her gentle eyes.
Then, “Why are you looking at me like that?” Dorothea asks harshly.
“No, I just thought that your personality has changed a lot.”
“What do you say?”
As Dorothea said that, she pushed my shoulder, but her hand did not put any strength on it.
I looked at Dorothea quietly and then spoke to her.
“Dorothea.”
“… What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? With such serious eyes.”
“What should we name the child we will have together?”
“W-What?!”
Perhaps because it was something completely unexpected, Dorothea looked at me with her face blushing.
“Why are you surprised? They said we’ll have children once this war is over.”
“Yeah, that’s right, but I guess I should say it was too sudden, I’m embarrassed…”
Dorothea, who seemed strangely girlish, glanced at me and asked.
“Kaldrash, what do you want to name me?”
“That’s right. If you’re a man, should I name you Carl? If you’re a woman, should I name you Dorothy?”
“Named after us?”
“Yes. That would be better to remember.”
When I said that and stroked Dorothea’s red hair, she shook her neck with an expression of displeasure and grabbed my collar and said,
“Please stroke me a little more.”
It’s rare for her to act like a child, so after looking surprised for a moment, I smiled softly and nodded at her.
“Okay. I’ll do this until you ask me to stop.”
***
It was after the others, who had gone out to buy groceries, returned to her house that Dorothea stopped being a child.
“I’ve been there… What happened?”
“No, nothing.”
Dorothea sits on the edge of her sofa and shows off as if nothing had happened
Of course, it was a cute sight for me who knew the truth, but for her honor, she decided to pretend not to know.
“So what’s for dinner tonight?”
“This is Kaldrashu’s favorite Eastern Continental beef rice bowl.”
Camilla said and gently lifted the paper bag.
When I saw that, the taste of the beef rice bowl she made naturally came to mind and I swallowed my saliva.
“I’m going to make pork cutlet as a bonus.”
Perhaps sensing competition from Camilla, Vanessa, who was behind her, came forward and emphasized the dish she would cook.
“Tonkatsu!”
But it was Dorothea, not me, who responded to those words.
In the first place, pork cutlet was one of Dorothea’s favorite drinks.
“They both insisted on having a big dinner because today was their last day.”
When Sofia, who was standing one last step away, summarized the situation by saying that, Camilla and Vanessa shared a humble look on their faces.
Even though it’s been over 3 years since they lived together, they seem embarrassed to still be fighting.
But I actually liked it because it looked more like how people live.
“Both will be delicious. I look forward to it.”
When I said that and smiled slightly, the two people looked blank for a moment, but then answered cheerfully, “Yes!”.
“Then I’ll stay up in my room, so call me when the meal is ready.”
After saying that, I went up to the second floor to pack my luggage.
***
“I need to take care of this, this, and this too.”
When I returned to the room, I took out all the medicines and reagents I had stored in the safe.
It’s a lot more than what I packed last time I went to Elven Wood, but honestly, I don’t feel safe even if I take it like this.
A battlefield is a place where you never know what will happen.
‘If the opponent is capable of attacking the Four Heavenly Kings with a single hit, then preparing even more is not enough.’
As Dorothea said earlier, the necromancer Mephisto was basically a guy with the life force of a cockroach.
When the body containing the soul is destroyed, it is revived by continuously replacing the body by possessing another body. Killing it with one blow must have been an attack that devastated the entire area.
‘And when it comes to defense, Nick Iron was no slouch either.’
Basically, he was a guy with the deceptive ability to nullify all magic below the 4th level and halve anything above that level, but that guy died with a single hit of magic.
To be honest, even I, who was now a 7th rank, didn’t have the confidence to kill him with one hit, but seeing him die in vain like that, it seemed like he had been hit by at least an 8th rank magic.
‘… This time he might really die.’
When speaking with Dorothea, he acted as if nothing had happened, but deep within his heart, anxiety arose.
I don’t know how long it’s been since I felt this way.
5 years ago? 10 years ago?
To be honest, back when I had nothing to be afraid of, I literally ran wild like a madman, but now I’m afraid of dying.
‘I guess it’s because I have more things to protect.’
I looked down at my trembling right hand and smiled self-deprecatingly.
Wow!
Clench your fist tightly.
The tremors were still there, but much less than before.
After I corrected myself from being weak, I looked at my face in the mirror.
‘It was so unfamiliar at first.’
It has already been 30 years since I, who was originally Korean, was reincarnated in this world.
Considering that he was originally 25 years old, he has already lived 5 years longer.
‘I don’t want to die.’
I got everything I wanted in my past life.
Wealth, fame, family.
I had no intention of letting go of it now.
Because I am extremely greedy.
‘That’s why I will survive this war by any means necessary.’
After making that promise to myself, I went back down to the first floor to have dinner after getting everything ready.
***
Dinner was held in a bright atmosphere as usual.
A place where delicious food, delicious drinks, and loving family gather.
Today may be the last time these members gather together, but no one has expressed that.
We laughed and chatted and ate and drank until all the food we had prepared was gone. It was not until late in the evening that we were able to finish our meal.
And… Now it’s time for me to leave.
“Kaldrash, please accept this.”
“This is…”
“It’s a handkerchief. If you remember me, please look at this handkerchief.”
I looked down at the black handkerchief that Camilla held out, and gave her a small nod of thanks.
“Thank you.”
“Please come back safely.”
Camilla said that and hugged me.
The next person to say goodbye was Dorothea.
“Kaldrash, you didn’t forget the promise you made to me, right?”
“Of course.”
“That’s it. Have a good fight.”
Dorothea said and pulled my collar, then gave me a deep kiss.
“Come back alive. Kaldrashu.”
Lastly, Ozma, who had to remain in this city as the governor, looked at me with faint eyes and said that.
“Okay.”
When I think about it, I think I haven’t been paying too much attention to Ozma lately.
Since there was a lot of running around outside, I could make the excuse that I had no choice, but I didn’t want to do that today.
Without saying a word, I unexpectedly hugged Ozma tightly.
“What!”
She struggled in my arms with an embarrassed expression, but she soon relaxed her body and accepted my hug.
I murmured in a low voice in her ear.
“Ozma, when this war is over, marry me.”
Then Ozma looked shocked, but she soon smiled and nodded.
“Good.”
… With this, there are no more regrets left.
I opened the front door that had been closed tightly.
Then he turned his back to the women of my house and spoke for the last time.
“I’ll be back.”
I will hear the next answer after I return.
