Chapter 151

Jereuth steeled his heart and made a difficult decision.

His courage had dwindled, and his skills had been worn down by time.

Nevertheless, he decided he would have his ‘last dance’ on the battlefield.

‘I’ve made up my mind… but honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t know if I can be as glorious as I was in the past.’

Though such worries lingered.

Jereuth's decision itself was firm.

He would fight.

After making the difficult decision, Jereuth felt a sense of peace.

Then, a slightly different thought occurred to him.

‘…I should probably mention Silvia as well. Though I still don't know a thing about her heart.’

“Your Majesty, there is one thing I would like to ask of you.”

“A request?”

“Yes. Um… It’s about Silvia.”

Ssk—.

Jereuth touched his face, took a deep breath, and continued speaking.

His expression and actions were not those of the old general who had once dominated the battlefield, but rather of an ordinary man embarrassed to speak of such a blush-inducing topic.

“The war against the monster army… when that war is over, I intend to formally propose to her. It hasn't been long since I met Silvia, but… I want to spend the rest of my short life with that elf.”

“…”

“Of course, for the next two years, I will try to ascertain her feelings. Whether she has feelings for me, or if it’s just the intimacy of an ally.”

Leonardo blinked his eyes, as if he hadn't expected him to bring this up so suddenly.

Then, he recalled something he had read in the Future Diary.

‘Ah… right, in the diary, Jereuth left a last will just before he fell into a trap and died. He said, 「“To Silvia, too—.”」.’

The Future Diary did not reveal how the rest of that sentence ended.

However, the fact that he mentioned the name ‘Silvia’ just before his death must have meant that his relationship with her had become quite deep.

‘There are about two years left until the war. Are Jereuth and Silvia going to date during that time?’

One might ask what business they had with romance with a war looming ahead.

One might even criticize it as irresponsible.

But that wasn't necessarily the case, as many people fell in love, got married, and had children during wartime. It wasn't for nothing that people said, 「“Neither borders nor age matter in the face of love.”」

‘Jereuth's personal life is none of my business.’

“I understand. But if you're going to propose, you can just do it. Why are you asking for my permission?”

“Silvia is your family, a member of the royal family. As a commoner, she is a person I should not… love.”

To be talking about love at his age.

Jereuth felt truly embarrassed as he spoke.

“Hmm.”

Leonardo thought for a moment.

Then, with a somewhat playful smile, but in a tone that suggested he wasn't joking, he replied.

“If you're going to propose, do it before the war.”

“…Pardon? Before the war, you say?”

“Yes. People who say, 「“I’ll confess to her when this war is over.”」—most of them end up dying.”

“…”

“Commander, the reason you intend to propose to Silvia is because you have some belief that Silvia has feelings for you as well, isn't it?”

“That is true, but I could be mistaken…”

Jereuth couldn't answer properly.

Then, he smiled awkwardly and shook his head.

“I told you. Silvia being kind to me could just be her being friendly as a comrade. That's why I intend to confirm her feelings over the next two years.”

“Hmm… I think the two of you will work out well.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Yes. Anyway, then I suppose we’ll have to adjust your duties so you two can spend time together. Is there anything for Silvia-nim to do in the Knight Order?”

At Leonardo's question, Jereuth answered as if he had been waiting for it.

“Actually, Silvia said she would help me acquire and ride a gryphon. The gryphons that Your Majesty brought.”

“Ah, yes. That’s good.”

“Thank you. However, the problem is… all the gryphons are in ‘Sliwoo Forest,’ the forest to the east of the royal capital. So, to get a gryphon, I think I will have to leave the capital.”

Jereuth said apologetically. It was because, even though there were still two years left, he, the Knight Commander, was saying he would be absent while war was approaching.

‘My original plan was to quit my post as Knight Commander, hand it over to Hagen, and then go get a gryphon at my leisure. Yoanna is still too young to take on the role of commander.’

But that plan changed due to Leonardo’s persuasion. He had decided to remain as the Knight Commander until this war was over.

“Hmm, for the Commander to be absent from the royal capital.”

Tap tap—.

Leonardo, also unable to ignore that point, tapped his desk with his fingertips and pondered.

Then, he pointed to the sofa at the end of the room.

“I'll think about it for a moment. Commander, please sit on the sofa over there and rest.”

“No, it’s alright. I will stand here.”

“Please sit on the sofa and rest. If you stand in front of me, I feel uncomfortable and can't think properly.”

“Ah… I understand.”

He couldn't keep standing when the King said it made him uncomfortable.

Jereuth slowly walked over to the sofa and sat down.

‘I apologize to Your Majesty, but I hope you will grant me permission. …My heart is already fluttering.’

Even if he was looking forward to spending time alone with Silvia.

Jereuth would never have left his post if he thought the war preparations would become lax in his absence from the royal capital.

He was a man with that much sense of responsibility.

Chwarak—.

As he sat on the sofa, the King opened a certain book.

At a glance, it was the book the King often read.

‘He said he would think about whether I could leave the royal capital… Is he organizing his thoughts while reading a book?’

Knowing that the King was an avid reader, Jereuth just assumed so.

He himself had read a fair number of books, but he was no match for the King.

***

About 10 minutes had passed since the King began to read the ‘book.’

It wasn't a long time, but to Jereuth, those 10 minutes felt like 10 years. Truly.

Tak—.

Soon, the King closed the book and spoke.

With a smile.

“Commander, you may go. I grant you permission.”

“Ah…!”

Spring!

Jereuth shot up from the sofa and said.

“Thank you!”

“On one condition.”

“Yes! Anything—!”

“You cannot go alone.”

“…Pardon?”

“I'm saying you can't go with just Silvia-nim.”

It was quite unfortunate for Jereuth.

‘…Still, if I can at least spend time with her, that's good enough.’

“I understand. Then who do you command me to go with?”

“A large number of knights. Please take everyone except for the minimum number of knights required for maintaining security in the royal capital. And please train not only yourself, Commander, but also the other knights to acquire and ride gryphons.”

To take a large number of knights?

And to train them there?

This was not an elopement of love.

It was an ‘expeditionary training.’

Only then did Jereuth realize once again what kind of person this King named ‘Leonardo’ was.

‘He’s a thorough person who never wastes any element and turns it into a profit for the kingdom… Haha.’

A great king. A proud king.

However, at this moment, he couldn't help but feel a little resentful.

‘Well… is it really something to be resentful about.’

The reason the King told him to take the other knights and train them.

It was probably to give him a ‘justification.’ It would look strange for the Knight Commander to leave the royal capital alone with Silvia.

‘His Majesty probably took care of my reputation until the very end. What I must do… is to repay that grace.’

“I understand, Your Majesty. I will organize and provide you with a list of knights who will go on the expeditionary training.”

Cheok—!

Jereuth straightened his posture and replied.

‘The next two years, and the war against the monster army. I will burn my final flame on that. And I will retire proudly and gloriously.’

By then, Yoanna, with Hagen's help, would be able to fulfill the role of Knight Commander.

Although she was still young, Jereuth was confident.

‘Yoanna has many similarities to me. To the me of my youth… no, of my childhood.’

***

A year had passed.

Since Leonardo mentioned the ‘war against the monster army’ at a general meeting of all the kingdom's vassals.

The fact that monsters would attack the kingdom had not yet been officially announced to the people.

There was no benefit to be gained from informing the public; it would only create chaos.

But as rumors always do, they somehow spread—.

The story spread not only in the royal capital but throughout the entire kingdom. The story that 「The monster army from the Monster Mountains is preparing to attack the kingdom.」

An ominous rumor that a great war was imminent.

However, despite the spread of the rumor, the lives of the kingdom's people did not change much. Farmers just farmed, and merchants tried to buy good products cheaply and sell them expensively, as they always had.

The blacksmiths were heartened by the steady stream of orders from the kingdom and worked hard, while children's eyes sparkled as they watched the knights and soldiers patrolling the city.

The reason the people of the kingdom remained so calm.

It was thanks to their trust in King Leonardo, who had normalized the kingdom, no, their gutter-like lives.

A trust that no matter what crisis came, their king would surely be victorious.

That was what was allowing the kingdom to endure and overcome the fear of the war with the monster army.

But the reason the people of the kingdom could live in peace was not solely due to King Leonardo's good governance.

It was also because of the rumor that King Leonardo had fought to a draw with the ‘Hero Jereuth.’

***

A tavern in the royal capital.

Here, where people who had finished their day's work soothed their weariness, a debate similar to yesterday's was taking place today as well.

“Hey, last year the King was in a draw with Commander Jereuth! So if they fought today, shouldn't the King obviously win? The King is young, and the Commander is old!”

To the drunkard speaking with a red nose, his friend in front of him replied with irritation.

“How could that happen in just one year?! If it were any other ordinary knight, maybe, but his opponent is Commander Jereuth! He won't lose that easily!”

“That's what I'm saying! The Commander won't lose easily, but the King's swordsmanship is constantly, huh? Constantly improving, and at that age! On the other hand, the Commander is old—!”

“Who are you calling old! Commander Jereuth is a legend!”

As it is in any world, the debate of 「“Who is stronger?”」 is always entertaining.

How much more entertaining would it be to debate who is stronger between the two most popular ‘knights’ in the kingdom.

Moreover, since the most popular group in the kingdom at present was the ‘Kingdom Army,’ such debates were not limited to just ‘King vs. Jereuth’ but also varied to things like ‘Hagen + two high-ranking knights vs. Jereuth.’

Another friend who was listening to their argument cautiously brought up a different topic.

“By the way, don't you think the number of knights on patrol has decreased significantly compared to last year? It seems like it's been mostly soldiers on patrol for a few months now.”

“Ah, that? I heard from a merchant I know that Commander Jereuth and most of the knights went on some kind of off-site training.”

“Off-site training? What's that?”

“I don't know the details either. I just heard it's training somewhere far away, not in the royal capital.”

“Hey! If he's doing that kind of training, the Commander will get stronger too! Then the King still can't beat the Commander!”

The guy who had been arguing that Jereuth was stronger than the King jumped back into the conversation. Then the debate began again.

Is the King stronger, or is Jereuth stronger.

This debate, happening not just in this tavern but in every pub in the kingdom, would be endless—.

But in the end, it was a good thing for the people of the kingdom.

Because having two knights on par with the hero Jereuth gave the people a sense of security.

In the midst of that.

Among the four friends drinking together, the one who had been drinking quietly spoke up.

“So, what are you all going to do if a war breaks out?”

What will you do if a war breaks out—

It was certainly a heavy question.

But everyone's answer was quick and firm.

“We have to fight!”

“Isn't it obvious that we have to go out and fight?”

“Even a cripple like me, if the King wishes it, of course!”

***

Sliwoo Forest.

The place where a total of 82 knights, including Jereuth, went to get gryphons by order of the King.

And the place where Silvia went with them to help.

There, 81 knights stood next to their respective gryphons, facing Jereuth.

“Commander, are you not returning with us?”

Hagen, who was the first among the 81 knights to obtain a gryphon and could now ride it with considerable ease, asked on their behalf.

To that question, Jereuth looked at the gryphon standing next to him and replied.

“I plan to train for about another week before I go. I am still lacking.”

“Then we will also train until then—”

“No, you all should return to the royal capital now. I have already reported to His Majesty that I would do so.”

Jereuth himself said his skills were ‘lacking.’

But not only Hagen, but no other knight thought Jereuth was lacking. It was because Jereuth handled the gryphon almost as freely as Silvia did.

But what more could they say when he himself said he was lacking.

And as Jereuth said, they had already reported to the King that ‘80 knights will return first,’ so Hagen could not delay it any longer.

“Understood, Commander. We will return first, then.”

“Do so. Lead them back well. It's unlikely to happen, but don't make any mistakes and startle the people of the royal capital.”

“Understood.”

Hagen replied with a firm bow and mounted his gryphon. That was the signal, and all the other knights mounted their respective gryphons.

“Then, Commander, we will see you in a week.”

“Mm.”

Flap—!

Hagen's gryphon spread its wings.

With a brief leap, it flapped its large wings and soared into the sky.

Flap—! Flap—! Flap—! Flap—! Flap—!

The other knights' gryphons also flew up, following Hagen.

The sight of 80 ‘Gryphon Knight Order’ members soaring into the sky all at once was a spectacle even for Jereuth, who was accustomed to gryphons.

And so, after all the other knights had left.

Silvia, who was next to Jereuth, spoke in a voice tinged with a subtle smile.

“Now it's finally just the two of us, Jereuth.”

Tuk—.

As Silvia casually leaned on his shoulder, Jereuth's face turned slightly red.

“Mm… I suppose so.”

“What's wrong? Your face is red.”

“No, it’s just…”

The man who was so stern in front of the knights was blushing at just a small touch from her.

Finding it amusing, Silvia smiled and then led Jereuth away.

“You're hungry, right? I've baked fresh bread, so come quickly. It's best eaten before it gets cold.”

“Ah, mm. I should. But Silvia. That…”

Jereuth tried to speak.

About the proposal he had received permission from the King for a year ago, before coming to this forest for training.

That was why he had sent the other knights back first.

‘But now that I’m actually trying to say it… it’s not easy.’

Hoo—.

Jereuth took a deep breath to compose himself, but the words wouldn't come out.

Silvia watched the fumbling Jereuth.

Pfft—.

She let out a light laugh and said to Jereuth.

“Are you asking me to marry you?”

***

Looking at the sun high in the sky.

I thought about the busy year that had passed and the even busier times that were to come.

‘Today is the day the 80 members of the Gryphon Knight Order return.’

80 members of the Gryphon Knight Order.

To be honest, I couldn't quite gauge how great their might and influence would be.

‘The fortification of the southern and northern parts of the Monster Mountains is progressing steadily… and the traps in the Ness Plains, on the central path of the Monster Mountains, are also being well-made.’

Was it thanks to that? The content of the Future Diary had also changed.

It now read, 「The war against the monster army resulted in a very respectable victory, though not without considerable damage. The performance of the Gryphon Knight Order was magnificent.」

That was certainly good news. A national crisis like ‘war,’ which was bound to be uncertain, was now set as a victory.

Hoo—.

The reason I was sighing like this despite that.

It was because my ‘ending’ was still a blank.

‘My original ending was to be destroyed by the ‘invasion of the Angla Empire.’ But that content disappeared a year ago, becoming unknown, and even now, a year later, it hasn't been written. Even though it's been decided that we will win the war against the monster army.’

There was something else strange.

The future concerning the ‘Jerpan Archipelago’ had also disappeared.

‘It was written that the Jerpan Archipelago would invade shortly after the war with the monster army ended… Why did that disappear?’

If the Jerpan Archipelago wasn't invading for some reason, that would be a good thing.

But to be so optimistic, I knew my life wasn't that easy.

Hmm—.

‘For now, let's do what I can. I must prepare for the war with the monster army even more thoroughly—.’

Just as I was thinking that.

Chwararararak—!

Sasasasak—!

“!”

The silently closed Future Diary spread open.

And in the nearest future, the part after the ‘war with the monster army’ that I had been curious about began to be written.

That newly changed content.