Chapter 334 : Side Story (4)

The world resonated.

It was because Obro Denoebang grasped his Ars.

As he grasped ‘Grayish-white Nobility’, the entire mountain rang as if trembling.

It was strange beyond measure, even bizarre.

Everything, from the earth to the sky, trembled in fear for a moment.

Needless to say, Cheshih and Ferbias were no exception.

“……!”

“!!!”

They had no choice but to think at that moment.

What on earth is the man in front of them?

What on earth are they facing?

What kind of existence is this grayish-white man that harbors such blue demonic energy and possesses such mighty power?

The fear felt from Obro was a vast fear.

Like an earthquake shaking the very ground one stands on, or a tidal wave rushing in from everywhere one can see, an unmeasurable, mighty fear was concentrated in a single person.

“Send the children back.”

Obro Denoebang commanded.

“Unless you intend to plant unnecessary nightmares in them, right now.”

“Everyone….”

Cheshih spoke.

“Everyone, go back….”

Voices came from here and there.

The village people seemed unaware of what kind of mighty power Obro possessed.

It was because Obro had no intention of crushing them.

So Cheshih had to speak as if yelling.

“Go back, hurry! Take the kids!”

Only then did the people turn their steps toward their homes one by one.

The village chief’s eight children were the same.

Yet, they kept looking back as if worried about Ferbias.

Obro Denoebang felt a very great hatred at that sight.

He could not bear the fact that Ferbias Caseptus was hiding in a mountain valley and getting along affectionately with people.

“Hey, Village Chief.”

“……Yes…….”

“Do those people know?”

Obro asked fiercely.

He turned his eyes to Cheshih, who was still blocking his way.

“Especially, does this Horm person know?”

The country called Horm was cut in half.

It was due to the Cordis Empire’s conquest.

The person responsible for the conquest was the then Three-Mi Grand General Secundus Debius, and the one who ordered it was Ferbias Caseptus.

It meant that this bearded village chief in front of his eyes was the very person who eliminated half of Horm.

“That you….”

“That he is Ferbias Caseptus, you mean?”

At Cheshih’s words, Obro opened his eyes wide.

“…You knew?”

“Of course.”

The Horm person’s characteristically sharp gaze looked even sharper under the moonlight.

The dark-skinned man spoke without backing down even against Obro Denoebang.

“I have never lived as you, Obro Denoebang. I do not know what you lost because of his choice. I do not dare to speak of it.”

“…….”

“But please do not consider my loss smaller than yours. Just because power is weak does not mean sorrow is small. Rather, it is often the opposite.”

“…You are eloquent.”

Obro looked at Cheshih.

He was a strange man.

Being from the far East yet staying in this deep mountain valley, and standing as if protecting the enemy of his homeland.

“I must ask again. Who are you?”

“Cheshih. First Scribe of Horm.”

He was the young man who had boldly stood against Secundus Debius, who conquered his homeland.

“Also, at one time, I was a close aide to His Highness the Three-Mi Grand General Secundus.”

“You said you were there during the Western War.”

“That is so. I participated in the war by His Highness Secundus’s side. I saw you then.”

Scattering demonic energy and stirring up the entire battlefield….

Cheshih could not bring himself to say it all and swallowed his words.

Recalling Obro from back then added a fresh layer of fear.

“It is strange.”

Obro opened his mouth.

“Very strange.”

Blue demonic energy still surged in streams from his two eyes.

Just how deep and persistent was the hatred?

Cheshih felt like collapsing right away.

However, he stood his ground with effort.

“Who was it that cut your homeland Horm in half?”

Cheshih did not answer.

Obro continued more fiercely, with a hint of ridicule.

“And who was it that killed His Highness Secundus Debius?”

The bearded village chief’s hand trembled.

He was in the middle of closing his eyes and enduring something, but he closed them even tighter as if the things to endure had increased.

His face turned as white as it could possibly get.

Obro found the sight of Ferbias feeling guilty in his current state very, very detestable.

“Wasn’t it that beard right next to you, Ferbias Caseptus?”

“I know.”

Cheshih raised his eyes.

He was clenching his teeth, and he spoke slowly as if pushing liquid through his teeth.

“…I know …better than anyone.”

“…….”

Obro Denoebang fell into silence for a moment.

Because he realized that Cheshih also harbored hatred no less than his own.

That was why he was curious.

This hatred wouldn’t be a hatred one could endure; it would boil every day as if a bellows had been created in one’s heart….

Yet how could he live in one village seeing that face every day?

“…Her Highness Kateka suggested to me, asked if I wouldn’t go to Horm together. Asked me to help her as she became the Governor-General of Horm, said she needed my help….”

“Why didn’t you go?”

Obro felt the need to correct his question.

“No, why are you here?”

“For the same reason as you.”

Cheshih took up the words.

“I also came here to kill Ferbias Caseptus.”

Throughout all the conversation, Ferbias just squeezed his eyes shut and endured.

As if he would just accept whatever result came.

Cheshih glanced sideways at Ferbias.

“Harboring three daggers.”

***

Already 3 years.

It is a story from 3 years ago.

“Paeniteo.”

Cheshih pursued the runaway Emperor Ferbias with surprising tenacity.

And eventually found him.

In a village deep in the mountains.

“So you were in a place like this….”

There were three daggers in Cheshih’s bosom.

One to kill Ferbias.

Another just in case of an unforeseen situation.

One to take his own life at the end.

Three like that.

“I asked if you were in a place like this, Ferbias Caseptus.”

“…Please leave.”

Even while facing Cheshih who came harboring three daggers, Ferbias showed no sign of surprise and maintained a polite attitude.

However, he persistently tried to send Cheshih out of the house.

“Let us go outside and talk….”

“Why should I?”

Cheshih abruptly took out a dagger from his bosom and thrust it at Ferbias’s Adam’s apple.

“Why should I listen to you?”

“…Are you going to kill me?”

“Of course.”

The dagger, honed with resentment, had a very blue blade.

Just getting close to it made one feel a strange chill.

“…Fine. I will give you my life as much as you want. Instead, please, outside the village….”

“Shut up. I am not your subject.”

Cheshih retorted sharply.

“You cannot command me.”

“…….”

In front of the dagger that was about to pierce his neck at any moment and the pair of eyes sharper than that dagger, Ferbias had closed his eyes gently back then too.

To Cheshih at that time, there was nothing more detestable than that.

He could not bear him pretending to feel guilt after cutting another’s homeland in half and causing countless lives to die.

“…Ha. Fine. So that’s how you’ll play it….”

The blade poked Adam’s apple.

“Let’s see how long you endure.”

“…….”

As a stream of blood flowed down his neck, Ferbias had no choice but to feel pain.

However, he remained quiet without showing it.

As if telling him to do as he pleased.

Like a gentle sheep dragged to the slaughterhouse.

“I will not kill you at once. Very slowly, most painfully….”

“Dad!”

Thud-thud-thud, running sounds were heard.

“Dad!”

“…Dad…?”

At the child’s voice, Cheshih felt bewilderment.

He pondered what to do with the dagger, and Ferbias was faster in action than in pondering.

Ferbias pushed Cheshih away in an instant and hid his neck.

Soon, a girl ran in.

“Dad-!!”

“Mano.”

Ferbias hid the wound on his neck and pretended to be angry.

“I told you not to shout inside the house. And I told you Mister isn’t your dad….”

“Dad is Dad! More importantly, something happened! Big trouble!”

“…Big trouble?”

“Yeah!”

Mano raised her voice boldly.

She was a very clever child, unlike a four-year-old.

“I’m hungry!”

“…That is indeed a big problem.”

Ferbias shook his head.

“Then shall we eat dinner a little early today.”

“Yeah!”

“Take everyone to wash their hands and come.”

“Yeah, Dad!”

“I told you I’m not your dad….”

Mano ran out making thud-thud-thud sounds just as she had appeared.

It was just Cheshih and Ferbias alone again.

The silence was awkward.

“…That is how it is. Would you please wait until dinner.”

“…….”

Cheshih looked at his hand, and the dagger held in it.

The dagger was broken in two.

The blade had snapped when Ferbias pushed him momentarily.

The strength was terrifying.

The moment Ferbias pushed him, Cheshih realized many things.

That Ferbias was a much stronger man than him, yet he was willingly offering his life.

That was why he contorted his face.

“…I have heard of it. The 50th Emperor Ferbias had many talents, so his sword skills were superior to most Commanders of a Thousand.”

“…It is an embarrassing story….”

“Why was such a man trying to die by the blade of an ignoramus like me?”

“…Because I did something deserving of death….”

The corners of Ferbias’s eyes crinkled.

He was feeling deep guilt.

“…Because I did something deserving of death.”

“…….”

Cheshih glared at him.

“Did you have a child?”

“…She is not my child.”

“She called you Dad.”

“She just calls me that. I just took in a child with nowhere to go for a while. I have known her for a little over half a year at most.”

The Horm person bit his lip.

He suspected Ferbias might be keeping the children to protect his own life.

To be precise, he wanted to think so.

But he couldn’t think so.

Mano’s attitude proved how Ferbias had treated the children for half a year.

Children are honest.

If he hadn’t treated them with sincerity always, there is no way she would treat him affectionately like a real father in just half a year.

“…How many did you take in?”

“As it happened, eight.”

Eight. He took in a lot…. Cheshih muttered.

“Children… Ferbias Caseptus is caring for children….”

He looked into the broken blade.

The hand holding the dagger trembled, unable to overcome the anger.

Blood vessels stood out starkly in the eyes peculiar to Horm people, sharp like a bird of prey.

“Dog-like….”

The two bright red eyes were smeared with hatred.

He wanted to drive even the broken blade into the opponent’s neck right away, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

Because the sound of children laughing was heard from outside.

He didn’t want to listen and wanted to cover his ears.

He wanted to tear Ferbias to shreds, saying he knew nothing.

“…This dog-like, this damn…! Why! Why…!!”

Yet the sound of children laughing was too clear.

Those innocent laughs stuck firmly in his ears as if telling him he must listen to this sound.

The one sustaining that laughter was Ferbias, and if he killed him, the children wouldn’t be able to laugh anymore.

“Why are you caring for children, Ferbias!”

“…….”

“I!”

Cheshih struck his chest with the hand holding the sword.

“-I-! Because of you-!!!”

There was so much suffering he couldn’t vomit out even if he wanted to, so he had no choice but to thump his chest.

The broken blade caught on his clothes or skin and tore them.

However, the sorrow was so deep that he could only shout.

“…My sons! I lost my two sons…! But why, why are you here… caring for children, why….”

“…….”

“…You are a truly detestable fellow, Ferbias Caseptus. A cowardly and despicable person…. Rather, rather, you should have remained arrogant…. So I could at least kill you refreshingly….”

Why, why children…. Cheshih lamented.

His two sons trampled on his vision.

His two sons who lost their lives during the Horm conquest, children he would never see again, yet it felt as if they were here pulling on his arms.

Ferbias couldn’t bring himself to reply.

“…….”

Cheshih glared at Ferbias for a long time, and soon threw the broken dagger.

Clang, the sound was wretched.

“…I will go.”

His tone became polite.

The hand that held the dagger became empty.

However, two daggers still remained in his bosom.

Hatred also remained deep within his voice.

“But do not be relieved.”

“…….”

“I will return. So that even if you die, not even a little harm will come to the children. I mean I will prepare a place to live better than this mountain valley and return.”

Cheshih pointed a finger at him.

“You will die by my hand. No matter what happens, this Cheshih will kill Ferbias. So… so you… no, you bastard, don’t move and….”

“I will be waiting.”

Only then did Ferbias slowly open his mouth.

He looked at Cheshih with golden eyes no different from when he was Emperor.

Cheshih unknowingly ended up feeling some kind of relief.

Although he absolutely couldn’t admit it.

“I will be waiting, so please go and return, Cheshih.”

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