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Chapter: 79

The night passed amidst a cacophony of roars from the monstrous beasts and the desperate cries of men. Time flowed slowly, but it flowed nonetheless.

Perseverance was key. We knew that eventually, the night would recede. That knowledge allowed us to endure, no matter how difficult the situation.

Battling these creatures was different from facing an enemy army.

If you captured the enemy commander, beheaded him, and brandished his head, the enemy would surrender. But not the beasts.

They were merely drawn to the same feeding ground by chance, not united by a common goal.

Actions meant to demoralize them were meaningless and ineffective.

However, perhaps because they were accustomed to such things, my expectation that their morale would have plummeted long ago proved wrong.

The commanders and soldiers of Wolhan Fortress, though exhausted, remained unwavering in their will to fight.

Through their fighting spirit, I could glimpse the origins of the fortress\'s custom, where even the Lord, the highest authority, had to reverse decisions based on the words of the elders.

Their purpose in fighting was not to oppress others but to protect their home and families.

"Hold on! The night will pass!"

"Once the sun begins to rise, dawn will break quickly!"

"Not much longer! Endure!"

Occasionally, screams pierced the air, but everyone acted as if they hadn\'t heard a thing.

The absence of mourning or anger after a scream created the illusion that they were immortal beings.

And finally, dawn arrived.

The fierce battle that raged in the absence of the sun ended, and a temporary peace settled over the land.

Only then did the cries of lament for the dead echo through the air.

As I leaned against the wall, catching my breath, I noticed everyone staring at me.

With this constant scrutiny, how could I possibly live?

I grumbled to myself, and a soldier approached me through the crowd of onlookers. I had heard his name, but what was it again?

I couldn\'t recall.

They say that a weak mind leads to a suffering body. I\'m not sure about the causality, but the saying certainly fits.

The soldier spoke hesitantly.

"I apologize for bringing this up right after the battle has ended, but..."

Honestly.

I raised my hand dismissively.

"Get to the point."

"...We have finished preparing for the request for reinforcements. I came to report this to you."

"I see."

I extended my hand to the standing soldier. I tried to remember, but his name still eluded me.

The soldier stared blankly at my outstretched hand, and only after I waved it did he awkwardly bring his own hands together and offer them to me.

"Oof."

I stood up and dusted off my clothes. Then I turned to the side. Yoo Geung, who had approached and stood silently beside me, held a wooden box in his hands.

"Is that what I asked for?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Despite the unsettling nature of its contents, Yoo Geun replied without a change in his expression. The soldier, curious about the contents of the box, wore a puzzled look.

Seeing his expression, I chuckled and started walking.

"By the way, what\'s your name again?"

The soldier\'s face instantly brightened.

"B-Bu Seop... sir!"

"Ah, right. That\'s it."

I glanced at Bu Seop once more before turning away.

I had a habit of trying not to forget the people I fought alongside.

Even if their only contribution was carrying oil, if they faced the same enemy as I did, they deserved to be remembered.

* * *

I removed my armor and changed my clothes. When I stepped out into the hallway outside my chambers, it was eerily quiet, devoid of any presence.

Puzzled, I walked down the hallway and descended to the courtyard, where the military officers who had accompanied me from the capital were waiting, their eyes fixed on me.

Dozens of eyes were focused on me.

"Huh."

The glint in their eyes was different from before. Was it just my imagination? Was I seeing things differently today?

No.

"Your Highness."

A court official spoke up. The atmosphere felt strangely solemn. It was difficult to treat them as I normally would in this setting.

I couldn\'t even remember how I usually treated them. Or how I had treated this particular official before.

But it seemed I didn\'t need to initiate any particular response.

"May you return safely."

"May you return safely."

Heads bowed, surrounding me.

Because of that, I couldn\'t see their faces and discern their thoughts, but I understood why they were acting this way.

A modest farewell, prepared without my knowledge.

It was just a simple trip to two neighboring fortresses. There wasn\'t any real danger. Yet, they were wishing me a safe journey as if I was embarking on a grand endeavor.

I felt a lump forming in my throat.

"What\'s with this awkward display? It\'s no different from taking a stroll around the neighborhood. This fuss is unnecessary..."

I started walking. As I moved towards the gate, the military officers followed behind me.

At the gate, the Wolhan Fortress Lord, some elders, and most notably, several warhorses awaited me. Chaos and Dool, who were to accompany me, were also present.

Considering what I had seen before, I wasn\'t sure if they were necessary... but I agreed to bring them because the Fortress Lord insisted.

Son Gye-du was absent from among the elders. Where had he gone, and what was he up to? Suspicion immediately arose within me.

Still, nothing more troublesome than the current situation would occur, right?

"I have selected only those who have been sufficiently fed and rested."

The horse I had brought from the capital was injured the last time a few monstrous beasts suddenly broke through the wall and invaded.

Instead, a warhorse from Wolhan Fortress presented itself to me.

"It won\'t take long to reach Misa Fortress,” the Fortress Lord said.

I nodded.

"Even so, time is of the essence, and we shouldn\'t waste it. Let\'s make this trip as swift as possible."

"Protecting Your Highness\'s well-being is our top priority," a court official added.

That wasn\'t quite right.

"You\'re probably the only one who thinks that."

At that, I met a piercing gaze. And it wasn\'t the only one.

"We pray for your safe return," the Wolhan Lord.

Though bringing back reinforcements, even at the cost of some bloodshed, was more important than my own safety.

I looked over the group accompanying me to request reinforcements. It was a small party consisting of Yoo Geung, Hondon, and Dool.

I had entrusted the box to Yoo Geung, and it wouldn\'t be easy for him to ride a horse while carrying it.

I swiftly mounted the saddle.

"It’s time to depart. Let\'s go."

The sound of the horses\' hooves echoed as we set off. The group passed through the fortress gates.

* * *

We arrived at Misa Fortress. The sounds of people could be heard here and there, and the atmosphere of the fortress was lively yet tranquil. It was a stark contrast to Wolhan Fortress, which was struggling with the battle.

Unaware of our troubles, this place seemed like a different world.

"His Highness, himself, has graced us with his presence! Lord of Misa Fortress, come forth and greet His Highness, Prince Ikwon!"

At those words, an official, with a flustered expression, hurriedly ran off somewhere.

After waiting for a while, a figure came rushing towards us, his robe fluttering dramatically.

He seemed to have been preoccupied with other matters and had come in haste, as his running gait appeared quite unsteady.

He came to a stop right in front of me and knelt at my feet.

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him as he bowed.

"I, the Lord of Misa Fortress, greet His Highness, Prince Ikwon."

"Raise your head."

The Lord of Misa Fortress hesitantly stood up.

"Time is of the essence, so let\'s head inside. I don\'t mind discussing matters anywhere, but I\'m sure you have your preferences."

The Lord of Misa Fortress led me to the reception hall. As soon as I sat down, I got straight to the point.

"I\'ve come to request military support. Send 1,000 soldiers to Wolhan Fortress."

The Lord of Misa Fortress\'s face momentarily hardened, as if he hadn\'t expected me to be so direct.

He quickly composed himself, but his discomfort was already evident.

"I trust you\'re aware that the battle at Wolhan Fortress has been raging for several days now, so I won\'t bother explaining further. Issue the order immediately. I want the troops to accompany me on my way back to Wolhan Fortress."

"I apologize, Your Highness, but deploying troops isn\'t a simple matter."

The Lord of Misa Fortress said, his tone resembling that of someone pacifying a naive child.

"I\'m aware that the Lords of the Northern Region receive special privileges regarding their troops. So, what do you mean it\'s not a simple matter? Are you suggesting that Misa Fortress has no trained soldiers?"

The Wolhan Lord had told me that each of the neighboring fortresses maintained a standing army of around 2,000 soldiers. If he claimed to have no prepared troops, it would be a lie.

"That\'s not the case."

"Then explain what you mean by it not being a simple matter."

“Ahem,” The Lord of Misa Fortress cleared his throat and replied. "To make such a decision, even a Lord needs to consult with the commanders and other key figures of the fortress. But you\'re asking me to decide right away..."

The Lord of Misa Fortress gave an awkward laugh.

"It puts me in a difficult position. Please understand my situation."

I frowned.

"Very well, then follow the procedure. How long will it take to convene a meeting and reach a decision?"

"It won\'t be a matter of a day or two."

My frown deepened. This was absurd. How many people needed to be summoned to this meeting? And how long could it possibly take to hold a discussion?

"It seems Misa Fortress conducts meetings over several days. That\'s quite different from what the Lord of Wolhan Fortress described. It doesn\'t seem like a common practice in the Northern Region."

"Just because we\'re located in the Northern Region doesn\'t mean all fortresses are the same. Naturally, each fortress has its own customs and practices."

I placed my fist on the table. The Lord of Misa Fortress\'s eyes flickered to my fist and then back up to my face.

"I ask for your kind understanding."

"Is my understanding the issue here? Aren\'t you, the Lord of Misa Fortress, concerned about the people dying under the claws of the monstrous beasts?"

"The people of Wolhan Fortress are strong. I understand your concerns, Your Highness, but they have lived there for a long time. The monstrous beasts are not unknown entities to them, and death is not a distant concept. They will surely survive. I\'m more concerned that excessive worry might harm your well-being."

I glared at the Lord of Misa Fortress. Perhaps misinterpreting my silence, he continued.

"Furthermore, Your Highness, I apologize for saying this, but I believe it would be unfair to draw support troops solely from this fortress."

"Ha."

I scoffed. I slammed my fist on the table and stood up. The loud bang startled the Lord.

I called out to Yoo Geung, who was waiting outside the reception hall.

"Captain Yoo."

Yoo Geung responded from outside.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Bring it in."

And the door opened.