Chapter 137: This Is How You Make Friends? (6)
"Over there! Father sent me out from over there..." <Queen Serena>
Perhaps she was feeling impatient, but Serena rode even faster.
The more she did so, the more she couldn't avoid encountering the rebel forces scattered all over the capitals surroundings.
They naturally attacked me and Serena but every time they did, I fired off a series of [Attack] commands without even allowing them to get close but there was a limit.
I hurriedly crushed the spear of the cavalryman attacking her.
I could have used the perk blade to make it impossible for anyone to get close to her, but on a battlefield like this, anything could happen at any time.
It would have been foolish to use my last resort for safety against a mere group of soldiers.
"It's not safe from here on, so we'll take only my horse." <Julius>
"I understand." <Serena>
I put her on my horse.
As I was riding in this state, what I saw was a battlefield.
Dofle was lying in front of a large number of dead rebels, the battle was already over.
"Father!" <Queen Serena>
Serena got off her horse and ran to her father.
Dofle's chest had been pierced by a spear.
That meant he was beyond recovery as by the time we'd gotten there his body had already started to go cold.
"Father!" <Queen Serena>
Serena screamed.
The rebels around us reacted and jumped on us but I dealt with them in no time.
As I was slashing down the rebels attacking me in the dark, an enemy general who seemed to be the commander of the rebel army appeared for the first time.
______________________________________
[Gethmann Lecter]
[Age: 34]
[Power Level: 84]
[Intelligence: 20]
[Command: 78]
______________________________________
I was surprised when I saw his power level.
There was no way that Lushak's abilities could match his, it meant that a real leader had appeared.
Perhaps their objective was to capture the king, so an important person had appeared.
"What the hell are you doing?" <Gethmann>
The man gave me a questioning look.
"So you're Kashak's best friend, Gethmann Lecter." <Julius>
Kashak had a friend who was involved in the rebellion.
They were quite close and created a synergy that led to the reconstruction of Carthage until it was eventually destroyed by the Visigoth Kingdom.
I couldn't remember his name, but judging from his abilities, this person is probably his friend.
"Do you know me? Who are you? You don't seem to be a nobleman of Carthage." <Gethmann>
That's what Gethmann said when he saw me in my nobleman's attire.
I didn't respond to that and since he's an obstacle to my strategy he needs to be removed, unfortunately, my power lever is only 71 while his is 84.
Lushak needs to be left alone to become a violent tyrant.
I don't want anyone to be able to control him.
I have some saved points that I can use to increase my martial force but why do I have to go that far?
The right thing to do was to save as many points as possible for when I really need them.
It seems that this guy is the strongest around here, so I should use my perk blade.
Using Heavenly Demon Rain against an 84 power level is like using a cow tool to catch a chicken.
Anyway, I summoned my blade and used the [Attack] command.
"What?...!" <Gentmann>
Just like when Kashak died, this man, with an incomprehensible look on his face, was struck by the phantom blade and fell from his horse.
After dealing with him I also took care of the rebels around me while I was at it.
I got off the horse after sorting out the situation without difficulty.
Surprisingly Dofle was still barely breathing.
"You're here..." <Dolfe>
"Yes." <Julius>
As soon as he saw me, Dofle coughed up blood and smiled at me.
"Can I ask you to take care of my daughter? I want you to take her to Aquitania...I want her to be free to live..." <Dolfe>
Then, with tremendous mental strength, he continued his speech.
"Father...Father!" <Dolfe>
Serena tried desperately to stop the blood from flowing out of the area where the spear had pierced, but to no avail.
"Serena..." <Dolfe>
As soon as he looked at Serena, Dofle coughed up blood.
"Father...!" <Queen Serena>
"Serena, I'm sorry for everything. I hope you have a happy...rest of your life." <Dolfe>
"Father, please don't say another word. No...no...!" <Queen Serena>
Dofle tried to bring his hand to his daughter's face, which was covered in his own blood, but he dropped his arm, unable to continue his words any further.
"Father!!!!!" <Queen Serena>
Serena screamed again.
But there were no tears in her eyes.
She only screamed, shaking her body for some reason in a situation where she should have shed tears.
Perhaps she could not accept the death of her father.
She just kept shaking Dofle's body and fell into a state of mental collapse.
I was going to lose my mind if this continued so I went to her side and picked up Dofle's body.
"He is a man who has worked all his life for his country. We can't allow him to be hurt by the hooves of an enemy horse. Let's bury him, with Honor." <Julius>
Serena squeezed her father's arm and followed me silently.
***
- A few hours later -
Serena, who had been hugging Dofle's tombstone, finally opened her mouth.
Fortunately, she seemed to have regained some of her senses when she talked to me.
"Thank you, Master Haddin." <Queen Serena>
She still thought I was Haddin.
Well, it's not like she has a system, and since I called myself Haddin, it was only natural for her to think I was Haddin.
"By the way..." <Queen Serena>
She slurred her words as she looked at me with a strange look in her eyes.
"What is it?" <Julius>
I asked back.
"You're not going to tell me your real name?" <Queen Serena>
She asked me with a look of conviction on her face for some reason.
"Why do you think I'm not Haddin?" <Julius>
"I know who you are." <Queen Serena>
"What do you know?" <Julius>
"I've heard that Lord Haddin Merja is a General. I also know that he is much older than..." <Queen Serena>
She kep listing all the facts she collected together as evidence that I was impersonating the man in question, and even a few suggestion as to who I might really be.
"Oh..." <Julius>
How did you know that?
Until Fihatri joined us, Baron Haddin Merja was the only nobleman in my household, well the only one that survived the initial purges.
So the name is known in its own way, but I didn't think she even knew how old Haddin was in this distant country.
"The truth is, I've always been fascinated with...Aquitania. My father used to tell me stories all the time, and every time he did, I felt like I was parading around the world. So I was even more fascinated. I know...because it was the joy of my life to beg my father to send people directly to Aquitania to get more information." <Queen Serena>
I looked at her, a little surprised.
It was true that I had become famous on the continent.
The rapid destruction of Bridget had ensured my fame.
So I'm not surprised that she knows me, but I'm amazed that she knows so much about my vassals.
"Was that so?" <Julius>
"Yes. I wanted to hear more Aquitania stories, and I even begged my father to let me see you. I also asked my father to persuade the nobles to form an alliance..." <Queen Serena>
So that's what happened.
I was a little confused as to why Count Dofle wanted to help me, but I didn't know there was a story behind it.
"The story of Aquitania was very new to me as I was trapped in the royal palace. So...you are..." <Queen Serena>
"Who do you think I am?" <Julius>
I asked, and Serena looked a little troubled.
"When it comes to Lord Yusen and Lord Elheat, the image is different and...But your hair color is...well, gray hair is a symbol of the Aquitania family, but I mean you could also be the one they call Zeff?" <Queen Serena>
It seemed she had guessed it from the start by looking at the colour of my hair, if even still uncertain.
Then there was no need to hide any longer, and even If i did pretend to be Zeff if she were to rule or go into exile with me, she'd be pissed to find out i tricked her again when she found out.
However, Serena blinked and looked at me as if she still couldn't believe it even though she knew what was going on.
She blinked repeatedly for a while, her face stunned.
"Your Highness?" <Julius>
I held my hand out in front of her and called her, and she finally said it in a shaky voice.
"Master Julius...no, I did think that you looked like the figure I always imagined, but...why are you here, Lord of Aquitania…? And more so in disguise? I can't believe it!" <Queen Serena>
"The vassals' work was so important that I came myself, besides there were rumours i needed to confirm for myself, is there a problem?" <Julius>
"What should I do...! What am I supposed to do...!" <Queen Serena>
She began to get flustered, choking on her words.
"Your Highness, I suggest you calm down and talk...Take a deep breath." <Julius>
Having just lost her father, and possibly her country ontop of meeting her Hero and Idol, it was just to much for the poor young woman.
I grabbed her arm, which was trembling badly.
Then Serena nodded vigorously and did as she was told and inhaled.
"Huh...but this is impossible...!" <Queen Serena>
"And by impossible, you mean...you met the hero of your dream story and he wasn't what you imagined?" <Julius>
"No, of course not! It's exactly as I imagined. My father would be pleased. My father also enjoyed the story of Aquitania a lot. He was the first person to tell me about it..." <Queen Serena>
Serena, who had been speaking while thinking about her father, suddenly stopped talking.
She saw the tombstone again, and the fact that her father was no longer there must have crossed her mind.
Fortunately, this meant that she had accepted her father's death and was coming to her senses.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone