章節 11: Chapter 11 - Backstage
[Sometimes closed eyes see better than others.]
Rein awakens on a very comfortable bed with gorgeous fabrics and curtains. He half-consciously stares at the canopy above him. 'So, this is death.' he thought to himself.
Feeling thirsty, he saw a silver goblet that sits on a table next to him. He was about to fetch it until he suddenly experienced torturous pain all over his body as if all of his nerves were being forcefully pulled until they are torn apart. Sweat pours down his body like a waterfall and all of his muscles are throbbing.
It was at this moment, Rein realized that he hasn't died yet. He finally understands that there is a price for every power and that right now he must fulfill his part of the deal, enduring the pain resulted as the after-effect of the celestial art.
" Ah, you finally awake. "
A short old man with a bushy face and stout stature appeared in the corner of his eye. As a man of manner, Rein tries his best to sit. But the greybeard pushed him down, implying on him to lie down instead.
" M... My men... "
" Yes, your men brought you here. "
Rein turn the other cheek, ashamed and saddened. He lost so much, yet it was to no result. To think that he had confidently bragged about himself before the king. Now here he is, lying on the bed, successfully failed at his task.
" I know what you are thinking, lord commander. but nope, all that you and your friends have sacrificed were not in vain. "
Unfortunately, such words had never succeeded in comforting someone like him. He gritted his teeth and squeezed the bedsheets, regretting his incompetence. He loathes himself in silence. The greybeard could not do anything but feeling empathy for what he has been through.
" Rein! "
Suddenly someone busts the lavish door, breaking inside the room, and rushing towards the side of the bed.
" Rein...! Oh my, praise the god! I thought I will also lose you! Thank god! Thank god! "
" L-Luis... "
It was Luis of the Silver Legion, a member of the assailing party. He was the one whom Rein trusted to be in charge of the first post. One of the few whom Rein regarded as friend alongside Ludwig. Luis had known that Rein would blame himself for the outcome of the mission. Thus, he stayed instead of retreating back to Endel along with the others.
Looking at his friend, Rein feeling glad and sad at the same time. Glad as he knew that Luis still alive, but also sad, thinking about how he cannot save Ludwig back then. Rein smiled a bit before turning sour once again.
" Aaah, there you go again. Always blaming yourself, very predictable. "
Luis fetch the glass and helped Rein to drink it. Rein coughs as his throat aches, spilling the water into his body. Luis feels bad to see Rein in a state like this. 'All these scars and agony... and here I thought you are invincible, Rein' he thought to himself.
After Rein has calmed and able to cope a little with the pain, he finally looks into the eyes of his brother in arms.
" What happened... back then? "
Luis sits on the bed, crossing his feet as if he was in a pub. Looking at how relaxed he is, the greybeard cracks a little laugh instead of being bothered by his manner.
" We fail to slay the dragon. "
Rein looked down, playing with his drinking goblet. He is looking at his reflection on the surface of the water, 'So this is the face of an incompetent loser' he thought. But then he lifts his head, finding Luis smiling at him.
" But we managed to successfully carry out our mission. "
" What...? How? "
" Soon after you passed out, a flare came up from the Orchid outpost, giving a signal for us to retreat. "
" What about the dragon? "
Only remembering it was able to make Luis shivers and trembles. His pupils dilate, widened by fear. After all, he himself still couldn't believe that they can make it out alive. Never in his life had he been overwhelmed by a fear so intense to the point that he could not move nor even breathe.
" Your attack back then... it didn't kill it. But it was able to shatter his horn and wound one of his eyes. "
Rein closes his eyes, once again recalled those fateful seconds. But he has to move on, thus he looks straight at Luis, asking for more explanation.
" Then the dragon releases a blast of energy from within its body afterward. Regaining itself, before coming towards us. No... towards you especially. "
" Why didn't it kill me? "
" ... It said, ' You are the only human who’s able to inflict such lethal wound on me. I would be glad to have a rematch, but it seems that this is it for you. Thus, let me honor you with a painless death. ' "
" That's all the more reason for me to be dead already. "
" 'For us' to be more precise. I was there, you know? Holding on to your half-dead body... but that was until suddenly a burst of light towering like a pillar in the sky. "
" ...Was that a signal? "
" I don't think so. Because the light pillar was colored in gold and uh... black? Also, it seems to be coming straight from Endel. "
Both of them have never heard of such a signal. Yellow light is for first level distress signal, to initiate the kingdom's highest defense protocol. Meanwhile blue and green are sequentially used to react to the second and third level threat. As for red, they are specially used for when the royal family is in danger. So what do this black and gold implies, they wonder?
" Anyway, after that light shows up, the dragon breathes hard, like it was terrifically excited. Thus, it flies away towards the light as if he had forgotten about our existence already. "
" Why in the world... "
" Well, beats me. But thanks to that, we are saved. And here we are now in the royal palace. "
" Royal palace? "
Now that he thought about it. Rein just noticed that this luxurious room is surely pleasant. Just when he feasts his eyes to his surroundings. The greybeard, with his walking stick, also takes a seat on a chair beside the bed.
" My name is Wal."
" Wal? That infamous Doctor Wal? "
" Ahaha you flatter me, young man. "
Doctor Wal is famous for his expertise. His boundless knowledge in medicine and mana treatment makes him a living legend. He is a doctor to both royal families and commoners alike. A man loved by all.
" You have changed a lot since the last time I see you, doc. But why are you here? I thought you were in the dukedom of Trissala? "
" You see eh, I was tasked by the king to preserve your dead body. "
" You what...?! S-Surely you jest! "
" Hahaha of course I am.... not. "
Rein stared at the doctor with a dissatisfied look, though he didn't bear any hard feeling. Because he knew that doctor Wal has always been a weird one. His taste of jokes often itches his patient, though at the end of the day, he is a good person after all.
" Don't look at me like that, lord commander. Seriously, I'm not joking. The king thought that you might not survive, as he knows what kind of person you are. Thus, he summoned me here. "
" Well, I also don't really know his story. But it's true that we decided to bring you here thinking that you won't make it if we were to take you back to Endel, and also there's no guarantee that there's a doctor capable enough to treat you there. "
" Ahaha, they were ready to bathe your corpse and offer their prayer until they found me here. "
Luis tried to clear up the situation by telling Rein that it was logical and make sense to brought him here, as the royal palace is much closer to the Great Valley of Promise than if they had to return to Endel. After he finally understands the situation, Rein properly thanked the doctor.
Rein, even with all of his injuries, wanted to take his belongings before heading out back to Endel as soon as possible. When he was about to get up, he heard footsteps on the other side of the door;
" Oh, Rein! You awake! "
Again, for the second time, the luxurious door busted open.
" Stop busting that expensive door for God's sake! "
But Rein didn't expect of whom he is yelling at. It was a teenage boy, roughly thirty years younger than him. The bright blue eyes and wavy long black hair that's tied back in a single thick curl of a ponytail, along with the elaborate clothes colored in black and navy blue and the Starfall sapphire royal pendant.
It takes no time for Rein to realize that the one who has appeared before him was no other than the heir to the throne of Edessia. The crown prince Edric Eldarius diel Edessias.
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