Chapter 73 – Destruction, Coming (3)

The most important terrain on the northern front was by far the Ravier Mountains and the canal that ran through the Greenwood Forest.
The water supplied from the sources of the Seine River and Lake Senrir was originally used as daily water for residents and soldiers.
But not now. The birth of canals goes back a little bit.

As the war accelerated, small rumors circulated among the high-ranking nobles and the knights who had set foot in Helzeb and disrupted the enemy lines.
It is said that a deadly force broke through the front lines to kill the Demon King.

When it became known that Terra Ernisten and Hublett Barenkov had actually been selected, people’s anxiety soon turned into hope.
Everyone thought the war would end now.

A long time passed after that. There was no news from the death squad, and people were gradually becoming exhausted.
The invasion of demons became more intense. Fenheim gathered all of the kingdom’s remaining resources into the Ravier Mountains. People who had nowhere to go also gathered in the north.

The birth of the 108 Federation. And all-out war.
The war soon entered its countdown. But it was simply a matter of when the mountain range’s defenses would be breached.
Two of the archdukes lost their lives, and the remaining one had difficulty moving. The Holy Light Knights, once the greatest force of the Holy Kingdom, were reborn as the Army of Death at the hands of the extremely evil Izareth, one of the four worst forces.

There seemed to be no hope anymore as each day piled up corpses, corpses, corpses on top of each other.
On the day that half of the flags flying on the castle walls fell, a huge downpour fell across the continent.

“This is the canal. There is no specific name! “As you can see, it’s not just a stream of water!”

Paris raised his voice at the sound of water so close that it seemed to split his eardrums. The magic that completely changed the northern terrain, wiping out half of the Greenwood Forest and flowing into the Demon World, 〈 Grand Canal 〉.
Even though it wasn’t raining like it used to, the torrent didn’t seem to stop. The worst thing was that the attempt to build an embankment itself was meaningless.

“We can’t stop this waterway, but they can’t stop it either! Thanks to this, the offensive has become much weaker recently.”

Some people who were blind to magic rejoiced, saying it was a miracle from God or that it was help from Edanbury.
On the other hand, wizards who could feel the slightest flow of mana were shocked when the heavy rain began to pour down. Because it was absolutely not at a level that could be performed by an ice-snowball who had just discovered his unique magic.

Liv was also dizzy at the high density of magic and mana that unfolded before her eyes. I wanted to understand the magic circle hidden under the river bed or on the surface of the water and its principles.
If the current had been a little calmer, more than one person would have thrown themselves into that canal. Fortunately, no one has had the courage yet.

“Anyway, you can fill up any drinking water you need from around here, so remember that! “If you don’t plan on drifting all the way to Helzeb, don’t get close!”

Following Paris, who retreated, Liv also walked away from the canal, hiding a look of disappointment. But Lewis didn’t know that he would fall from the overflowing water at any moment.

“Lu, Louis… ! “Come here quickly!”

Even when Liv, who was still awkward about calling his name, shouted from afar, he did not turn around.
For a long time, he stood blankly, looking in the direction the stream flowed.
Liv felt a little uneasy at the sight of him seemingly disappearing into the current at any moment.

***

At the front, combat was everyday life and war was life.
The environment changes people. Even though I was a bleak person, I would generously forgive Adela even if she stole a loaf of bread when I was in the canteen, but on the battlefield, the human heart changed to a miserable place.

— Hey, that’s our spot. Go to another camp.
— Didn’t you get your numbers cut in half in the last battle? Then why don’t you make some concessions?
– What!? These bastards… !

There are more people in the forest than trees, so it would be difficult to live comfortably in it. Aren’t these people even more sensitive because they lost their hometown and family?
Doppelgängers and servants of witches may be hiding among the soldiers. The atmosphere of the mountain range was close to that of a battlefield.

However, in such situations, there are people who shine even brighter.

“What’s going on, Gregory?”
“Hey, Paris! Listen! Those guys… !”

Paris Greenwood. No, I’m not a noble yet, so just Paris. This is also my first time seeing him in person.
He was a commoner who used a sword, a bow, and a staff, and was a perfect ordinary person with no outstanding magical talent.
In complete contrast to Liv being called a genius even within the academy.

However, his true value was never in his combativeness.

“Come this way first, don’t fight here. Hedrick! “You too!”
“Paris, I…”
“Just then, good liquor from Azar arrived through the supply chain. “Aren’t you going to drink it?”
“Tsk…”

It was Paris who demonstrated leadership that could encompass all those remaining in Greenwood Forest. As this is also a defense line spanning the Ravier Mountains, the Federation also recognized his ability as the only person who could effectively lead the vigilante group.

A subtle smile spread across Liv’s face as he watched his father being admired by everyone. The color of the painting also became brighter. It was the first time she showed such joy.

“Lou, Louis. Would you like to go and have a meal with us?”

Her battlefield didn’t suit her, but her forest did.

Naturally, while eating with me, Liv asked many questions. Strangely, they didn’t ask about my past, but mostly about things from the future.

“What will you do when the war is over?”
“Me? I don’t have anything in particular in mind…”
“Do you have any money saved?”
“Little bit.”
“Then how about opening a store? Not here. A secluded piece of land like Farencia wouldn’t be that expensive.”

It was obvious that he was trying to lure me in, so I was quite embarrassed even when I gave a cursory response. If all of this is an illusion in the first place, nothing will change the future no matter what you say, so why are you so eager?

“Oh, and you can never forgive kids who steal bread. “You shouldn’t even get close to it.”

Moreover, the North Sea people are all dark and dark on the inside, and they are hot-tempered and will start using magic when they get offended.

“Did you understand what I said?”

I almost got into a fight with mercenaries from Edanbury who happened to be passing by.

***

The nights in the northern mountains were always cold. As the cold dew rolled into the small tent with the wind, Liv, who had been sleeping lightly, opened her eyes.

“Tsk… !”

Liv was only 6 years old when she left her hometown. I don’t remember much anymore, but at least the old Greenwood Forest didn’t have such an unpleasant atmosphere.
Perhaps it was because the embers of war were blowing in the wind. The sky is also dark and dead.

As he put on her outerwear and came out, his eyes fell on Lewis’s tent right next to him. He’s probably asleep by now.
Just as he was about to go to the bathroom with that thought in mind, Liv noticed that there were no shoes in front of the tent.
Suddenly, I had an uneasy feeling.

“Louis?”

No sounds of grasshoppers, just the quiet sound of the wind.

“Yes, boss… ?”

There was no answer. When I very carefully removed the front cloth, it was empty. Liv suddenly remembered Louise standing in front of her canal during the day.

Carrying a small perch that was sparsely anchored to her station, she hurried to where the canal was. As the sound of the wind died down and the sound of the water hitting her ears grew louder, her anxiety also increased.

And finally, she found Lewis looking at the river from the same spot as then.

“Whoa, whoa… ! Ah, Louis!”

Kwagwagwagwagwa—— Even if I shouted, I couldn’t hear properly because of the sound of the water. Liv hurriedly ran to him, not noticing that her crumpled shoes had come off, and desperately grabbed her by the collar.

“Get out of there! “It’s dangerous!”
“Baron Lev?”
“Hurry!!”

Liv, who managed to get him away from the water, breathed a sigh of relief. Then he shouted with some resentment.

“They say if you get caught up in the wrong thing, you’ll end up in the devil world! “Why are you standing here?”
“… “I was just thinking about the past for a moment.”
“Once upon a time?”
“Yes. “Everyone has at least one past they regret.”

Regret… Past?

“Is the Baron not there?”

Liv could not easily respond to Louis’ words. The regret that came to mind as soon as he heard her question was because it was something he couldn’t talk about right now.

“It’s not like it’s not there…”
“What is it?”
“That’s a little hard to tell…”
“If you tell me, Baron, I will tell you my story.”

Lewis’s story. Even though we were together for a long time, he rarely talked about himself.
How did you learn so many ancient languages ​​and runes, and what led you to open a store?
And–

— What does that have to do with you, Baron?

What do you think of me?

“I broke someone else’s really precious item…”

Liv intermittently confessed in front of Louis her mistake of not being able to resolve the issue before coming to magic training.
Once I opened my mouth, my feelings of helplessness and regret toward myself for leaving without even properly apologizing poured out.

“Why did you break it?”

To Louis, who kindly listened to words he did not understand and asked back, Liv spoke softly in a hushed voice.

“It was an accident. “It happened because I couldn’t control my emotions.”
“What feelings?”
“Well, I don’t know. But maybe…”

I think he did it because he liked that person so much that he didn’t want to lose it to anyone.

The sound of the water was so loud that I probably couldn’t hear it.
A small shadow swaying in the flames fluttering here and there. Liv secretly raised her gaze from there.

“Do not worry.”

Lewis, standing with his back to the canal, was somehow smiling a very gentle smile.

“Maybe he understood.”

With that one word, I felt like the burden on my heart was melting away.

“It’s cold, so put this on.”

My heart pounded at the kindness of Lewis from the past before my eyes.

‘No, I can’t…’

Is this also a betrayal of her Lewis? A strange feeling of guilt. However, Liv fell one step further into the sweet fantasy that appeared before her eyes.

Oh, that’s right.

“So what was the reason you were here?”
“Yes? Oh, that’s…”

Ding ding ding ding ding——!!!

A loud sound echoed from the watchtower at the top of the mountain. At the same time, Liv’s body was pulled by Louis’ hand.

“Kyaaa!? Now, wait… !”

Just as she was startled by Lewis’s hand around her waist, the torch in her hand snapped! It flew through the air making a sound.
The fire that went down the canal was quickly extinguished. The chilling air soon spreads.

— It’s an enemy attack! To the archer’s position!!
— They are demons!!
— Light it up!

“You’re here.”

Lewis’ muttering was heard in the pitch-black darkness.

“Baron.”
“Yes?”
“Majang, did you bring it?”
“Ah… !”

Liv realized too late that she had made a mistake. This was a battlefield, a front line where lives were at stake.

“No matter where you go from now on, never let it separate from your body.”

The harsh reprimand made me unconsciously shrug my shoulders. Maybe it was because the hand around her waist was nervous and started to press a little more inward.

“It ended up like this… “There will be a lot to learn.”

It was a strangely familiar hand movement, but perhaps it was just my mood, right?