Episode 123

Lucerne was first driven to war at the age of fourteen. The place he was sent to was the gateway to the Elpirim Mountains.

'If it's the Elpirim Mountains…….'

Elisha heard it too. It was the largest occurrence of monsters in the empire. Now, all the monsters have been sorted out, and it has become a magic stone mine area.

In addition, the Elpirim Mountains were the beginning of Lucerne's heroic story. It was because Lucerne, the boy commander, had organized the place.

“There was a place called the Masterar Mercenary Corps. Like any competent mercenary, it was trusted by nobles. Unfortunately, however, they were caught up in the rebellion of the remnants of the Old Kingdom Alliance. Besides, many of them were from the Old Kingdom. Most of them were falsely accused and purged. At least the survivors, including their bereaved families, were driven to the Elpirim Mountains along with Lucerne. It was Lucerne's place to die. And the people of the Masar mercenary corps were destined to be buried together.”

“…….”

Elisha listened carefully to the story.

“And I heard that it was the Cartier family who sent the mercenaries there.”

There were stories I knew and stories I didn't know. At the time, Lucerne was doomed to die. However, the shadow demon dwelling in his body awakened and saved everyone.

“I heard later that Lucerne was not an ordinary person at the time. That is……. Merha, that damn bastard Lucerne-sama…….”

So when the mercenaries met Lucerne for the first time, what they met was a beast-like child with only one guardian deity.

Among them was a young man named Paian. Pai An was a fairly famous mage at the time, but he was sent there after being misled into the Old Kingdom and the Cartier family.

Paian was also famous as a teacher of royal studies in the Old Kingdom. There were many monarchs in the Old Kingdom Union, so they all wanted to entrust their children to Paian. Such Paian took himself as Lucerne's subordinate and teacher.

Chris was there too. Chris was a knight of the Kingdom Union, so he was a very good swordsman. Elott was 14 years old at the time, a genius wizard similar to Lapis and Lazri now. Elisha felt dizzy in her head.

She said, 'I drove that precious wizard to death.'

There must have been numerous political reasons in between. It was already 20 years ago that the Old Kingdom coalition collapsed. Shortly after Elisha's birth, the kingdom's union fell apart, she was told.

For the next 20 years, the territories from the Old Kingdom Union became prey for neighboring powers. The Lor estate was also rallied to the Cartier family.

It was highly likely that the Mastar mercenaries were those who were mistakenly caught by the Cartier family in the process of plundering the territory. Without doing so, there was no way he would be driven to death along with Lucerne, not anyone else.

“They survived there for three years and cleared the Elphirim Mountains. And after returning to the capital, Lucerne made most of them knights.”

Lazri said calmly.

“And what?”

“Everyone betrayed Lucerne.”

I heard the story and knew it. Jacob's father, Stephen, was alive at the time. He was said to be a wicked and charming trickster who played with people's minds.

“Some people took the lives of their families hostage, and some people bribed them with money. Everyone has abandoned Lucerne. Not only that, but they forced me to cut ties with Lucerne. I don't know what cruel things happened in it. In the end, that's what happened.”

“So he mistrusts people?”

“…… He wants to protect people.”

Lapis said hastily. Then Nora opened her mouth.

“Stevan coaxed them all out and killed them overnight. And he said 'Everything that comes into my hands is mine. You can handle it however you like, and you won't have any complaints.'”

“…….”

“The Cartiers are such people.”

Elisha couldn't say anything. At the time, Lucerne wasn't even a saint. For the first time in his life, he met all human groups, he had his family, he had subordinates, and he had friends.

And he was betrayed by and lost to all those human armies.

“What do they have to do with you?”

Elisha asked calmly.

“…… We are the reason Paian-nim betrayed the general.”

Said Lapis.

“He did it to save us. The general took us in and protected us. Because he's that kind of person…….”

Elisha saw the guilt in Lapis' eyes. Elisha wanted to comfort him.

“What about Nora?”

“I was a distant relative of Chris, a retired knight and mercenary.”

Elisha deserved to know the circumstances.

“There are just things like that in the world. In that case, no one can resist.”

At Elisha's words, Lapis, Lazuli, and Nora fell silent. Elisha took the lily from their hands and set it afloat in the river.

“So you won't do anything wrong.”

But what they needed was Lucerne's forgiveness. Elisha couldn't give it to her instead. So all she could give was her sigh-like tenderness.

*​ *​ *​

“Where have you been?”

When Elisha entered her drawing room, Lucerne was looking at her papers with a nonchalant expression. Elisha sat down next to him.

“I drank tea at a cafe.”

“Elisha. You know I get reports on your day.”

Elisha looked at Lucerne. She was questionable and her heart ached.

'Why on earth did he save me then?'

The day Carola mockingly invited Lucerne to her previous life. Lucerne killed everyone in the building. His anger was now understandable.

Elisha said she was the body she should have died then. She angered the snake and she is probably the only one who escaped the poison.

He even said nonsense about knowing Pian. It was obvious how Lucerne would have taken the situation. Elisha must have been another betrayal of sorts to him. Besides, people get even more upset after being stabbed in the back by an insignificant being.

“I went to Lapis, Lazuli, and Nora and the riverside.”

“…… Know.”

Lucerne nodded his head.

“It's not a snitch. After all, Nora will answer honestly if you ask.”

“That's right too.”

Elisha approached Lucerne. She came close to him.

“By the way, Lapis, who was silent, must have blown all about my past. Do you think this will ease my anger?”

“You said you wouldn't be angry with me.”

“…… Right.”

Elisha looked into Lucerne's eyes. In response to her rare friendliness, her Lucerne looked at Elisha without moving her, only squinting at her.

“Do you sympathize with me?”

“Are you crazy? What am i?”

Is there anything more foolish than a herbivore worrying about a beast? Elisha was straight.

“Yes, it is you.”

Lucerne had a puzzled expression. Silence passed for a few seconds. In the end, Elisha spoke up first.

“…… It's okay?”

“What.”

“Can I buy a mimosa?”

“Are you afraid I'll get hurt because of my empathy?”

Lucerne had the look of a fool. Elisha was embarrassed.

“It's so delicate.”

“Don't be sarcastic. You might hate that kind of ploy.”

Elisha said softly. Lucerne smiled.

“No way. How sexy you are when you have bad thoughts.”

Lucerne harassed her as usual. Elisha only then realized that he was the same as usual. Mac is unlocked. Lucerne winked.

“Come on, Elisha. What are you curious about?”

“…….”

“Are you expecting that to be my weakness?”

“…… Don't set up thorns.”

Lucerne quietly nodded her head. Elisha fiddled with the empty teacup on the table in the drawing room. Suddenly, her mind wandered.

“At this time, Lapis and Lazuli pay attention to me.”

“…… It seemed so.”

Elisha lowered her eyes.

“Now I understand Carola's words. I mean, you're going to be very angry. To provoke people with such a thing, the love letter case is really low.”

Lucerne looked at Elisha's face. And she realized that she was really inconsolable.

“Don't bother trying.”

Lucerne meant to be comfortable. However, Elisha's cheeks blushed slightly.

“I don't know how to speak kindly, and I don't know how to comfort you at times like this.”

Elisha said coldly.

“So if you want tenderness, go to another woman.”

“You say it out of your mind.”

Lucerne thought that Elisha's expression was very cute, so she felt relieved. She really didn't even feel bad in the first place. It was too long ago for annual irritation.

“You look calm now, but why did you look so cold at the royal palace?”

Elisha asked quietly. That question was aimed at a very long time ago. It was a future that had disappeared.

“Jacob and Carola know that is my weakness. It is the property that Stevan passed on to Jacob. Yes this family Even hurting someone is inherited. So I can't stand Jacob talking about it. Same goes for Carol.”

Elisha seemed to have a vague idea of ​​what she meant. Lucerne was silent for a moment, then she spoke as if she were confessing.

“Actually, that's an excuse……. After seeing you tremble, I'm no longer angry. If I don't deal with my feelings, I'll keep making you shrink. That's all.”

Elisha stared at him quietly. Elisha was staring at Lucerne's old wounds.

She once believed that she would have trusted him too. She must have loved someone She had affection, she had friends, and she might have had a real mentor closer than Rosaria. He lost everything in an instant.

“…… I heard that everyone who betrayed you is dead.”

Lucerne nodded in affirmation.

“Was Stevan the ringleader?”

“There are many ringleaders.”

“Who are you?”

“…… Is it confession time again?”

“…… I'll let that happen.”

Lucerne said meekly.

“I was young at the time and believed in many different values. So I tried to convince them Of course it didn't work. You're right. Once a man is pacified, he becomes most cruel towards his former master.”

“…… Did they shut you out at the door?”

“Something like that, and something worse. No one met me anyway.”

“Why did you want to meet them?”

“I fear they will die.”

Lucerne answered briefly. Elisha's hand stopped.

“I knew that the Cartier family would definitely kill them. So I wanted to tell you to find a way to live. But now that I think about it, it didn't mean much.”

“…… I don't think it's meaningless.”

Elisha was silent, then continued her words.

“Were they good?”

Lucerne shook his head.

“Rather than that, I liked the Elpirim Mountains.”

“I heard that the Elpirim Mountains were hell before they were freed from demons.”

“It was at the time.”

Lucerne said calmly.

“There you could talk to other people, learn something, and above all, eat every meal. Besides, even if I got enough sleep at night, no one attacked me. Someone stood guard for me. Even then, I was still growing up, so I woke up every morning feeling pain in my bones. Pian was the first to teach me that those are the growing pains of growing taller.”

Lucerne added quietly.

“So I still fondly remember the growing pains.”