Chapter 15.13

“Why are they looking at the roof… Aaaah!”  

The carriage shook violently once more. This time, the roof began to tear away at the edges with a sickening screech, causing the Duke to recoil in fear. In contrast, a glimmer of hope appeared on Livie’s face.  

“Boris.”  

There was no doubt in her mind—it was Boris.  

Outside, the screams of those who had seen the figure atop the Duke’s carriage continued to echo.  

The figure perched on the roof was a monster with the body of a man and large, black wings.  

Boris, crouched low on the roof, ignored the chaos around him as he began tearing away at the carriage’s roof with his bare hands.  

“That… that thing.”  

The Duke’s carriage was reinforced with steel, designed to withstand most external attacks. From a distance, it resembled a moving fortress.  

Yet, it was being dismantled piece by piece by the monstrous strength of the figure on the roof.  

The knights and soldiers, though armed, were paralyzed with fear at the sight of the winged man tearing apart the supposedly indestructible carriage.  

Creak.  

The thick, steel-plated roof began to crumple like paper under Boris’s hands.  

“Boris!” 

Through the widening gap, Livie’s eyes met Boris’s. She cried out his name in a voice filled with joy.  

Livie thrashed about like a fish struggling on dry land. The pain from being trampled by the Duke was unbearable, but her senses were returning.  

“What are you doing? Shoot him! Knock him down!”  

The Duke’s frantic orders prompted the knights to release their arrows.  

Whizz.  

Arrows flew through the air, and Boris briefly retreated from the roof.  

“This monster!”  

The Duke hastily shut the window shutters.  

“Move! Make the carriage go so fast he can’t land!”  

At the Duke’s command, the halted carriage lurched forward at full speed. Livie was thrown to the floor, hitting her head against the seat.  

“Faster, faster!”  

The Duke gripped the handles tightly to steady himself as he screamed at the coachman. Then, it happened again.  

Bang!  

A louder crash than before echoed as something landed on the roof.  

Both Livie and the Duke looked up simultaneously.  

“Eek.”  

The Duke recoiled in horror as Boris’s face appeared through the gap in the roof. His eyes, wild and fierce, locked onto Livie.  

“Boris…”  

Her voice trembled as she called out his name, her body crumpled on the floor.  

Seeing her in such a state, Boris’s eyes burned with a dangerous light.  

Creak.  

The steel plates securing the roof began to tear away as Boris shook the carriage with all his might.  

Bang. Bang.  

Boris spread his wings and leaped into the air before landing heavily on the carriage again, shaking it violently.  

“Boris, it’s dangerous!”  

Livie screamed at the top of her lungs. Through the gap in the roof, she could see arrows flying past Boris. Some had already embedded themselves in his wings, but he didn’t flinch. He focused solely on tearing apart the carriage.  

“This monster won’t budge!”  

The knights cursed as they continued their barrage of arrows. Despite being riddled with arrows, Boris clung to the carriage with unyielding determination.  

Creak.  

Finally, the thick steel roof gave way under his relentless *ssault.  

“Ahhhh!”  

The Duke screamed in terror as the roof was torn off completely.  

Clang.  

The steel roof crashed to the ground with a deafening sound, scattering the knights escorting the carriage. Those who couldn’t dodge in time were crushed under the weight of the debris.  

“Boris!”  

Livie, summoning all her remaining strength, reached out to him. Boris jumped into the carriage and scooped her into his arms.  

“Boris, Boris…”  

Livie clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably. Boris patted her back to comfort her before glaring at the Duke. Spreading his wings, he took off into the sky with Livie in his arms.  

As they soared higher, Livie finally let out a sigh of relief.  

“Hold on tight.”  

Boris smiled at her. Livie nodded quickly but froze when she noticed something sticking out from his wings.  

“Boris… Are you okay?”  

Her voice trembled as she saw the numerous arrows lodged in his wings.  

“Do I look like a porcupine?”  

Boris joked with a grin, but Livie burst into tears.  

“Can you even fly like this?”  

Blood continued to drip from the wounds on his wings, staining the black feathers.  

“I’ll be fine.”  

Boris pointed ahead with a smile.  

“…!”  

Livie gasped as she saw a massive flock of crows darkening the sky in the distance.  

The crows descended upon the Duke’s knights like a storm.  

“Ack!”  

“What is this!”  

The crows attacked with precision, targeting the knights’ eyes through the gaps in their helmets.  

“Ahhh! My eyes!”  

The knights swung their swords desperately, but the crows evaded their attacks and continued their relentless *ssault.  

No matter how skilled the knights were, they couldn’t fend off the sheer number of crows attacking them.  

Livie gazed down at the ground, now shrouded in darkness, and found herself at a loss for words.  

“Get away! Get away from me!”  

The Duke of Resette flailed his arms wildly, trying to fend off the crows that came at him. The crows, perched on the carriage roof as if waiting for their prey, spread their wings just as they were about to strike.  

Boom!  

A cannonball was fired, crashing to the ground. Startled by the blast, the crows scattered into the air.  

“Boris… look over there.”  

Livie pointed with a trembling hand. In the distance, she saw knights and soldiers bearing the kingdom’s banner charging toward them.  

“The King… the King must have sent them, right?”  

“Hold on tight.”  

Boris didn’t respond further, instead flapping his wings powerfully to gain altitude. However, it wasn’t easy to fly as before—not with dozens of arrows embedded in his wings and body. Livie, sensing his slowed speed, clung to him even tighter.  

Thud.  

The ominous sound froze Boris’s expression. Slowly, Livie turned her head to see a harpoon piercing through his large wing.  

“Boris… Boris…”  

As she looked down, she saw the kingdom’s soldiers readying a second harpoon.  

“Stop it! Don’t do this!”  

Livie screamed, her eyes darting to Boris. Despite the harpoon lodged in his wing, he clung tightly to her, refusing to let go.  

The harpoon, swaying dangerously as it pierced through his wing, caught her eye. Boris reached down, gripping the base of the harpoon, and yanked it out in one swift motion.  

The wound left by the harpoon gaped open, blood dripping and scattering into the air. Livie stared at the sight, dazed.  

It was a wonder he could stay airborne in such a state. Livie knew he was pushing beyond his limits. She was nothing more than a burden to him now.  

“Boris, let me go.”  

“…”  

Boris looked at her, disbelief written all over his face.  

“Let me go.”  

His wings, now unbearably heavy, struggled to maintain altitude. They were descending, making them an easy target.  

Below, the battle between the crows and the knights raged on. The knights surrounding the Duke of Resette swung their swords wildly to protect him. The Duke, already small in stature, crouched even further to shield himself.  

The kingdom’s soldiers were the real problem. Armed and advancing swiftly, they began deploying long-range weapons brought from the castle to attack.  

Whizz.  

Boris dodged the incoming cannonballs and harpoons one by one, but each dodge drained more of his strength. Holding Livie in his arms made it impossible to counterattack.  

“Let me go, please? Run away quickly. They’re after you. I’ll find a way to survive, but you…”  

Livie pleaded in a sorrowful voice. Boris, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard her, flapping his wings once more. But his altitude barely increased, making it difficult to escape the range of the trebuchets targeting him.  

“Boris…”  

Livie begged again, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t bear to watch him bleed any longer. It would be better for her to be captured and for Boris to escape to safety.  

“They’ll kill you. I don’t want to be a burden. Just let me go, and…”  

“You want me to let you go?”  

“…”  

Boris’s piercing gaze bore into her. His violet eyes, which she had always found beautiful, now glowed with a dangerous red hue.  

Below, the ground was a scene of chaos, drenched in the blood of crows and knights alike.  

“I can’t do that, Livie.”  

Clenching his jaw, Boris pushed himself to fly higher. What would have been an effortless flight before now seemed like an insurmountable struggle. His wingbeats grew slower and heavier.  

Thud.  

Another harpoon struck, piercing the center of Boris’s wing. His body wavered violently. When he reached out to remove the harpoon, the rope attached to it began to tighten.  

“No!”  

Like a fish caught on a line, Boris was pulled downward.  

Creak.  

“Boris, stop!”  

As Boris struggled to stay aloft, the harpoon tore further into his wing, making a sickening sound.  

Thud.  

Another harpoon struck his remaining wing. Boris’s body shook violently, but he tightened his grip on Livie, holding her securely.  

“Boris, let me go!”  

Livie cried out, her voice breaking. Boris’s body, heavy and sinking, made one last attempt to ascend.  

Thud.  

A third harpoon struck, sealing his fate.