Chapter 2 – It’s A Mistake, Captain! (Part 2)

It had been a year since she got engaged to Galverd. She had planned to use this opportunity to get closer to him, with whom she still felt awkward.

‘But that terrible man ruined everything.’

She didn’t even get to wear the special underwear prepared by her cousin and friend, Livri.

‘Petty boss. Evil boss. From now on, that man is an evil boss.’

She sighed deeply and glared at the captain. That was when she noticed Alhendore’s finger.

A ring with a blue gem on an ordinary silver band was sparkling brightly. The gem had particles of light swirling inside, making it look quite mystical.

‘What, is the Captain in a relationship?’

No way, usually such a ring is worn on the ring finger, isn’t it?

‘Maybe he’s wearing it on his index finger to hide it.’

As these thoughts crossed her mind, she pouted her lips in annoyance. While he was dating, he was getting in the way of other people’s relationships.

Seriously, he was one twisted person.

“Form ranks.”

While she was lost in various thoughts, the procession of the knights had reached the entrance of a massive portal situated on the outskirts of the capital.

Lena couldn’t help but be awed by the grandeur of the magic she was seeing for the first time.

A gigantic circular frame that looked about three stories high. At the highest point of the frame, a magic stone was ornamented. When the mage of the tower chanted a spell, the magic stone at the top began to react.

The dark purple particles inside the gem pulsated strongly. At the same time,

Woooong–.

A purple vortex swirled within the gigantic circular frame. Without even a moment to marvel at it, Alhendore glanced at the knights.

“Everyone, enter the gate.”

The Crown Prince’s Red Knight Order entered the portal in unison.

***

“We will assist the border guards in defending the wall.”

Lena began a simple briefing, fitting for a strategist. Soon, the subjugation squad, having joined the guards, embarked on a full-scale monster hunt.

The border area was already in the midst of a war.

The border guard and the horde of ‘Gnoll’ were entangled and rolling around below the walls. These creatures, with the heads of hyenas, had advanced right up to the wall armed with weapons.

It felt more like a territorial battle between different races than a simple monster subjugation.

Lena mainly commanded the rear support unit from the highest point of the fortress wall. 

The expeditionary force led by Captain Alhendore engaged in direct combat with the monsters alongside the border guard.

“Wow…”

Looking down below the fortress wall, Lena unintentionally let out an exclamation.

That’s what a knight commander should be like.

Every time Alhendore swung his sword, the heads of the monsters fell off cleanly as if slicing through tofu.

‘The others, too…’

Aran, lifting a shield as big as his own torso, and Hyde, supporting the front lines from the rear, were all fighting fiercely with their respective missions.

“I must do my best too.”

Even though she had been forcibly brought along, she was participating as a strategist. Lena’s eyes gleamed with determination. She set aside her personal feelings and raised her voice high.

“Artillery unit, prepare to fire magic shells…!”

Rattle-.

The heavy cannons opened their mouths towards the sky.

3

Sizzle-.

As the fire lit the fuse, sparks slowly crept into the cannon, consuming the line.

2

Clunk-.

The lock mechanism released. Everyone braced for the barrage, awaiting her signal.

1

“Artillery unit, fire the magic shells!”

To combat the monsters, special shells made by the Magic Tower flew in a parabolic arc.

Boom, Rumble!!

The sound of cannon fire pierced the air, and the aftermath of the bombardment created a dense cloud of dust below the fortress wall.

The ‘Gnolls’ attacking from the rear with bows were swept away by the shells.

Being somewhat intelligent, some quickly broke out of the rear formation and retreated.

The shells were not only intended to hit the rear of the monsters but also played an excellent role in disrupting their formation. 

Taking advantage of the broken formation, Alhendore’s expeditionary force pushed further in. 

At the very rear, beyond the reach of the shells and behind the ‘Gnolls’ wielding bows, was their leader. 

To cut off the head of the leader, who was safely observing the battle, the expeditionary force spurred their horses onward.

As the expeditionary force pushed into the middle of the ‘Gnolls’ horde, the monsters began to gather again to surround them.

To hinder their movements, Lena signaled for another round of magic shells.

“Prepare to fire magic shells, fire-!”

Boom, rumble, rumble, rumble–!!

The thick dust clouds now rose up to the top of the fortress wall. That was the real issue with these magic shells. She squeezed her eyes shut and coughed as the acrid chemical scent and flying sand particles hit her.

“Cough, cough! Ugh… is it done?”

It was then. Amidst the dust cloud filling her vision, something like a flash of light struck down. 

It happened so quickly that her mind went blank. It felt like reality was moving in slow motion, disconnected from the present.

“Huh?”

Why was it that Captain Alhendore’s words echoed in her mind at that moment? As if foretelling what was about to happen.

“Do you know why combat is dangerous? Because unpredictable situations can occur at any time.”

She hadn’t even considered the possibility.

She neither laughed off the concern as excessive nor took it deeply to heart. It was because she believed there was no way a monster could break through the frontlines guarded by Alhendore and reach the rear where she was.

“Uh-uh?”

In an instant, her body was lifted into the air. Before she could grasp what was happening, something grabbed Lena by the waist and took off. She twisted her head to look at what was holding her.

“Wyvern…?”

She was so stunned that she couldn’t even scream.

‘Why?’

Why on earth was a mid-level creature like this here?

The voice of a man, now just a tiny dot below her at the wall, snapped her out of her daze.

– Lena!!!

Even from this breath-stealing height, she could clearly see the anguish in his eyes.

‘How much have you seen me to have such…’

Such pained eyes?

His gaze was so heart-wrenchingly intense that it made her own chest ache. The captain, who seemed unshakeable even in the face of his own death, was breaking down because of her.

What exactly was I to him?

Unable to find an answer, the question lingered before finally being buried.

***

Swish-.

After landing in the nest, Lena wiped the blood off the dagger she held.

“Captain…”

What would have happened to me if he hadn’t given me this dagger just in case?

Thinking of Alhendore, Lena looked at the Lengester emblem.

“But this isn’t a magic stone, right?”

Why did I suddenly think of the purple magic stone I saw at the gate?

The blue orb held by the eagle, the symbol of Lengester, also contained particles of light like the magic stone at the gate. The particles were blue to match the jewel.

‘Hmm. Nah, no way.’

Magic tools were incredibly expensive.

Usually, a magic stone combined with a magical formula embedded in an object was called a magic tool.

The price varied greatly depending on the circle of the wizard who embedded the magic, but even a moving toy could cost thousands.

Lena shook her head, confident that she wouldn’t have been entrusted with such an expensive item. More importantly, whether it was a magic tool or not wasn’t the issue right now.

The problem was that ‘Lena’ had fallen here. A newly joined strategist with no military value. From an insignificant baron family in terms of power. And a girl, at that.

“Wow, I’m really screwed, huh?”

Lena sheathed her dagger at her waist and looked around.

“Will the rescue team… come?”

The wyvern’s nest is located at the center of the cliff. She, who had fallen in the middle of it, held her head.

How on earth could I escape from here?

No matter how much she thought about it, she had no answer. It seemed she had flown too deep into the monster’s territory.

“They won’t come to rescue me, will they?”

Lena laughed incredulously and looked down the cliff.

Should I climb up or go down? 

In a situation where she had to carve her own path to escape, she pondered hard.

Should I step on the uneven parts of the cliff and carefully climb down?

‘It would probably take less effort to go down than to go up, right?’