-64-

“The hostages were reportedly killed.”

Roan closed his eyes. But even with them shut, all he could see was the blood-soaked battlefield.

“Can we recover the bodies?”

“…Even if we get them back, it will be hard to identify them…”

“…I see. Let us proceed.”

He felt a surge of inexplicable frustration. It had been a long time since he felt this way. It was reminiscent of the first time he took a life on the battlefield.

Hostages and battle. The answer had been clear from the moment he faced this inevitable choice. Sacrificing the safety of the country for a few lives was madness.

The combined forces of the Misban tribe and the Carlin Kingdom were not as formidable as anticipated. However, had they brought enough troops to confront the Misban tribe alone, they would have suffered greatly. The enemy never expected us to see through their strategy.

‘If not for Delis.’

How did she know? Roan recalled the conversation he had with his advisors.

“Are you saying this was truly the Duchess’s idea?”

“Yes.”

“She must indeed possess great insight!”

Most were impressed, but one man had a different reaction. It was Gale, the head scout.

“Sir.”

“I’m sorry to say this, but… do you know how the Duchess knew?”

Roan’s gaze sharpened. He detected suspicion in Gale’s eyes.

“I don’t. What do you mean?”

“It’s strange that the Duchess, who has no interest in military affairs, could foresee this.”

Gale’s words instantly chilled the room.

“Are you suggesting she might be in contact with the enemy?”

“That’s too much, Gale! Are you saying the Duchess is a spy?”

Captain Christopher jumped to his feet. Gale, equally agitated, stood up as well.

“If not, how could she predict something none of us saw?”

“What? The problem is that you’re making wild accusations based on mere guesses!”

“Guesses? Don’t you find it strange? She used to avoid military discussions, but now she suddenly acts differently.”

The room buzzed with murmurs. Christopher glared at Gale in disbelief.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Enough.”

Roan’s cold voice echoed through the room, quelling the unrest like cold water.

“Sir…”

“Gale. One more word, and you will be court-martialed.”

Accusing the Duchess of being a spy was beyond unacceptable.

Yet, Roan couldn’t entirely dismiss the doubt. Had he not met her, he might have shared Gale’s suspicion.

But she had asked him to trust her. That was all.

She was no longer someone he could doubt.

Roan sat in his chair without changing his clothes. He had deliberately avoided thinking about Delis since he left for the front. Once he started, he couldn’t stop. Especially on days like this, when he felt suffocated.

‘Is she doing well without me? What is she doing? Has she forgotten me? Here I am, struggling not to think of her.’

He wanted to hear her voice, but that was impossible. They couldn’t even use messenger pigeons. The enemy might detect their magic.

He longed for this wretched war to end so he could return.

Then he realized something. He had never once wished to return from the battlefield.

He always wanted to die there. That’s why he never refused any battle. But it was all in vain. His stubborn life never ended.

Now, he was grateful for that.

The last image of her was her crying face. He felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Was this longing?

He couldn’t deny it. It was exactly as David had said.

He just didn’t want to admit it. There was only one reason he no longer wished to die on the battlefield.

At that moment, he noticed something on the table he hadn’t seen before.

“From Delis.”

His blue eyes widened in surprise at the inscription on the stone. It was a communication stone.

How? How did she manage to send it here? As he pondered, he realized the magic emanating from the stone felt familiar.

“…….”

He had forgotten. Her master was the one who sent it. But his relief outweighed his displeasure. Without hesitation, he activated the stone.

***

After Jafflin returned with Jude, we immediately took Jude to a doctor.

Jude’s condition was worse than expected. His body was covered in bruises and wounds hidden under his clothes. He looked much thinner with his clothes off, almost like skin stretched over bones. How he managed to stand and speak all this time was a mystery.

“Who could have done this?”

Even the doctor, who exuded a sense of cool detachment behind his monocle, frowned at the horrific sight.

The calmest person present was Jude himself. Throughout the examination and emergency treatment, Jude remained expressionless.

Perhaps those who have suffered many wounds all look the same. To me, that expression felt oddly familiar.

After the examination, the doctor explained Jude’s condition with a serious face.

“This wasn’t just a one-time event. The violence was recurrent and severe, judging by the depth of the wounds. We should also consider psychological issues. The trauma could be significant.”

“What should we do for him going forward?”

“Fortunately, there’s no nerve damage, and with continuous treatment, his body can recover. However, the psychological aspect is as important as the physical. You need to watch over him closely for a long time.”

Back at the inn, I asked Jafflin for a moment to speak with Jude alone. We went into my room.

Jude had been silent since the treatment. While he seemed naturally quiet, his complete silence was worrying.

“Jude.”

“…….”

“Jude.”

“Why do you keep calling me?”

Jude answered curtly. Despite his rudeness, his voice wasn’t weak, which was somewhat reassuring.

“I just wanted to call you.”

“…….”

At my words, Jude looked as if he had just eaten something rotten.

I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. Jude’s expression became even more sour.

“Jude.”

“Why are you calling me? Are you just calling for no reason again?”

Jude replied irritably. His rebellious tone, reminiscent of early adolescence, prompted me to respond calmly.

“No, it’s about the place you were.”

As soon as I mentioned it, Jude’s expression visibly hardened.

It was clear he had many bad memories.

“Can you tell me what happened there?”

“…….”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

After a few seconds of silence, Jude’s dry lips moved slightly.

“…You already know. You saw my body earlier.”

“That fat… I mean, the man who hit your head?”

“Yeah.”

Jude answered calmly. It was indeed that fat man. I regretted not hitting him back when he struck Jude. And I couldn’t help but wonder.

How could a child be like this?

I looked into Jude’s eyes, which were beautiful but empty. Had those golden eyes ever shone brightly?

He might seem indifferent while talking about his abuse, but he surely hadn’t been this stoic from the start. How long had he endured to become so numb?

I felt a stinging sensation in my nose, and a sniffle escaped.

“…It must have hurt a lot, didn’t it?”

Jude’s eyes wavered slightly for the first time. Then he asked in a breaking voice,

“…Are you pitying me?”

It sounded as if he were both pleading for and rejecting it. I decided to be honest.

“…Yes. I feel sorry for you.”

Jude blinked rapidly, visibly shaken.

“Even though you can be really annoying sometimes.”

He looked like he was about to retort arrogantly, but when he saw my teary eyes, he clamped his mouth shut, looking flustered.

I gazed at Jude’s thin wrist and gently held it. He flinched at my touch but, surprisingly, didn’t pull away.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories