Chapter 5 – Part 4

Evan commanded the 20,000 troops spread around him as they neared the Vorenia region.

A place where he had previously achieved a hollow victory.

A battle that was said to have been won, but only one man survived.

It was said that the area had been heavily mined.

And it would be retaken only two months later.

But the enemy never took the wasteland.

Evan looked around and felt somewhat relieved. There seemed to be no immediate issue.

In truth, he had argued several times that the strategy for this battle needed to be revised, but the higher-ups dismissed his concerns, insisting on securing the granary area beyond.

It was a reckless tactic, as even without any other sources of information, it was clear to the enemy that the Terran Empire was thirsty for this land.

“…It looks decent for a place called the Dead Land.”

A soldier next to him asked, hearing his whisper.

“What do you mean, dead land?”

“It’s exactly as it sounds. The minerals found here make it hard to enter because of the mines. We want the granary area beyond this.”

The soldier nodded, remembering the area from the map.

Unlike his usual composed demeanor, the commander had a hardened expression.

For a brief moment, the soldier felt uneasy, but then he smiled as he realized how many soldiers were following behind him.

If they fought with such a large army, victory would be a given.

They marched on for a while.

Evan frowned at the strangely silent enemy forces.

The actual terrain of the Vorenia region was much different than the maps he’d received from the alert soldiers who’d surveyed it beforehand.

It was at this moment that he realized they had gone deeper than planned.

A bang.

An enemy attack came from inside the valley, followed by a flurry of explosions, and a single bomb landed near the allies.

‘They knew.’

Unprepared as they were, the best thing they could do was to avoid such a blindsided surprise right now.

However, the chaos among the soldiers trying to flee turned the situation into a complete mess.

Around him, soldiers lay in pieces, barely recognizable due to the bombing.

The soldiers grabbed their guns and tried to fight back as best they could, but to no avail.

The unexpected turn of events was driving them into panic.

If they held their ground, they wouldn’t be able to defeat the heavily armed enemy.

D*mn it, the wise choice now was to survive and retreat.

“Retreat!”

At Evan’s words, a soldier quickly waved a white flag, and Terran’s men began to flee from the bombardment.

The enemy soldiers saw the white flag and took the fleeing soldiers prisoner.

Again and again, the cries of allies echoed through the air as they looked back, only to see their comrades captured or killed.

“Get the commander, but don’t kill him!”

All he could see now was a disorganized pushing and shoving.

Evan fired at the pursuing enemy, clearing a path.

“Go, go, go.”

“Commander!”

Evan calmly fired, one shot, then another. Until he could take no more.

At this moment, Evan remembered Anne’s shy smile.

Anne Riley. She was so strong. Her actions to take responsibility until the end were admirable.

He was grateful that she, despite their status differences, had courageously loved him.

If he were to die and meet her in the next life, he hoped she would be born into a noble status.

He wished she would be born as a woman who knew nothing of the world’s cruelty.

BANG!

As Evan dodged the bullets aimed at him and ran blindly, he saw someone who should never be there standing on the cliff.

Evan sucked in a sharp breath.

A series of gunshots rang out. A familiar voice rang in his ears.

“Evan, come up here.”

Evan’s heart sank.

A surge of maddening fear washed over him.

She shouldn’t be in this dangerous place.

How in the world had she gotten here when the valley was filled with soldiers?

Evan’s blood ran cold as he realized how many times she must have nearly died to get here.

“Anne, throw the rope.”

Evan leapt to his feet and grabbed a hold of the gap in the high cliff.

The rope came down in a flash, and he quickly climbed up, all the while the gunfire continued.

The good news was that most of the enemy hadn’t made it this far up the cliff.

Barely making it to the top, Evan embraced her and whispered.

“Are you crazy?”

A quick glance showed that she had fallen many times on this rugged mountain path.

His hand stroking her cheek, he quickly grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her onto the horse.

Evan mounted behind her, quickly guiding the horse along the path beside the cliff, trying to escape the area.

Looking down, he saw the horrific scene unfolding below.

Leaving them behind, Evan Davis gritted his teeth and tugged on the reins.

‘If we linger, we die.”

After some distance, Anne’s sobbing voice was heard.

“I thought you are going to die.”

“What brings you here? And all alone?”

“Well, the infirmary is the place where rumors travel fastest, and they said you were about to die.”

“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now.”

Evan leaned Anne’s head against his chest, and she replied with a small smile.

“I’m not joking either. When I first heard the rumor, I just thought I had to get to you….”

“You know that’s a suicidal act, right?”

At Evan’s reprimand, Anne awkwardly smiled, recalling how she had already accepted the possibility of her death.

She didn’t know when it started. The time when she wanted him to live even if it meant sacrificing her life.

“Johannes, His Highness the Crown Prince’s aide…you know him right?”

“…I do.”

“I saw him exchanging Imperial information with someone who appears to be an enemy.”

Evan’s expression hardened at those words.

Despite rooting out many spies, there were still many traitors within the Terran Empire.

“Suddenly, my suspicion that you might die has turned to certainty.”

“Anne. If you go back, you’re going to be punished, money and all.”

At Evan’s words, Anne let out a clear laugh.

“Oh, you’ll never do that, I saved your life.”

Even so, Anne kept looking back with regret.

‘If only I had more time….’

Anne thought of the injured people she had to turn away to save Evan.

It was unavoidable, but the regret of not being able to help them would stay with her forever.

“So, Anne.”

Bang.

As if on cue, a sudden bullet struck the horse’s armor. Startled, the horse froze in place and threw its front hooves up high.

“Hold on!”

Evan quickly steadied the horse.

BANG!

Anne sucked in a breath as the shot rang out.

Anne blinked slowly. The chaotic scene of mixed enemies and allies passed slowly before her eyes.

The horses continued to follow Evan’s lead.

Focusing frantically on gathering the horses, Evan noticed the dampness in his hand and asked, unsure of himself.

“Anne?”

“…….”

Her faint response was barely noticeable. Her trembling body was fully felt against Evan’s chest.

“Anne, answer me. This isn’t what I think, right?”

“…….”

Evan was known to Anne as an incredibly smart and resolute man.

For the first time since meeting him, she heard his voice tremble.

Listening to the anxiety in his voice, she knew he wouldn’t abandon her at any moment. But,

‘I’m still just a burden to him, even now.’

The metallic scent of blood wafted strongly from her side, where it was seeping out.

Realizing she didn’t have much time left to feel his precious warmth, she opened her mouth to speak.

“Evan.”

“Anne, don’t talk. I’ll take you to a nearby village for treatment. Just don’t close your eyes and hold on, okay?”

“They’ll surely catch up from behind.”

“Stop talking.”

Evan’s voice was desperate, but Anne never looked back at him.

“I want you to forget about the unfortunate death you left behind, because I’ll carry all those feelings with me….”

“Stop talking. I might get angry if you say more.”

“I loved you. Please, just keep going without looking back.”

With those final words, Anne leaned away from Evan and relaxed her body.

Evan, knowing she had been shot, was pushing the horse to its limit, pulling the reins harder.

She fell from the rapidly galloping horse.

“No!”

With a loud crash, she plummeted down the cliff. Evan screamed in anguish.

She didn’t dare look back.

Hot tears continued to fall from the corners of his unfocused eyes. He could still feel her warmth all over him.

Why?

This couldn’t be happening.

He had no idea how to save her. Unable to believe this situation, he kept riding until he reached Dehart Castle.

“I loved you. Please, just keep going without looking back.”

The last words she spoke sent him running forward.

‘Am I now admitting that she’s dead?’

A hollow feeling consumed Evan.

Then, suddenly, reality sank in.