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Chapter 247: ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ (4)

Ferzen, who was taken aback for the first time since Lizzy had found out about his obsessive-compulsive disorder, had no idea what decision to make right now.

Even though he had waged psychological warfare using the goods he possessed as the pieces, he never gave anyone a hint about his unique ability that would only be activated when he faced death.

Crack-!!

“Keub!”

When Gremory momentarily raised her knee and slammed it down to break his jaw to prevent him from biting his tongue, Ferzen realized that she was 100% sure about his unique ability.

No, even if her conjecture was not exactly correct.

It was probably very close to hitting the mark.

“Ugh……!”

Furthermore, as Gremory gradually crushed his diaphragm by putting pressure on her legs which were pressing down on his arms to make it difficult for him to breathe, Ferzen easily realized that she was aiming to make him faint.

……What should I do, he wondered.

In fact, even if Gremory didn’t break his jaw, Ferzen wouldn\'t have done something disgraceful like biting his own tongue.

Facing deadly situations and dying.

Both of them had something in common; satisfying the trigger condition of his unique ability. But at the same time, there were clear differences between the two.

Didn\'t he already prove that by sacrificing himself in order to save Princess Elizabeth back in the Roverium Kingdom?

In the case of his dying, there was a very high probability that what would be summoned was a monster with the ability to heal and repair body defects as well as wounds.

The valuable number of uses of his unique ability, which only had two uses remaining, should not be used to summon a monster that was not specialized in combat.

"Keu…… ! Cough……!”

Because of that, Ferzen used all of his recovered magic power, which was not a lot, to raise a corpse lying nearby.

However, since it was only the corpse of an ordinary soldier and was highly damaged on top of that, it was simply impossible for it to defy Gremory who was pressing down on him.

Crack-!!

“Keuk!”

The sound of his ribs breaking rang clearly in his ears.

The buzzing sound that assaulted his ears that followed hinted that he would soon lose his mind. Unfortunately for him, there was absolutely no resistance that a warlock like him, who had suffered from magic exhaustion and had consumed all of his goods, could put up against an Auror knight who had reached the peak.

If he could do that in the first place, it would be an insult to the natural order of this world.

“Count–!”

But if he couldn\'t get the results he wanted alone, shouldn’t he enlist the help of others?

That is precisely the reason why humans build ties, form relationships, and live within the boundaries of society.

Neeeiiighh-!!

Holding the reins to their horse tightly, Prince Raymond and his escort broke through the enemies and quickly closed the distance between them and Ferzen.

However, the enemies also chased after them and made them pay dearly for their sudden action of turning their backs against them.

In the end, Prince Raymond and the two knights were the only ones who completely shook off the chase and continued.

“Ha.”

Seeing them, Gremory looked away with a sneer on her face.

After all, the intrusion of two knights and an ordinary person was not a variable significant enough to warrant attention.

No, it was embarrassing to even call it a variable.

After all, she was able to push away the body of the horse that was approaching her by shaking her head.

On top of that, the knights\' swords that landed on her couldn\'t even leave a scratch on her body.

“……”

Then, suddenly, Gremory focused her gaze on Prince Raymond, who was raising his sword with a determined look on his face.

She tried to just ignore him, but deep down she was curious.

She wondered how his expression would distort when he realized that he was powerless to do anything in front of her and when his loyal subjects who supported his country were taken away.

At the same time, she was also curious about what kind of expression Ferzen would show when he was captured and saw the Empire he supported being devastated while his precious people were being trampled.

For her, victory in this war was like having no more mountains to climb; in other words, it was losing her sense of purpose. That was why an intense feeling of emptiness and boredom rose.

Because of that, the moment of joy that the winner would enjoy from the loser, however brief, must be sweet.

Woosh-!!

However, the tip of Prince Raymond\'s sword, which was coming down, was never aimed at Gremory.

Rather, it was aimed at Ferzen\'s neck, who was on the verge of losing consciousness while being crushed underneath her.

No matter how much Ferzen had told him in advance to trust him, Prince Raymond was unable to properly concentrate on his battle and just kept looking at Ferzen because he thought that his words were just a lie to ease his mind.

Because of that, he was able to see it with his own two eyes.

Just before Ferzen was subdued by Gremory, he had taken out a dagger and aimed it at his own heart.

Even though it was an act in that he could not determine the reason behind it, if Ferzen had lied just to ease his mind, he would have sacrificed himself and opened the gate of The Underworld long ago when he had the opportunity.

But he didn\'t do that.

In other words, it meant that the act itself was a condition to unleash his trump card.

Of course, someone would question his decision.

If he noticed that, wouldn\'t it be much better to give orders to the knights who followed him?

After all, the success rate would be much higher if it was done by those with the talent of an Auror Knight rather than when it was done by an ordinary person.

But Prince Raymond didn\'t think so.

From the perspective of an Auror Knight who had reached the peak, a person who was on the path of a knight and just an ordinary person were practically on the same level. So, there was a slight possibility that she would be caught off guard by the fact that an ordinary person had stepped up.

Moreover, the target was Ferzen, a member of the Brutein family.

No matter how hard he gave an order, it was doubtful whether the knights would accept it as an Imperial Order and carry it out.

Smack-!

Torn-!

However, no matter how hard Prince Raymond, who was literally an ordinary person, tried his best, his actions were something that Gremory could easily react to.

Because of that, Gremory instantly whipped her left foot and tore Prince Raymond\'s right arm, which was holding the sword, away from his body.

Even though it was a blow that did not contain much force,

The right arm of Prince Raymond, who was just an ordinary person, detached from his body and hovered in the air.

"Ke…… ! Keheuk!”

More than the pain, Prince Raymond felt shame and disillusionment at his helplessness.

Trickle-!!

Trickle-!!

Soon, bright red blood which was flowing down from his humerus, which was sticking out hideously, fell like raindrops on the face of Ferzen who was on the verge of losing consciousness.

Ferzen\'s eyes, which had become blurry, focused for a moment and clearly saw the miserable sight of Prince Raymond falling forward.

"Your…Highness……!”

Soon after, his crimson eyes started to shake as his pupils dilated.

“Ahaha!”

In the meantime, Gremory felt immeasurable pleasure at the sight of Ferzen who was being crushed beneath her.

Why was it so enjoyable to see the humble appearance of a man who had pushed himself so hard and acted like her rival?

Moreover, it didn\'t end there. Gremory couldn\'t stop laughing when she saw Prince Raymond taking out a dagger hidden in the sleeve of his left arm.

Did he really think she wouldn\'t notice that?

Ironically, the cheap melodrama that the two people did right in front of her was the best melodramatic play she had ever seen.

Torn-!!

Soon, the left arm of Prince Raymond, who was leaning forward, was torn like a doll being broken by a child\'s hands and fell back down after hovering pitifully in the air.

However, Prince Raymond, who had instantly lost both his arms and collapsed in place, did not feel frustrated at all.

Given the situation, the reason Gremory chose to subdue Ferzen rather than end his life was probably because she realized that he had a last resort, just like him.

And she probably also thought that he also knew about it rather than not knowing about it.

Therefore, he had expected that all his attempts to distract her would end in failure.

The sword that he used at first.

And the dagger hidden in his sleeve which was blocked by her.

Rather than those two things, what he was really aiming for was this moment when all the visible tools of struggle were already blocked.

"Count……”

As if an earthquake had occurred.

Prince Raymond kneeled down and looked at Ferzen’s shaking eyes before smiling faintly.

“It’s okay for you to be selfish……”

Prince Raymond\'s words, which rang out slowly and quietly, contained so much meaning.

It also meant that Ferzen, who had indirectly contributed to the outbreak of this war, should not feel guilty.

Feeling that he was going to die soon, he also said that he should not have a foolish sense of self-reproach and blame it all on himself.

……Since the Imperial Family had received Brutein’s favor starting from the past until now,

How could they resent him over this one mistake and deviation?

His parents who had brought him to this world were an Emperor and an Empress.

However, the one who nurtured, raised, and protected them was Brutein.

They could be said as the true parents of the Imperial Family even though they were not related by blood.

And the only thing they could do in return for that devoted affection which did not change over time, was not thinking that the favor shown to them was their right.

Ferzen had once told him to not consider Brutein\'s loyalty as a debt that must be repaid someday. However, since he was born as a human and not an animal, how could he continue living by taking their grace for granted?

That was probably why,

Prince Raymond was rather pleased with Ferzen\'s mistakes and deviations.

He felt like he was repaying a debt and also felt like Ferzen was slowly becoming less tied to the family called Brutein.

No matter how much of a reason there was for the evil deed he committed to completely trampled on a family, a household, and a girl.

The biggest reason why Ferzen, who he had watched from the side, suffered seemed to be because of the fact that Brutein\'s history and honor had been tarnished and that it had become a stain on the family.

However, he was changing little by little. Eventually, he began to suffer not as Brutein\'s second son, but as a person named Ferzen von Schweig Louerg.

Rather than because he was the descendant of Brutein, he pursued the happiness of a human named Ferzen.

Yes, just like when a child grows up, becomes an adult, becomes independent, and starts a family.

Did their parents regain their lives, this was the Brutein\'s twilight after a long period of time.

So, how could he want to be held in their arms until the end even after seeing that as the Imperial children of the Ernes Empire?

Just like how their life\'s meaning was not limited to Brutein.

Brutein\'s lives’ meaning did not necessarily have to be themselves—The Imperial Family.

Crunch-!!

In the end, Prince Raymond used his molars to pop out the poisonous substance hidden in his mouth.

It was given to prevent major powers and key personnel from being captured and got their corpses controlled to get their secrets, but it was not given to those who must be reclaimed through negotiations.

After all, if it was distributed to those who must be reclaimed through negotiations and they were taken a hostage, the enemy would kill them and then announce that they had committed suicide by the poison they were carrying. At that point, they would not be able to do anything.

However, Prince Raymond did not want to be a burden in this war, so he always took the poison with him to the battlefield without anyone knowing.

Come to think of it……

If the last resort that Ferzen was hiding was related to his death, it would have been better if they had given him the poison too.

Of course, even if Ferzen had received it, he would not have bothered to take it with him.

After all, if he bit the poison sac in his mouth, the monster that would descend would be a monster with the ability to repair the defects and wounds in his body.

However, Prince Raymond, who did not know that fact, somehow felt relieved about the fact that a Brutein descendant had kept a secret from them.

Even though they were always dependable and trustworthy...…

The extreme perfection they had around them created a strange sense of distance and always reminded him of a strict father or mother.

But now he could smell a very familiar human scent from Ferzen.

If only he could have a drink with him without this crisis, they could have become really good friends without any awkwardness.

"Keu…… ! Keuk!”

The poison, which was closer to acid than anything, caused a violent reaction when it met his flesh. It soon melted his skin and lower body before flowing out of his ragged mouth and falling towards Ferzen’s neck together with bright red blood.

Because it was right in front of Ferzen’s nose, even Gremory who was watching them with her eyes open could not react.

Rumble-!!

At that moment, part of the monster\'s body that protruded from the opening gate of The Underworld cleared the deadly poison that fell toward Ferzen.

“Tsk!”

Then, It instantly attacked Gremory who was sitting on Ferzen\'s stomach.

Unfortunately, the attack didn\'t land.

Bam-!!

Gremory, who did not ignore her intuition, voluntarily stood up and moved back a few meters.

Then, after the gigantic trembling tentacles, a woman\'s cries which sounded like she was venting her anger, were heard from beyond the opened gate of The Underworld.

Fortunately, due to losing her hearing, Gremory did not hear it. However the same could not be said for the other soldiers as they all fell to the ground.

Before long, their convulsing stomach slowly swelled. When it finally expanded to its limits, it exploded. From their stomachs, small black goats crawled out and feasted on their dying bodies like it was nothing but grass.

Kwajik-!!

But soon after, all the black goats met their death.

It was not like they were killed by someone. It was just a matter of the world’s providence not allowing that kind of interference.

In fact, the sign, which had indicated what floor the door was connected to, on the gate of The Underworld behind Ferzen, kept showing higher and higher numbers chaotically as if it was broken.

Gremory, who was watching it, could not help but swallow without realizing it and straightened her trembling body.

That\'s because she thought that Ferzen had made a deal with the monster of the Third Floor in advance and set the situation and conditions for its descent.

Creak-!

But fortunately, no matter how hard the monster struggled, it could not crawl out to this world.

Wriggle-!

Rather, a scene where the huge tentacles which were sticking out being sucked back into the gate of The Underworld, unfolded.

Struggle-!

**Wriggle-!

However, the huge tentacle resisted the force and began to give birth to a hideous monster.

Then, the sign which had been showing higher and higher numbers fell exponentially, eventually showing that it was connected to the Third Floor.

Bleat-!!

When the gate finally closed, it left an ugly monster that did not match the bleating of a sheep that it had let out.