Chapter 24
Dust swirled in the spacious hall of the Punishment Unit, surrounded by thick stone walls and tightly packed wooden pillars.
One by one, the Boy Soldiers gathered into the hall, all awkwardly donning cheap armor as they formed lines.
Despite the Boy Soldiers’ disarray, the inspection unit at the front remained sharp as a knife.
As Burgor, the overseer of the Punishment Unit, relaxed his neck and patiently endured, the Boy Soldiers found their positions.
Sounds of weapons being handled, clanking armor, coughs, and conversations echoed from every corner.
After a little more time, the clamor gradually quieted down.
In the now tranquil hall, Burgor asked, “Are you ready?”
“““Yes!”””
The resounding response echoed throughout the hall.
We were in the final preparations for Vivian’s march into Roktana.
The Boy Soldiers were also filled with excitement at the thought of seeing their families after a long time.
Especially Willas, who had hardly slept the night before, worried about not being able to find his siblings.
Burgor spoke, “As you all know, today is the day of the march. I hope everyone can get through today without any issues. Just to be cautious, don’t even think about running away during the march. Finding a Boy Soldier who fled from Roktana is as easy as pie. If that happens, who knows? The noble Allen there might have to chop off your heads.”
All eyes momentarily shifted to me, a few giving me fearful looks.
But if they were under any illusion… I didn’t want that either.
After all, we had been together for several months, and nothing could be more unpleasant than beheading someone whose face I had come to know.
To the silence of the Boy Soldiers, Burgor continued, “Even if you’re lucky enough to shake off our pursuit and escape, you couldn’t live a single day in Roktana anymore, could you? The way to the next city is a long one, and even if you manage to get there after solving this, making a living will be tough. It would be better to stick with the Punishment Unit.”
Burgor spoke as if trying to lighten the slowly settling mood. “Anyway, you guys, you don’t have much time left until your release, do you? Martin, how many years do you have left?”
Martin, who was next to me, replied with vigor, “Five years left!”
“Right. So you’ve got just about five years left. Just hang in there. You know, once you finish your set punishment, the Rondore family will present you with new options. You could become a soldier of Rondore or, if you’ve got talent, rise to knighthood… Am I wrong?”
“““Yes!”””
Burgor nodded. “Let’s think of this as a chance to see our families. Coleman, open the door.”
Sub-officer Coleman nodded and opened the entrance of the Punishment Unit’s quarters.
A cool and refreshing breeze flowed in.
Coleman shouted from outside the quarters, “Line up and come out! Let’s move!”
Simultaneously, Burgor shouted, “Kyle Allen!”
Once again, all eyes focused on me.
He said, “Come out here.”
…
I stepped out of the unit and headed in a different direction.
Honestly, I never thought today would go smoothly.
I was going to be bullied, just like when I first arrived in this land.
Didn’t Vivian also predict that? She said I’d be tormented in the near future.
Maybe that’s why Vivian skipped breakfast this morning.
It seemed like she felt uneasy about facing me today.
I followed Coleman toward where Vivian was.
It was a long way to go. Perhaps due to today’s march, the atmosphere around the castle was different from usual.
The knights revealed hostility as they noticed me, yet showed excitement when they hadn’t spotted me yet.
The sound of clashing metal, the heavy echo of armor and chainmail resonated through the Castle of Rondore.
Their shining armor gleamed like living silver, with the sun of Rondore emblazoned on various pieces.
The horses stood quietly prepared, waiting for the moment to move forward.
Walking among them was a surreal experience.
The more I remembered how my father looked right before battle in Rondore, the more unusual it felt.
Thus, a slight revulsion and a hint of disgust stirred in my chest.
In the distance, I spotted Baelor.
Wearing a helmet with the visor lifted, he was issuing commands with a stern expression.
A necklace of six colored cords hung around his neck, which all knights admired.
The cords indicated the number of dragons he had slain.
Baelor had killed six dragons.
The color of the cords also held meaning, representing the hue of the dragons they had hunted.
Green, blue, red, and black were recognized by the people, yet the most coveted was the white cord.
The white dragon could only be found in the cold highlands of the north.
It was fiercer and larger than ordinary dragons, and the honor of slaying one was beyond words.
My father had also caught a white dragon, resulting in a massive scar on his face.
… Anyway, it felt like one day I would also need to have such a cord.
Otherwise, both I and Vivian would continue to be looked down upon.
The cords Baelor wore were two green ones, three red ones, and the last one was black.
Perhaps due to the impending march or because of that cord, my perception of him shifted.
I initially thought of him as just another knight with a big mouth, but now I saw him as a knight with a stronger focus.
The family’s retainers were accompanying him as well.
Once I looked closely, I saw Vivian standing among the older adults.
Her small frame had been hidden in the crowd.
As I approached, the people parted to make way for me.
Vivian came closer.
Over the past few days, we had shared meals and had become somewhat familiar with each other.
“Why did you skip breakfast?”
I confronted her as soon as I saw Vivian.
Having not eaten well in the Punishment Unit for a while, I found the food unpalatable.
Vivian disregarded my question and said, “Kyle Allen, today I’m giving you a chance for repentance.”
“…What repentance? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
She shook her head slightly.
“I wonder if you would say the same after looking around the territory. Have you closely observed how those who’ve lost fathers or husbands live?”
“…I’ve seen enough.”
“Now you’ll have a closer look. Witness it, so you can pay your debts.”
“Isn’t treating me like this enough?”
I spread my arms wide to present my appearance.
Vivian glanced at my dirty clothes, riddled with holes, and her mouth slightly closed.
For a moment, her expression seemed vaguely softened.
“…Anyway, you have one mission today.”
“…?”
“You’re to pull my words like a horsekeeper. Throughout the march.”
“…”
I fell silent for a moment at her words. Vivian also couldn’t meet my gaze.
Contrary to my expectations of just getting hit by a stone, she seemed much more intent on humiliating me than I had thought.
The eldest son of the Allen family, parading around as a servant next to the head of the Rondore family.
Vivian intended to declare her position to everyone, revealing my status as well.
I understood, but…
“…Is this what comes from your head?”
I asked Vivian.
Vivian hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and glared at me.
Then she said coldly, “And what if it is?”
I took a step closer to her.
Vivian didn’t back down either.
“That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
I felt a slight anger rising, yet simultaneously experienced an odd sense of relief. I found her being this strong more appealing.
Ever since that poisoning incident, she had definitely become more resolute. A good change.
Vivian then signaled to her butler, Pippin.
Pippin disappeared for a moment and returned with a helmet.
It was a red helmet shaped like a bear’s head.
The bear was our family’s animal, and red represented the color of Rondore.
“Wear this too. At least it’s a consideration. To keep you from getting hit by stones.”
“…Is that really consideration? Wearing this is even more humiliating.”
“Put it on. From now on, this is the only helmet you’ll wear in this land. Even when heading out to hunt monsters, you must wear this.”
“…”
I glared at Vivian.
Thinking it over, this was indeed the nature of our relationship.
Just because I decided to protect her didn’t mean she owed me any goodwill.
I was the one who was weird, while she was normal.
So getting emotional here would be meaningless.
“I’m not mistaken.”
I replied.
A few retainers chuckled at how they treated me.
At the same time, I could feel Vivian’s stature slightly boost.
Should I take that positively?
In any case, I clicked my tongue.
Then I put on the helmet as Vivian desired.
During the process, her expression seemed to twist for a moment.
It didn’t matter.
Once I wore the helmet, I leaned toward her.
Then I whispered just loud enough for her to hear, “Go ahead, torment me more. It’s nothing much.”
****
The march proceeded smoothly.
Leading the way was Baelor, carving the path, with Vivian and Rondore’s retainers following behind. The Punishment Unit and the remaining knights trailed after them.
The 1st Knight Order was leading another spectacle.
That was the head of a red dragon.
This was sent by Robert Rondore, Vivian’s uncle, as a gift for the march.
“Look, it’s Drik!”
“I heard it was slain by Sir Robert Rondore…!”
“As expected of Sir Robert!”
As they cheered and gazed at the massive head of the dead dragon, excitement coursed through the crowd.
However, Vivian didn’t seem satisfied with it at all.
Her uncle had sent the gift, and it was her uncle who was receiving the cheers, not her.
Many shouted Robert’s name, just as much as they did Vivian’s.
Of course, I had anticipated things would turn out this way.
From the moment I saw that burdensome ‘gift’ intended for the march, I’d known.
Yet, hiding the dragon’s head in the storeroom would be akin to spitting in Robert Rondore’s face.
So at the front of the march, cheers for Robert and astonishment at the red dragon’s head filled the air.
In the middle of the procession, applause was directed toward Vivian Rondore, while resentment, blame, and ridicule flowed towards Kyle Allen.
Lastly, at the rear, there was chaos from the Boy Soldiers meeting their families again.
Vivian sighed as she stifled her anxiety.
Each time the eyes of the crowd fell upon her, she felt as if her shoulders grew heavier.
She was directly facing the situations and faces of those she would have to take responsibility for.
After all, she was still just a child.
She never thought she’d have to sit in the head’s position.
Yet the war with the Allen family took everything away, leaving her no choice but to take charge of so much.
As she wandered through the territory, she saw an abundance of suffering.
Kyle Allen likely felt the same.
Between the cheers, there were things that stood out.
Children reduced to mere bones. Boys and girls glaring at her, spitting in defiance.
Old women shedding tears, collapsed homes…
“…Are you watching?”
Vivian turned to Kyle Allen.
“It’s our responsibility. I must take responsibility for these people, and you are responsible for how this has all turned out.”
The red bear helmet briefly looked up at her, then returned to face forward with a huff.
-Whish!
-Thud!
Some rotten fruit flew from somewhere, hitting Kyle Allen’s body.
It was a carefully aimed attack to avoid hitting Vivian.
But Kyle Allen moved forward, seemingly unconcerned.
Worriedly, Vivian said to Kyle Allen, “Don’t feel unjust. It’s only natural for you to be blamed. I completely empathize with the territory’s sentiments. If I had something to throw at you, I’d throw it.”
Kyle shook his head in frustration.
He said, “You should… get a grip.”
“What?”
“Revenge against me is fine, but you won’t accomplish anything without power.”
He pointed ahead.
“Why did you bring that dragon’s head? With Robert Rondore this and that, you’re getting completely overshadowed.”
“…”
“Wasn’t today your march? Now it seems like the main characters are Robert Rondore and me.”
Vivian frowned and replied, “I can’t disregard my uncle’s gesture. If I disrespect it, the bond could be completely severed. I mustn’t provide any grounds for conflict.”
-Thud!
Another fruit hit Kyle, and he answered flatly.
“Pathetic. That’s your state.”
Vivian responded, exasperated, “And your state is any better?”
“…”
-Stiff.
Kyle Allen froze at that statement.
Predictably, the entire march halted.
Kyle Allen turned around.
Vivian met Kyle’s black eyes through the gaps of the bear helmet.
“Well, it seems you and I are the most pathetic ones here.”
“…”
With that, Kyle resumed his steps.
His tone, laced with self-deprecation, oddly resonated with Vivian’s heart.
-Thud! Thud!
More rotten fruits pelted Kyle Allen’s body.
Amidst it all, I couldn’t take my eyes off how unaffected he appeared.
Suddenly realizing I had been staring too long, Vivian lifted her gaze.
…
After wandering around the territory, Kyle’s clothes were now covered in stains.
Vivian asked, “Kyle Allen, what do you think of walking around the territory?”
“Not much.”
“…You seem to be missing the point. I’m asking how it feels to see people suffering because of your family.”
“…”
Kyle Allen didn’t respond.
Vivian could tell he was feeling something deep down.
His gaze kept pausing between the gaunt children and the weeping old women.
Vivian felt a similar sense of frustration.
Each time she realized they were the lives she had to care for, the reality flooded her, leading her to speak harshly to Kyle.
Yet, the sight of Kyle Allen acting unaffected, pretending as if nothing were wrong, distressed her.
She wanted to elicit a response from him, no matter how.
Being tormented while he remained indifferent was completely unfathomable.
If he felt the same way, perhaps it would ease her burden.
“Kyle Allen, don’t you want to go home?”
So she asked the question.
Kyle Allen finally turned to look at her.
“I won’t let you go… but honestly, you should tell me a way to pay my debt to be fair.”
“Go ahead.”
“You saw it all day long, right? Still watching. The state of Roktana.”
Vivian provocatively surveyed the gathering.
“If you can gain forgiveness from all the citizens of Roktana… only then, will I let you go.”
In other words, she meant to say she would not release him.
It was an impossible task.
“…Really?”
But Kyle Allen seemed to find hope in this impossibility as he asked back.
In turn, it left Vivian at a loss for words.
“…”
There was a remarkably serious tone in Kyle’s voice.
It contained a glimmer of hope for that impossible venture.
Whether it was arrogance or belief, it was hard to distinguish.
Vivian merely intended to mock, yet his earnest response caught her off guard.
“Do you really think that could happen?”
-Thud!
Even as she spoke, another spoiled food hit Kyle’s body.
People’s aggressive expressions wouldn’t change over time.
Wondering if she had unwittingly planted false hope, Vivian spoke up.
“Get a grip. Don’t you see that’s impossible?”
A sudden sense of displeasure hit her. It felt like she had touched upon a raw nerve.
“Unless these people get their families back, there’s no way for you to be forgiven.”
“…We’ll see.”
Kyle replied.
“I said, just watch how strong I am. If I can’t even overcome such an obstacle, what am I to do?”
“…”
With a stamping tone, Kyle Allen retorted.
“You keep your promises too. You said it. Once everyone forgives, I’ll be released.”
“…”
“You won’t cowardly change your words, will you, when that time comes?”
Kyle Allen’s words always had a strange weight to them.
His proclamations felt as if they would become reality.
Having been a person who kept his word, perhaps that was why the belief felt doubly strong.
But not this time.
There was no need for further consideration for a fool who couldn’t grasp the hints provided.
“I won’t change my words. I’ll let you go.”
Vivian told Kyle Allen.
Other matters aside, this was one thing that would never happen.
Vivian was certain.
Even if one day a moment of love arrived for him in the eyes of all watching the march, it would still remain the same.
There would always be one person who would never forgive him.
That person was Vivian herself.
The day she forgave Kyle Allen, the Allen family, would never come.
The more life wore her down, the greater her hatred toward him would grow.
“…It’s sworn.”
Kyle confirmed.
“I swear. If you can obtain forgiveness from all, I’ll let you go.”
Vivian responded as well.
There wasn’t the slightest tremor or doubt in Vivian’s voice as she spoke those words.
