Chapter 68: Princes Standing Side by Side
On that day, I swore.
To annihilate the [Ragment] that took my precious one from me, and to defeat that [Helmeted Girl].
I would stop at nothing to achieve this. I wouldn’t shy away from sacrifices. I’d even offer my own life.
“Why… why can’t I reach her…!”
The blade of my oath, mixed with hatred, never reached that helmeted girl. Is this the end result of letting anger and hatred drive me?
“I must kill you… I must avenge Liatris…!”
Unfazed by Noel’s glare—no, devoid of any emotion—the helmeted girl advanced to deliver the final blow. Her rhythmic footsteps were doll-like, and that cold, inorganic quality was all the more vexing.
“So… move… MOVE!”
With a cry akin to a wail, I urged my body to respond, and as if answering, my arms and legs began to move.
It was almost miraculous. But in this desperate situation, it was fatally slow.
The helmeted girl’s sword would end my life long before I could stand up.
“——…”
And as she silently swung her blade down—
“Not so fast!”
Before the cold strike could reach Noel, two swords intercepted, catching the blade.
“Third… Prince…!”
“Sorry about this. When you’re pushed this far, I can’t just stand by and watch!”
Alfred, with his back turned, forcefully pushed back the helmeted girl.
Having her strike deflected, the helmeted girl leapt back, creating distance. It was the correct move, considering the new threat of Alfred and the [magic-stealing magic] of his contracted spirit, [Arsene]. An utterly calm and rational decision.
That calm and rational decision created a brief moment. Time enough for Noel to stand up, still clinging to life.
“Ugh… unnecessary… meddling…”
“Hah. If you’ve got the energy to roar like that, you’re fine.”
“Don’t interfere… This is… my fight…!”
Noel staggered forward, dragging his feet and dripping blood.
“You’ll really die if you keep this up, you know.”
“Shut up! I’ll fight even if it costs me my life! I’ll destroy the [Ragment] and kill those who manipulate miasma to bring calamity upon people! That’s the duty of royalty!”
“You mean revenge, not duty.”
Alfred’s words stopped Noel in his tracks.
“It’s not about royal duty or anything like that. You want to defeat the [Ragment] and that helmeted woman simply because you want revenge.”
“…So what?”
Memories after losing Liatris flooded Noel’s mind.
—It was fortunate in misfortune. Good thing it was that woman who died.
—Indeed. Even if she was the court jeweler’s daughter, she was just a cursed child.
—It’s truly fortunate it wasn’t Lord Noel. In the end, that girl served her country well.
—Lord Noel, let’s use this opportunity to arrange an engagement with a suitable lady.
Nobody around mourned Liatris’s death. If anything, more people rejoiced that the cursed child with black magic had died.
“Are you the same…? Spouting pretty words about giving up on revenge?”
—Please abandon your revenge. Obsessing over an individual is unbecoming of a future king.
—I’m sure that Liatris girl wouldn’t want revenge either.
—Of course not. She would want nothing more than for Lord Noel to become a great king.
—Let’s leave the past behind and move forward. A bright future awaits you.
Everyone had said it. Give up on revenge. That’s not what she would have wanted.
Such words were nothing but ugly platitudes meant to manipulate Noel conveniently.
“…I do like pretty words.”
Blades of illusion filled the surroundings. Deployed in a dome shape, all their tips pointed towards Alfred and Noel.
“But I hate pretty words used as convenient excuses!”
A swarm of blades, both illusory and real, rushed in. Noel’s blurry eyes couldn’t distinguish which were real, but Alfred swung his swords with certainty.
High-pitched metallic sounds rang out rapidly as the real blades scattered around. The blades Alfred let pass through were all insubstantial illusions.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“You saw through the illusions…!?”
“Nah, I didn’t see through them. I just matched the air currents I felt with the information from [Enemy Detection].”
“What…!?”
Though Alfred said it as if it were nothing special, it wasn’t something one could do overnight. It was an advanced skill that only those with accumulated battle experience could master.
If Noel tried the same thing, he probably couldn’t handle it as well as Alfred.
He would likely miss some information in processing, unable to avoid damage.
(He’s not just spouting pretty words… This Third Prince is…)
His accumulated experience must be extraordinary.
His power is something only those who have struggled through harsh, intense experiences in the depths of shadows could obtain.
“…I’m the same as you.”
“…”
“If I lost Charl and knew her killer was out there, I couldn’t stay quiet either. I’d hunt them down and get revenge by any means necessary.”
—…No. I’m not going to tell you to give up on revenge, and I don’t intend to.
Suddenly, Alfred’s previous words echoed in Noel’s mind.
Come to think of it, he had never said “give up on revenge.”
“Saying ‘the dead wouldn’t want revenge’ isn’t even a pretty word. It’s a convenient logic that turns a blind eye to the feelings of those left behind.”
He had always affirmed revenge to that girl named Nenel, while leaving the choice to her. Surely, it was the same for Noel.
“It’s not right for only the victims to endure in silence. So it’s okay to affirm revenge… but don’t throw away your future.”
“What…?”
While accurately deflecting the rain of blades, Alfred kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.
“We can’t know if the dead want revenge or not. But surely they wouldn’t want us to throw away our future. Your fiancée surely…!”
Unswayed by illusions, never looking back, he kept pushing forward.
“So don’t die. Don’t let the past of revenge drag you down and make you throw away your life, your future! Live! Live and carry out your revenge!”
That cry penetrated deep into Noel’s body. It pierced through, drilling to his core.
(…Pretty words. That’s all they are.)
Yes. Alfred’s words were just pretty words.
Just as it’s unclear if the dead want revenge, it’s also unclear if they want a future for the living. There’s no proof of that.
His pretty words were just a wish. Just a prayer. Just an ideal.
But—those pretty words overlapped with Liatris’s smile.
“…Why. Why do you go so far…”
“That’s because… you’re a good guy.”
“D-Don’t be ridiculous! How am I…!”
“I’m not joking. Who else but a kind-hearted, good person would advise someone to cherish their fiancée?”
—You’d better cherish her while she’s within your reach.
The words he once uttered came back to him. Perhaps at that time, he had seen himself and Liatris in Alfred and Charlotte.
That was something Noel had lost. Something now beyond his reach. But he didn’t want to see it taken away from them again.
Even if it was impossible for him, he wanted at least these two to have it.
(Liatris… I don’t know if there’s any value in a world without you… I don’t know what awaits in this future… But still…)
He raised his head. Looked ahead.
(…I’ll protect the future of these two in front of me. Because I’m sure that’s what you would do.)
He focused on what he needed to do now.
(So I’ll live. I’ll live and achieve my revenge…! And then, I’ll move forward into the future ahead!)
Strangely, strength surged through his body. It was as if his resolve to live had become willpower, starting to move his body.
“Lend me your strength, Third Prince. No…”
Cloaking himself in surging magical power, he gripped his sword.
“…Alfred!”
“Yeah. I’ll lend you as much as you need… Noel!”
Here and now, two princes—ice and villain—stood side by side.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
