CHAPTER 41…………………………………………
The full moon sinking into the black river trembled.
For just a brief moment, Adamas thought the moon reflected on the water was beautiful, and she cautiously moved her feet.
The black waters of the Baran River lapped against Adamas’s chest.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course. Don’t worry about me.”
Adjusting the reins in her hands, Adamas whispered softly.
The deep wrinkles around the soldier’s eyes hinted at his age, yet the smooth eyes buried within them shone strangely like a boy’s.
“I will protect Mano. You might think an old man is saying strange things, but I’m glad I still have something I can do for my family.”
“…Yes.”
The older soldier riding Sapeiros’s black horse looked down at Adamas, holding a staff in his left hand and the horse’s mane in his right.
Seeing the massive bow slung across his back, Adamas smiled brightly.
“Yes, let’s protect him together.”
Leaving behind the wooden barricades and tents they had struggled to set up for two days, Mano Fran threw himself into the Baran River past midnight.
The marquisate knights, including Sapeiros, let the older archers take their mounts and led the way through the waters.
Adamas crossed the river slowly with the archers in the rear.
I will protect my family too. I will protect Mano.
She clenched her left hand in the water, hidden from everyone.
A battle unrecorded in history, with a future unknown, was beginning.
Hoho—.
Blowing weak breaths into her freezing hands, Adamas exhaled sharply.
The damp clothes were pierced by the night wind. She tied up her wet hair firmly and looked around.
“Finally, you’re here. Mas.”
Sapeiros’s voice came from behind.
“Ah… Ross.”
It was Sapeiros, who had led the charge through the river.
Adamas held her chest and let out a sigh.
“What happened crossing the river?”
Worry flickered in Sapeiros’s blue eyes as he scanned Adamas’s wet body from head to toe.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Adamas shook her head vigorously. She couldn’t bring herself to say that the low voice she heard with the night wind had strangely made her heart flutter.
Over a thousand soldiers crossed the river without lighting a single torch, carefully maintaining formation.
Treading carefully over the rain-sodden, muddy ground, they advanced slowly.
The only thing they could trust were the footsteps of their comrades.
Their target was one: a flickering light in the middle of the open plains.
It was the barracks of the Robiana troops stationed in the Ushee Plains.
The lights grew closer, about three hundred meters away. Adamas exchanged a look with Sapeiros.
She quickly called for Nom.
―Yap! I’m here.
With a characteristic grunt, a small head popped up from the ground.
“Nom, I have a favor. I need you to dig a trench.”
They needed a trench to hide over a thousand soldiers.
―Just one long trench?
“No. Not just one, Ross.”
Adamas gestured for Sapeiros.
Sapeiros pulled out a map.
Adamas summoned a small fireball in her hand to illuminate the map.
Those nearby quickly surrounded them to prevent the light from leaking.
“Look at this map, Nom.”
Sapeiros pointed to the map.
―What is it, an order? Hmph!
Nom grumbled but fixed his eyes on the map Sapeiros had spread out.
“There’s an enemy base here. We want to ambush from a hundred meters in front of it.”
In the open plains without proper fortifications, an ambush was a risky move.
In other words, the Robiana troops would not expect an ambush on the plain.
Digging trenches at such close proximity in a place with no cover seemed impossible.
Yet, for Nom, it was different.
With his ability, this was easier than eating lukewarm bean soup.
―Two lines of trenches?
“Not two lines, Sapeiros. It’s stepped. Impossible?”
―Ha! Do you take me for nothing? I’m Nom.
Nom snorted, glaring at Sapeiros.
―Honestly, not impossible, but… what about the master?
“Me? Of course, it’s fine.”
Nom glanced at Adamas.
―I’m not asking if you want it. I’m asking if you have the ability. Master. You’re not Canil.
“Oh… right…”
Her calm eyes, with no trace of malice, spoke the truth.
Spirits generally use less mana than normal magic, but they are never free.
Nom had created a desert dungeon alone.
The important thing wasn’t Nom’s ability but Adamas, the master.
“I know. I know I’m lacking…”
But she couldn’t give up.
Adamas quietly took Nom’s hand, folded her body, and knelt.
“Everyone is risking their lives. I want to protect my loved ones too.”
Under the faint moonlight, Adamas’s eyes shone with determination.
Nom sighed softly, muttering.
―Haa, humans really don’t change even after fifty years. When will you finally stop waging war?
He meant he would do as she wished.
Adamas showed him the dagger at her waist.
“By the way, I’ve never shown you the emerald mine. This is where these gems come from.”
―Ohho. Not bad!
Nom’s eyes sparkled at the gem in the sword. Adamas unsheathed the sword entirely from her waist.
“Want it?”
Nom shook his head firmly.
―I’m not uninterested in human craftsmanship, but I don’t like it if I didn’t make it myself.
“You really have a keen eye.”
Adamas sheathed the sword again.
Even if ordinary people found fault with what was delivered to the marquis’s mansion, it could have caused a problem.
But Nom was a spirit.
An advanced earth spirit, no less.
―I’ll select the gems myself. I’ll process them myself too.
“Yes. Of course. I’ll leave it to you.”
Adamas instinctively knew.
Nom would certainly extract the best gems himself.
And until the emerald mine ran dry, no gemstone would ever surpass the ones Nom chose.
Yet, Adamas gladly agreed.
Just like when they had left the desert dungeon. Nothing was more precious than life.
No, now it was even more important.
No matter how precious gems were, they could never outweigh human lives.
Back then, it had been just Adamas and Sapeiros. Now, the lives of over a thousand people hung in the balance.
Adamas steeled herself once again.
Protect as many lives as possible.
This was the true meaning of this time slip, here and now.
Nom dug the trenches for Mano Fran at incredible speed.
The faint vibrations at his feet were almost imperceptible without focus.
Adamas slumped against a corner of the dirt wall, feeling all her energy drain away.
“Good work.”
Hearing Sapeiros’s voice, she weakly opened her eyes.
“Here, drink this.”
He held her shoulders and raised a canteen to her lips.
The cold water slowly revived her.
“Rest a bit, then move with the archers.”
“Okay.”
No thanks, no apologies.
Yet Adamas clearly saw it.
Sapeiros’s eyes glistened with gratitude.
Adamas frowned, teasing.
“This is our job, you know.”
As if it were nothing at all.
“Yeah. Right.”
A small warmth touched Adamas’s hand.
“Uh! You, you…”
Adamas didn’t notice as Sapeiros quickly turned.
Surely… on the back of her hand…
A soft, red lip brushed and fell.
Adamas sat in a daze for a while.
‘Everyone ambush, everyone guerrilla.’
That was the strategy for the night raid.
“Ah! Enemy! Enemy!”
Fire arrows flew from taut strings, creating long streaks as they struck the Robiana tents.
The old archers, barely able to cross the river on foot, fired relentlessly despite shaking arms.
Adamas matched their determination with constant firebolts.
“All knights, charge!”
The disorganized enemies received the command to charge.
“Die!”
“You die!”
Primal shouts collided with the clanging of weapons.
Amid collapsing tents and makeshift buildings, Sapeiros rode his black horse forward at speed.
He swung his unusually long longsword, shrouded in blue aura, dominating the battlefield.
Peasant infantry with weapons followed behind him.
Only then did the archers, including Adamas, stop firing and focus forward.
“If we keep this up, I think we can win.”
An elderly archer, trembling, sighed as he strung another arrow.
The old archers embraced one another, acknowledging their hardships.
As he said, Mano Fran was overwhelming the Robiana troops.
We have the advantage.
But… what is this uneasy feeling…
“…Stay strong until the end.”
Gazing at the chaotic flames, Adamas quietly prayed.
May this battle end quickly.
Gray smoke rose with a choking stench.
Amid red and yellow flames and intermittent screams, tears fell from Adamas’s eyes.
But she did not close them.
