MSMH 42

Chapter 42

“Retreat! All forces, retreat!”

At last, the order to withdraw was issued from the Roviana army.

“Wooooah! We did it!”

“Look at them running away with their tails between their legs!”

The old archers shouted at the top of their lungs.

Only then did Adamas let out a breath and watch the retreating Roviana forces with relief.

Roviana’s knights skillfully rode across the uneven mud left by the morning shower.

And Sapeiros chased swiftly after them.

“All mounted knights, follow me!”

“How dare you! You insignificant—! His Highness the Crown Prince is under my pro—… Ugh!”

Sapeiros sent the head of the enemy blocking his path tumbling endlessly beneath his horse.

In the black night, flickering blue aura and screams embroidered the Woosi Plains.

Without hesitation, Sapeiros spurred his horse forward and shouted loudly.

“Adamas!”

“Y-Yes! Nom!”

At Sapeiros’s cry, Adamas quickly summoned Nom.

“I’m counting on you, Nom. Make the Roviana army’s path rough and uneven.”

—Leave it to me.

A few minutes later—

The horses of the Roviana army neighed sharply toward the sky and staggered, throwing their riders off.

Sapeiros swiftly cut down the knights as they fell from their mounts.

Adamas clenched his fist in midair.

Yes. Good!

If this keeps up…

Just as he was certain they would secure a great victory—

Suddenly, a black horse at the very front changed direction and charged straight toward Sapeiros.

A horse running alone? And against the flow?

Adamas rubbed his eyes and frowned.

Then he spotted a shadow surging like a black river.

“Ros, watch out! It’s Spinel!”

There was clearly someone atop the black horse.

“Firebolt!”

Adamas quickly launched a firebolt forward.

He had to light the path Sapeiros was taking.

But the distance was already too great.

The firebolt lost its strength before reaching him and fizzled out.

“Damn it! Nom, please—stop Spinel!”

—Got it.

The moment Nom finished speaking, Spinel’s black horse reared violently into the air.

At a glance, its movements seemed chaotic and erratic.

“Good. As expected of Nom!”

Adamas threw both hands up.

But only for a moment.

Spinel did not slow down at all and continued charging toward Sapeiros. His horsemanship was extraordinary.

“I-It’ll be fine.”

Adamas bit his lip, trying to steady himself.

Right. Spinel is alone.

No matter how skilled he is, he’s only one man.

It’s fine. Our knights will reach him faster. Spinel will be surrounded soon.

That was when—

“Wh-What is that?!”

One of the gathered archers shouted.

The archers peeking out from the pit turned their eyes toward a single point.

“Over there! Look at that!”

Adamas followed the pointing finger.

Damn it!

So this was it? This maddening sense of unease!

From the flank, a cavalry unit bearing a flag emblazoned with a black unicorn charged swiftly at the Mano Fran army’s side.

It was Spinel’s unit.

I see. He was aiming to divide us.

To isolate Sapeiros.

At this rate, Sapeiros would be trapped between Spinel and his knights.

Adamas, who had been pacing anxiously, suddenly brightened.

It’s okay. Fortunately, their cavalry numbers aren’t large. If we cripple Spinel before they link up, they’ll panic.

If Sapeiros defeats Spinel quickly and rejoins the knights, then Roviana will be the ones surrounded.

Having made up his mind, Adamas pulled the lapis lazuli from his right thumb without hesitation.

“Thank you, Lapi. For coming to me.”

Of all her many gems, lapis lazuli was the only one she had mined herself.

For as long as she could remember, every winter when snow fell, Adamas had the same dream.

A birch tree halfway up a mountain and a large boulder. Beneath it, a stone glowing deep blue with flecks of gold—lapis lazuli.

When she held it in her hand and looked up, seven stars shimmered in the northern sky dyed in indigo.

That vivid dream became reality when Adamas turned sixteen.

During winter break, she worked briefly assisting a mountain keeper clearing snow in the Morwei Forest.

There, she saw the very scene from her dream.

Adamas pressed a brief kiss to the gem shaped like the Big Dipper.

“Hello, my Big Dipper. Open the path before Ros.”

With a brittle crack, the gem shattered in her hand and rose swiftly into the air.

With a single sweep of her hand, the lapis lazuli split cleanly into seven pieces and flew toward Sapeiros and Spinel.

The moment the shards shot up above their heads—

Whoosh—

The dark clouds over the space where they stood were swept away.

“Thank you, Mas.”

Golden starlight illuminated Sapeiros’s path.

His once-clouded vision cleared.

It was still night, but now he could distinguish the shapes before him.

Mas. Do you know?

In this short life, at every unbelievable moment that felt like magic, you were always there.

Sapeiros kicked his horse’s flank and lowered his body. The horse shook its head fiercely and surged forward.

He tightened his grip on the longsword.

Opposite him, Spinel’s blade shimmered black as he demonstrated near-acrobatic horsemanship while charging.

“So even your aura blade is black.”

If Adamas saw this, she would surely scoff, “Hmph, a completely black bastard—so unpleasant.”

Imagining her clearly in his mind, Sapeiros let out a faint chuckle and spurred toward Spinel.

Without the magic stone’s help, he would surely have been caught off guard in the darkness.

Thank you. I’ll win. Mas.

“Hyaaah!”

With a fierce shout, Sapeiros adjusted his grip. Blue energy flickered along the blade.

“Gah—!”

A split-second decision decided the match.

“Damn!”

There was barely any sensation in his hand. Just the tip of the helmet?

Feeling his body collapse unpleasantly, Sapeiros twisted midair.

Unlike him, who had aimed for his opponent’s neck, Spinel had aimed for the horse’s neck.

“Hm. At least you’re not an idiot who doesn’t know how to break a fall.”

A heavy, rough voice sounded above him.

Sapeiros quickly rolled aside.

Boom—

The spot where he had stood a second ago caved in.

“Worthy of your reputation. You’re the first to knock off my helmet on a battlefield…”

The moment their eyes met, the brightened vision darkened again.

Adamas’s magic stone had exhausted its power.

Dark clouds swallowed the two once more.

Spinel quietly dismounted. His blue eyes gleamed strangely.

Sapeiros blinked, momentarily at a loss.

“…Commander! Commander! Where are you?!”

At Kairen’s voice calling him, Sapeiros snapped back to his senses.

Ah—how far has Kairen come?

As he turned his head to locate the voice, the clash of weapons reached his ears.

Damn it! I thought our numbers were a bit short—they struck from the side.

Then I should join them first—

“…Tch.”

“How dare you look away with me before you.”

Spinel’s blade came down toward him.

Barely blocking it, Sapeiros was steadily pushed back.

Spinel swung his much heavier sword boldly.

Sapeiros retreated, deflecting each blow with all his strength.

“Hey. Aren’t you a bit lacking in strength? Your wrist okay?”

He spoke as though teasing a child.

“A sword isn’t all about strength.”

“That’s what people without strength say. Hah!”

The one-sided assault resumed. Sapeiros continued redirecting Spinel’s strikes.

“At this rate, you’ll backstep all the way to your marquisate—”

Mid-taunt, Spinel suddenly widened the distance and burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahaha.”

“….”

“What a little fox. Were you retreating to join your troops? With me in front of you?!”

His voice roared like a storm.

Seeing the black aura blade explode wildly from Spinel’s sword, Sapeiros swallowed.

The plan had been seen through.

Looking into those blazing blue eyes swirling with madness, Sapeiros quietly drew his dagger.

“Fine. Then I’ll kill you and go.”

Blue aura enveloped his entire body.

Longsword in his right hand, dagger in his left, he took a slanted stance.

If strength wouldn’t work, he would overwhelm with speed.

Heavy armor. Heavy sword.

Spinel would have trouble matching his speed.

Spinel twitched one corner of his mouth and carefully gripped his sword with both hands.

It was obvious—if he misstepped even once, that young knight would pierce his throat.

“At your age, already at that level. It’s like seeing my younger self.”

“As if. Judging by your current level, you probably couldn’t even draw a real blade at my age.”

“Hahahaha. Arrogant brat. The more I see you, the more I like you.”

“That’s strange. I can’t stand you. You’re unpleasant.”

“Oh? Is that self-loathing, then?”

“Don’t spout nonsense. To be the same kind as you? I’d rather bite my tongue and throw myself into the Baran River.”

“Cute. Biting your tongue and jumping—how adorable.”

“…Shut up and come at me!”

Though he shouted boldly, Sapeiros could not take a single step.

Spinel showed not the slightest opening.

The cold dawn wind brushed past them.

It was Spinel who broke the silent balance.

He gave a loud whistle. From afar, a black horse raced toward him.

“…We’ll meet again.”

Leaping smoothly onto the running horse, Spinel left the Woosi Plains without looking back.

Sapeiros watched his retreating figure.

“Damn it!”

Remembering that jet-black hair and the eerily shining blue eyes, he cursed fiercely through his dry lips.