TTMLPTWW ~ Chapter 158

Several hours earlier.

Stan, the Chief, and the Organization members were wavering.

“We’ve gained freedom, so we have to live right from now on!”

Thanks to Cynthia, who set off a smoke grenade and sacrificed herself by being taken to the Organization instead, they had found freedom, but they couldn’t just leave like this…

“Those who want to leave, go. I’m staying.”

The Chief and Stan decided to help Cynthia, who had been captured. They realized that the allies who had come to rescue Cynthia were far outnumbered by the enemy.

“Dwayne, you go. You have someone to protect.”

Dwayne, Nadia’s lover, gritted his teeth and looked down at the ground.

Nadia, sensing his feelings, held his hand tightly and made a determined expression.

“Let’s make a choice for Princess, our first guest. I’ll wait here while treating the injured.”

“…Thank you. I’ll be back.”

The other Organization members were also staying.

“We’ve only made despicable choices until now, but it wouldn’t be bad to be a loyal human being for once.”

“Princess might give us a position, right? It’s a chance to live like a human.”

Except for those who were severely injured, everyone decided to fight again.

Just as they were about to head towards the fortress, someone appeared with a rustling sound.

It was Organization members who had come as reinforcements.

An Organization member with a pistol looked at Stan and asked with a fierce expression.

“What are you guys? You’re not from headquarters, are you? Were you trying to escape?”

‘They came through the underground passage.’

Stan narrowed his eyes and raised his pistol.

They were at a disadvantage with fewer numbers and not much ammunition, but it was all or nothing.

“Don’t let a single one of them through. Protecting the Princess is the same as protecting our future.”

The Chief checked the remaining bullets and glared sharply.

Everyone was prepared for the end and was extremely tense.

That’s when it happened.

Thrum-

The heavy sound of wheels scraping against the ground approached from the mountain path in the distance.

The Organization members recoiled in fear.

“C-Crazy… what is that?”

It was because they discovered an armored vehicle and armed soldiers roaring and cutting through the darkness like a giant demon.

“I am searching. For Princess Cindy and the secret underground passage.”

Grand Princess Charlotte, who poked her head out of the armored vehicle with a machine gun, added in a threatening tone.

“Do you want to be alive? If you do not answer the question, you will meet death.”

At that, Stan raised both hands to show that he had no intention of attacking and approached the armored vehicle.

“I know about it. We are the ones helping Princess Cynthia and Brigadier General Vicente.”

Grand Princess Charlotte, who had finished judging the situation of the two divided groups facing each other, nodded.

Brigadier General Steve immediately stepped forward and began to command.

“Second Platoon, pursue the escapees. First Platoon, advance to the front, the rest follow me to the underground passage.”

This was the whole story of how the high explosives installed in the underground passage were removed.

“I should cut it off now.”

Count Queensguard, who was walking through the castle that looked like a storm had swept through, muttered as he stubbed out the cigar he had finished smoking.

In the distance, Brigadier General Steve and Grand Princess Charlotte were seen talking, holding their heads high and acting smug.

“You saw my bomb disposal skills, right? He’s an elite officer, isn’t he? He didn’t seem to believe it at all.”

“Very amazing bomb invalidation skill. I had to swallow my pride and respect.”

The sky, which had been tinged with the dim light of dawn, was now being dyed with the warm colors of morning.

The soldiers who had finished the battle with the Organization and achieved victory were encouraging each other, and the Organization members who had sided with Cynthia were immersed in the feeling of being given a new day.

Everyone was lingering on the boundary between the past night and the new morning.

“Count, let me treat you.”

Captain Carlton, who was tending to the injuries of his comrades, approached Count Queensguard with a first aid kit.

The Count looked at him, touching his lips that tasted of blood.

“You’re the son of Carlton, the hospital director. I’m fine.”

The Count, who refused treatment, looked around and asked.

“More importantly, did you treat Cynthia? Where is she?”

At his question, Captain Carlton looked puzzled.

“I haven’t seen her, but weren’t you with her?”

“…What?”

The Count’s face turned cold in an instant.

Could it be that they were both isolated in the mountains in that state?

“We have to find Cynthia immediately. She’s seriously injured.”

The Count instructed Captain Carlton with a stiff face, then turned to his subordinates with a grim look.

“If you don’t find the Princess, you’re all dead.”

He commanded in an overbearing tone and began to run in the direction Cynthia and Masera had gone, with a chilling look in his eyes.

A small cabin nearby.

Masera supported Cynthia’s head, which was weakly drooping.

She was wearing warm clothes, but she had lost too much blood and seemed unable to withstand the cold of dawn, so he had found a mountain lodge nearby and brought her in.

‘She didn’t even know she was hurt while stopping my bleeding….’

He laid her on the bed covered with bear skin, quickly performed first aid with the first aid kit in the lodge, and started a fire.

The smoke could reveal their location, but raising her body temperature, which had cooled down, was the priority now.

“……”

He looked down at the silver hair scattered on the bed and her pale face.

Faint explosions and gunshots were heard in the distance.

Lost in thought, he began to unbutton his shirt.

This was the fastest way to raise her body temperature.

Masera threw off his shirt and pulled Cynthia into his arms.

The alien sensation of her body, limp like a marionette doll, her arms swaying weakly, and her cold bare skin touching him, made goosebumps rise.

As soon as the realistic possibility that she might die was raised, he was engulfed in a fear that seemed to sink beneath the black water.

It was an unprecedented fear that he had not felt even in the middle of a battlefield where shells rained down like rain, when he was captured alive by the enemy, or when he was isolated in a blizzard during the snowfield battle and overcame the brink of death.

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone. I won’t leave you alone no matter what happens in the future, so please….”

He repeated, as if he was left alone in a dark closet after his mother was taken away when he was young.

Please, don’t go.

He didn’t want her to die as a savior.

Without her, his remaining time would be meaningless.

If that happens…

“Will I die too?”

Just as he was sinking into hopeless despair, Cynthia’s fingers, which he was desperately holding, moved weakly.

“No.”

It was a small voice like a newborn chick.

She opened her eyes thinly and groaned.

“Oh, it hurts. I’m seriously injured….”

Feeling pain was proof that she was alive.

A sigh of relief escaped from Masera’s lips as he hugged Cynthia.

“…If I fall asleep again this time, will you bury me in the ground crying? You drama king.”

At the still humorous joke, though she was exhausted, he shook his head and buried his face in her neck.

“Actually, I died once before. The world and life at that time were like hell, so I had no regrets when I died, and it was rather comfortable, you know?”

Cynthia tilted her head weakly and held his finger.

“But now I feel like it would be unfair to die already. There are so many things I haven’t done with Brigadier General. This world is much more fun and beautiful….”

Masera clasped her hand, which seemed too weak to even blink.

“I will do anything you want, so don’t say you’re going to die.”

She finally couldn’t bear the heavy eyelids and closed her eyes, asking.

“Brigadier General, you said you believed in me, right?”

“Yes, I do now.”

“I’m not going to die this time. I’m just going to sleep for a while, meet my mom, dad, older sister, and older brother in my dream and come back… so stop preparing the coffin in advance….”

Her voice turned into a mumbling like sleep talking, and she leaned her head on his chest and fell asleep again.

“My specialty is patience. I’m also good at waiting.”

Masera, who was stroking Cynthia’s hair, looked at the red aurora beyond the window.

“Believing only in you is the same.”

So he would wait.

He was sure that she would return when the sun rose and the aurora disappeared.

As time passed and the morning sun revealed its face, Masera, who had confirmed that all battles were over, carried her out of the lodge.

Beyond the land of white paper that had turned white overnight, he saw a man standing like a dot.

Count Queensguard was breathing roughly, his shoulders heaving, as he looked at the two.

“Haa….”

A sigh mixed with breath escaped through the Count’s lips.

The Count’s eyes, looking at Cynthia in Masera’s arms, seemed to sink into the abyss.