"If you're alive, there's always a chance to wash away your shame. But once you're dead, that's it. That's why I'm heading out. I can't get behind a fight with no chance of winning."
There was no lie in those words.
Throwing yourself into a fight with slim odds of winning was a fool's gambit—something only a truly unbelievable idiot would attempt.
Todd didn't consider himself clever in the slightest, but precisely because he wasn't clever, he had to think carefully. What a sage might arrive at in an instant, a fool like him had to spend considerably more time reaching.
That was how those without something fought, Todd knew.
He couldn't get behind a fight with no chance of winning.
But, paradoxically speaking— "—it's a different story if there's a chance of winning."
He brought his fist up before his right eye, peering through the narrow gap he'd made.
A primitive method of seeing farther by narrowing your field of vision. With his eyes narrowed, Todd could see quite a distance, but while he might spot a burning flag, he couldn't make out what was happening inside the chaotic city hall.
Even though the situation had become considerably more transparent.
"Hey, the city hall's roof is gone! What the hell is happening?!"
Beside him, Jamal—his ferocious companion who had too much energy to spare—was squawking noisily.
The racket was disrupting his concentration, but Todd gestured for him to shut up. He was seriously analyzing what was going on.
"The Nine Divine Generals must have infiltrated. That much is certain."
Otherwise, there'd be no point in holding out in a fortress city that had fallen into enemy hands.
As mentioned earlier, once the city hall was taken down by the enemy's scheme, Todd had intended to abandon the city and flee. He had no intention of politely complying with a disarmament order and surrendering.
In the first place, as long as the enemy's mastermind—that man calling himself Natsumi Schwartz, the "War Child"—was in charge, someone like Todd or Jamal would be eliminated first.
While private executions of surrendered prisoners were frowned upon in Vollachia, he would undoubtedly fabricate some excuse to have them executed.
At the very least, that's what Todd would do. It was a natural precaution for survival.
That was why he'd chosen to flee first and didn't hesitate to abandon the fortress city. Despite that, the reason he reversed his decision and stayed was because he'd spotted the "reinforcements" heading toward the city.
"I'm sure of it. Two years ago, when I served in the barbarian subjugation campaign, I saw that woman. —She's the Second of the Nine Divine Generals.
Jamal declared this, his nostrils flaring, as he watched the lightly dressed woman vault the sealed main gate with ease and leisurely enter the city.
He was a man whose wild instincts practically walked around wearing clothes. Whether in terms of raw biological strength or the male instinct for identifying females, he wouldn't forget someone who'd caught his fancy.
In other words, one of the Empire's strongest—the Nine Divine Generals—had appeared to suppress the rebellion. This was undoubtedly the "chance of winning" that Todd had judged to have vanished.
And more than that— "It was more than worth debating whether to commit or refuse."
Natsumi's schemes and tricks were impressive, but at least across their three encounters, she had no direct combat ability. Even the People of Shudrak she accompanied were known for their toughness, but that was only in comparison to ordinary humans.
The truly powerful—the Nine Divine Generals and the like—operated on an entirely different scale.
Even Jamal, whose only redeeming qualities were extraordinary swordsmanship and combat prowess, was worth perhaps ten regular Imperial soldiers at most. And again, that was just a yardstick for measuring ordinary people.
What could handle Jamal with ease were beings beyond that measure, and the Nine Divine Generals were their prime representatives. The fallen city hall would be retaken.
"Then it's smart to get on the winning horse."
There was no need to coordinate with the Nine Divine Generals.
As long as he could be more useful than the city hall soldiers—who were pinned down and unable to function—that was all the General would care about. If he could help restrain or interrogate the enemy, or secure command authority through happenstance, the General would surely take notice.
If that happened, he might get elevated up the ranks, and the path back to the Imperial Capital might open up sooner.
"Alright, let's head back, Jamal. We'll assist in retaking the city hall too."
"Oh? Yeah, right! Haha, that's more like it. Running away wasn't my style at all, and I was itching all over from it. No way I'm letting some General steal all the credit!"
"Don't be stupid. We're riding on the General's coattails."
Todd sighed at Jamal's clenched fists and eagerness to return to the killing ground, then headed back to the city hall with him. Rather than charging directly into the building, they positioned themselves where they could observe the situation inside.
Acting entirely on his own convictions, being cautious upon cautious, and then— "—Kill, Arakiya."
The city hall's top floor had been blown away by a storm-like wind, and the First General's rampage was faintly visible.
From a distance, the silver-haired, dark-skinned "Second" brandished what looked like a branch picked up from somewhere, thrashing about as though she dominated the laws of the world itself.
Shudrakians and Imperial soldiers alike, indiscriminately, lay collapsed across the ravaged great hall.
In that situation, the one who stood between the blue-haired girl and Arakiya was none other than Natsumi Schwartz.
"————"
The thought that surfaced in Todd's mind the moment he saw this was not something soft like "What a fool, standing before the General" or "To think she's still alive after all this."
Rather, with maximum vigilance, Todd screamed silently in his heart.
—Kill that man right here, Arakiya. Do it for certain.
In the worst case, his own achievement didn't matter at all. It didn't matter if the time he'd spent holding out and deliberating over changing his mind turned out to be meaningless.
As long as Natsumi Schwartz—the War Child—had her life snuffed out for certain.
That was— "...Oh, come on. You've got to be kidding."
Just as Arakiya was about to kill Natsumi—in that critical instant where he focused with everything he had to not miss the moment—something flashed in the upper part of his field of vision, and Todd's desperate hope was shattered.
A crimson flash had thrust itself between Natsumi and Arakiya.
It boldly faced Arakiya head-on, positioning itself to shield Natsumi as the absolute protector. The instant Todd saw it, the scales in his mind tilted dramatically.
"Just what the hell fell from the sky just now!? A wyvern!? Whose wyvern is it!?"
"————"
"Are you listening, Todd!? What do we do!? Shouldn't we be supporting General Arakiya!? Hey! Listen to me..."
"—Shut up, Jamal."
Todd's single word cut off Jamal's rising voice.
Without looking in Jamal's direction, Todd didn't take his eyes off the scene at city hall. The woman who'd appeared, clad in a red dress, was confronting Arakiya head-on.
He knew it at a glance. —That woman, too, was one of the "haves," utterly removed from ordinary humans.
And the fact that Natsumi, who'd been in what seemed like a death sentence, had just saved her own life—Todd keenly realized she, too, was a "have," possessing power in a form entirely different from combat ability or physical prowess.
"————"
Before the red woman had intervened, Arakiya alone would have been more than sufficient.
But now the situation had changed, and the outcome was no longer clear. With the scales tilted, would Todd and Jamal alone be enough to tip them back?
"Todd...!"
"Don't move, Jamal. —Even if we move, it won't make a difference."
The chances of winning that should have existed had vanished, and in Todd's view, the situation was only getting worse.
He knew Jamal's anger was simmering, but going out there now would just be throwing his life away.
After all— "General Arakiya just went down."
Arakiya, struck in the back by the red woman's blade, collapsed helplessly.
The scales had tipped, and they would never tilt the other way again.
△▼△▼△▼△ "————"
Arakiya fell, and the situation at city hall reached its conclusion.
This time, the fortress city of
There was no way to recover from this. Surely, even with the "Second" of the Nine Divine Generals dispatched, there would be no rapid succession of other reinforcements arriving.
The Nine Divine Generals were one-man armies—the pinnacle of Vollachia's martial power.
When a Divine General moved, it was equivalent to mobilizing a great army. They wouldn't dispatch two or three great armies to handle a single situation. This was the end.
The scales had fully tipped. All that remained was to figure out how to manage the retreat.
"What to do, then."
From the shadow of the building where he'd watched the city hall's fate unfold, Todd quietly considered.
Honestly, he was seething with a tangled mixture of emotions—anger, frustration, and who knew what else—but voicing any of it wouldn't solve anything.
With his reason for returning gone, the smart thing would be to beat a hasty retreat.
However— "Hey, Todd... Don't tell me you're planning to chicken out and run?"
Todd couldn't find the words to persuade Jamal, whose face was already blue-veined with fury.
Even at the initial fall, right after the city hall's flag had been set ablaze, convincing Jamal had been a struggle.
But back then, it had still been easy enough to guide Jamal's emotions. He'd managed to get him to sheath his drawn sword and reluctantly comply.
But this time, having sheathed the blade only to draw it again, things wouldn't work out the same way. Telling him to put it away once more and run like a coward—he wouldn't listen.
In fact, depending on Todd's next words, Jamal might very well turn that unsheathed blade on him.
If that happened, no matter what, there'd be no reason not to kill Jamal. —He was going to be Todd's future brother-in-law. He'd rather not kill him if possible.
If he failed to bring him back safely, he wouldn't be able to keep the promise they'd made.
"Maybe I should try that angle."
"Huh?"
"...I understand how you feel. But calm down. General Arakiya has fallen—even if we charge in, there's no chance of winning. You want to throw your life away just to make your little sister cry?"
"————"
He tried persuasion, using family love as his shield.
He'd barely finished looking at Jamal to see if it had worked when a quietly extended arm grabbed him by the collar. Pulling his face close, Jamal—one-eyed, fangs bared—growled.
"You think mentioning Kacha's name makes me back down every time? Big mistake."
"I see. ...That's a shame."
Todd shook his head slowly, genuinely disappointed.
He would have been fine letting Jamal punch him two or three times to work off his frustration, but from the way Jamal clicked his tongue and shoved him away, that didn't seem to be his plan.
Todd didn't see the need to resort to violence himself, but he also had no means of stopping him.
And so, Todd and Jamal parted ways—Todd intending to scale the fortress city's wall.
Fortunately, he'd already mapped out the city's geography during the time he'd spent dismantling the smuggling routes.
Arakiya, who'd failed in her objective, had created chaos—making escape actually easier than before she'd arrived.
It seemed Jamal was going to cause another ruckus to draw attention.
"Jamal, sorry, but I'm heading out. Even if I told you, it'd be useless, but you'll be throwing your life away. Even if you charge in, killing them all is—"
"Are you insane!? I'm not planning on doing anything that stupid! I'm going to extract General Arakiya."
"...What?"
An emotion he'd known was pointless nonetheless pulled out an unexpected response.
Todd stopped his retreating feet and stared at Jamal's face. Jamal grunted with displeasure— "Did you really think I was going to charge in ready to die?"
"Yeah, I did. I figured that was your idea of a good time."
"Screw you! While I've been playing along with all your little schemes, I've got a brain too! I can tell the difference between what I can and can't do."
Todd was genuinely surprised by Jamal's unexpected words.
He'd always thought Jamal was nothing more than an impulsive hothead with terrible discipline—a man whose brain existed solely as decoration alongside his combat ability.
"If you're a coward, that's your problem. Kacha had terrible taste in men. I'll extract the General on my own. She had a great ass anyway."
"—Wait, I'm coming too."
"Oh!? You can't get your fill of Kacha's ass and—"
"I wasn't planning on joining your suicide, but if that's not what this is, the story's different."
Todd didn't dignify that accusation and clamped his palm over Jamal's mouth. Forcing him silent, Todd began constructing a plan in his head based on his reversed policy.
Naturally, charging into things head-on wasn't Todd's style. But sadly, after spending more time with Jamal, his improvisational experience had grown too.
If Jamal was going to sacrifice himself alone to retake the city hall, Todd would have let him. But if the objective was extracting Arakiya, that was a different story.
"————"
The city hall was gradually moving into the cleanup phase.
The ones to watch out for were Natsumi and the red woman—making any move where they were present would be suicidal. But on the other hand, they hadn't come out of it unscathed either.
If they let their guard down even slightly, there would be an opening.
"I'll charge in and cause a commotion. In that gap, we extract the General..."
"My admiration from earlier was all for nothing. ...There are two people we have to be wary of. We absolutely cannot make our move where they are. Don't worry."
Todd restrained the impetuous Jamal while peering through the gap between his fingers, a slight smile playing on his lips. Inside, he licked one of his white canines.
His gaze was on Arakiya—who, though near death, was still being carried away.
As long as she wasn't dead yet, there were plenty of ways to extract her.
△▼△▼△▼△ —Sneaking into the city hall was easy.
It was a place he'd used as a base, even if only for a short time.
Todd had a habit of memorizing the geography and layout of every place he visited, even just once. Without knowing potential escape routes and hiding spots, he couldn't feel at ease.
So after the camp in the Badheim jungle was burned, once he entered Guaral, he'd visited every location in the city—including the city hall—and burned the maps into his head.
He knew where to kill without being seen, where to hide without being found.
He always prepared his methods of killing and fleeing, ready to encounter any threat anywhere.
Upon infiltrating the city hall, Todd systematically took out the sparse surveillance eyes.
Standing guard were not Imperial soldiers or Shudrakians, but the self-governing organization's vigilantes who had been maintaining the city's security. They'd been conscripted as wardens and were now being used as weather vanes by the hostile elements who'd seized the city—no, what could no longer be called mere "hostile elements" but a proper "rebel army."
"I won't show you bastards any mercy."
Jamal twisted the neck of a captured sentry with both hands, snapping it and tossing the body aside in disgust.
As much as he was an Imperial noble, Jamal prided himself above all on being an Imperial soldier. His rage toward the rebel army that had turned against the Empire, and toward the wardens who'd sided with them, was immeasurable.
These were the same people who'd been cooperating with Imperial soldiers right up until the city's fall. It was only natural to feel anger at their swift change of allegiance.
"Well, not something I'd be capable of."
He killed only when killing was necessary, and if killing wasn't necessary, he didn't kill.
An early change of allegiance—if it was just about siding with the stronger party to survive—wasn't something worth condemning. Of course, the price of a wrong judgment was paid with one's life.
And so, the two of them—Todd and Jamal—advanced through the city hall, eliminating the troublesome wardens, toward their destination.
In the basement of the city hall, there were cells where criminals awaited sentencing on the city mayor's orders. Arakiya, taken prisoner, was very likely to have been placed in one of those cells.
Of course, an iron cell was no different from candy against the Nine Divine Generals, but even so, people being people, they couldn't very well put her up in a guest room.
Todd might have even considered that possibility, but— "—There she is. The General."
The basement space held multiple cells arranged on either side of a central hall. From front to back, they held criminals with progressively more serious sentences, and the most secure cell was at the very back.
And naturally, the cell where Arakiya was held was heavily guarded.
Standing watch—different from before—were not wardens but a Shudrakian woman. A large woman with dyed-yellow hair, whose physical capability was obvious at a glance.
On top of that, structurally, there was no way to reach Arakiya's cell without being spotted by the woman.
In other words— "So much for our sneaky infiltration."
"...Why do you look so happy about this?"
Todd was baffled by Jamal's attitude—looking genuinely pleased with an unavoidable fight right ahead of him.
Todd didn't want to kill, and if he could help it, didn't want to fight either. When both were unavoidable, he'd choose the easier and less dangerous option.
Yet Jamal looked like he was about to enjoy diving into danger of his own accord.
Most likely, he was thinking the more dangerous the fight, the more blood he shed, the more he could prove his loyalty to the Empire—that sort of thing.
"Obviously! I'll fight like a proper Imperial soldier and seize victory! That's how I can hold my head high as an Imperial soldier!"
"————"
"Hah, what are you so surprised about?"
"It's just... that was almost exactly what I predicted. It's rare for someone's words to match this closely."
Todd's answer left Jamal looking displeased, but he shook it off quickly. Then, tracing his stubble with a finger, he let out an "Ah—" and said, "Now that I think about it, you're the one who really changed your tune."
"I can't join a suicide. That aside, I'll think about it. I didn't change my tune."
"You were planning to run, and then you didn't."
"I just decided to pick up a souvenir on the way out. My policy hasn't changed."
"There you go again with the back and forth..."
Jamal's eyes went bloodshot with fury as he ground his teeth.
Todd ignored all of this and refocused his attention on the immediate target.
The woman keeping watch was thickly built, with limbs proportionally armored by muscle. Considering Shudrakian physicality, even Todd's axe might not do the job in a single blow against her limbs.
That meant the target had to be the head and neck area.
He could smash her head, sever her neck, or split her face—several options—but— "This is where I come in."
Saying that, Jamal stepped forward with an almost comical earnestness.
Todd hesitated for a split second about calling him back but said nothing. In truth, having Jamal draw attention while Todd moved in during the opening was the optimal play.
If the man was willing and it saved effort, there was no need to curb his initiative.
"What—who are you, no!?!"
"Do I need to answer? You bastards have defiled the Sword Wolf of the Vollachian Empire. Don't think you won just because I wasn't on the battlefield!"
"Strange man appeared, no!"
Jamal strode into the great hall, and the Shudrakian woman gripped the massive spear beside her. Jamal, facing her, drew his twin swords and charged with a crazed grin.
For all his problematic behavior, Jamal's combat ability was the real deal. At least against a member of the Shudrak, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
"So-rara so-rara so-rara so-rara so-rara so-rara so-rara!"
"—Ngh! Strong one, no!"
While bellowing at the top of his lungs, Jamal's twin swords rained down on the Shudrakian woman in a frenzy. She deftly parried with her spear, but was clearly on the defensive.
They'd posted someone reasonably capable to keep watch on Arakiya. But they probably hadn't expected someone would show up to rescue her right after she was locked up.
On top of that, the lack of reliable manpower was a fatal gap for the rebel army.
Not that she was a resource they could deploy right now.
Todd licked his lips, then followed Jamal at a sprint, slipping past the two combatants as sparks flew wildly, and lunged straight for the cell.
"Oh! Comrade—kyah!"
"Think I've got time to look elsewhere? Hah!?"
When Jamal—unexpectedly sharp—created an opening, Todd drove his axe into the cell's lock with all his strength.
There was no time to search for a key. He couldn't destroy the whole cell, but he should be able to break the lock.
A dull impact and hard resistance, and the axe tip crumpled spectacularly. But the cell lock shattered spectacularly in return, and Todd burst through the creaking door.
"General Arakiya!"
Inside the cell, laid on a crude cot, was a single girl lying face-down.
Even among those serving in the same
This was the first time Todd had seen a General—the Nine Divine Generals—up close.
"————"
The unconscious Arakiya had been placed face-down because of the slash wound to her back. Her back bore a gruesome scar that had been cauterized shut.
The slashed wound had been burned at the same time it was inflicted, creating a ghastly mark. —Only a heated blade could inflict such a wound.
"What did that red woman..."
She was no ordinary person, and the divine sword she'd wielded was clearly extraordinary as well.
Todd had no further information, and Arakiya didn't respond to his calls. So, with no other option, he lifted Arakiya's body into his arms and burst out of the cell.
"Got her! Jamal, let's go!"
"I won't let you—auh!?"
"I said! Stop looking elsewhere! Don't look away—!!"
With Arakiya snatched away, the Shudrakian woman's attention wavered for just an instant.
In that instant, Jamal's flash of a strike pierced through the gap in her awareness. The woman instinctively raised her spear vertically to block the twin-sword attack. The impact ripped the spear from her arms, and Jamal leaped, his spinning back kick burying itself in her now-exposed torso.
She let out a small scream and was sent crashing into the dungeon wall. She hit her head hard and slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Todd looked and was about to order the finishing blow, but— "—Ngh, it's getting loud upstairs. Did they find the warden's bodies?"
"Tch, we can't afford to waste time. The General?"
"She's unconscious but not dead. That's enough."
Todd answered Jamal's question succinctly and ran for the basement exit. Jamal breezed past him to take point, clearing the way.
"Who the—ghu!?!"
"Out of the way, you half-dead losers!"
A warden who'd been peeking into the basement was cut down and sent flying. Todd followed Jamal's back through the city hall as alertness spiked throughout the building.
He was sorry, but he didn't have the luxury of worrying about the Arakiya cradled in his arms. As one of the Nine Divine Generals, her body was surely durable enough. He'd trust in her stamina and just keep running.
"We're out! Where to?"
"The main gate will be sealed. —Follow me."
Todd led Jamal through the darkened city streets, slipping into the back alleys. Using every narrow path and side street at his disposal, he shook off the pursuing enemies' line of sight.
The battle had just ended, the confusion hadn't subsided, and to make matters worse, there were easily three hundred Imperial soldiers in the city—enough that telling friend from foe at a glance was impossible.
All that remained was— "—!"
The instant he heard the whistling sound of wind, a blade was swung right behind Todd.
He glanced back. A thick, large arrow was embedded in the ground at his feet—cut down by Jamal at the last second. It had been fired with tremendous force, aimed directly at Todd.
Within the city, someone had precisely targeted Todd and Jamal as they fled and hid.
Without a doubt, this was the same archer who had pierced Todd's torso just days ago.
—They were being watched.
If that was the case, they couldn't move carelessly.
Stepping into the open would make them targets, and with Arakiya in tow, nimble movement was difficult. Even if he tried to kill the archer, from his angle, the enemy's position was at the city hall—a third return trip was out of the question.
Should he dump Arakiya and run? That would give him the highest chance of survival, but then the whole reason for taking the risk would become meaningless.
Taking stock of the situation and searching for the best option, the greatest payoff would be— "Jamal, you understand we're being targeted, right?"
"Yeah, nasty bunch. Too far to go after them. At this rate, we'll just get picked off one-sidedly. What do we do?"
"...There's only one play."
Jamal's single eye narrowed at Todd's words.
Todd met Jamal's gaze seeking a proposal, then took a deep breath and closed one eye.
"The instant we break out, they'll start shooting at us. You go ahead and cut down the arrows like before. It won't be one shot—there'll be two, three, and more. I'll run with everything I've got to keep the General from falling off."
"Hah, that's not like you. Isn't that just a desperate gamble?"
"In the end, when your hand is empty, that's all you've got left. But I've still got luck on my side, don't I?"
"Huh? Where?"
"You're sitting on some pretty strong cards, aren't you?"
The plan he'd proposed was essentially putting everything on Jamal's sword.
If Jamal couldn't cut down the incoming arrows, they'd both die. Risking your life on such recklessness was insanity by Todd's standards.
But he proposed it anyway. With Jamal's sword, the probability wasn't zero.
"...Kacha really had terrible taste in men. I thought you were the smarter type."
"Stop badmouthing my fiancée, brother."
Todd answered with a twisted grin as Jamal scratched his head. Hearing this, Jamal let out a short "Hah," then gripped his twin swords' hilts once more.
Turning his broad back to Todd— "Fine, I'll bite. Sometimes a stupid gamble isn't half bad."
"If I weren't here, you'd just be making stupid gambles all the time."
"Shut up. —You, just shut up and follow behind me."
Exchanging barbs, Jamal quietly stoked his fighting spirit.
Watching his back, Todd readjusted Arakiya's body in his arms and said— "Jamal, when you exit the alley, run straight. When you hit the dead end, take the right path. That should give us room to breathe."
Hearing the instructions, Jamal chewed on them in his mind, slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again and stepped forward.
"—!"
The instant they burst from the alley, a single arrow wreathed in violent wind shot toward Jamal.
With extraordinary reflexes, Jamal brought his twin swords together and cut it down. The impact reverberated through his wrist, and he ground his molars with a feral grin.
Blood burned, heart pounded—the sensation of life surging through him seized Jamal.
In his state of extreme concentration, the world slowed. He could feel each droplet of sweat running down his skin, each grain of sand scattering in the air—perhaps even the very presence of the invisible atmosphere itself.
"—Haah!"
Arrows rained down like a storm.
He planted his feet, danced and spun as he swung his swords, cutting down and batting away arrow after arrow. What unfurled was a sword dance—Jamal Oreley's sword dance.
In another life, he would have been enjoying a dancer's performance at the city hall tomorrow.
Instead, that plan was ruined, and he himself was the one dancing. Jamal laughed about that. But with every fiber of his being, his dance, his performance, his swordplay was on full display.
While furiously parrying attacks, Jamal marveled at Todd's desperate efforts as well.
Through a storm of lethal arrows, Todd followed without making a sound. If Jamal's attention wavered even slightly, they'd both die—and Todd's silence was proof he understood that.
So Jamal banished Todd from his consciousness and poured his entire soul into avoiding the approaching "death."
Straight, dodge, swat, step forward, leap, parry, cleave through.
"The dead end—"
Having miraculously survived the direct assault, Jamal hit the end of the prescribed path.
Time had become vague, and the sword dance that had felt like hours was probably only seconds. But they'd only cleared the first checkpoint. Refusing to let his guard down, Jamal turned right at the dead end as instructed and— —At the end of the turned path, a group of Shudrakians stood blocking their way, spears leveled.
"—Damn."
Being targeted by the archer while fighting through that many Shudrakians was difficult. It was fair to say impossible.
Of course, he was prepared to fight to his last breath, but dying without achieving anything... To think they'd been so perfectly anticipated—truly, fortune had completely abandoned them.
"Try to play it smart at every turn, and in the end, you get cut loose by luck. ...Hah, how hollow. But it wasn't bad."
Jamal checked the feel of his twin swords in his bloodied hands and muttered over his shoulder to Todd.
Not bad wasn't just face-saving—it was the truth.
He'd been jerked around by Todd's schemes and thoughts, and had been irritated plenty of times.
But in the end, Todd had chosen to fight like an Imperial soldier too, pushing his strength to its limit.
"I've done Kacha dirty, but it can't be helped. She's an Imperial noble too. She would have accepted the possibility of us ending up like this."
Thinking of the sister he'd left behind in the Imperial Capital, Jamal felt a faint ache in his chest. But it was quickly drowned out by his fighting spirit against the enemies before him, and the smell of blood covered everything.
He was relieved. —He was, down to the bone, a Sword Wolf of the Vollachian Empire.
"Let's do this, Todd. At the very least, let's give them a show before the end."
Leaning forward, Jamal licked the blood running from beneath his eyepatch.
And then, furiously, to display his last vestiges of honor as an Imperial soldier, he charged headlong into the enemy.
A barrage of deadly attacks rained down like a storm, but he felt no more regrets.
That he had remained himself until the very end—that was the greatest reward Jamal could have asked for.
△▼△▼△▼△ "...You were a fool to the very end."
Todd murmured as he slipped through the wall, Jamal's fierce roar echoing in the distance.
He immediately sealed the hole he'd passed through and meticulously erased all traces so no one could follow. For a while, Jamal would have the city's full attention, giving him time to escape.
Not like him, just as Jamal had said.
Risking his life on a desperate gambit was something Todd would absolutely never do. —No, precisely to avoid dying, he would absolutely never do something like that.
"If I have them chase after you down the alley, their attention will be diverted from me. Well, I suppose I've done Kacha dirty..."
He wouldn't be able to keep his promise to bring back her brother-in-law, and his fiancée would be deeply hurt.
To comfort her, he wanted to return to the Imperial Capital as soon as possible. Fortunately, in exchange for losing Jamal, he'd acquired a different means of returning to the capital.
And it was a far bigger stepping stone than Jamal—who was on shaky ground regarding promotion to Third General.
"...Princess."
"My, my. You've got quite an innocent expression for someone who's killed probably more than a hundred or two hundred people."
In Todd's arms, Arakiya's closed eyelids streamed with tears. Watching the tears trace her cheeks, Todd vaguely noted that he was accompanying yet another person with an eyepatch.
And then, tilting his head— "—Which side of Jamal's face did the eyepatch go on again...?"