Chapter 143 

Ysildus gazed up at the flag fluttering in the wind. The imperial capital, which the wolves had never been able to cross, now stood right before his eyes. The barrier once erected by the Red Clan had incinerated any wolf that dared approach.

That was why, no matter how outrageous the imperial family’s demands on Thersion had been, they had never been refused. And now, at last, the moment had come when Ysildus could surpass that long-standing limit.

A smile slowly curled on his lips.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Why would I be, Violeta?”

“I know the barrier has been broken. But it stood for so long. Even though I know it’s gone, it feels like it’s still there, like some invisible shackle on my mind. What about you, Ysildus?”

Ysildus let out a hearty laugh.

“You must’ve lived quite a long life.”

“And now you’re throwing manners to the wind, I see.”

Violeta shook her head. Still, she couldn’t help but acknowledge that he was right. She had lived a long life, and had grown too accustomed to the old. Before this mission, Carlisle had told her something important.

[“You must go first, Violeta. You must be the first to overcome your fear of the barrier and step forward. Show them all that it’s gone, that there’s nothing left to threaten Thersion. Show the old ones so they don’t get left behind.”]

Violeta bared her teeth with a fierce grimace. Ysildus had taken her own words and used them against her. She reminded herself once again of why she had come here. She had to step forward. She had to show the knights of Thersion that everything would be fine.

“You’re right. I must’ve lived too long. Worrying about all the wrong things.”

Violeta turned her head to look at Visten. He was staring at her with concern in his eyes. This kind man had looked after Terrun in her stead while she’d been busy with battle. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake her anxiety. Her gaze kept drifting back to him.

Visten and Terrun. The two she would leave behind if she died. The thought of them clung to her heart. Violeta smiled, as if to reassure Visten. She would be all right. Ysildus said to her, “You’ll be fine, Violeta. I’ll go first.”

“No. We don’t know what kind of side effects there might be, Ysildus.”

She turned her head away from Visten.

“It has to be me who leads the way.”

Violeta did a few light stretches, then hurled herself toward the capital. Her pupils dilated. Once she crossed this mountain, she would be back in Thersion. That verdant land where green foliage thrived and the wind blew free, her home.

* * *

Wherever Carlisle’s blade passed, blood splattered. The walls were streaked with it, reeking of iron. Carlisle had unleashed his savagery. Beside him, Jeremiah swung his sword with all his might, desperate not to fall behind.

Jeremiah raised his sword toward Ruella. The spells she chanted came flying at them like arrows. But even before her magic could reach them, Carlisle and Jeremiah dodged. No one could match a wolf in agility. And Jeremiah, who had withstood their training, wouldn’t go down so easily either.

“Argh! Monsters!!!”

The knights screamed. Not one had so much as grazed Carlisle’s blade before throwing down their weapons and fleeing. Yet Carlisle didn’t bother chasing them.

“You’re letting them go?”

“…Do they seem human to you, Jeremiah? Do they laugh and talk like humans? Do they really seem human?”

Carlisle sneered at him.

“They may look human, but they’re wolves. Their fangs and claws won’t let those runaways get far. They’ll be cold corpses before long, so what’s the point?”

Carlisle chuckled darkly. 

Jeremiah wiped the blood from his cheek and nodded. He’d grown so used to them that he had almost forgotten they were wolves. Once the last knight had been slaughtered, Carlisle threw his sword to the ground. Only Ruella remained.

“You take care of that woman. She reeks.”

Carlisle gave the order with a grimace, and Jeremiah nodded in response.

“If you kill me, you’ll regret it!!! I know all the Emperor’s secrets! You don’t know what he’s planning! You don’t even know what he’s already done! I-I’ll tell you everything!”

Ruella screamed hysterically. She’d never imagined the enhanced knights would fall so pathetically. The chaos outside seemed to have quieted; only the triumphant howls of wolves echoed through the air.

Thersion Castle had not fallen. Ruella hadn’t even managed to reach Alexa before everything ended. She had met Prince Jeremiah, but it was the same. She hadn’t even laid a finger on him.

Thersion had turned even Prince Jeremiah into a monster. There was no mercy in the way he cut down the enhanced knights, and their augmented strength was no match for him.

“Grand Duke Carlisle.”

Jeremiah addressed him with a reverence he hadn’t shown before. Carlisle let out a hearty laugh.

“None of that matters now, Jeremiah. Ysildus will bring back Depier’s head. And you’ll take his place. So what does it matter? Get that revolting woman out of my sight.”

Jeremiah nodded and raised his sword.

* * *

Peace had returned to Thersion. As if the night’s terror had been just a fleeting nightmare, the morning sun rose over the land, erasing all traces of the previous chaos. Not even a drop of blood remained. Brillia had swept it all away with her magic. None who had crossed into Thersion survived. 

And now, far removed from all the turmoil, Alexa awoke bathed in warm morning light.

“Good morning, Head Maid.”

“Good morning, Lady. Did you sleep well?”

Alexa nodded. A deep sleep had left her feeling refreshed. But there was still something bothering her.

“Um… the veil I ruined yesterday, what should we do about that?”

She pouted, her hair a mess. The head maid chuckled.

“Don’t worry, Lady. Thersion has plenty of skilled seamstresses. The fact that you even tried to mend it yourself means more than enough.”

“Has a letter come from Ysildus?”

“Oh yes, of course.”

The head maid handed her a letter she had received first thing in the morning. Alexa beamed as she opened it. The words were simple and repetitive, “I miss you,” but just receiving it each morning filled her with joy. It was strange. 

This was a matter that could determine the fate of a nation, yet it all felt so lighthearted. As if she had sent Ysildus off on a picnic instead of a battlefield. 

Smiling brightly, Alexa said, “I should write him back today too! And… I think I’ll go pick some flowers in the garden. I want to arrange some in the vase.”

“Lovely idea, Lady.”

“And maybe study some magic with Jeremiah too…”

“You’re always so diligent, Lady.”

“Me? I feel like I’m just lazing around.”

Alexa scratched her cheek. Everyone else was so busy, and she felt like she was the only one relaxing like some carefree noble. It was wartime, yet everything felt so peaceful.

‘Is this really okay?’

Alexa tilted her head.

“No, Lady. You’ve done more than enough. Leave the rest to Lord Ysildus. He’ll be back soon… and there’s still the wedding to prepare.”

“Ugh… that’s what worries me the most.”

Alexa let out a long sigh. Maybe it was a blessed kind of worry, but the idea of getting married still made her the most nervous. She’d never imagined she’d be swept into marriage so suddenly, but she was happy. Just knowing someone loved her that much filled her heart completely.

Like all the light in the world was shining just for her. Alexa rubbed her eyes. She wished Ysildus would come back soon. As the morning sun bathed her in warmth, the head maid smiled. No one here would ever disturb Alexa’s peace.

* * *

A blinding light erupted from the temple guarded by the Blue Moon Merchant Company. The imperial knights, who had been watching for a chance to enter, grimaced and murmured under their breath. But the non-human beings among them seemed to sense something.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Beats me!”

“How long are they going to keep this up…?”

“Are we gonna die out here? You said someone inside was on our side. Can you reach them?”

The knights grumbled, unease creeping in. And then it happened.

All the members of the Blue Moon Merchant Company who had surrounded the temple suddenly dropped to their knees. The light radiating from the temple began to spread across the entire empire. The temple doors swung open. It sounded like a song was flowing out.

And from within emerged a towering silver wolf, massive in stature and cloaked in the light and wind of the ancient world. He, who had once wandered the world through the cycle of reincarnation, had returned.

“Lord Dephensores!!”

The Wolf God stepped out onto the ground beyond the temple.

“It’s been a while… what a musty atmosphere.”

Dephensores let out a faint smile and rose to his feet. The returned god now stood among them.