Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 75

“Damn! Where the hell did this bastard come from!”

The superiority of strength over technique was clear. She could see the panicked opponent’s sword being pushed back several times in counterattack. Ashika sat slumped, staring blankly at the massive shadow that had blocked her path.

She never knew Buzri’s build was this large. His usually hunched body was now straightened as he lunged at the opponent like a wild beast, blocking the attacks.

The opponent’s nimble and threatening sword was deflected by blunt axe strikes.

“Ugh!”

The ferociously swinging axe mercilessly embedded itself in the opponent’s chest.

Crack.

The sound of bones from neck to chest being crushed entirely. The axe that withdrew as quickly as it had struck down immediately struck the next approaching enemy.

The three intruders who had been chasing Ashika instantly became chunks of red flesh rolling on the floor. Buzri quickly checked the surroundings for other enemies and lowered his axe-wielding hand.

When he turned back with his usual expression despite his blood-splattered, fierce face, Ashika couldn’t help but flinch in surprise. She had countless questions but there was no time.

“My lady, please excuse me.”

“But…”

Before she could finish speaking, Buzri wrapped his arm around Ashika’s shoulder and practically lifted her to her feet. Pulled by his urgent strength, Ashika had no choice but to run after Buzri without a word.

Loud collision sounds echoed continuously from the main gate. As the sound of weapons clashing inside the mansion subsided, a bang – an explosive sound rang out. It was the sound of the main gate being broken down by soldiers.

Inside the mansion were unidentified intruders, and at the main gate, soldiers were pouring in.

Where should they go? Could they even escape the mansion? Even while running behind Buzri, she felt overwhelmed by the invisible future ahead.

‘Why didn’t I know anything all this time? Until things reached this point, why did I…’

She was angry at her situation where she could do nothing but flee. Even though her heart was trembling with fear, she couldn’t even shed tears.

“My lady, this way.”

Crossing the garden, Buzri surprisingly led her to the hunting lodge. Buzri rushed into the lodge and ran to the inner corner.

In the long-unused lodge, boxes containing hunting tools, weapons, and miscellaneous items were stacked. When he pushed aside a wall shelf in the middle, a large hole was revealed. It was a secret passage.

“Just follow the path all the way. Duke Talion is coming, so you should be able to meet him before long.”

“You’re telling me to go alone now?”

“I must help the young duke. Protecting him is my duty.”

Ashika refused the hands trying to push her in. Her trembling black eyes were filled with desperate emotion rather than fear.

“Who is it? Who ordered you to do this!”

Buzri had hidden his true nature and lived like a dead man for all those long years. Ashika’s heart became urgent, wanting to know at least something about who was behind this, who the enemy was.

“It was my master’s final wish. This old man had hoped he wouldn’t need to step forward, but it has come to this in the end.”

His face, filled with the regret of long years, smiled bitterly.

“Cross the border. Don’t think of revenge, don’t think of reclaiming the family. Never set foot on this land again and survive. Only you and Duke Talion surviving will be the sole opportunity for revenge.”

“What does that mean?”

“You are a descendant of the noble yet sinful Grand Duke’s family. So you must fulfill your responsibility to the end.”

“Buzri!”

“Go. And never return.”

He gave her no more chance to speak. Buzri pressed the bag he was holding into Ashika’s arms and pushed her into the pitch-black hole.

“Wait, hold on. Buzri!”

Buzri quickly pulled the wall shelf to block the passage again.

Thud – a dull collision sound. Ashika found herself alone in a space left with only pitch-black darkness. Even the noisy sounds had disappeared, leaving such silence that her ears felt muffled.

“I need to think, I need to think…”

But her whole body was trembling so much that her mind went blank.

“He said Rushia was coming.”

Drushia was coming. Only that thought was the hope that moved her.

“It’s dark.”

In the pitch-black darkness where she couldn’t even feel that her eyes were open, a faint light leaked from the bag Buzri had given her.

“A luminous stone?”

He must have planned to send Ashika here from the beginning.

Gardener Buzri. He had been at Igraine since before Ashika was born, and throughout her growth, he was the person she had encountered most often in the territory and at the capital mansion.

The image of the kind, dirt-covered gardener who used to speak gently to her became entangled with the image of the blood-covered warrior wielding a heavy axe. How many more things she didn’t know remained?

‘Is there anything I actually know?’

She herself was truly a flower in a greenhouse. While her precious ones lived on thin ice, carrying threatening secrets, Ashika had lived in the safest place, backed by the prestige of the ducal family.

Only now did she realize that in places she didn’t know, her father, her grandfather, and other unknown people had all worked to protect everyone. She swallowed the rising sob and gently wiped her warming eyes.

Ashika took out the luminous stone and slowly began to walk. The cold, dry passage was solidly built with stacked bricks. On the path covered with white dust from who knows how long ago, there were no traces of people coming and going at all.

Not knowing how much time would be allowed, she confirmed that the passage floor was well-paved and quickened her pace.

Eventually, she ran recklessly without checking under her feet. The pitch-black darkness behind her seemed like a monster trying to devour her. In the darkness, only her own breathing echoed raggedly in her ears.

Just when she thought the faint light in the distance was getting closer, the ground under her feet suddenly gave way.

“Aaah!”

Ashika tumbled down the slope. The moment her sliding body stopped, the musty smell of earth pierced her nostrils. Feeling the cool breeze blowing, she finally realized she had come outside.

“Where is this…”

“There she is!”

Thinking the passage would be safe was a mistake. Those who had been waiting in the dark forest heard her scream and came running. Ashika quickly got up and dove into the bushes.

However, she didn’t get far before someone grabbed the back of her neck. Her body tilted and she was pulled by a strong force, falling to the ground.

“Let go! You vicious bastards!”

“Look who’s talking. A traitor who deceived the imperial family for decades has no right to say that!”

At the stern voice, Ashika looked up. The four people surrounding her were not wearing black clothing. The clear emblem carved on their armor was familiar.

“Imperial Knights? Why is the imperial family…”

Seeing Ashika muttering in bewilderment, the opponent let out a hollow laugh.

“What nonsense are you spouting? You’ve fled quite well to get here.”

“Commander, what should we do? They say we missed Duke Talion. Wouldn’t it be better to transport the criminal first?”

“No, Duke Talion won’t flee alone. He will definitely come looking for his wife.”

At the knight commander’s signal, armed imperial knights approached her. In that brief moment, Ashika pondered. The assassins who tried to kill her and the imperial knights trying to arrest her.

‘Which side is the more dangerous enemy?’

Compared to the merciless knight commander, the knights were cautious. Because they remembered her as Lady Igraine and Duchess Talion.

Ashika fiercely swatted away the approaching hand and stood up angrily. The approaching knight opened his mouth with a troubled expression.

“Resistance will only make things difficult for both of us, Duchess.”

“Let me ask one thing. Igraine aside, why Talion? What crime did Talion commit?”

“You’re asking because you don’t know? It was Igraine and Talion who disobeyed imperial orders and supported the Grand Duchy for decades.”

“What?”

“At first, we thought it was moral support. But who would have known they were plotting treason in collusion with the remaining vassals of Arkpella? Without Balgo, we would have been completely deceived.”

“Balgo? Who is that?”

“Ha, who’s interrogating whom here?”

“It’s false. Talion is innocent!”

Ashika cried out desperately. If marrying the bloodline of Arkpella, which had been destroyed for treason, was Drushia’s crime, then that was his crime. If there was even the slightest way out for him, she would take whatever it was.

At her claim of innocence, the knight commander laughed coldly.

“How could that be? There’s the crime of hiding the bloodline of a traitor and concealing secrets for long years to oppose the imperial family.”

“Secrets? What secrets?”

“commander!”

Sensing rapidly approaching presence, the knights drew their swords. Pitch-black shadows that had melded into the dark night. Enemies who had quickly closed the distance charged, and battle immediately erupted.

“It’s those bastards! Secure the hostage first!”

The moonlight was too dark to see properly ahead. Only the vivid sparks that flew whenever sharp metal sounds rang out and swords clashed were visible.

‘I need to escape, now’s the chance.’

She put strength into her weakened legs. Now, while enemies fought enemies, was the only opportunity. However, the knight commander didn’t miss even Ashika’s small movement.

“Aaah!”

A strong force grabbed Ashika’s arm. While the knights fought, the knight commander tried to drag Ashika to the opposite side.

“Let go!”

But with her frail body, she couldn’t shake off the burly knight’s strength.

Just when she was about to give up, thinking she could never escape, urgent hoofbeats approached, closing the distance. Someone jumped from a horse racing at terrifying speed into the midst of the knights.

“It’s Duke Talion!”

“Deal with him first!”

The enemies who had been fighting the knights changed direction and rushed at Drushia. Drushia confirmed Ashika’s location with a quick glance and parried the flying sword blade.

Ashika covered her mouth to stifle a scream. Fearing that Drushia’s attention might be scattered and he’d become endangered. She couldn’t even resist the knight commander dragging her away.

As the attacks concentrated on Drushia, the knights moved aside. Drushia smiled bitterly and swung his long sword, close to a spear, in a wide arc. The opponent’s sword was knocked away by the heavy longsword before it could even reach him.

“Kugh!”

Two men in black clothing fell, spitting blood. Pressing forward with that momentum, his descending sword charged at the remaining man.

“Damn! Why aren’t the others here yet!”

The mercilessly striking sword was as destructive as its weight. Even while overwhelming his opponent, Drushia’s breathing didn’t even falter. With a coldly hardened expression, he mercilessly swung his sword and finally thrust it into the opponent’s neck.

“Kugh…”

The sword that pierced the neck made a crunching sound as it cut through the collarbone and sternum. Drushia savagely kicked the blood-spewing opponent and pulled out his sword.

The knights who had stayed to one side froze with their eyes wide open in shock. The enemies who had given the knights such trouble had all become corpses rolling at his feet in just a few minutes. Realizing that they would meet the same fate if they fought, their blood ran cold.

Drushia approached the knights with his blood-dripping longsword.

“Stop! Come any closer and we cannot guarantee the duchess’s safety.”

“Hng.”

A cool sensation touched the end of Ashika’s neck. She struggled desperately not to be frightened, but from the moment she faced Drushia, tears seemed ready to pour out from both joy and fear.

But not now. Thinking she couldn’t show weakness and disturb his heart, she tensed her eyes.

The moment Drushia’s gaze rested on Ashika, concern and indignation that hadn’t yet subsided flickered and disappeared. His knuckles gripping the sword bulged white. The slight trembling wasn’t from fear but from holding back anger.

“You do remember that the woman you’re carelessly holding is a duchess, don’t you?”

“Even so, she’s now a great traitor. Just like you.”

“Still, this is too underhanded. I heard the Imperial Knights are chosen by connections rather than skill, and I guess it was true?”

The Imperial Guard commander was the emperor’s closest confidant with tremendous political influence. Most of the Imperial Knights were under that influence, which prompted these words.

“You… open your eyes wide and look. Can’t you see the hostage is in my hands?”

The knight commander flared up but didn’t lose his composure. He pressed the sword closer to Ashika’s neck while raising his shrinking voice even more.

“Where is the key?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

A furrow formed between Drushia’s brows.

“The key that can open the Grand Duke’s castle. The one Talion possesses.”