Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 88

Ashika hesitated for a moment before continuing. This time it was a question demanding a more definitive answer.

“You’ve been inside the Grand Duke’s Castle more than once or twice, haven’t you?”

“As you can see, the Grand Duke incident is full of mysteries. And we’ve been guarding this place for the past 40 years.”

The Grand Duke’s territory was like a spark that could ignite at any time with any problem. Even with the Emperor’s orders, it was far too dangerous a spark to just stand by and watch.

Ashika silently agreed with his answer.

As she followed behind Drushia, something caught on her foot. Casually looking down, she saw dark brown crumbs piled up on the floor, different from dust.

“What is this? Is it soil?”

“Well, I don’t know much about this place either.”

“It’s a high area, so soil couldn’t have been swept in from somewhere.”

Once she realized it, the dark brown piles scattered throughout became visible to her eyes. Goosebumps rose all over her body. The feeling was even more eerie because she couldn’t understand the reason.

“There are hardly any decorative items visible in the castle. Things like portraits or tapestries.”

“That’s right. This place has more than one or two strange points.”

As Ashika said, the deeper they went inside, all they could see were empty stone structures. Places where doors should have been were completely open, and even spaces that appeared to be rooms were completely empty.

It felt as if everything had crumbled and turned to dust, as if no one had lived in this space for not just 40 years, but hundreds of years.

The two stopped in front of the stairs.

“From here, if you go down, you’ll reach the first-floor hall, and if you go up, it leads to the fourth floor.”

“Isn’t there a middle section?”

“There was supposed to be a large banquet hall on the second and third floors, but it’s completely blocked and we can’t enter.”

It wasn’t blocked with wooden boards like other places. The outer ceiling had collapsed, and large stones had blocked the entrance.

“Let’s go to the first floor.”

When Ashika decided on the direction, Drushia went ahead and started going down. Walking slowly, Drushia asked.

“Do you feel like you’ve gotten the answers you wanted?”

“I’m not sure.”

She had only confirmed the desolate ruins and added more unanswered questions. The solution Ashika had hoped for was nowhere to be seen. There was nothing here, to the point where she felt sorry for Drushia who had made such an effort to bring her.

Suddenly Drushia stopped walking. Seeing his clearly hardened expression, a question also appeared on Ashika’s face.

“Why…”

A small noise penetrating the Grand Duke’s Castle that had been sunk in silence for so many years. It gradually grew louder until it became clear enough for her to hear as well. Ashika’s eyes widened significantly.

“What is this sound?”

Ashika, who had been looking around, turned her gaze toward the direction where the main gate of the castle was located. Even Drushia had a half-believing expression.

That couldn’t be possible. The Grand Duke’s Castle had never been opened once in 40 years.

“No way…”

Crack, crack.

The sound echoing in the empty castle had now become clear enough that it couldn’t be mistaken. The main gate of the Grand Duke’s Castle was barred from the outside, not the inside, and completely blocked with additional wood. Someone was tearing it down.

“Ashika, if an emergency situation arises.”

Drushia’s face hardened frighteningly. Something impossible was about to happen right before their eyes. He grabbed Ashika’s hand as if snatching it and moved quickly.

“Don’t think about me and run away alone.”

“What do you mean?”

Being dragged by the large hand, Ashika’s face turned pale.

“Who is trying to enter the Grand Duke’s Castle? Who on earth?”

Drushia couldn’t answer. He had thought it was just sealed but safe. If he had anticipated even the slightest danger, he would never have brought Ashika to this place.

But why today of all days? As if they had been waiting for the two of them to come here.

“How… The Grand Duke’s Castle is guarded by Talion’s soldiers, isn’t it?”

“If there are intruders in this place, the soldiers probably aren’t safe either.”

Since this had never happened before, he had never thought about it. Who would go to such lengths to forcibly invade the Grand Duke’s Castle, which had become ruins with nothing left, and why?

Drushia ran across the hall to the stairs. Grabbing the hand of Ashika, who was staggering as if she might fall, he urgently pulled her along.

“We have to get out. Right now.”

“Maybe it’s Talion’s soldiers?”

Thud, a heavy collision sound echoed. The main gate of the Grand Duke’s Castle had finally opened.

The presence of people rushing inside could be felt. The opponents who forcibly broke down the door to enter were definitely enemies. Drushia’s instincts were screaming that.

“That’s absolutely impossible. This place is…”

“Drushia!”

That was the moment. A vibration of unknown direction rumbled past beneath their feet. Drushia stopped walking and quickly pulled Ashika into his embrace. While the two were bewildered about what was happening, another rumbling vibration was felt.

“Wh-what is this?”

“Let’s question the reason after we get out.”

However, before they could take a step, an even greater vibration came rushing. The entire staircase landing where the two were standing shook visibly.

As the vibration grew stronger, the entire Grand Duke’s Castle shook. Dust that had been layered for a long time poured down hazily with the vibration.

Crack, thud, thud.

Loud rupturing sounds were heard in succession, and heavy stone fragments rolled down to the staircase landing where the two were.

“Ashika, this way!”

Drushia pushed her toward the wall and embraced her with his whole body.

“Ugh, Drushia.”

She wasn’t in her right mind at all. With the shock that violently shook her head, her vision spun and she felt like she was plummeting somewhere.

Even in the midst of this, the embrace that wrapped around Ashika was solid and firm. Unable to lift her head or open her eyes, she had no choice but to grab and hold onto his chest as if she would tear it apart and endure. Hoping that this terrible disaster would pass.

The moment a roar like an entire mountain collapsing echoed, it seemed like she heard a strange screaming sound as well. As if the Grand Duke’s Castle was alive and thrashing.

Instinctive fear rose to her throat, and it seemed like a scream would burst out.

After the shock that was sudden enough to make her lose her wits passed, and some time later, the sound of urgent footsteps could be heard. It was only briefly that she wondered who the opponents might be; upon confirming the appearance of those climbing the stairs, Drushia’s blood ran cold.

The one at the front who discovered the two shouted.

“Found them!”

Armed people dressed in black. Ashika opened her eyes wide and froze.

She had seen them before. Even though she couldn’t recognize their faces, she had seen assassins with the same attire and atmosphere.

“Drushia, those people… they’re going to kill us. They came to kill us.”

The hand grasping Drushia’s collar trembled violently.

They were the ones who had attacked the Igraine mansion in the hallucination. They were also the ones who had chased the two who barely escaped to a remote cabin and ultimately killed them.

“No, that won’t happen.”

Drushia grabbed Ashika’s trembling hand and started climbing the stairs. When Ashika couldn’t keep up with his pace of taking two stairs at a time in large strides, he almost dragged her along as they ran.

A sharp whistling sound cut through the air behind them. Thud, a flying arrow grazed his shoulder and flew past, embedding in the wall.

“Damn!”

The stairs leading to the fourth floor were half-destroyed.

“Drushia, over there.”

Part of the third-floor corridor had collapsed, revealing the entrance to the banquet hall that had been blocked. There was no time to deliberate. Hoping the entrance on the opposite side would be open, Drushia ran straight ahead, dragging Ashika along.

The floor was a mess with collapsed stone debris scattered about. Ashika couldn’t keep up with Drushia’s stride and staggered several times before finally falling.

“Ah!”

“Ashika!”

Drushia caught her and lifted her up in one motion. During the brief moment they stopped, the pursuing assassins came into view. Drushia lifted Ashika while simultaneously pushing her inward.

“Go inside first!”

“Drushia!”

“I can’t fight if you’re here. If there’s a path on the opposite side, go straight up to the fourth floor and retrace the way we came!”

As he pushed her away, Drushia’s current appearance overlapped with his image shouting in the cabin. The resolute cry and urgent gestures—everything resembled a repetition from memory.

Her vision became distantly far away. Even Drushia’s voice became so distant that she could barely hear it.

Black shadows rushed toward Drushia, who stood blocking their way. Silver arcs flew mercilessly and sparks flew from clashing swords. Every time blue flames flickered, it felt as if her heart was also being torn apart.

Drushia’s sword cut down opponents in turn. The corridor had become narrow because it was half-hidden by collapsed stones. Thanks to this, enemies who couldn’t rush in all at once instantly spilled blood and rolled on the floor.

However, enemies of unknown number continued to rush at Drushia.

“Ashika, snap out of it!”

Drushia’s voice flew into the muffled world.

“Ugh.”

Ashika came to her senses, exhaling the breath she had been holding. Her heart, paralyzed with fear, raced madly, and the strength drained from her limbs.

‘I can’t be a hindrance.’

Unlike in the hallucination, she now had two perfectly good legs that could run. Drushia wasn’t someone who would be easily defeated either. Without hesitation, Ashika ran into the open entrance of the banquet hall.

“Gasp.”

Suddenly her view opened up completely.

The place Ashika entered was a balcony-type protrusion on the upper level of the banquet hall. The front of the balcony was blocked by railings, and on both sides of the balcony were stairs leading down to the banquet hall.

It was positioned about three stories high, giving the feeling of having the entire hall beneath her feet. It was a space created to look down upon the entire banquet hall, which was large enough to feel magnificent.

The sound of weapons clashing could be heard right behind her. Drushia leaped inward, deflecting an assassin’s sword that was rushing at him.

“Ashika, find the exit on the opposite side!”

The metallic sound cutting through the air, the whistling sound of flying arrows. The enemies who had been following from behind shot arrows without regard for their comrades fighting Drushia.

Thud thud, with the tremendous destructive power of crossbows, arrows successively embedded in the solid stone walls.

‘Exit, I need to find an exit!’

Ashika ran across the balcony. To find the exit on the opposite side as Drushia had said. However, her foot caught on stone debris scattered everywhere.

“Ah.”

Her body swayed as if she might fall, and she reflexively reached out to grab the railing.

It was the moment when Drushia was blocking an opponent’s sword at the entrance. His gaze was directed not at the sword-wielding opponent, but at the enemy aiming a crossbow beyond him. The direction the arrow was aimed wasn’t at him.

Whoosh, a chilling whistling sound passed by Drushia’s ear. Drushia quickly deflected the sword and looked back.

“Ashika!”

It was before Ashika, who had been precariously leaning against the railing, could even turn her gaze. Before she could even realize what was happening, intense pain struck.

“Ahhh!”

“No!”

It was a crossbow powerful enough to pierce stone walls. The arrow embedded in Ashika’s shoulder while simultaneously pushing her slender, swaying body away in an instant.

Drushia saw Ashika’s body fall over the railing and plummet below in his field of vision. He also saw her jet-black eyes, paralyzed with fear, growing distantly far away.

“Ashika!”

Ashika, who was knocked away like that, plummeted head-first to the banquet hall floor.