Raising the Princess to Overcome Death-Chapter 318: Childhood Friends - Variation
317. Childhood Friends - Variation
Philas and Harie went back.
Rev had suggested that it would be better to greet Harie’s mother, Sierra Guidan, now that she had woken up. After some back-and-forth, they eventually turned their horses around.
The process leading up to this decision wasn’t entirely smooth.
The corpse of Tadian Lopero lay cold on the stone bridge, so Rev had to persuade and intimidate the knights escorting Philas.
Even though Philas approved, the knights would still remember Bart, who killed Tadian, and the Swordmaster who interfered in between.
So, they sent them back.
To avoid any unnecessary complications.
By the time they paid their respects to Marchioness Sierra Guidan and returned to the Conrad Kingdom, everything would be settled.
Tadian’s body was transported by the soldiers back to the Count’s family of Lopero, and Rev sighed in relief as he stood at the gate of the village where Philas and Harie returned to the kingdom.
Things had turned out fairly well.
In Rev’s hand was a necklace Harie had handed over.
Even after hearing about Oriax, she was reluctant to give it up. It was Lena who managed to explain things well, and in the end, Harie said this:
- “I’ll consider this necklace the payment for healing my mother. And since you’ve promised to resolve the issue with the Duke using Prince Lean’s name, I’ll trust you. But remember, if you fail to keep your word, things will get very difficult for you. I’ll make sure of it.”
Yikes, that’s terrifying.
Rev assured her not to worry and only turned around after confirming the gate was closed. However, there was still a crisis looming.
Lena, who had come out to see Harie off, was glaring sharply at him. She waved an empty fist at the great Swordmaster in a threatening manner.
“Do you want to die? Do you know how scared I was? You said you’d be on time!”
“I’m sorry. But there really was no choice... Ow! Ow! Don’t hit me! I said I’m sorry!”
Rev was thoroughly beaten by Lena’s soft but insistent fists. However, after a short while, Lena relented.
“If it was something like this, you should have told me earlier. How cute.”
Lena forgave him in front of the peacefully sleeping newborn baby.
Lying on the bed in the inn near the gate was a young woman who had given birth just a few days ago. She was the wife of Bart’s eldest son.
The journey bringing this pregnant woman here had not been an easy one. It was a slow and difficult journey, far too slow to keep the schedule. Rev had been on edge every single day, and when the labor pains came much earlier than expected (although a blessing), it felt like the world was collapsing around him.
In the end, they stayed here for two days.
“She’s really beautiful. Have you named her yet?”
Whether or not Lena realized how close things had come to going terribly wrong, she was completely absorbed in caressing the baby’s soft, fair cheeks with the mother’s permission.
The baby wrinkled her nose in her sleep, and Rev sighed in relief. Bart, sitting next to them, gazed down at his newly born granddaughter with a conflicted expression.
Quietly, he called out to Rev.
“...May I have a word with you?”
Rev nodded.
The inn was crowded with merchants, as it was located on the trade route between the Kingdom of Orun and the Conrad Kingdom.
It was a cheap inn, so even the corridors had laundry hanging from them. Bart led the way through the narrow space, and Rev followed. Watching Bart’s smaller figure ahead of him, Rev felt as though he had forgiven him to the extent that the distance from the Irotasi River had allowed.
Revenge, just once.
But even though Rev always followed through on his vengeance, whether it was Bart or Ceasar, he had managed to quell his anger this time. It must have been because of the child, Rev thought.
They soon sat across from each other. The air was thick with discomfort and awkwardness, and eventually, Bart spoke. But his first words were not of thanks for bringing his wife and sons to him.
“Where is the prince?”
“...”
He’s a maddeningly loyal man. But Rev realized it wasn’t just loyalty driving him—it was stubbornness. A result of living with obstinacy and bitterness, much like the way he wielded his sword.
After a pause, Rev answered.
“He’s in the Kingdom of Bellita.”
“...I see.”
Silence filled the space again. After struggling for a while, Bart finally managed to ask, “Is he well?” The heaviness of his words transferred over to Rev.
“He’s well. So is Princess Lerialia. Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you.”
“...”
“...”
They sat quietly for a long time, staring off in different directions. Then Bart exhaled through his nose and spoke.
“He said there was something he needed me to do.”
“Yes.”
“What is it? Does it have something to do with that necklace, or...”
Is it about laying the groundwork for his return? ─ Rev guessed what Bart had left unsaid and placed the necklace with the jewel on the table.
“It’s both.”
Bart flinched, and Rev continued.
“Prince Lean told me to destroy this in front of Prince Eric de Yeriel. He said it’s a fragment of Oriax, but honestly, I don’t know exactly what this is either. What I do know for certain is that this gem and Prince Eric are at the root of all these events. The prince said he needs you to be there. That’s why I’ve come for you.”
As he spoke, Rev thought, This should do it.
He expected Bart to follow Lean’s orders without question. But what came back was:
“...Why would you come looking for someone like me?”
There was regret in his voice.
“I couldn’t protect the prince and princess, and even though they’re alive, I’ve wasted so much time.”
“Well, that’s...”
“I’m going to quit. I’ll take my wife and sons and leave. The prince already has someone like you. He doesn’t need me.”
...What? Rev was taken aback.
Rev had managed to prevent Bart from attacking Philas, having brought Bart's wife and sons to him. But the unintended consequence of that was unfolding in a way Rev hadn't anticipated.
He understood why Bart was acting this way. Bart had dedicated his entire life to revenge, only to discover that the prince was alive, and all the sacrifices and efforts he'd made until now were in vain. And just as he realized this, his wife and sons—whom he had abandoned for the sake of revenge—reappeared in his life.
It might have been better if it were Lean himself who had brought them to him. But instead, a young Swordmaster had appeared, merely acting as an errand boy for the prince.
Rev could not fully grasp the depth of the disillusionment Bart must have felt. However, he couldn't let him walk away either.
[ Achievement: Monster Hunt - '1', A faint trace of mana now imbues your body. ]
Rev didn’t have enough power to take down Oriax.
In the last attempt, he had expended two of his "counts" just to behead the creature, and Bart was a key figure in keeping Oriax in check.
According to Lean, Prince Eric would ascend to the throne and become a Swordmaster himself. Rev couldn’t afford to let Bart leave. So, he tried to coax him gently.
“Things don’t always go the way we want them to, do they? And it’s not like you knew the prince was alive…”
Rev even invoked Lean’s name.
“The prince remembers you, of course, as well as Galen, Airon, Barin, Nil, Rudy, Wendy, Joen, and Ludo—all the royal guards. So…”
But Bart didn’t budge. No matter how much Rev tried to persuade this stubborn man, he remained unmoved. Eventually, Rev’s frustration boiled over, and he resorted to sarcasm.
It was only then that Bart reacted, but not in the way Rev hoped.
“You’re a coward.”
“...What?”
“I said you’re a coward. And arrogant to boot. Who are you to decide my worth? A sword that’s supposed to be wielded by my lord, a tool to serve—how dare you? Aren’t you a knight?”
But even that wasn’t the right approach.
Bart, who had stained his hands with innocent blood for the sake of revenge, no longer considered himself a knight. As Bart stood, as if to end the conversation, Rev panicked and blurted out something desperate.
“What about your comrades? Are you planning to abandon the people who fought alongside you all your life and just walk away? And your sword—yes, I’ve heard about it. How you melted down the blades of your fallen comrades to forge it. Are you going to let their deaths be in vain?”
“...”
Bart didn’t respond.
He only tightened his grip on his sword—a blade battered and warped, with only the tip still intact—before silently walking away. Rev clutched his head in frustration.
---
At least Lena was there.
While Rev was drowning in his worries, she was both a confidante and a counselor. She didn’t offer any concrete solutions, but that in itself was something to be grateful for.
In the end, Lena said this:
“Don’t worry too muChapter I’ll talk to him myself when the time comes. There must be a reason you weren’t able to convince him. So stop frowning and smile. We’ll just keep doing what we can.”
Thanks to her, Rev managed to keep his hope and determination alive.
Snapping back to his senses, he successfully convinced five of the six royal guards to stay (one left to find his family), and he began planning for the future. His next destination was the capital, Lutetia.
He was headed to Grania Orphanage, which was secretly run by Cardinal Verke. Since Verke was away on a pilgrimage, Rev would have to wait for his return, and he also intended to have Lena ordained as a priest.
[ You know the true name of your childhood friend, Lena. She has been granted {Divinity}. ]
Now, let me vent a little here. This game—or rather, the god—can be really unfair.
Look, dear god, I don’t know much about this since Minseo isn’t here and all I’ve got is what Lean told me, but you apparently granted Lena this thing called {Divinity}.
So why isn’t anything happening?
If you were going to give her divine power, couldn’t you have done it in a flashy way? Like, bam! She gets her powers immediately, and I’d be singing praises to you. But no, she only gets to use her powers if someone else shares theirs with her?
Sure, she still has to go on her priestly journey because becoming a priest is her dream. But still, it would have been nice if… “Ow!”
- Bonk!
Rev, caught in the middle of his complaint, was smacked on the head by Lena inside the carriage they had procured for their journey to Lutetia.
Lena raised a stern finger and said,
“Don’t be so cheeky. And don’t ask for things from god.”
“B-but still…”
“Hush. God doesn’t exist for mere creatures like us. If anything, we exist for the god.”
“...Why?”
“To bring variation into the world He created.”
Lena’s eyes gleamed with a sharp brilliance. Whether it was her dream or something else, she still had the innocence of a girl, but also the wisdom of a priest who had seen and understood much of life.
Rev, a little annoyed, kept his thoughts to himself. He had secretly hoped that Lena would agree with him and complain about the god too.
Lena, always putting the god first. Rev sighed and raised a white flag.
“Yeah… I guess you’re right.”
“Hm?”
Lena tilted her head, noticing immediately that her childhood friend was sulking. She smiled mischievously and, without warning, kissed him on the lips. Rev was startled, and as she pulled away, her face reddened. She spoke,
“That’s variation, too. Free will. It’s not all about grand choices. How about now? Still mad at god?”
“...No. Not at all. But… Lena.”
“What?”
“You started this.”
“Huh? What does that mean—kya... No! I’m not ready for this... Hmph.”
Lena stifled her voice, trying not to make any sound that might reach the royal guards outside the carriage. The carriage creaked as it pressed onward, cutting through the heavy snowfall on its way to Lutetia.
However, despite Lena’s advice, Rev found himself with no choice but to curse the god soon after.
In the dead of winter, just as they reached Lutetia, Rev used {Tracking} and froze, not from the cold but from fear.
Caderyk de Yeriel.
The king, who was supposed to die sometime next winter, could no longer be found. While Cardinal Verke was away on his pilgrimage, Prince Eric had already begun moving.
Nearly a year ahead of schedule.
Chapter 318: Childhood Friends - Variation
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