Arc 4 Chapter 40 : Reborn

[Raul POV]

It's snowing, huh...?

It has been five years since Liana and I began our relationship.

Lately, things between us haven't been going very well. At the same time, I have to stay focused and give everything I have now that the dream I've pursued for so long is finally within reach.

But Liana has given me a difficult choice...

Right now, I'm sitting on a park bench, waiting for her to arrive. She said she wanted to talk to me about something important.

Slowly, the cold winter air begins to seep through my body despite the thick jacket I'm wearing today. For some reason, today's weather feels exactly like my current state of mind.

"Hey, Evans."

I turn to the side and suddenly see her—the black-haired woman I've loved all this time.

"Sorry for making you come out in such cold weather," she says to me.

"It's okay." I give her a faint smile. "I could use some fresh air too. I've spent the entire past week cooped up in my room working on our project."

"I see..." she murmurs.

The past few months must have been difficult for Liana as well.

Her family's company is on the verge of bankruptcy because something terrible happened to the company her father runs. In order to prevent the company from collapsing, Liana's family wants to arrange a marriage between her and the heir to one of the most prominent companies in the country.

Her family's future is at stake. Her younger siblings' futures are at stake. And Liana's own future is at stake.

If only I had accepted her proposal to get married right away back then, perhaps our relationship wouldn't have ended up like this. Even if Liana and her family's lives would still have been difficult in the end, at least we would still have had each other.

"Do you... still love me, Evans?" Liana asks me.

"Of course," I answer without hesitation.

I love her...

Truly...

Why did something like this have to happen?

We really can't predict the future.

I thought we would always be able to stay together. No matter what trials we faced, no matter what obstacles stood in our way, I believed we could always confront them and overcome them.

But reality is more bitter than hope. Sometimes, we can make it through everything just fine, while other times, all we can do is surrender and bravely accept the consequences of making the wrong choice.

"Hey, Evans..."

Hearing Liana call my name again, I turn to her.

Her gentle hand touches my cheek. Her smile warms my heart, and the look in her eyes tells me that she feels the same way I do.

"I want you to be happy and live a better life than you are now," Liana says. "Even though I know saying this will hurt both you and me, but... Don't remain tied to me. Move forward, and don't get trapped in the past."

How am I supposed to live this life without her? After losing my entire family, Liana was the only person who managed to fill that empty void inside me.

What am I supposed to do without her?

"You still have your dream, don't you? Chase it and make it come true, just like your younger sibling's final words told you to," Liana says, her expression becoming more cheerful. "Show me that you can achieve it, Evans."

My dream...?

After my relationship with Liana ended, pursuing my dream was what kept me from falling into the abyss of despair. I still had a goal to achieve.

But when the game I created was finally completed, when I thought I had finally achieved my dream, somehow, for reasons unknown to me, I suddenly found myself inside the world I had created.

After living in the world I created, I came to realize that we had made a terrible world filled with suffering. A world without hope and consumed by destruction.

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Liana was right. I mustn't remain trapped in the past. I have to keep moving forward because there is still something I must do to atone for this mistake.

My eyes open once more. The winter scenery from before has now transformed into a dark, sweltering room.

My entire body aches terribly.

My left eye has gone blind, and my left wrist also seems to be broken. All of this is thanks to that psychopathic brat. However, he gave me something useful.

It's time to get out of this place.

---

[Siena POV]

The following day, the entire army is already lined up in the city square, preparing to carry out the strategy I proposed yesterday.

After listening to motivational speeches from each of the generals, the entire army finally begins moving toward their respective routes.

The battalion under my command will be among the forces heading toward the Tuscan Forest.

However, I'm a little worried about leaving that man here by himself. Earlier, Prince Vlad tortured Raul without my permission.

Because of that, I failed to ask him again about the function of the artifact I had just merged with him.

I don't know what kind of relationship the two of them had before, but I have guaranteed that man's safety for as long as he remains my prisoner.

"Ezio."

"What is it, Captain Siena?" the young man beside me asks.

"You're not going to the battlefield," I order him.

"Huh? Why, Captain? I didn't suffer any serious injuries, and I'm much stronger than before!" the young man complains.

"I want you to guard my prisoner from Prince Vlad," I reply. "Don't let him enter the prisoner's cell."

Ezio is about to complain again, but I give him a cold look, making it clear that my decision is not up for debate.

The young man then lowers his head and leaves the city square.

To be honest, Ezio is a talented boy. This war has forged him into someone more mature and stronger, further improving his combat abilities. However, warfare is incredibly cruel to young talent.

They could die before ever reaching the peak of their potential in the future.

That is why I chose him to guard Raul here, keeping him away from a meaningless death. He has already shown enough courage throughout this war.

"It's time to return to the battlefield."

If we win this battle, we can begin launching our counterattack into Imperial territory.

---

[Ezio POV]

This is so annoying!

Why is Captain Siena making me stay here? I want to participate in the battle just like everyone else.

Hah...

But what can I do other than follow her orders?

Right now, I'm in the city's underground passage, heading toward the place where that man is being held. Earlier, I heard that the Captain had a confrontation with her future husband—Prince Vlad.

I heard about it from Marcela, who was assigned to guard the prisoner yesterday.

It was the first time I had ever seen Captain Siena so angry. She's usually quiet and composed, but ever since yesterday, the Captain has looked like she's been in a bad mood all day.

After descending the stairs, I open the door to the prison cell. The black-haired man is sitting there, leaning against the wall.

This time, I can see that his expression isn't as vacant as it was before.

"You're awake, bastard?" I call out to him.

He then raises his head and looks into my eyes with his injured eye.

"You look very young," the man says. "Until now, I assumed the people guarding me were around the same age as me."

For some reason, seeing his face makes me irritated when he says that to me.

"What's this? Did I kill all of your senior members back then?" the man asks mockingly.

His words slowly make my temper rise. I do my best to remain calm and ignore whatever nonsense comes out of his mouth.

"I thought the Cavalier Squad consisted of formidable soldiers who could stand toe-to-toe with a Knight." The man opens his mouth again. "But it turns out you're no different from weak, ordinary soldiers."

Hold it... Hold it...

I have to keep myself under control.

"However, I suppose I'm the one at fault for setting my expectations too high for Non-Sorcerers like you."

Again, he throws out cutting remarks as if he deliberately intends to provoke me.

"Without Siena, who is a Sorcerer, your Squad isn't anything special. The proof is right there—fighting me alone was enough for them to be slaughtered with ease. You want to stand against the Knights in battle? Don't make me laugh. Your fate is to remain beneath us magic users!"

Enough!

I stand up and approach him before kicking him hard in the head.

—Bamm!

The man's body rolls across the floor before coming to a stop.

"I won't let you insult the Seniors who died honorably!" I shout at him.

Yet instead of showing any pain after being kicked so hard, the man laughs like a madman.

"Hahaha! Died honorably, you say?" the man says. "Want to know how the Seniors you admire died at my hands? Do you know which one of them was the biggest coward when facing death?"

I won't forgive him. This has gone too far.

—Sringgg!

I draw my sword this time.

"Let's see just how much of a coward you are when facing death, trash!"

I swing my sword, intending to sever this bastard's head. However, something impossible happens.

The man suddenly stands up and grabs my wrist with his hand. The handcuffs that should have been restraining both of his hands suddenly come loose and fall to the floor.

"Oh, how about we test just how much of a coward you are when facing death."

—Bammm!

After saying those words, he slams his forehead into my nose with tremendous force, making me stumble backward.

Ughhh... I think he broke my nose.

However, just as my vision clears, I suddenly see a foot in front of me, about to smash into my nose again.

—Bammm!

My body is sent flying into the wall, and my sword slips from my grasp.

I try to crawl toward my sword and retrieve it. However, the man suddenly stomps down hard on my hand.

"Arrrgghhh! Let go! Let go!"

He then picks up my sword with his right hand.

"How were you able to remove those handcuffs!?" I ask curiously.

The man smiles upon hearing my question. He then drops something onto the floor in front of my face.

It's a sharp piece of wire...

Where did he find something like this? And how did he know how our handcuffs worked!?

"You know, Prince Vlad visited me here before," he says to me. "He owed me a debt of gratitude in the past. I suppose we're even now."

I have no idea what this man is talking about. However, I once heard that Prince Vlad studied at Grunbelt Academy in the Empire.

"Give him my regards and my thanks."

—Baamm!!!

After saying that, the man kicks me hard in the head again, knocking me unconscious.