Chapter 162 Aftermath

Roderic cracked his neck and wiped the dust off his clothes.

Then, for a moment, he simply stood there, watching the retreating Deres army.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out across the battlefield.

’’BRAVE SOLDIERS OF WHITEMANE!’’ Arthur shouted. ’’WE HAVE WON!’’

Everything stayed silent for a few seconds.

Then...

’’OOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!’’

A deafening cheer erupted through the streets below.

’’THEY’RE RETREATING!’’

’’WE WON!’’

’’VICTORY!’’

Soldiers raised their weapons in the air, shouting at the top of their lungs.

Some embraced their comrades, laughing and crying from joy.

Others simply dropped onto the ground, too exhausted to even stand.

After hours of fighting, the siege was finally over.

Roderic couldn’t help but stare at them all.

’We won,’ he thought, a grin spreading across his face. ’And what a victory it was.’

But as he looked around the streets, his grin gradually faded.

The streets were littered with bodies.

Blood covered the cobblestones, while broken weapons and pieces of armor lay scattered everywhere.

Several buildings had been destroyed, and the once-mighty city gates were now little more than a pile of broken wood.

Roderic let out a somber sigh.

’No time to rest,’ he thought. ’The aftermath needs to be settled.’

The damage to the city wasn’t even his biggest concern.

Hell, Baron Deres and his entire army didn’t matter anymore.

Everything was bound to follow his original plan after this defeat, just like it should.

Roderic’s gaze slowly shifted back to the bodies lying motionless across the battlefield.

’Just how many did we lose?’ he thought, letting out another slow breath.

Climbing down from the roof, he began making his way towards the streets.

It didn’t take long before he got there.

Everywhere he looked, soldiers were still celebrating.

’’WE DID IT!’’

’’A MIRACLE! A FUCKING MIRACLE!’’

’’LONG LIVE WHITEMANE!’’

Several soldiers and knights even approached Roderic to congratulate him.

’’Young master! You were incredible!’’

’’You really showed those bastards!’’

Roderic smiled and exchanged a few words with them before continuing on his way.

However, not everyone was celebrating.

Here and there, soldiers could be seen kneeling beside their fallen comrades.

Some cried openly, while others simply stared at the bodies in silence.

Only a moment later... Roderic noticed a familiar group.

He came to a stop, his breathing slowing slightly.

Not far away, a tall, lanky man sat hunched over a corpse.

His shoulders were slumped, his arms trembling as tears dripped down his face.

Roderic recognized him immediately.

’Sir Benjamin...’

The two-seal knight was sitting beside the lifeless body of a young man.

Despite the massive cut on the young man’s side, Roderic recognized him at a glance.

’Rick...’

One of the two men he’d punished within his first month in this world.

Behind Benjamin stood Sir Roland, his arm wrapped around the shoulders of his son, Darrel.

Tears streamed down Darrel’s face as he stared down at Rick’s body.

Roderic remained silent, a heavy feeling settling in his heart.

Letting out a quiet sigh, he forced himself to continue moving.

’Fuck,’ he thought. ’I hate this part.’

Although Rick and Darrel had been complete assholes in the past, they were still knights of Whitemane.

They had fought to defend their home, just like everyone else.

And Rick had paid the ultimate price for it.

’To think he, out of all people, would die on the battlefield...’

Roderic couldn’t help but remember how Rick had abandoned Darrel and run away the moment things turned against him.

Back then, he’d considered Rick nothing more than a coward.

But now...

Roderic shook his head.

’Though it’s probably useless for you now,’ he thought, closing his eyes. ’You have my respect, Rick.’

With thousands of soldiers and knights clashing against one another, there was no way everyone would survive.

Even knowing that... the sight around him didn’t become any more pleasant.

Roderic lowered his gaze as he quietly continued on his way to the front.

...

Along the way, he passed several groups of soldiers carrying their wounded comrades toward the healers.

Some were groaning in pain, while others lay completely motionless on their stretchers.

Roderic watched them pass with a somber expression.

Then, just as he was about to continue walking, he noticed a familiar figure among them.

’Huh?’ he thought. ’Captain... Harris?’

The man was lying unconscious on a stretcher carried by four soldiers.

His armor had been removed, revealing thick bandages wrapped around his chest and shoulder.

Even then, blood could be seen seeping through them.

Roderic’s expression immediately soured.

’Fuck...’

He’d known Harris wasn’t in good condition, but seeing him like this was another matter entirely.

Only a moment later, Arthur appeared from behind the stretcher.

Roderic immediately approached him.

’’Arthur,’’ he greeted with a nod. ’’How is he?’’

Upon seeing Roderic, Arthur’s eyes widened slightly, relief flashing through them.

Then his gaze flickered back towards Harris.

’’He’ll live,’’ he replied. ’’But how he’ll live from now on is... unknown.’’

Roderic frowned slightly.

’’It’s that bad?’’ he asked, his voice low.

Arthur nodded slowly.

But he didn’t say another word.

Roderic looked back at Harris for a moment before simply nodding.

Just as he turned around, Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder.

’’You did well today, Roderic,’’ he said. ’’But this... this is also part of war.’’

Roderic glanced back at him, managing a small smile.

With that, the two parted.

Arthur followed the soldiers carrying Harris away while Roderic turned the opposite way.

’I can’t get too hung up on this right now,’ he thought, clenching his fist. ’There’s still much to plan.’

His gaze shifted towards the damaged walls.

After a moment, he nodded to himself.

...

Only a couple of minutes later, Roderic found himself sitting on top of the wall, his legs dangling over the edge.

From here, he could see almost the entire city.

Roderic leaned back, letting out a long sigh.

’What a fucking day...’

There was still plenty of work ahead.

But for now, he truly needed to sort out his thoughts in silence.

’The plan... right,’ he thought. ’Is there anything that needs to change now?’