Chapter 91: Raymond

The sounds of battle kept growing louder as Roderic made his way through the forest.

Steel clashed against steel, men shouted and screamed while bloodcurdling cries rang out.

Roderic’s grip tightened around Gareth’s face.

’Please,’ he thought. ’Don’t let it be too bad.’

Then, finally, he stepped out of the forest.

His eyes flickered across the battlefield as he sucked in a deep breath.

’’EVERYONE!’’

Roderic’s voice echoed across the battlefield.

Several people glanced towards him immediately.

Roderic raised Gareth by the back of his neck, holding the barely conscious noble in the air.

’’I HAVE CAPTURED YOUR LORD!’’

This time, everyone turned towards him.

The fighting gradually slowed as people from both sides recognized the man in Roderic’s grasp.

Roderic’s eyes coldly swept over the Deres soldiers and knights.

’’LAY DOWN YOUR FUCKING WEAPONS AND SURRENDER BEFORE I TWIST HIS HEAD OFF!’’

Complete silence fell across the battlefield.

Faces began to pale one after another, but for several seconds, nobody moved.

Clang!

A sword fell to the ground.

Clang!

Another quickly followed.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

One after another, the Deres soldiers and knights dropped their weapons.

Some immediately fell to their knees while others hesitated before doing the same.

Within less than thirty seconds, an eerie silence fell across the battlefield.

Roderic let out a slow breath.

’That worked,’ he thought, relieved. ’But now...’

He shoved Gareth’s body forward and began walking.

With a heavy heart, Roderic stepped between the broken weapons and corpses.

Deep red clumps of mud stuck to his feet with every step he took.

Roderic glanced to his left.

He recognized several Whitemane soldiers among the dead.

His expression stiffened slightly.

With a heavy heart, he looked to his right.

Another two familiar people lay motionless beside several enemy corpses.

They’d been the knights who’d accompanied him to Victor’s guild.

Roderic gritted his teeth.

But he said nothing.

He simply continued walking towards the center area.

The surrounding Deres soldiers remained on their knees as he passed them, not daring to move even one bit.

Roderic glanced at them with cold eyes, having long decided their fate in his mind.

Then he finally reached the carriages.

The servants were there.

Several were huddled together behind the carriages, terrified but unharmed.

Some of the male servants hadn’t been that lucky.

They had picked up swords out of desperation, which had left them with large wounds. Two of them had even passed away.

That’s when Roderic’s gaze landed on Edmund.

The chubby middle-aged man had picked up a sword as well, though he hadn’t picked up many wounds.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over him, Roderic nodded towards his attendant once.

But as he looked to his left, that relief disappeared.

Three knights were gathered around a single person.

Roderic recognized him at a glance.

’Raymond...’

The young man he’d sent back after losing his arm now sat on the ground, his back pressed against a carriage wheel.

Corpses of three enemy knights and two soldiers lay scattered around him.

One had fallen only a couple of feet away from the servants, still holding a sword in hand.

Raymond had clearly held the line, preventing them from reaching the vulnerable.

But... he had paid for it.

Alongside the messy cauterized lump where his arm used to be, cuts and bruises covered almost every part of his body, blood soaking what remained of his clothes.

But Roderic’s attention immediately went to something far worse.

A deep stab wound sat just beneath Raymond’s chestplate.

’Appraisal...’

Lines of text appeared in his eye right away.

[Raymond]

Age: 20

Race: Human

Current Rank: First Aura Seal

Knight Talent: Medium

Notable Information: Several internal organs have been destroyed. Unless healed by divine power or an equivalent power, survival is impossible.

- - -

Roderic’s heart only sank further.

’System, is there anything I can buy that could heal him?’

[Warning: insufficient funds]

Biting down on his lip, Roderic slowly nodded.

A divine church wasn’t in the vicinity either, which only meant one thing.

There was no saving him.

Roderic released Gareth and walked forward.

Thud!

The noble collapsed behind him.

But Roderic didn’t even bother looking back.

He slowly lowered himself onto one knee in front of Raymond.

Raymond’s eyes gradually moved towards him.

For a moment, they seemed unfocused.

Then a flicker of recognition flashed through them.

’’Young lord...’’ he started, his voice strained. ’’Did... I do well?’’

Roderic remained silent for a moment.

Memories of only days before flashed through his mind.

He’d sat together with the other knights, each sharing stories about their lives.

Raymond had been one of them.

He remembered Raymond speaking proudly about finally being able to take proper care of his elderly parents.

But there had been something else.

Despite just having turned twenty, Raymond was going to be a father a month after returning from this trip!

At least... that was what was supposed to happen.

Roderic bit down on his lip before placing a hand on Raymond’s shoulder.

’’You did well,’’ he replied quietly. ’’You protected everyone behind you until the very end. House Whitemane couldn’t have asked for a more honorable knight.’’

A weak smile appeared on Raymond’s face.

He opened his mouth to speak... but all that came out was a strained breath.

Roderic tightened his hand around his shoulder.

’’Don’t worry about your family,’’ he continued. ’’They’ll be taken care of with the utmost care. You have my word.’’

Raymond’s smile grew slightly as his entire body began to relax.

’’Thank... you.’’

The young man slowly closed his eyes.

Another strained breath escaped his lips.

His chest rose again a few seconds later, barely moving this time.

Then it didn’t rise again.

Roderic slowly removed his hand from Raymond’s shoulder.

He remained on one knee for several more seconds, staring at the young knight’s lifeless body.

Then he stood up.

Whatever emotions had been visible before had completely disappeared.

Roderic slowly turned to his remaining knights and soldiers.

’’Round up the attackers,’’ he ordered coldly. ’’I will carry out the sentencing myself.’’

The knights nodded, fury and anger burning in their eyes.

’’Yes, young lord!’’

They immediately stood and walked towards the surrendered men.

Roderic glanced back at Gareth, his eyes squinted.

’’Edmund,’’ he called, raising a hand. ’’Get me a few small gift boxes.’’

Gareth, having woken up slightly, glanced up with absolute terror.