Chapter 90
“No, Lord Lexion!”
Gran’s voice echoed loudly, and everyone’s gaze turned towards Lexion.
“…”
Lexion’s gaze was directed at Belles’ sword piercing his side.
However, there was no change in his expression.
“I knew, but…”
Lexion’s lips slowly curved.
“You really don’t know how to fight.”
“What…?”
“To hand over your sword like this… even on the battlefield.”
Lexion chuckled.
“You’re utterly stupid.”
Eventually, Lexion’s sword drew a large arc directly towards Belles.
“Aargh-!”
With Belles’ scream, there was a thud as something hit the ground.
And the crimson blood that kept pouring onto the ground.
“You… You dare…!”
…With his right arm severed, Belles glared at Lexion with a face full of anger, but now he could do nothing.
“Attack! Attack him now!”
Soon, the soldiers swarmed Belles like an army of ants, and Gran, now furious, approached Lexion.
“I’m sorry, my lord… but the wound… the wound…”
Lexion didn’t reply.
Instead, he struggled to pull out the longsword piercing his side.
“My lord!”
Seeing the blood pouring out with a gushing sound, Gran panicked and called out to Lexion, but Lexion only twisted slightly.
And it was at that moment.
Above Lexion’s eyes, right in front.
Royden, who was secretly riding a horse from behind the barracks, came in.
Their gazes met, and Royden looked at Lexion with a firm face.
‘No… even still, there’s a chance…!’
Holding the reins tightly, Royden involuntarily exerted force, then he thought to himself.
‘But if he’s injured to that extent, he won’t be able to move right away…’
In any case, Lexion was the one leading all those soldiers. But if Lexion was injured so badly, the soldiers’ focus would be scattered.
If he could somehow exploit that opening, he might be able to escape safely.
‘If only there were reinforcements now…!’
…The soldiers sent by them were none other than the reinforcements Royden had been hoping for.
‘Right…!’
A sly smile spread across Royden’s face. In the end, Lexion would not be able to kill him this time either. He wouldn’t be able to catch him.
Royden chuckled softly.
“Lord, soldiers from the Rosenvester family reinforcements…”
Gran, who was trying to support Lexion, quickly grasped the situation and looked at him with a troubled expression.
However, as if expecting Lexion’s decision, he slowly parted his lips.
“Tell Ernest and the reinforcements… don’t interfere.”
“Yes…?”
“Don’t block them. Let them go where they want.”
What was he thinking?
It was impossible to know, but in any case, it was something they had no choice but to obey.
Meanwhile, Lexion, with tightly clenched lips, began to remove his heavy armor.
“Get the medical supplies…!”
Before Gran’s cry could even end, a soldier rushed over frantically.
Taking the bandages from him, Lexion took a slight breath and firmly applied pressure to his side with the bandages.
“On Belles, apply pressure as well. Make sure… his life isn’t in danger…”
“Yes.”
Meanwhile, Royden, who had mounted his horse, was looking beyond reinforcements. They were right in front of him now.
Since he couldn’t escape on his own, he had to use them to get out.
In his own way, it was a very wise strategy.
“…”
Various emotions were evident on Ernest’s face as he looked at Lexion, who was getting closer and closer.
It was all over. The Grand Duke Clan had already been cornered, and Belles was in the same situation. Now, there was only one person left.
In front of him, Royden Rosenvester, mounted on a horse and looking at him.
“Ernest!”
Suddenly, Royden shouted loudly, staring eagerly at Ernest.
“Hurry, surround me. Surround me!”
However, Ernest didn’t utter a word. He simply looked at the Rosenvester soldiers who were pouring in behind.
“…”
Eventually, Ernest’s gaze shifted back to Lexion. Despite bleeding profusely, he looked straight at him with unwavering eyes.
‘In the end, he managed to pass on military command and even locate their positions…’
It was all over. Inevitably.
Ernest thought to himself.
“Ernest.”
Lexion, who was staring at Ernest, parted his lips with an unwavering expression.
“You must know too. I’ve cut off all the paths the soldiers could take.”
“…”
“You and your men arrived here without any hindrance. Now, it’s the same, with just one command from me, all of you will lose your heads. But why didn’t I move?”
Ernest didn’t reply.
“The Rosenvester reinforcements… the oldest and most powerful among them, and also the one with the most influence.”
“…”
“I’ll give you the choice, Ernest.”
In the end, I didn’t stop myself from coming here for this. Ernest’s blue eyes met Lexion’s gaze.
“Tell me who the true heir of the Rosenvester duchy is.”
Lexion said in a low voice.
“And you must know. The decision you make now should be the opinion of all the Rosenvester family from now on!”
Gran, who had been listening silently to Lexion’s story, blinked slightly.
[I just want to show something to Royden. And it would be wise to make it clear to the Rosenvester side this time.]
He remembered the conversation he had with him before coming to the Gidi Mountains.
[…What do you want to show?]
[Well…]
“All the Rosenvester soldiers…”
And then Ernest, slowly, very slowly, parted his dry lips.
“…Help Lexion Rosenvester and arrest Royden, the traitor who tried to incite rebellion.”
At the same time…
Royden’s face looked very dumbfounded.
[…Too many things have changed now?]
“Even if Royden was from the Rosenvester lineage, he’s just that.”
[What you believed in and trusted, in fact, turned out to be nothing.]
“At the same time, Lexion Rosenvester… I and all the Rosenvester will acknowledge you as the true head of the Rosenvester family.”
[…Now I’m not alone. I have to eliminate everything that could be a danger to my wife and my family. The Rosenvester family is one of them.]
“You won’t be labeled as a bastard anymore, and you’ll be treated as the true heir. Your family too, I promise. On my name, and on the name of the Rosenvester.”
[It doesn’t matter if I’m treated like a despicable murderer alone, but I don’t want them to be treated the same.]
Gran looked at Lexion with a proud face.
It seemed he finally understood.
Why Lexion had done such a tiresome thing.
It was all because of Seriniel Verdellete, who was probably still waiting for him at home.
“Yeah, very…”
“…”
“Wise choice.”
Lexion chuckled, and Ernest looked at him with a gaze that was different from before.
He must have known everything even the fact that I would make this choice.
But despite everything, he did this much, to make Royden realize his position and to protect that woman.
…He’s too clever for his own good, annoyingly so.
Ernest sighed as if he was impressed, but his gaze on Lexion wasn’t as cold as before.
“At best, you’re just an old man from the Rosenvester family’s back room…”
And Royden, who heard all the conversation, shouted with a reddened face.
“How dare you acknowledge the head of the Rosenvester family, what right do you have!”
“Ha…”
“Remember clearly what you did!”
Royden was still reckless. Whether people blocked his way or not, he just rode his horse vigorously. Like a bug struggling desperately just before being crushed.
And he headed towards a very narrow alley.
Lexion, who was also watching this, mounted his horse…
“Lord! You can’t do this! Where are you going with that body… My lord!”
Ignoring Gran’s words, he started to dash madly.
