When the Main Protagonists Broke Up

At my mother’s words, I lowered my head and looked down at my hands.

My hands were shaking so minutely that I couldn’t tell unless I looked really closely.

My mother’s warm hand wrapped around mine.

Then the trembling stopped like a ghost.

“So don’t stay out there too long.”

“Sorry.”

My mother smiled benevolently and stroked my hand affectionately.

“You look very tired. I’ll tell my father and we’ll go.”

“…yes.”

That’s how I was able to get out of the banquet with my mother’s unexpected help.

After returning to the mansion, my parents called me to see me for a while.

Hearing that it wouldn’t be long, he went to his father’s office without changing his clothes.

When I entered my father’s office, my father and mother were sitting side by side on the sofa.

“Sit down, Belita.”

“Yes, Father.”

As soon as I sat across from the two of them, my father immediately opened his mouth.

“Do you have anything to say to me?”

“Tomorrow, you will go forth bearing the honor of the Heitz family.”

“I know.”

“Do you remember what I said last time? That the power of the fire family will protect you.”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Okay, then try putting the ring on the third finger of your left hand.”

“The third finger on your left hand?”

“Okay.”

As my father had taught me, I put the ring with the red egg on the third finger of my left hand.

‘Uh?’

At that moment, through the ring, I felt a tremendous amount of power coming into my body that I had never felt before.

A vast, unbearably hot aura of fire enveloped his entire body.

“I can feel it.”

“Yes, I can feel it.”

“Never forget that power.”

“Yes I will.”

“The power of the Ring of Fire is most powerfully connected to the third finger of the left hand. So, no matter what, you must never take the ring off. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand, Father.”

Stroking the ring, I once again made up my mind.

The next day, a ceremony was held in the plaza in front of the imperial palace.

I put on my armor and stood in front of tens of thousands of knights.

I put on something called armor for the first time in my life this morning, and it was heavier than I thought.

I was worried that I would be able to move while wearing this, but people are animals of adaptation.

Since I kept wearing it, I gradually got used to the weight, and now I can move naturally.

Right now, on both sides of me were Kane and Aiden, who were wearing similar armor to me.

Certainly, the two men didn’t look as daunting as me when they were wearing armor, probably because they were superior in height and size.

I only looked at the front, trying not to see the two of them as much as possible.

And in front of me like that, Prince Addiel was standing in a splendid armor.

After a while, the Emperor came out onto the balcony.

The knights who went out and the people of the empire who came out to see them off all chanted the Emperor and the Empire.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor Christian Winston Baltheus!”

“Long live the Baltheus Empire!”

The emperor looked at them and raised the morale of the punitive forces with a speech similar to what he had given at the banquet yesterday.

The knights around me, you and I, made up our minds together.

“I will definitely dry the seed of the monster this time!”

“That’s right! Let’s make sure they know the strength and fear of the Empire!”

“I will never forgive those who trample on my country, Baltheus!”

“Let’s show them the example!”

“Wowaaaaaa!”

About 30,000 knights gathered in the plaza let out a roar.

The sound of each person’s voice was so powerful that it shook the earth.

Woo-woo-!

At the same time, a long horn rang out.

It was a start signal.

“We will only have victory! Follow me!”

“Waaaaaaa!”

The knights cheered in accordance with Prince Ediel’s bold slogan.

In the 426th year of the imperial calendar, it was the beginning of the monster subjugation party that will be talked about as a legend.

* * *

It had already been a march that had been going on for several days.

The further north we go, the colder the days become.

Winter had already started, and I couldn’t help but worry in many ways.

But apart from that, the morale of the subjugation party soared without knowing the end.

It is also true that when the war was over, the knights who participated in the war were always given huge rewards.

This year was one of the most prosperous years in the history of the empire.

I don’t know, but everyone was talking in unison that the size of the reward would definitely be different from before.

The knights moved nonstop to reach the northern border as soon as possible.

That way, they could defeat all the monsters and return home as soon as possible.

“Oh, the days are getting colder.”

A middle-aged knight with a long beard and blue hair trembled and opened his mouth.

“I mean. It is said that the north is cold all year round, but it is a big deal.”

A brown-haired young knight who was trudging along beside him answered.

The two were working together at the Metropolitan Police Department.

Each of them volunteered for the monster subjugation team, but coincidentally, they joined the same group again.

The capital of the empire maintained a mild climate even in winter.

That is why it is the first time in their life that they have experienced such a biting cold.

“But we have the Duke of Heitz, so don’t worry.”

The Duke of Heitz, who possesses the power of fire.

It was a skill that was perfect for this kind of weather.

“But. But this time, the princess participated in the battle instead of the duke. Does she have any experience dealing with monsters?”

“I heard that you are twenty-two now, are you there? Still, aren’t you the only heir to the Duke of Heitz? There is no doubting its ability.”

“It is. This time, I heard that the three ducal families and many young aristocrats followed them in the war, which is unusual.” “It is a generational change. Time does not stop, it flows.” The middle-aged knight said with a bitter expression.

The brown-haired knight nodded instead of answering.

“By the way, do you know what?”

“What do you mean?”

“There are three ducal families in the empire, aren’t they?”

“That’s right.”

“However….”

The man stroked his beard and looked around.

It was to make sure that no one was secretly listening to them.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re young so you don’t know….”

The man paused and moved closer to his colleague than before.

“Before that, promise me. You must never tell anyone what you heard today.”

“All right. I will never say Why are you taking so much time?”

The young knight nodded with a determined expression on his face.

“So that’s the truth.”

“Yes, please.”

Anticipation swelled on the young knight’s face, wondering what kind of story he was talking about.

“Originally, there are four dukes-.”

“What on earth are you two talking about, so close to each other and secretly talking?”

“Evil! It’s a surprise!”

Just as they were about to spit out a secret they knew, another knight who worked with the two at the capital’s police force approached them.

The knight also had white hair that stood out in places, as if he was quite old.

The middle-aged knight was so startled that he almost fell backwards when someone suddenly appeared while whispering softly from a distance of a span.

“What are you so surprised about?”

“No, shouldn’t we pretend to be there when someone comes!”

The middle-aged knight was overexcited and angry.

“Well, what are you being so sensitive about?”

There was nothing to be angry about, but the knight who approached the two of them made a puzzled expression when they showed their temper.

“Yes, sensitive! Don’t be sensitive! I don’t really like sneaking up like that!”

“Oh, okay, okay. I was wrong.”

“Never do that again!”

“Okay. I’m sorry.”

I don’t think I did anything wrong, but I was too angry, so the man apologized to fix the situation.

But then the young knight opened his mouth.

“So I’m going to talk about what the Duke’s family is like-”

“What are you talking about! I didn’t say anything! It’s nothing, so don’t ask any more!”

The middle-aged knight waved his hand and said he had nothing to say, then shook his head.

After talking to him first, seeing the sudden pout, the young knight laughed in vain because he was so dumbfounded.

After that, they didn’t say a word to each other until they arrived at camp today.

* * *

We will arrive at the northern border soon tomorrow.

So today was the last time we camped outside like this.

On the way to this point, he had hardly encountered Cain or Aiden personally, except for the occasion when he was with the prince.

Each of them had a knight corps under their command, and since each family moved separately, it was difficult to meet them.

However, there were times when we ran into each other by chance.

At such times, the two of them would somehow come up to me and try to talk to me.

But I deliberately avoided the seat every time, saying I was busy.

Now I was resting in a private barracks located in the encampment.

When we arrive at the castle on the northern border tomorrow, we may have to start fighting right away.

So I had to get some rest today.

But I couldn’t fall asleep easily. And that wasn’t yesterday or today.

I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since what happened with Adela, so I’ve been suffering from sleep deprivation for quite some time.

‘I can’t do it.’

Rather than spending time lying in bed like this, I thought it would be better to take a walk outside.

So I got up from my cot and went out of the barracks.

It was a deep night.

Only the torches burning roaring here and there were revealing their presence.

At that time, the knight who was on watch nearby bowed his head to me.

I quickly left the camp with a gesture to be quiet.

A small river flowed some distance from the camp.

Judging by the date, it was just the beginning of winter, but the time here was different.

It is cool even in summer, and the river is like ice because of the already severe cold.

The bright moon was reflected in the cold river, giving the illusion of two moons.

I was lost in thought for a moment as I adjusted the collar of my thick robe.

There were several thoughts filling my head these days, but in the end it was only one.

Will I be able to survive to the end without dying?

Can you survive this subjugation?

Even if I survive this subjugation, can I escape the power of the original?

No matter how hard I struggled, I felt frustrated because I thought that death would be my end.

It felt like everything was twisted because I wasn’t dead.

So these days, I wonder if my death, the only villain in the original work, is a device that leads this novel to a happy ending.

‘Then it’s really too much.’

If so, it was really too much.

No, then I have to die for the novel’s happy ending?

‘Just thinking about it, I get a fever.’

“Whoa.”

The sudden burst of heat made me take a deep breath to calm myself.

The cold weather quickly cooled the heat.

And again, rationally, step by step, I thought about it.

Then what should I do in the future?

Do I have to go first in order to live?

I first them-.

“Belita?”

My thoughts, which had been going on and on, were interrupted at once by a voice calling me from behind.

I knew the owner of the voice the moment I heard it.

I hardened my expression and slowly looked back.

“I think I told you not to call me that anymore, Prince Baian.”

“Sorry…do.”

There were two moons above and below, so it was bright all around.

So I could clearly see his mouth hardening as he apologized to me.

There were many things I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t ask anything.

I wanted to talk to him, but I didn’t have the confidence to hear anything else.

It was my first priority to decide what I should do next.

You have to organize your mind and organize your thoughts.

‘No, I don’t have anything to clear my mind.’

All I had to do was bring back the feelings I had for him.

As if nothing existed between him in the first place….

Yeah, that was it.

“Looks like you came out to get some fresh air. I’ll leave your seat.”

Saying that, I was about to pass him by quickly, but I heard his voice right next to me.

“Belita, why are you avoiding me?”

When he asked why he was avoiding me, I stopped walking and looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

“…Are you saying you don’t know anything this time?”

When he returned from his trip and saw Aiden at the imperial palace, he was like that too.

Seeing me not liking him, he was the one who asked me if I was uncomfortable.

Yeah, I thought maybe I didn’t know at the time.

It was because he was someone who didn’t come to the capital very often.

In fact, he seemed very busy.

It was true when he said that he was rarely attached to the capital.

But not this time.

A carriage incident kept him in the capital the whole time.

And at the banquet the day before the ceremony, didn’t I see Adela crying over him and driving me away?

So it didn’t make sense that he didn’t know why I was doing this.

“I just….”

“I just want to ask you one thing.”

I tried not to talk to him, but it was so absurd that I couldn’t help but ask.

So I immediately asked him the question I was most curious about.

“Do you know who the culprit was in the carriage incident?”

“….”

There was no answer.

But that was enough.

“Since when did you know? Could it be that you knew from the beginning?”

If so, if so then I….

Anger tried to erode his reason, but he managed to show patience by clenching his fists.

“…I didn’t know that from the beginning. If I had, if I had known, I would never have joined the investigation team.”

Why do I….

Why am I so relieved?

“Sister, so why is my sister, ha….”

On the other hand, he sighed deeply and could not speak easily.

“Do you remember when we caught Owen Est?”

“Yes, I remember.”

Oh, come to think of it, then….

After days of futile searching for Owen Est, we decided to search inside the capital, not outside.

Because of Aiden’s opinion.

I said it wouldn’t have gone far.

I’m sure it will be nearby.

“Then did you know and said that?”

“…you’re right.”

“How, how did you know?”

“Do you also remember that your sister woke up that day?”

“Yes.”

Unlike the slow nodding of his head, his thoughts returned quickly.

Could it be that you followed behind?

Then why?

Was Aiden suspicious of his sister from the beginning?

I don’t know what’s going on, but I have to listen to everything that comes out of his mouth now.

“That day, after waking up, my sister went out without taking care of herself properly. A normal person wouldn’t do that. My sister had to refrain from going out all the more because her body was particularly weak. However, even after the servants stopped it, they said that they did not break their stubbornness and went out and returned.” Oh, I didn’t follow you.

“So I thought it must have been urgent business. If so, where did you go and who did you meet? After thinking that far, I came to the conclusion that it was Owen Aestra.”

I just listened quietly until he finished speaking.

Then, a question posed to him.

“But isn’t that kind of reasoning possible only when one realizes that the carriage incident was Adela’s fault?”

“You’re right. But Belita, oh, I’m sorry….”

He called me by my first name and corrected it with a bitter expression.

“As the princess did, the more I investigated, the more I became suspicious. The culprit has no choice but to be one of the two.” Aiden was right.

Investigating the wagon case, I felt like I was still holding onto unanswered questions.

It’s because I’m not, but all circumstances were heading towards me.

But if it weren’t for me, there was only one culprit who could have done this.

To get someone into trouble by making yourself a victim.

And this is what Aiden noticed as well.

“I wasn’t sure who the culprit was, even though I didn’t do it.” But why did you exclude me from the suspect line?

If he had to trust either me or Adela, he had to choose Adela.

But why, how….

“He said no.”

“Yes?”

“The princess said it wasn’t for me. And the gongnyeo I went through was not like that. I just believed in it.”

“But to believe me, then…yes?”

I was trying to answer something, but I was speechless when I heard that you believed in me.

Unlike him who only saw me as myself, I….

I didn’t want to see him properly.

Bound by the original work, I arbitrarily judged that the person living and breathing in front of me was simply trapped in the original work and moving without will.

Instead of separating him from Adela, he took out his anger on Adela.

I was so ashamed of myself that I was only that much of a human being.

I lowered my head because I couldn’t look directly at him.

I didn’t deserve to face this man.

“Do you still hate me?”

But Aiden asked me in a subdued voice, whether he had misunderstood my actions.

“No! I, to Aiden-!”

Startled, he raised his head upward and tried to make an excuse, but he couldn’t speak any more, so he lowered his head again and bit his lip.

After I told him not to pretend to be friendly, I was calling his name first.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

I kept muttering so that I could feel sorry for him and my sincerity.

Then, a short laugh came from above.

I raised my head involuntarily and checked his face.

‘Uh?’

Contrary to what I thought he would be looking at me with a hardened expression, his face was full of smiles.

“Can I call you Belita again?”

I nodded my head at his question.

Then he showed me a smile that was brighter than before.

‘Ah….’

It was so beautiful.

I have never seen anything as beautiful as that in the world.

It was such a perfect smile.

“Belita?”

I must have been staring at him blankly for too long.

I was awakened by the sound of his voice calling me.

“Ah yes. Anyway, I misunderstood Aiden. I apologize.”

“It’s okay. It was a situation that had no choice but to be.”

“No. That didn’t work out though, I’m sorry.”

I apologized over and over again for feeling sorry for him.

“But you have that Owen Est.”

I pondered for a moment whether to say this or not.

It was hard to say, not because I didn’t trust Aiden, but because I knew he was wearing a necklace similar to Owen Est’s.

It was because I couldn’t forget his grave yet resigned expression when I asked about the necklace in the past.

But Aiden was the only one who could answer about this necklace.

So I decided to speak up.

“The day I interrogated Owen Est, I happened to see a necklace around his neck.”

The surprised expression on Aiden’s face lingered for a moment and then disappeared.

“If it’s a necklace….”

“It was a necklace made of the same material as Aiden’s.”

At my words, he stroked his neck.

“And just like how Aiden collapsed in Yullita, the moment he was about to say something, he passed out without being able to spit out his words as if he was strangled.”

“….”

“I was convinced that Adela was the culprit because she came to Owen Est’s prison.”

“You mean sister?”

“Yes. I went to visit the hospital, but neither Aiden nor the Duke were at the Duke’s residence that day. Anyway, it was to check if Adela was okay that day, but I also went to try to scoop it up. I deliberately left out a clue. Then that night Adela showed up in the dungeon.”

“What clue was that?”

“They said they found evidence on Owen Est’s body.”

“You mean the necklace.”

“Adela said so. Owen Est would never say anything. I thought it was because of the necklace. Is my guess correct?”

At my words, he thought for a moment.

I watched him and waited for him to open his mouth.

“You’re right.”

“Oh, then what kind of magic is on that necklace?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then why….”

I was about to say ‘Why are you doing that?’

It’s because the expression on his face that I saw two years ago is still the same now.

Resignation, helplessness, despondency, and yet trying to do nothing were visible in my eyes.

Since then, he has not responded about the necklace.

It was just an incomprehensible smile.

Seeing him like that, I stopped digging about the necklace.

But after talking with him more about Owen Est, we returned together to camp. “Are you avoiding me now?”

He asked me openly.

“Now avoid…Because there is no reason.”

And accordingly, I also gave a clear answer.

I held out my hand to him with a fresh expression.

It was a handshake meant to get along again.

After holding it a few times to see if he understood my meaning, his large hand gently wrapped around my hand.

“It’s warm.”

He said to me with a surprised face.

“Of course. Because I am a family of fire.”

Although her body temperature is higher than others due to her natural strength, it felt like her body temperature rose a little more after wearing the ring.

So I was probably the only one here now who hardly felt the cold.

“Is this the ring too?”

“Yes that’s right. My father lent it to me.”

Just as he was about to let go of his clasped hands, he suddenly noticed that there was no ring on his finger.

I quickly ran my hand over the other hand that wasn’t holding mine.

However, the ring was not there either.

“Aiden doesn’t have a ring?”

“No.”

Uh? Why?

Shouldn’t you be wearing a ring?

In order to lead the subjugation to victory, the original power must be further amplified.

And in case of any unexpected danger, what was absolutely necessary was the ring of the family.

But why didn’t Aiden wear it?

“Didn’t the Duke of Bayern give it to you?”

“Yes, it is.”

His answer was so calm.

That’s why I even thought that I might have reacted seriously with something insignificant.

‘I guess it wasn’t necessary.’

“Oh, I’m going to be extremely busy starting tomorrow, so I think I need to get some sleep. Just go in.”

I regretted breaking up with him, but I couldn’t help it.

“Belita….”

So I was about to let go of his hand, but he gave me strength so that he wouldn’t let go.

“Yes?”

“No, no.”

He acted as if he was going to tell me something, then he said no and let go of my hand.

So when I tilted my head and stared at him, I just smiled.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes it is.”

After that, he took me to my private barracks, and I slept soundly as soon as I lay down for the first time in a very long time.

The next morning, as soon as I woke up, my body was very light.

‘As expected, people have to sleep properly.’

I just had a good night’s sleep, but my body and mind were at their best.

“My lady, it is me.”

It was Mary’s voice.

Even though he said that he didn’t have to follow the punitive force this time, Mary insisted that she must follow her.

Even though the difficult road was clear because she could not ride a horse, she said that she would follow him to the end.

Mary couldn’t deny her heart, and in the end, Mary followed us with difficulty.

“Come in.”

They ate after changing into armor while waiting on Mary.

“I will probably arrive at the castle sometime this afternoon. Cheer up a little more.”

“It’s hard work, my lady. I am not struggling at all.”

“You walked all the way here.”

“The lady and the other knights risk their lives to fight, but this level of suffering is not too hard.”

Mary’s face was full of worry.

“Have you seen Sir William?”

“Yes, I saw you briefly yesterday.”

“Good job. Oh, can you call me Lian? I have something to say.”

“Are you Ryan? all right. Please wait.”

Mary went out of the barracks.

I was waiting for Lian to come for a while, but soon I heard Lian’s voice outside.

“Miss.”

“Lian?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Come in.”

Without hiding my delight, I told Lian to come in.

Ryan and Mary entered the barracks.

I stared at Ryan for a moment.

He was more than a hand taller than me, and he was quite reliable because he was wearing armor, but he still clearly had the boyish look on his face.

Then, it was bittersweet that Lian, who was not yet an adult, had followed him all the way here.

“I heard you called me.”

“Yeah, I have something to tell you. Mary, move aside for a moment.”

“Yes, I understand, lady.”

Mary went out of the barracks.

I didn’t mean to say something she shouldn’t have heard.

It was just to make Ryan more comfortable.

“Sit here.”

“All right.”

Ryan sat across from me.

“How are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“The state of your body, are you okay?”

“Yes, it is fine.”

“I see. Ha….”

Suddenly, a long sigh came out.

“Why is that? Are you worried about anything?”

“It’s just that you and Mary, why did you follow me to this rough place?”

In the case of Lian, because she was young, she didn’t have to come.

But he insisted on going, as if he had kissed Mary.

“I go wherever you are.”

The ambassadors were no different from Mary and Mr. Toh.

“There are only people around me who are too loyal. Right?” Although I was grateful for that, I was worried that I might lose them. Ryan, Mary, and William were so precious to me now.

That’s why I was afraid that the moment would come when I couldn’t protect them.

“Rian, if your life is in danger, be sure to run away.”

It was not something to say to a knight who participated in the battle, but it was something that could be said enough to a young Lian.

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“You are still young. That means you don’t have to try.”

“I am…Are you telling me to be a coward?”

Lian stiffened her expression and replied.

It was something I hadn’t seen before in this child.

“That’s not right. But I want you to live no matter what.”

No matter how much the three ducal families work together in this subjugation, it is impossible not to shed a single drop of blood.

That meant someone was going to die.

And I selfishly wished they weren’t mine.

“You value your life. Your life is not yours alone. Understand?”

“…All right.”

“All right then. And your heart is always grateful.”

I scattered his hair, which now reached only with an outstretched hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

We left the camp and headed for the northern border.

And after a few hours, we finally arrived at our destination.

* * *

Agger Castle, located on the northern border, was a huge defensive fortress built to defend the north.

The high and thick walls connecting the ends of the steep cliffs on both sides were prepared for the invasion of monsters by placing knights in various places.

Also, because a wide and deep river flows right in front of the wall, it was a fortress that no one could easily attack.

When the subjugation party from the capital entered the castle, the people who met them filled the castle.

Among them were 70,000 knights who had already departed from all over the empire and decided to join the monster subjugation.

“Wow! His Highness the Crown Prince has finally arrived!”

“Long live the crown prince!”

“Long live Baltheus!”

The residents of the castle welcomed the punitive force that came to protect them with bright voices.

At that time, Felix Agger, the lord of Agger Castle, approached the prince and the subjugation party.

“Meet Your Highness, Crown Prince Ediel Winston Baltheus, the brilliant little sun of Baltheus.”

With a loud voice, Seongju got down on one knee and bowed politely to the crown prince.

Then all the knights and the residents of the castle also knelt down to the crown prince at the same time.

“Everyone wake up.”

“Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

The castle owner stood up at the prince’s words and exchanged greetings with the nobles behind him, including Belita, Aiden, and Kane.

“Come this way, Your Highness.”