The Legendary Spearman Returns

The conference ended with Avalon selected as the leader of their new alliance. The kings didn’t have a choice in the first place because they were helpless if Bel were to personally attack their lands.

-Thank you. I owe you again.

“There is no need for that,” Lilith replied to Joshua. “I can’t use the warp gates in Hubalt, so my best bet to get back to Hubalt is to go through Avalon. Reinhardt conveniently happens to be along the way.”

It was wartime, so, unsurprisingly, the warp gates all across the continent would be heavily guarded. Lilith had no other option than to make her way on foot, even if it took her a long time.

“Anyhow, did you become one with Creshua?” Lilith asked. “That's the way it looks.”

-That is correct.

“He can hear us, can’t he?” Lilith asked.

Joshua nodded. Even without checking, Joshua knew that Creshua was watching—no, monitoring his every move.

-The terms of our deal requires me to find the meaning in life for the last dragon in the world.

“...The meaning in life for the only survivor of his family... How tragic.”

-Don’t give me your cheap sympathy based on your puny values, human.

“Was that Creshua just now? Does that mean you’re not sad, Creshua?” Lilith tilted her head, undeterred by Creshua’s snappiness.

-Of course. Don’t you already know that there are no creatures as independent as dragons?

“That was when your family was alive.”

-...What?

“I was just like you. When my father was alive, he always told me to ‘act more like a woman’, ‘visit home more often’, and ‘hold a bouquet instead of a sword’. Ah, that last one means to get married. Anyhow, I really hated hearing my father nagging.” A bitter smile crept onto Lilith’s lips as she spoke; whether it was because she got older or could no longer meet her father no matter how much she wanted to, no one could know.

Objectively speaking, Lilith was not a good daughter. She’d devoted her entire life to mastering the sword and roamed the continent rather than getting married or tending to her family. She knew that it was said that she should be good to her father while she could, but she hadn’t really understood what that meant back then.

Like most people, Lilith hadn’t cared very much before because she could meet her family any time she wanted. She forgot how special they were because she had gotten too used to them being there for her. Unfortunately, time didn’t wait for her and her past had left deep scars in her heart.

“Creshua, you and I both lost our father to the same enemy,” Lilith said.

Creshua kept his silence.

Right after Lilith had been branded as a witch by Hubalt, her father had been locked up in a cold, damp dungeon for raising a “witch”. He had already been over seventy at that time. Since she hadn’t heard any news about him, there was a high chance that he was already...

“...Ah, I’m sorry.” Lilith apologized, quickly the tears out of her eyes. “I know that you spent a long time with Crevasse, so maybe you’ll understand what I’m saying one day. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not trying to patronize you. I wouldn’t dream of telling a mighty dragon to live like a mere human.”

Lilith forced herself to smile, drawing an irked sigh out of Creshua.

-Just cry.

“...What?”

-I heard that feeling happy, angry, and sad is natural for humans.

“Huh?” Lilith gaped blankly at him.

-I must have been mistaken for a moment. Just continue your conversation with him. Maybe I’ve gotten too used to someone who isn’t really quite human,

Lilith’s face brightened. “You’re trying to console me, aren’t you? Thank you, Creshua.”

-...You’re mistaken.

Despite Creshua’s cold reply, Lilith continued to smile. She was surely the first human to be comforted by a dragon. If there was such a thing as the afterlife, she had one more story to share with her family.

-Thank you.

“It’s you now, Joshua, right?” Lilith asked, just to be sure.

-Yes, it’s me. Thank you for doing my job.

“You're welcome. I just sympathized with Creshua for being in the same boat.” Lilith chuckled bitterly.

-...Is there any chance that your father is still alive?

Lilith’s expression was grim even before she gave it a proper thought. Her life as a fugitive had already lasted for years. Would an old man in his seventies be able to last that long in a dungeon? No matter how optimistically she framed it, the chances were slim—but she didn’t let go of a glimmer of hope.

Lilith bit her lip. “...I should get to Hubalt first. It’ll take a month at most to get to Hubalt’s capital from Reinhardt; then I’ll know for certain...”

-Let me come with you.

Lilith's eyes widened. “What do you mean?” She hadn’t expected Joshua’s offer at all. “You should protect Avalon from here.”

-I think my job here is done. The alliance has been made, so our allies will be arriving here soon. Besides, Selim seems to be filling in for me very nicely.

“But—”

-That’s not the only reason. I need to get to Hubalt right now.

“...Why?” Lilith blankly asked.

-It looks like my other son is on a mission over there, risking his life. I’m worried about him.

“P-Prince Kireua is in Hubalt?” Lilith spluttered.

-He’s going to raid the empire’s empty house.

“That’s so reckless!”

-Although I’m embarrassed to admit it, my children take after me. This mission was devised by my daughter.

“Then there’s no time to waste!” Lilith immediately picked up the crystal ball and got ready to leave. “Seriously, I respect the Queen Consorts more and more! How can their husband and children be such troublemakers...!”

-Because good people like you help us out a lot.

Lilith flinched and then furrowed her brows. “Stop saying stuff like that before I tattle to your wives.”

-You misunderstood me.

Joshua chuckled and raised his hands in surrender.

* * *

“We’re reaching the end of the forest!”

The weary army let out cheers.

“Wooowwwww!”

Their brutal, two-day march had reasserted the Black Monster Forest’s reputation again and again. Even after killing Jack the Lich, monsters had assaulted them from all directions, forcing the army to kill the monsters over and over. They already had to stop to hold funerals for Jack’s victims and to send the survivors back to their homes, so the army was only half the size it had started as.

“Didn’t you spare too many people for the survivors?” Anna asked with a worried glance at Kireua. “I really don’t think this is enough to attack Hubalt.”

“But I can’t let children fall into danger.”

“They’re going back on the path we came though.”

“There’s no guarantee that monsters won’t attack them on that route. The smaller the group is, the more vulnerable they would look. A large group will keep the monsters from attacking them at all.”

“What a sage ruler you are to think about your people without concern for your own safety,” Anna grumbled. She still didn’t like the current situation.

‘He could take care of himself a little better.’

While Anna grousing to herself, the army was suddenly illuminated.

“...Huh?” Anna blinked.

“We’re out of the forest now.”

The bright light made Anna squint, but her eyes widened in delight as they adjusted.

“Oh...”

The trees and humid air in the awful, dreary forest were gone, replaced by a grand, picturesque landscape. Anna could see blue sky stretching endlessly above them and the air felt impossibly light. She couldn’t believe that she was this glad to see an empty plain! Anna breathed in and out for a long minute, enjoying the pleasant breeze blowing against her face.

“We’re finally in Hubalt,” Cain said as he came up to Kireua. “We’ll be able to reach civilization within a day.”

“If I could do as I please, I’d sleep in a comfy bed and have proper food before we leave... but that isn’t an option for us, is it?”

“I’m afraid not, Your Highness,” Cain answered. He was already looking ahead. Considering that the key in their mission was to catch the enemy off guard, the army needed to stay undetected as long as possible so as not to waste the effort it took to cross the forest of death.

Despite that, the knights eavesdropping on the conversation between Cain and Kireua were quite disappointed.

Kireua didn’t even glance at them.

‘Nothing can be done about it,’ he thought.

“Please secure the shortest route to Hubalt’s capital, avoiding any cities or villages,” Kireua ordered Cain.

“Yes, Your Highness. But do we have a plan for when we arrive at the capital? Princess Iruca must have—”

“We do not.”

“...We don’t?” Cain tilted his head in confusion.

“Iruca didn’t expect me to get to Hubalt’s capital.”

Cain stared dumbly at him. “Then why in the world did she—?”

“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”

“...If you don’t mind me asking, what is the plan?”

“I remember hearing that His Majesty was in a situation similar to ours right now. I was young when it was told, but it was interesting enough that I still remember it vividly,” Kireua explained.

Cain leaned forward, intrigued.

“I’ll call it... ‘Copy the Martial God’.” Kireua grinned.

“Copy... the Martial God?”

Kireua nodded. “Yes. We’re going to use the exact same method that His Majesty used to complete his mission.”

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