Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 38

38. Engagement – Count Forte

The Astin Kingdom army was stalled before a city.

“Lena, where is the Swordmaster?”

“He’s still in the rear, I think. From what I heard, he was forced to come because of the prince. He apparently wants to go back… Sigh.”

Lena and Leo chatted idly. It was the most leisurely time since they joined the war.

The front lines had been pushed far back. The Bellita Kingdom’s army failed to maintain their position around the city and had rebuilt their camp far beyond the river.

The Astin Kingdom army, deciding it was impossible to cross the river within the year, chose to spend the winter besieging the city before them.

Unlike the villages they had previously occupied, this city seemed determined to defend itself, its gates covered with makeshift wooden barriers.

The walls were not very high, and the siege engines positioned nearby could easily breach them, yet the city had not been attacked for nearly a month.

“It should be almost over now.”

In this world, sieges couldn’t be rushed, no matter how superior the attacking force, if a mage was holding out inside the city.

Crowded soldiers would be decimated by wide-area spells lighting up the sky.

“It's frustrating. Can’t our mage block their magic?”

“It seems it takes a long time.”

The {Noble Society} information included brief details about magic.

Magic was based on the study called ‘Magosurgery,’ which focused on researching ‘Mana Roads.’

Mages carved ‘Mana Roads’—paths for mana to flow—into the air to cast spells. The shape of these roads determined the mysterious effects, known as magic.

Since the discovery of how to carve Mana Roads, magic had advanced rapidly. Unlike the past, when mana was used haphazardly, modern mages harnessed immense magical power through the precise science of ‘Magosurgery.’

Given enough time, they could unleash disasters like fire, ice, lightning, storms, and cold waves according to their preferences under a massive Mana Road set up in the sky.

“Wait!”

Lena interrupted Leo’s explanation, raising her hand cutely.

“Can’t we stop them from making those Mana Roads?”

“I heard somewhere that if we carve a Mana Road to interfere with theirs, both roads would tangle, causing a kind of interference phenomenon. The colliding mana would explode, but it’s just as dangerous for our soldiers.”

“Ah, I see. So what do we do?”

“They say we need to set up a barrier around the city to nullify all Mana Roads. It’s been about a month, so it should be almost done by now.”

“Wow! Leo, you’re so smart.”

Lena patted his head, praising him.

“You were impressive when you taught me those etiquettes too. You’re someone I can proudly call my husband.”

Leo felt slightly embarrassed.

If she knew how I obtained the {Noble Society} information, she might think less of me.

Unaware of his thoughts, Lena continued patting his head.

“Then we just need to stand guard properly.”

“We should have a relatively easy time for now. We’re on the outskirts, not near the city…”

“Ah-ha! There’s no task more important than standing guard.”

She pretended to be stern, wagging her finger.

“As a centurion of the Astin Kingdom, I cannot tolerate such laziness. You should be more vigilant.”

“Yes, ma’am~ as you command.”

“You!”

Lena pinched his cheek, and Leo pinched hers back.

Her puffed cheeks were cute.

Lena seemed to think similarly as she spoke with a voice muffled by her puffed-up cheeks, “Ih’sh naah aah.”

The thought, ‘I shouldn’t be doing this, even if I’m happy,’ had long disappeared.

Over ten months into the scenario, Minseo, who had sufficiently integrated into his mind, had become a faint memory. Consequently, Leo Dexter’s gentle but self-centered personality emerged.

‘I want to live like this with Lena.’

The determination to clear the scenario had vanished. He could no longer make Lena a princess, and once the war ended, he would marry her, leading to an ending.

He desperately wanted to postpone the marriage.

‘If only Minseo wasn’t a factor…’

A chilling thought crossed his mind.

Only Minseo feared losing himself in the endlessly repeating story and wanted to escape.

Without Minseo, countless Leos could live short but happy lives.

While it was sad for the story to end with marriage, seeing the story progress beyond the ending reassured him. A happy ending was enough.

‘Even if I don’t experience it, both Lena and Leo can live happily.’

If only Minseo wasn’t there…

Leo scratched his head uncomfortably.

[Leo has died.]

A few days later, I died.

I was on guard duty as usual. Lena’s centuria was scattered, guarding a small hill.

It was far from the besieged city.

As the centurion, Lena was exempt from night duty, but she chose to stay with me. Just feeling each other’s presence while watching the front lines made us happy.

One night, a shadow moved in the darkness. By the time I noticed, a sword was already flying toward me.

I instinctively drew my sword to block, but could I call it blocking?

The impact of the incoming sword caused my own sword to cut my face.

My lips split, and my nose was cut off, but Lena helped me block the attack, limiting the damage. Without her, I would have died by my own sword.

The force of the powerful strike sent us both flying several steps, landing on our rears.

A Swordmaster.

Only such a strong individual could deliver such a blow.

A small message appearing below confirmed my suspicion.

[Achievement: Swordmaster, 2/3]

Lena seemed to have the same suspicion, as she broke the flare mid-flight. She mercilessly struck her own chest with the hilt of her sword, shattering the neck brace.

- Crack.

The sound of glass breaking accompanied it, but Lena continued to strike her chest multiple times while seated on her buttocks.

In a panic, fearing for my life, I hastily pulled out and broke the flare from my neck brace as well.

Blood flowed from my hand, pierced by glass shards.

Seeing the two soldiers in disarray, the burly knight frowned and muttered.

“Oh dear, are they knights? No matter how I look at them, they don't seem like knights...”

At that moment, several knights emerged from the darkness behind him.

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean? The flares are already broken. It's ruined, so we must retreat. Clean up the surroundings and return.”

The knights bowed respectfully and disappeared at his command.

Herman Forte, a heavily armored man with a cold and stern demeanor, praised the children who blocked his sword.

“Now that I see it, you're quite young. It's impressive that you managed to block my surprise attack. It's a pity we met as enemies.”

“Are you Herman Forte?”

“Hahaha. Yes, no need for honorifics with the enemy.”

“Why are you here? Shouldn't you be defending the city?”

Air leaked from Leo's severed nose and torn mouth as he spoke.

His survival was already hopeless.

The certainty of death, instead of frightening him, calmed him and reminded him of his grudge against Count Forte.

This man killed his sister, Lena.

He saw it in the ending of the 'Beggar Siblings' scenario. Lena, who had risen to power in the politics of the Bellita Kingdom, was killed by him.

Or rather, she will be killed. If his sister Lena is walking the same path...

Moreover, this man with a thick, straight nose and heavy eyebrows, comparable to De Hormann, was also the father of the bastard who got R

Lena expelled from the capital church in the 'Childhood Friends' scenario.

He didn't want to beg for his life from such a man.

Leo tightened his grip on his sword and corrected his stance. Lena, standing beside him, seemed to steel herself as well.

Count Forte scratched his double chin with his thick fingers and spoke.

“The more I see, the more I like you. It's a shame... But thanks to you, I won't be going back quickly.”

As he clicked his tongue and raised his sword, mana imbued the thick blade, starting to blaze white hot.

Aura Blade. The continent's strongest swordsmanship, proving one as a Swordmaster, a sword that ignores all other swords, shields, and armor, was revealed before Lena and Leo.

Then, the Count's sword swung horizontally 'without any warning'.

Leo couldn't react, but it wouldn't have made a difference even if he had. The blade, which swung without any warning, cut through the sword Leo had defensively raised, and his vision was sent flying into the air.

His head was flying away.

As his eyes slowly rotated, they met Lena's. Lena screamed toward Leo, or rather his spinning head.

“Leo!”

‘Lena, run...’

[ Leo has died. ]

Everything went dark. The blazing sword, Lena, the headless body, and the flying head all vanished.

Familiar. It was an ending.

But I was Minseo. Leo's spirit was gone the moment his head flew off.

Several messages appeared in his dazed vision.

[ You have died. 1/3 ]

[ Achievement: First Death - The player’s assimilation with Leo slows down. ]

[ Thank you for playing ‘Raising Lena’. ]

[ Lena Ainar ]

[ Final Job: Centurion, Junior Knight ]

[ Betrothed to: Leo ]

[ Leo Dexter ]

[ Final Job: Junior Knight ]

[ Betrothed to: Lena ]

[ Engagement Ending: Honorable Death ]

- Lena Einar, born in April Castle... (omitted) ...rose to Centurion for killing the knight Deros of the Bellita Kingdom's 2nd Knights. Later, Arnold de Klaus praised her achievements and granted her the rank of Junior Knight, but Lena died at the hands of Count Herman Forte while on guard duty. -

- Leo Dexter, born in the capital Barnaulle, spent a happy childhood... (omitted) ...praised for his achievements and granted the rank of Junior Knight, but Leo died at the hands of Count Herman Forte while on guard duty. -

A picture of Lena leading soldiers came to mind. It was the first time he saw Lena's picture with a clear mind.

‘This is ridiculous.’

He didn't know where to start his confusion.

Encountering a Swordmaster while on perimeter guard duty? Or the number 1/3 next to death?

There was no useful information in the ending, so Minseo took his eyes off the fading picture and text and collected his thoughts.

First, the Swordmaster.

In this scenario, he encountered two Swordmasters.

But both were strange. Our Swordmaster, Baron Arpen Albacete, seemed to be moving reluctantly in the rear, while the enemy Swordmaster, Count Herman Forte, was overly aggressive.

Until the day Leo died, the flag indicating the arrival of the enemy Swordmaster hadn't been raised. He had hidden his presence and infiltrated our camp, bypassing the city with only a few knights.

‘Was he here to destroy the supply base?’

That was the only plausible explanation. But that wasn't something a Swordmaster should be doing.

The city was on the verge of being conquered. A Swordmaster should naturally reveal his presence on the battlefield to boost morale and save the isolated city.

But Count Herman Forte didn't do that and took a dangerously high-risk action. If he had encountered our Swordmaster while infiltrating the rear base, he would have been isolated and killed.

If that had happened, the war would have essentially been over. But he risked his life to infiltrate, and when Lena broke the flare, he had no choice but to retreat.

- Thanks to you, I won't be going back quickly.

He left no information for Leo but muttered a complaint.

Depending on interpretation, it could mean he regretted not ending the war quickly, but the man with the cold impression didn't seem like someone who would risk his life to end the horrors of war out of benevolence.

Thinking back, there was something strange.

During the 'Childhood Friends' scenario at the Holy Kingdom’s lodging, there was talk that Count Forte had achieved great merits and that the war would end soon.

Which means, Count Forte had already gone back 'before' the war ended.

Otherwise, news of a Swordmaster's merits during the war couldn't have reached the citizens of the Holy Kingdom. It must have become known when he returned and received conspicuous rewards.

He must have returned as soon as possible, risking his life.

‘Why? Why did he have to go back so quickly? He's someone who could have just relaxed in the rear...’

But before he could finish his thoughts, another question arose.

‘Wait, then what about our Swordmaster? How could Count Forte just leave, knowing there was a Swordmaster in the enemy camp? Don't tell me... our guy left too?’

He might have used the attack on the rear base as an excuse to take the prince and leave, but that didn't make sense either.

The Swordmaster of the invading kingdom seemed reluctant, and the Swordmaster of the defending kingdom seemed desperate to return.

And in the end, both left the war behind and returned.

‘What is going on?’

Also, there was something he couldn’t understand during the scenario.

[ Achievement: Swordmaster, 2/3 ]

A strange achievement.

Other achievements gave some kind of reward. For example, meeting the prince could earn his favor.

But this achievement left only a name and a number.

‘Is it an achievement that unlocks when you meet three Swordmasters? Even if it just gives [Stronger against Swordmasters] or [Slight Favor from Swordmasters]...’

This stingy game that doesn't even bother to give a single line of explanation only threw countless questions.

Unable to find answers despite all the pondering, Minseo decided to stop guessing. Focus on his own tasks.

First, he had to avoid {war} events at all costs.

Entering the battlefield wouldn't only prevent him from making Lena a princess but also put him in serious danger.

Katrina was nothing. Beyond her was a Swordmaster, and thanks to him, he died for the first time.

Oh, and 1/3.

What does that mean?

‘Could it be a limit on the number of lives?’

Like a mark on an arcade game indicating only three coins are inserted... Does it mean the game ends after three deaths?

‘No way, if I fill that up, do I actually die?’

Minseo tried to swallow, but his disembodied spirit couldn't swallow and trembled.

It was frightening.

And he felt respect for Lena. She displayed resourcefulness by defeating the enemy even when her arm was severed and broke the flare quietly in the face of death.

In contrast, he...

At that moment, a text appeared, interrupting his thoughts.

[ You have not cleared ‘Raising Lena’. ]

[ Leo, you blocked a Swordmaster's sword once. For that achievement, you are granted the skill {Swordsmanship.2v}. ]

[ Restarting. ]