7th Demon Prince Jilbagias’ Chronicle of Demon Kingdom Toppling

Chapter 120: Comrade and Resolution

１２０． Comrade and Resolution

After washing down the spoiled sausage with ale, Barbara once again expressed her gratitude to her parents for giving her a healthy body and resilient stomach.

（This winter going to be a tough one.）

She let out a chuckle in her heart while looking at the light of the bonfire of the soldiers outside of the window.

Just as they had expected, the Demon King Army didn't chase them ever since they left the frontline fortress, the remaining war potential left behind by the hero and co were regrouped safely.

You could say it was a miracle that no one was fatally injured along the way.

But―― It didn't change the fact that they escaped with their tails tucked between their legs.

She grabbed her wooden mug with frustration. From Barbara's perspective―― This was a humiliation to their resolution.

And good things weren't the only thing that happened. Though they had been healed, the healed soldier couldn't return to the battle immediately, but that would put more burden on the Defteros kingdom which was already burdened enough.

It was a kingdom that boasted its agricultural product; most of its grain-production region fell into the hands of the Demon King Army which only worsened the situation.

Even the transportation from the supporting country in the eastern hinterland had also been delayed, Which might be the work of a spy, or the people in cahoots with those spies, There was even a rumor on the street that many people wouldn't survive this winter.

However, Barbara wasn't included among those starving people, maybe.

She would get her share of the scarce food since she was one of the important fighting forces. Like it or not, it was an undeniable fact.

She survived from another frontier. And now eats so that she could keep surviving.

Reminiscing about the face of elder Dogajin, along with the hero and co who had fallen before her―― Barbara couldn't help but feel so miserable inside.

「… What's with the long face?」

Hessel who sat in front of her asked that question while sipping ale in his mug.

「… No, I just thought that the good guys died first.」

「Surely.」

Hessel nodded in agreement.

「Bad guys like you and me are the ones who survived.」

「Bad guy, what a fitting name.」

Under the table, Barbara kicked Hessel's shin lightly.

「Hahaha… The lucky bad guy.」

Hessel averted his gaze, not even complaining about Barbara's kick.

「…」

Both of them stared silently at the scenery outside of the window for a while after that.

「… How's Char's condition?」

Hessel suddenly asked that question.

「No good. Maybe we should send her to the rear line before the next battle.」

Barbara replied, shaking her head to the side while leaning on the backrest of the chair.

「But she refuses to budge no matter what we say.」

「… Yeah.」

Hessel heaved a sigh, fully understanding what that meant.

Char―― Priestess Charlotte. She almost lost her mind when the Demon King Army returned the head of the hero when they evacuated from the fortress.

Yet three days later, she ran about to heal the wounded soldiers as if she didn't want to take a break.

She reorganized the force and healed many soldiers by herself―― But that looked as if it was revenge toward the Demon King Army.

Normally, the priestess who healed the wounded people would be regarded as the God of Salvation in the battlefield, yet Charlotte's bloodshot eyes and vigor when she healed the soldiers made even the bravest amongst them tremble in fear.

「She won't stop till she runs out of magical power and life force… That's what she said. If she ran out of magical power, she would take her cane and hit herself with it…」

Her eyes… Were the eyes of someone who was prepared to give up everything.

As a result, the only member of the suicide squad who could be mourned properly was the hero. Barbara knew that Charlotte kept the ashes of the hero's remnant in a pot that was kept in her room.

「Everyone from Holy Religion is like that…」

Hessel murmured with a forlorn face as he took a gulp of ale from his mug.

「Most of us, sword saints, are also like that, but we have special circumstances.」

Barbara also chugged the ale from her mug… It tasted even more bitter than before.

「… Barbara. Have you ever heard about the "Assault Plan"?」

「I know, it's a plan from seven years ago right?」

It wasn't made public―― But the elite of the Holy Religion and various tribes cooperated with the white dragon and raided the Demon King Castle.

It was a literal suicide mission. It was a heroic act, yet the reason why it wasn't announced to the public was obvious from the fact that the war with the Demon King Army was still continuing even now, the plan had failed.

If they could at least leave a wound on the Demon King, the alliance side would definitely announce the existence of that plan, but…

As if to mock the alliance's effort, the Demon King himself appeared on the frontline right after and committed a mass slaughter as if to tell the alliance that he was safe and sound.

But the existence of the assault plan had already become an open secret at this point――

「My acquaintance participated in that plan. After the riot following the appearance of the Demon King on the frontline, a letter arrived to me from the Holy Religion's channel.」

「Hee, what a coincidence. I also received a letter from the same channel.」

「You too huh… Well, I won't be surprised if it turns out we received a letter from the same person.」

Said Hessel with a wry smile on his face. Both Barbara and Hessel were sword saints with monikers. And since only elite personnel participated in the assault plan, it wasn't a miracle that the letter might have come from the same person.

「it's a short letter, that person only wrote 『I'm off for a while』 as if he was just taking a stroll in the park.」

「Fufufu… My letter is better at least. That person wrote 『I'm gonna kick that Demon King's a*ss and end this war』…」

She had a forlorn look on her face, yet a refreshing smile on her lips.

Hessel suddenly stopped pouring a second helping of ale into his mug.

「This is just a guess, but could it be…」

He leaned back on the backrest of his chair.

「That guy's name happens to be 『Alexander』?」

Now it was Barbara's turn to have a dumbfounded face.

「… The 『Indomitable Holy Flame』?」

「So it really is the same person after all!」

Barbara and Hessel exchange glances and burst into laughter together.

They had never expected such a coincidence. She had been getting along with Hessel, yet now she finally knew that he had the same acquaintance.

It was such an amazing coincidence… That's why there was a tinge of loneliness and sadness in their expression.

Their laugh vanished and soon replaced it with solemn air.

「He was my friend(comrade-in-arm).」

Said Hessel as he took a bite of the almost withered apple.

「We fought back to back at the northern frontline. After that, we haven't contacted each other for a while due to staff rotation. He is honest to boot fella to the point that he still had the time to write a letter for me before the assault plan.」

「Yup. He also helped me a lot back when my birthplace became the frontline. I was nothing but a clueless lass back then after all.」

「Lass? You?… You must be kidding me.」

「Okay you have one minute to explain yourself.」

Barbara kicked Hessel's shin with stronger power this time.

「… He really is an honest, and nosy man.」

Barbara resting her chin on the table, averting her gaze from the grimaced Hessel.

「Even his parting words were really refreshing and carefree. He even enclosed a gold coin with his letter, saying that 『I won't be able to use it anyway』…」

「Eh? He didn't give me money though?」

「Eh?」

Hessel looked at Barbara with a disbelieving face again.

「He just wrote 『I'm off for a while to raid the Demon King Castle, kick the Demon King's A*ss, and regain our peace』 in the letter for me though…」

「… So it's just me! He even wrote 『Find a good man to marry, here is the early wedding gift.』 at the end of his letter!」

Barbara then poured a second helping of ale with a resentful look on her face.

「…」

Yet Hessel just looked at her with a serious look on his face.

「Hey, Barbara.」

「… Is something the matter?」

「Can you escort Char to the rear line?」

The corner of Barbara's eyes rose up upon hearing that question.

「… Are you telling me to run again?」

「I'm not. It just, you know…」

Hessel paused for a moment―― Looking at the reflection of his face on the surface of the ale in the mug.

「The next battle is going to be a tough one. I'm not gonna make it out alive.」

Hessel continued on with a cold light in his eyes.

「… I don't want to see a nice woman like you die in vain.」

「…」

Thus, Barbara kicked Hessel's shin again.

「Don't underestimate me.」

Barbara spoke quietly as she placed her mug back on the table.

「I'm here to fight. It's my duty to fight―― As the sword saint of my motherland, Proe Refshi, and proud member of the Baron Da Rosa family.」

She spoke with an unyielding gaze.

「Even if I'm just a knight of a ruined kingdom, or because I'm a woman―― I've long since decided to dedicate my sword, and life to my motherland! I won't forgive anyone who looks down on my resolution!」

Hessel was overwhelmed by Barbara's vigor. The reason was that the person sitting before him was not just a mere swordswoman who was yearned by many soldiers as their elder sister, and brave sword saint―― She was also a noble of a ruined kingdom with a noble mind.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even Hessel couldn't help but be mesmerized by her gallant and beautiful visage in spite of the countless scars on her face――

But he snapped back immediately as Barbara's gaze became more and more fierce with each passing second.

「… My bad. I shall prostrate before you to express my deepest apology.」

Hessel bowed his head.

「But… I really have no intention to besmirch your resolution. It's precisely because I know your resolution… And on top of that…」

At this point, Hessel was literally pleading with Barbara.

「… But I really can't bear to see you die…」

「…」

Barbara's sharp gaze softened hearing the words that were closer to a murmur from Hessel.

「… My bad for shouting at you.」

Finally, she heaved a sigh.

「Sorry but I won't back down on this matter. And I have no intention to die.」

Fierce light dwelled in her eyes. She really had no intention to die.

「… I happen to hear this but it seems the reinforcement from the Holy Religion will come in around one month.」

「Seriously!」

「Moreover… There's a chance that we can finally kick the a*ss of that shi*tty demon king's child. That's why get a grip already! Doing this to die is already a mistake to begin with!」

Hessel raised a wry smile hearing Barbara's encouragement.

「… You're right! We cannot die yet! Acting like a sissy ain't like me at all!」

「Hahaha, everyone has long since known that side of yours and often make a joke of it.」

――The duo's gaze overlapped, and they broke into a smile.

They raised their mug at the same time.

「For everyone who has fallen until now.」

「For our friend, Alexander, in our memory.」

And made a toast.

「「――Let's fight together.」」

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