End of a Dream

“gah……..fu………….!?”

Wilhelm spewed blood from his mouth as his face distorted ugly from the agonizing pain.

Blood trailed along my Nægling that had pierced through his armour.

To deliver the final blow, and to drive the sword even further through his body, I put my left leg forward when..

“!?”

It seems, I hadn’t come out of it unscathed either, as Wilhelm’s sword had dug deep into my left thigh, and blood was splattering on the ground beside me.

Haha………thanks to that, even though I was this close to well and truly ending it, I was left unable to properly finish it off. Seriously, just how weak was I still?

Well, but.

“………Wilhelm. It’s, my win.”

As strength left his hand that was holding his sword, Wilhelm showed an expression of anguish upon hearing my declaration of victory.

“Lord Rudy!”

Liz quickly ran towards me.

Her aquamarine eyes were wet with tears, and her face looked pale.

“Liz……….I… won as promised.”

“Yes…….yes you did……! However, your first aid comes first! Maya!”

“Yes!”

Maya who had also run by my side, quickly dislodged Wilhelm’s sword from my leg, and quickly started applying first aid to stop the bleeding.

Seeing both Liz and Maya look genuinely panicked made me realize that my wound must be really bad.

But, I didn’t let go of my hand that gripped on to Nægling.

I still needed to, deliver Wilhelm the final blow…….!?

“Gu………ghugu………”

In a shocking turn, Wilhelm grabbed my sword with his both hands, and then forcefully pushed it out of his stomach himself.

“Kuh…….kha……..I, haven’t lost ……..to someone like you…….!!”

“Enough with your bravado. With that wound, and without a sword, you will never be able to return an attack to Lord Rudy. Just lie down, and gracefully accept your death.”

Liz fired her absolute zero glare at Wilhelm, as she spoke.

Even against a person on the verge of death, she showed no signs of any sympathy.

Even if, Wilhelm hoped for some from Liz at the very end.

“fu……….mph……from the very…..start……..I had……no expec…..tations………bu-….but………”

“……..where are you going.”

Scoffing, the place where Wilhelm stumbled across to was……….!?

“No way!?”

“Th-this……..end………wasn’t ..what we discussed……..“

Wilhelm stared at the sky, his expression stained with pure hatred, far deeper than anything I had seen from him before.

“I will…….I will not lose to the likes of you!! I am, the HERO WILHELM!!!!!!”

Before I could run towards him………before I could even reach my hand out, Wilhelm….

——–fell and disappeared down the cliff.

.

.

“Did you find him?”

Below the cliff, on the ground I asked the soldiers who were tasked with searching for Wilhelm’s body.

“I’m afraid not! The flow of the river is far too rapid. We believe it must have already washed away downstream……”

“I see……….”

As I expected, they couldn’t find it………..

In the first place, he fell from such a high spot. Even if it was river, there was zero chance of survival.

“Haha……….to think the hero Wilhelm’s end would be so anticlimactic……….”

Perhaps it was also because I had failed at delivering the final blow myself, I could only stare down the river’s current as I dropped my shoulders.

“Lord Rudy………we have only just finished the first aid, please rest first………”

“Liz………”

Liz, who was lending me her shoulder to stand, peeked at my face with a worried expression.

She’s right……..no matter how much I fret over it, there was nothing I could do anymore.

Wilhelm had jumped down the ramparts of fortress Vander and died in this river.

If I were to face that man again, it would be when I die too.

It was then.

“””””OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH!!!!”””””

From inside Vander, a huge cheer rose and reached our ears.

It would seem Marquis Fahlcrantz had fully subjugated Vander.

“Liz, let’s go.”

“Yes……….”

Me and Liz, as well as Maya, made our way back to Marquis Fahlcrantz.

“!? Prince Rudolf, that wound is……!!”

“It was a deep wound but, thankfully not a fatal one. He does need to get some proper rest though.”

Seeing the Marquis look wide eyed with shock, Liz quickly and succinctly explained everything to him.

“I see……..”

The Marquis’ change in expression lasted only a couple seconds as well.

But.

“Well isn’t that good news, milord?”

“Seriously. Until meeting you again my Prince, he had been in a constant state of worry and panic you know?”

“!?! Berthold! Daniela!”

Sir Johansson and Dame Carneus lightly teased him, as Marquis Fahlcrantz quickly yelled at them loudly.

It would seem, he really was worried for me. I’m so happy.

“ahem………anyway, you may leave the rest to me, and get some much needed rest your highness.”

“Marquis Fahlcrantz, before that, there is something very important that I must tell you.”

“hm………important, you say?”

“Yes.”

And thus, I told him everything I had heard from Wilhelm.

About how Duke Svalier wished to take the Baldyk Empire for himself, and how he presented Beatrice…….my mother, for that very goal.

And that, I was already in her womb at that time.

That my real father was not the Emperor but Duke Svalier instead.

And that………..Wilhelm, was actually my half brother from a different mother.

“hrrmmm……….”

It was certainly quite the shocking revelation even for him, as Marquis Fahlcrantz simply growled upon hearing it all.

And to be honest, even now, I myself couldn’t believe it all.

But, more than that.

“your Excellency……..I have a request! I am not the fourth prince, but instead, simply Rudolf! However……..however, if you would allow me, please, please let me remain together with Liz in the future as well!”

I prostrated myself right there, on the spot, and made a plea to him as my forehead touched the ground.

Advance Chapters are now available! (Upto 5 New Chapters till the END of VOLUME 2 and the finale of Wilhelm and Beatrice’s arc are currently available!) You can read ahead and support the site at the same time!

Previous Chapter I ToC I Next Chapter