The battle on the night of record-breaking rainfall continued until dawn the next day.

The enemy’s command system was in disarray and their formation was broken beyond repair, but when soldiers from the rear returned to the front lines, Aden had no choice but to retreat.

“Welcome back, master.”

It was Salom who greeted Aden as he returned drenched in blood.

Aden nodded with tired eyes, dismounted his horse, removed the armor he was wearing and handed it to a servant, then looked around.

Residents and people inside the castle who had awakened to the commotion tearing through the dawn air were looking this way with anxious eyes.

Aden let out a short breath, accepted the water Salom handed him to wet his throat, then turned to Neser who was following behind.

After emptying the water again, he instructed Salom to let the soldiers rest, then approached Neser and told him to standby as they would start the meeting right away.

After washing up briefly and changing out of his blood-soaked clothes, Aden closed his eyes tightly as if tired.

The battle that lasted through dawn was clearly favorable to them, but it wasn’t easy to overcome the numerical disadvantage.

His hands and shoulders were stiff from swinging swords and spears all night, and the fatigue built up in his eyes from straining them in the darkness was considerable.

Sitting quietly on the bed listening to the morning birdsong, Aden suddenly felt the chirping was like humming and let out a small laugh.

Aden raised his head and examined the painting hanging in his room. It was a portrait Ludmila had drawn for him.

As he stared blankly at that painting, Aden wondered if the painting he had sent to her had arrived on time.

He had hesitated to send it, worried it might leave unnecessary lingering feelings.

But he thought it would be good for her to have at least one memento to remember her time here when looking back in the distant future.

However, Aden knew and readily admitted that it ultimately stemmed from his own selfishness of wanting her to remember him.

Though he left without regrets, he too was human after all.

It was a gift left by an attachment that couldn’t be completely erased.

Aden slowly stood up and looked up at the sky that had cleared after the rain.

Aden, standing in the darkness getting soaked by the rain, was quietly smiling.

Perhaps he would always smile when hearing the sound of rain.

Because it reminded him of that day when he laughed while drinking tea with Ludmila in that small house amidst the rainy scenery.

Until this consciousness ends with death and disappearance.

Aden turned around, recalling his memories with her that he would never forget for the rest of his life.

As he left the room, walked down the corridor and entered the conference room, he saw people rising from their seats. Aden gave them a silent bow and took his seat.

“Has the scale of troop losses been assessed?”

“Half of the thousand soldiers blocking the entrance have died, and more than 30% of the cavalry have also perished.”

“I’m not sure if we can call it fortunate, but in yesterday’s battle, at least 4 division-level units of the central army were annihilated. All the cannons seem to have been lost. We probably won’t see cannons in siege warfare for a while.”

They lost about a thousand soldiers and annihilated 5,000 enemy troops. It was a record achievement, but there was no time to rejoice.

Aden ran his hand through his hair and gave orders to reorganize the remaining troops.

The central army, still numbering well over 20,000, was advancing towards this location.

Though their numbers were reduced from before, they likely wouldn’t attempt a reckless siege to scale the castle walls, but if additional troops arrived from the capital with cannons, it would be a different story.

“Your Grace.”

Neser carefully called out to Aden, who was listening to the conversation with a troubled look.

Turning his head, Aden saw Neser report with a grave expression.

“It seems to be time to make a decision.”

“A decision?”

“If we let them set up camp outside the barrier like this, we’ll wither away inside. Even if we don’t wither away, once additional troops and cannons arrive, we’ll eventually be pounded and annihilated. So we must choose. Whether to go out from here and engage in a full-scale battle with them, or move to the highlands even now.”

As Aden rolled his eyes, it seemed everyone had similar thoughts as they remained silent.

“The highlands are an area we know well, and it’s good for utilizing cavalry mobility. But urban warfare or siege warfare is disadvantageous for using cavalry. So we need to move before they set up camp.”

“Are you saying it would be better to leave the castle now and engage in a full-scale battle?”

“I’m talking about probabilities and advantages.”

Advantages and probabilities.

Aden muttered those words as if chewing on them, then lifted the corners of his mouth and gave a small nod.

“Then how much do you think our chances of winning are?”

At Aden’s question, Neser hesitated for a moment but didn’t remain silent. He let out a small breath, raised his head, and looked at Aden with a straight posture.

“Less than 10%. However, if we engage in interception battles in the highlands, it could rise to at least 20%.”

“If that’s true, then going to the highlands would be the right choice. But conversely, you know well what that means, right?”

Fleeing to a place without castle walls. That essentially meant throwing all the people following them to their deaths.

They could take them along for now, sure.

But constantly changing encampments while conducting interception battles was a tiring and arduous task.

They didn’t have horses to carry all of them, nor could they leave behind a defensive force.

Among them were children and women.

It would be madness to take them along, who had never experienced the harsh nomadic life in the highlands.

“We have no choice, Your Grace. We can’t all die like this, can we?”

“The sacrifice of the few for the many, is it?”

As Neser nodded, Aden smiled self-deprecatingly as he pulled at the corner of his mouth.

He leaned back in his chair, silently looking at people’s faces before fixing his gaze on Neser again.

“Then it would be best to choose the most certain minority. How about offering myself to them and begging for our lives?”

“Master!”

“Your Grace, how could you…”

“The war may not end, but at least there would be room for negotiation. There’s a possibility of having to pay massive reparations, but if we run the businesses well, we could pay it off within a few years.”

“That’s impossible! How could we sacrifice you, the head of the clan, Your Grace…!”

“I too cannot abandon them to win a war that started because of me.”

Neser bit his lip with an agitated expression.

Realizing his proposal had already been crumpled like waste paper at Aden’s resolute expression, he squeezed his eyes shut.

“It’s enough for only the soldiers driven to the brink to die. We can’t let them die too.”

He didn’t want to throw away others’ lives to save himself.

That went against Ludmila’s way of throwing away everything to save him.

She staked her all to try to save him.

Trying to extend such a life by sacrificing others’ lives and breath would ultimately be an act of disgracing Ludmila.

“If I must die, I would become the most accursed existence to the imperial citizens, be dragged to the capital bearing much infamy and resentment, undergo severe torture and trial, and then die on the stake. Until then, I have no intention of abandoning my people and living alone. So don’t say such things.”

“…I understand.”

As Neser bowed his head and stepped back, the air settled and a solemn atmosphere descended.

Aden examined their faces one by one, then smiled slightly and adjusted his posture.

“Well, let’s stop talking about this. We need to reorganize the supplies necessary for defending the castle, so let’s start discussing that. Beressa, if you please.”

At Aden’s call, Beressa stood up and picked up the report.

As the report slowly began, the subdued atmosphere gradually lifted. Aden, who had been quietly smiling, calmly composed his expression.

Death in the end, is it?

Aden quietly closed his eyes and envisioned his eventual end that would come someday.

Mrs. Merrybold, passing by the empty house, stared inside intently.

Her eyes darted busily as if trying to sense any presence, but all that could be seen was the dark interior of the house and a desolate atmosphere.

“Oh my, what are you doing here?”

Bionia, who had just come out carrying a child, spotted Mrs. Merrybold and asked in surprise.

Mrs. Merrybold shook her head with an awkward smile and let out a low sigh.

“I was wondering if she still hasn’t returned.”

“Ah, you mean Ludmila?”

Bionia, who had approached beside her, silently gazed at the dark house before clicking her tongue softly.

One day, Ludmila had packed her bags and left on a journey just like that.

Contrary to her words that she would be back soon, a month had already passed and Ludmila had not returned.

Naturally, rumors spread that Ludmila had gone to where her fiancé was embroiled in war.

Though they understood her feelings, thinking of Ludmila who had rushed to such a dangerous place weighed heavily on their hearts.

“…Do you think she’s alright?”

“Of course. She’ll come back safe and sound.”

Bionia patted Mrs. Merrybold’s shoulder with a faint smile.

Mrs. Merrybold nodded slightly with a sigh and slowly raised her head to look up at the sky where clouds were drifting far away.

While the two women were conversing, Ludmila, the woman who was the subject of their concern, was neither in the Send Highlands nor in the kingdom.

In a massive, luxurious mansion-like palace. The owner of that enormous palatial residence.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

A man with imposing red hair.

“Duke Cellano.”

She was sitting before Laminov Cellano.