I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess - Chapter 233



233 – Reaching the End (5)

Albrich looked at Edgar, who was lying bleeding, with emotionless eyes.

In the end, a baby is a baby. The ending is really clumsy.

Any valuable result in the world has no value unless you actually exist.

‘No, but I guess I did pretty well for a kid.’

Even when facing the threshold of death, Albrich somehow felt calm.

In the end, even though he disappeared without even being able to achieve anything he wanted, for some reason, a corner of his heart felt relieved.

Was this the meaning of the final duel that the prophecy called?

Damn. Thump.

‘I guess you came.’

In his fading consciousness, Albrich turned his attention to the sound of destroying the remains of the castle.

Even though I couldn’t see the scene on the other side, for some reason I already had a good picture of who would come and destroy the wreckage.

Sure enough…

“Ed!”

Ariel, a black-haired woman who appeared, roughly clearing away the wreckage, blocked the collapsing building with her mana barrier, and then ran straight to her, desperately calling out her lover’s name. Br＞

The subordinates who followed him also came inside one after another.

– You got it right on time. Archduke.

Although the wounds on Edgar’s abdomen and arms were serious, they were not at a level that could not be saved if he could be brought to a high-ranking healer right away.

That is why Albrich arrived at the right time and spoke to her from the bottom of his heart.

“That voice… Are you Albrich?”

Since the source of mana was destroyed and nothing could be felt from him, Ariel was able to deduce his identity using only her voice.

An appearance that is already far outside the human category.

Even without hearing what kind of being Edgar fought, it was enough to guess.

– Okay. Thanks to your love, things have become ridiculous. These are my words that I looked down upon because I was young.

“In words… ?”

Ariel expressed doubts about the strange words mixed between sentences.

Because it sounded as if Albrich had been defeated.

Even though the one who actually collapsed in front of me was Edgar.

– You look like you don’t understand. Literally. Even though I was lying down ugly, that kid over there knocked me down. This fruit fly-like life will probably disappear in less than ten minutes.

“How can you believe that? What trash like you say…”

– That’s right too. Well, it’s up to you whether you believe it or not. But a wizard like you would have already figured out that it wasn’t a lie.

Ariel twitched her eyebrows with a prickly heart.

It’s just as he said. I couldn’t feel any energy from Albrich now.

An ordinary human being would have the vitality and mana. This is an impossible phenomenon simply hiding one’s power.

A feeling of having a conversation with a corpse.

Therefore, Ariel was able to sense that Albrich’s words were not lies.

The last words he spoke her were just words he knew her in his her head her her her, but she were momentarily distracted by his sense of contempt her her towards him.

“Reponio.”

– Ho…

Ariel poured out all of her remaining mana, thinking that she needed to provide first aid to Edgar before taking him to the base.

In fact, it was a recovery magic that was quite grandiose for first aid, so much so that even Albrich of the world let out a low gasp.

Jiyiing. As the concentrated mana settled into Edgar, the torn clothes and injuries slowly began to return.

A miracle possible because it is not a low-level magic that simply heals the body, but a restorative magic that restores it to its original source.

It was Albrich’s first time seeing a wizard who could use it to this extent at his age.

-That’s great. It’s not easy magic.

“I don’t want to be praised by you.”

Despite the praise from the greatest wizard in the empire, which could be said to be the goal of all wizards, Ariel still maintained a cold look in her eyes.

If he wasn’t someone who would soon disappear, I would have attacked him right away with the intention of tearing him to death.

However, I had no intention of wasting my mana to vent my anger on a ghost who would die soon. Because her love in front of her was even more precious now.

Kkook.

“The rest of you, take Ed and go back. “I’ll take care of the cleanup.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

When Edgar’s face regained some vitality, Ariel let go of his hand her and hugged him tightly, leaving his care to the attendants who accompanied him.

I wish I could stick around a little longer, but I had to finish what I had to do.

– You are extremely sincere.

“Do not talk to me. Unless you want to waste the remaining ten minutes of your life in vain.”

– Don’t be bluff. Even though it looks like this, I’m aware that you don’t have any energy left.

Ariel’s eyes became sharper as Albrich hit her head, but she was unable to retort.

In the first place, she was the one who protected her soldiers and fought against the entire remaining army of the Bertus family.

If it weren’t for Edgar, it would have been difficult for her to come this far.

Even just now, her legs were shaking.

It’s just that I don’t want to appear weak in front of my main enemy, Albrich, so I’m just holding on.

If he had been alive with his her full strength her her her her, Ariel would have had her heart pierced by Albrich’s hand her her her her her.

“He’s an annoying guy to the end. After all, I should have killed him.”

– That’s as flashy as you say it.

Albrich snorted lightly and stared at Ariel’s profile

Even though my life will soon disappear, I have many questions.

However, even if she asked, she did not seem like a great person who would answer easily like Edgar.

Therefore, Albrich brought out a negotiation plan for the last question.

Considering what she had shown so far, she had no doubt that she would be caught.

– Archduke, do you know Jeongin’s secret?

“… Secret?”

Ariel, who had planned to return after only confirming Albrich’s fate, turned her head reflexively.

Edgar’s secret.

Let alone the fact that such a thing exists, why does a man like this know that fact?

But at the same time, she felt like he would know. Although there is no specific basis.

– If you’re curious, I’ll answer. Instead, please give me an answer to my question.

“Are you trying to satisfy your curiosity with a gift for the underworld?”

-There is no time for arguing. What do you think, would you agree?

Ariel stared at him in silence as the negotiation came out of nowhere.

I thought it was her trap, but her human curiosity was so greedy that I encouraged her to listen even in this situation.

“… Okay. “Would you like to ask a question first?”

– Surprisingly. I thought they would ask me to open my mouth first.

“I don’t even want to throw flowers to a miserable person like you. “It’s hard to be a substitute, but I’ll do this much.”

There is a Last Supper even for death row associates.

It was supposed to be Ariel’s first and last act of mercy toward Albrichibertus, a man she never wanted to be close to.

At this, Albrich let out a self-mocking laugh and opened his mouth.

Since I was just a ghost that would soon disappear anyway, I thought I could accept this level of favor.

– Well, I ask. Are you planning to destroy the imperial family like this?

“Is this the question you, who held the royal family in your hands and shook it, would ask?”

– It’s literally just curiosity. Anyway, to me, the royal family was just a tool to reach my goal, nothing more or less.

Even if it meant overthrowing the imperial family and taking power, Albrich was willing to do so.

For humans, power is a fundamental desire.

He wasn’t an honest person enough to criticize someone just because he wanted it.

Moreover, considering the record of the Robeheim family and the mistakes made by the royal family this time, it is a situation that could well happen.

Most likely, some vassals who were looking for an opportunity to avoid the eyes of the existing royal family might decide that this was the right time to cling to the Robeheim family.

“Take no interest. “Nothing like that.”

However, Albrich let out a low exclamation at Ariel’s firm answer

While I found it a bit surprising, I somehow expected that she might come up with an answer like this.

-Is the interest you are talking about power? Is it wealth?

“It’s everything. Anyway, I already have enough power to not be lacking. Money to feed my family and people. Furthermore…”

After a moment of silence, Ariel turned his head and smiled, looking at the horizon beyond his wreckage her her her her.

Although nothing could be seen there except the brightly rising sun, a man was clearly pictured in her eyes.

“Even if he becomes emperor, Ed will have that qualification. “It’s his fault that he was the first to suspect you and that he figured out this whole ruse.”

– That’s a funny thing to say.

If you look at the circumstances, it may be true, but the world will not admit it.

At best, he is the head of a small family located on the border.

This world is not so easy that everyone is given a chance just because they are qualified.

“I know very well that it is impossible. That fool wouldn’t want it anyway. It just means I don’t even deserve it.”

– Then, this is the end of my question. Next, I’ll have to tell you a secret about your lover.

From noble mtl dot come

“…”

Ariel’s eyes narrowed.

What secret is he hiding? To be honest, I couldn’t even guess.

Because she was a woman who prided herself on knowing everything about Edgar.

– Your lover is actually…

“… “Wait a minute.”

– Hmm?

Ariel interrupted Albrich’s words as if this was the last time.

The time that lasted less than ten minutes was already sending a warning bell to Albrich, as if signaling the end.

Therefore, he let out a questioning voice, wondering why he was doing this when he could not afford to delay even for a moment.

“It’s okay. “I will hear it myself.”

– I don’t think he will reveal it directly.

“Then I can’t hear it any more. “If that idiot doesn’t tell me, it means I don’t deserve to hear it.”

Or perhaps it means that it is a secret so fatal that it must be kept secret even from herself.

Also, sometimes there are things in the world that are good to keep secret.

Ariel had heard this truth dozens of times from Edgar, so she knew it better than anyone else.

Moreover, if what was told here was shocking enough to know why Edgar kept it a secret, Ariel would probably treat the news itself as a secret.

She eventually learns his secret and she creates a new secret, which is a funny scene.

She didn’t want that ending.

“It’s okay even if Ed doesn’t answer. But if you put aside your desire to hide it so much and just tell it to me, even if it is a tragic story, I will be on that fool’s side.”

– It is the ultimate love.

Albrich’s body, which made him laugh as if he had lifted both his hands and feet, soon cracked and cracked.

The end is finally approaching.

At this, Ariel got up and started walking as if there was nothing to see.

“There won’t be anything like greetings to say to each other.”

– You are stating the obvious.

From Albrich’s point of view, Ariel is an enemy who blocked his life’s goal

From Ariel’s perspective, Albrich is an enemy who tried to kill her father and Jeongin.

Even if one side was facing the end, there was no bond or even a friendly wave of hands as a last goodbye.

The broken black fragments rolled on the floor with a crunching sound.

Ariel only heard that sound and left the castle without even looking at her.

Grumble. Eventually, the remains of the building she was supporting collapsed and nothing could be seen anymore.

‘There must be a lot of work to do.’

It doesn’t end like this. If I go back now, there will be a mountain of more work to do.

Nevertheless, Ariel smiled.

If you’ve been running along the path so far without knowing whether it might be a path toward heaven or a path toward hell, it’s no longer true.

There is no longer any need to get hurt or blame someone.

Just that fact brought me a sense of relief.

I think that now all we have to do is hold hands and run together toward one goal: peace.

As she walked under the sun, she realized that her body was very warm, unlike before.

Does the warmth I received from a man in my childhood still remain?

Well, now it is your turn to convey this warmth.