RODH Chapter 23

23.

Lucian took a defensive stance and asked me,

“Do you know them?”

“Of course not.”

I replied calmly, but the moment an arrow thunked into the ground right in front of me, I nearly lost it.

Lucian, who knew better than anyone what kind of state I was in, grabbed my hand and said,

“You can survive even in a dragon’s lair if you keep your head, Ian.”

“…I know.”

It must’ve been meant as comfort, but when the bushes rustled violently, my heart started pounding like crazy.

I thought I’d overcome my fear of death after four lifetimes, but apparently not.

“Get down!”

At Lucian’s command, I dropped to the ground, crawling low.

He surveyed the area and threw several short blades, striking down the assassins one by one.

But no matter how many he defeated, more kept appearing. It was like someone had given them the order to gather here.

“Damn it, there are too many.”

I stayed close behind Lucian, shielded by his cover.

Why he was helping me didn’t matter right now. What mattered was surviving.

Taking advantage of a brief lull, Lucian dashed toward the forest’s edge and asked,

“Did you piss someone off that badly?”

“Does it matter right now? Just run!”

“Shit.”

Clang! Tching!

Living up to his title as Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan, Lucian deflected arrows with ease and hurled his sword with pinpoint accuracy, striking the assassins like they were targets.

Since I’d fled without even grabbing my automatic crossbow, I would’ve been as good as dead if Lucian weren’t here.

And then it happened.

“Ian!”

While I let my guard down for a split second, an arrow shot toward me.

My brain registered the incoming danger, but my body wouldn’t move.

Is this how I die again? Back to the beginning?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a shadow loomed—and thunk, the arrow embedded itself in Lucian’s arm.

“Lucian!”

“Ugh, damn it. They laced it with poison.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be immune to all poisons?”

“That only applies to moderate doses…”

No time to argue.

As he yanked the arrow out, blood poured from Lucian’s arm.

It was enough that both his clothes and the ground were getting soaked. One look at his pale face told me it wasn’t good.

“Lucian, Lucian!”

“What?”

“Stop for a second. We need to stop the bleeding—”

“We don’t have time! Even if we run right now—ugh.”

Lucian dropped to one knee.

He could’ve burned everything to the ground, but a fire in this forest would be catastrophic—he must’ve known that.

I helped him up and dragged him to a more hidden spot, then inspected the wound.

It was deep, and blood was still rising from it steadily.

Since there was poison inside, I had to get it out first…

Screw it.

Without a second thought, I brought my mouth to Lucian’s wound.

“What are you doing?”

Lucian asked, pale-faced, but I said nothing—just sucked the blood and spat it out over and over.

“Trying to save you.”

“Save who exactly?”

You, obviously.

I answered with my eyes.

Even though a part of me still resented him for burning me alive in a past life, that was then and this was now. His changed attitude must’ve chipped away at me, because I couldn’t just leave him like this.

After extracting as much blood as I could, I pulled out a handkerchief and tied it tightly over the wound.

Only after I’d done everything I could did I realize just how hot the day was.

As I fanned my shirt, I felt Lucian’s strange gaze on me.

“Why are you going this far?” he asked.

“I hate having corpses next to me. And what if this incident sparks a war between the Empire and the Dragon Clan?”

Lucian let out a soft chuckle.

“Why do you care about that? You’re such a fool, Ian.”

“I’m the Crown Princess-to-be. Did you forget?”

“You said you were going to break off the engagement. Do you even have anywhere to go if you do?”

What a time to be asking such questions—when we could be attacked at any moment.

“Yes, I do.”

“And where would that be?”

“What are you going to do with that information? Anyway, could you be quiet? If we get discovered like this…”

Suddenly, Lucian grabbed me by the collar and yanked me close.

A deep blackberry scent surrounded me.

“If you’ve got nowhere else to go, come to me, Ian. You’ll always be welcome.”

Thinking he was spouting nonsense in a half-dazed state, I pushed him away by the chest.

“No, thank you.”

“It’s really hard to win even a sliver of your heart.”

“Shh!”

Maybe it was his muttering that gave us away, because assassins suddenly came charging in.

“Over here! Ian Pearl Ruben is here!”

“Wait—that’s the Dragon Crown Prince?! That wasn’t part of the plan…”

From their frantic chatter, I could guess what was happening.

The ones behind this wanted me dead—but they hadn’t planned on targeting Lucian at all.

I quickly shouted,

“If Lucian dies, you all die too! Anyone eager to start a bloodbath between the Empire and the Dragon Clan, keep coming!”

The assassins visibly hesitated.

I supported Lucian with one arm and asked him,

“Can you move?”

“Barely… yeah.”

“Then please help me here.”

With Lucian barely able to walk, I slowly backed away from the assassins with him.

But then one of them spoke up.

“Just leave the Dragon Crown Prince. Kill that one first!”

Damn it.

Am I really going to die here?

I didn’t even look back—I just ran as fast as I could.

It would’ve been easier to leave Lucian behind, but my last shred of conscience wouldn’t let me do it.

Thwack—thunk!

“Ugh!”

“Ian?!”

An arrow had struck my arm.

It was probably poisoned.

Whatever they’d coated it with, it was strong—I collapsed on the spot.

Lucian rolled beside me, shouting my name over and over.

“Ian! Ian!”

“Too… loud…”

“Pull it out! You’ll die if you don’t!”

Like it’s that easy!

But I didn’t want to die—not here. I grabbed the arrow and yanked it out in one go.

Huff, huff.

Now, my breathing was louder than Lucian’s.

“Get them!”

The assassins were closing in again…

Lucian’s earlier question echoed in my mind—did you make any enemies?

These bastards had to be Count Gilbert’s men.

Each time I blinked, the assassins drew closer.

As I prepared myself to simply shut my eyes and accept the end, a chilling voice rang out:

“Frozen Flower.”

Suddenly, the forest froze over as if hit by a wave of frost.

The charging assassins froze in place, solid.

I struggled to lift my head to see who had cast the spell.

But there was no need. The person matched my height and gripped my shoulders, shouting:

“Lord Ruben! Lord Ruben!”

“Ah…”

I wanted to tell him the poison was spreading, but my lips were numb—I couldn’t speak.

Blue-cloaked mage Alvis.

He came for me.

I was safe.

Just before I lost consciousness, I clung to three thoughts—and then a sharp voice pierced my ears.

“Ian!”

It was Seor. He tossed aside a deer he had hunted with Peter and ran toward me.

I met eyes with the lifeless black deer.

My vision faded, and I collapsed.

---

A sound like galloping hooves echoed in Ian’s ears.

Was it just one?

No—many.

Ian opened his eyes.

A countless herd of deer was racing across the snowy plains.

With every stride, he could vividly feel their snorting breath and thundering heartbeats.

They were beings of pure freedom under nature’s grace.

But soon, a chilling darkness began to descend, and monsters appeared—creatures that could shred a deer apart with one hand.

They seemed intent not just on attacking the animals in the mountains, but even the people in the nearby lands.

Just then, the fortress gates opened with a thunderous waaaah!—the battle cries of knights.

Even at a glance, they were seasoned warriors. Despite facing terrifying monsters, they did not flee or fight cowardly.

Yet, the blood-red sky showed no sign of brightening.

That was because the Demon Lord had descended halfway down the mountain.

Ian couldn’t clearly describe what it was, but he thought: If that’s not the Demon Lord, then the Demon Lord doesn’t exist.

There were two people facing this enormous mass of disaster.

A striking and beautiful pair, who began severing the Demon Lord’s arms with their blades.

Kwaaaaargh!

As the otherworldly beast roared, a guttural, inhuman sound echoed from its mouth—something no beast should ever be able to make.

Instinctively, Ian turned his head.

The woman wielding the sword was swept away in an avalanche.

No!

Just as Ian screamed, a blade pierced the Demon Lord’s heart.

The monsters turned to dust in an instant, and the shockwave knocked the knights unconscious one by one.

Even then, the man and the Demon Lord continued to fight until the very end.

It was the first time Ian had ever seen a creature that didn’t die even with its heart impaled.

Wherever the Demon Lord’s body touched, it rotted instantly—but the man didn’t stop.

At last, when he tore out the Demon Lord’s heart using what could only be described as a brutish method, the long and bitter battle finally came to an end.

Dawn broke.

But the man still clung to the Demon Lord, as though afraid that even a slight separation would allow the disaster to descend the mountain.

Only after the sun had fully risen did the man finally kick the Demon Lord away.

And then, he too collapsed, utterly exhausted.

The man was dying. His heartbeat was faint.

The Demon Lord, unable to recover from the fatal wound it had received from the man, slowly scattered like melting frost under the morning sun.

The man spoke in a calm voice.

—Kirias has fulfilled his duty, Your Imperial Majesty. O God, may You protect Kirias.

Then the Demon Lord let out a chilling laugh and said:

—From this day forth, only single sons shall be born in the House of Kirias. Unless one comes who brings spring to Kirias, this curse will persist. They shall feel the loneliness of the snow-covered mountain until their dying breath.