RGS Volume 4 Part 20

Thud, a sound echoed in his ears. Then his entire body shook with pain. His chin collided heavily, followed by his face scraping against an obstacle. The impact from his chin reverberated to his head, momentarily dazing him. However, even in this dazed state, he exerted strength on his broken arm and lifted his upper body.

When the pain from his chin began to register in his mind, he was already moving forward. The ground beneath his hands and feet suddenly felt slightly soft. It was a moist soil. The lake was right in front of him.

The increasingly strong smell of water and the thin reeds grasped in his hands. Abel lifted his fallen body and began to run. The dampness of the ground he felt with his feet seemed like it would turn into rippling water with each step. However, before that happened, something else stood in Abel’s way.

Swish!

An arrow flew past his side with a thud, embedding itself in front of him. Startled, he looked back and saw a red light flickering through the trees, approaching. In front of it, a soldier was yelling almost like a scream, clutching another arrow.

“You b*stard, do you think you can escape?”

Seeing the soldier prepare to shoot another arrow, Abel ran forward with all his might. Before long, a faint sound of wind came from behind him as his feet touched the cold water.

Swish―

As the soldier’s arrow shot flew through the air, Abel jumped into the dark water. However, the arrow reached its target faster than Abel’s movement. The dark figure moving in the darkness sank down with a swift motion. And then, shortly after, a sound was heard.

Splash.

When the soldiers approached with lamps, neither the arrow nor Abel’s figure could be seen. Only the ripples on the lake’s surface indicated that something had sunk below.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

“Everyone, move aside!”

The soldiers clearing the burnt debris immediately stepped back at the loud, fierce sound. Ashler, who rarely showed his anger, looked intimidating enough to make anyone flinch. He strode into the still-smoldering wreckage with an uncharacteristically uncalm demeanor.

The area where the quarters once stood was now filled with a pungent smell. Though the burnt quarters and corpses were soaked with water, they still emitted heat, causing wisps of smoke to rise. Ashler frowned due to the smoke, but carefully examined each charred corpse. Holding a torch in one hand and a half-burnt stick in the other, he turned over the bodies one by one.

However, most of the bodies were so charred that it was impossible to believe they had once been living people, let alone identify their faces. Still, he didn’t give up and continued to inspect each corpse. Meanwhile, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the area he had ordered everyone to stay out of.

“Ugh, the smell….”

Nani, who had first let out a groan, quickly covered his nose with a towel. Beside him was the butler, who, even with support, was staggering. Leaning on Nani, the butler looked around at the wreckage, his face pale.

“Young Master, *cough*, you cannot be, here, there’s no way, you can be here.”

The butler’s trembling voice was muffled by the cloth, but Ashler, inspecting the corpses, lifted his head. He turned to Nani, questioning why he had brought the butler here. Meeting Ashler’s gaze, Nani flinched and shivered, but soon quickly made an excuse.

“No, he kept insisting that he had to confirm it himself.”

The butler nodded as if confirming Nani’s words.

“Yes, I have to confirm it. I have been serving him since he was born, my lord. I can recognize him no matter what state he is in.”

The butler claimed with a trembling voice, turning his moist eyes. Ashler stared at the butler for a moment and then asked coldly.

“How do you plan to identify the Young Master among these completely burnt bodies? Don’t you realize they are all charred beyond recognition?”

Ashler pointed outside with his chin as if telling Nani to take the butler and leave. He then examined the bodies again. There were several people were lying on one bed, and under the charred corpses, there were also corpses that were faintly recognizable.

However, the remaining bodies were just remnants, and the skin on their faces was grotesquely distorted, making them even more horrifying. As Ashler inspected several of these bodies, his expression hardened further. The way they looked after their deaths looked as if they had died lying quietly in their beds, burned just as they were.

Were they already dead?

If that was true, then Norhox had undoubtedly planned the arson. Even if it was to keep the war profiteer in check, to massacre the Regas he had painstakingly nurtured like this is just too much. As Ashler considered this, he realized he had overestimated Norhox.

There’s no way they would kill a Regas they painstakingly raised just to keep the war profiteer in check. These were hastily made Regas’. Ashler frowned as he looked down at the charred corpse.

So, did they mistakenly take Abel thinking he was a Regas?

Perhaps, because the management was so poor that they didn’t even know which Regas came.

D*mn it, then Lord Abel might really be in here.

“Ah! Y-Young Master!”

The butler let out a cry that was almost a scream. Ashler immediately moved his body and approached where the butler was kneeling.

“What’s the matter?”

Ashler asked, bringing the lamp forward to examine the corpse in front of the butler. Perhaps it was the last place where the fire had spread, the corpse hadn’t completely turned into charcoal. Still, it was burnt to the point where identification was impossible, so Ashler examined it again just in case.

He wondered if the butler had noticed any distinctive characteristics. After a short search, Ashler noticed what the butler was holding with trembling hands. It was a piece of clothing, a remnant of a burnt sleeve. Even though its shape was still intact, it was so yellowed and scorched that it could easily be overlooked if you didn’t look closely.

Yet the butler held it using both of his hands as if it were something significant, trembling. Ashler knelt on one knee beside the butler and examined the cloth.

“Is there anything special about this?”

He asked a question, however, the butler, pale as if he had lost his mind, could not answer. Nani, who was standing beside them, sympathetically asked the same question again, and finally, the butler opened his mouth.

“This is…”

The butler pointed to the inside of the sleeve with his finger. Although it was impossible to see the original color because it was already burned and yellowed, the butler muttered helplessly as if something was clearly visible in his eyes.

“H-Here.”

Ashler and Nani both bowed their heads and searched and finally found what the butler was pointing at. It was the stitching line of the clothes. The butler’s words, now barely audible, continued.

“I-I made these clothes.”

Ashler and Nani both held their breath at the same time. One could argue what could be confirmed from a small piece of burnt cloth, but if the other person was the butler, it was different.

Wasn’t he a butler who was so devoted to his Young Master?

If he was such a butler, he should have been able to distinguish the sewing of the clothes he made.

The three people couldn’t move as if frozen. Ashler was the only one who could barely move. He automatically turned his gaze to the corpse in front of him. Although it was unidentifiable due to the fire, the approximate build was similar to Abel’s. Furthermore, the hair on his burnt scalp was blonde.

As Nani and the butler followed Ashler’s gaze, they looked up, and soon the butler’s loud wailing spread inside. However, this time Ashler couldn’t stop him either. All he could do was stand up with a helpless expression.

It was unbelievable.

He couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t as if he lacked the power to protect him this time, yet he was sending him away so futilely. It didn’t make sense.

How did he die twelve years ago?

Moreover, it was unthinkable that he, who had miraculously been reincarnated, would leave like this. It was so unbelievable that he even let out a hollow laugh.

If he had been caught by the King’s Heart and fought them again to the death, it wouldn’t have felt so futile.

How, how could it be like this?

Ashler inadvertently let out a sigh and remembered the one person he should have thought of first. Karas.

How on earth could I face His Majesty?

Overwhelmed by the belated despair and guilt, he tightly closed his eyes. The lingering smoke still made it difficult to breathe, but the stone weighing on Ashler’s chest made it even harder. At that moment, the butler’s sobbing beside him seemed rather almost enviable.

However, there was no time to indulge in emotions. As a nearby commotion was heard, a soldier came into the pile of ashes and urgently reported to Ashler.

“Marquis Norhox has arrived.”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

What on earth happened?

Abel couldn’t really be in that burned place, could he?

Melmond pressed his cloak deeply with an uneasy heart and wandered around nearby. Even without Norhox around, he still hid in the shadows as much as possible to avoid being spotted by Norhox’s men.

Even if he had only seen Abel a few times twelve years ago, he had to be extra cautious. However, his feet instinctively moved towards the burnt quarters.

No, Abel couldn’t have been in there. The soldier must have seen it wrong.

Melmond admonished himself and hoped that it wasn’t the worst-case scenario. Even if it wasn’t, the situation was already as bad as it could be. Since Ashler unknowingly gave the brown medicine to Abel, his condition would be unimaginable. However, as long as he was alive, as long as he was still breathing, there was a chance to save him no matter what.

As long as he didn’t die.

So, Abel must not be in that pile of charcoal. Melmond held his trembling hand and took a step forward to examine the inside further. However, due to the group of people appearing with bright lights, he stepped back instead.

“Marquis Norhox has arrived!”

A person dressed in various colorful clothes like a clown while holding a flag announced the presence of the person to the people in a loud voice. Melmond quickly lowered his head and turned his body backward to avoid being noticed. However, something caught his eye as he was about to leave. Among Norhox’s entourage, there was a short, blond man.

His appearance was so similar to Abel’s that Melmond’s heart sank for a moment. However, the man in the flamboyant clothes had upturned eyes, giving him a sharper impression than Abel. At first glance, he looked like a Regas. So, it seems that not all of the Regas that Norhox brought were inside.

Melmond felt relieved, but at the same time, he was worried about where Abel might be. He needed to find him as soon as possible to detoxify him.

Melmond’s anxious eyes, caught sight of Ashler, who had been waiting. However, with his expressionless face, he couldn’t tell what he had found in the wreckage. He wanted to rush over and ask what had happened, but someone stepped forward in front of Ashler first.

“Well, isn’t this a familiar face?”

Norhox, who expected Ashler to get angry, greeted him with a haughty smile. He added the following.

“By the way, what was your name again?”

Ashler had achieved a high position through his achievements in the war, making him not much different from Norhox. It was rude to belittle him, but he calmly stated his name without changing his expression. In response, Norhox nodded his head.

“Yes, Ashler. That was the name. You were the one who entered the Dragon’s Forest with that large, foolish-looking Regas twelve years ago, right?”

He seemed to remember how Ashler had gone with Abel to retrieve the prince who had entered the forest alone. When Ashler silently confirmed, Norhox twisted his lips.

“Even though time has passed, your role remains the same. What are you doing standing here? A major incident has occurred where all of His Majesty’s Regas have burned to death, and yet you haven’t gone to bring His Majesty?”

Instead of answering, Ashler glanced briefly at Norhox’s back and asked in return.

“Since you said all of them, I assumed that the person behind you must not be a Regas.”

The people’s gaze turned to Erei, who stood with an equally arrogant expression as Norhox. He seemed momentarily flustered by being pointed out, but soon smiled and replied to Ashler.

“I am also a Regas, but I was in a representative position among the Regas who came here. That’s why I was elsewhere reporting.”

Erei quickly explained right away, but Norhox’s eyes turned cold, apparently displeased by Ashler’s challenging tone.

“In this severe situation where His Majesty’s Regas’ have all died in an accident, are you seriously questioning my words? To me, who came as the representative of the King’s Heart”

As Norhox revealed his displeasure, Ashler slightly lowered his head. With an unchanged expression that seemed to have worn a mask even from the beginning, his inner thoughts could not be discerned. However, the following question was sharp and merciless.

“How did you know it was an accident? It could have been an arson committed deliberately by someone.”