The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 177

177. The Situation of the Subjugation Force (2)

2024.04.25.

If I can’t resolve this, Daniel really might…

Just as Joshua bit his lip tightly,

[Woof!]

Silver, who had been guarding the perimeter, began to growl, looking into the depths of the forest. Joshua grabbed the sword he had placed on the ground and nodded to Lord Roten.

“Protect Lord Adrian.”

“Understood.”

“Let’s go, Silver.”

At Joshua’s signal, Silver darted forward. Joshua slowly advanced with the knights.

“How gruesome.”

One of the knights beside him muttered, covering his mouth. Joshua also felt nauseous but suppressed it, muttering lowly.

“Everyone, stay focused. We can’t afford to break down.”

The swarm of monsters displayed forms never before seen in this world. There were two-headed hounds and giants with multiple arms.

He was becoming accustomed to their bizarre appearances.

However, he could never get used to the human-shaped monster standing in the center.

“Those aren’t real people; they’re illusions.”

Joshua gripped his sword tighter as he looked at the figure of Rosette smiling brightly before him—or rather, the monster disguised as Rosette. His hand trembled with the force.

That monster likely takes the form of each person’s loved one.

To Daniel, it would be Ines Rivera, and to Lord Roten, it would be Isabel Adrian.

Even knowing this, he couldn’t suppress his unease. He couldn’t bring himself to raise his sword against Rosette, even an imitation.

[Woof! Woof woof!]

Silver barked beside him, urging him to regain his senses. Joshua swallowed hard.

“Right, I need to focus.”

That was clearly a monster. It was so distinctive that the subjugation force had even given it a name: ‘Memento’ [a monster that takes the form of a person’s loved ones].

He didn’t know the exact mechanism the Memento used, but it concealed its true form and showed the subjugation force the appearance of the person they most longed to see at that moment.

The first time Joshua encountered the Memento, he nearly lost his grip on reality when he saw the monster in Rosette’s form.

Even though he knew she couldn’t be there, he hesitated to attack, just in case.

The other members of the subjugation force had similar reactions.

If Silver hadn’t bravely rushed in and torn the Memento apart, the subjugation force would have suffered serious casualties.

Later, he heard that the Memento appeared as a ghost wrapped in a black rag to Silver. The area around its face was completely black.

In fact, when Silver bit and attacked it, the Memento disappeared without a trace, leaving only torn rags.

[Woof!]

This time, Silver rushed at the Memento again. The face of ‘Rosette’, bitten in the waist by the silver wolf, contorted in pain. Her gaze remained fixed on Joshua.

Joshua forced himself to look away from the bleeding ‘Rosette’ and began attacking the other monsters.

Hoping this agonizing ordeal would end soon.

* * *

Joshua silently stared down at the black cloak that had fallen to the floor. What had appeared as Rosette just moments ago was, as expected, a Memento.

Even knowing that, he couldn’t fully control his emotions. It was because of the painful groan he had heard from ‘Rosette’ a moment ago.

Her voice, pleading to be saved, seemed to echo in his ears.

As if sensing his distress, Silver licked the back of Joshua’s hand.

“I’m okay, Silver.”

Joshua stroked Silver’s head and returned to Daniel. Lord Roten was holding a sword stained with green blood, indicating that Daniel’s side had also been attacked.

“Are you alright?”

Lord Roten smiled.

“This is nothing. My body was stiff, but moving around makes me feel better.”

“I see.”

Joshua patted Lord Roten’s shoulder and instructed Silver, who was staying close to him.

“Silver, prepare to carry Daniel. We’re moving out.”

[Woof!]

Silver lowered his body in front of Daniel. Just as Lord Roten grabbed Daniel’s arm to help him,

“Please give up on me now, Your Highness.”

“…What?”

“Excuse me?”

Joshua and Lord Roten couldn’t believe what they had just heard and repeated their questions. Daniel continued with his signature gentle smile.

“I’m beyond help now. My wounds aren’t healing and are only getting worse, and now I can’t even walk on my own. Lord Roten is also having a hard time protecting me.”

“……”

“Aren’t we delaying the advance because of me? So, leave me behind and move on. I’ll catch up when my condition improves.”

“That’s absurd…!

“It’s not absurd. In a battlefield like this, the few must be sacrificed for the sake of the many.”

“Sacrifice? What sacrifice!”

“Your Highness, you know that it’s better for the force to abandon me, don’t you?”

Joshua couldn’t refute that and closed his mouth.

Objectively, Daniel was right. He had almost no chance of survival. It was more advantageous to move without Daniel than to risk the formation collapsing and endangering other knights while protecting him.

A cold-blooded commander would do that.

But Joshua couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“Your Highness, please leave now.”

“Daniel Adrian, are you saying you’re giving up on yourself?”

“I’m not saying I’m giving up. I’m saying I’ll rest a bit and follow because I’m hindering the advance.”

“How is that different from saying you’re going to die? What can you do alone right now? You can’t even stand properly, let alone fight monsters!”

“……”

“How can you ask me to abandon you? Aren’t you thinking about your remaining family? Rose, how did your sister save you; how can you say that!”

“Excuse me?”

Daniel’s bewildered eyes widened.

“Why is Rose coming up now? What does it mean that Rose, that child, saved me?”

Joshua realized his slip of the tongue and bit his lip.

He had to make up an excuse for his slip of the tongue. Rosette wouldn’t want her past to be revealed to Daniel.

But he couldn’t say anything because he remembered Rosette’s face, smiling brightly, saying she was glad she could save Daniel.

She said she was glad she could turn back time.

She was very happy that Daniel Adrian hadn’t injured his leg this time, and that he had reached the realm of Sword Master by honing his beloved swordsmanship.

She was also happy that Daniel Adrian had met his beloved partner in this life.

Joshua knew very well how much his lover was looking forward to Daniel and Ines’ wedding.

It was the happiness that Rosette had protected. The fact that he had jeopardized it tormented Joshua.

“Your Highness, please tell me. Why did Rose’s name come up? What does it mean that Rose, that child, saved me?”

He had to deny it now. But Joshua couldn’t bring himself to say that all of Rosette’s efforts were for nothing.

Instead, he said what he could in the current situation.

“That’s not something I can tell you.”

“……?”

“Go back safely and hear it directly from Rose.”

Joshua chuckled.

“Besides, if I leave you here, Rose won’t forgive me. She’ll never speak to me again.”

“Rose wouldn’t do that.”

“Yes, she definitely will. There are things you still don’t know about your sister. That child values her family more than anyone else. I’m a close second.”

“……”

“I don’t want to be hated by that child, so I’ll definitely save you and go back. So, don’t say things like leaving me behind anymore. Well, do it if you want to see me dumped by Rose.”

Lord Roten, who had been listening to the two in silence, chimed in.

“Your Highness is right. Abandoning a comrade? That’s absurd, Young Duke [Daniel’s title].”

“But…”

“Besides, if I can’t bring you back safely, I won’t have the confidence to face Lord Adrian [Isabel Adrian, Lord Roten’s love interest] in the future. Lord Adrian won’t even acknowledge me for the rest of my life.”

“……”

“So, for my sake, you must come with us.”

Joshua poked Lord Roten’s arm with his elbow.

“Since when have you been in that kind of relationship with the Princess?”

“It’s not really that kind of relationship. I’m unilaterally courting her. Although, it’s even generous to call it courting…”

Lord Roten smiled.

“Still, I’m satisfied just hearing that she’s coming back safely. So, Young Duke, for the sake of my smooth friendship with Lord Adrian, let’s get up now.”

Daniel smiled playfully.

“Hearing those words makes me even less inclined to go. Are you two daring to covet my sisters in front of their brother? How did I raise those children?”

Lord Roten put Daniel’s right arm over his shoulder and replied.

“We all know how much the Young Duke cares for Lord Adrian. So, if you want to stop this thief from taking Lord Adrian away, shouldn’t the Young Duke return safely? You need to return in good health to challenge me to a duel or beat me up.”

“If I challenge you to a duel when I get back, do you have the confidence to win?”

“I have to try.”

“I don’t think your skills are enough to beat Isabel.”

“Of course, I can’t beat Lord Adrian.”

Lord Roten laughed it off and helped Daniel onto Silver.

“Anyway, don’t say things like that again. Lord Adrian would be very sad if he knew about this.”

“……”

Joshua, who had been listening quietly, muttered softly as he tied Daniel’s body to Silver with a rope, with a bitter smile.

“Actually, it’s not just Rose.”

Joshua muttered softly as he secured Daniel’s body to Silver with a rope.

“I can’t abandon you, because you’re my dearest friend.”

“Your Highness…”