The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

151 – 151. The Pilgrim of Black and White (3)

There is a way to save Beatrice.

Though the odds are close to a gamble.

It was an unexpected turn of events.

Who would have thought the death’s residue would desire the Third Princess?

If the plan proposed by Edanant succeeds, we might be able to save Beatrice. And we could also rescue our comrades, who have fallen into the ranks of death, unharmed.

Maximilian let out a short sigh.

“Every time, you… manage to astonish me in ways I never expect.”

“Is that so?”

“Weren’t there crises where everyone spoke of failure and impossibility, yet you led us to success? You saved countless people who cried out for salvation. An utterly unpredictable fool. That’s you.”

“I couldn’t have done it alone. It was possible because you all believed in me. And this time is no different.”

Edanant reached out his hand.

Maximilian smiled faintly and clasped it.

“I understand. I will lift the barrier. It will take some time.”

“Hurry as much as you can. We can’t afford to delay.”

If the Empress of Death and her followers imprisoned in the Demon King’s castle were to be released and threaten the mortal realm, an unprecedented catastrophe would surely ensue. The Saintly Party was a legendary force that had defeated the Demon King.

Could he really break the promise he made to his comrades and follow Edanant’s orders? The warrior, faced with a heavy fate, gripped the holy sword with a sense of tension and responsibility.

The fate of the continent was at stake.

And this decision would affect the safety of nearly hundreds of millions of people.

Failure meant destruction.

The noble sacrifice of Beatrice and his comrades would become nothing but fleeting bubbles. The Empress of Death and her followers, freed from the seal of the holy sword, would rampage and annihilate all living beings on the continent.

But—.

Maximilian willingly accepted Edanant’s proposal.

It was a decision made possible by boundless hope and trust.

“Damn those guys. At least give us a hint! Did you think I would rejoice if peace came from your paltry sacrifices?”

“If I had told you the truth… you would have volunteered to sacrifice yourself for us.”

At Maximilian’s rebuttal, Edanant clicked his tongue and turned away.

He couldn’t counter it.

He would have undoubtedly taken on the sacrifice himself.

Just as he knew his comrades inside and out, they too saw through his feelings.

He finally realized the reason the Saintly Party had chosen to go missing. The very cause he had struggled so hard to find was himself, and he bit down in frustration.

“Yes, maybe I accepted the sacrifice as you predicted. But so what?”

It was something he had already resolved to accept when he took on the calamity of war.

There was no reason for him to expect consideration from you lot.

Every time he had risked sacrifice to save countless people, it was solely a decision made of his own volition.

Why didn’t you tell me?

It would have been more efficient for me to sacrifice myself than to watch all of you fall into despair.

“Ethan, you are a precious companion of our Saintess Party. And you are a hero who has saved countless lives. I didn’t want to ask for any more sacrifices from you. I just wanted you to be happy. That’s all.”

“…….”

Maximilian, who had always maintained silence and ignored responses, revealed his true feelings for the first time on behalf of Beatrice and the others. The strength of his conviction was almost unbelievable for a voice that belonged to someone on the brink of death.

I didn’t want to burden you with sacrifice.

I simply wished for your happiness.

Ethan, confronted with the true intentions of the Saintess Party, swallowed hard and clenched his fists.

“What value do I have…? I was just swept along by all of you. I never intended to be a part of the Saintess Party in the first place. Moreover, I’ve been hiding the truth from you all this time. If you find out the truth, you’ll surely feel disgusted with me…!”

“Right… You are Ethan… my brother, Edanant von Hohenberg, aren’t you?”

What?

What do you mean—?

You knew?

That I am the reincarnated soul of Edanant von Hohenberg from the outside world…?

The realization that Maximilian had known the truth for a long time struck Edanant with a sense of bewilderment, as if his heart had dropped.

“When did you know?”

“On the final day when we defeated the Demon King… at the moment our Saintess Party reached its grand finale… in that fleeting moment when the world’s story was coming to an end, I happened to learn… that you were a wanderer from the outside…”

That meant he had known for at least several months.

Edanant gazed at Maximilian, who continued speaking with a sigh.

“Why… didn’t you say anything to me?”

“You are my brother. Even if you are an outsider from the outside world, that doesn’t change. To me, you are still Edanant. More precisely, the second Edanant… my second brother.”

I don’t understand.

What on earth are you talking about?

My only brother met his end, having his body usurped by a reincarnated soul. He was in a state close to complete unconsciousness, and since his body was taken, he would never awaken.

You killed your brother.

Even if it wasn’t intentional, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you did.

Anger surged within him at the sight of Maximilian, who humbly accepted this knowledge despite being aware of it. It was a feeling of contempt towards himself for cowardly remaining silent all this time when he had countless opportunities to confess the truth.

“Originally, Ethan was destined to die in an accident.”

“What?”

“In that fleeting moment before death, you took over his body. So, there’s no need for you to feel guilty.”

“Eda Nandte was destined to die at a young age…?”

Eda Nandte von Hohenberg, the younger brother of the hero Maximilian, never appears in the narrative. He is only indirectly present through Maximilian’s recollections.

Why,

why on earth had I forgotten that?

Even before this story began, Eda Nandte was already a deceased person.

The details surrounding Eda Nandte’s accidental death are not elaborated upon in the story. Yet, it was strange that I had been unaware of his status as a deceased individual until now.

“I thought it was odd from the very beginning. My once brilliant and kind younger brother suddenly turned into an arrogant fool… I even wondered if he had been struck by lightning and gone mad.”

“…….”

“You are my brother. Though our meeting was sudden, we lived together in the family for ten years. I apologize for having remained silent until now. I was at a loss as to how and where to begin revealing the truth.”

“No, I don’t expect an apology. We’re both in the same boat.”

There was no malice.

It was simply that we were both clumsy.

After wandering for quite some time, unsure of how to express myself, I finally faced the truth. It felt considerably delayed, but after much turmoil, I was able to release the heavy emotions.

It took far too long.

Eda Nandte and Maximilian turned their heads away, both letting out a wry smile.

Fwaaah-.

The holy swords Altair and Procyon shone with brilliant radiance.

A portion of the barrier that surrounded the Demon King’s castle gradually faded. At last, a passage appeared leading to the main gate of the castle.

“Go.”

“Uh… I should.”

“I’ll follow shortly.”

“What do you plan to do in that battered state? You’ll only be a hindrance, so just lie down and rest.”

Eda Nandte, offering his own form of consideration in a teasing tone, turned on his heel and headed toward the Demon King’s castle.

Watching his back as he ran without hesitation, Maximilian let out a hollow laugh.

* * *

Yes.

This is enough.

Even if we show clumsy and precarious sides, we have always grasped victory.

I must wait.

Believing that he will return safely.

Maximilian, watching the figure of Edanant pass through the main gate of the Demon King’s castle, shook off the black eyes and ice that clung to his body and rose to his feet.

— Brother.

When he grasped the holy sword Aldebaran,

Maximilian found himself face to face with the person he had longed for so deeply.

Was it an illusion?

Of course, it must be an illusion.

It was likely a symptom of the toll taken by the majority of his lifespan.

Beyond the fiercely howling icy wind, the figure that emerged was Edanant. Not the Edanant who had just departed, but the thirteen-year-old boy who had dutifully followed and served his respected older brother.

“Edan, Ant…?”

— Thank you, brother… You kept your promise to me.

“I am merely a failure who sacrificed my beloved partner and comrades.”

— No, you have become the greatest hero in the world, just as you promised me.

That was an overstatement.

The greatest hero?

I had only assisted.

It was all thanks to Edanant’s leadership and efforts.

I shook my head at the warm admiration overflowing from my younger brother’s praise. And as I gripped the hilt of Aldebaran with both hands, I raised the sharp blade high.

“Edan… Please bear witness to your foolish brother’s struggle.”

My brother was dead.

The soul outside had effectively met death as it became possessed.

Yet, the soul coexisted with the reincarnated one who had seized control of the body. Even now, he was surely viewing the world through Edanant’s senses.

I won’t let Edan—

I won’t let Edanant die.

Protecting my brother… my brothers is always the role of an older brother.

Kwahahahahahaha!!!

From the tip of Aldebaran, a radiant golden torrent burst forth.

And that was not all.

Altair, Procyon, Heila.

The other three holy swords also emitted brilliant light, suppressing the deathly miasma that had taken hold of the Demon King’s castle.

“Scatter, oh light of the holy swords.”

The holy sword is the power of the one true god, forged in the form of a weapon.

A light to drive away the darkness.

Hope to repel despair.

The life of creation confronting the innocent calamity that threatens the existence of humanity.

As the power of the one true god, the lifelong nemesis and adversary, erupted, the icy winds of calamity surrounding the Demon King’s castle let out a chillingly fierce scream.