At first, I thought I had misheard.
The wind mingling with the rain made it even more so. If my hearing hadn't become unusually sharp, I would have dismissed it without a second thought.
Kuung!
"It wasn't my imagination, was it?"
Something was definitely making a loud sound. As I looked outside with a puzzled expression, the door of the building next door opened, and Xenon suddenly stuck his head out.
"Oh, Lady Aneli? You were there?"
Xenon looked at me with surprised eyes and then glanced around the vicinity.
"Then where did this holy knight go?"
"Did Samuel leave his post?"
"Yes. I sent him to fetch Lady Aneli, but he didn't come back, so I came out to check...."
Kugung!
Once again, a loud boom rang out. This time the sound was louder, so it seemed Xenon and a few Durahans had noticed it too.
I couldn't tell which direction the sound came from. If I heard it just one more time, I might be able to figure it out.
As I stared blankly into the pitch-black darkness beyond, I suddenly realized Palides was nowhere to be seen.
Come to think of it....
'The day Palides first met Samuel.'
I recalled Palides showing intense hostility toward Samuel. Even while remembering nothing, Palides had declared that Samuel was a dangerous man.
"Mori."
[Yes, yes!]
"Did Palides die here?"
Though phrased as a question, internally I was nearly certain. Mori looked at me with wavering eyes and answered haltingly.
[Yes....]
I took a deep breath.
Kwagwang! Pewng!
This time, I was finally able to pinpoint the direction the sound came from.
* * *
The rain-soaked ground was ill-suited for fighting.
Moreover, the dark surroundings and the debris of ruins tripping underfoot all hindered combat. Every environmental condition was markedly worse than in the past.
However, such things posed no problem for Palides.
Thinking that at least one thing had been gained from the long wait, Palides smiled coldly.
Changgang!
Palides's blade, having deflected the opponent's sword, twisted diagonally to aim at the nape of his neck.
There was not a hint of hesitation in the sharp force cutting through the air. However, Samuel, who quickly ducked, defended with his sword and took a large step back.
Samuel's body, moving hastily, stepped on slippery mud and debris and momentarily wavered.
Palides didn't miss that opening and swung her sword again.
Chang! Chang!
Along with the continuously colliding blades, sharp noise struck the eardrums. Samuel, who had stumbled briefly, was somehow managing to block the onslaught of attacks.
However, he was being pushed back little by little. Palides clenched her teeth and glared.
Peok!
The sword swung with full force missed its target and struck a wooden box nearby with a dull thud. It was swung so hard that the box was split into a miserable state.
Samuel, who had pulled his body well outside the sword's range, calmly adjusted his stance.
"Ha...."
Palides, breathing roughly while glaring at Samuel, muttered in an irritated voice.
"Surely you don't believe you can defeat me without using divine power?"
Samuel did not answer Palides's question. He merely stood quietly holding his sword, watching her attacks.
It wasn't an expression of being careless or looking down on her.
However, it seemed certain that he had no intention of actively attacking.
That was what was souring Palides's mood. That damn traitor, not even giving his all, just concentrating on defense.
"Fine, let's see how long you can keep being so leisurely."
Just like in the old days, that bastard was deceiving her, the other knights, and the Captain.
As if he alone were wrapped in righteous emotions.
"Just die!"
With the sound of tearing air, the blade threatened to cut through space. Faster and stronger attacks continued without pause, drawing irregular trajectories.
Geugeuk!
And finally, the moment a darkish energy rippled on Palides's blade, the tightly engaged sword blades tilted to one side.
At the instant Samuel tried to right his wavering sword, Palides kicked his shin.
Samuel, whose leg caught on the solid armor, contorted his face.
At the same time, Palides twisted the sword she was holding upright and instantly thrust its tip in.
Puk!
The blade, cleverly penetrating between the armor, pierced nearly halfway in.
"Kuk!"
Samuel, who had only been defending all along, swung his sword properly for the first time. Palides pulled out the sword she had thrust in and dodged the attack.
Samuel, who barely managed to create distance from Palides, pressed his shoulder area firmly with one hand. Thick blood gushed out between his fingers.
The smell of blood mixed into the surroundings already filled with damp water scent.
Palides swung her sword again without giving him any opening. Samuel chose to step well back rather than engage in combat.
"...Is your anger still not abated?"
Samuel asked in a low voice, clenching his teeth as if enduring pain.
Palides, who was about to rush in to finally cut off his breath, hesitated at those words.
"Ha, what?"
The murderous intent in Palides's eyes grew thicker and thicker.
"Anger?"
The smell of blood spreading in the air was growing thicker. The blood flowing steadily was visible to the naked eye, suggesting the sword wound was deeper than expected.
Was that why? Palides easily recalled the scene from the past.
Samuel, who had already cut down two knights and stood before her, had pointed his blood-dripping sword at her.
Every moment her sword met Samuel's, Palides smelled her comrade's blood. The blood droplets fluttering in the air were entirely her comrades'.
"That much won't nearly be enough to abate my anger."
Samuel was not alone. Samuel led those who followed the Birth, and Belladia Castle was trampled by them.
This place was a residential area where those who had regained their freedom under the Captain's mercy lived.
Because the Captain wanted to save everyone, Palides wanted to protect everyone.
However, while Palides faced Samuel, the surroundings became entirely ruins, and many who had come here seeking freedom were sacrificed.
"Do you not see these ruins?"
If that bastard hadn't betrayed. If he hadn't brought enemies to this small paradise the Captain created.
This place wouldn't have collapsed in such a state.
Palides raised her eyes fiercely.
"Even if I tear you to shreds and kill you, my anger won't be abated!"
"The past...."
Samuel, listening to Palides's words while blood dripped from him, slowly opened his lips.
"Is already something that happened. I stand here now to clean up that matter."
"You shameless bastard! If only you hadn't done such things in the first place!"
I'll tear that mouth open. I'll cut off his neck and scatter his warm blood everywhere to avenge everyone!
Palides gripped her sword in rage. Unknowingly, a black energy was faintly flowing from her body.
It resembled the black smoke she emitted when in her Durahan form.
Palides took a deep breath. This power surging from deep within her chest whirled stronger the more she was consumed by anger.
Like this, she might soon lose control.
'But so what?'
If only she could execute that traitor, she would accept it all...!
"Palides!"
The urgent call instantly woke Palides's spirit.
Startled as if splashed with cold water, Palides turned her head sharply toward the sound.
"...Captain."
Aneli appeared, breathing roughly, perhaps having run here urgently. Other knights were at her side as well.
Aneli looked at Palides, then turned her gaze to Samuel who was confronting her. Aneli's expression soon stiffened.
It seemed she had noticed Samuel's injury despite the distance and darkness.
Aneli, whose lips had parted as if to say something to Samuel, eventually pressed her lips firmly together and shifted her gaze to Palides.
"If you regained your head, you should have told me. Such unilateral action..."
"I don't want to."
Palides spoke as soon as Aneli took a step toward her.
"No, Captain."
Aneli, who had been trying to calmly soothe Palides, fell silent with a subtle expression. Then she soon asked in a calm tone.
"What do you mean by 'no,' Palides?"
"Rest."
She could feel the gazes of other knights looking at her regretfully from Aneli's side. However, Palides didn't give them a glance.
They hadn't regained their heads yet. So they couldn't understand Palides's feelings either.
These memories that surged like a tsunami, and the painful emotions revived by them.
"Two have already disappeared. Going forward, perhaps two or three might attain rest at once. That's why it must not happen, Captain."
Palides suppressed her desperate feelings and gripped the sword handle tightly.
"How do we know what that bastard might do to you after we disappear?"
When she roughly raised her sword to point at Samuel, the blood on the sword dropped to the ground with a plop.
It was Samuel's blood, not yet washed away by the rain.
"How could I alone attain rest while leaving that traitor behind? He betrayed the Captain."
How could she let such a situation happen again? The mistake of failing to guard the Captain's side until the end and yielding the path to that detestable traitor—once was enough.
"Palides, I am the one who permitted Sir Samuel's company."
"Losing the Captain once is enough."
At Palides's words filled with resentment, Aneli let out a shallow sigh.
She slowly approached Palides despite the other knights' attempts to stop her.
"I permitted Samuel's company to find your heads."
"That's...!"
"Palides, I was curious about your face."
At the unexpected words, Palides's shoulders stiffened. Aneli, who had come right up to Palides standing blankly, carefully reached out with both hands.
The damp, wet helmet was lifted with a clatter. The vision that had felt strangely stuffy opened up wide, and her head became very light.
Palides blankly looked at her helmet in Aneli's hands. Then slowly lifted her gaze.
"I wanted to meet your eyes."
Hearing those words, her throat tightened. A stinging, bitter weeping that she hadn't felt since losing her head surged up from her throat.
Palides's cheeks were instantly wet.
"If I must leave the Captain's side. If that is the rest I must face."
Palides paused for a moment, then soon whispered in a small voice.
"I do not want rest, Captain...."