Chapter Sixty-Six: The Outbreak of War

“We only wish to live peacefully here. The city walls are to defend against the beasts of the Monster Forest! We are not traitors, and Keen is not an invader!” Tina shouted loudly.

“Liar! Traitor!” Alex roared, brandishing his sword.

“Liar! Traitor!” The villagers, their emotions stirred, raised their weapons and echoed his cry.

“Open the gates and surrender at once! I may spare the others! But if you resist, once we storm the city, not a single one of you will be left alive!” Alex shouted menacingly at Justin.

“Not a single one left! Not a single one left!” The villagers, swept up by patriotic fervor, had lost all ability to think for themselves.

“We truly aren’t traitors…” Tina began, but Justin gently pulled her behind him with a smile. “It’s useless now—no one will listen. Tina, take your parents and Amber’s family and go back inside. Stay in your rooms and wait. This battle can’t be avoided, but I’ll try to make sure the crossbowmen don’t kill any villagers.”

“But…” Tina was reluctant to leave Justin.

“Tina, if we stay, we’ll only get in the way,” Landis, her father, said softly, taking her hand. “Let the men fight with peace of mind.”

“Alright…” Tina finally nodded and looked back at Justin. “Take care of yourself!”

“Don’t worry!” Justin smiled and kissed his adorable young wife. “Go, quickly.”

“I’m staying to help,” Borint said to his son-in-law. “I was a warrior once, after all!”

“I’m not that old yet!” Old Harlin said with a chuckle.

“I…I want to stay too!” Amber, though nervous, spoke up.

“Fine! Tina, you go with your mother and your aunt first!”

Tina and the three women obediently left the city wall and returned to their homes.

Justin turned to look down at Alex, who was mounted below the wall. “Hear me! I am but a lost traveler, seeking a place of peace on this land. I am not a foreign spy, nor am I here to raise an army in secret and overthrow the Empire of Valor! I want nothing more than to live quietly here and avoid any conflict! But this does not mean I will not resist. If you insist on attacking despite my warnings, then I have no choice but to fight back!”

“Silence! You despicable foreigner! Not only did you cruelly kill my father, but you caused the death of the woman I loved most—Perrin—in this forest! I had wanted to confess to her, to stay by her side forever, never to part! It’s all your fault! You made me lose the two most important people in my life! You alone I will never forgive!” Alex’s eyes were red with rage as he pointed his sword at Justin. “My Perrin gave her life to protect me! She sacrificed herself after hearing my heartfelt confession—she loved me too! You killed the two people who loved me most in this world. I’ll see you dead and unburied!”

“…Uh,” Justin was speechless at this. He turned and glanced at Perrin, who had been standing behind him the whole time. “Was he your boyfriend?”

“No,” Perrin replied with a blank expression.

“Then why does he say he confessed to you, and that you were so moved you sacrificed yourself to save him?” Justin asked, puzzled.

“I have no idea. I was just carrying out my mission,” Perrin said, her eyes unblinking.

“Foreigner! What are you muttering about? Don’t bother with your tricks—they won’t work on me!” Alex bellowed. “Open the gate now, and I’ll see you buried whole! Otherwise, once we break through, you’ll regret ever being born!”

“So…what do we do now?” Justin asked Perrin. “If you want to go down and help him, I’ll respect your choice.”

With a metallic ring, Perrin unsheathed her sword, her face still impassive. “I swore by the name of the War God: as a follower in this life, I will never betray! Do you require his head, my master?”

“Whoa…” Justin shivered, goosebumps rising. “Perrin, you’re kind of scary! That intensity is overwhelming! It’s fun, but killing is a bit much. Can you capture him alive?”

“As you wish—but I’ll need cover,” Perrin said calmly.

“Wolf, you know what to do?” Justin grinned at the nearby werewolf. “If you two can’t handle it, I’ll order the crossbowmen to attack.”

“No need!” Perrin and Wolf replied in near unison.

“Foreigner! Don’t test my patience! I’ll count down from ten—if you haven’t surrendered by then, we attack!” Alex roared.

“Storm the city! Storm the city!” The villagers’ morale soared.

“Ten, nine, eight…”

But as Alex reached eight, two figures leapt from the top of the wall—seven or eight meters high—landing steadily before the city gate.

The villagers immediately took a step back, and Alex raised his sword defensively. Yet in the next moment, he was utterly stunned. “Perrin! It’s you, Perrin! You’re alive? Thank goodness! You’re really alive! When I led the search party and couldn’t find you, I was so anxious. I thought you’d become food for the kobolds. Why are you here? Never mind, come quickly! The captain will be thrilled at this news!”

But Perrin, unmoved by Alex’s joy, simply raised her sword.

“Perrin, what’s wrong? It’s me, Alex! Have you forgotten me? Did you fall under a mind-control spell?” Alex asked anxiously.

“No,” Perrin replied, stepping forward like an arrow, rushing at Alex’s warhorse. “Alex, dismount and surrender!”

“Perrin, are you mad? It’s me, the one who loves you most! Back in the hornbeast territory, I confessed to you!” Alex shouted in desperation.

“Get down!” Perrin, face still blank, swung her sword. Alex was forced to parry, but she leapt nimbly and kicked him off his horse.

As much of a scoundrel as Alex was, when faced with a “foreign invader,” everyone knew the villagers had to unite. If Alex was captured, it would be a disaster!

Seeing Perrin attack Alex, the villagers raised their wooden spears and bows, closing in around her.

“Hey! Your opponent is me!” Wolf’s form shifted rapidly, coarse fur bristling out until he became a terrifying werewolf. With a deafening howl, he leapt into the villagers’ path, baring his savage fangs.