Extra in a Romance Fantasy

189 – King (1)

Bang!

Creeeak!

“Don’t break formation!”

The sound of weapons being swung, the explosive noise caused by magic, the shouts of the commanding officer directing the soldiers, and the screams of the monsters.

All those sounds intertwined to create a scene that was nothing short of war.

No, it wasn’t just reminiscent of war; it had to be considered war already.

Even if the target was not a human but a monster, this was war.

The scale of the troops was hard to count, and despite being outnumbered, the relentless tide of monsters pouring in created a spectacle that was among the largest battles in the entire history of the continent.

And in such a fierce and dangerous space.

There was one place, untouched by that heat.

At the very rear of the front lines, a considerable distance away.

In that relatively safe spot, a group of soldiers had formed a formation.

Just by looking at their momentum and gaze, one could instantly recognize them as elite soldiers, and at the center of that thick formation stood two individuals, a man and a woman.

Despite their youthful faces, perhaps barely twenty, they showed no sign of being intimidated by the scene unfolding before them, their expressions unchanged as they observed the battle with cold, steady eyes.

They were none other than Estelle and Kairn.

They stood there as the commanders directing this immense force of troops.

They were not merely standing there with their faces; in reality, they were commanding and wielding their forces.

It was a position far too heavy for their young age, yet the two directed the troops as if they were completely at ease.

With a calm and collected demeanor, they issued commands.

Commands that were precise and utterly appropriate.

Even seasoned generals, who had experienced battle countless times, could not help but feel tension in such a role, yet these young men and women, barely in their twenties and without any experience of war, executed it flawlessly.

This scene could be seen as a clear demonstration of the qualities of the two as future emperors who would lead the empire.

Thus, under their command, the fight against the monsters continued.

“……?”

One soldier, engaged in battle with the monsters, noticed something.

“The sky…?”

Suddenly, the sky was darkening.

It wasn’t that clouds had gathered or anything like that.

The sky itself was literally growing dark.

As if night were approaching, the sky was being stained black.

One might think it was simply the arrival of night, but it was neither the time for night to come, nor would the sky darken so suddenly even if it were.

Moreover, it was only natural that when night fell, the surroundings would also grow dark simultaneously.

Yet now, only the sky was turning black, without the surroundings darkening at all.

It was undoubtedly an exceedingly strange phenomenon.

Other soldiers, too, paused in their battles against the monsters to look up at the sky, captivated by this unprecedented sight.

And the commander on this battlefield was no exception.

“…Something is happening.”

Kairn realized.

Something unusual was occurring.

And he had a rough idea of where it was happening.

“…….”

Kairn shifted his gaze.

To the mountains standing tall beyond the countless remaining monsters.

His instincts were speaking to him.

Something was happening over there.

And Kairn was not the only one who felt it.

“…….”

Next to him, Estelle, who had been commanding the situation, was now gazing at the mountains.

A clear expression had emerged on her face, one that was distinctly different from what she had shown until now.

A look tinged with worry.

She felt it too.

That something was definitely happening.

And that it was exceedingly dangerous as well.

That was why she worried for those who were there.

She couldn’t help but worry.

‘…Wade.’

Suppressing the rising anxiety, Estelle fiddled with the ring on her index finger.

*

In the city of Darville, located at the western edge of the continent, Anton was attending to business at the inn, “Night of the Forest,” when—

“Dad!”

He stepped out of the inn at the sudden, urgent voice of his daughter.

“What’s going on all of a sudden…?”

‘What kind of commotion is it this time…?’

Mercenaries were, by nature, unpredictable beings.

The inn that Anton operated, “Night of the Forest,” catered to such mercenaries, so the frequency of minor incidents was quite high.

Anticipating that this was yet another such incident, Anton stopped in his tracks as soon as he stepped outside.

He had realized that the sky had turned pitch black.

After staring at the sky for a while, Anton murmured quietly.

“…I have a bad feeling about this.”

The senses he had honed over many years as a mercenary, senses that had saved his life more than once, were stirring ominously.

*

Leading the way and pushing through the underbrush, Dorothy realized that the presence following her had come to a halt.

Feeling puzzled, she turned back.

Her lady, Elle, stood still, gazing up at the sky.

“Lady? Why are you suddenly looking at the sky…?”

Dorothy, feeling puzzled by the sight, lifted her head to follow Elle’s gaze.

“That is….”

And then she realized.

The sky had turned pitch black.

“What on earth is that….”

At Dorothy’s reaction, her brow slightly furrowed at the strange phenomenon, Elle didn’t even glance her way.

She simply stared blankly, quietly looking up at the sky.

After a while.

“…It’s dangerous.”

Finally, Elle spoke.

“The continent is in danger.”

With a vacant look in her eyes, she murmured those words.

*

The tyrant Hamel, who had ruled Agilhem for many years, had vanished, leaving the throne of Agilhem vacant.

However, just because the king was gone, it did not mean that Agilhem would waver.

In the first place, Hamel was not a man who greatly interfered in the city’s operations, and Agilhem was far too large a city to be shaken for such a reason.

Thus, Agilhem, having lost its king, appeared as if nothing had happened, maintaining its usual demeanor.

Yet, just because the surface was calm did not mean that it was truly peaceful.

Beneath that surface, fierce battles were raging.

It was a fight for the throne of Agilhem.

Politicians who had served as mayor multiple times, magnates who owned some of the most prominent trading houses in Agilhem, and the big players of Agilhem’s underworld.

All of them drooled at the sight of Hamel’s vacant seat and jumped into the fray to become the new king of Agilhem.

And Bella was one of those participants.

The first thing Bella did after Hamel’s death was to seize control of the “Black Night.”

The high-ranking officials of the “Black Night,” whom Hamel had personally appointed, would not easily allow her to take over, but Bella had no intention of considering their resistance.

The only reason they could strut around with their heads held high in the “Black Night” was that they were Hamel’s subordinates, and that was the only reason.

Now that Hamel was gone, they were nothing but powerless pigs.

Taking action, Bella swiftly took control of the “Black Night” and expelled all the trash that had been gnawing at its insides.

Having seized the “Black Night,” she immediately turned her gaze outward.

Without hesitation, she jumped into the struggle for Hamel’s vacant seat.

—

Not that she was particularly greedy for power or wealth.

If anything, she was a person who placed no value on either.

Yet, the reason she entered the struggle was to prepare for the future.

After suffering under Hamel for many years, she came to a painful realization.

How terrifying it is that her life, and the lives of those she cherished, could be controlled by someone else.

For that reason, she plunged into the struggle to ensure such a situation would never arise again.

There was no guarantee that the new ruler would not act like Hamel.

In fact, in terms of power, Bella was at a disadvantage, weak and outmatched.

Compared to other competitors, she had no exceptional power, wealth, or influence.

However, there was one thing she excelled in.

That was her own ability.

The ‘Black Night’ and the elite assassin representing the underworld of Agilhem, ‘Crescent Moon.’

She used that reputation to gather supporters and grow her influence.

With Bella’s exceptional skills combined with the names ‘Black Night’ and ‘Crescent Moon,’ her power showed remarkable growth.

It was certainly a growth that competitors could not ignore, yet she faced no direct opposition.

For her existence itself was far too troublesome.

If they meddled carelessly, they could lose their own heads at any moment.

Competitors who reached that conclusion kept their distance.

Thus, she was in the process of solidifying her position within Agilhem, growing her influence without significant checks.

Square—

Today, Bella was handling various issues arising from that process in the office of ‘Black Night.’

It was during this time.

“Miss! You need to come out for a moment!”

Hearing someone call for her from outside, Bella immediately set down her pen and left the office.

She felt curious about what could be so urgent, but she didn’t dwell on it.

She thought it would be enough to see with her own eyes.

As she exited the office and the building of ‘Black Night,’ Bella realized.

The anomaly in the sky.

“What on earth….”

With a stunned expression, she looked up at the sky.

—

‘…No way.’

A vague premonition washed over her.

Perhaps, that man might be involved in this, that kind of intuition.

It was a feeling without any basis.

Yet, for some reason, it felt as if that intuition would prove to be true.

Exactly what had happened, what on earth was going on in the sky, and what situations would unfold in the future.

None of it, Bella could understand.

‘…You must be safe.’

She simply wished for Wade to be safe.

*

They were not the only ones facing the strange phenomenon in the sky.

The entire continent’s sky had suddenly turned pitch black.

Lakewood was no exception.

“Count, what on earth is this…?”

Seeing the darkened sky and the flustered expressions of the employees, the Count rarely frowned.

The unexpectedly blackened sky looked ominous.

“…Just in case, tell them to be on high alert.”

Though there were no reports of any incidents at the moment, the Count decided to prepare for the worst.

In any situation, being unprepared would only lead to greater damage.

And beside the Count, who was giving orders.

“……”

Lawrence was quietly gazing up at the sky.

Since the news of Wade’s death had spread, Lawrence’s complexion had rapidly deteriorated.

Even though he hadn’t let go of his work, in that short span of time, he looked as if he had aged several years.

Those around him thought it was due to his grief over Wade’s death, but the reality was different.

Lawrence did not believe in Wade’s death.

It was not merely a baseless belief.

Lawrence knew.

That his son, Wade, was not an ordinary child.

Since he was young.

From the moment he was born, Wade was extraordinary.

It wasn’t just that he seemed more mature than his peers; it was something beyond that.

Though he appeared to be trying to hide it in his own way, Lawrence knew.

Wade was a truly special child.

As he watched Wade grow, Lawrence felt it.

The presence of fate that surrounded Wade.

That Wade was born bearing a destiny more unique than anyone else’s.

And so, he believed.

That Wade was still alive.

And now, at this moment.

Long ago, the sensation that had sensed Wade’s fate was speaking once more.

That the time of that fate had now arrived.

“…Wade.”

Gazing quietly at the sky, Lawrence fervently wished for his son’s safety.

He hoped and hoped that his son would ultimately overcome his destiny.