Ashes and Kingdoms

Elecia is on a hurry that almost seems to run out, moving on and on. Finn used the dragon's eye to look in the hall as he chased it to his big crotch. Not so much, and the familiar light lit up in the north side of the hall, in a row of tiny, dark little rooms.

(Alive)

Though I breathed relief for a moment, when I actually saw him, the relief that doubled to it pushed me towards losing strength from my knees. He leans against the door and looks over Elesia's shoulder at Glause, who remains shackled. The armor and hair were dirty as they remained after the daytime battle, but the expression was neat and sunny.

"This is Lord Elecia. Have you waited too late for my neck to be picked up?"

Glaus says hello to the lady lord, by the time she's almost sneered. Beyond that, Marius stood with a frightened face. It is difficult to tell whether the Lord has come to blame for the delay in execution, or whether this is the last opportunity to preach to you to reconsider.

Elecia turned her sympathetic obsession to Marius, then said in the guise of an unnaturally liturgical attitude.

"Things have changed, executions are postponed. Marius, you should have been punished for being lost, but you're lucky this time."

"Ha - I'm sorry"

Marius bows his head in a momentum that is likely to fold his body in two. Glaus compares Marius and Elecia with a face that says, oops... then finally realizes the knowing face he's holding back.

"Phineas!? Why are you here?"

Inquire, take a breath, and change the shape. As if he had been hit by bottomless despair and pain.

In a panic Finn shook his head, advancing and kneeling in front of Glause.

"Master Varys is safe, General. The Imperial Capital too, so far."

…………

Ho, and deep exhalation. Glaus relieved the tension and let Finn stand by hand.

"Oh, my God, give me a break. Dragon Marquis never kneels before a prisoner... but what news did you bring? Wait, so far, you said."

"Yes, General, do you remember falling into the snake hole west of Quanos"

"Snake's...? Oh, that one. Well, that happened."

"At that time Master Varys said that it was no way a crack that Dragon Marquis had sealed the beast of darkness back in the ancient days. It was" No Way. "

"What? Wait, Phineas, are you insane?

"Unfortunately, you're so sane that there's no more. Quanos has been completely swallowed by darkness. The Dark Families themselves, which had been sealed, were no longer there... and there was a bottomless“ hunger ”nestled in that place like Naruto."

When it came to the abstract story, Glaus looked honestly puzzled. Finn decided to skip explaining the disaster and only told him the consequences.

"Anyway, that“ hunger ”is about to overflow. Eat up everything that's alive and seek further food around Quanos. The greatest prey, of course, is the royal capital, which is swarmed by large numbers of humans… Now His Majesty the Emperor and the Council are about to empty the royal capital by issuing an eviction order to all inhabitants"

Glaus still had an eye for Finn's sanity, but seeing his look more serious than usual and Elecia not making any additions or objections to it, he was finally convinced it was true. I am relieved and often out of line, then I pound and crush.

"So that's it."

Varis and I, we struggled hard to rebuild the empire, we fought, we went east, all our efforts are water bubbles too?

"Yes," Eresia affirmed coldly. "Whatever I no longer wanted to do, or worse, I saw the result. So it's not worth it anymore."

"Tough hands"

Glaus grinned bitterly and shook his head. And with a smile in his mouth that made him mock himself and abandon himself, he looks up to Elecia.

"But at least it will be for Alect, who passed away earlier. Lord Elecia, your husband and son. Let's hope for nothing for pity."

"I have no reason to have pity. If the empire is to perish, Nornicom will be free. That's not what I found out, whether the emperor falls and the people stone him or not."

"Then, the matter is still..."

"But for that, there is merit in protecting the people of Nornicom. Don't even sit there, even though the Lord's chair was empty. It is also fair to let such a person die in exchange for that which is no longer alike to dust and mustard. Do you think I would imitate the redemption of blood - for faith and justice?"

Elecia said it like she was angry. Let even the signs of impatience tell you why.

But I didn't get through to Glaus. As you may understand, he has his faith. With a sinking look, Glaus groaned.

"I am well aware of your impartiality. But, Lord Elecia, when it comes to fairness, it is my duty as commander. Without realizing the betrayal of Levanus, we lost Misumisu Alect and twenty other warriors."

Finn took a breath in what he told me to squeeze out. I wondered what had happened, but I didn't know it was inside me.

Glaus dared to put every word into it to make Finn and Marius listen. I wanted to convince you that there was a reason why you couldn't make amends if you had to die.

"Levanus's killing of soldiers who opposed surrender in order to dawn the city is also... I have one end of the blame. He was appointed the Legion Leader and sent back to the Imperial Capital. The soldiers are not convinced that I am the only one who is missed. You think I got into you. Filled with disgrace and shame, despised and hostile by former comrades of war, nothing can be done when it comes to the destruction of the motherland, just to perpetuate life and become what? It's better to expose this neck to clear the anger of the soldiers."

"General!" Marius raised his voice at once. "I won't let anyone imitate that! Legion soldiers are persuaded by us. Isn't that why the general is dishonored?!

"Stop it, Lord Marius. Not only Levanus, but even me, are you considered to have betrayed him voluntarily?"

Glause shook his head all the time because of his reluctance and rejection. Then Elecia snorted.

"Are those soldiers so easily suspicious of the Commander's variation? You were a trustless commander."

I get poked where it hurts, and Ugh, Glaus gets stuck in a response. Finn went after him quietly.

"General Glaus, let me be frank, I don't think you can take responsibility for your neck alone,"

"Phineas, you..."

"Of course I am aware that there are sins in the world that should be atoned for with death. But isn't the responsibility that the General now bears towards the Corps something that can only be fulfilled if he is alive? If you give your life rather than simply resign, it is clean and splendid as a way to take responsibility. But after the general's gone, what are we supposed to do with the legions outside the city?

Finn did not blame him, but merely preached in a tone of fact. I came to that back of my brain about the day when a bandit once attacked me on the outskirts of Winnea, Igros died, and my five children were taken away - and it was about Farnein.

The two letters of responsibility are spoken lightly, but it is really not easy to bear them. Sometimes it's something you have to fulfill with everything in your life. It's not something you just have to quit or bow your head to. Even if they are no longer pursued by others, the burden is on their shoulders forever, unless the person lowers it.

"If you are serious about taking responsibility to the end, please live. Please help the people by putting together the Legion soldiers who have been splinters in betrayal again. Instead of" That's it, "this is where we're going to be."

…………

Everyone indoors was staring at Finn, not just Glaus. Soon no one utters a word, only a breath of surprise and admiration spills.

Slightly, Glaus shook his head in a heartfelt manner.

"The guy named you... anyway, it's horrible how young you are"

With a bitter smile on his face, Finn looked at him unwillingly for a while. Was it thought to be a speech of youthfulness? But even so, it was certainly received favourably. Elecia also opened her mouth with a smile.

"You have nothing more to say from me. General, have you decided whether or not to give up here"

Easy, don't let me down, inquiry with restraint. Glause meditated as if he were a snake,

(Alect, I'm sorry. Please wait a while longer)

I apologized to the dead, then raised my eyelids and nodded deeply.

The biggest shock to the change of circumstances was not the others, Levanus.

When Marius came to confirm with suspicion that he would never bring a general, even though he was ready for execution, he began to receive unexpected news.

If Glaus had been executed, he would have been safe.

Already the legions outside the walls have been informed that the capital belongs to Elesia and that both the General and Alect have fallen into the hands of the Nornicom army. Anyone who goes down to Nornicom will be accepted, and if he retreats adultly, he will not pursue.

All you have to do is hand over the ashes and artifacts to the legions and have them brought back to the royal capital. And the war in the east is over - it should have been. Until recently.

But now Glaus had been shackled off and looked to Levanus as a free man. Keeping calm, but with unhidden anger and disdain.

Levanus shook his bloody lost lips and managed to spin the words.

"So... we are"

"Stay in this land with the surrendered soldiers."

Glaus said it off without hesitation. You are no longer soldiers of the Empire. [M]

"If Phineas reads correctly, perhaps the majority of Nornicom will be spared the damage caused by the disaster. Underneath Lord Elesia, devote yourselves to the people of the east. I'll put the rest of my men together and head to the south of the country. We need those who keep order, and we need to build shelters for the refugees."

That's it, he had a spicy grin for a moment.

"That said, even when the Imperial Capital is devastated, there is no guarantee of salary or life. It's hard for everyone outside the city to follow. I leave the treatment of the remaining soldiers to the Lord Elesia. Whoever's in command, it's a different matter of whether the soldiers admit it or not."

…………

Levanus has no words, he just stands blue. The more gentle Elecia spoke to him.

"Of course I won't order you to stay strong. Now that we no longer have to fight the Legion and have friendly relations with the people of Dorfaye, we do not have to put a large army in my Nornicom. If your homeland is in danger, some of you will want to rush to your family and relatives. Let those who wish to leave leave leave."

The tone and expression were soft, but what you were saying was cruel. Let the survivors of the Fifth Corps, who betrayed their country according to Levanus, explain everything and decide to leave.

The soldiers will naturally be upset.

If the country is significantly weakened, it will not be charged with treachery. I can tell you that helps. It's a good story if you don't look back, look like you have no guilt whatsoever, and be a part of Nornicom.

But even if we pretend to forget, the people and generals of Combs will continue to remember the facts. If there is no longer a battle with the country, the possibility of being recognised for fighting well with them will also disappear. In other words, we must always be despicable traitors.

If this is the case, you might as well have fought Elesia with knowledge of recklessness and been scattered clean. Had I done so, survival would have been recognised for honor, not miserable debilitators, and would have been able to rush with Glaus to the crisis in his country.

Who decided to surrender? Who let them kill their companions claiming total resistance?

- I'm the Legion Leader. It's Levanus, the incompetent Legion leader, who suffered a tragic defeat for Elesia.

If the soldiers thought so, Levanus would be held accountable as a natural consequence. And the responsibility in this case, of course, is completely different from that of Glaus.

I accept your orders.

But Levanus took everything. Stretch your spine with a stiff face and salute Elecia. Then he turned to Glaus and said:

"General. I was unable to meet the General's expectations. I was going to do my best to defend Combs, but winning or losing is a learning of battle...... I won't say anything. However, I sincerely apologize for any subsequent defilement of the legions' honor."

He broke his hips deeply and kept his head down during one breath. When he stretched out his back, his face showed a mean strength.

"I'm not saying I misjudged you. At that time, there was no other decision I could have made. A general would have made a different decision, but I had to. Due to lack of strength and cowardice. But whatever the outcome is, I'll take the last responsibility and show it to you."

While acknowledging himself as incompetent, there are no signs of self-derision or humiliation. Glaus stared straight at his former subordinate's face and nodded roughly.

"I heard it."

A quiet word was Levanus's approval to take responsibility for himself. The saying that sin is liquidated, and never more, is degraded by others.

Levanus loosened his expression with relief for a moment, but reconsidered that his will would shrivel, or he pulled his lips together and corrected his posture. As tough as he was, he saluted again,

"Well, at this"

Speaking briefly of his resignation, he returned his heel.

The pointy footsteps keep away. I waited until I couldn't hear it, and then, well, Glaus stood up.

"I have to go do my part, too. Before the soldiers outside start my funeral."

"I'll be with you."

Finn said without setting it apart, so Glaus set aside and raised his eyebrows.

"What, are you telling me that I'm really not going to be the deceased? It's not overprotective, but it's not as easy as being crushed by the thrilled soldiers."

"Oh, no, not like that. I think it would be more accurate to explain the current situation in the Imperial Capital."

Finn took it seriously, and Glaus turned into a white face.

"You're the same. Even if you get a little bit in tune, you're going to get punished."

"Excuse me."

Nellis sounds overlapping because he's a genius that bores things. Finn clapped his neck a little. I apologize one way or the other, this again to discipline or boredom, as a grouse, I can only laugh bitterly anymore.

"No, it's my fault you're kidding me with a serious story. Never mind."

Marius and Elecia laugh when they were listening. Finn didn't know how to answer, he was just blinking away.

Elecia coughed up and hid her laugh, forcing her to only say it.

"Let's put one or two soldiers on this one. As it becomes clear to everyone that the general did not escape. Marius, make arrangements."

"Ha."

"When that's done, stay in the office. Let's consider the future."

We do not know whether disaster will reach us, and even if it does come, there will be ample respite, but that measure is not the only one to decide. Nornicom, which has become virtually an independent country, has to decide his own future.

How do we behave in a situation where our former home country, and now - and perhaps even in the future - Diatius, our neighbour, cannot be ignored, is in danger? Will it refuse or be tolerated by the influx of refugees? Will material support be provided or not, and what will be the scale and scope?

Also, circulation with the west of the Tiol River will almost cease in the future, so whatever supplies we have previously obtained from you will be rendered unfettered. You have to think about that.

"We'll be in a hurry for a while."

Elecia looked at Finn. To the smile of your mouth, empathize across identities and positions.

"I'd like to take a moment to talk to you once I'm settled. As the same dragon marquis."

"Pleasure."

When Finn responded graciously, Elecia also nodded lightly and left the room behind. I turned my attention to Glause for a moment when I left, but perhaps it was Finn's gaze he was aware of that he didn't say a word soon with an unscrupulous attitude.

While Marius called for an escort, Glaus looked at Finn with what a complicated face, but inquired in a somewhat vague and vague voice.

"What do you do when you've explained to the soldiers? Are you going back to the Imperial Capital?"

"Yes, there isn't much respite left, so I'll help you evacuate at all. Besides, you'd better let the general know you're safe as soon as possible."

"I don't think His Majesty the Emperor is showing me around."

Glaus smiled bitterly. It's on me that I'm overprotective, and Varys probably wouldn't imagine that Glause might be dying. There's no way I'm sending a man so anxious as an eastern commander.

Finn also perceived and endorsed his idea of doing so.

"When I left, there was no way to come thinking there might be something in the general. But the councillors aren't necessarily, and I don't think the citizens are comfortable knowing or not that the general will be back soon. Your Majesty's safety will also be preserved."

"... oh yeah"

Agreed. Glaus' voice was sinking. It implies the way forward, but as such.