Chapter 146

Chapter 146

In the long epic poem of history, a war might just be a single tragic paragraph, and a battle might be no more than a single sentence.

Therefore, discussing the victory or defeat of a war based on a single battle was a hasty act.

However, there were always exceptional cases. The progression of the epic poem itself was occasionally forever altered by a single sentence transcending a paragraph.

The Battle of Valensha where Sultan Yusuf died not only resulted in the disintegration of the army, but also became an opportunity for the Salaman people within the land of Sinatria to divide.

If someone could penetratively see through these changes with insight in the contemporary era and stand atop the waves of that change, the unification of Sinatria might not even be just a dream.

However, that wasn't what Rickart had to do. Was it the limit of an outsider, or keeping his place as an outsider.

If he made up his mind, he could even cultivate a third power using Valensha as a base. However, Rickart restrained himself.

Valensha was thoroughly King Santonio's region, Rickart had merely borrowed an army from him to occupy it briefly, and his own purpose was to strategically pressure Vilter.

Because most of the war supplies, food and the like flowed into Karagosa with Valensha as a base, seizing this place was like strangling the Flame Knights' neck under Vilter.

Regardless of political and era-specific fluctuations, Rickart never forgot his family, wife, and friends for even a single moment. He didn't forget the overall context of the epic poem called life bestowed upon him.

Rickart didn't act arrogantly as the commander of the occupying force, treated people of low status unreservedly, and didn't treat Ahmad—who used to be an Amir, converted, and now became a Count—disrespectfully.

Although not intended, such actions were reflected as virtues of humility to the people.

Not revealing himself, not coveting wealth privately, and responsibly guarding Valensha conversely elevated Rickart's status even further.

Thus, the people of Sinatria offered the highest honorable treasure to Rickart.

That was none other than a true chanson de geste, a ballad.

How could the very first songs have been composed in writing. They were not composed by writers, but ballads passed down from mouth to mouth with rhythm and rhyme.

Although the ones started first were in Adelorn, in Sinatria they composed a new song in their own way here. Songs inherently couldn't help but reflect things like regional characteristics.

It contained contents such as being full of faith and hearing God's words in the Holy Land, having a bet with the prince of the Sultanate of Mayun to obtain a horse called 'Crimson Comet', and crossing over to Sinatria after being chosen by the Emperor of the Ancient Empire and so on.

As with any story, it was a tale mixed with truth and utter falsehoods, such as being full of faith or haphazardly giving a name to the horse Rickart rode.

Anyway, with this, Rickart joined the ranks of legends and myths.

However, there was this verse in the epic poem. Adapted from the Bible, comparing Rickart's fateful battle.

The first murder occurred, as this was something that happened between brothers......

It was the rainy season. Rain fell consecutively in Valensha.

From the dark grey sky, the sound of thunder rumbled continuously. However, not spewing its anger all at once made it seem like it was suppressing its anger quite a lot.

Or was it because it was sad. Was it the sound of sobbing.

The rainwater flowing down from the ends of the eaves, and the sound of rain hitting the windows were truly pleasant to hear. It was a sound that seemed to calm the mind and make one satisfied with what one had.

Even the sword standing against the wall seemed to calm its murderous intent and listen to the sound of rain now. However, it couldn't reach Rickart's heart right now.

Because it was a rainy day, the interior was dark even though it was daytime. Rickart didn't separately light a fire, but sat by the window quietly lost in thought.

His long eyelashes were half-lowered, and his half-open eyes seemed to be directed somewhere in the past beyond the present. Was it the near past, or the distant past.

Some memories were clear no matter how much time passed, while some memories were blurry even though not much time had passed.

Even a peerless hero praised by everyone couldn't transcend the bounds of a mere human, getting distressed by distressing memories and feeling regretful about regretful memories.

However, among them, some were memories so beautiful that the present was despairing and sad.

Sultan Yusuf's final expression was similar to Vilter's when leaving home, making Rickart's heart restless. It wasn't easy to govern his mind even with the cozy sound of rain.

God's language is silence, and quietly ruminating on what has passed might be listening to His words, but since he had to find the answer himself, Rickart couldn't get a clue.

Then someone knocked on the door.

"El Cid."

A knight of the Flame Knights slightly opened the door and said.

"There is someone suspected of being a spy so I wish to interrogate him with torture, will you grant permission?"

"A spy?"

"Yes, we apprehended him loitering around here for several days. A person of suspicious behavior who does not reveal his name even when asked."

Although it was a world where torture ran rampant, it wasn't something that could just be done arbitrarily.

It was a matter requiring the lord's permission, and since Rickart was leading the army right now, he was the person with the authority to approve.

However, since Rickart had critical thinking regarding torture, he thought he should first see the suspicious person directly with his own eyes.

"Where is he now? Can you bring him?"

"I will bring him exactly right away."

The knight headed somewhere straight away, and before long brought the suspicious person. Rickart was greatly startled upon seeing him. Because the suspicious person was none other than Hashim.

The turban he wore on his head was off, and his already skinny body was completely drenched in the rain, making him look hopelessly miserable. He seemed to have taken a hit as his left cheekbone was bruised black and blue.

Even in the midst of that, he was tightly hugging a glass bottle containing a crystal flower in his arms.

"What are you doing, here?"

"Well......"

"Do you know him?"

"He is my friend. Not a suspicious person."

The knight tilted his head and alternately looked at Hashim and Rickart once. Different races, with seemingly quite a large age difference, yet they were friends.

It looked strange, but since Rickart himself said he was his friend there was nothing more to say.

"You should have mentioned it."

The knight, perhaps feeling a bit sorry, brushed Hashim's body lightly. Even though his whole body was soaking wet so there shouldn't be any dust.

"It's fine so bring a towel and new clothes."

Rickart didn't yell saying how dare you do this to my friend, but merely instructed like that.

The knight brought a towel and new clothes to the room, and closed the door again. In the dim room were only Rickart and Hashim. Only the sound of rain from outside could be heard, and the two were momentarily speechless.

Rickart was somewhat flabbergasted, and Hashim hung his head low seemingly losing face.

"Why are you paying to suffer. You could have come see me anytime."

Rickart said while first lighting the candle on the plate. There was no big difference whether the candle was lit or not, but it was a cozy light no less than the sound of rain. It was better than nothing.

"Wipe your body and dry off a bit by the fire. Even if it's summer, if you get caught in the rain wrongly at that age you might catch a cold."

Rickart also lit a fire in the fireplace. Hashim said with his head hung low.

"I am sorry......"

Rickart chuckled and shook his head.

"What is there to be sorry about. You do not need to feel embarrassed. If you have any troubling matters you may come find me anytime. Anyway, hurry and wipe your body and change into new clothes."

Although Hashim was a terrifying magician and a wise person, he had a somewhat ditzy side somewhere. Rickart, who had passed the Lunadan region together with him, knew that well.

Since both had easygoing personalities regarding hardships, they matched well in that aspect, but unlike Rickart, Hashim had a tendency to live going with the flow.

Hashim wiped his hair and body with a towel with sluggish movements. And then changed into new clothes and sat by the fire.

For a lodging where a peerless hero stayed it was truly humble, but it lacked nothing and was merely cozy.

Hashim gauged Rickart's mood with his large, sunken eyes and said.

"To tell the truth, I intended to wander aimlessly here and there like I have lived all this time, but thinking about it, wasn't that all a journey to find my memories. However, I have already found the answer. This crystal flower here. So not knowing where to go, I loitered around you. Please forgive me."

"If you have nowhere to go, you may stay by my side as much as you want. I do not abandon my friends. Of course, I don't hold onto them either though."

"You would."

"By the way, have you not recovered your memories yet?"

"Well...... Have you never experienced that? Something you fervently hoped for, but feeling hesitant right when confronting it before your eyes."

"Well, nothing particularly comes to mind, but I know what you mean."

"When I recover my memories, what if I become something other than me. The perspective looking at you, looking at the world and humans might change. Who knows? I might have been a tremendous villain in the past."

"Regarding that part I have some expertise, and it could act nicely. Because among the newly accumulated memories, there will be many good ones too."

Because Rickart lived a completely reversed life compared to his terrible past life, he thought that just because he was a villain in the past, the current Hashim's personality wouldn't change dramatically or anything like that.

"Hearing that, your words seem correct."

"Have you made your resolve?"

"Not that yet."

At the word 'yet', Rickart left his melancholic feelings behind and smiled gently.

"I will not interfere. It's entirely your share. However, if you need help, I will help you anytime. Just remember that."

"I understand. By the way, what about you? Have you made your resolve?"

"......"

The smile on Rickart's face gradually faded. The melancholic feeling seemed to revive, but being with a friend who suffered together with him made it a bit better.

"I don't know. I already have the initiative, and even if I lead an army to face off, I have confidence to win. However, if Billy resists until the very end, what on earth should I do, I do not know."

"It's a difficult matter...... But isn't there something beyond that too? The wife and friends waiting in Adelorn. Can you not absolutely lose because of them if nothing else?"

"I am worried that I'll try catching two rabbits needlessly and end up losing both. Would giving up everything and leaving just be right."

Rickart brought out all the words he had kept alone inside in front of Hashim. Then whether it was his true feelings or just speaking out loud, his stuffy insides felt a bit relieved and refreshed.

"That too is a choice. But it's different from the Ricky I know. Perchance what you have to resolve for is a resolve about what you must accept. Are you afraid of pain?"

"No. That's not it. I am not afraid of pain. What is terrifying is the betrayal of past memories. What should I say about myself...... I don't know. If only Billy would snap out of it......"

"Your state of mind seems complicated. Perhaps your brother inadvertently made such a choice."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Isn't it possible that the wishes of the knighthood people, tightly bound with vengeance and hatred, gathered on him. If he resembles you, he wouldn't be able to forsake them."

Hearing Hashim's words, there was something Rickart flashed to realize.

Rickart felt a sense of mutual sympathy for all military men, soldiers. That didn't mean he overlooked their wrongdoings, but anyway, couldn't Vilter also be unable to bring himself to abandon his brothers in the knighthood? No matter how much of an extremist he was.

However, even if there was such a possibility, if so, the reality was that they had to fight even more. How could they just leave them killing all innocent people just because they're infidels?

Part of it was needing to stop them because they did cruel deeds, but the most tragic part was that they threw themselves into the flames of vengeance and hatred. Because they couldn't think of a life other than that.

"......"

At the heavy reality, Rickart bowed his head. A dark shadow covered his face.

Hashim looked at Rickart with a complex expression and said.

"Get some sleep. Is it a problem where agonizing over it gives an answer."

"......But didn't you say that last time too? Getting some sleep. Isn't there any recovery magic or something that clears the mind?"

"You treat magic with prejudice once in a while. That sleep is the best medicine is an agreed-upon opinion among scholars since a very long time ago. There is no magic beyond that."

"Which scholar do you mean?"

"I am here for one."

"It truly is an amazing magic."

Rickart was dumbfounded and laughter came out again. The shade that covered his face seemed to lift again.

Hashim also smiled, even though his cheekbone was bruised.

"Just as you always gladly welcome me, I also always root for you."

"Thank you."

Rickart nodded his head. Perhaps the fight with Vilter had to be approached with a calm mind rather than a fiery resolve.

Anyway, although it wasn't a significant conversation, having someone he could open up and speak to made Rickart's mind calm down a bit.

Only then did the sound of rain outside gently begin to seep into Rickart's heart.

Pit-pat. Pat. Pitter-patter. Pat......