It was only after she gulped that Radis managed to confess.
âI lied⊠I lied⊠Iâm so sorryâŠâ
âWhat did you lie about?â
There was an edge in Robertâs voice. Rarely ever did this happen.
In her previous life, he had never expressed his feelings to this degree, no matter how difficult the situation was.
Radis felt the words being blocked in her throat. She thought that she should at least kneel in front of him.
âIâm⊠a womanâŠâ
Her words made Robertâs expression crumple.
âYouâŠ!â
As though to suppress his emotions, he rubbed his face roughly before he said,
âYou donât have to apologize for that.â
âWhatâŠ?â
Letting out a small sigh, Robert answered once more.
âWeâve known each other for six years. Did you really think I didnât know anything?â
ââŠâŠ!â
âThe part that makes me angryâŠâ
Seeing how emotional he was, Radis felt her heart skip a beat.
His gray eyes were filled with contained rage.
âItâs how you⊠how you had to hide it so thoroughly that it left you broken.â
ââŠâŠ!â
Robert gulped down his hot tea like it was cold water to suppress his overwhelming emotions.
He also knew that he was showing a level of anger that he had never expressed before.
âI donât intend to do this.â
He didnât intend to be this sharp in front of her.
âWhy? Perhaps, is it because I saw that man with her a while ago?â
Robert felt his seething emotions cool at once.
âHow dare I?â
A cynical smile found its way on his lips.
He did not deserve her.
Didnât he make a vow?
That he would protect her if he would ever get the chance.
Robert suppressed his emotions.
After pressing it down so hard that he couldnât even bring himself to raise his head, he pulled himself together.
After a while, Robert opened his lips again.
âThereâs something you need to know. Shortly after your death, an unexpected event occurred. Its beginning was heralded by the appearance of a monster that appeared at the Imperial Palace.â
At his words, Radis raised her head.
âWhatâŠ? The Imperial Palace?â
âYes. Not just that, but the monster was powerful. Itâs not even enough to say that theyâre tremendously powerful. It was like⊠the incarnation of a deity.â
Robertâs hand trembled slightly.
âHalf of the capital got blown away. Almost all of the White Dragon Knights and the soldiers in the capital were killed. The Imperial Palace was in ruins, and Emperor Claude also passed away.â
Radisâs eyes grew wide.
Robert continued on.
âIt did not stop there. The monster that appeared at the capital eventually met its end, but at the same time, changes took place in the southern region. Monsterwood began to expand like crazy.â
ââŠâŠ!â
Radisâs lips trembled.
âMonsterwood⊠expanded?â
âBecause a new master of the woods was born.â
ââŠâŠ!â
Robert spoke quickly in a low, monotonous voice.
âIt was a dragon. It is the greatest type of monster which is believed to be extinct now, but it appeared. It was as large as a citadel, and its whole body was covered with scales that could fend off anything. From each step it took on the land, more and more monsters constantly arose. The southern region was completely trampled beneath the feet of those monsters.â
Radis could not breathe properly.
Because she now realized the reason behind his death.
Robert nodded.
âYes, I died while fighting the dragon. It had only one opening, and it was its inverted scale on the back of its neck. After a fierce struggle to reach its neck, I had managed to stab my sword into that place. I felt the tip of my sword striking something hard, and I instinctively realized that it was that dragonâs nucleus. I tried to exert more force, but⊠that was when I met my demise.â
Robert looked at Radis and continued.
âBut the moment I thought it was all over, I opened my eyes again.â
Embraced with an indescribable emotion, Radis bowed her head.
She didnât know what to say.
Apology?
That would just be an insult.
She had deceived him for the entire time they had known each other, and she had failed to keep his final order of taking care of the subjugation squad.
She was also the one who fell for the trap that drove their comrades to death.
She had died so irresponsibly, but compared to her, Robert had lost everything and even had to fight alone against those terrible monsters without time to grieve.
And after a long, arduous battle, he met his end.
Radis knelt on the ground.
âCaptainâŠâ
Then, Robert jumped up from his seat and went towards her.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and raised her up immediately.
âWhat are you doing right now?â
Without raising her head, Radis spoke.
âIt was all my fault. I deceived you, Captain⊠And I lost our men due to my mistakeâmy irrevocable mistakeâŠâ
She could feel Robertâs grip on her shoulder tighten.
With a heavy sigh, he answered.
âIt wasnât your fault.â
ââŠâŠâ
âIâm not here to get an apology from you. I justâŠâ