The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 142

The cold metal blades clashed against one another several times in midair, sending sparks flying. Even with several men attacking him at once, Caleb swung his sword while protecting Shailoh. Ducking beneath a blade flying toward his neck, he slashed at one man’s leg, sending him tumbling to the ground with a scream. Just as another bandit gritted his teeth and tried to strike Caleb from behind, Declen rushed in and covered his back.

 

“Your Grace!”

 

With that, the knights who had been scattered by the festival also began drawing their swords and charging into the fray. As the confrontation dragged on, the bandits who had proudly thrown off their robes one by one began to grow anxious. Eventually, the man who had been watching the other bandits fall one after another shouted. “We’re out of time! Secure the young lady first!”

 

“How dare you!”

 

Gritting his teeth, Caleb pulled Shailoh tighter behind him to protect her right at that moment. Whoosh. An arrow came flying with a sharp whistle of wind and embedded itself in his shoulder.

 

“Your Majesty!” Startled, Shailoh screamed and examined Caleb.

 

Swallowing a groan so as not to alarm her, Caleb tightened his grip on his sword once more.

 

“Yaaaaaah!”

 

It was the moment he crossed swords with another group of bandits charging toward them with loud cries. In the pandemonium, where she could barely breathe, Shailoh turned her head toward the direction the arrow had come from. The hidden archers were drawing their bowstrings again. This time, they were aiming at both Declen and Caleb. As her mind went blank, the blood in her veins turned cold.

 

“Stop!”

 

At the tremendous shout, the men who had been clashing while exuding murderous intent abruptly froze. Taking advantage of the moment, with everyone’s attention on her, Shailoh turned toward the man who had just given orders to the other bandits.

 

“Take me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Shailoh!”

 

“Sasha!”

 

Declen and Caleb called out to her almost simultaneously, horrified by her sudden words. But Shailoh paid them no heed and continued speaking clearly to the man who appeared to be their leader. “If you stay here any longer, you’ll all die anyway. You don’t look like you came here prepared to die.”

 

“How the hell would you know that?” The leader glared at her and snapped coldly.

 

“If you intended to die from the start, you wouldn’t have brought archers either. You brought them just in case, didn’t you? Because you want to get out alive. Besides, you don’t have the resolve to die either.”

 

The bandits’ faces, which had faltered before an opponent stronger than expected, clearly showed fear. It was an emotion that would never appear if they had thrown themselves into this, prepared to die for whatever reason.

 

“If you take me hostage right now, my brother won’t be able to hurt you. Take me with you, and demand whatever it is you want.”

 

It was better than having both Declen and Caleb killed like dogs beneath the rain of arrows. At least this way, they could hope for another day. Realizing what Shailoh meant, Declen clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.

 

The leader, who had remained silent as though calculating his options, finally nodded. “Fine.”

 

“No!” The moment the agreement was given, Caleb growled and stepped forward, blocking Shailoh.

 

Clenching both fists, Shailoh warned him. “Move.”

 

“I said no.”

 

It wasn’t an unexpected reaction. Letting out a low sigh, Shailoh lowered her voice. Then she pointed it out in a tone only Caleb could hear. “Then are you saying we should all die here? These men may not be prepared to die, but if they think they’re all going to be wiped out, they’ll at least drag the three of us into hell with them.”

 

“I can’t let you go alone.”

 

Despite her surprise, she tried to explain as calmly as possible. But he showed no intention of listening. To make matters worse, he once again tried to swing his sword, despite blood dripping from his shoulder injury.

 

Desperate, Shailoh grabbed the hem of his clothes. “Please, just listen to—!” Before she could finish speaking, his sword fell to the ground with a dull clatter. “…Calbe?”

 

While Shailoh stood frozen, unable to understand what had happened, Caleb turned toward the leader who was glaring at the two of them and raised both palms. “Take me too.”

 

“Why should I?”

 

“I can’t let the young lady go alone. I’d rather fight to the death here, even if it means we all die.”

 

The leader, who had been gripping his sword tightly in case Caleb lunged at him, hesitated when he met those turquoise eyes. Beneath the fading red sunset, the eyes gleamed with a madness that seemed almost inhuman. And yet, they were eyes he felt he had seen somewhere before…

 

“W-What should we do, Chief? Like that woman said, it does seem like we’ll all die if we stay here.” His frightened subordinate cautiously asked what he intended to do.

 

After swallowing hard, the leader eventually nodded. “Fine. But I’ll bind both of them.”

 

* * *

With a sword blade pressed against Shailoh’s neck, the bandits passed through the inner castle and escaped the outer castle. Leaving Declen’s suffocating, murderous intent behind, they quickly made their way toward the mountain range from which they had come.

 

Seated in front of the leader’s saddle as a hostage, Shailoh looked over the vast wasteland, trying to determine which direction they were heading. Under the darkening night sky, they were heading toward the North Star. Their destination was probably the Alkadara Mountains, which bordered the northern territory on the inside and the sea on the outside.

 

By the time the sky had grown completely dark and nothing around them could be seen, the leader, who had been racing ahead at a frightening speed, pulled back on the reins. “We’ll camp here tonight.”

 

They were already sufficiently far from Duchy Yesiol. Because they had ridden without rest, the horses were already completely exhausted. Fortunately, perhaps because they were concerned for the young lady’s safety, no pursuers had followed them.

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’ll prepare.”

 

As soon as the leader gave his orders, his subordinates dismounted and began carrying out their assigned tasks efficiently. One gathered the firewood they had brought and lit it with matches. Another took out the sleeping bags and prepared a place to sleep, while another set up a portable brazier and made a simple soup.

 

Caleb, who had likewise been pulled down from his saddle, watched them closely. The leader approached him and spoke, perhaps because of the look in Caleb’s eyes, as though he were observing everything from a high vantage point. “What’s so fascinating?”

 

“You don’t seem like ordinary bandits.”

 

“Should I take that as a compliment?” The leader gave a faint chuckle and shrugged.

 

“You’re large in number, but you’re different from the rumors. Did you split off from the main group?”

 

“…What?” The leader’s smile disappeared as he stared coldly at Caleb.

 

Caleb continued speaking without concern as he watched the blazing fire. “Subordinates who would follow an insane operation like this aren’t usually lacking in loyalty. Did you rebel with these men and leave your original bandit group?”

 

“Do you… know me?” The leader instantly drew his sword and held the blade against Caleb’s neck.

 

Chillingly, everything was true. It was something no one could have known unless they had belonged to the same bandit group.

 

“I asked if you knew me. Just who the hell are you? How do you know about my past?”

 

Come to think of it, it was strange. He had brought Caleb here because those extraordinary eyes had intimidated him, but wasn’t he merely one escort? And yet, the way Duke Yesiol looked at this man was strangely respectful.

 

“I’m the young lady’s escort, Kay. And as for the answers to your first and second questions…” Caleb turned his head away from the fire and looked at the leader. “Let’s just say I’m fairly observant.”

 

“You…” The leader narrowed his eyes at the suspicious turn of events and was just about to move his lips when—

 

“Chief Kurd! The soup is ready.”

 

An appetizing smell wafted over from the campfire. The subordinate who had boiled the soup with simple ingredients approached him.

 

Kurd sheathed his sword again and let out a low sigh before warning Caleb. “If you try anything funny, I’ll cut you down immediately.”

 

“…”

 

“Send him over there.” After ordering his subordinate, Kurd turned around and headed toward the campfire.

 

“Come here.”

 

The bandit roughly grabbed Caleb by the arm and took him toward a giant tree that had been reduced to nothing but a stump. Shailoh was already sitting there, her hands likewise bound behind her back.

 

“Stay still. If I see even the slightest suspicious movement, I’ll cut you.” The bandit glared at them as he took out a shackle and fastened one around each of their ankles. “That should keep you from escaping.” The man muttered with satisfaction before heading toward the campfire where his comrades had gathered, leaving the two of them alone.

 

In the heavy silence, Shailoh was the first to speak. “What on earth were you thinking?”

 

“…”

 

“Do you even understand your position?”

 

Caleb was the king. The most noble, virtuous, exalted, and supreme being in this kingdom.

 

“Are you out of your mind? Have you completely lost it?” The shocking events that had unfolded made her heart pound, and harsh words poured from her mouth. Half of it was simply her venting her anger.

 

Caleb gave a faint chuckle and looked at her. “Did you really not know? That I’m a madman.”