Chapter 64: Dilemma

A snowstorm so intense that nothing could be seen ahead.

The cold air struck intermittently.

But an even colder atmosphere seemed to pierce through Perda’s heart.

His eyes fixed clearly on the intruder.

“Nice to meet you, regent.”

The man, stepping on the snow, introduced himself with a carefree smile.

“I’m Abel, one of Silverwind’s children. I don’t know if you remember me, but I was the one guarding the door during the Grand Council.”

“……”

“What are you doing in such a remote place? Have you come to enjoy the northern scenery under the snow?”

“……”

“Hmm, though for tourism it seems foolish. It’s not like you’re some old man gathering herbs. As a regent, you should know this is Silverwind territory.”

“……”

Abel slowly walked toward Perda, mocking him.

Perda stepped back little by little toward the interior.

“Why don’t you answer? Are you so scared you’ve lost your words?”

“I just find it curious.”

“Huh? What do you find curious?”

“That a beast in front of me is talking. How could I not find it curious?”

In front of Perda stood only Abel.

“Ha, really?”

Abel smiled even wider.

The moment his step struck the ground, his figure disappeared.

Fwoosh—

Leaving behind wind and sound, he appeared in front of Perda.

He laughed loudly.

“What a cruel joke, haha.”

Abel flicked Perda’s chest with his finger, as if snapping.

Crack!

“Ugh!”

A brutal sound of bones breaking.

Perda let out a groan of pain.

“Oops. Did it hurt? I just gave you a little tap.”

“Cough… cough…”

“But seriously, it was a tap. How do your ribs break like that? Aren’t you a regent? With such a weak body, how do you plan to survive? You won’t have anything left in bed.”

Perda spat out the blood that had gathered in his mouth.

His expression remained indifferent.

“You talk too much.”

“Well, that’s surprising. I heard you faced Goz without fear. I thought it was only because you had Blancaros behind you.”

Abel grabbed him by the neck and lifted him.

He showed his claws as a warning.

“But provoking a descendant of Silverwind is not a good idea. We are not exactly compassionate.”

Perda calmly checked the mana he had left.

Enough to use 4th-circle magic a few times.

‘Can I defeat this Dragon Spawn with this?’

Impossible.

This was completely different from the fight against the dark elf.

Even so, he showed no weakness.

Perda let out a dry laugh.

“The descendants of Silverwind… recommend making deals with demons?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. I know you’re the one cleaning up Sitri’s traces. And you were probably looking for the demon we rescued.”

The hand holding him tightened.

Enough to cause pain.

He had reacted.

Perda continued speaking.

“What were you planning to do by sleeping with that bitch? Got bored of centuries of discipline and wanted a decadent life?”

“Ha! Do you think we’re like you, animals that reproduce and raise children? That’s boring. Fighting is better.”

His vertical pupils glowed intensely.

“On the throne sits someone who shouldn’t be there. He calls himself Silverwind’s heir and claims to carry our father’s soul.”

A clear attempt at rebellion against Goz Silverwind.

“Interesting. You don’t fit either.”

“I know. If I face Goz, I’ll die in seconds. He’s that strong.”

He smiled bitterly.

“But Ruri Silverwind is different.”

That name echoed.

“Do you know how impressive that girl is?”

“I know she’s strong.”

“She’s not just strong. She was the only one who could challenge Captain Goz, leader of Silverwind. She was even considered as Silverwind’s successor.”

“Is that why Goz wants to kill her?”

“No. He wants to keep her by his side. That’s why the war hasn’t started yet.”

Perda frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“If a war breaks out between Valdrova and Silverwind, which side do you think Ruri will be on? If she stays with Valdrova, she’ll have to die. And Goz won’t allow that.”

It was unexpected.

The reason for the absence of war was Ruri?

Then Abel’s intention was clear.

“You’re not like Goz.”

“Ruri is a warrior who doesn’t use a sword. What do you do with someone like that?”

“You take away the sword.”

“Exactly. Having a legendary sword and not using it is a sin. I just plan to use that sword in her place.”

Perda understood.

That was the deal with Sitri.

Ruri, the power capable of challenging Goz.

In exchange for turning that power into his own, Abel was receiving support.

‘Everything that stagnates eventually rots.’

Even a Dragon Spawn could not escape time.

His greed dragged everything toward destruction.

‘Ruri…’

Perda said her name in his mind.

An irritation rose in his chest.

That irritation turned into killing intent.

And it leaked into a smile.

“Impressive.”

“Ha, now you try to flatter me before dying?”

“No. It’s important to compensate for your weaknesses. If you don’t have something, you borrow it. That’s basic.”

Perda smiled as well.

“What’s surprising is that an idiot like you has the brains for that.”

Crack!

Abel bent his index finger.

“Ugh…”

“You really talk too much. I’ll have to have some fun with you.”

He released the finger and took the next one.

“That way Ruri will end up yielding.”

“Ruri won’t even blink.”

She hated humans.

And she hated Perda.

Nothing he did pleased her.

Nothing.

So no threat would make her change.

And before she gets here, you will die.

At that moment—

Another sound cut through the snowstorm.

Amid the whiteness, a small figure appeared.

“What… are you doing?”

It was Ruri.

But her expression was not what Perda had imagined.

She was shaken.

***

The information Ruri received from the spirit was simple.

That Perda had made a deal with a demon to infiltrate.

And that he had fallen into a trap.

That was what the spirit had seen.

So Ruri immediately flew toward Count Consilus’s territory and located Perda’s position.

It took her barely 5 minutes.

She entered the cave intending to rescue him and escape quickly.

But it was already too late.

There stood a Silver Dragon Spawn.

And Perda, completely broken.

“What… are you doing?”

A killing aura rose from Ruri’s body.

Despite being a Dragon Spawn, her killing intent was strong enough to release something like Dragon Fear.

That pressure was directed straight at Abel.

But he didn’t flinch.

Seeing her, he smiled widely.

“Ruri Silverwind. We meet again. Do you remember me?”

“You’re the one who was with Percival.”

“Oh, of course you remember me. Well, it hasn’t even been two weeks.”

Abel smiled.

Ruri found that smile unpleasant.

She wanted to leave immediately.

But the more uncomfortable she felt, the more her expression hardened.

“Release Perda.”

“I don’t want to.”

“If you don’t—”

“What will you do? Start a war?”

Ruri stopped.

“You’ve entered Silverwind territory. And that human as well.”

“……”

“I have a legitimate justification. Ruri Silverwind, you know it better than anyone. Intruders are captured, and if they resist…”

She bit her lip.

“…immediate execution.”

“Exactly! Execution!”

Abel shouted with excitement.

Ruri couldn’t accept it.

“If you kill her fiancé, Valdrova won’t sit idly by. Silverwind will have to face her.”

“Try it! If you can! Then there’ll be war!”

Abel mocked.

“And what will you gain? The children of Silverwind will die, and your mistress will bear another burden of guilt.”

“…!”

“Is that what you want? Then say it out loud.”

Ruri hesitated.

Every word from Abel struck precisely.

“Ruri. This bastard is under a demon’s orders.”

“A demon…?”

Crack.

“Ah, stop talking nonsense. Don’t you know your life is in my hands?”

The contempt in Ruri’s gaze deepened.

But to Abel, it meant nothing.

“Let’s say I made a deal with a demon. Go ahead and say it. Say that this man was manipulated by a demon and that I captured two intruders. No one will believe you.”

He acted with complete confidence.

And on the surface, he was right.

“Because there is no proof that I made a deal with a demon.”

It was true.

Perda had also made a deal with Sitri, but he bore no mark.

Only suspicion.

And no one would trust that.

Between Ruri, a traitor, and Abel, a loyal guard, there was already a difference.

“You can kill me here. But what will happen to you?”

“I…”

“You betrayed your father and couldn’t even protect what you wanted. Aren’t you useless?”

Abel kept provoking her.

Ruri couldn’t respond.

“Useless Ruri. You can’t do anything here.”

Ruri thought of the best option.

If she let him go, there would be war.

If she didn’t let him go, there would also be war.

Everything she had protected would collapse.

Variable.

She couldn’t control variables.

She never could.

“I…”

Her lips trembled.

That was the only way.

A small sacrifice to protect everything.

“What should I do?”

Ruri knelt down.

Even Abel, who had been mocking her, was surprised.

“Ha… seriously.”

His body trembled.

“Ruri Silverwind… kneeling.”

He never would have imagined it.

The wall of the north.

The nightmare of the frost giants.

And yet, she fell with just a few words.

A twisted smile appeared on Abel’s face.

Ruri’s power would be his.

But only for an instant.

“If that is your wish.”

Then Perda’s voice sounded.

“So be it.”

At the same time, Abel’s body shook violently.

“Kugh!”

He spat blood.

His legs gave out and he dropped to his knees.

He released Perda’s neck.

He felt something.

Something crushing his heart.

Ruri?

Impossible.

She couldn’t do that.

There was only one possibility.

Abel raised his head, bleeding.

Perda was standing in front of him.

His eyes shone with a blue light.

It was him.

But there was something more.

Darkness.

A darkness so deep that even the eyes of a Dragon Spawn could not pierce it.

Ruri had arrived.

It wasn’t hard to imagine how she had gotten there. She must have left behind a wind spirit and received its report. Upon hearing that it was dangerous, she likely chased after him immediately.

An extremely fast response.

But it was the worst possible one.

She would have been the most reliable reinforcement of all, but at this moment it was a disastrous move.

Because Perda already knew that Abel was targeting Ruri.

Abel began to move his tongue.

Every time he spoke, it felt as though his words were piercing deep into Ruri.

Abel understood her precisely.

Unnecessarily intelligent.

‘Was this the deal?’

Perda sensed that this was advice from a demon.

‘If a demon had said it, no one would have taken it seriously.’

But if it was said by someone of her own kind, she had no choice but to waver.

A dilemma.

She was being forced to choose the impossible between Valdrova and the descendants of Silverwind.

‘She can’t abandon either of them.’

Perda knew why.

And precisely because of that—

He watched Ruri kneel.

“What should I do?”

The best choice that could encompass both options.

And at the same time.

“The worst choice.”

Now he understood.

‘So this is how they dragged her into it?’

A demon’s scheme and excessive ambition.

All of it had extended its claws toward a girl who was trying to protect peace.

‘Is that why she didn’t stay by Valdrova’s side?’

Because she loved peace.

Because she loved Valdrova.

Had she chosen to sacrifice herself?

At that very moment—

The mana circuit within Perda’s body began to spin.

It felt different from when he thought of Valdrova and desperately reached for her.

Something he had kept buried deep inside began to slowly emerge.

It brushed against his heart and turned the circle in his danjeon with its fingers.

Ruri’s helpless face overlapped with Valdrova’s.

She was suffering.

And it whispered in a sweet voice.

“Are you going to just watch?”

No.

He couldn’t just watch.

He knew that wasn’t Valdrova.

But if Ruri disappeared…

That would be Valdrova’s future.

‘I won’t allow it.’

The chains of restraint broke.

The mana of the Red Circle spread silently in all directions.

It devoured everything within the darkness.

And just like that, everything fell into Perda’s hands.

The cave.

Ruri.

Abel.

Even the inside of his own body.

“Cough, cough!”

Abel dropped to his knees, writhing.

Blood poured from his mouth.

He couldn’t breathe.

His lungs were destroyed.

“Damn you, damn—cough!”

He tried to move, even if only to drag them into mutual destruction.

But he couldn’t move a single muscle.

The dense darkness and the unleashed Red Circle.

It was more than enough to suppress a Dragon Spawn.

Just moments ago, Abel had the upper hand.

Now, the situation had completely reversed.

“If you kill me…”

Abel said, spitting blood.

“All of Silverwind will remember your face and your name.”

The price of killing a Dragon Spawn was not small.

To be hunted for life.

An existence where every dawn would be uncertain.

A life that could hardly even be called a life.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Perda was already used to that.

“The threats of your kind have grown tiresome.”

Perda raised his hand.

His palm, dyed black, looked as though it were holding something.

As if grasping a round object that filled his entire hand.

As if holding a heart.

“If you all desire war so much…”

Perda clenched his fist.

“I won’t avoid it either.”