One hundred soldiers of the Barkaley family, one hundred peasant warriors, plus five ranked-mithril explorers. Led by the fourth prince of the Wildenhall kingdom, Leofric Regina Wildenhall. By only completing the first floor,
Only 34 people returned.
-TENG
-TENG
-TENG
-TENG
The bell rang four times, signaling that many people had entered the city.
"They're back!"
"Finally! They're back!"
"Did they finish the dungeon in just two days?"
"No way, they must have only finished three floors since the third floor is the last one that's easy to enter."
It was late afternoon in the city. People emerged from their homes, some leaving their wares, gossiping about the raid carried out by the great prince, a luminite-ranked explorer. They lined the main road near the gate, welcoming the heroes who had cleared the mysterious dungeon in the territory.
The Barkaley territory was not luxurious; the gates were not walled; there was just tall wood surrounding the town to keep animals out.
"Mother! A lot of people are gathering on the street!" shouted the little boy who spoke to his pregnant mother.
"Fufufu, from the bells, it looks like the soldiers have gone home."
"Does that mean Daddy's finally coming home?!"
"Yes!"
"I'll go first! I'm going to pick up dad!"
"Hey, Vass! Don't go alone; mom is also going to pick him up!"
The main street was filled with people, and the remaining soldiers in the Barkaley region were also waiting for the arrival of the raid members.
"Hey, we're just ordinary merchants. What's the advantage of completing the dungeon?" said one of the marching peasants, speaking to the person next to him.
"You idiot, don't you feel that your wares are selling less and less? That's because no more explorers are coming here. With this dungeon raid, this city will again be crowded by the explorers!"
"Oooh!"
Some talked about business, and some spoke about becoming explorers because the danger in the dungeon had been solved, but most people were waiting for the return of their loved ones.
The wooden gate was lowered.
There was the sound of horseshoes and wheels entering. Everyone spontaneously clapped and cheered for them.
"Congratulations!"
"You're our savior!"
"Welcome back!"
The cheering residents threw out various congratulations.
The first person who entered the city was Mathias, riding his horse. Then behind Mathias was followed by another horse carrying a carriage, and Leofric was lying casually on the carriage. Petronella, Blanche, faint George, and a small black-haired boy whose hands were tied by a shining rope were on the other side.
Then two more were behind Leofric, along with horse-drawn carriages ridden by soldiers.
The applause and congratulations slowly stopped when the first soldier's carriage entered.
"Huh?"
"What happened?"
The faces of the soldiers sitting there were grim. All of them looked seriously injured. Some had lost their arms, and some had lost their legs. Many bandages were wrapped around their bodies.
The second carriage then arrived. Just like the first carriage, the faces of the soldiers were very gloomy and dark, and they looked depressed. Many were seriously injured.
After the second carriage entered, the gate immediately closed.
"That's... that's all? Where are the others?" Only two carriages arrived, far too few in comparison to the number that left.
"W-were they left behind?"
"That's impossible; the gate is already closed."
"But there were about 200 of them, and now there are only a few. What happened?"
After every carriage entered and the gate was closed, Mathias stopped, as did the other carriages.
"EVERYONE LISTEN UP! We've solved the problem in the Barkaley region's dungeon! Out of the total four troops that departed, only one troop survived! Please check on your respective families! For those whose family members are dead, report to the Baron immediately, and you will receive compensation money!"
Everyone was silent... It was like they couldn't accept the fact that only a few returned.
Then in 5...
4...
3...
2...
1...
Someone throws down the jag, breaking the silence.
"AAAAAAAH!!!"
Everyone immediately panicked, going over to the carriage the soldiers were riding. Checking on their families and calling out their names.
"BABY! BABY! WHERE ARE YOU?! ANSWER ME!"
"Daddy! Daddy!"
"My son! I'm looking for my son Kolt! Has anyone seen him!"
"Darling! Darling! Your baby was already born!"
"Where are you! My son! Where are you?!"
"MY GRANDSON ALBERT! ANSWER ME! ALBERT! ALBERT!"
Children, adults, and the elderly ran around checking on their family members. Even old women with frail bodies were now forcing themselves to call out the names of their loved ones—people who went to the dungeon to get food for them.
"Blanche, what are you doing?" Petronella and Maurice got off the carriage. But Blanche just sat there, covering her face with her hands.
"I can't... I can't bear this sight."
Petronella pulled Blanche's hand hard, and then, right in front of her face, she shouted
"What?! Can't?! You're a priest, right?! If you can't help them, you should at least see it! Face it! They are the families of the people who fought alongside us! You have to see it through to the end!"
Petronella let go of Blanche's hand. Then she turned around.
Now Blanche, with a trembling body, came off the carriage, and then she raised her head.
She saw people crying in despair, shouting the names of their loved ones over and over again even though they weren't there.
Blanche also saw people who had met their families, hugging with relief and crying.
Then Blanche saw the 10-year-old boy, who had been screaming and calling out to his father.
"DAD! DAAAAD!!! DAAAD!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!! DAAD!!!"
The boy had already checked each carriage three times. He kept looking, hoping he didn't see him because he missed his father.
"DAD! WHERE ARE YOU?! DID YOU ALREADY GET OFF THE TRAIN?!" Now he tried searching through the crowd. The boy's and Blanche's eyes met as the boy looked around. The boy then approached Blanche and holding her hand.
"Sister! Did you see my father?"
Blanche held her breath... She couldn't bear to look at this child's innocent face, nor could she say anything to him.
"Wha...what did your father look like?" asked Blanche while holding back her tears.
"He had short, brown hair. He had a scar on his cheek. He always had a smile on his face, and he was a good man!"
Blanche covered her mouth, holding back her tears as much as she could. Looking at Blanche, Petronella was disgusted, so she approached the child.
"Hey, kiddo, have you looked at the carriage carefully?" Petronella said in a harsh tone.
The boy nodded.
"I did, but dad wasn't there, so maybe dad already got off and was looking for me too."
Petronella let out a long sigh.
"Haaaah"
Then Petronella ducked down so the child could see her face without looking up.
"Listen kid-"
"PETRONELLA!" Blanche yelled, begging for her to stop.
But no, Petronella didn't hear her.
With a solemn expression on her face...
Petronella said it clearly and coldly.
"Your father is dead. He's no longer in this world..."
"…
…
…
Huh?"
Blanche immediately pushed Petronella's shoulder.
"PETRONELLA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"And how about you? What are you doing?! Things like this should be said in front of the person immediately!"
"But there's no need to say it like that. He's still a child..."
The boy's face was now blank, as if he didn't see anything in his eyes. He was as silent as a rock, then, after a while, he said
"Liar..."
Blanche immediately kneeled and hugged the child.
"Please… please…"
The child immediately pushed Blanche's body out of her embrace.
"SISTER, YOU ARE LYING!"
"I'm not lying," Petronella replied shortly.
The child headed straight for Petronella.
"YOU LIAR!" He ran into Petronella and bumped into Petronella's stomach again and again with his hand.
Petronella just stood still, taking the beating.
"SIS, YOU ARE LYING! DAD PROMISED ME! HE SAID HE'D COME HOME! THEN WE'LL PLAY TOGETHER AGAIN! THE THREE OF US WILL MOVE TO THE CAPITAL TOGETHER! DAD IS A GOOD PERSON! HE IS NEVER LYING TO ME! THEN YOU MUST BE LYING!"
"I'm not lying," Petronella replied again.
"AAA!!! AAAAA!!! DAD CANNOT HAVE LIED! HE PROMISED! HE PROMISED HE'D COME HOME! SISTER IS A LIAR! A LIAR! A LIAAAR!"
Blanche hugged the child from behind, holding his back to keep him from hitting Petronella.
"Daddy... daddy… he promised... daddy.... DAAAD!!!!"
The child continued to rebel, wanting to hit Petronella more, but Blanche was now holding his body tightly.
Then, from behind Blanche, she heard a trembling woman's voice,
"Vass... what are you doing..."
Blanche, along with the child, looked back. It was the figure of a mother who was about five months pregnant.
"Mooooom!"
Blanche let go of the child. The child ran to her mother and hugged her.
"MOTHER!!! DAD?! WHERE'S DAD?! WHERE'S DAD, MOM?!!"
"Vasss... dad is gone, Vass..."
"Daady!!! Daddy!!! Why! Why aren't you coming home?!"
Petronella then approached the boy and yelled at him.
"Dad dad dad dad, you're making so much noise. Your dad is no longer there! He did everything he could for you! For all of us! Because of those who died like your dad, we can all go home! You should be proud now!"
The child now looked at Petronella with an angry face.
"I don't care! What's the point?! Why did dad have to die?! Then... why...
WHY DIDN'T YOU DIE INSTEAD!"
"VASS!"
Hearing that, Petronella immediately ran away, away from that place.
-PLAK
Blanche slapped Vass's cheek hard in front of his mother.
Vass immediately stopped crying, as did his mother, who was shocked by Blanche's actions.
"Don't ever talk like that again, Vass. You're a boy, and you have to be strong. Now that your father is gone, it's your turn to take care of your mother and your sister!"
Blanche then bowed her head to her mother.
"I'm sorry."
Then Blanche ran after Petronella.
"BLANCHE, REMEMBER WE HAVE TO GATHER AT THE BARKALEY RESIDENCE TONIGHT!" Maurice shouted.
"F*cking peasants, disturbing my nice sleep," said Leofric, who was lying down.
Then Leofric raised his body and ordered Mathias.
"Mathias, leave this here to Barkaley's soldiers. I'll go to Barkaley's residence first. I'm tired, and we must imprison this boy quickly before he wakes up."
"Yes, sir."
They left.
Petronella who ran away from there, looking for a quiet place.
Behind her, Blanche chased after her, shouting Petronella's name again and again.
"Petronella!"
Then, when they reached the end of the gate, Petronella turned her body to face Blanche.
"STOP FOLLOWING ME!"
Her face looked annoyed and angry, she tried to hold back her tears, but they fell heavily from her eyes,
"Pe-petronella,"
Petronella curled up, covering her crying face.
"It's my fault anyway! It's my fault for not being able to protect them all! I should have practiced more! I need to be able to cast spells faster! I need to protect everyone! HWAAAAA HAAAAAA!!!"
Blanche approached Petronella, then hugged Petronella's trembling body in tears...
"You have done an excellent job, Petronella. The remaining 34 people were saved because of your strength."
...
...
At the Barkaley residence, a girl was busy practicing dance with her teacher when suddenly someone opened the door.
A maid with a panicked face entered.
"What are you doing? You're interrupting my precious study time, you're ruining my concentration!" she scolded.
"I... sincerely apologize, lady Jane. Mr Barkaley called, and it's about your brother, mister Waldo."
Hearing about her brother, Jane immediately smiled happily.
"Brother is finally home?! I'll be right there!"
Jane, without changing her clothes, ran straight to Barkaley's room.
Then, when she got there, she opened the door forcefully, hoping to find her brother standing there, surprised.
"BROTHEER!"
But, the one standing there was not her brother, but a tall, glasses-wearing man wearing red clothes.
In that room, she saw her mother and father crying.
"Brother?"