Chapter 2

Hidden among the dense greenery of Iorenti, Delia looked out over Alden Plateau through her telescope.

The telescope was pointed at a long procession of imperial troops that took her breath away.

Everywhere, flags symbolizing the empire fluttered in the wind.

Those imperial dogs.

Daring to look down upon our Kingdom of Iorenti.

Delia gritted her teeth, following the procession of imperial troops with her telescope.

Next to her, Captain Zer looked on with a worried expression.

"Captain, are you really going to carry out that operation?"

"I have to."

Even as Delia chewed her lips, her eyes couldn't leave the telescope.

"Thirty soldiers died trying to attack him. They were clearly out of range, but they got shot and died from a place where we thought bullets couldn't reach."

Delia took her eyes off the telescope and looked at Zer with her blue eyes.

Despite being worn out from not being able to rest or eat properly, her gaze remained steadfast.

"The Empire's weapons have exceeded our expectations. Do you know what that means?"

"That makes it even more dangerous for you."

Captain Zer looked at his master with an anxious gaze.

The golden hair of the Iorenti princess, who inherited the blood of the former king, fluttered in the wind.

"We need to know exactly what weapons our enemies are trying to attack us with in order to prepare for them. It's something I have to do, even if it's dangerous."

Delia, who had made a firm resolve, again raised her telescope and looked at the imperial troops crossing the plateau.

At the forefront of the imperial troops was a figure presumed to be the commander.

The figure, who wore a black felt hat adorned with red feathers signifying a commander and a uniform embroidered with gold threads, was distinctive enough to recognize even from a distance.

"If only I could plunge a knife into that bastard's heart…."

Delia, who had been nervously biting her lip, lowered her telescope and looked around.

Her gaze met with that of her royal guards.

Their usually tidy appearance was nowhere to be found after more than ten days without a proper meal or bath.

They looked like beggars that wouldn't be out of place being called bandits, but the gaze waiting for orders was still fiercely bright.

"We're going to split into two teams. The distraction team will follow me and draw the attention of the imperial troops, and in the meantime, the recovery team will follow Zer to retrieve the imperial troops' weapon crates."

"Yes, Captain."

The royal guards put their hands on their chests and bowed their heads.

"Make sure to confirm the escape route once more before the attack. We'll meet at the rendezvous point after completing the mission."

Delia, with her frosty blue eyes, took in each of them.

They weren't many, but they were the royal guards of Iorenti, the best of the best.

She was certain they would definitely accomplish this mission.

Even if they had to prepare for death.

That fact made Delia's heart ache more.

"And don't confront the imperial troops, especially the commander, just retreat immediately."

With a desperate heart, Delia gave her final command.

"Everyone. Let's meet alive."

Commander of the Stillets Empire, Aaron stared straight ahead with a stern expression.

The green Alden Plateau spread out vast before him.

Aaron, with his deep- set silver- grey eyes, scrutinized the surroundings sharply.

"Just let them catch you. I'll kill them."

"You have to catch them to kill or not to kill."

"It's too quiet. What are they planning?"

"They're probably waiting for a chance to attack us."

Aaron raised one hand and nervously adjusted his military cap.

The feather decoration on his cap fluttered with his touch.

The gold button at the end of his sleeve shone sharply in the light.

"Damn Tarens Mountain."

The last country in the southern three- country conquest war, Iorenti.

Commander Aaron decided to finish off the remaining Iorenti quickly.

While gathering a large army at the border noisily to distract, Aaron led 10,000 elite soldiers to surprise attack the Iorenti royal castle.

That was exactly why Aaron was crossing the treacherous Tarens Mountain.

However, as soon as he entered Tarens Mountain, Aaron's plan was brutally twisted.

"I'm doing this hard work to finish it quickly. I didn't expect there to be guerrilla troops hiding."

The moment they entered Tarens Mountain in Iorenti.

What the Stillets imperial troops encountered was a surprise attack by the guerrilla troops.

They jumped out at unexpected times, from unexpected places.

They had to risk their lives even when closing their eyes, not knowing when bullets and crossbow bolts would fly.

"We didn't anticipate the ambush hidden in the Tarence mountains. Why did you insist against all our advice?"

"Colin!"

At Aaron's nervous call, Colin quickly changed the subject.

"Those guys seem to have a good understanding of this area's geography. Are they part of a militia?"

Too tired to be angry, Aaron answered Colin's question with a long sigh.

"They don't seem like a simple militia. Their command system is well- established, and their judgement to strike and retreat is precise."

"True, even seasoned officers struggle to accurately assess the timing of a retreat."

"They're well- trained, like an elite force…"

"They have a perfect grasp of the terrain here, just like the mountain bandits living in the Tarence mountains."

Who the hell are they?

Hidden in various parts of the mountain, their attacks have been so sudden that we haven't been able to see their whole force.

It was also impossible to estimate their total numbers.

Despite all the uncertainties, one thing was clear…

"The Black Mask. He's their leader. We need to capture him."

He freely roamed the mountain, making a mockery of our imperial forces.

A cunning guy who knew how to use the mountain's terrain to his advantage.

He would suddenly rush out and launch an attack.

By the time we composed ourselves to pursue him, he had already disappeared.

He always managed to narrowly escape, tauntingly dangling in front of Aaron's eyes.

His heightened senses constantly reminded him of the man, who would not leave his mind.

As he closed his eyes, the image became even clearer, tormenting Aaron.

"When we capture Iorenti, the first thing to do is to issue a warrant for his arrest. I must finish him."

"With his speed, do you think he will get caught just because you issue a warrant? Plus, we don't know his face or identity."

"Assistant Colin Drester."

Suddenly hearing his name, Colin straightened up at Aaron's sharp voice.

"Yes, Commander."

He must have crossed a line.

A chill ran down Colin's spine.

"Are you so tired of life that you want to die?"

"No, sir."

"Even pledging to 'capture him immediately' would be insufficient, yet here you are, spouting nonsense. You clearly wish to die."

"No, sir. Commander. I want to live long."

"Then prove your will to live to me."

"How…"

"Don't speak until I give an order."

"But…"

Colin tried to argue, but had to stop.

Seeing the commander's hand move toward his gun, Colin's mouth automatically shut.

"Yes, Commander. I will follow your order."

The commander seems overly sensitive.

Tasting the bitterness swirling in his mouth, Colin gently rubbed his nose bridge.

After all, ten days of relentless surprise attacks, day and night, had worn Colin down to the point of spouting nonsense.

Everyone here was not in their right mind.

The peace regained with Colin's silence was broken by the distant call of a messenger.

"Commander. Commander."

At the urgent voice, Aaron's eyes narrowed.

It was an ominous call.

"What's the matter?"

The approaching messenger reported breathlessly.

"The tail of the column has been attacked."

"What?"

The unexpected report twisted Aaron's beautiful brow into a grim frown.

His heart pounded with uncontrollable rage.

It was the path they had just passed.

The enemy must have been holding their breath, watching Aaron and waiting for the end of the column to pass.

Such a cheap shot.

Daring to mess with me?

With a low growl, Aaron abruptly turned his horse.

"The cavalry will follow me to chase them."

Before they could respond, Aaron spurred his horse and charged towards the back.

Aaron galloped against the imperial army's column towards the back.

The sound of hooves of the vanguard following the commander reverberated heavily on the ground.

As they neared the tail of the column, the sound of clashing swords could be heard.

When they arrived, the bodies of the ambushed imperial soldiers filled the narrow mountain path.

Those audacious guerillas were leaping over the bodies of the imperial soldiers, attacking relentlessly.

"And they think I'll just let them…"

Aaron pulled out the gun attached to his red baldric and pulled the trigger.

Bang.

With a puff of gunpowder smoke, the gunshot pierced through the harsh metallic clash.

One of the attackers who was about to stab an imperial soldier was shot and fell.

In that instant, the momentum of the attackers faltered.

"Retreat."

"Fall back."

The guerilla soldiers started backpedalling, then turned their horses to run away.

And as always…

The Black Mask was at their rear, being the last to turn his horse.

His frantic movement made his cloak flutter.

Again, it was fading like a mirage.

It was something that absolutely could not be missed.

Aaron's grey eyes, chasing the figure from behind, shone sharply.

"Chase him immediately."

"Yes."

Aaron tightly gripped the reins and pursued the man in the black mask.

Both the vanguard that had followed Aaron and the rearguard that had been under attack pursued the enemy.

The imperial army was racing towards the back.

The army, which had been marching to get closer to the capital of Iorenti, was in a retreat that was not a retreat.

No one thought it was strange.

No, there was no time to think of such things.

Only the enemy's retreating figures could be seen.

They were focused solely on tracking and annihilating the enemy in front of them.

The rough sound of galloping hooves shaking the mountain echoed as they chased and were chased.

Wild beasts fled in surprise, and the rough hooves kicked up the ground where they had been.

The trees that were brushed by them as they rode at a high speed also quickly ran backwards.

Several of the vanguard who followed fired their guns, but only the unfortunate ground and trees were deeply punctured.

Aaron further increased his horse's speed.

The cavalry that followed also increased their speed to follow the commander- in- chief.

As the imperial forces were hot on their heels, the guerrilla forces following the black mask began to scatter and run in all directions.

But Aaron's target was only one.

"The black mask is the leader. Just chase him."

As the imperial forces gradually narrowed the encirclement, the escape route for the pursued narrowed.

In the end, the horse of the black mask, which had been running around, stopped at the edge of the cliff.

The stone tied to the horse's hoof fell down the cliff as if it would never stop.

Only after cornering the enemy to the very end of the cliff did Aaron stop his pursuit.

Finally, he had caught him.

Victorious smile hung on the corner of Aaron's mouth, huffing and puffing.

"Nice to meet you, black mask."

This novel has been translated up to chapter 110.

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