I am the Monarch

I am the Monarch – Chapter 233: Amaranth (33)

At the time the Lancephil Fief Regiment was capturing the capital, Miller, there was someone who drew as much attention as Roan Lancephil.

Aily Rinse who normally was called with the nickname a shadow princess.

Aily, who was known to have neither a particular talent nor background, had shown an outstanding skill in swordsmanship during the Capture of the Capital, Miller, together with an endearing feeling while calming the rampaging Roan.

The citizens of Miller as well as the kingdom’s citizen who later learned of the news sent incredible cheer.

The hero of the imperiled kingdom Count Roan Lancephil and the shadow princess who had hidden her exceptional talents Aily Rinse.

The two people’s endearing relationship and story became a strand of light and hope to the Rinse Kingdom’s citizens who were submerged in chaos and despair.

But for some reason, Aily’s whereabouts became unknown unlike Roan who had marched to the Infec Region of the Rinse Kingdom’s West after the Capture of the Capital, Miller.

Though a rumor that she had retreated to the palace and a rumor that she had marched following Roan to the Infec Region mixed and circulated in one corner, not one was revealed to be the clear truth.

She literally had disappeared completely.

The place where that Aily had appeared was the eastern region of the Maiel Mountain where the camp of Kallum Army between the KaLu Allied Army was located. (t/n: so… “between”, as in there are two armies in the KaLu Allied Army, and between the two, Kallum Army was the one located on the eastern region. That sounded a lot better in Korean.)

“Kuuk!”

“Uaak!”

The sounds of screams fully filled the camp’s inside.

Soldiers who engraved Kallum’s blue emblem on one side of their chestplates helplessly fell one after another.

The identity of the beings who roamed between them while swinging long and thin swords or effortlessly using large bows shockingly was not human.

Green hair and white skin, beautiful appearances together with small spirits that moved following their fingertips.

Furthermore, long and sharp ears were situated below the neatly tied hair.

“You, you are elves?!”

One of the Kallum Army’s commanders goggled his eyes and shouted.

Elf.

The beings who abruptly jumped up from deep within the Maiel Mountain and assaulted the Kallum Army’s camp were the very protectors of mountains and forests, elves.

“Ho, how are yo, you bastards……”

The commander rapidly trembled and shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it. (t/n: “rapidly trembled” or “trembled like a leaf”? I can’t seem to find a good adjective for describing “trembling a lot in fear”.)

At that moment, a translucent spirit flew before his eyes and shot out a sharp wind.

Spat.

A red line was drawn along his neck.

“Gguruk.”

The commander who collapsed together with the sound of blood boiling. (t/n: or delete “who”? Also, I’ve been thinking about the phrase “blood boiling”. The Korean term is 끓다, which literally means to boil from heat or chemical reaction like within a stomach, with no other definition. But blood doesn’t really boil in room temperature or inside a body, does it? However, there is a synonym to that which means to “bubble”. So I’ve been wondering, should I be using “sound of blood bubbling” or keep using “sound of blood boiling”?)

Next to that, a beautiful woman who unlike the other elves had a human appearance showed up.

Gentle eyelines and a clear skin without a fault, the identity of the woman as beautiful as an elf was in fact Aily.

She coolly surveying the noisy battleground and quickly gave out her orders.

“Be careful so that the fire doesn’t spread outside the camp.”

“Yes, Understood.”

Numerous elves answered, then lined up long along the camp’s fences.

Worrying of the embers possibly going out of the camp and catching on the forests and the mountain.

It was an undeniably elf-like action. (t/n: “undeniably” or “exceedingly”? The second one is closer to the raw.)

“Kuuk!”

“Kuk!”

Even during that time, the Kallum Army’s camp was turning into a wasteland.

Although the camp too was divided into big and small sizes because the legion’s scale itself was so big and though there also were camps that were furtively hidden inside the mountain and forests, it did not become a big problem to the elves.

They, with swift movements, skillfully tore apart each troop’s camp.

“Da, damn it! Wh, why have the elves become Roan Lancephil’s ally!”

One of the commanders shouted with death before him.

He seemed not to know of Aily’s face due to being a bottom-rank general.

At the moment one of the elves approached to cut off his head, Aily who was staying quiet stepped forwards.

“Are you curious of that?”

A captivating voice.

The commander who attempted his final struggle as he shouted unknowingly closed his mouth.

He had become encroached by the gentle aura Aily exuded.

He quietly nodded his head.

Aily faintly smiled and answered shortly.

“Roan Lancephil. Because he is my guy.” (t/n: “man” or “guy”? “Guy” would be reflective of the “girl” used in the previous chapter by Roan, but doesn’t really suit Aily’s voice imo.)

Her words and meaning, though separated afar, were same as Roan’s.

Simultaneously with her answer, the elf at her side swung his sword.

Ssskuk.

The commander’s head fell down together with a horrid sound.

A small tremble appeared on Aily’s gentle face.

Although she acted fine, there sometimes were times that were difficult to endure because her personality was tender by birth.

‘But the fate of Piscis is something that cannot be helped.’

The path of the Queen of Elves was inevitably set to flow with blood.

‘Since I’ll have to end the war with the dark elves.’

That was the fate of Piscis.

Aily secretly exhaled a short sigh.

At that moment, the elf who cut off the commander’s head cleaned his sword and walked up.

It was Lhaham, who had the most outstanding skill amongst the many commanders that directed the elven warriors. (t/n: I’m assuming Lhaham is male here, but there really is no clue about his gender in this chapter.)

“Lady Piscis. The first stage has finished with this.”

“Good work. Put out the fires and let us now fall back.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Lhaham slightly lowered his head, then moved the numerous elves with a hand signal.

Ppiiiiiick!

A sharp sound of a whistle echoed through the mountain.

The elves who were scattered in numerous camps quickly put out the fires and gathered.

‘The Kallum Army is returning too.’

The tips of Aily’s mouth gently rose.

Below the mountain, the sight of Elva and the Kallum Army that were charging towards the Parkes riverside returning to their camps was seen.

Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment did not particularly chase and returned to the riverside.

‘It’s as planned.’

Everything was according to the plan.

Her gaze turned towards the nearby camps.

Even among the camps that were ruined due to the assault and fire, there were few places that alone were unscathed.

An incomprehensible sight.

But even so, Aily and the elves had satisfied expressions. (t/n: “had” or “were of”?)

“Let’s quickly exit out before the enemies come.”

At Aily’s words, Lhaham whispered with a mischievous expression.

“There’s no need to so hurry. Since it’s still a long time before the enemies return. Ah! That’s right…… it’s not because of the enemies. You want to see that……”

The moment his words reached about that point.

Aily brightly smiled and nodded his head.

“Yes. I want to see him.”

A slightly elated voice.

At the all too honest words, Lhaham who had spoken up the words made a surprised expression instead.

The nearby elves were also the same.

“Orabeoni is……” (t/n note: see ch. 213’s footnote)

Aily didn’t mind even the gazes that poured down and whispered in a small voice as she moved her steps.

“Someone I can’t help but want to see.”

It was a voice as sweet as her smile.

*****

“Damn it!”

Kallum couldn’t endure and shouted.

He wanted to maintain his formality at least in front of Lukan Diez and the Diez Kingdom’s nobles. (t/n: “formality” or “face”? “Formal appearance”? Dictionary definition is “appearance befitting one’s position”.)

But this one time at the least he couldn’t hold in his rage that erupted to the top of his head.

“Elves! Elves!”

It was an existence they hadn’t even thought of.

A race that had already disappeared tens, hundreds of years ago.

Just those elves appearing was a startling event, but those existences being together with Roan was something even more shocking.

“Roan Lancephil!”

Kallum once again shouted aloud.

His rage exploded the more he thought.

‘Just when again has he gained even the elves into his hand!’

He simply couldn’t grasp the abilities of the person called Roan.

His face flushed redly.

‘We set up the camps on the Maiel Mountain’s mountainside and slopes without even knowing that, so……’

Just how laughable and idiotic a foolery must had it seem from Roan’s position.

Kallum couldn’t endure that very fact.

‘How dare you bastard, you bastard who was a mere spearman from a countryside village make light of the Rinse Royalty!’

A heated breath vented out of his nose.

Lukan who was watching that appearance from his side made a bitter smile.

‘He’s still young.’

But he too was flustered.

‘Elves……’

It was an existence Lukan too hadn’t even thought of.

‘It’s troublesome even with just Roan Lancephil alone, but……’

A feeling that things somehow weren’t going easily was felt.

His gaze turned towards the Parkes riverside below the mountain.

‘How much that Roan knows and planned is important.’

From appearing the instant they set up camps on the Maiel Mountain, to preparing magic weapons in preparation for getting attacked during crossing of the river, and even that the camp’s defense would become poor from reinforcements marching off multiple times, he had seen through them all.

But the most horrifying thing of them was.

‘That the elves assaulted our right wing’s camp as if they have been waiting.’

That in other words meant that he had inferred even Lukan’s refusal for reinforcement and had predicted that the right wing’s Kallum Army alone would go out in reinforcement.

‘If he truly had predicted this all and moved……’

Even if the reinforcement they had separately requested to the Diez Kingdom arrive, it was difficult to guarantee a certain victory.

Lukan’s gaze was still turned towards the Parkes riverside, at Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment.

‘This somehow feels like I’ve lined up wrong.’ (t/n: “or “…lined up on the wrong side”?)

A bitter smile hung on his mouth.

At that moment.

“Elva Dionell has returned, sirs!”

The commanders in the command tent shouted and retreated to the sides.

Elva, after cleaning up the right wing’s camp, had returned together with the Kerst Knight Order.

A defeated look overflowed on her face.

“My apologies, your majesty.”

She kneeled down on one knee and lowered her head.

Kallum tried to scream with a redly flushed face but soon suppressed back and exhaled a long sigh.

“Huu.”

A silence fell on the camp.

A moment later, Kallum who calmed himself growled in a low voice.

“The exact damage?”

“Amongst the twelve troop camps, the annihilated places are two, the places that received large damage are four, and the places that received small damage are three, your majesty. Thankfully, the rest of the three places didn’t receive any damage.”

A rapid report followed.

Kallum creased his brows.

“Didn’t receive any damage?”

For some reason, that part was sound harsh to his ears. (t/n: or “…that part grated on his ears”?)

“Which troops’ camps are those three places?”

“That is……”

Elva couldn’t easily answer at the quietly asked question.

While she hesitated a moment, Captain of the Kerst Knight Order Viscount Alan Davidson instantly answered.

“They are Dionell Troop, Kolkamp Troop, and Stenson Troop, your majesty.”

“Um?”

Instantly, Kallum as well as even the nearby nobles all creased their faces.

The three troops Alan named coincidentally were all troops related to Elva. (t/n: “related to” or “associated with”?)

Dionell was Elva’s fief regiment, Kolkamp was Elva’s mother’s house, and Stenson was a comrade and a friend that performed border defense together with Elva for a long time.

Elva quickly raised her head and looked at Kallum.

“Your majesty. This definitely is Roan Lancephil’s ruse. Unless so, he wouldn’t discriminate troops during a surprise atta……”

The moment her words reached that point.

“I also know that much.”

Kallum showed a neurotic reaction and cut her words. (t/n: “neurotic” or “angry”? I believe the layman term is “pissed off”.)

Elva quickly closed her mouth and lowered her head.

For the lines of Kallum’s eyes were fierce.

From the repeated defeat, his mood was at an awfully fouled state.

Even in front of a clear circumstance, he couldn’t help feeling annoyed.

Kallum sharply turned around enough for wind to blow and waved his hand.

“You are dismissed.” (t/n: or perhaps a colder version of “You may go back”?)

A cold voice.

Elva raised her head and tried to protest somehow, but Viscount Greg Sinaiz subtly shook his head.

‘Ah……’

Elva leaked out a sigh with a dejected expression and retreated back to the right wing’s camp after giving a short salute.

On the other hand, the Kerst Knight Order which managed Kallum’s escort stayed in the main camp without returning, and the Knight Captain Alan approached Kallum’s side as if he had been waiting.

“Your majesty. This too must be Roan’s ruse as well, but at the Parkes riverside battle just now……’

He, with a shallow voice, meticulously tattled the affable and friendly conversation that happened between Roan and Elva. (t/n: what’s the verb that people use to describe someone “telling on” another’s wrongdoing, like one kid telling his mom his brother was the one who caused a mess? p/n: snitched )

The face of Kallum who quietly stood and listened to the story stiffly hardened.

‘Roan Lancephil. Is it a schism this time……’ (t/n: “schism”? It’s an act of trying to break apart a relationship by sowing doubt.)

For something like that, it was an obviously overt ruse.

But on the other side, it was true that he got a very small doubt.

‘If this too is a scheme he made in reverse……’

A small wave arose in his heart.

The wave that arise once was bound to slowly grow along time.

“Alan. Carefully watch Elva.”

Ultimately, he even gave the order he couldn’t.

“Yes. Do not worry, your majesty.”

Alan faintly smiled and lowered his head.

Kallum exhaled a long sigh and looked at the Parkes riverside.

His gaze chased the unseeable Roan and moved.

‘Roan Lancephil……’

Uddk.

His teeth naturally gritted.

‘I may have lost today, but……’

A killing intent swirled on his eyes.

‘It will be different from tomorrow.’

That was a resolve personally bracing his disheveled heart.

However, Kallum overlooked one important fact.

That there still was much time until today passed.

< Amaranth (33) > End.