The Gap Between You and Me - Chapter 135

He checked several times to see if he was mistaken, but it was definitely Herietta. He quickly approached her. The soldiers who saw him approaching opened the way like the parting of the sea.

“Why did you come here?”

Bernard, standing in front of Herietta, asked. His eyes scanned her up and down.

“What is this outfit again?”

After the battle, Herietta would wear a skirt or riding pants that exposed her ankles for ease of movement. But not now. Standing in front of him, she was wearing neither a solid skirt nor riding suit. Instead, she wore the same armor worn by Velicia’s soldiers.

Bernard narrowed his brows.

“Why are you armed?”

“I want to go too.”

“Going?”

“I will also join the battle with Your Highness.”

When Bernard asked back with a look of doubt, Herietta once again vigorously clarified her intentions. Hearing Herietta’s answer, he looked down at her in silence for a moment. Soon after, his complexion suddenly darkened.

“You want to join the battle? What nonsense is that?”

With a sharp shot, Bernard snapped his fingers and called a nearby knight. The knight immediately ran to the call of a man like the king here. Bernard nodded and pointed to the knight and said.

“Follow Sir Maxwell. There’s a place to hide under the fortress. It will be safe there, no matter what happens.”

Herietta’s expression hardened at Bernard’s words. She frowned, perhaps not liking his order.

“I heard that the number of troops is far too short. Are you saying that I should get myself away in such a situation right now?”

“You are not alone. Other women, as well as children and the elderly who could not fight, were ordered to evacuate there. So you should go there before it’s too late.”

“I can fight alongside you! Even if it’s not as much as a skilled knight, it can be of some help to Your Highness!”

Herietta strongly protested.

“When I was in the capital, Your Highness told me that I needed to practice various martial arts, and I followed that. Believing in Your Highness’s words that I have to be fully prepared so that I can seize the opportunity when the moment of need arises.”

“…….”

“Your Highness, think carefully. Right now is the moment Your Highness spoke of at that time.”

Herietta pointed her hand around and said. Bernard slowly looked where she pointed. The walls collapsed, the constant shouting and screaming, bleeding wounded soldiers and corpses strewn on the floor. Hell on Earth. Nothing more, nothing less it was the scenery that unfolded before them.

“So, Your Highness, please give me a chance. Please allow me to fight against them by Your Highness’ side.”

“…… That won’t do, Herietta.”

“Your Highness!”

Herietta raised her voice at Bernard’s obstinate answer. Then he raised his hand and interrupted her next words.

“Do you not know how dangerous this situation is? You could die.”

“Please! You don’t think I’m still afraid of dying, do you?”

Herietta put on a frustrated expression. Bernard looked down at her speechless. A person who looks young and soft, but at the same time has a strong and intense light. As he enveloped her in his eyes, ten thousand emotions crossed his mind.

“No.”

Bernard’s neck moved.

“Even if you don’t, I’m afraid.”

“!”

“If anything happens to you, I will never forgive myself.”

His voice sank heavily.

At this point, he can’t guarantee whether he will be able to come back alive, and whether he will be able to face her again. There was a lot he wanted to say, but the time given was limited.

“Herietta Mackenzie.”

Bernard quietly called Herietta’s name.

“If you come out of the fortress, I won’t be able to properly look after the situation because I will be worrying about you. But that doesn’t mean I can’t fully take care of you.”

“…….”

“I already know that you are stubborn. And as you said, you will definitely be able to help me.”

He held her in his arms. Then he whispered, burying his face in the nape of her neck.

“But please. Please follow my will this time.”

* * *

Bernard’s prediction was correct. The Kustan army, which had been fiercely attacking the fortress, changed its target the moment his troops appeared out of the fortress.

The catapults that bent their bodies against the fortress walls, the battering ram that exposed their sharp teeth in front of the fortress walls, and the soldiers who endlessly moved forward to cross the fortress wall all stopped their actions. Then they turned and started attacking the Velician soldiers who fearlessly marched towards them.

“…….”

Bernard ran madly and swung his sword at random. He didn’t have time to decide whether it was an enemy or an ally standing in his way. He was given only 4,000 men, and his enemy had twice as many men.

And that wasn’t all. He had commanded subjugation operations a few times, but this was the first time he had commanded a battle on such a large scale. On the other hand, the commander of the Kustan army must have fought countless battles. Not only in the size of his forces, but also in his experience and skill as a commander, Bernard was markedly inferior to his opponents.

If the bard had been here, he would have described this moment as the ruin of Velicia.

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