Duke, Please Fail! - Side Story 1 (Part 4)

Side Story 1: Part 4

‘Pull yourself together.’

Rubbing his throbbing head, he unfolded the map. Originally, he would have discussed the next move with his advisors, but under the current circumstances, that was not possible. 

If Tatiasun were a spy, he shouldn’t know the destination to avoid leaving traces that could reveal their location to the enemy. He might attempt to contact the camp later to disclose their location.

Even while setting up traps, Leonel was tormented. 

What if Tatiasun had joined the war to extract military information? Was the worry he had been harboring all a lie? Where did the truth end and falsehood begin? Were the days of friendship, learning together, playing, and shouting during their youth all acts?

They were closer than family. Adelhardt and Tatiasun were like brothers. But if Tatiasun had deceived him…

‘Who can I trust?’

Doubts tore at Leonel’s insides like sharp claws. Despite tightly closing the tent entrance, groans and screams still seeped in. If Tatiasun were a traitor, Leonel held responsibility for not stopping him. He should bear all that pain.

Sleep was elusive. With bleary eyes, Leonel stayed up through the night. Before dawn, he rose from his seat.

“Leo. Couldn’t sleep?”

Tatiasun’s voice echoed.

While others were in disarray due to sadness, pain, and exhaustion, Tatiasun remained as composed as ever.

Leonel nodded and gathered the soldiers.

They had already pushed inside the Desatell border, but they couldn’t advance in their current state, with many casualties and injuries.

“We’ll relocate the camp and join forces with another unit.”

As they were at the forefront, they needed to backtrack to join other units.

Moreover, the camp was under frequent attack. In this situation, revealing the location of the other units could put more allies in danger.

The soldiers moved to follow the orders, but Faust objected. He followed Leonel and protested.

“Captain, we need to capture a spy.”

“…”

“If we proceed like this, even the people from the joining unit could be in danger.”

Leonel entered the tent without responding to Faust’s words.

“Faust.”

“What?”

When he called Faust in a lowered voice, an immediately discontent response came back.

“Why suspect Tatiasun as a spy?”

“Well, that…”

There wasn’t a clear reason.

But he had often witnessed Tatiasun acting hesitantly or suspiciously.

“He seemed to hesitate to kill enemies in battle.”

Tatiasun suffered a lot after the battles. Even when attacking the enemy, he aimed for limbs rather than going for a quick kill.

It could happen; after all, to survive, you had to kill. But regardless, the opponent was a human.

Leonel also felt that way during his first battles, so he understood.

The difference was that Leonel felt more anguish over the injuries to allies.

It’s a common human trait to feel the pain of known people more deeply. However, Tatiasun was different.

“He seemed indifferent when seeing the bodies or injuries of comrades, but he’s oddly weak when it comes to enemies.”

It resonated with what Leonel felt.

As Leonel sighed deeply, Faust added a final remark.

“And since Tatiasun’s return, there have been unusually frequent night disturbances among the guards.”

It wasn’t something to be taken lightly, even though it had only happened twice. Leonel’s unit was a small, elite force. Trained professionals wouldn’t fall asleep while on guard duty. And two people falling asleep at the same time was even more unthinkable.

At first, he thought it was a result of exhaustion from prolonged combat. However, after the second attack, it felt suspicious.

‘I should have noticed earlier.’

Leonel self-reproached, swallowing a groan.

“…I’ll give you the location; you go ahead.”

Faust’s face twisted in displeasure.

“Why? Do you not want to have people around you who are suspicious of your friends?”

“Pretend to go ahead and hide. Sneak behind at the very end. Find any markers if there are any.”

“That’s not the important thing right now.”

“Tatiasun is being watched by Arette.”

“What?”

Faust blurted out with a dumbfounded expression.

“So when you sided with Tatiasun, you did so to catch him off guard?”

Leonel sat down, leaned on the armrest, and rubbed his forehead, unlike his usual self.

“If you knew, go check it out.”

“Uh… well. Yes. Sorry for the fuss.”

Faust bowed his head and left the tent.

Leonel leaned on his arm for a moment, eyes closed. In his line of sight were a few letters.

Among them were some from his fiancée, informing him that she had found someone she loved and had to leave the territory. Since it was a notification, he didn’t need to reply. However, silence enveloped him.

Once again, the feeling of being left alone in the world, as if abandoned from birth, engulfed him.

“It’s exhausting.”

The words slipped out without him realizing, lingering like a ghost in the air.

He felt like he didn’t want time to move forward or fall into eternal sleep. But there were too many responsibilities to shirk.

He struggled to move his body and picked up his belongings. Stepping outside, in front of everyone, he called out to Faust and Gerald.

“Go ahead and inform the other units of our joining.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Faust spoke up, and after he left, it took a while before Leonel gathered the people and set out on the road. Tatiasun walked beside Leonel this time. Unlike the previous occasion where he had followed from behind and could engage in suspicious behavior, the current situation didn’t allow for such actions. Although occasionally absent from his position, he was mostly visible.

“All clear.”

That was the report from Arette, who had joined the others.

Leonel nodded.

“Surveillance is over, so rest.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Strangely, his heart didn’t lighten.

Leonel sat in the tent, waiting for Faust. When he returned a few hours later, Faust, with a guilty expression, reported.

“There weren’t any markers, in particular.”

Despite the clear need for relief, Leonel couldn’t hide the uneasy feeling. As soon as they returned, whether due to fatigue or reassurance from allies, everyone fell into a deep sleep.

Even after the surroundings became quiet, sleep still eluded him. Leonel extinguished the fire and quietly left the tent. Standing still as if lost, he eventually turned around.

‘After Tatiasun arrived, it was mentioned that guards fall asleep.’

Leonel moved toward the outpost. As he approached, the guard holding the bow raised it.

“Who’s there?!”

Leonel revealed himself quietly. The soldier who recognized him lowered his weapon and saluted. Leonel acknowledged the salute with a gesture and glanced to the side.

Another guard was leaning against the outpost pillar, dozing off. The soldier who had been awake was startled.

“Sorry! I’ll wake him up right away.”

After nodding, Leonel casually scanned the surroundings.

“Did you see anyone suspicious?”

“No, Captain.”

The soldier who was trying to wake his comrade quickly stood up and responded.

Leonel looked at the soldier’s face. Fatigue was evident. Despite making an effort to stay alert, he seemed like he could fall asleep as soon as his superior left.

However, Leonel didn’t say anything more.

“Good job.”

He pretended to leave and hid beside the outpost. The sound of a long yawn echoed sporadically.

How much time passed? The night deepened to the point that even the sound of yawning could be heard. Leonel lowered his tired eyes and rested his back and head against the cold wall.

He couldn’t explain why he was standing here instead of returning to the tent. He just had a gut feeling that if he waited, something would reveal itself.

‘Maybe it was just a feeling.’

He sighed as he was about to turn back.

A sound came from the opposite side, but there was no sound of warning as when Leonel had come.

Leonel moved silently.

He hoped it wasn’t what he thought, but when his gaze reached the spot, Tatiasun was standing there.

After confirming that the guards were asleep, he glanced around and walked into the forest.

It was a heavy but silent step, different from his usual patrol with audible footsteps. It seemed as if he had received extensive espionage training.

Leonel followed, maintaining a distance close enough not to be noticed but far enough not to lose him.

It was only when the light from the outpost started to dim that Tatiasun stopped walking. He scanned the surroundings, and then tied a white ribbon to a tree pillar. The knot of the ribbon faced the allies’ camp.

Tatiasun looked around once more and changed direction, walking deeper into the woods.

‘What in the world…’

Leonel approached the ribbon tied to the tree and pulled the loose end. The soft, white string dangled from his grip like a dead snake.

Leonel clenched the ribbon. His hand trembled, and the tendons on his wrist bulged. His bloodshot eyes were deeply buried in the surrounding darkness, tinged with a vivid red.

He turned his body, following the ribbon.

Approaching Tatiasun, he quickly untied the ribbon that served as a marker and grabbed Tatiasun’s wrist.

“What are you doing?”

Instead of answering, Tatiasun drew his sword.

Leonel lowered his gaze. Moonlight shattered into white fragments on the blade. Red droplets mingled, forming tears that fell like blood.

Two gazes collided, piercing through the darkness.

Tatiasun’s expression turned to confusion as he examined Leonel’s face.

“Leo.”

However, the voice calling him showed no deviation from the usual.

“I asked you what the hell you’re doing, Tatiasun.”

“…”

It was a pointless question. Was it hoping for a lie, knowing it was a lie, or hoping for a confession and seeking forgiveness?

If it was a misunderstanding? Could it be believed?

Could he be saved? Would he save himself, or would Tatiasun save him?

If he were a spy, he would have slit Leonel’s throat the moment he was caught. But Tatiasun hesitated. Leonel wanted to hang his hope on that fact.

“Tatia.”

Despite his confused expression, Tatiasun didn’t sheath his sword.

Hope vanished too easily.

“How could you, to me.”

An unseen hand seemed to grip his throat. His eyes, sharp with betrayal, were sharper than any blade. The white iris that burst open resembled his own red eyes.

Unable to suppress his anger, Leonel’s rigid cheek twitched involuntarily.

“You know, don’t you? What happened to me.”