Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 238

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 238

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At that moment, Cesar, who was reported to be bedridden with serious injuries, was quietly crossing through the Cursed Forest of the Night.

Behind him, elite soldiers followed closely on their comrades’ heels, holding their breath and staying extremely tense.

While priests had some immunity, knights who possessed neither magical power nor divine power were completely exposed to the forest’s illusions.

However, even when they heard the voices of beloved children, felt the sensation of demonic beasts grabbing their ankles, or were suddenly overwhelmed by illusions of the ground collapsing beneath their feet, the northern knights could calmly ignore them all.

Because they had learned to their very bones that everything was just illusions shown by the forest.

But the mages and holy knights who had set foot in the forest for the first time in their lives, as well as knights from other regions, were different.

Those bewitched by the forest’s enchantments kept trying to break formation, causing the march to be delayed several times.

Among them, the biggest problem was the Marquess who had rushed here from the distant south.

This young Marquess, who had just passed his coming of age, was so faint-hearted that he would jump in place every three steps, letting out dying groans.

Only after Cesar, unable to bear watching any longer, positioned him by his side did things quiet down, but the rising anxiety still seemed unavoidable.

Realizing that the terrifyingly vivid illusions didn’t appear when he was close to Cesar, the Marquess pressed his body against him to a somewhat excessive degree.

Cesar, with a raven perched on his shoulder, only glanced at him briefly without saying anything particular.

The Marquess, well aware of his own faint-hearted nature, swallowed his embarrassment and spoke up.

“I’m, I’m sorry, Duke. I’ve been told since childhood that I have a soft heart, and I suppose that was true.”

His voice, spoken with a completely dejected face, sounded quite pitiful.

“Being susceptible to the forest’s enchantments doesn’t mean you have a weak heart. It just means you have something precious enough to be swayed by the enchantments.”

Perhaps those words were quite comforting, as the Marquess hesitated and asked in a slightly choked voice.

“Duke… why do you treat me with such respect?”

A Marquess of an estate whose only possession was a small wheat field.

Without even proper knights, the forces he had brought to participate in this war numbered only fifteen, including himself.

Of course, it was better compared to other lords who hadn’t sent any forces at all, but he was merely a speck of dust who could have no influence on this war.

Moreover, his participation in the war wasn’t due to a great cause like the Duke’s desire to protect the continent. It was purely for personal reasons.

Nevertheless, Cesar showed courtesy to this mere Marquess that he didn’t even display to the northern lords.

While deeply grateful for that kindness, he felt burdened and couldn’t help but ask.

Cesar’s red eyes, which had been fixed on the forest beyond where darkness hung thick, turned toward the Marquess for the first time.

As he met Cesar’s gaze, the Marquess instinctively shrank his shoulders at the overwhelming pressure and slowed his pace to avoid his stare.

Naturally, the distance between them widened and the forest’s enchantments struck the Marquess.

In the distance, he saw his sword instructor who had disappeared five years ago beckoning to him.

The voice calling ‘Young master’ sounded so real that the Marquess found his gaze captured by that illusion.

Then, Cesar’s voice cut through the forest’s bewitchment and awakened the Marquess’s mind.

“Because I respect the Marquess’s decision.”

“My… decision?”

“Yes. The Marquess came here in person knowing what awaits ahead. I understand that it wasn’t an easy choice.”

Though his tone carried no emotion, strangely, the Marquess knew that Cesar’s words about understanding him were sincere.

As he drew closer to the Duke, he asked the disappearing phantom of his mentor.

‘Rachel, why did you betray me and leave five years ago?’

‘Why did you become something like a Dark Mage?’

‘What are you thinking now, cooperating with someone called an Ascetic?’

Naturally, the forest gave no answer to his questions. However, the Marquess wasn’t disappointed.

Because the person who could give him answers was beyond this forest.

“That’s right. That was my decision.”

The Marquess had intuited it from the moment he heard news about his sword instructor from the informant sent by Marquess Blanche.

That the time had come to finish what happened five years ago.

Eventually, the surprise attack force led by Cesar safely arrived at the forest’s boundary.

In Cesar’s eyes, blessed by the forest, he could see the demonic beasts swarming beyond the forest.

Demonic beasts were also living creatures. Therefore, they were taking necessary rest, but once day broke, they would begin their advance again.

Striking them from behind at that moment was Cesar’s role.

“Everyone, wait here until there’s a signal.”

At Cesar’s command, the northern knights moved in perfect unison to form their ranks.

Cesar glanced at the Shadow Crow on his shoulder that hadn’t opened its beak once, then turned his head eastward.

As if doing so would let him see Leo, who would be leading the eastern surprise attack force.

Though he worried that Leo might be carrying too heavy a burden, he had no concern whatsoever about the Child’s safety.

Because he knew that the person currently by Leo’s side, though not much to his liking, was trustworthy.

* * *

At that moment, in the Eastern Barrier Forest.

Chaser, who had been crossing the forest while keeping watch of the surroundings, suddenly rubbed both his arms and shivered.

“Teacher? Are you alright?”

“…It’s nothing. I just suddenly got goosebumps.”

It felt like he had received praise from someone he absolutely couldn’t stand.

To shake off the unpleasant sensation, Chaser gathered his magical power and examined the surrounding forest.

However, the barrier forest was eerily quiet, even peaceful.

‘This is all because Saesaek-i is nearby.’

Chaser glanced at Leo beside him.

Leo was walking lightly through the dark forest where they couldn’t even properly light fires for fear of being discovered by enemies, as if he had come out on a picnic.

It wasn’t just because of the Child’s attitude.

The Shadow Crows perched one each on both shoulders, his head, and in his arms kept making him forget this was a serious situation.

That they were currently preparing for a surprise attack while crossing the Eastern Barrier Forest.

The Shadow Crows, faithfully following Belinda’s orders, vigilantly watched north, south, east, and west, wondering if any danger might be lurking nearby.

However, the Shadow Crows’ vigilance wasn’t needed in the first place.

Compared to Cesar, who had taken along a few mages to support long-range attacks and holy knights to deploy barriers that would weaken the demonic beasts’ curses, the eastern surprise attack force’s members were quite luxurious.

Chaser, the Master of the Gray Tower, and three Elders under him, plus Cardinal Lionel and the holy knights she led.

Thanks to this, Leo’s safety as their guide was guaranteed, but Chaser didn’t let his guard down.

Because of what he had heard from Belinda the day before.

“I know the conditions for stopping the First King’s time regression. Close the gate in the North and don’t leave a single demonic beast alive. But I learned from seeing Ophelia’s memories that there’s one more condition.”

Belinda continued with a face mixed with despair and resentment.

“The Hero’s Star, that is, Leo must not die.”

Among Ophelia’s memories, there were cycles where time was rewound even though she hadn’t died.

What this meant was clear.

If Leo died before completing the main quest, the world’s reset button would be pressed and they would return to the past.

Upon hearing this, Chaser could immediately guess the Ascetic’s purpose.

Currently, the Ascetic would want more desperately than anyone to prevent Leo’s death. But even if not immediately, humans eventually face death due to old age.

However, the Ascetic had a way to prevent Leo’s death.

“Imperfect immortality…”

The image of the Orphan Boy lying as if asleep in the empty village where all the people had disappeared flashed through Chaser’s mind.

A victim of dark magic who would live forever trapped in a sleep from which he could never wake.

That was the Ascetic’s purpose.

To cast immortality dark magic on Leo like that boy, making him into a body that cannot die, thus breaking the cycle of regression.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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