Chapter 133
Gilly spun around sharply, staring at Raphaella who was sound asleep, oblivious to the world, carried on Bill’s back.
In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts tangled in his mind.
He didn’t know who they were. But judging from the way they had guided the path and moved together all the way here, he guessed that their goal was the “shortcut.”
He didn’t know whether they were from this country or the other, but it was clear they were after information about the mountain paths. And once the guide’s role ended, they intended to eliminate him.
Because that’s how his father had died.
A primal fear made his heart pound violently. It was almost strange that the words didn’t fly out of his mouth.
“If I run away now… what will they do to Raphaella?”
Seeing Bill’s behavior, he thought that maybe they could survive. Who would carry someone so gently if they intended to kill them?
Besides, she was deeply asleep, unaware of the situation, and still too young to know the mountain paths precisely. Maybe, just maybe, they would show mercy…
No. That was just a rationalization born from his desire to flee. From his will to live.
Simply, because he wanted to survive.
Gilly’s dream was not to become a wealthy tycoon draped in gold, nor a noble with servants at his command.
He only wanted a quiet life in the mountains with Ella, living peacefully together. He looked up at the sky and cursed God, wondering why even such humble wishes were mercilessly trampled.
“I can’t leave Ella behind. Even if God has abandoned us, I can’t abandon her too.”
Bill deliberately glared fiercely, signaling him to run, but Gilly, focused solely on Raphaella, didn’t notice.
It was a very brief hesitation.
That short moment of indecision was enough for Linda, consumed by rage, to be overtaken by impulsive bloodlust. She had gone nearly thirty hours without sleep, traversing treacherous paths. Both her body and mind were at their limits, leaving her rationality completely paralyzed.
“Gilly!”
At Bill’s shout, Gilly snapped back to awareness, but Linda was already close.
From that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion for Gilly.
He could barely hear Bill shouting as if his ears were blocked by water.
And then, something in Linda’s hand flashed in the sunset light.
Thunk—!
“Uh…?”
Linda’s dagger plunged into the middle of the frail boy’s chest, deep enough that the remaining blade was invisible.
“Huff… huff…”
Linda pulled the dagger out, and blood splattered across her face, but she didn’t blink. Her bloodshot eyes remained wide open and glaring.
Gilly slowly lowered his head and saw his clothes turning bright red. Only then did the searing heat and pain spread across his chest.
“Guh.”
A habitual exhale brought blood rising in his throat. Warm and sticky, it flowed down, and he instinctively wiped his chin with his hand—only for his hand to turn bright red as well.
With a soft thud, his emaciated body that had been slowly tilting finally hit the ground.
“Linda! What have you done?!”
Bill ran over, contorting his face in fury, and struck Linda’s wrist. The blood-soaked dagger clattered to the ground in front of Gilly.
“Did you forget that the treatment of the children was supposed to be instructed by the Supreme Commander?!”
“I—I didn’t do anything wrong! It’s all because of him!”
“What are you talking about?”
“They say this kid’s father gave the enemy’s vanguard the route! That’s why our village was attacked. Because of that, my daughter and husband…!”
“Snap out of it! What could this little boy possibly have known? He lost his village overnight and then his father too. Even if he revealed something, you should punish the father, not kill the child!”
“A parent’s sins are the child’s burden! It’s only right he bears it! And why say he’s innocent? If his father died like that, he should have come down to warn us! He should have said the enemy’s vanguard had arrived!”
“What could terrified children do but hide?! Linda, did you grow up without ever making a single mistake? At least you had parents to teach you right from wrong. These children had no one to rely on. Surviving without starving was a miracle! Imagine if your daughter had suffered this!”
“Argh! I don’t know!”
Linda covered her ears, screaming wildly.
“I don’t know! I don’t want to hear it! It’s all his fault! I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“You… you’re completely insane.”
Bill shoved Linda away. She staggered back, covering her ears, muttering as she fell.
“It’s all his fault. If only I had warned… my daughter, my husband… if that damned stateless village hadn’t existed! Oh… God, when the landslide came, you should have left not a single soul! Ahh…”
Bill gently laid Raphaella, still asleep, on a soft patch of grass and hurried toward Gilly.
“Hang on just a little. I’ll take you to a doctor.”
He removed his scarf and pressed it firmly against Gilly’s chest. But the bleeding wouldn’t stop, and Gilly kept coughing, blood pouring out. Even the ground around him had darkened with crimson.
“Gilly, stay with me!”
Despite Bill’s shout, Gilly stared blankly at the sky. He seemed either to be dreaming or finally found some way to be at peace.
Seeing that Gilly didn’t even blink, Bill slapped his cheeks.
“GILLY!!!”
Gilly, watching the orange-tinted clouds, finally turned his gaze. His sluggish eyes fell on Bill, solemnly checking the wound.
“Cough… grr…”
He wanted to ask if he had really done something wrong. If so, was it a crime worthy of death? Was it such a great mistake to fall asleep on the road without ever having a chance to grow up? He moved his lips to ask, but…
“Cough…”
No sound came out—only blood-tinged foam bubbled.
“Damn it.”
Bill cursed. He had applied all the emergency medicine he had, but the bleeding didn’t stop.
He stripped off his coat, tied the already blood-soaked scarf tightly across the wound, and wrapped Gilly in the coat, holding him tightly.
“The village is just ahead. I’ll make sure you survive, so hold on. Do not fall asleep, under any circumstances!”
“Gurgle…”
Instead of responding, thick blood-foam slid down Gilly’s chin.
‘Why is he trying to save me?’
Gilly couldn’t even ask. His whole body felt limp and cold. The clouds in the sky seemed to spin around.
“Linda, we need to take Gilly to the village medic. If you lay a hand on Ella while I’m gone, I’ll deal with you under military law. Consider this a warning!”
Bill had to split the two children, which was why he raised his voice. Seeing Linda’s state, he judged she could no longer cause further chaos.
“No, I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m innocent. No, no, no…”
Linda, muttering with empty eyes and covering her ears, looked like she was about to collapse.
Bill had seen many like her after the war. Even those who held on suddenly broke in an instant, as if a button had been pressed.
If his guess was right, Linda would soon lose consciousness and faint.
Before moving, Bill looked at Raphaella lying peacefully. Even near the village, leaving a sleeping child behind weighed on him heavily.
But Gilly’s wounds were deep and critical. If he delayed taking Raphaella as well, Gilly would bleed out.
“…Hang on a little. I’ll be back soon.”
Bill, holding Gilly in his arms, began running at top speed.
Neither Gilly, struggling to cling to consciousness while watching Raphaella fade in the distance, nor Bill, speaking to keep him awake, knew what lay ahead.
A long, painful time would pass before he could see Raphaella again. And their reunion would be agonizing.
After Bill left with Gilly,
Linda remained, watching her daughter and husband playing and laughing behind her.
“Haha… that’s right! My daughter couldn’t be dead. She’s so healthy!”
As the hallucination took hold, her body sagged, and a deep desire for sleep overcame her. If she fell asleep now, she felt she could return to her family.
“Honey, my baby. Come here. No, no. Let’s go together, Mama too.”
Linda reached out to the shapes in front of her. She wanted to see their faces, but they only showed their backs.
Then—
“Ugh… ma’am?”
Snap. The hallucination shattered, and reality returned. Her outstretched hands were covered in blood.
“Ma’am! You’re hurt? Blood… blood…!”
Raphaella, awakened, ran over and checked Linda’s hands. Seeing no injury, she tilted her head.
Bill and Gilly were gone. The only things visible were the ominous, dark-red pools of blood.
