Episode 145: The Decisive Battle
On the way out of the imperial palace after the court meeting—
“Yo… Yohan!”
Someone called his name.
Familiar with the voice, Yohan turned around.
“Your Highness.”
It was Raeliana. She was catching her breath as if she had rushed over. Only after struggling to steady her breathing did she finally speak.
“I heard that the Tower Master has requested a duel.”
“I was just discussing that in the meeting.”
“You’re not going to accept it, are you? It’s too much of a gamble.”
“…”
At her question, Yohan did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at her intently. Raeliana’s golden eyes trembled violently—filled with fear. But more than that, they were filled with genuine concern.
Yohan gave a small smile.
“There are times when one must act. This just happens to be one of those times.”
He couldn’t run away.
Nor did he want to.
He could never forgive the man who had harmed not only him and Francia but also his father-in-law. His rage still burned fiercely within him—so much so that it made him appear calm.
“If your resolve is firm, I won’t try to stop you.”
Raeliana looked up at Yohan with difficulty. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. It was both heartbreaking and sorrowful.
She didn’t want him to go, but she had no right to stop him. She was neither his lover nor anything else to him—she had no place to speak.
But—
“Please… just come back alive.”
This was the one thing she wanted to say.
“I hope you won’t be hurt.”
She wanted to tell him that.
“Yohan, you are…”
Raeliana whispered softly, her voice filled with desperate sincerity.
“You’re the first man I’ve ever truly fallen for.”
She lowered her head.
Holding back the emotions that threatened to spill over, she met Yohan’s gaze. She wanted him to understand her feelings.
“I see.”
Yohan slowly nodded with his eyes closed.
He had thought she had moved on after being rejected, but that wasn’t the case at all. Raeliana had simply been pretending to be fine. She still hadn’t been able to forget him.
But time would eventually take care of it. People’s hearts always needed time to accept things.
“Thank you for your concern.”
Yohan slowly raised his hand, but just before it touched her cheek, he hesitated. He was not someone who could stay by her side.
With a faint smile, he withdrew his hand.
“But there is nothing for Your Highness to worry about.”
Yohan bent slightly so that his eyes met hers, which were glistening with emotion. Then, he smiled gently.
“Because I will win.”
“Really…”
Raeliana bit her lip, swallowing her words.
This might be the last time she would see him. The thought of not being able to take a single step closer to him in this moment hurt her deeply.
The only thing she could say—
“I’ll believe in you.”
All she could do was trust him.
“Good.”
Satisfied with her answer, Yohan placed a handkerchief in Raeliana’s hand before slowly straightening up.
“I should get going. As you know, I have a lot to do.”
“…Yes.”
Yohan walked past her.
All Raeliana could do was watch his back as he left the imperial palace.
***
Lahart Imperial Capital Mansion.
Yohan spoke to Francia.
“The date for the duel has been set.”
The duel against the Tower Master had been scheduled.
Francia listened attentively. There was no need for a response, nor for worry. She wanted the Tower Master dead just as much as Yohan did.
“It will take place in four days, in the Kramel Wastelands, the land between the Tower and the Empire.”
Kramel Wastelands.
A barren, undeveloped land where no one ventured due to its infertile terrain.
That was to be the battlefield.
“How is your condition…?”
Francia asked cautiously.
“It’s perfect. I couldn’t be in better shape.”
The adrenaline coursing through his veins sharpened his senses. His instincts were razor-sharp, and he felt as if he could face the Tower Master immediately.
“Then there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?
“The Tower Master has suffered a critical wound.”
“…A critical wound?”
Yohan tilted his head in curiosity.
“From his battle with the Duke?”
“Yes. The wound is deep.”
Francia was certain. The Tower Master had not yet healed.
It made sense. Gladius Luminus was a sword of judgment, burning away the sins of its target.
No matter how powerful the Tower Master, no matter how supreme his abilities were, suppressing that divine fire was nearly impossible. It was the strongest artifact crafted by a celestial mage.
That was why Francia had not tried to stop Yohan from accepting the duel. He could win on his own.
“…Then my chances of victory have increased significantly.”
“Yes, and it’s not just a simple injury.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s like he’s been poisoned—his mana is continuously depleting.”
Yohan narrowed his eyes.
The Tower Master, Rein Adriche, was powerful.
To be honest, he was an overwhelming opponent. Though Yohan was also a transcendent mage, there was a clear gap between them. However, if Rein was suffering from a wound that drained his mana like a lethal poison…
Then he could win.
No—he would win.
Francia asked,
“Have you told Lady Rudella yet?”
“Not yet. But she must already know.”
The news spreading through the empire was that the Tower Master had challenged Duke Lahart to a duel. However, it had not yet been publicly confirmed that Yohan had accepted. There was no need to create unnecessary panic.
But Rudella would have already realized it. She knew that Yohan would never refuse a challenge, no matter how dangerous.
She was probably waiting for him to tell her himself.
“Then you should go to Lady Rudella now. She’s waiting for you.”
“I suppose I should.”
Yohan chuckled as he placed a gentle kiss on Francia’s forehead.
“I’ll be back.”
“…Alright.”
He left the room and headed toward the separate residence where Rudella lived.
Rudella resided in the annex. It wasn’t because she was treated differently as a concubine—rather, it was a space prepared with her in mind.
As an expectant mother, she needed a quiet and comfortable place.
The annex had been built just for her.
Previously, she had lived in the main mansion.
“Welcome, Your Grace.”
As Yohan entered the annex, the servants greeted him with polite smiles and bowed their heads. He acknowledged them with a casual wave before making his way to Rudella’s study.
It was the afternoon, between lunch and dinner.
Yohan knew exactly where she would be.
At this time of day, Rudella was always reading.
Sure enough, when he entered the study on the first floor, he saw her seated, immersed in a book.
“Hmm? Yohan, is that you?”
Rudella recognized him just from his footsteps and turned to him with a warm smile.
Her belly had begun to swell noticeably with time.
“What brings you here? It’s rare for you to visit at this hour.”
Thud.
Rudella closed her book and met his gaze, her smile deepening.
“It’s something important.”
“Something important?”
Yohan sat at the table and gently caressed her hand resting on top of it.
“You must have heard the recent news.”
“…Is it about the duel with the Tower Master?”
“Yes.”
Yohan nodded and continued speaking.
“I’ve decided to accept the Tower Master’s challenge. In fact, I’ve already accepted it, and the date has been set.”
He hadn’t informed her before accepting. He was worried she might be upset, as he hadn’t told her about something this important.
But he had his reasons.
He didn’t want to worry her, especially since she was pregnant.
“…I see.”
For a moment, Rudella’s expression hardened, but she quickly softened and nodded slowly. The smile that usually graced her lips was now replaced with a firm line.
“I understand. Given the circumstances, you had no choice. The Tower Master not only attacked the imperial capital and the princess but also left Duke Fervache in a coma.”
Yohan blinked.
She knew too much.
“…That information hasn’t been made public.”
“There are ways to find things out.”
Rudella chuckled softly. He couldn’t help but wonder where she was getting her information.
“But next time, if there’s something this important, I’d like you to tell me before making a decision. Of course, I hope such situations won’t arise again, but one never knows what the future holds.”
Her hand, which had been resting on the table, turned over, intertwining her fingers with his.
“Still, I’m grateful that you told me now.”
“…I assumed you already knew.”
“Knowing and hearing it directly from you are two different things.”
Rudella smiled lightly and tightened her grip on his hand.
“I’ll be waiting with your child, so come back victorious.”
“…I will.”
Yohan’s expression hardened.
Determination filled his face.
He couldn’t afford to lose. Francia, Rudella, their child, and everything else that mattered to him were waiting for his return.
“By the way, I think it’s about time we chose a prenatal name for the baby… What do you think?”
Rudella asked.
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Yohan stroked his chin in thought.
“A prenatal name…”
A prenatal name—a temporary name given to a baby while still in the womb.
Naming a baby before birth was considered essential, not only for the child’s brain development and health but also to recognize them as an individual. More than that, it helped form a bond between parent and child.
After some thought, Yohan answered.
“How about Lua?”
“Lua? What does it mean?”
“In runic script, it means ‘moon.’ When I think of you, Rudella, the moon always comes to mind.”
The night he first saw her as a woman—
It had been under the gentle glow of the moonlight.
“Oh, I like it.”
Satisfied with the name, Rudella gently stroked her slightly rounded belly and smiled. Then, she softly called the name.
“Lua… The moon that Yohan sees when he thinks of me. It’s beautiful.”
Her eyes curved gently with warmth. Seeing her like that, Yohan reaffirmed his resolve.
He would return.
Francia, Rudella, their child, and even Rudbeckia were all waiting for him.
***
The Imperial Palace’s Main Gate
The Imperial Guard, the Special Forces, government officials, and inspectors—
Representatives of the empire’s key institutions stood gathered to see him off.
“To Duke Lahart… Salute!”
Clang!
Swords and spears were raised in unison. The sunlight reflected off the blades, illuminating the palace entrance.
“Go and return victorious, Minister Lahart.”
Descartes Rozino, now the crown prince, gazed at Yohan with a determined expression.
He, too, was tense.
The outcome of this battle would determine the empire’s fate.
Yohan took a deep breath and fixed his gaze forward.
“I will win.”
The Tower Master, Rein Adriche.
The man who dared to harm his family.
Leaving him alive was never an option.