Damon’s hands trembled, his expression paling slightly.
Because at this mont, all he could think of was Sylvia’s prophecy — the one she had told Xander.
"Angry shadows descend... The noble knight’s dark deeds beco known. He had murdered night and day... He is disgusted by his own reflection... His dark deeds will be embraced by hungry shadows... Death is his final resting place... You will be his silent avenger... forced to forever hunt a faceless enemy... Hope you never see its face..."
’Faceless enemy... how fitting.’ Damon had not even heard the na of the Ravenscroft who had caused his parents’ deaths, but he was already ntally prepared to kill him.
It couldn’t be Xander Ravenscroft — Xander had been a child during the last demon wars. He would not have been on the battlefield.
Damon had always been the type of person who would kill anything and anyone regardless of their status — even if they were from a grand duchy.
"Which Ravenscroft?"
Linga bit his lips, knowing the political implications.
"It was in the seventh division of the Valtheron army, battalion six, squadron five."
He looked into the distance with a soft sigh.
"That was where I t your parents... like many others, they had been conscripted for war. At that ti our captain and vice-captain had been slain by demons... they were actively given the positions due to their rank."
He swallowed down the lump in his throat.
"The rest of us were not first-class ranked, so they were our best fighters... for the months that followed, all went well. A few of us died, but compared to the chaos of the war, our squadron was in good condition. After all, it was the division led by the legendary Seras Blade."
He laughed faintly, rembering the awe of seeing soone so illustrious in the distance before narrowing his eyes.
"All was well until the battle for Galain... we were facing the army of Demon Lord Adarmalec. The battle went on for days... weeks... and eventually months. During that ti, a young noble was given command of the battalion..."
Linga recalled the young man’s light armor, his sword, and the benevolent, noble bearing he had carried. For a noble, he had been competent and kind — truly soone who seed righteous.
He was wise and kind. A true noble.
’Or so I thought...’
He rembered that day like a bitter taste on his tongue. It was a routine inspection. However, the one who ca was the battalion commander himself.
He had stumbled into their military tent unexpectedly, carrying drinks and food for the soldiers — a habit he had picked up to boost morale. But the battalion was quite large; he didn’t have the ti to et all the soldiers.
So why had his expression instantly frozen when he saw the vice-captain without her helm? Why did he drop everything and turn around with a look of shock?
At that ti, Linga had not known. Now, he understood.
It wasn’t because she was suspicious. Sure, she never removed her helm outside when the army was moving or in crowded places, and she stayed close to her husband, the squad captain.
A few days later, she was summoned along with the captain to the commander’s military tent.
It was only later that Linga would learn she was the supposedly dead daughter of Grand Duke Damian Brightwater — and that the commander was the son of a family with equal rank and power.
More importantly... she was his fiancée. Had been his fiancèe
Now she was married to another man — a commoner no less.
No noble could accept that. No man could.
In the end, nothing ca of it imdiately — or so Linga thought.
Not all poisons were fast-acting. So were slow... corroding the heart.
The battalion commander kept to himself, seeing to his duties.
However, he would occasionally glance at the vice-captain. It wasn’t noticeable at first, but mbers of their squadron began to see it.
Everything remained the sa until the eve of the final battle.
The commander walked into their tent, ignoring who was present.
"Lady Ranar... co back with . Return to your father... this never happen, this mistake."
The golden-haired woman rely shook her head, holding her husband’s hand.
He gritted his teeth as if disgusted by the sight before him.
"This is foul... one of your standing should not be standing next to a... a commoner. I could understand not marrying if you had chosen a man worthy of you... but this..."
"Lord Ravenscroft, thank you for your concern, but you have no right to ddle in my business."
The coldness in her voice was sothing Linga never forgot.
The commander argued no further.
He turned around, stopping by the entrance.
"I warned you... I cannot allow your actions to tarnish thousands of years of pure blood... or the honor of your father and mine. For the good of both of our houses, I must right this wrong."
With those words, he left.
Linga sighed, looking at the silent Damon.
"Your parents decided to co clean to the rest of the squadron. They felt they owed us that much."
"We kept their secret; it was our oath."
He took a deep, pained breath.
"When the battle began, we were unexpected by a swarm of lesser demons. Far behind enemy lines...Our squad was ripped to pieces. Everyone died... I alone survived thanks to your father. The lesser demon swarm had been intentionally diverted there by him... so we would all die. It was a clean kill that could never be traced back to him."
Damon’s hands trembled as he listened to Linga’s tale.
"When I confronted him, I was arrested for trying to stage a mutiny and was to be executed... he couldn’t even look in the eye. My execution was denied by the division commander Seras Blade because it would damage morale, but I was dishonorably discharged."
"I took your father’s sword and your mother’s locket, adhering to their final wishes, and ca to this village... He didn’t send anyone to kill . Maybe he thought I didn’t matter... or perhaps he was too consud by his own sha. Either way... I’m here."
Damon took deep, slow breaths, looking at the world-weary man with lost limbs. Linga had only summarized what had truly happened, but Damon didn’t need more detail.
Just one... just one thing he wanted to know.
"Who was he... what is his na?"
Linga smiled faintly.
"Godric Ravenscroft... son of Duke Aspen Ravenscroft."
Damon clenched his fist with a smile.
"Godric..Godric, Godric Ravenscroft.."
He repeated the na, as if imprinting it into his soul.
It was evident Xander’s brother was fated to die by his hands.
No, it was his choice to kill him.
Damon’s shadow stretched into the trees, pulsing as his face paled with every second. His eyes flickered.
He tapped the man’s shoulder calmly.
"Thank you for everything you’ve done for my family."
He pulled out a vial of his highest-quality potion and dropped it in front of the man, along with a large pouch of zeni.
Standing up, he walked away without another word. His face was calm, but the storm in his heart was anything but.
A single tear fell from his eye, carrying with it his boundless wrath and killing intent.
When it hit the ground, the grass slowly shriveled, blackened, and died.
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