Ataraxia Abyss
Chapter 58: The Sacrifice

Kallen and King Victoria were stunned to see Boudica hitting Regal's face so hard. But the young man still stood up straight and looked at the face of the Queen who had lost her emotions. "You... Is this part of the deal? We sacrificed tens of thousands of people just for the sake of this agreement?! Tell me Regal!!" The young man did not move at all but he answered Boudica's question while looking at her eyes. "Well... Besides marriage, to convince Victoria and her people that you're harmless, we're sacrificing you..." Boudica who heard him was clearly upset, but she was too shocked by this reality to hit Regal again. "What's wrong? Isn't this what you want? Isn't this what you all want? A development of the times, you and the Eceni have always believed in it because of the dream of your deceased husband to make Eceni and the tribes on this island get a decent life.

Or maybe you've forgotten why you're fighting? Queen Boudica..." Boudica cried contemplating her actions. It is true that they wanted to win the war, but after this war ended they would go back to war with Victoria. Boudica knew that it was very difficult to turn Barbarian into a Royal Knight, so that Regal made this fight into Genocide so that the new generation could develop and not be bound by the culture that would eventually kill them. Regal knew that, and he also knew that sooner or later there would be a coup by the tribes if they still adhered to their old ideology, so this action was necessary.

"80,000 fighters, fought bravely but they could only kill 400 men. It will be a disgrace, and it will be a lesson for you. Be aware and accept the reality of Queen Boudica..." Regal leaves the woman to weep over the dead bodies of his fallen comrades. Although most of them were people who had been his enemies, Boudica still cried. In Regal's heart he said, "It's naive..." Before he finally left the Queen was crying alone...

———

After the war, Templars who were prisoners of war were exchanged for slaves from Victoria and various tribes. Of course, based on Malek's decision, it was done for propaganda so that Victoria could win the hearts of the Barbarians. After the war there was also a funeral, people mourned the struggles of the fallen Warriors either from the Barbarian or Victorian side. It was also done so that the Barbarians and the Victorians would realize that they were both lost, and after Regal and his wife were done with all their affairs,they eventually left the island as soon as they got their pay.

"Regals... Is what we're doing right?" Kallen asked Regal who was cooking dinner on their small boat. "Well, it is painful but sacrifice is necessary to achieve peace. In part what the Eceni as a client want, we are here just doing Kallen's job. War and propaganda are things you have to deal with when you become a Mercenary..." For Kallen it was painful, but he could feel that Regal was also forced to do so. For him killing the enemy was fine, but this was the first time he had killed an innocent person for the benefit of the crowd. Although the principle is the same as killing the enemy, but she is still not used to it, as well as her husband...

After traveling for days, they were still in the middle of the sea. It was unexpected that the war only happened for 3 months, the various kinds of battles they experienced there. As soon as Kallen saw Regal's face, he still did not smile, so he decided to sacrifice the lives of tens of thousands of people and left without apologizing to anyone, he never smiled until then.

They both lay in bed. Regal avoids Kallen's eyes, which makes Kallen sad, he hugs Regal from behind and tries to comfort her husband. And as he hugged her, Regal spoke. "When I found out about my father and mother, I began to lose my humanity little by little. Honestly, it's kind of scary... I didn't want to be like my father, I still wanted to be human, but I realized that it was my human side that made me weak...

Tell me Kallen... The person you're hugging right now, after sacrificing the lives of tens of thousands of people, is he a human or a demon?" The question made Kallen realize that Regal was lost, just as he had come home from where his mother had been killed. He hugged her tighter and answered. "Man or the devil, you are my husband and I am your wife. Even when you fall to hell, I'll pick you up... Not only that, if you've turned into a demon completely down there, then I'll still hold you and love you. That's how deep I love you Regal..." Regal who heard it finally started to turn around, their eyes met and he finally touched his wife's lips.

———

After they teleported, Roland was treated and recovered. He then went to pray at the temple to apologize to Aria, but his evening prayer was interrupted by his uncle Charles. "You've fought very well, what about your injuries?" Roland then knelt down before Charles and apologized. "My injuries are nothing compared to the shame the Holy Kingdom suffered, I have given an ultimatum, but they refused and I instead forced the war just because I saw the opportunity. My selfishness has made the Kingdom and also Goddess Aria ashamed..." Hearing Roland's words, Charles closed his eyes and replied. "Hmm, that can't be denied anymore. We are fighting a follower of the Teloch God, the God who was once worshipped as the God of War before he had to lay down his weapons and take care of the underworld. Especially from the statement that Regal is his son, I'm even more surprised you can be as long as he is..."

Unable to be silent about the humiliation Regal had done by defeating their best Legion and insulting their Goddess in front of the 2 Paladins, Roland was obviously upset, and seeing his Uncle currently in front of him he also began to ask. "In the battle ahead I doubt if I can win from that person or not, his ability to dance and deceive the enemy with his sword is a talent I cannot rival, hence from it... Can I wear that thing? Your Honour..."

———

After asking permission from his Uncle, Roland went to the Templars headquarters to continue working. But he heard the voice of the person who stopped him while walking down the hall. "Roll!" Looking back, he was approached by one of the paladins. "Oliver? Why are you in such a hurry?" That man was Oliver, he was the strongest Paladin after Roland as well as the most trusted partner by Roland. "Certainly because I heard you were so badly injured that you had to withdraw from Victoria. So, you see him again?" Roland nodded and replied. "So you came home early just to see my situation? Hmm, that's right I met him. Honestly speaking, he is stronger than I expected, I think just because he is a Mercenary who has no understanding of Knights instead makes me superior. But the young man managed to let me off guard and get hurt."

Hearing the words of his friend, Oliver replied. "of course... Mercenaries are neither knights nor saints. We can't equate them with us..." Roland looked at his wound and replied. "No... That's how a fighter must fight." Oliver put on an angry face, he was obviously angry at Regal who had injured his best friend. "But we don't have to worry anymore." Roland took a box out of his pants pocket and showed it to Oliver, seeing that it made Oliver distrustful. It never occurred to him that the King would give the holy object to Roland. "If you're holding something it means..." Roland interrupted her and replied. "I won't lose... That's for sure!"

...***...