Chapter 58: Shadows of Revelation
The moonlight bathed us in its pale glow as I confronted Alex, my heart heavy with the revelation Erios had brought to light.
"Thousands of people used to die every day? Why have I never heard of this?" I asked, my expression filled with shock, struggling to grasp the enormity of the revelation.
"Duke, is this true? Have you been at war for such a long time?" I questioned, my urgency evident as I tugged at his shirt, seeking the truth from him directly.
"Master, I can explain," Erios offered, but I declined his intervention.
"No, I want to hear it from him. You can go," I said, and Erios vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone with Alex, who wore a solemn expression.
"Duke, explain this to me! Tell me the truth behind what Erios said," I implored, pulling his shirt closer to me as if physical proximity would bring forth the answers I sought.
"Madam, what he said is true," he admitted in a hushed tone, his eyes reflecting the weight of the burdens he carried.
"How? How is it possible? How could someone who was so young survive such monstrous battles? No, no, this can’t be true. I refuse to accept this," I exclaimed, my disbelief causing me to take steps back, as if distancing myself from the harsh reality.
"But it is the truth," he replied, his voice still soft, resigned to the painful memories he was forced to confront.
"I was sent to war when I was fifteen, and after five years, I returned to Ablia. I know what you’re thinking. You must be thinking that I’m a monster, that I’m scary. I won’t stop you from thinking that way because, in a way, it’s true," he explained, his gaze fixed on some distant point as he recalled the horrors of his past.