I Became a Sick Nobleman-Chapter 207: The Sickly Nobleman (4)

Dozens of connections to the monsters were severed.

“Did you think you had won?”

The Great Man chuckled as he gazed at the Hand of Death he had used. It was a technique that took the lives of everything it touched. Dust that had suddenly risen was now gradually settling.

A thick darkness appeared in a straight line extending from him. In that void, all the grass, trees, and everything else had melted away, leaving a blanket of silence on the battlefield.

“I…”

He hadn’t experienced physical pain in hundreds of years. Whether struck by lightning, sliced apart by sharp blades, or torn to shreds by monsters, it all felt inconsequential.

“I cannot die!”

For he had the ability to regenerate thousands, even tens of thousands of times.

“Creating new soldiers is easy! I will take them from you! I will trample you, Setiria!”

He raised the dead monsters. If he had no sacrifices to draw from, he would simply kill them one by one to create new soldiers. He could start anew. He was prepared to wait as long as necessary.

Clop. Clop.

The sound of hooves, which had previously ceased, began to echo again.

“…!”

With that, the sounds that had faded returned.

‘What is happening?’

He waited for the dust to settle.

Thwack.

Suddenly, an arrow with a pouch attached soared toward him from somewhere. Just before it reached him, the pouch opened naturally, scattering its contents.

Sizzle.

Startled by the unpleasant sound, he was slow to react, and his eyes began to melt away as he lost his sight.

“Yes!” Noah exclaimed, startled by the noise he had made, and hurriedly fled.

“Who goes there! Who dares to interfere!”

The sound of hooves grew louder. He spun around hastily at the rush of wind from behind him.

“It’s been a while, Great Man.”

“This voice is…!”

Jan spread his wings and pointed at him. The powder that had spread across the ground lifted with the wind.

“I didn’t run away this time. Not for the children I hold dear.”

The spirits followed Jan, stirring the winds.

Swoosh!

Seizing the opportunity, the monsters surged forward again, tearing apart his regenerated body, whether it was his fingers or his feet.

“Tear me apart as many times as you wish. I will not die.”

However, the Great Man smirked.

“Then I can just kill you as many times as necessary.” Tyson stepped forward, drawing a shield of flames towards the sky and designating a target. He then began counting down.

By the time the Great Man’s eyes regenerated, the scene before him was utterly unbelievable. Thousands of knights and soldiers had gathered, and hundreds of arrows filled the sky, intermingled with spells of fire, water, and other elements aimed directly at him. Yet, he stood completely alone.

‘Where is he?’

The Great Man’s eyes darted around, filled with urgency. The knights were overlapping, and Ruel was nowhere in sight. Before he could even blink, Ganien’s sword, glowing with a blue aura, swept across his neck.

“This is for Ruel!”

Sizzle!

“Cough!”

With the sound of melting flesh, he felt pain.

‘It hurts?’

In that moment, he experienced a long-forgotten emotion: fear. As he looked at the advancing knights, pain, absent for hundreds of years, awakened feelings beyond mere anger.

Shunk!

Dozens of knights simultaneously drove their blades into him while mounted, followed by hundreds more, cutting him to shreds.

Sizzle!

As arrows rained down and the powder settled, his body continued to melt away.

“Uaaah!”

He screamed in agony. The swords, the arrows, the flames of magic burning him, and the lightning striking down—all of it hurt. This was unexpected. Pain wasn’t supposed to exist.

‘This is nonsense!’

The wind howled above him. His body melted further, rendering him immobile. At Jan’s signal, the powder suspended in the air descended completely upon him.

“This is the wrath of our children.”

Sizzle!

‘Melting away. Disappearing.’

The Great Man was engulfed in despair.

‘Am I…?’

Crackle!

Aris’s sword, crackling with lightning, and Cassion’s dagger, glowing with a purple aura, swung toward the Great Man’s neck simultaneously.

“This is the end!” Ganien declared, matching the arc of his sword with the fall of the Great Man’s head.

Thud!

The severed head flew away, spinning until it landed where Ruel stood. The Great Man looked up at Ruel.

‘Me…?’

Gush!

Noah poured the powder over the Great Man’s neck. The black liquid oozing from the severed neck began to disintegrate.

“Even after all this, you’re still alive? Absolutely disgusting.”

Stomp.

Ruel approached him, stepping forward.

“Now I finally appreciate the height of your gaze.” Ruel looked down at the Great Man, a smile creeping onto his lips. Blood that he hadn’t wiped off yet still stained his face.

‘That can’t be.’

Red blood dripped from the Great Man’s eyes.

‘It can’t be!’

Sharp blades emerged from his shadow.

“I will not meet my end here!”

Clang!

The shield that protected Ruel deflected the attack.

“How dare you!”

It was Aris’s doing.

Clang!

A dismembered part of the Great Man’s body flew toward Ruel, but Cassion intercepted it with a swift strike.

“I am—!”

“You really talk too much.”

Shunk!

Ganien thrust his sword, coated with the powder, into the Great Man’s head.

“Aaargh!”

Cassion grinned, pleased with Ganien’s action for the first time.

Ruel took another step closer. “You were alone, while I was not. That’s the difference between you and me.”

A group fight is the most reliable tactic passed down since ancient times.

Ttak.

Leaning on his cane, Ruel took another step closer to the Great Man.

“It’s time to end this damned thing.”

Having blocked the Great Man’s attack, Ruel felt a wave of dizziness wash over him from the aftermath. He couldn’t help but wonder how close he had come to failure had he not deflected that final attack.

-We will help you. We won’t let that death reach you or anyone.

He heard the voice as the Great Man’s attack pushed back his shadow.

‘That voice was definitely Mayre.’

He wasn’t sure if it was just a hallucination brought on by his fading consciousness or if Mayre and the guardians were genuinely aiding him. All he could do was focus on the Great Man.

“I’m tired of looking at your ugly face. This is the end for you and the Red Ash.” Ruel looked down with a smug smile. “In the end, I won, didn’t I?”

Before the Great Man could regenerate once more, Ruel used the power of Radiance, the power of a hero. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Glow!

A brilliant light erupted from Ruel’s body, reminiscent of purifying light. The light was so intense that it illuminated the darkened sky.

“Aaaah!”

A scream escaped the Great Man’s lips. Before he could feel the sense of victory, Ruel belatedly realized that light was coming from his own body.

‘This is insane. Absolutely insane!’

Overcome with sudden embarrassment, Ruel endured Cassion’s mocking laughter.

—Woooahh!

As Leo rushed toward Ruel, he was taken aback by the warmth of the light.

—Ruel is shining! Ruel is sparkling!

Thud.

The knights of Setiria dismounted from their horses, even removing their helmets to kneel before Ruel. The remaining black-blooded men and the black things on the ground began to melt away. He truly looked like a God representative. One by one, they bowed in respect to Ruel. Overwhelmed by their actions, he felt powerless to stop them and, at Cassion’s nod, grasped the Great Man’s head as if to deliver the final blow.

Whack!

This was it—the final blow. It is truly over now. Feeling the unique power rising from the Great Man’s head to his arms, Ruel experienced a surge of emotion pounding in his chest.

“Do you really think it’s… over?” Even as his head crumbled, the Great Man managed to speak.

“Of course! Never come back! Get lost!” Ruel shouted, struggling to hold back a groan.

“You are now a hero….”

“You can keep that miserable title. You’re just a pathetic fool who can only run his mouth. If you wanted to be a hero so badly, you should have stuck it out to the end.”

“It’s your turn now,” the Great Man sneered. “You’ll be discarded just like I was. Just like me! You’ll become evil…”

“Shut up. Now get lost.”

Crash!

Ruel stomped down on the Great Man’s head to silence him. Hiding his trembling hands, Ruel gripped his staff cane tightly and stood firm.

“I’m feeling uneasy…” Ganien was poised to catch Ruel at any moment.

“I feel the same,” Aris added, eyeing Ruel with concern.

Ruel’s unsteady stance made them nervous.

-A hero must sacrifice himself.

‘Shut up, you fool!’

Ruel ignored the irritating voice echoing in his mind and surveyed his surroundings. Some bowed their heads, some saluted, and others gazed at him with admiration. They were all waiting for his signal—the signal of victory! Ruel swallowed the blood that had risen in his throat and raised his clenched fist high into the sky.

“Uoooh!”

In that instant, everyone erupted in cheers. It was brief, but the long war had finally come to an end. They had won.

Ruel watched as Leo rushed toward him joyfully. He smiled at Leo, signaling for him not to worry.

He had no desire to be a hero. He wanted to live as a sickly noble as he was now. Ruel shot a sly smile toward Cassion, Ganien, and Aris. They must have understood.

“Cough!”

As soon as the light dimmed, Ruel coughed up blood. It was a side effect of not fully absorbing the unique power.

‘That hurts…’

Now the pain surged through him. He tried to feign collapse, but his vision began to fade. His body felt utterly exhausted, and he sensed himself tilting backward. But then, several hands caught him.

“Ruel-nim!”

“Ruel!”

“Ruel-ah!”

“Child!”

The voices of Tyson and Jan were loud enough to drown out Aris and Ganien. It felt real now.

‘I won.’

Ruel blinked heavily, taking in the worried faces around him. Tyson, Cassion, Aris, Ganien, Drianna, Horen, and Jan came into view before fading again.

—Ruel! Are you okay?

Leo clung to him with a startled expression.

‘I told you not to be surprised.’

Ruel raised his hand to comfort Leo. His vision flickered between darkness and light, but each time it returned, one thought remained.

‘I won!’

Joy gradually overcame the pain, and a smile crept onto Ruel’s lips. The sky, now cleared of clouds, appeared remarkably bright. Yet, as his vision wavered, even the sky seemed blurred.

Tears streamed down his face on a day that should have been filled with joy. The memories of all the times he had fought to survive played back in his mind. He was alive.

‘I survived.’

Ruel closed his eyes.

***

Beep.

Beep.

The mechanical sound that had always annoyed him felt oddly comforting today.

“Father.” Ruel spoke softly.

“I asked you to visit often, but it’s been a while since you last came,” his father said, looking at him.

“I can’t visit Father anymore. I am now Ruel of Setiria.” Ruel forced a smile.

“Han-ah.”

“…!”

His father sat up. He looked just as he did in Ruel’s last memory, but instead of the recurring dream, he was now staring at him.

“My son, Kim Han.”

Ruel couldn’t understand why his heart raced so fast.

“Yes.”

“Well done.”

His father smiled, and Ruel couldn’t help but smile back.

“You endured well.”

“Father.” Ruel’s voice quivered. “Do you know how I managed to endure that pain?”

Since becoming Ruel Setiria, every moment has been painful. There were only a handful of days that weren’t filled with pain.

“Do you know how I endured that pain?”

His father looked at him with a smile but remained silent.

“Because you, my father, endured it too. You persevered. I…”

His father opened his arms wide. Ruel rushed into his embrace. It was a sensation he had longed for and would never feel again.

“I am… your son.”

He felt his father’s hand on his back.

“Be happy, Han-ah.”

“Okay.”

“Make sure to be happy.”

“Yes. I won’t recklessly throw my life away like before.”

“Good. You must be happy.”

“I will. I promise.”

As the sensations that enveloped him began to fade one by one, Ruel swallowed his tears and gazed at his father. He knew he wouldn’t have the chance to see him again. This was his own attachment.

“Goodbye.”

Ruel waved his hand.

“Take care.”

***

Blink. Blink.

Ruel struggled to open his heavy eyelids. His eyes were moist, and his arm felt uncomfortable as usual. When he glanced over, he noticed several IV drips, prompting him to look away.

“Are you in pain?” Cassion asked, slightly taken aback by Ruel’s tears.

“Why?” Ruel’s throat felt tight. “What’s everyone doing here…?” He looked around at the people gathered in his room, astonished. “Your Highness… you’re here as well?”

Seeing Banios among them made Ruel frown slightly.

“Um, well, I came because… By the way, does it hurt a lot?” Having never seen Ruel cry before, Banios was so startled that he forgot the words he wanted to say.

“Just… I had a dream I missed.”

As he felt the soft texture in his hand, Ruel checked his palm to see if Leo had been crying.

‘This time, he didn’t cry.’

Instead, his fingers felt sticky.

—Ruel!

Leo smiled, then suddenly stopped. His mouth was stained black from chocolate cake.

—This body was so excited to eat chocolate cake without even realizing Ruel was sick. This body is bad.

Ruel tried to cover Leo’s mouth, but the words echoing in his head wouldn’t stop.

“Come here, Leo.”

Before Leo could rush toward Ruel with teary eyes, Cassion grabbed him by the neck. Latest content published on N()velFire.net

“Beast, I told you not to smear anything on your mouth and then rub it on the clothes or bedding.”

“Pftt!” Ganien burst into laughter at the sight of Cassion cleaning Leo’s mouth. “Wow! You’ve really become a proper butler, Cassion!”

“Did Lord Croft really not know that Ruel’s butler is Cassion?” Banios asked, his expression one of confusion, while Ganien stifled a laugh.

“Yes, I didn’t know. It’s such a relief to have such a reliable butler,” Ganien replied with a bright smile, regardless of Cassion’s glare.

“Right, I seem to have forgotten that I have other matters to attend to.” Banios stood up, unable to bear Tyson’s uncomfortable gaze, who had been peeking through the slightly ajar door.

“Ruel, get well soon. I’ll be sure to take care of the rest.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Ah, Your Majesty has granted you the title of Hero of Radiance. The Noble of Darkness, the Darkness of Mercy, and now the Hero of Radiance. That’s quite an impressive collection of titles… ahem, well, I’ll take my leave now.” Banios quickly departed the room, noticing Ruel’s expression shift dramatically.

Ruel shot a glare at Ganien.

“What is it? Ah! Right. I should go get Lady Fran. I’ll be back shortly.” As they discussed titles, Ganien started to catch on to the atmosphere and stood up. He began to move but halted, as if recalling something, and looked at Ruel.

Politely bowing, Ganien said, “I genuinely admire your courage and bravery. It was truly impressive, Ruel.”

“…Okay.”

“Aris, don’t just linger there either.” Ganien nudged Aris, who was unable to enter like Tyson, who rushed in and closed the door behind him.

“R-Ruel-nim.”

“Thank you, Aris.”

Aris had done his job well. Both he and Ruel were safe. He saluted but his face twisted, as if he might burst into tears.

“Thank you… Ruel-nim. I’m so grateful you woke up safely!”

“I’m very thankful too. You have no idea how anxious I was, fearing you might not wake up.” Tyson was already in tears.

“Uncle.”

“Y-Yeah. Ruel-ah.”

“I… I won.”

“Right. You won, Ruel. You did great. So amazing!”

-Woahhhh! (Video device)

Suddenly, a cheer erupted, startling Ruel.

“Did you hear that? At that moment, when you raised your hand, the knights and soldiers were cheering loudly for you!”

Ruel squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Oh no.’

He had recorded that moment.

‘Uncle…’

“Are you… in pain?”

Ruel shook his head at Tyson’s sudden concern. He felt tired. He had just woken up but was already feeling sleepy again.

“I’m… getting sleepy.”

“Yeah, yeah. I must have talked too much.”

“I’ll come back later. Rest well, and leave the rest to us.” Aris forcibly pulled Tyson, who was reluctant to move, outside.

“Thank you for your hard work, Ruel-nim,” Cassion said, closing the door that was still ajar. He turned away with a proud expression.

“You too…”

Ruel smiled faintly. He had finally returned to Setiria. He was back to his daily life.

—Ruel, Ruel!

As his eyes began to close, Leo called out to him anxiously. Ruel looked silently at Leo.

—Are you happy, Ruel?

Leo’s eyes sparkled, repeating a question he had asked before.

‘Did I answer, “I’m happy?” back then?’

But now Ruel could certainly answer.

“I’m very… happy.”

—This body is so glad! This body is even more, more, more happy!

Leo beamed with joy.

—Is Cassion happy too?

“Well, probably?”

—Gasp! Is Cassion still not happy?

“No, he’s happy.”

—Ahem! This body will teach him what happiness is.

Ruel closed his eyes, using their conversation as a lullaby. He felt relieved. There would be more joyful days ahead. No matter what challenges arose, he would not be swept away. No matter what hardships came his way, he had nothing to fear now. He was stronger than any roots.

‘I am… Kim Han and Ruel Setiria.’

Author's Thoughts

The part with his father brings me to tears. 😭