The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 119:The Dire Situation Ahead

Kael stood still, watching the massive Byk finally collapse. Its thick black fur was soaked in blood, and its limbs twitched slightly before going completely still. The battlefield was silent for a moment. Then, cheers erupted from the soldiers around him.

The knights and warriors, who had been hesitant before, now roared with excitement. "HAIL LORD KAEL!" some shouted. Others clanged their weapons together, their voices rising with new energy.

Kael didn’t respond. He stared at the monster, eyes cold and calculating. As he watched, something strange happened. A rush of energy flowed into him, his fading strength suddenly returning. His vision cleared, his aching muscles loosened. The exhaustion that had started creeping in was wiped away.

He exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Heh... not bad," he muttered to himself.

While the others celebrated, Vic stood off to the side, arms crossed, his face twisted in irritation. He clicked his tongue and looked at Handel.

"Was there any need for this nonsense?" he scoffed. "We both know we could’ve taken that thing down ourselves, but no, he wanted to act like some goddamn hero and drag us all into his little performance."

Handel hesitated. He glanced at the soldiers, their once weary eyes now burning with courage. He wasn’t sure how to respond.

Before he could say anything, a cold voice cut through the air.

"It’s because he wanted to prove something."

Vic turned, frowning. A bulky, injured knight stepped forward. Despite his wounds, he looked Vic straight in the eye, his stance unshaken.

"Prove what?" Vic asked, narrowing his eyes.

The knight—Baret—paused, then gestured around them. "Look. The whole legion consists of people who haven’t seen much of our Lord’s battles. They don’t know what he’s capable of. And let’s be honest, he doesn’t exactly have the best reputation."

Vic followed his gaze. The battlefield was covered in snow, bodies of both fallen allies and enemies scattered around. But the men

are still standing... They looked different now. Before, they had been quiet, uncertain, almost like corpses walking. Now, their eyes burned with fire. Their postures were strong.

Baret continued. "Leading isn’t just about giving orders. A leader has to prove himself, prove that he’s worth following. Lord took this fight as his chance to do just that. And he didn’t risk anyone. He commanded well."

Vic frowned. He had never liked Kael. From the moment he had started following him, he had seen him as reckless, a lunatic who acted first and thought later. A man who talked too much trash to be taken seriously.

But looking at the men now, Vic realized something. Kael wasn’t just a lunatic. He was a lunatic with purpose. Every insane, reckless action had meaning behind it. The people around him weren’t just mindless followers. They were warriors who believed in him.

Handel chuckled and placed a hand on Vic’s shoulder. "He’s not so bad, huh? Maybe he really is someone we can trust."

Vic gritted his teeth but said nothing.

.......

Meanwhile, Kael stood near the fallen Byk, his expression darkening.

Gare, Kassel, and Heru stood nearby, observing him. The usual cocky grin was gone from his face. His usual madman energy had faded. Instead, he looked... cold and serious.

Kael exhaled. "Report."

Gare hesitated before speaking. "My Lord... 29 dead. 100 injured. They need treatment immediately."

Kael’s mood sank further. He clenched his jaw. No matter how many battles he fought, this part never got easier. Seeing his men—his people—get hurt, knowing they died under his command... it never sat right with him.

That was why he hated leading armies. Why he preferred to fight alone. Because every time he led, this happened.

He had seen too much of it in the Great Demonic War. He had fought on both sides—human and demon. And every time, it was the same. Soldiers who didn’t even know why they were fighting, were forced to kill each other for reasons they would never understand.

And now, here he was again.

Gare frowned. "My Lord... what’s wrong?"

Kael didn’t answer right away. But Gare knew the look in his eyes. He had followed Kael long enough to understand one thing—when Kael acted like a lunatic, it was almost normal. But when he was serious... that was when things got terrifying.

Kael sighed and sat down in the snow, running a hand through his messy hair. His expression was distant, his mind racing.

"This Byk..." he muttered. "It mutated. It shouldn’t have been this strong."

"Huh?" Heru raised an eyebrow. "How?"

Kassel spoke up. "It might have been blessed by the Ice Devil."

Kael’s eyes narrowed. "Tch... So that bastard’s involved in this too, huh?"

A cold wind blew over the battlefield, ruffling his hair. His thoughts turned to the North. To the frozen lands where something far worse than this Byk could be lurking.

For the first time in a long while, Kael felt something uneasy creeping in his chest.

He could only hope the Northern Gate hadn’t fallen yet.

.....

The icy wind howled across the battlefield, carrying the scent of blood and steel. Kael remained seated in the snow, staring at the fallen Byk with an expression that sent chills through those who saw it.

He wasn’t his usual, cocky self right now. This wasn’t the trash-talking lunatic that made reckless jokes mid-battle. This was something far worse—a Kael deep in thought.

Gare, Heru, and Kassel stood around him, waiting. The mood had shifted. The cheers had died down. The soldiers, sensing their Lord’s silence, stood stiffly, watching.

Vic’s frustration was still evident on his face, but Handel’s words lingered in his mind. He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at Kael. "Tch.I don’t understand why there are monsters up here when there is a Northern fortress blocking it unless.."

The unspoken word gave everyone a tremble. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

Kael didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he slowly lifted his head, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous.

Kael stood up, brushing the snow off his coat. His grin was gone. "Then we need to move. If the Northern Gate falls, this entire region is screwed."

The words made the soldiers stiffen. The Northern Gate—the final stronghold separating them from the endless frozen wastelands. If that fell, nothing would stop the horrors beyond from pouring in.

Handel frowned and looked at Reiner amidst the crowd,"Are you sure the gate isn’t in danger?"

"I don’t know."

Kael exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his head. " But if the Ice Devil is messing around here, I don’t like our odds."

He turned to Gare. "Get me an update. If there’s even a scratch on that gate, I want to know."

"Also, mend the injury and rest a bit.We have tough times ahead."

Gare nodded and immediately called for scouts. Soldiers rushed off, their armor clanking as they moved.

Meanwhile, the new knights and soldiers from Sparves observed Kael.

Kael was different.

Most leaders would have ignored the concerns of their men. Most would’ve only cared about the victory, about the glory.

But Kael? He was standing in the snow, mourning every single loss.

He wasn’t just thinking about winning,he was thinking about the consequences.

That made him dangerous.

Baret walked up beside Vic. "Still think he’s just an idiot playing hero?"

Vic clicked his tongue. "Tch. Shut up."