Emilio Harver of Cresna, born a peasant, died as a historical figure.

He was a common man, he expected to die a common man. But the War of the Empress turned him into a hero, or a monster if he had a say in it.

His Father was a fisherman, a common occupation in the port city of Cresna. His father was a friend of Lorenzo's father, the tailor. Thus, he became Lorenzo's childhood friend and his best friend.

When his idiot friend started daydreaming about the expedition, he just listened. He knew not to challenge his friend, he might have ended up rushing to his death to prove him wrong.

When his friend enlisted, he too enlisted. He knew Lorenzo wouldn't be able to survive on his own, even though it was only as a city guard.

And yes, unlike the other 300 people who enlisted, he knew that it was Duke Aldo, not the expedition that was recruiting. He didn't tell his friend that he enlisted in the wrong army. He knew that experience will teach his friend better, that the military life is not for him.

Emilio was a smart man, but as smart as he was, even he could not predict the expedition being wiped out. Even he could not predict the civil war that was about to come.

Enlisting as a city guard ended up becoming a blessing in disguise. To prepare for the upcoming War, Duke Aldo drafted more soldiers. He and Lorenzo, who enlisted voluntarily, earned a promotion and had better rank than those who were conscripted.

While their military life was better than those who were conscripted, it was still not easy. Emilio was worried. He could handle this harsh life, but Lorenzo, Lorenzo couldn't.

At his heart, Lorenzo was a kind man. This war is too cruel for him, and they haven't even seen combat. Emilio was worried that he might lose his best friend.

***

"Should I shoot my foot?" Whine Lorenzo to his best friend, Emilio.

Lately, Lorenzo had kept asking Emilio this. He knew his friend wanted to be discharged. He knew his friend wanted out.

"Don't, there's no guarantee they will discharge you just because you had a hole in your foot."

"Uuugh, why would they want a soldier with a limp."

"All they need from us is to stand and shoot. They couldn't care less if you got a limp or not."

Worst case scenario, his friend might end up with a disability even after this war was over.

"Just tough it out, if we're lucky the war will never reach us." Assure Emilio.

Lorenzo sighed, the military life had started to wear on him. He could handle the physical work, he could handle the abuse from his superior. But the gore and human tragedy, that he could not handle. Stupid as he was, even he knew the worst had yet to come. If the war ever reaches Cresna, it could spell the end for him.

"Don't think too much about it, just focus on the job, and the war will be over before you know it. Once the war is over, you could brag to every girl that you met that you were a veteran."

Emilio manages to earn a few chuckle from his friend, but even he knew that his word was nothing but an empty assurance.

The War will reach Cresna. Afterall, one of the Empress was holding up in Cresna, protected by her father, Duke Aldo of Cresna. It was only a matter of time.

Emilio had prepared a few escape routes, but he wasn't that confident in them. He contemplates on asking Lorenzo to help him prepare, but he wasn't confident that Lorenzo could keep it a secret. Afterall, these plans were nothing short of deserting. And he knew what happened to caught deserters, he ended a few of them himself.

Once he was confident that his plan was foolproof, then he will involve Lorenzo. Until then, he will become a model soldier and enjoy the benefits. It might be what he needed for his escape plan.

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"Woah, Emil… What's that?"

They saw a flock of crows, gathered and pecking at something. There were so many crows gathered that they couldn't tell what it was that the crows were flocking into.

Both Lorenzo and Emilio unconsciously aimed their musket at the flock of crows. Emilio knew better to just ignore weird stuff like this, but curiosity get the better of him.

BANG

He shot a round into the sky. The loud noise was enough to disperse the flock of crows.

Once they saw what the crows were gathering upon, Lorenzo puked.

They were patrolling the outskirts of Cresna, it wasn't uncommon for them to see corpses, however, none of those corpses were as disgusting, rotten, appaling as the one they currently set their eyes on.

"Sh-should we bury the body?"

Even when he was disgusted, Lorenzo still had the heart to pay proper respect to the body.

"No, just let nature take its course."

But Emilio wasn't as kind. He didn't want anything to do with a corpse like that. Even when they were standing meters apart, he could smell the rancid smell. He hasn't puked, but one step closer and he will.

Lorenzo felt relieved and a little guilty. He was too squeamish to deal with the corpse. But he felt bad to just leave it like that.

"Let's just go." Urged Emilio. The longer they stay there, the guiltier Lorenzo will get. He won't let Lorenzo stay long enough to muster the courage to suggest burying the body.

Just seeing it was enough to kill any appetite Emilio had, burying it will haunt him in his nightmare.

Rustle

As they were about to leave, they heard a noise. Both of them instinctively turned back and aimed their musket toward the noise.

'Shit, I haven't reloaded' Emilio cursed himself.

But he didn't see anything. Only the corpse.

"Emilio…down below, on the ground"

Lorenzo was looking downward, his face was a bit pale.

Emilio gazed down, and he saw… a baby staring at him.

It was crawling on all four, and it had human features. But it was so skinny and dirty that it looked like a ghoul. And it still had its umbilical cord attached to the corpse.

"Is that a baby?"

"I think so"

"Is it alive?"

"..."

Even Emilio can't answer that. The baby was staring at them. It seemed alive, but somehow Emilio wasn't sure.

And then it moved towards the corpse. It latched itself to the corpse. Emilio is not sure what it's doing, but it looks like it's eating the corpse. This was so bizarre that Emilio cannot be sure of what it's actually doing.

Lorenzo on the other hand, looked at the baby with eyes full of sympathy.

"I'm gonna take care of it." says Lorenzo.

He lowered his musket and approached the baby. But before he could get closer, Emilio stopped him.

"Don't"

There's no reason why Emilio stopped Lorenzo. He just felt that he had to. That baby, that thing, it was bad news. All his senses were screaming... telling him to run

"Emilio, it's a baby. We can't just abandon it."

Lorenzo was right. Morally speaking, it was the right thing to do. But…

"Can you take care of it? You're already struggling taking care of yourself. Can you take care of a baby? If it dies under your care, can you live with yourself?"

Those words stopped Lorenzo in his tracks.

"Bu-but we can't just abandon a baby. What if we brings him to an orphanage, or someone else who can take care of-"

"Did you forget we're in the middle of a war!? There's thousands of refugees on our doorsteps, do you think anyone can take care of a dying baby right now!?"

Lorenzo was stunned silent. He hated to admit it, but Emilio had always been right even as a child.

"Then, what do we do?"

In truth, Emilio wanted to concede to Lorenzo. He wanted to try and save the baby, and even if they failed, He knew he could keep Lorenzo from killing himself.

But his instinct didn't allow it. He never felt like this before. He looked at the baby that latched itself to its mother. He looked at the baby that was currently feasting at its mother. Emilio was afraid.

Run.

That's what his instinct was telling him.

Cold sweat ran through his entire body. His heart was beating like crazy. How the hell did Lorenzo feel sympathy for that thing? Did he not see that thing eating its mother? How bad is Lorenzo's eyesight?

Emilio steel his nerves. He reloads his musket.

"I'm gonna put it out of its misery."

"Wha-"

Before Lorenzo could protest, Emilio raised his arm and glared at Lorenzo. No more discussion.

Lorenzo shut his mouth. It reminded him of the time when they had to execute deserters. It reminded him of the time when Emilio took the burden of executing their former comrades for him, because he couldn't do it.

Lorenzo turned his gaze away. He was a coward. He could not see a baby being murdered. He could not see his best friend commit necessary evil.

Emilio approached the baby. The corpse's smell was so rancid it would make a necromancer puke. However, Emilio was so distracted by the evil he convinced himself to commit that he forgot to breathe.

He aimed his musket at the baby that was peacefully eating its mother. His hand was shaking. His breathing was ragged. His trigger finger was stiff.

And the baby looked at him.

And he was frozen.

' I'm dead '

That was his honest thought.

BANG

He reflexively pulled the trigger.

And it still stared at him.

He missed. He couldn't believe it.

The baby suddenly moved. Surprised, Emilio stepped back, almost falling on his feet. However, he regained his balance and composure…and he realized the baby tried to run away.

"Shit"

Emilio dropped his musket and pinned the baby to the ground. He pulled his knife and swung it towards the baby.

But he stopped before the blade could pierce it.

It was pinned to the ground roughly. An adult man was trying to kill it. And yet it didn't cry. It didn't even wail. It's just… stared at him. There's no emotion in its eyes. No fear, no despair, not even hatred.

What the hell was he trying to do? Why was he pinning a defenseless baby on the ground? Why did he try to commit an unforgivable sin? Why was he so afraid of it?

His hand trembled. He swung his knife.

Slash

He made his choice.

Lorenzo was standing with his back turned from the corpse. He didn't know what happened. All he heard was a gunshot and the sound of a struggle.

"Did you kill the baby?" Asked Lorenzo.

He was too cowardly to look towards the corpse. All he could see was the depressed face of his best friend… and the bloody knife on his hand.

"No"

Answered Emilio.

"I'll let nature take its course."

And he walked away without looking back. So did Lorenzo. He wasn't sure what his best friend did. He didn't want to know.

***

Regulus Eda Grigori Azali looked at the two giants that were walking away.

He wasn't sure what just happened. He thought he would be eaten, just like his mother. But he wasn't.

There's one thing he knew for sure. The giant severed his bond to his mother. He was now free.

Free to explore.

Free to hunt.

Free to feast.

Regulus Eda Grigori Azali didn't know what happened to him.

But The World knew…

The World knew that Emilio Harver of Cresna…

just made the biggest mistake of his life.