<h4>Chapter 305 – I Have To Go Back</h4>


    Paveluc stared at Elena with a wry smile.


    “I see that you are quite a talented fighter, but to think of killing me…don’t you think those aspirations are too high?”


    Not only was he an excellentmander, but he was one of the most powerful swordsmen on the continent. He had never been defeated inbat. Elena was well-aware of the fact, but her gaze was unbroken as she stared ahead at Paveluc.


    “We’llpare the long- and short-term ones.”


    Elena already knew how dangerous Paveluc was from a lifetime ago. But that didn’t change her mind. No matter what happened today…she was going to win.


    Swiiiig—


    She let loose her arrow. It veered in an arc, heading for one of the soldiers near Paveluc.


    Puuk!


    It pierced the soldier’s neck, and the soldier fell to the ground with a gurgle. The arrow had taken an unexpected trajectory, and Paveluc realized that the soldier had been her intended target.


    Even the most skillful of knights could not cope with multiple enemies on their own. Elena’s goal was to whittle down the number of Paveluc’s guards first, and Paveluc’s face contorted with fury.


    “Surround that bitch so she can’t get away! Show her what the price is for attempting to take my life!”


    “Yes, My Lord!”


    She couldn’t stop every one of Paveluc’s men with her arrows, and they would eventually catch her before she killed them all.


    The other battles raged around them. Paveluc had to quickly defeat Elena to avoid further loss of his guard, and assist the other soldiers. If he were lucky to capture Elena, he could force the other Ruford soldiers to surrender.


    Tadadadadag!


    Three of Paveluc’s soldiers pushed forward to surround Elena, but she sidestepped them and fled with feline-quick movements. The night was dark, and the moment she was past the glow of the raging fire, she vanished from sight.


    Paveluc realized that this was all going ording to her n.


    ‘We’re still ying in the palm of her hand.’


    Paveluc ran forward to close the distance, beckoning the soldiers in the direction where Elena disappeared.


    Piiiing—


    Another arrow shot out of the darkness and took the life of another soldier. The number of Paveluc’s 0guards decreased from three to two.


    But Paveluc remained unperturbed. While she kept dodging away from him, there was a limit. He spoke through gritted teeth.


    “You will soon regret not running when you had the chance.”


    Finally, the two soldiers, including Paveluc, managed to corner Elena. Her beautiful face was illuminated in the flickering light.


    Swig! Swig! Swiiiig!


    Out of nowhere, dozens of arrows began to rain down on Paveluc.


    “My Lord! Watch out!”


    The soldier rushed to protect him. Because of this, Paveluc managed to escape several arrows, but one of them pierced his left shoulder.


    “Agh.”


    He gave a short groan of pain, and he whirled around to look at his surroundings. Until now, he was only focused on hunting Elena, but now more archers were aiming for him from the dark. Paveluc’s expression turned grim.


    “The empress…was the bait.”


    Elena confidently stared down at him.


    “It’s toote to notice now.”


    This was Elena’s true n. In the beginning, Paveluc had about fifty troops with him, with Elena had some forty knights. However, she was able to conceal her smaller numbers in the darkness of the forest. Most of the Ruford knights shed head-to-head with Paveluc’s soldiers, while five remained as archers.


    She knew she could use herself as bait and draw his attention away from her archers. He would not have fallen for her trick if he saw her out in the open, but she lured him by weaving in and out of darkness. While Paveluc was a man of terrifying strength, his hubris let him be too confident of his skills. Elena’s n was executed perfectly.


    “As I said, you have to look at both the long- and short-term views.”


    Power was not the only thing that a soldier had to have, as battles were fought in various conditions.


    Sswaeaeg! Sswaeaeaeg!


    Another volley of arrows streaked through the trees. Paveluc grabbed the body of a soldier who had already died for him and used it as a shield.


    Paveluc then let out a howl ofughter. The scene of him smiling right before his death, backlit by hellish mes, was horrific.


    “…Yes, you’ve been using your head.”


    Paveluc had overlooked one fact. The war would not end if he captured Elena, but if he died here, it was all over. The enemy’s goal had been to kill Paveluc above all else.


    However, Elena herself had overlooked one fact as well. Because she was bait, she was in the range of Paveluc’s attack.


    Paveluc issued an order to his onest guard by his side.


    “Torch everything.”


    “My Lord…!”


    “If this will be where I die, then I refuse to go alone.”


    Hopefully, the fire would keep the enemies away, and if his n failed, then we would take everyone here to Hell with him instead. Nothing would stop him now.


    The soldier sensed Paveluc’s intentions, and he bowed deeply.


    “…Understood, My Lord.”


    Elena quickly drew her bow and aimed at the soldier, but Paveluc moved much faster.


    Hwwiig—


    Kwajijijig!


    He swung his weapon, shattering Elena’s bow. She quickly tossed the broken weapon aside and drew her sword from her waist, but it had limited range, and she was forced to stay closer to Paveluc than she would like. She was vulnerable to the arrows flying towards him as well. The Ruford knights tried their best not to shoot Elena, but she was forced to deflect some that came her way.


    Swig swig swig!


    More arrows forced both Elena and Paveluc to escape. Meanwhile, the soldier risked his life and set fire to the surroundings. The fire started out as a small crackle, but the unfettered mes soon grew into a roaring wall of redness and heat.


    Keuleuleuleung!


    Arge tree, its foundations weakened by the fire, fell to the ground with a mighty crash. At some point, the soldier who carried out Paveluc’s orders was no longer visible. Perhaps he had been taken out by an arrow.


    “Kollog, kollog.”


    Elena covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stop the smoke from entering her lungs. Billows of ck clouds filled the sky. The smoke obscured the archers’ vision, and no more arrows were fired for the moment.


    ‘Where is Paveluc?’


    She couldn’t let him get away. She had to kill him here before he could reach the Jenar Kingdom.


    Suddenly—


    Ssaeaeaeg!


    Elena instinctively lifted her sword and blocked the surprise attack.


    Kagang!


    She saw Paveluc’s face, as well as his sword glinting menacingly in his right hand. He continued a series of frenzied attacks, forcing her back.


    Tang! Taang!


    She barely managed to fend them off, when she heard several voices calling her from afar.


    “Your Majesty, are you all right?”


    It didn’te from the direction of the archers.


    Both Elena and Paveluc knew what it meant. It was likely the Ruford knights that had defeated the rest of Paveluc’s troops, and they were now searching for Elena in the mes.


    Paveluc’s face was one of unconcealed disgust.


    “I won’t be beaten by a little girl like you.”


    To Paveluc, Elena was merely a tool used by Carlisle. Never in his life did he think a woman would pose such a threat to his existence.


    Elena red fiercely at Paveluc and answered back.


    “I nned to kill you with my own hands from the start.”


    It was then that Paveluc realized that Elena bore a deep resentment for him.


    “Why do you have a grudge against me?”


    “You took away the people I care about.”


    Chaeaeng!


    Their swords collided, sending sparks in the air. Elena’s red eyes reflected the burning mes as she stared at Paveluc’s pitch-ck orbs.


    “People you care about? Did I kill someone else close to you besides your father?”


    “No, not now. But I am here to prevent such a future.”


    Elena’s words were iprehensible to Paveluc, but he did not bother wasting time with further questions. The world was filled with people who had grudges against him, and the Empress was merely another one in the line.


    “I don’t intend to die alone. If this is myst breath, then I’ll take you with me. Carlisle seems to be in love with you, so I hope he will be tormented with grief for the rest of his life.”


    His sword whirled like a violent storm. Even though Elena’s allies were nearby, the mes made it impossible for them to approach. Paveluc could make quick work of her if she wasn’t careful.


    “Ha!”


    Elena struggled to parry each of Paveluc’s attacks. If she didn’t do anything soon, eventually she would perish with him in the fire.


    But she didn’t want to die. She wanted to return alive—she wanted to be with her family and her baby and Carlisle!


    Thest words Paveluc said to her in herst life shed through her mind.


    — Even if you were reborn, the oue wouldn’t be any different.


    No, he was wrong. This life would be different from thest.


    Swiig!


    Elena did her best to focus her attacks on Paveluc’s injured left side. No matter how powerful he was, his left side was now vulnerable.


    However…


    Peoeog!


    He delivered a strong kick to her slim body, and she staggered back and fell. He slowly advanced towards her, while she struggled to push herself up with her sword.


    “Haah, haah…haah.”


    Elena’s breath came in shallow gasps. Paveluc was right in front of her, but she had no more strength left to even lift a finger.


    She had endured this arduous journey and came all this way. However, her physical limit was depleted.


    But Paveluc wasn’t in peak condition either. Blood streamed from his left shoulder where the arrow had pierced him.


    His footsteps stopped in front of Elena, and he raised his sword high in the air.


    “Now I’ll send you to Hell!”


    Swiiiiig!


    His sword swung downwards.


    At that moment, Elena remembered how he had killed her in herst life. He had beheaded her then. Events were ying out the same way as they did them. Except—


    Elena gritted her teeth and rolled her body in the other direction.


    Swig—


    Paveluc’s sword cut through empty air where Elena’s neck was a moment earlier. She gripped her sword determinedly, and thrust upwards, piercing Paveluc’s throat.


    “Urk!”


    Paveluc immediately raised his right hand in an attempt to kill Elena again, but she gave a strong cry, and drove her sword forwards.


    “You go to Hell!”


    Her de slid clean through the other side of his neck.


    After a moment, his body slowly toppled sideways. He copsed to the forest floor, his eyes open and unmoving.


    Elena finally killed Paveluc.


    “Haah haah.”


    She sank to the ground, heaving in smoke-filled breaths.


    It was all over. She finally seeded in taking revenge in this life. Now the ise family and Carlisle will be safe.


    The mes towered around her. She didn’t have any energy left to escape.


    ‘I have to go back…’


    She imagined Carlisle’s blue eyes looking kindly at her. Despite her determination to live, her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. Instinctively, she could feel that this was the end.


    ‘My baby…’


    She wanted to see Carlisle and tell him how their child had done so great…


    Eventually, Elena’s body copsed onto the forest ground.