Future Knight

Chapter 124

“……”

At the mention that her kin had left the continent, Platina’s expression darkened instantly.

Even though she was staying here comfortably under Kang Chan’s protection, the news that her kin had abandoned her was a significant shock.

Moreover, those words meant that the war had ended.

“Then the war is over.”

At Platina’s words, Kang Chan slowly nodded.

“Then, what will happen to me?”

“I’ll send you back to your kin.”

“Pardon?”

Platina couldn’t believe her ears when Kang Chan said he would send her back to her people.

It was certainly something she had dreamed of.

However, her joy was fleeting as sorrow crossed her face. Even though she could return to the embrace of her kin, something she had longed for so much.

It was then that she realized.

The man before her had taken such a deep place in her heart.

“Prepare to leave and follow me.”

“Now?”

Kang Chan nodded silently.

“Alright.”

Despite her anxiety, she packed her few belongings and followed Kang Chan.

Erika, who was watching Kang Chan from afar, instinctively knew that he intended to take Platina to Iceland.

It was only then that she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Because she knew he wasn’t going to use Platina as a replacement for Jaina.

Kang Chan took Platina to the port of the now-deserted Kingdom of Keremel.

It was once filled with countless soldiers, leaving behind traces of their stay, but now a heavy silence lingered as if a ghost might appear.

There, a small boat Kang Chan had secretly prepared was docked.

The boat was stocked with thick winter clothes to withstand the severe cold and some provisions.

“Do you know how to sail?”

She nodded slowly, her eyes welling with tears. But seeing her, Kang Chan spoke even more coldly.

“Go, and never return here.”

“……”

Despite Kang Chan’s cold words, Platina’s legs refused to move.

“What are you hesitating for? This is your only chance to escape. Don’t hesitate, just leave.”

“……”

The two stood in silence, facing each other.

As if time had stopped.

How much time had passed like that?

Breaking the heavy silence, Kang Chan turned away, leaving her with his final words.

“Goodbye.”

Just as Kang Chan was about to leave after his farewell, Platina grabbed him.

“Wait a moment!”

“……”

An awkward silence hung between them.

Kang Chan, who had firmly resolved to turn away coldly, felt his heart shake violently.

‘No, she’s not Jaina……’

He repeated the same words to himself dozens, hundreds of times. However, he could not calm his wavering heart. It was clear that if he let her go now, he would never be able to see the face of his beloved Jaina again.

As Kang Chan was hesitating, a low voice came from behind him.

Her voice was trembling.

“Don’t send me away. Please……”

“……”

Kang Chan was startled by her sudden change in attitude. She had always longed to return to her kind.

But now, she was asking not to be sent away? Kang Chan couldn’t understand her.

“Why are you suddenly saying that? Are you afraid to go back to your people?”

“No, of course I’m happy. But I don’t understand why I’m like this. Just the thought of never seeing you again makes my heart ache so much……”

Kang Chan, surprised by her words, looked at her. Her feelings were no different from his own.

She, looking directly into his eyes without avoiding them, was crying.

From her large, cute eyes, which resembled Jaina’s, endless tears were flowing. Seeing this, Kang Chan asked.

“Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m like this…… But one thing is certain, I’ve come to like you.”

“……”

Kang Chan felt as if his heart was being torn apart by Platina’s words.

She, with the same face as Jaina, saying she liked him. But because she was not Jaina, Kang Chan suppressed his emotions and said.

“As you know, we can never be together. So stop being unreasonable and go back to your people.”

At Kang Chan’s cold reply, Platina cried even more sadly, clinging to his chest and pleading desperately.

“You should have let me die back then…… If we were to part like this, why did you save me?”

Kang Chan wanted to hold her, who was sobbing in his arms, with all his might, but his last bit of reason stopped him. He felt that if he held her now, he would never be able to let her go.

But as if sensing his conflict, Platina boldly hung onto his neck and forcibly kissed him.

“Gasp!”

A shocked Kang Chan quickly stepped back, but Platina, holding his neck tightly, only pressed closer against him.

“……”

Since Kang Chan was about two heads taller than her, Platina was left hanging in the air, but soon, Kang Chan slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up. Then, he slowly lost himself in the kiss with her.

Tears flowed from Kang Chan’s eyes, and knowing the meaning of those tears, Platina thought to herself.

‘Even if I’m just a substitute, it’s okay. As long as I can be with you……’

Erika was shocked to see Platina, who had left with Kang Chan, return. Moreover, the two of them seemed much closer than before.

She was engulfed in extreme anxiety.

And it wasn’t just Erika who wore a slightly displeased expression; Zikyon did as well.

“Hey! What’s going on? We decided to send her back.”

“It turned out like this.”

“What do you mean by ‘like this’? You, don’t tell me?”

“……”

Platina, who stood beside the troubled Kang Chan, stepped forward and spoke.

“I said I didn’t want to go. O Great One…”

“What? You! Are you saying that you want to stay here despite knowing what kind of place this is? Why don’t you go back to where your kin are immediately?”

It was the right thing to say. No matter how much she loved Kang Chan, it was absolutely impossible for a Green Elf to live on this continent. In a place where all races hated and cursed Green Elves, trying to stay here was a very dangerous act.

To Zikyon, it seemed like an endlessly foolish and immature action.

But can the relationship between a man and a woman ever go as planned?

“Zikyon, I’m sorry. I couldn’t send her away.”

“What a sight…”

Even though she spoke like that, Zikyon knew better than anyone how much Kang Chan had suffered after losing Jaina. She had anticipated that his feelings for Platina wouldn’t be easily sorted out.

However, she hadn’t expected that he would want to keep her by his side, which was just as confusing as it was for Erika.

“You know better than anyone that we have mountains of things to do, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then who are you going to leave her with? Surely you don’t plan to take her with you?”

“……”

There was no place Kang Chan knew of that would take her in as a Green Elf. Coincidentally, even the place he had to go would refuse a Green Elf, the Dwarves’ kingdom.

Considering the hot-tempered Cracksion, he absolutely couldn’t take her there.

A heavy silence fell between them, and Zikyon, breaking the silence as if frustrated, spoke.

“Being swayed by a woman when we have such important tasks ahead, you really are a hopeless guy.”

“……”

Kang Chan felt like hiding in a hole after hearing Zikyon’s words. However, the more he felt that way, the tighter he held Platina’s hand. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her now.

Watching Kang Chan, Zikyon thought, ‘I lost,’ and spoke to Platina.

“You, I’m letting this slide because I’m busy right now, but know that you’ll be properly scolded later. Got it?”

Though the idea of being scolded by an Ancient-grade Dragon made her legs tremble with fear, she trusted Kang Chan beside her and managed to nod her head.

“For now, I’ll give you a magic artifact to conceal your skin.”

Just like the time she gave Loki a belt, Zikyon teleported a ring from her lair, inscribed it with magic, and handed it to Platina.

“Here, put on this ring and infuse it with your mana.”

With trembling hands, Platina received the ring, put it on, and infused it with mana. Then, just like Loki, she was surrounded by a dazzling light and soon transformed into an Elf with snow-white skin.

Simply changing her skin color to white made her look completely like an Elf.

Seeing this, Kang Chan’s heart nearly burst.

She now perfectly resembled Jaina.

Even Erika was startled.

Although she knew Platina resembled Jaina, now standing before her, Platina looked so much like Jaina that it was hard to tell them apart.

Not even twins could resemble each other this much.

“How, how could this be, Zikyon, what is this…?”

Kang Chan was so shocked that he stuttered, which was uncharacteristic of him. Seeing this, Zikyon pounded her chest and said,

“To a great dragon, nothing is impossible.”

For a while, Kang Chan stood in a daze, staring at Platina.

Seeing Jaina’s face again, something he thought he’d never witness in his lifetime, was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

Without realizing it, Kang Chan approached Platina and gently caressed her face.

Platina did not reject his touch.

She wore a sad yet happy expression.

Afterwards, Platina, now in the form of an Elf, set off with Kang Chan to the Dwarves’ kingdom, Mine Kingdom.

There, Kang Chan entered an emergency meeting with Elf Queen Arteon, Dwarf King Cracksion, and Dragon Lord Zikyon.

The purpose of the meeting was to devise ways and weapons to counter the enemies that would invade their planet in the future.

—

### 42. Visitors from Outer Space

It had already been a month since the defeated Green Elves had returned to the cursed land.

Their city was still filled with nothing but despair and sorrow.

The war had lasted for three years and involved 2 million Green Elves, but only 300,000 soldiers had returned alive.

1.7 million Green Elves had buried their bones in enemy territory.

They were all family, friends, and lovers to the survivors.

To console the spirits of the fallen, Green erected a massive monument in the middle of the city.

A memorial ceremony was held to honor their spirits.

Almost all the Green Elves in the city participated in the ceremony.

As Green’s speech began in the solemn and heavy atmosphere, the Green Elves held their breath and listened intently.

“My sons and daughters, listen well! And remember! This is not the end… the souls of our fallen sons and daughters are watching over us from the heavens! We will rise again! And we will surely take our revenge on those wicked beings!”

“Wow! Wow!”

As Green’s speech ended, the Green Elves, who revered her like a god, cheered fanatically.