I Am The Heroine's Father: The Cannon Fodder's Ascent

Chapter 50 - The night we used to love

-10 years ago-

"Ahhhhhhhh!" A man screamed. He looked to be about 20. He was burning alive, his sword and metal armour melting from the heat. Eventually, he chose to run the melting sword through his heart, ending his life on the spot.

He wasn't alone. Thousands of his fellow soldiers were doing the same—some enduring the scorching pain and then dying, some stabbing or shooting themselves, and even each other.

Humans were not the only ones. Thousands and thousands of trees in which the soldiers were hiding were also burnt to ashes, while animals—all that could be heard were hundreds of despair-filled cries of animals, even giant monsters. No one was spared. Everything burned.

It was an indiscriminate massacre. It didn't matter that there were hundreds of innocent children and women in the village deep in the forest. They too burned just like the soldiers and animals, since some soldiers hid there to escape certain death.

A white-haired girl with ocean blue eyes and a long black dress was the cause of it all. Her dress was also burned in multiple places, while her entire body was covered in deep wounds from which blood seeped out constantly.

A pink-haired woman of otherworldly beauty, also filled with deep scars all over her body—and multiple fatal ones on her chest and stomach, basically giant holes through which you could see the other side—was present. But she still wore a firm expression that said I won't give up, as a white-haired man with a similar appearance to the white-haired woman healed her.

Johan was the only one completely unharmed, using Cure, an immediate heal-at-harm passive healing spell, on his entire body. But he was ultimately exhausted after carrying the wounded Alya for over 60 kilometers at a fast pace.

Alya, even though not fat in the traditional sense, was unusually busty. So even though her waist was thin, her body weight was more than 85kg—causing problems for a non-combatant like Johan.

He wasn't a fighter who could leap through that distance in the blink of an eye. He was just a healer. Even using Aether reinforcement on his feet done by Kirin, he wouldn't have been able to run that much at once.

And—

If not for two people, he would've long died.

"Master... it's clear. You can leave from the west at any moment. I prepared a horse, some supplies, and a few hundred thousand gold pounds there."

Sebastian adjusted his collar elegantly. His right arm was missing. His face was half-burned. His butler coat was almost all gone—revealing lean muscle also filled with deep wounds.

Johan nodded politely, then crouched back again, sensing something—

"Cough! Cough!" Alya coughed more blood over Johan's white shirt, making him hug her even tighter.

"It's okay, Johny. The wounds have stopped bleeding, and it doesn't hurt..." she tightened her grip on Johan's head, his warmth like the greatest anesthetic in the world.

Johan rubbed her back, clearing her face which was covered in tears from the pain.

Johan got up, turning around—

"There is no thank you that is enough for what you two have done for me, but I will still say—thank you, Kirin... Sebastian, for ruining your lives over me. I will make sure to fix it all. Just trust me," Johan said through gritted teeth, getting up.

He crouched slightly and carried Alya in a princess carry, carefully, as if holding the most precious thing in the world. His face was tired and exhausted, his calf muscles especially tight from all the mountain climbing.

Sebastian nodded with emotion and said softly, "Don't worry, Master. This is something we wanted to do... just, please... survive."

While Kirin just chuckled, speaking slowly in between ragged breaths, "Just make sure you protect my family."

Johan nodded numbly, his face growing expressionless.

Johan remarked calmly, "I should heal your injuries—"

Suddenly, Kirin's eyes widened to the limit, cutting Johan off.

Her voice grew louder. "Just run! We won't die if we are together. You'll waste your Aether and only create problems if you stay even a single second more," she said hurriedly, motioning to Sebastian with a look only he would understand.

Sebastian nodded—

"Gravitational Push," he said, his voice filled with apology...

Both Alya and Johan were pushed 7 kilometers at once—almost in an instant. They hit no trees or obstacles, as everything was already wiped out by Kirin.

Alya's face turned grim...

The beautiful forest they all used to visit frequently, filled with waterfalls, rivers, and breathtaking scenery, was nothing more than a battlefield now—filled with the smell of burning metal, blood, and ash.

She suddenly tightened her grip around Johan's neck, still struggling to breathe properly.

"Johny... what's gonna happen to me?" Alya asked hesitantly, her face filled with fear. So many people. So many lives. They all died because of her.

Johan had already started running as fast as he could, letting the death all around him seep into his bones. Staring at everything deeply, as if trying to store it all in his memory for as long as possible.

His legs trembled, his knees cracked as he tried to squeeze out more speed, feeling a deep hatred for himself. 'Only... only if I wasn't such a disappointment...' he screamed to himself.

He looked at Alya. Suddenly, it didn't feel as bad as before. A soft smile appeared on his face—a smile which was more of an attempt to comfort Alya than a real one.

"You will be fine. Trust me. You will be with me and Selene, Kirin, Sebastian, forever... and ever," he said as softly as possible, his eyes firm, as if he meant every single word.

Alya nodded with a trembling smile, her beautiful face like the light in hell.

Suddenly—

Alya's gaze turned strange. She asked hesitantly, "Why... why are we running to the east?" She had a ton of hunting experience and was adept at understanding basic directions.

She didn't doubt Johan, just thought he made an honest mistake while running due to exhaustion from all the turmoil—which was strange to even think of—

Johan, as a Divine General, had traversed a thousand times worse locations in a million times worse conditions. Even dark dungeons that were more like mazes—he wouldn't get lost at all.

There was no way he would lose direction in a plain area, but love had long blinded Alya.