But Horn thought, there are already too many heroes and tyrants in the history books, adding one more wouldn't matter, nor would losing one.
However, there are too few ordinary people in the history books, so few it's pitiful.
Just like what Jeanne said, wasn't he also someone who only saw the present but couldn't see tomorrow?
At least he still had one last chance, those he had led into the abyss still had a sliver of hope.
Even if it's just a trivial possibility, even if it means he has to give up everything as the price.
"Life is like a dream, how much joy can there be, who can truly live forever?"
In such a scene, Horn should recite a deathbed poem, like "I smile with my sword facing the sky" or "Life lasts fifty years."
But he simply didn't have that talent. His knightly poetry was just doggerel level; all he could do was recite.
Gently humming, he drew out the entire Blood Covering Cloud from its sheath, the sharp red light seemed to cut through the moonlight.
"Do not cross the river, yet you cross. Turning tragic song into a triumphal song!"
Blood Covering Cloud emitted an eerie red glow, vibrating as if roaring.
Laughing abruptly, Horn sheathed the sword again. He looked around at the gathered people, his gaze terrifyingly calm:
"Qianqian, Grampwen, I've got something to do, need to go back to Joan of Arc Castle, you go ahead first."
The air suddenly turned silent for a moment.
Immediately afterward, the Child Soldiers, who had been loading luggage onto the ship, gathered around.
"Papa, we want to go with you."
"Do you know what I'm going to do?"
"We know." Duvalon nodded vigorously.
"I'm going to die, and do you want to follow me?" Leaning Blood Covering Cloud with the sheath on his shoulder, Horn looked more like a farmer with a hoe than a swordsman.
"You have a reason you must return, and so do I." René replied.
Horn smiled and ruffled René's hair.
Qianqian sighed longingly, jumping off the ship: "You shouldn't have brought it up, now that you did, I remember something I forgot to do too."
"You, you all..." The witch asked in disbelief, "Do you know that this place will soon be slaughtered by decree."
Meanwhile, Kosse walked past her, still unable to speak, just dragged his heavy yet agile body off the deck onto the shore.
Then, one by one, those who followed Horn, even Sessi, jumped off the ship.
"That's my homeland." Sessi said, trembling.
Grampwen held Diya's hand, looking towards Horn's direction.
"Go on." Diya lovingly stroked Grampwen's face.
"Don't worry, we'll meet again."
Taking one final deep look at Diya's face, Grampwen crossed the river to stand behind Horn.
Looking at the old, the weak, the sick, and the stunned witch on the boat, Horn instructed them, "Please take these people to Black Snake Bay."
"Are you really going back to Joan of Arc Castle?"
"Goodbye." Without answering, Horn just waved with a smile to the witch, and then turned to leave.
"This, this..." As the people gradually disappeared from view, the witch turned her head and asked the robust old man in the cabin, "Great Mage Patrick, what now?"
"I only came to see what kind of person he was." In the shadows, the old man named Patrick stepped out of the cabin, "The successor chosen for me by Moliat, I..."
"Hey!" From the hillside, Horn showed his head, and the old man quickly shrank back into the cabin, leaving only an old shoe on the deck.
"Almost forgot, tell Jia Li..." Horn shouted loudly towards the riverbank, "Don't come looking for my bones. My resting place is my homeland, and its name is—"
"The Free Thousand River Valley!"
With these final words of parting, Horn no longer looked back, heading towards Joan of Arc Castle.
Behind him, Grampwen, Jeska, Kosse... everyone was there.
Under the starlight of night, everything was peaceful and beautiful. Under the starlight, Horn and his companions marched against the cold wind.
"Eighty acres of good land..."
Horn suddenly started singing, more happily than ever before.
"And a kind father and mother-in-law..."
Jeska continued Horn's song.
"Children can safely grow to adulthood, and build houses once they are grown..."
In the end, everyone sang, cheerful voices making it feel like they were on an autumn outing.
"I farm my own grain, the more I work, the more I harvest..."
In front of them lay the Joan of Arc Castle, hidden in the distance's shadows.
It looked like a giant beast with its bloody mouth wide open.