Reborn As Noble-Chapter 539: The King’s Regret ( )

Chapter 539: The King’s Regret ( 539 )

Meanwhile, deep within the Dwarven Kingdom…

The room was dim, lit only by the flicker of a few mana lamps embedded in the stone walls.

At the center stood a war table, covered in stained maps and carved tokens shaped like armies, strongholds, and marching routes.

Chieftain Gumarak sat in silence.

Across from him, two generals stood—both armored, both weary.

The taller one spoke first, voice low but tense.

“Chieftain… our food stock is dwindling.”

He paused only briefly.

“We don’t know how much longer we can last.”

The other continued.

“The farmers and fishers are doing what they can…”

A glance.

“Even the hunters and footsoldiers have been risking the forest. Hunting monsters.

But it won’t be enough. Not for long.”

Gumarak didn’t move.

He didn’t speak.

He simply looked down at a worn corner of the map where one of their three remaining strongholds had been circled in red.

His jaw clenched.

The silence stretched.

The war room remained silent.

Chieftain Gumarak didn’t raise his head.

His gaze lingered on the worn map.

The lines representing old trade routes…

All of them crossed out.

Burned.

Blocked.

Sealed.

Inside his mind.

If only… there was a way.

Just one path. One road that wasn’t taken.

A hidden pass. A tunnel. A channel to bring in supplies from the outside…

But there was nothing.

Every road was closed.

Every outpost between them and the outer world was either fallen, occupied, or crawling with foreign forces.

And even if he had a way.

I can’t even send a messenger.

No runner could reach the Beastkin Kingdom alive.

No envoy would make it to the Elven lands without being caught.

Even the air routes…

He looked at a faded mark on the map, representing an old highland pass once used by flying beasts.

…all watched by Human or Halfling eyes now.

There was no path.

No way to beg for help.

No way to shout.

They were cut off, alone.

One of the generals stepped closer, voice rough with fatigue.

“Our wounded and losses are increasing, Chieftain.”

He placed a fist on the table beside a carved stronghold marker.

“Especially the two strongholds defending the eastern front.”

His finger tapped the edge of the map, two locations bordering the Human Kingdom.

“Their wyvern unit are relentless”

“They don’t attack to conquer. They don’t even land.”

He pointed upward.

” The fly in high and fast,then rain down fire and spells. Explosions, confusion.”

“Then they vanish into the clouds before our hawk riders can even take off.”

“Every time our giant hawks land to rest or recover, they launch an attack. Hit and run. Harassment. Every day.”

He looked at Gumarak.

“And we have no anti-air magic defense, Chieftain.

We can’t match their range or numbers.”

Gumarak’s shoulders tensed slightly, but he remained silent.

The map before him looked smaller now.

More desperate.

And his eyes settled again on that eastern edge.

The second general didn’t raise his voice.

He just placed another carved figure on the edge of the board.a small hawk with wings etched into the wood.

“From our last report…”

He paused.

“Our hawk riders managed to take down three of the enemy wyvern units.”

A breath passed through the room.

” But we lost ten of ours in the same engagement.”

“That leaves us with barely fifty giant hawk units total.”

He circled two strongholds on the west flank.

“We’ve stationed two hawk units at each of the fortresses holding back the Halfling army.”

“Halflings may not have air forces—”

His finger dragged across the field slowly.

“But their mounted beast riders are monsters in close combat. Speed and mass. We had to answer them from the sky.”

He looked up.

“It’s buying us time… but we’re bleeding in every direction.”

Gumarak still hadn’t moved.

His voice finally broke the silence—low and gravelly.

“…How long do you think we can hold the fortresses?”

The table felt colder now.

The generals exchanged glances.

Then the elder of the two stepped forward.

“We don’t know, Chieftain.”

He rested both hands on the table edge.

“But the worst pressure is on the east.”

His finger tapped the two eastern marks again, the ones under constant wyvern attack.

“The strongholds facing the Human Kingdom are bleeding every day.

Supplies are short. Casualties rise. Spirits are crumbling.”

A beat.

“That’s where we’re suffering the most.”

The second general added, more hesitantly.

“The third stronghold, the one facing the halfling troops.”

He pointed to the southwest mark.

“We’re barely holding. Their mount beasts are relentless, but our hawk riders keep pressure from above.”

He looked down.

“For now.”

Another pause.

A breath.

“But even that won’t last without reinforcements or a miracle.”

The generals fell silent.

Gumarak’s hands tightened around the edge of the war table.

A voice stirred deep inside him.

Devour..

Become Strong…

Conquer…

Take! Swallow them, Devour everyone!

Gumarak closed his eye.

But said nothing.

The voice didn’t fade.

It never did.

Just laughed in the dark corners of his soul.

He took a long, steady breath.

His jaw clenched.

Inside his mind.

I should never have taken it.

The Celestial power… this curse…

It was never meant for someone like me.

He looked down again at the scattered tokens across the map.

And now my people pay the price.

This war, this siege, this hunger.

All of it began when I claimed that thing.

A faint, familiar pressure tugged at his chest again.

Edmund wants it next.

So does Gurdan.

I don’t know which of them will try first…

He opened his eyes.

Still no movement.

But in that silence—there was weight.

A storm that hadn’t fallen yet.

Gumarak’s eyes trembled.

His fingers, once strong enough to crush steel, now shook as they hovered over the war map.

Then…

He dropped to his knees.

His hands touched the cold stone floor.

Fingers trembled.

“I’m sorry…”

The words came out barely louder than a whisper.

His forehead lowered.

“I’m sorry…”

“I’m sorry for everything…”

“For bringing this curse upon us. For reaching too far. For believing I could carry it.”

“For every dwarf who died because I chose wrong.”

Tears hit the stone beneath him.

“For every family that went hungry. For every child that never came home.”

His breath broke again.

“For believing I could save this kingdom…”

“When I was the one who doomed it.”

The two generals stood frozen.

They had never seen him kneel.

Never heard him say sorry.

Never watched a king cry.

The firelight flickered over his hunched back, casting long shadows on the wall—

As the strongest dwarf in the kingdom whispered apologies that no one could answer.

And no one dared interrupt.

( End Of Chapter )

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