《Excalibur Chronicle of Raidorl》 CH 1 Pitch-Black Holy Sword Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil A carriage is driving along an uneven and unstable road. The wheels rattle intermittently as they roll, and the carriage occasionally bounces on a large stone. The carriage, driven by two horses, was covered with iron plates and had iron bars on the windows to keep the light in. The heavy construction of the carriage was probably more to keep the people inside safe than to guard them from outside attack. You¡¯re treating me like a sinner¡­¡­. In such an armoured carriage. A boy sighs with a dark expression. The only person in the spacious carriage is a boy of about twelve or thirteen years old. His hands are cuffed with metal shackles. The surface of the handcuffs was engraved with a hieroglyphic pattern, which gave off a faint blue-white light. The boy, who knows that it is called the ¡°fetters of the demon¡± that seals the magic of the wearer, twisted his lips bitterly. ¡°Brother ¡­¡­, why are you such a ¡­¡­!¡± It reminded him of the person who had caused him to be taken away like a criminal. It was the face of his own blood brother. The boy¡¯s name was Raidorl Zain. He is now a prisoner of war, but until a few days ago he was the prince of the kingdom of Zain in the western part of the continent. It was at his coming of age ceremony on his twelfth birthday that Raidorl was shackled and taken away. At the age of twelve, royalty and nobility in the Kingdom of Zain come of age and are granted the right to inherit the throne. In the case of the prince Raidorl, the coming of age ceremony gives him the right to inherit the throne, but neither Raidorl nor the people around him think that he will become the king. This is because he had an older brother, ten years older than him, who was already running the affairs of state in place of his sick father. His brother, Granard Zain, the first prince of Zain, is a wise and hardworking man who is trusted by his subjects. His position as the next king was secure, and no ambitious nobleman would dare to oppose Granard to rule the kingdom. Raidorl also loved his brother and had no complaints about his inability to become king. He knew that he was his brother¡¯s spare and that he should not aspire to the position of king. He knew his position well. But then ¨C in what can only be described as a twist of fate ¨C Raidorl was struck by an event. ¡°What ¡­¡­?¡± In the middle of the ceremony of succession ¨C the coming-of-age ceremony for royalty in the Kingdom of Zain ¨C the supposed star of the show, Raidorl, let out a silly voice. In his hand is a sword. A black haze rises from the jet-black sword, which looks as if it has been painted with black ink, giving it an intimidating aura of evil. ¡°Nonsense! Why does Raidorl have it ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Brother, ¡­¡­¡± It was his brother, Prince Granard, who raised a cry of astonishment. Raidorl looked back at his brother with a puzzled expression and clutched his jet-black sword tightly. In the Kingdom of Zain, there is a special ritual that has been performed for generations by only the male members of the royal family. It is to pull out the national treasure, a sword that has been handed down since the founding of the kingdom. The national treasure, the holy sword ¡°D¨¢insleif¡±( ¥À©`¥¤¥ó¥¹¥ì¥¤¥ô), is kept in the innermost part of the royal palace and is propped up on a stone pedestal. Everyone who was born and raised in this country knows that the first King used this sword to unite the surrounding powerful families and establish the Kingdom of Zain. Therefore, as part of the coming-of-age ceremony, the men of the royal family who have the blood of the first king in their veins must pull out the holy sword from its pedestal to see if they can be accepted as the new holder of the holy sword, Excalibur. In reality, however, no one has been recognized by the Holy Sword since the first king. It was only a formal ritual, as no one has ever been able to pull the ¡°D¨¢insleif¡± from its pedestal. ¡°Why¡­¡­am I holding the Holy Sword¡­¡­?¡± No matter how in disbelief Raidorl is, such a holy sword ¡°D¨¢insleif¡± was in the hands of Raidorl. As soon as Raidorl tightened his grip on the hilt of his D¨¢insleif, the holy sword lifted with the lightness of a tree branch stuck in a pile of sand. ¡°Nonsense!¡¡It can¡¯t be ¡­¡­! How can the sword that didn¡¯t work on me but work on Rei?¡± The sight of Raidorl with his holy sword drawn was even more confusing to his brother Granard than it was to him. He looked at his younger brother with a look of devilish anger on his face, and his clenched fists were soaked with blood from the nails that had pierced his palms. The vassals who were watching the situation around them alternately looked at Raidorl and Granard with a puzzled expression on their faces. They are at a loss as to how to react, whether to rejoice or lament that Raidorl has been chosen as the keeper of the D¨¢insleif. And so, it should be. The holy sword, D¨¢insleif, is the legacy of the first king. It is the symbol of the Kingdom of Zain. The fact that he was able to pull out that sword means that the holy sword has recognized that Raidorl is suitable to be the next king. It has been several years since his father fell ill. His younger brother, Prince Raidorl, was chosen by the Holy Sword to be the next king, over his father¡¯s deputy, Granard, who had supported the country all these years. The humiliation is enormous because of the pride he has taken in supporting the country. Granard, shaking his fists and coughing up blood, ordered his vassals. ¡°¡­¡­ Send out the men!¡¡No one is going near this place!¡± ¡°Ha, yes, sir!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ And Raidorl.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What is it ¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± As he stood there, stunned by the fact that he had just pulled out a sword he hadn¡¯t expected to pull out, he came to his senses at the sound of his trusted older brother¡¯s voice. He looked at Granard¡¯s face with clinging eyes and screamed in horror at the fiery passion in his eyes. ¡°¡­.You should go back to your room and rest. You will not be allowed to leave your room without permission. Never!¡± ¡°O-,okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the sword. Give it to me!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Raidorl, looking at Granard with a frightened look in his eyes, hands his brother the holy sword he has just drawn. ¡°Damn it¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Brother?¡± As soon as Granard picked up the D¨¢insleif, the royal family¡¯s holy sword became as heavy as a boulder. It was so heavy that it seemed a joke that Raidorl had just lifted it with one hand so easily, and it was unlikely that he could wield it as a weapon. ¡°This is what it means to be chosen as a holy sword. ¡­¡­!¡¡Why do you refuse me, what am I lacking?¡± ¡°Broth-¡± ¡°GO! Get out of my sight!¡± ¡°!¡± With tears in his eyes,Raidorl was led out of the room by his attendants. With a wistful look down his back, Granard dropped the heavy holy sword on the floor. CH 2 Expulsion from the royal capital Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil A few days after the coming of age ceremony. Raidorl was expelled from the royal capital by his brother¡¯s order and sent to a remote frontier city. Nominally, he was given the land around the frontier city as a fiefdom and was sent there to fulfil his duties as lord. However, some of those who knew the situation were convinced that this was in fact an exile. The fact that Raidorl drew the sword at his coming-of-age ceremony has been gagged and kept a secret by a small group of people in the royal court. This is because if it were to become public knowledge that Raidorl had been chosen for the sword, it would give the 12-year-old second prince the right to become the next king, and a power struggle with Granard would ensue. Even if Raidorl did not want to do so, the people who respected the first king would not leave Raidorl as his successor. It was inevitable that Raidorl should be cut off in order to prevent the division of the country and to prevent civil war. Granard¡¯s personal grudges and jealousy, no matter how overblown they may be, will never overrule the decision. There was no other way but to take away the holy sword D¨¢insleif, which was the cause of his banishment, and drive him to the frontier by himself. Only three people had come to see Raidorl off to the frontier. Lockwood Marcell, the Prime Minister, who has the highest political authority in the country. The highest military authority in the country, General Bazel Garst. And then there was Meltina Marcell, Raidorl¡¯s childhood friend and the vizier¡¯s daughter, whom he was to marry. Raidorl stared silently at Lockwood, who put his hand on his chest and bowed his head. Raidorl¡¯s arms are shackled, and he is unable to use the sword or magic he has trained as a member of the royal family. It would be unacceptable to put shackles on a person who is not a criminal, let alone a member of the royal family. But this time, the cruel treatment was carried out by the special order of his brother Prince Granard. Raidorl looked down at his bound arms with a gloomy expression and opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Where¡¯s brother ¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± The words were muffled. Lockwood¡¯s eyes narrowed as he sensed the sadness and despair in his voice. ¡°His Majesty the King is too busy with his affairs to come and see you off. He has asked you to forgive him for not being able to see his brother at his departure.¡± ¡°You have other things to apologise¡­¡­¡± In a reproachful tone of voice, Raidorl says, ¡°What?¡± Lockwood makes an amused face. ¡°His Highness is only in charge of his own estate. That is all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Then what are these manacles?¡¡They make me look like a criminal!¡± ¡°It is only a safety precaution. Your Highness.¡± It was not Lockwood who answered the shouted question, but General Bazel Garst, standing next to him. The two-meter tall Bazel looked down at Raidorl with a rocky face and spoke in a firm tone. ¡°Your Highness is now the holder of the Holy Sword and carries a part of its power within him. If its power were to be unleashed, it could cause great harm. The shackles are there to prevent that, and not to punish the guilty.¡± ¡°Still!¡± Raidorl opened his mouth to argue but fell silent without saying a word. It does not matter what you say to these two men. They are a part of the king¡¯s inner circle and supporters of his brother Prince Granard. They are one of the people who decided that Raidorl should be sent to the frontier. ¡°¡­¡­There is nothing wrong with you. But this is necessary for the governance of the state. I ask you not to hold a grudge.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. When His Royal Highness Granard ascends to the throne and his reign becomes more stable, we will be able to call you back to the capital. In the meantime, I wish you all the best.¡± Lockwood, somewhat sympathetically, offers words of comfort to Raidorl, who grits his teeth and looks down. Bazel took over and gave him his own encouragement. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl kept his mouth shut and bit his lip in frustration. The selfishness of adults is no consolation to a boy who is being forced to leave his birthplace for a crime he did not deserve. Instead, he turned his attention to the last person in the room. ¡°Meltina¡­.¡± As if clinging to her, as if crying out, Raidorl calls out his childhood friend¡¯s name. If only she, the daughter of the Prime Minister, would petition for a review of Raidorl¡¯s treatment, or perhaps he would not have been sent to the frontier! Even if it is not, if she is closer to him than anyone else of her age, she might be able to follow him as he is forced to leave the capital. It was with this in mind that I made my plea, but Meltina¡¯s reply was unsympathetic. ¡°Yes, Sir Raidorl. Have a safe trip.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I hear the southern frontier is warmer than the royal capital. Master Raidorl does not like the cold so the weather there suits you well. Next time we meet, I hope you¡¯ll have some interesting tales to tell me.¡± ¡°Eh, wait..Meltina¡± There is not a trace of sadness on the face of the woman who was to become his fianc¨¦e. The smile on her face was so calm and serene showing that she wanted to send Raidorl off. Raidorl could not conceal his confusion at the fact that his childhood friend did not seem to be bidding him farewell, and she looked up at her father, Lockwood. ¡°Your Highness. As the daughter of the Prime Minister, Meltina has been educated as a noblewoman. She has been taught from an early age to choose her home and country over her feelings.¡± ¡°What does that ¡­¡­ mean?¡± ¡°You are no longer her betrothed. You are no longer her fianc¨¦, you are a man of the past.¡± ¡°What ¡­¡­?¡± At Lockwood¡¯s apologetic words, Raidorl¡¯s mind went blank. I¡¯ve been with Meltina since I can remember, and we¡¯ve spent a lot of time together. The memories were all precious to Raidorl, and he valued them like jewels. But ¨C it was only Raidorl who thought so, Meltina did not care about it herself, she only stayed with Raidorl out of a sense of duty as a noblewoman and daughter of the Prime Minister. ¡°Your Highness? Is there something wrong? ¡°¡­¡­¡­..!¡± Meltina looks curiously into Raidorl¡¯s face. The innocent-looking face turns into that of a hideous monster. Raidorl¡¯s face twisted in fear, he backed away and fled himself into the prison-like carriage. If he is sent to the frontier, he will have to live in fear of monsters and barbarians. But the people who could abandon their family and friends with impunity were far more frightening than the demons. The royal palace, which used to be his home, had somehow become a den of monsters. The fact that this was the case was unacceptable to the young Raidorl. ¡°Goodbye, Your Highness.¡± Meltina¡¯s voice came through the carriage door. Lockwood and Bazel bowed deeply, and the carriage drove off. Raidorl held himself up with both hands and was taken away, shaking his shoulders with a rattle. The second prince of Zain, Raidorl Zain, was sent to a frontier city and disappeared from the capital. Five years have passed since Raidorl disappeared from the pages of history. His father, the king, dies in his sleep due to an ¡°illness¡±, and Granard, the first prince, succeeds him as the new king. It was thought that thanks to Granard, who had been in charge of the affairs of state since before the death of his father, the kingdom of Zain would be free of any turmoil, and that a peaceful reign would be maintained. But even in such a peaceful kingdom, a wave of war was quietly approaching like a crawling snake. Separated from his master, the holy sword D¨¢insleif rests in the depths of the royal palace, listening to the sound of the approaching war. CH 3 Pioneer City Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil And then ¨C five years have passed since Raidorl was banished from King¡¯s Landing. ¡°Shoot!¡± In the pioneer city of Raid, in the south of the Kingdom of Zain, shouts and roars rang out, shaking the air. A man standing on the city wall shouted a command in a thick voice. Bows and arrows rained down on the heads of the enemy. ¡°Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Arrows pierce its entire body, and the two-legged boar lets out a scream of despair. In the south of the pioneer city, a massive brick and wood wall has been built to prevent demons from attacking. Orcs are beastly monsters that live widely across the continent. It is a mutation of the ¡°catastrophe orc¡±. The reddish-black haired catastrophe orcs are at least a size larger than normal orcs, and their arm strength is several times greater. There are dozens of them pushing against the wall. It was a disaster on a scale that would have destroyed a small town in a single night. ¡°It¡¯s still closing in on me, ¡­¡­!¡± A middle-aged man who was in command on top of the defensive wall clicked his tongue. The man¡¯s name is Zafis Bartolomeo (¥Õ¥£¥¹?¥Ð¥ë¥È¥í¥á¥ª). He is the main figure of the adventurers who protect the city, and he is a warrior who has been defending it for many years. Despite the large number of arrows, the catastrophe orcs are still breaking down the wooden fences outside the walls. ¡°Fire! Keep firing! Don¡¯t let up!¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± As Zafis raised his voice, the adventurers with bows shot arrows one after another. A simple bow and arrow would not be enough to kill the thickly muscled catastro-orc. However, each bow and arrow is coated with a demon¡¯s poison, which should be effective against the orc mutant with its strong life force. It¡¯s been a whole day since the catastrophe orc appeared, and despite the constant firing of arrows, the catastrophe orc has not slowed down. If they continue at this rate, they will break down the fence and reach the defensive wall. An empty moat has been dug outside the wall, but the catastrophe orc¡¯s physical strength should allow it to break through the wall with ease. ¡°We¡¯re going to lose if we don¡¯t¡­..do something about it¡± Zafis gritted his teeth and growled bitterly. Zafis Bartolomeo was originally an adventurer in an empire in the middle of the continent and was a great man who even slayed a dragon with a party of his friends. But even for Zafis, the oncoming horde of evil was one of the greatest crises of his life. ¡°We¡¯ll get the women and children out before they reach the barrier. Get ready to evacuate!¡± ¡°Gu, Guildmaster. It¡¯s¡­¡­¡± One of the adventurers¡¯ faces crumpled in frustration as he declares his virtual defeat, abandoning the pioneer city. The adventurers who gather in the pioneering city of Raid are all drifters who have lost their place in their homeland for one reason or another. For them, this town was the last place they wanted to be, a place that could be called their second home. The declaration to abandon it was not easy to accept. Zafis, understanding the adventurers¡¯ inner thoughts, smiles at them. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to stay here till the end!¡¡This is my graveyard!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m coming with you! Boss!¡± ¡°Not ¡®Boss¡¯. Call me Guildmaster!¡± Zafis picked up his spear and threw it with all his might. The spear was fired like a cannonball and pierced the abdomen of one of the catastro-orc, forcing it to its knees. ¡°Come on, you bastards! This is hell. This is the place to be! Shake every drop of your blood and stay here until the end¡­¡­¡± ¡°Guildmaster¡± ¡°Stay on¡­¡­at a time like this!?¡± Zafis¡¯s speech was cut short by a young adventurer who was leading the evacuees. Zafis¡¯s brow creased at the appearance of the young man who had ordered the women and children to flee with him in case of emergency. ¡°Jean! Why have you come back? I told you to run away ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°The lord has returned! He¡¯s on his way here now!¡± ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± At the mention of the word ¡°lord¡±, Zafis¡¯ eyes light up. The adventurers around him also shouted with joy, and the mysterious air of determination to die was blown away. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re late! That¡¯s what you get for being royalty!¡¡That¡¯s what you get for being so damn generous!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m such a lazy, pompous royal!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± A shadow like a gust of wind ran past Zafis, who was swearing. Even Zafis, a seasoned adventurer, could barely follow it with his eyes. He peels his eyes back and looks behind him. He turned to see a silver-haired, red-eyed young man dressed in black, using the stones of the city walls as a foothold. ¡°You¡¯ve kept me waiting! You¡¯ve kept me waiting this long!¡± The young man drew his sword from his waist and pointed it towards the sky. The sheer majesty of its presence caused even the adventurers with their bows and the catastro-orc that was closing in on the defensive wall to stand still. ¡°My lord,¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­, you¡¯ve come!¡± ¡°Our lord! Our grand master!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the lord of this town, how can I not show up when the town is in danger?¡± The young man raises his sword to the sky and smiles, his lips lifting in a belligerent smile in response to the praise of the hope he has gathered. He swung his sword down and pointed it outside the wall. ¡°You can¡¯t expect to go home free after attacking the city of Raidorl Zain! I¡¯m going to cut up every last one of them, skin and flesh, and put them in my purse!¡± The silver-haired, red-eyed young man, Raidorl Zain, said arrogantly as he leaped from the defensive wall. From his majestic and sturdy appearance, there is nothing the slightest traces of the weakness he showed when he was expelled from Royal Capital five years ago. I¡¯m the hero ¨C that¡¯s what he said as he leapt at the enemy. CH 4 Poisoned sword technique Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Buh-hi¡± Catastrophe Orc rolled his eyes when he saw Raidorl suddenly jumping down from the defensive wall. I¡¯m not sure why he bothered to come down himself. Had this human come to be killed? Such bewilderment was clearly visible on the boar¡¯s face. Looking up from below at the face of the stick-faced monster, Raidorl sniffs mockingly. ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t be stupid!¡± ¡°Bohuoo!¡± Raidorl swung his sword sideways with a limp hip. A straightforward slash sliced through the thick muscle of the catastrophe orc, and blood and guts spurted from the bulky abdomen. ¡°Fugiiiiiiiiiiiiii¡± The catastrophe orcs around him became agitated when they saw their comrades falling down and spewing their guts. One of them tried to swing the log and tried to smash it into the head of the person in front of him. ¡°oof!¡± The log strikes the ground with a rock-shattering roar. The ground is shaken by the mighty arm of the catastro-orc. ¡°Buhooo?¡± But there is no sign of Raidorl. It was as if a candle had been blown out and the black-clad figure had vanished into thin air. ¡°Too late. I¡¯m yawning here.¡± ¡°Gee, ¡­¡­?¡± In the blink of an eye, Raidorl was behind him and plunged his sword into the boar¡¯s neck. With a precise cut through the medulla oblongata, the giant monster was killed in an instant. ¡°I¡¯m not done cutting yet. Come on, come on, come on!¡± ¡°Bohaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± The remaining catastro-orc rushed towards Raidorl, who beckoned them with a deliberate flex of his fingertips. The young swordsman bared his fangs belligerently at the hordes of boars and beastmen who were crushing him with their huge bodies. ¡°Sword fighting technique, poisonous dragon¡¯s tail!¡± A black mist that seemed to have been concocted from the dark of the night and coagulated around the steel sword in Raidorl¡¯s hand. With a black miasma that seemed to contaminate the very core of his being, Raidorl unleashed a slash with all his might. ¡°Giaaaaahhhh¡± The miasma from the sword turned into a black whirlwind that blew the catastrophe orcs away from the crowd. The huge body, which must have weighed 200 kilograms, flew through the air as if it were a joke. ¡°A ¡­¡­ g¡­¡­ gaaaaa¡­¡­!¡± However, it is a disaster class demon. The majority of them seemed to still be breathing, although they were bleeding from various parts of their bodies from the whirlwind of slashes. The catastrophe orcs were on the ground, looking up at Raidorl with hatred and trying to raise themselves with slow movements. There were still signs of fighting spirit in their eyes, and Raidorl whistled in admiration. ¡°Hugh, you¡¯re very strong. I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°G-u-u-u-u ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°But, ¡­¡­, can you get up?¡± ¡°G¡­¡­?¡± The catastro-orc, which was trying to lift its huge body while blood spurted from its limbs, collapsed with a crash. Their eyes widen in horror as they see their fellow brethren lying on the ground, shaking and foaming. ¡°My sword doesn¡¯t end when it cuts. It¡¯s just the beginning.¡± ¡°B¡­¡­hi¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± The reddish-black skin of the catastrophe organs, which were hit by the black slashes, turned purple as soon as they saw it. The boar¡¯s mouth, which had turned a poisonous purple, as if it had been painted, spurted out a gurgling stream of blood. It was the effect of the cursed poison in the slash. In the beginning, the orc race was not very strong in magic resistance. The mutant catastrophe orc is no exception, and is easy prey in the face of Raidorl¡¯s cursed swordplay. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ what about the rest?¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips lifted sarcastically as he glared at the catastrophe orcs that had escaped the attack. A few of them narrowly escaped the venom, but the look in their eyes was a different kind of fright. It was only natural that they should be so frightened, as their comrades were being cut to pieces before their eyes, and their comrades were writhing in agony from an unidentified poison. The remaining catastrophe organizers are backing away, looking for an opportunity to escape from Raidorl. ¡°Now! Your turn!¡± ¡°ooo-hoo-hoo-hoo!¡± However, they were unable to escape. The gates of the city of Raid were thrown open, and the adventurers who had been holed up in the city rushed out. At the head of the pack was the guild master, Zafis. His hair and beard were gray, and he wielded a sword as big as he was and slammed it into the catastrophe orc. As Zafis struggled to keep up with his age, Raidorl shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Come on, Zafis, you¡¯re pushing it. You¡¯re too old for this.¡± ¡°Bupiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!¡± Seeing the enemy reinforcements, the catastro-orc turns their back and begins to flee in panic. The scene would normally be one of rejoicing at the fact that their shell-shocked prey has come out from under them, but most of their comrades have already been affected by the cursed slash. Their momentum was at its lowest, and there was no way they were going to stay and fight. For them, this battle that is about raiding and plundering the frontier cities became a failure. There was a huge difference in morale between the adventurers who were fighting to defend their home and their place in the world. One by one, the adventurers thrust their weapons at the fleeing catastro-orc. One after another, the screams of the dying orc cried out into the remote forest. CH 5 Young lord of a pioneer city Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil It was five years ago. The second prince of the Kingdom of Zain, Raidorl Zain, was exiled from the capital and sent to a pioneer city in the south of the kingdom. He was given the nominal title of ¡°Lord¡±, but the people of the city did not take kindly to the way he was treated. Half of the looks directed at the thirteen-year-old prince were sympathetic to the idea of a young prince living on the harsh frontier. The other half was a look of contempt that was clearly laced with hostility. The city was not built with the help of the Kingdom of Zain. It was built voluntarily by an adventurer¡¯s guild that fought demons for a living. For a lord from the kingdom to be sent to such a frontier city at this time would be like having the jewels you have worked so hard to polish snatched from your hands. It wasn¡¯t very acceptable. If it had not been a boy of thirteen who had become lord, they might have planned to eliminate him by violent means, such as assassination. The adventurers who had built up the pioneering city made no secret of their ill-will towards their new lord, Raidorl, and the young prince was condemned to a life of needle-in-a-haystack. Shunned by his brother Granard, abandoned by his trusted advisors and his fianc¨¦e, and exiled to the frontier, he is subjected to a constant stream of pity and malice. After such a hellish fall, Raidorl crawled on the ground and suffered the humiliation of sipping muddy water. He cried until his tears ran dry and clawed at the ground until his nails came off. However ¨C the young prince did not stop there. Despite experiencing the lowest point in his life, Raidorl chose to climb up from the depths of hell, despite his suffering. ¡°Guildmaster, teach me how to fight the demons!¡± With grief and despair in his heart, Raidorl stood up fiercely and, on his two feet, went to the guild master, Bartolomeo Zafis, to ask for an apprenticeship. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­, you¡¯re not a lord in name only, but you¡¯ve got some nerve. It¡¯s interesting.¡± Zafis was surprised by the young lord¡¯s behavior, but he gladly agreed and taught Raidorl how to fight as an adventurer. In the beginning, Zafis had some difficulty in dealing with the young prince who became his lord. He is sympathetic to the situation of the young prince, who was sent to the frontier because his older brother did not like him, but he does not like the idea of the royal court interfering more than necessary in the frontier city. That said, we can¡¯t let other adventurers harbour ill feelings towards a thirteen-year-old prince. In that sense, Raidorl¡¯s apprenticeship was a good thing. Zafis dared to take Raidorl to the guild¡¯s training grounds and beat the young lord in full view of the other adventurers, teaching him how to fight and training him from the core. Raidorl had originally learned the basics of swordsmanship as a royalty, but his talent became outstanding due to being chosen to be the owner of the holy sword. Although the sword was taken away by Granard, Raidorl still had the blessing of the sword within him, and he was slowly learning to use its power. The adventurers around him began to look at him differently as he grew stronger and stronger through his hard training. The pioneering city of Raid The name of the town, given later, was a sign of respect and affection for the young lord, who was fighting with his life to defend the frontier city. CH 6 Guild Master Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Yare,Yare¡­.you came home so late that my bones are chilled!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m late.¡± After defeating the Catastrophe Org, Raidorl was sitting face to face with Zafis in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. On the table are tea and cakes for the two of them. The two of them were the only one¡¯s present. The other adventurers are working on recovering the corpse of Catastrophe Org and repairing the fences and traps on the outer walls of the town. The Catastrophe Orc is a disaster class monster and can easily destroy a town or two if it appears in packs like this one. Because of this, materials from them are extremely rare, and every part of their body is sold at a high price. The skins are used to make armour, and the bones are melted down and mixed with iron to make a harder, sharper alloy. The offal is used to make medicines, and the meat, while not edible, is said to make cattle and sheep bigger and stronger when mixed in animal feed. The carcasses of dozens of catastrophe orcs are now a treasure trove, and adventurers are happy to clean them up for a reward. ¡°It¡¯s no use, you know. The idlers are being very persistent., this is why I hate gold-eating aristocrats who have filled their guts.¡± He spat in disgust and poured the tea into his mouth. In the early days of the Catastro Orc attack, Raidorl was away from the frontier city because he was visiting the Count of Aedras, the lord of the neighbouring town. He was in the town of Aedras to discuss the ownership of a silver vein found on the border of their territories, but the greedy nobleman persisted in asserting his rights, and as a result he returned later than planned. His haste to return to the town after hearing of the attack on the Catastrophe Orc caused him to miss the talks, and he ended up conceding too much on the mining concessions. ¡°That¡¯s a tough one. But, well. It¡¯s good to have you back.¡± When Raidorl drank his tea in one gulp, Zafis took the teapot in his hand as a sign of appreciation. As he poured himself another cup, he changed the subject. ¡°The way you fought back there, that was impressive. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no one in the Empire¡¯s guild headquarters who can fight like that. You can¡¯t beat that as a mage.¡± ¡°Heh, as a swordsman I¡¯m not quite skilled¡­ is that what you¡¯re trying to sound like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still no match for you in a sword fight, though. I¡¯m not just a guild master in the middle of nowhere. Don¡¯t underestimate me, young man!¡± Zafis laughed, and Raidorl shrugged his shoulders with a chuckle. Zafis is his sword master and his guardian in the frontier city. In terms of position, Raidorl is superior to him, as he is royalty and a lord, but it is natural that he is the one who took the place of his parents, who picked him up after his brother and country abandoned him. ¡°But it was a pity about the vein. There¡¯s more like this one, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Apparently so. Eidolus was adamant about it, though.¡± The silver mine found on the border of the county of Aedras ended up being ceded 8:2. The damage would not have been small. ¡°No matter. If we hadn¡¯t given up that much, they wouldn¡¯t have let us go.¡± Count Eidolus must have been more pleased than anyone else with the attack on Catastro Org. Even though Raidorl is a royal family, considering the size of the territory, the influence in the south of the Kingdom of Zain is dominated by Eidolus. Even in emergencies, it is not acceptable to simply walk out of a discussion. It was unavoidable that they would have to concede their concessions in order to break off the talks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wish we could have defended it on our own. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, this is my territory. It¡¯s my home. It¡¯s only natural to rush to defend it at any cost¡­¡± Raising his teacup to Zafis, who lowered his eyebrows apologetically, Raidorl responded. He takes a sip of his tea and smiles mischievously. ¡°Besides, ¡­¡­ I¡¯m sure that they will be crying for you soon, eh?¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°That place is part of the frontier. It¡¯s not a safe place.¡± ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­, I see.¡± Hearing Raidorl¡¯s reply, Zafis felt a pang of sympathy. The image of the greedy Count crumbling under the unexpected blow flashed through his mind. A newly discovered vein of silver. The area is also a dangerous one, with many demons appearing. It¡¯s not a big problem at the moment, as the adventurers of the pioneer city regularly thin out the demons but cutting through it and mining it will be more difficult than Eidolus expects. ¡°We¡¯ll pull the adventurers out of that area for a while. That won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll do. Now let¡¯s see how long ¡­¡­ they can last.¡± Raidorl laughed and shook his shoulders. As they had predicted, the Count of Aedras, who had begun to exploit the silver mines immediately, had lost many miners and guards to repeated demon attacks and suffered enormous losses. It was not until a month later that Aedras asked for the elimination of the demons in return for a substantial transfer of the rights to the silver mine. CH 7 Raidorl¡¯s mornings and Erotic maid Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°N¡­¡­ is it morning¡­¡­¡± A month after the attack of the Catastro Orc. Raidorl woke up in a house in a pioneer town. Frowning at the sunlight streaming through the curtains, Raidorl rolls over in bed. Raidorl Zain is the second prince of the Kingdom of Zain. As lord of the developing city of Raid, his life is not a luxurious one. The house in which Raidorl lives is too humble for a lord but it is a little larger than a typical house in a pioneer town. Sometimes, when Zafis, uninvited, comes to visit with a bottle of wine in his hand, he finds it difficult to find a place to put his master to sleep, who is sound asleep after a night of heavy drinking. ¡°Isn¡¯t it morning already? Sleepyhead master.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± A woman¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in the room, causing Raidorl to squeal. He looks from side to side, looking for the source of the voice, but there is no one in the room, except for Raidorl. ¡°¡­¡± Then he suddenly noticed a weight on his body and rolled up the covers. There, as expected, was a black-haired girl in close proximity to a naked Raidorl. ¡°Oh, good morning, my dear, Master.¡± ¡°Good mor¡­¡­,what are you doing?¡± ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just doing my morning ¡­¡­ service.¡± ¡°Get out¡± Raidorl kicked the girl off the bed with her futon. The girl rolled on the floor, struggling to drown in the covers that covered her body, but then she bounced off the covers and came out. ¡°Moh! What are you doing all of a sudden!¡± Out of the futon comes a girl in a maid¡¯s uniform, her long black hair rippling down to her shoulders. The girl¡¯s name was Neimilia. She was the only servant working in the house where Raidorl lived. With her pale skin and young face, Neimilia looks at first glance like an exquisite doll. She has an attractive appearance that would attract many men if she sat quietly. ¡­¡­ Her employer, Raidorl, knew in his bones that it was all about appearances. ¡°What the fuck are YOU doing?¡­¡­You¡¯re the one who¡¯s doing it.¡± ¡°Ha?!¡­¡­ you¡¯re fucking your master¡¯s with your mouth?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything, shut up.¡± As you can see, when she opens her mouth, the vulgar words come out without hesitation. The vulgarities that come out of the mouth of this flowery girl are always a source of annoyance to Raidorl. Still, in a city full of adventurers and riffraff, a maid like her to do the housework is very rare. Due to her ¡°certain circumstances¡±, Raidorl was unable to kick her out and continued to employ Neimilia. By the way, in this house, which is supposed to be the lord¡¯s mansion, only Neimilia lives besides Raidorl. As a result, Neimilia was regarded as a real wife and mistress by the people of the frontier town, which was also a headache for Raidorl. ¡°Oh well, ¡­¡­ I¡¯m going to change my clothes, so get the hell out of here.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll take care of you from morning till night¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just ¡­¡­ get the fuck out.¡± Raidorl frowned and sent the girl in the maid¡¯s uniform out of the room. A glance at the clock shows that it is already ten o¡¯clock in the morning. It¡¯s a little late in the morning for that. Although Raidorl was the lord of the city, he left the financial and military affairs to the merchant guilds and adventurer¡¯s guilds, which had been in operation before Raidorl came to the city. Raidorl¡¯s job was to ratify their decisions. The only thing he does is to approve their decisions and to take the brunt of negotiations with noblemen and powerful merchants. As a result, his life was irregular, and no one would blame him if he slept until almost noon. ¡°Fua¡­¡­ so sleepy.¡± So, how shall he spend his day, Raidorl pondered as he changed his underwear. There was no work for the lord to do, and no one to meet. So why didn¡¯t he go as one of the adventurers to thwart the demons in the frontier? Every demon in the frontier has a rare material and therefore an important source of funds for the pioneer city. The more demons Raidorl hunted, the more money the settlement had to operate. ¡°Nuh-uh-uh ¡­¡­ master¡¯s fresh clothes ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So what are you doing?¡± As Raidorl changed his clothes, thinking about his plans for the day, his eyes met the gaze of someone staring at him from the shadow of the door. He didn¡¯t need to bother explaining, it was the erotic maid, of course. Staring back at the cat-like eyes staring at him through the door, Raidorl held his forehead as if he were fighting off a headache. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just my delicious pectoral muscles¡­¡­.¡± (TL: she means her breast) ¡°All right. Today I¡¯m going to the hardware store to buy a padlock. From now on you¡¯re not allowed in my room.¡± ¡°Ehhhhh, No, no, no, no, no! I have my own business to attend to. I didn¡¯t come here to peek!¡± Neimilia was in a hurry to argue with him. Raidorl clicks his tongue, looking half-lidded into the golden eyes that are tearing up. ¡°Then tell me what it is, If it¡¯s not important, I¡¯ll ignore you.¡± ¡°Mmmm ¡­¡­ master sadist, DV man! There¡¯s a guest at the door right now! He has come from the Royal Capital looking for his master.¡± (TL: Domestic Violence but author wrote DV) ¡°From the Capital?¡± ¡°Yes, from the Royal Capital. That¡¯s what he said.¡± ¡°¡­hm¡± Raidorl¡¯s brow furrows and his expression contorts as if he has eaten a poisonous plant. After Raidorl was banished to the frontier, there was no word from the capital. No matter how many letters of explanation or pleas for help he sent to his friends, he received no reply. I thought he was never going to have anything to do with me again, so why would he come to visit me now? ¡°¡­¡­Okay. I¡¯ll see you in the parlor.¡± ¡°Very well, sir. Oh, and I¡¯ll send a messenger to Mr. Zafis?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes. That would be better.¡± Raidorl had no idea what business the messenger from Royal Capital would be, but he had no doubt that it would be troublesome. It would be less of a problem if Zafis, who is supposed to be Raidorl¡¯s guardian, was there. Are they trying to force trouble on us, or is this the opportunity for retribution we¡¯ve been waiting for? ¡­¡­ Let¡¯s see what happens. Feeling the flames smouldering deep inside him, Raidorl held his chest as he was preparing. ¡°Mmmmmm, master is so motivated. He¡¯s getting so much better down there, too¡­¡­¡± ¡°Just get out of here!¡± Raidorl shouted at the maid, who was drooling in the corner of the room, and pulled his jacket over his body to cover his skin. CH 8 A guest from Royal Capital Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil After changing into his formal attire to meet his guests from Royal Capital, Raidorl led Neimilia to the parlour. Although it was called a parlour, this was a small house where guests rarely visited. The living room was hastily cleared out and made into a makeshift reception room. As soon as Raidorl opened the door, the guest who was already in the room greeted him with a bow. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Your Royal Highness, the King¡¯s Brother Raidorl.¡± ¡°My brother the king ¡­¡­? No, you¡¯re ¡­¡­¡± Raidorl froze as he stepped into the room and opened his eyes to the limit. He had thought of a few familiar faces when he heard that he was a guest from Royal Capital, but what he saw was someone he had not expected. In a makeshift drawing room, a purple-haired woman in a clean, light blue dress stood without sitting on the chair. Her name is Mertina Mercer, and she is the only daughter of Lockwood Mercer, the Prime Minister of Zain and a childhood friend of Raidorl¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡­I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d come. How daring for you to come to such a small town?¡± Raidorl¡¯s voice naturally turns grim as he meets the woman who would have been his companion had he not been chosen by the Holy Sword, the woman who had so easily abandoned him in exile on the frontier. He prepared his sword on his hip, just in case, and he¡¯s trying to hold back his right hand from reaching for it. He exhaled loudly and calmed his emotions. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re alive and well. My wonderful childhood friend.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you call me Mertina like you used to, Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­¡­still, How on earth did you end up in this remote area?¡± Ignoring Mertina¡¯s words, he sat down on the sofa and, with a tuck of his chin, invited her to sit down too. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mertina sits silently on the sofa opposite and looks straight at Raidorl. Behind her are two knights who appear to be her bodyguards. Both knights are dressed in fine armour and have ornate swords at their hips. Behind Raidorl, on the other hand, there is only one maid. Not even one of his guards is here. It¡¯s hard to tell which is the royal family. ¡°I¡¯ve changed. ¡­¡­ So has this woman.¡± After five years on the frontier, Raidorl, once a mere child, has grown into a first-class warrior. But it wasn¡¯t just Raidorl who had grown up, Mertina had also changed over the past five years. Originally a pretty young girl, her appearance has been transformed into that of a mature woman, with a slender nose, full lips and large almond-shaped eyes that are incredibly attractive. From the neck down, her body has changed into that of a grown woman, especially the two fruits on her chest, which are so rich that they make anyone salivate. ¡°Oh, shit! How could she be so beautiful!¡± Raidorl gritted his teeth and swore inwardly. The woman who once abandoned him has grown into an incredibly attractive woman. It was a shame. The fact that he was able to arouse even the slightest bit of lust for a woman he should have hated with all his heart seemed like an indelible stain on his life. ¡°¡­a lot has happened. Seem we both have changed¡± ¡°Yes, five years is a long time.¡± Raidorl murmured in a hushed tone, careful not to let his frustration get to him. Mertina also responded in an emotionally unreadable voice. The two childhood friends stared at each other in silence for a while, until Mertina spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the abruptness of this visit.¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ it¡¯s quite a sudden visit after not hearing from you for five years.¡± ¡°My father will make a formal apology at a later date, Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, what¡¯s that thing you call it?¡± Raidorl asked, vaguely aware of the answer. Mertina kept her eyes downcast for a moment, then looked up quickly and answered. ¡°His Majesty¡­¡­the father of His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl, has died.¡± ¡°¡­ah, I see¡± ¡°His royal highness Prince Granard is now the new king. This makes His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl a royal brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The answer was quite predictable, and Raidorl cast his eyes down. His father was still young, in his fifties, but he was very ill at the time of his banishment. It¡¯s a good thing he survived for five years. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and prayed for the repose of his father¡¯s soul, whom he never saw again. The decision to exile the young prince was taken by his brother, the acting king, and his entourage. His father had no part in it, and there was no grudge between Raidorl and his father. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ And you didn¡¯t bother to come and tell me that, did you?¡± After a short moment of silence, Raidorl asks again Mertina¡¯s business. My father passed away and my brother ascended to the throne as the new king. It¡¯s a big deal for the country, but I don¡¯t think the people in Royal Capital, who haven¡¯t heard from us in five years, would have bothered to come and tell me. The main topic should be something else. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you, ¡­¡­, His Royal Highness King Granard, the new King of Zain, a royal decree.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°His brother Raidorl von Zain has been relieved of his duties as lord of the frontier city with immediate effect and is to return to Royal Capital¡­¡­¡± ¡°What..?!¡± Raidorl narrows his eyes and asks in an irritated tone. Despite the fierce stare, Mertina doesn¡¯t flinch and stares back at him. Her eyes are like glass beads, unreadable and emotionless, and Raidorl¡¯s gaze grows even darker. There was a click in Raidorl¡¯s head and the sound of some parts fitting together. The wheels of fate are in motion once more, and the keepers of the Holy Sword, relegated to the corners of the world, are lured back to the stage of history. CH 9 The Keeper of the Sacred Sword Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°I hope you¡¯re willing to explain what happened.¡± Raidorl asks in a chilling voice. The man in front of Mertina¡¯s eyes is not the kind and gentle childhood friend she once knew. He is a man who has been fighting demons in a remote frontier city. The killing intent was so sharp that it stung the skin. In fact, Mertina¡¯s bodyguards, who should be accustomed to the rough stuff, are shivering and scrunching up their faces, but they are still on alert, ready to move at any moment to fulfill their duty as bodyguards. ¡°Of course. I would very much like Your Highness to hear it.¡± But there is no sign of fear on Mertina¡¯s face, even though she is facing the killer head-on. With a smile on her face, she looks back at Raidorl with a resolute look on her face. ¡°Wow, ¡­¡­, you¡¯re even more of an asshole than I thought. I must have been wrong.¡± Mertina¡¯s expression never changes, and Raidorl changes his opinion of her. She was the girl who had sent him into exile without a single change of expression. It¡¯s not as if he could have read her mind even five years ago. He took a deep breath, repressed his simmering anger, and urged her to continue with her story with his eyes. ¡°Our country is currently facing a great crisis. ¡­¡­ Your Highness, have you heard of the Alsatian Empire in the East?¡± ¡°How could I not know about it? It¡¯s a great power in the middle of the continent.¡± ¡°The Empire has declared war on the Kingdom of Zain. It¡¯s been two weeks since the war broke out.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Raidorl couldn¡¯t help but ask back, it was an unexpected piece of information that came out of Mertina¡¯s mouth. The Alsatian Empire, the dominant power in the centre of the continent, is ten times larger and more powerful than the Kingdom of Zain. The Empire¡¯s guiding principle is the unification of the continent by force, and it has crossed paths with the Kingdom of Zain on several occasions in the past. However ¨C because the Alsatian Empire is a large country with enemies on all sides, it could not send enough troops to destroy the Kingdom of Zain, and most of the battles would have ended in skirmishes. ¡°It¡¯s just another reconnaissance mission, isn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t it a bit much to call something like that a national crisis?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it seems that this time they are serious about destroying our country¡­¡­¡­¡­ It seems that one of their enemies is the holder of the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°A holy sword?!¡± The unheard words made Raidorl shout. It was something that had changed the young prince¡¯s life radically. It is said that there are twelve holy swords on earth, which were given to man by the gods in mythical times. One of them was the D¨¢insleif, owned by the Kingdom of Zain and for which Raidorl had been chosen as the holder of the Holy Sword, Excalibur. While Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, Mertina continued her explanation in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°The Alsatian Empire possesses three holy swords. And as of¡­¡­ we¡¯ve received word that the holders of all three have appeared.¡± ¡°All three?! That¡¯s, well¡­¡± A holy sword is not something that everyone can use. Only those who are chosen by God¡¯s will or fate are allowed to possess it. Just as the first king of the Kingdom of Zain was the last person to use the D¨¢insleif, it was not uncommon for a hundred years or more to pass without a wielder. That¡¯s three in one era. If they include Raidorl, there were four of them. ¡°The story is starting to piece together,¡­how selfish ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl covered his face with his right hand and shook his fist in fierce anger. He could predict what Mertina was going to say. It was so selfish that it seemed to make a mockery of him. ¡°Your Royal Highness, King Granard¡¯s brother. Please return to the Royal Capital, take the D¨¢insleif in your hand, and strike down the Holy Sword Bearers of the Empire to save your kingdom.¡± As expected, Raidorl slammed his fist down on the table with all his might. CH 10 A Selfish Betrayal. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Raidorl¡¯s fist slammed into the table. The simple wooden table was split in half from the middle. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!! You can¡¯t just falsely accuse people!¡± It was a rage that came from the depths of his soul. Raidorl was banished to the frontier because he was chosen in the first place to be the wielder of the holy sword D¨¢insleif. And yet, the very people who banished him are now telling him to come back because they need the power of the Holy Sword. The selfishness of the argument was not very emotional. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing with my life? I¡¯m not a puppet for you to move as you please!¡± ¡°Your Highness! Please calm down!¡± As Raidorl reaches for the hilt of his sword, Mertina¡¯s guards rush to stop him. However, the knight, who had stepped forward to hold Raidorl from the right, was hit in the throat by a blindingly fast punch. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up! Or you want to get yourself killed?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Two knights are guarding Mertina. One of them was hit in the throat and fell on his back. The other one was struck with a fierce murderous intent and stood frozen in place. The knight guards are well-trained and not weak at all. Even so, with the current Raidorl, who has gained a lot of practical experience in the pioneer city, he has the skill to slaughter anyone with his bare hands. And even more so if it was Mertina, a noblewoman. He would be able to choke that thin neck with one hand and take life out of it like a chicken. Raidorl makes sure that the two guards are silent and grips the hilt of his sword with his right hand. ¡°Mertina¡­¡­answer me with all honesty in your heart. Are you asking me to fight? Do you want me to risk my life to fight for you and the people who drove me from Royal Capital?¡± ¡°Your Highness, ¡­¡­, please calm your mind. This is for your own good.¡± ¡°Houu¡­care to explain? Explain it while I¡¯m still able to contain my anger¡±. While being glared at by Raidorl. Mertina¡¯s eyes never blink as she looks up at her angry childhood friend. Raidorl¡¯s head cooled slightly as he saw her lips tighten in determination. ¡°His Majesty the King has said that he will grant any wish you have, as long as you stand on the battlefield as the holder of the Holy Sword. Not only will you regain your royal status, but you will also have a more favourable domain that is not located in such a remote area.¡± ¡°Ha, no way!¡± Five years ago, this would have been a suggestion that would have been taken seriously, but unfortunately for Raidorl, it has no appeal whatsoever. Raidorl had already made the frontier city his new home and had no desire to return to the capital. He had no desire to return to Royal Capital, let alone be transferred to another territory. ¡°If that¡¯s all you have to say, I wish you¡¯d leave. How dare you call a man¡¯s territory ¡®a remote area¡¯?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that, but ¡­¡­ would you really not like to go back to King¡¯s Landing?¡± ¡°Get out of here while I can still reason with you!¡± ¡°Oh well,¡­..that¡¯s just the way it is.¡± Mertina casts her eyes down and sighs in resignation. Raidorl sniffs and goes to open the door to ask her to leave, but as he peels his eyes away when he sees what looks like a jewel that Mertina has taken out of nowhere. ¡°You ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I hate to do this, but I¡¯m going to have to restrain your ¡­¡­ highness.¡± ¡°Damn ¡­¡­!¡± Mertina is holding a red pearl in her hand. It was an advanced magic item that could be a trap and activated by a time delay. In Mertina¡¯s hand, the red pearl shatters into pieces. A chain sprang from the jewel like a snake from its burrow and wrapped itself around Raidorl¡¯s body, binding him. CH 11 Chains and Witches. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Was this the plan all along, Mertina?¡± The black chain tightens around Raidorl like a snake crushing its prey. Biting his back teeth against the magical restraints that squeeze his limbs, Raidorl asks in a quiet tone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on doing this if I can help it. And that¡¯s not a lie.¡± When questioned, Mertina had an annoyed look on her face. She tilted her thin head. ¡°Nevertheless, I am the daughter of Lockwood Marcell, the Prime Minister. I am obliged to get my hands dirty and, if necessary, give up everything for the sake of this country.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, you said that ¡­¡­5 years ago.¡± ¡°¡­it happened? Anyway, it¡¯s all for the future of the Kingdom of Zain. His Royal Highness, Prince Raidorl, I will accompany you.¡± As Mertina raises her right hand, the knights in her guard step forward. One of the knights has just been knocked out by Raidorl, but there is one more knight left. Even though Raidorl is a strong man who has survived in the harsh frontier, there is no way he can win with his limbs bound. ¡°You think you can force me to take me to the Royal Capital and then expect me to fight for you?¡± ¡°There you have it, Your Highness. If the worst comes to the worst, you¡¯ll have to fight with slave magic.¡± ¡°Slave magic ¡­¡­ how desperate are you!¡± Slave magic is a type of witchcraft in which a person is forced to use another person by placing shackles on their soul. It should only be used against a few people, such as criminals and prisoners of war, never against innocent people ¡­¡­much less royalty. ¡°I am asking you as my former vassal and fianc¨¦e. Please just let them catch you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not going to give in to you again. I¡¯m not going to bow down to you guys again¡­¡­. Neimilia, give your rude guest the moxa.¡± ¡°Yes, master. My guests, I will not tolerate any violence against my master!¡± Someone came forward to the knight who was about to take Raidorl away. It was Neimilia, the maid girl who had been standing behind Raidorl all along. She stood in front of the knight with her hands outstretched and stared straight at him, who was at least a head taller than her. The knight raised an eyebrow in disgust at Neimilia, who was clearly a non-combatant, not even an escort. ¡°Would you mind stepping aside, Miss?¡± ¡°I will not¡± ¡°As a knight, I don¡¯t want an unarmed civilian to get hurt.¡± The knight exhaled lazily and reached for Neimilia¡¯s shoulder. A woman¡¯s thin body could easily be pushed away by a knight who makes his living fighting. But¡ª A storm of magical energy erupted from the body of Neimilia. At the same time, her shoulder-length silver hair fluttered like a living thing, and her eyes shone like the gold of a full moon. It was like a mythical goddess, majestic, terrifying and spine-tinglingly beautiful. ¡°There is only one person who can bind and flog her master, and that is me, Neimilia! I don¡¯t remember ever allowing a fat titted woman like you to do that!¡± ¡°Ahhhh?!¡± A violent outpouring of magic power leapt off the knight with physical force and slammed him against the wall of the house. The simple wall could not even catch the man¡¯s body and was easily broken through, causing the knight to roll around on the ground. ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­, this is not enough to get me to play SM with my master!¡¡You¡¯ll have to come back in bondage fashion at least!¡± ¡°No, what are you talking about?¡± Neimilia sticks her finger at Mertina. Raidorl puts a bitter look on his face at the reliable but tense squire. On the other hand, Mertina was witnessing such a dumb exchange, but she was stiffened by the sight of Neimilia¡¯s hair and eyes. ¡°Silver hair, golden eyes. ¡­¡­ Are you the Six Witches of Doom?¡± The transformation of Neimilia¡¯s face, which had always been calm, was distorted into a look of astonishment. CH 12 The Six Witches of Doom are the divine enemies of the cult of the Holy Light, which is practised in over two-thirds of the continent. They were responsible for the earthquake that struck the Empire 100 years ago, the White Death that spread across the eastern part of the continent 150 years ago, and the great war that raged across the continent 200 years ago. The six silver-haired, gold-eyed witches are the subject of many children¡¯s bedtime stories, and it is said that they are behind many other historical disasters. ¡°Master, are you all right? Are you not being trained?¡± After neutralising the knight, Neimilia touched the chains that bound Raidorl. Then, like a piece of paper wet with water, the black chain shattered into a thousand pieces and dissolved into the air in the form of particles, disappearing. ¡°¡­¡­Oh, no problem. Thank God.¡± ¡°Mmmm, I did what a maid is supposed to do. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll take good care of you, Master. From top to bottom!¡± ¡°¡­¡­you make it sound like a putdown, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± When he was released, Raidorl was uncomfortable with the way that Neimilia was acting, but he thanked her for her help. He moves the joints of his arms and legs lightly to make sure there are no problems, and then turns to Mertina again. ¡°Well¡­¡­I¡¯m royalty, and you¡¯re trying to put a curse on me, and you fail. You know what you¡¯re going to get, Mertina.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I didn¡¯t think your Royal Highness had the Witch of Doom on your side. This is my loss.¡± Mertina shrugs her shoulders in resignation. Raidorl rebukes his childhood friend, who has a mysterious demeanour and makes no excuses. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you a question. Was it King Granard who cursed me and ordered me to be taken to the Royal Capital?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mertina closes her eyes and shakes her head. ¡°This is my own decision. Neither his Majesty nor my father had anything to do with it. It was all my fault for being too hasty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lousy excuse. But¡­¡­ let¡¯s pretend it is.¡± Raidorl drew his sword from his waist and swung it sideways. A silvery blade shot out towards Mertina¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± An inevitable death looms before her eyes. Mertina accepts it without resistance, her eyes downcast. ¡°¡­this is too boring¡±. A slash slices through Mertina¡¯s neck¡­¡­ and just before it does, the sword comes to a halt. The skin of Mertina¡¯s neck is sliced open and a streak of blood runs down. Mertina blinked her eyes in surprise, as if she hadn¡¯t expected it to be stopped. ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness, why did you stop?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. My mercy is not because we are childhood friends.¡± Raidorl said disconsolately and sheathed his sword. It would be easy to kill Mertina here. And it will be a pleasure to kill her, who betrayed him once and has done so again. ¡°But ¡­¡­ I don¡¯t like it.¡± The look on Mertina¡¯s face, as she was about to be slayed, was not one of fear. She looked as if she had been expecting it all along, and the idea of killing her was completely lost on her. Raidorl walked up to the knight stretched out on the floor and stomped on his belly as hard as he could. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re¡­¡­ no, your royal highness!¡± Looking down at the knight, who has finally woken up and raised himself up, Raidorl coldly declares. ¡°Listen to me. Mertina Marcell here has unleashed a curse against me, a member of the royal family, and tried to capture me by force. For this crime of disrespect, I am detaining her here and now!¡± ¡°But..that¡¯s..¡± The knight looks puzzledly at Mertina, who is behind Raidorl. ¡°¡­..¡± Mertina nodded silently and made eye contact at us to show that their trick had failed. ¡°Yes, I understand. So, what should I do¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take Mertina into my custody. You are to return to your superiors and report this to them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ yes, sir.¡± The knightly man nodded reverently, but with a sullen look on his face. Raidorl sniffed and threw in a few more words. ¡°And one more thing, my participation in the war against the Alsatian Empire is indeed accepted. As soon as we are ready, we will be on our way to Royal Capital, so make sure you tell them that!¡± ¡°Wha..?¡± ¡°ee..?¡± ¡°Fue?¡± The knight and Mertina together roll their eyes. Even Neimilia, who is supposed to be on the side of Raidorl, has her mouth hanging open. ¡°Ku,ku,ghe¡± As the three looked at him in surprise, Raidorl grinned like a naughty boy who had just thought of a prank. CH 13 After that, I locked the bound Mertina in a room that I use as a storage room and drove the two knights out of my city. Fortunately, the knights had not suffered any life-threatening injuries and did not require any further treatment beyond a bottle of restorative potion each. The knight has been subjected to a simple memory manipulation by Neimilia, and the memory of Raidorl having one of the Six Witches of Doom as his maid has been falsified. The power of Neimilia is something that the Kingdom of Zain does not know about, and it could be a trump card. At the moment, there was no advantage in letting the people on the king¡¯s side know about it. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s what happened before I got here.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure if you¡¯d been here earlier, it wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Raidorl spat sarcastic venom at Zafis Bartolomeo, who had finally arrived just as the discussion with Mertina had ended and the knight had been driven away. Zafis¡¯s lips twisted in reply to his pupil¡¯s words. ¡°I can¡¯t help it! We¡¯re busy, not like those ornamental lords!¡± With a rough hand, Zafis picked up the wooden cup in front of him and gulped down the liquid in it. Then he spat out half of it on the floor. ¡°Ha!? What the hell is this?!¡± ¡°My apologies, sir. It seems that the amount of tea leaves was wrong.¡± Neimilia smiled and mopped up the rather thick tea that Zafis had sprinkled on the floor. Zafis calls out fearfully to the maid, who sweeps the floor with an indifferent look on her face. ¡°Oh¡­¡­are you mad at me, by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not mad at you for overlooking my master¡¯s danger, or for calling him a decoration.¡± ¡°Ugu¡­¡­¡± The smile on her face was gentle, but there was a look of anger on her face. Zafis¡¯s face contorts in horror, and he clears his throat. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright. But why did you agree to return to Royal Capital?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was wondering, too. Is the master a masochist who goes and faces troubles with the demands of those who have cast him out?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a masochist? I have my own plans!¡± Raidorl retorts and exhales. ¡°Think about it, whatever the intentions of the people in the royal court, we can¡¯t just leave the Alsatian Empire alone, can we? If the Empire destroys the Kingdom of Zain, it will of course wipe out the royal family. I can¡¯t be a part of that.¡± He could ask for a pardon, explaining that his brother had treated him badly, but there was no guarantee that the Empire would accept it. In the eyes of the Empire, there is no merit in keeping alive the royal family of an enemy country that it has destroyed. It is much more likely that they will dispose of them in order to avoid any regrets. Beheaded or burnt at the stake, either way they will not be treated well. ¡°And this is a great opportunity. In this time of war, Granard will be forced to concede to our demands, and we will be able to extort aid for the town.¡± The pioneer town serves to prevent the influx of demons from the jungles to the south of the Kingdom of Zain. In spite of this, the town is run by money from the sale of demon materials and loans from the adventurers¡¯ guild. The town has never received any aid from the Crown. ¡°¡­¡­ Is that really what you want? You¡¯re not going to get revenge on your brother, are you?¡± Zafis raises his eyebrows in question. Zafis, who knew Raidorl when he was sent to the frontier, knew how devastated and hurt the young prince had been by the betrayal of those he had trusted. He suspected that he intended to use the war as an opportunity to return to the Royal Capital and take revenge on his brother the King. ¡°Revenge¡­..huh..¡± In response to his sword master¡¯s question, Raidorl looked out the window with a faraway look in his eyes. He once hated his brother Granard for betraying him. He has hated his brother Granard for betraying him, and he has hated his aides Lockwood Marcell and Bazel Garst. He even disliked the kingdom of Zain, which had driven him to the frontier and kept him at peace by mistreating him. ¡°But¡­¡­ that¡¯s beside the point.¡± But Raidorl was not going to take revenge, he swore. If Granard would leave him alone, he would be happy to spend the rest of his life fighting demons on the frontier. The frontier city was full of danger and turmoil, but there was a pure truth to it, that the strongest survived, and that suited Raidorl. ¡°If my brother, Granard, had stayed out of my life, I would have been fine with that. But if he still wants to take it from me after all this time, I¡¯ll have to fight. I will not let them take it from me again.¡± ¡°¡­.I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you everywhere you go, Master!¡± Zafis nodded gravely when he heard Raidorl¡¯s decision. Neimilia also pinched the edge of her skirt and bowed her head smilingly. ¡°This is a fight for my pride. I¡¯ll take back what is taken from me. I will not tolerate those who take from us. I¡¯ll crush them both, the Empire and Granard.¡± With a determination like a blazing fire, Raidorl stared out of the window at the northern sky. Beyond the sky ¨C in the royal palace of the Kingdom of Zain ¨C a dead holy sword cried out with a high-pitched sound, as if calling out to its master. CH 14 Sardelia is a provincial city located straight north of the pioneer city of Raid. A battalion sent from the royal capital is stationed in the town, which is the centre of logistics in the south of the Kingdom of Zain. The battalion commanders, who had rented a room from the Sardelia¡¯s lord¡¯s, listened to the report of the knight who had returned from Raid. Inside the room had a bunch of drawings, which had become a makeshift command centre. ¡°¡­¡­hurm, as I expected.¡± When the knight¡¯s report was finished, the man who commanded the battalion sighed deeply. The knight, who had returned to see his superior holding his forehead as if he had a headache, hurriedly bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we were unable to protect Lady Mertina!¡¡This blame can be laid at¡­.!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s all right. It was to be expected that she would not come back.¡± The commander speaks in a polite tone that one would not expect to hear from an ordinary knight. For the knights not being able to fulfil the duties given them and for not being able to bring Raidorl to this place. There was no punishment for the failure, and the commander¡¯s voice sounded unnaturally gentle. ¡°Eh? Wha?¡± ¡°You can go back now. Thank you for your hard work. Get some rest and relax.¡± ¡°Huh, huh?¡± The commander scratches his chin and asks the two knights to leave. The knights nodded their heads at their superior¡¯s words. However, they had no reason to complain about the lack of punishment and meekly followed the order to leave the command room. As the two knights walked out of the room, their footsteps fading into the distance, the commander crossed his arms with a sorrowful look on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect his highness to agree to fight the Empire¡­¡­. This is unexpected.¡± ¡°If His Royal Highness is coming back on his own free will, there is nothing wrong with that, is there, Master Daren?¡± The name of the commander who sits in his chair and ponders is Darren Garst. He is the son of General Bazel Garst, one of the men who once banished Raidorl from the capital and is commanding a thousand-horsemen in the Royal Army. Darren is only 25 years old, but his father¡¯s connections are not the only reason why he is in the position of commanding a thousand horsemen. This is because Darren¡¯s bravery and commanding ability are exceptional, and he is an indispensable asset to the Royal Army. For the moment, the town where Darren and a thousand of his troops live can be considered as his home. The purpose of having a battalion here, despite the war with the Empire, is to capture and forcibly take Raidorl away if he refuses to return to the capital. ¡°hm ¡­¡­ I should be happy about this¡­¡­¡± Darren murmurs in a polite tone that contradicts his position, his brow furrowed in thought. His second-in-command, the female knight Saara Leifet, doesn¡¯t understand why Darren is so worried and lowers her eyebrows in frustration. He didn¡¯t pay any attention to the worried look on her face and sank deeper into his thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that His Highness would agree to join the war ¡­¡­, but what was his intention in detaining the outrageous Miss Mertina and returning only the knight ¡­¡­?¡± By royal decree, King Granard sent a messenger to his brother Raidorl to ask him to return to the capital. In reality, however, he was not at all sure that Raidorl would agree to return to the capital. It¡¯s not as if Granard, the king, or Lockwood, the vizier, were so naive as to think that the exiled prince would not hold a grudge against them. (TL: vizier a high official in some Muslim countries, especially in Turkey under Ottoman rule.) He had chosen Mertina as his emissary not because he thought she could persuade him, as a childhood friend, but rather to incite Raidorl¡¯s anger. The first step is to send Mertina as a messenger, and if she can persuade Raidorl, that is all that is needed. If the persuasion fails, the curse of restraint, woven by more than a dozen court magicians, will be invoked to capture Raidorl. And if the curse fails, Darren will lead an army to besiege the frontier city and detain Raidorl on the charge of ¡®murdering the vizier¡¯s daughter¡¯. ¡°Even though it is the king¡¯s order, there is no good reason to detain royalty who have not committed any crime. That¡¯s why Miss Mertina was chosen as the sacrifice¡­¡­¡± To the horror of many, it was Mertina¡¯s father, Lockwood, who devised the ruse. If the curse succeeds, Mertina will be punished for having arbitrarily placed a curse on the royal family; if it fails, she will be murdered by Raidorl and used as a banner to capture her royal brother. Darren was chilled to the bone by Lockwood¡¯s cold-heartedness in sacrificing even his own daughter for his country. However, the outcome was unexpected, Raidorl agreed to return to the royal capital, and Mertina was captured without being killed. The result was different from the development Darren had expected beforehand. ¡°hurm, it seems that¡­¡­ Miss Mertina was not killed, so let¡¯s be happy with this result for now. We did not need to capture His Royal Highness Raidorl.¡± Darren shook his head, not unlike his rocky-faced father. Although there were some unexpected incidents, the end result was not so bad. It is a pity that Mertina has been captured, but it is far better than being killed as planned. If the Prime Minister can negotiate with him, he should be able to get her back alive. Darren was unsure what Raidorl¡¯s intentions are, but Darren¡¯s mission is to get his king¡¯s royal brother, the holder of the Holy Sword, to the capital. Leave it to the king or the vizier to find out what¡¯s in Raidorl¡¯s heart. And although¡­¡­ Darren was ordered to capture Raidorl, he never harboured any animosity or ill will towards the poor prince who was banished to the frontier. On the contrary, he even felt pity for Raidorl, who was being forced to do something unreasonable for the convenience of his country. ¡°I thought that I would have to cross swords for the sake of the king and the country, but I was glad that I did not have to fight.¡± ¡°¡­.let¡¯s get ready to go and pick up His Royal Highness Raidorl. Before he changes his mind¡±. ¡°All right, sir. I¡¯ll be ready to go at once!¡± She breathed a sigh of relief to her superior, whose expression brightened, and walked out of the command centre in high spirits. As he watched her go, Darren held his hand to his chest, trying to suppress the uneasiness that was growing inside him. CH 15 anslated by SoundOfDestiny ¡°No one loves a horrid witch like you. I¡¯ve never loved you.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡­¡­!?¡± A cold voice rang out in her head. The blade of the words tore her body, and she jumped up with a spring in her sleep. Darkness lay all around her. It was a familiar room in a familiar house. Neimilia was lying on the bed. ¡°Well, have I fallen asleep?¡­¡­¡­ I shouldn¡¯t, a maid should never sleep without waiting for her master¡¯s return¡­¡­¡­.¡± Neimilia looked at the pendulum clock on the wall. There were no lamps or candlesticks in the room. But as a witch with the night vision of a cat, she could see the hands of the clock without any problem. ¡°Is it midnight already? Master, it¡¯s late again¡­¡­..¡± Neimilia mumbled uneasily and chewed on her blanket. Raidorl, who had decided to return to the capital, stayed up late every day discussing the matter with the leading figures of the frontier city. He¡¯s no longer an ornament, but the lord who has the final say will be away from the city. There were many things to be handed over, including how to deal with emergencies. It was already half past midnight, but there was still no sign of Raidorl¡¯s return. Her captive, Mertina, had already been transferred to the guild¡¯s prison for criminals, leaving Neimilia alone in the not-so-large house. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡­.¡± No matter how late it was, he would be back before morning. Even though she knew this, Neimilia could not control the feelings of anxiety that welled up in her heart. She chewed on her blanket and groaned with tears in her eyes. Being alone in the dark reminded her of the hellish days of the past. The memory of the first time she met her future master, Raidorl, flashed through her mind. ¡°The Six Witches of Doom.¡± This is the name of a monster that has been appearing in human history for hundreds of years, and has often almost destroyed the world. The eldest ¨C Akasha, the Witch of Fire. The second daughter ¨C Carmelan, the Water Witch. The third daughter ¨C Hoofle, the Wind Witch Fourth daughter ¨C Osman, the Earth Witch Fifth daughter ¨C Neimilia, the Dark Witch And the Great Mother, Graslead, the Witch of Light It was two years ago that Neimilia, one of those evil witches, met Raidorl Zain. The Kingdom of Zain is a country in the west of the continent. In the south, there was a vast sea of trees that stretched over a fifth of the country. It is a remote sea of trees where a vast amount of mana blows from the dragon veins and continues to discharge powerful demons by mutation. Deep within the sea of trees, hidden from view by the dense foliage, stood the ruins of an old stone structure. The ruins have been sealed off from the outside with magic and refuse to be entered by anyone. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.ha¡± Inside these ruins, Neimilia sighs. Her hands and feet were bound by chains that hung from the ceiling and walls. Her body is not clothed in a single piece of cloth, and her white naked body is fully exposed in the darkness without a ray of light. Her naked body is as spotless as virgin snow, untouched by anyone, and the silver hair cascading from her head is as beautiful as fine silverwork. Her eyes are golden and shine like the light of the full moon in the night sky, illuminating the darkness. She was a work of art in her own right, but there was no one to admire her beauty in the ruins, where there was no room for an ant. Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness, had spent hundreds of years in the lightless ruins of the Abyss. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m lonely. I want to talk to someone.¡± Such words leaked from Neimilia¡¯s mouth. The darkness of the abyss was not always a pain for Neimilia, the witch who controls ¡®darkness¡¯. However, Neimilia never met anyone, and for hundreds of years spent alone, slowly her mind starts to break down. In fact, she has done well. A normal person would go insane in less than a week if they were trapped alone in the dark with no light. The fact that Neimilia can live in such an environment for hundreds of years and still maintain an equilibrium in her mind is extraordinary. However, even Neimilia¡¯s mind was reaching its limits. Her mind, which had been gradually whittled down over hundreds of years, was on the verge of collapse, and in a few short days, her mind would sink into madness. How this witch ended up in a never-ending captivity goes back hundreds of years. CH 16 Translated by SoundOfDestiny Three hundred years ago, Garasurido, the head of the Six Witches of Doom, announced the annihilation of humanity. And ¨C the five daughter witches complied. The six witches plunged the continent into such chaos that it was as if it had been thrown into a fire, and humanity was driven to the brink of extinction. What saved the human race was the appearance of twelve holy sword keepers. And a betrayal from one witch. The youngest of the six witches, Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness, fell in love with a holy sword-bearer and betrayed her parents and sisters for the sake of the man she loved. Through Neimilia¡¯s antagonism, the six witches were successfully defeated, and the Sword Bearers of the time defeated the witches one by one, until finally the threat was defeated. Although they were not able to completely destroy the immortal witches, the world was saved by the Sword Bearers of the time. And then there¡¯s Neimilia, who supported the holy sword holder she was in love with and even turned her family against him for his sake. Her reward was not the eternal love¡­¡­..of the man she loves, but a never-ending captivity. ¡°Why? Why is this happening to me?¡± Chained to the ruins, Neimilia screamed. She had betrayed her family for the man she loved. She had given up everything for him and had devoted her entire existence to him. And yet, why should she have to go through this? ¡°¡­.. Don¡¯t you see, Neimilia?¡± The man looking up at the hanging woman with cold eyes is the man she loved. He is one of the keepers of the Holy Sword who saved the world. ¡°It¡¯s true that you betrayed the other witches and lent us your power. But that doesn¡¯t erase the sins you¡¯ve committed. It doesn¡¯t bring back the people you¡¯ve killed.¡± ¡°Eh, but¡­¡­ it¡¯s ¡­¡­¡± The man she loves has condemned her, and she is at a loss for words. She¡¯s desperate to find an excuse, but the piercing stare of the man won¡¯t let her. The man smirks at the reluctant Neimilia and twists his lips sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you like the other witches. You should be thanking me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The lips that once whispered love to her spat out sharp words of rejection. Neimilia heard it with disbelief, and tears fell from her eyes. ¡°You will spend an eternity in this place. A never-ending penance. And your sins may be washed away. At last, I¡¯m finally at peace.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°And one more thing I should tell you.¡± The man she loved stepped out of the ruins and looked back at the bound Neimilia. ¡°It was you who destroyed my birthplace and killed my fianc¨¦e, Neimilia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No one loves a fearless witch like you. I¡¯ve never loved you.¡± With that, the man closed the door to the ruins. The ruins are closed tightly, and Neimilia is left in the darkness of the abyss. ¡°I,iyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! Don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t leave me alone!¡± (TL: I could type Noooooooooooooo but I prefer the sound in japanese since in my head is better.) Neimilia¡¯s screams spill out into the darkness. Tears of blood spilled from her golden eyes, soaking the stone floor red. She was now a prisoner of war, and had been for a hundred years. She was not allowed to die because she was a witch, and she had to spend her dreadful years in the darkness of the abyss. ¡°Somebody, somebody¡­.. help me ¡­¡­¡± The pleas of Neimilia were not heard by anyone. But ¨C even if they did not reach her ¨C a helping hand was extended. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s open.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.. eh?¡± Suddenly, out of the blue. Without warning, the door to the ruins was opened. For the first time in hundreds of years, light shone into the stone building, and a young boy¡¯s face appeared in the sunlight. From the author: Thank you for your support! If you found it interesting, please bookmark it and rate it with a star! CH 17 Translated by SoundOfDestiny ¡°That was bad. ¡­¡­¡­ I thought I was going to die.¡± The dark-haired man ¨C who looked more like a boy than a man ¨C stepped into a building that no one had entered for hundreds of years. The boy has scars all over his body. On his arms were three scars that looked like the claw marks of a beast, indicating that he had been attacked by a demon and had fled to the ruins. The boy closes the entrance to the ruins tightly to prevent the demons from coming in from the outside, and uses magic to light a fire. ¡°Light¡­¡­¡­, that¡¯s a relief for now. Let¡¯s stay here for a while and try¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± This is where the boy finally noticed the presence of Neimilia. He looked up and down the body of the beautiful witch, hanging by chains at the back of the ruins, and was often speechless. ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± A voice leaked out of Neimilia¡¯s mouth as if she remembered. She had stopped thinking about the boy who had appeared so suddenly, and she didn¡¯t know what to say to him. The boy and the witch often look at each other under the light of the fire created by magic. And then¨C ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The boy turned on his heel in silence and tried to walk out with his hand on the door of the ruins. Realising that someone she hadn¡¯t seen for a long time was about to leave, Neimilia shouted in panic. ¡°You can¡¯t go away! Don¡¯t go!¡± A desperate cry reverberated through the stone building. Neimilia herself was most surprised to hear such a loud voice coming from her own mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you! Don¡¯t be afraid! Look, there¡¯s a naked lady! She¡¯s got beautiful tits!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No, I¡¯m leaving because there¡¯s a naked lady¡­¡± The boy turns around. His eyes wander through the air without looking directly at Neimilia. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Come on, come on, I¡¯m not scared.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy. Put some trousers on.¡± Neimilia, bound by chains, was in a state of undress, and with her hands and feet bound, she was unable to hide her body. The magical lights exposed her breasts, legs and even her more sensitive parts to the light. The boy looks away, scratches his head, and sits down on the stone floor. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a pack of demons out there anyway. I¡¯m going to keep you company for a while longer.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m so happy! You can touch my tits if you want!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Can I leave now, please?¡± The boy glanced at the door with a delicate look on his face. He wondered for a moment if he should leave after all, but then he slumped his shoulders as if he had given up. ¡°So, ¡­¡­, what the hell are you doing? Don¡¯t tell me, it¡¯s not a crazy play, is it?¡± ¡°Well, in some ways it¡¯s S&M, DV, neglectful play, but¡­¡­ it¡¯s been too long! I¡¯ve been tied up here for a long time. For hundreds of years!¡± (TL: DV-Domestic Violence) ¡°¡­¡­I see. That¡¯s how it is.¡± The boy raised his eyebrows suspiciously but nodded in agreement. The boy was so understanding that this time it was Neimilia who tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re convinced? I think I¡¯m saying some crazy things.¡± ¡°Well, this can happen. There¡¯s a legendary holy sword, so there must be other strange things.¡± The boy said with a faraway look in his eyes and took a brown object from his pocket. It was a smoked sheep¡¯s meat preserve that adventurers often carried around with them. ¡°Mmm¡­¡­ you want to eat?¡± ¡°No ¡­¡­, I¡¯d rather talk to you.¡± ¡°Hurmm¡­..I¡¯m wondering why are you in such trouble¡­¡­¡­.¡± The boy turned his eyes to Neimilia and saw her naked body again and panicked and fell on his face. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not good for a gentleman to pry into a woman¡¯s affairs. How about I tell you a little story about myself.¡± The boy began to talk about how he had come to visit the ruins. They had come to gather precious medicinal herbs that can only be found in this dense forest. On the way back, he encountered a herd of demons that were not supposed to appear at this time of year. As he ran away from the monsters, he went deeper and deeper into the jungle and finally got injured. It was at this time that he found these ruins and rushed to escape. ¡°These ruins must have been sealed with a spell. How did you get in?¡± ¡°The seal?¡¡I don¡¯t know. I pressed it and it opened. That¡¯s how I got in. That¡¯s all.¡± It is not easy to get in. If it was such an easy seal to break, someone would have visited this place much earlier. In addition, even Neimilia did not know this, but this ruin was surrounded by a ward to keep people away, so even the adventurers of the pioneer city could not find it until now. ¡° And so¡­¡­that was what happened to me.¡± The boy went on to tell how he had once been royalty, how he had been exiled from Royal Capital because he had been chosen to be the keeper of the Holy Sword. He went on to talk about how his family, friends and subjects had all abandoned him. And finally ¨C after all this time ¨C when she heard the boy¡¯s name, Neimilia spilled tears in her eyes. ¡°Hey, hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing¡­¡­¡± Neimilia did not know why she was crying. Did she see herself in the boy who was all alone? When she heard that he was the keeper of the holy sword, did it remind her of the man who had locked her in here? When he heard that the boy¡¯s surname was the same as his, did he realise that the man he loved was married to another woman? It¡¯s not clear why, but Neimilia continued to cry until the water in her body dried up. As he nursed her, the boy ¨C Raidorl ¨C wandered left and right through the ruins in a daze. ¡°You¡¯ve become an emotional idiot by staying in this gloomy place. I¡¯ll take you to my town and we¡¯ll get the hell out of here!¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to ¡­¡­, but my chains are¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s wrong with the chain? Why don¡¯t you just break it off?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl drew his sword from his waist and broke the chains that bound Neimilia as if the chain that bound her was nothing. A magic chain that has been unshakable for hundreds of years is easily torn apart. ¡°Eh¡­¡­ why¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s get on with it¡­..What about the demons?¡± Raidorl put his own jacket over Neimilia¡¯s head and pondered how he could escape the demons and return to the city. Looking at him, Neimilia was convinced as if by a revelation. ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ I should live for this man.¡± She followed her mother to destroy humans and betrayed her family to fight for the ones she loved. Only to be betrayed by the one her love and held captive for hundreds of years. It was the only reason she could think of to find meaning in such a ridiculous and trivial life. ¡°I will live for this person. I will protect him. I will do his will. ¡­¡­ I will give my all and one day I will have his child. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why I was here waiting for him.¡± (TL: Yandere??) Originally, Neimilia was a serious romantic person, prone to mistaking chance for fate. Even after hundreds of years of imprisonment, her fundamental character remained unchanged. One of the ¡®Six Witches of Doom¡¯, Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness, became Raidorl¡¯s follower, and her existence would later change the fate of the Kingdom of Zain. CH 18 Translated by SoundOfDestiny Two weeks after Mertina¡¯s visit to Raidorl, Darren Garst, the Thousand Horsemen of the Kingdom of Zain, arrives in the frontier city of Raid. The young general, riding his horse, is followed by the 1,000 men he leads. ¡°Wow, ¡­¡­ they¡¯re moving faster than I thought.¡± Looking down from the top of the city walls, towards the soldiers outside, Raidorl sniffed and muttered. Darren was going to retrieve a royalty, albeit in exile. They had expected him to come here a little more prepared, whether by gentle means or violent ones. ¡°That¡¯s why our country is in such dire straits. ¡­¡­¡± Standing next to Raidorl, Mertina added that. A slave collar was placed around the neck of the neat-faced noblewoman, and a thin chain hung from a metal shackle. She was treated like a dog, which was too much for the daughter of the vizier, but it was only natural that she should be cursed by the royal family. ¡°Our country is trapped by the imperial invasion and there is no other way to save it but you¡­.!¡± ¡°By whose permission do you speak to me? I didn¡¯t give you that permission.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry ¡­..hikyuu!?¡± Mertina¡¯s slender body jerked and then collapsed, losing all strength. With her hands on the wall and her shoulders shaking, Mertina¡¯s white skin was flushed with a hint of red and her rose-like lips were panting hotly. Looking down at her former fianc¨¦, who now looked as if he were in heat, Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted in mockery. ¡°You are looking very good. I wonder how the Prime Minister would look if he saw you now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Mertina bites her lip in frustration at Raidorl¡¯s taunts and looks up at her childhood friend in a crouched position. The blue eyes that stared up at him were not only filled with resentment at his unfair treatment, but also with a flirtatious lust that Raidorl did not miss. Mertina tried unsuccessfully to restrain Raidorl with a curse but was caught and subjected to severe questioning. Mertina, who admitted that the curse was not imposed by the king or the vizier, but by her own decision, faced the harsh interrogation and was treated in a way that one would not expect of a noblewoman. Raidorl has already made up his mind to return to the capital and confront his unreasonable brother. So, he wanted information about the king and the vizier as much as he could. So, in an effort to gather as much information as possible from Mertina, he gave her a torturous interrogation¡­¡­ but she kept her mouth shut like a shell and refused to divulge any information. ¡°I don¡¯t like her as a childhood friend, but I respect her for this. I don¡¯t know how much loyalty to one¡¯s country one has to have to grow up to be a woman like her.¡± Raidorl nodded admiringly at Mertina, whose personality was the picture of selflessness and devotion. What kind of education did the Prime Minister give her to make her such a personality of an iron lady? Raidorl was very curious about that, but he didn¡¯t want to return to his hometown, which has become hostile territory, without getting any information. After much pondering, Raidorl decided to leave Mertina in the hands of Neimilia. ¡°Mmmmmmmm, I know all about women¡¯s tears. I will make her into a faithful dog for her master!¡± She then struck her pale breasts with force and cast various spells over the body of the captive girl. A curse that debilitates the mind. A curse that diminishes vigilance and defiance. A curse that makes her defenceless against pain and pleasure. And ¨C a curse that gives intense pleasure to the words and touch of Raidorl. (TL: woah, no holding back I see) It was only a week ago that Neimilia placed the curse on Mertina, but the mighty spirit of the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter was already falling. ¡°Man can resist pain, but he cannot resist pleasure and happiness. No matter how much torture he is trained to endure, it will not change this.¡± The mere mention of Raidorl is enough to send her into a state of near-coital pleasure, which would be unbearable for Mertina, a noblewoman who has been forced to live a chaste life. The curse of the Witch of Doom has taken its toll on Mertina¡¯s spirit, and though she remains loyal to her country, her heart is steadily turning towards Raidorl. In fact, she has already divulged some pretty deep inside information about the Kingdom of Zain. Although she has not revealed any definitive secrets, it is a far cry from the first time. ¡°She¡¯s still rebelling, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. Soon, she¡¯ll be killing her own parents for your master.¡± Seeing Neimilia smiling cheerfully, Raidorl was convinced. ¡°Yea, she¡¯s a witch.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­ the knight has come for me as planned, and they¡¯re really not hostile to me, are they?¡± ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­of course. The king had ordered that if his highness was to return to the capital, he should be brought there courteously¡­¡­!¡± When Mertina is given permission to open her mouth, she answers Raidorl¡¯s question with a shiver of pleasure. ¡°And Darren Garst, the Thousand Horsemen, is a man of integrity. ¡­¡­ He would never disrespect Your Highness!¡± ¡°Hmm, now you mention it.¡± With a cruel smile on his face, Raidorl looked down at the knight who had stepped forward to the castle gate. No matter how pure and innocent he is, he must be an enemy to Raidorl simply because he is loyal to his brother Granard, the king who exiled him. ¡°I will swallow you all, devour you all, and take back what was taken from me. Prepare yourselves!¡± ¡°My name is Darren Garst and I am here by order of His Majesty the King to receive His Royal Highness the King¡¯s brother Raidorl! Please open the gates!¡± Unaware of Raidorl¡¯s determination, Darren raises his voice. Raidorl gave the signal with his hand to open the gates. Unaware that this would be a turning point in the history of the kingdom, the cavalry led by Darren entered the frontier city at a leisurely pace. CH 19 Translated by SoundOfDestiny Greeted by a thousand horsemen, Raidorl Zain climbed into the carriage provided for him. As for the pioneer cities, he left that to the guild master, Zafis. Before Raidorl was sent to the frontier to become a lord, Zafis and other old adventurers ruled the city in his place. Thus, it was possible to run the town without Raidorl. ¡°Not that my brother or the Prime Minister won¡¯t try something crazy¡­¡­although I¡¯d like to believe that they¡¯re not that stupid¡­¡­¡± The pioneer city is a place that prevents the flow of demons from the jungle in the south of the Kingdom of Zain. If someone were to cause chaos in the city, the demons would flow into the kingdom, and other places within the Zain Kingdom would be caught between the empire and the demon horde. His brother Granard and the Vizier banished Raidorl. This may have been due to Granard¡¯s personal grudge, but it was also because he feared that the emergence of a holy sword holder would cause political strife. It is not something that Raidorl would condone, but there is no doubt that they are serious about protecting their country. They would not go out of their way to destroy the country by harming a pioneer city. ¡°At any rate, ¡­¡­ I¡¯m going to be in hostile territory from here on. I¡¯ve got to be on my toes.¡± Raidorl looks out of the carriage window, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. As the young prince¡¯s eyes turned determined, a concerned voice came from beside him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Master?¡± ¡°No ¡­¡­ there¡¯s nothing.¡± Raidorl responds by waving lightly at the girl in the maid¡¯s uniform. The only one who accompanies him is Neimilia, the only one who is willing to ride into the lap of the brother who excluded her master. The young man who is the keeper of the holy sword and the witch who was once known as ¡®The Doom¡¯ are sitting in a carriage side by side. And sitting opposite them was a young man in his twenties. The man in charge of this unit was Darren Garst, the Thousand Horsemen Chief. ¡°If you do not feel well, please tell us at once, Your Royal Highness Raidorl.¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted sarcastically at the young knight¡¯s glowering comment. ¡°Ehhh, I¡¯m going to be respected as royalty?¡± ¡°Of course. You are definitely a legitimate member of the royal bloodline of Zain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So, if I have to fight with my brother, will you stand by me?¡± ¡°Please¡­¡­don¡¯t say that, Your Highness. Even if it is a joke, not everyone can take it.¡± Darren frowns and complains while Raidorl shrugs his shoulders and laughs scornfully. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me for complaining like this. My Dearest brother has thrown away a useless prince and then called back because of some circumstances. I¡¯m sure you understand what I feel about this right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­, Your Highness. I know it¡¯s not my place to say this, but His Majesty Granard is sincerely hoping that he and you can reconcile and stand together against the Empire. I would be grateful if you would consider that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I think it¡¯s refreshingly selfish.¡± Raidorl became the keeper of the Holy Sword and because of that he became an obstacle, so he was banished to the frontier and cut him off. Now HE needs the power of the Holy Sword, so he asks for reconciliation/forgiveness without sincerity. It¡¯s all about the kingdom. It is the selfish ego of his elder brother King Granard. ¡°I wish he would have left us alone. Then we wouldn¡¯t have had to fight each other.¡± ¡°Neimilia.¡± ¡°Yes, Master?¡± Raidorl pointed to his throat and called out the maid¡¯s name, and Neimilia nodded with a smile. She took out a water bag and a wooden cup from her bag, which she had brought with her from the pioneer city and began to make tea in the carriage. ¡°Please wait a moment while I heat it up.¡± ¡°Aaa¡± When Neimilia clasps the cup of tea in her hands, the liquid inside bubbles up. Before long, a mellow aroma rises from the cup with the steam. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s ready. Please excuse the milk, it¡¯s not ¡­¡­ out yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t say a word. Thank you.¡± ¡°What?! So, the woman is a sorceress?¡± Darren¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as Neimilia handed Raidorl a cup of tea. In this world, a person who can use magic is called a sorcerer. It is said that there is only one sorcerer in a thousand, and as such, they are often considered a valuable resource and kept around by the state and nobility. ¡°Magic ¡­¡­ and no chanting magic!¡¡Why is there so much magic in the middle of nowhere?¡± The children of sorcerers are more likely to inherit a magical background, and even if they don¡¯t serve in the royal court, they have no trouble finding marriage partners. And if they can use magic without chanting, it would be so much the better. There is no reason why a sorcerer should be living in a dangerous frontier city when there are so many noblemen and wealthy merchants to choose from. Darren was speechless and surprised, Raidorl smiled mischievously as he accepted a cup of tea from Neimilia. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I don¡¯t remember showing you anything so surprising, do you?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­ that makes sense. But why did Your Highness bring her alone?¡± ¡°Hurm?¡± ¡°There are not more than ten sorcerers in the court who are proficient in the use of chantless magic. If you have that kind of talent as your bodyguard, then you don¡¯t need another bodyguard.¡± Darren nodded, his honest face slightly tense. He understood that the maid who called herself Neimilia was one of the best sorcerers in the world. The question is, why did Raidorl reveal this to Darren? ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because he wanted a cup of tea. This is a warning¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I have a good sorcerer on my side. So don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Raidorl is pointing his finger at Darren. ¡°And ¡­¡­ this also means that His Highness does not trust us. He doesn¡¯t believe in me or in His Majesty the King one bit. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s really trying to save the country when he accompanied me to the capital. What on earth is the purpose of this¡­¡­?¡± Darren remains silent and ponders. The more he thinks about it, the darker his thoughts will sink, and the more anguish he will feel, as if his guts were stuffed with lead. Whether he knows it or not, Raidorl sips his cup with a calm expression. ¡°Well, tea is always better when it¡¯s made by Neimilia.¡± ¡°What a waste of words. It was worth the extra honey.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I take back what I said. What the hell did you put in my tea?¡± Raidorl and Neimilia started to argue in the carriage, as if they were a married couple. As Darren watched them, he pondered Raidorl¡¯s intentions with a grave look on his face. CH 20 A few days later, Raidorl stepped into the royal capital for the first time in five years, rocked by a horse-drawn carriage. The streets of the capital were not much different from those he had known. However, the number of people walking along the main street and the number of stalls lining both sides of the street had obviously decreased, and the whole city seemed to be depressing as if shadows had engulfed the whole capital. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s understandable that the atmosphere would be depressing due to the current war but¡­¡­. is the war situation worse than I had expected?¡± If the war were going well, the people¡¯s faces would not be so depressing. The reason why their faces are so downcast must be because they sense, in their own way, that the Kingdom of Zain is being hunted down. Raidorl peered out of the carriage window and predicted the outcome of the war. If the kingdom of Zain is so cornered, they may call back the ¡®one¡¯ they never want to see again. ¡°I will take you back to your mansion. Your audience with His Majesty the King will be tomorrow, so take your time and recover from your journey.¡± ¡°Mansion? I thought we¡¯re going to the palace?¡± Raidorl raised his eyebrows at Darren¡¯s explanation. ¡°I thought they were going to take me to the palace, but why are they taking me to a mansion?¡± ¡°As there is a lot going on at the Royal Palace, we have prepared a mansion in the Noble Quarter for His Highness. You may use it for the duration of your stay in the Royal Capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. So they don¡¯t trust me at all.¡± Raidorl twisted his lips in loathing. Although Raidorl was exiled from the capital and sent to the frontier, he was not deprived of his royal status. It¡¯s not that he¡¯s not a member of the royal family. However, it seems that his brother does not like Raidorl enough to allow him to stay in the palace. He is afraid that Raidorl will rebel against him and turn on him, or maybe he just doesn¡¯t want to see his brother¡¯s face. The reason for this is unclear, but he doesn¡¯t even want to have him under the same roof as him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie. I¡¯ve known him for five years to know that my brother hates me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl turned his head out of the window and Darren said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Darren¡¯s eyes were downcasted, his face was somber, and he fell silent apologetically. There was a long silence in the carriage and the only sound was the rattling of the wheels on the ground. For a while the carriage drove on until it came to a section lined with the residences of noblemen and wealthy merchants. The streets were much less crowded, and instead a quiet atmosphere enveloped the area. The carriage drove deeper and deeper into the aristocratic quarter until it stopped in front of a large building. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. This is the mansion.¡± Darren, unable to bear the silence, speaks up. One of the knights surrounding the carriage dismounted and opened the carriage door for them. Darren was the first to get out, followed by Raidorl and Neimilia. ¡°Wow, ¡­¡­ it is quite something, isn¡¯t it?¡± He looked up at the large house in front of him and sighed in admiration. The house has the appearance of a great nobleman¡¯s residence, with a vast garden full of well-tended plants and seasonal flowers. The chalk walls and blue roof had been painstakingly maintained and there was not a stain to be seen. To purchase a house of this magnitude of money would have cost the pioneer town a year¡¯s tax revenue. ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ I can see right through your intention, my dear brother.¡± As he gazes up at the grand and luxurious mansion, Raidorl wonders what his brother, King Granard, thinks of him. He is afraid of Raidorl and does not want him in the palace. However, he still wants to help him, so he gives him some sweet candy. He wants Raidorl to disappear, but he also wants to win over the Keeper of the Holy Sword. He must be struggling to balance two conflicting emotions. ¡°I suppose I can do as much as I like with the house.¡± ¡°Of course. Your Majesty has given you permission to do with it as you please.¡± ¡°Oh, well then, I shall do so.¡± Raidorl stepped unceremoniously into the gate that the knight had opened for him. Behind him, like a shadow, Neimilia followed him. As they disappeared into the house, Darren¡¯s eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and hope. CH 21 ¡°Welcome home, Your Royal Highness, the King¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain.¡± As soon as Raidorl and Neimilia entered the house, twenty stewards and maids greeted them in unison. ¡°Hurm??¡± The sight of well-bred men and women bowing to each other in unison is something of a spectacle. Even if Raidorl was once a prince living in the royal palace, since he had spent so much time in the remote countryside, Raidorl could not help but feel pressured. ¡°Master-¡± ¡°Hm, aa..¡± Neimilia, standing behind him, tugged at the hem of Raidorl¡¯s jacket. Raidorl nodded, regained his composure and cleared his throat. ¡°Now, who is the master of this house, and who represents all of you?¡± ¡°It is I, Your Royal Highness.¡± Stepping forward is a man in a butler¡¯s uniform with a moustache. His carefully groomed hair and beard are tinged with romance grey, and the way he greets you, his hips carefully folded, exudes a sincere personality. ¡°You look familiar. You used to work at the Royal Court, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time. My name is Salawin and I used to work for His Majesty Granard.¡± The butler, Salawin, smiles at Raidorl with a relaxed smile. His calm and serene mood is the same as it was five years ago. Raidorl remembers the time when he was a child and Salawin gave him sweets at a tea party held by his brother. ¡°Ahh, I see. It¡¯s you Salawin, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, sir. Good to see you back.¡± ¡°Thank you. By the way, ¡­¡­, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you, or rather, with everyone here. ¡°Hurm? What is it?¡± When Salawin looks at him suspiciously, Raidorl smiles, his mouth forming a crescent. ¡°You¡¯re all fired. You need to leave now.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­?¡± Salawin¡¯s face freezes at the unexpected words. The other servants in the room behind him begin to stir. ¡°Wa, is there something wrong with us? If so, please tell us¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing wrong. I just don¡¯t need you all. I just want all of you to leave¡±. Raidorl declares in a sarcastic tone. Salawin¡¯s gaze wanders from side to side in bewilderment, but he persists. ¡°The house is huge, as you can see. It¡¯s not as if one of your maids is going to be able to clean up after herself¡­¡± ¡°It is not for you to worry about¡­.. Let me set this straight, there is only one person I trust here, and that is Neimilia. I¡¯m not going to have anyone else around.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± You can¡¯t be trusted. So, get out. Salawin¡¯s face twists in humiliation as he is told by this. The old butler stared at Raidorl and Neimilia for a while with a grudge, but then he gave up and sighed. ¡°¡­¡­I understand. I will inform His Majesty Granard of this.¡± ¡°Please do so, and thank you for your trouble.¡± Raidorl waved his hand and watched the servants go out of the door. The servants leave the house with Salawin in the lead. Their faces were all puzzled. Eventually, he saw that everyone had left and looked back at Neimilia. ¡°Check the ¡­¡­ house. Every inch of it.¡± ¡°Understood, Master.¡± Neimilia pinched the hem of her apron dress and reverently replied with an understanding. ¡°Shadow Servant.¡± Shadow version of Neimilia changes its shape and forms a human figure. It¡¯s slowly shaping from the shadows into women in maid¡¯s uniforms. They have black hair and dark skin. The faces of these maids look as if they have been kneaded out of darkness, with no eyes or noses, and are as smooth as eggs. They are not human, of course. They are the messengers of Neimilia, who live in the shadows and are born from the shadows. ¡°Search the house. Please make sure there are no dangerous objects or people lurking around. Those who are free should check the supplies in the house. Especially clothing and foodstuffs.¡± ¡°Yes, Mistress.¡± The ten or so shadow maids scattered around the house with a gliding gait. They are able to enter every corner and explore every detail of the house. Neimilia nodded in satisfaction as the ants explored every nook and cranny. ¡°Well¡­¡­, you may now rest in peace, my Lord. I will take care of the house and all its affairs.¡± ¡°Hum, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± With her strong loyalty, Neimilia would be able to take care of the whole large house by herself. The witch who had once almost destroyed the world was now an accomplished maid. CH 22 The next day, Raidorl went to the palace with a civil servant who had come to meet him. This was to have an audience with his brother Granard, who had become king. As it was an audience with the king, he could not take his maid, Neimilia, with him, so he had to leave her at the mansion. However, in case of emergency, a shadow messenger, created by Neimilia, lurks in the shadow and its purpose was to help him escape from the castle in the event of an emergency. ¡°Thank you for your patience. Now, please make your way to the audience chamber.¡± Raidorl waited in the parlour until Granard was ready, but after a while he was ushered into the audience hall. ¡°His Royal Highness, the King¡¯s brother of Raidorl Zain, is here.¡± When Raidorl entered the audience chamber, he found a man seated on a throne at the far end of the room. On each side of him were his subjects, who were expressing a variety of emotions: anxiety, hope, hostility, confusion. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl walked silently up to the throne, dropped to one knee and bowed his head. ¡°Lift up your face, Raidorl.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Granard says in a grave tone, and Raidorl follows his brother¡¯s advice and raises his head. Looking up, a man sitting a step higher than Raidorl is Granard Zain. He is Raidorl¡¯s half-brother, and the one who banished him from the capital after he became the wielder of the holy sword, D¨¢insleif. ¡°¡­¡­have you lost some weight?¡± As Granard sat on his throne looking down at him, Raidorl¡¯s mind wandered. His older brother, who is ten years older than Raidorl remembers, looks a little scrawnier than he used to, and his hair is beginning to show some white. ¡°Being a king is a hard job, isn¡¯t it? This brother of mine has young white hair.¡± Raidorl waited for the king to speak, holding back a smile that threatened to creep into his mouth. Granard looked down at him in silence for a few moments, then opened his mouth solemnly. ¡°I am glad you have come, Raidorl. My brother.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a long time, Your Majesty the King.¡± ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­, don¡¯t talk to me like I¡¯m a stranger. I may be a king, but we are still brothers. You can call me as you used to.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take your word for it, ¡­¡­ brother.¡± He breathed in and suppressed his anger. ¡°You think you¡¯re a stranger? brothers? You¡¯ve banished me without question, and now you¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± ¡°I am very sorry that I could not attend our father¡¯s funeral. Please forgive me, a helpless brother for not being able to support you as king.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. You have done an excellent job of keeping the demons at bay in the southern frontier cities. Your success has reached the Royal Capital. That¡¯s my little brother.¡± ¡°What a waste of words.¡± Raidorl and Granard. The two brothers continued their conversation in a cheerful manner, with smiles on their faces. The vassals around them were expecting the reunion between the exiled brother prince and his king brother to be quite a bleak affair, but they were relieved to see them conversing in a more relaxed manner than they had expected. However, only the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, had a sullen expression on his face, as if he had bitten something bitter. ¡°What a surprise! I had no idea that their relationship had become so strained.¡± Most of the vassals watching the audience did not notice, but for some time now both Granard, sitting on his throne, and Raidorl, kneeling in front of him, have not smiled at all. No matter how softly Granard speaks, his eyes are hostile, glaring at Raidorl as if to cut him down. ¡°It is to be expected that His Highness Prince Raidorl has a grudge against His Majesty the King. But I never imagined that His Majesty would have such inflexible feelings toward him¡­¡­.¡± Granard was born as the first prince of the previous king, Bernard, but from an early age he had a deep respect for the first king, who was the holder of the Holy Sword. He has been educated as a crown prince with the ambition that he would eventually be chosen as the Holy Sword and lead the country to further prosperity as the founder of the Zain Kingdom. Lockwood, who was supporting Granard, noticed that Granard was jealous of Raidorl, who had become the wielder of the holy sword D¨¢insleif. Raidorl¡¯s banishment to the frontier was not only to prevent a split in the country between the first prince, who is running the affairs of state in place of the sick king, and the second prince, who has become the holder of the Holy Sword. It was also due to the dark flame of obsession that burned in Granard¡¯s heart. ¡°Even so,¡­¡­, the death of His Majesty the First King and the accession to the throne of His Majesty the Granard have already made His Majesty¡¯s position so secure that there can be no succession dispute. I thought that the resentment against His Royal Highness Raidorl was somewhat cleared up¡­¡­¡± Apparently, Granard¡¯s hatred and jealousy are far deeper than Lockwood had imagined. And ¨C no doubt ¨C Raidorl is also aware of this black emotion. His brother, who had banished him, still hated him. He must have sensed this clearly and is returning the hostile look. ¡°Will ¡­¡­this be enough to win the heart of His Highness Raidorl and make him fight against the Empire? So, after winning the war against the empire and saving the country, will the brothers be able to reconcile?¡± There is no way they can do that. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lockwood gulped down a nervous spit. CH 23 Well, ¡­¡­, it seems that the daughter of Prime Minister Marcell, whom you sent as a messenger, has been rude to you?¡± After the reunion, Granard opened a conversation regarding the Vizier¡¯s daughter, Mertina Marcell. Mertina was sent to the frontier city as an emissary to bring Raidorl to Royal Capital, but she is now in custody for attempting to curse and restrain Raidorl. Her body is still in the city and has been thrown into the prison of the adventurer¡¯s guild managed by Zafis. ¡°Yes, I did not wish to detain the daughter of the Prime Minister, Lord Marcell, but as things stand, I have taken her into my custody. I will release her and return her to you if that is what you wish?¡± ¡°¡­.. No, there is no need for that.¡± Lockwood replied to Raidorl¡¯s question with a stern look on his face. ¡°She has committed an unforgivable act in the service of the House of Zain. I am not in a position to ask for help because of my desire to save my country. Please judge her as you see fit.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want, Prime Minister, I shall do so¡­¡­ Are you sure? She¡¯s your precious daughter, isn¡¯t she?¡± Raidorl raises his lips in a mean way to confirm this. Lockwood, on the other hand, is unconcerned, his offer still firm. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. She is no longer a member of the house of Marcell. You can boil her or burn her as you like.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.. Yeah, okay. I¡¯ll do what I want then¡± Raidorl sniffed boringly. If Lockwood were to stand up for Mertina here, it would be the perfect opportunity to pursue the vizier for disrespecting the royal family and get rid of him. If Lockwood had been disposed of, it would have reduced the power of his brother, Granard, but it appears that this will not be the case. ¡°Well, I knew this man was capable of cutting down his own people for the sake of his country. It¡¯s not so surprising.¡± Raidorl sigh in resignation and quickly changes his mind. ¡°And now, brother, what is your business in calling me back to the Royal Capital?¡± Mertina and Darren had already explained it to him, but Raidorl still wanted to hear it from his brother¡¯s mouth. Granard raises one of his eyebrows and cuts to the main topic. ¡°As you may have already heard ¡­¡­, the Eastern Alsatian Empire has invaded the borders of the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°The Empire has more troops than our country, and even the Holy Sword Keepers are following the invasion. The fortress of Balmes, a key border point, has already fallen, and a third of the kingdom has been overrun. General Garst is holding the enemy forces at bay, but if this continues, it is only a matter of time before the kingdom is destroyed.¡± ¡°And what do you want me to do, brother¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl clenched his fists tightly as he asked the question. The tips of his nails dug into his palms, causing a sharp pain. But he does not relax his hand. ¡°Now, what do we do? This is the last turning point for us, right?¡± If Raidorl and Granard are ever to be reconciled and join hands, this will be the last time they do so. If Granard bows his head honestly and apologises, then the deep rift between them will be bridged. If Granard had said what Raidorl expected him to say, the brotherly bond would have been completely severed at that moment. There would no longer be any chance of restoration. That is why Raidorl waited with bated breath for his brother¡¯s words. But what came out of Granard¡¯s mouth were heartless words that extinguished all hope. ¡°Raidorl Zain, Keeper of the Holy Sword. To save the Kingdom of Zain, you must take up D¨¢insleif and fight the Empire!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl bit his back teeth and closed his eyes tightly. In that moment, what little was left of his heart for his brother was destroyed in pieces. In order to reign as king, and out of jealousy over the loss of his holy sword, Granard drove Raidorl to the frontier. He has never apologised for this, but instead has used his authority as king to force him to fight for his country. Their relationship is no longer that of brothers. It¡¯s more of the one who uses, one who is used. It has become a relationship between a ruler and a slave. ¡°Well¡­¡­ my brother, Granard, you don¡¯t really think of me as your brother anymore, do you? You think of me only as a useful pawn, don¡¯t you?¡± Raidorl¡¯s heart went cold, as if a block of ice had been thrown into it. His mind wanders back to the days when he and his brother were close friends as children. But they soon faded into the background and disappeared from his memory. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll show you no mercy. I will take back what was taken from me, and I will crush the one who took it from me!¡¡I won¡¯t let you take my place again!¡± Raidorl looked up, his will for revenge burning like a furnace. You¡¯re going to rule me? What a joke! How could a king who had not even been chosen for the Holy Sword, a king of such small stature, who chose to give up the title of Keeper of the Holy Sword out of jealousy for his brother, rule over him? In Raidorl¡¯s eyes, the throne in front of him was now a place for him to seize. CH 24 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my dear brother but I¡¯m afraid I have to decline.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Granard¡¯s eyebrows shot up at the cold rejection. Raidorl was sure Granard didn¡¯t expect his words to be rejected. There is a hint of doubt in his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t fight the Empire, brother.¡± ¡°¡­.. Do you understand what you are saying? This is a royal decree, you know.¡± No matter how much Raidorl is a brother to the king, he is not allowed to refuse the king¡¯s orders. The royal family is only related to the king by blood, but they are still his subjects. Granard¡¯s eyes grew darker and darker at the rejection of his orders, and his fingertips trembled with anger. The king was about to shout at him, but Lockwood spoke up instead. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl! You are disrespecting His Majesty the King!¡± ¡°Well, Your Highness. As Lord of the frontier city of Raid, I have the duty of preventing the invasion of the demons of the jungle. Is it not a little unreasonable to ask me to abandon that duty and go to the border, which is the exact opposite of the territory that I govern, and fight without being given enough time to prepare? Is there not a reason for this, instead of the royal order?¡± ¡°How can there be any reason when the country is about to be destroyed! Do you not understand that this order takes precedence?¡± Lockwood shouts with all his usual calmness, and Raidorl replies with a cold sneer. ¡°I believe that the importance of the task of border protection remains the same, regardless of whether the opponent is an empire or a demon. Or are there other lords besides me who are rushing to the south and north of the kingdom for reinforcements? My memory tells me that it is the army, the knights, and the lords of the northern territories that are facing the empire.¡± ¡°¡­..it¡¯s¡­.¡± Lockwood is slightly at a loss for words. Seeing an opening, Raidorl slashes at it with more mockery words. ¡°I see there are many noblemen with estates here, but how many troops have you sent out? I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve sent me to fight with no other forces than adventurers, and they haven¡¯t sent any troops?¡± ¡°Ku.!!¡± The noblemen around him began to whisper at Raidorl¡¯s words. Many of the noblemen in the service of Granard were gathered here, but many of them had not sent out their troops under the pretext of ¡®maintaining the peace¡¯. It is surely unreasonable for Raidorl to act on the order if the other nobles also refuse to act. A whisper of agitation and bewilderment fills the audience room. Some of the noblemen present nodded their heads in agreement with Raidorl¡¯s words, while others cried out in disrespect to the king. In the first place, it is impossible for the king to suddenly call back a prince who had been exiled to the frontier and treated poorly, and unilaterally order him to go to war. Raidorl¡¯s argument was undoubtedly correct, except that it ignored the national danger of ¡®enemy invasion¡¯. The other noblemen were divided in their opinions, and Lockwood, with a sullen look on his face, opened his mouth again in an attempt to persuade Raidorl. But before the Prime Minister could say a word, Granard spoke up. ¡°So? How do you propose to fight the Empire?¡± The nobleman who had been making a lot of noise quieted down at the sound of Granard¡¯s resentful questioning, his shoulders shaking with anger. Granard¡¯s words cut through the silence of the audience room. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to go to war, better don¡¯t come to the Royal Capital in the first place. There must be some kind of condition¡­¡­, is it money or position? If you want something, tell me.¡± The smile on Granard¡¯s face that he used to wear when he said that is no longer there. Instead, what dominates his face is the disdain with which he treats his sullen brother. Raidorl¡¯s lips lifted in irony as he stared at him with a look that he would never have given to his own flesh and blood. ¡°That¡¯s His Majesty the King. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re quick with your words. I suppose a king has to be able to read people, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Tell me what you want. I¡¯m not going to listen to your flattery.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Then let¡¯s hear what I want.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment from the inside pocket of his jacket. ¡°I will gladly fight against the empire if my brother will accept the terms of my oath. If my brother, who is now king, is willing to listen to the request of this poor brother, who has been forced to leave his native land, then I will ¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When Raidorl said this with a clownish goofiness, Granard gave him a silent, reproachful look and urged him to ¡°read it quickly¡±. Raidorl shrugs his shoulders and unfolds the rolled-up parchment, as his brother glares at him. CH 25 Pledge or Demand Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°I, Raidorl Zain, will fight to protect the Kingdom of Zayn from the Empire of Alsatian if you agree to the following conditions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl straightens his back and reads the sentences in the oath in a solemn tone. Granard, Lockwood, and all the nobles present listen in silence to the flowing words. ¡°Condition 1: King Granard shall guarantee the safety of Raidorl within the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°Hmmmmmm¡­¡± When Granard heard the first condition, he raised one eyebrow and snorted. Granard raised one eyebrow and snickered at the first condition, meaning that Raidorl was worried that Granard would betray him again. What a cowardly brother he is. The disdain in Granard¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Condition 2: The Crown shall pay 100,000 gold coins in support of the frontier city of Raid, ruled by Raidorl.¡± ¡°Jyu, 100,000 pieces¡­..¡± It was a nobleman with a fat belly and a sweaty forehead who let out a trembling voice. The man, who holds the position of Minister of Finance at the Royal Court, calculates in his head the amount of the reward demanded by Raidorl. A hundred thousand gold coins is a tenth of the national budget of the Kingdom of Zain. It was not an unreasonable amount for a country with such a huge source of revenue from the taxation of its people, but it was still not a small price to pay. ¡°And we¡¯re in wartime. That¡¯s a mind-boggling amount of money when you think about the cost of post-war reconstruction¡­¡­.¡± Lockwood glanced sideways at the sweating finance minister and heaved a sigh of sympathy. He had a lot of sympathy for his colleagues who are stressed out, but he can¡¯t help them. A hundred thousand gold coins is a lot of money, but it is not an unreasonable amount of money to give to a frontier city that protects its southern border from demons. In fact, it is more unreasonable to think that the Royal Court has not given any assistance to the adventurer¡¯s town that guards the border. ¡°Condition Three: All goods acquired by Raidorl in the war shall be the property of Raidorl, and the Crown shall not be able to demand their delivery.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.?¡± Lockwood nodded his head. It¡¯s a condition he¡¯s yet to understand. Raidorl has the right to take for himself the treasures and prisoners of war taken from the imperial army. This is a natural right, but he doesn¡¯t understand why Raidorl has to remind them of it as a condition. ¡°Do you by any chance have any goods in mind?¡¡What on earth is the purpose of ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Condition 4: Raidorl shall have the right to decide on the treatment of prisoners of war captured by Raidorl.¡± ¡°There it is again, ¡­¡­, another ludicrous condition. What are you planning, Your Highness?¡± Lockwood¡¯s head twists, unable to read Raidorl¡¯s thoughts. It is becoming more and more apparent that Raidorl has an agenda that is not straightforward, but the purpose of it is not clear. What is the purpose of asking for property and prisoners of war, let alone aid? If Raidorl demand ransom. Why can¡¯t he just state this clearly as a condition? Lockwood crosses his arms in thought. And then there¡¯s Granard, the older brother, who listens to his younger brother¡¯s words in silence. Raidorl looked at the two faces in turn and paused to catch his breath. ¡°And¡­¡­the last condition.¡± ¡°Condition 5: King Granard shall name his brother Raidorl as the crown prince and to be the next King.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Nonsense! Do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± The first to cry out was Lockwood. The Prime Minister, who is usually so calm and collected, is in a state of disarray, and the nobles around him realise the seriousness of the situation. King Granard has a three year old son. He was born sometime after Raidorl was banished to the frontier, and although he was very young, he was named as the crown prince, and was recognized by the people as the next king. The conditions that Raidorl demanded were as if he had declared that he would be the next king over the prince. ¡°It¡¯s disrespectful, even for a royal brother! You can¡¯t go to the king and ask him to make you king¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lockwood chides him, but Raidorl says he¡¯s said all he needs to say and rolls the parchment with the oath on it in his hands. The Prime Minister¡¯s brow wrinkles deeply at the sight of such laxness, like a child playing with his hands. ¡°His Royal Highness, Raidorl¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Raidorl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Lockwood was about to say more, but Granard¡¯s quiet voice stopped him. The Prime Minister turned and gulped at the sight of his lord¡¯s face. ¡°Raidorl, are you serious about this?¡± There was no anger in Granard¡¯s voice as he asked his brother. But no one in the room expects him to remain calm. Granard¡¯s face was stained with a hatred and murderous intent that he no longer wished to hide. His face, which had turned as red as a demon¡¯s from his rage, was contorted in such a way that it looked as if he was about to curse his brother to death. That¡¯s probably true, too. Raidorl¡¯s request to make himself the next king is not just a request to take away the position of the current crown prince. In the event of the king¡¯s death, he would become the king himself ¨C a roundabout way of saying, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you and become king myself.¡± ¡°The crown prince, the next king, will be my son Strauss!¡¡I will not have you as crown prince!!¡± The nobles in the room trembled at the declaration, which was made with murderous intent. Granard had been known as a fair man since his days as regent and deputy to the former king, and his virtues had won him many allies. He was not a narrow-minded king, although his attitude towards his brother was absurd. He was a man of character, and his attitude towards his brother was absurd, but he was not a narrow-minded man, and most of the people present had never seen Granard possessed by anger. He might even order his soldiers to kill him on the spot, depending on how he answered. It was with a hint of bleakness that he shouted angrily at Raidorl. ¡°ah, that¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll cancel it.¡± ¡°HA¡­¡­!?¡± At the sound of his brother¡¯s anger, Raidorl simply withdrew the 5th condition. CH 26 The Flame Contract Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Ha¡­?¡± Whose voice was that of the idiot? All those present rolled their eyes at Raidorl, who had withdrawn his conditions so easily and without a hint of regret. ¡°Yea, I said I¡¯d drop the last condition if you didn¡¯t want it that badly. It¡¯s not like I really wanted to be crown prince.¡± He then took out a brush and an inkwell from his pocket. He unrolled the rolled parchment again and without hesitation drew a horizontal line across the last condition and crossed it out. ¡°All right, then, I¡¯ll give you the four conditions above. That¡¯s all right, isn¡¯t it, brother?¡± ¡°Mm, ¡­¡­, yes, ¡­¡­.¡± In a few minutes, Granard had been furious and angry, but now his anger has been snuffed out like a willow and the poison has been drained from him. With a stunned look on his face, he couldn¡¯t help but nod his head in agreement with Raidorl¡¯s words. ¡°Well, well, I¡¯m glad to hear that you¡¯re convinced, now let¡¯s get you to sign the pledge.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡± As Raidorl nodded with his arms crossed in satisfaction, Lockwood realised what his brother was after. He was not expecting Granard to give him the crown from the start. He would set out conditions that would be denied, and if Granard became incensed, as he hoped, he would simply withdraw them. This is the reason why it is so easy to make other demands. ¡°His Highness Prince Raidorl readily conceded to the term, If you take advantage of this and force further concessions, it will make King Granard looked bad.¡± Not all of the nobles present were loyal to Granard. Although they ostensibly obeyed the king, some of them, because of the invasion of the empire, were ready to turn on the enemy at any opportunity. The king could not afford to show his narrow-mindedness in front of those who might betray him at any moment. Granard, too, seems to have come to the same conclusion as Lockwood, and accepts Raidorl¡¯s condition, though with a reluctant look on his face. ¡°¡­..this is fine. That¡¯s the deal. I¡¯ll have the seal of state brought to you at once, but you must wait a little longer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the seal, brother. Men!¡± Granard was about to order his men to bring him the seal of state, but Raidorl stopped him. ¡°We are brothers by blood. Then let us make a covenant in a way that is appropriate.¡± ¡°In a manner befitting brothers? You¡¯re not going to make a verbal agreement, are you?¡± ¡°If it makes you feel better, that¡¯s good¡­¡­. Well, we¡¯ll be doing the contract with the blood seal.¡± ¡°Bloodseal¡­.¡± Granard wrinkled his brow. As the name suggests, a blood seal is the act of using one¡¯s own blood to sign a contract. It is not a legal act, so it is not officially binding, but as the blood is used as ink, the contract is heavy. Disobeying a contract signed in blood is an act of dishonour to the dignity of the soul. ¡°Your Highness, with all due respect to ¡­¡­, it would be impolite to ask His Majesty King Granard for a blood seal.¡± Raidorl was unsure if it¡¯s a disrespectful thing to say at this point, but Lockwood is giving him a hard time about it. Raidorl doesn¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to be disrespectful now. ¡°Is that so? My brother is the king of this country. I may be royalty, but I¡¯m just a lord on the frontier. The difference in position is as great as that between the abyss and the heavens, isn¡¯t it? But now we must face the national crisis of the imperial invasion together. Isn¡¯t it natural that we should reunite as brothers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but isn¡¯t there ¡­¡­ other ways to do that?¡± ¡°Blood brothers, blood covenants of faith. I can think of no more suitable means.¡± Raidorl plunged his right thumb into his mouth and without hesitation bit off the tip of his finger with his canine tooth. He then used the blood to inscribe his name on the oath. ¡°Now,I have written my name. Yours?¡± ¡°Mu¡­¡± Granard¡¯s face became even more grim as he was confronted with an oath bearing the mark of red blood. I am willing to shed blood. What about you? It was as if he had been challenged in this way. ¡°Well, if you really don¡¯t want it to hurt, we can use normal ink. I won¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Who is afraid of something like this? I never said I wouldn¡¯t sign anything.¡± Granard ordered his attendants to bring the oath from Raidorl¡¯s hand, and he did the same, biting off the tips of his fingers to write his name. King Granard Zain and his brother Raidorl Zain. The names of the two royal families are written in blood. The oath with their names on it was passed through the hands of the attendants and then back into the hands of Raidorl. ¡°Now you have nothing to complain about, Raidorl. I will accept your terms. You will fight the Empire as you promised.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. We have a deal¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡®Activate¡¯¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl briefly murmured the words of the spell. The next moment, the oath was engulfed in black flames in Granard¡¯s hand. Granard hurriedly removed his hand from the oath, but the black flames that had burned it split in two. A fist-sized fireball pierced the chests of Raidorl and Granard, respectively. Raidorl accepts the black flames without blinking, while Granard rolls off his throne, clutching his chest. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Lockwood shouted in dismay, and the other nobles screamed. The audience room was instantly filled with shouting and clamour. ¡°¡­¡­ Now the deal is done. My fangs are now in place, Granard.¡± In a voice so loud that no one could hear him, Raidorl murmured, a cold smile on his lips. CH 27 Declaration Of War. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°My king!!, Seize Raidorl!¡± The Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, rushed towards the fallen king and gave a sharp order. The knights of the Kingsguard, who had been frozen by the sudden and unusual situation in the audience room, reflexively obeyed the order. The three knights of the Kingsguard jumped at Raidorl from left, right and behind in unison. ¡°Ha! It¡¯s too late!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡­.?¡± Raidorl grabs the arm of a knight who jumps at him from the right and uses his momentum to throw the next knight. The two knights were blown away as they hit each other. ¡°oof¡± There is only one knight left. He is behind Raidorl and tries to choke him from behind, but Raidorl turns and fires a back fist at him. A sharp blow with enough rotation of the hips struck the knight in the jaw and shook his brain violently. ¡°gh, Aa¡­how dare y¡­.¡± ¡°Go back to sleep¡± ¡°Gah!¡± The knight, who had fallen forward, still managed to pull himself up to catch the ruffian who had harmed the king. Raidorl stomped mercilessly on the head of his loyal kinsman knight, and this time he fell into a coma. The three knights, who were defeated in less than a few seconds, were all chosen to be part of the Kingsguard, and were among the finest warriors in the Kingdom of Zain. Looking down at the way they are falling. Raidorl covers his face with his hands in sorrow. ¡°Is this the knight of Kingsguard? No wonder the country is dying.¡± ¡°Your Highness! I beg you to stop resisting!¡± Lockwood shouts a warning as he helps Granard to his feet. Hearing the commotion in the audience chamber, soldiers rush through the doors and surround Raidorl in the distance. ¡°What have you done to His Majesty the King? This is an act of treason!¡± ¡°Treason ¡­¡­? I just signed a contract, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°If you are not going to answer me seriously, I shall have to detain you! Don¡¯t expect to be treated as royalty after what you¡¯ve done!¡± No matter how strong Raidorl is, he is outnumbered in this situation. If the soldiers are all together, they will eventually be captured. And what¡¯s waiting for them is to be treated as prisoners of war. Despite being confronted with such a future, Raidorl does not lose his sarcastic smile. He licks his lips to moisten them with the tip of his tongue, and looks mockingly at Lockwood, who is standing by Granard¡¯s side. ¡°If you can do it, do it. But only if you are prepared to lose your master.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Condition 1: King Granard shall guarantee the safety of Raidorl within the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°Is that the wording of the¡­.. oath you just gave to us?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Raidorl nodded at Lockwood, who narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. ¡°The contract has already been signed. Disobey and you will be punished.¡± ¡°Impossible..¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen such a thing.¡± Lockwood¡¯s face paled as he realized what the rebel in front of him was trying to say. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ve put a covenant curse on ¡­¡­ me?¡± ¡°Your Majesty Granard¡­¡­¡± Granard pulls himself up and stares hard at Raidorl. Granard was dressed in the opulent clothes of a king, but his bosom was bare as if it had been burned off. On his bare skin is a red crest that looks as if it has been burned into his skin. It is an eerie pattern of a snake coiled around a sword. ¡°That¡¯s the way it is, for both of us.¡± Raidorl, too, tugged at his jacket, letting it fall to his chest. His chest was well-muscled and bore the same crest as Granard¡¯s. ¡°Foolish¡­¡­of you to curse me, the king, do you not know the meaning of what you have done?¡± Granard¡¯s voice was full of anger, but also full of doubt and pity for his foolish brother. The Covenant Curse is a widespread spell, used to punish criminals and subjugate slaves. The compulsion is so strong that disobedience can result in death. However, the curse is never permanent. It can be lifted by following the appropriate procedure. ¡°I don¡¯t know what curse you have cast on me, but it will be lifted as soon as the court sorcerers gather. All that¡¯s left is the crime you committed, Raidorl!¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. But if I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be able to trust you¡­.Brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any idea what it¡¯s like to lose faith? It¡¯s not me who betrayed you, it¡¯s you.¡± There is no longer anything to mend. Raidorl turns the blade of his words against his own brother. Granard, who was openly accused of banishing him from the capital to the frontier, narrowed his eyes and sincerely lamented the foolishness of Raidorl. ¡°¡­.If you had just done as I said, I would have let you live, no matter how annoying you were. Are you getting carried away with being the holder of the Holy Sword? Did you think you could surpass me as a king?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know, do you? I don¡¯t think I have to explain that to you.¡± Granard was not only angry but also disgusted by Raidorl¡¯s mimicry of whistling as if he did not listen to him. In fact, Raidorl even felt sorry for them. For Granard, Raidorl is an abomination, chosen by the holy sword, D¨¢insleif. He was a threat to his throne, and even the fact that he was a blood brother made him angry. But that doesn¡¯t mean that Granard wants to kill his brother. If he really disliked Raidorl, he could have assassinated him instead of sending him to the frontier. ¡°¡­¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll keep my contract. What you take from the Empire is yours to do with as you please. I¡¯ll even give you some money to support your pioneer cities. But I will never forgive you for casting a curse on me. If you leave the Empire, you will be punished accordingly!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll fight the Empire and I¡¯m going to fight the empire in earnest. I¡¯m going to save this country, and I¡¯m going to show you that I¡¯m on a big ship.¡± Raidorl waved one hand in the air and turned to leave the audience room. The soldiers around him naturally make way for him. ¡°Be prepared? That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about, Granard.¡± We have already declared war. There is no need to hide our hostility, our rebellion. What has been taken, I will take back. I will crush those who have taken it. I will not let anyone take it from me again. This is the belief of Raidorl, who was sent to the frontier after being deprived of his place, and it is a pride that he cannot give up to anyone. ¡°¡­¡­I was not wrong to banish you to the frontier! The previous holder of the D¨¢insleif, the first king, also killed his brother to found his country!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± With Granard¡¯s voice at his back, Raidorl walked away from the throne room without looking back. It was a decisive moment for the two brothers of the royal blood of Zain. CH 28 The Cursed Holy Sword Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Your Highness! How could you do such a thing!¡± Raidorl left the audience hall and strolled through the palace. Following behind him was Darren Garst, the Thousand Horsemen of the Royal Army. Raidorl continues on his way, glancing sideways at Darren as he questions him. ¡°Why, I was just making sure that¡­¡­ the contract would not be broken.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an explanation for that. You can¡¯t put a curse on the king¡­¡­ and face whatever punishment comes your way!¡± ¡°Punishment, I suppose, is impossible while the curse is still on.¡± Because of the curse of the oath, Granard cannot take any action that would harm Raidorl. Until the curse is lifted, Raidorl¡¯s safety is guaranteed. ¡°The curses of the covenant will soon be broken by the court magicians! Then His Majesty¡¯s anger will be unrelenting and will be directed at you. Please, please apologise to him¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you care for me? That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± Raidorl blinked his eyes in surprise. Darren¡¯s father was Bazel Garst, a general in the kingdom of Zain. Bazel was a close confidant of Granard and was one of the main supporters of the expulsion of Raidorl. ¡°¡­¡­It is true that my father was one of the people who were involved in His Highness¡¯ exile in no small part. But it was only to prevent a succession struggle from breaking out when His Highness became the holder of the Holy Sword, not because of any grudge against you.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s no reason to forgive General Garst, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ My father is aware of that. My father was very saddened by the idea of having His Highness driven to the frontier to fight for our convenience.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see.¡± Raidorl nodded his head in agreement. When the curse was placed on Granard in the audience room, the knights who were there attacked Raidorl. But Darren, who had been there, stood motionless. The fact that Darren didn¡¯t take any active action to harm Raidorl may be because he had his own thoughts on the matter. ¡°Is it sympathy, ¡­¡­ or another emotion? Either way, if you end up on Granard¡¯s side, I won¡¯t spare you.¡± ¡°The castle gates are not that way.¡¡Where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren was suspicious of Raidorl, who seemed to be heading in the wrong direction, thinking he was leaving the castle. Raidorl walked on in silence, without looking back at Daren, until he came to a room. ¡°This is ¡­¡­.¡± This is the room where the national treasure, the holy sword ¡®D¨¢insleif¡¯ is enshrined. In front of the room, there are two knights, wide-eyed and surprised by the sudden appearance of the king¡¯s brother and the thousand knights. ¡°Your Royal Highness, ¡­¡­! I¡¯m sorry, this is ¡­¡­ without Your Majesty¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s locked. The key is¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No!¡± The knight tried to stop Raidorl, who put his hand on the door of the room, Raidorl then proceeded to punch the knight¡¯s face without mercy. The knight was struck with such force that he spun around and fell to the floor in a heap. Raidorl takes the key from the knight¡¯s waist. ¡°What ¡­¡­ are you doing ¡­¡­?¡± The other knight hurriedly put his hand on his sword. Darren taps the knight on the shoulder. ¡°¡­¡­ Enough. Stop.¡± ¡°Garst,! But this is obviously¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I take full responsibility for what happened, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. We didn¡¯t see anything. I¡¯ll take my colleague who fell asleep to the infirmary.¡± Seeing Darren¡¯s resigned face, the knight seemed to have some idea of what was going on. He lets go of the sword at his hip and drags the unconscious knight away, disappearing down the corridor. Using the key he had taken from the knight, Raidorl opened the door this time. This is the first time he has visited the Hall of the Holy Sword since his coming of age ceremony. In the back of the room, the holy sword is still stuck in the pedestal as it was five years ago. ¡°Is that¡­¡± Darren groans in dismay. The black torrent that rises from the holy sword becomes a whirlpool, churning the air in the room and raging like a miniature tornado. Darren falls to his knees as he is hit by a gust of black wind. ¡°kh!, my ¡­¡­ strength is ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Take it easy. It¡¯s a wind curse that takes away your strength. If you try to stand, you will die from it.¡± ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl¡­..!¡± Through the black storm coming from the holy swords, Raidorl walks without hesitation. The wind¡¯s curse slowly slipped into his body, but the young king¡¯s brother walked on without moving an eyebrow. In the end, he reached the pedestal and grasped the holy sword D¨¢insleif, which is spraying a black storm. ¡°You¡¯re very excited. Did you want to see me so badly?¡± As if in protest, the holy sword unleashed a particularly strong wind. A whirlwind of blades slashed Raidorl¡¯s cheeks, splattering him with blood. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Welcome to my hand after five years, D¨¢insleif!¡± Ignoring the blood running down his cheek, Raidorl pulled the holy sword from its pedestal. The black holy sword, which no one had been able to pull out since the first king, was once again in Raidorl¡¯s hands. The storm that had been raging in the room ceased to blow. Instead, a jet-black aura that seemed to congeal in the darkness of the night swirled around the D¨¢insleif. ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± A voice leaks from Darren¡¯s mouth. The emotion in his voice is fear and admiration. ¡°Am I witnessing a passage in a¡­¡­ heroic tale? Is this the moment when a new hero is born?¡± Shaking his shoulders, Darren bowed his head as if praying to God. This was a man who had put a curse on the king he served, a man who was a traitor. Even though he knew this, he could not help but show respect. The soul of the knight, the pride of the warrior, demanded with all his might the highest salute to the hero born before him. With the gaze coming from Darren on his back, Raidorl raised his D¨¢insleif high above his head. CH 29 Welcome home, Master.¡± After retrieving his holy sword, Raidorl returned to the house and was greeted by Neimilia with a smile that made him melt. Her sweet, sugary, beautiful faces are the stuff of dreams for the opposite sex and even the same sex. ¡°Aaa.¡± Despite such a smile, Raidorl¡¯s reaction is indifferent. He replied casually, but his eyes were fixed on the ¡°thing¡± lying on the floor. He raises his eyebrows suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s that? Where did you get it from?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I picked them up! They came into our house without our permission. We should just exterminate them now!¡± Five men lie at the feet of Neimilia, waving their hands in the air. They are dressed in ragged clothes that Raidorl would not expect to see in this section of the city, where the nobility live, and all of them are white eyed, foaming at the mouth and in a coma. ¡°So? Who are these people?¡± ¡°Through, torture¡­¡­and interrogation, it seems that they have an assassin hired by the nobility of this country.¡± ¡°Assassins¡­¡­come on, you¡¯re trying to kill me now?¡± It is not surprising that he was threatened with death after his rampage in the presence of the king. It¡¯s no surprise that they wanted to kill him. Has a nobleman with the king¡¯s blessing sent an assassin to take revenge on the king¡¯s behalf? ¡°But then again, they¡¯re moving too fast. I thought that if Granard¡¯s men were going to move, it would be after they had finished analysing the curse I had placed on them¡­¡­¡± The curse that Raidorl had placed on Granard is triggered when Granard does something that violates his agreement with Raidorl. The most common thing to violate the agreement is to harm Raidorl. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too early to be attacking us before we can even lift the curse?¡± ¡°No, no, no. I think these people were after me.¡± ¡°You..?¡± ¡°Yes, they were going to take me alive and take me somewhere, weren¡¯t they?¡± Raidorl pondered over Neimilia¡¯s words for a while, then concluded and snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh, yeah, hostages!¡± It is not clear whether the noblemen who employ them are under the control of the king or not. Either way, they must have tried to keep Neimilia in custody as a bargaining chip against Raidorl. ¡°I see. That was a blind spot.¡± It was not that he had forgotten about Neimilia. However, for Raidorl, Neimilia was not someone to be protected, and therefore he had no idea that she would be taken hostage. In the first place, Neimilia¡¯s true identity is that of the ¡®Six Witches of Doom¡¯, the demons who almost destroyed the world. Although she has lost most of her power through hundreds of years of sealing, her power is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even Raidorl, who has received the blessing of the holy sword, is no match for Neimilia without the power of the D¨¢insleif. The adventurers of the pioneering city of Raid are Raidorl¡¯s trusted comrades-in-arms. They are far more trustworthy than the beautiful knights who guard the capital. However, they have the role of preventing the influx of demons from the jungles of the south and will not be able to easily leave the pioneer city. It is not easy for them to leave the city, especially when Raidorl, the city¡¯s best soldier, has left the city. ¡°Once the fight against the empire is over, I¡¯ll have to face my brother¡­.. Granard. Next, I¡¯d like to have at least a couple more limbs I can use. ¡­¡­¡± However, this is Granard¡¯s home turf. There are not many people who would side with Raidorl. And even if there are those who ostensibly side with him, there is no guarantee that they are not under the thumb of Granard or the nobility. ¡°If there¡¯s any chance, it¡¯s this battle with the Empire. If I achieve tangible results here, there will be people who will betray Granard and join me.¡± In order to do this, they need to achieve an overwhelming result. Victory is an absolute requirement, but it must be even more overwhelming than that. He must take credit for the victory over his general, Darren Garst, and the other soldiers of the Royal Army. ¡°There¡¯s only one option for that and only one¡­.. Kill the enemy holy sword bearer!¡± ¡°Well, well, Master Raidorl. Would you like to have a bath or dinner? Or me? Is it me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll never know when my brother¡¯s men will attack us. I don¡¯t want any nightcap for a while.¡± ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!¡± The cry came back more shocking than expected. Neimilia was so loud that Raidorl had to hold both ears and heaved himself up. CH 30 The Alsatian Empire. After the great war caused by one of the ¡®Six Witches of Ruin¡¯ 200 years ago, the Empire quickly rebuilt and annexed the surrounding countries, becoming the dominant power in the centre of the continent. It was only a few years ago that this country had the unrealistic ambition of conquering the continent. Although a great power, the earlier king of the empire had been rather conservative, committed to preserving the wealth he already possessed rather than invading the empire¡¯s neighbours by force. Even so, the Empire has made many enemies by becoming a great power. There are many forces that threaten the Empire, including the sub-human nations in the south of the continent and the guild federations in the east. Although they have an alliance with the God of the North, they are not sure if it can be trusted, as alliances between nations can be broken at any moment. If they were to start a war, it would give them an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and create enemies on all sides. It was the three holy swords that drove the Alsatian Empire to conquer the continent. The holy sword of fire: Durandal (¥Ç¥å¥é¥ó¥À¥ë) The holy sword of ice: Gjallarhorn (¥®¥ã¥é¥ë¥Û¥ë¥ó) The holy sword of thunder: Cla¨ªomh Solas (¥¯¥é¥¦¥½¥é¥¹) The holders of the three holy swords appeared at about the same time. The wielder of a holy sword appears only once every few decades, and each holy sword has had its own wielder in the past. However, this was the first time since the founding of the Empire that three holy swords had been chosen to hold the inside of the Empire at the same time. The emperor of the time, Zacharias van Arslande, saw this as a sign from the founder of the empire, and decided to unite the continent. At the behest of Zacharius, the imperial army launched a simultaneous invasion of the Guild Confederacy in the east, the Subhuman Kingdom in the north and the Kingdom of Zain in the west. With the help of the powerful weapon of the holy sword, the invasion was progressing smoothly, and in the western kingdom of Zain, the imperial troops had already pushed into the last fortress protecting the royal capital. ¡°It¡¯s very hard indeed. I¡¯m sure the enemy will persevere.¡± ¡°This is the last stronghold of the Kingdom of Zain. They must be desperate.¡± In the distance, looking towards the ¡°Blaine Fortress¡± in front of the royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain, two men are exchanging words with firm faces. They are an old man with a mixture of grey hair and a somewhat younger, older man. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. They won¡¯t last a month.¡± The old man who opens his mouth solemnly is Lieutenant General Gracos Barzen. He is the supreme commander of the western invasion force of the Alsatian Empire and an old general who has been fighting for the Empire for nearly 50 years. ¡°Yes, if we lose this place, the kingdom will be as naked as a rock. Let¡¯s bid our time.¡± The man who responds to the old general¡¯s words is Colonel Dallas Safaris. He was also a general in the western invasion force of the Imperial Army of Alsatian, and a trusted lieutenant to Barzen. There are many soldiers coming and going from the Imperial camp. The Imperial soldiers, who are the most skilled on the continent, are preparing for battle with nimble, lean movements. One month ago, the Army of the Alsatian Empire launched an invasion of the Kingdom of Zain in the west. This was the first full-scale invasion of the kingdom, although it had been involved in a few skirmishes in the past. The Kingdom of Zain is only about a tenth of the size of the Empire, but it is by no means a weak country. They have a reputation for defensive warfare, using their mountainous terrain to their advantage, and they¡¯ve estimated that this invasion would take quite some time. However, once the fighting had begun, the invasion went so well that the invading empire was surprised. In just two weeks the fortress of Barceo, a key border point, had fallen, and in another two weeks most of the nobles who held lands in the north of the kingdom had been subjugated. And finally, the empire had attacked the last defense of the royal capital, the Blaine Fortress, and had practically decided to take the crown. ¡°This is the first time that I have ever seen such a thing happen so quickly. The kingdom, a long time enemy, is so easy to¡­¡­¡± Safaris sighs somewhat exasperatedly. Once before, about ten years ago, the Empire invaded the Kingdom of Zain, but failed to even capture the border fortress. The young Safaris had also participated in a previous invasion, and the memory of that bitter defeat remained with him. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­a holy sword bearer is to be feared. A single man can change the course of a war.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­ a hero ¡­¡­.¡± While Barzen is satisfied, Safaris¡¯s face is somewhat stern. He has mixed feelings about the holy sword keepers who have so easily conquered the fortresses they have struggled so hard to bring down. At the deputy¡¯s attitude, Barzen pats him on the shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t be disheartened. His Highness, as you know, is a man of vivacity and candour. He is not the man to whom you should be directing your pent-up emotions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­ of course, I know that, but ¡­¡­ ugh!¡± Safaris¡¯ brow furrowed at his superior¡¯s consolation, but his expression tightened at the sight of someone running towards him from a distance. The figure flew through the imperial ranks with such speed that he landed in front of them with a swoosh. ¡°Oh, my God, you¡¯re both here! I¡¯ve been looking for you!¡± ¡°Oh, my dear Princess. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Barzen¡¯s eyes widened gently at the sight of the new intruder, and Safaris¡¯s cheeks tightened. It was a woman who appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. Dressed in the uniform of a male Imperial officer, she bounced restlessly and childishly in front of them. Her blonde hair danced like feathers on her back, but she seemed unconcerned about that. (Tl: pls be a harem) ¡°I told you if we were going to talk about the war, you should have invited me! You¡¯ve left me out again, you¡¯re so mean!¡± The girl said, ¡°I¡¯m angry!¡± She puffed up her cheeks and waved her hands in the air. She makes a childish gesture and has a sword at her hip. Her name is C¨¦lia Von Althlein (¥»¥¤¥ê¥¢?¥Õ¥©¥ó?¥¢¥ë¥¹¥é¥¤¥ó¡£). She was the third Imperial Princess of the Empire and the chosen keeper of the holy sword ¡°Cla¨ªomh Solas¡±, the sword of thunder. CH 31 Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. Your Highness. Safaris here seem to have a weakness for you. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ha?!!¡± The sudden shift of responsibility from Barzen made Safaris shout. ¡°I knew it,¡± nodded C¨¦lia, her lips pursed. ¡°You¡¯d better get used to it, Colonel Safaris! I¡¯ve heard that the Colonel hates women, but we¡¯re comrades who fight together. You won¡¯t make it on the battlefield like that!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m very, very sorry, Your Highness.¡± Safaris glanced reproachfully at his superior next to him and bowed to her. ¡°You are old enough, Colonel, to get over your misogyny and find someone to marry. You may not have the best eyes, but the Colonel doesn¡¯t have a bad face, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find someone for you soon enough if you want to!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­I will do my best. Thank you for your consideration.¡± Safaris, still reluctant, hides his face to hide his expression. Barzen intervenes with a crisp tap on Safaris¡¯ shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll give him a good hard time, and I hope you¡¯ll forgive me. But we were talking about the war, weren¡¯t we? I would like to hear what you have to say about it, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡¡I¡¯ve always wanted to talk to you about the war!¡± ¡°Ho, ho, that¡¯s good!¡± Barzen smiles and relaxes his cheeks at the innocent approach of C¨¦lia. ¡°This again¡­¡­¡± Safaris is not very fond of the Imperial Princess and holder of the Holy Sword, C¨¦lia von Althlein. The main reason for this is the superior officer beside her. The old general Gracos Barzen was a man of great courage and fame throughout the Empire. He was known as the devil by his enemies and the god of war by his allies. Safaris had always admired the stern but benevolent Barzen, and was even moved to tears when he was chosen as his second-in-command a few years ago, following the retirement of his predecessor. ¡°The brave general, whom I have always admired, is like this when it comes to Her Highness the Princess. Oh, what a ¡­¡­ pity!¡± But when he is in contact with Her Highness Princess C¨¦lia, he becomes as pathetic as an old man who is weak with his grandchildren. Whenever he sees him, Safaris feels a pang of pity. ¡°So, Grandpa. What did you and the colonel talk about?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been talking about how to bring down Fortress Blaine.¡± C¨¦lia asked with an innocent tilt of her head. When Barzen was asked about it, he spoke up without a second thought. ¡°We know that Blaine Fortress is even more solid than Barceo Fortress on the border, and that it is well stocked with water and provisions. It will take some time to bring it down.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s General Bazel Garst who is guarding it. It¡¯s not going to be easy.¡± ¡°Hmm, this is so great! The enemy¡¯s general.¡± Barzen explained, and Safaris added from the side. She nodded her head in admiration. ¡°Of course. General Garst is a fierce warrior who has defended their borders for twenty years. He is the patron saint of the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s he¡¯s even better than Grandpa?¡±¡± ¡°No way! Of course, I¡¯m better than him!¡± Barzen replies to C¨¦lia¡¯s innocent question in an impassioned tone. ¡°He is a young man, 20 years younger than me, though a fierce general. He may be capable, but he is still a weak man in the kingdom of Zain. He is no match for us!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my grandfather!¡±¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm!¡± Barzen is proud due to the princess¡¯s praise. Safaris, looking blankly at such a superior officer, opens his mouth with water. ¡°It is also true, however, that it is the guardian gods of weak countries that have hindered the empire¡¯s path to supremacy. This battle will not be an easy one.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ shall I go and get his head then?¡± She says it like it¡¯s nothing. ¡°I could go into the fortress alone and kill the man. Then we¡¯d win this war, wouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°No, Your Highness! Your Highness cannot be in such danger!¡± Barzen shouted, his shoulders heaving with anger. The old general¡¯s countenance, which had been so gentle before, changed to a stern one. ¡°For God¡¯s sake, Princess. Don¡¯t do anything as reckless as you did at Barceo Fortress! I thought my heart would stop then!¡± As a matter of fact, it was largely due to the efforts of C¨¦lia that the Imperial troops were able to defeat the border fortress of Barceo in such a short time. As the keeper of the holy sword, the princess stepped out unannounced just as the Imperial troops were about to attack the fortress, and with her incredible physical strength she was able to leap over the walls and enter the fortress. Once inside the fortress, she drew her holy sword and went on a rampage, throwing the enemy into confusion, so that when the walls were poorly defended, the Imperial troops led by Barzen defeated them. She was a hero in this battle. She was a worthy keeper of the holy sword, but for Barzen, who loved her dearly, it was a nightmare. ¡°Promise me, Princess, promise me! Do not fight so recklessly, and I won¡¯t become a worried old man again!¡± ¡°Um, that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± C¨¦lia flinches at Barzen¡¯s words but falters and clasps the forefingers of both hands together, muddling her words. From the way she avoided saying anything explicitly, it seems that she was planning to do the same thing in this attack on the Blaine fortress. ¡° Pri.N.Cess!¡± (¡¸¤Ò?¤á?¤Ç?¤ó?¤«£¡¡¹) ¡°auu¡­¡± The old general comes at her with a look of rage and tears in his eyes. At the sight of these two, Safaris shakes his head somberly and offers a helping hand from his side. ¡°Your Highness. Your outstanding performance in the battle the other day was truly magnificent. However, if only Her Highness ¡­¡­ plays an active role, we and many other officers will lose the opportunity to play an active role. There are some soldiers who would like to use this opportunity to take credit for their success and rise in the ranks, so we would appreciate it if you would pass the credit on to us?¡± ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­ if that¡¯s the case ¡­¡­¡­¡­ okay.¡± C¨¦lia thought for quite a long time and nodded, somewhat dissatisfied. Although Her Highness is a brave woman, she never wants to take credit for the work of her vassals. If Safaris mentions other soldiers in this way, she will certainly understand. The purity and benevolence of her character were undoubtedly known to Safaris, who was not fond of her. ¡°In return,¡± Safaris said, ¡°if I ever need your help, I will call you immediately. Please be patient until then¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± ¡°Well, well, well, that¡¯s a good decision, Princess. That is why you are a princess and that¡¯s how you should be!¡± Barzen pats her gently on the head and thanks Safaris by making eye contact. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± With a shrug of his shoulders, Safaris responded silently to his superior, turning his gaze away from the two and towards the direction of the fortress. CH 32 The next day, after an audience with his brother, Granard, and the return of his holy sword, Raidorl immediately set off for Blaine Fortress, the scene of the battle against the Empire. Accompanying Raidorl, as they had done when he arrived in the capital, was Darren Garst, the Thousand Horsemen, and his men. Granard did not even come out to see him off but remained in the castle. ¡°That¡¯s as it should be. After all that happened yesterday.¡± ¡°Maybe, but ¡­¡­ I think it¡¯s the king¡¯s duty to keep up appearances, even if they¡¯re lies.¡± Raidorl was on his way to the battlefield today, meeting Darren in the carriage. As he was going off to war, he should have ridden a fast horse instead of riding in a carriage, but apparently Granard objected to this. It seems that Granard wants to keep Raidorl out of the public eye as much as possible now that he is the holder of the holy sword in both name and reality. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so scared. It¡¯s crazy how scared he is.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been calling the king that again¡­¡­.¡± Darren frowned at Raidorl¡¯s outburst and shook his head, realizing that there was nothing he could say. ¡°His Majesty, ¡­¡­, is very fond of the Founding King. I¡¯m sure he takes the power of the holy sword very seriously.¡± ¡°Hmph. ¡­¡­ He even banished his brother for it. I¡¯m sure he takes it very seriously.¡± ¡°¡­¡­By the way, why do you have a maid with you again today? I think it¡¯s a bit dangerous, don¡¯t you?¡± Perhaps wanting to change the subject, Darren turned to Neimilia, who was sitting next to Raidorl. Raidorl is dressed in chainmail and armour, as he is going to war, while Neimilia is in her maid¡¯s uniform, as she was yesterday. ¡°An apron dress is a maid¡¯s battle dress! If you¡¯re going into battle, there¡¯s no better outfit!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not asking what you¡¯re wearing, I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re here in the first place. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Neimilia. Let¡¯s talk about the war.¡± Raidorl interrupted the useless conversation and cut to the chase. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to make of it. I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re being cornered by the Empire, but how much of a strength gap is there exactly?¡± ¡°Hurmm¡­¡­first, the strength of the Royal Army There are 10,000 soldiers in the Blaine fortress. It is commanded by my father, Bazel Garst.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± At the mention of the name Bazel Garst, one of Raidorl¡¯s eyebrows twitched. It was one of the men who had once banished him. Darren had noticed the change on Raidorl¡¯s face, but decided not to poke around in the bushes, where he knew the snake was lurking. ¡°There are 50,000 imperial troops against us. All this, 20,000 are directed at suppressing the nobles who hold lands in the east, so there are 30,000 soldiers attacking the fortress. The difference in strength is three times.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ This is even worse than I thought, isn¡¯t it?¡± It¡¯s a nightmare for the soldiers in the fortress to be forced into a siege against a force three times their size with no hope of reinforcements. If the situation is that dire, it is not surprising that Raidorl, who was sent to the frontier to be neglected, was brought back. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. Why doesn¡¯t Granard move when he¡¯s by the scruff of the neck? Why does he just stay in the Royal Capital instead of going into battle?¡± It was a question Raidorl had been asking himself for some time. It seemed obvious that the king should stay in a safe place and not go into dangerous warfare. This may seem like a natural thing to do, but with the country on the brink of destruction, it was a bad idea. If the king goes to the front line, the morale of the soldiers will go up, and the king¡¯s bodyguard can be mobilized, so the strength of the war will be much higher. It¡¯s a matter of time before the Royal Capital is overtaken if the Blaine Fortress is overtaken anyway. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be throwing our forces into the fray at once and not saving them for later? ¡° ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Darren¡¯s words were slurred by Raidorl¡¯s question. It was obvious from the hesitant look on his face that the young Thousand Horsemen had the same idea. Darren was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say, but when Raidorl and Neimilia looked at him, he gave up and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­.. The King is not a coward. But he is extremely afraid of the holy sword.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When the fortress of Blaine was under siege, His Majesty Granard proposed to go there himself. However, when he heard that the enemy had the Holy Sword, he decided not to go and stayed in the palace.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about this war, but isn¡¯t it the duty of a king to do what¡¯s best for his country, no matter what the enemy is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Neimilia tilted her head and asked, and Darren turned his face down. ¡°¡­¡­He is haunted by the shadow of the Holy Sword. Because he was not chosen for the sword, he has an extreme fear and enmity towards the holder of the sword.¡± ¡°¡­.that¡¯s absurd. What can this holy sword even be able to do?¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips twist in a cynical smile as he spits. It is because he became the enemy of the Holy Sword due to him throwing his own brother, and because of it he is afraid that the sword will not go into battle. It seems that when the holy sword is involved, Granard becomes a very pitiful king. ¡°How can he joke about abandoning his brother to protect his country and then not doing everything in his power to protect it? Do you really think that qualifies him to sit on the throne?¡± ¡°His Majesty the King is a ¡­¡­ capable man. At least when it comes to politics.¡± Darren tries to make any excuses, but it was for naught. There is no point in making further accusations against a knight who is desperate to make a statement. Raidorl stared out of the carriage window with a frown on his face. ¡°The holy sword is beyond the power of man. It is right for people to be afraid of it. But ¡­¡­¡± Raidorl reached out and touched the hilt of the jet-black sword he wore at his waist. Perhaps sensing the approaching battlefield, the D¨¢insleif was radiating heat like it was on fire. ¡°You don¡¯t become a king because you were chosen by the sword. You should be a king, and the holy sword will answer to that. Granard¡­¡­, if you are truly a kingly man, D¨¢insleif would have chosen you from the start.¡± In Raidorl¡¯s hand, the jet-black holy sword affirmed with a small pulsation. CH 33 Raidorl arrived at Blaine Fortress the day after he left the royal capital. Blaine Fortress had apparently been attacked several times, leaving fresh scars from the assault. The Empire troops had taken up a position on a hill some distance away. Fortunately, the fortress was not under siege, and they were able to enter through the western gate without any trouble. ¡°Thank you for coming. Your Royal Highness, Raidorl Zain.¡± The first person who greeted Raidorl when he entered the fortress was Bazel Garst, the general of the Kingdom of Zain and the head of the troops guarding the fortress of Blaine. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you, General Garst.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl had a lot to say and also Garst. But they don¡¯t say anything as they look each other straight in the eye. Behind Raidorl, both Neimilia and Darren¡¯s expressions harden as they sense a certain atmosphere from the two men glaring at each other. They stared at each other for a few dozen seconds. ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡­¡± Eventually, neither of them looked away. Raidorl snorts sarcastically, and Garst¡¯s rocky features relax slightly. ¡°You have become quite a man, You also have the bearing of a great warrior.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting a bit old, aren¡¯t you? You might want to think about retiring.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll think about it when this battle is over. Come on in.¡± The reunion between the exiled prince and the general who was involved in the exile was barely cordial. In the meantime, Darren, too, breathed a sigh of relief and brushed his hair back as he gently lowered his right hand, which had been preparing to fire a spell. Raidorl and his party were led by Garst to a room in the fortress and sat down in chairs as recommended. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ I would like to thank you again for coming all the way from the middle of nowhere to support us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure my brother will pay you handsomely.¡± ¡°Well, sir?¡± Raidorl sits down in his chair and puts his legs up on the table. The old general was too rude to ignore the fact that his toes were pointed at Garst, who was sitting opposite him. ¡°So, how is the war going?¡± ¡°The imperial troops attacked Barceo Fortress on the northern border a month ago and have been settling the nobles in the east since then. It was only about a week ago that they invaded here.¡± What the general said was almost exactly what Darren had told him beforehand. What he hadn¡¯t heard before was what he had to say after that. ¡°In the past week, the Empire has attacked the fortress three times. So far we have been able to hold our ground without any serious damage.¡± ¡°Only three times? That¡¯s a lot of time to attack!¡± Raidorl raised his eyebrows suspiciously. Before arriving at the fortress, Raidorl had expected it to be surrounded by the enemy and under heavy attack night and day. However, when he arrived, he found that the Imperial troops had taken up positions on a remote hill and had only attacked three times. It was a rate of invasion that could be called slow and stupid. ¡°Attacking them now is a good point. But it seems that the imperial army has its own ideas.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Raidorl crosses his arms thoughtfully and urges Garst to go on. ¡°It seems that the imperial army does not like to wear out its troops. If they try to attack this fortress in a short period of time, they will cause a lot of damage. It seems that they are trying to avoid this and are deliberately fighting a long war.¡± ¡°A long war. I don¡¯t understand the logic, but if we prolong the war, we¡¯ll lose our food supply. Besides, it¡¯s going to be winter before we know it.¡± The Empire has invaded the Kingdom of Zain on several occasions in the past, but always before the winter. This is because the army is in desperate need of manpower during the busy farming season in autumn, and in winter the cold weather makes it impossible to move around. Although the Kingdom of Zain is not a very snowy place, the Empire is always covered in snow in winter. If their supply routes are cut off by the snow, the army will starve and wither. ¡°Your Highness has a good point. But that is not the case here.¡± Garst shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°The Imperial troops have already taken over Barceo and are treating it as their base. When winter comes, the stronghold will be able to keep out the cold easily.¡± Garst spread out a map on the table and tapped the border fortress in the middle of it with his index finger. Then he next drew a circle with his finger around the eastern part of the kingdom between the Barceo and Blaine fortresses. ¡°In addition, the imperial army has already occupied the eastern part of the kingdom. If we collect from the areas under our control, we won¡¯t have to bring in food from home. There is no reason for the Imperial Army to go into a short battle with a loss of men.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ When winter comes, the eastern part of the kingdom will be hell.¡± Raidorl shakes his head in sympathy as he thinks of the villages being mercilessly plundered by the imperial army. Garst nodded gravely in agreement. ¡°It is for this reason that we have brought you here. Your Royal Highness, Raidorl Zain¡­¡­ has every right to be angry with us. However, we have no choice but to rely on your strength. Please help us to defend the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°Father.¡± Garst lowers his head so deeply that it touches the table. His son Darren¡¯s eyes widened at the strange sight of his stern father. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the back of the general¡¯s head, which was still bowed. ¡°If ¡­¡­Granard had behaved from the beginning, we might still be brothers. It¡¯s no use saying that now.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± The words, whispered in a voice as small as the flapping of an insect¡¯s wings, reached only Neimilia, who was standing nearby. The girl in the maid¡¯s uniform pinched the edge of her master¡¯s clothes in a caring manner. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Raidorl pats the girl¡¯s hand, who is picking at his clothes as if to say it¡¯s OK, and turns to Garst. ¡°I don¡¯t mind helping you out. ¡­¡­ But, yes, it¡¯s good that you have bowed your head and apologized to me, so I will show you our sincerity. General Garst, if you accept one condition, I will grant your wish.¡± ¡°Anything.¡± Garst responds to Raidorl¡¯s words without pause. Admiring the general¡¯s discipline in keeping his head down, Raidorl puts forward his request. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be my enemy when this war is over. That¡¯s all I want.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have a contract with my brother, and I will fight the Empire even if the general does not accept my demands. But if the general promises, I promise to bring victory with the least amount of damage, without cutting any corners. I can swear by this holy sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Garst looked sternly back at Raidorl, who had said this while stroking the hilt of his D¨¢insleif. Garst has no intention of antagonizing Raidorl. However, if he dares to remind him of this, it means that Raidorl will do something that could make him an enemy of Garst. Garst anguishes for a moment as he realises the meaning behind those words. Loyalty and integrity, warrior¡¯s pride and defiance of the Empire. After weighing all these things in his mind, Garst came up with an answer. ¡°I am a warrior in the service of my kingdom.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Raidorl raises his lips sarcastically. He looks away, wondering if the negotiations have failed. But there was more that Garst¡¯s needs to say. ¡°But ¡­¡­ there is no loyalty if there is no country to serve. If Your Highness will save the country, I will give Your Highness the same loyalty as His Majesty Granard.¡± ¡°Hou¡­.¡± Loyalty equal to that of a king. This means that if Raidorl has a dispute with Granard, he will not take sides, but will remain neutral. ¡°If the most powerful general in the kingdom sided with me, it could make things a lot easier. But since he can stay out of the way, that¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°Very well. This Raidorl Zain, I swear, will bring victory to the kingdom¡¯s army. I will not be outdone by the Holy Sword Bearer of the Empire.¡± Raidorl rises from his chair and declares his promise. Garst kneels down on the floor, bows his head and offers his allegiance to the young man who will become a hero. CH 34 ¡°Now, then, shall we make the fourth attack?¡± That morning after Raidorl entered Blaine Fortress. At the Empire camp, Lieutenant-General Gracos Barzen, General of the Western Army, stroked his beard with his hand. Standing on a hilltop, his gaze catches sight of the fortress to be conquered. The last fortress guarding the capital of the Kingdom of Zain stands proudly before the imperial troops, ready to show them the majesty of the Kingdom. Alongside Barzen was his second-in-command, Colonel Dallas Safaris. Behind him was the third Imperial Princess, C¨¦lia Von Althlein. While Barzen is neatly dressed in his military uniform, C¨¦lia has misbuttoned her top and bottom buttons and her shirt is sticking out from the edge of her trousers. ¡°Ummm~ I¡¯m tired of fighting in the morning. Why don¡¯t we start at noon?¡± ¡°Oh, well, if you¡¯re sleepy, you can rest in your tent, if you like. We¡¯ll take care of the messy fighting for you.¡± Barzen says in a catnip voice, as if he is spoiling his grandchild. As C¨¦lia rubs her eyes with her hands and even sighs. To a general who acts like her own grandfather, C¨¦lia pinched her cheeks with her fingers and tugged at them sleepily. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be in charge of the army, you know. I can¡¯t leave everything to you.¡± ¡°¡¯Ho, ho, ho, how kind of you to take care of my old body. I, Gracos, will do everything in my power to repay your kindness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So, how do you want to attack today? General Barzen.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Safaris.¡± Safaris interrupts their friendly grandfather-grandson conversation from the side. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­, we¡¯re going to have to get a bit serious today.¡± ¡°Oh? I thought you were going to go easy on them for a while?¡± Safaris raises his eyebrows suspiciously and asks his superior. This time, however, Bazen¡¯s forces in the west of the Empire had no intention of seriously attacking the fortress of Blaine. Or should he say that there is no need to attack. In a very short time of one month, the Imperial forces have captured most of the eastern part of the Kingdom, dropping the border fortress of Balmes. As a result of this, some of the nobles in the service of the kingdom have turned to the empire, and secret agents of the empire have already been sent to various parts of the kingdom to coordinate the situation. In other words, even without forcing down the fortress Blaine, preparations are steadily underway to cut down the kingdom of Zain from within, and even without wasting the lives of soldiers, the collapse of the kingdom is only a matter of time. ¡°And moreover,¡­¡­we are not finished with the destruction of Zain. If we take the loss now, it will be a problem for the next one.¡± Safaris exhales softly as he looks to the future after the destruction of the Kingdom of Zain. In the western part of the continent, to the west of the Kingdom of Zain, there are a number of smaller countries. After the destruction of the kingdom, they will have to fight them. In order to prepare for the next battle, the imperial army wanted to utilize its manpower as little as possible. ¡°So why are you launching a full-scale attack now?¡¡Are you going to change the policy of the Zain campaign, which is to seek political victory without forcing a fight?¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­, I had no intention of fighting, either, but the atmosphere in the fortress seems to have changed.¡± This is the first time he¡¯s ever seen such a face. The old general, who has been defending the empire for many years, has a look on his face that makes Safaris salivate with tension. ¡°Yesterday there was an air of resignation among the Royal troops defending the fortress, but today it seems different. There is an air of vitality about them, as if they are coming to life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Could it have something to do with the reinforcements that entered the fortress yesterday?¡± A watchman at the Blaine fortress had reported that reinforcements from the direction of King¡¯s Landing had entered the fortress. ¡°There were only 500 soldiers in the fortress. I thought it was a number that was nothing to be alarmed about ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Or perhaps the key is the person who is said to have entered the fortress in a carriage.¡± ¡°Carriage¡­¡­, no way!¡± Safaris¡¯ eyes widened. The man, who should have been young and calm, flushed with elation. ¡°Could it be that the king, Granard Zain, has entered the fortress! That would explain why the morale of the Royal Army is so high!¡± ¡°Hmm, ¡­¡­, that¡¯s a possibility.¡± Barzen nodded his head, quieting his excited lieutenant with his hand. In the past, despite the crisis in the country, the king of the Zain kingdom, Granard, sat in the capital and did not move. However, it is quite possible that they have decided that they cannot win the war if they do not do so. ¡°If this fortress falls, the kingdom is finished. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve made your move. ¡­¡­ But¡­¡± What¡¯s interesting is that they haven¡¯t heard from any of the nobles at the palace. Some of the kingdom¡¯s nobles who serve in the royal palace have already made secret agreements to turn over to the empire, and have been informed of the situation in the capital. They had not received any report that the king had moved. ¡°Have you noticed the difference? Or has he decided that the kingdom might be lifted and is weighing it against us?¡± Safaris spat, frowning uncomfortably. For Safaris, who are deeply loyal to the emperor and his family, the nobles who betray their lord when cornered are an object of hatred. Even if it was to the advantage of his country, he could not erase his ill feeling. Barzen sighs heavily and turns his distant eyes skywards. Barzen had also experienced the pain of being caught up in the intrigues of imperial nobles and politicians in the past. He had lost some of his best men because of them, and he did not have good feelings towards those in power. The old general¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about conspiracies or anything like that, but you mustn¡¯t let your guard down, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Oh? Do you have any thoughts on the matter, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡­¡­I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve been hearing a lot of noise about Cla¨ªomh Solas for a while now. There¡¯s something in that fortress. Something that threatens us all.¡± As she stroked the hilt of her holy sword. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Barzen said, his eyes growing grim. ¡°If Her Highness, the holder of the Holy Sword, says so, then her words are worth their weight in gold.We must strike a blow to the kingdom¡¯s army ¡®that¡¯ before someone changes the course of the battlefield. ¡­¡­?¡± There was movement in the fortress of Blaine. The gates, which had been tightly closed until now, were opened and soldiers came out from inside. The soldiers who have emerged from the fortress are forming a formation under the direction of what appears to be a commander. ¡°They¡¯ve come out of the fortress!¡¡Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to fight a field battle with us!¡± According to the report of the secret agent, there are about 10,000 soldiers packed in the fortress of Blaine. In contrast, the imperial army is 30,000. If it is a siege in a fortress or fortification, but if it is a battle on a plain where superiority in numbers is the difference between victory and defeat, the Empire will surely win. ¡°Bazel Garst is not so incompetent that he cannot see that! Then we have a trump card to turn the tide!¡± ¡°Safaris, form up here as soon as possible! We¡¯ll crush the kingdom¡¯s army here!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Safaris ran at Barzen¡¯s command. The old general and the princess knight, who were left on the hill, stared down at the army of the Kingdom of Zain, which was forming a crane wing formation. ¡°Grandpa..¡± ¡°I know. We cannot be too careful in this war. If necessary, Your Highness, I would like you to be at the front.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what the holy sword is for.¡± As she squeezed the hilt of her sword, Cla¨ªomh Solas responded to his master with a pale spark. ¡°Until we know the identity of the enemy¡¯s trump card, we ask you to exercise restraint. If by any chance the Princess is killed, we will be defeated.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. But when the time comes, I won¡¯t hesitate!¡± Barzen nodded with a tense look to C¨¦lia, who is humble and resolute. CH 35 Meanwhile, in Blaine Fortress, Raidorl and Garst stand side by side on the city walls. Below them, the soldiers of the Kingdom¡¯s army are in formation, ready for a field battle with the Imperial forces. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, though. How dare they want to fight out in the open?¡± Raidorl says in a surprising tone. In war, the greater the number, the greater the advantage. This is a common sense that even a child can understand, without the need for explanation. This is the reason why the kingdom¡¯s army, which until now has been holed up in its fortresses playing a defensive game, is now venturing into the field. ¡°We¡¯ve been in a siege because we had no other choice, Your Royal Highness.¡± Garst replied, his face still as tight as a rock. ¡°Even if they fought in the field, they would have no chance of victory. We are outnumbered, and the enemy even has a holy sword. But now we have you.¡± ¡°You give me a great deal of credit, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever gone up against a human being. It¡¯s also the first time I¡¯ve used a holy sword, and I¡¯m under pressure to rely on it so much.¡± Garst glances sideways at Raidorl, who shrugs his shoulders and makes a funny gesture. And then he continued his explanation in a slightly hushed voice. ¡°Still, we have no choice but to put our faith in your Highness. If we continue to hold the siege, the kingdom will eventually rot from within.¡± ¡°From within ¡­¡­? Is there a traitor in your midst?¡± ¡°More than I can count. And I¡¯m sure there will be more to come.¡± Garst said without changing his expression. ¡°It is certain that there are those within the court who are in league with the Empire. And it seems that the Empire is sending secret agents to spy on the most powerful people in the kingdom. We don¡¯t know how many traitors there are at the moment, but the longer the war goes on, the more people will turn to the Empire.¡± ¡°I see. This is why the empire did not really attack. They were deliberately trying to prolong the battle so that they could bring down the Kingdom of Zain without causing any damage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The only reason they are camped out in front of the fortress like this is to draw us in and keep the palace at bay.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose we have no choice. The nobles will have to survive.¡± Betrayal is an abominable act. But Raidorl did not blame them for it. In the first place, the monarchy allows the king the right to rule the people with privilege, because he protects the land and the people. If he cannot protect his country, he is no longer worthy to be respected as a king. The same is true for the nobles. They have no right to risk their lives to serve a royal family that cannot guarantee their safety. ¡°If the pact goes ahead, even if the fortress is defended, the Kingdom of Zain will be destroyed. The only way to avoid this is to fight a short battle.¡± ¡°Hmm, okay. So what do you want me to do?¡± Raidorl is one of the most skilled adventurers in the kingdom. His sword master, Zafis, guarantees this. However, in battle he is no better than a new soldier on his first day. He had no idea how to lead an army. ¡°I¡¯ll have my son Darren for you, Your Highness. When the enemy sword-bearer comes out, I will ask you to help me.¡± ¡°Darren¡­¡­ said something about using the Holy Sword of Thunder, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­the Cla¨ªomh Solas, the Holy Sword of Thunder. Its wielder is the Third Imperial Princess, C¨¦lia Von Althlein.¡± ¡°A¡­princess?!¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened as he heard this information. He had imagined a mighty warrior like Garst wielding a holy sword, but it seems that he was wrong. ¡°She¡¯s the reason why the fortress of Barceo has fallen and the kingdom¡¯s army has been pushed back this far.¡± Garst¡¯s rock face moves slightly. His lips are twisted in regret and disappointment. ¡°No matter how hard we try, no matter how careful we are, they can defeat as easily as a branch against a spider¡¯s web¡­¡­. It¡¯s an abomination, but she is a hero.¡± ¡°Heh, ¡­¡­, I am also a keeper of the Holy Sword.¡± Raidorl¡¯s smiles in amusement. In the frontier settlements, he had encountered many powerful demons, and had even been in mortal danger. But the hero of the empire that he is about to meet must surely be the strongest enemy he has ever faced. ¡°But I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here to show them that they¡¯re not alone in this war.¡± And yet there was no fear or nervousness in Raidorl. He knew that no matter how strong his opponent was, he could never be beaten. His arrogant attitude, which could only be described as carelessness or pride, made Garst, standing next to him, feel both reassured and threatened. ¡°I can¡¯t lose. I¡¯ve got this guy now¡± Raidorl stroked the holy sword at his waist with his hand. The jet-black sword pulsed softly in response to the call of its master, whom it had met again after a lapse of five years. CH 36 The armies of the Kingdom of Zain are positioned with their backs to the fortress. The armies of the Western Sector of the Empire of Alsatian are positioned side by side on the hill. As if by design, the two armies complete their formation at the same time, and a standoff ensues between high and low. The soldiers of the Royal Army look up at the Imperial Army on the hill as if to challenge them. In contrast, the soldiers of the Imperial Army glared down at the enemy as if looking down on them. Both armies are waiting for the commander¡¯s orders, their sweaty hands tightly gripping their weapons. ¡°Hmm, the kingdom¡¯s army is not moving¡­¡± Gracos Barzen sniffed at the enemy below him. He had suspected that they had moved first and were planning to take us by surprise, but the Royal Army seemed to have taken the trouble to wait until the Imperial Army had formed up. ¡°Come on. Come at me.¡± The voice of Bazel Garst, the enemy general, inviting him to join, was clear to Barzen¡¯s ears. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer!¡¡Let¡¯s see what you can do with this huge army!¡± ¡°First army, charge!¡± His second-in-command, Safaris, shouted at him. ¡°Wohoooooooo¡± Some of the Imperial troops on the hill began to move. The Imperial troops, lined up in a horizontal line, are driven by the slope of the hill like a tsunami. ¡°The high shall prevail over the low. This is the basis of warfare!¡± The army of the Kingdom of Zain is in a dense square formation behind the fortress of Blaine. The imperial soldiers, who are outnumbered by the kingdom army, are lined up side by side and spread out to envelop the solidified kingdom army. The imperial soldiers who went down the slope vigorously attacked the kingdom army, fiercely with momentum. ¡°Spearmen, forward!¡± ¡°Mmm!?¡± However, the kingdom¡¯s army is not to be beaten silently. The soldier in front of him who was holding the shield quickly moved back, and another soldier who had been hiding behind him stepped forward. In their hands, they hold a four-meter long spear, nearly twice as long as the lances used by the Imperial Guard. ¡°Guhhhhhhhhhh?!¡± ¡°Stop! Guwaaaaaah!¡± The imperial soldier, charging downhill with all his might, is skewered by a long spear that suddenly appears. The soldiers who hurriedly tried to kill the momentum and stop were also pushed out by the following soldiers and suffered the same fate as those who charged ahead. ¡°So that¡¯s why they are in a tight formation!¡± Barzen frowned and snarled. There was no room for the Kingdom¡¯s forces, who were crowded together and holding their long spears, and they stood as a wall of spears. The lances used by the imperial soldiers could not reach the kingdom soldiers, and the cavalrymen were skewered with their horses. ¡°It¡¯s a shame they can¡¯t use the difference in height to their advantage! But they¡¯ve already got men around the flank!¡± The imperial troops who charged from the front fell prey to the long spears, but the troops who went around the flank were still alive and well. In the end, it was a matter of time before they were able to get to the bottom. ¡°Archers, shoot, shoot, shoot!¡± However, a rain of arrows rained down on the imperial soldiers. The source of the arrows, which were fired to protect the Royal Army, came from the fortress of Blaine, which the Royal Army had its back to. Soldiers lined up side by side on the walls of the fortress and fired covering shots at the Royal Army, which was positioned to defend the fortress. ¡°Shit!!! Royal Guards!¡± ¡°Aah! Aah! Aahh!¡± ¡°Come on! Take out the Imperial Guard!¡± The Royal Guardsmen thrust their spears at the Imperial Guardsmen, who flinched under the covering fire. Although the imperial soldiers were superior in number and skill, there was no way they could break the kingdom¡¯s dense formation when they had to be wary of arrows from above. ¡°Well, the general of the kingdom of Zain¡­¡­has done well to use the fortress in a different way than a siege!¡± ¡°Grandpa, do you want me to get it?¡± The imperial troops were unexpectedly pushed back. C¨¦lia called out anxiously to Barzen. The imperial princess, who had been wearing a military uniform earlier, had now changed into blue and silver armour. The armour, forged from the finest mithril and worn only by the royal family, was ironclad and impervious to any attack. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry. The war has only just begun!¡± Barzen smiled good-naturedly to reassure the doting princess, and stroked his beard with a gentle hand. ¡°The enemy is stronger than we expected. I¡¯m sure it will hurt, but that¡¯s the joy of war. You must stand firm, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Really¡­? If so, I¡¯m watching ¡­¡± C¨¦lia nodded at Barzen¡¯s words, but her face was somewhat unconvinced. Her gaze is fixed on the corpses of the soldiers lying around the Royal Army. Her shapely lips are pursed, apparently unable to accept the deaths of her own soldiers as a necessary sacrifice. ¡°She is a kind person. If I could, I would not want her to be in such a position to stand on the battlefield. ¡­..¡± C¨¦lia Von Althlein, the princess, is an innocent and well-liked person. If she had not been chosen for the Holy Sword, she would not be standing in such a bloody place, but would be living a life of loving flowers. ¡°And eventually marry a man of great nobility. ¡­¡­ Oh , my eyes¡­¡± Barzen, forgetting the situation, became so sentimental that he coughed, holding his eyes. ¡°Bring the First Army to the rear!¡¡The second army is to surround the enemy slowly and unhurriedly, while the third army is to spread out on the hills and fire its bows!¡± Shaking off the slightest hesitation that had arisen in his mind, the old general gave his orders fiercely. The sun, shining brightly in the sky, had only just passed its zenith. The battle had only just begun. CH 37 Hooo¡­we¡¯re putting up a good fight against an enemy twice our size!¡± Raidorl claps his hands in admiration as he sits on top of the city wall and watches the two armies battle it out. Looking down, he saw that the Royal Army had successfully lured the Imperial Guard into a bitter counterattack. The unexpected counter-attack by the Royal Army, which had seemed to be crushed by sheer numbers and geographical advantage, was a joy to watch from above. ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s nothing for me to do? You¡¯re a great protector of the country. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°No. This is only the beginning.¡± While Raidorl applauded and praised his commander, Garst, the general shook his head calmly. ¡°The attack was a clever manoeuvre because he was unaware of his opponent. If it was Gracos Barzen, he would have made it up in no time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re praising the enemy general, aren¡¯t you? Are you so sure that the Imperial commander is a good man?¡± ¡°An old general, but a fierce one at that. If it weren¡¯t for the legendary weapon of the holy sword, a man like him would be called a hero.¡± Garst answers Raidorl¡¯s question with a faraway look in his eyes. ¡°The only thing I have over the man is my youth. If he hadn¡¯t been born, the Empire would be half the size it is today.¡± ¡°Heh ¡­¡­ that again.¡± He had an amused smile on his face and turned his attention to the hill where the imperial camp was located. Even Raidorl, who has better eyesight than most men, could not see the enemy general there. Even so, the mere thought of an extraordinary commander there makes Raidorl blood boil. ¡°I won¡¯t be tempted. It¡¯s my first battle and I¡¯m getting excited. It¡¯s bad for morale to get carried away on the battlefield.¡± ¡°As a vassal, I¡¯m glad to hear it. I am glad to see that you are a hero, chosen by the Holy Sword, and that you take pleasure rather than fear in battle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal. I¡¯m just a kid who hasn¡¯t grown up yet.¡± Raidorl slaps both cheeks, tightens his loose face, and turns his attention once again to the battlefield. The Imperial troops, whose first army had been half destroyed by a painful counterattack, soon came forward with their rearguard troops. They did not charge with the momentum of the hill as the first army did, but spread out slowly across the battlefield, shields raised above their heads to block arrows. While using their shields to block covering fire from the fortress, they gradually close the distance to the Royal Army. Behind them, another force is deployed, firing their bows from the heights of the hill at the Royal Army in a tight formation. ¡°They seem to have found a way to deal with it. You old bastard.¡± Garst swears with an unusually contorted expression. With a glance at the general, Raidorl looks sternly at the Imperial troops¡¯ counterattack. From the Blaine fortress, arrows are being fired at the imperial soldiers surrounding the kingdom army, but the shields overhead are blocking the arrows and making them less effective. On the other hand, from the top of the hill, arrows are fired at the Royal Guards, which are also defended by shields. If the conditions are the same, then the difference in numbers will be highlighted in the battle situation. The imperial army has already surrounded the kingdom¡¯s army and is attacking from the front and from both sides. Thanks to their custom-made long spears, the Royal troops were able to defend themselves well, but as time went on, the difference in strength pushed them backwards. The Royal troops were already pushed to the front of the Blaine fortress, and there was no way to escape. ¡°It seems that the time has come for you, Your Royal Highness. Please fight like the legends have foretold.¡± ¡°I will, ¡­¡­, for he seems to have reached the end of his patience!¡± Raidorl smiles and clutches his sword at his waist. Since the beginning of the battle, the holy sword D¨¢insleif has been vibrating in its scabbard. CH 38 ¡°It¡¯s getting tougher indeed¡­¡­¡± The Royal Army clashes with the Imperial Army. In the midst of it all, Darren Garst lets out a ragged breath. While his father is in command from the top of the city walls, Darren, a thousand horsemen, is standing on the battlefield, wielding a spear and issuing proclamations to his soldiers. It was Bazel¡¯s order to put Darren, his son, at the forefront of the battle, and at the same time, it showed the humanity of Bazel Garst, who does not give special treatment to his relatives. ¡°Darren, are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re all right, too, Saara.¡± His subordinate, Saara Raifet, came running to Darren¡¯s side, out of breath. The slender lady knight¡¯s armour had a few scratches here and there, but she herself seemed to be unhurt. Darren breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the body of his bride-to-be was unharmed. (TL: NANI!?) ¡°The right flank commander, Arlard, has been killed!¡¡We can¡¯t hold the line any longer! ¡°Well fuck,¡­¡­Arlard is gone.¡± Darren¡¯s beautiful face twists as he hears of the death of his comrade in arms. His father, Bazel Garst, had a rough, rocky face, but his son, Daren, looked nothing like his father and more like a nobleman. He has a face so beautiful, even when it is tinged with melancholy, that even Saara, who is used to seeing him all the time, cannot help but admire it. ¡°If we continue to fight, we will inevitably be defeated. But my father has not yet given the order to withdraw. We¡¯ll have to stay put for now and buy some time¡­¡­¡­ Saara?¡± ¡°Huh?, ¡­¡­ yes!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? If you¡¯re tired, you can just go to the back ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine! I was just thinking about something!¡± Saara couldn¡¯t say that she was admiring Darren¡¯s face, and waved her hands in the air to cover it up. Although Darren¡¯s expression was questionable, His face turns red, and he is unable to pursue the matter any further, so he clutches his spear again. ¡°If we are destroyed, the kingdom will no longer have the strength to defend the fortress of Blaine. This is the moment of truth. Just hold on a little longer. ¡­¡­¡± Before Darren could finish, a high trumpet sounded over the battlefield. The high-pitched sound, which cut through the air, came from Fort Blaine. ¡°¡­¡­ Looks like that¡¯s as far as we go. We¡¯re saved¡± ¡°Are we saved ¡­¡­?¡± Darren gave her a vague, annoyed smile as she asked him, her eyes shimmering with uncertainty. ¡°Now it¡¯s up to His Highness Prince Raidorl¡­¡­¡­¡­ Now, let¡¯s retreat.¡± ¡°Ha!.¡± (TL: means yes) Darren flew instructions to the surrounding soldiers and began to retreat to the rear. In the fortress of Blaine behind him, the front gate had been opened before he knew it, like water, was sucking in the kingdom¡¯s soldiers as if they were flowing into a hole. The sun, at its zenith, was gradually slanting westwards, and the battlefield entered a new phase. CH 39 Five hours had passed since the battle began, and a great change had taken place on the battlefield. The Kingdom¡¯s troops, who until then had held their ground against the fortress of Blaine, withdrew and went back into the fortress. ¡°The Royal Guards are retreating!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going straight into the fortress!¡¡Don¡¯t let them close the gates!¡± In pursuit of the retreating Royal troops, the besieged Imperial troops stormed the fortress. ¡°Oh, it looks like we¡¯ve won!¡± ¡°Dallas Safaris cheered as the imperial soldiers made their way towards the city gates.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great victory. You have done well!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Mmm.¡± When his deputy congratulated him on his victory, Gracos Barzen nodded with a face that for some reason did not float. ¡°¡­.. What¡¯s wrong, Grandpa?¡± The old general¡¯s face darkened and he looked at her with a worried expression. Barzen¡¯s eyes widened as he realised that he had worried the pretty princess. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not a big deal, but ¡­¡­ I just think it¡¯s too easy.¡± At first, the imperial troops suffered a painful counterattack, but they soon reeled back and pushed on to victory. The Kingdom¡¯s forces have already retreated into the interior of Blaine Fortress. Some imperial soldiers are holding the gates of the fortress, which are about to close, and other imperial soldiers are rushing inside. If this continues, the fortress will fall and the Imperial troops will be victorious. ¡°Bazel Garst is not a fool. He is not so incompetent as to take a gamble he cannot win. Then why did he go into the field?¡± Barzen kept his face down in thought. Barzen had expected him to have some sort of trump card to bring the game to a draw in the field, but he has yet to show himself. Or can they afford to save their best moves at this stage? ¡°We¡¯re going to win this thing, aren¡¯t we? What¡¯s the matter, then? Garst!¡± ¡°¡­¡­! General Barzen, That!¡± ¡°Muh?!¡± Barzen looked up at the cry of his deputy. In the eye of the beholder, the soldiers who entered the Blaine fortress through the castle gate are rushing out to escape. The soldiers are crawling to escape, even throwing away the victory that they could have grabbed in a few moments. ¡°What is that ¡­¡­ magic?¡± Dozens of Imperial soldiers are blown away by the black slashes. When he saw the allied soldiers flying through the air as lightly as flower petals, Barzen opened his eyes in shock. It seems that inside the fortress there was a sorcerer who was skilled in offensive magic. Barzen doesn¡¯t know why they¡¯ve been saving the magician for so long, but certainly a high ranking sorcerer could be a trump card in a war situation. ¡°¡­.. No, Grandpa. it¡¯s¡­not¡­magic¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± C¨¦lia murmured in a firm, nervous voice. As Barzen and Safaris turn to look at her suspiciously, the armoured princess¡¯s face pales as they watch. Her lips are tightly pressed together, and her small shoulders are shaking. This is the first time the two of them have seen C¨¦lia , who is the picture of innocence, show so much trepidation. (TL: a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen.) ¡°Whaaaahhhh?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Barzen, who had been watching the trembling princess, turned his attention to the fortress when a scream cut through the battlefield. The gates of Blaine Fortress are still open and unclosed. There are countless Imperial soldiers lying around the gates, and even those who are safe are standing at a distance from the gates, pointing their spears in a frightened manner. Eventually ¨C under the watchful eyes of the many imperial soldiers ¨C a man emerges through the gates. He is a young man in black armour. Even the sword he carries in his right hand is jet-black, and his blackened figure resembles that of the god of death in folklore. The man swung his right hand quickly, and from the sword miasma was released as a slash. The fierce slash, which spread in a circle around the man in black armour, brushed past the bodies of the Imperial soldiers surrounding the gate. As soon as the soldiers fell without a drop of blood spurting out, they lay on the ground like corpses. ¡°It¡¯s not magic,¡­¡­¡­¡­, it¡¯s a holy sword. It¡¯s the same holy sword as the Cla¨ªomh Solas.¡± C¨¦lia murmured in a trembling voice. Safaris, too, cries out in astonishment. The eyes of the princess, staring straight at the man in black armour, are shimmering with hostility, elation and awe. And the Cla¨ªomh Solas at her waist starts to emit sparks as if he is excited in front of a divine weapon of the same rank that stands in front of him as an enemy. ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t think the enemy had a holy sword, did they?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­ the Kingdom of Zain has one too. One of the twelve holy swords.¡± Safaris cried out in dismay, and Barzen¡¯s face contorted as if he had never seen anything like it. The old warlord sensed that the tide of battle had turned, and that the victory he had been certain of was slipping from his grasp. ¡°What an abominable power! A holy sword of darkness and curse!¡± In front of Barzen¡¯s gaze, the man held up the holy sword again. The miasma of the curse swirled around the battlefield in a black tornado, knocking down hundreds of Imperial soldiers in one fell swoop. Extra: Mertina Marcell on the left and C¨¦lia Von Althlein on the right CH 40 ¡°Haha ¡­¡­ hahahahahaha!¡± In the centre of the black tornado that struck the sky, Raidorl laughed loudly as if he were mad. All around him, the noxious miasma was raging like a mad wind. It was a horrible sight that chilled everyone to the core, but Raidorl, who was in the middle of it, was not afraid. On the contrary, he squinted his eyes and lifted his lips into a crescent moon as if he was comfortable with the rush of evil around him. ¡°This is the holy sword!¡¡This is my power!¡¡Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!¡± A feeling of omnipotence envelops Raidorl¡¯s body, as if he were a god or a demon. Through the hilt he grasped, an immense amount of power flowed like a tidal wave. As if in response to his master¡¯s frenzy, the holy sword, D¨¢insleif, intensified the force of the storm. The black wind that comes out of the D¨¢insleif seems to have the same effect as Raidorl¡¯s ¡®spell fighting¡¯ method of putting the enemy in an abnormal state. One by one, the bodies of the Imperial soldiers struck by the cursed wind fell, as poison, paralysis, petrification and other effects appeared on their bodies. ¡°Such¡­power..¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a man, it¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°What are we fighting ¡­¡­, is that the incarnation of the demon Ahriman ¡­¡­?¡± (TL: Ahriman iranian demon. Zoroastrian religion) The Imperial soldiers, who had narrowly escaped the curse, forgot to run away and stared at the raging black tornado in dismay. Although they had just defeated hundreds of soldiers, there were still thousands more standing in their way. ¡°Outnumbered, outgunned, so what? We crush differences in numbers! I¡¯ll crush the difference in numbers! I¡¯ll trample it on the ground! If there¡¯s anyone who can stop me, come on out!¡± This is the first time Raidorl pulled out the holy sword, and with the overwhelming power in his hands, he felt arrogantly confident. In the beginning, Raidorl had devoted five years of his life to fighting in the frontier cities, and he was proud to say that he had become strong enough to call himself a strong man. He thought that he was already a complete swordsman. ¡°But ¡­¡­ this is not enough! I have yet to reach the ultimate power!¡± If they despise it as arrogance, so be it. If they reviled it as pride, so be it. ¡°But do not call me weak.¡± ¡°I will not be defeated again. By this holy sword, by this D¨¢insleif that has chosen me over two hundred years since the first King of Zain.¡± ¡°I will never let anyone take my way again.¡± ¡°More! Give me more power!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± With an arrogant will, he raises his power to the limit. A high-pitched scream came back from the holy sword clenched in his right hand, and the black storm gained more momentum. The tornado, which had grown so huge that it covered the entire battlefield, was now like a single black dragon ascending to the heavens. At the sight of it, the Imperial soldiers lost their will to fight and fell to their knees. ¡°We can¡¯t win¡­¡­ we can¡¯t win against this thing.¡± Someone murmured amongst the Imperial. It was a statement that echoed the thoughts of all the Imperial soldiers present. There is no way they can win against a power beyond human understanding. They can¡¯t even challenge it. Deprived of the option to flee, let alone to fight, the kneeling soldiers felt like sinners awaiting the judgment of God in heaven. ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°God, ¡­¡­!¡± In the meantime, the kingdom soldiers watching the battle behind Raidorl were also on their knees on the ground. They were also exposed to the raging jet-black wind, but it seems that the power of the D¨¢insleif only affects the enemy. The curse had no effect on them at all. But even without the effects of the curse, they voluntarily fell to their knees and folded their hands in prayer. In front of them is a wielder of supernatural power that can only be God or the Devil. If it is the enemy, there is nothing to do but to sink into disappointment and despair, and to cry out in sorrow, as the imperial soldiers do. But ¨C as God¡¯s agents ¨C the keepers of the Holy Sword are not the kingdom¡¯s enemies. He is on their side. Therefore, the kingdom soldiers are praying earnestly. Thanking God that the Mad Lord is on their side. They begged that the incarnation of violence would not become an enemy. They kept praying and praying and praying. ¡°Hahahahahaha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡± Raidorl laughs, not knowing what the soldiers are thinking. No matter how many cursed winds he threw around, the power that still rose up in him, no longer made him want to hold back. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how far I can go with this power ¨C and I want to test it.¡± ¡°Sword Fighting Method, Jormungandr, serpent of apocalypse!¡± (TL: Norse mythology) With a surge of elation, Raidorl swung his sword forward. The point of the sword was aimed at the Imperial army¡¯s position on the hill. The wind that had been raging around Raidorl became a huge slash that cut through the battlefield according to the will of the young man who was the bearer of the holy sword. ¡°HUAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± Countless Imperial soldiers were swallowed up by the black slash that cut the battlefield in half and disappeared. And yet, the slash never faltered. With a thunderous roar, it tore through the battlefield towards the main Imperial position on the hill. ¡°I¡¯ve won!¡± After unleashing an attack that could change even the terrain, Raidorl bared his fangs and laughed, convinced that he had won. ¡°Yaaaahhhh!¡± But ¨C before the attack that seemed to be tearing through the imperial ranks, there was a shadow standing in the way. The small, thin figure was too unreliable compared to the huge black slash. It looked like a small boat pushing its way through a stormy sea. ¡°Protect us all! Cla¨ªomh Solas!¡± ¡°What¡­..?¡± A small figure flashed its right hand. At the same moment, there was a roar and a flash of lightning. The girl was holding a thin, pale sword in her right hand. The dazzling thunderbolt from the sword struck the jet-black slash head-on, coming in like a tsunami. Black and white. The wind and lightning were in balance for only a few seconds. In a few moments, the thunderbolts break through the slashes, and the cursed wind vanishes in a thousand pieces. ¡°Ohh¡­there you are.¡± In the end, it¡¯s a matter of time before Raidorl able to do anything about it. His calm mind took stock of the situation. It is true that those who are chosen by the holy sword may gain the power of a god. But it¡¯s not just Raidorl who has the power of God in his hands. There is at least one other person on this battlefield. ¡°So, you¡¯re the empire¡¯s holy sword holder, C¨¦lia Von Althlein!¡± ¡°That¡¯s as far as you can go!¡¡I¡¯ll be your opponent from here on out!¡± Raidorl bares his fangs and howls at the appearance of a powerful enemy. As he tightens his grip on his D¨¢insleif, C¨¦lia leaps at him with a furious cry, Cla¨ªomh Solas in hand. CH 41 ¡°What a pain! I was in a good mood and you ruined it!¡± With a howl of abhorrence, Raidorl thrust out the tip of his D¨¢insleif. The black blade from the tip of the sword snaps like a whip as it strikes C¨¦lia as she runs down the hill. ¡°Sword Fighting Method [Scorpion collision]¡± ¡°Imperial Style Holy Sword Technique [Instant Lightning Fulgur]¡± ¡°What the¡­?¡± Just before the black blade reaches her body, C¨¦lia¡¯s body disappears with a flash of light. The next moment, a princess knight wielding a pale blue sword appears right in front of Raidorl. ¡°Enemies of the Empire, enemies of all!¡± ¡°Geh..?!¡± A lightning bolt strikes Raidorl. Raidorl was able to quickly kick the ground and fly backwards to dodge the killing blow. However, the unavoidable thunderbolt struck him in the shoulder, causing great pain. ¡°Instantaneous movement is a nasty thing to do!¡¡That¡¯s what your holy sword can do!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mock, Cla¨ªomh Solas! I don¡¯t want to be told by you who uses such a terrifying power!¡± Raidorl and C¨¦lia stare at each other at a slight distance. They are the chosen keepers of the Holy Sword. But they are so different when they meet each other. A prince and a princess. A black sword and a white sword. The man with the dark miasma and the woman with the pale lightning. Two living legends brought back to life in the modern age, they were so opposed to each other that they seemed to be as incompatible as water and oil. ¡°How dare you, the hero chosen by the Holy Sword, do such a thing! How many people have died because of you?¡± C¨¦lia cries out as she thrusts the tip of her sword at Raidorl. C¨¦lia¡¯s appearance, who utters lightning on her back, is like a valkyrie who condemns evil and is as divine as a mythical story. ¡°Hey, hey, hey,! What are you talking about?¡± Raidorl, who is in the position of a demon and has been condemned, narrowed his eyes slightly and twisted his lips. ¡°It¡¯s the Empire that invaded the Zain Kingdom in the first place. You¡¯re the ones who started the war, and when you didn¡¯t expect to get beaten, you¡¯re pretending to be victims of this war.¡± ¡°The Empire is fighting to unite the continents and create a peaceful world!¡¡If the empire unites the continent, everyone will be happy, why can¡¯t you understand that?¡± ¡°Peace ¡­¡­ happiness ¡­¡­?¡¡Ha, it¡¯s like you¡¯ve got a bug in your head!¡± Raidorl bared his fangs and howled. The words spoken by the maiden of thunder standing before her are so pale and refreshingly selfish. This innocent girl has no doubt that she, the empire, is righteous. She has no idea that others might be unhappy because of the invasion she has waged in the name of peace. ¡°So, this is the extent of the Holy Sword of the Empire.¡± Raidorl shakes his head. ¡°You¡¯re just a little kid who doesn¡¯t know the harshness of this world!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that much older than me! Don¡¯t treat me like a child!¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about mental age. Your mental age is as if you¡¯re a kid who¡¯s been caught up in the dreams of a hothouse!¡± (TL: Hothouse=greenhouse in which plants that need protection from cold weather are grown) ¡°Stop¡­mocking me!¡± C¨¦lia turns as red as an apple and slashes at Raidorl. Raidorl also made a quick slash and the two swords collided head-on. ¡°Khuh¡± ¡°Geh!¡± Wind and lightning. A small explosion between the conflicting attributes of the holy swords blows the two bodies apart. Raidorl takes a stance in the air and lands on both legs, while C¨¦lia rolls on the ground to catch herself. ¡°Scorpion strike!¡± Raidorl sent a slash towards C¨¦lia, who rolled on the ground. ¡°Raiden Tonit¨±rus¡± (TL:Tonit¨±rus=Latin word, check it out) As soon as she rose from the ground, she fired a bolt of lightning at the oncoming jet-black slash. The pale lightning broke through Raidorl¡¯s cursed slash and struck him in the opposite direction. ¡°Tsk¡± Raidorl clicks his tongue and flies to the side. But in the space where he flew, C¨¦lia appeared. ¡°Blinding lightning.!!¡± ¡°Ugh. ¡­¡­! Don¡¯t fuck with me!¡± Raidorl flicks the swung down Cla¨ªomh Solas with an iron hand. And then, in return, he tries to hit her with D¨¢insleif. But his attacks were dodged with a light step. It only ends up gouging the ground beneath C¨¦lia¡¯s feet. ¡°Can¡¯t let her escape! [Medusa, Goddess of the Stone Eye!]¡± ¡°he¡­Kyaaaa!¡± With the tip of his sword still striking the ground, Raidorl launched a ranged attack. A black dome appeared in a radius of 10 metres around Raidorl. It is a cursed spell that petrifies the enemy, and those who are captured by it are instantly transformed into stone statues. ¡°Uhiyaaa¡­What the hell was that? It¡¯s disgusting.¡± When the dome disappeared, C¨¦lia emerged from it without a care in the world. She looks bewildered by the black miasma that has been tangling around her body, but does not seem to be noticeably affected by the curse. ¡°Tsk¡­¡­a pain in the ass. Blessing from the Holy Sword?¡± Raidorl¡¯s face twisted into a grimace as he realised his disadvantage. Raidorl and C¨¦lia. Both didn¡¯t know which of them is the better holy sword holder. However, it seems that the power of the curse of the D¨¢insleif is less effective against C¨¦lia, who has received the blessing of the Holy Sword. In terms of compatibility, C¨¦lia seemed to have the overwhelming advantage, as she had a weapon with more destructive power than lightning. ¡°Hurm..? By any chance, you¡¯re running out of ideas?¡± C¨¦lia smiled at the bitter look on Raidorl¡¯s face. She, too, had noticed her advantage. She also realized her superiority, and her innocent face had an air of triumph about it. ¡°If you surrender, I¡¯ll spare your life, you¡¯re quite strong, and if you submit to the empire, maybe Daddy will hire you? Daddy loves strong people.¡± ¡°Ha, thank you for your annoying concern!¡± Raidorl spat at C¨¦lia with spit, as if he had already won the game. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯m never going to stand in someone¡¯s way again. It is repugnant to leave my fate in the hands of an emperor I¡¯ve never met!¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. Okay then¡­¡­¡­¡­ drop dead?¡± ¡°¡­!!¡± Once again, C¨¦lia makes an instantaneous move and steps into Raidorl¡¯s gap. With a twisted expression on his face, Raidorl intercepted her with his D¨¢insleif. CH 42 h,¡­.this is my win¡± C¨¦lia Von Althlein smiled in anticipation of victory. It¡¯s not something she should be smiling about in the middle of a fight. It is a sign of carelessness, pride and a lack of respect for the enemy. But even so, she can¡¯t help but feel the muscles in her face relax. She can¡¯t stop her heart from fluttering at the thought of winning against a holy sword wielder of the same caliber as her and a stronger opponent than she¡¯s ever fought before. Less than five minutes have passed since the battle between Raidorl and C¨¦lia began. Neither of them had sustained any significant injuries, and to anyone other than those involved, it would seem that the battle had only just begun. But in that short space of time she had noticed a decisive difference in strength between herself and her enemy, and was convinced of her superiority. Raidorl Zain is the first holy sword holder that C¨¦lia has fought as an enemy. There are three holy swords in the Arslanian Empire, including C¨¦lia, but they have never fought seriously against an ally. When she saw Raidorl wielding the holy sword, she broke out in a sweat at the rush of power. The sight of him transforming the battlefield by creating a huge black tornado made him look more like a mythical evil god or demon than a hero chosen by the Holy Sword. He was so powerful that it was almost frightening. But¨C ¡°It¡¯s really amazing ¡­¡­ to get that much power out of a holy sword, but that¡¯s it¡± He could unleash an attack that could bring down thousands of soldiers. This is something that even C¨¦lia, who is also a holy sword holder, cannot do. As emperor and keeper of the holy sword, C¨¦lia¡¯s father could use the flaming sword Durandal to burn the whole battlefield to the ground, and Raidorl¡¯s power would rival that. And yet ¨C C¨¦lia thinks. She will never be defeated. She knows she¡¯s better than him. ¡°Nehh, onii-san, you seem to know this dual is against you, don¡¯t you? You can¡¯t beat me with that holy sword, can you?¡± C¨¦lia said in a sympathetic tone, as she swung Cla¨ªomh Solas in front of Raidorl. ¡°Tsk¡­¡­¡± Raidorl clicked his tongue and flicked a thunderous slash with his D¨¢insleif. The holy sword that creates a wind of curse, ¡°D¨¢insleif¡± -a fearsome holy sword that wields an abominable power on a scale that can change the terrain, cutting thousands of soldiers into pieces with a cursed slash and putting them into a state of insanity. The power of the sword is undoubtedly something that can single-handedly affect the state of the war. However, in a battle between holy swords, the power of the sword is not so frightening. This is because the wielder of a holy sword has received a blessing from the sword, which makes him more resistant to curses and other abnormalities. ¡°And my power is lightning. It is faster and sharper than the wind!¡± ¡°HYAAAH!¡± With a burst of energy, C¨¦lia unleashed a thunderbolt. Raidorl tries to counter the thunderbolt the cursed wind, but the jet-black slash is cut apart by lightning and dissipates. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°I knew it. Your wind can¡¯t contend with my lightning¡¯s power and speed. Onii-san¡¯s holy sword is no better than Cla¨ªomh Solas.¡± ¡°You can tell me, a partner for one!¡± Raidorl¡¯s expression twisted into a bark of abhorrence. But it was clearly the howl of a loser. The cursed slash of the D¨¢insleif is certainly a nuisance, but it is only wind. It has no mass, and the amount of energy is far from that of fire and lightning. No matter how much power Raidorl can use at one time, no matter how much power he has over her, if he goes head-to-head with her, she will always win. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ I think you have better qualities as a holy sword holder than I do. I can¡¯t attack thousands of people at once.¡± ¡°Onii-san, why don¡¯t you just give up and surrender?¡¡I promise I won¡¯t harm you if you surrender quietly.¡± C¨¦lia recommends surrender, even with pity. In the eyes of the princess, Raidorl¡¯s defeat was now a done deal, and there was ¡°no need to even kill him.¡± ¡°My father is very tolerant of strong people, you know? If onii-san is serving the empire and wielding the holy sword for the empire, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll value you a lot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s a tempting proposition, isn¡¯t it?¡± Realising that he is being underestimated, Raidorl bites his back teeth in frustration. But there was still a fire of fighting spirit in his eyes, a will to fight that was still unbroken, and C¨¦lia tilted her head. ¡°Onii-san, why are you working so hard? Is the Kingdom of Zain really so important to you?¡± ¡°HA!, this country ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl bared his fangs like a snarling beast. ¡°This country has abandoned me. They are using me. They are playing with my life for peace! How can I have any love for a country like that? I hate this country!¡± Around him are the soldiers of the kingdom. Even so, Raidorl is unable to control his emotions. ¡°Then, why?¡± ¡°¡­because..¡± If the Kingdom of Zain is defeated by the Alsatian Empire, his brother King Granard will be executed. Raidorl, on the other hand, may be able to survive because of his value as the keeper of the Holy Sword. His brother, the object of his revenge, will die and he will survive. If he only looks at the outcome, it doesn¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°But you know what? This revenge is mine and mine alone! I¡¯m not going to leave my revenge in someone else¡¯s hands!¡¡I will take my revenge into my own hands!¡± Raidorl puts his sword to C¨¦lia¡¯s face and says decisively. ¡°And there¡¯s no point in surrendering in a battle that can be¡­¡­won! I¡¯m going to defeat you, the empire, and press forward!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do it.¡± C¨¦lia opened her mouth as if she were talking to a deaf child, but the next moment her eyes widened to the limit. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!¡± A loud shout echoed across the battlefield. This is the voice of a battle cry, the voice of an oncoming warrior. C¨¦lia turned her head and looked back to the source of the voice. ¡°Wa-it,¡­.., what are you doing? C¨¦lia screams. When she looked back, she saw that the Imperial position on the hill had been attacked by someone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is not a one-on-one duel. It¡¯s a war, Princess.¡± Raidorl said coldly. She didn¡¯t hear a word of it. The only thing she did was stand there, stunned, looking up at the fire rising from her own position. CH 43 What?! It¡¯s the enemy¡¯s surprise attack!?¡± In the crucible of confusion and anger, Dallas Safaris cries out in distress. In the midst of this chaos, Dallas Safaris cried out in distress as the Kingdom troops suddenly stormed the Imperial position on the hill. There were only about 500 soldiers who charged into the camp. If he looks at the numbers alone, it is not an opponent that should be feared by the Imperial army, which has an army that reaches 10,000 soldiers. But the timing of the surprise attack was so unexpected that the soldiers of the Imperial army could not fight back properly, and they were attacked unilaterally. ¡°Why? Why didn¡¯t anyone notice?¡¡What were the guards doing?¡± It was a cry of the soul that came out of Safaris¡¯ mouth. It was a question from the bottom of his heart. It¡¯s not a surprise that the kingdom¡¯s army raided the Empire¡¯s positions. Hitting the enemy¡¯s main camp is a common tactic in warfare, and of course Safaris knows this. What he doesn¡¯t know is how they managed to pull off such a surprise attack. ¡°We¡¯ve built our camp on a hill with a good view so that the enemy can¡¯t surprise us.¡¡How is it that no one noticed them? How could we have been the only ones getting hit?¡± ¡°Stop, Safaris.¡± Placing his hand on the shoulder of his second-in-command, who was shouting in disbelief, Gracos Barzen said in a stern tone. ¡°There is no point in asking why. There is only the result in front of you. Accept the result in front of you and move on.¡± ¡°Sorry about that ¡­¡­!¡± Safaris¡¯s eyes widen at the words of his superior and he immediately tries to gather the confused Imperial soldiers together. As he watches his men run towards his position, he clenches his fists tightly and stares at the enemy fortress. ¡°You¡¯ve done it,¡­¡­¡­¡­ Bazel Garst!¡± From the top of the hill, so far from the fortress, it was impossible to see the enemy general who was supposed to be there. But Barzen could clearly see Garst¡¯s martial face with a smile on it, as he succeeded in his ruse. Normally, a position built on a hill with a good view of the city is unlikely to be taken by surprise by the enemy. The sun was still shining at its zenith, as it would be at night. The sun was still shining at its zenith, and any ally who missed the enemy¡¯s shadow would have been slain by Barzen before the enemy could strike. This is because of the young man who is now crossing swords with C¨¦lia. ¡°Is it¡­¡­ that holy sword holder acts as a diversion. ¡­¡­!¡± The reason why the Imperial troops were caught by surprise was because all the imperial soldiers in the camp were blinded by the battle between Raidorl and C¨¦lia that was unfolding below them. Raidorl was scattering cursed winds, while C¨¦lia was unleashing thunderbolts like the wrath of heaven. The battle between the two holy sword-bearers was like something out of a myth, and everyone present watched with bated breath. This is why they were too late to notice the Kingdom Army¡¯s ambush coming from the opposite direction of the battlefield. ¡°The holder of the holy sword is a trump card that rivals an army ¡­.., and I never thought he would use it just to attract our attention ¡­¡­!¡± Barzen¡¯s bearded face twisted with regret. It¡¯s not just a diversion or a decoy. It¡¯s not only the eyes of the people who are caught in the middle, but also the eyes of C¨¦lia. As the keeper of the holy sword, no surprise attack can succeed without her being in position. The reason for Raidorl¡¯s flamboyant rampage with the tornado was probably to lure C¨¦lia, another holy sword holder, away from the camp. ¡°Guh. you, young bastard¡­¡­. you¡¯ll be sorry later.¡± He slapped his blue-streaked forehead and snapped out of it. After the enemy attack, the Imperial positions are still in chaos, and completely unorganized. Despite Safaris¡¯ best efforts, it was only a matter of time before the enemy reached Barzen. The general of the westward invasion army of the Alsatian Empire is nominally the royal family, C¨¦lia Von Althlein. But the real commander is Barzen, and if the old general is killed, the invasion force will collapse. ¡°I think I have to admit defeat here. I think I¡¯ll pull back and reorganize the army.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s a bit of a problem.¡± ¡°Who?¡± At the sound of a voice behind him, Barzen turns around in a panic. ¡°Did I, who should have survived many battles, not notice she was behind me so easily?¡± It was a girl who looked like a girl who didn¡¯t look suitable on the battlefield. ¡°A..maid?¡± ¡°Yes, I am a maid¨C Fufufu¡± ¡°What kind of a joke is this?!¡± Behind Barzen stood a girl dressed in the kind of clothes a female servant would wear. The silver-haired girl, who is probably two or three years younger than C¨¦lia, grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands and waved it happily, wondering what was so funny. ¡°Why is a child like you doing on the battlefield ¡­..?¡¡You¡¯re not a member of the Kingdom¡­¡­ Army.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll just finish my business here¡­¡­¡­¡­[Shadowbound].¡± ¡°HGuhhh¡± A black shadow stretched out from under the girl¡¯s feet and wrapped itself around Barzen¡¯s body like a tentacle. In the blink of an eye, the old general, who had supported the Imperial army for many years, was bound hand and foot, and crawled to the ground to lick it. ¡°Noooooo ¡­¡­ you ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s boring to tie up old people, after all. Well, Master will reward me if I catch you before the kingdom¡¯s army, won¡¯t that be nice?¡± ¡°Master ¡­¡­? You are not a kingdom soldier,¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that. Let¡¯s wrap it up quickly, because the people from the Empire will be here soon.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± The girl in the maid¡¯s uniform clasps her palms together. In a moment, only darkness could Barzen¡¯s eyes see. ¡°C¨¦lia¡­¡­, please run away ¡­¡­!¡± Barzen shouts in his fading consciousness. The last thing he wants to think about is the princess, whom he loves like a grandchild. But the words never came out of his mouth and disappeared with his consciousness into the darkness. ¡°General Barzen, prepare to withdraw ¡­¡­¡­¡­ what?¡± By the time his second-in-command, Safaris, came back to Barzen, his esteemed superior had disappeared without a trace. CH 44 ¡°Grandpa! Everyone!¡± Looking up at the allied positions under attack by the Kingdom Army, C¨¦lia screamed. She doesn¡¯t know where the army who launched the surprise attack came from, but she knows from a distance that their position is about to be taken down. In the camp, she has her own men who are under her, especially Gracos Barzen, whom she respects like a grandfather. C¨¦lia starts to panic and tries to run towards the hill. ¡°Your Royal Highness, look out!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± There was a sharp voice behind her back. It belonged to an Imperial soldier who had survived the battle. At the same time, a cold, horrible feeling stroked the back of her neck. When she turned to look, she saw Raidorl with his sword raised, so close that it was frightening. ¡°It¡¯s not nice to look the other way, it hurts me!¡± ¡°Khhh.¡± There is no room for interception. She concentrates all her attention on evading. She leapt backwards on her tangled legs, her body slumping as pain shot up her spine. ¡°Phew!¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± Letting out a short cry of rupture, Raidorl strikes with a slash. A jet-black sword passes right in front of her face.A moment¡¯s delay in evading it could have decapitated her. ¡°Lightning!¡± C¨¦lia has to get back to Barzen position as soon as possible ¨C She¡¯s in such a hurry to get back to the position and thus C¨¦lia activates the blessing of the holy sword. The mithril-armoured body of the Princess disappears and moves backwards a dozen metres in the blink of an eye. ¡°For today, this game is off!¡¡You¡¯ll pay for this one day ¡­¡­ah?¡± ¡°You idiot! I¡¯m not going to let you get away with this!¡± She retreated out of Raidorl¡¯s line of sight, but her eyes widened in astonishment at the unexpected sight. A black disc is approaching in front of her. No, it was not a disc. It was a sword, spinning at a frightening speed. And Raidorl in a throwing position behind the sword, which came at C¨¦lia like the blade of a guillotine. ¡°He threw it?! The holy sword!¡± That¡¯s absurd. An unreasonable scream went through the confused mind of C¨¦lia. Who in the world would be so foolish as to throw the treasures of God¡¯s creation at his enemies? Does this man have no respect for legendary weapons? ¡°Flyyyyyy-Hyeaaaaa!!!¡± Without hesitation, Raidorl threw his D¨¢insleif and shouted, baring his pointed double teeth. For Raidorl, the holy sword D¨¢insleif was the most reliable partner, but it was also the perpetrator of his life. He has no qualms about throwing it aside in the name of victory. ¡°Nggguhhh, You basttarrrrrdddd!¡± C¨¦lia now is not without any resistance. Although she was taken aback by the unexpected attack, she still tried her best to catch the enemy¡¯s attack. The instantaneous movement technique ¨C [Instant Lightning] ¨C once used, cannot be used again without a cool time. The sword in her hand is the only thing that can prevent the blade from spinning into her flesh. ¡°Khuuh¡± Cla¨ªomh Solas size is smaller and thinner than the D¨¢insleif. The mass of the spinning D¨¢insleif is no more than a lump of steel, and it¡¯s not something she can take head on. The two holy swords overlapped each other and were sent flying backwards after the collision. ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaah!!¡± ¡°He,aaa¡­..kyaaaa?!¡± A shadow falls over C¨¦lia¡¯s face as she loses her holy sword. It is, of course, Raidorl who have jumped in with the sun at his back. Both Raidorl and C¨¦lia have lost their holy swords. Without a weapon, Raidorl¡¯s only method of attack was a¡­¡­¡­¡­simple flying kick. Raidorl danced high in the sky and kicked her in the abdomen with the momentum of his run. ¡°Khaa¡­¡± The mithril armour she wore was not broken by the blow, but it still could not slow down the impact. C¨¦lia¡¯s body bends in a ¡°<¡± shape and is blown backwards vigorously. She bounces on the ground many times like a ball and finally stops. C¨¦lia, who had been kicked like a doll, collapsed. She did not move at all and seemed to be completely fainted. ¡°The Imperial Princess C¨¦lia Von Althlein. Defeated by the holy sword-bearer Raidorl Zain!¡± Raidorl picks up his D¨¢insleif, raises it to the sky, and proclaims it high in the sky. The soldiers of the Royal Army cheered loudly. ¡°Aaa¡­¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡­..Princess¡­¡± The opposing Imperial soldiers screamed in despair and fell to their knees on the ground. With their positions lost and their holy sword holders defeated, there was no one left to fight in the Imperial army. The Kingdom of Zain and the Empire of Alsatian. The battle between the two holy sword holders ended in victory for the kingdom. CH 45 anslated by SoundOfDestiny A few days after the battle for the fortress of Blaine. At the Royal Palace of Zain. ¡°¡­.. So, Raidorl is victorious?¡± ¡°Yes! His Royal Highness¡¯s brother fought like in the myth! As the holder of the holy sword, he has fought very well!¡± Granard Zain, the king of Zain Kingdom, covers his face with his right hand after listening to the report messenger sent from the fortress. His face has an expression of blatant unhappiness on it, as if he is not expecting to hear the news of a victory. Unaware of the king¡¯s gloomy face, the messenger soldier excitedly recounts the details of the war. ¡°His Highness received a thunder strike by the enemy¡¯s holy sword and then to His highness counter it with his jet-black sword¡­.Originally, we wanted to help, but we did not dare to. No one can touch the two who are, one with a valkyrie and one with a devil.¡± ¡°¡­..Enough.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I said enough, you may excuse yourself.¡± Granard waved his hand as if he were chasing a dog away and ordered the messenger to leave. The messenger, with a curious expression on his face, had no choice but to obey the king¡¯s order and walked out of the throne room, his lips pursed in frustration at not being able to finish Raidorl¡¯s tale of heroism. When the messenger had left, Lockwood, who had been sitting next to the king listening to the report, spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that the Empire¡¯s threat has been neutralised, Your Majesty, Granard.¡± ¡°Yes, it is indeed a great honor.¡± The king¡¯s face is twisted in discontent, despite his short answer. His complex face shows his joy at the victory of the kingdom¡¯s army and his inferiority at the success of his brother, whom he had neglected. ¡°If I had wanted to, I would have been happy to see my foolish brother go toe-to-toe with the enemy.¡± Granard folded his hands in front of his chest and blurted out his true feelings. Lockwood¡¯s lips pursed in disbelief. ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s no way to¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said nothing wrong. Now that the Empire¡¯s threat is gone, he poses a threat.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t deny that¡­¡­¡± Lockwood frowned bitterly at the king¡¯s words, which he could no longer mend. ¡°Is this ¡­¡­ no longer possible to reconcile?¡± Lockwood hoped that the two brothers, Granard and Raidorl, would be able to reconcile and rebuild their war-torn kingdom together. With Granard in charge of politics and Raidorl in charge of military, the Kingdom of Zain would certainly have developed further if they had been able to complement each other. But, in order to do this, it is essential that Granard bows to his brother and asks for forgiveness, even if only in a token way¡­¡­ but the way Granard is acting now, there is no chance of that happening. ¡°His Royal Highness Raidorl is certainly spiteful, but he was also rational. He never seemed to be dominated by revenge. I would have thought that His Majesty would have apologized for his neglect, even if it was unofficially. ¡­..¡± Granard no longer sees Raidorl as his brother. He only sees him, but as a political rival who wants to take his place on the throne. Lockwood, who knew the two brothers well in the past, felt a pain of regret. Granard, sitting on his throne, glares sharply at Lockwood, as if he knows what the Prime Minister is thinking. ¡°O Prime Minister! I am the king of this kingdom. Don¡¯t think about anything else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ of course I know.¡± ¡°He has even placed a curse on me. Think of him as a traitor who threatens the kingdom.¡± ¡°..yes..¡± Granard¡¯s chest still bears the imprint of the curse. The court magicians have been mobilized to try to break the curse, but the formula used by Raidorl is different from the contract curse generally used on slaves and criminals, and even by doing analysis is difficult. Even old Bavarois, the chief court sorcerer, was spooning, his white bearded face troubled. ¡°The curse may exist more than two hundred years old. It may take at least six months to break the spell, as most of the writings of the time have been lost during the witches¡¯ terror. I wonder where His Highness got such a formula.¡± But the old Bavarois is still working hard, even cutting down his sleep. Lockwood wondered if he would be able to keep up his strength. ¡°As soon as the curse is lifted, we will strike down Raidorl as a traitor. Make your preparations while you still can.¡± ¡°With all due respect, ¡­¡­, we do not yet know how the Empire will turn out. It is possible that they will send more troops to attack us, so it would be premature to dispose of His Highness.¡± Lockwood shook his head at Granard¡¯s relentless instructions. ¡°We have captured the Empire¡¯s sword-bearer, haven¡¯t we? Then we can make peace with her as a hostage. As long as we can avoid war, Raidorl is at our disposal. ¡°¡­¡­..Will it work?¡± Lockwood asks himself in his mind. It is true that the capture of the Empire¡¯s Princess and keeper of the holy sword, C¨¦lia Von Althlein, would be a serious bargaining chip. If it weren¡¯t for his brother, Granard would be a very capable negotiator, and it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to win the peace. ¡°But¡­¡­ the Empire¡¯s emperor in the past..¡± It is rumoured that the man who became Emperor a few years ago, Zacharias Von Althlein , has a thirst for war. How could any honest negotiation work with a man who had usurped the throne by killing his pacifist predecessor and was now waging wars all over the continent in order to conquer it? ¡°I can¡¯t kill His Highness Raidorl now, in case the worst happens¡­¡­.There are still two holy swords of the Empire.¡± Better yet, the curse will remain and never be able to be lifted. Lockwood¡¯s head was in his hands as he searched for words to appease his lord, thinking of the unbecoming of a vassal. CH 46 Translated by SoundOfDestiny Meanwhile, at the same time. The Alsatian Empire is far to the east of the Kingdom Zain. In its imperial capital, Alves, a political upheaval has broken out. Deep in the heart of the royal palace of Alves. Armed soldiers rush into the audience hall, where the emperor meets his subjects and envoys from other countries. With unhurried agility, the soldiers rushed across the marble floor and surrounded the throne within seconds of their entry. The tips of the spears held by the nervous-looking soldiers are pointed at a man. That man being pointed by spears is the Lord of the Castle, Emperor Zacharias Von Althlein, who sits on his throne. ¡°Well, what¡¯s this all about?¡± Zacharias, resting his cheek on the armrest, asks annoyedly. There was no fear on the lion-like face of the emperor, who looked as brave as a lion. He just blinked in bewilderment, unsure of the situation. Strangely enough, there was not a single soldier in the audience hall to protect the emperor. Whether this was due to a prearranged exodus or simply sloppy security, the emperor found himself in a situation of utter isolation. In the end, the soldiers surrounding the emperor split in two, and a man stepped forward in front of Zacharias. ¡°¡­¡­ It has been a long time, Father.¡± ¡°Gilbert¡­¡­. Hmm, it¡¯s been a while since the New Year¡¯s feast. Indeed, it has been a long time.¡± The first prince to appear before the emperor was Gilbert Von Althlein. He is the eldest amongst the one hundred children of the emperor¡¯s, and also the son of his first wife. ¡°So, my son. What kind of game is this? The soldiers are not answering when I ask them.¡± ¡°¡­.. a game? Ha! You know what I want.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You want the throne? Hmm, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make a move.¡± Zacharias shrugged his shoulders fondly at Gilbert, who glared at him reproachfully. Zacharias had once defeated his father, the previous emperor, and taken the throne by force. He was afraid that one day his children and grandchildren would try to kill him in the same way. ¡°Still, I really didn¡¯t expect you to try to kill me, did you? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever done anything to deserve such a grudge.¡± Human resentment is something humans themselves will buy into without even realising it. Zacharias wondered if his son had hated him so much without him realising it, to a point his son wanted to kill him. Also, he wondered why he had rebelled. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not find a good reason. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to know the answer. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to sleep tonight at this rate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Gilbert gritted his teeth at the lack of tension in his father¡¯s manner, as if he did not understand the situation. Gilbert had always disliked his father¡¯s antics, but at the same time he had always liked him. It¡¯s not just the fact that he¡¯s been betrayed by his son, but also the fact that Zacharias still maintains this attitude that irritates him. ¡°¡­¡­Father, I have always admired you.¡± Gilbert¡¯s face was somber, and he spoke in rambling tones. ¡°I have always admired your strength. I¡¯ve always wanted to be an emperor like you.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. How embarrassing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I used to think you were a little abnormal, but at the same time I felt a kinship with you. I was disgusted by your womanising. I admired your love for women, but I also admired the way you loved my mother and other women equally.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± ¡°I loved you as a ¡­¡­¡­¡­ father.¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ I love you too, my dear son, Gilbert.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± In response to Zacharias¡¯ response, Gilbert raised his voice as if to bite him. ¡°Why do you disinherit me from the Crown Prince?¡¡Why should I, the eldest child and from your lawful wife, be disinherited?¡± About a month ago, Gilbert led his troops in the capture of the small kingdom of Shaitern in the south of the Empire. Gilbert reported the victory to the Emperor and waited for his reply, hoping that he would receive a compliment¡­¡­. The letter carried by the messenger returning from the palace said: ¡°Gilbert is to be removed from the imperial register and made to be a duke.¡± It was a de facto declaration of disinheritance, saying, ¡°You shall rule the Kingdom of Shaitern as a fiefdom.¡± Gilbert stood dumbfounded for a moment. He had thought that he stood closest to the emperor¡¯s chair, but he had never dreamed that he would be unilaterally removed from it. Gilbert sobbed and wept¡­¡­¡­¡­and then raised his sword in anger. He was determined to strike down the emperor Zacharias and usurp his throne by force. ¡°Father! Please answer me!¡¡Why have you disinherited me?¡± Gilbert asked his father, whom he once respected more than anyone else, with tears of blood. The soldiers holding the spear to Zacharias were also moved to tears and bit their lips. But¨C ¡°Ha? What¡­? Something like that¡± The cries of Gilbert¡¯s soul did not reach his father at all. Zacharias held out his hands in disappointment and shook his head wistfully. ¡°I did not expect you to commit treason for such a trivial reason. You fool!¡± CH 47 anslated by SoundOfDestiny The air in the room froze at Zacharias¡¯s dumbfounded words. The soldiers surrounding the emperor on his throne turned fearfully to look at Gilbert¡¯s face. The prince¡¯s face turned pale and his lips quivered as if he were in a noh mask. Zacharias looked pityingly at his son, who had fallen silent, and sighed deeply. ¡°I thought you had a great cause in mind when you rebelled against me, but¡­¡­I didn¡¯t expect it to be because of petty jealousy. It seems that you overestimated yourself. I¡¯m disappointed in you, son.¡± ¡°Jealousy You say?!¡­¡­¡± The Prince¡¯s face flushed with rage at his father¡¯s taunt, finally managed to get the words out. ¡°What do you think I¡¯ve been doing for you all these years? You can¡¯t ¡­¡­ call it jealousy!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ If it¡¯s not jealousy. How about calling it a feminine thing for my son.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Gilbert grips the sword at his waist. His hand, trembling with anger, is about to draw the blade and behead his father. Gilbert breathes hard for a few moments, then regains his composure and slams the question down on Zacharias again. ¡°¡­¡­This is the last time, Father. I want you to tell me why you disinherited me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeing the colour of madness in his son¡¯s eyes, Zacharias also turns serious. He answers Gilbert¡¯s question in a straightforward manner. ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s because you weren¡¯t chosen for the holy sword.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­ not that simple!¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s a strange thing to say.¡± The emperor sniffed boredly at Gilbert¡¯s contorted face. ¡°The Empire is the land of the High King. The emperor¡¯s mission is to unite the continent by force of arms and create peace in the world. It¡¯s the emperor¡¯s duty to destroy the demons that eat people, the dragons that burn the earth, and the witches that blow the doomsday trumpet, and to protect the peace of mankind. Therefore, the emperor must be chosen by the holy sword, the sacred instrument of salvation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But, my son. You were never chosen by the Cla¨ªomh Solas of Lighting, the Gjallarhorn of Ice, or my sword, Durandal of Flame. Therefore, I have disinherited you as you are not capable of being an emperor. Now, are you satisfied with this answer?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Father, do you judge a man to be emperor only by his strength?¡¡Do you think that wisdom and connections are of no use to a man who stands above others?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Zacharias replied to his son¡¯s blood-curdling words in a straightforward manner. ¡°In the land of the unknown, you can be king by being kind. But this is an empire. An EMPIRE! This is the land of the High King, ruler of the continent. A weak man has no right to be king. Do you not know how much pain a weak king who is only popular can cause others?¡± As he spoke, he thought of his father¡¯s face. The emperor was a great king who was loved by his people for his kindness and humanity. He was a gentle king who did not take a strong stance towards the outside world, and because of this he was unable to stop the conflicts that broke out in the surrounding countries. As the most powerful hegemonic power on the continent, he was unable to unite the surrounding countries. A king who is loved and respected by his people. It is a wonderful thing. But it is better not to be kind, than to be loved, tamed and disrespected. It would be better for the emperor to be feared and hated. ¡°The empire does not need a weak king. No matter how hard you try, I will not make you the next emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So? Do you want to abolish me and make that slave boy the next emperor?¡± Gilbert thinks of the face of his half-brother, who is now the wielder of the holy sword Galarhorn, and asks. ¡°You mean Chandler? Well, it could be him, or it could be C¨¦lia.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a woman! She¡¯s not fit to be emperor!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. If this empire lasts long enough, it may have a female emperor.¡± ¡°Father, ¡­¡­, would you rather have a man of slave blood and a woman, C¨¦lia, than me? As the first prince, I have done more for you and for the empire than those two have done for me, those two who were only chosen by the Holy Sword. ¡­¡­!¡± Gilbert¡¯s body swayed from side to side. He has a ghostly demeanor, and his eyes, which have lost their light, are filled with madness. ¡°Then ¡­¡­ I¡¯ll prove that I¡¯m strong enough without the Holy Sword!¡¡I will kill the emperor, the holder of the holy sword, and show him my power!¡± Gilbert raised his hand and the soldiers who had surrounded the emperor closed their distance. ¡°Hoo? This is hilarious! Rebellion is a sign of growth. What a joy it is!¡± ¡°Shut up! You are a foolish emperor who knows only power! Go to the depth of Tartarus!¡± Gilbert drew his sword. At the same time, more than a dozen soldiers thrust out the tips of their spears at the same time. One sword and a dozen spears. The inevitable death rushes to Zacharias as he sits on his throne. ¡°Your ambition¡­.Your ambition is admirable! But¡­¡­¡± Zacharias breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at his son, who had swung his sword with a look of pity, mourning and great tenderness. ¡°It is a shame that he is not strong enough. A pity he has no power¡­.After all, the qualities of an emperor are strength and violence.¡± Zacharias murmured sadly and picked up a sword which was propped up on his throne. It¡¯s an old sword with a ruby on the hilt ¨C he doesn¡¯t even pull it out of its scabbard, but cleaves it sideways in a sitting position. The slashes were so poor that they could not even be called attacks, as they were made with only the strength of the arms and not the legs and feet. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaa!¡± However, from the tip of his sword, red lotus flames burst forth and cut down the soldiers who attacked him like a blade. The corpses, burned through the torso and cut in two up and down, crumble in the audience room, and the smell of burning flesh fills the room with smoke. Among the wreckage is even that of the First Prince. Gilbert did not even realise what had happened to him, he had died with both eyes wide open in astonishment. CH 48 anslated by SoundOfDestiny ¡°Aiming for my life ¡­ Parents and children are similar only where they don¡¯t want them to be similar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, Your Majesty.¡± Zacharias is looking down at the body of his son when a shrill old man¡¯s voice comes from behind him. An old man in a grey dressing gown appeared from behind a pillar and walked up to the throne. ¡°What is it, old man? Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t help you. I was afraid I might get in the way.¡± ¡°Ah, good, good. It¡¯s a tactless move to interfere with a father and son especially when one of them is about to die.¡± Zacharias responded with a hawkish wave of his hand. The old man¡¯s name was Savvy Raza. He is a sorcerer in the service of the royal court, and a great wizard who has been given the rank of ¡°sage¡±. To Zacharias, he was his ¡®grandfather¡¯, his nurturer. ¡°Gilbert was a good son, but¡­¡­a little too serious for his own good.¡± Gilbert von Althlein was undoubtedly a man of noble birth. Although a little conservative and obsessed with his lineage and position, he would have been a well-liked and wise monarch had he become emperor. Zacharias loved his bright son, but he would not let him be killed just because he was his son. He is the emperor, the Golden Lion of the Empire, who has only just begun his reign. ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry to bother you at this time, Your Majesty. I have something to report.¡± ¡°Hmm? Go on..¡± When the Emperor urged him to continue, Savvy bowed reverently and opened his mouth. ¡°The army of the West ¡­¡­ led by Lieutenant-General Barzen has been destroyed. He is missing and his second-in-command, Colonel Safaris, is now in command.¡± ¡°What?¡¡It¡¯s the Kingdom of Zain that the Western Army is fighting against. What happened to C¨¦lia?¡± The daughter of Zacharias, Princess C¨¦lia Von Althlein, was nominally serving as a general in the Western Army. The real commander of the army was Gracos Barzen, so she was almost an adornment. ¡°Lady C¨¦lia was defeated in single combat with the enemy general, and was taken prisoner.¡± ¡°Oh! There was a warrior in the kingdom of Zain who could defeat her?¡± Zacharias slaps his knee and raises his voice. She was only a novice at leading an army, but she was the chosen wielder of the holy sword, Cla¨ªomh Solas. Her skill with the sword was such that she could defeat an entire army single-handedly. Who could have defeated her? Zacharias¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. ¡°I see, the enemy had a holy sword, too, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°You guessed it, sir. It is said that the cursed holy sword D¨¢insleif¡­¡­ once defeated the dark witch Neimilia.¡± ¡°Hoooo!¡± Zacharias smiled with amusement, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile. The belligerent emperor had a fair liking for strong men, even if they were his enemies. Forgetting that his daughter was a prisoner of war, his attention was drawn to the strongest man he had yet seen. ¡°We are still investigating who holds the D¨¢insleif. With the loss of Lieutenant-General Barzen and Her Highness Princess C¨¦lia, the Western Front has been driven back to the border fortress of Balmes to rebuild its forces.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­, let¡¯s hurry up with the investigation. If so, send some infiltrator to take him in.¡± The thought of his murdered son had already slipped from Zacharias¡¯s mind. Instead, his mind was occupied with the new holder of the holy sword. ¡°Your Majesty,¡­¡­enjoyment is all well and good, but if you continue in this way, you will jeopardize the invasion of the West.¡± ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s right ¡­ but I don¡¯t care. My blood just boiled.¡± Zacharias scratched his head at Savvy¡¯s remonstrance. If one of the five great armies of the empire, the Western Army, is destroyed, and loses one of the keepers of the Holy Sword, the strength of the empire will be greatly diminished. This would mean that Zacharias¡¯s ambition to conquer the continent would be unfullied. The emperor ponders seriously about the measures to be taken. ¡°We must take back¡­¡­ C¨¦lia at all costs. In some cases, I am willing to give up the territories I have taken.¡± ¡°Are you sure? If we continue to attack, will the Kingdom of Zain fall into the hands of the Empire?¡± ¡°We will. The power of the Holy Sword cannot be taken from us. We can¡¯t afford to lose the power of the Holy Sword. If the enemy also has a holy sword, we will have to be serious.¡± Zacharias laughed wildly and patted Durandal¡¯s hilt. ¡°Let¡¯s see the power of the Holy Sword D¨¢insleif!¡± CH 49 Translated by SoundOfDestiny The battle for Blaine Fortress was won by the Kingdom of Zain with the help of Raidorl and the holy sword D¨¢insleif. As a result, the westward invading army of the Alsatian Empire retreated to the border fortress of Balmes, and the Kingdom of Zain overcame the threat of destruction for the time being. The armies of the Kingdom of Zain scored a major coup by capturing the Imperial Princess, C¨¦lia Von Althlein, as a prisoner of war. The news spread quickly through the capital. The inhabitants of the capital, who until then had been in a gloomy mood of defeat, were in a festive mood at the news of the victory that had come their way. ¡°Hahahaha, look at you, Empire!¡± ¡°Long live the Kingdom of Zain! Long live Granard!¡± ¡°No, no, no, this is the work of His Highness Prince Raidorl! The Hero of the Holy Sword! The name of Raidorl Zain, the keeper of the holy sword, was on the lips of the jubilant people of the capital. When Granard received the report of the victory of the royal army, he tried to conceal the existence of Raidorl, saying that the success of his brother had been hushed up. The victory of the kingdom was due to the efforts of General Bazel Garst and, more importantly, to the leadership of his lord, King Granard Zain. He tried to manipulate information in this way. But the soldiers who actually fought on the battlefield could not remain silent. They have witnessed the clash of two holy swords, the D¨¢insleif and the Cla¨ªomh Solas. And they have become witnesses to a myth. There was no way they could hide the living legend that they had witnessed. Within a few days, the story of Raidorl¡¯s exploits was known throughout the kingdom, even though he prefaced it with the words ¡°This is between us¡± and ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone¡±. And while the whole of Royal Capital rejoiced at the arrival of a new hero, there came a time when the two men, Raidorl and Granard, met again. And so, as the whole Royal Capital rejoiced in the arrival of a new hero, the opportunity arose for Raidorl and Granard to meet again. ¡°¡­..It was a truly brilliant battle. I commend you.¡± ¡°Ha, I am honoured, my brother.¡± With a stern expression on his face, Granard tells the kneeling Raidorl. Raidorl, too, responded to his brother¡¯s words with a mocking smile. ¡°I have already heard of your exploits. I also heard that you have defeated a great army of the enemy and captured a wielder of Cla¨ªomh Solas?¡± ¡°Yes, all this is due to your authority. My achievement is not significant.¡± The admiring Granard and the humbled Raidorl both look at each other in a way that is the opposite of words, as if to check each other. The prime minister, Lockwood Marcell, and the general, Bazel Garst, sighed side by side as they watched the two men. ¡°These two are ¡­¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point now. Give it up, Lockwood.¡± Bazel murmured to Lockwood, who was holding his forehead as if he had a headache. ¡°But¡­¡­we can¡¯t let them stay like this forever, can we? If they can support each other, this country will be¡­¡­¡± ¡°There are uncontrollable currents. If we wanted to reconcile the two of them, we should have acted sooner.¡± They had been involved in the expulsion of Raidorl, but they hoped to bring him back to the Capital eventually. When the previous king was ill, they had to sacrifice Raidorl in order to avoid a succession struggle, but once Granard had established himself as king, there was no one left to topple him. If Granard has proven himself as a king, he will be able to put aside his feelings of inferiority towards Raidorl and treat him as a brother, as he once did. ¡°That¡¯s what I was planning¡­¡­¡± ¡°But¡­Raidorl was ordered to wiped out the Imperial invasion¡± The invasion of the Empire forced Raidorl to come back and fight unilaterally, without any reconciliation. The rift between the two is now so great that they will never be able to return to being brothers. ¡°Those two will have to fight sooner or later. ¡­¡­ You better be prepared.¡± ¡°¡­¡­General Garst, you¡¯re not going to join His Highness Raidorl, are you?¡± The general looked strangely enlightened, as Lockwood questioned him with suspicion. Garst stroked his white beard and nodded, ¡°mmm.¡± ¡°Whichever of the two wins, I will remain loyal as a warrior. However, if His Highness Raidorl wins, I will leave that to my son. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t a warrior¡¯s loyalty to his king?¡± ¡°It pains me to hear you say it, though.¡± Garst laughed and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°This problem would have been better dealt with during peacetime, we do not believe that the Empire will give up after one defeat. We should not interfere in political disputes to avoid the loss of morale for the troops.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. The die has already been cast. There is not much you or I can do about it.¡± Garst turned away from Lockwood, who was glaring at him sideways, and turned his attention to his master. ¡°Don¡¯t be modest. You have been chosen by the Holy Sword, and everyone knows your good at fighting¡± ¡°The throne suits you very well, don¡¯t you think?¡¡It would be easy for you to overthrow the Empire without doing anything, just by sitting there. No, IT IS indeed a good thing to be a king, to have nothing to do with the affairs of state.¡± The two royal brothers were still exchanging sarcastic remarks with the same expression on their faces as if they were using a noh mask . Watching the exchange, which was too insidious to be a sibling quarrel, the general closed his eyes softly. CH 50 Translated by SoundOfDestiny ¡°Well, Raidorl, ¡­¡­where is the C¨¦lia Von Althlein and the holy sword, Cla¨ªomh Solas? Why haven¡¯t you brought them here?¡± Granard asked quizzically as he looked down at his brother from his throne on a raised platform. Raidorl¡¯s lips lifted as if he had finally asked, and he answered proudly. ¡°If you were a princess, I¡¯d be taking you home in my house.¡¡It would be a great honour to have a princess from another country as the first guest in my house.¡± ¡°What?! How dare you capture the enemy¡¯s royalty and not hand them over to me, your lord? You are going to make a mistake in your promise to fight for your country!¡± ¡°It is your part of the covenant that the treasure and prisoners taken shall be mine. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°No, ¡­¡­ that¡¯s not ¡­¡­!¡± Granard¡¯s face flushed with anger, he tried to argue, but swallowed his words. The curse of the oath engraved on Granard¡¯s chest might be triggered if he were to cause trouble here. He grits his teeth and glares at his brother, who smiles wickedly at him. ¡°You¡¯re going to negotiate a peace treaty with the Empire, aren¡¯t you?¡¡I¡¯ll entertain the Princess until the negotiations are over. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll release her once the negotiations are complete.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What do you want? What¡¯s the point of having the princess in your custody?¡± ¡°What do I want? I wonder¡­I do want some time to seduce the lovely and beautiful Princess. ¡°¡­¡­ you don¡¯t seem to be taking me seriously.¡± Granard¡¯s eyes darkened further and he stomped his heels irritably. He rested his cheek on the armrest and pondered for a moment, then sighed with resignation. ¡°¡­¡­ All right, I¡¯ll leave you with Princess C¨¦lia and the sacred sword,¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for your mercy.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t think you can keep up the good work. In time, the curse you have cast will be lifted by the sorcerer of the court. You¡¯d do well to think up a plea for your life while you still can.¡± Granard points to the cursive mark on his chest, which he wears over his clothes, and dismisses it viciously. ¡°Remember when the curse breaks¡± ¨C A clear verbal threat, Raidorl raised his hands to surrender. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me too much, you¡¯ll make me pee my pants.¡± ¡°¡­¡­. Get the hell out of here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡­¡­,but make sure you send the aid to the frontier cities, okay?¡¡If you go back on your word, ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Get out of here!¡¡Don¡¯t make me repeat it!¡± ¡°Ok, Okay¡­.¡± When his brother finally raised his voice, Raidorl shrugged his shoulders and left the throne room. Granard stared for a moment at the door through which his brother had disappeared, and then turned to bite his vassal, who stood by his side. ¡°Lockwood, make peace with the Empire as soon as possible and take back the territories that have been taken!¡¡And don¡¯t forget to expose the traitors in the court!¡¡Garst, hold the fort until the peace is concluded!¡± ¡°Ha!!¡± ¡°At your service.¡± ¡°Listen, don¡¯t give my foolish brother time to devise any crazy plans! Finish the war against the Empire and get rid of him as soon as possible! I won¡¯t banish him to the frontier this time¡­¡­. I¡¯ll at least throw him in jail, and possibly have his head chopped off!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lockwood and Garst both fell silent, and looked back at the king, who was shouting at them with an indescribably subtle look. CH 51 anslated by SoundOfDestiny After an audience with his brother King Granard, Raidorl returned to the house he had been given. In the early days of the war against the empire, the vast mansion in the middle of the noble district was a lonely place where he was alone with his maid Neimilia, but now a third resident has taken up residence. ¡°Oi, Onii-san give me back my sword!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ The lord of the house just came back and you¡¯ve already thrown a fit, haven¡¯t you? Your Highness, Princess C¨¦lia?¡± As soon as Raidorl entered the house, the girl shouted at him and Raidorl gave her an annoyed smile. It was a beautiful blonde girl who came up to Raidorl. She was C¨¦lia Von Althlein, Imperial Princess and chosen keeper of the Holy Sword of Cla¨ªomh Solas . She was brought to this house as a prisoner of war, and now wears neither military uniform nor mithril armor, but a simple white blouse and navy blue skirt. ¡°It¡¯s not for me to say, but¡­¡­ if you¡¯re a royalthy, you should behave with a little more decency. To begin with, if it was the holy sword you want, wouldn¡¯t it be on your hip?¡± Raidorl pointed his forefinger at C¨¦lia¡¯s waist. There was indeed a Cla¨ªomh Solas in its sheath. Raidorl didn¡¯t like it when people talked about him as if he had stolen something. But at Raidorl¡¯s words, C¨¦lia lifted her eyes, bared her pointed double teeth and shouted more angrily. ¡°That¡¯s not the point! Why isn¡¯t Cla¨ªomh Solas answering my call? What have you done to him?¡± ¡°Hmm? What makes you think that?¡± ¡°Who else but you, Onii-san! To block the power of the holy sword. ¡­¡­!!¡± ¡°Hmmm, Well, you¡¯re right..¡± Raidorl shrugged his shoulders and affirmed. The reason why they have not confiscated the weapon from the captive C¨¦lia, the holy sword, a weapon with the power of an army, is because she is not able to use it now. ¡°While you were unconscious, I placed a curse on you to break your connection to the Holy Sword¡­¡­.. Here.¡± ¡°Hyaa!?¡± Raidorl grabbed the collar of the blouse C¨¦lia was wearing and mercilessly opened her chest. The woman¡¯s gently swollen breasts have a black mark engraved just above the heart. Similar to the one engraved on Granard¡¯s chest, it is a ¡°sealing curse¡± placed by the cursed holy sword, the D¨¢insleif. ¡°It is an adaptation of a curse ¡­¡­ that my ancestors once used to seal a witch. Even with the power of the D¨¢insleif, I can¡¯t block the power of the Cla¨ªomh Solas, a holy sword of equal rank.But it is possible to seal the power of the holder of the holy sword and temporarily separate it from the holy sword.¡± ¡°Hi¡­.a¡­.a¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a temporary curse, it will break eventually. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± Whether C¨¦lia hears the explanation or not, she looks down at her bare chest and shivers. Raidorl tilted his head, wondering if it was such a shock to have the curse engraved on her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once the curse is lifted, the mark will be ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± ¡°Waoooa?¡± A high-pitched scream came from the mouth of C¨¦lia. The scream pierces his ears at point blank range, and Raidorl¡¯s body jerks back. ¡°Get off me! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up with ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°No! No! No, no, no, no, no!¡± ¡°Hey, if you pull too much ¡­ oh!?¡± C¨¦lia clutched her breasts and tried to distance herself from Raidorl. But Raidorl was still holding onto her blouse. The scream startled him, and his posture slumped. As she falls back, Raidorl is pulled forward and falls to the ground. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Ow! ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl and C¨¦lia fell to the floor in a folded heap. With a buzzing sound, even the remaining buttons are torn off. The white skin of the princess is exposed at once from the neck to the navel, and her two breasts without a bra are exposed. She was half-naked, and Raidorl was on top of her. Naturally, as an imperial princess, this was the first time she had ever experienced such tyranny. ¡°Oh,¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ouch¡­¡­,that¡¯s dangerous, what¡¯s with you suddenly? ¡°No¡­¡­ oh no. I don¡¯t like this. ¡­¡­ Ugh, agh, agh, agh ¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The blouse was peeled off, and the man pushed her down¡­¡­Finally, the thread of tension that had held her together was broken. C¨¦lia cries out like a little child. ¡°Uwahhhh, uwahhh¡± C¨¦lia knew what the enemy soldiers would do to a captured female soldier, but she never thought she would be subjected to such humiliation. The holy sword that she relied on, even after all this time, does not speak to her. It will not lend her any strength. It was enough to push the teenage princess to the limit, no matter how she was chosen by the holy sword. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡­¡± Raidorl, on the other hand, remained in the position in which he had pushed C¨¦lia down, his eyes bewildered. The woman crying like a child in front of him is the holy sword holder who had once hunted him down on the battlefield and to Raidorl she did not seem to fit together. Raidorl looked at her crying face for a while and then nodded his head somewhat later as if he was satisfied. ¡°Oh, yeah. Normal women doesn¡¯t like to be seen naked. ¡­¡­¡± With this all-too-common realization, Raidorl put his own jacket over her naked body even though is was too late. CH 52 Translated by SoundOfDestiny ¡°I will never forgive¡­¡­such humiliation. I¡¯ll never forgive ¡­¡­ you!¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡­ don¡¯t be so angry.¡± Covering her body with a tightly woven men¡¯s jacket, C¨¦lia glared at the man in front of her with intense hatred. The blue eyes of the princess still have teardrops in the corners of her eyes, and the area around her eyes is red from crying. When Raidorl saw the fire in her eyes, he scratched his head in distress. He looked down at the woman who was sitting on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. No, I didn¡¯t mean it. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d hate it so much¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t like it! My breasts¡­¡­¡± Is it anger, or is it shame? C¨¦lia¡¯s face is flushed red and her shoulders are shaking. The realisation that Raidorl was not going to humiliate her helped her to regain her composure. She let her emotions get the better of her, and hurled a torrent of abuse at Raidorl. ¡°Disgusting! How can a prince do this to a girl?¡­¡­ Beast! Animals! Dog!¡± ¡°Is that a bad word for a Dog?¡± In return for her disgust, Raidorl continues to take her abuse in a quiet manner. Athough it was Raidor who made C¨¦lia¡¯s chest open, it was not really a malicious intent to humiliate the Imperial Princess. In all sincerity from the bottom of his heart, he didn¡¯t think that C¨¦lia was reluctant to see her breasts so much. At the age of twelve, Raidorl Zain was expelled from the capital and sent to a frontier city. The city is full of immigrants who have no reason to be there, and there are no girls of his age, so Raidorl has spent his most sensitive years, when he is most conscious of the opposite sex, without much contact with women. The only women he comes into contact with are female adventurers who don¡¯t care about the male gaze, older women who can¡¯t see him as a man, and the odd prostitute who has drifted into the city. The exception to this is the erotic maid, who has been released from a centuries-old seal, but she, too, does not mind being seen naked by Raidorl. In fact, she is such a lascivious woman that she tries to undress at any opportunity. Having spent his adolescence in such an environment, Raidorl has never understood the reluctance of women to be seen naked. ¡°No more!¡¡I¡¯m getting out of this house!¡± ¡°No, that will be a problem.¡± C¨¦lia is allowed freedom in the mansion and is treated as if she could escape at any time if she wanted to. But she does not want to run away, because she cannot escape without breaking the curse. ¡°If you run away, you¡¯ll be killing your grandfather. I don¡¯t like the idea of taking the life of an old man who doesn¡¯t know how much longer he has.¡± ¡°Mu¡­¡­..¡± At Raidorl¡¯s words, C¨¦lia¡¯s shapely lips twitched in frustration. In the battle of Blaine Fortress, Neimilia took advantage of the chaos of the surprise attack on the imperial positions, and abducted the enemy general Gracos Barzen. He was imprisoned in a certain place and did not inform Granard and Garst that the old general was in the hands of Raidorl. ¡°I had ordered Neimilia to give me more material to negotiate with the empire, but I was glad to see that it would be a good card to play against ¡­¡­ Her Imperial Highness.¡± Raidorl learned later that C¨¦lia adored Barzen like a real grandfather, otherwise Raidorl would have imprisoned the princess to keep her tied up. ¡°¡­¡­ Is Grandpa safe?¡± ¡°We feed him three meals a day and give him two blankets to sleep on. Which is more than I can do for a prisoner of war.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You won¡¯t let me see him, will you?¡± She looks up at him. She know it was not going to happen, Raidorl said with a wry smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let you go with them once the negotiations with the Empire are over. I promise.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point¡­¡­onii-san? Just catching me and Grandpa should be enough credit for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important that the Kingdom negotiates with the Empire. It¡¯s important that I have something to negotiate with the Empire¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips twist in a scornful smile. It is not the older brother, Granard, but the younger brother, Raidorl, who has taken the lead in negotiations with the empire. It would certainly be a trump card for Raidorl to get rid of his brother. ¡°You can stay here for a while to rest and relax. If you want, you can go sightseeing. There is a beautiful lake in the kingdom. I¡¯ll show you around sometime.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Suspiciously looking at Raidor with a smile on his face, C¨¦lia squeezed the holy sword, which no longer responded to her master. CH 53 Translated by SoundOfDestiny On a certain day, an unusual visitor came to the adventurer¡¯s guild in the royal capital. The Royal Guild, which oversees all the guilds in the Kingdom of Zain, receives many visitors every day, including adventurers, clients, and merchants who bring in medicines and weapons. The day was already drawing to a close, and the receptionist was beginning to show signs of fatigue when the man appeared. The doorbell clanged and a pair of men and women entered the guild. The young men and women, all in their teens, had swords at their waists and appeared to be adventurers or mercenaries. ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve never seen them before. Is it a newcomer?¡± Looking them up and down, the receptionist nodded her head. The woman is a bit of an upstart, scurrying around the guild looking curious. The man seemed to be more familiar with the city, so he might have been an adventurer who had moved to the capital from another guild. The man said something to the woman and left her there, and came to the reception alone. ¡°Welcome to our guild, is there anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see the guildmaster, is he around at the moment? ¡°Um¡­eh¡­¡± A man who is new to the guild in Zain insists on meeting the guild master. A letter is presented to the bewildered receptionist. ¡°It¡¯s a letter of introduction. Please check it.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± The receptionist opened the letter that was presented to her and looked inside¡­¡­. Her eyes widened in surprise. She looked back and forth between the letter and the man¡¯s face, then said, ¡°One moment, please!¡± She disappeared into the back of the guild. The receptionist came back to the reception in less than five minutes. She was in such a hurry that she repeatedly breathed hard on her shoulder and called out to the man waiting at the reception desk. ¡°The guildmaster is here to see you! Please make your way to the back, Your Royal Highness!¡± ¡°Oh, thank you¡± With sweat beading on her forehead, the receptionist leads him deeper into the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. ¡°Nice to meet you¡­¡­Your Royal Highness, Prince Raidorl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­sorry to bother you. Guild Master.¡± ¡°My name is Saina Cruz and I am in charge of this guild. Please make my acquaintance.¡± He was ushered into what appeared to be a parlor, where he was greeted by a young woman with green hair and blue eyes. Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the sight of such a young woman, who looked nothing like a guild master. ¡°When the famous adventurer Zafis introduces you, I can¡¯t afford not to meet you. And even more so when it¡¯s the hero of the moment.¡± ¡°So ¡­¡­ Zafis is such a famous adventurer?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes narrowed quizzically as he thought of the face of his sword master, Zafis Bartolomeo. For Raidorl, Zafis is a drunkard with nothing to his name but his swordplay. He is not the kind of man who would command the respect of a high ranking guild master in Royal Capital. But as Cruz offers Raidorl a chair, she continues to offer words of praise. ¡°He is the one who proposed the construction of a pioneer city as a frontline base for the demons that are often found in the southern area of the Kingdom of Zain. In addition, the royal court was reluctant to provide funds, so he gave up his personal fortune to persuade influential people to build a city. Many adventurers look to him for his pioneering spirit and his willingness to defend his country against the threat of demons.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I see.¡± Raidorl nodded his head somewhat reluctantly. The fact that she was praising Zafis, his sword master and second father, with open arms made him feel more embarrassed than happy. In order to change the subject quickly, Raidorl started the conversation. ¡°By the way, Miss Cruz, you¡¯re very young. How did you manage to become the guild master of Royal Capital at your age?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not so young as you think.¡± Cruz brushed a strand of hair out of her ear with her fingertips, revealing a pair of pointed ears underneath the green hair. ¡°I¡¯m an elf, so I age more slowly than most humans. I may look young at your age, but I¡¯m the same age as your father.¡± ¡°An elf. ¡­¡­ That must have been a lot of work.¡± Elves are a sub-race of people who live mainly in the south of the continent. They live in the forest and rarely leave the forest of their birth, and although they are very closed-minded, there are occasional oddballs who venture out of the forest into the outside world. They are rarely seen in the kingdom of Zain, and this was the first time that Raidorl had seen them in person. ¡°The discrimination against sub-humans is not very strong in this country, so we haven¡¯t had much trouble. But it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy if the Empire had taken over¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The Alsatian Empire is notorious for its discrimination against sub-humans. Well, that¡¯s not surprising, since that country is often at war with the subhuman nations of the south¡­.¡± ¡°It is in this sense that I owe His Highness Raidorl a debt of gratitude. I will help you in any way I can¡­¡­ So what can I do for you, my prince?¡± Cruz cuts to the chase. Raidorl nodded with a smile on his face and said, ¡°Hmmm¡±, and spoke of his purpose for coming to the guild. CH 54 anslated by SoundOfDestiny After an unscheduled meeting with Raidorl Saina Cruz, the guildmaster who oversees the adventurers of royal capital, sighs deeply. ¡°Fu¡­¡­¡± The Elven woman, relieved of her nervousness, turned her eyes vaguely to the paintings in the parlour. The painting, which had been on display since the time of the previous Guildmaster, had been tanned by the sun through the window, and the colours were slightly faded. ¡°It¡¯s time to change to a new picture. ¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t we just redecorate the whole room?¡± As cruz was pondering her thoughts, there was a discreet knock on the door to her room. After a beat, the door opened and in walked a girl named Riona, who worked as a receptionist at the guild. ¡°Oh, I see His Royal Highness has returned. I¡¯m sorry it took me so long to make the tea. I was going to use some of my best tea leaves, but I put them in the back of the cabinet. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s all right, he didn¡¯t mean to stay long.¡± ¡°Well,¡­¡­,it¡¯s a good tea from the West, and I was hoping he might like it.¡± Riona said regretfully and placed a cup of tea in front of Cruz. She sat down on the sofa opposite where Raydor had been sitting earlier and sipped the tea she had made. ¡°It smells so good¡­¡­. By the way, what did his highness Raidorl came for? ¡°Don¡¯t ask, you don¡¯t want to hear it. ¡° ¡°What? You guys must be talking about royalty. Is it about politics?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. Do.Not.Ask.¡± Cruz let out a tired and exhausted voice and sipped the tea in front of her. She can¡¯t say it¡¯s rude and impossible. What Raidorl told her from his own tongue made her choke as if something Raidorl told her, she¡¯s unable to swallow it. ¡°I had no idea that His Royal Highness had such ambitions¡­¡­.¡± What Raidorl told her was an ambition and a plan of political change that she was afraid to speak of. She doesn¡¯t know why he decided to tell it to her when they had never met before, but she truly felt bitter that she had been chosen to share such a traitorous secret. ¡°I resent you¡­..for sending me such monster, Mr. Zafis.¡± Zafis Bartolomeo, the master of the sword of Raydor and the guild master of the pioneer city, was an old friend and benefactor of Cruz. When she was new to being an adventurer, Zafis saved her life many times in battles against demons, and even protected her when she was tangled up with adventurers who were discriminating against subhumans. If it weren¡¯t for Zafis, Cruz wouldn¡¯t be in the position she is today. The king¡¯s brother, who had been introduced to him by Zafis, could not be treated unkindly. Even if what Raidorl brought to her was against the country, she had to help him as much as she could, otherwise she would not be able to repay Zafis¡¯s kindness. While Cruz continues to agonize over her problems, her subordinate Riona is drinking tea with a relaxed expression on her face. ¡°Even so, the rumored hero was a fairly ordinary man. I thought he was a big man with muscular bones.¡± ¡°¡­..If that looks like a normal man, it¡¯s because you¡¯ve got holes in your eyes.¡± ¡°Ehhhh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a hungry fire dragon. It¡¯s the kind of thing you don¡¯t want to offend¡± As an elf, Cruz is gifted with the ability to see magic. In her eyes, this man, Raidorl Zain, looks like a monster, not a man. ¡°What¡¯s more, the black magic that rises from that body, even the demon that I fought when I was active didn¡¯t have that kind of evil magic on it.¡± (TL: Influence from Neimilia?) ¡°It is a joke that he is the holder of a holy sword, endowed with divine power. I wonder if he has actually been blessed with a magical sword instead of a holy sword.¡± ¡°Riona, I¡¯m sure His Highness Raidorl will come back and ask some quests from you, but regardless of his rank, leave those quests to him. You don¡¯t even need to check his guild card¡± ¡°Ehhhhhh?! That¡¯s against the guild rules!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, our rankings are meaningless to the heroes chosen by the Holy Sword. And from what I¡¯ve heard about his performance in the pioneer cities, there¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s capable of achieving the rank of an S.¡± Cruz picked up the teapot and poured another cup, which he drank in one gulp. She felt her throat burning up, but she didn¡¯t care, leaning her weight on the back of the sofa. ¡°¡­..It¡¯s a small price to pay for this kind of help. I¡¯m relieved that I¡¯m not part of the treason.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± Riona jumped in surprise while Cruz exhaled loudly as she leaned her neck. CH 55 Translated by SoundOfDestiny When Raidorl returned to the guild¡¯s reception after his meeting with Cruz, his companion, who had kept him waiting, raised her eyes in protest. ¡°You¡¯re late, onii-san.¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d finished early. This princess is quite impatient.¡± Waiting in the hall with the reception desk was the Imperial Princess, C¨¦lia Von Althlein. She is dressed in a simple red dress and a grey cloak, with her arms crossed in front of her chest and her holy sword hanging from her waist. At her feet were three men dressed like adventurers who had fallen into a stupor and were turning white. ¡°Did I miss something here?¡± ¡°I beat them up because he tried to touch me. That¡¯s part of being an adventurer, isn¡¯t it?¡± C¨¦lia tilted her head adorably. ¡°Aa..yeah..that¡¯s..yea..¡± Raidorl somehow knew what was going on. She was an innocent, hands-first kind of person, but she was also a blonde girl. If she was in a guild that prided itself on its strength, it was obvious that she would be approached by some nasty people. ¡°More importantly, are you done with your business?¡¡You brought me all the way out here.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, you¡¯re in luck.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Raidorl waved a few sheets of paper in his hand. C¨¦lia looked at her hand with the interest of a cat that has been touched by a catnip and said, ¡°Yes!¡± She snatched the paper out of Raidorl¡¯s hand. ¡°Erm,¡­¡­ is this a guild request form? Is this what you came for?¡± ¡°These are not just any requests. It¡¯s a request that came to the guild, but was left unfulfilled for months on end.¡± ¡°Salted?¡± C¨¦lia¡¯s eyes looked at Raidorl with confusion. ¡°Why do you need it? What do you need it for?¡± ¡°You know, C¨¦lia, if you submit a request to the guild and it doesn¡¯t get fulfilled by the end of the day, you¡¯ll have to pay for it. What would you do if you submitted a request to the guild and it was never fulfilled?¡± ¡°Do you withdraw your ¡­¡­ request?¡± Raidorl nodded in response to C¨¦lia¡¯s answer. ¡°Yes, but these requests have not been withdrawn and have been left unanswered for months. Why is that?¡± ¡°Well, um, ¡­¡­.¡± She twists her head, grunting. ¡°Erm¡­¡­too much trouble to take down?¡± ¡°Yeah, that might be the case¡­¡­, but the main reason is that the client is in facing trouble.¡± Withdrawing a request from a guild does not make the cause of their request to the guild disappear. This is the reason why they continue to submit requests in the hope that one day someone will take their request. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re taking this request to help people?¡¡Well, you¡¯re the king¡¯s brother, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well..I¡¯ve been an adventurer more than being the ¡®king¡¯s brother¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± A question mark appeared in C¨¦lia¡¯s head as she did not understand the meaning of Raidorl¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t know that Raidorl had been exiled or that he and his brother Granard were on bad terms. ¡°Taking down the Killer Falcon, capturing the Red Ice Snake,delivering the Rock Mandragora,and investigating the cause of the dry lake ¡­¡­ are all difficult requests, but with two holy sword wielders, it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°Ehhh, I¡¯m doing it too? Why?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t leave the country until we¡¯ve made peace with the Empire, anyway. I know you¡¯re not busy until then, so help me. If you don¡¯t want to help the enemy¡¯s people, that¡¯s fine. ¡°It¡¯s not fair to say that. Fine! Let¡¯s go!¡±¡¯ She puffed out her cheeks and swallowed Raidorl¡¯s suggestion with a prurient anger. Raidorl patted the head of the princess, who turned her head away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Well, now that we¡¯ve accomplished our task, let¡¯s go on a tour around the kingdom. Let¡¯s go see the lake together, as promised!¡± ¡°Ugh ¡­¡­ how did this happen ¡­¡­¡± Raidorl tugged on C¨¦lia¡¯s arm, who looked unhappy and unconvinced, and walked out of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The three adventurers in the guild saw the two left, one is a Zain royal family, the other is the Alsatian royal family, and both of their holy swords, with their bruised face. CH 56 Translated by SoundOfDestiny It was half a day¡¯s journey west from the royal capital of Zain. There was a lake called Lake Arar in the northern forest. The lake was regarded by the neighbouring villages as a valuable source of water, but about three months ago the water suddenly dried up. The cause is unknown. It is not due to sunshine, as rainfall has been the same as in previous years. Already crops were beginning to be affected. Villages on the shore of the lake asked the Royal Guild to investigate the cause, but the poor villagers could not afford to pay enough, and the request was left unanswered by any adventurers. The fields have fallen into ruin, the wells are dry, and many villages are dying. ¡°Imperial style holy sword technique [Raiden]!¡± ¡°Go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-owww!¡± The bottom of a dry lake. With a flash of lightning, C¨¦lia swung her holy sword down. The monster nestled in the bottom of the lake let out a low scream that seemed to echo from the ground as it was hit by lightning and a slash at once. ¡°Rhubarb ¡­ Why are there such magical monsters that you rarely see in the Devil¡¯s Forest?¡± With a sigh of exasperation, Raidorl watched the battle between C¨¦lia and the plant monster from a short distance away. Rhubarb Palma is the largest of all plant-based demons. Not only in size, but also in the scale of its damage. It was a monster of catastrophic proportions, capable of sucking up every last drop of groundwater within a radius of several dozen kilometres. Raidorl had defeated one about two years ago in a pioneer city, but it was a monster that should not be seen in this region where mana is scarce. The Rhubarb Palma emerged from the ground, over 10 metres long and it was so huge Raidorl had look up to see it awaken. ¡°Yaaaahhhh!¡± ¡°Goaaaaaaaah!¡± Every time C¨¦lia flipped her sword, lightning bolts scattered on the bottom of the lake. Palma also resisted, waving his roots like a whip, but he could not catch the swiftly moving princess and it was cut into pieces. ¡°As expected, the holder of the holy sword of the empire. and the child of thunder. Isn¡¯t this a disaster-class monster?¡± ¡°Onii-san, is that supposed to be sarcasm? You wanted to say, ¡®But you lost to me,¡¯ don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s honest praise. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡± Having defeated the monster almost single-handedly, C¨¦lia looks back at Raydor and puffs out her cheeks in frustration. Raidorl shrugged his shoulders in return and looked up at the huge body of the monster lying on the ground. ¡°No, I¡¯m really praising you, I think you¡¯re great. I¡¯ve fought this guy before, but I had a much harder time with him. The lightning holy sword,Cla¨ªomh Solas, is far more powerful and penetrating than D¨¢insleif.¡± Ignoring the protests of the holy sword at his hip, which vibrated slightly, Raidorl nodded sincerely. ¡°Well,¡­¡­,maybe now you can beat me. Let¡¯s have a re-match, shall we?¡± ¡°Sure, if you want to lose the blessing of the Holy Sword again.¡± ¡°Mmmu ¡­¡­,meanie, it¡¯s not fair at all.¡± The seal on her is now temporarily broken, but if she were to point her sword at Raidorl again, her power would be sealed again. C¨¦lia sheathes her sword with a click, her cheeks puffed out in frustration. ¡°Well ¡­¡­ that¡¯s settled. The water in the lake will be back soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even the rainy season, how easy can it be to get the water back?¡¡I¡¯m sure the villages will still having trouble until then¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, no problem. You see, this demon¡­¡­¡± Before Raidorl could finish, Rhubarb¡¯s body was ripped open. A flood of water poured out of the giant plant¡¯s roots. ¡°Ehhh!? There¡¯s water ¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°There it is! We¡¯ve gotta get out of here!¡± ¡°Eh? Whatttt? Onii-san?¡± Ignoring C¨¦lia¡¯s panicked shouts, Raidorl made his own escape from the bottom of the lake. A huge column of water erupted from the body of Palma, it came slightly faster than C¨¦lia could follow Raidorl. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you kill them. Get the fuck out of the lake!¡± ¡°Wa-wait!!!!!! You should have told me earlierrrrrrrrr!!!¡± C¨¦lia is almost swallowed up by the flood of water, but barely manages to crawl out of the lake. Raidorl, who had escaped earlier, grabbed her arm and pulled her up with all his might. ¡°When you beat a Rhubarb Palma, it¡¯ll spit out all the water he¡¯s inhaled and stored in his body. I had to go through that once myself.¡± ¡°You!¡­.., TELL ME that before I BEAT IT¡­¡­, I hate you.¡± She slumps to the ground, soaking wet, and looks up at Raidorl with hatred and annoyance. The clothes worn by the pretty princess were soaking wet, highlighting the lines of her too-fine body. ¡°¡­¡­You should eat a bit more meat. Also Cow¡¯s or Goat¡¯s milk.¡± ¡°¡­¡­onii-san, what are you trying to say all of a sudden? I¡¯ll kill you depending on your reply.¡± CH 57 Translated by SoundOfDestiny ¡°Thank you! Thank you very much!¡± After defeating the monster that had been lurking in the lake and sucking up all the water, Raidorl and C¨¦lia went to a nearby village to report their achievement. At first, the villagers looked suspicious at the adventurers who had shown up three months after their request, but when they saw that the water had been restored to Lake Arar, they shed tears and bowed their heads. The adults in the village smiled as they filled their jars with water, and the children took off their clothes and jumped into the lake to splash water on each other. ¡°Thank you so much!¡¡Now our fields and wells will be back to normal!¡¡We won¡¯t have to go for hours to a distant river to fetch water!¡± ¡°No, Don¡¯t worry about it. I didn¡¯t do anything serious.¡± ¡°Right ¨C Onii-san didn¡¯t do anything , did you?¡± ¡°C¨¦lia, noisy~¡± Poking the head of the princess standing next to him, Raidorl put his hand on the shoulder of the village chief, who bowed his head repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m more sorry for the delay in completing the request. This is a shame for the guild. As an adventurer, I offer my sincerest apologies.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡¡It¡¯s our fault for not being able to pay our adventurers the rewards they deserve!¡¡Please don¡¯t worry about it!¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s fine then. ¡­¡­¡± Raidorl glances quickly from the chief¡¯s face to his feet. It is not only the chief who is thin and bony. The other villagers and the children who were playing in the water were the same. ¡°This people must have lived a very poor life. I guess it¡¯s not just the frontier towns that have it tough.¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Mayor. I¡¯d like to talk to you about the reward¡­..¡± ¡°Oh, yes. We will of course give you the rewards we have entrusted to the guild. We would like to thank you more if we could, but we don¡¯t have the time and resources¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh,forget about that kind of reward. I¡¯d like to ask you to do me a favour, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°©¤ Yes, if it¡¯s something we can do.¡± The mayor tilted his head and looked at him strangely, and Raidorl held up his forefinger. ¡°I want you to spread the word to all the neighbouring villages. The king¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain has defeated a powerful monster that was drying up the lake.¡± ¡°Huh..? King¡¯s¡­brother??¡± The mayor looked at Raidorl¡¯s face then suddenly prostrated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!!! What rudeness have I shown!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t mind it. More importantly, can you do what I favoured?¡± ¡°Y-yes, Of course. It will be my utmost importance¡± ¡°Umu, good. Oh, I have one more suggestion.¡± Raidorl laughed lighly at the mayor, who had been so frightened to find out that he was dealing with royalty. He held up his forefinger and pointed to an object floating on the lake. ¡°After cleaning that up, You can have it and do whatever you want.¡± Floating above the lake is the giant monster, which continues to shrink as it has released its water reserves. The mayor nods his head at the wreckage of the plant monster, swaying on the water like a floating island. ¡°Yes, of course!¡¡The carcass of the monster, the enemy of our village, will be lifted and incinerated here!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a waste? It¡¯s a disaster-grade monster. If you bring it to a human with a good eye, it should be picked up at a reasonable price. It¡¯s a first-class material for magical medicine, and a pharmacist would go crazy for this. If you go to the guild, I supposed they¡¯ll give you a pile up of money that makes your eyeballs pop out, right?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Following Raidorl¡¯s explanation, the village mayor opened his eyes and looked up as if looking at his complexion. ¡°Well, does that mean¡­ you¡¯re giving it to us?¡± ¡°Yes, this village seems to have suffered a lot of damage, so it¡¯s a good idea to use it for reconstruction costs. It should have enough savings for the next few years.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡± The chief knelt on the ground and folded his hands in prayer. Tears streamed from his eyes as he was overcome with emotion. ¡°You are as heroic as they say! You are a saint!¡¡You are the chosen hero of the sword! We, the people of this village, will never forget your kindness!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked it. Oh, and just so you know, it¡¯s not just this village that¡¯s been affected.So, why don¡¯t you give a share to a nearby village?¡± ¡°I will!!¡± Nodding his head in satisfaction at the chief who bent his forehead to the ground, Raidorl turned to leave, his work is done. C¨¦lia pokes Raidorl¡¯s cheek with her fingertips. ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you, onii-san. Is that the kind of character you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for charity.¡± Raidorl snorts at C¨¦lia. ¡°This is just a publicity stunt to spread my fame and make it easier for people to accept the regime change that¡¯s coming.¡± ¡°Hmmmmm.¡± C¨¦lia nodded with a mixed subtle look of understanding and not. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel bad about helping ¡­¡­ people in need. I was a little bit happy that people were happy too.¡± ¡°Hmm, I wouldn¡¯t deny that either.¡± As he walks with C¨¦lia , Raidorl takes out a bundle of commission letters he received from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. First of all, he has established a saga. If he does this again and again, the fame of Raidorl Zain, the hero chosen by the Holy Sword, will grow and grow and grow until it will be impossible for his brother King Granard to stop him. ¡°It¡¯s easy to just lose your head. I could do it today. But I¡¯m not going to kill you that easily, am I?¡± Once upon a time, Raidorl had all his allies taken away from him and he was banished from his place. It would not be fair to his brother Granard if he were to suffer the same fate. ¡°I will show you the loneliness and despair of being an outcast. I¡¯ll cut off every last one of your allies and kick you off your throne, brother.¡± CH 58 The Prime Minister''s trick Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil After that, Raidorl worked vigorously as an adventurer. He defeated a sea dragon that had appeared in the northern sea. He conquered the bandits that attacked the villages of the east. He slayed an undead horde in an abandoned castle in the west. Gathered rare medicinal herbs to help a sick child in a southern town. There were some requests that had been rotted away in the guilds of Royal Capital that would have been too much for Raidorl alone, but with the help of C¨¦lia, the other holder of the holy sword, he was able to accomplish them with great speed. Originally, Raidorl¡¯s exploits were known throughout the kingdom through the mouths of the soldiers who fought in the war against the Empire. The people, by nature, are fond of heroic tales. The story of the hero chosen by the holy sword to save the poor in many parts of the kingdom has become a legend, and now bards are spreading it in song. Raidorl Zain, the hero of the Holy Sword. In an attempt to blow away the gloomy mood of the war with the Empire, many singers spread his prowess throughout the kingdom. But of course there are those who do not take kindly to the arrival of new heroes. The first of these was the King of Zain, Granard Zain. ¡°What a shame that he¡¯s trying to curry favor with the people! He¡¯s wasting the power of the holy sword!¡± Granard¡¯s face was contorted in rage. The hatred on his face means that he is not happy about his brother¡¯s success. He hates every move Raidorl makes. His face is as red as an evil demon. ¡°The holy sword, D¨¢insleif, is the sword of protection. It is the last trump card to protect the Kingdom of Zain! How dare he use its power for his own popularity! The power of the holy sword is not to be taken lightly, he was not the one who should be chosen by the D¨¢insleif!!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, ¡­¡­, please calm yourself. If anyone else hears you, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± It was Lockwood Marcell, the prime minister, who spoke to the king in a hushed voice. In the king¡¯s office, there are only two people in the room, Granard and Lockwood. ¡°Raidorl¡­¡­! You must be trying to win the support of the people to oust me, you infuriating ¡­¡­!¡± At the Prime Minister¡¯s admonition, Granard lowered his voice slightly, but did not stop himself from vomiting out his hatred towards his own brother. Although Granard is a foolish king when his brother, the keeper of the holy sword, is involved, he is an outstanding ruler who has supported his country as a wise and powerful ruler since the illness of the previous king. He saw exactly what Raidorl was trying to do and gritted his teeth. Lockwood, too, agreed with the king and let out a deep, heavy breath. ¡°Each one of us is as small and frail as a worm. But when thousands and tens of thousands of insects take wing in one direction, there is nothing to stop them. It seems that His Highness Raidorl is trying to win over the hundreds of thousands of people who live in the kingdom.¡± ¡°That bastard¡­¡­, there¡¯s got to be a way! Lockwood!¡± ¡°¡­¡­it will be difficult.¡± Lockwood shakes his head somberly. The story of Raidorl¡¯s heroism has already spread throughout the country. It is not easy to cool the fever of the people who are excited about the new hero, even if he tries to ruin the reputation of Raidorl by manipulating information. ¡°That said, it is impossible to suppress him by force. There is no one in this country who can stop him.¡± The only possibility is the Kingdom¡¯s army, led by General Bazel Garst, but they are in no condition to move, as they are packed in the fortress of Blaine, wary of the Empire. Even if they could move, General Garst has indicated that he is no longer willing to stand idly by and watch the conflict between Raidorl and Granard. It is unlikely that the honest general will change his mind. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to keep His Highness Raidorl out of the political arena by giving him time off and leaving him alone, but it seems that he intends to pay it by troubling us. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s using the time he¡¯s been given to do this¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ is there no way to control that foolish brother?¡¡At least if the curse is broken¡­¡­.¡± Granard scratched his left breast over his clothes. A month has already passed since Granard was cursed by Raidorl with the curse of the Covenant. With the help of all the court magicians, the curse has been steadily deciphered, but it has not yet been lifted. With the curse still on him, he could not actively exclude Raidorl and had to pretend to ignore his actions. ¡°¡­¡­ Your Majesty, how about using that curse to your advantage?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ what do you mean?¡± Lockwood opened his mouth as if it had occurred to him. Granard raises one eyebrow and asks the Prime Minister. ¡°You are not the only one bound by vows. His Highness, Raidorl, is also bound by a curse. ¡®Raidorl Zain must fight the Empire to protect the Kingdom of Zain¡¯- a vow that His Highness also cannot disobey.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­,you mean we send Raidorl to the frontline so that he won¡¯t have the time to muster support from the people?¡­¡­ The war against the empire has already entered into peace negotiations. We cannot afford to cause unnecessary strife¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, of course we can¡¯t let him fight the Empire itself. But there are new enemies born of the war against the Empire.¡± Lockwood pauses for a breath, then says with a firm face. ¡°The nobles of the East who have turned to the Empire. Your Highness will have to purge them.¡± CH 59 Lending and borrowing and selling countries. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°I see, you¡¯ve taken the curse of the oath to your advantage.¡± Raidorl was in his mansion in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain. Raidorl nodded as if he was impressed by the letter sent from the royal palace. The letter, stamped with the state seal, is an official decree from the king to conquer the nobles of the kingdom who have turned to the Empire of Alsatian. Since they are already on the side of the Empire, Raidorl, who is pledged to fight against the Empire, cannot refuse the order. Moreover, as traitors, they are not trusted by the Empire, and even if the Kingdom purges them, the Empire will not interfere strongly. ¡°What will you do, Master? If you lift the curse, you can refuse the order.¡± The maid, Neimilia, tilted her head and asked. She picked up the teapot and as she brewed the tea in her cup, she tilted her head and looked at her master. She seemed to be concerned that the curse she had woven was putting Raidorl at a disadvantage. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the fact that if you lift the curse, it will also lift the curse on Granard. There are more disadvantages to lifting the curse at this point than there are advantages.¡± Raidorl replied as he picked up the teacup that was placed in front of him. The curse on the king and the curse on himself are two in one. If one of them is lifted, the other will naturally disappear as well. And if one of them breaks the vow, great misfortune will befall. The curse is so powerful that even a court magician cannot easily lift it, because they¡¯re betting their life on it. ¡°So, you¡¯re taking a break from being an adventurer for a while? I was just starting to enjoy it.¡± The last person in the room to interrupt the conversation was C¨¦lia Von Althlein. Dressed in simple loungewear, she interrupts the conversation by chewing on a cookie on the table. ¡°No, because if we stop here, the flow we¡¯ve created will stagnate. If I could, I¡¯d keep moving as an adventurer.¡± Raidorl¡¯s work as an adventurer to help people has already become the talk of the town. The king¡¯s younger brother, who fights for the people despite being royalty, is admired by the people and is becoming more popular than the king, just as Raidorl had hoped. If possible, he did not want to stop this trend. ¡°So, what would you do? Onii-san has only one body, right?¡± ¡°I have one body. But there are two sword-bearers and two swords. I will act according to Granard¡¯s orders. C¨¦lia, I want you to continue your activities as an adventurer.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to work alone?¡± She looked unhappy, but as soon as she took another bite of the cookie, her face relaxed with happiness. It seems that the Imperial Princess¡¯ taste buds have been satisfied with a product from a popular pastry shop with a long queue. ¡°You have nothing else to do anyway, right? Please?¡± ¡°Mmm, I don¡¯t have any obligation to work for you, do I? You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Raidorl waved his hand carelessly at C¨¦lia, who gave him a pout. Raidorl smiles and looks at the girl¡¯s face, who¡¯s somewhat dissatisfied and satisfied. ¡°Well, Your Royal Highness, you and I are getting on reasonably close, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°What? What is it, so suddenly?¡± Raidorl smiled wickedly at her, his eyes black and white. ¡°If I were to overthrow my brother and become king, someone close to you, the imperial princess, would be at the top of the Zain kingdom. If that happens, the relationship between the Empire and the Kingdom will take a new turn, won¡¯t it?¡± The Kingdom of Zain and the Empire of Alsatian have been enemies for many years, but if a pro-imperial king were to be born, it might be possible to end the war by other means. Depending on the negotiations, it is even possible to win the war without fighting and follow the Empire as a vassal state. ¡°Win or lose, there will be blood in war. You¡¯ve seen it yourself. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we could win without fighting?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Are you going to sell this country to the Empire? Isn¡¯t that called being a traitor?¡± ¡°Depending on the conditions, I¡¯m the type that focuses on bearing fruit rather than the name. It¡¯s okay if I can avoid the war by becoming a client state.¡± Raidorl, who has been exiled to the frontier for much of his life, has no pride in his royal status. He believes it is more important to prioritize his interests as an adventurer than to maintain the independence of the Kingdom of Zain. ¡°In the first place, I think it is strange that humans are fighting each other, ignoring the threat of demons. Well, maybe that¡¯s because I¡¯ve been an adventurer for so long.¡± Even now, in the frontier cities, adventurers may be battling the demons that come from the Devil¡¯s Forest. The Kingdom and the Empire are locked in a standoff on the eastern border, leaving the situation as it is. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to do me a favour. I¡¯m offering you the chance to become an adventurer in my stead and help the people of this land. You¡¯ll make it more famous.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Sure. But don¡¯t forget, you owe me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go, Master. From the cradle to the grave. From baby play to necrophilia!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about?¡± C¨¦lia nodded her head as if she had no choice but to do so, and Neimilia naturally started to sexually harass him while spouting nonsense. Sighing at the two beautiful girls, Raidorl contemplates on what to do next. CH 60 To the east again. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil A few days later, after receiving an edict from his brother King Granard. Raidorl left the capital again and headed east towards the border with the Alsatian Empire. Today, instead of riding in a carriage as he had done on the previous day, he rode his own horse as if to show the people what he was made of. Following behind Raidorl are a thousand horsemen. They are led by Darren Garst, the chief of the thousand horsemen of the Kingdom of Zain. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. Your Royal Highness, Prince Raidorl.¡± Darren rode up alongside Raidorl and bowed to him. ¡°It was a quicker reunion than I expected, Darren. Thank you for taking the trouble to come and get me.¡± ¡°What a waste of words, my lord. Your Highness.¡± Darren, the son of the general Bazel Garst, has been with his father in the fortress of Blaine since the war with the Empire, and continues to stay. When he heard that Raidorl had left for the war, he rushed to the fortress to offer his best wishes. ¡°And yet, General Garst has done a bold thing by giving you a thousand horsemen. The war against the Empire is not yet over.¡± ¡°It will take some time now, whether the peace is settled or not. It is unlikely that there will be any fighting for some time.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean negotiations are at an impasse?¡± ¡°It seems that the Empire isn¡¯t ready for the negotiations, rather than negotiations aren¡¯t going well. It seems that General Barzen of the Western Invasion Force has gone missing and there is no one in charge.¡± Raidorl almost said something when he heard the explanation, and he hurried to control his mouth. ¡°It seems that negotiations with the Empire have stalled because of the capture of Gracos Barzen.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Your Highness?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡­. now that General Barzen is out of the way, we could drive the imperial army completely out of the kingdom, couldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve considered that, but it would be difficult¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to fight off the snake and end up on the wrong side of the dragon..¡± If the westward invasion army that has invaded the Zain kingdom is completely eradicated, there is a fear that the empire will send a retaliatory army. If there is a bargaining chip in the form of C¨¦lia Von Althlein and the holy sword Cla¨ªomh Solas, then it would be undesirable to force the fight to continue. ¡°General Barzen¡¯s second-in-command is now in charge of the Imperial Guard. He asks that you wait until the negotiators from the Imperial City arrive.¡± ¡°I see. The aim is to purge the traitors while the Empire is stuck in limbo and regain the lost territories. The Prime Minister sure has a nasty idea.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren kept his mouth shut at Raidorl¡¯s snide remark. Darren kept quiet, as if it was rude to speak out, but eventually he spoke up. ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness Raidorl, It is difficult for me to say this, but it seems that this purge of troops is a conspiracy to bring you down.¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± When Raidorl asks quizzically, Darren says more in a hushed voice. ¡°This time, His Highness King Granard has ordered the purge of traitorous noblemen who hold territories around the eastern border. It seems that the Royal Intelligence Service is behind this, and is working in the dark to lower His Highness¡¯ reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°In the east of the Kingdom of Zain, there are eight noble families called the Eight Eastern Families, of which the Earls of Arbeil and the Viscounts of Ilkas did not yield to the Empire and fought to the last and were destroyed.¡± ¡°The remaining six noble families are the targets of the purge?¡± ¡°They are the ones who hung their heads in the Empire without fighting for themselves. They will not nod when you order them to surrender. It will definitely be a fierce battle.¡± Of course, Raidorl knows this. But what does that have to do with lowering Raidorl¡¯s reputation? ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If I enter the battlefield, of course, my fame will increase.¡± ¡°If it was an enemy soldier you were fighting, yes. But this time the enemy is a traitor to his own country. The soldiers who¡¯s fighting are their own people.¡± ¡°Hmmmmmmmm.¡± Finally, Raidorl was able to see the scheme. In other words, by making him fight against his own people, they wanted to make other people aware of the existence of Raidorl as a threat. ¡°But that¡¯s not all. It seems that His Majesty Granard intends to have his secret agents set fire to enemy towns just as we are about to attack them. He wants to make it look like his Highness did it, and make it look like he slaughtered the people¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is HE stupid?! Getting rid of me by burning his own country? His own people?¡± Raidorl shouted. However much the lord may have betrayed him, it does not mean that even his people have defected from the Kingdom of Zain. It¡¯s madness to burn it down just to humiliate one¡¯s own brother. ¡°His Majesty is so afraid of His Highness that he is willing to go to any length to get rid of you. Even if it means harming his own people, it¡¯s a small price to pay for the damage it will do to his reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.!!!!¡± Raidorl bit his back teeth and fell silent. He hated his brother King Granard. He didn¡¯t think that he could just sit back and watch Raidorl take this leap. But Raidorl never thought that he would do something that would involve innocent people. ¡°Have you fallen that far, brother?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So, Darren, why did you tell me about it?¡± Trying hard to control his inner rage, Raidorl asked the young general in front of him in a quiet tone. Darren is one of Granard¡¯s men. He is on the side of the enemy. ¡°Why would he do such a thing as to divulge my brother¡¯s intentions?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Darren¡¯s gaze wandered aimlessly for a moment, then he spoke up as if he had made up his mind. CH 61 Conspiracy Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°My father, Bazel Garst, is a general of the kingdom. He is the sword and the shield of the kingdom. He said that he could not take sides with His Highness Raidorl and disobey His Majesty Granard.¡± ¡°¡­.. Well, I suppose so. That¡¯s the kind of man he is.¡± Raidorl nodded. That is why Bazel Garst is called the Protector of the Realm. ¡°But my father said to me, ¡®From now on, you will be in the personal service of His Highness Prince Raidorl¡¯.¡± ¡°General Garst said that?¡± ¡°Yes. He owed you a debt of gratitude for saving the country. However, as the general of the kingdom, he cannot disobey the king. Therefore, he wants me, his son, to take his place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± His words were the picture of innocence, and Raidorl fell silent. The general, Bazel Garst, was one of the people who drove Raidorl to the frontier, but when he sees someone with such integrity, he can¡¯t help but feel depressed. It¡¯s not that Raidorl doesn¡¯t respect him, but he respects him as a man who lives in the midst of war. ¡°And ¡­¡­ even without my father¡¯s position, I cannot accept His Majesty Granard¡¯s intention to set fire to his own city in order to get rid of his own political enemies. From now on, I will do my best in the service of His Highness Raidorl.¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ your loyalty is received. Now we have to figure out a way to get Granard off our backs.¡± Admiring Darren, who is as pure of heart as his father, Raidorl began to talk about his future plans. Granard¡¯s goal is to undermine Raidorl¡¯s reputation. As a means of doing this, he wants to set fire to the town and make it look like Raidorl¡¯s work. ¡°What steps can we take to avoid this?¡± ¡°The best thing to do is to get them to surrender without fighting, because if there is no fight, he can¡¯t take advantage of it and set fire to it.¡± ¡°Hmm. ¡­¡­ How about persuading the enemy lord to offer amnesty?¡± ¡°It is not in your power to do this, my lord. It¡¯s unheard of to unconditionally pardon someone who has betrayed you to the enemy, so it would only make them suspect that we are trying to deceive them¡± ¡°Mmm ¡­¡­¡± Raidorl was silenced by the complete rebuttal. For a while, the sound of horses kicking the ground was the only sound in their ears as they led their company through the streets. ¡°It was a mistake to leave Neimilia behind¡­¡­ If she had been here, we could have found and captured the hidden firecracker.¡± Raidorl¡¯s maid, Neimilia, has been left in the Royal Capital to take care of other business. As a witch, she might be able to find Granard¡¯s men hiding in the city, or even manipulate the weather to make it rain and prevent the fire from spreading. ¡°Should we go back to the Royal Capital now and bring her back?¡¡No, if I bring her here, it will interfere with our future plans..I can¡¯t just rely on the witch¡¯s power.¡± ¡°¡­.. I have a pact with Granard that gives me free reign over the lives of those I take prisoner. Why don¡¯t we use that to our advantage and make it a condition of saving their lives?¡± ¡°Not a bad idea, but ¡­¡­ it would be difficult.¡± Darren¡¯s brow wrinkled. ¡°It is possible to save lives that way. But the lord can¡¯t protect their status as a nobleman or even their lands. If people could accept losing their noble status, they would have abandoned their lands and fled to the Royal Capital from the beginning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a no? ¡­¡­ I thought it was a good idea.¡± ¡°If we were pressed to the limit and had no choice, we might accept a pardon. But if there is a battle, this will allow the fire to burn. It would be better to pray for rain and hope that it will fall just in time for us to reach the enemy¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re asking for luck. It makes me want to cry.¡± Raidorl looked up at the sky and shook his head. There was not a cloud in the sky today. Couldn¡¯t expect it to rain conveniently here. ¡°..maybe¡­a treacherous aristocrat might surrender easily. Let¡¯s hope for that.¡± Raidorl pulled on the reins and quickened his horse¡¯s pace. The black horse whinnied in the clear sky. CH 62 The adversary and the boy Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°No, I will not surrender!¡± The eastern part of the Kingdom of Zain. Viscount Bobald Ulfert, a local nobleman with his estate in one of these corners, shouted at the knight standing in front of him. A young female knight in armour stands in front of Ulfert, shaking his fat belly and ranting, a look of disgust on his face. She is a member of the Royal Army of Zain, Saara Raifet. The female knight, who is also Darren¡¯s second-in-command, glared coldly at Ulfert, who was spitting and shouting. (TL:who is also Darren¡¯s fiancee) ¡°With all due respect, Viscount. In time an army will be sent here to conquer you. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for the King¡¯s reputation if you surrendered and surrendered your lands before that happened?¡± The purpose of Sarra¡¯s visit to the city, ahead of Darren and Raidorl, was to advise Viscount Ulfert to surrender to the Empire. However, Viscount Ulfert¡¯s face turns red and he shouts angrily at her, almost giving her an ultimatum. ¡°Shut up, shut up! What can that young man do?¡¡If the king hadn¡¯t allowed the empire to invade, I wouldn¡¯t have betrayed him in the first place!¡¡Why should I be punished?¡¡If you really want me to surrender, then bring me the king¡¯s letter saying that and this whole affair will be dropped!¡± Saara frowned at this self-serving argument. It is true that it was the fault of the Royal Army that the border fortress of Balmes was destroyed. It could be said that it was a mistake of King Granard. But in the first place, the reason why Viscount Ulfert and other border nobles were given territories in this land was to repel invasions from enemy countries. What is the matter with those who have abandoned the role given to them by their ancestors, and instead have turned to the enemy to fight? ¡°¡±It¡¯s only a matter of time before the city is overrun. Darren Garst and His Highness Raidorl Zain, the heroes who defeated the empire, are already on their way to take you from the capital. It is only a matter of time before this city is destroyed. Will you still not surrender?¡± ¡°Raidorl? Hmph, what can that outcast prince do!¡± Viscount Ulfert sniffs derisively at Saara¡¯s words. The rumours of Raidorl had already reached the Viscount¡¯s ears, after the battle at Blaine Fortress. However, he did not believe for a moment that his great strength and his mythical fighting style were true. ¡°This town is impregnable!¡¡It has thick walls, plenty of food, and no one, not even a holy sword wielder, can defeat it!¡± ¡°And ¡­¡­ this town was originally part of a kingdom. And with the people as shields, they can¡¯t do anything!¡± Ulfert was being iroganant and looked down on the female knight. The enemy country, the Alsatian Empire, may mercilessly burn the town, but if it is the kingdom side, Raidorl, it should not be possible to attack so violently. This was the reason why Ulfert was so determined. ¡°¡­¡­Why couldn¡¯t he have shown that resilience when the Empire attacked?¡± Saara gave up trying to persuade the man in front of her and sighed deeply. Negotiations had broken down. This arrogant man, who was only interested in his position, would never be persuaded. Perhaps he will not admit his mistake until the very end. He will continue to shout that he is not wrong until the moment his head is cut off. ¡°The next time we meet, it will be on the battlefield. Please be prepared.¡± ¡°If he guarantees me my lands, my fortune and my life, I¡¯ll serve your kingdom again!¡¡I¡¯ll make him a nobleman again!¡¡Make sure you tell him that! ¡°Excuse me¡­..¡± There was nothing more to say. Leaving the Viscount with his face contorted in arrogance, Saara left the house. ¡°Persuasion has failed. This will make this town a battleground¡­¡­¡± Saara looks out over the city, which is ruled by Viscount Ulfert, with a sense of melancholy. As a soldier in the Royal Army, she is more than ready to fight the enemy. ¡°But should we fight against those who were on our side?¡± ¡°Besides, somewhere in this town lurks a torchbearer set by His Majesty Granard. They will set fire to the town as soon as His Highness Raydor attacks it, won¡¯t they?¡¡Is there nothing we can do to save the people of this town?¡± ¡°What should I tell Darren¡­¡­and how sorry I am that I have not lived up to his highness¡¯ expectations ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Hello, miss. May I have a word with you?¡± ¡°Hum?¡± She was about to leave the town on her horse, when she heard a voice on her back and turned around. She straddled her horse and stared behind her in alarm ¡­¡­,but there was no one behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, a¡­¡­ ghost?¡± ¡°No, over here.¡± ¡°Is ¡­¡­ ah?¡± When she looked down further, she saw a small, stocky boy. He is dressed in simple but noble quality clothing. He is a member of the Viscount Ulfert family, perhaps? ¡°Well, you are ¡­¡­¡± Saara¡¯s face, which had been tightened in alarm, relaxed and she asked the boy. The boy put his hand to his chest and bowed with a polite gesture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to surprise you, I¡¯m Sven Arbeil, third son of Ronald Arbeil, the Earl of Arbeil. ¡°H¡­¡­ Arbeil?¡± Saara¡¯s eyes widened when she heard the boy¡¯s name. The female knight was speechless, her eyes black with confusion at the name of the family of the Earls of Arbeil, which had been destroyed by the Empire. ¡°If I may, I would like to see His Royal Highness Raidorl Zain. The future of this town is within his hands.¡± CH 63 The little wise man Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Heading east to conquer the traitorous noblemen, Raidorl was joined by Saara Raifet, who had preceded him as a messenger. It was already late in the evening when the knight came to the tent where Raidorl had pitched his camp, and beside her was a boy of about twelve or three years of age. ¡°I¡¯m back, Your Highness Raidorl, Captain Darren. Well, this is the boy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. His Royal Highness the King¡¯s Brother Raidorl Zain. Ronald Arbeil¡¯s third son. My name is Sven Arbeil. Without waiting for Saara to introduce him, the boy bowed politely and said his name. ¡°You¡¯re the son of the Earl of Arbeil?¡¡I¡¯m surprised you survived¡­¡­.¡± Darren¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at the boy¡¯s face. Although Raidorl had only heard of him by name, Count Ronald Arbeil was a patriotic nobleman who was the first to send troops to meet the Empire when it breached the border. If it had not been for the efforts of Earl Arbeil, the fortress of Blaine would have fallen before Raidorl had time to send reinforcements. ¡°Yes, my father and two brothers helped me escape, and I survived. When I escaped from the Earl of Arbeil, I went to live with my uncle, Viscount Ulfert.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ The Earl of Arbeil was a truly splendid man, a model for all the noblemen of the realm. My father, Bazel, admired his valor.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m sure my father would have been delighted to be recognised by General Garst, the Protector of the Realm.¡± The boy, who looks very clever, relaxes his eyes in delight at Darren¡¯s praise. He looks strong, but his face is young for his age. ¡°Well?What does the son of the Earl of Arbeil want with us?¡± Raidorl interrupted the conversation between them. Raidorl didn¡¯t want to ruin the boy¡¯s happiness, but he couldn¡¯t help wondering why Sven, who was under the protection of Viscount Ulfert, had come here. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I have come here to show the Countess of Arbeil ¡­¡­ that, although I and a few of my vassals are the only ones left, we do not intend to support the defection of Viscount Ulfert. From now on, I will surrender myself to His Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Raidorl glanced at the thousand-horse chief next to him. Darren nodded his head in agreement. ¡°The loyalty of the Earls of Arbeil, however protected by the renegade Viscount Ulfert, is beyond all doubt. Taking into account the fact that he surrendered himself, it is unlikely that any action will be taken against the Earls of Arbeil.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know.¡± Raidorl nodded his head in satisfaction. It¡¯s not an enjoyable scene to see the Earls of Arbeil being punished for fighting for their lives and being destroyed, even though they had nothing to do with it. Raidorl patted the boy on the shoulder and said something to him. ¡°So it seems. We will take you into our custody. You can relax at your leisure until the battle is over.¡± ¡°I am very grateful for your kind words. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be pleased to know that I¡¯ll be able to help you with your conquest of Viscount Ulfert.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡¡What do you mean?¡± Raidorl tilted his head at the words of the small boy, who was no taller than his own waist. ¡°I know all about the structure of the town, the relationships and the inner workings of the Viscount Ulfert family. I think I can help you to bring down the Viscounts.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting. So what do you want in return?¡± This is a boy who is willing to help in a war, and against a family he is related to. It is natural to think that he has a purpose. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± In response to Raidorl¡¯s question, Sven took a breath and opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind. ¡°I would like you to allow me to be the new head of the family and to restore the Earls of Arbeil. And, if possible, I would like His Highness Raidorl to be my guardian.¡± ¡°Huh, guardianship.?¡± Raidorl ruminates on Sven¡¯s words in his head. As a surviving member of the Count¡¯s family, Sven¡¯s desire for reinstatement is reasonable. But why would he ask for himself as his guardian? ¡°If you want backing, I¡¯m sure there are more suitable aristocrats. I¡¯m ¡­¡­ well, I think I¡¯m pretty poorly off, if I do say so myself, don¡¯t I?¡± At any rate, the king, who is the supreme authority in the country, does not like him and wants to exclude him. To have Raidorl at his back would be to put himself in the middle of that political struggle. ¡°If you mean that His Highness is at odds with His Majesty Granard, I am prepared to accept that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think, you don¡¯t understand the situation. How can you follow me when you know that I¡¯m having a fight with Granard?¡± ¡°Your Highness is a hero who defeated the imperial army and for me, you avenged my father and brother. And¡­¡­with all due respect, it seems to me that your highness still has few allies.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡­¡± As Sven mentioned, Raidorl¡¯s allies in the Kingdom of Zain are few and far between. The only people in Raidorl¡¯s camp at the moment are the maid Neimilia, some members of the adventurer¡¯s guild, and Darren and his men. It¡¯s a developing force, but it doesn¡¯t have the resources to challenge the king. Why would Sven want to join the curtain when he knew that Raidorl was at a disadvantage? The boy answered Raidorl¡¯s question with a straight look. ¡°If you want to ride a winning horse, it¡¯s never too early. If you can win, you can not only restore the Earl of Arbeil, but also make him a great nobleman with strong influence in the heart of the country.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± At Sven¡¯s answer, Raidorl couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It seems that the boy in front of him is a great gambler. He has lost his home, he has lost his family, and now he wants to use his life as a chip to help the Earls of Arbeil rise. ¡°Haha, you call me a horse, even though I¡¯m royalty. You¡¯re a lively little shit, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I thought your Highness would prefer that to a child with a good ear. Was I wrong?¡± ¡°¡¯No, but you¡¯re right.¡± Raidorl laughed, his shoulders shaking. The boy, Sven Arbeil, is not just a child. He is a very clever strategist. With this boy on his side, he must surely be one of the fangs that will eventually pierce Granard. ¡°Sometimes I have to travel afar, don¡¯t I? I¡¯ve picked up a few things I didn¡¯t expect.¡± ¡°So, little warlord, how on earth do you propose to defeat the Viscount Ulfert?¡¡If you¡¯ve got a plan, let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. My Lord.¡± With an innocent boyish smile, Sven described his plan to bring down the noble family he had once been a part of. CH 64 A town on the verge of ruin. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Urfin is a provincial town ruled by the Viscountesses of Ulfert. Until a few months ago, the town was part of the kingdom, but now it is on high alert, with many soldiers coming and going on the walls surrounding the town. The town of Urfin has high walls and a deep moat, as it is a border town. It was built to withstand a month¡¯s siege by imperial troops, but now it was being prepared to receive the kingdom¡¯s army, which was supposed to be on its side. ¡°All right, come on through.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you, ¡­¡­.¡± Bowing to the soldier, who nodded humbly, a group of people in shabby clothes passed through the castle gates. There was a long line of people at the gate, the entrance to the town. It was a procession of villagers from the surrounding villages, who had fled to Urfin on the orders of Viscount Ulfert. It was seemingly an evacuation order to get away from a potentially war-torn village, but some of the soldiers knew what it really meant. ¡°Captain ¡­¡­, I¡¯m still heartbroken¡­¡± After screening a group of villagers and leading them inside the city walls, one of the soldiers let out a weak cry. The man called the captain looked disgusted and patted the young soldier on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t say it. There¡¯s nothing you can do about it now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re knights or mercenaries, they¡¯re just villagers.¡¡There are even women and children, and you can¡¯t force them to fight.¡± It was never the objective to save the villagers that Viscount Ulfert gathered the surrounding villagers. Rather the opposite. It was to conscript them as soldiers to fight against the kingdom¡¯s army. ¡°No, The Viscount has taken them hostage ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say another word!¡¡You don¡¯t know who¡¯s listening!¡± The captain yells at the soldier who is about to reveal the secret. Another purpose for which the villagers were gathered. They were to be used as meat shields in the event of an invasion by the kingdom¡¯s army. Viscount Ulfert is a traitor who betrayed the kingdom¡¯s army and joined the empire. But even so, the people who live in the Viscount¡¯s territory are genuine citizens of the kingdom. With them lined up as hostages on the city walls, the Royal Army would not be able to attack aggressively. And while they are buying time, Viscount Wolfert¡¯s would bribe the nobles in the royal palace and persuade the king to grant him a pardon and relief. ¡°It would be a loss to the kingdom to lose a man of my calibre!¡¡If I can defeat the kingdom¡¯s army coming here, the king will recognize my power and welcome me back into the kingdom¡¯s nobility!¡± ¨CThese are the words of Viscount Ulfert, which he uttered with such confidence. The young soldier shakes his fist and vents his pent-up frustration on his superior. ¡°I¡¯m a soldier and I¡¯ve volunteered to defend this country from the Empire. So why is it that this town has become the property of the Empire without a fight, and I have to fight against the Royal Army?¡¡It¡¯s not right to use the villagers as shields when we¡¯re trying to protect them!¡± ¡°¡­..I think it¡¯s funny, too. But we¡¯re soldiers hired by Viscount Ulfert. We¡¯re not soldiers of the kingdom, we¡¯re private soldiers of the Viscount. This spear, armor, and even the food was prepared by the Viscount.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Come on, the next villager is waiting for you! Go!¡± The captain kicked the soldier¡¯s ass and forcefully ended the conversation. There are times when you have to be covered in mud to feed your family, no matter how unconvinced you are. A young man who does not know to swallow with turbidity like himself is quickly returned to work. ¡°Uuuu¡± The young soldier looked unconvinced, but went back to his work. He ran up to the villagers who were waiting in front of the wall. A dozen or so villagers were waiting to be examined by the soldiers. Behind them followed carriages loaded with their belongings. ¡°What village are you from?¡± ¡°We¡¯re from the village of Giza in the east. We¡¯ve been ordered to evacuate.¡± A group of villagers, an older man at the head of the group, answered in a polite tone. Some of them are children. The soldier¡¯s heart throbbed as he remembered his earlier conversation with his boss. ¡°Well,¡­¡­, what¡¯s in that carriage over there?¡± ¡°We had wheat and millet in our stockpile. I brought them as emergency rations.¡± The soldier glanced at the burlap sacks packed in the wagon. Normally, the contents of the luggage should be checked properly. But the spirit of hard work had already vanished from the young soldier¡¯s mind. ¡°You can come through. We¡¯ll put up a tent in the square and you can stay there for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, yes.¡± The villagers, who had been so readily granted permission to enter, looked momentarily disappointed, but soon led the others into the town. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± But there was a sharp voice at their backs. The voice belonged to the captain who had just reprimanded the young soldier. The man who called out to him slowly turned around. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir??¡± ¡°¡­¡­, if you have any extra wheat, could you bring it to the soldiers¡¯ hall later. I¡¯ll make some arrangements for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Oh, yes, Will do.¡± The man bowed deeply and walked into the town this time. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± The young soldier looks away in silence, wondering slightly at the strangely nervous villagers. CH 65 Infiltration and Deception. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil A group of villagers entered the town of Urfin, but instead of going to the square to which the soldiers had led them, they went into a house on the outskirts of the town. It was once the home of a wealthy merchant who used to keep his mistresses in the town, and it stood quietly in a deserted back street. It is now an uninhabited ruin, with no one living or visiting, but the villagers enter the house and park their carriages as a matter of course. Then they slowly opened the rusty door and brought in the cargo on the wagon. ¡°Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t think it would go smoothly¡± One of the villagers wipes his face with a cloth to remove the dirt from his face. From beneath the dirt stained face of the villager emerged the face of the King¡¯s brother, chosen by the Holy Sword. It was Raidorl Zain. ¡°It¡¯s my first time infiltrating. I¡¯m thrilled¡± ¡°It¡¯s also my first time. Doing this¡­¡± ¡°His Highness, Captain Darren, I¡¯ll be drawing water into the tub soon, so please be patient!¡± Darren, who, like Raidorl, had been disguised as a villager, sighed with exhaustion. His second-in-command, Saara, took a wooden bucket from her pack and raced to the well outside. The walls and floors of the ruined house are completely deserted, and with every step they take,they can hear an ominous creaking sound. Raidorl carefully stepped onto the stairs of the house, making sure that the floor did not fall out. As he opens his slightly tighter clothing, he turns his attention to the man who initiated the infiltration. ¡°Sven, you were right, it was very easy to get in. I have to admit, I¡¯m a bit worried about the security situation in the border town¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the morale of the soldiers guarding it, is low, your highness¡± Sven Arbeil responds to Raidorl¡¯s words with a smile. ¡°If one betrays without a cause, one will be distrusted not only by its enemies, but also by it¡¯s subordinates and subjects who are supposed to be it;s friends. It¡¯s not uncommon in history for a traitor who betrays his lord to lose his life because his men have abandoned him.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ I¡¯ll be careful too.¡± Raidorl nodded sagely, keeping in mind that he was about to conquer his brother. He made a mental note not to go down the same path It was Raidorl, Sven, Darren and about twenty of his men who entered the town of Urfin. The house was in ruins, but Sven, who had escaped to the town, had ordered the surviving members of the Earls of Arbeil to use it as a hideout. Raidorl wasn¡¯t expecting this, but the boy is so prepared that even he is impressed. ¡°Now,¡­¡­what are we going to do now?¡¡Shall we cut our way into Viscount Ulfert¡¯s house?¡± Raidorl tore open the burlap sack he had carried in his carriage and pulled out his beloved sword, which he had hidden in a sack of wheat. He hid it in a sack of wheat to fool the gatekeepers, but the wheat-covered, jet-black holy sword didn¡¯t like it¡¯s rough treatment of it, and spewed out its black miasma in protest. In the lobby of the villa, the kingdom¡¯s soldiers, disguised as villagers, are tearing open burlap sacks one after another and assembling dismantled swords and armour to arm themselves. Although they are few in number, all here are the elite. He will not be outdone by the demoralised soldiers of the Viscounts. Darren also nodded at Raidorl¡¯s words. At the same time, Saara came back and offered them a wooden bucket of water. Raidorl and Darren wiped themselves with water and changed into their armour. The preparations for battle are well underway. However, the boy who proposed the plan shakes his head and interrupts. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯d like to avoid unnecessary death if possible.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re getting cold feet? There may be a gap in strength, but with me and the D¨¢insleif, we can make up for it.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. ¡­¡­ If there is a battle, the agents of the fire that King Granard has set could be set in motion.¡± Darren had told Sven that Granard is trying to give Raidol a bad name by setting fires in the chaos of battle. The boy was not surprised to hear of the king¡¯s plan, but rather nodded his head in agreement. Darren¡¯s brow wrinkles into a difficult expression at Sven¡¯s concern. ¡°¡­¡­The presence of the fireband is certainly a concern, but isn¡¯t some fighting inevitable?¡¡If I can defeat Viscount Ulfert quickly and without moving the army, there will not be much confusion, and even if the fire is set, the people of the town can quickly evacuate right?¡± ¡°Maybe so. But it may not be. We don¡¯t know the extent to which the operatives are prepared, so we want to be as cautious as possible.¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡­,you look like you have an idea. All right, you¡¯re in charge this time. Let¡¯s see what our master of war has in store for us.¡± Raidorl laughs in amusement and strokes Sven¡¯s head roughly with his hand. Sven¡¯s hair was ruffled and his arms and legs were flailing. He flailed his arms and legs and struggled to escape from Raidorl¡¯s hands. CH 66 Sven¡¯s clever plan Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil When the soldiers had finished preparing for battle, Sven cleared his throat. He ran a hand through his hair, which had been mussed up by Raidorl, and spoke cheerfully. ¡°There are now two forces in the city that are hostile to us.¡± ¡°Viscount Ulfert and the agents of fire, you say?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Of the two forces, it is the agents who pose the greatest threat to us.¡± It¡¯s not that the private army of Viscount Ulfert is weak, as they are only border guards, but the Royal Army has Raidorl, the holder of the Holy Sword. Raidorl¡¯s fighting ability is truly heroic. It¡¯s not impossible for Raidorl alone to take down this town, if that¡¯s what it takes. ¡°But if his highness starts a battle with the Viscount¡¯s soldiers, the agents will set fire to the town, and even if we conquer the town, we will still be defeated. We will be accused of treason and the people will be afraid of His Highness Raidorl¡± The reason why the people of Zain have accepted the powerful holder of the Holy Sword with open arms is because Raidorl is on their side. They believe that no matter how heinous his power is, it will never be turned against them. That is why they praise Raidorl as a hero. If Ulfin were to be burned to the ground and its atrocities imposed on Raidorl, the people would be frightened that the power of the sword might one day be turned against them, and they would seek to eliminate Raidorl. ¡°To prevent that from happening, we need to control the Viscount Ulfert family without creating chaos in the town and without the people or the agents knowing that a battle has taken place.¡± ¡°I understand the logic, but ¡­¡­ how is that possible?¡± It was Darren who raised the question. His second-in-command, Saara, nodded repeatedly, stealing glances at her superior¡¯s neat face. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible ¡­¡­ because I¡¯ve been laying the groundwork for this day for a long time.¡± Sven has a determined look on his face despite his still young, and there is a definite confidence in his face. What had made the boy so determined was a mystery, but Raidorl decided to leave it at that. ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­ Sven¡¯s situation concerns me a lot, but so far we¡¯ve been doing what he says and it¡¯s working. Let¡¯s just trust him for now¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what His¡­¡­Highness says, I¡¯ll say nothing. So how on earth do you propose to subdue the Viscounts?¡± ¡°Yes, ¡­¡­, first of all, we¡¯re going to attack the Viscounts, and I don¡¯t want to be presumptuous as a newcomer, but I¡¯d like to take command.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ over His Highness and Captain Daren?¡¡That would be disrespectful!¡± Saara shouted her protest. She was annoyed that Sven, the only child of a fallen nobleman, was trying to upstage his superior, His Highness Raidorl And Darren Garst. Sven glanced at the female knight and nodded as if it was justified. ¡° I know that it is too much for a man like me, who has never fought in battle, to be in charge of His Highness¡¯ army. However, both His Highness and the Thousand Horsemen are so well known that the Viscount and the soldiers may remember their faces.¡± Darren narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he listened to Sven¡¯s explanation. ¡°¡­¡­ So you¡¯re saying that we¡¯re not going to invade, we¡¯re going to invade under the guise of allies?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My aunt is married to the viscount, so I have some freedom of access to the viscount¡¯s household. It¡¯s not so easy to get a soldier to go with me, but ¡­¡­ well, I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ Well, that would certainly minimize the amount of fighting.¡± Darren snorted in agreement. In contrast, however, Raidorl¡¯s lips pursed into a look of frustration. ¡°So me and Darren have nothing to do then?¡¡We¡¯ve come all this way and we¡¯re not going to do anything.?¡± ¡°Your Highness has a job to do that only you can do¡± Sven waved his hands in the air. Then, after a long pause, he turned to Raidorl and said ¡°Your Highness and the Thousand Horsemen will have to attack another place. That is to say, the hideout of the agent who set the fire.¡± CH 67 Firebird Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil In a corner of the town of Ulfin, there was a section of warehouses that were rented out to peddlers who had come from other towns. After the Empire took over Ulfin, the warehouses were no longer popular, but a group of people were gathering in one of the warehouses. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood at all. This back breaking job.¡± A man sits on a wooden box in a rented warehouse and grumbles. He is a middle-aged man with a stubbly beard and a cigarette in his mouth, the white smoke rising to the ceiling. His superior raises his eyebrows at the sight of the man exhaling purple smoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. It is your job to burn, not you to burn up.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­what¡¯s the fun in doing all this dirty work?¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did you, the fire-eating bird, let your cowardice get the better of you?¡¡You¡¯ve burned down a lot of towns and fields.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about me like I¡¯m a bloodless murderer. I¡¯m just doing what I do best, lighting fires.¡± The middle-aged man known as the ¡°fire-eating bird¡± replies to his boss¡¯s sarcasm by putting out a cigarette. The people gathered in this rented warehouse were covert operatives sent by King Granard. Their mission in Ulfin is to set fire to the city just as Raidorl Zain is about to attack it with his army. The central figure in this operation was the fire-eating bird, a sorcerer who was particularly good at setting fires and burning people. The Fire-Eating Bird was originally one of the court magicians, and was considered to be the foremost expert in fire magic. However, an accident during an experiment with a new spell destroyed part of the palace and led to his expulsion from the Court of Magic. After a series of twists and turns, the Fire Eater became an agent under the king¡¯s direct command, and began to work behind the scenes of the kingdom, specialising in burning down enemy strongholds and fields. It was inevitable that the fire-eating bird, an expert in flames, would be assigned to this mission, but the man¡¯s face was not happy. ¡°Just because I like fire doesn¡¯t mean I have to burn everything¡­¡­.Why should I burn down my own town?¡± The fire-eating bird has done a lot of things, including when he was a court magician, but he was never a bloodless villain. In the past, when he blew up the palace to develop new magic, it was to increase the number of weapons to protect the kingdom of Zain, and when he burned down the stronghold of the enemy, it was to prevent the enemy from entering the homeland. Although somewhat warped, the Fire-Eating Bird had his own sense of justice and ethics, and drew a clear line between what could and could not be burned. ¡°This is obviously something that shouldn¡¯t be burned¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, ¡®fire-eating bird¡¯. If you¡¯re going to smoke, why don¡¯t you go outside? What if the oil catches fire?¡± In the storage room were ceiling-high crates of oil and firewood, which they had procured locally. ¡°Who do you think I am? I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± The ¡°Fire Eater¡± sniffs and puts a new cigarette in his mouth. As he holds up his forefinger, a small spark is ignited and the tip of the cigarette is lit. The man who is the captain of the operative unit narrowed his eyes at the ¡°fire-eating bird¡± who used the superior technology of non-chanting magic in a gesture that was natural. ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re not being serious are you? Do you realise how important this operation is for the survival of His Majesty Granard?¡± ¡°His Majesty¡¯s future¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If His Royal Highness Raidorl is allowed to live, he will surely do harm to your future. It is the mission of our secret service to prevent this from happening and to protect the future of the kingdom from the shadows. If you are one of them, you should be more aware of this.¡± ¡°Okay, Okay¡­¡­, I¡¯ve got it under control.¡± The fire-eating bird chuckled and let out a cloud of purple smoke. The clandestine head, scowling at the clownish man¡¯s gesture, dismisses the sermon, saying that there is no point in saying anything. A glance at the captain who is shaking his head in dismay, ¡°Fire Eater¡± spits purple smoke with depressed emotions. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s a battle for power. The only people who get caught up in it are the lowlifes like me and the people who don¡¯t know what¡¯s going¡­¡­¡­Human beings are ugly.The only thing that is beautiful is this flame.¡± Under the guidance of the fire-eating birds, fire-starting devices filled with oil and firewood are being placed all over the town. These devices, placed throughout the town by a sorcerer who knows all about fire, have been perfectly calculated to ensure that the fire will be strong and the smoke will flow in the right direction, so that when the operation starts, half the town will be burned to the ground and many lives will be lost. When he thinks of the gloomy fact that it is he who has created the devil¡¯s device that has taken the lives of so many innocent people and placed the blame on his innocent brother and sister, his brow naturally creases. ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to go outside and smoke.¡± The fire-eating bird rises from the crate he has been using as a chair and turns his back on his fellow operatives, ready to leave the warehouse. But before he could put his hand on the door, it slid sideways and opened from the outside. ¡°Sorry to disturb you. Incoming Peddler¡¯s party .¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Suddenly, the door opened and the ¡°Fire-Eating Bird¡± jumped back involuntarily. A man¡¯s silhouette loomed in the backlight as light streamed in through the gap in the side door. ¡°You can¡¯t come in here without permission. This is a warehouse that we rent.¡± The captain of the team, wearing a friendly mask, tries to deal with the intruder. Behind him, another operative draws a weapon from the door, hidden from view. ¡°Look, please get out. We¡¯re in the process of taking inventory of merchandise¡± ¡°Oh, inventory? I thought you were preparing for some kind of trick, but you¡¯re not. ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°¡­..Are you sure you¡¯re not confusing me with someone else? We¡¯re just peddlers.¡± The captain of the group makes excuses with a hint of caution. As he does so, his eyes gradually adjust to the light from outside, and the face of the person in front of him becomes clearer. ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­, we¡¯re dead.¡± The first person to notice the identity of the person was the fire-eating bird. He throws his shortened cigarette on the ground, stomps on it, takes out a new one and sips it. He then takes out a new cigarette and exhales, savouring it slowly, as if it were his last cigarette. ¡°No, you¡¯re not wrong. This is the hiding place of a fake peddler who loves to play with fire, isn¡¯t it?¡± The man then slammed the door shut behind him, blocking them from escaping. The man with the jet-black sword hanging from his waist was the target of the plot, Raidorl Zain. CH 68 Loyalty in secrecy. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°What ¡­¡­ Raidorl!? How did you find this place ¡­¡­?¡± The captain of the operative unit froze when Raidorl suddenly apperead in the rented warehouse where they had been hiding. This reaction already told Raidorl that they were Granard¡¯s covert operatives, but he had no time to think about it. ¡°You¡¯re too obvious, you know. You can¡¯t fool the eyes of our chief of staff with such rough work.¡± They had been spotted by Sven Arbeil from the moment they arrived in the town. In the first place, it was impossible for a peddler to come to a town that was occupied by the enemy and the situation was unstable. Sven had his men, who were the vassals of the Earl of Arbeil, watching them from the very start, and they knew that they were going to set fire to the town from the way they were buying oil and firewood. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know that these guys worked for Granard until Darren told me about it.¡± ¡°So now that I know you¡¯re my brother¡¯s men,¡­¡­ what are you going to do? Are you willing to surrender?¡¡If you surrender, I will not take your life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± The captain glares at Raidorl, who warns him to surrender. He pulls out a blade he has hidden in his clothes and points it at Raidorl. ¡°We are a covert unit under the direct command of His Majesty the King. Our bodies and souls are dedicated to his Majesty and the royal family of Zain. We would rather die than surrender!¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s a lot of loyalty. What a wasted loyalty of a foolish king.¡± ¡°How dare you smear His Majesty,¡­¡­fire-eating bird!¡± The captain shouts out the names of his men to attack Raidorl and laughs mockingly. The man with the stubble blinks as he inhales what may be the last cigarette of his life. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Change of plan!¡¡I¡¯m going to kill His Highness Prince Raidorl right here and offer his head to His Majesty!¡± The captain, whose face was as featureless as a covert¡¯s, twisted his flat face into a hideous grimace. ¡°It would have been better if we had done this from the start. Instead of the euphemism of setting fire to the city and giving it a bad name, an elite assassination squad like ours could have taken His Highness¡¯ head and the House of Zain would have been safe!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m also a member of the Zain royal family. What about that?¡± ¡°Hmph, we don¡¯t think as a royal of Zain when you¡¯re banished to the frontier.You are now a menace to the country. You are a disease that must be cut off and destroyed!¡± The captain¡¯s face is tinged with madness. This man would kill his parents and brothers for the sake of his country, for the sake of his lord. Selfless devotion. It is a perfect example of a covert operative who sacrifices everything to do dirty work for the sake of the master he serves. It was a different kind of loyalist than Lockwood or General Garst, and Raydor narrowed his eyes in admiration. It would be impossible to persuade this man, even with all his words. Raidorl gives up trying to persuade the captain and turns his attention to the most unwilling man in the task force ¨C the Fire-Eating Bird. ¡°What about you?¡¡Are you going to give up and surrender?¡± ¡°Hmmm, ¡­¡­, I wish I could.¡± ¡°Firebird! You!¡± ¡°Captain. How are we supposed to stand up to this monster? Don¡¯t be absurd.¡± The fire-eating bird raises his hands to the ceiling in response to his boss¡¯s reprimand. He literally gives up. ¡°His Highness Raidorl, as you can see..the captain is not a magician, he can¡¯t see¡­ no matter how we fight, even I can¡¯t beat His Highness Raidorl with such a magical power.¡± The first-class magician, ¡°The Fire-Eating Bird,¡± saw something that the captain and other operatives could not see. It was a jet-black magic spewing from the back of Raidorl¡¯s head. It is a torrent of evil energy that is so haunting that it could drive anyone insane if they stare at it long enough. ¡°Is this the power of the holy sword?Isn¡¯t this a mistake for a magical sword?¡­..¡± (TL:same conclusion as Cruz) The fire-eating bird, seeing the flow of magic that is too evil, vomits meekly inwardly. He with the cigarette in his mouth has a relaxed attitude, but his spine is sweating like a waterfall. ¡°I would have thrown my hands and feet on the floor and surrendered right now if I had been allowed to, or I would have given up everything and run away.¡± However, the little pride that remains in ¡°The Fire-Eating Bird¡± refuses to surrender or run away. ¡°I¡¯ve raped as many people as I wanted and burned countless things. ¡­¡­ I can¡¯t beg for my life just because it¡¯s my turn to die now. Well, I guess I¡¯ll give up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Captain. I¡¯m not going to betray you. ¡­¡­ Well, I don¡¯t think I can, but let¡¯s have a big fireworks display at the end.¡± ¡°Is that how it is¡­¡­ no one is going to surrender.¡± Removing his gaze from the ¡°fire-eating birds¡± who had declared hostilities, Raidorl looked at other operatives present. Not all of the agents in the covert unit seem to be prepared. Some are contorting their faces in fear, while others are scurrying around, looking for an opportunity to escape. But no one seems to be surrendering to the atmosphere around them, and all of them have their weapons at the ready. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get on with it¡­¡­¡± ¡°Attack!!!¡± Faster than Raidorl putting his hand on the holy sword at his waist, the captain called out and covert troops flew into the air and attacked. CH 69 Possession by a spirit Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Up, down, left and right. The king¡¯s covert troops attacked from four directions as Raidorl stood in front of the warehouse door. The armoured blades in their hands swung down in unison. The speed with which they reduced the distance to zero in the blink of an eye, and the precision with which they combined, was remarkable even to Raidorl. ¡°you¡¯re fast ¡­¡­, But.¡± The smile on Raidorl¡¯s face never fades. He grasped the hilt of his D¨¢insleif with a relaxed hand, ignoring the blade that was about to pierce his body. At the same moment, a black miasma erupted from the jet-black holy sword, which was still in its sheath, and splashed the covert who was jumping at it. ¡°Gu..AAAAAAAA¡± ¡°This is dull compared with the thunderbolt of C¨¦lia. Don¡¯t think you can pierce me with that kind of thrust.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What abominable power!¡± After kicking the enemy without even drawing his sword, Raidorl glared coldly at the covert who was blown away and plunged headfirst into his luggage. In just a few seconds, half his men were defeated, and the captain of the covert unit¡¯s expression twisted into one of frustration. ¡°¡¯Firebird¡¯, what are you doing?¡¡Release your magic now!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve just finished preparing ¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°O hellfire, born of the depths.¡± ¡°Redder than vermilion, hotter than lava, the bird of blood.¡± Two voices came from the mouth of the Fire-Eating Bird at the same time. Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened at the sound of the two voices, which sounded like a sophisticated ventriloquism. ¡°Double chanting and double cast¡­¡­¡­¡­Spirit possession?¡± ¡°Well, how did you know? You¡¯re quite knowledgeable.¡± His red tongue was shown to Raidorl and above it were two black eyeballs and pale lips. There is a bruise on the tongue that looks like an anthrax. The distorted face on the tongue moved as its eyeballs and looked at Raidorl It was not a birthmark. It is certainly the face of a living creature. ¡°¡­..Neimilia likes to invoke the spirits of darkness, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a spirit used by anyone other than that guy.¡± The face on his tongue is a grim one, and Raidorl mutters to himself. Some of the best sorcerers make a pact with a higher being, a spirit, who lives in a place called the astral realm and grants them blessings. Spirit possession is the most unusual of these. A spirit possession is an aberration, a parasite of the spirit that has become one with the body. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that spirit possession is the result of an unconscious contract made with a spirit during childhood, when the child is still immature. Also, that most spirit possessed people die before they reach adulthood due to a power outburst?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t fit into that category. I¡¯m an acquired cultured spirit.¡± In the past, when he was a court magician, the Fire Eater would surgically insert spirits into the human body and deliberately create spirit possession. After using his own body as a test subject, he unleashed his power and destroyed part of the palace. The Fire-Eating Bird was expelled from the court as a heretic with dangerous ideas, but in exchange for his position at court, he succeeded in capturing the power of the spirits as a result of his experiments. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡­ then, shall we? Your Royal Highness!¡± ¡°Go crazy, go crazy, go crazy!¡± ¡°Burn, burn, burn!¡± ¡°Rage, hellfire!¡± ¡°Swallow, immortal flaming bird!¡± ¡°Gehenna Flame!¡± ¡°Flare Falcon!¡± The mouth of a man and the mouth of a spirit. The two mouths finish their chanting at the same time, and two spells are shot at Raidorl. A circular magic circle appeared around his feet The geometric pattern flickered and flames of hellfire shot out from under his feet. At the same time, a phoenix with wings of flame appeared above the head of the ¡°Fire-Eating Bird¡± and attacked Raidorl, cutting through the air. The flames are hot enough to melt steel surrounded Raidorl from all sides. Seeing Raidorl swallowed by the flames, the captain of the covert unit shouted in unionsion. The fire-eating bird has unleashed a spell of the highest order, a spell that only a handful of court magicians can perform. The spell is where a normal person would disappear without leaving a single bone. But that is, if Raidorl was a normal person. ¡°¡­.. Damn it! it¡¯s not working at all!¡± As the captain and the rest of the covert crew shouted in triumph, the fire-eating bird puckered its lips in bitterness. He reaches into his pocket for a new cigarette, but frowns even more when he realises that the one he¡¯s just taken was his last. ¡°I¡¯m depressed that 30 years of study hasn¡¯t made a difference. I¡¯m going to burn up¡± Raidor¡¯s body is still embraced by the fire of the Red Lotus. However, a huge magic power overflowed from the fire. It was as if he was looking into an abyss, and the black magic was not diminished. And then¨C ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The next thing ¡®firebird¡¯ knows, the magic flames have been neutralised. Raidorl didn¡¯t do anything special. He saw no sign of magic being used. Despite the fact that nothing had been done, the two highest level spells were extinguished in an instant. ¡°No way! This is ridiculous !¡± The captain shouts as if he can¡¯t believe it. In the space where the flames had raged earlier, stood Raidorl with his holy sword still in its sheath. CH 70 End Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Nonsense, nonsense! This can¡¯t be happening!¡± The captain of the covert unit rants and raves at the unreasonable sight before him. Despite being subjected to the flames of a hellish slaughter, the Raidorl standing in front of him has not suffered a single burn. On the contrary, there is not even a single burn mark on his clothes. It was understandable that he was in a frenzy, unable to accept the reality of the situation. ¡°Double chanting of the highest level of magic ¨C that¡¯s brilliant magic. I¡¯m terrified¡­..-not¡± The captain is making a lot of noise, scratching his face with his nails. Ignoring the noisy man, Raidorl turns his attention to the ¡°fire-eating bird¡±. It would have sounded like sarcasm coming from an uninjured man, but Raidorl¡¯s words were sincere in their praise. The fire-eating bird was using a very high level of fire magic, but the fire did not ignite the building. Moreover, the fire did not spread to the crates of wood and oil stacked in the warehouse. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m afraid this is it, Your Royal Highness.¡± But the fire-eating bird seemed to take Raidorl¡¯s praise as irony, and covered his face with his hands and looked up to the sky. ¡°It didn¡¯t look like you used the power of a holy sword, did you by any chance use magic alone to twist it?¡± ¡°Hmmm, is it magic though?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t to admit it¡­but if I¡­.¡± The Fire-Eating Bird¡¯ sighed in disgust. Raidorl did not use magic, nor did he draw his holy sword. In order to prevent the fire magic, Raidorl did only one thing. The only thing he did to prevent the fire magic was to use all his strength and energy. ¡°I never thought His Highness crush my fire just his strength¡­¡­ that huge amount of magic power. Yeah, it¡¯s a real confidence killer.¡± The fire-eating bird is a magical flame. In other words, it is a fire created by magic power. Theoretically, the same magic power could be contested against Raidorl¡¯s magic prowess, but it was a terribly fuel-inefficient method. It¡¯s like trying to put out a bonfire by blowing on it, instead of pouring water or sand on it. ¡°How much magic does it take to do that? I feel like I¡¯m challenging a god or a demon.¡± In the past, when he was a court magician, fire-eating bird had one of the most powerful magic powers in the kingdom, but even he was too light to be put on the same scale as Raidorl¡¯s magic power. It¡¯s the difference between a candle and a forest fire. ¡°I give up. I surrender, I surrender! I surrender!¡± The fire-eating bird, no longer worthy of opposition, quickly gives up on confronting Raydor and kneels down on the spot. He was prepared to die at one point, but the monster in front of him would not see his determination as an obstacle as much as dust. So there¡¯s no point in fighting when losing was the obvious conclusion. He can try boil it, burn it, whatever he want but, ¡°Fire-eating birds? You¡¯re going to betray me!?¡± The captain of the covert unit shouts bitingly at the surrender of his best forces. ¡°Cut me some slack, captain. The culmination of 30 years of my life as a sorcerer has been wiped out so easily. I can¡¯t burn His Highness down no matter what I do.¡± ¡°Are you still a secret agent of the Crown? Do you not owe the royal family a debt of gratitude and loyalty?¡± ¡°No? I just got fired from my old job and came here. I have no debt or obligation to you.¡± ¡°Ki, you ¡­¡­!¡± The ¡°Fire-Eating Bird¡± laughs while dressed with his buttocks on the floor. The captain had a blue streak on his forehead and was about to turn his blade on the traitor before him. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one whose ¡­¡­ heart has been broken, you know?¡± ¡°Ha¡­?¡± When the captain turned around with a puzzled look on his face, the covert units were sitting down, losing their will to fight. Some had their heads in their hands, some were stunned, some had their hands folded in prayer to God. Some had given up on life and were even reciting resignation. All the agents had already lost their will to fight and had given up their weapons. ¡°You bastards!¡¡What are you doing?¡¡You can¡¯t kneel down in front of the enemy¡­¡­¡± ¡°I admire your loyalty, but not everyone can give their soul to loyalty.¡± ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid! On your feet! On your feet!¡¡We are a covert force under the direct command of the glorious royal family!¡¡We are the shadow of a king who cannot be defe¡ª-!¡± There was a damp, buzzing sound. The captain lowered his gaze at the sound made nearby and saw the tip of a jet-black sword protruding from his chest. A red stain stains the jacket that the captain was wearing. ¡°I think I could have won without drawing my sword, but I respect your loyalty. You may take this sword with you when you go.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°A wasteful loyalty to that foolish brother¡± Raidorl pulled out D¨¢insleif that he had stuck into the captain¡¯s back. The captain, freed from the blade of the holy sword, falls unsteadily to the ground and a red puddle spreads across the floor of the rental warehouse. ¡°¡­..You were a noisy boss, but I didn¡¯t hate you.¡± After confirming that the captain had died, the fire-eating bird flew countless fireflies with both hands as a sign of condolence. (TL1: sorry last week no post chapter, both me and editor were busy) (TL2:This arc will be slightly boring(depending on the reader) but please be patient, eventually you¡¯ll see the bigger picture) (Tl3: I saw the comments asking what happen to Meltina, well..she¡¯ll will be in this arc. And as of right now, she¡¯s no longer at the pionner city instead she¡¯s in the royal capital but..) CH 71 The beginning of the fallen sun. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Meanwhile, at the same time. A group of men were visiting the house of the Viscount Ulfert in the centre of Ulfin. About a dozen men, all clad in armour and armed with swords at their waists. A soldier on guard duty shouted out in panic as they came to the gate. ¡°Stop!¡¡Who are you?¡± The soldiers guarding the gate of the mansion naturally stopped the group that appeared in front of them. At a time when a clash with the royal army was imminent, a group of armed men appeared in the house of the lord, the highest authority in the town. The soldiers were understandably alarmed. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡¡You are not soldiers of the Viscount¡¯s!¡± ¡°I am sorry to startle you, sir. They are my men.¡± ¡°You are ¡­¡­ Sven Arbeil!¡± The soldier on guard bows his head in surprise as the boy steps forward. The armed group was led by Sven Arbeil. He was a survivor of the Earls of Arbeil, who perished in the war with the Alsatian Empire. Normally, there was no need to pay homage to the children of a noble family that had already died out, no matter how privileged their upbringing. However, Sven was also the nephew of their employer, Viscount Ulfert. And if he was treated unkindly, she would punish him. The soldier on guard changed his tone to one of politeness, which was not appropriate for a boy of thirteen. ¡°Well, Sven. What are these soldiers doing here?¡± ¡°They are vassals of the Earls of Arbeil. They were among the refugees who fled to this town and were reunited with me, and they have become my servants again.¡± ¡°Oh! Well, well, well, you¡¯ve made it this far, alive!¡± ¡°I have brought them here to introduce them to the Viscount. ¡­¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind if I enter the house?¡± ¡°Is ¡­¡­ no, it¡¯s a bit ¡­¡­?¡± The soldier slurred his words at the unexpected suggestion. If it is Sven alone, he has permission to come and go freely in the house, but can he let his subordinate soldiers in without permission? He can¡¯t refuse to let them in, but it¡¯s not something that a lowly soldier like him can really judge. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll give you permission.¡± The guard was about to run to the soldier¡¯s office to check, when a well-dressed middle-aged man stopped him. The man who had stopped him was the head of the servants in the house, a man who had been given the rank of ¡°head of house¡±. The man was not a nobleman, but he was the second most powerful man in the town. Naturally, he was not someone a simple soldier could talk to on equal terms. The soldier on guard stood there with his mouth hanging open at the unexpected appearance of the big man. ¡°What¡¯s that, ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°A quick hello is okay. It would be too much trouble for us to go to the trouble of checking your identity and making a physical examination. We have been on friendly terms with the Earls of Arbeil for many years, and I think we can trust them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?, but it¡¯s ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Or is it ¡­¡­ you don¡¯t trust my judgment so much?¡± ¡°No, sir, not at all!¡± The soldier straightens his back in a hurry as he is stared at by the house commander. The armed group, led by Sven, entered the interior of the house of the Viscount Ulfert, passing by the soldiers, who were now standing like stone statues. ¡°Thank you, Your Excellency. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to go to¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, take your time¡± Just before he passed through the door of the house, the housekeeper gave Sven a sign by closing one eye. But no one noticed the secret sign. CH 72 The blade at his side. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil When Sven¡¯s group visited the house, Viscount Ulfert, the owner of the house, was staring at his desk. Spread out on the desk, made of fine oak, were letters from noblemen in the capital who had been collaborating with the Viscount. Asking him to intercede with the Crown for having betrayed the Kingdom of Zain and turned to the Empire, but the response had been unfavourable. ¡°Oh, you young fellow!¡¡I¡¯m was going to help to rebuild the kingdom back, but you¡¯re too stubborn¡± The one to whom Viscount Ulfert¡¯s resentment is directed is the young king, Granard Zain. Granard was determined to purge the border nobility who had turned to the empire, and the Viscount¡¯s intercessions were not going unanswered. The reason for this was that if the traitors were allowed to return to power, it would ruin Granard¡¯s plan to use their lives to discredit Raidorl, but the viscount, who knew nothing of this, seized the letter from his friend without mercy. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡¡The Kingdom of Zain has survived to this day because I, the Viscounts of Ulfert, have protected its borders!¡¡You ungrateful fool of a king!¡± The Viscount spits out misplaced words with resentment. It¡¯s true that the Viscount Ulfert family has always worked hard to protect the eastern borders, but the current Lord of Ulfert, Bobald Ulfert, has flatly abandoned his most important duty. This is why it is now in danger of extinction, but such childish logic does not sit well with the viscount. What the Viscount is concerned about is how to make his own existence worthy of recognition. It is the only way to protect his position and wealth. That¡¯s all he cares about. ¡°I have no choice but to use inhabitants of the town ..as a shield against to drive back the exiled prince. If I can defeat the man who has come to be known as the hero of our country, he will surely cry out to me to spare my strength and come back to the kingdom!¡± The Viscount drew a picture of the future in his mind, a mixture of twisted delusion and wishful thinking, and laughed. The Viscount¡¯s ears suddenly heard a sound of a knock at the door of his office. ¡°¡­..Who is it?¡± ¡°Excuse me, sir. Viscount.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Sven! How nice to see you!¡± The door is discreetly opened by Sven Arbeil, a boy of noble birth who is under the protection of the Viscount Ulfert. The Viscount smiles and invites the boy, a relative of his, in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you at work. If you¡¯re busy, I can come back later. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s all right. I was just about to take a break.¡± Viscount Ulfert smiles and offers Sven a chair. The reason why this greedy aristocrat was so friendly to Sven was because of a certain calculation. ¡°If this war is concluded in favor of the kingdom and the land of the Earl of Arbeil is returned, Sven is the only one who can inherit the restored Earl family. If I can get my daughter to marry Sven, and if I can get him to back me up, they all will be at my mercy ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You could be my nephew ¡­¡­ or even my future son. You don¡¯t have to be so frightened, you can take it easy.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. I can¡¯t thank you enough for your protection and your help.¡± Sven looks at the Viscount with gratitude and respect. The Viscount, his ego sated by the boy¡¯s attitude, sniffed and puffed, proudly displaying his flabby chest. ¡°You can always count on me!¡¡By the way, ¡­¡­, what can I do for you today?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve brought along some people I¡¯d like to introduce to the Viscount.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± As the Viscount looks over, the door to his office is opened again and several men enter the room. The Viscount flinched and took a step or two backwards at the sight of the men, who were armed to the teeth. ¡°Who are these men?¡± ¡°Oh, they are the surviving members of the Earls of Arbeil. We were able to see them again in the town, and we brought them here to meet the Viscount.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. I see!¡± The Viscount coughed to disguise his fright, and turned to the soldiers in a pompous manner. ¡°You were a vassal of the Earl of Arbeil, weren¡¯t you? I am sorry for your loss, but from now on you are to serve Sven as your lord.¡± ¡°Ha, yes, sir. Viscount!¡¡We will do our best to serve the Countess of Arbeil!¡± ¡°Mmmmmmm¡± He stroked his moustache in a grand gesture to the soldier who reverently replied. Sven smiles at the Viscount, who nods his head in an exaggerated manner, his chin jiggling. ¡°By the way, my dear Viscount. I¡¯m here today to ask a favor of the Viscount¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hou? Sven is like a son to us. Anything you asks, I¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°it will be to my advantage later to deal with the Earls of Arbeil if I do him a favour.¡± The Viscount nodded his head with a lot of ulterior motives. Whether the Viscount knew it or not, Sven said coldly, with a bright, childlike smile on his face. ¡°Then¡­.I¡¯ll take¡­.. Viscount Ulfert¡¯s domain, then, can I?¡± ¡°Ha¡­?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking over your domain.¡± At the same time as Sven¡¯s words, all the soldiers who had entered the office drew their swords at the same time. Five swords were thrust at his neck at once, and Viscount Ulfert¡¯s face was drawn in a stupid way. CH 73 Betrayal and treachery Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°What the hell is this? Sven!¡± The Viscount Ulfert, who had a sword to his neck, shouted in utter agitation. Sven looked up at the troubled faces of his relatives and gave a deliberate sigh. ¡°I told you¡­¡­ I¡¯m taking over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to take the Ulfert family!? Do you think you have the guts? Guards! Guards!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use, Viscount. The other soldiers have already been sent away from the house. No matter how much you shout, I don¡¯t think anyone will come here.¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡­. How could such crooks get into my house?¡± ¡°I was let in with the help of a very kind person. A friend is a friend, I suppose.¡± Sven¡¯s explanation was evasive, but the Viscount was surprisingly perceptive in getting to the truth. ¡°You mean there¡¯s a traitor¡­¡­? In my house, in my ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Very good, my dear Viscount. ¡­¡­ You¡¯re very clever, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, no, no, no!¡¡There can be no one in this house who would betray me!¡± The Viscount stomped on the floor with a thud. Sven¡¯s face tightened slightly at the sound of the floor threatening to fall out. ¡°Do you not know what it¡¯s like to betray your kingdom for your own protection? Now, you know what it¡¯s like for a man to turn on his enemies for his own protection.¡± There were several traitors in the family of Viscount Ulfert, including the man who was the head of the family. They had been lobbied by Sven for a long time, but in the end he invited them to his house on the condition that Raidorl would guarantee their family and property. Just as the viscount had sold himself to the empire for his own greed and protection, so too did the servants of the house have something to protect. ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Who do you think I am?I am the chosen one, the head of the House of Viscount Ulfert! How can anyone betray me?¡± But those who harm others do not allow themselves to be victimised. The Viscount put himself on the shelf, his face turning red as he shouted in anger. ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s me, it¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Shut up, please. You¡¯re making me deaf.¡± One of the swords is thrust into the neck of the Viscount, who is unable to move because of the sword. The Viscount screams exaggeratedly, although the cut on his neck is only a slight stab from the tip of the sword. The Viscount, his large body shaking, turned his eyes on Sven. ¡°Sven, ¡­¡­ I saved your life. You lost your home, your family, I hid you and gave you a place to live. So why did you betray me¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Oh?¡¡Isn¡¯t it true that you only took me into custody to take advantage of me?¡¡Were you planning to take over the Earl of Arbeil¡¯s house as a backer when it was restored, or sell it to the Empire for a reward?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right..¡± The viscount turned pale at the revelation. Sven had the idea that this greedy man was hiding his relatives out of the kindness of his heart. The Viscount¡¯s shallow scheming had been seen through from the start. But the Viscount was determined to survive. ¡°Well, then why did you come to this town?¡¡Why did you come here knowing that you would be used ¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all about ¡­¡­ revenge, of course.¡± ¡°Vengeance?¡± The Viscount repeats Sven¡¯s words like a child. The viscount glares coldly at him and Sven grits his teeth. ¡°Yes ¡­¡­ I dared to take refuge here to kill you for betraying the Earls of Arbeil and selling them out to the Empire. Viscount.¡± CH 74 The Dagger of Absolution. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°The most important factor that led to the easy destruction of my family by the Empire was the leakage of internal information to the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Sven speaks in a cheerful tone in front of Viscount Wolfert, who has fallen silent. ¡°The Earls of Arbeil had a fortified city that was impregnable. The city was impregnable and well-fed, and even if it had been besieged by an enemy army, it could have been held for months¡­. However, a hidden passage, known only to the Countesses, was discovered by the imperial troops and allowed the enemy to enter the city through it.¡± It was originally intended as a hidden passage for the Count¡¯s people to escape to the outside world in the event of the fall of the town, but it turned out to be the very thing that brought about the Count¡¯s downfall. The Countess of Arbeil¡¯s army was attacked by surprise through the hidden passage, and all of the Countess¡¯s men, except Sven, were killed. ¡°What does that have to do with ¡­¡­ me?¡± ¡°The only people who knew the location of the hidden passageway were my parents, my brother, me,¡­¡­, and my aunt, who married into the Viscount family, Viscount¡± ¡°Ghh¡­.¡± ¡°And the other day, when I questioned my aunt, she told me that she had told you about the hidden passage. She convinced me that she needed it to send reinforcements. When she learned that the Countess of Arbeil had been destroyed because of her secret, she wept and repented to Sven. The sight of her sturdy aunt in tears made Sven¡¯s eyes grow even darker. ¡°This is why I am going to take revenge on you. ¡­¡­ Do you understand, Viscount?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know anything! I did not sell the Count¡¯s house!¡± The Viscount¡¯s face turns pale, and he shakes his head, repeating his denial. As he was shaking his head and repeating his denial, his eyes moved rapidly and sweat poured down his forehead. None of the soldiers here, let alone Sven, believed in the Viscount¡¯s words. The young soldier, who had lost his family, was even more determined. ¡°¡­¡­ Of the ¡®Eight Eastern Houses¡¯ that are entrusted with territories on the border, six have turned to the Empire. Five of these families have been forced to give money and food to the Empire as proof of their betrayal. Some families have deputies sent from the Empire. How is it that only the Viscount of Ulfert is exempt from this?¡± ¡°Ugh. ¡­¡­ Well, that¡¯s ¡­¡­ ¡°You sold my house, the Earl of Arbeil, to avoid paying taxes to the Empire, didn¡¯t you?¡¡Or did you sell the Earl of Arbeil in order to get a better deal than the other houses?¡± ¡°Ah, ¡­¡­ ah, ¡­¡­.¡± The Viscount¡¯s lips quiver as he backs away. Sven slowly lifted his hand and thrust his fingertips to him. ¡°You made my father kill the Earl of Arbeil for your own protection!¡¡You murdered your own brother-in-law, the man who was supposed to be looking out for you!¡± ¡°Hiiiiii!!!!¡± The Viscount shakes his body and finally falls on his buttocks. The pig-fat man looks at the boy, who is only half his size, with frightened eyes. The crime he had committed was now before him to be judged. In the eyes of the Viscount, Sven looked like the Grim Reaper with his scythe raised. ¡°Yu, forgive me!¡¡I had to do it this way!¡¡It¡¯s the only way for the Ulfert family to survive¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­Viscount, if you have no choice but to betray me for the sake of your own house, then let me do the same.¡± ¡°¡­..ha?!¡± The Viscount did not understand the meaning of Sven¡¯s words, and asked him back with a dumb face. The Viscount, who was sitting on his buttocks, narrowed his eyes coldly ¨C without hesitation, he flipped his right hand. ¡°Gahh¡­¡­.¡± The sharp metal tip is struck into the Viscount¡¯s neck. With a flash of silver, Sven plunged the dagger he had hidden in his clothes into Viscount¡¯s throat. ¡°I will offer your life as a gift to His Highness Prince Raidorl and restore the Earldom of Arbeil. As a member of a noble family, I will get my hands dirty for the sake of the family. It¡¯s the same as what the Viscount did. You¡¯re not complaining, are you?¡± ¡°Gah ¡­¡­ is ¡­¡­ or is¡­¡­¡± The child Sven¡¯s slender arms could not penetrate the neck of the flabby Viscount. The Viscount was stabbed in the throat, bleeding, and his body was convulsing with a strange breathing sound. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to ¡­¡­, I don¡¯t want to ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Neither Sven nor the other soldiers had any mercy on the suffering Viscount Ulfert. Ulfert cried out for a full five minutes before finally dying. CH 75 The house that lost its master. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil The town of Urfin, in the east of the Kingdom of Zain, was conquered by the Royal Army without bloodshed. Every one of King Granard¡¯s agents hiding in Urfin was captured, and the plot to undermine Raidorl by slaughtering the people of the town was also buried in darkness. After destroying the squadron, Raidorl strode leisurely into the grounds of the Viscount¡¯s palace, with the people of the city staring at him. Raidorl was greeted at the gate by Sven Arbeil, the man who had taken control of the house. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you. It looks like you¡¯re in good hands.¡± ¡°Yes, it was no problem.¡± Raidorl replied shortly to the young soldier and pointed behind him with his thumb. Following behind Raidorl are Darren and his men. And then there were the members of the task force who had been roped in. The secret agents, who had been shown the overwhelming difference in power, continued with a gloomy expression on their face, as if they had given up trying to escape. The only exception was the sorcerer known as the ¡°fire-eating bird¡±. The man, who looked uncomfortably like a prisoner of war, was frowning as he chewed grass from the road instead of his beloved tobacco. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Viscount¡¯s soldiers?¡¡They seem to be quiet¡­¡­¡± Raidorl asked Sven, looking at the soldiers guarding the gate. The soldiers, who were supposed to be under the command of Viscount Ulfert, were doing their duty without a care in the world, even though their master had been killed. The Viscount¡¯s house was unmoved by the death of his lord, and the lack of confusion was an anomaly. ¡°The Viscount is dead, but his wife¡­¡­ is still alive and well. The wife persuaded the soldiers to quietly surrender the house and the town to the Royal Army. The Viscountess Ulfert was a daughter-in-law of the Countess of Arbeil and Sven¡¯s aunt. Even though she was Ulfert¡¯s wife, she had a grudge against the Viscount who betrayed her family and sold her to the Empire. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could do it without killing a single soldier. You¡¯re a very clever man, you know that?¡± Raidorl¡¯s heartfelt praise for the military strategist who had devised a plan to bring down Ulfin in just one day. If it were strictly speaking, Viscount Ulfert and the leader of the operative force would have lost their lives, but the damage would have been a mere speck of dust when he considered that they had brought down a town of this size. ¡°I am truly honoured by your praise, Your Highness, Raidorl. But I¡¯d like to ask you a favor¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What? Tell me.¡± ¡°The Viscountess, my aunt and her daughter, had nothing to do with the rebellion. If it were possible, I would like to ask Your Highness to protect them¡­¡­¡± The crime of treason is a great crime for which the whole family is punished. In the light of the law of the kingdom, the betrayal of Viscount Ulfert would have led to the execution of his wife and children. But for Sven, the Viscountess is his aunt and her daughter is his cousin. Sven¡¯s hatred for Viscount Ulfert, the traitor of his family, had not disappeared even after his revenge, but he did not want to harm his innocent relatives. ¡°Very well. I promise to protect the Viscount¡¯s wife and children with the authority I have been given by my brother: the power of life and death over captives.¡± ¡°I thank you for your mercy, Your Highness.¡± ¡°No matter. It¡¯s a small price to pay for your work.¡± Raidorl nodded hawkishly and clapped his hands. ¡°That¡¯s the end of the story. Now that the battle is over, let¡¯s talk about what¡¯s next.¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve defeated Viscount Ulfert ¡­¡­, there are only five border nobles left to purge. Do you have any plans, our Lord Strategist?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± Sven puffed out his chest and held up his forefinger. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s use the secret agent Your Highness has captured. You can use their parents if they are still standing. I don¡¯t have any parents, though, do I?¡± Sven made a joke that was difficult to return, and said it in a mischievous way. CH 76 The Ripple Effect Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Raidorl and the rest of the kingdom¡¯s army defeated the renegade Viscount Ulfert and conquered the city of Ulfin. And for his great contribution to that victory, Sven Arbeil was officially appointed as Raidorl¡¯s military strategist. The eight eastern families that guard the borders of the Alsatian Empire ¨C there are only five traitorous families left. In order to defeat them, the young warlord Sven has a new plan. ¡°What am I to do?!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Ectura is a town in the south of Ulfin. In the Baron of Eladin, who rules the town, a man cried out. The man who cowered in the corner of the room, holding his body in his hands and screaming, was the owner of the house, Baron Royle Eladin. He is a man of many years, and his face is pale, his thin shoulders shaking violently, and his tears flowing like waterfalls. The other day, a rumour came to the Baron¡¯s town of Ectura. The rumour was that Ulfin, a neighbouring town, had been overrun by the armies of Zain. In addition, the fortified city of Ulfin had fallen in less than a day, and Viscount Ulfart had been killed without being able to resist. As soon as he heard the report, Baron Eladin locked himself in his room and spent the rest of the day trembling. ¡°I never thought that Viscount Ulfert would be killed so easily!¡¡I¡¯ll be next!¡¡It¡¯s my turn to be killed!¡± The baron cried out, pulling the blanket over his head. The rumour that was tormenting the Baron was coming from Sven Arbeil. Sven used secret agents who had been captured by Raidorl to spread information about the Eight Eastern Houses throughout the land. ¡°The kingdom¡¯s army conquered Ulfin in a single day.¡± ¡°The Viscount of Ulfert, who had defied his commander, Raidorl was cruelly killed, but all the vassals and soldiers of the Viscount¡¯s house who surrendered were forgiven.¡± The kingdom¡¯s army has absorbed the soldiers and militia of Viscount Ulfert and has grown to over 10,000 strong. They were secret agents under the direct command of King Granard, but their commander had been killed in battle and their loyalty to the king had been broken when they saw the power of Raidorl. The curse of Raidorl had shackled them, and they could not defy him, so they faithfully spread the exaggerated information. As a result, the gossip that ran through the border towns caused a huge stir in the hearts of the border nobility, including Baron Eladin. ¡°Ugh ¡­¡­ why must I go through this? I shouldn¡¯t have turned to the Empire if I had to do this¡­¡­.¡± Royle Eladin was a coward by nature. His petulance is so unbecoming of a nobleman in charge of his own country¡¯s borders that even his vassals secretly amaze him. In the beginning, Royle was the second son, and it was supposed to be his older brother who would inherit the Barony of Eladin. But when his brother died suddenly of an epidemic, Royle was left unprepared to take over. ¡°That¡¯s why I never wanted to be a lord!¡¡I didn¡¯t want to be responsible for protecting the town!¡¡All I wanted was to live in peace and quiet, doing my bit for a living! How on earth did this happen? ¡­¡­¡± The baron shouted with tears in his eyes. He was a cowardly man, with no sense of honour, and was not aware that he was a nobleman. He was not prepared to risk his life for the sake of his domain. He was not prepared to fight. That¡¯s why when the Empire¡¯s army came to the city of Ectura, he surrendered unconditionally without a fight. ¡°I¡¯m going to be killed. ¡­¡­ The royal court will never forgive me for turning to the empire!¡± Baron Eladin¡¯s paper-white face trembles as he contemplates the future that awaits him. The little Baron is frightened, and no longer in the right frame of mind to face Raidorl and the rest of the kingdom¡¯s army. Sven¡¯s ruse is working, and if it continues, Ectura will fall without a fight in the near future. But¡­ ¡°DUN DUN DUN DUN!¡± ¡°Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii!???? W-what is that sound?!!!¡± Suddenly, there was a knock at the door of the bedroom where the baron had retired. It sounded like a blunt instrument being struck, and then the door was breached from the outside. Someone had broken down the door and was trying to break into the room. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the Royal Army!¡¡The kingdom¡¯s army is coming!¡± The Baron screams in panic as the door is smashed open. He rolls around the room in a disgraceful manner and tries to hide under the bed. But there¡¯s not enough room under the bed to hide the Baron, who is a grown man, let alone a child. The baron¡¯s upper body is tucked under the bed, and he flails his legs in an attempt to hide his head but not his bottom. ¡°¡­¡­ What on earth are you doing, Father?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± At last the door was completely broken down, and the intruder entered the room. The door was finally broken down, and the intruder entered the room, but it was a familiar woman¡¯s voice that came out of the intruder¡¯s mouth. The baron tries to get out from under the bed, but he is stuck in a strange position because he has twisted his body forcibly, and even if he puts his arms around himself, he cannot seem to get out. ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake, ¡­¡­, please help my father.¡± ¡°Ha!!¡± The woman instructed her men. The woman¡¯s men grabbed the baron by both legs and dragged him out by force. ¡°Ow,ow,ow,ow! Uuu..What happened?¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ve come to your senses, Father.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re ¡­¡­ Shirley?¡± The Baron¡¯s only daughter, Shirley Elladine, stood in front of him as he made his escape from under the bed. She was dressed in a sensational dress with a deep slit, flanked by Baronial soldiers with hammers on either side and a fan of multicolored feathers covering her face. She looked down coldly at his father, who was crawling on the floor in a hideous outfit. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that a man who is supposed to be the lord of a part of the kingdom should be in such a state. How can you not be ashamed of yourself?¡± ¡°And what can I do about it? ¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s all the Baron has to say in response to his daughter¡¯s harsh criticism. The baron is not a fool. He knew very well that he was not a man worthy of being lord. But he was not strong enough to keep his cool when his life depended on it. ¡°And soon the kingdom¡¯s army will come?¡¡They will come to kill me and to take back the town!¡¡How can I be calm about that?¡± ¡°How can you be calm?¡¡If you can¡¯t command calmly in times of emergency, you¡¯re not fit to be a lord. Doesn¡¯t your father have any pride in his nobility?¡± ¡°Ugh ¡­¡­¡± The Baron let out an inarticulate groan at his daughter¡¯s chilling argument. He looked up at his daughter with resentment, but was unable to speak, because she was right. The baron was a small man, but his daughter Shirley was very strong and arrogant. The baron is now in control of his daughter, who says things like ¡°the pride of the nobility¡± and has become the first person he can¡¯t stand. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­¡­if father is like this, the Barony of Eladin is doomed. I must do something about it. ¡°What can you do?¡± The Baron shined his eyes in hope to his daughter, who¡¯s hiding her mouth with a fan. ¡°Of course, father. I have a winning strategy¡± Shirley smiles arrogantly. She has a confident look of victory on her face. ¡°All I have to do is to seduce His Highness Raidorl Zain. Once I have His Highness in my clutches, there will be no need to fear the Kingdom¡¯s armies!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..HA?!¡± The daughter¡¯s unexpected response left the Baron with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Wait for me, Your Highness Raidorl¡¡I, your future wife, Shirley Elladin, will be with you!¡± Despite his father¡¯s muttering stunned, Shirley laughed loudly throughout the mansion, saying, ¡°Oh ho ho ho!¡± CH 77 The Ripple Effect Spreads Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil At the same time as Shirley¡¯s high-pitched laugh echoes in Baron Eladin¡¯s residence. Also on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Zain. The town of Obrut is located in the north of Ulfin. In that town, which is the domain of the Baron Oigist, one of the noble families of the Eight Eastern Houses, there is also a person who is in anguish. ¡°¡­¡­Ulfin has fallen. But it¡¯s too soon.¡± It was Baron Benjamin Oigist, the lord of the town, who snorted with his grey head. The middle-aged aristocrat, who is over 50 years old, scratches his hair nervously, which is whiter than his age, and laments the unreasonable. ¡°I don¡¯t think Ulfert will be defeated so quickly¡­ no, it¡¯s expected, since the Kingdom Army was able to drive away the Imperial Army¡­¡± The rumor had already reached Baron Oigist that Bobald Ulfert had been defeated and that the town of Ulfin had been overrun. Baron Oigist was not as upset as Baron Eladin, but he still had a stern look on his face. They thought they had ridden to victory and escaped destruction, only to find that the horse had gone into the abyss. It is easy to lament the injustice of it all. ¡°Was I wrong?¡¡Should I, like the Earl of Arbeil, have fought the Empire instead of surrendering?¡± It¡¯s a question he asks himself over and over again. And each time the answer is the same: ¡°Neither will change.¡± ¡°No, ¡­¡­ even if I fought the Empire to the end, I would be destroyed by an overwhelming force gap, as the Earl of Arbeil was.¡± The Baron did not turn for his own protection or out of fear of the Empire. He chose the latter after weighing the safety of his lands and people against the ancestral debt of gratitude he had received from the House of Zain. In the end, the empire was defeated, and the Baron of Oigist was once again in danger of ruin. ¡°Sir, ¡­¡­, how dreadful¡± The Baron¡¯s office was occupied by one other person. He was the chief soldier in the service of Baron Oigist. He looked painfully at his master, who was holding his head in his hands, and opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind. The Baron was desperately trying to think of a way to avert this disaster, but no answer was forthcoming. ¡°Sir¡­¡­ how about asking for a little wisdom from the young master here? ¡°It¡¯s ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps the young master will be able to come up with some clever ideas to get us out of this situation.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡­¡± The Baron¡¯s face grew even more bitter at the suggestion of the chief soldier. It was a suggestion that the Baron had considered many times. And for ¡°one reason or another¡±, he rejected it. ¡°But ¡­¡­ I¡¯ve done something that I can¡¯t face Jas. Will he ever forgive me?¡± The Baron murmured in a voice that shook with anxiety. A few months ago he had broken up with his son, his legitimate son, and he had hardly spoken to him since. He had not spoken to his son for several months, and his guilt was so evident that he was reluctant to discuss the crisis with his son. ¡°He is not a man to hold grudges, and I am sure he understands the difficulties you are going through. It would have been worse for him if he had not been consulted in the circumstances.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± After the soldier-in-chief¡¯s announcement, the Baron closed his eyes for a moment. A dark silence fell over the Baron¡¯s office. The Baron remained silent and thoughtful, but after a moment he opened his mouth gravely. ¡°I¡¯m going to ¡­¡­ see Jas. Accompany me. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The soldier-in-chief straightened his back in delight at the Baron¡¯s reply. The Baron Oigist, smiling at the overtly cheerful expression on the soldier¡¯s face, rose from his chair with a look of relief on his face. CH 78 The Ripples Spread Further. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Baron Oigist, accompanied by his attendants, visits a room at the back of the house. At the front of the room, flanking the door, are two soldiers. The soldier sees the Baron¡¯s face and bows his head. ¡°How is Jas?¡± ¡°The young master is as usual, sir. He is well fed and there is nothing wrong with him!¡± The soldier straightened up and answered his master¡¯s question. The Baron nodded his head and ordered the soldier to open the door. The soldier unlocked the door and opened it, and a rush of heat came from inside the room. ¡°Hunh, hunh, hunh, hunh, hunh, hunh, hunh, hunh, hunh!¡± There was a man in the room. He is naked, holding a simple chandelier hanging from the ceiling with both hands and doing a series of pull-ups. The Baron wondered how long he had been doing this. The sweat from the man¡¯s body has formed a puddle on the floor, and the heat from his overheated body has made the room much hotter than the corridor. Baron Oigist frowned at the heat on his face and called out to the man hanging from the ceiling. ¡°Jas!¡± ¡°Mu¡­.?¡± The man¡¯s arms stopped doing pull-ups at the Baron¡¯s call. He looked down at the Baron¡¯s head from the ceiling and spoke up. ¡°Oh, father. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± With a jerk, the man lets go of his grip on the chandelier. He lands on the floor, a puddle of sweat splashing at his feet. ¡°It¡¯s been a month since I¡¯ve seen you father, you haven¡¯t come to see me since I was locked up. I thought you had cut me off.¡± ¡°Ghh¡­¡± The Baron gulped. The man¡¯s words were flat, but to a Baron with a guilty conscience, they felt as sharp as a blade. The man who was training in the nude was named Justy Oigist. He is the son of Baron Oigist and the legitimate son of the Baron who would have succeeded him if he had avoided making problems. Justy has been under house arrest in a room in the mansion for a month and is not allowed to leave. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­¡­¡­¡­ No, I¡¯m sorry. I have no excuse.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I didn¡¯t mean to be sarcastic. So¡­¡­what is it that you want today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Justy asks, brushing his sweat-soaked hair. The Baron doesn¡¯t answer, but ponders the question for a moment. ¡°What can I say?¡± It was the invasion of the Alsatian Empire that led the Baron to lock his son up in this place. After the empire dropped the fortress of Balmes on the border, the noblemen who held lands on the eastern border had to make a decision against the invaders. Subjugation or resistance? The decision made by Baron Oigist was subjugation. He surrendered to the empire without a fight, in exchange for food and the security of his lands. However, the Baron¡¯s decision was not well received by his son, Justy. He insisted on fighting the war with the Earls of Arbeil and Baron Ilkas. In the end, Justy, who would not budge from his position, was placed under house arrest and confined to a room in the Baron¡¯s house. ¡°I wonder if things would be different now if we had followed Justy¡¯s advice and fought back as hard as Arbeil did at that time?¡± The Baron knew that it was no use thinking about it now. But he couldn¡¯t help lamenting it over a dozen times. He made the decision, no matter how much he regretted it. ¡°I have to take responsibility for it.¡± ¡°Justy, listen to me. Our house, the House of the Baron Oigist, is in danger of being destroyed.¡± In the end, the Baron decided to tell it like it was. The imperial troops attacking the Blaine fortress had been repulsed. The Royalists had sent troops to the eastern border to purge the traitors. The Baron of Ulfert has been destroyed by the royal army, and the blade of purge has reached the barons of Oigist. He has given his son all the information he knows, without concealment. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Justy listened to his father¡¯s story without interrupting, wiping the sweat from his body with a water-soaked cloth. When the Baron had finished his story, Justy opened his mouth. ¡°So ¡­¡­ what does father want?¡± Justy put on a gown, the sweat finally receding from his body. He then picked up his glasses from the table and put them on his face. In this way, Justy looks as intelligent as a civil servant. From the neck down, however, he is covered with muscles that could be described as armour of flesh, and his body is unbalanced, as if he were a different person above and below. ¡°If father¡¯s life is more important, then you should flee like your life depends on it, take all the possessions and go into exile in the Empire. If father¡¯s life is more important than the lives of our people, he should surrender his lands to the Kingdom¡¯s army. Even though it is now part of the Empire, it was originally part of the Kingdom. Logic, no?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± His son¡¯s words were so plausible that the Baron had no words to reply. The Baron knew what he was supposed to do but he couldn¡¯t make up his mind. For a lord, he needed to surrender quietly and seek the safety of his people. In fact, that is what he did when he was forced to surrender by the Empire. However, in that case, Baron Ogist and his family would have to face a purge should the Kingdom retake the territory. If those who turned to the enemy were allowed to live, the royal family would be disrespected. They will certainly make an example of them to prevent another traitor. ¡°I hope I¡¯m the only one who gets his head chopped off. I made the decision. I am responsible for it.¡± But the punishment for treason is the same for the whole family. Not only the Baron, but also his wife and children would be sent to the execution. It was a future that the Baron could not accept. ¡°¡­¡­What would happen to the people if we were to escape?¡± ¡°Although we¡¯re currently in truce with the Empire, we are still at war. If we were to flee, the territory would be even more desolate than it already is. Soldiers and mercenaries who have lost their employers will turn into thieves, and confused people will fight over money and food. Even good townspeople may break into merchants¡¯ houses and loot them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± If a lord cares about his people, he couldn¡¯t turn his back to his own people. He must be responsible for the town until he surrenders it to the kingdom¡¯s army. The people or the family. Torn between the two most important things in his life, Baron Oigist could not make up his mind and kept his eyes down. ¡°Ghhh¡­.¡± Pity flashed in Justy¡¯s eyes at the sight of his father¡¯s downcast face. Although Baron Oigist and Justy had their differences, they were still father and son. The Baron was still a loving father to Justy. In addition, Justy does not believe that the Baron¡¯s decision to bow to the Empire was completely wrong. This is the reason why he didn¡¯t make a fuss when he was in captivity. ¡°Father,¡­¡­let¡¯s come up with an alternative, together.¡± Therefore, Justy decided to come up with a plan to help his father out of his troubles. ¡°An alternative ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Father will take mother and my brothers and flee the kingdom and go into exile in the Empire. And then ¨C I will stay in the Barony of Oigist and guard it until the Kingdom¡¯s army comes to this town.¡± ¡°No ¡­¡­, you idiot! Then you¡¯re ¡­¡­!¡± The Baron peeled his eyes and shouted. He was not going to allow his son to play the role of sacrifice. ¡°If you stay in the town, then I¡¯ll stay! You, too, must flee to the Empire¡± ¡°That would make my brothers sad. They¡¯re still children and they need a father.¡± When his father tried to press him to escape, Justy firmly said no. ¡°And the Kingdom Army will never forgive you for turning over to the Empire, but I was against turning over and I even got imprisoned, with that Kingdom¡¯s Army might give me an amnesty.¡± ¡°B-but¡­.¡± ¡°Many of the soldiers know that I have been at odds with father. It seems to be a rumour in the town, and if the rumour reaches the head of the Royal Army, there is a good chance he will let it go.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It was too much wishful thinking. But when the Baron saw the determination in his son¡¯s eyes, he could say no more. He bit his lip and shook his fist at his own helplessness. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die.¡± Justy pushes up the middle rim of his glasses. ¡°If it was King Granard, he would have sent us to the executioner¡¯s block, but with His Highness Raidorl at the front, there is room for negotiation. Even more so if, as rumour has it, he has Sven Arbeil as a vassal.¡± (TL: Example of a good son lol) CH 79 Stacked documents. Overlapping fatigue. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Based in the occupied town of Ulfin, Raidorl began to purge the remaining traitors of the Eight Eastern Families. The first thing he did was to reorganise his army. Originally, Raidorl led a small army of about a thousand men under his command. However, by recruiting mercenaries and volunteers in Ulfin, that number had swelled to 3,000. The problem with increasing the number of soldiers is the money. An army spends money even if it does not do anything. Soldiers¡¯ salaries. Food, weapons, armour. Housing. Fodder for war horses. The more soldiers there are, the more supplies are consumed. In addition to the fact that the king doesn¡¯t like Raidorl, the royal palace only provides him with a minimal amount of money to prepare. In order to reorganize the army, the procurement of military funds was an inevitable problem. ¡°But ¡­¡­ the matter was easily settled. Thank goodness the Viscount has been saving up so much.¡± In the heart of Ulfin, in the old Viscount Ulfert¡¯s house, Raidorl was in a good mood. The problem of raising funds for the expansion of the army was solved with surprising ease by the hidden wealth in the basement of the barony. How long did it take to raise the money? In the basement of the Viscount Wolfert¡¯s house, there was a treasure trove of gold and silver that would have been impossible for a frontier nobleman. ¡°It seems to me that Ulfert has been collecting money by doing all sorts of shady things. If he still alive,he¡¯d be very disappointed that His Highness is going to take away all the money he¡¯s earned by cheating.¡± Raidorl sits on the sofa. Sven, sitting on the other side of him, answered. At the moment, Raydor and Sven are sitting across from each other, tidying up the pile of papers on the table. With a city under their control and 3,000 more soldiers, paperwork is growing like rats. At the moment, the only two people in the army who can handle political and financial matters are Raidorl, who was educated as a gifted prince, and Sven, the military strategist. Inevitably, the pressure of the increased desk work was falling on these two. ¡°According to the hidden account book, Ulfert has been in league with the Empire since before the war. He has been selling the kingdom¡¯s information and goods, selling illegal drugs. It seems that he even trafficked his own people as merchandise.¡± Raidorl frowned at Sven¡¯s explanation. It seems that he has uncovered a part of the darkness of the kingdom that is not known. ¡°I see¡­¡­. So Viscount Ulfert was a scumbag at heart. Even so, the fact that he had been letting the lion¡¯s den swim for so long¡­¡­ shows that our king¡¯s eyes were completely blind.¡± Sven chuckled in annoyance at Raidorl¡¯s criticism of his brother, the king. ¡°I think King Granard is pretty good at domestic affairs, but he didn¡¯t even have eyes on the edge of the country.¡± While chatting with Raidorl, Sven went through the papers on his desk. While conversing with Raidorl, Sven looked over the papers laid out on his desk. Having defeated Viscount Ulfert, Sven was now officially a vassal of Raidorl. Originally, only military officers and soldiers, including Darren, were under Raydor¡¯s command and obviously, there is a definite lack of brain workers who can engage in internal affairs. In this respect, Sven was a good acquisition. Sven was born as the third son of the Earl of Arbeil, and he was supposed to be a kind of assistant to his elder brother. As a result, from an early age he learned about internal politics and economics, and was well versed in history and military affairs. Raidorl had also received a good education before he was exiled, but Sven was better than him in internal affairs, perhaps because of his natural talent. However, ¡­¡­ is still too much work for two people to handle. Raidorl sighed in disgust at the never-ending pile of paperwork. ¡°The lack of human resources is a challenge for the future. Even if the number of soldiers increases, there is a lack of commanders, and I must somehow increase the number of people who can be used through this battle.¡± One of the reasons why Raidorl obeyed his brother¡¯s orders and was entrusted with the task of purging the Eight Eastern Families was because he thought that he could find talent through this. One of the covenants between Raidorl and Granard is that of ¡®life and death of prisoners¡¯. This gives Raidorl the right to do as he pleases with the people he captures. In the name of the prisoners of war, he was planning to extract talented people from the Eight Eastern Families and build a force to confront his brother. ¡°I¡¯ve got an excellent military strategist, a secret agent and 3,000 soldiers. I just need a military officer who can command the army and a civilian officer who can take care of the internal affairs¡­¡­¡± Replenishing the ranks of the military and civilian staff is a difficult task in the Viscounty of Ulfert. The soldiers under the Viscount¡¯s command have dealt with brigands and bandits before, but they have little experience in battle and are unlikely to be able to lead on the battlefield. In addition, it will take more than a month for a newly hired soldier to be able to use it properly. In addition, the civilian officials were all wicked vassals who had helped the Viscount¡¯s injustice, and were corrupt and could not be trusted. ¡°In order to recruit more, I have to look outside the Viscounty of Ulfert. But the reorganisation of the army is still in progress and it is too early to invade. ¡­¡­¡± Raidorl¡¯s brow wrinkled in thought. Sven looked up from his papers, as if he could read his lord¡¯s thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s time to build up your strength little by little. Don¡¯t be in a hurry. Fortunately, the rumors that we spread have made Baron Elladine and Baron Oigist seem to be in a state of jumpy, and even if we don¡¯t move, they¡¯ll eventually make their move.¡± ¡°Hey, What are you going to do if they stand up and collude with each other?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before your Highness cleaves them. Your Highness has only one body. If the enemy moves separately, we will have trouble dealing with them, but if they attack in unison, it will be easier to destroy them¡± ¡°¡­. You¡¯re an utterly horrible kid.¡± Raidorl shrugs his shoulders. The rumours that Sven has spread through his secret agents have caused some confusion in the houses of the Eight Eastern Families. If they surrender out of fear, then they can win the war without fighting. If they join forces and attack Ulfin, they can use the power of the Holy Sword to destroy them all at once. The boy¡¯s plan to do so sent a chill down his spine. ¡°¡­.. How long will it be before the enemy starts to move? Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s do what we can for now. We¡¯ll do what we can, like the paperwork that¡¯s spread out in front of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the papers on the table, as Sven had suggested. CH 80 Visitors in the middle of the night. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil After working late into the night on paperwork, Raydor finally returned to the room in the viscount¡¯s house that he uses as his bedroom. As soon as he entered the room, he threw off his clothes and jumped into bed. ¡°I¡¯ve been an adventurer for too long. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done any brain work. ¡­¡­¡± When he was a prince living in the palace, he was surrounded by tutors and studied hard, but those memories are long gone. Today, Raidorl was a mere swordsman and adventurer. It would have been much easier to hunt demons in the wilderness or in the jungle than to sit at a desk and do paperwork. ¡°¡­¡­ Really, if we don¡¯t get some civil servants on board soon, we¡¯re going to die of overwork. Oh, my God. I¡¯ve beaten the empire¡¯s holy sword holder, and I can¡¯t beat a desk job.¡± He closed his heavy eyelids, muttering to himself. Tomorrow he has to start his political work again in the morning. If he doesn¡¯t get some rest, he¡¯s really going to break down. Against the temptation to sleep, he closed his eyes. He was tired from his unaccustomed desk job. Within ten minutes of getting into bed, Raidorl had sunk into a deep sleep. ¡°The number¡­¡­¡± A few moments after Raidorl fell asleep, the doorknob of the room moved slowly and the door opened with a squeak. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The room is dimly lit, with moonlight streaming in through the windows, and figures are coming in and out of the room. The person who enters the room turns her head from side to side and eventually finds Raidorl on the bed. ¡°Fufufu¡­¡­¡± The figure lets out a small laugh. Then she walks towards the end of the bed. ¡°Nn¡­¡­¡± Raidorl, wrapped in his bedding, also felt the presence of people and let out a slight whimper. But he does not wake up. His eyelids remain downcast, as if the exhaustion that has built up in him has reduced his sense of urgency. Raidorl is still asleep when a mysterious figure turns the covers and creeps into his bed. The person who had invaded the bed slid under the covers and crawled from Raidorl¡¯s feet to his waist and then to his chest. She then crawled up to his chest. ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­¡­¡­Neimilia?¡± At this point, Raidorl finally says the maid¡¯s name in a sleepy voice. The reason why Raidorl, who is supposed to be an expert swordsman, has allowed the intruder to sleep in his bed is because he has a maid who usually attacks him in his sleep. The maid¡¯s routine had made him less wary of anyone who came into his room and crawled into his bed. ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­ it¡¯s so humiliating to be called another woman¡¯s name. Husband.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± At the sound of an unfamiliar voice, Raidorl finally realised that something was wrong. He grabbed the duvet with his right hand, ripped it off and threw it away. ¡°Oh no! This is such an embarrassment¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You are ¡­¡­?¡± The figure of the crook who had invaded the bed was revealed. Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened and he gulped. The person who was straddling Raydor was a naked woman without a stitch of clothing. The unfamiliar woman¡¯s blonde hair hung in waves over Raidorl¡¯s chest, and she ran her fingers over his thick chest plate. ¡°Your body is so strong and well toned. I¡¯m in love with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Who are you?¡± The woman who stroked his skin, Raidorl asked briefly. The woman in front of him was definitely someone he had never met before. For a moment, he suspected that someone had sent an assassin, but the woman was unarmed and unskilled. If it had been an assassin, he would have cut it down with his sword, but he did not know what to do against the figure in front of him. The woman gave him a bewitching smile and stuck out her tongue mischievously. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now who I am. I am a woman. You are a man. And what better way to do that than to introduce yourself here in our love nest called¡­¡­ bed?¡± ¡°Ugh, ¡­¡­?¡± The woman starts to licks Raidorl¡¯s chest. She even drops a kiss as she does on the lips of her beloved man. ¡°You have the body of a truly beautiful and accomplished gentleman.The body of a hero¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make love together, My dear husband.¡± The woman turns her wet eyes towards Raydor. Raidorl¡¯s face is reflected in her golden eyes, which shine in the night like a cat¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Is that so?¡± After a few moments of hesitation, Raidorl raised his fist. He then drove his fist into the woman¡¯s head. ¡°Fugiyaa?!¡± The woman screamed like an animal whose tail had been stepped on and rolled off the bed. Raidorl got up and sat down on the bed, looking down at the woman¡¯s ¡°too small naked body¡±. ¡°So¡­¡­what¡¯s this game you¡¯re playing, Gakincho?¡± (TL:Gakincho more or less equal of saying Brat) ¡°¡±Woo¡­¡­ can¡¯t you see my charm¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, with that poor body?¡± The woman who had been called a ¡°brat¡± rubbed her head with tears in her eyes. The woman who had fallen out of bed and was sitting on the floor must have been a woman, but in all likelihood she was a child. She was small, barely reaching Raydor¡¯s waist. Her torso was like a cylinder, completely uneven. Perhaps even younger than Sven. ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t have any taste for lusting after kids, come back in 10 years.¡± ¡°Aww¡­¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness! What¡¯s going on?¡± Footsteps echoed from the corridor and the door to the room was opened from the outside. Darren Garst and his security guards rushed into the room, aware of the unusual situation. Darren breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Raidorl sitting on the bed, unharmed, and then froze at the sight of the naked little girl sitting on the floor. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Darren froze for a moment, but then he gave a wry smile. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, your highness. It seems I have interrupted you. Please, continue to enjoy it.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡¡You¡¯ve definitely got it all wrong!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m aware that noblemen and royalty have a taste for such things.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong!¡¡Don¡¯t you dare close the door!¡± Darren was about to leave the room with a rather warm smile on his face, but Raydor hurriedly stopped him. (TL:Bruh darren haha) As they were talking, Sven came out from behind Daren. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss ¡­¡­¡­¡­ at this time of night, I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Sven, neatly dressed in his pyjamas, rubbed his sleepy eyes and peered into the room. He opened his eyes to see a little girl sitting on the floor rubbing her head. ¡°Ha¡­¡­?¡¡Shirley ¡­¡­ Shirley Elladin!¡¡Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Oh? Sven. You¡¯re alive?¡± The young girl tilted her head, teary-eyed with pain, as Sven shouted through his sleepiness. ¡°Elladin ¡­¡­?¡± The name of the house sounded familiar and Raidorl looked at the little girl quizzically. Darren and his men also stare at the naked young girl. With all the eyes in the room on her, Shirley Elladin, daughter of Baron Elladin, a young girl ¡­¡­, awkwardly pulled the sheet over her body to hide it. CH 81 The Witch''s Eye. Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°So, ¡­¡­, you¡¯ve been sneaking into my mansion to seduce me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Shirley Elladine¡¯s lips twitched in silence at Raidorl¡¯s dumbfounded words. Earlier, Shirley had been naked for the night crawl, but now she borrowed clothes from a maid working in the house and wore them. The simple commoner¡¯s clothes were out of place on the well-bred Shirley, but the situation was such that no one mentioned it. ¡°Shirley, you are disrespectful to His Highness!¡¡You need to change your attitude!¡± Sven sits next to Shirley in his chair, his eyebrows raised in anger. His tone of voice, a little more violent than the one he used with Raidorl, was that of a boy of his age, as if he were scolding his younger sister for misbehaving. As for the relationship between the two, it seems that they are childhood friends who have known each other for a long time. The Earls of Arbeil and the Barons of Elladin are members of the same ¡°Eastern Eight¡± noble families, and their territories are close to each other, so they were close friends. Shirley, who is three years younger than Sven, has grown up like a brother and sister, with her father often taking her to visit the Count¡¯s house. There may or may not be an agenda for the future. But the possibility has disappeared now that the Earls of Arbeil have fallen and the Barons of Elladin have turned to the Empire. ¡°Because ¡­¡­ I thought if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d lose my house and I wouldn¡¯t be able to afford the luxuries ¡­¡­.¡± At Sven¡¯s reprimand, Shirley opened her mouth reluctantly. Raidorl wondered where the seductive tone and atmosphere had gone. Shirley¡¯s body shrunk, now she¡¯s suited to a young girl in her own right. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t seduce His Highness. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­.but Sven, I¡¯ve been wondering for a while now, how did this little brat get into the house?¡± The mansion where Raidorl, a member of the royal family and a general in the army, sleeps is naturally guarded day and night by soldiers who guard the gates and patrol the premises. It¡¯s not possible to let anyone in without permission, no matter how much of a child they are. ¡°It is ¡­¡­ likely that she used her witch eye.¡± ¡°Witch eye?¡± At Sven¡¯s reply, Raidorl nodded his head. The ¡°magic eye¡± is literally an eyeball filled with magical power, and is a special ability possessed by some demons. In the past, Raidorl has fought the Gorgon with the petrifying eye and the Basilisk with the deadly poisonous eye, both of which he remembers as being difficult enemies to defeat. In rare cases, humans can develop the evil eye, but he never expected to see it in person. ¡°This girl has the magical eye of ¡®charm¡¯. She has the ability to amplify the feelings of affection that are directed at her and make them captivating.¡± ¡°Charm, huh¡­¡­¡± Raidorl thought back to the time when Shirley had crawled on him earlier in the night. In the darkness of the night, both of Shirley¡¯s eyes seemed to glow with a golden light, apparently emitting magical power. ¡°Perhaps he gained access to His Highness¡¯s bedchamber by capturing the soldiers guarding it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ If that¡¯s true, it¡¯s terrifying. If she had been an assassin, his Highness might have been in danger.¡± Darren, who was listening to the conversation next to Raidorl, murmured bitterly. As the man in charge of the security of the house, the power of the magic eye, which can easily neutralize soldiers, must be a threat. However, Sven slowly shakes his head at Darren¡¯s concern. ¡°No¡­¡­ although the evil eye is a rare ability, Shirley¡¯s power is not that strong.The girl¡¯s eyes only increase the affection and desire directed towards her, so they do not work on people who do not like her at all. And it won¡¯t work on children like me, and it will be rejected by sorcerers and other people with strong magical resistance.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. So that¡¯s why it didn¡¯t work on me.¡± Raidorl has no tendency for lusting after young girls and, thanks to the protection of his holy sword, he has high magic resistance. There is no room for the magic eye ability to affect him. Shirley was able to reach Raidorl¡¯s sleeping quarters because she was lucky enough to have her magic eye work on a security soldier she happened to encounter. ¡°¡­¡­Wait a minute. By that logic, you¡¯re saying that some of the soldiers on night duty today have a tendency for lusting after little girls?¡± ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Sven looked away awkwardly and slurred his words when Darren asked him with a frown. Darren¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment at the revelation of his subordinate¡¯s bad habits. Raidorl glanced at Darren with a sympathetic eye and then quickly turned his attention back to Shirley, who was sitting uncomfortably in her chair. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ the question is, what do we do with her?¡± ¡°Hyan¡­¡­.¡± Shirley¡¯s shoulders jerked up. It may have been childish recklessness that led her to do the trick, but in all likelihood what she did was a crime punishable by death. She tried to manipulate Raidorl, a royal family member, with her magical eye, and that cannot be forgiven. Sven intervenes as the young girl¡¯s eyes starts to tear up. ¡°Your Highness!¡¡It may be rude of me to say this, but please be gracious to Shirley as she has no ill will towards you ¡­¡­!¡± She can be considered Sven¡¯s sister, with whom he spent most of his childhood, although their relationship was severed when Baron Elladin turned to the Empire. He stands in front of Raidorl and tries his best to defend her. Raidorl smiled at the sight of such a small frame boy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill her, her powers will come in handy sooner or later.¡± For now, it may only be for those who have a taste for little girls now, but when Shirley grows up and becomes a woman in her prime, there will be many people who will be captivated by her eyes. As an investment in the future, it is not a bad idea to forgive the sins of Shirley Elladine, a young girl, and bring her to his side. ¡°It is inevitable that the Barony of Elladin will be destroyed and its lands taken from it, but if you surrender quietly, you will be guaranteed your life and property. If you show your strength and value under me, you will be able to rebuild your house.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Really?¡± ¡°Yup,I assure you.¡± Raidorl nodded emphatically at Shirley, who looked up at him. She must have been relieved by Raidorl¡¯s juudgement. Then she laughed like a flower blooming. ¡°All right, ¡­¡­, then I¡¯ll be your servant. I¡¯m sure I can persuade my father to do the same.¡± ¡°I see ¡­¡­and one more thing, what¡¯s this husband of yours, by the way?¡± ¡°Eh? Are you going to make me your mistress? Does this mean you¡¯ll groom me to your liking?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± At Shirley¡¯s reply, Raidorl fell silent,dumbfounded and slowly turned his head towards Sven. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll talk to this girl myself.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Apparently, he has increased the work of the boy warrior again. Raidorl turned his pity on Sven, who looked a little sick. And so it was that the second of the traitors of the Eight Eastern Families, the Barons of Elladin, surrendered without a fight. CH 82 Delivered letter Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil A night crawl by Shirley led to the surrender of Baron Elladin to the forces of Raydor. Having surrendered his position as lord and nobleman, Elladin left his former lands in the hands of his deputies and moved to Ulfin, the homebase of Raidorl. Despite his failure to stop his daughter¡¯s plan, Elladin has never had any animosity towards Raidorl. He was only looking out for his own interests. He was not actively resisting by force, as Viscount Ulfert had done, and it was judged that no particular punishment would be inflicted on him. After being taken into custody as a prisoner of war, he was sent to work for Raidorl. ¡°Mr. Baron, I have this document¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to have it signed by the person in charge before you can send it to finance.¡± ¡°Dear Baron, we are running low on food for our soldiers¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The shortage of provisions has already been ordered from the Molten Company. It will be delivered in three days¡¯ time, so please instruct them to clear out the warehouse.¡± In the administration office of the former Viscount Ulfert¡¯s residence, Baron Elladin instructs his subordinates and clears his desk with composure. Working there are Royle and the new civil servants he has recruited. How Royle replenished the civilian staff that was lacking in the Royal Army surprises Raidorl. He approached the merchant associations based in the two towns and got them to send men to help. Although he had inherited the baronial family after the sudden death of his brother, Royle had always wanted to leave the nobility and become a merchant. As a result, he had a good relationship with the merchants¡¯ association in the eastern border region and was able to use his contacts to obtain their help. This was a good opportunity for them to find new employment, as the town was in financial difficulties due to the war and had to reduce its workforce. As a result, a kind of bureaucratic group was formed around Royle, and the shortage of civil servants in the army of Raydor was solved. ¡°The Baron, not¡­¡­Royle, is a hard worker. Even though he was deprived of his nobility, he works so hard.¡± While watching Royle from a distance, giving orders to his subordinates and working hard, Raidorl mumbled to himself on a sofa in the corner of his office. In the past, Raidorl used to work at a desk every day, but after Royle took care of most of the work, he was no longer needed. Now, he only has to check and sign documents that have already been processed and give instructions on important matters. He was now free to relax on the sofa and have a cup of tea while he worked. ¡°Father never regarded his position as a nobleman as anything but a burden.¡± Shirley replied as she sat down on the sofa opposite him and sipped her tea in an elegant manner. She was a young girl, about the height of Raydor¡¯s waist, and today she is wearing an incendiary dress with a slit up her leg. She sometimes crosses her legs in a showy manner and glances at Raidorl. Raidorl confirms that she¡¯s trying to seduce him, but he has no taste for young girls and ignores her, sipping his tea. ¡°When he was in the service of the kingdom, he was frightened of when the empire would attack, and after he turned to the empire, he was frightened of when the kingdom would send assassins against him¡­¡­.Now that he is no longer a nobleman, he is finally free from the fear and responsibility of being a lord. This may be the height of father¡¯s life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So not everyone wants position and power. Apparently, for Royle, being in an unworthy position was a painful experience.¡± When he first arrived in the town, Royle looked pale and frightened, but since he started working as a civil servant, he has been working with a radiant face, as if he had been brought to life. It seems that the position of a civil servant was his calling, his ideal self. Sven, sitting next to Shirley, also nodded his head in agreement with Raidorl¡¯s words. ¡°At any rate, it is good to see that the shortage of civil servants has been remedied. Now I can concentrate on my job as a military officer.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know if Sven can be a military strategist.¡± ¡°At least I¡¯ll be able to do better than Shirley¡¯s honey trap.¡± ¡°Mumu¡­¡­ mock me!¡± While Shirley gets angry, Sven laughs and puffs his chest out. They were like brother and sister, smiling at each other. Raidorl, too, had a smile on his face as he took a sip of his tea. ¡°Now that we have civilian staff, then we need to have military staff. I would like to have someone other than Darren who can lead on the battlefield.¡± ¡°In the meantime, we are appointing ten men as captains from among the newcomers, but ¡­¡­ it¡¯s hard to find people who can lead a hundred or a thousand men.¡± Sven also put his hand over his mouth and said, ¡°Hmmm.¡± A good military officer is even harder to train than a civilian officer. No matter how many times they sit at their desks and go through their books, they will never be able to use them properly if they don¡¯t have experience in battle. There are not many people in the country who have experience in commanding a hundred or a thousand soldiers and have never served anyone. ¡°There is one person who has a lot of experience in that field. He¡¯s smart, experienced and good at what he does. There¡¯s only one person I know who¡¯s like that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What, you have an idea?¡± ¡°Yes,¡­¡­, he¡¯s an eastern nobleman like me, but he¡¯s a bit difficult to please,¡­¡­.¡± Sven slurred his words and wrinkled his brow. Raidorl was about to mention the person, wondering about the condition. Before he could do so, however, the door to the office opened and Darren entered. ¡°Excuse me. Your Highness, Raidorl¡± ¡°Hmm?¡¡What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡­¡­,the Baron Oigist has sent for you. ¡°Oigist¡­¡­was one of the noblemen who switched sides, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Raidorl confirmed, and Darren nodded, looking slightly nervous. On the sofa facing across the desk, Sven opened his mouth for some reason and was amazed. ¡°I spoke to him briefly¡­¡­ and he said he had some disturbing news¡± ¡°Um?¡± Darren handed him a letter in a sealed envelope. Raydor took it casually and immediately smiled. ¡°Letter of challenge¡­¡­?¡± On the front of the envelope was written in large letters. When Raidorl turned it over, he saw the name of the sender of the letter. ¡°From: ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Justy Oigist?¡± ¡°Haaaa¡­..¡± Sven covered his face with his right hand and made a mournful sound. ¡°That¡¯s who he is, he has a clear head and quite smart, but in the end he can only come to conclusions with muscle. You headstrong brainiac¡­¡­!¡± ¡°By any chance ¡­¡­ you were saying just is about his guy?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s right, Your Highness. ¡­¡­!¡± Sven exhaled in disgust, looking as if he had taken on the weight of the world¡¯s burden. ¡°The most powerful warrior in the eastern part of the kingdom, along with the Princess Slaughter of Ilkas, is Justy Oigist, the Lion of the East. He¡¯s a muscle-bound spectacle who loves spears and the battlefield.¡± CH 83 The Duel Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil Justy Oigist. He is the eldest son and heir of Viscount Oigist. 25 years old. He is both a nobleman and a warrior, and has won many victories in the border skirmishes with the empire that occur every few years, and has defeated countless brigands and thieves who ravage his lands. His skill with a spear is truly heroic. His overwhelming strength earned him the nickname ¡°The Lion of the East¡±. ¡°Not only is he strong, but he¡¯s also very smart. He is also a good ruler thus his people love him.I¡¯ve never seen it, but I¡¯ve heard that it can do magic too.¡± This was Sven Arbeil¡¯s assessment. Sven went on to praise Justy, ¡°but ¡­..¡± ¡°He¡¯s a smart guy, but when it comes down to it, he¡¯s all muscle. It¡¯s like a beast walking around in formal wear and glasses, and at the critical moment his skin comes off and he tries to solve the problem with brute force.¡± ¡°So the result of that vice is ¡®fisticuffs¡¯¡­¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for coming all this way. Your Royal Highness.¡± The date and time of the duel had been sent in advance. When Raidorl arrives in the town of Obrut, home of the Baron Oigist, he is greeted by Justy Oigist himself. When he visited the town, Raidorl brought only a few guards with him. When the letter was first delivered, he suspected it was a trap, but Sven, who knew Justy, insisted that there was no way he could be tricked, so he left the army in the middle of its formation in Ulfin. When Raidorl visited the Baron Oigist, Justy greeted him in the courtyard of the house, armed with a suit of armour. ¡°Now, is there any mistake in the¡­¡­letter of challenge, which said, ¡®If you win against me in single combat, I will surrender my lands,¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course not. I am a proud warrior and I will never make a mistake.¡± Justy pushed up the rims of his glasses and assured Raidorl firmly that it was not a mistake. From the neck up, he looks like a scholar, but his large frame and thick arms and legs stretching out from his armour make him look like a mismatch. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you ¡­ what do you mean by applying for a duel?¡± ¡°It is the Barons of Oigist who have turned to the Empire and slandered the royal family to whom we owe so much. Therefore, we will not fight needlessly and harm our soldiers and our people.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I give the option of surrendering¡­¡­ unconditionally?¡¡I¡¯d be willing to grant you some amnesty if you surrendered your territory in peace¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that!¡± Justy struck the ground with the pommel of the spear in his right hand. ¡°I have turned my back on my loyalty to the royal family, and all I have left is my warrior¡¯s pride!¡¡It is a shame for a warrior to admit defeat without a fight!¡¡I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, but I must ask you to fight for me!¡± ¡°A warrior¡¯s pride huh¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl nodded delicately. It¡¯s easy to turn down Justy¡¯s offer here. If the army led by him and the army of Oigist were to fight, his army would win by sheer numbers. He could have settled the matter on the field of battle without having to agree to a duel or a single combat. ¡°Still ¡­ if you can win without fighting and without bleeding extra blood, that¡¯s the way to go¡± And above all, it would be a disservice to Justy¡¯s resolve if he were to back down now. Raidorl may not think he is an honorable man, but he is still a man of war. He¡¯s not going to let the pride of a warrior get in the way of that. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll be your opponent.¡± Raidorl drew his sword and faced Justy at a distance of a few metres. ¡°Thank you ¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± Justy pointed the tip of his spear at Raidorl, but frowned when he saw the dull silver sword in the enemy¡¯s hand. ¡°Where is your holy sword, Your Highness?¡± In Raidorl¡¯s hand is not a jet-black holy sword. It¡¯s the same mass-produced swords that the soldiers are using, the ones that the military provides. ¡°We have to fight on the same terms, otherwise it¡¯s not an equal fight so I don¡¯t use the holy sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Are you mocking me, your highness?¡¡Confidence and conceit are two different things.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to see for yourself if I¡¯m being conceited. If you think you¡¯re a weapon dependent mook who can¡¯t do anything without a holy sword, then you¡¯re a fool¡± ¡°I see. I would have liked to slay with the legendary holy sword, but this works too!!¡± Justy¡¯s face showed a slight expression of frustration, but he said nothing more and held up his spear. Raidorl, too, sank back, his legs ready to spring into action. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl has a sword while Justy holds his spear. They stared at each other in silence. The soldiers who accompanied Raidorl, and the servants of the Oigist family who looked into the garden from the house, watched them with bated breath. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± How long was the silence that froze the air? The tension was so great that some of the spectators forgot to breathe, and then, as if it couldn¡¯t stand to be in that space any longer, a wild bird perched on a tree in the garden sang and flew into the sky. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play!¡± The sound of its wings was the signal. The sound of the birds¡¯ wings was the signal for the two men to kick at the ground with a burst of energy. (TL: Guess Justy is a reference of whom. The author really is good at making references. Answer is in the next chapter) CH 84 The victor of the duel Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil A sound. It is the sound of two pieces of metal colliding. Justy catches Raidorl¡¯s sword with the hilt of his spear. The slash was strong, heavy and sharp. But Justy¡¯s thick muscles rose up to meet the attack with force. ¡°Mmm!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± On the contrary, Justy flips Raidorl with one hand and pushes him backwards. As he flies backwards, Raidorl kicks the ground two or three times to kill his momentum and finally stops when he is brought back to where he was standing in the first place. And then he lifted his lips in admiration of the man who showed exceptional stiffness. ¡°That¡¯s what I call stupidity! You¡¯ve got it in you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s more to come! Your Highness Raydor!¡± This time Justy kicked the ground and closed in on Raidorl. He spins his spear around and, with centrifugal force, unleashes a side-curving blow. ¡°Ghhh!!!¡± Raydor swings his sword from below. As the swallow rises from the ground to the sky, it scoops up and fires a slash at Justy¡¯s neck. ¡°As expected¡­.¡± It was thought that the sword was going to cut off the head, but Justy caught the slash with a small metal hand. He grabbed his sword and tried to catch him, but before he could, Raidorl kicked his armoured torso and sent him flying backwards. ¡°Guhh¡± ¡°Watch out, ¡­¡­, there¡¯s no room for error.¡± The impact of the kick caused Justy to take a few steps back. If he had grabbed the sword, he would have been blocked and his spear would have pierced him. Having narrowly escaped, Raidorl carefully watches Justy¡¯s movements, not daring to pursue him as he is slightly disoriented. Justy, too, kept his eyes on Raydor as he regained his position, fully alert. Raydor and Justy were again at a distance, staring straight at each other. Only a minute had passed since the duel began. They began positioning like before the duel started. In a series of attacks, both sides unleashed slashes that were deadly. The power of the slashes is such that if they are taken seriously, the head or limbs will be chopped off. Neither Raydor nor Justy seems to be taking it easy. There is no hatred. There is no evil. Still, the two warriors clash their weapons head-on, as if measuring each other¡¯s strength. Either side could die at any moment. It doesn¡¯t matter when or which one dies. For the first time in such a battle, the people around them who were watching the duel forgot to breathe. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had the pleasure, Your Highness. It¡¯s no wonder that you were chosen to be the holy sword over your brother the king!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t choose it because I wanted to, but ¡­¡­ I guess it doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Responding to Justy¡¯s praise with a shrug, Raidorl readies his sword on his right hand. ¡°I¡¯m having fun too, there¡¯s no denying that. So ¡­¡­ let¡¯s get serious for a minute!¡± ¡°Mu ¡­¡­?¡± The black miasma overflows from Raidorl¡¯s hand. The miasma covers the sword like water sinking into it, painting it a jet black colour. ¡°Sword fighting,Scorpion!¡± Raidorl turned his right hand and fired a thrust. The distance between them was too great for the thrust to hit, but the black miasma from the tip of the sword extended like a whip and struck Justy. What was released was a cursed blade. It is a martial art that Raidorl has developed in his own way in order to face the monsters of the frontier. ¡°Magic sword¡­!¡± Justy, on the other hand, pushed his glasses up with his left hand and slammed the spearhead into the ground with his right hand. ¡°Stone wall!¡± In a moment, a stone wall appeared in front of Justy, protruding from the ground. Raidorl¡¯s magic sword struck the stone wall and scraped it to pieces before disappearing in countless black grains. With a rattle, the stone wall collapses and Justy emerges unharmed from the other side. ¡°¡­.. Oh, by the way, Sven told me. You can use magic too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get the chance to use it in real life, Or perhaps I should say that I don¡¯t get to meet enough strong opponents to let me use it.¡± ¡°Haha, you should come to a remote jungle once. You¡¯ll be fighting demons so strong that you won¡¯t have time to play your trump card.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s tempting, ¡­¡­ but¡­¡± Justy grasped the handle of the spear with both hands and swung it wide upwards. And now he slammed the tip side into the ground. ¡°The first thing I¡¯m going to do is kill you first-[Earth Shattering]!¡± ¡°Ohh..?¡± The ground where the spear struck cracked, and the fragments fell on Raidorl as countless stone pebbles. It seems that Justy¡¯s side was the same, wearing a magic sword for long-distance attack. Raidorl kicks the ground and flies sideways to avoid the stone projectiles. The stone pebbles that Justy fired were each no bigger than the tip of a pinky finger. However, the sheer number of stones that were released would leave a hole in his body if he were to take them head-on. ¡°It hurts ¡­! You can do it ¡­!¡± Raidorl rolled on the ground, gritted his teeth and growled. A bullet he didn¡¯t dodge completely pierced his shoulder, causing it to bleed slightly. ¡°An offensive and defensive magician. A real pain in the ass.¡± It seems that Justy is a magic warrior who specializes in the earth attribute. The earth attribute is the most balanced attribute in terms of attack and defense. It is by far the most massive and powerful comparing water, fire and wind, so it is hard to defend and heavy to attack. This is a very different style of battle from that of Raidorl, who was also a magical warrior, but whose special attack was a curse. ¡°It is a great honour to be praised by His Highness, the holder of the Holy Sword. But I hope you won¡¯t surrender!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Raidorl holds his sword and puts his magic into it. Justy holds his spear and puts his magic into it. ¡°Jormungandr, the deadly serpent!¡± ¡°Earth-Shattering!¡± Their attacks were unleashed simultaneously. A jet-black storm, like a serpent, shot from Raidorl¡¯s sword. It was the cursed slash that had once engulfed hundreds of Imperial soldiers at the Brain Fortress. This is the first time Justy ever saw such a thing. But even so, it was easily big enough to devour a single Justy. Justy, on the other hand, slammed his spear into the ground and sent the stone pebbles flying again. The only difference is the size of the debris. Each bullet fired from the spear was the size of a fist and was filled with magic. Dozens, maybe hundreds of bullets that could shatter the bones of Raidorl with a single if it pierce the oncoming black serpent. ¡°Kuhh¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Whaaaaat?¡± The moment the rock projectiles collided, the black serpent burst wide open. The jet-black wind rolled up to the sky, creating an updraft, and the people who were watching the duel screamed at the blowing wind. ¡°Stone Wall ¡­¡­!¡± Justy built a stone wall and clung to it, hiding from the black storm. He looked from the shadows of the wall to see what had happened to Raidorl, but the black storm prevented him from seeing him. He thrusts his spear into the ground and concentrates on bearing the impact. ¡°Damn¡­¡­His highness is still a fearsome man to be this powerful without a holy sword!¡± He gritted his teeth and held on for a few seconds. Then the storm stopped. Justy came out of the shadow of the stone wall and sighed deeply. ¡°Heh, His Highness is too reckless, there¡¯s still people around. Your highness, do you think this is someone else¡¯s house and you can do whatever you¡­want..?¡± Justy looked around and nodded his head. It was the garden of the house of the Baron Oigist, but the damage seemed to be lighter than expected. There were some fallen plants, but no signs of damage to the buildings. In terms of human casualties, it is unlikely that anyone was seriously injured, although some of the spectators to the duel were on their bottoms on the ground or cowering and shaking. Raidorl¡¯s slash was a cursed wind, but there was no sign of anyone being seriously damaged by the curse. ¡°Did you weaken the curse and devote the weight of your strength to creating a huge wind?¡¡No, wait ¡­¡­!¡± That¡¯s not the point. There is more to worry about than the size of the damage. ¡°Where is your highness ¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± Justy looked around sharply, but Raidorl was nowhere to be seen. He looked carefully to see if he was hiding behind a fallen tree, but he didn¡¯t seem to be lurking anywhere. ¡°I¡¯m not sure where he is, but he¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Sword Style¡­.¡± ¡°Wha-!¡± An ominous melody shook his eardrums. A chill runs down his spine and he looks up to the sky with a start. As Justy looked up, he saw Raidorl dancing high above him, just above his head. ¡°You can¡¯t build a wall of stone over your head, no matter what, can you?¡± With the black miasma spreading like wings, Raidorl stands in the heavens and looks down at Justy. The power of his magic is concentrated in his right hand, turning the sword jet black. ¡°What the hell ¡­¡­?¡± The magic clash just now. It was a storm of curses unleashed by Raidorl, but its purpose was not to defeat Justy. It was meant to create an updraft, so that Raydor could soar high into the sky on the wind that was blowing him up. Justy was in a hurry to get his spear ready for the attack from above, but before he could, Raidorl swung the tip of his sword at Justy. ¡°Scorpion Strike!¡± ¡°Gahh¡­¡­!¡±¡¯ A jet-black stab fell like a bolt of lightning and plunged into Justy¡¯s shoulder. It¡¯s not the same as a storm, but it¡¯s a blow that contains a lot of curses, and the huge body covered with armor slowly tilted. His glasses fell off, and with a violent numbness and chill, Justy fell to the ground and fainted. (TL: the answer is, Justy is a reference from Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde) CH 85 Those who survived Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Ugh ¡­¡­ here it is ¡­¡­¡± Groaning, Justy Oigist slowly opens his eyelids. His body was heavy and he could not move as he wished. It was as if he had iron balls strapped to his arms and legs. It seems that Justy is lying on a bed. His upper body was naked and his shoulders were bandaged. When he touched it with his hand, he felt a sharp throbbing pain. ¡°So ¡­¡­I lost the duel¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re awake, Justy.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡­?¡± A voice from beside him, as he looked over and saw a small boy sitting on a chair next to the bed. The lack of glasses made it difficult for him to see the small boy properly. When Justy was searching something around his bedside by hand, his glasses were pressed against his face. He looked at him through the lenses. The face of the boy sitting there with his arms and legs crossed, looking very unhappy, was familiar to him. It was Sven Arbeil, a nobleman from the eastern border, like Justy. ¡°¡­.. Sven? You¡¯re looking better.¡± ¡°Yes, unlike you. It seems that the curse you received from His Highness has not completely worn off, so you shouldn¡¯t move too much. And ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ngu!¡± ¡°You need to rehydrate a little. I¡¯ll give you a drink.¡± Sven shoved a jug of water into Justy¡¯s mouth with a disdainful look in his eyes. Justy slammed down on the bed in agony as the water was forcefully poured into his mouth. Normally, he would have been able to push him away, but since he still has the curse, almost wounded state, he could not even shake off Sven¡¯s thin arms. Eventually, when the jug was half empty and the water was soaking the bed sheets, Sven let Justy go. ¡°Bwah¡­¡­ haaa ¡­¡­ haaa ¡­¡­, pain ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t suffering a sign of life? I¡¯m glad we¡¯re both still alive.¡± ¡°Yes, we are¡­¡­¡± Justy was the loser of the duel. He was in no position to complain if he had lost his life. Sven was also a loser of the war against the Empire, and if he was unlucky, he could have been killed. It was a wonder that both of them were still alive, and it was difficult for them to even see each other. Justy closed his eyes and was silent for a while, but then he opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay. And I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t be there when the Earls of Arbeil were in danger.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. I¡¯ve heard that you are also opposed to the Barons of Oigist turning to the Empire. ¡°Still, it makes no difference that the Oigist have betrayed you. If you want revenge, you may take him or me down.¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯ve had my fill of revenge.¡± Sven held out his hands in a jocular manner. Viscount Ulfert, the man who had sold out the Arbeil family, hadn¡¯t looked sorry, so why should Justy, who had nothing to do with it, have to apologise to him? ¡°More importantly, ¡­¡­, it¡¯s time you told us. Why did you challenge His Highness Raidorl to a duel?¡± ¡° Mmm¡­¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t really just want to fight a holy sword holder, did you? You muscular glasses.. ¡°You can¡¯t talk to me like that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Justy sighs and averts his gaze from Sven, who stares at him with fixed eyes. ¡°Of course, as a warrior, I wanted to fight the hero, His Highness Prince Raidorl. But I did it because I thought it was necessary for the survival of the Oigist barony¡± Justy began to speak in a slow tone. He lay down on the bed again and relaxed his body, which was still under the curse. ¡°When I heard that His Highness had hired you, I knew at once that he was trying to create his own faction and that he was looking for talented people.¡± No matter how intelligent he was, Sven was still a boy of twelve. It would have been impossible to take him as a vassal or a military strategist. The fact that Raidorl took the trouble to take Sven under his wing shows that he is a man of merit, and that he is greedy for talent. ¡°¡­¡­ So you were trying to show your power by fighting in a duel?¡¡Was there no other way?¡± ¡°There might have been. But I am only a warrior. But I am only a warrior and I can only open up the future with my spear. There is no other way to live.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re smart, but at the same time you¡¯re an idiot too, and I hate that. You could have died horribly, you know?¡± ¡°It is better to be a rust of a hero¡¯s sword than to live out your life as a renegade who has turned against your country. And if, by any chance, His Highness Raidorl is capable of being defeated by me, I have no intention of serving him. And I will not help you in your treason against the king.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So you¡¯ve noticed. You knew, didn¡¯t you, that His Royal Highness Raidorl was planning to rebel against King Granard?¡± ¡°Of course. A man who was once expelled from the royal palace is trying to form a faction with his army. I can¡¯t think of any purpose other than rebellion.¡± Sven smiled, saying nothing. ¡°¡­¡­ I gave up my life once anyway. I would like to be a part of His Highness¡¯ ambition. That is, of course, if his Highness accepts to spare my life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. His Royal Highness, Prince Raidorl, is a man of deep pockets. He even lets a foolish child who tries to seduce him off the hook.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well¡­you¡¯ll have to ask His Highness to tell you. And don¡¯t worry,I¡¯m more senior than you, so I¡¯ll work you like a horse and cart.¡± Sven laughed mockingly and looked down at the younger man lying on the bed. And so it came to pass that the Barony of Oigist was also placed under the control of Raidorl¡¯s army. There are only three traitors left in the Eight Eastern Houses. The battle to purge the eastern border region was nearing its final stages. (TL:Princess Slaughter of Ilkas,here we come) CH 86 Return of the Duchess Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil As the battle for the eastern border region reaches its climax, another incident is occurring in the capital, the heart of the Kingdom of Zain. One of the mansions in the noble quarter of the capital. In one of the houses in the noble quarter of the capital, Ave Macbeth, one of the vassals of King Granard Zain, is visited by an unusual guest. ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­ What brings you here so late at night?¡± The owner of the house, Macbeth, stroked his long white beard and asked his guest, who was sitting in a chair. Macbeth¡¯s voice has a slightly reproachful tinge to it. It is nearly midnight. It is too polite to visit the house of Macbeth, a nobleman of high rank who holds the post of Lord Advocate in the royal court, at this hour. (TL: Lord Advocate: the principal Law Officer of the Crown) Nevertheless, Macbeth does not turn his guest away, but welcomes her into the drawing room of his house because he is a woman whom Macbeth cannot ignore. ¡°I am sorry to disturb you at this hour. Lord Macbeth.¡± It was a young woman in a simple dress who bowed her head and said in an elegant manner. Her name was Mertina Marcell. She is the daughter of Lockwood Marcell, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Zain, and the fianc¨¦e to, Raidorl Zain. Behind her is a woman who looks like a maid, standing tall and silent. ¡°What on earth does she want? Visiting at this hour?¡± Macbeth scratches his beard and tilts his head inwardly. Macbeth is in his seventies and is a cunning aristocrat who has survived for decades in the world of politics, where power and intrigue swirl around him. Even for the experienced Macbeth, Mertina¡¯s visit was something unexpected. In the first place, Mertina had been taken prisoner a few months ago for attempting to manipulate Raidorl Zain with a curse, and since then she had not been seen in Royal Capital. Mertina used to be the flower of the salon, bringing together the ladies of the nobility, but now she is treated as if she were nothing at all at court. Everyone thought she would never appear on the stage again, and Macbeth could not hide his confusion at her visit. ¡°It has an elegant taste. As expected, You are the Lord Advocate. The tea he drinks is a bit different.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± In spite of Macbeth¡¯s bewilderment, Mertina sipped the tea served to her in an elegant manner. Macbeth looked at Mertina with probing eyes for a while, then sighed with resignation. ¡°¡­¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind if I ask why you¡¯re here.¡¡I¡¯m an old man, after all. Staying up late is not good for the body.¡± ¡°Oh,Dear me, I didn¡¯t think this through. I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯ve done.¡± Mertina put her hand over her mouth and made a surprised face, as if she had just noticed it. Macbeth is slightly annoyed by the sly attitude, but still, as a cunning aristocrat, he keeps his good-natured expression on the surface. ¡°Ho, ho, it¡¯s a pleasure to talk to you, young lady. I wish you could have come at a more sensible hour.¡± ¡°Fu,fu,fu I¡¯m very sorry, but I have some business to attend to, and I thought it might be inconvenient for you to come at a time when you would be seen.¡± ¡°Ho? That¡¯s not very nice. Is this some kind of a bad business?¡± ¡°Yes, for Lord Macbeth, I suppose it is.¡± Macbeth narrows his eyes at Mertina, who smiles elegantly. ¡°She¡¯s been dodging me for a while now and I¡¯m not getting anywhere. I think it¡¯s best to just ask her straight out.¡± ¡°Miss Mertina, even though it is the middle of the night, I have no time to waste. I am busy cleaning up after the war with the Empire. If you have no business to attend to, would you please leave?¡± ¡°Oh, well, let¡¯s get down to business, shall we?¡± Mertina finally puts her teacup on the table after being told in a rather stern tone. She looks at Macbeth with straight eyes and opens her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m going to be very direct with you, Lord Justice Ave Macbeth. You are in league with the Empire, are you not?¡± ¡°HA¡­¡­!?¡± At Meltina¡¯s words, Macbeth froze, speechless. The old man froze in surprise, and Mertina raised her red, crimson lips. CH 87 Two Traitors Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°¡­¡­what on earth are you talking about?¡± It was only a few seconds before Macbeth was lost in thought. The cunning old man quickly regained his bearings and nodded his head as if he had no idea what she was talking about. ¡°I have been in the service of the kingdom since the time of the last king. There is no way I could have been a spy for the Empire now.¡± ¡°Yes, it is. No one doubts your loyalty, not even the King himself. Even my father,¡­¡­Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell, did not doubt that you were a loyal subject like himself.¡± ¡°I am most flattered by the confidence of the Prime Minister. But then, you are not here on your father¡¯s orders, are you?¡± He had thought that Mertina had been sent here on the orders of her father, Lockwood. But Macbeth was mistaken. ¡°Yes, it is the will of His Royal Highness ¡®King¡¯ Raidorl that I have come here.¡± ¡°King Raidorl you say¡­?¡± Macbeth frowned doubtfully. It is true that Mertina was captured because of her disrespect for Raidorl, and after that she was supposed to be held captive in his domain, the frontier city. It¡¯s not surprising that Mertina was freed by Raidorl¡¯s order. ¡°Does that mean that it is His Highness Prince Raidorl who suspects me of being a traitor?¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡± ¡°Well, then you are mistaken. I haven¡¯t spoken to His Highness since he was exiled. If, by any chance, I were in league with the empire, there is no way that your highness would be aware of it.¡± ¡°It seems that His Highness has become too paranoid after living in frontier life. I will forget about today, so please go home as it is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, my dear. Evidence is better than argument. Take a look at this.¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± A woman in a maid¡¯s uniform who was standing behind Mertina came forward and silently laid out the papers on the table. Macbeth looked down at the papers doubtfully, but then his face contorted in astonishment. ¡°It¡¯s¡­.. you idiot! Why do you have this?¡± The mask of a good-natured old man has come off in surprise. On the table are documents that should never have been brought out. It is the document that will lead to Macbeth¡¯s downfall, hidden away in a hidden room in the house. ¡°I had no idea that Lord Justice Macbeth had been feeding information to the Empire. And not just recently, but for decades¡­¡­.¡± (TL:Advocate or Justice, please choose) ¡°Ugh, ¡­¡­, no, this is ¡­¡­!¡± Macbeth tried to make up for it, but it was too late. It is clear from Macbeth¡¯s demeanor that the document is genuine. ¡°Then you built a hidden room in the basement of your house and locked it, and when the door was broken open, the magic you¡¯ve set up beforehand will be triggered and all the documents inside will be burned. This is how cautious you are, It is no wonder that you have been able to deceive my father and the whole court. Only a legendary witch would be able to pull off such a trick.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Macbeth¡¯s deeply wrinkled face was contorted, and he shook his fists in silence. The old man bites his lip until it turns white, but then he slumps his shoulders in resignation. It is not difficult to get rid of Mertina here. But if Raidorl is backing her, there¡¯s no way he can remove her. ¡°¡­¡­ How on earth did you discover that I was an informer?¡± ¡°I did not discover it, my dear. I knew that there was at least one traitor among the Court officials, so I searched their houses one by one. I didn¡¯t suspect you in the slightest, so you were last in line, but it took me a lot longer than it should have.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. But if there is one thing that needs to be corrected, it is that I am not a traitor. I¡¯ve been on the side of the Empire from the start.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Macbeth sniffs at Mertina, who rolls her eyes in puzzlement. ¡°You know my history, don¡¯t you?¡¡In the past, I was a traveling adventurer who happened to stumble upon the daughter of the Macbeths, a lower class noble family, being attacked by thugs.¡± ¡°Yes. You were not of noble birth and had a very difficult time in your youth, I understand?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where it all began. From the very beginning, I was a spy for the Empire, and I went undercover in the kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­..Ah! I See!¡± Mertina could not help admiring the situation. Perhaps the thugs who attacked Lady Macbeth were also from the Imperial side. He must have entered the kingdom of Zain as the son-in-law of a lowly nobleman, and has been working all his life to the advantage of the empire. ¡°Is that why you went from being a lowly nobleman to being Lord Justice?¡¡How much trouble did you go through¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of my country. It is only natural that I should devote myself to the service of my country. The daughter of the Lockwoods, who are the most loyal people in the kingdom, can understand this, can¡¯t she? ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m speechless. It¡¯s really brilliant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I am glad to hear your last compliment.¡± Macbeth smiled to himself at Meltina¡¯s honest admiration. ¡°¡­¡­ Is this the end of a long, long mission? It¡¯s a shame I won¡¯t see the end of this kingdom, but it¡¯s a relief to have a bit of a weight lifted off my shoulders.¡± He didn¡¯t know how she got the documents, but he wasn¡¯t going to make any excuses for it once the evidence had been uncovered. Macbeth honestly admitted his defeat and held up his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to do now¡­¡­.Am I to be taken to the palace, or am I to commit suicide here and now?¡± ¡°Neither, my Lord Macbeth.¡± However, Mertina smiled serenely at Macbeth¡¯s declaration of defeat. Macbeth blinks repeatedly at the expression, which is too unsuitable for pursuing a traitor. ¡°Hmm? You mean you¡¯re going to spare me? What¡¯s in it for you ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Lord Macbeth, I would like you to work for His Highness King Raidorl from now on. I would like you to continue to serve King Granard as Lord Justice, while laying the groundwork for the nobles of the palace to side with His Royal Highness Raidorl.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Macbeth¡¯s eyes widened at the unbelievable words he heard. It is not an unreasonable request to side with Raidorl, since Mertina is here on Raydor¡¯s orders. However ¨C this was Mertina Marcell, daughter of Lockwood Marcell, who spoke those words. The daughter of one of the most loyal subjects in the kingdom is acting in favor of his royal brother over King Granard. This shocked Macbeth as if the earth had been turned upside down. ¡°That¡¯s very unlike you, Lady Mertina. What has happened to you in the last few months?¡± ¡°¡­.. It would be tactless of you to ask. Lord Macbeth.¡± Mertina puts her hand to her cheek and sighs. Her skin is peachy and she exhales, her face glowing like a refined lady. Even Macbeth, whose sexual appetite was already exhausted, was charmed by it. ¡°I have not betrayed the kingdom, even though I have disobeyed the will of my father and King Granard. I have decided to work for His Highness because I believe that it is truly in the best interest of this country that His Highness Raidorl should become the new king.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°His Highness does not intend to fight with the Empire, and in some cases he is willing to work together for it. I think it is in the interests of the Empire to take advantage of His Highness, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Macbeth listened to Mertina¡¯s words in silence. The old man, who had been working for the Empire for many years, kept his eyes downcast and pondered for a moment, but then, as if making up his mind, he spoke up. CH 88 The Iron Lady and the Witch Translated by SoundOfDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°It was ¡­¡­ nerve-wracking.¡± After an informal meeting with Ave Macbeth, the Lord Advocate and imperial spy, Mertina Marcell sighed deeply. Meltina was on her way back to her pre-arranged carriage. In the carriage, there is only one maid sitting, except for her. ¡°It was an excellent piece of persuasion, Mertina. I can¡¯t negotiate like that, so thank you.¡± ¡°I am honoured by your praise, Lady Neimilia.¡± The words of praise came from the maid¡¯s mouth. But Mertina replied with a slightly nervous look on her face. A young lady in a dress and a servant in a maid¡¯s uniform. From the outside, the former appears to be the superior, but the relationship between the two is the complete opposite. Mertina opens her mouth with an upturned look, taking great care not to offend Neimilia. ¡°Now Lord Justice Macbeth, one of the higher nobles of the Royal Court, will act for His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl. Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be delighted.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to hear it.¡± Mertina was relieved when Neimilia smiled cheerfully at her. Mertina knew that her smile was only a superficial smile, while Neimilia had a pleasant smile on her face the whole time. Neimilia is one of the Six Witches of Doom who once nearly destroyed the world, and is one of the most fearsome monsters on earth. The evidence of the secret communication that drove Macbeth to his surrender was also found by Neimilia, who summoned a shadow messenger to find it. The shadow, which can hide in the dark and sneak in anywhere, wherever it goes, no one can hide everything. The mansions of Macbeth and other powerful noblemen in the capital have already been stripped bare, and their weaknesses have been grasped at every turn. ¡°She¡¯s a scary person, terrifying¡­¡± Once upon a time, Mertina tried unsuccessfully to manipulate Raidorl by placing a curse on him and ended up in a prison cell in the frontier city. Originally, Mertina was released by her father, Lockwood Marcell, as a pawn. She was prepared to be captured and even to be rudely beaten. But what struck Mertina as a prisoner of war was a living hell that was worse than being killed. ¡°Your majesty, father, I am sorry. I have no choice but to do this.¡± She touched the bosom of her dress gently and fell on her face, hiding her melancholy eyes with her eyelashes. Mertina¡¯s left breast is engraved with a curse by Neimilia. It was a similar design to the one on Granard, and it tormented Mertina day and night. ¡°Oh, Mertina, you have worked so hard for your master, don¡¯t you think you should be rewarded?¡± ¡°Ah, theres¡¯ no nee¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Come on, it feels good.¡± ¡°Khh, ¡­¡­Fwahh, ¡­¡­ st-op, ¡­¡­ Plea-!¡± Mertina¡¯s tongue flicked out and she squealed in delight as the intense pleasure assaulted her body. The intense pleasure that consumes her whole body has been experienced more times than she can count, but it still does not allow her to get used to it. Since the failure of her plan and her captivity, Mertina has been plagued by a curse that has driven her mad. She was left in a prison cell in the frontier city. Left in a prison cell in the frontier city, Mertina spends her days behind bars, solitary and comforting herself. ¡°I¡¯ve thought many times that I should just die. But ¡­¡­ this witch won¡¯t even let me do that. ¡­¡­¡± Whenever Meltina tried to commit suicide, an inexplicable shock pierced her body and she fainted. And when she wakes up, the curse would appear again on her body and it goes on indefinitely. Mertina¡¯s father, the Prime Minister, has trained her to be a person who can live and die for the Kingdom of Zain. As part of this, she was trained to endure torture. However, the horrible witch¡¯s manipulations make her realize that it was all useless. ¡°You can endure pain if you train yourself to do so. It¡¯s like eating spicy food, you become addicted to it. But there is no one who can resist love, happiness and pleasure. I was sealed away for 200 years because I loved ¡®that person¡¯.¡± (TL:Referring to Raidorl¡¯s ancestor) This is what Neimilia said to her just before she left the city. And just as she had said, Mertina succumbed to the hell of pleasure. The sexual urges that come to her every day chip away at her pride, her faith, her reason, but they are tempered just enough to keep her from going completely mad. In the beginning, Mertina rebelled because of her imprinted patriotism, but soon she fell to her knees before the curse and begged the witch for mercy. ¡°I am the daughter of the Prime Minister. Daughter of the house of Marcell.¡± ¡°I have a duty to live for my country. I have a duty to die for my country.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m suffering so much and the kingdoms won¡¯t help me.¡± ¡°Even my father has forsaken me.¡± ¡°So why should I serve my country?¡± In the never-ending hell of pleasure, Mertina¡¯s beliefs were melted down like hot iron, only to be reborn in a new and more solid form. ¡°For the country, for the country, for the country.¡± ¡°It would be better for the country if His Highness Prince Raidorl were king. ¡°His Highness, who has changed me so much, he can make this country a better place.¡± ¡°The Empire was going to destroy us anyway. Then his highness should be the king, for he has saved the kingdom.¡± Mertina¡¯s distorted beliefs soon took a firm shape. When Neimilia came to pick her up after several months in prison, Mertina had no hesitation in falling flat on her face. ¡°I pledge my allegiance to His Highness, Raidrol. I ask you to accept my loyalty.¡± Neimilia nodded in satisfaction as Mertina made the most pathetic display of her life, scraping her head on the ground with both hands and feet. ¡°I knew you had potential. You¡¯d make a great dog, Mertina.¡± Mertina will never forget the look on Neimilia¡¯s face. A smile as gentle as ¡®Our Lady¡¯. A smile as gentle as a mother¡¯s. (TL: Our Lady referring to Mary especially in catholics) It was a devilishly gentle smile that left no doubt that being Raidorl¡¯s dog would be a blessing for Mertina. ¡°¡­¡­There was no way we could have won from the start. Not me, not my father. Not even the King¡± ¡°Did you say something, Miss Mertina?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything. Lady Neimilia.¡± Mertina shakes her head as she finishes reminiscing after being forced to enjoy her reward from Neimilia. ¡°And what shall I do next?¡¡I would do anything for His Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s cut down the merchants this time. Let¡¯s get all the powerful people in the Royal Capital on our master¡¯s side before he comes back!¡± Mertina closed her eyes gently as the witch said with a sunny expression on her face. When she opened her eyes again, the melancholy and hesitation she had felt earlier had vanished. ¡°Very well, Lady Neimilia. All for the sake of our Lord, His Royal Highness King Raidorl.¡± CH 89 First battle of the new Raidorl¡¯s armies Several months have passed since Raidorl began his expedition to the Eastern Borderlands. Sven Arbeil, the surviving son of the Earls of Arbeil, swore allegiance to Raidorl as a military commander. The Viscounts of Ulfert were overrun by Sven¡¯s machinations with little damage to either side. Furthermore ¨C after many twists and turns ¨C the Barons Elladin and Oigist surrendered their territories to Raidorl, and two of the most peculiar people, Shirley Elladin and Justy Oigist, were brought under their control. With the exception of the Viscountesses of Ilkas, who had already perished in the war against the Empire, the majority of the border nobility, known as the Eight Eastern Houses, were now under the control of Raidorl. Finally, after regrouping, the Royal Army ¨C Raidorl¡¯s army ¨C proceeded to the north. The next target was the Count of Calcifer. It is one of the treacherous noble families that turned to the empire, and it is the territory of a great noble family that has as much power as the Countess of Arbeil in the eastern border region. The army, which once numbered only 1,000, has already swelled to 5,000 by recruiting men in the towns it has conquered. It must not be easy to manage a five-fold increase in the number of soldiers, but the problem has been solved by the acquisition of many capable officers and civil servants through a series of battles. Darren Garst, who originally led the cavalry as captain of the thousand horsemen, has been appointed provisional general. His second-in-command, the female knight Saara Leifet, and Justy Oigist, where Raidorl had made him a subordinate through a duel, formed the left and right hand of Darren. In addition, the captain of the knights of the House of Arbeil and the captain of the soldiers of the Barony of Elladin, who had been taken as guards by Sven Arbeil, were appointed as new captains of a thousand men. These five men, each with a thousand men, rode at the head of the line as generals, following behind Raidorl as he rode towards the Count of Calcifer. Next to Raidorl was the figure of Sven, who had become a military strategist. He was a boy who had once been betrayed by his kinsman, Viscount Ulfert, and had escaped the Empire¡¯s destruction of his lands, but now he rode his horse proudly and childishly. ¡°You will soon arrive at the county of Calcifer, Your Highness, Raidorl.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Raidorl nodded at Sven¡¯s words. The Counts of Calcifer are one of the largest noble families in the eastern border region. Their army is one of the most powerful and if they had not surrendered to the Empire and resisted, the Imperial troops would not have been able to reach the Blaine Fortress easily. In addition, Count Calcifer has the Barons of Kyrgyzstan and the Viscountesses of Kubertos under his umbrella. The total strength of the three noble families exceeds 10,000 men. The scouts we sent out to reconnoiter the area reported that the enemy troops had already gathered in the town of Calutris and were ready to meet us. ¡°This is practically the first campaign of this army, is it not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crying shame that it¡¯s the first battle. I hope the men don¡¯t get carried away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they will. Darren and Justy are good soldiers.¡± In response to Raidorl¡¯s concerns, Sven confidently states The enemy¡¯s army was twice as strong as their own. If he follows the basic rules of the art of war, it would be better to retreat without fighting. But Sven did not think that they would be defeated at all. He was convinced that this army, which he had worked so hard to build, could not be defeated. ¡°The Count of Calcifer is huge. Even if my family were still alive and well, we would not be able to defeat them in a proper fight. But right now, our morale is not low and we¡¯re in a position to show our full potential.¡± The Countess Calcifer was a traitor who betrayed the royal family of Zain and turned to the Alsatian Empire. It may have been a rational decision on the part of the nobility to survive and preserve their territory. However, a few of the loyal soldiers begin to be dissatisfied and distrustful towards their disloyal lord. ¡°And we have the holder of the Holy Sword who defeated the Empire. The enemy¡¯s army surely is upset.¡± ¡°I hope so. But I can¡¯t be the only one to play an active role.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We want to give our newly formed army some real combat experience, and if possible, we want to win without your help.¡± Sven nodded his head in agreement. Even with the power of the holy sword, an army that relies on that power all the time will be an unreliable bunch when the time comes. In order to complete the army he had worked so hard to build, it was necessary for them to experience a real war here. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your Highness will not be troubled.¡± ¡°Of course not. Calcifer is all we need!¡± Apparently they had heard the conversation between Raidorl and Sven, because Darren and Justy came riding up to him and assured him emphatically. Darren Garst has the face of a nobleman, and Justy Oigist has the face of a scholarly intellectual, with a lot of muscle. The two men are very different in appearance and character, but as warriors they seem to get on well together. Last night they had been up late strategizing about the invasion of Count Calcifer, and the heated debate echoed outside the room. ¡°A spectacular first battle for the new Raidorl¡¯s army. I will make sure we win in the name of Garst!¡± ¡°Likewise, to clear the name of the Oigist, who once betrayed the royal family, I shall defeat the Count of Calcifer!¡± ¡°That¡¯s very good of you. I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± Raidorl smiled at the loyalty of the two warriors. These two men would never disappoint him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how powerful Count Calcifer is, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll reap what he sows.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a decisive battle. Exiled to the frontier, Swallowing all the pain I¡¯ve been through but now¡­NOW, I¡¯ve got my vassals. I¡¯ve got an army. I¡¯ve got the power! There¡¯s no stopping me now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Granard right now will be disappointed to hear of my victory¡± Raidorl made an image in his mind, seeing his brother¡¯s face as he stomped his feet, and he let out a chuckle. With a renewed determination to win this battle, he tightens his grip on the reins of his horse. But¨C ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl! I have urgent news!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± As if to ridicule Raidorl¡¯s determination, there was a person who called out to him, waving his hands in the air. The person standing in the direction of where Raidorl¡¯s army is heading is a secret agent once known as the Fire-Eating Bird. The man who was supposed to have infiltrated Count Calcifer¡¯s territory with his men had parked his horse beside him and was waiting for Raidorl. ¡°Fire-Bird¡­¡­?¡¡What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, excuse me for a moment.¡± The fire-eating bird rides up alongside Raidorl on his horse. The man, with a cigarette in his mouth as usual, begins to report to Raidorl in an absent-minded voice. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that there¡¯s been a bit of a problem in the town of Calutris.¡± ¡°Trouble? Did the enemy have reinforcements?¡± Raidorl¡¯s concern is that the Imperial forces will interfere in this battle. For the Empire, the eastern border region is part of its territory that it has worked hard to carve out. If they retake it, the battle itself will be in vain and they will be left with nothing but defeat. The damage to the Blaine fortress meant that there was no room to interfere, but did they really want to come in here? The thought makes Raidorl nervous, but Fire-Bird shakes his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s more like the other way around.¡± ¡°The other way?¡± ¡°The Counts of Calcifer have been destroyed. The Barons of Kyrgyzstan and the Viscountesses of Kubertos have all been killed.¡± ¡°What?¡± Raidorl¡¯s voice turned upside down when he received the unexpected report. It was the first battle for the new Raidorl¡¯s army. The battle, which was supposed to be a spectacular victory, seemed to have ended in a surprise non-win. CH 90 Blood Festival The time goes back a little, to Calutris, one of the towns on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Zain. In the town, which is ruled by the Count of Calcifer, one of the Eight Eastern Families, many soldiers are gathering, ready to meet the forces of Raidorl. The Counts of Calcifer have a number of mines in their territory, which produce fine gold and silver. The Count of Calcifer has a strong army, thanks to his ample resources, and his military strength surpasses that of his noble rivals, the Counts of Arbeil. In the war against the Empire, the Counts of Calcifer were quick to turn against the enemy, but if they had stood as the shield of the kingdom, the Imperial forces would not have been able to easily approach the capital. In the house of the Countess, one of the most powerful people on the eastern border, a meeting was being held. ¡°So here¡¯s to our victory¡­..¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± An elderly man takes the stage and raises his glass of wine to the crowd. About twenty men and women are gathered in the large drawing room of the villa, tipping their glasses and savouring the sumptuous food on the table. They are all dressed in fine suits and dresses, and the elegant manner in which they bring the food to their lips suggests that they are of the upper class. They are all related to the three noble families of the Eastern Eight: the Counts of Calcifer, the Barons of Kyrgyzstan, and the Viscounts of Kubertos. They gathered at Count Calcifer¡¯s house in the middle of a victory party to confront the Raidorl¡¯s army that was trying to purge them. ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to hold a party of this size even during the war¡­It¡¯s the Count Calcifer after all, the great aristocrats have different financial power!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, Only a few noblemen in the palace have such financial power!!¡± It was the Barons of Kyrgyzstan and the Viscountesses of Kubertos ¨C the heads of the two families ¨C who spoke with such blatant flattery. ¡°Ha-ha-ha. It¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯m just embarrassed that I didn¡¯t have enough time to entertain you!¡± The man who had proposed the toast smiled proudly and humbly. The man with the romance grey hair pulled all the way back and dressed in a purple suit is called Brutus Calcifer. He was the head of the Calcifer family and the organizer of this party. ¡°If we had more time to prepare, we could have thrown a party worthy of the Countess. If there¡¯s no war after all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± Count Calcifer¡¯s words were followed by one of the guests of honour. The aristocratic and rotund man snickered and spat out a few words of contempt. ¡°Empires, royal palaces, nations fighting each other, it¡¯s a foolish thing to do!¡¡War is a bloody thing, unworthy of a man of our chosen blood.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡¡War is the work of barbarians. How unlucky we are to be involved in such a thing!¡± They are all war critics, but they all believe that they are the chosen ones, born of noble blood. They are not just normal people. They are people of noble blood who cannot be harmed. It is because of this belief that they chose to surrender when the Empire tried to invade them. He is proud to be a nobleman, but he does not want to do his duty as a nobleman. They were never aware of this contradiction, because they never thought about it themselves. ¡°We are the chosen ones to rule this land, to be above the others!¡¡What is wrong with surrendering in order to survive? That Royal Family Zain¡­¡­!¡± Count Calcifer¡¯s face contorts in anger. The news had already reached the Count¡¯s family that the Viscount Ulfert had been destroyed by the Royal Army. It is also reported by a secret agent that the kingdom¡¯s army is close at hand. The Count bites his teeth in vexation at the prospect of the purge looming before him. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be beaten in the same way as Ulfert, ¡­¡­! A country prince, once banished, will be vanquished!¡± ¡°It is said that he has only five thousand enemies. ¡­¡­ No, the power of the Count of Calcifer will easily defeat him!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Even more so with the help of the Barons of Kyrgyzstan and our own Viscount Kubertos! We have the advantage of the earth and the time of heaven!¡¡We will destroy the mere armies of the kingdom!¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± The guests raise their cups in the air as the three noblemen speak. The guests slurp up the wine and eat the food. The party is in full swing. The victory party of the treacherous nobles becomes even more heated, and the self-proclaimed noblemen, red-faced with wine, shout loudly about their victory. And then¡­ ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, Father.¡± A young man walked into the party, which was already at the height of its excitement. He wore a white suit and a dinner jacket with a red rose on his chest, as if he were at a wedding. ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long, Brad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m a little busy with work¡­¡­.¡± The young man called Brad bends his back politely and bows his head. Brad Calcifer. He was the only son of Brutus Calcifer, and the next head of the Count¡¯s family. The Count sniffed and offered his son a glass of wine as he bowed his head, shaking his golden tresses. ¡°Bah, fine¡­you also take a drink, this is a victory party for our army!¡¡As the heir to the Count¡¯s throne, you must show yourself worthy of it! ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Brad takes the glass from his father¡¯s hand. He does not sip it, but looks at the entrance of the party hall with his eyes narrowed like a thread. ¡°I¡¯d love to have a drink with your guests, father, who are some of the most talented people in the eastern border region¡­¡­ but before that, I¡¯d like to introduce you to a woman.¡± ¡°A lady¡­¡­ Brad, what are you¡­¡­ doing? ¡°Come on in, come on in!¡± Ignoring his father¡¯s quizzically raised eyebrows, Brad turned his left hand towards the door. All eyes in the hall were focused on the entrance. ¡°What the ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not ¡­¡­!¡± The door slowly opens and a woman in a dress walks into the party room. A white dress of the same colour as the one Brad is wearing. She has a white right leg that extends from the hem above her knee and a metal prosthetic left leg. Her red hair, which hangs down her back, is as bright as blood, and a bandage is wrapped around her face, covering her left eye. The appearance of a woman with a strange appearance caused everyone in the hall to gasp. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡­¡­Why are you alive,¡­¡­?¡± Count Calcifer was stunned. Brad looks at his father and lifts his head. ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce you to my fianc¨¦e. This is Angelica Ilkas, my dear fianc¨¦e!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Flanked by Brad, the one-legged, one-eyed woman known as Angelica glared at the audience with her vacant right eye. CH 91 Condemnation and Decapitation ¡°Oh, Angelica Ilkas!¡± ¡°How did she ¡­¡­! How could she be alive?¡± Angelica Ilkas ¨C the Viscountess Ilkas is a noble family that resisted the Empire without surrendering and was destroyed in the process. Every single person in the Viscountess Ilkas family is reported to have died in battle, and the Angelica in front of them is like a ghost to those present. ¡°Well, well, well, Miss Angelica. I didn¡¯t think you were still alive. ¡­¡­ Congratulations!¡± Count Calcifer approached Angelica with a rather nervous look on his face. Angelica was the one who was to be married to his son, Brad Calcifer. The young lady who was to become his daughter in law. He looks at Angelica, who is alive and in front of him, with a slightly drawn and complicated look in her eyes. ¡°And you too, Count ¡­¡­. You¡¯re looking very well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Angelica turns to the Count and looks into his face with her right eye. The Count felt a shiver run down his spine at the ghostly, lifeless look in her eyes, as if he were being accused. When Viscount Ilkas was invaded by the Empire, a request for reinforcements was sent to Count Calcifer. However, the Count refused the request for reinforcements, abandoned the house that was supposed to be his ally, and turned to the Empire. The Count could not look Angelica in the face because of his guilt, and sweat poured down his back. ¡°Viscount Ilkas¡­¡­I¡¯m so sorry to hear about your father!¡¡He was a really honest and sincere man. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­that I couldn¡¯t help you with the war!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Angelica remained silent and did not respond to the Count¡¯s apology. Her silence was met with a murmur from the rest of the guests at the party. As the awkward atmosphere froze the room, Brad stepped forward and tapped Angelica on the shoulder. ¡°Father, I would like to take this opportunity to make an important announcement. Today, Angelica and I would like to get married and become husband and wife!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The Count¡¯s eyes widened as he heard the sudden bombshell from his son¡¯s mouth. The Count¡¯s eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Why are you suddenly ¡­¡­!¡± Angelica was indeed Brad¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Had it not been for the war with the Empire, they would have been united and become husband and wife. But this was a different matter. Things are different now than they were before the war. ¡°What are you thinking, Brad?¡¡Don¡¯t you understand what¡¯s going on?¡± The Count bites his back teeth and stares at his son with bloodshot eyes. The Viscounts of Ilkas were the last to resist the Empire. And the Countess Calcifer was the last one who turned to the Empire. If, after successfully defeating Raidorl¡¯s army, the Empire found out that he had hidden Angelica, it might make a bad impression on them. If he had just kept her in his house, he could explain that he was holding her as a prisoner of war, but if he had married her to Brad, he would have no excuse. ¡°Wait, wait, wait, Brad. I¡¯m glad to hear that Miss Angelica is safe, but now¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m safe¡­¡­?¡¡In the eyes of the Count, do I look safe to you?¡± Angelica, who has a single eye, murmured. The count quivered his shoulders at the words of throwing ice into his spine. ¡°Gh¡­.., no. It¡¯s a figure of speech. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. My father and mother. My brother and sisters. A single eyeball or a single leg is a trivial injury compared to those who did not even survive.¡± ¡°No, no. ¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it that way. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Enough of this! Baroness Ilkas!¡± The Baron of Kyrgyzstan stepped forward in front of Angelica to defend the Count, whose voice was trembling at the loss of speech. ¡°We are in the middle of a victory party to defeat Raidorl Zain!¡¡If you want to complain, We¡¯ll listen to you later! Mind your place!¡± The Baron of Kyrgyzstan is lower than the Viscount Ilkas in terms of family status, so he is not in a position to condemn Angelica out loud, even if she is his opponent. But the Viscountess of Ilkas is already dead. There is nothing to fear from a house that no longer exists. Kyrgyz, with a twisted expression of pleasure at being able to openly criticise a nobleman of higher rank than himself, pointed his finger at Angelica and lashed out loudly. ¡°Huh? Defeat His Highness Raidorl, who was dispatched by His Majesty the King¡­This is absurd.¡± Angelica looked back at Kyrgyzstan with a cold look. ¡°We are vassals given homes and territories by the Zain royal family. How dare you all point your swords at the royal family.¡± ¡°Nonsense, what anachronisms are you talking about in these times!¡± Kyrgyz snorts in derision. It was more than a hundred years ago that they had received their lands from the royal family. Why should they risk their lives to fight the empire for a debt so long ago? ¡°By sticking to those old-fashioned ideals that Ilkas was destroyed!¡¡The incompetent aristocrats who died with their mouldy loyalties in their hands are not the ones who should be lecturing us! ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now¡­¡­!¡± Kyrgyzstan¡¯s verbal blades lashed out but it wasn¡¯t Angelica who responded to it, but Count Calcifer, who was watching the situation next to him. For some reason, the Count turned his face pale and rushed to Kyrgyzstan. ¡°You went too far, Kyrgyz! Change your language!¡± ¡°What, Count?¡± ¡°Apologise to Miss Angelica now! Or else ¡­¡­!¡± Kyrgyz rolls his eyes at the question, which comes from an unexpected direction. Kyrgyzstan has intervened to protect his master, Count Calcifer, and denounce Angelica. But why was he being blamed? Kyrgyzstan had such a question in his face, but he soon realized the reason. That he has stepped on a land mine that he should never step on. ¡°Mouldy loyalty¡­¡­? Did you just say that to an Ilkas family?¡± The single eye of Angelica, which had been lifeless until a moment ago, has a mysterious light in it. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Miss Angelica¡­¡­¡± The Count hurriedly tried to intercede. But Angelica moved faster than that. ¡°Huh¡­¡­.!¡± The hem of a pure white dress flutters softly. Underneath the fluttering dress, a white leg and a metal prosthesis appeared. And tied to the leg was a thin dagger. Angelica pulled out the dagger attached to her thigh with uncanny speed and plunged the thin tip, like an ice pick, into Kyrgyzstan¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Gahh¡­..!¡± ¡°Traitorous, treacherous¡­¡­traitors!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Angelica put her magic power into the dagger in her hand. At that moment, Kyrgyzstan¡¯s body exploded without even being allowed to let out a scream of despair. His blood, flesh, bones, organs and bodily fluids were splattered all around her, as if a bomb had been placed inside her body. ¡°Aaahhhh!¡± ¡°Niahhhhhhh!!¡± ¡°What the hell? What¡¯s going on?¡± In an instant, the man who had been chatting and laughing with them had vanished; only screams erupted from all parts of the party. Count Calcifer, who had been exposed to a piece of Kyrgyz meat at close quarters, fell on his buttocks from fear and astonishment. ¡°A-ah, you just had to anger my fianc¨¦e!¡± Looking at the screaming and shouting in the party hall, Brad muttered in a light tone, as if he were someone else. Angelica took a sideways glance at her fianc¨¦ and covered her face with the hand that was not holding the dagger. ¡°¡­..I knew these people were scums. They call themselves magnanimous nobles that serve the Zain family and that¡¯s why my family was killed by the Empire.¡± Angelica¡¯s white wedding dress was dyed bright red and she tapped the floor with her prosthetic leg to make a sound. ¡°We kill traitors. We kill those who harm the kingdom. This is the job of the Ilkas family, the guardians of the border, and the raison d¡¯etre of our existence.¡± Spitting out the words of condemnation, Angelica gently traced her lips with her bloodied fingertips. As if to draw lipstick, she painted her make-up with blood and announced the beginning of the execution of the ¡°Slaughter Princess¡± of Ilkas. CH 92 Princess Slaughter of Ilkas ¡°Angelica, ¡­¡­! How dare you!¡± Amidst the screams and shouts, it was Brutus Calcifer who raised his voice in horror. A shiver ran down his spine at the carnage that had taken place before his eyes, but he raised his voice resolutely. ¡°Why did you kill Kyrgyzstan!¡¡What the hell did you want ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I killed a traitor who turned to the Empire. What more purpose do I need? I¡¯m a member of the Ilkas family, the guardians of the border, and I¡¯m doing my duty.¡± Angelica turns her monocle towards Count Calcifer and he dubiously retorts. ¡°The Ilkas family is already dead! There is no point in doing this!¡± ¡°They are not dead. I still exist.¡± She said without hesitation, with an almost insane gleam in her eyes. ¡°As long as I am here, Ilkas is not finished. Even if I am alone, I will continue to fight the Empire until the end.¡± ¡°You ¡­¡­! You¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± The Count grits his teeth and turns to his son. He glares at him, wondering why he brought her here, but Brad shrugs his shoulders as if it¡¯s nothing. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Father, the time has come for the Count de Calcifer to close his shop.¡± ¡°Brad. What are you doing ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You know that, don¡¯t you?¡¡Even if we gather 10,000 soldiers, we will not be able to defeat His Highness Raidorl who are approaching here. How can we, who surrendered without fighting the Empire, defeat them when they defeated even the Imperial army?¡¡Have you become so geriatric that you can¡¯t even do simple math?¡± ¡°Stop fooling around, are you still the heir to the house of Calcifer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in being the heir of a dying family. If you¡¯re going to die, at least you should be my wife¡¯s breadwinner.¡± ¡°What ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Gyaaaaa!!!!¡± The argument between father and son was cut short by a hair-raising scream. The Count turned in a panic to see Angelica plunging her dagger into her next victim. It was the man who had been pierced through the chest, the squire of Viscount Kubertos. The man screamed in pain and fear, and the next moment he was blown to pieces. ¡°I will kill all of them. I¡¯ll kill every last one of them.¡± Angelica plunged her dagger into the partygoers one by one, blowing up the traitors who had turned to the Empire. Angelica Ilkas is a knightess with great skill with the sword, and a wizard with great skill with the properties of water. This is the magic sword that Angelica reached after studying both sword and magic. It is a killer sword that shoots magic power into the enemy¡¯s body through the sword, manipulating the blood and other fluids to blow the enemy from the inside out. ¡°Wait, wait! Angelica! Stop it!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop. I kill traitors. Not a strand of hair will survive.¡± Count Calcifer makes a heartbreaking plea, but Angelica does not stop the carnage. She stabs a fleeing nobleman in the back, a squire hiding under a table in the buttocks, a crying servant begging for his life in the head, and then blasts him to pieces. Naturally, some of them tried to escape from the party hall, but they were locked up from the outside, as if Brad had arranged it beforehand, so they couldn¡¯t even escape. ¡°You¡­¡­!¡± Viscount Kubertos jumped on Angelica from behind. Kubertos was a big man, and he was reasonably well versed in the martial arts. However, Angelica unleashed a spinning kick around her right leg and slammed her metal prosthetic leg into Kubertos¡¯ head. ¡°Gobek¡­¡­!¡± With his skull caved in, Kubertos falls to the floor, his head bleeding. Angelica carefully thrusts her sword into the man, who is probably already dead, and blows him to pieces. To her, his death was too polite to allow any chance of survival. Before long, the party was a bloodbath, and there were only three people left alive. In the end, there were only three survivors: Angelica, Brad, and Count Calcifer. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­, you¡¯re the only one left, aren¡¯t you, Father?¡± Brad in his white dinner jacket. Angelica in her wedding dress. Both of them were stained red by the blood of the victims who had been blown to pieces. In the Count¡¯s eyes, they looked like messengers from hell. ¡°Wait, wait! Don¡¯t kill me! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± Count Calcifer crawled shamelessly on the floor, begging for his life. ¡°If you want the governorship, you will have it!¡¡I will help you to restore the Ilkas family!¡¡I¡¯ll help you restore the Ilkas family!¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Brad and Angelica responded immediately. At the same time, the man and the woman made the same reply, but the former had an amused look in his eyes, as if he was toying with a small animal, and the latter was just as emotionless and bored. ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not interested in Countess Calcifer. His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl¡¯s army is almost upon us, and we have no reinforcements from the Empire to rely on. I¡¯d rather have a lovely bride than a house that has no other choice but to perish.¡± ¡°Once a man has betrayed you, he will betray you again and again. The house of Ilkas will be restored, but I do not want you, who cannot be trusted.¡± ¡°A¨Cah¡­..!¡± After being sentenced to death by both of them at the same time, Count Calcifer finally collapsed on the spot. The Count Calcifer, who had been sentenced to death at the same time by the two, collapsed on the spot, his body dripping with all kinds of fluids, speechless with despair. Angelica slowly walked up to the crippled Count and without hesitation plunged her dagger into his forehead. ¡°Kh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Goodbye. The man who was to be my father-in-law.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The Count was blown away without a word. The most powerful aristocrat in the eastern border region was reduced to dust without a trace. CH 93 Rotten fruits ¡°Congratulations on your revenge, Angelica. ¡­¡­ How do you feel now?¡± Brad asked, unconcerned that his father had been slaughtered in front of him. He walked around to the front of Angelica, who was still standing in the position in which she had crushed Count Calcifer, and bent down to look at her face. Angelica took a single look at her fianc¨¦, who was looking into her face with interest, and muttered to herself. ¡°It¡¯s not as emotional as I imagined it would be. It¡¯s boring¡­..No, it¡¯s not. Is it empty?¡± Count Calcifer was the man who had refused the call for reinforcements from his allies, the Ilkas, and had sent Angelica¡¯s family to their deaths as a result. It was the first time she¡¯d ever had to avenge the deaths of her family, but Angelica¡¯s heart was strangely calm. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what revenge is all about?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. It¡¯s not that revenge is empty, it¡¯s that it¡¯s not enough that it ended so easily.¡± Angelica thinks. She¡¯d like to see more resistance. ¡°How can a traitor to a vicious Empire be as weak as this?¡­¡­Shouldn¡¯t the enemy be stronger and more powerful? It is unforgivable that the man who killed her family should be of this calibre. It is a shame for the family that the house of Ilkas has been destroyed by such a trifling little villain. ¡°I wonder if my feelings will ever be satisfied until the Empire is destroyed. I will not be satisfied until I have destroyed the enemies of the kingdom, the enemies of the House of Ilkas.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡¡My bride is a greedy girl if she treats my family, the largest noble family on the eastern border, as an appetizer.¡± Smiling, Brad took Angelica¡¯s hand. He kissed her bloodied right hand and slowly dropped to one knee to the floor. ¡°Oh, my dear bride, Angelica, the Red Angel of Death. I will see to the end how your vengeance will end.¡± ¡°To the end¡­¡­¡± Angelica looked down at Brad with a cold stare as he knelt down and sang as if he were proposing to her. Then she flips her right hand and puts a dagger to his neck. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You do understand right? You are one of the Counts of Calcifer. You¡¯re one of my enemies.¡± ¡°¡­..Yes, I¡¯m one of your enemies. I¡¯m one of the people who took your family from you.¡± He grabbed Angelica¡¯s right hand and pulled her towards him. The thin point of the dagger plunges shallowly into his neck, and a stream of blood trickles down. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to be killed by you. The only thing I would like is for you to kill me with a kiss instead of this tactless blade.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ disgusting.¡± Angelica¡¯s bandaged face twisted into a grimace as she brusquely shook off her fianc¨¦¡¯s hand. Brad laughs at Angelica¡¯s physiological disgust and wipes her neck with his sleeve to remove the blood. ¡°¡­¡­Brad. I¡¯m going to let you live because you¡¯re still useful. I¡¯ll kill you last. If you want to see me avenged, I¡¯ll kill you after I¡¯ve finished with all the enemies of the kingdom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honoured. I¡¯d be very happy to be there for you in your final moments.¡± ¡°Well, then you¡¯d better make yourself useful to me before I kill you. I¡¯m going to blow you up so cleanly that you won¡¯t be able to see a trace.¡± She then walks away, leaving Angelica to her own devices. The locked door is opened and Brad¡¯s men, who had sealed off the room, enter at the same time as Angelica. Covering their mouths and noses with clothes, they take their cleaning tools and begin to clear away the remains of the massacre, as they had been instructed to do in advance. Brad stood and watched Angelica¡¯s back with euphoric eyes, then picked up an apple from the fruit platter on the table. The apple was a little old, perhaps a servant¡¯s mistake. It was overripe and the skin was discoloured. But Brad didn¡¯t hesitate to take a bite of the ripe fruit and chewed the flesh off the skin. ¡°¡­.. Fruit and women taste best when they¡¯re rotten. You are much more attractive than you used to be. My dear, dear Angelica.¡± A lovely woman who grew up nourished by loyalty to her kingdom and corrupted by revenge. Brad Calcifer¡¯s lips twisted into a crescent smile at the thought of his beautiful but terrible bride. CH 94 Snake in a tiger''s den A few days after receiving reports of the fall of the Count of Calcifer. Raidorl¡¯s army arrived at the town of Caltris, in the territory of the Counts of Calcifer. Caltris was a fortified city, but now its gates were open. Even on the ramparts, where the Count¡¯s banner was displayed, there were only a few soldiers on guard. The city¡¯s appearance, as if to show that it was not hostile, caused Raidorl to raise his eyebrows slightly. ¡°What do you think of¡­¡­? Do you think it¡¯s some kind of trap?¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ what do I think?¡± The question was put to Darren Garst, who had been appointed general of the army of Raidorl. Darren glanced sharply to either side of the wall and tilted his head, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel any hostility, but I can¡¯t deny that it¡¯s a trap to lure His Highness Raidorl into the city to strike him down.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t know if we don¡¯t enter the tiger¡¯s hole. That¡¯s all right. Let¡¯s see what Brad Calcifer has in mind, shall we?¡± Raidorl and co. have already heard from a secret agent that the Calcifer family was destroyed in a coup d¡¯etat by their legitimate son, Brad Calcifer. According to information, Brad had rebelled during a meeting of the three noble families and had killed the heads of the three families. He then proceeded to overrun the territories of the Barons of Kyrgyzstan and the Viscount of Kubertos, who had lost their heads, killing every last defiant person and survivor of the noble families. ¡°¡­¡­brilliantly done. He must have been planning and preparing for this for quite some time. No doubt about it, Brad Calcifer is a crook.¡± The question is whether Brad is useful or dangerous for Raidorl. He is like Sven, a military strategist, who is thoughtful and daring enough to throw his weight around at the right moment. But the ruthlessness with which he would deal with even his own father is not something to be trifled with. Even if Brad had sworn obedience to Raidorl, he is a man who can betray even his parents, and he will not hesitate to cut off Raidorl if necessary. ¡°Hello, hello, welcome!¡± As soon as Raidorl passed through the castle gates, an unfamiliar man approached him. He had his golden hair pulled back and was dressed in a black dinner jacket, as if he were going to a party. He even had a rose on his chest, which looked strangely dumb. ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness, that¡¯s Brad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see.¡± Raidorl nodded at Justy Oigist¡¯s advice. ¡°Thank you for welcoming me, Sir Brad Calcifer.¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡¡Your Highness, thank you very much for travelling so far to see us!¡¡It is a great honor to welcome the royal family of Zain back to this city that once belonged to the Empire!¡± Brad kneels down and bows his head in a theatrical motion. Raidorl, without getting off his horse, looked down at Brad with a scowl. ¡°¡­.. Let me ask you this, is it correct to assume that the Countess of Calcifer will surrender to our forces?¡± ¡°Of course, of course. We have no wish to oppose the Zain Royal family.¡± ¡°Royal family¡­¡­.¡± Does he simply mean what he says? It¡¯s also possible that he is aware of Raidorl¡¯s antagonism to his brother, Granard, and is trying to be sarcastic about it. It¡¯s hard for Raidorl to know what¡¯s going on in Brad¡¯s mind, but for now it looks like there won¡¯t be a battle. ¡°But, I have only one correction to make.¡± ¡°Hmm? Tell me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Brad Calcifer and this is not the Count Calcifer¡¯s house.¡± Brad stood up and opened his arms wide. Then all the soldiers on the walls surrounding the town started to move at once. It was only a few seconds before the sudden movement of the soldiers made the army tense. They were immediately stunned and looked up at the walls. ¡°This town is Viscount Ilkas. And my name is Brad Ilkas, sir.¡± The flag of the Counts of Calcifer, which had been flying above the city walls, was lowered at once by the soldiers. In its place was a coat of arms of a falcon with a snake in its mouth on a blue cloth. It was the coat of arms of the Viscounts of Ilkas, who were supposed to have perished in the war against the Empire. ¡°I am no longer a man of the traitorous as Count Calcifer, but a man of the loyal Viscount Ilkas, and I pledge my allegiance to the Kingdom of Zain¡± CH 96 The Lion and the Slaughter Princess AD Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil Rewinding the time slightly. After watching Raidorl and Darren enter the house, the soldiers set up camp right next to the house with prior permission. They set up their tents in the square, and with the exception of the soldiers on guard, each of them went to relieve the fatigue of the expedition. The people of the town came to the soldiers and offered them water, food and wine. Justy Oigist, one of the army chiefs, waggled his eyebrows as the goods were brought into the camp. ¡°Thank you for the supplies. I¡¯ll be sure to tell His Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± ¡°Ha-ha!¡± ¡°You can go now. We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Although he told the cowering townsfolk that he would do so, Justy waited for the soldiers to get the wine and food. When he saw that the townspeople had gone, he shouted angrily. ¡°This is still enemy territory!¡¡Do not take lightly what you receive from someone who is not on your side!¡± ¡°Y-yes! I¡¯m sorry, sir!¡± The soldier, who had been shouted at, hurriedly took his hand off the bottle and saluted on the spot. Scowling at his men as they enter the town, Justy scans the area from his position with a keen eye. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be hiding their soldiers. Does this mean that the surrender was not a lie? Brad Calcifer is a clueless man, but he is not a fool. He-h I guess he knew that he can¡¯t trick His Highness, the holder of the Holy Sword¡± Raising the middle rim of his glasses with his finger, Justy wrinkles his brow and makes a difficult expression. Justy¡¯s birth family, the Viscount of Oigist and the Count of Calcifer, are neighbours and have a certain amount of contact with each other. Brad Calcifer, and Justy are the same age, so they have seen each other since they were children. However, despite having known each other for over twenty years, Justy is still unsure about Brad¡¯s inner life. ¡°He is neither a soldier nor a warrior. He is neither a civilian nor a wise man, though he is not slow-witted. He is a man of deceit but he had a darkness about him that made him more than just a schemer and a plotter.¡± They are like the demons of foxes, raccoons and vipers. He is not afraid to deceive people, and when he sees an opportunity, he pours poison into their bodies. He is not a man of aristocratic pride, nor is he addicted to money or colour. It is not clear what he wants or needs. He is an elusive, hazy man. ¡°¡­¡­there¡¯s nothing to gain for me if I keep thinking about it. If he¡¯s going to be an enemy of His Highness Prince Raidorl, I¡¯ll just kill him.¡± Justy interrupted his unanswered thoughts and turned to his men. ¡°¡­¡­In the meantime, make sure the food they bring in isn¡¯t laced with drugs. You can take a break in shifts if you want, but be ready to move at any time¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a look around the town. I¡¯ll be back soon, but if there are any problems, ask Sir Raiffeit for instructions.¡± Leaving his men to their own devices, Justy turns to leave the ranks of Raidorl¡¯s army. A look at a town can tell Justy a lot about the character of the nobleman who rules there. If he looks around the town of Caltris, he may be able to read some of Brad¡¯s intentions. This is what Justy was thinking while he walked around, but he soon stopped. A woman stood in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hello, Justy. How are you?¡± The other woman¡¯s face was familiar to him. It was a woman he had thought was dead. She was Angelica Ilkas, who had been told she had been killed in action against the Empire.. Justy froze for a few seconds as Angelica stood there like a ghost. He quickly nodded his head in approval. ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, I see. So Brad took the family name of Ilkas.¡± Even Justy knew that Brad and Angelica were engaged to be married. Brad had renounced the Calcifer name by marrying Angelica and adopting him as his son-in-law into the Ilkas family. ¡°Did he do this to avoid being blamed for the death of Count Calcifer? That fox is still alive and well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Angelica. It¡¯s good to see you looking so wel-¡­¡­¡­¡­No, it¡¯s nothing. I misspoke.¡± Justy swallowed the words he was about to say and twisted his face in pain. Angelica¡¯s face is bandaged to cover the left half of her face, and her left leg, which extends from her knee-length skirt, has a metal prosthesis. It is not easy to speak to her when Justy could imagine how the fierce battles were and she survived. The air she wears is clearly piercing and swallowing, and Justy can feel the light of madness behind her empty right eye. ¡°¡­¡­ I know it doesn¡¯t help to say this, but I¡¯m really glad you survived.¡± Justy thought about it and directed his words to Angelica. This is what he really felt. Both Justy and Angelica were regarded with awe as the leading warriors of the Eastern Borderlands, known as the ¡°Lion of the East¡± and the ¡°Slaughter Princess of Ilkas¡± respectively. Justy had a high opinion of Angelica as a loyal warrior and, although he never said so, he also liked her as a woman. It was still not a (yet) concrete feeling of love, but it was still a relief to see that the woman he had admired so much was still alive. However, at the same time, the change was like an ice cube in the back of his head. ¡°The air is still sharp and still intact, but¡­¡­ how dangerous it is!?¡± Justy clenched his fists in silence at the sight of the woman he had once had a soft spot for, and had broken it off when she became engaged to Brad. The Angelica Ilkas of old was a woman who could be intimidating, but also deeply compassionate. She was a far cry from the ¡°Slaughter Princess¡± of the battlefield, smiling and lending a helping hand to children and the weak, and many men had been captivated by her. But the Angelica of today is sharp, her kindness and serenity have completely disappeared. It was as if the devil had taken her soul, and she had lost her humanity. ¡°Well, thank you for your concern.¡± Angelica replied to Justy¡¯s concern for her own safety in a curt manner. She pinched her hair with her fingertips and fiddled with her words in a boring manner. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s still alive. My parents are dead, my brother is dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you look terrible. There is no shame in fighting and dying for one¡¯s country, so don¡¯t feel sorry for me.¡± ¡°Tha-¡­¡­ no, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± Justy nodded profoundly and agreed with Angelica¡¯s words. ¡°I admire the courage of your family. From the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so glad.¡± Angelica smiles at Justy with her bandaged face. It was a gentle, clear smile, reminiscent of her former self. Angelica showed a slight smile in the midst of the sadness, and Justy¡¯s expression also relaxed. ¡°By the way, Justy. I¡¯d like to ask you a favour.¡± ¡°A favour? Anything I can do to help you, I will do it.¡± ¡°Well, thank you.¡± With a gentle smile on her face, Angelica licks her red lips. Justy gasped in surprise at this sexy gesture, which he would never have seen in her before. But that¡¯s when the real shock begins. ¡°Then please ¡­¡­¡­¡­ die for me, will you?¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Angelica¡¯s skirt dances softly. At the same time, the left leg of the prosthesis leaps like a young ayu leaping from the water. (TL:young ayu-type of fish) Justy was blindsided by a high kick that would crash into his skull and made him react quickly. CH 97 Betrayed Heart Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Stone wall!¡± A stone wall appeared in front of Justy¡¯s eyes. Instead of destroying Justy¡¯s head, the metal prosthesis, which was coming at him at an alarming speed, shattered the stone wall. The stone wall, which was insufficiently hard, crumbled into pieces with a clatter. It¡¯s not a conscious decision to use earth magic to prevent this. It was a reflexive act of defence, based on years of practical experience. If there had been even the slightest delay in activating the magic, Justy¡¯s skull would have been crushed like an egg dropped on the ground. ¡°Eh?¡¡You¡¯ve defended it. That¡¯s not what you promised.¡± Angelica wondered as she lowered her prosthetic leg to the ground with a high kick. ¡°I thought you were going to do me a favor. I would have preferred you to die peacefully. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Angelica, why on earth did you¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡¡If you ask me that, I¡¯ll ask you the same question. Why did you turn to the Empire?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Justy gulped at Angelica¡¯s questioning. Angelica glared with her cloudy right eye at the man who shuddered and shook his spine. ¡°If the Oigist hadn¡¯t betrayed us and sided with Ilkas, my family might not have perished. If all eight Eastern houses had worked together, we could have pushed back the Empire. Tell me, tell me. Why did you betray us?¡± ¡°I, no, I ¡­¡­¡± Justy was about to revert to his natural tone of voice, but he couldn¡¯t get the words out and fell silent. It was his father who decided to turn to the Empire, while he insisted on going to war. Even if the eight eastern families were united, they could not defeat the imperial army with its holy sword holders. Then again, in the first place, it is the royal family and the national army that should be blamed for the Imperial army breaking the borders and not sending them reinforcements. There are a number of excuses that could be argued, but Justy doesn¡¯t think Angelica would be convinced by them. In addition, it does not erase the past that the Oigist Viscount family turned to the enemy. Hence, Justy spat out different words from his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­It is true that the Oigist have betrayed the Empire. They deserve to be punished for it. But now they are loyal to His Highness Raidorl. It is not in your interest, nor in Ilkas¡¯s interest, to touch me. I know you can¡¯t forgive me, but can you please restrain yourself for now?¡± (TL: he¡¯d really took all the blame) ¡°Restrain? No, I can¡¯t. It¡¯s the only time I can do it.¡± Angelica smiled coldly at Justy¡¯s persuasion. ¡°If Ilkas is reinstated as a vassal of the Crown, I will have no chance to retaliate against you, a vassal of His Royal Highness Raidorl. Therefore, it must be done before the full restoration can take place.¡± ¡°Angelica, you¡¯re ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, if I kill you, I¡¯ll have to go and kill Shirley¡¯s father and her too. Shirley was like a little sister to me, so I feel bad that I have to kill her.¡± Angelica spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, as if confronting the obvious. She declares the murder of former friends ¨C those who were close to her ¨C without mercy. The tone of her voice was clear and Justy realized. The woman in front of him was no longer the Angelica Ilkas he had once admired. She had gone too far to turn back. She has been transformed into a woman possessed by revenge and madness. ¡°¡­¡­ I would have given my life if it were only mine. But if the lives of others are at stake, I cannot let them die. Angelica-dono. If you continue to run amok, I will use my spear to stop you.¡± ¡°Ara¡­¡­that¡¯s the decision you¡¯ve ended with. Okay, I was going to keep you from getting blown up because you¡¯re a dear friend, but it¡¯s heartbreaking to kill an unarmed person so I¡¯ll break you into pieces with all my heart and soul.¡± ¡°¡­..Farewell to the days of my youth.¡± He points his spear at the woman he once admired, murmuring in a despairing voice. Angelica also took out a dagger that she had hidden under her clothes and pointed it at Justy with a thin tip. The Lion of the East and the Slaughter Princess of Ilkas Two of the strongest warriors in the eastern border region of the Kingdom of Zain. The battle was about to begin. CH 98 A prison of stone and a sword of blood Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil They faced each other for a few seconds with their weapons in their hands. Angelica was the first to move. ¡°The Sword of Crushing Fire¡± Angelica stepped into Justy¡¯s gap with a sharp footwork that made it hard to believe that one of her legs was prosthetic, with a burst of energy, she thrust out her dagger. The dagger, as thin as an ice pick, was aimed at Justy¡¯s shoulder just right in the gap between the armour. ¡°Mmm!¡± Justy spins his short-handled spear around and strikes the dagger. It¡¯s a magical spear that can kill her with a single blow if he takes it seriously. He tried to hit Angelica with the spear¡¯s javelin as soon as she was slightly out of position. ¡°Interesting.¡± This time, however, Angelica¡¯s body fluttered. Flying through the air, she kicked Justy¡¯s spear away with her prosthetic leg and stepped backwards to get some distance. Justy did not give chase, but carefully measured the distance between him and the woman who had landed at a distance. While Justy is fully armed with a spear and heavy armour, Angelica is lightly armed with only a dagger. Although her metal prosthetic legs are a literal drag, she is much lighter than Justy. And while Justy¡¯s armor gives him a huge advantage in defense, Angelica¡¯s ¡°Bakushasen¡± is a deadly weapon that can turn a scratch into an instant death. They had to be cautious in their attacks, as a single thrust through the armour or through a limb could decide the game. Angelica¡¯s bandaged face twisted with delight as she twirled the dagger around in her hand. ¡°You¡¯re so strong, unlike Uncle Calcifer.¡± ¡°¡­..I am flattered by your praise. Would you be so kind as to draw your sword?¡± ¡°You must be joking. The women of Ilkas are not so dexterous as to keep their swords dry of blood once they have drawn them. Aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Then ¡­¡­!¡± Justy kicked off the ground and leapt forward as if he was not wearing heavy armor, and he lunged straight at Angelica. However, she immediately lowered her hips with her dagger and took a counter stance. ¡°Muun! ¡¯Stone Wall¡¯!¡± ¡°What?¡± The surprise was just beginning. He stepped just in time for Angelica, and with the momentum of his lunge, he shook the ground hard. There was a thud and a small explosion, and at the same time the ground rose up and a stone wall appeared. What was different was that the stone wall did not protect Justy but appeared to surround Angelica on all sides. ¡°You¡¯re not going to ¡­¡­ stop me from moving, are you?¡± Angelica, surrounded by stone walls, opens her eyes and realizes what Justy is up to, but it¡¯s too late. ¡°Stone Prison!¡± ¡°Kh..¡± Angelica tries to escape by climbing over the stone wall, but before she can do so, the undulating, lifelike ground rises up and swallows her whole. The dome-shaped ground trapped Angelica and completely sealed her in. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯ll get His Highness Raidorl before the air runs out. If your highness commands it, will you, a loyal warrior, refuse?¡± Justy exhaled, ¡°Fu,¡± telling Angelica, who was trapped in a stone. He managed to catch the wounded beast. If they had killed each other, one of them would have lost their life for sure. ¡°¡­..Angelica. You still have a future ahead of you. I hope that the life you have lived will bear fruit in a different way than revenge.¡± Justy murmurs with a touch of melancholy. The words will not reach Angelica, who is trapped in a thick stone prison. But that¡¯s okay. For whatever reason, Justy thought he was not qualified to tell his thoughts to her, who is a member of the Oigist family who betrayed the kingdom. ¡°It would be impossible for me or for Brad to put Lady Angelica back on the right path. If possible, I would like someone else to be her support.¡± Heartbroken, Justy turns his back on his stone prison and goes to call for Raidorl in his house. A soldier, who had heard the commotion, came to Justy¡¯s side. ¡°Captain Oigist! What¡¯s going on?¡± The first to call out to him was one of his men, who rolled his eyes at the dome-shaped stone rising from the ground and shouted suspiciously. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about this. The fight is over, so why don¡¯t you go and fetch His Highness Raidorl? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him¡­¡­?¡± That was all Justy could say. Suddenly, a sharp jolt hit him in the back and he fell forward. ¡°Captain Oigist!¡± ¡°Get back!¡± Justy stands up, using his spear as a staff. When he stroked his back with his hand, he saw that his armour had been slashed open and blood was flowing. The wound was not deep. However, he had no idea how he had been attacked. Justy turned his attention to the stone prison, and the next moment it was torn to pieces and collapsed. ¡°Fuahh, I almost got claustrophobic, it¡¯s so refreshing under the sun.¡± It was Angelica Ilkas, of course, who broke through the stone prison and emerged. She was shaking off the stone dust from her shoulders and head and had a dagger in her right hand. However, unlike earlier, a poisonous red blade extends from the tip of the dagger. ¡°The sword is¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s called the Blood Sword, and it¡¯s my other magic sword.¡± Angelica told Justy, who was looking at her in surprise, in a light tone as if it was nothing. CH 99 The ghost who cried Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Unlike you, I didn¡¯t have a talent for magic, so I can¡¯t use the water attribute as well as other wizards. I can manipulate the water that already exists, but I can¡¯t create new water with my magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So instead, I took my ability to manipulate water to the extreme. Now I can manipulate the water in my enemies¡¯ bodies to make them explode, and I can even turn my own blood into swords like this.¡± ¡°A bloody sword, eh¡­¡­?¡± Justy turns his attention to Angelica¡¯s shoulder. There is a cut on her shoulder that looks like it was made with a blade, staining her plainly designed dress red. It seems that she cut herself and made the sword with the blood that flowed from the cut. ¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s just blood. You may not know it, but there¡¯s a lot of iron in our blood.¡¡You can manipulate it¡­. to your advantage¡± Angelica flips her bloody sword. The remnants of the stone wall, which haven¡¯t broken, were cut into pieces like paper. ¡°This sword vibrates in small increments by magical manipulation. It can easily cut through stone and steel. And because it¡¯s made of water, it can even change shape like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A chill went down his spine and Justy jumped out in reflex. The sword in Angelica¡¯s hand plunged into the ground where Justy had been with a snake bite motion. The ground was gouged wide open by the thin, long, stretched blade of blood. The sword, made from Angelica¡¯s blood, is flexible and extendable. The sword can be extended to attack enemies at a distance. ¡°I see¡­¡­.You slashed my back with that sword. I see you¡¯ve been saving your trump card for some time now.¡± Muttering with a shiver, Justy tightened his grip on the spear in his hand. ¡°Captain¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Stay back! No one else is allowed to touch her!¡± Justy sharply ordered the soldiers who had gathered. With Angelica now a half-hearted attempt at rescue would only serve to slow him down. It is always much better to deal with one person than to add to the number of useless deaths. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be rude to you, Angelica, I¡¯m not going to take you alive anymore. I will do everything in my power to kill you.¡± ¡°I have always intended to do so. It¡¯s too late to be serious.¡± The light in Angelica¡¯s right eye is as deadly as she became insane. Justy looks straight back at it and kneads the magic in his body. ¡°If we are lucky, His Highness Raidorl may hear the sound of the battle and come running to us¡­¡­ No, I won¡¯t hold my breath. We¡¯ll just kill each other.¡± Justy decided that he was ready to kill Angelica for real. ¡°Pfft, Ku,ku,ku¡­¡­.¡± Angelica also read Justy¡¯s seriousness. She had a ghostly expression on her face, and the corners of her mouth lifted up in a spine-chilling smile. With blood on their hands, they prepared for the moment when they would give it their all. The soldiers around him are watching, breathless, as the fight to the death is about to begin. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± They stared at each other for a very short time and made their move. ¡°Wait!¡± But the voice of restraint came from an unexpected source. A young boy stepped forward from the crowd of soldiers who were watching the battle and intervened. ¡°Sven¡­¡­!¡± Justy calls out the boy¡¯s name. It was Sven Arbeil who interrupted their fight, the military commander of Raidorl¡¯s army. ¡°The town of Caltris has already been surrendered to His Highness Raidorl and is under his control!¡¡Know that any private fighting in this town is a disgrace to His Highness!¡± ¡°Stop it, Sven!¡¡Angelica is in no condition to talk to you right now¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sven Arbeil¡­¡­!¡± Justy tried to hold Sven back, but Angelica moved faster than that. She kicked the ground with her right foot and used it as a shield to get to Sven, who was standing in front of Justy. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Sven¡¯s eyes widened. In an instant, Angelica moved in front of the boy and flipped her blood sword with her right hand. ¡°Sven, ¡­¡­!¡± Justy shouted. A high-frequency blade of blood, cutting through steel, swung down at the boy. ¡°Sven¡­¡­! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive!¡± Angelica threw the dagger with the hilt of the blood blade and embraced Sven head-on. She cradled the boy¡¯s head in her ample bosom and embraced him with both hands. ¡°Ha¡­.?¡± The spear spills out of Justy¡¯s hand and rolls across the ground with a clank. Angelica hugs Sven even tighter, ignoring the person who she fought. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­ Sven!¡¡Thank God you¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°Heh, ah ¡­¡­, uh, Angelica?¡± ¡°I heard that the Earls of Arbeil were destroyed, but I¡¯m so glad that you¡¯re still alive!¡¡What a wonderful day this is!¡± Where was the bloodthirsty fury of just a few minutes ago? Angelica is crying from her safe right eye. Her motherly face was the very woman Justy had once admired, and he forgot all about the situation. Raidorl, who has heard the commotion and emerges from the house. Behind him are Darren and his bodyguards. ¡°¡­.. Hey, Justy. What is this situation? What¡¯s our shorty doing?¡± ¡°So, Your Highness¡­..what can I say about this,¡­¡­?¡± Justy is stunned by his lord¡¯s questioning. While bleeding from a cut on his back. And, for some reason, the boy is being held by a woman with bandages on her face, and she is crying and wailing. It would have taken the wisest man on the continent to have been able to predict the exact situation. ¡°I wonder if this isn¡¯t the scene of an affair?¡± Brad Ilkas, who had caught up with them a little later, murmured. ¡°We¡¯re newlyweds and I¡¯ve already been cheated on by a young man. It has opened my eyes to a new sexuality. I don¡¯t have that wide of a strike zone myself.¡± The fox¡¯s voice sounded seriously troubled, which was unusual for an aloof fox. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re okay¡­¡­!Sven ¡­¡­ thank god ¡­¡­!¡± Angelica Ilkas cried like a child as the men looked on in disbelief. CH 100 The East is pacified Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Forgive me Your Royal Highness Prince Raidorl, I have shown you an unsightly part of me.¡± The duel between Justy and Angelica and an hour after the big cry at Sven¡¯s intervention. Once again, in the house of her lord, Angelica Ilkas uttered her apologies. Angelica had once been haunted by revenge against the Empire and had lost her expression like a ghost, but now she had regained her soft face. Angelica¡¯s face, now softened, has a fresh, clean look, and even with the left half of her face covered in bandages, she is still an attractive woman. ¡°That¡¯s, well, okay for now¡­¡­.¡± Sitting in his chair, Raidorl receives Angelica¡¯s apology but turns his subtle gaze to her bosom. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­kyu.¡± Angelica stands in front of Raidorl and Sven still clutched to her chest. Her arms were behind his back and in front of her, holding him like a child holding a stuffed bear. When his eyes meet Raidorl¡¯s, the boy soldier moves his lips in a puckering motion and calls out for help, ¡°Ta-su-ke-te.¡± ¡°Ummm¡­¡­..¡± Raidorl pressed his fingers into the creases between his eyes and made a difficult face, but decided to ask anyway. ¡°By the way, Angelica Ilkas. Why do you keep hugging Sven?¡± ¡°You see, Your Highness. It¡¯s because I want to make sure that Sven doesn¡¯t die.¡± Angelica declares firmly. She has no hesitation in saying this. ¡°We are human beings who die if we are not careful. My parents died, my brother died. That¡¯s why I have to protect him from dying.¡± ¡°No¡­¡­there are no enemies here, and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any danger¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s dying. I¡¯m dying. We¡¯re dying a lot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Am I going to die?¡± Sven is already on the verge of tears. He was already in tears. He had just intervened in a fight and for some reason a woman he knew had hugged him, treated him like a stuffed animal and told him he was going to die. It was only natural that he wanted to cry. The transformation of Angelica Ilkas, who was once a mad ghost. There were a number of complicated reasons for this. Angelica was known as the ¡°Slaughter Princess¡±, as she was a very fierce fighter on the battlefield. Angelica, however, was not always so ruthless. She respected her parents, loved her friends, and was a motherly woman who treated the young children with the utmost compassion. But the fall of Viscount Ilkas and the death of her family. The death of her brother has left a deep scar in Angelica¡¯s heart. Possessed by vengeance and madness, Angelica has turned into an evil woman, slurping blood and devouring flesh, pursuing the Empire and the traitorous noblemen who destroyed the Ilkas family. And so Angelica set off on the road to perdition. She had no time to relax, she was only heading towards destruction, but then she met a piece of peace, and that was Sven Arbeil. Sven¡¯s birth family, the Earls of Arbeil, were a family that fought to the last against the Empire and were driven to destruction. This means that Sven is in the same position as Angelica, and is the only person who can understand her feelings. For Angelica, who has been abandoned by those she believed to be her allies, and even her fianc¨¦ and his family, the Counts Calcifer, are no longer trustworthy, Sven is the only hope she has. Sven is the only hope for Angelica. He is like a spider¡¯s web that has descended into hell. ¡°¡­¡­Originally, Angelica was a kind person who loved children. My brother and I were very close, and I think we have a lot in common.¡± ¨CThis is what Sven said when he gave up on being treated like a stuffed animal. In any case, Angelica¡¯s heart, which was once broken, was reshaped in a distorted way by her encounter with Sven. Sven¡¯s presence has become one of the most important factors for her. It is as if Sven is a tranquilizer, and only when he is in her arms does she return to the fierce but gentle Angelica Ilkas she once knew. Raidorl sighed bitterly as Angelica held the boy in her arms with a look of contentment, as if she had monopolised all the happiness in the world. ¡°¡­¡­ Let¡¯s leave it at that for now. By the way, I¡¯d like to confirm that the Ilkas family will be joining my army.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness. We will surrender all the lands of the Calcifer family that we have taken, and of course those of Kyrgyzstan and Kubertos.¡± Angelica nodded vigorously. A thin chin touched the back of Sven¡¯s head, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°We are happy to be loyal to the Zain royal family again. I look forward to serving you and Sven for many years to come.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So it¡¯s decided that you¡¯re going to be with me? That¡¯s enough, then.¡± Sven had already given up and had a look of enlightenment on his face. Angelica stroked the boy¡¯s belly with her hand. He was not without his misgivings about having such a mentally twisted woman as Angelica in his ranks, but he was glad to have an additional asset to rival Justy. Raidorl decided to leave all Angelica¡¯s problems to Sven, and turned his attention to the last person in the room. He turned to the last person in the room and he said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an affair. It¡¯s definitely an affair.¡± It was Brad Ilkas, Angelica¡¯s would-be husband. He was looking out of the window at the sky with an air of detachment in his eyes. ¡°I never thought that a newlywed would have another man in her life within a week. ¡­¡­ Rotten fruit is a delicacy. It¡¯s bittersweet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What the hell is he talking about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about my husband. I will take care of him when he is no longer needed.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get rid of him?¡± It seems that, Angelica still have some darkness remains inside her Raidorl suffered a slight headache from Angelica, who was uncertain about the future. Thus, all of the eight eastern families with territories on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Zain were placed under the umbrella of Raidorl. It was a quick victory, less than half a year after King Granard¡¯s decree. (TL: Now onwards to the Granard downfall arc and the reason why Alsatian Empire began expanding it¡¯s border) CH 101 The royal palace in turmoil Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil The news that Raidorl had fulfilled the royal order and defeated all the traitors of the eight eastern houses reached the royal court. The King, Granard Zain, listened in silence to the news of Raidorl¡¯s victory delivered by his soldiers, and then quietly nodded his head. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.I see, he¡¯s won again, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The soldier who had come to report to him bowed deeply as he fell to his knees. His face was etched with deep fear, and he turned his head to the floor, desperately trying to look away from Granard. The soldier¡¯s eyes are turned away from Granard¡¯s face, the reason for this is obvious. He is sitting on the throne, tapping his fingers on the armrest with annoyance, and his face is covered with bruises like burns. The bruise, which covered about a quarter of his face, ran from his nose and lips down his neck to his left breast. The bluish-purple bruise that is eating away at the head of the nation suddenly appeared a few months ago. It was caused by the curse of the Oath, cast by Raidorl. A few months earlier, a secret agent had been sent to the city of Ulfyn to frame Raidorl, and had gone rogue, attempting to kill his brother without the king¡¯s permission. The assassination was unsuccessful, but the threat to Raidorl¡¯s life by the king¡¯s men triggered a curse that caused the mark on Granard¡¯s left breast to be activated, leaving a dark bruise on the king¡¯s skin. The bruise that ran from his left breast to his face caused Granard pain day and night, as if it had been seared by fire. And with each bruise, Granard grew more and more hateful towards his brother. The soldier finishes his report in a matter-of-fact tone, keeping his eyes down from the king, who has an overtly sullen expression of pain and hatred. ¡°Thank you. You can step back.¡± ¡°Ha!¡­¡­.¡± He relaxed his shoulders in relief and the soldier hurriedly left the audience chamber. As the soldier disappeared behind the door, Granard ¡¡ slammed his fist into the armrest of the throne. ¡°Damn you, Raidorl!¡± The chair, on which all the kings of Zain had sat, made an ominous noise, but he did not care, and raised his voice. ¡°How dare you falsely accuse me!¡¡You have disgraced me, the king and the older brother, and now you are drinking the wine of victory!¡¡How dare you disgrace me, RAIDORL!!¡± Ever since the bruises of the curse were carved, the fires of hatred had been raging in Granard¡¯s heart. In the first place, the secret agent who had caused the curse to take effect had intended to disgrace Raidorl by setting fire to the city of Ulfyn and blaming him for it, but in a self-indulgent and self-serving attempt to assassinate him, he failed and triggered the curse. It was a grave mistake. It was as if the heavens, or fate, were trying to make Raidorl king, and this angered Granard to no end. The king¡¯s anger is bitterly watched by his aide, Lockwood Marcell, the prime minister. ¡°¡­.. But, Your Majesty. If you only look at the result, he did a spectacular job. Thanks to the victory of His Highness Prince Raidorl, we will be able to regain the eastern border region and bring it under our control.¡± Lockwood follows up softly, choosing his words carefully so as not to provoke the king. Most of the territories of the eight eastern families that were taken by the Empire have been returned to the Kingdom of Zain. The Count of Arbeil and the Viscount of Ilkas, which were destroyed by the Imperial forces, are still in the hands of the enemy, but negotiations for their return are underway in parallel with the peace. ¡°Originally, the eastern border region was not under the watchful eye of the central government, so if we can use this opportunity to send someone who is convenient for us as a lord, shouldn¡¯t we look upon it favorably?¡± In the early days, the border regions of the Kingdom of Zain were ruled by lords who were loyal to the royal family and could be trusted. However, over the course of the country¡¯s long history, the local nobles have become obsessed with their own vested interests, and their loyalty to the royal family has waned. During the invasion of the Empire, there were only two families that remained loyal to the royal family until the end and three quarters of the eight eastern families turned. ¡°His Majesty Granard¡¯s power will be further increased if he sends people he trusts. I think it is fair to say that you have used His Royal Highness Raidorl to increase your influence.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.I wouldn¡¯t be complaining if he¡¯d been killed in action!¡± Although the Prime Minister¡¯s follow-up has somewhat lowered his anger, Granard still swears and caresses the bruises on his face with his left hand. He breathed a sigh of relief that the king seemed to be calming down, and Lockwood shook his head reluctantly. ¡°¡­¡­If His Majesty can no longer serve as the main pillar of the country then he¡¯s no longer fit to rule the kingdom.¡± The Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, is a selfless and loyal servant. However, his loyalty is not necessarily to King Granard, but to the Kingdom of Zain. For Lockwood, the king is the pillar of the kingdom, a cog in the wheel of state. Lockwood¡¯s only reason for staying with Granard was that he felt that the older brother, who had supported the kingdom since the time of the previous king, was more suitable to be king than his younger, inexperienced brother. ¡°But¡­¡­the situation has changed. His Highness Raidorl, who was supposed to have lost everything when he was sent to the frontier, is now about to gain everything ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl showed his power and honour as the holder of the Holy Sword in the war against the Empire. Through his work as an adventurer, he scooped up the people and gained their support. With this expedition to the East, he took his own army and the survivors of the Eight Eastern Houses as his entourage. ¡°And some of the nobles and officials of the royal court are already on the side of His Highness Raidorl. I don¡¯t know how long they¡¯ve been at our throats, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before the balance is tipped.¡± Lockwood is not entirely sure how many people are on Raidorl¡¯s side. But at least he knew that some of his chief advisors, including the Lord Justice, had turned to Raidorl¡¯s side. His younger brother, the prince, who had no other claim to fame than being chosen for the holy sword, has grown in influence to the point of overshadowing Granard¡¯s position. No matter what predicament they put him in, no matter what intrigues they put him through, he grows as if he were feeding off of it. ¡°¡­I see, this is why it¡¯s called a hero of an era¡± Lockwood, with a faraway look in his eyes, is convinced. As the goddess of fate has loved him, Raidorl has risen to power in a short time, and the hero of his time. Or, perhaps, it is they who will be regarded by future historians as the poison, the ones who unnecessarily disturb the country. ¡°If I think about it, it may have been a good idea to send her to His Highness. In any case, a member of our House of Marcell will serve the next king.¡± As Lockwood had already suspected, the inner fighting amongst the court somehow involved Meltina Mercer, who was being held as a prisoner by Raidorl. It would be satisfying for the loyal prime minister if Meltina were to support the next king, Raidorl, even if Granard were to fall and Lockwood were to sink with him. If Granard wins, Lockwood will support him as a vassal; if Raidorl wins, Meltina will support him as a vassal. Whichever side won, the loyalty of the House of Marcell would be undying. ¡°I have sacrificed my daughter for my country. Now I must be prepared to sacrifice mine.¡± ¡°What will you do next, Lockwood? I will not allow my brother to gain any more ground!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­.¡± Granard called out vexingly to the Prime Minister, who was worried about the future of the kingdom. Lockwood interrupted his thoughts and said the best thing he could think of at the moment. CH 102 Fangs approaching from the east Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Yes¡­¡­our priority at the moment is to lift the curse that has been placed by His Highness Raidorl and to contain His Highness.¡± To lift the curse, all the court magicians are working together. According to old Bavarois, the chief court magician, most of the analysis of the spell markers has already been done, and it should be possible to lift the curse in a month or two. There is nothing Granard or Lockwood can do about the spell, they should put more effort to contain Raidorl. ¡°It is unlikely that we will be able to contain His Highness by force. Then we¡¯ll have to use hostages.¡± ¡°Hostages¡­.doesn¡¯t he have a maid in his house? ¡°No, a servant would not be good enough to be a hostage. He also has an imperial princess in his house and should not be trifled with.¡± ¡°Hmm, then¡­.¡± Granard¡¯s eyes narrowed and a slight smile crept into his mouth. He seems to have come to the same conclusion as Lockwood. ¡°You mean to hold his lands hostage? Before Raidorl returns from the East, you will overrun the frontier cities and contain him as a fetter?¡± ¡°Yes, we have already sent a handful of men to the cities to assess their strength. They are very good at fighting demons, but not so good as soldiers. If you send the soldiers from the palace, you will be able to defeat them in less than a month.¡± ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­, that¡¯s good. Very good.¡± Granard¡¯s face contorts into a depressed smile. Sooner or later, Raidorl will return from the East with his nose in the air, triumphant. And when he does, his second home, the frontier city of Zain, will have fallen into the hands of his brother the king, and he will be in chains that bind him. Granard¡¯s shoulders tremble with guilty glee as he imagines the despair on his brother¡¯s beaming face. ¡°Suck it up! You think you¡¯re going to take the throne from me? I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯s going to take it away!¡¡Just as I once took away your princely title, I¡¯m going to take away your place again¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Granard¡¯s hatred of Raidorl had given him a devilish look, and he was a shadow of the wise king he had once been. Lockwood¡¯s expression was one of inexplicable bitterness at what had become of the king he had nurtured so well. Determined to see the king through to the end, Lockwood sets out to attack the frontier city. ¡°His Majesty the King! I beg your pardon!!!¡± Before the Prime Minister could move, however, the door to the throne room was opened. It was a different soldier who opened the door and entered from outside. Granard¡¯s face turns sour at being interrupted by his moment of happiness. ¡°How dare you! Where do you think you are?¡± ¡°I beg your pardon! But it¡¯s urgent!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­?¡± Granard realized that an unusual situation had arisen when the soldier firmly retorted to the king¡¯s rebuke. He urges the soldier on and gives him permission to speak his business. ¡°General Garst at the fortress of Blaine has sent me using his horse! To inform the king that the Emperor of the Empire has appeared at the fortress!¡± ¡°HA?! What did you just said?!¡± The soldier¡¯s words were so unexpected that they could not be understood. Both Granard and Lockwood opened their eyes wide and asked the soldier to repeat what he had said. The soldier gritted his teeth, knowing it was rude, and shouted even louder than before. ¡°Sir, My King!¡¡The Emperor of the Alsatian Empire ¡­¡­Zacharias Von Althlein has appeared in the Blaine Fortress!¡± ¡°What!!!!!?¡± Granard slips from his throne with a shriek of astonishment. Lockwood manages to keep from screaming, but his face is still contorted, and he stands speechless. The Battle of Blaine Fortress. A few months after the defeat of the Imperial Princess C¨¦lia Von Althlein. The fangs of the continent¡¯s most powerful power were once again pointed at the Kingdom of Zain. CH 103 Messengers from the border Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil A storm is brewing. The news that Zacharias Von Althlein, Emperor of the Alsatian Empire, had arrived at the fortress of Blaine reached Raidorl in the eastern border town of Calutris. ¡°The monarchs of the empire are very light on their feet. I wish my brother could learn from him.¡± That was the first thing Raidorl said when he received the news from General Bazel Garst, who was guarding the fortress of Blaine. Although he seemed to be relaxed, Raidorl¡¯s brow was furrowed and his face was grim. It was a natural reaction to the obvious danger of a rival, an Emperor no less. In the room was Raidorl and all his aides. All of them looked tense, aware of the gravity of the situation. According to the messenger sent by General Garst, Emperor Zacharias suddenly appeared in the fortress of Blaine about a week ago. Since the victory a few months ago, post-war negotiations have been going on between the two countries. The demands of the Kingdom are mainly the return of the territories taken and the demand for compensation. The Empire¡¯s demands were, of course, the return of Princess C¨¦lia and the sacred sword Cla¨ªomh Solas, both of which had been captured by the Kingdom. For the kingdom, this is a great victory against a great power. It¡¯s a great opportunity for the kingdom to close the gap between itself and the Alsatian Empire. As an empire, they have the will of a great power. No matter how much is at stake, the Princess and her national treasure, the sword. It is not easy for the kingdom to take control of the negotiations. The negotiations between the two countries after the war did not come to an agreement even after several months, and in the fortress of Blaine, where the talks took place, there were conflicting arguments day and night. In the midst of all this, the Emperor Zacharias suddenly appeared at the scene of the negotiations. The appearance of the emperor, who was supposed to be in the imperial capital, surprised not only the kingdom, but even the imperial negotiators, who had apparently not been informed in advance. Zacharias gave the astonished representatives of both countries a grateful grin and opened his mouth proudly. ¡°Two weeks from now. A duel between I and your king¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain will bring this war to an end! If Raidorl Zain wins, the Empire will accept every single thing that the Kingdom demands!.¡± Ignoring all previous negotiations, Zacharias made a unilateral declaration. The kingdom¡¯s negotiators were so overwhelmed by his attitude that they could not help rebuke. ¡°Wait! Her Royal Highness, Princess C¨¦lia , is still here! you can¡¯t do that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°AAH?!!!¡± ¡°Hyiiii!¡± The diplomat who was dispatched from the royal palace fell down from the chair by Zacharias¡¯s booming voice. For a diplomat who does not know the war, Zacharias, the holy sword holder is a monster which is equal to the dragon in his territory. The Emperor looked down at the diplomat with contempt and disgust, though his reaction was understandable. ¡°If you want to kill C¨¦lia , then do it!! She¡¯s a pretty and kind of a girl who wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone who she does not consider an enemy, but it¡¯s still the rule of war that the loser loses his life and his pride! Behead her, rape her, do as you please!¡± ¡°B-b-but¡­¡± ¡°In return, don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever make peace again now that you have the daughter of an Alsatian in your hands! Not a single one of the kingdom¡¯s subjects will be left alive!¡± Zacharias in the pose of a king, looked down at the pathetic diplomat and proudly proclaimed. There was even a pungent smell of fear coming from the pale face of the diplomat¡¯s crotch. Having said all he had to say, Zacharias turned back to the imperial stronghold of Balmes. While the diplomats fled back to the capital in terror, General Garst passed to his subordinate to ride fast and inform the King and Raidorl of the emperor¡¯s arrival. ¡°So he wants me to fight the Emperor at the Blaine Fortress. That¡¯s quite a daring thing for a king to do, isn¡¯t it?¡± On hearing of the messenger sent by General Garst, Raidorl murmured, half in dismay, half in admiration. He must be very confident of his own strength to make such a request, but if he were to lose, the emperor¡¯s life could be lost. In addition to the fact that they have already taken C¨¦lia, the keeper of the holy sword, as a prisoner, if Zacharias, the keeper of the holy sword, also collapsed, the backbone of the empire could be tilted. ¡°Is the Emperor Zacharias that strong?¡± ¡°Yes, I think he is¡­¡­very strong.¡± It was Sven, the military strategist, who answered Raidorl¡¯s question. ¡°Emperor Zacharias, who usurped the throne after defeating his father, the previous emperor, is the wielder of the fire-wielding holy sword Durandal. Since he became emperor, the empire has nearly doubled in size. And even without being the holder of the holy sword, he must be a very good fighter.¡± Sven, still on Angelica¡¯s lap, answered Raidorl¡¯s question while appeasing the vengeful demon who was excited to hear about the emperor. By the way, Angelica, the human chair, whose hair was waving like a snake because of her hatred, returned to her soft face when Sven threw a cookie into her mouth. ¡°However, this is also a great opportunity. If His Royal Highness Raidorl is victorious here, you will not only regain the territory we have lost, but you may even be able to extract more favourable terms.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­,we can¡¯t avoid it either way, can we?¡± If he were to be honest, Raidorl does not want to clash with the emperor. In the first place, Raidorl¡¯s vision was to have as good a relationship with the Alsatian Empire as possible and to confront his brother King Granard without worrying about his back. If there is any trouble with the emperor, it may interfere with his plans. ¡°Or is it the other way round? If we defeat the emperor here, we will not have to bow to the empire and we can make peace on a more equal footing. Wouldn¡¯t that leave us with less problems in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Either way, I can¡¯t just run away. If I refuse to fight here, the emperor will decimate the fortress of Blaine and invade the kingdom.¡± When he was exiled to the frontier, Raidorl would not have cared so much if the kingdom of Zain had fallen, but things are different now. Now Raidorl has his own vassals and his own army. He now has something to protect. He was about to settle a dispute with his brother, but he does want to be interrupted. Raidorl nodded emphatically to his subjects, who were gathered in a room awaiting their lord¡¯s decision. ¡°Let¡¯s go! To the fortress of Blaine. I¡¯m going to put an end to this long war against the Empire.¡± ¡°HA!!¡± Raidorl¡¯s decision was greeted with reverent nods from his vassal. The holy sword of curse and the holy sword of flame. The moment when the two holy swords collide is getting closer and closer. CH 104 To the decisive battleground. Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil As things have been decided. There was no one to stop Raidorl from going to Fortress Blaine. However, there was still a lot of wrangling over who should accompany him. Angelica Ilkas was the one who insisted most strongly on going to Fortress Blaine. ¡°This is the perfect opportunity to avenge my family!¡¡The emperor will be killed and beheaded!¡¡I¡¯ll caress and slash every last Imperial soldier ¡­¡­!¡± Angelica¡¯s vengeful side comes forward again, and she insists with bloodshot eyes. She releases Sven from her plush embrace and clutches her beloved dagger in her right hand. If she is taken before the Imperial army, there will be no duel and no peace. Raidorl can see that she will lose her mind and attack the Emperor and the Imperial Guard. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Sven, please.¡± ¡°Eeeeee¡­..¡± Raidorl gave a hopeless smile at Sven. Sven looked up at his lord with a tired face, but did as he was ordered and went to restrain Angelica. ¡°Eee, Angelica-san? Would you like to stay with me?¡± ¡°!! I-I don¡¯t care what Sven asks, this is my chance to avenge House Ilkas!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go because I¡¯m scared, but I¡¯m going to miss you, Angelica¡­.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± Sven clasps his index fingers together in a squirming motion. The boy¡¯s cheeks flush with embarrassment, and Angelica falls back, her heart pounding in her chest. ¡°But it¡¯s not every day that an ¡­¡­ emperor comes to the front. If I miss it,¡­¡­,I can¡¯t leave Sven behind¡­.and I can¡¯t take him into a dangerous battlefield,¡­¡­!¡± Angelica struggles, holding her cheek and shaking her hair. One more push and she will fall ¨C Sven is sure of it and goes for the coup de grace. ¡°I wish you were here with me¡­..Onee-san?¡± ¡°Hauaaa¡­.!¡± Angelica¡¯s body shakes as if it has been pierced by an electric shock. She pulled Sven¡¯s hand and hugged him, holding him squarely to her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­..! Onee-san is here for you! I¡¯ll protect you¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Wa, I¡¯m so happy.¡± He takes one look at Raidorl with a grudging look in his eyes, then resignedly accepts the embrace and nuzzles his face into the soft breast. ¡°¡­¡­Okay, it¡¯s settled. Angelica, you¡¯ll stay here and protect the town.¡± ¡°Yes, sir! I¡¯ll make sure Sven is safe!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Protect the town too, okay?¡± Angelica assures him with a heart in her eyes, while Raidorl sighs. He then turns his attention to Darren and Justy. ¡°My father, Bazel Garst, is at the fortress of Blaine, and I think it would be better for us if I were to accompany you.¡± ¡°I will also stay behind to help¡­¡­¡­in case Angelica should run off and need someone to stop her with force.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Please do so.¡± It¡¯s decided. Darren Garst was to accompany Raidorl to Fortress Blaine. As there was not much time before the appointed date for the duel, it was decided to march in small numbers. Darren¡¯s second-in-command, Saara Leifet, would lead the rest of the army and march behind him in case the peace was broken and the Empire had to fight again, regardless of the outcome of the duel. Raidorl mounted his horse with an escort of about a hundred cavalrymen, and Darren rode alongside him. ¡°I have arranged for the towns and villages along the way to provide us with replacement horses and provisions. This will enable us to reach the fortress in the shortest possible time.¡± ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s go and see the face of the greatest emperor on the continent!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Raidorl and co. rode to the fortress of Blaine, southwest of Calutris. They took as few breaks as possible, ate as much as possible on horseback, and changed their tired horses several times on the way to the fortress. Thanks to Darren¡¯s efforts, Raidorl was able to arrive at the fortress two days before the pre-arranged date of the duel. The last time he had been there, the fortress had been abuzz with excitement at the victory over the Empire, but now it was quiet. The appearance of the Emperor must have been a shock to the soldiers. Even the faces of the soldiers standing guard on the walls are somewhat shadowed. ¡°His Highness Raidorl is here! Open the gates!¡± The guards shouted as soon as they saw Raidorl. Raidorl led his guards through the gates and entered the fortress of Blaine for the first time in six months. CH 105 Unreachable answers Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Thank you for coming all this way, Your Royal Highness.¡± The man who greeted Raidorl as he entered the fortress was Bazel Garst, a general in the Royal Army. Bazel, who looked a little tired when Raidorl last saw him, now looks more energetic. His face, however, was not in a happy mood, and wrinkles had been etched into his features by the effects of age. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. I know we have a lot to talk about, but let¡¯s start with the situation.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ As the diplomat told me in advance, the Empire unilaterally challenged His Highness Raidorl to a duel. The place is here at Blaine Fortress. If His Highness does not appear by the date and time, the emperor has declared himself to destroy this fortress.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­So they ignored the hostages and set it up just right in front of us.¡± Nevertheless, the emperor has no intention of abandoning his daughter, C¨¦lia Von Althlein. If Raidorl were to use her as a shield or kill her to make an example of the situation, the angry emperor would attack the kingdom of Zain with all his might. There was no way he would be so careless. It is believed that Granard, the king, would not have the courage to kill a cat and incur the wrath of a tiger. ¡°Well, in the first place, I never intended to hurt C¨¦lia.¡± Despite not spending much time with her, they were still friends and slept in the same house. ¡°Even if we were clashing our swords on the battlefield, I couldn¡¯t be ruthless enough to kill the princess who couldn¡¯t resist to show off.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m being naive, but there¡¯s no merit in killing¡± ¡°And? What does my brother say?¡± Of course, the demand for a duel must have been reported to the king, Granard. What decision will the king make in the face of the appearance of the empire¡¯s leader? At Raidorl¡¯s question, Bazel¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. ¡°¡­.. Of course, we have reported the matter to His Majesty and asked for instructions. But there has been no response.¡± ¡°Hu? The day after tomorrow is the day of the duel, right? I don¡¯t know if I can make it on such short notice.¡± ¡°It takes five days to get from Blaine Fortress to Royal Capital, no matter how fast we hurry, there¡¯s no point in delaying his reply. However, it has already been more than ten days since I sent the messenger with the report. If there are any instructions from His Majesty, they should be coming soon¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, well, there are still two days before the duel. You¡¯ll have to wait until then for the King¡¯s decision.¡± Raidorl lifted his lips in mockery. He was curious to see what decision his brother king would make in this situation, but he didn¡¯t think it would make things better. ¡°The only way to change this situation is for Granard to come here and negotiate directly with the emperor. I¡¯m sure the emperor won¡¯t take it lightly if our king comes to talk to him in person, and we may be able to negotiate something different than a duel.¡± But ¨C perhaps it will not happen. Granard will not come here and he will not meet the emperor face to face. If Granard had been prepared to go toe to toe with the empire, albeit at the negotiating table, he would have come here long ago and engaged in a war of words with the empire¡¯s negotiators. ¡°¡­¡­A weak king, a king who doesn¡¯t move when he should.¡± ¡°Hm? Did you say something, Your Highness?¡± ¡°No, nothing. I¡¯ll take my rest for the day. I don¡¯t know if my brother¡¯s messenger will make it by the deadline, but he¡¯s going to have a hard march. By then I shall be well rested and ready for a duel.¡± Raidorl waved lightly at the quizzical General Bazel and walked into the building. In the end, two days later, there was no response from the royal capital. There were some troubles that prevented him from reaching the Blaine fortress, or perhaps Granard could not make a decision until the end. Either way, the outcome of the war between the Kingdom of Zain and the Empire of Alsatian would be left to the two sword-bearers. On the date of the duel, the Imperial troops arrived at the fortress of Blaine at about the same time as the pre-arranged time. The Imperial troops lined up on the hilltop, just as they had done when they attacked the fortress in the past, and at the head of the line was a man wearing armour as red as a blazing fire. Emperor Zacharias Von Althlein. Always victorious, never defeated. The holder of the holy sword, the strongest in this era, was looking down on the fortress with his fangs bared like a beast. CH 106 Emperor Zacharias Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil The Imperial army is lined up on a hill. Once they were led by Crown Princess C¨¦lia Von Althlein and General Gracos Barzen, but today they are commanded by the Emperor. He is the most powerful man on the continent, and the army that follows him looks bigger and stronger than ever, perhaps because of the supremacy of his commander. At the head of the Imperial army ¨C which looks as majestic as a herd of predators ¨C the emperor Zacharias steps forward. A large man in red armour gallops down the hill on a black horse, without even an escort. There was no one to stop him as he rode forward alone, away from his army. If Kingdom Of Zain were to send an army from the fortress of Blaine to meet him now, he would have to face hundreds or thousands of men alone. And yet, no one stopped him, no one seemed to care about his safety. The soldiers there know what they are doing. Even if all the soldiers in the fortress of Blaine went at once, they would not be able to defeat Zacharias. ¡°¡­.. I didn¡¯t expect this. I must have been a bit naive.¡± Watching from the fortress as the emperor rushed down the hill, Raidorl murmured in a shuddering tone. Zacharias had not even drawn his sword. He rode his horse as naturally as if he were taking a walk for a change, heading towards the fortress of Blaine. But just seeing Zacharias like that, Raidorl can¡¯t stop the sweat from running down his spine. He felt more intimidated than he did when he came face to face with C¨¦lia, who is also the holder of the Holy Sword. The holy sword D¨¢insleif, which was attached to Raidor¡¯s waist, also vibrated in the scabbard as if to complain about the threat in front of him. ¡°I don¡¯t need to fight to be convinced. That man is stronger than C¨¦lia, and stronger than me¡­¡­¡± ¡°I am Zacharias Von Althlein, Emperor of the Alsatian Empire! As promised, I have come to fight a duel with King of Zain¡¯s brother, Raidorl Zain!¡± Stopping his horse a short distance from the fortress, Zacharias raises his voice. It was a loud, booming voice that reached from one end of the battlefield to the other. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Nodding to Darren, who looked worried next to him, Raidorl gripped the hilt of his sword. The power of the Imperial emperor is greater than expected. But at this point, running away is not an option. ¡°I¡¯m going to fight. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± ¡°Ha, I wish you good luck! Godspeed!¡± Raidorl jumped down from the top of the city wall and landed outside the fortress. Walking staggeringly up to the emperor, Zacharias greeted Raidorl with a smirk and a belligerent smile. Dismounting from his horse, he lightly slaps the black-haired rump, and the emperor¡¯s beloved horse makes a high-pitched ¡°hissing¡± sound as he heads back towards the imperial camp. ¡°Ooo, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Emperor. I am Raidorl Zain, brother of Granard Zain, King of Zain. And the man who defeated your daughter.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. You¡¯re the outcast prince who was chosen by the holy sword D¨¢insleif and driven to the frontier. ¡°¡­..you know me well.¡± It seems that the Imperial side was also looking into Raidorl. It was only natural that they should have done so, since they had been put through the wringer in the battle six months earlier. ¡°I know more about you than that. You have a strange woman as your maid, who uses ancient magic that has been lost to the modern world. And you¡¯ve secretly captured my subordinate, Gracos, and are holding him captive in a rented mansion on the outskirts of the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You look surprised..What, you thought the Empire was all muscle and no brains?¡± Zacharias laughed with amusement. The grin on his face, like that of a naughty boy who has succeeded in playing a prank, he looked so young that it was hard to believe he had a child of Raidorl¡¯s age. ¡°¡­¡­ After all that research, why aren¡¯t you working to save C¨¦lia and Gracos Barzen? While I was away from the Royal Capital, there were plenty of opportunities to rescue them, weren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right. I could always get them both back. But, well, as they say, let the pretty girl travel, don¡¯t they? C¨¦lia seems to be enjoying her life as an adventurer, and Gracos seems to be well fed. There¡¯s no rush to help, is there?¡± Zacharias chuckled throatily, lifted his lips and bared his fangs. ¡°It¡¯s more important for me to weigh up the power of the new holder of the holy sword. In this duel, I will see how far you can go against the end of the world, which is coming soon¡­¡­¡± ¡°The end of the world ¡­¡­?¡± What in the world is he talking about? Raidorl raised his eyebrows suspiciously. But Zacharias didn¡¯t answer Raidorl¡¯s question. ¡°If you want me to tell you the rest, you¡¯ll have to survive!¡¡Young man, you¡¯d better try not to get killed by me!¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Zacharias drew the sword at his back. The sword burns red-hot, and the blade is covered with swirling flames. This is the holy sword of fire, Durandal. This is the first time Raidorl ever saw such a thing. ¡°Chi ¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible!¡± Raidorl also drew his sword from his waist. The holy sword D¨¢insleif, which is surrounded by a miasma that sends chills down the spine, meets the incoming heat wave. The Prince Raidorl Zain and the Emperor Zacharias Von Althlein. The holy sword D¨¢insleif and the holy sword Durandal. CH 107 The Holy Sword Durandal Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil The first to move was Raidorl. As he pours his refined magical power into the D¨¢insleif, the miasma covering the holy sword explodes and multiplies. ¡°Sword-spell fighting. Jormungandr, the serpent of the apocalypse!¡± What Raidorl unleashes out of the blue is his biggest move yet. This is the same technique that was used in the battle that took place in this fortress in the past, when the Imperial troops were swept away. An explosion of miasma forms a serpent, which rushes towards the Emperor alone. It opens its huge mouth and tries to swallow Zacharias, who is carrying the Holy Sword of Fire. ¡°Houuu¡­¡­, not bad!¡± Zacharias strokes his chin with his left hand and raises the sword in his right hand wide. The reversing flame stretches out like a heavenly thunderbolt, piercing the clouds that hover above. ¡°Imperial art of the holy sword, Flamma!¡± A huge sword of flame is swung down. The jet-black serpent was torn apart by the overwhelming heat, torn into a thousand pieces and scattered. But when the jet-black serpent disappeared, Raidorl was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Oo!?¡± ¡°Hu!!¡± A sword was thrust out from the side of Zacharias. The emperor quickly tilted his head backwards to avoid a thrust at his neck. It is predicted that the serpent of the apocalypse will not work. It was even defeated by C¨¦lia. There¡¯s no way he can compete with Zacharias, who is stronger than her. The blow of the serpent was only a decoy. ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± Raidorl repeatedly slashes at Zacharias as he moves into range. The holy sword in the Emperor¡¯s hand is two times larger than the D¨¢insleif, so Raidorl will have the advantage if he gets into close combat. Zacharias was dexterous with his greatsword in taking the successive slashes, but soon he was forced to retreat a step or two by the number of strikes. As Zacharias tries to keep his distance, Raidorl unleashes a low kick and kicks him in the side of the knee. ¡°Mu¡­.?!¡± ¡°Keep slashing!¡± Seeing that Zacharias¡¯s body was slightly tilted, Raidorl slashed him up from the bottom in a reverse kesa. The blow sliced through the red armour, but as Zacharias drew back quickly, the thick armour was not completely shattered and the blow did not reach the body. With his beloved armour scarred, Zacharius¡¯ lips lifted in a fang-baring, biting bark. ¡°Haha! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± ¡°Uwhoa!¡± Zacharias slammed his red holy sword into the ground. The ground split open and flames erupted like a volcano. Raidorl was frightened and jumped backwards. At the same moment, Zacharias jumped out of the flames and slashed at him with his greatsword. ¡°Guhhh¡± Raidorl caught the blow of the big sword with his D¨¢insleif, but could not kill the impact and was sent backwards. Raidorl rolls on the ground, but quickly adjusts his position. When he got up and looked at Zacharias, the emperor was standing calmly without chasing Raidorl. Raidorl¡¯s face contorts as he realises that he doesn¡¯t need to be chased. ¡°Damn you ¡­¡­ for stopping the flow!¡± Raidorl clicks his tongue and snarls. Raidorl is up against a superior opponent. He would have liked to have won the game in one go without giving them an opportunity to counter-attack, but he was unable to do so and were forced to start all over again. As Raidorl glares at the enemy in front of him in frustration, Zacharias laughs in amusement and places Durandal on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re good. It¡¯s quite entertaining in general! It¡¯s as fierce as fire and as difficult to grasp as cloud water. It¡¯s the kind of brawling swordplay adventurers use.¡± ¡°Ha, I¡¯m afraid I was not brought up well. I¡¯m sorry my legs gave out on me so quickly.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re the first person to kick the emperor¡¯s ass. You can be proud of that!¡± Zacharias, who had been laughing hysterically, suddenly turned serious: ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°The only regret is that you have yet to embrace your holy sword. If you were fully in tune with the guardian deity that resides in your holy sword, it would be more entertaining¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ha?! I don¡¯t accept the holy sword ¡­¡­? What do you mean?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes narrowed at the unintelligible words. ¡°It means exactly what I say. You know, Raidorl Zain. You¡­..actually don¡¯t like D¨¢insleif, do you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± At the Emperor¡¯s words, Raidorl felt his heart leap. It was as if he had been confronted with something he did not know about himself. ¡°So I hear, you¡¯ve been chosen for the D¨¢insleif, thus your brother hates you, and you¡¯ve been driven to the frontier, haven¡¯t you?¡¡You were abandoned by your vassals and your fianc¨¦e. You may think you¡¯ve gotten over it, but in a corner of your mind, you hate your holy sword, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°So? What of it? I do not know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame. If you could accept and tune in to the Holy Sword, your big move wouldn¡¯t be easily defeated.¡± While Raidorl was frowning at his words, Zacharias felt a little pity for him. ¡°There are twelve holy swords known from the history of the continent ¨C all of them are equal in power and none of them are inferior. Even though there is a difference in skill and experience, there is no way that your technique can be unilaterally defeated by Durandal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl thought back to his first fight against C¨¦lia, the curse of the D¨¢insleif did not go well, and he had to struggle. Raidorl thought it was because of the superiority of the holy swords to each other, but if Zacharias is to be believed, the cause seems to be himself not the holy sword. Raidorl grits his teeth when it is pointed out indirectly that he did not fully utilize the holy sword. Zacharias, on the other hand, also sighs in annoyance. ¡°To tell you the truth, you¡¯re the same as C¨¦lia. She¡¯s too kind to be a holy sword holder. Somehow she has distanced herself from the holy sword, the weapon.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know. But you can¡¯t afford to give advice to your¡­¡­enemies or am I not even worthy of being an enemy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself. I¡¯ve got high hopes for you youngsters.¡± Zacharias swings his sword away, hard. The flames cover Durandal¡¯s blade again. The time for conversation is over, and it is time to resume the fight. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you one more thing, kid. The way of the ancient keepers of the Holy Sword who once fought the Six Witches of Doom. The power of the Holy Sword beyond the Wall!¡± ¡°Na..!!?¡± ¡°Oooooooohhh¡± A blade of killing intent strokes at Raidorl, to counter it Raidorl leaps backwards, distancing himself from Zacharias. A burning magic was released from Zacharias¡¯ body. It was an undirected torrent of magic, but sharp enough to make Raidorl feel like his life was in danger just standing there. With sweat pouring down his forehead, Raidorl readies himself for the enemy¡¯s attack with his D¨¢insleif. Even as he did so, the magic of Zacharias increased. Purgatory-like flames poured out of Durandal and engulfed the emperor¡¯s body. After a few seconds, Zacharias emerges from the flames. The emperor, who had reappeared before Raidorl¡¯s eyes, had transformed to such an extent that he could hardly believe his eyes. ¡°Holy Armour: A??a Vahi?ta the Righteous of Purgatory¡± ¡°Ghhh¡­.!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re surprised. This is the holder of the Holy Sword beyond the Wall.¡± ¡°Oh, come on¡­..¡± Raidorl¡¯s voice trembles in horror and he lets out a groan. The man standing in front of him, Zacharias, has reddened skin and a tattoo of a torch on his face. His clothes have changed completely, his red armour has been transformed into pale flames that cover his strong body. He is the god of war himself. If Raidorl let his guard down even a little, he was sure, he¡¯ll suffer his knees breaking or worse, his head chop off from his body. A??a Vahi?ta, the Righteous One of Purgatory ¨C the divinity of justice and truth. It was the manifestation of the God of Heavenly Punishment who shoots and destroys the evil demons and the impure ones. CH 108 Holy Armour Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°This is the armor that is deeply in tune with the guardian deity of the holy sword, and is revealed by wearing its blessings!¡± ¡°Holy Armour¡­¡­¡± Raidorl repeats the words in a daze. The mere sight of Zacharias, transformed as he was, filled him with awe and fear. All Raidorl could do is to keep his knees from collapsing in the presence of such a foe. ¡°You¡¯re able to activate it if you have mastered the holy sword. Now, do you realize how inexperienced you are?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡­..it seems that I¡¯m still naive to the full extent of my holy sword.¡± When Raidorl sees Zacharias in front of him, he is forced to understand. He thought he was stronger than anyone else with the Holy Sword in his hands, but the realm he had reached was only the entrance to the Holy Sword. Zacharias clears his throat in amusement as Raidorl stumbles in the face of such overwhelming power. ¡°I¡¯m glad you know the difference¡­¡­Don¡¯t give up now, young man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well,¡­¡­¡­¡­it¡¯s time to take you down!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..!¡± Raidorl jumped backwards as Durandal slammed into the ground where he was standing. With a roar, the ground where the holy sword had been struck exploded and caved in, creating a large crater. ¡°Kh, Outrageous!!¡± Zacharias swings his sword sideways. A slash of flame shoots out from the pale blade and slashes at Raidorl, who is keeping his distance. ¡°¡­¡­ [Scorpius]!¡± Raidorl strikes the flame slash with the miasma blade. The two slashes collide, creating a huge explosion. Raidorl swung his sword, holding back the shock of the explosion. Zacharius came out of the explosion and caught the blow. He pushed Raidorl with all his might. ¡°¡­¡­you!¡± It¡¯s impossible to win in a contest of strength. Raidorl pulled his body back to block the slash and kicked Zacharias in the head, taking advantage of the moment. ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t kick the emperor¡¯s head.¡± ¡°Hot ¡­¡­!¡± However, a protective wall of fire appeared to protect Zacharias. The pain of the fire searing his legs made Raidorl scream out. ¡°You can¡¯t break the holy armor with a simple attack. If you want to crush it, it must be with a single blow, like this¡­¡­¡± ¡°Gah!¡± A slash with flames struck Raidorl. He was blown backwards so far that his back was smashed hard against the wall of Blaine¡¯s fortress. The impact on his back clogged his lungs and made it difficult for him to breathe. ¡°Gghh ¡­¡­ kahaha ¡­¡­ ha, ha!¡± As he fell against the wall, the black miasma clung to his body like armour. If he hadn¡¯t quickly used the miasma as a shield, his body would have been burned through and he would have been cut in two. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad reaction. I thought I was going to kill him.¡± Zacharias stroked his chin in praise of Raidorl, who had withstood the attack with all his might. However, the expression on his face was somewhat dissatisfied. He seemed to feel inadequate in a battle that had become one-sided since he had taken out his holy armour. ¡°But¡­¡­you need to work a little harder. As it is, you¡¯re no match for the Six Witches of Doom, or even their Apostles.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I despise half-hearted people, all right? So, If you want to survive, show me more of your guts!¡± As Zacharias raised Durandal to the sky, a pale blue ball of fire appeared above his head. The ball of fire, about the size of a man¡¯s head, gradually grew in volume until it was a huge ball of flame. The size of the fireball, and the amount of heat it generated, was like a small sun appearing. ¡°Imperial style holy sword technique [Dawn Light AURORA]!¡± ¡°Tsk¡­¡­¡­..!¡± ¡°With this blow, I will measure if you¡¯re fit as a hero!¡¡Raidorl Zain, are you the man who will be the saviour of the world? Or are you a nobody who will never gain anything?¡± Zacharias swung his Durandal down. With the movement of his sword, a flaming bullet moved and shot straight at Raidorl. What Zacharias unleashed is a maximal flame that is so huge that it can swallow not only Raidorl¡¯s body but also the walls of the fortress. ¡°Khhh¡­¡­.JORMUNGANDR!¡± Raidorl used all his strength to unleash a slashing serpent. A jet-black serpent shook the air as it flew out, biting into the flames with great force. ¡°Guawaaahhhh!!¡± Raidorl continued to put his magic into the miasma and release it. If he slows down for even a moment, he will be swallowed up by the flames like a comet. Even if he threw everything away and ran away, he would not be able to avoid this huge mass of fire. There is only one way to survive. He had no choice but to unleash the miasma serpent with all his magic power. ¡°Oooooooooooooooo!¡± However, despite Raidorl¡¯s efforts, the flaming bullets were still coming, burning through the miasma. ¡°I¡¯ll stopppppp thhhhhhi-sssssss¡± ¡°Put the magic in. MORE, MORE!! put it in, PUT IT IN¡ª!¡± But still the flames didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Is this it? I still have many things to do!!¡± Sweat runs down Raidorl¡¯s spine from the overwhelming heat and feelings of impatience. He could feel the cold touch of the Reaper¡¯s scythe on his neck, despite the flames looming in front him. He was banished to the frontier because he was chosen for the holy sword, but he still fought hard against the demons and survived. At last, he has a chance to turn the tables on those who betrayed him, but will he be defeated and disappear without achieving his ambition? ¡°Will I die defeated and robbed without recovering anything?¡± What would Granard¡¯s face be like if he were to die here? Would he laugh at him as an enemy? Or would he weep as a brother? The prime minister, the general, Mertina, What will be the reaction of Neimilia and C¨¦lia? And what will be the reaction of his new subordinates? What will future historians say of Raidorl? Will they mourn him as a tragic hero or despise him as a foolish rebel? Or will he be forgotten as a nameless man who vanished without ever achieving anything? ¡°Screw you¡­¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl gritted his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see my hated enemies, my closest friends, rejoice or cry over my death.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what the people of the future think of me. Call it what they like, a good name or a bad name.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to disappear without leaving a single mark on this world.¡± ¡°If I am to make my mark on history, it must be by the way I live, not by the way I die.¡± Raidorl poured his enormous, swollen magical power into the holy sword at once. The miasma serpent regained its momentum as a large amount of magical energy was poured into it. The momentum of the flames diminished, but only slightly. But still ¨C it is not enough. It¡¯s not enough power to extinguish the divine fire that burns everything. ¡°Is this still not enough?¡± It¡¯s no use. A feeling of resignation crossed Raidorl¡¯s mind. At the same moment, a whispered voice shook Raidorl¡¯s eardrums. ¡°Aaah, how troublesome. You¡¯re a pain in the ass.¡± It was a boyish, female-like high-pitched voice. It was the first time Raidorl had heard it, but he felt a strange sense of nostalgia. ¡°I hate you too, but I¡¯ll lend you a little help. You can thank me later.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes went black. The huge flames that loomed over him and the emperor¡¯s figure disappeared into the depths of darkness. In the midst of his lightless vision, the howling of a beast rang out. CH 109 End of the war Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Mmm?¡± The Emperor Zacharias Von Althlein was dubious about the unexpected scene that had occurred before his eyes. Zacharias fired an extra-large burst of flame, which no doubt caught Raidorl in its sights. It seems that Raidorl was trying to prevent it with the technique of [the serpent of the apocalypse], but he was not able to offset it very well. In less than ten seconds, the flames would have engulfed him with the walls behind him and burned him to the bone. But the pale flames that were about to take the life of the young king¡¯s brother disappeared without a trace before the eyes of Zacharias. He was not overpowered by the miasma¡¯s blade. Nor was it defeated by a technique of equal power. It was as if his fire had never existed in the first place, and not even a spark of fire was left behind. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. What has happened?¡± The holy armour, which was also the inner workings of the holy sword Durandal, had the power to manipulate the fire of damnation to destroy all evil in the world. The power of the sword is one of the most powerful of all holy swords. There is no doubt that he was the most powerful holy sword holder on the continent. It is impossible for such a powerful flame to be extinguished without knowing what has been done to it. Zacharias squinted at his adversary. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Raidorl was unconscious with his back against the castle wall. His right hand has fallen to the ground, and the holy sword D¨¢insleif is lying in the palm of his hand. It is natural to assume that if anything was done, it was done by Raidorl. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­holy sword D¨¢insleif. I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s a unique holy sword that controls curses, but what kind of curses did you use to make it disappear?¡± Muttering, Zacharias releases his holy armour. The pale flames of his armour were extinguished and he returned to his normal red armour. The holy armour was a powerful technique for the keeper of the holy sword, but it also consumed a lot of magic power. Even Zacharias, a skilled user of the holy sword, could only activate it for a few minutes. Breathing deeply from exhaustion, Zacharias walks over to the fallen Raidorl. ¡°I was going to kill him like that if he couldn¡¯t use the full potential of the holy sword¡­¡­But now..hmm..what should I do?¡± The reason why Zacharias wanted to burn Raidorl with the power of his holy armor was not to take his life. The real purpose was to pressure him to awaken his holy sword. By pushing Raidorl to the limit, he hoped to trigger the Holy Armour, and if he couldn¡¯t, he would kill him, take the Holy Sword, and find a new holder in Imperial territory. If it doesn¡¯t wake up when it¡¯s supposed to, it won¡¯t wake up forever ¨C it may seem extremely one-sided and rough treatment, but Zacharias saw no better way to wake up a sleeping lion. ¡°Well¡­¡­Raidorl Zain. Have you awakened as the holder of the Holy Sword?¡¡Was it your holy armour that gave you that unknown power earlier?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± He asked, but the unconscious Raidorl did not answer. Zacharias breathed a ¡°huff¡± and shrugged his shoulders in annoyance. ¡°In any case, it seems to me that I cannot kill him now. A man who can keep the fire of the gods at bay cannot be dismissed as a useless weakling. Let us hope that you will live up to the expectations of your predecessor.¡± Zacharias looked up above him. On the ramparts of the Blaine fortress, the soldiers of the Kingdom Army are staring at him with bated breath. He looked behind him. In the distance, on a hilltop, his Imperial soldiers stare at him as if fascinated. Zacharias raised his sword high to the soldiers of both armies, who were staring speechlessly at the battle between the two sword-bearers. ¡°This duel is won by me, the Emperor of the Alsatian, Zacharias Von Althlein!!¡± There were no shouts of joy or sorrow from either side as they listened to the declaration of victory. In the battle between transcendent beings beyond their understanding, they have forgotten the details of war between human beings. Zacharias¡¯ lips pursed in dissatisfaction at the lack of response from the two armies, and he shouted even louder. ¡°The war between our two countries is now at an end! As soon as Raidorl Zain is healed, we shall negotiate peace!¡± And so, the war between the Kingdom of Zain and the Alsatian Empire came to an end with Zacharias winning the duel for the future of the two nations. A young hero and a veteran hero. The two sword-bearers will face the coming calamity together, and at the end of it they will clash again ¨C but that is still in the future. CH 110 After the feast Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°ah¡­¡­¡± There was a flash of light in the darkness of his vision. When Raidorl opened his closed eyelids, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling. It seems that he is lying on a bed. In his dazed state, Raidorl tries to put his situation into perspective. ¡°Are you awake, Your Royal Highness?¡± ¡°Darren¡­¡­.¡± The familiar voice made his head spin and he looked to the side to see his trusted subordinate, Darren Garst. It was then that Raidorl finally realized where he was. He was inside in his own bedroom inside Fortress Blaine. He immediately realized the situation he was in. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ve lost, haven¡¯t I, against the emperor of the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Darren nodded with a sombre look on his face. ¡°It was a paper-thin contest. I, of course, and all the soldiers, kingdom and empire, were dazzled by it.¡± ¡°Ha, don¡¯t give me that transparent flattery. I¡¯ve just been beaten one way or the other.¡± Raidorl let out a long ¡°fu¡± and scratched his hair with his left hand. ¡°I knew I was up against a better¡­¡­opponent, but I didn¡¯t think I was that far behind. I thought I could do a little better than that.¡± Even though there is a difference in age, they are both holders of the same holy sword. In the end, even if he lost, he was determined to bring the game to a close. However, it turned out to be a disastrous defeat. He could not even inflict a scratch on the emperor, showing the overwhelming difference in ability. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a world beyond holy armour and¡­.. holy swords.¡± When he thinks back to the power that the emperor used ¨C the righteous in purgatory ¨C Raidorl¡¯s expression twisted. Raidorl was scared. It was horrible. The more they burned through his confidence, the more he realised how different they were. In the frontier settlement, there was a certain amount of danger to life, and Raidorl had been attacked by a monster much stronger than himself, but the fear was far greater than that, and it was etched into his soul. More than the frustration of defeat, he can¡¯t help but feel that it was a miracle that he survived against that transcendent being. Even such a sentiment is like being a loser and it hits a nerve. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say. I¡¯m completely defeated. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness ¡­¡­¡± ¡°So? What happened to the peace negotiations? What demands did the Empire make of?¡± Before Darren could offer any words of comfort, Raidorl asked. For those who have experienced an overwhelming defeat, half-hearted consolation is like rubbing salt in the wound. Knowing what Raidorl was thinking, Darren answered the question without hesitation. ¡°Post-war negotiations have not yet begun.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Emperor Zacharias insists that negotiations will resume when Prince Raidorl awakens¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s very kind of him. Or does he just want to see the loser¡¯s face?¡± Raidorl sniffed sarcastically and raised himself up on the bed. He grasps his hands, opens them and examines his body. The magic power is badly depleted, but there are no obvious injuries. In addition to the fact that Raidorl has excellent healing abilities thanks to the blessing of the holy sword, there are also people in the fortress who can use restorative magic. He is able to move immediately without problems. ¡°All right, then, tell the Empire that I want to start negotiations.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I think it would be best if you rested for a while.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to owe the man any more than I already do. Let¡¯s finish the post-war negotiations and let the busy emperor return to the Empire as quickly as possible.¡± CH 111 A private meeting Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil The day after the duel, the negotiations for peace between the Kingdom of Zain and the Alsatian Empire resumed. The negotiations were held at the Imperial camp, with the place given to the victor, the Emperor. When Raidorl visited the enemy¡¯s camp with Darren and a few other guards, an Imperial soldier stepped forward to guide him. ¡°Welcome, Your Royal Highness, Prince Raidorl.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°No, not at all. The Emperor is waiting for you.¡± The soldier leading us wears a medal with a star on the chest of his uniform. Judging from the number of stars, he seems to be a man of a certain rank. ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry to bother you, Your Highness Raidorl. How is General Barzen?¡± ¡°¡­hm?¡± The name that the Imperial soldier mentioned made Raidorl¡¯s eyes blink for a moment, not knowing who he was talking about. Then, remembering that he was the commander of the Imperial troops, held as prisoners of war, he nodded and said, ¡®Ah¡¯. ¡°The old man is doing well. We¡¯re feeding him, and he¡¯s having a nice holiday.¡± ¡°I see,¡­¡­that¡¯s a relief.¡± The Imperial soldier let out a deep breath of relief. He was a serious-looking soldier, but strangely enough, there was no hostility or ill will towards Raidorl. On the contrary, there was a hint of respect in his words. ¡°¡­..How can you be so amiable to the royalty of an enemy country? Have you forgotten that it was my doing that the Barzen was captured?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. But the Empire is a land of strength and valour. We do not underestimate a man who has fought with the Emperor and survived, even if he is from an enemy country.¡± ¡°Fummm..¡± Raidorl nodded vaguely. As he made his way through the Imperial ranks, he passed several soldiers who looked at him with awe and respect. The atmosphere was more uncomfortable than the ill feeling, and Raidorl walked on with a subtle expression on his face. Eventually, Raidorl was ushered into a large tent. A soldier standing guard at the entrance saluted him and opened the tent for him. Once inside the tent, a simple round table was placed in the centre. In the back, on the upper seat, was the Emperor Zacharias. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re looking better than I thought.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡­¡± In response to the familiar greeting, Raidorl replied with a slightly sarcastic expression. The outcome of the duel was not in his favour. Raidorl is a man who has spent his life as an adventurer in the world of battle. He has a certain respect for the strong. Even so, he was not mature enough to be an equal to a veteran warmonger who had beaten him mercilessly. ¡°I¡¯ll win next time.¨CI¡¯m going to look Zacharias straight in the eye with such self-control.¡± ¡°Kuhk¡­¡­¡± At such a challenging look, Zacharias clears his throat in amusement. Zacharias, who is by nature a quick-tempered fighter, loves youngsters who are competitive and lively. And he even had a certain fondness towards Raidorl, who, after being defeated by him once, still glared at him without breaking his heart. ¡°Thank you for your help in guiding our guests. You can go now, Safaris.¡± ¡°Ha! Excuse me, sir!¡± The Imperial soldier who had led them here ¨C Dallas Safaris ¨C left the tent with a salute. Watching his back as he left the tent, Raidorl also turned to Darren, who was with his escort. ¡°Darren, excuse yourself.¡± ¡°Ha, but Your Highness¡­¡­¡± ¡°The emperor will be alone in this meeting. I think it¡¯s only polite if I¡¯m alone right? ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, Your Highness.¡± With a worried look on his face, Darren followed Safaris out of the tent. It was just Raidorl and Zacharias in the tent. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Aren¡¯t you going to sit down?¡± ¡°I will sit down and I hope we have an interesting meeting.¡± Raidorl sat down in the chair opposite Zacharias, his face as tense as ever. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The two holy sword holders, representing the two countries ¨C the kingdom and the empire ¨C stared at each other in silence for a while. Raidorl gives him a challenging look. Zacharias exchanges glances with a grin, amused by the situation. How long did the silence last? Eventually, with a sigh of resignation, Raidorl opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­Now, the loser of the duel has to accept the winner¡¯s demands. Now let¡¯s hear what you want.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, we did. We did.¡± Zacharias nodded his head as if he had just remembered. Despite being a prince, this prince Raidorl was blunt. ¡°Then let¡¯s ask you to listen to this request. Are you surprised?¡± With a grin, Zacharias lifted his lips and made the face of a mischievous boy. Raidorl clicks his tongue and rests his cheek on the round table in abhorrence. CH 112 An easy request Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°The Empire has two demands: the release of our daughter, C¨¦lia Von Althlein, and our subordinate, General Gracos Barzen. And the return of the holy sword, Cla¨ªomh Solas.¡± ¡°¡­hm? Is that all?!¡± Raidorl unintentionally uttered a suspicious voice at the words uttered from the emperor¡¯s mouth. The request that Zacharias had made had nothing to do with the duel, but was something that Raidorl was going to ask for sooner or later. This is too light a demand for a victorious Empire to make on a defeated kingdom. At the very least, it is a cession of territory. Raidorl was prepared for the possibility of the kingdom becoming a vassal state, but he was taken aback by the unexpectedly simple demands. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll give you back the fortress of Balmes and the border territories under Imperial control.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked. I know you have men who are survivors of Arbeil and Ilkas family. I¡¯ll give them back their lands too. Rejoice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡­. Did you hit your head?¡± The proposal was so outrageous that Raidorl couldn¡¯t help but utter a few rude words. There was no negotiation, and it was only natural that the Imperial side had made compromises that were to their disadvantage. It¡¯s not just that they¡¯ve been so generous, it¡¯s that they¡¯ve been so generous that it¡¯s almost eerie. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re the ones who started the war, and now you want to give back all the territory you¡¯ve taken? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± ¡°Kah,Ka,Kha..I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m always serious.¡± Laughing amusedly at the surprised Raidorl, Zacharias sits back in his chair and crosses his legs. ¡°If you had been a man who only ended up being chosen for the Holy Sword, I would have destroyed this country as quickly as possible. Now that you seem to be qualified to rise to the heights, there¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°¡­¡­that doesn¡¯t make any sense¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Zacharias shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile and tapped his fingers on the wooden round table. It was a pompous manner, or a way of withholding important information. Raidorl opened his mouth to question the stern-faced emperor, but before he could speak, Zacharias spoke up. ¡°The Kingdom of Vein, the Republic of Raaslama and the Kingdom of Sarain.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Elfland of Jana Forest, Arshat Cat and Beast Tribe, Tusamarka Underground ¡­¡­¡± Zacharias banged on the round table and rattled off a few words. Unable to understand the sudden change in the subject, Raidorl¡¯s brow furrowed and he looked at him suspiciously. ¡°The Saint-Germeus bloodline and the Kingdom of Shaitan. These are the names of the countries and tribes that the Empire has destroyed since he became emperor. The number of lives taken is in the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe even over a million. What do you think, it¡¯s a lot of killing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°He is also known as ¡°the cruel emperor without blood¡±, ¡°the devil who spits in the sky¡±, ¡°the subhuman hunter¡±, ¡°the natural enemy of fairies¡± and ¡°the father killer¡±. A tyrant indeed. He¡¯s also called the High King, what do you think?¡± ¡°Are you boasting?¡¡Are you trying to tell me that I should be grateful that this country wasn¡¯t destroyed too?¡± (TL: Yes, Raidorl. I think you should, this emperor got no chill to prepare for what is coming to them) Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted into a spiteful grimace. But Zacharias, unusually for this man, looked back at Raidorl with a serious look in his eyes. ¡°He is the bloody High King. A war-haunted man. But ¡­¡­the truth is, he was not fighting for no reason at all. The war was not fought for the sole reason of wanting to fight. There is a firm cause for his supremacy. He has been waging wars of aggression against countries all over the continent for a certain purpose.¡± ¡°Purpose ¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl covers his mouth with his hand and ponders. The only reason he can think of for a country to destroy others is to enrich itself. But from the way the emperor is talking, it seems that this is not the only reason. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you? You didn¡¯t even know why¡­¡± He squinted at Raidorl, who was pondering at what he said, and Zacharias looked away with a vexed look in his eyes. His eyes seemed to be looking at someone else, not at Raidorl. Behind the stern look was a feeling of hatred. ¡°The purpose for which he plunged the continent into war is¡­.. [the witch revival worships Walpurgis]. It is to confront the end of the world, which will surely come sooner or later.¡± (TL: Walpurgis is a german folklore) CH 113 Witches'' woe Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Witches ¡­¡­?¡¡You mean the Six Witches of Doom?¡± The emperor¡¯s words made Raidorl nod his head. The six witches of doom are the monsters that caused the ¡°Great Calamity¡± three hundred years ago, and drove most of the prosperous countries to ruin. Even after the Great Calamity, the witch¡¯s infamy has become the stuff of legends and fairy tales. It has become a legend and a fairy tale, and is even used to train children to say, ¡®If you tell a lie, the witch will take you away and eat you from the head.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve heard that most of the Six Witches of Doom have already been defeated.¡¡Akasha of Fire, Carmelan of Water, Hoofle of Wind, Osman of the Earth, ¡­¡­ and Neimilia of the Dark. Even the ¡°light¡± Graslead, whose defeat has not been confirmed, but has not appeared in history for over a hundred years. Isn¡¯t the plague of witches already over?¡± ¡°Oh, you know a lot about witches, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­I¡¯m a holy sword holder myself. I¡¯ve at least looked into the lore of the past that has something to do with the Holy Sword.¡± Of course Raidorl doesn¡¯t say that it¡¯s because he has one beside him ¨C he just shrugs his shoulders and says something deceptive. Zacharias raised his eyebrows slightly, but continued without pursuing the matter. ¡°You¡¯re right. Most of the witches who have caused so much trouble since the great disaster three hundred years ago have been defeated. But they will return in the not-too-distant future.¡± ¡°Ha?! What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Alsatian Empire was one of the first to recover from the Great Calamity, and since then it has made the defeat of witches a national goal. We have traced the history of the fallen country to find out the history before the appearance of witches, and we have also traced the location of the Holy Sword, the weapon to defeat witches. And then I came across a one terrifying/daunting fact¡­¡­. It¡¯s not the first time a witch has wreaked havoc in the past three hundred years. It has been occurring many times in a regular cycle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl gulped and fell silent. The history of this continent was cut off by witches three hundred years ago, and there is little record of what happened before that. There is no one who knows what it was like before the witch came along. Even Raidorl, who knew a witch called Neimilia, had never heard of her sisters¡¯ resurrection. ¡°Once every three hundred years or so, a cursed night called the Resurrection of the Witches comes to this world. There comes a cursed night called the Resurrection of the Witches, when six witches are resurrected to bring misfortune to the world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re saying that resurrection is coming soon?¡¡How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°The signs are in front of us. The activation of the Holy Sword.¡± Zacharias picked up Durandal, which was propped against the wall. The holy sword of fire pulsed loudly in response to Zacharias. The three holy swords of Durandal, Cla¨ªomh Solas, and the Gjallarhorn¡­¡­ the Empire are destined to be their owners. So is your D¨¢insleif. In the past, several holy swords have had their holders in the same period, as we know from the discovery of history books before the great calamity. It¡¯s always just before the resurrection of the witches.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that¡­..the holy sword needs a wielder to confront the witches?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way it is. In the north of the continent, in the teachings of the holy religion, it is said that the holy sword was given by God to confront the six witches of ruin. So it stands to reason that they would be active at a time when the witches are coming back¡± ¡°I see¡­..¡± Raidorl nodded with a mysterious look on his face. He doesn¡¯t know how much he can trust what the emperor has said. But it seems to make sense if he connects all the clues. The Empire¡¯s hegemony to date has not been motivated solely by ambition. It was the result of a desire to save the world in Zacharias¡¯ own way, in anticipation of the return of the witches. ¡°Did you let me go without killing me because you knew I would lose the duel so that you could use me against the witches?¡± ¡°Partially correct. If you were useless, I would have killed you¡­¡­. Well, that¡¯s about as good as it is. I¡¯m going to keep you alive for future growth¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­¡­¡­. I¡¯m so grateful, I could cry¡± Raidorl sniffed disapprovingly and crossed his arms. He doesn¡¯t like to be talked down to, but it¡¯s not a bad feeling to be recognised by Zacharias, who is by far the strongest man in the continent. With his brow furrowed with conflicting emotions, Raidorl looked away from the emperor who was sitting directly across from him. CH 114 A hero''s fate Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°¡­¡­ Let¡¯s go back to the story. If I take back the territory you took from me and leave the Kingdom of Zain, that means that I can take care of this country, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ll leave the defense of the western part of the continent to you. You¡¯ll have to do your best to keep the witches at bay.¡± Zacharias continues with an amusing laugh. ¡°I¡¯m looking for you to do two things. To protect the people from the invading witches. And to search for the missing holy swords. According to legend, there are twelve holy swords in the world, but only seven are known to exist. I want to find the remaining five for the battle to come.¡± The seven holy swords that are known to exist. Raidorl had heard of them. The Kingdom of Zain owns a D¨¢insleif. The Empire owns three of them. In addition, the power called the Twelve Holy Church, which was mentioned in the story of Zacharias earlier, owns two holy swords. There¡¯s one remaining, it was said to be owned by the Lourant Metropolitan City, on the eastern edge of the continent. ¡°There are five missing holy swords: ¡­¡­ Is it really that easy to find them?¡± ¡°Possibly in the southern part of the continent, where there is a high concentration of beastmen and sub-human nations. And the countries further west of the Kingdom of Zain. There is also the possibility of a Far Eastern island nation further east of the Lourant capital¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­.hmmm¡± In his mind, Raidorl has drawn a map of the western part of the continent, with the Kingdom of Zain at the centre. The Alsatian Empire is not the only country on the border between the centre of the continent and the west. To the west of the kingdom, there are a number of smaller countries, separated by mountain ranges. They had only a limited relationship with the smaller countries to the west, and were unsure of the existence of the holy sword. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me that I have to invade those small countries in the west to find the holy sword, are you?¡± ¡°Haha, if the Kingdom of Zain has the strength to do so, then so be it. I¡¯ll leave it to you to decide. I don¡¯t care how it¡¯s done, as long as all the witches are destroyed in the end!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl falls silent with a bitter look on his face. There is so much information given to him so suddenly that he cannot sort it out and his mind becomes confused. A witch¡¯s resurrection, a missing holy sword. What could he do with such a fairytale problem? The only thing that matters to Raidorl is to get rid of the Empire and settle the score with his brother. Why should he have to deal with such an important issue as the crisis of the world? ¡°It¡¯s a big story, isn¡¯t it? The fight between me and my brother seems like a trivial quarrel between brothers ..¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips lifted in self-mockery. He wanted to turn the tables on those who banished him and take back what was taken from him. He has taken up the holy sword again for this purpose, but why do he keep getting into trouble after trouble? Or maybe this is what it means to be ¡®a hero¡¯. Has the world¡¯s recognition of his power caused him to hold on to so many things? ¡°¡­¡­is unreasonable. No, it¡¯s not the first time it¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°Life is like that, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t think that those who are chosen by the holy sword can go through life in peace.¡± Zacharias laughed in amusement at the look on Raidorl¡¯s face as he bemoaned the impermanence of the world, as if he had finally noticed it. ¡°The world is unreasonable and unforgiving. But¡­¡­ we have the holy sword on our side. It¡¯s better to be given the right to resist the unreasonable world as a strong person, instead of being trampled on unilaterally as a weak person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Those are some inspiring words. I¡¯m impressed.¡± At the words of the man who could be called the High King, Raidorl held his forehead as if he were fighting off a headache. As Zacharias said, even if he were to triumph over his brother king, there would be no peace in Raidorl¡¯s life. The fight for revenge that he had started had already gone beyond a fight between brothers. It has engulfed the country and many people. The name of the new hero, Raidorl Zain, will be known all over the continent for having once defeated the Imperial army and survived a duel with the most powerful man in the world. No matter how many unreasonable things are thrown at him, Raidorl has no choice but to grit his teeth and face them head on. This is the fate of those who are chosen by the holy sword, and it is the fate of the heroes who are burdened with the destiny of saving the world. CH 115 End of meeting Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ that¡¯s how we got the story!¡± Zacharias claps and rings his hands in a pacific manner, as if he has regained his composure. ¡°The Empire will return to the Kingdom all that it has gained in this battle. In return, I will receive my prisoners and my holy sword.¡± ¡°And¡­¡­I will join you in the fight against the witches as your collaborator, right?¡± ¡°Hmm. Save your strength while you still have it. The enemy is not only the witches. You will have to fight the apostles, the demons who have received their power and also the demons that are used by them.¡± ¡°Apostle or demon, you¡¯ll have an easy against it, won¡¯t you?¡± Remembering his earlier duel ¨C the power called ¡®Holy Armour¡¯ ¨C Raidorl blurts out. The warrior of God called [the righteous of purgatory], even if the witch and the apostle came with the demon, they must be burned just by touching the armor sleeve. ¡°Oi,oi,oi..You can¡¯t be overconfident regarding the power of the holy armour. It is a trump card for the keeper of the holy sword. It consumes a lot of magic power. You can¡¯t use it for very long.¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡­that¡¯s a good one to hear.¡± So, no matter how powerful he was, he was not invincible. ¡°Of course, the witches and apostles will think so too. It is also possible that they will use small fish to reduce our strength. Don¡¯t rely too much on the power of the holy sword. Train your soldiers and build a strong army. Defeat the enemy¡¯s army with your own!¡± ¡°Fummm¡­¡± The army didn¡¯t need to be told. Raidorl already has an army of his own, and he is working to strengthen it. It was an army to prepare for the war against his brother Granard and the Empire, but he did not expect it to be a weapon against the apostles and demons. ¡°The Empire will now end its war with the Kingdom of Zain and concentrate on conquering the south and east. We will destroy all those who are lukewarm about peace and search for the missing holy sword. You, too, can take control of the kingdom and become its king.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll support me? My rebellion.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do as much to give you the support you need. But don¡¯t expect me to help you. If you can¡¯t manage one country, you can¡¯t manage the fate of the world!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you for anything. This is my revenge. It¡¯s my rebellion!¡± Raidorl spat arrogantly and rose from his chair. This is the end of the peace between the two nations, the Kingdom and the Empire. From then on, each of them will have to confront common enemies. In spite of all the talk of witch revival and the salvation of the world, in the end there is only one goal for Raidorl. To settle the score with his brother King Granard Zain. To put an end to his past and his revenge. That was all. ¡°Shall we end this now? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do, and I think it¡¯s time for my dear brother to go.¡± If the witches are resurrected and Raidorl have to fulfil duties as the keeper of the Holy Sword, he will no longer be able to take revenge on his brother. He must end this before it happens. ¡°Back to the Royal Capital, we¡¯ll have a showdown¡­¡­! The first, and last, real fight between brothers!¡± With determination in his heart, Raidorl grasps his holy sword. His fate began to turn from the moment the holy sword D¨¢insleif was pulled out. And only one conclusion was about to come. ¡°Oh, yes, yes,. I forgot to tell you one thing¡± ¡°Hm?¡± He was about to leave his tent, ready to fight his brother, when he heard a distracted voice behind him. When Raidorl turned to look at Zacharias, he was scratching his head with a faint look on his face. ¡°What is it?¡­..I¡¯m getting busy now¡­¡± ¡°I forgot something important. There¡¯s one more thing I have to ask of you.¡± ¡°A demand¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl raises his eyebrows suspiciously. The peace talks are already over. What kind of demand can Zacharias make at this time? ¡°You¡¯re not married yet, aren¡¯t you? A king needs a wife who will support him in his supremacy. I will provide one for you.¡± ¡°HAAAAAAAA?!¡± Zacharias drops a bomb on him as if it were a good idea, Raidorl in return couldn¡¯t react to the demand he just heard and stood like a tree. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the princess of the Empire as a bride! BE MY SON, RAIDORL ZAIN!¡± CH 116 The Mad King Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil And so, after many twists and turns, the war between the Kingdom of Zain and the Alsatian Empire came to an end. Although the victor was the Empire, the country did not make any unfair demands on the defeated kingdom. On the contrary, the Emperor Zacharias Von Althlein praised the bravery of his brother Raidorl Zain in the duel and even assured him of the return of the territories taken in the series of battles. After a meeting between the representatives of the two countries, Raidorl and Zacharias made a peace treaty that was formally signed in writing by diplomats. The Kingdom and the Empire, which had fought each other in battles large and small for decades, were now on a path of coexistence, and the people of Zain, who had escaped the threat of invaders, could enjoy a brief period of peace. But, on the other hand, there are people who cannot rejoice in such peace. At the royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain, in the king¡¯s bedchamber at the back of the palace, Granard Zain is alone and locked in his room. ¡°Where ¡­¡­ have I gone wrong?¡± The curtains were drawn, the room was dark, even in the daytime, and not a candle was lit. Huddled on his knees in a corner of the large, dark room, Granard asks himself, ¡°Where did I go wrong?¡± About a week ago, a duel took place between Raidorl and Emperor Zacharias in the fortress of Blaine, east of the capital. The result was the defeat of Raidorl. As a result, the Kingdom of Zain ended the war in a disadvantageous way to the Empire of Alsatian, and was forced to accept the demands of the Empire. However, the demands that were made were so light that it made one wonder if they were really the losers. And it was not the king, Granard, or the diplomat who had negotiated the transfer from the Empire. It was Raidorl Zain, the man who had lost the duel. ¡°Raidorl¡­¡­!¡¡How far will you go to make a false pretense of me ¡­¡­!¡± Granard snarls, scratching the skin off his face. There was a messenger from the fortress of Blaine to give instructions before the duel was to take place. After hearing the news of the duel, Granard held daily meetings to discuss countermeasures against the Empire. However, the meeting, which was held with all of the high officials, was disputed and opinions were exchanged, but no agreement was reached until the very end, and the date of the duel arrived without any action being taken. And this is the result. Although he lost the duel, Raidorl¡¯s reputation was on the rise as he made peace with the Empire and forced the enemy forces to retreat. By contrast, Granard, who could not make a decision until the end and left everything to his brother, had come to be reckoned with as the ¡®indecisive king¡¯. His position in the court is now reversed from a few months ago, and although they don¡¯t say it out loud, there are many who think that His Highness Raidorl is more suitable to be king. To add more chaos, a faction was born in the court, led by the Lord Advocate, to encourage people to support Raidorl. They also have taken the opportunity to start cutting down and persuading Granard¡¯s nobles and officials. There is no telling how many of Granard¡¯s allies are left. Granard shuts his ears to the bad publicity directed at him, and soon finds himself shut up in his bedchamber during the day. He was aware that his abandoned attitude was turning more and more people off, but he still cowered in his darkened room, covering his ears. Even when Lockwood, the Prime Minister, knocked at the door, or his wife, the Queen, Granard refused to open the locked door. ¡°Why, Raidorl, ¡­¡­! Why didn¡¯t you die for your brother¡¯s sake¡­¡­!¡± It was five years ago. This is when Raidorl was chosen by the holy sword D¨¢insleif. Granard hated and envied Raidorl, who had been chosen over him for the holy sword. The holy sword is the sword of the king. It is the sword of the one who is to be king. Granard has been the regent of the kingdom ever since the last king fell ill. He has put up with hobbies such as reading and horse riding, and has even cut down on the time he spends eating and sleeping, all in the service of his country. And yet, it was Raidorl, not Granard, who was chosen as the holy sword. Granard¡¯s hard work and dedication denied him, and he became desperate. Therefore, Granard banished his brother to the frontier. Please die as you are ¨C that¡¯s what Granard sincerely prayed for, and drove Raidorl to the den of demons. If Raidorl had died in the battle against the demons, he would have been able to forgive everything. He would have mourned his brother¡¯s death with all his heart, and would have built a mausoleum at his own expense, more magnificent than any other, to mourn his soul. He would have been able to love again, the brother he once loved. However ¨C against Granard¡¯s wishes, Raidorl survived. Alive, he came back to the capital in the wake of the war with the Empire, and became a hero by reaping the enemy that was coming. And now he is about to take the throne from himself. None of Granard¡¯s wishes has been granted and everything is about to be taken away from him. ¡°No,¡­¡­ I am the king of this land. Not Raidorl. I am the king. ¡­¡­!¡± Granard covered his face with his hands and bemoaned his unreasonableness in a delirious voice. Why wasn¡¯t I chosen to be the Holy Sword holder? Why did the Empire invade my country? Why did Raidorl survive? Why does everyone praise him? Why am I despised? He asks himself the same question over and over again. From morning till night, he asks himself questions that have no answers and no solutions. He didn¡¯t notice a shadow appear behind him, slowly it creeped behind him, smiling as if it had found a prey. ¡°If only I had a holy sword¡­¡­!¡± With the holy sword, he could have driven the Empire away when it attacked. He could be a hero without the help of his exiled brother. He would not have lost his throne. Everyone would have admired him. If only he had the sword, everything would have been all right. Granard would have gone down in history as the hero who defended the kingdom of Zain from the invasion of the Empire, the founder of the kingdom. ¡°It¡¯s wrong, everything is wrong. ¡­¡­ The world is wrong that I wasn¡¯t chosen for the Holy Sword. I should have been the one to get the holy sword. ¡­¡­!¡± Granard gritted his teeth, his eyes bleeding with madness. It is a delusion, totally unfounded and a distraction from reality. No matter how much Granard wanted the holy sword, it was Raidorl, not Granard, who was chosen by D¨¢insleif, There is no point in denying the facts in front of him and making assumptions that do not exist. A series of blunders. Granard was completely lost in his own thoughts. ¡°Yes, I should have had a holy sword. If only I¡¯d had a holy sword, everything would have been fine¡­¡­.!¡± If I have a holy sword ¨C Granard repeats incessantly. Granard is completely out of his element, spouting his fantasies and clawing at the skin of his face like a madman. If someone sees how Granard has turned, Even the prime minister, who is loyal to Granard to the end, may give up his duties and sees him as king as ¡®impossible¡¯. The king, Granard, no longer had a future and no end in sight. He had lost his mind and was now waiting for Raidorl to take the throne. Strangely enough, this is in line with Raidorl¡¯s aim of depriving Granard of all honours and subjects. Raidorl will return to the capital, the king would have been imprisoned in his madness, and the throne would have been handed over without any resistance. ¡°Do you want the holy sword so badly?¡± The shadow finally spoke, responding to Granard¡¯s self-indulgent fantasies. ¡°!!!?¡± A third person¡¯s voice echoed in the room where he was alone. Granard looks up and around the room, but there is no one in sight. But still the voice whispered to Granard, softly. ¡°If you want the holy sword so badly, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± The pleasant sound of a woman¡¯s voice vibrates in Granard¡¯s ears. The honey-sweet tones flow through his eardrums and penetrate his brain. ¡°¡­..U¡­ghaa¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, everything will be fine as long as you follow mommy¡¯s instructions.¡± ¡°Hya¡­..ahhh¡­..!!¡± The voice of a woman who seems to control his brain and even his soul. Even with his hands over his ears, the words of temptation still intrude, causing Granard to shudder and his eyes to flutter. A thin, white arm slips around his back and across his chest. Before he knew it, someone behind him had embraced him and put its lips to his ear. ¡°The sword, the power, the revenge. I¡¯ll give you everything you¡¯ve ever wanted. So, why don¡¯t you go and destroy the world for mommy??¡± ¡°sshh¡­¡­.¡± At the edge of Granard¡¯s vision, he saw the hair of a woman whispering in his ear. As soon as he saw a strand of hair, shining like goldwork, Granard¡¯s consciousness was blanked out. CH 117 The Prime Minister''s resignation Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°It¡¯s a problem¡­¡­isn¡¯t it¡­¡­?¡± Meanwhile, in the royal chambers, the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, was mumbling to himself. He was sitting at his desk with a pile of papers in front of him. It¡¯s not only the papers that Lockwood as Prime Minister has to deal with, but also the ones that the King has to deal with. This has been the scene every day since King Granard took refuge in his bedchamber. Lockwood¡¯s eyes are darkened by the daily work. Recently, he has not been able to return to his mansion in the noble quarter, and has been staying at the royal palace all night to complete his work. He has been sitting in a chair since the early hours of the morning, and his body aches from every part. When he stretches his back, his spine makes an ominous cracking sound. ¡°This country is ¡­¡­ His Majesty Granard may not be useful.¡± Lockwood sighed in resignation at the sheer volume of papers piled in front of him. At present, there are two factions within the royal court of Zain. One is the faction that supports King Granard. A faction that aims to stay in power, with Lockwood as its leader. The other faction supports his brother Prince Raidorl. The other faction, led by the Lord Justice, Ave Macbeth, aims to overthrow the current government and innovate. A few weeks ago, the former had the upper hand in the internal strife of the royal court, but now the tables have turned. A dueling peace deal from the Imperial side. Those who saw Granard¡¯s opportunistic attitude as a sign of weakness were switching to the Raidorl faction one by one. Macbeth, the head of the faction, Neimilia and Mertina, who were working behind his back, did not want to miss this opportunity to cut down the Granard faction. The witch, Neimilia, uses the shadow messenger to gain the weakness of the nobles, and Macbeth and Mertina use it to take in people from rival factions. The tide had already turned, and it was now completely in Raidorl¡¯s favour. Once the tide has turned, no one can stop it. Locked away in his bedroom, Granard has become a refugee from reality as the power structure he has created is being painted over. In the midst of all this, Lockwood, alone in the midst of a turbulent change of government, senses the impending doom of the monarch he serves. ¡°I don¡¯t think Granard is unfit to be king. Nor that he is inferior to His Highness Prince Raidorl. But ¡­¡­ the gained momentum as of right now, can no longer be helped.¡± When the news of the duel reached him from Fortress Blaine, Granard was unable to make a decision and left the matter hanging. When Granard heard the sudden news, he must have felt two emotions. He hoped that Raidorl would win the duel and drive the Empire back. And he wanted Raidorl to lose the duel and die. The conflicting and never-ending emotions deprived Granard of his calm judgment, and he left the problem to Raidorl to solve. And ¨C in the end ¨C it was a fatal blow to Granard. Raidorl had lost the duel, but had survived, and driven the Empire back. This was the worst possible outcome for Granard. He was happy to have escaped from Imperial threat, but the credit did not belong to Granard the king. The credit goes to Raidorl, who went to the duel, negotiated with the Emperor Zacharias and won him a direct concession. Although unconfirmed, Zacharias has even declared that he will wed his daughter to Raidorl. Chosen by the Holy Sword. Win a war. Save the people as an adventurer. Build an army in the East. In addition, he was recognised by the emperor and even acquired Imperial connections. No one can stop the momentum of Raidorl any longer. Even if Raidorl were to rebel and take the throne by force, many of the nobility and people would welcome a new king. ¡°And the king, who has fled to his room to escape reality, no longer seems to have the will to fight. He has completely lost his mind. It¡¯s a dead end indeed¡­¡­¡± Lockwood was convinced that in the not too distant future Raidorl would launch a conquest. He was prepared to follow Granard to his grave, and the least he could do was to try to prevent a little bloodshed. ¡°¡­¡­ Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. The house of Marcell is a loyal house. I will only die for my loyalty¡± Lockwood had a smile on his face and was ready to become a sacrifice. ¡°I have done all I can do.¡± If he had any regrets, it was that he had wanted to see and speak to the girl he had sacrificed to politics, Mertina Marcell, for the last time. ¡°I know she doesn¡¯t want to see me anymore. She¡¯s the one who¡¯s going to take over Marcell¡¯s loyalty. I pray that you will serve His Highness Raidorl with all your life.¡± Once that¡¯s decided, there¡¯s no time to lose. It was time to get the rest of the work done. Lockwood was about to start work on the papers on his desk when a voice from outside the door stopped him. ¡°Excuse me. Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡¡What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a guest here to see you.¡± ¡°A visitor¡­¡­?¡¡At this hour?¡± It was the knight who was standing guard in front of the room who called out to Lockwood. Lockwood glanced at his watch and saw that it was already nearly half past midnight. Who would be visiting his office at this hour? ¡°Who in the world ¡­¡­?¡± Before Lockwood could ask, the door to his office was opened from the outside. Lockwood frowned at the rudeness of the action, but his eyes widened when he saw the face of the person who had entered the room. ¡°Sorry to disturb you at this hour, Prime Minister.¡± ¡°Well, well,¡­¡­¡­¡­my queen.¡± The person who walked into the office was the second most powerful person in the kingdom of Zain after the king. Queen Shanoar Zain She is the wife of King Granard and the mother of Prince Strauss. CH 118 The Queen''s true feelings ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Your Royal Highness.¡± When Lockwood sees the queen, he hurriedly bends his back and bows his head. She was dressed in a navy blue dress, her purplish hair braided behind her head in a simple manner. In her hand she held a fan decorated with bird¡¯s feathers, the white feather ornaments floating in the dim light of the corridor. ¡°Why¡­¡­why in the world is the queen here¡­..?¡± Bowing deeply, Lockwood ponders the purpose of the queen¡¯s visit. Shanoar is a young woman who married Granard five years ago from a neighbouring country. She arrived in the capital at the same time as Raidorl, and her country of origin was the Kingdom of Aterna. It was a small country to the west of the Kingdom of Zain. The two countries are separated by a steep mountain range and the two countries have long been distant neighbours, with little more than the occasional curious traveller or merchant crossing the mountains. However, recent advances in navigational technology have opened up the Northern Passage, and the start of trade by sea has brought the two countries closer together. As a sign of this friendship, the niece of the current King Aeterna, Shanoar, married into the Kingdom of Zain. As a distant bride, Shanoar¡¯s position in the royal court is not a high one. Some of the nobles want to marry their daughters to King Granard and make her their queen. Life in the Royal Palace, with few allies, must have been like a needle in a haystack. Shanoar tended to stay in the depths of the palace and avoided public appearances except for the bare minimum of official duties such as ceremonies. The Queen herself had come to ask for Lockwood, the Prime Minister. It didn¡¯t seem like an unusual situation. ¡°Yes, it has been a long time, Prime Minister Marcell. May I come into your room?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯m sorry for the mess in the room, but please come in.¡± In a calm tone of voice, Shanoar asked for permission to enter. Of course, Lockwood nodded immediately. ¡°You may close the door if you like. It¡¯s going to be cold tonight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ha, my queen.¡± With a twitch of his eyebrows at the queen¡¯s words, the queen instructs the soldiers standing guard in front of the room to close the door. In the past, it was customary for the queen to leave the door open when she visited a man¡¯s room to avoid suspicion of infidelity. If she dares to break this rule, it is because she has something to say to him that she cannot tell anyone. Lockwood, with an unsettled feeling in his heart, suggested that Shanoar take a chair. ¡°¡­. So, what can I do for you today?¡± As soon as Shanoar sat down in her chair, Lockwood asked her point-blank. It would have been polite to make some small talk before getting down to business, but Lockwood was more interested in the Queen¡¯s purpose. He had been so busy with his many official duties that he had felt compelled to rush the conversation. In the face of the Prime Minister¡¯s attitude, which could be perceived as rude. Shanoar covers her mouth with a fan and begins her story. ¡°There¡¯s a great deal of excitement in the palace these days, isn¡¯t there? A war with the Empire. And the rebellion of my husband¡¯s¡­¡­ royal brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My husband, Granard, never neglected me. But he did not protect his wife, who was scorned and shadowed as a foreigner by the nobility of this country. Naturally, if he put me first and neglected the nobility of this country, he would have fewer supporters. He wanted to please the fox, who might betray him, rather than his wife, from whom he could not escape in any case.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What do you mean, my queen?¡± The Queen looked back at the Prime Minister with a cold stare, folded up her fan and clapped her palm with a pat on the back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have the heart to commit myself to this country. I don¡¯t mean that I have no love for my husband. But I am not going to sink with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Yes, as you can imagine.¡± Lockwood¡¯s eyes widen slightly, and Shanoar smiles bewitchingly. Her red lips lifted in a crescent shape. ¡°I¡¯m going to be leaving the country soon. I¡¯m going back home to my family.¡± CH 119 Mother''s and father''s thoughts Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°I knew it¡­¡­!¡± Lockwood¡¯s face clouded with grief at the Queen¡¯s comment. He has known for a long time that Shanoar does not love the Kingdom of Zain. She also wants to return to her homeland, the Kingdom of Aeterna. However, Lockwood never thought that she would ask him to return home at this time. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s just now¡­..¡± Today, the royal court of Zain is divided between Granard and Raidorl and their respective supporters. Currently leading, Raidorl faction has the upper hand and the Granard faction is slowly being driven into a corner. The reason why Shanoar has remained in the country despite her strong sense of nostalgia is because she believes that her son, Prince Strauss, will eventually succeed to the throne. Strauss was only a little over a year old, but he would eventually grow up to become the heir to the Granard throne. This would increase the influence of the king¡¯s mother, Shanoar, and she might even be able to purge the nobles who had oppressed her. Granard, who feared that there would be a dispute over his guardianship after his death, had no other choice but Shanoar. A future in which Shanoar reigns as queen mother is not so far away as to be out of reach. (TL:¡°politics¡±) But such a glorious future was scuppered by the rise of Raidorl. Many people living in the country now hope that the young king¡¯s brother will become the new king. There is no Shanoar or Strauss in the future they envisage. If Raidorl came to the throne, they, the wife and children of the previous king, would be a distraction. They would be ostracised for any reason, or worse, murdered in an attempt to save their lives. ¡°I can understand why she would want to flee. She doesn¡¯t want to bury her bones in a foreign country where she can¡¯t even be patriotic¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..What does Your Royal Highness intend to do about Prince Strauss?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take him with me, of course. He¡¯s my little boy, whom I gave birth to with great pain in my belly.¡± ¡°¡­..Do you think I would allow that? Do you think I would allow His Royal Highness Straus, the only son of the present King, to leave the country?¡± Lockwood¡¯s eyes deepened and he glared at Shanoar. If it was only Shanoar, it would not be a problem to let her leave the country. However, there is no way that Strauss, who has the right to the throne, can be handed over to another country. At the moment, the Kingdom of Zain and the Kingdom of Aeterna are on good terms, but Lockwood would never know what the future holds. It is not impossible that Aeterna will promote Strauss as king and wage war on this country. ¡°Why did you speak to me, the Prime Minister, about it?¡¡If you wanted to escape, you should have planned it in secret.¡± ¡°You are the reason I told you. I was hoping you could help me escape.¡± ¡°Me? Help?¡± Lockwood¡¯s brow furrowed. There was no way he was going to help. But Shanoar, with a look of conviction in her eyes, went on decisively. ¡°If my husband Granard were to lose his position, we would have no contact with the kingdom of Aeterna and trade would cease. Woolen goods made in the west would not be able to enter the country.¡± ¡°It would be the same if you left the country. King Aeterna will be furious that we have sent away his niece.¡± ¡°I will see to it that this does not happen. I will urge King Aeterna to ensure that relations between the two countries are maintained, even after Granard¡¯s brother becomes the new king. If necessary, we can arrange for a new princess to be married to his brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­..¡± ¡°Trade with the Kingdom of Zain is also necessary for Aeterna. King Aeterna wil-must agree.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Lockwood fell silent, letting Shanoar¡¯s proposal roll around in his head. It was one thing to have the blood of the Zain royal family spilled to another country, but to be able to maintain diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Aeterna was an attractive prospect. Raidorl already has the backing of the Alsatian Empire. And if friendly relations can be maintained with the Kingdom of Aeterna, there will be active trade between East and West, which will enrich the Kingdom of Zain. ¡°But¡­¡­¡± However, there is one thing that Lockwood cannot agree with. ¡°Queen Shanoar, Why did you bring this matter to my attention?¡± If Granard were to lose his position, Lockwood, his close associate, would also be forced to leave. It doesn¡¯t matter to Lockwood what happens after Raidorl ascends to the throne. He is in no position to care whether relations with the Kingdom of Aeterna are maintained or worsened. Why did she choose Lockwood to help her escape, if she didn¡¯t already know that? The Prime Minister¡¯s question mark¡¯s face brought a smile to the queen. ¡°When I came to this country, Raidorl was exiled. How can I be sure that he will not turn his anger against my husband and towards my son? Besides,¡­¡­Minister Marcell is a parent who loves his children as much as I do. I was sure he would understand my feelings.¡± ¡°Are you referring to my daughter, Mertina?¡¡If so, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. I am the father who abandoned his daughter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Prime Minister Marcell, did you not send Miss Mertina to Raidorl in order to protect your beloved daughter from Imperial aggression?¡± The Kingdom of Zain is on the brink of destruction during the invasion by the Empire. What can he do to protect his daughter from this war? Where is the safest place? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer for her to stay with Raidorl, the keeper of the holy sword, than to keep her by his side? Shanoar thought that Lockwood had sent his daughter to Raidorl with this in mind. ¡°The king¡¯s brother would not have killed his former betrothed, even if he had hated her. Isn¡¯t that what Prime Minister Marcell thought?¡± ¡°Nonsense, You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Lockwood laughs at the Queen¡¯s claims. He is not a very good parent. As a loyal member of the House of Marcell, he was only trying to be loyal at the expense of his family. As a result, Mertina ended up in the service of Raidorl, but it was only by chance. It was not something he had planned. He could not allow himself to be treated like a good parent. He was hated by his children and should be condemned along with Granard. ¡°If that¡¯s what Prime Minister Marcell thinks, that¡¯s fine with me. But ¨C I believe. I believe that you are a loving parent and that we can understand each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Prime Minister Marcell, please do this poor mother a favour. Please help her to escape to the kingdom of Aterna. Please protect my son, Strauss.¡± ¡°I¡­I-¡­.¡± After a few moments of silence, Lockwood opened his mouth. He wanted to say something in reply to the queen¡¯s entreaties. But the opportunity did not present itself. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± ¡°Kha?!!!¡± ¡°Hyaa?!¡± The Prime Minister¡¯s office ¨C the door of which was pierced by a scream of desperation from outside. The next moment the door was broken down, and the soldiers who had been standing guard came tumbling into the room. The soldier¡¯s head is gone, as if he had been burnt to death. They both gulped simultaneously at the obvious signs of murder. ¡°How dare you neglect me and to meet you here, what is this secret meeting¡­my wife. Isn¡¯t that very cold of you?¡± ¡°Y-y-you are¡­¡± A man walks into the room through a broken door. The man is someone they know well, and yet he is a different person from the one they remember. ¡°Kuku¡­A wife who does not fulfill her duties as queen. And a disloyal man who meets with the king¡¯s wife late at night. Both should be punished accordingly!¡± Standing there, smiling happily and delightedly, was Granard Zain himself, clutching his gleaming white sword. CH 120 The white blade of madness Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Your Majesty? What are you doing here?¡­¡­ No, more importantly, that sword is¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kuku¡­ ¡®m the master of this castle, and I am the first to ask you questions. You¡¯re an outsider, aren¡¯t you?? It¡¯s unexpected, with my Prime Minister in such a state, it is only natural that this country should be in disorder.¡± ¡°Your Majesty. You are ¡­¡­!¡± Lockwood¡¯s shoulders shake with a violent chill as the king smiles at him like a madman. The Granard in front of him is clearly out of his mind. Since Raidorl¡¯s return to the capital from the frontier, Granard has been in a constant state of emotional instability. But even with that in mind, the current Granard is out of control. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was contorted like a demon¡¯s, as if he had been possessed by it. The same feeling of abnormality was felt by Shanoar. Rising from her chair, the queen cradled herself in her arms and whitened her lips at the headless body of a soldier lying on the floor. ¡°Ga-ranard. I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re¡­¡­this soldier, why on earth are you ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡¡This man has interrupted me, the king, to inquire about my visit!¡¡This is my country. My castle. I can enter whenever I want¡± ¡°You can¡¯t possibly¡­¡­h-h-how dare you?¡± ¡°How dare I? How dare you interrupt me, the king?¡± ¡°Kahwa ¡­¡­!!?¡± Granard approaches Shanoar without hesitation and strangles her. He lifts the dressed body lightly and hangs it in the air. ¡°Ghhh..aaa¡± ¡°What were you doing here, Queen? Have you really been having an affair with the Prime Minister?¡± ¡°N-no..¡± ¡°No, please! Your Majesty, Granard!¡± Seeing Shanoar¡¯s face turn white due to lacking oxygen, Lockwood hurriedly raised his voice. ¡°We were just discussing the future of this country! His Majesty has locked himself up in his room, and we have only been working together to find a way out of this national crisis!¡¡There is no such thing as infidelity¡­¡­¡± ¡°What? So you think it¡¯s my fault?¡¡Do you mean to say that it is my fault that I have neglected my duties as king! How rude!¡± Granard shouts like he¡¯s having a tantrum. He threw Shanoar¡¯s body against the wall and swung the sword in his right hand sideways. The white blade gushed out to cut the room in half, and a brilliant beam of light shot out from its tip. The white laser passed right by Lockwood and smashed through the wall of the room with ease. Even after breaking the wall, the laser was still going strong, penetrating even the clouds in the night sky. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­¡­what power!¡± Lockwood, nearly pierced by the laser, opens his eyes in astonishment and looks at Granard¡¯s right hand. In his hand is a sword that shines with a strange light. It¡¯s the kind of material that is both divine and terrifying at the same time. ¡°This is my holy sword, Brionac!¡¡It is a sword fit for me, king of Zain, and eventually king of the world!¡± (TL:¥Ö¥ê¥å©`¥Ê¥¯ ) ¡°A holy sword? Impossible¡± The Kingdom of Zain possesses only one holy sword, the D¨¢insleif. It¡¯s also the one that Raidorl has been chosen to hold. Lockwood suspects that it is a fake, but indeed the sword in Granard¡¯s hand shines with a divine light. It is a sword that is far more like a holy sword than the D¨¢insleif, which is covered with a noxious miasma. ¡°Why, where did you get that?¡± ¡°The goddess. A goddess has come down to us.¡± ¡°Goddess?¡± ¡°I am the king of this land. I am not Raidorl, I am the true hero chosen by the goddess ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Not good enough., I don¡¯t understand you¡­¡± Lockwood groans in his mind, desperately trying to find a way out of this. In the past, it would have been easy to raise his hands and rejoice because the king he served has been chosen for the holy sword. But with Granard¡¯s current state of affairs, he couldn¡¯t afford to be complacent. Putting the Holy Sword in the hands of an insane madman is like giving a Molotov cocktail to an infant. No one knows what he will do. Lockwood was prepared to go down with Granard, but he could not accept the idea of being murdered by a frenzied king who did not know what he was doing. How did Granard lose his mind like this? Where did he get the sword that he calls the Holy Sword? Lockwood has to get out of here to find out what¡¯s going on. ¡°From the looks of His Majesty, there is a mastermind behind this heinous crime¡­¡­!¡± The purpose of the mastermind is unclear, but under the circumstances, giving Granard a weapon similar to the holy sword would only serve to plunge the kingdom of Zain into chaos. There are enemies in this country. It¡¯s not just the Empire, it¡¯s a much more foreign and unpredictable enemy. ¡°Your Excellency! Are you safe?¡± Hearing the commotion, the palace guards stormed into the office. They looked at the Prime Minister, the Queen and the broken wall in turn, and then at Granard, who was standing with his sword, pointing their spear at him. ¡°You crook!¡­¡­ How dare you disrespect the Prime Minister! Put down your weapons!¡± ¡°A crook¡­? To whom are you talking?¡± ¡°You ¡­ no, you really are ¡­!?¡± The soldiers seemed to have realised that the crook who had attacked the Prime Minister was the king they were serving. They shook the tip of their spear, their eyes black with agitation. They should have immediately lowered their weapon and prostrated, apologising for their rudeness, but the apparent change in Granard¡¯s appearance confused them and they froze. As a result, the soldiers were left with their weapons at their sides, and Granard¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°How dare the soldiers of this kingdom take up arms against their own king? Fools and traitors!¡± ¡°Gah!!?¡± Granard swung his sword in anger. In a flash of white light, the guards of the palace are slashed to pieces. Granard kicked at the remains of a soldier who had been cut in two, armour and all. ¡°Do you defy me too?¡¡You have a king, a lord, and you sided with Raidorl?¡¡Fuck!¡¡Damn you! Damn you! It is because of you, my loyal subjects, that the Empire scorns me!¡± The soldier has already become a mute wreck, but Granard just keeps on kicking him. The blood spattered from the mangled corpse stained the hem of his trousers, but he didn¡¯t care, he kept stomping on it. ¡°This! This! ThisssssssAAAAaaaaahHHHHH!!!!!!¡± After stomping on the soldier dozens of times, Granard finally had enough and breathed, his shoulders rising and falling. He looks back at the Prime Minister with a smile on his face and a sense of satisfaction that he has killed another disloyal man who has wronged the kingdom. ¡°Hm?¡± But Lockwood was no longer there. Shanoar, who had fallen against the wall, had also disappeared with him. ¡°Where did you go? You¡¯re leaving me, the king¡­¡­ you¡¯re leaving me too! Are you going to betray me and go to Raidorl? U¡­giiiiiii¡­AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahHH¡± Granard¡¯s roar of rage echoes through the air. From the heart of the palace, a mad voice roared like the cry of a monster in the darkness of the capital. CH 121 The Suffering of the Maidens Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Haaah ¡­¡­!¡± With a violent chill that felt like ice had been thrown down her spine, Imperial Princess C¨¦lia Von Althlein jumped out of bed. She doesn¡¯t know what has happened. But her negligee-clad body was drenched in sweat, and the thin fabric clung to her skin, highlighting her slender curves in the night. She woke up in a building in the noble district of Zain. It was a room in a mansion owned by Raidorl. ¡°What? What the hell is going on at¡­¡­?¡± The fear and anxiety are unspeakable. With her hand over her beating heart, she reached for her beloved sword, which was propped up next to her bed. ¡°Eh? Cla¨ªomh Solas?¡± It was then that she finally realised. Her beloved sword, her trusty companion, the holy sword of thunder, Cla¨ªomh Solas. The sword was pulsating strongly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­¡­What¡¯s with you, what are you so alarmed about?¡± C¨¦lia asks Cla¨ªomh Solas. The holy sword had reacted in a similar way when it had faced Raidorl in the past at the Blaine Fortress. However, it had not been as overly hostile as this. C¨¦lia felt the presence of an unknown enemy. She clutched her holy sword tightly. ¡°Emergency! Emergency!¡¡Are you awake, Miss C¨¦lia ?¡± ¡°Hyaaa! Ne-Neimilia!¡± Without even knocking, she burst into the room, the only maid working in the house. She was Neimilia, Raidorl¡¯s confidante and an accomplished magician. She is dressed in black underwear and a translucent baby-doll, a very sensual outfit. It¡¯s not like she has any other purpose than to seduce men. ¡°Wh¡­¡­what are you wearing!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my battle gear against, master! But ignore it now, this is an emergency, you need to get dressed! ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on? What on earth is¡­..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain!¡¡You have to get dressed and get out of here now!¡± Neimilia came running to the bed and put her hand on C¨¦lia¡¯s negligee. C¨¦lia was not going to let her try to rip it off with force. She rushes to defend herself by clutching her chest. ¡°No, no, no!¡¡Don¡¯t take it off!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an emergency, that¡¯s why! Now, strip!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stripping, I¡¯m changing properly, please don¡¯t take my clothes off! Even Neimilia is in her weird underwear!¡± ¡°Mu¡­that¡¯s rude. Maido-san, get ready for battle!¡± ¡°Ehhhhhhhh¡± When Neimilia spins around, she changes from her naughty underwear to a maid¡¯s uniform. ¡°Fu,fu,fu, a true maid must learn to change her clothes quickly so as not to show her skin to any man but her master! Now, you too, C¨¦lia!¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait, wait! I can¡¯t get dressed that fast!¡± ¡°You have 40 seconds to get ready. We¡¯ll be out of here soon!¡± ¡°Mu. You can¡¯t do this. Hyaaa?!¡± In the end, C¨¦lia¡¯s negligee was taken from her, and she glared at Neimilia with tears in her eyes. The maid, however, was not to be intimidated by this, and she went on to touch her sweat-soaked bra and trousers. ¡°I¡¯ll help you change your clothes!¡± ¡°No, no, no! Where are you going to touch me?¡­¡­ Aaah!¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­¡­tits have grown more than when you first came to live with us. HA! This, this!¡¡You¡¯re going to seduce master with this!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaa!!!¡± Neimilia touches her breasts and buttocks and makes her change into the comfortable clothes she wears when she works as an adventurer. After a quick change of clothes while being sexually harassed, Ceilia breathlessly embraces her holy sword. ¡°Uuu¡­¡­, I can¡¯t be married anymore.¡± ¡°Come on, we¡¯re leaving now! We¡¯re leaving the Royal Capital for now!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, ¡­¡­, but where¡¯s Mertina?¡± There is one other person living in the house besides C¨¦lia and Neimilia. Mertina Marcell. The daughter of Lockwood Marcell, the Prime Minister, and is the ¡®dog¡¯ of Neimilia, also who has recently been in charge of negotiations with the nobility. ¡°If it was Mertina, she would have left the house by now.¡± ¡°What ¡­¡­? Where the hell is ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°A little errand. It¡¯s a job fit for a dog.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± C¨¦lia left the house with Neimilia¡¯s hand on hers, still unsure of what to do. What on earth is happening in the capital? There is a sense of crisis. She can clearly feel the presence of something unknown, but she has no idea what it is. She tried to ask Neimilia what she was going to do but the next thing she knew, there was a roar behind them. ¡°Hyaa!¡± ¡°Gyaa?!¡± Something crashed down from the sky like a meteorite. The meteorite destroyed the house where they had just been staying, turning it into a pile of rubble. In a matter of seconds, the house where they had slept for only a few months was destroyed without a trace. It was such a sudden turn of events that C¨¦lia¡¯s eyes widened and her shoulders shook. ¡°Are the rebels here? Raidorl, are those who seek my throne here?¡± ¡°You are¡­..¡± Standing over the wreckage of the house was a man who looked familiar to her. ¡°What? Why are you doing this,¡­¡­, King Granard?¡± She thrusts the tip of her Cla¨ªomh Solas at Granard, the King of Zain, who appears above her with a shining sword. She has no idea what happened. But when she saw Granard, she knew for sure. This is the man who is the enemy that Cla¨ªomh Solas and Neimilia have been so wary of. This man standing on the rubble is a natural enemy for her, the keeper of the holy sword, who must be defeated. CH 122 The Witch''s Sword Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil The king, Granard Zain, appeared in front of her with a shining sword in his hand. She gulped nervously as she readied her sword. From the holy sword in his grip comes a stinging signal of danger. The tension in the air is even greater than it was when we faced Raidorl at the Blaine Fortress. ¡°King Granard¡­..¡± ¡°The little girl from the Empire of Alsatian. You¡¯ve been working with Raidorl, haven¡¯t you? He was a traitor, after all. The foxes of the enemy will be made to rust on my sword!¡± ¡°What is that sword?¡¡From the looks of it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a holy sword.¡± C¨¦lia asked, carefully watching her opponent¡¯s movements. Granard¡¯s lips lifted in anticipation of the question. ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s a holy sword!¡¡It¡¯s the same as the one you have¡­¡­no, it¡¯s the sword of kings, which only a true king is allowed to have in his hand!¡± ¡°A holy sword¡­¡­ never knew there was a holy sword in this country other than the D¨¢insleif¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, C¨¦lia, it¡¯s not. That¡¯s not a holy sword.¡± Neimilia, who was standing behind C¨¦lia, murmured to her. ¡°That is the sword from the Witch of Light ¨C a magic sword Brionac. It seems he has been enchanted by that witch and turned into an apostle. The master¡¯s brother¡­¡± ¡°A magic sword?¡± C¨¦lia tilted her head without looking away from Granard. She never heard of such a thing. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you don¡¯t know. It¡¯s been 300 years since the last great disaster. The magic sword was created by the Witch of Doom to fight against the Holy Sword. You can call it a weapon of war against the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that existed¡­¡­.even papa didn¡¯t know that existed either¡­¡­¡± C¨¦lia¡¯s father, Emperor Zacharias, was obsessed with the ¡°Six Witches of Doom¡±, monsters of legend, and collected old legends and books from all over the world. His father had often told her about the witches, but she had never heard of a magical sword. ¡°We call them ¡®magic swords¡¯, but some of them are not swords at all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, all I know now is that, what¡¯s in front of us is a fake holy sword. That¡¯s all I need to know.¡± ¡°Fake? Did you say it was fake?!!¡± Granard, who was listening to their conversation, twisted his face in rage. ¡°My holy sword, my champion, is a fake!? Come on, you little bitches, stop messing around!¡± ¡°Gya?!!¡± Granard flashes his sword. As soon as he does, a beam of light shoots out from the tip of his sword and hits C¨¦lia. A moment¡¯s delay in evading would have caused the ray to blow a hole in her torso. ¡°Kh¡­you..!¡± Celia¡¯s body streaks with lightning. The next moment, she appears behind Granard. She tried to swing her sword down on Granard¡¯s neck, but¡­¡­ someone hit her and blew her thin body away. ¡°Kahwa!¡± ¡°Miss C¨¦lia!¡± She was blown up and rolled on the ground, and Neimilia ran to her. She felt a dull ache in her abdomen. It seems she¡¯s been punched in the stomach. ¡°Kh..what..¡± ¡°You¡¯re so slow. You¡¯re missing out, aren¡¯t you? Holy Sword Master of the Empire.¡± Granard, standing on the rubble, looks down at her. As Neimilia helped her to her feet, she told C¨¦lia. ¡°No, you can¡¯t fight. King Granard is now under the protection of the Witch of Light. He can move at the speed of light. If you try to follow him with your eyes, you¡¯ll never catch up with him.¡± ¡°The speed of light¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. In a few seconds you could pass over the moon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Celia¡¯s eyes cloud over in confusion. She doesn¡¯t know what Neimilia means by the speed of light, and she doesn¡¯t know what Neimilia means by crossing the moon. But she does understand that the Granard now has a speed that is comparable to that of C¨¦lia, who can move at the speed of lightning. She once outstripped Raidorl in speed, but she has never fought an opponent as fast or faster than her. ¡°¡­..Tell me, Neimilia. How can I beat him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How long are you chatting for?¡¡You¡¯re leaving a lot of openings.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± C¨¦lia and Neimilia rolled on the ground at the same time. In a moment, a shining sword swung down to where they had been. ¡°Khh¡­bastard!¡± A thunderbolt shoots out from the Cla¨ªomh Solas, but by then Granard is already gone. Granard appears a little further away, and turns to her with a grimace and a look of contempt for the weak. ¡°Too late. Too slow!¡¡Hahahahahaha!¡¡With that kind of power, you claim to be a real holy sword!?¡± ¡°Making a fool out of me¡­¡­!¡± Celia¡¯s face is twisted in humiliation as she squeezes Cla¨ªomh Solas tightly. ¡°How can I fight an enemy like this? ¡° The cold realization that stroked her spine made her neat face contort. CH 123 Thunder and light Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°tsk¡­¡­!¡¡How am I supposed to beat this thing?¡± Running at the speed of light in all directions, Granard strikes one after another. Celia groaned with vexation, even though she tried her best to keep up with Granard unrelenting strikes. Granard¡¯s sword is beyond visible speed. C¨¦lia also wields Cla¨ªomh Solas and shoots thunder to fight back, but her distressing attacks are unsuccessful. She also has the ability to teleport with lightning, but her technique is not one that can be used in rapid succession. It was hard to believe that Granard was running around at the same speed in all directions. ¡°C¨¦lia, do your best! See with your mind¡¯s eye!¡± ¡°Easy for you to say! I can¡¯t just do it so suddenly!¡± She shouted back at Neimilia¡¯s irresponsible cheering and hurriedly jumped away. The next moment, a glorious slash passes in front of her. A moment¡¯s delay in evading would have resulted in a cut. ¡°Kuuu¡­this is dangerous!¡± If she stands still, she will be cut down. As she moves around, trying to stay alive for as long as possible, she ponders how to get out of this situation. ¡°How can I defeat such a fast opponent? ¡­¡­!¡¡How did papa do it?¡± She recalled a time when she and her father had a mock battle. With the holy sword of lightning, she is faster than Zacharias, the holder of the holy sword of fire. But strangely enough, no matter how many times she fought, she never managed to beat her father. He is not the only one. Even her half-brother, who was chosen to be the holy sword of ice, was no match for her lightning speed. Both of them ducked and dodged as if they had anticipated her moves, and then countered with painful counterattacks. ¡°What you two have and I don¡¯t¡­¡­! What the hell am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Hahahahahahaha! Slow, slow, too slow!¡¡Princess of the Empire!¡¡Hahahahahahahahaha!¡± ¡°Get on with it¡­¡­! Piss off ¡­¡­!¡± Granard never stops, appearing and disappearing, hurling sword after sword at her. It¡¯s a picture-perfect defence. She has avoided a fatal wound for now, but it is only a matter of time before she is badly hurt. ¡°There..¡± Then a question popped into her mind. She is still able to duck just in time without getting hurt too badly. How could she have avoided it? ¡°He¡¯s as fast as I am¡­¡­maybe even faster than I am. So why can¡¯t he hit me?¡± She intuitively flew to the right. Granard flew past her to the left, again successfully evading the slash. ¡°Ah¡­I see¡­¡± Forgetting the battle she¡¯s in, she muttered to herself. Earlier she had been so trapped that she hadn¡¯t had time to think about it, but now that she¡¯s calmed down she can see it. ¡°He¡¯s ¡­¡­ terrible at it.¡± Granard is fast. Much faster than her father and brother. Much faster than Raidorl. But his swordsmanship is not outstanding. It¡¯s a messy sword with a lot of speed. It is a poorly made sword that lacks precision. Perhaps Granard is not using his speed well enough. He is too busy with the specifications of the magic sword. This is why even an inexperienced swordsman like C¨¦lia, herself is able to avoid it. ¡°Yaaah!¡± C¨¦lia swung her sword towards the left. And just as she aimed, she caught the blow of the magic sword that was coming from the left side, and sparks flew in the night. ¡°What ¡­¡­ nonsense! My sword is ¡­¡­?¡± Granard, who was caught in a slash, let out a cry of astonishment. He stopped running around, as if he couldn¡¯t believe that C¨¦lia had caught his own sword. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a lighter sword than I thought. It¡¯s only fast, but has no weight.¡± ¡°¡­.! Don¡¯t get carried away just because you got a lucky shot! You little Imperial bitch!¡± ¡°Yaah!¡± Celia swings her sword down, but by then Granard is gone. He becomes the speed of light again and disappears. ¡°Fu¡­¡± She exhaled quietly and sharpened her senses. Granard is not weak. Even if most of his strength comes from the witch¡¯s blessings and the magic sword, he is not an opponent to be careless. ¡°But¡­..he is weaker than papa, weaker than brother. And¡­¡­¡± That man. Granard is much weaker than the man he banished, and who has beaten her and sunk her to the ground ¨C Raidorl Zain. That¡¯s why C¨¦lia can¡¯t afford to lose. If she loses to someone of this calibre, she may never catch up with the others. She might not even be able to stand next to them. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± With her right hand grasps her sword and turns her face and eyes to the right. C¨¦lia deliberately creates an opening to be attacked. The next moment ¨C there is a flash of light. As expected, a hint of the enemy appeared on the left side. ¡°The Imperial Art of the Holy Sword ¨C ¡®Raiden¡¯!¡± C¨¦lia swung her sword from right to left. A thunderbolt shoots from the sword¡¯s body and pierces the void. Granard, struck by lightning, appears from a space that should have been empty. Forced out of the speed of light, the man plunges into the rubble behind him with the force of lightning. CH 124 The lonely king Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Hooray..?!¡± C¨¦lia was smiling with confidence at the prospect of victory, when Neimilia, who had been watching the battle, shouted sharply. ¡°Not yet!¡± ¡°Onoreeeeeee! You little bitch!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The rubble is blown away and Granard comes flying out. His face flushed red with ghoulish rage, he swung his sword and leapt at C¨¦lia. C¨¦lia, who was weak from the blow she was given, was unable to avoid it and was almost cut to pieces by the shining sword. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do it! Dark Restraint Shadow Bind!¡± When the witch in the maid¡¯s dress put her hands on the ground and uttered some incantation, the shadow born under the moonlight stretched out like a living thing and wrapped itself around Granard and captured him. ¡°Kugaaaaaaaaaaa, Let go! This¡­ghh¡± ¡°No matter how much power it is for an apostle with a magic sword in his hand. My shadows are not easily shredded! Thanks to C¨¦lia giving me a lot of time to set up , I was able to develop a lot of magic power. Fu,fu,fu this is the bond between rod sisters! It¡¯s the teamwork of women embraced by the same man!¡± ¡°Wait¡­.I¡¯m not yet embraced! Don¡¯t you dare say any nonsense!¡± In the face of Neimilia¡¯s delusional attempt to spread rumours, C¨¦lia hurriedly retorts. The witch in the maid¡¯s uniform still speaks in a playful manner, but her power of magic is certain. No matter how hard Granard fought, the shadowy restraints never seemed to loosen, coiling tightly around him like a snake strangling a mouse. ¡°Super strong bondage play! Fr-o-m¡­¡­!¡± Neimilia raises her hand above her head. Granard looks up, following her fingertips, and sees a huge jet-black ball being born. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Give my regards to my mother. Neimilia is fine, she is living happily with her beloved master, making out with him in a very erotic way.¡± ¡°Guaaaaaaa?!¡± ¡°Gravity Storm Hoof Gigant Stump!¡± The next moment Granard fell to the ground with his knees folded. It was as if the weight of his body had been multiplied dozens of times, and he was unable to stand. ¡°KuhhhhhaaaaaaAaaa¡± Granard tried to get up with his arms on the ground, but it was as if he couldn¡¯t lift himself up. The weight on his body gets stronger and stronger with each passing moment. There is a cracking sound, and the pain is intense. The pain soon spread throughout his body. A clot of blood gurgled from the back of his throat, as if the broken bone had pierced his internal organs. Granard, feeling that his life was in danger, struggled to find his voice. ¡°No, don¡¯t. ¡­¡­! Who do you think I am? How can I, the king of Zain, lie on the ground and die like this? ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°When you die, you die. That¡¯s why you have to make friends with everyone so that you can get help when you need it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.?¡± It was not Neimilia who responded to the plea for his life, but C¨¦lia. A powerful thunderbolt of destruction in the form of a Cla¨ªomh Solas. The instinctive fear that chilled his spine made Granard¡¯s face twitch with fear. ¡°Wa-wait! Stop ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t wait. Hey, King. Why are you all alone?¡¡Why is it that when you¡¯re in trouble like this, there¡¯s no one to help you?¡± ¡°Ha..?¡± Granard looks dumbfounded, as if he doesn¡¯t know what the question was. C¨¦lia looked at him with a slight pity on her neat face, which was still young. ¡°Your brother¡­¡­was very strong, but he was never lonely. He always had someone to turn to in times of need. But¡­¡­you have no one. You¡¯re a lonely, naked king with no one to help you in your time of need. I feel sorry for you from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!!¡± Granard¡¯s face contorts in intense humiliation as he looks down. He opened his mouth to say something back, but before he could utter a word, C¨¦lia drew her sword. ¡°Imperial style holy sword technique-Mjolnir, the Thunder Hammer!¡± ¡°AAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!¡± A huge bolt of lightning struck from overhead and engulfed Granard¡¯s body. The violent bolt of lightning turned his vision white and burned his whole body with a heat that exceeded even the pain. With a final scream, the body of the king, enchanted by the magic sword, disappeared in a flash of lightning. CH 125 Salvation of ruin Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Why!¡¡Why should I be defeated?¡± The next thing Granard knew, he was surrounded by darkness. The darkness of the abyss, where not even a ray of light could be seen. Before he could even think, his instincts told him that this was what was called death. This is the world after death. ¡°I have been chosen by the Holy Sword!¡¡I have the blessing of the Goddess!¡¡But why should I let those little girls, who are not even Raidorl, take advantage of me? How can I be defeated!¡± Granard shouts into the darkness. The attack on Raidorl¡¯s house was a trifling play of no great significance. The holy sword or rather, the magic sword ¡°Brionac¡± ¨C was given to him by the goddess. In order to test the power of the sword, he chose C¨¦lia, the holder of the holy sword, who was protected by Raidorl. Granard has enough power to defeat Raidorl. Then there is the Imperial Princess who was defeated by Raidorl. She must be easily cut down. Granard went into the fight with a lot of confidence, but it turned out to be the opposite. Granard was defeated, his body annihilated by the lightning of Cla¨ªomh Solas. The darkness of the underworld has swallowed him up, and even his soul is about to disappear. This could not be allowed to happen. This was unacceptable. ¡°I don¡¯t accept it! I do not approve! I will not allow myself to die like this, to be killed by a woman of Raidorl!¡± ¡°Ara,Ara..such selfishness, my dear apostle¡± ¡°Ooh?¡± Granard was about to be swallowed up by the darkness when a helping hand came to his rescue. In the darkness of the abyss, a ball of light, dazzling like the sun, appeared and illuminated Granard. The voice that came from the light was familiar. It was the voice of the being who had given Granard the magic sword. ¡°Ooooo¡­.Ohhhhh!! O Goddess, you have come to save me!¡± ¡°Yes, ¡­¡­ that would be fine. What shall I do?¡± Buddha in hell. This is exactly what Granard feels, and he shouts with delight, but the voice from the photosphere is quiet. ¡°I knew it. If the holder of the holy sword and Nei-chan were to fight together, we would have no chance of winning. She¡¯s still mama¡¯s daughter, no matter how weak she is. But, you know, just because we were able to measure how much of the witch¡¯s power Nei-chan has regained, doesn¡¯t mean that she has served her purpose.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡­ Goddess!¡± ¡°You are no longer needed, are you?¡¡The purpose for which you were made an apostle has already been fulfilled.¡± ¡°Wha¡­.¡± The words of rejection came coldly, and Granard froze in despair. He thought he was given the sword to become king of the world, but the unexpected revelation shook his soul. ¡°You¡¯re abandoning me, ¡­¡­! Why, why ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing. ¡­¡­ Aah, what am I going to do?¡¡It¡¯s not good for nature to throw away rubbish carelessly, no matter how much it has been used. It¡¯s not good for the planet if we don¡¯t recycle our limited resources!¡± ¡°Ha..A..?¡± Granard is bewildered by the glowing ball of light, which utters words of unknown content. Still, he finds hope in the fragmented words and wrenches his already-disappearing throat. ¡°If so, please help me!¡¡If you can save me¡­¡­and give me another chance to defeat those little girls and Raidorl, I will do anything! ¡°Anything?¡­¡­a very tempting proposition.¡± The light orb takes on a taunting tone. He could not see the woman¡¯s face or body, but he could see in his mind a blonde beauty licking her lips lustfully. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­Will you give me your soul, then?¡± ¡°Yes! With pleasure!¡± Granard answered without pause. The question was then posed again. ¡°Will you kill my enemies?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course!¡± ¡°Will you wage war on my behalf?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! As much as you like!¡± ¡°!¡­lovely. Now, would you be willing to offer the lives of all the people in the Kingdom of Zain as a sacrifice for¡­¡­ me?¡± A cruel question shot out from the orb of light. It is a wish that Granard, as king, cannot allow himself to agree to. For Granard, who has supported the country since the last king fell ill, it would be an act that would extinguish his achievements and the meaning of his existence. ¡°Yes! Of course!¡± But he had no hesitation in replying. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? Isn¡¯t this the land of your birth?¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Zain is everything to me!¡¡That is why I cannot allow Raidorl to take it away from me!¡¡I would rather destroy it with my own hands than let Raidorl take it from me!¡± ¡°Fufu¡­..Ahahahahahahaha¡± The light orb began to laugh uncontrollably. ¡°You say that this country is everything to you, but you are not afraid to say things that will destroy this country. Why do you want to be king? For whom do you want to defend your throne?¡­fufu..Hahahaa! Interesting, What madness, what self-contradiction! Why can¡¯t I see that I¡¯m going mad? Yes, this is humanity. It¡¯s a hymn to humanity!¡± ¡°Go-Goddess?¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll give you another chance. But¡­¡­is the last time mama is going to help you. Don¡¯t forget that, okay?¡± ¡°Oh! Thank you!¡± Granard applauded. Now he could take revenge on the cheeky little Imperial girl. This time he would deal with Raidorl, who threatened his throne. ¡°Now, go! This time you will destroy the world once and for all.¡± ¡°Oh, Ooooooooo!!¡± The power that he had lost comes flooding back. More than that, it pours out. Granard threw his soul into the dazzling light with a sense of divine versatility. CH 126 Guardian of the throne Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Eh¡­¡­.¡± A confused voice leaked out of Ceilia¡¯s mouth. It was confirmed that C¨¦lia beat him. There was no way he could dodge that blow and no way he could have survived that blow. However, Granard¡¯s body, which should have been obliterated by the lightning strike, regenerated as if time had been turned backwards. ¡°Ah ¡­¡­ this is not good.¡± ¡°Neimilia?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think he could regenerate from a state where every single cell had disappeared, I was wrong about my mother¡¯s power. Even before the Night of the Witch came, I didn¡¯t think she could do this¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ooooooooooh!¡± Granard with his flesh regenerated, lets out a scream. His clothes were burned off and his naked body was enveloped in a blinding light. Out of the light emerges a man in bright white armour. He was dressed like a mythical hero ¨C much like the ¡°holy armour¡± used by Emperor Zacharias, the father of C¨¦lia. ¡°Thirty seconds, Miss C¨¦lia.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you thirty seconds. During that time, run away as fast as you can.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡­Neimilia!¡± The maid, who usually jokes around with a lot of innuendos, now has a stern look on her face like never before. The look on her face made C¨¦lia realise just how urgent their situation was. ¡°That is the magic armour of Metatron, the guardian of the throne.¡± ¡°But Neimilia is ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± Neimilia shouts sharply and points her hand at Granard, who is wrapped in pure white armour. Dozens of jet-black bullets appear, rushing towards the enemy. ¡°You are depressing! Lowlife!¡± Granard swung his spear sideways, and a wall of light appeared to catch the dark projectiles. It was as if he was chasing away winged insects. But that was not the main attack. As Neimilia put her hand on the ground, the shadow at her feet swelled like a snake and attacked Granard again. The shadowy snake attacked from all sides and tried to restrain Granard, but Granard lifted his lips and smiled comfortably. ¡°It¡¯s too easy¡­¡­for this kind of attack to stop me!¡± The pure white armor that covers Granard¡¯s body ¨C the guardian of the throne ¨C emits an intense light. The rope of shadows that binds Granard, is drowned out by the light. ¡°I am now a light incarnate. I am the sun!¡¡How can I be bound by shadows?¡± ¡°Tsk¡­.Troublesome.¡± Neimilia is the master of darkness. Granard, on the other hand, is ¡°light¡± which was bestowed by one of her sisters. Since they are opposites, the one with the most power will win. Also, a hundred years ago, she was no match against D¨¢insleif¡¯s predecessor, who sealed her power away and had lost all of her power. She was no match for them in a state of weakness. Then at least, this time, Neimilia wanted to buy as much time for her friends to escape. Neimilia was ready to face the challenge with such determination, but a figure lined up beside her. ¡°¡­¡­! Miss C¨¦lia?¡± ¡°No, Neimilia. I¡¯m not running away. I can¡¯t run away¡± The girl who was told to escape is still standing beside her, still holding her sword. Neimilia¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment at the sight. ¡°No, you can¡¯t! I told you can¡¯t compete and win! If anything were to happen to you, I can¡¯t look at master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Hero, chosen by the Holy Sword. I can¡¯t abandon my friends and turn my back on my enemies and run away! If I do that, my pride¡­.and my soul will die!¡± The fear of a superior opponent is crystal clear in C¨¦lia¡¯s eyes. Still, she wasn¡¯t going to back down. She pointed her sword straight at Granard. ¡°I didn¡¯t become strong just to run away from an enemy I couldn¡¯t fight. I became strong in order to defeat the enemy and save someone I want to protect. So, if Neimilia won¡¯t run, I won¡¯t run either. If Neimilia wants to fight, I¡¯ll fight!¡± ¡°C¨¦lia-san.¡± The blonde girl¡¯s powerful words brought tears to Neimilia¡¯s eyes, as if she were overcome with emotion. ¡°I see¡­¡­you even call me a friend! This is the bond between rod sisters!¡± ¡°So what are rod sisters? I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s not a good word!¡± Sighing deeply at Neimilia for ruining the atmosphere. ¡°Aaa, nevermind¡± C¨¦lia says, her face beaming. ¡°I¡¯m the one who can¡¯t face onii-san later. I¡¯ve been left in charge of your house, I can¡¯t have you looking like a mess!¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s fight together!¡¡Let¡¯s win and be rewarded by our master!¡¡The three of us will sleep in the bed together!¡± Two women ready to take a stand. Granard, glaring at them boringly, strikes the ground with the pike of his shining spear. ¡°You are ready to die. Let me hang your carcasses on the cross and show them to Raidorl who will come back here!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen!! Lend me your strength, Cla¨ªomh Solas!¡± ¡°My love for my master is eternal and undying!¡¡Shadow Servant: Shadow Beast!¡± C¨¦lia and Neimilia attacked Granard in unison. The movements are so well coordinated and sophisticated that it is hard to believe that they are an impromptu collaboration. The battle continued for the next twenty minutes. A flash of lightning and thunder, and shadows dancing in the light. ¡°Uuhh¡­.!¡± ¡°Uuuu¡­..¡± Twenty minutes later. The house where Raidorl and his friends used to live is now a pile of rubble, and two women are lying on the ground. CH 127 Last loyalty Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Kukkuk ¡­¡­, that¡¯s it! Raidorl¡¯s girls!¡± ¡°Khaa¡­¡­!¡± Granard laughs in amusement and kicks the fallen C¨¦lia in the abdomen. She rolls on the ground, moaning in pain. The fallen C¨¦lia has already lost consciousness and is completely weakened. The same goes for Neimilia, who lies a short distance away and seems to have no strength left to resist. ¡°I-I can win¡­..with this power! I can beat Raidorl, I can beat the damn Empire! I can be the¡­¡­hero of the Kingdom of Zain, or even of the world!¡± It seemed to have vanished from Granard¡¯s mind that it was a borrowed power and that he had acquired it through a contract in exchange for the lives of his people. Drunk on the power he has acquired, he laughs like a madman in the dark of night. ¡°Well, before I kill Raidorl, I¡¯ll have to get rid of these, too.¡± After laughing for a while, Granard smiled wickedly at the two women. The girls had given him a lot of trouble, but the game was already decided. All that remains is to kill them. He could crucify them as he had declared, or he could cut off their heads and send them to Raidorl. Granard wonders what kind of face Raidorl will have when he sees the corpses of the women who lived with him? With this evil thought in mind, Granard points the tip of his sword at the two fallen girls. Just as he was about to unleash a bullet of light that would reap life. A figure stands in front of Granard. ¡°Your Majesty, Granard! Please hold!¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± The man who appeared before him was someone Granard knew well. Lockwood Marcell, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Zain. He was labeled as a rebel because he just had a suspicious meeting with Granard¡¯s wife. ¡°Hou? That¡¯s very noble of you to come all the way here to offer your life. For your grace, you will be buried with a single blow.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You can kill me. But before you do, I need you to listen to me for a moment.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± As Lockwood lay prostrate with his hands on the ground, Granard decided to give him one last chance. He had served him for over ten years. He thought he should show mercy. ¡°It is too early to kill these girls here. There is a use for their lives!¡± ¡°A use??? Tell me..¡± ¡°H-hhaa!¡± Lockwood bows his head and grasps the earth with his hands. If he fails to persuade the king, he will lose his own life as well as that of C¨¦lia and Neimilia. In the worst case, the kingdom of Zain could be destroyed. Lockwood fought within himself to keep his shoulders from shaking from nervousness and fear. ¡°Still, I must ¡­¡­ do it! When a lord has gone astray, it is the duty of the vassal to remonstrate¡­¡­! I could not stop the king from falling so far. At least, I will accompany him to hell!¡± ¡°The woman you see there is the Imperial Princess. If we kill her here, the Empire will not be happy. They will break the peace and invade the Kingdom of Zain again.¡± ¡°Why does it matter? If the Empire invades, then let them strike back. I have the power to strike them down¡± Granard says it like the Empire was¡¯t worth fearing. How much damage the resumption of the war against the Empire will cause is something that the former Granard could not have failed to understand. The Granard of old would have known, but now he¡¯s so consumed with power that he can¡¯t judge whether something is right or wrong. Lockwood bites his lip at the sight of his master¡¯s madness. But he was not about to give up. ¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty Granard intends to fight against His Highness Prince Raidorl, does he not? If that is the case, isn¡¯t it inconvenient for the Empire to interfere?¡¡I think we should keep the girl alive as a hostage so that we can concentrate on fighting His Highness.¡± ¡°I see ¡­¡­ that¡¯s a good point.¡± Granard, slightly intrigued, stroked his chin and nodded his head. Lockwood patted his chest, relieved that he still had a pinch of reason to think. ¡°It¡¯s true that until the execution of Raidorl, we will not be safe from the Empire. But I can¡¯t let a little girl who defies me, live.¡± ¡°Then, why not think of it this way? These girls must be very dear to His Highness Prince Raidorl. How about using them as bait to lure His Highness back to Royal Capital?¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­.¡± ¡°And when His Highness comes to the Royal Capital, Your Majesty can cut off the heads of these girls in front of him. If Raidorl cannot save the woman he is supposed to protect, and they are taken from him before his eyes¡­..then your Highness will be in despair.¡± ¡°Haha!, yes! That¡¯s interesting!¡± Granard snaps his fingers in the air as if it were a good idea. He looked down at the fallen women, a dark smile plastered on his face. ¡°Yes, he has tormented me a great deal. I must make him suffer too! It is not enough to kill him!¡± Granard held up his hand and gave a high command to Lockwood. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll take your advice and leave the girls to you for the time being, Lockwood, summon Raidorl to Royal Capital at once!¡± ¡°As you command, Your Majesty!!¡± ¡°As soon as Raidorl reaches the gates of Royal Capital, I will execute these women on the city walls!¡¡I can¡¯t wait to see my foolish brother howl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Swallowing the words he wanted to say, Lockwood bowed his head reverently. It seemed that the plan had worked. This would buy him some time. Granard would not kill Neimilia and C¨¦lia right away. ¡°I can only leave the rest to His Highness Raidorl.¡± If Granard continues to rule the kingdom of Zain, the country will certainly be ruined. Lockwood must avoid this, even if it means giving his lives in exchange. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡­I know it¡¯s too much to ask. But we have no choice but to put our trust in you. Please save our country and save His Majesty Granard!¡± Rubbing his head against the ground, Lockwood kept praying to Raidorl, who was not here. TL Note: (So, Granard¡¯s Holy sword is actually the Spear of Lugh, but the author still wrote the spear in ¡®sword¡¯. just wanted to point it out) CH 128 Budding Of Anomalies Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil At the same time that Neimilia and C¨¦lia fell. In the town of Ulfin, where he had set up his base, Raidorl noticed something strange. ¡°The mark..is gone?!!¡± It was already half past midnight. Raidorl, who was already in his bed, woke up with a sudden burning in his chest. The cause of the change was plain to see. The engraving of the covenant he had once made with Granard had disappeared without a trace. ¡°This¡­can¡¯t be. Did something happen to Neimilia ¡­¡­?¡± The Curse of the Covenant was woven by the dark witch Neimilia, combining it with the power of the curse of D¨¢insleif. If anything were to happen to her, of course, both the Covenant Curse and the Mark would be extinguished. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the court magician lifted the curse, but ¡­¡­ isn¡¯t it too fast? Did something happen at the Capital? Impossible¡­but..¡± Raidorl¡¯s maid, Neimilia, had been left behind in the capital with another keeper of the holy sword, C¨¦lia. Raidorl knew that if something happened at the capital, those two are capable of dealing with it without any problems. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl! May I enter?¡± ¡°Hm, Darren?¡± There was a knock at the door of the room from outside. The voice belongs to Darren Garst, could be heard through the door. Raidorl gave him permission to enter, and Darren and a soldier entered the room. Darren, too, had fallen asleep and was dressed in his nightgown and jacket. The soldier seemed to be a guard, armed with armor, despite the fact that it was the middle of the night. ¡°What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s the middle of the night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡­one of our soldiers has found something strange.¡± ¡°Well, Your Highness. It¡¯s this¡­..¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The soldier held out to Raidorl a crow. It had jet-black feathers that melted in the dark and red eyes. There was something eerie about the bird. ¡°It flew suddenly to the front of the house. Crows aren¡¯t supposed to fly at night¡­.and these legs¡­¡­¡± There was some kind of paper tied to the crow¡¯s leg. When the soldier tried to remove it, the crow spread its wings and rampaged. ¡°Aa!¡± A crow flaps its wings and perches on Raidorl¡¯s shoulder. A soldier rushes towards him, but Raidorl stops him with his hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This bird is from Neimilia.¡± Raidorl stroked the crow¡¯s beak with his fingertips, and it made a pleasant little cry, then disappeared into thin air. All that was left was a folded piece of paper that the crow had tied to its leg. When he took the paper and unfolded, it revealed a messy, scribbled text. ¡°Was this written by¡­..Mertina?¡± Raidorl thought it was a letter from Neimilia, but the sender was Mertina Marcell. He began to read the messy text¡­¡­as he read, his complexion became pale and grim as he finished reading the paper. ¡°¡­..war council.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°Gather the others!! We will be having a military conference!¡± ¡°!! Yes, Your highness!¡± Darren immediately bowed his head and rushed out of the room. The soldier who had accompanied him hurriedly followed at his back. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In the room where he was left alone, Raidorl touched his chest, where the curse had once been engraved. In the paper sent from Mertina, it wrote, there was a strange event in the royal capital. A pillar of light shone from the royal castle. A strange thing that Neimilia felt. Raidorl then remembers what Zacharias have said about the existence of the witch¡¯s apostle, the magic sword, which may be the cause of it. The information is fragmentary and too poor to reveal the full picture of the situation. But that was enough for Raidorl. It was enough to convince him. ¡°Brother¡­¡­King Granard Zain. Have finally fallen. Becoming the witch¡¯s apostle¡­¡­!¡± It was a wild guess, without any evidence or circumstantial proof, but it hit the nail on the head. Was it the intuition of the keeper of the holy sword? Or perhaps it was the small amount of blood that remained in his veins, their brotherhood, that made him understand. From the messy and scribble information, Raidorl had correctly predicted that Granard Zain had become a witch¡¯s apostle and had acquired the magic sword. ¡°You¡¯re such a stupid brother. You don¡¯t even listen to your little brother¡¯s last wishes.¡± Raidorl clenched his fists, his lips quivering with anger and regret. In the not too distant future, Raidorl intended to take the throne from his brother. The preparations for this were being made in this town, east of the capital. In a few more months, he will be ready. The day to take action is coming. But just then, this happened. It is clear that Granard has fallen so far that he is no longer functioning properly as a king. Granard may no longer be the brother Raidorl had before he was chosen to be the holy sword. Worst of all, Granard may not even have any sanity left. ¡°If I could have done it, I would have sent you away and told you to go fuck yourself. It¡¯s not fair to run away from reality before you get beaten up. I hate you, brother¡­¡­.!¡± The words, mumbled in a sombre voice, seemed to melt away into the midnight sky. CH 129 The flag of war Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil Following an urgent summons by Raidorl, the main members of Raidorl¡¯s army were gathered in a conference room at midnight. In the candlelight, the faces of these men, who had been summoned suddenly in the middle of the night, showed emotions of confusion and tension. Under the gaze of all present, Raidorl opens his mouth solemnly. ¡°So,..I¡¯ve decided to kill my brother, Granard. I¡¯m going to attack the Royal Capital with my whole army. Does anyone have any objections?¡± ¡°Of course! There are many objections. What¡¯s going on?¡± Darren complained about the too hasty declaration of treason. He knows that Raidorl had received a letter from the capital, but this is too hasty. If Raidorl doesn¡¯t explain the situation to him, he will not agree with the rebellion. Sven Arbeil seemed to be thinking the same thing, and his face was also troubled. ¡°Your Highness¡­..we are your servants. We are your men, and we will always fight for our lives if you command it. But I would still like to know why we are fighting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Sven is right.¡± Darren agrees, with a complicated look on his face, as if he has something stuck in his back teeth. Sven¡¯s face was serious, but his outfit was distracting. For some reason, he was wearing sleepwear that looked like a stuffed cat, and Angelica Ilkas was hugging him from behind. Angelica, who was only wearing a coat over her negligee, pressed her face against the back of Sven¡¯s head and sniffed as much as she could. Despite Sven trying to talk with seriousness, Darren can¡¯t help but find it funny. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s Angelica¡¯s hobby. ¡­¡­ Poor thing.¡± He looked at Sven as if he were looking at something pitiful, but this was not the time to worry about that. With a will of steel, Daren turned his gaze away from Sven and looked straight at his master. ¡°I want to know. What happened at the Royal Capital?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yea, I should tell you about it first.¡± Raidorl nodded his head and began to speak in a matter of fact tone. The first message was about the contents of a letter from Mertina in Royal¡¯s Capital. Next, the curse that Raidorl had placed on Granard was lifted. Then he tells them about the cause of the lifting of the curse on Granard, and speculates about it based on fragmentary information. The contents were quite extraordinary, and mixed with some very unbelievable things. If it had not been a loyal lord who was speaking, they might have laughed it off. ¡°Witches and a magic sword?¡­¡­ If that¡¯s the case, we need to return back now.¡± It was Justy Oigist, who had been appointed to the post of captain of the thousand horsemen of the army of Raidorl, who growled with a hardened expression. Justy¡¯s brow furrowed in a grim expression as he spoke gravely ¡°But¡­¡­it is too unbelievable for a story. Would it not be better to send scouts to the capital to verify the truth?¡± ¡°No. They¡¯ll never be able to make it back.¡± Despite Justy¡¯s cautious suggestion, Raidorl immediately declined without hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s Neimilia and C¨¦lia. If we take our time, they will be in danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ but¡­¡­.¡± Justy hesitated, slurring his words. He had heard that the two women were important to Raidorl, even though he had never met them before. Still, things are not so simple. There is no room for sentimentality and misjudgement. Sometimes a monarch or a lord has to abandon his family, his friends or his subjects in order to protect his country or his territory. It is the duty of those who stand above others to make decisions, albeit ruthless ones, to cut small things for big things. Justy had the impression that Raidorl was letting his emotions get the better of him, that he was not prepared to be a monarch. But Raidorl shakes his head and dismisses the concerns of his subjects. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t choose to fight my brother out of personal hatred.¡± Unconsciously or not, he stroked his left breast, which was once engraved with a curse. Raidorl speaks in a cheerful tone. ¡°There¡¯s no evidence. I have no proof, I have no confirmation. But¡­¡­there¡¯s no doubt that my brother has fallen into the hands of the witches. I can¡¯t say it well, but it¡¯s confirmed. If we leave the Royal Capital to my brother who has become a witch¡¯s apostle, this country will definitely go to ruin. Stopping my brother is the only way to save the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°In addition, if C¨¦lia, the Imperial Princess, should die, the peace that has been made will be for naught. So we have to go to the capital. It¡¯s much earlier than we planned, but now is the time for a decisive battle with Granard.¡± ¡°I see¡­.If Your Highness is so sure, then we have no choice. We will fight for you with all our might.¡± Justy stood up and bowed deeply. The rest of the group followed suit, rising from their chairs and bowing their heads as well. Raidorl nodded to them, showing the courtesy of a lord, and declared in a high voice ¡°Well then, brother¡­¡­the king of the previous generation. I¡¯m going to take the throne of this country. All troops to the front!¡± The war within the Kingdom of Zain, which began with the invasion of the Alsatian Empire, was coming to an end like a spinning wheel. The final battle takes place in the Royal Capital. It is the place where the brothers Raidorl and Granard once lived together, and where they parted and reunited. CH 130 A murderous highway Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil A single road runs from east to west through the Kingdom of Zain. In times of peace, the road was a major artery of distribution, with many peddlers coming and going. However, since the beginning of the war with the Alsatian Empire, the road has been devoid of people. The road was deserted, with only the occasional refugee who had lost their home to the war, or mercenaries who made a living from it, passing through. A man and a woman are walking along the quiet street from east to west. The man was dressed like a martial artist. He had a sword in a scabbard hanging from his waist and a grey coat over his worn clothes. The woman seemed to be a priest. She wore white vestments of a simple design. Her head was covered by a hood so that her face could not be seen clearly, but her silver hair glimpsed through the hood. One can only guess that they are pilgrims and guards walking around the churches of the countries. According to the teachings of the Northern Continent¡¯s ¡°Holy Doctrine¡±, a clergyman must be not only pure but also strong enough to face difficulties. The practice of making pilgrimages to the countryside to strengthen the body and soul was incorporated into the teachings, and these pilgrims were often seen along the roads and at inns. ¡°It¡¯s pretty quiet in this country¡­..¡± A female pilgrim in a hood raises her head and murmurs. She looked around, but around her were only her and the man escorting her. Two of them are walking along the wide streets. ¡°It¡¯s wartime, you know. Isn¡¯t it understandable?¡± The man who seemed to be guarding her replied in an unconcerned tone. The man with the black hair tied back behind his head was still young and had a fearless face, but his mouth was full of stubble. The man¡¯s lazy nature was evident in his physiognomy, and his eyes were tinted with a languid colour. ¡°But the war is already over. I am told that a peace has been concluded between the Kingdom and the Empire?¡± ¡°It is true, but¡­.. there is no official information yet, is there? For ordinary people and merchants who don¡¯t have any sources of information, there is no reason to go down a road that may be dangerous. You don¡¯t even know what kind of danger you¡¯re in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Will not the heart of man be at peace even after the battle is over? After all, it is necessary to spread the teachings of the righteous God to bring peace to the people.¡± The woman murmured in a serious tone, and clutched her long tin staff in one hand. ¡°There are many enemies in this world that threaten the survival of mankind: disasters, pestilence, demons, and the Witches of Doom¡­¡­.Why do we have to fight each other? Why can¡¯t we join hands to face our difficulties? ¡­¡­ It¡¯s really hard to understand.¡± ¡°¡­..That¡¯s what human beings do, you know. No matter what time of year it is, there will always be conflict.¡± The man replies to the sorrowful pilgrim with a pouting smile. ¡°Everyone likes peace, of course. But we are convience to fight to obtain it. We can only show our peace by fighting and competing with each other. As long as we are human, there is no way to escape it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s sad, it¡¯s sorrowful. If everyone followed the teachings of the righteous God, there would be no conflict.¡± The pilgrim said sadly and shook her head slowly. The man turns his head in the direction where the sun would rise, not daring to deny his employer¡¯s words, even though he knows it is not that simple. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to spread the word ¡­¡­ by force, but forceful proselytizing can lead to conflict, no, but¡­¡­¡± Muttering and mumbling, the pilgrim goes on without stopping. It seems to be a regular thing, and the guards follow without seeming to care but then they raise their eyebrows and hug the pilgrim¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Excuse me!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The man leads the pilgrims to the edge of the road. After a while, a sound like the rumbling of the earth comes from behind them. The sound grew louder and louder, until it became so huge that it could be called a roar. The source of the sound was an army of a thousand men. Cavalrymen on horseback rode through the streets from east to west. A little later, the soldiers on foot followed at a gallop. The pilgrim, who had passed the march at the side of the road, gave a short sigh of relief. ¡°I suppose the soldiers have been transferred from the eastern border. It seems that the war between the Kingdom and the Empire is really over.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Well, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Is there something bothering you, sir?¡± The pilgrim¡¯s question is answered by a man with a difficult expression, his brow furrowed. ¡°Those soldiers¡­looked very deadly and well prepared. I don¡¯t think the battle is over.¡± The guard squinted at the back of the troops as they headed west. The faces of the soldiers as they rushed past were all tight with a warlike intent. They looked as if they were about to go to war, not like the faces of soldiers returning from battle. ¡°Especially¡­¡­that guy who was riding his horse at the front. That one will do quite well.¡± The man gripped his sword at his waist and shook his fist. At the head of the army was a young man in between a boy and a young man, but the man could tell in a moment of passing that he was a warrior of exceptional fighting ability. If they had to fight, he would have to kill or be killed. It would be a fierce battle for his life. ¡°If you say so, then you must be right. It seems that a dark cloud has appeared. Let¡¯s hurry up, Lord Yamato.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. ¡­¡­ Lord Orl¨¦ans.¡± A few words were exchanged and the man and the woman started walking westwards again. The footsteps on the ground were the same as before, but a feeling of gloom and anxiety had settled over both of them. The army that had just rushed forward must have been headed for the royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain, judging from the direction. What on earth is going on in the Royal Capital where the war is supposed to be over? An unsettling feeling of foreboding stroked the spines of the two. CH 131 Messengers from Royal Capitol Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil Raidorl, on the other hand, was heading straight for the capital on horseback. He paid no attention to the pilgrims who passed him on the way, but simply rode on, heading west. It had only been three days since the army of Raidorl had decided to defeat Granard and take the throne. Without much preparation, they mobilized all the soldiers and horses they could spare, and marched with the momentum of flight. Darren, who was riding next to him, shouted at him as he rode forward, his eyes fixed on his master. ¡°Your Highness! We¡¯ll soon see the village!¡± ¡°I see, Okay!¡± Raidorl took one look at Darren, gave him a short reply, and then quickly looked back ahead. As he drives forward, he sees a small village. At the entrance to the village, there is a large bonfire, roaring and burning, sending sparks flying into the sky. Next to the bonfire, a simple wooden table was set up with a large amount of food such as bread, water, dried meat and cheese. ¡°OK, we¡¯re taking a break to refuel!¡¡We¡¯ll leave as soon as we¡¯ve replenished ourselves!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a replacement horse. One moment, please!¡± As soon as Raidorl dismounted, he stuffed his mouth with the bread and water that had been prepared for him. The soldiers who followed him gobbled up the food in the same way. For this march, he had sent out early horses to several villages on the road to the royal capital. Raidorl had given them money and instructed them to prepare water and food, that¡¯s why they had made these rest stops. Incidentally, it was Sven Arbeil, the military commander of Raidorl¡¯s army, who ordered these deployments. Sven¡¯s ability to prepare for the march in a minimum amount of time, in response to Raidorl¡¯s expectations, is truly outstanding. The boy soldier, who has now become Angelica¡¯s lapdog, still seems to do things when he has to. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl, may I have a word?¡± ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s the matter?¡± One of the soldiers came up to Raidorl, who was eating a quick meal. ¡°There is someone who has requested to see His Highness¡­.¡± ¡°Is it a village chief?¡¡Didn¡¯t I give him enough gold for the food he provides?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s from the capital. He says he¡¯s the Prime Minister¡¯s messenger.¡± ¡°The Prime Minister ¡­..Lockwood Marcell?¡± Raidorl narrowed his eyes suspiciously and motioned for a soldier to bring him in. Eventually he arrived, a man who was well into his early years. He had a romance-gray moustache, and from the way he was dressed, it was clear that he was a senior servant in the service of the nobility. ¡°I believe you are¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Your Highness Raidorl.¡± The man who appeared before Raidorl was a man called Salawin, who used to be the steward of the royal household. He was a man who had previously been sent as a servant to Raidorl¡¯s house in the royal capital, but had been thrown out without being accepted. ¡°What do you want with me now? I was told you were sent by Lockwood.¡± ¡°Yes, by order of the Lord Chancellor, I have something to say to His Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± The butler, with a somber look on his face, explains the current situation in the capital. The content of the conversation was about what Raidorl had expected. Granard, the elder brother to Raidorl, was suddenly given a sword not unlike the Holy Sword-the Witch¡¯s Magic Sword. At the same time, in a fit of rage, he murdered the soldiers of the castle. Fortunately, the people have not yet heard about the king¡¯s rashness, but it will come to light sooner or later. And that Neimilia and C¨¦lia, who are close friends of Raidorl, have been defeated by Granard and are being held as prisoners. ¡°¡­.!¡± Raidorl clenched his fists and twisted his face into a hatred expression. One of the possibilities was that two women were being held captive. However, when Raidorl was actually told this, he felt a surge of anger. ¡°No, calm down. The fact that they are being held as hostages means that they have not been killed yet. The worst is yet to come.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So, what does Lockwood say?¡± ¡°W-well, the Prime Minister is ¡­¡­¡± Salawin, frightened by the indignant look on Raidorl¡¯s face, utters a message from Lockwood. ¡°Well, the Prime Minister says that if His Highness Raidorl does not visit the Royal Capital in the near future, they will be killed. The Prime Minister is trying to persuade him to keep his Majesty Granard at bay, but he¡¯ll reach his limit sooner or later. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­.I see..¡± ¡°His Majesty is apparently going to kill the hostages in front of His Highness Prince Raidorl to make him suffer. His Highness will visit the capital and the public execution will take place immediately.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± If Lockwood¡¯s message is to be believed, it would be putting the hostages at risk to continue to lead the army in a head-on assault on Granard. Somehow, Raidorl has to get the two hostages out of there first. ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Nn?¡± As Raidorl is lost in thought, Salawin continues and says to him in a caring way. ¡°There is more to the message from the Prime Minister. It¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he listened to Salawin. Then he called the soldiers closest to him and gave them a straightforward order. ¡°I want Darren and Sven here as soon as possible!¡¡There will now be a military conference!¡± CH 132 Incidents in the capital Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil When the messenger from the Prime Minisiter arrived at Raidorl, there was a disturbance in the palace. The cause of the disturbance was, of course, the king, Granard Zain. The royal capital of Zain. The throne room. There were two people inside. One is Granard, the lord of the castle and the king. He used to be a wise and mighty monarch, trusted by his people, but the achievement, achieved by Raidorl had driven him mad, and now he has become an apostle of witchcraft. The other was the king¡¯s confidant, the Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell. As Granard¡¯s loyal servant, he supported his reign and was deeply involved in the banishment of Raidorl. The large throne room is empty except for the two men. The attendants and even the soldiers of the guard are kept away by order of the Prime Minister, and are waiting outside the room. It was an act of evacuation to prevent the king from spreading his turbulence and unsettling people¡¯s minds, and to prevent any damage from his outbursts. When Granard acquired the magic sword a few days ago, more than a dozen knights were slain as if he were testing his powers. Lockwood couldn¡¯t afford to make any more unnecessary sacrifices. ¡°Is¡­¡­Raidorl coming yet?¡¡Shouldn¡¯t he be here by now?¡± Granard murmured impatiently as he sat on his throne. His arms were folded, his feet were tapping on the floor, and he was clicking his tongue in annoyance. Looking up at his lord in a kneeling position, the prime minister, Lockwood Marcell, replied with a sigh. ¡°¡­Your Majesty, we sent a messenger to summon His Highness Raidorl about three days ago. They haven¡¯t even reached the eastern border where His Highness is.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡­Is that so¡­.. Mm¡­..¡± Granard frowned at Lockwood¡¯s words and increased the speed of his foot tapping on the floor. Lockwood sighs quietly at the sight of his lord, who looks like a child who has been deprived of his favourite treat. ¡°He¡¯s being impatient again. There was no way Raidorl could have made it back in such a short time.¡± But Lockwood didn¡¯t know, even before Salawin, who was sent as a messenger, reached the city, Raidorl had already sensed Granard unbecoming and sent his army close to the capital. It will arrive in less than two days, Granard also does not know that, and he can not stand it, he repeatedly shakes his head and occasionally scratches his head. Since being possessed by the witch¡¯s sword, Granard has become very mentally unstable. He would sit quietly on his throne and then suddenly burst out laughing. Sometimes he shouts at those around him, sometimes he scratches his face with the nails of his hands. He looked like a serious drug addict, and there was no telling what he might do. Lockwood tried not to leave Granard¡¯s side, keeping a close eye on his every move. ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve got an idea!¡± ¡°Yes, how can I help you, Your Majesty?¡± Granard suddenly stood up and shouted. Granard¡¯s expression changes from annoyed to a glowing face, and Lockwood asks with a sense of foreboding. ¡°There are two hostage girls right? Then, there¡¯s nothing wrong with killing one of them! I¡¯ll torture them a bit to pass the time until Raidorl gets here!¡± ¡°Wha-!!¡± Currently Granard is holding two women as prisoners. Neimilia, a maid, and C¨¦lia Von Althlein, the Imperial Princess. Both were close friends of Raidorl. The two women have had their weapons taken away and are under house arrest in a room in the palace. They are not kept in the dungeons, which is a result of Lockwood¡¯s concern for Raidorl. If they do anything to hurt the hostages. Especially C¨¦lia, Raidorl of course will not be happy. The Arsline Empire would not be quiet. There is a danger that the war will be restarted and this time the Kingdom of Zain will be destroyed. ¡°You-Your Majesty! The two of them are valuable hostages to lure His Highness Raidorl! Didn¡¯t you want to execute them and make them suffer in front of His Highness when he arrived in the Royal Capital?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I say we¡¯ll keep one. We don¡¯t need two hostages.¡± ¡°..but¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re being a pain in the ass! Or do you have a problem with what I, the King of Zain¡­do?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± A bright light shines from behind Granard. In the halo of the rising light, Lockwood is as immobile as if he were in a golden bind. From the void emerges the magic sword Brionac, given to Granard. Granard grasped the shining sword and pointed the tip towards Lockwood. ¡°Answer me, Prime Minister. Who is your sovereign?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Granard Zain, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I see. Then you¡¯ll understand¡­¡­. Tell me you understand!¡± ¡°¡­.. Yes,Your Majesty.¡± Lockwood bowed his head to hide his reluctance. Granard will not listen to the Prime Minister¡¯s remonstrance now that it has come to this. If he continued his defence, Lockwood would be cut down and nothing would change. ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness Raidorl. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lockwood did the maths in his head to work out which of the two hostages should be sacrificed. The answer came quickly. To avoid any conflict with the Empire, he could not let the Imperial Princess, C¨¦lia, be killed. The maid is the one to be sacrificed. ¡°I understand. Then take the hostages to¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I beg your pardon!¡± The Prime Minister had no choice but to bring in Neimilia, but before he could do so, a knight burst into the throne room. The knight was horrified at the sight of the king holding his sword against the Prime Minister but quickly knelt down on the spot. Granard frowned when he was suddenly interrupted. Lockwood hastens to speak, lest the king¡¯s anger should be directed at the innocent knight. ¡°How rude of you, all of a sudden. What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve just had an intruder in the castle and we¡¯ve captured him. It seems that they have come to rescue the hostages who are being held!¡± ¡°Who the hell is¡­¡­trying to save the hostages?¡± Lockwood furrowed his brow. It is too early for Raidorl to be here. Who had broken into the castle, he wondered. Unknown to Lockwood, the castle had been broken into by a man hired by the Lord Advocate, Ave Macbeth. Macbeth was a traitor who had turned to support Raidorl, and had been informing the Empire for decades. Macbeth attempted to rescue the hostages on his own, for the sake of the Empire or for Raidorl, but his plan seems to have failed. ¡°Wait! This¡­¡­this is the chance I need!¡± Although Macbeth¡¯s rescue plan was not fruitful, it was not in vain. It did give Lockwood an idea of how to keep the hostages from being killed. ¡°Your Majesty, Granard! If you could spare your time on your hands, why don¡¯t you interrogate the intruder you¡¯ve captured first?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a lowly job to interrogate intruders?¡¡It¡¯s not something I, as king, would do.¡± ¡°But the intruder may be connected to His Highness Raidorl! His Highness will be very disappointed if the assassin he has sent fails!¡± ¡°Hohoho, I see!¡± Granard¡¯s lips lifted in amusement at Lockwood¡¯s words. He seemed to like Lockwood¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Well, well! Well then, let¡¯s start with Raidorl¡¯s men! Kukkuk¡­..The rescue was a failure. I¡¯m sure that stupid brother will be stomping his feet in frustration!¡¡Hahahaha, what fun this is!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Prime Minister? Enjoy yourself!¡± ¡°H-ha¡­¡­Yes, Your Majesty. Then bring the intruder to me. His Majesty the King will interrogate him personally.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The knight leaves the room as soon as the Prime Minister, his face contorted with bitterness, gives the order. In this way, the two hostages were saved by the narrowest of margins. By a series of coincidences, and at the suggestion of the Prime Minister, Lockwood, the two hostages are saved, not only for Raidorl, but for the future of the Kingdom of Zain. Two days later. More than a week earlier than Lockwood expected, the army led by Raidorl arrived at the royal capital. The fate of the Kingdom of Zain would be decided in the ¡°Brotherly Fight¡±. The time for the decisive battle was steadily approaching. TL(few more chapters, will be released. still editing phase..i¡¯ve messed up my schedule) CH 133 The time for the final battle had finally arrived. On that day, a curfew was imposed on the entire capital of the Kingdom of Zain. The people living in the city, as well as vendors from outside, were forbidden to leave their homes or lodgings. All the shops in the normally crowded commercial districts had closed their doors tightly and the streets were silent, not even a cat¡¯s litter had disappeared. The city is a ghost town, the whole country seems to have suddenly disappeared. ¡°¡­¡­mommy.¡± ¡°Shh! Be quiet!¡± In one such house in the capital, a mother is scolding her child for crying out in anxiety. The reason for the curfew has not been explained to the people living in the capital. This has only served to increase their anxiety, and the unseen monster of fear grows ever larger. The fact that they had only recently been at war with a neighbouring country was another factor adding to their unease. Perhaps the war with the Empire had resumed. Or perhaps the hordes of demons were gathering. There may be countless armies outside the city gates trying to overrun the capital. The inhabitants of the capital are trembling at the sight of the unknown monster, hiding in attics and under floors, gasping for breath without knowing why. They were right in some aspects. It is true that outside the walls of the city there is an enemy army. But who could have imagined it? It¡¯s not the Imperial army or the hordes of demons that are the enemy. It was the army led by the hero who saved their country, Raidorl Zain. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– A large number of soldiers were gathered on the city walls surrounding the perimeter of the Royal Capital. In addition to the soldiers who originally guarded the walls, the knights of the Kingsguard were sent as reinforcements from the Royal Palace. The total number of them is about two thousand. This was all the troops the kingdom was currently able to field, as most of the kingdom¡¯s main forces were stationed in the eastern border fortresses due to the previous war with the Alsatian Empire. They were gathered for one purpose: to intercept the enemy army that was about to invade the capital. ¡°You¡­¡­ really came here?¡± One of the soldiers on the ramparts murmurs in dismay. The soldier looks up and sees the enemy army staring at the wall. The number is probably about one thousand. It is only about half the number of their own army. In a siege war, the defender has the advantage and the attacker has to prepare several times more troops. In this respect, the King¡¯s side has the overwhelming advantage in this battle. But the faces of the soldiers on the defending side are dark, tinged with anxiety and confusion. And so it should be. The enemy army is flying the flag of the Kingdom of Zain, which is the same as their own army, and at the head of the flag is the hero and brother of the king. This is because the saviour who saved the kingdom from the invasion of the great Alsatian Empire is Raidorl Zain himself. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­His Highness Raidorl. Why is that person attacking the Royal Capital?¡± The question was put to him, the man who was the captain of the wall guard. The man¡¯s name is Ranid Zens. He is the third son of a low-ranking nobleman in the service of the kingdom, but as he is not the eldest, he cannot inherit the family and is an independent soldier in the kingdom¡¯s army. He is thirty years old. Ranid was supposed to be in the prime of his life after his late marriage about half a year ago, but now he is in the midst of misfortune. A few days ago, Ranid was guarding the city walls as usual when Lockwood Marcell, the prime minister, appeared before him. Lockwood¡¯s tone of voice was calm as he instructed Ranid, who was in a panic at the unexpected appearance from Lockwood. ¡°Soon an army led by His Royal Highness Raidorl Zain will invade the capital. I leave the command of the Kingsguard to you, so you can intercept them.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Given such an impossible instruction, Ranid forgot his position and let out an exclamation of dismay. Of course. Raidorl Zain is the hero who saved the Kingdom of Zain from the invasion of the Alsatian Empire. Why would the hero of his own country invade Royal Capital? He was given the command of the Knights of the Kingsguard, which was supposed to be guarding the royal palace, and was given the command of 2,000 soldiers. This was a speedy rise to the top that would have been unthinkable for a knight from a lowly noble family. And then ¨C a few days later. As the Prime Minister had expected, the army of Raidorl really came to the capital. The army of Raidorl, which emerged from the east side of the capital, formed a long square formation, side by side, staring at the city walls. At the head of the army stands a man in jet-black armor. From Ranid¡¯s position on top of the city walls, it is impossible to see his face, but he must be Raidorl Zain. ¡°Aaa¡­¡­damn it. This is the end of my life. Just when I¡¯m about to settle down with my beautiful, young wife. ¡­..¡± Ranid looked up at the sky and let out a sigh of resignation. The battle had not yet begun, but Ranid was already convinced that he would be defeated. The army of Raidorl is only 1,000. Half of their number. If he looks at the numbers alone, it is not an unbeatable opponent. In fact, it is an overwhelming advantage. But Raidorl, the general of the enemy army, is the hero of the Holy Sword. He is literally a transcendent figure with the power of a single sword. The rumour has reached the capital that he fought in the war against the Alsatian Empire. His own troops numbered 2,000, but their morale and discipline were at an all-time low. It would be tempting to call it a coalition of the wall guards and the knights of the royal court, but in reality it¡¯s just a bunch of hangers-on. The two units, which have never trained together, clearly do not work well together and have been fighting all week. There are many knights who are complaining about the fact that Ranid is in charge of the whole operation. In the first place, on the attacking side were the rearguard who had been unable to take part in the war with the Empire. Most of them were young recruits, and they were clearly in high spirits. Less than an hour after the appearance of Raidorl¡¯s troops, the Kingdom¡¯s army is already in a state of intense unrest. ¡°We can¡¯t win, we are up against the hero of the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. ¡­¡­ Why are we in this mess¡­..?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. ¡­¡­¡± One by one, cries of anxiety are escaping from the mouths of the soldiers gathered on the city walls. The war with the Empire has ended and peace has finally returned. Just then, the army of Raidorl, which should have been their allies, turned their spears and attacked the Royal Capital. There was no way that this mishmash of troops would have the courage to deal with such an unexpected situation. ¡°I want to scream, I want to cry!¡¡My life is a nightmare!¡± Ranid let out a cry of grief into the sky. He was supposed to be just a captain of the guard, but before he knew it, he was ordered to defend the last wall protecting the capital. The responsibility is incredibly heavy. If he could, he would run away, but if he chose to do so, he would certainly be guilty of death. Ranid alone might be able to escape, but his new wife would be left with a lifetime of guilt. How could Ranid, who was at the height of his happiness after marrying his young bride, be in this situation? He wants to curse God for the injustice he befall on him. ¡°If only General Garst were here!¡¡What¡¯s the Protector General doing at a time like this?¡± The chief of the kingdom¡¯s armed forces, Bazel Garst, is currently at the border to deal with the aftermath of the war against the Empire. If Bazel were here, he would be able to calm the soldiers¡¯ agitation and bring them together. But it would be too much to ask a mere captain of the guard to do the same as the captain of the Protectorate. As the old military strategists say, ¡°the outcome of a battle is already decided before it begins¡±, and the Kingdom¡¯s army was already defeated before the battle had even begun. ¡°Oh no, ¡­¡­! They¡¯re moving!¡± While Ranid was bemoaning his misfortune, Raidorl¡¯s army was finally on the move. The black knight at the head of the army, Raidorl Zain, draws his sword and points the white blade at him. ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Ooooooh!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± At the same time, a battle cry sounded like an avalanche. Raidorl¡¯s armies, standing side by side, moved in unison and began to march towards the fortress. At the head of the charge were soldiers carrying large logs. It was a mallet that was used to pry open the gates from the outside. They must have got it from the nearby woods. The improvised siege weapon, with branches and leaves still attached in places, was slammed into the gate, and a dull thud sounded. ¡°Aaa, you bastards!¡¡Soldiers, take up your bows if you don¡¯t want to die! And don¡¯t you cry all the time!¡± Shouting at the young knight, who was cowering and crying, Ranid gave frantic instructions. No matter how much they wanted to lament their misfortune, the enemy army in front of them will never disappear. So, the only way to survive was to win. ¡°Don¡¯t let them break through the gates!¡¡Give priority to the soldier with siege equipment!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°If you want to survive, you¡¯ll have to work hard!¡¡If you die, you won¡¯t even be able to make out with your wife! I¡¯m a newlywed, for God¡¯s sake!¡± In a fit of desperation, Ranid draws his sword and holds it up to the sky. ¡°M¨¡naaahhhh! I love you so much!¡± It¡¯s not clear whether his impetuous command was appropriate or not. However, the command of the uncanny certainly won the hearts and minds of all the soldiers, and succeeded in moving them towards the common goal of ¡°survival¡± Ranid Zens. This was the moment of the birth of a new hero, who would later be known as the ¡°Affectionate General.¡± CH 134 Meanwhile, at the royal palace, King Granard Zain also received the news of the arrival of Raidorl¡¯s army. ¡°Oh! You have finally arrived, he has kept me waiting for so long!¡± Granard, seated on his throne, shouted an ovation and slapped his knee. Granard¡¯s appearance as a witch¡¯s apostle has changed dramatically since he was once known as the wise and powerful king. His hair was dyed white, his cheeks were thin, and he looked as if he had grown old and sick. His eyes, however, shine brightly and are tinged with the madness of a blazing fire. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, it would seem so.¡± Sighing softly so as not to attract the king¡¯s attention, the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, nodded. On his knees and face down, the Prime Minister¡¯s expression is somehow cloudy, and his eyes have a gloomy, thoughtful light in them. ¡°There is already a battle on the walls. The guards and the knights of the Kingsguard, who were sent as reinforcements, are fighting back.¡± ¡°Good, Good. So ¡­.. is that where Raidorl is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­soldiers have confirmed that His Royal Highness is leading the enemy forces.¡± ¡°Kukuku, Well, well, well, he¡¯s come a long way. For the first time I feel like praising my stupid brother. At last, the time has come to put to death the rebels who threaten my throne!¡± Granard covers his face with his hands and his lips form a crescent. The eyes of the mad king are bloodshot and excited like a drug addict, his lips lifted in joy. He is so happy that he is going to kill his own brother, who he shares his blood with, that he is bobbing his shoulders up and down in a violent frenzy. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lockwood¡¯s face contorts as he looks up at Granard, who continues to chuckle. Lockwood has been a loyal servant of the kingdom of Zain since the time of the last king, and has been the guardian of Granard since the latter fell ill. Lockwood bit his lip in pain at the sight of the transformation of Granard, whom he had looked after as if he were his own child. Perhaps there was another option. If only he hadn¡¯t banished Raidorl five years ago. If only he had persuaded Granard. Lockwood wished he had been able to support Granard more firmly, not only in his political work but also in his emotional support. If only he could have come up with something to help the two brothers make up for their differences. It wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way. Perhaps Granard would not have fallen so far and become an apostle of witchcraft. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lockwood Marcell was so consumed with regret that he could only kneel with his head bowed. ¡°Lockwood, we are on schedule. We will now execute the women who are being held hostage. I¡¯m going to cut off their heads so that Raidorl can see them on the castle walls. Do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°¡­.Of course, Your Majesty. There can be no objection. I will bring the hostages to you as soon as I can.¡± Lockwood walked out of the throne room and ordered the knights waiting outside to fetch Neimilia and Ceilia. At the moment, most of the knights of the Kingsguard are on their way to reinforce the walls of the city, so there are very few knights guarding the palace. The civil servants were also temporarily absent by Lockwood¡¯s order, so the interior of the palace was quiet and deserted. After a short wait, the hostages are brought in by several knights. The two women, Neimilia and C¨¦lia, who were under house arrest in a room in the royal palace, walked in with shackles on their hands. The knight who had pulled them together glanced at Lockwood. ¡°¡­.Thank you very much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Nodding back at Lockwood, who bows his head, the five knights step into the throne room with their hostages. Lockwood does not follow them, but continues to stand in the corridor. ¡°Hmm, there you are.¡± Granard, who was waiting on the throne, laughed mockingly at the sight of the two beautiful women, who were so pitifully shackled. ¡°Befitting of being Raidorl¡¯s women.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The first thing that comes to their mind is an insult. C¨¦lia raises her eyebrows in disgust. Neimilia, on the other hand, turned her gaze away without changing her expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you speechless with fear of being executed?¡¡Why don¡¯t you kneel down and beg for your life? Maybe I¡¯ll change my mind.¡± C¨¦lia knows, help was on its way. She squints her eyes and asks Granard in a mocking tone. ¡°¡­¡­Hey, King. Can I ask you one question?¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡­?¡± The first thing that came out of her mouth was not a plea for her life, as Granard would have liked, but a question. Granard frowned uncomfortably as the princess stared resolutely at him. ¡°My father is a tyrant. All he ever talks about is the war and how he¡¯ll kill his own children if it¡¯s necessary for the Empire. In fact, my grandfather was killed by him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what are you talking about, Raidorl¡¯s women?¡± ¡°But Papa may be a bad man, but he is an emperor with a good cause. He wants to build his Empire so that it will be strong enough to fight the witches. He wants to protect this continent from the evil of the witches. That¡¯s why he chose to become a tyrant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey, King. Do you have a cause like Papa? What ideals do you want to achieve by killing your own brother, Raidorl?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ nonsense. You depressing bitch.¡± Granard¡¯s face turned sullen when he heard her question. He was going to execute the hostages, torment Raidorl, and ridicule his brother for not being able to protect his own woman, but he felt like he was being distracted. ¡°A cause?¡¡Ideals?¡¡A true king has no need for such things!¡¡I am the firstborn of the royal blood of Zain, the rightful king!¡¡A true king on the throne is the right way for a country to be!¡¡All I¡¯m doing is righting a wrong!¡¡I am righting a country that would accept a man like Raidorl as king!¡± Granard stands up from the throne, spreads his hands and utters in awe. ¡°If I cannot be king, then there is no need for this country! It is not the king who does what is right, it is what he does that is just and the order of the world!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­I understand. That¡¯s what you are, isn¡¯t it?¡± C¨¦lia falls flat on her face in response to the overly arrogant declaration. A sad, pitying look comes over her face, and she shoots a blade of words from her shapely lips. ¡°The King of Solitude¡­¡­ I was right to call you that. I feel sorry for you. I will never forget that I lost to such a stupid person like you. This humiliation will only make me stronger!¡± ¡°How dare you insult me when you are about to die?! Correct it! Who do you think I am¡­¡­?¡± After being insulted, Granard approached C¨¦lia in anger to strike her. However, he stopped there. He was hit in the face by an unexpected blow. ¡°Nmm?¡± ¡°Ha¡­?¡± C¨¦lia looked up and pursed her lips. A small drop shoots from the tip of her red lips and spits on Granard¡¯s face. Granard stood dumbfounded. He had no idea what had happened to him. After a few moments of lost thought, Granard realized that he had been spat on and his face turned red with rage. ¡°You, you ¡­¡­!¡¡What have you done to me, the rightful king, the true king chosen by God?¡± ¡°Hey King, you¡¯ll be beaten by your brother for sure. You¡¯ll never win against him!¡± ¡°!! ¡­.You..aaaaaaAAA!!!!!¡± Granard raised his right hand above his head. There, a light that seems to have condensed sunlight condenses and the magic sword Brionac appears. ¡°Die!! You louse!!!¡± ¡°¡­..!!¡± Granard¡¯s anger blinded him to his original plan to execute her on the city walls and show her death to Raidorl, as he swung his shining magic sword at her. The witch¡¯s sword closes in on the defenceless girl¡¯s head, trying to cut her thin body in half from top to bottom. With her hands shackled and the holy sword taken from her, there is no way for the maiden to resist. The blade of light will not miss its mark and will cut the life out of the beautiful princess. It was supposed to. ¡°Ha¡­..!?¡± But then something unexpected happened to Granard. Granard swung his shining witch¡¯s sword, and it was caught by a sword that came out from the side. It was a jet-black sword, as if it had been painted with darkness, that caught the Brionac. It¡¯s a miasma of misery, and the light from the blade and the light from Brionac¡¯s blade create an annihilation. ¡°It can¡¯t be, this sword is ¡­¡­!¡± The master of the sword was the knight who had brought C¨¦lia and her friends here. Dressed in the armour of a knight of the Kingsguard, his face hidden by a full-face helmet, he shrugs his shoulders in a mocking manner as he catches the Brionac. ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace to slay an unarmed woman. Shame on you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You! You can¡¯t be¡­¡­!¡± Granard¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. He tried to shout the name of the man who should not be here, but the other man moved before he could. ¡°Sword fighting Scorpion Strike!¡± ¡°¡­.!!¡± The black miasma poured out of the knight¡¯s sword. The miasma turned into a black blade and swallowed Granard¡¯s body, sending him flying backwards. ¡°Gahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!¡± He was blown away with a scream and slammed into the wall behind him, destroying the throne on which he had just been sitting. The knight looked at the king as he crashed through the wall and out of the room, shrugged his shoulders in annoyance. ¡°How long will you cling to that throne before it blows you away?¡¡How long do you think you¡¯ll have to cling to that throne, Brother?¡± Throwing off his full-face helmet, Raidorl Zain, who was dressed as a knight of the Kingsguard, sneered at him. CH 135 ¡°Hmph¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl had come to the capital with his army, but he had no intention of losing the city in battle. In the beginning, he had intended to advance his army to the vicinity of the capital, but he changed his mind when he heard from a messenger sent by Lockwood Marcell, that Neimilia and C¨¦lia were hostages, and that he intended to execute them in front of Raidorl, who had come to the capital. Raidorl snorts and laughs scornfully at Granard, who is blown away and runs into a wall. If he had brute force his way to the royal capital, he would not be able to rescue them. Even if Raidorl is an excellent swordsman and has excellent subordinates, including Darren, it is extremely difficult to decimate the kingdom¡¯s walls and the knights guarding it, at the same time, to defeat Granard, who has become a magic sword user, and prevent his execution. So Raidorl decided to take Lockwood up on his offer. Through a messenger, Lockwood proposed that Raidorl should be secretly invited to the royal palace. It was a strange proposal from a man who was supposed to be a loyal servant of his brother, Granard, and he did not immediately trust it. In addition, when Raidorl had been expelled from the capital, Lockwood had also ridden there to protect Granard¡¯s reign. After confusing discussions with Darren and Sven, Raidorl finally decided to accept Lockwood¡¯s proposal. Despite his close ties to Lockwood, Raidorl could not believe that the prime minister would accept Granard, who had become a pawn of the witches, as king. Lockwood Marcell had sacrificed his daughter Mertina for his country and lacked the compassion that a man should have. Raidorl does not like the Prime Minister¡¯s selflessness, but at the same time he approves of his beliefs. Raidorl, with the help of Lockwood, infiltrated the royal palace with several of his men. He was able to infiltrate the palace with a few of his men because Lockwood had sent the knights who were guarding the palace in advance to guard the walls. He rescued the two captives, Neimilia and C¨¦lia, and then disguised himself in full body armour to strike a blow at Granard. Incidentally, Raidorl¡¯s army is fighting on the city walls. It is led by a shadow warrior, a man of similar build who wears the Raidorl¡¯s armour. The reason why they are attacking to bring down the walls is because they are acting as a decoy to attract the remaining knights and soldiers in the capital. The new Raidorl army has little experience in actual combat, so this battle will be good training for them. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Onii-san!¡± Neimilia and C¨¦lia come running to Raidorl, who has blown up his brother. ¡°You two get out of the castle. I¡¯ll finish off my brother.¡± Raidorl keeps his eyes fixed on Granard, who has disappeared behind the wall, and directs the two girls who are running towards him. ¡°Master, I can support¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Without listening to the last word of Neimilia¡¯s offer, Raidorl rejected it without a second thought. He was not going to let anyone else settle the matter with Granard. When Raidorl replies without hesitation, Celia¡¯s lips pucker in frustration. ¡°Mumu¡­¡­ I owe the king for what he did to me, too.¡± ¡°Yes, I know that. But, you have to give it to me. For the past five years, he has been my target.¡± He refused to let C¨¦lia help him, though he chuckled at C¨¦lia¡¯s becoming grumpy. She looks even more unhappy and spits a few words of defeat at Raidorl. ¡°Fine! But you¡¯ll have to make it up to me, so be prepared!¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do whatever you want¡­.I¡¯ll even marry you if you want.¡± ¡°Fuah?¡± At Raidorl¡¯s joking reply, C¨¦lia¡¯s face turns bright red. ¡°M-maa-MARRIAGE?¡­.is onii-san stupid? I never care about you, onii-san!¡± ¡°Haha, ok. I¡¯ve been rejected. I¡¯m depressed.¡± ¡°Hmm, hmm!¡± Raidorl smiles at her as she turns away, blushing lovingly, and turns his back to Granard. Granard was sent over the wall, but he still did not move. At the same time, shouts could be heard from outside the room. It seems that the knights of the guard noticed the change and rushed to the scene. There is no way that the interior of the palace will be emptied, no matter how hard the walls are attacked. The only people left in the palace are the last of the loyalists who knew that the king was disturbed and were ready to remain loyal. As a knight of the Kingsguard who guards the court, their sword skill will not be weak. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl. Leave it to us!¡± Darren, who, like Raidorl, was in disguise, took off his helmet and drew his sword. Darren is determined not to let anything stand in the way of the King and his brother¡¯s battle. The other men who had infiltrated with him followed suit. ¡°I¡¯ll do it too! I¡¯ll take care of it!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the master¡¯s own good. I¡¯ll go with you!¡± C¨¦lia and Neimilia also stepped forward to protect Raidorl. C¨¦lia has not yet been able to regain her sword, which was taken from her by Granard. She holds in her hand a spare sword that she borrowed from Darren. Raidorl is not sure if the damage from the fight with Granard has worn off on Neimilia, but she doesn¡¯t seem to have as much magic as usual. As the Witch of Doom, she will have little use for her powers. ¡°Take it easy. If you die, I can¡¯t help.¡± ¡°Of course I understand!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die until the three of us have sex¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not doing it!¡± Shouting adulterously, the two girls ran out into the corridor with Darren to confront the Kingsguard knights who had rushed in. Feeling the presence of his friends fighting outside the room at his back, Raidorl glared ahead and opened his mouth. ¡°How long have you been asleep? I didn¡¯t mean to slash you so hard, now get up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± There is no response from the hole in the wall. Raidorl knows Granard is alive and well, he can still feel his presence. ¡°Or are you too embarrassed to show your face because you were caught offguard?¡¡I was trying to lure a hostage as bait, but he took advantage of me and took me by surprise. I¡¯m so humiliated I can¡¯t even show my face.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Suck it up. But ¡­¡­ I¡¯m not done with you yet. I¡¯m not satisfied in the slightest.¡± Raidorl points the tip of his D¨¢insleif at the hole in the wall, and says resolutely ¡°I will take the throne of this land! I will not leave my country to a foolish king who has fallen into the service of a witch!¡¡From this day forward, I am the ruler of this land!¡± ¡°Oooooooohh!!¡± As soon as he heard the declaration, a wail of lamentation was released from behind the wall. It sounded as if it were coming from hell, tinged with lamentation, despair and rage. Immediately afterwards, a beam of light blew away the wreckage of the wall and Granard appeared from behind. In his right hand, he holds a shining sword. It¡¯s a witch¡¯s sword ¨C the magic sword Brionac. ¡°Raidorl¡­¡­! Raidorrrllllllll!!!!!¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally here¡­..you¡¯re making me nervous!¡± Raidorl laughed, bared his fangs at Granard, who appeared from behind the wall. He¡¯s not going to be taken by surprise like he was before. This is where the real battle begins. Five years ago, the paths of two brothers diverged. The time has come for them to finally meet in the form of killing each other. ¡°Come on¡­..let¡¯s get it over with. My Brother.¡± In a cold, murderous tone of voice, Raidorl spat and raised D¨¢insleif. Two brothers born into the royal family of Zain. One is the oldest and the other is the youngest, born of the same blood. A magic sword and a holy sword. After five years, the time has come for a final showdown between the two men, who carry two contradictory weapons: the light and the curse. CH 136 ¡°You think you¡¯ve beaten me? Raidorl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Granard emerges from the destroyed wall, brandishing a gleaming magic sword and spitting words arrogantly. ¡°You must be so happy to push me into a corner! You must be so happy to have rescued those hostages! But ¡­..don¡¯t get carried away! My advantage is not shaken by a mere surprise blow. I am the true king, chosen by the goddess!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, and soon I¡¯ll have those women sent after you! I¡¯ll chop off your head and leave you all together in the field! The order of killing may change but there is no change in the fate of traitors who defy me as king! Know this!¡± ¡°¡­..and?¡± Raidorl listened to Granard¡¯s words from beginning to end and nodded his head. Raidorl¡¯s face is cold as he stares at his brother, who is shouting like a madman and looks as bored as if he were watching a bad street performance. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡¡If that¡¯s your last will and testament, then you¡¯ve lived a very stale life. I pity you.¡± ¡°¡­.!!¡± Granard¡¯s face contorts in painful irony. His face was saturated with the emotion of anger, and he looked as evil as a demon. Without caring, Raidorl continued. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a bit reluctant to kill you now. Isn¡¯t it just so miserable and pathetic to have to deal with a madman who¡¯s gone mad?¡± Apart from hostility, there is a hint of pity in Raidorl¡¯s eyes. It was a look of condescension, like that of an insect on the ground, that touched Granard¡¯s nerves more than words. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve pushed you too far. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d lose your mind and become a servant of the witch after a little beating. It seems that I have underestimated my brother¡¯s ¡®inertia¡¯. I regret it. My bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!!¡± ¡°However, ¡­¡­ it would be irresponsible to leave my brother, who has gone crazy because of me, unattended. I¡¯m going to give you a quick ¡®clean up¡¯, come and get me.¡± ¡°Rai,Dorl!!! You¡­Bastard..!¡± The insult was so severe that Granard had to bite his back teeth with such intensity that they creaked. ¨CI want to slice and dice the man in front of me right now. ¨CI want to cut off his flesh, cut off his bones, and make him suffer all the pains of the world. Such was the fierce murderous intent on Granard¡¯s face. But ¡°Wha!?¡± Nevertheless, Granard does not slash at Raidorl. Ever since he was chosen to become a magic sword, Granard has been slaughtering those who oppose him, wielding his blade with emotion. Despite all the scorn he had received, he would not jump on Raidorl. He couldn¡¯t. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­¡­? What¡¯s with those eyes?¡± The sharp glint in Raidorl¡¯s eyes makes Granard stiffen. It¡¯s not a magic eye. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s using any crazy magic. The mere act of staring is enough to put Granard under pressure and make him hesitant to strike. The spirit in Raidorl¡¯s gaze is so sharp that it pierces the life out of him, and it goes straight through Granard without wavering. Granard¡¯s legs cowered as if they had been nailed to the floor by a force that would make a weakling fall to his knees and become incontinent. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why can¡¯t you speak? Are you so afraid of me?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± A mocking word. Granard¡¯s eyes widen as he is pointed at. ¡®But ¨C I can¡¯t lose to my brother.¡¯ Granard squeezes out the words, feeling his lungs tighten. ¡°¡­¡­ Nonsense! How can I be afraid of you? There is no way that I would be ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, brother. You seem to have a lot of anger¡­and so do I. Did you really think I wasn¡¯t angry with you for capturing Neimilia and C¨¦lia and holding them hostage?¡± ¡°Ghhh¡­..¡± ¡°Can you see it? You see my anger, my firm will to kill you. Do you see what I feel? Do you understand?¡± Raidorl glared straight at Granard and lightly waved his D¨¢insleif. Instantly, like lava spewing from a crater, an enormous swirl of miasma surrounds Raidorl, raging like a storm. The jet-black storm was the embodiment of Raidorl¡¯s rage, and it was so terrifying that it sent goosebumps down Granard¡¯s spine. For Granard, who had been blessed by the witch, the miasma was nothing to be afraid of. However, the dense anger and murderous intent in the jet-black storm was so intense that it froze him to the core. ¡°No more of this nonsense. If you have finished your will, then come at me!¡¡Your power, your will, your justice,¡­¡­ all will be cut down and denied!¡± ¡°Gu ¡­¡­ gaaaaaah!¡± Granard roared like a beast. It wasn¡¯t that Granard was desperate. He had to become an animal who fights with his brother¡¯s emotions, without reason, to be able to face the man standing in front of him. ¡°If you want to die so badly, I¡¯ll gladly kill you! Go to hell!¡± Granard¡¯s body disappears. The sound of a kick on the floor echoes in the background. Leaving the sound behind him, Granard reaches the speed of light and runs through the throne room in all directions. ¡°If you can¡¯t see it, give it up! You can only keep up with my speed if you¡¯re blessed by the goddess!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± In the face of his brother king, who flies around at the speed of light, Raidorl does not move an inch. Granard sneered at his brother¡¯s lack of movement and slashed at him from above. ¡°Die, Raidorl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­hm¡± The sword of light was swung down and Raidol only needed to make a minimum movement to evade the incoming slash. It was as if he had known the attack was coming. It was a brilliant evasion, as if he had foreseen the future. ¡°Na¡­..?¡± ¡°Hmp!¡± Raidorl¡¯s fist plunges into Granard¡¯s shocked face. ¡°Gah!?¡± Granard is released from the speed of light and rolls on the floor. Granard was bewildered at what had happened to him. It was impossible for Raidorl to follow the speed with his eyes. This is something that even the same holy sword holder, C¨¦lia Von Althlein, could not do. The impossibility of this fact fills his thoughts with a blank. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool,¡­¡­my sword¡­¡­my lightning-fast blade¡­¡­, is for you!¡± ¡°Spellbinding sword fighting technique¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± Granard was rolling on the floor, holding his hands over his beaten face, when the sound of a voice sent shivers down his spine. He turned around to see Raidorl¡¯s right hand clutching the sword at his hip. ¡°Scorpion Strike!!!¡± ¡°Khhhhhh¡­.!¡± A jet-black slash flew at Granard. Granard rushed to use his speed of light and jumped up to the ceiling. ¡°Wha..!¡± But it was a bad move. Granard fled towards the ceiling, but as he jumped up, he found Raidorl already there, swinging his sword and unleashing a black slash. Light is faster than anything else in the world, that is why it cannot bend. If Granand does not avoid it, he will plunge himself into the slashes. ¡°You mean to tell me you¡¯ve guessed¡­¡­ that I¡¯m going to jump up¡­¡­?¡± Everything around him was moving slowly. In the compressed time, reaching the speed of light, Granard felt a shiver run down his spine. ¡°Guuuuuuuuuuuuuu¡± ¡°Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, ¡­¡­!¡± Granard tried desperately to stop his body in mid-air, but once he had accelerated, there was no stopping his momentum. ¡°¡­.!!¡± And then, in what feels like an eternity of suspended time the impossible happens to Granard. In the world of the speed of light, Raidorl is frozen in his slashing stance and has stopped moving. The lips moved slightly in the stopped time. ¡°Now!¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips spoke clearly. ¡°Gah, AAAAAAAAAaaaaaa¡± At the speed of light, Granard plunged into the black slash, only to be sliced by the blade himself. Followed up by a whirlpool of miasma shot out from the sword, sending Granard¡¯s body flying downwards. ¡°Aaaaaaaaahhhh ¡­¡­!¡± Granard was slashed by a jet-black slash that sent him crashing to the marble floor, spewing blood onto the floor. CH 137 Granard was slammed into the floor with all his might, spilling blood everywhere and rolling over and over in bounces. ¡°Ugh, ¡­¡­gghhhh, ¡­¡­gghh, ¡­¡­gghh!¡± When Granard finally stopped, he lay on his back and groaned in pain. Granard was hit with a jet-black slash, but apparently it was not fatal. He crawled on the floor, gasping for air, and tried to sit up with his hands on the floor. But the damage had left him weak and he was still on all fours, shaking his limbs. ¡°Well, you¡¯re stronger than I thought you¡¯d be. I must have cut it rather hard.¡± Raidorl murmured admiringly and landed on his feet from his jumping position on the ceiling. He swung his sword lightly to shake the blood from the blade and turned to his brother, who was crawling some distance away. ¡°Is that the power of the magic sword of light? About as quick as C¨¦lia and I¡¯m a bit on edge.¡± In spite of his words, Raidorl¡¯s expression was full of comfort. He could have easily taken Granard¡¯s head off if he had gone after him, but he stood there without daring to make any more attacks. It was a gesture that could have been taken as carelessness or pride. Raidorl dares to speak to Granard in an officious manner. ¡°If I had fought with you before I fought with C¨¦lia on that battlefield, I might have a harder time. It¡¯s the misfortune and adversity that makes us grow, not the happiness and comfort. I¡¯m reminded of that again.¡± Once, in a war with the Empire, Raidorl went toe-to-toe with C¨¦lia Von Althlein. At that time, due to the confusion caused by the surprise attack on the enemy¡¯s position, Raidorl were able to win the war, but he had a hard time with the lightning fast C¨¦lia. The battle made him realise the dangers of relying on sight alone. Since then, he has trained himself to fight by intuition and by sensing the presence of his opponent. ¡°I¡¯ve had C¨¦lia accompany me on a few training sessions ¡­..and apparently it¡¯s not in vain.¡± He also had several mock battles with C¨¦lia when he was staying in the capital and working as an adventurer. Since Granard¡¯s order to go to the eastern border region, Raidorl has been training his mind to deal with the ¡®speedsters¡¯. He hadn¡¯t expected to see the fruits of his training against Granard, but the mere fact that he was able to contest with his brother, makes Granard no longer a threat to him. ¡°Brother, your sword is very dull.¡± ¡°Kh, ¡­¡­ what, ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°The power of the sword does not improve your technique, no matter how much you increase your speed. Your sword is very monotonous and easy to read. If I had my eyes closed, I¡¯d be able to dodge them.¡± ¡°sh¡­¡­.!¡±¡± ¡°There is no way that Neimilia and C¨¦lia can be defeated by a sword of this calibre. If you have any trump cards left, get them out quickly.¡± Raidorl thrusts the tip of his sword at Granard, who crawls on his haunches, his eyes wide open. ¡°[I¡¯ll cut you down and deny you everything] ¨C that¡¯s what you said. Killing a small fry who hasn¡¯t shown his strength is no fun at all. My anger won¡¯t stop until I¡¯ve crushed you head-on with all my might¡± It¡¯s not just about killing. Now, Raidorl wanted an overwhelming victory. Overwhelming his brother, a defeat that will never be erased from his soul. If he hadn¡¯t done it, Raidorl would never have been able to let go of the humiliation of being betrayed five years ago, or the outrage of having his own woman taken hostage. ¡°You think you can afford ¡­¡­? You still think less of me after all this time!¡± Granard, who had finally succeeded in catching his breath, gritted his teeth and shouted angrily. Granard knew what he was doing. He knew that Raidorl hadn¡¯t really gone serious yet. He rolled himself to the floor in a relaxed state. He tried to kill his younger brother with all his might, but he¡¯s been beaten back, and now he¡¯s forfeiting his chance to win. With the magic sword in his hand, he thought he had ascended to the heights of equality with Raidorl. But the desperate fact that he is still being looked down upon, cuts Granard¡¯s spirit mercilessly. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡­disrespect me!¡¡Don¡¯t you dare underestimate me!¡± Granard rises, fueled by anger, and raises his sword above his head. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to see, I¡¯ll show you!¡¡I will show you the power of a true king, the great power of the goddess!¡± A moment later, a dazzling flash of light envelopes Granard¡¯s body. ¡°Mu¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl frowned slightly, but immediately released the black miasma from his D¨¢insleif to guard against the light that was about to burn his retinas. The flash of light covered the throne room for only a few seconds. As soon as the light disappeared, Granard¡¯s changed appearance came into view. ¡°Magic armour ¨C Metatron, protector of the throne!¡± Granard wears white armour on his body, and the magic sword in his hand has been transformed into a long, thin spear. There is no sign of damage as he stomps resolutely on the floor with both legs, his wounds having been healed by Raidorl. ¡°Ho¡­¡­ this is a big deal ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl was not so surprised, though he let out an exclamation of admiration. If the magic sword was an imitation of the holy sword, then he was prepared for the holy armor to be comparable to the holy sword¡¯s inner workings. Therefore, this development is to be expected¡­¡­What is not satisfactory is the ease with which Granard has mastered the technique. It is not clear what criteria the witch used to select Granard and give him the magic sword. Still, it was hard to accept that Granard had reached the same heights as Emperor Zacharias, whom Raidorl had lost a duel to. ¡°Hmm?¡± But Raidorl¡¯s doubts were soon put to rest. Granard¡¯s face was clearly changing as he activated his magic armour. ¡°My brother¡­..his face is¡­..¡± Granard¡¯s face was clearly marked with dark wrinkles, which were more numerous than before. The pigment on his head had also clearly worn off, making him look a decade older than he was. ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ That¡¯s the price of a magic sword.¡± Raidorl guess, by borrowing the power of the magic sword, Granard would lose his youth and life span as the price. The reason why Granard did not use his magic armour until he was cornered was probably because he was afraid of paying the price. ¡°Raidorl, I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°¡­..It¡¯s not just youth he¡¯s losing, maybe he¡¯s losing his sanity too.¡± The sight of his old brother screaming like a madman made Raidorl wince. It was a horrible sight for a man who called himself ¡®the true king¡¯, but the power he felt in Granard was real. An overwhelming rush of power. A sense of intimidation that makes it hard to even stand. A dense, crushing murderous intent is hurled at Raidorl from the front. ¡°This time it¡¯s over! Get out of my sight!¡± ¡°Ooh ¡­¡­?¡± Countless balls of light appeared around Granard, who was clad in magic armour. Dozens or hundreds of light bullets, each containing as much magic as Raidorl¡¯s slash, are shot out simultaneously as a beam of light. It was like a tidal wave of overwhelming mass. In an instant, it seemed impossible to defend against or even avoid. Even if Raidorl were to unleash his most powerful move, ¡°The Doomsday Serpent¡±, it would be impossible to cancel it out. ¡°Kh¡­¡­¡± However, even in the face of such an absolutely inevitable death, there is no hint of impatience on Raidorl¡¯s face. With a calm and composed expression on his face, he held his D¨¢insleif at the bottom and closed his eyes. CH 138 Raidorl closes his eyes in silence as the inevitable death looms. The rays of light from Granard will arrive in less than a second, and will pierce countless holes in Raidorl¡¯s body. The number of rays might not even leave a piece of bone. But ¨C strangely enough ¨C Raidorl¡¯s mind is calm. The surface of his mind was calm, without a single ripple, and he had the clarity of an enlightened ascetic. It is said that at the moment of death, a person goes back over his whole life like a running lantern. Raidorl wonders if this is the same phenomenon. For him, the moment before the light reached him seemed as long as eternity. ¡°Now I can¡¯t defeat Granard in his magic armor. Then ¡­¡­¡± All he has to do is grow to a level where he can beat them. It¡¯s that simple. It would only take a moment for Granard¡¯s rays to kill him and fill the precipice of the far bank that stretched between them. ¡°I have to thank that¡­¡­ battle-crazed emperor. Thanks to him, I know how to knock on the door that leads to the other side¡± With his eyes closed, Raidorl opened a door in the depths of his mind. The door opened as easily as if it had known how to open from birth. Even after ten seconds, twenty seconds¡­..and more than a minute, death has not come. There is no light burning, there is no pain, there is no heat. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± When Raidorl slowly opened his eyes, he saw a strange sight in front of him. It was a meadow of lush green grass. White clouds swam lazily in the blue sky, and occasionally a bird like a kite crossed the border between heaven and earth. Beside the table, there was a boy sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, tipping his teacup. ¡°I¡¯ll interrupt you.¡± Raidorl said one-sidedly and sat down on a chair facing the boy. He picked up the teapot and unused cup on the table and made himself a cup of tea. He took a sip of it ¡­¡­ and immediately frowned. ¡°It¡¯s bitter¡­¡­.Do you have any milk or honey?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re really brazen, coming in out of the blue. It¡¯s a bit of a stunner.¡± The boy muttered in a high-pitched, depressed voice. When Raidorl looks at the face, he sees that the boy has a very well-defined face. His eyes, nose, lips, eyebrows ¡­¡­ and all the other parts of his face were impeccably shaped and arranged on his face in a harmony like the golden rule. His hair was a pale golden colour. His hair is soft, feathery and has a texture that makes him want to reach out and stroke it. ¡°Mu ¡­¡­, don¡¯t touch me. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± As if the boy had read Raidorl¡¯s mind, he held his head in his hands and pulled back his chair to get some distance. Apparently he had missed a stroke. Raidorl shrugs his shoulders and opens his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a bad mood, D¨¢insleif.¡± The name Raidorl spoke was the name of the holy sword he owned. It was the first time they had spoken to each other, but Raidorl knew that the boy in front of him was his matchless partner. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s impossible advice, Raidorl. I¡¯m in a very bad mood.¡± The boy, D¨¢insleif, waved his right hand with a sultry pout. A pot of milk suddenly appeared in his empty hand and was bluntly placed on the table. ¡°Oi,oi,oi¡­..what did I do? I don¡¯t remember I¡¯m being hated by you.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re asking me that!¡± As Raidorl poured milk into his own tea, D¨¢insleif slammed the table. ¡°Firstly! You¡¯ve been too rough with me, haven¡¯t you? I chose you to be my wielder, but you neglected me for five years, and then when you finally picked me up, you threw me away without a second thought¡­! I¡¯m the legendary holy sword! Do you have any idea what an honor it is to be chosen by me?¡± ¡°Aaa, I think I know what you¡¯re talking about. ¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I didn¡¯t mature up well either. And I¡¯ve got something to complain about too. I¡¯ve been banished from Royal Capital because of you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your brothers¡¯ business! It¡¯s none of my business!¡± D¨¢insleif says indignantly, crosses his arms and sniffs with a huff. ¡°So? Why did you come all the way out here to open the door for me? I wouldn¡¯t know if it was a trivial matter, would I?¡± ¡°You know what I want. Tell me how to use the holy armour.¡± ¡°Fu¡­nnn¡­¡± At the frank request, D¨¢insleif turns condescending. He flicks his finger lightly at the cup on the table and twists his lips sarcastically. ¡°You talk big, but in the end you need my help? People are so selfish, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Selfishness¡­.Sure, it¡¯s human karma. Forgive me.¡± Raidorl shook his head and drank the contents of his teacup in one gulp. Raidorl, with his unusually relaxed attitude. D¨¢insleif raises an eyebrow, not amused. ¡°You¡¯re taking your time. Aren¡¯t you worried about what¡¯s going on out there?¡± ¡°Not much time has passed anyway. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Raidorl knew instinctively what this place was like. This is the world of Raidorl¡¯s mind. It is the inner world of the soul, so to speak. No matter how much time he spent in this place, not a second would have passed in the outside world. Raidorl understands this instinctively, without anyone telling him. And as D¨¢insleif knew that intuitive understanding and adaptability were the most necessary talents of a holy sword wielder. ¡°I have to say, you are a genius holy sword holder. The previous wielder would not have come to this place if I had not invited him. Even that knowing-looking emperor wouldn¡¯t have reached these heights in less than a year with the Holy Sword in his hands.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a compliment. Then¡­..¡± ¡°But!! You¡¯re being too rough using me! You¡¯re not graceful enough! I demand more care and attention, and more respect for me!¡± ¡°Oh come on..that¡¯s a lot of demands. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m telling you. I¡¯ll make it right, so give me a break.¡± ¡°Of course! You¡¯d better be careful from now on!¡±¡± ¡°[From now on]¡­¡­ I take that as consent, right?¡± Raidorl asked, and D¨¢insleif nodded disapprovingly. ¡°¡­¡­fine, I¡¯ll help you. I don¡¯t like your attitude, but it¡¯s annoying to see my wielder defeated by that holy sword monster!¡± ¡°Thanks a lot, Partner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really feeling good¡­.D-don¡¯t pat me on the head! Don¡¯t treat me like a child!¡± Raidorl patted the dumbfounded D¨¢insleif on the head. The holy sword in the form of a boy resisted indignantly, waving his hands in the air. Shaking off Raidorl¡¯s hand, D¨¢insleif bites back, bared his double teeth and says ¡°I¡¯m going to help you. If you lose, I won¡¯t be happy! You¡¯ve got to win!¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯m not going to be beaten by my brother, who is a fool to be tricked and used by a witch.¡± ¡°Hmph! Then let¡¯s see you win!¡¡I¡¯ll beat that pissant witch¡¯s apostle with ease, without even a paper-thin shred of a chance! My holy armour¡¯s name is ¡­¡­¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Holy armour, Hvezlung, The twilight trickster!¡± Raidorl opens his eyes and makes a decisive statement. At the same time, ¡®time¡¯, which had stopped, began to move. The plains and the boy disappear, and a myriad of looming lights appear. Slightly earlier than the rays of light reached Raidorl, an explosion of miasma erupted from the jet-black holy sword. An aura of evil enveloped Raidorl¡¯s body for a moment, as if the gates of hell had opened. However, Granard¡¯s attack did not stop. Like a tidal wave, it swallowed up the miasma covering Raidorl. *TL:Hvezlung one of the names for Loki. CH 139 Raidorl is swallowed up by the light and disappears. The rays of light emitted by the magic sword Brionac is a scorching light that scorches the earth and melts iron. There is no way Raidorl could have survived. ¡°Ku¡­¡­hahahahahahahahaha! I¡¯ve won ¡­¡­ I¡¯ve finally beaten Raidorl!¡± Amidst the dust of destruction, Granard cries out in joy, confident of absolute victory. Ever since Raidorl was chosen as the holy sword, he has had a complex about his brother. Now, at last, the problem is solved. Granard was elated, as if he had the world in his hands, and his face lit up with joy. ¡°I am the hero chosen by the holy sword ¨C the true king of this country, and the only king who will eventually stand on top of the world!¡¡Well, look at you!¡¡Look at me! Look down on me if you can! If only dead men could! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!¡± Granard, still clad in his magic armour, raises his spear-shaped Brionac to the sky. No more threats to his throne from Raidorl. No more nights of nightmares about his brother taking the throne. He has won. Granard had obtained victory and glory! ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahahaha¡­¡­¡­.. Ah?¡± He was soaking his head in the afterglow of victory, when an impossible situation occurred before his eyes. The curtain of dust created by the countless light bullets disappeared without a trace. After the dust disappeared, a man was standing there. It was his brother, Raidorl Zain, whom he had killed. ¡°It¡¯s too early to be celebrating victory. You¡¯re impatient.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­How did you¡­?¡± Raidorl appeared out from the light, but his body was covered with a jet-black costume. At first glance, the black robe looked like a monk¡¯s uniform, but some part of the robe had blood-red patterns engraved on it, and the costume radiated a black aura of misery. It looks like a figure of evil that has risen from hell, and its sinister atmosphere seems to invade the mind of the viewer. The holy armour of the holy sword D¨¢insleif [Holy armour, Hvezlung, The twilight trickster]. The one who brings an end to all things and closes all destinies. He is the manifestation of the divinity who controls the curse of destruction and decay. ¡°Ha! This is holy armour? This looks more like a witch¡¯s servant than anything else! It¡¯s a horrible look for me!¡± Raidorl laughed and wielded his D¨¢insleif, which had been transformed into a greatsword twice its original size. It was like shaking off a winged insect, but in the next instant, all the debris that had been lying around the throne room, including the remains of the destroyed wall, disappeared. Not destroyed, but gone without a trace. It was as if nothing had ever been there in the first place. ¡°Well¡­¡­that¡¯s the end of it then. Let¡¯s put an end to this silly sibling rivalry. I¡¯ll take back everything you¡¯ve taken from me. Because I have the power and the right to do so now!¡± ¡°Raidorl¡­¡­ you¡­..¡± ¡°You did this to me. Don¡¯t beg for your life now. I hope you, my foolish, weak and unworthy brother, will at least die with grace!¡± ¡°Gh..OOOoooooooo!!¡± Raidorl smiled mockingly at him, and Granard snorted, a blue streak appearing on his forehead. ¡°How far does this brother of mine have to go to make a fool out of himself?¡± Granard¡¯s shoulders shook with rage and he pointed the tip of his spear at Raidorl again. ¡°You¡¯re my brother, my little brother!¡± Granard¡¯s attacks never end. He makes light bullets appear, shoots them, makes them appear, shoots them. And on and on it goes. Hundreds, thousands, uncountable light bullets rush in. ¡°Fu~tsu¡­¡± Countless bullets loomed in front of him. Raidorl¡¯s response to this was quite simple. He held D¨¢insleif in his right hand and held it in front of him. This is the only way to get rid of the light bullets that were trying to turn his whole body into a beehive. ¡°Eat me, Fenrir the God Wolf.¡± ¡°Na~tsu¡­¡­¡­., that¡¯s ridiculous! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Granard shouted in disbelief at what had just happened. Raidorl did not evade it nor he defended it. The light bullets disappeared without a trace, as if they were melting into the void. By what means is this possible? The holy armor of the D¨¢insleif ¨C what kind of ability does the [twilight trickster] have as a weapon? ¡°I¡¯ve always been wrong about the real capabilities of the D¨¢insleif. This is the real power.¡± To his stunned and frozen brother, Raidorl speaks in a quiet tone. Taking the trouble to answer questions that don¡¯t need answering as a parting gift. It was meant to be a ¡®souvenir of the dead¡¯. Raidorl was already convinced that the battle would end in victory for him. ¡°The attributes of the D¨¢insleif are not of a ¡®curse but a ¡®distortion¡¯ of existence ¨C the curse was only one of its forms, wasn¡¯t it?¡± D¨¢insleif is a cursed holy sword. It can poison, paralyze or petrify the person it strikes. However, that ability is only part of the D¨¢insleif¡¯s capabilities. It is only a secondary effect. The essence of the jet-black holy sword is to distort the existence of the target, to distort the way it should be. ¡°The Distortion of Existence¡­..What is it set to extreme? It is the annihilation of existence itself.¡± By distorting the existence of others, they annihilate existence itself. This is the ability of the holy armor of the D¨¢insleif- ¡¾ twilight trickster¡¿. ¡°Granard, the foolish king who was in charge of protecting the country, but fell into the temptation of a witch¡­¡­Foolish and pathetic, brother. In front of my holy sword, all things fall into nothingness. Even light is no exception.¡± ¡°~Tsu¡­¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why¡­¡­ brother, you will never beat me again. You are a loser forever.¡± ¡°Kuu ¡­ Guuuuuuuuuuuuu!¡± Granard¡¯s hand clutched at his chest, pierced by a blade of words that even contained pity. Perhaps he is unable to accept the unreasonable reality that confronts him. Granard was jealous of his younger brother who was chosen to be the holy sword. He even signed a contract to give away the lives of his people and took possession of a magical sword. Even so, Raidorl goes further than Granard. Even the throne that he wanted to defend to the end is about to be taken away. In the face of such an unreasonable reality, Granard wails with tears of blood. ¡°It¡¯s pathetic. Honestly. I¡¯m going to end this¡± Muttering with heartfelt pity, Raidorl kicked the floor and flew towards his brother. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Author¡¯s note: ¡°Raidorl Seiken Senki¡± will be released by Ichijinsha Novels on May 1st! The person in charge of the illustration is Mr. Yuki Fuyu, who is familiar with ¡°How a Realist Hero¡¯s Kingdom Reconstruction¡±! We have added more than 20,000 characters, including the extra edition, so even those who have already read the web version will enjoy it! Reservations have already begun on Amazon, so thank you for your cooperation. CH 140 ¡°Ku, that¡¯s-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!¡± Granard continues to fire light bullets at the jumping Raidorl. They numbered in the hundreds, thousands and even tens of thousands. But numbers are irrelevant. With each attack and its desperate magic power, it will be extinguished before it touches Raidorl¡¯s body. ¡°Hu!¡± ¡°Ku¡­!¡± At last Raidorl approached the range of the D¨¢insleif. He swung his sword, which had been transformed into a greatsword, with the holy armour he wore, at Granard. ¡°Damn it..! I¡¯m not going to die from this!¡± Granard turns his body into the speed of light and leaps backwards. The distance that had been closed is opened up again. ¡°You dare!! Raidorl¡­¡­Raidorrrrllllll!¡± In spite of his vindictiveness, Granard foresaw his defeat with a corner of his mind ¨C the calm part of his mind that was only a fingernail away. Granard and Raidorl. They are both clad in magic armor and holy armor, so it¡¯s hard to say who has the advantage or disadvantage just by looking at the situation. Since the conditions are the same, the duel depends on the ability of the user of the sword. Granard had also learnt the art of swordsmanship when he was a prince, but Raidorl was clearly the more talented of the two. Moreover, he had not practised swordplay for many years, having devoted himself to political affairs since the illness of the previous king. As Raidorl had declared earlier, Granard could no longer beat him. If the witch¡¯s blessings cannot be surpassed, then there is no way to defeat his older brother. The duel was already decided. Granard was already a defeated man. ¡°I can¡¯t accept that! I will not allow myself to be inferior to Raidorl!¡± But Granard would not have become a witch¡¯s apostle if he could admit and accept the cruel truth. He could not accept a future in which he would be cut down by his younger brother. ¡°Get away from me! Don¡¯t come near me, you disrespectful person!¡± Granard uses his light speed continuously to run away from Raidorl. If he uses his light speed to attack, he may be countered as he was earlier, but if he concentrates on evading and running away, there is no way Raidorl can catch up with him. But¡ª- ¡°Fenrir the God Wolf!!!¡± ¡°What?!¡± From a distance of more than ten metres, Raidorl swung his sword lightly. At the same moment, right in front of Granard ¨C so close that it was frightening ¨C was the face of Raidorl, lips pursed in a smile. ¡°Nonsense! Instantaneous movement?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m capable of maintaining the same speed but I didn¡¯t approach you. You approached me.¡± ¡°!!!¡± Granard finally noticed, the place where he stood had changed. Instead of the spot where he had just jumped backwards to escape, he was now drawn forward to where Raidorl had been standing. ¡°I¡¯ve made the space between you and me disappear. I won¡¯t let you escape.¡± ¡°Wh-!!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± The miasma extends from Raidorl¡¯s left arm and entangles Granard¡¯s right arm like a chain. Granard tried to escape by turning his body into light, but for some reason it didn¡¯t work. He doesn¡¯t know how, but he was sealed in some way. ¡°Aaaaa!¡± Raidorl swings his D¨¢insleif with his right arm alone. A huge blade, like a guillotine, comes at Granard. ¡°Guoooooooooooo!!!!!¡± Granard immediately raised his spear to catch the slash, which seemed to be the embodiment of death. He has only his left arm to defend himself because one of his hands is blocked, but miraculously he succeeds in catching the D¨¢insleif. The white spear made a screeching sound, but it was a weapon made by a witch. It will not be crushed, nor will it be annihilated like a flare. ¡°Jormungandr, the great serpent of the apocalypse!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!¡± But that was not the end of Raidorl¡¯s attack. A miasma serpent shot out from the jet-black sword and bit Granard in the torso. The huge, dragon-like Agito bites Granard firmly and it sends them both flying backwards. (TL:Kamen Rider Ref.) Raidorl broke through the wall behind Granard into the next room. From there he pushed his body further through the wall to the outside of the palace. ¡°Khaa!!¡± Granard was bitten by the serpent and crashed into the city wall outside the palace. He could no longer tell whether the pain in his body was caused by the serpent¡¯s bite or by being slammed into the wall. Before Granard had time to collect himself, Raidorl had slithered over the snake¡¯s body and was closing in on him. ¡°A¡­.¡± Granard opens his mouth and tries to shout something. Was it a plea for his life? Or were they words of vengeance against an enemy? ¡°This time, it¡¯s really over, brother.¡± In the end, the words never took shape. Before the air leaking from his lungs could form words, Raidorl¡¯s sword leapt into the air and pierced Granard¡¯s chest. CH 141 ¡°Kah¡­.¡± D¨¢insleif pierced Granard¡¯s chest and crucified him on the walls that surrounded the palace. He is a foolish and wretched king who clings to his throne and has reduced himself to an apostle of witches. A spear-shaped Brionac slipped from his limp hand and rolled noisily to the ground. In the end, the spear returns to the form of a pure white sword, and then disappears into the void as a grain of light. As the magic sword disappears, the magic armor that covered Granard¡¯s body is lifted and his clothes return to normal. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡­¡± Raidorl confirms that he has won the duel and removes his holy armour. The black holy armor disappeared, and the D¨¢insleif returned to its original size. Five years of feuding with his brother had come to an end. Raidorl feels more disgusted than accomplished. He felt as if he had swallowed a lump of stone, a heavy feeling welling up in his chest. ¡°Hm¡­..?¡± At the same time, a feeling of intense fatigue washed over Raidorl. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s just run dozens of miles and his body is exhausted to the core, and if he is not careful, he could collapse into unconsciousness. ¡°This is the power of holy armour¡­..It¡¯s powerful, but it¡¯s not something I can use for very long.¡± Raidorl bit his lip with his teeth and exhorted his body not to lose consciousness. The victor has been decided. But Raidorl couldn¡¯t afford fall now. The body of the brother he stabbed through still has a sliver of life left in it. ¡°Rai,dorl¡­¡± Granard groaned weakly as his chest was pierced. It seems that he is still breathing. Was it a blessing from the witch, or was it just a coincidence that the place where Raidorl was stabbed was missed? Miraculously, he seemed to have escaped instant death. Still, the light was slipping out of Granard¡¯s eyes and blood was dripping from his mouth. It was a fatal wound, not to mention a stinging one. It was only a matter of time before he died. ¡°Phew¡­¡­what a pity for a man who is also the king of a country. It¡¯s the least I can do. I¡¯ll give you a quick end so you don¡¯t have to suffer any more.¡± Raidorl says in a spiteful tone and tries to draw his sword while holding it against his brother¡¯s chest. If Granard were left to his own devices, he would soon be dead, but he is Raidorl¡¯s only brother by blood. The last thing he can do as a brother is to put a stop to it as soon as possible. ¡°Wait¡­¡­Raidorl¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± However, before Raidorl can cleave his sword, Granard¡¯s hand grabs him by the shoulder. The force of the fingers digging into him is so strong that it is hard to believe that he is dying, and Raidorl can¡¯t help but stop. ¡°You¡¯ve won ¡­¡­You¡¯ve fought well¡­..¡± ¡°Brother, are you ¡­¡­?¡± Granard looks at Raidorl weakly, and the colour of reason returns to his eyes, which were not there before. Has the disappearance of the magic sword freed him from some kind of magic? Or is it that the fatal damage has brought his mind back to normal? Granard, whose head had been screwed on like a heavy drug addict during the fight, now looked intelligent and calm. It was like the Granard before he had banished Raidorl. An inexplicable feeling of emptiness welled up in Raidorl¡¯s chest. ¡°¡­¡­ have you finally come to your senses?¡¡You haven¡¯t forgotten what you¡¯ve done, have you?¡± ¡°Of course not¡­¡­ You¡¯ve gone to a lot of trouble. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Tsk¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl clicks his tongue with a bitter expression. ¡°It¡¯s too late to come to your senses now.¡± It is too late for reconciliation. There is no cure. It¡¯s just a matter of time before both of them get to the end of the road. ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯m about to kill you, do you have anything left to say?¡± Raidorl finally spoke. Raidorl didn¡¯t want to show him any mercy at this time, but he thought he could at least hear what Granard had to say. ¡°Just one thing¡­¡­ tell me about¡­¡­.¡± Granard spoke with weak, trembling lips. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I¡¯ve been¡­¡­ King ¡­¡­? Did I not deserve it from the start ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Tell me, please¡­¡­Raidorl¡­¡­¡± Gradually the strength slips from his hand on my shoulder. It will not be long now. Raidorl closes his eyes slowly and speaks his mind, not with concern, but with truth. ¡°¡­¡­No, I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t think you are unfit to be king. But ¡­¡­ you were born at the wrong time.¡± Granard was not an incompetent king. He had served well as deputy to the king after his predecessor had fallen ill, and there was little opposition when he took the throne. It may have been a blunder to banish Raidorl out of jealousy after he pulled out the holy sword, but even if he had remained in the capital, he would have divided the country with those who tried to lift up the prince chosen by the holy sword. The fact that Lockwood and Bazel Garst eventually agreed to the expulsion does not suggest that their treatment of Raidorl was a fatal mistake. At least until the war with the Alsatian Empire began, Granard was able to reign as a good king. But a great ruler in times of peace is not necessarily a great ruler in times of war. There are times when a ruthless, bloodthirsty tyrant is needed more than a benevolent king. ¡°If this was a peaceful world, I might have been the one who was swept away by the times¡­¡­.¡± A younger brother who hates his older brother and wants to take the throne is an outcast in a peaceful world. He is a threat to the peace and will be quickly eliminated. In the end, it may have been the ¡°Era¡±, an existence that transcends human will, that chose which ones should survive and which ones should take the throne. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s what¡­¡­ it means¡­¡­.¡± Grannard murmured to himself. The look on his face was not one of frustration or despair, but one of relief that he had finally received the answer he had hoped for. ¡°Take this country¡­¡­the Kingdom of Zain, please¡­..¡± ¡°I entrust it to you..Rai¡­¡± The hand that had been holding Raidorl¡¯s shoulder slipped away and Granard fell and without strength. His eyes lose their light completely and turn into something as inorganic as a glass ball. ¡°How selfish ¡­¡­ can¡¯t you wait until the very end? Stupid brother¡­..¡± Raidorl murmured and drew the sword he had thrust into his brother¡¯s chest. The body, lifeless, fell and leaned against him as if hugging him. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± The body that received Granard felt much smaller and less reliable than five years ago. The King of the Kingdom of Zain, Granard Zain. At the age of twenty-eight, an age that is too young to die for the crown. *TL: Time for the aftermath. CH 142 Witches and Saints Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil Raidorl, the younger brother of the king, Granard. The battle between the Keeper of the Holy Sword and the Witch¡¯s Apostle ends in victory for Raidorl. Meanwhile, on the walls surrounding the outer perimeter of the royal city, the army of Raidorl had broken through the city gates and was rushing in. As soon as the walls were breached, the knights and guards surrendered without putting up any futile resistance. In the first place ¨C it was as if victory or defeat had been decided from the start. The soldiers who remained in the Royal Capital were rear-guard troops who had not taken part in the war with the Empire. Ranid Zens, who was in command, was an excellent commander, but there was a limit to what a poorly trained soldier could endure. Raidorl¡¯s armies, on the other hand, had excellent commanders such as Justy Oigist, Angelica Ilkas and Saara Leifet, and they were all united in the common goal of making Raidorl king. Morale was also very high. Originally, the reason why Raidorl¡¯s army attacked the castle gate was to turn the eyes of the knights guarding the royal palace to the outside. They did not intend to kill the soldiers needlessly, but to disarm them quickly and detain them. Both individual battles and military battles were won by Raidorl, bringing the battle to an end. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°It¡¯s a boring result. I wasn¡¯t expecting it.¡± North of the battlefield of Royal Capital. There was a woman sitting on the branch of a tall tree in the forest. The woman is beautiful, with soft waves of blonde hair blowing in the wind and a thin white dress over her uneven, glamorous legs. Her eyes, as golden as the full moon, shone brightly in the dusk of the forest. Her name is Grasslead.(¥°¥é¥¹¥ê©`¥É) (TL:Do tell in the comments, if you prefer Grasslead or Gurasur¨©do) She is the leader of the Six Witches of Doom, a legendary monster that has almost destroyed the world many times, and is the one who gave Granard the magic sword. In Grasslead¡¯s eyes, she saw the battle that had taken place in the distant city of Royal Capital. Granard, whom he had chosen as her apostle, had been defeated before Raidorl and had been easily killed. At the gates of the city, two armies were fighting, but the death toll was disappointingly low. The witch, who had been expecting a bloody struggle with many men killing each other, fiddled with her hair with her fingertips in boredom. ¡°I was expecting a few more people to die, but¡­¡­ I guess not. Is he too light to be put on the same balance as the boy with the D¨¢insleif?¡± She has the beauty of a goddess, but her eyes are of a dusky colour. She seemed unconcerned that Granard had lost his life. After all ¨C Granard was probably just being used by the vicious witch. Grasslead¡¯s choice of the cornered king as her apostle was a mere game without any deeper meaning. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. It was great to see Nei-chan in good health¡­¡­ She¡¯s got terrible taste in men, as usual. You fall in love with people you shouldn¡¯t, you know. Next time I see you, I¡¯ll have to teach you a lesson.¡± And with that, Grasslead¡¯s body floated up into the air. She stroked her cheek thoughtfully with the palm of her hand as she soared through the air like a cloud. ¡°I can leave it like this, but¡­¡­ it¡¯s a bit frustrating to be left beaten. That ¡®cursed¡¯ boy looks tired and down, so why don¡¯t I have a bit more fun?¡± The witch raises her red lips in amusement and holds out her hand in the direction of the capital. A huge amount of magic power gathered in the palm of her hand. If there was a wizard here who could sense magic, he or she would have been stunned by the immense condensation of power. ¡°Shall I send a poisonous rain to kill the boredom and then go home?¡¡Or turn up the temperature to a hundred degrees? With this kind of magic power, I can only kill a few thousand people¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s just a way to pass the time anyway. That¡¯s about right, isn¡¯t it?¡± There is no guilt in Grasslead¡¯s eyes about killing people. In her golden eyes there is the innocence of a child playing with ants. The magic gathered in Grasslead¡¯s hands. The magic power of dozens of court magicians, if released, would take the lives of a thousand, as declared. ¡°Ara?¡± However ¨C the hand of the Grim Reaper was not swung down. Before Grasslead could activate her magic, countless spears rained down on the body of the witch floating in mid-air. Grasslead uses the magic she has gathered in her hands to create a defensive spell around her body. A semi-transparent barrier protects the beautiful witch from the rain of dull-coloured spears flying at her. ¡°¡­¡­ Who would want to do something bad to their mama, like surprising her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me¡­.., Witch Grasslead.¡± The high-pitched answer came from a small girl in pilgrim¡¯s clothing. Like Grasslead, she floated in the air, holding in her right hand a tin staff decorated with metal rings. Her silver hair and piercing red eyes peeped out from her hooded pilgrim dress. ¡°My name is Seraphina Orlean. Crusader Knight of the Cross of the Holy Church by Goldcross Theocracy¡± The girl who called herself Seraphina grabbed the top of the tin staff in her hand and pulled it upwards. Then the rings collided and made a cool, shattering sound, and the blade inside the tin cane was exposed to the open air. The slender sword, glinting orange in the westerly sunlight, was pointed at Grasslead¡¯s chest. ¡°And¡­..this is the Arondight, the holy sword with the power of ¡®creation¡¯!¡¡It is the sacred weapon of the Savior of the world, given to avenge the enemies of God!¡± CH 143 Creation and Wind Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil Seraphina drew her sword, Arondight, and swung it. A myriad of spears appeared and surrounded the Grasslead on both sides, above and below. Spears emerges from the empty void, completely encircling Grasslead and depriving her of any chance of escape. Hundreds and thousands of spears, all pointed at the witch, were ready to strike if Seraphina put her mind to it. ¡°Araaa¡­¡­There¡¯s a holy sword holder here. What can mama do for you?¡± Grasslead looked at the numerous spears with annoyance, tilted her head as if in a daze, and asked Seraphina. In contrast, Seraphina glared at the witch with a piercing gaze and clinked her holy sword in the shape of a scepter. ¡°I, a cross-knight of the Church, have only one task for you, an enemy of God. That is, ¡­¡­¡­¡­ perish!¡± Seraphina snapped her scepter once more, and countless spears began to move in unison to attack Grasslead. Grasslead had put up a magical barrier, but Seraphina destroyed it with overwhelming force. ¡°¡­¡­ Scary girl! I wonder if discipline is necessary!?¡± But Grasslead was not so naive as to turn into a needle in a haystack. Her body melted into the atmosphere, shattering and transforming into countless photons. The grainy body evades the spear and coalesces back into a human form in front of Seraphina¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit young to be challenging mama? Do you think I could have one of your arms as punishment?¡± Before Seraphina could intercept her, Grasslead¡¯s right hand extended to the arm holding the holy sword. Her hands were gentle, as if she were caressing her, but the tips of her claws held magic power that could easily slice off a human arm. Seraphina¡¯s mind conjures up a vision of her right arm being severed from her shoulder. The vision would come true in less than a second. But¨C ¡°Troublesome¡­to care for a young lady.¡± Before Seraphina¡¯s arm can be cut off, a cold blade of killing intent strikes from above Grasslead¡¯s head. Grasslead, aware of the enemy¡¯s attack, pulls back her arm, and the wind blade passes between Seraphina and her like a guillotine. If the arm had been withdrawn even slightly slower, Grasslead would have had her arm dropped in the opposite direction. ¡°That¡¯s why I said it would be better if we both took part. Underestimating the enemy on the battlefield is not an honourable thing to do.¡± ¡°Araa,¡­¡­there¡¯s another one. You¡¯re like a summer bug, so depressing.¡± As Grasslead distanced herself from Seraphina, she looked up and saw a man standing in the sky, using the clouds as cover. His black hair is tied behind his head and his body is dressed in a kimono, the traditional costume of the East. His fearless face was covered with stubble, and his expression was languid and relaxed, but his¡­¡­eyes were clearly fixed on the Grasslead below, with a cold murderous intent in them. ¡°The only time one on one is considered virtuous is in a fisticuffs. In war, it is not cowardice to swallow the enemy in numbers, it is the art of war.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help. I¡¯ll take your advice to heart. Yamato-sama.¡± ¡°Please do so. If you die, I won¡¯t get my commission and I¡¯ll be a pauper. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to get back to my home in the far east without any money from this place.¡± The man called Yamato slowly descends and stands alongside Seraphina. In Yamato¡¯s right hand he holds a single-edged dagger, the blade slightly warped with a dark green wind blowing against it. ¡°Now, ¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to be asked, but I¡¯m going to follow the lead of Orl¨¦ans and say my name. I am a samurai from the Far East, and my name is Yamato Yasakain. Currently employed by the Holy Society. And, as you probably know, this is the holy sword that controls the wind ¨C the Amenomurakumo. It is the guardian sword of my family.¡± (TL:Another name for it¨C> Kusanagi no Tsurugi) Yamato swung his sword lightly, and the long blade released a blast of wind which struck Grasslead. ¡°Ara¡­.¡± Grasslead frowned slightly and countered the wind with a flare from the palm of her hand. Yamato¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as the blade of wind was easily countered. ¡°Hoou¡­¡­I see. The fact that it can be defended without any reserve action makes it¡­¡­ a formidable opponent to be reckoned with.¡± It seems that the blow that was just struck was to measure the strength of the opponent. Yamato nodded his head in agreement and looked at Seraphina next to him. ¡°Orl¨¦ans-dono, this is an opponent that requires two of us to give it our all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I would have saved it if I could, but I had no choice. I¡¯ll use the holy armour.¡± ¡°Nice, I¡¯ve been waiting for this¡± In the next moment, Seraphina and Yamato¡¯s bodies were enveloped in light. Silver like a blade, green like a dark green ¨C the two lights enveloped the bodies of the man and woman, transforming them into armour that covered their bodies. A presence that radiates with overwhelming magical power. It was the manifestation of a demon god that had escaped from the world of mythology. ¡°I am the divine enemy, the saviour of the infested world!¡¡I am Demiurge, master craftsman of the holy armour!¡± Emerging from the silver light was Seraphina. She wore the revealing clothes of a dancer on her uneven body, and countless circular moon-shaped blades floated and circled around her. The scepter she held in her left hand had been transformed into a huge hammer as tall as she was, emitting a dull silver light from its vicious form to intimidate her enemies. ¡°Sacred Armour of the Heavenly King Susanoo-no-Mikoto!¡¡I will crush every barbarian in the land¡± It was Yamato who emerged from the green light. He wears black full-body armour over his large, muscular body, with two horns on his head like a bull¡¯s head and a snake¡¯s tail covered with green scales on his hips. In his right hand, he held a large sword that was single-edged and warped, but had grown into a huge shape that could easily cut a horse in two. ¡°You have three minutes to make up your mind. Grasslead, Witch of Doom, once again I ask for your life!¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is ¡­¡­Well, no hard feelings.¡± Activating the inner workings of the holy sword, Seraphina and Yamato, with or without the help of the sword, unleashed their killing intent on the enemy in front of them. ¡°¡­¡­ honestly I¡¯m in big trouble, am I¡­¡± Two holy sword holders. With two pieces of holy armour in front of her, Grasslead tilts her thin head to the side as if she is in deep trouble. Despite her words, her expression is routine and relaxed, as if she were trying to decide what to make for dinner. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get a scratch on me if I have to deal with the likes of you. Can Mama run away?¡± ¡°I will not let you get away!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to get away without a scratch!¡± ¡°Ara,Ara¡­¡­¡± The two holy sword holders chased the witch who flew through the air. The three of them disappeared into the northern sky, hitting each other with a violent torrent of magic power. Anyway ¨C the witch Grasslead left the kingdom of Zain as if she was being chased away, and the day when she would meet Raidorl and Neimilia would be postponed. With the departure of the evil one who gave Granard the magic sword, the kingdom of Zain was able to live on uninterrupted, but this incident took place in a place that Raidorl could not have known. CH 144 The usurper at the grave Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil A week has passed since the defeat of King Granard at the hands of Raidorl. Despite the fact that the king¡¯s younger brother rebels against his older brother and kills him, the city where the battle takes place is surprisingly calm. This was because the Prime Minister, Lockwood, was at the centre of a manipulation of information to cover up what could not be revealed. The war with the Empire has just ended. If it were to come to light that the king had been inspired by a witch to become an apostle and had been defeated by his younger brother, the kingdom of Zain would be thrown into further turmoil. Hence ¨C the truth was kept hidden from the public, and the epic ¡°fight of the brothers¡± in the royal palace ostensibly never happened. The battle at the gates of Royal Capital was also dismissed as a major military exercise, and the battle between Raidorl and Granard was kept in the dark. It is likely that Lockwood invited Raidorl to Royal Capital after having drawn a picture in his mind of what this would look like beforehand. There was no confusion among the people of Royal Capital, as Lockwood had arranged for them to be kept out of the city. It is widely believed that Granard¡¯s disappearance was due to a sudden illness and that he was recuperating. But the real fact was that he was pierced by Raidorl¡¯s sword and killed¡­¡­His body was placed in the depths of the palace by Neimilia, who cast a spell to prevent decomposition and an illusion to hide his death. Ostensibly alive, he lies in an unending sleep until the official announcement of his death. After the defeat of his brother, Raidorl did not sit on the throne, but took up the position of ¡°regent¡±, acting on behalf of Granard¡¯s government. When a king changes, it is inevitable that there will be confusion, great and small. Moreover, Raidorl sensed that behind his brother¡¯s madness there was an enemy, the Witch of Doom. If Raidorl were to take the throne, he would be bound by his position as king and would be restricted in his movements. He wanted to be in a position where he could act with some freedom until he had wiped out the enemies who would become the kingdom¡¯s threat. Royal brother and regent of the kingdom of Zain ¨C this was the new title that Raidorl had taken on. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°We have settled on¡­¡­and that is what we have done. I¡¯m very sorry for this outcome¡± Raidorl said in a polite tone and bowed his head. Having spent five years as an adventurer, Raidorl is notoriously rough around the edges. Nevertheless, he had received a high level of education as royalty before his exile and was quite graceful in the way he bent at the waist and bowed. Raidorl, the regent of the Kingdom of Zain, is at the head of the state government, but today he has taken time out from his political duties to visit a certain place. The place is a small cemetery located a short distance from the royal palace. The cemetery, where only members of the royal family are allowed to be buried, is guarded at the entrance by guards against grave robbers, and no one is allowed to enter without permission. There was no one in the cemetery but Raidorl. He wasn¡¯t accompanied by any of his guards or attendants. In front of Raidorl there is a silver tombstone with the names of two people engraved on it. Bernard Zain Rachael Zain This is the name of the parents of Raidorl and Granard, the previous king and queen. Both had died of illness and were laid to rest beneath this tomb. Five years had passed since Raidorl had been banished to the frontier. It was six months since he had been allowed to return to Royal Capital. This was the first time he had visited the graves of his parents. ¡°I never thought that¡­¡­reunion with my parents would be a report that I killed my brother and took the throne. It¡¯s the ultimate in filial piety for me.¡± To be precise, he has not yet succeeded to the throne. But the majority of those working in the palace knew that it was only a matter of time. Although Granard¡¯s death was ostensibly hidden, the palace still bears the scars of the battle, including the throne room. The palace was destroyed. At the same time, the king disappeared, claiming to be ill. If one were stupid enough not to question the obvious circumstantial evidence, that person wouldn¡¯t have been able to work in the palace in the first place. The reason why no one made a fuss about the king¡¯s death was that Granard, possessed by a magical sword, was tyrannical, and many of those who worked in the palace feared and shunned him. Some of the knights were still loyal to the king, but¡­.. they had already retired and left the palace. The retired knight had been secretly spied on, but with a new job and a good severance package, no one was currently planning to avenge Granard. ¡°I took the throne from my brother. He was the one who caused it in the first place, but ¡­¡­ that doesn¡¯t make it any less unforgivable¡± No matter how great the cause, Raidorl is a rebel and a murderous usurper of his brother. What will his parents who sleep beneath the earth think of him now? His mother, who died when Raidorl was very young, and his father, who collapsed after Raidorl was banished. If they were alive, what would they say to Raidorl, who had murdered their brother and taken the throne? ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get any praise. Naturally.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t ¡­¡­ regret it. Father, mother.¡± No matter how much filial disobedience, no matter how much sin he has to stain his hands with. This is the path that Raidorl has chosen. It is the fate that he has grasped. If he was going to change his mind because his parents scolded him, it would be better to not even start the rebellion. ¡°I don¡¯t have the face to see you anymore¡­.probably this would be my last time visiting this grave..Today I come to say goodbye for life.¡± What kind of face does Raidorl supposed to make, visiting a place to remember the deceased when they did not live the way their parents wanted? He no longer had the right to visit the grave ¨C he was determined to leave his parents behind. ¡°¡­¡­There will come a time when I too will die. But I will not be buried in a royal tomb. My corpse will be cast out on the battlefield and my guilt-ridden soul will be trapped in the abyss.¡± And yet ¨C Raidorl have no regrets. ¡°I will never regret what I have done.¡± ¡°So this is goodbye. Father, mother, please rest in peace. I may not have been able to live as a good son and brother, but I will never let other countries or witches have their way with this country. I will protect the Kingdom of Zain.¡± He had killed his brother and taken the throne. If he had destroyed the country, he would have been the darkest ruler of all time. He will do what Granard could not do ¨C otherwise what Raidorl has done will be a pointless barbarism of no value whatsoever. ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes. I don¡¯t care how much blood I have to stain my hands or how many rivers of blood I have to build,¡­¡­, I will do whatever it takes to protect my kingdom!¡± That was Raidorl¡¯s decision. It was the conviction of the hero who had killed his brother. According to Zain¡¯s legend, the first king, the previous holder of the D¨¢insleif, also killed his brother and usurped the kingdom. Or perhaps the first king was in a similar state of mind to Raidorl. ¡°Ah, master. There you are!¡± Raidorl made a firm promise to himself, but suddenly a soft touch pressed against his back. Before Raidorl knew it, a girl in a maid¡¯s uniform who had crept up behind him ¨C Neimilia ¨C was hugging him back. CH 145 A beacon of everlasting darkness Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°¡­¡­ This is a restricted area. You¡¯re not allowed to be here.¡± Without looking back, Raidorl coldly tells the maid behind him. The words were spoken in a tone of rejection, but Neimilia did not seem to hold back at all and tightened the embrace of her hands. ¡°I¡¯m related to master, you know? After all we¡¯ve been through, it¡¯s cold to say I had nothing to do with it.¡± Neimilia rubbed her cheek affectionately against Raidorl¡¯s back and pressed the bulge in her chest against him. Raidorl frowned slightly as he said goodbye to his parents, but he soon realised what Neimilia wanted and breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps Neimilia thought that Raidorl was depressed and came out to comfort him. It¡¯s also possible that the persistent pressing of her breast is her way of comforting him. ¡°¡­¡­ Did I look that bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like ¡­¡­ a woman who believes she has big tits, but when she takes them off she finds they¡¯re fake.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand that¡­¡­ analogy.¡± Raidorl was dismayed by the pace of the erotic maid, but somehow felt a contradictory feeling of relief. After killing his brother and not being able to choose the life his parents would have wanted him to live, Raidorl decided to take the high road of sin and blood in order to protect the country he inherited. If there was anyone who would follow him to the end, it would probably be Neimilia. Without anyone telling him, Raidorl was sure of it. For Raidorl, the girl Neimilia is like the North Star. It does not shine as brightly as the sun. Nor does it dispel the dark night like the moon. But it¡¯s always there, in the same place, always pointing him in the right direction. This is the one and only irreplaceable existence ¨C that is the witch and maid of darkness, Neimilia. ¡°Mmmmmm¡­¡­Master¡¯s smell. Your breastplate is sexy too.¡± Taking advantage of Raidorl¡¯s silence, Neimilia sniffs Raidorl¡¯s back and crawls bewitchingly with her hands on his chest. A white-finned fish-like finger invades the hem of his dress and traces down Raidorl¡¯s toned abs, eventually reaching his nipples and tweaking them with its fingertips. (TL: LMAO) ¡°¡­. This is the one going to guide me? It¡¯s so pathetic it makes me want to cry.¡± ¡°Fuaaa¡­¡­!?¡± Raidorl dragged Neimilia¡¯s body behind him as he left the grave of his parents. This was his last visit to the grave, but he had no regrets. All the gloom has been swept away by the unpredictable maid. Now that he has said goodbye to the past, he can only walk towards the future. ¡°As much as it pains me to say it,¡­¡­, Maybe it¡¯s better for the people who walk the high road with me to be as stupid as this.¡± ¡°Aaan~, master. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re in the mood for it? You don¡¯t have to go all the way back to your room, you can just push me over there in the shade of the grave if you want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making my ancestors cry! Rather than that, we should be going faster now. It¡¯s almost time for our appointment. We won¡¯t be able to see her off in time!¡± ¡°Sending off ¡­¡­? Oh, I remember now. It¡¯s Miss C¨¦lia, isn¡¯t it?¡± Today was the day that C¨¦lia was to return to the Empire. She had been staying in the Zain Kingdom for a long time as a hostage, but now that the peace with the Empire had been concluded, it was finally decided that she would return home. She wanted to stay in the Kingdom of Zain for a while longer, but since the Emperor had sent her a letter personally ordering her to return, she could not stay. ¡°You forgot ¡­¡­, didn¡¯t you? What a heartless person.¡± As they had been living together in the mansion for a long time while Raidorl was away, Neimilia and C¨¦lia must have had a very close relationship, but¡­¡­this maid seemed to have forgotten that today was the day to say goodbye to her friend. ¡°I don¡¯t remember all the dates! How many years do you think I¡¯ve lived?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes, of course. After two hundred years of imprisonment, you lose all sense of time.¡± Neimilia is an immortal witch who was sealed away in the ruins not long ago. For those who have lived for hundreds of years¡­¡­or even more than a thousand years, a year or even a month would be no different. ¡°But if it¡¯s a parting gift for you and C¨¦lia , I¡¯ve got it ready for you! It¡¯s my masterpiece!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Put it away now. I¡¯ll smash it.¡± Seeing the object that Neimilia took out of her cleavage, Raidorl immediately ordered. What was taken out was a ¡­¡­ so called ¡°adult toy¡±. It was too inappropriate to be taken out of the cemetery where so many souls were laid to rest. ¡°Muuu.. it¡¯s just a bit sad that people treat my work like it¡¯s something dirty! ¡­¡­This is a perfect replica of master, and I¡¯m sure C¨¦lia will love it¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Mun!!¡± ¡°AAa!?¡± Raidorl took the toy from Neimilia and smashed it with all his might. What is Neimilia going to give the princess of a country? It is too much of a joke to give a gift that could cause an international incident. Neimilia sat down sadly on her knees on a stick toy that had been thrown on the ground. ¡°Aaa¡­¡­What a shame. My best work¡­..¡¯Master No. 28¡ä.¡± ¡°There are still twenty-seven of those?¡± ¡°By the way, ¡®master¡¯ is No. Zero, you know?¡¡From No.1 to No.27, the shape and size could not be reproduced sufficiently!¡± ¡°All right, bring it all in. I¡¯ll throw every last one of them into the hearth and reduce them to ashes!¡± With such a stupid argument, Raidorl and Neimilia left the royal cemetery. The soldiers guarding the entrance rolled their eyes at the sight of Neimilia, a trespasser they had not been allowed to enter¡­¡­but aside from that, the final farewell to Raidorl and his parents ended with a silly fuss. CH 146 Farewell to the Thunder Princess Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil When Raidorl and Neimilia returned to the palace, C¨¦lia was just getting into her carriage. The carriage, bearing the national emblem of the Alsatian Empire, had been sent by the emperor from a neighbouring country to pick her up. The carriage was flanked by more than a hundred knights, and behind her were the maids of honour who had been sent to look after her. ¡°Oh, Onii-san! And Neimilia,¡­..! Where have you been? I thought you weren¡¯t coming to see me off!¡± C¨¦lia¡¯s blue eyes catch sight of Raidorl and Neimilia. When she sees them together, she puts her hands on her hips and shouts angrily. C¨¦lia raises her eyebrows and gets angry. Normally she prefers shorts and miniskirts for ease of movement, but she is wearing an unusually long yellow dress, and even has makeup on her face. She usually has a very young face, but today, with her makeup on, she looks more mature than usual, and An unbelievably beautiful face was turned towards Raidorl. ¡°Aaa. I¡¯ve got some business to attend to and it¡¯s taken me a while.¡± ¡°Mufufufu, I¡¯m on a date with my master! Are you jealous -?¡± ¡°Muuuu¡­¡­ that¡¯s not fair! If you¡¯re going to play, you¡¯ll have to invite me too!¡± To Neimilia, who says in an agitated tone C¨¦lia stomps her foot on the ground and shows her anger. The maidservant beside her began to panic at the behaviour, which seemed to spoil her elegant dress. An imperial princess and a maid. They were clearly of different statuses, but the tone of voice between Ceilia and Neimilia was clearly uncomfortable. The imperial knight looks dubious at the familiarity of the two girls. In spite of this, C¨¦lia came up to Neimilia unprotected and took her hand. ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay! Neimilia is my friend, so I¡¯ll give her a special pass. More importantly, ¡­¡­ this is goodbye. I¡¯ll miss you.¡± ¡°If you are so lonely, why don¡¯t you stay here?¡¡If you become the master¡¯s wife, you can stay with him forever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to ¡­¡­¡­¡­ that.¡± She seemed to be thinking about it for some reason, but then she noticed the disapproving eyes around her and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m the princess of the Empire. Instead of staying in the Kingdom of Zain, I have to defend the Empire with this sword.¡± She declares this clearly, patting the sword on her hip. Once cursed by Raidorl, the power of the holy sword was sealed, but the fetters had already been removed. Cla¨ªomh Solas responded to it¡¯s master¡¯s voice by sending a crackle of pale thunderbolts from its hilt. ¡°And ¡­¡­ I want to go back to the Empire and refine my sword skills. I¡¯ve been on the losing side since I came here.¡± She was defeated by Raidorl at Blaine Fortress and by Granard in his magic armor at Zain¡¯s Capital. She no longer conceived of herself as a strong woman. She wanted to train herself again. ¡°So,¡­¡­I¡¯m going to get stronger and challenge onii-san to another fight!¡¡Until then, I¡¯m not going to let anyone else beat me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s scary. But I can assure you that I will not lose ¡­¡­.¡± C¨¦lia, who is very assertive. Raidorl replied with a wry smile. ¡°Nn!¡± ¡°Mu..¡± C¨¦lia thrusts out her clenched fist. Raising an eyebrow, Raidorl smashes his own fist into C¨¦lia¡¯s. ¡°I promise¡­¡­I will definitely come back to this country again, stronger!¡¡So make sure you protect this country, Onii-san!¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m the regent of this country.¡± Even when the witches come. When the apostles come. The demons come. And no matter what enemy stands in Raidorl¡¯s way, he will never be defeated. This is something that he had already made up his mind about, without needing C¨¦lia to tell him. ¡°Your Highness ¡­¡­, are you ready?¡± An old man stepped forward from among the knights of the guard, who looked as if they were saying goodbye. General Gracos Barzen of the Imperial Army¡¯s Western Invasion Force. He is an old man who was captured by Neimilia at the Battle of Blaine Fortress and imprisoned as a hostage against C¨¦lia. Having made peace with the Empire, he too was free to go. Behind Barzen is his second-in-command, Dallas Safaris, looking as diligent as ever. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa. So long,¡­.. onii-san, Neimilia. I¡¯ll see you soon!¡± ¡°Aaa, Good luck.¡± ¡°Take care! Next time we see each other, let¡¯s have a ¡®sanpi¡¯ this time, us and the master!¡± (TL:3some. ¡®¤µ¤ó¤Ô©`¡¯) ¡°Let me think about it!¡± C¨¦lia buzzed and waved cheerfully as she disappeared into the carriage. Was it a mistake from Raidorl to see something shining at the corner of C¨¦lia¡¯s eyes? A carriage bearing the national emblem of the Empire began to move slowly forward, with Barzen in the lead, followed by the knights of the guard. The half-year-long stay of the Imperial Princess C¨¦lia Von Althlein had come to an end, and the paths of the two sword-bearers were once again divided. ¡°¡­¡­You were a noisy girl right to the end.¡± ¡°But she was very pretty. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl watched the carriage leave the palace with a strange sense of loss, almost close to loneliness. CH 147 Another farewell Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil It was the same time that C¨¦lia returned to her hometown. The Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, Mertina Marcell, did not see her off, but went to a certain place. By now, Raidorl and C¨¦lia are probably saying their goodbyes. Mertina, who has been living in Raidorl¡¯s house for some time, also has a reasonably close relationship with C¨¦lia. Nevertheless, Mertina didn¡¯t want to interrupt the conversation between Raidorl, C¨¦lia and Neimilia, so she had to say goodbye beforehand. ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here.¡± Mertina got out of the carriage and sighed as she looked up at the building. Dressed in a purple dress of simple design, Mertina stands at the gate of the mansion in her heeled shoes. It was the Marcell House in the noble quarter of the capital ¨C Mertina¡¯s birthplace. ¡°My Lady! You¡¯ve come home!¡± At the entrance to the grounds stood a security man. When he saw Mertina, he looked surprised, opened the gate and let her in. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever come back here, and¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t know I could come back again.¡± Marcell¡¯s house, though larger than the average person¡¯s, was quite small for a house where the Prime Minister lived. The exterior is unadorned, and the house has been designed with the bare essentials in mind, as long as a person can sleep in it. There were only a few trees in the garden, and no flower beds. She never complained to her father, Lockwood, but as a child Mertina was secretly unhappy about it. Mertina was Raidorl¡¯s childhood friend and former fianc¨¦e. However ¨C five years ago, she abandoned Raidorl to be exiled from the royal capital, and even after they met again, she used a curse to restrain Raidorl and was rude to him, so he has completely lost trust in her. Nevertheless ¨C in recent months, she has been able to regain some credibility for her work in coordinating the efforts of noblemen and royal court officials to make Raidorl king. She is now allowed to walk freely in the Royal Capital and to return to her birthplace in this way. ¡°But ¡­¡­ that¡¯s probably because of the collar.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± As Mertina slowly stroked her lower abdomen, she felt a sweet numbness deep within her body, as if it were tightening. Mertina¡¯s body has been cursed by Neimilia in a number of ways. The majority of these curses are sexual in nature. It¡¯s all about the obscene effects that can arouse lust. Although she has only recently become accustomed to the sexual pleasures the curse provides, her body and mind have long since succumbed to it. Mertina, who once betrayed Raidorl for the sake of her country, for the sake of her king¡­¡­can no longer dream of doing so. In the chains of pleasure, Mertina has lost all sense of purpose except to serve Raidorl with her life. ¡°Still, thanks to¡­¡­ Raidorl becoming King¡­¡­No, Regent, I can now serve the Kingdom of Zain without betraying it. The path I have chosen coincides with the loyalty of the House of Marcell. This is a joyous occasion.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Perhaps my father called me out on it too.¡± Mertina¡¯s first visit to the Marcell House in many years was at the behest of her father, Lockwood Marcell. The Prime Minister ¨C Lockwood Marcell ¨C is so loyal to King Granard that he even exiled Raidorl to protect Granard¡¯s throne. He is supposed to be hated by Raidorl for this, but during the recent battle at the palace, he invited Raidorl into the palace to rescue the hostages. He even manipulated information to prevent confusion from spreading among the people. Lockwood¡¯s position is a delicate one, the result of having been turned from older brother king to another the younger brother king. Although he has not been stripped of his position as Prime Minister, he is not trusted as a bat. The nobles, who had switched to Raidorl at an early stage, looked upon him with suspicion. ¡°The only difference between¡­¡­early and late would be that both would be traitors. It¡¯s silly.¡± Sighing inwardly, Mertina steps into the house. ¡°My Lady! Welcome back!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Theresa.¡± The woman who greeted her at the door was a housemaid who had been in the Marcell family since before Mertina was born. Theresa, who is a well-built woman of advanced years, embraces Mertina with her large body. ¡°Ah!¡¡Thank goodness, my lady!¡¡I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back ¡­¡­! Theresa here has been praying for your safety every day!¡± ¡°Aa¡­¡­! Thank you so much. Theresa.¡± Mertina managed to squeeze out a few words, choking on the force of the embrace. But Theresa, her eyes full of tears, still tightens her hands and squeezes the young lady with her full body. ¡°My lady, my lady! You¡¯re safe. ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, Theresa, that¡¯s enough ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be crushed.¡± Feeling her life was in danger, Mertina managed to escape Theresa¡¯s embrace. Mertina puts her hand on her chest, breathes hard, and asks Theresa. ¡°Oh, where is father? I¡¯ve been called here today¡­¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Master, he¡¯s upstairs in his study. Lady Mertina is coming home today, so no one is going upstairs.¡± ¡°Very well, then, I will go and see her.¡± If Mertina stays here with Theresa, she might end up like a frog strangled by a snake. Mertina tried to walk quickly to the stairs. ¡°Ah! Miss, please wait! It¡¯s the Master¡­¡­.There¡¯s something a little strange going on.¡± Mertina is about to ascend the stairs. Theresa says to her in a panic voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that all the servants, except myself and the gatekeeper, are suddenly absent. ¡­¡­ Today, too, they have been locked in their rooms since morning, and they don¡¯t want to eat. There is not a sound from upstairs, and I would like to go and see what is the matter, but I am under orders not to come up. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, I¡¯m worried and concerned¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I understand. Please let me take care of my father.¡± Mertina leaves it at that, and goes up the stairs. At this point, Mertina had a hunch in her mind. It is something that is hard for her to accept, but at the same time, it is something that sits naturally in the back of her mind. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± The closer she gets to the study, the stronger her premonition becomes. As she stands in front of the room, a foul smell pervades her nose from behind the closed door. ¡°¡­.Father, it¡¯s Mertina. I¡¯m coming in.¡± At first Mertina bangs on the door and then knocks. But ¨C of course ¨C there is no answer from inside. When Mertina turned the doorknob, it was unlocked. ¡°¡­¡­ Father, are you not here?¡± Mertina opens the door. The smell is so strong that the contents of her stomach rise up into her throat. ¡°Father¡­¡­?¡± She looked into the room and¡­¡­there, indeed, was Lockwood Marcell. He was sitting in his chair, as he always did when Mertina lived in the house. But¨C ¡°¡­¡­ So, it¡¯s come to this, Father.¡± A small trickle of water sounded, shaking Mertina¡¯s eardrums. A puddle of water had formed on the floor. The bright red water was spreading over the floor. The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Zain, Lockwood Marcell. The man who had been Granard¡¯s confidant had died in a chair, bleeding from his abdomen. CH 148 A Vassal of Loyalty and Reputation Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Father¡­¡­¡± Mertina gasped at the horrible scene in the study, but stepped into the room undisturbed. Lockwood Marcell sat on a chair in his study, gasping for breath, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. In his hand was a dagger, the tip of which had sliced through his abdomen. His abdomen had been ripped open and was bleeding profusely, running down the legs of the chair and creating a pool of blood on the floor. Obviously it was a suicide. Lockwood Marcell had chosen death of his own free will. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Mertina looked away from the piece of guts protruding from the wound in his abdomen and turned her gaze to the desk in front of Lockwood. On it lay a sheet of paper and a brass key. On the surface of the paper, carefully written in ink, were evenly spaced letters. ¡°Is this a ¡­¡­ will or a suicide note¡­¡­¡± Mertina gently took the paper and followed the text with her eyes. It was written in such a simple manner that it did not seem like it was written by someone who was going to die. First, it describes Lockwood¡¯s reasons for choosing death. His motive was to apologise for banishing Raidorl. He also wanted to take responsibility for what Granard had done. After swearing allegiance to Granard and plotting with him to oppress Raidorl, he felt that he could not survive under Raidorl¡¯s reign alone. The remainder of the letter was purely business ¨C the handing over of his duties as Prime Minister and the inheritance of his property. It was typical of the diligent and earnest Lockwood. Mertina, who knew her father¡¯s character well, forgot the situation and almost laughed at the sentence. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have written something more ¡­¡­ until the very end?¡± The annoying thing is that there is not a single message for her daughter, Mertina, in his will. Mertina has no brothers or sisters, and her mother died when she was very young. She was the only child of her parents, but this was not the right way to treat her. ¡°It¡¯s a bit late for that now, but ¡­¡­ in the end, was I just a useful pawn for my father? ¡­¡­¡± When she was sent to the pioneer city, Mertina was already cut off from her father. Since she was taken prisoner by Raidorl, they have not spoken, or even exchanged a single letter. They were never father and daughter from the start ¨C Mertina knew that. But that didn¡¯t stop a feeling of emptiness coming over her. The House of Marcell has been a loyal family in the service of the Crown since the foundation of the country. They have been willing to give their lives and their families if necessary to serve their country and their royal family. Mertina¡¯s father was a martyr for it. Just as he was forced to do by his father and grandfather, he did it to his daughter. ¡°¡­¡­ he really can¡¯t help it. Couldn¡¯t he have lived with a little more dexterity?¡± And it¡¯s the same for Mertina. They may have been separated, but they were still father and daughter. Taking a small breath, Mertina picked up the key next to the will. She walked to a corner of the office and peeled off a piece of wallboard with her hand. Underneath the wallboard, embedded in the wall, was a safe. It is a vault in which important documents of the Marcell family are kept. The only person who knows of its existence, apart from Lockwood, is Mertina. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± When she opens the safe, she will find countless documents in it. Documents relating to the business of the Prime Minister. The title deeds to the property of the Marcell family. Drafts and budget estimates for the reform of the state administration. Information and evidence on the injustices of the rival noble families. The vaults were filled with a miscellany of documents that were worth their weight in gold to the right person. ¡°I¡¯ll have to report this to Master Raidorl. It will be necessary for him, as Regent, to take charge of the affairs of state. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Eh?¡± Mertina¡¯s brow furrowed. Buried amongst the many documents was something wrapped in linen. Mertina took it out and opened the linen, revealing a dull silver pendant. ¡°This is, by any chance, my mother¡¯s ¡­..¡± Suddenly, there was something that tugged at the heartstrings of Mertina¡¯s memory. Mertina knows about this pendant. In her childhood memories, she remembers that it was displayed on her mother¡¯s chest. If Mertina¡¯s memory serves her right ¨C it was sent to her by her father when he married her, as her mother told her. It would be uncharacteristic of Lockwood to keep a memento in a safe for the rest of his life. ¡°I guess that means father had a few human feelings¡­¡­¡± Mertina laughed and put the pendant around her neck. The head of the family, Lockwood, has committed suicide and his successor, Mertina, is a slave to Raidorl as a sinner. The history of the House of Marcell, which has continued since its foundation, may now be at an end. ¡°Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Zain will continue under the Regent Raidorl . I can continue to be loyal to him.¡± Despite almost everything has disappeared, there¡¯s one thing that has been left behind. The proof and it¡¯s existence that the House of Marcell, the House of Loyalty, hangs on Mertina¡¯s chest. ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡­¡­Please have a good rest¡± Mertina clutched the pendant that had belonged to her father and mother, and closed her eyes to pray for Lockwood¡¯s soul. (TL RANT: HA! You delete your comments from NU? Despite you wrote shit more about this novel and the author, you¡¯re still reading this. Next time, just stay quiet if you don¡¯t have anything good to say. You didn¡¯t read the raws and gave early judgement. I saw your comments wait back during chp 40+ and check your profile, you really like to talk shit huh? If dislike that much of a novel stop reading and make your own novel) P.S. 4 new chp coming soon, editor is a little bit busy, probably tomorrow I¡¯ll post it. CH 149 C¨¦lia Von Althlein had left the kingdom, and Lockwood Marcell had followed Granard in taking his own life. Meanwhile ¨C in the Alsatian Empire, the dominant power in the middle of the continent, a disturbance is brewing. Four women are gathered in a room at the back of the royal castle in the centre of the imperial capital. The large room, normally used as a salon, is furnished with many fine pieces of furniture, and the walls are decorated with paintings by court painters. The ladies were all dressed in fine silk dresses of the highest quality. The ornaments they wore were of a flamboyant design, glittering. At first glance, the women seemed to be of respectable status. Some are sitting in chairs sipping tea, others are standing at the window looking out over the castle, waiting for the man who has summoned them. After a while, from outside the room they hear someone running down the corridor. It was a noisy sound, unsuitable for a royal castle where the royal family lived. Eventually, the door was thrown open with great force and a large man burst into the room. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, my little girls!¡± The man who appeared was large and richly dressed was the emperor, Zacharias Von Althlein, lord of the castle and monarch of the Empire. On his back, he carried a large sword as tall as he. It was Durandal, the holy sword of fire and Zacharias was not dressed for a visit to the salon. ¡°Mmmmmmm! What a glorious sight to see all the splendours of the Empire together!¡¡It is so bright that it burns the eyes!¡± ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s good to see you looking as well as ever. Father.¡± Zacharias praises the women while laughing, ¡°Fuhahaha¡±. The name of the woman who called the Emperor her father is Mariastella Rin Althlein. She is the first lady of the Empire, the first of the imperial princesses, the top of all imperial women except the empress. She is 25 years old and wears an immaculate white dress and her silver hair flows down her back in gentle waves. Her hair is as silver as a snowfield reflecting the moonlight. Mariastella is of the bloodline of the Goldcross Divine Empire in the north of the continent. She has perfected her beauty. A body composed of the golden ratio. Her beauty is like that of a goddess of beauty, and her translucent white skin seems to shine in the sunlight that shines through the window. (¥Þ¥ê¥¢¥¹¥Æ¥é?¥ê¥£¥ó?¥¢¥ë¥¹¥é¥¤¥ó) Mariastella rises from her chair, pinches the hem of her dress with a beautiful gesture of courtesy. She bows to her father, and the other women rise to follow her. ¡°¡¯Good day to you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to see you again after all these years, my dear princesses!¡± In this room are gathered the imperial princesses, led by Mariastella. Known for his love of warfare and colour at the same time, Zacharias had a thousand wives in his rear court and had more than a hundred children. The four women here were among those whose mothers were of high status and who held important positions in the royal family. ¡°Well now,¡­¡­ I¡¯ve asked you all to gather here for one reason and one reason only! Today I want one of you to marry into another country!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s very hasty of you. I¡¯d like to know what¡¯s going on before I agree.¡± Among the four sisters, Mariastella likes her father the most. It is a bad habit of Zacharias to make unpredictable suggestions without warning. It¡¯s a quick and decisive move, but it¡¯s a nuisance to those around him who have to deal with it. Mariastella puts her hand on her cheek and sighs languidly. The beauty of the princess makes even the most casual of gestures look like a painting, and if a young man were here he would be captivated by her grace. Fortunately, Zacharias is the only other man in the room, so there is no need for the joke that often occurs in the Empire when a man becomes so enamoured of a beautiful princess that he is unable to work or eat. ¡°So,¡­¡­Who will we marry?¡¡Will we marry a powerful man from another country, or a vassal who has done good to us?¡± ¡°Oou, That¡¯s right. We are dealing with royalty.¡± In response to Mariastella¡¯s question, Zacharias puffed out his chest, somehow proud of himself. CH 150 ¡°Raidorl Zain¡­¡­¡± Mariastella repeated the name in a sighing tone. It¡¯s a name she¡¯s been hearing a lot for the past few months. A tragic prince who was born as the younger brother of King Granard of Zain, and was banished to the frontier for some reason. In the last war, he was the hero who defeated the invading army of the west of the empire with the holy sword D¨¢insleif in his hand and brought victory to the kingdom of Zain. He is also an enemy of Mariastella¡¯s half-sister, C¨¦lia Von Althlein, who is being held as a prisoner of war. ¡°Aaa, don¡¯t worry about C¨¦lia.¡± Zacharias reassured Mariastella with a wave of his hand from side to side. ¡°We have already made peace with the Kingdom of Zain. It¡¯s not a complete vassal state but we obtain a reliable ally. They¡¯ve also released C¨¦lia. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s on her way to the Empire by now¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­that¡¯s good to hear.¡± Mariastella is relieved. As the first princess, Mariastella is responsible for organising the other princesses, and C¨¦lia is her little sister. When C¨¦lia lost the war and was taken prisoner, she was worried for her safety. ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­ C¨¦lia, she¡¯s safe. Isn¡¯t that great?¡± In contrast to Mariastella¡¯s relief, a third voice interrupts her, sounding somewhat bored. The owner of the voice is a woman who is sitting on a soft sofa with her cheek resting on the table. Her golden hair is rolled vertically, and she looks vaguely similar to C¨¦lia. She has a slender body and wears an elaborate pink dress with jeweled ornaments all over. The name of the woman, who was dressed in the most luxurious way possible for an imperial princess, was Beatrice von Althlein. She was the older sister of C¨¦lia, who shared her mother with her. Beatrice¡¯s face is gracefully elevated by a fan made of peacock feathers, and her pouting lips show no sign of joy at her sister¡¯s safety. ¡°I don¡¯t care about her. What kind of a man is this Raidorl? I would marry him if he was good-looking and rich, and if he loved only me and let me live in luxury.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not bad to look at, but¡­¡­he¡¯s got a womanizing streak. As the saying goes, even heroes have trouble overcoming the hurdle that is beautiful members of the opposite sex.¡± ¡°Oh, well, I¡¯ll pass then.¡± Beatrice hides her face with her fan and turns her head in the direction of the day after tomorrow, as if the conversation is over. Mariastella¡¯s eyes narrow at her sister¡¯s disrespect for the emperor, but Zacharias is unconcerned and turns to the other princess: ¡°Well, that¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°How about you, Eician?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± The person asked is a young woman in her late teens. She has flaming red hair that runs down her back and, in contrast to Beatrice, she wears a simple dress with few ornaments. Her dignified face makes her look like a thin man dressed as a woman ¨C her name is Eician Von Althlein. She is the daughter of the legitimate queen of Zacharias, an imperial princess who would have stood higher than Mariastella if only by her mother¡¯s status. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Standing at the window, Eician slowly opens her mouth after a long silence. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should go¡­¡­I am not a very strong woman. If I were to marry in an unfamiliar place, I would soon fall ill and cause trouble for my husband-to-be.¡± ¡°Mmmm ¡­¡­, is that so? I think the Kingdom of Zain is warmer and better for you than here.¡± ¡°No¡­¡­. It is too much for a weak girl like me to marry the holder of the Holy Sword. A weak girl like me is not strong enough to support the one who will become a hero. Please choose someone else¡± Despite the plausibility of her reasoning,¡­¡­Eician¡¯s face is plastered with a cold disgust. The way Eician looked at Zacharias was not the way a daughter would have looked at his father. It was as if she was looking at a scorpion. This is because from the bottom of her heart Eician hates her father, Zacharias, and the legendary weapon that is the Holy Sword. Eician had a brother who shared her mother. His brother¡¯s name was Gilbert Von Althlein . He was the first prince of the Empire of Alsatian, but was killed in an unsuccessful coup d¡¯etat against Zacharias when he was about to be removed from the throne. Eician has a deep affection for her brother and an extraordinary hatred for his father, who murdered him. And ¨C ¡°If you hate the priest, you hate the vestments¡±. Her hatred for Zacharias, the owner of the Durandal sword, extended to other sword holders as well. She had never met this Raidorl in person, but to be married to the same sword-bearer as his father was something that Eician could not forgive even in death. ¡°I see, you don¡¯t like it either, do you?¡± The look from his daughter was clearly hatred and murderous intent, but Zacharias stroked his chin with an indifferent face. ¡°Then¡­¡­ Carolia. What about you?¡± ¡°Aa, you mean me? I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t! Absolutely not!!¡± It was a girl in her mid-teens with brown hair tied back behind her head who rejected her father¡¯s advances with a wave of her hands. Carolia Steer Althlein. She is the daughter of a concubine who married from a vassal state, and is the youngest of the four princesses present. ¡°I can¡¯t ¡­..marry a prince from another country who holds a holy sword. ¡­¡­ I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I¡¯m so nervous my heart will stop.¡± ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­ right. I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s fine.¡± Seeing his daughter like a small animal with a predator staring at her, Zacharias did not ask for more. After being rejected by three daughters in a row, he shrugged his shoulders in annoyance. ¡°Oioi, Raidorl may be the young royal brother, but he has the capacity to eventually become the king of Zain. In other words, the woman who will be his consort is the future queen. You don¡¯t have to be so cruel to him!¡± Zacharias looks at Beatrice, Eician and Carolia in turn, but¡­..the three girls casually avert their gaze. In the first place, the Alsatian Empire is the largest on the continent. If you are a member of its royal family, even if you are the youngest, you will have a much richer life than the royalty of other countries. There is no merit in marrying into a country of lower rank and becoming queen. Of course ¨C if Zacharias, as emperor, gave the order, they could not refuse it. However, the princess knows that the belligerent and ruthless emperor has a strangely human and sweet disposition when not involved in battle. They knew that Zacharias would not force his daughter to marry a man she did not like. CH 151 ¡°Hmmm, this is a tough one. There are other daughters out there, but ¡­¡­¡± Rejected by his three daughters, Zacharias became annoyed. As emperor, Zacharias had many daughters. If one includes the daughters born to noblemen and commoners, the total number of daughters could reach forty. But ¡­¡­among them must be close in age to Raidorl and unmarried. In addition, there are only four people in this room who have the ¡°rank¡± to match Raidorl, whose mother has a high status and will eventually become the king of the Kingdom of Zain. If he were to marry a girl of lesser rank, it would give the impression that Zacharias was disrespecting Raidorl. If he were dealing with a bunch of random tribesmen or colonial lords, that would be fine, but Raidorl is the holder of the Holy Sword. Zacharias foresaw that he would eventually rival him, and he did not wish to be neglected. ¡°¡­¡­ Father. Why do you skip me and proceed with the three of them?¡± Mariastella, who had been left out of the conversation, spoke to her father, who was lost in thought. Mariastella smiled serenely, but her voice had a quiet intensity to it, and she carried behind her an aura of anger like a lioness whose territory has been ravaged. ¡°As for the unmarried princess, so am I. Then why don¡¯t you turn to me, the oldest of them all? Why is it that I am not mentioned?¡± ¡°Hmm? No,because¡­¡­I¡¯m not going to marry you off.¡± ¡°HM??¡± Mariastella raises her eyebrows in response to the words that were spoken as a matter of course. ¡°Then why did you call me? You made me hope that the time had come for me to get married!¡± Mariastella Rin Althlein is twenty-five years old. When you consider that the ideal age for marriage in the empire is around 20, it¡¯s almost time to be called a ¡°late bride¡±. Her sisters of the same age were already married off to vassals, noblemen and other powerful men, and Mariastella was more sensitive to the word ¡®marriage¡¯ than anyone else. ¡°Oi,oi¡­ I¡¯ve invited you here, only to ask your opinion as the first princess. As a ¡®saint¡¯, you are the country¡¯s best asset. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you marry into another country.¡± ¡°¡­..!!!¡± Mariastella¡¯s shapely lips pursed. The reason why Mariastella, the first and eldest of the princesses, is still unmarried is because she has the special title of ¡°saint¡±. A saint is a title given to a woman who has mastered the ¡°divine arts¡± handed down in the northern religious state of Gold Cross. The Divine Art is an ancient form of magic that was severed by the Great Calamity three hundred years ago, and is particularly effective against demons. Its power to create wards to keep demons away, and to purify poison and curses from demons is extremely rare, and it was the Empire¡¯s second trump card after the three holy swords. The reason why the Alsatian Empire, which aims to conquer the continent, has formed an alliance with the God of the North with them having a tradition of the divine arts. Mariastella¡¯s mother was married from the God¡¯s Own Country and that is why she was also able to master the divine art. There is one part of this divine art that is very difficult to handle. It means that it can only be used on a person with a ¡®clean body¡¯. In other words, divine art can only be used by virgins. Mariastella¡¯s vows of chastity and abstinence from fornication were very powerful, and were essential for the Empire in its fight against witchcraft. For this reason, even now, at the age of twenty-five, Mariastella is not allowed to marry, and has remained single, whether she wants to or not. ¡°So¡­¡­ again I missed a marriage¡­¡­¡± Mariastella took a step or two backwards, a look of shocked despair on her face. She collapsed onto the sofa and turned her face down with a crestfallen look on her face. She looked as if she had been burned out, like a fighter who had just finished a long, hard fight. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m a late bride anyway. I¡¯ll be thirty in five years. In fifteen years I will be forty. After twenty-five years, I¡¯ll be¡­¡­ ughuuuuu!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..ahm,well, aside from Mariastella, if you¡¯re going to marry the prince of Zain, I think you should go for C¨¦lia.¡± Beatrice looked away from Mariastella, who was mumbling to herself with her face turned down. Beatrice makes this suggestion awkwardly. Whatever it is, just get it over with ¨C Beatrice¡¯s face showed her inner thoughts. ¡°She¡¯s been in Zain for half a year, hasn¡¯t she? Isn¡¯t it about time she got used to the water there?¡± ¡°Oi,oi,oi¡­¡­C¨¦lia is the holder of the Holy Sword, okay? She¡¯s the one we can¡¯t give up to Zain.¡± ¡°Ara? I don¡¯t think so. I forgot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­She¡¯s your sister. You should pay a little more attention to her.¡± Zacharias said dismissively. Beatrice is a half-sister to C¨¦lia and should be closer to her than anyone else. But Beatrice is interested only in beautiful boys, gold, silver and jewels. She has never felt any affection for her sister. She is a stark contrast to C¨¦lia, who is innocent and kind-hearted, and their similarities in facial features make the difference in personality all the more striking. The three princesses. Mariastella, who is a saint, and C¨¦lia, who is the holder of the Holy Sword. All the women in the royal family of Alsatian who could match with Raidorl were wiped out. There are no other women who could be used in a political marriage. ¡°Should I try to find someone of a lower rank? Or, less pleasantly, to order as ¡­¡­ emperor..¡± Zacharias pondered with a difficult expression. When it came to war, he could push through most things by force, but family relationships were not so easy. The most powerful of emperors could also be nothing more than a father at home. ¡°¡­¡­ is a no-brainer. I¡¯ll have to consider this one again.¡± ¡°Aye, wait for me!¡± ¡°Mmmm?¡± Zacharias wanted to end the conversation, but ¡­¡­ suddenly, he was interrupted. A salon with the emperor and four princesses. And then a new intruder appears. ¡°The Empire has a mistress! The real deal is here!¡± With an arrogant, strangely theatrical tone, the intruder threw open the window from the outside and burst into the room. Carolia, who was standing by the window, screamed ¡®Hyaaaaaaa¡¯ and fell on her buttocks. What appeared was a girl with a strange appearance. Her hair was emerald green and translucent. Her skin was pearly white and smooth as an egg. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and as clear as day. She wears a white bikini with a top and bottom that looks like underwear, and a very colourful gown that she wears like a cape. It was a very revealing outfit for a young lady of her age. The girl¡¯s appearance and dress were very striking, but what made her even more unusual was the fact that both of her ears were long and pointed. The girl who jumped in through the window had physical characteristics similar to those of a sub-race of people known as elves. CH 152 ¡°Don¡¯t ¡­¡­ come in through the window, Alex!¡± Mariastella, who had been disheartened by the unusual situation of a girl jumping in through the window, reacted with a sense of urgency. The girl called ¡°Rainbow Alex¡± is scolded with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Very well, sister. It is your fault that you are talking about such important matters without the mistress in the first place. I¡¯ve heard what you said through the window.¡± ¡°Through the window? ¡­¡­You mean you were stuck to the wall?¡± This is the third floor of the royal castle. If she falls down, she might be able to get hurt, but Alex is not afraid to show her chest. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s easy for a mistress to do. Thanks to you, I know all the details!¡± Alex laughed proudly. The fact that she was so unconcerned left Mariastella speechless with dismay. The girl who appeared from the way she spoke was one of the Imperial Princesses, but her behaviour was a bit rough. ¡°Uwaaa¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Beatrice casually moves her chair away from Alex with a blatant look of withdrawal. Eician also stands up silently and moves to the wall. ¡°A,awaaaaaaa¡± Startled by the intruder through the window, Carolia was on her buttocks, teary-eyed, and crawled away with her hands to the corner of the room. The way she moves around on all four legs, it¡¯s hard to believe she¡¯s a woman of noble blood,¡­¡­,but there¡¯s no one in the room to blame her. Everyone in the room was well aware of the dangers of getting involved with Alex, a girl who looked a lot like an elf. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Alex Rainmakina Amaltu Alsatian is the daughter of an elven princess who married from the ¡°subhuman countries¡± to the south of the Empire. (TL:Yes, that¡¯s her full name, ¥¢¥ë¥¯¥¹?¥é¥¤¥ó¥Þ¥­¥Ê?¥¢¥Þ¥ë¥È¥¥?¥¢¥ë¥¹¥é¥¤¥ó) The ¡°Subhuman Nations¡± were a confederation of several subhuman nations, including beastmen, elves, dwarves, hobbits, giants and many other races. Although the Empire is now engaged in bloody wars with the sub-human nations, before Zacharias came to the throne, the previous emperors, who did not like war, had a moderate diplomatic policy. Zacharias, who was crown prince at the time, married Alex¡¯s mother in order to alleviate the friction between the two countries peacefully by establishing a relationship of kinship. The acceptance of the princess as his wife was the beginning of a friendly relationship between the Elven Kingdom of Amartu and the Empire. Without war, hostilities with the sub-human nations seemed to be over. However, the honeymoon between the two countries did not last long. One of the sub-human nations, the Kingdom of Marduk, a nation of werewolves and beastmen, waged war against the Empire because of the slave-hunting of its own people. Amartu was caught between the Alsatian Empire, where his daughter-in-law was married, and the Marduk Kingdom, a subhuman nation that was an ally. In the end, Amartu chose to break his friendship with the Empire and join the Marduk Kingdom. Having lost her position due to the betrayal of her country, Alex¡¯s mother chose to take her own life to take responsibility for her newborn daughter¡¯s plea for her life in a letter. As a result Alex was raised in the Empire as a motherless princess, the daughter of an enemy subhuman nation. When a human and a subhuman have a child, the child often inherits the characteristics of its father if it is a boy, or its mother if it is a girl. Alex was born a girl and inherited the traits of the elven race, making her a hated child in the Empire. As the daughter of the Emperor, she was not overtly persecuted,¡­¡­but her position was like a needle in a haystack. By all accounts, the Imperial Princess Alex lives under a less fortunate star. But¡­¡­fortunately or unfortunately, she is not a tragic heroine. Her character was unbelievably strong. In her eighteen years of life, Alex has caused many problems. For example ¨C when reading a grimoire in the library, she accidentally triggered a spell and caused a blunder. Then, when she fought a knight of the Kingsguard in swordplay training, she beat him to a pulp with a cowardly method of blinding him. In addition, when she heard a maid speaking ill of her, she retaliated by planting snakes and poisonous insects in her bed. Last but not least, when a noble boy insulted her by calling him a ¡°child of dirty blood¡± she would hang him upside down from a tree and splash him with pig¡¯s blood from a vat. Then she would laugh loudly. (TL:I like this tomboy elf) In appearance she resembled her dainty elf mother, but inside she was more like Zacharias. Her behaviour was unpredictable, fierce and belligerent, and she had developed a personality that would use any means to hunt down those she considered his enemies. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Well,¡­¡­father, I ask you why you are talking about the important subject of marriage with a neighbouring country while excluding your mistress.¡± Alex burst into the room and confronted Zacharias, questioning him. ¡°The prince Raidorl and I are the same age. My mother is an Elven princess, so we should be of equal status. And yet you have excluded me from your political marriage. You do not despise me for being the daughter of an elf, do you!?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ How dare you not say hello? Alex.¡± Zacharias chuckles and scratches his head in distress. Surprisingly, Zacharias had a weakness for daughters with a similar personality to his own. Whether it is a feeling of bitterness, or is it remorse for having, for whatever reason, driven her mother to commit suicide? Zacharias himself is not sure. In any case, even the ever-victorious emperor was put to shame by Alex¡¯s uncharacteristically wild behavior. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re so angry¡­¡­.You¡¯re not interested in marriage, are you?¡± ¡°I have no interest in marriage! But¡­¡­I¡¯m also an Imperial princess. It would be unforgivable for me to miss the opportunity to serve my country where I was born and raised! The fact that my beloved mother¡¯s blood is underestimated, that [an Elven girl is no more than a tool in a political marriage], makes me sick to my stomach!¡± ¡°In other words, you don¡¯t mind if I marry you¡­..to Raidorl? It is strange for me to say this, but the Kingdom of Zain is a former enemy. It¡¯s not always going to be comfortable.¡± ¡°HAHA!¡± When Zacharias asks, Alex turns her slender body and smiles ferociously. ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what¡¯s happening now!?¡¡Father, do you think that this country is a comfortable place for me?¡± ¡°Mu¡­.¡± Zacharias is unconsciously convinced by his daughter¡¯s rebuttal. The Alsatian Empire was still at war with the sub-human nations, and there were few who would side with the Elven-blooded Alex. The fact that Alex grew up to be stronger than she needed to be may have been a means of self-preservation in order to survive in an environment full of enemies. In the western part of the continent, where the Kingdom of Zain is located, the number of sub-humans is small. The lack of familiarity with the unknown race of sub-humans meant that the discrimination were also rare. ¡°Maybe it would be better for this girl if she married into the Kingdom of Zain. I don¡¯t know what Raidorl thinks of subhumans, but ¡­¡­ he¡¯s not the kind of guy who would abuse his own wife.¡± It was only for a short time that Zacharias conversed with Raidorl. The emperor felt almost sympathy for his future neighbour¡¯s son in law. Raidorl Zain is a man of the same as Zacharias. He is a man who distinguishes between friend and foe. He is the kind of man who can be merciless with his enemies and generous with his allies. That man might be able to accept Alex, who has elven blood. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Zacharius looks down from above into the eyes of his daughter, who is staring at him with a challenging look. Alex is an elf, a race that is discriminated against in the Empire, but she is still the daughter of Zacharius¡¯ blood. He didn¡¯t want her to be unhappy. If marrying into the Kingdom of Zain is in Alex¡¯s best interest, he should be happy to send her there. But¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll answer your question. You asked me why I didn¡¯t invite you here.¡± ¡°Mu¡­¡­I did ask you, didn¡¯t I¡± Alex raised her eyebrows suspiciously at her father¡¯s sudden return to the subject. ¡°YareYare,¡± Sighing at her curious look, Zacharias stroked her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t call you here because¡­¡­ you¡¯re still a child.¡± Alex was eighteen years old this year,¡­¡­, but she was only about the height of the emperor¡¯s waist. She is too small for her age and her flat, uneven body does not look like a woman of marriageable age. The reason why Zacharias did not invite Alx to this room was not because he disliked her as the daughter of an elf. It was only because she looked like a child that he naturally excluded her as a candidate for political marriage. ¡°¡­..Elves are slow growers, aren¡¯t they? Come on, you¡¯ve got to realise that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. It doesn¡¯t matter if you are small, as long as you can bear children. Last week the moon came, so there¡¯s no problem in conceiving, is there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ That¡¯s, well.. congratulations. I¡¯ll tell the chef to serve a cake tonight.¡± As he stroked the head of his daughter, who looked no more than ten years old, Zacharias let out a sigh with an indescribably subtle look on his face. He was refused by his other daughters who met his requirements. If he sends his daughter who doesn¡¯t want to go, he will only make her uncomfortable because of Raidorl¡¯s character. It would not be a wedge that would hold together the young king and his daughter. In some respect, Zacharias is very grateful that Alex is willing to do that¡­But will Raidorl like the idea of a princess who looks like a child? ¡°If he likes it¡­..That¡¯s not going to be funny. The man who is to become my son has a taste for little girls, which is deeply unpleasant.¡± The holder of the most powerful holy sword on earth, Zacharias Von Althlein, shook his head slowly as he thought of the face of the man who might become his son in law. CH 153 Half a month after Raidorl became regent and the death of the prime minister, Lockwood Marcell, was announced. The main nobles of the kingdom of Zain are gathered in the royal palace, where the scars of the last battle have been repaired. This was the first time that a large gathering had been held since the current king, Granard, had gone into hiding due to illness and Raidorl had taken centre stage in the affairs of state. The faces of the nobles lined up in front of the throne were more anxious than expectant. ¡°His Majesty the King is ill and Lord Marcell is dead. ¡­¡­What will become of this country?¡± ¡°His Royal Highness Raidorl is a hero chosen by the Holy Sword¡­¡­but can a man who has spent all his life on the frontier rebuild his country?¡± ¡°Who, moreover, is to succeed Lord Marcell? Are we gathered here to discuss that, by any chance?¡± With no sign of Raidorl in the throne room. The noblemen, taking advantage of the absence of their lord¡¯s eyes, were saying what they wanted. ¡°Hmm, it is a pity that Lord Marcell has had such misfortune. But¡­¡­it is at times like this that we must unite.¡± ¡°You are ¡­¡­ the Marquis Rhodis!¡± It was a big, burly man of mature years who beamed with pride at the anxious nobles. He was dressed in the most extravagant attire of all the noblemen, and wore a carefully groomed wig of curly hair on his head. The man¡¯s name is the Marquis Crowley Rhodis He is a great nobleman who has a fiefdom in the northern part of the Kingdom of Zain ¨C the coastal area facing the North Sea. The Marquesses of Rhodis, who own the port town, control the largest trading port in the Kingdom of Zain, ¡°Raddockhorn¡± They have built up an enormous fortune through trade with the Kingdom of Aterna in the west and the God Emperor¡¯s Kingdom in the north, and their financial strength is something that even the royal family could not ignore. ¡°Lockwood Marcell was, without doubt, a great Prime Minister. For the sake of that man who sacrificed his life for the survival of the nation, we must support the reign of His Highness Prince Raidorl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The noblemen around him wince at Rhodis¡¯s boastful words. On the face of it, Rhodis was acting as if he was mourning Lockwood¡¯s death, but everyone present knew that this was only a formality. Rhodis had once tried to deprive Lockwood of the office of Prime Minister and had even attempted to assassinate him. Although he was never caught for lack of evidence, it is an open secret that he resented Lockwood for the failed assassination attempt which led to his removal from his position at court. There was no sadness in Rhodis¡¯s face as he grieved over Lockwood¡¯s death. He was smiling, as if the chance he had been waiting for had finally come. ¡°I wonder who will succeed him as Prime Minister ¡­¡­.How many of the noblemen in this country have the power and insight to do so?¡± Rhodis smiles happily. The man does not doubt that he will be the heir to the position of Prime Minister. In fact, of all the noblemen gathered here, Rhodis is the most powerful. Whether he had the character to take up a responsible position was highly questionable, but he could silence most of them with a few bribes, using the wealth he had amassed through trade. ¡°Spring has finally come!¡¡Marcell, you¡¯re finally dead!¡± Rhodis cheered from the pit of his stomach, bobbing his flabby body up and down. ¡°His Royal Highness Raydor is a hero without equal. But¡­¡­he¡¯s just a boar warrior from the countryside. He can¡¯t run a country!¡¡A chosen and noble man like me should be the ruler and run the country instead!¡± As a great aristocrat, Rhodis had an inflated sense of self-worth and a lust for power. Whereas Lockwood was a loyal aristocrat, Rhodis was all about power and lining his own pockets. He had no respect or loyalty to the House of Zain. His bottomless appetite had grown to such a monstrous size that he could no longer be satisfied with the position of ¡®Marquess¡¯. ¡°This time, I will take the position of Prime Minister!¡¡And with His Highness Reidol as the puppet regent, I will be the one to stand on top of the Kingdom of Zain!¡± ¡°His Highness Prince Raidorl is here!¡¡Kneel down, all of you!¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± At the entrance to the throne room, the knight raised his voice. All the nobles in the procession fell to their knees and bowed their heads. Rhodis followed suit. The door is thrown wide open and a young man dashes in. The man in the regal attire was the regent and brother of the King of Zain, Raidorl Zain. Accompanied by several attendants, he walked through the centre of the throne room, his shoulders slapping the wind. His regal bearing is a dignity befitting a monarch. ¡°Muu ¡­ this is ¡­¡± Rhodis frowned inwardly as he sneaked a glance at Raidorl, who strode majestically through the room. Since the beginning of the war with the Empire, Rhodis has been holed up in his domain for his own protection,dodging requests for reinforcements and funds from the Crown and working in the dark to ensure his own survival. So this was the first time he had seen Raidorl return from the frontier city. After spending five years in the frontier city, Raidorl had grown stronger and more imposing than Rhodis had imagined. ¡°This can be a bit tricky to be¡­..puppet.Well, ¡­¡­ there are plenty of ways to do it.¡± No matter how proud Raidorl is, no matter how innocent he is. There is no such thing as a man without desires in this world. More than any other man, Rhodis knew how to stimulate the desires of others and deprive them of reason. He had a lot of ideas about how to win over the young Raidorl: alcohol, beautiful women, gold, silver and treasure. ¡°And ¡­ in case of emergency, I can use [Hiasa Hima]¡± (TL: Scarlet hemp) Scarlet hemp is a delicacy cultivated in western countries, and is a medicinal herb with jagged red leaves. When dried and burned as incense, it has a stimulating and euphoric effect, and was widely used in the west of the continent by both nobility and commoners. Because of its highly addictive and thought-paralyzing side effects, it has been banned as an illegal drug in some countries¡­¡­,but in the Kingdom of Zain, it was not yet known. ¡°Once I have offered it to him, he will be captivated by it, and he will no longer be able to resist me!¡¡I am the only one who has access to scarlet hemp, because I am the only one who has access to the countries of the West!¡± He would offer the scarlet hemp to Raidorl and induce him to use it regularly. This way, the addicted Raidorl would be forced to seek out more scarlet hemp and use it heavily. Then when he became Prime Minister, Rhodis will take control of the court and replaced Raidorl, who had lost his ability to think due to the side effects of scarlet marijuana, and became the leader of the kingdom of Zain in both name and reality. In Rhodes¡¯s mind he had a picture of the future. ¡°Lift up your faces, all of you!¡± Raidorl, standing beside the throne, gave a short command. Rhodis put a sly smile on his face to hide the ambition simmering in his belly, and slowly raised his head. CH 154 ¡°Hmm¡­¡­I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all here today.¡± Raidorl sat on his throne and looked at the kneeling nobles. The throne is a chair reserved for the king. The regent, Raidorl, could be accused of disrespect for sitting on it, but there is no one here to point this out. Everyone understands now. Raidorl Zain is the ruler and the real king of this country. ¡°Some of you have come a long way to come here, the Royal Capital. First of all, let me thank you all for your loyalty. I have prepared a banquet for you in a separate room, so you may enjoy yourselves tonight!¡± When Raidorl said this with a generous smile on his face, many of the assembled nobles patted their chests in relief. Half of the nobles here have been loyal to their brother king, Granard. Others have been uncooperative in the last war with the Empire. They were blatantly relieved by the warmth of his words, as they had been tormented by the fear that they must be neglected by Raidorl. ¡°However,¡­¡­First of all, let¡¯s talk about the future of the Kingdom of Zain, and the people who are involved in the management of the state. We¡¯ll save the fun for later.¡± Raidorl takes one look at the knight standing beside him. One of the knights stepped forward, signaled by his lord with his eyes. Standing in front of the nobles was Darren Garst, a close associate of Raydor and son of the general Bazel Garst. ¡°So¡­..I will now proceed on behalf of His Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± Darren began in a polite manner. Instead of his usual armour, Darren wore a ceremonial dress. He had the features of a nobleman, which were emphasised by his elegant costume. Standing in full view of the eye, he looked less like a knight and more like an actor on the stage. Some of the noblemen kneeled down and looked up at him, blushing and admiring him even though they knew that he was a man. ¡°First of all, I¡¯d like to talk to you about the appointment of our personal¡¯s successor.¡± ¡°¡­..!!¡± Some of the noblemen¡¯s faces changed when Darren broached the subject. Some of the noblemen, especially Crowley Rhodis, who has no doubt that he will be the next Prime Minister, could not conceal his joy and lifted his lips in a smile. Darren takes out a sheaf of paper and glances at it. ¡°As many of you will know¡­¡­the Prime Minister, Lord Lockwood Marcell, has recently had the misfortune to retire from the office as a Prime Minister. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In addition, my father, Bazel Garst, has also offered his resignation and will be stepping down from his position as General. Bazel is currently in charge of the defence and pacification of the eastern part of the Kingdom, which was returned to us as a result of the peace with the Arslanian Empire, and as soon as his duties are completed, he will be replaced by his successor.¡± (TL:Alsatian chg to Arslanian ¥¢¥ë¥¹¥é¥¤¥ó) ¡°What¡­.!¡± ¡°General Garst¡­!?¡± A murmur rose among the nobles as the report was delivered in an unhurried manner. The general, Bazel Garst, was the god of war who had defended the kingdom of Zain from the invasion of the Arslanian Empire and was the symbol of national defense. He is a symbol of the defense of the nation, and his ability and necessity is something that even a greedy nobleman like Rhodis would have to admit, and it had a significant impact on most of the people present. ¡°I wonder if General Garst has ¡­¡­ been replaced?¡± A young nobleman in the front row murmured to himself. He was not asking a question, but was speaking to himself¡­¡­.The question was answered, not by Darren, but by someone else. ¡°Aa, of course it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll introduce it from my mouth because it¡¯s a big deal.¡± ¡°Aa,¡­..I¡¯m so sorry!¡± It was Raidorl who answered the question. The young nobleman, who had slipped up and realised that he had spoken without permission, paled. But Raidorl waved his hand in the air, saying ¡°Never mind¡±, and continued. ¡°Bazel Garst¡¯s replacement, Darren, who is standing here, will be taking over.¡± Raidorl was adamant. It was a decision he had taken after consulting with Bazel and the rest of his staff. ¡°We have decided that Darren is the best and most loyal of the thousand horsemen currently in office. The other chiefs agree with me. You have no objection to that, do you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± When Raidorl looks around at the nobles in the crowd, he sees that some of them look satisfied with his decision, while others look confused but there was no one who disagreed with the decision. Originally, the nobles in this room had no authority to interfere in military affairs. There is no reason to oppose Darren¡¯s decision to become a general, as there are no other strong candidates. ¡°It was decided that Bazel would not resign from the Order, but would take on the role of advisor and train his successors. He seemed to be planning to leave the Order altogether, but¡­¡­it would be a shame to let a warrior like him go into hiding. In addition to that, there are some changes in the personnel of the Order along with Darren¡¯s appointment to the position of general.¡± ¡°As a result of the reorganisation of the Order, we have had to change some of our Thousand Horsemen.¡± Darren opened his mouth again, taking over from Raidorl. ¡°Firstly, Lucas Rodd, who was killed in action against the¡­.Empire. And to replace the two captains who, due to injury and age, have been deemed unable to carry out their duties, I hereby appoint Saara Leifet, Justy Oigist and Angelica Ilkas as captains.¡± Three of the knights who were present stepped forward. Sarra was a lady knight who was second in command to Darren, and Justy and Angelica were each noblemen with estates in the east of the kingdom. The three mainstays of Raidorl¡¯s army have been appointed as the Thousand Horsemen of the Royal Knights. ¡°In addition, I am appointing Orba Cates, Worcester Gordo and Ranid Zens as captains of the newly added infantry unit.¡± Cates was a captain of knights in the service of the Arbeil family, an Eastern noble family. Gordo was the chief soldier of the Barony of Eladin, and both were commanders in the army of Raydor. Ranid Zens was a man who had originally been assigned to guard the walls of the capital. He had been appointed captain of a thousand men for his brilliant command of the walls of the capital during the battle between Raidorl and Granard. Appearing before the nobles, Ranid¡¯s face was strained by the unexpected promotion. ¡°These men will be formally commissioned by His Highness Prince Raidorl later. Now that we have announced the military and knightly appointments¡­¡­¡± Taking over from Daren, Raidorl rises from his throne and says ¡°Next,¡­¡­will appoint a new ¡°Prime Minister¡±. I shall announce who will fill the vacant chair of Lockwood.¡± The Prime Minister is the head of the civil service. If the king is the ¡°heart¡± of the state, the minister is the ¡°brain¡±. It is a position that is sometimes even more important than that of the king. Some of the noblemen turned their heads at the mention of the long-awaited word ¡°Prime Minister¡±. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a replacement for my predecessor who unfortunately had to retire. We have a number of candidates¡­¡­¡± Instead of making an immediate announcement, Raidorl clicked his heels and walked ponderously left and right in front of the throne. A glance to the side shows Crowley Rhodis and several other noblemen, their faces stiff with nervousness and their dwellings tense. Apparently there are other over-confident people out there who think they are ¡°the one¡±. ¡°¡­¡­¡­heh¡± Raidorl laughed at the expectant nobles and made a shocking announcement which crushed them all. ¡°The new Prime Minister will be Sven Arbeil, who is here. I look forward to working with you!¡± ¡°Yes, you can count on me!¡± Raidorl walked up to one of his vassals on the wall and patted him firmly on the shoulder. The new prime minister smiled and puffed his chest out, then turned to face the stunned nobles. ¡°The head of the family is the Earl of Arbeil. My name is Sven Arbeil. As you can see, I¡¯m a young man, but I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill my role as Prime Minister. I look forward to working with you!¡± Sven Arbeil. He is a survivor of the Earls of Arbeil, who perished in the war against the Empire, and was a military strategist for the army of Raidorl. At the age of thirteen, he was the youngest prime minister ever to be born. CH 155 ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..ha?¡± Whose distracted voice leaked out of his mouth? He was too young. The majority of the nobles present were stunned to see the young Prime Minister. The only people who did not change their expressions were those who had heard the story beforehand, those who had been in Raidorl¡¯s service before he became regent. While the nobles are frozen in place, Raidorl leads Sven to the throne and speaks warmly to him. ¡°Sven, your predecessor, Lord Marcell, was an excellent man. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not easy to replace him with such a heavy responsibility. But¡­¡­I believe that you will live up to my expectations. I¡¯m counting on you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a wasteful word to me. Your Highness, Raidorl. I, Sven Arbeil, will serve His Highness Reydol with all my life!¡± ¡°O-Please wait for a moment!¡± The young man,who was conversing in a cheerful manner, was disturbed by an impatient voice. The man who stood up hurriedly was Crowley Rhodis, the man who had never doubted that he was the next Prime Minister. ¡°Why should such a boy be the next Prime Minister?¡¡Isn¡¯t there anyone else suitable?¡± ¡°Hou? What a strange thing to say.¡± Raidorl looked at Rhodis coldly, his expression blatantly sceptical. ¡°He is the heir of the venerable Earl of Arbeil. It¡¯s not a problem. He is a loyal servant of the Arbeil family, who fought against the Empire and never surrendered. Isn¡¯t it only right that I repay their loyalty?¡±¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that¡­¡­you would make such a boy into a Prime Minister!¡± ¡°There is a first time for everything. I have no doubts about Sven¡¯s loyalty and excellence. He is competent and trustworthy. What else do I need?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And¡­¡­Marquis Rhodis. I never said you could stand up.¡¡I didn¡¯t even allow you to say anything. With whose permission you obtain that you can speak to me?¡± ¡°¡­..!!!¡± Rhodis¡¯s face contorted greatly at the accusation of rudeness. He hurriedly kneeled down on the floor and hung his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to be rude¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡­.. Well, that¡¯s all right. I forgive you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your ¡­¡­ generosity.¡± Rhodis squeezes out a thank you, but his shoulders are shaking. Is he angry that he has been accused of rudeness and humiliated in front of so many noblemen? Or is he afraid that he has displeased Raidorl? Raidorl gazed at the top of Rhodis¡¯s head, which was covered with a wig, for a moment, but then he quickly turned his attention to the other nobles. ¡°Is there anyone else who is opposed to Sven becoming Prime Minister?¡¡I will allow you to speak and stand. If you have any objections, say them here and now. I don¡¯t want any complaints afterwards.¡± When Raidorl raised his voice, the nobles looked at each other in confusion. Eventually, some of the¡­¡­kneeling nobles rose to their feet, one by one. ¡°Well, I object.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s too young.¡± ¡°The Prime Minister must be a more accomplished man.¡± ¡°Yes. Marquis Rhodis is the right man to be Prime Minister!¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s going to succeed Lord Marcell. Who better to succeed Lord Mercell than Lord Rhodis?¡± There are about ten noblemen who have shown their opposition to Raidorl. Of course, there is also Rhodis. Half of those who stood up were those who secretly wanted the post of Prime Minister. The other half were those who had been lobbied in advance by Rhodis. The wealth of Rhodis¡¯ trade has given him a stranglehold on the nobility of the north of the kingdom. Many of them owed debts to the Marquesses of Rhodis, or had received bribes from them. ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡­that¡¯s surprisingly few. I would have thought there would be a lot more people against it?¡± Raidorl looked at the nobleman who was contradicting him, a cold smile on his lips. ¡°Since you insist¡­..let¡¯s give Sven his first task as Prime Minister. Seeing the work he¡¯s done will change your mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes look as if they are fixed on his prey, and the nobles look puzzled. Raidorl took one look at Sven and signaled him with a glance. The too-small Prime Minister stepped forward and took out a sheaf of papers. ¡°Well¡­..you seem to be opposed to my position, becoming Prime Minister¡­.. but first, Baron Milatos.¡± ¡°Heh¡­?¡± Suddenly, one of the noblemen who had been standing up blinked as he was called by name. The nobleman, who is in his forties or so, cowers in place, looking up and down in agitation. ¡°Baron Milatos. You were working for the Empire in the last war, weren¡¯t you?¡± Everyone in the room gasped at the disturbing words that came out of the boy¡¯s mouth. Milatos is, of course, aghast and frozen in his tracks. ¡°Nonsense! What proof do you have for that¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I have proof. We know that you have been passing on information about the court to the empire in exchange for a guaranteed position and territory. We also have the letters you sent to and from the Empire.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s ¡­ why¡­!¡± Sven¡¯s expression was childlike and innocent, but this only made Milatos more afraid. Sven hunts down Milatos as calmly as an innocent child tramples down a parade of ants. ¡°As you know, we have already made peace with the Empire. This information came from the Empire, of all places. There is no excuse for this, is there?¡± ¡°!!¡± Sven said, as if he were holding a sword to his throat. It was a decisive blow. It was a fatal blow for Milatos. In the last battle against the Arslanian Empire, Gracos Barzen, the commander of the western invasion force of the Empire, made a ploy against the nobility of the Kingdom of Zain. The aim was to destroy the kingdom from within by turning the nobility, and to win the war with as little wear and tear on the army as possible. A few nobles, including Milatos, fell for the Empire¡¯s sweet talk. If the Empire had won, they would have been able to ride the winning horse and survive¡­.but it was The Kingdom won, and they now became mere traitors. Moreover, as a result of Raidorl¡¯s successes, a peace was made with the Empire, and information about the informers was leaked. ¡°Hmm..How dare a traitor set foot in the royal palace with impunity?¡± ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl¡­¡­¡± When Raidorl spat at him with contempt, Milatos¡¯ face paled. ¡°Fo-forgive me!!¡­¡­I¡¯m just doing this country a favor¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty to talk about later. Take him away!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Milatos tries to make some excuse, but Raydor is having none of it and orders the knight who smoothly seized Milatos by the arms and led him out of the throne room, as if he had planned it beforehand. The remaining nobles look on in dismay as the traitor is taken away. ¡°Now,on to¡­..Baron Mulanda, Count Mercalia and Viscount Moiraud.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!?¡± Sven smiled and called out the names of the nobles who were standing. ¡°It seems that you did not pass on any information, but ¡­..when the kingdom¡¯s army was defeated, You swore in your letter to submit to the Empire in a quiet manner. Didn¡¯t the Empire send you a letter, too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Nonsense! I would never betray¡­..his highness!¡± ¡°You can make up your excuses in the interrogation room. Sir Knight, I¡¯d like to ask you and your people to go to¡­..Isn¡¯t that good, Your Highness, Raidorl?¡± ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Sven asked his lord with a smile, and Raidorl nodded without pause. The traitor who was newly exposed to the crime was bound and taken away. Some of them tried to escape by shaking their hands and feet, but their poor resistance was easily stopped by the strong knights. ¡°With that out of the way¡­let¡¯s continue. We¡¯re short on time.¡± Sven declared with an innocent look on his face¡­¡­and from there it was acrimonious. Those who worked for the Empire. Those who pass on information. Those who provided funds and food for the army. Although they had not betrayed anyone, those who had been involved in embezzlement, slave trading, and other¡­..unbecoming injustices of a nobleman were captured one by one by the knights. As the nobles are led away, crying and spouting tearful excuses, the remaining nobles shake their shoulders in fear that they will be next. However ¨C it was only those who opposed Sven¡¯s appointment as Prime Minister who were taken away for injustice and treachery. Things have come to this point, and the nobles in attendance are finally aware of it. It was never for the purpose of greeting or entertaining that they were brought together by their new master. Raidorl¡¯s purpose was to gather the nobility for a ¡°selection¡± and ¡°purge¡± ¨C to find and dispose of any dissenters who might interfere with his forthcoming reign. Most of those who had opposed Sven¡¯s appointment as Prime Minister were taken away. There was only one person left in the throne room who was kneeling without opposition. The only one left in the throne room was Crowley Rhodis. ¡°Well¡­¡­the last one¡¯s for you. The Marquis of Crowley Rhodis.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± Sven declared without changing his expression. He has an innocent, young face and looked like the devil in the form of a child. CH 156 ¡°Well, Marquis Crowley Rhodis,What do you have to say for yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..I have committed no crime. I have been loyal to the House of Zain and have served it well. Of course, I always will be.¡± Rhodis, his forehead beaded with sweat, still insists on his innocence. The cunning old aristocrat, who has long had his sights set on the position of his predecessor as Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, does not change his expression under the circumstances. However, his¡­¡­ mind and heart was not at peace. ¡°Why, you Raidorl! How dare he expose the injustice of the nobles ¡­¡­!¡± There was no respect left in Rhodis¡¯s heart for the royal family of Raidorl. There is a genuine question. How did Raidorl get the evidence to expose the injustice of the nobility? ¡°It is not strange that he knew about the secret communication with the Empire. We have made peace with them. Sooner or later, things will come to light.¡± But¡­¡­how did they even get evidence of embezzlement, human trafficking and other injustices that had nothing to do with the empire? Rhodis does not know how Raidorl uncovered injustices that even Granard and Lockwood could not catch. ¡°Does he have a very good secret agent? Or is it some kind of magic? Damn it, he¡¯s targeting me, isn¡¯t it?!¡± ¡°I have no contacts with the Empire. Of course, I have not committed any abominable injustice as a nobleman. If you have any proof, I would like to see it!¡± Rhodis glared at Raidorl with a challenging look, but it was not Raidorl who answered him, but Sven. ¡°¡­¡­Indeed, we have found no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of the Marquis of Rhodis.¡± ¡°Then I ask you to put an end to this idle farce. I¡¯m a nobleman with a long history of trade with the Kingdom of Athena and the Kingdom of the Gods. If you treat me like a criminal without any proof, the most powerful people in the world will not stand idly by!¡± ¡°Fufu¡­.¡± Sven laughed at Rhodis threatening words. Sven smiles as if to ridicule the futility of resistance, and a blue streak appears on Rhodis¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯d like to know what¡¯s so funny. Little Prime Minister?¡± ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯ve just received some interesting information about the trade. Marquis Rhodis, do you recognise this plant?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..!¡± Sven took out from his pocket a drug called ¡°scarlet hemp¡±. Of course, it was familiar to him, as it was something that Rhodis traded with the Kingdom of Athena. ¡°¡­¡­,I think I saw something like that in the trade?¡¡Is it a western herb?¡± If Rhodis says he doesn¡¯t know about it, he¡¯ll only be putting himself in a position where he¡¯s imported scarlet hemp. Quickly calculating and not denying that it was a trade product Rhodis decided to keep his ignorance of its efficacy to himself. ¡°After all, it looks familiar, doesn¡¯t it? This is ¡°scarlet hemp¡±, a medicinal herb that grows in western countries. It is a drug that gives the user a sense of well-being, but has the side effect of severely reducing intelligence. ¡­¡­ It is banned in some countries.¡± ¡°Hoho¡­¡­I didn¡¯t know that.It is the mistake of a lifetime, Rhodis, to have let such a thing into the harbour. I¡¯ll take that as a rebuke.¡± Rhodis covered his wigged head with both hands and shook his head theatrically. Despite the sorrowful look in his eyes,¡­¡­ there was a wise light in his eyes. ¡°But¡­¡­these plants are not prohibited from sale in the kingdom of Zain. I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be hauled away like the others for inadvertently purchasing it?¡± Whatever the effects or side effects of scarlet hemp are, they are not punishable by law as long as they are not prohibited by law. At most, he will be scolded to be careful in the future. ¡°More importantly, how does the Lord¡­¡­Sven Arbeil know about the benefits of this herb? I don¡¯t suppose your father, the Earl of Arbeil, was a drug addict, was he?¡± Rhodis puts a smirk and a snide smile on his face and fires back. He even provokes him by bringing up his father. Sven, however, does not change his expression at the insult. ¡°Of course not. I only knew about this one because I heard about it from one of the maid¡­..¡± ¡°What? A maid?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing I have a long-lived and knowledgeable maid¡­¡­.So, back to the point, Marquis Rhodis. You are under suspicion of a certain crime.¡± ¡°Charges, you mean ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Which crime¡­are you talking about?¡± Rhodis¡¯s brow furrows in nervousness. ¡°The charge is the assassination of the¡­¡­Prime Minister. It concerns the murder of his predecessor, Sir Lockwood Marcell.¡± CH 157 ¡°What?!¡± The murder of the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell. This is the first time he has ever been accused of a crime he did not expect to commit. Embezzlement, smuggling, bribery¡­¡­,and various other misdeeds have earned Crowley Rhodis the reputation as the shadowy ruler of the Kingdom of Zain. The assassination of the Prime Minister was the only ¡°attempted evil¡± that could never be accomplished. ¡°Nonsense! Didn¡¯t Lord Marcell commit suicide¡­¡­and wasn¡¯t it announced that he died of illness?¡± The sudden death of Lockwood Marcell. To avoid confusion, it was ostensibly announced that it was due to illness. But Rhodis, using his own network of information, was able to find out that it was a suicide. Rhodis, who until now had been in a relaxed mood, was now grimacing with impatience. No matter how many sins he had committed in his life, he could not bear the thought of being falsely accused of something he did not do. However, despite¡­..Rhodis¡¯s frustration, Sven opens his mouth with a grimace of comfort. ¡°Certainly¡­ Former Prime Minister Marcell is said to have died of illness. But the truth is different. He was found lying in his house, stabbed to death by a knife, by his daughter, Miss Mertina Marcell.¡± Sven taps the document in his hand lightly with the back of his hand and speaks in a cheerful tone, as if he were an astute jurist arguing in court. ¡°And¡­¡­the murder weapon, a knife, was not found at the scene. A clear murder. It cannot be suicide or death by illness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­!?¡± It was different information. According to the information that Rhodis had obtained from the knight who had inspected the scene, Lockwood should have been found sitting in a chair with a knife in his abdomen. Clearly, there was a discrepancy between the information that Rhodis had investigated and what Sven had told him. ¡°Are you telling me that they¡¯re¡­¡­ setting me up?¡± Finally, Rhodis realised the exact situation he was in. He was about to be accused of the murder of the Prime Minister. ¡°I am¡­..!I, the true ruler of the Kingdom of Zain¡­¡­am being framed by this brat, ¡­¡­¡± A blue streak appears on Rhodes¡¯ forehead in intense humiliation and anger. Rhodis, who has wronged so many others, is being hunted down by a young boy who has become prime minister only at the behest of Raidorl. It was a disgrace that should never have happened in his life as the head of the illustrious House of Rhodis. ¡°On what basis¡­¡­! That¡¯s bullshit!¡¡Even if Lord Marcell¡¯s death was not due to illness or suicide, there¡¯s no proof that I killed him!¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡­, Lord Marcell and you were once political rivals for the position of Prime Minister. You must have had a grudge of some kind, I imagine¡± ¡°Hmph! Such old gossip is of no use to you!¡¡Keep your mouth shut, you ignorant brat!¡± Rhodis turns to Sven with a biting rebuttal and then turns to Raidorl. ¡°Your Highness! Don¡¯t be misled by this nonsense!¡¡A child like him is not fit to be Prime Minister!¡¡It is an experienced and venerable nobleman like myself who is fit to support the King!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­.. You certainly have a point.¡± Raidorl nodded without denying Rhodis¡¯ desperate plea. Rhodis looked pleased with himself. But there was more to Raidorl had to say. ¡°But it seems that¡­..Sven is not finished with his argument yet? Why don¡¯t you hear him out?¡± ¡°Ha¡­?¡± ¡°Of course I won¡¯t charge you with making things up without evidence. If you want proof, I¡¯d already have it here.¡± Sven walked up to Rhodis with a light-footed step and held out the document in his hand. ¡°This was written by the former Prime Minister shortly before his death. In other words, it¡¯s like a will.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Rhodis snatched the document from Sven¡¯s hand. Then he looked at the text dancing on it and his face turned red. ¡°Stupid¡­¡­! How can this be ¡­¡­!¡± It was signed by the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, and stated that he was being threatened with death. It even said in no uncertain terms that Crowley Rhodis must be the ringleader of the plot against him. The irony is that Rhodis, who has spent years in the dark looking for a weakness to exploit in Lockwood, can see it. The handwriting on this page must be that of Lockwood Marcell. ¡°How dare he¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to tear it, don¡¯t do it, okay? You¡¯ll be charged with destroying evidence.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Rhodis was about to tear up the document in a fit of anger, but remembered that there would be a lot of people watching, and stopped in a hurry. ¡°By the way,¡­¡­is not the only will of the former Prime Minister. At the time of his death, Lord Marcell sent the same document to the heads of several noble families with whom he had been in contact¡­¡­¡­¡­.Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Sven¡¯s question was answered by several of the noblemen present. All were noblemen of the court. Together with Lockwood Mercell, these were the nobles who supported Granard¡¯s reign. The eyes of many people pierce through Rhodis¡¯ back. They look at him with suspicion and contempt. Most of the people present seem to have come to believe that Rhodis is responsible for the murder of the Prime Minister. ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± Rhodes¡¯ face contorts greatly as he realizes that he is in a bad position. If this continues, he may lose his position for a crime that really doesn¡¯t exist. ¡°Well¡­..even if the letter was really written by Lord Marcell, it doesn¡¯t prove that I carried out the assassination!¡¡It may be that Sir Marcell was mistaken!¡± In the face of a complete backlash, Rhodis refuses to give up. He had done countless evil things, but this time he was innocent. It was only natural that he should be desperate to get away with it. ¡°I swear to you, I did not do it!¡¡I am innocent, and I had nothing to do with the murder of Lord Marcell¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­you¡¯re right, Sven¡¯s argument might be a bit of a stretch.¡± ¡°Oh¡­..!¡± A statement in defence of Rhodis. It was Raidorl who said it. Raidorl looks at Sven and Rhodis in turn with the face of a fair-minded monarch, the opposite of the fierce expression he wears on the battlefield. ¡°The letter of the former Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, is certainly one piece of evidence. But it is hardly conclusive evidence. It is a little unfair to condemn the Marquis Rhodis on the basis of suspicion.¡± ¡°Your Highness Raidorl..!¡± Rhodis¡¯ voice quivered with emotion. The man with tears in the corners of his eyes looked as if he had been given a hand of salvation from the hell that was about to consign him to. It was Raidorl who had appointed Sven as Prime Minister in the first place. The fact that he was planning to use drugs to puppet Raidorl had slipped his mind. ¡°I know¡­¡­so here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± Bu ¡­¡­ soon Rhodis would find out. Raidorl was not on his side. Raidorl had interrupted the conversation in order to deliver the coup de grace himself. ¡°Marquis Rhodis¡¯s mansion will now be examined. If there is no clear evidence of an assassination, the Marquis will be acquitted.¡± CH 158 ¡°¡­ An investigation !? In my mansion ¡­!?¡± At Raidorl¡¯s suggestion, Rhodis¡¯s voice involuntarily rises. And so he should be. Rhodis is innocent of the murder of the Prime Minister¡­¡­but he is guilty of countless other crimes, of which there is evidence in the hidden vaults and cellars of his house. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit¡­..of a stretch, but I¡¯m glad you believe in my innocence¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why? If you were truly innocent, why would you be hesitant? I¡¯m not asking you to rip out your belly and show me what¡¯s inside. I¡¯m just asking you to have my men check out your mansion.¡± ¡°T-that..¡¯s¡± Rhodis pales and looks for an excuse to get out of the situation. However, no convenient words came out. If he refuses to look into his mansion here, it¡¯s like saying he¡¯s completely guilty. ¡°Ha¡­..¡± When Rhodis was at a loss for words, sweating profusely, Raidorl sighed bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry to hear that. I had faith in you, but ¡­.. now that it¡¯s happened, I¡¯ll have to force a search of your mansion, won¡¯t I? Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a matter of finding evidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­proof of fraud and that¡¯s just as long as we don¡¯t find the murder weapon, a knife, which hasn¡¯t been found yet. Marquis Rhodis.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious ¡­¡­!¡± Sven¡¯s last words were enough to make Rhodis angry. If there is no evidence of Rhodis¡¯s wrongdoing or crime in the Rhodis mansion, Sven will plant the knife that took Lockwood¡¯s life. Either way, Rhodis downfall was certain. ¡°Bloody brat! If it weren¡¯t for you¡­.. I, the noble one, could have been the Prime Minister and led this country in the right direction¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.but I can¡¯t leave the steering of the country to the owner of a sinking ship. There is no place for you in the new country that His Highness Raidorl is creating.¡± ¡°Fukin, Braaaaaaaaaaaatttttt!!!!¡± In a fit of rage, Rhodis jumped at Sven with a dagger from his pocket. It may have been the last bit of reason left in Rhodis¡¯s mind that he went not at Raidorl, the hero of the Holy Sword, but at Sven, the young Prime Minister. ¡°Aa-aa, that¡¯s a loss.¡± Looking at Rhodis, who is trying to grab Sven, with cold eyes, Raidorl shakes his head with pity. ¡°¡­¡­ He¡¯s got a scary guardian. My heart goes out to him.¡± ¡°Ooooooooo!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± With a mad cry, Rhodis¡¯s right hand reached out to Sven. The dagger in his hand was thrust towards his thin neck. Sven didn¡¯t run away from the approaching evil, he just stood there as if he didn¡¯t need to. ¡°Traitor!! What are you doing to Sven!?¡± But just as the tip of the dagger was about to pierce his throat, something swung down from above and slammed into Rhodis¡¯s right hand. The left foot of a woman who jumped into the air was struck by the hand holding the dagger. It was a heel strike by Angelica Ilkas. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!? My arm is ahhhhhhhhh!?¡± Angelica Ilkas was severely injured in the war with the Empire, losing her left eye and left leg. Her left eye was fitted with an eye patch and her left leg with a fake prosthesis. It¡¯s not a common wood prosthesis, but a steel prosthesis designed to be used in battle. As a result of a heel strike with the force of a bedrock kick, Rhodes¡¯ right arm was snapped off at the forearm and the bone was exposed through the skin. ¡°Step away!¡± ¡°Gefu!¡± It¡¯s not the end of Angelica¡¯s attack. The woman with one foot and one eye turned her body around on the axis of the left leg of the prosthesis that she had swung down. She used her right leg to deliver a spinning kick to Rhodis¡¯s abdomen. Rhodis bounces across the floor like a ball, tumbling into the middle of the hurriedly retreating nobles. ¡°Gehaa ¡­Gehu, gaha, huh ¡­!¡± ¡°It is outrageous that I should let you touch my little brother! I¡¯ll grind you up and feed you to the pigs!¡± The blow had damaged Rhodis¡¯s internal organs and he was cowering, coughing up blood from his mouth. Angelica was still not satisfied with the sight of a dying man. Angelica picks up the dagger that Rodis dropped and walks towards the fool as he rolls around on the floor. With murderous intent spewing from her body, she looked like the Grim Reaper. It was a sight that sent chills down to the spine, even the other nobles who had nothing to do with it. ¡°¡­¡­ Sven. Don¡¯t let him kill you yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Okay.¡± Sven nodded reluctantly when Raidorl gave him a short order. Then with his hands outstretched he called out to Angelica¡¯s back. ¡°O-oneesan, c-can you hold me?¡± ¡°Y! Yes!¡± The evil look on her face was replaced by a big smile that melted like a coin flipping. Angelica shows no desire to finish off Rhodis and jumps into Sven¡¯s arms. She picks up the young Prime Minister¡¯s small body and rubs her cheek against his face. ¡°Fufufu, Onee-san¡¯s killed another of Sven¡¯s enemies, haven¡¯t I? Isn¡¯t that great?¡± ¡°U,Un, Thank you, Onee-san¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± The nobles in the throne room were stunned when Angelica hugged Sven as if he were a stuffed animal. There¡¯s a lot of the nobles trying to figure out why they were shown this. ¡°Well¡­¡­it looks like we¡¯ve established the truth.¡± Raidorl clapped his hands to cut through the atmosphere of doubt, confusion, agitation and fear. A knight stepped forward, grabbed the legs of the fallen Rhodis, and dragged him out of the throne room. ¡°Marquis Crowley Rhodis will remain in custody and will be interrogated by the knights. A search of his mansion will be conducted at the same time.¡± Raidorl says in a cold tone and looks around at the stunned nobles. ¡°So,does anyone else object to Sven becoming Prime Minister? If you are, come forward¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± The remainder of the nobles bowed their heads in silence, their faces drawn in horror at the inscrutable tone of voice. Then after a few communications, the banquet was held, as Raidorl had announced. The assembled nobles, with the gloomy air of a last supper, sipped the unappetizing food and wine. CH 159 ¡°Well, that¡¯s one job done.¡± ¡°Good work. Master.¡± A gathering of nobles from all over the kingdom. The first event to be held since Raidorl became regent and stood at the centre of state affairs went off without a hitch but the event ended on an unsettling note. Returning to his office, Raidorl sat down on the sofa and received a drink from his maid, Neimilia. As soon as he sips the magically chilled fruit water, the fresh citrus flavours are pleasantly released into his nose. ¡°It was a stiff-necked meeting, but¡­¡­at any rate, the first stage of reform is now complete. We have cleared out the rebellious aristocracy.¡± ¡°Congratulations, my king. This will eliminate a little bit of potential danger that has accumulated in the Kingdom of Zain.¡± It was not Neimilia who addressed the King in a gentle tone, but a boy by the wall of the room. Today, Sven Arbeil, who has officially become the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Zain, stands embraced from behind by his older sister, Angelica Ilkas. Angelica¡¯s lush breasts press against the back of Sven¡¯s head, agitatedly reshaping it¡­.Perhaps accustomed to excessive displays of affection, Sven no longer seems embarrassed or ashamed. ¡°Hm. I thought regent was a tedious task, but¡­it¡¯s not a bad feeling to do something that even my big brother and Lockwood couldn¡¯t do.¡± Raidorl chuckles with amusement. The kingdom of Zain was a monarchy, but the king was not always able to wield power, and the internal situation was far from monolithic. Although the king reigned supreme, he was not able to exercise tyranny over the nobility. Although Granard and Lockwood were capable politicians, they were often interfered with by the nobility, and their well thought out policies were often crushed when they failed to implement them. In the first place, behind every regime, law or regulation, there are powerful people who have a vested interest in it. Even in a system that is, by all accounts, ¡®bad law¡¯, reform will inevitably involve confrontation with powerful interests seeking to protect their vested interests. Raidorl has succeeded in crushing the rebels who would have stood in the way of any real reform before it has even begun. ¡°It is fortunate for His Highness Reidl that the ¡®pus¡¯ that is eating away the country has been dealt with at an early stage. We have the Empire to thank for this.¡± ¡°Muuu¡­¡­Sven, I¡¯m not impressed with your praise of the enemy.¡± At Sven¡¯s murmur, Angelica frowned. They had both lost their homes and families to the Empire, but their attitudes towards it were contrasting. Sven sees the value of the relationship with the Empire, even if he doesn¡¯t see it in himself, and he is positive about the peace. Angelica, on the other hand, is unhappy with the friendship she has established with the Empire and does not try to hide it. She has not acted overtly because she has a younger brother who she loves dearly¡­¡­.If it were not for Sven, she might have taken out her hatred on Raidorl even though he made peace with the Empire. ¡°But¡­¡­the reforms have only just begun. The war with the Empire has given us an opportunity. It¡¯s a good idea to take advantage of it.¡± ¡°Well, the chaos caused by the ravages of war has not yet subsided, so there will be no problem in forcibly carrying out reforms. You can purge them as traitors!¡± Sven nodded his head with an innocent smile appropriate for his age. The Kingdom of Zain has just finished its war with the Arslanian Empire. The effects of the deaths of Granard and Lockwood have not yet fully subsided. It is precisely because of this situation that the reforms can be carried out by force on the kingdom. Even if the noblemen who opposed the reforms have not committed any conspicuous injustice or treason, it is possible to take advantage of the chaos and dispose of them. It is called ¡®dictatorship¡¯. A barbaric practice that will be condemned by future historians. However¡­..Raidorl believed that it was necessary to correct the aristocracy¡¯s arrogance and oppression that had been tolerated until now. ¡°The power of the nobility is too strong in this country. The nobles who rule the provinces impose taxes as they please to line their pockets and accumulate power by organising armies in the name of maintaining public order. And yet, while the country is being invaded by other countries, those who are supposed to be the king¡¯s vassals are refusing to cooperate in the defense of the country with whatever theories they want. It¡¯s insane.¡± ¡°If the nobles betray us, their territorial army will become our enemy¡¯s army¡­¡­We need to eliminate the privileges of the nobles and reduce their economic power, and the king must take full control of the military power to prevent rebellion.¡± Many nations have risen and fallen in human history since ancient times, but surprisingly few have fallen solely for external reasons, such as invasion by other nations. In many cases, a nation¡¯s downfall is the result of a combination of internal and external factors. In fact, in the last war with the empire, many noblemen took advantage of the invasion from the empire and worked in the dark. Raidorl aims to be a strong country that can crush such ¡°internal troubles¡± and face the national crisis of ¡°external troubles¡± as one. ¡°However, repeated purges will cause unrest and a decline in public order. The reforms must be carried out at once and in one go.¡± Sven, still looking like a fool in Angelica¡¯s arms, turns serious and talks about his theory. That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve crushed most of the outspoken rebels, but if we start to¡­¡­reform in earnest, there will be others who will rebel. Before they are ready to rebel, we¡¯ll strip them of their noble privileges in one fell swoop and strip them naked!¡± Raidorl made a blunt declaration and poured the fruit water given by Neimilia into his mouth at once. CH 160 A great purge of the nobility took place in the royal palace. Raidorl then ordered Sven, whom he had appointed as Prime Minister, to eliminate the evil laws that had been neglected and to reduce the powers of the nobility. Until now, the nobility had its own armed forces, known as the ¡°Lordship Army¡±, and had the right to impose taxes on its citizens. However, the reforms under Raidorl¡¯s reign will see all these powers forfeited. The lords¡¯ armies came under the command of the national army, and the nobles, who had lost their military rights, were deprived of all their troops. As for taxes, the nobility were not allowed to levy taxes on their own subjects, and a uniform system of taxation was imposed on the whole kingdom. All the privileges of the nobility were removed and they were reduced to the status of deputies, managing the estates on behalf of the king. Of course, the nobles did not accept such a decline quietly. Some of the nobles even tried to revolt against Raidorl by force. But¡­¡­this was the development that Raidorl had anticipated. Raidorl had defeated the invasion of the Arslanian Empire and were now in control of most of the forces in the Kingdom of Zain. The nobles who tried to revolt were quickly eliminated by force and deprived of their lordship and land. The fact that the first purges had buried Crowley Rhodis and other leading nobles was also a plus for Raidorl. The remaining nobles were all small and medium-sized, with little military or financial strength. There was no way they could compete with Raidorl. Some noblemen did not rebel outwardly, but worked in the dark behind the scenes¡­¡­.Raidorl played this by using his maid, Neimilia, who is in charge of espionage. No one could hide anything from Neimilia, who lurked in the shadows and controlled a messenger who could sneak into any place. The number of noble estates was decreasing and the number of estates under the direct control of the Crown was increasing. In the direct administration, a new position called ¡°governor¡± was set up to replace the nobles, and he was in charge of local politics under the self-cleansing process of irregular audits. In the Kingdom of Zain, the ¡°nobility¡±, which had divided the power between the king and the nobility, lost its power and became a position in name only. Amazingly ¨C these reforms were carried out in just two short months. In such a short space of time, the relationship between the royal family and the nobility, which had lasted for 200 years in the kingdom of Zain, collapsed and a centralised power was established. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯m not suited to be a ruler. I¡¯d rather be on the battlefield swinging a sword.¡±¡± Although Raidorl stood at the top of the Zain kingdom, the expression on his face as he sat at his desk in the royal palace office was gloomy. His face is plastered with a deep fatigue, and his usually red eyes have lost their light and have become dim. ¡°Master¡­¡­I think you need some rest.¡¡Would you like to sleep with me, if you like? There you go, there¡¯s a titty pillow.¡± While rubbing Raidorl¡¯s shoulder, Neymiri pretends to be working and reveals her desire. The time is already half past midnight. The office, where the civil servants work hard during the day, is now occupied only by the master of the room, Raidorl, and his maid, Neimilia. Raidorl was working until late at night, and Neimilia was working on her master who was exhausted. ¡°¡­¡­Why are they all such idiots? This is why I don¡¯t like aristocrats.¡± Raidorl complains in such a way, putting his position as a royal on the shelf. Just the other day, a nobleman tried to revolt and was detained by the knights led by Darren. It was something that Raidorl had expected. It was what he had been aiming for, but he still felt he had a lot of work to do to clean up the mess. As a result of Raidorl¡¯s reforms, more than half of the kingdom¡¯s nobles have lost their titles and estates. There were still noblemen who rebelled, even though it was clear that they would not stand a chance. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to be so incomprehensible. I thought they¡¯d be a bit more clever than that¡­.¡± Even Raidorl did not want to get rid of all the nobles. A nobleman who obeys him. A nobleman who does not impose heavy taxes and is loved by his subjects. For those noblemen who had not been involved in any wrongdoing, he intended to guarantee them an income and position that would allow them to live comfortably. In spite of this, the number of noblemen who defy the law does not seem to be decreasing. The nobility, deprived of their rights, hated Raidorl and continued their rebellion and in the dark. ¡°But¡­¡­there are a lot fewer rebellions than there were at the beginning, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°But the number of assassins has increased. Sven seems to be having a hard time.¡± Neimilia¡¯s words are met with a wry smile from Raidorl. Although the outspoken rebellion of the nobility has decreased considerably, the number of assassins directed against Raidorl, the Regent, and Sven, the Prime Minister, has increased. Of course, it does not look as if they will succeed. The assassins who attacked Raidorl were all turned into dust by the holy sword, and the assassins who tried to kill Sven were bled to death by Angelica. ¡°I thought I¡¯d shown them how terrifying Angelica is, she¡¯s probably more terrifying than I am.¡± ¡°A woman who protects the man she loves is much stronger and more terrifying than a cannibalistic demon.¡± ¡°A man who¡¯s important to you¡­¡­I think this is more of an obsession than a love.¡± Angelica¡¯s attitude towards Sven is a kind of madness. It¡¯s the kind of thing that would send chills down the spine of even the most seasoned Raidorl. ¡°Love and obsession are the same thing. Angelica is so in love with Sven that she would destroy her country for him. If it¡¯s for Sven, she will destroy anything.¡± Neimilia says lazily and hugs Raidorl from behind. A soft touch against his neck. Under normal circumstances he would have been a little flushed, but fatigue was getting the better of him and Raidorl frowned slightly. ¡°Angelica is a married woman, though..No, I don¡¯t know about that couple.¡± Angelica¡¯s husband, Brad Calcifer, is in charge of the eastern part of the kingdom and is separated from Angelica. The newlyweds don¡¯t seem to be getting on too well, and Raidorl haven¡¯t heard a single word of concern from Angelica about Brad. Angelica¡¯s only words were her unusual love for Sven. ¡°But¡­that one who doesn¡¯t look unhappy. How can he be okay with his woman being attached to another man, albeit a child?¡± ¡°You have a taste for cuckoldry, don¡¯t you? I think I know a bit about it. I was a little bit happy when Miss C¨¦lia came to our house.¡± Neimilia nodded, letting go of her body, which was in close contact with Raidorl. It seems that this erotic maid even has the attribute of being a cuckold. Raidorl twisted his lips in disgust. ¡°¡­¡­Well, be that as it may, the country is heading in the right direction. There are no more people starving to death because of the aristocracy¡¯s arrogance.¡± Raidorl became a dictator but it is hard to say whether his reign has been unsettling. Until now, the nobility had been allowed to impose taxes at will. Some towns and villages were oppressed and their inhabitants were left destitute and even starved to death. In addition to land taxes, labour and military service, in some areas there were joke taxes such as the ¡®marriage tax¡¯ and the ¡®wedding night tax¡¯, and lords and their relatives kidnapped, sold and even raped their subjects. Raidorl¡¯s reforms took away the nobility¡¯s right to collect taxes, and the uniformity of the tax system has eliminated such arrogance. The nobles who were deprived of their privileges hated him, but the people who were freed from oppression accepted him as a good ruler. ¡°I think my brother was a moderate and good king, because he managed to negotiate with scum aristocrats.¡± Although Granard tolerated the aristocracy¡¯s arrogance, it did not necessarily mean that he was incompetent as king. Depriving the nobility of their privileges would inevitably lead to revolt and rebellion, which could split the country. Of course, the kingdom¡¯s army is much stronger than the territorial army of the nobility but if the nobility had united and turned to the empire, the Kingdom of Zain would certainly have fallen. The reason why Raidorl can proceed with such a strong reform is that as the holder of the Holy Sword, he has overwhelming military power. The most important thing is that he has made peace with the Empire and is able to deal with the internal problems without worrying about the external ones. This is the result of a number of fortunate factors, such as the fact that he has a good reason to punish the nobility for informing the Empire. It was not that Raidorl was necessarily better than Granard. Rather, being in the position of a politician, he was able to understand how Granard and Lockwood had struggled to govern the country. ¡°I thought he was a silly brother, but he had his own difficulties.¡± He was a foolish brother, whom Raidorl hate while he was alive, but as soon as he died, he saw the good in him. Raidorl smiled and rolled the quill in his hand across the desk. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today¡­¡­.I can¡¯t even do the work with my sleepy eyes.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a good night! I¡¯ll have your bed and bedding ready in no time!¡± ¡°¡­ What is a meat futon? I¡¯m tired, so please prepare a normal futon.¡± ¡°Eee? I¡¯ve got a soft, warm futon right here¡­¡± Neimilia clasps her cheeks with her hands and says ¡°Yan,yan¡± as she wriggles her body. Raidorl slumps his shoulders in disgust and opens his mouth to admonish the maid, who is as normal as ever. But. ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Immediately, a violent chill streaked down Raidorl¡¯s spine. He felt as if his blood had been frozen and goosebumps broke out all over his body. ¡°Neimilia!!¡± ¡°Shadow snake prison gate¡± Raidorl quickly calls out the maid¡¯s name, but Neimilia is already on the move. Neimilia crouches down, puts her hands on the floor and activates her magic. From underneath her feet, countless black serpent-like creatures emerge, stretching across the palace in all directions. The next moment an earthquake that turned the ground upside down struck the royal palace of Zain. CH 161 ¡°Guuuuuuuuuu¡­!¡± Raidorl lay on the floor and endured the earthquake, which vibrates violently up and down. The defensive magic had already been activated by Neimilia. Black snakes were running across the floor, walls and pillars, protecting the palace from the shock of the earthquake. The quake lasted a good ten minutes before the vibrations finally stopped. ¡°Kh¡­.it has quieted down¡­¡­!¡± ¡°M-master, are you alright?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­More importantly!¡± Raidorl rushes to the window of his office and throws it wide open. He looks down and sees the damage caused by the earthquake. The damage is not so serious because the palace is protected by the magic of Neimilia. Some of the walls have collapsed, but the damage is so minor that it can be repaired immediately. It was the city of the Royal Capital that suffered the most damage. Several buildings had collapsed after a long enough earthquake to create a misty dust cloud that covered the entire city. It looked like the end of the world, and the whole city seemed to be dying. ¡°This is¡­¡­ What turmoil¡­¡± ¡°Master! Above, up! Look at that!¡± ¡°Aah!?¡± Neimilia, who has also rushed to the window, points upwards, pulling on Raidorl¡¯s sleeve. Raidorl followed her finger and looked up to see the full moon shining brightly down on the earth. There¡¯s nothing unusual about it at first glance, but soon enough Raidorl noticed something unusual. ¡°The moon¡­is turning red?¡± The moon was golden and full, but it was slowly turning red, as if it was bleeding from within. Eventually the moon turns a perfect crimson. The night sky was dominated by a vivid crimson colour that made the viewer feel uneasy. The anomaly was not yet over. From the full moon, which was dyed a deep red, a drop arose as if a huge eyeball were dropping a teardrop. The drops, which were as red as tears of blood, dripped slowly down towards the earth. Raidorl wondered what was happening at the spot where the drop had fallen. It is an uncanny phenomenon that stirs up fear and confusion at every turn. ¡°Aa, My goodness¡­¡­it¡¯s finally here.¡± ¡°Neimilia¡­¡­?¡± Normally, Neimilia is a cheerful person who makes obscene jokes without reading the air. Her neat face is stained with intense fear, and his shoulders are shaking slightly. ¡°What shall we do, master? It seems that¡­¡­my sisters are coming back.¡± ¡°Sister¡­¡­Do you mean the Six Witches of Doom?¡± Raidorl grabbed Neimilia by both shoulders and asked her in a strong tone. She nodded her head and turned her pale face towards the night sky. ¡°The resurrection of the Doomsday Witch¡­¡­ is the end of the world. It is the beginning of the apocalyptic war¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!!¡± Raidorl gasps at these words. The words of the Empire¡¯s emperor replayed in his mind. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time a witch has wreaked havoc in the past three hundred years. It has happened many times in a regular cycle.¡± The D¨¢insleif of the Kingdom of Zain. The three holy swords in the empire ¨C all of which together define the person who is to be their holder are the sign of the witch¡¯s revival is about to begin. The emperor Zacharias said something like that. ¡°I never thought that¡­.would really be the end of the world. No, I already know that the¡­¡­legend is not a deception.¡± Raidorl stroked the hilt of the holy sword at his waist. The D¨¢insleif makes a ticking sound and lets out a slight miasma. Apparently, the holy sword is also aware of the return of its nemesis and is belligerently snapping its fangs. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl! Are you alright?¡± Footsteps echoed down the corridor and Darren Garst burst into the room. ¡°An earthquake has just hit the castle¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I know, I know. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± Raidorl turned his body quickly. The resurgence of witchcraft is a concern, but¡­¡­ now, as a ruler, he must do what needs to be done. ¡°We¡¯re going to rescue our subjects! Dig up the pile of rubble and save the buried citizens! The royal palace will be opened to accommodate the injured. Immediately mobilise all knights and get to work!¡± ¡°Ha! We will move immediately to rescue them!¡± ¡°Neimilia, send your servants to warn the enemy!¡¡Witches and demons alike, are not welcome to this Kingdom!¡± ¡°I understand! It¡¯s all for the sake of my master!¡± At the command of his lord, Darren runs down the corridor. Raidorl follows at his back, and Neymilia follows him. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a legendary witch or the end of the world¡­¡­I¡¯m not going to let you do whatever you want!¡± Raidorl grits his teeth and burns with the will to fight an enemy he has not yet seen. ¡°I¡¯ll never let anyone, human, demon, or god, touch this kingdom that I took from my brother¡­¡­and that my father and mother loved! I will not let anyone take anything that is in my hands away from me again¡­..!¡± With a determined heart, Raidorl set out into the night and sees what remains of the city. When he arrived, Screams,shouts and groans of the wounded were everywhere, here Raidorl has to do his duty as¡­¡­ruler. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– That night. An earthquake that split the earth and turned the surface of the earth upside down struck the western part of the continent. Towns and cities were destroyed. Buildings collapsed, walls crumbled, and overnight the human landscape was transformed. It is not only human settlements that have been hit by the disaster. Cracks appeared all over the plains, dormant volcanoes spewed out scorching lava, and tsunamis broke out in the coastal areas. It is a witch¡¯s calamity that has occurred after three hundred years ¨C the ¡°Resurrection of the Witches¡±. It was the beginning of the end of the world called ¡°The Great Calamity¡±. CH 162 Rewind the time a little further back in the farther west of the Kingdom of Zain. In the western part of the continent, the Kingdom of Zain and a number of smaller countries exist across the mountains. The most powerful of these is the Kingdom of Athena on the northern coast. The Kingdom of Athena trades with the Kingdom of Zain through shipping. The goods traded are mainly woolen cloth and sea products. It also trades in fruits such as citrus fruits grown in the warm climate of the west. On the south side there is a country ruled by barbarians, which has been hostile for many years. On the west side, the Kingdom of Surdin, although not at war, is not on friendly terms. Most of the profits from the alliance with the Kingdom of Zain are spent on defence, and tensions have long existed between the two borders to the south and west. In the outskirts of the Kingdom of Athena. In a small provincial city, chaos is about to awaken. ¡°Chi!¡­it¡¯s a shame. There¡¯s nothing good about it..¡± ¡°Yare,Yare¡­¡­ Looks like it was all for naught.¡± In the moonlight darkness of the night, a very ugly looking man with a tattoo on his arm swears. His partner¡¯s voice is answered by a large, muscular, skin headed man. The men are in a cemetery on the edge of town. In their hands they hold a large shovel, and beside them a gravestone has fallen. There was a large hole in the ground, with an open coffin and a half-rotted corpse lying in it. They are grave robbers, digging up graves in the middle of the night to disturb the peaceful sleep of the dead. An old man, one of the town¡¯s most prominent figures, had recently died and was buried in the cemetery, and they were digging up the earth to find his burial accessories. But the result was nothing. All that was found in the grave was the old man¡¯s corpse, a few books and a silver coin, the cost of a ship to the underworld. ¡°I¡¯d have thought a rich old man¡¯s grave would have been filled with something very expensive. ¡­¡­ Damn you!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a fallen aristocrat. It¡¯s not even enough to pay for a drink. Oh, really. It¡¯s not worth it, especially when the gravekeeper is away.¡± The men cursed each other and sat down on the ground. The tattooed man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a paper tube with a cigarette wrapped around it. He put the tip of the cigarette close to the light of the cantera, lit it and inhaled slowly. The tattooed man blows purple smoke for a while, but then he frowns and takes his mouth off the cigarette. ¡°Aaa, it stinks! I can¡¯t even taste it with this corpse smell, you rotten old man!¡± The tattooed man irritably throws his cigarette butt into the hole. The cigarette, still lit, hits the dead old man in the face, leaving a scorch mark on his decaying corpse. ¡°Oioi,¡­well..that¡¯s fine¡± The skinhead looks aghast at his partner¡¯s rudeness, but shrugs his shoulders and doesn¡¯t pay any attention. The old man is already dead anyway. He will feel no pain or heat. If he was a man who respected the dignity of the dead, he would not have been a grave robber in the first place. The skinhead wipes his sweaty forehead with his arm and turns his head upwards without thinking. The moon is hovering in the sky. It was a full moon, without a flaw. But it is strangely larger than the familiar moon and seems to have a reddish tinge to it. It¡¯s the kind of moon that makes him feel uneasy and anxious just looking at it. The skinhead shook his shoulders and lowered his gaze to the sky. ¡°Well¡­¡­we¡¯ve done our job, so let¡¯s get the hell out of here. I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this evening.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go home empty handed! I¡¯ve got a bill to pay from the bar!¡± ¡°It¡¯s your own fault, you know. I don¡¯t give a shit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we smash up that mausoleum? It¡¯s such a magnificent structure. There must be something good in there!¡± ¡°Fool, stop! It¡¯s the Mausoleum of the Four Horsemen!¡± The skinhead hurriedly waved his hand at the tattooed man who pointed to a square building at the back of the cemetery. The chalk-white building is ornately decorated here and there, a magnificent structure for such a small-town cemetery. But thinking of the people buried in the mausoleum, it would be madness to set foot in it. The man buried in the mausoleum is a great traitor who was once known as the ¡°Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.¡± In the west of the continent, he was feared as an evil spirit or a grudge, because he is said to have driven a dynasty to ruin two hundred years ago. It is rumoured that the knights who made a pact with the wicked witch and received her powers were shot down by the heroes chosen by the Holy Sword of Water, and their corpses are sealed inside the mausoleum to ensure that they will never rise again. ¡°Damn¡­..that¡¯s a fairy tale!¡¡You¡¯re a superstitious bastard!¡± ¡°My grandmother was familiar with that kind of folklore¡­¡­Don¡¯t say anything bad. Don¡¯t go near that mausoleum!¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± When his partner stopped him, the tattooed man clicked his tongue in abhorrence and hefted the shovel on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s no use¡­¡­.I¡¯m not going to go there. Instead, I¡¯m going to dig up a couple more new graves and you can help me. Maybe you¡¯ll find a bargain ¡­¡­¡­..?¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The tattooed man stopped speaking unnaturally and the skinhead asked him suspiciously. The tattooed man stood stunned, staring at a point in the cemetery with a dazed look on his face. He followed his gaze and¡­..saw a girl standing there, bathed in moonlight. She is a small girl. Her hair is chestnut brown, soft and wavy, and reaches down to her shoulders. Her face is as pretty and well-defined as if it were made by hand, and as exquisite and impeccable as a bisque doll made by a skilled dollmaker over a period of years. At first glance, the girl really looked lifeless, like a doll ¨C but even so, she couldn¡¯t be a fake. This was because the girl was walking on two legs, her head whipped around and her eyes were fixed on the grave robbers. ¡°Ho¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A sigh escapes from the girl¡¯s mouth. Instantly, a chill runs down the skinhead¡¯s spine. The girl¡¯s eyes were looking straight into his eyes. They were as golden as the full moon. CH 163 ¡°Heh, heh, heh¡­¡­! That¡¯s a great prize! I¡¯m getting lucky!¡± ¡°Oi,oi! Don¡¯t do that!¡± A tattooed man licks his tongue and tries to approach the beautiful girl who suddenly appears in front of him. But his skin-headed partner hurriedly grabs him by the shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s not good! That¡¯s an evil incarnation that we shouldn¡¯t even be involved with!¡± The skinhead¡¯s face has lost its colour and turned pale. It¡¯s no wonder that he is wary. The beautiful chestnut girl who appeared in front of him wore worn-out clothes and had black dirt all over her body. She looks as if she has just crawled out from under the grave¡­.This is the kind of look that inspires imagination. It didn¡¯t seem like a decent person. ¡°What are you talking about?¡¡It¡¯s not every day you get a girl that good!¡¡You could sell her for less than a hundred gold pieces! And ¡­¡­¡± But the tattooed man¡¯s eyes are clouded with lust, and he doesn¡¯t take his partner¡¯s words seriously. ¡°It¡¯s not every day we get to hold a girl with such beauty like that!¡¡She¡¯s a bit dirty, but that¡¯s no problem! After we¡¯ve had our fun, we can sell her off to the slavers!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point! She¡¯s not human, she¡¯s probably some kind of undead thing.¡± It is not uncommon for the undead to spring up in cemeteries that have not been tended to for years. In this cemetery, too, priests regularly offer prayers to repose the souls¡­¡­The girl in front of them, with her unusual appearance, did not seem to be a living person. While the men were arguing, the girl looked away as if nothing had happened and tried to walk away with a disturbed gait. ¡°Heh, wait¡­..!¡± ¡°Oi!, you!¡± ¡°Hey, there, girl! What the hell are you doing here at this hour?¡± The tattooed man ignored his partner¡¯s restraint and chased after the girl, grabbing her by the thin shoulders as she tried to walk away. ¡°A¡­.?¡± The girl looks back with sleepy eyes. She looked up at the tattooed man¡¯s face, which is taller than hers, and tilted her head. ¡°¡­¡­Wa?¡± After a long silence, the girl utters some words that are too short. The tattooed man has no idea what she is trying to say. But it didn¡¯t matter to him who was trapped in lust. ¡°What the fuck are you talking about? No, I don¡¯t care ¡­¡­.I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m going to play with you. Come here!¡± ¡°Ya¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­shi¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..?¡± The tattooed man takes her by the hand and drags her along as he does. She was then taken to a nearby patch of grass and pushed down onto a bed of grass. ¡°I¡¯m going to make love to you! Hee hee, hee hee!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The tattooed man straddled the girl, licking his tongue and moving his fingers in a mysterious way. He reached out to grab a handful of her small breasts and¡­¡­someone grabbed his shoulders from behind to stop him. ¡°Chi, get out of my way! If you¡¯re that scared, I¡¯ll enjoy it myself, so get the fuck out of here!¡± The tattooed man shakes off the hand on his shoulder. He was about to do it, ignoring his partner who was in his way, when a shaky voice came from the side. ¡°O,oi¡­¡­bane¡­¡­ behind you ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hhe?¡± His partner, who was supposed to be behind him, was for some reason a little distance away from him. The skinhead, his face as white as paper, pointed a trembling fingertip at the tattooed man¡¯s rear. ¡°He¡­¡­, why¡­.what are you pointing at?¡± The tattooed man turns around in surprise. At the same time, a sharp fang pierced his neck. ¡°Higii!!?¡± ¡°Gatagatagatagatagatagata¡± ¡°Hygaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± The tattooed man was bitten by the corpse of a man standing on two legs. The flesh and skin of the carcass had rotted away and the white bones were bare. How long has he been dead? The corpse, now a skeleton, embraces the tattooed man and mercilessly bites the flesh off his neck. ¡°Ki,Gah¡­Aaa¡± A corpse straddles the tattooed man who has fallen, blood gushing from his neck. Ironically, it is in the same position as the man who had just tried to attack the girl. ¡°St-STOP!!!!!!!!¡± ¡°A,aa¡­..¡± The carcass mercilessly devoured the tattooed man¡¯s body, devouring his flesh. The skinhead man fell on his buttocks in horror and watched in amazement as his partner was devoured by the monster. The tattooed man screams and scratches his algae for a while, but eventually¡­..his limbs give out as if he has run out of steam. The only sound was that of the meat being chewed. ¡°That¡¯s why I said¡­¡­I told you to stop¡­..I told you to stop¡­¡­!¡± He wanted to get up, but his legs and feet were too terrified to do so. He still crawls and tries to escape, but.. ¡°Aa¡­¡± Numerous figures stand in front of the skinhead man crawling on the ground. As he slowly looks up, he sees a crowd of countless dead bodies looking down at him. At the head of the crowd was the old man, whose grave the two men had just dug up and razed. His forehead is clearly marked with the scorch marks of a cigarette, and the lightless eye sockets of the temple cave peer out at the skin headed man. ¡°Gatagatagatagatagatagata¡± ¡°H¡­¡­ gyaaaaahhhhh!¡± A wild scream echoed through the dark night. For a while, the sounds of people fighting could be heard but¡­¡­soon the cemetery was once again enveloped in the silence of the night. CH 164 ¡°Mu¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Confirming the grave robber¡¯s cruel end, the chestnut-haired girl mumbles something small, like a breath. The volume of her voice is so small that it melts into the night and disappears without becoming a clear word. ¡°Gatsugatsugatsu, kuchakucha¡­¡­¡± Countless corpses were devouring the flesh and blood of the man who had died. Like hyenas devouring their prey, the sight was so cruel. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The girl with chestnut hair slowly shakes her head at the horrific scene and walks slowly through the cemetery. At a slow speed, like a lizard crawling, she reached the mausoleum at the end of the cemetery. ¡°Mi¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± When the girl reaches the entrance of the mausoleum, she slowly raises her hand and touches the door with her fingertips. However as soon as her thin fingertips touch it, her hand is flicked away with a buzzing sound like static electricity. The mausoleum has a special warding system that is designed to reject any outside intruder without mercy. ¡°I¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Her fingers were blackened and burnt as if they had been roasted in a fire. The girl frowned slightly and took a step or two back from the entrance of the mausoleum, looked up at the high wall and drew her mouth into a straight line. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..troublesome.¡± Then, after a long silence, she mumbled a few words that finally made sense. Instantly, both of the girl¡¯s eyes glowed golden and a circular magic circle appeared at her feet. A silvery glow emanates from the geometric pattern of the magic circle, and the midnight graveyard becomes as bright as if the sun had just risen. ¡°¡­¡­¡­re¡­¡­.ra¡­¡­u¡± With a languid look on her face, the girl mumbled something incomprehensible. A huge amount of magic is blown around the girl. A small tornado generated by the raging magic curled up the chestnut-haired girl¡¯s hair and made a sound like a bird¡¯s wings. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..Earthquakes Titan Stamp¡± Eventually the girl¡¯s magic is completed. A huge earthquake occurs with the chestnut-haired girl at its centre. The ground shook up and down as if the continent were being turned upside down, gravestones fell, and the sound of destruction could be heard in the distance as buildings collapsed. The effects of the earthquake engulfed the entire western side of the continent. It was a catastrophe that could not have been caused by a single person, it was as if the end of the world had come. (TL: brah, she¡¯s the one who caused the earthquake in Zain?) ¡°Yo¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Ko¡­¡­¡­.¡± After a good five minutes, the continental quake had finally stopped. The girl, with a sleepy look on her face, nodded in satisfaction. A crack in the earth caused by the earthquake had torn the mausoleum in half. The wards on the mausoleum flickered and flickered slightly, but then the blue light disappeared in a puff of smoke. ¡°Sa¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± The chestnut-haired girl, who had not moved in the earth-turning quake, peered in through the crumbling walls of the mausoleum with the same sluggish gait as before. ¡°Do¡­¡­¡­¡­..?¡± On the floor of the broken mausoleum, there was a different magic circle than the one the girl had just created. It was a sacred magic circle that kept evil away, but it was no longer effective as it had been cruelly cut in two by a crack in the earth. ¡°Sa¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± The girl tries to enter the mausoleum to make sure that the magic has disappeared. She crawls slowly up the broken wall and finally rolls down from the pile of rubble she has made for herself and steps into the mausoleum. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.tai¡± (TL: she wanted to ¡®itai¡¯=painful/ouch. But she just say ¡®tai¡¯) The chestnut-haired girl got up slowly, rubbing her bruised bottom. When she stood up again, she looked at the four metal urns on the floor. Without hesitation, she approaches the urns, removes the lids and pours the contents on the floor. The bones of four people tumble out of the four urns. ¡°Sa¡­¡­¡­¡­..!¡± The girl opened her hands and let the magic power out. The huge amount of magic power released from the small body is absorbed into the white bones of the four people, like water sinking into dry sand. ¡°Katakatakatakatakatakata¡± The bones of the four men vibrate violently, moving and colliding on their own. The bone fragments consolidate into a human shape through repeated vibrations and collisions. ¡°Me¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­! Hi¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± The bones had finished forming into a human shape, but the girl¡¯s magic power was still poured into them. Then, like a clock turning backwards, flesh was attached to the bare bones, eyeballs and internal organs were born, and finally skin and hair were attached. The four bones reanimate into four people. The four resurrected people stood in amazement for a while, but when they noticed the chestnut-haired girl who brought them back to life, they rushed to their knees. And then, ¨CThe oldest of the four, amongst the man and woman, opens his mouth. ¡°We congratulate you on your return after so many years!¡¡Our great master, Osman, Queen of the Underworld and Witch of the Earth!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± After the bald-headed old man¡¯s words, the girl called Osman looked at the four of them in turn with vague eyes. Then she raised her small right hand and opened her¡­¡­ apple-red lips. ¡°Ni¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± From her pretty lips came a short utterance that could hardly be called a word. CH 165 ¡°Ni¡­¡­¡­¡­..!!¡± It was a single word or rather, a single letter that came out of the mouth of the chestnut-haired girl known as Osman. It was too short a greeting for an old acquaintance, but the old man received it and shook his shoulders in delight. ¡°It is a great pleasure to see you again after two hundred years of sleep. I hope that you will continue to help me in this life to abolish the human race. It is I who am happy to see your face! Our queen!¡± ¡°U¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°[Yes, now is the time for resurrection. It is time for me, the Queen of the Land of the Dead, to teach those who pretend to be the rulers of this earth a lesson!] ¨CYou are absolutely right, Lady Osman!¡± The old man wept tears of joy as he translated the girl¡¯s too-short words. ¡°We, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, share the same feelings as you, Lady Osman! Across the ages, we reiterate our allegiance to our great queen!¡± The old man bows deeply to Osman and addresses her with the utmost respect. ¡°One of the four knights of the apocalypse, Garbolus, knight of ¡®war¡¯. To Queen Osman, be it ever faithful! A small, old man bows his bald head, his wrinkled face loosening with joy as he announces himself. Following him, the remaining three men in the room bow their heads in turn. ¡°One of the four knights ¨C Ruluve, Knight of the ¡®Plague¡¯. Allegiance to the Beautiful and the Great.¡± The second person to come forward was a tall woman. She was in her late twenties or early thirties. Her deep blue hair flowed in waves down her back and reached her waist. Her body is voluptuous and soft, with a hint of sexiness emanating from its undulating softness. ¡°One of the four knights ¨C Wilfred, the knight of ¡®Famine¡¯. Let us offer ten thousand corpses to Her Majesty the Queen.¡± The third person to come forward was a boy in his early teens. The grey-haired boy was scrawny and thin, and wore glasses with broken lenses on his chiselled face. His eyes were black and vacant, stained with the colour of doom and despair, as if he were looking into the abyss. ¡°One of the four knights. The knight of ¡®Death¡¯¡¯. Zansha. Swore allegiance to you.¡± The last person to come forward was an exotic man with dark hair and brown skin. He was a handsome man with a well-rounded and fearless face. His well-muscled body spoke volumes about the fact that he was a warrior who fought for a living. In his hands he held a sword with a mysterious purple aura, and he thrust it into the earth, offering words of loyalty to his lord. They are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They are the apostles of the witch who swore allegiance to Osman, one of the Six Witches of Doom, and who, three hundred years ago, turned the west of the continent into a crucible of destruction during the Great Calamity, driving several nations to their doom. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Osman nodded slowly as the knights gave her their allegiance. ¡°Yes,¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°[Fierce and valiant, my knights, I have received your unfailing loyalty! ¨CAhahahaha!]¡± ¡°Oo¡­¡­.¡± ¡°[I am convinced that you will be able to accomplish without regret the great task of abolishing the human race!]¨CWhat a pleasure to hear that!¡± As usual, the old man, Garbolus, translates Osman¡¯s words. The four mysterious men and women, young and old, kneeling down to the mute girl is so unnatural and bizarre. But no one else felt that way, or was present in the cemetery in the first place. Before they know it ¨C countless corpses are crawling up from the ground, which was soggy from the earthquake earlier. Some have turned to white bones, others still have flesh left to decompose ¨C whatever the difference, the corpses surround the natural mausoleum as if they were alive, peering in through the broken walls. The dialogue between Osman and the four knights continues, unconcerned about such a disastrous scene. ¡°Sa¡­¡­¡­¡­.Ko¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°[Over Three hundred years, The witch of doom has come to this world again! From now on, we are on the road to the abolition of humanity once again!]¨COoo!¡¡We¡¯ve been waiting for this moment! So let us four knights lead the way on this far journey! We will take care of all the human soldiers who are too numerous, and all the warriors of the holy sword who are our bitter enemies!¡± Garbolus prostrates himself and declares, with tears streaming down his face from uncontrollable emotion ¡°I will not make the same mistake I made two hundred years ago! I will not let you be taken from me again!¡± ¡°O¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°[I expect a lot from you!] I shall certainly live up to your expectations!¡± Garbolus continued to bow his head relentlessly, as if he was about to plunge straight into the ground. The other three knights were also fascinated by Osman¡¯s words and behaviour, though not as much as Garbolas. ¡°Karakarakarakarakarakarakara~¡± And before long, the number of corpses surrounding the mausoleum had grown to five hundred. Every last one of those who had lost their lives in the last 200 years and were buried in this cemetery had woken up and crawled out into the moonlight. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Under the gaze of the four knights and the five hundred corpses Osman spread her hands with a sleepy expression. ¡°I¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Te¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°[I hereby declare the start of the apocalyptic war!¡¡To begin with, the descendants of the Athena clan, who may possess the Holy Sword of Water, must be slaughtered!] ¨CWe are at your service! As you wish, Witch of the Earth and Queen of the Underworld. Great Lady of the Apocalypse, Osman!¡± And so, in the west of the continent, chaos has awakened. The chaos, led by its four patriarchs, spread destruction, and before long the flames would reach the kingdom of Zain, where Raidorl lives. CH 166 An earthquake of an unprecedented scale struck the western part of the continent. It caused tremendous damage throughout the Kingdom of Zain. Raidorl, who came to power as regent, mobilised all the resources at his disposal to rescue the victims. Thanks to the protection of Neimilia¡¯s magic, the damage to the Royal Palace of Zain was kept to a minimum. Raidorl immediately opened the royal palace as a place of refuge and housed the injured residents of the capital. Of course, it is not only the capital that has been affected. Directly under the control of the king, far from the capital. The noble estates have also been badly damaged. Troops were sent to local cities, towns and villages to provide disaster relief. Food reserves in the royal palace were also brought in as relief supplies, and forts and fortresses that were safe were offered as places of refuge. Normally, these decisions could only be taken with the consultation and approval of the ministers. However, as a centralised dictatorship, Raidorl was able to do so on his own. His decisions are fearless, but at the same time they are incredibly timely and appropriate to the situation. The young regent, who had been through a lot in the frontier settlements, showed his worth during such an emergency. Even if Granard and Lockwood had been alive, they would not have been able to respond so smoothly to the sudden disaster. If one looks only at the results, the damage caused by the disaster was minimised by Raidorl, who took over the kingdom. Still,there were not a few people who could not be helped. By nature, the Kingdom of Zain is not prone to major earthquakes. In the wake of the unfamiliar earthquake, the confusion of the people swelled greatly. In some of the affected towns and villages, unfounded rumours even led to riots. The rescue of the victims had to take a stepback as the Knights had to deal with the suppression of the rioters. From the time of the earthquake to the end of the chaos, it took about a month. In that time, 10,000 people died as a result of direct damage caused by the earthquake and indirect damage caused by sudden riots. The number of missing persons is several times that number. This is, without a doubt, the biggest disaster since the founding of the Kingdom of Zain. Fortunately, and quite quickly after the disaster. Relief supplies arrived from our neighbours to the east, the Arslanian Empire. The empire, which is located in the middle of the continent, was not so badly affected by the earthquake, and Emperor Zacharias immediately sent relief workers and supplies. Raidorl owed Zacharias a great debt of gratitude, this,in turn, helped to consolidate his reign. It was Raidorl who ended the war with the Empire and made peace. This has already spread throughout the kingdom. Thanks to Raidorl¡¯s peace with the Empire, a lot of help was given. The people who were affected by the disaster shouted, ¡°It is thanks to His Highness Raidorl that we have been saved!¡± and praised him. Also the fact that the earthquake has forced the rebellious nobles to go into hiding is working to Raidorl¡¯s advantage. Their territory had been damaged and they could no longer manage without the help of the knights and the army. ¡°We¡¯ll take this opportunity to drag down that hateful younger brother!¡± They had no time to even think about it. In order to defend their lands, the nobles were forced to hang their heads to Raidorl, whom they supposedly hated. Just as the rains hardened the earth, so the hardships of the great earthquake enhanced Raidorl¡¯s reputation and, oddly enough, consolidated his reign. And so it was that Raidorl overcame the first hardships of his reign¡­¡­.but it was not long before he realised that he was not alone. The witches¡¯ plague has only just begun. It is not over yet. The battle between the hero, the holder of the holy sword, and the ¡°Six Witches of Doom¡± was about to begin. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°GGGGAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa¡­!!!!¡± A strange, high-pitched, hair-raising voice came out of the dimly lit forest. At first it was distant and faint, as if nails had been scratched into glass, but as time went on it grew louder and louder, and they knew that the voice was getting closer. At the same time, it was accompanied by the sound of crawling on the ground. It was a low, heavy sound, like a horse dragging a huge load. ¡°Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~¡± Before long, the owner of the voice appeared. At first glance, the silhouette of the creature crawling through the trees looks like a giant snake crawling on the ground. But those people will soon realise that this was a mistake. The serpent, with its reddish-black scales like dried blood, has a human upper body in the place where its jaws should be. The upper half of the sallow human body is unclothed, leaving the naked torso exposed. The two breasts, all female, were completely exposed without a leaf on them. If they look only at the human torso, it looks like an incendiary female body. But there is no man who would be excited by lust in the presence of this monster of a human snake. The woman¡¯s eyes are red and glowing, and her mouth is split open below the ears. The woman¡¯s jaws were open and drooling, and her dark yellow bodily fluids, when they fell to the ground, gave off a foul smell and white vapour, like an acidic drug. ¡°¡­¡­ Lesser lamia, eh? There¡¯s a lot of you.¡± A monster emerges from the forest, a human snake. There were about thirty of them. The black-robed man with the jet-black sword in his hand, Raidorl Zain, sighs in disgust at the sight of the horrible monsters, even if they were coming in packs. Lesser lamia is not a major demon. This is the first time Raidorl has encountered one in person, although he has some knowledge of them from books. To begin with,Lamia is a sub-human race. They are abhorred in the Empire, which has a strong disdain for subhumans, but they are not evil. They have the upper body of a human woman and the lower body of a snake, and they live in settlements in the south of the continent. Despite their fearsome appearance, they have a gentle nature and are said to entertain men who wander into their village and ask them for a night¡¯s love. The Lamia are an all-female race, and they mate with men of other races to procreate. The Lamia are all beautiful in appearance, and some men have had relations with more than one Lamia, pretending to have wandered into the village. The Lesser Lamia, on the other hand, has the same characteristics of a human snake, but is extremely fierce. It is unable to communicate with humans because it lacks the intelligence to understand human language, and it prefers to attack humans and eat their flesh and blood. Lesser Lamia is another species that only has females. ¡­¡­This one has intercourse with its ¡®mouth¡¯. By feeding on human males, they take the ¡®sperm¡¯ directly into their bodies and fertilise the eggs in their wombs to reproduce. Thirty Lesser Lamia was in front Raidorl. ¡°How many men did they kill to get this many?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ that you had to die with such an ugly slut as your last woman. I can¡¯t bring him back to life, but ¡­¡­ I can at least avenge him¡± ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Lesser Lamia squealed with delight at the sight of Raidorl. They must have thought that the poor Raidorl will sacrifice a food to eat and nourish him for the birth of their babies. Thirty lesser lamia were happily heading straight for Raidorl. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Raidorl, on the other hand, does not swing his sword, but points it at the ground, allowing the monster to approach him as if it were his prey. ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Lesser Ramia was getting closer. Closer and closer- but Raidorl doesn¡¯t move. ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± And then at last the Lesser Lamia in the front row leapt towards Raidorl. She kicked the ground with her serpentine body like a spring, flew into the air and opened her jaws to the limit. She tried to bite off Raidorl¡¯s head¡­¡­but Raidorl finally moved. ¡°Spell fighting [Medusa, Goddess of the Stone Eye].¡± Raidorl did not even raise his sword, but muttered with the tip hanging down. Instantly, a hemispherical dome appeared around Raidorl¡¯s feet. ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!¡± He drew the enemy to the very edge and unleashed the blow. The Lesser Lamia were trapped together in the jet-black dome, surrounded by a vortex of miasma that raged inside the dome. ¡°Aaaaah ¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± A Lesser Lamia, who was about to jump on Raydor, turned into stone in mid-air. With a look of confusion on their face, they crashed to the ground with a thud. The other Lesser Lamia also turned to stone in the same way. In a matter of seconds, the thirty Lesser Lamia had been reduced to a flock of stone statues. ¡°Kishaaaaaaa?¡± ¡°Mmm?¡± There was only one Lesser Lamia that escaped petrification. Only the last of the monsters escaped the petrifying dome. ¡°Raaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± The surviving Lesser Lamia turned on their heels and fled towards the forest. Seeing their comrades turned to stone before their eyes, they finally realised that the man they were about to attack was not their prey, but a natural enemy that threatened their survival. They fled without a second thought for their petrified friends. ¡°Oioi¡­..You can¡¯t just run like that.¡± Of course, Raidorl will not allow this to happen. Raidorl swung his sword with a careless hand, and a jet-black blade shot out from it and plunged into Lesser Lamia¡¯s head. The last lesser lamia falls to the ground with its head cut in two. ¡°Even though it¡¯s a monster¡­..it doesn¡¯t feel good to point a sword at the back of a fleeing woman.¡± Raidorl lightly dusted off the holy sword D¨¢insleif in his right hand and placed it in its sheath. He stretches out his body with his hands above his head, as if to say, ¡°I¡¯ve done my job.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a softie enough to let a cannibalistic monster escape. In the next life, I hope you will be born as a decent woman.¡± With a sarcastic retort, Raidorl turned his black robes and walked towards the town behind him. It was his hometown, the one he had known since he was a child. The frontier city of Raid. Raidorl, who had become king, was returning to the frontier town where he had spent his thirteenth and eighteenth years. CH 167 ¡°Well, thank you for your help. Thanks a lot.¡± A large man with a beard greets Raidorl on his return to the town. A bearded man carrying his beloved battle axe on his back ¨C Bartolomeo Zafis, the guild master who is the head of the adventurers. He was the mentor who raised Raidorl as an adventurer and looked after him as his guardian until the day he returned to the capital. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any trouble at all. You didn¡¯t even get any light exercise, so I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to slow me down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯re risking our lives against a herd like that.¡± Zafis snorted and made fun of Raidorl. ¡°You¡¯re the hero of national salvation, aren¡¯t you? If it weren¡¯t for that holy sword, you¡¯d have a little more trouble, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You might be right¡­¡­ No?¡± Raidorl strokes the holy sword at his waist and replies vaguely. It¡¯s been nearly a year since he got his holy sword back, but Raidorl can¡¯t help but feel like D¨¢insleif is already a part of him. It was no longer possible to imagine, even if only as an analogy, the hypothetical ¡°¡­¡­ without the Holy Sword¡± Instead, he decided to ask what was bothering him. ¡°And yet¡­¡­raids of this scale continue every day?¡¡I¡¯m amazed you¡¯ve lasted this long.¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back.¡± The reason why Raidorl left his post as regent to return to the frontier city was because he had received a request for help from Zafis. The Kingdom of Zain was badly affected by the earthquake that struck a month ago. The settlement was no exception, with buildings and the walls surrounding the town collapsing. However, even more troubling was the outbreak of demons that occurred immediately after the earthquake. That big earthquake. And since the appearance of the Red Moon, the number of demon outbreaks has skyrocketed in many areas. Even in areas that had been free of demons for years, goblins and orc swarms have been confirmed to have appeared. Just when Raidorl thought he had finally finished cleaning up after the earthquake, the demons attacked. It¡¯s like the end of the world. He has been sending his knights and soldiers to various places to kill demons, and he himself has been going to the frontier cities. In the pioneer city of Raid, which was originally home to powerful demons, packs of demons have been emerging from the jungle every day recently. Due to the damage caused by the earthquake, the adventurers¡¯ fight was in a state of crisis, as if they were endlessly turning the wheel of fire. Raidorl¡¯s participation in the previous war was paid for with a large sum of money from the Royal Court¡­¡­.If it had not been for the increased defence, the frontier city would have been destroyed. However, their strength had already reached its limit, and Raidorl, the keeper of the holy sword, was sent out in person. ¡°As for the outbreak of demons, it is said to have been seen in the ¡°Great Calamity¡± three hundred years ago. Also, this might be the influence of the ¡°Resurrection of the Witches¡±, which has activated spiritual veins and blown mana around the country¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl told Zafis exactly what he had heard from Neimilia. Zafis sighs in disgust and scratches his greasy head, which has probably not been washed for days. ¡°How did ¡®we¡¯ manage to survive three hundred years ago? I¡¯m dying of exhaustion right now.¡± (TL: I put ¡®we¡¯ as in the their forefathers who survive) ¡°Survive¡­.? Three hundred years ago, about ninety percent of the population lost their lives.¡± ¡°Seriously, ¡­..That¡¯s a lot to take in.¡± Zafis held up his hands in surrender. ¡°My maid will take care of you soon. Just hang in there a little longer, okay?¡± Raidorl patted his mentor sympathetically on the back and walked through the city towards his house. The outbreak of demons itself is inevitable¡­¡­. Fortunately, Raidorl has one of the original ¡°Six Witches of Doom¡± under his command. In the villa, Neimilia was supposed to be working out how to deal with this situation. It has already been a week since Raidorl arrived in the city. During that time, he has not been able to return to his house much due to the battle with the demons, but he was sure she will come up with some countermeasures soon. After leaving Zafis, Raidorl walk around the town, which was destroyed by the earthquake and is now being repaired. This is Raidorl¡¯s second home. He had spent only five years here, but he felt a strong attachment to it. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done to my town ¡­¡­. Witches and demons alike. Feel free to smash it ¡­¡­!¡± For that reason, he now had to meet up with Neimilia and discuss how to deal with the situation. After a short walk, Raidorl arrived at the house where he used to live. The house, which is also the residence of the lord of the pioneer city, was partially damaged by the earthquake, but there was barely enough space for people to live. This is a mansion owned by Raidorl. Without any hesitation, he opened the door without knocking or ringing. ¡°Oh, welcome home, Master.¡± Then ¨C he was greeted by a familiar maid at the door. No. It was not a maid. It was a familiar maid in an unfamiliar outfit, posing in a way that emphasised her breasts. ¡°Do you want to eat? Would you like a bath?¡¡Or do you me-Jyaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl was silent ¨C he jumped and kicked the bunny girl who was standing in front of him. CH 168 Barrier of darkness Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil ¡°Mouu! Master is so affectionate! If you¡¯re being too rough to me, you¡¯ll develop a strange habit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve been a pervert since the day we met.¡± Bunny Girl¡­¡­witch and maid, Neimilia, sat upright, and Raidorl pressed his hand to his forehead as if he had a headache. The reason Raidorl brought Neimilia all the way to the frontier was to deal with the outbreak of demons plaguing the frontier city. It was not to dress her up in bizarre costumes and play along with her. Since the night of the red moon, the Kingdom of Zain has seen a massive outbreak of demons. Above all, the damage to the pioneer city, which was originally a monster¡¯s den, is great. The earthquake had destroyed all the walls and traps in the city. In such a situation, the fate of the pioneer city is in jeopardy if the demons come to the city. As a result ¨C Raidorl, the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Zain, had to return to the frontier city, and Neimilia was brought in to find a way to control the demon outbreak. ¡°We¡¯re not here to have fun, we¡¯re here to find a way to reduce the number of demons.¡± ¡°Muu¡­¡­master is naughty! You can at least give me a little service!¡± She puckered her lips and traced the grain of the floor with her fingertips. ¡°And if I wanted to¡­¡­fight demons, I would have done it by now! I¡¯ve just finished your work, so I thought I¡¯d get a reward from my master!¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ve already got a solution for that?¡± When Raidorl asks in amazement, Neimilia proudly sticks out her cleavage, saying ¡®Fufufu¡¯. ¡°Fufufufu¡­¡­Who do you think I am!¡¡I am the master¡¯s excellent maid and sex slave. Isn¡¯t that natural!?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s an undeserved title. What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Is it more important to be a sex slave than to be a witch?¡± ¡°When did this happen¡­Really, she was soaked in sweet honey to the core of her head.¡± ¡°And? What measures do you intend to use to prevent the invasion of the demons?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to put up barriers around the settlements so that the demons can¡¯t get through!¡± ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m sure the barriers are supposed to be ¡®divine art¡¯ magic¡­¡­but can they be used by you, the witch?¡± The Divine Art is an ancient magic used by the priests of Goldcross in the north of the continent. It¡¯s not something that Raidorl has seen firsthand, but he has heard that it has the power to drive away or weaken demons. ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t work! But I can construct another ward with a similar effect¡­.!¡± Neimilia is even more confident when it comes to her breasts. She is wearing a bunny-girl outfit, which emphasises her cleavage, but she is not shy about showing off her breasts, bobbing them up and down as she does so. ¡°So¡­¡­what kind of barriers are you going to make?¡¡How long will it take you to make them?¡± Raidorl felt the headache again, but ignored Neimilia¡¯s odd behaviour and carried on with his story. ¡°Mu¡­.Master¡¯s neglecting play is amazing. It¡¯s called ¡®Dark Warding¡¯. I¡¯m going to surround the settlement with a special magical wall that only takes away the power of demons.¡± ¡°Dark Warding¡­.¡± Neimilia is a witch of darkness and she knows how to manipulate the power of darkness. But¡­there is one thing Raidorl don¡¯t understand. ¡°But¡­..if you have such a useful ward, why didn¡¯t you use it earlier? Why didn¡¯t you use it when we were living here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t use it, it¡¯s that I couldn¡¯t use it. I had lost a lot of my strength at the time¡± Neimilia had been sealed in the ruins for two hundred years by the previous holder of the D¨¢insleif. She had lost most of her witchcraft powers during her long captivity. ¡°After the Resurrection of the Witches, I have regained my witchcraft powers. But now, I¡¯m back!¡¡Now I¡¯m ready to endure any kind of violent play you can throw at me!¡± ¡°¡­.. So you¡¯re getting stronger. That¡¯s encouraging¡± But ¡­..it wasn¡¯t just the enemy witch that was revived, but also Neimilia, who seems to have regained her full strength. ¡°The Holy Sword and the magic from Neimilia¡­¡­and the army I painstakingly raised. With these powers combined, we should be able to overcome the outbreaks of demons and the attacks of witches.¡± Raidorl clenched his fists and smiled his heart out. After three hundred years, the witch¡¯s ¡°Great Calamity¡± has struck again, and the kingdom of Zain has suffered damage from earthquakes and demon attacks. But¡­¡­is not without hope. Raidorl was convinced that they could get through this ¨C and they did. ¡°Right! Well then, let¡¯s get on with the warding and ¡­¡­¡­¡­,what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m going to play hardball! I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m really made of!¡± ¡°Uwoo?!¡± The shadowy tentacles wrapped around Raidorl¡¯s ankles and flipped him upside down into the air. He is almost thrown out and slammed to the floor, but this time the circular bed of shadows softly catches him. ¡°Oi¡­..,wait, wait, wait!¡¡I¡¯ll deal with you next time, but for now¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand any longer with this neglecting play! If this continues, I¡¯ll do a reverse rape! Master, be prepared!¡± ¡°Whatttttttttttttt?!¡± Neimilia leaps into the air and removes her bunny suit in mid-air, then leaps on Raidorl, who is completely naked and bound in the shadows. The bed made of shadows wriggled like a living thing and swallowed them both as the shell closed. Then for two whole days Raidorl would disappear from the frontier city. Two days later, Raidorl crawls out of his shadowy prison, limp and exhausted, as if the ghosts had sucked the life out of him. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to work hard! It¡¯s all for the sake of my beloved master!¡± In contrast¡­¡­Neimilia¡¯s skin is glowing. Her face is all smiling. With a smile of compassion, as if an angel had just landed, she built a barrier of darkness around the pioneer city. As a result, the damage caused by demons in the settlements was drastically reduced. The lives of people living on the frontier are now protected from the threat of demons. The peace that was built up was at the expense of the man who was the lord of the city¡­¡­.But no one knows about it. CH 169 Northern port town Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Raddockhorn is a town at the northern tip of the Kingdom of Zain. Facing the North Sea, this town used to be a fishing port to acquire fish and other marine resources. In recent years, it has prospered as a trading port, connecting logistics with the Kingdom of Athena to the west and the GoldCross to the north. Not long ago, this town was owned by a greedy nobleman named Crowley Rhodis, and as such, it was rife with injustice and was a breeding ground for the poison that poisoned the kingdom. However, after the Great Purge carried out by Raidorl, the corrupt nobles were ostracised and the area is now under the direct control of the royal family and ruled by deputies. ¡°Umu, it looks like the town is coming along nicely.¡± Striding down the main street in the middle of the town is a man with a large body, a serious rotten face and glasses ¨C Justy Oigist. Justy looked around the sprawling town with his second-in-command, a knight, in tow, and nodded in satisfaction. On the main street, the town¡¯s residents were busy running around, restoring buildings and clearing debris. The town was full of life and the faces of those doing the manual labour were bright. On the main street, the town¡¯s residents were busy running around, restoring buildings and clearing debris. The town was full of life and the faces of those doing the manual labour were bright. It was a month ago that Justy took office as the town¡¯s deputy. Immediately, after the great earthquake on the night of the Red Moon. The earthquake and resulting tsunami destroyed the buildings where people lived, and the fishing and trading boats that had supported the town¡¯s economy were swallowed by the waves and disappeared into the seabed. The number of dead and missing is estimated at 20% of the town¡¯s population. Those who survived lost their homes and property and were left on the street. The town was in despair, but the tragedy did not end there. Conflicts broke out between the local population and the foreign sailors who had come from other countries to trade. By nature, sailors are strong and rough people. This is especially true when they are upset and uptight after a disaster strikes during their stay in another country. Conflict soon erupted into rioting and the town of Raddockhorn was thrown into further chaos. However, the town barely survived when Raidorl sent Justy to lead the troops and quell the chaos early on. After the riots had died down, Justy was appointed as the town¡¯s deputy and went to work on the reconstruction. ¡°The buildings have been largely restored. How is the food supply?¡± Justy, who is patrolling the town, poses the question to his second-in-command, who is following behind him. The second-in-command, careful not to let the sea breeze blow away the parchment in his hands, carefully flicks through the papers and answers his superior. ¡°We have supplies from Royal Capital, so for the moment it is not a problem. Also, the residents of the town have started to build small fishing boats and go fishing. The catch is still very small, so it¡¯s not enough to support the whole town, but little by little, the people are starting to make a living.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. I¡¯ll be able to give a good report to His Highness Raidorl. So¡­.. what about the foreigners living in the town?¡± As a trading port, Raddockhorn is home to many foreigners who lost their ships in the earthquake and the tsunami rendering them to return home. Many of them were not involved in the riots, but are still living on the margins. ¡°As for Goldcross in the north, they¡¯re on course to return by land. It is a long way away, but thanks to our friendship with the Empire, we have a secured route.The problem is ¡­¡­ the kingdom of Athena in the west.¡± ¡°We are separated from Athena by a mountain range. It would be cruel to send them back by land.¡± The Kingdom of Zain and the Kingdom of Athena have a friendly relationship based on trade, but the border between the two countries is marked by steep mountain ranges. In order to get there without using ships, they have to risk their lives climbing the mountain. ¡°We would like to wait for the trade ships to be restored and then return by sea ¡­¡­¡± ¡°To do that, we¡¯ll have to deal with the demons of the open sea.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Justy and his deputy both sighed. Another problem plaguing the town of Radkhorn is the appearance of demons in the sea. Since the ¡°Red Moon¡±, there has been an outbreak of demons all over the continent. The sea is no exception. In the distant seas of Raddockhorn, monsters such as the fisherman Modokisahagin and the sea serpent Serpent have been appearing. Because of this, trading ships and even fishing boats were not allowed to go far out to sea, and had to fish in shallow waters where the monsters did not appear. There were some ships that tried to force their way out to sea and return to their homeland, but ¡­..they were attacked by the sea monster Kraken and sank. ¡°Now that the reconstruction of the town has been completed, it is time to start work on the establishment of a ¡®navy¡¯, as ordered by His Highness Raidorl.¡± As a knight, Justy was ordered to be the deputy of the port town, not because of Raidorl¡¯s favouritism. Justy was ordered to rebuild the town and establish a new ¡°navy¡±. Originally, the town of Raddockhorn was owned by the nobility, and the coast guard was left to the army. This is why the Kingdom of Zain does not have a navy, and has given up control of the North Sea. Fortunately, both the Kingdom of Athena and the Goldcross Empire, which are connected by the North Sea, are on friendly terms. There have been no major problems so far, but¡­¡­ Raidorl was not happy about that. ¡°It¡¯s insane to sit on a peace that could end at any moment. How can we be sure that the country we believe to be our friend has not hidden a blade behind its back?¡± This is what Raidorl said when he took Raddockhorn, an important stronghold on the North Sea, from the nobility. Raddockhorn, the gateway to the sea, is not only a trading port but also a bulwark against enemy attacks by sea. He argued that it was wrong to leave such an important base in the hands of a single nobleman. ¡°No one knows what the future will bring in ten or a hundred years¡¯ time. The establishment of a navy is an unavoidable imperative for the protection of the Kingdom of Zain.¡± A politician has to do his best to protect his country. That¡¯s what Justy agreed with. A new army. It¡¯s not easy to create a ¡°navy¡± that has never existed before. But even with the current state of the mass of demons, Justy is convinced that his lord¡¯s will was right. ¡°Fortunately, we have some ¡®reserves¡¯ that our predecessor, Marquis de Rhodis, had saved up. In order to live up to the expectations of His Highness, who has given the Oigist family the opportunity to start over after once being turned over to the enemy, we must remain focus in order to defeat the demons and protect the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°Yes, we must, my lord. We have already recruited sailors and adventurers. We have plenty of money and we are just waiting for the ship to be completed.¡± ¡°Mmm, let¡¯s continue our inspection.¡± Justy and his deputy looked at each other, nodded and turned down the main street in the direction of the harbour. CH 170 Drifter Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Justy and his second-in-command reached the port of Raddockhorn. A sea breeze blowing from the north brought cool air and the scent of the sea, gently caressing Justy¡¯s cheeks. The Kingdom of Zain, located in the western part of the continent, has a temperate climate, but Raddockhorn, which faces the North Sea, is often cooler than other towns, and in winter the ice floes sometimes wash ashore. Where once there were many trading ships covering the harbour and sailors and merchants constantly coming and going, it is now deserted. Most of the boats have been sunk by the tsunami and only small fishing boats remain at anchor in the harbour. In the middle of all this ¨C there is a place where people are gathering in a corner of the harbour. A group of fishermen were gathered around a small boat and seemed to be making some kind of noise. ¡°Something is happening over there¡­¡± ¡°What happened¡± Justy walks with his deputy to a place where people are gathering. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What¡¯s all the fuss about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Captain! What brings you to such a place?¡± One of the sailors turned around and looked up when he noticed Justy. The young sailor had volunteered for the new ¡®navy¡¯ and was familiar with Justy. ¡°I¡¯m just doing a tour of the town,So ¡­¡­ did something happen?¡± ¡°No,but a boat washed up in the harbor a few minutes ago.¡± ¡°Mm¡­..¡± Justy looked suspiciously into the small boat. A small figure was lying in the boat, which was big enough to hold three people. He is a well-dressed boy. His bluish hair is cut above his shoulders and his brown skin shows that he is of western origin. ¡°Could this skin tone ¡­¡­ be a castaway from Athena?¡± ¡°Yes, probably. He¡¯s still breathing, so I¡¯m calling for a doctor¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t think they made it to Zain in such a small boat. The main ship must have been wrecked and they had to change to a smaller boat.¡± Justy narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. It would take a week to get from Raddockhorn to the Kingdom of Athena, no matter how good the wind. The weather at sea can be changeable, with high waves and choppy seas. Such a small boat would probably capsize before it reached its destination. As the young navy and Justy can guess, they were on their way from the Kingdom of Athena to the Kingdom of Zain in a larger ship, and for some reason the ship was wrecked. Perhaps they were caught in a storm, or perhaps they were attacked by a large demon. Either way, it was a disaster. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a pity he¡¯s still a kid. There are people from Athena in this port. You can leave him with them.¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­, could you look at this?¡± ¡°Mmm ¡­¡­, is that ¡­¡­!¡± The sailor pointed to the boy¡¯s chest, he was hugging a ¡®thing¡¯. The boy was unconscious, and the ¡®thing¡¯ he was hugging was a large sword. The sword, in its scabbard, was as tall as a small boy and could be used by anyone. The problem was the guard on the tsuba. On the border between the blade and the hilt was engraved the royal emblem of the Kingdom of Athena. The royal coat of arms, of course, is not something that can be displayed by a commoner or nobleman. This means that¡­¡­this castaway is a person with royal connections. ¡°I see¡­ this is going to be a hassle. Things are going to be extremely troublesome soon.¡± Due to an earthquake and a demon, the Kingdom of Zain and the Kingdom of Athena have been temporarily cut off. In such a situation, a person who is related to the royal family comes to the Kingdom of Zain on a ship ¨C this is not an unusual situation. Justy doesn¡¯t know if this was a messenger or an exile, but whichever it was, some sort of problem must have arisen on the side of Athena. ¡°I¡¯d like to carry this boy, but he won¡¯t let go of his sword¡­¡­.¡± The boy is holding a two-handed greatsword of a kind known as a ¡°claymore¡±. (TL: In Scottish lang is claidheamh m¨®r) (Author: ¥¯¥ì¥¤¥â¥¢ ) The weight was such a mass of iron that even the strongest sailor could not hold the boy in his arms. ¡°No matter. I¡¯ll carry it.¡± Justy said without hesitation, and stepped into the boat as it was pulled into the harbour. ¡°Mmmm ¡­¡­!¡± The muscles in his arms bulged and swelled up like logs, lifting the boy¡¯s body, including the big sword. Justy held the boy¡¯s body on his side and tried to carry him to the building. ¡°As if we¡¯re going to let you do that sir¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to let him sleep in the boat forever. Especially if he¡¯s a man of honour ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Justy shook his head hawkishly at the sailor who had rushed to aid him, but he suddenly noticed something strange. ¡°If he is truly a member of the Athena royal family, we can¡¯t just throw him into some inn. I¡¯m going to take him to my house. Tell the doctor to come to me.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± ¡°Go ahead and boil the water. And get some clothes, water and food.¡± ¡°Ha, yes, sir!¡± Leaving the sailor and his lieutenant to their own devices, Justy walks back into the town, carrying the boy and his sword. As Justy carries the small boy and the large sword together, the townspeople look at him, wondering what is going on. But¡­..they didn¡¯t seem to mind, and Justy strode down the main street with an unhurried gait. A mysterious boy wanders in from the kingdom of Athena. It is only a matter of time before they all learn that he is the spark of a new conflict. CH 171 The Holy Sword of Water Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A boy was having a dream. It was a dream that happened not a long time ago. A month ago, a massive earthquake hit the country. It had caused a lot of damage in the kingdom of Aterna, the boy¡¯s homeland. The quake destroyed many buildings and left people homeless. The tsunami took away the ships and the greatest wealth of the maritime nation. People were attacked by demons and a lot of blood was spilled. While the neighbouring Kingdoms of Zain and Surdin were also affected, Athena was struck by a further calamity. ¡°Katakatakatakatakatakatakatakat¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± It began in the east of the kingdom of Athena. A group of undead suddenly appeared from a temple in a corner of the small frontier town. It was as if the gates of hell had been opened and the horde of skeletons swallowed the town in the blink of an eye. It was impossible for the people, who were confused by the earthquake, to resist. They were devoured by the hordes of the dead without putting up much of a fight. Children and adults. Old men and babies. There was no difference before the crowd of the dead. All living things were equally subject to death, and were to join the ranks of the undead. The stampede of the undead in the eastern region spread westwards. Crushing villages, tearing down towns and destroying cities, the march of the dead continues unabated. Eventually, it reached the capital of the Kingdom of Athena and destroyed the country. ¡ð¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ð¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ð ¡°Your Majesty, the king! The undead are closing in on Royal Capital!¡± ¡°What?!¡­¡­too soon¡­¡­.!!¡± After receiving the report from his soldiers, King Athena ¨C Ramdis Athena covered his face with his right hand. It has only been two weeks since the army of the undead appeared in the eastern part of the kingdom. In that short space of time, countless villages and towns have been destroyed, and now it¡¯s deadly blade is closing in on the capital, the heart of the kingdom. It¡¯s not that the king was sitting around waiting for the inevitable. He sent troops to meet the undead and resisted the calamity with his whole body. But¡­¡­their resistance was swept away like the axe of a mantis, and they could not stop the march of the undeads. From the get go, the situation was dire. In the aftermath of the earthquake, people were exhausted and there was great confusion. There were even riots in some areas, and the capital was not well prepared to face an enemy from outside. ¡°At least if there hadn¡¯t been an earthquake¡­¡­no, is it caused by ¡®witches¡¯ ¡­¡­?¡± The identity of the source of the disaster was predictable. One of the Six Witches of Doom ¨C Osman, the Witch of Earth. The manifester of the earth. This monster, also known as the Queen of the Land of the Dead, led a horde of undead to bare their fangs against humanity in the Great Calamity three hundred years ago, and drove several countries to destruction. The horror and unreasonable power of the monster has been passed down in the kingdom of Athena as an abominable tradition. ¡°Do you bear such hatred, Witch Osman? ¡­..so much that you crawl back to this earth? And to exterminate us ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Father¡­.¡± The boy, the crown prince Neferte Athena, looked sadly at King Ramdis, full of bitterness and hatred. He was only twelve years old, but he was well educated as a crown prince. As he¡¯s an educated prince, he understands. The kingdom of Athena is on the verge of destruction, and there is nothing that Ramdis or anyone else can do to stop it. ¡°Father, let me go to war too!¡¡If I¡¯m going to die, I want to resist to the last and die with the pride of royalty!¡± ¡°No!! You can¡¯t do that, Neferte!¡± Ramdis raises his face as if he was flipped by his son¡¯s brave words. ¡°You are our country¡¯s hope. You are the only prince of the Athena bloodline! If I were to lose you, my late wife, your mother would be disgraced!¡± ¡°But¡­¡­if we wait like this, the undead will eventually invade the capital. Rather than sit around and wait for death, isn¡¯t it the last thing the royal family should do to buy time for the people to evacuate?¡± The inhabitants who were already living in the capital have been evacuated. The destination was the Kingdom of Surdin in the west. It is a country with which they at least have a good relationship as allies. The reason the word ¡°at least¡± was added, is because the Kingdom of Surdin is not someone they can trust with their hands, and Athena only trusts them to the extent that they are better than the barbarians to the south. ¡°I know¡­¡­but I cannot let the blood of the royal family die out. Neferte, I give you my royal command.¡± The king stands up and walks behind the throne. He pushed the stone wall behind him with his palm, and a hidden door opened to reveal a compartment. In the storage room was a large sword, as big as Neferte¡¯s height. ¡°You must take this sword and flee east to the kingdom of Zain. In that land, separated from the rest of the world by mountains, the unholy hands of the dead will not reach you.¡± ¡°This sword, isn¡¯t this¡­¡± Neferte touched the sword with his fingertips to take it from the king¡¯s hand, and then withdrew his hand in haste. The weight of the sword would be too much for him to lift. He calls for a soldier from his guard to take it for him. ¡°The sword is the holy sword of water, Mistilteinn. It is the treasure bestowed from God and given to the hero king of Athena that was used to destroy Osman 200 years ago.¡± ¡°Mistilteinn¡­¡­is a legendary sword ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I will not give this sword to that abominable witch. Take the sword and run. Don¡¯t let anyone catch you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..!¡± The words were clear: it was a royal decree. No longer would he be allowed to die for his country. He had no choice but to flee with the holy sword, as his father had ordered him to do. Neferte bit his lip, turned his head and squeezed out a shaky voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been ordered to go¡­¡­. I will make it happen.¡± ¡°I beg you, ¡­¡­ my dear child. Please survive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Go on, then. I want all of you to look after Neferte!¡± ¡°Ha! We understand!¡± His men nodded and took Neferte away from the palace. Just before they left the room ¨C Neferte looked back at his father, and their eyes met. ¡°Father¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± As he said goodbye with tears in his eyes, he saw the face of Ramdis smiling at him, not as king, but as father. The boy then escaped from the capital with his men and made his way east to the kingdom of Zain on a ship that had escaped the tsunami. However, on the way there, the ship encountered a storm and was also attacked by the sea demon Kraken, and the ship sank. In the end, Neferte was thrown into the raging sea in a small boat with his holy sword. CH 172 The prince from foreign lands Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny His heavy eyelids slowly open. What Neferthe saw was a wooden ceiling. It was a ceiling he had never seen before. Apparently, Neferte was lying on a bed, asleep. ¡°I¡¯m sure, I was at the sea¡­. that¡¯s right! Everyone ¡­!?¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± An unfamiliar voice jolted him awake. He picked up the dagger that lay by his bedside and thrust the blade in the direction of the voice. ¡°Mmm¡­¡­not bad, but too predictable.¡± ¡°Uu¡­!¡± He grabbed him by his wrist and the dagger was dropped. A large man is holding Neferte¡¯s hand. From behind his glasses, his honest eyes look at Neferte. ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Who am I? Greetings, sir. I¡¯m the one who saved your life when you were adrift¡­?¡± It was then that Neferte finally realised the situation he was in. Neferte had taken a ship to escape the clutches of the undead, and on his way to the kingdom of Zain, he was attacked by a storm and demons and had to escape in a small boat. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You¡¯ve helped me and I¡¯ve been so rude ¡­¡­!¡± Neferte hurriedly puts away his dagger and calms down. ¡°My name is Neferte Athena. I am the crown prince of the kingdom of Athena.¡± ¡°Hou¡­I didn¡¯t know you were a Crown Prince, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m Justy Oigist, Thousand Cavalry Chief of the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Zain¡­¡­! So, I¡¯ve arrived safely¡­!¡± Neferthe shakes his head from side to side, buzzing with panic. Neferte behaves like searching for something, and finds a big sword leaning against the wall next to him and strokes his chest. ¡°Thank goodness the sword is safe ¡­¡­! What would I do if I lost it?¡­¡­¡± ¡°It seems to be very important. I thought it was a national treasure because it had the royal coat of arms on it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Neferthe opened his mouth and closed it again without uttering another word. For him, It¡¯s not easy to decide whether to say what the sword is or not. Justy sensed something in Neferte¡¯s appearance and nodded hawkishly. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself to speak. There are some things a soldier can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°I am sorry. Thank you for your understanding. I would also like to ask you¡­¡­if there is anyone else adrift here besides me? My escort was on the same boat. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°No,only you. I¡¯m yet to receive any reports.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± Neferte clenched the sheets of his bed with a somber expression. Athena¡¯s soldiers helped Neferte escape in a boat while confronting the Kraken that attacked the ship. He was hoping that she would be alive and safe¡­.. Sir Oigist. You saved my life, but I¡¯m afraid I have to ask you for more help¡­¡­.I have something I really need to tell the King of Zain. Could you please act as an intermediary?¡± ¡°Of course. How can we say no to the crown prince of our friendly kingdom of Athena? I will inform His Highness Raidorll of your visit.¡± ¡°Raidorl¡­.?¡± Neferte tilted his neck. He remembered that the king of this country was called ¡°Granard¡±, but when was he replaced? Neferte tries to ask a question, but before that, the door of the room is knocked. ¡°Captain Eugist, may I have a word with you?¡± Without opening the door, a voice called out from the corridor. Justy raises an eyebrow and responds without moving from Neferte¡¯s presence. ¡°I¡¯m talking to a guest. Stand back.¡± ¡°No¡­¡­ I¡¯d really like you to come. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Just go to them.¡± Neferte would have liked to have heard a bit more from Justy, but as a stranded prince, he couldn¡¯t bother him too much. ¡°I was just thinking I¡¯d like to lie down and rest.Please, get back to your own work and not worry about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I understand. Please take a good rest.¡± At Neferte¡¯s concern, Justy bowed deeply. ¡°I have a maid standing in the hallway. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact her.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern. I¡¯ll be sure to return the favour in due course.¡± Justy got up from his chair and walked out into the corridor. Neferte, left alone in the room, shook his shoulders and bit his lip, feeling uncomfortable in the silence of the room. ¡°¡­ I survived. Only me¡­.¡± When a horde of immortals attacked the Royal Capital, he left his father to escape. When a storm and demons attacked his ship, he escaped in a small boat. ¡°I, always the only one who survives.While others sacrifice themselves, I¡¯m left alone in this world.¡± ¡°Father ¡­¡­ everyone¡­¡­¡± He had very little to take with him from the palace, and the sword that his father had given him as a guardian sword when he¡¯s still a child was now the only thing he had left. Neferte is not optimistic enough to believe that his father, King Ramdis, is still alive. The capital of Athena must have fallen with Ramdis losing his life as well. ¡°Will the new king,Raidorl, really welcome me? An exiled prince?¡± ¡°What if they just take the holy sword and kill me?¡± With such anxiety in his chest, Neferte looked down at his body. He noticed something strange and blinked his eyes. ¡°My clothes¡­¡­ changed¡­¡­?¡± It took a while for Neferte to realise his clothes had been changed. His prince¡¯s clothes, which were still soaked in seawater, were replaced by simple but fine silk. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, that guy was the one who changed my clothes? Neferte thought of Justy¡¯s serious face and his face flushed and twisted in shame. CH 173 Drifting Ship Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny So, what¡¯s this report about?¡± Justy asked his second-in-command as he walked down the corridor, leaving Neferte in his room. He glanced behind him to make sure the door was closed and then whispered his report. ¡°Well¡­.I¡¯ve just had a report from a fisherman who¡¯s been out fishing, a ship flying the flag of the Kingdom of Athena is coming offshore.¡± ¡°Athena¡¯s ship¡­..? Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s the ship that Prince Neferthe was on?¡± ¡°They¡¯re safe¡±¨C Justy patted his chest. Neferte seemed quite depressed to learn that he was the only one who had survived. He would have been happy to know that there were other survivors. ¡°But, there¡¯s something strange¡­. that boat. It was clearly not a normal condition¡­..¡± ¡°Hmm..that¡¯s too vague for an explanation. Could you be more specific?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but¡­¡­the fishermen just can¡¯t get their heads around it. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve already been in the sea, so it would be quicker if you could see them in person. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..?¡± With a dubious look in his eyes behind his glasses, Justy left the house and headed for the harbour. ¡ð¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ð¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ð When Justy arrived at the harbour, there was the same crowd of people there as before. The inhabitants of the town,fishermen and sailors ¨C were gathered, buzzing and pointing in the direction of the sea. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Explain!¡± ¡°Aa,Captain. There¡¯s a funny-looking ship off the coast¡­..¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny about it? Let me see.¡± Justy took the telescope from the sailor and looked through it. In the lens, he could see a ship approaching the harbour from a distance. The ship did indeed fly the flag of the Kingdom of Aterna. But, that was not the unnatural part. The ship was damaged and battered in many places. There were holes all over the hull. Of the three masts, the main mast was barely intact, but the other two had been snapped in half. The sails were also completely torn, the rags clinging to the masts. It¡¯s a miracle they can make it through the sea without sinking. ¡°¡­¡­.I heard that the ship was hit by a storm and also by a demon, are there any survivors of the crew?¡± ¡°What shall we do, wait for the ship to come to us?¡± ¡°No,it¡¯s too much trouble for them to run into the harbour while it¡¯s being repaired. We¡¯ll get a small boat and get on board, and if there are no survivors, we¡¯ll sink it.¡± The ship was heading straight for the harbour with great speed, even though her sails were torn. It was clear that the waves were not the only force at work. It was necessary to get on board to see what the anomaly was. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to borrow your fishing boat. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Justy and his men boarded two fishing boats and rowed their oars towards the Athena¡¯s ship off the coast. The closer they get, the more they can see the wreckage of the boat. The hull was so full of holes that Justy could almost see the other side, and it looked less like a ship and more like a lump of scrap wood floating on the water. ¡°Anybody there? Answer me!¡± Justy shouted from the boat, but there was no response from the deck, which was a few metres higher. There was no sign of anyone. ¡°¡­¡­ Let¡¯s have a look inside, just in case.¡± Justy grabbed a rope hanging from the top of the boat and dexterously climbed up using only the strength of his arms. The soldiers follow him and climb up to the deck of the ship. The deck of the ship was as battered as the hull looked as if it was about to collapse. There is no sign of human life. At least not a living human being. ¡°There¡¯s a body here ¡­¡­ badly damaged.¡± One of the soldiers shouted. Justy looked over and saw a human corpse lying there, one arm missing. The older man¡¯s carcass was soaked with water and wet, and his left shoulder was missing, as if it had been ripped off by a shark or orca. ¡°Here¡¯s another one! It¡¯s in ¡­¡­ bad shape too.¡± Behind the ship¡¯s deck, another soldier discovers the wreckage. The bones of this one were broken all over, and the arms were glued to the body as if they had been gripped by the arms of a giant. What kind of death would cause such a figure? Then, all of the bodies were found all over the ship, but all of them were so badly damaged that only a few of them were intact. ¡°It seems there are no survivors on ¡­¡­.a tragedy.¡± Justy closed his eyes and shook his head. The result is more disastrous than he had expected. Justy wondered how he was going to tell the little boy about this, and gritted his teeth. ¡°Mu¡­¡­!¡± In the meantime, the hull of the ship shook loudly with a creaking and squeaking sound. The stimulus of Justy and the soldiers coming aboard must have brought the ship to its limits. ¡°We have no choice but to escape the ship. You don¡¯t have to collect the bodies. Just cut off a tuft of hair from the corpse you find!¡± Normally, the body should be properly removed and buried in a grave. But if the ship collapses during the recovery operation, they¡¯ll be caught up in it and cause unnecessary damage. Taking the hair with them was the best possible way to mourn. ¡°¡­¡­ Allow me to leave you like this. Rest in peace.¡± The soldiers obey the order and begin to collect the hair. Justy also crouched down beside a body lying nearby and took out a knife. He grabbed the young man¡¯s hair and tried to cut it off with the blade then someone grabbed his hand. ¡°What the hell ¡­¡­?¡± Justy¡¯s right arm was grabbed by the right arm of a man who should have been dead. The man who had fallen moved his head with a grin and turned his face towards Justy, opening his jaw to the limit. ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Gnuuhhhh¡­¡­!¡± Pierced by a spine-chilling scream, Justy reflexively struck the man in the head with his left hand. His strong, trained arm growled and the man¡¯s neck was stretched beyond its limits. His neck was torn off with a buzzing sound and his head was blown away from his body like a ball. ¡°Kishaaaaaaaa¡­¡­!¡± The head continued to scream as it was separated from the body, but eventually it hit the mast and shattered like a trampled tomato. The headless body slammed down and this time it didn¡¯t move. ¡°Gyaaahah!?¡± ¡°Uwaa, What the hell is this!¡± ¡°Th-e, The corpse!Aaaaa¡± There were screams all over the ship. One by one, the lying corpses rose up and attacked the soldiers who had accompanied Justy on board. The living dead rose up like spring-loaded toys, biting the soldiers and beating them with their broken arms. ¡°¡­..!!¡± An unbelievable situation. A hellish scene that was out of this world. In the face of this shocking situation, Justy is frozen in place for a few moments. He quickly remembers his role as a commander and gives instructions to his soldiers. ¡°Fight back! They¡¯re unarmed and not moving very fast! Stay calm and we can easily defeat them!¡± With that, Justy drew his sword from his waist and cut down the carcass that had been biting the soldier¡¯s neck. He didn¡¯t bring his beloved spear, but the slashes from his thick, well-trained arms were powerful enough to easily cut a human body in two. The carcasses lie on the deck in a heap, cut in half. ¡°Shaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!. Follow Captain Justy!¡± ¡°Come on! Clear out all the undead!¡± Inspired by Justy¡¯s initiative, the other soldiers slash at the undead sailors. Fortunately, the living dead doesn¡¯t move fast due to the severe damage to their bodies, or maybe they are just that way. It¡¯s the kind of fighting ability that can¡¯t even reach a thug who misbehaves in a back alley. At first they were attacked because they were upset by the improbability of the situation, but if they remained calm, they could win without any problem. In less than a few minutes all the corpses were exterminated and the living dead became real corpses that would never rise again. ¡°Is anyone hurt? Report the damage!¡± ¡°One man has been bitten on the neck. The rest are lightly wounded, none of them with life-threatening injuries!¡± Justy¡¯s question was answered by his second-in-command. There were no dead soldiers. One of them had been bitten on the neck, but it did not seem to be fatal. The suddenness of the battle took them by surprise, but for the moment they seem to have been able to win without casualties. ¡°¡­¡­ Keep your guard up. They are the undead. They are cursed wrecks. When you return to land, have the priests cleanse you. They may have some strange curse on them.¡± Undead. Immortal. The undead are the bodies of people who have died with no hope of ever being alive again, and have mutated into demons. Some of them even infect people with a curse and are feared by them. ¡°But how could so many bodies have become undead? Was it so regrettable that they lost their lives at sea?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s impossible for one or two bodies to turn into undead all at once.¡± In order for the dead to mutate into the undead, they must have strong feelings of remorse, regret and hatred. It is unlikely that the entire crew of the ship died with such strong emotions, however horrific their deaths may have been. ¡°In conclusion¡­¡­these people did not become undead naturally. They have been forcibly resurrected by someone else.¡± ¡°¡­.. More things to report to His Highness Raidorl. It¡¯s a very challenging job.¡± Justy muttered and jumped off the ¡°ghost ship¡± into his small boat. CH 174 Return of the regent Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A large number of demons have broken out across the continent, but the Kingdom of Zain has finally regained its footing. The majority of the demons that came to the area were defeated because of the early dispatch of troops and knights. The most common area of the city was the frontier city, but the damage was controlled by the barriers put up by the dark witch, Neimilia. ¡°Yareyare¡­¡­I¡¯m back at last. I don¡¯t want to see any demons for the time being.¡± Inside the royal palace, where he has returned after half a month, Raidorl stretches his arms wide to the ceiling. Until a few days ago, Raidorl had been working hard to defeat the demons in the frontier city, but now he was finally able to return to the royal palace. Raidorl had been on the front lines fighting demons for a while now and his whole body was exhausted, especially his legs and feet which were heavy as lead. ¡°I have a feeling it¡¯s something else that¡¯s affecting my back¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Can I help you, master?¡± ¡°No¡­¡­¡± Raidorl looks back at Neimilia, who is walking a step behind him, and shakes his head delicately. When they entered the palace, they were greeted by Sven Arbeil, the young prime minister, along with his maids and knights. ¡°Welcome back, Your Highness, Raidorl. We have been expecting your return.¡± Sven bends his back politely and bows his head. In the past, Sven had worked as Raidorl¡¯s military commander, but now he was in charge of politics as the prime minister. As regent, Raidorl was able to leave the palace because Sven took care of all the political affairs for him. ¡°Did you encounter any problems while I was away?¡± ¡°None. Government affairs have gone smoothly. We had to raise funds to help the areas affected by the earthquake and the demons, but fortunately we had a lot of ¡®extra income¡¯, so that was not a problem.¡± The ¡°extra income¡± that Sven refers to is the property of the nobles who were ousted in the recent purge. The money was seized by the Order and placed in the treasury. They use these funds to buy food, clothing, and other necessities from the Empire and send them to various locations. ¡°And ¡­¡­ it seems that some former nobles tried to break into the court and misbehave, but Angelica stopped them.¡± ¡°My condolences to Angelica¡­.¡± Raidorl had sent his soldiers to fight the demons, but Angelica Ilkas was the only one who stayed behind at the palace. The purpose of her stay is to guard the palace, but she also refuses to go on the trip because he doesn¡¯t want to be away from Sven. Even after Sven became the Prime Minister, Angelica was still the same, finding time to stick close to him and play cat and mouse with him. The invasion of the former nobles into the palace may be revenge for Sven, who forced them into a purge, but Angelica will not allow it. It is horrible to imagine how the captured nobles are treated. ¡°We have received reports from the military leaders who have been dispatched to various locations. There is still a large number of demons, but the damage seems to be within the expected range.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I won¡¯t have to move.¡± ¡°But ¡­¡­,the Oigist Sentry who rules the town of Raddockhorn, reports that it will still take some time to deal with the sea monster. After all, the damage is likely to continue until we have a navy.¡± ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­no martial arts master can walk on the sea or breathe underwater. That¡¯s just the way it is.¡± ¡°And one more thing. There¡¯s one more thing Oigist the Thousand Horsemen wants to speak to you privately, and he¡¯s on his way here from Raddockhorn. I expect him to arrive tomorrow.¡± Sven reported with a curious look on his face. Raddockhorn has been hit not only by the earthquake but also by the tsunami, and the town is particularly difficult to deal with because of the demons that have appeared in the distant seas. This is why Raidorl sent Justy, his trusted subordinate, to go and help the restoration of the town, but what is it that he wants to discuss directly with Raidorl? ¡°¡­¡­That doesn¡¯t sound like a very good report. It reeks of trouble.¡± ¡°¡­¡­, isn¡¯t it? I hope it¡¯s not too big a problem.¡± Raidorl and Sven sigh when they look at each other, but Neimilia, who had been silent for a while, forcibly interrupts. ¡°Then you must get some rest while you still can!¡¡Let¡¯s go and have a hot bath!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good idea¡±! Neimilia clapped her hands and with a big smile on her face, she twirled around and flipped her skirt. ¡°After the bath, it¡¯s time for dinner! Tonight I¡¯m going to make a lot of dishes that will cheer you up!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re not going to let me rest. I¡¯m begging you, let me sleep.¡± Neimilia smiled lively, and Raidorl paled at the thought of the night. CH 175 Audiences and Negotiations. Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The next day, when Raidorl returned to the palace, he was met by Justy Oigist, the Thousand Horsemen. Raidorl sat on his throne and greeted Justy as he arrived. He was accompanied by Neimilia and Sven. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Justy. I¡¯ve heard about your work. You seem to be doing well in Raddockhorn, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What a waste of words. Your Highness, Raidorl.¡± Justy knelt down in front of Raidorl and bowed deeply. ¡°I am glad to hear that you are well, Your Highness. I have heard that the pioneer cities are rife with powerful demons, and I was worried for your safety.¡± ¡°Who are you talking to? I¡¯m not going to be outdone by a demon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your highness, Please forgive me.¡± Justy bows even more deeply, and Raidorl nods his head. So far, this is a standard greeting. Now, this is where the real story begins. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl turned his attention to the boy who was one step behind Justy. The boy, who looked to be about Sven¡¯s age, had an anxious look on his face and was bowing his head, but he was not kneeling like Justy. He is bending slightly at the waist in a half-hearted bow. The boy was carrying a large sword on his back. It¡¯s not the size of a sword, but it¡¯s the size of a small man. The coat of arms on the hilt makes Raidorl¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°So, who are you? I assume you¡¯re from the Kingdom of Athena?¡± ¡°¡­.It is a pleasure to meet you. Your Royal Highness, the King Raidorl.¡± Before Justy could introduce him, the boy stepped forward. ¡°I am¡­¡­my name is Neferte Athena, Crown Prince of Athena. Please forgive my rudeness for coming to you so suddenly.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­¡­, this is a surprise. I had not expected to find the royal family of Athena here alone. Let me ask you the purpose of your visit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± The boy ¨C Neferte ¨C cut off his words and fell silent for a while. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m going to be straight to the point. The other day, the kingdom of Athena was attacked by undead, and the royal capital fell.¡± ¡°The capital has fallen¡­¡­.? What happened to King Athena?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Father chose to evacuate the inhabitants of the capital and stay until the end. I have not been able to confirm this, but I believe he may have lost his life.¡± Neferte¡¯s face contorted and he clenched his fists. What must it have been like for a boy to have to leave his family, his home, and flee to a strange and foreign country? It was a sentiment that Raidorl, who had been driven to the frontier by a disagreement with his brother, could understand. ¡°The immortals¡­¡­are undead. The number of demons is increasing in this country as well. Why are the undead only appearing in the kingdom of Athena on a scale that could destroy the country?¡± The undead ¨C are also demons, but their appearance has not been confirmed to that extent in the Kingdom of Zain. Why are there so many undead in the kingdom of Athena, just across the mountain range? ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with Osman, the ¡®earth¡¯ witch?¡± Raidorl¡¯s question was answered by Neimilia, who was standing next to him. In her usual maid¡¯s uniform, Neimilia explains cheerfully, tilting her thin head. ¡°Osman, the Earth Witch, is the ruler of the earth and the queen of the underworld. She has the power to raise the dead as the undead. In a battle three hundred years ago, she led four knights and a hundred thousand dead to the destruction of several western nations.¡± ¡°Osman¡­¡­the ¡®earth¡¯ witch¡­¡­¡± The words are spoken in a nostalgic way, and Raidorl thinks about them. It is true that a sudden appearance of a hundred thousand troops would easily destroy a country or two. This is especially true if they are in a state of confusion right after an earthquake. ¡°So¡­¡­what does Lord Neferte want from me, from the Kingdom of Zain? Do you want me to protect you in my own country?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, no. I don¡¯t care what happens to me.¡± When Raidorl asked in a matter-of-fact tone, Neferte shook his head fully. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens to me, I¡¯ve abandoned my home, my family and my friends. All I want is the restoration of my country. I only want to free the kingdom of Athena from the rule of the evil witch.¡± Neferte lowered the sword on his back and knelt down for the first time. He then held the large sword in its scabbard with both hands and held it out reverently. ¡°I present to you my country¡¯s greatest treasure ¨C the sacred sword of the Water, the Mistilteinn. Please find the owner of this masterless sword and restore our country.¡± CH 176 Fake holy sword Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Looking down from his throne at the sword that Neferte held out to him, Raidorl¡¯s brow furrowed in difficulty. ¡°The holy sword of ¡°water¡±, Mistilteinn. Is it really that¡­¡­?¡± The Mistilteinn is a large sword, at least two sizes larger than the D¨¢insleif. It was a heavy sword, and one that would have to be used with great care. But the surprising thing is that Neferte has such a large sword as a matter of course, and holds it out to Raidorl in a kneeling position. Given the boy¡¯s small stature, this was impossible. Is it possible that he has some kind of magic that is increasing his physical abilities? Or is it possible that he has been given a blessing from ¡­¡­ some kind of being? ¡°Let me get this straight¡­.. Lord Neferte, you are not the holder of the Holy Sword of Mistilteinn?¡± ¡°No, I am not. I can¡¯t draw this sword.¡± Neferte assured Raidorl firmly, while shaking his head and he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s lying ¡°Justy, bring me that sword.¡± ¡°Ha, sir.¡± Justy takes the great sword from Neferte¡¯s hand and brings it to Raidorl. Raidorl grasps the hilt of the great sword,but it is still heavy. It is not a weight that a child can carry. ¡°Mm¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl tried to pull it out of its scabbard, but the metal sheath was attached like a suction cup, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not pull it out. Raidorl gave up and put the sword back in Justy¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­¡­In the meantime, I¡¯ll give you back your sword. I will also guarantee your safety in the Kingdom of Zain. However, this country is also exhausted by the attack of the demons, and there is no room to send reinforcements to the neighboring countries. As for the reconstruction of the Athena Kingdom, we will discuss it again.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­that¡¯s fine. Thank you for your kindness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you a room. You have a good night¡¯s rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Biting his lip, Neferte takes the sheathed sword from Justy and puts it back on his back. Raidorl orders his attendants to prepare the drawing room and sends Neferte back. The boy with the great sword on his back had a dark, pained look on his face as he left the throne room. ¡°Well, Sven, Justy, what do you think?¡± As Neferte left the room, Raidorl asked his subjects. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get reinforcements. But I think it is worthwhile to protect¡­¡­Prince Neferte.¡± It was Sven who opened his mouth first. The young Prime Minister spoke his mind in a crisp and clear tone. ¡°I cannot estimate the usefulness of a holy sword without a wielder. But¡­¡­keeping the crown prince at hand should be useful in the future for effective control of the Aterna kingdom. After we have restored the strength of the country, which has been depleted by earthquakes and demons, we can discuss whether we should send troops to the neighbouring countries again.¡± With the support of the Kingdom of Zain, the Kingdom of Athena could be restored and become a de facto vassal state. It is not easy to rebuild a territory that has been ravaged by the undead, but it could be very profitable in the future. ¡°Besides, if the goal of the Witch of Doom is the eradication of humanity, sooner or later there will be a battle with the Witch of the Earth. Wouldn¡¯t [A prince trying to reclaim a country destroyed by an evil witch] be a good cause?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, there¡¯s also the matter of the Witch of Light. We don¡¯t want to be too far behind.¡± In the past, the Witch of Light, Grasslead, manipulated Raidorl¡¯s brother, Granard, and brought chaos to the capital. This time it is the Witch of Earth. Considering that the Kingdom of Athena has already been destroyed, a fierce battle is expected. ¡°Neimilia, tell me what you know about the Witch of Earth. You know what she¡¯s capable of and what she¡¯s like, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re sisters with the same mother. Sister Osman is quiet and shy. She loves small animals, like rats and badgers, which nest in dark places. She also likes to sleep with stuffed animals in her arms.¡± ¡°No¡­..that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± It was completely useless information. ¡°Who asked you to tell me the dusty story of the dreaded witch?¡± ¡°Aa, and she has the ability to control the earth. I believe she was responsible for the last earthquake.¡± Neimilia, sitting beside Raidorl on his throne, nodded her head and said something very important. ¡°Not only she¡¯s a witch, but she¡¯s also the Queen of the Dead. She has the ability to raise the dead, use them as undead and control them as soldiers.¡± ¡°Undead¡­I see, So that¡¯s why¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Justy? Do you have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that, the ship that His Highness Neferte came in on washed ashore in the harbour a few days ago¡­¡­¡± Justy reminisces about the incident on the ghost ship. He explains that the crew of the ship Neferte was on were all dead, and that they had turned undead and attacked him. ¡°So, her hand is closing in on our country. We must assume that the battle has already begun¡± Raidorl thought about it and touched the D¨¢insleif on his hip. If the witches are going to attack, the only thing that can counter them is the holy sword. Not to mention the ¡°cursed¡± holy sword, the D¨¢insleif. If possible, the holder of the holy sword of ¡°water¡± Mistilteinn must also be found quickly. ¡°I thought for sure that the prince was the keeper of the holy sword¡­¡­Do you want to see if you can pull the sword out of each of the knights in the castle? Because there doesn¡¯t seem to be any other way than to try and get a headcount.¡± ¡°Aa, that ¡®thing¡¯, I don¡¯t see the point in trying, do you?¡± As Raidorl ponders this, Neymilia raises her right hand and says: ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why? It¡¯s free to try. It¡¯s worth a try, even if they fail.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡­is not the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°¡­..HA!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fake sword. It¡¯s not the real Holy Sword Mistilteinn.¡± ¡°!!¡­¡­¡± Everyone in the room froze in surprise when the words came out from Neimilia¡¯s mouth. It was a matter of time before they found the keeper of the holy sword, the holy sword Mistilteinn. CH 177 The Queen''s tears Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The issue of the authenticity of the holy sword Mistilteinn has been put on hold for now, and the Crown Prince Neferte Athena has been taken into custody in the Kingdom of Zain. As the holy sword was a fake, it became doubtful whether Neferte was even a real Athena royalty in the first place. Fortunately, there was someone who could vouch for Neferte¡¯s identity. Her name is Shanoar Zain. She is the wife of Granard and the current queen of the kingdom of Zain. To Raidorl, she was his sister-in-law, and Shanoar was from the kingdom of Athena and had known Neferte. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Your Royal Highness¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that you are well, Shankar-sama.¡± It was five years ago that Shanoar married Granard. She has never been back to the kingdom of Athena since then. Neferte and Shanoar were happy to see each other again after several years and exchanged greetings. After her husband Granard was defeated by Raidorl, Shanoar moved to a remote place a short distance from the capital. This was because she had lost her place at court with the rise of Raidorl as regent. From Raidorl¡¯s point of view, Shanoar , the wife of her brother, and Strauss, the young prince, were nothing more than obstacles that would threaten his position in the future. But Raidorl had no grudge against either Shanoar or Strauss. At the time of his banishment, Shanoar was not married to his brother king, and of course, Strauss did not even exist in this world. It may have been naive of a monarch, but Raidorl did not think of disposing of them. However,there would be diplomatic problems if she returned to her homeland, the Kingdom of Athena, so she had no choice but to be placed under house arrest in a remote palace with supervision. ¡°As a queen in all but name, there is little I can do, but I will do my best to make His Highness ¡­¡­ Neferte was as welcome as possible during your stay. Please make yourself at home.¡± When Neferte came to the palace, he smiled softly at her. During his stay in the Kingdom of Zain, Neferte was to live in a remote palace with Shanoar. It was thought that he would find it easier to live in a palace where he knew people than in the capital where he had no friends and would suffocate. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Shanoar-sama¡­¡± Neferte¡¯s expression is firm as he greets Shanoar with a gentle smile. He has not yet explained to Shanoar the destruction of the kingdom of Athena. He is depressed to be in the position of having to tell her of the destruction of their homeland, even if it is by chance. ¡°I was surprised by your sudden visit. Five years ago you were so small, but you have grown so much. I hope the King is well?¡± ¡°About that, I have something to tell you¡­¡­ Shanoar-sama.¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± Shanoar may have guessed something about Neferte with a sad expression. She listens to Neferte¡¯s words with anticipation. Neferte explained the process from the outbreak of the undead to the destruction of the Kingdom of Athena.As the story progressed, Shanoar¡¯s face grew pale and she eventually covered her face with her hands and slumped over. ¡°My Queen ¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡± One of the attendants rushed to support the queen¡¯s shoulder, but Shanoar shook her head slowly. ¡°I understand your story. So, what did His Majesty the King do?¡± ¡°Father would remain in the Royal Capital until the end. Given the circumstances, perhaps¡­.And the Prime Minister said he will stay with father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Shanoar¡¯s father was the prime minister of the kingdom of Athena. After marrying into the Kingdom of Zain, they never saw each other, but they exchanged letters regularly. ¡°My father died ¡­¡­with his Majesty the King ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°B-But I¡¯m sure that your mother and your son have escaped to the Kingdom of Surdin. They started to evacuate very early, so they must be safe!¡± ¡°¡­yea¡± When Nefert¨¦ hurriedly says this, Shanoar nods her head with an absent-minded sigh. ¡°We will take back the kingdom that was taken from us! I¡¯m sure His Highness Raidorl will help us!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Neferte may have meant to encourage her, but Shanoar remained subtle and silent. Shanoar did not hold a grudge against Raidorl for her husband, but he nevertheless understood that she and her son were in the way. She had mixed feelings about her brother-in-law, who was in a position where he could become an enemy at any moment. ¡°I hope so¡­and that we can restore the Kingdom of Athena as soon as possible¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Shanoar turned her face down sadly and gently put her handkerchief over her eyes. Neferte felt inexplicable and clenched his fists tightly. CH 178 Giants and Dwarfs Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Could you give me a moment alone?¡± Heeding Chanoir¡¯s request, Neferte left the queen in her room and went out into the corridor. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Neferte bit his lip in an intense feeling of helplessness as he thought of the grief-stricken face of Shanoar. When told of the destruction of the kingdom of Athena, Shanoar paled like a sick man. It¡¯s no wonder. She had never set foot in her native land since she had married, and the country had fallen into ruin. The queen¡¯s grief at the thought of her father¡¯s eternal separation without ever seeing him again was palpable. ¡°We absolutely must take back the Kingdom of Aterna, for the sake of Lady Shanoar! I¡¯m not going to let the wicked witches and undead get away with it¡­¡­!¡± Neferte clenched his fists with renewed determination. ¡°Take care of Lady Shanoar for me. I¡¯m going to be out for a bit.¡± ¡°Yes, sir, I understand.¡± Leaving the queen¡¯s maid to take care of the rest, Neferte walked out of the palace. He walked out into the garden of the palace, where Justy Oigist, who had walked Neferte here, was training with his spear. Justy was wearing no armour, just a shirt and trousers. Sweat beads flew from his spear as he twirled it, glistening in the sunlight. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..!¡± Neferte gasped and was fascinated by the sight of Justy wielding the spear. Wearing glasses, Justy had the serious, rotten face of a civil servant. But from the neck down, he was covered in thick muscle, and his body was as strong as if a rock had been transformed into a man. It was the ideal body for a fighting man. It was the opposite of Neferte¡¯s small, thin body. ¡°Uuu¡­.¡± Neferte unconsciously touches his pale breasts and arms, lowering his eyebrows and contorting his face sadly. ¡°Aa, Prince Neferte! Have you finished talking to the queen?¡± ¡°Waa!?¡± Justy noticed Neferte coming out of the garden and stopped cleaving his spear and turned around. For some reason Neferte felt guilty when he realised he had been spying on him, and he waved his hands in panic. ¡°Aa! The queen is resting in her room! I was just going to have a look around the palace!¡± ¡°Ha? Is that so?¡± Justy wipes the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, tilting his head curiously at the panicked Neferte. The sweat runs down the surface of his thick arms and falls to the ground in drops. ¡°Kh¡­.!¡± Neferte was almost blinded by the sight, but with a will of steel he forced his gaze away. ¡°I¡¯m fascinated by men¡¯s sweat¡­¡­This makes me look like a pervert!¡± Neferte, driven by an unidentified sense of frustration and guilt, opens his mouth without thinking about what he is going to say. ¡°This ¡­¡­ is quite a small palace!¡¡It doesn¡¯t seem like the place for a queen to be sleeping, but I think His Majesty Granard is disrespecting Lady Shanoar.¡± Involuntarily saying, Neferte makes his heart beat greatly, saying ¡°I¡¯ve done it¡± inwardly. It was what he had thought, but decided not to speak. He had doubts and resentment about the fact that Shanoar was living in a remote palace away from the capital, but there was no power in the kingdom of Athena to protest against it. In the event that the two powerful men, his brother Raidorl and King Granard, give up on him, then the fate of Neferte will disappear like a haze exposed to a gust of wind. ¡°Mmm ¡­¡­that¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Neferte, who was upset and said something he shouldn¡¯t say, shook his face, but Justy vaguely muddyed his words without blaming him. King Granard has already died, but this has not been made public. The only people who knew about it were a few from Raidorl¡¯s aides. Of course, Neferte did not know this either. Justy understood the delicate position in which Shanoar found herself after the loss of her husband, and he could not blame Neferte for her misfortune. ¡°His Highness Prince Raidorl has his own ideas of what a regent should do. If it were possible, I would like His Highness the Neferte to be aware of this¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, I forgot that you accepted me as an outsider and I said something unnecessary. I would be grateful if you would pretend that you never heard me.¡± ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s just ignore the conversation here as if it were the chirping of a bird or the buzzing of an insect.¡± They looked at each other, nodded and dismissed the subject. Neferte breathed a sigh of relief and asked Justy what was bothering him. ¡°Sir Justy, you seem to be very fit, have you been a knight long?¡± ¡°It is only recently that I have come into the service of His Highness Raidorl as a knight. I have been learning to use a spear since I was five years old, both as a hobby and as an education.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­I guess it takes time to build up a body like that. I¡¯d like to be like that one day¡­..¡± Neferte slid his gaze over Justy¡¯s finished body and sighed in anguish. No matter how much training he does, he¡¯ll never be able to get those muscles ¨C Neferte¡¯s expression darkens as he strokes his chest. Justy lowered his eyebrows to the apparently depressed prince of a foreign country. It is impossible for an unreliable warrior to know how to care for a depressed child. Even so, he squeezes out a few words of encouragement in his own way. ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t be so discouraged. There are many men of slender build who have gone on to great things as martial artists.His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl is not a man of size, and he has known a certain lady for many years who is a great master of the sword.¡± In Justy¡¯s mind¡¯s eye is Angelica Ilkas. She is a one-legged, one-eyed woman who specialises in swordplay and water magic. When she was with her ¡®brother¡¯ Sven Arbeil, Angelica became the ¡®onee-chan¡¯, but she was capable of destroying a whole company on her own if she wanted to. There is no guarantee that Justy would be able to beat Angelica in single combat. Aside from Raidorl, Angelica might be the strongest swordswoman in the Kingdom of Zain. Being small or a woman is often seen as a weakness. However, it is the strength that comes from overcoming weaknesses that can be relied upon at the critical moment. His Royal Highness Neferte is small in stature, but he has the strength to lift a great sword. If he can make full use of it, he¡¯ll be able to become a great warrior of his own country. ¡°I hope so. I wish I was¡­¡­.¡± Justy¡¯s martial encouragement made Neferte¡¯s face light up slightly and he grabbed the greatsword at his back. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to learn a few tricks.¡¡I would like to sharpen my sword for the coming restoration of my country.¡± ¡°It would be a pleasure to be used as a grinding stone for the crown prince. I would be delighted to serve you.¡± Justy pointed the tip of his spear at Neferte, who was still holding his greatsword in its scabbard ¨C the fake Mistilteinn. The sounds of sword fights rang out in the garden of the palace and continued uninterrupted until the evening. CH 179 The stolen royal palace Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Neferte has fled to the Kingdom of Zain. In the kingdom of Athena, driven to ruin by the undead, countless undead have taken over the city with their own faces. A crowd of skeletons parade through the main streets of the capital. Zombies have invaded the buildings and are devouring the food left behind. Translucent ghosts drifted aimlessly above the city. Half-rotten crows perch on rooftops, cawing and screeching in despair. From time to time, residents who had escaped and were in hiding being dragged out by the undead and tortured to death by countless undead. It is the end of the world. It is a terminal landscape that seems to embody the end of the human world in this world. In the heart of the royal city, which has become a den of the undead. In the glittering royal castle where the Athena royal family once reigned, a witch and her four knights, her entourage, have gathered. In the throne where the king used to sit, a chestnut-haired woman ¨C Osman, the witch of ¡°earth¡± ¨C sits, and an old knight is beside her. The remaining three knights are lying flat on a lower level of the throne. ¡°Do¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The witch, dressed in a lustrous green dress, uttered a few words. As usual, the old man on the throne added to her incomprehensible declaration of intent. ¡°[It seems that the prince, Neferte Athena, has fled to the east. He has taken the holy sword with him.¡ªAh, what a mess! Garbolus, you¡¯ll never know what it¡¯s like to have your holy sword stolen!]¡± The old man, Garbolus, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, scratched his wrinkled face with the nails on his hands and bowed down to Osman, who sat cross-legged on her throne. ¡°I am a knight of war, and I will go to the kingdom of Zain and take the holy sword for myself!¡¡Please give me the chance to clear my name!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The old man rubs his forehead against the stone floor and pleads. Osman, who had been looking down at her aide with sleepy eyes, shifted her gaze to another knight. ¡°Ri¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, your faithful knight, Ruluve. I have a few opinions to say to you, my beautiful Queen.¡± Another knight opened her mouth, realising from Osman¡¯s short speech that he was being asked for her opinion. The first to speak was a beautiful lady knight with ample limbs. ¡°We are in favour of going on an expedition to the Kingdom of Zain. I have heard that there is a cursed holy sword, the D¨¢insleif, in that country. There are also other holy swords in the east. If many holy sword holders unite, even if we lead a million undead army, we cannot be sure that we can win. It would be better to destroy them all individually before they join forces.¡± In a voice as clear as the ringing of a bell, the beautiful sorcerer speaks her mind. ¡°If you command it, I, the Knight of Plague, will go. I will not trouble the Knight of War.¡± ¡°Stand back, you little ¡®plague¡¯! You are disrespectful to me, the first of the knights!¡± Garbolus lifted his head as if he had been hit by a shout from Ruluve. Garbolus, the Lord of War, is in charge of the army of the Undead. It was a big mistake for Garbolus to let the crown prince with the holy sword Mistilteinn escape while he was in charge of the attack on the capital. It was an unforgivable humiliation for the old knight to hand over the responsibility of cleaning up the mess to his peers, whom he considered inferior. ¡°Ara? I have no intention of taking credit for anything. Isn¡¯t it a simple task to chase away a runaway lamb?¡¡It¡¯s a job that suits a young person like me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help! This is my fault. My shame! I will not be trifled with. Mistilteinn is my prize!¡± ¡°Fu¡­disgusthing.¡± The third knight, Wilfred, the knight of the Famine, laughs at the old man, who shouts at ¡®Plague¡¯ as if he is having a tantrum. The skinny boy with the glasses was smirking, his lips twisted in a grin. He must have been amused by Garbolus¡¯s desperate attempt to make up for his own failure. ¡°Guh¡­.you¡­.!¡± The old man¡¯s anger was further twisted by the boy¡¯s mocking attitude. The four knights of the apocalypse are the apostles of the witch Osman, but they are not a monolithic group. The only thing they shared was their loyalty to Osman, and their compatriots were almost rivals for the credit. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake if I were you. The holy sword, Mistilteinn? I¡¯ll get it for you. As the sister of Plague says, it¡¯s a simple job that can¡¯t go wrong.¡± ¡°Boy, if you think you¡¯re insulting me, you¡¯re wrong!¡¡It seems that you want to go back to your grave!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you retire, Grandpa War?¡¡If you were working for Master Osman, I could take your place.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cheeky little brat, ¡­¡­!¡¡Fine, if you want to die, then by all means! I¡¯ll drop you into the underworld right here and now.¡± Countless skeletal hands sprouted from the shadows of the old man on the floor. A dense murderous intent fills the room. Wilfred stood up with a sneer and tried to intercept the old knight by shooting magic from his body. ¡°Ara¡­..old people and children are so short-tempered.¡± A low voice shook the air before Ruluve could even get into a fighting stance. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The moment those words were spoken. The air in the room changes. A chill wind rushes through the dense atmosphere of anger and hatred, sending chills down the spines of Garboras and Wilfred. Every single skeleton hand that had emerged from Garbolus¡¯s shadow disappeared, and Ruluve, too, had cold sweat on her forehead, her beauty drawn out. ¡°We¡¯re in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen. You must refrain from any unnecessary combat.¡± With a few simple words, he subdued his compatriot, the last knight who had remained silent. A dark-haired, brown-skinned, exotic beauty. It was Zansha, the knight of death. His right hand clutched the hilt of a great sword at his waist, from which a mysterious purple aura emanated. The exotic looking swordsman froze the three knights in their tracks with his words and sword pressure. ¡°Gh¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Garbolas doesn¡¯t bite back as he did earlier. Wilfred, too, withdraws his cheeky sneer and remains silent. They know. Zansha is the mightiest of the four knights. The great sword that hangs at his waist is G¨¢e Bolg, a magical sword created by the witch Osman. ¡°¡­¡­Sorry for the disturbance. My apologies to Her Majesty, the beautiful Queen.¡± In an attempt to change the frosty atmosphere of the place, Ruluve bows her head towards the throne. Garbolus, Wilfred and Zansha fell flat after her. ¡°Phew¡­¡­.¡± Osman, who until then had been watching the fight between her subjects with a troublesome look on her face, let out a single sigh and spoke shortly. ¡°Yo¡­¡­.¡± ¡°[Good, I forgive you. Your loyalty is well known to me. I now surrender my royal command.] ¨CHa,ha! We are at your service, Queen!¡± ¡°Ze¡­¡­¡­¡­.Ga¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°[The expedition to the Kingdom of Zain shall be entrusted to two generals, Ruluve and Wilfred. Garbolus is to be on the lookout for foreign enemies, and Zansha is to be in charge of clearing out the remnants of Athena.] ¡ªAha!¡¡I will not refuse if it is the command of the great Queen! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been so impatient, and I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been so impudent!¡± ¡°Yo¡­¡­¡­..Ko¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°[Good, I take it that the fight for the Mistilteinn on the battlefield is a sign of your loyalty. I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.] ¡ªOf course!¡¡I, Garbolus, will be forever loyal to you, and clear your name!!¡± Garbolus shouted with emotion and even wept for joy, hitting his forehead on the floor. The other three knights accepted the queen¡¯s order by prostration. Two knights, Famine and Plague, have decided to go on an expedition to the Kingdom of Zain. The problem was the route of their march. Between the Kingdom of Zain and the Kingdom of Athena, a steep mountain range stands in the way. If the army was to be sent, it would have to traverse the mountains over a long period of time, or take the sea route. ¡°There were hardly any ships left in the harbour. We may not have enough ¡®legs¡¯ to make it by sea.¡± Wilfred looks up and shrugs his shoulders. The people who lived near the harbour must have used their ships to escape the invasion of the undead. ¡°If we had a ship, it wouldn¡¯t have been a bad idea to build a ghost ship and send it back. What should we do? Let a demon carry it away?¡± ¡°So¡­¡­.¡± ¡°[There is no need for that. I will pave the way for our army myself.] ¡ªHer Majesty the Queen! It seems that you have a plan that I have not thought of!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Garbolus is overcome with emotion, and Osman, with a sleepy expression on her face, nods her head. Then she murmurs slowly, in a voice that sounds a little clearer than before. ¡°¡­¡­go through the mountain. Go through there.¡± (TL: I actually thought that Osman would do this when the author wrote the position Athena and Zain were divide by rocky,ridge mountains, everyone seem to forget she¡¯s an earth witch because her Underworld power outshines it) CH 180 Anomalies in the mountains Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil In the western part of the Kingdom of Zain, the mountain range that separates it from the Kingdom of Athena ¨C the Fernigesh Range ¨C stretches from north to south. A series of rugged mountains cut off the western edge of the continent, with the highest peaks reaching high into the clouds. Up to the midpoint of the mountains, there was low vegetation, but beyond that, the bare brown rocky surface of the forest was exposed. The mountains, the home of the black dragon Fernigesh, are rarely visited by local people. From time to time, a heavy bass sound, like the roar of a beast, echoes from the uninhabited mountains. ¡°¡­¡­is still an eerie mountain. It¡¯s depressing just to look at them.¡± Looking up at the mountains, Usuta Gordo, the captain of the thousand men of the Royal Army of Zain, sighed. Gordo had been sent by Raidorl to the western part of the continent to defeat the demons. Since the great earthquake two months ago, the damage caused by demons has increased dramatically in this area. In particular, demons have been descending daily from the Fernigesh mountain range, and several villages and hamlets have already been destroyed. After Gordo was dispatched, the damage has decreased, but the demon attacks themselves do not seem to be going away. The situation is still unpredictable. The roots and nests of the demons have been left untouched. It¡¯s not going to go away. It would be a lot easier if there was a forest fire or something. From inside a makeshift fort built at the foot of the mountain, Gordo looked up at the mountain in disgust. Day and night, the demons came down from the mountains, mostly from their dens in the interior of the Fernigesh mountain range. As long as they don¡¯t knock down the nests, they will keep coming. If it were possible, he would have attacked the mountain and crushed the nest but it would be suicidal for a mere thousand men to set foot on a mountain where the evil dragon Fernigesh is nesting. The Dragonborn are a scourge on a par with the Witch of Doom. It can even destroy a country by itself. If they mess with them, they¡¯re sure to get a painful reprisal. This is evident in the idiom ¡®poke the dragon out of the mountain¡¯, which refers to ¡®the dumbest thing in the world¡¯. As a result, there was nothing that could be done but to take a passive approach, killing the demons that appeared at the foot of the mountain, thus making the battle into a standstill. ¡°Aaaa, I want to go back home. I don¡¯t want to be here with these creepy mountains anymore!¡± Gordo mumbles gloomily and begins to clean his own spear in preparation for battle. Inside the fortress, his men are similarly preparing for battle, or lying down on gorse to rest their bodies. Outside the fort, allied soldiers were also on patrol, on the lookout for demons that might appear at any moment. It¡¯s already been a month since Gordo was assigned to defeat the demons in the western part of the country. He has become accustomed to the climate, which is hotter and drier than in the eastern part of his native land. But he still can¡¯t get used to the eerie and frightening sight of the mountains to the west. From the tops of these mountains, which are believed to be the home of the evil dragon, dark purple smoke belches out at irregular intervals, and the stench of decay reeks from the depths of the earth. For the locals, this is nothing to be concerned about, but Gordo, who has come from the outside, looks up at the mountain every morning and frowns, hoping that he will be able to complete his mission and return to the capital as soon as possible. In the past, Gordo was a chief soldier in the service of the Barons of Eladin, who held territory in the eastern part of the continent. The recent expedition to the east brought the barons under Raidorl¡¯s control, and Gordo was also given direct command of the army. This is a very unusual promotion for a vassal of the baronial family to be promoted to the rank of captain of a thousand men in the national army. However, Gordo was able to take up this position because of the thin ranks of Raidorl¡¯s men, who had left with his older brother the king, and were short of manpower. He was not promoted by merit or achievement, but was placed in a position that was beyond his abilities, and he felt the pressure of the responsibility rather than the joy of his high position. He did not want to become a captain of a thousand men, nor did he want to be sent to the west of the kingdom to lead soldiers. If he didn¡¯t become the captain, he would not have been sent to the foot of a fearsome mountain to fight the demons that came down from the mountain. ¡°However, we cannot afford to be weak. To repay my debt to the Baron, I must be loyal to him.¡± Baron Eladine had turned against the enemy in the war against the Empire. Although he has been pardoned by Raidorl, he has lost all credibility in the kingdom. If Gordo, who was under the Baron¡¯s command, could take credit, it would help restore Baroness Elladine¡¯s credibility. As he was thinking about this, a soldier on guard outside the fort raised his voice. ¡°Captain Gordo! A horde of demons has come down from the mountains! A horde of Big Rats, numbering between 700 and 1,000!¡± ¡°YareYare, here we are again! Put some oil on it and set it on fire!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Following Gordo¡¯s instructions, the soldiers spread the oil in the direction of the demons. The Big Rat is about the size of a puppy and lives in packs in the mountains. Because of their timid nature, they rarely venture out into the countryside, but when there is a shortage of food, they come in swarms and cause great damage to crops. Each one is not so strong that a child with a stick can kill it, but when they swarm into the hundreds and thousands, they become an army. ¡°Feast your hungry rats on fire!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ Ooh! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± A soldier threw a lit torch into the oil. The flames spread over the plain and an orange wall was completed. One by one, hordes of rats jumped into the fire. The rats were reduced in number as they were engulfed by the flames. ¡°Yes! Now we can destroy them¡­¡­Ooh!?¡± Gordo, who had been watching the battle from the fort, clenched his fist as if he had done his job, but the next moment a swarm of rats came out of the flames. It was an unbelievable sight. The flames consumed most of the rats. But those who were lucky enough to survive would have scattered when they saw what had happened to their friends. But here they are, stepping over the corpses of their friends and charging through the flames. This is not the behaviour of a cowardly big rat. ¡°Tsk¡­¡­Form a line, side by side, and hold your spears! Let¡¯s skewer those rats!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Oh! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± Gordo gave the order as quickly as he could. The soldiers outside the fort lined up with their spears at the ready and thrust their spears into the rats that had crossed the flames. He was surprised that they were not intimidated by the flames and advanced, but they are only big rats. There were a lot fewer of them, and if they maintained their morale, they would have no problem. Soon the rest of the rats were exterminated and the fort was once again at peace. As the battle was over a soldier beside Gordo breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m amazed¡­..I didn¡¯t think a rat could survive such a fire¡­¡­What was that?¡± ¡°¡­..who knows. The one about the cornered rat who gets the cat.¡± Gordo replied appropriately to his subordinate¡¯s words and looked around at the plain of dead rats. ¡°A cornered rat ¡­¡­? Maybe I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± A swarm of rats charging towards the fort. What was driving them was not so much hostility but fear of being driven away by something. The thought crossed Gordo¡¯s mind, and at the same time there was a tremor in the ground. ¡°Uwoa!¡± ¡°Ah, another earthquake!¡± The vibrations that suddenly occurred were much smaller than the earthquake that occurred two months ago. But it was large enough to make it difficult to stand, and Gordo lost his balance and put his hands on the ground. ¡°Goodness¡­..when is this going to end, this thing!¡± All of them are trying to stay low and bear the shock, but the earthquake doesn¡¯t seem to have stopped. On the contrary, it gained momentum,and it was there that Gordo finally noticed something wrong. ¡°C-c-Captain Gordo¡­¡­Am I going crazy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can see the same thing.¡± In response to a subordinate who had also noticed something unusual, Gordo looked up at the source of the disturbance. The mountains of the Fernigesh range were in his line of sight. It is a place for abomination, a den of demons and dragons that he has looked up to everyday since he was sent here. The mountains have been moving slowly, like a worm crawling on the ground. It is as if an invisible giant is pushing the mountains apart, splitting them in two. ¡°The mountain is moving¡­¡­.Am I dreaming?¡± The true nightmare was about to begin. As a result of the split in the mountain range, the boundary with the Kingdom of Athena, on the western side of the Kingdom of Zain, disappeared. Beyond that¡­countless ¡°Nanika¡± like hordes of ants were approaching them. CH 181 Deadly battle on the border Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil A black horde was approaching from the other side of the broken mountain range. They were still a long way from the mysterious army, but they were getting closer, step by step. For a moment Gordo¡¯s eyes were fixed on the unbelievable sight, but then he opened his mouth and shouted out. ¡°All hands, return to the fort and prepare for battle!¡¡ASAP!¡± Gordo doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. But he was not so fluent and carefree as to be optimistic about the situation. He doesn¡¯t know who or what they are, but they must be the enemy. As a soldier belonging to the Royal Army, he has to fight them with all his might. ¡°David¡¯s platoon, Nicole¡¯s platoon and Morgan¡¯s platoon, evacuate the neighbouring villages!¡¡And send a messenger to the Royal Capital to report to His Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°¡­..Send out as many young men as possible as messengers. Take all the horses with them. I don¡¯t care if we have to use them up. We won¡¯t be needing them anymore.¡± Gordo¡¯s decision was quick. The troops he sent out to evacuate were a platoon of young men and women with a future ahead of them. In the face of this extraordinary situation, Gordo knew that they would not make it out alive. ¡°Aaa, damn it.I never thought this remote backwater would be my grave!¡± The eastern part of the kingdom was his birthplace. But he could not bear the thought of dying in the west, so far away from home. But even so, he could not run away. His instincts tell him that, despite his inexperience, he is a warrior. If that ¡®thing¡¯ gets inside the kingdom, it¡¯s going to be a disaster. The only thing he can do is to do everything in his power to stop them and buy some time until the reinforcements arrive. As time went on, the identity of the ¡°nanika¡± that emerged from the broken mountain range became clearer. In appearance alone, it looked very much like a human being. However, the way it walks around with its arms and head torn to shreds and no blood flowing, despite being wounded in places, is clearly different from a living person. An army of zombies, ghouls, skeletons¡­.and the undead, probably numbering over a million, was approaching. Just looking at him gives me goosebumps from fear. Gordo grits his teeth and punches himself in the stomach with his fist, shaking off the fear with pain. ¡°This is the time to give up our lives!¡¡If we are defeated here, the kingdom will fall. Our families and friends will be in the bellies of those monsters! If you don¡¯t want that, Fight with all your might!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ ooohhhh! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± Gordo¡¯s shout is answered by a yell of desperation from the soldiers packed into the fort. Some of the soldiers were clearly cowed and running for their lives, but Gordo didn¡¯t blame them. If he wants to escape, he can. But Gordo had benefactors and a family to protect. He could not turn his back on them to protect them, he would not force those who did not to become dead soldiers. ¡°I¡¯ve had a bad life. But maybe¡­¡­it wasn¡¯t so bad after all.¡± In Gordo¡¯s mind are the faces of the lords he once served. The faces of his wives and daughters came to mind. Baron Eladin was a cowardly man, and when the Empire invaded, he waved the white flag without even fighting a battle. However, he still feels indebted to him, who picked him up and hired him as a soldier, and it is for this reason that he has joined the army of Raidorl. He has also had a lot of trouble with Eladin¡¯s daughter, Shirley. She was born with the magical eye of enchantment, and from an early age she was always trying to get men to do her bidding. Gordo has been the one to clean up such messes. If he loses his life here, will the feeble Lord be grieved? Would his precocious and impudent daughter cry? ¡°¡­¡­Kaka and the kids will be angry. What¡¯s the big earner got to lose? Haha, I¡¯ve got no relatives. I¡¯ve had a crappy life!¡± Despite his complaints, Gordo was prepared to fight a deadly battle with no chance of victory. A lord who cannot be respected. A heartless family. Gordo was not blessed with the people around him, but ¡­¡­even so, he could not let that horde of undead get through to where they were. He has to buy as much time as he can before the reinforcements arrive here. ¡°Come and get me! I, Usuta Gordo, captain of 1,000 men of the Kingdom of Zain, welcome you! Don¡¯t think you can get through these borders for free!¡± Thus, the armies of the Kingdom of Zain clashed with the armies of the undead who had invaded from the Kingdom of Athena by breaking through the mountains. For seven days and seven nights, the army led by Usuta Gordo fought a fierce battle against more than ten thousand undead. Eventually, he drew more undead into the fort and blew himself up in spectacular fashion by pouring oil on it and setting it on fire. CH 182 Departure of the King''s brother Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil The Fernigesh mountain range on the western border has been broken and a mysterious army has invaded the interior of the Kingdom of Zain. Raidorl¡¯s reaction to such an unbelievable report was swift. He immediately mobilised most of the troops in the palace and marched westwards. ¡°Destroying the mountain range?They¡¯ve made quite a showy entrance¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the work of Sister Osman. Jeez¡­¡­,you¡¯re a sleepyhead, but you¡¯re doing all these fancy things, like causing earthquakes and moving mountains.¡± Raidorl, riding his horse, heads straight west. Next to him is Neimilia, astride a huge raven. The crow, as big as a horse, is the messenger of the dark witch Neimilia, and it flaps its wings powerfully through the air, carrying a human on its back. Behind Raidorl, 3,000 cavalrymen followed. This army, made up entirely of cavalry for speed, was both the main force and the advance guard. Further to the rear, 5,000 infantry troops were slowly heading west, with the bulk of the forces from the royal palace being deployed. After hearing the news of the destruction of the Kingdom of Athena from the Crown Prince Neferte Athena, Raidorl was discussing with his men what to do. Fortunately, the Fernigesh mountains rise between the kingdoms of Zain and Athena. If there was to be a battle, he expected it to be farther in the future, but he did not expect the hordes of undead would march through the mountains. Once again, he was shaken and reminded of the power of the Witches of Doom to bring about the end of the world. ¡°Neimilia! Is it possible to send a messenger to find out what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Of course we can. I¡¯ve already sent a shadow to gather information.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for working so quickly.¡± ¡°Fufufu. Neimilia would do anything for a reward from my master! Aaa, I can¡¯t wait ¡¡I can¡¯t wait to make love to master with slime bodily fluids!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What will be done to me?¡± Raidorl¡¯s face muscles tighten as he looks away from the maid, who is twisting and turning on the back of a crow, ¡°Yan, yan!¡± Seeing the carefree erotic maid has made him taken aback, but now Raidorl is in a critical situation where the very survival of the country is at stake. He must once again brace for himself. Neferte told him that the undead began in a town in a corner of the kingdom of Athena and grew in number until they finally numbered more than 10,000 and marched on to the royal capital. If the witch Osman can create undead without limit, the more he falls behind, the more disadvantageous the situation will be for him. Hee must destroy the undead before they spread to the kingdom of Zain and increase their numbers. ¡°Neimilia. Tell me what you know about the army under the Osman.¡± ¡°Haa,haa¡­..skin to skin with master on a soft mat.Kuch,akucha,nechi,nechi,¡­¡­Ufufufu..Ufufufufufufufu!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be left without your reward, answer quickly!¡± ¡°Fua?!¡± When Raidorl shouted at Neimilia, she straightened her back. It seems that even the erotic maid have decided that they should not play anymore games with the seriously irritated Raidorl. She opened her mouth, pressing her fingers to her temples as if recalling a memory. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡­Sister Osman¡¯s men, right?¡¡First of all, she has an army full of undead. 100,000 or 1,000,000, as long as there are corpses, she can create as many as she wants.¡± ¡°Millions¡­.¡± Raidorl doesn¡¯t know exactly how many people live in the kingdom of Athena, but if all of them are undead, it¡¯s not surprising that there are a million or more. The thought of it possibly flooding into the Kingdom of Zain also brings a cold sweat to Raidorl¡¯s back. ¡°Each of the undead is not very powerful. A well-trained soldier is unlikely to be defeated. One of the biggest weaknesses is that they will turn back into corpses if they are away from Sister Osman for more than a certain distance.¡± ¡°Does that mean there are distance restrictions?¡¡That¡¯s good news.¡± This means that the undead created by Osman cannot be scattered all over the world and increase their numbers inexhaustibly. ¡°Without that binding, the world would have been ruled by the undead by now. The distance that the undead can be kept at¡­..is about one hundred kilometres? It wouldn¡¯t have been far enough to cross the country¡± ¡°So does that mean that the witch Osman is also taking part in this invasion? From the royal capital of the Kingdom of Athena, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to reach this country?¡± ¡°No, that is absolutely not true. My sister is extremely reluctant to go out, she¡¯s a pain in the ass.¡± Neimilia assured Raidorl firmly. ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± Neimilia said again, confidently and proudly. ¡°Sister Osman is really a very lazy person!¡¡She¡¯s so lazy that she can¡¯t even speak properly, so it¡¯s impossible for her to come along in this invasion! I¡¯m sure that when she causes earthquakes and does spectacular things, it¡¯s because she wants all the trouble to be over at once!¡± ¡°But an army of the undead is actually coming. How do you explain this?¡± ¡°It is likely that the apostle, who has been given the power from sister Osman, is leading the undead herd. The undead can exist in the vicinity of an apostle without disappearing.¡± ¡°The Apostle¡­¡­¡± A bitter memory recurred in Raidorl¡¯s mind. His older brother, Granard, also fell for the witch Grasslead¡¯s sweet talk and became an apostle, causing considerable confusion in the royal capital. The fact that an enemy who, like his brother, has become an apostle is closing in on him, naturally makes his hand tighten on the reins. ¡°Sister Osman always has her four apostles with her. The ¡°Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse¡± ¨C ¡°War¡±, ¡°Famine¡±, ¡°Plague¡±, and¡­¡­¡±Death¡±. They are all powerful demons, and no ordinary soldier would be a match for them.¡± ¡°My brother was quite mad too, you know. Four men with the same power as him, could easily destroy a country or two.¡± ¡°Particularly troublesome is ¡®Death¡¯, who was given a magical sword. Even without the magic sword, he is quite an expert, and when I fought him two hundred years ago, I had difficulty because he cut off my leg.¡± As if she was talking about her childhood memories, she spoke of her horrible past, which did not fit the atmosphere. Raidorl¡¯s brow wrinkles and he clears his throat, unsure of what to say. ¡°Aside from the old stories, are you sure that this invasion is being led by that knight?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Perhaps¡­¡­ ¡°Famine¡± or ¡°Plague¡±? War is very close toSister Osman¡¯s, so it¡¯s not often he leaves her side. Death will come alone, without an army to lead him.¡± ¡°And¡­¡­if we defeat that knight, the other undead will disappear too, is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, I am sure of that too. The undead will not be able to keep their shape and will return to the dust if the apostle with my sister¡¯s blessing is not by their side. I think that the number of undead that each knight can command is limited to 10,000 or 20,000.¡± ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s a relief. I thought I would have to exterminate all million of the undead. Now we can fight without worry.¡± Raidorl laughs and puts his hand on the holy sword at his waist. ¡°I¡¯ll kill the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse myself. You will pay with your life for bringing the foul undeads into this land¡±¡± CH 183 Conditions for a hero Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Zil After a forced march, the cavalry led by Raidorl arrived at the western border region. Upon arriving, Raidorl with his generals Darren Garst, the thousand-horse chief, Saara Leifet, Justy Oigist, and ¡­¡­an Ero maid, with a force of 3,000 cavalry. They are followed by 5,000 infantry, but their arrival will still take a few days. On their way here, they passed many displaced people on the road. The former inhabitants of this land were thin and pale, and were fleeing eastwards at a slow pace. Their faces were as pale as a sick man¡¯s, as if they had been through something terrible, and their eyes were devoid of life. ¡°Oh,¡­¡­! You¡¯ve come, Your Highness Raidorl¡­.!¡± Raidorl was greeted by a soldier who had been a subordinate of Usuta Gordo, the captain of the thousand men who had come to the land with a distant view of the Fernigesh Range, the border mountain range separating the two countries. ¡°Well, well, you¡¯ve come¡­Geho! Gohogoho ¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, are you alright? Stay with me!¡± When the young, thin soldier saw Raidorl¡¯s face, his eyes filled with tears and he coughed on the spot. Raidorl hurriedly ordered his men to treat the soldier and gave him a drink of water while he listened to his story. ¡°Do you have the energy left to report?¡¡Do your duty as a survivor.¡± As much as Raidorl would have liked to give the wounded and exhausted soldiers a rest, he was in the middle of a war. The freshness of information often determines the outcome of a battle. He had to hear what the soldiers had to say, no matter what. ¡°No problem. I can talk¡­¡­!¡± The soldier, in a faltering tone, recounted the events he had seen and heard here. The report was, until halfway through, the same as what he had heard from the soldier who had been sent to the palace as a messenger. What Raidorl doesn¡¯t know was half of the story. The end that followed Usuta Gordo. ¡°Captain Gordo sent some young men, including myself, to a neighbouring village, where we holed up in a fort to meet the enemy. After seven days and seven nights of fighting, he set fire to the fort. When I returned to see what was the matter, the fort was already on fire. The captain probably also ¡­¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Although Raidorl ordered Gordo to be the captain of a thousand men, it is not clear that they had much conversation. He was one of Raidorl¡¯s subordinates but was not close enough to him to be a close associate like Darren or Sven. But¡­¡­When he heard the report of the loss of life of his men who had been sent to the West by his orders, he felt a searing pain in his heart. ¡°¡­¡­Gordo was Baron Eladin¡¯s man, wasn¡¯t he? The thought of having to talk to Shirley makes me uneasy.¡± Shirley Eladine is the daughter of Baron Eladin, and currently works as a servant in the royal household. She was born with the power of enchantment in her magical eye, although her body was young and unfeminine. She entertains and charms male visitors to the palace and extracts valuable information from them, playing an active role in the background. ¡°Whenever she gets the chance, she would try to sneak into my bedroom. She seems to have inherited all the bad parts from that erotic maid, but ¡­¡­she¡¯s still my subordinate. I didn¡¯t want to see her sad if I could help it.¡± ¡°¡­ Gordo¡¯s death will be avenged. Keep reporting.¡± ¡°Ha¡­.. The hordes of undead that have fallen from their strongholds seem to have split up into two groups, one to the north and one to the south, and are attacking the villages and towns of the western region. They are slow on the uptake and thanks to early evacuation advisories, no major damage has been done, but there have been casualties from villagers who have failed to flee.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So where is the enemy now?¡± ¡°Few soldiers have followed them and they are probably now at ¡­¡­.¡± The soldiers spoke of the western border area, on the north and south roads. Both of them are not far from this place, but even so, to attack both of them at the same time, you need to divide your forces into two. ¡°If possible, we would like to destroy each of them individually, not spread out our forces. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°But ¡­¡­ that could allow the enemy to pass to the rear later.¡± Raising an opinion from the side was Darren Garst, who had become a general in the army of the Kingdom of Zain. ¡°From what Lady Neimilia has told us, both of the enemy armies must be in excess of 10,000 men. They may not be very well trained, but they will be very difficult to defeat in a short time. While we are killing one enemy, the other may catch up with the refugees in the rear.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± The image of people evacuating with the gait of a sick man flashed through Raidorl¡¯s mind. The undead seem to be slow, but they can keep moving without getting tired. Eventually they will catch up with the refugees. ¡°¡­¡­If we were to destroy them individually, we would be abandoning the refugees in the rear. But isn¡¯t it suicidal to split a unit in two?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even though the undead are not very good at fighting, we have only 3,000. The enemies to the north and south are each over 10,000 strong. If we spread out our forces carelessly, we will be swallowed up by sheer numbers¡­¡­.The best thing to do in this situation is to abandon the refugees.¡± Darren frowned, but made his point clearly. ¡°Depending on the strength of the [Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse], if we can defeat the enemies in the north and south in turn without compromising¡­¡­our strength, we will be able to win the war. Perhaps we will not be defeated if we abandon the refugess.¡± The army of the Undead are divided into North and South. Whichever side they attack first, the latter will catch up with the refugees in the rear and slaughter them. However, the infantry troops are still following behind the cavalry troops led by¡­..Raidorl, so the enemy cannot penetrate further into the Kingdom of Zain. If necessary, cavalry and infantry troops can attack the enemy between them. The decision to abandon the refugees is all that is needed to win this battle. ¡°It¡¯s not ¡­¡­ bad. I guess it¡¯s not ¡­¡­ a bad idea.¡± Raidorl sighed deeply. It is not enough to be a good ruler. A person who stands above others sometimes has to make cruel decisions. If Raidorl wants to be sure of a victory, he should accept Darren¡¯s advice and try to destroy the enemy individually. ¡°No, you can¡¯t! There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible!¡± A voice of protest arose. It was Neferte Athena, the crown prince of the kingdom of Athena, who uttered a voice that cut through the atmosphere. Raidorl hadn¡¯t planned to bring Neferte along on this expedition, but in summoning Justy Oigist, the news of the undead attack came to the ears of Neferte, who was being escorted by Justy. The undead who destroyed his country have come to the kingdom of Zain, where he has fled. When Neferte found out, he made a quick decision to join the expedition, forcing Justy to accompany him. ¡°Those who have been killed by the undead will become undead as well!¡¡We can¡¯t allow the people of this country to suffer the same fate as the people of Athena!¡± ¡°His Highness Neferte ¡­¡± Justy¡¯s face turns painful as Neferte tearfully complains. In the meantime, Neferte, with all eyes on him, continued to express his feelings. ¡°I am an incompetent Prince. I abandoned my people, I abandoned my father, and I could only escape to this country alone. But¡­¡­Your Highness, Raidorl, you are not! You are the hero chosen by the holy sword, do not abandon your people! Please don¡¯t give the people the same despair as the people of Athena¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Your Highness Raidorl. I would like to ask you to do the same. I hope you will reconsider.¡± Justy also bows his head to Neferte, who expresses his grief. ¡°I am aware of the sacrifices that must be made to ensure victory. As the Regent of the country, I can only express my deepest sympathies for the suffering of His Highness. But please do not abandon the people who are fleeing¡­.Please¡­..!¡± ¡°Oi,oi¡­you¡¯re making me look like a bad guy.¡± Raidorl return to his regular face and laughed at Neferte and Justy, who appealed to him. When did these two become such good friends Raidorl wondered, and thrust out his fist. ¡°I¡¯m not going to abandon the refugees from the start. It should be us warriors who die in battle. We must not sacrifice the innocent.¡± ¡°That means¡­.¡± ¡°Aaa¡± At Neferte¡¯s clinging gaze, Raidorl nodded vigorously. ¡°The enemy army will be destroyed. We¡¯re going to help the refugees, we¡¯re going to do both, we¡¯re going to be heroes! It¡¯s going to be a tough road, so be prepared!¡± CH 184 The knight''s curse Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Your Highness Raidorl¡­¡­there¡¯s one more thing I have to report¡­.Gohogoho!¡± Gordo¡¯s man coughed and opened his mouths again. ¡°We, the soldiers under Captain Gordo¡­.. And many of the refugees who have been living here have developed a strange disease. And¡­¡­unexplained hunger and dehydration.¡± The soldier then stokes himself on the throat. ¡°¡­¡­Apparently, a disease of unknown origin is spreading. I¡¯m getting sicker by the day, I can¡¯t stop coughing and some of my friends have vomited blood. And no matter how much food we eat, our bellies just won¡¯t fill.¡± ¡°Aa, that¡¯s what the knights of the apocalypse are capable of. I knew it, Plague and a Famine are coming.¡± Neimilia looked over Raidorl¡¯s shoulder and interrupted him. ¡°Their power is to place a curse not on a particular individual but on the land itself. The power of plague is to spread diseases. The ability of Famine is to bring unsatisfied hunger and thirst. Both can affect a very large area and a large number of people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ why the refugees we passed were also sick.¡± Many of the refugees heading east were as thin and pale as the soldiers in front of them. Apparently, they too had been affected by the abilities of the Apocalypse Knight. ¡°Plague and famine¡­¡­.Well, that¡¯s a fearsome ability.¡± Raidorl frowned. The ability to plague and famine is the same power that the holy sword D¨¢insleif has. However, in terms of the number of people it can affect at once, the knight¡¯s ability is more powerful. The curse of the D¨¢insleif can only be cast on enemies in front of him or the ones he cut with the miasma blade. In contrast, the knight¡¯s ability can affect people at a distance, making it an extremely troublesome power. ¡°So we¡¯re already in its sphere of influence. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if one of our soldiers developed a disease or hunger at this point.¡± For those who lead armies and govern peoples, there is no more frightening ability. Plague and Famine ¨C both are monsters that must not be allowed to spread further into the kingdom. ¡°That¡¯s right. Three hundred years ago, in the Great Calamity, the western part of the continent became hell. Fortunately, their powers are not instantaneous and take time to take effect.¡± Neimilia nodded her head and added more information. The curse placed on the land becomes more and more powerful as time goes on. It¡¯s not an ability that works overnight, but if enough time passes, the effect of the curse will increase. ¡°In other words,we do a quick attack. We need to take out the two knights as soon as possible, every minute, every second counts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It seems that the curse has already spread throughout the land, but at this stage, I can control it with my power but I¡¯ll have to concentrate on suppressing the curse, so I won¡¯t be able to take part in the battle¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. The enemy army will face me and my soldiers.¡± Raidorl¡¯s greatest fear was that the soldiers he was leading would be incapacitated by sickness and hunger. To lead a sick soldier into battle would be like offering a lamb to the wolves. They would be overrun in an instant. The enemy army can invade without worrying about damage because they are undead, but we are flesh and blood. There is no substitute for them. Victory is a major premise, and Raidorl must also consider minimising his armies¡¯ death toll. ¡°Breaking the effects of the curse is a top priority. Even if it means you¡¯ll be sitting this one out, we need to make it a priority.¡± ¡°I understand. Then, let me just¡­¡± Neimilia hugged Raidorl around the waist and put her arms around him and embraced him. Then ¨C in a position with her lips pressed against her master¡¯s back ¨C she chants a spell. ¡°Fall, saint! Darkness is with you¨DSanctuary of the Fallen: Lilith Sanctuary¡± (Tl: Lilith is the first wife ¡®Eve¡¯ to Adam in Mesopotamian and Judaic mythology) In an instant, a huge magic array appears in the centre of the Raidorl and the Neimilia. Inside the circular geometric shapes dances an ancient language that is difficult to decipher, emitting a blue-white light that expands. The light soon engulfed the whole of the encamped kingdom army and spread across the western part of the kingdom without abating. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s better.¡± Neimilia exhaled while hugging Raidorl. At the same time, the magic circle and the blue-white light disappeared. There is no change in the surrounding landscape. Nothing has changed visibly. But¡­..the heavy air that had hung over the area earlier had been dispelled, and the soldiers under Gordo, who were supposed to be sick and starving, were looking better. ¡°The curse that has been placed on the land has now ceased to have any effect. The effects of the knight should be contained for the time being.¡± As soon as she finished her work, Neimilia had a refreshing expression, pressing her face against her master¡¯s back and taking a sniff while at it. She was as relaxed as ever, but¡­¡­her tremendous power was a marvel to Raidorl. Neimilia had cast a spell over a wide area, up to a hundred kilometres. It was hard to imagine how much magical power was needed to cast a spell on such a large scale. Neimilia had once been sealed in the ruins and lost her power, but she too had regained it through the ¡°Resurrection of the Witch¡±. ¡°I would be saying thanks¡­..but what was the point of hugging me?¡± ¡°Of course I have to!¡¡I need to replenish my master¡¯s power to get the strength you need!¡± She assures him and strengthens her arms around him. Her self-serving arguments are like those of a child, and it is hard to believe that she is a witch who has just demonstrated her overwhelming power. ¡°¡­¡­ What kind of logic is that?¡± As Neimilia rubbed her body against his as if to assert her ownership, Raidorl sighed and dropped his shoulders. CH 185 After receiving reports from his allies, Raidorl decided to divide his forces and send them towards the army of the Undead in the north and south. Raidorl had 3,000 cavalry troops. If he wanted to divide his forces evenly, he should divide them into 1,500 each. ¡°Wait, Your Highness. If we divide our forces carelessly, both sides may suffer catastrophic damage. I think we should concentrate our forces in the south.¡± Then ¨C the general, Darren Garst, paused for a while and continued. The eyes of everyone present were drawn to the neat-looking warrior, who looked like an actor. ¡°The enemy has a large army. Ours is a small army. In order to bridge the gap, we should concentrate our troops on one side. According to what I heard from the locals, the road in the north is narrow and full of wasteland. It will be possible to hold off the enemy with fewer troops. In the north, the army should be thin and use the terrain to buy time. Then the southern army, with its concentrated strength, can defeat the enemy in a short time, and then go to the north for reinforcements.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea, ¡­¡­but wouldn¡¯t it be very dangerous for the troops headed north if we took that step?¡± ¡°Yes, in the worst case, they will be decimated. But¡­. is the best way to protect the refugees in the rear and win the war against the enemy!¡± Darren makes no secret of the fact. The plan he proposed was to turn the northern troops into ¡°dead soldiers¡±, attracting an army of 10,000 with very few men. (TL: I would prefer to change to decoy but the raw is this (ËÀ±ø). Let me know if you want me to change it) If it worked, there was a high probability of victory over the enemy to the north and south, but there was no guarantee that the soldiers used to hold them back would return alive. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you understand¡­..our enemies are many times more numerous than we are. There is no way we can win unscathed. If we want to win, we have to be prepared to sacrifice a certain amount of our own troops if we refuse to use the refugees as bait.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right. I guess you¡¯re right about that.¡± Raidorl curiously agreed at Daren¡¯s suggestion. Even Raidorl doesn¡¯t believe that the world runs on niceties. There are times when he has to cut someone else down to save someone else. It is the job of the sovereign to make that decision¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­Taking responsibility for their sacrifices is also the responsibility of those who are above others. I should be prepared to do the same.¡± Raidorl knew this would happen when he decided to avenge his brother and take the throne. He¡¯s not going to turn his back and run away now. ¡°I shall follow Darren¡¯s plan. Of the whole army, 2,500 shall be sent to the south and the remaining 500 to the north.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°The question is, who will take command of the troops in the north?¡­¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness! Leave it to me¡± There was a man who raised his hand at the right moment. It was Justy Oigist, a thousand-horse chief with a serious, rotten face and an even more stern face. ¡°I have just advised you to abandon your safeguards to save the refugees. Knowing that this would endanger His Highness Prince Raidorl, ¡­¡­Then I feel obliged to take on the most dangerous task of all!¡¡Please leave the interception of the enemy to the north to the Justy Oigist! Let me buy you time so that your Highness can destroy the enemy to the south!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ no. I¡¯m serious about this! I definitely want to do it!¡± Justy was followed by Neferte Athena, who was standing uncomfortably close to him, and who raised his hand voluntarily. It¡¯s not hard to see why Justy, a brave warrior, would do the right thing. But, no one expected that Neferte, the exiled crown prince, would be running for office, and everyone in the room looked at him in surprise. ¡°I am the prince and I have abandoned my homeland to come to this country. Not because of a cowardly wind that I have run away from! I have come to this country to destroy the evil undead and to reclaim my homeland! It is my country¡¯s fault for allowing the witch of the earth to return and create so many undead. I ask that you give me this opportunity to humiliate you!¡± If the Kingdom of Athena had been able to defeat the undead created by that witch, the army of the undead would not have come to the Kingdom of Zain. Athena is partly to blame for this situation. In spite of this, Neferte, a survivor of the Athena royal family, would be trampling on the prestige of the royal family if he stayed in the safety zone without taking the front line. As the crown prince of Athena, Neferte is about to take on the most dangerous role in order to protect the pride of the royal family. ¡°¡­¡­You think barking is something cool? I thought you were a child, but you are still the crown prince of a country.¡± Taking in the boy¡¯s strong intentions, Raidorl turns his serious gaze on Neferte. The reason why Raidorl allowed Neferte to follow him was not that he expected him to be a force to be reckoned with. It was just that he didn¡¯t have time to chase back Neferte, who had followed Justy. ¡°As long as he didn¡¯t get in the way¡± ¨C which Raidorl thought but there was no way he could disrespect a boy who had shown his commitment to royalty in this way. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand. This is more dangerous than you think. It is a role that is close to that of a dead soldier who must fight to the death and not be allowed to flee in order to protect his friends to the south and the refugees in the rear. If it is necessary for victory and to protect the people, ¡­¡­ I will abandon you and Justy. Do you understand that, and are you sure to raise your hand?!¡± ¡°I do understand. I don¡¯t have a country, parents, or even a single vassal, but I¡¯m prepared. I would give my ¡­¡­heart to defeat the witches of Earth and reclaim my country.¡± ¡°Then, I have nothing to say to you. I¡¯ll even use your life to defend this country.¡± Raidorl shook his shoulders in amusement and accepted Neferte¡¯s proposal. The boy in front of him is no longer a guest, no longer a protected person. He is now a part of the army, a force to defend the country. Then Raidorl will not care for him. He is going to use him to the fullest. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m also using your power for the revival of my country. We both are using each other.¡± ¡°Use them and be used by them. It¡¯s good to be black-hearted, isn¡¯t it? I like you more than being a polite prince.¡± Raidorl and Neferte no longer mend their ways, but speak to each other without discernment. It was a crude exchange of words that one would not expect from the representatives of an allied nation, but it strangely brought them closer together. ¡°It¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll lead the main army to crush the enemy in the south!¡¡Justy the Thousand Horsemen and Prince Neferte will lead a detachment to hold off the enemy to the north!¡¡Does anyone have any objections?¡± Naturally, no one interrupts and nods profoundly back. Raidorl laughs, his lips lifted in a smile, and declares the battle to begin. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to fight back. I¡¯ll crush them until they forget how to revive so that they won¡¯t come back to this world again!¡± CH 186 Knight Of Plague Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Dawn is breaking and the eastern sky is turning white. As the darkness dissipates and the landscape is gradually revealed, the figures of countless unknown shapes come into view. ¡°Ooooooooooooooooooo!¡± Countless figures stomped down the street, letting out a low, hair-raising cry. Skeletons clad in rags. Decaying corpses with a stench that stung the nose. Soldiers in armour with their heads missing a herd of up to ten thousand, all made up of the lifeless undead. The hordes of Undead that have poured into the Kingdom of Zain from the Fernigesh Range, destroying villages along the way and swallowing up the living as they make their way east. ¡°Ara¡­.¡± In the middle of the ugly and fearsome army, a female knight on horseback tilted her head. She turned her beautiful face upwards, her eyes narrowed as she looked up at the dawn-tinted sky. ¡°My magic is gone, isn¡¯t it? Someone neutralise it¡­. No, it¡¯s like my magic itself has been swallowed.¡± The woman knight, surrounded by undead and murmuring in wonder, appears to be a living, breathing person. But the¡­.facts are very different. She is the general who leads this terrible army ¨C the knight of the apocalypse who bears the name ¡°Plague¡±. The knight of the Plague, Ruluve, has begun her march on the Kingdom of Zain, but soon after her invasion she unleashes a curse on a massive scale. The curse of Plague was to contaminate the land itself with a disease that would affect and debilitate every living thing in the land. The curse, which had no immediate effect but grew stronger and stronger with time, was insidious and merciless. In the end, it has to kill tens of thousands of people. But as of now¡­.that curse has disappeared without a trace. Not only the plague curse, but also the famine curse from Wilfred, who is marching from a different route, has disappeared as well. This could not have been a coincidence. ¡°Mou~..using that magic again¡­..Uun, It¡¯s possible. It¡¯s been counteracted by some powerful magic. It¡¯s an overwhelming magic that can reach even our queen. Is ..she¡¯s on the human side again by any chance?¡± With a languid grimace of her beautiful face, Ruluve sighed. The face of the witch who sided with the enemy in the Great Calamity three hundred years ago is in her mind. Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness. The youngest of the Six Witches of Doom, she is an abomination who betrayed her mother, her sister, and the Keeper of the Holy Sword. If it had not been for her betrayal, Osman would not have been defeated in the last battles, nor would they have been sealed up in a mausoleum for more than two hundred years, groaning in vindictiveness after their beloved lord was killed before their eyes. ¡°You never learn, do you? Abomination. Most of all, I hate you¡­¡­ but what can I do? What do I have to do to get my boiling guts to stop?¡± Ruluve maintains her cool demoaner, but inside she was boiling with anger like lava. If the Dark Witch was once again on the side of the humans, she would not be satisfied with just killing her. She would have to inflict all the shame, humiliation and pain she could think of. ¡°But can I¡­¡­win on my own?¡± The power of the Dark Witch is enormous. It was comparable to Osman, who could cause a great earthquake and split a mountain range. In addition, it is said that the Kingdom of Zain already has a holy sword holder. The target, the holy sword of water, has not yet found a wielder, but the combination of a witch and a holy sword wielder is reminiscent of the defeat two hundred years ago. Even with more than 10,000 undead, it¡¯s hard to say that Ruluve and Wilfred can win on their own. ¡°If it were just me, I¡¯d retreat¡­..What about that child? Will he retreat?¡± Ruluve strokes her purple hair with a hand comb and exhales in a sexy gesture. In the mind of the beautiful lady knight is the face of Wilfred, the knight of Famine who marched with her to the Kingdom of Zain. Even if Ruluve realised the disadvantage and retreated ¡­.would the skinny boy choose to retreat? Would he choose to bear the brunt of the traitorous presence of the Dark Witch? ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s impossible. That child is surprisingly angry.¡± Wilfred is usually aloof, but in reality he is a very passionate man. The boy knight who sensed the presence of the Dark Witch would not be able to make a calm decision. He will lose his mind and charge at the enemy. ¡°¡­¡­ I can¡¯t help it, little knight. I¡¯ll keep you company¡± Ruluve does not have the option of abandoning a fellow knight she has known for hundreds of years. If Wilfred doesn¡¯t back down, there¡¯s no way she can retreat on her own. ¡°You¡¯re giving¡­.Onee-san a hard time. Let¡¯s show them what a knight of the apocalypse is capable of!.¡± Ruluve smiles wistfully, her lips pursed in red. This was the moment when the knight of the apocalypse, who had destroyed all the countries of the western part of the continent in the ¡°Great Calamity¡± three hundred years before, and who had transformed the kingdom of Athena into a land of the dead in the previous battle, got serious. ¡°Ketaketaketaketaketaketaketaketa¡± At the same time ¨C the ¡°bone crows¡± flying overhead let out a high-pitched caw. It seems that the enemy army is approaching her. ¡°Let the foolish living be an offering to our beautiful queen!¡¡Let the sweet screams of death be offered to the beautiful witch Osman!¡± Across the road, the enemy¡¯s army came into view. A smile of madness graced her face as she ordered her army of the dead to charge. CH 187 Knight of Famine Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± On the other hand, on the north side of the road, away from the southern road where Ruluve is conquering, a monster in the form of a boy is screaming in anger. The skinny, thin boy with glasses is Wilfred, the knight of Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. ¡°My curse has been lifted! She¡¯s the only one who can do this¡­¡­.Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness!¡¡That damned traitor is back too!¡± Wilfred, too, is aware that his magic has been extinguished and, like Ruluve, he senses the shadow of Neimilia behind him. The realisation that Neimilia, the youngest sister of his queen Osman, had betrayed her and given ¡®him¡¯ the Holy Sword, made the normally aloof boy furious. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯ll seriously kill you¡­..! I¡¯m going to tear you limb from limb, gut you, and cause you all the pain in the world before I kill you! You betrayed and murdered Osman, and I¡¯m not going to let you die easily!¡± ¡°Katakatakata¡­¡­¡± The undead who follow Wilfred are bewildered by his ranting and raving. The skeletal soldier clacked his teeth uncomfortably and nodded his head in annoyance. ¡°Where,where are you? She¡¯s definitely close. I have to be near her. Otherwise, I can¡¯t skin her¡­¡­!¡± The boy knight is so angry that he has lost all reason, mumbling and biting his nails with his teeth. The commander stops, and so does the army of the undeads, with countless skeletons and rotting corpses swaying from side to side in the air. ¡°¡­¡­Oh yea¡­ I¡¯m quite lucky if I think about it. I¡¯ll be able to get rid of that damned traitor before Oji-chan [War] and before Ni-san [Death]. I¡¯ll be able to prove that I can be of more use to Queen Osman than anyone else. Isn¡¯t that great?¡± Biting his nails, Wilfred continues his delirious speech. He is as emotionally unstable as a person who is a drug addict, who gets angry, then suddenly laughs, then gets angry again, then smirks and¡­..laughs. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­.. I¡¯m Queen Osman¡¯s number one. I¡¯m as good as Ni-san and Ne-san, not to mention my Oji chan [War]. I¡¯m not going to give up to some holy sword holder or some traitorous witch. Queen Osman is mine. She¡¯s my queen. ¡­¡­! That¡¯s why I have to protect her. I¡¯m going to kill more enemies than anyone else and prove that I¡¯m the best¡­..!¡± His fingernails are cracked from biting too hard, and his skin is shredded and blood is running down his fingertips¡­.He doesn¡¯t seem to mind at all, and Wilfred continues his delirium. This has been the case ever since he became aware of the presence of Neimilia. The advance has been halted for more than half a day, but¡­¡­there are only undead around, and no one has pointed this out. But¡­¡­suddenly things started to go wrong. A bow and arrow came from somewhere, grazed Wilfred¡¯s head and pierced the undead who was right behind him. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­Aa?¡± An undead soldier falls, shot by an arrow. Wilfred stops biting his finger, and in a slow motion like a rusty tin doll, cranes his neck to look in the direction the arrow came from. At the end of the road, on a little hill, there stood a large figure. ¡°Damn it¡­..! I must have missed it. A mistake of a lifetime!¡± The man on the hill murmured in frustration. He was not at a distance that would normally allow his voice to reach, but ¡­¡­Wilfred¡¯s acute hearing clearly picked up the man¡¯s earnest, rotten tone. In the hand of the big man, who is almost two metres tall, is a big strong bow. It seems that the big man has shot a bow and arrow. ¡°¡­¡­.Oh, I see. You¡¯re here. That witch¡¯s companion.¡± Wilfred¡¯s tone was colder than before as he licked the blood from his fingers. ¡°Then I have to kill them properly. That crazy witch would be a little disappointed if her friends were killed and turned into undead, wouldn¡¯t she?¡± Again, the man on the hill shoots arrows at him, but the undead soldier guards Wilfred as a shield. The boy knight, surrounded by a wall of undead, opens his arms wide and commands his troops, his eyes glittering mysteriously behind his glasses. ¡°I order you ¨C kill. Just kill. Just kill. Kill a lot. Kill all the way. Kill to your heart¡¯s content. ¡­¡­!¡¡My soldiers, my army of the dead, given to me by Queen Osman!¡¡Let¡¯s kill every last one of them and prove that I am the best!¡± ¡°Katakatakatakatakatakata¡± The undead horde obeyed the commander¡¯s order and immediately went into action. They began to march in unison towards the big man standing on the hill. ¡°Oh, what a fearsome army this is!¡¡We are no match for them!¡± The big man lets out an exclamatory shout and disappears over the hill. In pursuit of the fleeing enemy, the undead horde also marches up the hill. The western region of the Kingdom of Zain. The Battle of the Northern Highway. Wilfred¡¯s army of 10,000 undead came into contact with a small force of 500 under the leadership of Justy Oigist, the Thousand Horsemen. CH 188 The Battle of the Northern Highway Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The army of the undead followed Wilfred¡¯s orders and went up the hill in pursuit of the man who had disappeared. The sight of skeletons without flesh and skin, rotting corpses teeming with maggots and flies, climbing up the hill was a hideous and unworldly sight. ¡°Katakatakatakatakatakata¡± The undead are slow-moving, and even when running at full speed, they can only walk as fast as a grown man. It was hard to keep up with the man on the other side of the hill, especially in an uphill situation. ¡°Run! After them! Move it!¡± Wilfred¡¯s loyalty to the Witch of Earth makes him more vocal than ever, and he raises his voice as if he were whipping the undeads. ¡°Kill the enemy!¡¡Devour them all!¡¡Kill every last person who dares to fight my Queen Osman!¡± ¡°Katakatakatakatakatakata¡± Wilfred shouted at the undead to quicken their pace, but it was still too slow. It¡¯s a good thing that the undead have the advantage of being able to keep moving without feeling tired or drowsy, but without proper muscles, their movements are slower. They were no match for the living in short distances, let alone endurance runs. No matter how loudly Wilfred commanded, he would never be able to get close enough to the man who had run away. ¡°Kuu ¡­¡­!¡± Wilfred gritted his teeth in anger and snapped his teeth together in frustration. ¡°If only the curse hadn¡¯t been lifted, I could have caught him. This is all Neimilia¡¯s fault!¡¡She¡¯s an abominable traitor, she¡¯s always in my way!¡± If only the curse of ¡°plague¡± and ¡°famine¡± had continued to consume the land and all its inhabitants, they might have been able to hunt down their prey, weakened by disease and hunger. The curse that Neimilia had lifted is to compensate for the undead¡¯s sluggishness meant that they were no longer able to catch a single fleeing human being. Wilfred¡¯s hatred for Neimilia grew even more intense, but as the undead climbed the hillside, he suddenly had bloodshot eyes behind his glasses. ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Oo, here we are! The ugly, fearsome armies of hell!¡± The big man who had just shot an arrow at Wilfred suddenly appeared from the other side of the hill. Wilfred was bewildered by the appearance of a man he had expected to have fled with his tail between his legs. ¡°Did you come all the way back here to get killed?¡¡What the hell is this person thinking ¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to you for coming up here. But¡­. you should know that this is a dead end! From here on in, the Kingdom of Zain will not be passed and it will be protected by Justi Oigist Thousand Horsemen!¡± The big man ¨C Justy Oigist ¨C raises his right hand, and a squad of archers appears from the other side of the hill and flanks him at the top. ¡°Fire!¡± Justy waves his hand down. The archers lined up side by side shot their arrows in unison and showered the undead from overhead. The arrows rained down, piercing the undead one after another. The road to the north is narrow, with thick forests and sheer cliffs on either side. There was no way to escape the arrows. The undead, led by Wilfred, fell to the archers, their numbers dwindling. ¡°Don¡¯t let this¡­..man get the better of you!Move!¡¡Don¡¯t stand still!¡± Wilfred¡¯s young face twisted at the sudden surprise, he ordered his men to make a desperate charge. ¡°We¡¯re up against a small army. If we swallow them up by sheer numbers, it will be the end!¡¡We must attack them at once and eat them alive!¡± ¡°Katakatakatakatakatakata¡± It was an absurd order that a human being would never have accepted, but the undead were already dead. They are not afraid of getting hurt, and they move forward bravely even though they are covered in arrows. ¡°Muuu¡­¡­This is amusing!¡¡The armies of hell are no match for the logic of the living!¡± Justy¡¯s face grew grim as he watched the hordes of the dead climb the hill, using the corpses of their comrades as shields. It was a slow march, like the crawl of a worm, but the undead herd was closing the distance to Justy at the top of the hill, step by step. At this rate, they would eventually reach the hill. ¡°Nevertheless¡­¡­it was expected.¡± ¡°Na¡­?!¡± Justy raised his spear wide and slammed the tip into the ground. A small earthquake echoed through the cliffs, and part of the road collapsed, sending earth and sand pouring down the cliffs. ¡°The road¡­Earth magic!¡± Wilfred shouts. Justy is not only a great warrior, but also a wizard who is skilled in the properties of ¡®earth¡¯. He likes to use his spear as a catalyst for his magic, allowing him to attack with a spear of earth from the ground, or to create a wall of rock for protection. Even so, changing the terrain is no easy task¡­.Justy had researched the land beforehand and was informed that the hills in this area have loose soil and are prone to cliff falls during heavy rains. As a result of striking the loose soil with all his magic power, Justy artificially caused the cliff to collapse. ¡°Now the enemy is pinned down!¡¡Unleash your bows, proud warriors of the realm!¡¡Strike a valiant blow against the hordes of the dead who defile the land of Zain!¡± ¡°Ooooooooooo¡± In response to Justy¡¯s cry, the soldiers increased the force of their arrows. The undead in the lead were caught in the cliff and disappeared down the cliff. One by one, the rest of the undead fell to the arrows, their numbers dwindling. ¡°Damn¡­it alllllll!¡± Wilfred, struck dumb, panicked and let out a scream from the pit of his stomach. The scream of the witch¡¯s apostle, in a tantrum, shook the air and echoed through the cloudy sky. The Battle of the Northern Highway. The men of Justy Oigist the Thousand Horsemen ¨C five hundred. Wilfred the Famine Knight¡¯s men ¨C 9,300 remain. The battle has only just begun. CH 189 Toss and turn Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Justy Oigist, a thousand-horse general under Raidorl. Wilfred, the Doomsday Knight of Famine. It had been a full day since the two sides had begun fighting, but the battle had been in Justy¡¯s favour throughout. The undead, led by Wilfred, had by far the greater number of troops, but they were unable to take advantage of their superior numbers on the narrow road flanked by forests and cliffs on either side. Justy was concerned that the undead would attack them in the dark of night, but¡­¡­they were able to deal with them without any problems. The undead hordes are tireless. They can see at night and can fight in the dark without consequence. If the sun goes down, Wilfred will have a huge advantage. However, even Justy was not so foolhardy. As soon as he saw that the sun was going down, he used his earth magic again to break up the road and block the enemy¡¯s advance. He also set up a wooden fence, which he had prepared in advance, to block the enemy¡¯s advance. Wilfred climbed over the collapsed road and broke down the fence in pursuit of Justy. ¡­¡­ By the time he caught up with him, the sun had already risen and the battle resumed like yesterday. Justy is leading a small army, but the small number of soldiers allows him to move quickly. At the mercy of their quick movements, the slow undead hordes, which are numerous, are completely outmanoeuvred. Since the start of the battle, Justy¡¯s men have been reduced to almost nothing, while Wilfred¡¯s undead have been reduced to 80% of their numbers. ¡°I see. This is the army of the Witch of Earth. A horde of the dead who will bring ruin to the world. ¡­¡­ Fear them not. They are too fragile.¡± Justy, who had been leading the battle, pushed his glasses up with his fingertips and nodded profoundly. A herd of 10,000 undead is a terrible thing indeed. They are horrible, so horrible that just looking at them gives a normal soldier goosebumps. But in the eyes of Justy, who is a seasoned warrior, they are nothing more than a ragtag bunch. They are not a threat in the slightest. ¡°Fearless and tireless, the immortal herd is a fearsome thing. But they are¡­..sluggish. A lacklustre attacker. All are lukewarm. It seems that the enemy is lacking a platoon commander.¡± The army of the undead follows Wilfred¡¯s orders, but it is no easy task for one man to command an army of ten thousand. The undead created by the Witch of Earth revert to their corpses once they are within a certain distance of the Witch or her Apostle. This is why it is not possible to divide the army into platoons or companies and have them act separately. This is a great disadvantage for an army. If he had been able to divide his army into smaller groups, he would have been able to have his platoons hide in the woods and take them by surprise, or he would have been able to divert them and have them run ahead of the enemy¡¯s rear. Even if he had an army of 10,000, Wilfred could command less than 1,000 men to fight at once. In fact, the increase in numbers has slowed down the movement of the entire army. ¡°If the curse of famine had not been lifted, even such a slow enemy would have been more difficult to defeat. But with the advantage of this highway, we will not be defeated. I think we can hold out until His Highness Raidorl arrives.¡± ¡°A-amazing¡­..to see the undead that destroyed my country defeated so easily!¡± Neferte, who had accompanied Justy, marvelled at his masterful command. The undead army that had so easily destroyed the kingdom of Athena was now at their mercy and reduced in numbers. It was beyond exhilarating, it was appalling. ¡°If it¡¯s so easy to beat, why did my country have to die ¡­¡­! Why did you all have to go¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Highness Neferte. I¡¯m able to fight to my advantage because there are no witches and the curse has been lifted. The situation is different from when your country was destroyed.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°If you think of your lost country, now is the time to sharpen the blade of your heart a little. Do not miss the opportunity to strike down one of your enemies¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Neferte has some thoughts but unsure what to say. Remorse, regret, delusion, hatred ¡­Neferte tries to keep a lid on all the emotions that are gnawing at his heart, as he grips the sword that he still can¡¯t pull out ¨C the fake holy sword that¡¯s still in its scabbard. ¡°I¡¯m fine now¡­¡­. But when you have a fight with a knight, I need you to give him to me. I want to give him what he deserves for destroying the kingdom of Athena.¡± ¡°I promise you that. But don¡¯t forget¡­¡­is not yet a victory.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.!¡± Neferte glared at the enemy army at a distance. The undead army, led by the knight of the famine, was stuck behind a wooden fence that had been set up in advance. A soldier led by Justy shot a bow and arrow at the undead who were trying to break down the fence. From the top of the hill, Wilfred could be seen shouting at the dwindling numbers of his soldiers. ¡°It will be at least two days before His Highness Raidorl to defeat the knights of the Plague and comes to our aid. If we can hold out until then, we win. Don¡¯t let your guard down until the end¡­¡­Mu??¡± He was convinced of the victory and Justy, who is not afraid to tighten the tail of his helmet, but ¡­¡­ there was a change in the enemy forces. The hordes of the undead, some eight thousand of them, still remain. And they are falling all over the place. The soldiers are baffled by the sight of the undead, who have not been attacked, but are falling. ¡°What the¡­¡­ hell is going on ¡­..?¡± ¡°Sir Justy! Look at that!¡± ¡°Muu !?¡± Looking in the direction Neferte was pointing, Justy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It was the commander of the enemy army ¨C Wilfred, the knight of the ¡°Famine¡±, who¡­¡­was transformed into a different form. His body continues to swell and his torso becomes a huge body of more than ten metres. From every part of his body sprouted countless heads, and the number of limbs was uncountable. As the undead fell, the monster grew in size, adding more heads and limbs as if it were sucking the life out of them. ¡°Gerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerager!!!¡± Countless heads smile eerily and laugh loudly in unison. The crazy, brain-contaminating laughter echoes through the highway, spreading fear to everyone present. ¡°Heee!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a monster!¡± The soldier with the bow cowered, covering his ears. No one could accuse him of cowardice. Even Justy, the commander, was holding his chest in unprecedented fear. ¡°What ¡­ what¡¯s happening ¡­!¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­..hecatoncheires?!¡± (Greek mythos, 100 arms and 50 heads) It was Neferte, who was standing next to Justy, who muttered to himself. The crown prince from a neighbouring country looked at the monster with a pale and a stunned gaze. Justy and Neferte were confronted by a monster from the underworld. According to the lore of the Kingdom of Athena, it is the queen of the underworld¡¯s family. ¡°I¡¯m the best knight for Queen Osman. Gorororo!!¡± The monster let out a spine-chilling scream and crushed the fence on the highway. TL: I¡¯ll be posting more chapter tonight, quite busy today. Sorry. CH 190 Knight Of Plague Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny On the northern road, Justy and his troops saw Wilfred transformed into a monster. Meanwhile, a fierce battle was taking place on the southern road. The two armies clashed a day later than on the northern road. Raidorl had intended to enter the battle earlier, but the undead army was moving slower than expected, so the battle started somewhat later. On Raidorl side. His army numbers 2,500. Although Raidorl is the commander in chief, Darren Garst is in charge, flanked by his second-in-command, the thousand-horse chief Saara Leifet. The army was mainly made up of cavalry, so its marching speed was very high, and it had the ability to rush and break through enemy lines. The undead side. Her armies are 10,000 strong. The Knight of Plague, Ruluve, is the commander in chief. There are no lieutenants or captains. The troops are almost all infantry. Because all the soldiers are undead, their movements are slow and their skill level is low. The strength of each soldier is less than that of an ordinary person. In the current situation where the curse of ¡°Plague¡± that weakens the enemy has not been activated, the quality of the soldiers is greatly inferior. The decisive battle takes place on a plain in the western part of the kingdom. It is a place with a good view and almost no obstructions. The terrain is ideal for an army versus army battle on the southern road. Faced with an enemy four times the size of their own, Raidorl¡¯s response was simple. That is ¨C charging towards the enemy. ¡°All troops to the front!¡¡Break through the enemy lines!¡± Raidorl had no tactics, no strategy, he just let his cavalry and his soldiers charge. In the first place, the troops assigned to the southern road are not only required to win but they also need to have a quick and crushing victory. Because at the north side, Justy Oigist is stopping the enemy with a small army. Their priority was to destroy the enemy in front of them and get back to their friends as quickly as possible, even if it took a second. Hence, the assault. Just march the army straight ahead and close the distance to the enemy general. The army of Raidorl is mainly cavalry. In addition, although the undead are outnumbered, their durability is weak. The undead were defeated as if they were tearing wet paper. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl! You go on ahead!¡± ¡°Aa, I¡¯ll take care of that!¡± Darren shouts and intercepts the undead that are coming from both sides to push his lord forward. Raidorl leaves Darren and the other soldiers behind and pushes forward, weaving his way through the holes his friends have made. Only an hour had passed since the battle began. All too soon, the moment arrived. ¡°¡­.. You¡¯ve arrived so early. What¡¯s the use of a man with a short temper?¡± ¡°¡­.. I¡¯ve had no shortage of women for some years now. I¡¯ve got a maid who sneaks into my bed every night!¡± At last, Raidorl comes into contact with the enemy general, Ruluve. The 10,000 undead are opposed by Darren¡¯s cavalry. There is no longer a wall to defend. A hero chosen by a holy sword and an apostle empowered by a witch. General against general. The battle was about to begin, a battle that will shock everyone on the battlefield. ¡ð¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ð¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ð ¡°There was a child, you know.¡± In front of Raidorl, a beautiful woman in a dress ¨C Ruluve, one of the ¡°Four Horsemen of Apocalypse¡±. ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about?¡±¡± Raidorl looks dubious at the out-of-context conversation, but listens, keeping his sword at the ready. ¡°It was when I was still a human being. My father was a customer and I only slept with him once. I was a prostitute, so it wasn¡¯t unusual.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I forgot to take my birth control pills and that was the end of it. I could have had an abortion, but¡­¡­I was still young. I couldn¡¯t take away the life that was in my belly, so I chose to have it.¡± Ruluve¡¯s eyes are nostalgic, her gaze fixed on the distant western sky. She looks lost, so vulnerable. The rational thing to do would be to attack her now, but the gloomy look on his face made Raidorl hesitate to do so. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get any customers until the baby was born. ¡­¡­Luckily, I had some savings and the owner of the brothel was a good man, so I was able to have the baby safely. It was a pretty little boy, as pretty as a pearl, with beautiful eyes that you wouldn¡¯t expect to come from the belly of a woman who had lived her life sippin muddy water.¡± Raidorl wonders if she remembers the face of her child. With a gentle, motherly smile, Ruluve put her hands on the dress she was wearing. She unties the waistband and slowly removes the dress. She was not wearing any underwear underneath the silky dress, which looked soft to the touch. Her naked body, full and ripe, is exposed on the battlefield. ¡°That¡­.!¡± Raidorl gasped at the sight of the bare naked body of a beautiful woman. The white skin of Ruluve was clothed with organs that should not have been there at all. It¡¯s ¨C an eyeball. Her arms, legs, belly, waist, breasts¡­¡­ and every part of her body were covered with countless eyeballs, and she was pointing her bright red irises at Raidorl. Particularly eerie was the lower abdomen. The symbol of womanhood ¨C the eyes open above the womb, as big as the palm of a grown man¡¯s hand, the eyelids open to the limit, giving off an eerie glow. ¡°But he¡¯s ¡­¡­ dead. He¡¯s dead.¡± Ruluve tilted her thin head. The fringes that covered her forehead fell in a flurry, and there, too, was a monocular frown. ¡°He was killed. He was only three years old. The man who killed him was hired by his father. The man was a royal who had come to visit. He couldn¡¯t forgive me for having a child with him, for spreading his royal blood to a lowly whore. If that was the case, he shouldn¡¯t have held me in his arms in the first place¡­¡­ He found out later that I had a child and came all the way here to kill me. I didn¡¯t know he was royalty. He was just born without knowing anything about him¡­¡­.!¡± Ruluve¡¯s body is distorted like kneaded clay. What had been a beautiful woman turned into a deformed figure of about five metres in height. Her long hair billowed out like a snake¡¯s, fanning out like a peacock¡¯s feathers. ¡°¡­..So that¡¯s what you are. An Apostle for the Witch. The Queen of Hell¡¯s family¡± ¡°Ooooooooooooooooo¡± With a roar that echoes from the depths of the blood, a giant with countless eyeballs attacks Raydor. Argus, the giant with a hundred eyes. (Greek mythos: Argus Panoptes the many eyes giant) Raidorl raises his holy sword and slashes at the monster from a mythical time. CH 191 The Hundred-Eyed Giant Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Sacrifice to our Queen. Return to the dust¡­¡­Raidorl Zain, hero of the holy sword!¡± Ruluve transformed into the ¡°Giant with a hundred eyes¡± in front of him. Her eyes that were attached here and there to the giant body of about ten metres in height shone bewitchingly. The magic power concentrates in her eyes. Goosebumps broke out on Raidorl¡¯s spine. ¡°Run! Keep your distance from that giant!¡± Raidorl shouts to the soldiers around him. But¡­¡­a moment later, a monstrous ray of purple light shot out from Ruluve¡¯s full-body eyes. ¡°Guwaaaaa!?¡± ¡°Ku¡­!¡± A monstrous ray of light that shoots out 360 degrees all around. Raidorl defended it by holding his holy sword, but the soldier who was shot through without being able to avoid,screams. The soldier who had been hit by the monstrous rays was quickly transformed into a pillar of salt, which soon shattered and dissolved into the wind. Raidorl¡¯s face shock at the death of his men, and he points the tip of his sword at the hundred-eyed giant. ¡°Now, you¡¯ve done it¡­..! I¡¯ll deal with her. You guys get off the battlefield now!¡± As soon as Ruluve transforms, all the undead she had been leading falls to the ground. She must have lost the power to control the undead because they were drained of their magic power to become giants. The hordes of the undead had disappeared from the battlefield. Then¡­¡­one Raidorl is enough from here on. The only thing to do is to lower the number of soldiers and try to avoid unnecessary casualties in the fight. ¡°Isn¡¯t it always the hero who takes on the monster?¡¡I¡¯ll be your opponent, so come and get me!¡± ¡°Arrogant and confident. That¡¯s what¡¯s so unpleasant about being royalty¡­..with that man! If you want to die, I¡¯ll give you what you want!¡± Ruluve turns all her hundred eyes on Raidorl. A myriad of monstrous rays of light are emitted and rain down on him. ¡°Hmph!¡± Raidorl kicked the ground, dodging the monstrous rays of light that are fired at him one after the other, and those that cannot be avoided are struck down with the D¨¢insleif. The monstrous rays of light emitted by the 100-eyed giant were lightning fast. But after the battle with Granard equipped with the magic sword of light, Raidorl was able to adapt to its speed. ¡°Sword fighting-Scorpion thrust!¡± Raidorl made a counterattack through the gap with melee. He flew his miasma blade and slashed at them from afar. Like a snake feeding on its prey, the jet-black slash cut through the giant body of Ruluve, dodging the purple beam of light. ¡°That hurts¡­¡­Don¡¯t you dare get carried away!¡± One of her eyeballs was slashed open, and her pale bodily fluids splattered like fresh blood. But for Ruluve, who is now a giant, the damage is only a scratch. Rulive seems to have a great capacity for healing. Her wounds heal like time is turned backwards, and even a crushed eye regrows. Raidorl clicks his tongue loudly at Ruluve, who immediately fires back a monster ray of light. ¡°¡­¡­It seems that a wound of that degree will not pierce your life. She¡¯s a lot better than those demons.¡± The hundred-eyed giant concentrates its magical power of ten thousand undead. Its strength surpasses that of a disaster-grade demon. If it¡¯s only about strength, it might even rival the monsters of the ¡°dragon kind¡±. These giants alone could easily destroy a town or two. Raidorl need to make sure he defeats her here. ¡°It¡¯s hard to beat her at long range. If I could, I¡¯d get in its blindspot and slash it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ooooooooooooooo¡± ¡°Those rays of light from her evil eye won¡¯t allow me to get close! Quite a troublesome foe, isn¡¯t she!¡± Raidorl runs right and left across the battlefield, dodging the monstrous rays of light that are chasing him. Each of these rays of light contains a magical power that turns humans into salt and makes them disappear. By its nature, it is close to the miasma of D¨¢insleif, which causes abnormal conditions, but¡­the killing ability is clearly superior. Even a scratch would kill him. ¡°It is impossible to inflict a fatal wound on a giant with a small, low-powered move. But there¡¯s no time for big moves¡­..!¡± ¡°Ooooooooooooooo¡± There is almost no time lag in the activation of the monster ray. In order to perform large-scale techniques such as ¡°The Great Serpent of Doom¡±, it is necessary to knead the magic power ¡°accumulation¡±. It is very difficult to make a big move through the gap between these attacks. If there is an exception, it is¡­¡­the holy armour that is the inner workings of the holy sword D¨¢insleif [Hvezlung, The twilight trickster]. Whole creation. With the power of the holy armour to annihilate all things, it should be easy to extinguish the monstrous rays of light that Ruluve is shooting out and even slaughter the 100-eyed giant itself. However, the holy armour consumes a huge amount of magic power. Even if he could defeat Ruluve, Raidorl will be unable to fight after using up all his magic. If he cuts his trump card in order to destroy the enemy in front of him, it will be difficult for him to reinforce Justy, who is attracting enemies on the northern road. ¡°No big moves. If I can¡¯t use holy armour¡­.there¡¯s only one option I can take. A new technique I¡¯ve just devised ¨C a new ¡°magic sword¡± that I¡¯ve never tried in a real fight¡­¡­.!¡± Raidorl laughed fearlessly and grasped the D¨¢insleif. In response to its wielder¡¯s will, the hilt of the holy sword returns a small vibration. Apparently, his partner agrees with him. Raidorl nodded and looked belligerently at Ruluve, who had turned into a giant with a hundred eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your heart¡¯s content, Knight Ruluve of Plague! I¡¯m going to show you how to fight with a Cursed sword fighting method¡­[Lunar Eclipse Hati] and [Solar Eclipse Sk?ll]!¡± (Both are from Norse Myths, One chases the moon while the other one chases the sun) CH 192 Lunar and solar eclipse Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A jet-black miasma overflowed from the Dahlslave. A huge torrent of energy spiralled around the holy sword. ¡°I misunderstood the power of the D¨¢insleif.¡± The treasure of the Kingdom of Zain -D¨¢insleif is the holy sword that controls the ¡°curse¡±. It had the power to poison, paralyse, petrify and plunge into sickness those who were exposed to its miasma. But, the reality may not seem to be the truth. The essence of the D¨¢insleif is different. The curse was only one part of its power. ¡°The real attribute of the D¨¢insleif is ¡®distortion¡¯. It¡¯s all about distorting what should be¡± By distorting the normal state, it causes abnormalities such as poisoning, paralysis and petrification. This is what the ¡®curse¡¯ is all about. The reason why the D¨¢insleifs inner workings, [Eat God Wolf Fenrir], can annihilate all things is because the result of distorting the existence of that thing to the extreme is that it can no longer exist in the world. ¡°If the attributes of the D¨¢insleif is not a ¡®curse¡¯ but a ¡®distortion¡¯, then there are other things I can do ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Ooooooooooooooo!¡± The hundred eyes of Ruluve shone brightly and rained monstrous rays of light down on Raidorl. But¡­..suddenly, Raidorl stops evading. Without moving, they stand firm on the ground to face the monstrous rays of light. ¡°Fighting method¡­ [Lunar Eclipse Hati]!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± The space around Raidorl is distorted as if by a mirage. The monstrous ray of light that was supposed to penetrate his body unnaturally distorted its beam and avoided passing through a space with a radius of about one metre around Raidorl. ¡°My attack ¡­..! What have you done, Raidorl Zain!¡± The 100-eyed giant cried out in surprise. She continued to shoot those mysterious rays from her eyes, but she didn¡¯t seem to hit Raidorl. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s avoiding the monster rays. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­but I¡¯m not so good-natured as to let you have a souvenir of my death. I¡¯ll give you the answer when I see you in hell, so go ahead and wait for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl kicked the ground to close the distance between him and Ruluve. The monster ray doesn¡¯t work. Ruluve raises her huge, eyeballed arm and tries to slam it into Raidorl. ¡°Hm!¡± Raidorl ducks under the arm and slashes it in the opposite direction. The blood flowing from the arm that was hit by the slash is purple. It seems that she is no longer completely human after all. ¡°At this extent¡­¡­! Don¡¯t you dare lick it!¡± ¡°Uwo?¡± Ruluve swung her bleeding arm and smashed it into Raidorl¡¯s torso. He was blown away by the impact, though he defended himself with his holy sword as quickly as he could. Raidorl was blown more than 10 metres by her powerful arm, but he landed on the ground with his left hand and turned around with acrobatic movements to regain his posture. ¡°Tsk¡­¡­doesn¡¯t work so well against physical attacks, does it? I have to choose when to use it!¡± Raidorl clicked his tongue loudly. The new technique that Raidorl had devised ¨C the [Lunar Eclipse] ¨C is a magic sword that distorts space. By distorting the space, the attacker can be deflected and rendered helpless. However, while the space distortion is highly effective against long-distance attacks and magic, it is not effective against powerful melee attacks. ¡°It consumes very little magic power. The fact that it can be activated without the use of holy armour is attractive, but¡­..there is still room for improvement.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll crush you! Raidorl Zain!¡± Apparently, the weakness of the [Lunar Eclipse] has been transmitted to Ruluve as well. The hundred-eyed giant, who had stopped her monstrous ray of light, raised her fist at Raidorl with thudding, earth-shattering footsteps. A huge arm like a log¡­¡­where there is no laceration from earlier. It seems that this giant has a high self-healing ability. A half-hearted attack will not do any damage. ¡°¡­¡­is pretty good, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a great test bed for new techniques.¡± ¡°Oooooooooooooo!¡± A fist slams into him again. Raidorl dodged by flying backwards¡­¡­but this time the other arm was raised. ¡°Ooooooooooooooooooo! Ruluve shoots out a barrage of fists while screaming from her huge mouth. Raidorl repeatedly back-stepped to avoid the barrage of blows that rained down on him from above. Ruluve¡¯s fists are obviously lacklustre and messy. But the size of the¡­¡­fists is incomparable. Countless huge fists were unleashed, creating craters in the plain like a meteor shower. ¡°What a depressing attack! You know what they say, a few bad arrows can¡¯t hurt you!¡± The ground shattered and fragments of stone flew out and hit Raidorl in a hail of bullets. If he hadn¡¯t activated the [Lunar Eclipse], Raidorl¡¯s body would have been pierced by a stone bullet and filled with holes. Dodging, dodging, dodging attacks¡­¡­Raidorl finally strike back with a counterattack. ¡°Sword fighting¡ªSolar Eclipse Sk?ll!¡± Raidorl held up his D¨¢insleif and mumbled, cloaked in the magic of the swirling miasma. But¡­¡­he doesn¡¯t just hold up a sword and swing it. There is no need to do so. The attack had already¡­ began. ¡°Gah¡­.!?¡± The change was immediate. Two huge arms that were punching incessantly. Both of the giants¡¯ arms, which should have been unharmed, were suddenly slashed to pieces. The skin, flesh and even bones were cut off, and the remains of the arms, broken down into blocks, were scattered across the plain, spraying purple blood. ¡°Higi~tsu¡­¡­ kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡± A high-pitched scream is emitted from the giant with a hundred eyes. The pain came late, and it was the concentrated pain of dozens or hundreds of slashes. ¡°The attack was successful. It¡¯s powerful enough¡± While [Lunar Eclipse] distorts space, [Solar Eclipse] is a magic sword that distorts time. The giant¡¯s arms had been slashed countless times, but the slashes had been dislocated from the past to the future. Raidorl ducked under the giants¡¯ blows and launched a series of counterattack slashes. The reason why Ruluve couldn¡¯t recognize the attack was because Raidorl distorted time with the [eclipse] and sent the damage of the slash into the future. The damage that had been dislocated into the future struck Ruluve at once, across time, and it looked as if she had been hit by countless slashes in an instant. ¡°It is possible to dodge the slashes that I throw. But nothing can evade a blade that has flown across time and space. If you take that much damage all at once, you¡¯re not going to regenerate quickly, are you?¡± ¡°What are you ¡­¡­ doinghgggggggggggg!!!!?¡± ¡°I told you¡­I¡¯m not going to give you the answer. That¡¯s it. The end for the knight of the plague, Ruluve.¡± ¡°Ah¡­?!¡± Raidorl jumped up and cut off the giant¡¯s head. With the loss of both arms and the ineffectiveness of the monstrous rays from her eyes, Ruluve had no means of resistance. More than half of her neck is cut off with a single blow, and the giant with the hundred eyes falls. ¡°Mu¡­.?¡± There was a small thud. It was Ruluve, lying in the middle of the plain, but the sound and impact were surprisingly small for a giant¡¯s fall. As she fell, she reverted from her giant form to that of a human woman. A beautiful woman, her arms missing and her head split open, lay on her back on a bed of grass. ¡°¡­¡­Oh dear, I¡¯ve lost. I¡¯ve failed to do what the Queen ordered.¡± With blood bubbling out of her mouth, Ruluve murmurs sadly. There was something so sad about her appearance that even those who had just witnessed her transformation into a giant were tempted to feel pity. ¡°¡­¡­ Do you have a will? I¡¯d like to hear it.¡± The beautiful woman looks up at the sky as if she is at a loss for words¡­¡­.Raidorl finally asks if there was something in her eyes that made her think. Ruluve twists her lips and gives a small shake of her shoulder. ¡°Yea¡­..interesting things, but I¡¯ll give you one piece of advice.¡± ¡°Advice?¡± ¡°I wonder if your people are also on the Northern Road ¡­..where that Famine went?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes. My people are stopping you and buying you time. I trust my men. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll pull through.¡± ¡°Oh, ¡­..That¡¯s a shame.¡± Ruluve laughs, her chest rising and falling. Then she ¡­.. stuck out her tongue in defeat. ¡°That fellow¡­¡­is probably already dead.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I felt it just now. It¡¯s like he¡¯s showing his true colours. He¡¯s much stronger than I am, and he¡¯ll kill all your friends. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to save any of them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl furrows his brow and looks down at the dying Ruluve. The beautifull demon continues to laugh,¡­..and takes its time, disappearing from the edge of her body into the sand. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting you in the underworld ¡­¡­the hero chosen by the holy sword. How will you die¡­..?¡± With that last word, Ruluve disappeared completely into the sand. Under the witch Osman. The ¡°plague¡± of the ¡°Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse¡± ¨C Ruluve returned to the earth as the sands of the plain. CH 193 Giant Of Despair Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Meanwhile, a fierce battle is taking place on the northern road. Wilfred has been transformed into a giant. His torso is covered with countless arms the same size as those of a normal man. ¡°Oooooooooooooooo¡± Wilfred crawled down the narrow road with his massive arms, emitting a wailing scream. He looked like a giant centipede. All present were given a physiological disgust that sent chills down their spines. ¡°¡ª! Archers, fire your arrows! Don¡¯t let that monster get any closer.¡± The commanding officer, Justy Oigist, was for a moment transfixed by the strange figure, but quickly regained his senses and shouted. The soldiers who had received the order hurriedly fired their bow and arrow. Bows and arrows shot out and struck the deformed giant, who had countless arms. The arrowhead pierced his outstretched arm and purple blood flowed, but the ¡­¡­giant didn¡¯t care and ran down the road at a terrifying speed. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time! Just let me kill you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.!¡± Wilfred opened his big mouth wide and screamed. A loud, hair-raising sound shakes the air. Justy gritted his teeth, enduring the eardrum-breaking scream, and activated his defence spell. ¡°Block my enemy¡­ [stone wall]!¡± A wall built by earth magic blocks the road. The road between the dense trees and the cliffs is narrow and only wide enough to be blocked by Justy¡¯s magic. It was a relief for the soldiers to see the stone wall blocking the way for the giants to invade¡­.The next moment, the stone wall shattered into pieces. ¡°¡­.What strength! It looks like your huge body is no decoration!¡± Justy was quick to respond. He thrust his spear forward with his thick arm, and a stone projectile shot from its tip. The stone bullets, with their sharp tips, were powerful enough to penetrate even the most basic of shields. ¡°Muu !?¡± But as soon as it landed on Wilfred¡¯s body, the stone bullet shattered like sand and dissolved into the air, disappearing. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish enough to think that you can stop me with earth magic at a level not even close to Queen Osman¡¯s!¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­¡­are you saying that my magic earth doesn¡¯t work?¡± Wilfred is an apostle of Osman, the witch of earth. He has a strong resistance to the attribute of earth, and Justy¡¯s magic did not work on him. Justy¡¯s feet stopped in agitation as the magic sword he had trained with was easily neutralised. The giant¡¯s arm snaked out to Justy, who was snarling with a distorted ¡­¡­ expression, taking advantage of the slight gap. ¡°Captain Justy! Look out!¡± A familiar soldier jumps in between Justy and the giant. The soldier was an old friend of Justy¡¯s, a soldier in the service of the Viscount of Oigist. ¡°Galeis!¡± ¡°Uu¡­Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!¡± Justy reaches out his hand, calling out the name of his comrade in arms,¡­¡­, but his hand cuts through the air in vain. A soldier named Galeis was grabbed by a number of arms and dragged into the giant¡¯s arms. Wilfred, who has turned into a hundred-handed giant, throws the soldier into his mouth and crushes his armour with his huge jaws. With a final scream, the soldier turns into a lump of flesh like a crushed tomato. ¡°Na..!¡± But it was here that ¡­¡­ Justy was shocked. It was a soldier he knew who had been chewed up by the giant in front of him¡­¡­and his face floated to the surface of the giant¡¯s body. ¡°Oooooooooooo¡± The familiar voice let out a mournful wail and arms sprouted on either side of his face. On closer inspection, the body of the giant with its countless arms was covered with what appeared to be a human face, like human pox. The face of a man with a look of despair, who has lost all hope, is weeping sadly and making small moaning sounds. ¡°Are you telling me that all of¡­¡­these faces are victims of being eaten by giants?¡± And the countless arms extending from the body of the giant may also belong to the poor victim. The body of the giant is more than ten metres long, and it has more faces and arms than Justy can count. They seem to be still alive and part of Wilfred, and they are opening and closing their mouths as if to say something. ¡°What a pity,Galeis..Forgive me, this powerless general, for I cannot save you!¡± Saying sorry to the soldier he knew, Justy slammed his swinging spear into the ground. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡± A full-blown blow with earthen magic caused the road to collapse and a cliff to fall. It doesn¡¯t matter how resistant he is to earth elements, if he loses his footing, it won¡¯t matter. Wilfred¡¯s huge body was caught in the collapse and slid down the cliff. ¡°You bastarrrrrrrrrrrrddddddddd!!!¡± Wilfred¡¯s screams echoed from the bottom of the cliff. Wilfred was caught in the cliffside, but after falling 20 metres, he was attached to the cliff with his countless arms. At last, Justy raises his voice in alarm at the monster movement like a bug. ¡°Run into the woods!¡¡Scatter around and flee from that giant!¡± ¡°Hyan!?¡± As soon as he had said this, he took the hand of Neferte, who was close by, and ran into the forest beside the road. The prince, screaming like a woman in surprise, ran away at once. His soldiers followed, weaving their way through the trees and running off into the forest. Neither bow and arrow nor magic will work. The only thing Justy could do was to escape before his troops were wiped out. His mission is only to buy time until Raidorl comes running in, and Justy was convinced. That huge boy, he will come after them if they run away. He won¡¯t attack the civilians who are sheltering in the rear first. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare run away! Aaaaaaaaaah! Give credit for my work so I can be rewarded and you all become a sacrifice to Queen Osman!¡± Wilfred came up from the bottom of the cliff and chased after them, trampling down trees. This was exactly what Justy had expected. ¡°Run! Don¡¯t let that thing catch you!¡± Justy continued to run with Neferte, praying for the safety of his men who went separate ways. In the dense forest, the game of tag between giants and humans had begun. CH 194 Escape Drama Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Aa, Sir Oigist¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯d better keep your mouth shut, your highness. You¡¯ll bite your tongue!¡± Justy is running while holding Neferte¡¯s hand through the dense trees. It¡¯s already been an hour since the game of tag with the giants began. Neferte¡¯s breath was ragged and his skin flushed from the fatigue of running. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± Neferte gasped at the distant screams of desperation. Apparently, one of the fleeing soldiers had been caught up with Wilfred and fallen prey. The image of the soldier being eaten and absorbed by a giant flashed through Neferte¡¯s mind. A chill of intense fear stroked his back. This had been happening ever since they had started to flee the forest. The screams were getting closer and closer, and Neferte¡¯s heart clenched with anxiety. ¡°If we keep going like this, we may catch up with them. I¡¯m sorry to say that I¡¯m tired, but I don¡¯t think I can take a break.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Please leave me alone and run away. If it was just you, Justy, you would be able to run faster.¡± It took all the courage Neferte could muster to suggest it. The little prince was aware that he was the cause of them being slowed down. If only Justy, with his inexhaustible physical strength, could escape faster and farther. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. That¡¯s out of the question.¡± But Justy refused to accept Neferte¡¯s proposal. ¡°I have been entrusted with your life by His Highness Prince Raidorl. Our guest, Prince Neferte, mustn¡¯t die before I do. In the pride of a warrior, I will not run away without you.¡± ¡°But¡­..I don¡¯t have the means to repay Justy¡¯s devotion. Even if I could get out of this, even if I could rebuild my country,¡­¡­!¡± Neferte told Justy that his life was not worth it and bit his lip. Neferte is the crown prince of the kingdom of Athena. But¡­¡­how much is that status worth? If it had not been an undead horde that occupied the kingdom of Athena, but an invasion from another country,¡­¡­or even Neferte¡¯s life, there would have been a use for it. Neferte could have been used as a banner for the war effort. Neferte¡¯s royal blood would have been useful in winning over the people of occupied Athena. But it is the undead who occupy the kingdom of Athena. The cause of destroying the enemies of humanity has already been established. The kingdom of Athena is currently populated by the undead. There was no point in using Neferte as a banner as there were no living people. In other words, the Kingdom of Zain does not need a person named Neferte Athena. Once Zain has defeated Osman, the Witch of the Soil, they can continue to rule the former Kingdom of Athena. There was no point in putting Neferte forward to call for the restoration of the land. In fact, Raidorl has allowed Neferte to accompany Justy to act as a decoy to attract the enemy. If he saw the value of Neferte¡¯s existence, he would not have allowed him to participate in such a dangerous mission. ¡°His Royal Highness will not blame you if you leave me. So, Justy. Please don¡¯t let me be a burden to you any longer. I don¡¯t want to see anyone else die because of me anymore¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Apparently, the prince is possessed by the bug of weakness. It seems that he is unable to make normal decisions.¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± Rather than leave Neferte behind, Justy grasped his hand even tighter. ¡°I do not know what his Highness thinks. But¡­..he has entrusted me with Prince Neferte. That alone is reason enough to risk my life. If the prince shakes off my hand, I will carry him on my shoulder and run.¡± ¡°But¡­..¡± ¡°I am proud to be a warrior and a vassal. Isn¡¯t it the same for Prince Neferte? You have said that you will restore the kingdom of Athena. So, don¡¯t give up your life so easily.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°If the prince dies, Athena will be destroyed at that moment. Would it not be better for you to check once again whether what you are carrying is really lighter than life ¡­¡­?¡± Maybe it wasn¡¯t a very clever line. But he is not¡­¡­poet, nor is he an actor. It was the best Justy could do, who is a rugged warrior, to encourage Neferte. ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± It certainly touched Neferte¡¯s heart. Even if the words were not enough, the true feelings were certainly conveyed. But even for¡­..such two people, disaster is fair game. ¡°I Seeee Youuuuuuuuuu¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Thoughts are conveyed but they are not always fulfilled. They kept running on and on, but before they knew it, the giant with a hundred hands was waiting for them, circling in front of them. CH 195 Forest Struggles Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Kyahahahahahahahaha I see you!¡± ¡°Kh¡­¡­!¡± A loud, deafening laugh comes out of his huge mouth. In front of them was the figure of Wilfred, with countless hands growing out of his body. A huge humanoid figure over ten metres long, lying on the ground like a beast, hundreds of arms stretched out on the ground to support the huge body. The face of the predator was stuck to the surface of the tentacle-like arms, and the face of the predator¡¯s victim had a look of grief and despair. Apparently, he got ahead of them as they were fleeing through the woods.The giant¡¯s eyes, glowing with madness, were fixed on Justy and Neferte. Justy stares at the giant in front of him and whispers to Neferte behind him. ¡°Your Highness Neferte, I¡¯m here¡­¡± ¡°Justy, don¡¯t tell me to run away alone. I¡¯m not going to leave you.¡± Neferte, sensing what Justy is about to say, assures him in a nervous voice. ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to die, but¡­¡­I¡¯m not going to run away without my allies again. Either we run together or we fight together.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.I understand¡± Justy nodded at Neferte¡¯s determination. If it were possible, Justy would like Neferte to escape ¨C that was Justy¡¯s intention. It is unlikely that the giant in front of him will wait until he has persuaded the stubborn prince. Then¡­..the best thing to do is to wield a weapon and fight the enemy in front of them. ¡°Knights of the Apocalypse Wilfred. You will be met by this Thousand Horsemen, Justy Oigist!¡± ¡°Neferte Athena! I am here to avenge my father and my country!¡± Justy holds up his spear and Neferte his greatsword. Wilfred did not interrupt them as they took out their weapons, but smiled as he wriggled his arms out of his body. But when he saw the sword in¡­.Neferthe¡¯s hand, he frowned slightly. ¡°That sword¡­¡­is the holy sword of water, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­..That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the Holy Sword of Water, Mistilteinn. That¡¯s why you came after me, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ahahahahahahaha! This is good, this is great! I¡¯ve got a head start on Nee-san of plague!¡± Neferte¡¯s answer was met with a roar of applause from Wilfred. Hundreds of hands sprouting from the giant¡¯s body clapped together, and the eerie sound of applause echoed through the forest. ¡°Ahahahahahahaha! Now I can win the praise of Queen Osman!¡¡I¡¯m sure Oji-chan [War] will be very disappointed when I take the holy sword he let escape. Well, Well!¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve won?¡¡I¡¯m not going to let you have this sword!¡± ¡°So brave, So cool, it¡¯s¡­¡­¡­but it¡¯s impossible, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± One of the arms that grew out of Wilfred¡¯s body extends. Ignoring its joints, the arm stretches out almost ten metres in an instant and strikes Neferte. He was sent flying backwards and hit a tree on his back, but he could not withstand the impact. ¡°Kahwa ¡­..!¡± ¡°Your Highness, Neferte!¡± ¡°What¡¯s a kid like you got to protect??¡¡You are a child who has abandoned his country!¡± ¡°¡­How dare you harm His Highness Neferte!¡± Justy slams his spear into the outstretched arm. The blade at the tip of the spear severed the long arm in the middle, but¡­.it wasn¡¯t Wilfred who screamed. ¡°Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± It was the face of a man floating over Wilfred¡¯s body that cried out in pain. The man was crying tears of blood from both eyes and was screaming with his toothless mouth open to the limit. Apparently, the damage done to his arms was done to the victim of Wilfred¡¯s predation. Justy¡¯s expression twisted painfully as it screamed in agony. ¡°A-aa..He bullies the victims who have done nothing wrong. Onii-san has no blood or tears, does he?¡± .¡±¡­..How dare you whip the souls of the dead?You call yourself a knight, but you have neither pride nor mercy in your heart.¡± ¡°Mercy¡­¡­? Mercy? If the people who call themselves ¡°knights¡± had such a thing, we wouldn¡¯t have been born!¡± A blood-curdling shout. Apparently, the words Justy had spoken had pierced Wilfred¡¯s heart more than he had imagined. Justy does not know what happened to Wilfred in the past that made him become an apostle for Witch Osamn. Justy doesn¡¯t know that Wilfred¡¯s only sister was raped and murdered by a knight when she was still human. Justy does not know, despite Wilfred¡¯s pleas, the knight who killed her sister was never punished and that Wilfred was captured by the authorities and starved to death in prison. He knew nothing. ¡°¡­ without fail¡± Therefore, Justy took up his spear. He sensed the fury in Wilfred¡¯s heart and decided to face it head-on. ¡°I understand that you have a deep grudge. But¡­¡­I am also a knight with a lord. I¡¯m not going to be eaten alive here!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your situation! You destroyed the kingdom of Athena, and I will bring you to justice!¡± With a shout, Neferte slashed at Wilfred with his greatsword. Neferte, who should have been struck down, but with frightening agility, made contact with him and cut off several arms with his greatsword. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡± ¡°Forgive me ¡­..I¡¯ll be releasing you now!¡± Neferte, with a sorrowful look on his face, swung his huge sword, which was as tall as he was, with ease, and cut off Wilfred¡¯s arm. Justy and even Wilfred peeled their eyes in amazement at Neferte¡¯s handling of the huge sword, ignoring its weight. ¡°This superhuman strength¡­are you the holder of the Holy Sword of Mistilteinn?¡± ¡°I have not been chosen by the Holy Sword! But even if ¡­¡­the Holy Sword doesn¡¯t choose me, you¡¯re here and I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away! That¡¯s why I hate kids!¡± Wilfred¡¯s numerous arms writhed and tried to catch Neferte like a sea anemone preying on a fish with its tentacles. However, a wall of stone protruding from the ground blocked his arms from catching Neferte. This is the magic that Justy has invoked ¨C the stone wall. ¡°Kuuuu..!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you! Do not forgot that Justy Oigist is here!¡± ¡°Stay out of my way!¡¡You fake knight, you¡¯re annoying!¡± Wilfred extends his countless arms to attack Neferte and Justy. If caught by those arms, they would be preyed upon and absorbed like the other victims, becoming part of the horrible monster. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen!¡¡I will protect His Highness Neferte!¡± ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Justy barked and swung his spear to cover Neferte, who slashed at the enemy with a burst of energy. CH 196 And to despair Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Wilfred¡¯s arm is extended. Neferte cuts him down with his greatsword, and when he is almost caught, Justy backs him up with a spear and magic. The process is repeated again and again, countless times. ¡°Haa, haa ¡­ there is no sharpness even if I slash it¡­!¡± ¡°The ability to regenerate¡­..is still a formidable foe!¡± Neferte and Justy groaned in frustration, their shoulders rising and falling in exhaustion. They were slashing at the mass of arms growing out of Wilfred¡¯s body, but it didn¡¯t seem to be doing any damage. The severed arms grew back quickly and were as unresponsive as if they were mollusks. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Ouch! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it ¡­ Please..stop¡­!¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡­ Mommy¡­¡­ Help¡­¡­¡±¡¯ ¡°Please don¡¯t cut me again!¡¡Please, someone help me!¡± The forest echoes with the lamentations released by the human faces that cover Wilfred¡¯s body surface. All the damage done by cutting off the arm was directed at them, the victims. Wilfred himself didn¡¯t even feel the itch. ¡°Ku¡­!¡± If Wilfred is not defeated, the people preyed upon by this giant will continue to suffer without ever being released. He knows that clearly and Neferte was very guilty that his attack was afflicting the innocent victims. One of Wilfred¡¯s arms is quickly thrust into the gap while Neferte becomes absentminded. ¡°Look out!¡± Justy slashes off the arm that is trying to grab Neferte. Again the victim screams, but he doesn¡¯t care, he attacks the arm and keeps Neferte safe. ¡°Don¡¯t get lost in thought, Highness Neferte. If you stray on the battlefield, you will die.¡± ¡°Sir Justy¡­¡­but these are our¡­¡­!¡± He noticed it A human face on the surface of Wilfred¡¯s body. And the countless arms growing out of his body. The owner of the arms belonged to a person who was attacked and eaten by Wilfred. In other words, considering the situation from the resurrection of the ¡°Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse¡± to the present, the majority of them are citizens of the Kingdom of Athena. ¡°Why should we slay our own people: ¡­¡­!¡¡Why should they suffer even after death, killed by the wicked witch¡¯s apostle¡­..!¡± ¡°His Highness Neferte¡­.¡± Justy tried to offer words of comfort, but ¡­¡­ nothing came to mind and he fell silent. It is not possible for a knight of the stoutest character to say anything clever and toothless. In addition, the fatigue from the long battle left him with little energy to think. Justy takes a deep breath and squeezes out the words. ¡°¡­¡­ is not your fault. You did nothing wrong.¡± It was all Justy could say. That is the best he can say. ¡°You look very tired, don¡¯t you?¡¡I think you¡¯ve reached your limit¡± Wilfred laughed mockingly at the sight of them breathing on each other¡¯s shoulders. Justy stepped forward to protect the dejected Neferte. ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re making fun of us but you¡¯re struggling, too, aren¡¯t you? We haven¡¯t even got a scratch on us yet.¡± ¡°I could have killed you if I wanted to, you know?¡¡But¡­..you¡¯ve made me look like a fool.It is not enough to just kill. I¡¯m going to ask you to become a part of my body. You will suffer in my body for eternity, along with the others here!¡± ¡°If you can do it, do it! We are not an easy enemy to be captured alive!¡± The words were strong, but¡­¡­they were 90% false. In order to defeat Wilfred, they have to hit the giant¡¯s body parts. But in order to do that, they have to get past the countless arms. The arms regenerate no matter how many times they slash them, so no matter how many times they attack, they will not diminish in number. They did not have bows and arrows or throwing spears to attack from a distance. Justy¡¯s earth magic attacks are no match for Wilfred, who has been blessed by the Witch of Earth. Fatigue was slowly approaching its peak and the limit was just around the corner. It was only a matter of time before he was caught in the arms and eaten by the giant. ¡°I wish I could somehow get Highness Neferte out of there¡­.but if I can¡¯t, there¡¯s only one thing I can do now¡­.¡± The only thing he could do was to kill himself before Wilfred could prey on him. The only way to resist was to take one¡¯s own life before being eaten and absorbed by the giants, so that one¡¯s soul could escape to the underworld. ¡°Sir Justy¡­.¡± Neferte, who is behind Justy, calls out with a haggard voice. He, too, must be aware of their impending doom. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ¡­¡­¡­¡­, Your Highness Neferte.¡± Justy gripped his spear in a hesitant ¡­¡­ decision. The last resort was first to pierce Neferte¡¯s neck, then to stab himself and commit suicide. He had no choice but to make that painful choice in order to avoid being taken in by Wilfred. But before Justy could make up his mind to act, Wilfred made his move. The slightest hesitation changes the fate of both men. ¡°Having a hard time? Ahahahahahahahahahahaha, That¡¯s not possible..Stuppppidd¡­¡± ¡°Nu ¡­!?¡± Suddenly, something strange happens to the ground. Before Justy could get out of the way with Neferte, the ground split open and countless arms sprouted from it. Hands sprouting from the ground surround them, grabbing at their arms, legs, clothes and equipment until there is no escape. ¡°Uwaaa! Where did these guys come from¡­..¡± ¡°Gunuu, Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve passed through the ground!¡± Neferte screamed, and Justy¡¯s expression was also distorted. If they look closely, they can see that of the numerous arms growing out of Wilfred¡¯s body, the tip of the arm that is attached to the ground is buried in the ground. Anyone can guess, that arm was creeping through the ground at their feet, looking for the right moment to surprise them. ¡°I¡¯ve got it! Ahahahaha! Ahahahahaha.Frustrated?¡¡It¡¯s frustrating, isn¡¯t it?¡¡You were trying so hard to resist, but were caught so easily!¡± Wilfred lets out a loud laugh. Justy tried to shake off the arms, but he was stuck in the grip of dozens of arms. The spear he was holding was also taken from him. It is no longer possible to commit suicide in this situation. It¡¯s like a fish on a chopping block. Wilfred had all the power of life and death in his hands. ¡°Aaaa¡­!¡± A little further away, Neferte was also trapped. He was also deprived of his greatsword and was frozen in a look of despair. He must have been flailing about with ridiculous monstrous strength just a moment ago, but his limbs are weak and his heart is completely broken. ¡°Now¡­.which one shall I eat first? Normally I¡¯d swallow you whole, but you¡¯re special and I¡¯m going to tear you limb from limb and take my time with you. You¡¯ve annoyed me so much that you deserve a good spanking.¡± ¡°Kh¡­..for not realising that I¡¯ve been taken by surprise. All is lost¡­¡± Justy gritted his teeth and groaned, closing his eyes in resignation. ¡°¡­.. you can kill me. I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Sir Justy? What are you talking about ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I told you. I owe the life of His Highness the Neferte to His Highness Raidorl¡­¡­.I will not live longer than you.¡± To Neferte¡¯s dismay, Justy tells him in a matter of fact tone. He stares at Wilfred, who has a big, amused grin plastered on his face, and says arrogantly. ¡°This is Justy Oigist. From the moment I picked up my spear and became a warrior, I readied to give my life for loyalty!¡¡Whatever tortures I may be subjected to, I will not let out a single cry!¡¡If I were to be tortured by a scoundrel like you, I do not think my heart would be broken in the least!¡± ¡°Heeee¡­..you¡¯ve got some cool things to say. If you provoke me like that, I want to torture you as much as I can.¡± Wilfred raises his eyebrows in slight displeasure and tightens his grip on Justy¡¯s neck with one of his arms. ¡°Uguh¡­..¡± ¡°If you want to die so badly, I¡¯ll kill you first, as you wish. I¡¯m so kind, I¡¯ll even grant the wishes of my enemies!¡± ¡°Go ahead¡­¡­Don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to¡­¡­make a sound¡­!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me what to do!¡¡I¡¯ll take all the time I need to take care of you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Justy knew he had succeeded in his intentions when Wilfred shouted sadistically. There is no longer any escape from the clutches from the giant. Then¡­..he dared to provoke Wilfred into hurting him, and to buy time for Raidorl to rush to the scene. Raidorl is also fighting an enemy of the same rank as Wilfred. No matter how quickly he overthrew the enemy, it would be more than half a day before he came to this place. ¡°But if it¡¯s¡­¡­his highness Raidorl, he might even be able to bend the rules.¡± Justy decides to gamble on a silver lining. Wilfred would not kill Justy until he cried out and begged for forgiveness. He would take his time and torture him. If Justy could continue to endure, perhaps Neferte would be spared. ¡°I¡¯m done here. At least I will help His Highness Neferte¡­.. and this is the last loyalty I can give¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Okay. Well then, let¡¯s get started!¡± ¡°Hmm..!¡± A low thud sounded. Justy clenched his teeth and fought to keep his voice from escaping as he realised that it was the sound of his left arm being broken. CH 197 The blade of hope Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Aa! Should I have started with your fingers instead of your arms? Or should I try removing¡­¡­your nails?¡± Wilfred laughed in amusement as he snapped Justy¡¯s left arm. His bones, broken with great force, break through the skin and stick out. A trickle of bright red blood trickles down, staining the black ground. ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± Justy gritted his teeth and fought back the pain. He did not even let out a groan, which was a terrible sign of self-control. He tried to resist, but his hands and feet were bound by countless tentacle-like arms. He also let go of his spear and rolled around on the ground, making it impossible for Justy¡¯s mallet magic to work on Wilfred. The only thing that can be moved is¡­¡­his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ I will not bow down at this level of pain. You don¡¯t seem to know the pride of a real knight, do you?¡¡A knight does not scream for this kind of pain!¡± Justy said the words to keep Wilfred¡¯s attention for as long as possible. From their conversation a while ago, Justy had sensed that Wilfred had a preoccupation with the idea of being a knight. ¡°Heh¡­.. I don¡¯t know how great a knight you are, but you know what? I¡¯ll hurt you more if you say so.¡± As expected, Wilfred glared at Justy with an abject scowl. Wilfred¡¯s awareness of Neferte, who is being held at a distance, has disappeared. If he can buy time at this rate, Raidorl may be able to rescue Neferte in time. ¡°Oh yeah! you seem to have a lot of patience, so a broken bone won¡¯t scare you off. Next time I¡¯ll cut off your dominant arm. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stop the bleeding so you don¡¯t die too soon!¡± Wilfred held out one of his arms towards his feet, and a thick blade appeared, pushing the ground upwards. ¡°I made it by using earth magic to collect metal from the ground¡­¡­I¡¯m inexperienced, you know. It doesn¡¯t make a pretty blade.¡± ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s in bad taste. You don¡¯t like me very much, do you?¡± Justy¡¯s eyebrows shot up as he looked at the brown blade that had emerged from the ground. The thick blade, forged by earth magic, is not a very smart shape. It¡¯s like a rusty saw that¡¯s been used too many times. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it hurt to be cut by this? It would take a long time, wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m really sorry that I couldn¡¯t cut you all at once.¡± ¡°A low-life. If you¡¯re going to do this, get on with it. If that¡¯s the only way you can break my pride.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how long you can stay strong. Well then, let¡¯s start¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Gu¡­.!¡± The thick saw is placed on Justy¡¯s right arm and moves back and forth in slow motion. The jagged blade, like a beast¡¯s tusk, cuts into Justy¡¯s skin and muscle with a chilling sound that sends chills down his spine. If it had been cut off by a sharp sword, it would not have hurt so much, but the poorly made saw wasted no time in widening the wound and cutting away the flesh of his arm. The pain was unbearable, even for Justy¡¯s mental strength, and he let out a roaring scream from the back of his throat, regardless of his will. ¡°Gu~tsu¡­¡­ ga¡­¡­ guuuuu!¡± ¡°Ahahahahahahahaha!¡¡At last you¡¯ve made your voice heard!¡¡It¡¯s such a nice scream!¡¡It¡¯s like an orchestra playing the best music ever!¡± ¡°Nu, Gu ¡­ Uguaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°When this battle is over, shall we play like this, using human beings as instruments?¡¡If I offer my performance as the finest music to Queen Osman, she will be very pleased. Ahahahahahahahahahaha!¡± The ¡°Loyal Knight¡± screaming with blood pouring from his arms, and the ¡°Hundred-Handed Giant¡± torturing his captured enemies with his most amused face. It¡¯s a terrifying sight, as if hell has come to earth. Will Justy be able to endure the torture to the end? How far will he go to maintain his mental equilibrium while being subjected to the ugly games of the malicious Wilfred? But such questions were meaningless. The hair-raising playtime would come to an abrupt end. ¡°Uh ¡­ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°He¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± A high scream echoed through the deep forest. It was Neferte, who was supposed to be bound, who let out a cry that sounded like the cry of a monster bird. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡± ¡°Your Highness, Neferte!¡± Neferte¡¯s arms and legs were flailing wildly as he tried to force his way out of his bonds. In his attempt to escape from the dozens of arms that bound him, he looked like a giant wolf trying to tear off the chains around his body. ¡°Sir Justy! I¡¯m coming to save you, just wait for me!¡± Neferte comes shouting at him with a desperate look on his face, as if he is about to be eaten. Exhausted from the long battle, Neferte should have been stunned in the arms of the enemy, but¡­¡­ apparently came to his senses when he heard Justy¡¯s screams as he was being tortured. He brushed off Wilfred¡¯s hand and was about to run to Justy. ¡°Heh¡­.I¡¯m surprised. I didn¡¯t know he still had that much energy left.¡± Wilfred stops the saw on Justy¡¯s arm and murmurs in surprise. He observes Neferte with interest, who had completely removed him from his consciousness, as he would no longer be able to resist. ¡°Kuh¡­.what do you mean!¡± It was not a development that Justy had hoped for. Justy was willing to submit himself to torture in order to save Neferte by turning Wilfred¡¯s attention to himself. But this plan was to be undone by Neferte¡¯s own actions. ¡°You¡­.. let me go!!¡± ¡°He seems to be quite a worthy prince to torture, but ¡­¡­he¡¯s a bit of a distraction. Let me make him quiet for a moment¡­..¡± ¡°Haaa!¡± ¡°Wha..?!¡± Neferte, flailing with all his might, finally shook off his right hand from its restraints. Even Justy, who was as big as a rock, could not escape, but Neferte, who was half his size, ate through part of the cage with terrifying force. ¡°How long have you been touching me!! Let go of me, for God¡¯s sake!¡± Neferte took out a dagger that he had hidden in his pocket. With a single edged dagger, he cuts off the dozens of arms holding him back and escapes from Wilfred¡¯s hold. The protective dagger, which he had worn even when he was lost at sea, saved his life. ¡°OK! This time ¡­!¡± After escaping from custody, Neferte went to the place where Justy was being tortured. A few metres away lies a large sword ¨C the Mistilteinn. ¡°As if I let you!!¡± ¡°Ku¡­.!!¡± Wilfred quickly stretches out one of his arms and pulls the greatsword away from Neferte. ¡°That was really scary¡­¡­.Are you sure you¡¯re not a holy sword user?¡± ¡°No¡­If I¡¯d been chosen as the Holy Sword, I¡¯d have beaten you long ago.¡± ¡°Cheeky little bastard! Fine,¡­¡­target change. I¡¯m going to do everything I can to get rid of you! Then I can play with this knight!¡± Wilfred reached out his countless hands and rained attacks on Neferte. Arms that tried to strike, arms that tried to grab, arms that tried to claw¡­¡­dozens and hundreds of arms attacked at once. Earlier he had escaped with Justy¡¯s help, but now Neferte was all alone. He had escaped his captors, but the crisis was not over. The situation was still desperate. ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± But¡­¡­ Neferte is not the least bit intimidated. Where was the look of despair on his face just now? It was as if he had entered the zone of his limit and was fighting back boldly with his dagger. He sliced off the arm that struck him, flicked off the arm that grabbed him, and swatted away the arm that clawed at him. His movement was remarkably different from before. The sharpness of the attack was much different. If it was only speed, it seemed to be more than twice as quick. ¡°His Highness Neferte¡­¡­?¡± ¡°What kind of body does this¡­¡­guy have? You were exhausted a minute ago!¡± Justy and Wilfred were both looking at Neferte with bewilderment in their eyes, fascinated by his bravery. It¡¯s not just that he switched from a heavy sword to a light dagger, it¡¯s that he fought like a changed man. It¡¯s as if the body was possessed by a being with supernatural powers, like a¡­¡­dragon or a spirit. ¡°Could this phenomenon be ¡­¡­?¡± Justy¡¯s mind was suddenly filled with revelations. This overwhelming power, this presence that could change the battlefield all by itself. It was very similar to that of someone Justy knew well. As if to affirm his imaginings, a pale blue aura emanates from the dagger Neferte holds in his hand.A fantastic aura, like a mist covering the surface of a lake, envelope Neferte¡¯s body. ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!¡± Neferte¡¯s speed accelerates further. No, it¡¯s not just his speed. The misty aura that surrounded him reflected Neferte¡¯s image in multiple layers, like a mirror, and began to play with the countless hands that attacked him as an alter ego. ¡°Can¡¯t be¡­¡­.Oh, right, That¡¯s right!!¡± After a moment of delay, Wilfred realised the answer and his voice became angry and shrill. He threw down in a fit of rage, the great sword that he had just seized, the sword that should have been Mistilteinn. ¡°So that¡¯s the one, that¡¯s the real one!¡¡How dare you deceive me!¡± ¡°¡­..that dagger is the real¡­¡­¡± The holy sword of Water ¨C Mistilteinn. The Water of Glamour. After more than a hundred years, the holy sword that controls the mists of dreams has made its appearance on earth. CH 198 Mistilteinn Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°I feel light. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m a waterfowl¡­¡­.What¡¯s happening to my body?¡± (waterfowl:a name for groups like swan,ducks and geese) Neferte Athena swung his dagger and sliced through the countless arms that attacked him. As he wielded her dagger, following his instincts and guided by his dagger, he was confused by the abnormalities ¡­¡­ occurring in his body. He was exhausted a moment ago, but now his body is filled with new energy. His senses have been sharpened to the limit, and every hair on his head seems to have a nerve. He is able to handle attacks from behind with ease. It was as if his heart had been replaced by that of a dragon. All fears and anxieties disappear and are replaced by an overflow of bottomless confidence. ¡°I knew it! I knew you were the holder of the Holy Sword! How dare you deceive me! You¡¯ve even prepared a fake holy sword!¡± ¡°The Keeper of the Holy Sword ¡­¡­ me¡­..?¡± Neferte blinked in confusion at Wilfred¡¯s shout. On the ground, a short distance away, lies the holy sword that was entrusted to him by his father the king ¨C Mistilteinn. It was a heavy and large sword for Neferte, who is not a holy sword holder¡­.but was it not the holy sword? ¡°If you are the keeper of the Holy Sword¡­.then I will have to do everything in my power. There will be no more mercy to eliminate any threat to Queen Osman!¡± ¡°Gh¡­!¡± Wilfred threw Justy from his captivity. Justy¡¯s left arm was broken and his right arm was sawed deep,slammed into a tree. ¡°Sir Justy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lose your focus now!¡¡You damned sword-bearer!¡± Swords, spears, axes, clubs and all manner of weapons emerged from the ground. Numerous hands sprouted from Wilfred¡¯s body and grasped the weapons. ¡°I¡¯ll chop you up into little pieces and eat you!¡¡A Chick with a holy sword!¡± ¡°That¡¯s unacceptable. How far do you have to go to hurt someone to get what you want?¡¡What has Sir Justy done to you?¡¡What have the people of Athena done to you?¡± ¡°Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡¡It¡¯s all started by you people in power! The royalty, the nobility, the knights, the¡­¡­commoners who follow them!¡¡You oppressed me and my sister, and now you dare lecturing me?!¡± He sounded like he was having a tantrum. Neferte didn¡¯t understand what it was or what it meant, but he was convinced that Wilfred and him would never be able to understand each other. ¡°¡­¡­I won¡¯t forgive you either way! I¡¯ll avenge my father and everyone else!¡± ¡°Do it! You know what you¡¯re going up against!¡± Armed hands came at him from all directions at once. Dozens and hundreds of swords and spears, too many for a single dagger to hold. But there was no fear in¡­¡­Neferte. It¡¯s like a clear mirror, and his mind is strangely clear. He holds his dagger in front of his chest and murmurs in a quiet tone. ¡°¡­¡­ you were the real Mistilteinn. I¡¯ve been with you all my life. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognise you.¡± A blue-white aura rises from the dagger, which has a blade of about ten centimetres. It was as if the Mistilteinn was saying ¡°don¡¯t worry¡± as it gently enveloped Neferte. The dagger was once given to him by his father, the late King of Athena, as a guardian sword. Neferte doesn¡¯t know why his father kept the identity of the Mistilteinn a secret and gave it to Neferte. What was his intention in hiding the real mistletoe, even preparing a fake one? ¡°I can no longer confirm this with my father, but I do know this¡­¡­ My father was trying to protect me.¡± If Neferte had been chosen for the holy sword, and his father the king had known about it perhaps the kingdom of Athena would not have been unilaterally destroyed. If Neferte had been given a holy sword and sent to the front, he might have been able to strike a blow against the Osman and their undead army. ¡°But my father chose to let me go to a neighbouring country. As a king, he preferred to protect the lives of his subjects and his people, but as a father, he preferred to let me go.¡± Perhaps it was a personal decision that no ruler should make. He could not be allowed to put his own children before hundreds of thousands or millions of people. ¡°Father, you were wrong as a king. But¡­¡­I¡¯m not qualified to blame you. I¡¯ll always love you and I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°So¡­¡­Here we are to destroy the witch¡¯s apostle!¡¡Help us, Mistilteinn!¡± As if in response to his voice, an enormous amount of aura was released from the dagger. The pale aura turned into a mist that covered the entire forest and swallowed Neferte and Wilfred. ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± A number of figures appeared in the mist which covered the surroundings like a curtain. Dozens and hundreds of mirror images of Neferte¡¯s image appeared. ¡°The work of the water gods¡ªVivian The Lady Of Lake¡± (TL: Britain¡¯s myths) The words came out of Neferte¡¯s mouth naturally. A myriad of apparitions floating in the mist. Wilfred would no longer be able to tell which one was the real Neferte. ¡°All I have to do is skewer them all!Penetrate!¡± With a furious shout of fire, the giant with a hundred hands begins to move. Hundreds of arms sprouted from his body, wielding weapons and attacking the countless Nefertes from one side to the other. Neferte¡¯s figure disappears like a bubble bursting from an attack, but soon another mirror image emerges from the mist. ¡°This! You, you, you! Get out of my sight, get out of my sight!¡± Wilfred continued to swing his arm, but to no avail. It was the complete opposite of what they saw earlier. The giant, which Neferte and Justy had been unable to damage with any of their weapons, was now trapped in a dead end, forced into a battle with no way out. ¡°This guy¡­. can¡¯t be allowed to live after all!¡± Neferte has just awakened to the power of Mistilteinn. He hasn¡¯t yet been able to fully use the power of the holy sword. And yet, such a newborn chick is making Wilfred¡¯s life a struggle. If Neferte could fully master the power of the holy sword, how much more powerful would it be? The blade might even reach Osman. ¡°No, you won¡¯t! I¡¯m a knight of the great Osman! I¡¯ll make sure the cheeky sword-bearer like you is killed right here!¡± Wilfred shouted and waved his arms in the hundreds, but there was no reduction in the number of mirror images. On the contrary, the mist seems to be spreading through the forest and increasing in number. ¡°No matter how huge the magical power of the sacred sword holder, it is impossible to continue to activate such large-scale magic forever! Eventually, the magical power will run out. However¡­¡­¡± The time limit for running out of magic. This was also the case for Wilfred. It takes a lot of magic power just to change into the form of a giant. In addition, the regeneration of the cut arm has been reduced, Wilfred¡¯s magic power is nearing its limit as he has created a weapon out of clay. At this rate, Wilfred¡¯s giantization will be neutralised. Or, he will use up all the blessings given by the witch and return to the underworld. ¡°It¡¯s either my magical power running out, or that kid¡¯s magical power running out¡­¡­¡­Hmm, magical power?¡± Wilfred realised. If he looked for a magical reaction, he would be able to find the real Neferte. He stopped the movement of his arms and sharpened his senses. As he searched for signs of his surroundings, and¡­¡­¡­.there he was. ¡°I¡¯ve found you ¡­¡­!¡± Neferte was in a position where he could be hidden behind a tree. There was a strong magical response. ¡°Now¡­¡­ is death!¡± Dozens of swords and spears rushed to the spot where the magical reaction had occurred. Neferte, who was hiding behind a tree, was pierced by the blade. ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± This time the response was clear. It was not an illusion. It was not a phantom, but a definite penetration of something real. ¡°That¡¯s a fake, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!!¡± The voice echoed from the direction of the rising sun. Neferte¡¯s body collapses under the attack. It was not an illusion born of mist, but a real and imaginary image made up of water. The real Neferte was some distance away, holding Justy¡¯s fallen body in his arms. ¡°Kuuuu¡­..there you are!¡± Wilfred shouted and a question popped into his head. It was soon answered. ¡°This is the end! Disappear!¡± ¡°Disappear into the underworld, knight of the apocalypse!¡± Neferte and Justy shouted at the same time. A moment later, one of the big trees in the forest flew towards Wilfred. ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± It was a spell that Justy, who had injured his arms and could no longer hold a weapon, cast with all his might. Wilfred is immune to earth magic. Therefore, Justy attacks indirectly using a large tree as a weapon. A large tree, plucked out of the ground by earth magic, crushed countless arms and pierced the giant¡¯s body. CH 199 The end of the invasion Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Gah¡­gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± At the top of the tree there was a large arrowhead. The arrowhead was not made of metal, but of a transparent material made of water, created by Neferte. The tree, which had become a giant spear, was large enough and massive enough to pierce the giant¡¯s body. ¡°This¡­Gu, Guuuuuuuuuuu¡­!¡± Wilfred groaned as he bled profusely. His countless arms shattered like leaves on a withered tree. The face that floated on the surface of the giant also disappears. The giant¡¯s body began to shrink¡­¡­ and soon a naked boy with a skinny body was left behind. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you ¡­ I¡¯ll kill you ¡­ I¡¯ll kill you ¡­!¡± The boy ¨C Wilfred, who has returned to his original form, stands up, bleeding. He puts his hand on the ground and a brown spear appears. ¡°Is he still going to fight with that wound¡­¡­!¡± Justy groaned. His arms were injured and he could not move them. He had used up all his magic in his last attack. There is nothing Justy can do. On the other hand, Neferte is also on his knees in anguish. ¡°¡±Ku ¡­ I¡¯ve reached my limit¡­!¡± Neferte has also run out of magic. Before he knew it, the fog that had covered the forest had disappeared and the mirror image was gone. The dagger, that is supposed to be the holy sword in his grip, is silenced and has become a normal dagger. Justy and Neferte were at their limits. There was no way they could fight any more. ¡°I¡¯m dying¡­¡­but I¡¯m not letting you live. You¡¯re going to be with me to hell¡­¡­!¡± Wilfred¡¯s eyes glinted with madness as he stared with fierce hatred at the two men who had no strength left to resist. Wilfred was also wounded, but he still had enough strength to take them to the end. Justy and Neferte could do nothing but huddle together and stare at Wilfred as he approached with his spear in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you¡­..It would be a great victory if I were to go toe-to-toe with the holder of the Holy Sword. I¡¯m sure Queen Osman will be pleased with the result¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. Give them a break, will you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­?!¡± A voice fell abruptly. A shiver ran down Wilfred¡¯s back as he was about to strike his enemy. He looked up and saw a silver-haired man dressed in black vestments. In his hand he held a huge sword, as tall as he was, jet-black blade, cloaked in miasma, pointed straight at Wilfred. ¡°They are my men and my guests. I can¡¯t let them die here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not¡­..!¡± Wilfred understood at once. This was their natural enemy. He is not a newborn chick like Neferte. He is a genuine, awakened, real holder of the Holy Sword. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl!¡± ¡°Is that¡­¡­Raidorl Zain?¡± Justy and Neferte, who have been cornered, look up and call out the man¡¯s name. ¡°I activated my holy armour and flew as fast as I could while twisting space, but I¡¯m glad I¡­¡­made it in time. I¡¯m glad to see that you¡¯ve made it this far against the witch¡¯s apostle. This battle is yours to win!¡± As he congratulated them on their good work, Raidorl emitted an overwhelming amount of magic. The magical power from Raidorl is poured into it, and An aura of mischief emanates from the holy armour [Hvezlung, The twilight trickster]. ¡°The last bite of a superb cake. I¡¯m sorry to say that I¡¯m only going to take the best bits¡­¡­Farewell, witch apostle. Go back to nothingness, never to return!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ah.. uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡±. Wilfred screams in unprecedented terror. With a sound like the roar of a beast, the invisible blade swung down on the small body. ¡°Eat him, God Wolf Fenrir¡± A blow that shuts down all fate. Wilfred was enveloped in the depths of D¨¢insleif¡¯s power to annihilate all things in the world. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D!¡± An inarticulate scream. Wilfred¡¯s body disappears without even his soul left. The last thing that came to the little knight¡¯s mind was not his fellow knight, nor his Queen Osman. But a skinny little girl. She has a dirty face and a big smile on her face. It was the face of the young and pitiful sister who had been the reason why Wilfred had become the apostle of the witch. CH 200 Dedicated to my departed friends Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The two apostles who had been unleashed on the kingdom of Zain were defeated. The ¡°Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse¡±, the knights of plague and famine, were defeated, and the army of 20,000 dead that they had led was exterminated. The Kingdom of Zain¡¯s army, led by Raidorl, and the undead army, led by Osman. The first battle between the two sides ended in victory for the Kingdom of Zain. ¡°I see¡­¡­Ruluve and Wilfred are gone¡± In the Kingdom of Athena, in the western part of the continent. The first person to notice the defeat of his comrades was not their master, the witch Osman of earth. It is the knight of death, Zansha, who is also one of the four knights of the apocalypse. The royal castle where Neferthe once lived. A dark-haired, brown-skinned man stood on the roof of the spire at the top of the castle, his eyes narrowed sadly as he gazed far to the east. They were four knights in the service of Osman, the Witch of Earth, but they were by no means the most friendly of friends. Quarrels are common. They even actively compete with each other to win Osman¡¯s favour, especially the bitter ¡°War¡± and ¡°Famine¡±. This relationship has not changed since the time of the ¡°Great Calamity¡± three hundred years ago. In fact, Zansha thought that it had become even worse after the defeats of the past. ¡°¡­..Rest in peace, my brothers, and let us take care of the rest.¡± Although their wills and feelings are different, they are still comrades serving the same lord. When Zansha learns of the death of his comrades, there is an empty hole in his heart, and emotions similar to sadness and loneliness well up from the bottom of the hole. Zansha¡¯s master, Osman, would also soon be aware of their deaths. But¡­¡­Zansha was sure of it. Osman would never be saddened to learn of the death of her apostle. She would not be distressed by the death of a loyal subject whom she had known for hundreds of years. He doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s heartless. Osman was made that way from the start. For Osman, the witch of the earth and queen of the land of the dead, death is fair and equal. There are no exceptions to this rule. Therefore, she accepts the death of her friends and subordinates as a matter of course. There is no sorrow, no tears. ¡°You¡¯ve realised, Ruluve, that¡­¡­Osman¡¯s stated aim of [abolishing humanity] is only a superficial one. Wilfred, you didn¡¯t know, Osman doesn¡¯t love us one bit.¡± Osman¡¯s goal is the abolition of humanity. As a witch, she must bring humanity to extinction. However, it is not the true purpose. This is the result of obeying the orders of the Great Mother, the witch of the light ¨C Grasslead. It was not what Osman herself would have wanted. To begin with¡­..Osman is ultimately a lazy person. Osman doesn¡¯t want anything nor does she ask for anything. Just as the earth accepts everything and death rejects no one,¡­.Osman does not reject people, animals or demons. ¡°The Queen does not love us. But¡­¡­ still, a knight should be loyal to their lord.¡± Zansha is a knight. Before he became an apostle ¨C before he was born ¨C he served a monarch of a country and was loyal to him at the risk of his life. But no matter how much Zansha did, his master did not reciprocate. Zansha was betrayed by the lord he believed in, and was banished from his home with everything he had. After wandering in the wilderness without a master to serve, Zansha met Osman, one of the¡­¡­¡°Six Witches of Doom¡±. Like a dog seeking its owner or as a young child seeks its parents. Zansha has found a new lord in Osman and has been loyal to her for more than 500 years, since the last ¡°Great Calamity¡± and the one before that. He has been loyal to her for over 500 years, even though he knows that this does not sit well with him. ¡°Our loyalty is meaningless. It will never touch the heart of Osman. But I have to give myself to her. Otherwise, I will cease to be a knight.¡± Ruluve and Wilfred, who became apostles more than 200 years later than Zansha, chose to become the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to settle their grudges against those in power. On the other hand, Zansha chose this path only for the purpose of self-affirmation: ¡°Be a knight.¡± He needed a lord to remain a knight. That¡¯s all. ¡°O departed brethren! There is no salvation in the path we are on. There is no cause. But¡­¡­I mourn for you, my brothers and sisters, and I will carry on your work. I will avenge you.¡± Zansha draws his sword from his waist and raises the tip of it to the eastern sky ¡°I swear on this magical sword that was given to me by the Queen ¨C ¡°G¨¢e Bolg¡±. The hero chosen by the holy sword is mine to defeat. Your deaths will give me strength. I will not let your defeats be in vain.¡± Zansha said in a quiet tone and prayed for the soul of his late comrade in arms. CH 201 Rising Stars Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The army of undead that invaded the Kingdom of Zain has been exterminated. However, this does not mean that the problem has been solved. On the contrary, the more accurately they understand the situation, the more they see how bad the situation is. Refugees born of the loss of their villages and towns. Cleaning up the mass of bodies left behind. Repairing destroyed forts. The undead raids left many scars, but the biggest problem was that the mountain range separating the border with the Kingdom of Athena was broken and a road needed to be created. How much magic does it take to make such a miracle happen? The mountain range that used to divide the country is now beautifully divided into left and right. Although half of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have been defeated, Osman the Earth Witch is still alive and well. There is no telling when the undead will invade the open road. Raidorl was forced to stay in the western part of the country after the battle, instead of returning to the palace. Fortunately, Sven, who had stayed behind to take care of the affairs of state, was doing so without a hitch. Angelica stood by him and kept the nobles in check. And it is an unexpected good fortune that Neferte Athena, who was staying in the Kingdom of Zain as a guest, has awakened as the holder of the Holy Sword. The Kingdom of Zain was fortunate to have a second keeper of the Holy Sword. The holy sword of Water ¨C Mistilteinn. The water of glamour. The holy sword that presides over the mists of illusion, unbeknownst to Neferte, was in his possession. Neferte does not know what King Athena¡¯s intentions were in entrusting his son with the holy sword, and even preparing a fake to conceal its existence. But the power of the holy sword is the best thing that could have happened to him in his fight against the Osman¡¯s army. ¡°However, it¡¯s a bit much to ask a newborn holy sword holder to fight witches and apostles, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ha,ha..Ha¡­¡± In front of Raidorl, who speaks in a sarcastic voice, Neferte is breathing hard, his shoulders rising and falling. The place where they reside is one of the towns in the western border region. It was a provincial town called Aurant. The town, whose inhabitants were displaced by the arrival of the undead, has become a frontline base for the fight against the undead. Raidorl and Neferte ¨C the two holy sword holders were also in town and were currently engaged in a mock battle in the central square of the town. Why two royals? The reason why the two holy sword holders are fighting face to face is to assess the ability of Neferte, who has just awakened as the owner of a holy sword, and to train him as the forerunner of the holy sword holders. ¡°The holder of the Holy Sword is the natural enemy of witches. It is the only weapon capable of defeating and destroying the messenger of destruction. But even if the hawk is the natural enemy of the serpent, no serpent fears a newborn baby bird. His Royal Highness Neferte Athena, you have to master the sacred sword to the extent that you can at least fight their ¡°Apostle¡±. ¡°Ha¡­.Ha¡­I know, I know. Of course I know¡­¡­.¡± Breathing hard, Neferte responds to Raidorl¡¯s words. In Raidorl¡¯s hand is a D¨¢insleif. In Neferte¡¯s hand is a Mistilteinn. Thirty minutes have already passed since the start of the mock battle, but the fight has become one-sided. That is to say, Raidorl is beating Neferte unilaterally. It¡¯s not as if Neferte was standing on a blade and slashing at his body. Even so, Neferte seemed to be quite exhausted after being repeatedly attacked with sword belly strikes and cursed miasma. Physical ability that Raidorl wouldn¡¯t expect from a child. Neferte had the strength to swing a big sword freely, but he was no match for Raidorl. It is not only that there is a difference in sword skills and practical experience. Neferte is unable to draw out the power of the holy sword Mistilteinn to its fullest. ¡°It seems that His Royal Highness Neferte is still unable to draw the power of the holy sword from his own will. Listen more carefully. Listen to the voice of the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit vague, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve been carrying a dagger for a long time, but I¡¯ve never heard a voice until the other day. Can you tell me more clearly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that can be explained in words. Maybe¡­there isn¡¯t a sense of crisis?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The chill that stroked his spine caused Neferte to jump back in panic. D¨¢insleif is slammed into the space where the boy was. If Neferte had been a little slow to avoid it, he would have been cut down. ¡°From here on, let me slay you with the intention of killing you, shall I? It¡¯s the same situation as when we fought the Osman¡¯s Apostle. We may be able to draw on the power of the Holy Sword if our lives are in danger.¡± ¡°Wha¡­.Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡± ¡°We can stop if you want. But you won¡¯t be counted in the war against Osman. You¡¯ll have to stay here as an observer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..!¡± Neferte¡¯s breath caught in his throat at the cold words. Raidorl was planning to invade Athena as soon as his army was ready. With the defensive mountain range now open, there is no telling when Osman will send her undeads. But the fact that the road is open means that the Zain Kingdom can send troops in from the other side. The decision was made to invade the kingdom of Athena and defeat the threat of witches. ¡°If we are going to launch a counter invasion, I don¡¯t want to wait too long. The longer we wait to counterattack, the longer it will take for Osman to recover her magic.¡± The great earthquake that occurred immediately after the [Resurrection of the Witches] and a series of large-scale magical use, including the breaking of mountain ranges and the creation of undead pathways, has certainly exhausted Osman¡¯s magical resources. ¡°Once I have reorganised my forces, which have been depleted by the previous battle, I will march towards the capital of Athena. The time frame is about a month. If His Highness Neferte can¡¯t make it until then, I¡¯ll leave you behind. I¡¯m not going to let you take part in the fight to reclaim your homeland.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Neferte remains silent as he receives a sentence that seems to cut him with a blade. But¡­..a change in him has been noticeable. His eyes that had been so vulnerable to the overwhelming difference in power just a moment ago were now filled with the fire of a strong will. ¡°Fu¡­..¡± Neferte breathed out quietly, catching his breath. His eyes are vacant, as if he does not know where he is looking. The expression disappears through deep mental concentration. ¡°Hou¡­.¡± Raidorl narrowed his eyes slightly. Neferte stands with a blank expression on his face. The dagger in his right hand produces a vague haze. A shimmering vapour spreads over Neferte, eventually enveloping the area in a mist. ¡°The water of envy. The Mists of Illusion¡­..the realm of the holy sword Mistilteinn.¡± Raidorl raises the edge of his mouth slightly and licks his lips. This is where the real battle begins. Raidorl grabbed D¨¢insleif and watched Neferte¡¯s changing appearance. CH 202 The Two Holy Swords Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A mist appeared around Neferte. A mirror image of Neferte appears in the mist. Dozens of apparitions appear. The real Neferte is swallowed up in the mist, and it is impossible to tell which is the real one. Raidorl tried to sharpen his senses and look for signs and magical power, but the illusions were a fine mix of those with and without magical responses, and it was difficult to distinguish between them. ¡°Illusions¡­¡­Interesting ability, but lacking in direct offensive power.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± One of the Neferte, who had appeared around him, slashed at Raidorl, who was calmly observing his opponent¡¯s abilities. ¡°Fu..!¡± Raidorl leans slightly to avoid the dagger¡¯s blow, and uses his sword to slash Neferte¡¯s torso. The slash cut Neferte in half, but it quickly dissipated into mist and disappeared in a thousand pieces. ¡°Hmm¡­a fake¡± [¡°Haa!¡± ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°Haa!¡±] Starting with the first blow, one after another, a new Neferte slashed at Raidorl. The surrounding fog became a wall, reverberating the sound, and even voices could be heard from all directions. ¡°You¡¯re very clever but¡­¡­is too fragile.¡± Raidorl dodged and deflected Neferte¡¯s slashing attacks, and then erased them with dozens of slashes. The jet-black blade has no hesitation. Raidorl has no mercy of the countless illusions that attacked him. ¡°If there are ten of you, then there are ten of us. If there are a hundred of you, you should be prepared to fight a hundred of them. No matter how large the number, it is nothing against a strong man who is capable of taking on a thousand men by himself.¡± If Neferte were to slay a thousand people, the current Raidorl would be able to evade the attack with ease. It didn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between the real thing and the illusion, as long as the attack didn¡¯t hit him. ¡°The only weakness I¡¯d like to point out is¡­the ranged attack.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..?!¡± Raidorl raised his sword above his head. The holy sword that controls the ¡°curse¡± ¨C D¨¢insleif. A miasma surrounding the sword¡¯s body forms a vortex. ¡°Curse Sword Fighting [Poisonous Dragon Tail N¨ªeh?ggr]¡± (Norse Myths) And then a flash of miasma came from the sword. What was released was a slash of miasma like a tornado centred on Raidorl. It¡¯s a matter of time before Neferte is swallowed up in a jet-black vortex of misery, and all the Neferte phantoms that have gathered around were cut to pieces. ¡°Hyaa..!¡± A small shadow came tumbling out of the tornado of miasma. It was definitely the real Neferte Athena, who came out of the miasma with an impatient look on his face. Because Neferte is the keeper of the holy sword, he has a strong resistance to magic, and even if he is hit by the miasma blade, he will not suffer much damage. However, there is no way to overlook Neferte, who has lost his illusions and is now exposed. ¡°Yup, found you.¡± ¡°Ku¡­¡­?!¡± Raidorl slashed at him in the same tone as if he were hitting a badger coming out of its den. The dagger that Neferte had in his hand managed to catch the slash, but he couldn¡¯t block the kick that was released immediately afterwards, and he was hit and bounced off. Neferte¡¯s little body was kicked off like a ball and rolled around on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯ve created an illusion that is indistinguishable even by magic detection. But¡­¡­If you don¡¯t know where the main body is, it¡¯s natural to try to attack it blindly. However, it makes sense if all the illusions are exhausted by a ranged attack, right?¡± ¡°Then..what am I supposed to do? Does it mean that my Illusion is meaningless?¡± Neferte got up from the ground and spoke in frustration. Neferte is able to release the power of the holy sword, but was easily denied. Raidorl can see the anguish on his face. ¡°Illusion is not a means of defeating the enemy. It is better to use it as a distraction to your opponent. For a decisive attack¡­¡­is not enough to kill your opponent before he gets used to the illusion and realises how to deal with it.¡± ¡°The art of killing¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call it a ¡®special move¡¯ either. At the very least, it¡¯s enough to be able to disguise yourself as an illusion and stab your way to the top. But, you have to develop a new way of attacking that can be used in at least two ways: close combat and mid-range combat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Neferte bites his lip and falls silent. The power of the newly awakened holy sword is all he can draw out, and it will take some time before he knows how to apply it. ¡°Although he has been chosen for the Holy Sword¡­.. he is not a man with much sense of battle. He seems to be the type that takes his time..¡± If it had been Raidorl, or C¨¦lia Von Althlein, the chosen one of the Holy Sword of Thunder, they could have come up with more immediate ways of dealing with and applying the problem. But¡­¡­this boy, Neferte Athena, lacked a basic kind of ¡°instinct¡± for fighting. ¡°It¡¯s not just a question of age¡­¡­.I¡¯m sure his parents took good care of him like a butterfly or a flower growing up. He may have the talent to be chosen for the holy sword, but he was never given the opportunity to hone that talent.¡± Raidorl was banished to the frontier when he was chosen by D¨¢insleif and has spent his life fighting demons. C¨¦lia was brought up as an imperial princess, but as a holy sword holder, she followed in the footsteps of her father and brother, and was given a gifted education. Neferte, on the other hand, was probably never given the opportunity or experience to do so. Raidorl doesn¡¯t know when Neferte was chosen by the Mistilteinn¡­.but it is very overprotective. ¡°I¡¯m treating him like a little boy¡­.I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve got more in the box than the princess, C¨¦lia .¡± (more in the box: a person usually overprotected and knows little of the world and may even have little freedom.) ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. I will teach you how to kill the enemy from scratch, like raising a puppy to be a hound. If you don¡¯t learn it in a month, give up on avenging your family. I¡¯ll finish it all without you.¡± ¡°Ku¡­Not so fast!¡¡The Kingdom of Athena is my country. I may need the help of other countries to rebuild my country, but I can¡¯t leave everything to you¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°Then you should be encouraged to die.If you really die¡­¡­ Well, give up then!¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°I never said the training was over! Keep your nerves sharp! Soak up the atmosphere of battle!¡± Raidorl unleashed a sharp slash that struck Neferte, who had just gotten up. Neferte gritted his teeth as he faced the stern instruction from Raidorl to become like Mistilteinn¡¯s predecessors, the holders of the holy sword of water. TL: WE HAVE CATCH UP WITH RAWS!!!. TQ for reading, now you can give your thoughts and reviews of this web novel at NU. Do also read another novel I¡¯m currently translating. Wrote by the same author: Kingdom Of Styria. CH 203 A major earthquake on an unprecedented scale. Massive influx of undead from neighbouring countries. The Kingdom of Zain has fought off two disasters resulting from the resurrection of the Witch of Doom, albeit at a cost. However, the calamities were not over yet. While Raidorl was away to fight off the undead, another disturbance is about to occur in the Royal Capital. ¡°Is Count Rewir rebelling?¡± Sven Arbeil ¨C the boy prime minister who has been entrusted with the task of staying in the royal capital sighs at a report from his subordinate. Sven is in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain, in the office reserved for the Prime Minister. This is the room where Lockwood Marcel, the previous Prime Minister, once exercised his skill. Hearing the report from the knight who rushed into the room, Sven held his forehead to endure the headache. Apparently, some of the nobles who have estates north of the royal capital have revolted. The royal capital, the king¡¯s home, was normally more heavily guarded than anywhere else in the country. The Knights, the king¡¯s sword and shield, are stationed there, ready to respond quickly in case of emergency. However, the city was currently lightly guarded than ever before, with only about 200 cavalrymen in addition to the guards protecting the city¡¯s security. This is because the knights and soldiers who were guarding the royal palace have been dispersed throughout the country due to the earthquake reconstruction assistance caused by the earth witch Osman. In addition, a series of undead attacks from the Kingdom of Athena occurred in quick succession. The real monarch, Raidorl, as well as his close aides and main forces, Darren Garst, Justy Oigist and others, were also vacating the royal capital. It was the perfect time for an uprising by some nobles who were dissatisfied with Raidorl¡¯s reign. Currently, the number of troops Sven can move at his discretion is less than a thousand. In contrast, the total number of soldiers of Count Rewir, who led the rebellion, and the aristocratic families who raised an army in sympathy with him is around 2,000. Furthermore, the people who have been eaten alive by the disaster have been incited and recruited as volunteer soldiers, so if Sven looks at the numbers alone, the war situation is quite unfavourable. ¡°What an¡­¡­ idiot. Honestly.¡± On hearing reports of the mutiny, Sven¡¯s shoulders slumped in dismay. People sometimes act foolishly in everyone¡¯s eyes, and this time is a prime example. Raidorl is trying to centralise the government by greatly restricting the rights of the nobility. It is not hard to understand why the aristocracy is opposed to this. ¡®¡­¡­ Do they really think this coup will succeed?¡¯ Certainly, the timing could not be worse. In fact, it is such a perfect opportunity that it is now or never. But even if they successfully occupy the royal capital and defeat Sven, there is no future for the rebellious nobility. If Raidorl returns after the battle, they will just be mercilessly crushed. Perhaps he is expecting Raidorl to lose the battle against the undead, if so, he is a fool in a loop. Once Raidorl is defeated, the Kingdom of Zain will have the same future as the Kingdom of Athena. Every last one of the nobles and commoners will be swallowed up by the army of the undead and join their ranks. In other words, there is no future for them, whether the rebellion is successful or not. When they defy the heroes chosen by the Holy Sword, their doom is set. ¡°It¡¯s appalling that they can¡¯t understand such logic, which even a child can understand. What motivation do they have to fight?¡± Perhaps they underestimate Raidorl, the holder of the Holy Sword. Even if he is chosen as the Holy Sword, they are still just one person. If they wanted to, they could crush them. They may have started the rebellion from such naive thinking. If they had once seen a scene of Raidorl wielding the Holy Sword and fighting, they would never have thought of going against them. ¡°They are on a straight road to ruin. However, I can¡¯t let them get in the way of His Highness¡­..and I can¡¯t be killed either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I was wondering if you could¡­please?¡¯¡¡Angelica.¡± ¡°Of course, Sven.¡± When Sven asked for a favour to the person behind him, he received an acknowledgement in a resounding tone. Sven¡¯s request was gladly accepted by the strangely aged woman who was holding Sven¡¯s body like a stuffed animal. Angelica Ilkas, head of the Viscountess Ilkas family and commander-in-chief of the Royal Army¡¯s Thousand Horsemen. She is the self-proclaimed ¡®big sister¡¯ of Sven, and is an unsurpassed female heroine. ¡°I can¡¯t allow them to go after my sweet Sven¡¯s life. They deserve to die!¡¡I will cut off the heads of every last one of those infidels and decorate the walls of the Royal City!¡± Angelica reliably and horribly spits out the words and licks her lips with her red tongue in an anticipation manner. She was the manifestation of the goddess of war. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Best regards.¡± In the arms of a beautiful woman oozing icy cold murderous intent, Sven shook his head slowly, as if in sympathy. CH 204 Some nobles took advantage of Raidorl¡¯s absence to raise an army. The leading figure in the rebellion is Count Irudo Rewir, who has a domain to the north of the royal capital. Rewir raised his fist high in the air to the people gathered in the town square. ¡°Now is the time for us to regain our honour!¡¡We will defeat the Pretender, Raidorl, and bring back His Majesty Granard from captivity!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Oooooooooooo!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± At the words of the ringleader of the rebellion the assembled people raise their weapons to the heavens. The people are gathered in a provincial city north of the royal capital. The city, which has been ruled by the Counts Rewir for generations, fortunately suffered relatively little damage from the recent earthquake, and many parts of its buildings and walls have not collapsed. This is why they were able to gather soldiers and rise up in the midst of the chaos caused by the earthquake throughout the kingdom. A blond man in his late 30s or so, standing in front of the soldiers gathered in the square and addressing them. Irudo Rewir was a man who succeeded the Count of Reweil title only a few months earlier . The previous head of the family gave up his own title and went into hiding after the purge of the nobility carried out by Raidorl. The former Earl of Rewir escaped punishment because he had not committed any major wrongdoing, but he was scared by witnessing the purges of so many nobles that he fled his position as a nobleman. He left everything else to his own son and he fell into a graceful retired life but the son caused the most outrageous incident. ¡°The Pretender, Raidorl, has imprisoned His Majesty King Granard and is playing with the country at will as Regent!¡¡This has led to the deaths of many innocent noblemen and brought chaos to the people!¡¡The previous earthquake must have been a judgement from heaven on that foolish king!¡¡Now is the time to overthrow the Pretender and bring peace to the Kingdom of Zain!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Oooooooooooo!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± Rewir stands in front of the people and makes a speech. Surprisingly, not many people supported the man. Most of the people present were survivors or vassals of noble families whose titles had been taken away in the purge carried out by Raidorl and the residents of the surrounding towns who had been eaten alive by the damage caused by the earthquake. The reforms carried out by Raidorl had disposed of most of the aristocracy that had been involved in corruption. Those who had committed serious injustices were executed, and even minor ones had their titles and domain confiscated. This led to the abolition of the noble families that had undermined the royalty. Those who had escaped punishment had developed a grudge against the Raidorl and were looking for an opportunity to take revenge. As for the victims of the earthquake. They¡¯ve been fed the rumour that the earthquake was caused by Raidorl. Not all of them seriously believe that the earthquake was brought about by divine punishment. However, people who are suffering from hunger and poverty are inclined to put their trust in things that would be impossible in normal times. It is for the same reason that new religions are born in times of war and turmoil, bringing chaos to the world. For them, it does not matter whether the words spoken by Count Rewir are true or not. As long as there is an object to cling to, something to vent their resentment and frustration, it doesn¡¯t matter what it is. Distorted herd mentality. They want to blame someone else for the misery they are facing. They don¡¯t want to admit it. The sharing of such feelings of melancholy by a large number of people has led them to blindly believe that the wrong direction is righteous. ¡°We will now invade the capital, and we will make a blood sacrifice of Sven Arbeil, the Pretender¡¯s lackey! Then rescue His Majesty King Granard and His Royal Highness the crown prince Strauss, who are trapped in the royal palace!¡± ¡°Oooou!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it! Take the money, take the food!¡± ¡°Death to false heroes!¡¡Bring this foolish tyrant to justice!¡± ¡°We must rescue King Granard!¡¡Death to the usurper!¡± In some ways, the man¡­..Irudo Rewir is a brilliant man. At the very least, he possessed the qualities of an agitator demagogue who incited popular discontent to fight. If he had not used his talents in the wrong direction, he could have achieved a high position as a cornerstone of power. He could have risen to one of Raidorl¡¯s inner circles. ¡°Defeat the Pretender, Raidorl! We will restore peace to the Kingdom of Zain by our own hand!¡± However, ¡­..Rewir did not recognise Raidorl as the new ruler and chose to antagonise him. This would largely determine this man¡¯s fate. ¡®Kukku¡­.. How easy it is to deal with foolish people! they¡¯re just pawns in a game.¡¯ Looking down at the heated up people, Rewir chuckled inwardly. For him, the people who had gathered for his speech were neither his friends nor his subordinates. They were a wall of flesh ¨C a ¡®dead soldier¡¯ ¨C to keep the main force from being depleted. From now on, Rewirl will drive the people as soldiers towards the royal capital. He does not expect they will be able to do much. It would have been enough if they could have reduced the number of knights and soldiers who stayed behind, even if only slightly. ¡®The owner of the Holy Sword, Raidorl Zain, is on an expedition to the west. The royal city is defended by a small boy called Sven with a few soldiers. My army is not strong enough, but if I can get his elite to the point where they are exhausted by hitting this stupid people, it won¡¯t be hard to bring down the capital!¡¡Now all I need to do is to consolidate the centre with the other nobles who have been hiding out in fear of Raidorl, and we will no longer be defeated!¡¯ Rewir¡¯s strength analysis is not so far off the mark. The number of soldiers directly under his command is two thousand. The people gathered around him are three thousand. Considering that the number of soldiers in the detachment protecting the royal city is less than one thousand or so, the odds are in his favour. Raidorl¡¯s main forces have their hands full with the undead. The knights have scattered around the country to clean up after the disaster and could also be defeated individually if the forces of the nobles dissatisfied with Raidorl are brought together. If there is a miscalculation, it is that Rewir is unaware of the Holy Sword power. Rewir underestimated the abilities of the holder of the Holy Sword. No matter how strong they are, they are still just individuals. He thought that if he crushed them by sheer force of numbers, that would be all. He had heard stories about how Raidorl had blown up a large number of soldiers at Fort Blaine with a single blow, but he did not care since he assumed it was an overexaggerated rumour. If he had seen the battles of the sword-bearers with his own eyes even once, he would not have raised his army so carelessly. And most importantly, the biggest miscalculation was that he underestimated the presence of the fearsome guardian protecting Sven Arbeil. [He is just a child who has earned his place through the prestige of the Count of Arbeil¡¯s family.] Sven, who had been treated lightly in this way, was protected by a fearsome demoness who constantly stayed next to him. Angelica Ilkas. Rewir was still unaware that the fangs of the angry demon-goddess known as the ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡» was closing in on him. CH 205 Count Irudo Rewir has incited the people, who had been devoured by the earthquake to rebel. His aim is to occupy the royal capital, while Raidorl is away. He also wants to ¡ºsteal the country¡» using the royal capital as a base. Raidorl had purged the nobles who were committing injustice and stripped them of the privileges that had been granted to them. He was trying to establish a centralised political system centred on himself as regent. The nobles who rebelled were those who were spared execution or purge, but were deprived of power and lost their previous positions and authority. The nobles who lost their authority have deep-rooted resentment towards Raidorl. The expedition led by Raidorl to the west in response to the undead attack was their best chance in a thousand years. Raidorl did not leave the nobles alone. His intention was to execute the main rebellious nobles, take away the privileges of those who remained, and then reduce all power as it were, making the authority of the nobility notorious. However, in the middle of such reforms, the earthquake was triggered by the Earth Witch Osman. In addition, the hordes of undead attacked without pause, forcing Raidorl to put the finishing touches later. The nobles used this confusion to incite the earthquake-affected and confused people to turn them into pawns to occupy the royal city. Only a small percentage of the people took Count Rewir¡¯s words to heart. From the perspective of the whole, it is by no means a large number. However, even if one-hundred-thousandth of the hundreds of thousands or even millions of the people were deceived and moved, it would amount to a war effort of several thousand. It should have been enough to occupy the royal capital, which only had less than one thousand soldiers. Count Irudo Rewir leads his soldiers and the people he has deceived marched towards the royal capital. On the way, he was joined by cooperating nobles and their men, and by the time he was halfway to the royal capital, his army had swelled to nearly 10,000 men. ¡®With this much power, I could invade the royal capital! Now all I have to do is rescue King Granard and defeat that Regent Raidorl, and the country is mine!¡¯ As he rides his horse towards the royal capital, Rewir cheers in his heart, confident of victory. Ten times as many troops, many noble collaborators. It will be a battle to be won that cannot be lost. If he occupies the royal capital, it will be his. He will pretend to be under the command of the late King Granado to seize power, and then attack Raidorl, who is dealing with the undead, and that will be the end of it. Rewir will be able to take control of the Kingdom of Zain. King Granard¡¯s death is not out in the open, but even if it were to be discovered, it would not be a problem. All he has to do is install Strauss, the crown prince, as the new king and rule the country as regent. Reweel¡¯s thoughts are unwavering. At least in the brain of the man who masterminded the rebellion, such visions of the future were portrayed as a promise. Looking only at what has happened so far, one might be mistaken but the man, Irudo Rewir, is no fool. He has a knack for using the chaos of earthquakes to turn people into soldiers. His leadership skills in bringing together other nobles were extraordinary. He excelled in his studies from an early age, and was even once hailed as a child prodigy. In order to start the rebellion, he had acquired sufficient knowledge by reading all kinds of military law books and records of past wars. Irudo Rewir undoubtedly has the talent that would make him a rare conspirator. He was one of those people who, had he emerged in a war-torn world, might have made a name for himself as an ¡ºaccomplished villain¡». However, Rewir made the wrong choice because he had no experience of being involved in war. What Rewir knew. Is that, numbers decides who wins wars, and that the side that gathers the most soldiers wins. Victory is decided when you have gathered ten times as many troops. But What Rewir did not know. Is that, he did not know that in war,¡ºheroes¡»sometimes emerge, who easily overturn differences in numbers. Individuals like the Heroes can overturn a tenfold difference in troop strength. They can be also called as God Of War. Rewir was confident of victory, having gathered a force far in excess of the soldiers defending Royal Capital. After all, he was neither a general nor a master, despite his talents as a plotter and schemer. In a few hours,Irudo Rewir would come to realise. That a single valiant warrior could easily overturn a winning battle with a large army. In the midst of Raidorl¡¯s subordinates, he will experience first-hand the horror of the ¡ºdemigods¡», who are probably the strongest in terms of individual fighting ability. The curtain has now risen on The Shortest Civil War, which would be written in the mediaeval history of the Kingdom of Zain. CH 206 Turtle steps Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny 2,000 regular soldiers and 8,000 militias, led by Count Irudo Rewir, head from north to south along the city roads towards the royal capital. However, their footsteps are unexpectedly slow. Even after the number of days that Rewir had calculated that they would reach the royal capital, they had still only marched about halfway along the route. ¡°Damn it, what a bunch of slow wits!¡¡They are wasting our rations for nothing!¡± As the sun went down, Rewir spat abhorrently in his tent pitched on the plain near the road. Inside the tent were the count¡¯s family members and representatives of several collaborating noble families. The central figures of the coup are sitting uncomfortably. ¡°Why did this happen!?¡¡Why is it taking so long to march! The battle hasn¡¯t even started yet, and we¡¯ve lost a third of the rations we¡¯ve collected!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The militia were slower than we expected. ¡­¡­If it were only regular soldiers and mercenaries, we would have reached the royal capital by now¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Kuh¡­ This is why you commoners! Can¡¯t you even get enough of simply walking down the street!? Captain, this is your responsibility!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I am very sorry¡± The captain, who bore the brunt of the anger, bowed his head with a bitter expression. The captain was not a native vassal of Count Rewir¡¯s family. He was a mercenary who was hired for this battle and given the position of ¡ºCaptain¡». He was hired to assist Rewir, who had never experienced warfare. ¡­¡­The expression on the face of a man in his mid-fifties is bitter. ¡°Tomorrow we will double the speed of our march!¡¡We need fewer breaks and we need to get to Royal Capital as soon as possible! I paid a lot of money to hire you. Let¡¯s see you do a bit of decent work!¡± ¡°¡­..Yes, sir. I will do my utmost to assist you.¡± Although Rewir was spitting and shouting, the delay in the march was not necessarily the fault of the Captain or the militia. In the first place, an army is one huge body. As the number of soldiers increases, their bodies become more massive and their movements more sluggish. It is natural that a troop of more than 10,000 soldiers cannot move faster as they wish. The timetable for the march and the plan to conquer the Royal City that Rewir made was calculated based on the records of wars that had occurred in the past. However, it was a past data and with trained soldiers. The records are not intended for militiamen who were ploughing the fields just recently. It is inevitable that a militia with poor training and little experience in warfare cannot move like a seasoned soldier. All this was caused by Rewir¡¯s inexperience, who based his strategies by reading books at his desks. ¡®How troublesome¡­..this little boy doesn¡¯t know anything about the army or warfare.¡¯ The captain for hire sighs inwardly in front of Rewir, who is ranting and raving with emotion. ¡®He has no experience but only knowledge, which is a bad quality. If he would just hand over command to me, we would be able to march more smoothly.¡¯ The man may be hired as a captain but his job was only to assist Rewir. The Count, who believed and confidently that he was superior, did not want to give up his command. Rewir is completely unaware that this is what is delaying the march. He cannot be at fault because he is giving the correct instructions based on his knowledge and theory. The fault lies with those below him who are unable to carry out orders correctly ¨C he was overconfident in himself. ¡®I pity the people who have to fight under an incompetent commander¡­.Well, never mind. There¡¯s still plenty of ground to make up. The fight hasn¡¯t even started yet.¡¯ Although much more time has elapsed than previously planned. At the moment, the odds of winning had not disappeared. The number of troops in the Royal Capital is less than 1,000. The number of troops here is about 10,000. No matter how he looks at it, the rebels definitely have the advantage. Even the rations, which have been depleted by a third, will be sufficient to cover their needs through looting and other means. ¡®If there is a chance of defeat, it would be ¡ºMonsters¡» in the enemy army. If there is a ¡ºBattlefield Demon¡» in the enemy army that easily reverses the difference in numbers and geographical advantage, we will lose this battle¡¯ Unlike Rewir, a commander in his first battle, the Captain is a seasoned soldier. He had experienced many wars. The captain believed in the advantage of numbers on the battlefield but at the same time he knows from his own experience that there are some beings that this rule would not work. ¡®The royal capital is guarded by Sven Arbeil, the orphan son of Count Arbeil. And that ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡».¡¯ Are they really the monsters who can overturn a tenfold gap in strength? The captain was thinking about the enemies he would face in the not-too-distant future, as he was listening to his employer¡¯s shouts from right to left. CH 207 The Shortest Civil War Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny One week after raising the banner of rebellion. At last, Rewir has reached the throat of the royal capital. Tomorrow they will be able to attack the capital. The rebels, suppressing their elation at the prospect of battle, had to take a final rest in their tents on the plains by the side of the road. ¡®Finally. At last, the time has come for me to take the Kingdom of Zain¡­¡­!¡¯ While lying down in a large tent, Rewir spent a sleepless night in the excitement that was simmering in the air. If he successfully occupied the royal capital, it would be as if he had the country in his hands. He would be able to reign as the new ruler if he called on the nobles who were dissatisfied with the current regime to join forces and defeat Raidorl, who were on an expedition to the west. There was no way he could sleep soundly and peacefully, coming to a place where such a glorious future was at hand. ¡®Looking back, it was a long time. More than 30 years have passed since I was born as the eldest son of the Count of Rewir. I became increasingly dissatisfied with my father, who was reluctant to hand over the reins of the family, and he finally retired, my aristocratic privileges restricted by the king¡¯s royal brother, who has taken the position of regent. What a shame, I have put up with this for so many years!¡¯ Rewir lost in his thought, He has talent. He has knowledge. He has the popularity. If he becomes the head of an aristocratic family, or even higher up the ladder, he will surely be able to do great things. He will achieve great things that will go down in history and his name will be talked about for a thousand years to come. ¡®That¡¯s right, I am not a person who ends up with a tiny status like¡ºCount¡». I am someone who can aim higher. The earthquakes and the undead attacking Zain must have been heaven-sent for me to make a breakthrough!¡¡The birth of a hero is always accompanied by turbulent times. Heaven¡¯s will is behind me!¡¯ Having never experienced setbacks in his life before, Rewir never doubted that he was good at what he did. He has never known a major failure and therefore could never consider that he might be making mistakes. A first mistake can be irretrievably fatal¡­¡­When all of this turns to another perspective, the man named Irudo Rewir may be a pitiful human being. ¡°Hm¡­?¡± Rewir, who had been lying down and burning with ambition¡­¡­suddenly became aware of the sound of bustle in the distance. It seemed as if the sound was gradually getting closer, if not heartbreakingly so. ¡°It¡¯s so noisy¡­¡­even though it¡¯s too early¡­¡± Rewir only raised an eyebrow, but did not pay much attention. He did not even get up from where his body lay. There have been several times during the march when the militia have had disputes. He wouldn¡¯t care what happened since people with no proper education are like beasts in a cattle shed. He assumed that this time would be no different and covered his head with a blanket to block out the noise. ¡°Count, Count! It¡¯s important!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Startled, Rewir jumped out from his blankets and turned his eyes at the soldier who jumped into the tent. ¡°Enemy attack!¡¡Please get out of here as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­? Enemy attack ¡­¡­?¡± Rewir was bewildered, unable to understand the soldier¡¯s words. But when he grasped the situation he was in, his face turned red quickly and he shouted. ¡°Nonsense! That can¡¯t happen!¡± Rewir rushed to get up and questioned the soldier who reported the incident with a stranglehold. ¡°The Royal City has only a tenth of the troops we have! There¡¯s no way they could attack from here!¡¡And I¡¯m sure we even had sentries on the roads!¡¡How could we miss an ambush on a plain that is so poorly shielded?¡± ¡°The enemy attacked with a very small number. It seems that they probably attacked with less than a hundred soldiers and ¡­.since their numbers were so small, the sentries might have missed¡­..!¡± ¡°A-a hundred less?!¡± Rewir repeated the words like a baby just learning to speak. He felt dizzy from the report, as if he had been hit on the head with a hammer. ¡°Such nonsense. How can you attack an enemy of ten thousand with a hundred soldiers?¡¡There is no way they would take such a foolhardy strategy¡­¡­.Yes, the Art of War book says that in a situation like this, it¡¯s standard practice to siege and wait for outside help¡­¡­.Even the history books didn¡¯t say this would happ¡­.!?¡± ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaa?!¡± ¡°¡­.?!¡± Rewir mumbled in dismay, but his shoulders jumped with a start at the screams that came roaring in. ¡°It¡¯s the enemy! An Enemy attack!!!!¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to kill you! Get out of here, quick!¡± ¡°Fire, someone put out the fire!¡± ¡°Hi..¡­!!¡± Rewire was finally aware of his predicament by a scream that came from a distance. He grabs the soldier¡¯s shoulder as if to cling to him. ¡°W-what am I going to do!¡¡Where should I run to save myself?¡± ¡°Calm down!¡¡The enemy is attacking from the south. If you flee towards the north or ¡­¡­¡± However, the soldier could not finish. A spear that came through the tent pierced the soldier¡¯s head, instantly killing him. ¡°Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡± ¡°So this is the commander¡¯s tent. I recognised it at a distance because it was a magnificent tent.¡± The tent was torn down, exposing the scene outside. In the camp outside, flames were rising everywhere, and screams and shouts were echoing. And standing against the burning flames was a strange woman dressed in¡­.. black. Her bright red hair was lit by the flames. Her left eye was hidden by an eye patch and her left leg was that of shiny metal. ¡°If I kill you now, this war is over. You will rue in hell for trying to bully my sweet little brother¡± Angelica Ilkas, the one-eyed woman standing with a ghastly smile on her face, said to Rewir fell on his buttocks with a blade in her hand. CH 208 Fugitive Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Yo-you-you¡­are!?¡± Rewir¡¯s voice trembles with intense agitation as he turns his frightened eyes on the woman standing in front of him. The woman ¨C Angelica Ilkas, Chief of the Thousand Horsemen of the Kingdom of Zain,stood menacingly with flames behind her. She has one eye and one foot, and holds a glowing torch in her right hand and a sharp ice-pick-like dagger in her left. Angelica is cloaked in a sharp presence, as if she were ready to cut him down if he came near her. Rewir even feels she is beautiful in spite of the situation. ¡®This woman is not¡­¡­ human¡­..!¡¯ How could a human being possibly radiate such a terrifying presence? Not even a skilled executioner, accustomed to decapitation, could have such cold, sharp eyes. The woman standing in front of him is the god of death who reaps all kinds of life. She must be an emissary of the Dark Lord who crawled out of hell to earth. ¡°How, how did you get here ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Do I owe you an answer to your question? There¡¯s no point in telling someone who¡¯s going to die.¡± ¡°Go-going to die¡­..!?¡± When Angelica closes the distance, Rewir falls back on his buttocks again and his expression becomes terrified. ¡°I-I¡¯m not the kind of person who should die in a place like this¡­¡­I¡¯m the kind of person who can achieve greater things¡­..I¡¯m the kind of talented person who can become a great man who will go down in history¡­! I can¡¯t die despite not having achieved anything yet¡­.!¡± ¡°What¡¯s it have to do with me?¡¡Do I have to hear this until the end?¡± Rewir was stringing words together as if begging for his life, but Angelica¡¯s expression remained the same. There is no pity or compassion. Only a hunger to kill the other person is in her eyes, which are now only one-eyed. He has no value for his own life. Angelica¡¯s look is even colder than the one she gives to a mushikera, and Rewir¡¯s lips quiver and stiffens. (worm) ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s all you have to say, it¡¯s time to kill you. Disappear, ¡­¡­you filthy traitor.¡± ¡°Hiii¡­¡­!!¡± Angelica steps towards Rewir and tries to trample the life out of him. Whether she pierced it with a dagger or kicked it with her metal prosthesis, there was no way for Rewir to avoid it. ¡°¡­..!¡± However, someone suddenly intervenes between them and catches the swinging reaper¡¯s blade. ¡°You ¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°I am glad to see you are safe, Count!¡± The man who saved Rewir¡¯s life in his time of need was a man of about fifty years of age. He was the captain employed by him. The captain came with his warhorse and with a spear in his hand, he flicked Angelica¡¯s blade away. ¡°I see¡­..some people are still able to fight for him. I¡¯m surprised.¡± Angelica retreats slightly and turns her wary gaze to the Captain. The captain dismounts from his horse with his eyes on Angelica and without looking at Rewir, says. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this!¡¡Please take this horse and run away.¡± ¡°Ca, captain¡­..!¡± Rewir tears up as if moved to tears, but ¡­¡­ his eyes suddenly widen and his face becomes angry as he raises his voice. ¡°And rightly so!¡¡All this happened because you didn¡¯t see the night raid coming!¡¡Take responsibility and serve as this count until I escape!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll give you credit for¡­¡­ your last act of loyalty!I will leave your name in the history I draw. You will thank me!¡± After saying this unilaterally, Rewir mounted his horse and rode northwards. Angelica watched the man run away in silence, and¡­¡­ mumbled to the Captain. ¡°¡­..that thing, is it worth risking your life to help?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m only a hired hand. You¡¯re the one who has to chase a fleeing commander.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t care. It¡¯s a little present from Onee-chan to give to her cute little brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ah, I see. Well, good then.¡± (Tl:I feel sad for him) The captain simply dismisses it and points his spear at Angelica. ¡°So you are the ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡». You are not lacking for a final opponent for an old soldier!¡¡Let¡¯s have a one-handed death match!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Angelica remained silent and spun the dagger around in her hand. CH 209 End of ambition Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Haasu, haasu, haasu, haasu¡­¡± After fleeing from Angelica¡¯s deadly blade, Rewir rode his horse frantically northwards. Angry shouts and screams rang out as he passed through, each one sending shivers down Rewir¡¯s spine. Fortunately, there were few enemy soldiers to the north. Apparently, the raiding party led by Angelica had launched a surprise attack from the south. ¡°Yes,¡­¡­run away. Survive. ¡­¡­! I cannot die in a place like this. I am not the right person to die¡­..!¡± Strangely, an out-of-place exuberance fills Rewir¡¯s brain as his spirit is shaken by intense fear. Is he escaping reality by being mesmerised by madness, or does he believe that he is a special human being, even in these circumstances? ¡°Don¡¯t heroes always have setbacks?¡­¡­ Great men of history are the ones who have experienced the greatest defeats. ¡­..Yes, I won¡¯t end up like this. I¡¯ll bounce back soon and show you how it¡¯s done¡­¡­!¡± Mumbling deliriously, Rewir continues on riding while increasing his speed. It gets darker as he gets further away from the burning positions of his army. Now, he solely relies on the moonlight to keep him going along the road. To him, all of it was worth it. Gradually the screams coming from the surrounding area began to move away. The muscles in his face, which had been tightened in fear and elation. ¡°How¡¯s that, I survived! I am special after all!¡¡I¡¯m a survivor, a God¡¯s chosen¡­..¡± ¡°Hih¡ªeen!¡± (sound of a horse?) ¡°A human¡­Guuah!?¡± Still riding along the road at night Rewir¡¯s horse suddenly fell over. Of course, he too, is also thrown to the ground. Rolling on his back onto the dirt, Rewir screams in agony from the pain. ¡°Ggh¡­ugh¡­.what the hell happened¡­..!¡± ¡°You¡¯re definitely Count Irudo Rewir, right?¡± ¡°Hie!?¡± A quiet voice calls his name and Rewir tries to raise his body from the ground. However, he was unable to stand up properly and ended up face first into the dirt on the ground. ¡°Ouch¡­..!¡± Finally, Rewir realises. He must have broken a bone when he fell off his horse earlier. His left arm too was bent in a strange direction. He did not feel the pain earlier because he was in a state of extreme excitement that he had escaped from death. ¡°Owh,owh,owh¡­!!?¡± ¡°Yareyeare¡­..It¡¯s just a broken bone, isn¡¯t it? Besides, you¡¯re about to die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­!¡± Rewir looked up and saw a boy of about twelve or three years old standing. Soft blonde hair. A neutrally shaped face looks down at him with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re ¡­¡­ Sven Arbeil!¡± ¡°Aa, you recognize me?, under such circumstances.¡± The boy ¨C Sven ¨C affirms the scream-like voice of Rewir without seeming to hide it. A dozen soldiers lined up around Sven, armed with bows and swords. ¡°I had put it up thinking that if you were going to run away, it would be in this direction, and¡­¡­I was right. I recognised you right away because you rode all the way on your horse and raised your voice.¡± ¡°Guu..!?¡± A soldier under Sven grabs both of Rewir¡¯s arms and restrains him. Rewir lets out a cry of anguish as his broken arm is grabbed mercilessly. ¡°I heard you were a sharp man, ¡­¡­but apparently you were in such a hurry that you couldn¡¯t make a calm decision. If you had not ridden a horse and had run away amongst the militia, you might not have been found so easily. Well, that plan won¡¯t even matter since I was going to catch every well-dressed person I could find.¡± ¡°¡­horse!!¡± Rewir looked closely at the horse he was riding, which had collapsed a short distance away. The chestnut horse had a bow and arrow stuck in its body, which must have caused it to fall over. ¡°I-I knew it!¡¡It¡¯s his fault, he suggested horses to me, that¡¯s why I got caught!¡± ¡°Haa¡­..?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the wrong!¡¡I should have always made the right choice!¡¡We are supposed to be acting theoretically based on knowledge, but we fail because the commoners are dragging me down!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, ¡­¡­ we couldn¡¯t have lost. If I had better men, better adjutants and braver soldiers, I wouldn¡¯t have been cornered by these brats¡­¡­.! It¡¯s not my fault, my strategy should have been right¡­¡­!¡± ¡°What an¡­¡­ idiot. Honestly.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­!?¡± Rewir opens and closes his mouth, cracking up at Sven, who seems to be taken aback. Sven tells the man, who seems to have lost even his words in anger, in a plain tone. ¡°It¡¯s normal that your men and soldiers don¡¯t do what you want them to do. Because they are human beings. They¡¯re not pawns in a board game.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± It¡¯s not uncommon for an ally to run off on a merit, or to run away in fear of the enemy¡­¡­That¡¯s about as common as it gets, isn¡¯t it? And moreover, you recruited commoners as volunteer soldiers and counted them among your forces, didn¡¯t you?¡¡You should have taken into account the possibility that militias with no experience of being on the battlefield might not be able to take full operational action. To put it bluntly, you are inexperienced. ¡®You are¡¯.¡± ¡°-wh-wha-wha-what!¡± Being lectured by a child twenty years younger than himself, Rewir¡¯s face turns red, forgetting the situation. He tries to yell out in a fit of wild emotion, but is restrained to the ground by the soldier. ¡°Gah!?¡± ¡°Now¡­.. you will now take responsibility as the ringleader of the rebellion. Normally we would have publicly executed you, but we don¡¯t have time for that now. I¡¯ll make a quick end here, won¡¯t I?¡± ¡°D-did you say you¡¯ll kill me !? This me ¡­!?¡± ¡°Are you trying to beg for your life?¡¡You¡¯re a traitor, you know.¡± Finally, Sven becomes fed up as he can no longer understand the thought process of the man in front of him. Meanwhile, the same was true for Rewir, who was delirious. There is no way he can fail to be excellent. He has never failed and he must continue to do so. That¡¯s the way it should be. It should be an absolute rule for Rewir¡¯s world. And yet, ¡­¡­it was going to end easily and without any drama. Rewir cannot accept this fact. ¡°W-wait! I am ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, then¡­.excuse me!¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Sven did not hesitate to thrust his sword into Rewir, which was being held by the soldiers. The boy pushes the tip of the sword into the Rewir¡¯s neck with his full weight, piercing Rewir¡¯s throat in one stroke. ¡°I am a military strategist and prime minister. Usually, I¡¯m under logistics, but when I stand in the frontline, I¡¯m determined to get my hands as dirty as possible. That is the duty of one who orders soldiers to avenge their enemies.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let my overprotective sister ¡­¡­ Angelica gets her hands dirty alone. Apparently, I¡¯m quite a Sis-con myself.¡± Sven mischievously told Rewir, who jerked and twitched repeatedly. CH 210 The End of a Warrior Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny This time, the operation was a night raid by a small elite group. The aim was to take out the ringleaders of the rebellion. The enemy forces outnumber them ten to one. If he was to follow the Art of War, it was considered standard practice to retreat without fighting, or to stay in the castle or fortress. However, under such war conditions, the Prime Minister and military strategist Sven Arbeil decided to carry out a blitzkrieg operation. Although the walls of the Royal City are solid, they have collapsed as a result of the recent earthquake and repairs have not been completed in time. Even if the city were to be brought into a siege, there was no telling how long it could be defended. Even if Sven was to wait for reinforcements, their main force is fighting the undead in the west. Even if they were able to send in reinforcements, they might allow the undead to invade if their western border is stretched too thin. If this happens, it would be a national crisis. ¡°¡ºAccording to reports from the agents¡­.the majority of the enemy forces are militia with no real combat experience. Then, of course, they wouldn¡¯t be prepared or experienced enough to deal with sudden combat.¡»¡± Sven sent an elite force of about 80 men, led by Angelica, into the enemy position, setting fire everywhere and creating chaos. The militia immediately screamed and ran for cover, and the chaos spread to the regular soldiers. Fear is a disease that infects like measles. The large number of people fleeing in confusion made it impossible to deal with even less than one-hundredth of one percent of their own force of assailants. Angelica was able to get the appropriate militiamen to give up the location of their commanding officer, and then successfully hunt down Rewir at leisure. ¡®I let that commander get away¡­..But that¡¯s a good thing. Sven would ambush him.¡¯ While Angelica was facing the enemy in front of her, she thought of the face of her bloodless little brother in her mind. On any operational action, it is only natural to have a second or third plan ready in case of failure. Sven, the planner of the operation, has anticipated Rewir¡¯s escape route and is lurking there with another separate army. By now, Rewir will have been captured and killed. On the contrary, Sven seems to have been thinking about what would happen if he missed Rewir, or if the night raid failed, and has been planning his strategy accordingly. Angelica felt proud of her little brother¡¯s skill. ¡®I really don¡¯t want to let my brother out of my sight, but Neimilia also said that the time we don¡¯t see each other¡­¡­our love grows, so I guess it¡¯s just for today.¡¯ ¡°Your face¡­¡­looks familiar. Aren¡¯t you Greiz in The Ash Demon? ¡°Hou¡­¡­ this guy is a surprise. I didn¡¯t think anyone in this country could still remember my name.¡± When Angelica guessed his name, the Captain under Rewir ¨C the ¡®ash demon¡¯ Greiz ¨C blinked. ¡°I know you. You are the one who, in a battle against the Empire about ten years ago, did a great job of taking out one of the enemy generals, despite being a mercenary. You were decorated and invited to join the regular army, but declined because of injuries sustained in battle. I heard that you left the service. ¡­¡­ I wonder why someone of your stature is joining the rebels.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Greiz remained silent and scratched his grey-haired head. He appears to be choosing his words rather than not wanting to answer. Angelica, who has already missed Rewir and left Sven in charge, waits patiently for a response. Eventually, Greiz opens his mouth with a grave expression. ¡°Lung Diseased.I don¡¯t have much time to live.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°My wife died last year. My late son lost his life in an epidemic while I was in the war. There is nothing left. I have nothing to protect and no reason to return. All I have left is my pride as a warrior.¡± ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re a man who wants to die.¡± Angelica realised why Greiz was here. The soldier with a history of war in front of her probably wants a place to die. He has chosen to die on the battlefield rather than spend the rest of his meaningless life without a reason to live. He was not interested in the rebellion. It doesn¡¯t matter if there is a cause or not, he would have been happy anywhere where he could burn up the rest of his life while being consumed by illness. ¡°¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡»¡­.. Isn¡¯t that the same for you?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You lost your home in the war with the Empire and your family is already dead.¡¡You must have lost your purpose in life just as much as I have.¡± ¡°Misguided. It¡¯s completely incorrect.¡± Angelica snickered and hit the ground with her cutlass and prosthetic leg. She narrowed her eyes in disdain and shot a cynical smile at Greiz. ¡°I wish you wouldn¡¯t treat us as kindred spirits without permission. I have people to protect. I don¡¯t want to die, and I don¡¯t want to die on the battlefield. My dream is to die in the care of the people I need to protect.¡± Angelica spins a thin, pointed dagger in her hand and thrusts the tip at Greiz. ¡°You¡­..are in the way of my dream of a peaceful old age. If you want to die, I will kill you, so blow away quickly.¡± ¡°¡­..Good. Then there will be no more words to talk about. Let me colour the end of my life with all my might!¡± Greiz holds his spear and drops his centre of gravity in a low posture. He then kicked the ground hard and released a stabbing thrust with frightening speed. Angelica had heard that he had retired from the mercenary army due to an injury, but his speed showed no sign of such blanks. ¡°..!¡± The tip of the spear was aimed at Angelica¡¯s neck, but at the moment, Angelica¡¯s figure disappeared. ¡°Uu¡­?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s fast, though not as fast as I am.¡± Angelica¡¯s body is stretched to the limit and her prosthetic left leg is thrust up towards the sky. The high kick from her prosthetic leg kicks the spear of the Greiz away from his hand and disappears into the night darkness. ¡°Haah!¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Angelica swung her prosthetic leg down in a heel drop motion. The metal leg was dropped at Greiz¡¯s head, but it only slammed into his shoulder as he instantly turned his head away. ¡°Guu ¡­ ghaa¡­!¡± With a clanging sound, Greiz drops to both knees on the spot. A blow from her prosthetic leg smashed his right collarbone. Greiz¡¯s forehead is covered in greasy sweat from the intense pain caused by the fracture. The man, who has lost his weapon and is now kneeling without any means of resistance, is asked briefly by Angelica. ¡°Any last words?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ nothing. That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Right. Good for you.¡± Angelica thrusts a dagger into Greiz¡¯s neck. The next moment, his body burst from the inside. This is the inner power that made Angelica Ilkas feared as the ¡®Slaughter Princess¡¯. It is a water-attribute magic sword ¨C the ¡¾Bakusaiken¡¿. (±¬³Z„‡)explosive sword. The mercenaries who had lost the meaning of life and joined the rebellion in search of a place to die was blown to pieces under the moonlight without even leaving a decent corpse.