《Excalibur Chronicle of Raidorl (LN)》 Volume 1 - CH 1.1 Expulsion from Royal Capital Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A single carriage drives along an unleveled, unstable road. It rattles and shakes intermittently as the wheels roll, and occasionally the body of the carriage bounces as it rides over large stones. The carriage, pulled by two horses, has iron plates on its surface and the windows are fitted with iron bars. The massive structure was probably intended to keep the people inside from escaping, rather than to guard against outside attacks. ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a sinner¡­¡± Inside the armoured carriage. The boy ¨C Raidorl Zain ¨C sighed darkly. Raidorl is alone in the spacious carriage, and there is not a single escort or attendant by the boy¡¯s side, who is supposed to be a prince. His clothes were well-dressed, as befits royalty, but there were metal handcuffs on both of his hands. The surface of the shackles was engraved with hieroglyphic patterns and emitted a faint bluish-white light. Knowing that they were called ¡ºshackles of sealing¡» that sealed the magic of the wearer, Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted in bitterness. ¡°Ni¨Csan¡­¡­why did you do this¡­..!¡± The one person who caused Raidorl to be taken away like a guilty man. It was the face of his own brother, with whom he shared blood. Why is he being treated like a prisoner of war, when he should have been living a life of pure wind and full of joy? The trigger for this was the coming-of-age ceremony that took place on Raidorl¡¯s thirteenth birthday. In the Kingdom of Zain, a person is recognised as an adult at the age of 13, and royalty or nobility are granted rights such as succession to the family. In the case of Prince Raidorl, coming of age gives him the right to succeed to the throne, but neither Raidorl nor the people around him thought he would become king. This is because his elder brother Prince Granard was already involved in political affairs as acting king, and his position as the next king was secure. No one, not even the most ambitious aristocrat, was willing to risk Granard¡¯s antipathy to carry out Raidorl¡¯s campaign. Raidorl had no complaints about his inability to become king, and he was well aware that he was a man who should not aspire to the position of king. But then ¨C in what can only be described as a mischievous twist of fate ¨C Raidorl was struck by an event. When the male of the Zain royal family come of age, they are required to undergo a special ceremony called the ¡ºRite of Succession¡». The main event of the ceremony is that they clasp the holy sword ¡ºD¨¢insleif¡», the national treasure of the Zain Kingdom, and pledge to serve for the development of the royal family and the kingdom. ¡ºD¨¢insleif¡» was the sword worn by the founder of the Kingdom of Zain, the first king. The first king used the sword to unite the neighbouring countries and establish the Kingdom of Zain. When the first king became too old to fight, he built a room called the¡ºRoom of the Holy Sword¡» in the back of the palace and stuck the sword into a pedestal set up there. And ¨C he declared to his subjects and the people at the time as follows. ¡°¡ºWhen the dark clouds of doom descend on this country, there will be a chosen one who will draw this holy sword again!¡¡He is my successor, the King of Salvation who will bring peace to the kingdom!¡»¡± In the 200 years since then, no one has drawn the Holy Sword to succeed the first king. Nowadays, the holding of the sword at the coming-of-age ceremony is not for the purpose of drawing it out, but has become a ceremonial event to show the first king his will and aspirations as royalty. Therefore, Raidorl was not particularly nervous about the ceremony. All he had to do was kneel before the sword, say his name and recite the standard oath. Although Raidorl was a second prince, when he came of age, he would be entrusted with the affairs of state as an adult. He would attend ceremonies and events on behalf of the king. He may even travel abroad as an ambassador. More than the ceremonies themselves, Raidorl felt the weight of the royal duties that awaited him in the future. With his brother Granard and other family members looking, his chest heaves with nervousness and excitement at the prospect of joining the ranks of the adults, and he clutches his national treasure, the Holy Sword. ¡°Eh¡­..?¡± But then the unexpected happened. Raidorl unexpectedly opens his mouth and makes a dumb sound. He looks down and there is a sword in his hand. There was no way he could have mistaken it for the holy sword D¨¢insleif, the national treasure of the Zain Kingdom. The jet-black sword, which looks as if it has been painted with black ink, has been pulled out from its pedestal at his feet, revealing its entire appearance. The blade and sheath that had been drawn out emitted an aura of what could only be described as a miasma, surrounding the sword body as if to intimidate its surroundings. ¡°W¡­..why?¡¡Why did they give me the Holy Sword¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes are black and white in confusion. Although Raidorl held the sacred sword as a ritual, he had no intention of pulling it out. However, as soon as he grasped the hilt of the sword, it rose from its pedestal as if it had a will of its own. The jet-black holy sword pulsed in Raidorl¡¯s hand, as if blessing its new owner who had appeared after a long time. ¡°Ridiculous! Why is it that Rai can pull out the Holy Sword?¡± ¡°Bro, brother¡­¡­¡± Raidorl is not the only one surprised by the sudden turn of events. His brother Prince Granard exclaims in shock at the unexpected turn of events. He looks back at his brother behind him with an expression of confusion, and then freezes. The familiar face of his brother is distorted into an almost ghoulish expression. Surprise, anger, envy, jealousy, despair, madness ¨C his brother¡¯s face is filled with emotions that Raidorl has never seen before, and his bloodshot eyes are glaring at him. The holy sword D¨¢insleif was a sword that only the first king could use. Pulling it out is proof that he is the successor of the first king. This means that the Holy Sword has recognised his younger brother, Raidorl, as the champion, rather than Granard, the first prince, who is currently running the government on behalf of the sick king. Unable to accept this fact, Granard thrusts his claws into his face and scratches his skin violently, as if he had gone mad. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡­why is it that the sword that could not be pulled out by me but can be pulled out by Rai!¡¡I have supported the country all my life, why¡­¡­is this happening to me!¡± ¡°Yo¨CYour Highness Granard¡­.¡± Vassals who were watching the succession ceremony around them look alternately at Raidorl and Granard with puzzled expressions, not knowing what to do with the First Prince, who is shouting like a madman. They are at a loss to know how to react correctly, whether to rejoice or lament that Raidorl has been chosen as the owner of the D¨¢insleif. Furthermore, the self-harm, Granard must be stopped. One of the vassals present ¨C the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, steps forward and places his hands on both shoulders of his king. ¡°Your Highness Granard, please calm down.¡± ¡°Ro, Lockwood¡­¡­but¡­..¡± ¡°There is a lot of publicity here. We¡¯ll think about how to deal with it again in the future, but for the moment, ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ mmm¡­ ¡­¡­ yes.¡± Shaking off his self-harm at the Prime Minister¡¯s persuasion, Granard stopped scratching his face and took a series of deep breaths. Then, with the face of a calm and sober politician, he tells everyone present. ¡°This concludes the succession ceremony!¡¡Furthermore, I forbid you to say anything else about what you have seen here!¡¡Look, these are my orders as acting king. Anyone who disobeys shall be severely punished!¡± ¡°Ha, yes, sir!¡± ¡°And ¡­¡­Rai.¡± ¡°Nah, what is it? Bro¡­¡­¡­¡­ hi!¡± Having pulled out the Holy Sword, which he did not expect to pull out. Seeing his trusted brother¡¯s change, he looked up in shock. He looked at Granard¡¯s face with clinging eyes and screamed in terror at the fiery passion that floated. ¡°¡­.. you go back to your room and rest! I will not allow you to leave your room without permission! Never!¡± ¡°I-I understand¡­!¡± ¡°¡­..We¡¯ll take care of the Holy Sword here. Leave it there!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Raidorl hands the holy sword he has just pulled out to his brother, while looking into Granard¡¯s expression with a frightened gaze. ¡°Gghh ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Br-brother?¡± As soon as Granard held the D¨¢insleif in his hand, the holy sword became as heavy as a megalith. It was so heavy that it seemed like a joke that Raidorl had just lifted it lightly with one hand. It was unlikely to be wielded as a weapon. ¡°Is this what it means to be chosen as the Holy Sword ¡­¡­! Why do you refuse me, what am I missing¡­..!¡± ¡°Bro-¡­¡­¡± ¡°Go quickly! Get out of my sight now!¡± ¡°Hic¡­..!¡± The brother¡¯s sword was filled with unprecedented anger, and Raidorl, teary-eyed, was led out of the room by a chamberlain. Granard looked at his back disgustedly and dropped the holy sword to the floor, unable to bear the weight of it. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– A few days after the succession ceremony. Raidorl was banished from the royal capital and sent to a frontier city. The decision was made at the sole discretion of the acting king, Granard, rather than the sickbed king. Nominally, he is given the lands around the frontier city as a fiefdom, and is posted there to fulfil his duties as a lord. However, some of those who knew the situation were aware that this was in effect an exile. An order has been issued on the withdrawal of the holy sword D¨¢insleif by Raidorl, and it is a secret only to those who were present at the event. This is because if it became public knowledge that Raidorl had been chosen as the holy sword, the 13-year-old second prince would become the next king, and a power struggle between him and Granard would ensue. Even if Raidorl did not want the throne, the admirers of the first king would not leave Raidorl alone as the successor. Cutting Raidorl down was unavoidable in order to avoid a split in the country and to prevent civil war. Even if Granard¡¯s personal enmity and jealousy were included in the decision¡­¡­it would never be overturned. It was decided that the holy sword D¨¢insleif, which had caused his banishment, would be taken away from him and that Raidorl would be driven to the frontier on his own. Only three people came to see off Raidorl, who was being sent to the frontier. Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell, who is responsible for internal affairs in the country. General Bazel Garst, who is also responsible for military affairs. And ¨C the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, Mertina Marcell, who is also Raidorl¡¯s childhood friend and fianc¨¦e. ¡°Your Highness Raidorl. Please be careful on your way.¡± With his hand on his chest, Prime Minister Lockwood bowed politely. The prime minister, who is also Mertina¡¯s father, is about forty years old and wears the same purple hair as his daughter in an all-back bun. He wore a figure-eight moustache under his nose, giving him the appearance of an aristocrat. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl stares silently at the Prime Minister, who bows his head, and looks down at his arms with a sombre expression on his face. The arms of the banished prince are shackled. The shackles, which have the power to seal magic, were intended to restrict Raidorl¡¯s movements and seal the power he had acquired by drawing the Holy Sword. Since pulling out the Holy Sword, Raidorl¡¯s physical body has been imbued with a mysterious power. His arm and leg strength and other physical abilities have increased many times over. Furthermore, when his emotions are aroused, the same black miasma that the Holy Sword was cloaked in gushes out from Raidorl¡¯s body, irrespective of his intentions. Those who came into contact with the miasma fell ill and fell asleep as if they had been stricken with a disease. By being chosen as the owner of the sacred sword, Raidorl has taken the blessings of D¨¢insleif, who is also known as the¡ºHoly Sword of the Cursed¡». After the succession ceremony, the holy sword was taken away by Granard, but the D¨¢insleif still recognises Raidorl as its master, and gives its blessing to his estranged master. The shackles of the sealing demon were necessary to prevent Raidorl from letting his uncontrollable power run amok. Nevertheless ¨C it is unforgivable to place shackles on a person who is not normally a criminal, let alone a member of the royal family. This time, the cruel treatment was carried out under the special orders of his elder brother Prince Granard. Raidorl stared at his constrained and bound arms, but eventually opened his mouth to speak in a small voice. ¡°What happened to my brother¡­¡­.? Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± Lockwood¡¯s eyes narrow as he senses the sadness and despair in the tone of the young prince¡¯s voice. ¡°His Highness Granard is too busy with political affairs to come and see you off. I have received word from him that he wishes for you to forgive him for being so cold-hearted as to be unable to attend his brother¡¯s departure.¡± ¡°Heartless?¡¡He has other things you need to apologise for¡­.!¡± When Raidorl says in an accusatory tone, Lockwood¡¯s eyebrows quirk and he shakes his head. ¡°His Highness moved you to take care of that territory. He has no other intention.¡± ¡°¡­..Then what are these shackles!?¡¡Isn¡¯t this like being a sinner!¡± ¡°It is only a security consideration. Your Highness.¡± It was not Lockwood who answered the shouted appeal, but a large man in armour standing next to him ¨C General Bazel Garst. Two metres tall, Bazel looked down at Raydor with a face like a rock, and spelled out his words in a firm tone. ¡°Your Highness is now the owner of the Holy Sword and carries part of its blessing in your body. If its power were to run amok, it would cause tremendous damage to the surrounding area. The shackles are meant to prevent this, and should be regarded as a separate matter from the punishment of the guilty.¡± ¡°But ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl opened his mouth to argue and eventually fell silent without saying anything. Whatever words he had to say to these two men were meaningless. They are close associates of the king and support his brother Prince Granard as the next king. There was no way that the two men, who had decided on his treatment, would listen to what Raidorl had to say. ¡°¡­¡­ Your Highness. You have done nothing wrong. However, this is necessary for the governance of the State. I beg you not to hold grudges.¡± ¡°Be that as it may. When His Highness Granard ascends the throne and his reign is stable, we may recall you to the capital in due course. Until then, good health to you.¡± Lockwood, somewhat sympathetically, offers words of comfort to Raidorl, who chews his back teeth and slumps down. Bazel took over and gave him a pep talk in his clumsy warrior way. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl kept his mouth shut and bit his lip in frustration. Lockwood and Bazel may have a point. However, for a boy who is being forced to leave his birthplace for reasons he does not agree with, such selfishness of adults cannot possibly be a comfort. Instead, he turns his attention to the last person present. ¡°Tina¡­.¡± Clinging and crying, Raidorl calls out to his childhood friend. As the daughter of the Prime Minister, if she petitions to reconsider the treatment of Raidorl, or sending him to the frontier. Even if that was not the case, she, who is closer to him than anyone else of his age, might be willing to follow him as he is chased out of Royal Capital. It was with these thoughts in mind that Raidorl made his plea, but what he received from Mertina was a heartless reply. ¡°Yes, Raidorl-sama. Please have a safe journey.¡± ¡°Eee¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I am told that the southern frontier is warmer than the Royal Capital. Raidorl-sama doesn¡¯t like the cold, so this move is just right for you. Next time we meet, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have some interesting souvenir stories to tell me.¡± ¡°What, wait a minute¡­¡­ Tina?¡± There is not a shred of sadness on the face of the childhood friend who was to be his fianc¨¦e. She is about to send Raidorl on his way with a clear, calm and serene smile. Raidorl is unable to hide his confusion at his childhood friend¡¯s lack of reluctance to say goodbye, and involuntarily looks up at her father Lockwood. ¡°Your Highness. Mertina has been educated as the daughter of the Prime Minister and as a noblewoman. From an early age, she has been taught to choose the peace of the state over love.¡± ¡°What does that mean ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You are no longer her fianc¨¦e. You are already a person of the past.¡± ¡°Person of¡­.past?¡± The apologetic words from Lockwood make Raidorl¡¯s mind go blank. Raidorl has been with Mertina for as long as he can remember and they have spent the same amount of time together. All of these memories are irreplaceable and are as valuable as jewels. However, it was one sided. Mertina did not think anything of himself, but only stayed with Raidorl out of a sense of duty as the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter and as a noblewoman. ¡°Your Highness?¡¡What¡¯s wrong, are you in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Suuuu¡­¡­¡­!¡± Mertina peers curiously into Raidorl¡¯s face. The gentle-looking face takes on the form of a terrifying monster. Raidorl backs away with a look of horror on his face, and runs away into the prison-like carriage. If he is sent to the frontier, he will spend his days in fear of demons and barbarian tribes. Even so, he felt much more frightened by those who were capable of abandoning their family and friends with impunity than by the demons. The royal palace, which should have been his home, has somehow become a haven for monsters. This fact was unacceptable to the young Raidorl. ¡°Have a safe trip, Your Highness.¡± Mertina¡¯s voice is heard through the carriage door. Raidorl curls his body inside the carriage and holds his head with his shackled arms, rejecting his childhood friend¡¯s words. Lockwood and Bazel bow deeply and the carriage drives off. Raidorl is taken away, his face contorted in grief, his shoulders shaking as he rattles. Thus, the second prince of the Kingdom of Zain, Raidorl Zain, was sent to a frontier city and disappeared from the royal capital. It would be five years later that Raidorl would reappear on the stage of history. During those five years, his father, the king, passed away in his sleep from illness, and the first prince, Granad, succeeded him as the new king. Thanks to Granard, who had been running the government since before the king was removed from office, the Kingdom of Zain has continued to reign peacefully and without any apparent turmoil. But ¨C even in such a peaceful kingdom ¨C a wave of warfare was quietly approaching, like a snake crawling. Separated from its master, the holy sword D¨¢insleif remains enshrined deep within the royal palace, listening to the footsteps of the approaching war, waiting for its master and their time of reunion. Volume 1 - CH 1.2 Expulsion from Royal Capital Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A single carriage drives along an unleveled, unstable road. It rattles and shakes intermittently as the wheels roll, and occasionally the body of the carriage bounces as it rides over large stones. The carriage, pulled by two horses, has iron plates on its surface and the windows are fitted with iron bars. The massive structure was probably intended to keep the people inside from escaping, rather than to guard against outside attacks. ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a sinner¡­¡± Inside the armoured carriage. The boy ¨C Raidorl Zain ¨C sighed darkly. Raidorl is alone in the spacious carriage, and there is not a single escort or attendant by the boy¡¯s side, who is supposed to be a prince. His clothes were well-dressed, as befits royalty, but there were metal handcuffs on both of his hands. The surface of the shackles was engraved with hieroglyphic patterns and emitted a faint bluish-white light. Knowing that they were called ¡ºshackles of sealing¡» that sealed the magic of the wearer, Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted in bitterness. ¡°Ni¨Csan¡­¡­why did you do this¡­..!¡± The one person who caused Raidorl to be taken away like a guilty man. It was the face of his own brother, with whom he shared blood. Why is he being treated like a prisoner of war, when he should have been living a life of pure wind and full of joy? The trigger for this was the coming-of-age ceremony that took place on Raidorl¡¯s thirteenth birthday. In the Kingdom of Zain, a person is recognised as an adult at the age of 13, and royalty or nobility are granted rights such as succession to the family. In the case of Prince Raidorl, coming of age gives him the right to succeed to the throne, but neither Raidorl nor the people around him thought he would become king. This is because his elder brother Prince Granard was already involved in political affairs as acting king, and his position as the next king was secure. No one, not even the most ambitious aristocrat, was willing to risk Granard¡¯s antipathy to carry out Raidorl¡¯s campaign. Raidorl had no complaints about his inability to become king, and he was well aware that he was a man who should not aspire to the position of king. But then ¨C in what can only be described as a mischievous twist of fate ¨C Raidorl was struck by an event. When the male of the Zain royal family come of age, they are required to undergo a special ceremony called the ¡ºRite of Succession¡». The main event of the ceremony is that they clasp the holy sword ¡ºD¨¢insleif¡», the national treasure of the Zain Kingdom, and pledge to serve for the development of the royal family and the kingdom. ¡ºD¨¢insleif¡» was the sword worn by the founder of the Kingdom of Zain, the first king. The first king used the sword to unite the neighbouring countries and establish the Kingdom of Zain. When the first king became too old to fight, he built a room called the¡ºRoom of the Holy Sword¡» in the back of the palace and stuck the sword into a pedestal set up there. And ¨C he declared to his subjects and the people at the time as follows. ¡°¡ºWhen the dark clouds of doom descend on this country, there will be a chosen one who will draw this holy sword again!¡¡He is my successor, the King of Salvation who will bring peace to the kingdom!¡»¡± In the 200 years since then, no one has drawn the Holy Sword to succeed the first king. Nowadays, the holding of the sword at the coming-of-age ceremony is not for the purpose of drawing it out, but has become a ceremonial event to show the first king his will and aspirations as royalty. Therefore, Raidorl was not particularly nervous about the ceremony. All he had to do was kneel before the sword, say his name and recite the standard oath. Although Raidorl was a second prince, when he came of age, he would be entrusted with the affairs of state as an adult. He would attend ceremonies and events on behalf of the king. He may even travel abroad as an ambassador. More than the ceremonies themselves, Raidorl felt the weight of the royal duties that awaited him in the future. With his brother Granard and other family members looking, his chest heaves with nervousness and excitement at the prospect of joining the ranks of the adults, and he clutches his national treasure, the Holy Sword. ¡°Eh¡­..?¡± But then the unexpected happened. Raidorl unexpectedly opens his mouth and makes a dumb sound. He looks down and there is a sword in his hand. There was no way he could have mistaken it for the holy sword D¨¢insleif, the national treasure of the Zain Kingdom. The jet-black sword, which looks as if it has been painted with black ink, has been pulled out from its pedestal at his feet, revealing its entire appearance. The blade and sheath that had been drawn out emitted an aura of what could only be described as a miasma, surrounding the sword body as if to intimidate its surroundings. ¡°W¡­..why?¡¡Why did they give me the Holy Sword¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes are black and white in confusion. Although Raidorl held the sacred sword as a ritual, he had no intention of pulling it out. However, as soon as he grasped the hilt of the sword, it rose from its pedestal as if it had a will of its own. The jet-black holy sword pulsed in Raidorl¡¯s hand, as if blessing its new owner who had appeared after a long time. ¡°Ridiculous! Why is it that Rai can pull out the Holy Sword?¡± ¡°Bro, brother¡­¡­¡± Raidorl is not the only one surprised by the sudden turn of events. His brother Prince Granard exclaims in shock at the unexpected turn of events. He looks back at his brother behind him with an expression of confusion, and then freezes. The familiar face of his brother is distorted into an almost ghoulish expression. Surprise, anger, envy, jealousy, despair, madness ¨C his brother¡¯s face is filled with emotions that Raidorl has never seen before, and his bloodshot eyes are glaring at him. The holy sword D¨¢insleif was a sword that only the first king could use. Pulling it out is proof that he is the successor of the first king. This means that the Holy Sword has recognised his younger brother, Raidorl, as the champion, rather than Granard, the first prince, who is currently running the government on behalf of the sick king. Unable to accept this fact, Granard thrusts his claws into his face and scratches his skin violently, as if he had gone mad. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡­why is it that the sword that could not be pulled out by me but can be pulled out by Rai!¡¡I have supported the country all my life, why¡­¡­is this happening to me!¡± ¡°Yo¨CYour Highness Granard¡­.¡± Vassals who were watching the succession ceremony around them look alternately at Raidorl and Granard with puzzled expressions, not knowing what to do with the First Prince, who is shouting like a madman. They are at a loss to know how to react correctly, whether to rejoice or lament that Raidorl has been chosen as the owner of the D¨¢insleif. Furthermore, the self-harm, Granard must be stopped. One of the vassals present ¨C the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, steps forward and places his hands on both shoulders of his king. ¡°Your Highness Granard, please calm down.¡± ¡°Ro, Lockwood¡­¡­but¡­..¡± ¡°There is a lot of publicity here. We¡¯ll think about how to deal with it again in the future, but for the moment, ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ mmm¡­ ¡­¡­ yes.¡± Shaking off his self-harm at the Prime Minister¡¯s persuasion, Granard stopped scratching his face and took a series of deep breaths. Then, with the face of a calm and sober politician, he tells everyone present. ¡°This concludes the succession ceremony!¡¡Furthermore, I forbid you to say anything else about what you have seen here!¡¡Look, these are my orders as acting king. Anyone who disobeys shall be severely punished!¡± ¡°Ha, yes, sir!¡± ¡°And ¡­¡­Rai.¡± ¡°Nah, what is it? Bro¡­¡­¡­¡­ hi!¡± Having pulled out the Holy Sword, which he did not expect to pull out. Seeing his trusted brother¡¯s change, he looked up in shock. He looked at Granard¡¯s face with clinging eyes and screamed in terror at the fiery passion that floated. ¡°¡­.. you go back to your room and rest! I will not allow you to leave your room without permission! Never!¡± ¡°I-I understand¡­!¡± ¡°¡­..We¡¯ll take care of the Holy Sword here. Leave it there!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Raidorl hands the holy sword he has just pulled out to his brother, while looking into Granard¡¯s expression with a frightened gaze. ¡°Gghh ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Br-brother?¡± As soon as Granard held the D¨¢insleif in his hand, the holy sword became as heavy as a megalith. It was so heavy that it seemed like a joke that Raidorl had just lifted it lightly with one hand. It was unlikely to be wielded as a weapon. ¡°Is this what it means to be chosen as the Holy Sword ¡­¡­! Why do you refuse me, what am I missing¡­..!¡± ¡°Bro-¡­¡­¡± ¡°Go quickly! Get out of my sight now!¡± ¡°Hic¡­..!¡± The brother¡¯s sword was filled with unprecedented anger, and Raidorl, teary-eyed, was led out of the room by a chamberlain. Granard looked at his back disgustedly and dropped the holy sword to the floor, unable to bear the weight of it. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– A few days after the succession ceremony. Raidorl was banished from the royal capital and sent to a frontier city. The decision was made at the sole discretion of the acting king, Granard, rather than the sickbed king. Nominally, he is given the lands around the frontier city as a fiefdom, and is posted there to fulfil his duties as a lord. However, some of those who knew the situation were aware that this was in effect an exile. An order has been issued on the withdrawal of the holy sword D¨¢insleif by Raidorl, and it is a secret only to those who were present at the event. This is because if it became public knowledge that Raidorl had been chosen as the holy sword, the 13-year-old second prince would become the next king, and a power struggle between him and Granard would ensue. Even if Raidorl did not want the throne, the admirers of the first king would not leave Raidorl alone as the successor. Cutting Raidorl down was unavoidable in order to avoid a split in the country and to prevent civil war. Even if Granard¡¯s personal enmity and jealousy were included in the decision¡­¡­it would never be overturned. It was decided that the holy sword D¨¢insleif, which had caused his banishment, would be taken away from him and that Raidorl would be driven to the frontier on his own. Only three people came to see off Raidorl, who was being sent to the frontier. Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell, who is responsible for internal affairs in the country. General Bazel Garst, who is also responsible for military affairs. And ¨C the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, Mertina Marcell, who is also Raidorl¡¯s childhood friend and fianc¨¦e. ¡°Your Highness Raidorl. Please be careful on your way.¡± With his hand on his chest, Prime Minister Lockwood bowed politely. The prime minister, who is also Mertina¡¯s father, is about forty years old and wears the same purple hair as his daughter in an all-back bun. He wore a figure-eight moustache under his nose, giving him the appearance of an aristocrat. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl stares silently at the Prime Minister, who bows his head, and looks down at his arms with a sombre expression on his face. The arms of the banished prince are shackled. The shackles, which have the power to seal magic, were intended to restrict Raidorl¡¯s movements and seal the power he had acquired by drawing the Holy Sword. Since pulling out the Holy Sword, Raidorl¡¯s physical body has been imbued with a mysterious power. His arm and leg strength and other physical abilities have increased many times over. Furthermore, when his emotions are aroused, the same black miasma that the Holy Sword was cloaked in gushes out from Raidorl¡¯s body, irrespective of his intentions. Those who came into contact with the miasma fell ill and fell asleep as if they had been stricken with a disease. By being chosen as the owner of the sacred sword, Raidorl has taken the blessings of D¨¢insleif, who is also known as the¡ºHoly Sword of the Cursed¡». After the succession ceremony, the holy sword was taken away by Granard, but the D¨¢insleif still recognises Raidorl as its master, and gives its blessing to his estranged master. The shackles of the sealing demon were necessary to prevent Raidorl from letting his uncontrollable power run amok. Nevertheless ¨C it is unforgivable to place shackles on a person who is not normally a criminal, let alone a member of the royal family. This time, the cruel treatment was carried out under the special orders of his elder brother Prince Granard. Raidorl stared at his constrained and bound arms, but eventually opened his mouth to speak in a small voice. ¡°What happened to my brother¡­¡­.? Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± Lockwood¡¯s eyes narrow as he senses the sadness and despair in the tone of the young prince¡¯s voice. ¡°His Highness Granard is too busy with political affairs to come and see you off. I have received word from him that he wishes for you to forgive him for being so cold-hearted as to be unable to attend his brother¡¯s departure.¡± ¡°Heartless?¡¡He has other things you need to apologise for¡­.!¡± When Raidorl says in an accusatory tone, Lockwood¡¯s eyebrows quirk and he shakes his head. ¡°His Highness moved you to take care of that territory. He has no other intention.¡± ¡°¡­..Then what are these shackles!?¡¡Isn¡¯t this like being a sinner!¡± ¡°It is only a security consideration. Your Highness.¡± It was not Lockwood who answered the shouted appeal, but a large man in armour standing next to him ¨C General Bazel Garst. Two metres tall, Bazel looked down at Raydor with a face like a rock, and spelled out his words in a firm tone. ¡°Your Highness is now the owner of the Holy Sword and carries part of its blessing in your body. If its power were to run amok, it would cause tremendous damage to the surrounding area. The shackles are meant to prevent this, and should be regarded as a separate matter from the punishment of the guilty.¡± ¡°But ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl opened his mouth to argue and eventually fell silent without saying anything. Whatever words he had to say to these two men were meaningless. They are close associates of the king and support his brother Prince Granard as the next king. There was no way that the two men, who had decided on his treatment, would listen to what Raidorl had to say. ¡°¡­¡­ Your Highness. You have done nothing wrong. However, this is necessary for the governance of the State. I beg you not to hold grudges.¡± ¡°Be that as it may. When His Highness Granard ascends the throne and his reign is stable, we may recall you to the capital in due course. Until then, good health to you.¡± Lockwood, somewhat sympathetically, offers words of comfort to Raidorl, who chews his back teeth and slumps down. Bazel took over and gave him a pep talk in his clumsy warrior way. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl kept his mouth shut and bit his lip in frustration. Lockwood and Bazel may have a point. However, for a boy who is being forced to leave his birthplace for reasons he does not agree with, such selfishness of adults cannot possibly be a comfort. Instead, he turns his attention to the last person present. ¡°Tina¡­.¡± Clinging and crying, Raidorl calls out to his childhood friend. As the daughter of the Prime Minister, if she petitions to reconsider the treatment of Raidorl, or sending him to the frontier. Even if that was not the case, she, who is closer to him than anyone else of his age, might be willing to follow him as he is chased out of Royal Capital. It was with these thoughts in mind that Raidorl made his plea, but what he received from Mertina was a heartless reply. ¡°Yes, Raidorl-sama. Please have a safe journey.¡± ¡°Eee¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I am told that the southern frontier is warmer than the Royal Capital. Raidorl-sama doesn¡¯t like the cold, so this move is just right for you. Next time we meet, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have some interesting souvenir stories to tell me.¡± ¡°What, wait a minute¡­¡­ Tina?¡± There is not a shred of sadness on the face of the childhood friend who was to be his fianc¨¦e. She is about to send Raidorl on his way with a clear, calm and serene smile. Raidorl is unable to hide his confusion at his childhood friend¡¯s lack of reluctance to say goodbye, and involuntarily looks up at her father Lockwood. ¡°Your Highness. Mertina has been educated as the daughter of the Prime Minister and as a noblewoman. From an early age, she has been taught to choose the peace of the state over love.¡± ¡°What does that mean ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You are no longer her fianc¨¦e. You are already a person of the past.¡± ¡°Person of¡­.past?¡± The apologetic words from Lockwood make Raidorl¡¯s mind go blank. Raidorl has been with Mertina for as long as he can remember and they have spent the same amount of time together. All of these memories are irreplaceable and are as valuable as jewels. However, it was one sided. Mertina did not think anything of himself, but only stayed with Raidorl out of a sense of duty as the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter and as a noblewoman. ¡°Your Highness?¡¡What¡¯s wrong, are you in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Suuuu¡­¡­¡­!¡± Mertina peers curiously into Raidorl¡¯s face. The gentle-looking face takes on the form of a terrifying monster. Raidorl backs away with a look of horror on his face, and runs away into the prison-like carriage. If he is sent to the frontier, he will spend his days in fear of demons and barbarian tribes. Even so, he felt much more frightened by those who were capable of abandoning their family and friends with impunity than by the demons. The royal palace, which should have been his home, has somehow become a haven for monsters. This fact was unacceptable to the young Raidorl. ¡°Have a safe trip, Your Highness.¡± Mertina¡¯s voice is heard through the carriage door. Raidorl curls his body inside the carriage and holds his head with his shackled arms, rejecting his childhood friend¡¯s words. Lockwood and Bazel bow deeply and the carriage drives off. Raidorl is taken away, his face contorted in grief, his shoulders shaking as he rattles. Thus, the second prince of the Kingdom of Zain, Raidorl Zain, was sent to a frontier city and disappeared from the royal capital. It would be five years later that Raidorl would reappear on the stage of history. During those five years, his father, the king, passed away in his sleep from illness, and the first prince, Granad, succeeded him as the new king. Thanks to Granard, who had been running the government since before the king was removed from office, the Kingdom of Zain has continued to reign peacefully and without any apparent turmoil. But ¨C even in such a peaceful kingdom ¨C a wave of warfare was quietly approaching, like a snake crawling. Separated from its master, the holy sword D¨¢insleif remains enshrined deep within the royal palace, listening to the footsteps of the approaching war, waiting for its master and their time of reunion. Volume 1 - CH 2 Swordsman of the Cursed Sword Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny Five years have passed since Raidorl was exiled from Royal Capital. ¡°Fireeeee!¡± In the pioneer city of Raid, in the south of the Kingdom of Zain, angry shouts and roaring sounds echoed through the air and shook the air. A man standing on the ramparts raises his thick voice, and a volley of arrows rains down on the enemy¡¯s heads like rain. ¡°Goaaaaaaaaaahhh!¡± Arrows pierced its entire body and the two-legged boar screamed. To the south of the pioneer city, a massive defence wall built of bricks and timber has been constructed to prevent demons from attacking. The demons with human and boar faces were approaching to climb over the wall. Orcs are beast-like demons that live widely across the continent. It was a mutant species, the ¡ºCatastro Orc¡». It has reddish-black body that is more than one size larger than normal orcs, and their arm strength is several times greater. Dozens of them are pouring into the frontier cities. If it were a small town, it would be a disaster on a scale that would destroy it in a single night. ¡°Chi¡­¡­, they¡¯re still coming!¡± A middle-aged man in command on top of the defensive wall clicks his tongue. The man¡¯s name is Zafis Bartolomeo, a large man with a bear-like physique. He is the central figure of the Adventurers, a force that protects the pioneer city, and is a brave warrior who has fought many battles against demons in his career. Wearing a suit of armour made from the skin of a beast, Zafis looks down from the defensive wall, his face contorted in a crude, almost outlaw-like expression. Despite the large number of arrows fired at them, the catastro-orcs have not lost momentum and are still breaking down the wooden fences that have been set up outside. ¡°Fire!¡¡Keep shooting! Bastards, don¡¯t hold back!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Ooooo!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± As Zafis raised his voice, adventurers with bows fired arrows one after another. A mere bow and arrow cannot be fatal to the thickly muscled catastro-orc. However, each bow and arrow is coated with demon venom, it should be effective against them, since they have a strong and tough life force. It has already been a whole day since the catastro-orc appeared, and despite the constant shooting of arrows, their momentum is still not weakening. At this rate, they will destroy the fence and reach the defence wall. An empty moat has been dug outside the barrier, but their physical strength should easily overcome it and break through the barrier. ¡°We¡¯re going to be in trouble if we don¡¯t do something about this¡­.¡± Zafis growled bitterly. Zafis Bartolomeo was originally an adventurer in an empire in the middle of the continent, and was a great man who had even teamed up with his friends to slay a dragon. But even for Zafis, the swathe of calamity that loomed before him was one of the greatest dangers in his adventurer¡¯s lifetime. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get the women and children out before they reach the defences. Get ready to evacuate!¡±¡± ¡°G-uildmaster. But that¡¯s¡­¡­¡± One of the adventurers¡¯ face twist in frustration at the declaration of defeat to abandon the frontier city. The adventurers who had gathered in the frontier city were all drifters who, for one reason or another, had lost their place in their homeland. For them, this town was their last place of residence, a place they would call their second home. Declaring that they would abandon it would not be easy to accept. Zafis, knowing the adventurer¡¯s inner thoughts, smiles wryly. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll stay here until the end!¡¡This is my graveyard!¡± ¡°I¡¯m with you! Oyabun!¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t your boss.. Call me the Guildmaster!¡± Zafis picks up a throwing spear javelin and throws it as hard as he can. The spear, which shot out like a cannonball, pierced the abdomen of one of the catastro-orc and succeeded in bringing it to its knees. ¡°Come on you bastards!¡¡This is hell!¡¡Fight to the last drop of blood, fight to the last¡­¡­¡± ¡°Guildmaster!¡± ¡°Stay on your feet¡ª¡­¡­ What, at a time like this!¡± Zafis¡¯s interjections were interrupted midway by a young adventurer who was guiding the evacuating residents. The appearance of the young man, who had ordered the women and children to flee with him in case of emergency, caused a crease to appear between Zafis¡¯ eyebrows. ¡°Jean!¡¡You, why did you come back!¡¡I told you to run!¡± ¡°The Lord has returned!¡¡He¡¯s on his way here now!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Zafis¡¯ eyes light up when he hears the word ¡®lord¡¯. The adventurers around him are also shouting with joy in their mouths, and the mysterious air of determination to die that they had just experienced is blown away. ¡°Haha, He¡¯s late! Quite the royalty, indeed!¡¡He¡¯s been so generous with me!¡± ¡°My bad. I¡¯m a slow, pompous royal!¡± ¡°Ooou??!¡± A shadow like a gale ran past the swearing Zafis. Even Zafis, a skilled adventurer, can barely follow it with his eyes. He peels his eyes away and looks back behind him. Ahead of him, a young man dressed in black stood on a scaffold of stones piled up on the ramparts. ¡°You kept me waiting!¡¡I¡¯m amazed you¡¯ve kept me this long!¡± Silver-haired and red-eyed. The black-robed young man draws the sword at his waist and points it towards the heavens. The adventurers with their bows at the ready, and even the catastro-orc who were approaching the defence wall, cower in fear at the sight of his commanding presence. ¡°My Lord¡­¡­¡± ¡°Aaa¡­¡­ you came!¡± ¡°Our lord! Our great master!¡± ¡°Of course I would come!¡¡How could I, the lord of this town, not show up at the town¡¯s peril!¡± The young man with his sword raised to the heavens smiles belligerently, his lips pursing into a smile in response to the accolade of hope that has gathered around him. He then ¨C with a swing of his sword ¨C pointed the tip of his sword out of the barrier. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can go home for free after attacking a town ruled by this Raidorl Zain!¡¡I¡¯m going to slash and dice every last one of them, flay them, skin and flesh, and leave them for my wallet!¡± With an arrogant and confident statement, the black-robed young man, Raydor Zain, leapt from the barrier. His heroic and muscular figure shows not a trace of the weakness he showed when he was banished from Royal Capital five years ago. He leapt at the enemy with a face that was as fearless as if to say [I am the hero]. ¡°Bufuo?¡± The Catastro-Orc rolled his eyes when he saw Raidorl suddenly jump down from the defence wall. Why did he bother to come down himself? Was this human here to be killed?¡¡Such confusion is clearly visible on the orc¡¯s face. Looking up from below at the face of the stick-faced demon, Raidorl snorts in mockery. ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t be stupid!¡± ¡°Buhiiiiiiiii!¡± Raidorl swings his sword sideways. The sword easily sliced through the thick muscles of the catastro-orc, and blood and viscera gushed out from its massive abdomen. ¡°Fugiiiiiiiiiiiiii!¡± Seeing his comrade¡¯s guts strewn about, a catastro-orc that is near to Raidorl became enraged. He swung a large log as a weapon and tried to smash it into the head of the person in front of him. ¡°Hmph!¡± The log struck the ground with a rock-shattering roar. The ground was shaken by the catastro-orc¡¯s powerful arm, scattering sand and dust particles all around. ¡°Buhoo?¡± As if by candlelight, the black-clad figures suddenly disappeared. ¡°Too late. I¡¯m getting bored here.¡± ¡°Gee¡­¡­!¡± In an instant, Raidorl came up behind him and drove his sword into the boar-beastman¡¯s neck. With a precise cut through the medulla oblongata, the hulking monster died easily. ¡°You¡¯re not even close to being ready for this.Keep coming at me!¡± ¡°Bohaaaaaaaahhh!!!¡± The remaining catastro-orc rushes towards Raidorl, who deliberately bends his fingertips and beckons to them. The young swordsman belligerently bares his fangs and holds his sword in the air as the orcs swarm towards him, as if they want to crush him with their huge bodies. ¡°Curse sword fighting method ¡¾Poison Dragon Tail N¨ªeh?ggr¡¿!¡± A black mist, as if kneaded by darkness and night, congeals on the iron sword in Raidorl¡¯s hand. Wrapped in a black miasma that seemed to contaminate even the core of his body just by touching it, Raidorl unleashed a full-body blow. ¡°Giaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± The miasma released from the sword becomes a black whirlwind, blowing away the catastrophe orcs that were gathering. Their huge body, which is estimated to weigh 500 kilos, flies into the air like it was nothing. ¡°A¡­¡­gu¡­¡­gaaahh¡­¡­!¡± However, they are demons that are regarded as a disaster class. Most of them are still breathing, although they were bleeding from all over their bodies from the whirlwind of slashing blows. The Catastro-Orcs looked up at Raidorl with intense anger as they fell to the ground and tried to raise their body with slow movements. Their fighting spirit has still not abated from their eyes. Raidorl whistled admiringly. ¡°Phew, you¡¯re pretty sturdy, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°Guuuuuhhh ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°But¡­¡­Can you stand up?¡± ¡°Gu¡­¡­?¡± One of the catastro-orc, which had been trying to raise its huge body while spurting blood from its entire body, suddenly became weak and collapsed. His eyes widened in shock, and he saw the image of his comrades, who had also fallen to the ground and was foaming, his body trembling slightly. ¡°My cursed sword doesn¡¯t end with these slices. It¡¯s only from here on out that it really comes into its own.¡± ¡°Bu¡­¡­h..i¡­¡­.?¡± The reddish-black skin of the catastro-orc, which had been hit by the black slash, turned purple. Blood erupted from its mouth, which had turned a poisonous purple. This was the effect of the curse poison in the slash. Originally, the orc race did not have strong magical resistance. The Catastro Orc, a mutant species, is no exception, and in front of Raidorl¡¯s cursed swordplay, they are easy prey. Now ¡­¡­ what about the rest?¡± Raydor licks his lips sarcastically and glares at the catastro-org, which has escaped a slashing blow. Only a few of them managed to escape from the curse poison, but their eyes were now filled with fear. Their companions had been cut to pieces in front of their eyes, and were now suffering in agony from an unknown poison. It was a natural reaction. The remaining catastro-org were backing away, looking for a chance to escape. ¡°Now, attack! Let¡¯s take these pigs down!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Oooooooo¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± However, they were unable to escape. The gates of the pioneer city of Raid were opened and the adventurers who had been holed up in the city rushed out. Leading them was the guildmaster Zafis. He raised his huge war axe and smashed it vigorously into the catastro-orc. Raidorl shrugged his shoulders as he saw Zafis, who was showing a fighting spirit unbefitting his age. ¡°Oi,oi,oi Guildmaster, you¡¯re pushing yourself too hard. Think about how old you are.¡± ¡°Bupiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!¡± On seeing enemy reinforcements, the catastro-orc turns its back and begins to flee. Normally, this would have been a scene of rejoicing as the shelled prey emerged from itself, but most of the orcs had fallen by the cursed slash. Their momentum had dropped to the bottom, and there was no way anyone would be able to stay and fight at this stage. For the Catastro Orc, this battle is about attacking and unilaterally plundering the frontier cities. They are not prepared to be killed themselves. There is a difference in morale between them and the adventurers who are fighting to protect their homeland and their place in the world. One after another, adventurers thrust their weapons at the fleeing catastro-orc. A series of desperate screams trickle into the frontier forest, and a huge body falls and shakes the ground. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Rewinding the time to 5 years ago. Raidorl Zain, the second prince of the Kingdom of Zain, was banished from the royal capital and sent to a frontier city in the south of the kingdom. Nominally, Raidorl was given the status of ¡®lord¡¯, but the eyes of the people of the pioneering city towards him were not very favourable. Half of the glances directed at the thirteen-year-old prince were pity for the young prince, who had to live in a harsh frontier. The other half was contemptuous disdain, clearly pregnant with killing intent. To begin with, the town, which at the time was a nameless frontier town, was not built with the aid of the Kingdom of Zain. It was built voluntarily by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, which made its living fighting demons, by recruiting volunteers. The fact that a lord has now been sent from the kingdom to such a frontier city is like having their hard-polished jewels snatched. It was not something that could be accepted. If it had not been a 13-year-old boy who became a lord, they might have planned to eliminate the lord by violent means, such as assassination. The adventurers who built the pioneering city did not hide their malice towards Raidorl, and the young prince was forced to live a life of needle in a haystack. Alienated by his older brother Prince Granard, abandoned by his trusted subjects and fianc¨¦e, he is exposed to the gaze of pity and malice in the outlying areas where he has drifted into exile. After such a hellish fall, Raidorl crawled on the ground, weeping until his tears dried up and scratched at the ground until his fingernails peeled off. But ¨C the young prince did not stop there. While experiencing the lowest point of his life, Raidorl chose to endure the suffering and crawl up from the depths of hell. ¡°Guildmaster, teach me how to fight demons!¡± With grief and despair in his heart, Raidorl stood up fiercely and on his two feet went to the guildmaster, Zafis Bartolomeo, and volunteered to be his apprentice. ¡°Heh,¡­¡­ I thought you were a lord in name only, but you¡¯ve got some guts, don¡¯t you? Interesting.¡± Zafis, whose face did not have as many wrinkles and grey hairs on his head then as it does now, was surprised by the young lord¡¯s behaviour, but gladly agreed and taught Raidorl how to fight as an adventurer. Originally, Zafis had some difficulty in dealing with the young prince who became his lord. Although he sympathises with the circumstances that led to him being sent to the frontier for unknown reasons, he is not amused that the royal family interferes more than necessary in the frontier cities. Nevertheless, it was also painful to see other adventurers harbour ill feelings towards the 13-year-old prince, so he felt he had to do something about it as soon as possible. For Zafis, Raidorl¡¯s suggestion was a no-brainer but he took the young lord to the guild¡¯s training grounds, where he dared to beat him in the eyes of other adventurers and teach him how to fight so that he could be trained from the core. Raidorl had originally learnt swordsmanship at the royal palace, but his potential was extremely high, as he had been chosen as the owner of the Holy Sword. Under the guidance of Zafis, his talent blossomed into a large flower. In addition, although the Holy Sword was taken away by Granard, the blessing of the D¨¢insleif dwells within him. At first he could not control its power without the shackles of the seal, but he gradually became able to use it to his advantage. Now eighteen years old, Raidorl has completely grasped the power of the curse by the blessing of the Holy Sword, and has developed his own style of combat technique called ¡ºNoroi ken t¨­h¨­¡», in which he fights by cloaking his sword in the miasma of the curse. His skills have already surpassed those of his master Zafis, and he is the best swordsman in the pioneering city. (Cursed sword fighting method) The feelings of the people living in the pioneering city, including the adventurers, towards Raidorl have also changed. People began to look at him with respect and trust, as he was always at the forefront of the fight when demons attacked the city. The name of the pioneer city of Raid was later given to the town. It was a sign of respect and affection for the young lord who was fighting for his life to protect the pioneer city. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Good grief,¡­¡­you¡¯re late, you almost cost my life!¡± ¡°Sorry about that. Sorry for keeping you waiting.¡± After fighting off the Catastro Orc, Raidorl was sitting opposite Zafis in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Tea and cakes for two are on the table. Raidorl and Zafis are the only two people present. The other adventurers were working on recovering the remains of the dead catastro-orc and repairing the fences and trap traps on the outer walls of the town. Catastro-orc are disaster-class demons that can easily destroy a town or two if they appear in packs as they did this time. Since they are powerful demons, their materials are highly valuable and all parts of their bodies are traded at high prices. Its skin can be used to make armour, while its bones can be melted down and mixed with iron to make a harder, sharper alloy. The entrails are used to make medicines, and although the meat is not for human consumption, it was said to make cattle and sheep grow bigger and stronger when mixed with livestock feed. Incidentally, the poison is gone from the Catastro Orc¡¯s dead body, as Raidorl¡¯s cursed sword only works on living opponents. There would be no problem in using it as material. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, can it? The one from Eidolus has been very persistent. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like money-grubbing aristocrats who are rotten to the guts.¡± Raidorl spits out a disgusted look and pours tea into his mouth in a resentful manner. The reason Raidorl was away from the frontier city at the beginning of the Catastro Orc raid was that he was visiting Count Eidolus, the lord of the neighbouring town. He was staying in the town of Idrus to discuss the ownership of a silver vein found on the boundary of his territory, but the greedy nobleman¡¯s persistent insistence on his rights delayed his return. Raidorl had returned to the town in a hurry after hearing of the catastro-org attack, which had led to a lacklustre discussion, and they had to make a number of concessions regarding mineral concessions. ¡°That was a tough one. But, well. Thank god, you¡¯re back.¡± Zafis picked up the teapot to thank Raidorl for his labour after he had finished his tea in one gulp. As he pours another cup, he switches the subject. ¡°That was a great fight you put up earlier. There is no one in the guild headquarters in the Empire who can fight like that. As a Mage Swordsman, you have no more rivals.¡± ¡°Heh..as a sword fighter, it sounds like you¡¯re saying that i¡¯m still not good?¡± ¡°Hmph, you¡¯d still be no match for me in a swordfight. I¡¯m not a guildmaster on the frontier for showmanship or drunkenness. Don¡¯t you dare to take me for a fool, young man!¡± When Zafis laughed, Raidorl showed a wry smile. As his sword master and guardian in the pioneering city, Zafis is still unable to raise his head. He is a royalty and a lord, so Radeor is superior to him in terms of position, but he can¡¯t help it because he is the one who took the place of his parents and picked him up after he was abandoned by his brother and his country. ¡°But you didn¡¯t get it, did you? It was more towards here, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Apparently so. Though Count Eidolus was adamant that he wouldn¡¯t accept it.¡± The silver ore was found on the border with Count Idrus¡¯s territory, but in the end, the rights were largely ceded to the other side by eight to two. The damage would not be small. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. If we hadn¡¯t conceded that much, they wouldn¡¯t have let me go home so easily.¡± Count Eidolus must have been more pleased than anyone else at the Catastro Orc raid. However royal the Raidorl may be, their influence in the southern part of the Kingdom of Zain is dominated by Eidorus, an old aristocrat. Even in an emergency, it is unacceptable for him to easily cut off the discussion and leave the table. It was unavoidable for them to concede their rights in order to break off the discussion. ¡°Sorry. Wish we could have defended it all by ourselves¡­¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This is my territory. This is my home. No matter what I put off, it¡¯s only natural that I should rush to defend it.¡± To Zafis, who apologetically lowered his eyebrows, Raidorl replied while raising his teacup. He takes a sip of tea and smiles mischievously like a boy. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m sure¡­..soon they will be crying foul, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Mm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°That place is part of the frontier. It¡¯s not a safe place.¡± ¡°Aa¡­¡­ that¡¯s what you mean.¡± Hearing Raidorl¡¯s reply, Zafis looks sympathetic. In Zafis¡¯ mind, the image of a greedy count suffering heavy losses from an unexpected attack from a demon flashed through his mind. A newly discovered vein of silver but the area is also a danger zone where many demons appear. Thanks to the regular thinning out of the demons by adventurers from the pioneer cities, this has not become a major problem at the moment. However, carving out such a danger zone and mining the veins will be more difficult than Count Eidolus anticipated. ¡°Let¡¯s pull the adventurers out of that area for a while. Let that greedy noble thin out the area.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡­how long can he hold out?¡± Raidorl shook his shoulders and laughed. As they both had predicted, Count Eidolus, which had begun to develop its silver mines, lost many workers and soldiers to repeated attacks by demons, and suffered enormous losses. It was one month later that the Count asked Raidorl to defeat the demons on the condition that he would transfer a large portion of the rights to the silver mines. Volume 1 - CH 3 Guests from the Royal Capital Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Mmm¡­. morning already¡­¡­?¡± Two months after the Catastro Orc attack, Raidorl woke up in his mansion in the frontier city. Frowning at the sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the curtains, Raidorl turns over in bed. Raidorl Zain, second prince of the Kingdom of Zain. As the lord of the development city of Raid, his life is anything but luxurious. The mansion in which Raidorl lives is too modest for a lord, being only slightly larger than a typical house in a frontier city. When Zafis came uninvited and with a bottle of liquor in his hand, it is difficult to find a place to put his master, who is sleeping soundly after a heavy drink. ¡°It¡¯s morning already, is it? Sleepy master.¡± ¡°Uootoo!¡± Suddenly, a woman¡¯s voice echoed in the room,Raidorl involuntarily raised his voice. He looks from side to side, looking for the owner of the voice, but no one is in the room except for him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­¡± Then, suddenly aware of the weight he felt on his body, he rolled up the duvet. There, as expected. The figure of a dark-haired girl was there, closely adhering to the upper-body naked Raidorl. ¡°Ah, good morning. Master.¡± ¡°Good morning ¡­..¡ª what are you doing?¡± ¡°I wanted to do a little morning service for you and¡­.. fuggyaa!¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Raidorl kicked the girl off the bed with the duvet. The girl rolled on the floor and struggled to drown under the duvet that was covering her body, but she eventually bounced off the duvet and emerged. ¡°Mooou! What are you doing all of a sudden!¡± A girl in a maid¡¯s outfit with glossy black hair flowing down her back emerged from the duvet. The girl¡¯s name was Neimilia. She is the only servant working in the mansion where Raidorl resides. Pale-skinned and with a young face, Neimilia had the appearance of an elaborate doll at first glance. Her black hair, like crow¡¯s feathers, and her golden eyes, shining like a full moon, are striking and attract the eyes of men. Her attractive look would have captivated many a man if she¡¯d just sat back and kept quiet,¡­¡­ but her employer, Raidorl, knew in his bones that it was only her appearance. ¡°What the hell are you ¡­¡­ doing?¡± ¡°Well I was going to do [¡®Nani¡¯]¡­¡­That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got to do now, is to make suck off master¡¯s with my mouth. ¡­¡­¡± (¥Ê¥Ë if you katakana it and Noun, means penis) ¡°I knew it, you don¡¯t have to say it, shut up!¡± As you can see, when she opens her mouth, all the innuendos come out without a care in the world. The vulgarities that emanate from the mouth of a girl as pretty as a flower have always annoyed Raidorl. AD Even so, in a pioneer city full of adventurers and ruffians, maids like her who do the household chores are extremely rare. Due to a certain situation she was facing, Raidorl was unable to kick her out and continued to employ her. Incidentally, Neimilia is the only person living in this house, which is supposed to be a lord¡¯s mansion, apart from him. Therefore, Neimilia is recognised as Raidorl¡¯s mistress by the people of the pioneer city, which is also a headache for him. (go,go Neimilia) ¡°Ugh, enough of this¡­¡­ I¡¯m gonna change, and you are going to get the hell out of here.¡± ¡°Of course, and I can help you. I¡¯ll take you by the hand, from good morning to good night. ¡­..Mefufu.¡± ¡°Just get out!¡± Raidorl frowned and chased the girl in the maid¡¯s uniform out of the room. A quick glance at the clock shows that the time is already ten o¡¯clock. It was a little late to call it a morning. Although Raidorl was a lord, financial and military affairs were left to the commercial and adventurers¡¯ guilds, which had been operating since before Raidorl became lord of the town. Raidorl¡¯s job is to follow up on their decisions. And the only thing he does is to stand on arrows and masks in negotiations with the outside nobility and leading merchants. As a result, his life was irregular and no one could fault him for sleeping until close to noon. ¡°Fuah¡­..so sleepy¡­¡­ How shall I spend my day?¡± Raidorl ponders as he changes his underwear. There was no particular lordly task, and he had no business to meet anyone. ¡®Should I go and thin out the demons in the frontier?¡¯ All of the frontier demons were an important source of funding for the frontier cities, as they were all rare materials. The more demons Raydor hunted, the more money would be available for the operation of the frontier city. ¡°Mefufu,Meifufu¡­¡­ master¡¯s fresh clothes. ¡­¡­ This is going to be a lot of work¡± ¡°¡­.. so what are you doing?¡± While Raidorl was getting dressed thinking about his plans for the day, his eyes met a gaze staring at him from behind the door. It was the erotic maid, as it should be, without daring to explain. Glaring back at the cat-like eyes staring at him through the door, Raidorl presses his forehead to stave off a headache. ¡°Aaa, I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just so¡­¡­ amazed by master¡¯s tasty muscles.¡± ¡°All right. I know what I¡¯m going to do today. I¡¯ll go to the hardware store today and buy a padlock. From today onwards you¡¯re not allowed in my room.¡± ¡°Eeeeeh! No, no, no,! I¡¯ve have business to be here!¡¡I didn¡¯t come here just to peek!¡± Neimilia argued in a panicked manner. Half-liddedly looking into her teary golden eyes, Raidorl gives a single click of his tongue. ¡°Then get on with your business. If it¡¯s not a big deal, I won¡¯t agree to it.¡± ¡°Muuu¡­¡­Master is a sadist¡­¡­! We have a visitor at the door now!¡¡It seems they have come from the Royal Capital to inquire about master.¡± ¡°From Royal Capital¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, from Royal Capital. They certainly said so.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­..¡± Raidorl¡¯s brows furrowed and his expression contorted as if he had eaten a poisonous herb. Since his banishment to the frontier, he has been absent from the royal capital affairs. No matter how many letters of explanation he sent out, no matter how much he asked for help from those he had befriended, he never received a reply. Raidorl finally decided he had no intention of getting involved again, but why would they come to visit him after all this time? ¡°¡­..Okay, I¡¯ll meet them. Keep them waiting in the parlour.¡± ¡°Okay, Master. Oh, should I contact Zafis-sama?¡± ¡°¡­..Yes. That would be better.¡± It is hard to imagine what business a emissary from Royal Capital would have, but there is no doubt that it would be a troublesome matter. Zafis, who is supposed to be Raidorl¡¯s guardian, would probably be able to smooth things out when the time comes. ¡®Are they trying to force me to do something nasty? Or is it, after all this time, that brother wants a reconciliation? Either way, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be a depressing matter.¡¯ Feeling a smouldering fire deep inside, Raidorl held his chest as if scratching it. Was it the fire of hatred towards those who betrayed him, or was it the fire of a fighting spirit that sensed the signs of battle that awaited him in the future? ¡°Mm-hmm, the master is motivated. And down there, too, you¡¯ve become so energetic¡­..¡± ¡°Just get on with it!¡± Raidorl shouted at the maid, who was drooling at the entrance to the room, and covered his skin with his jacket. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Having changed into his formal clothes to meet a guest from the royal capital, Raidorl headed for the parlour with Neimilia in tow. Although it was called a parlour, it was a small house that was rarely visited by guests. The living room had been hastily tidied up and made up as a parlour. As soon as Raidorl opened the door, the guests who had already entered the room bowed their heads and gave him dusty greetings ¡°It has been a long time. His Majesty¡¯s brother, Raidorl Zain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­.¡± Raidorl froze in his stance as he stepped into the room and his eyes widened to the limit. He had thought of several familiar faces when he heard that the guest was from Royal Capital, but what he found there was someone he had not expected. Inside the room, a woman in a clean-looking light blue dress stood without sitting on a chair. Her long purplish hair cascading down her back. She had long, slender arms and legs, and a sculpted, beautiful face with a well-defined nose. Her calm and gentle expression still retains traces from her childhood. Even if Raidorl wanted to forget, he could never forget, her name is Mertina Marcell. The only daughter of Lockwood Marcell, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Zain, she was his childhood friend. ¡°¡­.. I didn¡¯t expect you to come. How could a daughter of the Prime Minister come all the way to the countryside?¡± Reuniting with the woman who would have been his wife if he had not been chosen by the Holy Sword, and who had so easily abandoned him when he was banished to the frontier, Raidorl¡¯s voice naturally turned grim. He exhales heavily to calm his rising emotions, while desperately holding back his right hand from reaching for the sword he has placed at his waist, just in case. ¡°¡­..I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re breathing well, My childhood friend.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you call me ¡®Tina¡¯ like you used to, Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­..What on earth brings you all the way from the royal capital to this remote region?¡± Ignoring his childhood friend¡¯s words, he sat down on the sofa, and Raidorl scooted over with his chin and invited Meltina to sit down as well. ¡°Your Highness¡­..¡± Mertina lets out a short sigh and sits down on the sofa opposite. Behind her are two knights who appear to be her bodyguards. Both knights are dressed in high-end white armour and have ornate swords at their waists. In contrast, behind Raidorl, there is only one maid. Not even one of the guards is besides him. It is difficult to tell which of them is royalty. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± Mertina¡¯s gaze turns to Neimilia, who is standing behind Raidorl, and her eyes narrow slightly. Perhaps she is suspicious that a mere servant is present at a conversation between a royal and a duchess. However, Raidorl also does not encourage his maid to leave the room. No matter how offended Mertina is, it is something that Raidorl did not feel like a pain or an itch. ¡®I¡¯ve changed ¡­¡­ and so has this woman¡¯ Raidorl looks at Mertina sitting on the sofa and murmurs to himself. After five years on the frontier, Raidorl, once a mere child, has grown into a first-class swordsman. However, it seems that he was not the only one who grew up. Mertina, too, has changed so much over the past five years that she is no longer the same. Her face, which had originally been that of a lovely, gentle pretty girl, has completely transformed into that of a grown-up adult woman. Her high nose, full lips and large almond-shaped eyes were surprisingly attractive. Her body from the neck down has also changed to that of an adult woman, especially the two fruits on her chest, which are so rich that they are raw and spiteful. ¡®Aaa, damn it!¡¡How the hell did you turn out to be such a good woman!¡¯ Raidorl chewed on his back teeth and swore heartily. The woman who once abandoned him has grown into a ridiculously attractive woman. That was frustrating to me. The fact that he had aroused even the slightest lust for a woman he should have hated with all his heart even seemed like an indelible stain on his life. ¡°¡­..We¡¯ve both changed.¡± ¡°Yes, five years is a surprisingly long time.¡± Raidorl mumbled in a terse tone, careful not to let his frustration go unnoticed. Mertina also responds in an emotionless voice. The two childhood friends looked at each other silently for a while, and then Meltina spoke first. ¡°I am truly sorry for my unexpected visit.¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­I haven¡¯t heard from you in five years, it¡¯s quite a sudden visit.¡± ¡°My father will make a formal apology for that at a later date. Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°¡­.. I was wondering earlier, what did say before calling my name. Since when did I become the King¡¯s Brother?¡± Raidorl asks, dimly sensing the answer. Mertina¡¯s eyes were downcast for a moment, then she quickly looked up and answered. ¡°The other day,The First King¡­¡­His Highness Raidorl¡¯s father passed away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.I see.¡± ¡°His Majesty Granard is now on the throne as the new King. With this, His Highness Prince Raidorl has been made into a royal brother instead of a prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± At the half-expected answer, Raidorl casts down his eyes. His father, the king, was still a young man in his fifties, but he was seriously ill at the time of Raidorl¡¯s exile. In which, he had survived for five years. The queen, who gave birth to two princes, died when Raidorl was very young. This left his only blood relative was his older brother, who had banished him to the frontier. Raidorl closes his eyes for a few seconds and prays for the repose of his father¡¯s soul, whom he never saw again after he was banished to the frontier. The young prince¡¯s banishment was decided by his older brother, who was acting king, and his entourage. His father was not involved in it and there is no enmity or feud between Raidorl and his father. Although Raidorl didn¡¯t shed any tears in front of Mertina, he felt as if he¡¯d stuffed stones into his gut. ¡°¡­.. Well, thank you for your report. But you didn¡¯t come all the way here to tell me about my father¡¯s death, did you? Now get on with it.¡± After a short silent prayer, Raidorl asks again what she wants. Raidorl¡¯s father has passed away and his older brother has ascended the throne as the new king. That must be a major national event, but it is unlikely that the people of Royal Capital, who have not heard from him for five years, will bother to come and tell him. The main issue must be something else. ¡°Then ¡­¡­ I give His Royal Highness the King and Brothe to Raidorl Zain, this is an imperial command from His Majesty the new King Granard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°That my brother Raidorl Zain will cease to be lord of the frontier city immediately and return to the royal capital¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What..?¡± Raidorl squints and asks back in a slightly irritated tone. Mertina stares back at him without flinching in the face of his sword-swallowing gaze. Her glassy, emotionless eyes make Raidorl¡¯s gaze even steeper. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡¡I hope you¡¯re willing to explain what¡¯s going on.¡± In a chilling voice, Raidorl asked. The person in front of Mertina is not the kind and gentle childhood friend she once had. It is a man who has been fighting demons in a frontier city for many years.His killing intent was sharp that it stung her skin. In fact, Mertina¡¯s bodyguards, who are supposed to be accustomed to killing atmosphere, are shivering and pulling their faces, but nevertheless they are on high alert, ready to move at any moment to fulfil their duty of guarding her. ¡°Of course. I would very much like His Highness to hear it.¡± However, there is no fear on Mertina¡¯s face, even though she is facing the killing intent head-on. She looks back at Raidorl with a resolute expression on her face while smiling. ¡®Heh ¡­¡­ She¡¯s still the same woman, ain¡¯t she? I don¡¯t think I ever understood her at all.¡¯ Mertina, whose expression did not change, reaffirmed Raidorl¡¯s assessment of her. It was the same five years ago, but she is still a formidable woman. Looking back, Mertina is the girl who once sent Raidorl off to exile without changing a single expression. Even five years ago, it was impossible to read her mind. Now that she has grown up, it would be even more difficult. Raidorl took a deep breath, suppressed his simmering emotions and urged the conversation to continue with his eyes. Mertina nodded and opened her mouth. ¡°At the moment, our country is facing a great crisis¡­¡­ Your Highness, have you heard about the Arslanian Empire in the East?¡± ¡°How could I not know? They are the central continental hegemon, the world¡¯s greatest power.¡± ¡°Yes,and that empire has declared war on the Kingdom of Zain. War has already been waged in the eastern border region for two months.¡± ¡°Haa!?¡± Raidorl unexpectedly makes a bare voice. This is because what came out of Mertina¡¯s mouth was unexpected information. The Arslanian Empire, which occupies most of the central part of the continent, is a large country that boasts more than ten times the size and power of the Kingdom of Zain. The Empire has set the unification of the continent by force as a guiding principle for its state, and had several conflicts with the Kingdom of Zain in the past. However, because the Arslanian Empire is a large country with enemies on all sides, it could not send enough troops to destroy the Zain Kingdom, and most battles would have ended in skirmishes. ¡°It¡¯s probably just the usual showing off their military might this time anyway. Isn¡¯t it overblown to call something of that magnitude a national crisis?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it seems that this time they seriously intend to destroy our country, since ¡­¡­ they seem to have a ¡ºHoly Sword: Excalibur Holder¡» as an enemy.¡±¡± ¡°Holy Sword: Excalibur Holder¡­¡­!?¡± The unheard word made Raidorl surprised. The Holy Sword ¨C the thing that turned the young prince¡¯s life fundamentally upside down. The Holy Sword is a sacred tool said to have been given to man by God in mythical times, and according to tradition, there were twelve of them on earth. One of them was the D¨¢insleif, which was owned by the Kingdom of Zain and for which Raidorl was chosen as its owner. While Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, Mertina continued her explanation in a calm tone. ¡°The Arslanian Empire owns three Holy Swords. And as of now, we have received information that the holders of all three have appeared.¡± ¡°All three?! That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± A holy sword is not something that anyone can use. Only those selected by divine will or by fate are allowed to possess it. It was not unusual for the holder to be absent for more than a hundred years, just as the first king of the Kingdom of Zain was the last to use the D¨¢insleif. Now,there are three in one era. Including Raydor, it means that four have appeared. ¡®I¡¯m starting to read the story¡­¡­. Shit! How far you can go with your selfishness¡­¡­!¡¯ Raidorl covers his face with his right hand, his shoulders shaking with rage. The rest of Mertina¡¯s words were predictable. It is so selfish that it can only be seen as a mockery of Raidorl. ¡°Your Royal Highness Raidorl Zain. Please return to the Royal Capital, take the D¨¢insleif in your hand and defeat the Empire¡¯s Holy Sword to save your kingdom.¡± In response to the expected words, Raidorl slams his fist fist down on the table with all his might. The simple wooden table broke in half. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! Stop making false assumptions about people!¡± It was an angry cry released from the depths of his soul. The reason Raidorl was banished to the frontier was that he had been chosen as the holder of the holy sword D¨¢insleif. And yet, the person who banished him is now asking him to return because he needs the power of the Holy Sword. This self-serving argument was not something he could suppress his emotions. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing with people¡¯s lives?! You think I¡¯m your convenient toy?!¡¯ ¡°Your Highness! Please calm down!¡± Mertina¡¯s guards rush to stop Raidorl, who is reaching for the hilt of his sword. However, a fist strike, fired with blinding speed at the knight who came forward to hold Raidorl, pierced his throat. ¡°Guguet!!?¡± ¡°Stay there!¡­or you will be cut to death!¡± ¡°Hic¡­¡­!¡± Two knights escorting Mertina, one of whom was struck in the throat and fell on his back. The other was struck with a bare, violent killing intent and stood frozen, cowering. The escorting knights are well trained and are not weak. Even so, the current Raidorl, who has gained so much real combat experience in the frontier, can slaughter them with his bare hands. Even more so if it is Mertina, the daughter of a noblewoman. He should be able to grab her by her thin neck with one hand and snatch her life as if he was strangling a chicken. After confirming that the two guards had fallen silent, Raidorl glared at Mertina, who was still sitting in her chair. ¡°Mertina ¡­¡­ Answer with all your heart. Are you asking me to fight?¡¡Are you asking me to risk my life to fight for you people who drove me out of Royal Capital?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡­please calm your heart. This is for your own good as well.¡± ¡°Hou ¡­..explain it to me.While, I can still contain myself.¡± As she received the most post-gratuitous words, Mertina¡¯s eyes looked back at her angry childhood friend without blinking. Raidorl¡¯s head cools slightly as his lips tighten in determination. ¡°His Majesty the King has said that he will fulfil any wish if his young brother Raidorl Zain will stand on the battlefield as the Holy Sword Holder. Not only would he regain his royal status, but he would also be able to acquire a more favourable territory that is not in such a remote area.¡± ¡°Ha, that will no longer work!¡± Five years ago, this would have been a proposal that would have been tempting, but unfortunately it has no appeal to the current Raidorl. He had already made a new home in a frontier city and had no desire to return to the royal capital. And it would be unthinkable for him to be transferred to another territory. ¡°If that¡¯s all you have to say, I wish you¡¯d go home. You¡¯ve grown very high and mighty, insulting someone¡¯s territory!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to insult you,¡­..Your Highness, are you sure you can¡¯t come back to the Royal Capital?¡± ¡°If you want me to spare your life, you¡¯d better get out of here while I still have reason!¡± ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ then I have no choice.¡± Mertina¡¯s eyes go down and she sighs as if she has given up. Raidorl sniffs and tries to open the door to ask her to leave, but his eyes peel back when he sees what looks like a jewel that Mertina has taken out of somewhere. ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°I do not wish to do this, but I must take Your Highness ¡­¡­ into custody.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Mertina is clutching a red jewel. It was a magic item that could trap any magic in advance and activate it at different times. The red pearl shatters into pieces in Mertina¡¯s hand and chains shoot out from inside the jewel like a snake poking a burrow, wrapping around Raidorl¡¯s body and tying him up. ¡°Master!!!¡± Neimilia let out a high-pitched scream and rushed to Raidorl, who was tied up and on his knees. With the maid supporting him on her shoulders, Raidorl looks up at Mertina hatefully. ¡°You ¡­¡­! This was your plan all along, Mertina!¡± The black chains tighten around Raidorl as if a snake were crushing its prey. Biting his back teeth against the binding magic that binds his limbs, Raidorl asks in a tone of fury. ¡°¡¯I wouldn¡¯t want to do this if I could. That¡¯s not a lie, though¡± When she was questioned, Mertina tilted her thin head with an annoyed expression on her face. ¡°Nevertheless, I am the daughter of the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell. I am obliged to get my hands dirty for the sake of this country and give up everything if necessary. I would be grateful if Your Highness would understand this¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The daughter of the Prime Minister¡­¡­.Oh, yes, you are. That¡¯s why you abandoned me five years ago too¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°That happened, hasn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a long time ago. Anyway, it¡¯s all for the future of the Kingdom of Zain. His Royal King and the younger brother Raidorl will continue to accompany us.¡± Mertina raises her right hand and the knight escort steps forward. One of the knights has been knocked comatose by Raidorl, but another knight remains. No matter how strong Raidorl is, having survived in the harsh frontier, there is no way he can win with his limbs bound. ¡°You force me to go to the royal capital, do you think I¡¯m going to fight for you?¡± ¡°In the worst case scenario, we will force you to fight for us, even if we have to use servitude magic.¡± ¡°Slave magics, how far you¡­¡­will go!¡± Enslavement magic is a type of magic that forces the use of others by placing fetters on their souls. It is normally only used against some people, such as sinners and prisoners of war, and should not be used against people who have committed no crime¡­¡­, much less royalty. ¡°I ask this as a former childhood friend and as a former fianc¨¦e. Please be calm and quiet.¡± Mertina¡¯s words sounded sincere if Raidorl only listened to the tone of her voice. But there was no way Raidorl would follow them. This is the second time that his childhood friend has betrayed him. ¡°You can¡¯t convince me that you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e now!¡¡I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not going to give in to you people ever again!¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do about it? How do you resist while tied up?¡¡Or would you like your servants to help you?¡± Mertina¡¯s tone is dismissive, as if she were dealing with a child who doesn¡¯t listen. ¡°Ha, there¡¯s a way! Don¡¯t underestimate my maid, okay?¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Mertina looked at him with a puzzled look on her face and blinked her eyes Raidorl smirked at her stunned childhood friend and ordered the maid who was standing close to him. ¡°Neimilia, don¡¯t be shy. Give the rude guest some senses in them!¡± ¡°Yes, master!¡¡My guests, I will not tolerate any wolverine attacks on my master!¡± Neimilia stands in front of the knight as he tries to take Raidorl away. Neimilia held out her arms to form a protective wall around Raidorl, glaring straight at the knight, who was more than a head taller than she was. The knight frowns suspiciously at Neimilia, who is not even an escort, but a clear non-combatant. ¡°You¡¯re a very pretty escort. The first time I saw you, I¡¯m impressed with you. Musume-san.¡± ¡°I will not retreat! I will protect my master!¡± ¡°Ha, as a knight I wouldn¡¯t want my unarmed woman to get hurt. ¡­¡­¡± The knight exhaled languidly and reached for Neimilia¡¯s shoulder, where she stood. The woman¡¯s thin body could easily be pushed aside by a knight who makes his living fighting. But then something unexpected happened, both for the knight and for Mertina. ¡°I will not allow Master to be touched. That¡¯s what he ordered!¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­!¡± The next moment, a torrent of magical power erupted from Neimilia¡¯s body like a storm. At the same time, the jet-black hair flowing down her back flailed like a living creature, and her eyes shone golden like the full moon in the night sky. It was like a mythical goddess, majestic and terrifying, and so beautiful that it sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Only Neimilia can bind and whip Master! You, a fat titted woman, I don¡¯t remember giving you permission!¡± ¡°Aaagh!¡± Neimilia holds up her hand along with her innuendo words. Instantly, the magic that gushed out with a violent force physically splashed the knight and slammed him into the wall of the mansion. The simple wall could not even catch the man¡¯s body, and it was easily broken through, and the knight rolled around on the ground outside. Neimilia puffed out her chest in pride at the sight of the knight, who had fallen down and stopped moving. ¡°Hmph,¡­¡­ this level of bondage play with the master is disgusting!¡¡At least know some fashion about bondage!¡± ¡°Just no, what are you even talking about ¡­¡­¡± Neimilia points a finger at Mertina. Raidorl gave the dependable but erotic maid a bitter look. Meanwhile, Mertina was witnessing such a dumb exchange, she stiffened by Neimilia¡¯s golden eyes. ¡°Golden eyes like the moon shining in the night sky¡­. No way, how could the ¡ºWitches Of Doom¡» be in a place like this!¡± Her face, which had always maintained a calm demeanour, twisted into shock at the sight of Neimilia, who had revealed her true nature. The ¡ºSix Witches Of Doom¡» were regarded as divine enemies in the teachings of the Church. A great earthquake struck the empire a hundred years ago. An epidemic that spread across the eastern part of the continent 200 years ago. The ¡ºGreat Calamity¡» that destroyed many countries and wiped out many civilisations 300 years ago. Witches are believed to be behind various other historical disasters, and ¡ºSix Witches Of Doom¡» are the subject of horror in children¡¯s bedtime stories. ¡°¡¯Master, are you safe?¡¡You haven¡¯t been hurt yet, have you?¡± Neimilia, who has incapacitated the knight, touches the chains binding Raidorl and mumbles an incantations. Then, like wet paper in water, the black chains shattered into a thousand pieces, dissolved into the air like a haze and disappeared. ¡°¡­Aaa, no problem. Thanks for the help.¡± ¡°Mefufufu, as a maid I did what was natural. Master can leave the care to me, top to bottom, perfectly!¡± ¡°When you say it like that, it sounds like you¡¯re implying something¡­¡­ No, nevermind it.¡± After being released, Raidorl looks at the unexplained Neimilia¡¯s many outlandish words and actions, but he honestly thank her for her help. He lightly moves the joints of his limbs to check that there are no problems, and turns to Mertina once again. ¡°Now¡­¡­, even if I am royalty, you tried to restrain me with a curse, and you failed to do so. You know what you¡¯re about to get yourself into, Mertina.¡± ¡°¡­.. I didn¡¯t expect His Royal Highness the King¡¯s Brother to have a legendary witch on his side. I guess I¡¯ve lost this one.¡± Mertina¡¯s shoulders slump in resignation. Raidorl gives his childhood friend, who has a mysterious attitude without a single excuse, a choking look. ¡°Let me ask you something. Was it my brother ¡­¡­ Granard who restrained me with a curse and ordered me to be forcibly taken to the Royal Capital?¡± ¡°No.¡± Meltina closed her eyes and answered immediately without pause. ¡°This is my own decision. Neither His Majesty nor my father had anything to do with it. It is all my fault for being too hasty. Please judge me as Your Highness wishes.¡± ¡°I know Mertina. Deep down, that¡¯s a lie. But¡­.. I¡¯ll leave it at that.¡± Raidorl drew the sword at his waist and swung it sideways. A dull silver blade is moved towards Mertina¡¯s neck. ¡°Fu!¡± An inevitable death that looms before her. Mertina accepts it without resistance, with her eyes downcast. ¡°¡­.. hmph, what a boring reaction.¡± A slash is approaching Mertina¡¯s head but just before it does, the sword stops. A single skin of Mertina¡¯s neck is cut open and a single line of blood flows down. Mertina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, as if she didn¡¯t expect it to stop. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡­Why did you stop it?¡¯ ¡°Make no mistake. This is not about childhood friendships.¡± Raidorl says as he sheathed his sword. It¡¯s easy to kill Mertina here. It will be a great pleasure to kill Mertina, who once betrayed him and committed another outrage. ¡®But I don¡¯t like ¡­..¡¯ There was not the slightest hint of fear on Mertina¡¯s face as she was about to be cut to death. It was as if she had expected that to happen from the very beginning, and seeing her expression, Raidorl had completely lost the will to kill. He walked up to the knight stretched out on the floor and stomped on his belly as hard as he could. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Come on, get up.¡± ¡°you¡­.. Your Royal Highness!¡± Looking down at the knight, who finally wakes up and raises his upper body, Raidorl coldly pronounces. ¡°Listen. Mertina Marcell here has unleashed a curse against me, a royal, and tried to capture me by force. For that crime of impiety, I will have her bound here and now!¡± ¡®Well, that¡¯s ¡­¡­¡¯ The knight looks confusedly at Mertina, who is behind Raidorl. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Mertina nods silently and makes eye contact to inform them that their ruse has failed. ¡°Yes, sir, I understand. So, what am I¡­¡­¡± ¡°We will take custody of Mertina and you should report this to your superiors. Now, take him and get the fuck out of here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, sir.¡± The knight man nodded with a bitter expression as Raidorl pointed to the knight lying outside. To the knight, Raidorl sniffed, ¡®humph¡¯, and threw in some more words. ¡°And one more thing. I will agree to participate in the war against the Arslanian Empire. As soon as I am ready, I will be on my way to the royal capital, so be sure to let them know that as well!¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Eh?¡­..?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The knight and Mertina roll their eyes together. Even Neimilia, who is supposed to be on Raidorl¡¯s side, is puzzled. ¡°Kukku¡­¡­!¡± At the startled stares of the three, Raidorl grinned like a bad boy who had come up with a naughty prank. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The two knights were kicked out from the frontier city after locking the bound Mertina in a room Raidorl use for a storeroom. Fortunately, the knights did not suffer life-threatening injuries and did not require further treatment once they were given a bottle of recovery medicine. The knights were subjected to a simple memory operation by Neimilia, which erased the memory of Raidorl having one of the ¡ºWitches Of Doom¡» as a maid. Neimilia¡¯s power is something that the Kingdom of Zain does not grasp and could be a trump card. There was no advantage in it being known to those on the king¡¯s side at the moment. ¡°I see, so that happened before I came.¡± ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t think that would have happened if you, the slow-witted old man, had arrived earlier.¡± After the discussion about Mertina, Raidorl spat sarcastic venom at Zafis Bartolomeo, who finally arrived at the right moment to remove the knight. After receiving a scathing remark from his prot¨¦g¨¦, Zafis hung up his eyes and retorted. ¡°I can¡¯t help it! We¡¯re busy over here, unlike you, the decorative lord!¡¯ With a rough hand, Zafis picked up the wooden cup in front of him and gulped down the liquid inside. Then, ¡°Boo-hoo!¡± and spits half of it out on the floor. ¡°Bitter! What the hell is this?¡± ¡°Pardon me. It seems I used the wrong amount of tea leaves.¡± Neimilia said with a smile and mopped up the rather thick tea that Zafis had sprinkled all over the place. Zafis fearfully calls out to the maid, who sweeps the floor with a nonchalant look on her face. ¡°Ah ¡­¡­ are you mad at me by any chance?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m not angry at you for missing from master¡¯s crisis or for calling him an ornament! ¡°Ugu¡­¡­¡± Neimilia¡¯s expression may show a gentle smile, but a demonic anger is hidden behind it. Zafis¡¯s face was drawn into a shudder, and continue to he coughed. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re all right. Be that as it may, how could you agree to return to Royal Capital?¡± ¡°That was on my mind too! Is master a masochist who goes out of his way to comply with the demands of those who drove him out of his home?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a masochist! I¡¯ve got my own ideas!¡± Raidorl resentfully retorts. ¡°Think about it, whatever the Palace¡¯s intentions, we can¡¯t just leave the Arslanian Empire alone, can we?¡¡If the Empire destroys the Kingdom of Zain, they will naturally eradicate the royal people. I can¡¯t be a part of that.¡± He might be able to explain to his brother king that he was treated coldly by him and ask for a pardon, but there is no guarantee that this would be accepted by the empire. From the perspective of the Empire, there is no merit in keeping alive the royalty of an enemy country that it has destroyed. It is far more likely that they will be disposed of in order to cut off any lingering worries. Raidorl would be beheaded or burnt at the stake,either way it won¡¯t end happily. ¡°And this is a great opportunity. In times of war, Granada will have no choice but to concede to my demand, and I can even extract aid for the town.¡± Pioneer cities serve to prevent the influx of demons from the dense forests to the south of the Kingdom of Zain. Despite this, the town is run by money from the sale of demon materials and assistance from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, and no aid money was ever given by the royal court. ¡°¡­. Is that really all there is?¡¡You¡¯re not going to take revenge on your brother, are you?¡± Zafis raises his eyebrows and asks. Knowing Raidorl when he was sent to the frontier, Zafis was well aware of how devastated and hurt the young prince had been by the betrayal from those he had trusted. He suspects that he intends to use the war as an opportunity to return to the Royal Capital and take revenge on his brother King. ¡°Revenge, or ¡­¡­¡± At the question of the man who was his sword master, Raidorl turned his faraway gaze out of the window. He has always hated his brother Granard, who betrayed him. He also resented his close associates, Lockwood Marcell and Bazel Garst. He even hated the Kingdom of Zain, which has kept its peace by relegating him to the frontier and treating him coldly. ¡°But ¡­¡­ that¡¯s not what it¡¯s about.¡± Nevertheless, Raidorl had no intention of taking revenge, by oath. If Granard had left him alone, he was fine with a lifetime of fighting demons on the frontier. The frontier cities were full of danger and chaos, but there was a pure truth that the strong survived, which suited Raidorl¡¯s skin. ¡°I would have been fine if my brother, Granard, had stayed out of my life. But if he still wants to take it from me at this stage, I¡¯ll have to fight. I won¡¯t let them look down on me again.¡± ¡°¡­.. I see. Then I ain¡¯t got nothing to say to you.¡± ¡°I would stand beside with Master until the end of our nirvana!¡± Hearing Raidorl¡¯s determination, Zafis nodded. Neimilia also pinched the edge of her skirt and bowed her head with a smiling expression. ¡°This is a fight for my pride!¡¡What is taken from me, I will take it back. I will show no mercy to those who took it from me!¡¡The empire and my shitty older brother, I¡¯m going to crush them both together!¡± With a determination like a burning flame, Raidorl stared out of the window at the northern sky. Far beyond the sky ¨C in the royal palace of the Kingdom of Zain, a dead holy sword chirped with a high-pitched sound as if calling out to its master. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Meanwhile, at the time. The regional city of Sardelia is located straight ahead in a northern direction from the pioneer city of Raid. A battalion sent from the royal capital is stationed in the town, which is a logistics centre in the southern part of the Kingdom of Zain. The commander of the battalion, who rented a room in the lord¡¯s mansion, was listening to the report of a knight who had returned from the frontier city in the drawing room, which serves as an improvised command centre. ¡°I see, such things happen in the frontier city ¡­..¡± After the knight¡¯s report, the man in command of the battalion sighed deeply. The commander sits in his chair, legs crossed, and pokes his forehead, which is wrinkled in distress, with his index finger. The returning knight hurriedly bowed to his superior, who looked as if he was enduring a headache. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry!¡¡We could not protect, Lady Mertina! This responsibility is ¡­!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s all right. It¡¯s within our expectations that she won¡¯t come back.¡± The commander uses a polite tone of voice, which is not something one would expect to address a civilian knight. The failure to fulfil the task of escorting, the failure to bring Raidorl to this place. There was no rebuke for either of these failures, and the commander¡¯s tone of voice was so calm that it felt unnatural. ¡°Ha¡­..?¡± ¡°You can step back now. Thank you for your hard work. Have a good rest and get rid of your fatigue.¡± ¡°Ha, ha?¡± The commander chuckled and urged the two knights to leave. The knights tilted their heads at their superior¡¯s words. However, there was no way they could complain about the lack of punishment, so they obeyed the order and left the command centre in an orderly and mature manner. The commander crossed his arms with a sombre look on his face as he watched the two knights leave the room and their footsteps fade away. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect His Highness agreed to fight the Empire ¡­¡­this is unexpected.¡± ¡°If His Royal Highness, Raidorl Zain is willing to come back on his own volition, then there is nothing wrong with that, is there? Darren-sama.¡± The commander, whose expression darkened, was approached by his second-in-command, a female knight, in a concerned tone. The name of the commander, who is pondering in agony, is Darren Garst. He is the son of General Bazel Garst, one of the people who once expelled Raidorl from the royal capital, and is a commander belonging to the Royal Army. He bore no resemblance to his father, who had a face as rugged as a rock, but has a beautiful, well-groomed appearance of a stage actor. With soft golden hair and blue eyes, he looks more like a nobleman than a warrior as he sits with his legs crossed. If he were not wearing his armour, the uniform of the knighthood, it would not even be apparent to the onlooker that he was a knight. In fact, the female second-in-command sighs as if entranced by Darren¡¯s troubled look. Although Darren was still young at the age of twenty-five, his position as a commander was in no way due to his family background or his father¡¯s connections. It is because Darren¡¯s bravery and command ability are exceptional and he is an indispensable force in the Kingdom¡¯s army. Currently, Daren and 1,000 soldiers under his command are stationed in this town. The purpose of one battalion gathering in the town despite the war with the Empire is to capture and forcibly take Raidorl if he refuses to return to the Royal Capital. ¡°True¡­¡­, I suppose I should be relieved¡­¡­.¡± Darren mumbles in a polite tone that does not befit his position, his brows furrowed in thought. His second-in-command, the female knight Saara Leifet, covers her mouth with her hand in annoyance, not understanding why Darren is so distressed. Saara was tall for a woman and had short brown hair. Wearing women¡¯s armour, her appearance is reminiscent of a ¡ºbeauty in men¡¯s clothing¡», and she gives others the impression of being ¡ºgood-looking¡»rather than ¡ºpretty¡¯ or beautifu¡». Her serious face is cool, but her gaze on Darren is passionate, and in her steeple-coloured eyes there is a hint of infatuation that transcends the boss-subordinate relationship. Darren, the commander, does not notice the passionate gaze of his second-in-command, but sinks deeper into the sea of thoughts. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect His Highness to agree to join the war ¡­¡­,but what was his intention in detaining Mistress Mertina, who had committed a wolf crime, and returning only the knight ¡­¡­?¡¯ King Granard, by royal order, sent an emissary to his brother Raidorl to return to the Royal Capital. In reality, however, he did not expect Raidorl to agree to return at all. Neither Granard, the king, nor Lockwood, his prime minister, were so flowery as to think that the exiled prince did not hold a grudge against them. They chose Mertina as their emissary not because they thought that she, as a childhood friend, would be able to persuade him, but rather to stir up Raidorl¡¯s anger. First, send Meltina as an emissary, and if she can persuade Raidorl, that¡¯s all that matters. If persuasion fails, the ¡ºbinding curse¡» woven by more than a dozen court magicians will be activated to capture Raidorl. If the restraint by the curse failed, Darren is going to lead an army to besiege the frontier city and detain Raidorl according to the charge of ¡ºmurdering the vizier¡¯s daughter¡». In other words, both persuasion and restraint by Mertina were premised on failure. It was a ploy to provoke Raidorl¡¯s anger and have him charged with the murder of the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter. ¡®No matter how much His Majesty the King¡¯s orders, it takes a great deal of righteousness to detain a royal who has not committed a crime. That is why Ladt Meltina was chosen as a sacrifice. ¡­..¡¯ Fearfully, it was Lockwood, Mertina¡¯s father, who devised the plot. If the binding by curse succeeds, Mertina will be punished for single-handedly casting a curse on the royal family; if it fails, she will be murdered by Raidorl and used as a banner to capture her ex-fiancee. Lockwood¡¯s cold-heartedness in blaming even his own daughter for the sacrifice for his country had left Darren with a chilling physical sensation. However, when it was over, Raidorl had agreed to return to the Royal Capital, and Mertina was captured without being killed. The result was different from the development that had been anticipated beforehand. ¡°Well, it seems that¡­¡­Lady Mertina didn¡¯t get killed either, so let¡¯s be happy with the outcome for now, shall we? And I didn¡¯t have to point my spear at His Highness Raidorl, the royal family.¡± Darren shook his excellent-looking face to the side. Although it was an unexpected turn of events, it was not a bad one, if he only looked at the final outcome. It is unfortunate that Mertina was captured, but it is far better than being killed as planned. Depending on the Prime Minister¡¯s negotiations, it should be possible to rescue her alive. Although Raidorl¡¯s intentions are worrying, Darren¡¯s mission is only to bring the younger brother of the Holy Sword Holder to the royal capital. It is left to the King and the Prime Minister to find out his inner thoughts. To begin with, although Darren had been ordered to capture Raidorl, he was by no means hostile or malicious towards the poor prince who had been banished to the frontier. On the contrary, he even feels sympathy for him, who is forced to be unreasonable for the convenience of his country. He was willing to cross swords for the king¡¯s and the country¡¯s sake, but he was still happy if he did not have to fight. ¡°¡­¡­ Shall we then prepare to pick up His Royal Highness Raidorl? Before His Highness changes his mind.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We will be ready to leave immediately!¡± Saara breathed a sigh of relief at her superior, whose expression brightened, and walked out of the control room with a willowy gait. As he watched her back, Darren held his chest with his hand to suppress the unexplainable anxiety that had sprung up in his heart. Volume 1 - CH 4 Witches of Doom Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°¡ºNo one loves a fearless, horrid witch like you. I have never loved you.¡»¡± ¡°Hiuuh¡­¡­!¡± A cold voice rang in her head. At the blade of words that tore at her, Neimilia jumped up with the force of a spring-loaded mechanism. The deepest darkness surrounds her. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in a familiar room. It is a room given to her, a maid, in the house of Raidorl in the pioneer city of Raid. Apparently, she was asleep in bed. Neimilia hugged the sheets and breathed roughly. ¡°you¡¯ve fallen asleep¡­¡­You shouldn¡¯t, a maid must not sleep without waiting for her master¡¯s return. ¡­..¡± Neimilia turned her attention to the pendulum clock on the wall. There are no lamps or candelabras in the room. Nevertheless, Neimilia, a dark witch, has cat-like night vision and could see the hands of the clock without any problem. ¡°Is it already midnight? Master, you are late again today. ¡­¡­¡­¡± Neimilia mumbled anxiously and chewed the sheets with a ¡®humph¡¯. Having decided to return to the royal capital, Raidorl had discussions with the leading figures of the frontier city late into the night, day after day. However decorous he may be, he has the final say for the town. There was a lot to take over, including how to deal with emergencies. It was already midnight, but there was still no sign of Raidorl¡¯s return. The Guild had already moved Mertina, who had been held as a prisoner of war, to a prison cell for criminals in the Guild, and Neimilia was left all alone in the not very spacious mansion. No matter how late it is, Raidorl usually comes back before morning. Despite knowing this, Neimilia could not suppress the feelings of anxiety that welled up in her heart. ¡°Uuuu¡­¡­ I miss him so much. Master¡­¡­¡± She squirms and chews on the sheets, then growls with tears in her eyes. Alone in the dark like this, she remembers the hellish days of the past. In Neimilia¡¯s mind, the memory of the time when she met Raidorl came back to life. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The Six Witches of Doom. It is the name of a monster that has often appeared in human history and has driven a number of countries to destruction. Eldest daughter ¨C Akasha, witch of¡ºFire¡» Second daughter ¨C Carmelan, witch of¡ºWater¡» . Third daughter ¨C Fufuru, witch of¡ºWind¡» Fourth daughter ¨C Osman, witch of¡ºEarth¡» Fifth daughter ¨C Neimilia, witch of ¡ºDarkness¡» And the Great Mother who created the five witches ¨C Glasslead, the witch of ¡ºLight¡». It was two years ago that Neimilia, one of the witches of calamity, met Raidorl Zain. The Kingdom of Zain, a country in the western part of the continent. To the south of the kingdom was a vast sea of trees that stretched over one-fifth of the country. It is a ¡®Demon Forest¡¯, where enormous amounts of mana gush out from the spiritual veins running beneath the earth and continue to drain powerful demons caused by mutations. And deep within that sea of trees. Hidden in the dense foliage stood an old stone ruin. The ruin, which may have been there since the founding of the kingdom,is magically sealed from the outside, firmly preventing anyone from entering. ¡°Houu¡­¡­¡± Inside such ruins, Neimilia sighs. Neimilia¡¯s hands and feet are bound by chains hanging from the ceiling and walls. Her body was not clad in a single piece of cloth, exposing her white naked body to the full darkness, where there was not a ray of light. Her naked body is as spotless as virgin snow, untouched by anyone, and her black hair, which flows down from her head, is as beautiful as an exquisite work of art. The colour in her eyes is golden, and they shine like a full moon in the night sky, dimly illuminating the darkness. Neimilia looked like a work of art in itself, but there was no one to admire her beauty and good looks in the ruin, where not even an ant could enter. Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness, had spent 200 years in the ruins, which were as lightless as an abyss. ¡°I¡¯m lonely¡­¡­¡­Someone help me.¡± A murmur escaped Neimilia¡¯s lips. For Neimilia, the witch in charge of ¡ºdarkness¡», the darkness of the deep abyss did not necessarily cause her pain. However, the years she had spent alone, unable to meet anyone, had steadily pushed Neimilia¡¯s spirit into a corner. Trapped alone in the dark without light, a normal person would go insane in less than a week. Neimilia, who has spent 200 years in such an environment and still maintains an equilibrium of mind, is more abnormal. However, Neimilia¡¯s mind was finally reaching its limits. Her spirit, which had been chipped away bit by bit over a mind-numbing period of time, was on the verge of collapse, and in a matter of days her mind would sink into madness. How did the witch Neimilia end up in a never-ending captivity ¡ª it goes back three hundred years. Three hundred years ago, Grasslead, leader of the Six Witches of Doom, declared the extermination of mankind. And ¨C the five daughter witches responded. Six witches plunged the continent into chaos as they were thrown into the fire. The turmoil, dubbed ¡ºThe Great Calamity¡», lasted more than a hundred years and drove several countries and civilisations to extinction. Just when everyone was about to fall in despair, heroes appeared to save the world. They were Excalibur Holder, the holder of the Twelve Holy Swords chosen as the Miracle Swords. The Excalibur Holders fought fierce battles against the Witches and their allies, and finally succeeded in defeating the threat. Although they were unable to defeat all the witches, they saved the countries that were being destroyed by the witch plague and restored the human race. Thus, in exchange for a number of sacrifices, mankind¡¯s life line has been extended. However, it is not widely known that there are actually hidden actors behind this history. The hero erased from history is the youngest daughter of the Six Witches, Neimilia, the Witch of Darkness. She fell in love with one of the holders of the Holy Sword, Excalibur Holder, and betrayed her mother and sisters to side with humanity for the man she loved. If it had not been for Neimilia¡¯s betrayal, more people would have been killed and several countries would have fallen by the overwhelmingly powerful witches. Neimilia was a witch, but she was certainly a saviour who saved humanity. Neimilia supported the Holy Sword holder Excalibur Holder, whom she was in love with, and even made enemies of her family for the man¡¯s sake. Her reward was not eternal love, but a captivity that would never end. ¡°¡ºWhy! Why am I being subjected to this?¡»¡± Neimilia screamed as she was chained to the ruins. She betrayed her family for the man she loves. She had given up everything and put her existence on the line for him. ¡°¡º¡­.. Don¡¯t you understand, Neimilia?¡»¡± The man she loved looks up at the hung woman with cold eyes. He is one of the Excalibur Holders, the one who saved the world. ¡°¡ºIt¡¯s true that you betrayed other witches to help us. But that doesn¡¯t erase the crimes you committed. It doesn¡¯t bring back to life the people you killed.¡»¡± ¡°¡ºbut¡­¡­ it¡¯s ¡­¡­¡»¡± Neimilia is speechless at the denunciation from the man she loves. She desperately searches for words of excuse, but the piercing gaze of the man does not allow her to do so. The man¡¯s lips twisted sarcastically as he sniffed at Neimilia ¡®s stammering. ¡°¡ºI¡¯m not going to kill you like the other witches. You should be so grateful..¡»¡± ¡°¡ºThat¡¯s¡­.¡»¡± The lips that once whispered of love spat out sharp words of rejection. The first time she heard these words, she could not believe her eyes and tears fell from her eyes. ¡°¡ºYou will spend for eternity in this place, continuing your never-ending penance. Only then your sins will finally be wiped away. Finally, my heart will be satisfied.¡»¡± ¡°¡º¡­¡­!¡»¡± ¡°¡ºAnd one more thing I¡¯ll tell you.¡»¡± The man she loved stepped out of the ruins and looked back at the cowering Neimilia. ¡°¡ºIt was you who destroyed my birthplace and killed my fianc¨¦e. Neimilia.¡»¡± ¡°¡ºEhh¡­¡­¡»¡± ¡°¡ºNo one loves a monster witch like you. I have never loved you.¡»¡± Having said this, the man closed the door to the ruins. The ruins close tightly and Neimilia is left in the darkness of the abyss. ¡°¡ºNoooooooooooooo!¡¡Don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t leave me alone!¡»¡± Neimilia¡¯s screams spilled out into the darkness. Tears of blood spill from her golden eyes and wet the stone floor. She was thus taken as a prisoner and aged 200 years. As an immortal witch, she was not allowed to die, and she had to spend a dreary number of years in the darkness of the abyss. ¡°Someone, anyone, ¡­¡­ help me ¡­¡­¡± Neimilia squeezed out a desperate plea. It had been 200 years since she had fought for her lover, only to be betrayed and trapped in the ruins. Every day she cried out for help. But no one could hear her voice. No one would listen to her. She had reached her limit. Neimilia¡¯s heart is already on the verge of collapse and it is only a matter of time before it shatters and she goes mad. ¡°Please¡­..someone, save me ¡­¡­¡± Her voice does not reach them. The ruin where Neimilia is sealed, is deep in the Devil¡¯s Forest, and the entrance is further sealed by the power of the Holy Sword. No one could hear her cry for help. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s open.¡± ¡°¡­¡­. eh?¡± But even though it did not reach them, a helping hand was suddenly offered. Without warning, the door to the sealed ruins was opened. For the first time in two hundred years, light shone into the stone building and the face of a young boy emerged from the sunlight. ¡°That was bad. ¡­¡­¡­ I thought I was going to die.¡± A silver-haired, red-eyed boy in a simple leather armour suit blurted out as he entered. The boy stepped into a building that no one had entered for 200 years. The boy has wounds all over his body. On his arm, he has three wounds that look like the claw marks of a beast, and it seems that he was attacked by a demon and fled to the ruins. The boy closed the entrance to the ruins tightly, preventing demons from entering from the outside. He took a spark from the toolbox on his belt and lit a light. ¡°¡­..Fu, what a relief. How about I rest¡­¡­..ha?¡± This is where the boy finally became aware of Neimilia¡¯s presence. Under a small light. He looked at the beautiful witch¡¯s whole body from top to bottom, hanging by chains at the back of the ruins, and was often speechless. ¡°Ah ¡­..¡± A voice escapes Neimilia¡¯s mouth as she remembers. She had stopped thinking about the boy who had appeared so abruptly that she did not know what to say to him. The boy and the witch often look at each other speechless. And then -. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The boy turns on his heel and tries to walk out with his hand on the door of the ruins. Neimilia, realising that the first person she had met in a long time was about to leave, raised her voice in a panic. ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡¡Don¡¯t go!¡± Desperate cries reverberate through the stone building. Neimilia herself was most surprised to see that her own mouth could still produce such a loud cry. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything! Don¡¯t be afraid of me!¡¡Look, look, it¡¯s a naked Onee-san! This Onee-san has beautiful tits!!!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m leaving because there¡¯s a naked lady!¡± The boy turns around and speaks out rightly. His eyes wander through the air without looking directly at Neimilia. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? See, see, I¡¯m not afraid!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s out of your mind!¡¡At least put your trousers on!¡± Neimilia was in a state of nakedness, and as her hands and feet were bound by chains, she was unable to conceal her bare skin. Her soft breasts and legs, and even her more sensitive parts, were exposed in all their glory, a sight that was not pleasing to the eyes of a young boy of no more than a few years of age. The boy scratched his head as he looked away and sat down on the stone floor. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ okay. There¡¯s probably a bunch of demons out there anyway. I think I¡¯ll stay here for a while longer.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m so happy!¡¡You can touch my tits in return!¡± ¡°¡­.. I knew it, can I leave?¡± The boy glanced towards the door with a subtle look on his face. He hesitated for a while about leaving, but eventually gave up and dropped his shoulders as if he had given up. ¡°So, ¡­¡­, what on earth are you doing here?¡¡Just to be clear, I¡¯m going to ask you, you don¡¯t have any strange proclivities or anything, do you?¡± ¡°Muu, in a way you could say I¡¯ve been left alone to play, but¡­..it¡¯s been too long!¡¡I¡¯ve been tied up here for a long time. For over a hundred years!¡± ¡°One hundred years¡­¡­I see. That can happen.¡± The boy nodded his head in agreement, his eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. The boy¡¯s too understanding attitude made Neimilia tilt her head to the side this time. ¡°You¡¯re convinced?¡¡I think I did say some crazy stuff about myself.¡¯¡± ¡°¡¯I don¡¯t know, but it could happen, couldn¡¯t it?¡¡There are legendary holy swords out there, so there must be other wondrous things out there.¡± The boy said with a faraway look in his eyes and took a brown object from his toolbox. It was smoked goat meat, something adventurers carry as portable food. ¡°Nggu ¡­¡­ want some?¡± ¡°No ¡­¡­, I¡¯d rather talk to you about it.¡¯ ¡°Talking about it, ¡­¡­ I¡¯m wondering why you¡¯re in such a situation¡­..¡± The boy looks at Neimilia and then panics as he sees her naked body again. ¡°No, ¡­¡­ it¡¯s not for a man to pry into a woman¡¯s affairs. Let me, tell you how I got here.¡± The boy began to talk in a whispered voice about how he had come to visit the ruin. He said that he had come to collect precious medicinal herbs that can only be found in these dense forests. On the way back, he encountered a swarm of demons of a scale that should not have appeared at this time of year. While running away from the demons, he went deeper into the jungle and was finally injured. It was then that he found these ruins and fled in a panic. ¡°These ruins were supposed to have a sealing spell on them. How did you get in?¡± ¡°Sealed?¡¡I don¡¯t know, I pushed it and it opened. So I went in. That¡¯s it.¡± The boy said it like it was nothing, while applying the medicine he always kept on his injured arm and leg. There is no easy way to get in. If the seal was that easy to break, someone would have visited this place earlier. Incidentally, and unknown to Neimilia, the ruins had been surrounded by an exorcism ward, so that even adventurers in the pioneer city had been unable to find her until now. Neimilia was more intrigued by the boy with whom she had exchanged words for the first time in 200 years than by the cause of the seal¡¯s breaking. ¡°Well, maybe the¡­¡­years have loosened the seal. I wonder if there¡¯s more stories to talk about it. Anything at all?¡± ¡°More stories¡­¡­well then I¡¯ll tell you what happened to me.¡± The boy continues to talk about his past as if he were complaining. That he was once royalty. That he was banished from the royal capital after being chosen as the Excalibur Holder, the holder of the Holy Sword. He even mentions that his family, friends and subjects have all abandoned him. Finally, when Neimilia heard the boy¡¯s name, she burst into tears. ¡°Oi,oi what¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­..¡± Neimilia did not know why she was crying. Did she compare herself with the boy who was left alone? When she heard that the boy was a Excalibur Holder, she remembered the man who locked her in here. Was it because she heard that the boy¡¯s surname was the same as ¡®him¡¯ and imagined that the man she loved had been united with another woman and had produced offspring? The reason is not clear, but Neimilia continued to cry until the water in her body dried up. The boy, Raidorl wandered around the ruin, while trying to cheer her up. ¡°Aaa, Mou!¡¡Being cooped up in this gloomy, depressing place makes you emotional. I¡¯ll take you to my town and we¡¯ll get the hell out of here!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you wanted to help¡­..I¡¯m happy, but my chain is¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with these chains? Why don¡¯t you just break these rusty, rusty restraints?¡± ¡°Eee¡­¡­?¡±¡± Raidorl drew the sword at his waist and broke the chains holding Neimilia as if nothing had happened. The magical chains, which had held her in place for two hundred years, easily fell apart. ¡°Such ¡­¡­ why ¡­..¡± ¡°That outfit is a sight for sore eyes. You should put this on for now.¡± Raidorl took off the jacket he was wearing under his armour and put it over Neimilia¡¯s naked body. The black jacket still had the warmth of human skin, and Neimilia¡¯s eyes widened at the first warm feeling she had felt in two hundred years. ¡°The problem is the demons outside. Now, how do we get home?¡± Raidorl scratches his head and ponders with a difficult expression. While looking at such a profile, Neimilia was convinced as if she had received a revelation. ¡®I see. ¡­¡­ I should live for this person¡¯ Following her mother in trying to destroy mankind. Betrayed her family to fight for those she loved. Then she was betrayed by her loved ones and held prisoner for 200 years. If she had to find meaning in such a stupid, silly life, she could think of no other reason. All the misfortunes she had experienced were for the sake of meeting the boy in front of her ¨C there was no other reason for the cursed witch¡¯s life to make sense. ¡®Live for this person. Protect this person. Do his bidding¡­¡­I will devote my whole body and soul to him and one day I will give birth to his child. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why I waited for him here.¡¯ Neimilia, a witch with a severe romantic tendency by nature and tends to mistake coincidence for fate. Because of this character, she betrayed her family for her lover, and it seems that her fundamental character did not change even after two hundred years of imprisonment. Thus, Neimilia, one of the ¡ºSix Witches of Doom¡» ¨C the witch of ¡ºDarkness¡» ¨C became Raidorl¡¯s maid. The fact that Raidorl gained a fearsome ally in the exiled frontier would later influence not only the fate of the Kingdom of Zain, but even the fate of the world, but that is a future that no one knows yet. Volume 1 - CH 5 The Royal City of Dark Clouds Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny After a few days, Mertina came to the frontier city to visit Raidorl. Darren Garst, Commander of the Thousand Horsemen of the Zain Royal Army, came to the frontier city of Raid. The young general on horseback is followed by a thousand soldiers led by him. ¡°Heh¡­¡­ you¡¯re here already? You move faster than I imagined.¡± Looking down from the top of the ramparts at the soldiers lined up outside, Raidorl murmured in admiration. They want to welcome a royalty, albeit exiled. Whether they resorted to gentle or violent measures, Raidorl expected them to come here a little more prepared. ¡°That¡¯s how cornered our country is, Your Highness¡­.. Raidorl. Standing next to Raidorl was Mertina. A slave collar is placed around the neck of the neat-looking noblewoman. A thin chain extends from the metal fetters, the end of which is held in Raidorl¡¯s hand. The treatment as if she were a dog was too harsh on the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, Mertina, but it was too light of a punishment for the disrespect she had shown towards a royal family by casting a cursed curse on them. ¡°Our country has been driven into a corner by the imperial invasion, and there is no other way to save it than to put our trust in Your Highness ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You speak with the permission of no one. I never gave you permission to do that, did I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡­higguuu!?¡± Mertina¡¯s thin body jerked up and she collapsed, losing all her strength. Her white skin was slightly flushed and a hot gasp escaped from her rosy lips. Looking down at his former fianc¨¦e, who now looks ravishing as if she were in heat, Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted in mockery. ¡°You look pretty good, don¡¯t you? I wonder what the Prime Minister would look like if he saw you now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Mertina¡¯s lips quivered slightly at Raidorl¡¯s taunting and she looked up at the young man in a cowering position. Her upward gaze is not only tinged with resentment at being treated unfairly, but also with a hint of flirtatious lust. Mertina tried to bind Raidorl with a curse, but on the contrary, she was captured and subjected to severe interrogation. Mertina, who claims that the curse was not ordered by the king or the Prime Minister, but by her own decision, was not willing to submit to the interrogation, and as a result, she was treated in a way that was unthinkable for a noblewoman. Raidorl was already prepared to return to Royal Capital and confront his brother King, who was imposing his unreasonableness on him. Hence, he is thirsting for information about the king and the Prime Minister. Therefore, he tortured and interrogated her to gather as much information as possible. Mertina kept her mouth shut like a shellfish and did not divulge any information. ¡®I don¡¯t like my childhood friend, but I respect her for this. I wonder how much loyalty to the country she must have had to grow up to be such a woman¡¯ Mertina¡¯s personality was the epitome of a selfless and dedicated servant, and Raidorl nodded his head in admiration. What kind of education did the Prime Minister give her to create an iron maiden like her? Raidorl would like to avoid returning to his birthplace, which has become hostile territory, without having any information. After a few setbacks, Raidorl decided to leave Mertina in Neimilia¡¯s care. ¡°Mufufu, leave it to me! This Neimilia knows everything a woman cries for! In a week, I will see to it that this girl is trained to be a faithful dog!¡± After saying this, Neimilia powerfully slapped Mertina¡¯s chest and placed a series of various curses on her body. Curse to weaken her spirit. Curse that chip away at her alertness and defiance. Curse to make her defenceless against pain and pleasure. And, lastly a curse that gives her intense pleasure from exchanging words with and being touched by Raidorl. It was about a week ago that Neimilia placed the curse on Mertina, who had a strong spirit, began to crack. ¡°¡ºHuman can resist pain, but they cannot resist pleasure or happiness. No matter how much they are trained to endure torture, that does not change..¡»¡± The mere act of being approached by Raidorl is enough to bring on pleasures close to sexual intercourse, which must be unbearable for a noblewoman who has been forced to live a chaste life. Mertina, whose spirit had been poisoned by a witch¡¯s curse, had not yet lost her loyalty to her country, but her heart was steadily turning to the side of Raidorl. In fact, she has already opened her mouth to some deep information about the Zain Kingdom. Although she has not revealed definitive secrets, she is a far cry from where she was at the beginning. ¡°¡ºShe still seems to be rebelling, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. In a little while, you¡¯ll be killing your parents for master.¡»¡± Seeing Neimiria smiling as she uttered such horrifying things, Raidorl was convinced that [Aa, she¡¯s a witch after all]. ¡°Well, the knight came to pick me up as planned, but he really doesn¡¯t have any hostile intentions towards me, does he?¡± ¡°Nkkuu¡­¡­ of course, His Majesty the King has ordered that if His Highness returns to the Royal Capital, he should be politely brought to him. ¡­¡­¡± Given permission to open her mouth, Mertina answers Raidorl¡¯s question, her body shaking with pleasure. ¡°And moreover, Darren Garst, the commander, is a man of pure heart¡­¡­and would never be disrespectful to His Highness!¡± ¡°Hou¡­If you¡¯re asking me to believe you, it¡¯s too late now. Whoever it is, I don¡¯t trust anyone under my brother¡¯s thumb.¡± 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 clean he was, he must be an enemy to him just because he owed allegiance to his brother King Granard, who had banished him. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. Whoever I¡¯m dealing with, if you¡¯re hostile to me, I¡¯ll show no mercy. ¡­¡­!¡¯ ¡°I am Darren Garst. By order of His Majesty the King, I have come to receive His Royal Highness the King¡¯s Brother Raidorl Zain!¡¡Please open the gates for us!¡± Unaware of Raidorl¡¯s determination, Darren raised his voice. An adventurer waiting at the gate turns to Raidorl and looks at him for instructions. Raidorl nodded and signalled for the gate to be opened. Darren and several knights under his command entered through the open gate. Other cavalrymen were waiting at the gate and did not appear to set foot inside the frontier city. Raidorl descends from the ramparts and rides out in front of Darren on his horse. ¡°Thank you for coming such a long way. I am Raidorl Zain.¡± ¡°Oh,¡­¡­! This, Your Highness, is a long time coming!¡± On seeing Raidorl, Darren immediately dismounted from his horse and knelt on his knees. The knights under his command soon followed their superior. Apparently, they intend to honour him, the king¡¯s brother. Raidorl looked down at the knights, who were kneeling and face down, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°You can look up now. Did you say your name is¡­¡­ Darren Garst?¡¡Are you the son of General Bazel Garst?¡± ¡°Ha!¡¡I once came with my father to the royal palace. I¡¯m glad to see you in such good health. Your Highness.¡± ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl looked at Darren¡¯s brilliant physiognomy and searched his memory. It was a long time ago, but he did remember meeting him. He was struck by the fact that he bore no resemblance to his father. ¡°I see¡­..It¡¯s been a long time, Darren.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Darren bows deeply again in response to Raidorl¡¯s words. From the attitude of the knight with the face of a nobleman, a sense of reverence for Raidorl was clearly visible. It seems that he is not acting, but really respects him as a member of the royal family. The treatment as royalty, which had not been directed at him for a long time, made him feel more uncomfortable than happy. Raidorl scratched his head and decided to move on quickly. ¡°Enough with the greetings, let¡¯s get down to business. Darren, you¡¯re here to take me to Royal Capital¡­¡­That¡¯s not a mistake?¡± ¡°Ha, I have received word from my men that His Highness Raidorl is going to join the battle. Therefore, I am here to welcome you.¡± Darren gives Raidorl a probing look. Perhaps he doubts whether Raidorl is really going to take part in the war. It is a natural reaction to have doubts, since a person who has been treated coldly until now has actively offered to help. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I keep my promises. It¡¯s true that my brother and your father have a history with me. But I don¡¯t want my country to be destroyed either. I will fulfil my duty as a man born into a royal family.¡± Raidorl snickers at Darren¡¯s concerns and proudly declares. ¡°People and subjects respect and are loyal to royalty. Therefore, in return, the royalty must devote themselves to the defence of the country with all their might, body and soul. This is the teaching of my late father, the previous king. For the sake of my beloved father, I will fulfil my duty as a royalthy of Zain.¡± ¡°The spirit of His Highness¡­¡­is truly admirable. As one of your subjects, I will support you, to see that your will is carried through to the end.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. By the way¡­¡± Raidorl looks at Darren, who is holding his hand over his chest, and changes the subject. ¡°I can leave any time, but what about Mertina?¡¡Should we take this woman to the Royal Capital too?¡± Raidorl glanced behind him. Standing there, was Mertina, who had climbed down from the ramparts and was standing there looking out of place. ¡°Lady Mertina¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± When Darren unintentionally called out her name, Mertina lowered her eyebrows and averted her eyes as if she was troubled. Her eyes were weak and moist for some reason, and her shoulders and knees were shaking slightly. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Darren was at Mertina¡¯s behaviour, who looked as if she was in agony. It must have been very painful for her to be used in a plot to bring Raidorl to the Royal Capital on her father¡¯s orders. Darren interpreted Mertina¡¯s condition in this way. But the fact is that she is enduring the pleasures of the witch¡¯s curse, but there is no way Darren is aware of this. ¡°¡­.The disposition of Lady Mertina, the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, is not something I can decide on at my own discretion. However, the crime she committed constitutes treason against the royal family. Therefore, no one can blame His Highness Reidor for the way in which Lady Meltina has been dealt with.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­So it¡¯s up to me to decide?¡¯ Raidorl made a slight thoughtful gesture and nodded. ¡°Then I will take custody of Mertina. She may be a traitor, but she is the daughter of the Prime Minister. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find a use for her in due course.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Darren¡¯s shoulders drop in relief when he realises that the worst possible outcome of Mertina¡¯s execution has been averted. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll leave Mertina in the frontier city. She won¡¯t be of any use in the war anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Hearing Raidorl¡¯s words, Mertina¡¯s beautiful face contorts in a complicated manner. Relief at being free from domination, if only for a short while. Loneliness at the departure of the man who taught her the pleasures of womanhood. Anxiety at the prospect of going to the battlefield where Raidorl, who is becoming a bigger part of her day, might die. The mixture of emotions torments Mertina from the inside. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your return, Raidorl-sama.¡± Mertina said this while squeezing her own chest with her hand. Not ¡ºYour Highness¡», but ¡ºRaidorl-sama¡». Mertina seems surprised at herself for having unintentionally referred to him by his childhood name. ¡°¡­.!¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected surprise. He looks closely at his childhood friend who is slumped in embarrassment, and opens his mouth with a complex expression that is hard to describe. ¡°I¡¯m off¡­¡­¡­Tina.¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Greeted by a thousand cavalrymen, Raidorl Zain climbed into the carriage provided. He left the pioneer city in the hands of the guildmaster Zafis. Before he was originally sent to the frontier to become a lord, Zafis and other influential people in the town had ruled the town. It would be possible to run the town well enough without him. ¡®It doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that my elder brother or the Prime Minister won¡¯t make some crazy scheme,¡­¡­, but I¡¯d like to believe that they¡¯re not that stupid¡¯ Pioneer cities are responsible for preventing the flow of demons from the jungle in the south of the Kingdom of Zain. If they create chaos with the frontier cities, demons would flow into the kingdom and they would be caught between the empire and the demon hordes. Although King Granard and his prime minister have banished the Raidorl, there is no doubt that they are trying to protect the country in their own way. They would not go out of their way to harm the pioneer cities and destroy the country. ¡®At any rate,¡­¡­it¡¯s hostile territory from here onwards. I¡¯ve got to brace myself.¡¯ Raidorl looks out of the carriage window with a leering glare, while his heart once again grows angry. The young prince, his eyes determined, hears a concerned voice. ¡°Master, is there something bothering you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Raidorl responds by waving lightly at the girl in the maid¡¯s uniform. Raidorl is about to ride into the lap of his elder brother, who has disinherited him and is accompanied by his only companion, Neimilia. A young man, a holder of the Holy Sword Excalibur, and the witch, dressed as a maid, sit side by side in the carriage. And sitting opposite them is a young knight in a suit of armour. He was Darren Garst, the commander in charge of this unit. ¡°If you are not feeling well, please tell me at once, your Royal Highness Raidorl.¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted sarcastically at the young knight¡¯s attempts to see his colour. ¡°¡¯Heh, so you do intend to respect me as royalty, in a manner of speaking.¡± ¡°Naturally. You are, without doubt, a legitimate royal of the Zain royal bloodline.¡± ¡°Hee¡­..then, you¡¯ll take my side if I have to fight my brother?¡± ¡°¡­.. Your Highness, please don¡¯t say anything improper. Even if it is a joke, not everyone will take it lightly.¡± Darren frowns and complains bitterly. Raidorl y shrugs his shoulders and scornfully smiles. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me for this level of complaining. I¡¯ve been discarded as a useless prince and called back for their own reasons. Of course I would have such feelings right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Your Highness. It may be impertinent for me to say this, but His Majesty Granard sincerely hopes that you and His Highness will make peace and stand together against the Empire. I would be grateful if you would take these feelings into account.¡± ¡°Feeling¡­I think it¡¯s a selfish argument but it¡¯s refreshing.¡± Raidorl became a Holy Sword holder and got in the way, so Granard banished him to the frontier and cut him down. Now he needs the power of the Holy Sword, so he asks for reconciliation without properly asking for it. Both are for the convenience of the kingdom. Or more accurately, Granard¡¯s self-centered convenience. ¡®If they had just left me alone,¡­¡­then there would have been no quarrel between us¡¯ ¡°Milia. Give me some tea.¡± ¡°Yes,Master.¡± Raidorl called the maid by a nickname he did not normally call her by, and ordered her to be straightforward. The reason why he does not call her ¡®Neimilia¡¯ as usual is a measure to prevent Darren from realising that she is one of the ¡ºWitches Of Doom¡». The names of the six witches who almost destroyed the world are so well known that they appear in picture books, and anyone with good instincts might recognise them because of her golden eyes. Neimilia, under orders from her master, took a water sac and a wooden cup from her bag and began to brew tea in the carriage. ¡°Please wait a moment while I heat it up.¡± ¡°Aaa.¡± When Neimilia clenched the cup of tea in her hands, the liquid inside bubbled up, and soon a mellow aroma rose from the cup along with the steam. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s ready. The milk is still ¡­¡­ not coming out, so please forgive me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t put anything extra. Thank you.¡± ¡°Amazing! Is this woman a magician?¡± Darren¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as Neimilia handed Raidorl a cup of tea. In this world, people who can use magic are called sorcerers. It is said that there is only one person in a thousand who has a background in magic, and they are often protected by the state and nobility as valuable human resources. ¡°Magic without chanting¡­¡­! How did a sorcerer end up on the frontier¡­..¡± Darren muttered in dismay. Children of sorcerers are also more likely to inherit their magical backgrounds, and even if they do not serve in the royal court, they will have no trouble finding someone to marry. This is even more so if they can use magic without chanting. Since the nobility and wealthy merchants are so generous with their marriage proposals, it was hard to understand why so many magicians would go to the trouble of living in a dangerous frontier city. Darren, who froze in surprise, received a cup of tea from Raidorl with a wry smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡¡I don¡¯t remember showing you anything amazing.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­. I see what your highness is doing¡­but why did His Highness bring her alone?¡± ¡°Hou?¡± ¡°There are not more than ten magicians in the court who are skilled enough to use chantless magic. If you have a man of that calibre as your bodyguard, then you don¡¯t need any other bodyguard, do you?¡± Darren says it while nodding, his honest-looking face tense slightly. It was understood that the maid called Milia was a sorceress of great ability. The question was why Raidorl had revealed this to Darren. ¡°¡­His Highness is warning me, isn¡¯t he? I have a good sorcerer escorting me by my side. So don¡¯t pretend to be a fool or do unnecessary things¡­¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re being too cautious. I don¡¯t mean anything deep like that. I just wanted a cup of tea because I was thirsty.¡± Raidorl smiled and sipped from his cup. Darren looks bitterly at him, who is drinking the steamy tea while blowing on it. Darren realised inwardly that Raidorl did not trust them. He doesn¡¯t trust the King ¨C not even a shred of trust for his own brother, Granard. The reason why he accompanied Darren to the capital is not because he is seriously trying to save the country. He must have some other agenda. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren remains silent and mulls in agony. The more he thought about it, the darker his thoughts sank, and he began to anguish as if his guts were filled with lead. Whether or not he knew the inner thoughts of the young commander, Raidorl had a calm expression on his face as he sipped on the tea the maid had brewed. ¡°Uun, after all, tea brewed by Milia is delicious.¡± ¡°What a waste of words. It was worth putting in the special honey.¡± ¡°¡­..I¡¯m withdrawing my previous statement. What the hell did you put in my drink? Raidorl and Neimilia begin to argue in the carriage as if they were a married couple in a comic dialogue. As he looked at them, Darren sighed with a headache-inducing expression on his face and slowly shook his head. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Then, a few days later. Raidorl stepped into the royal capital for the first time in five years as the carriage rocked along. The streets of the royal city have not changed much from what Raidorl knows. However, the number of people passing in and out of the main streets and the number of stalls lined up on either side of the road had clearly diminished, and the entire capital city seemed to have a somewhat dark shadow over it. ¡®It¡¯s wartime, so it¡¯s not surprising that the air quality is poor¡­¡­.It¡¯s gloomy, the war isn¡¯t going well, is it?¡¯ If the war had favoured Zain¡¯s, people¡¯s faces would not be so gloomy. The reason why the faces of the people passing through the town are so sombre must be because they sense, in their own way, that the Kingdom of Zain is being driven into a corner. Raidorl looked out of the carriage window and predicted the war situation in this way. If the Kingdom of Zain is in a desperate situation the king may be forced to recall his brother, who may never want to see his face again. ¡°I will take his highness straight to the mansion. His highness¡¯s audience with His Majesty the King will be tomorrow, so please take your time and relax after your journey.¡± ¡°The mansion? Aren¡¯t we going to the royal palace?¡± At Darren¡¯s explanation, Raidorl¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°There is a lot going on at the palace, so we have arranged a house in the noble district for His Highness. You may use that residence for the duration of your stay in the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. I guess my brother doesn¡¯t trust me at all.¡± Raidorl clicked his tongue abominably. Although Raidorl was banished from the royal capital and sent to the frontier, his royal status was not taken away. Therefore, he had always assumed that he would sleep in the royal palace. However, the elder brother king apparently despises his younger brother to such an extent that he cannot tolerate this. Is he afraid that Raidorl will rebel against him and come after him in his sleep, or is it simply that he has no face to show to his brother? Although the reason is not clear, it seems that he does not even want to put him under the same roof as himself. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that by any means¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to cover it up. I¡¯ve known for five years that my brother hates me because of the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl turned his head out of the window and said softly. Darren looks down with a sombre look in his eyes and apologetically shuts his mouth. A long silence enveloped the carriage, with only the rattling of the wheels scratching the ground. The carriage drove on for a while, and soon came to a section lined with the residences of aristocrats and leading merchants. The number of pedestrians has decreased dramatically, and a quiet, tranquil atmosphere envelops the area instead. The carriage continues deeper into the aristocratic district, eventually coming to a stop in front of a particularly large building. ¡°We have arrived¡­¡­This is the mansion.¡± Darren speaks up as if he cannot bear the silence. One of the knights surrounding him dismounts from his horse and opens the carriage door. Following Darren, who dismounted first, Raidorl and Neimilia step out. ¡°Heh,¡­¡­ it¡¯s quite a big mansion, isn¡¯t it?¡± Looking up at the large mansion standing before him, Raidorl looked in admiration. The house has the appearance of a large nobleman¡¯s mansion, with a vast garden filled with well-tended plants and seasonal flowers. The chalk walls and blue-painted roof have been carefully cared for and not a speck of dirt can be seen. If one were to purchase a mansion of this magnitude with money, it might blow a year¡¯s income in a pioneer city. ¡®I see¡­¡­I can see right through your heart, brother.¡¯ Looking up at the grand and opulent mansion, Raidorl guesses what his brother King Granard thinks of him. He fears and loathes him and does not want him in the royal palace. But he still wants to use Raidorl¡¯s strength, so he gives him sweet candy canes. The malice of wanting Raidorl to disappear and the calculation of wanting to tame the Excalibur Holder. Granard must be struggling with two conflicting emotions on a balance sheet. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind if I do what I want in this house.¡± ¡°Of course. His Majesty has asked that you use it freely.¡± ¡°Aa,good. I¡¯ll take your word for it and do as I like.¡± ¡°I will come back tomorrow to pick his highness up. I beg your pardon then.¡± Nodding back at Darren, who bowed, Raidorl stepped without hesitation into the gateway doorway that the knight had opened. Neimilia follows behind him like a shadow. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± As they disappeared into the house, Darren watched their backs with a look of hope mixed with a strong sense of anxiety. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ Welcome back, His Majesty¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± As soon as they entered the mansion, the butlers and maids, who were queuing at the entrance, all greeted him. ¡°Oou¡­¡­?¡± It is a spectacular sight of sorts to see these very well-bred men and women bowing in unison under their breath. The first time Raidorl saw them was when he was living in the royal palace as a prince, but he had spent a long time in the countryside in the middle of nowhere and was involuntarily overwhelmed. ¡°Master, you must get your act together.¡± ¡°Hmm?, ah ¡­¡­ sorry.¡± Neimilia, standing behind him, tugs at the hem of Raidorl¡¯s jacket. Raidorl regained his composure and cleared his throat. ¡°Now that I am the lord of this house, who represents you?¡± ¡°It is I. Your Royal Highness.¡± A man in a butler¡¯s uniform with a moustache and moustache advanced. He is around the age of stepping into his first years. His carefully coiffed hair and beard were dyed a romance grey, and the way he greeted the man, carefully folding his hips, oozed a sincere personality. ¡°You look familiar. I believe you worked at the royal palace five years ago?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time. My name is Sarawyn, a former attach¨¦ of His Majesty Granard.¡± The butler, Sarawyn smiles at Raidorl with a loose-lipped smile. His calm and composed mood is the same as it was five years ago. Raidorl remembers the time when he was a child and received sweets from Sarawyn at a tea party held by his brother. ¡°Aaa, yes, it you, Sarawyn. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, your highness. Welcome back.¡± ¡°Thanks, by the way, ¡­¡­there¡¯s one thing I need to discuss, or rather tell everyone here.¡± ¡°Ha? What is it?¡± When Sarawyn¡¯s expression turns doubtful, Raidorl smiles with his mouth in the shape of a crescent moon. ¡°Everyone here is fired. Now get out.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡­?¡± Sarawyn¡¯s expression freezes at the all-too-unexpected words. The other servants in the room behind him begin to rustle. ¡°Wh-, is there something wrong with us?¡¡If there are any ¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a problem. I¡¯m just asking you to leave because I don¡¯t need you.¡± Uncompromisingly, Raidorl refused them. Sarawin¡¯s gaze wanders from side to side in confusion, but he still insists. ¡°This house is as large as you can see. I¡¯m afraid your maid can¡¯t clean it all by herself. ¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your concern¡­.. Let me put it this way. I only trust this maid here. I¡¯m not going to have anyone else by my side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± ¡°You people cannot be trusted. So get out.¡± When Raidorl says this out loud, Sarawyn¡¯s face contorts in humiliation. The old butler stared at Raidorl and Neimilia resentfully for a while, but eventually sighed as if he had given up. ¡°¡­¡­I understand. I will inform His Majesty Granard of this.¡± ¡°Do so, thank you for your service.¡± Raidorl fluttered and waved his hand. The servants hesitantly looked into Raidorl¡¯s face as they walked out of the house, Sarawyn in the lead. Eventually, when they had all left, he looked back at Neimilia. ¡°Check the¡­¡­Mansion. Every corner.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Neimilia pinches the hem of her apron dress and reverently returns the acknowledgement. ¡°¡¾Shadow beast: ShadowServant¡¿¡± Neimilia¡¯s shadow slowly changes shape to form a human form. The shadows are women in maid uniforms. The faces of these maids, which look as if they have been kneaded into darkness, have no eyes or noses and are as smooth as eggs. They are not human, of course. They were Neimilia¡¯s servants, living in the shadows and born from the shadows. ¡°Explore the mansion, see if there are any dangerous objects or anyone lurking around. Those who are available, check the supplies in the house. Especially clothing and foodstuffs.¡± ¡°¡ºAs your will, Mistress¡»¡± About ten shadow maids scattered around the mansion with gliding steps. Since they were created from shadows, they were able to enter every crevice and explore every detail of the mansion. Neimilia nodded with a satisfied look on her face at her servants who were exploring even the crevices that ants can get into. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ then, please rest at ease, master. Please leave all the mundane matters and management of the mansion to me.¡± ¡°Aaa, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°If you are too excited to sleep, you can call upon me at any time. I will comfort your master with all my might. Mufufufu.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl takes one look at Neimilia as if she were an insect crawling out from under a stone, and disappears silently into a suitable room. Although her comments are questionable in many ways, Neimilia will be able to manage everything in the spacious mansion without any problems. The rare and precious witch who once nearly destroyed the world has now become a respectable maid. Volume 1 - CH 6 The Royal City of Dark Clouds Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny After a few days, Mertina came to the frontier city to visit Raidorl. Darren Garst, Commander of the Thousand Horsemen of the Zain Royal Army, came to the frontier city of Raid. The young general on horseback is followed by a thousand soldiers led by him. ¡°Heh¡­¡­ you¡¯re here already? You move faster than I imagined.¡± Looking down from the top of the ramparts at the soldiers lined up outside, Raidorl murmured in admiration. They want to welcome a royalty, albeit exiled. Whether they resorted to gentle or violent measures, Raidorl expected them to come here a little more prepared. ¡°That¡¯s how cornered our country is, Your Highness¡­.. Raidorl. Standing next to Raidorl was Mertina. A slave collar is placed around the neck of the neat-looking noblewoman. A thin chain extends from the metal fetters, the end of which is held in Raidorl¡¯s hand. The treatment as if she were a dog was too harsh on the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, Mertina, but it was too light of a punishment for the disrespect she had shown towards a royal family by casting a cursed curse on them. ¡°Our country has been driven into a corner by the imperial invasion, and there is no other way to save it than to put our trust in Your Highness ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You speak with the permission of no one. I never gave you permission to do that, did I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡­higguuu!?¡± Mertina¡¯s thin body jerked up and she collapsed, losing all her strength. Her white skin was slightly flushed and a hot gasp escaped from her rosy lips. Looking down at his former fianc¨¦e, who now looks ravishing as if she were in heat, Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted in mockery. ¡°You look pretty good, don¡¯t you? I wonder what the Prime Minister would look like if he saw you now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Mertina¡¯s lips quivered slightly at Raidorl¡¯s taunting and she looked up at the young man in a cowering position. Her upward gaze is not only tinged with resentment at being treated unfairly, but also with a hint of flirtatious lust. Mertina tried to bind Raidorl with a curse, but on the contrary, she was captured and subjected to severe interrogation. Mertina, who claims that the curse was not ordered by the king or the Prime Minister, but by her own decision, was not willing to submit to the interrogation, and as a result, she was treated in a way that was unthinkable for a noblewoman. Raidorl was already prepared to return to Royal Capital and confront his brother King, who was imposing his unreasonableness on him. Hence, he is thirsting for information about the king and the Prime Minister. Therefore, he tortured and interrogated her to gather as much information as possible. Mertina kept her mouth shut like a shellfish and did not divulge any information. ¡®I don¡¯t like my childhood friend, but I respect her for this. I wonder how much loyalty to the country she must have had to grow up to be such a woman¡¯ Mertina¡¯s personality was the epitome of a selfless and dedicated servant, and Raidorl nodded his head in admiration. What kind of education did the Prime Minister give her to create an iron maiden like her? Raidorl would like to avoid returning to his birthplace, which has become hostile territory, without having any information. After a few setbacks, Raidorl decided to leave Mertina in Neimilia¡¯s care. ¡°Mufufu, leave it to me! This Neimilia knows everything a woman cries for! In a week, I will see to it that this girl is trained to be a faithful dog!¡± After saying this, Neimilia powerfully slapped Mertina¡¯s chest and placed a series of various curses on her body. Curse to weaken her spirit. Curse that chip away at her alertness and defiance. Curse to make her defenceless against pain and pleasure. And, lastly a curse that gives her intense pleasure from exchanging words with and being touched by Raidorl. It was about a week ago that Neimilia placed the curse on Mertina, who had a strong spirit, began to crack. ¡°¡ºHuman can resist pain, but they cannot resist pleasure or happiness. No matter how much they are trained to endure torture, that does not change..¡»¡± The mere act of being approached by Raidorl is enough to bring on pleasures close to sexual intercourse, which must be unbearable for a noblewoman who has been forced to live a chaste life. Mertina, whose spirit had been poisoned by a witch¡¯s curse, had not yet lost her loyalty to her country, but her heart was steadily turning to the side of Raidorl. In fact, she has already opened her mouth to some deep information about the Zain Kingdom. Although she has not revealed definitive secrets, she is a far cry from where she was at the beginning. ¡°¡ºShe still seems to be rebelling, but it¡¯s only a matter of time. In a little while, you¡¯ll be killing your parents for master.¡»¡± Seeing Neimiria smiling as she uttered such horrifying things, Raidorl was convinced that [Aa, she¡¯s a witch after all]. ¡°Well, the knight came to pick me up as planned, but he really doesn¡¯t have any hostile intentions towards me, does he?¡± ¡°Nkkuu¡­¡­ of course, His Majesty the King has ordered that if His Highness returns to the Royal Capital, he should be politely brought to him. ¡­¡­¡± Given permission to open her mouth, Mertina answers Raidorl¡¯s question, her body shaking with pleasure. ¡°And moreover, Darren Garst, the commander, is a man of pure heart¡­¡­and would never be disrespectful to His Highness!¡± ¡°Hou¡­If you¡¯re asking me to believe you, it¡¯s too late now. Whoever it is, I don¡¯t trust anyone under my brother¡¯s thumb.¡± 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 clean he was, he must be an enemy to him just because he owed allegiance to his brother King Granard, who had banished him. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. Whoever I¡¯m dealing with, if you¡¯re hostile to me, I¡¯ll show no mercy. ¡­¡­!¡¯ ¡°I am Darren Garst. By order of His Majesty the King, I have come to receive His Royal Highness the King¡¯s Brother Raidorl Zain!¡¡Please open the gates for us!¡± Unaware of Raidorl¡¯s determination, Darren raised his voice. An adventurer waiting at the gate turns to Raidorl and looks at him for instructions. Raidorl nodded and signalled for the gate to be opened. Darren and several knights under his command entered through the open gate. Other cavalrymen were waiting at the gate and did not appear to set foot inside the frontier city. Raidorl descends from the ramparts and rides out in front of Darren on his horse. ¡°Thank you for coming such a long way. I am Raidorl Zain.¡± ¡°Oh,¡­¡­! This, Your Highness, is a long time coming!¡± On seeing Raidorl, Darren immediately dismounted from his horse and knelt on his knees. The knights under his command soon followed their superior. Apparently, they intend to honour him, the king¡¯s brother. Raidorl looked down at the knights, who were kneeling and face down, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°You can look up now. Did you say your name is¡­¡­ Darren Garst?¡¡Are you the son of General Bazel Garst?¡± ¡°Ha!¡¡I once came with my father to the royal palace. I¡¯m glad to see you in such good health. Your Highness.¡± ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl looked at Darren¡¯s brilliant physiognomy and searched his memory. It was a long time ago, but he did remember meeting him. He was struck by the fact that he bore no resemblance to his father. ¡°I see¡­..It¡¯s been a long time, Darren.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Darren bows deeply again in response to Raidorl¡¯s words. From the attitude of the knight with the face of a nobleman, a sense of reverence for Raidorl was clearly visible. It seems that he is not acting, but really respects him as a member of the royal family. The treatment as royalty, which had not been directed at him for a long time, made him feel more uncomfortable than happy. Raidorl scratched his head and decided to move on quickly. ¡°Enough with the greetings, let¡¯s get down to business. Darren, you¡¯re here to take me to Royal Capital¡­¡­That¡¯s not a mistake?¡± ¡°Ha, I have received word from my men that His Highness Raidorl is going to join the battle. Therefore, I am here to welcome you.¡± Darren gives Raidorl a probing look. Perhaps he doubts whether Raidorl is really going to take part in the war. It is a natural reaction to have doubts, since a person who has been treated coldly until now has actively offered to help. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I keep my promises. It¡¯s true that my brother and your father have a history with me. But I don¡¯t want my country to be destroyed either. I will fulfil my duty as a man born into a royal family.¡± Raidorl snickers at Darren¡¯s concerns and proudly declares. ¡°People and subjects respect and are loyal to royalty. Therefore, in return, the royalty must devote themselves to the defence of the country with all their might, body and soul. This is the teaching of my late father, the previous king. For the sake of my beloved father, I will fulfil my duty as a royalthy of Zain.¡± ¡°The spirit of His Highness¡­¡­is truly admirable. As one of your subjects, I will support you, to see that your will is carried through to the end.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. By the way¡­¡± Raidorl looks at Darren, who is holding his hand over his chest, and changes the subject. ¡°I can leave any time, but what about Mertina?¡¡Should we take this woman to the Royal Capital too?¡± Raidorl glanced behind him. Standing there, was Mertina, who had climbed down from the ramparts and was standing there looking out of place. ¡°Lady Mertina¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± When Darren unintentionally called out her name, Mertina lowered her eyebrows and averted her eyes as if she was troubled. Her eyes were weak and moist for some reason, and her shoulders and knees were shaking slightly. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Darren was at Mertina¡¯s behaviour, who looked as if she was in agony. It must have been very painful for her to be used in a plot to bring Raidorl to the Royal Capital on her father¡¯s orders. Darren interpreted Mertina¡¯s condition in this way. But the fact is that she is enduring the pleasures of the witch¡¯s curse, but there is no way Darren is aware of this. ¡°¡­.The disposition of Lady Mertina, the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, is not something I can decide on at my own discretion. However, the crime she committed constitutes treason against the royal family. Therefore, no one can blame His Highness Reidor for the way in which Lady Meltina has been dealt with.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­So it¡¯s up to me to decide?¡¯ Raidorl made a slight thoughtful gesture and nodded. ¡°Then I will take custody of Mertina. She may be a traitor, but she is the daughter of the Prime Minister. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find a use for her in due course.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Darren¡¯s shoulders drop in relief when he realises that the worst possible outcome of Mertina¡¯s execution has been averted. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll leave Mertina in the frontier city. She won¡¯t be of any use in the war anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Hearing Raidorl¡¯s words, Mertina¡¯s beautiful face contorts in a complicated manner. Relief at being free from domination, if only for a short while. Loneliness at the departure of the man who taught her the pleasures of womanhood. Anxiety at the prospect of going to the battlefield where Raidorl, who is becoming a bigger part of her day, might die. The mixture of emotions torments Mertina from the inside. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your return, Raidorl-sama.¡± Mertina said this while squeezing her own chest with her hand. Not ¡ºYour Highness¡», but ¡ºRaidorl-sama¡». Mertina seems surprised at herself for having unintentionally referred to him by his childhood name. ¡°¡­.!¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected surprise. He looks closely at his childhood friend who is slumped in embarrassment, and opens his mouth with a complex expression that is hard to describe. ¡°I¡¯m off¡­¡­¡­Tina.¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Greeted by a thousand cavalrymen, Raidorl Zain climbed into the carriage provided. He left the pioneer city in the hands of the guildmaster Zafis. Before he was originally sent to the frontier to become a lord, Zafis and other influential people in the town had ruled the town. It would be possible to run the town well enough without him. ¡®It doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that my elder brother or the Prime Minister won¡¯t make some crazy scheme,¡­¡­, but I¡¯d like to believe that they¡¯re not that stupid¡¯ Pioneer cities are responsible for preventing the flow of demons from the jungle in the south of the Kingdom of Zain. If they create chaos with the frontier cities, demons would flow into the kingdom and they would be caught between the empire and the demon hordes. Although King Granard and his prime minister have banished the Raidorl, there is no doubt that they are trying to protect the country in their own way. They would not go out of their way to harm the pioneer cities and destroy the country. ¡®At any rate,¡­¡­it¡¯s hostile territory from here onwards. I¡¯ve got to brace myself.¡¯ Raidorl looks out of the carriage window with a leering glare, while his heart once again grows angry. The young prince, his eyes determined, hears a concerned voice. ¡°Master, is there something bothering you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Raidorl responds by waving lightly at the girl in the maid¡¯s uniform. Raidorl is about to ride into the lap of his elder brother, who has disinherited him and is accompanied by his only companion, Neimilia. A young man, a holder of the Holy Sword Excalibur, and the witch, dressed as a maid, sit side by side in the carriage. And sitting opposite them is a young knight in a suit of armour. He was Darren Garst, the commander in charge of this unit. ¡°If you are not feeling well, please tell me at once, your Royal Highness Raidorl.¡± Raidorl¡¯s lips twisted sarcastically at the young knight¡¯s attempts to see his colour. ¡°¡¯Heh, so you do intend to respect me as royalty, in a manner of speaking.¡± ¡°Naturally. You are, without doubt, a legitimate royal of the Zain royal bloodline.¡± ¡°Hee¡­..then, you¡¯ll take my side if I have to fight my brother?¡± ¡°¡­.. Your Highness, please don¡¯t say anything improper. Even if it is a joke, not everyone will take it lightly.¡± Darren frowns and complains bitterly. Raidorl y shrugs his shoulders and scornfully smiles. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me for this level of complaining. I¡¯ve been discarded as a useless prince and called back for their own reasons. Of course I would have such feelings right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Your Highness. It may be impertinent for me to say this, but His Majesty Granard sincerely hopes that you and His Highness will make peace and stand together against the Empire. I would be grateful if you would take these feelings into account.¡± ¡°Feeling¡­I think it¡¯s a selfish argument but it¡¯s refreshing.¡± Raidorl became a Holy Sword holder and got in the way, so Granard banished him to the frontier and cut him down. Now he needs the power of the Holy Sword, so he asks for reconciliation without properly asking for it. Both are for the convenience of the kingdom. Or more accurately, Granard¡¯s self-centered convenience. ¡®If they had just left me alone,¡­¡­then there would have been no quarrel between us¡¯ ¡°Milia. Give me some tea.¡± ¡°Yes,Master.¡± Raidorl called the maid by a nickname he did not normally call her by, and ordered her to be straightforward. The reason why he does not call her ¡®Neimilia¡¯ as usual is a measure to prevent Darren from realising that she is one of the ¡ºWitches Of Doom¡». The names of the six witches who almost destroyed the world are so well known that they appear in picture books, and anyone with good instincts might recognise them because of her golden eyes. Neimilia, under orders from her master, took a water sac and a wooden cup from her bag and began to brew tea in the carriage. ¡°Please wait a moment while I heat it up.¡± ¡°Aaa.¡± When Neimilia clenched the cup of tea in her hands, the liquid inside bubbled up, and soon a mellow aroma rose from the cup along with the steam. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s ready. The milk is still ¡­¡­ not coming out, so please forgive me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t put anything extra. Thank you.¡± ¡°Amazing! Is this woman a magician?¡± Darren¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as Neimilia handed Raidorl a cup of tea. In this world, people who can use magic are called sorcerers. It is said that there is only one person in a thousand who has a background in magic, and they are often protected by the state and nobility as valuable human resources. ¡°Magic without chanting¡­¡­! How did a sorcerer end up on the frontier¡­..¡± Darren muttered in dismay. Children of sorcerers are also more likely to inherit their magical backgrounds, and even if they do not serve in the royal court, they will have no trouble finding someone to marry. This is even more so if they can use magic without chanting. Since the nobility and wealthy merchants are so generous with their marriage proposals, it was hard to understand why so many magicians would go to the trouble of living in a dangerous frontier city. Darren, who froze in surprise, received a cup of tea from Raidorl with a wry smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡¡I don¡¯t remember showing you anything amazing.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­. I see what your highness is doing¡­but why did His Highness bring her alone?¡± ¡°Hou?¡± ¡°There are not more than ten magicians in the court who are skilled enough to use chantless magic. If you have a man of that calibre as your bodyguard, then you don¡¯t need any other bodyguard, do you?¡± Darren says it while nodding, his honest-looking face tense slightly. It was understood that the maid called Milia was a sorceress of great ability. The question was why Raidorl had revealed this to Darren. ¡°¡­His Highness is warning me, isn¡¯t he? I have a good sorcerer escorting me by my side. So don¡¯t pretend to be a fool or do unnecessary things¡­¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re being too cautious. I don¡¯t mean anything deep like that. I just wanted a cup of tea because I was thirsty.¡± Raidorl smiled and sipped from his cup. Darren looks bitterly at him, who is drinking the steamy tea while blowing on it. Darren realised inwardly that Raidorl did not trust them. He doesn¡¯t trust the King ¨C not even a shred of trust for his own brother, Granard. The reason why he accompanied Darren to the capital is not because he is seriously trying to save the country. He must have some other agenda. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren remains silent and mulls in agony. The more he thought about it, the darker his thoughts sank, and he began to anguish as if his guts were filled with lead. Whether or not he knew the inner thoughts of the young commander, Raidorl had a calm expression on his face as he sipped on the tea the maid had brewed. ¡°Uun, after all, tea brewed by Milia is delicious.¡± ¡°What a waste of words. It was worth putting in the special honey.¡± ¡°¡­..I¡¯m withdrawing my previous statement. What the hell did you put in my drink? Raidorl and Neimilia begin to argue in the carriage as if they were a married couple in a comic dialogue. As he looked at them, Darren sighed with a headache-inducing expression on his face and slowly shook his head. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Then, a few days later. Raidorl stepped into the royal capital for the first time in five years as the carriage rocked along. The streets of the royal city have not changed much from what Raidorl knows. However, the number of people passing in and out of the main streets and the number of stalls lined up on either side of the road had clearly diminished, and the entire capital city seemed to have a somewhat dark shadow over it. ¡®It¡¯s wartime, so it¡¯s not surprising that the air quality is poor¡­¡­.It¡¯s gloomy, the war isn¡¯t going well, is it?¡¯ If the war had favoured Zain¡¯s, people¡¯s faces would not be so gloomy. The reason why the faces of the people passing through the town are so sombre must be because they sense, in their own way, that the Kingdom of Zain is being driven into a corner. Raidorl looked out of the carriage window and predicted the war situation in this way. If the Kingdom of Zain is in a desperate situation the king may be forced to recall his brother, who may never want to see his face again. ¡°I will take his highness straight to the mansion. His highness¡¯s audience with His Majesty the King will be tomorrow, so please take your time and relax after your journey.¡± ¡°The mansion? Aren¡¯t we going to the royal palace?¡± At Darren¡¯s explanation, Raidorl¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°There is a lot going on at the palace, so we have arranged a house in the noble district for His Highness. You may use that residence for the duration of your stay in the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. I guess my brother doesn¡¯t trust me at all.¡± Raidorl clicked his tongue abominably. Although Raidorl was banished from the royal capital and sent to the frontier, his royal status was not taken away. Therefore, he had always assumed that he would sleep in the royal palace. However, the elder brother king apparently despises his younger brother to such an extent that he cannot tolerate this. Is he afraid that Raidorl will rebel against him and come after him in his sleep, or is it simply that he has no face to show to his brother? Although the reason is not clear, it seems that he does not even want to put him under the same roof as himself. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that by any means¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to cover it up. I¡¯ve known for five years that my brother hates me because of the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl turned his head out of the window and said softly. Darren looks down with a sombre look in his eyes and apologetically shuts his mouth. A long silence enveloped the carriage, with only the rattling of the wheels scratching the ground. The carriage drove on for a while, and soon came to a section lined with the residences of aristocrats and leading merchants. The number of pedestrians has decreased dramatically, and a quiet, tranquil atmosphere envelops the area instead. The carriage continues deeper into the aristocratic district, eventually coming to a stop in front of a particularly large building. ¡°We have arrived¡­¡­This is the mansion.¡± Darren speaks up as if he cannot bear the silence. One of the knights surrounding him dismounts from his horse and opens the carriage door. Following Darren, who dismounted first, Raidorl and Neimilia step out. ¡°Heh,¡­¡­ it¡¯s quite a big mansion, isn¡¯t it?¡± Looking up at the large mansion standing before him, Raidorl looked in admiration. The house has the appearance of a large nobleman¡¯s mansion, with a vast garden filled with well-tended plants and seasonal flowers. The chalk walls and blue-painted roof have been carefully cared for and not a speck of dirt can be seen. If one were to purchase a mansion of this magnitude with money, it might blow a year¡¯s income in a pioneer city. ¡®I see¡­¡­I can see right through your heart, brother.¡¯ Looking up at the grand and opulent mansion, Raidorl guesses what his brother King Granard thinks of him. He fears and loathes him and does not want him in the royal palace. But he still wants to use Raidorl¡¯s strength, so he gives him sweet candy canes. The malice of wanting Raidorl to disappear and the calculation of wanting to tame the Excalibur Holder. Granard must be struggling with two conflicting emotions on a balance sheet. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind if I do what I want in this house.¡± ¡°Of course. His Majesty has asked that you use it freely.¡± ¡°Aa,good. I¡¯ll take your word for it and do as I like.¡± ¡°I will come back tomorrow to pick his highness up. I beg your pardon then.¡± Nodding back at Darren, who bowed, Raidorl stepped without hesitation into the gateway doorway that the knight had opened. Neimilia follows behind him like a shadow. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± As they disappeared into the house, Darren watched their backs with a look of hope mixed with a strong sense of anxiety. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ Welcome back, His Majesty¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± As soon as they entered the mansion, the butlers and maids, who were queuing at the entrance, all greeted him. ¡°Oou¡­¡­?¡± It is a spectacular sight of sorts to see these very well-bred men and women bowing in unison under their breath. The first time Raidorl saw them was when he was living in the royal palace as a prince, but he had spent a long time in the countryside in the middle of nowhere and was involuntarily overwhelmed. ¡°Master, you must get your act together.¡± ¡°Hmm?, ah ¡­¡­ sorry.¡± Neimilia, standing behind him, tugs at the hem of Raidorl¡¯s jacket. Raidorl regained his composure and cleared his throat. ¡°Now that I am the lord of this house, who represents you?¡± ¡°It is I. Your Royal Highness.¡± A man in a butler¡¯s uniform with a moustache and moustache advanced. He is around the age of stepping into his first years. His carefully coiffed hair and beard were dyed a romance grey, and the way he greeted the man, carefully folding his hips, oozed a sincere personality. ¡°You look familiar. I believe you worked at the royal palace five years ago?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time. My name is Sarawyn, a former attach¨¦ of His Majesty Granard.¡± The butler, Sarawyn smiles at Raidorl with a loose-lipped smile. His calm and composed mood is the same as it was five years ago. Raidorl remembers the time when he was a child and received sweets from Sarawyn at a tea party held by his brother. ¡°Aaa, yes, it you, Sarawyn. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, your highness. Welcome back.¡± ¡°Thanks, by the way, ¡­¡­there¡¯s one thing I need to discuss, or rather tell everyone here.¡± ¡°Ha? What is it?¡± When Sarawyn¡¯s expression turns doubtful, Raidorl smiles with his mouth in the shape of a crescent moon. ¡°Everyone here is fired. Now get out.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡­?¡± Sarawyn¡¯s expression freezes at the all-too-unexpected words. The other servants in the room behind him begin to rustle. ¡°Wh-, is there something wrong with us?¡¡If there are any ¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a problem. I¡¯m just asking you to leave because I don¡¯t need you.¡± Uncompromisingly, Raidorl refused them. Sarawin¡¯s gaze wanders from side to side in confusion, but he still insists. ¡°This house is as large as you can see. I¡¯m afraid your maid can¡¯t clean it all by herself. ¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your concern¡­.. Let me put it this way. I only trust this maid here. I¡¯m not going to have anyone else by my side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± ¡°You people cannot be trusted. So get out.¡± When Raidorl says this out loud, Sarawyn¡¯s face contorts in humiliation. The old butler stared at Raidorl and Neimilia resentfully for a while, but eventually sighed as if he had given up. ¡°¡­¡­I understand. I will inform His Majesty Granard of this.¡± ¡°Do so, thank you for your service.¡± Raidorl fluttered and waved his hand. The servants hesitantly looked into Raidorl¡¯s face as they walked out of the house, Sarawyn in the lead. Eventually, when they had all left, he looked back at Neimilia. ¡°Check the¡­¡­Mansion. Every corner.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Neimilia pinches the hem of her apron dress and reverently returns the acknowledgement. ¡°¡¾Shadow beast: ShadowServant¡¿¡± Neimilia¡¯s shadow slowly changes shape to form a human form. The shadows are women in maid uniforms. The faces of these maids, which look as if they have been kneaded into darkness, have no eyes or noses and are as smooth as eggs. They are not human, of course. They were Neimilia¡¯s servants, living in the shadows and born from the shadows. ¡°Explore the mansion, see if there are any dangerous objects or anyone lurking around. Those who are available, check the supplies in the house. Especially clothing and foodstuffs.¡± ¡°¡ºAs your will, Mistress¡»¡± About ten shadow maids scattered around the mansion with gliding steps. Since they were created from shadows, they were able to enter every crevice and explore every detail of the mansion. Neimilia nodded with a satisfied look on her face at her servants who were exploring even the crevices that ants can get into. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ then, please rest at ease, master. Please leave all the mundane matters and management of the mansion to me.¡± ¡°Aaa, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°If you are too excited to sleep, you can call upon me at any time. I will comfort your master with all my might. Mufufufu.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl takes one look at Neimilia as if she were an insect crawling out from under a stone, and disappears silently into a suitable room. Although her comments are questionable in many ways, Neimilia will be able to manage everything in the spacious mansion without any problems. The rare and precious witch who once nearly destroyed the world has now become a respectable maid. Volume 1 - CH 7 Reunion and Farewell Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny (TL: Now, Raidorl called Granard ¡ºAniue¡»instead of ¡ºNiisan¡»which is more closer in ranking,But I use older brother or just brother to make easier) The next day, Raidorl was taken to the royal palace by Darren, who came to pick him up. He 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 and had to leave her at the mansion. However, in case of emergency, a servant demon created by Neimilia lurks in the shadows and is supposed to help him escape from the castle in the event of a catastrophe. After returning to the royal palace for the first time in five years, Raidorl was made to wait in the parlour with Darren until Granard was ready for an audience. Although he used to live in the royal palace, he feels more distant than nostalgic. Some of the servants he passed were familiar to him, but they all had awkward expressions on their faces and quickly turned their heads away from him. Raidorl knew he wasn¡¯t the right person to be here. But he felt like he was being told that he wasn¡¯t allowed to be here. ¡°I am sorry to have kept you waiting. Please come through to the audience chamber.¡± After waiting for about ten minutes, a man who appeared to be a civil servant came to guide them. Apparently everything was ready, and Raidorl was escorted to the audience chamber. The audience chamber had a long carpeted floor from the door to the back, with rows of nobles, knights lined up on either side across the carpet, and a throne for the king to sit on further back. ¡°I have brought His Royal Highness Raidorl Zain¡± Darren gives a dusty greeting as he enters the room, and then urges Raidorl to come forward. Having done his duty, Darren steps aside and joins the line of knights. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± The man sitting on the throne opens his mouth in a stern and reverential manner. Upon hearing his voice, Raidorl frowned slightly. The voice sounded familiar, of course. The voice belonged to his own blood brother, Granard. ¡°Hmm¡­..¡± Raidorl sniffed lightly. He stomped his way across the carpet to the far end of the room and, just before nearing his brother, dropped to one knee and bowed his head. ¡°Raise your face. Raidorl.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Granard says in a grave tone, and Raidorl follows his brother¡¯s words and raises his head. The man looking at him and sitting higher than Raidorl, is Granard Zain. He is Raidorl¡¯s older brother and was responsible for banishing him, who became the holder of the D¨¢insleif, from Royal Capital. ¡®¡­¡­ have you lost some weight?¡¯ As he looked at Granard, who was sitting on his throne and looking down at him, Raidorl thought vaguely. His brother, ten years older than him, looked a little more gaunt than Raidorl remembered, and his head was beginning to show some white. ¡®Being a king is a very hard job, isn¡¯t it? How could my brother be so skinny and grey?¡¯ Holding back a smile from forming on his lips, Raidorl waits for the King to speak. Granard looked at Raidorl in silence for a moment, and then opened his mouth solemnly. ¡°Welcome, Raidorl. My younger brother.¡± ¡°Ha, it¡¯s been a long time. Your Majesty the King.¡± ¡°Hm ¡­¡­ don¡¯t talk to me like a stranger. Even if I¡¯m king, we are brothers. You can call me as you used to.¡± ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll take your word for it¡­¡­brother.¡± Granard dare Raidorl to call him ¡ºNiisan¡» instead of ¡ºAniue¡» as in the past, but at a distance. Since they don¡¯t use nicknames any more either, Raidorl guesses they¡¯re even. Raidorl takes a breath and restrains his heart from rising. ¡®Stranger?¡¡Brothers?¡¡You banished me for no reason, and now you¡¯re talking nonsense!?¡¯ ¡°I am very sorry that I could not attend our father¡¯s funeral. I also ask you to forgive me for my inability to support my own brother the king to this day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. You have fulfilled your role of keeping the demons at bay in the southern frontier cities. Your success has reached the royal capital. You are indeed my brother.¡± ¡°What a waste of words, brother.¡± Raidorl and Granard. The two brothers continue their conversation in a cheerful manner with a smile on their lips. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± But the vassals watching around them watched the brothers¡¯ conversation with an indescribably anxious expression. They had expected the reunion between the exiled prince and the king to be a rather bleak affair, but the two conversing in a surprisingly friendly manner stirred their anxiety instead. The conversation, which seemed to be only superficially mended, was like that of a volcano on the verge of erupting, radiating an atmosphere of urgency that could explode at any moment. The brothers exchange words of reunion in a friendly manner. At the sight of the two, Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell, who was waiting right next to the throne, also had a bitter expression on his face, as if he were biting the earth. ¡®This is a surprise. I never thought their relationship would be so strained¡­¡­¡¯ How many of the vassals observing the audience would have noticed? From a moment ago, neither Granard, who is sitting on his throne, nor Raidorl, who is kneeling in front of him, has been smiling but neither of their eyes is smiling at all. No matter how softly they talk to each other, the eyes of both of them are hostile and they are glaring at each other as if they are slashing at the other with their gazes. ¡®It is to be expected that His Highness Raidorl holds a grudge against His Majesty the King. However, I never thought that even His Majesty would have such refractory feelings towards His Highness¡­¡­.¡¯ Although Granard was born as the first prince of the previous king, Bernard, he had a deep respect for the first king, who was a Excalibur holder, from an early age. He had been educated as a crown prince with the ambition of eventually being chosen as the holder of the Holy Sword and leading the Kingdom of Zain to even greater prosperity. Lockwood, who was supporting Granard, was aware that Granard was jealous of Raidorl, who had become the holder of the holy sword D¨¢insleif. The reason Raidorl was banished to the frontier was not only to prevent the country from being divided between the first prince, who was conducting political affairs in place of the sick king, and the second prince, who had become the holder of the Holy Sword Excalibur. One of the reasons for this was the fire of backward and delusional obsession that burned in Granard¡¯s heart. ¡®Even so, ¡­¡­ with the death of His Majesty the First and the accession of His Majesty Granard to the throne, his position was already so secure that there was no way for a succession struggle to take place. I had thought that the feeling of vindictiveness towards His Highness Raidorl had somewhat cleared up. ¡­.¡¯ Apparently, the disgust and jealousy that Granard harbours is far deeper than Lockwood had imagined. And no doubt, Raidorl is also aware of these black feelings. The older brother who banished him still abhors him. He must have sensed this clearly and returned a hostile glare. ¡®Will he really be able to ¡­¡­ win over His Highness Raidorl and make him fight against the Empire? And after winning the war against the Empire and saving the country from a national crisis, can the brothers be brought together amicably?¡¯ [There is no way it can happen]. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lockwood gulped down a nervous spit. ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ come to think of it, it seems that the daughter of Marcell who I sent as an emissary has been disrespectful?¡± After the reunion, Granard cut to the chase as he recalled. The topic of discussion was the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, Mertina Marcell. She had been sent to the frontier city as an envoy to bring Raidorl to the capital, but was now being held on the charge of trying to bind Raidorl with a curse. She is still in the city and has been put into the prison cells of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild under the control of Zafis. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t want to detain the Prime Minister¡¯s daughter, but I had to take her into custody because of the circumstances. If Your Excellency wishes, I will release her and return her to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Lockwood replied to Raidorl, who made the suggestion with a nonchalant expression on his face/ ¡°My daughter has committed an unforgivable act in the service of the Zain royal family. Even if it was out of a desire to save the country, I am not in a position to beg for her help. Please, Your Highness, judge her as you wish.¡± ¡°Well, if Your Excellency the Prime Minister says so, then I will do so.¡¡She¡¯s your precious, precious daughter, isn¡¯t she?¡± Raidorl confirmed this with a nasty, hung-up lip. Lockwood, on the other hand, replies flatly without losing his hard expression. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. That daughter is no longer a member of House Marcell. Please boil her or roast her or do with her as you please.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Aaa, agreed. I¡¯ll do as I please.¡± Raidorl sniffed in a bored manner. If Lockwood were to stand up for Mertina here, it would be the perfect opportunity to pursue the Prime Minister for disrespect to the royal family and oust him. If Lockwood had been disposed of, it would have reduced the power of his brother slightly, but it appears that this is not going to happen. ¡®well, I knew the man was capable of cutting his heart out for the good of the country. I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡¯ Raidorl sighs with resignation in his heart and quickly changes his mind. ¡°Well, brother. What business did you call me back to Royal Capital for?¡± Although he had already been briefed by Mertina and Darren, Raidorl dared to put it into words and ask the question. Granard¡¯s eyebrows raised up when he got to the point. ¡°About that, ¡­¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already heard, but the Arslanian Empire to the east has invaded our borders and invaded the Kingdom of Zain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡¯The Empire has more troops than our country, and on top of that, even the Holy Excalibur Holder is following this invasion. The key border fortress of Balmes has already been defeated, and a third of the kingdom has been overrun. General Garst is holding the enemy forces, but at this rate the kingdom¡¯s destruction will only be a matter of time.¡± ¡°So¡­.. what do you want me to do?¡± As he asked, Raidorl clenched his fist fist tightly. The tip of the nail claw pierced his palm, causing a sharp pain. Even so, he does not relax his hand. ¡®Now, how do we get out of this?¡¡This is the last turning point for us, remember?¡¯ If Raidorl and Granard were to reconcile and join hands, this would be the last opportunity to do so. If Granard would bow his head and apologise, the deep rift that has been carved between them could be bridged a little. However, if Granard says what Raidorl expects him to say, then the bond between the brothers will be completely severed. It can no longer be repaired. That is why Raidorl quietly waits for his brother to speak. Soon, what was released from Granard¡¯s mouth were heartless words that extinguished the last hope. ¡°Holy Excalibur Holder Raidorl Zain. To save the Kingdom of Zain, take the D¨¢insleif in your hand and fight the Empire!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Raidorl bit his back teeth and closed both eyes tightly. At that moment, the few remaining feelings for his brother in Raidorl¡¯s heart were destroyed to pieces. Granard drove Raidorl to the frontier in order to reign as king and out of jealousy at being deprived of the Holy Sword. And instead of apologising for this and repairing their relationship, he has used his authority as king as a shield to force him to fight unilaterally for his country. Their relationship is no longer that of brothers. One who uses and one who is used. It has become a relationship of ruler and slave. ¡®I see¡­¡­brother, you don¡¯t really think of me as brother anymore, do you?¡¡You think of me as nothing more than a pawn, a valuable pawn, don¡¯t you?¡¯ Raidorl¡¯s heart chills as if a block of ice has been thrown into it. The days of being a close friend with his brother flashed through his mind. They soon fade away, relegated to the corners of his memory. ¡®If that is your intention, I will show no mercy. I will take back what was taken from me and crush those who oppose me! I will not let them take my place again!¡¯ With a determined will to break up burning like fire, Raidorl looked up. ¡®You order me¡­..? You¡¯ve got to be kidding! You¡¯re a king who was not even chosen by the Holy Sword. How can a king with such insecurity, who chose to banish his own brother out of jealousy, rule over me!¡¯ In Raidorl¡¯s eyes, the throne in front of his gaze was no longer just a prey to be snatched away. Hence, Raidorl declares clearly and mercilessly. ¡°I am sorry, but I must decline.¡± ¡°What did you say¡­..?¡± Granard¡¯s eyebrows raised in a cold rejection. He probably did not expect his words to be rejected. A suspicious look flashed in his eyes. ¡°What¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It is impolite to disobey a royal decree!¡± ¡°No matter how much you may be the king¡¯s brother, this is unforgivable!¡± The audience chamber was enveloped in a tumultuous atmosphere, with angry shouts of censure for rudeness coming from the vassals who were watching the situation around them. However, even when he was being accused from all sides, Raidorl¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He opens his mouth without a single change of colour. ¡°I am sorry, but I cannot fight the Empire. Brother.¡± ¡°¡­.. do you understand what you are saying?¡¡This is a royal decree, remember?¡± No matter how much Raidorl is the king¡¯s brother, he is not allowed to reject the king¡¯s orders. The royal family is only related to the king by blood, but they are still his subjects. Granard¡¯s eyes grow stern as he is told that his orders have been rejected. His fingertips are trembling in anger. Unable to see the king, who was about to shout, Lockwood spoke up instead. ¡°Your Highness Raidorl!¡¡You are disrespectful to His Majesty the King!¡± ¡°That said, Prime Minister, as the lord of the frontier city of Raid, I have the duty of preventing the invasion of the monsters of the jungle. It would be somewhat outrageous to ask me to abandon that duty and go to the border, far away from my territory, to fight without having been given much time to prepare. However royal the order may be, isn¡¯t there a reason for things?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be reasonable when your country is about to be destroyed! Don¡¯t you know what your priorities are!¡± Lockwood exclaims, shrugging off his usual calm, to which Raidorl replies with a chilling sneer. ¡°I suppose the importance of the mission to protect the border remains the same, regardless of whether we¡¯re dealing with the Empire or demons. Or are there other lords besides me who are rushing to the border from the frontier to reinforce the troops?¡¡My recollection is that only the Army and the Knights are standing up to the Empire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± Lockwood is slightly at a loss for words. Seeing the opportunity, Raidorl slashes at him with more verbal blades and yields. ¡°There seem to be many landed nobles here, but how many troops did they have sent out?¡¡I don¡¯t think you¡¯re suggesting that I go to war with no forces other than a few adventurers, and they¡¯re not manning up!?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The nobles around him began to murmur at his words. A large number of nobles serving in the Granard are gathered here, but most of them have not sent out troops under the guise of ¡ºmaintaining public order¡». It was certainly reasonable for a Raidorl to refuse to fight when the nobles were also refusing to follow him. A murmur of agitation and bewilderment covers the audience chamber. Some of the nobles present nodded in agreement with Raidorl¡¯s words, while others made a fuss about his disrespect for the king. In the first place, the king¡¯s order to suddenly recall a prince who had been banished to the frontier and treated coldly and unilaterally order him to go to war is itself unreasonable. Raidorl¡¯s argument was undoubtedly correct, except that it ignored the national crisis of enemy invasion. Lockwood¡¯s expression became austere at the sight of the nobles with divergent opinions, but he still managed to open his mouth again in an attempt to persuade Raidorl. However, before the Prime Minister could utter a word, Granard spoke up. ¡°So? How do you propose to fight the Empire?¡± The noisy nobles quiet down at the sound of Granard¡¯s voice, which is resentful and questioning, his shoulders shaking with anger. Granard continues to speak, cutting through the air of the silent audience chamber. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to go to war, then all you have to do is not come to the Royal Capital in the first place. There must be some conditions. What is it? Money?¡¡Status? Tell me what you want.¡± The mended smile that was on Granard¡¯s face earlier is no longer on his face as he says evasively. Instead, his expression was dominated by the contemptuous disdain with which he lambasted his petulant brother. When Raidorl was stared at with a face that was not, very likely, intended for his immediate family, his lips lifted sarcastically. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re the King, after all. You¡¯re very quick to speak, thank you very much. The king must be a master at reading people¡¯s minds, is that right?¡± ¡°¡­..State your demands. I will not listen to your flattery.¡± ¡°Understood, then shall I ask what I want.¡± Raidorl reached into his pocket and pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment from the inside pocket of his jacket. ¡°I am willing to fight the Empire if you accept the terms of my oath. If my brother, who is now king, is willing to do what his poor younger brother, who was driven from his birthplace, asks¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± When Raidorl says with a clownishly amused tone, Granard gives him a silent, reproachful look and verbally urges him to read it quickly. Glaring at his brother king, Raidorl unfolded a rolled up piece of parchment. ¡°I, Raidorl Zain, shall fight to defend the Kingdom of Zain from the Arslanian Empire if you agree to the following conditions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl stands tall and reads the text on the oath in a stern tone. Granard, Lockwood and all the nobles present listen silently to the words being spun as they flow. ¡°¡ºCondition One: King Granard shall guarantee the safety of the Raidorl within the Kingdom of Zain.¡»¡± ¡°Hm¡­..¡± On hearing the first condition, Granard raised one eyebrow and snorted. The contempt in Granard¡¯s eyes deepened. Perhaps he thought that Raidorl was afraid that his brother would betray him. ¡°¡ºCondition Two, the Crown shall pay 100,000 gold coins in aid to the frontier city of Raid, which is governed by Raidorl.¡»¡± ¡°Jyu, 100,000¡­¡­!¡± A trembling voice was uttered by a man of noble birth with a fat belly and a sweating forehead. The man, who holds the position of Minister of Finance in the royal court, calculates the amount of the reward demanded by Raidorl on the abacus in his head. One hundred thousand gold coins is one tenth of the Zain kingdom¡¯s national budget. For a country with a huge financial resource in the form of tax revenue from its people, it was not an amount that could not be paid, but even so, it was not a cheap sum. ¡®And now, moreover, it is wartime. It¡¯s a headache when you think about the post-war reconstruction costs¡­¡­¡¯ Lockwood gave the sweating Finance Minister a sideways glance and a sigh of sympathy. He feels sincere pity for his colleague, who is gaining weight from stress, but he still can¡¯t help him out. One hundred thousand gold coins is a lot of money, but it is not an undeserved amount for the aid to the frontier city that continues to protect its southern border from demons. It is rather strange that the royal court has so far provided no assistance to the adventurer towns guarding the borders. ¡°¡ºCondition three, all property acquired by Raidorl in the war shall be the property of Raidorl, and the Crown shall not be able to demand its delivery.¡»¡± ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­?¡± Lockwood tilted his head. It¡¯s a condition he doesn¡¯t understand. Treasure and prisoners of war taken from the imperial army and taken for themselves. That is, well, a natural right, but he doesn¡¯t understand why Raidorl would bother to remind them of it as a condition. ¡®Does His Highness, by any chance, have any goods he¡¯s after? What on earth is he thinking¡­¡­¡¯ Lockwood twisted his head, unable to read Raidorl¡¯s thoughts. However, the untranslatable demands continued. ¡°¡ºCondition Four, the Raidorl shall have the right to determine the treatment of prisoners of war captured by the Raidorl in the war.¡»¡± ¡®Again¡­¡­Another odd condition. What is His Highness thinking?¡¯ It is becoming dimly apparent that Raidorl has a straightforward plot, but Lockwood doesn¡¯t know what its purpose is. Aside from aid money, what is the purpose of demanding goods and prisoners of war? If he wants a reward, he should clearly state that as a condition. Lockwood crosses his arms and ponders. And the elder brother King Granard, who listens to his brother¡¯s words in silence. Raidorl looks at both of them in turn and takes a huffing breath. ¡°And ¡­¡­ this is the last condition. ¡ºCondition five, King Granard nominates his brother Raidorl as Crown Prince, to be the next King of the Kingdom.¡»¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At these words, the air in the audience chamber froze. ¡°Are you an idiot!? Do you know what you are saying!? It was Lockwood who first shouted. The sight of the normally calm Prime Minister distraught made the nobles around him realise once again the seriousness of the situation. The child, born some time after Raidorl was exiled to the frontier, was nominated as the Dauphin despite his young age, and was recognised by those around him as the next king. The conditions demanded by Raidorl were like a clear statement that he would depose the prince and become the next king. ¡°No matter how much he may be your royal brother, it¡¯s disrespectful! To address the king and demand to be a king¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Lockwood chokes up and Raidorl rolls up the parchment with the oath on it and rolls it around in his hands, as if he has said everything he needs to say. The Prime Minister¡¯s brow is furrowed at the sight of this tensionless figure, like a child playing with his hands. ¡°His Highness Raidorl¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Raidorl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Lockwood still tries to argue, but is frozen by Granard¡¯s quiet voice. The Prime Minister turned around and gulped and turned to his lord¡¯s face. ¡°Raidorl, are you serious about this?¡± There is no anger in Granard¡¯s voice as he asks his brother. But no one here would expect him to remain calm. Granard¡¯s face was stained with hatred and murderous intent that he no longer intended to hide. His face, which has turned red like a demon¡¯s from rage, is contorted as if he is about to curse his brother to death, who stands before him. That would also be the case. The condition that Raidorl demanded, that he be the next king, was not simply that he would take away the position of the current crown prince. He is to become king in the event of the king¡¯s death in a roundabout way, this could be taken as a declaration of war,[I will kill you and become the king myself.] ¡°The crown prince, the next king is my son Strauss!¡¡I will not have you as my crown prince!¡± The nobles present trembled at the argument which was uttered with murderous intent. Granard had been known as a fair man since he had once served as the king¡¯s deputy. His attitude towards his brother was absurd, but he was never narrow-minded as a king. Many of those present had never seen such a Granard possessed by anger. Depending on his reply, he might order the soldiers to kill Raidorl on the spot. Even the air of such a bleakness was made to smell, and angry voices were hurled at him. ¡°Aaa, Okay then. Ignore the last condition.¡± ¡°Ha¡­..?¡± In response to his brother¡¯s angry shouts, Raidorl simply dropped the condition. The palpable ease which he withdrew makes Granard look dumbfounded. ¡° I don¡¯t have to be crown prince. I¡¯ll remove it.¡± Raidorl said in a calm tone but his lips lifted nastily in a grin. ¡°hee¡­¡­?¡± Whose dazed voice was it? When Raidorl simply dropped the condition, without showing any regret, those present all had disbelief in their eyes. ¡°I¡¯m saying that if you don¡¯t like it that much, I¡¯ll drop the last condition. It¡¯s not like I really wanted to be crown prince.¡± With a calm tone, Raidorl took a brush and inkwell from his pocket. He unfolded the rolled parchment again and, without hesitation, crossed out the last condition. ¡°Okay, so the only conditions are the four above. That¡¯s alright with you, brother?¡± ¡°Umm, mmm¡­yes¡­¡­¡± Granard, who had been furious and angry earlier, is now being snuffed out like a willow. He was so stunned that he unintentionally nodded his head in agreement with Raidorl¡¯s words. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re convinced. I¡¯ll get you to sign the oath right away.¡± ¡®So that was your aim¡­¡­!¡¯ When Raidorl smiles with his arms crossed in satisfaction, Lockwood realised what he was aiming for. From the start, Raidorl had never expected Granard to offer him the title of crown prince. Raidorl gambled to state the conditions that would be denied, and then simply withdrew them when he received Granard¡¯s furious outrage, as he aimed to do. By doing so, he made it easier for other demands to be met. ¡®His Highness Raidorl readily conceded to the conditions. If he takes advantage of this and presses for further concessions, it will make His Majesty look small.¡¯ Not all of the nobles present were loyal to Granard. Although they ostensibly follow Granard, the king, some are willing to turn on the enemy if they see an opening, partly because of the imperial invasion. Granard could not afford to show that he was a small king in front of those who might betray him at any moment. Granard seems to have come to the same conclusion as Lockwood, and accepts Raidorl¡¯s claim with a bitter face. ¡°¡­. fine. I¡¯m fine with those conditions. I¡¯ll have the mark brought to you at once, just wait a little.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Brother.¡± Granard tried to order his men to bring him a seal to be used for official contracts, but Raidorl stops him away. ¡°We are blood brothers. Then let us conclude the contract in a manner befitting that.¡± ¡°A manner befitting a brother?¡¡You¡¯re not going to give me a verbal promise?¡± ¡°If that makes you feel more secure, that¡¯s fine, but¡­¡­ well, let¡¯s say we make a contract here with a blood seal.¡± ¡°Blood seal¡­..¡± Granard wrinkled his brow. As the name suggests, a blood seal is a contract signed in one¡¯s own blood. Although it is not a legal means and has no official binding force, the contract is heavy because it uses one¡¯s own blood instead of ink. Disobeying a contract signed with a blood seal is nothing less than an act of dishonouring the dignity of the soul. ¡°Your Highness,¡­¡­ may I say this, but to ask His Majesty Granard, the King, to shed blood is an act of disrespect.¡± There will be no disrespect now, but Lockwood will complain bitterly. The Prime Minister, who has been looking a bit worn out since this audience began, smiles wryly and spreads his hands out. ¡°Is that so?¡¡Indeed, my brother is the king at the top of this country. I may be royalty, but I am only a lord on the frontier. There is probably as much difference in our positions as there is between the heavens and the abyss. But now we have to face the national crisis of the imperial invasion together. Isn¡¯t it natural for us to reconnect our brotherly bonds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but is there such a thing¡­?¡± ¡°Blood brothers enter into a covenant of faith with a covenant of blood. I can think of no more fitting means.¡± Raidorl stuck his right thumb in his mouth and bit off the tip of his finger with his canine teeth without hesitation. He then used the oozing blood to inscribe his name on the oath in a silky, smooth manner. ¡°Done, I have written my name. What about you, brother?¡± ¡°Mu¡­¡­¡± When confronted with an oath inscribed with a red blood mark, Granard becomes even more grim-faced. [I am willing to shed blood. What about you?]¡¡He felt as if he had been provoked in that way. ¡°Well, if you really don¡¯t want to be in pain, then regular ink is fine. I won¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°¡­. don¡¯t make fun of me. Who is afraid of this level of fear? I never said I wouldn¡¯t sign anything.¡± Granard ordered his knight to bring the oath from Raidorl¡¯s hand, and he did the same, biting off the tip of his finger and writing his name. King Granard Zain and his royal brother Raydor Zain. The names of the two royals are written in blood. The oath with their names on it passed through the hands of the knight and was returned to Raidorl¡¯s hand again. ¡°Now you have nothing to complain about, Raidorl. Your terms are accepted. You will fight the Empire as you promised.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Our deal is done¡­¡­¡­¡ºActivation¡».¡± ¡°Nah¡­!¡± Raidorl briefly mumbled the words of a spellbook. The next moment, the oath is engulfed in black flames in his hand. The black flame that burnt the oath split in two and became a fist-sized fireball, which pierced the chests of Raidorl and Granard respectively. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Gah¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl accepts the black flame without blinking. Granard, by contrast, clutched his chest and rolled off his throne. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Lockwood cries out in horror, and the other nobles scream and shout in bewilderment. The audience chamber was instantly filled with angry shouts and clamour. ¡°¡­¡­Now the deal is done. Now, brace yourself. My fangs are deep, brother.¡± Raidorl murmured so loudly that no one could hear him, and a cold smile appeared on his mouth. ¡°Guards! Seize that wolf!¡± Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell rushed to the fallen king and gave the knights a sharp order. The knights of the Kingsguard, who had been frozen by the unusual situation suddenly arose in the audience chamber, reflexively obeyed the order. Three Kingsguard knights leap at Raidorl from the left, right and rear in unison. ¡°Ha! Too slow, too slow!¡± ¡°Ugh ¡­¡­!?¡± Raidorl grabs the arm of a knight who jumps on him from the right and uses his opponent¡¯s momentum to throw him away and the one of the knights is blown away as they fold in on top of each other. ¡°Fu!¡± Only one knight remains. As the Kingsguard knight attempted to pin the Raidorl down from behind, Raidorl turned around and unleashed a fist.A sharp blow with enough hip rotation struck the knight¡¯s chin and shook his brain violently. ¡°Gi, ah ¡­¡­ kisa, ma ¡­..¡± ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± The knight, who fell forward, still manages to raise himself up to catch the wolf who has harmed the king. Raidorl stomped mercilessly on the head of the loyal Kingsguard knight, causing him to fall into a coma this time. All three knights, who were defeated in less than a few seconds, were chosen for the Kingsguard and are the most elite warriors in the Kingdom of Zain. Looking down at their fallen state, Raidorl lamentably covers his face with his hands. ¡°How can the knights of the Kingsguard be this bad!¡¡No wonder this kingdom is dying!¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind?, Your Highness¡­¡­!¡¡I urge you not to put up any more resistance!¡± Lockwood releases a warning voice as he helps Granard up. Hearing the commotion in the audience chamber, soldiers rush through the door and surround Raidorl at a distance. ¡°What have you done to His Majesty the King!¡¡This is an act of high treason.¡± ¡°Treason ¡­¡­? I just signed a contract, you know?¡± ¡°If you do not intend to respond seriously, I will detain you!¡¡After all that you have done, you cannot expect to be treated as royalty!¡± No matter how strong Raidorl was, he was outnumbered on this occasion. If all the soldiers were to get involved at once, he would eventually be captured. And what awaits him after that is treatment as prisoners of war. Despite being confronted with such a future, Raidorl does not break his smile. He looks mockingly at Lockwood, who is standing by Granard¡¯s side, and sticks up his middle finger provocatively. ¡°If you can do it, do it!¡¡Only if you are prepared to lose your king!¡± ¡°What¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡ºCondition One: King Granard shall guarantee the safety of the Raidorl within the Kingdom of Zain.¡»¡± ¡°Is that the wording of the oath you just swore¡­..?¡± ¡°Aa, yes.¡± Lockwood¡¯s eyes narrowed dubiously, and Raidorl nodded. ¡°The deal is already made. Disobey and he will be punished.¡± ¡°That means¡­..¡± Raidorl says in a taunting manner. Lockwood¡¯s face paled as he realised what the traitor in front of him was trying to say. ¡°Does that mean¡­¡­you¡¯ve put a covenant curse on me?¡± ¡°Your Majesty Granard¡­..¡± Granard raises himself up and glares at Raidorl. Granard is dressed in luxurious clothes as a king, but his chest is bare since it had been burned off. His bare skin was marked with red emblems, as if he had been hit with a burning iron. It was an eerie pattern of a serpent snake coiled around a sword. ¡°That¡¯s how it is. On each other.¡± Raidorl¡¯s chest was also burned by the flames and stripped bare, with the exact same crest as Granard¡¯s on his well-proportioned, muscled chest. ¡°Do you not realise the meaning of what you have done? to curse me, the¡­.. king, how could you be this foolish?¡± The tone in Granard¡¯s voice contained not only anger, but also questions about his foolish brother. The ¡ºCurse of the Covenant¡», which compels certain behaviours, is a widely known magic technique, used to punish criminals and to subjugate slaves. The coercive force is so strong that some punishments can even lead to death if the offender disobeys. However, the curses are never permanent. They can be lifted if the appropriate steps are taken. ¡°I don¡¯t know what curse you have cast, but it will be lifted as soon as the court magicians gather. All that will be left is the crime you committed, Raidorl!¡± ¡°Maybe. But I wouldn¡¯t trust you otherwise. Brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± ¡°You have an idea of how to lose credibility, don¡¯t you? It wasn¡¯t me who betrayed you, it was you, you know?¡± He no longer intends to mend. Raidorl turns the blade of his words against his own brother. Publicly accused of banishing him from Royal Capital to the frontier, Granard narrows his eyes and sincerely laments Raidorl¡¯s folly. ¡°¡¯If you had done as I told you¡­..as you were, I would have let you live, no matter how much of an eyesore you were. Are you getting carried away now that you¡¯re the Holy Sword Excalibur Holder? Did you think you had surpassed me as king?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know, do you?¡¡I don¡¯t feel I have the right to explain that to you.¡± Granard was beyond angry and disgusted by Raidorl¡¯s playful attitude, moreover Raidorl did not want to listen to him. He even feels pity for him. To Granard, Raidorl is an abominable being chosen by the holy sword D¨¢insleif. He was a threat to his throne, and an infuriating opponent. That said, Granard did not actively want to kill his brother. If he had really disliked Raydor, he could have assassinated him instead of sending him to the frontier. ¡°¡­¡­fine. I¡¯ll honour the contract. You do what you want with what you have taken from the Empire. I will also provide aid to the frontier cities. But I will never forgive you for putting a curse on me. If you defeat the empire, you will have to prepare yourself for a suitable punishment!¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll fight the Empire seriously too. I¡¯ll show you how I¡¯m going to save this country, and you¡¯ll think you¡¯re on a big ship.¡± Raidorl flutters and waves one hand in the air as he tries to leave the audience chamber. The soldiers surrounding him naturally make way. ¡®Prepare yourself? That¡¯s my line, brother.¡¯ They have already declared war. There is no need to hide their hostility, it¡¯s time to rebel. What has been taken from him, he will take back. He will crush those who have taken from him. ¡®I will never let anyone take from me again.¡¯ That is Raidorl¡¯s belief, who was sent to the frontier after his place was taken away from him, and it is a pride that no one can compromise. ¡°¡­.. I was not wrong in banishing you to the frontier!¡¡The first king, the previous holder of the D¨¢insleif, also killed his brother and founded this country!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± With Granard¡¯s voice at his back, Raidorl leaves the throne room without looking back. This was the moment when the two brothers of the Zain royal blood were decisively separated. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Your Highness! Why did you do that!¡± Raidorl leaves the audience chamber and strides through the palace. Following behind him was Darren Garst, commander of the Kingdom¡¯s army. As he continues on his way, he glances sideways at Darren, who is questioning him. ¡°Why, I was just reminding him not to break the ¡­..contract.¡± ¡°That said, you don¡¯t know what kind of punishment you¡¯ll get ¡­¡­ for putting a curse on the king!¡± ¡°Punishment? Hey, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible as long as the curse is in place.¡± The curse of the oath prevents Granard from taking any action that would harm Raidorl. Until the curse is lifted, Raidorl¡¯s safety is guaranteed. ¡°The curse of the covenant, for example, will soon be lifted by the court magician!¡¡If that happens, His Majesty¡¯s wrath will be directed mercilessly at His Highness. I beg you, please apologise to His Majesty ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Heh, you care about me. That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± Raidorl blinked at him in surprise. Darren¡¯s father is Bazel Garst, a general in the Kingdom of Zain. Bazel was Granard¡¯s confidant and one of the central figures in favour of Raidorl¡¯s banishment. ¡°¡­.. Indeed, my father was one of those who were in no small way involved in the banishment of His Highness. But that was only to prevent a succession struggle from breaking out because His Highness had become the Holder Excalibur, not because he had any grudge against His Highness.¡± ¡°Really? Whatever the reason is, I have no reason to forgive General Garst.¡± ¡°¡­my father knows that. My father was very saddened that His Highness was driven to the frontier to fight for our convenience.¡± ¡°¡­.. I see.¡± Raidorl nodded silently. When the curse was placed on Granard in the audience chamber, the knights present attacked Raidorl. However, Darren, who should have been there, stood there without moving. Perhaps the reason Darren did not actively act to harm Raidorl was because he had his own thoughts on the matter. ¡®Is it sympathy or¡­..another emotion? Either way, though, I won¡¯t condone you if you ultimately side with my brother.¡¯ ¡°The castle gate isn¡¯t that way, is it?¡¡Where are you going, your highness?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡± Darren sounded suspicious of Raidorl, who was heading in the wrong direction, making him think he was going straight out of the castle. Without looking back at Darren, Raidorl walked silently and eventually arrived in front of a room. ¡°This is¡­.¡± It was the room where the national treasure, the D¨¢insleif, is enshrined. In front of the room were two knights,surprised by the sudden appearance of Raidorl and Darren. ¡°Your Highness, Raidorl¡­¡­! Sorry, this room¡­¡­ without His Majesty¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s locked. The key is¡­.. there?¡± ¡°Guh!?¡± The knight tried to stop Raidorl from putting his hand on the door of the room, but his fist was mercilessly driven into his face. The knight was hit so hard that he spun around and fell to the floor as if in a heap. Raidorl took the key from the knight¡¯s waist and inserted it into the keyhole. ¡°¡¯Wh-what¡­..!?¡± The other knight panicked and put his hand on his sword. Darren tapped the knight on the shoulder. ¡°¡­..Enough. Stop it.¡± ¡°Darren Garst the Thousand Horsemen!¡¡But this is clearly¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I take full responsibility for it. It is nothing for you to worry about.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, sir. We have seen nothing. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to take my colleague who fell asleep to the infirmary.¡± Seeing the resigned look on Darren¡¯s face, the knight seemed to have some idea of what was going on. He let go of the sword at his waist and disappeared across the corridor, dragging the unconscious knight with him. Raidorl opens the door and slides into the room. This is the first time he has been in the ¡ºRoom of the Holy Sword¡»since his coming-of-age ceremony. The room, with its white marble walls and floor, is almost unchanged from five years ago. What is different is that the jet-black Holy Sword is still on the pedestal in the centre of the room. The holy sword that Raidorl pulled out could not be thrust back in, and it would have taken several people to place the sword, which weighed as much as a huge stone, on the pedestal for anyone other than the chosen. A torrent of black miasma was spewing from the sword at the force of a storm, raging in the room. ¡°This is¡­¡­kuuk!¡± Darren groans in horror and clutches his chest. The miasma rising from the Holy Sword is like a whirlpool, churning the air in the room, raging like a miniature tornado. Struck by the black winds, Darren kneels down unbearably. ¡®¡±Ggh ¡­¡­ force is ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Take it easy. This is a cursed wind that takes away your strength. If you try to force yourself to stand, you will wilt and die.¡± ¡°Your Highness Raidorl¡­¡­!?¡± Raidorl walks without hesitation through the black storm of holy swords. The cursed winds beat against his body, but the king¡¯s brother continues to walk without moving an eyebrow. Eventually, Raidorl reaches the pedestal and grips the holy sword that is spreading the miasma. ¡°You¡¯re very excited, aren¡¯t you? Are you that happy to see me again?¡± A strong wind blew out from the sword as if in protest,which became a blade and sliced through Raidorl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just a sweet bite.¡± Raidorl chuckles. The wound on his cheek is shallow, and in a few days it will have disappeared without a trace. The Holy Sword is not really resisting. It is not trying to hurt him. ¡°He¡¯s¡­..sulking. He is just having a tantrum at the fact that the man he has chosen as his Excalibur Holder has left him alone for five years.¡± Raidorl slowly strokes the hilt of his D¨¢insleif, as if to soothe a crying child. ¡°Welcome to my hand after five years. Holy Sword D¨¢insleif!¡± Ignoring the blood running down his cheek, Raidorl lifted 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 raged through the room blew away. Instead, a jet-black aura, like an elaborate night darkness, swirled around D¨¢insleif. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­!¡± An unintentional voice escapes Darren¡¯s mouth. The emotion in his voice was a mix of fear and admiration. ¡°Am I witnessing a passage from the ¡­.. heroic tale?¡¡Does this mean this is the moment a new hero is born?¡± Shaking his shoulders, Darren bowed as if praying to God. He was dealing with a man who had cursed the king he served, a conspiratorial criminal. Knowing this, he couldn¡¯t help but show his respect. His soul as a knight and his pride as a warrior demanded the utmost respect for the hero born before him. With the gaze of the commander at his back, Raidorl raised his holy sword high above his head. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Welcome home, master.¡± Neimilia greeted Raidorl, who had returned to the mansion after retrieving the Holy Sword, with a prodigal, melting smile. The sweet but beautiful expression on her face, like sugar candy, will captivate the opposite sex and even the same sex to the point of dreaming. ¡°Aaa.¡± Despite such a smile being directed at him, Raidorl¡¯s response is nonchalant. He replied casually, but his gaze was directed at the [thing] lying on the floor, and he raised his eyebrows suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s that? Where did you pick that up from?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t believe what I picked up! They came into the mansion without permission, so I got rid of them!¡± Five men lie at the feet of Neimilia, who waves her hands in the air. The men, all dressed in ragged clothes, which would not be seen in this section of the city where the nobility live, are all white eyed, foaming from their mouth and comatose. ¡°So? Who are these people?¡± ¡°According to the torture I have conducted, it seems that they are an assassin hired by the nobility of this country.¡± ¡°Assassins¡­..Oioi, did they come after my life right off the bat?¡± Raidorl showed so much violence in the presence of the king. It¡¯s no surprise that he was the target of assassins. ¡®Even so, they¡¯re moving too fast. I thought that even if Granard¡¯s men were to move, it would be after they had finished analysing the curse I had placed on him¡­..¡¯ The curse placed on Granard by Raidorl should have triggered when Granard took action in breach of his covenant with him. ¡®Isn¡¯t it too quick to attack me before the curse is lifted?¡¯ ¡°No, no, it seems these people were after me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, they were going to take me alive and take me somewhere.¡± Neimilia¡¯s words caused Raidorl to ponder for a moment, and eventually he came to one conclusion and snapped his fingers. ¡°Right, hostages!¡± Raidorl is a hero chosen by the Holy Sword, a joker who can be said to hold the fate of this country in his own hands. There will be plenty of people in this country who want that power. It is not clear whether their employer, a nobleman, is under the king¡¯s thumb or acting on his own initiative. Either way, they must have tried to seize Neimilia as a bargaining card against Raidorl. ¡°I see, that was a blind spot.¡± It¡¯s not that Raidorl had forgotten about Neimilia. Because for Raidorl, Neimilia is not a ¡®weak¡¯ existence to be protected, and therefore the idea of being taken hostage had never occurred to him. In the first place, Neymilia¡¯s true identity is that of the ¡ºSix Witches of Doom¡», the demons who nearly destroyed the world. Although she has lost most of her power due to the 200 years of sealing, her power is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even Raidorl, who has received the blessing of the Holy Sword, is unsure if he can win without the D¨¢insleif. ¡°I see¡­..Maybe we should put someone on guard duty at the mansion from now on. If possible, I¡¯d like adventurers from the frontier cities to come here¡­¡­¡± The adventurers of the pioneering city of Raid are trusted comrades-in-arms who have eaten from the same pot together. They are far more reliable than the small, clean-cut, beautiful knights who guard the royal city. However, they are responsible for preventing the influx of demons from the southern jungle and will not be able to leave the frontier city easily. This is even more the case now that Raidorl, who was the best force in the pioneering city, has left the town. ¡®Once the battle with the Empire is over, I will have to face my brother. I¡¯d like to have at least a couple more usable limbs. ¡­..¡¯ Having said that, this is Granard¡¯s territory. Not many will take sides with Raidorl. Even if some ostensibly take his side, it does not necessarily mean that they are not under the breath of the Granard or the nobility. ¡®If there is a chance, it is this fight against the Empire. If I achieve tangible results here, people might even betray Granard and join me.¡¯ For this to happen, the results must be overwhelming. Victory is an absolute requirement, but it must be more than a crushing defeat. He must take credit for pulling the heads of his general, Darren Garst, and the other soldiers of the Kingdom¡¯s army. ¡®Then there¡¯s only one head to take¡­¡­the Enemy¡¯s Holy Sword holder!¡¯ ¡°Well, with everything is happening, Master. Which would you like to have, a bath or a meal? Or is it still me? It¡¯s me, isn¡¯t it¡± ¡°You never know when my brother¡¯s hand will strike. So be on your guard for a while and stay out of my bed.¡± ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?¡± The cry came back more astonished than expected. Raidorl held both ears at the sheer volume of the cry, and his body was thrown back significantly. Volume 1 - CH 8 The beginning of the battle Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The kingdom of Zain forces in a dense formation with their backs against the fortress. The Western Invasion Army of the Arslanian Empire, in a horizontal formation on the hill. The two armies finished their formation at the same time, as if by design, and engaged in a standoff at different heights. The Kingdom Army soldier looks up at the Imperial Army on the hill as if challenging them. In contrast, the imperial soldiers glare down at the enemy. The two armies wait impatiently for their commanders¡¯ instructions, their sweaty hands gripping their weapons tightly. ¡°The Royal Army is not moving. They are going to attack us and intercept us in some way, aren¡¯t they?¡± Looking at the enemies lined up below, Barzen sniffed. The Royal Army is eerily quiet, having made no moves since setting up formation. [Go ahead. Come at me.] The voice of the enemy general, Bazel Garst, was clearly audible in Barzen¡¯s ears as he invited him to join him. ¡°Very well, I will take you up on your offer!¡¡Let us see how you plan to deal with this great army!¡± ¡°First Army, charge!¡± In response to Barzen¡¯s instructions, his second-in-command, Safaris, raised his voice. ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸OOOOOOOOOOO!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± Some of the Imperial troops camped on the hilltop begin to move. The Imperial troops lined up horizontally are surging in like a tsunami, gaining momentum due to the slope. ¡°The high conquers the low. This is the basis of warfare!¡± The Zain Royal Army has taken up a square formation with Fort Blaine at its back. The Imperial soldiers, outnumbered, charge side by side, spreading out to envelop the solidified Royal Army. The imperial soldiers, who had been moving down the slope with great vigour, attacked the Kingdom Army furiously with the momentum they had gained. Taking advantage of the slope of the hill, the Imperial troops were coming at them fiercely. The development was just as he had anticipated in advance. Darren, who had been given command of the front line, immediately raised his hand and shouted. ¡°Spearmen, forward! Intercept the enemy!¡± They did not intend to be violently beaten at this point. At Darren¡¯s command, the soldiers with shields in front quickly retreated to the side, and a new unit of spearmen emerged from the fortress and moved forward. The soldier advancing forward holds a four-metre long spear in his hand, nearly twice as long as the lances used by the imperial soldiers. The densely-packed Royal Guards held their long lances outstretched in front of them, creating a defensive wall of sharp lances. ¡°Guwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!?¡± ¡°S-stop! Aaaaahhh!?¡± The cries of the Imperial soldiers roared across the battlefield. The enemy soldiers who charged downhill with the same momentum were skewered by the long spears that suddenly appeared, without any way to do anything. The Imperial soldiers who tried to stop in a hurry to kill their momentum were also pushed out by the soldiers following them, and suffered the same fate as those who charged first. ¡°This is the military art of the ¡ºSpear Wall¡». It is extremely difficult for infantry and cavalry to break through long spears that are tightly packed together. No matter how powerful the Imperial Guard is, we will not be easily broken!¡± Darren says with a smile of satisfaction. The Royal Army, with its long spears densely packed together, had no room for entry and stood in the way as a wall of spears. The lances used by the Imperial troops could not reach the Royal troops, and the cavalry were skewered with their horses. ¡°The momentum from the height difference seems to have had an adverse effect. We have made the first move.¡± ¡°Commander Darren! The Imperial Guard is flanking us!¡± ¡°They¡¯re already here? As expected of the Empire,they¡¯re quick to respond¡­..!¡± Upon receiving the report from his subordinates, Darren quickly glances around and looks to the flanks of his own troops. The imperial soldiers who had charged from the front had been caught in the crossfire of long spears, but a detachment had already flanked them. They are closing in to pinch the Royal Army from both sides. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve already predicted that too.¡± ¡°Archers, fire!¡± A voice echoes from the top of the ramparts, and arrows rain down on the imperial soldiers. The arrows, fired to protect the Royal Army, originated from Fort Brain, which the Royal Army had at its back. Soldiers lined up on the ramparts, covering fire at the Royal Army, which was positioned to defend the fortress. ¡°Now! Strike the enemy when they are frightened!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ Haaa!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± The Kingdom soldiers thrust their spears at the Imperial soldiers, who had stopped moving due to the covering fire. The Imperial side, the central continental champion, had the superior number and skill of soldiers, but their strength was halved when they had to be alert to arrows from overhead. There was no way they could break the dense formation of the kingdom. The Imperial Guard, which should have charged in with great enthusiasm, was rapidly reduced in numbers, with the few surviving Imperial Guard barely able to crawl to the rear. Darren exhaled and looked up at the Imperial troops position on the hill. ¡°¡­¡­The first exchange was won by us. But it was only a part of the enemies that we beat. The battle is just beginning.¡± With the¡ºspear wall¡» and covering fire from the fort, they succeeded in destroying the advance guard of the Imperial Army. However, the main Impartial still remained intact on the hill. The Royal Army and the Imperial Army. The decisive battle between the two armies was still far away. ¡°I see, using a fortress as a strategic weapon instead of a fortress as a cage¡­¡­That¡¯s Bazel Garst!¡¡And is that his son commanding the front line?¡¡You youngsters are doing it!¡± Witnessing the defeat of his own soldiers, Barzen speaks of his admiration for the enemy general in the Imperial Army camp. It is a disgrace for a commander that his allies have suffered so severely. However, when they are beaten so painfully, a kind of respect springs up from the superior enemy. Being slightly defeated by a commander who is one or two times younger than him, Barzen¡¯s chest had something of a refreshing feeling apart from regret. ¡°¡­.Grandpa, shall I go after all?¡± Celia, who had walked up next to Barzen with a happy expression on her face, tilted her head and asked. The Imperial Princess had been wearing a military uniform earlier, but now she has changed into a blue-silver armour suit. The armour, forged from the finest mithril, was only permitted to be worn by royalty and was first-class armour with excellent physical and magical resistance. ¡°Hohoho, don¡¯t be hasty. The war has only just begun!¡± Barzen laughs like an old man to reassure his beloved princess, and strokes his chin and beard with a relaxed hand. ¡°The enemy is stronger than expected. It¡¯s a painful blow, but it¡¯s also the best part of warfare. You must stand firm, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll just watch from here¡­..¡± Celia nodded in agreement with Barzen¡¯s words, but her face showed a somewhat unconvinced colour. Her gaze is directed towards the dead bodies of soldiers lying on the ground around the Royal Army. Her well-shaped lip ispursed, apparently unable to accept the deaths of her allies as a necessary sacrifice. ¡®She is a gentle princess. If I could, I would not let her be in a position to stand on a battlefield like this¡­¡­¡¯ Princess Celia Von Arslanian is a person who is loved by everyone with a true heart of gold. If she had not been chosen by the Holy Sword, she would not be standing in such a bloody place and would be living a life of loving flowers. ¡®And eventually marry a man from a powerful noble family¡­.¡¯ Barzen forgot about the situation and got so lost in such sentimentality that he coughed and held his eyes. ¡°Move the damaged First Army to the rear!¡¡The Second Army will surround the enemy unhurriedly and slowly. The Third Army should spread out on the hill and fire its bows to cover the encirclement by the Second Army!¡± Shaking off the slightest hesitation that had arisen within him, the old general, who had fought many battles in his career, furiously sent out his orders. The sun shining brilliantly in the sky had only just passed its zenith. The battle had only just begun. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Heee, that¡¯s great!¡¡You¡¯re fighting a good fight against an enemy more than twice your size!¡± Standing on the ramparts, watching the battle between the two armies, Raidorl claps his hands in admiration. Bazel Garst is standing next to Raidorl, watching the battle in a commanding role, while a short distance away is Saara Leifet, who has been left behind as Raidorl¡¯s escort. There was no sign of Neimilia, perhaps because he did not bring a maid to the battlefield. Looking down from the ramparts, the Royal Army had successfully lured the Imperial Guards into a bitter counterattack. The Royal Army¡¯s unexpected counterattack, which was thought to be crushed by their numbers and geographical advantage, was a painful sight to behold from above. ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s no room for me?¡¡You are the Protector of the Realm. I bow down to you.¡± ¡°No. Only in the beginning do they fall for our tricks.¡± The general, who was praised, shook his head with a calm expression on his face. ¡°The earlier attack was only possible because they didn¡¯t know what we were up to. I am sure that the enemy general, Gracos Barzen,would be able to quickly regroup.¡± ¡°You¡¯re praising the enemy general a lot. Is the Imperial commander so superior?¡± ¡°A fierce general in spite of his age. If it weren¡¯t for the legendary armour of the Holy Sword, men like him would have been called heroes.¡± Garst answers Raidorl¡¯s question with a distant look. ¡°The only thing I have over the man is my youth. Had he not been born in the Empire, the Empire¡¯s territory might have been much smaller than it is now.¡± ¡°Heh ¡­¡­ that¡¯s a big deal.¡± With a curious smile on his lips, Raidorl turned his attention to the hill where the imperial camp was located. Even Raidorl, whose eyesight is better than that of a human being due to the blessing of the Holy Sword, cannot see the enemy general there. Even so, he felt his blood boil just at the thought of an amazing commander there. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. It¡¯s my first battle and I¡¯m strangely excited. It¡¯s demoralising to get carried away on the battlefield.¡± ¡°As a vassal, I am very proud of you. You are indeed the chosen hero of the Holy Sword, to be more joyful than fearful on the battlefield.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that big a deal. I¡¯m just a kid who hasn¡¯t grown out of it.¡± Raidorl slapped both of his cheeks with a bash, tightened his loose face and turned his attention once more to the battlefield. The Imperial troops were hit by a painful counter-attack and the First Army was half destroyed, but the rearguard units soon moved forward. They did not charge with the momentum of the hill like the First Army, but slowly spread out across the battlefield with their shields raised above their heads to block arrows. While using their shields to block covering fire from the fort, they gradually narrow the distance between them and the Royal Army. Behind them, another force is deployed, firing their bows at the Royal Army, which is in a dense formation from the heights of the hill. ¡°He has already found a way to counter-attack. How troublesome, you damned old bastard.¡¯¡± Garst swears with an unusually twisted expression on his face. With a quick glance at the general, Raidorl was amazed at the quick counter-attack by the Imperial troops. Arrows fired from Fort Blaine at the Imperial soldiers are blocked by shields above their heads, making them less effective. Conversely, arrows are being fired from the hilltop at the Royal troops, which are also blocked by shields. If the conditions are still the same, then the difference in numbers is still highlighted in the war situation. The Imperial Army had already surrounded the Royal Army and was attacking from the front, left and right. Thanks to their custom-made long spears, the Royal Army still maintained their good defending, but as time passed, they were pushed to the rear due to the difference in troop strength. The Royal Army has already been pushed to within sight of Fort Blaine and is losing its escape route. ¡°It appears that the time for Your Highness to fight has come. Leifet, escort His Highness downstairs.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Your Highness, this way, please.¡± ¡°Aaa.¡± Led by Saara, Raidorl descends inside the fortress walls. As he descends the stairs, he gently reaches for the sword at his waist. ¡°Hm¡­?¡± The holy sword D¨¢insleif was repeatedly vibrating in its sheath. [Let¡¯s fight them quickly. Cut them down quickly.] The holy sword, which has met its first wielder in two hundred years, is chirping as it strikes its fangs together for the first time in a long time on the battlefield. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry, it will start soon. It¡¯s my story, our hero story..¡± ¡°Your Highness? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Shall we get going?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.?¡± Raidorl shows his fangs and laughs, shrugging his shoulders at Saara, who has a questioning look. It is not only the holy sword at his waist that is excited about his first battle. Raidorl is also excited by the battle, his blood boiling with excitement. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°It¡¯s getting tougher¡­¡± The Royal Army clashes with the Imperial Army. Darren Garst, who was in command in the middle of the battle, let out a rough breath. At first, the Royal Army had gained the upper hand by deception, but as time passed, the Imperial Army reeled back and is now being encircled. Although covering archers are being fired from the fortress, it is the same for the Imperial Army. Arrows fired by the imperial troops lined up on the hill were raining down on the Royal Army¡¯s heads, and they were barely defending themselves with shields over their heads. It was only logical that the Imperial Army, with its greater numbers, would have the upper hand. The Royal Army was gradually losing numbers and was slowly being driven back. ¡°Commander Darren, are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, no problem¡­¡­!¡± In response to the words of the knights under his command, Darren strikes down the flying arrows with his sword. Darren, the commander, was poised in the rear of the Royal Army, but the enemy attack was already close enough for their archers to reach his spot. ¡°The right-wing captain, Lucas, has been killed! It is no longer possible to hold the line!¡± ¡°¡­¡­! I see¡­.. Lucas is gone.¡± Hearing of the death of his comrade in arms, Darren¡¯s brilliant face is distorted with grief. His well-defined face is still beautiful even when tinged with melancholy, and even his subordinates, who were supposed to be of the same sex, couldn¡¯t help but admire him. ¡°Even if we continue the battle, defeat is inevitable. However, Father has not yet given the order to retreat. We need to stall for a while now¡­¡­¡­..What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Heh, ah ¡­¡­ ha!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you wounded by any chance¡­.?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine! I was just thinking about something!¡± (TL: lmoa, the author change Saara to an unnamed soldier captivate by Darren¡¯s beauty) He couldn¡¯t tell Darren that he was admiring his face, and his subordinate pulled a face and waved his hands in the air to cover it up. Darren looks quizzical, but is unable to pursue further with his red-faced subordinate and clutches his sword again. ¡°If we are destroyed, the kingdom will no longer have the strength to defend Fort Blaine. This is the crucial moment. Just stay on for a little longer¡­¡­¡± Before Darren could finish, the sound of a trumpet echoed high above the battlefield. The high-pitched sound that cut through the air emanated from Fort Blaine. ¡°¡­¡­ It appears he has saved our lives. That¡¯s the signal to retreat¡± ¡°Saved¡­¡­?¡± When his subordinate asked him with an anxious look in his eyes, Darren returned a troubled, ambiguous smile. ¡°Now, it¡¯s up to His Highness Raidorl Zain¡­¡­we¡¯re retreating.¡± ¡°Ha! Yes, sir!¡± Darren sent out instructions to the soldiers around him and began to retreat backwards. Behind them, at Fort Blaine, the front gate had been opened before they knew it, sucking in the Kingdom soldiers like water flowing into a hole. The sun, which had risen to its zenith, gradually tilted to the west, and the battlefield entered a new phase. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Five hours after the battle began, a major change appeared on the battlefield. The Royal Army, which had until then remained on their feet with their backs against Fort Blaine, were now retreating back into the fortress. ¡°The Royal Army is retreating!¡± ¡°Keep attacking the fortress!¡¡Don¡¯t let them close the gates!¡± In pursuit of the retreating Royal Army, the encircling Imperial troops charge into the fortress. ¡°Aaa, it appears that we have won!¡± Dallas Safaris cheered at the sight of the Imperial soldiers heading for the city gates. ¡°General Barzen, you have led us well!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Umu.¡± At the congratulatory words from his second-in-command, Gracos Barzen nodded his head with a somewhat unflattering look on his face. ¡°¡­.. something wrong, Grandpa?¡± The old general¡¯s expression darkens as she peers into his face, and Celia asks with a worried look on her face. Barzen realises that he has worried the lovely princess and opens his eyes and taps his own forehead. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing serious¡­¡­I just thought it was too quick and easy.¡± The Imperial Army initially suffered a painful counterattack, but soon reeled them back in and were on the verge of victory. The Royal Army had already retreated inside Fort Blaine. Some Imperial soldiers were holding the gates as they were about to close, while other Imperial soldiers were avalanching into the interior. If things continue as they are, the fortress will be brought down and the Empire will win in no time. ¡®Bazel Garst is no fool. He would not be an incompetent general who would take a gamble he could not win. Then why did he venture into the field?¡¯ Barzen¡¯s face fell in thought. He had thought that they had prepared a trump card to take the fight to five minutes in the field, but that trump card has yet to appear. Or do they still have time to save their trump card at this stage? ¡®If this continues, we will win.¡¡What¡¯s the matter? Garst!¡¯ ¡°Wha¡­¡­! General Barzen, look!¡± ¡°Muuu?!¡± The deputy¡¯s shout made Barzen look up. Ahead of him, the soldiers who had entered Fort Blaine through the gates were rushing out. The soldiers are crawling to escape, even throwing away the victory they could have seized in the next few seconds. A jet-black slashed their backs. ¡°What¡¯s that¡­¡­is it magic?¡± Dozens of Imperial soldiers are blown away by a black slash. Barzen¡¯s eyes widen and he murmurs at the sight of his allied soldiers, who are floating lightly through the air like flower petals. Apparently there are sorcerers in the fortress who were skilled in offensive magic. Why they had preserved them until now, Barzen doesn¡¯t know, but surely a high-ranking magician could be a trump card to throw a stone in the war situation. ¡°¡­.. No, Grandpa. That one is different.¡± ¡°Your Highness Princess?¡± Celia murmured in a hard, nervous voice. Barzen looks back with a doubtful face at Celia¡¯s unusually stern tone. The princess in blue and silver armour has a pallid face and tightly pursed lips. Her small shoulders were shaking slightly, as if she was frightened of something. It was the first time he had seen Celia, with her picture-perfect naivety, show so much nervousness. ¡°Waaaaaaaaaaa??!!¡± ¡°¡­.hm?!¡± Barzen, who had been watching the trembling princess, turned his attention to the fortress in a huff at the screams that cut through the battlefield. The gates of Fortress Blaine are still open and unbolted. Countless Imperial soldiers had fallen around the gates, and even those soldiers who were safe had moved away from the gates and were pointing their weapons in a frightened manner. Eventually,under the watchful eyes of many Imperial soldiers, a man emerges from behind the gates. He was a young man in black armour. Even the sword he carries in his right hand is jet black, and his figure, painted black, resembles a god of death from folklore. ¡°Fu¡­!¡± ¡°Wha¡­!?¡± The man quickly swung his right hand. The sword shoots out a slash of miasma. The slashes spread out in a circle around the man in black armour, brushing past the bodies of the Imperial soldiers surrounding the gate. Instantly, without a drop of blood spurting out, the soldiers fall and lie on the ground like corpses. ¡°It¡¯s not magic,¡­¡­it¡¯s a holy sword. It¡¯s the same Excalibur as Cla¨ªomh Solas.¡± Celia murmurs in a trembling voice. The eyes of the imperial princess, staring straight at the man in black armour, are shimmering with hostility, elation, awe and fear. The Cla¨ªomh Solas on Celia¡¯s waist was also emitting pale sparks as if excited in the face of a divine weapon of the same rank that stood in her way as an enemy. ¡°I see, ¡­ the Kingdom of Zain has one too. One of the twelve holy swords¡­..!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t¡­..think that¡¯s the Holy Sword:Excalibur D¨¢insleif!? Someone has been chosen for that holy sword whose owner has not been found for two hundred years!¡± Barzen¡¯s face contorted and Safaris exclaimed in shock. The old warlord sensed that the tide of the battle had turned and the victory that was sure to be his was slipping away from his grasp. ¡°What an abominable power! The Holy Sword of the Evil Curse!¡± Out of Barzen¡¯s line of sight, the man held up the holy sword again. The cursed miasma turned into a black tornado that swirled across the battlefield, knocking hundreds of Imperial troops to their deaths in one fell swoop. It was a nightmarish scene for the imperial army. ¡°Ha¡­.Hahaahahahahah!!¡± At the centre of the black tornado that rumbles through the heavens, Raidorl lets out a mad laugh. Around him, the horrific miasma was raging as a frenzied wind. It was a horrifying sight that froze normal soldiers to the core, but Raidorl, who was in the middle of the vortex, felt no fear. On the contrary, he squinted his eyes as if he was comfortable with the torrent of evil power surrounding him, and his lips hung up in a crescent moon. ¡°This is the Holy Sword! This is my power! Hahahaha AHAHAHAHAHA!!¡± A feeling of omnipotence, as if he had become a god or a demon, envelops Raidorl¡¯s body. An enormous amount of power flows like a tidal wave through the handle in his grip. As if in response to his master¡¯s frenzy, the Holy Sword D¨¢insleif also intensifies the momentum of its storm. The jet-black slashes from D¨¢insleif are filled with a cursed miasma, and the bodies of the Imperial soldiers develop effects such as poison, paralysis and petrification, causing them to fall one by one. ¡°Such power¡­¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not human, he¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°What are we fighting¡­¡­is that an incarnation of a demon god¡­.?¡± The Imperial soldiers, who had narrowly escaped the curse, had forgotten how to flee and were staring at the raging black tornado. Raidorl had just reaped hundreds of soldiers, but there were still thousands of soldiers standing in his way. ¡°We¡¯re outnumbered, so what!¡¡I¡¯ll crush any difference in numbers! I¡¯ll trample your geographical advantage! If there¡¯s anyone who can stop me, come out¡± This was the second time Raidorl had drawn the Holy Sword. He felt a surge of power that was greater than the previous time, as if his body had grown accustomed to the power of the holy sword. The overwhelming energy was incomparable to that of when he slaughtered the sub-dragon. Having gained such immense power, Raidorl¡¯s heart was filled with arrogant confidence. Originally, Raidorl had devoted five years of his life to fighting in the frontier city and was proud that he had become strong enough to call himself a strong man, and he thought he had already perfected himself as a swordsman. ¡®But¡­¡­there¡¯s still more!¡¡I hadn¡¯t reached my true strength!¡¯ If they scorn it as arrogance, so be it. If they insult it as pride, so be it. However, Raidorl will never let anyone call him weak. Betting on this holy sword, betting on D¨¢insleif that has chosen him over two hundred years since the first King of Zain, he will no longer be defeated.He will not let anything take away his path. ¡°More! Give me more power!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡± The power is increased to the limit with violent destructive impulses. A high-pitched sound like metal being rubbed together returns from the holy sword clutched in his right hand, and the black storm gains even more momentum. The tornado, which grew so huge that it covered the battlefield, was now like a single black dragon ascending to the heavens. One by one, the imperial soldiers who witnessed the spectacle lost the will to fight and collapsed to their knees. ¡°We can¡¯t win,¡­¡­we can¡¯t win against something like this.¡± Someone muttered. These were the words that represented the thoughts of all the Imperial soldiers present. There is no way we can win against such a force beyond human knowledge. It is absurd to even challenge it. The Imperial Guard¡¯s bodies are unable to even move as they are eaten away by the winds of the curse that has been cast upon them. Deprived of the option of escaping, let alone fighting, the kneeling soldiers felt like sinners awaiting God¡¯s judgement in heaven. ¡°Ooo¡­..!¡± ¡°O God, ¡­¡­!¡± Meanwhile, the Kingdom soldiers watching the battle behind Raidorl were also kneeling on the ground. Although they too were bathed in the raging jet-black wind, the power of the D¨¢insleif apparently only affects the enemy. The curse had no effect on them at all. But even without the influence of the curse, they voluntarily knelt down on their knees and folded their hands in prayer. In front of them was a bearer of supernatural power that could only be a god or a demon. If it were an enemy, they would sink into disappointment and despair and have no choice but to lament, just as the imperial soldiers do. But the Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder, the agent of God, is not an enemy. They are on their own side. Hence, the Kingdom soldiers pray earnestly. Be thankful to God that the mad wind is on the kingdom¡¯s side. Begging that the incarnation of that tyranny would not become an enemy. They continue to pray earnestly and continuously. ¡°Hahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!!!¡± Unaware of these soldiers¡¯ feelings, Raidorl laughed loudly. No matter how much he sprinkled the wind of curses, the power that was still rising was no longer something he was willing to refrain from. How far could he go with this power, Raidorl couldn¡¯t help but want to test it. ¡°Cursed sword fighting method¡¾J?rmungandr, the great serpent of the apocalypse¡¿!!¡± Raidorl swung his sword forward with an ever-increasing exuberance. The point of the sword was aimed at the Imperial Army¡¯s position built on the hill. The wind that had been raging around Raidorl became a gigantic slash and tore through the battlefield in accordance with the will of the young man who was the bearer of the holy sword. ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸AAAAAAAAAAAaaa!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹ It was like a giant snake opening its mouth and thrusting forward. Countless Imperial soldiers were swallowed up by the black slash that sliced the battlefield in half and disappeared. Even so, the slashes never lost momentum. With a roaring sound, it tore through the battlefield, advancing straight towards the Empire¡¯s main camp on top of the hill. ¡°I¡¯ve won¡­¡­this one, you won¡¯t be able to prevent it!¡± After unleashing an attack that could have changed even the terrain, Raidorl continued laughing and the edges of his mouth hanging open in victory. ¡°Yaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± But, just as it looked as if the attack would cut through the Imperial Army¡¯s ranks, a shadow stood in its way. The slender little figure is unreliable compared to the huge black slashes. It is like a small boat pushing through a stormy sea. ¡°Protect us all! Cla¨ªomh Solas!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.?!¡± The small figure flaps its right hand. Instantly, with a thunderous roar, a flash of lightning flashed. The girl holds a thin, pale sword in her right hand. The dazzling thunderbolts emitted from it collide head-on with the jet-black slashes that come rushing in like a tsunami. Black and white. The miasma and the lightning were in balance for only a few seconds. Soon the thunderbolt breaks through the slash and the disastrous cursed wind disappears into a thousand pieces. ¡°Aaa¡­¡­ right, I forgot. I¡¯m such an idiot.¡± Having been neutralised by a blow that could be described as an all-out attack, Raidorl¡¯s mind, which was immersed in a feeling of omnipotence, cools down. He quickly sort out the situation and grasp it. It is true that the person chosen by the Holy Sword may gain god-like power. However, Raidorl is not the only one who has acquired the power of a god. There is at least one more person on this battlefield. ¡°So you¡¯re the Empire¡¯s Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder ¨C Celia Von Arslanian!¡± ¡°That¡¯s as far as you can go! I¡¯ll be your opponent from now on!¡± Raidorl bares his fangs and howls at the appearance of a powerful enemy. To Raidorl, who is clutching D¨¢insleif. An angry cry from Celia jumped at him with Cla¨ªomh Solas in her hand. Volume 1 - CH 9 The Two Holy Swords Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Aaa, for God¡¯s sake!¡¡You¡¯ve just ruined the good mood I was in!¡± With a howl of disgust, Raidorl thrust out the tip of his D¨¢insleif. The black blades and flails from the tip of the sword around like a whip and strike at the Celia running down from the hill. ¡°Cursed sword fighting method ¡¾Scorpion Thrust¡¿!¡± ¡°Imperial Style Sacred Sword Art ¡¾Instant Thunder¡¿!¡± Just before the black blade reached her body, Celia¡¯s body disappeared with a flash of light. The next moment, the princess knight wielding a pale sword appears right in front of Raidorl. ¡°I will defeat the enemies of the Empire!¡± ¡°Tch¡­.¡± A holy sword clad in lightning strikes Raidorl. Quickly kicking the ground, Raidorl jumps backwards and dodges the killing blow. However, a thunderbolt that he was unable to dodge struck him on the shoulder, causing severe pain. ¡°You¡¯ve done a nasty thing with your swiftness movement, haven¡¯t you!¡¡Is that your holy sword¡¯s ability?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call Cla¨ªomh Solas nasty!¡¡You, who use such horrifying powers, I don¡¯t want to hear it from you!¡± Raidorl and Celia glare at each other from a slight distance. The two are Excalibur holders, the chosen holder of the Sacred Sword of the Holy Sword. However, the two figures are so different. A King¡¯s brother and an Imperial princess. A black sword and a white sword. A man clad in a dreadful miasma and a woman clad in a pale blue lightning. The two, who are supposed to be living legends revived in the modern age, are in stark contrast and seem to be incompatible, like water and oil. ¡°You, the hero chosen by the Holy Sword, why are you doing this! How many people do you think have died because of you!¡± Celia shouted as she thrust the tip of her sword at Raidorl. Celia¡¯s figure,with lightning in the background, is like a warrior maiden who condemns evil and is as divine as a mythological story. ¡°Oi,oi,oi what are you talking about?¡± On the other side, Raidorl, who was in the position of the demon who had been condemned, slightly narrowed his eyes and twisted his lips. ¡°In the first place, it was the Empire that invaded the Zain Kingdom, wasn¡¯t it? Did you start the war yourself, and then when you got pushed back, you just licked your chops and played the victim?¡± ¡°The Empire is fighting to unite the continent and create a peaceful world! If the Empire unites the continent, everyone will be happy, why can¡¯t you see that?¡± ¡°Peace¡­..happiness¡­¡­? Ha, you sound like you¡¯ve got a bug in your head!¡± Raidorl sniffs mockingly. The words uttered by the maiden of thunder standing before him are so foul-smelling and purely selfish. This pure princess does not even doubt that she, the Empire, is just. She cannot conceive that others might suffer misfortune as a result of the aggression she has brought about under the guise of peace. ¡°So this is what you get for being the Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder of the Empire. You¡¯re just a kid who doesn¡¯t even know how tough the world is!¡± ¡°Wha¡­..you¡¯re not that much older than me!¡¡Don¡¯t treat me like a child!¡± ¡°But I am making fun of you¡­..!¡± Celia¡¯s face turns red like an apple and she slashes at Raidorl. Raidorl also swiftly counter-attack, and the two holy swords collided head-on. ¡°Kuu!?¡± ¡°Gugu!?¡± A small explosion occurs between the clashing swords, and their bodies are blown apart. Raidorl positions himself in the air and lands on both legs, while Celia rolls on the ground and takes a passive stance. ¡°¡¾Scorpion Thrust ¡¿!¡± Raidorl sent a slash towards Ceilia, who rolled on the ground. ¡°¡¾Thunder¨CTonitrus¡¿!¡± Celia rose from the ground and fired lightning towards the oncoming jet-black slash. The pale lightning broke through Raidorl¡¯s curse slash and struck him back in the opposite direction. ¡°Tch!¡± Raidorl clucked his tongue and flew sideways. However, Celia appeared in the space where he flew. ¡°¡¾Instant Thunder¡¿! ¡ªyah!¡± ¡°Khh¡­¡­! Don¡¯t fuck with me!!¡± Raidorl repelled the swinging Cla¨ªomh Solas with his sword. She also attempted to strike the D¨¢insleif with her sword in return, but the attack, launched from an impossible posture, was avoided with a light step and only ended up gouging the ground under Celia¡¯s feet. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away!¡¡Spell Sword Fighting ¡¾Stone-Eyed Goddess Medusa¡¿!¡± ¡°He¡­¡­.kyaa!¡± Raidorl launches a ranged attack with his sword tip still striking the ground. A black dome with a radius of ten metres appears centred on Raidorl. It was a cursed space that petrified enemies and had the power to transform creatures taken into it into stone statues in the blink of an eye. ¡°Uuhyaaa¡­¡­what was that,Mouu! It¡¯s disgusting!¡± When the dome disappeared, Celia appeared, unscatched. Although Celia is shaking off the black miasma that is entangling her body with a puzzled expression, she does not seem to be noticeably affected by the curse. ¡°Tch¡­.. this is going to be troublesome. Blessing from the Holy Sword is it?¡± Raidorl realised his disadvantage and his face contorted bitterly. Raidorl and Celia. It is impossible to say which of the two is the superior Excalibur Holder. However, it seems that the cursed power of the D¨¢insleif is less effective against Celia, who has the blessing of the Holy Sword. It seems that Celia, who possesses a weapon with superior destructive power in the form of lightning, has an overwhelming advantage in terms of compatibility. ¡°Arere? Is it by any chance, Onii-san?¡­.cornered?¡± Looking at Raidorl¡¯s bitter expression, Celia smiled. Celia too must have realised her advantage. A proud look of triumph flashed across her face. ¡°If you surrender, shall I spare your life? Onii-san seems strong, and if you submit to the Empire, maybe Papa will hire you? Papa likes strong people.¡± ¡°Haha, thank you for your depressing and annoying concern!¡± The supercilious words, as if she had already won, were spat out by Raidorl with a spit. ¡°I hate to break it to you, but I¡¯ve decided I will never stand in anyone else¡¯s shoes again. The idea of entrusting my fate to an emperor I¡¯ve never met makes me want to vomit!¡± ¡°Fummnn, I see. Okay then. I think it¡¯s time to end this,am I right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..!¡± Once again, Celia teleports and steps into Raidorl¡¯s space. Raidorl intercepted her with D¨¢insleif, his expression distorted. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­annoying!¡± Although he avoided a direct hit at the very last moment, Raidorl¡¯s body and clothes were covered with burns and scorch marks. Damage is gradually accumulating due to the lightning that he was unable to avoid, and impatience is becoming noticeable on his face. ¡®Aa¡­¡­ this, I think I might have won.¡¯ As Raidorl is cornered, Celia is convinced of her victory. With a smile of satisfaction, she releases more lightning in pursuit. Normally, a knight shouldn¡¯t smile in the middle of a battle. It leads to carelessness and pride, and is not polite to the enemy. But even so, Celia can¡¯t stop the muscles in her face from relaxing. The victory over a strong enemy who had never been fought before, a holy sword user of the same rank, had made her heart flutter uncontrollably. Not more than five minutes have passed in time since the fight between Raidorl and Celia began. Neither of them had sustained any noticeable external injuries, and to anyone other than those involved it would appear that the battle had only just begun. However, in that short time, Celia had realised the decisive difference in strength between herself and her enemy and was convinced of her superiority. Raidorl Zain was the first enemy Ce;ia had fought as an enemy, the Holy Sword:Excalibur holder. This is because, although there are three holy swords in the Arslanian Empire, including Celia¡¯s Cla¨ªomh Solas, she has never seriously fought against an ally before. When she witnessed Raidorl wielding the Holy Sword, Celia would break out in sweat at the rush of his power. His figure that transformed the battlefield by generating a huge black tornado was more like an evil god or demon from mythology than a hero chosen by the Holy Sword. Its sheer mighty power was even terrifying. But ¨C ¡®It¡¯s really amazing to draw that much power from the Holy Sword¡­¡­but that¡¯s it. The output alone is not enough to beat me¡¯ Even Celia could not unleash an attack capable of knocking down thousands of soldiers to the ground. Her father, the Emperor and Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder that wields Durandal, the Holy Sword of Fire, can burn an entire battlefield to the ground and Raidorl¡¯s power would be comparable to that. And yet ¨C Celia thinks. She will never be defeated. She is better than Raidorl. ¡°Ne, Onii-san. You realise that, don¡¯t you? You can¡¯t beat me with that holy sword, can you?¡± Celia said in a sympathetic tone and swung her Cla¨ªomh Solas at Raidorl. ¡°Tsk¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl clicked his tongue and deflected the lightning slash with his D¨¢insleif. D¨¢insleif, a holy sword that creates a miasma of curses ¨C a fearsome holy sword that wields abominable power on a scale that can change the terrain, cutting thousands of soldiers into pieces with its cursed slashes and putting them in a state of disrepair. Its power undoubtedly can single-handedly influence the course of battle. However, in a battle between holy swords, their power is not so frightening. The Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder has received blessings from the Holy Sword and has gained strong resistance to curses and other abnormal conditions. ¡®And my power is lightning. It¡¯s faster and sharper than a cursed slash!¡¯ ¡°Yah!¡± With the spirit of a warrior, Celia unleashes a lightning strike. Raidorl immediately intercepts it by sending out a slash, but the blade of miasma is slashed by the lightning and fizzles away. ¡°Aaaa, damn it! It doesn¡¯t work after all!¡± ¡°Onii-san is very strong, but neither your power nor your speed can reach my lightning. That holy sword is even lower than Cla¨ªomh Solas, you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re telling me, you made a false assumption about my partner!?¡± Raidorl retorts with an abhorrent distorted expression, but in Celia¡¯s eyes it is nothing more than the howl of a loser. The cursed slashes released by D¨¢insleif are indeed troublesome, but they are far from the lightning that boasts an overwhelming amount of energy. No matter how much more power Raidorl could use at once, if they clashed head-on, Celia would always win. ¡°Onii-san¡ªwhy don¡¯t you just give up and surrender? If you surrender like an adult and meekly, I won¡¯t do anything bad to you.¡± Celia expresses pity and advises Raidorl to surrender. Defeating Raidorl was no longer a decisive factor in the Imperial Princess¡¯s mind, and he was dropped [not even necessary to kill]. ¡°My papa, you know, he¡¯s very tolerant of strong people.If Onii-san serves the Empire and wields the Holy Sword for the Empire, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be quite respectful¡± ¡°¡­..That¡¯s a tempting proposition, isn¡¯t it? Totally.¡± Realising that he is being underestimated as a lower-ranked man, Raidorl bites his back teeth in frustration. Even so, the fighting spirit is still burning in his eyes, and Celia tilts her head at Raidorl unbreakable will to fight. ¡°Onii-san, why are you trying so hard? Is the Kingdom of Zain that important to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important, but this country ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl peeled back his fang, like a beast growling. ¡°This country has abandoned me. They are using me. They are playing with my life for peace!¡¡I have no attachment to such a country! I hate this country!¡± Surrounding him are also soldiers from the kingdom. Even so, Raidorl is unable to suppress his emotions. ¡°Then why not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­!¡± If the Kingdom of Zain is defeated by the Arslanian Empire, His brother,King Granard will be executed. In contrast, Raidorl may be able to survive, as Celia says, because he is recognised for his use as a Holy Sword:Excalibur holder. His brother, the object of his revenge, dies and he survives. If he only looks at the outcome, it doesn¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°But you see, these feelings are mine. It¡¯s mine and mine alone! I will not leave my revenge in someone else¡¯s hands! I¡¯m going to get my revenge with my own hands!¡± Raidorl raises his sword at Celia and says decisively. ¡°And there¡¯s no point in surrendering in a battle I can ¡­¡­win! I¡¯m going to defeat you, the Empire, and push forward!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still saying that¡­.¡± Celia opened her mouth as if she were talking to a child who was not listening¡­.and the next moment, both eyes widened to their limits. ¡°Ehh¡­..?¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸OOOOOooooo£¡¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± A loud, angry shout echoed across the battlefield. This was the sound of a battle cry, the voice of an oncoming warrior. Celia hurriedly turned her neck to find the source of the voice and looked backwards. ¡°This is a lie¡­¡­ why is our position being attacked!?¡± Celia screamed. She looked back to see the imperial position built on top of a small hill was being attacked by someone. ¡°Sorry, this isn¡¯t a one-on-one duel. It¡¯s a war. Princess.¡± Raidorl says with the face of a bad boy who has successfully pulled off a well-crafted prank. Celia doesn¡¯t hear a word of it. She just stood there cowering, looking up at the fire rising from her army¡¯s position. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°It can¡¯t be! Enemy surprise attack!?¡± In the middle of the Imperial Army¡¯s position, a mix of rage and chaos, Dallas Safaris screams. The Imperial Army¡¯s position on the hill was suddenly swamped by the Royal Army. Only about 500 soldiers were charged into his position. Looking at their numbers alone, they are not a foe to be feared by the Imperial Army, which has troops numbering in the tens of thousands. However, the Imperial Army soldiers were unable to fight back properly against the ambush they did not expect, and they were attacked unilaterally. ¡°What happened? How could no one have noticed? What were the guards doing?¡± The cry from Safaris¡¯s mouth was the cry of his soul. It was a question from the bottom of his heart. The Royal Army attacked the Imperial positions ¨C that in itself was no surprise. Striking the enemy¡¯s main camp is a usual tactic in warfare, and of course, Safaris is aware of this. What was not known was how they had managed to pull off the surprise attack. ¡°We set up a position on a hill with a good vantage point to avoid being ambushed by the enemy!¡¡So why didn¡¯t anyone notice! How is it possible that we are being attacked?¡± ¡°Stop it, Safaris!¡± ¡°Ba, General Barzen, ¡­¡­!¡± Placing his hand on his deputy¡¯s shoulder, who is incredulous, Gracos Barzen says in a stern tone. ¡°There is no point in saying ¡®why¡¯. There is only the result in front of you. We must accept the results in front of us and push harder.¡± ¡°Aaa¡­¡­! I am sorry!¡± At his superior¡¯s words, Safaris opens his eyes and immediately tries to rally the confused soldiers of the Imperial Army. With instructions flying, Barzen looked away from his second-in-command¡¯s back as he ran through the ranks, clenched his fists tightly and stared at the enemy¡¯s main blockade. ¡°You¡¯ve done it¡­¡­Bazel Garst!¡± From a hilltop far from the fortress, it is naturally impossible to see the enemy generals who would be standing there. But Barzen could clearly see Bazel, who had succeeded in his ruse, with a smile of satisfaction on his face. Normally, a position built on a hill with good visibility would be unlikely to be taken by surprise by the enemy. If it were night, it would still be understandable, but the sun is still shining in the sky. A sentry who fails to spot the shadow of the enemy under such a clear sky would have been disposed of by his allies before he is killed by the enemy. This was made possible by the young man who is now crossing swords with Princess Celia. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to tell me that you used¡­..the Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder as a diversion! To divert our attention away from a surprise attack¡­¡­!?¡± The reason the Imperial Army was so successfully caught by surprise was they were blinded by the battle between Raidorl and Celia that was unfolding below. Raidorl scattering the wind of curses, and Celia unleashing lightning like the wrath of the heavens. The battle between the two holy sword-bearers, Excalibur Holder, looked like a scene out of mythology, and everyone present watched the battle with bated breath. This is why it was too late to notice the Royal Army¡¯s ambush troops, who were approaching from the opposite direction of the battlefield. ¡°The Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder is a trump card that rivals an army ¡­¡­ and I never thought you would use it to attract our attention¡­¡­!¡± Barzen¡¯s bearded face contorted in frustration. No, it is not a mere diversion or decoy. It is not only the gaze of the Barzens that has been fished out, but also that of their princess, Celia. No matter how they tried, they would not succeed in their assault if the Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder, Celia, remained in the camp. Raidorl¡¯s spectacular outburst with a tornado probably had the purpose of luring Celia, out of the camp. ¡°You¡¯ve done it, young man¡­¡­I¡¯ll have to reflect on this later.¡± Barzen smacked his blue-streaked forehead and switched his attention back to the situation. The imperial positions that had been attacked by the enemy were still in chaos, and the imperial soldiers were completely out of control. Although Safaris is shouting and trying to regroup, it will only be a matter of time before the enemy reaches him. The general of the Western Invasion Army of the Arslanian Empire is nominally the royal family Celia. However, it is Barzen who is in actual command, and if this old general were to be defeated, the Imperial Army would be torn apart. ¡°As expected, we have no choice but to concede defeat here. Shall we pull back and regroup?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s a bit of a problem¡ª¡± ¡°Who!!!?¡± A voice from behind him made Barzen turn around in a panic. He had gone through so many battles, and he didn¡¯t think anyone would be so easy to get behind him¡ªand what caught the eyes of Barzen, who was surprised by such a startling revelation, was a girl dressed in an outfit that is out of place on the battlefield. ¡°A maid¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a maid. Furifuri©`.¡± What kind of joke was this? Standing behind Barzen was a girl dressed in the kind of clothes worn by female servants. A dark-haired girl, who looks about the same age as Celia, grabs the hem of her skirt with both hands and waves it frilly and happily, as if to say what¡¯s funny. ¡°Why is a maid on the battlefield¡­¡­? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a member of the Royal Army¡­..?¡± ¡°Okay~,I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯m going to finish my business here¨C¡¾Shadow Binding¡¿¡± ¡°Gunuuh ¡­¡­!¡± A black shadow extends from the girl¡¯s feet and wraps around Barzen¡¯s body like a tentacle. In the blink of an eye, the old general who has supported the Imperial Army for many years is bound hand and foot, and falls to the ground. ¡°Nuh-guh ¡­¡­who the hell are you¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hmmm, it¡¯s still boring tying up old people! Well, I heard that if I catch you before the Royal Army, then Master will give me a reward. Shall we just leave it at that for the time being?¡± ¡°Ma-master¡­¡­? You are not a Kingdom soldier¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Aaa, that¡¯s close enough¨C The Imperials are on their way, so let¡¯s get out of here, shall we?¡± ¡°Gah¡­..!¡± The girl in the maid¡¯s uniform puts her palms together and instantly, Barzen¡¯s eyes are enveloped in a pitch-black darkness. ¡®Your Highness, Princess¡­¡­please run away¡­¡­!¡¯ Bersen exclaims in his fading consciousness. The last thing he worries about is the imperial princess, whom he loves like a grandchild. But the words never left his mouth and disappeared into the darkness along with Barzen¡¯s consciousness. When his second-in-command, Safaris, returned to Barzen¡¯s side, his respected superior had disappeared without a trace. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Granpa! Everyone!¡± Celia screamed unbearably as she looked up at her allies¡¯ position under attack by the Royal Army. She did not know where the Royal Guards who had launched the surprise attack had come from, but she could see from a distance that their position was about to be taken down. In the camp, there are also her people she loves dearly, ¨Cespecially Gracos Barzen, whom she respects like her own grandfather. Celia loses her cool and tries to run towards her camp. ¡°Your Royal Highness, it¡¯s not safe!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.tsu?!¡± A sharp voice called out to her. It belonged to an Imperial soldier who had survived the battle. At the same time, a cold killing spirit caressed the back of her neck. Celia rushed to look back and saw Raidorl with his sword raised in the air, so close that she was horrified. ¡°It¡¯s not nice to turn your back, you know? You¡¯re hurting me!¡± ¡°Kuuun!!!¡± There is no time to intercept. Celia concentrates all her attention on evasion. She leaps backwards with her legs, which are almost tangled, and she bends her body so far back that her spine is in extreme pain. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Kya¡­¡­!¡± With a short, shrill cry, Raidorl delivers a slash. A jet-black sword passes right in front of Celia¡¯s face as she evades. If she had avoided it a moment too late, her neck would have been cut in two. ¡°¡¾Instant Thunder¡¿!¡± Celia has to get back to the camp as soon as possible ¨C driven by such impatience, Celia activates the blessing of the Holy Sword. The body of the imperial princess wearing mithril armour disappears and moves backwards more than ten metres in the blink of an eye. ¡°I¡¯ll let you win for today! I¡¯ll pay you back for this one day!¡­..eh?¡± ¡°You idiot! You¡¯ll never get away with this!¡± Celia retreated out of Raidorl¡¯s surroundings, only to have her eyes widened in astonishment at the unexpected sight. A black disc is approaching in front of Celia¡¯s eyes. No, it is not a disc. It was a sword that was flying towards her, spinning at a frightening speed. Beyond the sword, which was coming at her like the blade of a guillotine, was Raidorl in a position where he had thrown something in the air. There is no holy sword D¨¢insleif in his hand. ¡®He threw it!!? The Holy Sword!?¡¯ That¡¯s impossible ¡ª an irrational scream echoed in the confused Celia¡¯s head. Where in the world would a fool throw the hidden treasures created by God to punish his enemies? This man has no respect for legendary weapons. ¡°Fly awayyyyy!!!¡± Raidorl, who had thrown the D¨¢insleif without hesitation, bared his sharp canine teeth and shouted. For him, Excalibur D¨¢insleif was the most reliable partner of all, but it was also the root of all the evil in his life. He is capable of throwing it away for the sake of victory without a second thought. ¡°Hiiguuuuu!!! Yooooouu!!!¡± Although she was taken aback by the unexpected attack, she still desperately tried to catch the enemy¡¯s attack. The instantaneous movement technique ¨C ¡¾Instant Thunder¡¿, once used, cannot be used again without a cool time. The only means of preventing the blade that is spinning and closing in on her is now the sword in her own hand. ¡°Kuun!¡± D¨¢insleif is more than one size larger and thicker in shape than the Cla¨ªomh Solas. The mass of D¨¢insleif as it spins and flies is no different from a lump of iron, and it is not very easy to catch it head-on. The two holy swords overlapped each other and were sent flying backwards, tangling with each other. ¡°Haaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Ku, Cla¨ªomh Solas is¡­..Kyaaaaaa!?¡± A shadow falls over Celia¡¯s face as she loses the Holy Sword. The one who jumped in with the sun at his back was, of course, Raidorl. Both Raidorl and Celia have lost their holy swords. The means of attack taken by the weaponless Raidorl ¨C was just a flying kick. The sky-high Raidorl kicked Celia in the abdomen with the same momentum that he had rushed through. ¡°Kuha¡­¡­!¡± The mithril armour worn by Celia was not broken by the blow, but even so, it could not kill the impact. The body of Celia bent into a ¡º¤¯¡» shape and was blown backwards with great force. She bounces repeatedly on the ground like a ball before finally coming to a stop. She falls limp, not moving a muscle, and is completely out cold. ¡°Imperial Princess Celia Von Arslanian! The King¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain has strikes her down!!¡± ¡°Aaa¡­¡­¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡­ Your Highness¡­¡­¡± The opposing Imperial soldiers shouted in despair and fell to their knees on the ground. With their positions lost and their lord defeated, there was no one in the Imperial Army who wanted to fight any longer. Around the time the sun set in the western sky, the battle for Fortress Blaine came to an end. The Kingdom of Zain and the Empire of Arslanian. The battle between the two holy sword-bearers, ended with the victory of the Kingdom¡¯s army. Volume 1 - CH 10.1 The end of the war and the repercussions Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny A few days after the battle for Fort Blaine. At the Zain Royal Palace. ¡°¡­..I see, Raidorl won?¡± ¡°Yes! His Royal Highness fought like in the myth! As the holder of the Holy Sword:Excalibur, he has fought with great distinction and without shame!¡± The king of Zain, Granard Zain, covered his face with his right hand when he heard the report of the messenger. His face is covered with an expression of obvious displeasure, and he has a pout that makes it hard to believe that he is hearing news of a victory in war. Unaware of such a change in the king¡¯s gloom and depression, the messenger soldier excitedly described the war in detail. ¡°His Highness caught the thunderbolt fired by the enemy¡¯s Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder with a jet-black slash, and then he struck back with a counterattack. Normally we would have lent to help, But the battle between the two chosen holy swords was so fierce that no one was able to interfere¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°¡­ha?¡± ¡°I said, enough. You can step back now.¡± Granard waved his hand as if to chase away a dog and ordered the soldiers to leave. The messenger looked at him strangely, but they had no choice but to obey their king¡¯s order. He walked out of the throne room, his lips pursed in frustration at not being able to tell Raidorl¡¯s heroic tale to the end. When the messenger had gone, Lockwood, who had been listening to the report next to the king, opened his mouth. ¡°The imperial threat has now been repelled for the time being. Your Majesty Granard.¡± ¡°Umu, it is truly a great victory.¡± The king¡¯s face is contorted in dissatisfaction despite his short reply. The complicated look on his face shows his joy at the victory of the Royal Army and his sense of inferiority at the success of his estranged younger brother. ¡°If I were greedy, I would have had nothing to say if that foolish brother had gone head to head with the enemy.¡± Granard folded his hands in front of his chest and let out a few genuine words. Lockwood¡¯s lips twitched at the sheer words. ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s not in any way¡­..¡± ¡°I have not said anything wrong. Now that the crisis against the empire is over, that thing is nothing but a danger to us all.¡± ¡°I cannot deny that, but¡­¡­¡± Lockwood frowned bitterly at the king¡¯s words, which were no longer mended. ¡®Is it¡­.. no longer possible to reconcile?¡¯ Lockwood had hoped that, if it were possible, the two brothers, Granard and Raydor, would make peace and rebuild their war-torn kingdom together. If Granard and Raidorl could complement each other, with Granard in charge of government and Raidorl in charge of the armed forces, the Kingdom of Zain would surely have achieved further development. For this to happen, it is essential for Granard to bow down to his brother, even if only formally, and ask for forgiveness¡­..but from Granard¡¯s current attitude, there is no chance of that. ¡®His Highness Raidorl certainly seemed to harbour hatred, but it¡¯s logical. However, he never seemed to be dominated by the revenge crowd. I would have thought that His Majesty would have apologised for his neglect, even if informally or not¡­¡­¡¯ Granard no longer sees Raidorl as his brother. He sees him only as a political enemy who is after his throne. Lockwood, who knows the once friendly brothers, is left with a sense of regret. The Prime Minister¡¯s feelings are felt by Granard, who sits on his throne and glares sharply at Lockwood. ¡°Lockwood. I am the king of this country. And you are the Prime Minister of this country. You know which of us should come first.¡± ¡°¡­. I know that, of course.¡± ¡°He even branded me with a curse. Consider him a traitor who threatens the country.¡± ¡°Ha¡­.¡± The curse is still engraved on Granard¡¯s chest. All the court magicians are mobilised to try to break the curse, but the formula used by Raidorl is so different from the contractual curses generally used on slaves and criminals. It is difficult for them to even analyse it. Even the leading court magician, Old Bavarois, with his white beard and moustache, had a troubled look on his face and threw a comment at the king. ¡°¡ºThis curse is probably more than three hundred years old. Most of the literature from that time has been lost due to the witch¡¯s war, and it would take at least half a year to break the spell. I wonder where His Royal Highness obtained such a formula.¡»¡± Old Bavarois still continues to analyse the situation even while he sleeps. This makes Lockwood wonder if the old man will be able to keep up his strength. ¡°As soon as the curse is lifted, we will strike down Raidorl as a renegade. Make preparations while you still can.¡± ¡°¡­¡­With all due respect, we still don¡¯t know how the Empire will react. There is a possibility that they will send more troops to attack us, so I think it would be premature to dispose of His Royal Highness.¡± Lockwood shook his head somberly at Granard¡¯s merciless instructions. ¡°We have captured the imperial Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder, have we not? Then we can make peace with them, using the Holder as a hostage. As long as we can avoid war, there is no use for that thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± [Would it work that way?] Lockwood asks himself. Certainly the fact that the Imperial Princess and Holy Sword:Excalibur holder Celia Von Arslanian is captured alive would be a serious bargaining card. It is not difficult to win peace through negotiation. ¡®But will¡­¡­it really be that easy?¡¯ The man who became emperor a few years ago, Zacharias Von Arslanian, is the undisputed king of the continent. Would such an ambitious man, who had usurped the imperial throne from his pacifist predecessor and is waging wars across the continent to conquer it, abandon his high road just because they had taken a hostage? ¡®Indeed, we can¡¯t just kill His Highness Raidorl in case the worst happens¡­¡­there are still two Holy Swords of the Empire.¡¯ It would be better if the curse was never broken. Lockwood held his head as he thought about such an unbecoming thing for a vassal, searching for words to appease his king. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Meanwhile, around that time. The Arslanian Empire lies far to the east of the kingdom. In the imperial capital at its centre, a political upheaval was about to break out. The Arslanian Empire is the oldest dynasty on the continent. The history of the Empire, which was born after quickly recovering from the¡ºGreat Disaster¡» that occurred 300 years ago and in the centre of the capital city there is a line of ancient and venerable buildings. The place ¨C the Royal Castle of Arslanian ¨C is also one of them. The massive stone architecture was far removed from the glamorous image of a place where royalty lived, and had the appearance of a fortress built on the front line of a war zone. However, once inside, the castle is filled with luxurious furniture, furnishings and works of art. Each of them was a famous item collected from all over the continent and was so expensive that an average person could not afford to buy it even if he or she spent a lifetime¡¯s income. The wealth that has been accumulated through history and development. It is a scene that symbolises the very existence of the empire, the oldest and largest military state on the continent. Deep within such a royal castle. An avalanche of armed soldiers stormed into the audience chamber where the emperor met with his subjects and emissaries from other countries. The soldiers kicked their way across the carpeted floor with agile, smooth movements, surrounding the throne in just a dozen seconds after their entry. The spearheads of the soldiers, all with tense faces, are pointed at the man sitting on the throne. He has red hair like the mane of a lion cub, and a face that is both rugged and fearless. He looks to be over 50 years old and yet his large frame is covered in muscles and he shows no signs of age-related deterioration. This man is the lord of the castle and king of the empire ¨C Emperor Zacharias Von Arslanian. ¡°Hou, isn¡¯t this making a lot of noise? What on earth is all this about?¡± Zacharias asked curiously, resting his cheek cane on his elbow. The emperor, who had more than ten spearheads pointed at him, had no fear on his face. He just blinked his eyes in confusion, unsure of the situation. Curiously, there is not a single soldier in the audience chamber to protect the emperor. Had the soldiers protecting him had been exterminated by prior arrangements, or was it just sloppy security? The Emperor was forced into a situation where it is the epitome of isolation. Soon, the soldiers surrounding the emperor split in two and a man steps forward to Zacharias. ¡°¡­¡­ It has been a long time. Father.¡± ¡°Ooo, is it you, Gilbert? It¡¯s been a long time since the New Year¡¯s feast. It has indeed been a long time.¡± The first prince, Gilbert Von Arslanian, appeared before Zacharias. He was a young man, the eldest son of the emperor¡¯s more than one hundred children, and at the same time the son of his legitimate wife. Like Zacharias, the red-haired prince stared at his father with a piercing, shooting gaze. Seeing the sharpness of his twin eyes, Zacharias tilts his head in wonder. ¡°You have a very frightening look on your face, my son. That¡¯s not the look you¡¯d give your father, is it?¡± ¡°¡­.a joke. If you were my father, you would know what I have come for.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm, you want the imperial throne. I didn¡¯t expect you to make a move. I¡¯m surprised.¡± Zacharias cowered in amusement at Gilbert, who glared at him reproachfully. Zacharias once defeated his father, the previous emperor, and took the imperial throne by force. Because of this, he thought 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 I? I don¡¯t remember doing anything that would warrant you to resent me that much.¡± A person¡¯s resentment is something they buy into without knowing it. Zacharias wonders if his son hates him so much that he wants to kill him, and wonders if he has a good reason for his rebellion. But no matter how hard he tries to find an answer in his head, he could not find a plausible motive. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to have a quick answer. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight if I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Gilbert chewed his back teeth audibly at his father¡¯s lack of tension, as if he didn¡¯t understand the situation. Gilbert had always disliked and liked this kind of antics from his father. He is annoyed at Zacharias, who has maintained his own pace even now that his son has betrayed him. ¡°¡­¡­ Father, I have had the greatest respect for you, sir.¡± Gilbert¡¯s face was sombre as he spoke. ¡°I admired your strength. I have always wanted to be an emperor like you.¡± ¡°Umu, I see. Don¡¯t be embarrassed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ was bitter at your occasional clownish flirtations, but at the same time I felt a certain affinity for you. I was disgusted by your fondness for women. And yet I admired the depth of your love for my mother and the other concubines equally.¡± (Chad Zacharias, true harem enjoyer) ¡°Fumumu¡­..¡± ¡°I loved you¡­¡­¡­.as a father.¡± ¡°I see¡­..well, I love you too. My dear son. Gilbert.¡± ¡°Then why did you do it!¡± Gilbert¡¯s voice rumbled bitingly in response to Zacharias. ¡°Why have you disinherited me from the throne? Why should I, a child born from a legitimate wife and your first-born son, be deposed as a vassal!?¡± About a month ago, Gilbert led his army to capture the small kingdom of Shaitan in the north-east of the Empire. (¥·¥ã¥¤¥¿©`¥ó) He reported his victory to the Emperor and waited for his reply with great anticipation, expecting to receive a word of praise. But the messenger who returned from the royal palace had a letter in which wrote: ¡ºYou are to leave the imperial family, become a duke, and rule the territory of the Kingdom of Shaitan as a fiefdom.¡»The letter was a de facto declaration of disinheritance. Gilbert stood aghast at the unexpected news. He believed that he was standing closest to the chair of the emperor, but he never dreamed that he would be unilaterally kept away from it. Gilbert lamented, wept and eventually raised his sword in unreasoned anger. He decided to strike down Zacharias, the emperor, and usurp the imperial throne by force. ¡°Father! Please, please answer me!¡¡Why did you remove me!¡± Gilbert asked his father, whom he once respected more than anyone else, with tears of blood. The soldiers who were holding spears to Zacharias were also moved to tears by his grief-stricken appearance and bit their lips. But¡ª ¡°Aaa, what? Is that what this is about?¡± The cry from Gilbert¡¯s soul did not reach his father at all. Zacharias was out of step, held out his hands and shook his head lamentingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to rebel for such a trivial reason. You impudent son.¡± The air in the room froze at Zacharias¡¯s disgusted words. The soldiers surrounding the emperor on his throne fearfully turn and look at Gilbert¡¯s face. The Prince, who had been hit with a bitter abuse, had lost his expression like a noh mask. Zacharias looks pityingly at his son, who has fallen silent, and sighs deeply. ¡°I thought you had a noble cause since you rebelled against me, your emperor, but ¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t realise it was because you were jealous of a trivial cause. It seems I overestimated you. I am disappointed in you, my son.¡± ¡°Jealousy, you say ¡­¡­.¡± The Prince¡¯s face flushed with rage at his father¡¯s taunting, and he finally managed to squeeze out a few words. ¡°How do you think I have ever been devoted to you?¡¡You can¡¯t say¡­¡­with words like jealousy!¡± ¡°Hmph¡­¡­ what is that if not jealousy? It¡¯s a feminine personality, my son.¡± ¡°¡­..!!!¡± Gilbert grips the sword at his waist. His hands trembling with rage, he was about to draw his blade or sheath and chop off his father¡¯s head. Gilbert often breathes heavily, but eventually regains his composure and slaps Zacharias again with a chiding word. ¡°¡­.. This is the last time, father. I would like you to tell me why you abolished me.¡± ¡°Umu.¡± Seeing the colour of madness in his son¡¯s eyes, Zacharias also became serious. He then answered Gilbert¡¯s question in a straightforward manner. ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s because you weren¡¯t chosen for the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­ no way that¡¯s so simple!!¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯re saying? That¡¯s a strange thing to say.¡± The emperor snorted in boredom at Gilbert, whose expression was contorted. ¡°The Empire is the land of the High King. The emperor¡¯s mission is to unite the continent with military might and bring peace to the world. The emperor¡¯s duty is to protect the peace of mankind by defeating the man-eating demons, the earth-burning evil dragons and the evil witches who blow the doomsday trumpet. Therefore, the one who becomes emperor must be chosen by the Holy Sword, the divine weapon of salvation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But, my son. You were never chosen by Cla¨ªomh Solas the Thunder, Gjallarhorn the Ice or Durandal the Flame. Therefore, I have disinherited you as being unfit to be emperor. Are you satisfied with this answer?¡± ¡°¡­. Father, do you really judge who will be emperor solely on the basis of whether he is strong or not? Are you saying that knowledge and connections are meaningless for a man to rise above others!?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Zacharias replied shortly to his bloodthirsty son¡¯s words. ¡°In a land of peace in the middle of nowhere, you can be king just for being nice. You can be king just for being clever. But this, this is an empire. This is the land of the High King, the ruler of the continent. A weak man is not qualified to be king. You don¡¯t know how much a weak king who is only popular can cause people to suffer, do you?¡± Zacharias own father¡¯s face is in his mind as he repeats the words as if to say them. The previous emperor was a great benevolent king who was kind-hearted and loved by his people more than anyone else. However, the meek king did not take a strong attitude towards the outside world, and because of this he was unable to stop the conflicts that erupted in the surrounding countries, which in turn spread the ravages of war. A king who is loved and respected by his people. That is a wonderful thing. But it is better to have no kindness than to be licked and belittled because he is loved. It is better to be feared and hated to fulfil the role of an emperor. ¡°The Empire does not need a weak king. No matter how you struggle, I will not let you become the next emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Then? Are you going to abolish me and make that slave boy king?¡± Gilbert thought of the face of his half-brother, the holder of the Holy Sword:Excalibur Galalhorn, and asked again. ¡°You mean Shandra? Well, he could be the one, and Ceilia¡¯s on the shortlist.¡± ¡°Celia is a woman! She is not fit to be emperor!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? If this empire lasts long enough, it may even have a female emperor.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡­you would choose that slave-blooded man and that female Celia over me! Rather than me, who has served you and the Empire as the First Prince, you choose those two simply because they are the chosen ones¡­.!?¡± Swaying, Gilbert¡¯s body sways from side to side. The ghostly appearance and lightless eyes were filled with a self-destructive madness. ¡°Then¡­¡­I will prove that I am strong enough without the Holy Sword! I will kill the Emperor of the Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder and show you my power!¡± Gilbert holds up his hand. The soldiers surrounding the emperor close the distance between them with their spearheads pointed at him. ¡°Houu! This is interesting! Rebellion is a sign of growth. How delightful!¡± ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re a foolish emperor who only knows how to wield power! Go to hell!¡± Gilbert drew his sword. At the same time, more than a dozen soldiers simultaneously thrust out the tips of their spears. One sword and a dozen spears. Inevitable death rushes towards Zacharias , who remains seated on his throne. ¡°Your ambition. Your ambition is truly admirable!¡¡But ¡­¡­¡± Zacharias breathed. He looks at his son, who wields a sword, with a very kind and gentle gaze, as if in pity or mourning. ¡°Is it regretful that he is powerless? Or lack of strength? After all, the qualities of an emperor is strength and violence¡± Zacharias murmured sadly and picked up a sword that was propped up on his throne. A large sword of antiquity with a ruby on the hilt ¨C Zacharias did not even pull it out of its sheath, but reeled it to his side in a sitting position. The slash, fired from a sitting position with only the strength of the arm, was so poorly executed that it could not even be called an attack. ¡°Gyaaaaaaaa?!¡± However, the crimson flames erupt from the tip of his sword, cutting down the soldiers like a blade. Their torsos burnt to pieces and cut in two, up and down, crumble into the audience chamber, and the smell of burning flesh fills the room with smoke. Some of the wreckage was even from the First Prince. Gilbert would not have even realised what had happened to him. He had died in the same angry manner in which he had slashed at him. ¡°To aim for my life¡­¡­Parents and children are only alike in ways you don¡¯t want them to be alike.¡± ¡°I sympathise with your feelings. Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± A wrinkled old man¡¯s voice called out to Zacharias as he looked down at the body of his son. A grey-robed old man emerges from behind a pillar and steps up to the throne. ¡°What, old man. You were there?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t come to your aid. I thought I might have interfered.¡± ¡°Aaa, It¡¯s good. It would be churlish to intrude on the last conversation between father and son.¡± Zacharias replies with a hawkish wave of his hand. The name of the bald-headed old man in a robe is Savvy Raza. He is a sorcerer in the service of the royal court and a great wizard who has been given the rank of ¡ºsage¡». For Zacharias, he was also his [grandfather], who had been his nurturer. ¡°Gilbert was a good son. But ¡­¡­ a little too serious.¡± Gilbert Von Arslanian was undeniably a member of the royal family with the qualities of a great monarch. Despite being a bit conservative and entrenched in his lineage and position, he would have been a popular and heroic monarch if he had become emperor. Zacharias also loved his bright and brilliant son, but that doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t be killed. The emperor, known as the ¡ºGolden Lion of the Empire¡», has only just begun his path of supremacy, and his mission is to unite the continent and create a world of peace. ¡°Be that as it may. I am sorry to bother you at a time like this, Your Majesty. I have something to report.¡± ¡°Hmm? Fine, go ahead.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± When the emperor urged him to continue,Savvy bowed reverently and opened his mouth. ¡°The Western Invasion Army¡­¡­led by Lieutenant General Barzen has been destroyed. He is now missing and the army is commanded by his second in command, Colonel Safaris.¡± ¡°Houu? The army fighting the Western Invasion is fighting in the Kingdom of Zain, isn¡¯t it? Where is Celia?¡± Zacharias¡¯s daughter, Princess Celia Von Arslanian, nominally served as a general in the Western Invasion Army. The actual commander was Gracos Barzen, so she was a near-decorative general. ¡°Princess Celia was defeated and taken prisoner after a single combat with the enemy general.¡± ¡°Ho! There was a warrior in the Kingdom of Zain who could defeat Celia?¡± Zacharias slaps his knee and raises his voice. Although Ceilia was a novice general leading an army, she is the holder of the Holy Sword:Excalibur, the chosen holder of the Holy Sword Cla¨ªomh Solas. Her swordsmanship was such that she could defeat an entire army single-handedly. Who could have defeated such a Celia? Zacharias¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity. ¡°Of course!! The enemy must also have a Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder!¡± ¡°As you have guessed correctly. The cursed holy sword D¨¢insleif¡­¡­which is said to have vanquished Neimilia, the witch of darkness who once threatened the western part of the continent.¡± ¡°Hou! D¨¢insleif!¡± Zacharias smiled pleasantly, the edges of his mouth hanging up. The belligerent emperor has a fair preference for the strong, even if they are his enemies. Forgetting the circumstances of his daughter¡¯s capture, his interest was drawn to the as yet unseen hero. ¡°The D¨¢insleif holder is still under investigation. With the loss of Lieutenant General Barzen and Her Imperial Highness Princess Celia, the Western Invasion forces have pulled back to the border fortress of Balmes and are trying to rebuild their forces.¡± ¡°Umu¡­¡­hurry up with the investigation. In some cases, we may have to leave them alive and take them into the Empire!¡± The son he had killed had already slipped from Zacharias¡¯s mind. More than that, he was fascinated by the newHoly Sword:Excalibur Holder. ¡°Your Majesty,¡­¡­it¡¯s fine to have fun, but if you continue like this,it will hinder the invasion of the West, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Muu, That¡¯s true¡­..No,no. I¡¯ve got my blood boiling.¡± Zacharias scratched his head at Savvy¡¯s admonition. If the Western Invasion Army, one of the Empire¡¯s five major armies, were to be destroyed, and if it were to lose one of its Holy Sword:Excalibur holders, the Empire¡¯s war potential would be greatly diminished. If this happens, the ambition to conquer the continent will have to be revised. The Emperor ponders seriously about future countermeasures. ¡°¡­¡­Celia must be taken back at all costs. In some cases, we may even abandon the territories we have taken.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡¡If we continue the offensive, the Kingdom of Zain will fall into the hands of the Empire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good. We have lost Cla¨ªomh Solas, haven¡¯t we? We cannot afford to lose the power of the Holy Sword. If the enemy also has an Excalibur Holder, we will have to get serious.¡± Zacharias smiles wildly and strokes Durandal¡¯s hilt. ¡°If I have the time, I¡¯ll even be there. Let me see what the power of the holy sword D¨¢insleif can do!¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The battle for Fortress Blaine was won by the Kingdom of Zain through the power of Raidorl and the holy sword D¨¢insleif. As a result, the western invasion forces of the Arslanian Empire retreated to the Balmes Fortress on the border, and the Zain Kingdom overcame the danger of destruction for the time being. The Zain Army made a major breakthrough by capturing the Imperial Princess Celia Von Arslanian as a prisoner of war. The information quickly spread throughout the royal capital. The inhabitants of Royal Capital, who until then had been in a dark and sullen mood of defeat, were now in a state of festive excitement at the news of their unexpected victory. ¡°Hahaha, Suck it up, Empire!¡± ¡°Long live the Kingdom of Zain!¡¡Long live His Majesty Granard!¡± ¡°No, no, this is the work of His Highness Raidorl! As expected of the Hero of the Sacred Sword!¡± The name of the Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder, Raidorl Zain, was also mentioned by the inhabitants of the Royal City. When Granard received the report of the Royal Army¡¯s victory, he tried to conceal Raidorl¡¯s existence by issuing an order to hide his brother¡¯s success. The kingdom¡¯s victory was due to the success of General Bazel Garst and, moreover, to the leadership of his lord, King Granard Zain. They tried to manipulate information in this way. However, the plot failed, as soldiers who actually fought on the battlefield spread the word of Raidorl¡¯s exploits with their mouths. The soldiers had witnessed the clash of the two holy swords, D¨¢insleif and Cla¨ªomh Solas, and there was no way they could hide the living legend they had witnessed, having witnessed the myth come to life. With such preliminaries as [this is between us] and [don¡¯t tell anyone], Raidorl¡¯s exploits became known throughout the kingdom within a matter of days. And so, as the whole Royal Capital rejoiced at the arrival of a new hero, the opportunity came again for the two men, Raidorl and Granard, to meet each other. ¡°¡­..you have fought well this time, truly brilliantly. I commend you.¡± ¡°Ha, I am honoured. Brother.¡± Granard, who has a painted face, says to Raidorl, who is kneeling down. Raidorl also responds to his brother¡¯s words with a mocking smile. ¡°I have already heard of your exploits. I hear you have defeated a large enemy army and even captured a Cla¨ªomh Solas¡¯s wielder?¡± ¡°Yes, all this is due to your authority. My successes are meagre.¡± Both the admiring Granard and the humbled Raidorl look at each other as if they are checking and controlling each other in the opposite way to their words. Watching them at side was the Prime Minister Lockwood Marcel and General Bazel Garst which sigh in unison. ¡°These two¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s inevitable now. Give up, Lockwood.¡± Lockwood, pressing his forehead to stave off a headache, is muttered to by Bazel. ¡°But ¡­..if this continues, the two will never be able to reconcile, will they? If the two of them could support each other, this country would ¡­¡­¡± ¡°There are currents in the world that you can¡¯t control. If we wanted to reconcile the two of them, we should have acted sooner.¡± The two had once been involved in the exile of Raidorl, but they wanted to bring Raidorl back to Royal Capital at some point in time. When the previous king was on his sickbed, they inevitably had to sacrifice him to avoid a succession struggle, but once Granard¡¯s position as king was secure, there would be no one left to try to support Raidorl. With his achievements as king, Granard would also be able to put aside his inferiority complex towards Raidorl and treat him as a brother, as he once did. That¡¯s what Lockwood thought¡­¡­. ¡°That was also wiped out by the imperial invasion. Everything is ruined¡­..¡± The imperial invasion forced them to recall Raidorl and unilaterally order him to fight without any reconciliation. As a result, the rift between the two is now so obvious that they will never be able to return to being close brothers. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. The two of them will have to fight sooner or later¡­¡­You, too, must be prepared.¡± ¡°¡­.General Garst, you are not planning to join His Highness Raidorl, are you?¡± Lockwood asked the general, who looked strangely enlightened, with suspicion. Bazel nodded [hmm] while crossing his arms with a mysterious look on his face. ¡°Whichever of those two wins, I will remain loyal as a warrior. However, if His Highness Raidorl wins, I will leave the guardianship to my son¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t a warrior¡¯s loyalty something offered to the king?¡± ¡°It pains my ears to hear you say that.¡± Bazel laughed and shook his head. ¡°During peacetime it would be fine. I don¡¯t think the Empire will give up after one defeat. To avoid loss of forces, our army will not meddle in political disputes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. The die has already been cast. There is not much I or you can do.¡± Turning away from Lockwood, who glared at him sideways, Bazel turned his attention to the king before him. ¡°There is no need to be modest. Everyone will agree that you, chosen by the Holy Sword, are only good in battle.¡± ¡°Such as you brother, would be very well suited to the throne, wouldn¡¯t you say? It would be easy to topple an empire just by you sitting there and doing nothing. No, not at all. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re the king, you don¡¯t have to do anything for your country.¡± The two royals are still exchanging sarcasms with a Noh-like expression on their faces. The general gently closed his eyes after watching the exchange, which was too insidious and childish to be called a sibling fight. In the meantime, the discussion moved on to the next stage. Soon the topic of conversation turned to the captive imperial princess. ¡°Well, Raidorl,¡­¡­where is Princess Celia Von Arslanian? Why have you not brought her here?¡± Granard asked quizzically, looking down at his brother from his throne. Raidorl¡¯s lips lift up as if he has finally asked, and he answers proudly. ¡°If you were a beautiful princess, I¡¯d have you relax in my house, wouldn¡¯t I? It¡¯s an honour to have a princess from another country as the first guest in the house I¡¯ve been given.¡± ¡°Fool! How dare you capture the enemy¡¯s royalty and not hand them over to me, your king! You have reneged on your promise to fight for your country!¡± ¡°You, too, agreed in our oath that the treasure I took and the prisoners I captured would be mine. Have you forgotten that?¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­ you can¡¯t possibly have made those terms for that¡­¡­!¡± Granard¡¯s face is red with anger and he is about to say more, but he swallows his words. If he tried to make a scene here, the curse of the oath engraved in Granard¡¯s chest would be triggered. Gritting his back teeth, he glares at his brother, who smiles fearlessly, in the shape of a demon. ¡°You¡¯re going to start negotiating a peace treaty with the Empire anyway, aren¡¯t you? Until the negotiations are finished, I will provide Princess Celia with hospitality. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll release her when the negotiations are safely concluded.¡± ¡°¡­..What¡¯s your purpose? What¡¯s the point of you keeping the princess in your custody?¡± ¡°Purpose, eh? Well, perhaps I¡¯d like some time to woo the lovely and beautiful Princess?¡± ¡°¡­¡­you don¡¯t seem to intend to answer seriously.¡± Granard¡¯s eyes grew even more grim and he stomped his heels irritably. He rests his cheek on the elbow rest, and then sighs in resignation. ¡°¡­¡­ Fine, I¡¯ll leave Princess Celia and the Holy Sword in your care.¡± ¡°Very well, I thank you for your mercy.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t think you can stay on your toes forever! The court magician will eventually lift the curse you have placed on me. You¡¯d better think of something to beg for your life while you still can!!¡± Granard points to the curse seal inscribed on his chest over his clothes and dismisses it evasively. Remember this when the curse is lifted ¨C clearly and verbally threatened, Raidorl raises his hands in surrender. ¡°Don¡¯t threaten me too much. It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Our talk is over. Get out quickly!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­.Oh, and make sure you send the aid money to the frontier cities, okay? If you make a mistake on your promise¡­..¡± ¡°Get the fuck out of here!¡¡Don¡¯t make me say it again!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I understand.¡± Cowering his shoulders at his brother king, who was finally angry, Raidorl left the throne room. Granard stared for a moment at the door through which his brother had disappeared. ¡°Lockwood, make peace with the Empire as soon as possible and take back the territories stolen from us! And don¡¯t forget to roast the traitors within the court! Garst, fortify the fortress until the peace is concluded!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Upon receiving a royal command from their king, the prime minister and the general immediately bowed. Granard¡¯s expression was still distorted as he spat angrily at the two men who had taken the vassal¡¯s bow. ¡°Do not give that foolish brother time for his mad schemes! Finish the war with the Empire as soon as possible and get rid of him! This time he will not be banished to the frontier for casting a curse on me¡­¡­. At the very least, I will imprison him in a prison cell, and in some cases, I will cut off his head!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Lockwood and Garst both fell silent, their expressions indescribably delicate at the sight of the king shouting at them in a sword-fighting display. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Meanwhile, after his audience with his brother, Raidorl walks down the corridor towards the main entrance of the royal palace. On the way, he passes nobles and knights working in the royal palace, but the way they look at Raidorl is different from before, with a feeling of respect in their eyes. When he came to this place before the war, the people in the royal palace gave off an atmosphere of blatant avoidance, afraid to get involved with the exiled prince. Now, however, such a stiff atmosphere has softened, and some of those staring at Raidorl from afar are even looking for the right moment to talk to him, hoping to somehow get close to the hero. ¡®¡­¡­How can you change your attitude so much just because you¡¯ve won a war? Humans are odd creatures.¡¯ It feels good to be revered and celebrated as a warrior who has won a fierce battle. However, a few of them may be plotting to take up arms against Raidorl, who have risen from the frontier to the limelight and become a hero, and use him to line their pockets. He understands that he has to deal with such people in order to make a breakthrough in Royal Capital, but Raidorl is not in such a mood at the moment. He went to the trouble of defeating the Imperial Holy Sword:Excalibur Holder, and furthermore, he was able to punish his brother King, who had alienated him. Raidorl would have liked to have drunk a little more of the pleasant wine of victory. The plotting and scheming could be done afterwards. Before the nobles around him could speak to him, Raidorl left the palace quickly. ¡°I will escort you to the residence. Your Highness Raidorl.¡± Darren Garst, who was waiting outside, bowed reverently to Raidorl as he left the royal palace. Darren took the trouble to open the carriage door and welcome Raidorl inside. He and Darren sit opposite each other in the carriage, as they did sometime ago. What is different from that time is that Neimilia is not there. ¡°Speaking of which,¡­¡­are you glad that I didn¡¯t have to give my brother a dusting greeting.¡± The most successful player in this war was Raidorl, who defeated and captured Celia. The second was General Bazel Garst, who was in overall command of the army. And if one were to venture to name a third person of merit, it would undoubtedly be Darren, who was in command of the front line. Darren could have followed him to an audience with Granard, but this man, the commander of the Thousand Horsemen, never set foot in the royal palace, but stayed in his carriage out front, waiting for his return. ¡°Yes, because now I have no face to present to His Majesty the King.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I no longer wish to be His Majesty¡¯s subject. Therefore, there is no way I can show my face before His Majesty.¡± Darren said in a calm,unhesitating tone and turned his serious gaze on Raidorl. ¡°Your Highness,once said. Do I intend to betray His Majesty Granard and follow you ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve said that¡­¡­. Maybe.¡± Raidorl replied in a vague, ambiguous tone as he dug up his memories. Perhaps it was when he was in the carriage from the frontier city to the royal capital. ¡°I will answer that question now. I ¨C Darren Garst ¨C now pledge my allegiance to His Highness Raidorl. I will walk with you on your high road and fight as your sword and shield.¡± ¡°Oi,oi,oi¡­¡­you can¡¯t be serious.¡± As Darren puts his hand on his chest and bows deeply, Raidorl murmurs with more dismay than surprise. Darren knows that Raidorl is at odds with Granard. The fact that he is aware of this and has declared that he will join Raidorl is effectively breaking from Granard ranks. ¡°Even your father¡­¡­Bazel Garst only declared his neutrality, he didn¡¯t say he was taking my side, did he? You, the commander of the kingdom, is going to stand on my side, the one the king hates?¡± ¡°Of course, a knight¡¯s word is never two words. If the courtesy of a vassal is required, I will kneel down as much as I can after I get out of the carriage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, but¡­..what¡¯s with the sudden change of heart?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren¡¯s mouth is closed in response to Raidorl¡¯s question. Rather than hesitating to voice words of betrayal to the king, he seemed to be gathering his thoughts. ¡°¡­¡­I have become aware of this after taking part in this war. From now on, the monarch this country needs is not His Majesty Granard, but His Highness Raidorl.¡± Darren was silent for a few dozen seconds, but eventually spoke up in a cheerful tone. ¡°The Kingdom of Zain has successfully repelled the imperial invasion, but I don¡¯t think this is the end of the war. The Empire still has the two Holy Swords, and they have enough troops. If their Emperor decides to abandon the hostage Princess Celia, the kingdom will once again be engulfed in war.¡± ¡°And it is not His Majesty Granard, who would not step up during a national crisis, who can face such a crisis. It is His Highness Raidorl, who can stand at the front line and fight with his soldiers by the sword, who is the only one who can save this country.¡± The look in Darren¡¯s eyes as he praises Raidorl is one of deep admiration and awe. Having witnessed first-hand the power of Raidorl and D¨¢insleif at Fortress Blaine, Darren¡¯s ideal image of a king seems to have been drastically altered. ¡°The necessary quality for a king is to protect the country. No matter how skilled he is in politics or how justified he is in assuming the throne as the eldest son, he is not qualified to be king if he does not have the will to face up to national challenges himself. In this country, faced with an enemy called the Empire, only His Highness Raidorl is qualified to be king.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Therefore, I will do everything in my power to ensure that His Highness Raidorl becomes the next king. To this end, I am willing to turn the tables on His Majesty Granard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. If that is the case, then I will accept your loyalty.¡± Raidorl laughed with a sly and amused smile. He thought Darren Garst was a more calm and smart man. He is a man who cannot measure things by courtesy, cadence and regularity. However, it appears that he was mistaken. Darren seems to be dumber than Raidorl thinks he is. ¡®But it¡¯s interesting because it¡¯s ¡­¡­. this kind of person I like to have by my side¡¯ Clever person. A stupid person ¨C if asked which is better, most people would say the former. But it is always the stupid dreamer who achieves great things that no one else can. Only those who can follow their own will without fear of risk can see what no one else has seen. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m keeping my right hand with Neimilia, and I¡¯m giving you my left hand. You¡¯ll be my one arm, and you¡¯ll work for me!¡± ¡°Ha, I will. My king!¡± In the carriage, which drives through the sunset city of Royal Capital, Raidorl and Darren exchange vows of loyalty. It was the moment that marked the beginning of many battles for the two men, who were to fight together in the years to come. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Eventually, the carriage carrying Raidorl arrived at the mansion in the noble district. Raidorl gets off the carriage and leaves Darren, who bows his head, and enters the mansion alone. At the beginning of the war against the Empire, he was alone with his maid Neimilia in the vast mansion in the middle of the noble town, but now a third person has taken up residence. ¡°Hey,Onii-san! Where have you been?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that out of the blue for a returning lord of the house? Princess Celia?¡± Raidorl gives an annoyed smile to the girl who shouted at him as soon as he entered the mansion. A beautiful, blonde-haired girl came up to Raidorl. She is Celia Von Arslanian, Imperial Princess and holder of the Holy Sword:Excalibur,Cla¨ªomh Solas. She was brought to the house as a prisoner of war, and now wears neither a military uniform nor a mithril armour suit, but a simple white blouse and navy blue skirt. Although Celia is living in this mansion as a prisoner of war, she is not particularly tied up, and is allowed to roam freely within the mansion. Even without going to the trouble of putting a collar on her, there is no way that Celia could escape ¨C Raidorl is convinced of that. ¡°It¡¯s not for me to say, but¡­.if you¡¯re a woman of a high status, I¡¯d expect you to behave with a bit more decency.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Miss Celia lacks the composure of a lady!¡± ¡°¡­..I¡¯m done with you, really.¡± Raidorl turns his dismayed words to Neimilia, who comes out from behind Celia. In the war with the Empire, Neimilia won the gold star for capturing the enemy general Gracos Barzen alive, but from her fawning expression she does not look as if she has achieved such a feat. Neimilia, who usually wears a maid¡¯s uniform, was dressed a little differently today. She was dressed as usual in an apron dress like a maid, but the hem of her skirt was extremely short and her bosom was boldly open. Rather than a servant, she looked more like a prostitute standing in an alleyway, inviting customers to come and see her. ¡°¡­¡­Neimilia, what¡¯s wrong with your clothes?¡± Raidorl asked fearfully, with a certain sense of foreboding. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m dressed to serve my master! Today I made you a feast to celebrate winning the war!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± When Neimilia confidently puffed out her chest, Raidorl pulled a face. Looking at her overexposed attire, it was clear that the [feast] included Neimilia herself. Raidorl had no idea what she was going to do to him. ¡°Aa¨C..that¡¯s¡­¡± Raidorl slurred his words, searching for words to somehow restrain the erotic maid who stood in front of him. However, it was difficult to come up with a way to get through the situation. In the first place, when Raidorl ordered the capture of Gracos Barzen, he promised to give Neimilia a [reward]. If that is brought up, he cannot reject it strongly. ¡®I¡¯ll think twice about rewarding this girl again, but I have to fool her around with this somehow. I don¡¯t know what kind of perverted behaviour I¡¯ll be forced into¡­..!¡¯ Raidorl¡¯s head twisted as he endured a headache, but then help came from an unexpected source. ¡°Hey, hey! Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± Celia intervenes between them, ranting and raving in a high-pitched voice. The woman who came closer to him had a neat, childlike face, but her eyebrows were lifted and her eyes were stern, and she was clearly angry. ¡°More importantly, Onii-san! Give me back my Cla¨ªomh Solas! The war is already over, so why won¡¯t you!¡± Celia complained in a desperate manner about her beloved sword. Raidorl tilted his head with a curious look on his face. ¡°If it¡¯s about¡­¡­Cla¨ªomh Solas, you¡¯d have it in your room. I didn¡¯t take it away from you, did I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean!¡¡How come I can¡¯t talk to Cla¨ªomh Solas anymore!¡¡I swear Onii-san did something to it! Fess up!¡± Currently, Cla¨ªomh Solas, the Holy Sword of Thunder, is kept in the mansion, in the room given to Celia. The sword is now in a state where even its owner, Celia, cannot hold it, although it was an impossible treatment not to confiscate weapons from prisoners of war. ¡°Heee..What makes you think I did something?¡± Raidorl asked back in a fond tone of voice. Celia¡¯s eyes become even angrier, and she bares her double teeth in an angry voice. ¡°No one but Onii-san could do this! It¡¯s not possible to seal the power of the Holy Sword unless it¡¯s from the same¡­¡­Holy Sword!¡± ¡°¡­.Umu. Well, you¡¯re right. Very correct.¡± Raidorl affirmed Celia¡¯s answer. The reason why Raidorl have not confiscated weapons from the captive Celia is because the holy sword is a weapon with power comparable to an army. ¡°As you can see, I put a curse on you while you were unconscious that severed your connection to the Holy Sword¡­¡­.Here, here it is.¡± ¡°Hyah!!!¡± Raidorl grabbed the collar of the blouse that Celia was wearing and mercilessly opened her chest. The woman¡¯s gently swelling breasts are marked with a black imprint just above the heart. Much like the one engraved on Granard¡¯s chest, it is a [sealing curse] attached by the cursed holy sword, the D¨¢insleif. ¡°It is an application of a curse¡­¡­that my ancestors once used to seal a single witch. No matter how powerful D¨¢insleif is, it cannot contain the power of Cla¨ªomh Solas, a holy sword of the same rank. Still, it is at least possible to seal the power of its Holder and temporarily separate them.¡± ¡°Hi¡­¡­a¡­¡­a¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a temporary curse, so you¡¯ll eventually break free from it and¡­¡­.what¡¯s wrong?¡± Whether she is listening to the explanation or not, Celia is looking down at her bare chest. Raidorl tilted his head, wondering if she was that shocked to have the curse engraved on her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the engraving will disappear once the curse is lifted¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!¡± ¡°Uwoooo!?¡± A high-pitched scream was released from Celia¡¯s mouth. Receiving the eardrum-piercing scream at point-blank range, Raidorl¡¯s body was thrown broadly back. ¡°Get off me! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°O¨Ci, oi,what¡¯s wrong¡­..?¡± ¡°No! No, no, no, no!¡± ¡°O¨Ci,oi, if you pull too hard, you¡¯ll¡­..be in big trouble!¡± Celia clutched her own chest and tried to distance herself from Raidorl. However, Raidorl still held onto her blouse. The screams startled Raidorl and his posture collapsed, and he was pushed by Celia, who fell forward and fell into the ground. ¡°Ghu¡­..!¡± ¡°Hi¡­..!¡± Raidorl and Celia fold over and fall to the floor. The impact causes a bang sound and the remaining buttons are torn off. The white princess¡¯s skin is exposed from her neck to her navel in one fell swoop, exposing her two unclothed breasts. In the blink of an eye, Celia is naked, is pushed down by Raidorl. Naturally, this is the first time she, an imperial princess, has been subjected to such tyranny. ¡°Aa,aaa¡­..¡± ¡°Ouch¡­..that¡¯s dangerous, what¡¯s with the sudden outburst?¡± ¡°No¡­..I don¡¯t like this. I don¡¯t want to do this. ¡­¡­ ugh, egh, egh..¡± ¡°Haa¡­?¡± She is stripped of her blouse and pushed down by a man, ¡­.and the threads of tension that had been broken. Celia cries out [ehh, ehh] like a young child. She knew what enemy soldiers do to female soldiers who are taken prisoner, she was aware of this. She lost the war, was captured by the enemy, and the power of the holy sword she relied on was blocked. In addition, she was stripped of her clothes and pushed down. That was more than enough to push the teenage princess to her limits, no matter how chosen she was by the Holy Sword. ¡°Um, ¡­¡­ what?¡¯¡± ¡°Aaa, you made her cry.¡± Meanwhile, Raidorl was still in the position in which he had pushed down Celia. From the side, Neimilia interrupts with a ridiculously teasing voice. It is as if the woman crying like a child in front of him and the Holy Sword:Excalibur holder who once fought him on the battlefield do not overlap. Raidorl stared at Celia¡¯s crying face and eventually came to one fact. ¡°Aa¡­¡­I remember. Normal women don¡¯t like to be seen naked, do they?¡­.¡± ¡°Master is out of his depth, isn¡¯t he? By the way, are you planning to do ¡®three¡¯ tonight?¡± ¡°You shut up! You¡¯ll complicate things!¡± Shutting Neimilia, who for some reason had an excited look on her face, Raidorl covered Celia¡¯s naked body with her own jacket. Celia continued to cry for half an hour, but eventually she realised that Raidorl was not going to assault her and stopped crying. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive¡­¡­this humiliation. I will never forgive you¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Haa¡­..don¡¯t be so angry.¡± Hiding her body with a thick layer of Raidorl¡¯s jacket, Celia glared at the man in front of her with intense hatred. The imperial princess¡¯s blue eyes still have teardrops on the edges of them, and the area around her eyes is red from crying and swelling. Receiving such a fiery gaze, Raidorl scratched his head in trouble and looked at the woman who was sitting on the floor with a floppy face. ¡°I feel bad. No, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d hate it that much¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t like it! Aa¨Cseeing my breasts like that¡­..¡± Celia¡¯s face was flushed red and her fists were clenched, as if she was about to strike him. Having realised that she was not going to be raped and humiliated, Celia had regained her composure. Instead, what emerged was intense anger and shame. She let her emotions take over and hurled abusive words at Raidorl. ¡°Nasty! How can a prince of a country do this to a girl? ¡­¡­Beast! Animals! Wan-chan!¡± (a dog) ¡°Is wan-chan a swear word?¡± Raidorl continues to receive Celia¡¯s abuse in a mature and docile manner. Incidentally, although Raidorl made Celia¡¯s breasts bare, he did not really want to humiliate the Imperial Princess or have any malicious intentions. From the bottom of his heart, he did not believe that Celia would be that reluctant to have her breasts looked at. A man called Raidorl Zain was expelled from the royal capital at the age of 13 and sent to a frontier city. There are no girls of his age in the frontier city, which is full of immigrants for some reason, and Raidorl has spent his most opposite-sex-conscious, impressionable years with almost no contact with women. The only women who come into contact with Raidorl are female adventurers who don¡¯t give a damn about the male gaze, elderly women that Raidorl can¡¯t see as a woman, and the prostitutes who has drifted down to the frontier cities. The exception is an erotic maid who has been freed from a 200-year seal, but she, too, thinks nothing of being seen naked by Raidorl. In fact, she is a lascivious woman who tries to undress whenever the opportunity arises. Having spent his adolescence in such an environment, Raidorl has no understanding of how women feel when they are seen naked and do not like it. ¡°No more! I¡¯m getting out of this house!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a good idea¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yup, yup..we won¡¯t be able to do our threesome.¡± ¡°Shut up, you erotic maid!¡± After giving a hand-chopped Neimilia on the head for saying something unnecessary, Raidorl¡¯s shoulders slumped with a [hah]. ¡°¡­.. that¡¯s why I said I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re a prisoner of war and I need you to stay here until the negotiations with the Empire are over. And ¡­..I hate to tell you this, but if you run away, you¡¯ll be killing your General Grandpa, you know? I don¡¯t know how much further the negotiation will go, and I don¡¯t want to take the life of an old man either.¡± ¡°General¡­¡­ no way Grandpa Barzen!?¡± Celia¡¯s eyes widened at Raidorl¡¯s words. In the Battle of Blaine Fortress, Neimilia took advantage of the confusion caused by the surprise attack on the imperial position to kidnap the enemy general Gracos Barzen. Barzen was imprisoned in a certain place, and Granard and Bazel were not informed that the old general had fallen into the hands of the Raidorl. ¡®I had ordered Neimilia to increase the material for negotiating with the Empire, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it would also be an effective card against Her Royal Highness¡­¡­¡¯ Raidorl learnt that Celia cares for Barzen as if he were her own grandfather, otherwise he would have had to resort to more violent measures to hold the Princess down. ¡°¡­¡­ Is Granpa alright!? Is he not hurt?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not. I¡¯ve put him under house arrest in a certain place and I¡¯ve given him three meals and two blankets to sleep on. He is being treated so well that I wouldn¡¯t say he is treated as a prisoner of war in an enemy country.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t let me see him¡­¡­will you?¡± Celia asks with an upward glance. Raidorl chuckled at the cute face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, You¡¯ll meet him once the negotiations with the Empire are over. I promise.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± At Raidorl¡¯s words, Celia¡¯s eyes looked doubtful, and her shoulders eventually slumped without effort. It appears that she has given up on the idea of escaping. She slowly opens her mouth with a dejected expression. ¡°¡­..What does Onii¨Csan¡¯s brother want? Just catching me and Grandpa should be enough credit. What does he want with all this far-fetched stuff?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the kingdom negotiating with the empire. It¡¯s about me holding the material for negotiations with the empire.¡± Raidorl twisted his lips into a scornful smile. It is not his brother King Granard who holds the initiative in negotiations with the Empire, but his brother Raidorl. This is his trump card in ousting his brother. ¡°You can rest and recuperate in the Mansion. If you want, you can go sightseeing. There¡¯s even a beautiful lake near here. I¡¯ll show you around later.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Celia becomes silent with a resentful look on her face. Instead, [Yes, yes!] Neimilia raised her right hand. ¡°Aaah!!! If it¡¯s a date, I want to go too! It¡¯s not fair that you¡¯re the only one who wants to go!¡± ¡°All right, all right¡­¡­I¡¯ll take you to a very special place too. You¡¯ll get your reward for that.¡± ¡°Eeeee? Isn¡¯t a reward supposed to be naughty!?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡­why am I in this¡­..mess?¡± Neimilia exclaims in frustration while Celia sits down dejectedly. Maid and Princess. A witch and a Holy Sword:Excalibur holder. Looking alternately at the two beautiful girls of different types and positions, Raidorl felt his head filled with more troublesome things. Thus -Raidorl won against the Arslanian Empire and the Imperial Princess Celia fell into the hands of the young royal brother. What consequences will this have for the future of the Kingdom of Zain? What impact will it have on the struggle between the king¡¯s brother Raidorl and King Granard? It is a future that no one knows yet. Volume 1 - CH 10.2 Sightseeing in the Royal Capital and Afterword and Bonus Chapter Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny ¡°Mufufu. Master, does it feel good?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Neimilia¡¯s slender fingers slowly caressed his breasts. Two soft bulges pressed against his abdomen, changing shape and rubbing against his fine, silky skin. Raidorl felt every nerve in his body hypersensitive and aroused to match Neimilia¡¯s every move. An intense heat arose deep in his chest, breaking out in a blur of sweat. ¡°Stop it¡­.!¡± ¡°Aaa, you¡¯re weak here. It¡¯s so cute that you reacted like that.¡± ¡°Guhh¡­.!?¡± A red tongue tickles his neck, sending goosebumps down his spine. Neimilia¡¯s fingers and tongue are deftly and viciously poking at Raidorl¡¯s weak points. ¡®What is this situation!? How could this happen?!¡¯ While being played with by the hands of a lewd and wild maid, Raidorl lets out a cry of doubt in his heart. In the darkness of midnight ¨C the bodies of a man and a woman are violently entwined in bed. The hot gasps and groans that leak out uncontrollably, and the wet sounds that echo sensuously. Why is this happening to Raidorl and Neimilia? It goes back in time to half a day ago. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Two weeks have passed since the battle between the Kingdom of Zain and the Empire of Arslanian. The capital, which until a short time ago was enveloped in a funeral-like atmosphere, terrified by the imperial invasion, is now in a festive mood after the threat of the empire was repelled by Raidorl¡¯s successes. Many stalls lined the main street of the capital city, where victory celebrations were held, and housewives with piles of purchased goods and children running around with sweets bought from the stalls in their hands were everywhere. In such a festive capital, Raidorl and Neimilia were walking together. While Raidorl was dressed in black as usual, Neimilia was unusually wearing a white one-piece dress instead of a maid¡¯s uniform. Raidorl probably hid his royal status and came here as a normal citizen. To keep a low profile, Neimilia also seems to have changed out of her maid¡¯s uniform. The two of them walking side by side looked like a couple on a date, but Neimilia¡¯s expression was somehow disatisfied. ¡°Muuu¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­Come on, get yourself in a good mood. Here, I¡¯ll buy you some sweets.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡­Master.¡± Raidorl hands Neimilia, who is looking puffy, a candy bar from a stall. Neimilia accepted the candy bar and glared at Raidorl, her golden eyes glinting with resentment. ¡°I had heard that I was going to give me a reward, so I thought Master was going to give me some crazy climax play¡­¡­.It¡¯s a scam that we¡¯re going out together!¡± ¡°What, you¡¯re so unhappy with this date?¡¡You say hurtful things.¡± Raidorl smiled. Today, they were out on a ¡ºreward date¡» to reward the erotic maid for her work in the war. However, Neimilia did not like the reward and has been in a bad mood since morning. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about! I¡¯m very happy to have a date with Master! But¡­¡­dates are for two people, aren¡¯t they!¡± ¡°Ah! What are you eating, Onii¨Csan?¡± Neimilia is venting her frustration, and Raidorl trying to appease her. A third companion, who had been a short distance away, rushed up to them. The identity of the girl in the simple disguise of a plain one-piece dress and a hat is Celia Von Arslanian. She is the Imperial Princess held as a prisoner of war inside Raidorl¡¯s mansion. Like Raidorl, Celia is a holder of the Holy Sword:Excalibur, but today she is not holding Cla¨ªomh Solas, and her beautiful blonde hair is tied up on her head and hidden in her hat. ¡°¡¯Here¡¯s some candy I bought in the shop there¡­..and you can try some too.¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­..so sweet!¡± When Raidorl shared his candy into Celia¡¯s mouth, the beautiful princess opened her eyes in astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s this, it looks like an apple but it¡¯s coated on the surface like bee honey¡­¡­I¡¯ve never tasted a pastry like this before!¡± ¡°You¡¯re an exaggerator, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s not a rare pastry, is it?¡± Raidorl curiously asked Celia, who was sucking on the candy handed to her as if she was impressed. ¡°I used to eat cookies and pancakes in the castle, but I¡¯ve never had sweets like these!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a commoner¡¯s pastry, so maybe they don¡¯t serve it at the royal palace. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying your sightseeing.¡± When she was first taken out of the mansion, Celia was very wary of going out with the man who had defeated her and taken the power of the Holy Sword from her. However, as they toured the festive streets of the town, her mood had completely recovered and she was looking around with a twinkle in her eye, full of curiosity. ¡°Mwah¡­..you¡¯re all over Celia! This is not a date!¡± Neimilia voiced her dissatisfaction at Raidorl and Ceilia¡¯s exchange, which could have been seen as a lover¡¯s exchange. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We can¡¯t just leave a prisoner of war alone in the Mansion, no matter how many hostages we take to prevent them from escaping.¡± Celia¡¯s stay at Raidorl¡¯s mansion is a strong point until the negotiations with the Empire are concluded. No matter how much he had sealed the power of the Holy Sword and held the old general Gracos Barzen, who was close to Celia, he could not just leave her alone and go out. It was a natural decision for Raidorl to bring Celia, but it was something that Neimilia could not accept, having been interrupted on a date alone with him. ¡°Um¡­.. sorry, Neimilia¨Csan.¡± Noticing the disgruntled maid, Celia stops herself from eating the candy. ¡°After all, it would annoy you if I followed you too, right? I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you¡­¡­Sorry!¡± Celia bows her head apologetically. Neimilia was surprised after the unexpected apology. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault, Celia, but¡­. I¡¯m sorry too. I¡¯m sorry for sulking.¡± This time, Neimilia bows her head. Excalibur Holder¡ºThunder¡», and the Witch of ¡ºDarkness¡». They were in completely different positions, but surprisingly, they did not seem to be incompatible. Although they had only lived together for a few days, they never fought in the mansion. Originally, Neimilia was gentle and brought no harm to Raidorl, and did not like conflict, despite being a witch. Celia was an innocent person with no malicious intent and did not care about the difference in their positions. It is perhaps natural for the two girls to become close in this way. Celia did not respond to the name ¡ºNeimilia¡», so it is possible that she did not know much about the ¡ºSix Witches of Doom¡» in the first place. ¡°Mumu¡­¡­Celia¨Csan has unexpected good qualities. If this happens, you might as well put master between your legs and have a sampi¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­.. Stop it. If you do something funny to Her Imperial Highness, it will become an international problem and war will resume.¡± After rebuking Neimilia, who is plotting an ill-conceived ambition, Raidorl takes them through the noisy boulevard. Raidorl used to explore the capital as a child on ¡ºadventures¡», but the town has not changed in five years. There were nostalgic buildings in places, and he felt once again that he had returned to his birthplace. ¡°Oya! Isn¡¯t that Prince Raidorl!¡± One of the residents of the street noticed Raidorl¡¯s figure as he was walking, and called out to him. She was a middle-aged woman in her fifties. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­ the landlady lady of the general store?¡± ¡°I was so glad you remembered me! You¡¯ve grown up so much!¡± The woman takes Raidorl¡¯s hand and squeezes it, saying in an easygoing tone for dealing with royalty. ¡°Five years ago, you suddenly disappeared from the capital, and I was always worried about your safety!¡¡I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re still alive!¡± ¡°Ah, ¡­¡­ I see. I¡¯m glad you are doing well too.¡± Raidorl speaks from the heart as he recalls his childhood memories. The woman in front of him had seen Raidorl many times when he was a child, when he had escaped from the castle. She had once sheltered him in a shop in order to disperse his pursuers who had come to bring him back from the royal palace. ¡°His Highness Raidorl?¡± ¡°Oou! The hero of the Kingdom is here!¡± The people began to gather around Raidorl. ¡°Thank you, hero! You saved this country!¡± ¡°As expected, you are the hero of the Holy Sword!¡¡Come on, eat some meat from our shop!¡± ¡°We have alcohol too! Come on, come on, you girls, have a drink too!¡± A crowd of people gather around them and one after another food, drinks and sweets are forced into their hands. Raidorl¡¯s face is slightly scrunched up, but he accepts the food without refusal. In truth, he had intended to come here without notice. He had disappeared from the capital for five years, so he had not worn any disguise, thinking that if he met someone he knew, they would not recognise him. However, Raidorl¡¯s silver-haired, red-eyed features left a bigger impression on the residents of Royal Capital than he thought, so it was no longer enough to fool despite the fact that he had grown a little taller and his face had become sharper. ¡°Oh, Ne¨Cchan are so lovely!¡¡Are you his highness¡¯s girlfriends?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.I¡¯m¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Drink this fruit water! It goes well with the fish dishes over here!¡± The food and drinks were gathered one after another, even in the hands of Celia, who seemed unable to say that she was the imperial princess of an enemy country. But still Celia accepts wholeheartedly despite her puzzled expression. ¡°¡­..Yareyare. It¡¯s a hassle to hold these gifts together. Neimilia.¡± ¡°Yes, Master¡¾Shadow Curtain¡¿.¡± Neimilia activates a magic to hide herself from the wave of people who have finally gathered, then a curtain of darkness enveloped the three of them, blocking their view of their surroundings. ¡°Heee?!¡± ¡°Wha happened? It¡¯s suddenly dark!¡± ¡°Alright, follow me!¡± ¡°Hyah¡­¡­Onii¨Csan!¡± Raidorl holds Celia¡¯s shoulders, her hands full of food, and quickly slips between the gathered people. Neimilia follows them like a shadow. ¡°¡­.Yareyare..that was a lot of trouble. It¡¯s not easy being famous.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve become a people pleaser. There were so many people, I thought the master would be turned.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl speaks jokingly and Neimilia replies with obscenities. Against the two with a fond tone of voice, Celia looks down at the food she has been given, her expression somewhat darkened. ¡°I knew I should have at least worn a disguise. I was completely caught off guard. Well,¡­¡­now that we¡¯re in a quiet place, let¡¯s eat what we got here.¡± ¡°¡­Ne, Onii¨Csan¡± ¡°¡­.something wrong?¡± Raidorl sat on the ground and finally noticed Celia with a sombre expression on her face. The imperial princess, who should have been excited about her first visit to the royal city, now had a thoughtful look on her face. ¡°Those people earlier were incredibly happy, weren¡¯t they? That my¡­¡­imperial invasion failed.¡± ¡°Aa¡­..that would be, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Raidorl nodded his head, seeing the cause of the clouded expression on the beautiful princess¡¯s face. ¡°For them, the Kingdom of Zain is their birthplace. They must be very happy to have won, since it was almost destroyed by the enemy.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­ I see.¡± Celia sits on the ground and places the food that had been blocking her hands on her knees. ¡°I thought what the empire was fighting for is right. I thought that if the Empire united the continent, there would be no more wars in the world and everyone would live in peace. But when I saw¡­..those people, I felt lost. Did we really do the right thing?¡¡Did we make everyone happy?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯ve got childish worries. You¡¯re going to make me feel stupid, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.eh?¡± Celia blinks repeatedly in response to Raidorl¡¯s dismissive words. ¡°There is no absolute justice from anyone¡¯s eyes. There is imperial justice for the empire, and there is kingdom justice for the kingdom. Know those two are incompatible and that¡¯s why we had to fight.¡± Raidorl does not necessarily believe that the empire is on the wrong. The empire¡¯s aim is peace ¨C the unification of all regions and peoples by an overwhelming strength to end the war. The rule of the strong over the weak is far more realistic than the ideal of the weak, and will serve as a deterrent to end conflict rather than a talking point for peace. Although the Kingdom of Zain fought off the imperial invasion thanks to Raidorl¡¯s successes, thinking about the future ten or even a hundred years down the road, a more peaceful future might have been waiting for them if they had just given in meekly and quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not protesting against the Empire because its ways are wrong. But I have my own non-negotiable ¡ºpath¡». So I took up the sword and fought so that my path would not be crushed. It¡¯s not that one of us is right and one of us is wrong. We fought to stick to our beliefs.¡± ¡°Beliefs¡­.¡± Celia repeats Raidorl¡¯s words. Raidorl doesn¡¯t know how much of what he was trying to say was understood, but it seems that his feelings were conveyed. Celia¡¯s are flickering with a different kind of thoughtful colour than hesitation. ¡°¡­.Onii¨Csan, I still want the Empire to unite the world. But I also don¡¯t want to make the people who shared my food and sweets sad. Is it selfish of me to want to have both?¡± Celia looks up and asks. Raidorl snickers, [Ha!] and grabs a piece of baked bread on Celia¡¯s lap. ¡°It¡¯s certainly demanding a lot of selfishness to protect both the Empire and the Kingdom! But if¡­.that¡¯s the path you want to follow, then I guess you can call it complete, total and utter justice,right?¡± ¡°Un..¡± ¡°If your righteousness overlaps with my path, I will help you. If it gets in the way, I¡¯ll crush it.¡± Raidorl tosses the baked pastry into the air and catches it into his mouth. He savours the savoury texture with a crunching sound, and then gulps down a swallow. At the same time, Neimilia, sitting next to him, offers him a drink. ¡°My path is the same as the Master¡¯s. Because that¡¯s what feels best! You can be honest about your desires, Celia¨Csan, and do whatever play you want, and fuck as much as you want!¡± ¡°¡­.. You, you really like to ruin a lot of things,do you?¡± Raidorl accepts the drink with a look of dismay and gulps it down his throat. Neimilia smiles and caress Raidorl¡¯s thigh with a suspicious hand. ¡°Pfft¡­¡­¡± Celia blurted out unintentionall. The two of them were on good terms with each other and seeing the two of them together made her own worries seem insignificant. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not me to dither and fret! I help everyone who wants to help me, and I kill all the bad people!¡¡That was my justice! Thanks for listening to me, Onii¨Csan!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you found it helpful. I¡¯m using you as a hostage too, so this is a small price to pay for such advice.¡± ¡°Ceilia.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Not ¡ºyou¡», my name is ¡ºCeilia¡». You know that, don¡¯t you, brother?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Apparently, Celia wanted to be called by her name. When Ceilia peeks into his face with a cute tilt of her head, Raidorl is silent, as if frightened. If he thinks about it, with the exception of Mertina, a young familiar face, and Neimilia, a maid, he may rarely have called a woman of his age by her first name. But it would not be mature to make an outright rejection here. Raidorl reluctantly opens his mouth. ¡°Ah ¡­..once again, please take care of me from now on. Celia.¡± ¡°Un! I¡¯m looking forward to working with you too, Onii¨Csan?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± When Celia smiles like a flower, Raidorl becomes embarrassed and turns away from her. ¡°¡­..You are really a shinning gem. Celia-san ¨C you¡¯re going to be someone I can write as ¡ºstrong rival¡» and call ¡ºbest friend¡»!¡± Next to Raidorl, Neimilia clenches her fist in a tight fist. The dark-haired maid¡¯s eyes were burning with a mysterious fighting spirit and she was clearly looking ahead to a future battle of the women. ¡°Well then,¡­..I think I¡¯ll ask you to accompany me one last time to one last place.¡± After having lunch with food given to them by the residents of Royal Capital, Raidorl tells the two women. Raidorl procures a couple of horses from a stable and drives them through the city gates and out of the capital. He thought he might get into trouble at the gates because he was trying to get the captive princess out of the city, but to his surprise, he was able to get out without being harmed. Apparently, the soldiers guarding the gates of the castle were taking part in the battle of Fort Blaine. Instead of stopping him, he was asked to shake their hand. Raidorl was leading the horse, with Neimilia hugging him tightly on his back. The other horse was straddled by Celia, who had changed into riding clothes and was controlling the reins with a familiar hand. ¡°You¡¯re good! Who taught you?¡± ¡°I learned it from the knights at the castle!¡¡I love to ride horses!¡± Raidorl and Celia rode their horses competitively through the streets of the northern part of the royal capital. The sky is clear and blue, and the horses are as light as flying through the air, as they advance through the wind. After an hour¡¯s ride, they arrived at their destination. It was on a small mountain north of the royal capital. ¡°Waa¡­..!¡± Dismounting from her horse and looking at the landscape ahead, Celia let out an exclamation of admiration. From the small mountain, she can see the road stretching northwards and the port town at the end of the road. And the blue sea stretching further out can be seen. ¡°That¡¯s the sea, isn¡¯t it! It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Good thing the weather¡¯s nice. You can¡¯t see much when it¡¯s cloudy¡­¡­¡± Raidorl also dismounted from his horse and extended his hand to Neimilia, who was riding behind him. There was no way that the Witch of Darkness could not dismount from her horse by herself, but Neimilia deliberately [Eii!] and hugged Raidorl¡¯s body. The way she pressed her breasts against her master¡¯s face when hugging him was very rough. ¡°Is this where the master wanted to come? Sure, the view is nice, but it¡¯s just the sea, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Eh?¡¡Isn¡¯t it soooo beautiful!¡¡Can¡¯t you see it, Neimilia?¡¯¡± ¡°I can see it, but¡­¡­haven¡¯t you ever seen the sea, Ceilia?¡± When Neimilia asked, Celia nodded. ¡°The Empire has oceans, but I¡¯ve only been to the imperial capital and around it.¡± ¡°I see, so you¡¯re a young lady in a box.¡± Raidorl chuckles and explores the grass around him. Celia tilts her head at Raidorl, who has his back to the view. ¡°Onii¨Csan what are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh, I was just looking for something¡­¡­¡± Raidorl searched for a rectangular stone that had collapsed in the overgrown grass. On closer inspection, the stone was inscribed with words, indicating that it was a stone monument. ¡°Is it ¡­¡­ someone¡¯s grave?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not a grave, but¡­.well, it¡¯s something similar.¡± When Raidorl brushes away the soil covering the surface of the stone monument, the inscriptions become faintly legible. ¡°¡ºI wish for peace for my wife, Leithia. Bernard¡»¡± ¡°Leithia. Bernard?¡± ¡°My parents. I mean, the previous king and queen.¡± In answer to Celia, who peeked out from behind him back, Raidorl raised the fallen stone monument. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­Can¡¯t I just ask what this is or something?¡± Perhaps sensing that this is a sensitive topic, Celia asks fearfully. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s not important enough to keep it a secret.¡± Raidorl shrugged and briefly explained the origin of the monument. Raidorl¡¯s mother ¨C Leithia Zain ¨C was a foreigner who had married into the family from a country in the north of the continent. Her relationship with her father, Bernard Zain, was good, but even so, Leithia sometimes felt nostalgic and missed her homeland in the far north. At such times, the previous king, Bernard, used to visit this mountain with his wife and comfort Leithia by showing her the northern sea, which was connected to her homeland. The monument was placed by Bernard when Leithia died of illness. Bernard would occasionally visit the site with his children to remember the late queen. ¡°After my father fell ill, me and my brother used to do the occasional cleaning and stuff¡­¡­Apparently, it¡¯s been neglected ever since I was banished to the frontier.¡± Leaving the place of memories of his father and mother in ruins ¨C what kind of state of mind did Granard really have? Was he simply too busy with his work as acting king? Or did he feel guilty about his brother¡¯s exile, and therefore had no face to show to his mother? ¡°Well, ¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know how I feel. I¡¯m just saying what kind of face I¡¯m supposed to come here with.¡± Raidorl pouted as he stroked the dirty stone monument with his fingertips. Raidorl already has an acrimonious relationship with his brother King, and they will eventually clash in earnest over the throne. Even his parents must not want the siblings to fight. When Raidorl thinks about it, he feels sorry for them. ¡°But¡­I¡¯m also a man. Once I¡¯ve made up my mind, I can¡¯t easily bend it. If one day I go over there, I¡¯ll get down on my knees or whatever, so please forgive me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Neimilia was listening to Raidorl¡¯s monologue, she silently knelt down on the spot and pulled out the weeds. Soon after, Celia did the same, cleaning up around the monument. ¡°Oi, you guys?¡± ¡°If this is where the master¡¯s mother is, it must be well looked after!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡¡I can at least do the weed! Don¡¯t underestimate my princess upbringing!¡± The two of them neatly arranged themselves around the stone monument, not minding that their clothes were dirty. Raidorl chuckled involuntarily and sat down on the spot to help. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Thus, the sightseeing tour of the royal capital by Raidorl and the two women was successfully completed. Neimilia was given a ¡ºreward¡» in the form of a date for her active role in the battle, and she succeeded in closing the distance between her and Celia, who was supposed to be a prisoner of war. If Raidorl only looks at the results, he can call it a great success. However ¨C the day was not yet over. The night had only just begun. ¡°Guu¡­..gaaa¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Mufufufu¡­¡­ It seems that the medicine is working!¡± Neimilia said to Raidorl, who was lying on a bed in the mansion and groaning. ¡°After all, I¡¯m not rewarded with just a date!¡¡I¡¯m going to have to have Master for my evening meal!¡± ¡°Ne¨CNeimilia! You can¡¯t possibly have poisoned¡­.the dinner! There¡¯s no such thing as poison that works on me¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl¡¯s body was immune to any kind of poison, thanks to the blessing of the holy sword. He therefore ate the food without alarm, but tonight he was suffering from unidentified fever and intoxication, and was extremely agitated. ¡°Master was served turtle meat, snake snake¡¯s live blood, bear¡¯s testicles, nourishing liquor and medicinal herbs¡­..all of which have energising properties! They are all medicines, not poisons! Apparently, even the blessings of the Holy Sword can¡¯t neutralise foodstuffs that only energise the body!¡± ¡°Ggh ¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t think there was such a loophole¡­¡­¡± Raidorl murmurs with a shiver. It is true that his body is surprisingly healthy, especially his ¡ºcertain parts¡» are more robust than ever. He has become so energetic that he can hardly move. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s make tonight a super night! I¡¯ve got some great toys for you!¡± In her hands, gasping with excitement, Neimilia holds a wax candle, a whip and an unnamed toy that is instantly recognisable as having been designed for obscene purposes. What kind of special play sacrifice could Raidorl be in? Raidorl¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! What the hell are you doing to me? We¡¯ve got Celia in this house!¡¡You should be ashamed of yourself!¡± ¡°Aaa, then there¡¯s nothing to worry about. If it¡¯s Celia, she¡¯s probably in the next room listening in.¡± As Neimilia said this, a rattling sound of things falling over could be heard from the next room, and a high-pitched scream of [Kya-Kyaa] could be heard. It seems that the imperial princess, who had been caught eavesdropping, panicked and fell down in her room. ¡°If it bothers you so much, why don¡¯t you just mix it up with us¡­..Celia is too modest.¡± ¡°W¨Cwhere¡­I¡¯m just afraid of adolescence ¡­!¡± ¡°Now¡­..let¡¯s leave the little one alone and let¡¯s have an adulterous time from here, shall we? Master, I will take you to heaven soon!¡± ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaa!!?¡± She takes off her clothes in mid-air and Neimilia jumps on Raidorl like a lioness. The drug-induced arousal has left Raidorl unable to move, and she is helplessly embraced by the perverted erotic maid. Thus, the brief holiday of Raidorl and his friends comes to an end. A hero chosen by the Holy Sword and a witch who falls in love with the hero who is supposed to be her enemy. The Imperial Princess the Maiden of the Holy Sword. The road ahead for these three people with their strange fates will no doubt be filled with fierce battles, but it is a night of fuss and commotion that gives no hint of such dark clouds in the future. Bonus: ¡®The hunter and the hunted¡¯. A frontier city in the south of the Kingdom of Zain. The ¡ºDemon Forest¡» spread out around it. The jungle is inhabited by a wide variety of demons, some of which have an intelligence close to that of humans. ¡°¡ºGururururu¡­.It looks like the monster is dead¡»¡± A white-haired wolf standing on two legs ¨C a demon called Wise Wolf ¨C muttered in a language only understood by its own kind. Wise Wolves are highly intelligent. Although they could not speak human languages, they spoke their own language and hunted in packs. ¡°¡ºIs the child alone? Could be a trap.¡»¡± The wolf, the leader of the pack, looked at a lone boy. It was clearly an unnatural sight to see a child walking alone in the forest. The leader signals his companions to search the surroundings. But there is no other figure hiding. It was not a decoy, but the boy was really all alone. ¡°¡ºDid that stupid child sneak into the forest? It¡¯s a cuckoo food!¡»¡± Wise wolves are smart and only attack prey in situations where they can be sure of a kill. The boy has already invaded their territory. Other wolves were hiding in the shadows of the trees, waiting for their leader to give the signal to attack. The boy in front of them is clearly easy prey to hunt. There was no reason not to attack him. The leader raised his right hand and howled loudly. ¡°¡ºSuch Foolishness¡»¡± ¡°¡ºGaaaaaaaaah!¡»¡± On cue, the wolves that had been hiding jumped out on masse. They were clearly overstrength to hunt a child, but it was the hunt of the Wise Wolves to stay on their guard and hit them with all their strength. ¡°¡ºI want you dead! You stupid human!!¡»¡± The pack leader also took off. Ten wolves attack the poor boy. The boy¡¯s end is clear. In the next instant, the trees in the forest will be stained with blood. ¡°Sword Fighting Method¨C¡¾Medusa, stone-eyed goddess¡¿ Then something unexpected happened for the wolves. As soon as the boy lightly swung his sword, a black hemispherical dome appeared. One after another, the wolves who jumped into the dome turned to stone and crashed to the ground. Their pack leaders were also in the same condition. ¡°¡ºWh¨Cwhat happen! We weren¡¯t careful enoug¡­¡»¡± ¡°Hm ¡­¡­You¡¯ve been killed. Boring.¡± The boy smirks at the fallen wolf and sheaths his sword. ¡°I heard they were attacking all the fledgling adventurers one after the other¡­..but it was surprisingly easy. Still, it was at least a test slash for the Sword Fighting Method.¡± Wise Wolf was mistaken. They were not the hunters, but the prey. It was a day in the life of Raidorl Zain ¨C the man who would later become a hero ¨C when he was fifteen years old. Afterword Nice to meet you. My name is Leonard D. First of all, to the readers who have picked up this work, to the editors who were involved in its publication, and to the illustrator, Fuyuki Sensei. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported me up to this point. It has been a year since I submitted this work to ¡ºSyosetu¡». I am truly happy to be able to publish it as a book in this way. At first, this story is about a hero and heroine who are far removed from the royal theme of ¡ºotherworldly fantasy about a sacred sword¡». This story started from such an idea, but after a lot of trial and error, I ended up with a hero with a cursed sword and an erotic maid, a unique couple. It is a great feeling to see the stories that I have been writing, full of anxiety and wondering, [Are these guys really OK?], now published in book form and delivered to you. I would be very grateful if you would continue to accompany us in the story of the rebellion and battles of Raidorl. Perhaps there will be some great service scenes provided by the erotic maids! So, wishing to all Gods, Buddhas and demons that we will meet again. ¥ì¥ª¥Ê©`¥ë£Ä Volume 2 - CH 1.1 Prologue Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny The earth rumbles across the green plains. The source of the sound was a myriad of black deformities. It was the footsteps of monsters advancing across the plain in lines. Strutting along with undisturbed steps are ¡ºants¡» the same size as humans. Hundreds of these ¡ºants¡» did not crawl on the ground, but instead advanced on the grass and trees with their two feet. There are many carcasses lying along the path that the ¡ºants¡» have taken. There are the carcasses of dead animals whose skin and flesh have been scraped off, leaving nothing but bones ¨C the scraps of the ¡ºants¡» food. A swarm of ants the size of a human being was moving across the plains, devouring every single creature that lived there. Animals, demons and¡­¡­humans who were unlucky enough to come across them. Every creature encountered by the ¡ºants¡» was swarmed by the swarming monsters and devoured, leaving only their bones. ¡ºants¡» ¨C their true identity was a demon called the ¡ºGratony Ant¡». They are worker ants that have mutated and grown huge due to the mana emanating from the earth. Without a queen to lead the swarm, they simply roam in groups, letting their instinct of ¡ºappetite¡» take over, and are hunters of gluttony, devouring any creature they come across. A single ant is not very strong and can be easily defeated by trained adventurers and soldiers. However, the trouble with these demons is that they hunt in groups of several dozen. The way in which they attack their prey with group tactics, which is unbelievable for a demon without wisdom, is like a well-organised army. A herd of several hundred of them would be comparable to a quasi-disaster class demon. The ¡ºants¡» are now walking on the plains, but if they continue on their way, they will eventually reach a human settlement. If that happens, there is no telling how many casualties there will be. Many people will become food for the ¡ºants¡» and suffer the same fate as the wreckage lying on the plains. The ¡ºants¡» continue their march, pregnant with a future of despair. To feed on their instincts. They keep marching on to bring a future of despair to their poor victims. But¡­..they are unaware of this. That they, too, the demons of the slaughtering disaster, cannot escape the irrationality brought about by the mischievous pranks of fate. The hour of doom. The calamity of despair comes to everyone equally. ¡°It¡¯s a spectacular sight. It¡¯s like a horde of demons emerging from the bowels of hell.¡± A short distance from the advancing ¡ºants¡». Looking down on the procession of demons from a small hill is a silver-haired man dressed in black. A jet-black sword hangs from his waist, and he holds his right hand above his red pupil, looking at the plain in the distance with an amused expression. The man¡¯s name is Raidorl Zain. He was born as a prince in the Kingdom of Zain, a small country in the western part of the continent, but was ostracised by his elder brother for being chosen as the owner of the Holy Sword and was banished to the frontier. He is a hero who led his kingdom to victory by defeating the invading imperial army in a war with a neighbouring empire. Raidorl looked down from the hill at the ¡ºants¡»strutting about with their unmindful steps and tilted his head curiously. ¡°If it were a frontier city, swarms of demons would be an everyday occurrence¡­¡­ but I never thought I would see them after returning to my old stomping ground, the royal capital. Like the basilisk the other day,¡­¡­ perhaps the end of the world is near?¡± ¡°Onii-san, that¡¯s not funny enough for a joke! If you keep this up, the nearby villages will be in trouble!¡± The girl who gave Raidorl a hard time was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl who was standing close by. The girl has a beautiful face with a hint of innocence, and her cheerful tone suggests that she has a bright and open personality. ¡°That said¡­..Celia. This area rarely has demons. It¡¯s not enough if it¡¯s goblins or kobolds, but it¡¯s unbearable if disaster-grade demons keep popping up?¡± Raidorl scratched his head and smiled wryly at the girl next to him. The place where they are located is a plain a short distance from the royal capital. This place, which is not far from the city roads, should have been a peaceful place with few demons or dangerous wild animals, but now it has become an invasion route for dangerous demons. This is clearly an abnormal situation. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out the cause later! Rather than that¡­.we need to defeat that demon as soon as possible, or many people will be attacked!¡± A girl called Celia, with her hands on her hips, says in an angry tone. The girl¡¯s name is Celia Von Arslanian. She is the imperial princess of the Arslanian Empire, a neighbouring empire at war, having been defeated and taken prisoner by Raidorl in a previous battle. Celia should have stayed in the mansion and had her holy sword, the weapon of the tiger¡¯s child, taken away from her, but¡­¡­today, for some reason, she had come to the plains together with Raidorl. Her holy sword, slightly more slender than Raidorl¡¯s, is firmly seated on her waist and is emitting pale sparks in response to the girl¡¯s anger. ¡°YareYare, the request from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild was supposed to be ¡ºInvestigation of an unidentified demon ravaging the plains¡»¡­¡­ I don¡¯t have time to go back and report it.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t defeat the demons soon, the nearby villages will be wiped out. We have to do it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re very motivated¡­..Well, as royalty, we can¡¯t just abandon innocent people. I have no choice.¡± Raidorl shrugs his shoulders and agrees with Celia. If the ¡ºants¡» are left unchecked, swarms of hundreds of them are bound to engulf neighbouring villages. Many villagers will be killed, eaten and turned into mute bones. Perhaps not even a bone will be left. They can only be saved by Raidorl and Celia. The only two people who could save them were the ones who had noticed the presence of the ants and had the means to defeat them. ¡°Then, let¡¯s do a ¡­.bet. Let¡¯s have some fun and see who can kill the most bugs. No big moves are allowed.¡± Raidorl pulled out the sword from his waist. The legendary weapon from the Kingdom of Zain ¨C the holy sword D¨¢insleif, which controls ¡ºCurse¡». A vortex of miasma erupts from the jet-black sword, which is pulled out of its sheath and covers the sword body in a swirling vortex. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to win! I¡¯m going to kill more enemies than Onii-san!¡± Celia also draws her sword. The sword is also a holy sword that governs ¡ºThunder¡», Cla¨ªomh Solas, which emits a bluish-white flash of light in response to its owner¡¯s will. ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Shuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹ A strange, gasping cry comes from a swarm of ¡ºants¡». Apparently, they had noticed their presence on the hill. The swarming demons, instead of fleeing when they saw the two, came towards them as if they had found new prey. ¡°Ha! You know nothing of your own size, Insect! Can¡¯t you even tell the difference in rank with your insect head?!¡± ¡°If they¡¯re coming at us from that way, it¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t bother chasing them!¡¡Alright, I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Swinging her Cla¨ªomh Solas, Celia runs down the hill in a willowy, frenzied manner. Raidorl follows slightly behind her. ¡°If I win, You¡¯ll let me see Grandpa Gracos who is being held captive! Don¡¯t say ¡ºStill none!¡» afterwards!¡± If I win¡­¡­Aaah, yes. Do you want to go to the bathroom and take a bath with me?¡± ¡°Fuee?!! Are you stup¨C!!?¡± ¡°¡¯Hahahaha! You¡¯re too slow, moron!¡± Seizing the opportunity left by the blatantly upset Celia, Raidorl takes the initiative and slashes at the ¡ºants¡». When Celia realises that she has been set up, her face turns red and she swings her holy sword. ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± ¡°Not fair!¡¡Onii-san is an idiot! Eechi! Wan-chan!¡± ¡°Wan-chan is not a swear word¡± While arguing with each other, Raidorl and Celia cut through the ¡ºants¡» one after another. One hour later. Every single one of the hundreds of ¡ºants¡» is destroyed. They were unlucky. Because they came across two of the Holy Sword Chosen Heroes ¨C the natural enemies of all the ¡ºdemons¡» in this world, the Excalibur Holders, at the same time. Raidorl and Celia. How did they, who should have belonged to two hostile kingdoms, the Kingdom of Zain and the Empire of Arslanian, come to fight together and confront the demons? It goes back in time about two weeks. Volume 2 - CH 1.2 The Guild Elf Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned The kingdom in the western part of the continent ¨C the Kingdom of Zain. The royal capital at its centre was in a victorious mood after defeating a great power, the Arslanian Empire, in the previous war. Invasion by a great presence with overwhelming national power and the treachery of the nobles with fiefdoms on the border plunged the Kingdom of Zain to the brink of destruction. The one who saved the country from such a crisis was the king¡¯s younger brother ¨C Raidorl Zain, who was banished to the frontier five years ago. The boy, who should have been banished to a frontier city because of a disagreement with his older brother over his selection for the holy sword D¨¢insleif, grew up and went down to the battlefield to defeat the imperial army. Having survived an unprecedented crisis, the royal capital was enveloped in festivities every day. Many stalls lined the main streets, selling alcohol and food. Even though it was broad daylight, revelry was going on all over the place and men with red faces were laughing and sipping their glasses. There was a building where a group of roughnecks hung out in one corner of the city that was in a festive mood. At first glance, the building looked like a bar. But when the door opened, a wide hall was waiting with half of which was occupied by round tables and waitresses with aprons carrying drinks and food on trays. However, the remaining half of the space was occupied by a horizontal counter, behind which a row of women in chicly designed suits were greeting visitors. The name of the building was the ¡®Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯. It was a facility where adventurers, those who made their living exterminating demons, gathered and undertook work. On a board on the wall, countless sheets of paper were pasted up, on which were written requests from the royal capital and surrounding villages. Adventurers registered with the guild risked their lives to fulfil these requests and received money in return. ¡°Gahahahahahaha! Suck on the Empire! Long live the kingdom!¡± ¡°Winning the war makes the booze taste good!¡¡Gyahahahahahahahaha!¡± In the tavern adjacent to the guild, the same victory celebrations were being held as outside. It was not as if they themselves had defeated the empire, but at the bar, the rugged-looking adventurers were slurping down their drinks without doing any work. Adventurers who made a living by exterminating demons often had to face death. Therefore, many of them were playboys who lived for the day and had no money for the night. They could not pass up the opportunity to celebrate their victory, and the revelry had been going on for days in the taverns. ¡°They really have a nice disposition to drink alcohol in the daytime without taking any requests¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯m at work..I¡¯m really sick of drunks.¡± The guild¡¯s receptionist gave a disgusted look to adventurers who were drinking at the guild¡¯s counter. The girls who whispered behind the drunkards, were all good-looking and looked gorgeous standing there in their women¡¯s suits. ¡°The requests keep piling up because those people don¡¯t do their jobs. How long is this going to go on like this?¡± A young receptionist with a childish face murmured in annoyance. Her name was Riona, with wavy chestnut hair down her back. She was a new receptionist who just joined the guild this spring. As a new recruit, her job performance was questionable, but her cute, childlike appearance was very popular among adventurers and she was very useful in the guild. Half of the receptionist¡¯s job was to process and settle requests and the other half was to persuade adventurers to do the work for them. Many adventurers accepted unworthy requests, as recommended by the lovely-looking Riona. Receptionists were often hired for their excellent looks in order to holster adventurers, and¡­..Riona was fulfilling her role without any incident. ¡­¡­But now, the board was already full. There was nowhere to put the new request form. Riona¡¯s lips twitched and she moved the large number of documents in her hands up and down. The guild¡¯s requests had been piling up ever since the Kingdom of Zain went to war with its neighbours. The reason was that the adventurers who were supposed to take on the requests have fled the capital in fear of imperial invasion or volunteered to become soldiers to save their country. During the war, the guilds had lost all human interest and looked like a collapsed bar. When the war was finally over, adventurers returned to the guild only to drink and feast. Requests were piling up without being fulfilled, putting pressure on the guild. The guild was a business that put trust first. If requests were left unfulfilled, they would lose credibility and new requests would stop coming in. The receptionist also used various methods to motivate adventurers and push them to submit requests, but ¡­. this was not enough. The number of requests did not seem to be decreasing at all. On the contrary, the number of requests to exterminate demons seemed to be increasing more and more. The receptionists other than Riona were also tilting their heads in wonder at the apparent abnormality. ¡°It¡¯s true that¡­¡­It¡¯s partly because these drunkards are slacking off, but there¡¯s been a strange number of demon attacks recently, hasn¡¯t there? There have been reports of sightings even in areas where demons don¡¯t normally appear¡­¡­Is this a sign of a natural disaster?¡± ¡°If it was a natural catastrophe, it should have happened before the war started! Then the people of the Empire and the adventurers who are slacking off over there would have all been killed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a harsh thing to say, isn¡¯t it¡­¡­Well, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve been working so hard and never taking a day off.¡± Riona glared at the adventurers who were drinking bitterly. The senior receptionist patted her on the shoulder sympathetically, and she laboured over the stressed-out junior. ¡°Ah, welcom©`¡± At the same time, the entrance door opened and the doorbell rang. Riona looked at the entrance to see if there were more drunks again but saw a young man and woman stepping into the guild. A man with silver hair and a woman with golden hair. Both were well-dressed. Both of them had swords at their waists, and their seamless gait indicated that they were people who were used to fighting. ¡®Not a lover, not a companion¡­¡­eh, what kind of relationship is that?¡¯ At first glance, they might not look like a beautiful couple but there was a subtle distance between them, indicating that they were not that close. At the very least, they did not appear to be lovers or a couple. The man had an imposing appearance and looked familiar. Riona did not recognise him, but he might be an adventurer who had been active in another town. The woman, on the other hand, was scurrying around like a lady, and it was clear that this was her first visit to the guild. ¡°I want to meet the guildmaster. Can you call her for me?¡± The man walked straight up to the counter and spoke to Riona, who was just in front of him. The woman was reading one of the request forms on the board with interest, without paying any attention to the man. ¡°Well¡­¡­do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°No, I do not. But I do have a¡­¡­letter of introduction.¡± The man took out a sealed letter and placed it on the counter. Riona picked it up and checked the envelope, which was signed on the back in dirty handwriting. The distinctive script, which looked like a dancing worm, was very difficult to read, but she could barely decipher that it was signed ¡ºZafis Bartolomeo¡». It was an unfamiliar name. At least, Riona had never heard of it. ¡°Could you please wait while I get confirmation?¡± ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± ¡°Er, ¡­¡­ then, to the Guildmaster¡­¡­.¡± Riona turned around and tried to walk to the back of the guild, and after walking a few metres, she realised she hadn¡¯t heard the important thing. ¡°Aaah! I beg your pardon! May I ask your name¡­¡­?¡± Riona rushed back to the counter and asked the man his name in a cracked voice. The man opened his mouth with a dumbfounded look on his face, as if he had just been asked what she should normally have asked first. ¡°¡­.It¡¯s Raidorl. Raidorl Zain. If you want me to say my title¡­¡­well, I¡¯m the king¡¯s younger brother, in case you¡¯re wondering.¡± The man ¨C Raidorl Zain ¨C said it clearly and snorted with a somewhat stunned look. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The young receptionist, who appeared to be a newcomer, acted quickly. When she heard Raidorl¡¯s name, she disappeared into the back room, looking flustered, confused and returned without making Raidorl wait more than five minutes. ¡°O,ooooooo..thank you for waiting!¡¡Please come into the back room!¡± [TL:Omataseitashimashita! Hence, the O,ooo.] ¡°¡­.Aaa.¡± She didn¡¯t do anything wrong but the receptionist, who even had¡­..tears in her eyes, made Raidorl feel sorry for some reason. ¡®I¡¯m not sure what happened, but I¡¯ll apologise when I get the chance¡­¡­.Her name is¡­¡­¡ºRiona¡»?¡¯ Raidorl checked the nameplate attached to her chest, and the name of the new receptionist was etched in his mind. ¡°¡¯I¡¯m going to go and talk to the guildmaster, ¡­¡­ what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. Onii-san can go and see her alone.¡± When Raidorl checked with his companion, the blonde girl ¨C Imperial Princess Celia Von Arslanian ¨C replied without looking back. Celia was reading the paper on the request board intently, her blue eyes sparkling. Raidorl wondered what made her seem so interested looking at it. ¡°¡­..Well, okay.¡± Raidorl shrugged his shoulders and stepped into the room behind the counter. At the entrance to the room to which he had been brought, a metal plaque was hung, saying: ¡ºNo entry except by authorised personnel¡». ¡°P,please enter! Master is waiting for you!¡± ¡°Well, thank you for guiding me¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡­Heyan?!!¡± The receptionist called Riona opened the door for Raidorl and then hit her head on the door she opened herself and shouted in agony. What an¡­¡­ extremely amusing creature. It was enough to make Raidorl want to forget his purpose and observe her for a while. ¡°Come in. Please come in.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­..¡± A voice called out from inside the room. He wanted to observe the cowering receptionist a little longer, but since he had been invited by the owner of the room, he could not refuse to enter. Raidorl stepped into the room and slowly closed the door so as not to hit the receptionist who was fainting in agony in the corridor. ¡°Welcome, Your Royal Highness and the king¡¯s brother, Raidorl Zain. My name is Saina Cruz and I am in charge of this guild.¡± Waiting for Raidorl in a chic, tidy room was a young woman in a casual suit. The woman, who identified herself as Saina Cruz, was about in her early twenties and had a very unusual appearance, green hair and green eyes. As recommended by Cruz, Raidorl sat on the sofa in the middle of the room, while Cruz sat on the sofa opposite him across the table. ¡°¡­..Sorry to interrupt your busy schedule, Guildmaster¡± ¡°If I am introduced by the renowned adventurer Zafis-sama, then I cannot help but meet you. And even more so when it is the arrival of the hero who became the kingdom¡¯s salvation.¡± ¡°¡ºZafis¨Csama¡»¡­¡­Is that drunken old man really such a big shot?¡± Zafis Bartolomeo. A leader of the adventurers in the pioneer city. He was a mentor to Raidorl, but his only merit was to fight¡­¡­and he gave the strong impression of being a useless man who drank alcohol all year round. He was not the kind of respectable man who would command the respect of someone in the high position of guild master in the royal capital. However, Cruz still offered words of praise with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Zafis-sama is the one who proposed the construction of a pioneer city as a frontline base, concerned about the frequent damage caused by demons in the southern part of the kingdom. In addition, instead of the royal court being reluctant to provide funds, he gave up his personal fortune and built the town by persuading influential people to donate money. His pioneering spirit and high aspirations to protect the kingdom from the threat of demons have been emulated by many adventurers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­I see.¡± Learn more Raidorl nodded his head somewhat bitterly. When he heard someone praise his sword master and second father, Zafis, Raidorl was more embarrassed than happy. Raidorl decided to change the subject, casually turning his face away. ¡°By the way¡­..Cruz-dono is quite young. I suppose it must have been quite an achievement to rise to the rank of Guildmaster at your age?¡± ¡°No, I am old enough not to be called young, you know?¡± Cruz brushed her shoulder-length green hair back with an elegant hand. Then long, pointed ears emerge from beneath the soft hair. ¡°I am an elf, so I age more slowly than most humans. I may look this way, but I am long past a hundred years old, you know?¡± ¡°Elves or¡­¡­subhumans must have gone to a lot of trouble to settle in human settlements.¡± The elves were a subhuman race living mainly in the southern part of the continent. They lived in the forests and rarely left the forests where they were born and they were very closed-minded. Nevertheless, there were the occasional oddballs who ventured out of the forest into the outside world and moved to human settlements. They were rarely seen in the Kingdom of Zain, and this was the first time that Raidorl had seen them in person. In this country, discrimination against subhumans was not strong, so they didn¡¯t have much difficulty. But if the Empire had taken over, they would have been treated very badly. ¡°The Arslanian Empire¡¯s discrimination against subhumans is well known. That empire is often at war with the subhuman countries of the South, so it¡¯s not surprising¡­..¡± ¡°I can only thank His Highness Raidorl for driving away the Imperial Army. I will help you in any way I can¡­¡­.So, what can my guild do for you today?¡± Cruz asked the main question. Raidorl nodded with a smile on his mouth, [Hmm], and mentioned the purpose of his visit to the guild. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– After an unscheduled meeting with Raidorl, Saina Cruz sat down on a chair and sighed deeply. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The elf, freed from her nervousness, turned her attention idly to the paintings in the parlour. The paintings, which had been on display since the time of the previous guildmaster, were sunburnt from the sunlight through the windows and the colours had faded in some places. ¡®It¡¯s time to replace them with new ones¡­¡­. Shall we redecorate the whole room?¡¡It would be a nice change of pace.¡¯ As she was pondering to escape from reality¡­..there was a discreet knock at the door of the room. After a beat, the door was opened by the new receptionist, Riona. ¡°Aa, His Royal Highness has returned? I¡¯m sorry it took me so long to make the tea. I wanted to make a nice pot of tea, but the tea leaves are in the back of the cabinet and it took me a while¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s fine. It seems he didn¡¯t intend to stay long either, so you can drink it for him.¡± ¡°Really? Well then, I¡¯ll take your word for it¡­..¡± Riona sat on the sofa where Raidorl had been sitting earlier and sipped the fine tea she had brewed for the Royal Highness. ¡°Fuu, it smells good¡­¡­By the way, what business did His Royal Highness have that brings him here?¡± ¡°¡­..It¡¯s better not to ask, young lady.¡± ¡°Haa? It is a story about royalty, after all, so is it about politics?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to ask. Really.¡± Cruz let out a wearisome and exhausted sound and gulped down the tea in her teacup in one gulp. She couldn¡¯t say it was impolite. The story that came out from Raidorl¡¯s mouth had made her throat dry up. ¡®I never thought that His Royal Highness had such ambitions¡­..¡¯ What Raidorl told her was his ambitions and plans for political change that she had no liberty to speak of. She didn¡¯t know why Raidorl told such a story to her, whom she had never met before but she felt sincerely bitter that she had been chosen to share such a terrible secret. ¡®I resent¡­¡­you for sending me such a monster, Zafis-san¡¯. Zafis Bartolomeo, Raidorl¡¯s sword master and guildmaster of the frontier city, was an old benefactor to Cruz. When Cruz was still a rookie adventurer, she had her life saved many times in the battles with demons, and she also had the experience of being sheltered and defended by adventurers who had discriminatory feelings towards subhumans when she got involved. Without Zafis, Cruz might not have reached her current position. There was no way she could have treated the king¡¯s royal brother, who came to her through Zafis¡¯s introduction, with such disdain. Even if the story he brought to her was treacherous to the royal family, she would be remiss if she did not lend him as much help as possible. ¡°The rumoured hero was actually an ordinary man. I thought he would be a big man with muscles.¡± While Cruz continued to worry in agony, her subordinate Riona was drinking tea with a carefree expression on her face. Cruz¡¯s lips twisted bitterly as she envied her subordinate, who knew nothing. ¡°¡­..If that looks like an ordinary man, it¡¯s probably because your eyes are blind.¡± ¡°Ee?¡± ¡°He¡¯s like a hungry evil dragon. There are certain kinds of adventurers that should never be offended, but ¡­. he is definitely a supreme dragon. If you make an enemy of it, it could easily sink a town or two.¡± As an elf, Cruz was endowed with the ability to see magic. In her eyes, the man named Raidorl Zain looked like a monster, as if he were different from a human being. ¡®The black magic that rose from his body¡­¡­even the demon I fought only once when I was in active service, was not clothed in such an ominous magic power. It¡¯s like a mythical demon god.¡¯ Cruz wondered what the joke is, because Raidorl Zain is the Excalibur Holder, the holder of a Holy Sword, who has been endowed with the power of God. She wonders if he is not blessed with a holy sword but with a magical sword. ¡°Riona, I believe that His Royal Highness will now be acting as adventurer, please proceed to accept any request, regardless of rank. You don¡¯t have to check his guild card either. Please make sure that the other staff members are aware of this.¡± ¡°Eeee? That¡¯s a violation of the guild¡¯s rules!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Ranking the heroes chosen by the Holy Sword is meaningless. Besides, it was written in the letter of introduction about his achievements in the¡­..frontier city and there is no doubt that his highness is as capable as the highest-ranked adventurers.¡± Cruz picked up the teapot and poured a refill into her cup, which she downed in another gulp. Her throat ached from forcing down the hot tea, but she didn¡¯t care and rested her weight on the back of the sofa. ¡°¡­. It¡¯s a small price to pay for this level of cooperation to fulfil my duty. I¡¯m relieved that I wasn¡¯t made a part of the treason.¡± ¡°Haaa?¡± Riona tilted her head, and Cruz let out a hot breath from her throat with a [haah]. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– When Raidorl returned to the reception area after his meeting with the Guildmaster, his companion, who was waiting for him, hung up her flashing eyelids and protested. ¡°Onii-san!! You¡¯re late!¡± ¡°¡¯I thought I¡¯d finished early. Princess can be impatient.¡± Celia, who was waiting in the hall where the reception desk was located, protested. Celia was dressed in light leather armour, which was easy to move in and her clothes alone made her look like a female adventurer. However, her shining blonde hair, which was pulled back behind her head, and her blue eyes, which looked as if they were filled with blue sapphires, made her stand out in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, the abode of the roughest of the rough. At her feet, a few men dressed like adventurers were falling into a stupor, their eyes flashing white. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°They got involved somehow, so I beat them up. This kind of thing is another promise of adventurers, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Aaa¡­. I¡¯m convinced. That¡¯s certainly a promise.¡± Seeing Celia tilting her head prettily, Raidorl somehow guessed what was going on. Celia was a fiercely competitive girl who would rather use her ¡ºsword¡» than speak but her appearance was that of a pretty young lady. It was obvious that if such a beautiful girl was in an adventurers¡¯ guild that prided itself on its prowess, she would be approached by the worst kind of people. ¡°It would have been a good wake-up call for those drunkards who drink in the daytime¡­..though they may never wake up again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point¡­Onii-san. I¡¯m not going to let you get away with this. You brought me all the way down here.¡± ¡°Aa, it went well. I¡¯ve spoken to the guildmaster. We¡¯re going to be adventurers for a while now. I¡¯ve already found some good requests for you.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Raidorl flapped a few sheets of paper in his hand. Celia looked at the end of her hand with interest, like a cat shaking its pussycat¡¯s paw¡­..[Eei!] and snatched the papers from Raidorl¡¯s hands. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­..this is another guild request form, right? How is it different from the one on the wall over there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a request form. It¡¯s a salted request that has been sitting in the guild for months because no one has been able to fulfil it, even though it came in.¡± ¡°Enshi?¡± [TL: Enshi: Preserved/Salted. Usually for pickiling, but in this context, it¡¯s : very old] Celia tilted her head as Raidorl stretched his body. ¡°Why would we take a request that has been neglected since no one has interest in it? Can¡¯t we just get a new request posted over there?¡± ¡°Say, Celia. What if you submit a request to the guild and it is never fulfilled?¡± ¡°You would withdraw the¡­¡­request?¡± Raidorl nodded in response to Celia¡¯s answer. ¡°Yes. But¡­¡­These requests have been left for months without being withdrawn. Do you know why that is?¡± ¡°Uh, umm¡­..¡± Celia groaned and twisted her head. ¡°Well¡­..it¡¯s a hassle, so they haven¡¯t taken it down or something?¡± ¡°Yeah, that could be one of the reasons¡­..but the biggest reason is because of the ongoing damage caused by the demons.¡± The fact that they withdrew the guild¡¯s request did not mean that the original cause of their request to the guild would disappear. Therefore, they continued to submit requests in the hope that one day someone might accept them. There were many people in need on the other side of these request forms. There were people who had been victimised by demons and were crying out for help. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Onii-san goes out of his way to take on difficult requests to help people?¡¡Heh, good point!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to do it without a plan. I think I¡¯ve done a lot of good in the war against the Empire, but I¡¯m still short of¡­..power and prestige. I¡¯m the young royal brother who offers a helping hand to those in need¡­¡­.Everyone loves heroes, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..?¡± Raidorl smirked and looked out of character. Celia put a question mark above her head, as if she didn¡¯t know what it meant. Raidorl flipped through the request form he received from Celia and read the contents out loud. ¡°Taking down the Killer Falcon, capturing the Red Ice Snake, delivering the Rock Mandragora, investigating the cause of the dried up lake, and investigating the unidentified demons that have appeared on the plains ¡­¡­All sounds like troublesome requests, but with two Excalibur Holders, they¡¯ll be done in no time. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get it all sorted out.¡± ¡°¡­. I knew I was in your head count. I knew that would be the case when you brought me here, but Onii-san is so selfish!¡± Celia put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks in frustration. She was probably trying to show that she was [angry]. Celia was probably trying to appeal to Raidorl but her gestures were cute and not at all frightening. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, does it? You can¡¯t leave the kingdom until the negotiations with the Empire are over anyway. Help me out in your spare time.¡± ¡°I never said I didn¡¯t like it! I¡¯m just angry that I have to do what Onii-san says and I am interested in the adventurers¡¯ activities too. Besides¡­¡­even if they¡¯re from another kingdom, I want to help people in need!¡± Celia assured him with a hearty smile. Raidorl chuckled, ruffling her golden hair and stroking it with a rough hand. ¡°You are really a good person. Here, good girl, good girl.¡± ¡°Do, don¡¯t you dare touch my head! You! Onii-san ecchi!!¡± Celia hurriedly escaped from Raidorl¡¯s hands. Having lived her whole life as an imperial princess, Celia had probably never had her head touched so casually by a man of her own age. Her face was dyed red with shame and embarrassment. ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s go sightseeing in the kingdom after accomplishing the request. First of all, let¡¯s go and see the lake together. Didn¡¯t I promise to show you around before?¡± ¡°Did you¡­¡­promise it? I can¡¯t quite remember.¡± Raidorl left the guild with a request form in hand. Celia followed, swinging her pony-tailed blonde hair from side to side. ¡°Wha, what were those people¡­¡± ¡°Who knows¡­..¡± The guild¡¯s receptionists and others watched their backs as they walked away, their eyes full of curiosity. Volume 2 - CH 2 Raidorl the Adventurer Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned Afternoon, west of the royal capital. There was a lake called Lake Araru, located off the road and further north in the forest. The lake, which was regarded as a valuable source of water by neighbouring villages, suddenly dried up about three months ago. The cause was unknown. Rainfall was the same as in previous years, so sunshine was not the cause. Crops had already started to be affected. A neighbouring village had sent a request to the Royal Guild to investigate the cause but the villagers in the poor farming village could not offer sufficient rewards, and the request was left without any adventurers to accept it. Fields were in ruins and wells were drying up. A number of villages were now on the verge of starvation. ¡°Imperial style swordsmanship ¡¾Raiden¡¿!¡± ¡°¡ºGooooooooooo!!!¡»¡± At the bottom of the dry lake. With a flash of lightning, Celia swung her holy sword. Pierced by the lightning that poured down, the monster nestled at the bottom of the lake let out a low scream that seemed to echo from the ground. Lurking at the bottom of Lake Araru, beneath the withered ground and sucking up the lake¡¯s waters without limit, was a monster that looked like the root of a giant plant. The monster, which once appeared in frontier cities, was still remembered by Raidorl. ¡°¡ºGiant Rhubarb¡»¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know why a demon plant rarely seen even in the Demon Forest is here.¡± Squinting suspiciously, Raidorl watched the battle between Celia and the monster from some distance away. The Giant Rhubarb boasted the largest class of plant-based monsters. As well as its size, the scale of its damage was also enormous. The voracious monster sucked up water without limit and a single one of them could swallow up all the groundwater within a radius of several dozen kilometres, turning the area into a desert. Two years ago, Raidorl had defeated one that appeared in a pioneer city, but it was a monster that should not be seen in this region, where mana was scarce. The Giant Rhubarb that emerged from the ground was more than ten metres long and had grown to be so large that one had to look up. ¡°Yaaaaaahhh!¡± ¡°¡ºGoaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡»¡± While dealing with the monster, Celia wielded her sword without stepping back. Every time the silvery-white sword flipped and fluttered, lightning flashes scattered at the bottom of the lake. The Giant Rhubarb also resisted, waving its roots like a whip but it was unable to catch the swiftly moving imperial princess and was unilaterally chopped to pieces. After more than ten minutes, Giant Rhubarb was dead, only twitching and convulsing. ¡°As expected as an imperial holy sword-bearer. The perfected child of thunder. I¡¯m amazed that you¡¯re unbeatable against disaster-grade demons.¡± ¡°Onii-san, are you trying to be sarcastic?¡¡You want to say something like, ¡ºBut I¡¯m the one who beat you¡»right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s honest praise. Don¡¯t take it negatively.¡± Celia, who had single-handedly defeated Giant Rhubarb, turned around and puffed out her cheek in frustration. Shrugging his shoulders at the pouty imperial princess, Raidorl looked up at the huge body of the demon lying on the ground. ¡°No¡­¡­I think it¡¯s amazing. I¡¯m saying it without flattery. I¡¯ve fought this monster before and I struggled against it. The Holy Sword of Thunder, Cla¨ªomh Solas¡­¡­far surpasses the D¨¢insleif in terms of power and piercing power alone.¡± Ignoring the protests of the Holy Sword at his waist, which vibrated slightly, Raidorl nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Well¡­¡­maybe I can beat Onii-san now? Let¡¯s try a return match, shall we?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it, you want to lose the blessing of the Holy Sword again?¡± ¡°Mu¡­..It¡¯s not fair.¡± Celia was once defeated by Raidorl on the battlefield and had her Cla¨ªomh Solas taken away from her. Then, a strange curse had blocked the blessing of the holy sword. Her sword was temporarily unsealed, but if she were to turn her sword against Raidorl, she would be deprived of her power again. With her cheeks puffed out in dissatisfaction, Celia sheathed Cla¨ªomh Solas. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, though, ¡­¡­ because fighting demons is fun.¡± ¡°Aa, all is well now. The water in the lake will be back soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even the rainy season and the water will be back soon?¡¡I bet we¡¯ll all be in trouble until the lake is back to normal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem. If this monster is defeated¡­.¡± Before Raidorl could finish, a crack appeared in the body of Giant Rhubarb, which had fallen to the bottom of the lake. Then, floods of water overflowed from the roots of the giant plant. ¡°Waa! Water¡­¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming! Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± ¡°E?Ehhh? Onii-san!!!¡± Ignoring Celia¡¯s panicked voice, Raidorl escaped from the bottom of the lake on his own. A huge column of water gushed out from Giant Rhubarb¡¯s body and was chasing down Celia. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you kill that thing! Get your ass out of the lake!¡± ¡°Wa, you should have said it earlier!!¡± Although almost swallowed by the flood, Celia barely managed to crawl out of the lake. The first to escape was Raidorl, who grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up with all his might. ¡°When you kill a Giant Rhubarb, it sucks in all the water it has accumulated in its body and then spits it out all at once. I used to get swept away by the water that spewed out, and it was terrible.¡± ¡°Uu¡ª, you should have told me those important things beforehand. Onii-san is an idiot¡­¡­.¡± Celia slumped to the ground. She found her whole body was wet and looked up at Raidorl resentfully. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± After defeating the monster that had been lurking in the lake and sucking up the water, Raidorl and Celia reported to the nearby village that they had completed their request. At first, the villagers were suspicious that the request had been left unanswered for three months, but when they saw Lake Araru with its water restored, they even shed tears and bowed their heads. The adults in the village were smiling and pumping water into jars, while the children were pointing at the wooden monster floating like an islet in the middle of the lake, their eyes shining with curiosity. ¡°Thank you so much!!!¡¡Now our fields and wells will be back to normal! We won¡¯t have to travel for hours to fetch water from distant rivers to live!¡± ¡°No need to thank me. Because I didn¡¯t do much.¡± ¡°True -Onii-san didn¡¯t do anything, did he?¡± ¡°Celia, quiet.¡± Poking the head of the imperial princess who stood next to him, Raidorl placed his hand on the shoulder of the village chief, who repeatedly bowed his head. ¡°More than that, I¡¯m sorry for the delay in accomplishing the request. This is something the guild should be ashamed of. As an adventurer, I apologise from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡¡We are responsible for not being able to pay our adventurers to their satisfaction! Please don¡¯t let it bother you!¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s fine then¡­..¡± Raidorl quickly glanced from the village chief¡¯s face to his feet. The chief was not the only one with a skinny, bony body. Other villagers and children playing in the water were the same. ¡®The village chief is not the only one with a thin, bony body. It seems that the harsh environment is not only in the pioneer cities.¡¯ ¡°Hey, Village Chief. I¡¯d like to talk about my reward¡­..¡± ¡°Ah, yes. The reward has been deposited with the guild, so please accept it. I would like to thank you more if I could, but I don¡¯t have the time ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯d like to ask you for one more favour.¡± ¡°Haa? If it¡¯s something we can do for you¡­..¡± The village chief, who tilted his head and looked at Raidorl curiously, raised his index finger. ¡°¡¯I want you to spread the word to the neighbouring villages. Tell them that the powerful demon that was drying up the lake has been defeated by the king¡¯s younger brother, Raidorl Zain.¡± ¡°Ha¡­? Yo,yoo, royal b,brother..?¡± The village chief stared at Raidorl¡¯s face¡­then dropped down to the floor. ¡°M,my apologies,your royal highness!¡¡How rude of me¡­¡­!¡± ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s all right. Can you do me a favour?¡± ¡°Haa-ha! Of course, your royal highness!¡± ¡°Right, well then, it¡¯s good that I met you¡­..¡± Raidorl chuckled seeing the village chief who was surprised to learn that he was dealing with a royalty as he pointed to an object floating on the lake, with his index finger raised. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you to clean up after that thing. You can do whatever you like with it.¡± Floating on the lake was a giant palma, which had released its reserves of water and had shrunk to a small size. The village chief looked at the wreck of the plant monster, which was swaying on the surface of the water like a floating island, with hatred, and nodded his head. ¡°Of course, of course!¡¡We will take up the dead carcass of the monster and incinerate it for our village¡¯s revenge!¡± ¡°Oioi, it¡¯d be a shame to burn it, wouldn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a disaster-class demon. If you take it to someone with an eye for it, they should be able to get a good price for it. It¡¯s a first-class material for magic potions and I¡¯m sure the apothecary guild would pay a lot of money for it.¡± [TL:A shop that sells and prepare variety medicine & drugs] ¡°Eh¡­?¡± The village chief¡¯s eyes widened at Raidorl¡¯s explanation, and he looked up as if he was trying to see the colour of his face. ¡°So, you mean to say that you¡¯re going to give us the ¡­¡­thing, your royal highness?¡± ¡°Yes, this village seems to have suffered a lot, so you can use the money for reconstruction. It should provide this village with enough savings for the next few years.¡± ¡°Aaa¡­such kindness!!¡± The village chief knelt on his knees on the ground and folded his hands as if in prayer. He was overcome with emotion and tears streamed from his eyes. ¡°You are a hero, as rumour has it! You are like a saint ¡­¡­a brave man chosen by the Holy Sword! We, the villagers, will never forget this favour!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re pleased¡­¡­but it¡¯s not just this village that¡¯s been affected. I hope you¡¯ll share with the other villages nearby.¡± ¡°Haah! Of course your royal highness!¡± Nodding in satisfaction to the village chief¡¯s reaction, who still had his forehead on the ground, Raidorl left the village, having finished his work. Celia poked him on his side with her fingertips. ¡°You¡¯re suddenly being kind, does Onii-san have such a character?¡± Play Unmute 00:00 ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing it for charity. I have my reason for doing it.¡± Raidorl sniffed at Celia, who had a reassuring look on her face. ¡°This is just a publicity stunt. It¡¯s just a plot to spread my fame and make it easier for me to accept the regime change that will eventually come.¡± ¡°Hmmm? Is that so?¡± Celia nodded with a subtle look on her face, whether she understood or not. ¡°But¡­..I don¡¯t feel bad about helping people in need. I¡¯m also glad that people are happy.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­I wouldn¡¯t deny that either.¡± Walking with Celia, Raidorl took out a bundle of request letters received from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. First of all, one legendary story had been established. If Raidorl continued, the fame of the Holy Sword¡¯s chosen hero, Raidorl Zain, would continue to grow and swell into something that even his older brother King Granard would not be able to stop. ¡®It would be easy enough to just cut off his head. If I wanted to, I could just do it today. But¡­¡­we¡¯re not going to kill you that easily, are we?¡¯ In the past, Raidorl was deprived of all of his allies and exiled from the Royal City. It would be unfair if his older brother King Granard did not suffer the same. ¡°I will show you the loneliness and despair of being deprived of your place. I will scrape off your allies one by one and kick you off your throne, Aniki.¡± From then on, Raidorl became a vigorous adventurer. Defeating the sea dragons that appeared in the northern seas. Conquering bandits who attacked villages in the east. Exterminating the hordes of undead that had nested in an abandoned castle in the west. Collecting rare medicinal herbs to help sick children in the southern towns. Exterminating every last one of the ¡ºant¡» demons that had massed on the plains near the royal city. Some of the requests that had been salted away in the guild were too much for Raidorl alone, but with the help of another Holy Sword holder, Celia, he was able to accomplish them at a tremendous pace. Originally, Raidorl¡¯s exploits were known throughout the kingdom through the mouths of soldiers who had gone to fight against the Empire¡­..and people were by nature fond of tales of heroism. The story of the hero chosen by the Holy Sword to save the poor in many parts of the kingdom had become a legend and was now being spread by the bards in song. Many singers spread the heroism of Raidorl throughout the kingdom, as if trying to blow away the dark mood of the war with the empire. However, there were naturally people who did not take kindly to the rise of such new heroes. The first of these was Granard Zain, the king of the Kingdom of Zain and Raidorl¡¯s older brother. ¡°What an abominable thing it is to curry favour with the people! He is wasting the power of the Holy Sword!!¡± Granard¡¯s face contorted in rage as he lashed out. His face, stained with hatred, was naturally not happy about his younger brother¡¯s success. He probably hated Raidorl¡¯s every move. His face was as red as an evil demon, Akkirasetsu. [TL: Akkirasetsu = Man-eating demon] ¡°The holy sword D¨¢insleif is the sword of protection. It is the last trump card to protect the Kingdom of Zain!¡¡To use its power to spread one¡¯s own fame, what insolence! To disrespect the power of the Holy Sword, he is not the one who should have been chosen for D¨¢insleif!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­ please calm yourself. It would be troublesome if others were to hear.¡± It was the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell, who admonished his king in a quiet tone. In the king¡¯s office, there were only two people in the room, Granard and Lockwood. The political officers who normally assisted the king in his duties were also kept away and the area around the office was cleared of people. ¡°Raidorl must be trying to win people¡¯s support with his popularity and oust me. It¡¯s like he is throwing a little tantrum¡­.!¡± The Prime Minister admonished Granard, who slightly lowered his tone of voice, but did not stop, spewing out his irritating rants against his own brother. Granard Zain was a distinguished man who had supported his kingdom and an ambitious ruler since the sickbed of the previous king, although he instantly became a foolish king when his younger brother, the holder of the Holy Sword D¨¢insleif, was involved. He accurately saw Raidorl¡¯s aim and clenched his teeth. ¡°Hah¡­¡­you¡¯re probably right. It¡¯s very tricky.¡± Lockwood also agreed with the king and let out a deep, heavy sigh. ¡®That said, it is impossible to restrain him by force. There is no one in the kingdom who can stop His Highness.¡¯ The only possibility was the Royal Army led by General Bazel Garst, but the army was packed in the key areas of Blaine due to warnings from the Empire and was in no condition to move. Even if he were able to move, General Garst had as already indicated his willingness to remain silent on the conflict between Raidorl and Granard. It was unlikely that the honest general would change his mind. ¡°We give His Highness Raidorl some spare time to keep him away from the political scene and leave him alone. That seems to have paid off. I can¡¯t believe he would take advantage of the time given to him and pull a move like this¡­¡­¡± ¡°Damn it¡­.. is there no way to restrain that foolish brother? At least if this curse is lifted¡­¡­¡± Granard scratched his left breast over his clothes. The ¡ºCurse of the Covenant¡» had been engraved on his chest by Raidorl. Granard was forbidden to act against him and if he broke it, even his life would be in danger. Although the curse¡¯s formula had been steadily deciphered by mobilising all the court magicians¡­.. there was still no prospect of breaking the curse. With the curse in place, Granard could not actively exclude or repel Raidorl and had to leave his behaviour alone. ¡°¡­..Your Majesty, how would you like to make use of the curse?¡± Lockwood opened his mouth as if an idea had just occurred to him. ¡°It is not only His Majesty who is bound by the oath. His Highness Raidorl also binds himself with a curse. His Highness must also not disobey his oath.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡­you mean sending Raidorl to war and keeping him away from Royal City?¡¡But ¡­¡­the battle with the Empire has entered negotiations for peace. We have captured the Imperial Princess as a prisoner of war and the negotiations are to our advantage. We can¡¯t afford to start a quarrel unnecessarily, can we?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. We cannot let him fight the Imperial Army itself. But there are forces that are on the side of the Empire, which, if eliminated, would not incur the wrath of the Empire.¡± Lockwood paused for a moment, then said with a resolute determination. ¡°The Eastern nobles who have turned to the Empire. Order his highness to purge them.¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°You¡¯ve done an abominable thing. So you¡¯re taking advantage of the curse.¡± Raidorl¡¯s residence in the royal capital. After reading through the letter from the royal court, Raidorl nodded his head in admiration. The letter, stamped with the Kingdom¡¯s Seal, was an official letter of command from the king, and stated that he should conquer the nobles who had turned to the Arslanian Empire. During the previous war, the eastern part of the kingdom was occupied by the Empire. In doing so, several noble families turned to the enemy side. As they were already on the imperial side, Raidorl, who had sworn to fight the empire, could no longer refuse such orders. The capture of Celia had led to a ceasefire in the war between the Empire and the Kingdom, but the Empire would not interfere if the territory, which was¡­.. originally the Kingdom¡¯s, was taken back and the traitorous nobles were purged. ¡°What would you do, Master? If I lift the curse can you refuse those orders?¡± The one who tilted her head and asked was Neimilia, Raidorl¡¯s personal maid. Neimilia, with her black hair in twin-tails swinging from side to side, tilted the teapot and poured tea into the cup. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. If you lift the curse, Granard¡¯s curse will be lifted too. At this point in time, there are more disadvantages than advantages.¡± Raidorl replied as he picked up the teacup placed in front of him. The curse Raidorl put on the king and the curse he put on himself were two in one. If one was lifted, the other would naturally disappear. And if Raidorl broke his oath, great misfortune would also befall him. Because he gambled his life on it, the curse was so powerful that even court magicians could not easily break it. ¡°Hmm, so you¡¯re taking a break from your work as an adventurer for a while?¡¡I was finally starting to enjoy it.¡± The third person in the room interrupted the conversation- Celia. Dressed in simple loungewear, Celia interrupted the conversation, biting into a cookie on the table. ¡°No, if I stop working here, the ¡ºflow¡» that I¡¯ve created will be stalled. If possible, I want to keep moving as an adventurer.¡± The people had already talked about Raidorl¡¯s adventure. The king¡¯s younger brother fighting for the poor despite being royalty was admired by the people, and as he aimed, he had gained popularity among many people. ¡°So what if you stop doing it for a while?¡¡You only have one body. You can¡¯t combine your adventurous activities with conquering treacherous nobles, can you?¡± ¡°Then what will you do? I have only one body, but there are two Excalibur Holders. I will act according to Granard¡¯s orders. Celia, I want you to continue your work as an adventurer.¡± ¡°Eee, I¡¯m going to work alone?¡± Celia looked dissatisfied, but as soon as she took another bite of the cookie, her face instantly relaxed in happiness. It seemed that the popular pastry shop with a long queue was also suitable for the Imperial Princess¡¯s palate. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to do anyway, so please.¡± ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m from the Empire. I don¡¯t have any obligation to work for Onii-san,right?¡¡Are you aware of that?¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Celia¡¯s lips twitched at Raidorl, who waved his hand dismissively. [I¡¯m not happy about it!] she added while Raidorl gave her a wry smile. ¡°You know, Your Highness Princess Celia. You and I have grown reasonably close, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Eh? What¡¯s with the sudden change of tone?¡± Celia¡¯s eyes went black and white. Raidorl gave her a nasty grin. ¡°If I were to overthrow my older brother and become the king, someone close to me like you, the imperial princess, would be at the top of the Zain Kingdom. If that happens, even the relationship between the Empire and the Kingdom will take a new turn, won¡¯t it?¡± The Zain Kingdom and the Arslanian Empire had fought as long-standing enemies, but if a pro-imperial king was born, it might be possible to end the fight by means other than war. Depending on negotiations, there was even the possibility of winning the war without fighting and subjugating the kingdom as a vassal state. ¡°Win or lose, in war there will be blood. You have seen it too. If you can win without fighting, wouldn¡¯t it be better?¡± ¡°¡­..Onii-san is going to sell this kingdom to the empire? Isn¡¯t that called ¡ºtraitor¡»?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying the possibility under the right conditions. I¡¯m the type of person who takes truth before its name. If war can be avoided by becoming a vassal state, then I¡¯m fine with that.¡± Perhaps because he had been exiled to the frontier for so long, Raidorl had no pride in being royalty himself. He thought that putting his interests first and avoiding war was more important than maintaining the independence of the Kingdom of Zain. ¡°In the first place¡­..I think it¡¯s strange that humans are fighting each other, leaving the threat from the demons to humanity unattended. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been an adventurer for so long.¡± In the frontier cities, adventurers over there were probably fighting against the demons that were pouring in from the Demon Forest. Leaving such a situation unattended and prioritising war between humans was questionable for Raidorl. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to ingratiate yourself. You can act as an adventurer on my behalf, save the people of this kingdom and make a name for yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Okay, I understand. But remember, you owe me this!¡± ¡°I will follow my master wherever he goes! From cradle to grave. From baby play to necrophilia!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about?¡± Celia nodded as if she had no choice, and Neimilia was as usual a natural reverse sexual harasser. With a tired sigh at the two beautiful girls, Raidorl decided what to do next. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– A few days after receiving the king¡¯s order. The day came for Raidorl to set out for the eastern border region. Early in the morning, at his residence in the royal capital. Raidorl woke up in his bed in his room. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­it¡¯s morning already¡­¡­¡± The sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the curtains caused Raidorl to slowly raise his eyelids. Thanks to this, he was able to wake up early and have a pleasant morning. It should have been, but¡­..there was a strange feeling in his body. ¡°U¡­¡­why am I feeling my body is awfully heavy¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl tried to raise himself from the bed, but his body felt strangely heavy. He felt an unnatural weight on his body, as if I was being weighed down. ¡°Haa¡­¡­again, Neimilia?¡± Raidorl immediately realised the cause. The duvet covering his body was unnaturally bulging, so it was impossible not to notice. He was not surprised by now. Ever since he hired this erotic maid, Raidorl had been getting night-crawled on every now and then. With a single sigh, Raidorl leapt off the duvet with force. ¡°Ora, you too should get up! If you latch onto my body, I won¡¯t be able to get up either.¡± The unexpected sight made Raidorl¡¯s voice turn inside out. Neimilia, the erotic maid, was once again under the duvet¡­..That prediction was spot on. She was still sleeping, happily drooling, hugging Raidorl¡¯s waist. It was from there that a new surprise was slapped on Raidorl¡¯s face. There were two other women besides Neimilia who were in bed, sleeping soundly. ¡°This is¡­¡­no¡­¡­eh¡­¡­?¡± Even Raidorl started to stutter his words at the impossible sight. He shook his head, thinking back to his memories of last night, pinched his cheek to see if he was dreaming and shook his head¡­..for quite a long time to regain his composure, and then opened his mouth, fearfully. ¡°What the hell are you even doing¡­..Celia. And even Mertina.¡± Under the duvet were Neimilia, Celia and Mertina Marcell, a young familiar face and daughter of Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell. The three women, all of whom were acquainted with each other, were naturally completely naked and were sleeping with Raidorl¡¯s legs and waist as a pillow. If this was just Neimilia, it would be part of the daily routine, but it was completely unexpected that even ¡­¡­ Celia and Meltina were on the bed. Although Celia slept in this mansion, they naturally had separate rooms. Because of her status as an imperial princess, there was no such thing as a bedding relationship. Mertina was not supposed to be in this mansion in the first place. She was supposed to have been left behind in the frontier town. ¡°Nnh¡­..Ah, master. Good morning.¡± The first to wake up was Neimilia. She had her black hair tied up with ribbons, as she had just woken up from sleep, and as soon as she saw Raidorl in her sleepy eyes, she smiled as if she had found a treasure. ¡°¡­¡­Good morning, Neimilia. Explain. What¡¯s going on?¡± Raidorl immediately asked Neimilia for an explanation, while returning a dusty sarcasm. His long-standing intuition told him that the root cause of this situation must be the lovely witch in front of him. The prediction seemed to have been spot on. Neimilia looked proud and boastful of her achievement, her chest outstretched and her bare breasts protruding. ¡°Were you pleased? It¡¯s a surprise present for our master who is going on an expedition!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We know you¡¯ll miss us on your long journey, so we¡¯ve brought you the warmth of human skin!¡¡Please enjoy the feel of our skin and remember us on those lonely nights!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Okay, you¡¯ve made your point.¡± Raidorl covered his forehead with his hand, resisting the urge to shout at her. ¡°At any rate¡­¡­I understand that you did this because you were concerned about me having to go away. I understand, but¡­..I need to confirm a few things.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°First of all, about Mertina, why is this person in the Royal City when she¡¯s supposed to be in the frontier?¡± ¡°Yes. A while ago, Master said that he wanted to call Mertina-san to the royal city, so I had sent a messenger to pick her up. Last night, the messenger returned with Mertina-san, so I put her in bed for the time being.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­ I see.¡± Thinking what kind of [for the time being], Raidorl made an interjection. Indeed, Raidorl remembered talking to Neimilia about wanting to bring Mertina to the royal city. More specifically, he had sent a letter to Zafis Bartolomeo in the frontier city, asking him to bring Mertina over. Raidorl was a master swordsman, but lacked political skills. Neimilia and Celia were similarly unreliable in political affairs and negotiations. Therefore, they needed someone who could be entrusted with internal affairs, financial management and negotiations with the nobility. Mertina was the daughter of the Prime Minister and had a thorough knowledge of the royal court and aristocratic society. She also had deep insight into politics and economics, making her the perfect person to be entrusted with internal administrative duties. The only problem was that she was not sincerely trustworthy. She abandoned Raidorl when he was a child to be sent off to a frontier city, and even tried to capture Raidorl with a magic item when they met again a few months ago. ¡®Well, she is bound by a spell cast by Neimilia and she has been abandoned by her father, the prime minister. I don¡¯t think I need to worry about being betrayed by her.¡¯ ¡°Just to be clear¡­..did you say anything to Zafis and the frontier city people when you brought Mertina here?¡± Raidorl asked thoughtfully, pondering. Mertina was under house arrest in the frontier city as a criminal for trying to trap Raidorl. If she brought her, a criminal, here without permission, there would have been a commotion. ¡°No? The messenger cannot speak. It kidnapped her from the mansion over there without permission.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Raidorl nodded off with a headache. No doubt, there had to be a commotion in the frontier city because of Mertina¡¯s sudden disappearance. It was possible that she was mistakenly thought to have escaped and a search party has been sent out. ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s a hassle, but I¡¯ll have to write to Zafis later. You made me go through a lot of trouble before I even left. And let me check one more important thing. You¡¯ve got their consent to sleep naked with me, haven¡¯t you?¡± It was the most important question of all. Neimilia might have happily undressed and crawled under the duvet, but what about Celia and Mertina? It was hard to believe that two people with modesty as princesses or noble daughters would go along with an erotic maid¡¯s outburst. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Of course, you mean you¡¯ve got their approval?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a surprise!¡¡I put them to sleep with magic and undressed them without her permission!¡± ¡°You idiotttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!¡± This time, Raidorl did not hold back and shouted loudly, shaking Neimilia¡¯s shoulders. It was unacceptable to strip an unmarried woman of her clothes and throw her into a man¡¯s bed. And even more so when it was a woman of status. ¡®It is still good for Mertina, who has been abandoned by her father, even though she is the daughter of the Prime Minister. But¡­¡­Celia is trouble no matter what you think!¡¯ Although Celia was a prisoner of war, she was still a princess of the Arslanian Empire. If her chastity was threatened, it could become an international problem. Some people thought that since they were already at war with the Empire, it didn¡¯t matter whether relations deteriorate or not¡­¡­ but Raidorl did not want an all-out war with the Empire. If the war was prolonged, the Empire, with its superior national power, would definitely have the advantage, and even if it was not, Raidorl wanted to quickly end the war with the Empire and settle the score with his brother King Granard. It would be no laughing matter if relations with the Empire were to become irreparable for a trivial reason, such as having stolen the chastity of an imperial princess. ¡°nnnn¡­..Raidorl-sama?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.!!¡± A distressed third party¡¯s voice made Raidorl¡¯s shoulders jump, but it was Mertina, not Celia, who¡­.. woke up. With her long purple hair rippling in waves, Mertina slowly got herself up. Smooth white skin. Breasts more than two times larger than Neimilia¡¯s. Her naked body was a miracle, like that of a goddess who presided over beauty. Her beauty was like a work of art created by the Creator. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡­No, Raidorl-sama! I missed you, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Nah¡­..!¡± Mertina hugged Raidorl. Two too plump bulges pressed against each other, causing goosebumps to rise on the spine. ¡°I have been waiting with longing for the day when I would be able to meet Raidorl-sama. I¡¯m so glad to see that you are truly safe and sound¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°Ghuu¡­.!!¡± Raidorl couldn¡¯t help but salivate at the sight of his moist and sweaty childhood friend naked. Raidorl had seen her impressive figure as part of the ¡ºinterrogations¡» but¡­¡­Mertina¡¯s body was still fascinating when he touched them again. ¡®Kuhh¡­.she grew up to be a good woman. I¡¯m lucky she tried to attack me with a magic item.¡¯ Mertina used a magic item to take Raidorl back to the Royal City¡­.but it might have tasted bad if she had used a collar trick at that time. Raidorl was now breaking out in a cold sweat. ¡°¡­..You betrayed me twice and now you¡¯re worried about me and you have no credibility. Are you trying to trick me again?¡± ¡°¡­.. That¡¯s a reasonable reason. Raidorl-sama..¡± When Raidorl asked her as if he was losing while suppressing his inner excitement, Mertina¡¯s lips curled into a tight line and she moved away, as if she was determined to do so. The soft touch that had been pressing down on him moved away and¡­..Raidorl lightly regreted his statement. ¡°I abandoned you, Raidorl-sama¡¯s betrothed, to be driven to the frontier. I tried to trap you at the behest of my father, of His Majesty Granard. That sin cannot be atoned for in a lifetime.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But as I was left in the¡­¡­frontier city, waiting for you to return, I realised. I realised that I could no longer live without Raidorl-sama. I have to serve you, Raidorl-sama, as the master I should serve. Please let me be one of your most trusted subjects this time. If you say that I cannot be trusted, then you can curse me or do whatever you like. Please, I beg you¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­..You¡¯re saying something strange. You¡¯re not dressed like you¡¯re talking seriously.¡± Raidorl blurted out, averting his gaze from Mertina and turning towards Neimilia. ¡°How¡¯s that? I did it just like what you told me to do!¡¯¡± Neimilia put her hands on her hips, [FuFu!] and warped her body in a good manner. Mertina, who had harboured a steel hearted loyalty to the Kingdom of Zain was melted. But it was not ¡ºlove¡» but ¡ºpleasure¡». When she was captured in the frontier city, Mertina had been put under several curses by Neimilia and had been altered to derive intense pleasure from exchanging words and coming into contact with Raidorl. In fact, she was still wetting the space between her legs with a liquid different from sweat while conversing with Raidorl. ¡ºHumans can resist pain, but they cannot resist pleasure or happiness¡» ¨C that was what Neimilia had said about Mertina when she was being holed up in a jail, and she was right. The daughter, who was given intense sexual sensations just by being with Raidorl, craved pleasure to the point of madness after being kept in the dark for the past few months. The Mertina of today would give up even her parents for Raidorl¡¯s sake. ¡°I will offer everything to Raidorl-sama. I will offer it to you, please, please have mercy on me¡­..!¡± ¡°Master. Don¡¯t embarrass the girls! Please treat her as lovingly as you like.¡± ¡°¡­..I¡¯m going into battle now, though. Do you understand?¡± Raidorl sighed in dismay as Mertina came at him with rosy skin. Then Neimilia quickly walked up behind Raidorl and casually pulled off her nightgown. ¡°Master still has plenty of time to leave, doesn¡¯t he? I¡¯ll keep you company, so let¡¯s get on with it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re aiming for, isn¡¯t it¡­Now then, did you put the two of you in my bed for that purpose?¡± ¡°Who knows? What are you talking about?¡± Neimilia tilted her head dumbly. Raidorl gave up and shrugged his shoulders while cursing, [This witch¡­]. Frankly, it was true that Raidorl¡¯s patience was running out. He was not a saint, but he couldn¡¯t hold back his desire for a beautiful girl and a beautiful woman of rare beauty to come at him naked. Raidorl should just let himself be carried away and embrace them. With this in mind, he reached out his hand towards Mertina¡¯s breast in front of him. ¡°Huah!?¡± ¡°Ah¡­..?¡± But then a delirious voice was heard. The last person present¡­..Celia, who had been sleeping until the very end, was finally awakened. ¡°Wa¡­¡­ Onii-san, why are you naked!¡¡And who is beside Neimilia-san¡­¡­over there! What are you¡­.. doing in my room, all naked?¡± Opening her blue eyes, Celia screamed at the sight of Raidorl in the immediate vicinity, and also at the close proximity of the two naked women. Then¡­..she realised that she was also naked. ¡°I, I¡¯m naked too¡­¡­? Don¡¯t tell me this is¡­..?¡± ¡°Oi, calm down¡­It hasn¡¯t happened yet okay?¡± ¡°Fua, ha¡­.HyuWaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± Celia screamed, fainted and fell flat on her back. Neimilia, who was holding onto Raidorl¡¯s back, approached Celia to check on her condition. ¡°She won¡¯t wake up for a while. It¡¯s okay this way, isn¡¯t it? Better yet, let¡¯s just leave her like this. If it¡¯s just the tip, it doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Can we¡­.. do it? This is so pathetic I¡¯m going to cry.¡± Raidorl looked at the unconscious girl with her legs boldly open and looked at her with pity and quickly covered her bare body with a sheet. Was the poor imperial princess really that shocked? She had forgotten most of the events of that morning and an international problem was prevented from developing. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°YareYare¡­¡­You made me do extra exercise in the morning. I feel refreshed and exhausted¡­..even though I¡¯m about to go on an expedition.¡± After an early morning of physical exertion, Raidorl once again left the royal city and headed east towards the border with the Arslanian Empire. Today, instead of riding in a carriage as he did the other day, he marched on horseback himself, as if to show himself to the people. Following behind Raidorl were a thousand cavalrymen. It was a unit led by Darren Garst, Chief of the Thousand Horsemen of the Zain Royal Army. Incidentally, Raidorl left his maid Neimilia at Royal City. He left her as an escort and monitor for Celia, who he entrusted with his work as an adventurer, and for Mertina, who had just joined his group and whom he didn¡¯t fully trust. ¡°It is an honour to see you again. Your Royal Highness Prince Raidorl.¡± Darren on his horse bowed his head on his mount alongside Raidorl. A beautiful-looking knight with the neat face of an actor smiled at him. ¡°We met again sooner than I thought, Darren. You went to a lot of trouble to come and pick me up.¡± ¡°What a waste of words, Your Highness.¡± Darren Garst, son of General Bazel Garst, pledged his allegiance to Raidorl immediately after the war against the Empire. When he heard that Raidorl was going to conquer the East, he led the soldiers under his command and rushed to the royal city. ¡°And how¡­..did you get permission to follow me?¡¡Being the brother he is, he must have objected to having a thousand cavalrymen with me.¡± ¡°Of course, His Majesty was against it. But¡­..my father gave me permission in advance to do as I pleased. With the permission of Bazel Garst, who is in charge of the Royal Army, no one, not even His Majesty, can reject it. ¡°Heh¡­¡­I should thank General Garst. Is the General still in Fortress Blaine?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­he seems to be having difficulty negotiating with the Empire. He is unlikely to return to Royal City for some time.¡± Darren said gravely and shook his head somberly. ¡°It is not so much that negotiations are not going well, but rather that the Empire does not appear to be prepared to negotiate. General Barzen, the head of the Western Invasion Force, seems to be missing, and there seems to be no negotiator in place.¡± Darren¡¯s explanation almost made him tell the truth, and Raidorl hurriedly held his mouth. Apparently, negotiations with the Empire had stalled due to Raidorl¡¯s capture of Gracos Barzen, the commander of the enemy forces. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing that I¡¯ve bought myself some time as a result? I¡¯ll be better prepared against Granard.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Highness?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡­But more importantly, now that General Barzen is gone, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to repel the Imperial Army from the kingdom altogether?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve considered that, but it would be¡­¡­difficult. We don¡¯t want to repel the serpent and then have to deal with a dragon.¡± A few months ago, the Arslanian Empire, the central continental champion, invaded the Kingdom of Zain. Border fortifications were brought down by invasions from the eastern powers and most of the nobles with fiefdoms in the eastern part of the kingdom were either turned over to the imperial side or destroyed in the face of resistance. For a time, the Kingdom of Zain was on the verge of destruction, but in a battle at Fortress ¡­.Blaine, Raidorl defeated the enemy general and holder of the Holy Sword, Celia and secretly captured the real commander, General Gracos Barzen. The kingdom was victorious in its capture. With the loss of Celia and Barzen, the Imperial Western Invasion Army, which had invaded the Kingdom of Zain, had retreated to the Balmes Fortress on the border. It could be said that now was the time to take advantage of the loss of the chain of command but if they were completely annihilated, there was a fear that the Empire would send in a retaliatory force. Even though they had the negotiation cards of Celia and Barzen and the holy sword Cla¨ªomh Solas, they should avoid provoking their opponents more than necessary. If the war was forcibly continued, the kingdom side with inferior national strength would ultimately be at a disadvantage. ¡°¡ºThe Imperial Army is currently under the command of General Bahzen¡¯s second-in-command. I would like you to wait until the negotiators arrive from the Imperial Capital¡»- he said.¡± ¡°In other words,¡­¡­the aim is to purge the traitors while the empire is stuck and regain the stolen territory? My movements will be restricted, that¡­..prime minister must be planning something nasty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren kept his mouth shut at Raidorl¡¯s words. Darren seemed to have kept silent, as if it was abhorrent to say it out loud, but eventually he spoke out. ¡°¡­..Your Highness. I have received unconfirmed information from an acquaintance in the Royal Intelligence Service, but it seems that this purge mission is a plot to incriminate Your Highness.¡± ¡°N¡­¡­?¡¡What do you mean?¡± When Raidorl quizzically asked, Darren repeated his words in a hushed voice. ¡°This time, His Highness Raidorl has been ordered by His Majesty the King to purge the traitors 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¡¯ prestige.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the eastern part of the Kingdom of Zain, there are eight noble families known as the ¡ºEight Families of the East¡», of which the Counts of Arbeil and Viscounts of Ilkas fought to the end without succumbing to the Empire and perished.¡± ¡°So that means¡­.the six remaining noble families are the target of the purge?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­and all of those houses are those who have bowed to the Empire without a fight for the sake of self-preservation. It is futile to expect them to be loyal to the Crown. Even if it is against His Highness Raidorl, they will turn on us without mercy.¡± Of course, Raidorl was aware of this, but how would this be connected to the lowering of his reputation? ¡°I don¡¯t know. Wouldn¡¯t going into battle increase their prestige?¡± ¡°If the people Your Highness is fighting are soldiers from the enemy¡¯s country, then yes. But this time, the enemy is a traitor to his kingdom. The soldiers you have to defeat are also from your own country.¡± ¡°Fumu¡­.¡± Finally, the story was becoming clearer. In other words, by making Raidorl fight against his own people, the people would recognise the existence of the ¡ºhero chosen by the Holy Sword¡» as a threat. Certainly, if Raidorl were to do something like destroying a fiefdom that had fallen into the hands of the enemy but was still a part of the kingdom, the people who praised Raidorl as a hero might turn their backs on him. ¡°That¡¯s not all. It seems that His Majesty has sent agents to the town of Wolfin in Viscount Wolfert¡¯s territory, where we are heading. I think they intend to inflict some harm on the town¡¯s inhabitants at the right moment and make it look like His Highness did it.¡± ¡°Are they stupuid?! Even though they betrayed us, they are still our own town!¡± Raidorl couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice. However much the king had been betrayed by the noble families, his own people had not seceded from the Kingdom of Zain. It was madness to burn them down just to humiliate and demean his own brother. ¡°¡­..His Majesty is so afraid of Your Highness that he wants to ostracise you by any means necessary. Even if it means harming his own people, it is a small price to pay that will bring Your Highness¡¯ prestige down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.!!¡± Raidorl bit his back teeth and fell silent. To the extent that he could no longer hide it, King Granard saw his younger brother as an enemy. Raidorl didn¡¯t think his brother would watch with his fingers in his mouth as Raidorl made great strides as a hero but he didn¡¯t expect him to conspire to bring the blameless into the fold. ¡®Have you fallen that far, Aniki¡­¡­!¡¯ Raidorl clenched his fist hard on the horse. Theclaws broke the skin of his palm and blood oozed out, but he did not care and put all his strength into his hand in a fury of rage. ¡°Apparently I have more reason to crush my¡­¡­brother. Maybe it¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t have to fight him on the cause that is for me and my grudges¡­..¡± Raidorl turned back at the road leading to the royal capital and glared at the western sky. He pictured in his mind, Granard¡¯s face, who would be at the end of that sky. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Darren gazed painfully into the young prince¡¯s face, anger and¡­..a touch of sadness in his eyes. Volume 2 - CH 3 [TL: I¡¯ve changed Ulfert to Wolfert.Ulfin to Wolfin] Eastern region of the Kingdom of Zain. A wild yell echoed through the residence of Viscount Wolfert, who has a fiefdom in one corner of the kingdom. The voice was uttered by a mature man with a fat belly. It was Viscount Bobart Wolfert, the owner of the mansion. ¡°My family has been defending this land for generations! So why should I suddenly surrender my lands unconditionally!¡± ¡°¡­.. If you want to know why, I¡¯ve told you many times, haven¡¯t I? Viscount Wolfert.¡± Sighing deeply and wrinkling her brows was a knight belonging to the Royal Order of Knights ¨C Saara Leifet. The female knight, who was also Darren¡¯s second-in-command, glared coldly at Viscount Ulfert, who was shouting while scattering spit. ¡°In the previous war, you sided with the enemy, the Arslanian Empire, and accepted to be subservient to them. This is a clear betrayal of the Kingdom of Zain. We are therefore recommending that you return your territories, disarm and surrender.¡± Saara had visited the Viscount Wolfert¡¯s residence ahead of Raidorl and Darren was to advise him to surrender peacefully.. The Viscounts of Wolfert were originally nobles in the service of the Zain royal family, even though they had surrendered to the Empire. Instead of destroying them through question and answer, Saara tried to encourage Viscount Wolfert to surrender and give him the right to be judged in a judicial forum. However, what Saara received in return for her warm-heartedness was hysterical shouting. ¡°Shut up!¡¡In the first place, my land was forced to surrender because a key border fortress was destroyed, allowing the enemy army to invade! The king and his army are to blame, not me!¡¡Why should I then give the lands!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± The logic was so self-serving that Saara was at a loss for words. In the first place, nobles were given territories in exchange for their loyalty to the royal family. When he betrayed the royal family to the imperial side, Viscount Wolfert lost his legitimacy to rule the territory. Indeed, it was the fault of the kingdom¡¯s army that the border fortress of Balmes was broken through. It could be said that it was the fault of the king and his army. However, the reason why Viscount Wolfert and the other border nobles were given lands in this region in the first place was to intercept in the event of an invasion from any enemy kingdom. No matter what the traitors, who had abandoned the role given to them by their ancestors and instead turned to the enemy kingdom to which they should point their spears, spoke, it did not pierce Saraa¡¯s heart. Viscount Wolfert, who had not fulfilled his duty to protect the border region from invasion by another kingdom, could not be allowed to get away with any reasoning. ¡°If you want me to surrender, bring me a letter from the king saying that I will not be questioned about this matter at all! I may serve the Zain royal family again if I am granted a pardon that will secure my title and my fiefdom!¡± [Hmph!] with his chest heaved with pride, his belly tucked up and down in a luxuriant heap. ¡®Who does he think he is to ¡ºserve¡» the royal family?¡¯ Sarrah pressed her fingertips between her eyebrows as if to stave off a headache. ¡°¡­..Are you seriously saying that? Do you think such selfishness is acceptable?¡± ¡°Of course!¡¡I am the ruler of this land, The Viscount Wolfert! If you touch me, you will have the entire Eight Families of the East against you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± The Eight Families of the East were a group of noble families who ruled the eastern regions of the Kingdom of Zain. They held one-fifth of the kingdom¡¯s land. Because they ruled the border regions, their military power was strong and their influence could not be ignored even by the royal family. ¡®But¡­¡­that glory is now a thing of the past. They don¡¯t have so much power now.¡¯ Saara sighed with a sullen look on her face. The Counts of Arbeil, the largest of the ¡ºEight Families of the East¡», had fallen as a result of their refusal to accept Imperial rule and their thoroughness in the war. Similarly, the Viscounts of Ilkas, who were known for their military, were overrun by the Imperial forces The Eight Families of the East were not as powerful as they used to be. Although they had been under the umbrella of the Empire, they were so cornered that their downfall was inevitable in the current situation where the Imperial Army had been dealt a heavy blow by Raidorl. ¡®He probably thought he was on the winning side by abandoning a dying kingdom and riding on a winning horse, but¡­¡­his wager is off. This man does not realise he is on a sinking ship. He thinks he can still make a deal with us on significant terms.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s out of the question. At present, the Royal Army is on its way to this region to punish the betraying nobles. His Royal Highness Raidorl is in overall command. Do you not understand what that means?¡± ¡°Raidorl? Hmph, what can such an outcast prince do!¡± Viscount Wolfert snorted mockingly at Saara¡¯s words. Rumours of Raidorl had already reached the Viscount¡¯s ears after the battle at Fortress Blaine. However, he did not believe for a moment that his strength and mythical fighting style were true. The fact that Raidorl wielded the Holy Sword, blew up the enemy army and defeated the enemy¡¯s Holy Sword holder were assumed to be exaggerated fictions of great grandiosity. ¡°This town is impregnable! With thick walls, ample food supply, even the Holy Sword Holders cannot break through!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I will repel that country bumpkin prince and banish him back to the frontier! I will make you regret underestimating me!¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand¡­¡­.Why, why couldn¡¯t you show that bravery when the Empire attacked?¡± Saara gave up trying to persuade the man in front of her and shook her head as if there was no recourse. The negotiations had broken down. The arrogant man who was only interested in his position and authority would never be persuaded. Perhaps Viscount Wolfert would not admit his mistake until the very end. He would cry out that he was not wrong until the moment he was defeated and his head was chopped off. ¡°The next time we meet, it will be on the battlefield. Please be prepared.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll serve the kingdom again if you guarantee me a peerage, a fortune and a territory! I, the very best of the best, will return you to the nobility of the kingdom!¡¡Make sure you tell your master that!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Excuse me.¡± There was nothing more to say. Leaving the Viscount with his face contorted in arrogance, Saara left the mansion as quickly as she could. ¡®My persuasion has failed. Now this town will become a battlefield¡­..¡¯ Saara looked gloomily at the town ruled by Viscount Wolfert. As a woman who became a knight and rose to the rank of second-in-command to Daren, the Chief of the Thousand Horsemen, Saara was a valiant and daring knight who was undaunted even in the face of more than ten thousand enemy soldiers. However, the thought of fighting in his own territory and against those who used to be his country¡¯s people is disheartening. ¡®Besides, according to information obtained by¡­¡­ Darren-sama, somewhere in this town lurks a storage full of firecrackers set by His Majesty Granard. They will open fire as soon as His Highness Raidorl attacks the town. Is there no way to save the people of this town?¡¯ ¡°What should I tell Darren-sama¡­..and I am sorry that I have not lived up to His Highness¡¯ expectation ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hello, Ojou-san. May I have a word?¡± ¡°What?¡± Saara was about to leave the town on her beloved horse when a voice on her back made her turn around. She remained astride her horse and stared alertly behind her, but¡­.there was no one behind her. ¡°¡­¡­It can¡¯t be a ghost?¡± ¡°No, no. A bit lower down.¡± ¡°Haa¡­..aa?¡± When Sarra looked down further, she saw a small, skinny boy. He had soft golden hair cut back around his ears and brown eyes. He was dressed in simple but good quality clothes, as if he were an aristocrat. Perhaps he was related to the Viscounts of Wolfert. ¡°Umm..you are¡­¡­.¡± Sarra asked the boy, her expression loosening, which had hardened in alarm. The boy put his hand on his chest and bowed his head in a polite gesture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t introduced myself. My name is Sven Arbeil. I am the third son of Ronald Arbeil, the head of the Arbeil family. A pleasant meeting with you.¡± ¡°Hee¡­..A,aa¡­Arbeil?¡± Saara could not help but stutter when she heard the boy¡¯s name. It was the family name of a count whose family was destroyed by the Empire. Saara blinked in confusion at the name, which she did not expect. ¡°Why is the son of the Count of Arbeil here¡­¡­? Are you related to Viscount Wolfert?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about that later¡­¡­but more importantly, I have something to say to His Royal Highness Raidorl. Please, I beg your attention.¡± ¡°What do you have to¡­..tell His Highness?¡± When Saara raised her eyebrows in suspicion, the boy ¨C Sven Arbeil,smiled childishly and assertively. ¡°I can remove every single one of His Highness¡¯ fears. I can advise him on how to control this town without harming the people!¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Raidorl was heading east to conquer the traitorous nobles and was joined on the way by Saara Leifet, who had preceded him as a messenger of surrender. The time was already approaching evening and the female knight, who had come to the tent that Raidorl had pitched for the encampment, was followed by a boy of about twelve or thirteen years old. ¡°I have returned, Your Highness Raidorl. Well, this is ¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl. I am Ronald Arbeil¡¯s third son. My name is Sven Arbeil.¡± Without waiting for Sarrah¡¯s introduction, the boy bowed politely and introduced himself. ¡°You¡¯re the son of Count Arbeil? I am surprised you survived¡­..¡± Darren looked the boy in the eye. Although Raidorl had only heard of him by name, Count Ronald Arbeil was a patriotic nobleman who was the first to send out troops to intercept the enemy when the Empire breached the borders of the kingdom. If it had not been for Count Arbeil¡¯s valiant fight, the kingdom might have been destroyed by the Empire before Raidorl had time to come to the kingdom¡¯s aid. ¡°Yes, I survived thanks to my father and brother who helped me escape. After escaping from the occupied Count of Arbeil¡¯s lands, I moved in with my aunt¡¯s family, the Viscounts of Wolfert.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­Count Arbeil was a truly magnificent man, a role model for all the nobility of the kingdom. My father, Bazel Garst, admired him for his valour.¡± ¡°Thank you. My father would be delighted to be recognised by General Garst, the Lord Protector of the Realm.¡± The clever-looking boy¡¯s eyes narrowed in delight at Darren¡¯s praise. He looked firm, but his face, which was broken into a smile, looked young for his age. ¡°So? What does the son of the Count want with us?¡± Raidorlr interrupted their conversation. He was sorry to interrupt the boy, who was happy to hear his father¡¯s praise, but he couldn¡¯t help wondering why Sven, who had been sheltered by the Viscounts of Wolfert, had come here. ¡°Ah, my apologies for the delay in explaining. I came here to show that the Counts of Arbeil ¡­¡­ well, only I and a few vassals have survived, that we have no intention of agreeing with Viscount Wolfert¡¯s plot against Hon. From now on, I surrender myself to His Highness Raidorl.¡± ¡°Hmm, you mean you¡¯re cutting ties with your close relative, Viscount Wolfert?¡± ¡°Yes. The Viscount¡¯s treason has nothing to do with my family. We ask for leniency.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Raidorl glanced at Darren next to him. Asked by his lord with a glance, Darren spoke. ¡°No one can doubt the loyalty of the Counts of Arbeil, no matter how they were protected by the renegade Viscounts of Wolfert. Taking into account that they have surrendered themselves, it is highly unlikely that any punishment will be handed down to the Counts of Arbeil.¡± ¡°¡¯I see. That¡¯s good.¡± Raidorl nodded his head in satisfaction. Even though he was not acquainted with the Counts of Arbeil, he did not feel good about punishing Arbeil¡¯s family, who had fought for their lives and been destroyed. Raidorl tapped the boy on the shoulder and offered him a word of thanks for his honesty. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll take you into custody. You can relax and enjoy yourself until the battle is over.¡± ¡°I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words. But¡­¡­please allow me to assist you in the conquest of the Viscounts of Wolfert!¡± ¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm¡­.even if you wanted to help¡­our army doesn¡¯t hire child soldiers, you know?¡± Raidorl shook his head and rebuked the small boy, who was only as tall as his waist. Sven, however, clenched his fists in his hands and continued to insist. ¡°I¡¯ve done enough research into the inner workings of the Viscounts of Wolfert, his relationships, and the money that comes in and out. I even have a ¡ºplan¡» to take down the impregnable fortress city. I will definitely be of use in bringing down the Viscount, so please add me to the ranks of your vassals!¡± ¡°Hou¡­..you¡¯ve got some interesting things to say. So ¡­¡­Sven Arbeil, what do you want in return for your help in the attack on the Viscount¡¯s house?¡± A small statured boy was willing to go to war¡­ and he was trying to lend his strength to the fight against a family that had ties with him. It would be natural to think that there was something planned. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± In response to Raidorl¡¯s question, Sven took a deep breath and opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind. ¡°I would like you to recognise the restoration of the Countess of Arbeil and me as the new head of the family. And if possible, I would like His Highness Raidorl to become my guardian.¡± ¡°Guardian ¡­¡­?¡± Raidorl ruminated on Sven¡¯s words in his head. As a survivor of the count¡¯s family, it was reasonable for Sven to want to be restored to his family power. But for what reason would he seek Raidorl as his guardian? ¡°If you want a backer, I¡¯m sure there are more suitable aristocrats out there. I think I¡¯m¡­¡­pretty poor, if I do say so myself, don¡¯t you?¡± The king, the supreme authority, wanted to alienate and repel him. Having Raidorl as a backer could put Sven and his house in the middle of political strife. ¡°If His Highness is saying that he is at odds with His Majesty Granard, then I am prepared. I am willing to swear my allegiance to His Highness knowingly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You don¡¯t seem to be unaware of what¡¯s going on. How come you¡¯re on my side knowing I¡¯m screwing my older brother?¡± ¡°His Highness is a hero who defeated the Imperial Army. For me, you are the benefactor who avenged my father and brother. And¡­¡­with all due respect, Your Highness still doesn¡¯t seem to have many allies.¡± ¡°¡­.. You know perfectly well. As you know, I am a little short of men.¡± At the moment, only the maid Neimilia was on Raidorl¡¯s side and there were no more than Darren and his soldiers. As a force, they were still counted as newcomers and did not have enough personnel to compete with the king. Not only were there not enough soldiers, but also field commanders who organised soldiers on the battlefield, military strategists who thought about strategy and strategy, secret agents and operatives who investigated the enemy¡¯s internal affairs, and even civil servants who conducted internal and political affairs in the rear. ¡°If your highness is short-staffed, there would be room for a kid like me. The sooner I get on the winning horse, the better¡­¡­.And if I can make His Highness king, I can not only restore the Count of Arbeil, but also make my house a great noble with a strong influence in the heart of the country.¡± ¡°Haha!!¡± Raidorl burst out laughing at Sven¡¯s answer. Apparently, the boy in front of him was quite a gambler. He had lost his home, his immediate family and under such circumstances, he was willing to chip away at his own life to make his count¡¯s family leap forward. ¡°You can¡¯t call me a ¡ºhorse¡», even if I am royalty!¡¡You¡¯re a lively little shit, despite your looks, aren¡¯t you!¡± ¡°I thought that would be more to His Highness¡¯s liking than a child with a good ear. Am I wrong?¡± [TL: Sven probably meant a person who follow orders blindly and remain passive] ¡°You¡¯re right. Such madness¡­¡­looks like you¡¯d make a fine vassal for me.¡± Raidorl laughed, his shoulders shaking. The boy Sven Arbeil was not just a child. He was a very clever schemer. With this boy on his side, he would surely be one of the fangs that would eventually bite Granard. ¡°Sometimes I do need a new scenery. Looks like I¡¯ve picked up something I didn¡¯t expect! So, how on earth does the Little Strategist plan to bring down the Viscounts Wolfert? If you have a plan, let¡¯s hear it!¡± ¡°Yes, of course! My Lord!¡± With a mischievous, boyish smile, Sven uttered his plan for the downfall of the eight families, who had once been huddled together. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The provincial town of Wolfin was ruled by the Viscounts of Wolfert. The town, which until a few months ago was part of the kingdom¡¯s territory, was on high alert, with many soldiers coming and going on the walls surrounding the town. The town of Wolfin, being a town near the border, had high walls and a deep moat on the outside. The town was built to withstand a month of siege even if surrounded by Imperial troops, but now it was being prepared to attack the Royal Army, which was supposed to be on its side. ¡°All right, come on through!¡± ¡°Oh, thank you very much¡­¡­.¡± Bowing to the soldiers, who were looking at them like hawks, a group of shabbily dressed men ducked through the city gates. At the entrance to the town there was a long queue of people. It was a procession of villagers from the surrounding villages, who had taken refuge in Wolfin on the orders of Viscount Wolfert. It was ostensibly an evacuation order to flee a village that might become a battlefield, but some soldiers knew its real purpose. ¡°Captain¡­¡­I¡¯m still in heartache. Are we really going to take advantage of these people?¡± One of the soldiers who had finished screening a group of villagers and led them inside the city walls made a weak comment. The man called the captain had a look of regret and patted the young soldier on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! There¡¯s nothing you can do about it now..¡± ¡°But these people aren¡¯t knights or mercenary soldiers, they¡¯re just villagers! There are women and children too, and we can¡¯t force them to fight¡­¡­¡± It was never to save the villagers that Viscount Wolfert gathered the villagers from the surrounding area. Rather, it was the opposite. The aim was to conscript them as soldiers to fight against the kingdom¡¯s army. ¡°No, not even as soldiers!¡¡The Viscount is holding them hostage¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say another word! You don¡¯t know who¡¯s listening!¡± The captain shouted at the soldier who almost unintentionally revealed the secret. Another purpose for which the villagers were gathered. It was to treat them as meat shields in the event of an attack by the Royal Army. Viscount Wolfert was a renegade who betrayed the Royal Army and joined the Empire. But even so, the people living in the Viscount¡¯s territory were still the true citizens of the kingdom. If they were lined up on the city walls as hostages, the Royal Army would not be able to attack aggressively. And so, to buy time to ask for help from the other eight eastern families or to win amnesty by bribing the central nobility ¨C that was what Viscount Wolfert was planning to do. The young soldier¡¯s fists shook with righteous indignation at the ruthless viscount, who treated even his own people as tools. It was no wonder that he took out his pent-up resentment on his superiors. ¡°I volunteered to be a soldier to protect this kingdom from the Empire! Why is it that this town surrendered to the Empire without a fight and I have to fight the Royal Army? And on top of that, using the villagers I am supposed to protect as shields is ridiculous!¡± ¡°¡­. I know. I¡¯m dissatisfied with this too. But we are mercenaries employed by Viscount Wolfert. We¡¯re not Royal Guards, we¡¯re the Viscount¡¯s private army. This spear, this armour, even the food was prepared by the Viscount.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡­¡± ¡°Look, the next villager is waiting for you! Go on and deal with it.¡± Kicking the soldier in the butt who was still trying to argue his case, the captain forcefully ended the conversation. No matter how unsatisfying it might be, there were times when men had to put their hands in the mud to support and feed their family. He scolded the young soldier who didn¡¯t know how to drink from the same cup of water, and put him back to work. ¡°Uuu¡­¡± The young soldier looked unconvinced, but went back to his work. He ran up to the villagers waiting in front of the city walls. More than a dozen villagers were waiting for the soldier to examine them. Following behind them was a horse-drawn carriage loaded with luggage. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­..what village are you from?¡± ¡°We are from Giza village in the east. We have been ordered to evacuate.¡± A group of villagers, an elderly man at the head of the group, replied in a polite tone. Among the dozen or so villagers were some children. The young soldier¡¯s chest tightened as he recalled his earlier conversation with his captain. ¡°Well¡­¡­umm what¡¯s in the wagon over there?¡± ¡°Wheat and millet from our stockpile. I brought it with me as emergency rations.¡± The young soldier took one look at the jute bags packed in the wagons. Normally, the contents of the luggage would have to be checked properly. However, such a diligent work ethic had already disappeared from him. ¡°You can come through, but you must pitch your tent in the square and live there for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Thank you very much.¡± The villagers, who were easily allowed to enter the town, looked momentarily dismayed, but soon walked into the town. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡° ¡­¡­!¡± But ¡­¡­ a sharp voice shot out at their backs. The voice belonged to the captain who had just reprimanded the young soldier. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Heishi-san??¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No. If there seems to be a surplus of wheat, you can bring it to the soldiers¡¯ hall later. I will buy them at a higher price than at the market. We¡¯re going to war now. You can never have enough food for the troops.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see, I understand.¡± The villager bowed deeply and went inside the walls this time. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..?¡± The young soldier silently watched the villagers¡¯ backs as they walked away, slightly questioning the strangely tense villagers. A group of villagers entered the town of Wolfin, but instead of heading to the square where the soldiers had led them, they entered a house on the outskirts of the town. The house used to be owned by a wealthy merchant, who kept his mistresses in and it sat quietly in an out-of-the-way back street. The villagers entered the grounds and stopped their carriages as a matter of course, even though the house was now uninhabited and unvisited. One of them then slowly opened the rusty door and carried the load on the wagon into the building. ¡°Fu¡­¡­ It¡¯s surprising they don¡¯t find out about us.¡± One of the villagers scrubbed his face with a cloth to remove the dirt from his face. The face of the king¡¯s younger brother, chosen by the Holy Sword, appeared from beneath the dirt-stained face of the villager. It was Raidorl Zain himself. ¡°I¡¯ve never been on an undercover mission before. Well, I¡¯m thrilled.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time too. YareYare¡­¡­¡± Darren, who was disguised as a villager like Raidorl, sighed tiredly. ¡°Your Highness, Darren-sama, I will fetch water in the tub at once, please wait a moment!¡± His second-in-command, Saara, took a wooden bucket from her luggage and ran to the well outside. The walls and floors of the ruined mansion were completely deserted and every footstep made an ominous creaking sound. Raidorl sat on the steps of the mansion, carefully stepping over the floor to prevent it from falling. He loosened his clothes, which were slightly tightened, and turned his attention to the initiator of this infiltration operation. ¡°Sven, we managed to get in just as easily as you said we would. To be honest, I don¡¯t know how the security in the border towns can be this bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how demoralised the guarding soldiers are, Your Highness Raidorl.¡± Sven Arbeil responded with a smile to Raidorl¡¯s words. ¡°If you betray without a cause, you will be distrusted not only by your enemies but also by your subordinates and subjects, who are supposed to be your allies. It is a common occurrence in history that a rebel who betrays his lord is abandoned by his subordinates and loses his life, you know?¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­ I¡¯ll be careful not to be caught red-handed.¡± Raidorl, who had his heart set on his king brother, nodded sagely. [Tomorrow is my own]. He deeply engraved in his mind that he would not suffer the same fate. Raidorl, Sven, Darren and their 20 men invaded the town of Wolfin. The house was in ruins but Sven, who had fled to this town, had ordered the surviving members of the Countess of Arbeil¡¯s family to use it as a hideout. Raidorl didn¡¯t expect this to happen, but he was impressed by how well-prepared the boy was. ¡°Well¡­..so what are we going to do now? Do we just cut our way into Viscount Wolfert¡¯s mansion?¡± Raidorl tore open the sack on the carriage and took out his beloved sword, which he had hidden amongst the oats. He had hidden it in a sack filled with wheat to deceive the eyes of the gatekeeper but the jet-black holy sword, which was covered by wheat, did not like the careless treatment and protested by spewing black miasma. In the lobby of the mansion, soldiers disguised as villagers tore open the sacks one after another and assembled disassembled swords and armour to arm themselves. Although their numbers were small, all of them here were elite members of Darren¡¯s inner circle. They would not be easily defeated by the demoralised soldiers of the viscounts. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. The number of men is not very large, but as long as His Highness Raidorl is here, the Viscounts¡¯ mansion should be easy to take down. Once we are inside the city walls, victory should be unassailable.¡± Darren also nodded in agreement with Raidorl. At the same time, Saara returned and offered them a wooden tub of water. While Raidorl and Darren wiped themselves off with the water, they turned to Sven, the initiator of the operation. ¡°No¡­¡­we¡¯d prefer to avoid a hardline approach if possible.¡± ¡°Oioi, you¡¯re not backing out now, are you?¡¡Sure, we may be outnumbered in soldiers, but it¡¯s a gap you can make up with me and my D¨¢insleif, with plenty of time to spare, you know?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡­because if there is a battle, the operatives that King Granard has set loose in the town could move in and set it on fire.¡± Raidorl had also told Sven that Granard wanted to take advantage of the chaos of the battle to set fire and give Raidorl a bad reputation. Sven was surprised to hear of the king¡¯s plot and was dismayed by the king¡¯s outburst. ¡°True¡­..we still have that problem. Firebombing operatives are waiting to set the town on fire.¡± In response to Sven¡¯s concern, Darren also contorted his brilliant face. ¡°¡­. Certainly the presence of a huge fire is a concern, but isn¡¯t a certain amount of damage inevitable?¡¡If we subdue Viscount Wolfert quickly without moving the army, there won¡¯t be much chaos and even if the firebombing does happen, the townspeople will be able to evacuate quickly, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Maybe so. But maybe not. We don¡¯t know how prepared the firebombing operatives are, so we want to take the most prudent measures we can.¡± ¡°Hee¡­.it looks like you have a plan. Fine, this time you¡¯re in charge. Let¡¯s see how the little master-at-arms does.¡± Raidorl laughed amusedly and patted Sven¡¯s head roughly with his hand. Sven, his hair raked messily, [Awawa!] and flailed his arms and legs, struggling to escape from Raidorl¡¯s hands. Meanwhile, the soldiers finished preparing for battle. Sven coughed and cleared his throat, running his hands through his messy hair. ¡°Now¡­¡­there are currently two forces in this town that are hostile to us.¡± ¡°Viscount Wolfert and those firebombing operatives¡­¡­right?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. Of those two forces, it is the agent that poses a threat to us.¡± Viscount Wolfert might have a powerful territorial army, as he had the border region as his fiefdom. But¡­..the kingdom¡¯s side had the Excalibur Holder Raidorl. Raidorl¡¯s fighting ability was truly one of a kind. If it were talked about in a storybook, it was not impossible for Raidorl alone to attack this town. ¡°But if the operatives set fire to the town, Your Highness will lose at that point. As His Majesty Granard intended, His Highness Raidorl will be condemned as an evil, treacherous, and inhumane person who set fire to the town. He will be feared by the people, and will have gone from being a hero to an object of terror.¡± The reason why the people of the kingdom had favourably accepted the Excalibur Holder, a man of fearsome power, was because they believed that Raidorl was on their side. They believed that no matter how heinous his power might be, it would never be directed against them ¨C and this was why they praised Raidorl as a hero. If the town of Wolfin was burnt to the ground and the responsibility for the burning was placed on the Raidorl, the people would be in fear. ¡°To avoid that, we need to overrun the viscounty without causing chaos in the town and without the people or the firebombing operatives realising that a battle has occurred.¡± ¡°I can see the logic, but ¡­¡­ is that even possible?¡± Darren raised a question. His second-in-command, Saara, also gazed at the neat profile of her superior officer and repeatedly nodded her head. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. I¡¯ve been laying the groundwork for this day for a long time.¡± Sven had a look of determination that belied his age and he looked back at Darren with a serious gaze. The look on his face was mature, unlike that of a young boy who was no more than a few years old. What in the world could have made Sven so determined? ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine? Sven¡¯s situation is a bit of a mystery but we¡¯ve been following his lead and things have been going well so far. Let¡¯s just trust him for the time being.¡± ¡°If Your Highness says so, I have nothing to complain about. Then, what¡¯s your plan to subdue the Viscount?¡± Darren nodded his head deeply at his lord¡¯s words and turned to Sven. ¡°¡­¡­First of all, the attack on the Viscount¡¯s house, I would like to take command of it, even though I am the newcomer to the group.¡± ¡°¡­..Without His Highness and Darren-sama? That is indeed an impolitic thing to do!¡± Saara looked miffed and protested. Raidorl, who was a member of the royal family, was fine, but she seemed angry that Sven, who was only the orphan of a fallen noble, neglected his superior officer whom she respected. Sven looked at the disgruntled Saara and bowed his head in agreement. ¡°You are right, Lord Leifet. I am aware that it is too much for someone like me, who does not know anything about warfare, to be in charge of His Highness¡¯ soldiers. But¡­¡­His Highness and the Lord Commander of the Thousand Horsemen are both so well-known that, aside from the gatekeepers, the viscounts and soldiers may recognise their faces.¡± ¡°So you mean ¡­¡­ that instead of attacking, you¡¯re going to infiltrate under the guise of an ally?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I have some freedom to go in and out of the Viscount¡¯s house, as my aunt is married to him. It¡¯s not easy to take soldiers with me, but I have some of the ¡­.. viscount¡¯s servants in my pocket, and I¡¯ll be able to talk my way out of it!¡± Sven assured them with a confident expression. If this intelligent boy could say that much, he ccould an be trusted, but¡­¡­Raidorl¡¯s lips twitched in frustration. ¡°So I¡¯m useless now, am I? I¡¯m tempted to cry that I¡¯ve come all this way and I¡¯m going to have to stay here?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not! I¡¯d like His Highness Raidorl to do a job that only he can do. Namely, the suppression of the ¡­¡­firebombing operatives!¡± ¡°Hmm, of course I don¡¯t mind fighting those operatives, but¡­ do you know where they are?¡± ¡°I do. It¡¯s obvious from the flow of goods in this town.¡± Sven pulled a rolled up piece of paper from his luggage and spread it out on the floor. It was a rough map of the town of Wolfin. ¡°Burning down a town requires a lot of oil and firewood. Bringing it in from the outside would look suspicious, so the operatives are planning to bring in the bare minimum of supplies from the outside and get the rest locally.¡± ¡°So if we find someone who is buying large quantities of oil and firewood from¡­..does that mean he is the one who is starting the fire?¡± ¡°Good observation. I have already looked into that suspicious person.¡± Sven pointed to a point on the map he had unfolded. His finger pointed to one of the warehouses in the commercial zone. ¡°It turns out that the trading company renting this warehouse is stocking large quantities of oil and firewood!¡¡There is no doubt. This is where those operatives must be lurking!¡± Sven asserteds, took a deep breath and declareds. ¡°We will attack Viscount Wolfert¡¯s residence and the enemy operative¡¯s hideout at the same time! We will not allow them any opportunity to counterattack!!¡± Volume 2 - CH 4 So-young¡¯s heart fluttered weakly in the black eyes she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. After revealing a momentary agitation, she soon felt relieved. Since the mask covering more than half of the face would cover her silly look. So-young avoided her gaze awkwardly and bowed her head to Taekyung. When she lowered her head, she could see smooth glossy shoes in his view. Like her, his steps had also stopped. Taekyung was standing in place and staring at Soyoung. Why? So-young, who recalled a momentary question, belatedly realized the reason. Everyone she met today was surprised to see her face and asked if she was in good condition. In addition, she was wearing a mask, so maybe Taekyung was surprised. I still think the team leader will be worried about me.¡­ It¡¯s probably excessive self-consciousness. So-young looked at Tae-kyung awkwardly with her eyes closed and then took the step that had stopped. He¡¯s so handsome, but she didn¡¯t want to show her shabby side for long. Tae-kyung looked at So-young with his strange eyes, but then she slightly bowed down to him and passed by. ¡°Oh, I was surprised¡­¡± Only after sitting down, So-young muttered to herself, wrapping her red cheeks. Perhaps because she encountered Taekyung at an unexpected time, her heart was pounding. She even felt that the heavy cold that shook her whole body was a little better. Soyoung drew the image of Taekyung that she had just seen in her head. How much would it have been if there had been any affection left in the gaze of staring at her. In the past, she could clearly read the overflowing affection that he couldn¡¯t control just by making eye contact with him¡­¡­ Now, she knew nothing at all. So-young, who had been absent-minded for a long time, belatedly came to her senses. Don¡¯t act like a fool and wake up. So-young sighed deeply after putting a green tea bag in hot water. Then, she forcibly fixed her gaze on the monitor. However, like during the day, the absent-minded head could not be cleared even at night. She felt her eyes flutter with a sense of drowsiness or dizziness. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± She wondered if it was right to go home earlier. She thought so belatedly, but when she tried to leave the company after organizing her bag, she couldn¡¯t move her body. It was right to say that it was difficult to control it. Eventually, So-young, who had hesitated, fell down on her desk. When her cheeks touched the desk, her shoulders shrink on their own. She closed her eyes with her upper body huddled. Let¡¯s sleep a little bit. Then I¡¯ll wake up and finish what I¡¯m doing now, and before 10 o¡¯clock, I go home. After work, it seemed like it was necessary to stock up on her physical strength for now. As soon as she relaxed her body tension, a distant feeling attacked Soyoung. She fell into a sleep, almost losing her consciousness. Sleeping with the side effects of the medicine was more like fainting. The five senses weren¡¯t on alert, as if they were submerged at the bottom of the deep sea. Gradually, a numb sensation returned to her hands and feet as if the corner of her unconsciousness was distorted. A familiar voice rang from afar. ¡°¡­Manager Han.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Han Soyoung.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Han Soyoung!¡± Taekyung¡¯s voice shook her eardrums. As soon as she recognized the fact, her mind returned at once, as if consciousness were being pulled to the surface. So-young was surprised, like a fish thrown out of the water and raised herself. There was a warm touch on her shoulder. ¡°Haa, ha¡­¡± So-young raised her head with a rough breath. As soon as she did that, she made eye contact with Taekyung, who looked straight at her. Is it still a dream? So-young thought with a blank expression. If it wasn¡¯t a dream, Taekyung couldn¡¯t look at her with such a worried face. As the focus gradually returned to So-young¡¯s eyes, Taekyung pressed and tightened his hand while holding her shoulder. Only then did she realize that the man¡¯s hands were shaking thinly. So-young¡¯s lips were smacked with a slightly puzzled feeling. ¡°Team leader¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Taekyung hurriedly cut So-young¡¯s words. So-young nodded without knowing why he had such a pale face. When she saw a desperate expression, she said something like an excuse without realizing it. ¡°Yes, I fell asleep for a bit¡­¡± Taekyung¡¯s body stopped at Soyoung¡¯s answer. Once hardened, he asked her back. ¡°Are you saying you fell asleep?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Volume 2 - CH 5.1 The Vampire Who Comes at Night Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned ¡°What am I going to do, oooohhhh!¡± The town ¨C Ektura ¨C was located to the south of Wolfin. A man screamed in the house of Baron Elladine, who governed the town. The man who cowered in a corner of the room, holding his body with both hands and screaming was Royle Elladine, the master of the house. His face was pale, his emaciated body was shaking violently, and he was weeping like a waterfall. This was because¡­¡­the other day, a rumour circulated in the town of Ektura, which was ruled by Baron Elladine. The rumour was that the neighbouring town of Wolfin had been overrun by the Zain Royal Army¡­¡­.In addition, it was said that Wolfin, a fortified city, was easily defeated by the Royal Army in less than a day, and that Viscount Wolfert was killed without being able to put up any resistance. Hearing the report, Baron Elladine shut himself up in his room and spent his days cowering and shivering. ¡°No way! It can¡¯t be! Viscount Wolfert was killed so easily! I¡¯m next! It¡¯s my turn to be killed!¡± Baron Elladine cried out, covering his head with a blanket. The rumour that was tormenting and hunting down Baron Elladine came from none other than Sven Arbeil. Sven used secret agents captured by Raidorl to spread various information in the territories of the Eight Families of the East. ¡ºThe Royal Army overran Wolfin in just one day.¡» ¡ºViscount Wolfert, who defied the commander Raidorl, was cruelly killed but all of the his wife and soldiers who surrendered meekly were forgiven.¡» ¡ºThe Royal Army has absorbed the soldiers and militia of the Viscounts Wolfert and has increased its strength, swelling to an army of over 10,000 men.¡» They were a secret agent under the direct command of King Granard but the superior officer who had brought them together had already died in battle. Their loyalty to the king was shattered when they witnessed the power from Raidorl and they were also unable to betray him after they were cursed by D¨¢insleif, so they were demoted to serve Raidorl. The secret agent, who became a loyal servant to Raidorl, spread exaggerated information, which caused a great stir in the hearts of the border nobility, including Baron Elladine. ¡°Uuu¡­¡­ why should I have to go through this!¡¡I should never have turned to the Empire if this is what happened! I should have fought like the Arbeils and ¡­¡­no, I should have just abandoned my home and ran away!¡± Royle Elladine was a naturally timid man. His small-mindedness was unthinkable for a nobleman in charge of a kingdom¡¯s borders and his family members were secretly appalled by his small-mindedness. Originally, Royle was the second son and his elder brother was supposed to be the heir to the Barony of Elladine. However, his elder brother died suddenly of an epidemic, and Royle became a lord without any preparation or resolve. ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t want to be a lord! I didn¡¯t want to be responsible for the protection of the town!¡¡All I wanted was to live peacefully and quietly, doing my business! How on earth did this happen¡­¡­!¡± Baron Elladine exclaimed with tears in his eyes. This man, who was unbelievably cowardly and unmeritorious for a nobleman, was not even aware that he was a nobleman in the first place. He was not prepared to risk his life for his lands. He was not prepared to fight. That was why he surrendered unconditionally without a fight when the imperial army came to the town of Ektura. ¡°They will definitely kill me¡­¡­I will be killed. The crown will never forgive me for turning to the Empire! I might be beheaded, I might be burned at the stake¡­¡­! Maybe even torture me¡­¡­hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!¡± Baron Elladine¡¯s paper-white face trembled as he contemplated the future that awaited him. The petty Baron was frightened and no longer in a state of mind to intercept Raidorl and the rest of the Kingdom¡¯s army. Sven¡¯s ploy was working brilliantly and if it continued, Ektura would fall without a fight in the not-too-distant future. ¡°¡ºDandandandandan!!¡»¡± ¡°Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!! W,what iis itttt?!!!¡± But¡­¡­suddenly, the door to the bedroom where Baron Elladine was holed up was slammed by someone. The sound of a series of blows with a blunt instrument was heard, and soon the door was breached from the outside. Someone was trying to break down the door and break into the room. ¡°I,It¡¯s the royal army! I¡¯ll be killllled!!?¡± The baron screamed in panic as the door Was destroyed. He flopped and rolled miserably around the room and tried to hide by crawling under the bed. But there was not enough space under the bed for a grown man to hide himself, let alone a child. Baron Elladine slipped his upper body under the bed and flapped his legs, hiding his head but not his buttocks. ¡°¡­.. What are you doing? Father?¡± [TL:Shirley uses Otou-sama ¤ª¸¸˜”] ¡°¡­¡­.Hee?¡± Finally, the door was completely broken down and the intruder entered the room. While he was thinking that he was going to be killed¡­¡­a familiar female voice was released from the intruder¡¯s mouth. The baron tried to get out from under the bed at the sound of the stunned voice but it seemed that he was strangely stuck because he forced his body into it. Even if he put strength into his arms, it didn¡¯t seem like his body would come off at all. ¡°Nuuu, I can¡¯t get out! Let me out, help me! I can¡¯t breathe!¡± ¡°Seriously, how clumsy you are, father¡­¡­you guys, get my father out of there.¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸Haa!¡¹¡¹¡± The woman gave instructions to the men who appeared to be under her command. Someone grabbed the baron¡¯s legs, which were sticking out of the bed and dragged him out by force. ¡°Owowowowow!! Uuu¡­what happened?¡± ¡°Have you come to your senses? Father.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re¡­¡­ Shirley?¡± The Baron¡¯s only daughter, Shirley Elladine, stood before him after his escape from under the bed. Dressed in an incendiary dress with a deep slit, Shirley was flanked on either side by baronial soldiers with hammers and a fan of coloured feathers to cover her face. Shirley looked down coldly at her father, who was crawling on the floor in a most ungainly outfit, as if he had been disrespected. ¡°How dare you, a baron in charge of a kingdom¡¯s lands act like this!¡¡How dare you not be ashamed!¡¡Pathetic, disgraceful, shameful! You are so wretched, you are so disgusting, you leave me speechless!¡± ¡°Uu¡­.now you¡¯ve spoken it all out. A lot of abusive language directed at your father¡­¡± Baron Elladine retorted in a pathetic voice but shrugged and shut his mouth with a glare from the¡­..daughter. Even the baron knew that he was not a man fit to be a lord. He was also aware of his own pettiness. Even so, he could not help the fear that welled up from the depths of his heart. He could not stand tall and proud in a situation where he did not know when the kingdom¡¯s army would attack. ¡°Soon the Royal Army will come, you know?¡¡They are coming to kill me and take back the town!¡¡How can you be calm about that?¡± ¡°Think of what lords are supposed to do in this kind of situation! If you can¡¯t calmly lead in an emergency, you don¡¯t deserve to be in charge!¡¡Does father not have the pride of a nobleman?¡± ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± Baron Elladin let out an unspoken grunt and groaned at his cold daughter¡¯s sermon. She looked up at Shirley¡¯s face with a resentful look, but since it was a legitimate argument, he couldn¡¯t even answer her back. In contrast to the petulant Baron, his daughter Shirley had a very strong and arrogant personality. Baron Elladine was completely taken over by his daughter, who said things like ¡ºthe pride of the nobility¡» at every second word, and he was no longer able to hold his head up. ¡°Seriously¡­¡­father¡¯s condition is really destroying the Barony of Elladine. I must do something about it.¡± ¡°You can do something? What?¡± The baron¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope as the girl said these words while covering her mouth with a fan. ¡°Of course. I have a winning strategy, you know?¡± Looking down at her father, [FuFu! ] she laughed arrogantly. ¡°All I have to do is to bring down His Highness Raidorl Zain with a trick. Once His Highness is confined and entangled, we will no longer fear the Royal Army!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Haaa?¡± Baron Elladine was stunned by his daughter¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°Y,you¡¯re going to use that¡­? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course I am!¡¡Now, wait for me. Your Highness Raidorl! I, Shirley Elladine, your future wife, will be with you!¡± Despite her father¡¯s stunned look, Shirley burst into a loud laugh that echoed throughout the house: [O-HO-HO!]. Sven¡¯s plan to use secret agents to spread rumours and confuse the enemy camp was successful. Baron Elladine was violently frightened, making it impossible for him to intercept Raidorl. However¡­¡­the ruse took an unexpected turn and would later produce one comical incident. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– From their base in the occupied city of Wolfin, Raidorl began the work to purge the remaining traitors of the Eight Eastern Families. The first step was to reorganise the army. Raidorl led a small force of 1,000 horsemen, led by Darren Garst and 1,000 soldiers under his command, but by recruiting¡­¡­ mercenary and volunteer soldiers, the number had swelled to 3,000 men. Originally, the soldiers in Wolfin were recruited by the late Viscount Wolfert. It was to confront the Raidorl who were coming to conquer him but the soldiers were now a part of Raidorl¡¯s army. The problem with increasing the number of soldiers was funding. An army spent money even if it did nothing. Soldiers¡¯ salaries. Food, weapons and armour. Housing. Fodder for war horses. Clothing and other daily necessities ¨C the more soldiers, the greater the consumption of supplies. However¡­..Raidorl, who was loosely associated with the king, had been given only minimal resources. Raising funds for the army was an unavoidable problem in reorganising it. ¡°However,¡­¡­ that problem was easily solved. Thank God, The Viscount has saved up a lot of money.¡± In the former residence of the Viscount Wolfert in the heart of Wolfin, Raidorl said in a carefree tone. The funding for the expansion of the army was solved with ease by using the hidden fortune in the basement of the Viscount¡¯s mansion. What means were used and how long did it take to collect the money? In the basement of the Viscount Wolfert¡¯s mansion, an excessive amount of gold, silver and treasures were stored for a single frontier nobleman. ¡°It seems the Viscount has been doing all sorts of shady things to raise money. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s regretting in his grave when His Highness uprooted all his ill-gotten gains.¡± Sven, sitting opposite him, replied to Raidorl on the sofa. Currently, Raidorl and Sven were clearing away a pile of papers on the table in the office. They had one town in their hands and an additional 3,000 soldiers. Paperwork and other desk work had also increased like a breeding rat. The only people in the army who could conduct political and financial affairs were Raidorl, who had been educated as a gifted prince and Sven, a military strategist. Inevitably, the pressure of increased desk work was falling on these two. ¡°According to the back account book that was hidden ¡­¡­it seems that Wolfert has been in league with the Empire for a long time, even before the war broke out. He has been diverting goods, trafficking in illegal drugs and even trafficking his own people as commodities.¡± ¡°He¡¯s even more rubbish than I expected¡­¡­I¡¯d heard he was an arrogant man but he is really rotten to the core.¡± Raidorl frowned at Sven¡¯s explanation. It seemed that he had uncovered a part of the darkness and mystery of the kingdom that was not known. ¡°So imperial aggression was underway long before the war started? To have kept the lion¡¯s den of worms swimming around for so many years¡­¡­must mean that our king¡¯s eyes were completely blind.¡± ¡°I think King Granard is pretty good when it comes to internal affairs but¡­¡­it seems he couldn¡¯t see all the way to the edges of the kingdom.¡± ¡°You become king knowing that, don¡¯t you? The king should bear the responsibility for the outcome. It¡¯s not a position from which you can make excuses.¡± As he said this, Raidorl placed a bundle of papers in front of Sven. Sven quickly looks through the documents laid out on the desk and runs his pen over them. The deftness with which he handled the documents was remarkable and they were processed one after the other. Originally, only military officers and soldiers, including Darren, served under Raidorl and there was a critical lack of brainpower who could engage in internal affairs. In this respect, the addition of Sven was a very welcome addition. Sven was born as the third son of the Earl of Arbeil and was supposed to be an aide-de-camp to support his elder brother, who succeeded him. For this reason, he learned about domestic politics and economics from an early age and was probably knowledgeable about domestic affairs in general. [TL: Aide-de-camp is a military officer acting as a confidential assistant to a senior officer] Raidorl, too, had received a higher education like royalty until he was expelled from the royal palace but ¡­¡­ perhaps because of his innate qualities, Sven was far superior when it came to domestic affairs. ¡®All in all, it sounds like I made a really good find. Although¡­¡­¡¯ Play Unmute Sven cleared out the paperwork one after another but there was still too much paperwork that needed to be processed. No, it was not that there were too many documents, but that there were too few people who could settle them. The only civil servants currently under Raidorl, with the exception of Sven, were a few vassals who served the Counts of Arbeil and the Viscounts of Wolfert. Clearly, there were not enough people for the amount of work that had to be done. ¡°¡­¡­ The shortage of personnel is a challenge for the future. The number of soldiers has increased but there is a lack of military officers to command them. When it comes to civilian officers, there are only Sven and a few more. It makes me want to cry.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do anything about military officers but I am trying to recruit civilian officers, especially merchants. I think they will gather in a while¡­¡­¡± ¡°The military officers are out of their depth. Not many of them have experience leading a hundred soldiers, let alone a thousand. The soldiers we have gathered are all mercenaries and militias¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If we were to choose, wouldn¡¯t it be great to draw personnel from¡­¡­other eight eastern families? If we have the privilege of Your Highnesses to do with prisoners of war as we please, we can save people who would otherwise be executed and welcome them into our vassalage. If we can bring competent enemies to our side, we can strengthen our army even more, can¡¯t we?¡± At Sven¡¯s advice, Raidorl nodded his head. One of the covenants made between Raidorl and Granard concerned ¡ºthe right to kill, spare and take prisoners of war¡». This gave Raidorl the right to do as he pleased with those he captured in war. Under the guise of prisoners of war, capable personnel from the Eight Eastern Families could be extracted and openly used to strengthen the military force to confront his older brother. ¡®We have got a good military officer, a secret agent and three thousand soldiers. The civilian officers are waiting for people to respond to the recruitment and the rest are military officers who can command the army¡­..¡¯ The soldiers under the Viscount¡¯s command had dealt with bandits before, but they lacked experience in actual warfare, and it was difficult for them to command on the battlefield. It would take more than a month for a newly recruited soldier to become properly useful. ¡°Now is the time to build up your strength little by little, Your Highness. Don¡¯t be in a hurry. Luckily, the rumours we spread seem to have roused some of the nobility, so even if we don¡¯t make a move, they¡¯ll probably try something from the other side, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Something, you say. What are you going to do if they collude and confront us?¡± ¡°At that time, it would be a matter for His Highness to reap the benefits of his power. His Highness has only one body. If the enemy moves separately, it will be difficult to deal with them but if they attack in unison, it will be easier to crush them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re a truly horrendous child, Sven.¡± Raidorl shrugged his shoulders in amazement but did not deny it. The rumours spread by Sven using his secret agents had caused no small amount of confusion in the houses of the Eight Eastern Families. If they were driven by fear to surrender, it¡¯d be good, because Raidorl would win without a fight. If they colluded and invaded Wolfin, then he could use the power of the Holy Sword to defeat them all together. The boy¡¯s scheming in anticipation of this only sent Raidorl¡¯s spine chilling. ¡°¡­.. How long will it take for the enemy to make their move? Shall we wait patiently?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s do what we can for now, shall we? Like, for example, the paperwork that¡¯s spread out in front of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Raidorl let out a small sigh and turned to the paperwork, which he was not good at, as Sven said. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– After working late into the night on paperwork, Raidorl finally returned to the room in the mansion that he used as his bedroom. Upon entering the room, he stripped off his clothes and jumped into bed, wearing only his underwear. ¡°I¡¯ve been an adventurer too long. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve done any brain work and it¡¯s excruciating ¡­¡­¡± When he was living in the royal palace as a prince, he used to study hard with his tutor, but¡­¡­such memories were a distant memory. Today, Raidorl was living as a swordsman and adventurer. It would have been far easier to hunt demons in the wilderness or dense forests than to sit at a desk and file papers. ¡°¡­¡­Really, if I don¡¯t get more civil servants soon, I¡¯m going to die of overwork. Oh, for God¡¯s sake. It¡¯s not funny that a desk job wins against an Excalibur Holder.¡± Blurring his words, Raidorl closed his heavy eyelids, unable to resist the lure of sleep. Normally, this was where the erotic maid would have jumped into bed and the night¡¯s fighting would have begun. Since Neimilia was not brought along on this expedition, he would be able to sleep peacefully. Raidorl was fatigued from his unfamiliar desk job. Within ten minutes of getting into bed, he had sunk into a deep sleep. ¡°Su¡­.¡± A short time after Raidorl fell asleep, the doorknob of the¡­..room moved slowly and the door opened with a giddy click. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± A small figure entered the dimly lit room, with moonlight streaming in through the window, unannounced and unassisted. The mysterious figure who entered the room turned its head from side to side¡­¡­and eventually caught sight of Raidorl sleeping on the bed. ¡°Fufu¡­..¡± A figure let out a small laugh and walked slowly towards the end of the bed. This was followed by the sound of the rubbing of garments echoing through the room. ¡°Nn¡­¡­¡± Raidorl, who was wrapped in the duvet, also made a slight tingling sound, as if he had sensed someone¡¯s presence. But he did not wake up. His eyelids were still drooping, as if the exhaustion he had built up was chipping away at his sense of danger. The mysterious figure flipped up the duvet and slipped into the bed. The figure then crawled from Raidorl¡¯s feet to his waist and then to his chest. ¡°Nn¡­¡­¡­..Neimilia?¡± Having reached that point, Raidorl finally uttered the maid¡¯s name in a sleepy voice. The reason why Raidorl , who was supposed to be a skilled swordsman, allowed the intrusion to go so far was because the maid usually attacked him in his sleep. Neimilia¡¯s daily routine had made him lose his sense of alertness towards anyone who entered his room and crawled into his bed. ¡°NFufu¡­¡­It¡¯s humiliating to be called another woman¡¯s name. My husband-sama.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!?¡± The unfamiliar voice finally made Raydor realised something was wrong. He grabbed the duvet with his right hand, plucked it off and threw it away. ¡°Yaan! You¡¯re¡­¡­so violent, it¡¯s embarrassing me.¡± ¡°Who are you¡­¡­¡­?¡± The crooked thing that had invaded the bed was revealed. Raidorl¡¯s eyes widened and she uttered a suspicious sound. The figure straddling her body was a naked woman without a stitch of clothing on. Her wavy blonde hair hung down and she ran her fingers over Raidorl¡¯s thick breastplate. ¡°A muscular, well-trained body. I¡¯m so smitten with you.¡± ¡°¡­.I¡¯m going to ask you one more time. Who are you?¡± Raidorl stared at the woman stroking his skin. The woman in front of him was definitely a woman he had never met before. For a moment, he suspected it was an assassin released by someone, but the woman was unarmed and he couldn¡¯t sense any killing intent. If it was an assassin, he would have cut her down with his sword but she just stroked Raidorl¡¯s body. The fact that what she was doing was similar to what Neimilia was doing also made him hesitant to slay her. ¡°Fufufu¡­..¡± The woman smiled slyly and stuck out her tongue mischievously. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now who I am. I am a woman. You are a man. And here in this love nest called a bed ¡­.. Don¡¯t we have better things to do than introduce ourselves?¡± ¡°Mu¡­.?¡± The woman licked Raidorl¡¯s chest. She even dropped a kiss, as she would do to the lips of a loving man. ¡°Muscles to adore. A truly beautiful and complete body of a gentleman. A husband worthy of me. The very body of a hero¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Come, let us nurture our love together. My dear husband.¡± The woman turned her wet eyes towards Raidorl. The woman¡¯s face was reflected in a pair of azure sky-blue eyes that shone in the night like a cat¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡­¡­..I never attract any decent women. All I get are perverted women who fall for me and woo me.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Raidorl raised his fist and slammed the clenched fist into the woman¡¯s head mercilessly. ¡°Fugyaaa?!!¡± The woman screamed like a beast whose tail had been stepped on and rolled off the bed. Raidorl got up and sat cross-legged on the bed, looking down at the woman¡¯s too-small naked body. ¡°I¡¯m not impressed with your seduction. What kind of a joke is this¡­¡­ you little brat?¡± ¡°Uuu¡­¡­I never thought you wouldn¡¯t see my charm¡­..¡± ¡°No, what are you talking about with such a poor body? Who would fall for a little brat¡¯s tricks?¡± Raidorl got dressed in amazement at the woman rubbing her head. It must have been a woman who had rolled off the bed and was sitting on the floor but¡­¡­she looked like a child. She was so small in stature that she might or might not reach Raidorl¡¯s waist. A cylindrical torso with no concavity or convexity at all. Even younger than Sven. A girl¡­¡­who could have been called a little girl. ¡°I hate to say it, but I have no taste for lusting after children. At least puff out your tits half as big as my maid before you come back here!¡± ¡°Auuu©`¡­. it¡¯s cowardly move to talk about my breasts ¡­.¡± ¡°Your Highness! What is going on!?¡± Thudding footsteps echoed from the corridor and the door to the room was opened from the outside. Noticing the anomaly, Darren Garst,Saara Leifet, and security soldiers rushed into the room. Darren breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Raidorl cross-legged on the bed, without a scratch and then froze at the sight of a naked young woman sitting on the floor. ¡°A¡­¡­¡± Darren froze for a moment, but eventually gave a drawn-out smile. ¡°¡­..Sorry about this. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve interrupted Your Highness. Please continue to enjoy your entertainment.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait! You¡¯re definitely making the wrong assumption!!¡± ¡°Worry not, Your Highness. I know that aristocrats and royalty have a taste for such things.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong! Don¡¯t look so kind!¡¡Don¡¯t close the door!¡± Raidorl hurriedly stopped Darren as he was about to leave the room with an unusually warm smile. While they were exchanging these words, Sven suddenly appeared from behind Darren. ¡°¡¯What¡¯s all the fuss about this late at night¡­¡­¡­.I can¡¯t sleep, you know?¡± Sven, dressed in his pyjamas, rubbed his sleepy eyes and peered into the room. He then opened his eyes to see a young girl sitting on the floor, rubbing her head. ¡°Hm¡­..?¡¡Shirley¡­¡­Shirley Elladine!¡¡How did you get in here?¡± ¡°¡­.Ara? ¡­Is that you, Sven? You¡¯re alive.¡± The young girl tilted her head slightly, her eyes teary from the pain, as Sven shouted, blowing away his drowsiness. ¡°Elladine¡­¡­?¡± The name of the house sounded familiar, and Raidorl looked quizzically at the young woman. Darren and the soldiers under his command also stared at the naked young woman. Under the gaze of everyone in the room, Shirley Elladine, daughter of Baron Elladine, awkwardly pulled up the sheets to hide her body. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°In conclusion¡­¡­ you¡¯ve snuck into the mansion to sexually assault me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Shirley Elladine¡¯s lips twitched in silence at Raidorl¡¯s censorious confirmation. Shirley had been naked earlier, but now she was dressed in borrowed clothes from a maid working in the mansion. The simple commoner¡¯s clothes were out of place on the flamboyant-looking Shirley, but no one mentioned this because of the circumstances. ¡°Shirley, you are disrespectful to His Highness!¡¡You need to change your attitude!¡± Next to Shirley, who was sitting on a chair, Sven¡¯s eyebrows were raised in anger. The tone was a little more higher than the way he spoke to Raidorl, as if he was scolding his sister for misbehaving. As for their relationship, it seemed that they had a childhood familiarity with each other. The Counts of Arbeil and Barons of Elladine were nobles of the same Eight Families of the East and their territories were close, so the two families were close friends. Younger than Sven, Shirley had often visited the Countess with her father and had been brought up like a brother and sister. There might or might not have been arranged marriage for the future but¡­¡­that was a possibility that had disappeared now that the Counts of Arbeil had fallen and the Barons of Elladine had turned to the Empire. After being scolded by Sven, Shirley reluctantly opened her mouth. Where had the fascinating and bewildering tone and atmosphere from a few minutes ago gone? ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that seducing His Highness is ¡­¡­the right thing to do. To begin with, it¡¯s the wrong thing to do!¡± ¡°Well, calm down, Sven. I¡¯ve been wondering more than this for a while now, how did she get into this mansion?¡± Naturally, the mansion where Raidorl, a royal and a general in the army, slept was guarded by soldiers day and night. No matter how many children they were dealing with, it was impossible to let them in without permission. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­probably because she used her demon eye.¡± ¡°Demon eye?¡± Raidorl tilted his head at Sven¡¯s reply. The demon eye was literally an eyeball filled with magic power and was a special ability possessed by some demons. Raidorl had fought Gorgons with the demon eye of ¡ºpetrification¡» and Cockatrices with the demon eye of ¡ºparalysis¡» and remembered that they were both difficult enemies that could not be easily defeated. [TL:Cockatrices have two legs of a dragon/wyverns, a tail of a serpent and a head of a chicken.] Raidorl had heard that there were rare cases where the demon eye appeared in humans as well, but he never expected to¡­¡­actually see it. ¡°Shirley has the magical eye of ¡ºcharm¡». It has the ability to amplify the feelings of favour directed towards her and make her captivate others.¡± ¡°Charm¡­¡­¡± Raidorl thought back to the time when Shirley had just crawled on him in the night. At that time, Shirley¡¯s eyes seemed to glow in the night darkness, and it seemed that her eyes were emitting magic power. ¡°I think she probably got into His Highness¡¯ bedchamber by captivating the soldiers on guard.¡± ¡°¡­.. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s very worrying. If she was an assassin, His Highness might not have got off scot-free.¡± Darren, who was listening to the conversation next to him, muttered bitterly. As the man in charge of the mansion¡¯s security, the power of the magic eye, which could easily incapacitate soldiers, must be a threat. However, Sven slowly shook his head at Darren¡¯s concerns. ¡°No¡­¡­It¡¯s true that the magic eye is a rare ability, but Shirley¡¯s power is not that strong. Her eye only increases the love and desire directed towards her, so it doesn¡¯t work on people who don¡¯t like her at all. It doesn¡¯t even work on children like me and even those with strong magical resistance, such as sorcerers.¡± ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why it didn¡¯t work on me.¡± Raidorl did not have a propensity for lusting after young girls and had a high magic resistance due to the blessing of the Holy Sword. There was no room for the charmed demon eye to work. Shirley was able to reach Raidorl¡¯s sleeping quarters, probably because she was lucky enough to use her demon eye on a guard soldier she happened to encounter. ¡°¡­..Wait a minute. By that logic, are you saying that some of the soldiers on night duty today have a propensity for lusting after young girls?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­that would be the case, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± When Darren pulled a face and asked, Sven awkwardly looked away and replied with muffled words. Darren¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment as he discovered his subordinate¡¯s bad proclivities. Next to him, Sarra, the only woman apart from Shirley, mumbled, [Gross ¡­¡­]. Raidorl gave Darren a sympathetic glance and immediately turned his attention back to Shirley, who was sitting uncomfortably in her chair. ¡°Now ¡­¡­ the question is what to do with this girl.¡± ¡°Hyin¡­¡­.¡± Shirley jumped on her shoulders. She might have taken such a bold action with childish recklessness, but no matter how one looked at it, what Shirley did was a mortal sin that deserved a maximum sentence. She tried to manipulate a royal by holding him captive with her demon eye. There was no way she could be forgiven. Sven interrupted the teary-eyed young girl in a panicked manner. ¡°Your Highness! It may be impolite of me to offer this, but it seems that Shirley has no malice towards you! Please, I beg you to treat her with leniency ¡­¡­!¡± Although their relationship had been cut off since the Barons of Elladine turned to the Empire, for Sven, Shirley was like a sister with whom he spent his childhood. The sight of a boy trying to protect his childhood friend reminded Raidorl of a certain woman. Raidorl also had a childhood friend. The relationship was sore for a number of reasons but there was a time when¡­..he genuinely wanted to protect her. ¡°Sven, you seem to have a good relationship with your childhood friend. I envy you a little bit. Because my relationship with my childhood friend are all twisted up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill her. That girl¡¯s demon eye is going to come in handy sooner or later.¡± Nowadays, this might only work for people with a taste for young girls but when Shirley grew up and became a woman of age, there would be many people who would be captivated by her eyes. As an investment in the future, it was not a bad idea to forgive the sins of the young girl, Shirley Elladine here and bring her into the camp of Raidorl¡¯s allies. ¡°The Barony of Elladine may be demolished and your lands taken from you but I will guarantee your life and property if you will surrender¡­¡­willingly. If you demonstrate your strength and worth under me, you may even be able to rebuild your house in time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Really? Will I live?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. A warrior never says twice.¡± When Shirley asked her with a pleading look, Raidorl nodded emphatically. She was probably reassured by his attitude. Shirley laughed like a flower blooming. ¡°Okay, then I will be under my husband¡¯s command. And I will persuade my father to do the same.¡± ¡°Good, by the way, what¡¯s this husband you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Ee?¡¡Husband is going to make me his concubine, isn¡¯t he? Isn¡¯t that the whole point of growing up as a child, to suit my husband¡¯s own liking?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± At Shirley¡¯s response, Raidorl remained silent and slowly turned to face Sven. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll speak to her on your behalf.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± It seemed that Raidorl had added more work to Sven as an apprentice soldier. Sven looked a little pallid and Raidorl tapped him on the shoulder with a pitying glance. Volume 2 - CH 5.2 Interlude Girl talk Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned ¡°Imperial-style Holy Sword Art¡¾Raiden¡¿¡± ¡°¡ºOooooooooooooooooooooo!¡»¡± A bluish-white lightning shot out from the sword she wielded. The lightning shot straight ahead like an arrow, piercing through the black, unmoving human form and a bitter, agonised cry rumbled out. ¡°Now¡­¡­ you¡¯re done!¡± The girl ¨C Celia Von Arslanian ¨C closed the distance with the enemy, taking advantage of the opportunity when the opponent flinched. In front of her was an eerie humanoid figure that looked like a congealed black haze. Her holy sword of thunder pierced through the centre of the faceless monster. ¡°¡ºOoooooooooooooooo!¡»¡± The black humanoid reached out its right hand to grasp the sky and¡­..disappeared as the clouds were drowned out by the wind. ¡°Fuu¡­¡­it was pretty strong but at least I managed to get rid of it! Mission accomplished!¡± The monster was struck down and Celia wiped the sweat from her forehead with the sleeve of her dress. Celia was in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain, standing in a cemetery on the outskirts of the capital. Around her were countless gravestones lying in disarray, and the ground was overgrown with weeds. Today, Celia had received a request from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to exterminate a high-ranking wraith that had appeared in this graveyard. There were many demons classified as ¡ºghosts¡» but wraiths were the most powerful kind. The wraith was a monster that arose when the souls of the dead accumulated grudge memories over a long period of time and absorbed other weaker ghosts. This might be due to the fact that the cemetery had not been cared for for many years. The wraiths that lingered there had accumulated tremendous power and had grown so powerful that ordinary priests and adventurers were unable to exterminate them. If the wraith had been in the capital, many people would have lost their lives because their souls would be sucked out. However, even though it was ¡­¡­powerful, that was only from the point of view of ¡ºordinary adventurers¡». For Celia, one of the chosen heroes who was chosen to hold the Holy Sword, the enemy was only ¡ºmoderately strong¡». She might sweat a little on her forehead but there was not a single scratch on her body. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Adventurer.¡± After confirming that the wraith had been defeated, a man hiding behind a nearby tree appeared. The bald-headed old man in monk¡¯s robes, holding a staff, stepped forward and slowly bowed his head. ¡°Thank you for cleansing the souls that cannot be saved. Now they will be able to return to where they belong peacefully.¡± It was a priest from a nearby church who asked Ceilia to exterminate the wraiths. The priest had recently been assigned to the church, and had found that the previous priest had neglected to take care of the cemetery, resulting in an outbreak of wraiths, so he asked the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to exterminate them. ¡°I am sorry to make you do this. Our priests should have exterminated them. I can¡¯t do it myself since I¡¯m too old for that. If I were twenty years younger, I would have undertaken the purification myself¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. If I¡¯m in trouble, you¡¯ll be the one who will help me. So it¡¯s mutual. More importantly¡­¡­can I leave you to clean up after this place?¡± Celia asked apologetically. The cemetery was a mess with fallen headstones here and there as a result of the wraith¡¯s rampage and Celia¡¯s wielding of the holy sword. It would have been awkward to leave the clean-up to an old man with a bent back. ¡°¡¯No problem. I¡¯ll hire a few young men to do something about it.¡± The old priest smiled hawkishly as he tapped the damp ground with his cane. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to expose my people, but the budget for the maintenance of the ¡­¡­ cemetery came from above, but the priest before me seemed to have embezzled the budget and neglected to maintain the cemetery. That priest has also been punished, and the cost of repairs has been paid out of his hoarded wealth. The guild has also deposited the adventurers¡¯ rewards, so please accept them.¡± ¡°Then there will be no problem¡­¡­.I¡¯m going home. Call me if you need anything else.¡± ¡°Oh, wait a minute. Since we¡¯re here, would you like to have tea at the church? I have some tea and cakes.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡­.¡± The priest tried to entertain his benefactor to the best of his ability but Celia tilted her head as if she was troubled. ¡°I¡¯m happy for your offer but¡­¡­don¡¯t you want to go home early and wash up? I mean, they were undead and their smell was awful.¡± Because of the fight in the cemetery, Celia¡¯s clothes and body had a peculiar smell of decay and death. As a young woman of her age, she wanted to cleanse her body as soon as possible. ¡°And¡­¡­I have an appointment with a friend afterwards, so I have to go.¡± ¡°Oh, your friends? Are you going to play somewhere?¡± The priest stroked his beard and asked, and Celia smiled like the sun. ¡°Yes! A tea party between girls¡­ In other words, it¡¯s a girls¡¯ party!¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– A few hours later, after returning home and washing herself thoroughly, Celia visited the garden of the mansion. ¡°Mmm, so delicious! And the cookies over here are great too!¡± The mansion given to Raidorl by his brother had a large garden. Seasonal flowers were planted there and three women were sitting at a round table in the middle of it, where a small tea party was being held. In the warm sunlight, Celia popped some of the sweets on the table into her mouth and then let out a cheerful cry. ¡°Neimilia¡¯s familiars are very good at making tea! ¡¡Even the maids working in the imperial castle aren¡¯t able to make such delicious tea, you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, the cakes here are so good too! Come on, come on, Neimilia, you should try some!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± In a cheerful voice, Celia spoke to the person sitting in the chair next to her but there was no response from Neimilia, the second participant in the tea party. The dark-haired girl in a maid¡¯s outfit was lying face down on the table, her eyes lifeless like a dead fish. ¡°A day has passed since Master disappeared. Two days. Three days. Four, five, six days¡­¡­¡± A voice like a spellbook leaked from Neimilia¡¯s mouth. The sound of despair echoing from the depths of the earth was like that of a ghost under the grave. It was a voice like that of the wraiths she defeated a few hours ago. ¡°Uu©`¡­¡­Aaa,Mouuu!¡¡You¡¯re so depressing and annoying!¡± Celia finally couldn¡¯t stand the gloomy maid sitting next to her and tapped on the table. It had already been a month since Raydor left on an expedition to the East. The maid girl, who was ordered to stay behind after her master left, was completely downcast. Even though a girls¡¯ party was held today to cheer up Neimilia, the person in question was incessantly counting the number of days she couldn¡¯t see Raidorl. The people around her became more distressed. The humanoid shadows were walking around Celia and her friends, looking somewhat perplexed on what to do. They were shadowy messengers summoned by Neimilia. It was also this messenger who devotedly prepared the girls¡¯ party by baking sweets and making tea on behalf of the depressed maid. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since Onii-san went on an expedition! Get used to it, for goodness sake!¡± ¡°¡­.. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll ever get used to it! Uuu¡­¡­ master. I don¡¯t think I have enough Master¡¯s ingredients.¡± Celia¡¯s encouragement did not seem to have worked, and Neimilia was weeping like a waterfall. ¡°Celia-sama. Please leave this to me.¡± Celia¡¯s shoulders slumped in resignation, but¡­¡­here the last of the tea party participants proceeded to come out. A classy-looking woman in a purple dress held out a white cloth to Neimilia, who was crying her face off on the table. ¡°This is ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Neimilia-sama. Please wipe away your tears.¡± The name of the woman who offered the cloth to the depressed maid was Mertina Marcell. She was the daughter of the Prime Minister, Lockwood Marcell and a childhood friend of Raidorl. She abandoned her childhood friend, who was once banished to the frontier and was also responsible for the plot to bring Raidorl back for the war. Her treachery led to her being taken prisoner by him and she was the victim of ¡ºdiscipline and training¡» by the witch¡¯s hands. With her long purple hair flowing, Mertina turned her gentle smile towards Neimilia. ¡°There is a saying that time spent not seeing each other nurtures love¡­¡­ His Highness Raidorl will surely return to Neimilia-sama. For now, let us pray for his safety and think together about what we can do for His Highness.¡± ¡°Uuu¡­¡­Mertina is right. Master is fighting hard and I can¡¯t be crying about it!¡¡I have to do what I can for Master to praise me¡­¡­. Sunsun! Haaahhhh!¡± Neimilia stopped crying and pressed her face against the cloth she received from Mertina and repeated her breathing over and over again. While Neimilia was making rough breathing noises, as if she were excited, which frankly sounded like a perverted noises, Celia asked her suspiciously. ¡°¡­.. That cloth seems rather large, is it a handkerchief?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± When Neimilia unfolded the cloth she was pressing against her face¡­¡­it was a man¡¯s underwear. ¡°Fuufu¡­..it¡¯s an underwear soaked with Master¡¯s sweat! It¡¯s the one he wore when he trained with the holy sword and it¡¯s a holy relic that hasn¡¯t even been washed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s disgusting!!¡± Celia¡¯s face was drawn back and her body was bent over. ¡°Why is the maid sniffing her master¡¯s clothes like it¡¯s normal? And where did Mertina hide such things?¡± Celia asked the obvious question but Mertina and Neimilia nodded deeply together. ¡°It¡¯s for emergencies. We have no choice.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! We have no choice!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand at all!!?¡¡I really don¡¯t even know what you guys are talking about!¡± She felt like there was an insurmountable wall between her and these two people ¨C Celia felt a shiver run down her spine with unidentified fear. ¡°Now that Neimilia-sama is feeling better¡­¡­let¡¯s get back on track and continue with the tea party.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve had tea together and today we¡¯re having a girls¡¯ party!¡¡Let¡¯s have some girl talk!¡± ¡°¡­..What am I to do? I¡¯m getting really worried. Do I really want to live with these people?¡± Mertina with a gentle smile. Neimilia with a full smile like the sun. Only Celia¡¯s expression clouded over and she took a bite of a cookie to cover up her inner anxiety. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine? With the addition of Mertina, the three of us are now living together. Let¡¯s take this opportunity to deepen our friendship.¡± Neimilia said in a relaxed tone. Mertina was once an enemy who betrayed Raidorl but was now completely submissive to Raidorl and Neimilia. Her voluptuous flesh was carved with a number of curses that completely controlled her mind and body. For Neimilia, she was not an object that would make Neimilia be wary. ¡°By the way¡­.what should we talk about at our girls¡¯ meeting?¡± ¡°Hmmmmm¡­¡­. I don¡¯t know either.¡± Neimilia and Celia both tilted their heads. With the special titles of a witch and a princess, they had no friends of their own age. They had no experience of participating in events such as girls¡¯ parties. With a question mark over their heads, Mertina gently interrupted them from the side. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it myself, but I¡¯ve heard¡­. that a girls¡¯ gathering is when women gather around a table, enjoy tea, sweets and have a good chat or Koibana.¡± ¡°Koibana means¡­¡­talking about love, doesn¡¯t it?¡¡I don¡¯t have a fianc¨¦e or anything and I¡¯ve never been in love¡­¡­¡± Play Unmute Celia scratched her cheek with her index finger with a delicate look on her face. For Celia, who had wielded a great sword such as the Holy Sword, love stories were her least favourite thing to talk about. ¡°Koibana banter! Isn¡¯t it nice? It¡¯s wonderful!¡± In contrast, Neimilia¡¯s face lit up and she clasped her hands together. She looked at Celia and Mertina alternately, her golden eyes shining. ¡°Let¡¯s do it, this Koibana! First of all¡­.. yes. Shall we talk about our favourite positions?¡± ¡°Position¡­???¡± Celia tilted her head, unsure of the meaning of the word. She put her mouth on the teacup and sipped her tea, wondering if it was a word about love. ¡°I like to do it with a frontal embrace but what kind of sex do you two like?¡± ¡°Buawh!?¡± Hearing the word ¡ºsex¡» even Celia, a sheltered girl, realised what the topic was. She spit out the tea in her mouth and turned her voice inside out from the turmoil. ¡°WhaWhaWhaWhaWhaWhaWhat are you talking about¡­¡­!!? How am I supposed to know that?!¡± ¡°¡­..I prefer to be done from behind. It¡¯s even better if I can have my hands on the floor and have my collar pulled while His Highness treats me like an object..¡± ¡°Why do you even answer that question, Mertina? I don¡¯t want you to explain everything in detail!¡± ¡°I am sorry. For various reasons, I am unable to disobey the orders of Raidorl-sama and Neimilia-sama. When they ask me questions, I cannot help but answer them, whatever they may be.¡± Celia exclaimed as if she were bubbling. Mertina stroked the collar fitted around her neck with a troubled, ambiguous smile. From the first time they met, Mertina wore a dog-like collar and Ceilia thought that there were some unusual fashions, but¡­.. here she finally realised that the adornment was a tool for such usage. She was the daughter of the prime minister but she was treated roughly in an interrogation to extract information and inevitably developed a taste for extreme play. ¡°Aaa, Master usually acts like he doesn¡¯t like it but when he¡¯s ready, he gets really hard. He¡¯s a secret sadist.¡± ¡°True. It hurt me at first too, but after¡­.. Raidorl-sama left the frontier city, the days without a spanking have seemed insufficient.¡± ¡°I like being smacked too! The pain is only at first but it¡¯s surprisingly addictive.¡± ¡°Will you stop talking about it?! Please!¡± The only virgin among the members. Celia, who had never had any experience with male, held her ears and screamed. Neimilia and Mertina ¨C two ¡ºsisters¡» in a sense ¨C sighed together at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl with teary eyes. ¡°This is just my gut feeling but I think it¡¯s only a matter of time before¡­¡­you too, right? Celia-san?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of a woman who wouldn¡¯t lose her heart after getting involved with Raidorl-sama. I also resisted, but in the end it was no good¡­¡­If this is the case, I wish I had discovered his charms earlier. If I had, our relationship would have been different¡­.¡± ¡°I, I, I¡¯m not going to let that happen!!!¡¡I¡¯ll never ¡­¡­ have a man-woman relationship with Onii-san!¡± Celia¡¯s face turned red and yelled. She shook her head and her pony-tailed blonde hair swished wildly like a dog¡¯s tail. ¡°Well, Celia-san has said her piece¡­.let¡¯s change the subject, shall we? What are we going to do for Master now?¡± Neimilia uttered such a thing while tilting her head slightly as if in trouble. ¡°It¡¯s good that Master has entrusted me with the ¡ºtake care of the Royal Capital¡»¡­¡­and so on, but what am I supposed to do? I¡¯m a bit tied up with just managing the mansion.¡± ¡°¡­..Neimilia-sama, you basically let your familiars do the housework.¡± When Mertina looked a little further away, she saw jet-black-skinned humanoid figures pruning garden plants there. They were not human beings, but shadow monsters created by the magic of the¡¾Shadow Servant¡¿. Numerous Neimilia¡¯s familiars were unleashed in the mansion, performing a range of household chores such as cleaning and laundry. ¡°I want to achieve more achievements in order to receive a reward from Master who hasn¡¯t returned, but¡­I can¡¯t think of anything else to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Aa, then how about being an adventurer with me? I think Neimilia would be very useful.¡± Celia, who had been in the throes of confusion earlier, made such a suggestion. She was now happy that the topic had moved away from ¡ºdownstairs¡» and tried to broaden the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll be the vanguard swordsman. Neimilia will be the rearguard wizard. I think we¡¯d make a good team, wouldn¡¯t we? It seems very strange that the holder of the Holy Sword and a witch would team up.¡± While living together, Celia had already realised that Neimilia¡¯s true identity was that of the ¡ºSix Witches of Doom¡», a natural enemy of mankind. At first, Celia was perplexed but her innate vivacious and open personality had already helped her to open up and there was no longer any separation between her and Neimilia, the Witch. ¡°Well¡­..that¡¯s fine, but it¡¯s no good to just help Celia-san with your work. If possible, I want to surprise Master when he comes back. ¡­..¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­how about something like this?¡± Mertina opened her mouth as she tilted her teacup. ¡°How about using Neimilia-sama¡¯s power to cut down the nobles in the Royal Capital? We should increase our allies in preparation for the time when Raidorl-sama confronts His Majesty Granard.¡± ¡°Increase our allies¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Celia-san¡¯s success as an adventurer has brought the support of the people to Raidorl-sama. What remains is the support of those in power at the heart of the royal court. Neimilia-sama and I will persuade the nobles of the royal court to side with Raidorl-sama.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I can do, aside from Mertina-san, who is good at politics and negotiation¡­¡­¡± Neimilia had no skills in negotiation or political strategy. More to the point, as a witch, she was not familiar with the subtleties of the human heart. It was unlikely that she could help persuade the nobility, who were going through a political struggle swirling with power, intrigue and conspiracy. ¡°How about¡­.using those servants over there.¡± Mertina pointed to the working messenger with a gentle gesture. Neimilia blinked repeatedly with a curious look on her face. ¡°You mean the [Shadow Servant]?¡± ¡°Yes. Neimilia-sama must have a servant, who can sneak into any narrow space or sneak into a nobleman¡¯s mansion and steal evidence that could weaken that nobleman, such as evidence of dishonesty or embezzlement. We can then use the evidence to negotiate with the nobleman and encourage him to switch sides from His Majesty to the side of Raidorl-sama.¡± Mertina¡¯s beautiful face turned rose-coloured and she smiled as if to reveal a secret mischievous trick. ¡°I know because I am also a nobleman¡­¡­. There is no nobleman who is pure, clean and without a dark side. Every nobleman must have some kind of dirt. Let¡¯s use that to our advantage and break up His Majesty Granard¡¯s camp.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s a good idea but¡­¡­¡± Neimilia looked up and peered into Mertina¡¯s face. ¡°Is that alright with you, Mertina-san?¡¡Even though you have sworn allegiance to Master, you are still the daughter of the Prime Minister, aren¡¯t you, Mertina-san? Is it okay for you to do something that would drive your father away?¡± Although Mertina was being held captive by Raidorl and used in a good way, she was a vassal of the king in the first place. She was on the enemy side. She was uncomfortable with the fact that it had cornered Granard and proactively made proposals that would benefit Raidorl. ¡°Why are you worrying about it now? Isn¡¯t it Raidorl-sama and Neimilia-sama who made me like this?¡± However, when questioned, Mertina sighed in dismay. ¡°You have carved the pleasures of womanhood into my body so that I cannot disobey you, and you speak so strangely to me? I have long since become incapable of living without Raidorl-sama.¡± Mertina touched her richly-fruited breasts with the palms of her hands, caressed her slender waist and then put her hands on her¡­¡­lower abdomen. ¡°My loyalty to the Kingdom of Zain has not wavered, but¡­¡­I have become so maddened as a woman that I would choose Raidorl-sama in the process of leading our kingdom to prosperity. I once betrayed him, Raidorl-sama¡­¡­and that is why I want to do everything in my power to regain his trust.¡± Mertina¡¯s face turned gentle, like that of a goddess of compassion, and she smiled at Neimilia and Celia. ¡°We have different positions, different titles and even different birthplaces, but our aim is the same. We will make Raidorl-sama king. And¡­¡­to receive favour and affection from the one who became king. To achieve this, let us fight together now.¡± ¡°Rivals in love! I am seeing a new joy!¡± ¡°¡­.. I don¡¯t want you to include me so easily without my approval as a matter of course! I told you I don¡¯t think anything of Onii-san!¡± Neimilia¡¯s eyes were burning with fire, and Celia¡¯s lips were pouting in protest. Then there was Mertina, who had given up on Granard and her father and was ready to make Raidorl king in earnest. The three women then ran around front and back in the absence of Raidorl in the royal city, doing everything in their power to fulfil their respective wishes. Thanks to their efforts, Raidorl had increased his fame and gained even more allies while he was away from Royal Capital. But¡­..they did not know. Their successes would later bring great misfortune to the Kingdom of Zain, as they hunted down King Granard. The hour of doom. The calamity of despair, after all, came to everyone equally. Volume 2 - CH 6 The Lion of the East Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned While Sven Arbeil struggled to deal with a young, familiar girl, there was also someone in Oburto, a town to the north of Wolfin ¨C who was also anguishing. ¡°¡­.. Wolfin¡¯s fallen, eh? Too soon.¡± The man holding his grey head and growling was Viscount Benjamin Oigist, the lord of this town. The middle-aged nobleman, over fifty years old, nervously scratched his hair, which was whiter than his age and lamented his unreasonableness. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Wolfert to be defeated so soon¡­¡­.Or, if it was unexpected to begin with, did it already begin with the victory of the Royal Army over the Imperial Army¡­¡­.¡± Rumours had already reached Viscount Oigist that Bobart Wolfert had been defeated and that the town of Wolfin had been overrun. Viscount Oigist was not as upset and weeping as Baron Elladine but he still had a bitter expression on his face. He thought he had escaped destruction by turning on the Empire and riding away on a winning horse but that horse was, unexpectedly, destined for the abyss. It was understandable to want to lament the unreasonableness of the situation. ¡®Was I wrong?¡¡Should I have fought the Empire instead of surrendering, like the Count of Arbeil and the Viscount of Ilkas?¡¯ It was a question he had asked himself time and time again. And each time, the answer was the same ¨C ¡ºneither will change our predicament¡». ¡®No¡­¡­Even if we had fought the Empire to the end, we would have only been attacked and destroyed by the overwhelming difference in strength. If that happens, it won¡¯t just be me and my family¡¯s lives. Even the fate of my vassals and my fiefdom would be in jeopardy.¡¯ Unlike Viscount Wolfert, Viscount Oigist never turned out of self-preservation or fear. He chose the latter after weighing the two against each other. He simply chose the latter after weighing the two in the balance. For the sake of his lands and his people, he chose to bear the stigma of ¡ºTreason¡» ¡­¡­As a result, the Empire was defeated and the Viscounts of Oigist were once again on the verge of ruin. Viscount Oigist desperately tried to think of a way to avert his ruin, but no answer came to him. ¡°My lord, why don¡¯t we ask the young master for his wisdom here?¡± It was a man who looked at his master painfully who made such a suggestion. He was the head soldier in the service of the Viscount Eugiste family. ¡°Perhaps the young master could come up with a clever plan to avoid this situation.¡± ¡°¡¯Yes, surely my son could¡­¡­¡± Viscount Oigist¡¯s face grew even more bitter at the soldier captain¡¯s suggestion. The suggestion was also one that he had considered many times. ¡°But¡­..I have done something that I cannot face Jus. Will my son forgive me?¡± The Viscount murmured in a voice shaken with anxiety. Viscount Oigist had separated himself from his legitimate son a few months earlier and had barely spoken to him since then. The Viscount¡¯s face was filled with guilt and he was hesitant to discuss the matter with his son. ¡°The young master is not the kind of person who carries on a grudge. Besides, I am sure he understands the hardships my lord has gone through. Rather, I think it would be more resentful of you not to consult him under the circumstances.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± The Viscount closed his eyes at the advice of the Chief Soldier. A dark silence descended on the Viscount¡¯s office. The Viscount remained silent and thoughtful, but¡­. eventually opened his mouth gravely. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m going to see Jus. Take me to him.¡± ¡°Ha! Yes, sir!¡± The Viscount¡¯s reply made the soldier chief straighten his back happily. Viscount Oigist stood up from his chair with a relieved look on his face, while smiling at his subjects, whose expressions were overtly cheerful. Viscount Oigist, accompanied by his chief soldier, visited a room at the back of the house. In front of the room were two soldiers with a door between them. When the soldiers saw the Viscount¡¯s face, they bowed to him. ¡°How is Jus?¡± ¡°The young master is spending his time as usual. He is eating three meals a day and there is nothing wrong with him!¡± The soldier straightened his back to answer his master¡¯s question. The viscount nodded his head and ordered the soldier to open the door. As soon as the soldier opened the door with the key lock, a rush of hot air came from inside the room. ¡°Humph, humph, hun, hun, hun, hun, hun, hun, hun!¡± There was one man in the room. A half naked man with short-cropped ochre-coloured hair, hanging from a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, repeatedly doing pull-ups. How long had he been doing this? The sweat pouring from the man¡¯s body is forming puddles on the floor, and the temperature in the room was much higher than in the corridor due to the heat emanating from the man¡¯s exhaled body. Viscount Oigist frowned at the heat on his face and called out to the man hanging from the ceiling. ¡°Jus! Get down from there!¡± The man¡¯s arms stopped as he heard the Viscount¡¯s call. He looked down at his father¡¯s head from the ceiling and spoke out. ¡°Oo, it¡¯s my father. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± With a flick, the man released his hand from his grip on the chandelier. A puddle of sweat splashed at his feet as he landed on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s been a month since I¡¯ve seen you. Since I¡¯ve been locked up, you haven¡¯t come to see me at all, so I was beginning to think I¡¯ve been cut off.¡± ¡°Uguhhh¡­!!¡± Viscount Oigist gulped. His son¡¯s words were plain and flat but to the Viscount, who had a guilty conscience, the blade felt as sharp as a knife. The man who was training with his upper body naked was named Justy Oigist. He was the son of Viscount Eugist, a legitimate son who would have taken over the Viscounty if something had happened to him. Justy had been under house arrest in a room in the mansion for a month and was forbidden to leave. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­¡­no, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t even have an excuse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t mean to be sarcastic. So¡­..what do you want today father?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Justy brushed his sweat-soaked hair and pulled his jacket over his half naked body. Viscount Oigist fell silent with a sullen look on his face without answering the question. ¡®Well, how to explain¡­¡­¡¯ The reason why Viscount Oigist had to confine his son to such a place was the invasion from the Empire of Arslanian. After the Empire¡¯s the Balmes fortress, the nobles who held territories on the eastern border were forced to make a decision against the invaders. That was¡­¡­ ¡ºSubmission¡» or ¡ºResistance¡». The decision taken by Viscount Oigist was ¡ºSubmission¡». He surrendered to the Empire without a fight and in exchange for the provision of food and other benefits, he sought the security of his lands. However, his son Justy was very much opposed to the Viscount¡¯s decision. Justy insisted on a thorough war and refused to concede that they should fight in cooperation with the Counts of Arbeil and the Viscounts of Ilkas. The discussions between father and son were parallel from beginning to end, and in the end Justy, who refused to budge from his position, was ordered to be house arrested and confined to a room in the Viscount¡¯s mansion. ¡®If we had¡­¡­fought back thoroughly at that time, as Justy said, the situation might be different now. No, that would be wrong too.¡¯ The Viscount shook his head and shook off his useless regrets. No matter how much regret he felt, he had made a decision. He had to take responsibility for it. ¡°Son, please listen to me. The Oigist¡¯s family is in danger of extinction.¡± In the end, the Viscount decided to tell the truth. The Imperial forces that had attacked Fort Blaine had been repulsed. Now the royal family had sent an army to the eastern border to purge traitors. The Royal Army had destroyed the Viscounts of Wolfert, and the blade of the purge had been extended to the Viscounts of Oigist. Without hiding anything, the Viscount passed on all the information he knew to his son. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Justy listened to his father¡¯s story while wiping the sweat from his forehead with a wet cloth and without interrupting him in the middle of it. Eventually, Justy opened his mouth just as the viscount¡¯s story was all over. ¡°So¡­¡­what does my father want from me?¡± Justy put a gown on his body as the sweat finally receded. He then picked up a pair of glasses that were on the table and put them on his face. Wearing his glasses in this way, Justy looked as intelligent as a civil servant. However, from the neck down, he was covered in muscles that could be described as a suit of flesh armour and his body was unbalanced, as if the top and bottom were two different people. ¡°If father values life, father should just run away. It would be better for you to take all your property and go into exile in the Empire. If the lives of father¡¯s subjects are important, father should surrender the lands to the Kingdom¡¯s army in a mature and meek manner. Even though it is now provisionally Imperial territory, it was originally part of the Kingdom. Father will not be wronged.¡± If the viscount chose to put the lives of his subject first, he should surrender maturely and seek the safety of his subjects. In fact, that was what he did when he was forced to surrender by the Empire. But in that case, Viscount Oigist and his family would face a purge of all of them. If those who had turned against the enemy were allowed to live, the royal family would be slighted. It was highly likely that they would be made an example of in order to prevent new traitors. ¡®I hope I am the only one whose head will be chopped off. I am the one who made the decision and I am obliged to take responsibility¡¯ However, the punishment for treason extended to the entire family. Not only the Viscount, but also his wife and children would be sent to the executioner¡¯s block. It was an unacceptable future for the viscount. ¡°¡­. What will happen to the people if we escape?¡± ¡°Although there is a truce, it is still wartime. Even the security of the territory is declining and if father were to flee, the territory would become even more desolate. Soldiers and mercenary soldiers who have lost their employers will be at their wits¡¯ end and turn into brigands, while the disorganised people are bound to fight over money and food. Even good townspeople may break into merchant houses and loot them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± If the Viscount cared about his people, he could not run away. He should be responsible for the town until he surrendered it to the Royal Army. The people or his families. Torn between two important things, Viscount Oigist could not make a decision and kept his eyes down. ¡°Mwuh¡­..Apparently, I teased you a little too much? Father, please forgive me.¡± The sight of his depressed father brought pity in Justy¡¯s eyes. Although Viscount Oigist and Justy had fallen out over differences of opinion, they were still father and son. For Justy, the Viscount remained a loving father. And even Justy did not believe that the Viscount¡¯s decision to bow the knee to the Empire was completely wrong. He recognised his father¡¯s righteousness, which was why he was mature enough to accept his captivity as a prisoner of war. Therefore, Justy decided to come up with a plan to get rid of his father¡¯s problems. ¡°Father¡­..I have an alternative proposal for you.¡± ¡°An alternative ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Father will escape from the kingdom with mother and my other siblings and go into exile in the empire. I will remain in Viscount Oigist¡¯s lands to protect the city until the Royal Army arrives here.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­that¡¯s foolish! That would make you a sacrifice!¡± The Viscount shouted, his eyes peeling back. He could not allow his son to play the role of a sacrifice. ¡°If you stay in town, I will stay! It is, you who must flee to the Empire!¡± ¡°That would make my brothers grieve. A child needs a father, don¡¯t you think?¡± To his father who was approaching him, Justy made a firm decision. ¡°The Royal Army will never forgive you for turning against the Empire. But if I am the one who opposed the turnover and was even imprisoned, then the Royal Army may grant me a pardon.¡± ¡°That¡­¡­ may be so.¡± ¡°Many soldiers know that I have been at loggerheads with my father. It seems that there is a rumour in the town, and if the story reaches those in charge of the Royal Army, there is a good chance they will let me go.¡± Learn more Pause Unmute ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± It was wishful thinking but when the Viscount saw the clear determination in his son¡¯s eyes, he could say no more. Viscount Oigist bit his lip in sorrow and shook his fist, overcome by his own helplessness. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. It doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to die. Justy quickly pushed up the bridge of his spectacles. ¡°If we were dealing with His Majesty Granard, we wouldn¡¯t escape being sent to the executioner¡¯s block, but with His Highness Raidorl, there would be room for negotiation. Besides¡­¡­I am very interested in the hero of salvation chosen by the Holy Sword. Let this Justy Oigist judge the calibre of His Royal Highness!¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The night-crawling incident by Shirley led to Baron Elladine¡¯s surrender to Raidorl. Elladine, who had given up his lordship and was no longer a nobleman, had left his former estate to his deputies and moved to Wolfin, where Raidorl was located. Despite his failure to stop his daughter¡¯s outburst, Elladine has had no hostility towards Raidorl from the outset. He was only thinking of his own self-preservation. He did not even try to actively resist by using force like Viscount Wolfert, so it was decided that he would not be punished in any particular way. After being taken into custody as prisoners of war, they were sent to work under Raidorl. ¡°Elladine-tono, these are the documents ¡­¡­¡± ¡°You should have the person in charge sign it in and then turn it over to finance.¡± ¡°Elladine-san, we are running out of food stock for our soldiers¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I have already placed an order with the Molten Trading Company for the shortages of the soldier¡¯s provisions. The delivery will be made in three days¡¯ time, so please instruct them to clear out the warehouse.¡± In the political office built in the former residence of Viscount Wolfert, Baron Elladine gave instructions to his subordinates, who were quickly putting away their desk work. Working there were Elladine and the new civil servants. The civil servants recruited in response to job offers were the second and third sons of merchant families, those who were educated in arithmetic and other subjects but unable to take over the family. Although Elladine originally took over the barony after the sudden death of his brother, he had hoped to eventually leave the nobility and set up as a merchant. Elladine and the civil servant from a merchant family seemed to be in tune with each other and they worked with a lively spirit. ¡°The Baron¡­¡­no, Elladine is quite a hard worker. He seems to have no complaints about being deprived of his aristocratic status.¡± While watching Elladine from afar, who was working hard and giving instructions to his subordinates, Raidorl mumbled absentmindedly on the sofa in the corner of the political office. Once a daily desk-bound man, Raidorl had been sidelined since Eladin began to take care of the bulk of his work. He simply checked and signed documents that had already been processed and was asked to give instructions on important matters. She could now afford to relax on the sofa and have a cup of tea in between jobs. ¡°My father never regarded his position as a nobleman as anything but a burden. Working as a civil servant seems to suit him better.¡± Shirley replied as she sat down on the sofa opposite him and brought a cup of tea to her lips with an elegant gesture. She was a young girl about the height of Raidorl¡¯s waist, but today she wore a provocative, emotional dress with slits in the legs. Occasionally, she would cross her legs as if to show them off, glancing in Raidorl¡¯s direction. She probably intended to seduce him, but¡­¡­Raidorl had no taste for lusting after young girls, so he ignored her and sipped his tea. ¡°When he was in the service of the kingdom, he was terrified that the Empire would attack at any moment, and after he turned on the Empire, he was terrified that the Empire would send assassins to the kingdom at any moment¡­¡­.I guess he is finally free of the fear and responsibility of being a lord now that he is no longer a nobleman. Perhaps now, my father is at the peak of his life.¡± ¡°¡­..So not everyone wants status and power? Apparently, for Elladine, an undeserved position was a hassle for him.¡± When Raidorl first arrived in the town, Elladine looked frightened and blue-lipped but since he started working as a civil servant, he looked as if he had come to life and was doing his job with a radiant face. Apparently, the position of a civil servant was a vocation for Elladine and his ideal self. ¡°At any rate, it¡¯s very helpful that the shortage of civilian officers has been remedied. Now I can concentrate on my work as a military officer.¡± Sven, sitting next to Shirley, nodded his head. ¡°Ara, I don¡¯t know if Sven can be a military strategist.¡± ¡°Well, at least I¡¯ll be better than Shirley and your honey trap.¡± ¡°Muu¡­¡­making fun of me!¡± Shirley was preppily angry and Sven was puffing his chest out with a good-humoured laugh. It was a smiling, cheeky scene, as if they were real siblings. Raidorl also nibbled on a piece of tea cake, his cheeks loosening up. ¡°If we¡¯ve got the civilian officers then¡­..Now we need the military officers. I want people who can command a lot of people on the battlefield, not just Darren and Leifet.¡± ¡°We have appointed ten of the newcomers as captains, but it¡¯s hard to find people who can lead a hundred or a thousand soldiers.¡± Sven put his hand over his mouth and groaned, [Hmmm]. It was more difficult to train good military officers than civilian officers. This was because, no matter how much time they spent at their desks poring over instruction manuals, they were useless unless they had actual combat experience. ¡°A freelancer who has commanded a hundred or a thousand soldiers and is not in anyone¡¯s service ¨C there are not many people in the kingdom who could be that convenient.¡± ¡°Someone who has a lot of experience in actual warfare, who is smart and also skilled. There is one such person ¡­.. exist to meet such criteria¡­¡­¡± ¡°What, you have an idea?¡± ¡°Yes. Like me, he¡¯s a nobleman from the East, but he¡¯s ¡­..a bit difficult.¡± Sven slurred his words and wrinkled his brows. Raidorl wondered who Sven wanted to talk about and when he tried to mention him. But before he could, the door to his office opened and Darren entered. ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness. His Highness Raidorl!¡± ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­A message from Viscount Oigist. He wishes to see Your Highness Raidorl.¡± ¡°Oigist¡­¡­ was one of the nobles who turned.¡± Raidorl confirmed and Darren nodded, looking somewhat nervous. ¡°UuWa¡­..!¡± The other side of the desk, on the opposite sofa, Sven slid off the sofa for some reason, his face scrunched up. ¡°I checked his background¡­and it seems to be a very disturbing story¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Darren handed him a letter in a sealed envelope. Raidorl toook it casually and immediately frowned. ¡°¡ºLetter Of Challenge¡»¡­..?¡± It was written in large letters on the front of the envelope. On the reverse side was the name of the letter¡¯s sender. ¡°Sent by¡­¡­¡­..Justy Oigist?¡± ¡°Aaa¡­..!¡± Sven covered his face with his right hand and made a mournful sound. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of person he is. He has a clear head and a clear brain, but in the end he can only come to conclusions with his muscles. A brainiac with big muscles¡­¡­!¡± ¡°By any chance, the person you were talking about earlier was ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right, Your Highness ¡­¡­!¡± Sven exhaled a tired sigh, with a face that seemed to carry the world¡¯s impermanence all over it. ¡°The strongest warrior in the eastern part of the kingdom, alongside Ilkas¡¯s ¡ºSlaughter Princess¡» ¨C Justy Oigist, the ¡ºLion of the East¡». He is a muscle-glass who loves spear-fighting and the battlefield.¡± ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Justy Oigist. Eldest son and heir to the Viscount Oigist family. He was twenty-five years old. He was both a nobleman and a warrior. He had taken credit for a number of border skirmishes with the Empire and had also defeated countless bandits and brigands who had ravaged his territory. His spear-wielding was truly heroic. He was even called the ¡ºLion of the East¡» for his overwhelming strength. ¡°¡ºNot only is he strong but Justy is also very smart. He is also very good at governing and is well-liked by his people. Oh, and I heard that he is good at magic with the earth attribute.¡»¡± That was Sven Arbeil¡¯s assessment. Sven praised Justy to that extent and his expression turned bitter, [But¡­¡­.] ¡°¡ºHe¡¯s smart but when it comes down to the crunch, he can only think with his muscles. You could say he¡¯s a beast walking around in a suit and glasses but at the critical moment he has the bad habit of peeling off his skin and trying to solve the problem by brute force.¡»¡± ¡°The result of that bad habit is ¡ºLetter Of Challenge¡»¡­?¡± ¡°I would like to thank you for coming all the way here. Your Royal Highness Raidorl!¡± The date and time of the duel, which was reported in advance. Justy Oigist himself welcomed Raydorl when he visited Oburto, the town ruled by the Viscounts of Oigist. On his visit to the town, Raidorl had brought only a small escort with him. When the letter was first delivered, he suspected it was a trap but Sven, who was acquainted with Justy, assured him that it was impossible for him to play tricks, so he left the army he was organising in Wolfin. Upon visiting the Viscount Oigist¡¯s residence, Raidorl was led into the courtyard by a man who appeared to be a butler. There, Justy was waiting for him, fully armed and armoured. Raidorl squinted at the well-prepared Justy and opened his mouth. ¡°Well¡­¡­ in the Letter Of Challenge it was written something like ¡ºIf you win in single combat against me, I will surrender and give up my territory¡», but is the letter a part of your trick? Does the head of the family, Viscount Oigist, agree with this?¡± ¡°Of course. I will never do any tricks due to my pride as a warrior. My father knows this¡­¡­ but it doesn¡¯t matter because he has given me the title.¡± Justy pushed up the bridge of his glasses and assured him. He was a man with a scholarly, intelligent face from the neck up, but with a large body and thick limbs extending from his armour, it was quite a mismatch. ¡°Before we fight, I wanna ask you something¡­.What is your purpose by going out of your way to challenge me to a duel?¡± ¡°It was the Viscounts of Oigist who turned on the Empire and did the wrong thing by throwing sand in the face of the royal family to which they are so indebted. We cannot then needlessly fight a war and harm our soldiers and our people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wasn¡¯t there an option to surrender unconditionally?¡¡If you surrender your lands to us in good faith, we may grant you some amnesty.¡± ¡°That is not possible! No matter who the opponent is, it is a disgrace for a warrior to surrender without a fight!¡± Justy hit the ground with the slab of the spear held in his right hand. The spear was a type of weapon called a ¡ºHalberd¡» whose tip was shaped like a battle axe. ¡°When the Viscounts of Oigist turn their backs on their loyalty to the crown, I am left with nothing but the pride of a warrior! I cannot accept defeat without a fight!¡¡I am sorry to ask Your Highness to accompany me, but ¡­¡­I beg you to make a move here!¡± ¡°The pride of a warrior, eh? It¡¯s extremely annoying to be asked to fight, but¡­¡­I¡¯m not averse to a fight.¡± It would be easy to refuse Justy¡¯s offer here. Of course, if the army led by Raidorl and the army of the Oigist were to fight, Raidorl¡¯s army would win by sheer numbers. Even if he didn¡¯t bother to fight a duel or a one-on-one battle, they could settle the matter on the battlefield. ¡®Still¡­..if you can win without fighting and without shedding unnecessary blood, that is always better. This is the duty of royalty. It¡¯s the pride of a ruler.¡¯ And above all, it would tarnish Justy¡¯s resolve if Raidorl pulled out at this point. Raidorl didn¡¯t consider himself an honourable man but he was still a man who put himself in the world of battle. He did not intend to do anything that would make the pride of the warriors a footnote to his own. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll be your opponent! I¡¯ll take your pride and face it!¡± Raidorl drew his sword and faced Justy a few metres away. ¡°I thank you¡­..Muu?¡± Justy pointed the tip of his spear at Raidorl but his eyebrows furrowed at the dull silver sword in the¡­.. enemy¡¯s hand. ¡°Your Royal Highness, what have you done with D¨¢insleif?¡± It was not the jet-black holy sword in Raidorl¡¯s hand. It was the same mass-produced sword that was used by soldiers and supplied by the army. ¡°I have to fight on the same terms, otherwise it won¡¯t be an equal fight. I will not use the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°Are you underestimating me, Your Highness¡­¡­?¡¡Confidence and conceit are two different things.¡± ¡°See for yourself whether I am conceited or not. If you think I am a weapon-dependent mook who can do nothing without the Holy Sword, then you are a fool.¡± ¡°Is that so? I would have liked to battle with the legendary Holy Sword, but if¡­¡­that is the pride of Your Highness, then I have no choice.¡± Justy showed slight frustration on his face but he held his halberd up without further ado. Raidorl also lowered his stance and put strength into his legs so that he could jump out at any time. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl held his sword. Justy held up his spear and glared at each other silently. The soldiers who had accompanied him and the servants of the Oigist family who were peeping into the garden from the house watched them with bated breath. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± How long did the silence that froze the air last? At the peak of the tension, when both fighters forgot to breathe, a wild bird perched on a garden tree chirped and flew into the sky, as if it could no longer stand to be in that space. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°I will not lose!¡± The sound of its wings was a signal. The two simultaneously exhaled their breath and kicked the ground at each other. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Mun!¡± A high-pitched sound was heard as the two metal objects collided. Justy caught the sword that Raidorl swung down with the hilt of his spear. Raidor¡¯s attack was launched was strong, heavy and sharp. However¡­¡­Justy¡¯s thick muscles rose up and forcefully received the brunt of the attack. ¡°Mwunghh¡­¡­what a heavy blow this is!¡± ¡°You can catch this!? You¡¯re a charmer!¡± ¡°This won¡¯t be enough to beat¡­¡­me!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Justy swung his halberd wide, surprising Raidorl and pushing him backwards. Raidorl kicked the ground twice or thrice as he flew backwards, killing his momentum and finally stopped when he was brought back to the position where he had first stood. ¡°What a ridiculous strength¡­.so your big figure isn¡¯t just a decoration!¡± ¡°My halberd is just beginning to enchant you!¡¡Your Highness Raidorl!¡± This time, Justy kicked the ground and approached Raidorl. He spun his spear in a great circle and with a centrifugal force, he fired a sideways cleaving blow. The halberd was coming at him as if it was going to cut his neck but Raidorl ducked and dodged by keeping his posture low and then slid into Justy¡¯s bosom. ¡°Eat this!!¡± Raidorl delivered a counter slash from below. A scooping slash was fired at Justy¡¯s neck, as if a swallow were rising from the ground to the sky. ¡°Quite¡­¡­brilliant!¡± The sword was expected to cut off his neck but Justy caught the slash with his small metal hand. He gripped the sword and tried to catch it, but Raidorl kicked his armour-clad torso and flew backwards before he could do so. ¡°Gghh¡­..¡± ¡°Better put up your guard¡­..you can¡¯t be too careful!!¡± The impact of the kick caused Justy to take a few steps backwards. After narrowly escaping, Raidorl carefully observed the movement of Justy, who was slightly out of position, without daring to attack him. Justy, too, did not take his eyes off Raidorl but alertly regained his position. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl and Justy again took their distance and stared straight at each other. Only a minute or so after the duel began. The two men were again facing each other in the form of a partition. In a series of attacks and defences, both sides unleashed slashes, all of which were special skills. If taken seriously, they were powerful enough to cut off the head or limbs. Neither Raidorl nor Justy seemed to be holding back. There was no hatred. Nor was there any personal misfortune or rootedness. Nevertheless, the two warriors clashed their weapons head-on as if to gauge each other¡¯s strength. It was not certain which of them would die at any moment. The people around them who were watching the duel were mesmerised by such a battle, forgetting to catch their breath. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had the pleasure, Your Highness Raidorl! You are indeed chosen to be the Holy Sword over your older brother, the King!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t chosen because I liked it¡­..but now it¡¯s the same either way!¡± Shrugging his shoulders in response to Justy¡¯s praise, Raidorl put his right hand into action. ¡°I¡¯m having fun too, I won¡¯t deny that. So¡­..I¡¯m going to get a bit serious!¡± ¡°Mh¡­¡­!?¡± Black miasma overflowed from Raidorl¡¯s hand. The miasma covered the sword like water sinking in, painting the blade jet black. ¡°Spell Sword Fighting¡¾Scorpion Thrust¡¿¡± Raidorl flipped his right hand and released a thrust. The distance was too wide for the thrust to hit but the black miasma released from the tip of the sword extended like a whip and struck Justy. What was released was the blade of curse. It was a martial art that Raidorl had created in his own style to deal with monsters on the frontier. ¡°A magic sword with the power of a curse¡­¡­can be used even without a holy sword!?¡± Justy, on the other hand, pushed up the bridge of his spectacles with his fingertips while slamming the spear¡¯s pith into the ground with his right hand. ¡°Protect me ¨C ¡¾Stonewall¡¿¡± Instantly, a wall of stone appeared, jutting out of the ground in front of Justy. The stabbing thrusts of the miasma released by Raidorl hit the stone wall and scraped it ¨C eventually disappearing as countless black grains. The stone wall collapsed with a rattle and an unscathed Justy emerged from behind it. ¡°Ho¡­¡­this is a surprise. By the way, Sven also told me. That you specialise in earth magic.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t often get the chance to use it in real combat¡­.. or should I say that I don¡¯t get to meet enemies strong enough to use it?¡± ¡°Ha! Then come to the remote jungle once!¡¡You¡¯ll fight demons so strong you won¡¯t have time to play your trump card!¡± ¡°Houu, that¡¯s tempting¡­¡­ but¡­¡± Justy gripped the hilt of his spear with both hands and swung it broadly upwards. This time, he slammed the side of the spearhead into the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll have to take you down first ¨C ¡¾Stone Rush¡¿!¡± ¡°Uo?!!¡± The ground where the spear was struck cracked and the debris fell on Raidorl in countless stone shards. Apparently, it was the same on Justy¡¯s side, who was using a long-range attack magic sword. Raidorl kicked the ground and flew sideways to dodge the flying debris projectiles. Each of the stone bullets Justy fired was only the size of the tip of his little finger. But if Raidorl were to be hit head-on by a countless number of them, he would be covered in holes all over his body. ¡°Ow¡­..! Now, you¡¯re being serious¡­¡­!¡± Having narrowly avoided the flying debris, Raidorl rolled on the ground and roared, biting his back teeth. One bullet, which he did not completely avoid, lodged in his shoulder, making him bleeding slightly. ¡°So you¡¯re a magic warrior with a combination of offence and defence. Quite a nuisance, isn¡¯t it?¡± Justy Oigist was a wizard specialising in ¡ºearth¡» ¨C that was , the earth attribute. Of the six basic magical attributes ¨C earth, water, fire, wind, light and darkness ¨C the earth attribute was considered to be a well-balanced attribute that exceled in both attack and defence. The magic of the earth attribute, which manipulated stone and earth, was superior to that of other attributes in terms of mass and its attacks and defences, backed by its enormous weight, could not be easily broken. Raidorl was also a warrior who used magic, but his battle style was very different as they were biassed towards special attacks called ¡ºcurses¡». ¡°It is an honour to be praised by Your Highness, the holder of the Holy Sword. But you will not surrender, will you?¡± ¡°Of course not! I will smash you!¡± Raidorl readied his sword and put his magical power into it. Justy also readied his spear and poured magic power into it. ¡°Spell sword fighting ¡¾Jormungandr, the apocalyptic serpent¡¿!¡± ¡°¡¾Stone Rush, Ultimate¡¿!¡± Their attacks were unleashed simultaneously. A jet-black storm storm like a serpent shot out from Raidorl¡¯s sword. It was the cursed wind that had once engulfed hundreds of Imperial soldiers in Fortress Blaine. The jet-black serpent that was unleashed was much smaller than the one unleashed at Fortress Blaine because he did not have the Holy Sword in his hands. Even so, it was a giant that could easily devour Justy alone. In contrast, Justy slammed his spear into the ground and sent stone debris flying again. What was different was the size of the projectiles. The spear, which was filled with all the magic power in its body, shot out bullets the size of a fist. Dozens to hundreds of bullets that would shatter bones if hit by a single blow pierced the approaching black serpent. ¡°Kuu¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Muu!?¡± Pierced by countless rock bullets, the black serpent burst wide. The shattered serpent changed direction and transformed into an updraft, ascending to the heavens while scattering miasma around it. ¡° ¡¾Stonewall¡¿¡­¡­!!!¡± Justy built a stone wall and clung to it, hiding from the black storm. He ran his eyes from behind the wall to see what had happened but the black storm prevented him from seeing it. He thrust his spear into the ground and concentrated on enduring the impact. ¡°Muuuuh¡­¡­this power without the D¨¢insleif in his hand¡­..!¡¡Indeed, he is the hero chosen by the Holy Sword! No wonder he defeated the empire¡­¡­!¡± Justy bit his back teeth and endured for more than ten seconds. Eventually, the storm stopped. Justy came out from behind the stone wall and exhaled deeply. ¡°You do reckless things when there are people around. You think it¡¯s someone else¡¯s mansion and you can do what you want¡­¡­.mmm?¡± Justy looked around and wrinkled his brow. The damage seemed to be less than expected, although it was in the garden of the Viscount Oigist¡¯s mansion. Some plants had fallen over but there were no signs of damage to the buildings. As for the human casualties ¨C although some of the dueling spectators were on their backs on the ground or cowering and shaking, no one had suffered serious injuries. The slash that Raidorl unleashed was a cursed wind but no one was found to have been seriously damaged by the¡­..curse. ¡°Did you weaken the curse and allocate your strength into creating a giant wind? No, wait¡­..!¡± That was not the issue. There was another issue to be concerned about than the size of the damage. ¡°Where did His Highness go¡­¡­..!?¡± Justy looked sharply around but Raidorl was nowhere to be seen. He looked carefully to see if he was hiding behind a fallen tree but there was no sign of him lurking anywhere. ¡°Gone¡­¡­where on earth ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Where are you looking? I¡¯m right here!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!?¡± An ominous melodic rhythm made Justy¡¯s eardrums shiver. A chill ran down his spine and he looked up to the skies. Justy looked up to see the figure of Raidorl soaring high above him. ¡°Earth-based magic is one of offence and defence. But ¡­¡­you can¡¯t build a wall of stone up to your head, can you?¡± Spreading black miasma like wings, Raidorl stood in the heavens looking down at Justy. The kneaded magic gathered in his right hand, turning the sword jet black. More than enough magical power was concealed there to send a shiver down Justy¡¯s spine. ¡°Muuuuh¡­¡­no wonder that storm just now was ¡­¡­!¡± The magic clash earlier. It was a storm of curses unleashed by Raidorl but its purpose was not to defeat Justy. Its true intention was to roll up the updrafts and Raidorl was soaring high into the sky, jumping on the winds that were being whipped up into the sky. Justy hurriedly readied his spear to prepare for an attack from above but before he could do so, Raidorl thrust the tip of his sword at Justy. ¡°¡¾Scorpion Thrust¡¿!!¡± ¡°Ghu¡­!!¡± A jet-black stab fell like a bolt of lightning and pierced Justy¡¯s shoulder. The huge, armour-covered body slowly tilted under the blow, which, unlike the storm earlier, was filled with plenty of curses. The spectacles he was wearing fell off. The curse gave him severe numbness and chills and Justy fell to the ground and lost consciousness. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Muu¡­ what is this place¡­¡± Grunting and groaning, Justy Oigist slowly opened his eyelids. His body was heavy and he could not move as he wished. It was as if a steel ball was strapped to his limbs. Justy was apparently lying on a bed. His upper body was naked and a bandage was wrapped around his shoulder. When he touched it with his hand, he felt a sharp pain. ¡°So ¡­¡­ I was defeated in a duel by His Highness ¡­..¡± ¡°You seem to have woken up, Justy-san.¡± ¡°Muuu¡­¡­?¡± A voice called from the side made Justy move his gaze and he saw a small boy sitting on a chair next to the bed. The lack of glasses makes it impossible to see him clearly. As he was groping with his hand around the pillow sleeper, he felt the glasses pressed against his face. He looked at the other person through the lenses. He recognised the face of the boy sitting with his arms and legs crossed, with an expression that said he was in a bad mood. He was Sven Arbeil, a nobleman from the same eastern border as Justy. ¡°Are you¡­¡­Sven? I heard that the Earl of Arbeil¡¯s family was destroyed¡­¡­but I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re alive and well.¡± ¡°Yes, unlike you. It seems that the curse you received from His Highness hasn¡¯t completely worn off, so you shouldn¡¯t move too much. And¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Nguuh.¡± ¡°You need to rehydrate a little. I¡¯ll give you a drink.¡± Sven shoved the jug into Justy¡¯s mouth with a contemptuous look of disdain. Justy hit the bed in agony as the water was forcefully poured into his mouth. Normally he would have been able to push it away by force but he could not even shake off Sven¡¯s slender arms, as he was nearly full of wounds due to the curse. Eventually, when the jug was half empty and the bed sheets were soaked with water that could not fit in the mouth, Sven finally released Justy. ¡°Guh¡­Haaa¡­Haaa..it¡¯s painfull!¡± ¡°Suffering is a sign of life, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m glad to see we¡¯re both surviving.¡± ¡°Mou¡­¡­ right, we are alive. Miraculously, too¡­¡­¡± Justy was the loser of the duel. He was in no position to complain if he were to lose his life during the duel. Sven was also a loser in the war with the empire, a life that could have been killed along with his father and brother if he had been unlucky. Both were in a strange state of mind to be alive here, and it was difficult for them to even see each other like this. Justy closed his eyes and remained silent but¡­¡­ eventually opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you alive¡­¡­and I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be there for the Count of Arbeile¡¯s crisis.¡± ¡°It is not your concern. Justy-san, as I have heard that you were opposed to the former Viscount Oigist¡¯s decision of turning to the Empire.¡± ¡°Still, it makes no difference that Oigist has committed treachery. If you want your revenge, you can go ahead and take my head, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯ve already avenged my family. I¡¯m full.¡± Sven held out his hands in a frightening manner. The Viscount Wolfert, who sold out the Arbeil family, did not seem to feel apologetic at all, so why should he have Justy apologise , when he had nothing to do with it? ¡°Now to the point¡­¡­it¡¯s about time I ask you. Why did you challenge His Highness Raidorl to a duel? You said something about warrior pride but if you wanted to show your pride, there are other ways, aren¡¯t there?¡± Sven asked what was on his mind. ¡°Of course not¡­..you just really want to fight the Holy Sword Holder, don¡¯t you?¡¡You short-tempered muscle glasses.¡± ¡°¡­.Sven, isn¡¯t that a bit harsh, no matter how much you want to say it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you deserved it.¡± Sighing at Sven, who stared at him, Justy averted his gaze. ¡°Of course, as a warrior, I wanted to fight the hero, His Highness Raidorl. But I did it because I thought it was necessary for the survival of the Viscount Oigist family.¡± Justy spoke out slowly. He lay down on the bed again and relaxed his body, which was still under the curse. ¡°When I heard rumours that His Highness Raidorl had hired you, I immediately realized. His Highness is trying to create his own faction and is looking for competent people.¡± No matter how intelligent and resourceful he was, Sven was a twelve-year-old boy. It would have been impossible for him to be taken in as a vassal or military strategist. The fact that he went to the trouble of bringing Sven under the curtain, suggested that Raidorl was a man who valued competence and was greedily seeking for talent. ¡°¡­.So you were trying to show your power by fighting him in a duel? You didn¡¯t have any other means?¡± ¡°I could have done something else.. But ¡­¡­ I am only a warrior after all. I can only open up the future with my spear. There is no other way to live.¡± ¡°I hate¡­..you because you¡¯re smart, but you¡¯re stupid at the same time. You could have died, you know?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to be the rust of a hero¡¯s sword than to live on as a renegade traitor? And ¨C if by any chance His Highness Raidorl can be defeated by me, I have no intention of serving him. And moreover, I have no intention of giving His Highness a hand and cooperating with his treason against His Majesty the King.¡± ¡°¡­. So you had noticed. That His Highness Raidorl is plotting treason against King Granard.¡± Although he had never heard Raidorl speak it outright¡­..Sven had noticed the chasm between the king and his royal brother. In the first place, the king¡¯s younger brother, exiled to the frontier, had returned in strength. It would be strange if he did not harbour rebellious intent or even hatred. ¡°Of course. A man who was once driven out of the royal palace is now trying to create his own army and faction. He can think of no other purpose than to rebel.¡± Saying it like it was nothing, Justy huffed. ¡°¡­..This is a life I once gave up anyway. I too shall accompany His Highness Raidorl in his ambitions. Provided, of course, His Highness is willing to accept my assistance.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. His Highness Raidorl is a generous person. He even overlooks the children who tried to trick him with tricks.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡­ what are you talking about?¡± ¡°That story¡­you should ask His Highness, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m your senior, so I¡¯ll treat you like a cart horse.¡± Sven laughed a petulant [Fufu] and looked down at the older, young man lying on the bed. Thus, the Viscounty of Oigist also came under the control of the Raidorl army. Only three traitors of the ¡ºEight Eastern Families¡»remained. The battle for the purge of the eastern border region was now reaching its final stages. Volume 2 - CH 7 The end of betrayal Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned Several months had passed since Raidorl began his expeditions into the eastern border regions. In the meantime ¨C Sven Arbeil, the orphaned son of the Countess of Arbeil, swore allegiance to him as a military strategist and the Viscounty of Wolfert were subdued through Sven¡¯s machinations. Furthermore, after a series of twists and turns, Barons Elladine and Viscount Oigist surrendered their lands to Raidorl. Shirley Eladin and Justy Oigist, two strong characters, came down under the umbrella. This brought the majority of the nobility, known as the Eight Eastern Families, under control, with the exception of the Ilkas Viscounty, who had already been destroyed in the war with the Empire. ¡°We will now begin our expedition!¡¡The Eight Families of the East ¨C to conquer the remaining conspiring rebels!¡± And with the reorganisation completed, the Royal Army ¨C the Army of Raidorl- turned its course northwards. The next target was the territory of Count Calcifer. It was the territory of one of the traitorous nobles who turned against the Empire, a great noble family with strong power alongside the Arbeil County in the eastern border region. The Raidorl¡¯s army, which once had only 1,000 men, had swelled to 5,000 by recruiting soldiers in the towns it had conquered. It should not have been easy to manage a fivefold increase in soldiers but the problem was solved by the fact that through a series of battles he had gained many capable military and civilian officers. As commander, Darren Garst who had previously led the cavalry as chief of the Thousand Horsemen was appointed general. As for the second-in-command, he was flanked by the female knight Saara Leifet and Justy Oigist, whom he had subjugated through duels. In addition, the strategist Sven Arbeil, who had taken over as a bodyguard, was appointed as the new captain of the thousand. Darren, the general, led two thousand men, and the three remaining men, each with a thousand men, followed behind Raidorl, who, as general-in-chief, was riding at the front of the pack, heading for Count Calcifer¡¯s territory. ¡°The decisive battle, at last. We will soon arrive at Count Calcifer¡¯s territory, Your Highness Raidorl.¡± Alongside Raidorl was Sven, who had become a military strategist. The boy who was once betrayed by his relative, Viscount Wolfert and whose territory was destroyed by the Empire, now rode his horse proudly. ¡°The County of Calcifer is the largest force in the Eight Eastern Families. If they had not switched to the Imperial side in the last battle, the situation would have changed. We must be prepared that they will not be an easy opponent to defeat.¡± ¡°Yes, we must brace ourselves.¡± The Calcifer family is the most powerful family in the East. They were the largest nobility in the eastern border region. If they had not surrendered to the Empire and resisted, the Imperial Army would not have been able to easily reach the blockade at fortress Blaine. In addition, the County of Calcifer had the Kyrgyz Barony and the Kubertos Viscounty under their control. The total strength of the three noble families exceeded 10,000 troops. According to a report from a scout sent out on a reconnaissance mission, the enemy¡¯s soldiers had already assembled in the town of Kartolis and were ready to intercept them. ¡°This is practically the first battle for our army. Everyone seems to be in high spirits.¡± ¡°The army hasn¡¯t been in action in previous battles. The time for action has finally arrived¡­¡­I¡¯m sure they have been looking forward to it.¡± The enemy¡¯s forces were twice the size of their own. If one followed the fundamentals of the Art of War, it would be a good idea to retreat without fighting. However, Raidorl did not believe for a moment that they would be defeated. They had experience of defeating three times the number of Imperial troops at the Battle of Fort Blaine. Above all, he was convinced that defeat was impossible for this army that he had painstakingly built. ¡°The Count Calcifer¡¯s family is certainly powerful. Even if my own family were still alive and well, they are not an opponent that can be defeated in a proper fight. But right now their morale is so low that they are not in a position to fully display their strength.¡± Sven spoke of this as he rocked his horse. The Calcifer County were traitors who betrayed the Zain royal family and turned to the Arslanian Empire. It might have been a rational decision made by the nobility to survive and preserve their territory. However¡­¡­a few of the soldiers who valued loyalty felt dissatisfied and distrustful towards their disloyal lord. ¡°More than that, over here we have the Holy Sword holder, who defeated the empire. It¡¯s the enemy forces who are probably the ones who are on tenterhooks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time leading an army, too. It¡¯s better if the enemy is weak. There¡¯s no point in me defeating the enemy on my own.¡± ¡°True. No matter how many soldiers are here, most of them have never gone to a battlefield. As for now, they are no different from that of a scarecrow.. I would like them to gain as much real-world experience as possible in this battle.¡± Sven nodded his head in agreement. No matter how much power the Holy Sword had, if they kept relying on its power, they would not be able to grow their army. It would become a group of crows that couldn¡¯t be relied upon in times of crisis. It was necessary to give them real war experience here, in order to complete the army they had worked so hard to build. ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness. I will not trouble Your Highness in this battle.¡± ¡°Of course! We are enough for the treacherous aristocracy who cowardly betrayed the Kingdom!¡± Apparently having heard the conversation between Raidorl and Sven, Darren and Justy rode up on their horses and assured him emphatically. Darren Garst, a nobleman with a brilliant face. Justy Oigist, who had a scholarly, intelligent face and a lot of muscle. Although their faces and personalities were very different, they seemed to get on well together as military men and were completely at ease with each other. Last night, too, they were up late at night strategizing about the invasion of Count Calcifer¡¯s lands and their heated discussions echoed down the corridor. ¡°In the spectacular first battle of the new Raidorl army, we will surely display our victory in the name of Garst!¡± ¡°Likewise. To clear the name of Oigist, who once betrayed the kingdom, let us defeat the County of Calcifer and see what happens!¡± ¡°How reliable. Best wishes to both of you!!¡± To the loyalty of the two warriors, Raidorl replied with a smile. These two men would never fail Raidorl. He didn¡¯t know how powerful Count Calcifer was , but he was sure that he¡¯d be able to knock him down with a single touch of his armour. ¡®Let¡¯s have a decisive battle. I was banished to the frontier all alone, but¡­¡­now I¡¯ve got vassals. I¡¯ve got an army. I¡¯ve got power! There¡¯s no stopping me now!¡¯ Raidorl was sure that Granard would be disappointed to hear of his victory. Thinking of his brother¡¯s face as he stomped on the ground, Raidorl let out a wry smile. He gripped the reins of his horse with a renewed determination that he would win this battle. But -¡­ ¡°Your Highness Raidorl! I have urgent news!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± As if to mock and ridicule the determination from Raidorl, someone called out to him, waving his hand in a flapping motion. The person standing in the direction in which his army was heading was a secret spy formerly 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 the road and was waiting for him. ¡°Fire-eating Bird¡­¡­? What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, excuse me for a moment.¡± The Fire-eating Bird rode alongside Raidorl on horseback. The man, smoking a cigarette in his mouth as usual, began to report to Raidorl in a hushed voice. ¡°I¡¯ve come to report a bit of a problem in the town of Caltrith.¡± ¡°A problem? Did the enemy have reinforcements?¡± The concern was that the Imperial Army would be sidelined in this battle. For the Empire, the eastern border region was part of its hard-won territory. If it was recaptured, the battle itself would have been in vain and only defeat would remain. After the defeat at Fort Blaine, he had assumed that the empire had no power to interfere but they could enter the fray. Raidorl became a little bit nervous but Fire-eating Bird shook his head. ¡°No, if anything, it¡¯s the other way round.¡± ¡°The other way around¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It looks like Calcifer County has been destroyed. Kyrgyzstan Barony and Kubertos Viscounty are also being destroyed together¡­¡± ¡°Haaa?¡± The unexpected report made Raidorl¡¯s voice turned inside out. The first battle for his new army. The battle, which was supposed to be decorated with a spectacular victory, seemed to have ended unexpectedly in a non-winning result. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The time went back a little further, in Caltrith, one of the towns on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Zain. The town, ruled by Count Calcifer, one of the Eight Families of the East. It had a large number of soldiers gathered that were ready to attack Raidorl¡¯s army. Calcifer County had a number of mines in their territory, producing fine gold and silver. With a strong military force, thanks to its ample financial resources, its military power surpassed that of the Arbeil County, a noble family of the same rank. Calcifer County had turned to the enemy early in the war against the Empire but if they had stood as the shield of the kingdom, the Imperial forces might not have been able to close in on Fort Blaine. A meeting was held at the residence of the Count, one of the most powerful families on the eastern border. ¡°Then, let us pray for our spectacular victory. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ Cheers! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± An elderly man on the dais gave the order, and the assembled people raised their wine glasses in unison. About 20 men and women were gathered in the large drawing room of the mansion, drinking glasses and enjoying the sumptuous food on the table. The people gathered there were all dressed in high-quality suits and dresses, and their elegant gestures as they served the food to their mouths suggested that they were from the upper classes. They were all related to three noble families, the Calcifer County, the Kyrgyzstan Barony and Kubertos Viscounty, who were all part of the Eight Families of the East. They had gathered at the Count Calcifer¡¯s house in the middle of a party to pray for victory in the war to confront Raidorl¡¯s forces who were trying to purge them. ¡°Well, to be able to hold a party like this in spite of wartime¡­.. it¡¯s just as expected of the Calcifer family! I knew that a great aristocrat would have the financial power to do so!¡± ¡°Well, there are only a few nobles in the royal court with such economic power. It¡¯s really a great thing!¡± Such blatant flattery was uttered by Baron Krgyz and the Viscount Kubertos ¨C the heads of the two families. ¡°Hahaha. This is no big deal. I¡¯m rather embarrassed that I didn¡¯t have enough time to offer you enough hospitality!¡± The man who was giving the toast stroked his beard with a good-natured laugh. The man with romance-grey hair all back and dressed in a purple suit was named Brutos Calcifer. He was the head of theCalcifer family and organiser of this party. ¡°If we had more time to prepare, we could have enjoyed an event worthy of a Count¡¯s family!¡¡Good grief¡­¡­after all, war is not an irrational thing to do!¡± ¡°You are absolutely right!¡¡War and other wild and barbaric acts are not for the nobility!¡± Count Calcifer¡¯s words were followed by one of the guests. The fat man, who looked like a nobleman, sniffed and spat out a few words of contempt. ¡°Empires, kingdoms, nations fighting amongst each other, is the work of fools! War is a bloody thing that does not belong to those of us of the chosen blood!¡± ¡°Indeed it is!¡¡War is the work of madmen. How unfortunate that we should be caught up in such a thing.¡± All of them, who verbally criticised the war, were convinced that they were born into the nobility and that they were the chosen ones. They were different from the ordinary people. They believed that they were people of noble blood who could never be harmed and that was why they chose to surrender without hesitation when the Empire was about to attack them. They were proud to be a nobleman but refused to fulfil his duties as a nobleman. They never realised this contradiction, as they never looked back on themselves. Play Unmute ¡°We are the chosen ones who rule this land. We are the ones who must rise above the people!¡¡What is wrong with surrendering to survive! And to think those monkeys from the kingdom call us as traitors¡­¡­!¡± Count Calcifer¡¯s face contorted in anger as he changed from his good-humoured toast. Count Calcifer had already received the news that the Wolfert Viscounty had been destroyed by the Kingdom¡¯s army. He had also received reports that a strike force led by Raidorl was close at hand and the Count bit his back teeth in disgust at the purging blades that loomed before his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I will be beaten in the same way as Wolfert! I will strike back at the once banished, provincial prince as if he were a wet piece of paper! ¡°I hear the enemy is only 5,000¡­.. strong and the power of the County of Calcifer will easily repel them!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Even more so when the forces of the Kyrgyz Barony and our own Kubertos Viscounty are added to it! The advantage of the earth and the time of heaven are ours!¡¡We will crush the hodgepodge of the Kingdom¡¯s army!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸ Ooooo! ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± Calcifer, Kyrgyz and Kubertos ¨C the guests responded to the words of the three heads of state and sipped their drinks. People slurped down their drinks and devoured the food. The banquet was in full swing. The rally of the traitorous nobles heated up even more, and the self-proclaimed noble bloodsides, their faces red with drink, shouted loudly about their victory. At the same time¡­¡­. ¡°Sorry, we are late, Father.¡± A young man entered the party hall, which was already at the height of its excitement. He was dressed in a white suit and a wedding-like tuxedo with a red rose on his chest. ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯re late, Brad!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father. It took me a little while to get dressed.¡± The young man called Brad bowed politely at the waist. The young man¡¯s name was Brad Calcifer. He was the only son of Brutos Calcifer and the next head of the count¡¯s family. Count Calcifer sniffed at his son who was shaking his golden quirky hair while bowing his head and then offered him a glass of wine. ¡°Very well. Drink. Today is the rally for victory over the Royal Army! As the heir to the Count¡¯s family, you too must show that you are not ashamed!¡± ¡°Of course. Shall I also introduce you to someone¡­.?¡± Brad took the glass from his father¡¯s hand and walked slowly up to the podium. Looking down at the assembled members of the three families, he raised his glass in a graceful gesture. ¡°Distinguished guests, some of the most talented people in the Eastern Border region. I am very pleased that you are here today. I would like to start with a drink with you right away, but¡­¡­before that, there is a woman I would like to introduce to you.¡± ¡°A woman¡­¡­?¡¡Brad, what are you planning so suddenly¡­..?¡± ¡°Come on in! Please come on in!¡± Ignoring his father, who raised his eyebrows quizzically, Brad pointed his left hand towards the door. The eyes of the people gathered in the hall were focused on the entrance. The door was opened from the outside and¡­¡­a woman stepped into the hall. ¡°Wha¡­..!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡­!¡± A strange woman wearing a white costume like a wedding dress entered the party hall. The dress, with its elaborate lace design, was beautiful and flamboyant but the bleak atmosphere in which the woman was dressed was far from festive. She had a white right leg extending from the hem above the knee and a prosthetic left leg made of metal. The red hair hanging down her back was as bright as blood, and her face was bandaged to hide her left eye. The unusual appearance of a woman with an unusual appearance, caused everyone in the hall to gasp. ¡°This is ridiculous! W,why ¡­¡­ is that girl alive?¡± Count Calcifer exclaimed in shock. Looking at his father, who was wide-eyed in surprise, Brad lifted the corners of his mouth. ¡°May I introduce to you. She is Angelica Ilkas ¨C my dear fianc¨¦e!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± A woman called Angelica paced silently. The guests of honour naturally made way. Eventually, a one-legged, one-eyed woman with one prosthetic leg and one eye covered by a bandage reached the centre of the hall. ¡°Oh, Angelica Ilkas, you say ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°How could the daughter of Ilkas be¡­¡­! You don¡¯t mean to tell me that she was alive!!?¡± The Viscounty of Ilkas were a noble family that resisted the war against the Empire without surrendering and were destroyed in the end. Every single member of the Ilkas family was reported to have died in the war and Angelica in front of them was like a ghost to those in the party. ¡°We, well, well, Miss Angelica. I didn¡¯t think you were alive. ¡­..Congratulations!¡± Count Calcifer, with a drawn smile plastered on his face, called out to Angelica. Angelica was the person with whom his son, Brad Calcifer, should have been married to. In other words, she was the daughter-in-law to Count Calcifer. Although he should be happy that Angelica, who was supposed to be dead, was still alive¡­..Count Calcifer gave her a complicated look. ¡°¡­.. Count, too. You look very well.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Angelica turned to the Count and turned only her right eye on him. Slowly, Angelica turned to the Count and turned only her right eye towards him. The Count felt a shiver down his spine as if he were being accused by the ghostly, lifeless gaze. When the Viscounty of Ilkas were attacked by the Empire, a request for reinforcements was sent to the County of Calcifer. However, the Count¡­¡­refused the request for reinforcements in order to save his own skin, and abandoned the family that was supposed to be his ally and turned to the Empire. Unable to look directly at Angelica out of guilt, Count Calcifer sweated greasy down his back. ¡°Viscount Ilkas¡­..I am so sorry about your father!¡¡He was a truly honest and serious man. I¡¯m sorry it had to come to this¡­..and that I couldn¡¯t help you!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But thank goodness Miss Angelica at least survived!¡¡Come on, we¡¯re celebrating today! Let¡¯s celebrate as much as we can, including the fact that you¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Count Calcifer impatiently insisted but Angelica remained silent and did not answer. The silence of his daughter-in-law caused a murmur from the guests at the party. While the awkward atmosphere froze the venue, Brad, standing on the stage, raised his voice loudly. ¡°Father, I have an important announcement to make today. Today, Angelica and I would like to get married and become husband and wife!¡± ¡°Wha¡­..!¡± Count Calcifer¡¯s mouth fell open at the statement from his son¡¯s mouth. ¡°W,wait wait wait!!!! What are you doing¡­!?¡± Indeed, Angelica was Brad¡¯s fianc¨¦e. If the war with the Empire had not occurred, they would have been united and become husband and wife. But¡­.. that and this were different issues. The current situation was different before the war. While the Viscounty of Wolfert, who was also a traitor to the Eight Eastern Families, pretended that their betrayal had never happened and were somehow trying to return to their registry in the Kingdom of Zain¡­..the County of Calcifer still supported the Arslanian Empire. The Royal Army defeated the Imperial Army at the Battle of Fortress Baine but it was only a temporary victory. Eventually, the Empire would reel back and the Kingdom of Zain would fall into crisis again ¨C that was how they were looking ahead to the future. Considering the difference in national power between the two sides, this was not an off-the-cuff prediction. For Count Calcifer, Angelica Ilkas was a bomb. The Viscounty of Ilkas had already been destroyed. Even if Angelica and Brad were to enter into a marriage, there would be no political advantage for the Count Calcifer. Moreover¡­..the Viscounty of Ilkas was a house that resisted the Empire to the very end. It was likely to have incurred some resentment from the imperial army. If it were to be revealed to the Arslanian Empire that they had hidden and harboured Angelica after successfully repelling the attacking Raidorl, they might make a bad impression on themselves. If they just kept her in the mansion, they might be able to explain that they were holding her as a prisoner of war, but if they married her off to Brad, they would not be able to make such excuses. If they were to believe in a future where the Empire was victorious and occupied the kingdom. They could not afford to welcome Angelica. ¡°Well, wait. Brad! I¡¯m glad Miss Angelica is safe, but now¡­¡­¡± ¡°Safe¡­¡­? Do I look safe in your eyes, Count?¡± One foot and one eye. Angelica, who was clearly in a state of limbo, mumbled a potshot. Count Calcifer¡¯s shoulders shuddered at the words, which seemed to throw ice down his spine. ¡°Guu¡­.. No, no. That was a figure of speech¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Father and mother. My older and younger brother. Compared to those whose lives were not even saved, a single eyeball and a single leg would be a small, insignificant thing.¡± ¡°No, no¡­..that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Enough! Viscountess Ilkas!¡± Baron Kyrgyz stepped forward in front of Angelica, as if to cover Count Calcifer, who was slurring his words in gibberish. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s disrespectful the way you talk to the Count¡­¡­! A ruined viscountess is getting carried away. Shame on you!¡± Baron Kyrgyz was below Viscount Ilkas in terms of family rank, so he was not in a position to loudly condemn Angelica even if she was his opponent. However, the Viscounty of Ilkas had already been destroyed. There was no need to fear the prestige of a house that did not exist. Baron Kyrgyz, with a twisted expression of glee at being able to openly criticise a nobleman of a higher rank than himself, pointed his finger at Angelica and shouted at her loudly. ¡°Besides¡­..we¡¯re in the middle of a rally to defeat Raidorl Zain! If you want to talk about your bitterness, we¡¯ll hear about it later! You¡¯d do well to know your place!¡± ¡°Houu? Defeating His Highness Raidorl, who was sent by the order of His Majesty¡­¡­This is a strange thing to hear. Have I become rotten not only in my eyes but also in my ears?¡± Angelica looked back at Kyrgyz with her murky right eye as she spoke at the top of her voice. ¡°We are subjects who were given homes and territories by the Zain royal family. How can that lead us to contradict the royal family? If you don¡¯t mind, could you enlighten us?¡± ¡°Nonsense, these days and times you are talking nonsense!¡± Baron Kyrgyz twisted his lips in derision. It was more than a hundred years ago that they received their lands from the royal family. Why should they risk their lives to fight the Empire for a favour from such a long time ago? ¡°That old-fashioned talk is why Ilkas was destroyed! An incompetent aristocrat whose family had perished with their mouldy loyalties in their hands, lecturing us is laughable! Do not chirp at me, you wounded, ruined, homeless woman!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­.¡± The blade of words released by Kyrgyz. It was not Angelica who reacted but Count Calcifer, who was watching from the side. For some reason, Count Calcifer¡¯s face paled and he stormed towards Kyrgyzstan. ¡°You went too far, Kyrgyz ! Apologize now!¡± ¡°Co, Count?¡± ¡°Apologise to Miss Angelica right now! Or else¡­¡­!¡± Baron Kyrgyz looked at the Count Calcifer, which came from an unexpected direction. Baron Kyrgyz intervened and denounced Angelica with the intention of defending the main family, Count Calcifer. So why was he being blamed for this? Baron Kyrgyz, with such questions on his face¡­¡­ soon realised the reason. He learned that he touched a monster that should never be offended. ¡°Mouldy loyalty¡­¡­? Did you just say that to me, to the House of Ilkas?¡± Angelica¡¯s monocle, which had been lifeless until a moment ago, was filled with a bewitching light. ¡°Wa,wait! Miss Angelica¡­¡­¡± Count Calcifer rushed to intercede but¡­¡­Angelica moved faster than him. ¡°Shiiii¡­.¡± The hem of her pure white dress fluttered. White legs and metal prosthetic feet appeared from under the dress. And tied to the leg was a thin dagger. Angelica pulled out the dagger attached to her thigh with blinding speed and plunged the ice-pick-thin tip into the Kyrgyz baron¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Gah ¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You treacherous renegade¡­¡­may you perish!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!?¡± Angelica put magic power into the dagger in her hand. Instantly, the body of the Kyrgyz Baron bursted open, without even allowing him to let out a desperate scream. As if explosives had been put inside his body, the blood, flesh, bones, organs and fluids of Kyrgyz body were instantly sprayed into the surroundings. ¡°UWAAAAAAAAA!?¡± ¡°HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!?¡± ¡°W,wha,wha¡­what just happened!!?¡± The man who should have been chatting and laughing with them a moment ago was instantly obliterated. The proof was the elicited screams from all parts of the party hall. Count Calcifer, who had been exposed to a piece of the Kyrgyz baron¡¯s flesh up close, was so horrified and astonished that he fell to his knees on the spot. ¡°Aaa, that¡¯s what happens when you offend my fianc¨¦e!¡± Looking at the party venue, which was filled with screams and shouts¡­..Brad muttered in a light tone, as if it was someone else¡¯s problem. Angelica, whether she heard her fianc¨¦¡¯s words or not, covered her bandaged face with the hand that was not holding the dagger. ¡°¡­¡­These people are scum after all. My family was killed by the Empire because these bastards call themselves nobles.¡± Angelica¡¯s white costume, which was like a wedding dress, was stained with bright red blood and then she tapped the floor with her prosthetic leg to make a sound. ¡°Kill the traitors. I will kill all of them to avenge the fallen. That is the job and raison d¡¯¨ºtre of the Ilkas family, which is responsible for protecting the borders. In other words¡­¡­¡­..I will massacre everyone who is here.¡± Spitting out words of absolution, Angelica gently traced her lips with her blood-stained fingertips. Colouring her make-up with bright blood, as if she were drawing on lipstick, the daughter of Ilkas, known as the¡ºSlaughter Princess¡» , announced the beginning of her execution. ¡°Miss Angelica, what have you done¡­¡­!¡± Amidst the screams and shouts, it was Count Calcifer who raised his war-shuddering voice. He raised his voice with firm determination even as a shiver ran down his spine at the carnage drama that had taken place in front of him. ¡°Why did you kill Kyrgyz!¡¡What is your purpose in killing him¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I only killed a traitor who turned and sided with the Empire. What other purpose could I possibly need? I am simply fulfilling my duty as a member of House Ilkas, the border guardians.¡± Angelica turned her single eye towards Count Calcifer and retorted. The empty but unwavering declaration sent a shiver down Count Calcifer¡¯s spine. ¡°The Ilkas family has already perished!¡¡There is no point in doing this!¡± ¡°It is not destroyed. I am still here.¡± Angelica assured him without hesitation. The only eyes in the room were filled with madness. ¡°As long as I am here, Ilkas will never end. Even if I am alone, I will continue to fight the Empire until the end. And I will kill the traitors who give the Empire their support.¡± ¡°You¡­¡­! You¡¯re mad!¡± Count Calcifer bit his back teeth and turned to his son. [Why did you bring this crazy woman here] ¨C he glared at his with such anger but Brad shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Father. The time has come for Count Calcifer¡¯s family to come to an end.¡± ¡°Brad. What are you talking about? Don¡¯t tell me you are seduced by this madwoman?¡± ¡°You do understand, don¡¯t you?¡¡No¡­¡­Do you really not understand, by any chance?¡¡Even if we gathered 10,000 soldiers, we would not be able to defeat His Highness Raidorl, who is closing in on us. How can you say that we, who surrendered without fighting the Empire, can defeat His Highness who defeated the Imperial Army? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve become too old and senile to understand such simple calculations?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! Are you still the heir to the Calcifer family? Are you willing to let your house be destroyed?¡± ¡°I have no interest in being the head of a failing house. If we are going to perish anyway, I will gladly become my wife¡¯s breadwinner and then disappear.¡± ¡°What¡­..!¡± ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± Count Calcifer and his son were arguing but were forcibly interrupted by a hair-raising scream. He turned in a panic to see Angelica plunging a dagger into her next prey. The man whose chest was pierced was a squire of Viscount Kubertos. The man screamed in pain and fear as he¡­.. was blown to pieces the next moment. ¡°I will kill the traitors. I¡¯ll kill every last one of them. I will bomb them to death.¡± ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± One after another, Angelica thrust her daggers into the party attendees, blasting away the traitors who had turned on the Empire. Angelica Ilkas was a female knight with excellent swordsmanship, as well as a wizard skilled in water attribute. After studying both sword and magic, Angelica had developed a magic sword, the ¡¾Exploding sword¡¿. The sword was a murderous sword that could destroy an enemy instantly with a single blow by injecting magic power into the enemy¡¯s body through the sword and manipulating the water in the bloodstream. ¡°Wait, wait! Angelica! Stop it!¡± ¡°I will not stop. I will kill all traitors. Not a hair of their head will survive.¡± Count Calcifer raised a plaintive plea but Angelica did not stop her slaughter. She stabbed the fleeing nobleman on his back, stabbed the squire hiding under the table on their buttocks, stabbed the crying, begging for his life servant in the head and blasted him to pieces with a nonchalant hand, as if it were a boring task. Naturally, some of them tried to escape from the party hall but they were locked from the outside, probably because Brad had arranged it in advance and even escape was not possible. ¡°You¡­.¡± Viscount Kubertos jumped on Angelica from behind. Viscount Kubertos had a big physique and being a border noble, was well versed in martial arts. However, Angelica unleashed a spinning kick with her right leg on its axis and slammed her metal prosthetic leg into Kubertos head. ¡°Gobeh¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡¾ Exploding sword¡¿¡± Viscount Kubertos, whose skull cap had caved in, fell to the floor, bleeding from the head. Angelica slowly thrust her sword into the man who might have already died and blew him to pieces. It was to make sure that she killed him, in case there was a small chance that he had survived her attack earlier.. A few minutes later ¨C the party hall was a sea of blood and there were only three survivors. Namely Angelica, Brad¡­¡­ and Count Calcifer. ¡°Now¡­¡­there is only one remaining, Count Calcifer?¡± ¡°Hiii¡­..!¡± Angelica in her wedding dress approached Count Calcifer. Her costume, which was white at first, was stained red from her victims¡¯ blood. In the Count¡¯s eyes, she looked like a messenger from hell. ¡°No, wait! Don¡¯t kill me! Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± Count Calcifer crawled miserably on the floor and squeezed out a plea for his life. ¡°If you want the viceroy, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll even help you restore the House of Ilkas!¡¡So please, just spare my life¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡± Angelica replied immediately. Her muddy right eye was cold to the touch and emotionless, as if she were looking at an insect crawling on the ground. Angelica expected nothing from Count Calcifer. All she could think of was killing him. ¡°Bu, Brad¡­¡­help me, please stop this madman ¡­¡­!¡± In this situation, Brad was the only one he could ask for help. Count Calcifer looked up at his son, who stood on the platform with eyes that clung to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­I have no interest in the Calcifer family. I don¡¯t feel anything if it is destroyed. I care more about my lovely bride than a house that has no choice but to perish with the armies of His Highness Raidorl approaching so close.¡± ¡°Aa,aaa¡­.¡± Count Calcifer finally collapsed on the spot, having been sentenced to death by both people at the same time. His body was now in a state of utter disrepair, with all manner of bodily fluids dripping from his body, rendering him speechless with despair. Angelica slowly walked up to the crippled Count and without hesitation, plunged her dagger into his forehead. ¡°Kak¡­..¡± ¡°Goodbye. My would-be father-in-law.¡± ¡°Suu¡­¡­¡­..¡± The Count was blown to pieces before he could scream. The once most powerful noble family in the eastern border region was blown to smithereens, leaving no trace of its former self. ¡°Congratulations on your revenge. My dear Angelica ¡­¡­how do you feel now?¡± Brad asked matter-of-factly, showing no sign of concern, even though his father was slaughtered in front of him. He walked around to Angelica, who was standing in the same posture in which she had blasted Count Calcifer, and bent down to look at her expression. Angelica took one look at her fianc¨¦, who was peering into her face with interest, and murmured. ¡°It¡¯s not as emotional as I imagined it would be. It¡¯s boring¡­¡­.No, it¡¯s not. Is it vain?¡± Count Calcifer was the man who had refused a request for reinforcements from his allies, the Ilkas and as a result had sent Angelica¡¯s family to their deaths. Angelica¡¯s heart was strangely unsettled by the fact that she had defeated her second biggest object of revenge after the Empire. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what revenge is all about?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡­revenge is vain, it¡¯s that it ended so quickly that it¡¯s unsatisfactory.¡± Angelica thought to herself that they should have resisted just a little bit more. ¡®It is unforgivable that a traitor that turned the evil and vicious empire would be this weak. Shouldn¡¯t the enemy be stronger, more cunning, more powerful?¡¯ It was unforgivable that the man who killed Angelica¡¯s family was this weak. It was a disgrace to the house of Ilkas that it had been destroyed by such a trivial little villain. ¡°I wonder if my feelings will be satisfied until the empire is destroyed. It cannot be fulfilled unless the enemies of the kingdom, the killers of the Ilkas family, are destroyed.¡± ¡°Is that so? My bride is greedy to treat my family, even if we are the largest noble family on the eastern border, as an appetiser.¡± Brad said smilingly and took Angelica¡¯s hand. He dropped a kiss on her bloody right hand and slowly dropped to one knee on the floor. ¡°Ah, my dear bride ¨C Angelica the Red Death Angel. I will see how your vengeance will end.¡± ¡°Until the end¡­¡­.¡± Brad knelt down and hummed as if he was about to propose, while Angelica looked down with a cold look¡­she raised her right hand and was about to thrust a dagger at his neck. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.!!¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡¡You are a member of the Counte Calcifer¡¯s family. You¡¯re one of my enemies.¡± ¡°¡­..Yes, I am your target. I am one of the people who took your family from you.¡± Brad grabbed Angelica¡¯s right hand and pulled her to him. The dagger¡¯s thin point stabbed shallowly into his neck, causing a trickle of blood to trickle down. ¡°If you want to kill me, that¡¯s fine. But if you want¡­¡­ one thing, I want you to kill me with a kiss, not with such a tactless blade.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Sickening.¡± Angelica¡¯s bandaged face contorted weirdly and she shook off her fianc¨¦¡¯s hand dismissively. Brad chuckled at Angelica¡¯s even physiological disgust and wiped the blood off his neck with a sleeveless wipe. ¡°¡­.. Brad. I¡¯m going to let you live because you¡¯re still of use to me. I will kill you in the last order. If you want to see me satisfied with my vengeance, I will kill you after I have dealt with all the enemies of the kingdom.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honour. It¡¯s the greatest blessing to be able to be there for you right to the end.¡± ¡°Well, then, at best, be useful to me before you get killed. I¡¯ll blow you up beautifully and without a trace.¡± Angelica stammered out a spitting comment and walked away. The door, which had been locked from the outside, was opened and Brad¡¯s men, who had sealed off the room, entered in place of Angelica. His men, their mouths and noses covered with clothes, picked up cleaning tools and began to clean up the carnage as per the instructions they had received beforehand. Brad stood and looked at Angelica¡¯s back with euphoric eyes and eventually picked up an apple from the fruit platter on the table. The apple fruit was overripe and the skin was discoloured, perhaps due to a servant¡¯s mistake. However¡­¡­ Brad did not hesitate to bite into the fully ripe fruit and chewed the flesh off the skin. ¡°¡­..Fruits 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 the kingdom and corrupted by vengeance. Brad Calcifer¡¯s lips twisted into a crescent smile as he contemplated the fate of his beautiful and terrible bride. Volume 2 - CH 8 The Slaughter Princess of Ilkas Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned A few days after receiving reports of the destruction of the County of Calcifer, the Raidorl army arrived in the town of Kartolis in Count Calcifer¡¯s territory. Although Caltrith was a fortified city, the city gates were now open. Minimal soldiers on guard were to be found on the ramparts, where the Counts¡¯ banner was displayed. The town looked as if it was appealing to the public with no hostile intentions and Raidorl raised his eyebrows slightly and asked Darren next to him. ¡°What do you think¡­¡­? Do you think it¡¯s some kind of trap?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Highness. It seems too obvious to be a trap¡­¡­¡± Darren¡¯s sharp-eyed gaze darted to either side of the ramparts and he tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any hostility but I can¡¯t deny that it may be a trap to lure His Highness into the city and strike you down¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is this the situation that if we don¡¯t go into the dragon¡¯s hole, we won¡¯t get the dragon¡¯s egg? Well, that¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s see what Brad Calcifer and the others have in mind.¡± Raidorl had already received information that Count Calcifer had been murdered by his illegitimate son, Brad Calcifer. According to the information that had reached Raidorl, Brad committed treason and murdered the heads of the three noble families during a party in which they gathered. He then sent troops to overrun the territories of Baron Kyrgyzand Viscount Kubertos who had lost their heads, and killed every single person who defied him and every survivor of the noble families. ¡®¡­¡­Brilliant craftsmanship.He must have probably been planning and preparing for this for quite some time. No doubt, Brad Calcifer is quite a crooked one.¡¯ The question was whether Brad was a useful or dangerous figure for Raidorl. The thoughtfulness and audacity with which he would throw a dry sword at the right moment could not be underestimated. Even if Brad swore obedience to him, he was a man who could betray even his parents. He might even bare his fangs at Raidorl, who had become his lord. ¡°I am very pleased that you have come here all the way from the capital, Your Highness Raidorl.¡± As soon as Raidorl passed through the castle gates, an unfamiliar man called out to him. He had golden hair all back and was dressed in a black tuxedo, as if he were about to go to a party. He even had a rose on his chest, which looked strangely out of place. ¡°¡­ Your Highness, this man is Brad Calcifer.¡± ¡°¡­.I see, he¡¯s got a very tricky eye. He is a crook, as rumour has it.¡± Raidorl murmured, supplemented by Justy Oigist. Brad Calcifer¡¯s manner was polite but the depths of his eyes were as dark as murky sludge and bottomless. ¡°The frontier forests are inhabited by great monkeys who kill each other and eat each other¡­..and that man¡¯s eyes are the same colour as their stagnant eyeballs.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about¡­..but on behalf of the Calcifer family, I would like to welcome Your Highness to my home.¡± Brad knelt and bowed his head in a theatrical gesture. Raydorl did not get off his horse, but looked down at Brad with a suspicious look. ¡°¡­..I would like to quickly confirm that the County of Calcifer is willing to surrender to our forces?¡± ¡°Of course. We have no intention of defying the Zain royal family.¡± ¡°The Zain royal family, huh¡­¡± Did it simply mean what he said? Or did Brad intend to be sarcastic, knowing that Raidorl was feuding with his brother King Granard? Although it was impossible for Raidorl, who had never met Brad before, to guess what Brad¡¯s inner thoughts were ¡­¡­it seemed unlikely that there would be a battle in the meantime. ¡°Oh, just one correction I would like to make.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What is it?¡± ¡°I am not Brad Calcifer. And¡­¡­this is not the Count Calcifer¡¯s house either.¡± Brad stood up and spread his hands wide. Then, all the soldiers on the walls surrounding the town start to move at once. The sudden movement of the soldiers made Raidorl¡¯s army tense for a few seconds. They immediately looked up at the ramparts in stunned surprise. ¡°This town is the domain of the Viscounty of Ilkas!¡¡And my name is Brad Ilkas!¡± The banners of the Count Calcifer¡¯s family, which had been raised above the city walls, were lowered all at once. In its place, the soldiers held up a falcon or emblem on a blue cloth. It was the crest of the Viscounts of Ilkas, who were supposed to have been destroyed in the war against the Empire. ¡°I am no longer of the traitorous Count Calcifer¡¯s family! As a man of the loyal Viscounty of Ilkas, I pledge my allegiance to the Kingdom of Zain!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.!!¡± Raidorl was speechless. He had no idea what Brad was talking about. This was definitely the domain of Count Calcifer¡¯s family and the man in front of him was Brad Calcifer. As Raidorl was at a loss to react, Sven, who had been standing behind him, stepped forward and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­.. Sir Calcifer, what is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Oya? You are the son of the Count of Arbeil, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s good to see you in good health.¡± ¡°Answer the question. What kind of an idea is it for you to take on the name of the House of Ilkas?¡¡I know that you were engaged to the daughter of the House of Ilkas, but¡­¡­you are not, by any chance, using the name of your dead fianc¨¦e to evade the responsibility of the Count Calcifer¡¯s family, are you?¡± Sven¡¯s voice was filled with deep anger. The Viscounty of Ilkas, like the County of Arbeil, was destroyed after fighting against the Empire instead of submitting to it. It was unacceptable that Brad was using that name. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have her approval.¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°Let me explain in detail at my residence. Sven, you will hear it too, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Sven glared at Brad as he entered the house and beckoned him to come in¡­¡­Eventually, as if determined, he went through the front door. ¡°We are standing by. In case of an emergency, we¡¯ll have our men ready to go at a moment¡¯s notice, so call on us at any time.¡± ¡°Yeah, you got it.¡± With Justy waiting outside, Raidorl also entered the house. Darren, Saara and several other knights followed as escorts. There were several servants working in the mansion and when they noticed Raidorl, they bowed to him silently. The servants were all women and old men. There were also no soldiers in sight, and once again they were trying to show that they had no hostile intentions. ¡°Please, have a seat over here.¡± ¡°¡­Aa..¡± Raidorl was ushered into the parlour and, although wary, he sat down on the sofa as recommended. Sven sat next to him and Darren and the other guards stood guard behind the sofa. Brad sat on the opposite sofa with a graceful gesture, but there was not a single escort on his side. The parlour, with its expensive furnishings, was occupied only by a man from the Raidorl camp. Then a maid went to fetch tea. ¡°Now¡­¡­then, let me first explain the current situation in the town. As you may have already been informed, the head of the County of Calcifer family who ruled the town, Brutos Calcifer, already died. Baron Kyrgyzstan and Viscount Kubertos, who were nobles under the umbrella, suffered the same fate.¡± ¡°¡­.. I have received reports that you killed him. Did you really kill your own father?¡± ¡°Yes. In the heat of the moment, or perhaps due to a youthful indiscretion¡­..I killed him. All three of them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Brad shrugged his shoulders in an aloof gesture and picked up the teacup on the table. ¡°My father wasn¡¯t satisfied with just betraying himself to the empire and was about to show his fangs even to His Highness Raidorl. I decided that further barbarism was unforgivable, so I asked him to take responsibility. Of course, I didn¡¯t let him escape by pretending to have killed him. The body was so damaged that it is difficult to prove¡­..¡± ¡°In other words¡­¡­[It is my father¡¯s fault for betraying me. I want him to be punished with the justice in my own hands] is that what you¡¯re trying to say? Aren¡¯t you a great scoundrel to kill your own father for your own protection?¡± ¡°It¡¯s outrageous, isn¡¯t it? It is true that my father betrayed the Kingdom of Zain and it is the instinct of life to try to save one¡¯s own life, isn¡¯t it? However, if the person I love is willing to put me in their hands, I don¡¯t mind being killed at any time¡­¡­¡­..Oops, I digress.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well, what I mean is that there are problems that have to be taken care of because they are our relatives. What can be forgiven by other people is hard to forgive because they are our parents and siblings¡­I thought that His Highness would understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Who knows. I don¡¯t give a damn.¡± Brad asked with a weird, thin smile and Raidorl clicked his tongue loudly. Brad¡¯s attitude was frivolous throughout, despite the fact that he could be killed at any moment. His attitude was the epitome of condescension and disrespect. One was tempted to suspect that he was enjoying the situation. ¡®Indeed, this man is a crook. Should I kill him?¡¯ Even though he surrendered and vacated the town with an open mind, Brad, who Raidorl didn¡¯t know what he was thinking about¡­¡­gave him the creeps. He felt it was dangerous to invite him into his camp like Sven and Justy. ¡®Although, it¡¯s also true that the death of¡­¡­head Brutos Calcifer has blurred the lines of responsibility. It is also not fair to cut down an opponent who has surrendered on all fronts because I don¡¯t like him¡­¡­.¡¯ Raidorl was unsure about Brad¡¯s treatment, but Sven, who was sitting next to him, spoke up instead. ¡°Sir Brad. I would like to ask you about what you said earlier¡­..Why do you call yourself Ilkas?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite simple, Sven. I married a daughter of the Ilkas family and became their son-in-law.¡± ¡°Son-in-law?¡­¡­All the members of the Ilkas family are supposed to be dead, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°There is only one survivor. You know¡­¡­my fianc¨¦e, Angelica.¡± ¡°Angelica¡­¡­ Angelica Ilkas!?¡± Sven¡¯s eyes widened. Brad continued to explain in a casual manner, while looking at the boy¡¯s astonished face with a funny expression. ¡°The Viscounty of Ilkas was destroyed in the war with the Empire but only Angelica survived. I took her under my protection and sheltered her in my house after she was seriously wounded and nearly killed. As a matter of fact, it was Angelica who murdered the heads of all three houses.¡± ¡°Angelica-san¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Sven, who is this Angelica? It seems she is a survivor of the Ilkas family¡­¡­.¡± When Raidorl interrupted the conversation, Sven turned to his lord, his face somewhat pallid. ¡°Angelica Ilkas¡­¡­daughter of Viscount Ilkas¡¯ family, she is a magical warrior with exceptional magic skills. Known in the east of the kingdom by the nickname ¡ºSlaughter Princess¡», she is feared for her extremely horrifying killings.¡± ¡°Horrifying¡­..?¡± ¡°Yes, I was close to Angelica¡¯s brother and she treated me well¡­..but she has a very caustic and violent personality. People who get her into a bad mood usually end up in trouble. If you mess with her, she¡¯ll shatter you to pieces.¡± ¡°Shattered¡­? Is she using some kind of explosion magic?¡± ¡°Something similar¡­.I see, Angelica is alive?¡± Sven had a complicated expression on his face. Play Unmute The boy¡¯s expression, which was neither happy nor sad, showed that Sven was not honestly happy about Angelica¡¯s survival. That did not mean that he was blatantly depressed¡­¡­.The relationship between Sven and Angelica was very interesting. Seeing that Sven had fallen silent, Brad smiled and tilted his teacup. ¡°Now you see what I meant? I am no longer a member of the Calcifer family because of me becoming the son-in-law. I am now a member of the Ilkas family, who were loyal to the royal family to the end. This cancels out the blame for the plotting against the Zain royal family, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­That is the objective in the end, isn¡¯t it? You want to say that because you are a member of the House of Ilkas, you are not involved in the treachery of Count Calcifer¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Treason is a mortal sin that extends to the whole family, but those who have joined another family by marriage are not punished. That is the law, and that is the way of things.¡± ¡°Do you want to survive that badly ¡­..? You would kill your own father and cheat on the name of the woman who would become your wife.¡± ¡°I would like to live, yes. I cannot die until I see what happens to Angelica. I am determined to see the whole thing through and die at her hands. I will not be executed by the royal family as a traitor.¡± Brad cowered his shoulders and turned the empty teacup in his hand. His clownish gestures were extremely annoying, but only when he mentioned¡­..Angelica¡¯s name, there was a light behind his strangely cloudy eyes. Raidorl didn¡¯t know whether it was affection or obsession, but perhaps this man had a single-minded desire in his own way. ¡°Of course, I will give back the lands of the County of Calcifer. And the lands of Kyrgyzstan and Kubertos, which I destroyed together. However, I would be grateful if you could restore the Ilkas family¡­¡­and give them new territories?¡± ¡°I will advise my brother of that¡­Given the loyalty of the Ilkas family, he cannot refuse. By the way, can I speak to your wife ¨C Angelica Ilkas?¡± ¡°Of course, my wife wanted to see His Highness, so that¡¯s fine. I am only the son-in-law. The head of the Ilkas family is my wife, so we must have a proper exchange of greetings.¡± ¡°Nn¡­¡­? If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t you bring her here??¡± The family¡¯s history of the Ilkas family¡¯s demise made it unlikely that Angelica would remain unscathed. Or maybe she was injured and unable to move. The most important thing to remember was that the best way to get the most out of your car was to make sure that it was in the right place at the right time. ¡°No, no, my wife said she¡¯s going to greet her old friend first¡­¡­so I guess it¡¯s about time they met up?¡± As Brad was saying this, a roaring noise came from outside the house. The sound of destruction, clearly reminiscent of a battle, made Raidorl stand up as if he had been repelled by a bullet. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°My wife is a bit of a radical. I hope it¡¯s nothing serious¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡­¡­!¡± Brad shook his head with a mysterious look on his face, but his eyes were somewhat amused. Raidorl clicked his tongue and ran out of the room with his escort. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– Time went back slightly. The soldiers from the Raidorl¡¯s army had taken up a position close to the house with prior permission. Tents were lined up in the square and with the exception of the soldiers on guard, each man rested himself from the fatigue of the expedition. The townspeople gathered around these soldiers and served them water, food and alcohol. Seeing these items being brought into the camp, Justy Oigiste, one of the military managers, curled an eyebrow. ¡°We thank you for the supplies. I will inform His Highness Raidorl of this.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°You may step back. We¡¯ll take the rest.¡± Although he said thanks to the terrified people, Justy put a wait on the soldiers who tried to get their hands on alcohol and food. When he saw that the townsfolk had left, he shouted angrily. ¡°This is still enemy territory! Don¡¯t take what you have received from an unfriendly party lightly!¡± ¡°Ha, ha!¡¡I apologise!¡± The soldier hurriedly released his hand from the liquor bottle and saluted. While scolding his subordinates who had entered the town and let their guard down, Justy looked around with a sharp gaze from inside the camp. ¡®There is no indication of the enemy soldiers lying low. Does that mean that the surrender was not a scam?¡¡Brad Calcifer is a man that I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking, but¡­¡­he would never be a fool. I¡¯m sure he understands that he can¡¯t deceive and trick His Highness, the Holy Sword Holder, but¡­¡­¡¯ With a quick finger up the bridge of his glasses, Justy made a difficult expression with a crease between his eyebrows. Justy¡¯s birth families, the Viscounty of Oigist and County of Calcifer, had territories adjacent to each other and had a good deal of interaction with each other. Brad Calcifer, the eldest son, and Justy were the same age and had often seen each other since they were children. However, despite knowing each other for more than 20 years, Justy was unable to weigh up Brad¡¯s inner life. ¡®He is neither a warrior nor a fighter. He¡¯s not a quick thinker nor he¡¯s not a man of letters or a scholar. He is a man who is good at devious tricks¡­..but he has a ¡ºdarkness¡» that makes him more than just a schemer or a plotter.¡¯ Brad was like a fox, raccoon dogs or poisonous snakes. He played his tricks on people without a care in the world, and when he saw an opportunity, he poured poison into their opponents¡¯ bodies. Brad did not value aristocratic pride, nor was he drowned in gold. Justy was not even clear about what he wanted or desired. He was an elusive, hazy man. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡­how much I think about it, there¡¯s nothing I can do. If he is to become an enemy of His Highness Raidorl, then I will only fight him as a warrior and defeat him.¡¯ Justy interrupted his unanswered thoughts and turned to his men. ¡°¡­¡­ In the meantime, make sure the food that¡¯s brought in isn¡¯t planted with drugs. You can take turns taking a break, but be ready to move at any moment!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸HAA!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± ¡°I¡¯m off to have a look around the town. I¡¯ll be back soon, but report back to me immediately if there are any problems.¡± After saying this to his men, Justy was about to leave the Raidorl military camp. A look around the town could give him an idea of the character of the lords who ruled here. If he looked around the streets of Caltrith, he might be able to read some of Brad¡¯s intentions. Justy stepped out with such thoughts in mind but¡­¡­ soon came to a halt. He was stopped by a woman standing in front of him. ¡°Mwah, are you¡­¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s been a long time, Justy. How are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.!!¡± The woman¡¯s face was familiar. A woman he had assumed to be dead. It was Angelica Ilkas, whom he had heard had been killed in battle against the Empire. Justy froze for a few seconds at the sight of Angelica standing there like a ghost. He immediately nodded his head in understanding. ¡°¡­.. I see. So Brad took the Ilkas family name.¡± He knew that Brad and Angelica were engaged to be married. Brad had given up the Calcifer name by marrying Angelica and taking the form of being groomed into the Ilkas family. ¡®Did he abandon his family name to avoid being held accountable as Count Calcifer¡¯s family?¡¡After all, a fox is a fox. Was he trying to turn himself into smoke and mirrors?¡¯ ¡°¡­.It¡¯s been a long time. Angelica-dono. You look well yourself¡­¡­¡­. No, it¡¯s nothing. Forgive my gaffe.¡± Justy swallowed the words he was about to say and his face contorted in pain. Angelica had a bandage over her face, covering the left half of her face, and her left leg, which extended through her knee-length skirt, was a metal prosthesis. Considering how hard she had fought to get here, it was impossible to say anything like ¡ºyou look well¡»lightly. The air she wore was clearly that of a stabbing swordswoman, and Justy could almost feel the light of madness behind her vacant right eye. ¡°¡­¡­ I know it may not help to say this, but I am glad that you survived. My sincere condolences to the Ilkas family who lost their lives in the war.¡± After thinking about it, Justy directed his complaints of condolence and frustration to Angelica. For Justy, that was true sincerity. Justy and Angelica were each regarded with awe and fear as warriors representing the eastern border region, and were known as the ¡ºLioness of the East¡» and the ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡». Justy held Angelica in high esteem as a loyal warrior and had never spoken of her¡­..to anyone else, but he also admired and longed for her as a woman. Although it was not as clear-cut as romantic feelings, he was relieved to see that the woman he had been fond of in no small way survived. But¡­¡­at the same time as he felt reassured, he also felt threatened by the change in Angelica¡¯s mood, as if ice had been thrown on his back. ¡®A feeling as if it could be cut off if touched. The sharpened air is the same as before¡­¡­how dangerous.¡¯ A woman he had a faint crush on. Justy quietly clenched his fists at the transformation of the woman he thought he had broken off his feelings for when she became engaged to another man. Angelica Ilkas used to be a woman who was always on her guard and intimidating to those around her but who also had a deep sense of compassion. Angelica¡¯s gentle, smiling face as she reached out to children and the weak was a far cry from her appearance on the battlefield, where she was known as the ¡ºSlaughter Princess¡» and Justy was captivated by her. But the¡­¡­current Angelica had retained her sharpness, and her gentleness and calmness had completely fallen away. It was as if the devil had taken her soul and she had lost her sense of humanity. ¡°¡­..Yes, thank you for your concern. I am very glad.¡± Angelica responded to his concern for her own well being in a curt way. She fiddled with her hair with her fingertips and repeated her words in a pinched manner. ¡°But I¡¯m the only one left alive. My parents, my brothers, they¡¯re all dead. Nobody survived. I¡¯m the only one left.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ara, you look terrible. There is no shame in being a warrior and dying fighting for your kingdom, so don¡¯t feel sorry for me.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­no, you¡¯re right. What you said is exactly right.¡± Justy nodded bitterly and agreed with Angelica. ¡°With all my heart, I salute your family for their brave fight.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all delighted to hear your praise.¡± Angelica smiled with a bandaged face. It was a gentle, clear smile reminiscent of her former self. Justy¡¯s cheeks relaxed as Angelica showed a slight smile in the midst of her sadness, but¡­¡­his face would soon freeze. ¡°By the way, Justy. Can you do me one favour?¡± ¡°A favour ¡­¡­? I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help.¡± ¡°Good, thank you very much.¡± Angelica licked her red lips with a gentle smile. It is a sexy gesture that she would never have shown in the past. Justy gasped in surprise. ¡°Then please¡­¡­¡­die for me?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill all the traitors.¡± Angelica¡¯s skirt fluttered and danced. At the same time, the left leg of her prosthetic leg danced like a young sweetfish leaping from the surface of the water. Justy reflexively activated his magic while covering his eyes to the high kick that was fired with such force that it would crush his skull. ¡°Muuuu¡­¡­¡­.¡¾Stone Wall¡¿!¡± A stone wall appeared in front of Justy¡¯s eyes. The metal prosthesis, which was approaching with frightening speed, instead of destroying Justy¡¯s head, smashed the stone wall. Because it was triggered on the spur of the moment, it was unable to knead enough magic and the inadequately hard stone wall crumbled noisily into pieces. It was not consciously prevented by earth magic. It was simply a reflexive defensive action based on years of actual combat 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. ¡°Ara¡­¡­you manage to prevent it. Shame I couldn¡¯t kill you without you suffering.¡± Angelica murmured in a cold tone as she lowered her high-kicking prosthetic leg to the ground. ¡°I thought you were going to do me a favour.¡¡I would have preferred you to die a quiet, adult death if possible. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Angelica-dono. Why on earth are you doing this¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°Why? If you¡¯re going to ask me that, I¡¯m going to ask you the same question¡­¡­Why did the House of Oigist turn to the Empire?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± Justy¡¯s shoulders shuddered at Angelica¡¯s questioning. Angelica¡¯s right single eye was filled with madness as she looked at the man who shuddered down his spine. ¡°If House Oigist had not betrayed us and sided with Ilkas, my house might not have perished. If all the ¡ºEight Eastern Houses¡»had worked together against the Empire, we might have been able to hold off the enemy forces until reinforcements could be sent from Royal Capital. Hey, tell me. Why did you betray us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡­no, but¡­..¡± Justy was unable to squeeze out a single excuse and remained silent. It was his father who decided to turn to the Empire, and Justy insisted on a thorough fight. Even if the ¡ºEight Eastern Families¡» had united, they could not have defeated the Imperial Army, which had the Holy Sword holder. Was it not the royal family and the kingdom¡¯s army that were to blame for the breached borders and not sending reinforcements quickly enough? There were a number of excuses to be insisted on, but it was unlikely that Angelica would be convinced when Justy mentioned¡­¡­them. Nor did it erase the sin of the Viscounts of Oigist having been turned over to the enemy. Hence, Justy spat out different words from his mouth. ¡°¡­.. Indeed, the Oigist have turned on the Empire. We should be punished for that. However, I am now loyal to the kingdom under the umbrella of His Highness Raidorl. It is not in your interest or that of House Ilkas to lay a hand on me. I know you cannot forgive me, but we will be judged in due course. Will you not endure it for now?¡± ¡°Endure for now, you say? No, I won¡¯t. I can only do it now.¡± Angelica returned a scornful smile at Justy¡¯s attempts to persuade her. ¡°If Ilkas is reinstated as a royal subject, the opportunity to retaliate against you who is a vassal of the royal family, His Highness Raidorl, will be lost. That¡¯s why it must be done before its full reinstatement can be fulfilled.¡± ¡°Angelica-dono, you are ¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now, I hope I can kill you quickly. After I¡¯ve killed you, I¡¯ll have to go and kill Shirley¡¯s father and her next. 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 to confront a natural fact. She mercilessly declared the murder of her former friends ¨C those who were close to her. Justy realised from her unhesitating tone. The woman in front of him was no longer the female knight Angelica Ilkas that he had once admired. She had moved on to the point of no return. She had transformed into a rakshasa, obsessed with revenge and madness. ¡°¡­..I would have been willing to offer up my life alone. But if other people¡¯s lives were at stake, I couldn¡¯t just let you kill me, Angelica-dono. If you continue to run amok, I will stop you with this spear!¡± ¡°So¡­¡­that¡¯s what you end up choosing. Okay, you¡¯re a dear friend and I was going to keep you from getting blasted to pieces, but¡­¡­I¡¯m not going to go easy on you. With a lot of sincerity, I will smash you to pieces with all my heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Farewell. Farewell to the days of my youth.¡± Muttering in a tone of voice that sounded as if he was at a loss, Justy pointed his favourite spear at the woman he once admired. Angelica also pulled out the dagger she had been hiding under her clothes and thrust the thin tip of her sword at Justy. The ¡ºLion of the East¡»and the ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡» ¨C two of the strongest warriors in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Zain. The battle was about to begin. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– They faced each other with their weapons in hand for a few seconds. Angelica was the first to move. ¡°¡¾Explosive Sword¡¿¡± Angelica stepped into Justy¡¯s space with such sharp footwork that it was hard to believe that one of her legs was prosthetic and she thrust out a dagger with the spirit of a ripping sword. The dagger, as thin as an ice pick, was aimed at Justy¡¯s shoulder. Right at the gap in his armour. ¡°Muuu!!¡± Justy spun his short spear around and struck the dagger. Justy flicked the magic sword, which was a one-hit kill if taken seriously and tried to cleave Angelica with the hilt of his spear when she was slightly out of her stance. ¡°That¡¯s sweet!¡± But this time, Angelica¡¯s body fluttered away. Flying through the air, she kicked Justy¡¯s spear away with her prosthetic leg then backed up and took her distance. Justy did not give chase but carefully measured the distance between him and Angelica, who landed at a distance. While Justy was fully armed with a spear and heavy armour, Angelica was lightly armed with only a dagger. Although her metal prosthetic legs were literally dragging her down, she was still lighter than Justy. In contrast, Justy¡¯s defence was greatly enhanced thanks to his armour, but Angelica¡¯s ¡¾Explosive Sword¡¿ was a special killing technique where the slightest wound can result in instant death. If a gap in his armour or a limb was pierced, that alone would decide the match, so he had no choice but to be cautious of her attack. As Justy looked out for her offensive move, Angelica spun the dagger around in her hand, a cold smile on her bandaged face. ¡°You¡¯re strong as a rock. It¡¯s not going to be like the Head of the Calcifer¡¯s family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I am honoured by your praise. Then would you be so kind as to lay down your sword?¡± ¡°You must be joking. The women of Ilkas are not so dexterous that they can hold a sword once drawn without getting it soaked in blood. You¡¯re not as good yourself, Justy Oigist, as a fellow warrior.¡± ¡°Of course.. Then ¡­¡­!¡± Justy kicked the ground and leapt forward. He rushed straight towards Angelica with a momentum that was hard to believe that he was wearing heavy armour. Angelica looked right at the man who had launched an attack that seemed like a throwaway but she quickly readied her dagger, dropped to her haunches and took a counter stance. ¡°Muun! ¡¾Stone Wall¡¿!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± What was to come was astonishing. Justy, who had stepped in Angelica¡¯s area, shook his legs strongly on the ground with the momentum of his lunge. A thud sound like a small explosion echoed and at the same time the ground rose up and a stone wall appeared. What was different from earlier was that the stone wall did not protect Justy but appeared to surround Angelica on all sides. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to¡­¡­block my movements!¡± Angelica, surrounded by stone walls, opened her eyes and realised Justy¡¯s aim, but it was already too late. ¡°¡¾Stone Prison!!¡¿¡± ¡°Kh¡­!!¡± Angelica tried to escape over the stone wall, but before she could do so, the undulating ground like a living creature rose up in a great heap and swallowed Angelica. She was trapped and completely enclosed by the domed ground. ¡°Rest assured, I will bring His Highness Raidorl before you run out of air inside. If His Royal Highness commands it, you, a loyal warrior, will not refuse, right?¡± Justy exhaled heavily as he turned to Angelica, who was trapped in the stone. Justy managed to capture the wounded beast. He was only able to do this because his secret move was not known but if they had continued to fight each other, one of them would certainly have lost their lives. ¡°¡­¡­Angelica-dono. You still have a future. Please let that life you have kept bear fruit in a different form from revenge.¡± Justy murmured with melancholy. The words would not reach Angelica, who was trapped in a thick stone prison cell. But¡­..that was fine for Justy. As a member of the Oigist family, who betrayed the kingdom for whatever reason, he was not qualified to tell her about his secret feelings. ¡®It would be impossible for me or Brad to put Angelica-dono back on the right track. If I could, I would have someone else to support her¡­¡­.¡¯ Saddened and heartbroken, Justy turned his back on the stone prison and tried to call for Raidorl, who was in the mansion. Soldiers who had heard the commotion gathered under Justy. ¡°Captain Oigist! What¡¯s going on!?¡± The first to call out was a soldier under Justy. The soldiers rolled their eyes at the dome-shaped stone rising out of the ground and shouted suspiciously. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about this. The battle is already over. But rather than that, could you please go and call His Highness Raidorl?¡¡I have a matter I need to discuss with him quickly¡­..mwah!?¡± That was as far as Justy could get. Suddenly, a sharp shock hit his back and he fell forward. ¡°Captain Oigist!!!¡± ¡°Gh¡­¡­Stand back!!¡± Justy stood up, using his spear as a staff. A hand patted his back, and he saw that his metal armour had been slashed open and blood was flowing. The wound was not deep, but he had no idea what kind of attack had cut through it. Justy turned around and the next moment, the domed stone prison collapsed with a violent crash. ¡°¡­¡­You almost made me claustrophobic. It¡¯s so refreshing under the sun, after all.¡± It was Angelica Ilkas, who appeared, tearing the stone prison to pieces. Shaking off the sand from her shoulders and head, Angelica held a dagger in her right hand. The dagger, sharp like an ice pick, differed from the previous one in that it had a venomous red blade or flange extending from the tip. ¡°That sword is¡­.¡± ¡°Did you think you were the only one hiding a handful of cards?¡¡¡¾Blood Sword¡¿ ¨C my other magic sword.¡± To Justy, whose eyes were peeled back in surprise, Angelica told him in a light tone, as if it was nothing special. ¡°Unlike you, I was never gifted with magic, so even the water attribute, which is my forte, cannot be handled with the same skill as other wizards. I can manipulate the water that already exists but I cannot create new water with my magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°So instead, I focus my ability to manipulate water to the extreme. Thanks to this, I can now manipulate the water in my enemy¡¯s body and blast them to pieces or even turn their blood into a sword like this.¡± ¡°A blood sword, you say¡­¡­?¡± Justy turned his attention to Angelica¡¯s shoulder. The blade had been ripped open by a thing and had stained the dress red with its unadorned design. Apparently, she had cut herself and made the sword from the blood that flowed from her own body. ¡°Don¡¯t think of it as harmless blood. You may not know this, but there is a lot of iron in blood.¡¡If you manipulate it well, you can¡­¡­..¡± Angelica flipped the blood sword. The rest of the stone wall lying on the ground was cut off like a piece of paper. ¡°This sword vibrates in small increments through magical manipulation. It can easily slice through stone and steel. And because it¡¯s water, it can even change shape like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!!¡± Justy jumped wide at the chill he felt down his spine. The sword in Angelica¡¯s hand undulated like a snake biting and thrust into the place where Justy had been. The ground was gouged wide open by a thin, long, drawn-out blade of blood. The sword produced by Angelica¡¯s blood could be freely extended and retracted in the form of a mutated, phantasmagoric, self-existent sword. It seemed to be able to extend its blade to attack enemies at a distance. ¡°Mm¡­¡­! You cut my back with that sword. So I guess it¡¯s the same for you to save your trump cards¡­!¡± Muttering with a shiver, Justy clutched the spear in his hand. ¡°Captain Oigist¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Stay back! The others will not be allowed to touch her!¡± Justy sharply ordered the assembled soldiers. Against the current Angelica, a half-hearted rescue would only be a hindrance. It would be much better to deal with her alone than to waste more dead people. ¡°Angelica-dono, I will no longer be so rude as to take you alive, whole body and soul. With all my strength, I will kill you!¡± ¡°I have always intended to do so. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s too late to be serious.¡± The mad, murderous light in Angelica¡¯s right eye. Justy kneaded the magic in his body while looking straight back at her. ¡®If I¡¯m lucky, His Highness Raidorl may hear the sound of battle and come running¡­¡­No, I won¡¯t hold my breath. We¡¯ll just kill each other now.¡¯ Justy was seriously prepared to kill Angelica. ¡°Fu, kukuku¡­¡­.¡± Angelica also read Justy¡¯s seriousness. The edges of her mouth lifted up in a spine-chilling ghostly smile. Ò»A critical situation. Soldiers around them watched, forgetting to breathe, as the battle to the death was about to begin. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± They stared at each other for a very short time. Soon they started to move in. ¡°Wait, please!¡± But¡­¡­the voice of restraint came from an unexpected source. A boy stepped forward through the soldiers who were watching the battle and intervened between the two people. ¡°Sven¡­..¡± Justy called the boy¡¯s name. Sven Arbeil was the one who watered down the fight between them. It was the boy, a military strategist in Raidorl¡¯s army. ¡°The town of Caltrith has already surrendered to His Highness Raidorl and is under his control! Know that any private struggle in this town is a disgrace to His Highness¡¯ face!¡± ¡°Stop it, Sven! Angelica-dono is in no condition to talk right now¡­.!¡± ¡°Sven Arbeil¡­¡­!¡± Justy tried to hold Sven but Angelica moved faster than him. She kicked the ground with her right foot and flashed at Sven, who was blocked by Justy¡¯s shield. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± Sven¡¯s eyes widened. In an instant, Angelica moved to the boy¡¯s front and flipped her blood sword with her right hand. ¡°Sven ¡­¡­!¡± Justy shouted. A high-frequency blade of blood, which cut through steel, swung down towards the boy. ¡°Sven¡­¡­! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive!¡± ¨D¨DThere was no such thing as what he imagined. Angelica threw the dagger with the blood blade as its hilt and embraced Sven from the front. She cradled the boy¡¯s head in her arms and hugged him tightly with both hands, as if she was wrapping her arms around his plump chest. ¡°Is¡­¡­?¡± The spear fell out of Justy¡¯s hand as he stood there stunned and rolled on the ground. Ignoring the person she had just tried to kill, Angelica hugged Sven even tighter. ¡°Hee,aa¡­.. Sven!¡¡Thank God, thank God you¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°Heh, ah¡­¡­er, Angelica?¡± ¡°I heard that the County of Arbeil was destroyed, but I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alive! What a wonderful day this is!¡± Where had the bloodthirsty fiendishness of a dozen seconds ago gone? Angelica was spilling tears from her right eye. A face of compassion, like that of a mother who had found her lost child. It was the very woman Justy had once longed for, and he forgot about the situation and fell in love with her again. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡­what¡¯s the situation here?¡± Belatedly, Raidorl appeared below them. Behind him were Darren and Saara, as well as the soldiers escorting them. ¡°¡­..Oi, Justy. What could have happened to get you into this situation? Your back injury¡­¡­ and what¡¯s our Strategist Boy doing by hugging a woman?¡± ¡°So, Your Highness,¡­¡­this is, what do you call it,¡­¡­¡± Justy was at a loss for words when his lord questioned him. There were signs of destruction in Raidorl¡¯s camp, where a battle had clearly taken place and Justy was bleeding from a cut on his back. And for some reason, the boy who was his military strategist was being held by a woman with a bandage on her face and she was crying. It would take all the wise men on the continent to see this scene and accurately predict the situation. ¡°¡¯Good grief, isn¡¯t this by any chance the scene of an affair?¡± Brad Ilkas, who caught up a little later, murmured. ¡°Having an affair with a young man as soon as you are newlyweds awakens to a new propensity. Even for me, my strike zone isn¡¯t that wide¡­¡± The voice sounded seriously distressed, which was unusual for the aloof fox. ¡°Thank God, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe ¡­¡­!¡¡Sven ¡­¡­ thank goodness aaah¡­¡­!¡± Angelica Ilkas continued to cry like a child as the men, who seemed to be at their wits¡¯ end, looked on. In the woman¡¯s chest, Sven, whose face was compressed by the twin dunes, cried out weakly, [Kyuuuuuu]. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°I am sorry to have shown you my unsavoury side of things, His Royal Highness Raidorl Zain.¡± Justy and Angelica¡¯s duel. Then, an hour after Sven¡¯s intervention and Angelica¡¯s weeping. Again at the Calcifer¡¯s mansion, Angelica Ilkas uttered an apology. Angelica, who had once been obsessed with revenge against the Empire and looked like a ghost with a vindictive expression, had now regained her soft expression. Angelica, with a fresh expression as if she had just been possessed, had transformed into an attractive woman who still attracted people even though the left half of her face was covered with bandages. She should have been severely punished for instigating a fight on Justy, one of Raidorl¡¯s close associates, in a town now under his control. However, Justy, who was supposed to be the victim, stubbornly insisted, [This is a mock battle, not a private fight!] The punishment had been postponed for the time being. ¡°That¡¯s fine and dandy, but ¡­¡­ how long are you going to hold on to him?¡± Sitting in his chair, Raidorl received her apology and directed his subtle gaze to her chest. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­Kyuu.¡± Angelica stood in front of Raidorl, with Sven still clutched to her chest. With her arms in front of his chest, she embraced him as if she was a young girl holding a stuffed bear in her arms. When his eyes met Raidorl¡¯s¡­¡­ the boy strategist moved his lips with a crunch and asked for relief, [Ta?su?ke?te]. [TL:Tasukete = help me] ¡°¡­.. I can¡¯t. What do you want me to do?¡± Raidorl wrinkled his brow and made a difficult face, but decided to ask anyway. ¡°Ah¡­¡­Angelica Ilkas. Why have you been hugging Sven since a moment ago?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because, Your Highness. It¡¯s so that Sven doesn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Humans are creatures who die if they are not careful. My parents died, my brothers died. That¡¯s why I have to protect Sven from dying, like this.¡± ¡°But¡­..there are no enemies here and I don¡¯t think there is any danger¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, he will die. He will surely die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Am I going to die, me?¡± Sven was already in tears. When Sven broke up the fight, for some reason the woman he knew hugged him, treated him like a stuffed animal and sentenced him to death. It was natural to want to cry. The transformation of Angelica Ilkas, who was once supposed to have become a vengeful demon. There were several complicated reasons for this. Angelica was a female knight who fought with great fierceness on the battlefield, as evidenced by her boisterous nickname, ¡ºSlaughter Princess¡». Despite this, Angelica was not ruthless in everyday life. She deeply respected her parents, cherished her friends and was a motherly woman who treated the young children with deep affection. But ¨C the fall of the Viscount Ilkas family and the deaths of her family members. In particular, the death of her blood brother left a deep scar on Angelica¡¯s heart. Obsessed with revenge and madness, Angelica became a blood-sucking, flesh-eating, evil woman, and began to pursue the empire that destroyed the Ilkas family and the treacherous aristocrats. Angelica thus embarked on the path of Shura. She had no time to rest and was heading towards ruin when she met a shred of peace ¨C Sven Arbeil. Sven¡¯s birth family, the House of Arbeil, was a family that fought to the end without succumbing to the Empire and was then driven to destruction. In other words, Sven was in the same position as Angelica and was the only person who shared her feelings. For Angelica, who had been abandoned by those she believed to be her allies, and who no longer trusted even her fianc¨¦ and his family, the house of Calcifer, Sven was the only hope she could trust. He was like a spider thread that had descended to hell. ¡­..¡ºOriginally, Angelica was a kind person who loved children. I and her brother were close, and maybe our faces overlapped to her eyes¡»- were the words that Sven uttered as if he had given up in the state of being treated as a stuffed animal. Angelica¡¯s once disintegrated mind was reshaped in a distorted way by her encounter with Sven. Sven¡¯s presence was probably the one thing that had held her back. Like a tranquiliser, only when she held Sven in her arms did she revert back to the harsh but gentle Angelica Ilkas she once was. Angelica was holding the boy with a look of contentment on her face, as if she had monopolised all the happiness in the world and Raidorl sighed bitterly. ¡°¡­¡­Well, okay. Let me just check the important parts first. Angelica Ilkas. Are you willing to surrender yourself to my army?¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness. I surrender all the lands of the Calcifer family that I have taken, and of course everything in Kyrgyzstan and Kubertos as well.¡± ¡°¡­..Good, but you tried to kill my general, Justy, earlier?¡± ¡°I have not forgotten my resentment towards the Empire and my hatred of traitors. If I could, I would have blown his bodies to five pieces. Yes, that¡¯s being polite already. So much so that I want to kill them so surely that there is not a single minute to survive¡­¡­.¡± Her eyes, which had become soft, gradually narrowed, and the beautiful face changed into a vicious expression just like that of a rakshasa woman. Sven, who was held in his arms, panicked and shouted, [Angelica-san!] He exclaimed, and his eyelids fluttered up and down as if he had just woken up from a dream. ¡°But I am willing to put aside my hatred of traitors if ¡­¡­ His Royal Highness commands me to do so. I don¡¯t want to cause Sven any grief. I also understand that Justy is too good a man to kill.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. I see.¡± Traitors could be forgiven ¨C on the other hand, that ¡ºhatred for the Empire¡»could not be abandoned. Raidorl wanted to make peace with the Empire if possible and concentrate on the battle against his brother King Granard. Could he really have Angelica, who was burning with hatred towards the Empire, as an ally? ¡®It¡¯s quite unsettling, considering the state of mind of this woman. However, it¡¯s still a shame to let go of a female heroine who was even called the ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡»¡­¡­.Justy and Sven also seem to want to accept her, and I wouldn¡¯t want to get rid of her if I could.¡¯ Raidorl glanced at Sven, who was held in Angelica¡¯s arms. His shoulders slumped with a troubled expression, but ¡­.. it was more likely that he was just embarrassed by the excessive skinship from the older beauty than him disliking Angelica¡¯s favours. It was not unreasonable to assume that no matter how intelligent he was, he was still a boy of his age. If Angelica went out of control, Sven would be the only one who could stop her other than by force of arms. ¡®¡­..I¡¯m putting an extra burden on Sven so, I¡¯ll have to throw him under the bus here. She seems like an intelligent woman when we talk like this, and time will tell.¡¯ Raidorl decided to impose the treatment of Angelica on the boy, apologising to him, his military strategist, in his mind. Angelica opened her mouth with a happy expression, holding Sven, who had become an unwitting guardian. ¡°I am delighted to be loyal to the Zain royal family once again. I look forward to serving you and Sven here for many years to come.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s decided that¡­.. you¡¯re set with me¡­..that¡¯s enough, then. Sven, who had given up, already had an enlightened look on his face. Angelica ran her hand over the boy¡¯s distant-eyed belly. Raidorl was not without misgivings about welcoming a mentally distorted woman named Angelica to his camp. This would give him another force that rivalled Justy¡¯s. ¡°Aa¨Caa, it¡¯s cheating. This is definitely cheating.¡± Incidentally, Angelica¡¯s supposed husband, Brad Ilkas, was gazing lovingly at Angelica with his cheek cane on the table. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be newly married and within a week my partner would have an affair¡­..Rotten fruit is a delicacy after all. I¡¯m so excited I can hardly stand it. It seems I¡¯ve opened a new door. It¡¯s bittersweet and tantalising.¡± ¡°¡­.. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about over there. Is there anyone decent in this town?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my husband. I¡¯ll get rid of him when I¡¯m done with him.¡± ¡°Getting rid of him!?¡± Angelica said matter-of-factly. Brad gazed at his wife with an eerily kind face. Raidorl shook his head to shake off his anguish, feeling a light headache at the two anxious newcomers. Thus, all of the Eight Eastern Families with territories on the eastern border of the Kingdom of Zain were now under his control. This victory was achieved in a short period of time, less than six months after King Granard¡¯s imperial decree. Volume 2 - CH 9 The Strongest Man on the Continent Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned The news that Raidorl had fulfilled his royal mandate and conquered all the traitors of the Eight Eastern Houses was delivered to the royal court. King Granard Zain listened in silence to the news of his brother¡¯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 came to report to him was on his knees, bowing deeply. His expression was etched with a deep colour of fear and he desperately turned his face to the floor to look away from Granard. The soldier dared to turn his eyes away from Granard¡¯s face and the reason was obvious. Sitting on his throne, irritably tapping his elbow pads with his fingers, Granard¡¯s face was covered with purple bruises that looked like burns. The bruise covered the left half of his face, running from his eye down his neck to his left breast. The cause of this was the cursed ¡ºoath¡»placed on him by Raidorl. The cursed bruise, caused by the outburst of the agent sent to frame Raidorl, gave Granard pain that felt as if he was being roasted on fire, day and night, even at this very moment. Every time the pain hit, Granard thought ¡ºI still can¡¯t let my brother live.¡» The soldier finished his report in a fearful tone, looking away from the king, who was obviously grim-faced from pain and hatred. ¡°Thank you, you may step back.¡± ¡°Ha,ha! ¡­¡­ Excuse me!¡± The soldier exited the audience chamber quickly, his shoulders relaxed with relief. When he saw the soldier disappear through the door, Granard raised his fist in the air. ¡°Damn you! Raidorl!¡± DAN! he slammed his fist into the armrest of the throne. The chair on which successive Zain kings had sat made an ominous sound but he raised his voice regardless. ¡°How dare you mock me!¡¡You have disgraced me, your king and your older brother and now you are drinking the wine of victory!¡¡You are a brother who makes my stomach boil!¡± Ever since the curse had left a bruise, a fire of hatred had been raging in Granard¡¯s heart. To begin with, the secret agent who caused the curse to be activated was working under orders from Granard. He plotted to assassinate Raidorl on his own initiative, and after failing to do so, he triggered the Curse of the Seal¡­..which made him completely dig his own grave. A schemer, drowning in his own schemes ¨C felt that it was as if the heavens and fate were trying to make Raidorl king, further fueling the flames of Granard¡¯s anger. Watching bitterly at the side of such an enraged king was his Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell. ¡°¡­..However, Your Majesty. If you only look at the result, it is not all bad. Thanks to His Highness Prince Raidorl¡¯s victory, we can regain the eastern border regions and bring them under our control.¡± Lockwood softly followed up with a few words, choosing his words carefully so as not to provoke the king. Most of the territory of the Eight Eastern Families, which had been taken by the Empire, had been returned to the Kingdom of Zain. The war results alone should make all sides happy. ¡°Originally, the eastern border areas were out of sight from us. This is a good opportunity for the royal family to send in someone who is convenient for us as a lord, and we should take the victory of His Highness Raidorl as a positive thing, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± The border regions of the Kingdom of Zain were ruled by lords who were loyal and trustworthy to the royal family when the kingdom was first established. However, over the course of its long history, local nobles who had moved away from the capital became obsessed with their own pre-existing rights and interests, and their loyalty to the royal family waned. In fact, only two houses remained loyal to the royal family until the end of the latest imperial invasion. Three-quarters of the Eight Eastern Houses had switched sides. ¡°Sending a trustworthy man to those towns would further increase His Majesty Granard¡¯s power. Let¡¯s put it this way, His Majesty has used His Highness Raidorl to increase his influence.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I know. Now if Raidorl had been killed in action, I wouldn¡¯t have complained!¡± Although the prime minister¡¯s follow-up somewhat lowered his reservoir, Granard was still sore and stroked the bruises on his face with his left hand. Breathing a sigh of relief at the king, who seemed to have calmed down, Lockwood shook his head bitterly. ¡®¡­..His Majesty may no longer be good enough to rule. I doubt if he can serve as the kingdom¡¯s main pillar any longer.¡¯ Prime Minister Lockwood Marcell was a selfless and loyal subject. However, that loyalty was not necessarily directed towards King Granard but towards the state of the Kingdom of Zain itself. For Lockwood, the king was the pillar that supported the kingdom and was merely a cog in the wheel for running the state. The only reason why Lockwood was standing by Granard¡¯s side was because he thought that the elder brother, who had supported the state administration since the time of the previous king, was more suitable as king than his younger and inexperienced younger brother. ¡®But¡­¡­the situation has changed. His Highness Raidorl, who should have been sent to the frontier and lost everything, is now about to gain everything¡­¡­His Majesty Granard will only lose power!¡¯ Raidorl showed his power and honour as the Holy Sword Holder in the battle against the Empire. Through his activities as an adventurer, he saved people and gained the support of the people. And with this expedition to the east, he had his own army and the survivors of the Eight Eastern Families as his entourage. ¡®Eventually, there will be people within the royal palace who will turn to the side of His Highness Raidorl. I don¡¯t know how much they are reaching down our throats¡­¡­but at this rate, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the balance of the scales will tip over.¡¯ The royal court was a haven for devils. The royal palace was the abode of the monsters who circled around the chair of power, plotting and scheming. Among the nobles ostensibly loyal to Granard, there were some who were secretly trying to drag the king off his throne. It was only a matter of time before they tried to raise Raidorl as their banner. The king¡¯s younger brother, who had no other merit than being chosen as the Holy Sword, had grown in influence to the point where he was now eating Granard¡¯s position. No matter what predicament they sent him into, no matter what kind of schemes and plots they put him up to, Raidorl grew as if he was using them as a means to feed off them. ¡®He eats all hardships and rises to great heights. Like a phoenix¡­¡­.So this is what it means to be a hero of a new age.¡¯ Lockwood was convinced with a somewhat distant look in his eyes. Having grown in strength in a short period of time, as if loved by the goddess of destiny, Raidorl might indeed be the hero sought after by the times. Or perhaps it was they who would be regarded by future generations of historians as the one who had mischievously disturbed the country and caused internal strife. ¡®¡­..If I think of it that way, it may have been a strange idea to send my daughter into His Highness¡¯ service. In whatever way it came about, a member from House of Marcell will serve the next king.¡¯ Mertina Marcell was captured in the frontier city in an attempt to trap Raidorl and was captured by him. Lockwood did not know how she was being treated, but the nature of Raidorl¡¯s character would not kill her for fun. Mertina was a talented woman. Her beauty and perfection of style had made her a magnet for many men. Her wits and politics were also exceptional and when it came to intrigue, she had no equal ¨C it was no wonder, since Lockwood raised her to be that way. As his own daughter and greatest creation, Merina would surely win the heart of Raidorl. As a woman or as a subordinate. Even if Granard were to lose his position and Lockwood were to sink with him, it would be satisfactory enough for Lockwood if Mertina supported the next king, Raidorl. The political struggle that would now arise between the brothers ¨C where Lockwood would support the Kingdom of Zain as a vassal of the king if Granard won, and Mertina if Raidorl won. Whichever side won, the loyalty of House Marcell was undying. ¡®Once I sacrificed my daughter for the sake of my kingdom. This time I must be prepared to sacrifice myself as well, or else it would not be fair. I shall offer my life in the event of His Highness Raidorl¡¯s victory.¡¯ ¡°Lockwood, what is your next move? You must not allow that brother of mine to grow any further!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡­.¡± Granard¡¯s voice was abhorrent as he addressed the Prime Minister, who was concerned about the future of the kingdom. Lockwood stopped his train of thoughts and said the best move he could think of at the moment. There was nothing Granard or Lockwood could do about the curse seal. Then they should take steps to contain Raidorl. ¡°Yes¡­¡­.Our priority at the moment is to lift the curse that has been placed on by His Highness Raidorl. And the ¡ºenclosure¡» to contain His Highness.¡± The court magicians were being mobilised to lift the curse. According to the head court magician, Old Bavarois, the majority of the analysis of the curse seal had already been completed. In another month or two, the curse would be lifted. ¡°It is unlikely that His Highness Raidorl can be contained by force. Then we will have to use hostages.¡± ¡°A hostage¡­¡­I believe he has a maid in his house?¡± ¡°No, a mere servant cannot be a hostage. His Highness¡¯s residence is also home to the Imperial Princess and should not be meddled with carelessly.¡± ¡°Hm, then ¡­¡­¡± Granard¡¯s eyes narrowed and a slight smile appeared on his mouth. He had apparently come to the same conclusion as Lockwood. ¡°We can take his territory hostage. We¡¯re going to overrun the frontier cities before Raidorl returns from the east and use them as shackles to contain him?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve already sent a handful of men to the frontier cities to assess their strength. They are strong in combat against demons but not so good as soldiers. If we send in soldiers from the royal palace, we should be able to take them down in less than a month.¡± ¡°Houu¡­¡­that¡¯s good. That¡¯s a very good plan.¡± Granard¡¯s face twisted into a smile of depressed amusement. Eventually, Raidorl would return from the East with his nose turned up in victory. But¡­¡­then the pioneering city of Raid, Raidorl¡¯s second home, would have fallen into the hands of his brother king and become a chain that binds him. Imagining his brother¡¯s proud face tinged with despair, Granard¡¯s shoulders shuddered with backward glee. ¡°Look forward to it! You seem to think you¡¯re going to take the throne from me but I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to take it from you¡­¡­! Just as I once took away your place as prince, I will take your place again¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± His hatred for Raidorl had given him a devilish look, and he was now just a shadow of his former self, when he was a wise and brilliant king. Lockwood¡¯s expression was indescribably delicate at the sight of the king he had raised in his own hands. Vowing to stay with the king until the end of his days, Lockwood set his sights on the pioneering city. ¡°Your Majesty! Excuse me!¡± However, the door to the throne room was opened before the Prime Minister could move. A different soldier entered through the door from the outside. The fun and games were interrupted by a snide remark from Granard. ¡°Such rudeness! Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°I beg your pardon! But it¡¯s urgent!¡± ¡°Mu¡­¡­?¡± The soldier, despite the king¡¯s scolding, retorted with firm resolve. Granard, realising that something unusual was happening, gave the soldier permission to speak. ¡°General Garst from the fortress of Blaine has sent a message! The emperor has appeared near the fortress!¡± ¡°Ha¡­..? What did you say?¡± The soldier¡¯s words were so unexpected that they did not understand the content. Both Granard and Lockwood rolled their eyes and asked the soldier to speak again. The soldier gritted his back teeth in disrespect and reported angrily in an even louder voice than before. ¡°I repeat! The Emperor of the Arslanian Empire¡­¡­ Zacharias Von Arslanian, has appeared in Fortress Blaine!¡± ¡°Wha¡­whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattt?!¡± Granard slid off his throne with a startled shriek. Lockwood held back a shriek but stood speechless and cowering, his face drawn as if he had never seen anything like this before. The battle at Fort Blaine. Six months had passed since the defeat of the Imperial Princess Celia Von Arslanian. The fangs of the continent¡¯s most powerful power were once again pointed at the Kingdom of Zain. Play Unmute ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– The winds and clouds were rising. The urgent news of the appearance of the Arslanian Empire¡¯s Emperor, Zacharias Von Arslanian at Fortress Blaine was delivered to Raidorl, who was in the eastern border town of Caltrith. Receiving the letter from General Bazel Garst at the Caltrith¡¯s residence where Count Calcifer used to live, Raidorl opened his mouth in admiration. ¡°¡­¡­The monarchs of the empire are quite light on their feet. I wish my brother, who is frozen like a stone statue on his throne, could learn from him.¡± Raidorl¡¯s speech was light, but those around him¡­¡­ looked closely at him and they could see that his brows were furrowed and his face was grim. This was a natural reaction, as they had run into an obvious crisis situation with the arrival of the enemy¡¯s leader. The room was lined with the entire entourage belonging to the camp. All the entourages looked tense, as they were aware of the gravity of the situation. According to a messenger sent by General Garst, Emperor Zacharias had suddenly appeared in Fortress Blaine about a week ago. Since the victory a few months ago, post-war negotiations had been underway between the two countries. The Kingdom¡¯s demands were mainly for the return of the stolen territories and reparations. The Imperial side¡¯s demands were, of course, the return of Princess Celia and the holy sword Cla¨ªomh Solas, both of which were held captive by the Kingdom. For the Kingdom, this was a great victory that could be said to be the greatest victory in a thousand years that it had won against a major power. The kingdom must make the most of this opportunity to close the gap in national power with the Arslanian Empire. The Empire was also determined as the continental champion. No matter how much the princess and the national treasure sword were at stake, the Kingdom could not easily take the initiative in the negotiations. The post-war negotiations between the two countries were not settled even after half a year had passed and at Fortress Blaine, the venue for the talks, day and night a contentious argument was raging. Then¡­¡­suddenly the Emperor Zacharius appeared at the scene of the negotiations. The appearance of the emperor, who was supposed to be in the imperial capital, seemed to have surprised not only the kingdom side but even the imperial negotiators, who apparently had not been informed beforehand. Zacharias put on a surprised face for the representatives of the two countries and opened his mouth proudly. ¡°¡ºTwo weeks from now, this battle will end with a duel between me and your king¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain!¡¡If Raidorl Zain wins, the Imperial side will accept every single one of the Kingdom¡¯s demands!¡»¡± Ignoring all the previous exchange of negotiations, Zacharias declared unilaterally. The negotiators on the Kingdom side were so one-sided that they couldn¡¯t stand it and shouted back. ¡°¡ºPlease wait!¡¡We are taking custody of Her Imperial Highness Princess Celia!¡¡Do you think such a self-serving argument will be accepted? ¡­¡­¡»¡± ¡°¡ºAaah!?¡»¡± ¡°¡ºHiiiiii¡»¡± The diplomat dispatched by the royal court fell from his chair at the threat of Zacharias. For the diplomat, who had never seen war, Zacharias, the High King of a powerful nation and holder of the Holy Sword, was a monster comparable to a dragon. The emperor¡¯s eyes were tinged with contempt and loathing as he looked down on him. ¡°¡ºIf you want to kill Celia, do what you want!¡¡She¡¯s a pretty little girl who won¡¯t hurt you even if you put her in your sight to kill but still, it¡¯s a rule of war that the loser loses his life and his pride! Behead her, rape her, do as you please!¡»¡± ¡°¡ºTha, that¡¯s absurd¡­.¡»¡± ¡°¡ºBut in return¡­..If you put your hand on my daughter, don¡¯t think you can ever make peace with the Empire again! I will immediately turn the whole kingdom into scorched earth with all the armies of the Empire!¡¡Not a single tree, not even a rat shall be left alive!¡»¡± Zacharias, standing tall, looked down at the hapless diplomat and declared with dignity. The diplomat, his face pale and white was so terrified that he even smelled a pungent odour wafting from the crotch of the diplomat. Having said all he had to say, Zacharias turned straight back to Fort Balmes, where the imperial army was stationed. While the diplomats fled back to the capital in terror, General Garst sent a fast horse to inform the king and Raidorl of the emperor¡¯s visit. ¡°So you want me to fight the emperor in Fortress Blaine? That¡¯s a very bold thing for the Emperor to do, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing about the messenger sent by General Garst, Raidorl muttered, half in amazement, half in admiration. He made such a demand because he was so confident of his own strength¡­¡­.In the unlikely event of a defeat, the emperor¡¯s life could be lost. Celia, one of the strongest forces, had already been taken prisoner and if Zacharias, the Excalibur holder, died, the foundation of the empire could be tilted. ¡°He sounds very confident but is¡­¡­Emperor Zacharius really that strong?¡± ¡°Yes, I think¡­¡­he is definitely strong. Possibly the strongest on the continent.¡± It was Sven, the boy strategist, who answered Raidorl¡¯s question. For some reason, Sven was sitting on Angelica¡¯s lap in a chair. Angelica was lovingly pressing her nose against the back of Sven¡¯s head and was slowly stroking the boy¡¯s abdomen with both hands. ¡°Emperor Zacharias usurped the imperial throne by defeating his father, the previous emperor, and is the owner of the holy sword Durandal, which controls fire.With Emperor Zacharius as emperor, the originally large empire¡¯s territory has nearly doubled. Even without the fact that he is a Holy Sword holder , he is a considerable warlord.¡± ¡°¡­.Emperor. Leader of the Empire. Revenge for my family.¡± Angelica, who was the human chair, murmured in a bewitching tone when she heard the episodes related to Zacharias. Apparently, hearing about the empire that destroyed the Ilkas family had ignited her hatred and revenge. The outburst of intense emotions caused uncontrollable magical power to leak out and her agitated hair was flailing like a snake. The people around her feared that she might start to lash out again, but when¡­..Sven popped a cookie into Angelica¡¯s mouth, her face returned to a happy, flustered look. It was no longer clear which of them was the guardian. ¡°Nevertheless, ¡­¡­ this is also an excellent opportunity. If His Highness Raidorl is victorious here, he may not only regain the kingdom¡¯s stolen territory but may even be able to extract even more favourable terms.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡­ no, it can¡¯t be avoided either way, can it? If I withdraw here, my victory so far will be ruined.¡± If Raidorl was being honest, even he did not want to clash with the emperor. The picture Raidorl had in his mind was to establish as good a relationship as possible with the Arslanian Empire and confront his brother King Granard without worrying about his backside. Even though Celia was captured alive for that reason¡­¡­if there was something that left the emperor with the roots of trouble, there was a possibility of a pincer attack with Granard in front and the empire in the rear. ¡®Or is it the other way round?¡¡If I defeat the Emperor here, I can make peace on more than equal terms without having to bow the knee to the Empire. That way, there won¡¯t be any problems later on.¡¯ ¡°I have no choice¡­¡­but to go and pick up the chestnuts in the fire. If I refuse to fight a duel here, the Emperor will drop Fortress Blaine, invade and destroy the kingdom. If the Kingdom of Zain is destroyed, I won¡¯t be able to get back at my brother.¡± If the emperor had appeared around the time of Raidorl¡¯s exile to the frontier, he would not have cared so much if the Kingdom of Zain was destroyed. But ¡­.. things were different now. Now Raidorl had his own vassals and his own army. He now had something to protect. He was about to settle his differences with his brother and he could not afford to be sidetracked. Raidorl held up his hand to his subjects, who were gathered in the room waiting for his decision and declared it emphatically. ¡°We are marching to Fort Blaine!! I will put an end to this long war against the Empire!¡± ¡°¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Haa!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡± The entourage lined up reverently nodded at Raidorl¡¯s decision. The Holy Sword of Curse and the Holy Sword of Fire. The moment when the two holy swords clashed was getting closer every second. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– A military meeting was then to be held around the table with Raidorl and the entire entourage. The circumstances being what they were. No one stopped Raidorl from going to Fort Blaine but there was a struggle over who would accompany him. Among the entourage, Angelica Ilkas was a particularly strong advocate of going to Fort Blaine. ¡°I cannot miss this great opportunity to avenge my family! I will kill the Emperor and hang him and I will blow every single Imperial soldier to smithereens!¡± Angelica got up from her chair and slammed the table vigorously. Angelica¡¯s vengeful side came forward again, her face contorted in hatred and assertiveness. Today, she did not hold Sven to her chest and her right hand gripped the sword at her waist. Angelica¡¯s eyes were burning with melancholy, but if ¡­¡­she were taken before the imperial army, there would be no more duel and no more peace. Raidorl could see her forgetting herself and attacking the Emperor and the Imperial Army. ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Sven, please.¡± ¡°E©`¡­¡­¡± Raidorl threw the whole thing to Sven, who was sitting in the chair next to Angelica. Sven¡¯s face was drawn and he looked up at his lord with resentment, but he did as he was ordered and restrained Angelica. ¡°Um, Angelica-san?¡¡Would you mind staying at home with me?¡± ¡°Nah¡­¡­!?¡± Angelica flinched slightly when Sven pulled on her sleeve sleeves and looked up to ¡ºask¡» her for a favour. ¡°N,no matter how much Sven asks, I can¡¯t listen to you! This is the perfect opportunity to avenge the Ilkas family!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want Angelica-san to go because I¡¯m scared. I¡¯ll be sad if you leave me and I wish you¡¯d stay¡­¡­with me.¡± ¡°Uuuu.¡± Sven fidgeted and clasped his index fingers of both hands together. Angelica¡¯s heart throbbed and she backed away as the boy¡¯s cheeks were stained with shame. ¡°But it¡¯s not every day that a¡­¡­emperor comes to the frontline. If I miss this, I¡¯ll¡­¡­Aaah but I can¡¯t leave Sven behind¡­..but I can¡¯t take him into a dangerous battlefield either¡­.!¡± Angelica, holding her cheeks and shaking her hair, was conflicted. [One more push and she¡¯ll fall] Sven was convinced of this and struck the killing blow. ¡°Will you stay with me¡­¡­¡­ Angelica Onee-chan?¡± ¡°Hauaaa¡­¡­!¡± Angelica¡¯s body shook as if she had been pierced by an electric shock. She pulled Sven¡¯s hand and hugged him and held him to her chest from the front. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡­! Onee-chan is here for you!¡¡I¡¯ll protect you Sven¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Wa ©`I¡¯m so happy!¡± Sven said in a barbed voice while nuzzling his face against her plump breasts. With his eyes that had lost their light, he took one look at Raidorl, gave up and accepted the embrace. Sven relaxed his limbs and rested his face on the soft twin dunes. ¡°¡­..Okay, it¡¯s decided. Angelica, you¡¯ll be the one to stay and guard this town.¡± ¡°Yes,my lord! I will make sure Sven is protected!¡± ¡°¡­.. Please, protect the town too, will you?¡± Angelica¡¯s cheeks were rosy and she assured him. Raidorl mumbled with a sigh, shook his head and turned his attention to Darren and Justy. ¡°My father, Bazel Garst, is in Fortress Blaine and I think it will go faster if I accompany you.¡± ¡°I will also stay behind as an absentee¡­¡­¡­..In the event that Angelica-dono should go out of control, we will need someone who can stop her with force.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s decided. My companion is Darren. Angelica and Justy will be in charge of protecting this town.¡± The roles for everyone had been decided. The duel was to take place in a small force, as there was not much time left before the date and time specified for the duel. Whatever the outcome of the duel, Darren¡¯s second-in-command, Saara Leifet, would be asked to lead the rest of the army and march in later, in case the peace was strained and they had to fight the Empire again. Raidorl left the town with an escort of about a hundred horsemen. Darren lined up next to him on horseback. ¡°I have arranged to send a fast horse and have the towns and villages along the way provide replacement horses and food. This will enable us to reach the fortress in the shortest possible time.¡± ¡°Well done, let¡¯s go and see the face of the most powerful emperor on the continent!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The horses were driven to the Blaine Fortress, which was located south-west of Caltrith. They took minimal rest, ate as much of their meals on horseback as possible and made their way to the fortress, changing their tired horses several times along the way. Thanks to their efforts, they were able to arrive at Fort Blaine two days before the previously specified date and time of the duel. The fortress, which had been in a state of excitement after the victory over the Empire when he last visited it, was now quiet. The emperor¡¯s appearance must have shocked the soldiers. The faces of the soldiers standing guard on the ramparts looked somewhat shadowed. ¡°His Highness Raidorl has arrived! Open the gates!¡± The guards shouted as soon as they saw Raidorl¡¯s figure. Raidorl led his guards through the gates and entered Fortress Blaine for the first time in half a year. ¡°Thank you for coming all the way here. Your Royal Highness Raidorl Zain.¡± Bazel Garst, a general in the Royal Army, greeted Raidorl as he entered the fortress. The last time Raidorl saw him, Bazel had a tired look on his face immediately after the battle but his expression today was also gloomy. The hardships of war, combined with ageing, had left dark lines and wrinkles on his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. We have a lot to talk about, so let¡¯s get on with it and explain the situation.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­As the messenger informed you in advance, the Empire has unilaterally challenged His Highness Raidorl to a duel. The date and time is two days from now. The place is here in Fortress Blaine. If His Highness does not agree to the duel or if he does not show up by the time and date of the duel, the Emperor has declared that he will personally destroy this fortress.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that. ¡­¡­ So he ignored the hostages and set it up from their side.¡± However, the emperor probably had no intention of abandoning his daughter, Celia¡­.and the general Gracos Barzen, who was also a prisoner of war. If the kingdom took them and acted as shields or killed them as an example in this situation, the angry emperor would attack the Kingdom of Zain with his maximum force. There was no way he would do such a careless thing. It was obvious that Granard, the king, did not have the guts to kill a cat and incur the wrath of the Tiger. ¡®¡­¡­Either way, though, I don¡¯t intend to hurt Celia. It seems that my feelings have indeed turned to compassion.¡¯ Although Raidorl did not spend much time with Celia they were still friends who slept in the same mansion. If it was a situation where they were clashing swords on the battlefield, he couldn¡¯t be so ruthless as to kill an imperial princess who couldn¡¯t resist just for show. ¡®I think I¡¯m being naive but¡­¡­there¡¯s no merit in killing her.¡¯ ¡°So? What does my brother say?¡± Naturally, Granard must have been informed of this demand for a duel. What decision would he make as king in the face of the appearance of the leader of the Empire? At Raidorl¡¯s question, Bazel¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. ¡°¡­..Of course, I have reported it to His Majesty and asked for instructions. But there has still been no response.¡± ¡°Is that so? The duel is the day after tomorrow, right?¡¡Can he make it in time with such a long delay?¡± ¡°It will take five days from Blaine Fortress to the Royal Capital, no matter how fast the horse is. So it can¡¯t be helped if there¡¯s a delay in the king¡¯s reply. However, it has already been more than ten days since I sent the messenger to report. If there are instructions from His Majesty, they should be coming soon. ¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­..I see. Well, there are still two days until the duel. We can wait for the King¡¯s wise decision. I really¡­¡­ hope he comes.¡± Raidorl hung his lips sarcastically. Raidorl was interested to see what decision his brother king would make in this situation, but he didn¡¯t think it would change things for the better. ¡®If there was any chance of changing the situation, it would be for Granard to come here and negotiate directly with the emperor. If the king of this kingdom came to talk directly with the emperor, the emperor would not be able to be indifferent and negotiations might be settled in a different way from a duel.¡¯ However, Raidorl predicted that this would probably not be the case. Granard would not come here. He would never have come face to face with the emperor. If Granard had been prepared to go head-to-head with the Empire, albeit in a battle at the negotiating table, he would have been here long ago to engage in a war of words with the Imperial negotiators. ¡°¡­..A weak king, a king who cannot move when he should?¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡­? Did you say something?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Rather, I¡¯ll take the rest of the day off. I don¡¯t know if my brother¡¯s messenger will reach you by the deadline but we¡¯ve had a hard march so far. I want to get enough rest and prepare for the duel.¡± Raidorl lightly waved to Bazel, who had a quizzical look on his face, and walked into the building. In the end, two days later, no response from the royal capital came. Either there was trouble and they could not reach Fortress Blaine or Granard could not make a decision until the end. Either way, the outcome of the war between the Kingdom of Zain and the Arslanian Empire was left to the two Holy Sword Holders. On the date of the duel, the Imperial Army arrived at Fortress Blaine at almost the same time as the pre-designated time. The imperial troops lined up on the hilltop, as they had done when they once attacked the fortress but they were eerily quiet even under the banner of the¡­¡­Empire. Were the Imperial troops nervous? They were so controlled, as if they were one living creature, that it seemed as if they would not even breathe without the commanding officer¡¯s permission. And it must be the man clad in a red armour suit like a blazing fire, astride a black horse at the head of the imperial army, who had brought such perfect order to the troops under his command. Imperial Emperor Zacharias Von Arslanian. Always victorious and undefeatable. The holder of the Holy Sword, the strongest man on the continent, looked down on the fortress from a hilltop with his fangs peeled like a beast. Volume 2 - CH 10 The Holy Sword of Fire Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned Imperial troops lined the hilltop. They used to be led by Princess Celia and General Gracos Barzen but now they were commanded by Emperor Zacharias. The army following the man who was even called the strongest on the continent looked larger and more powerful than before, perhaps because of their commander¡¯s supremacy. The imperial army looked like a pack of predators ¨C Emperor Zacharias, at the head of the army, stepped forward. A large man wearing a black cloak over a bright red armour cloak, rode down the hill astride a black-horse, without even an escort. There was no one to stop the emperor advancing alone, away from his army. If the kingdom were to send out an army from the fortress to face the emperor now, he would be facing hundreds or thousands of soldiers all by himself. But no one stopped the emperor. There was not even an atmosphere of concern for his safety. Every Imperial soldier knew this. Even if all the soldiers in Fort Blaine went at once, they would not be able to defeat Zacharias. Emperor Zacharias was the most powerful man on the continent. ¡°¡­..Tremendous supremacy. He¡¯s like a dragon monster. I heard he was the strongest on the continent¡­¡­but I didn¡¯t think he was as strong as this. I guess I underestimated him a little.¡± Raidorl murmured in a war-shuddering tone as he watched from the ramparts as the emperor rushed down the hill. Zacharias had not even drawn his sword. He was riding towards him with a natural gait, as if he were taking a walk for a change. Just looking at Zacharias like that, Raidorl couldn¡¯t stop the sweat from running down his spine. A feeling of intimidation came over him, even more so than when he met the same Holy Sword holder Celia. The holy sword D¨¢insleif, which was attached to Raidorl¡¯s waist, had been vibrating in its sheath since a few minutes ago, and it had been telling him of the threat in front of him. ¡®I can be sure without fighting. That man is stronger than Celia and even stronger than me. ¡­¡­!¡¯ ¡°I am Zacharias Von Arslanian, Emperor of the Arslanian Empire! As promised, I have come to duel with your King¡¯s royal brother Raidorl Zain!¡± Stopping his horse a short distance from the fortress, Zacharias raised his voice. His voice was loud like an explosion, reaching from one end of the battlefield to the other. ¡°Your Highness Raidorl¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, I know. This looks worse than I expected.¡± Nodding to Daren, who was looking worried next to him, Raidorl gripped the hilt of his sword. The power of the Imperial Emperor was more than expected. But running away was not an option at this stage. ¡°I¡¯ll go and fight. Take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Ha, I wish you good luck! Please be careful!¡± Raidorl jumped down from the top of the ramparts and landed outside the fortress. Walking up to the emperor, Zacharias greeted Raidorl with a smirk and a belligerent smile. He dismounted and gave a light tap on the black-haired buttocks and the horse whinned high [hihn] as it headed back towards the imperial camp. ¡°Yo, you¡¯re here. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Zacharias opened his mouth. A deep tone of voice, full of reserve and amusement, washed over Raidorl. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Emperor of the Empire. I am Raidorl Zain. The younger brother of King Granard Zain of the Kingdom of Zain. And¡­¡­the man who defeated your daughter.¡± ¡°Oh, I know who you are. You are the exiled prince who was chosen by the holy sword D¨¢insleif and driven to the frontier, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You know me well.¡± Apparently, the Imperial side had also been looking into Raidorl. It was not surprising, since they had been defeated in the battle six months ago. ¡°I know more about you than that, you know?¡¡You¡¯ve got Celia as a prisoner of war and you¡¯re working together as adventurers. I also heard that you have a crazy woman who uses ancient magic, which is supposed to have been lost in modern times and she is working as your maid. In addition, you have captured Gracos, a good subordinate of mine and have locked him up in a rented mansion on the outskirts of the royal capital, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­. I didn¡¯t realise they knew that much. I don¡¯t know how you found out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised! Did you think the Empire was only muscle and brainless?¡± Zacharias laughed, his face flushed with amusement. His grin, like that of a bad boy who had successfully pulled off a prank, was so young that it was hard to believe he had children the same age as Raidorl. ¡°¡­..After all that research, why aren¡¯t you working to save Celia and Gracos Barzen? Didn¡¯t you have plenty of opportunities to rescue them while I was away from the Royal Capital?¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. I could always get those two back!¡¡But¡­..as they say, let the pretty girl explore, right? Celia seems to be enjoying her adventurer¡¯s life quite well, and Gracos seems to be fed well. There¡¯s no rush to help, is there?¡± Zacharias chuckled with a throaty laugh, his lips pursed and his fangs peeled back. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in the strength of¡­¡­the new Excalibur Holder! I¡¯ll see how far you can go against the evil of the Witch of Doom that will eventually come ¡­¡­.I will find out in this duel!!!¡± ¡°The Witch of Doom ¡­¡­?¡± The face of a girl in a maid¡¯s outfit appeared in Raidorl¡¯s mind and his eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. Raidorl asked with a glance what it meant, but¡­¡­ Zacharias did not answer his question but arrogantly declared. ¡°If you want me to tell you the rest, you¡¯ll have to survive! Young man, do your best not to be killed by me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!!¡± Zacharias drew the sword from his back. The great sword, as long as his body, was red-hot and a reverse flame covered the blade and sheath. Durandal, the Holy Sword of Fire. One of the three holy swords owned by the Arslanian Empire appeared before Raidorl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Tch¡­..no questions asked. You mean no mean for negotiation?!¡± Raidorl also drew the sword at his waist. The holy sword D¨¢insleif. The sword surrounding the spine-chilling miasma, which was a kind of miasma that caused chills down the spine, intercepted the onrushing heat waves. The king¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain and Emperor Von Arslanian. The Holy Sword D¨¢insleif and the Holy Sword Durandal. The curtain fell on the final battle that would mark the end of the war between the Kingdom and the Empire. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– It was Raidorl who moved first. Pouring the densely kneaded magical power into the D¨¢insleif, the miasma covering the holy sword multiplied explosively. ¡°Cursed sword fighting method ¡¾Jormungandr, the Great Serpent of the End¡¿!¡± It was the greatest skill that was unleashed out of the blue. The same technique that once reaped the imperial army in a battle in this fortress. The extreme miasma became a serpent and surged towards the emperor alone. It opened its huge mouth and tried to swallow Zacharias, who was carrying the Holy Sword of Fire. ¡°Hou¡­¡­ain¡¯t bad!¡± Zacharias stroked his chin with his left hand and raised his right-hand sword in a great swing. The earth cracked under his foot, and the flames that surged through the sky pierced the drifting clouds above. ¡°Imperial-style holy swordsmanship ¡¾Flame Breaking¡¿!¡± The huge flaming sword was swung down. The jet-black serpent was torn apart by the overwhelming heat, breaking into a thousand pieces and scattering. However, there was no sign of Raidorl beyond where the jet-black serpent disappeared. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Uoo?!¡± A sword was thrust out from Zacharias¡¯s side. The emperor quickly tilted his head backwards and dodged the thrust aimed at his neck Raidorl had predicted that ¡¾Jormungandr, the serpent of the apocalypse¡¿ would not work. Even Celia defeated it. There was no way it would work against Zacharius, who was stronger than her. The serpent¡¯s blow was a decoy to get into his blindside. ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡± Raidorl entered Zacharias¡¯s space and repeatedly delivered haunting blows. The holy sword in the emperor¡¯s hand was two times larger than the D¨¢insleif, giving Raidorl the advantage once they were brought into close combat. Zacharias dexterously took the slashes fired in rapid succession with his greatsword but soon retreated a step or two from the sheer number of blows. As Zacharias tried to keep his distance, Raidorl delivered a low kick to the side of his knee. ¡°Meuu¡­¡± ¡°Keep slashing!¡± Seeing Zacharias¡¯s body leaned slightly, Raidorl slashed up from the lower level. The full-bodied blow sliced through the red armour but Zacharias ducked as quickly as he could and Raidorl¡¯s blocked by the thick armour, so it did not reach his body. Zacharias touched his beloved armour, lifted his fanged lips and howled. ¡°Haha, you fascinate me! Payback time!¡± ¡°What the¡­..!?¡± Zacharias slammed the red holy sword into the ground with force. Immediately, the hard ground cracked and flames erupted like a volcano erupting. Raidorl jumped backwards in fright. Instantly, Zacharius jumped out of the flames and slashed at him with his great sword. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Guu¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl caught a great sword blow with his D¨¢insleif but was unable to dampen the impact and was sent flying backwards. Raidorl rolled on the ground and adjusted his stance. When he got up and looked at Zacharius, the emperor was standing comfortably without pursuing Raidorl. His attitude was so relaxed that there was no need to chase him down and Raidorl¡¯s expression was distorted. ¡°Shit, he¡¯s giving me a lot of leeway¡­¡­I guess he¡¯s not going to let me win like that.¡± The opponent was a superior enemy. Raidorl wanted to decide the game at once without giving Zacharias a chance to counter-attack but he couldn¡¯t put more force on his attack and were forced to reorganise. Zacharias laughed in amusement and placed Durandal on his shoulder as Raidorl glared at the enemy in front of him in frustration. ¡°You¡¯re good. You¡¯re quite entertaining, aren¡¯t you!¡¡As fierce as fire and as elusive as water. A sword with bad habits in a fight or swordsmanship used by adventurers!?¡± ¡°Aaa, hate to say it, I didn¡¯t grow up well enough. I¡¯m sorry my leg came out on the spur of the moment!¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re the first person to kick the emperor. You should be proud!¡± Zacharias, who had been laughing carefreely, suddenly turned serious, ¡°But.Regrettably you have yet to embrace your holy sword. If you were fully in tune with the patron deity that resides in your holy sword, it would be more entertaining to foresee¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t embrace the Holy Sword¡­¡­?¡¡What do you mean?¡± At the unheard words, Raidorl squinted. ¡°It means exactly what I say. You, Raidorl Zain¡­¡­. actually dislike the D¨¢insleif, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­!!¡± At the emperor¡¯s words, Raidorl felt his heart jump. It was as if he had been confronted with a self he did not know. ¡°You were driven to the frontier because your brother hated you for having been chosen by the D¨¢insleif.¡¡Your vassals and fianc¨¦ abandoned you. You may think you¡¯ve got over that but in the corner of your¡­¡­heart, don¡¯t you just hate your own holy sword?¡± ¡°¡­¡­So, what if it¡¯s true? You talk like you know me.¡± Learn more Pause Unmute ¡°It¡¯s a waste, you know? If you could have accepted the Holy Sword and become attuned to it, then that great move you just pulled off wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to defeat.¡± Zacharias looked somewhat sympathetic towards Raidorl, who frowned. ¡°Even if there is a difference in proficiency and experience, there is no way that the Durandal, a holy sword of the same rank, can unilaterally defeat your technique.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Looking back, even when Raidorl fought Celia, D¨¢insleif¡¯s curse didn¡¯t work well and he had a tough fight. He had thought that the cause was the superiority or inferiority of the holy swords, but if Zacharias¡¯s words were to be believed, the cause seemed to lie in him. Raidorl bit his back teeth when it was pointed out that he had not mastered the use of the Holy Sword. In contrast, Zacharias was also sighing in distress. ¡°To tell you the truth, it seems like Celia is also hitting a wall, you know? She¡¯s too gentle as a holder of the Holy Sword. She is somewhat distant from the Holy Sword, which is a weapon. If she could peel off her skin a bit more, I think she could become a better person¡­¡­¡± ¡°Really? Even so¡­¡­it¡¯s a lot of leeway to give advice to the enemy in the middle of a battle, isn¡¯t it? Are you saying that I¡¯m not even worthy of being your enemy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so dispirited. I still have high expectations of you youngsters.¡± Zacharias swung his sword away strongly. Flames covered Durandal¡¯s sword again. The time for conversation was over. Was this a signal for the battle to resume? ¡°I have one more lesson for you, young man. The fighting style of the Excalibur Holder, the ancient holder of the Holy Sword who once fought against the ¡ºSix Witches of Doom¡». The power of the holy sword that is beyond the walls!¡± ¡°Beyond the walls¡­..?¡± ¡°OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!!¡± A killing blade caressed his back in horror. Raidorl leapt backwards in a wide leap to distance himself from Zacharias. A searing magic power was released from Zacharias¡¯s body. It was a torrent of undirected magic power but it was so sharp that he felt his life was in danger just standing there. Raidorl¡¯s forehead was covered in greasy sweat and he held up his D¨¢insleif but even as he did so, Zacharias¡¯s magical power increased. Flames overflowed from Durandal like a brick-glazed prison, engulfing the emperor¡¯s body. After a few seconds, Zacharias emerged from the fire. The emperor reappeared before Raidorl¡¯s eyes, his appearance so transformed that he could hardly believe his eyes. ¡°Holy Armour of Purgatory, Asha Wahishta! O demonic rakshasa that are vengeful to the earth, bring forth the condemnation of the flames that split the heavens and sever the earth!!¡± ¡°Guu¡­.!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you were surprised. This is the holder of the Holy Sword beyond the Wall!¡± ¡°Oioi, seriously¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl let out a shuddering moan, his voice trembling. Standing in front of him, Zacharias¡¯s skin was dyed red and his face was tattooed with a tattoo that looked like a pine torch. His clothes had also changed completely, with pale flames forming a form of armour covering his strong body. The great sword, which was as long as Zacharias, had doubled in size and was now roaring with a cascade of flames. Its divine appearance was that of the god of battle itself. It wore such an overwhelming sense of intimidation that if one were even slightly distracted, one would want to break one¡¯s knees and hang down one¡¯s head. ¡¾Asha Wahishta, the Righteous One of Purgatory¡¿ ¨C the deity of justice and truth. He was the manifestation of the god of divine punishment, who striked down and destroyed evil demons and impure beings. ¡°Release of the Holy Sword. The opening of power¡­¡­. The battle gear that is manifested by being deeply in tune with the patron deity residing in the Holy Sword and wearing its blessing. This is the ¡ºHoly Armour¡»!¡± ¡°Holy Armour ¡­¡­!¡± Raidorl repeated the words in dismay. Just staring at Zacharias¡¯ transformed form, a sense of awe and fear welled up endlessly from the depths of his chest. All he could do was not to fall to his knees because of the presence that made it hard to even stand up. ¡°Only when you can activate it can you say that you have mastered the Holy Sword! How¡¯s that, have you realised how inexperienced you are!¡± ¡°I see¡­..that I certainly haven¡¯t mastered the Holy Sword. Now I realise.¡± The sight of Zacharias in front of him made Raidorl understand, whether he wanted to or not. He thought he had become stronger than anyone else with the Holy Sword in his hands but the realm he had reached was still only the entrance to the Holy Sword. Zacharias was the real Holy Sword holder. The mythical hero with the power of world salvation was right in front of him. As Raidorl cowered before his overwhelming power, Zacharias, clad in holy armour, throttled him in amusement. ¡°Kukku¡­¡­ glad to see that you¡¯ve understood how different our calibre is! Be diligent, young man!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Well, then¡­¡­¡­¡­it¡¯s time to take you down!¡± ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± Raidorl leapt backwards as soon he sensed danger approaching. Durandal slammed into the space where Raidorl had just been. With a roaring sound, the ground where the holy sword had been struck exploded and a large cave-in and crater was formed. ¡°HaHaHaHaHa!!¡± ¡°Kuh¡­¡­this is absurd!¡± Zacharias swung his sword sideways. A slash of flame shot out from the pale-tinted blade, slashing at Raidorl in the distance. ¡°¡­¡­¡¾Scorpion Thrust¡¿!!¡± The miasma blades collided with a huge flame that loomed like a guillotine. The two slashes collided and a large explosion was produced. ¡°Hmph!¡± While holding back the impact of the explosion, Raidorl intuitively swung his sword. Immediately afterwards, Zacharias jumped out of the explosion and caught the blow. He pushed in forcefully with the same stance that he had received the blow. ¡°Ooooooo!!!¡± ¡°Kh¡­.bastard!!!!¡± In a contest of strength, he had no chance. Raidorl pulled back his body to catch the slash and tried to kick Zacharias in the head. ¡°Oioi! Don¡¯t kick the emperor in the head with your foot!¡± ¡°Hot¡­¡­!¡± A wall of flame appears to protect Zacharias. The pain of his legs being roasted by the fire made Raidorl retreat. ¡°Half-hearted attacks will not break through the sacred armour! Only a one-hit-kill blow can strike through it, like this¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Kaa¡­.!¡± A flaming slash slammed into Raidorl. Blown far backwards, Raidorl¡¯s back was struck hard against the walls of Fortress Blaine. The impact on his back choked his lungs and made it difficult for him to breathe. ¡°Gghh¡­¡­cahhhh¡­¡­haa, haa!¡± The black miasma clung to Raidorl¡¯s body, which had fallen against the castle wall, like armour. If he had not quickly cloaked himself in the miasma and used it as a shield, his torso would have been burned through and he would have been cut in two. ¡°That was rather a killjoy reaction¡­¡­not a bad one. I commend you.¡± Zacharias stroked his chin in praise of Raidorl, who withstood the attack with all five of his limbs still intact. However, his expression was somewhat dissatisfied. He seemed to remember the incompleteness of the battle, which had become one-sided since he took out his holy armour. ¡°But¡­..I¡¯d like you to try a little harder. Currently, you are at a level where you can¡¯t even defeat their ¡ºapostles¡», let alone the ¡ºSix Witches of Doom¡».¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to use half hearted strength, okay? If you want to survive in the years to come¡­..show a bit more guts!¡± When Zacharias raised Durandal to the heavens, a blue-white fireball arose above his head. The fireball, which was about the size of a human head, gradually increased in volume and eventually grew into a huge fireball that could be looked up at. The size and heat of the fireball was like the appearance of a small sun. ¡°Imperial-style Holy Sword Art ¡¾Dawn Light Aurora¡¿!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­!!¡± ¡°With this blow, I will measure your capacity for heroism! Raidorl Zain, are you the one who is to be the saviour of the world to come? Or¡­¡­are you a nobody who should disappear before reaching that point!¡± Zacharias swung down Durandal. A flaming bullet moved in time with the sword¡¯s movement and was released straight at Raidorl. The extremely large flames unleashed were so huge that they seemed to engulf the walls of the fortress, not to mention the body of Raidorl. If it were to take a serious bite, even his bones would be melted away. ¡°Kuk ¡­¡­¡¾Jormungandr, the apocalyptic serpent¡¿¡± Raidorl exerted all his strength to unleash a slashing serpent. The jet-black serpent leapt out, shaking the atmosphere, and vigorously bit the flame projectile. The blow, which was infused with full-throttle magical power, proceeded to devour the flames but the sheer heat of the fireball burnt it up as soon as it hit the target. ¡°Gu¡­¡­OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!¡± Even so, Raidorl continued to put in his magic power and emitted the miasma. If he relaxed his power even for a moment, he would be instantly engulfed by the flames like a comet. Even if he threw everything away and ran away, they would not be able to avoid this huge mass of fire. The only way to survive. Raidorl had no choice but to pour all his magical power into it and release the miasma serpent. ¡°OOOOOOOOOOOO!!¡± However, despite Raidorl¡¯s efforts, the fire balls were steadily approaching, burning away the miasma. The momentum was slightly reduced by the ¡¾Jormungandr, the apocalyptic serpent¡¿, but it still had enough power to burn down Raidorl and the castle walls behind him. ¡°This, STOOOOOPPPP!!!¡± Put more magic power into it. Put it in, put it in, put it in, put it in¨D¨D! However¡­¡­the flame ball still did not stop. ¡®It¡¯s useless, isn¡¯t it? Is this the end of the road?¡¡Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯ll die at a place like this¡­¡­!?¡¯ Sweat ran down Raidorl¡¯s spine from the overwhelming heat and feelings of impatience. In contrast to the flames that loomed in front of him, he felt the cold touch of the Grim Reaper¡¯s sickle on his neck. ¡®Will I die without having achieved anything, without standing where I want to? Because I was chosen by the Holy Sword, I was banished to the frontier and even so, I fought desperately against demons and survived.¡¯ At last Raidorl had a chance to bite back at those who betrayed him and now he was to disappear in defeat without achieving his ambitions? ¡®Will I die defeated and deprived ¡­¡­¡­¡­ without getting anything back?¡¯ What would Granard look like if he were to die here? Would he laugh as an enemy? Or would he weep as a brother? The Prime Minister, the General, Mertina. Neimilia and Celia. And how would his newly formed subordinates react? Would they shed even a tear for Raidorl? Would they resent the fact that he died fighting so selfishly? What would future generations of historians say about Raidorl? Would they mourn him as a tragic hero or despise him as a foolish traitor? Or would he be forgotten as a nameless man who disappeared without ever having achieved anything? ¡®Screw you¡­..that¡¯s not acceptable!¡¯ Raidorl bit his back teeth. Raidorl did not want to see the faces of his hated enemies or close comrades rejoice or weep at his death. He didn¡¯t care what people who would live far, far away think of him. Calling him beautiful or infamous, calling him whatever they like. ¡®But¡­¡­I can¡¯t just 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.¡¯ ¡°Uuu¡­.AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!¡± A fierce rage and a will to rebel. With this as fuel, Raidorl felt his exhausted magic power amplifying. He poured the enormous amount of magic power that had swelled up into the Holy Sword all at once. The miasma serpent regained its momentum from the large amount of magical power poured into it. The momentum of the flame bullets weakened, albeit only slightly. But ¨C even so ¨C it was still not enough. The power was not enough to extinguish the divine fire that consumed everything. ¡®Is this not enough! You say it¡¯s still not enough!¡¯ The flames were already close at hand. It was no use. Raidorl¡¯s head was filled with a feeling of resignation. ¡°¡ºAaa, seriously. You¡¯re a pain in the ass.¡»¡± A moment later ¨C someone¡¯s voice shook Raidorl¡¯s eardrums. It was a high mix pitched boyish and feminine voice. It was the first time Raidorl heard this voice, yet he felt a strange sense of nostalgia. ¡°¡ºI hate you too but I will help you a little. You should be grateful.¡»¡± ¡°¡­..!?¡± Raidorl¡¯s eyes went completely dark. Both the huge flames that were approaching and the emperor¡¯s figure vanished into the darkness without a trace. In a vision that had lost its light ¨C Raidorl thought he heard a voice like the howl of a beast. ©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©–¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡©– ¡°Hmmm¡­?¡± Emperor Zacharias Von Arslanian was dubious at the unexpected scene that had occurred before his eyes. The oversized fireball that he had fired had undoubtedly caught Raidorl and he seemed to be trying to defend against it with his ¡¾Jormungandr, the apocalyptic serpent¡¿ technique, but he was not quite able to kill it. In less than ten seconds, the flames should have engulfed Raidorl with the entire fortress wall behind him, burning him to the ground without leaving a bone. But ¡­..the flaming ball that was about to take the young prince¡¯s life vanished without a trace before Zacharias¡¯s eyes. It was not pushed aside by a miasma blade. Nor was it cancelled out by a technique of equal power. It disappeared without even a spark of fire, as if it had never existed in the first place. ¡°¡­..That¡¯s impossible. What happened?¡± The holy armour [Asha Wahishta, the righteous one of Purgatory], which was also the inner power of the holy sword Durandal, had the power to control the fire of damnation, which destroyed all evil in the world. Its power was one of the most powerful of all holy swords. Without doubt, Zacharias was the continent¡¯s most powerful holy sword holder. It was an impossible situation for such a powerful flame to disappear without knowing what had been done to it. Zacharias squinted and looked at his adversary. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Raidorl was sleeping like the dead, with his back against the ramparts. His right hand had fallen to the ground and the holy sword D¨¢insleif was lying away from his palm. It was natural to assume that if anything had been done, Raidorl had done it. He had no idea what had been done, but there was no doubt about it. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­holy sword D¨¢insleif. I had heard that it was a unique holy sword that presides over curses but what kind of curse could he use to do this?¡± Muttering, Zacharias deactivateed his holy armour. The pale flames disappeared and he returned to his original red armour. The Holy Armour was a technique that could be regarded as a deep technique for the Holy Sword holder but it consumed a great deal of magical power. Even Zacharias, an expert holy sword wielder could only activate it for a few minutes. Zacharias breathed deeply from exhaustion and walked over to the fallen Raidorl. ¡°You survived fighting a serious threat. You¡¯ve passed for now. You¡¯ve proven your worth being alive!¡± Zacharias looked down at the fallen Raidorl and stroked his chin in amusement. His attempt to burn Raidorl to death with the power of his holy armour was not, in fact, to take his life. The true purpose was to pressure down Raidorl, who had not been able to draw out the full power of the D¨¢insleif, and awaken it. In order to determine whether Raidorl was a human being worth taking in alive¡­¡­Zacharias resorted to overly aggressive measures. If he would not wake up in the face of a life-threatening crisis, he would never wake up¡­¡­again. It was too one-sided and too rough a method but Zacharias thought there was no better way to wake up the sleeping lion cub. ¡°Well¡­¡­Raidorl Zain. Have you awakened as the Holy Sword Holder? Was the unknown force I just met was your holy armour?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± He asked, but the unconscious Raidorl did not answer. Zakarius took a deep breath [Hmph] and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Either way¡­¡­I like it. I can¡¯t call you weak since you have overcome the fire of divine authority. Let us hope that you will be a hero who lives up to my expectations.¡± Zacharias looked up above him and saw the soldiers of the Royal Army on the ramparts of the fortress staring at him, salivating. Looking behind him, he saw the soldiers of the Imperial Army on the hill in the distance, staring at him as if mesmerised. Zacharias raised his sword high to the soldiers of both armies, who were staring speechless at the battle between the two Excalibur holders. ¡°The victory of this duel falls to the Emperor of the Arslein Empire, Zacharias Von Arslanian!¡± Hearing this declaration of victory, there were no cries of joy or lamentation from the two armies. The battle between the transcendent beyond comprehension must have made them forget the details of a war between humans. Zacharias¡¯s lips twitched in frustration at the lack of response from the soldiers on both sides, and he shouted even louder. ¡°The war between our two countries is now over! As soon as the king¡¯s brother Raidorl Zain has been treated, peace negotiations shall be held!!¡± Thus, the duel for the future of the two countries was won by Zacharius, and the war between the Kingdom of Zain and the Arslanian Empire came to an end. A young hero and a hero of many battles. The two holy sword-bearers would face the huge disaster that would eventually come together and at the end of it, they would clash again with the holy sword in their hands but that was a future that no one knew yet. Volume 2 - CH 11 The Night of a Certain Sister and Brother Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by Kaepinned ¡°Funfunfu~¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± The boy was frozen with his mouth tied into a straight line while listening to the beautiful woman humming in a good mood. They were in the eastern border region of the Kingdom of Zain. It was the former residence of Count Calcifer, a great nobleman from the east. The house was currently under the control of the Kingdom¡¯s army led by Raidorl, after Count Calcifer, the master of the house and his companions were brutally murdered by a woman. The Count Calcifer, along with Count Arbeil had great power, so naturally their mansion was also vast and magnificent. The interior of the mansion was even equipped with a spacious bathhouse, and the two ¡­¡­were right in the middle of bathing. ¡®¡­.. What am I doing?¡¯ Sven Arbeil was the one who was asking himself the question with his body as hard as stone. He was a survivor of Count Arbeil¡¯s family, which perished in the war with the Empire and was a young boy in the service of Raidorl as an military strategist. As it was a bathhouse, Sven had taken off his clothes and was naked. That was not at all unnatural. It was not unnatural, but¡­¡­ the problem was behind him. ¡°Humph~n¡­¡­ Sven, do you have an itch?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ There isn¡¯t. Angelica-san.¡± The problem was the beautiful woman bathing with him. The name of the woman who was carefully washing Sven¡¯s back in the bath chair was Angelica Ilkas. She was a survivor of Viscount Ilkas¡¯ family, which, like Count Arbeil¡¯s family, was destroyed in the war. Angelica, who was washing Sven, was also completely naked. Sven was hardened by the intense tension as he felt the presence of the two mountains shaking just behind him. Tonight, Sven and Angelica were bathing together. Since their reunion, they had been working together more and more often¡­¡­.Angelica was a mature woman. Sven was also old enough to have stepped into adolescence. It was the first time they had bathed together. ¡®I resent you¡­¡­Your Highness Raidorl.¡¯ Sven resisted the urge to cry out, murmuring bitterly to his lord in his heart. The reason why Sven had to bathe with the older beauty was because¡­¡­Raidorl was leading an army to Fort Blaine and Angelica was ordered to stay. The fact that Angelica missed the perfect opportunity to avenge her family¡¯s death was a terrible shock to her, as she felt a growing resentment towards the empire that had killed her family. Angelica, who was originally trapped in a deep inner darkness, became mentally unstable and began to behave strangely, mumbling to herself in the middle of nowhere and constantly sticking daggers into dolls. To cheer Angelica up, Sven asked her if there was anything she wanted to do to refresh herself¡­¡­. Angelica¡¯s reply was¡ºTo have a bath with Sven¡». Sven bit his tongue at this, as one would expect. Sven was now 12 years old. He was at the age where he was gradually becoming aware of the gender difference between men and women. Even so, he was embarrassed by being hugged by his ¡ºsister¡», to whom he was not blood-related. He tried to refuse, thinking that any amount of nakedness would be too embarrassing ¨C but Angelica smiled at her embarrassed ¡ºbrother¡». ¡°¡ºWell, if you¡¯re embarrassed, I don¡¯t blame you. Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll just have to deal with the pent up depression and resentment at¡­¡­Brad and get rid of him.¡»¡± Angelica smiled and declared that she was going to kill her husband and Sven hurriedly agreed to bathe with her. He didn¡¯t care about Angelica¡¯s husband, Brad Ilkas¡­.. but he didn¡¯t want to see the woman who was taking the place of his sister dismembering her spouse¡¯s body, no matter how much she wanted to do so. Sven reluctantly stripped naked and was washed by Angelica, who also took off her clothes. ¡°Now your body is clean and beautiful. It¡¯s time for a soak in the bathtub.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Yeah¡± Sven nodded his head in a deceptively state of mind. They got up from the bath chairs and tried to head towards the bathtub, but¡­¡­Angelica almost lost her balance and Sven rushed in to support her. ¡°Oops,¡­¡­ sorry, Sven.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem¡­¡­.¡± Sven glanced at Angelica¡¯s left leg. It had been amputated below the knee and disappeared. The prosthetic leg she always wore for bathing and the bandage covering her left eye had been removed, revealing the painful scar. ¡°¡­.. Please give me your hand.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Sven bit his lip slightly and pulled Angelica¡¯s hand to guide her to the tub. The painfully etched scars were sustained byViscount Ilkas after their desperate resistance in the previous war with the Empire. Angelica, the matriarch known as the ¡ºSlaughter Princess of Ilkas¡», also went to the front and was severely wounded. ¡®But¡­¡­that¡¯s not the real wound. Scars on the body are not a big deal to Angelica.¡¯ As Sven proceeded into the bathtub with Angelica¡¯s hand in tow¡­¡­Sven thought more. ¡®Angelica-san is deeply traumatised. There¡¯s an intense madness and a seething hatred swirling around in her heart.¡¯ Angelica once tried to murder Justy Oigist out of hatred. Since reuniting with Sven, the outburst had died down but the wound in Angelica¡¯s¡­¡­heart still bled venomously. ¡®Perhaps Angelica¡¯s hatred will not disappear until the day the empire falls. But¡­.¡¯ Sven knew. That their lord, Raidorl, did not want a decisive battle with the Empire. He had guessed that, if possible, he wanted to make peace with the Empire and concentrate on fighting his brother King Granard. It was frightening to think what Angelica would do if she knew that. ¡®Angelica-san would surely be disappointed in His Highness Raidorl. She might hate him for being a traitor who turned on the empire and turned a blade or a saliva against him. I am sure I am the only one who can stop ¡­¡­ that.¡¯ Sitting in the bathtub, soaking in the hot water, Sven quietly made up his mind. He would definitely stop Angelica. He would not let her go on to a madness from which there was no turning back. He would keep her from turning her blade against Raidorl. ¡®Alwyn¡­¡­That¡¯s the only condolence I can give you, I suppose.¡¯ Sven thought of the face of his late best friend. Alwyn Ilkas was the son of Viscount Ilkas and Angelica¡¯s brother. He and Sven were friends close in age. His friend, too mild and gentle for a nobleman, also lost his life due to the ravages of war. The only thing Sven could do for his deceased friend was to support Angelica to prevent her from being consumed by madness. ¡°Fufu¡­¡­This reminds me of that. Even when we were kids, me, Sven and my brother used to take baths together.¡± Despite Sven¡¯s determination, Angelica, sitting next to Sven, looked happy and relaxed. Sven couldn¡¯t help but admire the profile of Angelica, who was soaking in the bathtub, her smooth skin tinged with a rosy hue. ¡°Well¡­..I don¡¯t remember, when was it?¡± ¡°¡­..I think it¡¯s been ten years now? Sven has grown so much since then.¡± ¡°Ten years?¡­.Alwyn and I were still two years old at that time. How could I remember that?¡± ¡°Is that so? I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I also changed Sven¡¯s diaper once¡­..have you forgotten that?¡± ¡°How could I remember? Stop saying anything weird!¡± Sven raised his voice as his embarrassing past was dredged up. Angelica gazed lovingly at Sven and then suddenly embraced the boy¡¯s body. ¡°Waa?!¡± ¡°Sven, come to your sister¡¯s lap.¡± ¡°Wait ¡­¡­ what are you suddenly doing!¡± Angelica sat in the bathtub and put Sven on her lap so that she could hug his small back. She was hugging as if she were holding a stuffed animal. ¡°Wa, wawawawaw, let go of me!¡¡You¡¯re embarrassing me!¡± Sven had been carried many times since he was reunited with Angelica but¡­¡­this time the situation was different. This was a bathroom. Both of them were naked. The embrace had forced Angelica¡¯s bare skin against him, whether he wanted it to or not. Plump breasts against his back. Her soft thighs against his buttocks. In a few more years, he might be able to afford to enjoy the situation that would make him too happy, but for now the close contact with a¡­¡­naked older beauty was too stimulating for a boy who had just stepped one foot into puberty. ¡°I said let go of me! Angelica-san!¡± ¡°Fufu¡­¡­ You really are a cute boy. You don¡¯t have to be so mean to me.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡­don¡¯t press your breasts against me!¡± Angelica embraced Sven, who was blushing in a different way to the bath heat, even tighter. Angelica, who easily silenced the boy¡¯s modest resistance with two arms, looked amused and relaxed her face¡­.. suddenly dropped the tone of her voice and whispered into Sven¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯m really¡­¡­glad Sven is alive.¡± ¡°Eh¡­.?¡± ¡°I thought I had nothing left when my family¡­..died. I thought I had lost everything and had nothing to protect. But¡­¡­my brother¡¯s friend, Sven, my other brother, is alive. Really, thank God¡­¡­¡± Angelica held Sven in her arms and pressed her face against his neck. Sven noticed. Angelica¡¯s shoulders were shaking slightly. That he could hear a small sobbing voice mixed with the sound of the water in the bathroom. ¡°¡­..It can¡¯t be helped. Just for today, okay?¡± Sven¡¯s shoulders slumped as if he had given up and stopped resisting. Angelica embraced him as she was made to do and he let himself fall into the touch of her silky skin. This was a way of offering condolences to his late best friend. It was also a way of repaying a debt of gratitude to his bloodless sister, who had looked after him since he was a child. Sven gazed at the steam rising to the bathroom ceiling and gently closed his eyes. Sven Arbeil and Angelica Ilkas. The two, who had no time to mourn their family but have a new sister-brother relationship, would continue to exert their power as Raidorl¡¯s trusted subordinates. ¡°Cuckolded by a twelve year old boy? Haha, that¡¯s not bad. ¡­..I¡¯m about to discover a new ground.¡± Incidentally,¡­¡­on the opposite side of the bathroom, Brad Ilkas, Angelica¡¯s husband, was looking out of the window at the night sky as if in twilight, listening carefully to the voices coming from the bathroom. [TL: Dafuq Brad¡­] Benefit SS The Princess¡¯s Nightlife. The royal capital of the Kingdom of Zain. There was a shadow hovering in the darkness of the capital. The man was dressed in a pitch-black costume and hood. In both hands he held a pair of long, distorted scissors with a blade length of about one metre. ¡°Shu©`¡­¡­ shu©`¡­¡± A black-cloaked man with eerie scissors strode through the back streets of the night in search of his prey, leaking deep breaths. Soon, the back of a woman¡¯s head flashed into the black-clad¡¯s eyes. Dressed in a sensational dress with a wide back opening, the woman¡­¡­looked like a prostitute. Her magnificent blonde hair flowed down around her neck and reflected the moonlight brilliantly. ¡°Shu©`¡­¡­ shu©`¡­ shu©`!¡± As if in anticipation,the black-clad man ran out and set his sights on the woman¡¯s neck to reap his finest catch. His huge scissors were extended into the golden hair, pinching it from both sides. Learn more Pause Unmute ¡°¡­¡­.!?¡± The next moment, with a clear click, the blades on either side were flicked off. A scooping slash was fired at the chest of the black-clad man¡­..whose eyes widened in surprise under the hood. ¡°Shaa!!¡± The bright red dress fluttered. A sword with blue-white lightning sliced deep into the opponent¡¯s chest. The man in black fell on his back, jerking and twitching. ¡°Good work, Celia-san¡± ¡°Aaaaa, this is so embarrassing! These clothes are too naughty!¡± A blonde woman in a dress ¨C Imperial Princess Celia- shouted at a woman in a maid¡¯s uniform behind her. That night, Celia had come to exterminate a street monster called ¡ºHair Cutter Bug¡» at the request of the guild. She had stood in the street in fancy clothes to lure the black-clad monster. ¡°Ehh¡­¡­but doesn¡¯t that dress look good on you?¡± Neimilia, her escort and protector, tilted her head while looking at the extreme dress that Celia was wearing. ¡°Uuuu¡­¡­.What¡¯s so good about these embarrassing clothes!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pity. I¡¯m sure the master will be pleased with it¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡­ why should I please that Onii-san!¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you want to see?¡­¡­Seeing Celia-san in naughty clothes and Master being embarrassed by it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.I might want to look at¡­¡­Onii-san¡¯s face. At that time¡­.¡± Celia found it a bit amusing that Raidorl, who was always fearless and spare-faced, was embarrassed towards her. ¡°Okay, just once! Just once, I will wear these clothes to see Onii-san¡¯s face! It¡¯s a chance I¡¯ll never get again!¡± ¡°Fufu¡­¡­Choroi. Piece of cake..¡± [TL: ¥Á¥ç¥í¥¤=Choroi. Easily persuaded by others. Naive] Neimilia grinned wickedly at the embarrassed-looking imperial princess. Afterword Long time no see. I am Leonard D¡­the eternal chuunibyou author. First of all, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart all the readers who have picked up this work, those who were involved in its publication, the illustrator Fuyuki Sensei and all those who have supported me so far. A year has passed since the release of the first volume last year. I am very happy to have successfully published the second volume of ¡ºRaidorl Seiken Senki¡». This makes this the first in a series of books for me. I had been dreading whether I would be able to deliver a continuation volume to you all but I am relieved to be able to depict a new story of Raidorl¡¯s adventures and battles. This year marks the third year since I first started my life as a writer through ¡ºShousetsukaninarou¡». To be honest, I was worried that I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue my writing career as I had only been reading works written by other people for so long but now that I¡¯ve published this second volume, I¡¯ve gained confidence as an author. [TL: became a novelist. It¡¯s website for japanese people to write their novel, like wattpad] I would like to continue writing aggressively in the future. Please continue to support me! Now, here is the content of volume two. In this volume, I wrote a story based on the theme of ¡ºnew encounters¡». The story develops as Raidorl meets new characters, sometimes fighting, sometimes forming friendships and flying even higher in the sky. I can¡¯t give too many spoilers as I¡¯ve heard that some people read from the afterword¡­¡­but there will be new appearances and activities by a Shota, Loli, Muscle Glasses and a Bloody Yandere (?). . New housemates will be rolling in, following the erotic maid Neimilia and Imperial Princess Celia and Raidorl¡¯s surroundings will become more and more glamorous and lively. I would be very grateful if you would continue to follow the story of Raidorl¡¯s rebellion and battles. So, wishing to all Gods, Buddhas and demons that we will meet again. ¥ì¥ª¥Ê©`¥ë£Ä