Chapter 158
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: Proof of Love
'Armis...'
I had found the temple.
The temple of the Goddess of Mercy, Neran, built from golden bricks.
It wasn't a gift because the gods liked it.
It was my utmost effort for her, since Armis, my goddess, served under that deity.
It was a small token of gratitude to Armis, who had chosen and followed a man like me, who had nothing.
A golden cross stood at the center of the circular sanctuary.
Before Neran's holy relic, she knelt in pious prayer.
Armis prayed with hands clasped, unaware of my presence, oblivious to what she wished for.
The sacred atmosphere filling the high-ceilinged temple was illuminated by magical lanterns, making her long silver-blue hair sparkle.
Her long locks cascaded down to her waist.
Just looking at her warmed my heart.
Armis exuded a maternal warmth that enveloped my entire body.
"Neran... this frail servant beseeches you. Bless this garden of yours, Neruman, with your grace upon grace, and grant it peace. Show all your little lambs that your will is never taken lightly. This young servant... weeps and implores you. Please do not refuse your servant's plea."
Armis wept softly.
Her slender shoulders trembled with sobs.
My heart ached.
The noble heart of this woman, worrying for Neruman's safety as much as I did.
It embedded itself in my soul like stars in the night sky.
"And I beseech you further... protect him with your merciful hand. Remove from him all the world's evil, filth, envy, and jealousy, and grant him the grace to shepherd your little lambs in strength."
'Armis...'
Her prayer, pleading earnestly to the goddess for my sake.
My heart pounded fiercely.
"This young servant loves and reveres him. Though as a servant I should not dare harbor such feelings... I love him as I love and revere you. Neran, who knows all my heart... forgive this servant and bless her. Prove with your power that love is no sin."
Boom!
Her words of love and reverence made me bite my lip unwittingly.
I knew Armis's feelings without her saying them, but this was the first time I'd heard such a fervent confession of love.
I'd heard that priests serving the gods must never draw near to romance.
Only the priests of the evil god Kerma erected altars of desire.
The rest lived from the moment they were chosen until their dying breath gazing only upon their god.
Yet Armis, called a saintess, dared beseech the goddess.
She asked if the goddess knew of her love, and pleaded for proof through divine power for me, whom she loved as much as the goddess.
She stood proud before love.
Even before the transcendent mountain that was the goddess, Armis never belittled or hid her love.
'For your sake... I will overcome every adversity. My beloved woman.'
Before the goddess, who was everything to a priest, my woman sought not to beg for love but to receive a blessing.
To protect her, I had to conquer this ordeal no matter what.
For if I fell, so too would Armis's love.
'Poltbiran, wait for me. I'm coming!'
Just in case, I'd completed the magic circle to its limits.
A grand barrier defense magic circle that neither beastkin, territorial mages, nor captured mages could touch.
With that and my loyal Neruman knights and soldiers, it would hold.
'Heh...'
A cold smile crept across my lips.
Those unforgivable beings.
In the name of love, I would condemn them.
It was the only way to prove that Armis's love was blessed in the goddess's name...
"Aaagh!"
A plain overlooking one of the sources of the Perkon River, with the Rual Mountains in clear view.
Hundreds of wyverns dotted the plain.
Having already received orders, they had prepared food and tents for the soldiers, commoners, and knights drafted from nearby territories to rest comfortably.
At the center stood a large tent.
From within this massive magical tent, airlifted directly from the imperial palace, came a woman's scream.
A silence spell enveloped it, so ordinary cries wouldn't leak out, but her agony pierced even the magic.
Thus, the red-cloaked Sky Knights guarding the front didn't flinch at the screams inside.
Their emperor, who couldn't sleep without a woman every night.
It couldn't be called filthy or ugly.
The empire's master had the power to possess any country noble's daughter he desired.
"Heh heh heh..."
Soon after the screams leaked out, Emperor Poltbiran emerged from the tent with a satisfied smile.
"Hail!"
The Sky Knights saluted.
"Heh heh, was Your Majesty pleased?"
Silvron, who had risen to count by scratching the emperor's itches.
Seeing the emperor's satisfied smile confirmed today's girl had been to his liking.
"A fine wench. Take her to the palace."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
It was still early evening.
He had hounded the territorial soldiers and commoners to find a noble girl of exceptional beauty untouched by men, discovering a baron's sixteen-year-old daughter nearby with remarkable looks.
Under pretext of imperial decree, the order fell, and the imperial Sky Knights fetched her.
She possessed a pure beauty rare even in the capital, and the hard-to-please emperor seemed to have enjoyed himself for once.
"Have all the nobles gathered?"
"They are all assembled in the command tent."
He could have used nearby noble estates instead of camping here, but the emperor insisted on savoring the march, pitching tents on the plain.
With leisurely steps, he headed to the command tent where nobles awaited him.
Tomorrow, after preparations, the full invasion of Neruman would begin.
Poltbiran’s face glowed with long-missed thrill.
A being who fed on others' pain to feel joy.
A fallen human no different from demons.
"Have those from the Magic Tower not arrived yet?"
"They will arrive soon, Your Majesty. Though coming from various places, they hasten on wings, clutching your august command."
"Hmph!"
He himself had arrived a day early, yet snorted at the mages' delay.
Nothing met his eyes anymore.
Not even his mother Ermiang's words held sway over the emperor's current state.
Whoooosh.
Then, a fierce wind suddenly blew from the Rual Mountains.
Crash!
The sturdy tents flapped as if to shatter.
"P-Protect His Majesty!"
Startled by the sudden gale, Silvron ordered the knights.
"It's fine."
Poltbiran, who could wield mana, stood unmoved by the gusts.
Crack.
At that moment, the massive imperial flag—golden field embroidered with a black wyvern—planted firmly before the emperor's bedchamber snapped with a crack, unable to withstand the wind.
Thwack!
"Gah!"
"Y-Your Majesty!!!!"
The flying flag struck the arrogantly standing emperor across the torso.
Silvron and the knights rushed to surround him in shock.
"Damn it!"
Crush.
Poltbiran shattered the flag that struck him using mana.
Snap.
The broken sharp pole had gashed his right cheek deeply.
Red blood sprayed everywhere from the wound.
"P-Potions! Fetch the priests!!!!!"
Silvron, shocked by the emperor's blood.
He bellowed for potions and priests.
Poltbiran stood amid the shattered flag.
He wiped the flowing blood with his hand and brought it to his lips.
"Heh heh..."
A sinister smile curled his lips.
The sight of red blood excited his abnormal mind more than the wound's pain.
"Your Majesty!!"
"Gasp!"
Nobles burst from the command tent at the screams.
They halted in their tracks upon rushing over.
The emperor, blood from his facial wound smeared on his hand, licking it.
For a moment, they mistook him for a vampire demon descended to earth.
"Today, you and I shall write new history. For Neruman's glory, forged in blood and sweat, we join another battle wagering our lives."
I had gathered all the Sky Knights.
Excluding those from Aegis and Bazran Empire, I secretly moved my Neruman Sky Knights toward the Rual Mountains.
In the darkened plain, I conveyed my heart to all the knights.
"Weakness is always a sorrow. Because we and I are lacking, the enemies' fangs still point at Neruman today."
No need to belabor the law of the jungle world.
In human history, those and nations unable to defend themselves with their own power inevitably faced invasion.
I opened my mouth, imprinting our and Neruman's current insufficiency.
"But I believe this will be the last! After today, none will dare scorn me, you, or Neruman! In the name of I, Kayer de Neruman, your lord and Neruman's liege, I promise you this!"
My heartfelt fervent words swept the earth.
"My knights! Mount your wyverns! This night, we take great strides for Neruman together! Follow me!!!!!"
My mana-infused shout shook heaven and earth.
"Waaaaah!"
"Follow the lord!"
"For great Neruman!!!!!!!!"
The knights' hearts blazed from my brief speech.
Roaring cheers, they leaped onto their wyverns one by one.
'Good!'
My Neruman knights, who had fought the fiercest clashes in continental history alongside me.
Fear was never in them.
Exuding powerful auras, they gripped their wyvern reins.
"Let's go, Bebeto!"
Krooooar!
At my command, Bebeto bellowed powerfully, flapping his massive wings that dwarfed the others.
Flap, whoosh.
Kicking the ground hard, raising dust.
Thrum!
The ever-thrilling ascent into the sky.
Savoring the rush, I turned westward.
By tomorrow's dawn after this night.
I would make that Poltbiran bastard bleed from both nostrils.
"Can we trust that man?"
"If this reaches the emperor's ears, we won't have it easy either."
Excluding Duke Omer dispatched by the emperor, the top nobles of the three kingdoms met urgently late at night.
Duke Hardaim's words startled them.
A variable had arisen ahead of the Neruman invasion starting in two days.
Not just any variable, but one that could decide the fates of empire and kingdoms.
"We can only wait for the outcome now. If he fails, we invade Neruman as planned... but if he succeeds..."
Duke Hardaim trailed off.
"Huh..."
"Mm..."
Groans escaped the dark command tent.
If as Duke Hardaim said, it was ideal.
The mad Bazran emperor pressuring kingdoms unbearably.
If he were humbled and his forces weakened, no need to submit further.
No, they could erase the empire's name from the continent forever this time.
"One more thing: by now, Krantz Kingdom's crown prince, hiding on Ivaro Island, will have crossed the sea. Simultaneously, Krantz nobles will have openly rebelled. And... our kingdom's knights and soldiers have crossed the imperial border."
"Gasp!"
"Th-That..."
Kubiran and Andain's top nobles gasped in horror, not mere groans.
This was no mere biding time.
Kerfer Kingdom's choice to cross the irreversible river of fate.
"You know this is our last chance anyway. To avoid Krantz's fate, our kingdom has drawn its proud sword."
Duke Hardaim declared proudly of drawing the proud sword.
The two nobles' minds raced.
If Duke Hardaim's assurances came true, they couldn't sit idle.
He who strikes first eats most—an eternal truth.
Three kingdoms united feared no empire.
Especially with Krantz rebelling and the emperor in crisis, no better chance.
"Tomorrow... if imperial nobles move hastily, we strike then. Prepare accordingly."
Not a warning but a certainty from Duke Hardaim.
The two kingdoms' top nobles nodded unwittingly.
Hoping desperately that Neruman's lord Kayer would smash Emperor Poltbiran properly...
"Now we must prepare too."
Newly built Neruman citadel.
Precious guests residing there: Aegis princess and Razsion prince.
Summoned to the princess's room, Razsion blinked at his calm sister's words.
"After tomorrow morning, Bazran Empire will be a candle before a storm. Brother Poltbiran's faults play a part, but the rotten empire's roots bring this crisis. And... you and I must write the new empire's history. No, even if as a kingdom, we must survive on the continent. That is our duty to repay Father and ancestors' grace."
Aegis, who foresaw all.
She knew the decisive moment had come when wyverns from Denfos flew west.
Kayer had visited, roughly explaining.
That Poltbiran had mobilized against Neruman.
"Razsion."
"Yes, sister."
"No matter what, you are the legitimate prince of Greater Bazran Empire. Never forget that. Rotten roots can be cut away. Build your empire with firm will. Like Lord Kayer of Neruman."
"Don't worry! I won't tarnish Bazran imperial name! And I'll become a sage king. Like brother Kayer, a great man revered by all people!"
Razsion boldly voiced his dream.
Aegis lightly embraced him.
A sage king's path sounded fine, but she knew how arduous it was.
Moreover, Bazran would suffer massive blows from this, and rerooting anew wouldn't be easy—Aegis knew well.
'Kayer... this powerless woman trusts you. Please, protect our two dreams.'
Her heart ached, but Bazran must be reborn.
And rebirth's pain would bring rivers of blood—Aegis knew that too.
Swoooosh.
The mountain wind was still cold.
Spring blanketed the inland, yet deep Rual Mountains cradled winter like a mistress.
'Almost there.'
I didn't feel the cold.
But seeing ice form on the feathers around Bebeto's beak from his breath in the fading evening dusk, I gauged it.
'Slept well last night? Heh heh heh.'
After one rest, we resumed flight.
Sustained by holy water, focusing minds, maximizing wyvern stamina.
Soon, time to meet Poltbiran.
Advanced Sky Knights had scouted their position.
Right on my prediction.
He'd even chosen his grave spot nicely on the plain.
'Endure a bit more. I'll let the knights taste peace too.'
I turned to see the knights following me.
Wyvern squadrons in excellent expandable triangular attack formation.
Not a single disruption, trailing perfectly.
'We're here.'
The mountain silhouette faded; far off, faint red dawn pierced the darkness.
This thrill crossing my territory into foreign lands.
Unlike the Roen duchy battle at Habis palace.
Over 200 wyverns—a national force—led by me.
A revolution for Neruman territory.
'Best offense is best defense. Poltbiran... I pray you slept well your last night.'
Gripping reins tight, I broke from Rual Mountains' shadow.
Bazran Empire's soil lay below.
Far off, I spotted the campsite with rising smoke.
Unknowing of death's messenger, those pitiful souls surrendered to early morning drowsiness—I gave them last human farewell.
From this moment, I was no longer a man who cherished life...