Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: The Night When the Moon and Stars Whisper
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"Still no sign of His Highness?! What are you all doing?! Deploy more troops! Scour every inch of the Kobiran Mountains until you find him! Send urgent messages to all territories connected to the mountains! Find Crown Prince His Highness! Dispatch soldiers immediately!!"
Though nearing seventy, his height of around 190 centimeters, broad shoulders, bull-like massive eyes, and large face made him believable as a knight in his prime.
Moreover, his swordsmanship having reached Master level, combined with his position as the Empress's father, allowed him to wield power in the Raviter Empire nearly equal to the Emperor's.
Duke Yanobis's face flushed a deep crimson.
The disappearance of the Second Prince, Alskane.
The Second Prince, the current Emperor Hardberya's most beloved son, had vanished after leaving his territory yesterday.
He had briefly visited a neighboring territory, then left with his guard Sky Knights and territory Sky Knights to exterminate a dark sorcerer.
It was a shock like the sky collapsing and his heart stopping.
If anything happened to the prince, all the power and fame he had built would vanish like bubbles.
"Contact the Imperial Palace at once! No, inform the Gauss Magic Tower too! Assemble all available Sky Knights and soldiers! I will search for His Highness myself!"
An agonizing night had passed, yet Prince Alskane showed no sign of returning.
Unable to sit still any longer, the Duke bolted from his seat.
Shriiiik.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud.
Over a hundred wyverns in the territory were taking off one after another, while knights and soldiers on horseback raced toward the Kobiran Mountains.
'If anyone dares harm His Highness... I will chase them to the ends of hell and tear them apart!'
Flames of rage boiled within him.
Gritting his teeth, Duke Yanobis mounted his own wyvern.
And he soared powerfully toward the Kobiran Mountains.
Praying desperately to the gods that the prince was safe.
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"It's the Saintess!"
"Ooh!"
The city of Denfos welcomed a peaceful morning as usual after the lord's departure.
Armis, called the Saintess in Neruman, appeared before the people with four guard knights.
"Bestow your blessings upon us!"
The citizens knelt on the ground and bowed their heads at the sight of the Saintess.
"In the name of mercy, may peace be with you...."
Armis bestowed the divine blessings upon each and every one of them.
Her sincere blessings, not skipping a single soul.
Tears streaming, the citizens offered heartfelt thanks to the Goddess of Mercy, Neran.
Swoosh.
As Armis and the knights passed by the citizens, figures watched them from the dark shadows cast by a building.
Rustle.
And in an instant, they vanished like a lie.
Their movements were so stealthy that even the wide-eyed guard knights could not detect them.
Like leopards stalking their prey....
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"Ah!"
The massive shoulders of the Rual Mountains, which he hadn't crossed in nearly half a year.
New emotions welled up.
Before crossing here, he had been a pitiful Sky Knight fleeing to Neruman, but now he was a lord moving the vast lands of Neruman.
Much had happened in that short time.
'Hot.'
The Bazran Empire lay beyond the Rual Mountains, gripped by the continent's sweltering heat that couldn't cross the peaks.
The scorching summer heat hit him the moment he passed over.
'Tedious flight.'
They had departed in the morning, but dusk was already falling.
They had taken a brief rest at the lake where he once stayed with Derbal, then flown nonstop.
Flap flap flap flap.
Even Bebeto, with his steel-like stamina, was exhausted to the point of sticking out his tongue.
Shiiiik.
Countess Irene, who had been quietly following behind, surged to the front.
She gestured for them to follow.
'Taking a break?'
Unlike him, Countess Irene and the Imperial Guard Sky Knights would be welcomed everywhere.
They were probably heading to rest at a noble mansion.
This was Bazran Empire territory from here on.
As messengers of the Imperial decree, any noble would have to receive them with utmost courtesy.
'But this place...'
The place they arrived after crossing the Rual Mountains was where he had briefly clashed with them.
Unaware of that, Irene veered slightly and flew on.
'They won't make trouble for someone carrying the Imperial decree, right?'
He steeled himself calmly.
Now he was a precious lord with territories incomparable to this petty one.
With his usual grit, he followed Irene.
If things went south, he could just turn the tables.
He moved according to his heart's command.
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"....."
Everyone froze.
They arrived at a grand noble mansion under the slightly darkened night sky.
Upon landing in the hangar of the mansion, where the territory flag fluttered beside the knight-use golden banner, all their faces stiffened.
The administrative staff, servants, soldiers, and knights who had been moving toward the black wyvern—all stared at him and hardened their expressions.
Anger laced with bewilderment.
They glared at Bebeto's golden stripes.
"P-Please, come in. Countess Irene."
"We'll be imposing on you again, Coltrian Lord."
"No need to stand on ceremony. You're always welcome."
As Irene dismounted her wyvern, a territory Sky Knight regained his composure and spoke.
Even then, Coltrian—the heir to the territory—shot him a sidelong glare.
Hostility burned in his eyes.
'Just as I thought.'
He was certain now.
This was the territory of those pathetic Sky Knights who had tasted bitter defeat against him and surrendered their wyvern armor and spears.
Otherwise, they wouldn't show such open enmity toward him and Bebeto.
'Replacing wyvern armor, three sets of air plates, and dozens of spears would shake the territory finances for years. Heh heh.'
"Where is this territory?"
He dismounted Bebeto and casually asked Irene.
"Atman Earldom."
"A peaceful territory in a fine location with good mountains and rivers."
He half-listened to Irene and spouted fortunate words.
"Please, come inside. My father has prepared a dinner banquet."
They had surely passed this place when coming to Neruman.
The knight, suppressing his rage, invited them in.
"Oh! Perfect timing, I was starving."
He overacted.
'Getting on your nerves, huh? You bastards.'
The ones who once tried to kill innocent him.
This was just a taste.
The moment his territory stabilized, he planned to strip them bare.
'Nice and sturdy wyverns.'
His eyes naturally drifted to the wyverns in front of the hangar.
They all looked like piles of money.
"Come on in. My stomach's sticking to my back."
Lord Rosero, who lived as extravagantly as he did.
Unbefitting a noble, he rubbed his belly and took the lead.
Step step.
Zing zing.
Irene and the knights led the way.
'These bastards, trying to kill with their glares.'
Stinging killing intent followed his steps.
He had a feeling something fun would happen tonight.
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"Gulp...."
A noble banquet, only heard of in tales.
The feast prepared for the Imperial Guard Sky Knights bearing the decree did not disappoint him.
Full courses for a full two hours.
He was in bliss.
Dozens of dishes made from various meats, seafood, and vegetables.
Incredible flavors.
'I should hire a proper chef.'
His mother Lucia's cooking wasn't bad, but it had its limits.
Life was short; he wanted to live excitedly and deliciously(?).
'Look at these guys.'
The lord of Atman Earldom, with a face like he chewed shit during the formal dinner.
Even a thick-skinned noble couldn't smile at the one who robbed him of millions in gold worth of goods.
No, if not for Irene, he would have called knights and soldiers to tear him apart.
Smiling kindly at the count, he enjoyed the feast to his heart's content.
Then he went outside.
He was fine, but he couldn't leave Bebeto at risk.
'Not going anywhere. Tsk tsk.'
Watchdogs were on him.
Gazes followed the moment he stepped out.
He strolled leisurely toward Bebeto.
'Ho, poisoned?'
Kuooh!
Arriving at the hangar in the count's castle where Bebeto was, a tasty-looking pig lay belly-up.
But Bebeto didn't eat the meat and cried irritably at his appearance.
Petty trick in the food.
'The Emperor invited me, not Bebeto.'
They aimed to go after him once Bebeto was gone.
'Wrong target. Who does Bebeto think he is to fall for this nonsense.'
Like him, Bebeto preferred clean, healthy food and hadn't touched it, sensing something.
"Bebeto, you haven't eaten. No appetite? Wanna go hunting? Can't sleep anyway."
He said loudly for all to hear.
Kuooh!
Starving Bebeto naturally agreed.
"Head to the Rual Mountains? Saw lots of beasts on the way."
He specified the direction and hopped onto Bebeto's back.
"Not too far. Wild wyverns might attack on a night like this, so be careful."
Emphasizing wild wyverns, he gave Bebeto an unusually kind warning.
'This bait should draw them. If they have any pride.'
He'd heard wild wyverns occasionally raided livestock or farmers.
Shiiiik.
Bebeto lightly kicked off the ground and soared.
'Playtime's over. Time to earn.'
He urged Bebeto slowly toward the Rual Mountains.
Slow enough for the count's Sky Knights to catch up easily.
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Crunch crunch crack.
Bebeto devoured two orcs that had crawled out hungry from the mountains and wandered.
'Ugh, urk!'
A familiar scene, but the real sounds of bones crunching and flesh tearing made him queasy.
Even a wyvern raised with holy water to curb ferocity ate like a top predator monster—hard to get used to.
'Slug-like bastards. Finally catching up.'
He'd flown as slowly as possible, yet it took them nearly twenty minutes to appear.
They must have deliberated.
Too risky to touch someone heading to the capital under Imperial decree.
But as elite hotshots, their lofty pride wouldn't let such opportunity pass.
And they bit the bait.
'Kekeke. I'm a pro at fishing now. Time to retire.'
Reason for heading to Rual Mountains.
They could take him quietly, but the reverse was possible too.
'One, two, three... ten! Ho, almost all of them.'
During the meal, he'd asked the sullen-faced count.
Exactly how many wyverns here.
'Fifteen total, ten airborne. Jackpot.'
"Bebeto, wanna run now?"
Bebeto's battle instincts sharper than his.
Kuooh oh oh oh!
Roaring powerfully, he shot into the sky.
Combat stance upon sensing enemies.
A Sky Knight adage: The highest flyer is the strongest.
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Shiii iiiik.
Of the fifteen wyverns, three had returned half-crippled half a year ago.
Gearless, stripped of wyvern mithril armor and air plates.
'Kill him!'
Atman Earldom lay on the empire's remotest border, stunted by annual monster invasions.
Decades of scrimping built connections centrally and amassed fifteen wyverns.
Just as they aimed to rise as central nobles, one bastard shattered all dreams.
Failed Duke Omer's orders and lost wyvern armor, air plates, blessed spears to a green Sky Knight.
Coltrian Lord, heir to Atman, ground his teeth and pursued the rising wyvern.
The archenemy Kaiyer who smashed the family's dreams.
Unforgivable.
Flap flap flap flap flap.
The territory wyverns followed Coltrian, flapping vigorously upward.
Aerial combat's golden rule.
Battle for altitude position already underway.
Paat!
As wyverns climbed, Sky Knights gripped blessed spears.
Loaded with one-shot killing intent.
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'Laughable mongrels.'
Thrilling killing intent reached him mid-ascent.
Out of spear range, yet their sharp auras blanketed the sky with venomous resolve.
They knew not the hell awaiting after this moment.
Whip—he yanked Bebeto's reins.
Bebeto snapped his head, preparing descent.
Sruk.
Blessed spear in hand.
No chance of amicable ties with this enemy house.
He erased mercy from his mind.
Smiling and baring his belly to sword-wielders was saint-level, not for him.
'Taste this, you bastards!'
Moonlight and starlight mingled, purplish-brightening the night sky.
Mana scope on helmet tripled light intake for night enemy spotting.
Enemies could see him like dusky evening, not broad daylight.
'Ever heard of it? Firework show! Heh heh.'
Shyaaa aaaak.
Turning, distance to incoming foes compressed instantly.
Mana gathered in blessed spear.
Like a mage's staff, mana rippled, coalescing at the tip.
"Light Missile!"
Powerful chant of 1-circle Light magic variant.
Paaaaat.
Eyes closed, immense Light magic radiance felt.
6-circle mage with near-7-circle mana output.
No small spell.
Full 10-meter diameter Light magic.
Shiii iiiik.
Unique Light Missile only he could cast.
Dropped toward ground like moon crashing to earth.
Sky Knights fixated on him, spears aimed—their eyes surely went white.
He looked up.
'Whoa! Impressive!'
Intensity pierced sky, eclipsing moon and stars.
1-circle magic with 7-circle mana—effects beyond imagination.
Soon Light faded, sky returned to normal.
'Time to harvest.'
Old adage: Victory without blood is prime combat method.
He looked down.
Pum pum puk.
Kuaaaa aak!
Kugagaga!
"Arghhh!"
"S-Save me!!!!!!!"
'Umhahaha haha ha!'
Chaos.
Not just Sky Knights blinded.
Wyverns with superior eyesight crashed midair or spun plummeting from the light bolt.
"Summon Shrielle!"
Pop!
Well-trained hunting dog Shrielle.
Instantly opened spirit realm gate at his command.
"Go bite!"
Shiiiik.
Transparent beak gaping, Shrielle lunged at wyverns.
Kueeee eek!
"Arghhhh!"
Piercing wyvern shrieks and Sky Knight screams.
"Wind Press! Wind Press! Wind Press!"
Chaining weakened 5-circle wind attack spells on blinded wyverns.
Shuuuuk! Kwoong! Thud! Thud!
Mages crushed by wind pressure, wings flapping futilely, forced to ground.
"Wind Press! Wind Press!"
Not hide-and-seek with blinded knights—like chugging Gatorade after cold porridge.
"Arghhhh!"
Vision unrestored knights screamed, gripping reins, plummeting with wyverns.
Who said it?
Fall from height means severe injury or death.
Kuuuung!
Dust clouds as wyverns and knights hit ground.
Unbalanced from blinding, couldn't counter wind pressure with a few flaps.
Trembling, sprawled like sparrows shot mid-flight.
'You bastards, resting thanks to me. Kekeke.'
Some flapped resistance, saving lives but surely cracking ribs, dislocating bones.
Even pricey holy water treatment meant a month bedridden.
'Pity, but you brought it on yourselves.'
Wyverns forcibly landed across Rual foothills meadow.
He guided Bebeto beside one.
"Ughhh...."
Kue, kueeek.
Heavily injured wyverns and Sky Knights gasping.
Tap.
Undid safety on wyvern, dragged knight down.
Click click.
Stripped air plate.
"Heal!"
'Payment for your life.'
No free rides to baldness; cast Heal on knight.
"Sleep!"
Kind Sleep spell on pain-grimaced knight.
Deep sleep would refresh like sauna(?).
'I'm too nice.'
Such kindness to foes.
Living Schweitzer.
"Bebeto, lift this guy!"
Kuooh oh!
Bored from easy fight, Bebeto eyed him.
"Wait, Shrielle! Come lift this?"
Might as well be legendary bandit if playing outlaw.
Systematically stripped fallen wyvern mithril armor.
"Labor's sacred. Already sweating."
Cool sweat beading as wyvern armor removed.
Derbal and Neruman knights wouldn't know.
How tirelessly their lord toiled for Neruman.
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'T-That devil bastard!!!!!!'
Snapping from shock, Atman heir Coltrian Lord ground teeth at the sight.
How could a human do this.
Despite scattering for magic defense, unheard-of Light attack blinded them, turning aces to fools instantly.
Even high-circle mages couldn't attack beyond 2km blessed spear range.
But that fiend was surely demon spawn.
Insane Light magic from sky-high against him and knights.
Blinded by light storm of ten exploding suns.
Then, with equally blinded wyverns spinning off-balance, crushing wind pressure hit.
Wyvern resisted futilely—blinded, dazed beast no match.
'Ugh....'
Horrific memory.
Leg snapping, armor crumpling, ribs shattering—sounds and shockwaves vivid.
Thanks to wyvern's sacrifice, Coltrian avoided fatal wounds.
Better passed out.
Fiend methodically stripped air plates and wyvern armor from fainted knights and beasts.
Nine done, approaching him now.
'Kill!'
Ribs ached, one leg immobile, but mana and arms free.
Gripped blessed spear, waiting.
Close-range mana-thrust spear.
Destructive power incomparable to plain mana spear.
Step step.
Fiend approached.
'A bit more! Just a bit!'
Eyes shut, senses maxed.
Drip.
"Hey~ Bebeto."
Stopped, suddenly calling his wyvern.
Flap flap.
Wyvern approaching sound.
"Flip him! Damn, busy as hell, and you're lounging wings spread!"
".....!!"
Sudden "flip" command.
Coltrian's eyes snapped wide, waiting only for approach.
Kwajik.
Steel claws gripped his wyvern, lifting powerfully.
"Arghhh!"
Unforeseen, Coltrian screamed.
Body flipped instantly.
And in that moment, the devil appeared.
'.....'
He knew.
Snik.
Safety strap unremoved, Coltrian instinctively gripped reins—and saw.
The vile, cold smirk on the devil's lips.
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Thud!
'Bastard, who you calling sucker.'
Mid-bustle, he wouldn't miss incoming killing intent.
'Not dead, right?'
Bebeto flipped him, gently(?) tossed to ground.
Pinned under massive wyvern body—fiend unseen.
'Whatever, his fate if dead.'
Too bothersome; collection complete.
Clean battlefield.
Even Sky Knight breaths and wyvern groans surrounded him.
'Time to head back.'
Like ad: Hard workers deserve full rest.
Fatigue creeping in.
'Bury and retrieve later.'
Scattered wyvern armor, air plates, blessed spears everywhere.
Empire ducal house strained to acquire yearly—huge windfall.
"Ugya!"
Long stretch.
Deep night.
Moon and stars whispered.
Good work today....