Chapter 129
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Two Royal Knights
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War is a clash of the many against the many.
It is generally impossible for a single individual to change the tide of a war.
But what if that individual is one of the Royal Knights, the continent's greatest knights recognized by the Emperor?
Or an Archmage, the continent's greatest mages acknowledged by the Pope of the Dragon God Cult?
Then the story changes a little.
They can single-handedly alter the course of a battlefield, which is why they are called one-man armies.
And before their very eyes, that miracle was unfolding.
Countless fireballs rained down from the sky.
It was a catastrophe in itself.
Of course, he wasn't entirely alone. Dozens of priests from the Dragon God Cult were assisting him.
But that did nothing to diminish the grand magic being displayed.
“This is our chance to counterattack!”
“Fight!”
“Drive out the demonic beasts!”
The morale of the soldiers, who had glimpsed a ray of hope, soared. Life returned to their dying eyes, and the wounded gritted their teeth, swinging their swords and spears one last time.
War was about momentum. The flames of Bercefe began to burn brightly once more.
“…An Archmage is here? Fuck, I’m alive…! I’m alive…! Of course! You think I’d die here?!”
Gismond raised his trembling hands and cheered.
“Hm? That person looks familiar. Who is he?”
“That’s Gismond Sunbaenim.”
“Gismond… Ah, the sunbaenim who did quite well in the jousting tournament. But why is he here?”
“I brought him. How much holy water did you bring?”
At that, Jace rubbed his palms together, his words trailing off.
“Well, I did bring a lot, but…”
“Who do you think you’re bargaining with?”
“As you know, with demonic beasts and Vile Breeds appearing everywhere, the demand for holy water has increased. So, unlike before, the price has gone up a little, no, quite a bit…”
“You agreed to grant me four favors.”
Pernyan cut Jace off.
“Ah, that…”
“Have you properly digested the Itarium root?”
“Bringing a personal matter into a public issue…”
“I’m not asking for it for free. Just charge me the cost price.”
“Hyeongnim! I really can’t do that!”
“Then give me holy water equivalent to the value of the Itarium root.”
“Ahem…”
Jace, knowing full well how valuable the Itarium he had consumed was, deliberately avoided eye contact.
“I’ll subtract two of your four favors. Give me as much holy water as you can at cost. At the very least, you won’t be taking a loss, will you?”
“…Ugh, considering the Itarium root, it’s definitely not a loss, but still…”
With a sigh, Jace finally nodded.
“Hyeongnim, you truly are a merchant. Yes, I understand. I’ll do my best to meet your request.”
“The Dragon God will bless you.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
He replied curtly.
“But I never expected Cardinal Alvi to come.”
“It’s a massive demonic beast offensive, isn’t it? At times like these, the Cult must step up even more. Though we are only thirty, they are all the Cult’s highest-ranking priests.”
The highest-ranking priests of the Dragon God Cult were all top-tier mages.
“I’m sure it’s not just for that reason.”
“Haha, we were also hoping to acquire some demonic beast corpses. For research…”
“Saint! Stop playing around and come help over here!”
Just then, a priest’s shout was heard.
“I’m coming! Hyeongnim, I have to go!”
Startled, Jace immediately ran up to the castle wall.
“Ruina, Hyde. We’re joining the battle.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
To block the breached wall, Pernyan summoned his golems again. But the feeling was different from before.
Outside the walls was a sea of fire. Though the demonic beasts, with their tenacious life force, charged through the flames, they couldn't avoid taking some damage.
Of course, they were still demonic beasts. The fierce battle continued.
How much time had passed?
Pwoooooo—
A horn blast echoed from the distance.
Dudududu—
Horses’ hooves pounded the earth, and war cries engulfed the battlefield.
“Reinforcements!”
“The relief force has arrived!”
Bercefe’s reinforcements had arrived.
***
The reinforcements launched a surprise attack on the rear of the demonic beasts.
The beasts’ formation crumbled, and as the castle gates opened, the soldiers inside began to respond.
The tide of the battle had turned, but the demonic beasts, as if determined to obey the demon’s command to the very end, refused to retreat.
The fearless beasts were not easily swept away, but the wide-area magic unleashed by the Dragon God Cult’s priests was slowly tipping the scales in their favor.
“Hyde, Ruina. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Taking advantage of the opening, Pernyan, along with Hyde and Ruina, slipped out of the fortress.
He couldn't bear the suspense of not knowing how the most crucial battle, the one against the demon, was unfolding.
‘If by some chance, just some slim chance, the two Royal Knights are losing, I must intervene immediately.’
He had to kill the demon, even if it meant using Wooden.
“It’s near here.”
The roars of battle were still audible.
What was once an ordinary plain had been utterly devastated.
And at its center.
There they were.
Two knights and one demon.
Their movements were too fast for Pernyan to follow. They were violent, and dangerous.
Blue and red auras clashed with demonic energy, blanketing the entire plain, and the shockwaves that continuously erupted like explosions reached even Pernyan, who was a considerable distance away.
“…They’ll be alright, won’t they?”
No matter how positively he tried to view the battle, it didn't look good at all.
Pernyan muttered anxiously.
***
*Kwang!*
Sword clashed with sword.
Sword clashed with spear.
They intersected, tracing deadly arcs, each aiming for the other’s vitals.
—!
He twisted his body swiftly, but the sword still managed to draw a fine line of blood.
At the same time, blood spurted from the Mercenary King’s body.
“Kugh…!”
“Alright, I’ll admit your combined assault is more impressive than I imagined!”
Kimaris’s low growl was a far cry from his previous demeanor.
His armor was crushed, his helmet knocked off, revealing his hideous face.
Yet, there was no sense that he was losing.
That was because the Margrave and the Mercenary King were in a much more dire state.
“But I am still Kimaris! I will not be defeated by lowly humans!”
He unleashed a blast of demonic energy.
The two Royal Knights quickly created distance, but he pursued them relentlessly.
—!
The Margrave barely managed to block the slash. The Mercenary King aimed for his exposed back, but Kimaris reacted to that as well.
His body spun rapidly, his sword following. The Mercenary King let out a groan as he was sent flying.
“Where’s that confidence from before? King of Mercenaries? Does leading a bunch of worthless trash make you think you’re something special?!”
“I am something. You don’t get the title of Mercenary King for being good at poker.”
“All talk till the very end. Fine, I’ll praise that bravado of yours! For a human to dare show such insolence before me is quite remarkable.”
“What a load of crap.”
The Mercenary King spat out blood and pushed himself up. In the brief moment of conversation, his eyes met the Margrave’s.
“Is that what you people consider a compliment? What’s wrong with your hea—”
The next instant.
The Margrave kicked off the ground.
“…d!”
The Margrave and Kimaris clashed again. The Mercenary King’s spear targeted his rear.
The demon responded as he had before, but the Mercenary King’s counter was different.
Anticipating the attack, he ducked to evade it. The spear, coiling like a snake, tore into the demon's lower body, and in that moment of hesitation, the Margrave’s assault poured down.
“…Incredible.”
Witnessing the sequence of events, Ruina murmured in spite of herself.
“…I see.”
Even to Pernyan, who knew little of swordsmanship, it was clear.
Their combined attack was precarious, as if it could shatter at any moment, yet they were holding on.
The two weapons aided each other as if they were originally one.
They never obstructed each other’s path, instead providing cover and blocking attacks aimed at one another.
It was as natural as a flowing river, as fierce as a torrential downpour, and as violent as a great tsunami.
“…It’s as if a swordsmanship and spear-wielding style like that has always existed.”
“I heard that my father and the Mercenary King spent years fighting on battlefields together when they were young, but I never imagined it was to this extent…”
“Together for years?”
“Yes.”
That explained their near-artistic coordination.
The problem was that even against such teamwork, the demon showed no sign of falling.
“I praise you! You are the first non-demons to have entertained me this much!”
“Is your memory conveniently detachable? Have you forgotten how you were routed a thousand years ago and chased back to hell?”
“…You dare speak words that should never be spoken.”
The Mercenary King had touched a nerve, and the situation grew even more desperate.
“I will personally dismember your corpse and feed it to my hellhounds.”
In an instant, the world turned black.
It was demonic energy. An absurdly immense amount of it.
It fell directly upon the Mercenary King.
———!
With a tremendous explosion, darkness consumed the surroundings.
Within it, only faint glimmers of blue and red light could be seen.
“Father…!”
“Control yourself! If you go now, you’ll only die!”
Ruina screamed, and Pernyan gritted his teeth, holding her back as she tried to rush forward.
When the darkness finally lifted.
*Krr-thack—*
“Cough…!”
An unexpected result awaited them.
The Mercenary King’s spear was completely shattered, and a massive gash was carved deep into his chest.
He collapsed, vomiting blood.
However.
It was not a defeat.
Because the Margrave’s sword was also protruding from the demon’s chest.
“Keoheok…?”
Kimaris coughed up blood, his body trembling.
“Khahaha, this is what you call a combined assault, you senile demon bastard.”
The Mercenary King’s broken spear had pierced through Kimaris’s foot, pinning it to the ground.
While he had thrown his own body to hold Kimaris in place, the Margrave had pierced the demon’s heart.
“You damn bastards…!”
The Margrave pulled out his sword. Kimaris’s body staggered.
“I, defeated by mere humans…!”
──!
A flash of blue light, and the demon’s head fell.
“Ah.”
“Ah.”
In the aftermath, the tension left Pernyan and Ruina, and they both slumped to the ground.
“Father…”
Ruina let out a sigh of relief that the Margrave was safe.
“…We won.”
We actually won.
They killed a demon without Aint. A demon that was believed to have recovered its full strength, no less.
‘There’s hope…’
Even without Aint, humanity didn't have to be pushed back helplessly.
Pernyan was filled with elation.
The voices of the two Royal Knights reached his ears.
“Damn it, when was the last time I fought like this? I’m going to die.”
The two battered Royal Knights collapsed onto the ground.
“Are you alright?”
“Not bad. Just about at the point where I’ll die if I don’t get treated right away.”
“That’s serious. We need to get back and get treated as soon as possible. For now, I’ll take the demon’s corpse.”
“Who said you could?”
“It was found on Bercefe land, so it naturally belongs to Bercefe.”
“You wouldn’t have caught the demon without me.”
“The same goes for you.”
The Mercenary King’s face crumpled.
“Since when did you become so greedy?”
“I’m going to give it to the Fallenbergs. They’ll know its value. I need to reduce my family’s debt, even if just a little…”
At that moment, Kimaris’s corpse disintegrated into dust. The same happened to the black horse he had ridden.
“……”
The Margrave stared blankly at the spot.
“Khahahahaha, what a fascinating phenomenon. Isn’t that right— Cough, keoheok…!”
The Mercenary King laughed at him, only to cough up blood.
The Margrave tossed him a potion.
“…Still can’t believe it.”
And Pernyan, who had been on the verge of acquiring Kimaris’s corpse, let out a hollow laugh.
Now that the situation was over, he was ruing his lost profits.
If only demons left corpses, he could have gotten his hands on Andromalius and the snake, as well as Kimaris and his black horse…!
“…My treasures.”
“They are not your treasures, Gongjanim.”
“Shut up, Hyde.”
Pernyan ground his teeth.
“A tiger leaves its skin when it dies, but what do these damn things leave behind…?”
His hatred for demons deepened.
“First, we need to save the Mercenary King.”
The Mercenary King looked like he could die at any moment.
Pernyan pulled a high-grade potion from his subspace and ran toward him.
***
Meanwhile, around the same time the demon was being stopped and cleanup was underway in the northern Empire.
In the Prasia Kingdom, the subjugation of the Vile Breeds was in full swing.
“Subjugate the demonic beasts!”
“Kill all the Vile Breeds! Aint Armian is with us!”
Aint swung his sacred light, illuminating the dark battlefield.
Veteran mercenaries followed close behind him.
Demonic beasts fell, and the necks of fleeing Vile Breeds were severed.
The battle did not last long. There were hardly any Vile Breeds or demonic beasts to begin with.
“…A step too late.”
They had already packed up most of their things and fled the safe house.
It was to be expected. Aint had already destroyed five of their safe houses.
“At this rate, it’s safe to assume they’ve all gone into hiding elsewhere too.”
Valoci approached his side.
“It feels like we’re still just circling the periphery…”
“We can’t touch the nobles of Prasia. No matter how famous you are as a hero, causing trouble in another country could lead to diplomatic problems.”
“I know.”
Aint swallowed a groan.
He had accidentally discovered Vile Breeds when he first came to Prasia and had been following their trail ever since.
He realized they were hiding all over Prasia and tried to eradicate them all, but things weren't going as planned.
-At this point, it’s safe to say Prasia has already been taken over. It’s clear someone with considerable power is involved.
-Whether they’re a Vile Breed themselves or simply cooperating with them, either way, they deserve to die.
The problem was the lack of concrete evidence.
The Prasia Kingdom was refusing to cooperate under various pretexts, and he couldn't just march up to any noble and demand to test if they were a Vile Breed.
“Aint, what’s the plan now?”
Barus, the Mercenary King’s disciple who had helped him get assistance from the mercenaries, came over with a spear slung over his shoulder.
“Let’s head back for now.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go grab a dark beer.”
“Beer, beer, that’s all you think about. Don’t you ever get tired of it?”
Aria, another companion who had followed him from the academy, made a face of disgust.
“Why would I get tired of beer? Mercenaries and beer are inseparable.”
“You have a real talent for speaking nonsense with such conviction.”
She smiled faintly.
“Let’s go quickly. I’ve eaten a ton of dust, so I’m craving a beer too.”
“That’s our Verian! You get it, don’t you? Oh, right, I forgot our precious young master over here doesn't drink cheap liquor like that, did I?”
“One of these days, that tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble, Barus.”
Valoci scowled at the sudden jab.
“Advice from a great family is precious. Thank you.”
They returned to the mercenary guild in Ramons.
“A letter has arrived for you, Aint-nim.”
“A letter?”
-It’s from Bercefe. Did that nouveau riche send it?
[Aint. A demon’s egg has been discovered in the north. The Margrave and the Mercenary King tried to destroy it, but it was impossible… We need the power of an Armian, the natural enemy of demons. Therefore…]
It was indeed from Pernyan.
-A demon’s egg must mean it’s Decarabia. Only he descends in that manner.
-So they intercepted Decarabia’s egg before he could descend… and they want you to destroy it?
The letter was long, but the point was simple.
-…You must go! This is a chance to take out a demon for free!
It was an offer Aint simply couldn't refuse.
That day, Aint boarded a ship bound for the north.