340translated
I Killed the Demon King. It was a Mistake.
Chapter 340
The high castle walls wound along the pale snow field where even spring was retreating.
A man stood tall on the human determination that dared to cross the vast snow field, feeling the wind with his eyes closed.
"......I smell spring."
There's no way spring could come to a snow field that's winter all year round. If spring has come to a place where spring cannot come, there must be a visitor who brought spring.
"But it's strange. The smell of blood mixed with the scent of spring."
Yugar Hironeel turned around.
There was a blonde woman kneeling on one knee and paying her respects. She was incredibly beautiful, but her appearance was familiar.
The woman tried not to bow too deeply, nor did she try to appear too confident.
"I greet you, Lord Hironeel."
"It's Commander Gloria."
Gloria's story was famous enough to have reached Hironeel's ears.
The knight who refused to become a saint.
Also, the only disciple of Caesar El Lindger who destroyed the Holy Grail. What could be the reason she came to Hironeel's land, while receiving condemnation, contempt, and hatred from the entire world?
"Was it difficult coming all the way here?"
"The winter of the snow field was beyond my imagination."
"People must have been harder to deal with than the winter?"
Gloria read Yugar's intention.
"My master told me to get used to being hated, so I'm getting used to it in my own way."
"How are you getting used to it?"
"I'm getting used to the blood of those who hate me."
Yugar looked at Gloria's armor and greatsword. They were too fierce for a saint to wear and wield.
"That must be why you're called the Bloody Saint."
Yugar took out a drink from inside his robe, took a sip, and handed it to Gloria.
"You've come a long way, have a drink."
"Thank you."
The strong alcohol tickled Gloria's esophagus as it went down.
Thanks to it, her frozen body quickly felt warm.
"So, what's your reason for coming here?"
Gloria handed over a necklace with a wolf drawing that Yugar had given to Caesar in the past.
"General Caesar has officially requested support from Margrave Yugar Hironeel for Homigraph."
Yugar received the necklace with the wolf drawing.
"I certainly promised to help unconditionally once, even if I turned my back on the world. Is he using that opportunity now?”
"Yes."
Yugar's cloak fluttered, and the winter wind, sharp like a wolf's fang, brushed Gloria's cheek.
"A wolf does not forsake loyalty."
Yugar put on the necklace and said to his retainers.
"It's time for a spring outing after a long time."
***
Dark shadows deeply settled under Margrave Pruna's eyes.
"......So the second defense line has been breached?"
"I apologize, My Lord. It's due to our incompetence."
Since Dior's rebellion, Margrave Pruna had spent his entire life preparing for the invasion of the Kingdom of Dior.
He prided himself on doing his best to uphold the value of the Pruna Border that his ancestors had maintained, by training knights and soldiers, and maintaining warships and cannons.
However, now that the second defense line had been breached, he felt as if that pride had crumbled.
"What did Arch Duke say?"
"He said he would send reinforcements."
"When?"
"He said they're moving as quickly as possible, but given how sudden this is, it's not easy to send support right away."
"Damn it......!"
Margrave Pruna couldn't blame Arch Duke.
Until now, Arch Duke had spared no expense in providing enormous support every year so that Margrave Pruna could lead vast military forces.
When new cannons were needed, he bought them, and when the latest artifacts were created, he gave them to Margrave Pruna first.
However, in the current desperate situation, the news that Arch Duke's support would be delayed didn't sound favorable at all.
"And he also conveyed that we shouldn't pour too many resources into defending the third defense line."
"What? What does that mean?"
"He suggested that we might recapture the third defense line later......"
Bang!
Margrave Pruna slammed the table.
"That's absurd! If this place falls, the entire Eileen River will be in Niflheim's grasp! How can we give this up!"
Margrave Pruna steadied the hearts of his wavering staff and commanders.
"We will retreat no further. We will defend this place even if we have to mobilize all our forces. So tell the Arch Duke that we request rapid support."
The messenger bowed his head.
"Yes. I understand. I will convey that."
"Wait......"
Margrave Pruna looked at the table with a hole in it, hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Caesar...... Did they say he's coming?"
"Do you mean the Holy Grail Destroyer?"
The expressions of the staff and commanders were complex.
Margrave Pruna knew well why they refrained from speaking freely.
"I know about Caesar's dishonor. But I also know that he is a strong knight."
Margrave Pruna put a cigarette in his mouth.
"If he could kill the corrupted Pope and the Holy Knight Nel, and save Shalibi, I can certainly acknowledge his fighting prowess."
One staff member cautiously spoke up.
"I heard he was also chosen by the Baptism Sword. Is that true?"
Another staff member spoke.
"The Baptism Sword is a symbol of Goddess Dre, but also a symbol of the first Emperor. There was a legend that when true crisis comes to this country, the Baptism Sword itself chooses an emperor and hero."
"Then does that mean Caesar is the hero chosen by the goddess?"
Margrave Pruna found it difficult to speak freely.
If Caesar had been just a knight with exceptional strength, Emperor Michael would have praised the emergence of a new warrior.
But Caesar is now destroying the very foundation of the Eileen Empire. He destroyed the Holy Grail, smuggled out the saint, and shattered the Royder Order.
He killed the Pope and all the baptized, completely dismantling the Dre Order, And even received the blessing of the Baptism Sword, the symbol of the first Emperor, without permission from the Dre Order or the Emperor.
Someone who destroys all long traditions and history is a hero chosen by the goddess?
No, more than that, if someone who is receiving the world's condemnation and scorn comes to help Margrave Pruna, how should the Margrave react?
"Your Excellency! The ships of Niflheim are beginning to appear!"
Margrave Pruna pulled out the spear hanging behind him.
"Tell the entire army. Not to retreat even a single step."
The Caesar issue is distant and unrealistic, but the existence of the borderlands is an immediate and urgent matter.
So what Margrave Pruna must do is only one thing.
"The bones of those vicious Niflheim people will be buried in this land along with our bones."
***
Caesar rode a carriage toward the center of Knight Town.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The center of Knight Town was filled with the sound of hammering.
This was because Caesar had moved all the blacksmiths he brought from Shalibi to this place. Upon hearing that all of Shalibi's blacksmiths had come here, knights flocked to entrust their swords and armor.
"We have arrived."
Caesar got out of the carriage.
[Theon Workshop]
[And Olivia's Small Workroom]
When he opened the door and entered, unlike other forges, there was no sound of hammering.
Instead, four people were huddled together winding circuits or tightening screws.
"Oh? You're here?"
The first person to notice Caesar's arrival was Giggs.
"What are you doing now?"
"We're trying to develop a new magic tech weapon."
"A magic tech weapon, you say?"
"Yes. That's right. It's a new magic tech weapon based on volcanic stone. Wait just a moment."
Theon brought a gun that looked similar to a sling launcher and pulled the trigger toward the corner of the forge.
Whoooosh!
Fire spewed out from the muzzle, scorching the corner of the forge wall.
"Hahahahaha! How is it?! Isn't it great?"
"The firepower certainly looks quite good."
"With just one of these, most knights won't be able to move. This flame can enter even through small gaps in armor."
Theon raised the prototype high and laughed.
"Behold, the Flame Launcher! How is it? Doesn't it look good?!"
That guy Theon just seems to like launching things. He's naming everything ‘launcher.’
"Not bad. But is that muzzle really okay?"
Caesar pointed at the reddened, melted muzzle.
"Ah, well... Actually, I've been thinking about how to solve this problem. Whether to find a material with good heat resistance, or ask magicians to cast heat-resistant magic..."
"Didn't you say you're even using volcanic stone? If you use heat-resistant magic along with volcanic stone, wouldn't the unit cost rise tremendously?"
"Well, I made this to analyze flame magic from a magic tech perspective..."
"In other words, it's still incomplete."
"Hmm... That's right."
Pesson slapped Theon's dejected shoulder.
"Well! You have to go through these trials and errors to create a new product, right?"
Olivia said while tightening a screw. "The circuit itself cannot withstand excessive magic supply like flame magic. We might need to find new materials."
"Telekinetic magic has low output, so copper could handle it, but it melted due to higher resistance than expected."
"It might be good to mix in some gold or silver..."
"Wouldn't that raise the cost too much?"
"Since Caesar said he has a lot of gold, if we ask him to lend us some..."
Caesar made a dumbfounded expression and said.
"Even though I have quite a bit of gold, I don't have that much."
"I guess so, right?"
Pesson said while rubbing his stiff shoulders.
"So what brings you here? Isn't this a busy time?"
Caesar pointed at the magic tech devices scattered on the table.
"I came because of this."
Caesar took out a document from his pocket and handed it to Theon.
"I'll secure a position for you at Gale Magic Tower so you can work with the artifact-crafting magicians there to create magic tech weapons."
"What? Working together with the magicians?"
"Yes. I've told them everything, so they'll cooperate well."
Theon looked at the document with suspicious eyes.
"Even if you spoke to them, I don't think the magicians will help with my research. Their pride..."
"They have extremely strong pride. Their heads are also rigid, so they'll look down on your research."
"Ahem! Well! I can't deny that."
"But don't worry. I've taken care of everything."
"How so?"
Caesar handed documents to Giggs and Pesson.
"Giggs, and Pesson and Lady Olivia - I'm giving you three the right to hire and fire. If someone doesn't listen well, kick them out of the development team."
"...Hmm. Will that really work?"
"If they get kicked out, they'll be dragged to the battlefield, so I think they'll participate very actively in your research."
"What? The battlefield?"
"I don't know if you've seen the newspaper, but this morning I issued a total mobilization order for magicians. Anyone who can walk on two feet is to cease their magical research and join the army”
"I will stop all magicians who can do magic from their studies and call them to the army. They'll probably end up working on train track repairs or going to Pruna's decree zone."
Magicians are people too and don't want to go to the battlefield. But in a situation as urgent as now, wasting precious strategic resources like magicians makes no sense.
"So magicians who don't want to be dragged into the army will listen to your words, even if they have to be forced."
"Can I really... Control the magicians?"
"Give it a try. It might surprisingly suit your aptitude."
Theon thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Since you're helping me this far, I should try my best. I'll do it."
"Good. Then I'll give you a small assignment."
Caesar handed over a thick book.
"What is this?"
"It's a magical interpretation of 'Arch's Holy Flame.'"
"By Arch's Holy Flame, do you mean that white flame?"
"Yes. Make magic engineering weapons based on this a top priority."
Theon scratched his cheek.
"Is this really possible? It looks like an extremely difficult magic."
Of course it's difficult.
Magic engineering weapons that emit Arch's Holy Flame are the ultimate tech tree even in the Valent Saga.
They can only be made in scenarios near the end of devil infestation, and because research takes so long, by the time they're made, most kingdoms have already been occupied by devils and are on the brink of destruction.
But Caesar is trying to shorten that time.
"I'll try anyway."
"Good. And could you also take a look at this?"
"This is... A review? No, a list?"
"Well, I've been watching the weapons you've been making, haven't I? I wrote down a few things related to that."
In Valent Saga, when you form a relationship with Theon, you receive various quests, including one called 'Development of Magic Engineering.'
The Development of Magic Engineering quest is about collecting various materials and resources for magic engineering development, and the more you complete this quest, the higher the quality of magic engineering weapons used by ordinary soldiers.
What Caesar handed over now was the content of the last quest Theon had given.
"Make copper wire infused with magic...? And alloy it with a small amount of platinum, not just copper."
Pesson and Giggs also read the list.
"Use magic-copper plates plated with magic-silver instead of magic-steel for the circuit board?"
And Caesar roughly drew the exterior of the 'Holy Flame Launcher' that he remembered.
"What do you think? Can you make the materials?"
"I'll need to do some research, but..."
Theon looked at Caesar with slightly suspicious eyes.
"Did you really think of this all by yourself, Caesar?"
"Why?"
Pesson tapped the list and said.
"I'm asking because it's incredible. From your perspective, it's like an aspiring knight who's just started learning the sword giving you advice on how to swing it. And surprisingly, some of that advice actually makes sense. So aside from feeling offended, I'm honestly dumbfounded."
Caesar fully understood Pesson's words.
Originally, he had no intention of passing on magic engineering technology in such a rushed and forced manner.
But now is not the time to be picky.
"That's why I just said it was my own thought? Just close your eyes and give it a try."
Giggs scratched his cheek and said.
"Well, if you say so, we'll try it... But did you really think of this yourself?"
"I said I did."
Pesson sighed and nodded.
"Alright. We'll try making weapons with these materials. But don't expect much. There won't be much success."
"Well, then there's nothing we can do."
Caesar got up from his seat.
"Then I should be going now."
"Going back to the office?"
"No, I'm putting aside the position of Great General for a while and returning to being a knight."
"A knight?"
Caesar opened the workshop door and went outside. After taking a deep breath, he shouted loudly.
"Whiteyyyyyyyy!"
A shout loud enough to break glass shook all of Homigraph.
"My goodness, my ears are going to fall off! Where are you trying to go?"
"Where else would a knight go?"
Neeeeeigh!
Whitey, who had been flying around the sky, immediately flew down and landed in front of Caesar.
"The battlefield."