Wings on a Tiger
Astoria (Dullahan)
Lv. 84
The Margrave of Astoria's original level was 83. By comparison, Charlotte's undead transformation had actually raised it by one. With two consecutive successes under her belt, creating a Dullahan was now a walk in the park for Charlotte. And what if I added my Evolution skill to the mix?
A whopping 86. In terms of raw combat power, he was now twice as strong as his original level 83 self.
"Thank you, as always, My Lord."
By now, Charlotte didn't even seem surprised anymore—just deeply grateful. Well, she had witnessed me do this plenty of times by her side. Astoria's soul fire was green, which was a step below the other two. Of course, even this was something to be incredibly thankful for. He was already strong enough to rival a Hero; asking for anything more would just be greedy.
Astoria, who had been standing on Charlotte's shadow, gradually faded until he sank completely into the darkness.
"My Lord. May I postpone the undead transformation of the Grand Sage indefinitely?"
"You may."
Since his body had exploded, setting aside the need for meticulous preparation, Charlotte's growth as a necromancer was the priority. Besides, even if it succeeded, a downgrade in level was inevitable. Just like what had happened with Valmonk. If the corpse had been intact, he would have become a Lich rivaling Calandas. If I were to be greedy, he might have reached Calandas's level, so it was a bit of a shame. But it was merely a shame; I had no regrets. If I hadn't used my Enhancement skill in that situation, I would have been the one dead.
By the way, is it just me, or is this dungeon starting to look like a real Mugan 7-gung?
My deputy, Charlotte, was a witch with the potential to reach level 90 or higher in the future. My guardian, Balutak, was an insectoid with infinite growth potential and the latent power of a Mugan 7-gung boss. The subjugated Isabella was currently the strongest boss outside of the Mugan 7-gung. On top of that, I had Wilhelm, Astoria, and eventually, the Grand Sage resurrected as a Lich. Just thinking about it made me feel like I had an invincible army at my back.
With Karleon's 9th Legion here as well, we could easily handle Cecilia even if she invaded. By the way, I heard that the 9th Legion's return had been postponed indefinitely. According to Karleon, the Queen had told him to let me use them to my heart's content and only send them back when they were no longer of use. That showed just how much Rosesha trusted me. As expected of the broad-minded big sister Rosesha. Although she said it was indefinite, I planned to send them back as soon as we fended off Cecilia.
In truth, I didn't even know if Cecilia would actually come. I was only preparing because the flow of events suggested she would.
"Charlotte. In your estimation, do you think Cecilia will invade?"
Charlotte blinked, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden question. If she had been reading the newspapers, she should be well aware of Cecilia's exploits. After a brief pause, Charlotte spoke.
"By Cecilia, do you mean the rising star of the Empire?"
"Yes."
"...I do not believe she is an opponent worthy of your vigilance, My Lord."
It was an answer I had somewhat anticipated. The public's evaluation of Cecilia was exactly like that. Because everyone focused on the term 'rising star,' there was a prominent tendency to underestimate her. Of course, given her young age and lack of experience, it was a natural perspective. Even Charlotte probably interpreted Cecilia's conquest of the Rank 8 dungeon as a fluke—assuming she had barely scraped by by chugging elixirs and relying on overpowered gear. I could guarantee that was a massive misunderstanding.
"There is no harm in being cautious. Strengthen our defenses for the time being."
"I shall obey your command."
At her peak, Cecilia's level was 95. She was a Hero capable of overwhelming even the Mugan 7-gung. At this point, she was undoubtedly over level 90 and likely stronger than the Grand Sage. It was just that she hadn't had her official debut yet, so the world remained ignorant of her true power, but her strength was peerless.
And of all things, I might end up being the opponent for that debut match.
If she did invade, she would definitely consume an elixir beforehand. Then couldn't I just blow her up with my Enhancement skill like I did with the Grand Sage? That only worked if the elixir wasn't fully digested. In the game, reflecting realistic digestion times, the explosion exploit only worked within a five-minute window. After that, using the Enhancement skill on the target was impossible. Moreover, given the nature of elixirs, she would obviously digest it before coming. Digestion was a prerequisite to unleash 100% of its efficacy. If she had any brains, she would enter after digesting the elixir, and to avoid overdosing, she wouldn't drink any more inside the dungeon. Which meant I had no choice but to stop her through conventional means, without any cheap tricks.
A part of me still held onto a sliver of hope. Having already lost two Heroes, the Grand Sage, and the Margrave, would the Empire really risk even more? Cecilia's death would undoubtedly trigger the collapse of the Empire.
...Then again, maybe not.
I had to consider the possibility that they might try to cover up the chaos by conquering the Tomb of Faith. If they succeeded, Cecilia would instantly become the hero and rallying point of humanity. It was all or nothing. A double-or-nothing gamble. Of course, relying on such a gamble to run a nation was madness. My gut told me they would focus on stabilizing their internal affairs for the time being. Still, I couldn't let my guard down. They might catch me off guard with an unexpected strike, just like Wilhelm did. Please, don't come. This was for my sake, but also for the sake of humanity.
If the original story held true, Calandas would soon launch an invasion of humanity. With the Empire already faltering, if they lost Cecilia as well, they would have absolutely no means to resist him. In the 'Calandas's Invasion' chapter of the game, none of the Mugan 7-gung interfered with him. Considering even Rosesha turned a blind eye, it was obvious Calandas would run rampant, treating the Empire like his personal playground. And once he swallowed the Empire, the Mugan 7-gung would be next. In other words, my own life would be in jeopardy. This wasn't something I could just sit back and watch without a care.
If we end up losing Cecilia too...
I possessed the Holy Sword, the ultimate counter to Calandas. I had suspected it, but would I really have to step up? Opposing the Mugan 7-gung under the banner of saving humanity was practically the same as turning all 72 Lords against me. Please, Cecilia, just handle it on your own. And before that, please don't come to me...
The Hero Astin was old. The Hero Leon was also old. However, they believed they had merely aged, not grown decrepit. That was the reason the two of them had decided to join the upcoming raid on the Tomb of Faith. They wanted to prove they were still active and capable Heroes. Yet, despite their presence, the leadership of the subjugation force was handed to the rising star of the Empire. The two Heroes had coincidentally decided to stay at the Imperial Palace for joint training. It was the perfect opportunity to see why everyone was pushing this greenhorn so much. ...Which brought them to the present.
"Thank you for the lesson."
Cecilia bowed. Before her, two men stared up at her with hollow, vacant eyes.
"...Ha."
Replaying what had just occurred in his mind, a hollow laugh escaped Leon's lips. Two veteran Heroes had failed to last even three clashes against the rising star before suffering a crushing defeat. Leon swallowed hard, looking at Astin, who was slumped on the ground beside him. The helplessness etched in his companion's eyes was far deeper than mere despair.
They couldn't even use their age as an excuse. Even if both of them had been in their prime, they couldn't have guaranteed victory. And this hadn't even been a fair one-on-one duel. A rising star who could overwhelm two active Heroes in a two-on-one fight. Leon clicked his tongue in awe as he looked at Cecilia, who stood there completely unfazed.
She truly is the treasure of the Empire.
Setting aside their shame and facing reality, there was no greater blessing than this. Cecilia had already transcended the realm of humanity. Her combat style and overwhelming power vividly recalled Lucas. It was as if her entire being proclaimed her as Lucas's disciple. She was the great hope who would serve as the pillar of this raid and shoulder the future of the Empire.
"I had only heard rumors, but those rumors did her no justice. You are far more incredible than I imagined. To possess such skill at such a young age..."
"Do you believe me now?"
Cecilia's characteristically half-lidded, sleepy eyes seemed entirely out of place given the gravity of the situation. Her face looked completely blank, as if she had just woken up. Even her breathing remained perfectly steady, without a single hint of disturbance.
"Haha, yes. Of course we believe you."
"If we still didn't believe you after that, it would be nothing but stubbornness."
Cecilia would one day surpass Lucas and become the strongest Hero in history. Neither of them doubted this for a second. Naturally, their thoughts drifted to the Death Knight of the Tomb of Faith—the monster of the Abyss Palace who might be Lucas. If that were truly the case, the disciple was destined to kill her master without ever knowing the truth. Or, if she fell, she would die at her master's hands in total ignorance. The two old Heroes shook the stray thoughts from their minds. Yes, everything is for the greater good.
"Here you go."
Cecilia took a towel from the head maid who had approached. Cecilia, who hadn't shed a single drop of sweat, glanced at the two men and handed them the towel. Then, she naturally changed the subject.
"Is the Grand Sage still out of contact?"
"...His whereabouts remain unknown."
Since this raid on the Tomb of Faith was a turning point for humanity, they had mobilized every ounce of their strength. Even the Grand Sage, who had retired from the world, had been called to action, but for some reason, all contact with him had been completely severed two days ago. The Grand Sage was known for his eccentricities, so that was one thing. But the Margrave, who was last seen with him, had also vanished without a trace. Upon hearing that news, everyone had belatedly realized the gravity of the situation.
"At this rate, we won't even be able to make an attempt."
"Tell me about it. Without him, how can we hope to conquer the Abyss Palace?"
If those two had indeed perished, it was obvious the raid would be called off. To this, Cecilia slowly shook her head.
"That won't happen."
"Ha. Is that the confidence of youth speaking? Let me give you a piece of advice as your elder. Excessive confidence eventually invites disaster. Shouldn't you be far more cautious when lives are on the line?"
"The Holy Relic."
At her quiet words, Leon's eyes widened. Cecilia's half-closed eyes stood in stark contrast to his shock.
"I have been chosen to receive the Holy Relic."
"What?"
There was a saying: the Mugan 7-gung did not fear humanity; they feared the Holy Relics. If one had to choose the most priceless national treasure of the Empire, it was without a doubt the Holy Relics. Not once had a Holy Relic been revealed to the world since the Great Unification War. This was because the Holy Church, which held ownership, kept them enshrined deep within the Holy Land. Yet they were suddenly handing such a Holy Relic to Cecilia. Even if it was just a loan, they had adamantly refused to lend it during the conquest of Bango's Dark Abyss. What on earth had caused the Holy Church to change its mind? After a moment of thought, Leon came to his own conclusion. They are lending the Holy Relic so she can retrieve the Holy Sword. Furthermore, the Holy Church viewed the Tomb of Faith as more than just an eyesore—they wanted it utterly destroyed. The Tomb of Faith. Just looking at the dungeon's name made it obvious it was their number one target for elimination. Whatever the reason, giving Cecilia a Holy Relic was like giving wings to a tiger. The two of them believed that she could now easily conquer not only the Tomb of Faith, but even target the higher-ranking dungeons.