Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Solare Marguerite
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The Knight, with her red hair fluttering, equipped a bastard sword and a tower shield.
With a massive bastard sword in her right hand and a colossal shield in her left, she kicked off the black puma's back and leaped into the air.
Seeing the Knight flying toward him like a great cannonball, Azazel pointed his index finger to the sky.
[7th Circle Continent-Class Elemental Magic: Fallen Angel's Lightning Strike]
Dark clouds, pregnant with lightning, gathered in the once-blue sky.
Dozens of black-and-yellow bolts of lightning shot out from the center of the dark clouds, striking the Knight.
Krrrrrumble!
Amidst the thunder and lightning that poured down as if the sky itself were enraged, the Knight burst forth, holding her tower shield over her head like an umbrella.
Her red hair was a mess from the static electricity, and black smoke billowed from her nose and mouth.
She seemed to have taken a significant blow, yet her blue eyes showed no trace of pain or fear.
Continent-class magic, said to be the most destructive save for world-class magic. Seeing the Knight unscathed after a direct hit from a 7th Circle spell, Azazel muttered, looking appalled.
“A mere human who inherited the crude arts of orcs dares to withstand magic...”
The Knight straightened her bastard sword and spoke.
“Crude arts? There's nothing a Black Night grunt won't say. Underestimate me all you want, but do not insult my master. You might just get your head split open for it.”
“How foolish. A human siding with orcs? Have you forgotten? The history of how the orcs betrayed humanity?”
“I am the disciple of the Empire's greatest, and the successor to the orc spirit. Do not try to sway my convictions with your vile words. You are not the only ones who know the secret history.”
An intangible power flowed from her spirit, enveloping the bastard sword.
“I am a dreamer, and all that I dream shall come to pass.”
[7th Stage Fortification Art, Edict Type: Dreamer's Path]
An intangible current, born of mana drawn by the Knight's edict, began to swirl around her body.
In a way, the Fortification Art was like a form of self-hypnosis.
The stronger one's blind faith in something, the higher the probability that the mana drawn by that faith would manifest their desire.
For instance, if you believed your fist was imbued with fire, fire would appear. If you thought your body was like the wind, the wind would be with you.
That was why the Fortification Art was exclusively the domain of the orcs.
A miracle born from their simple-minded stubbornness and foolishness, which mages looked down upon.
That was the Fortification Art.
However, very rarely, an anomaly would appear among other races.
Yes, a mutant who, despite being human, inherited the orc spirit and walked the path of an unenlightened ideal.
She shouted at the top of her lungs.
“What I hold is the sword of retribution! There is no evil in this world that I cannot cut down—!”
The Knight's bastard sword cleaved the air.
At a glance, it was an ordinary strike, with no flashy mana currents or effects.
But Azazel, recognizing the power of the edict and will imbued within it, recoiled in horror and deployed a mana shield.
Crack!
Before her sword, the 7th Circle mana shield tore apart like paper, leaving a long gash on Azazel's chest.
Azazel groaned, flapping his wings as he retreated.
His mana shield was on a different level from that of an ordinary mage.
It was imbued with the Blessing of the Fallen Angel, which enhanced the shield's durability by 1.4 times.
However, the shield blessed by the Fallen Angel was powerless before the Knight's sword.
The formidable power of will within her sword had shattered the Blessing of the Fallen Angel.
*I couldn't even block a single strike? Is this the true strength of Dawn, which has held back the Black Night's advance for so many years? The power of a Solo Number?*
For a moment, Azazel felt his heart shrink.
Despite her being a 7-star existence, on par with himself, her presence felt as if it far surpassed his own.
*A mere human... is overwhelming me? Unacceptable. Even if she is a Solo Number of Dawn, she is only human. She cannot be my match.*
His killing intent now fully aroused, Azazel began to unleash a barrage of magic in earnest.
From the sky, black-and-yellow lightning rained down ceaselessly, while radiant lasers shot from his hands toward the Knight.
A rain of lightning from above, a bombardment of lasers from the front.
Faced with the unavoidable, unstoppable bombardment of 7th Circle magic, the Knight didn't even blink.
Her eyes flashed with an eerie blue light.
“I am the shield of Dawn. And its sword.”
She covered her head with the shield in her left hand and slowly drew a circle with the sword in her right.
“Before the dawn arrives, my shield shall not break. Before the night is cleaved, my sword shall not rust.”
The bolts of lightning were blocked by the shield and scattered futilely, while the laser bombardment failed to penetrate the arc of her sword, grinding away into nothing.
However, the Knight wasn't entirely unharmed. Sparks flew from her head, the ends of her hair were singed black, and dark red blood trickled from her nose.
This wasn't due to the impact of her opponent's attacks, but rather a phenomenon caused by her frail human body being unable to withstand the power of will she wielded.
Since the Fortification Art was designed for the robust bodies of orcs, it was an unavoidable side effect.
Seeing this, Azazel spoke in a whisper, accompanied by a hideous laugh.
“Why do you struggle so? It would be easier to give up. Come to our side instead. With us, there is no need to struggle or fight so desperately. Here, there is wealth and glory. Join us, and all manner of pleasures will be yours.”
A deep, baritone voice that any woman would find irresistible clung cloyingly to the Knight's ear.
It was Azazel's 5-star Talent, a voice that could charm women, attempting to beguile the Knight.
However, she didn't bat an eye.
Her convictions and faith were far too solid to be broken by a mere voice.
“Trying to seduce me with that face? You dream big, goat-head. But you've picked the wrong opponent. I desire neither wealth, glory, nor pleasure. The only thing I long for is the dawn. The day the sun rises.”
Had she decided there was nothing to be gained by prolonging the fight?
The Knight coolly tossed her tower shield aside. The black puma, which had been pacing on the ground, leaped up and caught the shield in its mouth.
Grasping the hilt of the bastard sword with both hands, the Knight muttered.
“I am the decapitator. I decide, I act, and I behead.”
[7th Stage Fortification Art, Edict Sword: Instant Severance]
With a long, drawn-out roar, her form became a flash of light that streaked past Azazel.
Swish!
His left arm severed, Azazel glared at the Knight with bloodshot eyes, groaning in pain.
Azazel, who had felt nothing but a single roar, had survived thanks to a well-known weakness of the Edict Art.
The moment he heard her voice, Azazel had instinctively taken a step back, which was how he had avoided being decapitated.
It was a loophole in the Edict Art, which, by its very nature, had to follow a procedure akin to announcing an attack.
Of course, this didn't mean Azazel thought he had a chance of winning against the Knight.
On the contrary, it meant that even with such a weakness, she was still overwhelming him.
Azazel's thoughts on how to defeat this monstrous woman were brief.
Suddenly, he felt an unidentified wave of energy shoot from the direction of the plains, and his eyes widened.
*What... what is this? Such a powerful wave of energy? And that direction... isn't that where the Five Divine Seeds are?*
A sense of crisis, that his lord Lucifer might be in danger, washed over him. Azazel shot the Knight one last venomous glare, then cast his 2-star Talent, Return, and spoke.
“Vanguard. I will repay today's debt in the future, without fail.”
“For someone running away, you've got a sharp tongue. Fine, come whenever you want your head split open. I won't be the one scurrying away like you.”
Gritting his teeth, Azazel was enveloped in light and vanished.
He had teleported to Lucifer's side.
Having defeated Azazel, the Knight headed toward Lee Si-woo, who was waiting with the specter of white mist.
Staring directly at the black-haired man with the uniquely gloomy eyes, the Knight asked.
“Are you Mumeon?”
It was a crossroads.
Depending on his answer, Lee Si-woo could either join Dawn or walk a different path from them.
Lee Si-woo stared at the Knight for a long time with an unreadable expression.
An awkward silence.
But neither Lee Si-woo nor the Knight was the first to speak.
It was as if they were sizing each other up.
Lee Si-woo recalled the Knight's card he had drawn from the Castle.
「Knight」 ★★★★★★★☆☆
Race: Human
The sword that leads Dawn, and the shield that blocks the night.
A dreamer who walks a thorny path, dreaming of an ideal that will never come.
The easiest to use, yet the hardest to defeat.
A kingless knight, wandering without purpose.
If you wish to obtain her, pay with an ideal.
*‘If you wish to obtain her, pay with an ideal...’ was it? Difficult. But not impossible.*
Lee Si-woo opened his mouth.
“No. I am not Mumeon.”
The Knight tilted her head and asked.
“Not Mumeon? Then how are you using his power and exuding his scent?”
“Who is it that leads you?”
Lee Si-woo's reverse questioning could have been offensive, but the Knight answered without a hint of displeasure.
“It is No. 1.”
“What kind of person is he?”
“I don't know. Even I have only ever heard his voice; I've never once seen his face. So all I know is that... he is guiding us down the right path.”
To her calm reply that she didn't know, Lee Si-woo spoke in a dry voice.
“I am not Mumeon, but I carry on his will. But as for you all... I'm not so sure. A very long time has passed since Mumeon left. How can you know if the path you walk is the one Mumeon pursued, or one you pursue for yourselves? Don't you agree?”
As Lee Si-woo indirectly suggested they might have been corrupted, the Knight's expression hardened slightly as she spoke.
“...We have waited for you for a long time.”
“A long wait often breeds excessive expectations. Unfortunately, I have neither the confidence nor the intention to meet your expectations. So how about this? You walk your own path. And I walk mine.”
“We need you. We may be able to hold our own against the Black Night, but that only applies to their executives. Facing the Five Divine Seeds has been a distant prospect. Therefore...”
“You want me to face the Five Divine Seeds. I'm sorry, but right now, I have neither the intention nor the ability to do so.”
The Knight looked at Lee Si-woo, her eyes filled with doubt and bewilderment.
“That's strange. You claim to have inherited Mumeon's will... so why can't I feel Mumeon's banner or his ideals from you? Are you... truly the one who carries on his ideals?”
“Mumeon was a failure. And I have no intention of following in the footsteps of a failure. The same goes for Dawn. You haven't been defeated yet, but there's no sign of victory either. As you said yourself, you cannot face the Five Divine Seeds. That is why I have no intention of joining you.”
The Knight glared at Lee Si-woo with a confused look.
“You...”
“Of course, I did make a promise to Mumeon. That I would try to create the world he wished for. So I intend to try. Albeit, in my own way... So, Knight. How about we make a deal?”
“A deal?”
“I am still weak and need someone to protect me. And you are very strong. So, you will be my guard. In return, you will watch. To see if the end I pursue is the same as the end you pursue, even if our paths and directions differ.”
“And if the ends we pursue are different?”
“Do as you please. Leave, or... try to do something to me. However... you will probably remain by my side.”
The Knight replied with a faint scoff.
“That I will remain by your side? Why would you think that?”
“Although you belong to Dawn, your heart wanders without a destination. Perhaps it's because the ideal you pursue is not entirely the same as Dawn's. Therefore, you will have no choice but to stay with me. If only to find what you have been searching for...”
“...Interesting. Are you saying you are the ideal I've been looking for?”
Lee Si-woo's lips twisted into a smirk.
He was a born liar, a con artist.
Like a demon.
He said in a whisper.
“See for yourself with your own two eyes, hear for yourself with your own two ears, and confirm it. Ah, are you perhaps doubtful? Then don't trust me; trust Mumeon. Because the one who chose me, and not Dawn, was none other than Mumeon.”
The Knight remained silent, but Lee Si-woo smiled as if certain she would accept.
She was a kingless knight, wandering without purpose.
Therefore, she needed a king.
Even if that king were false.
The specter of white mist, Umbra, who had been watching them in silence, spoke.
“According to the observational data sent by my dummy, the Black Night is retreating. There must be a serious problem with the Five Divine Seeds.”
“...What happened to Jin?”
“Lord Jin... was taken by the Black Night.”
Lee Si-woo squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.
Worry for Jin washed over him, but at the same time, he felt a sense of relief because it was *him*.
He believed that no matter how desperate the situation, Jin, the mastermind behind this whole dark scheme, would manage just fine on his own.
So, now was the time to do what he could.
Lee Si-woo said to the Knight.
“What is your name?”
“Solare Marguerite.”
“Solare? The sun... a fine name. Very well. Then follow me. We need to get the chaotic situation in Granada under control as quickly as possible. And as you watch the process, you can judge for yourself. Whether I am someone worth following.”
After a moment of thought, she spoke.
“I wonder. Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't know if you're a trustworthy person, or if I should believe your long-winded, cryptic words. But at the very least... you seem worth observing. Alright. Let's go together. However, you should know. If I find you disagreeable, I will leave at any time, and Dawn will exert its influence on you one way or another.”
She tried to pressure Lee Si-woo by mentioning Dawn's influence, but unfortunately for her, Lee Si-woo had no intention of joining Dawn, no matter what pressure she applied.
As he had told Mumeon, he admired Dawn, but he could not become one of them.
However, he had no qualms about using them.
After all, there was nothing more useful to him right now than their existence, a force with the power to stand against the Black Night.
Hiding his inner thoughts, Lee Si-woo replied in a gentle voice.
“That attitude of yours is exactly what I truly desire, Solare.”