Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Go to Hell
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I saw it. The buried kings moving and speaking in the forms they held in life. Even on that black earth, they continued to reign as kings.
"Come in, granddaughter. You've made it here safely."
Among them was Hiems Grasha, the fifth king of the Grasha Dynasty, my great-grandfather.
"Now, everyone stop. My granddaughter has come to visit for once."
At the former king's request, the assault halted. Amid the confusion, I asked what was going on. Then not only the former king but the other kings gathered to answer. There were five kings in that land. The first to speak was the one called the King with Many Hearts.
"This is a tomb. The kings who ruled eras continue to govern and command even in death."
The King Who Swallowed the First Cry added,
"The tomb offers rest. This place where longing persists even after death is hell."
My great-grandfather, the King of Burning and Scorching, chimed in.
"Indeed, the thirst of the underworld knows no end. Thus, we crave the surface once more."
Even the fiercest, the King Who Caged the Lion, growled.
"All of it is mine. I was merely chased away by time; I never bequeathed a single thing to you."
Finally, the Unforgiven King spoke.
"I shall return and rule you once again. The living cannot bear the dead."
That was when I realized why the wraiths ceaselessly crawled up to the surface. They simply wished to reclaim what was lost—invaded by later generations, the glory of old.
***
"After that, Nihil Grasha returned to the surface, founded the Empire, and unified the continent. It was to protect the fragile peoples from the wraiths who lusted after the land."
Clavis said this while glancing at the Eastern Duke, who hailed from the colonies. At that moment, the Eastern Duke's eyes turned fierce, but the Eastern Knights pretended not to notice.
"The Empire grew stronger while enduring the wraiths' invasions. After a century of tempering, His Majesty finally commanded us to profane the tomb."
As Clavis continued, this time the Southern Duke ground his teeth. Lena was equally stunned.
"That guy's really shameless."
"I hate that bastard the most, honestly."
The Southern Duke growled through clenched teeth. That bat-like creep made his stomach churn every time he glossed over everything to praise the Empire. The South had nearly perished in isolation. Moreover, the West—Clavis's own territory—had already been devoured by wraiths and lay in ruins. It was astonishing, almost wondrous, how he had the gall to say such things. While Clavis spun his tale, the priests fitted the altars gathered by the East and North into the broken stone slab. Since they were originally part of that slab, the altars meshed perfectly into the shattered sections, restoring the slab. Thus, the half-destroyed slab regained its original form to some degree—a broad, flat circle.
"This is the gate His Majesty created a century ago to seal the path to the tomb."
Clavis declared before the cracked altar.
"In accordance with His Majesty's supreme will, I shall now open the long-sealed gate."
At Clavis's gesture, a cute young boy priest stepped forward holding a silver chalice.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves."
The knights of the East, South, and North silently drew their swords in readiness for what was to come.
"Under His Majesty's glory, a new horizon."
At Clavis's declaration, the boy priest tilted the chalice over the altar. Red blood poured from the pure silver vessel. The knights raised their swords and watched as the altar soaked in blood. Soon, a rotten stench vibrated as a bizarre fissure began to grow above the altar. It tore through the air like lightning from the sky, like cracking thin ice, like a tree branching out. Beyond that fissure lay a world unlike any seen before—a bizarre, ominous world of skies redder than twilight and earth blacker than night. The fissure, stretching endlessly, finally gaped as wide as a city gate. Gazing at the shabby, window-like crack, the Southern Duke groaned.
"I devoted my entire life to sealing that thing..."
The old man felt his resolve crumbling. A similar fissure had appeared at the edge of Southern territory. The South had endured countless sacrifices to block it. Seeing it reopen before his eyes made the ground feel like it was giving way beneath him.
"It's coming."
The Eastern Duke muttered lowly. At once, the sulfurous smell intensified, and vibrations arose. Rumble rumble rumble. Countless tremors spread like an army marching. It was similar. Wraiths, scenting blood beyond the fissure, swarmed in a black mass. The knights prepared to charge upon identifying the enemy. The Northern Prince stepped forward.
"I'll start."
Rubid took a step and drew his rapier.
"Out of the way, snitch."
"Your Highness, wait...!"
As Rubid raised his sword, the boy priest still standing before the altar screamed. By the time the boy scurried away, Rubid's eyes already gleamed blue. Rubid swung his slender, beautiful rapier—which seemed fit only for decoration—with deadly sharpness. A high-pitched whoosh cut the air. At the same time, the knights felt a light breeze. Moments later, the heads of distant wraiths tumbled down in droves.
'That's the Northern Slash.'
Lena watched Rubid's strike in deep admiration. Emperor Nihil had distributed his wondrous power among the dukes of east, west, south, and north. The North had taken the slash—a force that rent the earth and cleaved the sea.
'It was that which split the champagne lake at the ball.'
Right after Rubid thrust, the champagne lake had split into multiple streams. Not merely collapsed, but sliced with exquisite precision. To use such power merely for venting frustration. Lena shook her head in a mix of awe and dismay. The Northern Prince possessed far too much power for his character. As Lena thought this while gazing at Rubid, he happened to glance her way. Their eyes met, startling Lena. Meeting her surprised gaze, Rubid smirked smugly and turned away.
'...What was that?'
While Lena stared in bewilderment, more wraiths surged from behind the beheaded ones.
"Block them. Don't let them out of the gate."
At the cardinal's casual order, the knights responded. The oncoming wraiths took varied forms. Some bounded on all fours like beasts, others had gaunt limbs, still others were covered in scales with membranous wings unfurled. Though hideous in every shape, they all bore human faces. The fastest, charging on four legs, crossed the fissure. Swords immediately plunged into it from multiple angles—the Northern Knights' simultaneous thrust. With disciplined precision, they skillfully coordinated to strike the escaped wraiths. In contrast, the Eastern Knights were lazy and half-hearted. Rather than slashing wraiths, they mostly battered them with scabbards to shove toward the North. Joking around in this chaos. Lena, stunned, whispered to the Southern Duke.
"Is the East always like that?"
"Those, those...!"
The Southern Duke fumed at the East's antics. But this wasn't the time to meddle in others' affairs.
"Form ranks!"
"Uwaaak!"
"Over there!"
The Southern Knights flailed and shouted in disarray. Unlike the composed East and North, they floundered without a plan. Then, a massive shadow slipped from high in the fissure. A wraith shaped like a dragon. It soared over the Northern Knights' heads and descended upon the Southern Knights. Boom! With the thunderous crash of its landing, someone cried out desperately.
"Form... ranks...!"
That earnest shout cut off as the wraith unfurled its wings in a sweep. It sent the surrounding knights flying, and those struck by the wing bones lay immobilized from the impact. Meanwhile, the wraith gaped its maw for another charge. There stood the Southern Duke.
"Urk...!"
The Southern Duke's eyes bulged. His depleted stamina left no strength to face such a wraith. As its black, deep throat filled his vision, time seemed to slow. Sensing death, the Southern Duke heard a sudden boom. Boom! With the unexpected sound, the wraith's wide-open maw snapped shut. The Southern Duke blinked and looked up. A youth blacker than the wraith stood trampling its head. Realizing his rescuer was the Eastern Duke, the Southern Duke groaned.
"Why you...?"
"Gratitude?"
Lin intoned flatly. The Southern Duke's briefly grateful face twisted back into a scowl. Before the old man could roar, Lin turned away. Lena, beside the Southern Duke, quietly smiled at Lin's secret wink. Though countless wraiths swarmed, not a single one broke through to rampage. Rubid halved them as they came, and the Northern Knights sealed every gap. Thus, the situation soon resolved. Once the horde lay dead and vanished, only the red-rent fissure remained.
"The path is open."
Clavis said before the crimson fissure.
"We'll take turns guarding it until the conquest ends. Not that it would happen, but we can't have the wraith kings coming out."
His smiling words were a chilling hypothesis that sent shivers down spines. The South's long ordeal stemmed from just such a fissure at its border. For one to appear in the imperial palace itself. The dukes knew well how perilously dangerous this was. Yet the cardinal showed no worry, only delight.
"The first expedition is in ten days. Go seize the crowns and prove your loyalty. His Majesty will reward you with greater boons."
Backlit by red glow, Clavis resembled a pious angel ushering in twilight. But none were fooled. His essence—smiling as he shoved people into hell—was far closer to a devil.
...
The groups dispersed after the events at Do-um Palace. Someone shouted at Rig-nan Aiterner's back.
"Halt, mongrel."
As knights gasped, Lin stopped and turned. It was none other than Northern Prince Rubid who had called him.
"Fix your manners before slinking off."
Rubid said with a cold smile. He had been seething since Lin trampled the Northern altar. At this stale provocation, Lin muttered to Deka beside him.
"Should I really say it like that?"
Deka asked in surprise. Lin nodded impassively, and watching Rubid furrowed his brow slightly. Curious, Rubid prompted, and Deka reluctantly reported.
"His Highness says he won't converse with fools."
"Fool?"
"It means idiot, you idiot."
Lin explained directly for Rubid, who didn't recognize the insult. Rubid's puzzled gaze quickly turned fierce.
"Bark like the dog you are. Don't yap in imperial tongue so impudently."
"Even if I bark in imperial, you wouldn't get it, so why bother."
Rubid faltered at Lin's calm mockery. But only briefly—chewing his lip, he bared his teeth in a grin.
"Forgot how to bark? I'll show mercy then. Capturing your savage kin and making them bark should help jog your memory."
Another stale taunt, but this one landed. At mention of his clan, Lin's face hardened instantly. Sensing the reaction, Rubid pressed.
"Choose. Bark on your own, or with the other dogs."
Lin clamped his mouth shut and glared at Rubid. What a pest. Dim-witted yet adept at hitting weaknesses. Manners-blind, principle-less Northern brat. Lin eyed past Rubid's shoulder with narrowed gaze. Everyone watched with interest. The dukes probably relished it inwardly. The arrogant Lin meeting someone worse and suffering humiliation. As always, no one on the Eastern Duke's side here. Lin drew a deep breath to endure the layered hostility. Then he stepped closer to Rubid and murmured lowly.
"You'll get bit."
"Try it, mutt."
Lin and Rubid glared without yielding.
That was when it happened. An unexpected voice interjected between them.
"Eastern Duke Aiterner."
A gentle voice approached alongside a figure.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Lena Rubel of the South."
It was Lady Lena Rubel, proxy for the South.