Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Demons in the Royal Castle
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Conrad Kingdom's royal castle.
The knights had been summoned to the central training grounds located beneath it.
"Demons, all of a sudden?"
Silvas, the captain of the Conrad Kingdom's Guardian Knights, emerged clad in his armor.
Behind him stood the knight order tasked with defending the castle, lined up in formation.
"Their numbers haven't been confirmed yet. Their true nature is so unclear..."
"Unclear? What do you mean by that?"
"We haven't identified their definite forms or numbers."
"You're telling me that now?"
Demons had appeared right in the heart of the capital, no less near the castle itself, yet no one knew their numbers or shapes.
It was enough to drive him mad with frustration.
"I'm sorry!"
"First, figure out their objective. Their detailed forces too! And..."
Squeeze.
Silvas clenched his fist tightly, hesitating before continuing.
"Where is Sir Viola?"
At Silvas's question, the vice-captain, Bron, wore a shocked expression, as if he suspected as much.
"Are you looking for Sir Viola because—"
"I know. I know what you're about to say."
Silvas shook his head.
"But if demons have truly appeared in the kingdom, that legend might be true as well. No, it has to be."
"...Understood."
Bron nodded and promptly issued orders to the knights.
"You heard him? From now on, the lions and shields scatter to their assigned roles! The central knights, request cooperation from the temple and prepare for demon hunting!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Don't just stand there—move!"
The knights' footsteps quickened.
Silvas remained alone after sending them off.
"Demons..."
He knew such beings existed. Gods and demons were real, perhaps even nearby.
But in the history of Conrad Kingdom, no demons had appeared in the past several hundred years.
Their existence had only been passed down through pictures and stories.
And yet.
'Of all times, now.'
Was this the kingdom's end?
Or, contrary to legend, just a passing gust?
He wasn't the one who held the answer.
For the past several hundred years.
A single knight who had taken root in the kingdom like a legend, protecting it.
"...Sir Viola."
He probably held the answer.
Clunk.
It was then that the door in the floor suddenly opened.
"You mean me?"
"Huh?"
Startled, Silvas's eyes widened round.
A woman with stunning golden hair, so beautiful one could never forget her after a single glance. The very person he'd just been searching for stood before him.
"S-Sir Viola?"
"Yes, Sir Silvas."
"How are you here...? No, more importantly, what's this passage..."
Silvas's gaze then shifted to Soo-hyuk and Vigo, who followed behind Viola.
He had seen Vigo's face a few times before. He was known as Viola's close aide, an exceptionally skilled knight.
But.
"Who is that man?"
A man in strange attire, his identity unknown.
Viola's sudden appearance raised a flurry of questions.
How had she appeared here? What was that passage? Who was the mysterious man?
But there was no time to explain each one.
"The demons are already inside this castle."
"What?"
"Assemble the knights. We must reclaim the throne."
At Viola's words, Silvas recalled the situation from moments ago.
"The knights are already moving out to deal with the demons outside."
"The demons' goal is the empty throne of the kingdom."
"Why would they want the throne?"
"Because that throne came from Asgard."
At that answer, Silvas's eyes changed.
"As expected of Sir Viola..."
"I'm sorry for deceiving you."
Whoosh.
A pure white glow emanated from Viola's entire body. As her Valkyrie's mana was unleashed, Silvas's eyes widened, and he dropped to one knee.
"I pay respects to the messenger of the gods."
Conrad Kingdom had one legend.
Since the kingdom's founding until now, a single knight had continuously protected it.
That knight was a messenger from the heavens, and the true king of Conrad Kingdom would be that very person.
"No need for that, Silvas. This isn't the time for formalities."
As if today were the final day of her mission, Viola revealed everything she had hidden.
Following her words, Silvas rose from his kneeling position. Respect for the Valkyrie ended here. Now was the time to deal with the demons invading the kingdom first.
"As you command, Valkyrie. I'll recall the knights to the castle. The objective is..."
"Guarding the throne."
"Understood. As ordered."
Silvas no longer paid attention to Soo-hyuk.
No matter who he was, if he was with Viola, Silvas decided to trust him unconditionally.
One annoyance less. Soo-hyuk watched Silvas's back as he dashed ahead furiously, then looked up.
'Something's off.'
The reaction was as if demons had just appeared in the castle for the first time.
Even though Viola had clearly fled the kingdom, chased by demons.
Soo-hyuk, Viola, and Vigo followed Silvas upward to the surface.
The moment they exited the underground training grounds.
Roar.
Blazing red flames appeared before the four of them.
"What..."
In Silvas's stunned gaze, knights lay collapsed on the corridor floor.
The castle was already a scene of carnage. Flames surged through the halls, and bodies of knights, servants, and others littered the ground.
And outside the window.
Thud.
Demons from Muspelheim peered into the castle's interior from beyond the window.
"D-D... Demons..."
Silvas staggered back.
Soo-hyuk's gaze turned outside.
Demons over 5 meters tall. As former giants, the Muspelheim demons' sizes rivaled several stories high.
Seeing the giants engulfed in flames, Soo-hyuk narrowed his eyes.
'I get the gist now.'
Boom!
The castle wall crumbled under the giant's fist, flames erupting.
The moment Silvas startled and drew his sword, something flashed toward him.
Kwahk!
The giant's fist split in half. The fiercely burning flames extinguished in an instant, brightening the surroundings.
"Up we go! Hurry!"
Viola, who had severed the demon's hand with a single stroke.
The demons' attention focused on the sword she wielded.
"This way, please!"
While she held the demons back, Silvas guided Soo-hyuk and Vigo.
He didn't know what was happening, but he felt he had to help Viola and her group first.
However.
"What are you doing? Not coming?"
"No time to leisurely climb stairs."
Instead of following Silvas, Soo-hyuk quietly closed his eyes.
Moving by stairs was inefficient. He felt a bit sorry, but shortening the path meant only one way.
'Direction is straight up.'
He opened his eyes and looked up.
Gathering lightning in his hand. Recalling the sensation of creating the lightning spear, he prepared a powerful strike.
The direction to launch the spear wasn't toward the demons charging at Viola.
Above his head.
The ceiling separating the floors.
Flash!
Rumble!
The lightning shot toward the ceiling soared high into the sky.
No matter how sturdy the marble, it wasn't a thick outer wall—just a ceiling.
The lightning pierced the castle's ceiling, shooting up to the clouds.
"A path opened..."
Vigo shouted at the gaping hole above.
"Up, now!"
Whoosh.
Soo-hyuk moved faster than Vigo's shout.
Of course, he didn't just leap straight up.
Boom!
A burst of electricity exploded on the head of a demon charging toward Viola.
Viola, who had been about to swing her sword at the staggering demon, paused momentarily.
And in that gap.
"This way."
Grab.
Soo-hyuk seized Viola's wrist and pulled her up to the ceiling.
"I said go first!"
"No need to waste energy."
"Waste? What do you—"
"It is a waste."
Above the ceiling pierced straight to the sky.
As they dashed toward the top of the castle where the throne lay, Soo-hyuk spoke with conviction.
"You'll know soon enough."
Thus, leaping over several ceilings.
Thud.
Viola and Soo-hyuk arrived at the throne hall.
But arriving didn't mean it was over.
"...As I thought."
As if she had expected it, Viola wore a dazed expression.
Roar.
The vast hall spanning thousands of pyeong was a sea of fire.
The lofty throne was surrounded by flames hotter than lava, and within the blazing inferno, silhouettes of dozens of demons gleamed with glowing eyes.
"Just one Valkyrie and one human."
"The human is intriguing. He wields the power of thunder."
"Why a human?"
"We'll find out soon. Let's tear off his limbs and ask."
At the giants' menacing conversation, Viola paled in horror.
The demons below were nothing. The terror of the demons encircling the hall choked her breath.
If there was even a speck of hope. She had thought that, but no such thing existed in this battle from the start.
"Lady Viola."
Clench.
Vigo aimed his spear forward.
The trembling spear tip.
"It has been an honor serving with you until now."
Vigo forced a smile as he said it.
"Truth be told, I wanted to share a cooler line at the end."
"Vigo."
"I'm sorry about Velheim. I'm leaving after showing such a pathetic side."
A terrifying battle aura emanated from the warrior resolved to death.
He would take at least one demon as his companion. With that impossible resolve, Vigo moved.
No.
The moment he tried to move.
"Don't make a fool of yourself."
Grab.
Thud.
Suddenly grabbed by the scruff, Vigo comically tumbled backward instead of charging ahead.
"Ugh."
"Stay put."
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Something to check."
Soo-hyuk's gaze turned to the throne engulfed in flames.
"...And something to do there."
The throne, obscured by raging red flames, was barely visible in shape.
Even approaching it seemed impossible.
Step.
Yet toward that throne, Soo-hyuk began walking calmly.
"Going alone is dangerous—"
"Don't follow."
Without turning back, Soo-hyuk repeated to Viola and Vigo.
"I have something to confirm."
The same words again.
A calm voice that inspired inexplicable trust.
Viola and Vigo stared blankly at his back. Soo-hyuk walking into the flames and demons didn't look like someone heading to his death.
It was unreal.
Perhaps.
He might have found a way.
Roar.
Soo-hyuk's figure vanished into the flames.
The faint silhouettes of demons' swords and hammers aimed at him became visible.
"Soo-hyuk!"
But contrary to her cry.
Roar!
The flames blazed fiercer, completely swallowing Soo-hyuk.
"Ah..."
A sigh escaped Viola's lips.
It felt like waking from a dream to face reality again.
The faint hope she had harbored vanished. The flames had consumed Soo-hyuk entirely, leaving no trace.
Now, all that remained was waiting to be swallowed by those flames themselves.
But.
"Lady Viola!"
Startled, Vigo pointed somewhere.
"Th-there... O-on the throne!"
"The throne?"
Viola's gaze shifted from below upward.
Within the fiercely burning flames.
One faintly shaking silhouette appeared.
At the highest point of the hall. The great treasure from Asgard, which no one had ever sat upon.
Amid the crimson inferno, someone sat upon the throne of thunder.