Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Traitor at the Border Peak
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Crackle, crackle.
The Empire's western border garrison.
The soldiers standing vigilant with torches in hand wore faces full of dissatisfaction, for some reason.
The reason was none other than.
"Has the princess lost her mind?"
"You're gonna get us in trouble if she hears you."
"Come on, everyone knows the western border is stricter than anywhere else because it's close to the Sahara Holy Land. What the hell is this about all of a sudden..."
It wasn't an order from the Emperor. Not a request from the Saintess. Not the Empire's Spears, not the princes, but the princess.
It was downright ridiculous.
"Hey, the princess says she's gonna catch that pilgrim or whatever those lizard bastards are."
"Come on, those guys would have to be crazy to come through here. Any sane person would go the long way around. Even my thick skull knows detouring through the duchy is safer."
"Tell me about it. Pilgrims are supposed to seek out hardship, though..."
From their perspective, the current situation was far from pleasant.
Their already grueling shifts had doubled, and the new recruits kept asking questions and wandering around, causing headaches.
"I heard they tried to subjugate some lizard bastards and failed? That's why all this fuss."
"The princess must really be power-hungry. Thinks she's next in line for the throne or something."
It sounded absurd even to the soldiers.
Her personal strength was weak, her power base slim.
And she was a woman, to boot.
Yet she coveted the imperial throne.
"If I were the Emperor, I'd name one of the princes or the Saintess as heir. What does the princess think she's doing, charging in like a boar in heat..."
"Heh heh, then I could personally calm her down."
The soldier's crude joke drew smirks from his comrades.
"Kukuku, forget it. With your pinky-sized prick, you'd be useless."
"You seen it? Wanna see? You'd be shocked, you bastard."
"Show me. Show me. Whip it out, punk."
"Hold on, asshole. I've got half a continent down here, and you don't know shit."
Just as he reached for his belt.
"Strengthen the patrols. If even an ant slips through, your heads will roll."
"Gah! Yes, ma'am!"
Golden blonde hair gleaming even in the dead of night.
Twin tails sparkling like the full moon overhead.
The princess in red armor, clutching a pure white spear. She didn't look holy, but her bearing hinted at the continent's noblest bloodline.
The guards who'd been badmouthing her moments ago suddenly straightened up, pledging momentary loyalty.
"Tch."
She wasn't thrilled with them, but there was nothing for it.
As the princess turned away, the duchess awaited her, as if on cue.
"How is it?"
"Not great. We've got over four times the usual forces around the western border, and patrols have gone from hourly to every fifteen minutes. Still feels uneasy."
"What's causing the unease?"
"That pilgrim who wounded you."
No.
"Kallias von Jervan."
The princess's eyes gleamed.
Duchess Rebecca swallowed hard.
Under the princess Raviang's interrogation, she had no choice but to describe the pilgrim's appearance.
In the midst of it, upon hearing he'd wielded a sword and had jet-black hair, the princess realized who he was.
Carpe's Four Great Nobles.
Northern Frontier Count.
Northern Conqueror.
King of the North.
Known as a wastrel in House Jervan, now a hero of the kingdom's salvation.
And.
'The wielder of Stella's sword.'
The princess's lips curved upward.
"You're making that sour face again."
"Insolent."
"I'm pretty insolent, yeah?"
"Tch, Rebecca. If I fought that wolf of yours, who would win?"
"Hmm, my husband would."
"No bullshit."
"Three out of ten."
Three out of ten.
The princess's smile turned ambiguous.
"Me winning?"
"The chance he wins."
Rebecca thought.
Compared to the princess.
Kallias's power was still feeble.
Of course.
'If that's all there is to him.'
The thunder dragon he commanded.
His brief swordplay.
Meager holy power and bizarre divine spells.
If that was everything.
Kallias would be slaughtered the moment he met the princess.
But if it wasn't.
Then it would be Princess Raviang dying.
"Maybe there's not much difference between him and me."
"Is that so?"
The princess splayed her fingers.
"The Kallias you met had weak holy power but unusually strong divine spells. In my memory, the only one in Carpe who could use divine spells like that was Cardinal Sullivian of Valterus."
Sullivian.
She accounted for half the reason the Empire couldn't crush Carpe; her divine spells were that formidable.
Even when the Empire prepared defenses on large battlefields, they were powerless against her.
"He wields Stella's swordsmanship and Sullivian's divine spells, and commands a thunder dragon too. Plus, you said his holy power was weak, but I doubt it. He's probably hiding it for some reason."
"What? Is that even possible..."
Master.
A feat only those who had broken through the wall could achieve.
"He's endlessly close."
One near-master.
'And he harbors a light dragon too.'
Word was he'd fully embraced a light dragon, one step from mastery.
He might temporarily wield power rivaling a master.
But the princess felt no fear.
Excitement surged instead.
Catching him might shatter her own wall.
Capturing Carpe's wolf would boost her fame, and she might wipe out those lizard bastards he aided in one fell swoop.
Two birds with one stone.
Princess Raviang was aiming for that.
"But will he really come?"
"If he's confident in his skills, he'll come. My gut says so."
"Your instincts suck, Princess."
"This time it's real. See this scar?"
"Don't flash your skin like that."
"It's tingling right now. This scar's a badge from slaying a strong foe. I skipped holy water on purpose, and it always warns me of danger."
"Sounds like some boastful mercenary bullshit."
"Anyway. He's coming."
Her limbs itched already.
She wanted to clash with him soon.
To test the hero of the kingdom's salvation.
"But what about that guy you summoned?"
"Oh, that eunuch prick? He spouted crap about coming another way, then said he'd handle it himself. Since he said he'd do it, he'll do something. Or he'll answer to me."
Either way, all we can do now is wait.
"The moon's especially..."
The princess anticipated his arrival, while the duchess gazed at the moon rising in the night sky.
The moon was particularly bright tonight.
And the shadow it cast below felt unusually large.
"Hm? That's a big bird."
"Yeah. Looks weird."
But it wasn't their concern.
* * *
Whoosh.
The harsh wind battered their skin.
The sky was dark, the wind cold.
Yet Serena's face was flushed.
Her body burned hot.
"You okay? You're burning up."
"I-I'm fine!"
Serena was currently gliding through the night sky. Thanks to Kallias, bearer of Leteti's Wings—one of the ancient Vira tribe's artifacts.
If that were all, her cheeks wouldn't be red, but the wings emerged from a ring.
Thus, Kallias couldn't carry everyone, so he held the lightest, Serena, and flew over the border.
His strong arms wrapped around her waist.
The first time in her life embraced by a man.
Broad and warm.
The bright moon illuminated his face perfectly, and his scent was intoxicating.
Even an elf hailed as the incarnation of beauty couldn't resist Kallias's looks.
A full moon on a moonlit night.
A man and woman soaring through the sky.
Below them unfolded a picturesque scene, wafted by his fragrance.
'Those lashes, how...'
His high nose bridge, sharp jawline.
Those deep eyes.
Serena's heart pounded wildly, betraying her.
"First time flying, right? Scared?"
"N-No. I'm f-fine."
"Your heart's pounding awfully fast for that."
"......"
Serena's face burned crimson.
Her heart raced harder.
Come to think of it, clutched in one arm, their bodies pressed in many places.
Not just heartbeats—other parts too, a novel sensation for her.
As she sat speechless.
"Hold tighter. You'll fall."
"Y-Yes? Oh, yes."
Wrapping both arms around his neck brought their faces inches apart.
Serena and Kallias's eyes met.
But only for a moment.
As if by agreement, they both turned away.
Serena buried her face in his shoulder; Kallias gazed beyond the border.
'Her temperature's higher than expected. Are elves naturally warmer than humans?'
He'd thought elves ran cooler, but apparently not.
'Her waist is slimmer than I imagined. Does she really just eat grass?'
But why were her breasts so ample?
Lost in the discrepancy, his eyes twitched.
They'd already crossed the border.
Leteti's Wings carried them over; the planned landing was a bulging mountain peak.
A small summit near the border. They meant to descend slowly from there toward the holy land.
But Kallias's gaze toward the peak grew calm.
"Someone's there."
Clouds parting from the moon revealed him.
Atop the summit, spears stabbed into the ground, a man glared with beastly eyes hungry for blood.
Golden hair.
Wall-like eyes.
Black armor.
A crimson spear in hand.
"Luteon."
The traitor Luteon.
'How did he know to wait?'
No time for such thoughts. He'd spotted them and acted instantly.
He yanked the dozens of spears from the ground and hurled them in a flash.
"Serena!"
"Yes!"
Kwaaa!
Each spear flew at terrifying speed.
'He's grown.'
No surprise; in Carpe, he was called second only to Esther, a genius.
Growth was inevitable.
Right hand on Leteti's Wings.
Left holding Serena.
Kallias had no free hand.
'Damn it.'
Couldn't draw his sword.
Drop Serena or get skewered—Hobson's choice.
As if sensing victory, a clear sneer crossed Luteon's face.
But Serena's hands were free.
She gripped his waist tighter in response, drew her bow, and nocked an arrow.
Verdant energy gathered on the shaft.
"It's slight, but allow me to show you what elven archery is, my lord."
The spears flew like a single volley.
Dozens tore through the air; her slender arrow shot forth.
And in one stroke.
Pang!!
With massive recoil, it split into dozens of light arrows, shooting down the thrown spears.
A stunning display of archery.
But it didn't end there.
"Iki."
Calling her fairy, her entire bow erupted in flames.
"Forest's Wrath."
Powerful holy power converged; an intense fire arrow blazed from her fingertips, lighting the night sky.
Hwaaaa!!
The air heated instantly, lips parching from the blaze.
As it left her hand.
Kallias saw it.
Luteon's face twist in distortion.