Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Light Spirit's Testimony
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“……!”
Duke Terry's eyes widened.
Arthur aimed a dagger wrapped in golden aura at him.
“I told you to withdraw your forces.”
“Tell me first who the Demon King's familiar is.”
“The one not here is the Demon King's familiar.”
“What does that mean?”
“If there's someone who absolutely has to be here from the Nanshar Empire, don't you think of him right away?”
“Someone who absolutely has to be……!”
In that instant, a bolt of lightning flashed through Duke Terry's mind.
Artisan Sharman!
He hadn't been seen since the battle started.
Could he be referring to him?
No, that couldn't be.
Duke Terry shook his head vigorously and asked.
“Do you have proof?”
“I'm the witness. I was just fighting him.”
“How can I trust you!”
Disbelief filled Duke Terry's face.
“Natrashian was with me too…… Ah, you'd say you can't trust an enemy.”
“Of course. It could be a scheme you all allied for. Why should I believe that?”
“I suppose so. But if I'd allied with Tomoya Kingdom, would I need to bandy words with you like this? I could just kill you and be done.”
“You might have some ulterior motive for dragging this out.”
Duke Terry narrowed his eyes and glared.
“Hmm.”
Knights and soldiers were gradually closing in from all sides, applying pressure.
If he couldn't persuade him here, he'd be forced into the ridiculous situation of having to kill them all himself.
To prevent that, he had to convince him……
Thud thud thud thud thud—
Along with the sound of horse hooves, knights from Julius Kingdom appeared at the rear.
At the front were Skevin, Blizan, and Drakan.
They glared around with fierce eyes.
They'd arrived faster than expected, probably moving the moment Drakan got word from Parsia.
With them here, the Nanshar Empire's forces wouldn't dare act rashly.
Boom! Boom boom!
Explosions rang out along with a shout.
“Kill them all!”
Arthur, Duke Terry, and the soldiers there all turned their heads at once.
Demian was pushing forward with his knights.
“So that's it?”
Duke Terry's eyes bulged as he continued.
“If you're trying to divert attention for a surprise attack, it's pointless.”
“Don't misunderstand. They're moving on their own, unrelated to me.”
“Then you won't intervene either.”
As Duke Terry smirked coldly, a group quickly moved toward Demian.
It was the ten or so elite guards of Artisan.
The group Arthur had thought resembled the Dark Squad in vibe.
Then, from Tomoya's side, some began to move as well.
Magic warriors.
The powerhouses from each faction clashed once more.
Since he'd gotten involved, he couldn't afford any more losses.
Arthur summoned the K1 Rifle.
“Wh-what are you doing!”
Duke Terry's eyes went wide.
Ignoring him, Arthur pulled the trigger toward the sky.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
The sharp gunfire echoed through the sky.
All eyes turned to Arthur at once.
Demian and the knights halted their attack and looked toward the source of the roar.
They spotted Arthur, surrounded by knights and soldiers, with Duke Terry fallen before him.
“What? Alone…….”
As they wore incredulous expressions, Arthur's shout rang out.
“Fall back!”
“……?”
“From now on, anyone who swings a sword won't be spared by me!”
“What's he saying?”
Everyone looked puzzled, and one of the elite guards closed in on Demian.
Once within killing distance, he kicked off the ground and charged like a bullet.
“Die!”
“Damn!”
Demian couldn't counter or even dodge the surprise attack.
He just grimaced and stared.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
Countless bullets riddled with aura pierced the man, who collapsed right before him.
Demian swallowed hard and looked at Arthur.
He held a different weapon from the one he'd used against the Demon King's familiar.
‘Just what are his weapons…….’
Mysterious and astonishing. It seemed like magic, but utterly threatening.
The moment their eyes met, a chill ran down his spine.
Those sharp eyes threatened obedience to his command.
“Hmm.”
Knowing he wasn't an enemy, Demian decided to follow for now.
He signaled his knights to retreat.
The knights pulled back, and Demian created distance from the Nanshar knights.
But they stayed ready to strike at any moment, tension unbroken.
With the brief standoff, Arthur said to Duke Terry.
“Pull your guys back too.”
“Urgh.”
Duke Terry looked displeased but nodded to his elite guards to withdraw.
“Now satisfied? But I don't trust you or whatever anyone from Tomoya says.”
“Don't worry. Someone reliable will tell you.”
Arthur mentally summoned one of the spirits.
Soon, a cluster of bright light appeared between him and Duke Terry.
Nigras revealed himself.
As always, in a pure white robe, exuding a holy and reverent aura.
“What happened to him?”
-I lost him. Did you let him vanish?
“Seems I did too.”
-We're both off our game today.
Nigras tilted his head and looked around.
Countless eyes were fixed on him.
Summoned here, there must be another reason.
-What's going on?
“Needed a witness regarding the Demon King's familiar.”
Arthur nodded toward Duke Terry.
Nigras regarded Duke Terry with a solemn expression.
-Mortal, what troubles you?
“Y-you are…….”
Duke Terry stammered in shock, at a loss.
-Fear not. I am the being who governs the world's light. No reason to harm you.
“Th-the Light Spirit, how…….”
His mind went blank.
By his knowledge, the Light Spirit's contractor had to be a saintess.
Yet here he was, and from their conversation, it was no ordinary bond.
“Could it be…… is there a saintess here?”
-Hmm, let me see…… ah, over there.
Nigras glanced toward Julius Kingdom's forces, and Duke Terry followed his gaze.
Beside a white-robed white-haired elder stood a figure in a blue robe with hood.
That must be the saintess.
But if she were the contractor, he'd have said so directly, not like searching for a third party.
‘What the hell is going on?'
As Duke Terry looked baffled, Arthur, watching him, spoke.
“Nigras's contractor is me. Ask him, the natural enemy of the Demon King. You can't refute his words.”
“How…….”
“Isn't that beside the point right now?”
Arthur furrowed his brow slightly, and Duke Terry hesitantly asked Nigras.
“Was the Demon King's familiar here?”
-Indeed. I came here with him seeking the Demon King's familiar and the spirit of darkness.
“Then who is the Demon King's familiar……?”
-The one I saw here was a guy called Kollepton. He awakened through your king, Artisan.
“……!”
Duke Terry's eyes bulged.
His elite guards nearby gasped at Nigras's words.
“N-no way…….”
“Th-this can't be…….”
They milled about, unsure how to process it.
Nigras addressed their reactions.
-Your true foes are the Demon King and his minions. I hope you don't waste precious lives on each other.
With that, Nigras vanished.
A heavy silence fell over the battlefield.
They stood dazed with unfocused eyes or slumped down.
The boiling bloodlust and grim resolve of kill-or-be-killed were gone.
Only emptiness lingered on their faces.
Arthur silently watched them, giving time to think.
After a moment.
Soldiers and knights parted as someone approached.
A path opened behind Duke Terry, revealing Millerph and Aria.
Millerph and Aria bowed politely to Arthur.
Then she approached Duke Terry and removed her hood, revealing her face.
Seeing Aria, Duke Terry stood and bowed respectfully.
“Terry Partanga, head of the Partanga family, greets the Saintess.”
“I greet the head of the great bloodline of the Nanshar Empire.”
When she acknowledged him as head of Partanga, she responded with fitting courtesy.
Terry's lips curved in a faint, satisfied smile that quickly faded.
“Could you spare me some time? I have much to tell the family head.”
“Very well. I need to know the situation too.”
“Thank you.”
Aria glanced at Arthur.
As Arthur was about to say something to Duke Terry, the duke shouted to his Nanshar knights.
“Retreat to the rearmost position! Await my orders there!”
Yes sir!
The knights responded sharply.
Though confusion filled their faces, their prompt obedience showed solid command structure.
As Nanshar's forces ebbed away like the tide, the strewn corpses on the battlefield came into view.
As always, the blood-soaked scene furrowed brows.
Seeing comrades' bodies bred rage, etching revenge into bones.
Their fallen comrades, now cold corpses, would ignite vengeance in survivors, surging with killing intent if they saw this.
Fueled by revenge, war would repeat endlessly—killing and dying.
On Earth, he'd wished someone would end the tiresome monster wars.
But here, he wouldn't hope or wait.
He'd annihilate the Demon King himself and end the wars.
Granting peace to all.
That was his ultimate goal.
Originally, just safeguarding Julius Kingdom's peace.
But to face the Demon King, the five continents must unite, pooling all strength.
The world they desired.
The lives they wanted—probably no different from his.
Living in happiness.
Somehow, ensuring happiness for all around him had become his goal.
‘I will achieve it.’
As determination settled on Arthur's face, someone rode toward them from Tomoya's camp.
It was Valtre.
He, who hadn't appeared on the field, now showed.
His complex expression suggested he'd been briefed.
Knowing Artisan was the Demon King's underling—what reaction would he have?
If he tried using this to crush and conquer Nanshar……
A smile tugged at Arthur's lips.
“An unexpected chance to gauge you.”
His eyes turned icy as he added.
“If you're not even worth exploiting…… I'll have to erase you.”