Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: For the Golden Glory
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“Young Master!”
Perry, who had been at the castle entrance, quickly approached as Arthur came running.
“What’s the situation?”
“They’re burning the village.”
“What?!”
Arthur’s face twisted in anger.
At that moment, Millerph descended from the sky and approached him.
“Young Master, their movements are far from ordinary.”
“Didn’t you say we could buy time until sunrise?”
“I didn’t expect them to violate imperial territory.”
“Where’s Skevin?”
As Arthur looked around, Skevin appeared fully armed, leading the knight order.
“Young Master…!”
Skevin’s eyes wavered at the sight of the armor Arthur wore.
As a child, he had been captivated by Malcolm Count in his armor and resolved to become his knight.
That determination led him to join the Julius Count Family’s knights, rising to a position where he could serve by his side.
But that man had passed from illness, forcing Skevin to bury the life he had dreamed of deep in his heart.
Yet now, seeing Arthur like this ignited something profound within him.
A hot surge filled his chest, sending shivers through his entire body.
Suppressing his overwhelming emotions, he placed his right fist over his left chest and bowed his head.
“Knight Skevin Maximus! Give me your orders.”
Arthur scanned the surroundings with a resolute expression and spoke.
“Prepare to march.”
“Yes!”
Skevin responded with a short, heavy grunt.
At his words, the Phoenix Knight Order sprang into bustling action.
Amid them, a Devil Squad member approached Arthur.
Everyone except Poshe and Ramni, who had been captured as prisoners, was ready for departure.
Dark bowed deeply and said.
“Please issue your command.”
Arthur turned to Kasan, who had a bandage wrapped around his face from an injury sustained during the orc subjugation.
“You’re sitting this one out.”
“Please let me join you!”
“Injured men don’t march.”
“I won’t be a burden!”
“Don’t forget—disobedience means expulsion.”
“Captain!”
Kasan’s face contorted.
Arthur shifted his gaze to Dark.
“We’ll lure the Red Warrior Band into the western mountains and engage in mountain warfare.”
“Then who draws them in?”
“I’ll lure them to the western mountains. You wait at the trap site and strike once they’re caught.”
“Understood.”
“Move out.”
“Yes!”
Dark departed for the western mountains with his squad.
Arthur looked at Kasan, now alone.
“I have a separate mission for you.”
“Entrust me with anything!”
Kasan’s eyes burned with fierce intensity.
Arthur glanced at Medlin, who had come outside, and said.
“Protect my mother.”
“I shall obey!”
Kasan placed his fist over his left chest, bowed, then hurried to Medlin’s side.
Arthur met Medlin’s eyes for a moment and bowed his head.
As if his feelings had reached her, she nodded in return.
A short while later.
At the castle entrance, the Phoenix Knight Order stood in formation, fully prepared to march.
Clop, clop.
Hoofbeats echoed from the rear as Arthur appeared before them astride his black demonic horse, clad in golden armor. His figure was majestic and unyielding.
His cold gaze and chilling aura tensed everyone present.
Arthur slowly surveyed the ranks before speaking.
“I won’t waste words. Don’t fear them. We will surely triumph.”
His low voice resonated through the air.
The words pierced the knights’ hearts, instilling great courage.
Thud!
The knights stomped in unison and responded.
The territory’s people, watching from the ramparts, shouted loudly.
“Crush them!”
“Wipe them out!”
“Come back alive!”
Resolve hardened on the knights’ faces.
Not to be outdone, Arthur drew his kukri and thrust it high toward the sky, roaring.
“For the Golden Glory!”
The knights bellowed in response.
“Yes—!
Arthur shouted once more.
“Draw your swords!”
Shing—.
The knights drew their blades in perfect unison. Their fighting spirit boiled over, their momentum intensifying.
Arthur wheeled his horse toward the front and bellowed with all his might.
“Full charge!”
He bolted forward like an arrow. The knights followed in a ferocious surge.
Skevin pulled up tightly beside Arthur and asked.
“What’s your plan?”
“No need to wait for sunrise now that they’ve invaded. We proceed as planned.”
“If the Red Warrior Band breaks off, we’ll push straight through.”
“Do it.”
Arthur gazed ahead and shouted.
“Helot!”
Helot, following closely, rode up beside him.
“Speak!”
“Follow me!”
As Arthur shot forward like lightning, Helot trailed with his squad.
***
“Kill every living thing and burn everything in sight!”
Yakim prowled the burning village, shouting.
His subordinates torched house after house with flaming torches.
Berro approached.
“As expected, they’ve all fled.”
“No matter! We just need that one to show!”
“But will he really come?”
“He will. Without fail.”
Yakim’s face twisted into a sinister grimace as he pictured Arthur.
The fool who had stormed their base to rescue prisoners wouldn’t stand idly by while his territory burned.
He’d come prepared, no doubt.
Still, the Julius Count Family wasn’t just Skevin Maximus.
The stranger wielded bizarre weapons never seen before, and his unarmed combat matched Yakim’s own.
He couldn’t gauge the exact level, but at minimum, it was peak Sword Expert.
Moreover, the men with him had slaughtered the pursuit squad—likely Sword Experts at least.
The Julius Count Family’s hidden strength far exceeded expectations.
Anger toward the foe mingled with tension.
It was the first such feeling since becoming a Sword Master.
“I’ll show you exactly who I am.”
Murderous intent gleamed in Yakim’s eyes.
Berro’s face stiffened slightly at the sight.
‘Damn, there goes my shot at glory.’
“Move out!”
As Yakim’s order rang out and his men surged toward the next village like arrows.
Bang—!
“...!”
Yakim’s eyes flashed.
He bellowed like thunder toward his subordinates.
“Left flank!”
They veered left at his command.
Bang—!
Another roar echoed, and one subordinate tumbled from his horse.
“Rat bastard!”
Enraged, Yakim spurred his horse toward the source of the blast.
Berro followed, shouting.
“Full charge!”
Waaaaah!
The men charged with roars.
Yakim, surging to the fore in an instant, swung his sword ahead.
Boom! Kwang!
An Aura Blade sliced through trees and boulders.
Far off, someone fled into view.
“Rat bastard.”
Yakim channeled mana and thrust his sword with full force.
The Aura Blade shot like an arrow, striking the target and unhorsing him.
Yakim closed in swiftly and seized him.
It wasn’t the man who had toyed with them.
The captive’s right shoulder was severed along with his armor, wracked in agony.
“Ugh...”
“Where is he?”
“D-Don’t know...”
“Is that so?”
Yakim’s eyes glinted coldly as he slashed off the man’s other arm.
“Aaaagh!”
The man screamed as if his throat would burst.
“What’s his identity?”
“D-Don’t know...”
“You won’t die easy, then.”
He plunged his sword into the man’s shoulder.
“Eup!”
The man’s mind went white.
The pain was too excruciating for even a scream.
All he craved was an end to it.
Yakim removed the man’s helmet, locked eyes, and smirked viciously.
“Give me the answer I want. I’ll free you from the pain.”
“H-He is...”
The man gritted his teeth, eyes bulging. He glared at Yakim as if to devour him and continued.
“The great one who leads the Julius Count Family. Not a name for the likes of your filthy mouth.”
“The great one?”
“Yes, the Golden Glory...”
“Shut up.”
Yakim mercilessly severed the man’s head.
As it thudded to the ground, that eerie sensation from before returned.
Instinctively, Yakim whipped his head toward it.
A small object hurtled toward him from ahead.
Yakim swung his sword like lightning.
Boom!
Bang—!
Deflecting the bead, Yakim roared like a lion through the delayed gunshot.
“Let’s see how long you can keep running!”
Berro, catching up, shouted to the men.
“There! Don’t let them escape!”
The subordinates spurred their horses in hot pursuit.
Berro rode up to Yakim and asked.
“Learn anything?”
“Seems there’s some impressive bloodline in the Julius Count Family.”
“No way. Yarve Count would’ve known.”
“One of two things: he truly didn’t, or he hid it from us.”
“...!”
Berro’s face hardened.
Yakim mounted up and said to him.
“No matter! Today, the Julius Count Family vanishes without a trace.”
“You plan to kill them all? Yarve Count won’t stand for that.”
“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”
Yakim smirked wickedly and charged toward his men.
***
At that moment.
“What the hell is this?”
Bagrann vented his frustration at Yakim’s independent action.
Yakim had said yesterday they’d sortie at sunrise, but Bagrann planned to delay with excuses.
Originally, they’d advance slowly once the sun hit midday.
But Yakim had led the Red Warrior Band at dawn, charging into Grada Territory and torching villages.
This blatantly violated imperial rules.
If the Julius Count Family raised it after the territory war, trouble would brew.
Hence, the plan was to spare only Lady Medlin as Yarve Count desired and silence the rest by slaughter.
Hans grimaced at the Red Warrior Band breaking formation.
“What now?”
“No waiting for that rutting dog. We advance as is.”
“Yes.”
Hans swung his sword, signaling the men.
Cavalry and infantry advanced in perfect order.
Passing one village toward the next.
Thud thud thud thud—.
The ground trembled lightly, like a mild quake.
The vibrations grew nearer, and ahead, a group kicked up a sandstorm in their charge.
Bagrann’s eyes flashed.
“They’re here.”
Hans shouted swiftly.
“Enemy!”
As the cavalry halted, knights rushed forward, forming a solid wall of shields.
The charging group halted upon entering the vast plain.
A blue flag emblazoned with a dragon emblem fluttered in the wind.
“Julius Count Family...”
Bagrann’s gaze deepened as he scanned them.
Roughly two-thirds the size of the Rose Knight Order.
Yet their momentum was formidable.
Especially the one at the fore on a white horse—his power was immeasurable.
He recognized him instantly.
Skevin Maximus, guardian deity of the Julius Count Family.
“That’s him.”
“Strong as the rumors say.”
“Peak Sword Expert, for real. I couldn’t take him alone.”
“That true?”
Hans’s eyes widened.
“Not just him—most behind are Sword Experts too.”
“Gasp!”
“That’s why the Count recruited Yakim.”
“But they’re not here.”
“Stay sharp.”
Bagrann drew his sword and bellowed.
“For our foes, only red skies and earth! Leave not one alive!”
Shing—!
The knights aimed forward, assuming attack stances.
As Bagrann locked eyes with Skevin.
“Attack!”
Waaaaah—!
The Rose Knight Order surged with murderous intent.
Watching, Skevin gripped his sword tight and raised it skyward.
“Phoenix Knight Order!”
“Yes—!
Murderous light filled the knights’ eyes.
Skevin yanked the white horse’s reins.
Neigh—!
It snorted hot breath, radiating fierce momentum.
“For the Golden Glory!”
He thrust his sword toward the enemy with full force.
“Charge!”