Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: To the Haipel Empire (3)
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There was no battle. As soon as the Sword Saint and the Archmage revealed their overwhelming presence, Viscount Railin realized there was no chance of victory and immediately ordered her subordinates to lower their weapons.
The rangers sheathed their weapons in unison, and Viscount Railin stepped forward to Raymond, bowing her head slightly as she spoke.
"Please forgive my impertinence."
"It would be better to apologize with proper etiquette and sincerity, Viscount."
Though she had apologized, her manner and courtesy were exceedingly perfunctory, which only provoked Cassius, the commander of the Imperial Army.
Cassius glared with bulging eyes and snapped at her in a sharp voice. Not only the other Imperial Army knights but even the Royal Guards silently raised their auras.
Viscount Railin's face twisted as she withstood the fierce pressure.
"Enough."
Raymond, who had been watching quietly, spoke in a stern tone and gestured with his hand. The momentum crashing down on Viscount Railin like spears and blades immediately dissipated.
He judged that they had sufficiently suppressed her spirit and intervened personally.
"Thank you."
Viscount Railin bowed her head politely.
She was no fool, nor a rigid commander lacking flexibility. Knowing full well how devastating a Sword Saint and Archmage could be, she recognized the mercy Raymond had shown.
A typical Haipel Empire general might have ordered a glorious charge to a honorable death, but Viscount Railin was a wise commander who did not drive her men to senseless slaughter.
Her show of aggression earlier had only been to assert dominance and avoid being dragged around by the Philius Empire, not to engage in actual combat.
"Can you guide us to the Southern Rangers Legion headquarters?"
Changing the atmosphere with a gentle tone, Raymond asked. Viscount Railin nodded slowly and replied.
"Of course, Your Majesty the Emperor."
"Thank you for your cooperation."
He already knew the location of the Southern Rangers Legion headquarters from Lancer, but the appearance of being 'guided' by the commander was important.
Viscount Railin led the way with her rangers. Raymond followed with the Imperial Army forces.
Though Viscount Railin was wise, she was still a Haipel native, so Raymond did not fully lower his guard against her.
"Sylvia."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor."
He called one of his closest aides, Sylvia Platier, in a very low voice. The high elf with long ears approached cautiously.
"They are Haipel people. We can't trust them completely. Deploy wind spirits to thoroughly scout the surroundings."
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor."
Sylvia immediately summoned wind spirits discreetly and sent them to patrol the area. They would serve as her eyes and ears.
But contrary to his worries, nothing happened as they arrived at the Southern Rangers Legion headquarters under Viscount Railin's guidance.
The Haipel rangers guarding the headquarters shot them wary glances upon entry, but that was all.
Raymond and the Imperial Army forces safely entered the Southern Rangers Legion headquarters in the southern Ephelia Mountains. Viscount Railin guided Raymond to the commander's office, while the accompanying Imperial Army waited at the garrison.
"I heard the Southern Rangers Legion found traces of Crown Prince Knightel. Can you tell me the details?"
Lancer had reported it directly not long ago, saying they had detected traces of the Haipel Empire's crown prince in the Southern Rangers Legion and that it should be their top priority visit.
Viscount Railin nodded slowly at Raymond's question and spoke.
"I'll explain. Recently, the Southern Rangers Legion discovered the bodies of Imperial Guard knights at the entrance to the Ephelia Mountains. They had been expertly concealed with advanced techniques, but they couldn't fool our skilled scouting teams."
The Haipel Empire's Imperial Guard moved only for the imperial family. Finding their bodies outside the capital suggested the possibility that the crown prince had escaped the city.
"The ones who erased the traces must be from the Doomsday Society."
"That's highly likely. Forces still loyal to the imperial family probably erased them to prevent the crown prince's whereabouts from being tracked."
Viscount Railin affirmed Raymond's words.
"Any positive news since then?"
"We found traces, but it's not entirely positive news..."
Viscount Railin trailed off. Sensing something ominous from her demeanor, Raymond fixed her with a cold stare, his face hardening.
"Speak properly."
After a brief silence at his curt prompt, Viscount Railin quietly spoke.
"Do you know why the Southern Rangers Legion is stationed in the Ephelia Mountains?"
"Of course. Isn't it because the Ephelia Mountains connect to the Monster Forest?"
The Southern Rangers Legion headquarters was stationed in the Ephelia Mountains to block monsters emerging from the Monster Forest. Raymond knew this fact all too well.
It was one of the more intriguing settings in the Empire of the Dead world.
"No way..."
His thoughts organized, reaching one conclusion. If true, it was the worst-case scenario he didn't even want to consider.
"That's exactly it. Based on the traces we've found so far, Crown Prince Knightel is heading into the Monster Forest."
"The Monster Forest..."
Raymond let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
Though it was to evade the Doomsday Society's black hands, he never imagined the crown prince would head into the Monster Forest.
"Have you sent any signals to the crown prince?"
"Yes, but no response."
He must be under such fierce pursuit that even responding was difficult.
"Are you deploying rangers for the search operation?"
"We've deployed every available personnel across the entire Ephelia Mountains."
Viscount Railin said in a tense voice.
Though the Southern Rangers Legion had a substantial force, the Ephelia Mountains were vast beyond imagination. Connected to the Monster Forest, the search was hampered by ferocious monsters.
Without contact with the crown prince, they couldn't even guess their situation, which was frustrating.
Raymond asked Viscount Railin several more questions afterward, gathering necessary information for the search.
"I think we've secured enough information now."
Satisfied after the intel exchange, Raymond nodded and folded the military map on the desk, handing it to Cassius.
"We'll start the search operation immediately. I'll give you the direct line to Royal Heart, so contact us right away if there's anything to report."
"Understood. Thank you for your cooperation."
Viscount Railin bowed her head. Raymond waved her off and left the office.
He led his escorts straight to where Royal Heart had landed.
"As expected, the Haipel people are tough."
No sooner had they left the Southern Rangers Legion headquarters than Desia remarked with a faint smile.
The Haipel people were those who had pioneered and survived the harshest lands of the Western Continent. Most had unyielding personalities as a result.
Amused by Desia's reaction, Raymond chuckled and replied.
"This is on the milder side. There are plenty of even tougher Haipel folks."
"How do you know, Your Majesty?"
"I've heard."
Royal Heart soon came into view.
"It's been two days since we confirmed the rangers' signal. Is there no way to contact them?"
The owner of the tattered blue uniform and platinum hair was Haipel Empire's crown prince, Knightel. He pressed the high-ranking mage of his Imperial Guard escorts.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. There are quite a few high-ranking mages among the pursuers. Attempting a magical communication link to headquarters would immediately reveal our position."
Knightel barely suppressed a curse at the high mage's report.
The pursuit was so close they couldn't even request reinforcements via magic communication.
It was a desperate situation. Three days ago, they had tried entering the Southern Rangers Legion headquarters but lost dozens of Imperial Guard knights to an ambush by Doomsday Society forces.
Now, only the Sword Saint Terenor, who had survived from the capital, and a hundred Imperial Guard remained by Knightel's side.
"As Sir Terenor advised, we have no choice but to head into the Monster Forest..."
Sword Saint Terenor had urged fleeing into the Monster Forest.
For one, the multitude of monsters would weaken the Doomsday Society's pursuit. But more importantly, elite imperial troops were stationed there to block monsters from entering Haipel territory.
Of course, contacting them wouldn't be easy, but Terenor believed it worth attempting. The Imperial Guard staff officers also agreed it was better than staying in the Ephelia Mountains.
"We must hurry, Your Highness. Doomsday Society forces are still chasing us."
Terenor urged.
"But aren't we all exhausted? Shouldn't we let the soldiers rest a bit?"
"The Imperial Guard doesn't tire from this much. Your Highness's safety is the top priority!"
The Imperial Guard commander raised his voice. Though worn from repeated battles with pursuers, they had no intention of stopping.
Knightel felt a profound emotion beyond words at their loyal demeanor.
"Thank you, everyone..."
Knightel barely held back tears. Haipel emperors had always been cold-blooded, but the current crown prince Knightel possessed a warm heart.
"Your Highness, we must move quickly."
Terenor said in a heavy voice. Knightel and his Imperial Guard escorts resumed heading south.
How long had they walked?
Terenor sensed an ominous air current and drew his sword. As the vivid aura blade gleamed in the darkness, the other Imperial Guard knights and mages raised their weapons in unison.
"Sir Terenor...?"
Knightel called out to Terenor in an anxious voice.
"This isn't good. I sense presences."
"Enemies?"
"High probability."
"How many?"
"At least two hundred, Your Highness."
It was a despairing report he didn't want to believe, but Terenor's acute senses at the Sword Saint realm couldn't be wrong.
Uncharacteristically anxious, Knightel trembled, and in the heavy silence, the Imperial Guard prepared for battle.
"They're coming!"
Terenor shouted sharply. Black-clad figures fluttered down from above the knights' heads. By the time Knightel regained his senses, the battle had already begun.
The fight started with the Doomsday Society's ambush, but thanks to Terenor's warning, no one lost their lives pointlessly.
True to their elite training, the Imperial Guard swiftly formed a defensive formation amid the chaos.
However, the Doomsday Society combatants were of a higher caliber. Several skilled executives pierced the formation in an instant, charging toward Crown Prince Knightel.
"Your Highness! Behind me!"
Terenor swung his sword vigorously. A flash of blue light blazed, and the Doomsday Society executives who had broken through spilled blood as they fell. Skilled as they were, they couldn't handle a Sword Saint.
But the Imperial Guard could not endure. The knights were fatigued from repeated battles, and the mages hadn't recovered even half their mana from the previous fights.
"Arrrgh!"
"Uwaaagh!"
Pained screams erupted. Though exhausted, the Imperial Guard resisted fiercely. With Haipel Empire's last hope—the crown prince—behind them, they fought with all they had.
"For the Haipel Empire!"
Terenor rallied the knights. Infused with the Sword Saint's mana, his shout reinvigorated them to swing their swords anew. The mages squeezed out their remaining mana to complete attack spells.
Pillars of fire erupted, and razor-sharp ice blades rained down like a storm from the sky. The Doomsday Society forces suffered heavy losses from the Imperial Guard's fierce counterattack.
They began retreating one by one, and the knights, drunk on victory, let out thunderous cheers.
"Waaaaah!"
"We won!"
But the cheers of joy were short-lived. Deep despair soon settled on the knights' and mages' faces.
"Wh-what..."
Someone muttered in a voice thick with despair. Terenor scanned the surroundings with trembling eyes.
Doomsday Society forces were swarming back. And in far greater numbers than before.
"Prepare for full engagement! Don't waver!"
Terenor rallied the knights. But their morale had already hit rock bottom.
Victory was no longer assured.