Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Meeting the Villain (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Elpis.
In the original novel's storyline, she was the "villain" that the protagonist, Richard, would encounter on the eternal snow mountain during his journey to obtain the Soul Sword.
He knew she was in the Black Mountains at this point in time, but he never imagined he'd run into her like this.
'I really didn't want to cross paths with her here if I could help it...'
Unlike her playful expression and youthful appearance, she was the most brutal villain in the latter half of volume 1.
Her secret magic allowed limited control over monsters. That was why he'd hoped to avoid running into her in the Black Mountains at all costs.
It was a limited form of control, but with the mountains teeming with monsters, it was practically an armory for Elpis.
As long as she had enough mana, it was like having an endless supply of weapons filling the entire mountain range.
'Wait a minute. But that's not the case right now, is it?'
Raymond's eyes sharpened as he scanned the surroundings. There were no monsters visible inside the cave.
Which meant this moment could be an opportunity to eliminate a villain who would surely cause trouble down the line.
With Elpis blocking their retreat anyway, taking her down was the only way out of the cave. Raymond signaled to Cassias and Kron.
The two knights closed the distance to Elpis in an instant. Desia stuck close to his side in case of emergency, preparing a defensive spell, while Raymond drew up his mana to cover Cassias and Kron.
Fire Arrow
A crimson flame arrow pierced straight through the darkness toward Elpis.
No scream rang out as expected, blocked by her defensive magic. But Cassias and Kron were still in play. The two knights charged at Elpis.
Yet Elpis's expression remained relaxed. If anything, she let out a faint, amused chuckle, as if watching daring moths fly into the flame.
'There definitely shouldn't be any monsters.'
No sign of the orcs likely under her control, no matter how hard he looked.
'With no shields to protect her, why is she so composed?'
Just as Cassias's mana-infused sword targeted Elpis's mana shield—
KABOOM!
Something burst through the cave wall with a thunderous roar, slamming into Cassias's body.
"Gaaah!"
Cassias screamed as he was flung back, crashing into the cave wall. Through the settling dust, his body could be seen twitching in spasms.
Fortunately, he was still breathing. Raymond couldn't afford to lose Cassias here—the man who would later become a key supporter in the Imperial Army.
He was a minor character bordering on extra status, but he had detailed backstory.
A talented swordsman, he was set up as one of the characters who worked to rebuild the Philius Empire after the Bloody Funeral in the novel.
"Damn it! A 'Rock Devourer' of all things, here!"
Kron cursed as he fell back. Rock Devourers were notoriously tricky monsters to face in caves.
No match for Kron, a regular knight who couldn't wield a mana sword.
Retreating was the wise choice, and he knew better than to act recklessly.
"Gestain."
Raymond called quietly to Gestain. The one-armed Guard Captain hesitated to step forward, worried his lord—who had shown him how to regain his lost swordsmanship—might be in danger.
"I have an unbreakable shield. You be my sword and take that mage's head."
"Lady Desia, I'm counting on you to protect His Highness."
"Don't worry, Guard Captain. My shield isn't that fragile."
Desia replied brightly. An advanced mage with experience perfecting Absolute Shield, she specialized in defense. Gestain knew that well.
Somewhat reassured, the one-armed high knight slowly advanced.
The moment it seemed he might close in gradually, he kicked off the ground and dove under the Rock Devourer like lightning, swinging his sword.
"Kieeeek!"
The Rock Devourer's rock-armored shell split open, red blood gushing out. Viscous blood splattered across the cave walls and Gestain.
"Oh? A high knight's here?"
Elpis remarked with interest. As a supreme mage, gauging his level from the mana sword was child's play.
"But if you come forward... what happens to the one behind you?"
She aimed her staff, summoning a lightning-charged hawk that spread its wings.
Supreme magic, dense with mana. Gestain inwardly cursed his slip, but Raymond remained calm. He had his trusty "shield."
"Desia."
"Don't worry. I'm right in front of His Highness, 5th Prince."
The thunder hawk crashed powerless against the mana shield, unable to pierce it.
"Huh? That shouldn't have happened...?"
Supreme magic, blocked by an advanced mage's shield? Elpis's signature playful expression flickered for a moment.
'As expected of great mage bloodline. The protagonist's eye for talent was spot on.'
A smile tugged at Raymond's lips. Desia hailed from the Heli family, famed for producing guardian archmages.
He'd assisted her growth for efficiency, but she'd also inherited her family's secret arts and forbidden magic.
'A shield must never waver in any storm.'
An ancestral Heli precept.
Raymond looked away from Elpis, his gaze shifting to Desia.
Her petite 160cm frame looked fragile from behind, yet more reassuring than any knight.
Sensing his gaze, Desia glanced back at Raymond with sparkling blue eyes and a fresh smile.
A declaration of unshakeable confidence. Raymond began chanting a spell to keep Elpis in check.
Fire Arrow
The flame arrow pierced the darkness but scattered harmlessly against Elpis's blue mana shield.
Elpis's lips curved into a deeper smile at the futile fire magic. But Raymond felt the same.
He hadn't expected intermediate magic to breach a supreme mage's defense.
It was just a feint to hold her attention while Gestain advanced.
"My, you've come this far already?"
The mud-soaked ground held the cooling corpse of the Rock Devourer.
Bathed in blood, Gestain charged at Elpis with a chilling, predatory glint in his eyes.
Despite his heavy plate armor, his movements were swift and agile.
"Oh? It's dead."
Elpis muttered. No hint of panic in her voice, even with the one-armed high knight nearly upon her. Her expression unchanged.
"Then this time, two of them."
She lightly shook her staff. Two more Rock Devourers burst from the cave walls and ceiling. Gestain, just three meters from her, was forced to retreat from the sudden intervention.
His expression hardened at the sight of their jagged, rock-crushing teeth bared wide.
Gestain and Kron grimaced at the two additional Rock Devourers, but Raymond was the most rattled.
'Was Elpis this strong?'
According to the novel's descriptions and settings, her monster control was limited.
She wielded domination secret magic, but her proficiency was low—only one Rock Devourer at best, with severe command restrictions.
'This is... wrong. Something's off.'
Raymond's eyes cooled. He hadn't misremembered the novel's settings; he knew them perfectly.
The settings couldn't change. They were absolute in the novel. So how to explain this?
'The plot has diverged.'
From his experiences so far, major events hadn't changed.
The main storyline remained intact, but as an extra villain prince meddling in events, he'd introduced variables.
Those variables had influenced the plot. No other explanation fit.
He'd lost some foresight advantage, but no worries.
The novel's absolute "settings" wouldn't change, and he had them all memorized.
"Sir Kron! Protect His Highness, 5th Prince!"
"Understood!"
Gestain shouted, anticipating more Rock Devourers.
Kron rushed to Raymond's side in Cassias's stead. Even with Desia, more guards were better.
"Gestain! You must kill that woman!"
A single faulty gear halts the whole machine. Variables must be eliminated.
Gestain nodded grimly without reply and launched at Elpis.
His mana sword gleamed, slicing the Rock Devourers' shells as blood fountained.
Elpis, expending most of her mana dominating the two beasts, had no room to counter with spells.
"Looks like I'll have to retreat for today."
Her voice stayed casual, but she bit her lip in frustration.
She'd grown stronger, but not enough for a high knight. Plus, she sensed approaching presences.
"I have to attend the 'Association' today, so this is it. Let's have more fun next time."
She stepped back into the shadows, her form melting away. Simultaneously, Gestain's swing cleaved the last Rock Devourer in two.
"Powerful mana from the passage."
Desia said, her tone relieved rather than alarmed. Raymond relaxed too.
If she recognized it, it had to be the Crimson Tower Lord or Azure Tower Lord.
Sure enough, a figure in red robes appeared amid brilliant light magic.
Berenus Kyle, pale from spreading the massive wildfire earlier, but his arrival as a high mage was reassuring.
"Lord Berenus. Quicker than expected."
"I was worried for Your Highness, 5th Prince. The Azure Tower Lord's handling things alone, so I prioritized here."
"Good timing. With the Crimson Tower Lord here, it's truly reassuring."
Raymond spoke honestly. Cassias and the Marquis de Crayer were badly injured, and this was a ghost unit hideout.
Enemies could appear anytime; the Crimson Tower Lord's presence was a boon.
Though he regretted the five minutes too late—could have killed Elpis.
'No second chances, Elpis.'
Raymond's gaze fixed where she'd stood. Next encounter, he'd kill her thoroughly. No loose ends.
Her role in late volume 1 wasn't huge anyway, so missing her wasn't a big issue.
One nagging point: the "Association" she mentioned before vanishing.
'That's bothersome.'
In the setting collection by the author of The Empire of the Dead, only one group bore the name "Association."
The Apocalypse Association.
The sole entry in the obsessive author's notes with just a name and one line: a mysterious group.
'They exist, yet they do not.'
A riddle. That was it. Raymond frowned, biting his nail.
The author of The Empire of the Dead always detailed lengthy settings—except for the Apocalypse Association.
No clue how to counter a secret group with zero info.
'If I know nothing of the Apocalypse Association, use other intel.'
Raymond's eyes gleamed coldly. No direct info on them, but he had the full setting collection memorized.
Plenty of other data to leverage against them.
'Come if you dare. I'll meet you with everything I've got.'
A chill smile spread across his lips.