A Lucky Day (3)
The Empire could crumble at any moment. And in that fleeting peace, the emperor made his judgment.
Even the capital, Antonium, was no exception. With the majority of imperial territory destroyed, there would be no further food supplies. They could hold out for a while on the stores in the Empire's warehouses, but after that...
"I see. If that's what you say, then so be it."
Thus, even upon hearing the news from the dwarf leader, Chainwalker, the emperor did not waver. It was probably because he had long been prepared for this.
"Hear me, my ministers."
The emperor declared before his subjects.
"The glorious Empire you knew has long since fallen. To war with demons, to shameful civil strife. Our Empire has been driven to the brink of collapse."
"...!"
To think His Majesty would utter such words himself. As subjects, they hung their heads in shame.
To those bowed heads, the emperor continued.
"And yet, why has the Empire endured until today? Who is it that allows the people of Antonium even this brief peace?"
If there had been a sycophantic flatterer, they might have cried out the emperor's name here. But in an Empire on the verge of ruin, such parasites were long gone.
Someone answered.
"It is thanks to a single ray of light in endless darkness."
The emperor nodded at the reply.
"Indeed. It is thanks to the adventurer, Sir Lee Hoyeol."
He was the one who, in the adventurers' world, had driven back the rebel alliance led by Sword Saint Shreygwin from Antonium.
The emperor's voice grew even more resolute.
"He did not save me, the emperor, or Antonium, the imperial capital, out of special favor. Shamefully, he even saved Dreadsden, a remote territory whose name I did not even know. Yes. The adventurer accomplished what even I, the emperor, could not."
The heroic tales of Hoyeol, spread by survivors from Dreadsden village. From that series of events, the emperor had realized.
"He never yielded to any trial. He did not compromise. He did not rationalize. He did not bargain. He upheld his pride to the very end."
I am the emperor. As the center of the Empire, I must never falter.
Unlike himself, who had fled behind the excuse of his throne.
But now that he had awakened to it, the emperor had no intention of retreating further.
Clank—
The emperor, now clad not just in armor but a helmet as well, stood before his cavalry.
The assembled forces numbered roughly five thousand. They were the bravest soldiers handpicked from Antonium.
The emperor spoke plainly.
"Today, we charge into the jaws of death."
Yes, it would truly be a land of death. Elves who bared their killing intent to any who obstructed them. Urs of the Mad Iron Fist, who once terrorized the Arcana Continent. And now stirring again—demons that exuded malice even greater than demon kings.
In such a battlefield, a mere five thousand imperial soldiers? Borrowing the dwarves' words...
They could indeed be wiped out by a single elven arrow.
Yet the emperor could not retreat.
"Because my people are there."
He had vowed no longer to turn away.
The destination was the small city of Polsta near the Zero Mountains. The number of surviving citizens was around three thousand.
Three thousand—not an insignificant number. Yet someone might say: sometimes the few must be sacrificed for the many. That the emperor need not stir for a single small city.
He would not condemn such a one. He himself had once thought the same.
But that was mere calculation.
"There is no weighing of scales in my lexicon."
It was not a matter of pride.
"Are you afraid?"
The emperor asked.
"No, Your Majesty—!"
Spirited replies rang out. Those who had survived as soldiers in Antonium had crossed countless brushes with death. And now, with the emperor leading them personally, the soldiers heading to their doom burned with sky-piercing morale.
Clank—
The march began. The emperor departed Antonium.
The Empire's highest mage, Naysh William, steeled his resolve.
"Your Majesty, I shall join the expedition as well."
Unlike his brother, he hadn't even entered the Mage Tower. Joining wouldn't provide much help.
Yet he wanted to be of use.
To such a Naysh, the emperor replied.
"I forbid it."
"...Pardon?"
"Naysh, you are the shield that guards Antonium."
"...!"
"I have no intention of using that shield merely to protect myself."
Touching words, yet Naysh was Naysh.
Brother, am I really worthy of His Majesty's trust? Or is it that my skills are lacking, so he won't use me?
In the end, half-doubting, he replied.
"...Naysh William shall obey Your Majesty's command."
*
The view through the telescope matched the report from Diend.
Truly, the imperial army led by the emperor himself was heading into that chaos.
So take responsibility, Grandfell. It's all because you rubbed off on him!
'Not a plague—what the hell.'
Yes. Pride was the issue again.
It was honestly an act overflowing with pride. The emperor personally leading troops out of worry for his people in peril.
A bit touching, even.
"So you have finally realized it as well."
...Even so.
Don't speak to the Empire's emperor like a subordinate, Grandfell.
And this isn't something to be smug about!
I already said it earlier, didn't I? Absolute disadvantage.
Even our alliance—including the Mage Tower, called the strongest force on the Arcana Continent, and all sorts of powerhouses—is at a disadvantage.
Do you think the Empire is any different? Even the Lion Heart Knights, the emperor's own sword.
This is the reality they've dropped into.
'Hate to say it, but...'
The Empire is a toothless tiger. The moment they irk anyone, the emperor included, total annihilation wouldn't be surprising.
In this hopeless situation, you sure have a lot to say, Grandfell.
'No need to worry, for I am here!'
First, recall my options.
As I said, I had no way to enter the Arcana Continent.
Unless I'd saved the effect of Map That Communes with All Things, but that was long gone.
'At my current Enchantment Mastery level, restoration is impossible.'
Then.
Unlike me, Diend could freely travel between reality and the Arcana Continent. And through High El.
'But even that has limits.'
{Unique Spirit}, High El.
Darkness Spirit, Diend.
Even these two, among the strongest spirits, couldn't be expected to shine in that mess.
Of course, High El and Diend had, in many ways, exceeded my expectations.
'Suppose they succeed in protecting the imperial army.'
But.
Saving the emperor, the imperial army, and Polsta's citizens doesn't end this massive incident, does it?
What I want is to wrap it up somehow before that chaos spills into reality through the rift.
"Diend. I shall obey my lord's command."
First, merging Diend with the imperial army remains unchanged.
That leaves the giant monster, elves, and transcendent...
At least it's fortunate we've identified the transcendent.
"So you are the infamous Urs."
{{Iron Fist's Urs}}.
The figure from the books who had consumed dozens of elixirs. That shaggy-haired man was Urs.
Thanks to his innate constitution allowing elixir consumption without severe side effects, he'd become a transcendent, truly beyond human, living endless ages.
'That reaction makes sense.'
Having lived so long, he'd seen it all. Whether I made my presence known in the social hall or caused a fuss, it probably meant little to him.
'And now such a Urs is on the move...'
I don't know why, but please, just don't pick fights with each other.
Honestly, none of you have any self-awareness. You're all big shots, you know?
Even a small skirmish could escalate into a major incident. A [Battlefield] rift could open, an emergency update could pop up.
But contrary to my desperate inner thoughts, different words slipped from my mouth.
"Perhaps that would be for the best."
...Hey, Grandfell.
No one's listening, so you can drop the act?
But lofty pride wouldn't glance at my mood.
"Nay, that is the proper way. It is not for me to seek you out, but for you to come to me—that is the natural order."
...You're really insane!
The nose of our great family heir is always held high.
Giant monster, elves, Urs—none make him cower. The posture of eternity.
And yet.
"...!"
Thanks to it, perhaps. Even in this urgent situation, my mind stayed cool as ever.
Thanks to that, I could recall it.
Yes. The predator-prey relationship between me and demons.
And 'another predator-prey relationship' that transcends it...!
[Blessed Hierarchy].
I was bound to reality, not the Arcana Continent—a completely different world.
Likewise, for Elcidoir in reality, I could invoke Blessed Hierarchy, but not for the elves on the Arcana Continent.
But you see.
[Blessing of the First World Tree].
I'm not the only one who received it.
Yes. There was one who had received the World Tree's blessing and even ascended in 'rank'.
I didn't hesitate.
I called that name at once.
"High El."
*
The primordial mountains. Even the Zero Mountains had vanished from the Arcana Continent.
Agentress bit her lip until it bled.
"I never wanted to see this."
Agentress looked at her kin.
Pitiful souls who had lost their mother's blessing. No longer merely living day by day—they were dying day by day.
One elf approached Agentress.
"Forgive me, Lord. We lost it."
The impure gaze from above—that pathetic hunk of scrap was surely the dwarves'.
She had ordered them to skewer those stubby bodies with arrows.
Yet to think arrows would miss at this range.
'Impossible without sheer luck.'
But Agentress said,
"It is not your fault."
Yes, the blame lay with their mother. The foolish World Tree that had stolen their blessing.
It was hers to bear.
Step—
"Have you finished deliberating?"
Agentress regarded the approaching being.
Outwardly human. But she called it a 'being' for a simple reason.
The foul stench emanating with every breath—it was no human's.
"Why glare so? What you want is simple: immortality! I've laid the table nicely for you. Just give in to that surging 'gluttony'."
Agentress and the elves had encountered countless demons since stepping from Sisli onto the Arcana Continent.
Yet this demon before them was different.
Neither human nor demon. A third party.
In elven eyes.
'Different.'
Agentress recalled the demons she had slaughtered on the continent. Demons were uniformly stupid and base. More ignorant than humans.
Why? Because—
—"P-Please, spare my life...!!"
Humans begged for mercy.
—"An elf? Fine body you've got."
Demons charged heedlessly, ignorant of their place.
In that sense, this demon was different. Above all, it knew how to use its head.
—"Not all demons are the same, they say. I'm a demon of a slightly different grain. I understand your feelings better than anyone."
—"?"
—"I've lived an eternity myself. A bit complicated existence."
Seven Deadly Sins. The demon had introduced itself thus.
Then prattled on.
—"No need to know which of the Seven I am; you wouldn't care. I'll skip introductions. My proposal is simple. Just presenting one option."
And now.
"Simple, isn't it? Fall, and regain immortality."
Agentress could not ignore those words. As an elf of eternity herself, she could sense the other had truly lived ages.
Rumble!
Agentress gazed at the thunderous sky.
As if rebuking me, foolish mother.
She murmured softly.
"But the wrong choice..."
Agentress's eyes flashed.
"Was it not you who made it first?"
She regarded her fading vitality.
From the moment she heard the Seven Deadly Sin's proposal, her decision had never wavered.
We will devour.
"Good. I hope you all enjoy the meal I've prepared."
The Seven Deadly Sin pointed somewhere.
"The menu is 'Polsta'. Bon appétit."
Step step—
Agentress and the elves did not hurry. A worthless human village. Even if they noticed now and fled, it would be futile.
The Seven Deadly Sin continued.
"By the way, seems an unexpected appetizer has arrived... All good? Well, for our guests, that's barely a mouthful."
Clank—
The sound of hooves.
Agentress spoke.
"Gluttony is a sin. Discard the excess."
Fall? Don't misunderstand.
We are merely using demonic power.
The Seven Deadly Sin's face twisted briefly.
"I shall make up for my previous failure."
Twang—!
Elves drew their bowstrings at once. Indeed, there was reason they called thousands of soldiers a mouthful.
Uncontainable mana flickered at the arrowheads.
Yet.
"...?"
The drawn strings were never loosed.
Between the elves and Polsta's imperial army appeared a tiny something.
It was utterly elegant.
'Spirit King... no, beyond that.'
Even Agentress mistook it at first. A spirit boasting graceful form.
That spirit now spoke.
"I, High El, command by my lord's order."
In a voice as cold as 'someone's'.
"By the Blessed Hierarchy."
"...?"
"Halt."
"...!!!"
Thus, Agentress and her hundred elves froze.