The Swordmaster Wants to Fall in Love! 90. Whoever It May Be (4)
Evan had first conceived the plan to cut his shackles with the Invisible Sword and escape back when he was fighting Mirinae — right when Mirinae, having seen the Nine-Headed Dragon Flash he hadn't used before, panicked and exploded in fury.
‘Huh… this…’
It might be useful if used well. At the time that thought had only been tucked away in the back of his mind, but afterward — immediately after hearing that Seolhyang and Anya were alive — he recalled this strategy.
He had already heard from Rainia that the elves did not kill captured prisoners but instead imprisoned them. So he believed they wouldn't kill him.
The moment the plan came to mind, Evan secretly contacted the Spear King, and the Spear King — who was currently possessing a vassal — acknowledged it and deliberately showed signs of defeat.
“Well, there were some sacrifices in the process, but… the losses were acceptable to both sides.”
“…Acceptable?”
“Replaceable rank-and-file knights or elves. Not a single Transcendent died or was injured.”
If Mirinae had died or suffered equivalent injuries? The elves would have had no leeway to keep Evan as a prisoner. The elves had only two guardians besides Mirinae. If Nine Lives, allied with the Spear King, attacked again, it would be over for them.
Therefore, they would have immediately cut off Evan's head to boost morale and secure a numerical advantage, and Evan would never have dreamed of a plan to escape from prison using the Invisible Sword like this.
“…I get the gist. But one thing — how are you planning to escape from here now?”
“Simple. Though it's a strategy I've already used once before.”
“Already used once?”
Evan chuckled softly, then raised a finger as if telling her to recall, and opened his mouth.
“Think about it. The Kingdom and Nine Lives are allies, right? Then why did only His Majesty the Spear King and I show up in this operation?”
“……No way.”
“That no way.”
Kuuuuung…!
The prison began to tremble again. Evan knew well what this explosion signified.
Because it was an explosion similar in scale to the blast he had summoned earlier.
“A diversionary operation. Unlike the Kingdom, which courteously announced an attack before declaring war, Nine Lives is already at war with the elves, aren't they?”
The Spear King revealed himself once more. And this sound was the signal to escape.
“Let's go back. Home.”
Leaving the prison, Evan followed the information Rainia had given him in advance to exit the World Tree.
Kuuung…!
Countless spells and explosives bombarded the World Tree, and flames shot up from various parts of the great forest surrounding it.
Seeing this, Erzsebet roared in fury and summoned a water spirit, transforming the burning trees into sopping wet wood.
“Have you lost your mind, Spear King!”
Erzsebet shouted at the Spear King, who had appeared again in a different host. When she saw the airships floating behind him — more than the ones she had crushed earlier — she was aghast.
That was the terror of the Spear King. The fact that he shattered the conventional rule that a Transcendent could only have one body, and could ‘descend’ into those who shared his blood.
The expansion of the kingdom made possible by that peculiarity — the ability to manifest anywhere in his territory — and the overwhelming resources drawn from that vast territory…!
If the elves built that many airships, countless elves would worry about resource shortages and vote against it. The Spear King had no need for that. Who would dare oppose the king's needs? Shortages of resources could simply be extracted by expanding the land.
“To abuse nature as if it were your own!”
Erzsebet, an elf, despised that. Not only did they waste resources making those useless things, but now they dared to terrorize the World Tree again?
Weren't they in a situation where Evan, one of the kingdom's two Transcendents, was captured? If they couldn't win with two, did he think he could do something alone?
Unfortunately for her, that question was soon answered.
“Hey — we meet again. Chicken coop.”
“…You beast.”
“What? Didn't think I'd come here? That's a bit disappointing. We Nine Lives are allied with the Kingdom, you know.”
Ryung suddenly appeared from the forest, grinning. Seeing that rotten smile, Erzsebet immediately summoned her guardians.
“Ausolette! Handle the Spear King! Mirinae! Take Ryung! I'll deal with those ships again —”
“— That won't be possible.”
Even with Ryung included, it was still 2 vs 3. If she quickly smashed the ships and subdued Ryung and the Spear King, it would be fine. Thinking that, Erzsebet turned her head toward the voice that had interrupted her.
There stood Rainia, her nine tails swaying lazily.
The head of Nine Lives — a being of legend. The Nine-Tailed Fox.
“Ha! Do you think I would be afraid of a prisoner I've already captured once?”
“If that's how you feel, it works for me. You're complacent all on your own.”
“Insolent beast! Do you think there's much difference between one tail and nine?”
Erzsebet roared and changed her plan to face Rainia. The airships were still bombarding the World Tree area, but it couldn't be helped.
Because leaving a potential Transcendent unattended while trying to protect the World Tree could bring about a greater disaster.
Naturally, Erzsebet was brimming with confidence. Wasn't this the opponent she had already captured once? Unless she had made remarkable growth in that short time, she was an opponent she could handle alone with ease.
“Spirits! Follow my command and show that filthy beast the terror of nature!”
At the Great Mother's command, the spirits that revealed themselves all flew toward Rainia at once. Spirits wrapped in fire, spirits spewing water, spirits adorned with piles of stone. Spirits of all kinds surged.
But Rainia, watching calmly, lightly flicked one tail.
“—Come now, come. Come to me.”
Pwit!
Pew!
Bwack!
With a single flick. Just one tail sweep, and the enchanted spirits forgot Erzsebet's command, slowly, very slowly turning their bodies — and soon they were glaring at Erzsebet.
“Wha — what are you doing! Whose orders are you following…!”
“Go.”
Piiyaaah!
The moment Rainia's command fell, the spirits flew toward Erzsebet. Clicking her tongue, Erzsebet tried to return the spirits flying at her to nature, but even that didn't work.
“What —!?”
Quickly summoning new spirits to block the ones attacking her, Erzsebet grasped why those spirits didn't disappear.
This was the great forest where the World Tree had taken root — a place so saturated with spiritual energy that spirits naturally manifested. It wasn't a city where spirits vanished immediately upon dismissal.
And she discovered another serious problem. That was —
“You all come here too. Follow me and deal with that pointy-eared woman.”
“You — you vulgar bitch…!”
Every spirit Erzsebet summoned was immediately subjugated under Rainia's control. This was the Nine-Tailed Fox's charm ability, especially effective against inanimate objects.
Though Rainia had not awakened any other Transcendent abilities, using the innate ability imprinted on her body was very simple. Charm was a basic skill any fox beastman could use.
“What? Not afraid of someone you've already captured once?”
Rainia grinned as she looked at Erzsebet. Erzsebet's face was already full of humiliation.
“I'll return the favor. A woman who only knows how to use spirits is not scary at all.”
Her nine tails swayed, and one by one, the spirits summoned around began to be subjugated.
“Your charm can never surpass mine.”
The next moment, the spirits Erzsebet had summoned turned and began attacking the elves.
“— Here.”
Evan, having escaped the prison with Seolhyang and Anya, followed the route Rainia had told him about, climbing the roots and emerging above ground.
And waiting there was the First Princess, Elenoa, who had received word in advance, along with her escort knight order.
“Elenoa. Why are you here…?”
“I'm a quasi-Transcendent too, you know? I'm qualified to participate in the war!”
“No… is it normal for a princess to participate in a war?”
Evan chuckled wryly at the sight of a royal who should be powerless and protected joining the battlefield, but when he thought about it, the Spear King himself was an abnormal figure, so he could soon accept it.
After all, wasn't the king personally going to the battlefield far more unusual than a princess appearing on the battlefield?
Having barely come to terms with Elenoa being there, Evan handed Seolhyang and Anya over to her and turned around.
“Anyway, it worked out. Here. Take these two safely.”
“Aren't you coming, Evan?”
“Going — my place is over there.”
Evan grinned and pointed toward the World Tree, where pillars of fire were shooting up. That was where he belonged. Because there were still plenty of elves there that he hadn't dealt with yet.
Whoever that is.
Without fail.