#153
The Imperial Rebellion (3)
Kwaaaang—!
“Eeeek!”
“What in the world is happening all of a sudden?!”
Jeron, the imperial capital of the strongest nation on the continent, long steeped in peace, was suddenly filled with explosions and screams.
[Kihihihit!]
[Uuuuuh...]
Countless ghosts flew through the air, pouring out ceaseless, eerie wails.
Clang—! Claaang!
“Hold them back!”
“You bastards! How dare you, do you even know where this is?!”
The defense forces stationed throughout the capital and the guards of the noble houses clashed fiercely with the invading undead and the followers of evil.
But among all those places, there was one that stood out the most...
Naturally, it was the imperial palace, located at the very center of the capital.
[Kwooooo——!]
[Kiyaaaa——!]
The roar of dragons that plunged all who heard it into terror.
And at the very same moment.
Two streams of pitch-black energy, as though death itself had taken form, struck down directly upon the imperial palace.
Kuuung! Kwaaaang—!
Fortunately, the radiant silver barrier surrounding the palace succeeded in blocking that horrifying energy, but those gathered within it could not possibly smile.
Because with every single attack it blocked, they could feel the barrier visibly tremble.
“Urgh! As if the Immortal King wasn’t enough, now even bone dragons...! What is the current damage?!”
“So far, only four have fallen out! But if attacks of this scale continue, I cannot guarantee how long the others will last!”
Standing atop the magic circle that formed the core of the barrier, Marquis Lawrence, the master of the imperial palace’s magic tower and an archmage, ground his teeth as he glared at the image floating before his eyes.
The bone dragons had retreated after being intercepted by the magic activated immediately after their breaths, but the Immortal King Hans paid no heed to that and was preparing his next strike as pitch-black death energy rose around him.
“Damn it! The next attack is coming! Everyone, brace for impact!”
Kuuuuung—!
No sooner had those words ended than an explosion erupted, and a massive surge of magical force began to flow backward along the barrier surrounding the imperial palace.
“Guhak!”
“Ugh... I-I’m sorry. I can’t... anymore...”
Two more mages, unable to withstand the additionally accumulated shock, turned pale and withdrew from the magic circle.
With that, the number of those who had fallen out so far reached six.
Even though they were merely assisting in order to draw the barrier’s efficiency to its utmost limit, the aftershocks being transmitted were powerful enough that even that was difficult to endure.
‘Of course, the ones who have dropped out are only the young ones still in training, but right now even one extra hand is desperately needed. If they keep falling out one by one like this, eventually even high-ranking mages won’t be able to endure.’
If Lawrence himself gritted his teeth and devoted everything solely to defense, they might be able to hold out for several hours. But without any counterattack, they would simply become punching bags.
Since there was no telling what would happen afterward, nothing good would come of allowing the current situation to continue.
“Urgh, where is Viscount Pristine! The palace is in this state, so where in the world is she and what is she doing? Don’t tell me she’s still clinging to Her Highness the Princess’s side even in this situation!”
There had been a total of three archmages residing in the imperial palace.
One had attended the summit along with the Crown Prince, and the other, Isea, was still nowhere to be heard from.
Surely she still hadn’t failed to grasp the situation properly.
“T-That is, I looked into it, but... Viscount Pristine is said to have left the palace with Her Highness the Princess this morning.”
“What? You mean she’s outside right now, of all times? And with Her Highness?”
Even as Marquis Lawrence was flustered, the backlash of magical power continued.
Only after two more mages fell out were they able to continue their conversation.
“Wait, come to think of it, wasn’t His Highness the Crown Prince also supposed to return from the Holy Land today?”
“That is correct. In fact, the scheduled time has already passed... Considering the timing, he may well be somewhere in that chaos right about now...”
“...Good heavens. What utterly damned timing.”
In the end, he had no choice but to squeeze his eyes shut.
At this critical moment, of all times, two archmages and two successors to the imperial throne were all outside.
Not here, the safest place, but out there, where no one knew what danger might strike.
Kwaaaang—!
But as if it cared nothing for his miserable state of mind, the Immortal King’s attacks continued without pause.
***
Kwaaaang—!
Another violent explosion erupted from the direction of the imperial palace.
“Your Highness, this way.”
Isea lightly pulled Princess Riley toward her, and as she stretched one hand into the air, a blue energy condensed in an instant and blocked a flying shard of stone.
“...Thank you, Viscount Pristine.”
Since attendants and escort troops were with them, they were exchanging formal words, but they shared their feelings through their gazes alone as they once again moved in search of a safe place.
‘For this to happen now, of all times. ...If they were going to warn us, they should have been more precise.’
Isea inwardly sighed and resented the innocent church.
There had been no choice but for the princess’s party to leave the palace on the day of the Crown Prince’s return.
Using the church’s warning as an excuse, he had requisitioned additional troops for his own escort, and signs had been detected that he was trying to exert separate influence over the military.
Once political matters became involved, the princess could not possibly remain still.
They were already at a disadvantage, so they could not afford to be late in responding. In fact, they had even intended to make good use of this and turn it into a foothold for a counterattack.
‘Though now it’s become a pointless move.’
But the warning delivered by the church had only amounted to, “Something seems likely to happen in Jeron soon,” so they could not simply hide inside the palace indefinitely without any promise of when it would end.
What kind of leader would anyone trust and follow if they were too frightened by a single abstract remark to even step outside their home?
‘Now that the capital’s defensive barrier has activated, even I, an archmage, can’t teleport carelessly. To move safely, we need an authorized magic circle... No, with the imperial palace under attack like that, there’s no way they would have left a passage open.’
There would be an escape route for the command in case of emergency, but since there was the danger of enemies infiltrating, all entrances leading in would have been blocked.
In the end, they had no choice but to give up on returning to the imperial palace and find a way to survive out here on their own.
‘It’s a bit far, but going to the Great Temple and using the gate still seems safest. If worst comes to worst, I’ll abandon everyone else and take only Riley...’
“Ah.”
As Isea led the party while thinking of a way out, she stopped without realizing it.
Her senses, which had continued to covertly scatter mana and search the surroundings even as they moved, had detected an extremely familiar presence.
“Viscount Pristine? What is it?”
“Well...”
Even as she opened her mouth in response to Princess Riley’s question, the frown on her face showed no sign of easing.
And for good reason. This mana she was sensing now was...
“It seems His Highness the Crown Prince is nearby.”
This energy, scattering mana to search the surroundings just as she was, clearly belonged to Count Garfield, who had attended the summit together with the Crown Prince.
Since she had detected him, he must surely have grasped her location as well.
No matter how bad the situation was, considering all the things the Crown Prince had done thus far, joining up with him would hardly be a good idea.
Riley seemed to be thinking the same thing, as her expression lightly furrowed.
“...They are approaching this way. What shall we do?”
But it seemed their judgment was different from hers.
Then again, the Crown Prince’s side had been the one doing all the dirty work, while this side had always made sure to maintain at least a certain line, so of course their thoughts would differ.
There was still some distance between them, but even so, avoiding them now would be difficult.
The Fifth Princess who fled in fear of the Crown Prince. A selfish person who refused to join forces in a crisis. A petty person who abandoned the greater cause and prioritized personal emotions...
There was no telling what sort of frame the other side would try to put on them by using this.
“Hoo— Since it’s come to this, there’s no helping it. Everyone, stay alert until the very end and make sure you show absolutely no opening.”
In the end, just as they steeled themselves and were about to move toward the Crown Prince’s party...
“Ah?”
Isea stopped once more and abruptly turned her head to one side.
From a direction similar to where the Crown Prince’s party was, but a little farther away...
“This is...”
An energy as hot, passionate, and radiant as the blazing sun...
Goooooo—
Approached at a ferocious speed.
Whoooong—!
Leaving behind only a fierce backdraft and afterimages of light, it brushed past them and continued on.
“Kyaa!”
“S-So fast...!”
The maids shut their eyes and turned their heads at the wind that swept over them in an instant, while the knights guarding the princess half-raised their swords and swallowed dryly.
Even merely passing by had been enough for that person to carve a powerful sense of presence into them and leave, but in truth, that was not what mattered right now.
Knowing that well, Isea immediately heightened her senses and turned her head toward the imperial palace, where that energy had gone.
And as if timed perfectly, from that place...
Kuuuuuuung—!
An intense aftermath began to spread together with an explosion incomparable to anything until now.
Fortunately, thanks to the barrier covering the entire capital, it was greatly suppressed, but even so, it was a shock wave on a completely different level from those that had erupted so far.
“...The saint, Heinrich Saint Landguard...”
At the energy boiling and radiating from the source, Isea unconsciously murmured his name in a low voice.
“What? Don’t tell me the one who just passed by was the saint?”
“Pardon? You mean the saint of the Church of the Main God? That hero...!”
“T-The saint just passed right beside us? Oh, Main God!”
At her mutter, not only the princess but everyone else reacted all at once.
There were even believers who unconsciously offered prayers to God.
But a saint was originally such an existence.
If one had to define his rank, it would be equal to the emperor... No, in a continental crisis like this, he should be considered even above that.
‘If you think about it, that man is the true protagonist of this world.’
The savior of this world chosen by God.
Of course, pressure proportional to the weight of that heavy title must always be weighing down on his shoulders.
Sacrifice and devotion must have been as ordinary as daily life to him.
Compared to Isea, who could barely manage to look after just one person, he had to be considered a great man a million light-years away.
‘...What is that person thinking right now?’
Whether it was a sense of responsibility for this situation or some noble sense of mission... She would probably never understand him, even in the future.
***
“Don’t panic and maintain the line! The barrier is still intact!”
“Do not act rashly! You are the proud Imperial Guard of the Empire! Do you intend to disappoint His Majesty the Emperor!”
Listening to the noisy shouts of those preparing for battle at the boundary of the barrier, Heinrich lightly licked his lips.
‘The timing was just right.’
The Great Temple of Jeron was located on the outskirts of the imperial capital.
In fact, aside from the Holy Land, the circumstances were similar not only in Jeron but wherever facilities of a scale larger than a temple were located.
Setting aside the large amount of land they occupied, the rulers of those lands did not take kindly to armed groups such as holy knight orders and holy warrior corps being stationed there.
And this was the capital of the Empire, where even the emperor resided, so it was only natural.
In truth, ordinary residents usually used the small prayer halls or shrines located throughout the city, so the accessibility of the Great Temple, which was practically a special facility, was not particularly important.
But that also meant the distance between the imperial palace at the center of the capital and the Great Temple was inevitably quite far.
And unless one possessed superhuman abilities like Heinrich, it was impossible to cover that distance in a short time.
‘Yes, just like the Crown Prince, who was still loitering around somewhere halfway. ...Though I didn’t expect Isea and the Fifth Princess to be there too.’
Kigigigik! Kwaang!
He swung his light sword and knocked away the black scythe blocking his path, then immediately charged at the Immortal King again and cut through the energy of death.
[Kuhahahat! As expected! I knew you would stand in my way. My sole adversary, Heinrich! I do not know how you knew to find me so quickly, but if you are a hero, then that much is only natural. Kruhuhut!]
“All things in this world exist beneath the will of the Main God. You, too, cannot escape that fate! Just as every Immortal King before you did, you will soon follow in their footsteps, Hannibal!”
The Immortal King and the Knight of Light faced each other with the radiant imperial palace as their backdrop.
On that fantastical stage like something out of a fairy tale, a gloomy voice that seemed to have risen from hell and a firm voice filled with conviction intertwined and rang out thunderously.
[Kuoooo——!]
[Kyaaaaa——!]
As though adding harmony to them, the bone dragons circling the sky while avoiding the rays of light shooting out from the imperial palace looked down at Heinrich and roared in unison.
But as though blocking any further intervention from them, the Immortal King lightly waved a hand, then looked down at him again.
[How amusing. Truly amusing. Knight of Light, Heinrich Saint Landguard. Do you know? Every time I face you, every time you block my path, I instead keenly realize that I am alive. Even though this body is already dead!]
As though he were trying to embrace the world, he spread both arms wide, raised his head, and looked up at the sky.
[Come—! Teach me more, more. Life! The will to live! A steadfast heart that does not break even before death!]
Even though it was a voice created by resonating mana, one in which no emotion should have been felt, what could be sensed thickly from it was...
An “obsession” with the very thing he alone did not possess.
And as if answering that, Heinrich, wrapped in auspicious light, slowly raised the holy sword and opened his mouth.
“Now I know for certain. The reason that revelation descended upon me that day.”
The light from the blade, moving gracefully, beautifully embroidered the air, and the tip of the sword at last pointed precisely at the Immortal King.
As though they were performing a play.
“This, too, is God’s guidance.”
Though it really was a play.