◈ Episode 207. A Lucky Day (3)
The empire could collapse at any moment, and it would not be strange.
The emperor judged as much within that fleeting peace.
The capital, Antonium, was no exception.
Now that the vast majority of imperial territory had been destroyed, there would be no further procurement of food. Even if they endured for the time being with the provisions stored in the empire’s warehouses, after that……
“I see. If you say so, then it must be so.”
And so, even after hearing the news from Chainwalker, the leader of the dwarves,
the emperor was not shaken.
Perhaps because he had been prepared for it at any time.
“Ministers, hear me.”
The emperor declared before his retainers.
“The glorious empire you once knew collapsed long ago. Through the war against the demons, through our shameful civil war. Our empire has been driven to the brink of ruin.”
“……!”
To think His Majesty the Emperor would say such words himself.
As his subjects, they had no face to show.
The emperor continued speaking to those who had lowered their heads.
“Even so, why has the empire not fallen to this day? Thanks to whom have the people of Antonium been able to enjoy even this brief peace?”
If there had been a treacherous courtier fond of flattery,
this would have been the moment they cried out His Majesty’s name.
But this was an empire on the verge of collapse.
There were no sycophantic traitors left.
Someone answered.
“Thanks to a single ray of light in the endlessly deep darkness.”
At that answer, the emperor nodded.
“Indeed. Thanks to the adventurer, Sir Lee Hoyeol.”
He was the one who had forced the rebel alliance, including the Sword Saint Shegwin, from the adventurers’ world to retreat from Antonium.
The emperor’s voice grew even more resolute.
“He did not save me, the emperor, nor Antonium, the imperial capital, because he deemed us special. Shamefully, he even saved Dreadsen, a remote territory whose name I had not known. Yes. An adventurer accomplished what even I, the emperor, could not.”
Hoyeol’s heroic tale had spread through the survivors of Dreadsen Village.
Through that series of events, the emperor had realized something.
“He did not back down from any trial. He did not yield. He did not justify himself. He did not compromise. He upheld his pride to the very end.”
I am the emperor.
I am the very center of the empire, and so I must never waver.
Unlike the self who had used the throne of emperor as an excuse to flee.
But now that he had realized it,
the emperor no longer had any thought of retreating.
Clop, clop—the emperor, wearing not only armor but even a helm, stood before the cavalry.
The assembled force numbered roughly five thousand.
They were the soldiers selected from among Antonium’s bravest.
The emperor spoke without embellishment.
“Today, we will charge into the land of death.”
Yes, it would be a land of death in the truest sense.
A band of elves who were said to reveal murderous intent without warning toward anyone who got in their way.
Urs of the Iron Arm, the madman who had once terrorized the Arcana Continent.
And had it begun moving once more?
Even a demon said to exude an evil aura surpassing that of a Demon King.
In a battlefield like that, five thousand imperial soldiers at most?
To borrow the dwarves’ words……
They might truly be annihilated by a single elf arrow.
Even so, the emperor could not retreat.
“Because my people are there.”
He would no longer look away.
He had sworn it.
Their destination was Polestar, a small city near the Zero Mountains.
The number of surviving citizens was currently around three thousand.
Three thousand—not a small number by any means.
Even so, someone would surely say it.
That there are times when the few must be sacrificed for the many.
That there is no need for the emperor himself to move for the sake of one mere small city.
He would not condemn such a person.
For there had been a time when even he had thought that way.
But that was the realm of calculation.
“There is no weighing of lives in my dictionary.”
It was not pride.
“Are you afraid?”
The emperor asked.
“We are not, Your Majesty—!”
A reply brimming with morale followed.
Those who had survived as soldiers in Antonium must have overcome countless crises of life and death.
And now, with the emperor personally leading them, the spirit of the soldiers heading for the death ground instead seemed to pierce the heavens.
Clop, clop—departure.
The emperor left Antonium.
The highest-ranking mage of the empire, Nash William, steeled his resolve.
“Your Majesty, I will accompany you on this expedition as well.”
Unlike his older brother, he had not even managed to enter the Magic Tower.
Even if he joined them, he likely would not be of great help.
Even so, he wanted to be of help.
To Nash, the emperor replied.
“I forbid it.”
“……Pardon?”
“Nash, you are the shield that protects Antonium.”
“……!”
“I have no intention of using a shield such as you merely to protect myself.”
It was a moving statement, and yet Nash was Nash.
Brother, am I truly receiving His Majesty’s trust?
Could it be that he is not using me because my abilities are lacking?
In the end, though still half in doubt, he answered.
“……Nash William shall obey Your Majesty’s command.”
*
The landscape reflected through the telescope.
It was exactly as Diend had reported.
Truly, the imperial army led personally by the emperor was heading toward that pandemonium.
So take responsibility, Granfell.
This is all because he was influenced by you!
‘It’s not some infectious disease, so what the hell is this, seriously.’
That’s right.
This time, too, pride was the problem.
To be honest, it was a move overflowing with pride.
Because he was afraid his people might be in danger,
the emperor personally led troops into the field.
That was a little moving.
“So you, too, have finally realized it.”
……
Even so.
Don’t talk as if you’re addressing the emperor of an empire as your subordinate, Granfell.
Besides, this isn’t something you can simply be pleased about!
Why, I said it earlier too, didn’t I?
We were at an absolute disadvantage.
Including the Magic Tower, called the strongest armed group on the Arcana Continent,
even this allied force, joined by all manner of powerful figures, was at a disadvantage.
Would the empire be any different?
Even the Lionheart Knights, who were practically the emperor’s sword,
had fallen here, into reality.
‘I hate having to say this, but.’
The empire was no different from a tiger that had lost its fangs.
The moment they offended even one of them, including the emperor,
it would not be strange for everyone to be annihilated.
And yet, in this despairing situation, you sure ran your mouth, Granfell.
‘Saying there’s nothing to worry about because I’m here!’
First, I thought of the best I could do.
As I said, there was no way for me to enter the Arcana Continent. Perhaps if I had saved the effect of the [Map That Communes with All Things], it would be a different story. But that effect had long since been lost.
‘With my current level of enchantment, restoration is impossible too.’
In that case,
unlike me, Diend, who could freely come and go between reality and the Arcana Continent,
and Hiel were the only possible methods.
‘Even that has limits.’
{Unique Spirit}, Hiel.
Darkness Spirit, Diend.
Even if those two were among the stronger spirits,
I did not expect them to be able to play an active role in that pandemonium.
Of course, Hiel and Diend
had, in various ways,
shown me things beyond my imagination.
‘Let’s say they succeed in protecting the imperial army.’
But.
Even if the emperor, the imperial army,
and the people of Polestar were saved, that wouldn’t mean this great incident was over, would it? What I wanted was to somehow bring this to a conclusion before that pandemonium crossed over into reality through a rift.
“Diend. I shall obey my lord’s command.”
For now, sending Diend to join the imperial army was a choice that would not change.
Then what remained were the great evil, the elves, and the Transcendent……
At least the fortunate part was that I had learned the Transcendent’s identity.
“So you were the rumored Urs.”
『Urs of the Iron Arm』.
A figure from the books who was said to have consumed dozens of elixirs, as far as was known.
To think that man with the shaggy hair was Urs.
Thanks to his innate constitution that allowed him to consume elixirs without major side effects, he must have become a Transcendent, truly surpassed humanity, and lived through the long ages.
‘I can understand that reaction.’
Having lived for so long, he must have seen all there was to see, good and bad.
Whether I showed my presence at the social gathering, made a fuss, or anything else,
he must not have been greatly interested.
‘And that Urs has moved……’
I don’t know the reason, but please, I can only hope they don’t start a fight with each other.
In any case, they had no self-awareness.
All of you are big shots, you know? Even if a small quarrel breaks out, it immediately becomes a major incident. A [Battlefield] rift could be generated, and an emergency update might appear.
But unlike my desperate inner thoughts,
completely different words sprang from my mouth.
“Perhaps that would be better.”
……
Hey, Mr. Granfell.
Just because no one is listening, are you going to say whatever you want?
But there was no way that lofty pride would care about my feelings.
“No, that would be right. It is only proper that you come seeking me, not that I set out in search of you.”
……
He really must be insane!
In any case, our great family’s heir sure held his head high.
Whether it was the great evil, the elves, or Urs, he had no idea how to be intimidated.
It was truly his usual stance.
But then.
“……!”
Was it thanks to that?
Even in this urgent situation, my mind remained as cool as ever.
Thanks to that, I was able to recall it.
Yes, the natural enemy relationship between me and demons.
And the “other natural enemy relationship” that surpassed even that……!
[Hierarchy of Blessings].
Two completely different worlds.
I was bound to reality, not the Arcana Continent.
Likewise, though I might be able to bring up the [Hierarchy of Blessings] to Elsidore in reality,
it meant I could not hope for the effect of the hierarchy on the elves in the Arcana Continent.
But you see.
[Blessing of the First World Tree].
I wasn’t the only one who received that.
That was right.
There was another being who had received the World Tree’s blessing and even had their “rank” elevated.
I did not hesitate.
At once, I called that name.
“Hiel.”
*
The Primordial Mountain Range.
To think even the Zero Mountains had vanished from the Arcana Continent.
Argentress bit down on his lip until it was crushed.
“I did not want to see such a sight.”
Argentress looked at his kin.
Pitiful ones who had lost Mother’s blessing.
They were no longer living day by day.
All of them were growing closer to death with each passing day.
One elf addressed Argentress.
“My apologies, Lord. I lost it.”
The impure gaze he had felt from the sky—that wretched lump of scrap metal must have belonged to the dwarves.
He had ordered them to pierce those short bodies with arrows,
and yet, to think an arrow would miss from such a distance.
‘Unless it was heavenly luck, such a thing should be impossible.’
But Argentress said,
“It is not your fault.”
Yes, all responsibility lay with Mother.
Foolish World Tree, who stole our blessing from us.
It must lie with you.
Step—
“Have you finished agonizing over it?”
Argentress looked at the being approaching him.
Its appearance was unmistakably human.
Yet the reason he called it a “being” was simple.
The foul stench that poured out every time he breathed.
That was not something human.
“What are you glaring at me for? What you people want is simple, isn’t it? Eternal life! I told you, I’ve laid the table neatly over there. All you have to do is be honest with that surging ‘gluttony’ of yours.”
Argentress and the elves had met countless demons upon taking their first step from Sisley to the Arcana Continent.
And yet the demon before his eyes was somehow different from them.
Neither human nor demon.
A third party.
From the eyes of an elf,
‘It is different.’
Argentress recalled the demons he had slaughtered on the continent.
Demons were all, without exception, stupid and vulgar.
The beings more ignorant than humans were demons.
Why?
-“P-please, spare my life……!!”
Humans had begged them for their lives.
-“Elves? Quite fine bodies you have.”
But demons had charged at them without even knowing their place.
In that sense, the demon before his eyes was different.
More than anything, he knew how to use his head.
-“I’m telling you, not all demons are the same. I’m a demon of a slightly different grain, you see? I understand how you people feel better than anyone.”
-“?”
-“I, too, have lived for eternity. I’m a somewhat complicated being.”
The Seven Deadly Sins.
The demon introduced himself as such.
Then he joked lightly.
-“Which of the Seven I am, well, you wouldn’t be interested anyway. I’ll skip the introduction. What I’m proposing is one thing. I’m merely presenting you with a single option.”
And now, here they were.
“It’s simple, isn’t it? If you fall, you can regain eternal life.”
Argentress could not ignore those words.
He himself was an eternal being, as an elf.
Thanks to that, he could feel that the other party was truly a being who had lived for eternity.
Rumble!
Argentress looked up at the sky where a thunderstorm raged.
It is as though you are reproaching me, foolish Mother.
He murmured softly.
“But the wrong choice……”
Argentress’s eyes flashed.
“Was made by you first, was it not?”
He looked at his body, which was losing vitality.
From the moment he heard the proposal from the Seven Deadly Sins,
the decision he had made had not changed for even a single instant.
I will eat.
“Very well. I hope everyone enjoys the meal I have prepared.”
The Seven Deadly Sins said that and pointed somewhere.
“The menu is called ‘Polestar.’ Please enjoy.”
Step, step—
Argentress and the elves did not hurry.
It was a worthless human village.
Even if they noticed now and fled, it would be nothing but a meaningless act.
The Seven Deadly Sins continued.
“By the way, it seems an unexpected appetizer has arrived as well…… That should be all right, yes? Well, for our guests, that much probably won’t even be a mouthful.”
Clop, clop—
What they heard was the sound of horses’ hooves.
Argentress opened his mouth.
“Gluttony is a sin. Cast away what overflows.”
Fall?
Do not misunderstand.
We are merely using the power of demons.
At those words, the Seven Deadly Sins’ face contorted, but only for an instant.
“I will make up for my previous mistake.”
Creak—!
An elf immediately drew his bowstring.
Indeed, there was a reason he had described thousands of soldiers as not even a mouthful.
What shimmered at the arrowhead was uncontrollable mana.
However.
“……?”
The drawn bowstring was not released.
Between the elves and Polestar’s imperial army,
something tiny appeared.
It was supremely elegant.
‘A Spirit King…… No, beyond that.’
A spirit displaying an appearance so graceful
that even Argentress nearly mistook it as such.
That spirit soon opened its mouth.
“I, Hiel, command you by my lord’s order.”
In a voice as cold as “someone’s.”
“According to the Hierarchy of Blessings.”
“……?”
“Stop.”
“……!!!”
And then, Argentress and the one hundred elves came to a halt.