Chapter 118
"The..."
"The Empire's Demonic Spear is dead!!"
"Waaaaaaah!!"
The death of the Demonic Spear.
Although it was because he had exhausted his stamina and allowed a surprise attack, such a trivial detail didn't matter to the kingdom's army.
What was important was the death of a Master.
The fact that the Empire's Demonic Spear was dead!
The kingdom's army, whose morale had skyrocketed, began to slaughter the imperial army, forgetting the despair they had just been in.
The ones panicking because of this were the Empire's Masters.
"Hah... How could it come to this because of just one guy? We fell for our own trick."
The plan to make Grand Duke Chloe go berserk, kill the queen, and bring down the royal castle had all gone up in smoke.
They hadn't expected the Grand Archbishop to die so meaninglessly in the first place.
Who would have ever imagined?
That Kallias, the greatest scoundrel of all, known even to the Empire, would be the one to save the kingdom!
'The loss is great.'
The Empire had lost two Masters.
But what had the kingdom lost?
Nothing, rather.
Those who died were only the parasites eating away at the kingdom. The pillars supporting the nation were still standing, were they not?
Moreover.
It seemed a new pillar had appeared.
They couldn't leave it like this.
"A newly born star shines brightly, but it is just as easy to extinguish."
Tat!
The Ghost Spear made a decision.
"Ghost Spear! Where are you going!!"
"You fight so boringly that my eyes can't help but wander elsewhere."
His spear flashed as if smacking its lips.
The Empire's second spear.
The Ghost Spear, Samkaar.
The spear he possessed, Myriad Ghosts, sealed the souls of the strong he had killed.
The more noble knightly souls it contained, the more powerful its strength.
The number of the dead contained within Samkaar's spear was beyond counting.
All of them were noble knights' souls.
They were no different from his proud traces of fighting and defeating the strong.
And his traces became a mighty power that aided him.
"Howl. Myriad Ghosts."
Hwaaaaaaa!!
Instantly, pitch-black ghosts loomed all around behind the Ghost Spear.
The target was the nape of the newly appeared knight.
Immediately, the Ghost Spear fired a single strike.
Following its trajectory, the dark ghosts screamed wails of the damned and transformed into pitch-black spears.
Each and every spear transformed from ghosts possessed power akin to Mount Tai.
"Try blocking it, Queen's new sword!"
Swipe.
The Queen's sword, who finally turned his head.
Kallias's ash-gray pupils transformed into those of a dragon once again.
Chilling!
A shiver ran down his spine.
The hair all over his body stood on end.
It had been a long time since he felt such a strong killing intent.
Just as a faint ecstasy appeared on the Ghost Spear's lips, Kallias's sword moved.
Saaaah.
"!"
He thought Kallias would rely on the Mad Dragon's power and strike back with brute force, but that wasn't the case.
'He's deflecting it!'
Wasn't he perfectly deflecting his strike!
At the deflecting motion that seemed to suck him in, the Ghost Spear's feet stepped back.
But even if he stepped back, the Ghost Spear still had the ghost spears left.
Each one was a spear made from the souls of the continent's strong.
He could never take them lightly!
The Myriad Ghost Spears, fired all at once with a momentum close to a roar, were all slashed down.
"...What."
A slash so clean it was almost exhilarating!
The Ghost Spear could feel the intense power of Dragon Power mixed within it.
But that alone couldn't stop the Empire's spear.
The reason he stopped his advance and planted his feet was for an entirely different reason.
'The souls were annihilated.'
Samkaar, who wielded the Myriad Ghost Spear befitting the moniker of Ghost Spear.
He could feel the number of souls contained within the Myriad Ghost Spear decreasing.
Souls being annihilated! That was nonsense!
"...What is that sword!"
At the Ghost Spear's question, the corners of Kallias's lips curved into a smile.
[Sword of Predation - Roas]
Grade - Spirit
Imbued Soul - Mixed Souls
Unique Ability - Predation
Noble Predation - 36
'I hit the jackpot.'
He was startled when the Ghost Spear suddenly attacked, but the flash of wit that came to him upon seeing the Myriad Ghost Spears he fired gave even himself goosebumps.
The spears made from the ghosts of the Myriad Ghost Spear were all composed of souls.
Then wouldn't it be possible to prey on them with the Sword of Predation?
The thought, close to a fleeting moment, was immediately put into action.
'To think it's this much even while using Dragon Power. As expected, the Empire's spear is sharp.'
The hand holding the sword trembled slightly.
Because of the Myriad Ghost Spears slashed in an instant, the blade of the Sword of Predation was chipped here and there.
It was an immense power.
If he had hesitated, he could have died.
Originally, it would have been impossible.
However, he currently had the Mad Dragon Sword in his heart, and all his physical abilities were awakened with Dragon Power. It was overwhelming, but not impossible.
"Ghost Spear. Bring out more ghosts."
"..."
The Ghost Spear was dumbfounded.
To think there was a guy who dared to tell him to bring out more ghosts in front of the Ghost Spear himself?
But for some reason, every time the guy swung his sword, the ghosts disappeared, and this was unprecedented.
In fact, Kallias was rather rejoicing and urging him to bring out more ghosts.
The Ghost Spear's face crumpled.
'Since I couldn't kill him in one strike, I have no more chances.'
Viktor, whom he had shaken off, was also watching him, and the other knights were ready to pounce at any time.
Any more than this was unreasonable.
"Are you not bringing them out?"
Kallias thought that if things went well, he might be able to turn the Sword of Predation into a Phantom Sword today, but the Ghost Spear didn't seem to have any intention of helping.
He could feel the power of the Sword of Predation increasing immediately after preying on the souls.
There was no change in its form, but he could faintly feel the energy the sword contained.
This was also because his senses had become sharper with Dragon Power.
"Tsk, I will remember today's events for the rest of my life."
Tat!
He disappeared.
'What a pity.'
As expected of the Empire's Master.
His intuition was astounding.
He understood in an instant that their compatibility was bad and gave up the fight.
He wasn't the Ghost Spear for nothing.
"It's rather for the best."
In truth, cold sweat was running down his nape. If he continued to fight the Ghost Spear here, it seemed he wouldn't be able to maintain his Dragon Power. The situation was actually becoming quite overwhelming.
Sweeeeep.
Kallias's pupils returned to normal, and he gathered his energy.
[You have used Dragon Power with a human body. Adaptability due to the Reverse Scale is high, reducing the recoil.]
"...!!"
The recoil of Dragon Power.
A wave of pain crashing like a tsunami began to engulf Kallias.
"Keugh!!"
A feeling as if his entire body was being minced.
The sensation of being scraped by a sharp blade rushed in without missing a single spot.
The feeling of each and every nerve cell burning was felt in succession.
An indescribable excruciating pain.
'It was... this much?'
In the wave of pain that seemed to drive him out of his mind, Kallias couldn't keep his sanity.
"Keuk... Kuaaaaaaaa!!"
Kallias, prostrated on the floor and screaming, rolled his eyes back. An energy wave spread out.
[Constitution, Fusion Bone understands Dragon Power.]
[You have understood 3% of Dragon Power.]
[The pain will be reduced by 3% when the next Dragon Power recoil is activated.]
Kallias's consciousness snapped.
* * *
As the Ghost Spear retreated, the imperial army began to flee without exception. The other Masters were the same.
Because of that, they couldn't pay attention to Kallias collapsing while screaming. The kingdom's army, who should have been chasing them, also couldn't help but hesitate at Kallias's fallen figure.
The queen ran, grabbing her skirt.
Towards the fallen Kallias.
Right before she arrived.
"Kallias! Wake up! You haven't even paid me back yet!!"
The red-haired Golden Snake.
Paladin Helena sprung from the shadows and checked Kallias's condition.
Behind her, a water-blue-haired woman appeared, and other knights and soldiers also gathered in an instant, keeping watch in all directions.
Thanks to that, Queen Clara came to her senses.
She was able to regain her composure as she looked at the fallen Kallias and Grand Duke Chloe.
Both were still alive.
Their conditions were not good, but they were alive.
The kingdom's Master, Gerald, was also alive.
His condition was critical, but he lived.
That was enough.
If they were alive, they could take revenge at any time.
"..."
"..."
The battlefield reached a lull.
The imperial army was retreating en masse, and they were so clearly defeated soldiers that they didn't even have the will to resist.
It was natural to chase and annihilate them, but the kingdom's army was also in tatters.
The sudden imperial raid was horrifying, and the rebellion that stabbed them from behind was incredibly threatening.
Because of that, the royal palace was half-destroyed, and although the soldiers had won, their eyes were empty.
Kallias had been leading the situation, but with him collapsing, they lost their focal point and were consumed by anxiety.
They couldn't leave it like this.
No one had told her, but the queen swallowed dry saliva and stepped forward.
Grasping her pounding heart with one hand, she opened her mouth towards the soldiers stained with emptiness and anxiety.
"Listen, everyone."
The voice of the queen who had made a resolution.
It was that of a still young girl, but the firmness contained in her voice possessed the dignity of a king.
"The nobles who abandoned righteousness instigated the rebellion, and the Grand Archbishop of the Order brought in the Empire. Because of that, Carpe has lost many talented people."
"..."
"..."
Among them was Sylvian, who had been a role model and teacher to many.
"But we overcame it. And in the end, we drove back the arrogant Empire."
Although the queen herself hadn't done anything.
It was maddeningly frustrating, but she didn't have the luxury to sulk.
The Empire's invasion was fierce, and the royal castle had fallen.
They had suffered great damage, and she didn't know how much time and effort it would take to restore it.
However.
"Carpe has won."
It might be a victory full of wounds, but it was still a victory.
"Carpe is strong! We will use the pain of this day as a stepping stone! And grow even further!"
Tears welled up in the queen's eyes.
A single stream flowed down.
But no one pointed it out. Because there was no one here who didn't know the meaning of those flowing tears.
The queen was angry.
And she was also sad.
That was why this was both encouragement and resolve delivered by the ruler of a nation.
"Carpe will not forget."
The humiliation of this day.
The anger and sorrow of this day.
And.
"Those who led us to victory."
The queen's eyes captured the collapsed, ruined royal castle and the fallen Kallias.
Those who were crushed under the collapsed castle walls and breathed their last.
The honorable ones who fought even after losing an arm and died in battle, those who perished together with the imperial army and leaned against the castle wall.
All of them were people who had fought and died for Carpe.
The survivors.
And all those who fought honorably and died in battle were victors.
"Viktor."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Treating Grand Duke Chloe and Count Zervan is the top priority."
"Understood."
The queen looked at the collapsed, ruined royal castle and clenched her fists.
And drawing her sword, she said.
"The incompetent ruler ends today."
* * *
Bubbling bubbling.
The first sound he heard was the sound of liquid boiling.
Listening carefully to what sound it was.
It was a sound he had heard often somewhere.
'Beatrice's workshop?'
It was probably her workshop.
He wondered why he was here.
It would still be a long time before the underground workshop of the mansion was completed.
Then why was he here?
Kallias opened his eyes.
"...What are you doing?"
"Because it seemed like you woke up."
"Could you move your face? I can't get up."
"It's fine if you get up like this."
"Then I'll bump into your face."
"You could also bump into something else."
"??"
Kallias saw her seductive red lips.
Kallias frowned.
"Why am I here?"
"You're here because you're hurt. A lot of time has passed."
Beatrice clicked her tongue, stood up, and poured the bubbling liquid into a bowl.
She blew on it and cooled it with a spoon.
"How long?"
"Winter has passed. It's spring."
"!"
Kallias, who jumped up, immediately had to suffer severe pain.
"Keugh."
"Be careful. Not only your bones but all your muscles were ruptured. If you were a normal person, you would have had to lie down for years."
Beatrice laid Kallias back down and scooped the suspicious medicine with a spoon, bringing it to his mouth.
"Say, ah."
"...I can eat myself."
"Are you ignoring my goodwill?"
"Is this goodwill?"
"It is goodwill. What else would it be. This."
"It seems like you're mad at me."
"I am mad."
He thought about why she would be mad at him, but couldn't really think of a reason.
"After you collapsed, Carpe is regaining stability. The royal castle has mostly been restored too, and do you know what people are calling you? They say you're the Queen's Knight. The scoundrel has really made a name for himself."
From winter to spring.
It was near the end of winter when they arrived at the royal castle, so it seemed three or four months had passed.
"...Is that so. What about this?"
"Is that what you're curious about? Good grief. That's a TD Potion. It's a hundred times more concentrated than what we feed the Sixth Division."
"Clinical trials?"
"Finished. It's safe, so drink it. It will also help your body recover."
Then there was no reason not to drink it.
Kallias, who gulped down the potion in one breath, began to feel the changes in his body.
"Is it okay?"
"Not bad."
Perhaps because he had the Mad Dragon Sword in his body, it seemed easier to feel the dragon's energy.
He was able to personally experience the beneficial effects of the small amount of dragon blood in the potion.
Perhaps the refined troll's blood was also playing a part, as the pain was significantly reduced.
Seeing it tickle, it seemed he was healing in an instant.
"You don't have to worry about Carpe. Rumors have spread everywhere that two of the Empire's Masters died, and the Emperor of the Empire is said to be greatly enraged that they poured out so many holy relics, time, and troops but couldn't even kill one queen."
"It will be quiet for a while. What about Crasion?"
"Crasion is..."
Beatrice's eyes, which were about to answer, turned sharp.
Then she let out a deep sigh.
"You already knew, didn't you?"
"From the beginning."
"How?"
"Since I held Vivi."
"...It's Vivi's fault for being cute."
"What is Crasion like?"
"Sigh, it's a similar reaction. Crasion is a group of the Cult of the Dead anyway. They are divided into a faction that wants the Empire to grow and a faction that doesn't."
Meaning it was half and half.
In any case, it meant the probability of danger coming to Carpe for a while was low.
'It's similar.'
It was very similar to the political situation he knew.
Since they had blocked the Empire's invasion, it was time to recover and build up their strength for a while.
Kallias felt his body recovering and checked the window that floated before his eyes.
[Empire's Invasion]
[Killing the Empire's Master]
[Queen's Knight]
[Master of the Mad Dragon]
[Hero of the Nation]
There were over five completed quests alone.
It seemed he should check the rewards for these first.
"Why are you smiling to yourself like that? You didn't hurt your head, did you?"
"...No. I want to be alone, so please leave."
Beatrice was dumbfounded.
"...This is my room, you know?"
Kallias silently began to check the quest rewards.