Chapter 192
The highest spire of the royal castle.
The king's bedchamber located there had a rather unusual ceiling since ancient times.
Originally, the ceiling of the royal family should have been filled with the history of Carpe, much like a history book, but the king's bedchamber was different.
It was because all sorts of swords hung suspended, their keen blades flashing.
Renowned swords that, should even one accidentally fall, would inflict severe injury or claim a life.
The swords of the generals who had protected Carpe filled the ceiling densely.
This was a tradition of the Bright royal family, meant to let the generals who had risked their lives for the nation watch over the king's steps, and to ensure that the king of the country would always reflect on their actions and never become complacent.
Looking at the swords hanging from the ceiling, the days when she felt fearful and her shoulders needlessly grew heavy fleetingly passed through her mind. The King of Carpe, with her white hair elegantly braided.
Clara von Agatha Bright.
She picked up her teacup while looking at the exceptionally keen swords on the ceiling today.
"Viktor."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Guardian Sword always protects the king.
The king's conversational partner was still only Viktor.
"Did I do the right thing?"
"Your Majesty's path is always right."
Even at the loyal Viktor's words, Clara's eyes wavered.
A few days ago.
A precious guest had visited the royal castle.
She was the princess of a duchy standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Empire.
It was Princess Rebecca.
When an envoy from the duchy suddenly arrived, she thought some random scoundrel had come to spout nonsense and leave, but unexpectedly, the princess herself had made an appearance.
She thought it strange that they would visit without any prior connection.
But the words she spoke were even more bizarre.
An unexpected man was mentioned from her lips, and not only the queen but all the ministers had no choice but to be greatly surprised.
『...I never expected the princess of the duchy to demand Count Zervan's person.』
The Four Great Nobles of Carpe.
For she said she wanted the person of Callias von Zervan.
Thus, the queen had no choice but to listen to the whole story, which went like this.
『He dishonored me during his pilgrimage. My body and mind are already stained by him, and I have lost my purity. However, I accept this too as the will of the gods, and the duchy has decided to make him the royal consort.』
There was no greater nonsense than this.
Clara believed him.
She believed her master, whom she had watched up close, over the princess she was meeting for the first time in her life.
She trusted the Queen's knight, so she did not fall for the princess's absurd remarks.
『Hand him over.』
The noble faction that had been looking at Callias with disapproval did not miss this moment.
They were mostly distant relatives of those whose necks had been cut off by Callias, or nobles of families tied to them through marriage.
Their justification was also sound.
『The current duchy's only heir is the princess. If a marriage alliance can be made with the duchy, at a time when we are facing a war against the Empire, not only would we not have to worry about the duchy's power, but we could actually receive their support.』
The princess, too, would later become a queen.
Thus, the statement of making Callias the royal consort was not illogical.
Furthermore, what if the princess and Callias marry? For Carpe, this was naturally a welcome event.
At a time when the nation was already struggling with preparations for war against the Empire.
It was a chance for the duchy, which should have attacked Carpe alongside the Empire, to become an allied nation.
Naturally, there was no reason not to welcome it! Besides, only by doing so would the duchy also gain a justification for not participating in the war against the Empire.
『But we cannot handle this matter without even hearing Count Zervan's opinion.』
Clara naturally objected.
She could not sell out the man who had devoted himself to the country.
It was not even clear whether it was true or not that he had dishonored the princess.
It was right to hear both sides, and it was proper not to make a hasty judgment before then.
『If my marriage with him does not take place, the duchy will lead an army of a hundred thousand for the crime of humiliating me.』
『...Are you threatening me, Princess? This is not the duchy, but Carpe.』
『I am merely taking natural measures. How can we just overlook it when the princess with the sole right of succession to the duchy was dishonored by a noble of another country?』
Certainly, if that were true, it was not something that could be easily overlooked.
What Grand Duke would sit idle when their own princess was dishonored by another country?
It would be right to adequately execute one to warn a hundred.
'Suspicious.'
But rather, that made it even more suspicious.
To so boldly reveal that she was dishonored and try to take him as a royal consort.
No matter how much she thought about it, she was a woman who could not be understood by Clara's common sense.
Thus, Clara judged it right to primarily give herself time to think.
To silence the nobles' mouths, she had to suspend the decision for now.
『Carpe has Carpe's laws. First, let us confine Count Zervan and hear the exact reasons.』
『I hope it will not take long.』
『It will not.』
Seeing her keep her head so stiffly raised even before the king of another country, it was right to assume she was no ordinary person.
And today, a few days later.
The Guardian Sword of Carpe.
Viktor alleviated the queen's anxiety.
"If it's Count Zervan, he will understand Your Majesty's intentions and quietly submit to arrest by Hwama. Although her temper is a bit fierce, given the Count's disposition we have seen so far, there should be no trouble, so please do not worry."
"But Viktor. I am worried about what comes after. What if, really, what the princess said is true? No, what if the princess insists even if it's not true?"
"If it is true, he brought it upon himself, so he ought to devote himself for his country. However..."
"...And if it's not?"
"...Let us first believe in the Count's innocence."
Viktor turned his head bitterly.
What should really be done then?
Must they hand over the hero who saved the country due to internal political issues and the logic of international politics?
Her head was saying there was no other way than that. But her heart was desperately searching for another way.
"Viktor, I..."
It was then.
Rumble...
Clang, clang.
The swords hanging from the ceiling collided with each other, letting out clear sword chimes.
"What is going on!"
The royal castle shook.
With a loud impact, the castle shook.
If an earthquake had occurred, it was right to evacuate the area quickly.
Clara put down her teacup and grabbed her sword first.
"It doesn't seem like a good thing."
The Guardian Sword Viktor, not knowing when he had approached, had been surveying the surroundings with his sword drawn beside the queen for a while.
"What has happened?"
"It seems someone has invaded."
The kingdom's greatest sword.
A powerful aura was detected by the Guardian Sword Viktor's senses.
And a short while later.
Clara, who had stepped outside, saw soldiers rushing in like a tide and a single man knocking them down without batting an eye.
"...Viktor."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Am I seeing what I'm seeing right now?"
"Yes, you are. That is the Count."
Clara's hands gripping the terrace railing turned completely white.
"Why..."
"Well, seeing as Hwama is absent, it seems she was defeated by him. And seeing as Gerald and Livaiden are also absent..."
"You mean they were defeated by the Count."
"Yes. He has already reached Master. It is a blessing for the nation. With this, Carpe now has eight Masters, so it is inevitably something to celebrate."
But it didn't seem like a time to leisurely receive congratulations.
The majority of the soldiers were blocking Callias, who had broken through the castle gates.
The number, which had become a hundred in an instant, became a thousand, and was approaching ten thousand.
It was the queen's effort to never again repeat the precedent of being invaded by the Empire.
"And you're saying three of those Masters were defeated by the Count."
The majority of the royal castle's forces drew their swords to block him.
But the soldiers could not even graze his collar, and the knights could not even make Callias draw his sword.
"Yes. It seems he has passed the Master's path and is establishing his own sword."
No matter how strong a swordsman of Carpe may be, they may be called a Master, but they do not call themselves a Sword Master.
Sword Master.
Only one person in the history of Carpe had ever been called that.
Only the Saint Stella.
"The soldiers don't seem to need much worrying."
"The knights are the same."
Whether soldiers or knights, they were rushing at him, but they could not stop his steps for even a single moment.
Callias was walking without any movement, but as if there was an invisible wall around him, not only the soldiers but also the knights' swords could not reach his body.
Teng! Teong! With a dull sound, they were all deflected.
And with a single hand gesture, a wild wind blew, opening a path as if performing a miracle.
The numerous forces of the royal castle only surrounded him.
They did not dare to attack.
Stopping firmly.
At that time, Callias stopped his unceasing steps and raised his gaze upward.
The woman watching from the castle terrace.
The Queen of Carpe, her pure white hair fluttering in the wind.
Clara von Agatha Bright.
Looking at her, Callias finally withdrew his arrogant eyes and knelt on one knee, fully paying his respects as a noble.
Surrounded by ten thousand swords, his figure paying full respects to the queen was utterly unrealistic.
Not only his appearance, which could be called nobility itself, but the current situation itself was so.
It was because a majestic loyalty, like a scene from a famous painting, stood out, making a man's chest burn hot.
"This subject, Zervan, greets Your Majesty."
There were no excuses or justifications.
Because of that, the queen replied as is.
"Did you finish your pilgrimage well? Count."
"Thanks to Your Majesty's grace, I have returned safely after completing it."
"...That is welcome news."
Unlike her calm exterior, all sorts of thoughts were swirling in her head.
He must be angry at her actions. Otherwise, he would not have committed such a violent act.
Had she finally made even the hero who saved the country grasp his sword in reverse?
Feeling such remorse, she could not possibly look Callias straight in the eye.
"Your Majesty."
"...?"
Callias's voice captured the queen's gaze.
And with eyes that did not waver in the slightest, he addressed the queen.
"I have many things I want to say. I will soon greet you up close."
Those were not the eyes of an angry man.
Nor the eyes of a betrayed hero.
The gaze of a man who had resolved something.
Only then could the queen see the surrounding situation.
Below, the numerous defense forces were tightly surrounding Callias.
Between them were the nobles.
And even the envoys of the duchy had rushed over upon seeing the commotion.
Amidst the focus of countless eyes.
Callias was proudly looking up at the queen even in front of ten thousand blades.
So that's how it is.
Even after going through all that.
"Yes. I will wait."
The queen turned around with those words.
A small smile graced the lips of the queen as she turned her back.
"Sir Viktor."
"All troops!!"
The Guardian Sword Viktor stepped forward.
Understanding the queen's intent, he drew his sword and aimed it at Callias.
"Stop the intruder!!"
At the command, the defense forces rushed in all at once. With a shout that seemed to shake the earth, thousands of blades were fired toward Callias.
"Rise, Ashen Legion."
Thump.
Callias, who had planted the Iron Monarch into the ground, summoned the Ashen Legion.
A legion of nearly a thousand, minus a few.
In an instant, the ground turned into Titeo's black tears, and in the blink of an eye, knights sprang out and swung their swords.
"Do not kill them."
[We obey your command.]
Led by High Generals Niol and Garcia, two High Generals and twenty-eight Generals.
And 872 elite knights.
345 regular knights appeared and began to knock down the royal castle forces, instantly taking a formation to protect Callias.
Hiiiiiing-!
At the sight of the army suddenly pouring out from underfoot, the kingdom's soldiers fell into chaos, being trampled or starting to flee.
Callias, mounted on his ironclad horse, was slowly walking through the battlefield, and with the two High Generals assisting him and commanding the Generals and knights, the iron military formation could not be pierced.
Among them, the ones showing the greatest activity were without a doubt the enhanced trolls.
With their heavy size and comparable powerful strength, whenever they swung their arms, soldiers rained down from the sky.
"Damn it! Stop them! Stop them!!"
The captain-level knights commanding the soldiers were blocked by the Ashen Knights of General rank, unable to do anything.
"What the-!!"
The Judgment's Gerald, who had rushed over late.
And the Black Knight Livaiden as well.
Chaeng-! Kwang!
Blocked by High General Niol's sword and Garcia's spear, they couldn't even properly cross swords with Callias once.
"Where on earth did such skilled individuals!!"
Was that all? A single troll possessed power comparable to a Master, so his military force was enough to bring down a small nation.
Moreover, there was one more amazing thing.
"Th-They won't die!!"
Even the enemies they had knocked down immediately got back up. The ones they had clearly cut in half with a sword had their bodies pulled together by the ashen energy and rushed at them again!
An undying military force.
It was like seeing an immortal army, making the royal castle forces feel despair.
"It-It's a demon!!"
"It's a demonic army!!"
Leaving the noisy ones behind.
Callias dismounted from Shunif and slowly climbed the stairs leading to the castle.
Although the surroundings were completely chaotic.
His surroundings were endlessly quiet.
Step by step.
Those who ignorantly rushed at him would foam at the mouth and collapse, overwhelmed by his aura before even swinging their swords.
Walking like that, before he knew it.
Thud.
In front of Callias were Queen Clara, holding the royal sword, and Viktor.
And the Royal Knight Order lined up, waiting for him.
"I've been waiting. Count."
At the queen's bright smile, Callias also smiled faintly.
"Please forgive my rudeness."
That moment.
Callias's figure disappeared.
Hwoong-!
With a powerful gale, the escort knights were all blown away, and Carpe's Guardian Sword Viktor blocked the front of the queen.
Kaaang-!!
Screech! Screech!!
The sparks flying from the two colliding swords along with their intense aura dyed the queen's face red for a moment.
And in the queen's ear.
The name of a familiar technique was called out.
"Pahwaro."
Right before her eyes.
The true sword petals that had severed the dragon's neck in the past began to swirl.