novelraw Chapter 167 : Chapter 167
Chapter 167 : Chapter 167
Chapter 167
Brussels, the capital of Eurasia, named after the annexed kingdom.
The leaders of the allied kingdoms began to gather there one by one.
This was because the two princes of the Empire had declared war on Eurasia, using the vassal states as their vanguard.
On the surface, the princes used the pretext of punishing Third Prince Julian Eurasia for murdering the Fifth Prince Bronz Heinrich, and the Eurasia Kingdom for condoning it.
However, no one was unaware that this was, in fact, an attempt by the Empire to display its power through a newly rising nation.
“You have all suffered much coming this long way.”
Escardo personally greeted the high-ranking members of Cornelia.
Celot Cornelia, at the forefront, clasped his hand.
“Escardo. It has been a long time since we’ve met like this.”
“You too are the same as ever, Sir.”
The Arch Mage known as the Mage of Ten Thousand Ices and the Sword Master called the Ghost Sword.
The two superhumans, who had now become the second-in-command of their respective nations, exchanged meaningful glances.
“Sir Escardo, it has been a long time.”
At Sharle's subsequent greeting, Escardo nodded with a fond smile.
“Princess Sharle, have you been well?”
He knew that she privately visited Eurasia.
And that the reason was Killian.
‘As his godfather, I must be careful with my words and actions.’
Simon was his biological father, but he was a man who valued the sword more than his children.
Coincidentally, Celot was also Sharle’s uncle, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to proceed with marriage talks for the children on this occasion.
“I saw that the medium-sized Warp Gate has already been activated. I am glad that the negotiations with the Holy Nation seem to have concluded well.”
“Thank you. I heard your role was significant in strengthening our relationship with the Holy Nation.”
“It is all thanks to the two outstanding Princes.”
Escardo inwardly admired her thoughtfulness.
‘She is a perfect match for Killian.’
“Is Prince Killian in the castle?”
Celot asked, looking around.
Escardo shook his head.
“Killian is currently away on a mission.”
“A pity. I was hoping to see his face after so long.”
“The position he holds is a heavy one, so it is not easy. There is still time before your audience with His Majesty, so I will give you a brief tour of the main castle.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Sir Fred.”
“Yes, Commander of the Knights.”
“Please guide our esteemed guests around the castle.”
“Understood. This way, please.”
The mages from Cornelia, including Celot, followed Fred.
Watching them leave, Escardo let out a small sigh.
Not long ago, he had received a report from Killian that he would be visiting Elvenheim.
It was not logical for the Annihilation Squad Leader to be absent while two vassal states were advancing on Eurasia, but considering his condition, he could not help but grant permission.
‘It would not be good for Killian’s condition to become known to the outside… but I wonder how long I can hide it.’
Watching the departing Cornelia mages, Escardo turned and walked away.
It was now time to fetch Simon, who was engrossed in his training.
Simon Eurasia’s training took place in the basement of the main castle.
It was the space where Killian had first encountered the Piece of Grotesquery.
Creeak.
When Escardo opened the door and entered, Simon was sitting alone.
His eyes were closed, and his entire body was as unmoving as a stone.
A stillness so profound that even the air seemed to pass by him quietly.
To transcend the realm of the 8-star level, Simon had been dedicating himself to solitary training ever since the declaration of the kingdom.
‘The 9-star level is a realm no one but Edan Eurasia has ever reached.’
The reason the Empire had tried to annihilate Eurasia by any means necessary after Edan Eurasia’s death was likely due in large part to the fear that another knight like him might appear.
And now.
Hundreds of years later, Simon Eurasia was on the verge of that same realm.
“…”
Numerous thoughts drifted through Simon’s mind, lost in contemplation.
His spirit traveled between the past and present, following the flow of mana.
As if unraveling a skein of thread, he was slowly retracing his path of swordsmanship from the moment he forged his Mana Heart to the 8-star level.
He had been retracing it for about an hour, but the answer he sought did not easily appear.
Simon slowly opened his eyes.
A steady heartbeat and a familiar flow of mana were detected.
“Escardo.”
Simon said softly.
At his call, Escardo opened his mouth.
“My apologies for interrupting your training.”
Simon raised his head and looked at his sworn brother.
His expression was as cold and calm as ever, but a hint of tension could be seen in his eyes.
“Your Majesty, Celot Cornelia and the key mages of Cornelia have arrived. A private audience with Celot Cornelia is scheduled in two hours.”
Simon nodded slightly.
“Has it been that long already?”
Pausing for a moment, Simon spoke again.
“Killian?”
“He has not yet returned.”
“I see.”
Silence fell as Simon closed his eyes again, as if in thought.
It was Escardo who broke the silence.
“Your Majesty, may I ask for your guidance?”
Simon slowly raised his head and looked at Escardo.
His eyes held determination and will.
Simon smiled lightly and stood up.
“You may come at me with your full strength.”
“I will not hold back.”
In that moment, Escardo’s eyes gleamed.
It had been decades since he met Simon.
They must have sparred tens of thousands of times.
Though he had never once won.
‘This time will be different.’
He was different from when he had just reached the 8-star level and could not properly control his mana.
Thanks to taking the Head Apothecary’s Heart Break Herba and clashing swords with Simon from time to time, the danger of Oblivio had been considerably stabilized.
He was confident he could produce a different result than before.
“Your Majesty, I will not back down easily this time.”
“I shall be sure to remember those words.”
Simon smiled and cloaked himself in gray mana.
The two knights faced each other and silently aimed their swords.
“…”
“…”
Amidst the flowing tension.
Claang!!
Escardo Schtenberg's Sword and Tetillon clashed.
Escardo tightened his grip on his sword.
Krrrrrrk.
He added rotation to increase its cutting power.
Although he had reinforced his body and sword with mana, what he displayed was the path of the sword he had walked as a knight.
A common sword skill.
Simon, as if reading Escardo’s intent, also responded with only his sword skills.
While repeating the simple acts of slashing and stabbing, Escardo’s entire body became drenched in sweat.
‘There’s no opening at all.’
He had thought he had narrowed the gap to some extent, but he couldn't picture a way to win at all.
What came to mind every time he faced Simon was the future he had seen in the Curse of the Abyss.
The image of Simon being defeated and falling at the hands of the Empire's emperor.
Even though he had slain Johannes Schtenberg, that tragic scene weighed on Escardo’s heart like a lingering trauma.
‘It’s a nightmare that must not happen.’
Krrrrrrr.
Escardo Schtenberg's Sword, parrying Tetillon, trembled.
Infusing it with a great amount of red mana.
Claaaang!
Escardo reaffirmed his resolve.
‘I will use any means necessary to help His Majesty… my brother, reach the 9-star level.’
This duel would be the first step.
“Your Majesty, this time, I will give it my all.”
At Escardo’s words, Simon calmly nodded.
Swoooosh.
Red mana seethed from Escardo’s body, which was in a natural stance.
“Carpe.”
Rumble rumble rumble.
The mana, combined with his Haki, pressed down on the area.
An energy incomparable to when he was at the 7-star level.
Simon, cloaked in mana, watched him quietly.
‘Is it because of the impending war? He’s full of motivation.’
However, this was a duel meant for guidance.
It would be troublesome if it caused a reflux.
Without delay, Escardo displayed his swordsmanship.
“Carpe Illusion.”
The surrounding air changed abruptly.
As if the boundary between worlds was splitting, the space began to tremble minutely.
“Severatio.”
Crack.
The flow of mana was distorted.
As if a crack had appeared in space, fine lines spread out from beneath Escardo’s feet.
Slice. Slice. Slice.
The air turned into blades, severing the space.
An invisible boundary was drawn, emitting an alien energy as if separating the world from another dimension.
The moment Escardo Schtenberg's Sword cut through the air.
Slice!!
Everything visible before his eyes was sliced apart.
So fast it couldn't be seen with the naked eye, a sensation as if the world was split in two.
“A domain that severs space and reality. That was your Carpe Illusion.”
Simon took a step forward and swung his sword.
Claaaang!!
The red mana, which seemed to cut through everything, was blocked by Tetillon and stopped its advance.
“Not yet.”
In that moment, the trajectory of the red mana that Simon had blocked was twisted.
“...!!”
Like a river not flowing naturally, the mana flowed through an abnormal path, aiming for his flank.
Zap.
Simon’s gray mana pushed away the red mana.
Claaaang!
Escardo’s sword, having closed the distance, met Tetillon.
‘The mana’s trajectory, manifested with the sword, was meant to break the opponent’s stance.’
A grin.
With a pleased smile, Simon deflected Escardo’s sword.
“You’ve awakened an interesting trait. It will be difficult if I don’t face you seriously.”
Gray mana exploded from Simon’s body.
Kwaang!!
The deflected Escardo’s eyes wavered.
The twisted mana trajectory should have been outside Simon’s predictions.
Yet, he responded as if he could see through the trajectory completely.
‘How…?’
“Just distorting the flow of mana is not enough to completely throw off an enemy's prediction. You must read the opponent's psychology and the flow at the same time.”
Taking a deep breath, Escardo composed his breathing.
“I still have much more to show you.”
“I look forward to it.”
Tetillon and Escardo Schtenberg's Sword clashed, mixing gray and red mana.
A moment later.
The main castle of Eurasia was shaken.
***
Even with his eyes closed, his vision was blurry.
His body felt light and unstable, like a piece of paper swaying in the wind.
‘Did I faint?’
No, if he had, he wouldn't have been aware of fainting in the first place.
He opened his eyes.
A darkness, shaped like a cloud, floated before his eyes.
‘It might be a side effect of the curse.’
He touched his body and tried to retrace his memories.
His last memory was of the reflux surging after Rundel had thwarted three consecutive Carpe Illusions.
An 8-star was an 8-star, indeed.
As Killian recalled Rundel’s strength, fatigue seemed to wash over him belatedly.
His body was heavy.
In that moment, as his senses faded one by one and everything seemed to recede.
“Killian.”
Someone called him.
A low and firm voice.
Reacting to the sound, Killian’s head turned.
The voice, which seemed to tickle his ear, was strangely familiar.
[Killian Eurasia.]
He tried to illuminate his surroundings with mana, but it didn't work as he intended.
“You are still the same.”
The voice contained a power that seemed to pull him out of the darkness.
His fading senses awakened, and his dark vision slowly brightened.
[I’m glad you’re still the same.]
He tried to turn his head to find the owner of the voice that had woken him, but though his consciousness was awake, his body had no strength.
It was difficult to move, as if his limbs were bound by iron chains.
“You will have to choose.”
[Choices are always followed by responsibility.]
“I will watch to see what choice you make.”
‘What on earth is this about.’
Before he could say anything, the voice was heard once more.
“Killian!”
A powerful voice, unlike before.
“Killian Eurasia!”
That voice called him once again, and.
“Get a hold of yourself!!”
It completely awakened his mind.
[I will watch over you until the very end.]
The blurry things before his eyes became clear, and Killian’s consciousness fully returned.