novelraw Chapter 206 : Unkind Battlefield (1)
Chapter 206 : Unkind Battlefield (1)
Chapter 206: Unkind Battlefield (1)
The unidentified snake emblem was insufficient information to reveal one’s identity to anyone.
Because of that, an enormous misunderstanding occurred.
“Look again. Who do you think these people are?”
The Count of Neju looked at those standing beside Raion, wearing white priestly robes and armor.
For someone from the Boluzan Kingdom, it was an outfit more familiar than that of any other kingdom.
Only then did he recognize the attire, the priestly robes, and the goddess’s emblem drawn upon the armor.
“Y-Your Holiness the Holy Emperor?”
“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Count of Neju. I am Francis Bachenan, who, though insufficient, serves as the representative of the goddess under the name of the Holy Emperor.”
No further explanation was necessary.
The Count of Neju immediately bowed his head deeply and shouted.
“I, the head of the Count Neju family of the Boluzan Kingdom, greet Your Holiness the Holy Emperor!”
“Given the circumstances, let us omit such formal greetings.”
“B-But, how did Your Holiness come to a place like this…….”
“Because the war has begun. While we were heading toward the Empire, we saw the battlefield unfolding in the Neju Territory and came to offer our help.”
“Ah……!”
Since the Boluzan Kingdom was a neighboring country of the Bachenan Holy Kingdom, its faith in the goddess was deeper than that of other kingdoms.
Of course, that did not mean they had ever seen the Holy Emperor or the Holy Knight Commander in person.
Especially since the Holy Emperor rarely left the Holy Kingdom, this was also the first time the Count of Neju had seen him.
“Thank you very much. If it were not for the Holy Kingdom, we would have been annihilated on this battlefield.”
The Count of Neju bowed his head deeply.
At that sight, Holy Emperor Francis shook his head while holding the man’s shoulder.
“I was not the one who decided to help.”
“……Pardon?”
Unable to understand how there could be someone of higher standing than the Holy Emperor present, the Count of Neju was confused.
Francis then turned his gaze toward Raion.
“It is that person.”
Raion, his red hair fluttering, had just been fighting the Demon Race while displaying overwhelming might.
Even so, how could his position be higher than that of the Holy Emperor, the goddess’s representative?
It was naturally difficult to comprehend.
“Who might that be…….”
“He is the successor of the Canel Kingdom and the Messenger of the goddess.”
“A Messenger (使者), you say…….”
“He is the one who directly received the goddess’s oracle to punish the sins of this Empire.”
“An oracle, you say?”
It was known that only the Holy Emperor could receive the goddess’s oracle.
That said, the Holy Emperor had no reason to lie in the current situation.
Realizing what kind of grave discourtesy he had committed, the Count of Neju immediately prostrated himself flat before Raion.
“I beg your forgiveness! Neju of the Boluzan Kingdom offers his respects to the Messenger of the goddess!”
Behind him, even the knights and soldiers under the Count of Neju prostrated themselves and did not move an inch.
While they could not see it, Holy Emperor Francis gave a slight wink.
In truth, there had been no oracle directly bestowed upon Raion.
Raion had also never spoken about the ‘Tip’ that only he could see.
‘He lied to keep things from getting complicated. Is it really fine for the Holy Emperor to be like that? He’s not some coy young lady.’
The Holy Emperor was, in fact, in his early twenties.
Though young, he was more mature than his peers due to the education of the Holy Kingdom and the aura bestowed by the goddess.
Even so, his original personality had not changed.
“We cannot afford to waste much time here, so that will be enough.”
“Is there nothing we can do to help? We will do anything.”
The Count of Neju had a resolute expression.
“Your castle was just attacked. You will be busy just restoring order in your territory, so you need not do so.”
Francis declined as politely as possible.
Even so, the Count of Neju did not give up easily.
“No! Is this not an effort to punish the sins of the Dior Empire? The Boluzan Kingdom will not spare its support either!”
“…….”
At the tone that suggested he would not back down easily, Francis looked at Raion again.
It was a gaze asking for help.
“You treated me like a mercenary earlier. And now, even when we say we are fine, you insist on helping?”
“I truly apologize for what I said earlier. However, the opponent is the Dior Empire. Do you truly believe you can face them with your current numbers?”
The Count of Neju checked the number of those who had descended from the massive griffins.
He could distinguish the priests and holy knights of the Holy Kingdom, as well as the knights wearing armor engraved with peculiar emblems.
Since their number did not even reach one hundred, the Count of Neju was left speechless.
“So you intend to force your way into joining the battle even if you must ignore the Holy Emperor’s refusal?”
“Force our way? How could that be! I do not know why the Crown Prince of the Canel Kingdom received an oracle and came all this way. But this is the territory of the Boluzan Kingdom! As a neighboring kingdom of the Holy Kingdom, we have a duty to help as well!”
“If it were not for us, you would all be dead, and now you finally intend to claim some profit?”
A wielder of power who had erased two members of the Demon Race. Under his command were dozens of Swordmasters. On top of that, even the Holy Kingdom, with the Holy Emperor himself, had moved to attack the Dior Empire.
If one were to place even a light hand into this situation and the war ended in victory, enormous benefits would arise.
Of course, the Count of Neju had not thought that far. His desire to personally take revenge on the Empire that had attacked his territory was simply too strong.
“That is absolutely not the case! No matter how strong you are, I was merely saying that there are limits!”
“Even though I said there’s no need to go die anyway?”
“How can you be so certain of that!”
“Then try stopping this. If you can stop it, I’ll take you along.”
Pajijijijijik!
I coated my sword with the energy of the Aura Circle and drew it out long. The energy had already passed beyond white light and even felt close to being transparent.
At that sight, the Count of Neju’s expression stiffened harder than ever before.
“How could anyone possibly stop that!”
“The Demon Race I erased fired off attacks like this as if they were eating a meal. If you can’t even block this much, then all that’s left is to go and die a dog’s death. So, what will you do?”
The blade that had been held toward the sky instantly approached the side of the Count of Neju’s neck.
The energy surrounding the blade sliced through the mithril collar of the Count’s armor as if it were paper.
Sreung……. Tuk.
“You can just die here.”
“W-What is the meaning of this! Does this mean the Canel Kingdom intends to make an enemy of Boluzan!”
Whether it was noble conviction or pride, he shouted while attaching all sorts of unnecessary meanings to my actions.
I even considered cutting him down right then and there.
However, there was something else I needed immediately. With that in mind, I swung the sword that had been aimed at his neck in a different direction.
Chwaaaaaaaaaak!
The Aura Circle energy that struck the ground split straight ahead like a wave slashed by a hand blade and surged outward.
The impact spread to both sides, strong enough to stir up a storm of dust.
“Keok keok! Keok!”
Only the Count of Neju and the knights and soldiers under his command, who had failed to prepare in time, ended up inhaling dust and coughing.
“Even swinging my sword is a waste, so get lost right now. Otherwise, I’ll send you all to your appointed day together.”
“But…….”
As both a lord and a knight, the Count of Neju hesitated at throwing away his dignity.
However, not only his own life but also the lives of his subordinates were at stake. Step forward once more, or die.
There was only one choice.
“W-We will return.”
“Then get lost.”
I sheathed my sword.
Letting out a sigh of relief, the Count of Neju immediately withdrew his forces and turned them toward the castle.
Watching that, Francis felt slightly worried.
“Could you not have sent him back more gently?”
“Even if his disposition were decent, it would have delayed us. And once word reaches other territories, there’s no guarantee only people like him would show up.”
There might be those who would try to butt in for real benefits.
If that happened, it could escalate into a dispute between kingdoms and prevent us from doing what truly needed to be done.
“I understand what you mean. Then shall we depart right away?”
“For now, let’s just mount up. Grapheos!”
At my shout, Grapheos, who had been flying in the sky, landed on the ground.
Thud…….
As the massive body settled down, those who had been waiting boarded one by one.
After that, I applied a ‘Gravity Shield’ over Grapheos’s back so that no one would be blown away.
We had also been able to fly safely to the skies above the Neju Territory earlier using this same method.
“No problems!”
“No problems!”
The shouts of the knights in charge of safety rang out from atop Grapheos’s back.
At the same time, Grapheos’s body rose into the air with a powerful flap of its wings.
“Hoo…….”
We climbed to a height close to the clouds.
After confirming that we were steadily moving farther away from the ground, I staggered slightly, sat down on the surface, and crossed my legs.
“Are you all right?”
“Are you okay!”
“Master!”
Startled, those around me hurried over and dropped to one knee.
“I’m fine. I just pushed myself a bit.”
Saying that, I checked my own condition.
[Status Information]
Name : Raion Canel
Age : 20
Occupation : Regressor / Arcane Sorcerer / Proxy
Life : 1,215 / 9,999
Stamina : 3,320 / 52,000
Mana : 13,400 / 132,000
Abilities :
Arcane Sorcerer Level Max
True Martial Art Level Max
Raizen-Style Swordsmanship Level Max
Marquis of the Demon Realm Kamio and Duchess Zelphinia were not easy opponents.
If I had not neutralized the Authorities they used with Arcane Sorcery, even I would have been in danger.
“I’ll recover until we arrive. If something urgent happens, don’t touch me—just talk to me.”
“Could we not be of help?”
It was Holy Emperor Francis.
She approached my side, offered a prayer, and manifested Holy Power.
Hwaaaaaaak!
Pure white light flowed from her hand and enveloped me.
‘It’s quite warm. It’s different from my Restoration.’
Restoration was an ability that repaired what was damaged, making it excellent for healing injuries.
On the other hand, its principles could not be applied to stamina or mana.
While feeling Francis’s Holy Power, I circulated the Aura Circle energy throughout my entire body.
‘I have to return to full condition before we reach the Empire.’
I didn’t know how many Demon Race members remained.
Just thinking about Decarsen Falkahn and Malphas, whom I had let slip before, there were at least two.
Of course, if it were only those two, there wouldn’t be a problem.
But if there were more than that, they certainly wouldn’t rush me in pairs like this time.
‘They’ll probably come at me in a do-or-die gamble.’
From here on, it would be a head-on confrontation. And for that, I needed a proper way to deal with the Demon King.