Episode 153 The Empire's Turmoil (3)
Boom—!
"Kyaaaack!"
"What's going on?!"
Jeron, the capital of the Empire, which had been enjoying a long period of peace as the strongest nation on the continent, was suddenly filled with explosions and screams.
[Kihihihit!]
[Uooo…]
Countless ghosts wailed as they flew through the air.
Clang—! Clang!
"Block them!"
"You bastards! How dare you!"
The defense forces stationed throughout the capital and the guards of the noble families clashed fiercely with the undead and the followers of evil who had attacked.
But there was one place that stood out the most…
Naturally, it was the imperial palace, located in the heart of the capital.
[Kuwooooh—!]
[Kyaaaaaah—!]
The dragon's roars that terrified the listener.
And at the same time,
Two streaks of dark energy, as if embodying death itself, struck the imperial palace.
Boom! Kwaaaang—!
Fortunately, the brilliant silver barrier surrounding the imperial palace successfully blocked the terrifying energy, but those gathered inside couldn't smile.
They could feel the barrier shaking noticeably every time it blocked an attack.
"Ugh! Not only the Immortal King, but even Bone Dragons…! What's the damage so far?!"
"We've only lost four people so far! But if this kind of attack continues, I can't guarantee how long the others can hold out!"
Marquis Lawrence, the Archmage and the head of the imperial palace's magic tower, gritted his teeth as he stared at the image that appeared before his eyes on the magic circle that formed the core of the barrier.
The Bone Dragons had retreated after the interception magic activated following their breath, but Immortal King Hans didn't care and was preparing for a follow-up attack, emitting dark, deathly energy.
"Damn it! The next attack is coming! Everyone, brace for impact!"
Boom—!
A massive explosion erupted the moment he finished speaking, and a powerful magic shock started to flow back through the barrier surrounding the imperial palace.
"Gah!"
"Ugh… I-I'm sorry. I can't… anymore…"
Two mages, pale-faced, retreated from the magic circle, unable to withstand the additional accumulated impact.
That made six casualties so far.
Even though they were just supporting the barrier to maximize its efficiency, they couldn't even withstand that, as the aftereffects continued to be transmitted.
'Of course, those who collapsed are just young ones who are still learning, but every hand is precious right now. If they keep falling like this, even high-ranking mages won't be able to endure later.'
If Lawrence himself gritted his teeth and focused solely on defense, he might be able to hold out for a few hours, but without counterattacking, he would just be a punching bag.
It wouldn't be good for this situation to continue, as he didn't know what might happen next.
"Ugh, Viscount Pristine! The imperial palace is in this state, where the hell is she? Don't tell me she's still stuck next to the princess in this situation?!"
There were three Archmages who usually resided in the imperial palace.
One had accompanied the Crown Prince to the summit, and the other, Isea, was still nowhere to be found.
She couldn't still be unaware of the situation…
"Th-that… I checked, but… Viscount Pristine left the imperial palace this morning with the princess."
"What? You're saying she's outside right now? And with the princess?"
The magic backlash continued while Marquis Lawrence was flustered,
And they were only able to resume their conversation after two more mages collapsed.
"Wait, didn't they say His Highness the Crown Prince is also returning from the holy land today?"
"That's right. Actually, he's already past his scheduled arrival time… Considering the timing, he's probably somewhere in that mess…"
"…Oh my. The timing couldn't be worse."
He couldn't help but close his eyes tightly.
Two Archmages and two successors to the throne were all outside at this critical moment.
Out there, where any danger could befall them, not in the safest place here.
Boom—!
But the Immortal King's attack continued relentlessly, as if he didn't care about their despair.
____________________
Boom—!
Another massive explosion erupted from where the imperial palace was located.
"Your Highness, this way."
Isea lightly pulled Princess Riley, and as she extended a hand into the air, blue energy instantly gathered and blocked a flying piece of debris.
"…Thank you, Viscount Pristine."
They were exchanging formal greetings because they were with their attendants and guards, but they shared their feelings through their eyes and moved to find a safer place.
'To think it would happen now… If they were going to warn us, they should have been more specific.'
Isea sighed inwardly and resented the Church.
It was an unavoidable choice for the princess's group to leave the imperial palace on the day the Crown Prince was returning.
They had detected signs of him trying to exert influence on the military after using the Church's warning as an excuse to dispatch additional troops for his protection.
The princess couldn't just stand by and watch if political issues were involved.
They couldn't afford to be late in responding, especially in their already disadvantageous situation, and they were even planning to use this as an opportunity to counterattack.
'But it's all for nothing now.'
But the warning from the Church was just 'something might happen in Jeron soon', so they couldn't just hide indefinitely inside the imperial palace.
Who would trust and follow a leader who didn't even leave the house because of a vague warning?
'And no matter how much of an Archmage I am, I can't just teleport recklessly now that the capital's defensive barrier is activated. I need an authorized magic circle to move safely… No, they wouldn't have left the pathway open while the imperial palace is under attack.'
There would be a path for the command center to escape in case of emergency, but all entrances would be blocked to prevent enemy intrusion.
In the end, they had no choice but to give up on returning to the imperial palace and find a way to survive outside.
'It's a bit far, but I think the safest option is to go to the cathedral and use the gate. If necessary, I'll just take Riley and…'
"Ah."
Isea, who was leading the group while thinking of a solution, suddenly stopped.
Her senses, which had been subtly spreading magic power and scanning the surroundings while moving, detected a very familiar energy.
"Viscount Pristine? What's wrong?"
"Well…"
Her expression remained twisted as she answered Princess Riley's question.
It couldn't be helped because the magic power she was currently feeling…
"It seems like His Highness the Crown Prince is nearby."
It was definitely Count Garfield's energy, who had accompanied the Crown Prince to the summit and was also spreading magic power to scan the surroundings.
He must have also detected her location since she had detected his.
It wasn't a good idea to join forces with him, considering what the Crown Prince had done in the past, no matter how bad the situation was.
Riley also frowned slightly, as if she had the same thought.
"…He's approaching. What should we do?"
But it seemed like his judgment was different from theirs.
Well, it couldn't be helped that their thoughts were different since the Crown Prince was the one who did dirty things, and they always drew a line.
They were still quite a distance away, but it was difficult to avoid them now.
The Fifth Princess who ran away because she was afraid of the Crown Prince, the selfish person who refused to join forces in a crisis, the petty person who prioritized her personal feelings over the greater good…
They didn't know what kind of frame he would try to put on them using this.
"Whew— It can't be helped now that it's come to this. Everyone, stay alert and don't show any weakness."
Just as they steeled their resolve and were about to head towards the Crown Prince's group,
"Ah?"
Isea stopped again and turned her head sharply in one direction.
In a similar direction to where the Crown Prince's group was, but further away…
"This is…"
An energy that was as hot, passionate, and brilliant as the blazing sun,
Goooo—
Approached at a tremendous speed,
Whoosh—!
And passed them by, leaving only a strong wind and a trail of light.
"Kyaack!"
"S-so fast…!"
The maids closed their eyes and turned their heads away from the sudden gust of wind, and the knights guarding the princess swallowed nervously, their swords half-raised.
It was someone who left a strong impression on them just by passing by, but that wasn't important right now.
Knowing that, Isea immediately raised her senses and turned her head towards the imperial palace, where the energy was headed.
And as if on cue,
Boom—!
An explosion, incomparable to anything before, erupted from there, and a powerful aftereffect started to spread.
Fortunately, it was suppressed by the barrier that covered the entire capital, but it was a shockwave on a different level from those that had erupted so far.
"…Saint, Heinrich Saint Landguard…"
Isea unconsciously muttered his name at the energy that was erupting from there.
"What? Don't tell me, that was the Saint who just passed by?"
"What? You mean the Saint of the Main God Church? The hero…!"
"Y-you're saying the Saint just passed by us? Oh, Main God!"
Not only the princess, but also the others reacted simultaneously to her muttering.
One of the believers even unconsciously started to pray.
But that was the nature of a Saint.
If they had to compare his status, he was on the same level as the Emperor… no, in the current continental crisis, he should be considered even higher.
'Come to think of it, he's practically the protagonist of this world.'
The savior of this world, chosen by God.
Of course, he would be constantly burdened by the weight of that name.
Sacrifice and dedication would be an everyday occurrence for him.
He was a hero who was a million light-years away from Isea, who was struggling to even take care of one person.
'…What is he thinking right now?'
Whether it was a sense of responsibility for this situation or some noble sense of mission… she would probably never understand him.
____________________
"Don't panic and maintain formation! The barrier is still intact!"
"Don't act rashly! You are the proud Imperial Royal Guards! Do you want to disappoint His Majesty?!"
Heinrich lightly licked his lips, listening to the noisy chatter of those preparing for battle at the barrier's edge.
'The timing is perfect.'
The Jeron Cathedral was located on the outskirts of the Empire's capital.
Actually, except for the holy land, it was the same for any place with a facility larger than a temple, not just Jeron.
Not only did they occupy a large area, but the rulers of the land weren't fond of the military forces like the holy knight orders and holy warrior units stationed there.
And it was only natural here, the Empire's capital, where even the Emperor resided.
Actually, ordinary citizens used the small prayer rooms and temples located throughout the city, so the accessibility of the cathedral, which was practically a special facility, didn't really matter.
But that meant that the distance between the imperial palace in the heart of the capital and the cathedral was inevitably far.
And unless you had superhuman abilities like Heinrich, you couldn't travel that distance in a short time.
'Yes, like the Crown Prince, who's still wandering around somewhere. …I didn't expect Isea and the Fifth Princess to be there too, though.'
Creak—! Boom!
He swung his holy blade, deflecting the black scythe blocking his path, and then immediately charged at the Immortal King again, cutting through the death energy.
[Hahaha! As expected! I knew you would stand before me. My only opponent, Heinrich! I don't know how you found this place so quickly, but that's what a hero should do. Hehehe!]
"All things in the world are under the Main God's will. You cannot escape that fate either! You will soon follow in the footsteps of all the previous Immortal Kings, Hannibal!"
The Immortal King and the Knight of Light, facing each other against the backdrop of the imperial palace enveloped in auspicious light.
On that dreamlike stage, a gloomy voice as if from hell and a resolute voice filled with conviction intertwined and echoed loudly.
[KuoOoooooh—!]
[Kyaaaaaah—!]
As if to harmonize with them, the two Bone Dragons, circling in the sky while dodging the beams of light emanating from the imperial palace, roared at Heinrich.
But the Immortal King casually waved his hand, as if to block any further intervention, and looked down at him again.
[This is interesting, very interesting. Knight of Light, Heinrich Saint Landguard. Do you know? Every time I face you, every time you stand in my way, I feel truly alive. Even though I'm already dead!]
He raised his head and looked up at the sky, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the world.
[Now—! Teach me more, more. About life! The will to live! A heart that doesn't waver even in the face of death!]
It was an emotion that couldn't be felt, a voice created by vibrating magic power, but it was clearly…
'Obsession' for what he couldn't have.
And as if to respond to that, Heinrich, enveloped in auspicious light, slowly raised his holy sword and opened his mouth.
"I finally understand. The reason why I received that revelation that day."
The light of the elegantly moving blade beautifully illuminated the air, and its tip finally pointed directly at the Immortal King.
As if they were acting in a play.
"This is also God's guidance."
It was actually a play.