Michael #3

 

‘Who was that maid?’

I couldn’t remember the name.

I remember seeing it a long time ago while fighting Richie.

It was probably a skeleton dragon. One of Lich’s subordinates.

Was it Arina or Yuris… She was somehow strong.

Anna felt strangely happy. Even though they were enemies, she felt like she was meeting an old friend.

‘It was really fun back then.’

A time when I went on adventures without thinking about anything and just went wherever my heart pleased.

The days when Anna was still innocent, when it was called the Warrior Party.

‘I was young too.’

Defeat Richie and go on amazing adventures around the world.

Anna’s memories drifted back to a happy past.

Michael is still handsome now, but his eyes seemed to sparkle even more back then.

There was also Eden, who is now dead, and Akasha, whose whereabouts and what she is doing are unknown.

‘But why am I thinking this right now?’

For a moment, my mind snapped to its senses.

“Isn’t this it? Looking back on the past before you die… Damn it!”

Anna desperately tried to pull herself together. This was no time to reminisce about the good old days.

The fact that that scary maid has appeared means that we are in a huge crisis.

Pot!

As the blue blade flew towards her eyes, Anna instinctively teleported and changed her position.

Anna’s body was roughly thrown nearby as if thrown by a giant.

There was no time to calculate coordinates or perform precise teleportation. Any delay would have cost me my life, like the chief magicians.

“Ugh-”

My stomach churned and I felt nauseous. The sudden shift in spatial coordinates made my internal organs feel like they were all jumbled together in a mess.

‘It’s dangerous…’

Beyond my blurring vision, I saw a portal. Undead were constantly crossing into this world, their backs swept by the blizzard.

The number was difficult to count. Even a cursory glance revealed it to be well over a thousand.

“Ahaha. I’m screwed. Even for Michael, wouldn’t this be a bit much?”

The sight of undead soldiers rising from the underground and sweeping through the completely unprepared capital was vivid before my eyes.

“This is foul play,” Anna grumbled. “Deadly. We should fight fair and square.”

Sasak—

The shadow moved.

Without giving her a moment’s respite, Alice aimed at Anna again.

Teleportation again. However, this time, the reaction was slightly slower than before.

In terms of time, it was only a few seconds, maybe that’s all.

Crunch!

But because of that difference, one of Anna’s eyes lost its light forever.

“This is really serious. I can’t see ahead.”

If you can just get a prosthetic eye and replace it, that’s it. It’s a blessing that you’re not dead yet.

But, can you escape?

I had no confidence.

‘It seems like something is wrong.’

As long as that persistent, dog-like maid is targeting her, Anna will have a hard time teleporting to the ground and escaping.

How wonderful it would be if Michael appeared at this moment like a miracle and saved her.

‘There’s no way something like that could happen.’

Anna smiled bitterly.

Maybe I knew it from the beginning.

The future Michael sees and the future Anna sees seem to be heading in the same direction at first glance, but they are ultimately different.

Anna always watched Michael’s back, waiting for him to turn around and reach out his hand.

Now it’s just a wish that will never come true.

‘Michael, I’ll do my best to help.’

I want to help, even if it’s unrequited love.

Anna gathered all the magic power she had left in her body.

rustle—

Even in the midst of all this, Alice’s attacks continued. Something—an arm, a finger, perhaps—that had been part of Anna’s body was blown away helplessly.

‘doesn’t care.’

Anyway, I have no more attachment to this body. I don’t even feel pain anymore.

Anna stared at the portal through the blood droplets flying in the air.

Even if I die, I must destroy that before I die.

Anna’s eyes, nose, and mouth began to emit intense flashes of light. She felt a burning sensation course through her veins from head to toe.

She is now a human bomb, no, a human sun itself.

“You guys can’t do whatever you want⋯!”

Anna burst into laughter.

Let’s die together.

She threw herself with all her might toward the portal, waiting for the light, heat, and vibrations that filled the room.

Then it will be over. Anna, and the portal.

However, the splendid ending Anna had expected did not come.

Anna saw.

Next to the portal, Estelle looked down at her with a cold gaze.

The sight of the special attack that was risking one’s life being sucked away by Estelle’s single gesture and returned to nothing.

“Oh my, nothing ever works out until the end. My life, really.”

Anna sensed the end of her adventure. It was long if it was long, and short if it was short.

It was a pity. I regretted it again.

If only we had made slightly different choices back in the good old days.

If only we had devoted ourselves to more thrilling adventures instead of empires and emperors,

Then, I wondered if the result would have been different.

After a while, the world went dark.

***

The capital’s defense power is the best in the world.

This was a fact that even the enemies of the empire acknowledged without question.

A time when the empire wasn’t yet an empire. A time when it was just one of many small kingdoms.

The previous king, who had the foresight to see into the future, was obsessed with the defense of the capital city, almost to the point of obsession.

It didn’t matter whether the technology was human, elf, or dwarf.

Some even went so far as to circulate rumors that, at the emperor’s order, a human sacrifice ritual was secretly performed to strengthen the defensive wall.

The walls of the empire grew higher and thicker with each passing day.

The capital was repelled by a million-strong anti-imperial coalition united under the banner of overthrowing the empire. Since then, no one has dared challenge the capital.

Even if the empire collapses, it can be rebuilt as long as the capital remains intact.

The capital was the last bastion designed for a thousand years of cinema.

“Our military’s defenses are impeccable. Even the title “iron wall” is nothing short of insulting when compared to the capital’s walls. Iron rusts, but the capital remains strong no matter how much time passes.”

The general in charge of the capital defense spoke with pride.

Michael didn’t react much, merely nodding. His gaze swept over the triple-layered walls and the soldiers, their uniforms raised high.

Michael is, after all, only one of the Imperial Knight Commanders. At least in name.

However, Michael went around inspecting the military discipline as if it were a natural thing, and the generals did not question it.

“No matter what happens, I must look good. The current emperor is already finished. The next ruler of the empire is clearly this man, Michael.”

The general was desperate to make a good impression in front of the much younger Aesong.

People would laugh if they saw it, but it didn’t matter.

If you want to laugh, laugh all you want! The general was a realistic man.

Public opinion and such are subject to change like the palm of one’s hand under the influence of power.

“The sun is quite strong today. Prince Michael, aren’t you thirsty? I just happened to have a few bottles of good wine with you⋯.”

Michael waved his hand in annoyance. The general, misunderstanding the gesture, beamed and quickly gave instructions to his soldiers.

“Oh! I understand. Hey, what’s up? Get me some liquor from my warehouse. The best, quick!”

The soldiers ran. The general remained by Michael’s side, flattering him without rest.

But now, the general’s words were of no interest to Michael.

“The report is late. Anna, you’re slow at work.”

Michael’s only concern was whether the seal on Lich had been properly completed.

But even though it was noon and the sun was high in the sky, there was still no news from Anna.

‘I guess I should have handled it myself instead of leaving it to Anna.’

Michael’s mood became uncomfortable.

Unlike her days in the old adventurer’s party, Anna has become increasingly lazy. Lately, no matter what I ask her to do, it’s been a constant disappointment.

‘It’s about time to find someone new.’

Even though he is a young genius, he can easily replace one of the magic tower’s magic tower masters.

If Michael, the ruler of the empire, were to call, a wizard of Anna’s caliber would line up to be called upon.

The current Anna had long since lost her former brilliance. At least that was Michael’s assessment.

As a woman, she is still useful. However, if she is obsessed with such lust, she is bound to ruin her great undertaking.

“Our Capital Defense Forces always train like they are in real combat… and never let their guard down.”

The bald general kept chattering away from me, seemingly never getting tired.

Michael’s ears were starting to hurt. He wanted to yell at her to shut up, even if it was just for a moment, but he barely managed to hold himself back.

“hey.”

“Why are you like that?”

Michael raised his finger and pointed to the capital. It wasn’t outside the walls, but inside. The general’s eyes widened.

“Is that part of the training?”

Where Michael pointed, flames were rising. Black smoke was already billowing into the sky, and the murmur of people could be heard all the way to the castle walls.

“Uh⋯.”

The general’s eyes narrowed. At the point where he was at a loss for an answer, he had already practically answered.

“What, what’s that? Hey! Are you doing some kind of disaster prevention drill?”

The general raised his voice nervously. Even if it was training, it was reprehensible that the general was unaware of the training schedule.

And to show such a shameful behavior at this very moment, when Michael was on his inspection tour.

‘These stupid things⋯!’

The general gritted his teeth. When Michael returned, he planned to punish and punish everyone involved in this incident, from the privates to those responsible.

“No, Captain. Disaster drills aren’t part of the plan. This seems to be a real situation. And, there’s a report that—it’s not just a fire—there’s a riot going on—”

“What!”

The general’s face turned pale. He unconsciously turned to Michael.

“⋯.”

Michael was staring at the rising black smoke with a face as expressionless as a corpse.

As if he had a premonition of the fate that awaited him beneath the pitch-black smoke.