episode_0143

Although people often mistakenly believe that magic is the exclusive domain of intellectuals, not priests.

Although the term intellectual is most likely a title given to clergy, nobles also receive quality education in their own way. It is not strange that theology is included in that historic curriculum.

And the duke is located right at the top of the nobility below the emperor.

Unlike a count or a baron, which simply refer to a powerful family, a duke is a title that cannot be given to someone who is not a blood relative of the emperor.

Right now, former Duke Rudolf would be Henry’s brother-in-law, if only based on family ties.

So there was no need to look far for the source of the magic rising from the sword he held.

“Do not be afraid! I will also fight together!”

“Kill it!!”

Rudolph, who had glanced back a few times just a moment ago, seemed to have thrown away his previous hesitation as if there had been a change of heart in that moment.

I could only guess that it was because, like Heinrich, he was in a situation where he had no place to retreat.

-visor!

“Ugh… … !”

White sparks flew out in the brief confrontation, and Rudolph was pushed by the force and took a step back.

He did not just fight with words, but came forward and fought in person, and it seemed as if he was resolutely looking for a place to die rather than looking for a way out to survive.

I also shouted after him. I walked that long path just for this moment.

“… For today to be the last battle, to end this war!”

“God, please grant me tomorrow!”

A cool metallic sound was heard, followed by a horrifying shout.

Despite the noise surrounding me, I looked straight at Rudolph standing right in front of me. I could see his hands shaking slightly.

It may be a recoil from the collision a little while ago. The way he was holding the sword right now wasn’t the right way.

“I’ve never learned swordsmanship.”

“Shut up!”

Unlike the knights he had just faced, Rudolph’s sword was not a holy relic, and it was very worn out.

It was something that was picked up from the battlefield and used, but it was rather shabby for an emperor’s weapon.

Nevertheless, Rudolph was fighting.

“-Inhale!”

-Kagagagak!

The tip of the sword was cut off with a chilling sound.

Rudolph looked at the end for a moment and then prayed to the sky. Immediately after, the sword still had a cloudy, white glow, as if a blessing had come down, but that was it.

There was a belief that magic was a power given by God. Supernatural phenomena were usually interpreted this way.

Rudolph clenched his hand several times and muttered in despair.

“God, how can you not hear this prayer.”

“What did you wish for?”

“Victory, miracle. And I hoped for a world with upright faith!”

An upright faith would mean the Pope in the Vatican.

And when it came to victory and miracles, there was no other goal that came to mind other than becoming emperor.

“Was such a thing noble enough to come true?”

“This is the goal I have been pursuing my whole life! Just one illegitimate child is not something worth disparaging!”

I knew a person who worked such a miracle. I also knew how to wield that power.

That’s why I was confident that a miracle would not come down to this place.

Rudolph gritted his teeth and raised his sword.

It was a gap that could not have been created if he had been properly trained.

“Attack the lightsaber at the front! Since you’re already exhausted, you should be able to defeat it easily – Wow!!”

Rudolph let out a sigh and fell down, clutching his hands.

He was unable to stop the blade from sliding down the blade by twisting his hand.

It is a fatal mistake on the battlefield, and you cannot expect mercy considering the circumstances.

One by one, the soldiers guarding Rudolph also fell.

The last one left was, ironically, Rudolph, who the soldiers were able to save by continuing to jump in.

“… Whoosh, whoosh.”

“Is there a will?”

I asked Rudolph, who was holding in his chest and letting out shallow breaths.

Then he grabbed his wrist, and crouched down on his stomach, where he had received a shallow cut during the fight. Rudolph shouted as if bursting with emotion.

“I-!”

“… … .”

“You mean he couldn’t have become the emperor…? … .”

As long as he claimed to be universal, he could not treat anyone with respect. So it wasn’t talking to me.

My gaze was not on me, but on the sky, where clouds had already formed and the sun was obscured.

The obsession with fame and power can make people so full of will, but can it also make them so crazy?

When I heard the word power, the thought of a count suddenly passed through my mind. Although his position was lower than that of the emperor, the temptation did not seem to be much different.

Is this what happens to the words of someone who has been swallowed up by power?

If I’m not careful, will this happen to me too?

While I was standing there catching my breath, a servant tapped my shoulder and spoke to me.

Sir “, the enemies are heading here.”

“Yes. I have to do my job.”

“Ah, my God… … .”

I looked into Rudolph’s eyes one last time, as if he had no intention of listening to anyone else, and then swung my sword.

There was no twisting in the sword that was struck with great force. I didn’t feel like anything was being cut, but right after that I heard the sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

Now that I’ve checked the end, I’m done with my business.

“Now let’s go back.”

*****

Was there an attack from behind?

Rumors containing unusual details were spreading among the soldiers.

Heinrich, like Rudolph, might have thought of encircling from the rear. However, it won’t be that easy.

I thought it might be the commotion that occurred during the processing, but I still wanted to make sure.

The Count of Ravenna spoke to one of his servants who was resting for a moment due to a slight injury to his arm.

“Go find out what’s going on with our troops and come back.”

“Yes, sir!”

There was no need to wait long for the squire, who rode out behind him.

That’s why he heard something from a mercenary he met halfway and returned right away.

And as soon as he got off the horse, he fell down, placed his hands on the ground, and opened his mouth without even trying to hide his gasping breath.

“Your Excellency! Something urgent is coming.”

“What happened?”

“Your Majesty, your Majesty!”

From that reaction, the Count was somehow able to anticipate the next words.

“Slow down, calm down, and speak.”

“He was killed in action… … !”

I immediately realized what that meant. The Count let out a laugh and muttered.

“We lost.”

The rumor that the emperor was dead must have been circulated fifteen times since the battle began.

However, the way to distinguish between truth and lies is surprisingly simple: you just have to look at whether the soldiers closest to the emperor begin to desert.

If it were false, what other reason could there be for why those who would have been the first to shout before anyone else not to be agitated were the first to leave?

Sure enough, where the emperor’s residence once would have been, only a few collapsed tents and a few retreating soldiers remained.

The soldier who delivered the news hesitated before opening his mouth.

“… Shouldn’t we go back and make plans for the next time?”

The gist of the question was whether you should protect what you have.

Moreover, since the emperor who gave the order is already dead, there is no need to complete the given mission.

His subordinate said the following, but in fact, the Count had already intuitively realized that there was no such thing as a next.

War was a mysterious thing that was extremely fierce and yet so vain. No matter how powerful a force is, if its head, the central point, is captured, it will collapse.

Dealing with the nobles under his command to avoid antagonism, predicting the situation of the war, and making clever political moves.

These things can only be acquired through experience, not through innate talent.

And Heinrich, who has led the war so far, must have finally reached heaven with his abilities.

Whoever Rudolph’s successor becomes, will he be able to deal with the monster of power and manipulation who wields the power to create a pope with a single wave of his hand?

To be honest, the Count was skeptical.

It’s not just him, but other nobles are probably seriously thinking about how they can get a pardon by beating their heads.

Even if my life wasn’t a waste, shouldn’t I think about the home I would return to and the family members left behind there?

“No, we will carry out the orders given to us to the end.”

“Well, Your Excellency-”

Still, there was no other reason why the Count decided not to retreat.

“Because this is all we have left.”

“… I will follow you, my lord.”

Because I had no place to return to.

There was no family waiting for him in the estate, and the only person he could call a blood relative was swinging a sword to kill him on the battlefield.

Come to think of it, I heard a rumor that Raven has even decided on someone to marry.

I was really curious as to whether he had a place to return to.

*****

It has been three years since the war continued.

The emperor and nobles spread propaganda here and there encouraging them to participate in the war, and by this time, the young and energetic people began to have a subtle romance about war.

“His Majesty expects your loyalty and faithfulness! Go to the battlefield and beyond and bring victory!”

“May I ask you something?”

“Okay, feel free to ask!”

“Is there a good salary or a different position that I can look forward to?”

“Salary is low. If you don’t have talent, you will start out as an ordinary soldier, and safe return cannot be guaranteed. It is difficult to guarantee victory, and the enemies are powerful.”

“… A.”

“But when you win, you will be promised enormous wealth, glory, and honor!”

“That looks really cool. I will do it right away!”

Language can have the power to move the mind as it is woven together.

The title of war hero, which is a combination of the two most wonderful words, was too sweet to ignore, saying that life was a waste.

As the battle continued, the superiors disappeared day after day, so naturally new soldiers filled the void.

In times of peace, there was nothing he could do other than wait patiently, but now, if he showed outstanding performance, it would not be out of the question to be promoted to a higher position.

Even if this was the case for ordinary soldiers, knights also increasingly caught the eye of nobles and were given land after pledging loyalty.

Whether the intention was to fill the position of his predecessor or to gather battle-hardened talent, it was undeniable that the current era was the perfect time to aim for success.

The gate of ascension, the road to success, and brilliant glory!

This slogan was a phrase that worked regardless of time and place.

And in real time, the illusions they probably had were being shattered.

“Retreat, retreat now!”

“General, what should I do when there is no road?”

“If you swim across… … .”

“The current is too strong. If we cross like this, the placenta will drown!”

There were not many people who could keep that romance even on the battlefield, where things were as they wanted when they came, but when they went, they were not as they wanted.

And the military falls apart when it loses hope and enthusiasm.

Conrad was well aware of this fact, and while he had at first proudly wielded his authority as the heir to the empire, he was now persuasive, bordering on pleading.

“I’ve told you this many times, but it’s not possible.”

“Our army must pass through here! It’ll only take a moment, so can you please get out of the way?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty. I can’t get out of your way.”

“Aaaaa!!”

The village chief was adamant. Although he didn’t have a weapon in his hand as he had the prince in front of him, judging by his physique, it seemed like he could handle the man, Sernut, alone.

He deserved it too. Isn’t he the representative of the serfs who, if they make a mistake, throw away the opponent without hesitation even if he is a bishop, and even insult the military? There was no way he was an ordinary person.

Thanks to this, the color spectrum of Conrad’s face was slowly shifting to red.

Defeat was at hand.

And at this point, Lisia started to worry too.

‘I don’t think I’ll get caught.’

I was worried about whether it would be okay to just use magic openly.

I had doubts about whether Heinrich would be able to escape safely through the siege, and I thought that he might actually die here.

And the death of the head means defeat.

The battlefield was so chaotic that few people paid attention to the wounded. Even if I tried a more drastic treatment, no one noticed.

They only saved their lives as much as possible, but they couldn’t use them as combatants right away, so the odds of victory were going downhill.

So, if you give up healing now and start using attack magic.

Then, wouldn’t it be possible to open a way for the emperor, even if only for a moment?

And just as I was about to end my worries.

Lisia saw the corner of the battlefield she had been glancing at earlier, and her eyes widened.

Soon after, someone shouted out as if to confirm it.

“The fake emperor is dead! The real Rudolph is dead!”

If the emperor died.

That widens the range of choices.

Lisia closed her eyes and counted to three for a moment.

When she opened her eyes, the girl had arrived near Rudolph’s barracks, which had been seen as a dot earlier.