episode_0260

Meanwhile, Hugo was holding his head as he tried to sort out the immediate situation.

The death of many knights and the disappearance of the empress.

And the whereabouts of my nephew who disappeared leaving behind only one leg.

‘You have to leave him aside and withdraw your army in the middle of the expedition.’

“Thank you for listening to my ridiculous request.”

Hugo bowed his head to the woman in front of him.

Margaret Versailles. A general who was active on the front lines even before Hugo returned to the empire. As she sweeps her gray-colored hair, her pointy ears are visible.

“What.”

Margaret chuckled and put a cigar in her mouth.

“I just thought that there was a reason why Hugo Prien insisted on an unconditional retreat.”

Hugo’s camp wasn’t the only one on the prairie. Thousands of troops were spread out widely, and each group had a person in charge, so persuading them all to retreat was nearly impossible without the emperor’s edict.

However, thanks to Margaret’s help, Hugo’s argument gained strength.

Margaret, who had served as the core of the imperial army for almost a hundred years, and Hugo, who had been the best swordsman of the empire and a role model for knights for twenty years, were able to push for a withdrawal during the expedition.

“But, you have to take responsibility for it.”

Margaret stared at Hugo, exhaling thick smoke. She adds weight to Hugo’s argument, but isn’t it a problem?

Prien, a member of the Empire’s First Sword Family, did not follow up on the disappearance of the Empress.

It was a major incident that could have been seen as treason if done incorrectly.

“If the Empress does not return, the relationship between His Majesty the Emperor and the Margrave will be strained, your Prien will also become a traitor, and His Majesty will be scandalized for neglecting the royal family’s care… Also. What was there?”

“…If it were Franz, he would be held accountable by cutting off the heads of the knights who were standing guard. And, the demonic beasts will be unleashed on the continent without even being thinned out.”

“…Yes, the former emperor, who is currently retreating to the back room, would have done so.”

Fuhaha. Even though it was not a light situation, Margaret burst into cheerful laughter.

As a vassal, it was a very disloyal and dishonorable act to disparage the emperor’s father, but Margaret was an old woman who had protected the empire since the emperor’s grandfather was a baby.

So, I wanted to say these words.

“But what if the empress dies?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“No, since I ordered a withdrawal, you and I are in the same boat. We have to prepare for the worst.”

“…”

“In addition, didn’t you say that your nephew was also taken away? Siron Prien, the story is all over Rien about that scrawny little boy growing up and receiving the emperor’s favor.”

Margaret took a deep breath of cigar smoke and muttered, forming a long tail.

“Your daughter also promised to get married. And now I’m rolling on the front line.”

“I want to stop talking. I was thankful for today’s work.”

Hugo stood up with an uncomfortable look on his face.

“Hugo Prien. I don’t know because you have outstanding abilities, but things rarely go your way in this world.”

Margaret spoke casually to Hugo, who was leaving the tent.

“If you make a mistake, the empire may be divided. This is advice I give as a senior who has lived life first.”

“Keep in mind.”

When Hugo came out of the tent, acrid smoke came out with him. Outside, Glenn was standing like a doll, holding a sword.

They said it was a mountain beyond the mountain, and after dealing with Margaret, there was Glenn. Hugo sighed deeply and approached Glenn.

“Glen, how many times have you told me that you should be the strength of the children? Why are you here?”

“I am more worried about my brother than my children.”

“Wow, I still hear that sound…!”

Hugo clicked his tongue and turned his back on Glenn. Unlike when dealing with other people, Hugo’s voice naturally rose when facing Glenn.

Walking in a long procession. Hugo headed to the carriage where the luggage had been packed in advance. Glenn followed closely behind him.

“Glen.”

Hugo stood tall and looked back. The wind from the meadow blew and swept the hair that remained.

“I am now over 50 years old. It’s not strange to hear that I’m a grandfather.”

The Hugo that Glenn faced seemed the weakest of all the older brothers he had known.

“I’m at an age where I have no time left even if I die soon. But is it really okay to consider myself more important than my children?”

Hugo also knew why Glenn was like this.

Glenn hasn’t said it out loud yet, but he’s probably doing this because he saw a ‘certain’ future.

‘It will most likely be my death.’

If the future is one where Glenn dies, Glenn will retreat to a remote area to avoid causing trouble, and if the future is one where the children die, he will rush to the battlefield right away.

That was Glenn.

Hugo didn’t like Glenn, but he recognized his noble spirit.

Because of this, Hugo could not be harsh with Glenn like he did when he was younger.

But Glenn had no intention of backing down even if Hugo used violence.

“In that case, you had better not get on the carriage now.”

This apostle is someone who can manifest his power no matter how far away he is. Now that future predictions are not functioning properly…

‘I want to at least choose where I die.’

“Do whatever you want.”

Hugo let the carriage wait for him leave. And then he sat down on the box that was thrown away like trash.

Hugo’s strong resolve was not something that could be prevented.

In that case, I will wait here with my younger brother for the children to arrive.

*

For just a split second, I closed my eyelids to blink, and the air around me changed.

Siriel slowly opened her closed eyes.

‘Where?’

Sticky, humid, dirty air.

“The cave… is not.”

It was hard to see because the surroundings were dark, but Siriel guessed that this was not a cave, but a more dangerous place.

The magical energy that made my nasal passages tingle made the hairs on my entire body stand up. Siriel hurriedly launched a sphere of light into the air.

Wow-

The space with bright light illuminating the darkness did not look like a cave at all.

Above, below, on the wall.

It was carefully finished with purple tiles, reminding me of a labyrinth like something out of a story.

“Where is Seira? Lucia…”

Sigh!

The sword pulled out with incredible speed cut something apart. It was a spider-like magical beast that rushed at me from a range where light could not reach.

Kwasik!

Siriel nervously stepped on the corpses scattered on the floor.

Kwasik! Kwasik! Kwasik!

“Again, again! Again!!!”

The body becomes thin as paper,

Eventually, the floor, which could not withstand the rolling feet, cracked,

It was crushed, splinters flying nervously.

Also, it became impossible to participate in a full-scale battle.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

Although she could not contact Seira and Lucia where they were, Siriel naturally assumed that they were dealing with the apostle.

Bullying.

Even the apostle banished Siriel to the back of the story.

When I think of that, a fire ignites in my chest and the blood in my head boils.

But what’s more upsetting than that is, wow! They are demonic beasts that imperceptibly urge their orders.

She needed to find her brother as quickly as possible, but the fact that she had to spend time getting out of here made Siriel even more angry.

“…?”

As I thought that, a familiar scent suddenly passed through my nose.

It’s not a stinging Maggi, nor is it a damp, disgusting musty smell…

A warm and strangely tickling scent.

“…Oppa?”

Siriel’s eyes widened at the smell that could never come from this place.

One might think that the confusion was caused by a depressed mind thinking about her brother, but Siriel was convinced that the source of the smell coming on the breeze was Siron.

Siriel ran through the labyrinth, holding her pounding heart.

*

For several days now, the sun has not set or risen in the labyrinth, so it is impossible to tell how many days have passed.

dump-

That’s why Louise opened her eyes not to a blinding light, but to an annoying sound. Around her, the corpses of defeated demon beasts were emitting poisonous magical energy, and it seemed that Siron had killed them while she was asleep.

As if her guess was correct, a one-legged young man stood in front of her.

Louise chuckled.

As time passed, her perception of the man was changing.

At first, I was an asshole like no other in the world, but when I came to the labyrinth, I became a mean person who intentionally causes trouble.

And now Louise felt that Siron was a pretty good person.

When she woke up, he pushed her back harshly to get rid of the demonic beasts, but when Louise was unable to move and fell, he stayed by her side without even sighing.

This is ridiculous.

It seems like several days have already passed since she entered the labyrinth, and while Louise closed her eyes a dozen times, she never saw Siron sleeping.

“Why don’t you say something when you wake up?”

Siron said without looking back. After shaking off his butt and getting up, he took off the coat that Louise was covering as usual.

“Are you not sleeping?”

Louise shook her buttocks with a slight sense of regret.

“Ugh! Where did I get sour?”

Siron made a fuss and took a step back.

A musty smell pierced Louise’s body, as she had been covered in filth without washing for several days.

“Oh, you smell too!!”

Louise cried at that unhesitating expression. I felt sorry, thankful, and affectionate, and a fit of anger exploded in my heart.

“And a little! People are worried, but if they respond a little more, will it go away?! Are you doing this on purpose? You’re not being harsh on purpose!! Oh!!”

“Don’t shout, you’ll spit and smell like spit. And prepare for battle. Because I think we should start right away.”

“What on earth are you talking about!! I definitely brushed my teeth yesterday…”

“Shh!”

“…”

“Prepare for battle.”

Siron turned his back with a straight face.

Louise swallowed her saliva as she looked at the cold sweat on the man’s neck.

Siron’s stiff reaction was a first for Louise, to the point where she wondered if she had ever been this nervous.

“…”

Siron, who had drawn the holy sword, held his breath and watched the huge figure coming from in front.

And the moment,

The darkness filled with death flashed.

“Damage!”

“…!”

Shiron hugged Louise and fell down. Louise could clearly see the terrifying gunfire passing behind her.

“Hiik!”

The feeling that he could have really died shook Louise’s heart.

Warmth spreading from the lower abdomen.

Normally, I would have just sighed in relief that I was over the edge of death, but my body had reached its limit and was out of my head’s control.

“…Wake up!”

Siron shouted at Louise, whose legs were weak, and she also tried to get up.

The moment I felt the next flash of light and touched my knees.

Tilt-

Siron’s body lost its balance. The prosthetic leg that was supposed to be under his knee was charred and crumbling.

[Hero!!]

“I know!”

Siron took out the shield of Chesed from his bosom. Magic equipment that nullifies long-distance attacks at the cost of the user’s mana.

Siron held out his shield towards the shooting light.

Quaaaang!

Even though it has been neutralized, a tremendous impact is felt at the fingertips. But a more threatening sensation than that was the sensation of the Danjeon’s mana disappearing in clumps.

He had been steadily working on increasing his mana capacity to use Hesed’s shield, but the power of the black pillar pouring down on him was that much of a threat.

‘It’s not best to block.’

We need to get out of here quickly. Siron grabbed Louise’s collar with the other hand that was holding the shield.

In the meantime, mana is being depleted by the minute. That’s why you have to quickly jump to the side or back…

Ga-ga-ga-ga-gak!

At that moment, sparks flew around where Siron was standing.

Crrr!

The ground I was sitting on sank with a dull sound. But Siron’s ears caught a faint voice inside.

“I was just wondering.”

What came out of the cloudy dust was a familiar voice. As soon as Siron heard the identity of the voice, he felt his entire body lose strength.

“Okay, I’m glad.”

A tearful Siriel snuggled into Siron’s arms.

“Seup….”

A dense smell, as if something had been compressed several times more than usual. The smell of sweat wafting through the air is dizzying.

“Ha.”

Siriel exhaled with an ecstatic expression. It must have been dirty because it hadn’t been washed for several days, but Siriel sucked the air even deeper into her lungs, as if enjoying the scent…

For a moment, confusion appeared on Siriel’s face as she looked up.

“Oh, brother?”

Siriel’s voice was the same. Her eyes were trembling violently, as if she was facing something that could never happen.

“Did you pee?”