episode_0171

“For sure! Eclair and Mary Jane are a little different from other stores. Friendly clerks are basic, and the bread is always warm and freshly baked.”

“It is said that this event was also organized by the princess, and that they are planning to drastically lower the prices of Magma Chicken and Mary Jane Restaurant’s main menu items, hamburgers, so that common people can easily access them!”

“Um, is that…?”

The place they were led to was in front of the city gate.

A huge wall protecting the capital. In front of it, instead of the usual guards, were knights wearing black armor guarding it.

Citizens felt strange. A man among them ran away, speaking animatedly.

“Look over there! The driver is enjoying his meal too!”

As he said, the knight guarding the castle gate was also eating a hamburger.

“Oh! Come to think of it, I just said it was free, but you don’t know how much food there is?!”

As the second man mumbled and ran, the citizens who were watching also started running.

Soon, numerous tents appeared.

I don’t know when they were prepared, but there were endless tables and chairs. You can see people already sitting down and eating.

“Ah! Come this way, sir!”

The girls in apron dresses, led by a girl with beautiful blue hair, gestured one by one.

Mary Jane and Eclair’s clerks were mobilized for this day.

“So, customer?”

Citizens who were invited without paying a penny were embarrassed to hear that they were guests, but when the beautiful and nice staff beckoned, they followed with relaxed expressions.

“Wow!”

And one by one, they exhaled their admiration.

There were a lot of barracks outside the castle gate, and I wonder what they were doing there.

“Smells good.”

I could tell just by the smell of fragrant meat juice and savory butter.

Soon, dark clouds appeared that covered the capital’s sky, but those outside the castle could not tell.

*

“The barrier is stronger than I thought?”

Marian leisurely looked at the lightning clouds sprinkled by Claude. Unlike when she erased it, it expanded along the air currents of the capital and grew huge, eventually hitting the castle’s barrier.

“Shall we go too?”

Starting with Jin, Jane and the knights appeared.

They planned to gather soldiers to follow Claude and Diego, who were in the vanguard, and attack the imperial family from all directions.

Marian stood up and spoke to the knights.

“Let’s get started.”

The soldiers of the imperial palace noticed it too late and rushed in, but the battle line was one-sided.

Not only aurors but also attack magic classified as anti-magic was rampant.

They had no hesitation. Because I know that the evacuation of the people has been completed at the same time as the food supply.

Starting with the Duke of Arjein, the Marquis of Esselrod and the Marquis of Estral. In addition, the large army, which included not only nobles but also mercenaries, was an overwhelming result that felt like it was just to give them a justification for participating in this war.

The knights who took over the capital in an instant slowly pushed back as if tightening the imperial palace.

*

Marian’s eyes sparkled as she watched the front line.

‘What is this? It feels like it was edited in a hurry, doesn’t it?’

Her eyes could see a wide barrier starting from the main plaza that others could not see.

‘I don’t think there will be any problem with Claude and Diego.’

There’s no need to leave a trap that looks obviously dangerous.

“Dispel Masic.”

When Marian snapped her fingers, the turbid energy that had filled the square began to dissipate, as if being washed away.

“What, what!?”

Only then did the soldiers feel something was wrong. A dark red energy appeared as if screaming, surprising them.

“ㅡHow much of the offering was offered?”

Marian muttered, clenching her tongue. It was a trap that was worse than she expected.

‘Good thing I erased it.’

She didn’t know. That is what the emperor installed after several nights of sleep.

Also, the fact that additional sacrifices were made to change the barrier into an interception one.

Of course, that was just the emperor’s situation and she had no need to know.

*

“Lady! This is a big deal. Wizards who entered the castle cannot use mana!”

“ㅡWhat about the knights?”

“The leader, Sir Claude, Sir Diego, and Sir Jane who can use Aurors said there was no problem.”

No way. No matter how much you cut down the enemy, they rise like zombies. If things continue like this, the damage will increase.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Hwangseong.

‘That won’t work.’

It was a barrier so old that it was difficult to guess how much energy it had accumulated.

To the point where it would be impossible for me to lift it all at once.

‘Well, the Hwangseong Barrier can’t be that easy.’

I shook my head and looked around. The knights and soldiers were ready to destroy the imperial castle as soon as I spoke.

“The wizards maintain a barrier outside the castle, and the rest… .”

It was time for me to take a step forward.

“You don’t plan on going alone, do you?”

Cecilia stood next to me.

“I want to go too.”

“ㅡI will take care of the injured.”

Seria, who was standing opposite me, grabbed my left hand as if it was a given. Yuri looked around and moved towards the knights.

*

It was a very sunny day. As there is a coronation ceremony for His Majesty, it would be nice to be able to eat more delicious food today than usual.

Max, the imperial castle guard, was thinking something like that.

“Rebellion!! It’s a rebellion!!”

“Crazy rebellion?!”

“What did the capital’s security do!?”

Until I suddenly heard that shout.

“What on earth…!”

Max let out a gasping breath. I barely made it to the entrance of the imperial palace. Because he had no regard for loyalty to the emperor. I just ran away to a slightly safer location.

“What on earth are those?”

Not only the soldiers but also the knights who had gone through hardships with him. Except for a few people, they were not normal. With blurry eyes, he swings his sword calmly even though his arm is cut off. When both arms were cut off, it seemed ready to bite the enemy.

Even though I felt like the drivers were in a bit of a strange state today, it was a pleasant noon with a blue sky and clear white puffy clouds.

Toad, toad, toad.

Max returned to reality when he suddenly heard an eerie sound.

A foul smell like rotting eggs.

Tap, tap, tap!

A horrifying sound, like bones twisting and grinding, rang out over and over again.

Eventually, when the sound stopped, things that were hard to believe were people began to jump out of the palace.

“Krrr!”

“No way.”

It was hard to believe that they were humans as they grotesquely bent their bodies and exploded into mad laughter, but the guard uniforms and armor with the imperial symbol on them made it clear that they were once humans like him.

“Ugh! Monster, monster!”

They all turned their heads at the scream I made without realizing it.

“Grrr!”

I was convinced the moment our eyes met. They can never be said to be human.

Even though he didn’t have a sword, his claw-sharp claws were scarier than a knight holding a sword, and his red glowing eyes made me tremble just by making eye contact.

“Ugh!”

He took a step back and tripped on something.

“Now, Giles?!”

It was the body of a soldier who was his friend. You can see a head rolling right next to you. It looks like it wasn’t cut with a sword, but was grabbed and torn apart by something, like a sharp fingernail.

When the shadows fell and I looked up again, they were right in front of my nose. The sharp claws, like hooks, swung straight out.

He couldn’t even scream out of extreme fear and closed his eyes tightly.

“… … ?”

But nothing happened.

“You’re so bad.”

He opened his eyes wide. A beautiful voice that I never imagined would be heard in a place like this. Before my eyes, the cut-up monsters were writhing and burning in white flames.

“You have to burn them, this is worse than zombies.”

Marian shook her head and slowly walked over.

Silver hair fluttering in the wind, pure white growth.

“Saint…?”

The soldier, who was looking at the scene in bewilderment, was shocked to see Seria sticking her head out from behind her.

“Seria!?”

“Do you know someone?”

Marian tilted her head reflexively at that strong reaction.

“Umm…”

The soldier could not help but be surprised again.

The first time he saw Seria was a few days before she went missing.

With hair like ebony and eyes as deep as the night sky, you knew it was her the moment you saw her.

It wasn’t a long time, but the Seria he saw always had an expressionless expression.

However, she tilted her head cutely as if thinking about something, but eventually shook her head.

“Well…? He seems like an ordinary human?”

The soldier felt regretful, but smiled brightly at her bright expression.

“Isn’t there something wrong with this person? Why are you smiling all of a sudden?”

The soldier, who suddenly came to his senses after hearing Marian’s words, bowed his head.

“Thank you for saving me.”

It was a loud voice.

“Your voice is loud.”

Marian narrowed her eyebrows.

As an imperial palace soldier, it would not be strange for him to recognize Seria.

“Grrr.”

The monsters who heard the sound rushed towards us all at once.

“There it is again.”

Marian did not flinch in the slightest even in the face of dozens of monsters. I just waved my left hand lightly.

As pure white flames surrounded her, golden sword energy flew out from behind her.

Quang! Squeak!

Hehehe!

The sword energy that flew horizontally cut the monster into pieces and burned it at the same time. The broken fragments are engulfed in golden flames. Some fragments splashed at Marian, but they burned bright white before they could even get close.

“Cool?”

Cecilia, wearing black hair that matched Marianne’s, came this way.

She was amazed as she saw the monsters burnt to pure white without even leaving behind ashes.

Until now, I didn’t know much about Marian because she never had to fight in person, but now that I see it, it’s really true. It was such great workmanship that not even a trace could be felt.

“Marian, are you hurt?”

“Of course. There was no need to help in the first place.”

Cecilia took out a handkerchief and gently rubbed Marian’s cheek, which was free of any dust.

“It’s natural to help your lover.”

“ㅡHmm, yes.”

Seria, who got between the two people, said.

“What will happen to that person?”