episode_0054

Diascotta’s screams echoed everywhere. The knights around him rushed toward Diascotta, but Leos ran quickly and thrust his sword to his neck.

Diascotta urgently stopped the knights around him.

“Don’t come! Don’t fucking come!”

At one word of command, more than 2,000 knights all stopped. Leos laughed out loud when he saw that scene. I thought that the fate of so many people could be determined by the words of just one person.

“He is neither strong nor intelligent, nor is there anything special about him. Why on earth does a guy like you take the position of Duke of the Peren Empire and reign over so many people?”

“…”

Diascotta, who had shown a warlike attitude until now, completely surrendered to Leos. The man’s lips trembled, and his arms and legs began to shake frantically. Like a child about to be scolded, Duke D’Ascota just ran around and looked for a way to survive.

“Sa…Can’t you save me?”

The man’s attitude became more humble, and Leo asked the question again.

“I asked why a guy like you can lead so many people.”

“Ta…isn’t it because you were born with it…? God blessed me as the son of a duke, and since I was born there, I also followed my father and became a duke. Because I have a title, many people follow me.”

“In other words, you were lucky enough to be born into a good family, and you were enjoying that luxury despite your limited abilities?”

“…yeah…right. What you said is correct.”

An incompetent emperor, a corrupt judge, and even a selfish duke. Every part of the Peren Empire was filled with cancer, and Leos began to feel miserable about this reality.

Leos, who once truly lived for the Peren Empire. They attacked the Red Gate, destroyed all the regular gates, were loyal to the empire, and lived for the people of the empire, but in the end, the impact was like throwing a boulder into a large river.

No matter how many stones you throw at the river, it only shakes for a moment and then returns to its original state. By the same logic, the empire that Leos wanted to protect had already rotted so badly that recovery was impossible.

Once again, the reason for the empire’s attack became clearer.

“I’ll give you a chance now. Except for the knight commander and his members who tried to kill Bendict just now, let the rest find their own way to survive. If you refuse my offer, I will kill you all here.”

“…”

When the sword was pointed at Duke D’Ascota, the man shouted urgently.

“Everyone… everyone follow Leos’ words! Those who want to get out of here should get out right away!”

Leos thought Diascotta was truly foolish. Knights are the only shield and sword that will protect you. But right now, he thinks his head is about to fall off, so he actively helps his only means of survival by biting off his head.

‘I would be grateful if they did this to me as well.’

I didn’t bite because I wanted to forgive all the knights. However, because they rushed to save Bendict, they were not properly prepared, and the terrain, tactical supplies, and even troops were completely dispersed. Fighting with nearly thousands of knights in this situation was foolish.

But nonetheless, Leos decided to leave behind those he could not forgive. One is the knight commander who tried to kill Bendict. The two were the guys next to him swinging their swords at Bendict.

“…I told you to get out of here right away! Didn’t you hear me?”

The knights paid attention and did not leave. Because of loyalty to Duke D’Ascota? No, that wasn’t it. However, one knight’s cry represented the reason why they could not leave.

“Well…then what will happen to the salary you will give us?”

“What a fucking bastard…is salary important in this situation?”

“Gee…the wife and children are starving at home! If I wasn’t going to get money and food, why would I risk my life after you?”

Leos grabbed Duke D’Ascota by the back of his neck and walked towards the knight who had shouted bravely just now. Naturally, there was no one to stop them.

“…”

As the knight froze and remained silent, Leos stood right in front of him and asked a question.

“Do you have a family?”

“Yes…”

“I will be truly sad to hear the news of your death.”

“Please save me.”

“Then why didn’t you just run away? I truly intended to save you if you escaped.”

“…If they don’t receive money and food anyway…the families in hiding will starve to death. Even if I die, I have to provide food for my family. If you can’t do that, even if you live, you haven’t lived.”

“…”

Leos thought for a moment, then cut off Duke Diascota’s ear with his sword. The duke screamed in pain, and Leos asked a question while holding the duke’s head.

“Blow location of food warehouse.”

“It’s not difficult to say, but it’s a place you can’t go in without my fingerprints…so you have to go there with me…”

“Which finger’s fingerprint is it?”

Of course, Duke D’Ascota didn’t want to speak, but as Leos’ sword was pushed closer and closer to his throat, he finally opened his mouth.

“Uh…thumb…”

Leos cut off one of Duke D’Ascota’s fingers and threw it at the knight. And I asked the question again.

“State the location. If you hesitate or feel like you’re telling a lie, I’ll just kill you right away.”

“Gu… There’s a shabby house 1km north of the palace… It’s not hard to find, as there’s only one building around the river. If you look at the basement there, you can see that they stored food and money…”

“Go and share it among yourselves.”

“…”

The knight asked back with a blank expression.

“We followed Duke Diascota, why are you showing us this mercy? It was all the food and resources you could have…”

“You followed Duke Diascota, but you have not yet attacked me and my colleagues. So give it a chance.”

“…”

The driver lowered his head for a moment and spoke quietly.

“Lencatio…that’s my name. I am serving as a backup knight commander in case Commander Debigail dies. If anything happens in the future, I will help you.”

“I don’t trust anyone. So stop talking nonsense and get out of here.”

“May your life be filled with blessings. And…I will leave those who attacked you here.”

As Lencatio said that, he walked toward the back of the palace with nearly 2,000 knights. There is a Red Gate nearby, so everyone could be wiped out, but from there, it’s up to them to take care of it.

Leos spoke while looking at the remaining 10 knights and Debigail.

“No one wants to protect you.”

Debigail responded with a sorrowful expression.

“You bastards. To abandon your superior and leave.”

“It seems like you listened to Lencatio well, rather than abandoning your superiors. Isn’t it just because you’re such a piece of shit? What is your justification? What are you fighting for under Duke Diascota? Do you have a family?”

“…”

“You’re just fighting for your greed.”

“What is wrong with that? Everyone wants to move up and have more resources and supplies. If you judge it as bad to have an upward mindset, it is no different than insulting the human desire for development.”

“Do not package it arbitrarily. Because the disgusting behavior of acting like an asshole and consoling yourself is what I hate the most.”

Leos swung his chain sword strongly at the knights next to him.

-Whoop!

The chain sword flew at an incredible speed, and after repeated throwing and retrieval, it cut off the heads of nine people and returned to its original state. The only ones left are Duke D’Ascota and Debigue.

Debigail smiled and asked a question.

“Among those you killed, there must have been some like Lencatio who came here for their family?”

“The only people I take into account are those who haven’t done anything to me.”

Leos added with a distorted expression.

“If you want to kill someone else, you have to risk your own death, no matter the circumstances. Isn’t that natural?”

Debigail is unable to say anything.

Leos looked at the man for a moment and then threw away Duke Diascota who was next to him.

“Kill.”

“…?”

“If you kill this guy with your own hands, I will spare your life.”

Duke D’Ascota started shouting like crazy.

“Ha…don’t do that, calm down, Debigail! Debigail! I am a peacock! He is the Duke of the Peren Empire!”

Debigail slowly drew his sword and started walking without saying a word.

“Title is only meaningful if there are people who follow you.”

Soon, Debigail swung his sword strongly.

Duke Diascota fell to the ground in an instant. The moment his breathing completely stopped, Debigail smiled and spoke.

“Are you letting me go now?”

Excited expression. Leos’ chain sword plunges straight into the man who appears to be genuinely happy.

“Ker…Kahah…”

Debigail asked back, holding the chain sword that pierced his abdomen in his hand.

“Why…?”

Leos responded with an emotionless expression.

“I hate trash who abandons their colleagues the most.”