Ch.127Chapter 127. Preparing for the Final Battle (2)

# Far from the Lowellina Walls

In the outskirts, far from the Lowellina walls.

The rocky area was completely devastated.

In the middle of the scene, where shattered rock fragments lay scattered, Lucy was breathing heavily.

“AAAAARGH!”

CRASH!

After destroying the last remaining rocky hill, black energy—’Resentment’—began to seep from the warrior’s body.

She had lost Lin right before her eyes.

To Ravin,

To the Imperial Army,

She had lost the man who should have been hers, while watching helplessly.

This fact was driving Lucy insane.

For Lucy, who distrusted humans, Lin was her only dependable companion. Without him, and without Ravin who could somewhat control her, the warrior couldn’t maintain her sanity, not only at night but even during the day.

Unable to sleep, Lucy left the Lowellina walls and recklessly wielded the Abyss to vent her empty heart and boiling anger.

So that when the time came, she could cut down everything standing between her and Lin.

To reach the end of the red thread tied to her little finger, she swung her sword even as she sank into the depths of her maddening emotions.

[That’s not enough.]

The Abyss urged Lucy on with a tone different from usual.

[Strike more sharply, deliver heavier attacks. If you want to eliminate the demon warriors and kill Rainford, you need to be different from before.]

‘They’re strong. I can’t do it alone. As Lin always emphasized…’

[As Lin always emphasized, you need to work with companions? Lucy, I haven’t even lent you half of my power yet. Have you ever called out my true name? Have you ever used that ultimate strike you used to perform by constantly calling out my successor’s name during your journey before being betrayed? Have you ever used it even once since you took hold of me?]

True name: Hunoni.

The name of the holy sword bestowed upon the warrior Lucy.

Holy swords, weapons capable of inflicting proper damage to demons, could only unleash their latent divine power when opened with their true names.

However, contrary to its own words, the Abyss had been uncooperative, preventing Lucy from calling out its true name.

And now it was blaming the warrior.

[Sharpen your mind, hone your desire.]

The playful tone that had enjoyed tasting others’ regrets was now quiet and subdued.

[Let’s show this world that took the man who should be yours just how terrifying we can be.]

If Lin had been by her side, a sane Lucy would have noticed that the Abyss had another scheme.

But now, the warrior was crumbling after losing the person she loved.

[The time for regret is over. This time, the one who gets him wins.]

At the Abyss’s whisper, Lucy posed a question.

‘What if I can’t have Lin? What if Lin… rejects me and goes to another woman? What if Lin disappears from this world before I can save him? What should I do then…?’

The Abyss’s answer was simple.

It breathed a clear and straightforward answer into Lucy.

[If that happens… then make sure no one receives salvation.]

—

The Kaulan Islands.

Arsil, along with the Elven Council of Elders, announced her return to the imperial palace of the islands—a place she had thought she would never visit.

When a greatly surprised guard hurriedly reported this fact, Rainford, who had been holding Ganal’s hand and teasing her under the guise of courtship, rushed out to greet the Saint.

“Unexpected.”

“What is?”

“I never thought you would return so honestly.”

Naturally, the shield knight was suspicious of Arsil.

At this timing, when they were facing a confrontation with Lowellina and the warrior party, why would she deliberately bring the Elven Council of Elders?

And the Saint, no less?

It was obviously Airan’s scheme.

“I’ve brought a gift, and this is how you treat me?”

“You mean the Elven Council? Airan can’t touch the council anyway because of diplomatic issues. Whether the Duke gave them to you or you brought them yourself, Airan simply turned a blind eye.”

Arsil clicked her tongue.

If it had been her, she would have welcomed them with open arms.

Acknowledging that Rainford was a cunning person, Arsil played her next move.

“You took everything from me. The most precious things.”

Rainford lifted his chin as if to say, go on.

Arsil continued, suppressing the urge to slap him right then and there.

“I heard the Sewage Alley has already been destroyed? By your and Rina’s hands.”

“That’s quite unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate…! You bastard!”

Arsil couldn’t hold back and grabbed Rainford by the collar.

Despite his much taller height, the shield knight’s feet lifted off the ground.

“You made me betray Lucy by holding the alley hostage! And then you deceived me with that ridiculous charade about a place that was already destroyed! Those ten carriages!”

With a face flushed red, Arsil shouted with resentment.

“Do you know why I’m letting you live when you made me commit sins without saving anyone?”

“Hmm? I’m not sure.”

Arsil sensed it.

This guy knows.

He’s smiling because he already knows everything.

Even though he already knows, he’s trying to make her say it herself.

He was inducing his enemy to reveal what they desperately wanted.

It was truly a perverse taste.

Arsil reluctantly decided to play along with this perversion.

“Where is the porter… Lin? He’s doing well, right?”

“Ah, so that’s it.”

Rainford calmly pressed both of Arsil’s elbows.

With just that, the Saint lowered him without any resistance.

She was clearly trying to resist by applying force, but was helplessly overpowered.

“I’ve heard plenty about your special relationship with Lin through Rinasien.”

After tidying his disheveled clothes, the shield knight neatly brushed his bangs back.

“The Saint’s passionate love… like something from a fairy tale. As you know, in actual history, the Saints, especially the Saint from the 2nd Warrior’s era, betrayed along with the magician and enjoyed the honor of being punished directly by the Goddess, didn’t she?”

“Stop beating around the bush. Tell me right now that Lin is safe and show me that he really is!”

“My, you’ve really grown, Arsil! Asking to see for yourself? If you had verified the Sewage Alley like that earlier, things wouldn’t have come to this.”

But Rainford coldly shook his head.

“That won’t do. You still need to cooperate with me without knowing the truth.”

“You think I would?”

“You will. Because you are a Saint with much affection.”

A servant arrived with wine and glasses.

The shield knight personally took the tray, dismissed the servant, then inserted a corkscrew into the wine cork and twisted it.

“I sincerely apologize for deceiving you. I had the justification that it was to realize justice and balance the world, but I think it would have been better if I had shouldered it alone.”

“Why don’t you do that from now on?”

“For now, I’m still not capable enough alone.”

He poured wine into one glass.

“Nothing has changed, Arsil. You still have two weaknesses that I can exploit.”

“Two?”

“What about those children left in the Holy Country? They have no parents, and after this cold winter passes, even the provisions they’ve stored will run out. As the last Saint of the Holy Country, don’t you plan to take care of them?”

How did he know?

It was chilling.

She had deliberately only mentioned Lin, but Rainford had pulled out another of Arsil’s vulnerabilities.

“If you help me this time, I will establish an academy on Holy Country land and spare no support for the children every year.”

“How can I believe that?”

“Do you have any other options?”

“I could request help from the Commander-in-Chief.”

“You ‘could’ request, I see. Although Lowellina’s production is good, most of it is consumed as rations for the demon army front. I doubt they can provide support.”

Rainford mocked Arsil’s plan and poured wine into another glass.

“And the porter is in my hands. Arsil, wasn’t what you originally wanted to establish an academy in the Sewage Alley and live happily with Lin? It’s so obvious and pure that I could easily guess it.”

“Stop playing games. I’m sick of your lies. I could rip your throat out right now.”

“Then I would massacre all the orphans in the Holy Country and execute that lowly porter without even needing a public trial.”

Arsil flinched and stepped back at Rainford’s suddenly ferocious demeanor.

It was a face she had never seen before.

His expression, distorted with killing intent and malice, looked hideous despite his handsome features.

“Choose whether you will lose everything, or bet on the slim possibility of saving your precious people!”

Arsil clearly realized.

That she had misjudged this person.

That the kind and gentle handsome appearance was all an act.

“I had no idea you were such garbage, Rainford!”

But the shield knight leisurely grinned and picked up a glass of wine.

“How sad. All of you judge me as you please, see me as you want to see me, and then why do you criticize me so harshly just because I’m different from what you thought? Haven’t you already made the same mistake with the porter? You, Tigria, Naidrian, and Luciana.”

“……”

At the end of his vile sophistry came a dagger pointing out her own mistake.

Arsil remained silent with her head bowed.

Finally, with moisture in her voice, she asked one last question.

“…If I cooperate, you’ll definitely spare Lin’s life?”

Rainford silently extended the glass to her.