Ch.212Night God (3)

[Knight Slayer]

[“The most efficient way to kill a knight.”

-Imperial Army NCO Academy, evaluation of Imperial Martial Arts.]

[Grants advantage when grappling enemies. Also causes critical hits when attacking restrained enemies. Partially ignores the enemy’s damage reduction and defense.]

Before setting out, Llewellyn chose a skill he hadn’t selected before.

It was martial arts. One of the martial arts skills, good for facing armored opponents.

Imperial Martial Arts, Knight Slayer.

A skill that could only be chosen after learning what could be called the “Imperial fighting style.”

As soon as Llewellyn selected the new skill, he absorbed the knowledge that flooded his mind.

Though when he first encountered this method, he couldn’t understand how it worked.

Now he did.

‘As expected, the status window is related to divinity.’

He had already verified that Lucilla couldn’t see the status window, and that she simply didn’t have one.

If the status window was exclusive to those with divinity, it made sense why his sister didn’t possess one.

The remaining concern was where this divinity originated from, and why it was helping Llewellyn.

Even while considering that someone might take it away someday, Llewellyn thought he should use what he had.

So he didn’t resist the divinity flowing through his body but accepted it.

After the divinity subtly changed his body and knowledge was engraved in his mind.

There were gazes fixed on him.

“Sejin.”

Displeasure clung to the heated voice.

“Did I hear you wrong?”

“No, you heard correctly. I’m planning to walk into the trap.”

The giant cleared his throat behind him, but Llewellyn paid no attention.

What mattered wasn’t the Sword Saint but his sister. Lucilla slightly furrowed her brow, though it looked cute rather than threatening.

Perhaps that was intentional.

“Why?”

“I don’t know who set the trap, but they know about me and the God of Dreams. If I don’t take the bait, who knows what they’ll do next.”

“There’s no guarantee they won’t do something anyway even if you do take the bait. Maybe…”

“That’s why I need to spring the trap once and destroy it completely.”

When he announced his intention to walk into the trap, Eshatherna was present.

The elf who, though she cherished Llewellyn and called him “little lord,” was fundamentally on Lucilla’s side.

She immediately reported to his sister, and people gathered as if they had been waiting.

“Then let’s go together.”

Isla said, and Lucilla gave her a betrayed look, but.

“That makes sense. I agree.”

Isla was someone with firm convictions. Lucilla floundered and turned to Lorian.

“I’ll go too. My power… I can only use it for you. As a knight, protecting my lord is only natural.”

From Llewellyn’s perspective, Lorian, whose “bleeding season” was ending, looked relatively normal.

Perhaps because it was already ending when Llewellyn arrived. Lorian smiled his usual solid smile.

“Melody…”

“Sister, I’m sorry, but… I think Llewellyn is right.”

She didn’t agree earlier though. Llewellyn swallowed the words that rose to his throat.

When someone like Melody agreed, the tide turned significantly.

“I also think the little lord is right. If you don’t kill when you can, you’ll get badly hurt later.”

Even Eshatherna with her smiling face. Lucilla was completely defeated.

Lucilla spoke with a gloomy expression.

“Fine, fine… As your sister, I can’t allow you to go to such a dangerous place, but at least if I go as your protector…”

“Ah, about that. I don’t think I can take you with me.”

Lucilla stiffened with a start, and Llewellyn smiled awkwardly, apologetically.

“Someone needs to guard the Pantheon.”

Lucilla’s expression crumbled as if her world had collapsed, but she didn’t object further.

[Play Time: 10,228 hours]

Four hours had passed.

There was no need to rush or over-prepare for the expedition.

People and a destination were enough. Llewellyn led the way.

Only Eshatherna and Lucilla remained behind.

He thought it better to leave the elusive assassin Eshatherna and the area-of-effect destroyer Lucilla to guard the Pantheon, which was missing many of its core forces.

Plus there was Valterok. All three were among the most mobile in the Pantheon, so Llewellyn could trust them with the task.

The trap reconnaissance team thus formed consisted of five people.

Llewellyn himself, the Sword Saint, Melody, Isla, and Lorian.

The nameless mourner wanted to come too, but it wasn’t good form to drag along someone with bad legs.

Above all, it wasn’t exactly a safe place.

‘The old man said he doesn’t have much time left anyway. Better for him to live as long as possible.’

Llewellyn cared for him. Though his remaining lifespan was reportedly short, if the day came when even that ran out.

He at least wanted him to close his eyes peacefully in bed.

‘That’s not to say I’m fine with everyone else coming with me dying.’

Perhaps the Sword Saint was the exception. Since he seemed difficult to kill even if someone deliberately tried, there was no worry there.

But not the others. Llewellyn realized their lives were practically in his hands, but he tried not to dwell on it as he walked.

“…I’m sorry.”

They still had a long way to go. Llewellyn walked steadily, thinking they would need to camp several times.

In the midst of this, the God of Dreams spoke from behind his waist.

“For what?”

“For involving you in… my affairs. I felt I should apologize.”

The God of Dreams muttered in a troubled voice.

Llewellyn couldn’t see the god strapped to his back, but he could imagine what expression he was making.

“No need to apologize. I was planning to go beyond there anyway.”

“…That’s a relief, but what exactly are you looking for beyond there?”

Even so, the God of Dreams was curious about Llewellyn’s intentions.

He couldn’t understand what this new divine being wanted or was trying to do.

He tried to figure it out, but they hadn’t spent much time together and hadn’t conversed much.

It was mostly one-sided information transfer. They asked and answered, but.

There was nothing beyond that. Neither had opened up completely in conversation.

“I’m just curious.”

Llewellyn’s answer remained incomprehensible. The God of Dreams rolled his eyes in confusion and tried to see Llewellyn, who was out of sight.

Not that he could see him that way.

“What’s beyond there, what might have emerged in this land long abandoned by the gods.”

“That’s dangerous curiosity. Whatever exists in a land forsaken even by gods would be close to a curse.”

“I’m curious about such curses too. With my body like this, and thanks to divinity, I’m unlikely to get hurt anyway. Shouldn’t I at least satisfy my sense of adventure?”

Words that partially concealed the truth. The God of Dreams keenly noticed this but didn’t ask, and Llewellyn had no intention of explaining.

He did enjoy adventure, but.

He also thought adventure was necessary.

Exploring uncharted territories, reaching scenic views untouched by human hands.

Furthermore, seeing what had newly grown in lands abandoned even by gods. Beyond that desire was intent.

Llewellyn was thinking of Grim Darker.

He believed there must be a reason why the setting was the New Continent rather than the Old Continent.

So he thought that adventuring in the New Continent would open a path for himself, a way to oppose his mother and all his enemies.

[Play Time: 10,229 hours]

Time passed. As they walked, land gradually consumed by magical corruption appeared.

Though still far from the Pantheon and manageable for now, the expansion rate seemed concerning.

His heart grew heavy at the thought that it might be the aftermath of Life and Death being killed, but Llewellyn forced himself to stay focused.

“Lu.”

“Let’s prepare to camp. It’s getting dark, and I want to see if that’s growing… or if anything comes out of it.”

“Okay. Pig.”

When Llewellyn turned around in surprise, Isla was tugging at the Sword Saint’s collar, not Llewellyn’s.

‘Ah, not me.’

Though calling a giant a pig seemed a bit much, it wasn’t his business, so Llewellyn ignored it.

“Um, er, are you talking to me?”

“Yes. You’re big. Help.”

“Uh, are we acquainted?”

“We’re going to rest.”

“Well, yes.”

“Then work.”

The Sword Saint thus found himself suddenly exploited by Isla, who could be his descendant, but Llewellyn knew he didn’t really mind.

That’s fine then. Llewellyn tuned it out, sat on a suitable tree stump, and watched them set up camp while also observing the magical corruption.

He tried to help a few times but was rejected with the cold remark that “staying still would be more helpful.”

And there was no real need for Llewellyn’s help anyway.

Isla was an excellent hunter, and setting up camp was routine for her.

With just a little assistance, the camp was established quickly.

So before Llewellyn could help, the campsite was already set up.

A campfire blazed with firewood the Sword Saint had gathered with his beloved sword, and the vermilion flames flickered in the approaching dusk.

Night was falling.

[Play Time: 10,231 hours]

“I’ll take over from here. Llewellyn, go in and rest.”

“No, I still need to check…”

“It’s unseemly for a knight to rest while his master stands guard.”

For two hours while Llewellyn kept watch, nothing happened.

The magical corruption didn’t expand, and nothing approached from it.

“Doesn’t look like anything’s coming, right?”

“…Yes, nothing has come.”

Since even the God of Dreams confirmed it, Llewellyn rose from his position with a sour expression.

Following Lorian’s suggestion to rest and prepare for tomorrow.

“Going to sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Here. I warmed it up for you.”

He entered Isla’s tent and sought sleep in her embrace.

There had been no anomalies, no changes.

All that remained was to ask in the morning whether the magical corruption had expanded or if Lorian had discovered anything.

Llewellyn fell asleep using Isla’s tail as a pillow, and.

[Play Time: 10,234 hours]

He woke up in the deep of night.

Llewellyn’s instinct was whispering to him. Something had come.

Llewellyn extricated himself from Isla’s embrace and shook her awake. Isla sprang up as if she hadn’t just been sleeping soundly with drool trickling down her chin, and pulled out her crossbow.

“What, what’s…”

“Shh.”

He woke the God of Dreams who had been set down neatly beside him, silenced his rambling, strapped him to his waist, and drew North Wind instead of Star Cluster in his left hand before stepping outside.

And Llewellyn faced the campsite where the campfire had been magically extinguished.

As well as the naked woman standing over the campsite.

Her long flowing hair was as dark as night yet shimmered with starlight, and her eyes were as blue as twilight descending on a deep night.

Llewellyn knew her name.

“…Goddess of Night.”

And the goddess, hearing her name called, smiled.