Ch.315Chapter 315 – Palace Assault (4)

I’ve been separated from Kay.

Eve bit her lip slightly as she watched Kay, Chris, and Vanilla fall into the underground.

‘It’s not an unexpected situation, but…’

Still, Eve was anxious about Kay falling. In terms of combat ability, there was no need to worry, but she knew that if Kay recklessly used the dragon’s power, his life would be in danger.

Taking some comfort in the fact that Chris had fallen with him, Eve turned her head and said, “Let’s go. We need to focus on destroying the Soul-Absorbing Formation.”

“I thought you’d insist on finding him right away. Surprising. Are you okay?” Gigas asked while surveying their surroundings.

Eve nodded. “Ending the battle quickly and retreating will ultimately put the least burden on Kay.”

“Indeed. Excellent judgment,” Gigas nodded in approval.

His tone didn’t seem particularly sarcastic; it sounded like genuine praise.

Eve immediately looked at Sera, who nodded and used magic to display a map, just as Vanilla had done earlier.

“Since Vanilla isn’t here, I’ll guide you.”

“Thank you. I’ll take the lead now.”

“Then I’ll cover the rear.”

Their formation quickly reorganized, and they advanced toward the Soul-Absorbing Formation.

Along the way, demons that remained blocked their path, and each time, Sia cut them down with her elegant swordsmanship.

Eve also occasionally participated in combat as they continued to advance toward the formation.

And naturally, the group encountered demons at every turn.

“Damn it, they’ve already made it this far!”

“Calm down! The white dragon isn’t with them! We can take them!”

Without Kay, the demons began to attack boldly.

They seemed firmly convinced that without Kay, the group was nothing special.

“Hah.”

Sia was clearly dumbfounded by their attitude.

She immediately charged at the demons.

“Just one woman…!”

“Who do you think I am?”

With those words, Sia swung her sword at the enemies.

The demons began to collapse instantly, starting with the one who had shouted so boldly, as her sword moved at a terrifying speed.

“How is she so fa—!”

Every time a flash of light swept by, demons fell.

No demon there could withstand Sia’s swift sword (速劍).

“Well, I should reconsider being unknown!”

“Then in the usual—no, never mind.”

Gigas started to say something but quickly closed his mouth after noticing Sia’s expression.

As the two engaged in light conversation, the surviving demons saw what they thought was an opening and charged.

“There’s an opening! Kill that swordswoman first!”

Realizing they needed to eliminate Sia first to survive, they charged desperately.

However, Sia cut them down without even looking at them.

“If you want to ambush someone, you should approach quietly, you fools.”

The remaining demons collapsed to the ground.

Once the situation was clear, Gigas spoke up.

“I’ll take the lead this time.”

“Sia, please step back and rest for a moment.”

Eve wanted Sia to rest briefly to conserve her strength.

Gigas took Sia’s place at the front of the formation.

As they ventured deeper inside, demons began to attack desperately to block their path.

“There they are!”

“The white dragon isn’t here! Kill them quickly!”

Without Kay and Chris, the group’s feared members, the demons seemed to think their opponents would be easier to defeat, and they charged with fire in their eyes.

And then.

“Somehow, capture at least one of them! Take them hostage!”

“Capture the white dragon’s companions!”

They swarmed in even greater numbers, hoping to capture the seemingly weaker members to use as hostages against Kay.

Sia and Gigas took turns facing the deliberately attacking demons.

Even though Gigas was injured, they weren’t the type to be overwhelmed by such minor enemies, and most were dealt with by them.

However, even they weren’t omnipotent.

Some demons managed to break through, using their comrades as shields, and barely reached Eve and Sera.

“Got you!!”

A vampire who had luckily escaped Gigas’s fist lunged toward Eve and Sera with a gleeful expression.

Eve pushed Sera back, drew her sword, and blocked the vampire’s attack.

Her sword was pushed back slightly, perhaps due to the difference in strength.

“Surrender quietly, human!”

The vampire, thinking his comrades were keeping Sia and Gigas occupied, bared his fangs and said,

“I’ll use you to get that white dragon…!”

“So you plan to use me to threaten Kay.”

Eve’s face turned cold as she swung her sword, forcing the vampire to retreat. The vampire transformed into a blood mist and backed away slightly.

And the moment he reconstituted his body—

Eve’s sword grazed his eye.

“Urgh!”

“Don’t misunderstand.”

Eve narrowed her eyes and said,

“I came to help Kay, not to become a burden to him.”

“You…! I’ll capture you even if it’s out of spite!”

The vampire immediately lunged at Eve, but she moved before he could, continuously deflecting his attacks before they could properly form and repeatedly stabbing with her sword.

Finally, as the vampire retreated slightly in frustration, Eve raised her sword.

At the same time, a water flask flew toward her sword, sprinkling it with faintly golden water.

“It’s holy water made by Chris, Eve!”

“Thanks for the support, Sera.”

Eve immediately thrust her holy water-coated sword at the vampire.

Although the vampire moved to avoid the attack, Eve’s sword flew directly to where he moved, as if she knew where he would go.

The vampire’s body began to burn where Eve’s sword struck him.

And targeting her, three vampires rushed at her from behind.

“It won’t go as you wish.”

Sera, who had immediately noticed, rushed over and threw something from her pocket.

Golden powder scattered, interfering with the vampires’ vision.

“Damn it, is this holy power too? My eyes…!”

The vampires retreated slightly in pain.

And a dark shadow seeped over the vampires.

When one of them regained his senses and looked up, a stone golem had just smashed his head.

The other two vampires realized their legs were suddenly trapped in a floor that had turned into a swamp.

“Damn, magic? Who…?”

“You’ve lined them up nicely, Sera.”

“Please take care of the cleanup, Eve!”

Eve was already leaping down toward the vampires from the golem’s shoulder and arm.

The vampires, deprived of their leg mobility, watched as Eve suddenly jumped down, and their heads were severed by her holy water-coated sword.

After landing, Eve turned around to see Sera’s summoned golem pinning a minotaur that had broken through where Sia was, smashing it against the wall and delivering punches.

The minotaur, continuously pummeled, soon became mortally wounded, and Sera quietly aimed her staff at him.

“Magic Missile.”

A magic missile, larger and stronger than before—perhaps due to her training—flew toward the minotaur’s head.

Finally, the minotaur fell, headless, and Sia and Gigas approached the two who had dealt with their attackers.

“Wow, you fight well.”

“Sorry I let one slip through… But Gigas, too many got through on your side. Fight properly.”

“I’m injured, remember.”

Sia and Gigas apologized, perhaps feeling that Eve and Sera had been endangered by the enemies they had missed.

Soon, Sera and Eve smiled and spoke again.

“Enemies of this level aren’t much of a problem for us either.”

“And at this rate, we’re facing fewer demons than we expected. We should keep moving.”

“Yes, you should move quickly.”

At the sudden voice, Eve swung her sword without hesitation.

Though slower than Sia or Kay, it was still a remarkably fast strike.

And her sword was blocked by a fan.

-Clang!!

A metallic sound rang out between the fan and the sword.

Soon the fan slightly deflected the sword and moved as if to strike Eve, but she had already moved outside its range, as if she had anticipated it.

Eve’s sword flew toward the fan’s owner, who eventually jumped back.

“Your ability to sense movement is extraordinary. I thought we only needed to be wary of the white dragon.”

“Serious!”

Gigas shouted at the fan’s owner.

The female vampire curtsied slightly, greeting them.

“Why is a commander like you here?”

“For an obvious reason.”

Serious smiled and said,

“I’m here to eliminate obstacles for the future of demonkind.”

“Obstacles? You mean us?”

Serious merely smiled at Sia’s words.

Soon she spoke quietly.

“Your goal is to destroy the Soul-Absorbing Formation, correct?”

“You know well.”

“I was certain you would never overlook the formation.”

With her words, the corridor began to fill with blood-red mist.

“Let me make your journey less boring.”

“Let’s see you try.”

As soon as Sia finished speaking, spears made of blood began flying toward the group.

+

Deep within the royal palace.

This space, prepared since ancient times for when the royal castle was under attack, was now crowded with people.

Men and women all dressed in luxurious clothes.

These were nobles who had gathered at the castle today for various reasons.

“Of all times, when the demon lords called us for an important meeting…!”

“More importantly, where has that commander Serious gone? Shouldn’t she be dispatching demons to protect us?!”

“She’s the one who summoned us here in the first place, what on earth…!”

The nobles were clearly panicked and afraid.

There was still no news that the west gate had been recaptured, and sounds of destruction had occurred several times inside the palace.

There were reports that demon soldiers had rushed off in groups.

Powerful soldiers that ordinary troops couldn’t even face.

The fact that battles were still raging inside the palace despite their departure was fueling their fear.

The royal guard, soldiers, and maids who were originally there to protect the royal family and palace watched them with dark eyes.

Just as the nobles were about to start making a commotion again—

“Silence.”

A low, stern voice spread through the area.

The nobles stopped talking and looked at the man who had spoken.

“You will all be quiet.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Confusion continues, but there is no news of defeat. There is no need to panic.”

At the king’s voice, his subjects quieted down.

Although they were still looking at each other with fear-filled eyes, they didn’t voice it any further.

After silencing his people, the king soon addressed a guard.

“But the news is late. Do we still not know which resistance group dared to attack this place?”

“…Soon.”

The guard muttered quietly, seemingly displeased.

Meanwhile, a man rushed into the room.

He immediately knelt down.

“Your Majesty, I, Traditore, have urgent matters to report…”

“Proceed.”

As the king’s voice spread, the armored man bowed his head and continued.

“First, we’ve identified that the forces attacking the western gate are soldiers under Princess Gabriella’s command.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. Although from a distance, I confirmed that Princess Gabriella herself is leading the charge!”

“Ella, that child…”

For a moment, the king’s eyes changed slightly, but no one around him pointed it out.

The man continued speaking.

“Also, currently inside, those presumed to be a special unit of the resistance are moving while engaging in battle with the demons. Their destination is believed to be the Soul-Absorbing Formation installed by the demons.”

“So they don’t seem to be heading this way?”

The king nodded slightly.

And soon he spoke as if he had made a decision.

“Then it’s time to use that.”

“That?”

“The weapon that will quell this chaos.”

At the king’s words, the man swallowed slightly.

“Is that… appropriate, sir? That weapon is clearly…”

“It’s nothing less than the new future of this country.”

“But to awaken it just to deal with resistance fighters…”

The king angrily struck the chair with his finger, interrupting the man.

Since the surroundings were quiet, even that small gesture made a sound.

“I give the orders. Don’t question me.”

The king continued.

“Traditore, reconsider. Do you really think the enemy will end with just the resistance and their special unit?”

“Do you believe more forces will come, Your Majesty?”

The king nodded and said,

“There’s no guarantee that the unpleasantly shrewd Church won’t take advantage of this chaos. If we’re going to awaken it eventually, it’s better to do so now.”

The king’s words echoed, and no one responded.

Soon he spoke quietly.

“Traditore, carry out my orders.”

“Yes.”

“First, the resistance. Move the weapon with the royal guards to subdue them, and bring the princess before me.”

“Understood. Then…”

“Tell the alchemists my command: release the seal.”

The king reached into his chest, took out a seal, and handed it to Traditore.

It was a seal depicting a three-headed hound.

“Show the resistance the new guardian of the royal family.”

“Yes!”

With those words, Traditore left the room.

And watching his retreating figure, the king quietly muttered.

“Ella, you’ve come.”

With those words, the king smiled.

With eyes gleaming as if revealing the desire he had been suppressing earlier, he muttered,

“You are mine. As long as that woman’s blood flows in you, you are mine. I will make you mine. Definitely…”

His words echoed with a somewhat sticky feeling.

The people around him were looking at the king with fearful eyes.

But of course, the king wasn’t paying any attention to such gazes.