Ch.318Chapter 318 – Palace Assault (7)

The unmistakable platinum blonde hair was fluttering in the distance.

And next, Idea.

He was standing still, resting his sword on the ground while looking at me.

His intention was clear.

He was calling me to come to him.

‘I guess there’s no avoiding this.’

Whatever he had done, he was someone whose attack could reach all the way from that position to here.

Of course, judging by his current stance and considering the range and power, it didn’t seem like an attack he could use consecutively with ease.

Still, just the fact that it was possible was threatening.

While someone like Kris who could create powerful shields, or me who could use shields made from holy relics might be able to block it somehow, I honestly couldn’t think of many people who could easily stop a slash that could pierce through building walls from that distance.

At the very least, Vanilla here had no means to defend against that.

Knowing this, Vanilla frowned and quietly said:

“What are you going to do, White Dragon?”

“……”

I didn’t immediately answer Vanilla’s question, instead looking beyond the collapsed wall.

The massive three-headed hound had finally begun its attack.

As I watched those enormous fangs repeatedly striking the ground, and felt the subtle killing intent Idea was directing at me.

Finally, I made my decision.

“Kris, take Vanilla and go stop that monster.”

“No, you can’t!”

Kris shouted urgently.

“It’s too dangerous, Kay! The Dragon Slayer is…!”

“No.”

I put force into my voice, overriding Kris’s objection.

Normally, I wouldn’t want to do this, but right now I had no choice.

“He’s targeting me specifically. You need to go while he’s focused on me.”

“He’s too dangerous an opponent for you, Kay! We need to escape!”

Normally, Kris would have yielded once I expressed my refusal.

But given the situation, she absolutely refused to back down.

While feeling somewhat happy about her concern, I turned to Kris and quietly said:

“Even if I wanted to escape, he wouldn’t let me go.”

“But…!”

“Besides, if you stay, he’ll definitely attack you too.”

Idea had deliberately attacked my companions before to restrict my movements.

There was no guarantee he wouldn’t do the same this time.

If they didn’t leave now, he would actively target them.

To begin with, when facing a powerful opponent like Idea, it was difficult to fight while protecting someone else.

In the end, someone had to stay and fight to escape from him.

And in a one-on-one fight, I was better suited than Kris.

Above all, he wanted me.

“I’ll handle him.”

“Kay…”

“Kris, get out of here and deal with that monster.”

“……”

“Please.”

Kris slowly turned around.

Then, with a slightly trembling voice, she said:

“If you die, I’ll chase you to the afterlife, Kay.”

“Oh my, I’d better not die then, if only out of fear.”

To me, Kris is just Kris, but she is a goddess after all.

She might really be able to come to the afterlife.

Thinking that, I smiled at Kris.

“Don’t worry. I won’t die.”

“…That’s a promise.”

With those final words, Kris quietly retreated.

And to Vanilla, who seemed to want to say something, she quietly shook her head and said:

“I’m going to fly. Please hold onto me.”

With those words, Vanilla grabbed Kris’s body, and Kris spread her golden wings and flew outside through the collapsed gap.

Idea seemed to watch them for a moment, but soon turned his gaze back to me, apparently satisfied that I hadn’t left.

After watching him briefly.

I launched myself through the window gap.

Feeling the air resistance against my body, I struck my halberd against the outer wall to reduce my falling speed.

Sliding down the wall and using it as a foothold to jump several times.

Finally, I reached the position where Idea was waiting.

I addressed him as he stood quietly with his sword planted in the ground.

“I didn’t expect you to wait.”

“……”

Idea silently pointed his sword at me.

Words weren’t necessary.

“Here I come.”

With those words as a signal, Idea’s body vanished.

I blocked his sword with my halberd as he appeared on my left side.

Idea frowned slightly, and I deflected his sword with my halberd, creating distance again.

Then I prepared for his next attack.

While parrying attacks that would normally be difficult to counter with my halberd.

And looking for openings to swing my weapon.

After maintaining his offensive for a while, Idea hesitated momentarily, retreated, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

“…You’ve grown a bit stronger in this short time.”

“I did a lot of preparation.”

Through the residual thoughts of dragons and Beatrice’s magic.

Of course, I also prepared as much as possible by sparring with Sia during any free time.

‘…Even so, I couldn’t prepare for that level of skill…’

There wasn’t much I could do in such a short time.

Still, I made all the preparations I could.

I grinned as I thought about the training I had done specifically to face Idea.

Of course, he probably couldn’t see my face because of my helmet.

And I took a stance in anticipation of Idea’s next move, preparing for his sword to target my left leg.

I felt like Idea frowned slightly, and he charged as if to confirm something.

I blocked the attack aimed precisely at my left leg, and as I attempted a counter, Idea quickly ducked his head to avoid it.

Then, retreating, Idea pointed his sword again and said:

“Indeed. I don’t know how, but you’ve practiced a lot.”

Idea spoke with an expressionless face.

Though cold, I could sense a faint irritation in his voice.

“I should have killed you when I had the chance.”

“Sorry, but I can’t die.”

Because I’ve made promises to many people.

At my words, Idea merely narrowed his eyes slightly.

And deeming further words unnecessary, he slowly approached.

Likewise, I slowly approached him.

Once again, I blocked Idea’s swinging sword and anticipated his moves, launching counterattacks.

Unlike before, Idea now seemed to take me more seriously, increasing his speed and power, mixing in attacks I hadn’t seen before.

Unlike when I was caught off guard by his attacks, I could now hold my ground.

Gradually increasing our speed, we continued fighting, slowly changing positions and using the terrain.

And after clashing with Idea several times and briefly separating, that’s when it happened.

-BOOM

The sound of a massive building collapsing came from somewhere.

“What’s that?”

My body momentarily froze at the sound coming from the direction where Eve, Sera, Sia, and Gigas were.

As I began to think things were going wrong, a cold voice reached me.

“You don’t have the luxury of looking away.”

It was Idea, immediately resuming his attack.

I quickly blocked the attack and responded to Idea’s continuing offensive.

As his attacks gradually accelerated, my attention slowly became completely focused on Idea.

‘I hope they’re safe.’

When facing Idea, I needed to devote all my attention to him.

All I could do was trust my companions and silently pray for their safety.

To keep this man contained—the one who would become the greatest threat if left unchecked—anything more would be a luxury.

I couldn’t afford even a moment to look away and check on the others.

‘…Even if I sense strange killing intent.’

Similarly, I had no capacity to respond to the murderous gaze that seemed to be watching us.

And I narrowly dodged Idea’s sword and swung my halberd to counterattack.

+

The three-headed hound was looking down at the people.

“What the hell is that crazy monster…!”

A holy knight of the Emiris Order who had been fighting the royal guard screamed.

But he couldn’t say anything more.

The three-headed hound had already bitten him, leaving only his lower body.

Immediately, the Order’s holy knights gathered forces to attack the three-headed hound, and the royal guards laughed at them, shouting:

“Serves you right! You fanatics!”

And in front of the royal guards, a man was shouting:

“The new guardian beast will punish you! Return to the god you seek!”

“How is that monster a guardian beast?!”

Archery immediately shot an arrow at the man.

However, knights surrounding the man blocked it with their shields, so Archery’s attack failed.

Clicking his tongue, Archery shouted:

“Are you insane, General Traditore?! Did the palace create that monster?!”

“That’s right!”

Traditore, who had released the monster on the king’s orders, shouted:

“This is our kingdom’s new guardian beast! Our trump card! Isn’t it magnificent?!”

-“AAAAARGH!!!!!”

With a holy knight’s scream as background music, Traditore shouted:

“What purpose could such a guardian beast serve…!”

“Power, of course!”

“Power?”

“The power to restore the kingdom to an empire!”

Traditore shouted:

“Surrounding countries must be devastated by rampaging monsters and strengthened demon forces! The guardian beast is a weapon for that time!”

“…Are you planning to wage a war of conquest?!”

At Archery’s words, Traditore shouted:

“Not conquest. Just returning things to how they should be.”

Traditore narrowed his eyes and said:

“His Majesty promised rewards to those who followed him with such ambitions!”

“Were you tempted by land?”

“No, much more than that! Honor and power, wealth and beautiful women! Things you couldn’t even imagine!”

After answering Archery, Traditore grinned.

“You who gave up your position out of loyalty to the late king who died in vain, are you jealous now?”

“Not at all!”

Thinking he would answer with arrows instead, Archery aimed his bow when an angry voice was heard:

“So that’s why you betrayed Father!”

Princess Gabriella was pointing her sword at Traditore.

“I wondered what you dreamed of as you killed Father and Mother and my nephews, but you’re just obsessed with worn-out glory!”

“What’s wrong with that, Princess?”

Recognizing Gabriella, Traditore shouted:

“You may have a grudge, but what’s wrong with wanting to rebuild the empire?”

“When you strip it down, you’re just using others’ power, sacrificing citizens’ souls to demons, and using monsters as weapons!”

Gabriella shouted:

“Do you think such a country could ever be normal? Did you think that having power alone would let you take everything and rule? Are you going to claim that such thinking is normal?!”

Is she very angry?

Archery was slightly puzzled by Gabriella’s somewhat crude speech.

“Even the great Firenze or the Queen couldn’t build an empire in their lifetime! Something that was only possible because kings praised as wise rulers appeared continuously—do you seriously believe you can achieve it by taking everything by force?”

“The Princess is right!”

Agreeing with the Princess’s argument, Archery aimed his arrow.

And Traditore, shaking his head like a child, shouted:

“Ah, shut up!”

It seems he couldn’t think of a proper response.

Soon Traditore drew his sword and shouted:

“Besides, I was ordered to bring you specifically. Royal Guards!”

“Princess, take cover!”

Archery shouted.

And right after that.

-Growl….

Suddenly the dog began to growl.

People looked up nervously at the sound.

The three heads looked down at the scene.

Traditore laughed and shouted:

“Cerberus! Kill that damned Archery first! The Princess…”

-WOOF!

One of the massive heads lunged toward Archery.

Just as Archery clicked his tongue and tried to evacuate the Princess beside him:

“‘Protect the lamb!'”

A golden shield suddenly appeared, blocking the charge.

Gabriella looked up and shouted:

“Sister nun… no, Kristina?”

Following the Princess’s gaze, Archery also looked up at the sky.

In the distance, he could see Kristina flying toward them with her staff extended.

Seeing her with golden wings spread, Archery was momentarily speechless.

“…So she wasn’t just a simple nun? What on earth…”

Archery had vaguely heard that holy power could create wings for flight, and that only someone like a saint of the Emiris Order could do this.

So was she actually a saint pretending to be a nun?

Did this mean the nun called Kristina was a high priest comparable to a saint of the Emiris Order?

Realizing that Kay’s group was more extraordinary than he had thought, Archery was somewhat bewildered.

And as Kris passed over Archery, someone fell from the sky.

“Here, have a taste of this, you son of a bitch!”

With that curse, the elf shot lightning at the three-headed hound.

It must have hurt, as the three-headed hound backed away slightly.

Vanilla landed on the ground first, followed by Kris descending from the sky.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Lord Archery!”

“Ah, yes. Sister… Saint? I’m not sure what to call you…”

Archery’s attitude toward Kris had changed slightly because of the wings she had displayed earlier.

However, Kris seemed to think there was no time to chat with Archery, as she didn’t correct him and immediately looked toward the three-headed hound.

And Traditore pointed at Kris who had suddenly appeared and shouted:

“Who are you! Where did you suddenly come from, you witch?!”

“I flew from over there.”

Kris quietly answered Traditore’s question while forming a hand seal.

Holy light swept around once, and the three-headed hound jumped back fearfully.

Soon Traditore shouted again:

“Argh, Cerberus! Kill them all! Just keep the Princess alive!”

“You heard him? Princess, please step back!”

“Get ready, little goddess… I mean, Sister!”

At Kris’s voice, Gabriella quietly retreated.

The three-headed hound began to growl.

As the three-headed hound charged as if to bite Kris, Kris and Vanilla began to fight it, flying and jumping around.

Every time the brilliantly shining golden holy power attacked the three-headed hound, it visibly feared and retreated.

And cheers rose from the resistance side.

“Oh, an angel! An angel has descended to defeat the monster!”

“No, that’s not an angel, it’s a goddess! A goddess is with us!”

“Thank you, goddess of India!”

“God is with us, and you don’t have that, you fanatics!”

The morale of the resistance forces surged as they watched Kris spread her golden wings and wield golden holy power with her staff.

The resistance had transformed into something like fanatics, making the holy knights of the Emiris Order they were facing hesitate.

Seeing his subordinates’ morale greatly increased, Archery aimed his bow at Traditore and the royal guards with a slightly bewildered expression.

Thinking he could leave the three-headed hound to Kris and Vanilla, he intended to deal with as many royal guards as possible.

And suddenly he heard the sound of a spear flying toward his ear.

“Eek!”

Dodging the spear aimed at him, Archery aimed his bow again.

The spear must have fallen on the royal guards’ side as well, as screams came from their direction.

Glancing at the opponents, he saw Traditore looking surprised in one direction.

And not long after, screams came from the holy knights of the Emiris Order and the royal palace guards.

Looking toward the source of the screams, Archery could soon identify what was happening.

“Black armor…”

Knights in black armor were rushing toward where Kris and the three-headed hound were.

And once again, the sound of a building collapsing came from the distance.

+

A position overlooking the entire battlefield.

“…It’s about time.”

Looking at the Dragon Slayer and Kay fighting in the distance.

The giant three-headed hound and the nun and elf facing it.

And watching the collapsing tower.

Hakan glanced at the black-armored figures who had left first, then spoke to a knight near him who had removed his helmet, presumably to command the other armored knights:

“Clean up that area.”

“……”

“Begin.”

The knight nodded with blank eyes.

And as the knight moved his head to put on his helmet, a face with long ears and red hair disappeared into the helmet.

‘Elves are unnecessarily pretty.’

Hakan recalled that this one was brought from Albheim’s prison.

He was the one with the most potential among them, so he was acting as a sort of leader.

‘When we modified him, he shouted something about his clan.’

It was something red, but Hakan couldn’t remember what.

Having concluded it didn’t matter, Hakan watched the black-armored knights leave and smirked.

“They’re just consumables anyway.”

He had brought those guys this time to confirm their performance.

Originally, they were forces prepared in advance to assassinate Idea, but…

“The plan changed midway.”

So Hakan had decided to expend them here.

There were still plenty of spares anyway.

“I can’t give up the chance to take revenge with my own hands.”

Hakan laughed ominously while looking at a purple crystal.

His gaze returned to where the Dragon Slayer and Kay were fighting.

“He fights well.”

From Hakan’s perspective, Kay was holding his own against the Dragon Slayer.

Though it seemed difficult to face him directly, as Kay was using the terrain to deal with the Dragon Slayer.

As a result, their battlefield kept changing.

‘They’ll move soon.’

Thinking they would soon reach that point, Hakan turned his body slightly.

And he could see what was happening with the thunderous noise.

“What?”

A giant arm rose from the collapsed tower.

As he was surprised by this unexpected development in a place that should have shown no change, the arm rose, pushing aside its surroundings.

First came the head, then from the massive body, the legs.

A giant rose from the collapsed tower.

[How dare you crush me, damn vampire!!!]

The giant’s roar echoed throughout the area.