Chapter 190

Chapter 190

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 190: Steeplechasing, Double-dealing, And Unfair Trade (12)

At last, the Imperial Tower’s group set off with the prisoners toward the Purple Tower. The time for the duel to the death had arrived.

“Mm…”

At the front were Jaekiel, Anes, and Seina, and it was Anes who expressed concern.

“There is a tower we must never trust, no matter what — the Purple Tower. We can’t know what schemes they might be hiding.”

Seina nodded vigorously beside her, glancing sideways several times at Herta behind them.

“I’m worried she might have slipped in to rescue the other Purple Tower prisoners. It’s really suspicious.”

However, Jaekiel had accepted Herta’s request.

He spoke while holding Sun Grass in his mouth.

“If she’s as dangerous as you fear, then even more reason we can’t leave her alone. It’s better to keep her close and drag her into the duel to the death.”

“That’s true, but we’re just worried you might get tangled in another troublesome danger, Auditor…”

“Don’t worry.”

Jaekiel cut off the two women’s worries sharply.

“I’ll protect both myself and you perfectly.”

At that, the women mumbled with their lips but couldn’t press him further—the man’s will was simply too firm to shake.

Jaekiel exhaled smoke and continued.

“That woman, Herta, her request was unusual.”

“…That’s true.”

Anes quietly nodded.

The three recalled what Herta had said.

—I’ll be transported separately in a different carriage. It’ll help build trust, and I prefer it that way. I don’t like the other Purple Tower magicians anyway.

Herta’s request was peculiar—she chose to be transported separately from the other Purple Tower magicians.

Seina tilted her head in puzzlement.

“She said she was participating to protect something precious, but also that she didn’t like the Purple Tower magicians and wanted to be separated… What could that possibly mean?”

“Anyway, it made things easier for us. We put her in a carriage specially shielded against telepathic communication. At least they won’t be able to secretly plot together.”

Jaekiel had similar thoughts to Seina.

She said she was fighting to protect something precious, yet hated all the Purple Tower magicians.

He still couldn’t grasp what it truly meant.

Moreover, the reactions of the other Purple Tower magicians in the back were bizarre.

“…Lady Herta is participating in the duel to the death? For what reason?”

“I’m curious too. She’s someone who wouldn’t get involved even if the sky split in half.”

There were only magicians puzzled by her participation; not a single one rejoiced as if she had come to save them.

They said it was the first time Herta had ever gotten involved.

Occasionally, Zeta would call out toward Herta’s carriage.

“Herta, what the hell are you thinking?”

But no answer came from the completely soundproofed carriage. The journey toward the Purple Tower continued for a long while.

They traveled for half a day without rest.

During mealtime, they were able to see Herta only because Jaekiel personally delivered her food.

“It smells like the Purple Tower territory. It’s good land.”

The moment Jaekiel opened the carriage door to hand in food, Herta immediately murmured that.

“Even though demons often appeared and the weather was bad, it was truly a good place for me. Listening to the roaring thunder always cleared my mind.”

It wasn’t clear if she was talking to herself or to him. Regardless, Herta continued speaking.

“I had hoped the Purple Tower would be lightning—bright and roaring.”

It was just as Jaekiel was about to close the carriage door.

“You bastard!”

In an instant, darkness fell around them, and a tremendous surge of demonic energy was felt. The situation became immediately clear.

Demons were attacking.

Jaekiel thought briefly—he had even earned the title of Demon God from the Demon Lord herself. No ordinary demon would dare launch a frontal assault.

He quickly scanned his surroundings.

‘Dullahan.’

Heavily armored bodies without heads charged with swords drenched in dark energy. Every demon attacking from all sides was a Dullahan.

At last, he understood.

He had pierced the chest of Han Shin, the leader of the Dullahans, and not only that, but completely destroyed his city.

‘Their grudge against me must be enormous.’

It was expected, but the timing was unfortunate. Trouble came just before the duel to the death.

Screeeech!

The Dullahans didn’t just swing their swords. When they slashed, the dark energy on the blades formed crescent shapes that were launched outward.

Boom!

A building collapsed completely with just one slash. It wasn’t something that could be easily defended against.

“Setting foot on the continent so fearlessly.”

“We have come to avenge Lord Han Shin!”

The Dullahans shouted in unison.

‘I’m Han Shin now.’

If Jaekiel were alone, he wouldn’t have had any concerns about the fight—but the problem was the captured Purple Tower magicians.

‘I can’t just release their special restraints either.’

He had to completely protect them while fighting—after all, humiliating the Purple Tower magicians at full strength was part of maintaining the Imperial Tower’s honor.

Well, what choice was there?

‘I’ll just do it.’

Boom!

Suddenly, golden lightning streaked across the sky—thick, straight lines packed with an incredible amount of mana.

The source was Herta, the successor to the Purple Tower.

The Dullahans’ sword energy had destroyed the carriage, temporarily freeing Herta.

Thankfully, the woman focused solely on exterminating demons.

Crash!

Once again, golden lightning struck.

Only after seeing Herta’s power did Jaekiel realize that Zeta’s golden lightning was nothing in comparison—brightness, thickness, sound, density… everything was on another level.

“…?”

The Dullahans were visibly bewildered.

It wasn’t because of the lightning’s grandeur—the bolts hadn’t actually struck them.

“…It’s just loud noise?”

“There’s no substance to it at all.”

As the Dullahans mocked her with sneers…

Something strange finally began to happen.

Rumbleeeee.

Suddenly, the Dullahans’ demonic energy began to go berserk.

At first, it seemed like an awakening—but no, even the Dullahans themselves were panicking. The environment was forcibly extracting their demonic energy.

“W-Wait, the control over my magic…!”

“Aaaargh!”

The Dullahans, trying to release their surging power, wildly swung their swords—ultimately clashing into each other and self-destructing.

“She’s… forcibly accelerating their internal flow…?”

Anes muttered in disbelief.

What happens if you force a human to keep running just to survive? They would have no choice but to run—but eventually, they would collapse from exhaustion.

Eventually, they would collapse and die from total exhaustion.

That was the secret of Herta’s lightning. It forcibly drove the energy inside the target into a frenzy, forcing them to release it—or die.

But even if they did release it all, they would still die—there was no way to survive total depletion.

“Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah!”

Unable to endure the pain, the Dullahans began to thrash about.

As they smashed into each other and self-destructed, Herta looked over at Jaekiel.

“Telling your opponent the trick behind your lightning? Honestly, it’s not a smart strategy. But at least it can accomplish one thing clearly.”

Her golden slit eyes turned toward Jaekiel.

“A warning. I can make a very clear warning. Fighting me in the duel to the death might not be so advantageous for the Imperial Tower. You should reconsider.”

“Reconsider?”

“You could just execute me directly without going through the duel to the death. That’s what I’m suggesting.”

Crack! Crack!

The Dullahans, broken by each other’s swords, rolled across the ground as pathetic wreckage.

This was the result after just a single exposure to Herta’s lightning.

Even her control was flawless.

All the Dullahans had lost control, yet all the human magicians remained completely unharmed.

To unleash such a powerful magic and then suggest her own execution—Jaekiel started to understand her intentions.

‘She’s trying to spare the Purple Tower from disgrace.’

She fully grasped the motive behind Jaekiel pushing for the duel to the death.

He planned to expose all of the Purple Tower’s sins in front of the gathered crowd—and crush them with an overwhelming display before killing them. She wanted to prevent that.

After a short pause, Herta asked again.

“Well? Have you changed your mind even a little?”

Jaekiel thought about it for a moment.

“No, I haven’t changed.”

Jaekiel’s decision remained firm.

The crimes committed by the Purple Tower were simply too great to be forgiven just because of Herta’s plea.

Whooosh!

Jaekiel summoned his energy.

Ash-gray currents swirled around his body, instantly clearing the darkness—mixing three energies together and even scattering Herta’s lightning.

Soon, a frost dragon soared into the sky.

It started as a frost dragon, became a flame dragon, and finally circled with dark crimson energy before disappearing.

Everyone present felt it vividly.

Cold, heat, and dark energy—all three auras.

“I’ve revealed my secret, too. You won’t have any complaints, right?”

Herta remained calm and expressionless.

In the distance, the Purple Tower came into view.

At last, it was time for the duel to the death.