episode_0036

Briphen, the commander of the Imperial Knights of the Kaorelden Empire, surveyed the surroundings. He checked the item in his possession. It was a relic handed down through generations, considered to be bestowed by the goddess Luasta, and it operated as a warp device, drawing energy from the lives of several people.

Quite a few lives had already been used as an energy source, and now, with just one or two more lives, this relic could be activated.

Once the relic was activated, the Emperor would be able to leave this place. No matter how much of a monstrous killer he was, Briphen was convinced that he wouldn’t be able to kill the Emperor if he defied the power of the relic.

“This is the only way.”

For Briphen, the worst-case scenario was the Emperor dying here. That was because Emperor Lecan had tied his own life to the lifeline of the Imperial maiden.

If Emperor Lecan died, the only maiden who could heal his sister would also die.

“I can’t let that happen…”

The only reason he had committed countless atrocities while pretending not to know was solely for the sake of his younger sister. He thought that if he could save his younger sister, he could do anything and so he continued to sin endlessly.

If he gave up here, everything would be over. That’s why Briphen quietly spoke to the Emperor.

“Even if I… even if I die, if you manage to escape, you must heal my sister.”

“I promise.”

With a determined expression, Briphen raised his sword. All he had to do was buy time. That’s what he thought.

— — —

“Is honor or the revenge of your comrades more important than your life? Why are you doing something so inefficient?”

“Because I am a knight.”

After hearing Teckeloman’s words, Macderas stepped back and pondered.

“It’s a meaningless action. Others may criticize me for being foolish.”

Teckeloman, the commander of the knights.

If he had stayed still, he could have easily taken the life of the enemy in front of him. But why did he risk his life for the revenge of his comrade? It was inefficient. It wasn’t rational. It wasn’t logical. The archmage Macderas defined Teckeloman’s actions in that way.

If those unfamiliar with Tecloman saw him, they might criticize him as a brute. Macderas also agreed with that opinion.

However, the reason he didn’t stop the man who wanted to fight was simple.

“Sometimes irrational judgments become everything.”

Tecloman was a knight on the battlefield. He was a man who practiced the code of chivalry, sparing Flimia and not massacring civilians. Thanks to that, I could receive his favor.

Honestly, it was true that the Phibron Empire was needed for the recovery after the war.

If the Phibron Empire had been considered unnecessary, I would have mercilessly slaughtered both empires without hesitation. However, seeing Tecloman save the enemy saint, witnessing Princess Brainy of Bripenn act decisively, and watching the foolish knights of the Phibron Empire sacrifice themselves to protect civilians, I resolved to help them.

I liked those foolish and reckless individuals.

Realistically speaking, their deaths were not worthless. Whether Phibron or Kaorelden, the deaths on the battlefield increased the power of my slaughter magic, allowing for overwhelming battles due to the countless corpses piled up.

If we had only besieged without killing the enemies, if many people had not died there to defend the border area, the result might have been different.

I sincerely believed that.

That’s why I stepped back and watched Tecloman’s battle.

Clang!

The sound of blades clashing as if they were about to shatter echoed. The commander of the Bripenn Imperial Knights of the Kaorelden Empire calmly parried Tecloman’s attacks.

Not content with just parrying, he also feigned moves in between attacks to confuse Tecloman. They exchanged about three sets. Blood began to flow from Tecloman’s arm.

“Give up. You cannot defeat me.”

Bripenn looked down at the man. Even though they had only exchanged a few sets, the difference in skill was clearly felt.

If he had put his heart into it, the man’s throat would have been cut on the first strike. But Bripenn did not do so. I don’t know why. For some reason, he didn’t want to cut the man’s throat.

“Again…”

Tekelloman rushed forward with his sword. He pushed forward without considering defense. However, his attack was completely thwarted by Bripenn.

Bripenn directly intercepted the downward striking sword.

Tekelloman missed with his sword, and Bripenn left a large gash on the man’s chest. Red blood began to burst from his chest.

Tekelloman, gritting his teeth, charged again. His rough swordplay was read by Bripenn once more.

“Ugh…!”

Bripenn turned his body to avoid Tekelloman’s sword, then cut off his toe.

“No matter how many times you try, you won’t reach me.”

Due to the severed toe, Tekelloman’s movements were restricted. The man staggered but did not drop his sword.

‘Why on earth…’

Bripenn hesitated as he attacked the man.

Tekelloman was an excellent swordsman, but he was not a knight capable of rivaling the man called Bripenn. Overwhelming difference in skill. Bripenn could have stabbed the man’s heart several times. Even just now.

“Cough…!”

Tekelloman bled profusely with a knife in his abdomen. He was in pain but still staggered forward with his sword.

Watching him, Bripenn finally shouted.

“Why on earth! Why are you fighting! Why don’t you give up! You can’t win. You should know better than anyone about the overwhelming difference in skill!”

Tekelloman did not answer the man’s question.

From deep within Bripenn’s heart, unpleasant emotions surfaced. Pretending not to notice, Bripenn raised his sword and this time cut the skin near Tekelloman’s throat. It was a dangerous position, close to piercing a blood vessel. Nevertheless, Tekelloman retaliated.

“Ugh…!”

This time, Bripenn received a shallow wound. He hadn’t expected a counterattack in that state.

“Damn it…”

Briphen looked into the determined man’s eyes and realized the unpleasant feeling that had risen in his heart.

“You’re thinking of dying.”

Teceloman had not been defending himself at all since a while ago. His movements solely focused on killing the enemy. Along with exposing vital points, he relentlessly attacked as if he was ready to die every time he struck at a vital point.

He didn’t engage in battle with victory in mind. They both fought to die.

“Is that knightly pride so important? Eventually, you will also decay. The moment your unwavering self-esteem crumbles and you realize that you can’t always maintain it, you will understand. Knights are nothing but worthless.”

Finally, Teceloman spoke.

“I… couldn’t protect them with my own hands.”

He staggered towards Briphen with his sword. No, it was a slow, stumbling walk, but he was doing his best to advance. Reaching out with his arm, aiming his sword at Briphen.

“I… couldn’t protect the knights who trusted and followed me… I survived alone.”

Teceloman shouted continuously, even as he coughed up blood. As if he were speaking to himself.

“Despite saying I would be the first to die, I pushed my comrades into death and survived alone. Like an idiot, I achieved nothing, and because I was weak, I had to watch over the deaths of those who believed in me. How many times, how many times have I experienced the battlefield, yet in the end, I survived alone.”

Clang!

Teceloman’s sword touched Briphen’s sword. However, Briphen immediately kicked Teceloman in the abdomen.

Briphen bit down on his pain and shouted, “Don’t use me as a means for your suicide.”

“Even if we are prepared to die, we do not call fighting to the end suicide. Knights call it a duel.”

Teceloman picked up the sword he had let go of and leaped at Briphen again. His slowed arms gradually gained elasticity, and with a roar, he mercilessly launched a fierce attack on Briphen.

The knights watching the scene from behind fell silent. Terceloman’s expression looked so agonized that they couldn’t help but be silent. He swung his sword mercilessly and shouted, “Why… why! Are you protecting him under that cruel emperor? He has taken countless lives! How can you follow someone who starts unjust wars and wants to live alone until the end! You are no different. You are just like that wicked emperor!”

Terceloman attacked with a scream close to a shriek, but Briphen seemed to have no intention of listening anymore as he deflected Terceloman’s armor and then thrust his sword into Terceloman’s abdomen.

“Don’t speak so recklessly without knowing well. I too have suffered countless times.”

As Briphen whispered to Terceloman,

Terceloman leaned forward with the sword still in him and struck Briphen’s face with his head.

“Ugh…!”

Because he was so close, Terceloman’s blow was effective against Briphen. However, that was all. Terceloman’s arms and legs no longer moved.

Briphen walked up to Terceloman and looked down at him.

Seeming to have no strength left to fight back, the man looked as if his life was about to fade away, breathing heavily and murmuring.

“I can still… still fight…”

Briphen stared blankly at Terceloman, then finally withdrew his sword without swinging it.

Even though the sword was being pushed into him, he did not seem to have any fear. It must not have been because he was not afraid of death.

Perhaps it was because it felt more sinful to do nothing for his fallen comrades, so he could act like this. Perhaps that’s why, holding his sword until the last moment, he wore a look so full of conviction that he was right.

Briphen bowed his head and muttered to himself.

“I had forgotten. There was a time when I held the same feelings as you.”

He silently took out the relic from his bosom. If he killed Teckel and filled it with energy, the relic would now function to move the emperor to a safe place. The power of the relic is absolute. Therefore, the emperor might be able to successfully escape the killer in front of him.

If the emperor succeeds in escaping, there is at least a slight possibility that his younger sister can survive. The right choice is to ensure the escape of Emperor Lecan even if he dies here. It’s because he has done dirty deeds so far for the sake of his sister’s survival.

Emperor Lecan shouts from behind.

“If the spell is ready, hand it over to me right away! Bripen! Hand it over to me right now!”

Lecan reached out to receive the relic from Bripen.

At that moment…

Bripen’s sword pierced the emperor’s abdomen.

The emperor, who had been spitting blood from his mouth, staggered and screamed like a madman.

“Your… your sister will die. When my life ends, the life of the imperial maiden will also… vanish…”

With tears streaming down his face, Bripen said to the emperor as if pouring out his words.

“Tell me honestly, you never intended to save my sister after successfully escaping, did you? The sister I cherished more than my own life was nothing more than a leash for you to manipulate, wasn’t she? I knew it. No matter what I did, you wouldn’t cure my sister, and when I became unnecessary, you would dispose of her along with me. But because I couldn’t give up on my sister, I wanted to hold on to even a tiny bit of hope, so I complied with your unreasonable demands. I don’t want to commit any more sins. That’s why I’m letting go of this meaningless hope.”

Bripen shouted as if crying, and Emperor Lecan glared at him and muttered.

“Your sister will die… and you… will be recorded as a traitor. You will surely receive the punishment of the goddess Ruasta… Even in death… you will live in endless hell…”

Bripen replied with an expression of agony.

“I am already living in hell.”

“You… will be remembered as a traitor… The citizens of the Karel Empire… will record my death as a disaster… The empire, having lost its leader, is on the path to destruction…”

Emperor Lecan cursed fiercely to the end. Briphen spoke to him.

“You are wrong.”

Without hesitation, the man swung his sword, filled with determination unlike before.

“The citizens of the Karel Empire will remember your death not as a disaster, but as a revolution.”

Swoosh

The emperor’s head and body were separated.

It was a pitiful end for someone who had considered himself a god and thought he would live forever.

After confirming the emperor’s death, Briphen finally lowered his sword with a calm expression.

Eventually, he looked at Mcderas and spoke, spreading his hands.

“Please kill me.”

The man’s expression seemed remarkably serene.