episode_0044

‘The Duke was defeated.’

The Prophet, watching their fight, was aghast.

‘Unbelievable.’

The Duke possessed skill enough to challenge the realm of a Grand Master.

Even if he had aged considerably and rapidly weakened in his later years, he still retained at least the level of a Sword Master.

‘Such a Duke…’

The Duke, who was stronger than the two pillars of the Imperial Family.

Gram, the largest of the shadow factions.

The greatest evil henchman lurking in the shadows had defeated the great knight.

‘Morgoth, was it?’

As a Prophet, he wasn’t ignorant of Morgoth’s existence.

Even if he wasn’t a Consul, anyone privy to the continent’s secrets would know that the name Morgoth belonged to a knight who held an ancient calamity.

But if it referred to the Morgoth currently visible…

‘That, I don’t know.’

Aside from the fact that it was Gram’s henchman and a Judge.

How powerful it was, where it appeared from, and when it started operating.

Because of the “branch” taken by “that guy,” Gram’s creator, prophecy didn’t work against the three Judges and ten Executors, though it worked for other things.

So, while the Consuls might know, he, being among the lowest-ranked Prophets, knew nothing about the Judges and Executors.

‘It’s dangerous.’

Very much so.

He didn’t know the extent of the Judge’s power, but since it had at least defeated a Sword Master, it likely possessed strength greater than most heroes.

‘Furthermore, since the coup began, I’ve realized that my prophetic abilities are useless, making it even more dangerous.’

It only showed plausible futures, never a single true future, so he couldn’t rely on his prophecy anymore.

‘But it’s fine.’

Because he wasn’t here for the purpose of battle.

Not to kill it…

……

One of those coffins infused with the Demon King’s essence.

Among dozens of coffins, he only needed to secure the one that had been infused with the essence until the very end.

‘Yes, that coffin.’

If he just secured that coffin after it left, his task, bestowed by the Prophet of Light, would be complete.

‘If only this task succeeds.’

He could enter their circle.

The Prophet of Mystery, with his form concealed, smiled inwardly, contemplating what would unfold in the distant future.

Waiting for that foolish Judge to quickly disappear.

“So you were there.”

A chill!

Slice—

“…Ah?”

The world tilted.

No, he lost strength in both legs and collapsed.

Thump.

“I cut your tendons.”

“H-How in the world did you know I was here…”

Given his nature of mystery, he must have concealed his form with divinity.

“I sensed your presence.”

“What?”

“You don’t know how to hide your presence.”

At those words, the Prophet of Mystery’s pupils dilated.

“That’s impossible, I’m not a monster, and I concealed my form, so how-”

“It’s true that the mysterious abilities of divinity and prophecy are certainly remarkable powers.”

Crunch—

“Aaaargh…!”

An intense pain shot through his calf.

A grayish-white sword was lodged in his calf.

“But you blindly trust only those remarkable abilities, while your other abilities are utterly incompetent.”

Wise, yet at the same time, arrogant.

That was Agapé’s perception of the Prophets.

“Speak.”

Grind—

“Aaaaargh─!”

“What were you waiting for here?”

“W-Waiting, you say?”

“Weren’t you ‘already’ in this underground cavern even before the battle with the Duke began?”

And you were the one who activated the magic circle infused with the Duke’s blood.

“Y-You knew from the beginning?”

“I’m asking the questions.”

He twisted the sword embedded in the calf.

“Aaaargh…!”

Perhaps he no longer had the energy to manifest divinity, as the Prophet’s hidden form began to reveal itself.

The old Prophet gritted his teeth, cold sweat dripping down his face.

“Do you think I’ll… speak?!”

“…Is that so.”

He pulled the sword out of the calf.

Then, grabbing the Prophet by the nape of the neck, he dragged him toward where the coffins were.

“I heard you Prophets lured the Duke into doing this kind of thing.”

“So what about it?”

“You prepared a magic circle by implanting the Demon King’s essence, and planned to revive the deceased members by implanting the essence into their coffins.”

The ‘promise’ made with the Duke was undoubtedly about reviving the members, so this was an undeniable fact.

‘But why would they make a ‘promise’ and attempt such a thing?’

They are like emotionless monsters, following the will of the Navigator.

Cold-blooded individuals who would endure any sacrifice without batting an eye to achieve the future they envision and seek to realize.

This was a commonality among all Prophets he had seen so far, so this one too must have committed this act for some purpose.

‘I need to know the reason why they committed such an act, even bringing a part of the spirit of the First Calamity.’

And by whose command this act was committed.

“The ritual failed.”

“…….”

“Until the fight with the Duke ended, you were quietly holding your breath, waiting for me to leave.”

He had waited specifically in this empty cavern, risking danger, for nothing but coffins.

Then his purpose could only be one thing.

“What were you planning to do with the members’ coffins?”

“How did you know that…”

Agapé immediately confirmed it upon seeing the Prophet’s reaction.

That the Prophet’s purpose was indeed the coffins of the deceased members.

“…Ugh!”

Did he think he was cornered?

He began to manifest his divinity, attempting to attack me.

This is why Prophets are a problem.

Slaves of fate who rely solely on a unique ability that no one else possesses, possessing terribly low situational awareness and judgment.

Slice──

“Aaaaaaaargh────!!”

As soon as I saw the divinity gathering in both his hands, I severed both of his wrists.

Then he started rolling on the floor, letting out a desperate scream.

…Clunk.

Just then, a sound began to emanate from somewhere among the coffins directly in front.

A dull, heavy sound of a thick stone coffin lid moving.

‘No way…’

He looked in the direction of the sound.

Among the dozens of coffins, his gaze naturally fixed on one spot.

─[Helena Camellia]─

The illegitimate child of the Camellia barony and a member of the Oleg Knights.

And…

To the coffin of the woman who had fought with all her might to save him from being dragged to the penal unit until the very end.

“…….”

Thump. Thump.

He slowly walked towards her coffin.

‘No way…’

It couldn’t be.

Even if the ritual had reached its final stage, a dead person couldn’t possibly be revived if the ritual was interrupted.

‘Senior.’

Thud.

Creeeak…

He pushed open the thick coffin lid.

Inside the slowly opened coffin lay Helena’s corpse, with pale skin and closed eyes.

And…

‘Demon horns.’

Black, branch-like horns, said to be possessed by the Demon King and his demonic creations.

The horns, whose color resembled ebony, and her brown hair had changed into two-tone hair, a harmonious blend of red and pink.

Yes.

She had transformed into a demon.

Slowly.

Her eyes slowly opened.

Dark pink eyes looked up at him.

“…Ah.”

***

Whoosh──

The pillar of light vanished, and a vast city came into view beyond the curtain of light.

Mulifen.

They had arrived at Mulifen, one of the five cities ruled by the Duke Oleg household.

“Finally…”

The Twelfth Hero, Maugrius, muttered as he gazed at the city.

“Finally, we’ve arrived at the city.”

As an imperial citizen and a native of Mulifen, Maugrius showed a slight expression of relief upon seeing the city.

But.

“It’s too late.”

The Hero beside him, Danoa, said.

“The city has already fallen.”

“Fallen, you say?”

Danoa’s gaze pointed towards the city.

Rumble…

Partially collapsed city walls, countless footprints leading in that direction. And black smoke rising from various parts of Mulifen.

Seeing the traces of fierce battle and the black smoke rising everywhere, Maugrius despaired.

“No…”

“…….”

‘Not yet… no, it won’t be okay.’

He wanted to offer words of comfort to the youngest member of the knight order, but no matter how he looked at it, the city seemed to have completely fallen.

Still, since a part of the splintered expeditionary force and skilled individuals from Mulifen had arrived here, they could reclaim the city if they struck the exhausted enemies now.

‘After all, three heroes have arrived here now.’

The Twelfth, Maugrius. The Tenth Hero, himself.

“Danoa.”

And the Second Hero, Kara.

“Sir Kara.”

“Captain Idel is looking for you.”

“I’ll go immediately.”

Therefore, no matter what enemy they faced, they would be able to win.

As Danoa disappeared among the expeditionary force, Kara, who had been watching his back, turned her gaze forward.

“…….”

Towards Mulifen, where black smoke was rising.

After gazing at the city for a moment, she took a few steps forward and quietly muttered.

“Gram, was it?”