episode_0060

The group wearing masks walked slowly.

Numerous gazes were directed at them.

Seeing the unbelievable sight, some widened their eyes while others furrowed their brows.

As the masked group passed by, a black residue emerged on the path.

It seemed like fog, and also like steam. The surroundings turned entirely dark.

Inside the palace, Count Maynard, who had been watching everything through the window, also furrowed his brow.

He took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

Night comes at any time.

Thus, our master will return.

A savior, a will born in darkness.

Trampling humiliation and resentment, they will rise up.

They are the chosen ones.

When the Inquisition Bureau of the pulpit heard that survivors of the imperial family were being sought, it was not particularly surprising.

Even if every branch of the scattered Inquisition Bureau on the continent had been wiped out without a single survivor, it would not have been surprising.

Wearing the helmet of the Green Emperor, the appearance of the Unknown was also not surprising.

It was simply something that was bound to happen.

That’s how they thought.

As the price of knowing too much, one must remain indifferent.

To avoid being buried in the flood of information, to not lose one’s way, one must not waver.

That was the destiny of Christopher Maynard, who lived as the pinnacle of the empire and the practical leader of the Information Bureau.

However.

Knowing or hearing about it was different when seen with one’s own eyes. Now, he could not remain indifferent. The evidence that the imperial family had returned, the moment he saw the members of the imperial family.

Confronting the ominous black fog that seemed suffocating, his whole body shivered.

His mind raced quickly.

He only thought about what would happen next.

The appropriate tension stimulated him.

“It really appeared.”

Louis, who was standing beside him, said.

He turned his gaze from the masked group to the paper held by Count Maynard.

“How long are you going to hold onto that?”

“…Slowly let it go from your heart. We just need to keep the oath.”

“Without fulfilling that oath, I have no life. So, for now, I’ll carry her trace with me….”

Let it go, I told you to throw away the paper.

Louis’s expression looked poignant as he saw the paper that the duke was holding tightly.

“…Is that person unknown?”

“I don’t think so. Compared to the report on the sword, the armor is different and he’s bigger.”

Louis narrowed his eyes.

He was trying to gauge his opponent.

“He looks strong.”

“Probably not as much as you.”

“Yeah, what should we do? Should we go down for now? We need to give people time to evacuate.”

“No, wait until the unknown appears.”

When Louis complained that he would be overwhelmed, the duke said it would be okay because Nathan was there. Louis shrugged and followed the duke’s words.

They had been bickering, but when it came to an important situation, they became pragmatic. Jokes were put aside, and they focused on what needed to be done.

They never forget their ultimate goal.

The oath…

*

He was so distracted by Beatrice that he couldn’t focus at all. He expected the unknown to be alone, even if he called it an uninvited guest, but he didn’t expect such a large group to appear.

“What are you?”

After scrutinizing the crowd wearing masks, he looked at the one who seemed to be the leader and tried to recall and remember the novel.

“A servant of the Green.”

I should just call it a royal farce, pretending to look important.

Who was it? It must be a rebel group, intermittently emitting a turquoise light and unique designed clothes, yes, he remembered.

One of the royal family’s entourage.

Karl muttered to himself as if possessed.

He forgot about the troubles of Beatrice and Daniela in his head. Even Cloe, who was holding hands with him…

Unknown.

Just thinking about that empty-headed fool easily got him excited. He had loathed him since encountering him in the novel, and seeing him in real life made him even more furious.

He even forgot that Cloe was right next to him, letting go of her hand and thinking about the unknown.

Intense and fiery emotions emerged.

I wonder who might be hiding behind the tightly wrapped appearance. If I were to come face to face with the person inside the helmet, I’m curious if this destructive impulse could be stopped once I know who it is.

What on earth could make me lose my mind like this?

It was clear that it wasn’t just because of the malicious development shown in the original work. If that were the case, I would have simply felt disgust and nothing more.

The sword was drawn to the Unknown.

There are various kinds of attraction, but as much as meeting heroines after possession, I longed for the day I would meet the Unknown.

Anyway, when I first saw the rather composed Unknown, I was taken aback. Clearly, in the novel, he is a much more wicked and malicious character.

No, wait, didn’t they say he was a demon… the king of incubi said so, so there’s no doubt.

It doesn’t matter.

Even if there is a familiar face inside the helmet, even if it turns out that the most beautiful woman in the world is there, even if there are twists upon twists…

The Unknown will still be the enemy of the sword.

Because he will definitely repay the last defeat.

“Hey, where’s your master?”

“…Be careful what you say.”

“You gloomy bastards, trembling in front of your master or trash…”

The sword clicked its tongue.

Cloé, who was watching from the side, widened her eyes. It wasn’t the affectionate sword she was used to. The sword she knew wasn’t someone who would speak so roughly.

But the sword acted as if she had forgotten that Cloé was beside her.

“When I’ve cut you all down, will he finally show himself?”

“I don’t understand why His Highness takes an interest in someone like you…”

“Huh, did the empty-headed fool mention me?”

“It seems… understanding the topic is necessary.”

The masked man gripped his sword and took a step forward.

At that moment, the knights in the banquet hall blocked the group of masked men.

“Sir Nason, please escort the guests to safety first!”

“…Understood, I’ll be back soon.”

Nason nodded and looked at Cloé and the sword.

“Please follow me. It’s best for members of the royal family to leave before they use any strange tricks.”

“In this situation, we can’t run away. We have to fight together!”

With a half-questioning tone, Kal asked.

For the time being, he had put aside his arrogance because he would have to fight bare-handed without the Holy Sword, but still, he had some confidence. He was confident that he wouldn’t lose to the mediocre ones…

Moreover, with Cloe and Neison here, running away? It seemed better to confront and fight.

“You don’t know the terror of the Hwangsuk. Their wicked magic can create unforeseen situations. Moreover…”

Neison continued speaking with a heavy expression.

“Their aim could be the assassination of Lady Cloe.”

“What?”

Cloe, who was flustered by the sudden commotion, responded in surprise.

“I will explain later. When everything is revealed… Please, for now, follow me to a safe place.”

Cloe turned her big eyes towards Kal.

She looked very displeased.

But Kal slowly nodded as he observed Cloe.

If the Unknown were to appear, he couldn’t let them encounter Cloe.

That much had to be prevented.

It had deviated from the original, but you never know. The worst-case scenario between the Unknown and Cloe came to mind again. Kal clenched his fists.

The three of them began to turn away and run from the group of masks.

“Screaam-!”

Sounds of metal cutting through flesh from behind, sounds of swords clashing, and screams were heard.

Peace was spreading blood and death throughout the Hwangung.

Neison swallowed his bitterness and hurried.

Quickly, quickly, he had to evacuate the two and return. No matter how loyal his subordinates were to their mission, losing them was never acceptable.

“Hold on just a little longer…”

With burning determination in his eyes, he was about to escape from the Hwangung.

“We can’t go.”

This time, a man’s voice from behind the mask was heard.

Despite the distance, it sounded as if he was speaking right in front of them.

So they had no choice but to turn around. The three of them simultaneously looked back.

“Those who defiled the palace, abandon hope of escaping easily.”

The man in the mask held a sword in one hand and in the other, a dark ripple resembling black flames.

“Magi-!”

The sword instantly recognized it.

But how?

Magi could only be handled by the nobility, by the Unknown?

Filled with dread at the question, the man shot Magi towards the sky.

The sword pierced through to see his form.

Ring-

Upon closer inspection, there was a ring on the man’s finger.

Magi emanated from the ring.

The shot Magi turned into black clouds, shrouding the banquet hall in darkness.

“Darn! He was a guardian knight!?”

The situation became grave.

I thought he was just an insignificant member of the royal family or a rebel.

That ring, the artifact worn by the masked man, clearly belonged to the royal guardian knights.

A dangerous artifact capable of directly handling the power bestowed by the nobility.

Many thoughts flashed through my mind in a brief moment.

It was both a dilemma and hesitation.

Should I summon the Holy Sword now?

But soon, I shook my head.

Not yet.

I still have to endure.

I must abandon the habit of relying on the Holy Sword.

If I don’t want to experience another defeat like that time, if I don’t want to feel that self-reproach again!

This is a trial.

A trial that must be overcome without the Holy Sword.

“Sword….”

“?”

“Give me a sword. Quickly!”

To the puzzled Neison, Karl shouted.

Quickly, give him a weapon to defend himself.

Neison gestured to the knights of the sanctuary around him to bring a sword. When Karl asked for another handle, this time Neison handed over the sword he had been carrying.

Karl asked in surprise.

“If you do this, Neison, your weapon…”

“I can just pick up another one roughly.”

“But this sword is clearly-”

He tried to ask if it was a relic of the sanctuary, but was interrupted by Neison’s words.

“Yes, it’s a very precious sword. So you must return it.”

“……”

“Please protect the Duchess with that sword, and return safely to me.”

Nathan smiled slyly and took a step forward.

“I may not be worthy of serving the light from a higher place.”

Karl looked puzzled.

“I can’t possibly turn a blind eye to the deaths of my subordinates.”

“Nathan, please…”

“Go, I’m sure that sword will surely save you from danger.”

It was quite a tense scene.

Karl suddenly felt sorry for sealing the Holy Sword. He pondered summoning it now.

“Mainer, please treasure the Holy Sword… in case you encounter the nobility, the unknown.”

Whether he read his mind or not, Nathan came to a conclusion about Karl’s dilemma.

“If it’s the power of the Holy Sword, surely it can resist the impure power of the nobility.”

Seeing Nathan’s resolute expression, Karl and Cloe slowly nodded.

Then they ran towards the main gate of the palace, where the darkness had not yet reached.

“I said we can’t go.”

At that moment, a thunderous voice was heard, and darkness poured through the panicking banquet attendees. Screams echoed everywhere.

The cloud-like darkness spread rapidly, soon engulfing the people in the palace garden, then vanished without a trace.

As the surrounding people disappeared one by one, the remaining ones screamed even louder. Some tried to block the mist with their swords, while others gathered mana to counter with magic, but it was futile. One by one, they slowly disappeared into the darkness.

Even faces known to Karl were not exempt.

Instinctively, he shifted his gaze to the table where Beatrice and Daniella were. It was too late, but now they came to mind.

Darkness was engulfing them.

Daniella’s scream was heard.

“Beatrice, are you okay- Agh!”

Before Daniella could finish her sentence, the darkness enveloped her and dragged her away.

The black mist was spreading rapidly toward Beatrice, who was left alone.

“Beatrice!!!!!”

Yesterday, Karl tried to resonate the dimension to summon the holy sword.

Unknowingly, Karl shouted Beatrice’s name.

At the distant sound of his voice, Beatrice turned her gaze.

Karl’s eyes met hers.

Though the distance between them was far, they could see each other.

Her blue eyes, a mix of astonishment and confusion…

Beatrice stared at Karl with wide eyes for a long time.

It seemed as if she had given up resisting the rising darkness.

Karl’s pupils trembled severely.

He could only watch Beatrice, engulfed in darkness, with a pitiful gaze.

….

Beatrice’s lips moved.

She seemed to be saying something with pursed lips.

But it was too distant to be heard.

Finally, with one last pout, Beatrice was completely swallowed by darkness.

A step too late.

During the time of summoning the holy sword, during the resonance of dimensions, darkness took Beatrice away.

There was nothing where she had been standing.

Almost everyone in the garden had disappeared.

Looking around, Nathan was nowhere to be seen.

The only people left were Cloe and Karl.

“The meddlers have all disappeared.”

No, there were not just two left.

Thud-

Thud-

Footsteps were heard.

There were still more people. Uninvited guests.

“Disappear, leaving behind Deminus’s descendants, owner of the holy sword.”

……

The man behind the mask and the crowd following him approached and spoke.

Ten people surrounded Karl and Cloe.

They were outnumbered, completely surrounded.

Karl raised the two swords he held in his hands.

“Where did you go….”

“Other people talking?”

“Yeah.”

Behind the mask, a low chuckle was heard.

It was a sneer.

“Despair in helplessness. Even if you know, there’s nothing you can do.”

As the man finished speaking, Karl suddenly sprang from his position.

It was a terrifying speed.

Crash-!

Two swords imbued with mana were shot.

The masked man quickly raised his sword to parry the attack of the other.

The two clashed their swords and growled at each other.

The face of the sword came close to the masked man’s nose.

His golden eyes glowed as if burning.

“Speak, tell me what you did to them – where is Beatrice!!!”

“……”

The mana gathered around the sword vibrated.

It was a powerful mana filled with anger.

It was a day of lies, a day when an engagement ceremony for the mission was held, and nothing was sincere.

Only this anger expressed at the end of the day was genuine.

The only sincerity…

At last, sincerity was revealed.