episode_0283

“Not Hittenberg, but Bahad????”

The Imperial Order of Knights is largely divided into two organizations.

The Imperial Knights Arena, which spends a lot of time in the field, and the headquarters of the Imperial Knights, which is centered around Antoine.

The Imperial Knights Arena is located in the capital, Helios, and the headquarters of the Imperial Knights is located in Hittenberg, one of the four major cities.

Of course, Antoine creates an annex of the Imperial Knights in Helios and spends a considerable amount of time there on business, but in the event of a major incident, he returns to the headquarters to take command.

Therefore, Eugene thought Marianne would head to Hittenberg after getting Jeanne and her group out of Pangea.

However, Marianne’s choice was to return to Bahad, which was far from both Helios and Hittenberg, where the Grand Duke was.

Thus, Eugene reacted with wide eyes, as if he was too surprised.

“It may be difficult to understand right now. But Eugene, and Charlotte. Will you trust and follow this mother’s intentions? In the current situation, it is best to distance ourselves from both the Imperial Family and the Grand Duke.”

However, Marianne requested that they send her faith in her with unwavering eyes.

“If it is the eldest of the Imperial Family, are you referring to the current Emperor Louis XV…?”

Victoria heard from Raonjena that the crest of the Goddess was being passed down to the eldest of the Imperial Family,

She also immediately realized that Antoine’s target that Raonjena was pointing to was Louis XV.

[That’s right.]

Raonjena nodded slowly.

Alexis Saint-Pierre inherited the blood of the Imperial Family, but he is not the legitimate son.

As a pure bloodline, the eldest son and heir is naturally Louis Hayden Elysium,

According to the Imperial Family’s legend, which has been passed down in utmost secrecy, the current Emperor Louis XV, Louis Hayden Elysium, possesses the crest of the Goddess within his body.

[Thus, the crest of the Goddess is passed on to the eldest of the Imperial Family, but its manifestation occurs when the Emperor is baptized in front of the Fountain of the Goddess. That is why Antoine made Louis Hayden Elysium the Emperor instead of Alexis.]

And that served as the background for Antoine’s betrayal of his friend Alexis.

From Antoine’s perspective, in order to neutralize the crest of the Goddess, which is an element that interferes with the Advent of the Demon King who received the grace of the Demon God, he had to induce its manifestation.

Because the crest of the Goddess, which is not manifested, has the potential to move to another target even if it takes the life of the target.

Knowing this, Antoine betrayed Alexis, who was the most likely candidate for Emperor, and then even eliminated him in order to confirm the kill.

Then, like fattening a pig to be eaten, he enthroned Louis Hayden Elysium as Emperor Louis XV.

“Then, are you saying that Grand Duke Antoine is trying to eliminate the Emperor, Raonjena!”

Victoria has also heard some of the legends about the crest of the Goddess, the eye of the Demon God, and the Goddess granting wishes when killing the Demon King who received the grace of the Demon God.

She has explored many esoteric books while wandering.

However, she only accepted it as a legend or myth,

There was no sense of reality at all.

Nevertheless, Victoria continued to sense Antoine’s unusualness in her continued conversations with Raonjena, so she immediately recognized the situation Raonjena was conveying and what the story in the myth was pointing to.

[That’s right. The moment that guy Antoine noticed you barging in here, he must have pointed his sword at the Imperial Palace. Then, the reason he sent you to me is simple, isn’t it? You are a person who can never be won over, but he couldn’t eliminate you just because you couldn’t be won over. Because the existence of Victoria is the daughter of Adrian that the guy wants to save.]

Antoine praised Victoria so much for resembling Adrian’s personality and appearance in her younger days.

However, that also meant that Antoine could not involve Victoria in the huge conspiracy he was plotting.

If Antoine were to raise an army, Victoria would have undoubtedly stood on the side of the Imperial Family without hesitation.

Therefore, Antoine isolated her by granting her a special quest, using Victoria’s desire to subjugate the Sophists, which she had had for a long time.

“Grand Duke Antoine is not such a reckless person. Even if he has such a purpose, he cannot possibly be unaware that causing problems in the current situation could cause problems with Tyranos. That’s why he sent me here.”

The emotional motive seemed sufficient even to Victoria.

However, Antoine, whom she had seen by his side for about a year, is a meticulous human being who does not want to bear risks.

In other words, if a major internal conflict were to occur in a state where monsters are rampant, he could be caught by Tyranos before he achieves his goal.

[Kukukut, yes. Antoine is not reckless. He is a snake-like guy who is meticulous and only fights battles he can win.]

It was Victoria’s analysis that struck the point quite accurately, but Raonjena raised the corners of her mouth in a subtle way.

Rather, it seemed to mean that Victoria’s current insight had failed to fully grasp Antoine.

[The co-leader of Tyranos is Antoine. They have been in contact since they were young, and after Ulysses was eliminated, his power became stronger, and he even rose to the position of leader.]

Antoine has already set up a situation where there is no risk.

He has had a relationship with Tyranos for a very long time.

Antoine has been waiting for this day, so he has put in a lot of effort to bring the Tyranos forces under his influence.

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped from Victoria’s mouth at that moment.

It must have been because the series of shocking stories was so overwhelming.

[Actually, I didn’t know that fact until recently either. It turns out that the reason I was able to roam the glaciers of the Man Years Mountain Range during my warrior training days was also thanks to the help of Tyranos, who has a significant connection with the Demon race.]

Raonjena, who brought up that amazing story, also raised the corners of her mouth with self-deprecation.

She also thought that she had been deceiving Antoine and taking care of her own interests for the past 10 years or so.

But it was an absurd thought, it was all in Antoine’s palm.

[When I noticed that, he used people to tamper with the elixir, then weakened me and tried to end my life through you like this. His goal is to eliminate the last element of insecurity with your sword, Victoria von Bayern.]

Raonjena planted her own spies in the Imperial Knights, but they were no match for Antoine’s.

By the time she realized the difference in power, her body had already been severely damaged by the elixir, and she was forced to live in seclusion.

[However, what I still don’t know is that Antoine proceeded with the plan even though he knew that I would tell you all the truth now. I don’t know. What benefit does that have for him.]

Cheoeoeoeok…!

Raonjena, who had conveyed everything she wanted to say, stood up from her seat with a slightly different expression than before.

[I didn’t want to be played by that guy, but I couldn’t help it. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes if I didn’t tell these stories on my last journey.]

She is trying to keep her promise.

She had told Victoria that if she dismissed her subordinates and came directly to listen to her story, she would tell her not only her life story, but also a way to escape.

Raonjena conveyed her long-held resentment to Victoria.

Therefore, Raonjena has no regrets even if Victoria cuts off her neck with her sword right here.

[Over there, that place is where the floodgates are located, and they open once every two days. Based on this time, it will be opened in a day and a half. Escape there with your comrades, Victoria.]

Raonjena pointed to a dark space in the corner.

It is also to keep another promise.

[Now, keep your promise too. With your sword, strike my neck and give me death, Victoria…]

Ssuk…!

Raonjena turned around.

Her skin has turned pale purple due to the side effects of the elixir, and her neck has a dark red line,

Victoria will receive her sword in that neck and end her life.

“Okay, I will keep my promise.”

Seureureureureung…!

Then Victoria drew her sword.

“Before that, I think there is one more thing you need to say?”

She held the sword firmly, but she thought that Raonjena still had something to say.

[……]

Raonjena was silent for a moment.

[Tell Eugene Schneider…that I apologize with tears of blood…that it was something I did because I was jealous of him. Tell him that I am really sorry and have no face to show, Victoria…]

Jureureureureuk…!

That’s right.

The sense of debt to her master Ulysses was the source of her self-torture and self-blame, but the person Raonjena had committed the greatest crime against was definitely his son Eugene Schneider.

Raonjena was too ashamed to bring it up first, and she apologized again with tears of blood thanks to Victoria, who had insight.

“Now, I will take that life.”

Cheoeoeoeoeok!

Victoria, who had heard Raonjena’s last words, raised her sword towards her neck, and

ㅡSeugeoeoeoeoeoeoeok!!!

She swung her sword sharply.

“With the Gray Bear Mercenary Group, you will be able to hold out for at least a few days, Commander Memphis.”

Grand Duchess Marianne, dressed in a silver combat uniform, was reassuring Memphis, the commander of the Bahad defense forces.

Eugene, Marianne, and Charlotte finished their preparations to head to Pangea the next day, taking advantage of the momentum.

As a result, the three strongest people in Bahad were being leaked to the outside at once, so Memphis became anxious.

“That’s right, Commander Memphis. For the past few days, we have been working hard to prevent the internal occurrence of dimensional rifts. There will be no such rapid outpouring of monsters as last time, so please don’t worry.”

“I understand, Sister Charlotte, Bishop. Still, please return as soon as possible. If the fact that you and the Grand Duchess are away from your posts becomes known to the people of Bahad, there is a risk of great confusion.”

“Yes, I will do that.”

The existence of the three people was not simply a matter of physical power.

In particular, Marianne and Charlotte had been interacting with the people of Bahad so much that the fact that they were not visible for more than a few days could cause a huge aftereffect.

“ㅡKeueoeoeoeoeoeoeok!!!!”

“ㅡUwoeoeoeoeoeoeoeok!!!”

ㅡDududududududududu!!!!

Soon, Eugene Schneider and his party left Bahad, and what greeted them were purple mutant orcs.

ㅡSeuaaaaaaaaaaang!!!

“The Heart of the Sun effect was absolutely amazing!”

Eugene Schneider immediately drew his greatsword.

Unlike Bahad, where the dimensional rift was being suppressed by the Heart of the Sun,

On the outside, even more dimensional rifts were open, and monsters were pouring out.