Final Chapter. Towards Julian

The capital of the Holy Lamir Empire, Teria.

The expressions of the high-ranking officials gathered in what was commonly called the Imperial Capital were grim.

“It’s already been over ten days since His Majesty left the Imperial Capital. Even His Majesty has ultimately failed to secure aid…”

The prime minister of the Imperial Palace couldn’t hide the despair in his voice.

Count Rislich.

A member of the collateral imperial family, he was a relatively unknown nobleman who had quietly focused on his duties in the Imperial Palace.

However, he had been promoted to the new prime minister when Princess Lilia ascended to the throne as the new emperor.

He had compiled reports from all over the empire and finished explaining the situation to the high-ranking commanders of the Imperial Army gathered here.

At this rate, the empire would soon be destroyed.

Nearly 30% of the empire’s population had already died.

When the situation in areas where even the reporting system had collapsed was included, the conclusion was that more than half had already perished.

Unless it was a territory like Essenmund, where even ordinary citizens could participate in combat.

Everywhere else in the empire was a living hell.

“The long history of the empire ends here…”

In the end, Count Rislich simply lowered his head.

But at that moment.

An old general with white hair spoke quietly.

“Not everything is over yet, Count Rislich.”

At those words, all the commanders and nobles gathered here turned their attention to him.

Wilhelm von Reinhardt.

Not only a hero of the Great War against the Demons, but also the Margrave of the North, who was writing new legends in this era.

Now, Wilhelm and his knights, the White Nights, had entered the Imperial Capital.

If it weren’t for those elite troops, the Imperial Capital would have been burned to the ground long ago.

In fact, it was the Margrave’s knights and soldiers who were making remarkable achievements against the demon beast army that had seized the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

And above all, the most dazzling achievements were made by Wilhelm himself, the old general.

Wilhelm was proving day by day that his reputation as the strongest in the empire had not faded at all.

“Margrave-isiyeo. Your words that it is not over…”

“The empire’s greatest forces are all gathered in the Imperial Capital. Duke Gerard’s Central Army and General Tires’s Royal Knights are still intact. It is not yet time to give up. If there were any trouble with His Majesty’s divine authority, the archbishops would have already noticed. There is still hope.”

“If Your Excellency the Margrave says so… I understand.”

Rislich looked a little relieved at Wilhelm’s words.

Just last night, Wilhelm and the White Night Knights had been engaged in fierce battles with the demon beast army on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

Now, the White Nights had retreated back to the Imperial Capital for rest and treatment.

The Imperial Army and the Central Army, Duke Gerard de Aetern’s private soldiers incorporated into the Imperial Army, were filling that void.

“Duke Gerard is also showing activity worthy of being called a Grand Master now. You don’t have to worry.”

Saying that, Wilhelm paused for a moment in thought.

Gerard, the leader of the Central Army.

That distinguished nobleman and owner of the Aetern Trading Company was also a very famous alchemist.

He had been hiding his skills all this time.

But through recent battles, he had revealed all his abilities as an alchemist.

A Grand Master who had surpassed the realm of Master.

Of course, it was almost miraculous that his skills, which had been evaluated as only a Master, had suddenly risen so sharply.

But it was not so surprising now.

Before leaving the Imperial Capital, the Emperor, Lilia, had taken out all the imperial family’s artifacts stored in the Imperial Palace’s secret vault.

The treasures of the Aschterik family.

Surprisingly, those treasures were legendary relics passed down from the Old Empire era.

Sacred artifacts containing the power of the main god, Zedin.

The mere appearance of those artifacts could cause chaos in the world.

The emperors of the empire had sealed that power for generations.

In the first place, unless they had the proper qualifications of an emperor like Lilia, they would not even inherit the memory of its existence.

It was a type of sacred artifact like the great holy sword, Ciertia, passed down in the Reinhardt family.

‘Of course, compared to Ciertia, all of them can be said to be inferior artifacts…’

Ciertia was originally the only sacred artifact that Zedin had directly gifted to humans.

Therefore, it could not be compared to that special holy sword that allowed one to directly use the power of God.

But now, thanks to those sacred artifacts, the fall of the Imperial Capital could be delayed for a considerable period.

Zedin never allowed that power to be used recklessly by humans.

But now, even the restrictions on those sacred artifacts had been lifted.

It was a clear indication that even Zedin was sensing the end.

‘The imminent end is more dangerous than the chaos that could arise from using the power of God on earth.’

Of course, those sacred artifacts were only given to the strong, at least Masters or higher.

And they had even completed a sacred oath that if they were used against beings other than the demon beast army, they would be branded with holy fire and receive divine punishment.

That was why masters like Duke Gerard could become Grand Masters and engage in battle.

At the same time, Wilhelm, who had already reached the realm of Grand Master, had already surpassed the realm of the Apostle.

He was the hero who hunted the Apostle of Eternal Permafrost, that fallen angel, without Zedin’s sacred artifacts.

‘Yulian… are you safe…?’

But even he, a being who had transcended humanity, could not see the future now.

The empire’s defense line was now on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

Far from creating an opportunity for a counterattack, they were barely holding on.

The Demon God Knoia had already completed his manifestation on earth.

His first apostle, Duke Pedro.

Just yesterday, Wilhelm had clashed swords directly with Pedro.

‘I barely survived.’

It wasn’t even a match to discuss victory or defeat.

Even Wilhelm, who was considered the strongest human, was overwhelmingly pushed back by that Apostle Pedro.

The only reason he could barely hold on was because Pedro’s demon power was restricted near the Imperial Capital, where a large number of holy obelisks existed.

If it were near the former Imperial Capital, where the fifth Chaotic Gate had already opened.

There was no one left who could stop Pedro, who had become the incarnation of Knoia.

There was no certainty that they could even make it through tonight.

‘No. I must not despair yet.’

But he had not arrived here yet.

His only blood relative. Yulian von Reinhardt.

His grandson left behind by his beloved only daughter, Agnes.

When he last saw that grandson in Essenmund.

He still remembered the look in his eyes at that time.

• Head of the family-nim. I will become the light of the new era.

Once, he had been so worried about that only grandson.

But that grandson had become a more reliable adult than anyone else, a knight who had returned to his grandfather.

‘Yes. If this grandfather doesn’t believe in you to the end…’

And that determination had not changed.

It was the same feeling as Agnes.

A future where his descendants could live.

His heart had always been the same.

He had dedicated his entire life to the future where the people of Essenmund could live.

And his grandson was giving everything to save not only Essenmund, but this Isrand.

‘So, even if it costs me my life…’

Until his grandson returned here.

He had to defend the Imperial Capital.

That was the last mission that Wilhelm thought he had left for him.

That night, Wilhelm once again headed to the battlefield on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

---

It was a very cold night.

The knights of the White Nights went back to the battlefield.

“Huu… Isn’t this the Central Region? And it’s only mid-November… Why is this night so familiar?”

One of the knights said, exhaling white breath.

As he said. It was now mid-November.

The central region of Isrand, where the Imperial Capital Teria was located, was originally late autumn. Even if it was cold, it was a season that could be called the beginning of winter.

But the night now was so cold that it seemed to freeze everything around.

Even in the middle of winter in the Central Region, there was no such extreme cold.

The current temperature measured by the alchemist of the Imperial Army was -40 degrees Celsius.

Even in the harsh winter of Essenmund, it was an extreme weather that could only be felt near the Eternal Permafrost.

Of course, it was not a normal climate change.

It was an artificial cold created by demon power.

“Are we going to freeze to death before we die to demon beasts?”

And another knight muttered.

A handsome face, but a dark-skinned, blond knight.

At Fabian’s words, a knight next to him replied.

“You have to endure this much since the armor has fire magic on it. Anyway, you’ve already experienced it once in Essenmund, so it’s not that cold.”

It was Leaf. Another member of the group, Eric, also muttered.

“As expected, those who aren’t from Essenmund are weak to the cold. Well, I’m from Essenmund, so it’s nothing.”

The other two chuckled at those words.

Shuuk-

Even so, the three men’s bodies did not stop for a moment.

An Aura Sword that drew a neat sword path, though not flashy.

That pure white Aura Sword turned the approaching demon beasts into corpses.

All three were outstanding knights who graduated from the combat division of the Pantheon Academy.

And they were outstanding knights who had recently risen to the rank of regular knights of the White Nights.

“Yeah. Well, this kind of fucking weather or demon beasts aren’t a problem. We all have to survive until Yulian-nim comes back, right?”

The other two nodded at Leaf’s words.

“That’s right. Didn’t Yulian-nim make a promise to us?! To hold that debauched party again!”

“Shhh. Fabian! Other knights will be in trouble if they hear you!”

Leaf quickly silenced Fabian.

But Leaf soon noticed that his eyes were different from usual.

Fabian, who was always frivolous and known for chasing women.

The fierce battles that had continued in the Imperial Capital had made even Fabian, like that, despondent.

Many soldiers gathered here had died.

The same was true of his White Night comrades.

Fabian recalled the days he had spent with Yulian at the Pantheon in his mind.

‘It was fun. The training of the combat division…’

All three felt the same way.

All knights who had sworn allegiance to Yulian.

They wanted to wield their swords with him again on this battlefield.

Every day, the premonition of death felt like the Grim Reaper’s scythe was approaching their necks.

If they were going to die anyway, they wanted to die holding their swords high in front of their lord.

Kwakwakwakwakwang-

A huge light flashed over there.

Margrave Wilhelm and Duke Aetern. The two of them were confronting the Apostle Pedro, who had reappeared at night.

But Fabian could now tell.

Even those who were the strongest among humans were now clearly being pushed back by Pedro.

Even if the two of them joined forces, they could not defeat Pedro at all.

The fierce battles continued every day.

But the front line had already come close to the Imperial Capital.

‘Maybe it will be difficult to get through tonight.’

But it was then.

The atmosphere of the battlefield began to change.

“What’s going on?”

Fabian muttered. Leaf also stopped in his place and looked over there.

“The demon beast army is retreating?”

Something was definitely happening on the battlefield.