Final Chapter. Towards Julian

The Demon King’s army was advancing on the Imperial Capital with unstoppable momentum.

Wilhelm and Gerard were holding off the last Apostle, Pedro, but…

The total strength of that Demon King’s army already surpassed the Imperial Army’s forces.

Of the 100,000 soldiers, 30% had already fallen in battle.

If those two couldn’t stop Duke Pedro in the remaining capital, it would all be meaningless.

“What in the world is going on…”

The other knights and Imperial soldiers nearby also stopped in their tracks.

They all spoke with confusion.

It was only natural, as there was no reason for them to retreat their forces now, when the Demon King’s army clearly had the upper hand.

Just then, a loud voice came from the Imperial Army unit that had been advancing to the front.

“A large force has appeared on the outskirts of the Old Imperial Capital! They’re ambushing the Demon King’s army!”

“Reinforcements have arrived!”

“Everyone, hold on! Now’s our chance!”

It seemed unexpected reinforcements had arrived.

The Imperial Army’s morale soared instantly.

“Alright! You bastards! Kill them all!”

Fabian, his morale boosted by the news, instantly slashed down the demon before him.

But at that moment, Leaf, who was wielding his Aura Sword alongside him, said with a puzzled look.

“The area around the Old Imperial Capital is already completely overrun by the Demon King’s army. There’s no way reinforcements could come from that direction, unless they fell from the sky or suddenly sprang up from the ground…”

“Leaf is right. Just who… Could it be the demons who came as reinforcements?”

But Fabian shook his head at Eric’s words.

“I’d be thrilled if pretty demon knights came to help me, but. There’s been no news of demons crossing the Imperial Capital and the Empire at all, so it’s impossible! If, by some chance… no, if God really wants to play a prank, there’s only one route possible…”

At Fabian’s words, Leaf quickly replied.

“It’s an absurd thought, but… I had the same idea. All the forces that could be gathered in the Empire have already converged on the Imperial Capital. So, if there are reinforcements, it can only be demons. And the only route the demons could take directly to the Old Imperial Capital right now is the Alterne Mountains!”

“In other words, it’s absolutely impossible,”

Fabian said.

But clearly the Demon King’s army was retreating, so something must have happened.

The thunderous roar that had been heard from afar, and the dazzling radiance of Mana that had been flashing wildly, had now stopped for a moment.

Fabian thought to himself.

‘The color of the Demon Spirit Power that Pedro emits is dark crimson. If so…’

Just a moment ago, all the lights that had been clashing with each other were gone.

That meant either Count Wilhelm and Marquis Gerard were dead.

Or that the battle had stopped.

Everyone seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as Leaf continued.

“If something had happened to those two, the Demon King’s army would be rushing in even more aggressively. For now… I guess we’ve bought ourselves some breathing room.”

Leaf’s hunch was right.

A little later, the three of them learned the truth about what had happened at the front.

“The Demon King’s army has crossed the Alterne Mountains!”

At the words of a messenger.

The three of them didn’t know what kind of expression to make.

But soon, the rumors that followed made all three of them feel their blood boiling.

The very fact that Yulian von Reinhardt was with them.

“Has our Lord… returned…!”

Fabian couldn’t hide his excitement.

---

Uriel, High Knight of the White Night Knights.

A female knight of the White Night whose fame was growing day by day in the Imperial Army, and once the escort knight of Count Yulian von Reinhardt, the heir to the Frontier Count.

Uriel was still trembling from the unbelievable scene she had witnessed a few hours ago.

‘That… transcended the realm of humans.’

Even in the Imperial Army, those at the forefront were the White Night Knights.

The only Grand Masters who could face Duke Pedro were currently Wilhelm and Gerard.

Tires, the Commander of the Royal Knights and Grand General, was also incredibly strong.

He commanded other battles while Wilhelm and Gerard kept Pedro tied down.

At the same time, the rest of the White Night elites supported the two Grand Masters together.

However, the battle was hopeless.

Wilhelm’s ultimate technique, showing the pinnacle of the Lionheart Sword, the White Night Blade.

Even Gerard’s alchemy, which supported Wilhelm to minimize allied casualties and provide firepower.

They were gradually becoming unable to withstand the absolute monstrosity that was Pedro.

‘Both of them used Aura Swords and spells at the 8th Circle, transcending humanity. And yet…’

Even so, they couldn’t withstand the spear strikes containing Demon Spirit Power that Pedro unleashed.

Unlike the two who were clearly showing signs of exhaustion.

Pedro’s breathing hadn’t even faltered.

Of course, they hadn’t given up.

But the White Night elites also sensed that the battlefield they were standing on right now was where they would die.

But at that very moment.

The White Night elites saw a giant jet-black dragon soaring through the night sky.

‘I couldn’t believe it.’

Pedro and the dragon didn’t confront each other for long.

The two people, no, beings, floating in the air, simply glared at each other.

But from her experience in actual combat.

And as a female knight who was considered one of the most talented in Essenmund, she felt it.

‘That monster… Pedro, the Apostle of the Demon God, was overwhelmed by the dragon’s aura.’

It was the same as how swordsmen who had reached a certain level could roughly grasp the outcome of a battle just by glaring at each other.

The situation was clearly in Pedro’s favor.

If that dragon hadn’t been so threatening.

Pedro, who had been superior even against two Grand Masters, wouldn’t have retreated.

At the same time, the situation on the battlefield also changed.

• A large force has appeared on the outskirts of the Old Imperial Capital! They’re ambushing the Demon King’s army!!

Unidentified forces had appeared and ambushed the Demon King’s army from behind.

The Imperial soldiers, who had been prepared for annihilation, were confused, unable to believe the news.

And a little later.

Uriel witnessed an unbelievable sight.

“What in the world is going on? I don’t know how the situation is unfolding.”

A female knight with golden curly hair.

Charlotte approached Uriel.

She had also seen it.

The dragon with the jet-black scales transforming into a human.

And surprisingly, the dragon was wearing luxurious armor and a cloak that a king of a kingdom might wear.

But it was a unique outfit that couldn’t be seen anywhere in the Empire.

No lord of any territory belonging to the Empire wore such jet-black armor and a cloak.

No, if there was one, it would be the enemy of the Empire.

Only the Demon King, the ruler of the Demon Kingdom, could wear such attire.

‘It was the Demon King’s attire, no matter who looked at it.’

And the moment she belatedly confirmed the man’s face, both Uriel and Charlotte couldn’t help but be shocked.

It was a face they couldn’t possibly not know.

“Could that Demon King… really be Count Yulian-nim?”

At Charlotte’s words, Uriel was silent.

She certainly knew that Yulian’s bloodline wasn’t ordinary.

The rumors that he was a child of a demon had been constantly circulating.

But to say that the son of the great Saintess Agnes had demon blood mixed in was nothing short of blasphemy.

No one in Essenmund could openly bring up that story.

‘But… now I understand.’

Uriel sensed it.

That the dragon was definitely Yulian von Reinhardt, whom she knew.

It was she, of all people, who had helped Yulian awaken his Mana.

That intuition wouldn’t be wrong.

Uriel finished organizing all her thoughts.

She smiled and said to Charlotte.

“We shouldn’t be surprised, no matter what truth unfolds before our eyes. Not now, when the Demon God has been resurrected.”

At her words, Charlotte smiled and nodded.

“That’s right! And actually…”

She smiled brightly and approached Uriel, whispering in her ear.

“Bad boys are always attractive, aren’t they? If it’s Count Yulian-nim… he’s a person full of fatal charm. It wouldn’t be strange even if he were the Demon King. Then I’d be spending the night with the Demon King…”

“Sir Charlotte! Stop talking nonsense again…”

She quickly stopped Charlotte’s mouth like that.

But in fact, Uriel’s true feelings were the same.

No matter what his identity was.

She just wanted to see her lord, Yulian, to whom she had already sworn her unwavering loyalty, again.

---

The command field tent on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

The highest-ranking officials of the Imperial Army were gathered there.

Just a moment ago. The commanders who had been prepared for death due to that battle.

But they were now unable to stop their astonishment for even a moment because of one person who had newly appeared on the battlefield.

“Such rumors have been constantly circulating… I never thought the most absurd rumor would be true.”

A middle-aged man with silver hair said while sipping his tea.

He was dressed in luxurious attire, but at the same time, his face exuded elegance, so it didn’t feel like extravagance at all.

Gerard de Aitern opened his mouth.

“Yulian von Reinhardt… Count Yulian. No, should we call him His Majesty Yulian now?”

He smiled faintly.

At Gerard’s words, Yulian also smiled and replied.

“I don’t think titles matter in the face of the current crisis… but still, I’m here as the ruler representing the Demon Kingdom of Agriel. So, please call me that.”

At Yulian’s words, Gerard glanced at Lilia.

She looked at the people inside the tent and said.

“The Demon Kingdom of Agriel will participate in the Holy War as an ally, just like our Holy Lamir Empire. Therefore, Yulian von Reinhardt is qualified to be here as the supreme leader of the Demon Kingdom, not as a subject of the Empire.”

At those words, Count Wilhelm von Reinhardt of the Holy Lamir Empire made a troubled expression.

‘It wouldn’t be strange.’

Duke Gerard had heard from Wilhelm.

That his only heir had visited the Demon Kingdom on behalf of the Empire.

The reason was an alliance between the two countries.

To form a united front against Knoia.

But the fact that Count Yulian had become the ruler of the Demon Kingdom and returned was.

Even Duke Gerard hadn’t expected it at all.

After a moment of thought, Gerard spoke to Yulian again.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like you to tell us more about that matter in detail.”

At those words, a man with long white hair.

No, Dragon Aytekia answered first.